Bai Linan stood with his hands behind his back in the main hall of the Prince of Yan's mansion.
"What brings Father here?" Bai Chuxiao asked calmly.
Bai Linan said in a deep voice, "How long do you plan to leave those corpses at your doorstep?"
Bai Chuxiao smiled slightly, "Is this what Father meant?"
Bai Linan said earnestly, "You should understand the principle of 'a new emperor, a new court,' right? What good will it do to offend the new emperor?"
Bai Chuxiao raised an eyebrow, "So Father changed his stance so easily?"
Bai Linan said calmly, "As the Left Prime Minister, he is not someone who can be easily moved, no matter who is the emperor."
Bai Chuxiao chuckled lightly, "What do you mean 'untouchable'? It's just that the time hasn't come yet. Once the new emperor has consolidated his power, I'm afraid the two prime ministers will be the ones he most wants to depose. Which sister does Father plan to send to the palace this time?"
Bai Linan's eyes darkened slightly. "Your fourth sister will be a Consort Zhaoyi from now on. We're all family. I, as her father, will naturally help you mediate with the new emperor."
A hint of mockery flashed in Bai Chuxiao's eyes. "The condition is to hand over the imperial edict I have, is that it?"
Bai Linan said in a deep voice, "You should know the implications of this."
Bai Chuxiao smiled slightly, "What other benefits did the Prince of Qi promise Father that made him do so much for him?"
Bai Linan's eyes darkened. "I'm doing this for your own good. Take out the will, and I'll guarantee your safe return to your fiefdom."
Bai Chuxiao's lips curled into a mocking smile. "If Father truly cared for me, he shouldn't have come here."
Bai Linan sighed softly, "You're too stubborn, girl. That's not a good thing."
Bai Chuxiao couldn't help but sneer. So you're really playing the emotional card now. Too bad the gentle daughter you remember is long dead, drowned in the icy lake.
"Father, please return. Also, please tell Prince Qi that tomorrow is the last day. If this edict is made public, the enthronement ceremony may not need to be prepared."
Bai Linan's face turned ashen. "You're confused."
Bai Chuxiao said coldly, "Oh, right, I also want to congratulate Fourth Sister. With Consort Zhaoyi here, I believe Father's position as Left Prime Minister is definitely unshakeable. Xia Fan, see the guests out!"
Xia Fan said in a low voice, "Prime Minister Zuo, please!"
Bai Linan glared at Bai Chuxiao fiercely before turning and leaving.
Yu Fengyang strolled in leisurely. "Why would the King of Qi think that the Left Chancellor could persuade you to produce the imperial edict?"
Bai Chuxiao sneered, "What's wrong with giving it a try? What if it succeeds?"
Yu Fengyang raised an eyebrow and asked, "Your Highness, shall we go to the Northwest or return to Yongzhou?"
Bai Chuxiao smiled gently, "To the Northwest."
I've missed Chu Tianze quite a bit since we've been apart for so long.
Yumen Pass Camp on the Northwest Border
Chu Tianze and several members of the Murong family were discussing matters inside the main tent.
"Your Highness, the 200,000-strong reinforcement army from Xiyue is already on its way. We should request their assistance as soon as possible," Murong Yuan said calmly.
Chu Tianze lightly tapped the table with one hand. This time, the Western Yue army was determined to open the gates of Great Xia. "You're right, Lord Marquis."
Mo Yan rushed in, "Your Highness, urgent news from the capital!"
Chu Tianze's eyes darkened, and he immediately took the document and began to read it. It was a message sent by Bai Chuxiao when she left Yunzhou: The Crown Prince has been captured, Yunzhou and Yingzhou have joined forces, Prince An and Prince Qi intend to rebel, the capital is about to be in chaos, wait for me in the Northwest!
Chu Tianze slammed the letter on the table. "Chu Wenzheng, Chu Tianling!"
Those seated below, including Murong Shen, felt a sense of foreboding. "Your Highness, what's going on?"
Murong Yuan also took the letter and read it, then said in a deep voice to the people at the head of the table, "Prince An and Prince Qi have rebelled. Judging from the time Xiao Yatou wrote the letter, the master of the capital has probably changed by now."
Murong Xuan suddenly stood up. "What? What will happen to Sister Xiao all alone in the capital?"
Chu Tianze said in a deep voice, "Mo Yan, immediately send a message to Song Fei and Shen Tao to lead the Xuanjia Army back to Yongzhou. Also, have Song Fei lead 150,000 Xuanjia Army troops north through Jizhou."
Mo Yan responded without hesitation and left.
Murong Shen frowned and asked, "Your Highness, if we retreat to Yongzhou, what about the border?"
Chu Tianze sneered, "Chu Tianling has certainly grown bolder, plotting a rebellion while we're at war with Xiyue. He wants to be emperor? Let him guard the border himself. The Prince of Xiang will surely thank me."
Murong Yuan lowered his eyes, "Your Highness, this army of 150,000 is coming to the Northwest."
Chu Tianze nodded, "That's right. If Chu Tianling were to take the throne, he wouldn't just stand by and watch us command such a large army. However, I don't want Xiyue to set foot in Daxia, at least not from the northwest."
Western Yue is not Southern Xinjiang; once they enter, it will be difficult to drive them out.
He then said in a deep voice, "However, I must immediately lead my men back to the capital. Although Xiaoxiao arranged for 20,000 Flying Cloud Riders to meet us, it is not enough. Chu Tianling will not easily let Xiaoxiao and my mother leave the capital."
Murong Yuan's eyes revealed appreciation as he said in a deep voice, "The Northwest is bitterly cold, and the Prince of Huainan will not easily start a war before his reinforcements arrive. Your Highness, go with peace of mind and bring back Xiaoxiao and Consort Jing safely."
Chu Tianze slowly began, "Thank you all for your help at Yumen Pass."
Murong Che and the others all wanted to go back together.
Chu Tianze shook his head. "I can go back myself. Too many people will only cause inconvenience. You all should guard Yumen Pass well."
In the Imperial Study, Chu Tianling, Chu Wenzheng, Zhang Yu, and Wei Junyan were all gathered together, having listened to Bai Linan's message.
Wei Junyan frowned and said, "This edict may not be real, nor may it be detrimental to us. Our situation was sudden, and Emperor Wenxuan should not have noticed anything."
Zhang Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. "Emperor Wenxuan is decisive and ruthless. If he had guessed that the poisoning was our doing, he might have written an edict beforehand."
Chu Wenzheng smiled faintly, "I believe this edict is genuine. Princess Yan met Chu Wenxuan before I did, and it's entirely possible that Chu Wenxuan left something behind. Besides, if she didn't have some real bargaining chip, why would Princess Yan stay in the capital so calmly?"
Chu Tianling's eyes turned slightly cold. "With the Prince of Yan and the Murong family gone, what will we use to keep Bai Chuxiao and Consort Jing in check?"
Zhang Yu pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "They'll most likely be heading northwest after leaving the capital. We still have a chance to capture them before they enter the northwest."
...
The following day, before his coronation ceremony, Prince Qi first summoned Prince An to the capital and granted him the title of Regent. He then summoned Zhang Yu, the Provincial Governor of Yingzhou, to the capital and granted him the title of Prince of Yingchuan. This caused a stir throughout the court and the country, and the powerful families and nobles of the capital were all speculating wildly.
Upon hearing the news at the Prince of Yan's residence, Bai Chuxiao paused, her hand still holding her pen. "Our new emperor is truly impatient!"
Yu Fengyang said with a faint smile, "The new emperor, the regent, the prince of Yingchuan, and the duke of Zhenguo are all closely allied together. Your Highness, our lives are not going to be easy."
Bai Chuxiao smiled and said, "Scared?"
Yu Fengyang touched his nose. "What am I afraid of? Even if the sky falls, you two will hold it up."
Bai Chuxiao raised an eyebrow. "Thank you so much for thinking so highly of me. Why don't you guess who Chu Tianling will send with us to leave the capital and retrieve the imperial edict?"
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