Bai Qingyan’s finger pointed to Yunzhong and Su’an, two cities not far from Jiujiang that had already been incorporated into the Great Zhou: “Additionally, mobilize soldiers from Yunzhong and Su’an cities. Have the garrison soldiers from these two cities divide into two parts and set ambushes on the roads that are necessary passages from Jiujiang to Xiping city! The first ambush force should kill as many as they can. Once the Jiujiang army attacks, they should pretend to flee in defeat toward Xiping city. The Prince of Jiujiang is naturally cautious – seeing this, he will send scouts to investigate. As long as they discover there are more ambushes ahead, he’ll suspect that the fleeing Great Zhou army from the previous ambush was bait and won’t dare advance further. As long as we can delay the Prince of Jiujiang for one day! We’ll capture Xiping city, and once the Anping Army arrives…”
Bai Qingyan drew a circle around Jiujiang’s direction: “We’ll advance westward and annihilate Jiujiang!”
“Thus, in dealing with Jiujiang, setting ambushes here is key!” Bai Qingjue turned to look at his eldest sister. “Eldest sister, leave this to me!”
“Eldest sister… please leave it to me instead!” Bai Jinzhi lifted the cotton curtain and entered, clasping her hands in request for orders.
Bai Qingyan looked up toward the doorway, seeing Bai Jinzhi standing there with resolute eyes.
“I am Great Zhou’s Prince Gaoyi, and I have some reputation in warfare. If I go to set the ambush and then retreat in defeat… it would be more convincing to make the Prince of Jiujiang believe that a large army lies in ambush ahead!” Bai Jinzhi said.
Xiao Ruojiang was somewhat surprised by Bai Jinzhi’s determined attitude in requesting orders. Originally, after Bai Qingjue had requested orders, Xiao Ruojiang had wanted to request leading troops to set the ambush himself.
Bai Qingyan beckoned to Bai Jinzhi, watching as she obediently came forward, saying: “The best ambush points between Jiujiang and Xiping city… are these two locations. Remember… if the Prince of Jiujiang never sends troops, you absolutely must not lead troops to Jiujiang to provoke him! Just wait here! When encountering the Prince of Jiujiang’s ambush, don’t be too attached to battle. You are young yet have a reputation for military achievements and have always been brave – the more decisively and quickly you withdraw, the more suspicious the Prince of Jiujiang will become.”
“Xiao Si understands!” Bai Jinzhi responded.
Bai Qingyan’s ambush between Jiujiang and Xiping city was merely a precaution in case the Prince of Jiujiang sent troops. If the Prince of Jiujiang didn’t move while she attacked Xiping city, that would naturally be best.
“Milk brother, I’ll trouble you to accompany Xiao Si…” Bai Qingyan was still uneasy about Bai Jinzhi going into battle alone and wanted Xiao Ruojiang to accompany her to protect her.
“Yes!” Xiao Ruojiang clasped his fists in acknowledgment.
With the general arrangements settled, after Bai Qingyan and the others had breakfast, she instructed Bai Qingjue and Xiao Ruojiang to go rest and conserve their energy, keeping only Bai Jinzhi behind.
“I heard that yesterday you told Lu Yuanpeng… that you’d marry him when he wakes up?” Bai Qingyan’s brow furrowed slightly. “Do you know that Lu Yuanpeng is engaged to a young lady from the Wei family?”
“Eldest sister…” Bai Jinzhi lowered her head. “Before departing from the capital, I… I overheard Lu Yuanpeng say something to Sima Ping.”
Lu Yuanpeng had told Sima Ping that he could give Sima Ping anything he wanted, even his life, but not her!
Bai Jinzhi had been standing behind the wall. When Lu Yuanpeng spoke those words about severing their friendship, she watched the color drain completely from Sima Ping’s face, watched his eyes gradually turn cold, and wanted nothing more than to rush out and beat Lu Yuanpeng until his grandfather wouldn’t recognize him.
What right did he have to always make Sima Ping yield to him? What right did he have to hurt Sima Ping so? Moreover, who she would eventually marry should be her own decision. She wasn’t some object or thing that could be fought over back and forth!
But when the physician said Lu Yuanpeng was dying, she truly didn’t know what to do.
If Lu Yuanpeng died, not only would she, as a friend, feel terrible guilt, but Sima Ping would probably never get over it for the rest of his life.
Such good friends as Sima Ping and Lu Yuanpeng – for their last meeting to be an argument… to be about severing their friendship.
Even without Sima Ping saying it, Bai Jinzhi knew that Sima Ping… who appeared dissolute and frivolous like Lu Yuanpeng, was very thoughtful and had never considered competing with Lu Yuanpeng for anything.
Otherwise… he wouldn’t have hurried to find her after hearing about Lu Yuanpeng’s engagement, asking her what place Lu Yuanpeng held in her heart, and then subtly revealing his own feelings through their conversation.
Bai Qingyan looked at Bai Jinzhi’s sorrowful appearance, understanding in her heart…
“So you resorted to desperate measures, thinking that if you voluntarily said you would marry him, Lu Yuanpeng might wake up…” Bai Qingyan raised her hand to gently stroke Bai Jinzhi’s head, sighing almost inaudibly. “Xiao Si, you value your friendship and did everything possible for Lu Yuanpeng’s life – that’s not wrong, but you shouldn’t have used this matter to deceive him.”
Bai Jinzhi knelt beside Bai Qingyan, tears streaming down in large drops.
Even the bravest female general would be at a loss when it came to matters of the heart.
Bai Qingyan could see that Bai Jinzhi – whether she liked Sima Ping or not, she didn’t dare say, but… Lu Yuanpeng was indeed a friend she treasured. Otherwise, given Bai Jinzhi’s nature, she should have already spoken up to refute her.
“In this world, only matters of the heart… have no reason that can be explained!” She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her fourth sister’s tears. “Forget it, I’ll have people not spread this around – we’ll act as if it never happened…”
·
The golden crow set in the west, and twilight light penetrated the rolling clouds. In the martial field, banners fluttered and weapons gleamed coldly.
The slanting golden twilight poured over the soldiers’ armor and weapons like molten gold. From afar, they looked like heavenly soldiers descending to earth.
Rows of troops stood in formation, each with resolute features, solemn killing intent, and magnificent bearing.
Bai Qingyan stood in silver armor amid the blazing sunset, her proud bones straight, strong, and confident as she looked at her soldiers. Her voice was steady yet penetrating: “I once said that the true purpose of war is not for slaughter, but for peace! I… did not wish to bring warfare to this world, was unwilling to see soldiers sacrifice, could not bear for the people to suffer the flames of war. Therefore… though Great Zhou had the power to destroy Yan, we were willing to sheath our swords and gamble on the outcome between our two nations!”
“Now, Yan Kingdom has once again broken faith, with feudal princes raising their blades against our Great Zhou during the gambling period! This has made me understand… peaceful unification was my wishful thinking. True unification of the world… can only be achieved through our Great Zhou soldiers’ real swords and spears!” Bai Qingyan slowly paced, enduring the pain in her leg as she walked to the front of the command platform. “Since peaceful unification is a foolish dream, today our Great Zhou draws its blade for martial unification to destroy Yan! Let this world once again become one family under our hands! So that the people need not suffer the flames of war… so that our children and grandchildren need not shed rivers of blood – we raise troops to create eternal peace!”
“Today’s battle! Is the beginning of destroying Yan, and also the beginning of creating a prosperous, peaceful era!” Bai Qingyan drew her sword and pointed it north. “Execute the feudal princes, destroy Yan!”
“Destroy Yan!”
“Destroy Yan!”
“Destroy Yan!”
Tens of thousands of soldiers raised their spears and halberds, their three shouts shaking heaven and earth.
War drums and horns sounded together. Bai Qingjue galloped on his swift horse, calling out the order to depart.
In an instant, troops in the martial field began moving out, dust flying everywhere, banners fluttering.
Bai Qingyan took the lead, personally leading the army’s departure.