Chapter 824
“Send someone to follow the King of Xihuai and relay the messages back at any moment! If necessary, take the King of Xihuai on a detour. Order our people to depart and ensure they meet the Rong Ghost-faced Prince before the King of Xihuai encounters Xiangliang. Then… let our people protect the King of Xihuai well!”
Xiao Rongyan’s voice paused and then continued, “Also, send a message back to the Wei Kingdom. The time has come. Let the secret agents embedded in the Wei royal court meet the Prime Minister Gongsun Chi in person. Tell Prime Minister Gongsun… if he is willing to persuade Emperor Wei and Empress Dowager Wei to surrender to Yan, he can keep his life. Otherwise, since Prime Minister Gongsun has coincidentally formed close ties with Xiliang this time, we will fulfill his wishes and charge him with collusion with Xiliang.”
Xiao Rongyan had not yet learned from the King of Xihuai what kind of deal Gongsun Chi and Xiliang had made. If Gongsun Chi refuses to surrender to Yan, he would be a problem and could not be kept alive!
Yan Kingdom had meticulously planned for this moment in the Wei Kingdom for many years, exerting all efforts just for this Prime Minister Gongsun.
The Gongsun family in the Wei Kingdom, much like the Bai family in the Jin Kingdom, were loyal and upright ministers, the backbone of their nation. Xiao Rongyan admired them…
But admiration aside, Yan Kingdom had struggled to reach this point, allowing no room for error. Xiao Rongyan would remove any obstacle, regardless of who it might be.
“Yes!” Yue Shi responded and quickly leaped off the roof tiles to arrange people to follow the King of Xihuai.
Since the King of Xihuai had the determination to live and die with his mother country, Xiao Rongyan thought that if he really found a way to keep the King of Xihuai in Daliang, it might lead the King of Xihuai to lifelong regret.
Everyone has the right to choose their own path. Xiao Rongyan regarded the King of Xihuai as a friend and respected his choice.
Just as he had told the King of Xihuai, this meeting with the Rong Ghost-faced Prince, regardless of success or failure, upon returning to the Wei Kingdom, would make him feel that his ordinary life was still valuable, not wholly a life of indulgence.
In Xiao Rongyan’s view, the King of Xihuai had far more self-awareness compared to the Crown Prince of the Jin Kingdom…
If the roles were reversed, the Crown Prince of the Jin Kingdom would probably overestimate his capabilities and beg Xiao Rongyan to help him go into hiding to preserve a thread of royal blood for the hope of future restoration.
Xiao Rongyan lowered his gaze, rubbed the fingers that Bai Qingyan had hurt yesterday, and smiled faintly, secretly looking forward to the day he could join forces with Bai Qingyan.
But today, he feared he would not have time to bid farewell to Bai Qingyan.
·
After Bai Qingyan returned from meeting with the King of Xihuai yesterday, she sent the Bai family guards to pursue Shen Qingzhu, relaying the message for Shen Qingzhu that there was a spy among their members and that he must inform them to be cautious…
As soon as the Bai family guards delivered this message to Shen Qingzhu, Shen Qingzhu would understand what Bai Qingyan meant.
Shen Qingzhu would surely find a way to pass this message to A Yu.
Bai Qingyan did not doubt A Yu’s ability to detect a spy, but she couldn’t take the risk. After all, A Yu had no capable people around him and was in enemy territory. Should he be distracted and make a mistake, it might bring disaster to A Yu.
Next, Bai Qingyan had to expedite the capture of Hancheng.
In the eighteenth year of Xuanjia, on January seventh, Princess of Zhen Bai Qingyan led her forces from Daming Prefecture towards Yingdu.
In the eighteenth year of Xuanjia, on January twelfth, Princess of Zhen led her forces and swiftly captured Yingdu.
On January fifteenth, Xiao Rongyan and his team arrived in Xiangliang. Using the identity of the Ninth Prince of Yan, Murong Yan, Xiao Rongyan met with the Ghost-faced Prince, disguised as a merchant, at Happy Building in Xiangliang.
Happy Building was a famously renowned brothel in Xiangliang, with a common name. It is said that the proprietress of Happy Building had a mother who was from Liang and a father who was from Rong. Having lived in Rong for a long time during childhood, her conduct had the rawness typical of the Rong people, hence the brothel’s name.
Though the Kingdom of Liang was currently plagued by wars, the Jin Army had not reached Xiangliang City. Xiangliang remained bustling and vibrant, with splendid candles still illuminating the multi-arched towers, and Happy Building was particularly lively and crowded with guests. The girls perched prettily on the meticulously carved railings of the towers, laughing and enticing guests, bathed in the rosy glow of red lanterns hanging from the eaves, creating a dreamy and enchanting scene.
A luxuriously crafted carriage, made of elm wood with ornate green and cloud motifs, topped with intricately carved auspicious beasts holding lanterns, and wrapped in copper edges, stopped in front of the brightly lit, bustling Happy Building.
The carriage was led by guards on four horses, brandishing swords, with two rows of twenty guards following behind.
The servants welcoming guests at Happy Building, seeing this grand entry, knew at once they had distinguished visitors. Three servants lined up and quickly ran down from the golden, splendid high terrace, with the foremost servant clad in grey cloth greeting robes hurriedly knelt down on the ground, serving as a stepping platform for the distinguished guest.
Two servants in green long robes with brown belts bowed their heads, raising their arms high for the guest to steady themselves as they alighted from the carriage.
A man in brocade clothes tied with a golden belt stepped out from the main entrance of Happy Building, hastily lifting his hem, his voice arriving before he did, “Oh dear, quite the honored guest has arrived…”
The servants of Happy Building were divided into levels. The most handsome wore gold belts, serving only noble guests…
White belts welcomed ordinary guests, brown belts helped guests dismount from horses or carriages, and grey belts… were used as footstools.
Yue Shi lifted the carriage curtain for his master.
Xiao Rongyan, following the local customs, stepped down from the carriage onto the back of the servant using a deer-skin boot, the corner of his lips bearing a smile. He indicated for Yue Shi to give a reward. Yue Shi took out a few pieces of silver from his belt and casually tossed them; the grey-belt servant who was serving as a footstool quickly crawled forward on his knees to gather the silver, fearing the brown-belted servants might snatch it. He kowtowed to Xiao Rongyan while saying, “Thank you for your reward! Thank you for your reward!”
“First time visiting Happy Building, isn’t it! Please come in! Please come in!” The man with the golden belt hurriedly bowed and gestured for Xiao Rongyan to enter with a fawning demeanor.
The girls upstairs, seeing a handsome guest appear and realizing he was generous, quickly threw their handkerchiefs towards Xiao Rongyan.
Scented handkerchief in hand, Xiao Rongyan, with a blue-green cloak embroidered with gold at the edges draped over his shoulders, looked up at the girls upstairs with deep eyes. He saw a shy girl hiding half her face behind a fan, laughing with a melodious voice akin to a yellow warbler bird, greeting Xiao Rongyan, “Greetings to the honored guest.”
Xiao Rongyan sniffed the scent on the handkerchief, laughed softly, lifted the hem of his robe, and ascended the high steps into Happy Building, portraying a completely indulgent young master.
With half his face covered by a mask, Bai Qingyu stood with hands behind him by the carved window on the third floor, eyes cold, gazing down at Xiao Rongyan stepping onto the high steps of Happy Building. His clear, cold gaze and the red lanterns hanging from the eaves swayed, casting eerie shadows on his iron mask.