NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1136: Ambition
Bai Qingyan nodded, turned her head and signaled Wei Zhong to lead the people out.
Feng Yao, who hadn't yet sat down properly, stood up as well. After bowing to Bai Qingyan once more, he followed Wei Zhong out.
Ah Nu, who was beside Empress Dowager Yan, also bowed and withdrew.
"If the Empress Dowager has anything to say, please speak freely," Bai Qingyan said with a smile.
Empress Dowager Yan sat upright, her gaze falling on Bai Qingyan's abdomen, and said, "I am A Yan's sister-in-law. Since I know that the child in the Zhou Emperor's womb is A Yan's flesh and blood, I dare assume the position of the Zhou Emperor's sister-in-law. May I ask, Zhou Emperor… now that you and A Yan have a child, will A Yan fake his death after the Xiliang campaign to be with you and the child?"
Bai Qingyan quietly looked at Empress Dowager Yan…
Since Murong Yan and Murong Li did not tell Empress Dowager Yan about the future unification of the two countries, and Murong Li intended it to be proposed by Yan, Bai Qingyan saw no reason to disclose everything to Empress Dowager Yan now.
She shook her head and said, "The Empress Dowager is A Yan's sister-in-law, apart from being the wife of the former Yan Emperor and the biological mother of the current Emperor of Yan. You should know… whether it was the former Yan Emperor, A Yan, or the current Emperor of Yan, all harbored the ambition to unify the realm! And I was born in the Bai family, whose long-standing aspiration is to witness a day of peace and prosperity throughout the land!"
Bai Qingyan fixed her gaze on the increasingly pale Empress Dowager Yan, then said, "A Yan and I each have our own ambitions and aspirations. We have said before that when it comes to major state affairs of the two countries, the interests of both countries must take precedence over personal feelings."
Empress Dowager Yan was so shocked that she stood up: "You mean that in the future… once Xiliang is settled, Yan wants to unite the world, and Zhou also wants to unite the world! A war may break out? But… but you are already married to A Yan! You are A Yan's wife, and you are carrying A Yan's child, so why… why can't you make a concession for the unification of the world?"
Empress Dowager Yan realized her words were extremely inappropriate as soon as she spoke them.
Bai Qingyan was now the Emperor of Zhou. Why would she allow unification and make her son the emperor? It was impossible…
Everyone has personal desires, just like her. Even though she knew that A Yan had sacrificed more for Yan than Xiao Ali, and that A Yan might be more suitable as emperor than Xiao Ali, she still didn't want her husband's Yan kingdom to fall into someone else's hands.
Bai Qingyan did not get angry, merely smiled and said to Empress Dowager Yan, "Then why can't the Yan make a concession for unification of the world? Empress Dowager… don't impose on others what you don't desire yourself. There is indeed genuine affection between A Yan and me, and it is true that we have a child, but that is my personal feeling, not a reason for the entire Zhou to retreat."
"But you are married to A Yan!" Empress Dowager Yan said, devoid of confidence.
Bai Qingyan, her gaze calm and collected, said as if nothing could disturb her, "When the previous Emperor of Yan was alive, he also asked me this question. If in the future… only the two countries remain, how should I balance state affairs and my feelings for A Yan, to which the Empress Dowager has brought up again today. My answer remains: private affairs are private, state affairs are not subject to private considerations. On this point… Murong Yan has done very well. As for me, I am equally unburdened!"
Empress Dowager Yan looked incredulously at Bai Qingyan, understanding from her words that Murong Yan never mixed personal feelings with state affairs.
"Is there anything else the Empress Dowager would like to advise?" Bai Qingyan asked gently with a smile.
The Empress Dowager had come today initially thinking Bai Qingyan would surely force A Yan to fake his death and leave for Zhou but hadn't expected such an answer—perhaps a future war over who would rule the world, without a peace treaty.
This would be worse than letting A Yan fake his death and leave for Zhou!
As for warfare, even her husband Murong Yu had praised Bai Qingyan as a "God of Slaughter," and with Zhou's many elite troops and capable generals, Yan would likely struggle to compete against Zhou, which has a strong foundation.
Empress Dowager Yan looked at Bai Qingyan, unable to understand how a woman could be so ruthless. Despite her affection for A Yan and having a child, she would still destroy A Yan's country. How could a person be so indifferent to family?
"Aren't you afraid that in the future, when the child knows you are fighting against his father's country, he will resent you?" Empress Dowager Yan asked, eyes wide.
"I don't understand what the Empress Dowager means," she smiled, lowering her gaze while gently caressing her abdomen, "This child is the son of Xiao Rongyan, an honorary merchant and my husband of the Bai family. How is it related to the Ninth Prince of Yan? Unless someone knows that the Yan Ninth Prince is Xiao Rongyan and wants to dismantle Yan's intelligence network hidden as merchant associations that's secretly communicating with Yan. Otherwise, no one would know that Xiao Rongyan is the Yan Ninth Prince."
"Are you… threatening me?" Empress Dowager Yan's heart pounded wildly. She had come today to plead with Bai Qingyan, asking her to persuade Murong Yan not to abandon Yan and them as widow and orphan for their sake. Instead of receiving such a ruthless truth from Bai Qingyan, she was also being threatened by her.
"Is this how you treat A Yan's elder sister-in-law?" Empress Dowager Yan's eyes reddened, her voice choked, "Aren't you afraid I will tell A Yan?"
"Everything I have said today to the Empress Dowager is the truth, and A Yan knows it as well." She made a gesture for Empress Dowager Yan to leave, "The Empress Dowager is free to tell A Yan."
Empress Dowager Yan clenched her fist tightly. She understood… Bai Qingyan is the Empress of Zhou, with nothing to fear. She is different from those women who rely on men to live.
In fact, Bai Qingyan doesn't really have genuine feelings for A Yan; she married A Yan only after discovering that Xiao Rongyan is the Yan Ninth Prince. She knows A Yan is deeply affectionate, so she intends to use the child in her womb to restrain A Yan at the appropriate time!
Thinking of this made Empress Dowager Yan's scalp tighten, she resisted the soreness in her eyes, and looked at Bai Qingyan with caution, saying, "I won't let you hurt A Yan!"
"Empress Dowager, I have no intention of hurting A Yan, nor do I intend to use the child to restrain him or… force him to do anything," she said, holding onto the armrest of the chair as she stood up, "What I've said today is only to inform the Empress Dowager that we have long reached a consensus to prioritize the nation. The Empress Dowager may rest assured!"
Empress Dowager Yan felt warmth in her eyes, but as A Yan's sister-in-law, if Bai Qingyan truly cherished him, shouldn't she speak to her with more respect, instead of in this manner!
"If the Empress Dowager has nothing more to say, with the Zhou army soon to depart, I will not detain the Empress Dowager any further." Bai Qingyan said with a smile, gesturing for Empress Dowager Yan to leave.