Lu Ning’e truly liked the little girl Lu Chenxi in her heart, but if this little girl intended to harm the Bai family, she would risk her life to prevent this little girl from succeeding! Otherwise, how could she face the Grand Princess’s kindness to her, and how could she face the grace of the Bai family and the eldest miss in helping her cousin?
“Aunt Lu…” Bai Qingyan turned to look at Lu Ning’e and Lu Chenxi again, “There’s no need to make things difficult for Chenxi. I quite like this child…”
If this Chenxi really had any problems, A’Qi couldn’t possibly be kept in the dark. A’Qi must have investigated this child called Lu Chenxi, knowing her background was clean, which was why he kept her by his side. Bai Qingyan still had this much confidence in her younger brother. When she had some free time… she would ask A’Qi about this girl’s background, and also why A’Qi wanted to keep this girl in the military camp.
What if A’Qi liked this girl? If she rashly sent this girl away now, wouldn’t A’Qi be heartbroken?
Bai Qingqi glanced at his eldest sister but didn’t say anything, pushing Bai Qingyun through the door.
This official’s residence in Xiliang was built following the old specifications of the Yan Kingdom, with black lacquered doors studded with golden nails. Upon entering, there was a landscape screen wall, with powder-white walls and slate-blue tiles, vermilion pillars with carved brackets, and ridged roofs carved with the motif of a hundred children at spring play. If one didn’t know better, they might think they had entered some official’s residence from the old Yan Kingdom.
The servants who originally served in this residence were trembling as they knelt all over the ground. They were already slaves whom their master could beat, scold, and sell at will, and when their master fled, he hadn’t taken them along…
Those who had stolen the master’s property and fled in the chaos were caught and brought back by Zhou forces, and their fate was still unknown. Those like them who hadn’t managed to escape were even more panicked and at a loss.
Now the residence was full of armed soldiers everywhere, and they were terrified that they might be cut down if they weren’t careful.
After escorting Bai Qingyan’s group to a room warmed by heated floor tiles, Wei Zhong took the cloak that Chun Zhi removed from Bai Qingyan and smiled, “His Majesty needs to discuss military and political affairs with the generals. This old servant will go supervise the kitchen to prepare dinner for His Majesty and the generals. Xiliang’s mutton is quite good. How about mutton hot pot for tonight’s dinner? What does His Majesty think?”
“Then I’ll trouble Eunuch Wei to arrange it. Tonight, we siblings and General Wei will have mutton hot pot.” Bai Qingyan smiled and asked Wei Zhaonian, “What does General Wei think?”
“Whatever Xiao Bai Commander arranges is fine!” Wei Zhaonian, who had only one eye left, smiled.
Sitting before the tactical map, Bai Qingyun stared in the direction of Yecheng Pass: “The prefect fled last night. It won’t be long before General Ye Shouguan of Yecheng Pass receives news that Suining City has been breached. He will certainly strengthen his defenses. Bypassing both sides of Yecheng Pass would probably require much more manpower and resources than attacking Yecheng Pass directly!”
“Most importantly… It’s still a matter of morale!” Bai Qingqi turned to look at his eldest sister. “Elder sister wants to take Yecheng Pass because Ye Shouguan is a general known to almost everyone in Xiliang except for Yun Poxing. He was also a constantly victorious general in his early years, but because he offended the late emperor of Xiliang, Ye Shouguan was sent back to guard Yecheng Pass.”
Bai Qingyan nodded: “If Yecheng Pass still stands, when Li Tianjiao returns to Yun Jing and raises his arms in a call to action, there might still be patriotic people among the Xiliang people who would fight to the death! But… after Yun Poxing and Ye Shouguan are successively defeated, I dare not say that everyone in Xiliang will fear Great Zhou, but at least most people won’t dare to fight Great Zhou head-on!”
The faint sound of a maid’s crying came from beyond the partition. Bai Qingyan glanced toward the partition: “There are still commoners and servants in the city who haven’t had time to escape…”
She turned to look at Shen Qingzhu: “Have someone re-register the population. After taking down a city, we’ll implement our Great Zhou’s new policies in that city, treating the Xiliang people as our citizens. Tell them that taxes will be exempted for three years, and the court will also send people to deliver grain, as long as they peacefully become subjects of the Great Zhou.”
“But Xiliang is different from us and the Yan Kingdom. Xiliang was originally a foreign tribe. Even when the world was not yet divided, Xiliang constantly caused trouble. Integration will probably be very difficult…” Wei Zhaonian was quite worried.
“The common people just want to live good lives! Although… Xiliang people are indeed different from us in appearance, so many years have passed with unified writing and standardized cart axles. Our current unification is simpler than the path our predecessors took. We’re walking on roads they’ve already paved for us. As long as we use both firm and gentle approaches, we can certainly bring peace to this region.”
After hearing this, Wei Zhaonian nodded and cupped his hands to Bai Qingyan: “Xiao Bai Commander’s considerations are more thorough than mine!”
“General Wei was once the strategist under my fourth uncle. I regard General Wei as one of my own, so let’s not say these empty flattering words.”
Just as Bai Qingyan finished speaking with a smile, Bai Qingjue arrived with Bai Jinzhao and Bai Jinhua.
“Elder sister…”
The three of them bowed to Bai Qingyan in unison.
Standing before the tactical map, Bai Qingyan nodded and beckoned the three to come over. She took the tea that Chun Zhi handed her and sat down nearby: “Look at this topographical map of Yecheng Pass. Let’s all put our heads together and think about how to take Yecheng Pass as quickly as possible. The faster we take Yecheng Pass, the faster Xiliang’s morale will collapse!”
Just as Bai Qingyan finished speaking, someone came to report that Xiao Ruohai was requesting an audience.
“Isn’t elder sister’s milk brother with fourth sister?” Bai Jinzhao tensed up completely. “Did something happen to the fourth sister?”
“No, if something happened to the fourth sister, the elder sister’s milk brother would have burst in by now. How could our Bai family army not recognize Xiao Ruohai…” Bai Jinse comforted the anxious-looking Bai Jinzhao.
Bai Qingjue rubbed Bai Jinzhao’s head and ordered: “Quickly invite him in…”
Soon, Xiao Ruohai, dressed as a Xiliang person, walked in. He had pasted on a Xiliang man’s thick beard and looked somewhat like a Xiliang person, though he was covered in dust from travel, and his eyes were bloodshot and red. One could tell at a glance that he had certainly been traveling day and night without rest.
“Isn’t Milk brother with Little Four?” Bai Qingyan asked. “Is there some news from General Shen and Little Four that milk brother came to deliver?”
“After the eldest miss left, the fourth miss said that this subordinate staying by her side couldn’t make greater use. The cities she needed to attack were all defended by generals who weren’t famous commanders, so she sent this subordinate to Yecheng Pass, having me go draw a detailed map of Yecheng Pass to ensure that the eldest miss could find a way to attack Yecheng Pass from the detailed map…”
As he spoke, Xiao Ruohai took out the map of Yecheng Pass from his chest and handed it to Bai Qingyan, then stepped back two paces.
Besides his exceptional martial arts, Xiao Ruohai’s greatest skill was drawing detailed maps and scouting the locations of enemy granaries and armories…