“If you think it’s feasible, discuss it with Uncle Liu. Military training matters are entrusted to you, so naturally, you make all the decisions.” Bai Qingyan had no concerns about Ji Tingyu.

Ji Tingyu bowed deeply to Bai Qingyan and said solemnly, “First Miss, rest assured. When the day comes that First Miss needs troops, Ji Tingyu will provide you with a usable army.”

When First Miss had arranged for him to come here and pose as mountain bandits, Ji Tingyu had understood First Miss’s unspoken purpose—one that would be shocking if voiced aloud.

Ji Tingyu was willing to devote his entire life to the Bai family and First Miss’s aspirations, working with utmost dedication, hoping only to see a day when the seas were calm and the rivers clear, with peace throughout the realm.

Because Ji Tingyu knew that the imperial family’s decline was already evident, those in high positions spent their days scheming over petty matters, while only the ambitious Bai family in the Jin Kingdom could shoulder the burden of pacifying these chaotic times.

Ji Tingyu was willing to follow Bai Qingyan… and rebel against the Lin imperial authority!

Before leaving, Bai Qingyan left Shen Qingzhu with Ji Tingyu, planning to send word ahead on the return journey for Shen Qingzhu to rejoin them.

When Bai Qingyan had trained the female guard unit years ago, Shen Qingzhu had trained alongside her and understood the intricacies deeply. Leaving her with Ji Tingyu this time was to help him with strategic planning.

Just as Bai Qingyan caught up with Lu Ping’s convoy heading to Dengzhou, Lu Ping pulled a letter from his breast and handed it to Bai Qingyan: “A letter sent by Fourth Miss via urgent courier!”

Bai Qingyan nodded, accepted the letter, dismounted, and bent to enter the carriage.

“First Miss is back!” Chun Tao quickly arranged a handkerchief for Bai Qingyan to wipe her hands.

The letter had come from the direction of the capital. In it, Bai Jinxiu wrote that the Idle Prince of Nandu had arrived in the capital, met with the Emperor, and then visited Prince Liang’s mansion. No one knew what he and Prince Liang had discussed, but the day after emerging, he went to the imperial palace and brought Nandu County Princess Liu Ruofu back to his residence in the capital. Subsequently, the Emperor issued an edict setting the wedding date for Prince Liang and Nandu County Princess Liu Ruofu for early next spring.

Additionally, the white deer that the Crown Prince had brought back and presented to the Emperor on his birthday—Jin Kingdom’s sacred beast—had suddenly died in the night. The Emperor flew into a thunderous rage and had seventy-three servants who cared for the white deer beaten to death.

Furthermore, Great Yan was sending a princess to marry far away to Beirong, to become the new queen of the Rong Di King. Since they needed to pass through Jin Kingdom territory, Yan had sent envoys to Jin.

The white deer was the Jin Kingdom’s divine beast. The sudden death of a divine beast was an ominous sign, so naturally, the Emperor was furiously enraged. It seemed… the fate of the Jin Kingdom’s Lin imperial authority was truly coming to an end.

After reading the letter, Bai Qingyan opened the lid of the three-legged gilt bronze incense burner on the table, lit the letter and placed it inside, then replaced the lid…

If Prince Liang and the Idle Prince were already allies, with Prince Liang’s eloquence and deceptive abilities, convincing the Idle Prince to marry his only daughter, Liu Ruofu, to him wouldn’t be difficult.

With the Idle Prince’s only daughter, Liu Ruofu, marrying Prince Liang, she would naturally become Prince Liang’s person. But the Idle Prince had met the Emperor first… then Prince Liang. The implications of this sequence were worth pondering.

But why would the Yan Emperor choose this critical moment to send a princess for political marriage?

Was it because of problems with food supplies? Or because of problems with Great Yan’s army stationed in Beirong?

The convoy heading to Dengzhou continued its slow progress. Bai Qingyan leaned against her cushion with closed eyes, thinking quietly.

The current situation in the realm was changing. Whether Great Yan had problems with their army or their food supplies, keeping Nantong under her control was more important than anything else.

Otherwise, if Great Yan grew strong in the future, they would certainly create a pincer attack against the Jin Kingdom from both sides.

Lu Ping’s convoy traveled at full speed, but after entering the Yunjing Mountain Range, their pace slowed.

The Yunjing Mountain Range had treacherous and steep mountain roads, with crisscrossing ravines, rushing torrents below the cliffs, and an atmosphere that could swallow mountains and rivers.

A cavalry escort of thirty men protected the carriage, slowly traveling through the undulating, endless green peaks and between the precipitous cliffs of the Yunjing Mountain Range.

The peaks held accumulated snow, with faintly rolling seas of clouds, sunlight illuminating the mountains in magnificent splendor with overwhelming grandeur.

Occasionally, clouds would obscure the sun, but within moments, golden light would shine brilliantly again, outlining the layered green vegetation and the advancing cavalry in golden contours.

After emerging from the Yunjing Mountain Range, the cavalry found themselves on flat plains. Finally, on the seventeenth day of the eighth month, they arrived in Dengzhou.

Old Madam Dong and Dong Qingyue had received word early and had Dong Changlian lead the Dong family servants to the city gate to welcome Bai Qingyan.

Dong Changlian saw the convoy approaching slowly in the increasingly brilliant morning light from afar, his eyes showing delight. He leaped onto his horse and spurred it forward.

Seeing Dong Changlian, Lu Ping quickly turned his horse and trotted to Bai Qingyan’s carriage, lowering his voice: “First Miss, the Dong family’s eldest young master has come!”

Bai Qingyan acknowledged and set aside the ancient text she had been reading.

Dong Changlian rode up quickly, nodded to Lu Ping, then also stopped beside the carriage and called: “Cousin…”

Chun Tao quickly lifted the carriage curtain.

Bai Qingyan saw Dong Changlian mounted on his horse, wearing a crab-shell blue left-opening robe with auspicious cloud patterns. The handsome young man was spirited and vigorous, and she smiled: “Changlian.”

“Grandmother and Father sent me to welcome Cousin.” Dong Changlian turned his horse to follow alongside the carriage at an unhurried pace, saying quietly, “Calculating the time of Cousin’s arrival, it should have crossed with the letter I sent to Shouyang to report our safety.”

In that letter was also the result of Dong Changlian’s detailed discussion with Dong Qingyue. However, since it was sent by letter rather than delivered personally, Dong Changlian had written very cryptically—others probably couldn’t understand it.

Bai Qingyan nodded: “We’ll talk about it later.”

Dong Changlian nodded: “I’ll go ahead to lead the way.”

“Good!” Bai Qingyan agreed and had Chun Tao lower the curtain.

Dong Changlian rode ahead to personally lead the way, bringing the Bai family cavalry from Shouyang City into the city.

Chun Tao busied herself tidying the table in the carriage, putting the tea service and snacks into small boxes within the carriage, then simply groomed Bai Qingyan’s hair and straightened her clothes.

Old Madam Dong, along with Dong Qingyue, Cui Shi, Young Cui Shi, and a concubine son and two concubine daughters from the household, all stood outside the gate waiting for Bai Qingyan’s arrival.

Seeing Dong Changlian’s figure in the distance, Cui Shi supported Old Madam Dong with a smile: “Mother, they’re here…”

Old Madam Dong fingered her sandalwood prayer beads, wearing a purple sandalwood ruyi-patterned jacket with gold thread trim. Her silver hair was meticulously arranged, and a longevity-patterned headband inset with pigeon-blood rubies was tightly secured, making her appear very spirited.

Upon hearing that her granddaughter had arrived, Old Madam Dong lifted her skirt hem and, supported by her son’s and daughter-in-law’s hands, took a step down from the stairs. The delight in her eyes grew even more intense.

“A’Bao must have had a hard journey. It’s good that she’s home now!” Old Madam Dong couldn’t help but sigh.

From the moment she learned Bai Qingyan was departing for Dengzhou, Old Madam Dong hadn’t slept peacefully a single day, constantly worrying about what accidents might occur on the road. After all, with bandits rampant nowadays, signs of chaos in the world had already appeared.