Chapter 247: Chapter 245: Kill_1 Chapter 247: Chapter 245: Kill_1 But aside from the Crown Prince, whom else could he assist?

“Among the current Emperor’s sons, King Liang is sinister, King Xin is violent. Only the Crown Prince, although lacking significant talent, is relatively gentle. However, the Crown Prince resembles the current Emperor… highly suspicious by nature! Therefore, to assist the Crown Prince, the first step is to earn his trust! Just like Old Fang… the Crown Prince trusts Old Fang, so he listens to him in everything! The Crown Prince does not completely trust Mr. Qin, hence he always deliberates over Mr. Qin’s strategies.”

Bai Qingyan’s words struck Qin Shangzhi deeply, and mentioning this made Qin Shangzhi quite depressed.

“But the Crown Prince has been using and guarding against me from the start. To gain his trust, it’s necessary… through repeated misunderstandings and resolving those misunderstandings, to deepen the Crown Prince’s trust.” Seeing Qin Shangzhi frowning, Bai Qingyan smiled and said, “Mr. Qin is a gentleman and certainly disdains using such methods. But I am a woman, and… the Bai family is in a precarious situation now. If I want to protect the Bai family and fulfill my grandfather’s last wish, I have no other choice but to resort to such means. I hope you will understand.”

Qin Shangzhi knew well the Bai family’s situation. That the Bai family could be preserved to this day in Bai Qingyan’s hands was something he admired.

Qin Shangzhi remained silent for a while.

It was undeniable that if Bai Qingyan wished to assist the Crown Prince, she needed the Crown Prince’s trust more than he did because she was a member of the Bai family.

He suddenly recalled the words this woman had said, inviting him to join her in supporting the Jin Kingdom. Her aspirations were as grand as the late Duke of Zhen.

So be it… whether through schemes or tactics! She was doing it to assist the future Monarch of the Jin Kingdom. As long as it did not harm Jin’s interests, what was wrong with that?

Qin Shangzhi did not want to see Bai Qingyan, with her great talent, constantly obstructed by Old Fang when devising strategies for the Crown Prince.

If the future king of Jin could rely on Bai Qingyan, what a magnificent scene the Jin Kingdom would be.

He couldn’t help but envision a future where Bai Qingyan commanded the Jin Kingdom’s armies, while he advised on its internal affairs. By that time… the Jin Kingdom would undoubtedly have the strength to conquer the five states and unify the land.

*
When Bai Qingyan returned, Ji Langhua was rubbing her eyes, standing at her door with a medicine box, waiting to apply medicine to her. Seeing Bai Qingyan return, she quickly bowed and greeted, “Young General Bai…”

“It’s so late; you should rest first. Changing the dressing tomorrow would be fine as well.”

Toward this girl whom Bai Qingming had saved, Bai Qingyan always treated her a bit differently.

“Finish today’s task today! I can sleep peacefully only after I’ve changed your dressing.” Ji Langhua humbly and respectfully followed Bai Qingyan into the room, closed the door, washed her hands, and changed the dressing for her.

As soon as she finished binding the fine white cotton cloth around Bai Qingyan, she heard Bai Qingyan’s stomach growl softly.

Bai Qingyan had gone to see the Crown Prince immediately upon returning and hadn’t had a chance to eat.

Ji Langhua washed her hands, took her medicine box, and left. Not even two cups of tea’s time passed before she knocked on Bai Qingyan’s door again.

Carrying a black lacquered tray with two bowls of noodles, she stood outside and bowed, “I borrowed the posthouse kitchen to make these two bowls of vegetarian noodle soup for Young General Bai and Miss Jinzhi.”

Ji Langhua knew that Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi had gone to honor the Vice Commander of the Bai family army today.

Since Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi were both in mourning, Ji Langhua made two bowls of vegetarian noodle soup.

The noodles had a poached egg on top, and Ji Langhua had finely shredded pickled peppers and pickles, sprinkled them on the soup, and added some sesame oil, making the dish smell appetizingly sour and spicy.

“Thank you! Rest early!” Bai Qingyan had just taken the black lacquered tray when she saw Bai Jinzhi coming over with two packets of pastries.

The sisters ate the bowls of vegetarian noodle soup, warming them from their stomachs down to their toes. Bai Jinzhi even drank all the broth and exclaimed it was delicious. Then she asked, “When are we setting off?”

“We head out before dawn.” Bai Qingyan patted Bai Jinzhi’s head. Seeing that Bai Jinzhi had tanned and lost weight following her into battle, she felt a pang of sorrow.

“Tomorrow we’ll see Ninth Brother; Eldest Sister, I’m so happy!” Bai Jinzhi’s eyes reddened with joy as she held her bowl, “I hope Ninth Brother is alright…”

Thinking of Bai Qingyun’s deformed and bloody legs, her expression darkened, “Let’s sleep!”

She hoped Doctor Hong could heal Little Nine’s legs… such a proud young man, if he lost his legs, she feared he would be devastated. This was why she wanted to risk seeing him before they left.

The next day, before dawn, the stars still twinkled, and the moon had not set.

Ji Langhua, carrying a small bundle in her arm, was about to board the carriage when she saw Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi leap onto their horses. Looking at Bai Qingyan’s upright back, she suddenly recalled General Bai Qingming. Knowing they were heading to Feng County to honor Bai Qingming, her eyes reddened, and she boarded the carriage after saluting.

Qin Shangzhi stood by the window, seeing Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi depart. He turned to the Crown Prince, who was eating breakfast, and said, “Your Highness… Miss Bai and Miss Bai Jinzhi have set off.”

The Crown Prince wiped his mouth with a napkin, his eyes cold, “Have Zhang Duanrui personally take people to follow them. Take more people! If she is merely going to honor her family, tell her to see me when she returns! If she is not going to Feng County… or if she is doing anything other than honoring, or worse, meeting someone, arrest her on my orders. If she resists… kill her! Mr. Qin, you have done well. Keep up the good work.”

Qin Shangzhi’s brow twitched, recalling Bai Qingyan’s words last night… saying that if he didn’t find her, she would find him before leaving for Feng County!

Now he could only hope Bai Qingyan was prepared and had arranged everything.

Although Bai Qingyan had not said it explicitly, she must have known that the Crown Prince would take action. Today, she was leaving the main army to go to Feng County to honor Bai Qingming, and the Crown Prince’s people following her was perfectly reasonable.

Despite his worries, Qin Shangzhi bit his lip, unsure why he felt this way… clearly, he was the Crown Prince’s counselor. Why was he unnecessarily worrying about Bai Qingyan?

The thing the Crown Prince hated most in his life was being played for a fool. If those death warriors were all Bai Qingyan’s household servants, if King Yan of Xiliang, Li Zhijie, was indeed harmed by Bai Qingyan’s people…

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The Crown Prince’s temple kept throbbing. What did Bai Qingyan seek to gain?

He felt too ashamed to call Old Fang over for discussion; he had confidently boasted before Old Fang that he had already subdued Bai Qingyan…

Old Fang was muddled as well, actually believing that Bai Qingyan had completely submitted to the Crown Prince’s authority!

“If all these death warriors belonged to Bai Qingyan, what was her goal in creating such a fiasco? If it was truly to sustain the Bai family army through war, why hand over the Commander’s Seal…”

The Crown Prince abruptly paused, lifting his eyes, his gaze chilling.