Chapter 164: The Worried Baby

Chapter 164: The Worried Baby

A group of people emerged from the Prime Minister's residence, supporting one another.

Among them were the elderly lady, the Prime Minister's wife, and several young children from the household.

The Prime Minister was a man of integrity. There were only two concubines in the residence, both granted by the emperor. One of them, the mother of Lin Ruoyue, had been sick for many years and was carried out, appearing to be critically ill.

It was understandable, as she only had one daughter who died in Haiyue City, leaving her with no hope.

Lin Buhuai watched this scene, recalling the previous conversation from next door. He clenched his teeth and turned away.

The residence of the Minister of Revenue was a small estate in the west of the city.

Perhaps informed about the fire in the Prime Minister's residence, Liu Enqian, the Minister of Revenue, got out of bed and went out himself, not trusting his subordinates to gather information.

"My lord, it's late at night. Aren't you afraid of the cold?" A young concubine followed him out and gave him a cloak to wear.

"You don't understand. There are many who wish to scheme against the Prime Minister's residence. I need to go and see. Old Lin has some documents from my department. If I can take them in the chaos, I will. Old Lin used to deal with me, and now he can't even rest in peace. If I retrieve those documents, I’ll make sure to torch the place as well!" Liu Enqian said through gritted teeth, snorting coldly.

The Prime Minister stood in the shadows next to the Minister's residence, watching the carriage speed away, his expression forlorn and tinged with sorrow.

He had always hoped his old friends in the court would remain good and obedient.

So, when he learned that the Ministry of Revenue had compiled a list of fictitious salaries to request funds from the court, with the Ministry of Personnel playing a part in it, he first approached Liu Enqian, the Minister of Revenue.

After all, they had passed the imperial examinations together and served in the court, once sharing mutual respect.

The next day, after waking up, Ruo Xi Baby heard about it from Master Jing'en.

"Hmm, how was the effect?" Xiao Yin asked.

"Quite good. I saw Lin Buhuai in the crowd, looking at his family with a very interesting expression," Jing'en said.

Ruo Xi Baby: 「……」 She was truly speechless.

「Old bald man, I ask you, why did you set the fire?」 Ruo Xi Baby asked Jing'en when he was about to show her the talismans again.

“It was you, my Master, who said to add fuel to the fire at the Prime Minister's residence. So, I set the fire when the Prime Minister's wife was not in the room,” Jing'en said seriously.

「……」 Ruo Xi Baby paused, realizing that, in a twisted way, it did make sense.

On the other side, Xiao Yin and Xiao Yue exchanged helpless smiles.

“Master Jing'en is indeed a bit simple-minded,” Xiao Yue said.

“If his mind weren't so simple, he wouldn't be an enlightened monk. If he had more worldly desires and thoughts, he would have less of his Buddhist nature,” Xiao Yin said.

“Yes, Brother, you’re right,” Xiao Yue nodded.

“Ci Xin and Wen Xu are traveling north. They should be approaching the Northern Desert by now,” Xiao Yin said, standing on the city wall and looking towards the distant white snow in the north.

Beiling, being much smaller than Great Wei, had fewer cities and stretched horizontally from east to west. From the Imperial City northward, after passing two or three counties, one would reach the area near the Mongol Tatars.

The Tatars were subordinate to Beiling, a vassal state, but they had never been entirely submissive, often seizing opportunities to invade the borders.

Back when the Beiling Emperor was young, he was a fierce and skilled warrior, thoroughly defeating the Tatars to the point where they didn't dare move.

However, in recent years, with the court in disarray, the emperor's incompetence, and the princes lacking strong leadership, the Tatars had begun to grow restless, seeking opportunities to invade once more.

"The Tatar tribe, due to their lack of resources, is desperate to head south and take control of Beiling, believing that their lives will improve." Bei Di said from the side.

"Actually, they should focus on developing their own Tatar tribe. War will only lead to further impoverishment." Xiao Yue replied.

"If only they understood that, things would be much simpler! Not everyone is sensible." Bei Di shook his head. "Right now, I just hope the capital of Beiling doesn't fall into chaos, causing the people to panic. War only brings death."

"So, we have to rely on strategy." Xiao Yin said.

"Thank you, Emperor." Bei Di nodded.

He knew that if Xiao Yin had followed his previous style, he would have led his subordinates, along with Yuan Hui and others, to head north and take Beiling by force.

With Xiao Yin's Black Armor Guard, along with Xiao Yue, Ci Xin, and that remarkable toddler, they would be more than capable of securing Beiling and dealing with those in the Imperial City.

However, Xiao Yin showed great respect for Bei Di and listened to his advice, preferring to take Beiling through strategy without resorting to military force.

Knowing that her uncle and mother planned to take Beiling through strategy, Ruo Xi Baby thought it was acceptable.

"Hmm, sure, strength is important, but if we can pull this off with a smart plan, that works too!" Ruo Xi Baby twisted her little hands, thinking, "I hope Lin Buhuai can play a big role; otherwise, it will be quite difficult. Uncle should return early too. If he's away from Great Wei for too long, someone might take the opportunity to make a move."

Although the several princes of Great Wei were gone, and over the past three years, Xiao Yin had been ruthlessly decisive, leaving none alive and showing no mercy, there were still those who might try to take advantage of the situation.

Xiao Yin, listening to Xiao Xi'er's thoughts, smiled and patted her. He wanted to reassure her, "Don’t worry, I’ll keep Great Wei safe for you. When you’re older, you could even become empress if you want."

He didn’t think much of his own sons. He believed this niece of his was far more capable and strong, not comparable to his own sons.

Of course, Ruo Xi Baby didn't know about this.

If she did, she would definitely refuse.

She had no desire to be an empress.

In her previous life, she had endured so much hardship, living a harsh life on the run, constantly fighting and being hunted. It was too bitter.

In this life, she just wanted to live a peaceful life without any trouble.

Of course, she wasn’t destined for such a carefree life.

Look, she was already deeply involved in the affairs of Beiling.

"The Tatars have entered the capital. The northern part of Beiling’s capital has fallen into chaos. Several women from the brothels were kidnapped, spreading fear and chaos throughout the city."

Hearing this report, Ruo Xi Baby felt angry.

"What’s wrong with the Tatars? Are they asking for trouble? Jing En, prepare some death charms!" Ruo Xi Baby took the ceramic milk pot out of her mouth and looked at Jing En, giving him orders.

Jing En looked up at his young master, eyes filled with shock. "Master, that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?"