The Princess Changle he had seen before was completely different from the one today. Even if Zhao Yun wasn’t particularly clever, he understood that Fu Lingchuan had played a hand in this transformation.

Attendants brought rush cushions, and Feng Miaojun and Fu Lingchuan sat down. Fu Lingchuan smiled and said: “In those years away from our homeland, there were many inconveniences. I hope Your Highness understands my desire to protect Changle.”

When he had taken the Princess to lobby in Yan Kingdom, Changle was not yet twelve, still a child delicately carved from porcelain; when they left Taiping City, she was not yet fifteen, just beginning to show a young woman’s brilliance, and went north to the An Xia region to gather rebel forces. It could be said that although Princess Changle was beautiful, the most prosperous Taiping City never lacked exceptional beauty. It was only with the Yan King’s orders and Fu Lingchuan’s protection that Princess Changle could live safely.

But now this beauty was the most outstanding among those who could bring disaster with their looks—a slight frown or subtle smile could captivate one’s soul. Even Zhao Yun couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t be moved. With the beauty of this caliber, the Fu Lingchuan of that time might not have been able to protect her.

So Zhao Yun snorted: “Three cups of wine as a penalty, we’ll discuss the rest later.”

Fu Lingchuan was forthright and indeed drank three cups in succession, thus putting this small grievance behind them.

Feng Miaojun then asked Zhao Yun: “Why has the Nineteenth Prince come personally?”

From Yan Kingdom’s Taiping City to here was countless miles away; even riding birds would take more than a month, not to mention the hardships involved. Yet Yan Kingdom had sent the Nineteenth Prince in person, just to congratulate her birthday? This was giving her great face indeed.

“Father wants me to deliver the gift list and have a good conversation with Queen Changle.” Zhao Yun coughed lightly, showing rare discomfort. “To be honest, I originally intended to comply outwardly but defy inwardly, but now seeing Changle, I suddenly find myself willing.”

Fu Lingchuan’s lips tightened slightly, while Feng Miaojun calmly took a light sip of peach blossom wine: “The Nineteenth Prince still enjoys jesting.”

“Do I look like I’m joking?” Zhao Yun sighed. “I could abandon my kingdom for a beauty.”

“Beauty fades with age, but kingdoms endure.” Feng Miaojun said languidly, “The Nineteenth Prince should be a wise man.”

The two exchanged several verbal thrusts, with Feng Miaojun not yielding an inch. Fu Lingchuan watched from the side, feeling somehow comforted: so she wasn’t heartless only toward him.

Zhao Yun put down his cup: “Changle stirred up a storm in Taiping City, then slipped away with Brother Fu back to New Xia, leaving Father furious.”

Feng Miaojun immediately exchanged a glance with Fu Lingchuan. When they wanted to slip out of Taiping City, they didn’t want to leave in disgrace, so they used the poor man Liu Dali to instigate conflicts among royal relatives, resulting in uncovering a shocking major corruption case.

“What happened to Liu Dali and that case afterward?”

“The case implicated many people. Over two hundred were beheaded, and thousands were imprisoned or exiled to distant frontiers. The royal court suddenly lost many officials. Later, the Left and Right Ministers advised that wartime was not suitable for replacing large numbers of officials, and Father reluctantly let the matter rest. Eight million taels of silver from corruption were recovered, but the rest—” Zhao Yun shook his head, not optimistic, “will probably never be recovered.”

“As for Liu Dali, he was released after questioning, but until I set out for New Xia, there was no news of his return home.” Zhao Yun speculated, “He either went to another region or died on the way.”

Feng Miaojun nodded, not asking further. Back in Taiping City, she had told Liu Dali that if he could leave the capital alive, he should never return to his hometown. Those waiting to take his life could probably form a line from his village to the capital.

At this moment, an attendant from Tianyuan Fragrance Lodge came over with wine.

The peach blossom wine brewed here needed to be slow-cooked over low heat to bring out the fragrance. Therefore, besides the wine vessel, he also carried a small red clay stove.

Somehow, as he walked behind Zhao Yun, he suddenly stumbled. With a cry of alarm, the small stove fell toward the Nineteenth Prince’s back.

The silver charcoal in the stove was burning vigorously. If it truly scorched him, it would at the very least raise a trail of large blisters.

Fortunately, Zhao Yun’s reaction was incomparable to ordinary people. Hearing a slight sound behind his head, his body immediately dodged outward.

With a clang, both the stove and wine fell to the ground.

The attendant’s face instantly turned ashen, and nearby guests were attracted by the noise, looking up one after another.

Fu Lingchuan’s expression immediately darkened: “Negligence toward honored guests, take him down…”

Before he could finish, a voice suddenly interrupted: “Queen, State Preceptor, I didn’t expect to find you both here.”

They all looked toward the voice and saw a figure parting flowers and brushing branches as he approached, with gentle eyes and a smiling face, wearing a crimson spring robe.

This person was none other than Lu Ping, the envoy from Jiao Kingdom.

Fu Lingchuan had been present when he presented gifts, and now nodded in greeting, introducing Zhao Yun and Lu Ping to each other.

Other attendants from Tianyuan Fragrance Lodge also hurried over to clean up the mess on the ground. With distinguished guests present, Fu Lingchuan didn’t say anything more. Lu Ping sniffed the wine fragrance and gazed longingly at the seating: “Is this seat taken?”

The three had been sitting for most of the day, yet this seat remained empty. The Jiao Kingdom was also an important partner to New Xia, making it difficult to refuse. Fu Lingchuan therefore smiled: “We were missing a fourth.”

Lu Ping was delighted and sat down with a flourish of his robes: “Drinking alone and appreciating flowers here is too lonely. How fortunate to join in the fun.”

The attendant added cups and dishes, and Fu Lingchuan picked up the conversation: “Before I left Taiping City, I heard that Yan and Xi had gone to war. After these months, how is the situation?”

Yan Kingdom, worthy of being the strongest in the current world, had finished half a year of war with Pu Kingdom and then turned to attack Xi Kingdom, resting for less than a month in between, showing its profound resources. It was said that the troops attacking Pu Kingdom hadn’t even returned home but were directly sent to the western battlefield.

New Xia Kingdom, established in less than a year, could hardly compete in any aspect and was naturally full of envy.

Zhao Yun smiled slightly: “Before I flew to Wusel City, I learned that our main army had already taken Sha Sea and was preparing to cross the Qinglan River. More than a month has passed; I don’t know if there’s been further progress.”

The others were slightly surprised, not expecting Yan’s army’s divine speed.

The intelligence Feng Miaojun and Fu Lingchuan had received was that Yan army had divided into three routes directly targeting Xi Kingdom. Initially gaining the advantage of striking first, combined with Yan army’s fierceness and Xi army’s weak resistance, they advanced like a hot knife through butter. In just over a month, large areas of the eastern and southeastern territories were lost.

Xi Kingdom was stunned at first, but later came to its senses and deployed famous generals to the front lines, finally slowing down the Yan army’s advance.

Slowing down was one thing, but the Yan people’s steps had not stopped. After more than two months, they had still reached the banks of the Qinglan River.

It’s important to note that the Southern Continent had a much more extensive water network than the Northern Continent, making it far more fertile, but these waterways also brought great trouble to foreign invasions. Especially the two great rivers running through the Xi and Pu Kingdoms—the Qinglan River and Mian River—broad, winding, and magnificent, they were destined to be insurmountable natural barriers and one of Xi Kingdom’s most effective natural defense lines against the Yan Kingdom’s invasion.

If these were lost, the central region of Xi Kingdom would be in danger.