In the letter, Bai Qingyan informed her younger brothers and sisters about what she had already discussed with Yan Nation’s ruler Murong Li and Yan Nation’s Ninth Prince Murong Yan… the matter of determining the winner between the two nations through national policies and merging the two countries into one.

After reading the letter, Bai Qingqi and Bai Jinxiu developed some admiration for Murong Li, the young Yan Emperor. They had not expected that despite his young age, the Yan Emperor would possess such magnanimity and courage, able to place the people before power.

In the letter, Bai Qingyan also mentioned that deploying troops at Yan Nation’s border was precisely to pave the way for Murong Li to propose the merger strategy to his court ministers. Therefore, the Great Zhou must obtain Yunjing, so that when Murong Li proposed the merger strategy, the Great Zhou could present Yunjing as a gift to the Yan Nation.

Reading the letter, Bai Qingqi understood why his elder sister wanted to use national policies with Yan Nation… using which nation could make the people prosperous and strong as a wager to determine the fate of both countries. This way, regardless of whose national policy proved superior, regardless of who gained the realm, it would benefit the people without harm!

The nation whose policies could make the people prosperous and strong would naturally implement its policy guidelines after the two countries merged. Such policies, tested through this competition, would certainly be those already proven through practice and effective, only making the other nation’s people live better lives!

Elder sister was putting into practice the original intention of the Bai family when the Bai Family Army was first established…

Looking at his elder sister’s handwritten letter, Bai Qingqi’s restless heart gradually calmed down.

Just moments ago, Bai Qingqi had been thinking that, seeing how the Yan army from top to bottom was quite dissatisfied with the Bai family moving into the Xiliang Imperial Palace, whether he should make early preparations.

He had been blinded by a single leaf.

Their Bai Family Army’s warfare should never have been about competing for territory.

They fought for the unification of the realm and the welfare of the people. This was the meaning of the Bai family’s journey in this world – not to live mediocrely, not to drift with the tide, not to struggle for power and profit, but… to fight for that aspiration stored in their hearts, for achievements worthy of being remembered by future generations, to leave their names in history, to strive to transform this world into the one they envisioned in their hearts.

Only this could be considered not having come to this world in vain.

Wei Zhong glanced toward the screen and asked in a low voice, “Is Fifth Young Master in danger?”

“With Physician Hong here, there should be no serious problem!” Bai Jinxiu didn’t know if these words were to comfort Wei Zhong or herself. “Eunuch Wei has also traveled a long way and must be tired. Please go rest first!”

“Right now, this old servant cannot rest yet. This old servant has orders to go see Great Yan’s Ninth Prince.” Wei Zhong said respectfully, “Additionally, there’s another matter His Majesty asked this old servant to inquire about with Third Young Master. Among those around Old General Cui Shanzhong in Xiliang… were any of those who knew about the Yan Nation Empress Dowager’s dealings with Old General Cui Shanzhong captured alive?”

Bai Qingqi nodded. Bai Qingqi had kept this matter in mind early on. Before storming into the Xiliang Imperial Palace, he had sent people to closely watch those few trusted subordinates around Old General Cui Shanzhong, ordering them to capture these subordinates alive, and they must be taken alive.

At that time, he didn’t know about Yan Nation and the Great Zhou’s plan to merge based on competing national policies. He just felt that since his elder sister had already deployed troops at Yan Nation’s border, intending to attack Yan Nation, then the reason for sending troops must be justified and supported by solid evidence.

This evidence need not convince everyone in the realm, but it must at least convince the soldiers fighting for Great Zhou, so that Great Zhou can unite their morale.

“We captured Old General Cui Shanzhong’s trusted subordinates. A’Jue interrogated them through the night yesterday…” Bai Qingqi beckoned to the guards outside, “I’ll have someone take Eunuch Wei to see them.”

“Thank you, Third Young Master!”

·

After Xiao Rongyan had Bai Qingyu transported and properly settled by Great Zhou’s soldiers, he ordered that Li Tianjiao and Old General Cui Shanzhong be given honorable burials.

However, Xiao Rongyan did not settle within the Xiliang Imperial Palace. Instead, he withdrew and, after Great Zhou’s army and Yan army cleared out the residences of Xiliang’s eight great families, moved into the most spacious Yun family residence.

This caused much speculation throughout Great Yan.

After all, what the Great Zhou and Yan Nation had originally agreed upon was that whichever side first stormed into the Great Zhou Imperial Palace would gain Yunjing.

Although it was the Great Zhou army’s Bai Qingqi who arrived first at the main hall of the Xiliang Imperial Palace to rescue people, their Ninth Prince had arrived earlier than Bai Qingqi. Moreover, while the Great Zhou’s army controlled the palace’s north gate, their Yan army also controlled the palace’s east gate simultaneously.

Yan Nation’s grand army and Great Zhou’s army should be considered to have reached the palace at the same time. The Ninth Prince had also stood outside the hall together with Great Zhou’s Fifth Young Master to witness the death of Xiliang Emperor Li Tianjiao. So whether Yunjing should belong to Yan Nation or Great Zhou was questioned not only by Great Zhou’s generals but equally by Yan Nation’s generals.

Subsequently, generals from both Yan Nation and Great Zhou began arguing endlessly over who had stormed into Yunjing first and whether Yunjing should belong to Great Zhou or Yan Nation, nearly coming to blows.

Had Bai Jinzhi not arrived in time to restrain her soldiers, having just finished fighting Xiliang, the Great Zhou and the Yan Nation might have started fighting each other.

Bai Jinzhi knew that Yan Nation’s Ninth Prince was her brother-in-law, but her heart was also drumming with uncertainty like the soldiers of both sides – should Yunjing belong to Great Zhou or Yan Nation?

However, Bai Jinzhi felt the possibility of it belonging to the Great Zhou was somewhat greater. Setting aside other matters, just considering this time… without her Fifth Brother and the Bai Family Army’s desperate struggle to open the north and east gates, neither the Yan army nor the Great Zhou army could have entered!

Moreover, the Great Zhou could have originally opened only the north gate, or the north and south gates. Then Third Brother’s forces and her forces stormed into Yunjing, and by the time they had stormed into the palace, the Yan army entering from the east might not have been able to get in.

Lu Yuanpeng had also nearly come to blows with Yan Nation’s generals. Although he was stopped by Cheng Yuanzhi, he was still extremely displeased and followed Cheng Yuanzhi back to receive military discipline.

Upon entering the temporary barracks, Cheng Yuanzhi casually threw his riding whip on the table and asked, “Do you know what you did wrong?!”

Lu Yuanpeng stiffened his neck: “I don’t know what I did wrong! I’m not wrong! Yan Nation stabbed us in the back and caused Bai Qingyu and our Bai Family Army to be captured alive! They caused the Bai family’s elder sister to give birth prematurely! This time, storming into Yunjing, without so many of our Bai Family Army soldiers sacrificing their lives to open the east gate, could Yan Nation have entered? What right do they have to compete with our Great Zhou for Yunjing? Under that east gate’s winch mechanism… they’re all corpses of our Bai Family Army soldiers. General, have you gone to look?!”

Lu Yuanpeng became more agitated as he spoke, his eyes reddening.

Cheng Yuanzhi slammed his large hand heavily on the table: “What I’m asking you is, after shouting there for so long and hearing the Yan army speak of our Bai Family Army that way, why didn’t you strike? That Yan Nation person was just standing there, acting cheaply and asking you to hit him… why didn’t you hit him?! When he said our Bai Family Army was happy to open the city gates for them, and it wasn’t their request, why didn’t you hit him?! What are your hands and legs for?!”

Lu Yuanpeng was stunned, then immediately rolled up his sleeves: “I’ll go right now and beat those Yan army soldiers to the ground! Beat them until they submit!”