When the King of Wei destroyed An Xia, he was full of ambition, never expecting that An Xia would remain in chaos under his rule for years. He had considered supporting one faction to manage An Xia for him and collect wealth—the most economical method—but each attempt failed. As a result, stationing troops in An Xia to suppress uprisings became extremely costly for the Wei Kingdom. So many soldiers needed food, shelter, clothing, and pay; armor and weapons needed repairs when damaged; and compensation had to be provided for the dead. When Xiao Yan took power and reviewed the accounts: it simply wasn’t worth it!

In essence, the management costs were too high, and expenses exceeded income.

War is the most money-consuming affair in the world, but even if they defeated the newly established New Xia, what would the Wei Kingdom gain? Nothing but the same chaotic An Xia region, a territory that couldn’t be squeezed for resources.

“The old King of Wei refused to let go because Central and Eastern An Xia are rich in minerals, which could supplement Wei’s deficiencies. But the distance from the mining areas to the Wei Kingdom is too great, making transportation costs too high, and we intercept in between,” Feng Miaojun added. “Now that the Wei Kingdom has established agreements with various small nations in the south and overseas to import minerals, they no longer need to seize mines from New Xia thousands of miles away.” When she and Yun Ya went to Jiao Capital, they disguised themselves as envoys from a small maritime nation, but Chi Zhe’s country did indeed have trade relations with the Wei Kingdom, dealing in minerals, weapons, and such.

There were many small nations like Yulang doing business with the Wei Kingdom.

“That’s precisely the point.” Fu Lingchuan nodded. “In the short term, at least until the Wei Kingdom faces major turmoil, they have no interest in New Xia. On the contrary, if Wei Crown Prince Xiao Jing were alive, he might cause us considerable trouble.”

Feng Miaojun let out a long “Oh,” understanding now.

If Xiao Jing had raised the banner of rebellion and declared independence, he would likely have used the familiar An Xia as his stronghold for resistance, thus encroaching on New Xia’s territory.

Feng Miaojun found it both amusing and distressing: should she thank Xiao Yan and General Helian Jia who had chopped off Xiao Jing’s head with one strike?

No wonder Fu Lingchuan was enticed by her proposal to relocate the capital—he had already calculated many of these twists and turns.

She had finished eating and was lightly sipping fruit nectar from a golden cup.

From Fu Lingchuan’s perspective, the profile of the soon-to-be seventeen-year-old Queen was elegant, with contours so beautifully soft that one wanted to raise a hand to caress them. Her small hand appeared even more delicate and fair against the golden cup, showing a hint of vulnerability.

Her beauty and circumstances truly resembled those of a golden canary kept in a cage.

Fu Lingchuan had dined with her at the same table at least a hundred times. Despite his efforts at self-control, one thought became increasingly clear in his mind. Taking advantage of the current relaxed atmosphere, he deliberated for a while before saying softly: “Changle, I have something to ask you.”

“Hmm?” Feng Miaojun noticed his slight forward lean, a sign that Fu Lingchuan was fully focused, but she still smiled and said, “Cousin, just speak freely.”

Somehow, he felt somewhat nervous, taking a deep breath before asking her: “Do you have someone you care for?”

This question was somewhat unexpected. Feng Miaojun blinked her phoenix eyes twice before uttering a surprised sound: “We had an agreement that my marriage would be my own choice.”

“If not for that, why would I have placated the King of Yan in Taiping City?” Fu Lingchuan rubbed his forehead. “I’m just asking.”

Someone she cared for? She raised her cup for a light sip, and suddenly an image flashed in her mind—that face, handsome to the point of being bewitching, seemed to fill her entire field of vision.

Could that be the one she cared for? No, no! Feng Miaojun was so startled that she shook her head repeatedly.

Seeing this motion, Fu Lingchuan took it as a negative answer, and his heart leaped with joy. He said tenderly: “Changle, I like you.”

Her eyes widened slightly, with a moment of blankness: “Ah?”

“I have admired you for a long time.” Fu Lingchuan’s voice grew even softer, as if afraid of frightening her. “If there is no one else in your heart, would you marry me?”

He could have said that their union would make New Xia stronger, that the Queen marrying the State Preceptor would eliminate elements of instability. He could have said that if Changle married him, she would immediately gain real power without having to navigate the court officials. He could even have said that if Changle married him, she would instantly enjoy the freedom she had long yearned for.

He just felt that these reasons might not all work with Feng Miaojun, so he simply said he liked her.

And he truly did like her, in a way completely different from what Fei Yuan had made him feel.

Feng Miaojun had recovered from her surprise and now tilted her head slightly, suddenly smiling: “Cousin no longer wants Yan Kingdom’s support?”

The King of Yan was determined to have her marry his son to control New Xia. If Fu Lingchuan violated his guardianship and married the Queen himself, it would be openly severing ties with the King of Yan.

“From the moment we slipped out of Taiping City, I never expected Yan Kingdom to offer assistance again.” Fu Lingchuan’s expression remained calm. “For Changle, it’s worth it.”

Was this man reminding her that for the sake of fulfilling the promise of “marriage by her own choice,” he was willing to offend the King of Yan? Nevertheless, Feng Miaojun still admired his skillful way with romantic words.

She sat up straight and said seriously: “But I have no romantic feelings for you, Cousin.”

When she spoke, her gaze was clear, her expression firm, without the slightest hint of wavering or confusion. Fu Lingchuan’s throat went dry; he opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a word for a moment.

Being rejected by the girl he liked for the first time in his life was not a pleasant feeling.

But he quickly found his voice again: “You truly haven’t developed any feelings at all?”

She shook her head decisively: “I’m sorry, never.”

Fu Lingchuan let out a long breath, not hiding his disappointment. But he still roused his spirits and said: “It’s alright. As long as Changle doesn’t have someone she cares for, I still have a chance.” He drained his cup in one gulp and stood up. “I still have state affairs to handle, so I’ll take my leave first.” With that, he departed.

Feng Miaojun didn’t stand to see him off but remained seated, finishing the fruit nectar in her cup bit by bit before returning to the palace.

Fu Lingchuan had confessed to her?

When all the servants had withdrawn, White Board began squeaking in her ear: “You cannot marry him, Mistress!”

“Lower your voice!” Her ears were nearly deafened, and she deliberately said, “Why not? I think Fu Lingchuan is quite a good choice. He is handsome, intelligent, elegant, farsighted in handling affairs, calm and composed in character—he’s the ideal husband in many girls’ hearts.”

“He wants to marry you to monopolize power in New Xia!”

“How do you know?” Feng Miaojun touched her cheeks. “Could it not be because of my beauty?”

“Uh…” White Board was momentarily speechless. Was this a case of being influenced by one’s company?

“Then tell me, what flaws does he have?” White Board’s words were reasonable. As State Preceptor, would Fu Lingchuan only be able to legitimately control New Xia’s power by marrying the Queen? But for those in power, how many people’s feelings are purely without motives or selfish desires?

This isn’t a serious pure romance novel, after all.