The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 1282: thriving
Chapter 1282 Thriving
The people felt that Yan was the kind of country that… if they were given the slightest chance, they would become the most powerful and formidable enemy after they recovered. If they did not destroy Yan, it would surely take more manpower and material resources to fight against it in the future. It would be better to take advantage of the fact that Yan had made the mistake first and destroy it in one fell swoop, which would also win the hearts and minds of the people and would be a logical conclusion.
However, a few people were puzzled and did not understand why the two countries could not coexist. Xiliang had been destroyed… and the two countries were allies. If they made peace and ceasefire with each other, allowing the people and soldiers to recuperate, wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds? Why bother with war and fight to the death to unify the world?
Not only the common people, but even the students were divided into two factions, one advocating war, the other advocating peaceful coexistence.
Although Bai Qingyan was still in confinement, she had heard that the Imperial College had held several seminars to allow students with different opinions to debate with each other.
Hearing this, Bai Qingyan felt comforted. Whether in the court or outside the court, what she wanted was this kind of prosperous scene where everyone could speak freely, express their own opinions, and a hundred schools of thought contend.
Let the people participate in the discussion of national affairs. In this way… they will love this country more. From the king to the people, they can work together to build a better country.
When Bai Qingyan was reading the books left by Queen Ji, he liked the four words “return power to the people” that Queen Ji said very much. She wanted to let the people spontaneously participate in national affairs, and pooling wisdom would surely make a country better.
Moreover, if the people are willing to participate in national affairs, it will definitely show that the country’s system, at least, allows the people to have enough food and clothing. Otherwise, the people will only care about food and clothing, and who will have the time to worry about national affairs.
At this time, Bai Qingyan understood that she had almost paved the way for the merger of the two countries. After Xiao Rongyan arrived in Yandu, Murong Li would also announce the merger of the two countries to the Yan court officials. Since it had come to this point… Bai Qingyan did not intend to hide it from General Lu, Sikong Shen, and Situ Dong.
At noon that day, the Queen Mother summoned General Lu, Sikong Shen and Situ Dong. When the three of them came to the Mulan Pavilion in the Bai Mansion, they were not surprised at all, because before Bai Qingyan ascended the throne, he summoned them to discuss matters in the Mulan Pavilion in the Bai Mansion.
It was not until Zhen Ming bowed and led the three people into the room that they walked around the screen and did not see the empress dowager, but instead saw their Great Zhou Emperor Bai Qingyan.
Bai Qingyan was kneeling beside the desk reading the letter from Murong Li and the memorial sent by Qin Lang from Hancheng. The three of them looked at each other in surprise, and when they saw Bai Qingyan looking at them… the three of them hurriedly kowtowed and saluted.
“General Lu, Minister Shen, and Minister Dong, there’s no need to be so polite.” Bai Qingyan put Murong Li’s letter and Qin Lang’s memorial aside, picked up the small teapot on the red clay stove beside him, and poured tea for the three of them, “Please sit down…”
Bai Qingyan’s uncle Dong Qingping stood up first, followed by General Lu and Shen Sikong. The three of them lifted the hem of their official uniforms and knelt down opposite Bai Qingyan’s desk.
“Your Majesty is back. Why don’t you go back to the palace but stay in Bai’s mansion?” As soon as General Lu sat down, he asked with concern, “Is your Majesty in good health?”
There were rumors before that the Queen Mother brought the little princess and the little prince back to the Bai Mansion in order to conceal the truth and send Doctor Huang to treat Bai Qingyan, who was not in a good condition. Although he knew that the rumor was groundless, General Lu still couldn’t help but worry.
Bai Qingyan smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Commander. I am in good health. I invited the three adults here today to discuss… one thing, about the merger of Yan State and Great Zhou.”
Bai Qingyan finished speaking so calmly that the three adults were unable to react for a moment.
It’s not about attacking the State of Yan, but about the merger of the State of Yan and the Great Zhou?
The three lords looked at each other. Shen Jingzhong could no longer hold back and asked Bai Qingyan again in disbelief: “Your Majesty, are you talking about… the merger of the two countries? Not the destruction of Yan?”
“Yes… it’s about the merging of the two countries, making peace without fighting, not destroying Yan.” Bai Qingyan nodded with a smile, “I discussed this matter with Emperor Murong Li of Yan and the Ninth Prince of Yan as early as when I ascended the throne.”
As he spoke, Bai Qingyan pushed Murong Li’s letter in front of the three adults and asked them to pass it around.
The three adults gathered together and carefully read Murong Li’s letter.
Bai Qingyan rested his elbows on the hidden table. Seeing that the three adults were still reading the letter, he slowly said, “This time… it just so happened that the Queen Mother of Yan State stabbed us in the back and betrayed our Great Zhou to Xiliang, so that Ayu was captured alive. Taking this opportunity… our Great Zhou deployed troops to Yan State, and let our Great Zhou soldiers and the Bai Family Army and the Zhao Family Army contain the Yan Army in Xiliang. This is all our Great Zhou paving the way for the merger of the two countries!”
After saying that, Bai Qingyan smiled and said to the three adults, “I didn’t tell you about this before because the big thing was not decided yet. I was worried that something unexpected would happen and make you all happy, so I made two preparations!”
At the end of the letter, Dong Qingping saw that Emperor Yan Murong Li said that he had sent an envoy to the Great Zhou. If he failed to persuade the Yan court officials, he would tell them that he had sent an envoy to Zhou and asked Bai Qingyan to try to protect the Yan envoy Wang Hanbing’s safe journey. He looked up at Bai Qingyan, waiting for Bai Qingyan’s next words.
“This time… the Ninth Prince of Yan State brought General Cui Shanzhong’s cronies back to Yandu and implicated the Queen Mother of Yan. The Emperor of Yan could then say that it was to protect the Queen Mother of Yan and the State of Yan, so he decided to merge the two countries based on national policies, in order to give Yan State a glimmer of hope and a chance to breathe in the current situation!” Bai Qingyan smiled slightly, “Of course, the Emperor of Yan and the Ninth Prince of Yan State dared to decide on this method of national policy with me before, firstly because the Emperor of Yan and the Ninth Prince of Yan State were very confident in their national policy of Yan State, and secondly… it was also to reduce the bloodshed and sacrifice of soldiers.”
She looked up at the three adults who had already read the letter and asked, “I wonder if the three adults have confidence in our Great Zhou’s new policies?”
Taiwei Lu was the first to bow to Bai Qingyan and said with certainty: “When your majesty wanted to implement the new policy, this old minister once read the national policy that Yan State is currently implementing in the country. The national policy of Yan State is the new policy implemented when Queen Ji of Yan State was alive. Although this old minister also thought that… Queen Ji’s new policy was more stable and your majesty’s new policy took too big a step, but now it seems… this old minister thinks that the new policy implemented by your majesty is better!”
Commandant Lu spoke from the bottom of his heart, especially the move of allowing women to study and take the imperial examinations, which indeed recruited a lot of truly useful talents for the Great Zhou.
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