The Crown Prince looked at Bai Qingyan, feeling increasingly comfortable in his heart. He nodded and took the military seal, saying, “Quan Yu, help General Bai up!”

“General Bai, please rise quickly!” Quan Yu hurriedly supported Bai Qingyan to sit down, then knelt beside her to brew tea.

“Eunuch Quan Yu, there’s no need to trouble yourself. I won’t drink tea! I’ve come to see His Highness the Crown Prince about three matters. Besides returning the military seal, the second matter concerns the remaining ten thousand Bai family troops…”

Hearing Bai Qingyan mention the Bai family army, the Crown Prince adjusted his posture, his fingers lightly rubbing together as he assumed an attentive listening pose.

The Crown Prince’s intention, after discussing with Old Fang, was to have the Bai family army take over the cities that Xiliang would cede in this peace negotiation. Of course… the closer to Xiliang and farther from Bai Qingyan and the Bai family, the better, so that Bai Qingyan would have no support and would wholeheartedly follow him.

“I intend to have the remaining Bai family troops garrison Tonggu Mountain!”

Hearing Bai Qingyan’s words, the Crown Prince, who had been mentally preparing how to tell Bai Qingyan to station the Bai family army at Tonggu Mountain, was momentarily stunned.

“After this peace negotiation, everything north of Tonggu Mountain will be Jin territory. Only with the Bai family army garrisoning Tonggu Mountain can we deter Xiliang.” Bai Qingyan spoke slowly, her words and considerations seeming to be only for Jin and the Crown Prince. “Wei Zhaonian, Gu Wenchang, Shen Kunyang, and Cheng Yuanzhi – these four generals of the Bai family army each have their strengths. General Wei Zhaonian and General Gu Wenchang are both excellent at training troops. We could deploy General Wei Zhaonian to guard Bailong City, and General Gu Wenchang could guard Zhongshan City. As long as Jin can properly rest and recuperate for a few years, these two generals will surely train another batch of brave and elite soldiers for Jin and Your Highness! After the two generals go to Bailong City and Zhongshan City respectively, Your Highness can send trusted generals to accompany them in garrisoning these two cities. Generals Wei Zhaonian and Gu Wenchang would be responsible for training troops, while Your Highness’s trusted generals would command them! Thus… in the future, these elite forces will be at Your Highness’s disposal! When the time is ripe and Your Highness wishes to conquer the realm, wherever your sword points… these elite soldiers will charge forward one after another!”

The Crown Prince’s heart suddenly began beating violently as he listened to Bai Qingyan’s words.

Inside the carriage, candlelight flickered. The Crown Prince gazed at Bai Qingyan, who was calmly and methodically arranging the Bai family army generals, and an indescribable emotion surged in his heart.

He had been thoroughly guarded against Bai Qingyan, yet Bai Qingyan… all her thoughts and considerations were for his benefit, and she even wanted to train troops for him!

She observed the changes in the Crown Prince’s expression and said in a low voice without batting an eye, “Generals Shen Kunyang and Cheng Yuanzhi would lead the Bai family army to jointly garrison Tonggu Mountain, which could defend against Xiliang’s counterattack. With these two most skilled generals in battle there, Tonggu Mountain will surely be safe! If Your Highness finds this feasible, I will immediately send someone to ride swiftly back to Feng City to request Generals Shen Kunyang, Cheng Yuanzhi, Wei Zhaonian, and Gu Wenchang to come, which would also pressure Xiliang… and have the Bai family army take over from the Xiliang forces as soon as possible to station our troops there. After all, only when the cities are in our hands can we feel secure.”

Her suggestion for the Crown Prince to have Shen Kunyang and Cheng Yuanzhi lead the Bai family army to garrison the remote Tonggu Mountain, while having Wei Zhaonian and Gu Wenchang separately guard Zhongshan City and Bailong City, seemingly divided the Bai family army generals, but actually aimed to… turn the connected area of these three locations into the Bai family’s territory for raising and training troops.

The Crown Prince nodded continuously as he listened to Bai Qingyan’s analysis: “What General Bai says is very reasonable. Then let’s immediately send someone to request the four generals.”

After speaking, the Crown Prince looked up at Bai Qingyan again and said in a low voice, “But you commanding the Bai family army wouldn’t be impossible either. I said… I trust you as I trust myself!”

The Crown Prince’s last sentence was spoken with slight uncertainty.

Bai Qingyan lowered her quiet eyes, her tone solemn: “Your Highness, regarding my physical condition, Your Highness knows it well! Your Highness has ambitions for the realm, while I… can only do my best to arrange a thing or two for Your Highness! After returning to the capital, I must go back to Shuoyang. The Bai family army should still be placed in Your Highness’s hands to be used for Your Highness’s great ambitions! Of course… I maintain what I said before – as long as Your Highness needs it… as long as the people need it, I will brave fire and water, facing ten thousand deaths without hesitation!”

Such wholehearted loyalty from a subject moved not only the Crown Prince but even Quan Yu beside them, whose eyes reddened with emotion.

“General Bai, your pure, loyal heart! I am deeply moved and grateful!” The Crown Prince sincerely bowed to Bai Qingyan.

“It’s merely my duty – I dare not accept Your Highness’s bow!” Bai Qingyan quickly returned the courtesy.

Seeing the timing was right, she continued, “This third matter… I have come to beg Your Highness’s forgiveness!”

“What does General Bai mean by this?” The Crown Prince straightened up.

“Today in the peace negotiation tent, Xiliang’s Prince Yan Li Zhijie first wanted to send the Xiliang princess back to Qiushan Pass. When that didn’t work, he said he wanted to negotiate again tomorrow. Your Highness didn’t permit it, so he accused Your Highness of arranging for a maid to infiltrate the negotiation tent and kill their Xiliang soldiers during the negotiations… intending to postpone the peace talks! Just as Your Highness said… today’s meeting time was set by Prince Yan of Xiliang! Yet Xiliang acted so inconsistently – we must be on guard! So I sent Fourth Sister Bai Jinzhi with several Huying Battalion elite soldiers to Qiushan Pass to scout Xiliang’s movements!”

The Crown Prince’s brow furrowed. Thinking about this matter, he also found it very suspicious. Considering Bai Qingyan’s loyalty, the Crown Prince didn’t doubt her: “General Bai was thinking of my safety – I won’t blame General Bai! However… since the alliance has just been signed, if Miss Bai Fourth is caught by Xiliang and gives them leverage, it would be detrimental to our Jin!”

She frowned, putting on a self-reproaching expression: “What Your Highness says is right! However, soon the Xiliang princess and Prince Yan will return to the capital with Your Highness. For this journey together, for Your Highness’s safety, I can only feel at ease after investigating thoroughly!”

The Crown Prince, hearing that Bai Qingyan was concerned for his safety, felt both moved and comfortable.

“This matter shows my concern led to confusion… I was rash. To make amends, I hope Your Highness will allow me to take a small team quietly to Qiushan Pass to retrieve Fourth Sister, lest Xiliang gain leverage against us!”

The Crown Prince pondered for a moment and agreed: “Very well, General Bai should go quickly and return quickly! Don’t delay on the road! It would be best if you could gather intelligence, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t! You must ensure a complete safe retreat.”

“Your Highness, rest assured. I’ll take a dozen or so Huying Battalion elites, slip in quietly to find Fourth Sister, then slip out quietly. I absolutely won’t cause trouble for Your Highness.” Bai Qingyan said.

Having obtained the Crown Prince’s approval, Bai Qingyan exited the carriage, mounted her horse, and galloped to the front of the formation. She reined in her horse and said to General Zhang Duanrui: “The Crown Prince orders that Generals Shen Kunyang, Cheng Yuanzhi, Wei Zhaonian, and Gu Wenchang should immediately come to Youhua Road! General Zhang… I have other orders and must go ahead first. I trouble General Zhang to escort the Crown Prince back to Youhua Road first!”

Zhang Duanrui clasped his fists in acknowledgment and immediately ordered signal troops to ride swiftly to Feng City.

Bai Qingyan went ahead to the Huying Battalion, selected sixty Huying Battalion warriors and bone whistle signal troops, and rode swiftly with her toward Qiushan Pass to support Shen Qingzhu and the others.