The exquisite elm carriage had bright lanterns hanging from its four corners, their swaying light filtering into the carriage and casting Bai Qingyan’s deep, water-like eyes in alternating brightness and shadow.

“When you drive a dog into a dead-end alley, if you fail to catch it, you risk being bitten back.” Bai Qingyan patiently explained to Bai Jinzhi, “Achieving our goal is sufficient—there’s no need to pursue total annihilation. Otherwise, if we force them into a corner and make them fight to the death, it benefits us nothing.”

Bai Qingyan’s primary purpose in escalating this matter was still to win the people’s hearts and to train troops for bandit suppression.

Now that these goals had been achieved, and keeping some capable people from the clan could serve her purposes, why not do so?

As the saying goes, the barefoot don’t fear those wearing shoes. If their path forward is completely blocked, they’ll act without restraint. It wasn’t that Bai Qingyan was afraid… but unnecessary complications would inevitably require her to divide her attention on these unworthy, trivial matters.

Bai Jinzhi frowned tightly, understanding in her heart but unwilling to concede verbally: “Elder Sister thinks too highly of them. With their lot, what could they use to fight our family to the death? Letting them remain in the clan… It’s truly infuriating! It would be more satisfying to expel them from the clan entirely!”

“I thought you’d grown up—how are you still so impetuous?” Bai Qingyan wasn’t angry, her voice carrying a hint of laughter, “When we return to Shouyang, we’ll still need to use clan members. Expelling them would be disadvantageous to us! Now we’ve gained the people’s hearts and naturally paved the way for future military training, and this silver doesn’t even need to come from our Bai family coffers—isn’t that wonderful?”

Bai Jinzhi frowned and considered this, realizing it seemed to be the case…

“Just now, although I instructed them not to assist those expelled from the clan, blood ties and family affection remain. Can they watch their descendants or elders suffer without lending a helping hand? We’ve spoken first… when they knowingly commit errors, we’ll have leverage over them. If we want to deal with them in the future… won’t it just take a word?”

Bai Jinzhi’s eyes brightened as she quickly smiled: “Elder Sister is right!”

She nodded and instructed Bai Jinzhi: “Everything has its measure—excess leads to disaster. Leaving a margin, keeping a backup plan—that’s the way to control people.”

“Xiao Si will remember!” Bai Jinzhi nodded earnestly.

When Bai Qingyan’s carriage stopped in front of her family’s residence, Shen Qingzhu saw a man of extraordinary bearing with his guards standing not far from the Bai family ancestral home.

Seeing that Chun Tao had already lifted the carriage curtain, Shen Qingzhu approached with an umbrella to shield Bai Qingyan as she descended, whispering: “Miss, there’s someone in front of the Bai residence.”

Quan Yu descended from the carriage following Bai Qingyan’s four-horse carriage. Seeing Xiao Rongyan, he was somewhat surprised yet felt it was reasonable, inevitably glancing toward Bai Qingyan while inwardly marveling that Great Wei’s social customs were truly more open than Jin Kingdom’s… This Master Xiao, admiring the Princess, had dared to pursue her to Shouyang.

Xiao Rongyan wore white robes with auspicious cloud patterns, his waist bound with gold-threaded trim and warm jade decorations, particularly striking against the fine rain and night scenery.

Yue Shiyi held a sheepskin lantern in one hand and an umbrella in the other, standing obediently beside Xiao Rongyan. The warm, amber light added a touch of gentleness to Xiao Rongyan’s originally deep and sharp features.

Bai Qingyan raised her eyes toward Xiao Rongyan’s direction, seeing the gentle, refined, and handsome man perform a distant bow with graceful dignity.

Remembering that Xiao Rongyan had mentioned wanting to discuss a business matter with her, she guessed this matter must be urgent for Xiao Rongyan to condescend to wait here.

“It’s Master Xiao!” Bai Jinzhi’s face lit up with joy. “How did Master Xiao come to Shouyang?”

Bai Jinzhi guessed this Master Xiao had probably come for her elder sister, making her even more delighted.

Shen Qingzhu, not understanding the situation but seeing Bai Jinzhi’s apparent happiness, gradually lowered her guard.

Bai Qingyan descended from the carriage. Seeing Xiao Rongyan approaching, she stepped forward, performed a courtesy, and asked: “Master Xiao has been waiting here—is it for a business matter?”

Fine rain fell steadily, landing silently on the oil-paper umbrella.

Shen Qingzhu, holding the umbrella for Bai Qingyan, watched Xiao Rongyan with curious, probing eyes.

“Precisely.” Xiao Rongyan nodded, his unfathomably deep pupils looking at her with utmost seriousness as he bowed: “The matter is of great importance and requires private discussion with Miss.”

Xiao Rongyan’s gaze was calm and restrained, harboring no frivolous intent, but rather treating Bai Qingyan as someone with whom he could plan great undertakings.

Quan Yu approached with his umbrella, smiling as he bowed to Xiao Rongyan: “Master Xiao…”

“Eunuch Quan Yu is here as well…” Xiao Rongyan nodded slightly toward Quan Yu.

“His Highness worried the Princess might be short-handed on this return to Shouyang. While Quan Yu can’t do much else, he can still run errands, so he shamelessly followed the Princess!” Quan Yu glanced at Bai Qingyan, then looked at Xiao Rongyan with a knowing smile in his eyes and brows, “Master Xiao told His Highness he had business matters requiring distant travel, so he was to come to Shouyang! What a coincidence!”

Hearing Quan Yu’s teasing tone, Xiao Rongyan smiled and said, “It’s indeed for the white tea business. I’ve come specially to seek the Princess’s guidance, hoping she might offer some instruction.”

“Xiao Si, personally escort Eunuch Quan Yu to his lodgings, then have the steward settle the Crown Prince’s palace guard troops. Thank you for your hard work today, Eunuch Quan Yu!” Bai Qingyan said.

“Princess, your words shame this servant—I merely ran some errands!” Quan Yu dared not claim credit.

“Please, Eunuch Quan Yu!” Not wanting Quan Yu to continue standing between her elder sister and Master Xiao, Bai Jinzhi stepped forward with a smile.

Quan Yu, perceptive and bright, knew His Highness intended to bring together Bai Qingyan and Xiao Rongyan. How could he be so tactless as to linger? He quickly bowed his farewells.

Bai Qingyan nodded slightly and gestured to Xiao Rongyan: “Master Xiao, please enter for tea.”

Being alone together and requiring private discussion, to avoid impropriety, Bai Qingyan had tea prepared at the lakeside pavilion.

The octagonal pavilion in the lake’s center had vermilion-painted round pillars, open on all sides, with four bright lanterns hanging from its upturned eaves, illuminating even the lake surface brilliantly.

Fine, thread-like rain entered the lake soundlessly, creating a misty veil over the water’s surface.

Rainwater dampened the red wooden railings of the lakeside pavilion. The brocade curtains and Xiang bamboo screens between the round pillars were drawn up by beast-shaped copper hooks, with two bronze crane-topped lamps standing inside. Perhaps due to today’s rain and strong lake winds, even the flames protected by glass covers flickered and swayed.

Shen Qingzhu and Yue Shiyi each held umbrellas, stationed on the wooden bridge leading to the lakeside pavilion. Seeing their masters in the pavilion examining paintings or some diagram with their backs to the lakeside pavilion… without orders, neither dared turn to look.

The wind grew stronger, lifting a corner of the map on the stone table. Bai Qingyan, holding a lamp, stepped forward and pressed down the map’s corner with her hand, leaning over to illuminate Xiao Rongyan’s unfolded map with her light.

Xiao Rongyan turned his head, his ink-black, calm gaze looking toward Bai Qingyan. The candlelight in her hand outlined the graceful curve of her fair, delicate jawline. His eyes deepened, and he withdrew his gaze, not daring to look further.

Seeing several mountains circled in vermilion ink, with Niujiao Mountain, quite close to Shouyang, among them, she looked toward Xiao Rongyan with confusion.

“These mountains between Kongtong Mountain and Niujiao Mountain—my people spent several years maneuvering, and only yesterday managed to purchase them all.”