Chapter 683: Chapter 680: Emerging Prominently_1

Qin Shangzhi stood up and bowed deeply to the Crown Prince. “Please, Your Highness, do not hesitate. This battle is inevitable!”

Fang Lao glared at Qin Shangzhi again, stroking his goatee with a smile, and played his trump card. “Mr. Qin’s words are not without reason. Your Highness should enter the palace and ask for the Emperor’s opinion before making a decision.”

The Crown Prince nodded in agreement. “Tomorrow morning, I will go to the palace to seek guidance from my father!”

Bai Jinzhi sighed in his heart. It was over… there was no hope!

The old Emperor had become muddle-headed. Now, he only wished for immortality. If there was money, he would definitely build a Nine-Floored Tower. What war could there be?!

Qin Shangzhi silently prayed, hoping the Emperor would understand that seizing Daliang was crucial for the Jin Kingdom.

When Qin Shangzhi left the Crown Prince’s study, he inexplicably thought of the Yan Kingdom. Actually, until now… Qin Shangzhi still did not know the strength of the Yan Kingdom.

As the Princess of Zhen mentioned through Commandery Princess Gaoyi… if the Yan Kingdom were weak, they wouldn’t dare send troops to assist Beirong against Nanrong.

If Yan were a strong country, how could the encirclement by Liang and Wei terrify Emperor Yan to death?

He lowered his eyes and walked down the high steps shimmering with lantern light. Suddenly, he halted, and looking up at the starry sky, he had a thought…

Could it be that Yan used the excuse of Emperor Yan’s imminent death just to summon back Prince Murong Li?

But why did the Yan Kingdom need to summon the Prince back?

Qin Shangzhi stopped in his tracks.

“Brother Qin, why are you stopping here? Do you still have something to say to the Crown Prince?” Ren Shijie came from behind, seeing that Qin Shangzhi had halted, and asked with a smile.

Qin Shangzhi’s eyes suddenly widened, his thoughts clear as crystal. But… could it be possible?

The Yan Kingdom summoned back the Prince held hostage in Jin to show their strength to the world. They intended to inform everyone that the Yan Kingdom had risen. They feared the Jin Kingdom would leverage the Prince to restrain the Yan. So… Emperor Yan staged a performance of critical illness to summon his son back!

Qin Shangzhi understood the key and hurriedly returned to the Crown Prince’s study. Ren Shijie also lifted his long robe and hurriedly followed.

Seeing Qin Shangzhi return, the Crown Prince looked up, speaking gently. “Mr. Qin, rest assured… tomorrow morning, I will enter the palace and try to persuade my father to send troops to Daliang!”

Qin Shangzhi bowed deeply to the Crown Prince. “Your Highness, what I wish to say is not this. It concerns Prince Murong Li, held in Jin, of the Yan Kingdom! Your Highness… that Emperor Yan has experienced great ups and downs in life. How could he be near death because of Liang and Wei’s encirclement? This is just an excuse for Yan to summon back Prince Li!”

The Crown Prince seemed puzzled. “If they wanted to summon the Prince, they could say so directly or send someone else. Why pretend to be near death? It doesn’t make sense…”

“Your Highness! The Yan Kingdom summoning Prince Li is likely because Yan intends to stand out in these chaotic times!” Qin Shangzhi said solemnly.

The Crown Prince glanced at Fang Lao and then burst into laughter. “Mr. Qin, you are overreacting. The Yan Kingdom has relied on Jin for years to survive. After reclaiming Nanyan’s lost land, I admit… they have grown stronger and even dared to help Beirong. Yan has already shown their capabilities. What else can they show? Do they really dare to raise a sword against Jin?”

“Your Highness, the Yan Kingdom… plans to use Wei attacking Yan as an excuse to strike back at Wei! And… they intend to crush Wei! They fear such actions against Wei would make Jin wary, so they use Emperor Yan’s health to call back Prince Li, ensuring no worries behind!” Qin Shangzhi spoke quickly and steadily. “By then… Yan will astound the world, and Jin will have nothing to hold against them!”

“But now Father has already agreed for Murong Li to return. The Imperial Edict has been issued…” The Crown Prince frowned deeply, never considering Yan a serious matter.

Fang Lao, sitting under the lamp, thought deeply for a moment and bowed to the Crown Prince. “Your Highness, regardless of whether Mr. Qin’s words are true, Yan suddenly summoning Prince Li, it would be better for Your Highness to send experts… under the guise of escorting but actually monitoring secretly. If Yan indeed makes a move, have them capture Prince Li to guard against the Yan Kingdom!”

For the first time, Qin Shangzhi truly agreed with Fang Lao, quickly saying, “Fang Lao’s words are wise!”

The Crown Prince sighed. “Since both Fang Lao and Mr. Qin say so, I will send Hidden Guards to escort the way!”

“Your Highness is wise!” Qin Shangzhi bowed deeply.

“Your Highness, the Hidden Guards assigned to the Princess of Zhen’s mansion are all experts. Why not assign them? The Princess of Zhen is returning to Shuoyang tomorrow, and there should be no danger!” Fang Lao said.

“Alright, Fang Lao, make the arrangements!” The Crown Prince ordered, and then instructed Quan Yu to bring two more lamps, sitting at the desk to continue reading the memorials.

Bai Jinzhi returned to the Bai Mansion and informed Bai Qingyan of what happened at the Crown Prince’s residence, rolling her eyes. “The Crown Prince is so afraid of the Emperor. I think… in the future, when the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he might be as afraid of Consort Yu.”

Bai Qingyan was calmer than Bai Jinzhi. She looked at Bai Jinzhi’s angry expression and said, “Forget it, you have delivered the message. As for the final result, it is not something we can control. Let it be! Go rest! Tomorrow morning, we are returning to Shuoyang.”

Not long after Bai Jinzhi left, Lu Ping reported that the Crown Prince had withdrawn all the Hidden Guards stationed outside the Princess of Zhen’s mansion. Lu Ping had a keen sense, sent someone to follow, and unexpectedly saw the Hidden Guards of the Crown Prince’s mansion galloping out of the city.

Bai Qingyan chuckled lightly. Qin Shangzhi’s reaction was a bit slow.

She had Bai Jinzhi convey so much, thinking Qin Shangzhi would immediately realize and advise the Crown Prince to detain Murong Li.

Unexpectedly, Murong Li had already left the city for so long… and the Crown Prince only then sent people to pursue him.

Murong Li, that little boy, was someone Bai Qingyan liked. Although he was a legitimate son, at such a young age, he dared to replace his elder brother as a hostage in Jin and got along well with the nobles there.

He indeed impressed Bai Qingyan.

Privately, Bai Qingyan hoped that child could safely return to Yan. Publicly… as a Jin native, she couldn’t stand by while Yan grew stronger.

So, Bai Qingyan, on a middle ground, did not let Bai Jinzhi explicitly say to detain Murong Li. As long as Bai Jinzhi conveyed the message fully… pointing out that Yan was no longer the Yan of yesterday, otherwise, they wouldn’t dare send troops to help Rong. Qin Shangzhi could understand the key.

Bai Qingyan guessed the Crown Prince’s people wouldn’t catch Murong Li.

Though Murong Li was just a boy, he was ruthless with himself, surely… riding day and night to reach Yan.

As Bai Qingyan predicted, the Crown Prince’s men chased out of the city and reached the Yan envoy’s carriage, but they did not see Murong Li.