Wei Zhong crossed his hands in front of his lower abdomen, taking small steps and leading a man wearing a bamboo hat closer and closer, and the hearts of the Bai family hung higher and higher, until they reached their throats.
The man wearing the bamboo hat stopped beside Bai Qingjue and removed the hat...
Bai Qingyu, who was wearing a mask, clenched his palm tightly.
Bai Qingjue opened his eyes wide, looking at Bai Qingqi, who had lost an eye and grown white hair at his temples: "Third Brother!"
"Third Brother!"
"Third Brother!"
Bai Jinhua and Bai Jinzhao cried out again.
He has returned, truly returned!
The decree that Eldest Young Lady announced to the world truly took effect.
Behind his mask, Bai Qingyu nearly couldn’t hold back his tears; his hand hidden behind his back tightened forcefully. His third brother had also returned!
Usually, Third Brother speaks the least and is the most strict...
Once, Grandfather joked, saying Third Brother was nothing like Fifth Uncle, who was easygoing and cheerful, that he was more solemn than the elderly, and too harsh in his demands on his younger brothers.
Yet it was this same Third Brother who risked his life on the battlefield to protect his brothers, cold on the exterior but warmhearted, and who would punish him with military rod for his reckless advances on the battlefield.
Third Brother... was also the first among them to lead troops independently.
It could be said that Sister and Bai family’s third son, Bai Qingqi, were once the targets the Bai family sons always wanted to surpass.
Compared to when he left, Bai Qingqi’s features have become more rugged, and his naturally silent personality seemed even more old-fashioned, perhaps because of the white hair.
Perhaps due to traveling day and night, Bai Qingqi was covered in dust, and stubble had grown on his chin.
He handed the bamboo hat in his hand to Wei Zhong, lifted the hem of his coarse cloth robe, went down on one knee, clasped his fists, and loudly shouted: "Huying Camp, Bai family’s third son... Bai Qingqi, safely returns to the capital!"
Bai Qingyan’s tears could no longer be held back, flowing like rain...
How wonderful... A Qi has returned too! If Fifth Aunt could see A Qi, who knows how happy she would be!
Bai Qingqi’s bloodshot eyes were red; he had already integrated into the Yan army, intending to use Yan Kingdom’s power... to destroy Jin Kingdom, to avenge the Bai family’s entire clan.
But he never expected that Eldest Young Lady would accomplish what he wanted to do before he himself did.
Later, he planned to remain in the Yan army to prepare for the future, to climb to a high position within the Yan army, and then use means to contact the Bai family army... and Eldest Young Lady.
Yet, upon seeing Eldest Young Lady’s decree announcing to the world that with the last battlefield of the Xuanjia period... any surviving Bai family child and Bai family army return to Dadu City to witness the enthronement ceremony, he couldn’t hold himself but leave the Yan army resolutely to return to the capital.
He wanted to stand with the Bai family’s brothers and sisters, to fight honorably and openly for the unification of the world.
Now Eldest Young Lady has ascended the throne, she will surely accomplish the ambition of unifying the world that Bai ancestors had held for generations. If she has reliable people under her, the process of unification will surely be expedited, and Bai Qingqi is willing to be the blade for Eldest Young Lady...
Bai Qingyan signaled Bai Qingqi to rise with a throbbing throat.
Bai Qingqi raised his head, his eyes wet and red, speaking painfully: "Eldest Young Lady, no need to wait, no one will... come back anymore."
"Third Brother?" Bai Jinxiu looked at Bai Qingqi with some surprise at his calm demeanor.
Bai Jinxiu knew, her third brother Bai Qingqi would never speak without reason, but if what he said were true... then their last hope of the Bai family people would be gone.
Bai Qingqi’s throat rolled, after a long time he rasped: "Others... I buried them all with my own hands, so Eldest Young Lady... no need to wait anymore, no one will return, it was me... I failed to protect our brothers and siblings! Even I... even Little Seventeen I couldn’t protect, letting him at such a young age... suffer such hardship, died so tragically..."
Bai Qingyan’s back stiffened, her eyelashes trembled slightly yet tears could no longer be controlled.
She looked at Bai Qingqi’s gray temples, looked at the bloodshot red eye of Bai Qingqi, clenched her back teeth, and her heart was full of pain.
She merely looked at the military records and was already in unbearable pain, almost wishing to carve out her heart to stop the pain.
But Third Brother A Qi had actually buried them with his own hands, how much pain must his heart bear? How deep must the heart-wrenching agony be?
Bai Qingyan raised her hand, forcefully gripping Bai Qingqi’s shoulder, biting her teeth hard, nearly letting out fragmented sobbing cries, she choked: "Thank you for trying hard, it doesn’t matter if you couldn’t protect brothers and siblings, as long as you can return home safely, for Eldest Young Lady... for all Bai family, it is the greatest news!"
Bai Qingqi, who was controlling his emotions with a stoic expression, was suddenly overcome with tears. His throat rolled, the weight of Bai Qingyan’s words like a thousand pounds. He always viewed protecting the Bai family’s children as his duty.
On the battlefield, he was the first to lead troops independently; Father once instructed... during this expedition, there were many young Bai children, asking him to take good care, but he... couldn’t do it!
He thought coming back he would be blamed.
He felt guilty inside, this guilt tormented him daily, letting him find no relief.

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