Cheng Yuanzhi charged out on his swift horse, with Sima Ping leading troops following behind. Like a surging wave, they rushed majestically toward the brightly lit Canine Fang City.
“Uncle Shen!” Seeing even Sima Ping charging out, Bai Jinzhi’s heart burned with urgency. She pulled her reins forward and once again requested permission from Shen Kunyang. “Uncle Shen! I…”
“Have you forgotten what you promised, Little Commander Bai? That you would obey my every command!” Shen Kunyang’s expression was grave.
Before the Fifth Master left, he had specifically instructed Shen Kunyang that although Bai Jinzhi was brave, her temperament was too impetuous. This time, Shen Kunyang was to temper Little Fourth’s character. Shen Kunyang also felt the Fifth Master was right—if Fourth Miss’s temperament could be refined, she would surely become a brave and resourceful general in the Bai family army.
“Uncle Shen!” Bai Jinzhi was extremely anxious, but could only ride Ping’an in circles.
Lu Yuanpeng also rode up from behind, looking very pleased. He bowed to Shen Kunyang and said, “General Cheng told me to follow Lord Gaoyi! General Shen… shall Lord Gaoyi and I circle to attack through the side gate?”
Lu Yuanpeng knew well that in every battle, Bai Jinzhi always charged at the very front. Following Bai Jinzhi… he would surely be able to charge to the front and fight valiantly.
But this time, Lu Yuanpeng had miscalculated.
His tearful behavior had been reported to Cheng Yuanzhi and Shen Kunyang multiple times. Shen Kunyang believed that fear was the most unacceptable trait in a soldier, as it would inevitably affect the morale of other troops. Therefore, Shen Kunyang ordered Cheng Yuanzhi to remove Lu Yuanpeng from the siege forces.
“Kill my ass!” Bai Jinzhi was fuming with pent-up anger. She glared at the cheerful Lu Yuanpeng, then looked at the soldiers attacking the city while Ping’an pawed the ground restlessly beneath her. “We’ll just watch others fight from the sidelines!”
“What?!” Lu Yuanpeng’s eyes widened in shock.
In the second year of Yuanhe, on the first day of the first month, Lord Gaoyi Bai Jinzhi and General Shen Kunyang captured Western Liang’s Canine Fang City, annihilating five thousand enemies and capturing twelve thousand prisoners.
Akxie, who had rushed urgently with the elephant army to meet Sa’er Khan, changed his route after receiving Sa’er Khan’s second letter. He ordered the elephant army to make camp, and on the second day, actually changed direction, heading toward southern Western Liang.
Bai Qingyan and Bai Qingyu received news sent by Bai Qingqi that Akxie’s elephant army had changed routes. Combined with earlier intelligence from Wei Zhong’s agents who had followed the Tianfeng Great Shaman’s disciple to find Sa’er Khan, that Sa’er Khan had also changed routes toward southern Western Liang, Bai Qingyan deduced that Tianfeng was preserving its strength this time, retreating to the other side of the snowy mountains to wait for spring before attacking again with giant elephants.
But now… it was no longer a time when Tianfeng could come and go as they pleased.
Since fighting had already begun, they needed to inflict heavy losses on Tianfeng, just as they had done to Western Liang, ensuring they would lack the capability to invade other nations’ borders for at least ten years. Only then could they establish checkpoints on the sole path from Tianfeng to Western Liang to resist the giant elephants and secure peace for the people.
Having made this decision, Bai Qingyan rose and walked to the map, saying to Bai Qingyu, “If Tianfeng wants to leave, they cannot pass through our Great Zhou territory. Now that Zhongshan City, north of Copper Ancient Mountain, is under Great Zhou’s jurisdiction, given their current location, they can only take a detour through the Chuan Ridge… passing through Liuxiang Mountain east of Zhongshan City.”
She said to Shen Qingzhu, “Send word to the Yan army that Tianfeng is retreating. We must severely damage their main elephant forces before they withdraw. Giant elephants need time to mature—the more we kill now, the longer it will take them to organize their next attack! We will immediately head to the eastern side of Liuxiang Mountain to set an ambush.”
“Yes!” Shen Qingzhu immediately dispatched someone to deliver the message to the Yan army.
“East of Zhongshan City was mostly mountainous terrain that our Great Zhou never took control of. Although after the battle at Hanwen Mountain, Tianfeng’s elephant army will deliberately avoid mountain valley routes, if they truly want to retreat to southern Western Liang and return to the other side of the snowy mountains, this seems to be their only remaining path.” Bai Qingyu pointed to the Chuan Ridge mountain terrain through Liuxiang Mountain, tracing to the single gap through the snowy mountains marked on the map between Western Liang and Tianfeng.
“Since Tianfeng intends to retreat, this will be the final battle. We must fight with everything we have!” Bai Qingyan said to Bai Qingyu.
“Elder Sister, leave this to me. I’ll lead troops to Liuxiang Mountain.” Bai Qingyu supported Bai Qingyan’s arm and settled her into a chair. “Now that Murong Li has returned to Yan with Empress Dowager Yan, we only need to wait for both countries to pacify Western Liang before beginning the unification of our two nations. Elder Sister should prepare for this matter early. Moreover… with Elder Sister pregnant, if you’re away too long, Mother will surely worry!”
“News of Elder Sister’s return to the capital, plus Third Brother leading troops back toward Western Liang cities and Great Zhou splitting forces to attack multiple Western Liang cities—when this reaches Sa’er Khan and Akxie, it will make them lower their guard. They’ll think that as long as they leave, we won’t pursue them but will compete with Yan for Western Liang cities instead!”
“They certainly won’t expect that this army, which is much farther from Liuxiang Mountain than Third Brother’s forces, would make a forced march to ambush them at Liuxiang Mountain! Once they let down their guard, our attack will be much easier.”
Bai Qingyan smiled and nodded. This was precisely why she hadn’t ordered Bai Qingqi to set an ambush at Liuxiang Mountain.
“News of my return to the capital can be released first!” Bai Qingyan said, turning to look at the map painted warm colors by candlelight. “Since we took Copper Ancient Mountain, the only defensible mountain stronghold remaining in all of Western Liang is Yecheng Pass! And although Yecheng Pass’s commander Ye Shouguan hasn’t fought in many years, he does have some ability! Once Second Sister arrives and we take Yecheng Pass… I’ll return to the capital!”
Once Yecheng Pass was taken, Western Liang would be like open ground for the Great Zhou’s forces.
The Ye family had guarded Yecheng Pass for generations. It was said that when Western Liang’s late emperor wanted to ally with Nanyan to challenge Jin, General Ye Shoucheng strongly opposed it. Later, because his opposition was too vehement, he displeased the late emperor and was even reprimanded.
Bai Qingyu thought for a moment and nodded. “When Second Sister arrives, Elder Sister should first rendezvous with Third Brother, then head to Yecheng Pass. Second Sister and I will lead troops with Yan to ambush Tianfeng’s elephant army, then meet up with Elder Sister at Yecheng Pass!”
Bai Qingyan continued, “Regarding this battle at Liuxiang Mountain, if we gain any spoils of war…”
“Elder Sister, rest assured!” Bai Qingyu’s lips curved in a gentle smile. “Most will go to Yan to win the hearts of their soldiers.”
Bai Qingyan had no concerns about Bai Qingyu handling affairs.
·
In the second year of Yuanhe, on the sixth day of the first month, Lord Gaoyi Bai Jinzhi and General Shen Kunyang captured Danguan. That same day, Prince Fuguo Bai Jinxiu arrived in Nanjiang and rendezvoused with the division led by Emperor Zhou.
On the road, Bai Jinxiu had already heard news of Bai Qingyu’s return. From the moment she entered the military camp, her tears could no longer be hidden.