Chapter 953 - 949: Precious Steed
Li Zhijie’s palm tightened, sweat covering his entire hand. At this moment, he realized... perhaps from the time Bai Qingyan captured Dadu City and announced the change of dynasty, yet left the Jin Dynasty’s royal clan untouched, she had already started paving the way to diminish the vassals for today.
Not touching those Jin Dynasty royal clan members was to make several vassal kings think she feared the Eldest Princess and assuring them enough to enter Dadu City...
Bai Qingyan’s calculations were all about the human heart.
Even the King of Baishui’s plan to rebel against Bai Qingyan was known to her. She even deliberately indulged it, for the sake of diminishing the vassals with the least cost and legitimacy!
After this event, who in the world wouldn’t praise Bai Qingyan’s mercy? She even spared the former dynasty’s royal clan members. Yet, who knew... the former dynasty’s royal clan members chose not to appreciate it and set themselves against Bai Qingyan, planning rebellion. Bai Qingyan finally had no choice and had to deal with the former dynasty’s royal clan under intolerable circumstances.
Yun Tianao was still being suppressed by Wei Zhong in the main hall. Bai Qingyan looked at Yun Tianao, whose eyes were red and expression humiliated, and spoke, "Wei Zhong... let him go. Also, King Yan, please keep your Xiliang people under control. This is my Zhou’s Xuanming Palace, and it must not be stained by blood."
"Yes!" Li Zhijie pulled Yun Tianao back, giving him a respectful glance, pushed him down to sit, and then feigned cluelessness while continuing to talk to Bai Qingyan, "Your Majesty, the rebellion of the King of Baishui is a domestic affair of Zhou... Xiliang has no reason to interfere. Your Majesty’s words about lending assassins to the King of Baishui, I am unjustly accused! I implore Your Majesty to investigate!"
"Is that so?" Bai Qingyan tapped the table casually, "Princess of Xiliang Li Tianfu had once sent assassins to Shuoyang, intending to assassinate me. I arranged them to teach recruits in the new camp. It happened that today in Qiankun Palace, when setting up ambush with the King of Baishui, the assassins’ last desperate strikes... were in that style."
Li Zhijie’s heart skipped, quickly saying, "Foreign envoy is anxious, but at that time I truly did not know! The entourage I brought along are all registered, Your Majesty can send people to inspect, I have absolutely no complaints!"
"Not a single assassin survived. You don’t admit... then let’s put this matter aside for now. I have more questions for you..." Bai Qingyan maintained her composed demeanor, looking at Li Zhijie, "In April, King Yan secretly came to Zhou and met with the King of Baishui at a temple on May 16th. Do you know what was discussed?"