“Quickly send for the military physician! The eldest miss is injured! Hurry!” Lu Ping ordered one of the Bai family guard soldiers beside him.

The guard responded and galloped away.

Only then did Bai Qingyan raise her hand to touch her burning ear. Blood had somehow already soaked half of her shoulder.

However, Bai Qingyan paid no attention to this minor injury.

Dong Changmao had already led three thousand light cavalry to pursue A Yu, but naturally, Dong Changmao would not catch up. He would deliver the three thousand light cavalry to Dong Changlan, then return to Dengzhou City… claiming that the three thousand light cavalry had been annihilated by the Nanrong, and petition the court for reinforcements.

After autumn came winter, and the grassland climate in winter was complex, not suitable for long-distance campaigns…

Therefore, this winter, the Emperor could only appease the Dengzhou army, hoping that the Dengzhou army could hold Dengzhou City.

Never mind that the Emperor lacked grand ambitions and heroic aspirations – even if the Emperor had the heart to exterminate the Rong and Di tribes, he would probably have to wait until next spring.

During this period, whether it was A Yu or Changlan, they could both spend a peaceful winter.

After the Nanrong army was repelled, Dong Qingyue sent people to rush back to the camp to spread the news, telling the civilians to pack up and return to the city early tomorrow morning. The city was in chaos after the war.

Except for the Dong mansion that had been requisitioned by the Ghost-faced General, the residences of other officials and the alleys where wealthy families lived had been turned upside down.

The Dengzhou army rested briefly, then began cleaning up Dengzhou City, collecting the bodies of their fallen Dengzhou army comrades and clearing the corpses of the Rong and Di people outside the city to avoid frightening the returning civilians.

The Dengzhou army received their orders: some generals led troops to search everywhere for Rong and Di stragglers hiding in Dengzhou City, some generals led troops to clean up Dengzhou, and some generals led troops to repair civilian houses and streets damaged by the Rong and Di army. They divided the work and cooperated, moving swiftly.

Bai Qingyan returned to the Dong mansion. The military physician hurried over to clean and bandage Bai Qingyan’s wound. That arrow had been extremely dangerous, nearly grazing past Bai Qingyan’s neck. Bai Qingyan had almost met the same fate as Princess Mingcheng.

Dong Qingyue came to look at the wound and couldn’t help feeling lingering fear. Bai Qingyan had always been cautious… which was why Dong Qingyue had let Bai Qingyan lead twenty thousand men to attack the north gate alone.

He estimated that because A Yu was inside Dengzhou City, Bai Qingyan had inevitably been too aggressive when attacking the city.

While Dong Qingyue breathed a sigh of relief seeing that Bai Qingyan was fine, he could also guess that if Old Madam Dong saw the wound on Bai Qingyan’s ear, she would probably twist his ears off.

Before dawn the next day, the Dengzhou army had already searched and cleaned Dengzhou City thoroughly, opening the city gates wide to welcome the people back.

The first to enter the city was the Dong family’s convoy, followed by the carriages of the official families of Dengzhou City, and then the common people driving ox carts and pulling board carts.

Dengzhou City had just been washed with water by the Dengzhou army. Although the bloody smell was not so strong, you could still smell traces of it, but the streets were orderly, and the doors and windows damaged by the Rong and Di army had been repaired.

Xiao Rongyan also returned to Dengzhou City with the Dengzhou army, but did not go to disturb the Dong mansion again. He bought an inn and stayed there temporarily, and it was said he would soon depart to return to the Wei Kingdom.

Bai Qingyan and Dong Qingyue stood in front of the Dong mansion to welcome Old Madam Dong. From afar, they saw the carriage engraved with the Dong family emblem coming from the end of the long street. Dong Qingyue turned back, his gaze falling on the fine cotton cloth bandaged over Bai Qingyan’s ear: “When your grandmother scolds your uncle later, you must speak some good words for your uncle!”

Bai Qingyan’s eyes carried laughter: “This injury was from my reckless advance. How could the grandmother blame the uncle? Uncle worries too much.”

Seeing that the Dong family guard soldiers had already dismounted, Old Madam Dong’s carriage was followed by the carriages of Madam Cui, Young Madam Cui, Dong Tingyun, and Dong Tingzhi. The carriages of the three concubines of the Dong mansion had already gone around to the side gate of the Dong mansion.

Seeing Old Madam Dong being helped down from the carriage by Nanny Wang, Bai Qingyan stepped forward to pay her respects: “Grandmother.”

Dawn had not yet fully broken, and the Dong family’s steps, washed countless times with water, were still wet. The lanterns hanging high at the eaves corners with the character “Dong” written on them swayed back and forth with the wind, their light and shadows unsteady. Old Madam Dong, advanced in years, had not yet clearly seen the wound on Bai Qingyan’s ear. She smiled and responded, her gaze falling on the vermilion lacquered main gate of the Dong mansion: “This time, although we made the people leave their homes with us, at least we managed to bring them all back without harm.”

Chun Tao, her eyes red from crying, got down from the carriage. Seeing Bai Qingyan, her eyes immediately reddened, but she hurried forward yet didn’t dare pass Old Madam Dong, only bowing from the side: “Eldest miss…”

Madam Cui had just walked to Old Madam Dong’s side when she heard Bai Qingyan call out “Aunt” and saw the fine cotton cloth wrapped around Bai Qingyan’s ear: “Oh my! What happened to A Bao’s ear?”

Chun Tao’s gaze fell on the fine cotton cloth on Bai Qingyan’s neck, and she was so anxious that her face turned instantly pale. Disregarding etiquette, she hurried forward to look: “Eldest miss… you’re injured?!”

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Dong’s face immediately turned white. She lifted her skirt and hurried up the steps, grabbing Bai Qingyan’s arm to examine the wound on Bai Qingyan’s ear.

“Grandmother, it’s nothing serious! It’s just a scratch. Uncle was worried and had the military physician bandage it. If you ask me… even bandaging wasn’t necessary.” Bai Qingyan smiled and touched the fine cotton cloth on her ear, laughing: “If grandmother doesn’t believe me, after you settle in and rest, I’ll have Chun Tao remove the cotton cloth for you to see!”

“This child…” Old Madam Dong chided Bai Qingyan with a sentence, but felt relieved in her heart: “Really nothing serious?”

Bai Qingyan smiled and nodded: “Uncle was just worried, telling me… if grandmother scolds uncle, asking me to help speak some good words for him!”

Old Madam Dong gripped Bai Qingyan’s hand and glared at Dong Qingyue, walking inside while lowering her voice to scold Dong Qingyue: “What did you promise me when you brought A Bao to capture the city? Not a hair harmed! This is your promise of not a hair harmed?”

“Mother…” Dong Qingyue supported Old Madam Dong’s other side, saying in a low voice: “All the servants in the mansion are here. Please leave your son some face.”

“Grandmother, this isn’t Uncle’s fault. I was anxious to capture that Ghost-faced General alive and was somewhat reckless. It’s good that I got injured this time – it can teach A Bao a lesson. In the future, if I go to battle again, I must never be hasty or careless. Exchanging such a minor injury for future caution and safety, A Bao thinks it’s worthwhile.”

Bai Qingyan’s words made sense. Old Madam Dong squeezed Bai Qingyan’s hand firmly: “You think grandmother doesn’t know… you’re speaking up for your uncle?”

“It was A Bao’s own mistake, not Uncle’s fault.” Bai Qingyan supported Old Madam Dong’s hand, slowly walking toward the decorative gate.

“Look at you – your niece got injured and still defends you, while you, as her uncle, need your niece to speak up for you. Aren’t you ashamed!” Old Madam Dong’s tone clearly showed she had calmed down.