Chapter 767: Chapter 764: Unnecessary_1
âHmmâŠâ Bai Qingyanâs gaze fell on the silver armor in Mrs. Dongâs hand. She sat down beside Mrs. Dong and lifted her hand to hold Mrs. Dongâs arm. âMother, donât worry. I will be very careful on this trip to Daliang! Kid promises, it wonât be long⊠I will definitely bring A Yu back to your side with honor!â
Hearing A Yuâs name, Mrs. Dong couldnât hold back her tears. She forced herself to endure and patted her daughterâs hand that was holding her arm. âMother knows, you and A Yu are both ambitious people. Donât worry⊠Mother will guard the rear for you. Confidently go to Daliang! Grip the military power firmly in your hands! As long as you hold the military power, the people in Dadu City will naturally be intimidated!â
Bai Qingyan nodded.
Mrs. Dong raised her hand and hugged her daughter in her arms. âWhat you want to achieve is the make-or-break of kings. If you succeed⊠the Bai family will be remembered for generations. If you fail⊠the reputation the Bai family has accumulated for generations will be completely gone. If you donât have complete certainty, never act recklessly because of anything that happens in Shuoyang, understand?â
Mrs. Dong thought more long-term. She feared that if her daughter showed too much brilliance on the battlefield again, the Emperor and the Crown Prince would become suspicious of the Bai family and try to grasp Bai Qingyanâs weakness to force her to submit!
If that day did come, Mrs. Dong hoped her daughter would never stop moving forward or even submit and be captured because of them.
How could Bai Qingyan not understand Mrs. Dongâs meaning? She hugged Mrs. Dongâs arm tightly and smiled, âThat day will never come. I wonât give them the chance!â
In Dadu City, Fu Ruoxi was her person⊠There were also her people in the imperial guard!
Since the Bai family suffered a great disaster, Bai Qingyan had always acted cautiously, never daring to be the slightest bit negligent or take any chances. Now, everything was roughly in place.
âMother is not by your side, but your father will definitely protect you from the heavens, just like protecting A YuâŠâ Mrs. Dong gently patted her daughterâs back, more like comforting herself. âBut you need to take care of yourself. Donât think you are still the same as before!â
âKid knows! Mother, rest assuredâŠâ
That night, Mrs. Dong stayed at Boyun Courtyard, accompanying her daughter to sleep, fanning her with a round fan to make her sleep more comfortably.
Watching her daughter sleep soundly, Mrs. Dong secretly wiped away her tears, almost staying up all night.
At dawn the next day, Mrs. Dong only fell asleep in a daze. Bai Qingyan didnât want to disturb her, so she quietly got up, covered Mrs. Dong with a thin blanket, tiptoed out of the inner room, and went to the warm chamber to pack.
Chun Tao, with red eyes, helped Bai Qingyan tie her long hair up high and put on her armor. She wanted to ask the young lady to take her to the battlefield, but she knew that in such a place, she could only hold the young lady back, so she swallowed her words.
Nanny Tong fastened a red cloak over Bai Qingyanâs armor and said, âLast night, the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Ladies stayed up all night to make this new cloak, with peace blessings sewn into the four corners inside. They hope the young lady can return safely.â
Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes and touched the finely stitched cloak. She said to Nanny Tong, âThank the three aunts for me.â
Chun Tao knelt to straighten the cloak for Bai Qingyan. When she stood up, she couldnât stop her tears from falling. Bai Qingyan, seeing Chun Taoâs eyes swollen like walnuts, bent her index finger to wipe away the tears hanging on Chun Taoâs face. âWhile Iâm not home, take good care of Mother and guard this Boyun Courtyard.â
Chun Tao choked back her words and used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears, nodding.
In front of the Bai Mansionâs main hall, twenty Bai family guards were dressed in armor, swords ready, waiting to depart. Cai Ziyuan, wearing a green robe and carrying a small baggage, saw the disciplined Bai family guards and instinctively straightened his clothes.
Shortly after, Lu Ping suddenly shouted for the young lady.
Cai Ziyuan looked up and saw a woman in silver armor, her hand holding a silver spear, walking steadily with a killing aura. Her cloak billowed behind her, exuding a commanding presence rarely seen even in men. Such sharp and solemn killing intent could only come from someone who had been through countless battles.
Cai Ziyuan stared at Bai Qingyanâs slender but upright figure. His palm subtly clenched tighter. The Bai Qingyan before him⊠composed and noble, where had the usual frail posture gone?
âYoung lady, outside the gate and along the long street⊠many civilians have already gathered. It seems they all want to see you off!â Lu Ping stepped forward and whispered to Bai Qingyan.
âDidnât disturb Mr. Min Qianqiu, did we?â Bai Qingyan asked.
âMr. Min Qianqiu hasnât come out, but his disciples have. They are mingling with the civilians. Young lady should be cautious!â Lu Ping said, taking the silver spear from Bai Qingyanâs hand and quickly following her.
Mr. Min Qianqiu wrote a chronicle for the Bai family, emphasizing factuality. Lu Ping reminded Bai Qingyan to still feign physical weakness in public.
Bai Qingyan adjusted her wrist guard. âThereâs no need. Mr. Min has seen my frail appearance and will undoubtedly think⊠I am forcing myself to seem fine to boost morale.â
Lu Ping nodded without further comment, mentioning the clan members who had worked through the night to prepare medicated towels for the soldiers. This rare unity among the clan members resulted in five thousand towels being ready overnight, with some left over.
âThank the Clan Leader and everyone who contributed for me. Tell them Bai Qingyan will remember their efforts,â Bai Qingyan said.
Bai Qingyan looked back and saw Doctor Hong hurrying over with a baggage. Bai Qingyan was momentarily stunned. She hadnât informed Doctor Hong about traveling together. Doctor Hong was quite old; even her grandfather didnât want to take him on expeditions anymore. When she went south, it was only because of her health concerns that she brought Doctor Hong to avoid worrying the entire Bai family. This time⊠she couldnât take Doctor Hong along.
âDoctor HongâŠâ Bai Qingyanâs gaze fell on the sword in Doctor Hongâs hand. âYou wonât follow this time. Stay home and take care of Mother and the aunts.â
âYoung lady, do you think this old bone canât handle it?â Doctor Hong feigned anger, âI am still sturdy! Your grandfather was older than me, and I had to obey him. If you donât allow me, I will ride behind the main force as support!â
Bai Qingyan, moved, could only bow deeply and allow Doctor Hong.
Chun Tao, teary-eyed, stepped forward. âYoung lady, IâŠâ
âGood girl, donât get involved! The first method works; the rest wonât!â Doctor Hong joked with Chun Tao.
Chun Tao swallowed her words and tearfully looked at Bai Qingyan.
âStay home and be good!â Bai Qingyan said, then walked down the steps. Seeing Bai Qingyan approach, Cai Ziyuan respectfully saluted.