Yang Lingqi said, "In your humble servant's view, the Fragrant Kingdom now has the strength to challenge Great Kang."
Qiqi gave him a cold look, clearly displeased by his words. Yet deep down, she had to admit that what Yang Lingqi said was true.
Yang Lingqi lowered his head but continued speaking. "Throughout history, the barbarians have often flourished when the Central Plains weakened. Whenever the Central Plains fell apart, the barbarians were all the more eager to exploit that weakness and invade. The fundamental reason Shajia chose to cease hostilities at this moment is that they want to wait until the powers of the Central Plains are locked in a bitter struggle before invading. As the saying goes, when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman reaps the rewards!"
Qiqi said, "Then you mean we should first ally with the other nations of the Central Plains and sweep away our foreign enemies?"
Yang Lingqi said, "To repel threats from without, we must first secure peace within."
Qiqi laughed. "Yang Lingqi, if I didn't know your past, I would certainly think Hu Xiaotian had sent you to plead his case."
Looking embarrassed, Yang Lingqi said, "Your Highness, Heaven can bear witness to your humble servant's loyal heart."
Qiqi glanced at the portrait of Hu Xiaotian that had replaced the previous painting. "You can paint a tiger's skin, but not its bones; you can know a person's face, but not their heart. This isn't the first time I've heard words like those."
Yang Lingqi was about to kneel and continue declaring his loyalty, but Qiqi raised a hand to stop him. "I wasn't singling you out, nor do I doubt you. I've seen all you've accomplished while serving me faithfully these past two years." She turned and walked to the