Ping’an’s nostrils exhaled hot breath, his hooves stamping, unable to wait to gallop away.

The morning light was dim, filtering through gaps in the clouds.

Golden bright colors outlined the edges of the sea of clouds on the horizon, then slowly broke through the clouds, illuminating half of Shouyang City.

Bai Jinzhi turned her head and looked at her younger sisters, who were wiping away tears with reddened eyes. Her gaze fell on Li Shi as she choked up and said, “Mother, rest assured, I will write home frequently and be careful on the battlefield!”

Li Shi tightly clutched her handkerchief, restraining her emotions as she nodded to Bai Jinzhi. Tears couldn’t help but fall in streams. She waved her hand, signaling for Bai Jinzhi to leave quickly.

Bai Jinzhi cupped her hands toward her aunts and sisters-in-law, spurred her horse, and galloped toward the city gates with the Bai family guards following.

Bai Jinzhi looked straight ahead, her eyes showing a resilience that surpassed her years.

Second Sister Bai Jinxiu was in the capital, relaying court news for Eldest Sister to ensure the Bai family wouldn’t be completely blind and ignorant.

Third Sister Bai Jintong was handling affairs independently, going out to conduct business to seek future paths for the Bai family.

Seventh Brother Bai Qingjue was now in Nan Jiang, working hard so the Bai family would have usable troops in the future.

Ninth Brother had lost both legs but hadn’t lost the Bai family’s backbone and spirit. He was working hard to one day return to the Bai family.

Now she too was heading to Anping Military Camp, to lay the foundation for Jin Kingdom’s future unification of the realm… to seize Great Liang!

Eldest Sister trusted her, so she couldn’t disappoint Eldest Sister’s trust.

Even if outsiders all said that the Bai family men had all perished in Nan Jiang and the century-old military family’s glory was about to decline, so what?

The aspirations that generations of the Bai family had sought through sacrifice… the unification that generations had worked together with one heart to achieve – even if they were Bai family daughters, they could shoulder it!

She wanted everyone to open their eyes wide and watch how the daughters of the Bai family upheld the full glory of the Bai family name, how they unified this realm!

Bai Jinzhi bit her teeth tightly and looked up at the morning sun that finally leaped out of the sea of clouds…

Everyone thought the Bai family was like the setting sun in the west, but Bai Jinzhi knew the Bai family was like the rising morning sun. Even if its brilliance wasn’t strong now, in the future… it would be dazzling and glorious.

·

Bai Qingyan stood in Boyun Courtyard, gazing at the brilliant morning light on the horizon, and asked Nanny Tong beside her in a low voice: “Little Four and Qingzhen should have already departed, right?”

“Fourth Miss and Cousin Miss bid farewell to Eldest Miss, went to the front hall to bid farewell to all the ladies, then departed.” Nanny Tong said.

Bai Qingyan nodded, only hoping that Bai Jinzhi would be safe on this journey.

“Eldest Miss, rest assured. Fourth Miss will be safe and smooth.” Chun Tao brought out a cloak and draped it over Bai Qingyan’s shoulders, smiling.

Bai Qingyan nodded.

She remembered that the birthday gift Bai Jinzhi gave her was packed in an extremely precious box, saying it contained several books inside, and repeatedly urged her to read them.

“Chun Tao, go open the box Little Four gave me. Let me see what remarkable books Little Four gave me that required using Third Aunt’s dowry box to contain them.” Bai Qingyan walked toward the main room, supported by Nanny Tong’s hand.

Chun Tao quickly lifted the curtain and responded: “Yes, I’ll go get it right away!”

Soon, Chun Tao brought over the several books Bai Jinzhi had given Bai Qingyan.

Those books were indeed quite precious, actually bound with paper, with sheepskin covers, but nothing was written or drawn on the outside, making it impossible to know what content was inside.

Chun Tao placed these books on the small table and went to pour tea for Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingyan picked one up and opened it…

At the beginning was an unrefined little poem. Seeing it start with the two words “Let’s say,” Bai Qingyan nearly laughed in exasperation. She had thought they were some kind of rare ancient texts, but it turned out… they were storybooks.

Given Bai Jinzhi’s unrefined personality, these storybooks were naturally treasures compared to ancient, rare texts. Bai Qingyan flipped through a few more pages.

When Chun Tao returned with hot tea, she saw that Bai Qingyan had already set the book aside and was quite surprised: “Why isn’t Eldest Miss reading anymore?”

Usually, when their Eldest Miss read books, she absolutely wouldn’t put down a book for less than an hour.

“Put them away! When Little Four returns in the future… give them back to Little Four!” Bai Qingyan’s brows showed a faint smile.

Last night when she mentioned marriage to Bai Jinzhi, Bai Jinzhi wasn’t very pleased, yet secretly she was reading these kinds of story books about romantic love between men and women. Hadn’t her spring heart been stirred?

Bai Qingyan suddenly thought of her cousin Dong Changqing from the Dong family. Every time Dong Changqing saw Bai Jinzhi, he became flustered, suggesting he was fond of her fourth sister. But… Bai Jinzhi seemed to have no such feelings toward Dong Changqing at all.

Through the not-quite-closed window lattice, Bai Qingyan looked toward the courtyard covered with fallen leaves, carefully considering what kind of person would be suitable for someone with Little Four’s personality.

The gatekeeper woman hurried to the outside of Boyun Courtyard, and after bowing, said to Nanny Tong: “Nanny, the Prefect has personally come to call. Originally, he wanted to see Fourth Miss off, but hearing that Fourth Miss had already galloped out of the city, he said he wanted to see Eldest Miss. What do you think…”

Nanny Tong nodded: “I’ll go ask Eldest Miss.”

“Yes!” The gatekeeper woman smiled and nodded.

Nanny Tong entered and saw Bai Qingyan staring blankly at the fallen leaves in the courtyard. She smiled and said, “Eldest Miss, the Prefect has come requesting an audience. Will Eldest Miss see him or not?”

Knowing why the Prefect had come, Bai Qingyan naturally wanted to see him. When Bai Qingping inquired about the Prefect’s family background, he had shown his hand, and Bai Qingyan was waiting for the Prefect to come explain his background himself.

“Nanny, help me change clothes. I’ll go to the front courtyard to meet this Prefect.” Bai Qingyan also instructed Chun Tao: “Chun Tao, go have Uncle Ping make a trip to the military camp and tell Bai Qingping to bring that teacher Cai Ziyuan here. I have questions to ask.”

“Yes!” Chun Tao responded and withdrew from the main room.

·

The Prefect had come calling today without bringing even one attendant, precisely so he could have a good deep conversation with Bai Qingyan.

He had been sitting in the Bai family’s main hall and had already drunk two cups of tea, feeling quite apprehensive. What he was about to tell Bai Qingyan had no evidence to prove it, and he didn’t know if Bai Qingyan would believe him.

Before long, the Prefect saw a sedan chair stop outside the main hall. He quickly stood up and took two steps toward the door. Seeing Nanny Tong helping Bai Qingyan down from the sedan chair, the Prefect lifted the hem of his robes, stepped over the threshold, and knelt before Bai Qingyan: “I pay my respects to Princess Zhenguo.”

“Prefect, please rise. Let’s speak inside.” Bai Qingyan’s voice had no inflection, cold and distant, making the Prefect’s heart even heavier.

He didn’t rise, waiting until he heard Bai Qingyan enter the main hall before standing up and following. He knelt before Bai Qingyan: “Please, Princess Zhenguo, dismiss your attendants. This humble official has something to say to Princess Zhenguo.”

Bai Qingyan looked at Prefect Shen kneeling on the ground with a half-smile, and instructed Nanny Tong, who was placing a cushion behind her waist: “Nanny Tong, wait outside and don’t let anyone approach the main hall.”

Before Nanny Tong could respond, Prefect Shen bowed first: “Thank you, Princess Zhenguo, for trusting this humble official.”