"That's wonderful! Miss Ye has finally woken up! Now our Prince can finally rest easy. Miss Ye, you don't know how worried our Prince was about you day and night while you were unconscious. He even called your name in his dreams!"

Yun Zhuo placed his hand on Zhuang Xin's shoulder and slowly applied pressure. Zhuang Xin suddenly felt as if his shoulder was about to collapse.

He snapped out of his daze and realized what he had said in his excitement. He immediately apologized, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I spoke without thinking."

He added, "However, Your Highness, Princess Lingyang's entourage will arrive soon. Please go out of the city to greet them!"

After all, this is a major event in the diplomatic relations between the two countries, and it cannot be taken lightly.

Chunqian had already helped Ye Qingxue walk past them. When she was changing clothes earlier, Chunqian had already told Ye Qingxue about Yunzhuo being conferred the title of Prince Jing.

Although Ye Qingxue was not able to understand the whole process, she was still somewhat surprised that Yun Zhuo was not directly reinstated as crown prince. Now his status is almost the same as that of Prince Ding.

Having likely experienced this incident, the emperor no longer easily trusted anyone and was wary of Yun Zhuo, which is why he did not immediately reinstate the crown prince.

It is clear that Yun Zhuo still faces dangers everywhere he goes in the palace, and if anything goes wrong, the emperor will certainly not forgive him easily.

Yun Zhuo was unwilling to mention Princess Lingyang here, but after Zhuang Xin spoke, Ye Qingxue had already looked at them.

"Why has the princess of the Heavenly Eagle Holy Kingdom suddenly come to our Great Zhou? Chunqian said she's here for a political marriage? Has the choice been confirmed?" Ye Qingxue asked.

No princess was ever married off in her previous life.

Perhaps her rebirth altered the course of events.

Xia Lu came forward to serve Ye Qingxue, while Chun Qian went to prepare food. Ye Qingxue hadn't eaten for a long time and was very weak.

When it came to business, Yun Zhuo didn't hide anything and told Ye Qingxue the reason why Princess Lingyang had come to the capital this time.

"The Heavenly Eagle Holy Kingdom has agreed to exchange two cities with Princess Lingyang for 400,000 shi of grain from our Great Zhou."

"Furthermore, 50,000 shi of grain has already been sent over, and another 100,000 shi will be sent after Princess Lingyang arrives in the capital."

"The remaining food will be sent after she has chosen her husband and relatives."

Ye Qingxue, who had been leaning weakly against the couch, immediately became serious upon hearing this: "Four hundred thousand shi of grain is no small amount. How could His Majesty agree to it so easily?"

Yun Zhuo sat down on the chair next to her and said gently, "Father has already instructed the Ministry of Revenue to calculate that the Great Zhou can provide 400,000 shi of grain, and we can obtain two cities from the enemy without a fight."

"To put it another way, last year the Heavenly Eagle Holy Kingdom suffered a severe snow disaster, with a shortage of food and clothing. If we do not agree to their conditions, they will definitely do everything in their power to invade our Great Zhou territory for food. In that case, it will be tens of thousands of people on the border who will suffer!"

"Therefore, after discussion among the court officials, this matter was settled. Today, Princess Lingyang is arriving in the capital, and my father has sent me to greet her."

Ye Qingxue looked intently at Yun Zhuo.

"If the country is free from disasters and has abundant food, it is indeed worthwhile to exchange 400,000 shi of grain for so many benefits from the other party."

"But June is fast approaching. If the Great Zhou suffers from floods and grain production decreases at that time, and we have no grain reserves, wouldn't the Great Zhou be in grave danger?"

Yun Zhuo frowned: "This year's rainfall is not much different from previous years. The Imperial Observatory has been observing the stars day and night and has not found anything strange. It seems unlikely that there will be a flood."

Ye Qingxue said, “The Emperor wants the city of the Heavenly Eagle Holy Kingdom, wants the two countries to be united by marriage to reduce war, and wants to create a prosperous era and be remembered for all time… Even I, a young lady, can see these things. Does the Imperial Observatory not see them?”

"Whatever celestial phenomena His Majesty desires, the Imperial Observatory will provide them. Your Highness should be well aware of this. Your Highness, if I were to say there will be floods in June, would you believe me?"

Yun Zhuo pursed his lips tightly. He had indeed used the Imperial Observatory to clear his name.

Yun Zhuo suddenly remembered that on the night Ye Qingxue and Shen Jiefeng died together, the last words Ye Qingxue said to him were "June, plague".

Yun Zhuo's gaze settled. Floods are often followed by plagues!

Moreover, it is very likely that the plague did not break out with the flood, but was deliberately spread by someone!

Ye Qingxue said, "Does Your Highness still remember your master, General Qin? He was stationed at Yanming Pass, which is the first line of defense for the Heavenly Eagle Holy Kingdom to enter our Great Zhou territory!"

"After the flood, a plague broke out. Our Great Zhou had no food. If the general of Yanming Pass were quietly replaced, the soldiers of the Heavenly Eagle Holy Kingdom could directly invade. How could our Great Zhou possibly fight back?"

Ye Qingxue took a deep breath: "Even if what I said is just speculation, and there is no actual evidence to prove that what I said will definitely happen, is it right for a country to put itself in such a dangerous situation?"

Yun Zhuo suddenly looked up at Ye Qingxue, his eyes as bright as a newly drawn sword: "...So, Princess Lingyang's arrival for a marriage alliance is very likely not just a simple marriage alliance, but rather..."

This is a massive undertaking!