Chapter 170: Killing Two Birds with One Stone.

Chapter 170: One Stone, Two Birds.

The covert operatives had already identified which tribes could be won over and which could not be trusted.

Armed with this intelligence, the Great Yan envoy delegation selectively engaged in negotiations, offering lucrative incentives to tribes already inclined toward Great Yan and promising them future appointments as regional officials.

As for those tribes hostile to Great Yan and aligned with Great Mu, the delegation compiled a purge list.

Peace and empty promises alone were useless—sometimes, an example must be made.

Keeping these tribal hardliners would only breed future threats. Eliminating them entirely better served Great Yan’s interests and facilitated smoother governance over Qiang Rong.

After all, Great Yan sought to annex Qiang Rong for its strategic resources like unrefined salt and warhorses.

They wanted a stable territory for development, not one constantly dealing with rebellions.

……

Did Li Yichun know about the covert maneuvers of the Great Yan envoy delegation?

Of course he did.

His guards had already reported it to him.

Yet, after much hesitation, Li Yichun chose silent compliance.

"A smart man knows when to yield"—this principle held true everywhere.

Had he possessed the strength to defy Great Yan, he wouldn’t have needed to consider old loyalties. He could have emulated his late father, rallying an army to resist Great Yan and establishing a Qiang Rong dynasty to rival it.

But he lacked his father’s prestige, and Great Yan’s power was now far beyond what it once was.

Resist Great Yan?

Rival it as an equal?

With what?

At the border, more than 100,000 troops at Xingtang Pass stood ready, awaiting only the emperor’s command to march forth and overrun the Helan defenses.

Was Huo Ling merely reminiscing with him about old times?

No—she had pressed a sword to his throat before slowly persuading him, forcing him to remember their old pact.

Had he dared refuse, dared rally other tribes to resist—other tribes may be spared, since Great Yan still needed Qiang people to govern Qiang people—but his head and those of his kin would surely have been used as warning symbols.

So while it seemed he had choices, in truth, there was only one path.

Li Yichun closed his eyes briefly. When he reopened them, all hesitation and doubt had vanished.

He said firmly, "Send for Deputy Envoy Song."

Before the Great Mu envoy delegation officially arrived at the Qiang Rong royal court, Li Yichun had made his choice.

Hearing Li Yichun’s answer, Song Xu let out a quiet sigh of relief—the delegation’s main goal had finally been achieved.

Leaning back, Li Yichun asked pointedly, "The Great Mu envoys will arrive in two days. How do you plan to handle them?"

Though the Qiang Rong royal court was his domain, and though he had resolved to bow to Great Yan and Huo Ling, that didn’t mean he wasn’t happy about it.

Regarding the arrival of the Great Mu envoy delegation, he was more in a state of spectating.

How to handle the Great Mu envoy delegation seemed to be his responsibility, but in reality, it had already become a matter for the Great Yan envoy delegation to consider.

Song Xu pondered for a moment: "The Qiang Rong King need only receive the Great Mu envoys according to normal etiquette."

Ever since learning that Great Mu would send an envoy delegation, he'd hatched a bold plan.

However, whether the plan was feasible would have to be determined after first making contact with the Great Mu envoys.

***

The Great Yan envoy delegation aimed to wrap up their mission before the Emperor's 40th Birthday, bringing the Qiang Rong King Li Yichun back to the capital for an imperial audience.

Meanwhile, the court a thousand miles away was also abuzz with preparations for the upcoming grand event.

Gifts prepared by local officials for the Empress Dowager were trickling in to the capital.

Ji Xianshan also approached Huo Ling to ask if she wished to relocate to the royal hunting grounds for her birthday celebration or take a pleasure cruise down to Jiangnan.

However, before this proposal could be discussed in court, the news of Lu Zuo's pregnancy and Song Xu's letter upended the original plans of the mother and son.

The pregnancy of the empress was cause for celebration for Huo Ling, Ji Xianshan, and even the entire court.

Lu Zuo was still early in her pregnancy, making it unsuitable for her to undertake arduous travel to the royal hunting grounds in the near future.

Even if the official roads were well-paved, the journey would inevitably be jarring and exhausting, with poor rest and meals along the way.

"What's the difficulty in that?" Lu Zuo said to Ji Xianshan. "When the time comes, I'll stay in the palace to rest, and you can accompany Her Majesty to the royal hunting grounds for a proper relaxation."

Ji Xianshan shook his head: "If I leave, the round trip would take at least three months. This is your first pregnancy—how could I possibly leave you alone in the palace?"

Lu Zuo felt comforted by his words, yet still found the situation difficult to handle: "We can't just dampen Her Majesty's mood."

As they were speaking, a palace attendant entered to announce that Wu Mo, the matron from Shouning Palace, had arrived.

Ji Xianshan said, "Mother must have heard the news. Please invite Wu Mo in at once."

Upon entering, Wu Mo smiled and bowed: "The Empress Dowager was overjoyed to hear of Her Highness the Empress's pregnancy and immediately instructed me to prepare some tonics and supplements for Her Highness."

Ji Xianshan replied, "I was so overjoyed myself that I forgot to inform Mother right away. A Zuo and I will go to Shouning Palace to see Mother now."

Huo Ling was reviewing the tribute lists prepared by officials from various regions for her.

Noticing the Emperor and Empress arriving together out of the corner of her eye, Huo Ling set aside the lists and beckoned to Lu Zuo: "The sun is strong out there now—what if A Zuo gets sunburnt? You should have come later."

Lu Zuo chuckled at this, releasing Ji Xianshan's hand and gracefully taking a seat beside Huo Ling: "Mother, I'm hardly so delicate that a little sun would harm me."

Huo Ling patted Lu Zuo's hand and smiled: "This is your first pregnancy—you can't be too careful."

Huo Ling was genuinely delighted: "This child is the best birthday present I've received this year. Since you're still in the early stages and shouldn't travel far, your health comes first. Let's cancel the imperial hunting trip."

Lu Zuo was taken aback and instinctively glanced at Ji Xianshan.

Ji Xianshan, equally surprised, said, "Mother, but—"

"It's fine," Huo Ling waved her hand dismissively. "State matters have me tied up anyway. I only agreed earlier to avoid disappointing your thoughtful gesture. Now that A Zuo is pregnant and shouldn't travel between places, and since the hunting trip hasn't been brought before the court yet, I'm already aware of your filial intentions. Let's leave it at that."

Noticing Lu Zuo's lingering unease, Huo Ling added, "It's not solely because of A Zuo's pregnancy. The envoy corps has sent word—there may be trouble brewing at the border soon."

Ji Xianshan's expression turned grave: "Why is that? Has the Qiang Rong situation changed?"

Lu Zuo rose at the opportune moment: "Mother, I'm tired and would like to rest for a while in the side chamber."

Huo Ling nodded: "Go ahead."

Only after Lu Zuo had left with the palace attendants did Huo Ling retrieve a secret report from a casket: "Take a look."

Ji Xianshan scanned it quickly and sighed in relief—it wasn’t a change in the Qiang Rong situation. "Teacher Song's plan looks solid to me."

Song Xu’s plan was pretty straightforward.

Currently, the Qiang Rong were internally divided into two factions: one led by Li Yichun and the Wei Mu clan, who were already ready to surrender to Great Yan, and the other composed of hostile nobles who needed to be purged.

After the Great Mu envoy officially arrived at the Qiang Rong royal court, the latter faction began openly and secretly cozying up to the Great Mu delegation, seeking to leverage their influence against Great Yan.

The Qiang Rong royal court was now a powder keg.

Beneath the seemingly calm surface, dangerous currents were brewing. The situation grew tenser by the day, needing only a single spark to ignite an inferno that would engulf all of Qiang Rong.

The spies also discovered traces of troops departing from the territories of the Yeli and Tuoba clans, two major tribes.

Upon learning this, Song Xu immediately informed Li Yichun and the Wei Mu Clan Leader, warning them to be on guard.

Among the major tribes, the Wei Mu clan was the closest to Great Yan.

Skilled in trade, the Wei Mu clan had prospered over the years through commerce with Great Yan at the border markets, steadily strengthening their tribe. Their entire clan had long been hitched to Great Yan’s wagon.

When it came to Great Yan’s ambition to annex Qiang Rong, the Wei Mu clan was the most enthusiastic.

The Wei Mu Clan Leader had been itching for more chances to earn merit. Upon hearing that the Yeli and Tuoba clans might incite rebellion, he promptly declared, "The insignificant Yeli and Tuoba clans—how could they possibly upset the natural order? There’s no need for Great Yan to dispatch troops. The entire Wei Mu clan is willing to assist Deputy Envoy Song in subduing these traitors."

With the Wei Mu Clan Leader taking such a stance, Li Yichun could no longer remain silent.

Even though he recognized Song Xu’s scheme, Li Yichun had no choice but to pledge, "The Yeli clan is formidable—leave them to me."

"Excellent, excellent!" The Wei Mu Clan Leader beamed. While he felt uneasy facing the Yeli clan, his chances against the Tuoba clan were far better.

Song Xu was also pleased: "Then we’ll handle the Great Mu side."

In essence, Song Xu’s strategy was an adaptation of the "Qiang people governing Qiang" policy.

The internal conflicts of Qiang Rong would be left for the Qiang Rong themselves to resolve—and the Wei Mu clan would even thank them for the chance to prove their loyalty.

This way, Great Yan could focus its efforts on guarding against Great Mu.

Song Xu intended to set a trap, misleading the Great Mu delegation into misjudging the situation—making them believe Qiang Rong’s circumstances weren’t as dire as imagined. If Great Mu were willing to send troops to aid the Yeli and Tuoba clans, they might reverse the decline and preserve Qiang Rong.

To seize the opportunity and swiftly reinforce the Yeli and Tuoba clans, Great Mu would inevitably dispatch a cavalry unit.

Traveling day and night, both men and horses would be exhausted.

The Swallow Feather Army could ambush them along their inevitable route, well-rested and prepared, ensuring the cavalry’s complete annihilation.

This kill-two-birds-with-one-stone plan, though seemingly bold, offered huge rewards. The court swiftly approved the envoy’s plan, telling them to move fast.

Meanwhile, Qiu Hongzhen also received a letter from the capital.

After reading it, he sat frozen for a long time, only snapping out of it when the voices of guards changing shifts echoed outside.

He picked up the tea beside him, not caring that it had gone cold, and downed it in one go.

"Ding Jinghuan! Ding Jinghuan!"

Qiu Hongzhen choked on his tea, coughing violently. He gritted his teeth and cursed, "Couldn't you have given me a heads-up earlier? Only now do you send me a letter—you bastard!"

Of course, curses aside, it didn’t stop Qiu Hongzhen from feeling a surge of warmth in his chest after the initial shock.

All that fine wine he’d sent Ding Jinghuan over the years finally paid off.

Ding Jinghuan might seem unreliable, but when it came to good opportunities, he really had his brothers’ backs.

Qiu Hongzhen carefully refolded the letter. At first, he intended to keep it close, but after a moment’s thought, he changed his mind. He took out a flint, lit a candle, and watched as the flames consumed the letter entirely, letting it burn to ash before cleaning up the remains. Only then did he blow out the candle and step out of the room.

A quarter-hour later, inside the Qiang Rong King’s tent, Li Yichun arched a brow at Qiu Hongzhen’s abrupt arrival.