Physician Hong was sitting at a round table behind a screen, bandaging Murong Li’s wound. He had been injured in the right arm by Tianfeng Kingdom cavalry.

Murong Li’s hands were still trembling slightly even now. Only after experiencing it once did he understand that on the battlefield, it was either your death or mine. His father emperor, and his ninth uncle had always thought he was steady, but today, if not for Yue Shi, he would have died on the battlefield.

In Murong Li’s heart, he greatly admired the Bai family, who fought on the battlefields. He had thought… even the youngest seventeenth son of the Bai family could go to battle, and he was older than the Bai family’s seventeenth son, having learned martial arts from his second brother. Even if he couldn’t be invincible, self-preservation should have been possible.

Who would have thought that on his first time on the battlefield, enemy soldiers would teach him a lesson?

It was only now that he truly understood… where was there any absolute safety on the battlefield? Thinking of this, his heart grew even more respectful of the Bai family, of Prince Zhenguo, of the Bai family’s seventeenth son, who faced death fearlessly.

After Physician Hong personally applied medicine to Murong Li and washed the blood from his hands with hot water, he said: “It didn’t injure the muscles or bones, just a surface wound… It’s not serious. Go back and change the dressing properly, don’t let the wound get wet, and it will heal quickly.”

Bai Jinzhi sat beside Murong Li, pushing hot tea toward him. Pretending not to see Murong Li’s slightly trembling hands, she quietly said to him: “You’re much stronger than me. The first time I went to battle with my eldest sister, I was protected by her, but when I returned and others couldn’t see me, I vomited terribly. Remembering those severed limbs and broken bodies on the battlefield, I was so disgusted I didn’t want to eat meat anymore.”

When Murong Li heard the word “meat,” his stomach immediately churned. He gritted his teeth to control himself, picked up the teacup Bai Jinzhi had pushed over, and drank two sips. But with the hot tea going down, that churning feeling became even stronger. He hurriedly covered his mouth, got up and rushed outside, supporting himself against a lacquered pillar beside the corridor with his left hand, retching violently.

Seeing Murong Li in this state, Yue Shi was about to get up and go forward, but then saw his master lift the cotton curtain and come out, so he obediently knelt back down.

Murong Yan held a cup of tea, gently stroking Murong Li’s back. After Murong Li finished vomiting, he handed the water cup to him.

After rinsing his mouth, Murong Li straightened up, wiped the corners of his lips with his sleeve, and called out “Ninth Uncle” with a face full of guilt, his left hand tightly gripping the cup, feeling utterly useless.

“This is normal for the first time on a battlefield. Even the ninth uncle… even the current Great Zhou Emperor, when they first went to battle, were also like this. Having seen the brutality of the battlefield, you must understand that war is not child’s play, and understand the meaning of unifying the realm and bringing peace under heaven.” Xiao Rongyan reached out and patted Murong Li’s head.

It was precisely because Murong Yan had seen it that he understood the preciousness of peace in the world.

It was precisely because Bai Qingyan had experienced it that she understood better than anyone that to achieve peace in the world, there must be unification of the realm.

Having gone to battle today, Murong Li truly witnessed the cruelty of the battlefield and truly understood… when battle reports were submitted, those casualty numbers were not merely figures, but… the living lives of soldiers.

This was why Murong Yan had allowed Murong Li to come along today. Oral instruction and personal example… were far less unforgettable than personal experience.

Murong Li was a child of extremely high comprehension. He raised his head and looked at Murong Yan with determined eyes: “I understand, Ninth Uncle!”

“Let’s go!” Murong Yan said to Murong Li. “To discuss military affairs with the Great Zhou Emperor, you, as emperor, cannot be absent.”

Murong Li nodded, drained the water in his cup, forcibly suppressed the churning feeling still in his stomach, and entered the main hall together with Murong Yan.

As the cotton curtain was lifted, cold wind rushed in, causing the candle flames on the tall tables in the room to dim momentarily before brightening again.

Bai Qingyan had Wei Zhong serve Murong Li a cup of strong tea – the bitter taste could relieve the churning feeling in Murong Li’s chest.

“There are only a few days until New Year’s Eve. Why not wait until after New Year’s Eve to begin the war?” Cheng Yuanzhi suggested.

But Shen Jingzhong shook his head: “This minister disagrees. Elephants fear cold, and now it’s winter… with each passing day, there’s one less day. Speed is crucial in war – we should send troops as quickly as possible!”

When Shen Jingzhong had arrived at today’s great battle, it was already near the end, but he had also seen the scene of elephants slipping and falling on their hooves, which was how they could be subdued by the swarming soldiers.

Therefore, Shen Jingzhong believed that if there was to be war, early was better than late.

“But New Year’s Eve is a day for family reunions. Most soldiers will miss their hometowns and relatives. Starting war on the twenty-ninth day might cause dissatisfaction among the soldiers.” Cheng Yuanzhi spoke from his own experience.

“This depends on how Your Majesty… and the Yan Emperor encourage the warriors!” Shen Kunyang strongly agreed with launching the attack quickly, raising his hand toward Murong Li’s direction in salute.

Yan Emperor Murong Li nodded, then looked toward Murong Yan: “What does Ninth Uncle think?”

Murong Yan pondered for a moment, then looked up at Bai Qingyan: “The Zhou Emperor just said that the war must end before winter ends. Every day we delay… means one less day for us. Therefore… this prince agrees to start war on the twenty-ninth.”

The Yan Kingdom Emperor, Regent Prince, and General Xie Xun, together with the Great Zhou, set the date for jointly conquering Xiliang and Tianfeng Kingdom for the day after tomorrow. The Great Zhou and the Yan Kingdom would fight together.

But to avoid unnecessary conflicts that might arise whether Great Zhou’s generals or Great Yan’s generals took command – as either choice wouldn’t fully satisfy the soldiers of both countries – the two countries would fight separately while mutually reporting military intelligence and battle reports.

After settling all these matters, Yan Emperor Murong Li, accompanied by Regent Prince Murong Yan and General Xie Xun, took leave of Zhou Emperor Bai Qingyan.

Because Bai Qingyan was pregnant and Murong Yan and Murong Li didn’t want to tire her, Bai Qingyan’s younger brother, Bai Qingyu, and sister, Bai Jinzhi, escorted the Yan Emperor and Yan Kingdom Regent Prince out of the city.

Before mounting his horse, Xie Xun turned and bowed to Bai Qingyu: “Thank you, General Bai, for saving my life.”

“General Xie is too polite; it was my duty.” Bai Qingyu stood with his hands behind his back, nodding slightly.

Xie Xun had originally wanted to ask why Bai Qingyu was leading Rong Di troops, but on second thought… Rong Di had already submitted to the Great Zhou, and with the Ghost-Faced Prince dead, it was reasonable for the Zhou Emperor to have his brother take over the Rong Di army.

However, since the Bai family’s troubles during the Xuanjia years of the Jin Dynasty, Xie Xun had never heard of the Bai family’s fifth son, Bai Qingyu, returning to the Bai family. There had been no news of the Bai family’s fifth son in the Bai family army either. Even when the Zhou Emperor ascended the throne, the Bai family’s fifth son, Bai Qingyu, had not returned to the capital. How had he suddenly appeared?

Moreover… how long had Rong Di been submitting to the Great Zhou? Yet Bai Qingyu commanded the Rong Di army with such ease and skill. This couldn’t help but make Xie Xun suspect that this younger brother of the Great Zhou Emperor had probably infiltrated the Rong Di army long ago.

Or perhaps, the Rong Di Ghost-Faced Prince had died at his hands.

If that Ghost-Faced Prince had truly died at Bai Qingyu’s hands, then Xie Xun owed Bai Qingyu a debt of gratitude.