14 Aftermath

After the banquet ended, for the deed of "championing peace and diplomacy" and "maintaining national security", I was given a large bonus and more rights as a second rank official. For about a month, I was busy with He affairs. My Lunar Palace underwent an uproar as the servants found out Yan Huo was secretly a spy... and a He princess.

I was busy translating and supervising the exchange of He documents for the tribulation of a new vassal state. There were also trade routes, ally promises and war documents to be signed and approved. Plus, I was tasked with accompanying the He prince that would arrive in a few months.

Due to He's betrayal, for insurance, Lu Qing Yu made Emperor Eisaki hand over his only son and heir – Prince Eiwa to be raised in Huaxia until he was 18. If he could live here with no issue until then, Lu Qing Yu would give back He's rights as a proper vassal state (not an at-risk vassal state).

Prince Eiwa was only 4 years old. He was only allowed his nursemaid for the first month in Yuan An. After that, she had to be sent back. He was effectively a hostage. If He tried anything, Prince Eiwa would be killed immediately and He would be without an heir. Of course, Prince Eiwa might be resentful and grow up to usurp Yuan An from the inside.

However, everyone here had last night's incident steeped deep in their mind. The stench of pig blood was still in everyone's memory. Moreover, being raised by Yuan An, Prince Eiwa might develop some positive feelings. After all, he was still a child and impressionable.

According to Yuan An's intelligence, to keep his enemies away from him, Prince Eiwa had been raised at a private palace by servants since he was young and rarely saw his family. He was meant to be raised there till he was 15. Who knew this would happen and he would instead be raised deep in enemy territory.

However, Lu Qing Yu promised King Eisaki that as long as He was obedient, Yuan An would not treat them badly and would even raise Prince Eiwa as if he was a Yuan An prince. King Eisaki had no choice. If he didn't agree now and Yuan An did not receive Prince Eiwa in 2 months, Yuan An would immediately invade He and strip the royal family's right to rule. His hard-won sovereignty and peace after centuries of civil war would collapse just like that.

In the meantime, the Yan clan was punished with nine familial exterminations for their role in aiding He plot treason. The newest girl in the harem, Concubine Yan, was no exception. Their monopoly in salt was also dismantled and the power shifted to the Ping Clan.