Chapter 341 - 341 338 Three-Year Agreement_1

Chapter 341: Chapter 338: Three-Year Agreement_1 Chapter 341: Chapter 338: Three-Year Agreement_1 The Emperor ordered the Ministry of Revenue to urgently allocate the granary’s stock. King Liang, Li Mingrui, and General Shi Panshan were to transport it overnight and deliver it to Hushui and Guangling, already crowded with disaster victims.

Minister of Revenue Chu Zhongxing continued to procure food supplies.

Bai Qingyan heard that this disaster relief task was overseen by Li Mao’s son, Li Mingrui, with General Shi Panshan assisting, and King Liang, representing the Imperial Family, was barely a deputy in charge.

Minister of Revenue Chu Zhongxing, Left Prime Minister Li Mao, King Liang…

Indeed, they were all entangled together.

Compared to the already seated Crown Prince, if King Liang could be elevated, Li Mao would be the prime contributor.

She put away the red-tasselled silver spear and wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, flexing her wrist.

The famine in Yanwo not only shifted focus from the imperial examination corruption case but also provided an opportunity for King Liang to reappear before the Emperor. It allowed Li Mao’s son, Li Mingrui, to step into the spotlight.

Therefore… King Liang and Li Mingrui would certainly handle this Yanwo famine relief flawlessly.

In this way, Bai Qingyan was not worried that corruption or embezzlement would lead to more innocent lives lost.

Standing under the gallery, she thought about the refugees fleeing to Pingyang City. If… these refugees could be directed to Youhua Road and handed over to Ah Jue, they could then become a source of soldiers.

Troops come from the people. The more people there are, the more soldiers there will be. Strong people make strong soldiers.

Bai Qingyan returned to her room, wrote a letter, sealed it, and instructed Chun Tao to deliver it to Lu Ping. She ordered the letter to be sent quickly to General Shen Liangyu of the Bai family army in the southern border.

After serving Bai Qingyan a bath, Chun Tao stood under the lamp to help dry Bai Qingyan’s hair. Nanny Tong entered with two maids, carrying the newly sewn iron sandbags, her eyes full of heartache. “Eldest Young Lady, these iron sandbags are too heavy.”

“Once you’re used to it, it’s not so bad.” She turned a page of her book and smiled at the frowning Nanny Tong. “This is my way of being lazy. It’s much easier now. Besides, even if it’s for nothing else, my body is getting better by the day. Nanny should be happy.”

Seeing Bai Qingyan’s health improve day by day, Nanny Tong was indeed happy.

Back then, Doctor Hong said Bai Qingyan had injured her lower dantian, losing all her martial arts, and would have difficulty having descendants. Nanny Tong cried every day. Losing martial arts wasn’t the worst part; how could it be so hard to have children?

Now, with the Eldest Young Lady getting stronger every day and gradually regaining what she had learned, Nanny Tong felt that in terms of descendants… heaven wouldn’t be so cruel as to neglect the Eldest Young Lady.

Early the next morning, Nanny Tong ordered the carriage to be prepared and led a team of guards to accompany Bai Qingyan out of the city to visit Mr. Guan Yongchong.

The scholar Mr. Guan Yongchong and Mr. Cui Shiyan had lived for years in the bamboo forest of Anyu Mountain outside the city, finding solace in nature.

Yesterday, Bai Jinzhi had fussed about going with Bai Qingyan to visit Mr. Guan, so today she followed on horseback.

Just as the party from the Princess of Zhen’s mansion left the city, they encountered the returning Xiliang negotiation team.

Li Zhijie’s subordinate, seeing Bai Jinzhi riding majestically from afar, quickly rode up to Li Zhijie’s carriage and bent down to speak to him inside. “Prince, the Lord of Gaoyi is riding out of the city.”

Inside the carriage, Li Zhijie opened his eyes and asked, “Is it only the Lord of Gaoyi?”

“There’s another carriage. I think it’s the Princess of Zhen.”

After a moment of silence, Li Zhijie spoke, “Stop the procession. I have something to say to the Princess of Zhen.”

“Yes!”

The Xiliang’s returning convoy slowly stopped. Li Zhijie, supported by his personal attendant, got off the carriage.

Bai Jinzhi, seeing Li Zhijie standing by the Xiliang guards’ banners, whispered to Bai Qingyan inside the carriage, “Eldest sister, it looks like Li Zhijie, King Yan of Xiliang, is waiting for us!”

Recalling when the Crown Prince took the Xiliang Princess as a side consort and how that princess went mad trying to kill her elder sister, Bai Jinzhi felt fuming and worried that Li Zhijie might stir up more trouble.

“No matter…”

Hearing her elder sister’s calm voice from inside the carriage, Bai Jinzhi steadied her heart. Sitting tall on her high horse, she looked at Li Zhijie with cold disdain.

Li Zhijie, smiling, signaled for his men to stop Bai Qingyan’s procession as her carriage approached.

“Princess, my lord King Yan wishes to personally apologize to you.” The attendant, who wore a Xiliang scimitar, stepped forward and respectfully bowed before speaking.

Chun Tao lifted the carriage curtain.

Bai Qingyan looked towards Li Zhijie in the distance, “There’s no need for an apology. King Yan should think about how to compensate Jin, as a princess who came for marriage turned assassin… To avoid war.”

Seeing that Bai Qingyan had no intention of getting off the carriage, Li Zhijie walked towards her carriage and bowed. “Regarding yesterday, I must apologize on behalf of our Princess of Xiliang.”

“King Yan need not be courteous. Bringing the Princess of Xiliang for marriage was a hard task. These wounds… are they healing well?” Bai Qingyan’s voice carried a faint smile.

Li Zhijie touched his wounded shoulder and the bandaged neck. “Yes, it has been arduous. Since the peace talks with the Princess of Zhen’s party, I’ve been injured repeatedly, almost losing my life. It seems… my fate doesn’t align with Jin. If I am ever to enter Jin’s land again, it will surely be after a significant change.”

A hidden gleam appeared in Bai Qingyan’s eyes. “From what King Yan says, are you interested in changing the feng shui of our land?”

“I have no such intention, but… who can say the same about the people of Jin? The imperial feng shui is the feng shui of the nation.” Li Zhijie made a gesture, palm down. “The transfer of power, often in just a moment, wouldn’t you agree?”

She looked at Li Zhijie with a smile. “King Yan’s words seem to incite conflict among Jin’s rulers.”

“Whether it’s incitement or what the Princess truly thinks, you know it well…” Li Zhijie smiled faintly. “Otherwise, why haven’t you informed the Emperor of Jin about the surviving Bai family member?”

“How do you know that this isn’t the result of a discussion with the future ruler of Jin… His Highness the Crown Prince?” Her eyes were calm and determined as she gazed at Li Zhijie. “Let me guess, King Yan’s intention is to use this to coerce me into speaking for Xiliang. Unfortunately for you, what you hold isn’t a leverage point at all…”

Bai Qingyan’s voice was measured, carrying a convincing power.

Perhaps it was Bai Qingyan’s overly steady and calm expression that left Li Zhijie with no cracks to exploit, shaking his earlier suspicions.

“Rather than worrying about another nation’s affairs here, King Yan should hurry back to Xiliang. Assist your Empress well, for after this matter… Xiliang will never be as glorious as before. And Xiliang’s Auxiliary General, Yun Poxing, and I have a three-year pact!” Bai Qingyan’s lips curved coldly. “If he doesn’t come, I will go.”