Chapter 105 The Empress Destroyed Your Country (31)

Time passed quickly in this way. In the dream, Nie Suzhi was doing what a childhood sweetheart was supposed to do. Bai Tang was much more casual, bossing him around without any scruples.

Outside of the dream, Bai Tang and Nie Suzhi did not miss a beat in their responsibilities. 

Occasionally checking the training of the army in Minnan, Bai Tang did not neglect any specific matters, including those of the foreign tribes. She integrated the tribes and used iron-fisted methods to keep them loyal, with her leading the charge and holding the power.

Their Khan was just a puppet, and Bai Tang went to great lengths to conceal her movements, not letting Nie Suzhi detect any abnormalities. 

Their deception and evasion had lasted for four years, with a total of six years having passed, which was enough time for Bai Tang to hold many things in her hands.

“Your Majesty, there is something strange in Minnan,” the shadow reported.

Nie Suzhi lowered his eyes and sharply demanded, “Speak.”

“Minnan has fallen into the hands of a woman named Wen Yueqing,” the shadow said, beginning to sweat on his back.

Nie Suzhi’s slender hand suddenly grabbed the shadow’s fragile neck. His face was so dark that it seemed like ink could drip from it. “Why didn’t you discover it earlier?”

Minnan had been investigated four years ago, with no abnormal findings. Similarly complex areas like Minnan had been investigated, and there were no abnormalities. Nie Suzhi had shifted his focus to areas with large populations or wealthy resources, expecting resistance from people with either money or power.

Now, Wen Yueqing has surfaced and seized control of Minnan. She had been taken away by Bai Tang in the past, so it was not hard to guess who was behind her. 

Fortunately, it was only Minnan and could not cause too much trouble.

This move from Bai Tang was not very effective. While the Minnan region was secure, the eastern flank was a garrison area for Nie Suzhi. In addition, the Minnan region was backed by the ever-watchful Turkic and Xianbei groups, and if foreign forces wanted to attack Qin, they had to enter from Minnan, which was the easiest route.

The shadow struggled and barely managed to say, “It’s a bandit den of the Qianxing Mountains.”  

Nie Suzhi let go and a hint of admiration appeared in his gloomy eyes. 

Minnan was a complex terrain with a complex situation. Nie Suzhi considered it a mediocre decision to start there because it was not very prosperous, and there were wolves lurking behind it. However, Bai Tang did not choose to surrender, but rather chose to do this as a woman. Nie Suzhi thought it was rare for a woman with such a mindset.  

“Your Majesty, there is an important matter to report,” De Fu shouted outside the door.

“What’s the matter?” Nie Suzhi gave the shadow a look, and the shadow disappeared obediently.

With Nie Suzhi’s consent, De Fu entered the imperial study.

“Your Majesty, the Turkic envoy Tang Bai will arrive in the capital in a month to pay his respects to you.”

“The sudden visit of the Turkic envoy suggests that there may be some unusual movements among the foreigners. Have there been any reports from that side?” Nie Suzhi frowned. The information was probably cut off by the Turks.

De Fu replied, “The latest news is that his identity has been exposed.”

Nie Suzhi paced back and forth in the hall, thinking about the problem. He must have overlooked something.

What did he overlook?

“What did you just say the Turkic envoy’s name was?”

De Fu bowed even lower, “Your Majesty, it’s Tang Bai, Bai¹ of the cypress tree.”

“Tang Bai, Tang Bai, what a Tang Bai. I really underestimated you, my Empress!” Nie Suzhi’s face grew even more gloomy, and the situation suddenly changed drastically.

If Tang Bai’s name was flipped around, wouldn’t it be Bai Tang?

No wonder they couldn’t find any trace of Bai Tang on the Central Plains. Unexpectedly, she had run outside the border, the land of the foreigners.

This request to meet was essentially a declaration of war against him.

“My Empress is declaring war against me!”

De Fu: ??

How did His Majesty know that Tang Bai was Empress Bai Tang? What war was this all about?

Unable to understand, De Fu bowed even lower, “Your Majesty, since Empress Bai Tang will be arriving in the capital soon, why not send a large force to set up a trap and capture her?”

——

1. TL/N: 
   -Tang Bai here is 唐柏 (táng bǎi).
   -Cypress tree is 柏树 (bǎi​ shù).
   -Hence, the character Bai (柏) of the cypress tree (柏树).
   -However, Bai Tang’s name are written as 白棠 (bái táng). ↩︎

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