Say this, the Crown Prince completely dispelled his last trace of doubt about Bai Qingyan.
He gripped the military talisman tightly in his hand and, after thinking for a moment, said: “She offers me a peach, and I shall return with a plum! When we return to the capital this time… I will petition Father Emperor to ennoble Bai Qingyan as a princess, as a way to show favor to the Bai family and the Bai family army!”
“Your Highness shows deep kindness and righteousness to the Bai family and Bai Qingyan. Surely Bai Qingyan will be like this old fool—loyal to Your Highness without the slightest doubt!” Old Fang said with a chuckle.
The Crown Prince nodded and asked Old Fang again: “Then… in Old Fang’s opinion, should the Tiger Eagle Battalion be brought back to the capital?”
“This old fool believes that Your Highness can apply the strategy previously discussed with His Majesty regarding Shen Liangyu—promise General Shen Liangyu a high position, give him gold, silver, and jewels, and provide his relatives and family with fine clothes and food! Have him train another batch like the Tiger Eagle Battalion elite soldiers for His Majesty and Your Highness alone! Your Highness might as well arrange things like Bai Qingyan did with the other Bai family army generals—assign a general Your Highness trusts to command the troops, while Shen Liangyu only handles training!”
“Old Fang speaks wisely!” The Crown Prince nodded.
“With this, the Bai family army matter is settled! Your Highness should also think carefully… for His Majesty’s birthday on the twenty-eighth of the third month, what gift should Your Highness give to make His Majesty delighted and win his favor!” Old Fang reminded the Crown Prince.
“Old Fang’s reminder is apt. The Crown Prince’s residence has probably already begun preparations. After returning… Old Fang must help me deliberate!”
“Your Highness… you haven’t understood this old fool’s meaning!” Old Fang stroked his beard and smiled. “What gift could make His Majesty happier than Your Highness encountering auspicious omens from heaven during your victorious return journey? If Your Highness thinks this is feasible, this matter can be entrusted to Ren Shijie. Though this person is quiet, he handles affairs extremely reliably.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes brightened as he smiled and nodded: “At my side, I am fortunate to have Old Fang’s constant reminders.”
In Bai Jinzhi’s tent, she had already bandaged the wound on her arm and changed out of her blood-stained clothes. She sat by the brazier staring at her silver spear in a daze, repeatedly recalling that life-and-death instant…
Her eldest sister had shouted herself hoarse telling her to pick up a blade, but she had been like someone who had lost her soul, only desperately trying to pull out her silver spear.
If it hadn’t been for her eldest sister and Xiao Ruojiang, she would probably be meeting the King of Hell right now!
Bai Jinzhi’s pupils trembled. During the fierce battle, she hadn’t felt afraid, but afterward, recalling that feeling of brushing past death made her spine go cold.
Bai Qingyan entered the tent carrying a wine jar and saw Bai Jinzhi staring at that silver spear in a daze. She reached out to rub the top of Bai Jinzhi’s head.
Only then did Bai Jinzhi come back to her senses. She looked up at Bai Qingyan, her voice hoarse: “Eldest sister…”
“Scared?” She asked Bai Jinzhi with a smile.
Bai Jinzhi nodded, then shook her head. Her eyes, bloodshot but crystal clear and bright, looked at her as her slightly trembling fingers resting on her legs tightened: “At first I was scared! I watched the Dong family death warriors and Tiger Eagle Battalion elite soldiers fall before me, scalding fresh blood splashing on my face and into my mouth. The taste of blood… a bit salty. I thought I would die at Qiushan Pass together with Ninth Brother! I only thought… even if I died, I had to kill a few more Western Liang dogs! But then… I saw my eldest sister coming!”
Bai Jinzhi’s cracked lips showed Bai Qingyan a smile, her eyes reddening: “When I saw eldest sister, I wasn’t afraid anymore! I felt my whole body filled with strength, like I could kill hundreds or thousands more Western Liang dog thieves!”
Seeing her younger sister’s bright eyes, she reached out to rub Bai Jinzhi’s head and tearfully embraced her.
She knew this feeling that Bai Jinzhi described. It was just like when she had been trapped in difficult battles in the past—as long as she saw the Bai family army’s black sails with white python flags approaching from afar, she feared nothing, because she knew… the Bai family was bringing the Bai family army to rescue her!
This was why the former Bai Qingyan always charged first—because the Bai family members and the Bai family army stood behind her as her most solid backing, allowing her to fight without any worries!
As the eldest sister, she should have taken responsibility for shielding her younger brothers and sisters from wind and rain. She should have been their most solid backing! But all these years, she had allowed herself to be pampered, sick, and cared for. If she had made herself strong earlier! How could the current Bai family children… have ended up with such a fate?!
“Little Four is more formidable than the eldest sister was back then! When my eldest sister first went to battle, there was a guard unit protecting me. Little Four fought alone and left the Western Liang army without a single piece of armor! Eldest sister believes that given time, our Little Four will become the most dazzling red-dressed general of the Bai family army on the battlefield!”
Bai Jinzhi wiped away her tears with her sleeve, straightened up to look at Bai Qingyan, and said firmly: “If eldest sister believes in me! I will be able to do it!”
“This is honey wine that General Shen Liangyu asked me to bring you… He said it contains his family’s ancestral secret medicine. Drink a few mouthfuls and when you sleep, it won’t hurt anymore! I’ve had it before—it works!” She handed the wine jar to Bai Jinzhi.
“Mm!”
Bai Jinzhi took the wine jar and heard the Bai family army soldier guarding the tent report that Generals Shen Kunyang, Wei Zhaonian, Gu Wenchang, and Cheng Yuanzhi had arrived at Youhua Road from Feng City and had now gone to General Shen Liangyu’s tent.
“Get a good night’s sleep!” Bai Qingyan said as she stood up and patted Bai Jinzhi’s head.
Bai Jinzhi originally wanted to urge eldest sister to rest, but seeing eldest sister’s upright, pine-like silhouette… she swallowed back her words of concern.
What use would urging be? Eldest sister had to rise early and sleep late to protect the Bai family and the Bai family army. Who told her she couldn’t help at all? Who told her she still wasn’t strong enough and had no way to share eldest sister’s burdens?
Bai Jinzhi pressed her hand against the wound on her arm. At least… she had to recover quickly, not make her eldest sister worry. If she couldn’t help her eldest sister, she absolutely couldn’t become a burden that made her eldest sister worry!
She picked up the wine jar, pulled out the cork, and despite the burning sensation, gulped down two mouthfuls.
When the four Bai family army generals Wei Zhaonian, Cheng Yuanzhi, Gu Wenchang, and Shen Kunyang arrived, they went to pay their respects to the Crown Prince, but the little eunuch called Quan Yu beside the Crown Prince said that the Crown Prince had just finished discussing matters with his advisors and had lain down to rest.
When the four couldn’t see the Crown Prince, they went to Shen Liangyu’s tent.
Shen Liangyu, who had already gone to bed, heard that the four Bai family army generals Wei Zhaonian, Cheng Yuanzhi, Gu Wenchang, and Shen Kunyang had come. He hurriedly got up, dismissed his attendants, and quietly conveyed to them the news that Bai Qingyun, the ninth son of the Bai family, had been rescued.
Cheng Yuanzhi was so excited he almost shouted out loud. Fortunately, Wei Zhaonian pressed down on his wound, turning Cheng Yuanzhi’s laugh that was about to emerge into howls of pain.
“One-eyed Old Wei, where are you pressing?” Cheng Yuanzhi grimaced in pain.
Wei Zhaonian glanced outside imperceptibly, used iron tongs to stir the charcoal in the brazier, and lowered his voice: “The Crown Prince is here. We should be more careful!”