This was primarily because Shuizhou's new emperor, Shui Lianche, had sent a letter, promising to personally come to Lizhou to discuss peace. Hua Yihen, the ruler of Huazhou, had come on behalf of Huazhou to offer a friendly gesture to Lizhou, effectively an apology. When Lizhou was attacked by Shuizhou and its appeal for aid was rejected by the emperor, the emperor had dispatched his own brother, Hua Yihen, as an envoy. This apology, combined with Hua Yihen's crucial position within Huazhou, was a truly heartfelt one. Xuezhou, a nation that had always remained aloof, had also joined in the fun, accompanied by its own saint, whose status in Xuezhou was extremely high, almost on par with the king. Rather than staying put in Xuezhou, the saint had come to Lizhou to offer congratulations to both Shuizhou and Lizhou, and to visit a long-lost friend. Crown Prince Yuya of Yuzhou, accompanied by Princess Yuwan and her husband Jiangling, also sent a letter requesting a visit to Lizhou. This was a perfect opportunity to discuss peaceful coexistence among the five states, as representatives from all five kingdoms were present. It was obvious that the imperial capital of Lizhou would be bustling with activity for the next few days. The mention of peaceful coexistence in Yuya's letter reminded Ji Xingzhi of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, signed between Huaxia and its neighbors in her past life. Sitting in the spacious imperial study, Ji Xingzhi smiled as she surveyed the mountain of memorials requesting her to take a concubine. She pushed aside the pile of memorials before her and shouted, "Come, bring me five imperial edicts." Those outside the study were alarmed by these words. The edicts were crafted from the finest silk thread, their designs meticulously embroidered by the palace's finest embroiderers. The edges were inlaid with gold, and the scrolls were crafted from the finest jade. Each edict took half a month to produce, and wasting even one was heartbreaking. What was the Emperor going to do? Five imperial edicts at once. Wu Fang stood at the door, knocked, and entered. Looking at Ji Xingzhi, who was sitting at her desk, he asked in confusion, "Your Majesty, are you going to get five imperial edicts?" Ji Xingzhi nodded, "Yes. Bring them here quickly, I need them urgently." Upon hearing this, Wu Fang had no choice but to go and get them himself. Not long after, Wu Fang returned with the five imperial edicts. Ji Xingzhi placed them on the desk, polished them, and then picked up a brush and began writing on them. He wrote on all five, and then stamped them with the imperial seal that belonged exclusively to the Emperor of Lizhou. After stamping, Ji Xingzhi looked at the square imperial seal in her hand, resting her chin on her hand, lost in reminiscence. A month ago, after Lin Feng handed the Imperial Seal to Ji Xingzhi, she was captivated by the crystal-clear, palm-sized seal. On a whim, she even engraved the three characters "Ji Xingzhi" on it, stunning Wu Fang and the others. Then, Ji Xingzhi suddenly remembered that the Imperial Seal wasn't hers alone. Although she hadn't engraved it deeply, it took considerable effort to finally erase the characters. Reflecting on her thoughts, Ji Xingzhi put away the seal and rolled up the five imperial edicts, placing them neatly in a drawer. A satisfied smile crossed her face. Now, she simply waited for the arrival of Yuzhou Crown Prince Yu Ya, Shuizhou Emperor Shui Lianche, Xuezhou Saintess Ling Fei, and Huazhou God of War Hua Yihen. "Wu Fang, assign more people to guard the Imperial Study. No one is allowed to enter without my permission. Also..." Ji Xingzhi paused, then suddenly remembered someone. He stroked his chin and said thoughtfully, "Go to the North Palace and transfer a eunuch named Xie Jingnian to Shaohua Palace." Wu Fang lowered his head slightly and bowed, "I obey your order."
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