With each breath, white mist curled up, blurring her heated eyes. In her ears remained only the orderly, unified sound of the army’s marching steps.

She adjusted her breathing, looked straight ahead, clenched her fists tightly, her chest feeling as uncomfortable as if it were burning with fire.

Which of her grandfather and father had not suffered severe injuries? Who among them had been as delicate as she was?!

They had taught her all their skills—was it so she could pity herself? She had endured all kinds of hardships learning martial arts as a child. After neglecting it for so many years, did she think she could get her martial skills back just by wishing for it?

Heaven is fair—life is half bitter, half sweet.

All this suffering was what she had accumulated over these years of neglect. She had to make up for it to reclaim the martial arts that originally belonged to her. It was all as it should be.

When Xiao Ruohai caught up to the marching troops on horseback, seeing that Bai Qingyan was not sitting in the carriage, he leaped down from his horse and quickly walked to Bai Qingyan’s side, saying: “Young Master, this subordinate was unable to bring back Fourth Miss. Fourth Miss refused to leave with this subordinate, claiming not to know me. That Mr. Xiao said… he is also traveling south on this journey, and since Fourth Miss is Young Master’s sister, he will certainly take good care of her. If Young Master is truly worried, you can personally go to fetch her. Only by seeing Young Master… will he believe that we are Young Master’s people and return Fourth Miss.”

Bai Qingyan’s foot slipped on a stone, and her stiff body nearly fell. Fortunately, Xiao Ruohai caught her in time: “Young Master!”

If her steps faltered, the troops behind would inevitably fall into disorder. She was not some sheltered maiden without military experience. She immediately used Xiao Ruohai’s support to straighten her back and quickened her pace forward: “Understood!”

She found her breathing rhythm and pace again, pondering Xiao Rongyan’s intentions.

He wanted her to personally go fetch Bai Jinzhi?

Bai Qingyan sneered inwardly. For her to leave the marching troops to fetch someone, she would have to explain the situation to the Crown Prince.

Xiao Rongyan probably had some scheme—wanting to travel with the Crown Prince but afraid of being too deliberate, so he thought to use her mouth to pass the message… letting the Crown Prince invite him instead.

After all, the Crown Prince, as an imperial prince accustomed to the prosperity and bustle of the capital, would find the journey in the carriage tedious and boring. Having a kindred spirit who could converse about everything would make it much more bearable.

Xiao Rongyan understood very well the habits and mannerisms of noble imperial relatives.

She couldn’t help but recall those two days when she had been feverish and unconscious, during which the Crown Prince had a private conversation with her grandmother for half an hour. She thought again of how, before departure, her grandmother had almost explicitly indicated that her every word and action must be under the Crown Prince’s watchful eye, never to leave his side.

She thought that the Crown Prince must have promised her grandmother that as long as she harbored no rebellious thoughts on this journey and did nothing harmful to the imperial family within his sight, he would spare her life.

Xiao Ruohai did not urge Bai Qingyan to return to the carriage to rest. He knew Bai Qingyan’s nature well—persuasion would be useless. He simply led his horse and stayed protectively by Bai Qingyan’s side throughout the journey.

When night fell completely, the army finally reached Qufeng.

Bai Qingyan was also nearly exhausted. Sitting in the military quarters, she tremblingly untied the iron sand bags wound around her body. The sand bags were already dripping with water.

While sitting still, she sweated even more than during the march.

Xiao Ruohai ordered someone to bring water for Bai Qingyan and personally stood guard at the door, allowing Bai Qingyan to bathe properly and relieve her fatigue.

The Crown Prince looked at the little eunuch applying medicine to his feet under the lamplight and frowned, asking: “Did the eldest miss of the Bai family walk the entire day?”

Today, he had only walked a few li before blisters formed on his feet, and he could no longer continue, yet this Bai Qingyan, a young lady, had marched with the army for an entire day?!

The Crown Prince’s eunuch Quan Yu finished putting on the Crown Prince’s silk socks and smiled: “This isn’t strange. The eldest miss of the Bai family has accompanied the Duke on campaigns since childhood, so she must be accustomed to it. She doesn’t know how to enjoy her blessings, insisting on tormenting herself!”

“You can’t say that. She’s been ill for years, so her health is much worse than before…” The Crown Prince looked at the flickering candlelight, feeling quite discontented. Had he been outdone by a woman?

“Your Highness is precious as gold and jade, you absolutely cannot lower your status to compare with those who are used to hardship.” Quan Yu cleaned his hands and brought the Crown Prince a bowl of bird’s nest soup at just the right temperature. “Your Highness, please have your bird’s nest and rest early! We still have to travel tomorrow!”

While the Crown Prince sipped his bird’s nest porridge, Quan Yu had already ordered someone to light sleep-inducing incense and prepare the bed.

After the Crown Prince rinsed his mouth, Quan Yu helped him onto the bed, his expression full of reverence: “Your Highness works so hard for the Kingdom and people. The common people will surely remember Your Highness’s kindness. When you return victorious from Nan Jiang, Your Highness will certainly gain even more popular support.”

“Stop flattering!” the Crown Prince said, though his eyes were full of smiles.

The army was to depart at the end of the Mao Hour(05.00 – 06.00)

After Bai Qingyan finished her daily training and returned from the training ground, she changed clothes and washed up, then went to see the Crown Prince at the Mao Hour(05.00 – 06.00) to inform him about Bai Jinzhi’s situation.

“Xiao Si is young and rash, afraid of being sent back to the capital, so she falsely claimed not to recognize the guards beside me. Mr. Xiao also dared not rashly take Xiao Si away, so I would like to trouble Your Highness to have one of your eunuchs fetch Xiao Si from Mr. Xiao.”

As she spoke, Bai Qingyan nodded respectfully toward Quan Yu, without any of the haughty attitude that noble families typically showed toward eunuchs.

Quan Yu was flattered and quickly returned the courtesy.

Bai Qingyan wore men’s clothing, her figure slender yet upright, with a heroic masculine bearing. Her speech also lacked any feminine mannerisms, making it difficult to distinguish her gender. People only saw a young man whose appearance was even more beautiful than that of young ladies.

“Right, Rongyan has business to attend to in Pingyang City first before returning to his Kingdom, so he’s traveling the same route as us!” The Crown Prince suddenly smiled and turned to look at Quan Yu. “Go to the inn to bring back Fourth Miss, and ask Rongyan… whether he would be willing to travel with the army. Go quickly and return quickly—don’t delay the departure time.”

Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes and remained silent. His Highness the Crown Prince must be quite bored sitting in the carriage, to be so delighted upon hearing that Xiao Rongyan was traveling the same route.

“Your Highness, rest assured. Young Master Bai, rest assured. This servant will certainly not delay the schedule!” Quan Yu received his orders, bowed to both the Crown Prince and Bai Qingyan, then hurried out.

Bai Qingyan’s people had gone twice without bringing anyone back, but the Crown Prince’s servant went once and returned in just over half an hour. Before the army was ready to depart, Xiao Rongyan’s party, along with Bai Jinzhi, had arrived.

Bai Qingyan stood behind the Crown Prince, watching Xiao Rongyan, wrapped in a fox fur cloak, riding toward them through the breaking dawn light. Behind him followed a team of over twenty sword-bearing guards—quite an impressive entourage.

The extremely refined and gentle man dismounted gracefully, with the rising morning light behind him casting a shimmering golden glow around his entire figure.

He bowed to the Crown Prince from afar, a faint smile playing at his lips, his every gesture displaying the elegant bearing of someone well-versed in literature.

Bai Jinzhi, following at Xiao Rongyan’s side in men’s clothing, also bowed to the Crown Prince, following Xiao Rongyan’s lead, then quickly ran toward Bai Qingyan. She ran to Bai Qingyan’s front and looked timidly at her eldest sister, obediently standing beside Bai Qingyan and lowering her head to tug at her hem with her fingers.

“Rongyan, why don’t you stop riding and share my carriage! Then I’ll have someone to talk to!” The Crown Prince called out to him with a smile.