“It’s precisely because you don’t know where you’ll be transferred in the future that we need to quickly arrange a marriage for you, preferably getting the wedding done!” Lu Yuanpeng’s mother sighed again, thinking about this matter. “Originally, with your achievement in pacifying Western Liang this time and being granted a generalship, I thought we could arrange a good marriage for you. Now everything’s been wasted! You really… you’re going to be the death of me! Now I can only look for a match from my maternal family. I’m thinking about your uncle…”

Seeing his mother seemed to be getting serious, Lu Yuanpeng quickly grabbed his mother’s hand. “Mother, mother, mother! Please stop talking! Your son is so capable, earning back a generalship is a trivial matter! Why don’t you wait until I’m granted a generalship in the future before discussing marriage? Besides… Sima Ping and I are such close friends that we could share the same pants. Sima Ping hasn’t settled his marriage yet—how could I have the nerve to get engaged first? If we’re going to get engaged, we should do it together!”

“Speaking of the Sima family, let me tell you… You’d better have less contact with Sima Ping in the future!” Lu Yuanpeng’s mother picked up her teacup and told Lu Yuanpeng about Princess Xiangxie’s matter. “Now that Sima Yan has been exiled, although Sima Ping’s elder brother seems safe and sound, Princess Xiangxie currently has His Majesty’s favor. If she truly wants revenge, not one member of the Sima family will escape.”

“Mother, what are you saying! First, Sister Bai isn’t someone who listens to one side and believes it. Second… one matter is one matter. Sima Ping and I have a good friendship, and on the battlefield, Sima Ping has saved my life multiple times! People can’t be so heartless. If that Princess Xiangxie wants to deal with Sima Ping, even if it means offending Sister Bai, I’d beat that so-called Princess Xiangxie into such a pig-headed mess that even her mother wouldn’t recognize her!” Lu Yuanpeng said angrily. “Mother, don’t say such things anymore! I don’t like hearing it!”

His grandfather was the Grand Commandant of the Great Zhou—such a powerful backing. Surely he could still choose his friends? That would be the world’s greatest joke…

“You…” Lu Yuanpeng’s mother wanted to scold him, but seeing Lu Yuanpeng’s stubborn attitude and thinking of the injuries on her son’s body, she swallowed her anger and didn’t argue with him. Anyway, both Sima Ping and Lu Yuanpeng had been beaten now, so at least for a while, the two wouldn’t be mixing.

“Fine, fine! I won’t say anymore! You just focus on healing!” Lu Yuanpeng’s mother tucked in his blanket and whispered instructions, “Be good these few days and don’t anger your grandfather anymore. Mother will go find your sister, Fenglang, and have her speak to your grandfather on your behalf. Your sister is quite accomplished now! Your grandfather is especially pleased!”

“I’ve always said my sister is someone even most men can rarely match! This is all thanks to Sister Bai allowing women to study and take imperial examinations, allowing women to serve as court officials! Sister Bai truly is a good emperor!” Lu Yuanpeng didn’t hold any grudge against Bai Qingyan for having him beaten. Within three sentences, he was praising Bai Qingyan in every way.

With Lu Yuanpeng’s conversation turning to praise Bai Qingyan again, his mother’s heart grew heavy with worry, fearing that her foolish son truly had romantic feelings for the current emperor. With her son’s personality, he probably couldn’t be an imperial husband.

But surely he wouldn’t want to be a consort, sharing one wife with others?

Living long in this world where men were superior to women, Lu Yuanpeng’s mother could accept a female emperor… could even accept a female emperor having three or four husbands, but she couldn’t accept her son being one of those three or four husbands.

“Madam… Young Master!” A personal attendant entered and bowed. “Prince Gaoyi has come to the residence. She said she visited Young Master Sima at the Sima residence and then came to check on our Young Master.”

“What is she doing visiting when men and women should be kept separate!” Lu Yuanpeng’s ears suddenly turned red. “Quick, tell her to leave!”

“You child!” Lu Yuanpeng’s mother scolded him, then personally went out to receive Bai Jinzhi.

Bai Jinzhi had originally wanted to come to mock Lu Yuanpeng, but since this wasn’t a military camp and there were proper separations between men and women, she ultimately didn’t get to see Lu Yuanpeng as she wished. However, she had brought medicine prepared by Physician Hong for Lu Yuanpeng’s injuries. With this medicine applied, Lu Yuanpeng should recover quickly.

Lu Yuanpeng’s mother accompanied Bai Jinzhi for tea, then respectfully escorted her out of the residence. She couldn’t help but feel moved—the bonds of comrades who had shed blood together were truly different. Lu Yuanpeng had been beaten with military rods, yet Prince Gaoyi personally came to deliver healing medicine. How thoughtful.

The current emperor valued his siblings most. Lu Yuanpeng’s friendship with Prince Gaoyi would be very beneficial for his prospects.

Xie Xun was arranged to stay in the same residence as Yan’s First Prince and Second Prince, Murong Ping, in the capital. After all, they were hostages, and the three couldn’t live separately in individual mansions as they had in Yan.

However, fortunately, Bai Qingyan had already given instructions to treat these three Yan princes and the general who came as hostages for the nation-gambling agreement well. The residence was large and exquisite, with the three living in separate courtyards, so they had ample space.

Not only that, Bai Qingyan didn’t assign Great Zhou people to reside in this courtyard. Instead, she entrusted all matters concerning the safety of the First Prince, Murong Ping, and General Xie Xun to the Imperial Guards sent by Murong Li, and didn’t restrict the three from going out.

The First Prince, having never dealt with Bai Qingyan or Great Zhou’s generals, still felt somewhat uneasy. Murong Ping, having had some interactions with Bai Qingyan and her siblings… and Great Zhou’s generals, wasn’t particularly anxious after arriving in the capital.

As for Yan’s General Xie Xun, having traveled back with various Bai family generals, these Bai family generals hadn’t treated him as a hostage throughout the journey. Especially Great Zhou’s Duke Zhenguo, Bai Qingyu—Xie Xun felt somewhat like he’d met him too late, and the two could be considered kindred spirits.

The First Prince had heard early in the morning about the Bai Family Army generals kneeling before Wude Gate, pleading with Great Zhou’s emperor to permit attacking Yan. He was so frightened he couldn’t eat breakfast and fell ill.

It wasn’t until noon, when he heard that the Bai Family Army generals had all been beaten, that the First Prince finally felt relieved. He then suppressed his fearful emotions and sent word to Bai Qingyan, saying he wanted to enter the palace to apologize to Bai Qingyan on behalf of his mother, Yan’s Empress Dowager.

When the message reached Bai Qingyan, she was holding a letter sent by Xiao Rongyan’s people.

Knowing that this Yan First Prince was anxious about Empress Dowager Yan’s past betrayal of Great Zhou, and having heard about last night’s incident of Great Zhou generals gathering to request imperial orders to attack Yan, he was feeling apprehensive. So having just arrived in Great Zhou, he was quickly showing his position by wanting to come apologize for Empress Dowager Yan.

Although his posture seemed somewhat too humble, he clearly understood that with Yan’s hostages now in Great Zhou’s hands, if Great Zhou truly went to war with Yan, Yan would inevitably be constrained.