Chapter 686: Your Surname Is Ji!

In autumn and winter, the climate of Yinlang Commandery was noticeably more comfortable than Yanjing's.

The Three Frontiers, which Qian people considered a bitterly cold wasteland, a place criminals were exiled to at the slightest offense and scholars regarded as a forbidden land for human life... actually lay even farther south than Yinlang Commandery, which Yan people liked to call their "Little Jiangnan."

But for the First Prince, Ji Wujiang, who had grown up in Yanjing since childhood, the capital and its surrounding lands carried a kind of attachment that was impossible to sever.

And now... that native affection had gained another layer.

His child.

So when his procession arrived before Yanjing's southern gate... and he looked once more at those towering, majestic walls... the deep autumn wind against his face somehow carried a trace of warmth.

The welcoming ceremony had already been prepared.

Compared with the grand displays when the Prince of Jingnan and Prince Zhenbei entered Yanjing a few days earlier, today's ceremony was certainly more restrained.

Even so, many commoners had deliberately come out to watch.

Yan people felt a deep attachment toward their imperial house.

That attachment came from the blood ties forged across generations of fighting side by side beneath Ji emperors against the Barbarians.

During the first Eastern Expedition, the Emperor of Yan had appointed his eldest son, who had been raised in military camps from childhood, as commander of the army.

His purpose had been simple.

He wanted someone surnamed Ji capable of carrying the banner.

That was something the court welcomed.

And something the common people loved seeing as well.

After living through the era of aristocratic clans... after living beneath the overwhelming power of two military Marquises in the north and south... the old worry that allowing imperial clansmen to command armies might create chaos no longer seemed especially important.

Because the awkward reality stood right in front of everyone's eyes.

The two greatest military lords beneath Heaven commanded the two finest field cavalry armies of Great Yan.

One was surnamed Li.

The other Tian.

Not a single one was surnamed Ji.

So when the First Prince beheaded Qian's Grand Commander of the Three Frontiers outside Nanwang City and received a military-service Marquis title... the common people of Yan had celebrated for a long time.

Among the two young military-service Marquises of the new generation... one was Marquis Pingxi.

He was the model countless rough soldiers dreamed of becoming, and the character every child wanted to play during games of war.

The other was Marquis of Andong.

He gave the people a different kind of reassurance.

The Ji Clan had ruled Great Yan for too long.

Everyone had grown accustomed to it generation after generation.

Several officials of the Ministry of Rites were organizing the welcoming procedures.

This time, the Minister of Rites himself had not come.

During the earlier ceremony welcoming Prince Zhenbei, the old Minister had spent a very long time performing every ritual step to perfection... only to discover that Prince Zhenbei had already slipped into the capital in plain clothes and was eating roast duck.

After learning the truth, the old Minister returned home and fell ill.

The officials handling the First Prince's welcome were much happier.

Or more precisely... much more at ease.

Marquis of Andong was still an imperial prince.

One of their own.

A man who observed rules.

He would not play some trick like Prince Zhenbei shedding his shell to eat roast duck.

Nor would he suddenly draw the Kunwu Saber like the Prince of Jingnan and shout:

Purge the Emperor's side!

Only when both sides cooperated could a ceremony be completed smoothly and beautifully.

Halfway through the procedure... the First Prince surrendered his saber and command token.

Symbolically, this represented handing military authority back to the Ministry of War.

Of course...

Marquis Pingxi had already falsely invoked princely orders to mobilize troops several times.

That alone proved how much practical value objects like tiger tallies still held when the identity and standing of the man giving orders became high enough.

The welcoming ceremony was nearly finished when... the crowds of watching commoners were cleared to either side, opening a road.

Marquis Pingxi, clad in black armor and riding his Pixiu, personally came out of the city under the escort of his guards to welcome Marquis of Andong.

The Imperial Guards maintaining order and the commoners on both sides all erupted in cheers.

The feeling resembled the old days outside Nanwang City, when the armies of the Northern and Southern Marquises marched south.

The two young military-service Marquises of Great Yan now stood together.

And they appeared close.

To Yan people... it was an extraordinarily reassuring sight.

Ji Wujiang himself was somewhat surprised.

He had not expected Zheng Fan to come personally.

By status, he was an imperial prince and certainly noble.

But he had been removed from the succession struggle long ago.

And he knew perfectly well that although the commoners around him were cheering now... if he ever dared covet the Dragon Throne... those same people would probably become enraged enough to tear him apart alive.

What Imperial Father wanted... what the court wanted... what the common people wanted... was a powerful general surnamed Ji.

A commander of armies who belonged to the imperial clan itself.

Some choices... once made... had no road back.

This was not merely a struggle over authority.

Nor a contest between political factions.

If he tried to become Emperor now... it would be the greatest possible insult to the spirits of those who had died across eight hundred years of fighting the Barbarians.

As for rank... both men were military-service Marquises.

But Ji Wujiang himself knew his title carried noticeably less weight than Zheng Fan's.

So Zheng Fan coming out to meet him personally... was giving him face.

Both Marquises rode Pixiu.

The Pixiu beneath Marquis Zheng finally saw another beast of the same generation.

It instinctively wanted to show off its armor skin again.

Zheng Fan reached down and grabbed a fistful of its mane before it could.

The Pixiu immediately became obedient, though its expression looked rather aggrieved.

Around them were officials from the Ministry of Rites.

Several from the Ministry of War.

And a handful of sixth- and seventh-rank "birds and beasts in embroidered robes" brought along to fill out the ceremony.

They watched Marquis Pingxi guide his mount forward.

Then... raise one fist toward the First Prince.

Everyone froze.

What was this?

A provocation?

Ji Wujiang froze too.

But he understood almost immediately.

He raised his own fist.

The two fists met.

Then... each man punched the other's armored chest once.

Afterward... they looked at each other and laughed.

"I didn't expect you to come welcome me," Ji Wujiang said.

"We count as old acquaintances."

Their relationship had not always been this harmonious.

After the Eastern Expedition Army's disastrous first campaign, the Prince of Jingnan had kicked Ji Wujiang to the ground in public.

Then thrown him into the Shengle Army to redeem himself through military merit.

Zheng Fan had assigned him directly to Jin Shuke's scout cavalry.

But after Snow Sea Pass was held and more than a hundred thousand Savages who had entered the pass were annihilated like dogs trapped behind a closed gate... whatever grievances had existed between them gradually disappeared.

From that point onward, the First Prince had prepared to stand behind Ji Chengjue.

What he wanted... was another chance to command armies.

Marquis Zheng, meanwhile, had wanted the First Prince's dowry.

And in truth...

Keyan Dongge's tribe had been precisely that.

A dowry sent over by the Barbarian Royal Court.

A troublesome tribe the Royal Court itself regarded as disobedient.

The most stable relationships were those in which everyone gained what they wanted.

Raise that one level higher... and you had what they possessed now.

"An oral decree from His Majesty!"

A chief eunuch in red robes came forward to proclaim the edict.

Because both Zheng Fan and the First Prince were mounted and armored...

Great Yan's rites did not require them to dismount and kneel.

"Marquis of Andong Ji Wujiang has campaigned outside for many years and has traveled far. Return to your residence first and rest. Enter the palace this evening to attend the banquet."

"This son obeys the decree!"

After announcing the decree, the eunuch added several auspicious phrases.

Marquis Zheng casually reached beside his Pixiu's saddle, took out a silver ingot, and handed it to Ji Wujiang.

Ji Wujiang accepted it.

Then bent down from his Pixiu and passed it to the red-robed eunuch.

In principle... privately cultivating relations with eunuchs was a serious taboo.

Not everyone could imitate Ji Chengjue's ability to let influence spread silently like moisture entering the earth.

But this was happening in front of everyone.

Throwing over a little reward money like this was merely asking for good luck.

Any eunuch who had reached red-robed rank certainly did not lack a single ingot of silver.

Yet Eunuch Qu still bowed excitedly in thanks.

His exaggerated manner made many of the watching commoners laugh.

Eunuch Qu was not annoyed.

Instead, he deliberately made his movements even more theatrical.

That caused several officials nearby to laugh as well.

Then... the ceremony concluded.

Under escort from both groups of personal guards, Zheng Fan accompanied the First Prince back to his residence in Yanjing.

The two men dismounted from their Pixiu inside the inner gate.

Ahead... the Barbarian Princess was already kneeling with the household members to welcome the master home.

Marquis Zheng stood to one side while the family reunited and exchanged greetings after a long separation.

Then... the Barbarian Princess deliberately came before Zheng Fan and thanked him.

Truthfully... there was a natural openness and ease to her.

They were obviously going to keep Zheng Fan for a meal.

But before dinner, the First Prince first took Zheng Fan to a side hall for tea.

They had only just sat down.

Most of the servants had withdrawn.

And Ji Wujiang immediately turned to his wife and asked:

"Where is Chuanshi?"

Chuanshi.

Ji Chuanshi.

That was the name of Ji Wujiang's son.

"A few days ago, Lady Fengxin sent people to take him to her residence. She said Chuanye needed a playmate," the Princess answered.

Hearing that his son had been taken to Lady Fengxin's residence...

Ji Wujiang's expression relaxed.

Lady Fengxin was Imperial Father's wet nurse.

Even Ji Wujiang himself had to salute her and call her Grandmother.

Besides... children who played together while young formed bonds most easily.

That was how childhood friendships were made.

Within an imperial house... so-called kinship by blood was actually only worth so much.

Relationships formed from growing up together often mattered more.

And Ji Chuanye was Imperial Father's eldest grandson.

The legitimate eldest son of Ji Wujiang's Sixth Brother.

Marquis Zheng sat nearby drinking tea.

Ji Wujiang gestured for his wife to take the maids and withdraw.

Only then did he look toward Zheng Fan.

"Brother Zheng, how are things in eastern Jin?"

Zheng Fan nodded.

"Every day there's snowfield mutton roasting over a fire, fresh fish from the Wang River simmering in a pot, and Chu tea steeping in my cup. Life is comfortable enough."

Ji Wujiang nodded.

"Brother Zheng has had it hard."

"Your Highness, I truly wasn't being sarcastic."

"Yes. I know. But speaking honestly, down in Nanwang City, even when Qian gathers its armies from the Three Frontiers and even after Zu Zhuming was transferred there last year...

"Qian men are still Qian men in the end."

The hierarchy of contempt was extremely clear.

Qian people sat firmly at the bottom.

Ji Wujiang understood perfectly well why his title as military-service Marquis carried some water in it.

He had, after all... earned it by killing Qian's Grand Commander of the Three Frontiers.

"We're all guarding the frontier for the state. In truth, the present situation is quite good. Chu and Qian are fighting each other along their southern border, while the four directions around us have basically been beaten into submission. We really can rest for a while."

Zheng Fan had no intention, for now, of telling Ji Wujiang about the Emperor, Prince of Jingnan, and Prince Zhenbei planning to use troops against the Barbarians.

Besides... saying it here would be inappropriate.

It might look like he was deliberately trying to sow discord between husband and wife.

After a few simple pleasantries...

Ji Wujiang moved directly to the real subject.

"Brother Zheng, what do you think of the situation here?"

This time, Zheng Fan did not evade.

He answered directly:

"I stand with His Sixth Highness."

Ji Wujiang looked somewhat surprised.

"Why?"

"Your Highness, that's an interesting question. Aren't I publicly acknowledged throughout the world as the foremost general of the Sixth Master's faction?"

"Brother Zheng, let's speak plainly between us..."

"Your Highness, this is simply how I am. Whoever treated me well, whoever helped me, I remember the favor and repay it. I think that's only proper conduct for a man.

"Without His Sixth Highness's support back then, I wouldn't have had the capital to earn military merit at Cuiliu Fort."

Marquis Zheng spoke with great sincerity.

With deep feeling.

He nearly convinced himself.

But Ji Wujiang might have been an imperial prince who spent his years as a military commander... that did not mean he lacked political intelligence.

When the first Wang River campaign ended in defeat, the reason he ultimately chose to help Zheng Fan... even to the point of handing over his wife's dowry... was because he wanted to lay groundwork for his own return to command.

Facts proved he had gambled correctly.

Under Ji Chengjue's arrangements and maneuvering, the former defeated commander had received another chance.

He had been sent to Nanwang City to face Qian.

Working alongside Xu Wenzu, he won repeated military merits and eventually became a Marquis.

Ji Wujiang understood that at Zheng Fan's present level... the man could stand across the river and watch the fire.

There was no need to jump in personally.

Could it be that Zheng Fan was so desperate for the merit of supporting the future sovereign that he intended to use it to become a Prince?

"Very well, Brother Zheng. Truly a man of genuine feeling."

"And Your Highness?"

The First Prince smiled.

"My support for Sixth Brother has never been a secret."

Who supported whom... who stood behind whom... was never determined by what slogans they shouted.

It depended on the actual interactions between them.

When the First Prince recovered his position, men of the Sixth Master's faction had clearly helped push the matter forward.

That was more convincing than shouting ten thousand declarations.

Men like Xu Wenzu, those hidden deep beneath the sea... were rare.

Ji Wujiang set down his teacup.

"In truth, there isn't much either of us can do. At most, once the broader situation is decided or nearly decided, we can kneel early.

"If we try to do too much before then... we may only create the opposite effect."

"Your Highness is right."

Zheng Fan nodded.

Of course... the main reason was that above both of them still stood the Southern and Northern Princes.

If the troops currently outside Yanjing were not Zhenbei troops and the ten thousand Jingnan soldiers the Prince had brought from Litian City... but several tens of thousands of Eastern Jin soldiers... then Ji Chengjue probably would have clung to Zheng Fan's thigh last night and refused to let him leave until he agreed to help.

As for regional military power growing too large and harming the authority of the center... that was a problem for later.

Ji Chengjue and Zheng Fan were both extraordinarily practical men.

Nothing was more important than securing happiness first.

"What attitude do the two Princes hold toward the succession?" Ji Wujiang asked.

"For now, they have no particular position."

Zheng Fan shrugged.

"What they want... is entertainment."

"Entertainment?"

Ji Wujiang did not quite understand.

Perhaps because he had returned late and had not personally experienced that long kneeling session in the roast-duck restaurant... his understanding of the situation had not yet deepened enough.

"The two Princes vetoed Little Seventh. They said they don't want Great Yan to end up with a young ruler and a doubtful state."

"Little Seventh."

Ji Wujiang shook his head.

"Little Seventh is unlikely."

There were other capable imperial princes.

Why would they choose the youngest?

"Besides that, the two Princes' meaning seems to be that after one is chosen... the other should die.

"That way there won't be future trouble."

Ji Wujiang frowned.

Then said:

"That does fit the temperaments of the two Princes and Imperial Father. While they are still alive, puncture every boil that ought to be punctured. Better than leaving trouble for afterward."

"Exactly. As long as they're still here, no matter how large the disturbance becomes, it won't shake Great Yan's foundations."

At that moment... voices came from outside.

Among them were the cheerful shouts of children.

"Father! Father!"

Very soon, a chubby little boy ran inside.

His skin was somewhat dark.

But his features clearly resembled the First Prince as though carved from the same mold.

Ji Wujiang immediately left his seat and scooped his son into his arms.

He Sisi entered behind the child and first saluted Ji Wujiang.

Ji Wujiang held his son and nodded.

He was the eldest brother.

Accepting his younger brother's wife's salute was only proper.

Of course... once that younger brother's wife became Empress... things would be different.

Then He Sisi saluted Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan noticed that another boy stood beside her.

The child was staring at him with wide, intensely curious eyes.

He Sisi took her son's hand.

"Look. This is the great hero you always want to play as during your games, Marquis Pingxi."

This boy was naturally Ji Chengjue's eldest son.

The eldest grandson of this generation of the Ji Clan.

Ji Chuanye.

"Brother Zheng, I really don't know what's gotten into him. This child is normally a little tyrant. Today, seeing you, he's actually become shy."

"Children are like that."

Zheng Fan bent down and lifted Ji Chuanye into his arms.

"You... are Marquis Pingxi?"

"Yes. I am Marquis Pingxi. Zheng Fan."

Ji Chuanye looked exactly like a child meeting his idol.

He began smiling.

Heh.

That bastard Ji Chengjue had actually failed to mention last night that his son's greatest hero was me!

"Knowing Eldest Brother had returned, Chengjue was too busy at the Ministry of Revenue to come outside the city and welcome you. There is also the palace banquet tonight, so he'll need to leave work early. Before going to the yamen this morning, he specifically told me to go to Lady Fengxin's residence and bring Chuanshi back here. He said Eldest Brother would definitely be missing his son.

"Who knew these two boys had been playing together so well? One was leaving, so the other insisted on following. Lady Fengxin simply told me to bring them both."

"Thank you for the trouble, Sister-in-law," Ji Wujiang said.

He understood that when he was absent from the residence... his wife, the Princess... found outside socializing somewhat difficult.

Not because of language.

His wife's letters had told him that He Sisi often came to visit.

She brought the Princess outside with her.

Whenever some household held an event, He Sisi took her along.

Once, the titled wife of an honored official spoke sarcastically toward the Princess.

He Sisi had immediately torn away all politeness and cursed the woman so viciously she could barely show her face afterward.

In truth, He Sisi's own birth was not high.

She was merely a butcher's daughter.

But Lady Fengxin was officially recognized as her natal elder.

Lady Fengxin also treated her almost like a true granddaughter.

Beyond that...

He Sisi was the mother of the eldest imperial grandson.

And her husband, the Sixth Prince, happened to be the man whose momentum in the succession struggle was currently strongest.

All of that combined meant that among the titled wives of Yanjing's honored nobles and officials...

He Sisi could practically walk sideways.

Of course... she was also genuinely good at dealing with people.

There was a straightforward openness to her that felt like a breath of fresh air among those noblewomen.

She had made many close female friends.

"Father, your son wants roast meat," Ji Chuanshi said.

He showed no awkwardness at all toward a father he rarely saw.

"Roast meat? The household dishes are already prepared."

The Princess walked forward and lightly pinched her son's cheek.

The banquet had originally been prepared to entertain Marquis Pingxi.

Ji Chuanshi was clearly afraid of his mother.

He immediately stopped speaking.

Ji Wujiang waved a hand.

"It's fine. Brother Zheng isn't an outsider. If my son wants roast meat, then we'll eat roast meat. Hahahaha. Have Brother Zheng roast it for you. I'm telling you, Brother Zheng is even better at roasting meat than your mother."

That was the kind of thing one said only when genuinely treating someone as family.

Especially in front of the children.

Zheng Fan nodded.

"Fine. I'll trouble Sister-in-law to prepare the seasonings. I'll roast it myself."

"How could we possibly allow that? Absolutely not," the Princess hurriedly protested.

"Aiya, we're one family. If you keep saying things like that, doesn't it make everyone distant?" He Sisi came over and took the Princess's hand.

The Princess could only nod.

Very soon... a grill was set up in the courtyard.

They said Zheng Fan would roast the meat.

But obviously they could not leave Marquis Zheng doing all the work alone.

Ji Wujiang sat beside him and roasted together.

The two boys ran around chasing each other.

The two women sat opposite them, chatting while occasionally calling for the children to slow down and be careful not to fall.

"Brother Zheng still doesn't have a child?" Ji Wujiang asked.

Zheng Fan shook his head.

"I have a son."

Ji Wujiang froze briefly.

Then nodded.

He knew which child Zheng Fan meant.

Earlier, things had been fine.

But now... watching the two boys run around in front of him...

Zheng Fan began missing Tian Tian.

The First Prince's boy... his skin wasn't as fair or tender as our Tian Tian's.

Ji Chengjue's boy... didn't speak as sweetly as our Tian Tian.

Compare them this way and that... our Tian Tian was still the best.

Well-behaved.

Obedient.

Considerate.

Aiya... he missed his son.

At that moment... the children stopped running.

Ji Chuanye began reciting poetry.

Ji Chuanshi followed along.

This was a classic routine in households with children whenever guests came over.

After they finished reciting...

Ji Chuanye began singing.

It was a song popular in the Yan army.

There was no fixed score.

No complete set of lyrics.

Mostly just a tune.

Ji Chuanshi was somewhat tone-deaf.

He tried several times to follow but could not keep up.

He grew anxious.

His father had just returned.

He did not want to lose to his cousin.

So... in a flash of inspiration... he began singing something else by himself.

At first, everyone assumed the child's pronunciation was merely unclear.

The melody sounded rather lilting.

But gradually...

Zheng Fan stopped turning the meat.

He raised his head and looked at Ji Chuanshi.

That was unmistakably... a Barbarian folk song.

Beside him...

Ji Wujiang's face went cold instantly.

He loved the Princess.

He did not view this marriage the way outsiders imagined... as nothing more than a political marriage empty of genuine feeling.

He had poured affection into his wife.

Into his child.

But... that did not mean... he was willing to hear his son... at such a young age... sing a damned Barbarian folk song directly in front of him!

Ji Wujiang immediately roared:

"You little bastard! Your surname is Ji!"

You are the son of Ji Wujiang.

You are a Yan man.

You are a member of Great Yan's imperial clan!

The shout completely stunned Ji Chuanshi.

The Princess, seated farther away, immediately ran over.

She knelt and pulled the child into her arms.

"Husband, Husband, this has nothing to do with the child. It isn't the child's fault..."

"Mother... sob... sob..."

Ji Chuanshi began crying.

Ji Chuanye stood where he was.

Facing his enraged eldest uncle... he did not dare approach.

Ji Wujiang walked before the mother and son.

He stared coldly at his wife.

Then demanded:

"This is the fine son you taught? This is the fine son you've raised for me?"

Marquis Zheng sighed from the side.

He understood why the First Prince was so furious.

Ji Wujiang could accept that his son carried half Barbarian blood.

After all... this was a patrilineal society.

A Yan man married a Barbarian woman.

Even if their child's appearance and complexion differed slightly... the world would still regard the child as Yan.

Reverse the situation... let a Barbarian man have a child with a Yan woman... and society would not regard that child as Yan.

He would be seen as a Barbarian.

Fortunately... the guest present was not an outsider.

Fortunately... this was only a family meal.

If this happened during tonight's palace banquet... if several imperial grandsons gathered to perform something for their imperial grandfather's amusement... and then Ji Chuanshi stood in front of the Emperor of Yan... and sang a Barbarian folk song... good heavens.

Even Marquis Zheng could not imagine what the scene would become.

Perhaps... that was part of why Ji Wujiang had reacted with such fury.

"Husband, it truly isn't the child's fault. This concubine has never taught him the Barbarian language. He doesn't know it. He only heard this song because sometimes this concubine hummed it alone. I didn't know he had learned it. Truly, I didn't know. The child understands nothing. Truly... he understands nothing."

Hearing that explanation...

Ji Wujiang's expression finally softened slightly.

He pulled the child out of his mother's arms.

Lifted him.

And looked directly into his eyes.

Ji Chuanshi stopped crying.

He only stared back at his father.

"Remember this. Your surname is Ji. You are a descendant of the Ji Clan. Your ancestors, generation after generation, fought bloody battles against the Barbarians. That is how the Ji Clan gained the foundation it possesses today. That is how Great Yan came to exist as it does now.

"You are not a Barbarian.

"You are the son of Ji Wujiang.

"Do you understand?"

"I... understand... I understand... I'm Yan... When I grow up... I'll also... I'll also go... kill Barbarians..."

The Princess remained kneeling on the ground nearby.

She bit her lip hard and forcibly held back her tears.

Then... she wiped the corners of her eyes.

Sniffed.

And forced herself to smile.

She had to smile.

She had to accept those words too.

For her husband.

And for her son.

She knew exactly what kind of country Great Yan was.

She understood the pride Yan people held in their bloodline.

And she understood even more clearly that if her son ever believed himself a Barbarian instead of Yan... then... her son would have absolutely no path to survival in the future.

None at all.

"Enough, enough. He's just a child. Just a child."

Seeing that things had gone far enough, Marquis Zheng, as the guest, could only step forward and smooth things over.

Normally, once a guest intervened, the host family would stop scolding the brat for the sake of face.

Another classic feature of visiting a household with children.

Marquis Zheng took Ji Chuanshi from Ji Wujiang's arms.

He smiled.

"Come. Remember what your father told you. He wasn't being fierce because he hates you. He was doing it for your own good. Aiya, Chuanshi is heavy. When you grow up, how about following this Marquis to ride Pixiu and fight wars?"

Children were easy to coax.

The moment he heard "ride Pixiu," Ji Chuanshi's eyes lit up.

Ji Chuanye immediately ran over too.

He hugged Zheng Fan's thigh.

"Uncle Zheng, Chuanye wants to ride Pixiu too! I want to follow you to war too!"

"Fine, fine. We'll all go. When the time comes, we'll make your father pay the grain and money, and then we'll fight to our hearts' content!"

On the other side...

Ji Wujiang helped his wife to her feet.

He knew some of what he had said earlier had been too harsh.

The Princess understood him.

Before he could offer any soft words... she spoke first.

"Husband, this concubine was not careful enough. It was my mistake. It will not happen again."

"Sigh."

"But this concubine thinks that once there is no more war in the future, once Little Brother recognizes His Majesty as an elder... things should become better."

Hearing that...

Ji Wujiang nodded.

"The High Priest entered Yanjing a few days ago. He wanted to meet me, but I refused."

"The High Priest?"

Ji Wujiang frowned slightly.

He had not known.

"Yes. I heard Little Brother plans to honor His Majesty as the Heavenly Khan of the Desert. Imperial Father wrote to me about it. In the future, the desert Barbarians will serve Great Yan as subjects. The Royal Court will become a vassal state of Great Yan. There will never be war again."

"Mm."

Ji Wujiang nodded.

But his eyes... were far too calm.

And Zheng Fan, who was playing with the two children nearby... heard every word.

Heavenly Khan?

Sigh.

Zheng Fan looked toward the Barbarian Princess beside Ji Wujiang.

Then toward little Ji Chuanshi in front of him.

A complicated feeling rose inside.

Very few people knew clearly what Great Yan intended to do next.

Zheng Fan... was one of those few.

At that moment...

Ji Chuanshi looked at Marquis Zheng and timidly asked:

"Uncle Marquis, teach Chuanshi a song. Chuanshi doesn't know how to sing."

Ji Chuanye immediately joined in.

"Mm! I want to learn too! I want to learn too!"

"Don't make trouble."

He Sisi immediately came over, intending to pull the children away.

Earlier, she had called Zheng Fan family.

But her husband and Zheng Fan were equals.

And... more realistically...

Zheng Fan's standing now was actually somewhat higher than her husband's.

"It's fine. This is nothing. All right, I'll teach you both. I sing one line, you repeat after me."

"Okay."

"Okay!"

"In the blue-blue sky, among the stars, there is a little white boat..."

"In the blue-blue sky, among the stars, there is a little white boat..."

[End of Chapter 686]