The lights in the corridor were on, the yellow glow falling on the azure stone floor, making even the moss growing in the wall corners appear warm and cozy.

Chun Tao held an empty medicine bowl in her hands. She lifted the bamboo green curtain embroidered with auspicious clouds and padded with thin cotton as she came out, and saw Bai Jinzhi standing alone at the door, using her toes to kick at the pebbles on the ground.

“Fourth Miss!” Chun Tao handed the black lacquered square tray holding the empty medicine bowl to a maid guarding the door, walked to Bai Jinzhi, and curtsied. “Why doesn’t Fourth Miss go inside?”

“Has Eldest Sister… not rested yet?” Bai Jinzhi glanced toward the interior of Boyun Courtyard.

“Not yet! Eldest Miss said Fourth Miss might come… and is specifically waiting for you!” Chun Tao smiled and stepped aside, making a welcoming gesture to Bai Jinzhi. “Fourth Miss, please…”

“Eldest Sister already anticipated I would come!” Bai Jinzhi smiled awkwardly and followed Chun Tao into Boyun Courtyard.

Bai Qingyan heard the sound of Bai Jinzhi entering. She lifted her gaze from the ancient text and looked toward Bai Jinzhi: “Sit down! Shall I have Chun Tao prepare you a bowl of fermented milk?”

“Yes!” Bai Jinzhi nodded, unexpectedly quiet as she sat down beside Bai Qingyan.

“This servant will go prepare it for Fourth Miss…” Chun Tao curtsied and withdrew.

With only the two sisters left in the spacious main room, Bai Qingyan set down the ancient text in her hands. The sound of rolling up the bamboo scroll echoed in Bai Jinzhi’s ears. She turned her head to look at Bai Qingyan: “Eldest Sister… I’m leaving tomorrow!”

“Yes, Eldest Sister has something very important to entrust to you!” Bai Qingyan sat upright with proper posture, her solemn gaze fixed on Bai Jinzhi as she placed the ancient bamboo scroll aside.

Bai Jinzhi rarely saw her eldest sister speak to her with such gravity, her heart leaping to her throat: “Eldest Sister, please tell me…”

“When you go to Anping Military Camp this time, you must constantly pay attention to Great Yan’s situation. If Great Yan’s war with Wei Kingdom this time… is fought to destroy Wei Kingdom, then… whether you provoke conflicts or the war between Jin Kingdom and Great Liang has already begun, you must firmly seize this opportunity and destroy Liang in one stroke!”

After listening, Bai Jinzhi blinked several times: “Eldest Sister… truly destroy Liang?”

“If Great Yan destroys Wei, our Jin Kingdom must destroy Liang without any hesitation. Otherwise, in the future… our Jin Kingdom will surely lose the advantage of competing with Great Yan for the realm!” Bai Qingyan spoke very directly to Bai Jinzhi.

Bai Jinzhi clenched her fists: “Eldest Sister, rest assured, I understand! If this time… Great Liang and our Jin Kingdom go to war, I will request the Crown Prince to allow me to provide reinforcement, and I will find a way to take the Liang Kingdom as quickly as possible! If there’s no war… I will also find a way to make the Crown Prince believe that the Liang Kingdom has other intentions. In any case, I will fight Great Liang with all my strength without fail.”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “This matter… Eldest Sister entrusts entirely to your hands. Eldest Sister believes you will do well. Even if there are any mishaps, it doesn’t matter – just find a way to cover them up. If you’re uncertain, you can send someone back with a message!”

Bai Jinzhi nodded: “Little Four understands!”

Bai Qingyan suddenly placed a burden on Bai Jinzhi’s shoulders, yet Bai Jinzhi’s heart inexplicably settled down.

“Little Four has grown up and has now become a young lady whom Eldest Sister can rely on! If Third Uncle knew… he would surely be gratified!” Bai Qingyan smiled as she spoke to Bai Jinzhi, then took out a red wooden box from behind her and handed it to Bai Jinzhi. “Inside is the sword tassel that Third Uncle gave me originally. The jade on it was a reward from Grandfather when Third Uncle first returned from his first battlefield achievement. Now I’m giving this sword tassel to you, hoping you won’t disappoint your father and Eldest Sister’s expectations.”

At the mention of her father, Bai Jinzhi’s eyes reddened again. She took the red wooden box with both hands, opened it for a glance, then closed it: “Eldest Sister, rest assured! Little Four will not fail Eldest Sister’s trust!”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “Don’t worry about family matters. Third Aunt has Mother and me to care for her, so you needn’t worry.”

Bai Jinzhi nodded and looked at Bai Qingyan: “Eldest Sister, when Little Four is not here, you must take good care of your health. Our Bai family… cannot be without Eldest Sister!”

Hearing Bai Jinzhi say this, Bai Qingyan smiled and nodded: “Yes, rest assured that Eldest Sister will take good care of herself. Eldest Sister still wants to see our Little Four get married!”

“Eldest Sister!” Bai Jinzhi’s ears turned red. “Why is Eldest Sister saying such things! I don’t want to marry! I want to be a Bai family daughter for my whole life! Unless Eldest Sister doesn’t want me!”

“You’re still young now and haven’t met someone you fancy. In the future… You won’t think this way!”

Just as Bai Qingyan finished speaking, Chun Tao entered carrying a small silver cup filled with fermented milk. Bai Jinzhi stopped this topic, and after finishing the fermented milk at Bai Qingyan’s place, she took her leave with the small wooden box Bai Qingyan had given her.

Originally Bai Jinzhi wanted to return to her own courtyard, but after thinking about it, she changed course to her mother’s courtyard. Tonight she wanted to sleep together with her mother Li Shi.

Tonight, Dong Qingzhen also rested at Dong Shi’s place. Tomorrow, when Bai Jinzhi departed for Anping Military Camp, she would first go to the capital to see the Crown Prince. Having been a guest in Shouyang for so many days, Dong Qingzhen also missed home and wanted to return to the capital with Bai Jinzhi tomorrow.

Dong Qingzhen accompanied Dong Shi in conversation until nearly dawn before resting in Dong Shi’s warm chamber.

The next morning, everyone in the Bai family rose early. Lingzhi and Lingcui, the two maids beside Bai Jinzhi, cried uncontrollably, kneeling and begging Bai Jinzhi to take at least one of them to serve by her side. But Bai Jinzhi refused them all, instructing them both to stay home and help her take care of her mother and eldest sister.

Bai Jinzhi knew military life was unbearably harsh. Taking two delicate maids to serve by her side definitely wouldn’t work. If something happened… how could she bring them both back?

Lingcui and Lingzhi had grown up with Bai Jinzhi since childhood. She absolutely couldn’t let anything happen to them.

Moreover, when Bai Jinzhi went to Anping Military Camp, as a military leader she should share the hardships with the soldiers. What would it look like to have maids serving her?

Women already had difficulty establishing authority in the military. Bringing maids would invite more contempt, making people think this princess couldn’t endure hardship.

Bai Jinzhi, dressed in armor and military attire, first went with Dong Qingzhen to Boyun Courtyard to bid farewell to her eldest sister, then said goodbye to her mother Li Shi and various aunts and sisters-in-law in the front hall. Only then, under the gaze of everyone in the Bai family, did she leap onto Ping’an’s back.

Dong Qingzhen, with reddened eyes, bowed to Dong Shi and the various ladies and cousins of the Bai family.

“Qingzhen, when you reach the capital, send someone back with a message! Do you understand?” Dong Shi held Dong Qingzhen’s hand and instructed.

“I understand, Aunt!” Dong Qingzhen gripped Dong Shi’s hand firmly. “Cousin is seriously injured, and her health is poor. Aunt must take good care of Cousin!”

“Go then!” Dong Shi patted Dong Qingzhen’s hand.

Dong Qingzhen bowed again, then turned and got into the carriage with Nanny Qin’s support. Just after sitting inside the carriage, she lifted the curtain again and poked her head out to wave at everyone from the Bai family.