The steward of Prince Xihuai’s mansion smiled and said to Yue Shi, “Master Xiao has taken cold-food powder, so he needs to disperse it well. Take good care of Master Xiao.”

Yue Shi’s fists tightened at his sides, but he maintained his cold expression and cupped his hands: “Thank you for the reminder.”

Once on the carriage, the intoxicated Xiao Rongyan immediately closed his eyes, his expression no longer showing the foolish drunkenness from drinking too much just now. As the carriage swayed out of the temporary palace, only then did Yue Shi leap onto Xiao Rongyan’s carriage and say in a low voice: “Master, we’ve left the palace!”

Xiao Rongyan opened his eyes, pulled out a wooden bucket from inside the carriage, and pressed his abdomen to induce vomiting.

Yue Shi held up a teacup for Xiao Rongyan, his eyes full of anger.

Every time his master came to Great Wei, he was tormented half to death. In recent years, Great Wei’s nobility, led by Prince Xihuai, had popularized consuming cold-food powder.

After eating this substance, people felt an otherworldly sensation, as if ascending to immortality. Therefore, it was extremely popular among Great Wei’s aristocrats, but this thing was harmful to the body without any benefit. Many people had died from this substance.

However, in the Wei nation, no one who was on good terms with Prince Xihuai avoided this substance. Every time, his master would only drink this thing at the very end, then induce vomiting once outside.

Sometimes, when vomiting wasn’t prompt enough, he would need cold water poured over his body after returning to the mansion, suffering endless torment.

This was why Yue Shi disliked the Wei nation – he felt his master suffered too much because of this cold-food powder.

After vomiting, Xiao Rongyan rinsed his mouth with tea. While his mind was still clear, he instructed Yue Shi: “Great Wei’s Prime Minister has already sent people to investigate whether Great Yan is hiding troops in mountain valleys. You send people on fast horses to deliver a message back, have them buy iron ore from merchants of various countries at high prices within Great Yan’s territory. Make sure… the people the Prime Minister sent know about this. This matter must be quick! And we must stabilize the border people of Great Yan!”

What Prince Xihuai had mentioned earlier about smoke rising from cooking fires in Great Yan’s mountain valleys at midnight was a false trail laid by Xiao Rongyan.

Now they could only delay as long as possible. Since Great Wei had deliberately spread news of the impending attack on Yan to Great Yan, as long as Great Yan’s border people remained stable, Great Wei wouldn’t dare easily attack Great Yan easily.

As long as they could delay until Xie Xun returned from Rongdi, everything would be manageable.

Xiao Rongyan suddenly remembered the message he received yesterday, saying that Bai Qingyan had already begun recruiting people in Shouyang, preparing to train troops to eliminate bandits.

He closed his eyes, able to guess that Bai Qingyan was planning to use civilians as soldiers, making arrangements for the future.

Truly… far-sighted.

However, he could use this matter for other calculations. If Great Yan’s border people could be trained into soldiers, using civilians as soldiers and soldiers as civilians, Great Yan’s borders wouldn’t fear any invading nation.

This matter required writing a letter to his elder brother to handle it urgently.

·

The ninth day of the fifth month.

Early in the morning, Bai Qingyan again received a battle report from Chun Mushan. Xun Tianzhang’s methods were as Bai Qingyan had predicted – he was very willing to sacrifice his subordinates’ lives, deliberately designing traps to lure General Zhang Duanrui into falling for them, burying the five thousand soldiers Zhang Duanrui had sent out together with their own two thousand Liang troops in the mountain valley.

However, Zhang Duanrui, having lost too many forces in this battle, was determined to defend the city without coming out, refusing to engage in battle, which greatly irritated Xun Tianzhang.

Bai Qingyan burned the battle report in her hands.

General Zhang Duanrui had always been steady. The stalemate between the two armies wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if General Zhang Duanrui could send people for night raids on Great Liang’s military camp at this time, using the same methods Xun Tianzhang had used against him, it would force the Liang army out of Chun Mushan.

However, based on Bai Qingyan’s understanding of General Zhang Duanrui’s military methods, before having absolute certainty, he would not take any more action, to avoid more Jin soldiers losing their lives.

Bai Qingyan had just finished her morning meal after bathing when Nanny Tong hurried into the main room. After paying respects, she said: “First Miss, people from the palace have come! They want our Fourth Miss to immediately receive the imperial edict.”

At this time, people from the palace had come to have Xiao Si receive an edict.

Bai Qingyan, who was reading, looked up with a darkened expression, put down her book, stood up, and led people toward the front courtyard.

Because military training would begin tomorrow, Bai Jinzhi was extremely excited. She was in her room selecting handy weapons and clothes, preparing to show her skills on the martial arts field tomorrow, determined to train those civilians into soldiers as brave as the Bai family army.

Who knew that before she finished selecting clothes, a message came from the front courtyard saying the Emperor’s imperial edict had arrived, requiring Bai Jinzhi to immediately go receive it.

Holding coarse cloth training clothes, Bai Jinzhi thought she had misheard and asked again: “They want me to receive the edict? Not Elder Sister?”

At this time, an imperial edict coming – even Bai Jinzhi could guess it was because of the Chun Mushan matter. But with the battle at Chun Mushan being urgent, shouldn’t the Emperor quickly send Elder Sister to war?

“It’s Fourth Miss, no mistake!” Lingzhi, besides Bai Jinzhi, spoke with certainty. “The front courtyard sent word, and this servant also thought she misheard, so she specifically asked several times. Miss, please hurry! That eunuch delivering the edict is still waiting outside!”

Bai Jinzhi nodded and jogged toward the front courtyard.

Receiving an imperial edict was a major matter. Dong Shi led the other wives and young ladies of the Bai family to the main gate of the Bai mansion, respectfully paying homage to listen to the imperial edict.

Third Madam Li’s heart was pounding rapidly, not knowing what medicine the Emperor was selling in his gourd, why he would suddenly issue an imperial edict specifically for Bai Jinzhi.

Hearing that the Emperor wanted Bai Jinzhi alone to immediately rush to Chun Mushan to assist General Zhang Duanrui in repelling Great Liang, Third Madam Li nearly fainted.

Bai Qingyan looked up at the eunuch delivering the edict, her hands at her sides, slowly clenching.

Having Bai Jinzhi rush to Chun Mushan to assist Zhang Duanrui in repelling Great Liang? Was the court truly without people to use?

She could vaguely guess the Emperor’s intention in sending Xiao Si to Chun Mushan. The Emperor probably hoped she could find a way to repel the Liang troops at Chun Mushan, but didn’t want her to gain more military achievements, so he sent Xiao Si to Chun Mushan instead.

Xiao Si was her sister. If she wanted Xiao Si to be safe, she would necessarily provide strategic advice from behind the scenes.

Third Madam Li saw that Bai Jinzhi also looked incredulous as she received the imperial edict. Unable to contain herself, she asked: “Eunuch, is there an error in this imperial edict? Having County Princess Gaoyi go alone? But County Princess Gaoyi is still just a child!”

Dong Shi pressed Li’s hand, signaling her to remain calm, and smilingly had Nanny Qin give the eunuch delivering the edict some silver.

The eunuch felt the generous pouch and only then smiled broadly: “This servant wouldn’t dare falsely transmit an imperial edict. County Princess Gaoyi is the granddaughter of the Prince of Zhenguo. His Majesty certainly values County Princess Gaoyi, which is why he issued this edict. The County Princess must not disappoint His Majesty’s expectations!”

After seeing off the eunuch who delivered the edict, Bai Jinzhi held the imperial edict and turned back. Seeing Bai Qingyan’s iron-blue complexion, she carefully called out: “Elder Sister!”

“We’ll talk about it when we get back,” Bai Qingyan said to Bai Jinzhi.

In the main hall of the Bai family, Li could no longer sit still, her voice extremely loud: “What medicine did this Emperor take wrong? Xiao Si is still such a young child, yet he wants Xiao Si to go to Chun Mushan, and he emphasized going alone! And immediately!”

“The Emperor emphasized going alone because he fears I would go to Chun Mushan together with Xiao Si,” Bai Qingyan spoke methodically.