Han Yunxi's willfulness stunned Tang Li. He blurted out, "Sister-in-law, are you stupid? Did you really say that? "
The most discussed rumor in the outer city was what Han Yunxi had just said.
She said that all the ministers were advising against canceling the birthday banquet, but the empress said that the crown prince's first birthday must be celebrated in a big way!
Han Yunxi rolled her eyes at Tang Li. "You're the stupid one!"
"Empress, you want to force them to donate to disaster relief at the birthday banquet?" Ning Jing asked. She knew that Han Yunxi wasn't that stupid.
"Not only that!"
Han Yunxi sneered. She had Ning Jing and Tang Li come closer and whispered to them. Long Fei Ye already knew about Han Yunxi's plan tomorrow. He watched from the side and couldn't help but laugh.
The infighting in the imperial court was really boring. Occasionally, Han Yunxi, the empress, would stir up this big pool. It was a kind of pleasure.
Tomorrow's birthday banquet should be very interesting.
That night, before Long Fei Ye went to bed, he personally flew over the eaves and vaulted over the walls to check all the roofs in the palace. However, he didn't see Gu's figure.
Although he didn't let Gu come back with them, he still sent someone to give him the invitation to Rui 'er's birthday banquet.
Wasn't this guy coming?
Although Gu said that No. 7 Teahouse was to be given to Rui 'er, he hadn't officially given it away yet. At the very least, he had to bring the deed over.
Han Yunxi could stir up trouble, but Gu was even more so.
If he didn't show up, tomorrow's birthday banquet would really lose a lot of fun.
That night, the palace was peaceful. However, the inner and outer cities of Yunning, and even the entire Great Qin Empire, were all paying attention to the palace. They were all waiting to see if the palace would send out a message to cancel tomorrow's birthday banquet.
Baili Yuanlong was the most concerned about this matter.
In the dead of night, Baili Yuanlong was having a secret meeting with Xiao Dong, the commander of the southern army.
Xiao Dong had just turned forty this year and was a full sixteen years younger than Baili Yuanlong. However, he was older than Northern Commander Jin Zi, Western Commander Chu Tianyin, and Eastern Commander Luo Tu.
Xiao Dongwen couldn't plan, and he couldn't even defend himself in martial arts. In the Southern Army, where there were so many talented people, he was actually a useless person!
However, Xiao Dong had a powerful background!
Xiao Dong was a member of the Xiao Clan, the head of the Southern Clans.
When Long Fei Ye was still at the top of Tianshan Mountain, Patriarch Xiao was invited to the Medical City Conference and openly opposed Gu Beiyue, who supported Han Yunxi. The Xiao Family had set their sights on the position of the Empress a few years ago. It would be strange if they didn't oppose Han Yunxi!
Long Fei Ye had wanted to settle this debt long ago. If not for Gu Beiyue stopping him, Long Fei Ye would have found an excuse to wipe out the Xiao Clan after he became the emperor.
It had to be said that the Xiao Clan's influence in the South was enormous and complex. A slight move in one part could affect the whole situation. Once Long Fei Ye took control of the Xiao Clan, the South would fall into chaos.
Currently, the Western, Northern, Eastern, and Central Regions were in a state of post-war reconstruction. Whether it was in terms of finances or food, most of the people had to come from the South.
The South couldn't fall into chaos!
The Southern Army had seized this opportunity to act so impudently.
Of course, the Southern Army's supporters, the major clans behind the scenes, were all very smart. They knew that Long Fei Ye was slowly making plans for the South, so they had to take advantage of this opportunity to gain more power and allies for themselves.
Xiao Dong was only a spokesperson chosen by the major clans of the South. He was very different from Baili Yuanlong.
However, the two of them had many common understandings.
First, they both felt that Long Fei Ye had been too hasty in appointing Jin Zi, Chu Tianyin, and Luo Tu as commanders. Jin Zi and Chu Tianyin weren't even thirty yet, while Luo Tu was the nephew of Kangan Private Bank's Shopkeeper Luo. He had just turned thirty last year. According to Xiao Dong and Baili Yuanlong, these three brats weren't even fully grown yet. What could they accomplish?
Second, their spearhead was Han Yunxi. The Southern Army's ultimate goal was the position of empress. The son of the empress was the heir apparent. Thus, to put it more bluntly, they hoped that the crown prince, or even the future heir apparent, would be on their side and seek greater benefits for their clans. Baili Yuanlong wanted nothing more than for the Southern Army to grow stronger and seize the position of empress. In his opinion, as long as the Southern Army grew stronger, the emperor would need him even more. He would have no choice but to rope him in!
After all, from the looks of it, only the Baili Clan could contend with the Southern Military Faction.
Baili Yuanlong and Xiao Dong sat across from each other on the tea couch. They had been chatting for a long time, waiting for news from the palace.
Although it was a private meeting, they were still courteous to each other.
After all, they didn't treat each other with sincerity. They were both fighting for benefits, so they were both on guard against each other.
After a long silence, Xiao Dong probed, "Sir Baili, it's already so late. In my opinion, there shouldn't be any news from the palace, right?"
What was he probing for?
He wanted to know if Baili Yuanlong had any informants in the palace with Long Fei Ye or Han Yunxi. All the civil and military officials of the imperial court wanted to bribe the people in the palace to find out some information.
Unfortunately, it was very difficult because Long Fei Ye didn't have a harem. Only he and Han Yunxi lived in Yunning Palace, so they didn't need many servants.
Xiao Dong pondered. Baili Yuanlong was the former second-in-command of the East Qin camp, so he must be familiar with Long Fei Ye's trusted aides. Even if he couldn't bribe the people around the two masters, he should at least have some informants in the palace, right?
As for whether Baili Yuanlong had any informants in the palace, only he knew.
Baili Yuanlong replied, "Let's wait a bit longer. If there really isn't any news, then that's fine. "
Thus, the two fell into silence again.
But after a while, Xiao Dong couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Sir Baili, if the empress insists, then the two of us will have to advance and retreat together tomorrow!"
They had already agreed that if the birthday banquet wasn't canceled tomorrow, they wouldn't mention it in the morning court. Instead, they would remonstrate and denounce the empress in front of all the congratulatory guests.
After all, it was the empress who had said that it had to be a grand affair!
"Of course!" Baili Yuanlong nodded calmly.
The two of them would definitely wait a bit longer. Unfortunately, it was almost dawn, but there was still no news of the banquet being canceled.
Since it was time to go to court, Xiao Dong couldn't stay any longer and got up to leave.
After sending Xiao Dong off, Baili Yuanlong sat down and drank a few mouthfuls of strong tea to sober himself up.
At this time, a woman close to thirty walked out from behind a curtain. Although she was a bit old, she was born with a dignified beauty that could captivate even birds and beasts.
She had the air of a lady from a noble family, enough to make people forget her age.
This woman was none other than Baili Mingxiang's eldest daughter, Noble Consort Xiao, who had been undercover in Northern Li for many years. She'd risen from a small palace maid to become the favored consort of the Northern Dynasties Emperors, and Baili Mingxiang's older sister!
She'd hidden herself very deeply in Northern Li for a very long time. Even when Northern Li fell into civil strife, she didn't leave the Northern Dynasties Emperors. She'd followed them all the way to the north until she learned that the Northern Dynasties Emperors had committed suicide.
She'd stolen many of the Northern Li imperial family's treasures and knew the situation in Northern Li like the back of her hand. She even had many trusted aides in Northern Li.
Baili Yuanlong was a martial artist. When he'd followed Long Fei Ye in the past, he'd been as stubborn as a rock. But now, he'd managed to hook up with the southern generals precisely because of his daughter's help behind the scenes.
Baili Lixiang had toiled in Northern Li's palace for so many years. How could her shrewdness and methods be simple?
The Baili Clan had sacrificed so much for the East Qin imperial family. In her eyes, Long Fei Ye should've at least made her father a prince and let her younger brother inherit the title in the future. That way, the Baili Clan would always enjoy the treatment of a prince.
But not only did Long Fei Ye refuse, he even listened to Han Yunxi's words and divided the military power into five. He even gave Han Yunxi the highest military power.
The Baili Clan had followed Long Fei Ye the longest and sacrificed the most. Why shouldn't they enjoy special privileges?
She and her father still couldn't accept that Long Fei Ye would give the western military power to the Nether Clan's Chu Tianyin and the Black Clan's Jin Zi.
In their eyes, this was a very risky and foolish move. It was digging one's own grave.
"Father, you should go rest. As I see it, this matter isn't so simple. It's best to be careful tomorrow." Baili Lixiang was shrewd and cunning, but she was also a filial daughter.
She didn't seek benefits for herself, but even if she had to die, she'd do it for her father and her brothers.
The notion that a woman should sacrifice herself for her family was branded in her heart and would never be erased.
How could Baili Yuanlong be in the mood to rest? In front of Xiao Dong, he was calm and collected, but in front of his daughter, his anxiety was completely exposed.
"Lixiang, how can father sleep? Tomorrow, Xiao Dong and I will join forces to persuade her. What if … "
"Father, there's no what if! As long as Han Yunxi dares to make a big deal of it, she won't be able to turn things around this time! I've not only convinced a few ministers, but also many commoners. Everything should be ready by now. As soon as the banquet starts, those commoners will definitely block the four city gates. Also, father, Han Yunxi was in the wrong in the first place. I don't believe the Northern Li military will lock her up! "Baili Lixiang said seriously.
Baili Yuanlong nodded. His daughter's comforting words made him feel much more at ease.
"Father, do you remember when Han Yunxi used Tianning's empress dowager's birthday banquet to raise donations?" Baili Lixiang asked.
Hearing this, Baili Yuanlong grew nervous again. "Could it be that this time she …"
"Father, don't worry. Daughter has already made preparations. Even if she raises donations, daughter can still deal with her! "Baili Lixiang's lips curved into a cold smile. In the candlelight, she truly looked like a viper.
"What method?" Baili Yuanlong asked hastily.
Baili Lixiang whispered something in his ear, causing Baili Yuanlong to look surprised. "Is there really such a thing?"
"I've personally paid a visit to all ten madams. It can't be faked!" Baili Lixiang replied in a low voice.
Only then did Baili Yuanlong relax. He had been very nervous before, but now he was looking forward to it. He couldn't wait for the birthday banquet to start as soon as possible.
"You should rest early too. It's your first meeting with the emperor tomorrow, so you have to rest well," Baili Yuanlong said seriously.
"I still have to go pick up my little sister later. She should be arriving in Yunning soon." Baili Lixiang couldn't help but complain. "That girl Mingxiang really doesn't know any better. Instead of thinking of a way to stay in Yunning, she ran off to become an army doctor!"
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