Bai Qingyan believed that Liu Pinggao and the others would certainly compete with Cheng Yuanzhi, eager to accompany her to the dangerous lands of Yan.
“I understand eldest sister’s intention!” Bai Qingjue stood up, gave Bai Qingyan a formal bow, then went out to make arrangements.
After Bai Qingjue left, Bai Qingyan picked up her brush and wrote a letter to Xiao Rongyan, informing him of her plans to go to Yan and asking him to order the border garrison to allow her to bring medicinal herbs and escort troops into Yan.
She calculated the timing—by the time her messenger caught up with Xiao Rongyan and his orders reached the border garrison, it would be just about right for when Bai Qingyan finished collecting herbs and arrived at Dongguan City on Yan’s border.
Bai Qingyan planned to collect medicinal materials along the way to Yan, gathering some from each city they passed through. Little by little would add up to much. If she tried to gather everything from just one or two cities, it might destabilize drug prices and affect the local people’s ability to purchase herbs. Not to mention those profit-seeking merchants might develop hoarding schemes at this critical moment when Yan already had an epidemic outbreak.
After finishing and sealing the letter with wax, Bai Qingyan was about to call for Xingchen when she remembered she had left Xingchen in the Eastern Yi capital, by Tuoba Yao’s side, commanding Xingchen to protect Tuoba Yao’s safety.
“Wei Su…” Bai Qingyan called.
The candle flame flickered, and Wei Su appeared in the center of the tent, kneeling on one knee: “This subordinate is here!”
She pushed the letter to the other end of the desk: “Deliver this letter immediately to the Regent of Great Yan. There must be no delay.”
Wei Su rose, bent forward, took the letter with both hands, and departed.
Bai Qingyan frowned deeply, calculating the days. November… the Yan territories would be bitterly cold. After the epidemic, she feared snow disasters and famine would follow, so they still needed to quickly find medicine for the epidemic and have Wei Bugong begin transferring grain to Yan territory and Great Zhou cities as a precaution.
As Bai Qingyan had predicted, when Bai Qingjue gathered all the commanders together to ask who was willing to risk danger and accompany him in escorting His Majesty to the Yan territory of Zhou, Cheng Yuanzhi was the first to step forward, saying the Bai Family Army would not shirk this duty, while Liu Pinggao also refused to yield, saying their Anping Army was willing to go.
“Cheng Yuanzhi, now His Majesty has ascended the throne as Emperor, he is the Emperor of our Great Zhou, not merely the Xiao Bai Commander of your Bai Family Army!” Liu Rushi cupped his fists and bowed toward the front, then continued, “Our Anping Army is also His Majesty’s generals. Why should the duty of protecting His Majesty belong only to your Bai Family Army? What kind of reasoning is this!”
“Exactly! Under Heaven, all land belongs to the king; within the realm, all are the king’s subjects! Could it be that His Majesty still belongs exclusively to your Bai Family Army!” A young general behind Liu Pinggao shouted.
“How is he not ours in the Bai Family Army! Don’t you know our designation? We Bai Family Army bear the Bai surname… we are His Majesty’s direct lineage! That Sister Bai is our Bai Family’s Xiao Bai Commander!” Lu Yuanpeng also joined the fray.
Sima Ping stood in the back without restraining Lu Yuanpeng. He could guess the intention of the Bai Family’s Seventh Young Master Bai Qingjue in gathering these major and minor generals here, waiting for the Bai Family Army and Anping Army to quarrel irreconcilably before assigning this escort duty to the Anping Army, letting them understand that His Majesty also valued them.
While it was true that the Bai Family Army was His Majesty’s direct lineage, if His Majesty only trusted the Bai Family Army, it would certainly dishearten the other generals.
Understanding the situation, Sima Ping simply stepped aside, crossed his arms, and leaned against a pillar, watching those muscle-bound, simple-minded brutes argue with red faces, several times rolling up their sleeves ready to fight. He was just thinking about where to get some sunflower seeds to munch on while watching the excitement when he saw Bai Jinzhi enter from outside.
Bai Jinzhi watched as the Bai Family Army, led by Cheng Yuanzhi and Lu Yuanpeng, stood on tiptoes stretching their necks to shout down at Liu Pinggao from their height advantage, while Liu Pinggao, not to be outdone, also stood on tiptoes shouting until his face was red and neck thick, rolling up his sleeves and yelling: “What… does the Bai Family Army want to fight us Anping Army, with whoever wins escorting His Majesty?”
Seeing this situation, Bai Jinzhi remarkably didn’t join in for once. She withdrew outside the door, leaned against a corridor pillar, untied the pouch she had stolen from Yinshuang, opened it, and ate snacks while watching the Bai Family Army generals and Anping Army generals argue themselves hoarse.
Sima Ping noticed Bai Jinzhi’s attitude of enjoying the spectacle, seeing how she couldn’t help but stand up at exciting moments, then restrain herself from making noise, clenching her fists, and secretly cheering for Cheng Yuanzhi and Lu Yuanpeng. Her lively appearance filled his dark eyes with laughter and his brows with tender warmth.
Feeling the timing was about right, Bai Qingjue stood up ready to mediate, but from the corner of his eye, he saw Sima Ping standing with crossed arms. Following Sima Ping’s gaze, he saw Bai Jinzhi outside eating snacks while watching with great interest… even hoping everyone would start fighting. He sighed and spoke: “Generals! Generals, please stop for a moment. This prince has something to say…”
Hearing this, Cheng Yuanzhi turned to Liu Pinggao, who was still baring his teeth, and roared: “Prince Zhongguo has something to say! What are you making noise about? You think your voice is loud? Can you be louder than me, Old Cheng?!”
Liu Pinggao was about to roar back when he heard Bai Qingjue’s voice suddenly rise: “Cheng Yuanzhi, Liu Pinggao, receive your orders!”
The two panting men turned to face Bai Qingjue, along with the other generals, kneeling on one knee awaiting orders. Even Sima Ping hurriedly withdrew his gaze and knelt with the others.
“Cheng Yuanzhi will lead the Bai Family Army with Princess Yinghui to escort Prince Hancheng back to Hancheng, bury Prince Hancheng, then return to the capital!” As soon as Bai Qingjue finished speaking, he saw Cheng Yuanzhi crane his neck to argue, so he stared sternly at Cheng Yuanzhi and said, “Don’t forget what you promised Prince Hancheng—to take good care of Princess Hancheng!”
Thinking of Prince Hancheng, Cheng Yuanzhi suddenly pressed his lips together, cupped his fists, and accepted the order: “Cheng Yuanzhi receives the order!”
“It’s proper for General Cheng to escort Prince Hancheng, but the rest of us in the Bai Family Army can protect His Majesty!” Lu Yuanpeng said, turning to look for Sima Ping kneeling in a distant corner, and continued, “Sima Ping and I would be enough! We can keep His Majesty safe! Seventh Young Master… that’s epidemic territory. Only with the Bai Family Army protecting His Majesty can His Majesty feel at ease!”
“Bullshit! Lu Yuanpeng, I think you…”
“Enough!” Bai Qingjue interrupted the Anping Army general’s words and spoke slowly: “His Majesty is now the Emperor of Great Zhou. Whether Bai Family Army or Anping Army, all are generals of our Great Zhou, all are His Majesty’s generals, all are His Majesty’s direct lineage! No matter who escorts His Majesty… His Majesty will feel at ease! His Majesty originally preferred the Anping Army for escort. Since the Anping Army is willing, let the Anping Army escort His Majesty into Yan.”
“But we…”
Lu Yuanpeng still wanted to fight for it, but was interrupted by Bai Qingjue’s raised hand: “This matter is His Majesty’s will and not open to further discussion! Anyone who disobeys will be punished by military law! Everyone, go prepare!”