Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 1384

Even Sal Khan, despite his excellent composure, could no longer maintain an air of calm and detached ease, his face turning ashen.

"Then let us talk!" Bai Qingyan gazed at Liu Rushi, "Minister Liu..."

"I accept the command and will do my utmost to facilitate the alliance between the two nations," Liu Rushi replied.

Chun Tao replaced Bai Qingyan's tea with fresh tea and stood aside.

Bai Qingyan nodded, "I must trouble the Monarch of the Tianfeng Kingdom to stay in Dadu City for some more days. Should there be any other requests, feel free to present them to Minister Dong. The Zhou... will strive to make the Monarch of the Tianfeng Kingdom feel at home."

Sal Khan stood up, maintaining a stern expression, and said to Bai Qingyan, "Then I must thank the Empress. As for the negotiations, they are left to my officials. I wonder if the Empress has any leisure time?"

"Naturally," Bai Qingyan remained seated, "However, if the Monarch of the Tianfeng Kingdom has anything to say, speak openly... There aren't many secrets between the sovereign and ministers in the Zhou royal court, so it spares me the trouble of repeating everything later to my court officials."

Bai Qingyan heard the sound of Sal Khan tightly clenching his fists, the joints cracking.

He had never before had to humble himself to such an extent.

He, the most exalted king of the Tianfeng Kingdom! When had he ever been treated in this manner?!

"The rest is a personal matter. If the Empress of Zhou is unwilling to move, then let it be..." Sal Khan's expression grew even darker.

"A personal matter?" Bai Qingyan pondered for a moment, finally stood up, still maintaining a courteous and composed demeanor, "Please, Monarch..."

Sal Khan's expression finally eased. He nodded to Bai Qingyan, and the two left together, leaving the royal court in the hands of Commandant Lu.

Bai Qingyan escorted Sal Khan to a side hall where he had Wei Zhong bring in a small red clay stove, brewed tea personally, then waved Wei Zhong and the others away before sitting down and speaking, "If the Monarch of the Tianfeng Kingdom had been honest in engaging in the mutual market with our Zhou, I would not have humiliated the Tianfeng Kingdom so on the grand hall today."

Sal Khan did not expect Bai Qingyan to be so calm in saying such a sentence, catching him off guard.

This tone was different from the aggressive stance in the grand hall; it felt as if they were mere friends, having just quarreled fiercely but now both calming down, and she was the first to show concession, but with words of subtle strength.

Bai Qingyan lifted the teapot with a cloth covering to pour a cup of tea for Sal Khan, sliding it before him, then looked up at him, "I am the Emperor of Zhou, tasked with protecting Zhou's land and people. If your Tianfeng Kingdom harbors no designs against Zhou, I would be more than willing to be good neighbors. However, should you insist on coveting Zhou's land, turning our Zhou's populace into slaves for the Tianfeng Kingdom, even if it means a life-and-death struggle, I will never let you succeed. Do you understand my meaning?"

Her words seemed heartfelt and sincere.

Sal Khan looked down at the rippling cool tea in his cup, then gazed back at Bai Qingyan, originally intending to mock this half-way Emperor from a general's family who had grasped the Art of the Emperor, mastering the art of speech and governance, but held back for Sal Khan was not a subject of Bai Qingyan.

"And as for the Yan Kingdom..." Sal Khan chuckled lowly, "The Yan are presently compelled to bow by the Zhou, but come three years, as the Yan recover, if defeated... won't they fight to the bitter end?"

"I cannot vouch for Yan, but Zhou absolutely will not." Bai Qingyan's brows carried a light smile, "Would the Monarch of Tianfeng wish to wager with me?"

"I am the Monarch of Tianfeng, but would never dare wager the ancestral foundation! Nor do I possess... the Empress's spirited interest in gambling nations!" Sal Khan's voice was solemn.

"In this regard, the Monarch pales in comparison to the young Emperor of Yan!" Bai Qingyan raised her teacup, "I am an Emperor brought about by circumstance, with no burden of ancestral legacy, only the Bai family's initial intent to protect the nation and its people. The Yan Emperor, despite his youth... stemming from the Murong Royal family, dares wager nations for the people's welfare, yet as Monarch of Tianfeng, you exhaust efforts solely for the interests of Tianfeng's nobility, how lamentable."

Seeing Bai Qingyan drink her tea, Sal Khan was provoked by the notion... of toiling for the interest of nobility, fists clenching.

"I wonder, what personal matters the Monarch of Tianfeng wishes to discuss?" Bai Qingyan drained her teacup.

"So, after ascending the throne and resolving the vassal kings, it was not to remove hindrances but to implement reform policies?" Sal Khan gave a tangential response, "I do not believe in this world, one so indifferent to power exists!"

"Before dealing with Tianfeng, I too could never believe such a nation would exist... valuing the lives of beasts over humans, that armor for beasts would surpass the weaponry for its soldiers."

Sal Khan's brows tightened slightly, yet he did not feign benevolence, unguarded before Bai Qingyan, he truthfully said, "They are... merely a bunch of slaves, nowhere as valuable as the giant elephants!"