“Do you know why… only our Bai Family Army can take down Yecheng Pass?” Under the fluttering military banners, she straightened her spine and called out loudly to the soldiers, “Because Xiliang and our Bai Family Army have a blood feud as deep as the sea!”
Bai Qingqi and the others gripped their reins tightly, watching their eldest sister’s snow-white steed Taiping pacing back and forth, its hooves stamping as she moved before the front row of cavalry. Each of them felt excitement surging in their hearts.
“Three years! Three years ago, in the battle of Nan Jiang, the Bai Family Army was almost annihilated! Only the ten thousand soldiers led by General Shen Kunyang and General Cheng Yuanzhi remained, and after the battle of Nan Jiang ended, the Bai Family Army had fewer than eight thousand soldiers!” Bai Qingyan’s voice was extremely loud, each word clear and resounding, “Those here today include both veteran soldiers of the former Bai Family Army and newcomers who joined later! We stand here in military uniform to avenge the Bai Family Army! We must let the Xiliang people know that now they can no longer use conspiracies and tricks against our Bai Family Army; they are no match for our Bai Family Army!”
Taiping, beneath Bai Qingyan, seemed also infected by her words, letting out a long neigh.
She pulled on the reins and called out loudly: “We must let the Xiliang people know that their so-called Iron Wall of Xiliang, their so-called first mighty pass, Yecheng Pass, is utterly vulnerable before our Bai Family Army! Once we take Yecheng Pass… Xiliang will be ours for the taking compared to our Great Zhou! Three years ago, our wings were not yet full, and we endured our hatred in silence, but today, three years later… only by destroying Xiliang can we avenge the common people who died in the battle of Nan Jiang, the soldiers who died, and the Bai Family generals who died!”
“Destroy the nation! Revenge!”
“Destroy the nation! Revenge!”
“Destroy the nation! Revenge!”
The Bai Family Army soldiers were all fired up with passion, wishing they could charge out right now and destroy Xiliang!
Especially the veteran soldiers of the Bai Family Army, who were already in tears. Their young General Bai had once said she would lead them to revenge after three years! They had once thought that after their young General Bai ascended to the imperial throne, she would never again lead them in revenge.
But now, even though she was already pregnant, she was still fulfilling her promise!
These veterans of the Bai Family Army had been looking forward to this moment for every moment. They had not participated in that great battle to slay Yun Poxing, but today they would fight bravely at Yecheng Pass and destroy Xiliang, to comfort the spirits in heaven of their commander, deputy commander, all the Bai Family generals, and Bai Family Army soldiers.
Bai Qingyan raised high the Sun-Shooting Bow in her hand and shouted with all her might: “Depart!”
“Depart!” Bai Qingqi loudly relayed the command.
“Depart!”
The command to depart rang out like waves, starting from the front and rolling back wave after wave.
She turned her horse around, spurred it forward, and rode at the very front. Bai Qingqi led his younger brothers and sisters, following closely at Bai Qingyan’s side, with black-armored heavy cavalry following behind them. The sound of hooves and black armor rubbing together was tremendously loud.
Like a massive dragon, the Bai Family Army, with its unstoppable momentum, marched in grand procession toward Yecheng Pass. The pregnant Emperor of Great Zhou personally commanded the expedition, vowing to take Yecheng Pass in this single battle.
On this vast land of Xiliang, the silver-armored figures of the Bai Family generals appeared once again, and once again, the sound of black banners with white pythons fluttering in the wind could be heard. Whether it was Bai Qingyan who had become Emperor of Great Zhou, or Bai Qingyun who had lost both legs, they… all inherited the aspirations of generations of the Bai Family. Their goal… was to complete their ancestors’ objective of unifying the world in this very generation.
At the same time, storm clouds were gathering over Xiajian City. Dark clouds in the sky wrapped around flickering lightning, accompanied by rumbling thunder, rolling toward them from the distance. In this first month of the year, it seemed a violent storm was about to descend – not a good omen.
The defending general of Xiajian City looked toward the dark clouds approaching from a distance. They couldn’t even see the lightning tearing through the dark clouds, only the flickering of the cloud masses.
Just as all the soldiers in Xiajian City had their attention drawn to the thunder-bearing dark clouds in the sky, outside the city gates, a scout came galloping on horseback, shouting.
“Enemy attack! Enemy attack…”
The scout who came to report, after shouting, fell from his horse into a pool of blood.
The defending general of Xiajian City, seeing the scout galloping in to report, immediately stepped forward quickly and looked into the distance…
Another bolt of lightning tore through the night sky, and finally the defending general of Xiajian City could see clearly that beneath those rolling dark clouds… were fluttering black banners with white pythons. Bai Jinzhi in silver armor gripped a red-tasseled silver spear, holding Ping’an’s reins, followed by black-armored cavalry stretching endlessly, like a black tide pressing darkly toward Xiajian City, like a giant beast just awakening.
“Enemy attack! Sound the drums for battle! Quickly!” the defending general of Xiajian City shouted hoarsely, “Prepare the crossbow beds, archers ready! Fire oil ready! Quick, quick, quick!”
Amidst the rumbling thunder, Bai Jinzhi raised high the red-tasseled silver spear in her hand. The black-armored cavalry all drew their swords in unison, their battle cries shaking heaven and earth.
Inside Yecheng Pass.
Ye Shouguan’s eyes were bloodshot as he suddenly drew his sword, pointing directly at his trusted aide: “I trusted you so much, why did you betray me! You are a Xiliang person! Why would you betray Xiliang?”
His attendant trembled all over but gritted his teeth tightly, refusing to make a sound.
“Uncle!” Sima Ruodan, disregarding her disheveled state, crawled forward on her knees and kowtowed, “It’s all my fault! I was the one who begged him to steal Uncle’s token! The Emperor of Great Zhou already knows that opening and closing the gates of Yecheng Pass requires the uncle’s token. The Emperor of Great Zhou threatened me with my parents’ and younger brother’s lives, forcing me to steal my uncle’s token! Otherwise, she would kill my parents and younger brother! Uncle… our Xiliang’s Emperor has already been captured by the Zhou people. I saw it with my own eyes – Xiliang’s fate is sealed! Uncle… I beg you, considering that you and your mother both share Ye Family blood, please save my parents and younger brother! Please, uncle!”
Sima Ruodan cried until she could barely catch her breath, every word spoken with sincere emotion: “I am indeed a Xiliang person, but our Emperor has been captured! What hope does Xiliang have left? Isn’t Uncle also afraid of the Great Zhou? Even knowing that His Majesty is right now in Suining City, in Great Zhou’s hands, Uncle still doesn’t dare send troops to rescue His Majesty! Even if Uncle wants to occupy the city and become king, establishing his domain, no longer caring about His Majesty’s life or death, you should still find a way to preserve my parents’ and younger brother’s lives! No matter what, she is still your sister!”
Sima Ruodan cried herself hoarse, making the soldiers who came to arrest her personal attendant and herself also panic and uneasy. Yes… their own Emperor had been captured, what hope or future did Xiliang have left? Were the generals who followed them here thinking that General Ye intended to occupy the city and become king, establishing his domain? Was that why he wouldn’t allow Deputy General Zhao to lead troops to rescue His Majesty?
The defending generals who had followed looked at each other, contemplating Sima Ruodan’s words. Could it be that… General Ye intended to occupy the city and become king, establishing his domain. Was that why he wouldn’t allow Deputy General Zhao to lead troops to rescue His Majesty?
“You’re talking nonsense!” Ye Shouguan’s eyes were bloodshot with rage, his long sword pointed directly at Sima Ruodan, frightening her into collapsing on the ground and continuously backing away.