If they remained ignorant and one day met on a narrow path to fight to the death, it would instead put A’Yu in a difficult position. Better to tell the truth, though there was risk, Bai Qingyan trusted her uncle and Changlan.

“This matter must not be known by anyone else besides Uncle and Changlan!”

“I understand! The more people who know, the more danger A’Yu faces!” Dong Changlan nodded vigorously. “Cousin sister, rest assured. For A’Yu’s safety, Father and I will keep our mouths sealed. Besides us, father and son, we won’t even tell grandmother!”

Bai Qingyan nodded with reddened eyes.

“A’Bao, you want to copy the map – do you suspect… that A’Yu included a message in the map?” Dong Qingyue had stayed with the Bai family army and naturally knew they had always had their methods of transmitting messages.

Bai Qingyan nodded: “After cousin copies it, I’ll try it out, though I’m worried about ruining the terrain drawn above. After all, when Lu Ping met A’Yu this time, there were people around them, so they couldn’t speak properly. If there’s a message sent back, that would be best, but if there isn’t…”

“If there isn’t, it doesn’t matter. It must be that time was too tight, and A’Yu couldn’t send a message back. Now that we know the Ghost Face General is A’Yu and that he’s still alive, that’s enough!” Dong Qingyue gently patted Bai Qingyan’s shoulder, indicating she should sit first.

Dong Changlan hurried to copy the map.

“A’Yu being alive is truly unexpected – it’s already great fortune!” Dong Qingyue let out a long breath. Remembering A’Yu’s childish appearance riding on his shoulders and flying kites in childhood, his eyes couldn’t help but moisten. “A’Yu remaining in Nan Rong… I imagine he thought the same as you, intending to control Nan Rong and prevent Great Yan from forming an encirclement against Jin!”

“I think… that should be it!” Bai Qingyan’s eyes contained a smile. The children of the Bai family, no matter when or where, would never forget the Bai family’s inherited aspirations. A’Jue was like this… A’Yun was like this, and A’Yu, as a Bai family heir, was even more so!

Dong Qingyue knew that the Bai family all had lofty aspirations, and his nephews and nieces were the legitimate heirs of the Bai family tradition.

After Dong Changlan finished copying the detailed map that Bai Qingyu had Lu Ping bring back, he and Dong Qingyue compared it repeatedly with Bai Qingyan to confirm it was accurate. Then Dong Changlan picked up his teacup and lightly sprinkled water with his finger across the entire sheepskin map.

Soon, as the sheepskin became thoroughly wet, blue script appeared on it.

Dong Qingyue, Dong Changlan, and Bai Qingyan all leaned over the desk.

[August thirtieth, raid Dengzhou, prepare early.]

A simple sentence with no other instructions, but definitely in A’Yu’s handwriting.

Bai Qingyan gripped the sheepskin map in her hands, unable to control her surging emotions of grief.

Dong Changlan lowered his eyes in thought, then asked Bai Qingyan: “Cousin sister, since we know this Ghost Face General is A’Yu, do we need to change our strategy regarding Nan Rong?”

After careful consideration, Bai Qingyan shook her head: “No change. The civilians who should be evacuated still need to be evacuated… the cities that should be lost still need to be lost. Otherwise, in the future, when we need to get silver and provisions for the Dengzhou army from the emperor… We’ll still encounter obstacles. We need to let them know that Nan Rong is also a strong enemy on our side. If they want Great Jin to be secure, not only can they not withhold funds from the Dengzhou army, they must properly send silver over.”

Dong Qingyue also agreed with Bai Qingyan’s words: “We should still proceed according to plan. After all, A’Yu may not be completely safe or trusted in Nan Rong! Otherwise… when A’Yu met Lu Ping, he wouldn’t have had any opportunity even to speak!”

Dong Qingyue tapped his bent fingers on the desk, his voice firm: “To prevent A’Yu from encountering danger in Nan Rong… we should deploy our forces to Nan Rong even more. If anything happens, we can respond to A’Yu!”

Bai Qingyan looked at her uncle, grateful in her heart, and bowed to Dong Qingyue and Dong Changlan: “I entrust this matter to Uncle and Changlan!”

“Cousin sister, those words are too formal! We’re family – what need is there for such a ceremony!” After Dong Changlan finished speaking, he said to Dong Qingyue, “Today is already the twenty-fourth, and on the thirtieth, Nan Rong will attack the city… this is about what cousin sister predicted. However, we had planned to evacuate Dengzhou civilians on the thirtieth. Should we prepare earlier now?”

“Tomorrow morning early, we’ll beat drums to gather the civilians. I’ll bring your grandmother to persuade the people to evacuate Dengzhou…” Dong Qingyue said to Dong Changlan. “You arrange for Changmao to return to the military camp. Tomorrow afternoon, the Dengzhou army will quietly help the civilians evacuate!”

Bai Qingyan spread the sheepskin map on the desk, wanting to let it dry quickly.

Hearing Dong Qingyue say this, she looked up at him: “Uncle, it’s better not to gather the civilians to persuade them for now. A’Bao understands the uncle’s reluctance to see the people suffer and wants them to take their valuables, belongings, and food out of the city early to reduce their losses! But uncle… after all, there are also the emperor’s people in Dengzhou city. If you act so openly, when the emperor investigates later, uncle may still bear responsibility.”

“What method does cousin sister suggest?” Dong Changlan asked.

“Today, Uncle can first send Changmao with people out of the city to scout the Rong Di movements. Whether the Rong Di move or not after three days, have Changmao return to the city, claiming the Rong Di intend to attack.” Bai Qingyan looked at Dong Qingyue. “Uncle can also immediately send people to spread word that the Dong residence has begun packing, and for three consecutive days… at night, arrange carriages and horses to transport tents outside the city. Send troops out of the city to prepare in advance to receive civilians fleeing the city. Once the camp is arranged, first send the Dong residence women outside the city!”

Dong Qingyue frowned tightly. This way… not only would people in Dengzhou city be in panic, but the civilians wouldn’t know how harshly they’d curse the Dong family. How could the Dong family establish itself in Dengzhou after losing the people’s hearts?

“After three days, when Changmao returns to the city claiming Nan Rong is advancing on Dengzhou in full force, Uncle first has officials take their families out of the city. After letting rumors ferment fiercely in the city, Uncle then gathers the civilians to discuss leaving the city. As long as there are troops outside the city to respond, the civilians will be willing.”

“Although this will cause panic in Dengzhou, and before the civilians know uncle has already arranged for Dengzhou troops to camp outside the city waiting for them, they may angrily curse uncle, this is still the method that best avoids the emperor’s suspicion of uncle… while being able to save the people.”

Dong Changlan’s restrained eyes grew deep, his voice extremely low: “And when the officials’ families are all transferred outside the city, Changlan can monitor all officials in the name of their safety. Then… letting those court-appointed officials die in battle against Nan Rong would also preserve some dignity for their families.”

Dong Changlan was thinking of purging Dengzhou.

Previously, Dong Qingyue hadn’t made Dengzhou as impenetrable as iron, not preventing the emperor from placing people inside, simply because he didn’t want to give the emperor any pretext.

Since they now needed to prepare for the future, those people could no longer be kept…

“Perhaps the emperor still has hidden agents in Dengzhou. Watch carefully to see who else sends messages outside…” Dong Qingyue instructed Dong Changlan.