The Crown Prince hastily grasped Bai Qingyan’s blood-covered hand, saying in panic: “Princess Zhenguo! Hold on! Soon, my guards will be able to repel these remaining rebel troops. I’ll immediately have Imperial Physician Huang treat you!”

If Bai Qingyan hadn’t pushed him away just now, he would have been the one pierced through the chest by that arrow. How could the Crown Prince not be grateful to Bai Qingyan?!

Bai Qingyan bit through the fish bladder blood pouch hidden in her mouth. Opening her mouth, before she could even speak, fresh blood spurted out…

“Princess Zhenguo!” Quan Yu cried out in panic, then gritted his teeth and pulled himself together, wiping his tears with his sleeve. “Your Highness! This servant will carry Princess Zhenguo on my back. Let’s quickly go to Princess Zhenguo’s mansion! With Physician Hong there at Princess Zhenguo’s mansion, he can surely save Princess Zhenguo!”

“Your Highness!” Bai Qingyan gripped the Crown Prince’s hand tightly, speaking with difficulty. “If I truly cannot survive this time, Your Highness must remember… the Anping Grand Camp cannot fall into others’ hands. Although Xiao Si Bai Jinzhi lacks experience, she is a descendant of the Bai family and has been raised alongside military texts since childhood. Given time, she will surely be an excellent military commander! Your Highness could send veteran generals to accompany Xiao Si to the Anping Grand Camp. Firstly, it would give her experience, and secondly… it would ensure the Anping Grand Camp remains in Your Highness’s hands!”

“This is not the time to discuss such matters!” The Crown Prince’s eyes were bloodshot. “Let’s go to the Bai mansion first!”

Suddenly, more intense shouts of battle and calls to protect the sovereign came from far outside the door. Quan Yu turned back to look outside: “Your Highness! Someone must have come to rescue us!”

“Your Highness!” Bai Qingyan struggled to swallow a mouthful of saliva, her bloodshot eyes staring fixedly at the Crown Prince. “There are some things that if I don’t say now… I fear that if something happens, I won’t have another chance to tell Your Highness! His Majesty’s health is weak, and he has entrusted government affairs to Your Highness. Your Highness should listen more to Chancellor Lu’s words. Although Li Mao is a petty man… even petty men have their uses, and Old Fang will surely understand! No matter what… before Your Highness ascends the throne, the top priority is to seize military authority. Imperial Guard Commander Fan Yuhuai can shoulder this responsibility! Regarding Fu Ruoxi… now that His Majesty has ordered Fu Ruoxi’s position stripped, after Your Highness weathers this period, you could show favor to Fu Ruoxi… have him command the Patrol Camp. Fu Ruoxi will surely be grateful to Your Highness and pledge loyalty unto death! If there are future military campaigns… Fu Ruoxi would be a ready-sharpened sword!”

The Crown Prince nodded vigorously. Even Great Liang’s fierce general Gu Shanhai had died by Fu Ruoxi’s sword – no one could question Fu Ruoxi’s valor: “I remember it all!”

“Old Fang is loyal and cautious, but his vision is somewhat narrow, and he doesn’t consider the overall situation. For matters concerning the grand scheme… Your Highness should think thrice before acting on Old Fang’s suggestions!”

“I remember!”

Bai Qingyan spoke with difficulty, then, after taking a long breath, said with effort: “Your Highness, if I cannot get through this time and can no longer plan for Your Highness or accompany Your Highness on this journey, Your Highness must take good care of yourself. The path to the summit is like walking on thin ice. Even if you must proceed with trepidation, please do not worry or fear, and do not forget our hearts of devoted loyalty!”

“It won’t come to that!” The Crown Prince gritted his teeth, his blood rarely running hot, as he showed rare resolve. Quan Yu! Carry Princess Zhenguo on your back. We’re not far from Princess Zhenguo’s mansion – we’ll fight our way out!”

At this moment, Xiao Rongyan had already arrived with the Bai family guard army.

In the heavy rain, the hidden guards who were fighting desperately with the Crown Prince’s mansion guards saw Xiao Rongyan’s group approaching on horseback and shouted: “Retreat! Their reinforcements have arrived! Protecting the young lady’s escape from the city is urgent! Quick!”

Upon hearing this, those hidden guards all retreated, shouting: “Retreat! Protecting the young lady’s escape from the city is urgent! Quick!”

“Your Highness! The people outside are saying they’re retreating!” Quan Yu, who had just gotten Bai Qingyan on his back, was so happy he nearly cried.

The Crown Prince nodded: “Then let’s wait a bit longer before going out! Princess Zhenguo… hold on!”

An arrow through the chest, though it hadn’t injured vital organs, combined with the pain in her arm, was indeed unbearably agonizing and could be fatal. Bai Qingyan’s pale complexion was not feigned.

To make the Crown Prince believe, the act… had to be real. Without bloodshed, it certainly wouldn’t work, and without danger and excitement, it couldn’t succeed.

How could one catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger’s den?

In this world, one must dare to sacrifice to gain. Bai Qingyan never harbored false hopes.

“Young lady?!” The Crown Prince ground his teeth. “What a young lady…”

Who could this young lady be?

Besides Liu Ruofu… who else would have the motive to kill him, the Crown Prince?!

Prince Liang claimed he knew nothing, but if he, the Crown Prince, died, among the Emperor’s adult sons, only Prince Liang would remain!

If Prince Liang then begged for mercy and played the obedient son before the Emperor, who knew… Prince Liang might take the opportunity to harm the Emperor and ascend the throne.

Liu Ruofu had calculated this very well! That’s why, after the Idle Prince’s defeat in Nandu, she wasn’t in a hurry to flee the capital, but instead sent people to kill him!

Perhaps after the Idle Prince’s defeat, Prince Liang’s act of knowing nothing… was all planned and designed by the Idle Prince and Prince Liang together!

Rage surged within the Crown Prince’s heart.

Xiao Rongyan leaped down from his horse and saw the fresh blood at the tightly closed tavern door. His hands trembled slightly. Just as Bai Qingyan was leading the twenty thousand soldiers of Anping Grand Camp to attack the imperial city, Xiao Rongyan’s hidden guards came to report… saying Bai Qingyan wanted them to cooperate in staging a scene where she was severely wounded, so she could retreat safely back to Shouyang.

Naturally, Yue Shi couldn’t show himself, so Xiao Rongyan specially dispatched his most skilled archer, instructing him not to injure Bai Qingyan’s vital organs. But seeing this shocking and heart-stopping blood on the ground, Xiao Rongyan’s hand gripping his long sword still trembled slightly.

He stood at the door and called out loudly: “Your Highness, I am Xiao Rongyan! I have brought the Bai family guard army… Is Your Highness well?!”

“It’s Rongyan! Open the door!” The Crown Prince’s voice was excited.

Bai Qingyan, lying on Quan Yu’s back, struggled to lift her head. Through her blurred vision, she saw the tavern’s two carved wooden doors open, revealing Xiao Rongyan standing against the light, soaked through and holding a long sword, his upright and steely bearing. This vaguely reminded Bai Qingyan of his gallant and spirited appearance in her previous life when he rode across battlefields… in military dress carrying a sword.

“Rongyan!” The Crown Prince called to Xiao Rongyan, but saw that Xiao Rongyan’s gaze was fixed intently on the blood-covered Bai Qingyan on Quan Yu’s back. His heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an unknown giant hand, making it difficult to breathe.

Xiao Rongyan strode quickly into the tavern, looking at Bai Qingyan. He tossed his long sword to Yue Shi beside him and commanded in a deep voice: “Quickly go have Physician Hong at the Bai mansion prepare… the eldest miss has been struck by an arrow!”

“Yes!” Yue Shi dared not delay. He turned and left the door, leaped onto his horse, wheeled around, and galloped frantically toward the Bai mansion.

Xiao Rongyan took Bai Qingyan from Quan Yu’s back. Seeing her rain-soaked clothes stained with blood, he suppressed the towering rage in his heart and didn’t even look at the Crown Prince: “Your Highness, please forgive Rongyan’s impropriety!”

After speaking, he hurriedly carried Bai Qingyan out of the tavern, leaped onto his horse, held Bai Qingyan tightly with one hand while controlling the reins with the other, and galloped rapidly toward the Bai mansion.

The Crown Prince came to his senses and saw the shocking blood on Quan Yu’s back. For some reason, his heart felt extremely panicked.