Even out of personal selfishness, he didn’t want me involved in the conflicts between the three countries. Although his mother-in-law was angry, she couldn’t overpower him. Moreover, having watched me grow up, she was also reluctant to see me become the Qi Emperor’s pawn, and finally reluctantly agreed.
The Third Prince, after obtaining the black gold token, did not publicize it but kept it close and used the clue to find me, successfully inducing me to get acquainted with him.
An Jin watched everything unfold. He understood the Third Prince’s purpose. As an illegitimate prince, gaining Nan Rui’s support would provide a powerful backing. Moreover, with Western Liang and Qi Country always at odds, Nan Rui was an object of contention between them. He might even use this backing to rise rapidly and replace the Eastern Palace’s heir.
An Jin was originally planning how to counter the Third Prince’s design when the Qi Country suffered a military defeat and the two countries began peace talks. Undercover agents in Western Liang reported that Western Liang intended to demand the cession of two cities as a condition of the peace talks. An Jin deliberated and ordered the agents to influence the Western Liang Emperor’s decision, changing the final condition to sending a hostage.
The Qi Emperor had only two sons, and the Eastern Palace heir naturally couldn’t become the hostage. The only option was the Third Prince.
The Third Prince had no choice but to abandon his plans and go to Western Liang. An Jin tried to have agents retrieve the black gold token from him, but the Third Prince had hidden it so well that they never succeeded. Nevertheless, An Jin believed he would not reveal the black gold token or my identity to the Qi Emperor or Eastern Palace.
However, he underestimated the Third Prince.
Although Xia Zhichun went to Western Liang, he found a powerful collaborator there – the Fourth Prince, Yan Huo. To gain Yan Huo’s help, he sold a favor, revealing the whereabouts of Nan Rui’s missing princess. Yan Huo disguised himself as a Western Liang merchant, traveled to Yan Feng, and successfully approached me.
