"Got it, Eldest Young Lady!" Bai Jinzhao looked up at her elder sister and answered first. "Go ahead!" Bai Qingyan straightened up, tidied her cloak, and said with a smile. "Eldest Young Lady, rest well!" Bai Jinhua held Bai Jinse’s hand and spoke to Bai Qingyan, "I heard there’s a grove of red plum blossoms at Yecheng Pass. When Eldest Young Lady wakes up tomorrow, we three will pick them and bring them back for you!" Bai Qingyan nodded: "Alright..." Watching her three younger sisters leave, Wei Zhong approached with a smile and said, "Your Majesty, you should rest as well." Bai Qingyan nodded, responding with a smile: "Eunuch Wei, you’ve had a hard time, you should rest too!" Wei Zhong was momentarily stunned, hurriedly replying, "Your Majesty need not worry, this old servant is... not tired, still able to serve Your Majesty for the night." "Rest well! Only by resting well can you protect me..." Bai Qingyan turned to look at Wei Zhong, gently caressing her abdomen, "The safety of our journey back to Dadu City with the child is entrusted to Eunuch Wei!" Wei Zhong was taken aback, but saw Bai Qingyan smile and turn to return inside. Wei Zhong hurriedly stepped forward to lift the curtain for Bai Qingyan: "Your Majesty’s bed is already warm, and the hot water has been sent in as well. Shortly, this old servant will call someone to serve Your Majesty." "No need, I will do it myself." Bai Qingyan nodded and stepped into the room, took off her fox fur cloak and hung it on the screen, washed her face with hot water, grasped the cuffs in her hand, sat on the soft couch, gently stroking the two small tigers Xiao Rongyan had carved for the child, her expression full of warmth. In the rest of her life, Bai Qingyan’s greatest wish was for her family and loved ones to be safe... The smooth implementation of the new policies would be enough. Thıs content belongs to 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝕟𝕖𝕥 The window across from Bai Qingyan suddenly burst open, and Bai Qingyan looked up to see Xiao Rongyan leap in. She widened her eyes, watching Xiao Rongyan enter from the window and then close it, asking him, "Why did you come over suddenly? Aren’t you discussing battle strategies with A Yu and the others?" Xiao Rongyan brought a chill with him, did not approach Bai Qingyan; he took off his mask and undid his cloak, casually hanging it on the screen, stretched his hands to warm them over the brazier, and said with a smile, "Everything has been arranged by you already; there’s nothing much to discuss, just going through the motions." Bai Qingyan watched the way Xiao Rongyan warmed his hands over the fire, picked up the overturned cup and poured a cup of hot tea for Xiao Rongyan, then pushed the teacup to the seat beside her as Xiao Rongyan walked over. Xiao Rongyan didn’t sit; he rubbed his hands together, kneeled on one knee in front of Bai Qingyan, placed his hands on Bai Qingyan’s abdomen: "The child needs to get familiar with my voice first, otherwise... truly won’t know that I am the father." Surprised when the child moved slightly, Xiao Rongyan looked up at Bai Qingyan with delight: "It moved!" "Doctor Hong says it’s normal for the child to move frequently at this stage, but the child is very well-behaved... usually sleeps quietly when I’m busy!" Bai Qingyan said. Xiao Rongyan placed his ear against Bai Qingyan’s abdomen, listening intently to the movements within. He gently encircled Bai Qingyan’s waist with his arms, feeling deeply grateful to have met Bai Qingyan, thankful to heaven for giving him and Bai Qingyan a child, only Bai Qingyan and the child could soften his heart full of hostility and bloodshed, gradually making his heart as firm as a rock become tender. "Tomorrow morning, I must leave..." Xiao Rongyan looked up at Bai Qingyan, "Kid, may I hold you and our child to sleep tonight?" Xiao Rongyan lifted Bai Qingyan, settled her on the bed, then went around the screen to pour hot water from the copper kettle into the basin, mixed the water, tested the temperature, and brought the copper basin, placing it on the footrest, removed Bai Qingyan’s boots and socks... "I’ll do it myself!" Bai Qingyan hurriedly said. "It’s inconvenient with your belly; let me..." Since Bai Qingyan became pregnant, Xiao Rongyan spent very little time with her, so whenever they were together, he was willing to do anything he could for her, even if it never felt enough. Xiao Rongyan grasped Bai Qingyan’s feet, carved like white jade, feeling her feet were very cold, gently splashed warm water over them, then placed both of Bai Qingyan’s feet in the water: "Is it hot?" Bai Qingyan shook her head, watching Xiao Rongyan, who knelt on one knee washing her feet, this person seemed to carry a touch of earthly warmth, not the high and mighty Ninth Prince of Yan who always had everything under control, but rather her simply ordinary lover, husband... the one to accompany her through life. After attending to her needs, Xiao Rongyan lay down with her, letting her rest her head in the crook of his arm, lying in his embrace, gently stroking her abdomen, speaking softly to Bai Qingyan: "Though Xiliang’s cities have all been conquered, you must still be cautious on your way back, return to Dadu City soon to ease mother’s worry." Bai Qingyan lay in Xiao Rongyan’s arms, fatigue crept over her, already somewhat drowsy, responded softly with eyes closed: "Mm..." "I’ve already sent a letter to Yue Shi, who’s waiting outside the city, instructing Yue Shi to deliver the newly discussed strategy for taking Yunjing by the two nations to Ah Li. Joining forces, our two countries should be able to take Yunjing by mid-March at the latest." He stroked Bai Qingyan’s abdomen gently and said quietly, "Ah Li will propose the idea of merging the two countries upon receiving news of taking Yunjing and will send envoys to Dadu." This matter had been discussed long ago, though not meticulously detailed, but Bai Qingyan and the Bai family... as well as Xiao Rongyan and Murong Li were preparing for it. The Tianfeng Kingdom had already been driven back across the snowy mountains, and the unification of the realm was foreseeable. Xiao Rongyan spoke softly: "When our child grows up, he will surely see an era of peace and prosperity." As his words fell, he heard Bai Qingyan’s gentle breathing become slow; he knew that Bai Qingyan was indeed tired these days, carrying a child on the battlefield, even with a well-behaved child, Bai Qingyan was exhausted. He propped himself up with an elbow, tucked the loose strands of hair on Bai Qingyan’s side into her ear, softly kissed Bai Qingyan’s earlobe, held her tightly and closed his eyes. Early the next day, before dawn, Bai Qingyan was already awake, noticed the space beside her had felt empty, already cold, thinking Xiao Rongyan must have left very early. She lifted the quilt, just got up, and heard Wei Zhong’s voice outside the door: "Your Majesty, it’s still early, you can sleep a little more!" "No..." Bai Qingyan rubbed her sore neck. "Shall I summon someone to come in and assist Your Majesty in getting up?" Wei Zhong asked again. "Mm..." She lifted the bed curtain, noticed on the small table beside the soft couch where a faint lamp was lit, a piece of cloth was laid; she lowered her eyes, put on her shoes, got up, and took the cloth from the small table, inspecting it under the lamp. On the cloth was embroidered a branch of red plum blossom, Xiao Rongyan personally inscribed words on the cloth— ’There is such a beauty, unforgettable upon seeing, from not seeing for one day grows crazily in longing.’