“Yes!” The Yan soldiers loudly acknowledged the command.

At the same time, the Yan Emperor set foot in Chang City, far away in Great Liang, Princess Zhenguo Bai Qingyan led her troops to kill their way into Yangjiang. They were now separated from Liang Kingdom’s capital, Han City, by only Yuegu City, forcing the Liang army to retreat in panic to defend Yuegu City.

After Bai Qingyan entered the city, she followed her usual practice of first inspecting the camps and having the soldiers care for the plague-stricken people and troops.

Perhaps because Yangjiang City was close to Great Liang’s capital, the epidemic here was under better control. There weren’t many plague-stricken people and soldiers, but for this same reason, Yangjiang was also more difficult to capture than those cities severely affected by the plague.

Before Bai Qingyan inspected the wounded soldiers’ camp, she received a secret report that Liang court ministers were all urging the Liang Emperor to relocate the capital to preserve the kingdom. After pondering for a moment, she sent someone to summon Zhao Sheng and Zhao Ran to wait for her in the main tent. When she returned to the main tent, Zhao Sheng and Zhao Ran had already been waiting for quite some time.

“Eldest Miss!”

“Princess Zhenguo!”

Seeing Bai Qingyan return, both men quickly stood up and bowed.

“I’ve kept you both waiting…” She unfastened the sword from her waist and placed it on the table, then nimbly knelt and sat behind the table. “I asked you both to come because I received news that the Liang court’s high ministers are urging the Liang Emperor to relocate the capital. I plan to send you two to bypass Yuegu and head straight for Han City! Surround Han City’s east, west, and north gates, but don’t rush to attack the city! Your movement toward Han City must be swift—you must arrive before the Liang Emperor relocates the capital.”

Zhao Ran straightened his spine: “But now Great Liang has troops stationed at Yuegu. If General Zhao and I take away the main forces…”

Zhao Ran’s words suddenly stopped. He lowered his gaze to think for a moment, then looked at Bai Qingyan: “Eldest Miss means to capture the leader to capture the bandits?”

Though Zhao Ran had read few military texts, he was perceptive after all.

He understood that rather than taking cities one by one, it was better to head directly for Han City and capture Great Liang’s royal family in one swoop. Without Great Liang’s royal family, what would these Liang generals have left to resist for?

“Princess Zhenguo wants us to lead troops to attack the east, west, and north gates—could it be to force Prince Liang inside Han City… to exit through the south gate?” Zhao Sheng frowned deeply. “Now that General Liu Hong has taken Yuezhou, he’s separated from Han City by only Zhongxing. The Liang Emperor might not necessarily exit through the south gate toward Zhongxing City…”

“If he doesn’t flee, does he plan to wait in the city to watch his kingdom be destroyed?” Zhao Ran asked.

“The Liang Kingdom isn’t without capable people. They might very well choose…” Zhao Sheng paused, looked up at Bai Qingyan, and suddenly understood her meaning.

The Liang Emperor might choose to go east, and Princess Gaoyi, who had been traveling the eastern route toward Han City, had been out of contact. Princess Zhenguo wanted to force the Liang Emperor to head east.

Zhao Sheng immediately became spirited: “The Liang Emperor might think that the south gate, which appears to be the only unbesieged one, could have General Liu Hong lying in ambush. Since Great Liang’s eastern and northern regions had no warfare, the Liang Emperor would break through from the east or north gate. But… if the Liang Kingdom were to choose a new capital, they should head toward prosperous lands. This means the Liang Emperor could only go toward Daquan and Xiangliang, which is the route Princess Gaoyi took. I wonder where Princess Gaoyi is now.”

“Princess Gaoyi should have reached the Daquan area by now…” Bai Qingyan looked at Zhao Sheng. “Tomorrow morning, after leaving behind the wounded soldiers, I’ll lead the army to attack Yuegu and draw all the main forces there! You two rest briefly and depart at noon. Zhao Ran… follow General Zhao Sheng’s commands in everything!”

Zhao Sheng looked at Zhao Ran in great surprise. By rights… Zhao Ran should be Bai Qingyan’s trusted confidant.

“Yes!” Zhao Ran showed no hesitation and clasped his fists in acknowledgment.

After seeing off Zhao Sheng and Zhao Ran, Bai Qingyan wearily rubbed the back of her neck and took out scrolls and bamboo slips, supporting her forehead with one hand as she carefully read through them.

Before long, Bai Qingyan felt her eyelids growing heavy. In a daze, she fell asleep with her head on the desk.

In her drowsy state, Bai Qingyan seemed to return to that day at Ying Lake when she met Murong Yu.

Murong Yu held a folding fan, standing by Ying Lake’s shore where willow branches swayed in the wind. He wore frost-colored robes embroidered with auspicious clouds, with a warm jade wide belt at his waist… adorned with ornamental pendants the same color as the belt’s warm jade. The dazzling warm sun shone around him, seeming to gild him with an extremely pure, sacred light.

Murong Yu was still devastatingly beautiful, with unparalleled elegance.

Seeming to spot her from afar, Murong Yu performed a deep bow in Bai Qingyan’s direction, not putting on airs. After straightening up, he smiled and said: “A’Yan, in the future… I entrust A’Yan my brother to you. I earnestly hope A’Yan will guide A’Yan toward righteous schemes and proper paths, leaving his name for a thousand autumns, and not letting him be reviled for ten thousand years.”

Hearing this, her heart clenched. Though she already had a premonition, she still asked: “Where are you going?”

“To see Mother.” Murong Yu’s smile was gentle and composed.

“Murong Yan… will be heartbroken!” she said.

“Blood brothers cannot accompany each other for life, but husband and wife can walk together for a lifetime.” Murong Yu was like a kind elder, speaking to her at an unhurried pace. “A’Yan, in this world, there are always people leaving and people coming. Though I’m leaving… A’Yan has you by his side, so I’m very much at ease.”

“The military texts you sent to A’Yan, and your new governance concepts summarized from reading ancient sages’ books—I’ve seen them all!” The smile in Murong Yu’s eyes deepened. “A’Yan can secure the nation through martial prowess and govern the Kingdom through scholarship. In the future, this realm… whether it’s yours or A’Yan’s, I’m completely at ease. You will both be enlightened rulers who will let the people live good lives!”

She felt a sour sensation in her heart.

The departure of loved ones was most heartbreaking.

Xiao Rongyan, at this moment, wondered how deeply saddened he must be.

And Murong Yu, in her view… was indeed a good monarch, a good emperor. What a pity… he encountered such a birth father and could only receive such a lifespan.

“What a pity I cannot compete as heroes of the same era with someone like A’Yan…”

Saying this, Murong Yu smiled and bowed deeply to Bai Qingyan. His figure scattered like wind beside Ying Lake.

Bai Qingyan, who had been lying on the desk, suddenly opened her eyes and sat up…

Cool wind blew in from outside the camp. The hanging curtains behind the screen swayed gently.

She recalled the dream just now and wondered whether Yan Emperor Murong Yu had already passed away.

If the Yan Emperor had truly died, she wondered how Xiao Rongyan was faring now.

As Bai Qingyan was pondering how she should comfort Xiao Rongyan, Zhao Ran requested an audience outside.

“Eldest Miss, someone from Shuoyang’s direction has sent weapons. They haven’t reached Yangjiang yet. Please instruct how these weapons should be distributed?” After entering, Zhao Ran asked in a lowered voice.

“Give priority to this batch of weapons for General Zhao Sheng and yourself. Send someone to receive the weapons and place them in advance along the route you’ll be taking. Just take them with you…” Bai Qingyan said.

“Yes!” Zhao Ran turned to leave.

“Wait…” She called him back.

“Does Eldest Miss have other instructions?” Zhao Ran asked.

“Wait a moment. I’ll write a letter. Have the person who brought the weapons take the letter back and deliver it to Zeng Shanru, and have Zeng Shanru pass it to Mr. Xiao’s people.”