Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 1590 - 1585: Defending One’s Own

Looking at the posture of Dazhou’s military deployment, it seems they are serious about exterminating Yan.

Murong Li was shocked to see the news that Dazhou had gathered so many troops to attack Yan Kingdom in such a short time, but he knew it was expected.

He remained silent for a while and ordered the news to be sent to Ren Shijie and the others, so they would be prepared when negotiating with Dazhou.

Before Bai Qingyan ascended the throne, he had seen how united the Bai Sisters were, and he had heard how in harmony the Bai siblings were.

He only hoped that Ren Shijie and the others could meet with Bai Qingyan quickly to finalize the ceasefire. Whether it meant surrendering or pledging allegiance, it would quickly make the people’s lives better.

Although he didn’t want to be a king who lost his country, Yan Kingdom was beyond saving. Unless time could go back, it was no longer possible to reverse the situation.

·

In the third year of Yuanhe, on March 13th, envoys from Yan Kingdom met with the Emperor of Zhou in Dengfeng City, bowing their heads to seek peace.

Bai Jinzhi stood with folded arms in battle armor, waiting outside the military camp for the envoys from Yan Kingdom. She originally thought her brother-in-law, Xiao Rongyan, would come, but she did not expect someone else familiar instead.

Though it was March, the chill of early spring remained sharp.

The envoys from Yan felt the chilling breeze as soon as they stepped off the carriage, quickly tightening their cloaks. Seeing King Gaoyi standing straight without fear of the cold, they loosened their grip on their cloaks and straightened their backs as well.

When Ren Shijie got off the carriage, Bai Jinzhi turned cold for a moment before smiling and cupping her hands at Ren Shijie: "Mr. Ren, it’s been a while."

Ren Shijie didn’t forget how he was once held by King Gaoyi, who forgot about him, leaving him starved!

Ren Shijie saluted Bai Jinzhi with a deep bow to the ground: "Greetings to King Gaoyi. It’s rare for King Gaoyi to remember a small figure like me."

After straightening up, he smiled at Bai Jinzhi: "King Gaoyi has grown quite a bit taller."

"Now, Mr. Ren is an envoy of Yan. I wonder what official positions you hold in Yan Kingdom?" Bai Jinzhi asked Ren Shijie with folded arms.

The Minister of Revenue from Yan hurried forward, saluted Bai Jinzhi, and said: "King Gaoyi, though Mr. Ren is yet to hold any position in Yan, he is regarded as a guest of the King."

Bai Jinzhi raised her eyebrows, thinking to herself... This Minister of Revenue from Yan is quite protective. She merely asked a casual question, but the Minister might have thought she was trying to humiliate Ren Shijie.

Bai Jinzhi decided not to banter with the Minister of Revenue from Yan. She remembered this person was once fooled by Fan Yugan while negotiating with Dazhou, suggesting he might not be the sharpest, so she paid him no mind and instead gestured earnestly: "Envoys, please..."

The three envoys from Yan followed Bai Jinzhi into the tent where Bai Qingyan was.

Inside the tent, there was a landscape screen. Behind it, the figure of the Emperor of Zhou could vaguely be seen.

Bai Qingjue knelt in front of the screen and began with a smile: "We apologize for any inconvenience, as King of Xiping did not send a declaration of war and set an ambush with five times Dazhou’s forces to slay our Emperor. Although our Elite Soldiers protected His Majesty with their lives, the Emperor was injured, with an arrow piercing his arm, and his leg nearly cut off, preventing him from greeting you personally. Please forgive us for the inconvenience of having to meet through a screen!"

The three envoys of Yan bowed deeply, ready to offer words of praise, when Bai Qingjue continued: "However, since the Regent Prince of Yan sent you for peace talks, he must have informed you of this incident, and I trust you can understand."

"Indeed! Indeed!" The Minister of Revenue from Yan nodded repeatedly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Though the King of Loyalty of Dazhou was young, his aura was overwhelming. His tone was gentle and slow, meant to put people at ease, yet it inexplicably increased the pressure on others.

Seeing the envoys still bowing, Bai Qingyan felt it appropriate to speak: "Mr. Ren, it’s been a long while. How have you been?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I have been well," Ren Shijie responded quickly, continuing, "This time, we three come before the Emperor of Dazhou to negotiate peace. Although the ambush by King of Xiping was not by our King’s orders, he is still a Vassal King of Yan. Our King believes... that Yan is at fault and therefore sent us to present a royal letter, offering land in exchange for peace, hoping the Emperor of Dazhou considers the populace and ceases hostilities!"

When Ren Shijie finished speaking, the Minister of Revenue from Yan quickly stepped forward and held the royal letter above his head.

"How interesting!" Bai Jinzhi, standing by Bai Qingyan’s side, said contemptuously, "Your Yan Kingdom always likes to bring up the people! Before, when you stabbed us in the back, and we held a knife to your neck, you said it was the Empress Dowager’s fault, not your Emperor’s wish to stab us in the back, asking us to consider the people and agree to gamble the nation!"

Bai Jinzhi spread her hands: "And now... you ambushed my elder sister, intending to kill her, and you seek peace again, saying it was the Vassal King’s decision alone without the Emperor’s knowledge, asking us to consider the people! How incompetent must your Emperor be to be fooled repeatedly? Why do these things always happen in your Yan Kingdom, but in our Dazhou, there’s no occurrence of ’my elder sister not knowing, and subordinates secretly attacking your Yan Kingdom’?"

In truth, Bai Jinzhi held no personal grudge against Murong Li. In fact, she admired him for bearing the heavy responsibility of Yan at such a young age after losing his father.

During their time in Dadu City, Bai Jinzhi interacted with Murong Li and knew him to be ambitious, with intelligence and aspirations.

She spoke this way before the envoys as she had discussed with her seventh brother that they would play ’bad cop’ together...

"King Gaoyi has a valid point," Bai Qingjue remarked with a smile, "The banner of the people can be used, but Yan has repeatedly offended Dazhou, and mentioning the people as an excuse may not work as it did the first time. Dazhou... hopes Yan understands that instead of relying on the Emperor of Dazhou’s mercy for the people each time they make a mistake, Yan should consider the people before acting. As the Saint has said... ’If you seek from others what you do not have, you will not find it. What you do not forgive within yourself, you cannot explain to others.’"

"His Majesty’s compassion for the people is well-known and renowned, which is why Yan dares to boldly ask His Majesty to consider the people!" Ren Shijie quickly reacted, responding as soon as Bai Qingjue finished speaking.