Fu Ruoxi was extremely close to Bai Qingyan, so he naturally saw Bai Qingyan’s uncontrollably trembling arm. His heart tightened as he lowered his voice and approached Bai Qingyan: “Princess Zhenguo! Are you injured?!”

Bai Qingyan naturally clasped her hands behind her back, hiding her trembling arm, and shook her head at Fu Ruoxi. Her gaze fixed on the Nandu soldiers who had already laid down their weapons and knelt, her expression calm and composed as usual.

Fan Yuhuai, who had already lost one eye, saw that the Nandu army rebellion had been quelled. Hearing Prince Liang’s crying brought him back to his senses: “Detain Prince Liang first!”

“Father Emperor, save your son! Your son is wronged… Your son truly came to rescue Father Emperor and Crown Prince brother! Your son knew nothing about Prince Xian’s rebellion!”

Such despicable behavior from Prince Liang was naturally within Bai Qingyan’s expectations…

Even if the emperor was soft-hearted this time, the Crown Prince would certainly not spare Prince Liang. Bai Qingyan was not worried.

Fan Yuhuai walked to Bai Qingyan’s side and cupped his hands: “Princess Zhenguo!”

Bai Qingyan saw that Fan Yuhuai’s face, washed by rainwater, was covered in blood. Her gaze fell on Fan Yuhuai’s missing eye: “Is Minister Fan alright?”

“It’s nothing serious!” Fan Yuhuai’s eye was in excruciating pain at this moment, but compared to losing his life, having an injured eye was already extremely fortunate. If his soldiers hadn’t pulled him back just now, he would already be a soul under Prince Xian’s blade.

Fan Yuhuai saw Fu Ruoxi guarding beside Bai Qingyan and lowered his voice to ask Bai Qingyan: “Princess Zhenguo, this… Fu Ruoxi…”

“For this rescue mission, Fu Ruoxi should receive first merit!”

With just this one sentence from Bai Qingyan, Fan Yuhuai understood. He nodded: “If that’s the case, we’ll leave cleaning the battlefield to our Patrol Battalion. Princess Zhenguo and General Fu quickly enter the hall to report to His Majesty, the Crown Prince, and the Grand Princess, lest His Majesty, the Crown Prince, and the Grand Princess continue to worry.”

Bai Qingyan nodded and looked toward Fu Ruoxi…

In the heavy rain, Fu Ruoxi tightened his grip on his sword and also looked toward Bai Qingyan.

“Let’s go!” After Bai Qingyan spoke to Fu Ruoxi, she turned and walked toward the high steps.

The generals of Anping Camp watched Fu Ruoxi, hoping that this rescue merit could spare their general’s life.

Liu Pinggao also stepped forward and said to Fu Ruoxi: “General, sincerely admit your wrongs to His Majesty and the Crown Prince! His Majesty will surely consider the general’s rescue merit and give a lenient punishment!”

Fu Ruoxi handed his sword to Liu Pinggao, nodded, turned, and followed Bai Qingyan along the path cleared by the Patrol Battalion and Imperial Guards toward the great hall’s main entrance.

Bai Qingyan stood before the tightly closed great hall entrance, knelt on one knee, and called out loudly: “Bai Qingyan and Fu Ruoxi arrived late to rescue His Majesty. The rebels have surrendered. Please, Your Majesty and Crown Prince, open the door!”

“Criminal subject Fu Ruoxi arrived late to rescue His Majesty. The rebels have surrendered. Please, Your Majesty and Crown Prince, be at ease!” Fu Ruoxi followed Bai Qingyan in calling out.

“Fu Ruoxi?!” The Crown Prince turned to look at Old Fang. After all, Fu Ruoxi was someone who had previously tried to kill him.

Old Fang also clenched his fists, but thinking that the Grand Princess was also present, he wasn’t so worried.

Inside the great hall, the Grand Princess felt her heart settle as she heard the emperor speak: “Please invite Princess Zhenguo and General Fu to enter!”

The Grand Princess, leaning on her cane, quickly walked toward the entrance: “Quickly! Quickly open the hall doors!”

Several eunuchs inside the hall immediately opened the carved doors of the great hall.

The moment the hall doors opened, the bloody smell that even such heavy rain couldn’t wash clean… accompanied by the damp and cold wind rushed into the great hall, causing the bright candles in the hall to dim momentarily before flickering back up, swaying and casting dancing shadows throughout this golden and magnificent imperial sleeping quarters.

The hanging curtains and gauze drapes swayed, and the copper bells on the twisted golden hooks rang crisply.

The Grand Princess saw Bai Qingyan kneeling in the center outside the hall entrance. She was completely soaked, and it was impossible to tell whether the fresh blood on her silver armor was hers or others’. The Grand Princess nearly couldn’t stand steady, tears welling up in her eyes, her throat rolling.

“Grand Princess!” Nanny Jiang quickly supported the Grand Princess.

The Grand Princess handed her cane to Nanny Jiang, supported herself on the hall’s doorframe as she stepped out of the main hall, helped Bai Qingyan to her feet, and looked her up and down. She used her hands to wipe the fresh blood on Bai Qingyan’s silver armor that the rainwater couldn’t wash clean, then tucked Bai Qingyan’s wet hair that clung to her temples behind her ears, choking back tears as she asked: “Where are you injured?”

Before Bai Qingyan could answer, the Grand Princess felt Bai Qingyan’s continuously trembling arm. Her hand trembled, her face turned deathly pale as she carefully pulled Bai Qingyan’s arm out, asking: “Where are you hurt? Imperial physician… imperial physician!”

“Grandmother!” Bai Qingyan grasped the Grand Princess’s hand with her other hand. “Grandmother, I just used too much force! No need to alarm the imperial physician.”

The rain was too heavy, and her voice couldn’t carry far. To intimidate the Nandu army and stop the fighting, minimizing casualties, Bai Qingyan could only lift Prince Xian to show the Nandu army… to make them fear, to make them panic!

But even though Bai Qingyan wore iron sandbags daily, lifting Prince Xian was still extremely strenuous for her. After that instant of intense explosive force, her arm trembled so much she couldn’t exert any strength, as if it were disabled.

Even having Bai Qingyan keep her arm behind her back felt laborious.

If Father were still here… he would probably scold her for being reckless again.

Bai Qingyan could see the Grand Princess’s heartfelt concern. As the Grand Princess, she couldn’t scold Bai Qingyan for being so desperate in front of this palace, so she could only bite her teeth tightly to restrain her tears: “His Majesty is still waiting for you! Go in!”

Quan Yu also stood at the entrance, watching Bai Qingyan step into the great hall with her arm hanging at her side, not swinging naturally with her movement. His eyes immediately reddened as he took small steps back to the Crown Prince’s side, lowering his voice: “Your Highness, Princess Zhenguo’s arm seems to be injured!”

The emperor turned to look at the hanging curtain that blocked the damp cold air and said: “Raise the hanging curtain…”

Gao Demao quickly ordered the eunuchs to pull up the bright yellow hanging curtain and gauze drapes. They saw the Grand Princess pulling Bai Qingyan’s hand as they entered, followed by Fu Ruoxi who was missing an arm. Both wore blood-stained military attire and were completely soaked in disheveled states.

Before coming, Bai Qingyan had already instructed Fu Ruoxi that as long as he followed what Old Madam Fu had said before her death and appealed to the emperor…

The emperor, considering Fu Ruoxi’s merit in this rescue, would certainly forgive the Fu family and Fu Ruoxi.

When the Empress sent people to Dali Temple prison to kill him, it was equivalent to severing their relationship. From then on, Fu Ruoxi would no longer owe her anything.

Fu Ruoxi secretly resolved in his heart that if he survived this time, he would definitely follow Old Madam Fu’s instructions and return home to treat his wife and children well…

Fu Ruoxi’s gaze fell on that slender and upright figure kneeling toward the emperor. If he could fortunately preserve his life this time, he would certainly follow Bai Qingyan through fire and water.

He knew that Bai Qingyan was like the late Duke Zhenguo Bai Weiting – someone with great burdens and aspirations.