Bai Qingyan’s eyes smiled: “How Great Zhou and Yan will fight this war in the future, you can discuss with Qi, Jinxiu, Yu, and Jue.”

“Hmm?” Xiao Rongyan quietly gazed at his beloved.

She gently supported her abdomen and said, “I won’t participate in the upcoming battles… I’ll return to the capital to peacefully await childbirth, waiting for our child to be born.”

Xiao Rongyan loved the gentle radiance in Bai Qingyan’s eyes when she said, “Our child.” He raised his hand to lightly trace her features with his finger, chuckling softly as he spoke: “Later, when the world is at peace and the new policies are stable, you and I… will take our child to live peacefully in Baiwo City and be real merchants. How does that sound?”

This had been the period when Xiao Rongyan had killed the most people in such a long time. Countless people had died by his hand – flashing swords and sabers, seas of blood and mountains of corpses. Whether they were Xiliang soldiers, Tianfeng soldiers, or starving Xiliang civilians who dared to attack and steal Yan army provisions and died under Yan blades, none of it stirred even the slightest ripple in Xiao Rongyan’s heart.

He killed those soldiers and those Xiliang civilians who dared steal military provisions with a clear conscience, because he was paving the way for world peace. No one… could obstruct him from pacifying Xiliang.

But after all this, Xiao Rongyan would think of Bai Qingyan.

If it were Bai Qingyan, she definitely wouldn’t raise weapons against unarmed Xiliang civilians…

Because Bai Qingyan’s heart could accommodate Great Zhou’s people as well as all the people under heaven. She wouldn’t treat them differently based on Kingdom or ethnicity.

She could implement new policies for Great Zhou’s people, and would also strive to implement new policies in the Xiliang cities that Great Zhou captured, so that Xiliang people could also live the same life as Great Zhou people.

He would always recall that compassionate look in Bai Qingyan’s eyes when they sat facing each other outside Folding Willow Pavilion in the capital, remembering her words about how a lesser hero draws sword to help the weak, while a great hero upholds the world.

From the Bai family’s difficult journey to now, Bai Qingyan seemed to have never forgotten her original intention…

If Bai Qingyan weren’t there, he might not feel there was anything improper about his actions. But with Bai Qingyan’s way of treating people and handling matters standing there, when Xiao Rongyan looked at her, he felt he could see the cleanest general in this world.

Although the Great Zhou’s army was also killing, they didn’t shed the blood of innocent civilians.

If he hadn’t met Bai Qingyan, if he hadn’t placed this person at the tip of his heart, he might not have felt there was anything wrong with his methods. But because of understanding… because of deep love, he would think about problems from Bai Qingyan’s perspective.

Afterwards, he ordered the Yan army to stop the killing and distribute elephant meat to Xiliang refugees, with children and women taking priority. Then he arranged for able-bodied Xiliang refugees to exchange labor for elephant meat to satisfy their hunger. Perhaps because he had previously killed a large group of Xiliang refugees who stole military provisions, the subsequent Xiliang refugees were much more compliant. Hearing they could exchange labor for elephant meat, they were very enthusiastic and willing to work hard…

After arranging all this properly, he impatiently came to Bai Qingyan’s side, as if only by her side could he feel at peace.

He was very grateful to heaven for letting him meet Bai Qingyan. With Bai Qingyan there… she didn’t need to verbally advise him. He only needed to look back at Bai Qingyan when his path led him further astray, and he would know whether he had strayed from the right path.

Bai Qingyan gently stroked her abdomen and nodded with a smile: “Good! Baiwo City is the most prosperous place in Great Zhou, and the climate is mild year-round. We’ll settle there. However, as for the child, it depends on the child’s aspirations. If they want to live the life of a wealthy family with us in Baiwo City, then they can stay with us. If… they want to do something for this world, to be able to protect the humble masses under heaven, then we’ll let the child stay in the capital.”

“Mm, I’ll listen to everything you say!” Xiao Rongyan drew close to Bai Qingyan, their noses touching. He kissed her lips again, saying unclearly: “I’ll listen to everything you say! Just one thing… after we reach Baiwo City, let your husband become someone who can shelter you from wind and rain. A’Bao… you have lofty aspirations, once wanting to protect the Bai family… now protecting the world, so I will never stop you. But in the future, when the world is at peace, don’t be so tired anymore. Your husband… feels sorry for you. In the future, let your husband protect you!”

Bai Qingyan’s heart was struck by a surge of bitter warmth, moved beyond measure. She knew… these words came from Xiao Rongyan’s heart.

She had always been a strong person. She was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Bai family, the elder sister of her brothers and sisters, so she had always taken protecting her siblings as her responsibility, wanting to become like Grandfather, Father, and the uncles – becoming her siblings’ support, their strongest backing and strength, sheltering them from wind and rain.

Since childhood, Grandfather and Father had said that as elders, they were willing to shelter the younger generation from wind and rain but wouldn’t spoil the younger ones… they wanted these children to experience storms within the scope of their protection and strive to grow.

So she had always wanted to become like Grandfather, to become like Father…

Wanting to let her brothers and sisters experience storms within the range she could protect.

She was the Bai family army’s Xiao Bai Marshal, and she had to be strong enough to become the Bai family army’s support.

Later, she was also the Great Zhou’s emperor, and she had to be strong enough to rule the Great Zhou’s subjects.

Xiao Rongyan was the first person, aside from her grandfather, her father, and her blood relatives, to tell her he wanted to protect her.

She had once thought that after Grandfather, Father, and the uncles were gone, she could never again depend on others to protect her. She would have to stand composed even if she bit her teeth to pieces, holding up a piece of sky for the Bai family.

Xiao Rongyan’s voice was hoarse, carrying some coaxing intent. Taking advantage of Bai Qingyan’s flushed cheeks and distracted moment, he pried open her teeth and kissed her ever deeper, making her heartbeat accelerate uncontrollably.

His arm that had been resting on Bai Qingyan’s shoulder had somehow moved behind her waist, pulling her into his embrace with extremely restrained movements, afraid of hurting the child.

Her spine trembled slightly. She tentatively tried to push him away, but was kissed more forcefully. Not knowing if it was due to a lack of oxygen, waves of dizziness made her lose herself in passion. Her arms that had just been pushing him away now encircled Xiao Rongyan’s neck, her trembling fingers lightly touching the collar at the back of his neck. Unable to withstand Xiao Rongyan’s forceful kiss, her palms weakly gripped his collar, her whole body becoming soft as water as she leaned against the round pillow, her face crimson and burning.

“A’Bao… I’m so glad to have you!” Xiao Rongyan restrained his heavy breathing, his voice becoming even more hoarse. In this room that was neither dark nor light and had no lamps lit, it sounded particularly mellow, like aged, intoxicating wine.

If there were no A’Bao, he didn’t know what he would become. Perhaps he really would become someone who killed without blinking, who wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice lives to achieve his goals.