Hearing that they intended to cross the bridge, the officer shook his head helplessly.
"It is not that we are unwilling to let you pass."
"But the bridge at Fenglingdu has already been blown up. If the Young Marshal wishes to enter Jinzhong, I'm afraid you will have to detour through the Yumenkou crossing. However, there might be Feng clique remnants along the way."
Pei Yu had long since dropped his playful expression.
Pacing back and forth, he calmly analyzed,
"The Yumenkou crossing is 150 kilometers from here. We would need to travel for another half a day, and by the time we get there, it will already be dark."
The officer suggested, "Then should we send some men to escort the Young Marshal over?"
"No need!" Pei Yu waved his hand, asking, "Who is currently commanding the army here?"
The officer reported a name.
It was a cousin from his second uncle's family.
He was a very steady and reliable person, which put Pei Yu at ease.
He turned and informed Bai Baocheng and Xie Chengxiao of the situation, asking for their opinions.
Whether to continue waiting near Fenglingdu until the Feng army was driven back, or to detour to Yumenkou.
Bai Baocheng immediately said,
"We definitely should go to the Yumenkou crossing. Who knows when the fighting will stop? Besides, artillery fire has no eyes. What if a shell lands right here where we are?"
Xie Chengxiao held a different view, saying,
"It is not easy for the Feng clique to seize Fenglingdu after such a long trek. The longer this drags on, the more disadvantageous it is for them."
Furthermore, their target was too obvious. Five cars driving toward the Yumenkou crossing would attract too much attention, and there was a high probability of running into the Feng army halfway.
Their opinions differed.
So they called everyone over to vote.
Bai Baozhu naturally listened to her brother.
Xie Manyu also felt that Xie Chengxiao made sense.
Everyone's eyes turned to Bai Liuyue; she had become the deciding vote.
In her past life, she had been killed by a stray bullet on the road from Fenglingdu to Yumenkou. She certainly would not take that risk again.
Bai Liuyue spoke up,
"Stay at Fenglingdu and wait for the battle to end."
Three to two. Normally, the Bai siblings should have followed the majority opinion.
However, Bai Baocheng was very displeased and immediately stated that he wanted to split up.
"You want to go by yourself? If something happens, don't drag us down with you," Pei Yu immediately drew a clear line.
Bai Baocheng nodded.
What he feared was that if Fenglingdu could not be held, he could at least get away early and return home to let his family prepare.
Anyway, no matter how the warlords changed, the status of their local clan would remain the same.
Bai Baozhu was somewhat reluctant to part with Xie Chengxiao, but since they had already published their divorce in the newspaper, she had no reason to stay any longer.
Moreover, according to her memories, she knew that Fenglingdu would eventually be successfully defended. They would be perfectly safe staying here, so it was better to just follow her brother home first.
The Bai siblings insisted on leaving.
Pei Yu could not completely ignore them, so he asked the officer from earlier for two men to escort them to the Yumenkou crossing.
Meanwhile, his group settled down in the nearby Zhao Village.
The next day.
The artillery fire at Fenglingdu had not yet ceased.
Another piece of bad news arrived.
The Bai siblings had been captured by the Feng warlord's men on their way to the crossing.
They were taken to the front lines of the battlefield as hostages.
The Bai family was prominent and respected in Jinzhong. If something happened to the Bai family members, it would be hard for the Jin warlords to explain.
The one who would have a headache over this was Pei Yu's father!
Xie Manyu muttered softly, "This is supposed to be bad news, so why do I feel like it's good news?"
"Manyu," Xie Chengxiao glared at her.
Even if they disliked them, they were still Bai Wenshan's biological grandchildren. Furthermore, his father had sent him to escort the Bai siblings back to Jinzhong, and now such a massive blunder had occurred.
A beating was definitely unavoidable.
If things got worse, it might even affect the relationship between the Xie and Bai families.
Just as the situation fell into a stalemate.
Another piece of new information arrived.
The Second Young Master of the Presidential Palace, Jiang Yunshen, had come to mediate on the President's orders and successfully rescued the Bai siblings from the hands of the Feng army.
Under the mediation of the President's Second Young Master, the Jin and Feng cliques also signed a ceasefire agreement.
Temporarily maintaining peace and stability for a period of one year.
"Jiang Yunshen? Who is that?"
Pei Yu frowned.
Back when he was thrown to the Northern Presidential Palace by his father to work, he had always followed the First Young Master, Jiang Yushen, until he returned last year.
As for this Second Young Master?
He had never heard of him.
He poked Xie Chengxiao's arm,
"Cousin, have you ever heard of him?"
Xie Chengxiao shook his head and said, "I only knew that the Presidential Palace had one young master."
The good news was that a temporary wooden bridge could be rebuilt at Fenglingdu, allowing light passenger cars like theirs to pass through smoothly.
It was five days later when Bai Liuyue saw the Bai siblings again.
The group reunited at the Bai family's old residence.
Bai Wenshan was an old man with a full head of white hair and a kind-looking face.
Dressed in a scholar's navy blue long gown, he looked gentle and refined, like any ordinary, inconspicuous little old man you might see around.
Seeing Bai Liuyue being escorted back by the Xie siblings and Pei Yu, a gentle smile appeared on his face.
"You've worked hard."
Xie Chengxiao cupped his hands in greeting and said,
"Forgive me, Master Bai. I was ordered by my father to escort Bai Baocheng and Bai Baozhu back, but there was a mishap along the way."
Bai Wenshan waved his hand.
"It doesn't matter. They have already been safely escorted back by the Second Young Master of the Presidential Palace."
"As for you and Baozhu... since it has already been published in the newspaper, if you cannot be husband and wife, you can still be friends." He smiled kindly and amiably.
Xie Chengxiao wanted to get straight to the point and bring up his engagement with Bai Liuyue.
But he was interrupted by Bai Wenshan, who said,
"This must be Brother Zhenning's daughter, Manyu. She is indeed very pretty and lively."
Based on age, she should call him Grandpa, but according to seniority in the generational hierarchy, she had to call him Uncle.
Xie Manyu rolled her eyes around, not knowing how to address him.
Bai Wenshan smiled and said, "Just follow the generational hierarchy and call me Uncle Bai."
Xie Manyu sensed something was off. If she called Bai Wenshan Uncle, then her brother would also have to call him Uncle.
Wouldn't that make the two siblings Bai Liuyue's young aunt and young uncle in terms of generational seniority?!
Bai Wenshan invited them to stay at the old residence for the time being.
The Bai family had long since divided its households; the first and second branches had their own residences, and this place was where the old master lived alone.
Trailing behind, Bai Liuyue timidly called out, "Grandpa."
Bai Wenshan spoke, his gaze complex,
"Xiaoyue, come here. I have some things to discuss with you."
Pei Yu eagerly tried to follow, but Bai Wenshan was polite yet distant, saying,
"Young Marshal Pei should return to the Marshal's Mansion first. With Baocheng and Baozhu encountering danger this time, the Marshal probably has some words for you."
Words, right.
He was probably going back to the Marshal's Mansion to receive a punishment.
However, before leaving, Pei Yu could not help but say,
"Grandpa Bai, this matter wasn't Sister Liuyue's fault. You absolutely must not beat or scold her."
"After all, after all, she is the one I have chosen..."
Pei Yu hesitated for a moment, glanced at Xie Chengxiao and Xie Manyu, and finally mustered the courage to shout it out.
"She is my chosen wife!"
After saying that, as if afraid of being hit, he patted his backside and scurried away as fast as he could.
