Chapter 682: Chapter 679: Disappear out of thin air_1

Otherwise, considering Jin Kingdom’s current state of being surrounded by other nations on all sides, it would be exceedingly difficult to plot for the world. Especially, if Jin Kingdom sat by idly waiting for Yan Kingdom to conquer Wei Kingdom, it would be even more perilous.

Now, while the Yan Imperial Family has its eyes set on the world, the Jin Imperial Family is quite the opposite. The Emperor is obsessed with elixirs, and the Crown Prince’s actions are solely based on guessing the Emperor’s moods. He rarely has his own opinions, yet remains arrogant, considering himself to be part of a powerful nation.

In comparison, the decline of Jin Kingdom’s power seems inevitable.

However, Bai Qingyan was a Jin native. If she were to offer counsel to the Crown Prince, she could not shirk this duty.

When Chun Tao entered carrying a black lacquered gilded food box and mentioned that Mrs. Liu had sent red date and black chicken soup for Bai Qingyan to help replenish her blood,

she instructed Chun Tao to place the soup on the small table in front of her. She then said, “Send someone to call the fourth young miss. I have something to instruct her.”

“Yes! I’ll go right away!” Chun Tao replied as she drew back the curtain and left the room to summon Bai Jinzhi.

Bai Qingyan sat on the soft couch, opened the lid of the soup pot, and took a sip. It was personally stewed by her aunt, with plenty of red dates…

A faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips; the spoonful of soup warmed her heart.

Bai Jinzhi arrived quickly. Just as Bai Qingyan finished drinking the soup, she entered: “Eldest Young Lady, what’s the matter? Are you worried that I haven’t packed my things yet and it will delay tomorrow’s journey? Don’t worry, Eldest Young Lady, I’ve already packed everything! After all, there wasn’t much to pack in Dadu City!”

Bai Qingyan dabbed her lips with a handkerchief and said to Bai Jinzhi, “I’m afraid you’ll have to make a trip to the Crown Prince’s residence.”

Bai Jinzhi sat up straight and attentive: “What’s the matter?”

“You need to inform the Crown Prince that this time we cannot allow Daliang to seize even an inch of Yan Kingdom’s land and thus threaten Jin Kingdom. If war truly breaks out…we must not stop as we did last time upon achieving victory. This time…if Daliang refuses to return the cities it had previously agreed to cede to Jin Kingdom and insists on attacking Yan Kingdom, we must crush Daliang so thoroughly that it can never rise again and never have the ability to provoke Jin Kingdom in the future! Let there be no choice but for them to retreat and protect themselves!”

It was not even infeasible to eradicate Daliang.

Bai Qingyan’s tone was solemn; her eyes were dark and steady, not the least bit jesting.

She didn’t speak of annihilation outright because she knew the Crown Prince didn’t possess such resolve.

But even if they could not destroy the nation for now, they must weaken its military and national strength so that when Jin Kingdom does decide to annihilate Daliang, it would be done effortlessly.

If Yan Kingdom attacked Wei Kingdom, and at the same time, Jin Kingdom destroyed Daliang, leaving only Nanrong, Beirong, and Xiliang…these three nations would not pose a threat. There would be no risk of them forming a coalition to attack the first nation that acts.

With A Yu in Nanrong, there was no need to worry. Beirong and Xiliang were weak; even if they allied against the stronger nation, they would still fear a Yan Kingdom that had suddenly emerged strong after years of hiding, rather than a Jin Kingdom that had always been powerful.

Bai Qingyan felt her heart surge. Thoughts of annihilating Daliang rose like an unstoppable tidal wave.

“If…and only if, Daliang surrenders the ceded cities, Jin Kingdom has no grounds to initiate the war. Then we wait…wait until Daliang attacks Yan Kingdom, and appeals for help from Yan Kingdom. Because Yan is no longer the weak nation it once was; otherwise, it wouldn’t dare to send troops to aid Rong! Jin Kingdom can wait until Yan Kingdom asks for assistance, then justifiably demand benefits, using the aid to Yan Kingdom as a pretext to launch an attack on Daliang…until Daliang can no longer resist Jin Kingdom. If the Crown Prince is ambitious, he can wait until the world is in chaos to destroy Daliang.”

If Yan Kingdom sought aid from Jin Kingdom, then they absolutely wouldn’t be able to annihilate Wei. This means that the fates of Wei Kingdom and Daliang were not yet sealed, and more waiting was needed to find the opportune moment to destroy both.

“Do you remember all this?” Bai Qingyan asked as Bai Jinzhi recited silently.

Bai Jinzhi nodded: “Don’t worry, Eldest Young Lady. I’ve remembered everything! Heading to the Crown Prince’s residence now!”

At this moment, the Crown Prince’s residence was brightly lit. When Bai Jinzhi conveyed these words to the Crown Prince in the study, Mr. Fang, Qin Shangzhi, and Ren Shijie were all present.

Mr. Fang nodded, rare in his agreement with Bai Qingyan: “Your Highness, the Princess of Zhen is right. If this time, Daliang hands over the land they had previously agreed to cede to our Jin Kingdom, the alliance would be effective… But our Kingdom also has an alliance with Yan Kingdom. Only if Yan Kingdom seeks our Jin Kingdom’s assistance, will Jin Kingdom send envoys to mediate. If Daliang still insists on attacking Yan Kingdom, then…and only then will our Jin Kingdom dispatch troops.”

Qin Shangzhi pondered Bai Qingyan’s words repeatedly. Upon hearing Mr. Fang’s interpretation, he raised his eyebrows, feeling that Mr. Fang misinterpreted the Princess of Zhen’s meaning. What the Princess of Zhen meant…was to strike Daliang until it had no strength left to invade. Mr. Fang had twisted her words.

Ren Shijie continued sipping tea, offering no comment.

Qin Shangzhi bowed to the Crown Prince: “Your Highness, the Princess of Zhen hopes that regardless of the pretext, the Crown Prince must strike Daliang so hard that they can never retaliate again, laying the foundation for future unification of the world! Daliang lies in an extremely advantageous location, backing the sea and neighboring Jin Kingdom and Rong. If our Jin Kingdom could gain control over Daliang, there would be no need to worry about enemies from behind or from the flanks, making Daliang…the territory Jin must conquer before the unification of the world!”

“Now, with various nations’ powers intertwined and the proper timing for annihilating other nations not yet arrived, Jin Kingdom can use this opportunity to weaken Daliang and prepare for the future!” Qin Shangzhi finished speaking and looked at Bai Jinzhi.

Bai Jinzhi thought about the geographic position of Jin Kingdom and couldn’t help nodding: “Mr. Qin is right!”

“Commandery Princess Gaoyi and Mr. Qin, I dare not agree,” Mr. Fang said, casting a glance at Qin Shangzhi and bowing to the Crown Prince. “Now that His Majesty is gravely ill, leaving all affairs to the Crown Prince, it is due to the Crown Prince’s steady hand. If at this time… the Crown Prince opens a war with Daliang, not to mention the consumption of military resources, will it displease His Majesty? Year after year of warfare…can the treasury sustain it? His Majesty intends to build the Nine-Tiered Terrace; the Ministry of Revenue claims they cannot provide funds. How could they then produce money for war?”

“I have never seen the Ministry of Revenue have money!” Bai Jinzhi could not help but interject, “Every year the Ministry cries poverty. The Bai family’s army was told there was no money for military pay. The Crown Prince should investigate this; where has all the money gone?”

Bai Jinzhi was most annoyed by the Minister of Revenue, who perpetually lamented poverty, making it seem as if all taxes paid by the people simply vanished.

The Crown Prince was long used to the Minister of Revenue’s lamentations.

However, the Crown Prince felt Mr. Fang had made one good point…Father was determined to build the Nine-Tiered Terrace. Just a few days ago, when he visited the palace, Father had mentioned it in passing. If he asked for money to wage war now, wouldn’t that irritate Father?

“Your Highness, the Nine-Tiered Terrace can always be built. But this opportunity…is fleeting and will not come again. For the long term, this battle with Daliang…must be fought now!”