The Price of Peace

Bai Qiao’s face had gone quite pale. She recalled that “chance encounter” in the garden that day… or rather, was it an encounter at all? Considering this man likely knew her identity, describing it as a mere chance meeting felt utterly contrived.

Noticing the strained expression on Bai Qiao’s face as she met King Qing’s gaze, Bai Chen’s brows furrowed in displeasure. He spoke, his tone sharp:

“Can the meeting commence now?”

King Qing slowly turned his head, his eyes glinting with amusement, a faint, taunting smile playing on his lips.

“Of course it can, provided this young lady can tear her gaze away…”

“You…!”

At King Qing’s words, Bai Qiao jolted as if roused from a trance. ‘Was he truly laying the blame at her feet?’ she thought, utterly exasperated. Reluctantly, she averted her eyes, only for a sudden chill to creep up her spine. With a stiff movement, she turned her head and found herself caught in Bai Chen’s dark, brooding stare—an oppressive gloom that seemed to weigh down the very air. Bai Qiao hastily shied away from his scorching gaze.

That single action only intensified Bai Chen’s displeasure. ‘What? You can stare at him for so long, yet you won’t even grant me a glance?’ he fumed internally.

“Come here!”

“Huh?”

Upon hearing such a commanding tone, Bai Qiao’s proud spirit naturally bristled. Despite the undeniable, unyielding aura radiating from him, she remained steadfastly rooted to her spot. Witnessing this defiance, Bai Chen’s lip twitched involuntarily. ‘To cause him such embarrassment in front of a foreign king…’ he thought, a vein throbbing in his temple.

King Qing, meanwhile, observed the scene from across the table with an air of detached amusement, his arms casually crossed. After a moment, as if growing weary of the spectacle, he finally spoke, his voice low:

“To think the renowned King Bai would resort to coercing a mere woman…”

Both Bai Qiao and Bai Chen froze simultaneously. This seemingly ordinary interaction, when viewed by an outsider, evidently appeared far from normal.

“Hmph! Absurd, to be lectured by King Qing of all people? She is but a trivial woman; there is truly no need to contend with her…”

In an instant, Bai Chen reverted to his customary demeanor. His expression became utterly placid, betraying no interest in anything, his face a mask of indifference as he confronted the situation.

‘Truly, he lives up to his title as King Bai…’ King Qing mused inwardly, a flicker of admiration stirring within him. ‘Shouldn’t there be at least a hint of awkwardness at a moment like this?’ Yet, in less than a second, he had regained his serene composure, as if nothing had transpired. He was undeniably a king of formidable mental fortitude. Still, such a statement would surely leave the woman in quite an awkward position, he thought, turning his gaze towards Bai Qiao with a touch of curiosity.

“Er?”

A soft gasp escaped him. Before his eyes, Bai Qiao and Bai Chen’s figures seemed to almost merge, their shadows overlapping. Both displayed the same serene indifference, the same swiftness in adapting their mental state…

“Hahahaha! How amusing, how truly amusing!”

King Qing clapped his hands together, roaring with laughter. Slowly, he rose from his seat, stating:

“Since she is merely a trivial woman, I wonder…” King Qing paused, a sly glint in his eye. “…would it displease you to gift her to this king?”

Before the words had even fully left his lips, Bai Chen shot to his feet with a swift, decisive movement, his palm slamming down hard onto the table before him.

“Absurd!”

King Qing slowly sauntered over to stand before Bai Chen. Being a few centimeters shorter, he now regarded Bai Chen with his head cocked at an upward angle, his gaze brimming with open provocation and disdain.

“Oh? Why the sudden urgency, King Bai? Are you truly so concerned about this ‘trivial woman’ you speak of?”

With that, he briefly cast a sidelong glance at Bai Qiao, then turned back to Bai Chen, resuming his taunting tone:

“That young lady, she looks exceptionally delicate and vibrant, doesn’t she? Her skin… tsk tsk tsk, I wonder if it’s so supple one could pinch water from it. I’m quite tempted to find out, tsk tsk tsk!”

“You dare?!”

Upon hearing such insolent words, Bai Chen’s elegantly sculpted brows instantly shot upwards. His entire being radiated a palpable, dangerous killing intent. Those standing nearby, though not fully grasping the unfolding drama, instinctively recognized the gravity of the situation. They cowered, paralyzed by apprehension, not daring to make a single move.

With a slow, deliberate exhale, Bai Chen drew a deep breath, slowly regaining his composure. He fixed King Qing with a gaze laced with menace and spoke:

“I trust King Qing will conduct himself with due propriety…”

Before Bai Chen could finish, King Qing cut him off:

“Propriety? I am perfectly serious. What if I proposed exchanging her for the alliance and peace treaty between the Bai and Qing Kingdoms?”

Bai Chen was momentarily stunned. ‘The amicable treaty between the Bai and Qing Kingdoms?’ he thought. This was a diplomatic goal he had pursued for many years…

Though Bai Qiao had not interjected, she had been intently observing their exchange. Noticing the flicker of hesitation in Bai Chen’s eyes, she immediately surmised that King Qing must have presented an exceptionally enticing offer.

Seeing Bai Chen’s hesitation, she felt… ‘Why does my heart ache?’ she wondered, bewildered.

Bai Chen offered no reply, merely turning away with a detached air.

“Let us adjourn this meeting for today. We shall reconvene to discuss this matter at a later date. King Qing will be well taken care of here…”

‘Just like that? It’s over? He offered no reply? No… rejection?’ A whirlwind of thoughts assaulted her. ‘No, that’s not right. I… I’m not such a selfish person. To exchange just myself for a peace treaty? It’s incredibly valuable, worthwhile from every angle. Shouldn’t I be touched that he didn’t accept immediately? No, I… I don’t care about the Bai Kingdom or the Qing Kingdom… I…’

“Ahhh! This is so confusing!” Bai Qiao clasped her hands over her head. Since arriving here, since transforming into a woman, everything seemed to have shifted. Her thoughts felt akin to those of a naive young girl, a sensation that deeply unsettled her. Unconsciously, a veil of tears began to blur her vision.

“Oh? Is the beauty seated here all by herself? Does she require company?”

King Qing’s voice, light and even, drifted from above her head. Bai Qiao instinctively tried to spring to her feet, but a large hand firmly pressed her back down, forcing her into the chair. King Qing then leisurely settled beside her, playfully tilting her chin upwards, his expression feigning deliberate curiosity:

“Has the beauty, perchance, shed a tear?”

Before Bai Qiao could even utter a word, King Qing’s warm breath was already caressing her face, his lips brushing ever so lightly against the corner of her eye…

****