Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 1375

Chapter 1375: Chapter 1370: Interest

Shen Jingzhong looked up with reddened eyes at Bai Qingyan, only to see her place the warm cloth aside. The flickering warm firelight in the hall made her gentle smile alternately bright and dim, revealing a trace of loneliness. She said softly, "It is because my virtue and talent are not outstanding enough to receive the full support of Minister Shen. This is the regret of Bai Qingyan’s life..."

"Your Majesty!" Shen Jingzhong moved forward on his knees, "It is not so, Your Majesty..."

Bai Qingyan raised her hand to indicate that Shen Jingzhong need not say more and only said, "Since Minister Shen wishes to resign and return home, this must be... the last time we, as monarch and minister, dine together. Sit and eat! I permit it."

Watching Bai Qingyan pick up the spoon and drink soup again, there was a moment when overwhelming remorse surged into Shen Jingzhong’s heart. Words reached his lips, but he swallowed them again.

Supported by Wei Zhong, he knelt back to his seat, and with trembling hands picked up the spoon, only to find the once-fragrant soup now tasted bitter. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Be it virtue, talent, or breadth of mind, Bai Qingyan left Shen Jingzhong in awe. If she lacked talent... what was the implementation of new policies? If she lacked virtue, why would the populace revere her? Her breadth of mind was what Shen Jingzhong admired most, daring early to set a gamble-for-the-nation strategy, wholeheartedly for the people’s welfare rather than eternal family power. Shen Jingzhong asked himself... from ancient times till now, only Bai Qingyan as emperor could achieve this.

Yet once... when Shen Jingzhong entered service, it was a time of turmoil in the court. The Duke of Zhen, Bai Weiting, was far at the border defending against enemies. He relied on merit from accompanying a dragon to secure his position in the royal court. Back then, whether the Emperor of Jin acted it or was genuinely virtuous, he believed it, swearing an oath... to live and die with His Majesty.

Later, the Emperor changed, indulging in alchemy... becoming incomprehensible.

He knew well Bai Qingyan was a wise ruler but could never forget his past vows, caught in a dilemma, thus never had gone all out for the Zhou court, and often thought of resigning. Perhaps to others... he was seen as failing to adapt, as foolish loyalty, yet Shen Jingzhong felt it was his folly.

Now that the words have been said, there is no room for turning back. Enough...

·

On the 28th of June in the second year of Yuanhe, an alliance strategy was established between the Zhou and Yan Kingdoms, designating areas in both nations’ territories to implement each other’s national policies. Three years later, whose policies could make the local populace prosperous would determine the winner and unify as one nation.

"Thus, Regent Prince..." Liu Rushi looked at Xiao Rongyan, smiling as he received the treaty, stamped and sealed, from Wang Hanbing, saying, "Once the Crown Prince of Yan, the Second Prince, and General Xie Xun arrive in Dadu City, the Zhou will immediately withdraw its forces. The main force of the Yan Kingdom, held by our Bai family army in Xiliang, will naturally be returned."

Wang Hanbing’s expression was not good; he truly did not expect to seal the treaty when entering the palace today. The Zhou cleverly set it so the Yan Kingdom implemented its new policies within the Zhou’s territory, while the Zhou would implement its policies in the Yan Kingdom.

Yet, it couldn’t be denied that Liu Rushi’s reasoning was correct. Only by implementing new policies in each other’s lands could it be judged which nation’s policies were better.

Only in this way, when the two nations merged in the future, whether Yan merged with Zhou or Zhou with Yan, the people of both nations would more easily accept it.

Xiao Rongyan glanced at Bai Qingyan, who was on the high platform with a smile, understanding Bai Qingyan’s painstaking intention, so when Liu Rushi finally proposed this condition... the emissaries from Yan argued fiercely, but he agreed.

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