Spring arrives and the land smiles

"It seems I've come at the wrong time." A relaxed, light laugh drifted from behind. Qingyan turned around and saw that it was indeed Yunxuan.

Now, having gone through thick and thin together, the three are even more inseparable, to the point that they automatically and consciously discard unnecessary formalities. However, this seems to have some inconspicuous side effects. For example, the scene of Qingyan leaning against Ning Yuan's chest right now makes Yun Xuan tease her with smugness. This is the consequence of agreeing to let them come to see him without prior notice. Alas, he has no choice but to swallow his bitter pill.

"You knew it wasn't the right time, yet you still came," Qingyan retorted stubbornly.

"Sigh, this matter is of great importance, otherwise I wouldn't have come to see this situation and only made myself sad." Yunxuan sighed dismissively.

Yunxuan is really prone to being sarcastic. Qingyan glanced at him sideways, stopped arguing with him, and stepped forward to ask, "What is it?"

Yunxuan straightened his expression and said, "We'll talk about it when we get back."

Qingyan led the two of them quickly to Caiyi Hall. After dismissing the servants, Yunxuan handed them a piece of black cloth: "Last night, someone launched a night attack on Yibin Hotel."

Qingyan took the document, holding it in her hand, puzzled. Haitu's residence was the Yi Hotel, so why did the incident occur there instead of Ina, who was on her way to attend the ceremony? Logically, Haitu should have stopped Ina on her way to prevent her from arriving, thus avoiding giving the enemy a handle to use against her. Yet, from yesterday until now, Haitu hadn't made a single move, and instead, she was attacked at night. Ina would arrive in the capital today; security in key areas like the capital is naturally much tighter than in other regions. Therefore, last night was Haitu's last chance. Thinking about it carefully, there seemed to be too many illogical points.

"Is Hai Tu injured?" Qing Yan examined the tattered cloth carefully. Although the workmanship was slightly rough, the quality was excellent, suggesting that the Night Raider was no ordinary person.

"No, we were just alerted." Yunxuan's answer clearly showed that he understood the purpose of her question. It was already a major event for a foreign envoy to be attacked in one's own country. If Hai Tu, as the crown prince, was also injured, then this incident could very likely escalate into a conflict between nations, and the matter of pledging allegiance would be put on hold.

Why would they attack the nautical chart? And who were the attackers? Qingyan had a big question mark in her mind. It seemed that Yunxuan and Ningyuan were in the same boat.

As the three were pondering, Zhui'er suddenly came to report that Prince Rui was requesting an audience. Qingyan gestured for Zhui'er to invite him in, and soon Prince Rui, Qing Heng, was helped in by others.

Despite being blind from birth, Prince Rui, Shen Qinghuan, still appeared before everyone in a moon-white robe. If Qingyan hadn't told him beforehand that he was the master of Lingfeng Pavilion, no one would have ever imagined that the seemingly mild-mannered and harmless eldest prince was such a shrewd person. Indeed, appearances can be deceiving.

"Brother, what brings you here?" Seeing Qing Huan approach, Qing Yan immediately stepped forward, took Si Wu's hand, and led him to sit down at the table.

"Greetings, Prince Rui." Yun Xuan and Ning Yuan greeted him, but Qing Heng gestured for them to stop.

"We're all family, no need for formalities." Qing Huan smiled, then turned to Qing Yan, "I brought this especially for you because I was afraid you wouldn't eat it." Qing Huan waved for Si You to bring over a tray with a blue and white porcelain soup bowl on it.

"Brother, you know why you're still making me eat these medicinal dishes." Qingyan knew exactly what he was talking about, so she said with a bitter face.

"These have been improved and are good for you." Qing Huan smiled dismissively.

"Alright." Qingyan reluctantly picked up the soup bowl and, amidst Yunxuan's mischievous grin, drank it all in one gulp.

"It tastes awful." She made a face without any hesitation, and Siwu offered her the candied fruit at the right time. Qingyan stuffed the candied fruit into her mouth without any politeness, and her funny appearance made everyone laugh.

"What happened at the Yi Hotel last night?" Qingyan handed over a cup of fresh tea. Qinghuan took a sip and put it down, asking.

"A group of men in black of unknown origin seem to be deliberately causing a commotion." Yunxuan gestured for Qingyan to hand the piece of black cloth to Qinghuan.

"What makes you say that?" Qing Huan rubbed the cloth in his hands, and the texture and feel made him frown.

“If the attackers’ target was the map, then the room where the map was located must have been the main target of the attack. But why was he only disturbed and not injured? The number of guards I sent to monitor the map yesterday was not enough to stop all the attackers.” Yunxuan said, voicing his doubts.

If the target isn't the nautical chart, then who could it be?

"Lord Fu, who else is currently in the Yibin Hotel?" Qing Huan asked thoughtfully.

"Also, the envoy from the Southern Xia arrived yesterday to discuss routine trade matters. This is something we do every year, so there's nothing wrong with it," Yunxuan replied.

"Southern Xia?"

"Nanxia..."

Qing Huan and Qing Yan spoke at the same time, without prior arrangement.

"Yunxuan, how many attendants did the envoy from Nanxia bring?" Qingyan couldn't wait to confirm her suspicions.

“There are twenty-four people in total, twice as many as before.” Yunxuan seemed to understand her meaning. “Only four people are close to the room where Dianwaishi lives. The other twenty people seem to be on the outer perimeter and all together.”

That's right! Qingyan excitedly grabbed Qinghuan's arm, and Qinghuan patted her hand and said, "Lord Fu, please send someone to find out what kind of unknown distinguished guest has arrived." Then he handed the tattered cloth in his hand to Siyou: "Go and investigate."

Everyone responded and withdrew, leaving only Qingyan and her brother Qinghuan inside.

Qingyan picked up a teacup and handed it over, then thought for a moment and said, "Brother, I want Siyou, Siwu, and Sicheng to be my bodyguards."

"You've softened your heart?" Qing Huan took the teacup handed to her and took another sip, smiling as if she had already expected her to say these words.

Your silence is taken as tacit agreement.

"Sicheng has a mission to complete and will not be able to return to the capital for about five days." Qing Huan stated a fact without saying whether it was possible or not.

"Brother, you agreed?" After being siblings for ten years, Qingyan had a pretty good grasp of Qinghuan's personality. Her timely coquettishness, timely silence, timely speculation, and timely audacity had given her a lot of advantages. Of course, he had to let her take advantage of him first.

Qing Huan nodded, found Qing Yan's shoulder and patted her, "Don't spoil them too much. If something happens to you, wouldn't that also cost them their lives?" Then he smiled helplessly, got up and left.

Before long, Wang Huaisheng came to announce that Qingyan needed to see him. Qingyan's mind raced. Could it be related to the night attack on the Yi Hotel last night?

As expected, upon returning from the Jingxin Palace, Qingyan had already received the imperial decree to thoroughly investigate the matter. Originally, Qingyan, being six months pregnant, was not suited for such a strenuous task, but after her repeated pleas and assurances, Emperor Longqing still agreed.

It was already past noon when Ning Yuan and Yun Xuan reunited. Yun Xuan discovered that one of the members of the Southern Xia delegation closely resembled the Fifth Prince, Lan Zhen, in both physique and age, suggesting that yesterday's night raid was likely aimed at him. Si You also came to Xuanhua Palace to report back, carrying the tattered cloth she had been given to investigate, presumably at Qing Huan's behest.

“Princess, this fabric is exclusively used by the nobles of Nanxia, ​​but the rough workmanship looks like it was rushed.” Siyou handed the rag to Qingyan, pointing to the irregular stitches at the seams.

"Rushing to finish?" That conclusion was quite interesting. Qingyan took it and examined it carefully before handing it to Ningyuan, casually asking, "By the way, what did Father Emperor summon you for today?"

"His Majesty has ordered me to set off as soon as possible to fetch my father." Ning Yuan's expression became somewhat agitated when he mentioned this.

"That's wonderful!" Qingyan, disregarding the presence of others, rushed forward and hugged Ningyuan tightly. "We've finally waited for this moment. Please give my regards to the old general."

"Mmm." Ning Yuan nodded gently, his chin lightly touching the top of her head. He tightened his arms around her, his chest trembling slightly.

"Cough cough." Two coughs brought them both back to their senses.

“Our scouts just reported that Princess Ina will be able to enter the palace this evening. Moreover, the purpose of the Southern Xia Zhao King’s visit is unclear. There are many matters to attend to. It’s not too late for you two to be intimate later.” Yun Xuan said with a sour tone.

Qingyan glared at him but didn't argue. She turned to Ningyuan and said, "You'll set off tomorrow. Leave things here to me and Yunxuan." Then she turned to Yunxuan, "Bring Ina to my palace as soon as she enters. I'll eat and sleep with her and see how to deal with that sea chart. Also," Qingyan thought for a moment and then continued, "do me one more thing." She winked and beckoned Yunxuan to lean closer.

In the evening, Princess Ina was welcomed into Xuanhua Palace. Ina had come at the invitation of Qingyan Guizhong and was not an envoy, so she did not need to formally pay her respects to Emperor Longqing.

Upon entering Xuanhua Palace, Qingyan, citing the hospitality of a local, warmly entertained Ina, reminiscing about their long-standing friendship.

"It's wonderful that Sister Qingyan and General Ning have finally become a couple," Ina sincerely congratulated, her eyes filled with envy.

"I suppose so," Qingyan said, looking down as if she had no choice, and sighed. "It's a pity that having another person makes things less pleasant."

Everyone knows that the Princess of the Great Qi married two husbands at once, making women all over the world envious. Little do they know that some blessings are not to be taken for granted.

"At least you've married General Ning, my sister is already very fortunate," Ina comforted her.

"Being able to be with the person I love is a blessing compared to the other women in the royal family," Qingyan said with a smile as she poured Ina a cup of specially made fruit and honey tea. Although it was not unusual in that era, it was a rare delicacy here.

Qingyan subtly showed affection to Ina, and sure enough, she saw the loneliness in Ina's eyes. So she asked at the right time, "I heard that the King of Guici Kingdom intends to choose a husband for you, sister. I wonder if you have someone you like?"

As expected, Ina's mood dropped even further. She shook her head and said, "My sister is not as lucky as me. Marriage is arranged by our parents and matchmakers. I have no say in the matter, let alone the decision."

"So, it seems you already have someone you like, sister. Let me guess." Qingyan pretended to rack her brains, and seeing Ina's expression that said she couldn't guess no matter what, she made a shocking statement: "Is your beloved the heir of Qiu Rong, Hai Tu?"

Although it was a question, Qingyan used an affirmative tone.

"Does your sister know?" Upon hearing this, Ina's hand, which was about to pick up the cup, trembled suddenly, and she almost knocked the teacup over.

"Sister, don't panic. Be careful not to upset the baby." Upon hearing this, Qingyan saw Ina's panic again and handed the teacup back to Ina, having a plan in mind. "I've met Prince Haitu a few times, and he told me all this."

Hearing her say that, Ina felt relieved and took a sip of honey tea.

"How long has it been since Sister Ina last saw Prince Haitu?" Qingyan asked tentatively.

“It’s been a while since we last met.” Ina looked a little disappointed. “He told me not to rush, that he would find a way to persuade my father, but some things couldn’t wait.” Ina touched her lower abdomen.

It seems Ina is unaware of Haitu's purpose in visiting Daqi. Perhaps she doesn't even know that Haitu is in the Daqi capital with her, or how he plans to resolve this thorny issue they both face. In that case, things are much easier. Qingyan smiled inwardly.

"Would you like to see Prince Haitu, sister?" Qingyan threw out a bait.

"Does your sister know where he is?" Upon hearing this, Ina excitedly grasped her hand.

"Young Master Hai Tu and the Qiu Rong envoy are currently in our Yi guesthouse."

"Then I'll trouble you to take me there, sister." Ina's face showed pleading, without any suspicion, and she was very happy.

The fish had taken the bait, but Ke Qingyan did not immediately agree. Instead, she asked, "Does Sister know why Prince Hai Tu has come this time?"

Ina shook her head.

"He came to request a marriage alliance with our Great Qi."

"What?" Ina's voice suddenly rose as she stared at her in disbelief.

"Sister, don't rush, let me explain in detail," Qingyan comforted Yina. "Prince Haitu wants to use a marriage alliance with our Great Qi to gain leverage in order to marry you." She paused, then continued, "As you know, given Qiu Rong's current relationship with the Western Regions' Thousand Mile Buddhist Kingdom, the King of Kucha would never marry you to him. Therefore, he wants to form an alliance with us. Firstly, I am the Crown Prince, so the marriage is only in name. Secondly, he can also marry you as a concubine, marrying you as the husband of the High Priestess. The King of Kucha would have no reason to object. However, despite this plan, Prince Haitu has overlooked the importance that Great Qi attaches to this marriage alliance. Qiu Rong has been invading our Great Qi's borders for decades and has never taken the initiative to make peace. Great Qi will certainly not miss this opportunity and will definitely solidify this nominal marriage alliance, making Prince Haitu its consort."

After speaking, Qingyan glanced at Yina and noticed the change in Yina's expression before continuing, "Sister knows that Ningyuan and I are deeply in love and that I would never want to take another consort. Therefore, to make your marriage possible, you must cooperate."

"I will always remember your great kindness, sister. I will follow your arrangements." Ina was at a loss for what to do.

It seems that Haitu has protected Ina very well, keeping her from knowing anything and worrying about nothing, which explains why Ina remains so innocent.

"Sister, you flatter me. I'm only thinking of myself." Qingyan said with feigned sincerity, "I've already discussed it with Prince Haitu. Haitu will still form a marriage alliance with Daqi. I will petition Father to bestow upon you the title of Princess Jingguo, and you will marry Prince Haitu in my place. This way, we can achieve several goals at once. What do you think, sister?"

"Since my younger sister is so considerate of me, I'll leave everything to her." Ina now completely trusted Qingyan.

"My sister just said that the map is at the Yi Hotel. Could you arrange for us to meet it?" Ina asked cautiously.

A meeting? Of course, Qingyan smiled inwardly. Letting you meet would make Haitu willingly persuade his father, the Khan, to submit. So she agreed, "Sister, please wait patiently for two more days, and I will make the arrangements for you."

"Thank you so much, little sister." Ina was extremely grateful.

The Buddhist ceremony at Haihui Temple was approaching, lasting seven days. After that, there was no suitable reason to keep Ina any longer. Although the agreement was that the day of submission would be the day of marriage, Qingyan remained uneasy without Ina as a bargaining chip. Therefore, arranging a meeting between the two was a good way to provoke Haitu. It was understood that Haitu's father, Tat Khan, was always humble and cautious, advocating for reconciliation with Daqi. Persuading him to submit was not impossible. Furthermore, according to reports from Lingfeng Pavilion, Qiu Rong's current administration seemed to rely more heavily on Haitu. Therefore, this meeting was particularly significant.

"Given your and Prince Haitu's status, it would be better if you met in private. My sister has some private items that I can give to the prince as tokens," Qingyan said deliberately.

“Yes.” Ina pulled a wooden female doll from her inner clothing. “He’ll know when he sees this.”

Qingyan took the doll and examined it carefully. Although the carving was not very delicate, the craftsmanship showed that the maker was very serious. Presumably, this was made by Haitu for Ina. She did not expect that this brute would be so devoted. He had done her a great favor.

"I will make arrangements for you in the next few days, sister. Please wait patiently for good news." Qingyan handed the doll to Zhuier to put away.