The Xiliang Empress suddenly arrived at the post house in civilian clothes. She had just dismounted and hadn’t yet crossed the main entrance when the Imperial Guard commander came galloping to report that Prince Yan Li Zhijie had sent new intelligence from the capital.

Upon hearing this, Li Tianjiao’s steps paused. Standing at the entrance of the post house, she reached out to take the wax-sealed message tube from the Imperial Guard commander’s hands.

She opened the tube and poured out two thin pieces of parchment, tossed the tube back to the Imperial Guard commander, and stood at the post house entrance to read carefully.

After finishing the letter, Li Tianjiao hadn’t recovered for a long while. The Imperial Guard commander, seeing the Empress’s expression, cautiously asked: “Your Majesty… has something happened to Prince Yan?”

She closed her eyes and refolded the letter, gripping it tightly in her palm before placing it against her heart, not answering, then turned and stepped into the post house.

Li Tianjiao wore narrow-sleeved plain clothes and a white jade crown, walking with her hands behind her back. Even though her dress and appearance resembled that of a handsome young master from an ordinary family, she still couldn’t conceal her imposing presence.

When she reached outside the main hall, Bai Qingqi and Bai Jintong were already standing at the door waiting. Although gray hair had appeared at Bai Qingqi’s temples, it didn’t diminish his outstanding appearance in the slightest. His features were cold and clear, his bearing indescribably ethereal and profound.

Li Tianjiao saw Bai Jintong standing one step behind Bai Qingqi. Upon seeing her, he hurriedly bowed deeply first: “I greet Your Majesty!”

Her steps paused as she glanced at Bai Jintong, then her gaze fell on Bai Qingqi, wondering in her heart whether Bai Qingqi already knew that this Cui Fengnian was a woman.

Bai Qingqi straightened his sleeves, then bowed to Li Tianjiao: “Not knowing of Your Majesty’s arrival, we failed to welcome you properly… please forgive us, Your Majesty.”

Li Tianjiao pressed her lips tightly together, lifted her feet to step up the high stairs, and walked directly into the hall.

Only then did Bai Qingqi straighten up, exchange a glance with Bai Jintong, and follow behind the Xiliang Empress into the main hall.

Li Tianjiao sat down with swift, decisive movements: “Please sit!”

Bai Qingqi and Bai Jintong responded and took seats below Li Tianjiao.

Li Tianjiao’s gaze moved back and forth between Bai Jintong and Bai Qingqi. After a long while, she finally spoke: “Today, I came alone because I have one question I want to ask clearly…”

“Your Majesty may ask freely,” Bai Qingqi nodded, completely composed.

“Gonghang, you and I have interacted, and we can be called friends. Today I want to ask you directly – are you a spy sent by Jin…” Li Tianjiao smiled as she lowered her gaze, lifted the hem of her long robe, crossed her legs, rested her elbow on the chair’s armrest, and when she looked up at Bai Jintong again, her gaze concealed murderous intent, “or a spy sent in advance by the Great Zhou Empress?”

Li Tianjiao used “I” rather than the imperial “We.”

Bai Jintong stood up and bowed to Li Tianjiao: “Your Majesty, I, Cui, am merely a merchant!”

Li Tianjiao looked at Bai Jintong, only smiling without speaking. After a long while, she asked Bai Qingqi: “Does the Zhou envoy know that Cui Fengnian is a woman?”

Bai Qingqi nodded slightly: “Last night, Gonghang told this foreign minister the truth. After all, this world is unfair to women, and it’s inconvenient for women to travel outside. It’s understandable.”

“Indeed, I forgot…” Li Tianjiao laughed lowly. “The century-old military family, the Bai family, has never looked down on women. Otherwise… how could they produce a figure like the Great Zhou Empress, who is strategically brilliant and invincible in battle?”

As a fellow woman, Li Tianjiao knew about the Bai family’s affairs in Jin, and, therefore, greatly admired Bai Qingyan for pushing the Bai family from a precarious position to where they stood today.

However, when it came to implementing new policies, the resistance in Great Zhou was indeed much less than in Xiliang.

“I also want to ask the Zhou envoy – do you know about the fires at the eight great families’ granaries?” Li Tianjiao asked again.

Bai Qingqi nodded: “Last night, when Gonghang’s subordinates came to report, we learned of it, though we only knew about the fires at the Yun and Zhai family granaries. It was precisely because of this… that I kept Gonghang at the post house.”

“So the fires… were indeed set by Cui Fengnian?” Li Tianjiao looked at Bai Jintong.

“Your Majesty…” Bai Jintong bowed to Li Tianjiao again. “Gonghang’s subordinates, because they often dealt with the Yun and Zhai families, knew the locations of their granaries and had even helped transport grain before. Yesterday, because the Yun family was shorthanded, my subordinates helped transport grain there and stayed to drink with the granary guards. When they were about to leave, the Yun family granary caught fire. They were too few… and the granary had been doused with fierce fire oil, so they had to seek help from the nearby Zhai family granary. Who knew the Zhai family granary was also on fire? Sensing something was wrong, they immediately came to report…”

Bai Qingqi nodded along: “At that time, we were dining, and several nobles from Yun Capital were present – Your Majesty can ask them. Later, when news entered the city that all eight great families’ granaries were on fire, Gonghang feared being implicated and was very anxious. This foreign minister thought… regardless, Gonghang is now a Great Zhou citizen, and as a Great Zhou envoy, I couldn’t watch a law-abiding Great Zhou businessman be implicated, so I took it upon myself to keep Gonghang here.”

Li Tianjiao narrowed her eyes, her smile becoming increasingly cold: “So the Zhou envoy means to protect Cui Fengnian?”

“Naturally!” Bai Qingqi’s voice showed no hesitation, indifferent but resolute. “If Your Majesty knows about the Bai family and the Bai family army, you should understand… our Great Zhou Empress originally overthrew the Jin dynasty and ascended the throne to protect our Great Zhou people. The Bai family army fights in all directions, also to protect the people! Therefore… not one Great Zhou citizen can be bullied by other nations.”

Bai Qingqi’s words carried a threatening undertone – if Xiliang truly dared to do anything to this Cui Fengnian, Great Zhou would not let it rest.

Li Tianjiao laughed lowly: “Good… very good! The Great Zhou can take Cui Fengnian away. Can the alliance between the Great Zhou and Xiliang be established?”

Li Tianjiao’s meaning was that if it couldn’t be established, if Great Zhou insisted on war, then neither Cui Fengnian nor Bai Qingqi should expect to leave.

Now that Xiliang was already in extreme danger, Li Tianjiao only wanted to make one last desperate attempt. Even if she failed… she would accept it.

“Our Great Zhou Empress’s intention is naturally also to ally, depending on what sincerity Xiliang shows…” Bai Qingqi’s voice was indifferent.

“Twenty-five cities…”

“Your Majesty, this foreign minister believes that if Xiliang could acknowledge Great Zhou as sovereign and pay tribute, it would be most appropriate. After all, the Rong and Di tribes are now watching like tigers, and Great Yan is only waiting for the three-year agreement with the Rong and Di to expire before pouncing. Can Xiliang resist them alone? It would surely face the fate of being divided and devoured,” Bai Qingqi said.

Li Tianjiao’s palms suddenly clenched tightly, fury rushing straight to the top of her head. She forcibly suppressed the rage in her heart, unable to control her expression: “How is this different from destroying Xiliang?”

“The difference is that Xiliang would still be governed by Your Majesty yourself – it’s merely acknowledging sovereignty and paying tribute! This way, the people can still be spared from the flames of war…”