“After a few years of careful training, I believe they’ll be able to serve Sister effectively.” Bai Qingping was confident.

Whether a clan could maintain long-term prosperity depended on how the clan leader guided it.

If the clan leader himself conducted himself improperly, the clan would naturally decline.

Now that Bai Qihe had assumed the position of clan leader to manage the clan, he had withdrawn his attention from those ancient texts and devoted it entirely to revitalizing the Bai clan. The results so far appeared quite effective.

“In that case, the clan members can all be put to use, but… we must certainly prevent problems before they arise!”

After all, the clan members had been rotten to the core before. Changing one’s nature was harder than moving mountains—Bai Qingyan would use them, but she would also guard against them.

Chun Tao knelt in the carriage, busily lighting incense, brewing tea for Bai Qingyan, and tucking a ginger-yellow satin cushion embroidered with acacia flowers behind Bai Qingyan’s waist.

She didn’t understand or worry about what Bai Qingyan and Bai Qingping were discussing, only thinking about how to make Bai Qingyan more comfortable.

Bai Qingping nodded: “Sister, rest assured. Father has repeatedly emphasized this. For now, I only keep three clan brothers by my side. After a year or two, if these three clan brothers can remain consistent and prove useful to the clan and Sister, I’ll bring them to meet Sister. If they’re not useful, I’ll simply assign them to do some unimportant tasks.”

“You’ve always been steady in your work, so I’m very reassured.” Bai Qingyan looked at Bai Qingping mounted on his horse and continued, “You’ve been getting along well with Shen Yancong recently. If there’s an opportunity, don’t leave any traces… quietly investigate the Shen family’s background.”

Bai Qingping was startled. Investigating a prefect’s family background shouldn’t be difficult for Bai Qingyan, but her sudden instruction for Bai Qingping to probe through Shen Yancong meant she had developed some suspicions about the prefect’s family.

“I understand. Sister, rest assured!” Bai Qingping nodded.

“Alright, don’t escort me further. Return to the recruit camp.” Bai Qingyan smiled at Bai Qingping. “You’ve worked hard!”

Bai Qingping nodded without insisting further. He spurred his horse to the side, cupped his fists in salute to Bai Qingyan, and watched her convoy depart before turning his horse back toward the training grounds, keeping Bai Qingyan’s instruction to investigate the Shen family’s background in mind.

Led by Lu Ping and Shen Qingzhu, the group had not traveled far into the mountain roads after leaving the city when Lu Ping at the front raised his hand to signal the convoy to stop.

Shen Qingzhu, with a small bundle on his back, and Lu Ping turned their horses around and rode back to Bai Qingyan’s carriage, only to see that Bai Qingyan had already alighted and leaped onto a horse, taking the reins handed to her by a guard.

Bai Qingyan gripped the reins, handed a letter to Lu Ping, and said: “Uncle Ping, send someone to deliver this letter to General Cheng Yuanzhi and the others in Nan Jiang. You lead the convoy forward first—I’ll catch up shortly.”

“Yes!”

Chun Tao, standing beside the carriage, looked up at Bai Qingyan with concern and reminded her once more: “First Miss, be careful!”

Bai Qingyan nodded.

Watching Bai Qingyan and Shen Qingzhu gallop away along a small path, Chun Tao anxiously boarded the carriage. Lu Ping also dispatched someone to deliver the letter, then spurred his horse forward to slowly lead the convoy.

Bai Qingyan’s letter simply instructed Cheng Yuanzhi that if he encountered any difficulties, he could directly approach the Crown Prince. After all, in the Crown Prince’s eyes, the Bai family army was his private force, so he would certainly provide ample support.

Ji Tingyu had been waiting at the appointed location for quite some time. Upon hearing hoofbeats, he finally emerged from atop a tall tree on the slope. Seeing it was Bai Qingyan and Shen Qingzhu, now dressed in men’s clothing, Ji Tingyu quickly led his men in leaping down from the tall tree and came forward to meet them.

Seeing Ji Tingyu, Bai Qingyan reined in her horse. Ji Tingyu hurried forward and knelt on one knee: “First Miss!”

“Rise!” Bai Qingyan dismounted and looked at the Bai family guards who had been holed up in these mountains with Ji Tingyu for so many months—they were darker and thinner but much more spirited. She smiled: “You all look much more energetic!”

Ji Tingyu’s gaze fell on Shen Qingzhu, and he nodded with a smile in greeting: “Miss Shen!”

Shen Qingzhu nodded and took the reins from Bai Qingyan’s hands. As Bai Qingyan walked up the mountain with Ji Tingyu, she said: “Today I’ve brought Qing Zhu over to disguise herself as a man and assist you in training recruits! Are you encountering any difficulties now?”

Shen Qingzhu’s identity was special. Before everything was fully prepared, the recruit Ji Tingyu was being trained, absolutely could not know that Shen Qingzhu was a guard serving Princess Zhenguo Bai Qingyan.

“Following First Miss’s instructions, without referencing the Huying Battalion’s training methods, after these months of concentrated speed training, I’ve roughly figured out each soldier’s strengths. The current difficulty lies in recruitment. Jin Kingdom has had two consecutive major battles in the southern and northern frontiers, with nationwide conscription. The number of people we can recruit is limited.” Ji Tingyu frowned.

Bai Qingyan looked at Ji Tingyu and smiled: “Nationwide conscription—isn’t that a good time for us to recruit? When the court orders conscription, garrison troops bear the brunt. Garrison troops are willing to become such because the court grants them land… and exempts them from taxes. But now, wealthy families and powerful clans frequently seize land. Garrison troops with no land struggle to survive, and with the court’s successive conscriptions, garrison troops are deserting… we just need to find ways to bring them over!”

The force Ji Tingyu was training emphasized quality over quantity. Bai Qingyan had Ji Tingyu identify each soldier’s strengths during training, organizing them into ten-man teams where each member had different strengths that complemented and supported each other. Such a squad wouldn’t just be capable of mountain warfare or siege warfare—if properly utilized, they could become arrows piercing through enemy heavy shields in any battle!

While this method lacked the convenience of official court conscription, it was still a good way to gather personnel under the current circumstances.

Moreover, Bai Qingyan had an extremely risky idea. Since Ji Tingyu’s men dared to ambush both the Crown Prince’s convoy and Princess Zhenguo’s convoy, why couldn’t they ambush a newly recruited army?

Jin court conscription typically involved the court issuing conscription orders and dispatching military officers with these orders to local areas. After completing recruitment, they would personally escort recruits to various military camps for training and organization.

Ji Tingyu had thought of this method too. He tentatively probed Bai Qingyan: “First Miss, I was thinking… we could hijack a conscription order and bring the soldiers back to our territory.”

Bai Qingyan’s steps halted as she turned to look at Ji Tingyu, surprised that he had thought of the same thing: “Ji Tingyu, you’re quite bold!”

Seeing the amused look in Bai Qingyan’s eyes, Ji Tingyu knew she agreed.

Their First Miss was far bolder than he had imagined.

“Shouyang hasn’t had conscription due to military training and bandit suppression, but… if we hijack recruits from elsewhere, how do we bring them back quietly? What about supplies along the way? And once the recruits enter the mountains, how do we keep them contained without letting them leave? Have you considered these issues?” Bai Qingyan asked.

Ji Tingyu nodded, already having a comprehensive strategy in mind: “However, all of this would require First Miss to send assistance.”