Cai Ziyuan cupped his hands and said to Bai Qingyan, “If Princess Zhenguo wishes for Cai Ziyuan to enter the Bai clan school to teach, Cai Ziyuan would be very willing.”

“Master Cai, what I meant… is asking whether Master Cai would be willing to pledge loyalty to the Bai family!” Bai Qingyan’s voice was solemn as she sat up straight and looked toward Cai Ziyuan.

“Ah… Princess Zhenguo!” Bai Qingping was so shocked he nearly called Bai Qingyan “Elder Sister” in front of an outsider. He clenched his fists tightly, very much disagreeing: “Master Ziyuan is deeply learned—teaching the clan’s students would be perfect!”

First, this Master Cai Ziyuan had been in Shouyang for too short a time. Second… this Cai Ziyuan came from Left Chancellor Li Mao’s mansion—who knew if he could truly pledge loyalty?

It wasn’t just Bai Qingping who was stunned; even Cai Ziyuan himself widened his eyes: “Prin… Princess Zhenguo, Ziyuan… came from the Left Chancellor’s mansion!”

“I trust my judgment of people.” Bai Qingyan gently stroked the hand warmer in her hands, expressionless. “I believe even more that Master Cai is a person of talent and integrity. Since Master Cai was abandoned by the Left Chancellor’s mansion… having Master Cai come to Shouyang to apologize to the Bai mansion means the Left Chancellor has abandoned Master Cai! With Master Cai’s integrity, you certainly couldn’t pledge loyalty to the Left Chancellor’s mansion again. Though my Bai family currently has no power or influence, there’s one thing the Left Chancellor’s mansion absolutely cannot compare to! The Bai family… never abandons any comrade who shares our struggles and faces life and death together!”

The Bai family… never abandons any comrade who shares our struggles and faces life and death together!

This single sentence suddenly made Cai Ziyuan’s eyes redden.

He knew this saying—this was the reason why the Bai family army fought fearlessly and remained undefeated!

He remembered that night in the capital’s main street under all those red lanterns when he saw Bai Qingyan dealing with that Bai family bastard son in front of the wine house…

At that time, Bai Qingyan had said that the Bai family rules were the same as the Bai family army regulations.

As a strategist, what was his greatest wish in this lifetime? It was to encounter someone who would appreciate his talents, to meet a master who would never abandon him through life and death.

When the Left Chancellor assigned him to come to Shouyang to apologize to Bai Qingyan, he thought he would surely die. Back then he had also thought… if Princess Zhenguo was magnanimous enough to spare his worthless life, he would return to his hometown to become a teacher and live out his remaining years.

But he never expected Princess Zhenguo to extend an invitation…

Cai Ziyuan bit his teeth, lifted the hem of his straight robe, and knelt before Bai Qingyan, kowtowing three times heavily: “Cai Ziyuan greets his master. In this life, I pledge loyalty to Princess Zhenguo with absolutely no second thoughts. If I violate this oath, may my entire clan end without descendants, may I not reincarnate after death, and may I never achieve rebirth for all eternity!”

“Qingping, help Master Cai up.” Bai Qingyan rubbed the hand warmer, turning her head to instruct Chun Tao: “Summon Steward Hao inside.”

Bai Qingping frowned tightly as he helped Master Cai up, full of worries he wanted to voice to Bai Qingyan.

Soon, Steward Hao entered and bowed formally to Bai Qingyan.

“Master Cai is entrusted to Steward Hao’s care. From now on, Master Cai is one of our Bai family’s people.” Bai Qingyan’s gaze fell on the washed-out white garment Cai Ziyuan wore. “Master Cai came in haste and didn’t bring many clothes, along with daily necessities. Please trouble Steward Hao to prepare everything properly for Master Cai.”

“Eldest Miss can rest assured, this old servant will certainly arrange everything properly for Master Cai.” Steward Hao smiled as he made a gesture of invitation to Cai Ziyuan. “Master Cai, please…”

Cai Ziyuan stood up, bowed formally to Bai Qingyan, and said: “Ziyuan has one request—when Princess Zhenguo has no instructions, I hope to continue going to the military camp to teach those common people to read and write, which would be doing my small part for the people.”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “If Master Cai has the time, this would naturally be good.”

“Thank you, Princess Zhenguo!” After Cai Ziyuan bowed again, he respectfully followed Steward Hao out of the main hall.

As soon as Bai Qingping saw Cai Ziyuan leave, he immediately spoke: “Elder Sister, that Master Cai comes from the Left Chancellor’s mansion in the capital. Aren’t you afraid of being betrayed by using him so rashly?”

“It’s not rash…” Bai Qingyan’s voice was extremely light as she turned to look at Bai Qingping. “Anyone with some ability has pride in their bones. Left Chancellor Li Mao having this Master Cai come to Shouyang to apologize means he has already abandoned Master Cai, discarding him without regard for his life or death! For strategists like them, their greatest hope in this life is nothing more than meeting a wise master, having their lord value and trust them, never betraying them for life. It was the Left Chancellor who betrayed Master Cai, so Master Cai will never serve the Left Chancellor again!”

“Qingping, in this world, there are strategists who value ancient rites—once they choose a master, even if the master betrays them, they won’t betray their master! We cannot force this type of strategist. But some strategists won’t remain loyal to one master forever, like this Master Cai… He has integrity and also knows when to act, understanding how to choose the right tree to perch in.”

Bai Qingping carefully considered Bai Qingyan’s words, remembering how Cai Ziyuan had seemed completely without faith and as if just waiting to die during his first few days in the military camp.

After understanding, Bai Qingping stood and bowed to Bai Qingyan: “Qingping has learned much.”

Bai Qingping straightened up and, seeing Bai Qingyan’s pale and gaunt appearance, couldn’t help but urge, “Elder Sister should rest well. Whatever needs doing can be left to Qingping.”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “Don’t worry! Nanny Tong, please see Qingping out…”

Nanny Tong responded affirmatively and escorted Bai Qingping out.

Just as Bai Qingyan watched Bai Qingping leave and stood up with Chun Tao’s support, she saw Lu Ping hurrying over: “Eldest Miss, urgent letter from Second Miss in the capital.”

Seeing this, Chun Tao helped Bai Qingyan sit back down, and Lu Ping respectfully presented the letter.

Bai Qingyan opened the letter and scanned it.

In the letter, Bai Jinzhi mainly mentioned two matters…

The plague in Huayang City.

The Crown Prince’s order to construct the Nine-Tiered Platform.

Bai Qingyan gripped the letter tightly, clenching her teeth.

Due to the Emperor’s fall from his horse, then the plague in Huayang City, the Crown Prince was determined to build the Nine-Tiered Platform for blessings. Once the Nine-Tiered Platform was completed, the Emperor would bathe, fast, and reside in the Nine-Tiered Platform to pray for Jin’s fortune.

With the plague in Huayang City, the Crown Prince didn’t first send people for disaster relief but instead used the plague as an excuse, claiming Heaven had sent down natural disasters, wanting to satisfy the Emperor’s wishes by building the Nine-Tiered Platform.

Reading every word and sentence in Bai Jinzhi’s letter, she felt only coldness in her heart. This Crown Prince now only knew how to figure out the Emperor’s thoughts when acting—where was even a bit of the conduct an emperor should have in governing the Kingdom and caring for the people?

If the Crown Prince ascended the throne… he probably wouldn’t do any better than the current Emperor.

The Lin imperial family had already rotted to the bone.

·

Dong Shi personally went to the kitchen to stew soup and waited in Boyun Courtyard for a long time without seeing Bai Qingyan return, so she sent Nanny Qin to the front courtyard. Only after asking did she learn that Bai Qingyan had gone to the ancestral hall.

Dong Shi frowned: “This child, carrying injuries on her body… instead of properly recuperating, she’s meeting with this person one moment, busy with that matter the next, and now she’s even gone to the ancestral hall!”

“Madam, don’t you know our eldest daughter’s personality? She knows the Bai family can’t do without her right now, so she absolutely won’t joke around with her health! Yesterday was eldest daughter’s birthday… this old servant figures eldest daughter might be missing Duke Zhenguo, Princess Zhenguo, and Young Master Yu.”