This time, the Emperor mobilized the entire nation’s strength to gather fifty thousand troops for the expedition to Nan Jiang. The official roads along the way were certainly smooth. Xiao Ruohai had thoughtfully placed a chessboard on the wooden table, probably to relieve Bai Qingyan’s boredom during the journey.

Inside the carriage’s hidden compartments were books, along with easily stored pastries and snacks, a small stove for brewing tea, a complete set of tea utensils, copper braziers for warmth, and even small items like incense burners were all neatly arranged—truly a thoughtful preparation.

Now His Majesty had already sent peace negotiation envoys ahead to stabilize the situation, and then ordered the Crown Prince to personally lead troops on the expedition. His intention for renewed warfare was evident.

The Crown Prince, knowing that speed was crucial in military matters, dared not delay. Throughout the journey, the bumpy carriage ride made him clutch a spittoon and vomit several times, yet he never complained nor ordered the troops to slow their advance, enduring it all through sheer willpower.

The fifty thousand soldiers were settled in the camp. The Crown Prince’s carriage was respectfully invited by the local prefect to rest in his mansion. The prefect’s banquet invitation was declined by the Crown Prince, whose complexion was poor.

Since the banquet was already prepared and the Crown Prince was too weary to honor them with his presence, the prefect warmly invited the advisors the Crown Prince had brought along. Bai Qingyan claimed illness and did not attend.

Having not entered a military camp for many years, Bai Qingyan stood atop a small hill overlooking the camp’s training ground. Banners fluttered all around, and the high braziers’ flames danced, illuminating the training ground as bright as daylight. Soldiers surrounded two centurions engaged in hand-to-hand combat, their cheering growing louder with each round—truly a lively scene.

Cold wind swept past, yet Bai Qingyan found this scene incredibly familiar, feeling like a wanderer returning home.

“Young Master, the wind is strong—let’s go back!” Xiao Ruohai, following behind Bai Qingyan, said in a low voice.

She nodded while holding her hand warmer and walked down from the hill, asking, “Where is Xiao Si now?”

“Fourth Young Master has been following the army and has already settled in an inn in the city. Young Master, rest assured—this subordinate has sent people to secretly protect Fourth Young Master and will certainly not let anything happen to him,” Xiao Ruohai said, lowering his voice.

“Before we depart tomorrow, bring her to see me! Also… send word to Mother and Third Aunt to put their minds at ease.”

“Yes!” Xiao Ruohai responded.

Qin Shangzhi stood with his accompanying servant boy not far away. Seeing Bai Qingyan in men’s clothing from a distance, he smiled and bowed deeply to the ground with a very respectful posture.

Bai Qingyan smiled as she exchanged glances with Qin Shangzhi.

Since Qin Shangzhi had specifically come here to wait for Bai Qingyan, he must have something to say. Now that Bai Qingyan was traveling in men’s clothing, there was no need to be overly concerned about the propriety between men and women.

Xiao Ruohai prepared tea and water, then stood up beside Bai Qingyan, using his peripheral vision to quietly observe this Mr. Qin, who had once been a guest at the Bai mansion and had now become the Crown Prince’s advisor.

Bai Qingyan and Qin Shangzhi sat facing each other across a table.

“Since our parting on the tenth, I never expected that when I see you again today, sir, you would already be the Crown Prince’s advisor. I raise this tea in place of wine to congratulate you, sir.” Bai Qingyan lifted the steaming teacup before her.

Qin Shangzhi glanced at Xiao Ruohai. Seeing that Bai Qingyan had no intention of dismissing him, he knew this person was Bai Qingyan’s confidant. He raised his cup and took a light sip of tea, then set down his cup and said, “Does the eldest miss know that this journey to Nan Jiang… for the eldest miss, is fraught with danger?”

She set down her teacup and sat upright, grasping the half-cooled hand warmer in her hands, looking at Qin Shangzhi and saying, “That sir can come to tell me these four words ‘fraught with danger,’ I am deeply grateful.”

“Qin was once sheltered by the eldest miss and was able to survive. Therefore, I come to disturb you tonight to inform the eldest miss… regardless of whether the eldest miss wins or loses this time, His Majesty cannot allow the eldest miss to remain alive in this world!” Qin Shangzhi’s expression was solemn, as if he had made a firm decision. “Qin has a plan that could allow the eldest miss to escape before reaching Nan Jiang.”

Bai Qingyan, wearing a plain white robe with subtle patterns and left-crossing collar, looked at Qin Shangzhi and slowly said, “Sir, my honor, disgrace, and life are not worth mentioning. I must go to Nan Jiang.”

Qin Shangzhi did not ask why. Looking at the slender woman in men’s clothing before him, he suddenly remembered that day when soldiers’ families had caused trouble at the Duke’s mansion gates, and Bai Qingyan’s resounding words: she said the front lines were dangerous, but someone must go! Because there, tens of thousands of people had no one to protect them!

She had pointed to the plaque above her head, saying that the two characters “Zhen Guo” meant… never to return without destroying the bandits who offend our Jin people, to die before retreating! Born for the people, dying for the Kingdom! Only to protect our Great Jin people’s peaceful mountains and rivers free from worry and fear, with no regrets in life or death!

Under the oil lamp’s candlelight, Qin Shangzhi’s hands, resting on his knees, slowly clenched. Remembering Bai Qingyan’s resounding words from that day, his heart surged with passion.

The Bai family truly passed down loyalty and righteousness as their family tradition, carving service to Kingdom and people into their very bones.

Though the Bai family men had perished in Nan Jiang, as long as the Bai family’s spirit and backbone remained unextinguished, the Bai family could exist immortally in the long flow of history, where all aristocratic families were like ephemeral flowers.

Qin Shangzhi respectfully bowed: “The Bai clan of Duke Zhenguo’s mansion—all heroes worthy of admiration and respect!”

Qin Shangzhi was a gentleman, and with a gentleman’s heart he measured Bai Qingyan’s intentions… naturally assuming that Bai Qingyan’s journey to Nan Jiang today was like Duke Zhenguo Bai Weiting of years past, solely to protect the people and defend the Kingdom.

Since their acquaintance was shallow, deep words could not be spoken. Bai Qingyan did not wish to explain further to Qin Shangzhi, calmly accepting this bow on behalf of her grandfather and father.

The next day, at the hour of Yin.

The vast training ground had only banners fluttering in response. Under the bright moonlight, Bai Qingyan’s slender figure stood at the archery range, pulling the Sun-Shooting Bow to full draw with an extremely standard and beautiful form. Unfortunately, before she could shoot the arrow, she was already exhausted. As the breath in her abdomen dispersed, unable to control the momentum, the feathered arrow shot out a short distance before limply falling to the ground. She too bent over, supporting herself on her knees while gasping heavily, the muscles in both arms aching and trembling.

Beads of sweat dripped down from her jaw, drip by drip. Her robe front was already soaked with sweat, and her lungs felt as if they were about to explode from the discomfort.

Bai Qingyan’s body was weak, and her strength could not compare to before, but her body’s memory of archery remained. Though she said she was starting over, she was not truly a beginner after all. Moreover, during this period, Bai Qingyan had been wearing iron sandbags daily, so her strength had recovered somewhat.

After resting while supporting her knees for a moment, Bai Qingyan straightened up, drew an arrow from the quiver, and continued practicing.

In her previous life, to recover her martial skills, she had practiced day and night, enduring pain a hundred times worse than this. What was this little discomfort before her? It was far from worthy of attention. She knew she could certainly do better each time.

Readjusting her breathing, nocking the arrow, drawing the string…

Xiao Ruohai stood to one side, watching Bai Qingyan’s resilient figure, remembering how she looked as a child when forced to practice archery. The eldest miss had always been like this from childhood to adulthood—never giving up easily on anything! If she chose not to do something, so be it, but if she chose to do it, she would do it to perfection, no matter how much suffering or hardship she had to endure during the process, never becoming discouraged.

In those days, everyone said Young Marshal Bai had exceptional natural talent and superior martial skills, but no one knew how much suffering Bai Qingyan had endured and how much hardship she had suffered for those martial abilities.

Now starting over from the beginning, besides that same tenacity and fighting spirit from before, Bai Qingyan had less impatience and more composure and steadiness.

In just a few short days, from being unable to even draw an ordinary bow to gradually drawing the Sun-Shooting Bow bit by bit, Bai Qingyan’s progress could truly be called rapid advancement—progress by leaps and bounds.