In fact, Li Xiangjun had already sent a letter to the State of Qi, but she did not send it directly to He Yunxiao; instead, she sent it to Princess Xiaoyue.
With the letter personally sent by the Yan Emperor, Meng Bao had the confidence to persuade the ministers to push for peace talks, to have the Qi army in front of Luoyue Pass retreat, and to summon all the generals to Yinjing.
The Emperor's personal letter was nothing special; it was full of official rhetoric. However, one sentence in particular was quite strange: "I have long missed my old friend and hope for his swift return. I hope the Princess will part with him."
Mengbao looked at the Emperor Yan's seemingly random statement, but her first thought was of He Yunxiao. There weren't many things she could "give up," except for her mother, younger brother and sister, and He Yunxiao, who was the only one among them who had ever been to the Yan Kingdom.
However, Mengbao had complete faith in He Yunxiao's judgment. Just by looking at her, Nanzhu, and Jiang Wuyou's appearances, she knew his requirements: he didn't like men, only very beautiful women. Unless the Yan Emperor was a woman, and one who was in no way inferior to her, Mengbao couldn't imagine the possibility that He Yunxiao had been tricked by the Yan Emperor.
Meng Qingqian had been tracking He Yunxiao's daily schedule. She was the first in the entire city to know where he was today and where he would be tomorrow. However, Meng Qingqian was not a busy person. Even though she knew He Yunxiao's schedule, she couldn't find the time to disguise herself and go to meet him.
With the war between Qi and Yan just ended and peace talks imminent, coupled with the need to purge many Yan spies from the court and the daily meetings requiring the Princess's attendance, Meng Qingqian was extremely busy every day.
Just after dinner that day, a group of ministers rushed to see the Princess to discuss matters concerning Yan.
Some advocated war, while others advocated peace. Among the war faction, there were distinctions between a swift war and a gradual annexation strategy, while the peace faction was even more divided. There were various proposals, such as "Qi as the elder brother and Yan as the younger brother," "the two countries exchanging hostages," and "the two countries forming a marriage alliance."
High-ranking officials of the Qi state court, including Minister of War Wei Taichuan, Minister of Rites Li Gongqin, and Minister of Works Yang Xingguang, were among those included.
As a member of the Li clan and a confidant of the Empress Dowager and the Eldest Princess, Li Gongqin naturally served them diligently, so his presence here late at night was not surprising. Yang Xingguang, having heard the recent news of a water source being found at Luoyue Pass, was prepared to strongly support the water-finding project. After all, he was a member of the Yang clan of Hexi, and Luoyue Pass was within his sphere of influence, so he naturally took it seriously.
Minister of War Wei Taichuan was different from the other mediocre officials. He came to petition the Princess to commend the three armies, especially the "young and promising soldiers."
The previous appointment of He Yunxiao as a sixth-rank military officer had truly given Wei Taichuan a taste of success. After that, he went even further, frequently finding excuses to praise He Yunxiao. Whenever the Chu family army or the later rear army achieved any victory, he would write about it extensively, making He Yuanhao feel embarrassed.
Despite the awkward praise, it was undeniably effective. Ever since Wei Taichuan began praising He Yunxiao, he had gained the favor of the Princess and rose from a member of the Prime Minister's remnant faction to a rising star in the court.
In the Changhe Palace, Meng Qingqian sat in the chief seat, resting her chin on her hand, watching the ministers below argue amongst themselves.
She had already made up her mind about some things, but it was inconvenient for her to say them out loud, so she needed a sensible minister to take the lead.
Li Gongqin said, "Qi and Yan should make peace. Months of war have already depleted the national treasury and caused widespread suffering among the people."
"Minister Li is right. I believe that a swift and decisive victory is the best solution."
"The Luoyue Pass is a formidable natural barrier; how can it be summarized by your casual remark of 'quick victory'?"
Yang Xingguang said, "I believe we can promote water conservancy, build more farmland, and use the army to support the army, thus holding out against the Yan army. In the end, we can win without fighting."
"Does Lord Yang know how much grain a million soldiers consume? Can a few wells possibly provide enough rations?"
Seeing the heated argument, Wei Taichuan immediately said, "Your Highness, this old minister believes that whether to fight or make peace, and how to fight or make peace, should be decided after all the generals in the army have returned to the capital. In this battle, our army has won a great victory, and this old minister dares to request Your Highness to issue a decree to commend the backbone of the army. For example, the leader of the rear army, Prince Ling, as well as young generals such as Fan Ziruo and He Yunxiao."
Meng Qingqian's brow twitched when she heard "Fan Ziruo," but calmed down when she heard "He Yunxiao," and said indifferently, "Approved."
After the ministers had been discussing for so long, this was the first time the eldest princess had spoken, and everyone's attention was drawn to Wei Taichuan.
Wei Taichuan stood tall and proud, exuding an air of self-assurance.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Gongqin brought up peace talks again, saying, "Your Highness, I believe that with the strategy of attacking by water, Luoyue Pass is practically useless. Therefore, we can take back this pass at the negotiating table without having to let our soldiers shed blood and sacrifice their lives."
"What do you all think of Minister Li's proposal?" Meng Qingqian asked emotionlessly.
The ministers, all seasoned veterans, exchanged glances and said, "We believe Minister Li is right."
"That's what I think too."
"Your Majesty, I agree."
Meng Qingqian slammed her hand on the corner of the table and shouted angrily, "You all want to negotiate peace? Is the Great Qi court a coward who dares not fight?"
Li Gongqin, without batting an eye, bowed and recited his lines: "Your Highness, negotiating peace is not a sign of weakness to Yan, but a humanitarian act to reduce the sacrifices of both nations. The Yan emperor is incompetent and indiscriminate, waging wars indiscriminately, causing widespread suffering and incurring the wrath of both heaven and man. Your Highness has the well-being of the world at heart and must prioritize the well-being of all people!"
Some pro-war ministers were horrified. With Li Gongqin slapping such a heavy label on them, mentioning "fighting" seemed rather disrespectful. Moreover, who was Li Gongqin's confidant? And whose side did he represent?
"What do you all think?" After getting Li Gongqin's answer, Mengbao still pretended to ask for everyone's opinions.
The ministers naturally dared not have any objections and echoed, "Me too."
After determining the main theme of the peace talks, the specific matters and locations for the talks, as well as the Qi representatives to participate in the talks, must be discussed.
Generally speaking, the peace negotiators of the victorious side are there to reap the rewards, while the peace negotiators of the defeated side are there to take the blame.
Qi still holds an overall advantage over Yan, so it's advisable to include a few close associates of powerful figures among those involved in the peace negotiations to enhance their credentials.
Wei Taichuan knew perfectly well what was going on and said without leaving a trace, "Your Highness, this old minister believes that this peace negotiation should not only have civil officials, but also military officials who are both 'literary and martial' and 'talented and handsome'."
Don't make promises you can't keep; just offer some helpful suggestions. First, make a suggestion, open a door, and then gradually let people in.
Meng Qingqian said, "Minister Wei's suggestion is correct."
Minister of War Wei Taichuan, who was praised by name once again, became increasingly smug amidst the envious glances of his colleagues.
The meeting continued, but when no one was paying attention, a small bird flew from the window and landed on Meng Qingqian's hand.
It's the red whistle.
Meng Qingqian knew without a doubt that He Yunxiao had come again. She tried to maintain a serious expression, but said somewhat anxiously, "Let's call it a day, I'm tired."
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