After a long while, seeing no movement from Bai Qingyan, Chancellor Lu, who was kneeling on the high steps, looked up toward Bai Qingyan. He saw her quietly gazing toward Wude Gate, her expression calm and her eyes determined, as if waiting for someone…

Seeing this, Chancellor Lu feared missing the auspicious time. He straightened slightly and called out loudly: “Please ascend to the throne, Your Majesty!”

“Please ascend to the throne, Your Majesty!” The hundred officials followed with loud shouts.

Bai Qingyu, wearing a mask and standing to the side, looked up at his elder sister, his fists slightly clenched.

He knew… Elder Sister was waiting for the Bai family children who had not yet returned. Elder Sister hoped that when she ascended the throne, just as her edict proclaimed to the four seas, all surviving Bai Family Army soldiers and Bai family children could rush back to witness this moment.

To witness… the opening of the Great Zhou’s chapter of unifying the realm.

Bai Jinxiu and Bai Qingjue’s eyes filled with tears as they turned to look toward Wude Gate, hoping that Wei Zhong could bring back the surviving Bai family children and Bai Family Army soldiers before Elder Sister ascended to that supreme position.

As time passed, the sunlight gradually intensified, and inside and outside the capital, golden light was brilliant.

The officials whispered among themselves, and Chancellor Lu boldly requested Bai Qingyan’s enthronement again.

A cool breeze brushed past Bai Qingyan’s ceremonial tassels. Through the gently touching jade beads, Bai Qingyan’s eyes, already sore and strained, finally saw someone slowly approaching in a wheelchair outside Wude Gate, which was shrouded in golden light…

Xiao Ruohai was pushing Bai Qingyun, with Xiao Ruojiang walking beside Bai Qingyun.

“Elder Sister!” Bai Jinzhao could no longer contain herself and suddenly stood up, calling out to Bai Qingyan excitedly, tears immediately streaming down her face.

Hearing this, Bai Qingyan bit down hard on her back teeth and gripped her sword hilt tightly. She saw him…

She saw Ninth Brother Bai Qingyun and her two sworn brothers. She suppressed the surging emotions of sourness and swelling in her heart and said to Bai Qingjue: “A’Jue… go welcome them!”

Bai Qingyan knew that when Ninth Brother Bai Qingyun had fought for a way out for his elder brother Bai Qingjue, this matter had weighed on Bai Qingjue’s heart like a stone. What he most hoped for was for A’Yun to return.

“Yes!” Bai Qingjue’s voice was resonant as he turned and ran rapidly down the high steps.

Bai Qingjue’s eyes reddened. The one in the wheelchair was A’Yun! It was Ninth Brother A’Yun who had risked his life to save him!

The once carefree and unrestrained Ninth Young Master of the Bai family now sat in a wheelchair. He had shed his former youthful arrogance, leaving only steadiness and composure. He looked up at his elder sister, dressed in imperial coronation robes on the high steps, tears welling up as he tightly gripped his clothes.

When he was at Four Seas Pavilion on Luopan Mountain, he had already known that Elder Sister would inevitably ascend the throne and unify the realm.

When he saw Elder Sister’s edict proclaimed to the four seas… commanding the surviving Bai family children and Bai Family Army soldiers from the southern frontier battle to return to the capital to witness the enthronement ceremony, he could barely contain his tears.

The Bai family should have done this long ago, but Grandfather was too loyal to the emperor and unwilling to become a rebellious minister and traitor.

But if the ruler lacked the ambition to unify the realm, and if the minister’s aspirations were too great, it would inevitably lead to the ruler’s suspicion and the minister’s execution.

If the Bai family wanted to realize the great unification early, they absolutely could not place hope in being able to assist a wise ruler, but rather… become the ruler of a nation themselves.

Seeing his Seventh Brother, Bai Qingjue, from afar, Bai Qingyun’s lips curved into a smile, his eyes wet and red.

To see Seventh Brother still alive was truly wonderful!

Bai Qingjue’s steps were extremely fast. When he reached Bai Qingyun, looking at Bai Qingyun sitting in the wooden wheelchair… his gaze fell on Bai Qingyun’s legs, his hands hanging at his sides clenched tightly, his eyes blurred by mist.

“Seventh Brother…” Bai Qingyun called out to Bai Qingjue in a hoarse voice.

Bai Qingjue forced a smile and nodded with difficulty, taking the wheelchair from Xiao Ruohai’s hands and pushing him toward Bai Qingyan.

The wheelchair stopped at the bottom of the jade steps of the great hall. Bai Qingyun braced his hands on the wheelchair’s armrests, trying to stand up. After trying twice unsuccessfully, sweat had already appeared on his forehead. He turned to gesture for Xiao Ruojiang and Xiao Ruohai to come forward, and the two understood, supporting Bai Qingyun up…

Li Zhijie, standing on the high steps, saw Bai Qingyun’s face, and his expression changed slightly. He glanced at Bai Qingyan in her coronation robes, then looked back at Bai Qingyun, opening his iron-ribbed folding fan and fanning himself intermittently.

That Bai family child—Li Zhijie still didn’t know which son of the Bai family he was, but it seemed… what Bai Qingyan had been waiting for was this very Bai family child.

Li Zhijie felt slightly troubled. Prince Baishui had failed to assassinate Bai Qingyan successfully. Instead, before Bai Qingyan ascended the high steps of Qiankun Hall, he had been completely dealt with by the Bai family’s Second Miss Bai Jinxiu, leaving not even a trace. And Bai Qingyan valued this Bai family child whose legs had been broken by his hands so much—would there be obstacles to the peace negotiations between Western Liang and Great Zhou?

Bai Qingyun gritted his teeth and slowly straightened up. Supported as he knelt at the bottom of the high steps, he barely stabilized himself before cupping his fists and calling out loudly: “Dragon Cavalry Battalion, Ninth Son of the Bai family… Bai Qingyun safely returned to the capital!”

Bai Qingyun’s resonant and solemn voice echoed through heaven and earth.

Though he had lost both legs, he still had his hands… and his mind. He was unwilling to waste more time at Four Seas Pavilion. He wanted to return… to assist Elder Sister in unifying the realm and completing the Bai family’s generational aspiration.

Bai Jinzhao and Bai Jinhua couldn’t help but cry out loud. Bai Jinxiu’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at Bai Qingyun, showing a smile more painful than crying.

A’Yun… had finally rushed back just in time for Elder Sister’s enthronement!

The four words “safely returned to the capital” nearly made Bai Qingyan unable to maintain her composure as tears streamed down her face. She raised her hand to signal Bai Qingyun to rise…

A’Yun had returned. Was there still a possibility that other surviving Bai family children could rush back? To walk through that Wude Gate, shrouded in golden light, and say “safely returned to the capital.”

Bai Qingyu’s hands clasped behind his back tightened as his gaze turned toward Elder Sister. He… still owed the Bai family the words “safely returned to the capital.”

Today, Bai Qingyu stood here, together with all the Bai family brothers and sisters. He, too, wanted to see more Bai family children return and say here… “safely returned to the capital.”

“Ninth Brother!” Bai Jinzhao stood up and ran toward the bottom of the high steps.

Bai Jinhua also couldn’t hold back and followed, heading toward Bai Qingyun.

The two young women in military dress rushed to Bai Qingyun and tightly embraced him as he swayed unsteadily, barely able to stand with Xiao Ruojiang and Xiao Ruohai’s support, crying loudly.

Bai Qingyan, her eyes blurred by tears, saw that someone else seemed to be entering Wude Gate directly, apparently led by Wei Zhong. Her palm gripping the imperial sword’s hilt suddenly became sweaty…

If A’Yun’s return was within expectations, but if more Bai family children could return, then Bai Qingyan would truly need to thank Heaven for its mercy.

Bai Qingyan didn’t know who was returning, her heart hanging in her throat.

All the Bai family members were holding their breath in anticipation.

Bai Jinxiu was so shocked that she stood up with wide eyes, hope harbored in her heart, as she turned and choked out Bai Qingyan’s name: “Elder Sister…”

Bai Qingyan steadied herself and nodded. Bai Jinxiu also forced herself to remain calm and turned to look toward Wude Gate.