“If you sit here properly and finish eating this box of pastries, waiting for news that Xiliang’s grain supplies have been intercepted! I am a member of the Bai family, and naturally, I keep my word.” Her eyes looked coldly at Yun Poxing. “But if you don’t know what’s good for you, then today this place will be your burial ground.”

Yun Poxing struggled desperately in his death throes, saying angrily, “Bai Qingyan, when two armies are at war, I have personally come to negotiate peace. If you dare kill me, aren’t you afraid of the criticism of the world?!”

Bai Qingyan’s expression was clear and bright as she laughed softly: “I killed tens of thousands of Xiliang prisoners at Weng Mountain. Do you think… I would still fear the criticism of the world?!”

Yun Poxing closed his eyes.

Both sides’ forces remained on guard, silence spreading between Yun Poxing and Bai Qingyan, leaving only the rapid and noisy sound of rushing river water.

Before long, a fast horse emerged from the direction of the Xiliang camp, galloping to the Jing River’s edge but not seeing Yun Poxing, looking around in confusion. After seeing the horse hoof prints remaining in the wet ground by the river, he rode westward with great uncertainty. After traveling several li, Xiliang’s soldier indeed spotted Yun Poxing.

“Commander! Commander…” That Xiliang soldier came riding swiftly on his horse. Only when he reached the south bank of the Jing River did he see that both sides were already in a tense standoff, frightening him into silence, not daring to speak or cross the river.

“It seems he has urgent business with you. Let him come over… so you can hear what the matter is!” Bai Qingyan looked at Yun Poxing with a half-smile.

Yun Poxing knew in his heart that since his soldier had come, either… he brought news that the grain supplies had been intercepted and they would leave together! Or he had some news to report here, then wait together for news of the grain supply interception, otherwise it would be a dead end.

Yun Poxing had no other choice and raised his hand to let the man come over.

That Xiliang soldier rode his horse across the river. Just as he was about to whisper in Yun Poxing’s ear, he heard Yun Poxing say: “Whatever the news is, speak it aloud!”

The message-bearing Xiliang soldier looked up at Bai Qingyan sitting high on her horse, looking down, then said in a low voice: “Nanyan has sent troops requesting aid, saying… saying they were ambushed at Yao Pass last night! They request the commander to send troops for rescue.”

Yao Pass…

Bai Qingyan’s expression remained calm and peaceful. If it was still at Yao Pass, then it meant… Xiao Rongyan was truly going to reclaim Nanyan ahead of schedule.

Hearing this news, Yun Poxing suddenly felt that he had grown old.

He thought that by killing all of Bai Weiting’s sons and grandsons, he would never again fear the Bai family army, but fate was cruel and brought forth an even more formidable Bai Qingyan.

He had been too careless in underestimating the enemy, but even without underestimating… he didn’t know if he could defeat Bai Qingyan.

They said each generation of the Bai family was stronger than the last, and Bai Weiting’s generation was already the peak of the Bai family’s power. These words were indeed true! Even Bai Weiting’s granddaughter was so formidable. It was fortunate that… this time, someone had cooperated with him from within to kill all of Bai Weiting’s sons and grandsons, otherwise, the Jin generals Xiliang would face in the future would be too terrifying.

Thinking of this, Yun Poxing’s pain and regret over his sons’ and grandsons’ deaths lessened somewhat. Although his son and grandson had died, the backbone of the enemy nation, Jin, had been broken, so this expedition wasn’t a complete defeat.

He opened his eyes to look at Bai Qingyan. It was just that… leaving this Bai family woman alive would be a great calamity for Xiliang!

In a flash of inspiration, Yun Poxing formulated a plan.

If Bai Qingyan didn’t die this time, then he could only wait for their meeting in three years, hoping that by then he would have figured out Bai Qingyan’s methods of commanding troops and conducting warfare.

“It seems General Yun is thinking of launching a night raid on my camp!” Bai Qingyan saw the gleam in Yun Poxing’s eyes and pointed it out with a smile, causing Yun Poxing’s face to turn dark blue-black.

“Are my thoughts… that obvious?” Yun Poxing wasn’t angry, instead asking quite seriously.

“Indeed. The way you looked at me changed, from dejection to forcing yourself to rally your spirits! You probably thought of a way to put me to death, thinking in your heart that only if I died would Jin no longer pose a threat to Xiliang.” Bai Qingyan looked at him, her eyes deep black and mysterious, yet bright and resilient, her voice measured and carrying a hint of arrogance. “But can you be certain that if you killed me, Jin truly wouldn’t produce any more capable people? You thought that by slaughtering all the Bai family men… Jin would no longer be a threat, yet you let hundreds of thousands of Xiliang elite die at the hands of this waste!”

Xiao Ruojiang was quite surprised. Kicking someone when they were down wasn’t the young miss’s style, and arrogant boasting wasn’t her character either. But why was the young miss saying such things to Yun Poxing?

Yun Poxing pressed his lips together without speaking, then had nothing more to say.

Eventually, people from Yun Poxing’s camp came to report that the grain supplies and baggage had all been burned.

Yun Poxing looked at Bai Qingyan with eyes that wanted to tear her apart, yet he could do nothing to harm Bai Qingyan in the slightest, sitting dejectedly on his horse.

Besides grain supplies, this shipment had also included large quantities of arrows…

The last time the Xiliang camp’s arrows were burned by Bai Qingyan’s forces, Yun Poxing had sought aid from within Xiliang while asking Nanyan to lend arrows for emergency use… but Nanyan refused to lend them.

He had finally waited for arrows assembled domestically to arrive together with grain supplies, but because Bai Qingyan wanted to intercept the grain supplies, she had trapped him here!

He had harbored a thread of hope that at least they could preserve one batch of arrows, but Bai Qingyan had burned those too!

Did Heaven have to make things so difficult for his Xiliang?!

On Bai Qingyan’s side, Shen Liangyu and Bai Jinzhi returned to report their mission complete, saying that the arrows Xiliang had sent were also burned. Bai Qingyan raised her eyebrows, then ordered her men to put away their bows and arrows and ride away.

Yun Poxing sat on his horse without moving for a long while, then let out a cold laugh…

So this was why young people couldn’t keep their composure! If it were him… knowing the enemy planned to launch a night raid on his camp, he would say nothing and let them proceed, setting up traps and layouts early, so that once they charged into the camp, they would have no way back.

Bai Qingyan had won a few battles and thought she had calculated everything without omission, underestimating him. Tonight, he would teach Bai Qingyan what it meant that “ginger is still spicier when old!”

Yun Poxing rode swiftly back to his camp, glancing toward the Jin army camp where he could faintly see his son’s head hanging high. He swore that tonight he would retrieve his son’s head.

In the Jin command tent.

After hanging up her sun-shooting bow, Bai Qingyan turned and called out: “Summon all the generals.”

Bai Jinzhi found it strange and asked: “Elder sister, has something happened?”

“Tonight, Yun Poxing will come to raid the camp,” Bai Qingyan said.

Xiao Ruojiang was slightly stunned, and the doubt in his heart suddenly cleared. Earlier, the young miss had deliberately exposed Yun Poxing’s intentions, deliberately speaking to Yun Poxing in that arrogant tone, intending to make Yun Poxing think she had become careless and arrogant after winning a few battles.

So tonight, no matter what, Yun Poxing would come to raid the camp.

After being exposed by the young miss with such a haughty expression, Yun Poxing would probably think the young miss had become arrogant after fighting a few battles… no longer taking him seriously, which was why she had exposed his plan on the spot. Generally, when someone’s scheme is exposed, they would back down.