“Elder Sister, the wind is strong outside, let’s go back!” She gripped Bai Jinxiu’s hand tightly, not knowing when they would meet again after today’s parting… Both sisters had reddened eyes.

“Go then!” she said in a low voice.

Bai Jinxiu nodded, turning to look at Liu Shi, who was dabbing at her tears with a handkerchief, then solemnly bowed to Dong Shi: “Aunt, I trouble you to take good care of Mother.”

“Good child, get up!” Dong Shi helped Bai Jinxiu to her feet, patting her hand, “Don’t worry!”

Liu Shi was worried about her daughter, but thinking of how Bai Qingyan had used her military achievements from Nanjiang to secure her daughter a super first-rank imperial mandate, and had personally requested the Crown Prince to escort Bai Jinxiu back to Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion, her gaze inevitably fell on the frail Bai Qingyan, her heart aching like oil being fried.

That was the battlefield of Nanjiang, where nine out of ten died—all the Bai family men had perished there. If Bai Qingyan couldn’t return, how could she find peace for the rest of her life?!

“Mother, your child is leaving!”

After Bai Jinxiu spoke, she turned and boarded the carriage, taking one deep look at her eldest sister before bowing to enter the carriage compartment.

That day, Second Miss Bai Jinxiu of the Bai family rode in the Grand Princess’s carriage, with the Crown Prince personally escorting her along with Third Miss and Fourth Miss of the Bai family back to Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion. When the common people heard this, they all praised the Bai family’s upright character and integrity.

They say that husband and wife are birds of the same forest who fly apart when disaster strikes. If someone else’s husband’s family encountered trouble and was under siege, and the wife happened to be at her natal home for mourning, she would naturally stay there to avoid disaster—especially since this Second Miss Bai had nearly lost her life to her two sisters-in-law and had left Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion in anger.

Yet after the Bai family’s funeral affairs were settled, Second Miss Bai resolutely returned to Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion. Her moral character should serve as a model for others.

When the two young ladies of Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion heard that Bai Jinxiu’s return was escorted by the newly appointed Crown Prince, and that the Crown Prince had addressed Bai Jinxiu as his cousin in front of the mansion while instructing the soldiers guarding the mansion to take extra care of Bai Jinxiu and her attendants, they became fearful and uneasy. The younger Second Miss especially shrank in her bed, trembling, and no amount of comfort from Nanny Wu could help.

“What are we going to do now?!” Second Miss Qin curled up in the corner of her bed, shaking uncontrollably, looking at Nanny Wu through tearful eyes, “Now that Bai Jinxiu has returned, we… we’re all going to die, aren’t we?!”

Nanny Wu held a bowl of chicken silk congee, tears streaming down her face: “Don’t be afraid, Second Miss! We don’t need to fear… The Bai family values reputation most, she wouldn’t dare harm you!”

“But precisely because the Bai family values reputation and has a good reputation! Before, my sister and I…” First Miss Qin couldn’t continue, holding her younger brother tightly and choking back tears, “Father is already dead, we three siblings have no one to protect us. She’s returned for revenge! If only Mother were here, Mother would surely protect us!”

While the master and servants in Second Miss Qin’s chambers were in fearful confusion, another imperial edict arrived, nearly causing the two Qin sisters to faint.

The Emperor’s messenger stood outside Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion holding an imperial edict, proclaiming the conferment of Bai Jinxiu as a super first-rank imperial mandate lady.

It was said that this imperial edict was requested immediately by the Crown Prince after escorting Bai Jinxiu back to Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion, fearing she might be bullied, so he entered the palace to plead with the Emperor for this gracious decree.

The common people praised the Crown Prince’s righteousness and the Emperor’s deep affection. For a moment, they recalled how Bai Jinxiu had nearly lost her life at Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion, and connecting this to Qin Dezhao and the Nanjiang grain case, they concluded that Qin Dezhao must have secretly colluded with Prince Liang, Liu Huanzhang, and their ilk to harm the Bai family men. Otherwise, how would he dare to brazenly allow his daughters to harm the newly married Second Miss of the Bai family?

Though Marquis Zhongyong Qin Dezhao was dead, his infamy spread throughout the realm. Prince Liang’s reputation was no better either. For personal gain, they had harmed the pillars of the nation, the backbone of Great Jin, causing loyal souls to perish in Nanjiang and forcing Great Jin to humble itself by sending envoys to seek peace with Nanyan and Xiliang. What humiliation!

When Liu Huanzhang’s treason was combined with the Nanjiang grain case, even common people with some insight could piece together the complete picture, let alone Lu Jin, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, who held human and material evidence.

However, Minister Lu Jin was puzzled in his heart. Whether it was the Emperor or any prince who could compete for the position of heir apparent, now that Jin faced the combined armies of Nanyan and Xiliang pressing at the borders, with the Bai family going all out to eliminate enemies for the Kingdom, Prince Xin wouldn’t be so foolish as to harm the Bai family generals before the great battle was won, even if he wanted military glory.

If it was truly as Prince Liang claimed—that he was following Prince Xin’s orders—then Prince Xin himself was in Nanjiang. Wouldn’t he fear being buried there along with them?!

If Prince Liang was falsely accusing Prince Xin to save himself, why would Prince Liang do such a thing? Even if Prince Xin died in Nanjiang, the only heir could only be Prince Qi, not him!

Incomprehensible… incomprehensible!

Lu Jin sat in the dimly lit prison of the Court of Judicial Review, listening to Tong Ji’s screams during torture, pondering repeatedly.

“Sir, this fellow has fainted.”

Hearing the torturer’s report, Lu Jin tapped the table with his knuckles and said methodically: “Splash him awake, continue the interrogation…”

Bai Mansion.

“Everyone outside is saying this is the Crown Prince’s benevolence! Second Madam… our Second Miss has become a super first-rank imperial mandate lady at such a young age—she’s the first in the entire capital!”

Hearing the servant woman’s congratulations, Second Madam Liu Shi wasn’t particularly happy.

Liu Shi knew clearly in her heart how her daughter had obtained this super first-rank imperial mandate—it was something Bai Qingyan would risk her life in Nanjiang to exchange for!

Liu Shi’s eyes reddened. Remembering her daughter’s instructions, she pressed her handkerchief to her chest and said: “Go… bring the heart-protecting mirror I had made for the young master before New Year.”

The heart-protecting mirror was something Liu Shi had commissioned before New Year for her son. Who knew that before she could arrange to send it to Nanjiang, her son was already gone.

A few days ago, when Nanny Luo returned carrying this completed heart-protecting mirror, Liu Shi was moved to tears by the sight and had Nanny Luo store it at the bottom of a chest.

Since Bai Qingyan was now going to Nanjiang, she as an aunt was powerless… unable to help, so she would give this heart-protecting mirror to her, praying to gods and buddhas to keep her safe!

In Qinghui Courtyard, Nanny Tong and Chun Tao had already begun packing Bai Qingyan’s luggage for Nanjiang.

Bai Qingyan had Chun Tao find her silver armor, red-tasseled spear, and Sun-Shooting Bow.

Chun Tao sighed and ordered servants to bring in the dusty red wooden chest. Inside lay Bai Qingyan’s silver battle armor, red-tasseled spear, and Sun-Shooting Bow.

Standing in the flickering firelight, Bai Qingyan saw the heavily worn bone thumb ring placed on top of the silver armor. She picked it up and gently slipped it onto her thumb, examining it carefully in the lamplight.

The thumb ring was also called an archer’s ring. This was a gift from her grandfather when she was learning to use the Sun-Shooting Bow. Created for drawing bowstrings, but later, as the aristocratic families of Jin who had earned their titles through martial prowess under Emperor Gaozu became unwilling to have their descendants practice martial arts, this item had become merely an ornamental accessory for noble families.

The marrow cavity of the one in her hand had been stained a thin layer of black by sweat, far from matching her grandfather’s black jade-banded ring, which was considered a masterpiece of its time.