The green-robed strategist, not hearing Bai Qingyan respond, dared not raise his head.

Chun Tao, carrying a teacup, walked around the black lacquer and gold-decorated sandalwood pillar to serve tea to Bai Qingyan.

She picked up the teacup and said, “I thought that after breaking Li Mingtang’s leg last time, Li Mao would have learned his lesson and understood what he could and couldn’t do!”

The green-robed strategist kowtowed: “This matter was all this humble person’s doing. Please calm your anger, Your Highness.”

“Li Mao just pushes you forward like this—isn’t he afraid I’ll kill you?” Bai Qingyan’s fingers rubbed the rim of the teacup as she gazed with a half-smile at the strategist kneeling on the ground.

“This humble person came up with the plan, so this humble person should naturally come to receive punishment! Even if Your Highness kills this humble person, it would be proper and deserved!” The green-robed strategist answered with utmost sincerity.

“Tell me, what was the original plan with those expelled Bai clan members… how did you intend to catch me in a compromising position?” Bai Qingyan leisurely blew on the hot tea in her cup.

“Our people are not familiar with Shuoyang, so… we only wanted to see what methods the expelled Bai clan members had. But the ideas the Bai clan members suggested could only be called… petty schemes, nothing more than making trouble over women’s reputations—filthy tricks not worth mentioning.” The green-robed strategist answered truthfully.

Bai Qingyan nodded: “Since Li Mao sent you here, then you shall stay!”

The green-robed strategist was stunned, not understanding… whether Bai Qingyan meant to spare his life or had some other meaning.

“What is your name?” Bai Qingyan asked.

“In response to Your Highness, this humble person… is called Cai Ziyuan.” Cai Ziyuan replied in a low voice.

“Since you are Li Mao’s strategist, you must be quite learned. You shall remain in the military camp to teach literacy to those recruits!” After Bai Qingyan finished speaking, she instructed Chun Tao, “The two guards who came with Master Cai need not leave either. Let them stay to keep Master Cai company, lest Master Cai feel lonely in this unfamiliar place.”

Cai Ziyuan closed his eyes. He understood… As a strategist who had entered Shuoyang City and seen the state of the Shuoyang Bai family, hearing the enthusiastic support of Shuoyang citizens sending their men and children to the new military camp, he could easily deduce Bai Qingyan’s plans. If he returned to see the Left Chancellor… he would inevitably advise the Left Chancellor and try to catch Bai Qingyan’s weaknesses in this regard. Naturally, Bai Qingyan would not let him leave.

“Master Cai… are you satisfied with such arrangements?” Bai Qingyan asked with a smile.

“This humble person obeys Your Highness’s instructions!” Cai Ziyuan kowtowed.

“In that case, I’ll have someone inform the Left Chancellor’s mansion and thank the Left Chancellor for his good intentions in sending Master Cai!” Bai Qingyan set down her teacup and walked unhurriedly out of the main hall.

Seeing Bai Qingyan’s gaze fall on him, Steward Hao hurriedly stepped forward: “Eldest Miss…”

“Send someone to take care of this, Master Cai, never leaving his side. As for those two guards from the Left Chancellor’s mansion, send them to the recruit camp and have Shen Yancong take good care of them!” After Bai Qingyan finished speaking, she looked back at Cai Ziyuan, who remained prostrate on the ground. “Send someone to inform the Left Chancellor’s mansion that Master Cai will remain in Shuoyang from now on. Thank the Left Chancellor for his good intentions in sending someone—I appreciate the gesture.”

“This humble servant obeys Eldest Miss’s instructions!” Steward Hao replied.

Bai Qingyan’s military camp was currently short of teachers who could instruct literacy and skilled hands who could train recruits. Since Li Mao had sent people to Shuoyang, wouldn’t she be failing to appreciate Li Mao’s thoughtfulness if she didn’t use them?

Bai Qingyan’s mind was still full of thoughts about the annual raids by the Rong-Di. The Rong-Di raids generally occurred around September, when the Jin people had finished their autumn harvest and the Rong-Di needed to prepare for winter, naturally taking advantage of when their warhorses were fat and strong to come raiding.

It was already late July now. In less than two months, the Dengzhou army would likely face a hard battle. She just didn’t know whether her uncle would follow her advice to evacuate the civilians and abandon the city to flee.

When Bai Qingyan returned from the front courtyard to Boyun Courtyard, Bai Jinzhi was sitting anxiously under a tree in the courtyard, waiting for her.

As soon as she saw Bai Qingyan return, Bai Jinzhi hurriedly set down the sweet white porcelain bowl containing sour plum soup and ran toward Bai Qingyan: “Elder Sister!”

“Waiting here specifically for me?” Bai Qingyan walked toward the main room together with Bai Jinzhi.

Bai Jinzhi nodded and obediently lifted the Hunan bamboo curtain, waiting for Bai Qingyan to enter before following her into the main room: “Didn’t Elder Sister tell me last time to deal with Bai Qiyun, but not to confront the clan members directly!”

Seeing Bai Qingyan sit down on the soft couch by the window, Bai Jinzhi also came over to sit opposite Bai Qingyan, sprawling casually across the black lacquer square table: “I’ve been racking my brains these past few days and finally thought of a good method! I want to have Uncle Liu set up a trap to lure Bai Qiyun out of the city… have people pose as bandits and finish off Bai Qiyun with one stroke! This way, Bai Qiyun dies at the hands of mountain bandits, which would have nothing to do with us!”

Bai Qingyan didn’t discourage Bai Jinzhi but asked further: “Bai Qiyun was robbed by mountain bandits before—would he be willing to leave the city? What kind of trap do you plan to have Uncle Liu set? How will you set it? Have you thought about this?”

Bai Jinzhi was slightly confused by Bai Qingyan’s questions. After thinking for a moment, she said to Bai Qingyan: “Steward Wu said that Bai Qiyun seems very eager to know whether we found the two bank notes he swindled from our Bai family in the capital when we went to suppress the bandits last time! What does Elder Sister think about using this matter to set the trap?”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “Of course, that’s possible. You can think carefully about how to set the trap. There’s no need to rush. You can use Steward Hao and Uncle Liu—Elder Sister trusts you.”

Hearing Bai Qingyan’s words “trusts you,” Bai Jinzhi unconsciously straightened her spine. The gentle smile in Elder Sister’s eyes was not the kind used to coax children—Elder Sister trusted her as always, so she must handle this matter well to show Elder Sister!

“Oh my! I almost forgot the important matter!” Bai Jinzhi hurriedly pulled out a letter from her sleeve and handed it to Bai Qingyan. “I went to look around the training ground early this morning, and on my way back, I encountered Yue Shi in a hurry. Yue Shi said Master Xiao had ordered him to come to the Bai mansion to deliver a letter to Elder Sister. Seeing his urgency, I volunteered to take on this task and brought the letter to Elder Sister.”

Bai Qingyan took the letter. Perhaps because she had already pledged herself to Xiao Rongyan, fearing that Xiao Rongyan might have written something inappropriate that Bai Jinzhi might see, she said to Bai Jinzhi: “If there’s nothing else, go back and spend more time with Third Aunt!”

“Elder Sister wants to secretly read the letter! Alright… I’m leaving!” Bai Jinzhi smiled mischievously, bowed to Bai Qingyan, and cheerfully ran out of Boyun Courtyard toward her mother’s courtyard.

Bai Qingyan waited by the light-filtering diamond-patterned window lattice until she saw Bai Jinzhi leave the courtyard, then opened the letter in her hand.

Seeing Xiao Rongyan’s bold calligraphy, Bai Qingyan’s expression softened with a smile.

In the letter, Xiao Rongyan told Bai Qingyan that despite racking his brains these past few days, he couldn’t think of an excuse to visit. He couldn’t break into the Bai mansion at night, nor could he visit too frequently, and he missed Bai Qingyan greatly.

He said he would depart for the Rong-Di territory early tomorrow morning. Being busy with affairs today, he feared he couldn’t come personally to bid farewell to Bai Qingyan. He hoped Bai Qingyan would take care of her health and not overwork herself, and wait for his return to Shuoyang.