Liu Rushi and the naval commanders immediately reacted, all kneeling on one knee and shouting: “Respectfully welcome Prince Hancheng home!”

“Respectfully welcome Prince Hancheng home!” The Bai Family Army soldiers moved in unison, kneeling on one knee and shouting their welcome.

“Respectfully welcome Prince Hancheng home!” The Great Zhou naval soldiers also knelt and shouted, unable to hold back their tears.

The Great Zhou naval commanders—seven-foot-tall men—also couldn’t help but have tears flowing.

Cheng Yuanzhi and the other generals carrying the coffin walked steadily with slow steps.

At the end of that carpet… stood Princess Hancheng in mourning clothes.

After learning of Prince Hancheng’s death in battle, Princess Hancheng had knelt and begged Empress Dowager Dong Shi to send her to Jinwan City. She already knew that His Majesty had personally led the expedition to avenge Prince Hancheng and bring back his remains. She was deeply grateful and wanted to personally come to Jinwan City to welcome her husband.

Dong Shi originally didn’t want Princess Hancheng to come, but thinking of when her husband, Bai Qishan, had died in battle on the southern frontier, she felt pity for Princess Hancheng and sent people to escort her over.

Princess Hancheng thought she had already cried all her tears dry on this journey, feeling that her heart had gone numb from pain. After all, it had been some time since her husband died in battle. But she didn’t know why… seeing her husband’s coffin, her tears suddenly poured out, her heart aching as if pierced by a knife that kept twisting. Even biting her lips hard couldn’t suppress her sobs.

They had agreed—they wouldn’t have children… they would just accompany each other to old age!

They had agreed that when the coastal affairs were settled, they would spend summers watching flowers fall and winters admiring falling snow!

They had agreed… that he would die after her, so she wouldn’t be alone and suffering in old age. They had already agreed!

But why, after he died in battle, did a loyal servant bring her a farewell letter he had written before leaving the capital, saying it was “just in case”?

Since they had sworn to accompany each other for life, how could he allow himself to have a “just in case”?!

This liar!

Wei Ruxing, this big liar!

Princess Hancheng clutched tightly at the clothes over her heart, crying so painfully she couldn’t stand, collapsing at the end of the carpet: “Liar… Wei Ruxing, you liar! We agreed, we had agreed… You lied to me!”

Bai Qingyan, who was about to disembark from the ship, saw Princess Hancheng collapse at the end, clutching her heart and crying. Her eyes reddened, and her fists clenched behind her back.

“Elder sister…” Bai Qingjue softly called to Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingyan came back to her senses, lowered her eyes to look at her feet, and stepped down from the ship…

“Your Majesty…” After kowtowing, Liu Pinggao rose and approached Bai Qingyan, “Your Majesty, Physician Hong learned of the epidemic and wanted to set out for the Great Zhou cities in Yan. This subordinate really couldn’t dissuade him, so… I had him detained!”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “Good, I understand. You did well. Physician Hong is old—we can’t let him work so hard anymore!”

Moreover, even if Physician Hong went now, he probably couldn’t enter Yan’s territory.

Bai Qingyan’s gaze fell on Princess Hancheng, and she lifted her feet to walk toward her.

The military camp was mostly filled with men who were persuading Princess Hancheng to rise near her, but they didn’t dare overstep and extend their hands to help her up.

The nanny following beside Prince Hancheng alone couldn’t lift Princess Hancheng, so she simply knelt beside her to cry together.

Princess Hancheng’s voice was even more choked, speaking unclear words that only the nanny beside her could understand… the Princess was saying Prince Hancheng was a liar—their Princess was heartbroken.

Seeing Bai Qingyan approaching, the naval commanders surrounding Princess Hancheng quickly stepped aside and knelt in salute: “Your Majesty!”

Hearing this, Princess Hancheng, her face streaked with tears, looked up to see Bai Qingyan bending down with both hands to support her: “Princess, please rise. Let’s first settle Prince Hancheng properly.”

“Your Majesty…” Princess Hancheng was even more choked with emotion, grateful in her heart that Bai Qingyan had personally led the expedition after hearing of her husband’s death in battle. Understanding that Bai Qingyan truly valued her husband, she quickly moved back two steps on her knees and heavily kowtowed to Bai Qingyan: “This subject’s wife kowtows in gratitude to Your Majesty on behalf of Prince Hancheng!”

“Quickly rise!” Bai Qingyan’s eyes stung. She helped Princess Hancheng up and said softly, “It is I who should thank Prince Hancheng for protecting Great Zhou’s fishermen and envoys with his life!”

“Prince Hancheng is Great Zhou’s Prince Hancheng. Being loyal to the ruler and sacrificing his life for the people—this is all as it should be!” Princess Hancheng said through her tears.

Bai Qingyan released Princess Hancheng’s arms, but understood in her heart that as a husband… Prince Hancheng had failed Princess Hancheng.

“Prince Hancheng died for his country, and what he couldn’t let go of most was Princess Hancheng. From now on… Princess Hancheng is my family. I… will take good care of the Princess in Prince Hancheng’s place, to comfort Prince Hancheng’s spirit in heaven.” Bai Qingyan’s voice was gentle.

Princess Hancheng bowed in gratitude and stood beside Bai Qingyan, watching as Prince Hancheng’s coffin was carried into the military camp. She turned to look at Bai Qingyan and said, “Your Majesty, this subject’s wife earnestly requests Your Majesty to permit Prince Hancheng to be buried in the Hancheng Mausoleum.”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “Prince Hancheng’s homeland is in Hancheng—this is natural.”

After settling Prince Hancheng properly, Bai Qingyan composed her emotions somewhat and began reviewing the memorials sent from the capital and from Shen Tianzhi’s side.

Shen Tianzhi was also currently employing the method of closing city gates—when one person contracted the disease, the patient would be sent to treatment centers outside, and family members would also be confined at home, not allowed to go out.

But the people thought that sending their family members to treatment centers meant they would surely be killed or left to fend for themselves, so they were unwilling to send them. Some people even took advantage of the chaos to try to escape the city, and some local officials wanted to flee with their families, causing the people to become even more panicked and uneasy.

When Shen Tianzhi came forward to persuade the people, they were guided by those with ulterior motives and became emotionally agitated. Before Shen Tianzhi could finish speaking, the people threw stones at him, triggering a small-scale civil unrest. Fortunately, Shen Tianzhi had soldiers beside him, and this small civil unrest was quickly suppressed.

Bai Qingyan understood the people’s fear. During the great epidemic in Jiaozhou years ago, the people had also been in such danger. Later, if her father Bai Qishan hadn’t personally led troops to escort her aunt Bai Suqiu into the city to treat the epidemic, the people would probably have already fought with the city guards and escaped from the city.

Seeing such news arrive, Bai Qingyan’s mood became even heavier.

“Your Majesty, Physician Hong knows Your Majesty has returned and is now insisting on seeing Your Majesty!” Liu Pinggao said with a troubled expression to Bai Qingyan.

“Mm, I was just planning to see Physician Hong.” Bai Qingyan changed her clothes and went to see Physician Hong…

As soon as Physician Hong saw Bai Qingyan arrive, he first complained about Liu Pinggao, then said to Bai Qingyan: “Miss, at my age, I’ve long put life and death aside. What I most want is to do something for the people of the world. I am a physician—my calling is to heal and save lives! These Yan Zhou territories… I must go!”