“General Fu, please rise and sit. Coming at this hour, is there something urgent?” Bai Qingyan’s steady and clear voice came from the inner room, not as weak as Fu Ruoxi had imagined, which made Fu Ruoxi breathe a sigh of relief.

Fu Ruoxi stood up, invited by Bai Jinxiu to sit on a round stool, and spoke to Bai Qingyan behind the screen: “Fu Ruoxi has come today to inform Princess Zhenguo of two matters. Three days ago, Eunuch Quan Yu from the Crown Prince’s side came to notify me, telling me to prepare… The Crown Prince wishes to mention my appointment to lead the Patrol Battalion, while His Majesty is happy after the Crown Princess gives birth.”

“This is the Crown Prince showing you favor. You should be grateful…” Bai Qingyan’s voice carried a smile.

“I naturally expressed my loyalty to Eunuch Quan Yu, and also praised the Crown Prince’s broad-mindedness and magnanimity in not holding grudges. Fu Ruoxi will devote his life to serving the Crown Prince loyally.” Fu Ruoxi said.

Fu Ruoxi was a perceptive person. Ever since Bai Qingyan saved him, he had sworn loyalty to Bai Qingyan. The Bai family valued sentiment and promises more than the imperial family!

Otherwise, Old Madam Fu wouldn’t have come to find Princess Zhenguo in the first place.

But now that Bai Qingyan ostensibly served the Crown Prince loyally, Fu Ruoxi naturally had to follow suit.

In Fu Ruoxi’s eyes, the Crown Prince was merely a prince who liked flattery and was somewhat arrogant, not difficult to handle.

“Today, when I returned from the Crown Prince’s mansion, the Crown Princess had already gone into labor. It seems General Fu’s good fortune is approaching…” Bai Qingyan said.

Fu Ruoxi maintained an expression of calm indifference and asked Bai Qingyan: “I wonder if Princess Zhenguo has any arrangements for the Patrol Battalion, whether you want to place people inside?”

When a new official takes office, they must make their mark. If Fu Ruoxi were to take over the Patrol Battalion, he would naturally need to make some changes in the Patrol Battalion. This was a good opportunity to place his people. Since Fu Ruoxi now counted as being under Princess Zhenguo’s command, he naturally came to ask if Bai Qingyan had anyone she wanted to place inside.

Moreover, Fu Ruoxi’s following Bai Qingyan could be considered a mid-course conversion. He was doing this to show loyalty to Bai Qingyan and to let her confidently place people around him.

They were all intelligent people. How could Bai Qingyan not understand Fu Ruoxi’s meaning? She said, “In this matter, General Fu should handle it as you see fit. You must… keep the Patrol Battalion under your control. The Bai family has always trusted those they employ and employed those they trust. Since General Fu is willing to join hands with my Bai family, I naturally trust General Fu.”

Fu Ruoxi was slightly stunned, emotions surging in his heart. In his memory, the Bai family and the Bai family army… were indeed like this!

“Fu Ruoxi will not betray Princess Zhenguo’s trust.” Fu Ruoxi spoke solemnly.

“Then what about the second matter?” Bai Qingyan asked.

Fu Ruoxi’s expression became serious as he lowered his voice: “Today, I accompanied my wife out, and on the road, I spotted the son of General Wang Jianghai of Nandu, who was executed for treason. All the rebel criminals who forced the palace in Nandu have been executed, and Wang Jianghai’s son was on that list. So I had my wife leave first… I followed him all the way and saw Wang Jianghai’s son sneakily enter Prince Liang’s mansion through the side gate, where someone inside seemed to be receiving him.”

Bai Qingyan thought of the hidden guard who had just reported that someone had infiltrated Prince Liang’s mansion… but he had lost track of this person.

So it was Wang Qiulu.

The Emperor had ordered Prince Liang to be confined to his mansion. Most of the servants in Prince Liang’s mansion had been either killed or sold. Now, Prince Liang’s food, clothing, and living conditions were reportedly worse than even the respected nannies of their Bai mansion. Bai Jinxiu had heard… Prince Liang was currently in a state of neither full nor starving, with no one to attend him. Whether these rumors were true or false was hard to judge, since with fewer servants in Prince Liang’s mansion, it was even harder to infiltrate.

“Eldest sister…” Bai Jinxiu looked toward the screen. If she remembered correctly, eldest sister had Li Mingrui, son of Left Chancellor Li Mao, save Wang Jianghai’s son Wang Qiulu. How could this Wang Qiulu be mixed up with Prince Liang?

Under the swaying glass lamp on the red wood high table, Bai Qingyan remained silent for a moment, then responded: “Good. I understand this matter. General Fu need not investigate this further, lest the Crown Prince know and become suspicious of you. I will send people to take over and investigate in detail.”

“Yes!” Fu Ruoxi didn’t ask why, clasping his fists in acknowledgment.

“Is Madam Fu well?” Bai Qingyan thought of Fu Ruoxi’s wife.

“Thank you for Princess Zhenguo’s concern. My wife is doing well. She’s been worried about Princess Zhenguo’s health. Today, learning that Princess Zhenguo had arrived in the capital and coughed up blood at the Crown Prince’s mansion, she originally wanted to come visit Princess Zhenguo, but was concerned about disturbing Princess Zhenguo’s rest. She was preparing to visit tomorrow. I wonder if it would be convenient for Princess Zhenguo?”

Fu Ruoxi didn’t tell the whole truth. Today, when Madam Fu Luo Shi heard that Princess Zhenguo had coughed up blood, she opened the storehouse and took out the family’s remaining few stalks of century-old ginseng to send over, to see if they could be of use to Princess Zhenguo. Fu Ruoxi had firmly stopped her.

Fu Ruoxi said that Princess Zhenguo had coughed up blood and would either have a physician attending her or be resting. Luo Shi choosing this critical moment to come over would only add to the chaos. Luo Shi found this reasonable and gave up the idea of coming. Who knew that after less than half a cup of tea’s time… she mysteriously asked in a low voice whether Fu Ruoxi was reluctant to part with the family’s century-old ginseng, simply leaving Fu Ruoxi caught between laughter and tears.

Luo Shi had always been sentimental. Before her mother-in-law passed away, she told her to trust Princess Zhenguo. Princess Zhenguo had even saved the entire Fu family. In Luo Shi’s heart, Bai Qingyan was a benefactor. Even a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring of gratitude, let alone life-saving grace.

When Fu Ruoxi mentioned his wife, there was an extremely faint smile between his brows, as if a warm current was settling at the tip of his heart, warm and comforting.

“I appreciate Madam Fu’s kind intentions. Tomorrow, Princess Zhenguo’s mansion will surely have an endless stream of carriages and horses, as officials in the capital all like to follow the wind. Don’t let Madam Fu come to join the commotion. I accept her sentiment, but… the greater the distance between Princess Zhenguo’s mansion and the Fu mansion, the more at ease the Crown Prince will be…” Bai Qingyan said with a smile, then added a hint for Fu Ruoxi: “If you could let the Crown Prince know without leaving a trace… that you resent me for severing your arm, the Crown Prince would surely value you even more.”

The art of balance was what the current sovereign most enjoyed studying, and the Crown Prince naturally followed suit.

If the wife of the Patrol Battalion Commander had too close a relationship with her, the Crown Prince would surely be wary of both of them. Even if the Crown Prince weren’t wary… that Old Fang would surely instigate the Crown Prince to be cautious.

“Fu Ruoxi understands!” Fu Ruoxi responded. “Please take good care of your health, Princess Zhenguo. Fu will gain control of the Patrol Battalion as quickly as possible.”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “In the future, when I return to Shouyang, if General Fu has matters in the capital, you can find my second sister Jinxiu. Naturally… Jinxiu’s commands are my commands. Please follow them, General Fu.”

Fu Ruoxi hurriedly clasped his fists and bowed to Bai Jinxiu, who stood and returned the courtesy.