“…No, nothing.” Tan Wei Shi answered nervously.

“I’m not blaming you,” Tan Wei Xin said with a chuckle, “Go on, tell your older sister. There’s nothing wrong with telling me. Ye Tao is much better than most of the boys hanging around you. It’s not strange that you like him.”

Being questioned and probed by her older sister in all sorts of ways, the calmness and wisdom Tan Wei Shi had displayed earlier completely vanished. Her face flushed red as she revealed when she first began to think Ye Tao was a good person: it was a long time ago, when Ye Tao personally handed her the set of toys he had specially made for her in his workshop.

Then, during the first National Open Tournament, Ye Tao explained the match between her team and Chi Yun's Forbidden Army in the lecture hall. Ye Tao’s description of her was simply too captivating. Tan Wei Shi, who could do whatever she wanted, had certainly had the impulse to do great things, and had envied her older sister’s outstanding talent, which was rare even once in a hundred or a thousand years, but she knew that she could never become another Tan Wei Xin. From that time on, the image of her sister and the image of the steadfast, intelligent grassland princess who was willing to sacrifice for her people, as described by Ye Tao, had been alternating in her mind. While diligently learning all kinds of knowledge, she was also considering her own path. Having a great sister, simply marrying someone and becoming a high-status trophy wife after a few years was simply unacceptable.

As she increasingly discovered Ye Tao’s care and respect for her in countless interactions, his understanding of her various moods and emotions, she found herself somewhat liking Ye Tao, and even started fantasizing about him becoming her husband in the future. She understood that her feelings had changed. She hated this change, feared this change, and felt sorry for her sister. But she couldn’t simply forget or give up so easily. Wasn't this invasion by Xiling and the envoy’s proposal of a marriage alliance a great opportunity for her to solve all her problems at once?

“Silly child.” Tan Wei Xin said, stroking Tan Wei Shi’s much healthier hair. As the two sisters concluded their overnight conversation, Tan Wei Xin’s decision was finalized. She left Tan Wei Shi the series of books that she had secretly and personally written over the years, including *Economics*, *Advanced Mathematics*, *On War*, *Statistics*, *Finance*, and more, along with a husband.

Afterward, she talked with her mother, talked with her father, and persuaded her two furiously enraged younger brothers, making arrangements for the internal affairs industry that she controlled. Several energetic, high-achieving, and well-mannered managers were promoted to the position of chief manager, while some were similar to professional managers in later generations. Suitable people were found from cooperative large merchants and families to serve as chief managers for a certain number of years, and dividends were distributed based on performance… Only Deloitte Accounting, because it was impossible to find someone with even a little bit of modern financial concepts to take over, and it was inconvenient for Ye Tao to take over this business, Tan Wei Xin was temporarily cramming Li Mian with overloaded training these days.

She was satisfied that she finally had time to meet and chat with Ye Tao before leaving. That text message, “If only life were as beautiful as when we first met,” did not become their final exchange.

Ye Tao couldn’t calm down. On the way from Yicheng to Danyang, he relied almost entirely on willpower. Facing the eloquent and composed Tan Wei Xin, he didn’t have the energy or strength to think or refute. After leaving the Princess Manor and entering the carriage that Lu Dan had prepared for him in the Princess Manor, smelling the faint, almost imperceptible fragrance usually used by Tan Wei Xin in the carriage, the last bit of strength in his body went with it. He fell asleep in the carriage just like that.

Ye Tao woke up the next day close to noon. The news of his rapid return to Danyang had spread throughout the city in less than a day.

The Xiling envoy, who had no chance to hear about the affairs between Princess Zhaohua, Tan Wei Xin, and Ye Tao, had even sent someone to knock on the door of Zheng Yuan, delivering an invitation for Ye Tao to attend a banquet that evening, but it was regarded as an intolerable act of provocation. The messenger was beaten up by Lu Dan and thrown into the artificial river flowing in front of the Zheng Yuan gate. By this time, the Xiling envoy should have submitted a protest and appeal to the lord.

And Ye Tao’s friends quietly gathered at Zheng Yuan, waiting quietly in the study. They also had various purposes: some wanted to comfort Ye Tao, some wanted to enlighten Ye Tao, and some had more extreme ideas.

When they met, Ye Tao's listless state surprised everyone. One could imagine such a mental state, but not the intensity of it.

“Young Master Ye… things are already like this, you see…” Chi Lei said. He scratched his head, not having a deep understanding of love between men and women, so he couldn’t think of any suitable words to say.

“Alas, is there anything I can do?” He glanced at the people in the study, Chi Lei, Chi Yun, Dai Yun, Du Fengchi, Suo Zheng, Suo Yong, Zhao Dazhu, Zeng Zining, and Li Mian, who was hiding silently in the corner.

After a long silence, Chi Yun said, “Princess Consort’s action was really beyond everyone’s expectations. This morning, Eunuch Li read a document in the main hall in front of all the court officials. The sacrifice made by Her Highness is really great. There should be a few people in that court who feel ashamed of themselves. I also feel that there is really no need to accept this marriage proposal. If we fight to the end, with the strength of our Dongping, it is impossible to lose. With Her Highness’s intelligence and talent, she can’t fail to see this.”

After a long silence, Zeng Zining finally mustered up the courage to say, “The princess doesn’t want Dongping to be in a state of constant war, right? For so many years, we have never allowed the armies of any country to penetrate so deeply into the heart of Dongping, so that we can have the current prosperous and wealthy situation.”

Li Mian glanced at Ye Tao and said, “General Zhuo Mang has already left the capital this morning to mobilize troops to relieve the siege. While there is still room for maneuver, Young Master Ye, are you…?” Li Mian knew more. He had even seen Tan Xiao Pei’s occasional outbursts of helplessness and sighs after Tan Wei Xin made up her mind and persuaded him. Tan Xiao Pei had even vowed that after he had dealt with the Xiling army, he would make Ye Tao suffer.

“So many years of wealth have actually nurtured a bunch of cowards. If the strength of Dongping and Xiling were vastly different, that would be fine, but that is clearly not the case. This act of making peace through marriage is really a disgrace.” Chi Yun shook his head. As a young officer with blood and courage, he really couldn’t understand why the always-tough lord would agree to Xiling’s conditions, and why Tan Wei Xin, who had always been so independent, would agree.

“…Her Highness is not going to make peace at all. She is only trying to buy the Lord two months of time. She is putting herself in a situation of certain death, that’s all.” Ye Tao said impatiently. He had heard all kinds of speculations and arguments. And everyone present was someone he could trust.

As soon as Ye Tao said this, the entire study fell into silence. People like Suo Zheng and Zhao Dazhu were just inexplicably surprised, while people like Chi Yun and Li Mian carefully recalled what had happened in recent days, recalling the movements of Tan Xiao Pei, Zhuo Mang, and other core personnel, and had a sudden realization.

“What’s going on?” Chi Yun rushed up and grabbed Ye Tao’s arm, asking.

Ye Tao sighed and told everyone what Tan Wei Xin had said that could be told. The entire study fell silent again. Compared to making peace through marriage, something that women in aristocratic families in this era often had to accept helplessly, Tan Wei Xin’s decision to go to her death was even more decisive and incredible. This talented princess, this princess with a cold but peculiar personality, had never changed.

“In other words, two months later, Dongping and Xiling will still be in an endless situation?” Suddenly, Dai Yun asked abruptly.

“Yeah, what’s wrong?” Chi Yun responded in surprise.

“Compared to a peace treaty between the two countries, as the representative of the Dai family of Yunzhou, I prefer this ending.” Dai Yun said with a hint of indifference.

“What do you mean by that?” Chi Yun scolded.

“It’s not as if there’s no other possibility. As a woman, I admire the courage of Her Highness the Princess. However, since the ending is unchangeable, then…” Dai Yun looked at Ye Tao and said, “It’s still possible to discuss whether it happens sooner or later. It’s not that difficult to break the marriage alliance between the two countries.”

Everyone was stunned and didn’t understand what Dai Yun was talking about at all.

A sneer hung on the corner of Dai Yun’s lips as she continued, “If you want the two countries to be locked in an endless war and fight this battle to the end, it’s actually very simple. Just kill the Xiling delegation. The marriage alliance between the two countries, whether it’s real or fake, will definitely be impossible.”

Chi Yun roared, “Her Highness’s approval of the marriage alliance is, in any case, for the sake of Dongping’s overall plan. What do you mean by this?”

Dai Yun glared at Chi Yun and said, “Isn’t it just two months?” Dai Yun suddenly knelt down to Ye Tao, using the etiquette of a lower-ranking officer to a higher-ranking officer, and said loudly, “This humble general is willing to lead ten thousand soldiers from the Two Armies Inspection Office to buy two months for the Dongping army to gather.”

“Are you crazy?” Chi Lei shouted, “Whether it’s killing the envoys or mobilizing troops without authorization, it’s a capital crime.”

Only then did Dai Yun stand up leisurely, revealing a sly smile, and said, “Kill me? I am the next head of the Dai family of Yunzhou. Let His Majesty kill me and see? …Under the Two Armies Inspection Office, there are so many aristocratic children in the Fierce Blood Army and the Fire Kylin Army. Of course, not all of them will follow me, but as long as someone goes, with me at the top, it will only be a minor punishment at best, and it will never be a capital crime. The law does not punish the masses. Moreover, the more people who dare to go, the smaller the punishment will be. It’s just that I don’t think there will be too many people in the two armies who have the courage to go deep behind enemy lines and cause trouble. In fact, if you really do this, there will only be one person who will be beheaded, and that is Ye Tao. It depends on whether Young Master Ye is willing to use his life to exchange for the life of Her Highness the Princess.”

Everyone’s eyes suddenly focused on Ye Tao, and Ye Tao looked at Dai Yun.

Dai Yun shrugged casually and said, “If Young Master Ye is considering his family and fellow apprentices, there’s no need. These crimes will undoubtedly involve them if things go normally. However, since the princess is still alive, since you exchanged your life for the princess’s life, whether it’s Her Highness the Princess or His Majesty, they will be lenient. …Dongping’s only unforgiving thing is actually commercial law. Haven’t you all noticed that?”

Ye Tao was silent as he quietly thought for a moment. Was he willing to use his life to exchange for Tan Wei Xin’s? Of course he was afraid of death. He knew that when the moment of death was about to come, he might regret that he had easily given up his life. However, he also knew that if he didn’t make such a decision, he would regret it just the same in the future. Every time he thought of Tan Wei Xin, this regret would torment him until the end of his life.

If that was the case, the answer was simple.