Bai Jinse was still young after all. Bai Qingyan didn’t want to push Xiao Qi too hard. After all… in Bai Qingyan’s view, Xiao Qi wouldn’t be a fierce general skilled at charging into battle in the future, but would be an expert at military formations and strategies.

Bai Qingyan turned to look at Bai Jinse, her gaze gentle.

Bai Jinse’s palms tightened. Seeing her brothers and sisters all looking at her, she thought it was because she had nearly been shot by that crossbow bolt on the battlefield, worrying Elder Sister. She pressed her lips together and asked cautiously: “Elder Sister, Xiao Qi… wants to go with Fifth Brother to the next city. Would that be alright?”

“Of course!” Bai Qingyan smiled and nodded. “Xiao Qi is clever and will surely be able to offer strategies to your Fifth Brother. Elder Sister will wait with Mother and all the aunts… and Xiao Ba, in the capital for your triumphant return!”

Upon hearing this, Bai Jinse’s lips curved into a smile, and she nodded vigorously: “Xiao Qi won’t let Elder Sister, Mother, the aunts, or Xiao Ba down!”

Bai Qingyan smiled and rubbed Bai Jinse’s head, setting down her teacup: “Since that’s settled, then prepare! After seeing you all off… once Yecheng Pass is properly settled, I’ll depart for the capital and wait there for your triumphant return!”

“Elder Sister, rest assured!” Bai Qingqi, standing with his hands behind his back, nodded.

Physician Hong, who had been waiting at the door, saw Bai Qingyan come out. His white beard was practically bristling with anger as he bowed to Bai Qingyan with obvious irritation.

“Physician Hong…” Bai Qingyan smiled at Physician Hong and quickly gave him a deep bow. “Making you worry is Qingyan’s fault!”

Bai Qingyu stood behind Bai Qingyan, suppressing his laughter and clearing his throat with a clenched fist: “Physician Hong… Elder Sister hasn’t closed her eyes for a long time and is also injured. Please examine Elder Sister’s pulse carefully.”

Upon hearing this, Physician Hong’s expression changed slightly: “Wasn’t it said to be just some minor scratches on the face? Where else are you injured? Quickly… let’s go to the side room first!”

Bai Qingyan obediently followed Physician Hong into the side room, very cooperatively letting him examine her pulse, and cooperatively allowing him to reapply medicine and bandage the wounds on her face.

“Young Miss…” Physician Hong sat across from Bai Qingyan, organizing his medicine box while earnestly instructing, “Even if you won’t think of yourself, you must consider the child in your womb…”

“Is something wrong with the child?” Bai Qingyan’s spine immediately tensed. She protectively covered her abdomen with her hand. “But… I don’t feel anything amiss.”

“If Young Miss truly waits until she feels something amiss, it will be too late!” Physician Hong angrily let out a long breath. “Young Miss cannot rely on the fact that the child in your womb is well-behaved and sensible to think you’re the same as before!”

Bai Qingyan nodded repeatedly: “I’ll remember, Physician Hong. I won’t participate in the next few major battles. After settling Yecheng Pass properly, I’ll depart for the capital. I also wanted to discuss with Physician Hong whether you’ll return to the capital or stay… and accompany Yu and the others to attack Yunjing to take a look?”

Bai Qingyan already knew the answer in her heart. Physician Hong was still young at heart. When Grandfather was still alive, he had once said… he hoped that one day Grandfather could lead the Bai family army to attack Yunjing, so he could also see what Xiliang’s capital looked like.

Moreover, with Physician Hong there, Bai Qingyan could feel at ease about her brothers and sisters on this Xiliang battlefield. She was just worried that the army’s marching pace was too fast, and Physician Hong was getting on in years after all. She feared he might not be able to bear the strain.

Physician Hong fell into hesitation. As a member of the Bai family army… he very much wanted to attack Yunjing together with the Bai family army to see it, and he was also worried about Bai Qingqi and Bai Qingyu. After all, on the battlefield, swords and blades were blind. If they were injured without a good physician nearby, it would certainly be very dangerous.

But Bai Qingyan was pregnant. Although the pregnancy was progressing very well, childbirth for women was like stepping through the gates of hell. How could Physician Hong feel at ease?

Bai Qingyan gently stroked her abdomen: “Physician Hong needn’t worry about me and the child. There’s your junior brother Imperial Physician Huang in the capital, and… Physician Hong also said that the child in my womb is well-behaved and sensible, and will surely be born safely.”

Physician Hong had always trusted his junior brother’s medical skills.

“Physician Hong, you needn’t worry about us brothers and sisters either. The military physicians in our Bai family army were all trained by you. Moreover, Xiliang’s capable and skilled generals, Yun Poxing and one other… Ye Shouguan has already died in battle!” Bai Qingyu was worried about Bai Qingyan and also didn’t want Physician Hong to travel with them at his age. He wanted Physician Hong to return to the capital with Bai Qingyan, so he smiled with feigned ease: “Xiliang surely won’t send the already over-eighty-year-old General Cui to the battlefield. The upcoming battles won’t be difficult!”

Physician Hong was torn, unconsciously gripping his goatee…

“Physician Hong, you needn’t consider what Yu and I have said. Just follow your heart,” Bai Qingyan said with a smile.

After a long moment, Physician Hong said, “This old man is already at this age. If I don’t take this opportunity to enter Yunjing with our Bai family army, I don’t know if there will be another chance in the future. This time… this old man is willing to follow the Fifth Young Master to Yunjing. With this old man staying beside Fifth Young Master and all the young masters and young misses, Young Miss should be able to give birth with peace of mind.”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “It’s just that Physician Hong will have to endure the hardship of traveling with Yu and the others.”

“If we can attack Yunjing, in the future… when this old man meets the Marshal, I can boast to him too. Thinking of this… I don’t feel it’s a hardship!” Physician Hong’s eyes were full of smiles.

Hearing Physician Hong say this, Bai Qingyan stood up and bowed to him.

Physician Hong quickly stepped aside to avoid Bai Qingyan’s bow.

“Physician Hong, I entrust Yu and the others… to your care!” Bai Qingyan said softly.

“Young Miss, rest assured!” Physician Hong nodded.

Apart from New Year’s Eve, the fifteenth day of the first month was the liveliest time of year for the Bai family army spending the New Year away from home.

Bai Jinzhao and Bai Jinhua led the Bai family army’s cooks and wounded soldiers in making yuanxiao. A wounded soldier mentioned putting copper coins in dumplings on New Year’s Eve and asked Bai Jinzhao if they could put them in the yuanxiao too.

Bai Jinzhao smiled and said, “Then let’s make one! Let’s see who in the entire army can eat the yuanxiao with the copper coin. Whoever eats it… will surely be the most blessed person in the coming year!”

“Excellent!”

The cook laughingly washed a copper coin clean and wrapped it in yuanxiao, mixing it among the pot of plump, white yuanxiao bobbing up and down in the pot.

·

After taking her medicine, Bai Qingyan went to sleep.

In her dreams, Bai Qingyan walked into a patch of mist…

She was very clear in her heart that she was dreaming, yet no matter what she did, she couldn’t wake up.

On the mountain steps shrouded in white mist, fresh blood slowly flowed down, like winding red snakes.

Bai Qingyan protected her abdomen and gripped the Shooting Sun Bow in her hand, retreating two steps. Hearing extremely subtle sounds from the stone steps, she immediately drew an arrow, nocked her bow, and aimed at the black shadow gradually taking shape in the thick fog.