Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 1103

Chapter 1103 -1097: Words from the Heart

Li Zhijie did not know what Bai Qingyan wanted to say and nodded in confusion.

Bai Qingyan’s lips curled up, her expression indifferent: “Then, why can’t this story be… After the Queen of Tianfeng Kingdom lost her husband, she did not leave a progeny with him. She feared losing control of Tianfeng Kingdom to those with ulterior motives. So, to extend her rule over Tianfeng Kingdom, the Queen used the jade cicada to fabricate such a story to make her become a belief among the people of Tianfeng Kingdom and to boost the morale of soldiers who are about to face the Mengshe Kingdom. Hmm?”

Stripped of its mythical elements, viewed purely from a ruler’s political standpoint, Bai Qingyan’s analysis… can be said to be very politically persuasive.

Li Zhijie was stunned for a moment, and with a self-deprecating chuckle, said: “The Zhou does not worship the gods and naturally does not believe this story. But we Xiliang… are believers in the gods, unwavering in our belief in divine power! Tianfeng Kingdom… has reached a fanatic level of faith in the gods.”

As Li Zhijie said this, he looked up at Bai Qingyan: “Surely… the spy Cui Fengnian, whom Your Majesty arranged for in Xiliang early on, has already informed Your Majesty, hasn’t he?”

After returning, Li Zhijie had already heard from Li Tianjiao that the merchant Cui Fengnian from the Jin Kingdom was actually a woman. If she was not a spy sent in advance by Bai Qingyan, she would be a spy sent by the Jin Kingdom to Xiliang. But regardless of whether Cui Fengnian belonged to the Jin Kingdom or the Zhou… now, Cui Fengnian has pledged allegiance to the Empress of Zhou’s third younger brother, Bai Qingqi, and thus… can be considered a person of the Zhou.

Bai Qingyan lightly tapped her fingers on the black lacquered table. Li Zhijie’s words carried a hint of threat…

If she handed Li Zhijie over to Tianfeng Kingdom, then Li Zhijie would reveal the matter of Cui Fengnian being a Zhou spy to the Monarch of Tianfeng Kingdom, dismantling Cui Fengnian’s arrangements there.

“Your Majesty…” Wei Zhong whispered from outside, “Xiao Ruohai has returned and requests an audience with Your Majesty!”

“Understood,” Bai Qingyan replied.

Li Zhijie’s body tensed as he steadfastly watched Bai Qingyan, waiting for her response.

“I have never liked being threatened…” Her clear eyes looked at Li Zhijie, “Moreover, I do not believe in the story about the jade cicada that King Yan spoke of, nor do I believe that the Monarch of Tianfeng Kingdom would abandon his plans of territorial annexation of my Zhou and the Yan Kingdom just because King Yan knows a legend and story, let alone make a move against my Zhou to capture King Yan. King Yan perhaps… esteems this mythical story too highly.”

With that said, Bai Qingyan stood up.

Seeing Bai Qingyan lift her foot to step down and turn to leave, Li Zhijie widened his eyes, anxiously glanced at the Tianfeng Kingdom envoy outside, then again at Bai Qingyan’s departing figure, loudly saying: “Your Majesty, if you have seen the Monarch of Tianfeng Kingdom, you should know that he has a jade cicada in his hand. Does Your Majesty find that jade cicada familiar? That jade cicada… Your Majesty’s consort Xiao Rongyan also has one exactly like it!”

The wind and snow had stopped, and in the small courtyard, the servants had swept the snow clean, and the snow on the trees was also cleared, even the depressions in the bluestone floor under the eaves where water dripped from stone were clean.

As Bai Qingyan lifted the curtain and came out from the small house, the envoy of Tianfeng Kingdom hurried forward to salute, “The envoy pays respect to Your Majesty…”

Today the envoy of Tianfeng Kingdom had been brought to this small yard and left standing in the cold wind for a while. With each pass of the wind, broken snowflowers from the tile roof would fall onto his face. Having grown up in such a warm place like Tianfeng Kingdom, he was shivering from the cold he had never endured before.

“Thank you for waiting…” Bai Qingyan stood under the corridor roof, accepting the hand warmer prepared by Wei Zhong, and asked the envoy of Tianfeng Kingdom: “Last night your country just sent the Elephant Army to attack my Pingyang City, and today you suddenly send an envoy. Is it… the custom of Tianfeng Kingdom to fight first and then deliver a letter?”

The moment Bai Qingyan finished speaking, a row of little eunuchs began preparing by carrying chairs, fetching small tables, moving braziers, serving hot tea, and offering snacks. Once ready, Wei Zhong stepped forward to invite Bai Qingyan to sit.

The envoy glanced at Bai Qingyan, who appeared to be very warm and comfortable under the corridor roof, and after saluting again, said: “Yesterday, it was originally the Empress of Xiliang who asked our Monarch of Tianfeng Kingdom to come to the Zhou to demand the rebel of Xiliang, Li Zhijie. Before coming, our Monarch specifically instructed us to speak well with Your Majesty…”

“The envoy of Tianfeng Kingdom speaks elegantly, and listening to you is pleasant.” Bai Qingyan handed the hand warmer to Chun Zhi standing by her side, took a sip of tea, and then looked up with a gaze full of killing intent, “But Tianfeng Kingdom has already laid a hand on my fourth sister, do you think a few pretty words will cover it up?”