Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 184 - 183: The Military’s Heart is in Chaos_1

Chapter 184: Chapter 183: The Military’s Heart is in Chaos_1

“We must thank Yun Poxing. If not for Yun Poxing, the treacherous villains in court, along with the Emperor, would have devised all kinds of schemes to prevent me from coming to Nanjing! The Crown Prince would have used every possible means to stop me from marching into battle and joining the Bai family’s army! I would have been left to languish in Dadu City, watching helplessly as the last ten thousand soldiers of my Bai family were used as pawns, fighting to their deaths in Nanjing!”

“From my grandfather to every elite soldier charging into battle, the Bai family’s army has never harbored rebellious intentions. They are the most loyal and brave warriors of the Jin Kingdom! We swear to fight for tranquility and peace for the people! For the unification of the world! But now, the Emperor and the treacherous villains in the court only wish to discard us once we have outlived our usefulness!”

“We will not rebel! But today, since I, Bai Qingyan, have taken up the black flag with the white python emblem of the Bai family’s army, I swear to protect my soldiers, even if it means using underhanded tactics that go against our family’s principles and ancestral teachings! The brave elite soldiers of the Bai family can die on the battlefield, under volleys of enemy arrows, but they must not fall to the vile schemes of treacherous men.”

The Bai family’s soldiers, donned in mourning cloth, felt a fierce flame ignite in their chests as they listened to Bai Qingyan’s words. Their bodies grew hot and numb, and their eyes welled up with tears.

Bai Qingyan clasped her hands in salute, respectfully bowed to the soldiers of the Bai family, and knelt on one knee, lifting the hem of her armor: “I, Bai Qingyan, vow to the martyrs of the Bai family who perished in Nanjing, to the twenty-three heroic spirits of our family! In three years, I, Bai Qingyan, will bring back Yun Poxing’s head to exact vengeance! Trust me, everyone!”

“Young General Bai!” Cheng Yuanzhi, a tall and burly man, knelt with tear-filled eyes.

The spirited men of the Bai family’s army also knelt down.

“We trust Young General Bai! Life and death, without doubt!”

These three years were the time she gave to Yun Poxing and herself.

In three years, she would ensure that no one in the entire Jin Kingdom dared harm the members of her Bai family!

In three years, she would ensure that no one in the entire Jin Kingdom dared covet the Bai family’s army!

In three years, she would avenge the past wrongs!

After consoling the Bai family’s soldiers, Bai Qingyan stood up solemnly and said, “Letting Yun Poxing go earlier, once he returns to the Xiliang camp already disrupted by the burnt supplies, the demoralized Xiliang army will see that out of Yun Poxing’s hundreds of thousands of men, only a few dozen have returned. Knowing that Yun Poxing suffered a crushing defeat at Wengshan, with no supplies and the Commander defeated, the army’s morale will surely collapse!”

She tearfully commanded in a loud voice, “The soldiers of the Bai family’s army will immediately return to Wengcheng to rest. In one hour, two thousand men will join me in raiding the enemy camp to retrieve my father’s head!”

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“Yes!” Cheng Yuanzhi responded with a voice as loud as a bell. Then he turned and whistled sharply with his fingers.

The Bai family’s soldiers also whistled to summon their warhorses.

Suddenly, Zhang Duanrui rode swiftly down the canyon, shouting, “General Bai! The Xiliang soldiers in the valley, seeing their Commander escaped, are surrendering. Should we have Zhen Zeping and Shi Panshan open the exit to let them out?”

Bai Qingyan looked up at Zhang Duanrui with a steadfast gaze, showing no hesitation: “Kill! Leave none alive!”

Zhang Duanrui was stunned, “But…”

It was a long-standing rule not to kill surrendered soldiers.

“If General Zhang fears bearing the infamy through the ages, I, Bai Qingyan, will bear it! Killing one more Xiliang soldier today means fewer Jin citizens will die tomorrow. With the Commander’s Seal in hand, this is my order alone and has no bearing on General Zhang!” Bai Qingyan spoke with a tone that brooked no argument.

After a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Duanrui knew that the Crown Prince’s Commander’s Seal was in Bai Qingyan’s hand. He had no choice but to salute, “As you command!”

“After exterminating all Xiliang soldiers in the valley, Generals Zhang Duanrui and Zhen Zeping will count the troops and head to Wengcheng to rest. Await further orders to retake Tianmen Pass with the Bai family’s army tomorrow morning!”

Upon hearing that they were to retake Tianmen Pass tonight, Zhang Duanrui’s blood immediately boiled!

Though they were all somewhat weary from the recent large battle, this victory against overwhelming odds had them in high spirits. With a night’s rest, they would surely retake Tianmen Pass.

Bai Jinzhi, bearing the black flag with the red python emblem on her back, and her silver spear with red tassels, rode back swiftly. She leaped off her horse, holding the flag, and tossed the red-tasselled silver spear to Bai Qingyan, “Eldest Young Lady, catch your spear!”

Bai Qingyan caught the red-tasselled silver spear, “Mount up! Return to Wengcheng!”

“Return to Wengcheng!” Cheng Yuanzhi echoed loudly. His eyes sparkled as he said to Bai Qingyan, “When Wei Zhaonian, Gu Wenchang, and Shen Kunyang, who are still recovering from their injuries, see Young General Bai, they’ll think they’re dreaming!”

·

In Wanping City, the Crown Prince, dressed in thick fox fur, stood on the city wall, gazing at the crimson sky above Wengshan Canyon, his heart in his throat.

“Has no scout reported back about the battle yet?!” The Crown Prince’s fist clenched tightly by his side.

Qin Shangzhi, standing next to the Crown Prince, remained silent, praying in his heart for Heaven’s protection and that Bai Qingyan might triumph.

Seeing a fast horse approaching from afar, Qin Shangzhi quickly pointed it out, “Your Highness! Look…”

The Crown Prince felt his heart might stop. He held his breath as he watched the coming figure grow closer, his fist tightening even more.

When the fast horse reached the city wall, the scout pulled on the reins and shouted, “Quickly open the gate! Victory at Wengshan! Victory at Wengshan! Our army has annihilated the Xiliang scoundrels in Wengshan Canyon!”

The Crown Prince felt his blood rush to his head. He felt alive for the first time in a while. They had won! Truly won!

His face was numb with excitement. He turned and hurriedly descended the wall, almost tripping over the corner of his fox fur. Thankfully, the city guard caught him in time.

“Be careful, Your Highness.”

The guard then respectfully withdrew behind the Crown Prince.

“We won! We won!” The Crown Prince let out a long breath, quickly descending the cold wall.

The scout rode straight into the city. Upon seeing the Crown Prince, he dismounted and shouted about the victory, falling to his knees with excitement, “Our great victory! General Bai ordered no prisoners be spared. Our army has wiped out the hundreds of thousands of Xiliang soldiers in the canyon! General Bai ordered five hundred soldiers to escort food and weapons under the cover of night to meet Generals Shi Panshan and Wang Xiping in Feng County. After resupplying, they will head to Feng County by dawn to capture it!”

Qin Shangzhi’s eyes brightened at this, and he stepped forward, “Your Highness! We must act quickly! Hurry and prepare the supplies and weapons!”

But the Crown Prince’s face turned pale. Trembling, he asked, “All… killed? Did they also kill the surrendered soldiers?”

“Your Highness, all were killed!” the scout replied.

The Crown Prince’s face turned even whiter. Although this victory was welcome, the battle was fought under his name! If news of the slaughter of surrendered soldiers spread, his reputation would be ruined! He had originally planned to use the captured soldiers as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with Xiliang!

He instantly regretted giving Bai Qingyan the Commander’s Seal to show his trust. He was truly eating his heart out with regret.

“Your Highness?!” Qin Shangzhi was puzzled by the Crown Prince’s hesitation.

“Oh, the sin!” The Crown Prince’s eldest counselor, Old Fang, was also pale with fear. “In the history of warfare, surrendered soldiers are never killed! If news of this spreads, how will the nations view our Jin Kingdom?! They will surely see us as wolves and tigers!”