The three men – Grand Commandant Lu, Minister Dong, and Wei Bugong – emerged from the great hall with heavy hearts, looking at each other. Though they felt Bai Qingyan’s actions had logic, they still couldn’t help but worry.

Grand Commandant Lu sighed: “Everything Your Majesty said is right, and indeed… Your Majesty has more foresight than all of us, but Your Majesty risking danger to go to Dongyi… this old minister really cannot feel at ease!”

Dong Qingping was also uneasy. He turned to ask Wei Bugong: “When did you start discussing this Great Zhou national bonds matter with Your Majesty? Your Majesty asked you to go back and consider… how many Great Zhou national bonds need to be issued and how to implement them. Do you have a clear idea?”

Wei Bugong hastily bowed to Dong Qingping before saying, “Please rest assured, Minister Dong, this humble official has a general idea. Since our Great Zhou took over Great Liang, our treasury could support fighting a small Dongyi state, but if Your Majesty wants to implement Great Zhou national bonds, naturally, the bonds would constitute the major portion.”

Dong Qingping nodded: “This matter… troubles Minister Wei!”

“Minister Dong is too kind, this is all part of this humble official’s duty!” Wei Bugong quickly replied.

After seeing off Grand Commandant Lu and Minister Dong, Wei Bugong tucked his hands into his sleeves, carefully calculating in his mind whether he should create momentum in advance for promoting these Great Zhou national bonds, having some wealthy merchants and nobles take the lead, which would make implementation easier.

·

Since Bai Qingyan would leave at daybreak, Bai Qingjue and Bai Jinzhi had already returned to the Bai mansion to pack and arrange for guards.

Bai Qingqi, Bai Qingyu, and Bai Jinxiu stayed beside Bai Qingyan, listening in detail as Bai Qingyan explained the matter of the Dongyi state fighting with the Great Zhou.

When they heard Bai Qingyan say that before the battle began, Prince Hancheng had knocked out Cheng Yuanzhi and asked Cheng Yuanzhi to relay a message to Bai Qingyan, saying he had failed her trust and would serve her again in the next life, they all fell silent.

Including Bai Qingyu, they had all once doubted Prince Hancheng’s loyalty to Great Zhou and to Elder Sister. Later… it was Elder Sister who mentioned there were also spies in the navy, and only then did they feel at ease. Who would have thought that when Bai Qingyan entrusted Prince Hancheng with new responsibilities… Prince Hancheng would repay her with such loyalty.

They all felt somewhat guilty for having once distrusted Prince Hancheng.

“Elder Sister… does Prince Hancheng’s death make Elder Sister think of Wu Zhe, of General Fang Yan, General Yue Zhizhou?” Bai Qingyu looked up at Bai Qingyan, understanding his elder sister’s heart.

Bai Qingyan’s throat moved slightly. The hand hidden in her sleeve still clutched that gold token. She imperceptibly tightened her grip and said with lowered eyes: “Those loyal to Great Zhou, loyal to our Bai family, should not… be let down again. Regarding Prince Hancheng, the trust I gave him contained calculation. I feel guilty!”

“Elder Sister, now Elder Sister is the emperor, not the former eldest daughter of the Bai family. Toward subjects… giving trust while also employing tactics to win hearts is necessary and not wrong!” Bai Jinxiu reached out to grasp her elder sister’s hand.

“Since Elder Sister has decided to personally destroy Dongyi, then we’ll guard the rear!” Bai Qingqi spoke softly. “Elder Sister… be careful in all things. Don’t forget you are now Great Zhou’s emperor, the backbone, and a person with two children.”

Chun Tao packed things for Bai Qingyan while wiping away tears. She had thought that once their young lady became emperor, she could finally live peacefully, never expecting she would still have to go on campaign to fight wars.

If in the past their young lady was invincible in battle, that was on land. This time it would be at sea…

Chun Tao had heard Chen Qingsheng say that sailing at sea was completely different from boating on lakes in the capital’s outskirts or traveling waterways by boat. Even Chen Qingsheng, a grown man who constantly traveled either by boat or carriage while running errands with the steward, spent half a month on the sea ship eating and vomiting, vomiting and eating, his legs so weak he couldn’t stand.

Their young lady was already frail. If she went to fight at sea, how could she endure it?

Chun Tao wiped her tears and said to Chun Zhi, who was packing wound medicine for Bai Qingyan: “Take that… those pills Physician Hong newly made for the young lady, pack more of them for the young lady!”

The packing was almost done. Chun Tao went to replace the hot tea for Bai Qingyan and the others. Seeing her young lady, her tears couldn’t be held back again, and she dropped tears while changing the tea.

“While I’m away, take good care of Mother! At daybreak… I won’t say goodbye to Mother, to avoid making her sad!” After Bai Qingyan finished speaking to Bai Qingyu, she said to Bai Jinxiu: “Now that Wang Ge’er is attached to you and Qin Lang, if Second Aunt feels lonely at Prince Zhenguo’s mansion, let Second Aunt return to the palace to stay! Say… that while I’m away, let Second Aunt help Mother share the burden of caring for the two children. Second Aunt has experience raising Wang Ge’er.”

“Elder Sister, rest assured, don’t worry about my mother!” Bai Jinxiu responded.

“Last time we designed to use Yun Lan to catch those Xiliang remnants in one net, but several escaped. You still need to be careful about this, lest they become desperate and attempt assassination. It would be best to capture the remaining few.” Bai Qingyan turned to instruct Bai Qingqi and Bai Qingyu.

“Elder Sister, rest assured, they can’t escape. Unless they pretend to be mute for life and never go to medical halls to buy medicine…” Bai Qingyu said quietly. “Some of them were seriously injured. We’ve been watching the medical halls closely these days and already have leads. It should be soon!”

Hearing Bai Qingyu say this, Bai Qingyan nodded.

“Well then, our family from now on, and this country… will trouble you all!” Bai Qingyan looked at her younger siblings. “Go rest!”

“It’s almost dawn. I’ll stay a while to see Elder Sister off from the city.” Bai Qingyu said.

Bai Jinxiu also said: “I’ll also stay to see Elder Sister off…”

“Let us see Elder Sister off from the city!” Bai Qingqi was still uneasy at heart. If not for Bai Qingyan having him and Bai Qingyu handle national affairs, he would also want to go to the coast with Bai Qingyan.

Just as dawn broke, Bai Qingyan changed into plain clothes, kissed her two children, left a letter for her mother, then led her guard squadron and shadow guards dressed in plain clothes, accompanied by Shen Qingzhu, Xie Yuchang, and Wei Zhong, rushing out of the palace on fast horses.

After Bai Qingjue and Bai Jinzhi returned and packed, they brought people out of the city to wait for Bai Qingyan at the north gate of the capital.

This time, besides bringing the Bai family’s guard squadron, Bai Qingjue and Bai Jinzhi also brought the Xiao Ruohai and Xiao Ruojiang brothers. Lu Ping heard the news and also wanted to go along, and even Chen Qingsheng came to join the commotion.

Chen Qingsheng said he had once followed merchant caravans to those waters and had also been to Dongyi, so he was familiar with the situation. He insisted on following. Bai Qingjue thought about it and brought him along.

But… Physician Hong put Bai Qingjue in a difficult position. When Bai Qingjue wouldn’t take Physician Hong, the physician simply packed a small bundle himself, brought two guards, and followed in a carriage, telling Bai Qingjue… if he wouldn’t let him go, he wasn’t in a hurry – he would just follow behind in the carriage all the same!