Spring arrives and the land smiles

Inside the Yi Hotel, Hai Tu paced back and forth anxiously, and none of his attendants dared to approach him.

The messenger who entered from outside sensed something was amiss and his heart skipped a beat. The letter he was holding felt poisoned; he didn't know whether to keep it or present it.

"What is it?" Hai Tu asked coldly, his brows furrowed.

"Reporting to Your Highness, urgent news!" The messenger presented the report, sweating profusely.

Haitu's eyes flashed, and he eagerly tore open the envelope.

However, in the blink of an eye, Hai Tu's face turned even uglier, and the servants around him wished they could find a place to hide right then and there.

Another messenger, oblivious to the danger, came in and presented a similar letter.

"Shen Qingyan—" Hai Tu roared, shattering the letter in his hand into pieces with a single blow.

Everyone was as silent as a cicada.

Inside the Caiyi Palace, Qingyan, who was taking a nap in her room, suddenly felt her right eyelid twitch.

"Princess." Si Cheng emerged from the shadows and presented a letter.

Qingyan took it, opened it, and saw only four words inside: As you wish.

Is it really worth sealing with wax and sealing wax for just four words? This Lan Zhen is just being pretentious.

Qingyan casually placed the letter and envelope on the table, then suddenly felt something was amiss. Although Lan Zhen appeared flamboyant on the surface, he never overdid things in crucial matters. Since this letter was personally delivered by Si Cheng, there were naturally no security issues. So what did he mean by doing this?

She picked up the letters and envelopes on the table and examined them carefully. She noticed a small notch in the seal that was sealed with wax. Logically, a personal seal should be well protected, so why was there a notch? Qingyan looked at the notch carefully again and indeed found something there.

The wax seal at the notch was a little thin, and there seemed to be something inside the wax seal.

Qingyan used a sharp dagger to gently remove the wax seal, revealing that the entire inside of the envelope was covered with a thin layer of wax. She lit a candle, unfolded the envelope, and slowly heated it over the flame, carefully moving it constantly to prevent uneven heating and burning. Because she was so cautious and close to the flame, her face felt slightly hot from the candlelight, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead.

The wax gradually melted into the envelope, and somehow, several words, almost transparent, appeared on the envelope:

We really do have a great understanding.

"Lan Zhen!" Qing Yan crumpled the envelope into a ball, gritted her teeth, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it.

"Princess." Si Cheng had never seen Qing Yan so unruly, and he couldn't help but be curious about the contents of the envelope. However, as a well-trained guard, Si Cheng's curiosity was quickly suppressed.

"It's nothing." Qingyan realized she had lost her composure, waved her hand at Sicheng, and pointed to the crumpled envelope on the ground, "Destroy it, don't leave any ashes."

"Yes." Si Cheng picked up the envelope with a puzzled look, but as a bodyguard, he knew better than to open it and instead disappeared into the shadows.

Although she was furious about the envelope, the contents of the letter made Qingyan feel much better.

as you wish.

If that's the case, does it mean we just need to sit back and wait for the nautical charts to arrive?

Qingyan's lips curled up slightly, and she had even more plans in mind regarding the nautical chart.

As noon approached, Ina, who had just come down from the religious ceremony, was escorted by Qingyan on both sides towards the Caiyi Hall. Qingyan deliberately led her ostentatiously past the Yibin Hotel. Ina's pitiful appearance would soon be vividly described to Haitu's ears.

Qingyan felt a surge of joy in her heart.

"Sister, you shouldn't go tomorrow." Upon entering Caiyi Palace, Qingyan immediately helped Yina sit down, very worried that her body couldn't handle it, even though this would make it easier for her to be used.

"It's alright, I can still manage. I can't let my sister's efforts go to waste." Ina forced a smile.

"Alright then," Qingyan said, feigning helplessness.

In fact, the truth is that even if Ina couldn't hold on any longer, she had to continue, otherwise the play couldn't go on.

After settling Ina in and instructing Zhuier to take good care of her, Qingyan left with peace of mind.

As she strolled back to her chambers, Qingyan deliberately moved slowly and deliberately, making it obvious to everyone that she was absent-minded and seemed to be worried about something.

Sure enough, as soon as he entered the inner chamber, a servant came to report that Prince Haitu was requesting an audience.

"Let him wait in the side hall." Qingyan smiled smugly.

With a bright smile and eager anticipation, Qingyan gracefully entered the nautical chart.

“The other day, Sister Ina was unwell and I was going to tell the Crown Prince that I would find an opportunity to visit her, but I didn’t expect the Crown Prince to come by himself today.”

"Shen Qingyan, let's not mince words. I have already submitted a memorial to my father, the Khan, and the official letter will arrive soon. When will you release the prisoners?" Haitu's face was extremely grim, as if he were about to explode with rage.

Presumably, those two things have been taken care of. It seems that Lan Zhen has completely opened his heart to her this time. Qing Yan remained expressionless on the surface, but she was overjoyed inside.

In Qingyan's view, Hai Tu's frequent activities and correspondence these past few days are probably a last-ditch effort. Now that Qiu Rong's national strength is far less than before, if it does not want to submit, it will inevitably have to win over foreign aid. At this time, there are only two foreign aids that can pose a threat to Da Qi.

First, there's the Southern Xia to the south. Li Muqing, the Southern Xia's border general, is a loyal follower of Lan Zhen. After the Suizhou incident, Hai Tu naturally knew Lan Zhen wouldn't help him, so he had to turn to Li Muqing's deputy, Situ Huan, to win him over. The Situ family is powerful in Southern Xia, and to suppress them, Situ Huan has always been subordinate to Li Muqing, unable to command significant military power. In terms of talent, Situ Huan is comparable to Li Muqing, and Hai Tu's alliance with him seems to be providing him with an opportunity to rise in rank. If the border commander changes hands, how can Lan Zhen possibly spare the attention to help her deal with Qiu Rong? Historically, those who hold significant military power are the ones who back them up in court struggles.

Secondly, there was the Northern Yan in the northeast. For a century, due to border disputes over territorial ownership, the Great Qi and Northern Yan had been constantly at war. Although there were no large-scale battles, small-scale conflicts were frequent. Until forty years ago, Qingyan's grandfather, Emperor Chongli, reached an agreement with Northern Yan to jointly govern Lucheng, a disputed border town between the two countries. The Northern Yan officials would exercise military and political power, while the Great Qi officials would exercise administrative power. The two countries jointly governed Lucheng, and they lived in peace for many years.

Last year, Liu Quan, the newly appointed military and political official of Northern Yan, was lax in his military discipline. One of his men abducted a woman into the army camp. Unable to bear the humiliation, the woman committed suicide by jumping into a well. Liu Quan, however, protected his subordinate, falsely accusing the young woman of being a prostitute from a brothel. It was rumored that the perpetrator was his own nephew, which sparked widespread public outrage. Wei Peng, a political official of Great Qi, naturally demanded that the matter be handled impartially. However, due to their respective duties, they could not interfere in military affairs, so he could only supervise the proceedings. Unexpectedly, Liu Quan acted arrogantly and stubbornly, angering Wei Peng. Wei Peng, a straightforward and impatient man, in a fit of rage, devised a plan to provoke trouble. He stirred up the Northern Yan army camp, using the pretext of protecting the country and the city, and conspired with Zhou Yanru, the Great Qi general stationed on the border, to surround the Northern Yan camp and demand severe punishment for the perpetrator. After this commotion, the matter was no longer a trivial matter of punishing a rogue soldier. The Emperor of Northern Yan was a wise ruler. Upon learning of the incident, he was furious and personally oversaw the investigation of the perpetrator, demoting Liu Quan by one rank, though allowing him to remain in office to observe his future conduct. Naturally, this created a rift between Liu Quan and Wei Peng, turning years of peaceful coexistence into occasional minor conflicts. It seems that both Great Qi and Northern Yan were waiting for an opportunity—a chance to permanently drive the other out of Lu City.

Hai Tu's attempt to win over these two from the North and South was simply to put pressure on Qing Yan. Fortunately, she had informed Lan Zhen and Ning Yuan in advance to take precautions, rendering Hai Tu's efforts futile. It seems this official letter today was truly hard-won.

Qingyan suppressed her barely concealed excitement and said with a smile, "Your Highness, please be patient. After the ceremony, I will petition the Emperor to bestow the title of Princess Ina upon her. Once the King of Guici approves, he will grant her marriage to Your Highness, thus forging a bond between our two nations."

“However,” Qingyan paused, “we will probably have to wait until the official document is issued to announce it to the world before we can send Sister Ina to the Qiu Rong royal court for her marriage.”

Hai Tu glared at Qing Yan and said angrily, "If you want the official letter, you must grant me one more request."

"Speak," Qingyan said, her smile fading.

"From the day it submits to the Qing dynasty, the Great Qi must provide 100,000 shi of grain to the autumn barbarians every year."

100,000 shi of grain? Qingyan was taken aback. The amount was not large, but the annual supply of 100,000 shi was enough to continuously arm a well-trained cavalry of Qiu Rong.

“This matter is of great importance, and I need to consult my father before I can give you an answer.” Qingyan thought for a moment and then said, “Since the Crown Prince has made a request, he should also show some sincerity. I’m sure the Crown Prince has already thought it through.”

Hai Tu's eyes darkened as he said, "Qiu Rong will provide three hundred warhorses annually as a token of gratitude."

"Three hundred horses? That's too few." Qingyan smiled faintly.

"Not enough? Then what do you want?" Could it be that he wants something more valuable than a warhorse? Haitu's eyes immediately sharpened.

"I also want ten artisans from your Qiu Rong army camp," Qingyan said softly. "If you agree, I can give you another ten thousand shi (a unit of dry measure).

"No way!" Haitu jumped up from his seat.

"If Your Highness is reluctant to part with these ten people, once they teach the blade-tempering technique to the craftsmen of my Great Qi, I will definitely send someone to escort them back to Qiu Rong," Qingyan chuckled.

"Shen Qingyan, don't push your luck." Hai Tu's eyes were red.

"You bullied me first, I'm just retaliating with a needle." Qingyan retorted. "100,000 shi of grain is enough to feed your Black Eagle Cavalry for a year. If I add another 10,000 shi, you can expand your army. To say I'm going too far, Your Highness has probably never been bullied before."

“You—” Hai Tu pointed at Qing Yan, and suddenly didn’t know what to say.

"Think carefully, Your Highness, whether you want to change or not. I'm leaving now." Qingyan walked out without looking back.

"Stop!" Hai Tu roared, the deafening volume making Qing Yan frown.

"One month later, in Suizhou, 110,000 shi of grain and ten craftsmen will be delivered simultaneously." Hai Tu said reluctantly, his face dark.

"Okay." Qingyan was overjoyed.

After sending the nautical chart out of Xuanhua Palace, Qingyan headed to Jingxin Hall, her mind racing with calculations. If she could acquire the blade-tempering technique, her father would provide anything, not just 110,000 shi of grain. Back when her grandfather was in power, in numerous battles against the Qiu Rong, the Great Qi had never gained the upper hand. The root cause was that their weapons were inferior. The Great Qi's weapons could never achieve both sharpness and durability in their blade forging. In close combat, the Great Qi sabers would become severely dulled after several exchanges of blows. Continuing to fight on the battlefield, even with their valor, they would struggle to inflict fatal damage and would instead find themselves in a difficult position. The Qiu Rong cavalry, on the other hand, carried weapons that were extremely sharp and durable, repeatedly gaining the upper hand in close combat.

Thinking of this, Qingyan quickened her pace.

Outside the Jingxin Hall, Wang Huaisheng saw Qingyan approaching hurriedly from afar, accompanied only by a maid, without even her personal attendant, Zhuier. He knew then that Qingyan had urgent business to attend to with the Emperor. He sent a young eunuch to greet Qingyan while he himself went inside to announce her arrival. When Qingyan arrived at the Jingxin Hall, Wang Huaisheng was already waiting at the entrance.

This was the second time Wang Huaisheng had tried to anticipate the Crown Prince's intentions and inform him in advance. Qingyan sneered inwardly, but outwardly she appeared very grateful. She naturally accepted the goodwill shown by the shrewd person around her father. In the current situation, making enemies would be unwise, especially such a significant one. Qingyan understood this very well.

Upon entering the Jingxin Hall, one finds the Longqing Emperor painting at his desk. Since he hadn't hesitated to speak openly after being informed, Qingyan offered a brief greeting and then craned her neck to see what the Longqing Emperor was painting. Sure enough, it was plum blossoms again.

Emperor Longqing loved plum blossoms, but only in his paintings and calligraphy; he never allowed plum blossoms to be planted in the palace. Presumably, plum blossoms held a special place in his heart. Emperor Longqing rarely allowed anyone to disturb him when he painted plum blossoms; Qingyan had only witnessed this three times in all these years, and today was the third.

Throughout the entire palace, it seems there is only one person whose name contains the character "plum" or who either loves plum blossoms or is associated with them: Consort Jing, the late emperor, who has now been promoted to Dowager Consort. Consort Jing's given name did not contain the character "plum," nor did she like plum blossoms. However, I once heard from an elder in the palace that Consort Jing came from Meixian, a place famous for its plum blossom pastries. Later, when the Longqing Emperor ascended the throne, plum blossom pastries became a tribute item.

Consort Jing appears to be only three years older than her father, the Emperor.

"When will Qiu Rong's official letter arrive?" Emperor Longqing finished writing the last stroke of his pen, still not looking up at Qingyan.

"We can arrive in Suizhou in a month," Qingyan replied truthfully.

“However, the nautical chart has made new demands.” Qingyan glanced at Emperor Longqing.

"Speak," the Longqing Emperor said, continuing to admire his painting.

"The map requires our Great Qi to provide 110,000 shi of grain as aid every year," Qingyan replied truthfully.

"What will you exchange?"

"The annual tribute consisted of three hundred warhorses and ten artisans from the autumn barracks."

This answer finally made Emperor Longqing look up. He stared at Qingyan, as if trying to see something, but he found nothing. Emperor Longqing was a little puzzled.

"Granted." After a moment, the Longqing Emperor issued the decree.

"Thank you, Father Emperor." Qingyan accepted the decree and bowed.

"Your Excellency, you have made a great contribution to the matter of Qiu Rong's submission. If the follow-up matters are not of great importance, there is no need to report to the emperor. You may act as you see fit."

"Yes, Father."

Emperor Longqing waved his hand, signaling Qingyan to step down.