But Bai Jinxiu knew… Fan Yuhuai was acting this way out of love because he wanted to preserve his son’s life.

Bai Jinxiu stood before Fan Yugan, whose face was streaked with tears and snot as he knelt with his head raised, pleading with her. She bent down to help Fan Yugan to his feet, reaching out to remove the grass from his hair as she said, “Don’t be afraid… Elder Sister just gave orders to have you and your father imprisoned together and escorted back to the capital. She also instructed the guards not to make things too difficult for you both!”

Fan Yugan’s eyes lit up: “Sister Bai… won’t take my father’s life!”

“Elder Sister has established the Great Zhou Dynasty. Fan Yuhuai’s rebellion was against the Jin Dynasty. Since the dynasty has already changed, considering your sake… Elder Sister presumably won’t pursue the matter further. She just won’t employ him again, so don’t worry… Go with them! In a moment, I’ll have someone send you hemostatic medicine for your wounds.” Bai Jinxiu raised her hand and patted Fan Yugan’s shoulder.

Hearing these words, Fan Yugan burst into tears with a wail, wiping away his tears with his dirty sleeves, truly feeling relieved: “Thank you, Sister Bai! Thank you, Madam Qin!”

Fan Yugan had never been so grateful that Sister Bai had changed the dynasty. Just as Bai Jinxiu said, if there had been no dynastic change, his father would surely die—this was treason after all!

But if the dynasty had indeed changed, one could certainly find a loophole to save his father’s life.

Bai Jinxiu lowered her voice and said to Fan Yugan, “Don’t tell your father yet, let your father be afraid for a few days!”

Fan Yugan looked at Bai Jinxiu’s smiling expression, glanced at his father who was still hoarsely cursing him, and nodded vigorously: “I won’t tell him, let him be afraid for a few days—who told him to curse me!”

Bai Jinxiu was amused by Fan Yugan’s mischievous words and patted his shoulder: “Go then!”

Inside Luohong Tower.

Quan Yu had already vomited blood. His hands desperately gripped the physician’s hands: “The body, hair, and skin are received from one’s parents. When I was young, I had no choice but to be castrated to enter the palace. I’m already missing one thing compared to ordinary people—I cannot lose my legs too!”

Quan Yu had sold himself into the palace to pay for his mother’s medical treatment. He was the eldest son in the family… His parents were unwilling, but he had castrated himself first, forcing his father to have no choice but to send him to the palace in exchange for money.

At that time, Quan Yu was young and didn’t know how to keep his severed manhood, so it could be buried with him later to leave a complete corpse.

Having already lost one part of his body, Quan Yu would rather die than lose his legs as well.

Bai Qingyan pushed open the door and entered. Quan Yu’s leg, which had been pierced by the poisoned wine cup, had already turned dark azure and black.

Seeing Bai Qingyan, Quan Yu, with blood still at the corners of his mouth, raised his head: “Princess… Princess Zhenguo!”

Bai Qingyan strode quickly to the soft couch and glanced at the wound, then said to the physician: “Save the person! Amputate the leg!”

“Princess Zhenguo!” Quan Yu’s voice was weak, trembling constantly, “I don’t want to lose my leg. Without a leg… I might as well die!”

“Foolish! Living is the most important thing!” Bai Qingyan sat down beside the soft couch. “If we delay any longer, you’ll truly lose your life. Quan Yu… you’re still young, you have a long life ahead. In the future, you’ll know how fortunate it is to be alive. When news came back that all my brothers had perished in Nan Jiang, I would have preferred them to return missing arms or legs… as long as they could come back! I don’t know if you have family, but ask yourself—would your family want you to lose a leg but live well, or would they want you to die to preserve your leg?”

Quan Yu was stunned. He had been too young when he entered the palace… he could no longer clearly remember the scene then. He only remembered his father striking him in fury, and his mother… saying she would rather die than live on money obtained through his sacrifice.

He had thought his parents hated him for harming the body they had given him, so over the years… he had cherished his body greatly.

Bai Qingyan pressed both hands on Quan Yu’s shoulders and said to the physician: “Begin!”

Quan Yu’s agonized screams seemed to tear through the nine heavens amidst the raging fire.

Amputation, stopping the bleeding…

Each step was a risk, but without taking the risk, Quan Yu could not survive.

Bai Jinxiu quickly cleaned up the battlefield, then strode toward Luohong Tower on the high platform.

Inside Luohong Tower, the Emperor, who had already been subdued, heard that the overall situation had been decided outside and that Prince Liang was dead. He gritted his teeth and cursed: “Useless!”

The Grand Princess, sitting beside the desk, looked at the Emperor, who dared not move, and let out a long sigh…

The Great Jin Dynasty had ultimately been defeated by this creature.

Before long, the great doors of Luohong Tower swung wide open. Bai Jinxiu, dressed in battle armor, strode in from outside, completely ignoring the Emperor as she bowed to the Grand Princess: “Grandmother, there’s no time to clean the bloodstains outside properly. The fire at Luohong Tower is too fierce—I fear it will soon spread here. Although I’ve already ordered the soldiers to fight the fire, for Grandmother’s safety… please come with me first.”

The Grand Princess looked at the heroic Bai Jinxiu with some bewilderment. Before Bai Jinxiu had led troops to attack the capital, she had probably forgotten… that this granddaughter of hers had once accompanied her late husband to the battlefield.

Seeing Bai Jinxiu in armor on the battlefield again, the Grand Princess inevitably thought of the Bai family sons who had perished in Nan Jiang…

How wonderful—A’Jue was still alive, and A’Yun was still alive too!

The Grand Princess supported herself on the desk and slowly stood up.

Bai Jinxiu stepped forward to support the Grand Princess. She saw the Grand Princess, whose age was clearly showing, fingering her prayer beads. After a long while, she said: “The Jin Emperor has always wanted to ascend that Nine-Tiered Platform built on high ground. This old woman sees… this Luohong Tower is not low either! Why not let the Jin Emperor make do and treat this place as the Nine-Tiered Platform, letting the Jin Emperor concentrate on seeking elixirs of immortality here!”

The Grand Princess spoke slowly and gently, like any kind-eyed elderly person from an ordinary family, yet her words carried decisive killing intent and an air of absolute authority.

Since Bai Qingyan was to ascend the throne as Emperor, then… this Emperor could not be allowed to live.

Hearing these words, the Emperor’s eyes widened: “Aunt! You want me to die!”

“Go!” The Grand Princess patted Bai Jinxiu’s hand, her eyes smiling as she gently pushed Bai Jinxiu. “Go!”

“Grandmother?!” Bai Jinxiu was greatly shocked.

“Your elder sister… will be a good emperor! A good emperor who loves the Kingdom and the people!” The Grand Princess’s eyes filled with tears as she smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepening. “The Bai Family Army has a saying: ‘Born for the people, die for the nation.’ Grandmother… is the Grand Princess of the Jin Dynasty. In life, I protected Great Jin; in death, I die for Great Jin. This is the same principle!”

“Grandmother!”

“Grandmother has lived to this advanced age and knows her time is near. This… can also be considered Grandmother’s final pride as the Grand Princess of Jin! Please… leave Grandmother with a shred of dignity!” The Grand Princess held back her tears, thinking of Nanny Jiang, and instructed Bai Jinxiu again: “Nanny Jiang watched you all grow up from childhood—take good care of her!”

“If Grandmother won’t leave, then Jinxiu won’t leave either!” Bai Jinxiu’s attitude was resolute.

Even though Bai Jinxiu could understand the Grand Princess, she could not allow her grandmother to die before her eyes.