As soon as the Crown Prince stepped out of the courtyard gate, Quan Yu immediately knelt before him.

Quan Yu kowtowed heavily to the Crown Prince, crying: “Your Highness, it’s all this servant’s fault! When this servant was leaving, Your Highness instructed Quan Yu to make Princess Zhenguo understand… that Your Highness’s decision to replace County Princess Gaoyi was not out of suspicion regarding the Bai family’s loyalty, but because you were forced by the court officials with no other choice, and because the Left Chancellor had made a military pledge for his son, you had no choice but to order County Princess Gaoyi to return! This servant spoke too heavily about the difficulties Your Highness endured. When Princess Zhenguo heard that Your Highness was being criticized by court officials for deeply trusting the Bai family, she led the troops trained from Shouyang’s bandit suppression… to rush to the aid of General Liu Hong and County Princess Gaoyi!”

Quan Yu raised his head, tears streaming down immediately: “Princess Zhenguo declared… that the cities and territories lost under the Bai family’s watch, she would personally reclaim them, and would never allow Your Highness to suffer even the slightest difficulty from court officials because of the Bai family! Quan Yu truly never imagined that Princess Zhenguo would be so loyal to Your Highness, unable to tolerate Your Highness suffering even the slightest grievance, that she would drag her body in such condition… to lead troops to Great Liang! Quan Yu… Quan Yu has caused a great disaster this time!”

The Crown Prince’s mind buzzed from Quan Yu’s crying as he asked: “What did you say? Princess Zhenguo led that ragtag bunch from Shouyang’s bandit suppression to Great Liang?!”

“It’s all this servant’s fault, Your Highness! It’s all this servant’s blame… I spoke too heavily about Your Highness’s grievances, which caused Princess Zhenguo to lose her composure! When this servant was leaving… Princess Zhenguo had already assembled troops and was preparing to depart! But Princess Zhenguo’s body… she became like that from blocking an arrow for Your Highness! Princess Zhenguo is Your Highness’s lifesaver! If Princess Zhenguo encounters any misfortune during this Great Liang expedition, Quan Yu truly has no face to meet Your Highness!”

Quan Yu cried while kowtowing again: “Quan Yu has botched the task Your Highness entrusted to Quan Yu! Not only did I fail to properly console Princess Zhenguo and let her rest peacefully without anger, but I instead provoked Princess Zhenguo to lead troops on campaign! Princess Zhenguo said she didn’t want to cause Your Highness any more trouble… Now, with the Great Liang campaign, epidemics in two cities, and the need to build the Nine-Tiered Platform, the national treasury is tight. She’s willing to sell family assets to fund the military, leading the Shouyang bandit suppression troops to Great Liang, not giving court officials any grounds to criticize Your Highness! Quan Yu couldn’t dissuade Princess Zhenguo… It’s all Quan Yu’s fault! Please punish this servant, Your Highness.”

Outside the courtyard gate, the stone pavilion lanterns, taller than a person, flickered bright and dim with the wind in the corridor. The Crown Prince’s mood at this moment was indescribably complex.

He felt Bai Qingyan was being reckless for forcing herself to lead that ragtag bunch from Shouyang on campaign.

Yet he also felt moved by Bai Qingyan’s loyalty to him.

“Get up!” the Crown Prince said sternly to Quan Yu. “Immediately have someone summon the Minister of War, Minister of Revenue, and Imperial Guard Commander Fan Yuhuai… all to me! Quickly!”

With the Crown Prince’s urgent command, Quan Yu responded and scrambled to his feet, rushing out to relay the orders.

Taking advantage of this brief time before morning court, the Crown Prince needed to meet with the Minister of War, the Minister of Revenue, and the Imperial Guard Commander quickly.

The Crown Prince rubbed his hands together, walking swiftly toward his study while saying: “Go, send someone to invite Old Fang and Master Ren! Quickly!”

The little eunuch following closely behind the Crown Prince responded affirmatively and ran off to fetch them.

The Crown Prince tightened his cloak and strode quickly, his mind filled with the words Bai Qingyan had spoken to him after being struck by the arrow, her arrangements for his future path.

Indeed, Bai Qingyan was extremely loyal to him, but he truly hadn’t expected her loyalty to reach the point where she couldn’t bear to see him suffer grievances before court officials, directly leading those inferior troops trained from Shouyang’s bandit suppression to Great Liang.

Bai Qingyan had given him a peach branch, and he must repay her with precious jade.

Since Bai Qingyan had already departed with troops, what he, as the Crown Prince, needed to do was ensure her complete safety.

Great Liang now also had epidemics. If Bai Qingyan’s condition worsened, she would likely die. The army’s medicinal herbs couldn’t be in short supply, provisions couldn’t be lacking, and those ragtag troops from Shouyang… how could they compare to the regular army?

Bai Jinzhi had taken half the Anping army to Great Liang, with more than half remaining… temporarily under the command of Danzhou Prefect Dong Qingyue to guard against the Rong tribes. But with the brave and skilled Danzhou army present, transferring the remaining Anping army to Great Liang should also be feasible!

But… that epidemic!

The Crown Prince was now in a difficult position. The epidemic had originally been sent to Great Liang by his orders, but now he had to guard against his generals contracting it. Besides preparing provisions, he needed to prepare sufficient medicinal herbs.

Time was urgent – all of this needed quick preparation!

Reckless! Bai Qingyan was simply too reckless! How could she lose her composure so completely upon hearing he was being criticized by court officials?!

Though he blamed her in his heart, the Crown Prince’s eyes were filled with joy. Anyone… being followed with such loyalty would be overjoyed!

But he was the Crown Prince – he should be steady, should keep joy and anger hidden.

Suppressing his inner delight, the Crown Prince finally waited for Old Fang and Ren Shijie.

Old Fang and Ren Shijie were shocked to hear that Bai Qingyan had led those bandit suppression troops from Shouyang to Great Liang, exchanging glances for a moment.

“Last time the Imperial Physician diagnosed Princess Zhenguo, he said her body couldn’t last much longer. How dare Princess Zhenguo risk going to the Great Liang battlefield? There’s… an epidemic there now!” Ren Shijie said.

The Crown Prince showed some pride between his brows, sighing: “Originally the Left Chancellor made a military pledge in court, and I wanted to send Li Mingrui to Great Liang to replace County Princess Gaoyi, but was worried about hurting the Bai family’s feelings, so I had Quan Yu make a trip to inform Princess Zhenguo. Quan Yu also meant well, telling Princess Zhenguo how I was being pressured by court officials because of County Princess Gaoyi’s loss of cities and territory, speaking somewhat too strongly. Princess Zhenguo, unwilling to see me pressured by court officials, directly led the Shouyang bandit suppression troops to Great Liang!”

Even Ren Shijie, this enemy spy, had to admire Princess Zhenguo’s loyalty to the Crown Prince. First, risking her life to block an arrow… then, because the Crown Prince was being pressured by court officials, leading a group of non-standard soldiers to Great Liang. He felt that Princess Zhenguo was too blindly loyal.

Old Fang’s finger twitched on his leg. Looking up at the Crown Prince’s expression, he knew the Crown Prince was quite pleased inside. If he brought up now that Princess Zhenguo leading troops without imperial orders was contempt for royal authority, the Crown Prince probably wouldn’t listen and would think he was making things difficult for Princess Zhenguo again.

“Now that Princess Zhenguo has departed with troops, what does Your Highness plan? Send someone to recall Princess Zhenguo?” Old Fang cleared his throat and asked.

The Crown Prince shook his head: “Princess Zhenguo has a stubborn temperament. I’m afraid this time she won’t give up until she can reclaim the cities and territories lost under County Princess Gaoyi’s watch! But now there’s an epidemic in Great Liang… medicinal herbs cannot be in short supply – they must be sent to Princess Zhenguo!”