Xiao Ruojiang’s voice trembled with excitement as he spoke: “However, Elder Brother asked me to report to Miss that he couldn’t report to Miss in time, so he took people and left camp without permission to chase after that person, saying he wanted to help Miss Shen and find the Seventh and Ninth Young Masters as soon as possible!”

Having received news of her two brothers’ escape, Bai Qingyan rarely showed joy on her face, clenching her fists tightly and nodding: “I understand. If Milk Brother sends someone back with a message, bring them quietly to me directly!”

“This subordinate understands!” Xiao Ruojiang nodded.

This time, the situation was truly sudden. Xiao Ruojiang had been overwhelmed by this news and hadn’t had time to detain the person. It was his elder brother Xiao Ruohai who reacted first after hearing about it, making an excuse about scouting the surrounding Xiliang camp layout and taking the Dong family death warriors who had been secretly following Bai Qingyan to give chase.

She turned to instruct Bai Jinzhi: “Keep this matter to yourself and don’t let others know… otherwise, if it reaches the Crown Prince’s ears and spreads back to the capital, with Grandmother currently at the imperial Buddhist convent… the Bai family would be in danger!”

How could Bai Jinzhi not understand the gravity of the situation? The Emperor’s hostility toward the Bai family had been quite obvious at the palace banquet.

“Elder Sister, rest assured! Before this matter is settled, I will keep my composure. Even if it rots in Little Four’s belly, I won’t speak of it!” Bai Jinzhi was emotionally agitated, finally understanding that besides establishing the Bai family’s influence in the military, Elder Sister’s coming to the southern frontier was probably also to retrieve Seventh Brother and Ninth Brother!

Though Bai Jinzhi spoke of keeping her composure, she still couldn’t help but ask Bai Qingyan with reddened eyes: “Elder Sister, I’m not dreaming, am I! Seventh Brother and Ninth Brother might still be alive?!”

After all, Bai Jinzhi was still a child. Tears kept swirling in her eyes, and being able to hold back from crying was already quite impressive!

She nodded, squeezed Bai Jinzhi’s small hand, and said softly: “There’s no one else here by the Jing River. If you want to cry, have a good cry. If anyone asks, just say you miss Grandfather and Father!”

As soon as Bai Qingyan finished speaking, tears began falling from Bai Jinzhi’s eyes. How wonderful… Seventh Brother and Ninth Brother were still alive. If Fourth Aunt knew Seventh Brother was still alive, she definitely wouldn’t be like a walking corpse seeking death, she would live well for a hundred years for Seventh Brother’s sake!

After crying by the Jing River, Bai Jinzhi and Bai Qingyan had just returned to the military camp when they received news that His Highness the Crown Prince would arrive in half an hour.

Bai Qingyan hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to come so quickly, arriving almost simultaneously with Qin Shangzhi’s letter.

To show her gratitude to the Crown Prince, she ordered someone to bring out an exceptional sword captured when they took Tianmen Pass, preparing to present it to the Crown Prince as a show of loyalty.

Bai Qingyan sat in the commander’s tent, looking at the sword whose blade was cold throughout and could cut through hair with a breath. She thought of her dear brother A’Yu. A’Yu was the best with swords – in the entire capital city, he had few rivals.

She remembered when she first went on campaign, A’Yu, who wasn’t even as tall as her chest, had grabbed her horse’s reins, tilted his head back with his toothless mouth grinning, showing his pink gums as he smiled at her, saying: “When Sister goes to war, if you capture an enemy general’s precious sword, remember to save it for A’Yu!”

At that time, she had promised A’Yu a sword, but later never encountered a sword worthy of A’Yu. Now she had found one… but A’Yu was no longer here.

She hadn’t been able to fulfill her promise to A’Yu… to give him a precious sword, and A’Yu hadn’t been able to keep his promise either, owing her the most beautiful pigeon’s blood ruby from the southern frontier!

Waves of grief surged in her heart, and her eyes reddened as she gripped the sword.

Hearing Xiao Ruojiang report that the Crown Prince’s carriage was almost at the camp gates, she sheathed the sword and closed her eyes to calm her emotions.

In a while, she would have to put on a good performance before the Crown Prince!

Since it was difficult to express inner gratitude to the Crown Prince, knowing he had come, she should at least go far to greet him!

Placing the sword on the most conspicuous rack in the commander’s tent, she led people on fast horses racing toward the Crown Prince’s carriage.

Quan Yu sat on the carriage, seeing the heroic Bai Qingyan leading a team of armored soldiers coming to greet them. He couldn’t help but turn to the Crown Prince inside the carriage: “Your Highness, Crown Prince, General Bai has brought people to receive you! You can see she has you in her heart!”

Although Quan Yu had served beside the Crown Prince since he was still Prince Qi, those noble young masters or young ladies had always looked down on eunuchs! Those below who tried every means to curry favor with Prince Qi called him “master” with sweet words, but which one didn’t curse him as a castrated man behind his back?

Someone of Bai Qingyan’s birth from a Duke’s mansion, a legitimate daughter, looked at him not as if seeing a thing, but as seeing a person, with respectful rather than fawning eyes. This touched Quan Yu’s heart greatly, always feeling that only under Bai Qingyan’s gaze did he feel like a normal person.

Especially later, when Bai Qingyan wore armor to fight for the Kingdom and dealt a great blow to the allied forces of Xiliang and Nanyan, it made Quan Yu admire her even more. Remembering the generations of loyal warriors from Duke Zhenguo’s mansion, the Bai family, though he was lowly, still had a passion that hadn’t completely cooled. Therefore, this was also the first time Quan Yu was willing to speak well of Bai Qingyan before the Crown Prince without receiving silver.

The Crown Prince closed his eyes and leaned against the cushions in the carriage, still somewhat unwilling to give up military merit, but hearing Quan Yu say this, his heart felt somewhat better.

Soon, the sound of hoofbeats approached. Hearing the sound of reining in horses, the Crown Prince knew Bai Qingyan had dismounted.

“Not knowing Your Highness was coming, I failed to welcome you from afar!” Bai Qingyan’s attitude was respectful, her words beautiful but not fawning, neither humble nor arrogant.

“General Bai!” Quan Yu smiled and bowed to Bai Qingyan. “Congratulations to General Bai on your consecutive victories!”

“Thank you…” Bai Qingyan nodded slightly, neither condescending nor disdainful toward Quan Yu.

Quan Yu felt in excellent spirits, the smile in his eyes growing even deeper.

The Crown Prince raised his hand to lift the carriage curtain, looking at the heroic Bai Qingyan standing outside the carriage, smiling: “I just came to take a look, nothing important. How could I trouble Miss Bai to come greet me? However, since Miss Bai has come, accompany me for a walk along the Jing River.”

To win someone over for his use, he needed to show favor first, then let that person understand his goodness, making her know her precarious situation and that she could only survive by relying on him as Crown Prince!

The Crown Prince smiled as he descended from the carriage with Quan Yu’s assistance, his gaze sweeping over the team of people Bai Qingyan had brought… and Bai Jinzhi, who took Bai Qingyan’s reins, finally settling on Bai Qingyan in her military attire with her distinguished bearing.

Perhaps it was Bai Qingyan’s military dress, but it inexplicably reminded the Crown Prince of Duke Zhenguo Bai Weiting and Duke Bai Qishan. It was rather laughable – though he was a prince, he had always been quite afraid of these two men’s overwhelming martial authority since childhood. Now facing Bai Qingyan, he unconsciously lost some of the confidence he’d had when arriving.

Bai Qingyan followed half a step behind the Crown Prince, accompanying him as they walked along the Jing River.