Avoiding the question just asked, the little medicine boy had clearly grown bolder. He glanced at the people below exchanging pleasantries and empty courtesies, crossed his arms again, and said, “That’s far too elementary. Anyone skilled in manipulating power understands that much!”

“Cut the nonsense. If you don’t explain it well, I’ll show you what it means to be an idiot!” Xiong Bao hadn’t forgotten what had just happened.

Yet the little medicine boy remained composed, straightening his robes with an air of great importance, clearing his throat a few times before speaking. “The principle is simple. Nanny Gu is my master’s only hope of being saved. His illness cannot wait, so we must find the fastest way to bring Nanny Gu here. And the fastest way is to make her come on her own.”

“Nonsense,” Xiong Bao said, displeased.

Unhurried, the little medicine boy continued explaining. “There are two reasons to want Nanny Gu — one is to save my master, and the other is to use her as a hostage…”

Before he could finish, Xiong Bao cut him off coldly. “More nonsense!”

The little medicine boy’s patience held. He smiled and went on, “There are many kinds of hostages. The hostage being demanded at the peace conference is meant to guarantee the promises made there!”

At this, Xiong Bao finally began to listen seriously.

“Prince Yao wants the Xiongnu to promise that within five years, no troops will be stationed within three hundred li of the border between the Xiongnu and the northern highlands. The Xiongnu king has no choice but to agree — but a verbal promise leaves plenty of room to go back on his word. To make sure the Xiongnu king doesn’t renege, Nanny Gu is the key.”

As he spoke, the little medicine boy pointed down at Minhan Mude’er and the old Xiongnu emperor, continuing, “Little one, look at that old emperor’s complexion. Nine times out of ten he’s ill, and seriously so. At his age, once a man falls seriously ill, death isn’t far behind. I’d guess that within three years the Xiongnu emperor will die, and Minhan Mude’er will inherit the throne!”

Hearing this, all trace of Xiong Bao’s earlier arrogance vanished, replaced by a look of complete seriousness, as if afraid to miss a single word.

The Zizhu Beast was the same — listening, and marveling. This little medicine boy was no ordinary child!

As the little medicine boy talked, he too grew more earnest, his earlier pride giving way to solemnity. “Little one, think about it — if Minhan Mude’er were the hostage, and years from now the old Xiongnu emperor dies and another prince takes the throne, would that new emperor care whether Minhan Mude’er lived or died?”

“He’d be glad to see him dead!” Xiong Bao answered at once.

“Exactly! Only if Minhan Mude’er himself becomes emperor will he care about Nanny Gu, his own aunt, and only then will he have reason to be wary of Da Zhou!”

So that was how it worked. Xiong Bao nodded repeatedly, his face full of admiration.

Seeing this, the little medicine boy felt a swell of accomplishment and continued, “But the real point comes next! At this peace conference, Dongqin withdrew its invitation — Xuanyuan Lige is using his knowledge of the island’s secret to threaten Prince Yao through Nanzhao. Prince Yao avoided a direct confrontation, but instead used the Xiongnu to tie Dongqin’s hands. Dongqin is left with only the northern highlands, bordered by Da Zhou to the south and a deep ravine to the west — the Xiongnu to the north are Dongqin’s only possible ally. As long as Prince Yao keeps the Xiongnu firmly restrained, he need not fear whatever trouble Xuanyuan Lige stirs up!”

Xiong Bao clicked his tongue over and over as he listened. “Amazing! So clever! So formidable!”

The Zizhu Beast sighed in admiration as well. “A genius, truly a genius! One in a hundred years!”

The little medicine boy grew almost embarrassed at the praise. He scratched the back of his head, about to demur modestly, when Xiong Bao suddenly asked, “Tell me, how did my father get to be so amazing, so clever?”

“One arrow, three birds — Prince Yao is mighty!” the Zizhu Beast immediately chimed in with praise.

Er…

The corner of the little medicine boy’s mouth twitched. “Right, right…”

Seeing that Xiong Bao still seemed quite pleased with him, the little medicine boy quickly pressed his advantage, putting on his most ingratiating expression. “Little Prince, wasn’t Xiaosheng’s analysis pretty good?”

Xiong Bao nodded in agreement.

The little medicine boy was secretly delighted and hurried to add, “Little Prince, how about this — why not let Xiaosheng be your…”

But before the key word could leave his mouth, Xiong Bao slapped his small palm down decisively. “This young lord likes you a lot. How about this — you’ll stay by my side and wait on me!”

At those words, even the corner of the little medicine boy’s eye twitched. Stay by his side and wait on him — wasn’t that just becoming a little errand boy?

He had already made up his mind — he wanted to be this little prince’s tutor!

Seeing the medicine boy’s expression sour, Xiong Bao rubbed his chin. “What, you don’t want to?”

He should know — besides the big foolish bear, the only ones by his side were four top-tier poison beasts, every one of them a first-rate expert. This little medicine boy was the first, and likely would be the only human.

So many people under his father and mother fought tooth and nail just for the chance to serve at his side, and yet this little medicine boy was actually hesitating!

Seeing Xiong Bao’s displeasure, the little medicine boy nodded quickly and repeatedly. “I’m willing, I’m willing! It would be Xiaosheng’s honor!”

He thought to himself — at least this way he could stay for now, so his master wouldn’t have a chance to send him back to guard the Poison Den. He’d already arranged things properly with Shiliang; nothing would go wrong.

He absolutely did not want to be stuck alone in that lonely Poison Den!

Fine, an errand boy it would be — as long as his master couldn’t chase him off, it was fine by him. Besides, this little prince, young as he was, was remarkably clever; he could follow even such complicated matters. He wouldn’t be following the wrong master!

The moment the little medicine boy nodded, Xiong Bao brightened. After all, he was still a child, and having a playmate was the happiest thing in the world. He no longer cared that the peace conference below hadn’t even ended yet — he crooked a finger and, grinning, beckoned Baili Xiaosheng up to sit beside him.

Baili Xiaosheng hesitated at first, but once he saw that the Zizhu Beast had already withdrawn its qilin face, he dared to climb up.

“Heh heh, from now on, you’re mine! I’ll share my seat with you!” Xiong Bao was delighted.

The little medicine boy suddenly felt something was off, but he didn’t dwell on it, and instead settled in beside Xiong Bao to watch the spectacle below continue.

By then, the peace conference was drawing to a close.

The various nations pledged allegiance and promised to pay regular tribute to Da Zhou. Beyond that, Xijing ceded a large stretch of land for Da Zhou to station troops on, and Xiliang agreed to compensate with horses, hides, and gold, to be paid off over five years, leaving behind the son of a great general as hostage.

Jun Beiyue had still not addressed Dongqin. Though everyone present had heard that Dongqin had produced a crown prince, all remained watchful and wary, and no one dared to bring the matter up.

Also left unaddressed was Xichu. The Xichu emperor and Chu Tiange sat like two fools off to the side, unable to speak up, and no one so much as glanced their way.

At last, the banquet ended. Jun Beiyue rose to see off the guests. Chu Tiange and the Xichu emperor seethed with fury — everyone else stood to leave, but the two of them remained seated.

They had been invited, yet ignored — what did Jun Beiyue mean by this?!

A flicker of disdain crossed Jun Beiyue’s eyes. Had it not been for Chu Tiange’s earlier ambush, he would have long since reached Xijing, and Situ Haonan would never have made that mistake.

Toward a man like Chu Tiange, revenge no longer held any meaning — only humiliation was fitting. If they wanted to court further embarrassment, that was their own business!

Sure enough, before Jun Beiyue could even speak, the Xijing emperor beside him spoke up first. “Xichu didn’t take part in the war — how did they end up here? Heh, Prince Yao really does have quite the standing!”

At these words, the Xijing emperor nearly choked on his own blood.

Xichu hadn’t fought, true, but Jun Beiyue had sent them an invitation — how could they not come?

The moment the Xijing emperor spoke, everyone turned to look. The Xichu emperor and Chu Tiange could no longer bear to remain seated. Awkward as it was, they forced themselves to stand.

If they didn’t leave now, staying seated any longer would only make them the laughingstock of the whole hall!

Yet just as the Xijing emperor and Chu Tiange reached the doorway, Jun Beiyue finally smiled and said to the Xijing emperor, “Ah, now I recall — Xichu truly did not take part in the war. Heh, seems I invited the wrong people!”

At this, the entire hall broke into muffled laughter. The Xichu emperor and Chu Tiange could have grown a thousand faces and still not had enough to cover their shame. Father and son practically fled the hall in disgrace.

Jun Beiyue, toying with people like this — does your son even know what you’re like?

Perched up on the roof beam, Xiong Bao watched wide-eyed, muttering to himself, “Never, ever provoke Father…”

After the peace conference ended, Jun Beiyue did not rest. That very night he convened a military council. This journey to the Dream Clan — no one knew how long it would take, nor whether fortune or misfortune awaited.

He needed to settle everything concerning Da Zhou, and military affairs were the most critical of all. The borders on every side, the arrangement of troop garrisons, the major cities, the capital’s strongholds — all had to be arranged down to the last detail. He also promoted several civil officials to assist Jun Beichen in overseeing the government in his absence.

As Jun Beichen accepted the mandate of authority with both hands and withdrew, Ziqing felt a deep swell of emotion. This second prince had once been willing to stop at nothing to seize the throne — and yet now, he was genuinely willing to serve as regent for Jun Beiyue!

Should this be called Jun Beichen losing his fighting spirit, or Jun Beiyue simply being too outstanding?

When you are only a little better than others, people grow envious and resentful. But when you are far, far better than everyone else, people no longer covet your position — they can only admire you.

Ziqing thought, this must be the highest state a person of true strength could reach.

The strong do not need to strive — not because they refuse to compete, but because there is no need to; others no longer contend with them, no longer force them to fight.

Noticing Ziqing lost in thought, Jun Beiyue came up behind her and gently drew her into his arms, his smooth chin nuzzling affectionately against her cheek. “Tired?” he asked, his voice full of tenderness.

“Not tired. They still haven’t found a new mine in Xijing, but we’ve produced three large crates of gunpowder, all sent down to the southern border,” Ziqing said softly.

“Not keeping any by your side for protection?” Jun Beiyue asked.

Ziqing smiled. “I have you, don’t I?”

“Heh, fine then. From now on, this prince will be your gunpowder. If things get out of hand, just throw me at them,” Jun Beiyue teased. Ziqing nodded again and again — exhausted as she looked, her smile was full of happiness.

Just then, Yelu Qianqian and Situ Haonan came to say their farewells. With the peace conference over, the two of them needed to head to Xijing.

Ziqing felt a pang of reluctance to part, but Yelu Qianqian was going back to prepare for her wedding — she couldn’t very well keep her here.

The two women looked at each other without words, then reached out and embraced, perfectly in step with one another.

“Silly girl, about to become someone’s wife,” Ziqing said, laughing like an older sister, full of joy.

She would have loved to attend the two of their wedding, but time simply wouldn’t allow it — Baili Weisheng’s illness, Xiong Bao’s condition, the secret of the isolated island — all of it still awaited them!

“Ziqing, when are you two finally going to have your wedding? Jun Beiyue is really too much — you’ve been made consort for so long now, and he still hasn’t taken care of the actual ceremony!” Yelu Qianqian complained under her breath.

Ziqing only smiled and said nothing. That New Year’s Eve, Jun Beiyue had wanted to hold it, but Yan Zi had disrupted things, and matters had been delayed ever since.

Ziqing thought, if she was going to marry, she ought first to have a proper home of her own — her own family home!