Xiao Rongyan had already reached Kuntian City, which was very close to Nanyan’s capital. By the time this guard of Xiao Rongyan’s had come to deliver the letter, Xiao Rongyan should have already taken Nanyan’s capital.

After reading the letter, Bai Qingyan used Shen Liangyu’s torch to ignite the paper.

Watching the flames consume the letter, she said to Yue Shi, “Take this fine horse back with you. Jin and Xiliang have ceased hostilities and signed an alliance treaty. After returning to Jin, I will no longer have use for such a fine horse!”

Yue Shi was startled. He looked up at the resolute and composed woman on horseback, seeing that Bai Qingyan’s expression was peaceful. She didn’t seem to be being polite—it truly appeared she had no intention of accepting it.

In her previous life, Xiao Rongyan had shown her kindness. Although she ultimately failed to escape the capital, she had never forgotten Xiao Rongyan’s grace in giving her the jade cicada to help her flee for her life.

At the palace banquet in the capital, she had intervened to help him, keeping his identity strictly confidential. She had thought this would repay Xiao Rongyan, but he later acted to help the Bai family and rescue Fourth Aunt, making Bai Qingyan feel she owed him much more.

Last time, she had advised Xiao Rongyan on the most convenient method to reclaim Nanyan—the way that would harm the fewest civilians. She felt this had repaid Xiao Rongyan’s kindness from her previous life.

Later, Xiao Rongyan had saved her ninth brother, but her ninth brother was stubborn about repaying debts and insisted he would only leave after repaying the favor. So today, she could not accept Xiao Rongyan’s horse, or else how could they ever settle accounts clearly between them in the long run?

She only wished that from now on, each would owe nothing to the other.

Having said this, Bai Qingyan spurred her horse and galloped away.

Yue Shi, who had originally come happily to deliver the horse to Bai Qingyan, stood there stunned. Watching Bai Qingyan ride away with her cloak billowing behind her, he scratched his head in confusion. Could it be that their master had written something in the letter that displeased the eldest Miss Bai?

In the Youhua Road military camp, Ren Shijie had received orders to depart first to prepare auspicious congratulatory gifts for His Majesty’s birthday celebration on the twenty-eighth day of the third month.

Before Ren Shijie departed, Old Fang, who had come to see him off, quietly called him aside and instructed: “Besides preparing birthday gifts for His Majesty, you must also do everything in your power to spread word of Bai Qingyan’s atrocity of burning and killing the Xiliang prisoners of war. Let the people of Jin know just how sinister and brutal Bai Qingyan is!”

“Old Fang… didn’t you say you no longer doubted Bai Qingyan’s loyalty to His Highness? Why do this?”

“Naturally, it’s to ensure that Bai Qingyan can only depend on His Highness! Someone like Bai Qingyan—skilled in warfare and unmatched in strategy—such a person can only be used by His Highness! Words can be fearsome, and rumors can destroy gold… Think about it: if all the people of Jin fear her cruelty and brutality, when His Highness stands up to speak a few fair words for her, won’t she be even more grateful and loyal to His Highness?” Old Fang explained slowly.

Ren Shijie pressed his lips together, seeming reluctant, and said: “But… when we arrived, those common people all knelt and begged Little Marshal Bai to reclaim their homeland for them. Would they… would they think General Bai is brutal?”

“The common people are ignorant—it all depends on how you guide them!” Old Fang said, then sighed deeply. “In this campaign, Bai Qingyan’s achievements have been too dazzling, already overshadowing the Crown Prince! This battle was supposed to be the Crown Prince’s campaign. As the Crown Prince’s advisors, we absolutely cannot let the people view Bai Qingyan as a hero and encourage her arrogance! She must always remain subordinate to the Crown Prince!”

Just as Old Fang finished speaking, he saw Bai Qingyan and her group returning to camp on horseback in the distance.

He stopped talking and said to Ren Shijie, “Remember my words! Go now…”

Ren Shijie bowed deeply to Old Fang, looked back at Bai Qingyan approaching on horseback, and boarded his carriage.

Bai Jinzhi rode alongside Bai Qingyan, lowering her voice: “Elder Sister, that looks like the taciturn advisor from the Crown Prince’s entourage! We’re supposed to return tomorrow—why is he leaving under the cover of darkness instead? There must be something fishy about this… Should we send someone to follow him?”

Only after speaking did Bai Jinzhi remember that Elder Sister had sent all the remaining Dong family death warriors with Sister Shen Qingzhu to protect Ninth Brother, and the Bai family army soldiers couldn’t be moved: “Elder Sister, why don’t I go ahead first and secretly follow that advisor to see what he’s up to?”

Bai Qingyan gripped the reins and slowed her pace, her gaze falling on Old Fang, who was looking in her direction. She said to Shen Liangyu, “Send someone skilled in tracking to follow him. Just find out which direction the Crown Prince’s advisor is heading, and they must return before dawn.”

“Yes!” Shen Liangyu clasped his hands.

“Elder Sister, what if the Crown Prince finds out…”

“Don’t worry! The Crown Prince is high and mighty with many important matters to attend to. How would he have time to keep track of every Bai family army soldier’s movements?” Bai Qingyan looked back at Bai Jinzhi and patted her head affectionately, pleased that her usually impulsive sister had learned to be cautious.

When Bai Qingyan’s group returned to camp, Old Fang was still waiting at the camp entrance. His gaze swept over the people following behind Bai Qingyan, and he approached with a smile, bowing deeply: “Earlier, His Highness sent someone to summon the Bai family army generals, but they weren’t present.”

She dismounted and returned Old Fang’s bow: “The generals accompanied me to escort the fallen Tiger Eagle Battalion elite soldiers from Qiushan Pass! I apologize for keeping His Highness waiting…”

Then she turned to look at Shen Kunyang and the others: “You all go with Old Fang to see His Highness the Crown Prince. Don’t keep His Highness waiting!”

Old Fang was very satisfied with Bai Qingyan’s attitude and stroked his goatee.

Bai Jinzhi’s horse, Ping’an, suddenly stamped its hooves and moved two steps closer to Old Fang. Before Bai Jinzhi could pull back the reins, Ping’an’s wet nose approached Old Fang’s face and sniffed. Old Fang was startled and quickly bent down to dodge, using his hands to shoo Ping’an away.

“Ping’an!” Bai Jinzhi hurriedly pulled back Ping’an’s reins.

Ping’an turned around in displeasure and struck Old Fang’s face hard with its tail. Old Fang’s expression immediately darkened.

Bai Qingyan quickly apologized: “I’m so sorry, Old Fang! This beast is wild and difficult to tame. Are you hurt? Bai Jinzhi… apologize to Old Fang immediately!”

“Ah?” Bai Jinzhi stroked Ping’an’s mane, and seeing Elder Sister’s expression, quickly bowed in apology: “I’m sorry, Old Fang. Are you injured? It’s all my fault!”

Since Bai Qingyan was being so humble, Old Fang couldn’t embarrass her further. He brushed the mud from his clothes where the horse hair had struck him: “Never mind, never mind! This isn’t Fourth Miss Bai’s fault either. At my age, would I argue with a little beast? We should go see His Highness—that’s what’s important. Generals, please…”

Watching the generals depart with Old Fang, Bai Jinzhi led Ping’an forward and whispered to Bai Qingyan: “Elder Sister, why were you so polite to that advisor? That old man seems just like that Liu Rushi—only good at putting on airs!”

“One word from that advisor before the Crown Prince is worth more than hundreds or thousands of words from others.” Bai Qingyan handed her reins to Bai Jinzhi. “There are many clever people in this world, but those who can occupy a position beside the Crown Prince… who can occupy a position in court, are not only clever but capable! So being polite to others is giving yourself room to maneuver.”