Bai Qingyan nodded: “Good!”

“First Miss…” Chun Zhi stood outside the door without entering, reporting in a low voice, “That bodyguard Yue Shi, who used to serve beside the young master, requests an audience with First Miss!”

Bai Qingyan perked up: “Invite him in! I happen to have questions for him!”

Seeing this, Wei Zhong withdrew.

Bai Qingyan dressed properly and emerged from behind the screen. Hearing Wei Zhong and Yue Shi speaking, she said: “Let Yue Shi come in!”

Wei Zhong personally lifted the curtain for Yue Shi.

As soon as Yue Shi entered and saw Bai Qingyan already seated in the main position, his eyes immediately reddened as he knelt and kowtowed: “First Miss!”

“What exactly happened to your master’s injuries?” Bai Qingyan asked.

Yue Shi dared not raise his head to look at Bai Qingyan, saying: “A few days ago, before the battle began, I heard news that First Miss had been surrounded at Jiangzi City by Western Liang’s General Cui Shanzhong, leading the main Western Liang forces. I blocked the news and didn’t let anyone tell our master, but who knew I would become careless? It was our master who blocked an arrow for me, yet exposed himself to a flaw that let Western Liang bite back. It’s all my fault!”

The news had arrived before the battle began. Yue Shi feared that Xiao Rongyan would worry about Bai Qingyan and the child in her womb and become distracted, so he forcibly suppressed the news. Unexpectedly, he became distracted instead, causing his master to save him.

When Yue Shi spoke to this point, his voice was already choked with emotion as he kowtowed heavily to Bai Qingyan: “Yue Shi requests punishment!”

Bai Qingyan remained silent for a long while before speaking to Yue Shi: “Since you concealed it, why didn’t you keep the secret to the end? How could you let him come here with such severe injuries?”

“I…” Yue Shi’s throat rolled, “I was afraid that if I kept hiding it from our master, and something happened on First Miss’s side, our master would regret it for life, so… so I told him…”

Yue Shi hadn’t expected that after he spoke, Xiao Rongyan would directly lead troops day and night without rest toward Jiangzi City.

He understood his master’s feelings for First Miss, so throughout this journey, he dared not obstruct him, only gritting his teeth and following behind his master. From leaving the battlefield to reaching Jiangzi City, Xiao Rongyan had barely dismounted from his horse.

Yue Shi knew their master carried a surge of anger in his heart, remaining silent throughout. He thought his master was angry that he hadn’t told him earlier about First Miss being besieged at Jiangzi City. Throughout this journey, he had been as obedient as a quail, not daring to breathe heavily while standing beside his master.

Looking at Yue Shi’s appearance, Bai Qingyan knew he must have followed Xiao Rongyan the entire way – however long Xiao Rongyan went without sleep, he too went without sleep…

“Rest assured, your master is fine. The military physician has already examined him. Your master is just too exhausted. The medicine was just administered, and once the high fever breaks, he’ll recover!” Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes to look at Yue Shi’s clean, deep, black, moist red eyes, her voice unconsciously becoming gentler. “You’ve worked hard on this journey. Go rest. I’ll watch over your master!”

“This subordinate… wishes to kneel outside and guard our master,” Yue Shi said with a choked voice.

“Go rest. Even if you kneel until your knees are ruined, it won’t benefit your master!” Bai Qingyan’s voice carried fatigue. “Eunuch Wei will announce to the outside that Great Yan’s Ninth Prince has been arranged in the courtyard next to mine. You staying in that courtyard will also help maintain the cover. Go eat something and rest there. Tomorrow you can properly serve your master personally.”

“Yes!” Yue Shi accepted the order and withdrew.

Just as Yue Shi left, Chun Zhi entered carrying bird’s nest soup, lifting the curtain. Seeing Bai Qingyan with her elbow propped on the table, eyes closed in exhaustion, she approached with small steps and said softly: “First Miss, please have some bird’s nest porridge!”

Chun Zhi felt heartbroken seeing Bai Qingyan’s condition, but she was just a small maidservant who would only be a burden even on the battlefield. She could only guard the residence, unable to share any of First Miss’s burdens.

Bai Qingyan took a deep breath and straightened up: “Take it to Yue Shi! Tell the Bai Family guards at the door they needn’t all stand watch – leave two people, the others should rest. You should rest too! Also… send someone to Yecheng Pass to report to Yang Wuce that Great Yan has come to our aid and Jiangzi City’s crisis is resolved!”

Seeing Bai Qingyan’s fatigue, Chun Zhi swallowed back her words about a man and woman alone in the same room. Remembering storybook passages about heroes saving beauties and beauties pledging themselves in gratitude, understanding suddenly dawned in her heart.

Perhaps this Ninth Prince’s leading troops to rescue them this time had made their First Miss decide to establish this Great Yan Ninth Prince as her imperial husband?

Chun Zhi dared not ask more questions. Fortunately, their First Miss’s courtyard was entirely guarded by Bai Family people, so there was no worry about outsiders gossiping.

“First Miss, this servant will guard outside. If First Miss has any instructions, please call for this servant!” After speaking, Chun Zhi withdrew, carrying the bird’s nest porridge.

Bai Qingyan exhaled a long breath, walked to the desk, picked up her brush and wrote a letter to her younger brothers and sisters at the front lines, then wrote about rewards for the soldiers who defended Jiangzi City this time. Only when the military physician came to treat Xiao Rongyan with acupuncture did she finally stop writing and rest.

That night, Bai Qingyan watched over Xiao Rongyan all night, changing cold compresses for him throughout the night. Only when dawn was breaking did the fever finally show signs of subsiding.

Bai Qingyan finally felt relieved and dozed off, leaning against the soft cushion placed beside the bed.

Chun Zhi listened carefully, and when she heard no more sounds of Bai Qingyan wringing out clothes in water from inside the room, she called softly: “First Miss…”

Hearing no response, Chun Zhi quietly pushed the door open. Cold wind rushed in, making the candle flames flicker bright and dim.

Seeing through the screen that Bai Qingyan had fallen asleep, she quickly warmed herself by the brazier to dispel the cold, then rubbed her hands together, took a heavy cloak, and carefully draped it over Bai Qingyan. She then tiptoed to extinguish several candles, lowered the thick brocade curtains hanging from the gilt twisted-branch copper hooks, and quietly withdrew from the room.

As soon as Chun Zhi emerged, she saw a Bai Family guard holding several bamboo scrolls stepping through the courtyard gate, saying to Chun Zhi: “Is First Miss awake?”

Chun Zhi quickly made a hushing gesture and waved her hand, glancing toward the room, indicating the guard should move aside to speak so as not to disturb First Miss.

“What’s happened?” Chun Zhi asked the Bai Family guard in a low voice as they moved aside.

“General Liu led troops to pursue the Western Liang scattered forces and hasn’t returned yet. Bailong City has sent grain supplies, and since there’s no one in charge below, General Wang Jin sent it to First Miss. Thinking His Majesty had just fallen asleep not long ago, I took the liberty of bringing two brothers to inspect and receive the delivery. I wanted to bring the documents to First Miss,” the Bai Family guard said.

Chun Zhi received them with both hands: “Give them to me. When First Miss wakes up, this servant will deliver them to First Miss. You should also go rest quickly!”

However long the battle lasted, these Bai Family guards had gone without sleep alongside Bai Qingyan for just as long. These guards also did the grain inspection themselves because they wanted to let their First Miss sleep a little longer, forcing themselves to stay awake for the handover before coming to report.

“Good, then we’ll trouble Miss Chun Zhi.” After speaking, the guard yawned.