“Your Highness, the Crown Prince, Princess Zhenguo! There must be more to this matter. Please, Your Highness and Princess, first let the military physician stop General Fu’s bleeding, and we can interrogate him later!” Fu Ruoxi’s deputy general knelt on both knees, speaking urgently.

“Please, Your Highness, save him first!” One of Fu Ruoxi’s subordinate generals pressed down on Fu Ruoxi’s bleeding shoulder with one hand, kowtowing heavily toward the Crown Prince and Bai Qingyan.

The Crown Prince had already been frightened senseless by Fu Ruoxi’s sudden, deadly attack. Unable to maintain his composure, his face was pale, and his entire body trembled; his legs were too weak to stand.

Old Fang, with disheveled hair and blood on his forehead, struggled to his feet and shouted: “Fu Ruoxi assassinated the Crown Prince! So many eyes witnessed it! Even being cut into a thousand pieces wouldn’t be enough punishment! What is Princess Zhenguo still hesitating about? You should quickly kill this Fu Ruoxi!”

Hearing Old Fang shouting so desperately, Fu Ruoxi’s deputy general was shocked and opened his eyes wide: “Please, Your Highness, the Crown Prince and Princess Zhenguo, give our general a chance to defend himself! We have followed General Fu for many years and do not believe he would commit treason! There must be some misunderstanding in this! General, please speak!”

Fu Ruoxi was in such pain he nearly fainted, gritting his teeth tightly, yet not daring to move due to Lu Ping’s sword at his throat.

His subordinates all begged Fu Ruoxi to defend himself, but how could he defend himself? How could he explain drawing his sword against the Crown Prince?

If he now claimed the Emperor’s secret edict ordered him to kill the Crown Prince, it would no longer be credible. If the Crown Prince had an imperial edict summoning him back to the capital, he would have no defense at all. Under the circumstances where the Crown Prince was an option, would the soldiers of Anping Camp still follow him?

Hesitation, uncertainty, and cowardice prevented Fu Ruoxi from opening his mouth.

“Please, Your Highness, the Crown Prince and Princess Zhenguo, first call a military physician to stop General Fu’s bleeding, and interrogate him later!”

“Please, Your Highness, save him first!”

Bai Qingyan sheathed her cold blade, threw down the sword she had taken from Fu Ruoxi’s subordinate, and turned her head to order: “Go summon the military physician!”

“Thank you, Princess Zhenguo! Thank you, Your Highness, the Crown Prince!” Fu Ruoxi’s deputy general hurriedly kowtowed toward Bai Qingyan and the Crown Prince.

“Princess Zhenguo!” Old Fang stepped forward sternly, “Fu Ruoxi assassinated the Crown Prince! So many people saw it! The evidence is irrefutable! If you don’t kill him now, when will you wait?! Could it be you want to wait for Fu Ruoxi to try killing His Highness again before you’re satisfied?!”

Bai Qingyan turned and bowed deeply toward the Crown Prince: “Your Highness, although Fu Ruoxi did attempt to assassinate Your Highness, the matter has not been thoroughly investigated. Moreover, the messenger is already dead, and we don’t know if General Fu was coerced by someone or has other difficulties! Even if Fu Ruoxi is truly unforgivable, he should be brought back to the capital for trial by the Three Judicial Offices before being sentenced! Treason is a grave matter, and the Fu family’s elderly and young are all in the capital. Bai Qingyan does not believe General Fu would commit such acts without reason! General Fu has already lost an arm and surely cannot attempt to assassinate Your Highness again! Bai Qingyan once fought shoulder to shoulder with General Fu on the northern frontier and is willing to personally escort General Fu back to the capital for trial, absolutely not giving General Fu another chance to assassinate Your Highness!”

Fu Ruoxi’s face was flushed red from pain, but Bai Qingyan’s words, “the Fu family’s elderly and young are all in the capital,” shocked him so much that all his physical pain suddenly vanished. Surrounded by the smell of his blood, his heart immediately turned ice cold with only fear remaining. In his moment of impulse, he had only thought of the Empress but forgotten the safety of the Fu family’s elderly and young.

The Crown Prince gripped the arm of the person supporting him. Remembering that Bai Qingyan had just said they couldn’t kill Fu Ruoxi now, he forced himself to straighten his spine and nodded: “Princess Zhenguo speaks reasonably!”

“Your Highness!” Old Fang wanted to argue further, but saw the Crown Prince raise his hand to stop him from speaking.

“Although Fu Ruoxi attempted to assassinate me today, he has served our Great Jin by guarding the borders in the past, and this merit… is sufficient to give General Fu a chance to defend himself in the capital!” The Crown Prince looked toward Fu Ruoxi, “General Fu’s reputation as a filial son is known to everyone in the capital. I… have done nothing unconscionable and do not believe General Fu would abandon his mother, brothers, wife, and children’s lives to assassinate me! I also want to know why General Fu, such a great general who loyally guards the borders for Jin, would want to assassinate me.”

After the Crown Prince finished speaking, he said to the personal guard supporting him, “Help me inside to rest. Leave the remaining matters to Princess Zhenguo to handle. Old Fang, you come with me!”

Bai Qingyan bowed respectfully to the Crown Prince.

After the Crown Prince entered the large tent, the military physician arrived. Seeing Fu Ruoxi’s severed arm, the physician was startled and knelt trembling beside Fu Ruoxi to stop his bleeding.

Fu Ruoxi’s deputy general held Fu Ruoxi’s head while his subordinate generals all knelt beside Fu Ruoxi, their expressions tense as they urged him to speak of any difficulties he might have.

Bai Qingyan also stood to the side, still with that indifferent and calm demeanor, looking down at Fu Ruoxi, whose arm she had severed.

“Thank you, Princess Zhenguo, for showing mercy!” Fu Ruoxi’s deputy general looked up with a choked voice to thank Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingyan’s sword had been extremely fast, that shadow flashing and severing Fu Ruoxi’s arm.

Everyone present was clear… Bai Qingyan had already blocked Fu Ruoxi’s sword aimed at the Crown Prince.

That sword of hers could have taken Fu Ruoxi’s head, yet she didn’t take his life. Instead, she even pleaded for Fu Ruoxi before the Crown Prince. This made Fu Ruoxi’s subordinate generals extremely grateful to Bai Qingyan.

“Once, my grandfather was slandered by Prince Xin for being obstinate in military command, attempting to frame the Bai family for treason and betraying the Kingdom, nearly implicating our entire Bai family. As someone also from a military family… regardless of whether General Fu was coerced by others or has other plans, I do not wish to see the Fu family meet the fate of complete extermination! General Fu… your life is not yours alone, but concerns the entire Fu family. General Fu must think carefully!”

After Bai Qingyan finished speaking, she looked at Lu Ping and said: “Immediately send someone to Dengzhou to notify Dengzhou Prefect Dong Qingyue to come take over Anping Camp at once. Must not have any errors! Before the Dengzhou Prefect arrives, all matters of Anping Camp shall be coordinated by you.”

Lu Ping responded affirmatively.

After what had just happened, none of Fu Ruoxi’s subordinate generals in Anping Camp dared to dispute anymore.

“You are all brave generals under General Fu. This time, you will escort the Crown Prince back to the capital together, and you will also serve as witnesses to this incident!” Bai Qingyan’s gaze fell on Fu Ruoxi, “Take the military physician and General Fu to treat his wounds in private. Guard them well. Whatever the military physician needs, send it in. No one is permitted to visit or converse with them!”

“Princess Zhenguo!”

Fu Ruoxi’s subordinate soldiers wanted to say something more, but heard Bai Qingyan say: “If you truly care for General Fu’s well-being, then do not meet with him anymore, lest the Crown Prince think… General Fu is colluding with you to coordinate testimony, which would be detrimental to General Fu.”

The military physician was also an old man who had followed Fu Ruoxi for many years. He responded: “Generals, rest assured. This old man will certainly take good care of General Fu!”

“We entrust him to you!” Fu Ruoxi’s deputy general bowed to the military physician.

“Carry him into the military physician’s tent. Do not neglect him. Whatever is needed, do not delay.” Bai Qingyan ordered.

Fu Ruoxi’s subordinate soldiers watched as the groaning Fu Ruoxi was carried away, and seeing the Dengzhou troops surrounding the command tent area completely, they all looked toward Bai Qingyan.