Even in this lifetime, whenever she awakened from midnight dreams, she feared that everything in this life was just a dream—feared that she still hadn’t been able to protect her mother and aunts, hadn’t been able to save her younger sisters.

Having lost them in her previous life, that kind of pain was unbearable for her. She had only persevered by holding onto the determination to clear the Bai family’s name, refusing to let herself die. But every hour she lived was worse than death itself.

So when Heaven took pity and granted her rebirth, she had placed her younger brothers and sisters first, placed her mother and aunts first, and also placed the great aspirations that the Bai family ancestors had failed to achieve at the forefront.

Being together with Xiao Rongyan, falling in love… getting married—this was beyond Bai Qingyan’s expectations.

When encountering major events, personal feelings should not be considered. In this regard, she had always felt that Xiao Rongyan did better than her.

Using A’Yu’s identity, revealing A’Yu’s identity to Xiliang…

At that time, Bai Qingyan had also harbored resentment in her heart, but it was all persuaded away by their previous agreement of “when encountering major events, personal feelings should not be considered.”

After all, one of them was from Great Zhou and the other from Yan Kingdom. Each serving their motherland and exerting their efforts was proper and appropriate.

It was she who had been swayed by personal feelings, never having the heart to reveal Xiao Rongyan’s true identity. This didn’t mean Xiao Rongyan had to do the same for her sake.

If not for this incident of being besieged at Jiangzi City when Xiao Rongyan came, Bai Qingyan would have continued thinking this way.

Whether it was betraying A’Yu’s identity or utilizing A’Yu’s identity, none of it had endangered her safety, so Xiao Rongyan could act without hesitation. But once it concerned her safety, Xiao Rongyan would risk everything… even disregarding the Yan Kingdom.

Bai Qingyan suddenly thought of Empress Ji, remembering Xiao Rongyan’s expression when he spoke of Empress Ji to her. His mother had been trapped by the word “love” her entire life, and his father, the old Yan Emperor, was that kind of man. Having witnessed his own mother’s suffering, he was determined to protect his wife for a lifetime. Because he was Empress Ji’s offspring, deep in his bones… he was someone with profound inner devotion.

She sealed the letter and had someone bring wound medicine along with it to send to Xiao Rongyan.

Weizhong took the letter and was about to go out to arrange for someone to deliver it to Xiao Rongyan when he heard Bai Qingyan say: “Weizhong, have people prepare. Before entering Tianmen Pass, I want to go see Feng County.”

Feng County had always been the city that bore the brunt whenever Xiliang crossed the border. Bai Qingyan had always been deeply concerned about it, having repeatedly instructed Li Mingrui and Dong Changyuan, who were implementing the new policies, to give Feng County more support and care.

Now that they had already reached Tianmen Pass, she wanted to go take a look, and also wait for… Xiao Rongyan’s reply letter.

Ever since the Great Zhou’s borders had been pushed to Tonggu Mountain after the battle in Nan Jiang, life in Feng County had become much better.

But it had only been a few years since the last battle in Nan Jiang, so the common people still remembered those miserable days of the past and naturally had not forgotten the Bai family army.

When Bai Qingyan’s carriage entered the city, recruitment was taking place inside the city gates…

After all, the battle to pacify Xiliang required many soldiers, and the occupied cities also needed soldiers to garrison them. The armies from other Great Zhou camps couldn’t be moved at will, so they could only conscript new soldiers.

Sitting in her carriage, Bai Qingyan lifted her hand to part the azure blue carriage curtain, looking at the long queue of common people who had come to enlist outside. There was even a small child in the queue holding a wooden sword. From somewhere, a woman with an upswept hairstyle, still wearing an apron, rushed out, reached out to grab the little child’s ear, and dragged him back.

“Ouch! Mother! Don’t twist my ear! Brother Chunsheng can go be a soldier, why can’t I? I want to go find Brother Chunsheng!”

The woman angrily grabbed the little boy’s arm and forcefully patted his bottom several times: “What nonsense are you causing! How old are you?” She continued, “Besides, Chunsheng had a guarantee from a general in the army before he could join the military! Do you think they’d accept someone as young as you? What would you do on the battlefield—cause trouble for our Bai family army?”

“Mother…”

“Hurry up and go home with me!”

Without another word, the woman pulled the little boy’s arm and dragged him back. The child’s crying and the woman’s scolding gradually faded into the distance.

Hearing the conversation between the woman and child, Chun Zhi laughed: “Who would have thought that even such a small child in Feng County would dare to join the army?”

“The common people who can remain in Feng County are all very brave!” Bai Qingyan’s brows carried a gentle smile. “Before the battle in Nan Jiang, Feng County was on the front lines… every year, Xiliang would come to plunder grain. The common people lived in indescribable misery, but they ultimately chose to stay because they believed the Bai family army would protect them.”

Chun Zhi nodded: “This servant has also heard our Bai family guards mention it before.”

“Candied hawthorn! Selling candied hawthorn…”

Seeing the small merchant carrying candied hawthorn and calling out his wares, Bai Qingyan suddenly remembered when Xiao Rongyan had once bought candied hawthorn for her, and her expression was tinged with a smile.

“Weizhong, stop the carriage and let’s get out to walk around!” Bai Qingyan lowered the curtain and called out to those outside the carriage.

Weizhong responded by raising his hand, and the carriage slowly came to a stop.

The Bai family guards protecting the front and rear of the carriage all dismounted. Chun Zhi helped Bai Qingyan, who was dressed like an ordinary wealthy family’s madam, down from the carriage…

After all, these guards had a different bearing, drawing frequent glances from the common people toward Bai Qingyan’s direction.

Passing by Cao’an Hall, Bai Qingyan remembered that it was opened by Ji Langhua’s father.

An assistant from Cao’an Hall saw the pregnant Bai Qingyan with her guards and maid standing outside Cao’an Hall’s entrance, thinking she was a wealthy lady who had come seeking their physician’s services. He hurried out to greet them: “Is this lady here to have our Physician Ji examine her pulse? What unfortunate timing… our Physician Ji has gone out on a house call!”

Just as the assistant finished speaking, a carriage slowly came to a stop. The assistant quickly smiled: “Oh my! What perfect timing! Our Physician Ji has returned!”

With that, the assistant hurried down to greet him.

The carriage’s cotton-padded dark blue curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged man wearing a lacquered gauze cap and dressed in a moon-white wide-sleeved robe with auspicious cloud trim stepped down carrying a medicine box, assisted by the coachman.

The assistant quickly took the medicine box from Physician Ji’s hands, smiling as he said: “Sir, you’ve returned. What perfect timing… someone has come seeking the physician’s services!”

Physician Ji, who had a goatee, looked up and saw Bai Qingyan with her noble bearing and guards in attendance.

He didn’t recognize Bai Qingyan, but he recognized Weizhong, who was beside her. His face immediately turned pale, and looking again at Bai Qingyan’s prominent belly, he immediately guessed her identity. He hurriedly bent forward and approached quickly, lifting his robes to kneel.

“Physician Ji, there’s no need for such formality in public!”

As soon as Bai Qingyan finished speaking, Weizhong stepped forward to support Physician Ji, who had just knelt on one knee. Weizhong smiled and said: “Physician Ji, it’s been many years since we parted… I trust you’ve been well! Today, this old servant is accompanying our eldest young lady to walk around Feng County, and we unexpectedly encountered an old acquaintance.”

Physician Ji’s lips trembled. Looking at Bai Qingyan, he was afraid of being disrespectful, so he hurriedly bent forward and made a welcoming gesture toward Bai Qingyan: “Your Maj… Eldest Young Lady, please!”