After finishing her dinner, Su Wan went to the stable to see her beloved horse, Xuehua.
Snowflake had a terrible temper and didn't get along with the other horses. Whenever it was with other horses, it would kick or bite them. The army grooms had no choice but to set up a separate stable for it.
Su Wan arrived at the stable, where Xuehua was grazing. Upon seeing her, Xuehua affectionately nuzzled her face against her.
Su Wan laughed and said, "You're so nice to me now? When I was learning to ride a horse, you almost threw me to pieces. Sigh... Ah Jin is so busy, so I had to come and visit you."
Wei Jingzhuo was extremely busy with military affairs; he had to manage all matters, big and small, within the army and simply couldn't get away from them.
When Wei Shao attacked Xiping Pass, he brought along all the capable generals from the imperial court, resulting in a severe shortage of outstanding commanders in the Jin army. The vast majority of these generals lacked experience in managing troops, forcing Wei Jingzhuo to take on the responsibility personally.
Su Wan said a few words, but Xuehua couldn't understand them. She then brought over a basin of water and used a brush to wipe Xuehua's body.
“My darling, you need to be clean,” she said, halfway through brushing, reaching out to tug at Snowflake’s ears. “Let your owner see if there are any lice inside. You’re not allowed to roll around in the mud anymore.”
Snowflake snorted and shook its head, splashing water droplets all over her face.
The nights in Southern Chu were warm, like summer, yet not so hot. She had changed into lighter, thinner clothes. After being flung by snowflakes, her clothes were soaked.
Su Wan wiped the water droplets from her face with her sleeve and laughed, "You're not being good at all."
“Madam, a guest surnamed Chu wishes to see you,” a soldier behind her said. “He is currently waiting inside the tent.”
Su Wan turned around: "Surname Chu? Is the other person male or female?"
"A woman."
"Could it be Sister Chu?"
She returned to her tent, lifted the curtain, and entered. Sure enough, she saw Chu Mingyao dressed in a black robe, pacing anxiously back and forth.
"Sister Chu, why are you dressed like that Bai Zhiyi?" Su Wan teased.
When Chu Mingyao saw her arrive, she quickly stepped forward and grabbed her hand, saying, "Sister, you must be joking. I've traveled all night to see you because it's important."
Seeing Chu Mingyao's serious expression, Su Wan quickly suppressed her smile and said, "Okay, I'll listen to what Sister Chu has to say."
Chu Mingyao said, "Sister, I'll get straight to the point: is the Great Jin army going to destroy the Southern Chu Kingdom?"
Su Wan remembered that Chu Mingyao was a princess of Southern Chu, and quickly shook her head, saying, "No, no."
"No? If not, why did you invade the territory of Southern Chu?" Chu Mingyao said angrily. "You continued your advance from Yanxun Pass, wasn't your goal to reach the capital of Southern Chu?"
Su Wan said, "Uh... Sister, don't be angry."
Chu Mingyao turned around and said, "I know it was wrong of my seventh brother to launch a sneak attack on the Great Jin, but my husband and I also led the army to rescue the young master from danger. Sister, could you persuade the young master to stop the advance... After all, Southern Chu is my homeland, and I cannot stand by and watch it perish."
When she learned of the Jin army's attack on Southern Chu in Xirong, she initially did not intend to intervene. After all, Chu Yi and Wei Shao had made a mistake by jointly attacking Wei Jingzhuo. It was only when she saw the Jin army begin its attack on Yanxun Pass that she became anxious.
She couldn't bear to watch Southern Chu perish, so she told Crown Prince Danma and rode a fast horse day and night to find Su Wan.
Su Wan said, "Sister Chu, you don't know this, but our expedition this time is to capture Bai Zhiyi. She was the one who instigated Brother Chu's invasion of the Great Jin. She may also have been responsible for Brother Chu's injury."
Chu Mingyao exclaimed in surprise, "You said Seventh Brother is injured?"
Su Wan relayed the information Lin Qingfeng had gathered. Chu Mingyao, even more panicked upon hearing it, anxiously asked, "I wonder how Seventh Brother is? And who is the commander-in-chief of the Southern Chu army now?"
Su Wan said, "The Fifth Prince, Chu Kai."
Chu Mingyao sighed and said, "Fifth Brother has never led troops into battle before, how could he possibly stand against the young master? He's either out of his mind, or someone's instigating him."
“It’s Bai Zhiyi.” Su Wan poured a glass of water from the table and handed it to Chu Mingyao. “She’s determined to oppose us, and we have no choice but to fight back. If we let her continue like this, who knows what kind of trouble she’ll cause. Don’t worry, sister, we absolutely do not intend to destroy Southern Chu. I swear to God.”
Chu Mingyao already knew on her way here that the Great Jin army had not harassed the people of Southern Chu, and said to Su Wan, "Of course I believe my sister. Where is Bai Zhiyi?"
"According to the information obtained by our spies, she is hiding in the capital... Sister, have some water."
Chu Mingyao did not take the water, and said, "Since my sister is certain that Bai Zhiyi was the one causing trouble, I will go to see Father Emperor now and expose her true colors. Until then, could you please ask the young master to stop the advance?"
Su Wan thought about it and realized that Chu Mingyao's suggestion was indeed a good idea. This way, so many people wouldn't have to die.
She said to Chu Mingyao, "Sister's method is good. But everyone in Southern Chu recognizes Bai Zhiyi as a goddess. Will they listen to you, sister?"
Chu Mingyao said, "Didn't you tell my sister that Bai Zhiyi's parents are still alive?"
"Yes, I've already picked them up; they're in the military. It's just that Bai Zhiyi hasn't shown up, so we haven't been able to arrange for them to meet."
"Take me to see the two elders," Chu Mingyao said. "My father told me that there can only be one goddess in the world. If Bai Zhiyi's mother were alive, she would definitely not be a goddess."
Su Wan thought about it and realized it was true. The goddess was a transmigrator brought here by the Resurrection Pendant. When she transmigrated, her mother had already passed away for several years. It seemed that the Resurrection Pendant only brought in a new goddess after the previous one died.
She led Chu Mingyao to the residence of the Duke and Duchess Bai.
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