However, when they reached the Jing River, the two noticed something amiss and wanted to turn back to protect Bai Qingyu, but they encountered an ambush… Bai Qingjue’s mount died protecting its master, and he was severely injured. He told Bai Qingyun to abandon him and flee, but Bai Qingyun said their grandfather had given orders that no matter what, the concubine-born must protect the legitimate-born. Since they couldn’t rush back to protect Fifth Brother Bai Qingyu, Bai Qingyun would sacrifice his life to protect Seventh Brother, this legitimate son.

When the battle situation became critical, Bai Qingyun could only hastily dress Bai Qingjue in an ordinary soldier’s armor and push him into the Jing River… to give him a chance at survival.

Later, Bai Qingjue was rescued by slave traders. The slave traders took all the valuable items from Bai Qingjue’s person, but they weren’t entirely heartless—they at least hired a physician to treat him, ultimately saving Bai Qingjue’s life.

During this period, Bai Qingjue tried to leave several times, wanting to return to the Nan Jiang battlefield, but his body was so weak he couldn’t even stand, let alone run.

It wasn’t until Bai Qingjue intervened to save that young lady at the market in Meng City that he was instead rescued by Xiao Rongyan.

“Mr. Xiao?! Is it the wealthy merchant Mr. Xiao from Great Wei?” Bai Jinzhi’s eyes lit up.

Bai Qingjue could see that Bai Jinzhi seemed unaware of Xiao Rongyan’s true identity, so he didn’t expose it and simply nodded.

“Eldest Sister, Mr. Xiao is truly a great benefactor to our Bai family, helping us time and again!” Bai Jinzhi genuinely admired and liked Xiao Rongyan from the bottom of her heart, and had even already acknowledged this brother-in-law in her mind.

Bai Qingyan didn’t respond. Thinking of the great famine in Yanwo, she said to Bai Qingjue: “Regarding the Yanwo famine, I’ve already written to Uncle Shen, asking him to send reliable people to take advantage of Prince Liang’s disaster relief efforts to guide some refugees who haven’t yet flooded into Ping’an City toward Youhua Road, for you to receive and settle. Uncle Shen and General Wei will find a way to send you grain in advance.”

“Eldest Sister… I’ve already begun working on it,” Bai Qingjue said. “Soldiers come from the people—I remember everything Grandfather said.”

The Bai family’s generational aspirations were deeply ingrained in the blood and bones of every Bai family descendant.

So what Eldest Sister wanted to do, what schemes she was laying, what she planned for the future—he knew it all! Even if the siblings never met… he still knew what to do.

Training troops in the areas of Tonggu Mountain, Zhongshan City, and Bailong City—the priority was troop sources.

“However, Great Yan seems to have already begun guiding refugees into Yan territory. Some refugees have already entered Great Yan,” Bai Qingjue slowly told Bai Qingyan.

Yanwo was close to Ping’an City, but also close to Great Yan.

This time, Great Yan had made great efforts, sending people among the refugees to proclaim that Great Yan wanted to guide people into Yan territory. All who entered Yan would enjoy Great Yan’s new policies, receiving fertile fields and houses, exempt from taxes for three years.

Empress Ji’s new policies in Great Yan encouraged farming, dividing cultivated land according to population, allowing every citizen to have fields to farm. Those who could offer good farming strategies to increase people’s income would be granted titles, ensuring every family in Great Yan had surplus grain.

The nobles of various nations knew much about this, but the common people knew very little. Even if they knew… as long as their days were still bearable, who would willingly leave their homeland?

But now, with the Yanwo famine, when disaster victims faced life and death, Great Yan was willing to extend a helping hand to give the people a chance to survive. Naturally, the disaster victims flocked to Great Yan.

Afterward, once the people experienced the benefits that Empress Ji’s new policies brought them, they would naturally be reluctant to leave Great Yan, becoming citizens of Great Yan.

What the people of the world wanted was very simple—four words: enough food and warm clothing.

Bai Qingyan pressed her lips together. It seemed… Great Yan and Xiao Rongyan had received news of the Yanwo famine much earlier than the Great Jin court and herself.

She even suspected that in her previous life, the disaster situation never reached the imperial capital because the imperial examination fraud case was never exposed, and most disaster victims were guided into Great Yan, so no riots occurred.

This time, the imperial examination fraud case… needed some more significant event to divert the people’s attention, thereby giving Wen Zhenkang a chance to survive. Only then did Li Mao allow the Yanwo famine to surface.

“Along the way, in scattered, unknown villages on the frontier, I found many brothers from the Bai family army. I ordered them to bring some refugees back to the selected troop-hiding locations. With Uncle Shen and General Wei’s help, we’re building houses… and clearing fields.”

This was truly good news for Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingjue didn’t tell Bai Qingyan that the reason he refused to give up and continued searching was to find the scattered brothers of the Bai family army, and also to look for any possible survivors of the Bai family. The seventeen sons of the Bai family… he didn’t believe that besides him and Bai Qingyun, there were no other survivors.

Given the loyalty and courage of the Bai family army, they would surely sacrifice their lives to protect these young generals.

Bai Qingjue’s return this time was merely to report the Bai family’s safety. He couldn’t rashly return to the Bai family in the capital, so he traveled day and night specifically to arrive at Anyu Mountain the day before Master Guan Yongchong’s birthday to wait for Bai Qingyan.

He knew that Eldest Sister was in mourning and would not attend Master Guan Yongchong’s birthday banquet tomorrow, but she would certainly come to congratulate the old master the day before.

After their brief reunion, Bai Qingjue had to rush back to Nan Jiang to prepare for the future.

Although both Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi were reluctant, they still saw off Bai Qingjue.

On the return journey, the midday sun blazed fiercely.

Bai Qingyan lifted the carriage curtain and gazed at the beautiful scenery of azure waters and green lakes outside the window, her mood gradually becoming peaceful.

Xiao Rongyan’s actions and information were indeed swift—this was probably the advantage of having shops throughout the world…

The Xiao family’s commercial establishments across all nations were all sources of information for Great Yan.

With Great Yan having such a far-sighted minister assisting the state as Xiao Rongyan, and such a ruler as Murong Yu, no wonder… in the end, Great Yan would become a powerful nation above all others. Even the alliance of three nations could not shake it in the slightest, instead giving Great Yan an excuse to send troops to destroy nations.

She lowered the curtain and closed her eyes in contemplation.

The world’s situation would change. In the coming days of competition, who knew who would be able to compete for the Central Plains.

As soon as Bai Qingyan’s group returned to the mansion, they saw Yue Shi, who was about to leave.

Seeing Bai Qingyan get off the carriage, Yue Shi immediately called to Xiao Rongyan, who was about to board his carriage: “Master, Miss Bai has returned!”

Xiao Rongyan turned back. Seeing Bai Qingyan supporting Chun Tao’s hand as she got off the carriage, he also turned and came down, bowing to Bai Qingyan: “Princess, County Princess…”

“Mr. Xiao!” Bai Jinzhi was quite happy to see Xiao Rongyan.

“Mr. Xiao,” Bai Qingyan politely and calmly inquired, “Did Mr. Xiao just come out of the mansion?”

“Indeed…” Xiao Rongyan walked a few steps closer to Bai Qingyan. Yesterday, the Princess left the iron sandbags at the Crown Prince’s mansion. Today, I especially came to deliver them to the Princess, but unexpectedly, the Princess had gone to Anyu Mountain.”

“Thank you for the trouble, Mr. Xiao.” Bai Qingyan nodded slightly to Xiao Rongyan.

“I came here for another matter, hoping the Princess could help…” Xiao Rongyan’s deep eyes gazed at Bai Qingyan. “This time, the white tea I sent people to purchase from Shouyang, intending to transport to Great Liang, was robbed along the way. Now the court is busy with the Yanwo famine and Great Liang’s troops stationed at Hong Queshan. The Crown Prince said… I’m afraid there’s no time to attend to bandit matters. But my business in Great Liang is somewhat urgent and cannot be wrong. Moreover, the amount of white tea I need this time is large. Shouyang is the Princess’s ancestral home—I wonder if you know any families that have operated tea mountains for generations?”