After Weisu finished speaking, he added: “However, Weisu will arrange for the message to be delivered to Master in the shortest time possible! Please rest assured, Third Miss!”

Bai Jintong frowned deeply and said, “Arrange this matter quickly! But I truly don’t need you to rescue me here. My eldest sister has given me enough people, and there are many others that outsiders don’t know about! Go!”

“Yes!”

The window lattice swayed. Weisu had hastily met with Bai Jintong and couldn’t say much more. Before the people secretly monitoring Bai Jintong could arrive, he disappeared again into Yan’s capital among the layered eaves of wine houses and their colorful lantern night scenes.

On the twentieth day of the first month in the third year of Yuanhe, Great Zhou’s emperor departed from Anshun City, returning to Great Zhou.

On the first day of the second month in the third year of Yuanhe, Prince Gaoyi led the Bai family army escorting medicinal herbs and provisions to arrive at Bianjing, where they rested in place awaiting the Great Zhou’s emperor.

On the third day of the second month in the third year of Yuanhe, the Great Zhou’s emperor arrived at Bianliang, with common people lining the streets to welcome him.

The wind in Bianliang City wasn’t strong, but the sky was overcast, with sleet falling intermittently. Based on past years’ experience, heavy snow would likely follow soon after.

Inside Bianliang City, outside the mansion where Bai Qingyan was temporarily staying, Bai Jinzhi was anxiously waiting for her eldest sister. As soon as she saw Bai Qingyan’s carriage appear in her sight, Bai Jinzhi cheerfully ran down the steps in front of the mansion entrance and rushed toward the carriage…

Wei Zhong beside the carriage saw Bai Jinzhi and smiled as he bowed to her. He then watched as Bai Jinzhi leaped onto the moving carriage and crawled into the warm interior: “Eldest sister…”

Bai Qingyan, who had been leaning against the cushions reading, set down her ancient text and looked at Bai Jinzhi, still as impetuous as ever. Thinking of Lu Yuanpeng coming to Yan with her, before she could ask, she saw Bai Jinzhi take out a letter from her sleeve that Dong Shi had asked her to bring to Bai Qingyan: “Eldest sister, this is what Great Aunt asked me to bring you before I left!”

Bai Qingyan opened the letter and read it. Inside were things their mother had written about Kangle and Xile’s affairs, along with reminders for her to take good care of herself. She also mentioned that currently in the capital, everyone was saying that the Bai family’s third madam, Li Shi… mistreated her stepdaughter, and some even spread rumors that this Third Miss of the Bai family must have done something to displease His Majesty, which was why she hadn’t been granted a princely title.

People were saying things like how Bai family women had never shown cowardice on the battlefield even when injured, so why would this Third Miss refuse to see people and even avoid going to battlefields just because her face was scarred?

Bai Jinzhi was also complaining about this matter: “Originally, quite a few people came to my mother to sound her out, wanting to arrange marriages with Third Sister. But these rumors came from who knows where, and now everyone says Third Sister made some mistake. Not a single person comes to propose marriage anymore! Eldest sister, I also think it’s unfair that only the Third Sister in our family hasn’t been granted a princely title. Why don’t we grant Third Sister a title when we return to the capital this time? If that won’t work… it doesn’t matter if I don’t get a noble rank – let Third Sister become Prince Gaoyi!”

Bai Qingyan listened to the sound of sleet striking the elm wood carriage and tapped Bai Jinzhi on the forehead: “Stop trying to manipulate me with your words! You think eldest sister can’t tell…”

Bai Jinzhi rubbed her forehead, frowning: “Eldest sister is unfair to Third Sister!”

“Don’t worry, Third Sister will naturally have her noble rank!” Bai Qingyan said with a smile. “It’s just not the right time yet!”

Bai Jintong had worked the hardest for the Bai family and the Great Zhou. How could Bai Qingyan forget? When the day came for Bai Jintong to return with honor would be when Bai Jintong received her princely title.

Bai Qingyan had long thought of the title: Prince Anguo…

The Great Zhou had been able to seize opportunities several times because of the intelligence Bai Jintong sent back from her travels in various places. The ink powder was also brought back by the people Bai Jintong sent. With such a prince in the nation… only then could there be peace and stability!

Therefore, Bai Jintong was worthy of the two characters “Anguo.”

“Hehe! With my eldest sister’s word, I’m relieved!” Bai Jinzhi smiled as she reached out to warm her hands over the brazier. She had grown up with Bai Jintong since childhood. Although Bai Jintong was born of a concubine, she was raised at Li Shi’s knee, and to Li Shi, she was like a biological daughter. Li Shi knew that Bai Jintong wasn’t on the mountain but had been sent out by Bai Qingyan to do something that couldn’t be spoken of. Even though Li Shi worried in her heart, she couldn’t keep pressing for answers. All her maternal love could only be vented on Bai Jinzhi alone – whenever Bai Jinzhi was around, she would constantly fuss over her.

Bai Jinzhi missed her Third Sister, and her wish for Third Sister to return was very pure. Third Sister was older than her, so when Third Sister returned, any marriage discussions would naturally involve Third Sister first, which could at least help her deflect some of her mother’s attention.

Bai Jinzhi helped Bai Qingyan down from the carriage and saw Lu Yuanpeng also standing at the mansion entrance. He was at the age of growing taller, and since their last parting, Lu Yuanpeng seemed to have grown quite a bit taller.

Perhaps because he was now engaged, Lu Yuanpeng appeared much more mature than before. Upon seeing Bai Qingyan, he didn’t rush forward warmly like Bai Jinzhi did to call her “Bai family sister,” but respectfully bowed to Bai Qingyan: “Your Majesty…”

Bai Qingyan, with her noble bearing and clear, beautiful features, smiled gently at Lu Yuanpeng with her usual warmth: “Rise, no need for such formality!”

Only then did Lu Yuanpeng raise his head and step aside from the entrance to invite Bai Qingyan in. As he accompanied her inside, he said: “This is the mansion where our Great Zhou’s garrison general lives. The servants are all old hands brought from our capital. Since they only had three years here and didn’t bring family members, the back courtyard is quite quiet. Prince Gaoyi and I arrived early, and Prince Gaoyi discovered that one courtyard resembled Your Majesty’s Qinghui Courtyard in the capital, so he had it cleaned up inside and out.”

“Xiao Si was thoughtful!” Bai Qingyan patted Bai Jinzhi’s head.

“Of course…” Bai Jinzhi wasn’t modest at all.

Entering the courtyard, Bai Qingyan saw that it indeed resembled Qinghui Courtyard by about sixty percent. Though it wasn’t as refined as Bai Qingyan’s Qinghui Courtyard, which her grandfather had later carefully arranged with exquisite details everywhere, the layout and size were quite similar.

On this journey, Bai Qingyan had switched from horseback to carriage and wasn’t particularly tired. After washing and changing clothes, Bai Qingyan had Bai Jinzhi accompany her for lunch and ordered Wei Zhong to take all the servants outside.

She picked up some crispy duck with her chopsticks and placed it in the gold-rimmed dish in front of Bai Jinzhi, asking: “This Lu Yuanpeng is already engaged. What do you think of Sima Ping?”

Bai Jinzhi, who was drinking soup, nearly choked and looked up with wide eyes at her eldest sister: “Eldest sister, why are you asking the same thing as Sima Ping?”

Hearing this, Bai Qingyan set down her chopsticks: “Sima Ping has revealed his feelings to you? That’s rather rare…”

“It was when news spread about Lu Yuanpeng’s engagement to the eldest daughter of Wei Bugong’s family. Sima Ping came to our house to talk about Lu Yuanpeng’s engagement and asked if I would be sad if he were the one getting engaged…”

“How did you answer?” Bai Qingyan pressed.