Previously, Yun Lan spoke about how the Bai family army’s Huying Battalion was used. Now that we have so many Huoyun Army elite soldiers, we will surely achieve victory in the first battle!” Yun Lingzhi said.

“Lingzhi, I order you to lead your deputy generals and elite troops to quietly find a way to enter the city through the east gate. Split into two routes – one to infiltrate the governor’s mansion and capture Bai Qingyan alive, one to open the city gates…” Yun Poxing said to his son.

“Yes!” Yun Lingzhi accepted the order.

Yun Tianao could no longer restrain himself: “Grandfather, I can lead the first batch of Huoyun Army to set out first, deploy formations at the south gate to attract Great Zhou’s attention! When Pingyang City’s east gate quietly opens, Grandfather can lead Huoyun Army charging into the city while I lead Huoyun Army to climb the walls and attract their main force.”

Yun Poxing shook his head: “In warfare, Bai Qingyan is very formidable. If you lead people to attract attention from the south gate, it might backfire and make Bai Qingyan vigilant! She might even send people to Pingdu City, ordering soldiers to return for reinforcement! For us, the losses would outweigh the gains! We should have Huoyun Army infiltrate the city, wait for the gates to open wide… then kill our way into the city.”

Yun Lingzhi also nodded: “We don’t have many troops. Dividing our forces would be disadvantageous for us, Xiliang!”

Just as major matters were decided, scouts brought news that the Great Zhou had begun attacking Pingdu City.

“Grandfather!” Yun Tianao was excited. “Our army is already prepared!”

Yun Poxing clenched his fists tightly, remaining silent for a long while. He didn’t know if it was because he was getting old, but lately he kept thinking of that battle with Bai Qingyan in Nan Jiang, and even now felt lingering fear.

Bai Qingyan’s use of troops often exceeded people’s expectations.

“Grandfather!” Yun Tianao called to Yun Poxing, saying, “We can’t wait any longer! The battle at Pingdu City has already started. If we wait for their battle to finish and our attack on Pingyang City here isn’t over yet, or if someone escapes to spread the news, then we’ll face attacks from both sides, making it much harder to fight.”

Yun Poxing looked up in the direction outside the mountains: “Wait a bit more…”

“Grandfather, we’ve already decided on major matters. What are we still waiting for?” Yun Tianao could no longer keep his composure.

Bai Qingyan most likes using ambush troops. As we exit and enter the mountains, both sides have high terrain. I worry there might be ambushes!” Yun Poxing used the wooden stick in his hand to poke at the fire. “I’ve already sent out a battalion to scout. When they return and confirm there are no ambush troops or scouts, it won’t be too late for us to set out!”

“Grandfather, didn’t Prince Yan already send people to scout?” Yun Tianao, in his youthful vigor, felt his grandfather had been frightened by Bai Qingyan at Weng Mountain and Jing River.

“Being cautious in military campaigns is never wrong! Don’t be too hasty!” Yun Lingzhi said to Yun Tianao. “After the people your grandfather sent out return, it won’t be too late for us to depart.”

Hearing this, Yun Tianao threw down the stick in his hand and sat on a rock, full of resentment.

Soon, the battalion Yun Poxing had sent out to search everywhere returned, reporting to Yun Poxing that they had found no ambush troops or scouts.

Yun Poxing threw the wooden stick in his hand to the ground, leaped onto his horse, and rode to the very front of the rapidly moving army.

In the falling snow, Yun Poxing turned his horse around, looking at the Huoyun Army with packs on their backs: “Warriors of Xiliang! We once suffered a crushing defeat at Weng Mountain! Do you know why? Because we didn’t have brave soldiers like the Huying Battalion! So all one hundred thousand of our Xiliang warriors were slaughtered by Bai Qingyan in that valley. The great fire that burned our Xiliang warriors made the sky burn red, scorching hot! Like our boiling hatred and blood! Our fathers, our brothers – they all surrendered yet all died in that great fire! Such hatred! Can we endure it?”

“No!”

“No!”

“No!”

The young soldiers of the Huoyun Army roared.

Yun Poxing’s war horse stamped its hooves as he rode back and forth inspecting the Huoyun Army: “Bai Qingyan wants us to submit to the Great Zhou! Wants us to use our Xiliang warriors’ lives to fight the elephant army, to prove our determination to submit to the Great Zhou. But we Xiliang warriors have always preferred to die standing rather than live kneeling!”

“Today… we even have invincible elite soldiers like the Huoyun Army! Every warrior of the Huoyun Army is the sharpest curved blade we Xiliang thrust into our enemies’ hearts! Our enemy is right now in Pingyang City. Whoever is Xiliang’s most valiant soldier will join me in killing our way into Pingyang City, taking Bai Qingyan’s head to honor our fallen Xiliang warriors! Using the fresh blood of these Zhou people… to wash away the humiliation of our Weng Mountain battle!”

Yun Poxing looked at all the eager young soldiers, reined in his horse, and drew the saber at his waist, shouting: “Depart!”

“Kill!”

With Yun Poxing’s command, Huoyun Army soldiers one by one roared as they followed the Xiliang general toward Pingyang City. They vowed to take the Great Zhou’s emperor’s head to wash away the humiliation of their Weng Mountain battle.

Bai Qingyan stood atop the east gate’s city wall, gazing at the distant white snowy night, silent and calm in the darkness. She turned and asked: “Have all the people left?”

“Your Majesty, rest assured. They’ve all been settled in the camps where the Huying Army is stationed. We only told the people that tonight, Great Zhou and Yan are joining forces to attack Pingdu City, having them temporarily leave the city to stay in tents is just a precaution, and they’ll return tomorrow morning.” Wei Zhong smiled slightly as he spoke to Bai Qingyan. “At first, some people made a fuss, but later, when they heard Your Majesty would remain in the city to hold the position, they didn’t bring any belongings and quietly followed the soldiers away under the cover of night.”

Wei Zhong didn’t mention that those unwilling to leave were all forced to go at sword-point by Shen Liangyu.

Bai Qingyan nodded. Although she was only eighty percent certain about today’s Xiliang attack on Pingyang City, she couldn’t risk the people’s lives. So even if it meant risking discovery by Yun Poxing, she had to send the people out of the city first.

Moreover, even if discovered, given Yun Poxing’s understanding of the Bai family, he might realize she was afraid warfare in Pingyang City would implicate the people. But Li Tianjiao, who dared to invite Tianfeng with their elephant army into Xiliang, as Xiliang’s emperor… no longer had many choices.

The Great Zhou and Yan fighting Tianfeng together – if they won, they’d divide up Xiliang. If they lost… Tianfeng would occupy Xiliang.

Never mind that Li Tianjiao didn’t know Bai Qingyan only had Huying Army as her one hidden elite force that had never shown itself. Even if she knew… she could only take this desperate gamble. Only by capturing alive this so-called “Killing God” who had once slaughtered one hundred thousand Xiliang surrendered prisoners could she restore Li Tianjiao’s prestige and unite Xiliang’s scattered hearts!

If Great Zhou and Yan now also defeated Tianfeng, then… the Xiliang families who had previously followed Li Tianfu might turn to support Li Tianjiao, regathering under Li Tianjiao’s command, allowing her to secure her position as Xiliang’s emperor once again.