Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 1539 - 1534: The Temporary Palace

Bai Qingyan placed the letter brought by Bai Qingyu on the desk, her fingers tapping rhythmically. Could it be that Xiao Si’s deepest affection lies with Sima Ping?

But A Yu didn’t mention anything about Xiao Si and Sima Ping in the letter.

Bai Qingyan squinted. Since Lu Yuanpeng was already betrothed, why did he come to the Zhou city of Yan Kingdom together with Bai Jinzhi?

The matters of young people’s affections, even Bai Qingyan, as the eldest sister, should not interfere. She trusted that Xiao Si was someone who understood right from wrong. Knowing that Lu Yuanpeng was betrothed, she wouldn’t cause trouble for him anymore.

Nowadays, both men and women in the Zhou can enter the royal court as officials, and it is inevitable that the two will work together in the future. Should they sever ties just because Lu Yuanpeng once admired Xiao Si?

After thinking it through, Bai Qingyan picked up the letter paper, lit it with the flickering candle flame, and watched as the flames consumed the paper, thinking of Bai Jintong... 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

This time, the Hidden Guards risked their lives to steal the formula developed by the Yan Kingdom to treat the epidemic and deliver it to Bai Qingyan, saying that... it wasn’t Bai Jintong’s order, but his own initiative, yet she was still uneasy.

Bai Jintong was in the Yan Kingdom’s capital, so there was no worry about contracting the epidemic. But if it was Jintong’s order to have the formula delivered, it could easily expose him.

Zhou Dynasty’s doctors have reviewed Yan’s formula and found it to be a potent remedy against the epidemic, though it treats the disease with too much urgency, causing significant damage to the body. In contrast, Doctor Hong’s formula is more mild.

Bai Qingyan pretended not to have obtained the Yan Kingdom’s formula and ordered Doctor Hong’s prescription to be shared with the surrounding cities of Yan adjacent to the Zhou. The city-guarding generals of these Yan cities were surprised but deeply grateful to Bai Qingyan, the Emperor of Zhou, especially during this tense situation between the two countries. They never expected the Emperor of Zhou to be so magnanimous as to share the formula.

The messengers Bai Qingyan sent also mentioned that they knew the Yan Kingdom had developed the formula earlier, but it was heard that patients treated with it had left sequelae, whereas Doctor Hong’s formula was milder and could serve as a reference, hoping both countries could curtail the epidemic soon after the new year.

In their view, the Zhou should have hidden the formula, just as the Yan Kingdom did when they developed theirs.

This was exactly what Bai Qingyan wanted to see.

Wei Zhong brought in a bowl of curd and softly spoke to Bai Qingyan, "Your Majesty, please have some!"

"Hm..." she responded, taking a small silver spoonful into her mouth, and said to Wei Zhong, "This year, we’re spending the new year in Yan Kingdom, and everyone didn’t have a good celebration. You should go and tell the soldiers that once we return to Zhou, there will be rewards for all!"

"Alright!" Wei Zhong replied with a smile, "Once the two countries merge, everything will get better."

Bai Qingyan nodded.

Right now, both the officials and the common people of the Zhou and Yan Kingdoms were hoping for the two countries to merge, naturally hoping the other would join them.

However, judging by the current situation, Zhou seemed to have a better chance.

"Wei Zhong, take some rest. You’re the only one by my side right now, and many things require your effort." Bai Qingyan set aside the silver spoon as if she didn’t want to use it anymore.

Wei Zhong answered affirmatively, carried the curd out, and Bai Qingyan wiped her mouth with a cloth, wrote a letter, sealed it with her private seal, and called out, "Weisu..."

As the light flickered, Weisu appeared in front of Bai Qingyan’s desk, "Here, my liege!"

"I’m afraid I must trouble you to take the Dong family’s death warriors on a trip to the capital of Yan Kingdom. You must first investigate how the wealthy merchant Cui Fengnian is faring in Yan. If things aren’t well..." Bai Qingyan pursed her lips and took out the gold medal she always kept for the King of Hancheng and placed it on top of the letter, "If it’s not good, try to rescue him. If you can’t, don’t fight desperately. Take my personal letter and the gold medal to meet the Emperor of Yan as a Zhou envoy and say Cui Fengnian is someone I want. If they release Cui Fengnian, I will return their Yan Kingdom’s general Xie Xun. Do you dare?"

Weisu had just returned to Bai Qingyan’s side, and technically, she shouldn’t send Weisu on such a mission again. But in terms of martial skills, aside from Xingchen, Weisu was the strongest. Moreover, Weisu was always a Hidden Guard and had a fresh face that avoided recognition; Yan wouldn’t be able to gather usable information on him.

Weisu was taken aback. He was merely a Hidden Guard; could he possibly... serve as a Zhou envoy?

"If someone at the Zhou royal court questions your identity, say... you are a special envoy with no official post!" Bai Qingyan’s fingers tapped on the gold medal and letter, "Whatever happens, prioritize Cui Fengnian and your lives; don’t force a fight!"

Weisu looked up, directly facing his master for the first time, only to find her eyes clear and bright.

Even though Weisu was not an official, he understood the significance of holding the Second Prince of Yan Kingdom and Xie Xun the Yan general in Zhou. Instinctively, he replied, "Master, Weisu will successfully accomplish the mission to rescue them!"

He was a Hidden Guard and a death warrior, destined for missions, even if it meant... dying... he would ensure the mission’s completion before death.

Bai Qingyan, however, shook her head, "Your lives are more precious to me than Xie Xun, go! Do as I instructed, thank you for your hard work!"

She nodded towards the letter and gold medal on the desk, "Go now!"

Whether it was Bai Jintong’s life or the lives of Weisu and the Dong family’s death warriors, Bai Qingyan valued them greatly.

If Xie Xun could be used to ensure their safety, Bai Qingyan found it worthwhile.

"Yes!" Weisu stepped forward to take the letter and gold medal from the desk with both hands and retreated.

·

Bai Jintong, with a faint odor of alcohol, sat cloaked in a fox fur mantle inside a carriage adorned with elm wood and green curtains. The "Cui" character scrawled on the sheepskin lantern hung in a corner of the carriage was tossed around wildly by the frigid wind mixed with snowflakes, causing shadows to flicker on Bai Jintong’s stern features.

Since winter began, the cold wind in Yan Kingdom had barely let up, forcing the driver, bundled tightly, to squint as he drove, with only his eyes exposed.

Bai Jintong received news today that the Empress Dowager of Yan was departing for the palace...

At the banquet, the noblemen, once inebriated, became rather talkative.

It had been said before that the Young Emperor Murong Li of Yan was bedridden with the epidemic, and only then had the Empress Dowager reluctantly taken over court affairs. Unexpectedly... the Young Emperor had not contracted the epidemic at all but was drugged and imprisoned by the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager of Yan was indeed a ruthless character, yet unfortunately, seemed not very bright.

It was no wonder that ever since news came from the palace that the Emperor had fallen ill with the epidemic, no word had emerged thereafter. It turned out that after the Regent Prince Murong Yan returned, the Young Emperor was rescued, and the Empress Dowager, who remained in the palace, faced whatever actions were necessary against those deserving execution or imprisonment alongside her.