Li Yanyan left the imperial study and immediately summoned her most trusted dowry maid, whispering in low tones: “You must ride with all haste to see my father and tell him that His Majesty already knows about him contacting the officials to submit a pledge of loyalty to Great Zhou! Grand Preceptor Qin just met with His Majesty in the imperial study and handed that pledge of loyalty to His Majesty! His Majesty was thunderously enraged after reading it. Tell father to make preparations early. Go quickly!”

The dowry maid turned pale with fright and hurriedly nodded before rushing out.

Li Yanyan collapsed weakly into her chair. Now that the matter had been exposed, how would His Majesty think of the Li family? And how would he treat her?

As soon as this thought arose, Li Yanyan took a deep breath and confidently suppressed it.

The capital was about to fall, and His Majesty could barely manage a full meal – where would he find the strength to deal with the Li family? With the nation in crisis, it was precisely the time when people were needed. If His Majesty punished the Li family, wouldn’t he fear being left isolated and without support afterward?

Thinking of this, Li Yanyan’s anxious heart settled down again.

But what Li Yanyan didn’t know was that after Qin Huaiyuan had also left the imperial study, Eunuch Lu reported in detail to Yuchi Yan about Li Yanyan’s earlier visit.

Yuchi Yan let out a cold laugh: “They truly think I’m a soft persimmon to be squeezed! I only keep them around because they still have some use.”

Eunuch Lu said: “Your Majesty considers all matters thoroughly – this slave could never think so far ahead.”

Yuchi Yan thought for a moment, then called Eunuch Lu to his side and whispered a few words in his ear.

After listening, Eunuch Lu immediately bowed and went to handle the matter.

Meanwhile, Li Yanyan’s dowry maid had already used the fastest speed possible to report the news to Duke Anguo.

When Duke Anguo suddenly heard this news, his entire body stiffened as he stood frozen in place, his panicked thoughts surging, unable to speak a word for a long while.

The several advisors around him also furrowed their brows tightly, their faces showing utter dismay.

“Duke, what should we do? If His Majesty knows about our joint petition, he’s sure to fly into a rage!”

“Yes, Duke, your lifetime of distinguished reputation mustn’t be ruined at this point. We must carefully think of a countermeasure.”

Listening to his advisors’ chattering discussion, Duke Anguo gradually calmed down instead.

He snorted with derision: “What is there to fear?”

When he stood up, Duke Anguo’s face no longer showed his earlier panic. He laughed coldly: “Things have already reached this point – what is there left to fear? After all, that pledge of loyalty didn’t bear only this old man’s name alone. As they say, the law does not punish the masses. Even if His Majesty wants to hold someone accountable, could he possibly kill both this old man and all the court’s military generals? Without this old man, could His Majesty find another person to lead troops? Without military generals, how would he fight his wars?”

Hearing Duke Anguo speak this way, the advisors felt somewhat more at ease. Upon careful analysis, now that all the ministers in court were on the verge of starvation, and His Majesty in power couldn’t even ensure his subordinate officials had full meals, what grounds would he have for punishment?

“The Duke speaks truly.” The several advisors also relaxed.

Duke Anguo stroked his graying beard, his sharp eagle eyes narrowing on his square face: “Who would have thought that the man surnamed Qin would have the ability to get hold of this old man’s pledge of loyalty, and could strike first by presenting it to His Majesty to slander this old man! It seems this old fox hasn’t lived so many years for nothing – this old man has underestimated him before.”

One advisor heard this and laughed: “Speaking of Qin Huaiyuan’s loyalty, in my view it’s nothing special – he’s just another shameless person seeking fame and fishing for reputation. His striking first to make this accusation is nothing more than trying to have it both ways – both exposing the Duke before His Majesty to gain favor, and also buying goodwill with Great Zhou.

“That pledge of loyalty couldn’t have flown there by itself, could it? It must be that he somehow established contact with Great Zhou to obtain it. This fully shows that while he speaks righteously on the surface about not giving up, he actually harbored thoughts of surrender long ago.”

Duke Anguo nodded in strong agreement. He considered his talents no less than Qin Huaiyuan’s, yet it was always the man surnamed Qin whose reputation spread everywhere. Everyone under heaven knew of Qin Huaiyuan, but how many knew of Duke Anguo Li Mian?

Their philosophies also differed. Take this matter of defending the city, for instance – Duke Anguo advocated seeking victory through stability while secretly favoring surrender.

But Qin Huaiyuan advocated holding firm and not yielding.

This way, Qin Huaiyuan’s position violated the interests of Duke Anguo’s faction.

More crucially, their daughters – one was His Majesty’s legitimate empress yet couldn’t gain His Majesty’s love; the other was truly cherished by His Majesty, and even after being forced to become a lay Buddhist, His Majesty still couldn’t forget her.

With all these factors combined, Duke Anguo and Qin Huaiyuan could never be harmonious.

Currently in Great Yan, Duke Anguo was suppressed by Qin Huaiyuan.

When Great Zhou’s secret envoy came to secretly contact Duke Anguo, he had mentioned that Great Zhou’s Emperor promised that if Great Yan surrendered, all surrendering officials would be treated well, and no talents would be buried. In other words, those of them who served as officials would continue serving as officials after going to Great Zhou.

But if things continued according to this situation, even when they went to the Great Zhou court, Duke Anguo would still be suppressed by the world-renowned Qin Huaiyuan!

Why should this be? It was already like this in Great Yan – must he, Li Mian, still be suppressed after going to Great Zhou?

Thinking of this, Duke Anguo’s eyes gradually turned cold: “We cannot let the Qin family live to reach Great Zhou! Conveniently, didn’t that person from Great Zhou instruct us to help secretly eliminate the man surnamed Pang? Why not use this opportunity to take out both the man surnamed Pang and the man surnamed Qin in one fell swoop!”

Upon hearing this, the advisors all became spirited, and they began putting their minds to work, helping Duke Anguo devise strategies.

The morning’s heavy rain brought some coolness even to the mountain where autumn’s heat had been raging, and everyone at Ning Garden busied themselves preparing vessels to collect water.

Thinking that perhaps after this nourishment, the wild vegetables and fruits on the mountain could grow a bit faster, everyone’s faces showed a rare hint of relaxation.

Qin Yining was working with her hands while speaking quietly with Sun Shi when someone came to report.

“Benefactor, there’s a gentleman at the main gate who says he’s from your father’s side. He says your father has urgent matters to discuss with you and has come specially to request an audience.”

Qin Yining was startled.

Father hadn’t come up the mountain for quite some time, and they had been out of contact for a full month. Qin Yining was indeed worried about Qin Huaiyuan’s situation, so upon hearing that someone from her father’s side had come, she immediately said: “Thank you, I understand.”

Setting down the ceramic basin in her hands, Qin Yining smiled: “Mother, I’ll go out to take a look. Perhaps father has something to tell me.”

Sun Shi forced a smile and nodded: “Go ahead. Since your father didn’t say he had anything to tell me, I won’t go. I imagine it’s Qi Tai who came. Ask carefully about your father’s situation for me.”

Qin Yining naturally understood the sadness in Sun Shi’s heart. Ever since Qin Huaiyuan went to defend the city, Cao Yuqing had been constantly by his side for protection – how could Sun Shi not be jealous?

Qin Yining didn’t feel comfortable commenting on her father’s private life, so she just smiled and said: “I understand. I’ll go and come right back.”

“Go on, I know you father and daughter have many secrets.”

Sun Shi felt proud, after all, not every family’s daughter could be raised like a son. It wasn’t simply because Qin Yining was an only daughter, but more because her daughter was intelligent and sensible.