“We should also thank Yun Poxing. Without Yun Poxing, the treacherous court officials and the Emperor would find every means to prevent me from coming to Nan Jiang! The Crown Prince would use every method to stop me from entering battle and meeting with the Bai Family Army! I would only be able to sit idle in the capital, watching helplessly as the remaining ten thousand soldiers of my Bai family were used as cannon fodder by petty officials, with not one left alive, all dying in battle in Nan Jiang!”

“The Bai Family Army, from my grandfather above to all the charging elite warriors below, have never harbored rebellious thoughts—they are Jin’s most loyal and brave soldiers! We… swore to fight for the peace and prosperity of the people under heaven! To fight for the unification of the realm! But now the Emperor and those court officials who conspire with demons only want… to store away the bow when the birds are gone, to cook the hounds when the rabbits die!”

“We do not rebel! But today, since I, Bai Qingyan, must carry the black banner with the white python of the Bai Family Army! I vow to protect our Bai Family Army soldiers unto death, even if schemes and tactics violate my Bai family’s ancestral teachings of conducting ourselves with integrity! The brave elite warriors of my Bai Family Army may die on the battlefield in combat! They may die under the enemy’s strong crossbows and sharp arrows! But… they absolutely cannot die from the filthy schemes of those with ulterior motives.”

The Bai Family Army soldiers wearing mourning clothes, after hearing Bai Qingyan’s words, immediately felt blazing fire ignite in their hearts. Their entire bodies grew hot and numb, their eyes burning with heat.

Bai Qingyan clasped her hands and bowed solemnly to all the Bai Family Army soldiers. She lifted the hem of her armor and knelt on one knee: “I, Bai Qingyan, swear to the Bai Family Army heroes who died in battle in Nan Jiang, swear by the twenty-three heroic spirits of my Bai family! In three years, I, Bai Qingyan, will surely lead you all to personally sever Yun Poxing’s head and avenge our hatred! Please trust me!”

“Little Marshal Bai!” Cheng Yuanzhi, a tall and burly man, knelt on the ground with tears in his eyes, clasping his hands.

The passionate, hot-blooded men of the Bai Family Army all knelt as well.

“We trust Little Marshal Bai! In life and death, without doubt!”

These three years were the deadline she gave Yun Poxing, and also the deadline she gave herself.

After three years, she wanted no one in all of Great Jin to dare touch her Bai family members!

After three years, she wanted no one in all of Great Jin to dare covet the Bai Family Army!

After three years, she must avenge their hatred!

After comforting the Bai Family Army soldiers, Bai Qingyan stood up and said solemnly: “Just now releasing Yun Poxing—when Yun Poxing returns to the Western Liang camp where their provisions have been burned and morale is already in chaos, when the Western Liang army sees that Yun Poxing went out with over a hundred thousand troops but returns in disgrace with only dozens of men, they will surely know that today Yun Poxing suffered a great defeat at Weng Mountain, their provisions are cut off, their commander defeated! Army morale will certainly collapse!”

With tears in her eyes, she commanded loudly: “Bai Family Army soldiers return immediately to Weng City to rest and reorganize. In one hour, I will select two thousand men to follow me in attacking the enemy camp to reclaim my father’s head!”

“Yes!” Cheng Yuanzhi’s voice rang like a great bell in response, then he turned and whistled loudly with his fingers.

The Bai Family Army soldiers whistled one after another, calling their war horses.

Suddenly, from above the canyon, Zhang Duanrui came riding swiftly on horseback, calling loudly: “General Bai! The Western Liang soldiers in the valley, seeing that their commander has fled, are all surrendering. Should I order Zhen Zeping and Shi Panshan to open the exit and let them out?”

She looked up at Zhang Duanrui, her eyes calm, without the slightest hesitation: “Kill them! Leave none alive!”

Zhang Duanrui was stunned: “This…”

Since ancient times, not killing surrendering soldiers was the custom.

“If General Zhang fears bearing this eternal infamy, I, Bai Qingyan, will bear it! For every Western Liang warrior we kill today, fewer Jin civilians will die in the future. Bai Qingyan holds the military talisman—this is my order alone, having nothing to do with General Zhang!” Bai Qingyan’s tone brooked no argument.

Zhang Duanrui hesitated for a moment. He knew the Crown Prince’s military talisman was in Bai Qingyan’s hands, so he could only clasp his hands: “Understood!”

“After slaughtering all Western Liang soldiers in the valley, General Zhang Duanrui and General Zhen Zeping count your troops, proceed to Weng City to rest and reorganize, await orders to follow me and the Bai Family Army tomorrow morning to reclaim Tianmen Pass!”

Hearing that they would reclaim Tianmen Pass tonight, Zhang Duanrui’s blood immediately boiled!

Although they had just experienced a great battle and everyone would be somewhat fatigued, this victory against overwhelming odds was precisely when morale was at its peak. After a night’s rest, they would surely be able to capture Tianmen Pass.

Bai Jinzhi, carrying the black banner with red python and Bai Qingyan’s red-tasseled silver spear on her back, rode swiftly back. She held up the banner and leaped off her horse, throwing the red-tasseled silver spear from her back to Bai Qingyan: “Elder sister, catch the spear!”

Bai Qingyan caught the red-tasseled silver spear in one motion: “Mount up! Return to Weng City!”

“Return to Weng City!” Cheng Yuanzhi also shouted along, his eyes shining as he said to Bai Qingyan, “Wei Zhaonian, Gu Wenchang, and Shen Kunyang, who are still recovering from injuries, will surely think they’re dreaming when they see Little Marshal Bai!”

·

Within Wanping City, the Crown Prince wrapped in thick fox fur stood atop the city wall, gazing at the distant red glow above Weng Mountain canyon, his heart in his throat.

“Still no scouts returning to report the military situation?!” The Crown Prince’s fists were tightly clenched at his sides.

Qin Shangzhi followed beside the Crown Prince, pursing his lips in silence, only praying in his heart for Heaven’s protection to grant Bai Qingyan victory.

Seeing a fast horse approaching in the distance, Qin Shangzhi hurried forward and pointed: “Your Highness! Look…”

The Crown Prince felt his heartbeat nearly stop, holding his breath as he watched the approaching figure, his fists clenching tighter and tighter.

The fast horse reached the city gate. The scout reined in his horse and shouted, “Quickly open the city gates! Great victory at Weng Mountain! Great victory at Weng Mountain! Our army has annihilated the Western Liang bandits in Weng Mountain canyon!”

The Crown Prince felt blood rushing to his head, felt his entire being come alive—they won! They really won!

His face went numb with excitement. He turned and hurried down from the city wall, stepping on the corner of his fox fur and nearly falling, saved only by the city defense general’s quick support.

“Your Highness, be careful.”

After speaking, the general properly retreated behind the Crown Prince.

“We won! We won!” The Crown Prince exhaled a long breath, supporting himself against the cold city wall as he walked quickly down.

The scout charged straight into the city. Seeing the Crown Prince, he immediately dismounted, shouting about the great victory as he knelt excitedly before the Crown Prince: “Our army achieved a great victory! General Bai ordered that no survivors be left alive. Our army has destroyed the Western Liang army of over a hundred thousand in the canyon! General Bai commands five hundred garrison troops to use the cover of night to escort provisions and weapons toward Feng County to rendezvous with Generals Shi Panshan and Wang Xiping. After resupplying, they will head straight for Feng County and must capture it before dawn!”

Hearing this, Qin Shangzhi’s eyes lit up. He stepped forward: “Your Highness! Time waits for no one! Quickly order people to prepare supplies and weapons!”

But the Crown Prince’s face turned pale as he asked with a trembling voice: “All… killed? What about the surrendering soldiers? Were they killed too?”

“Replying to Your Highness, all were killed!” the scout replied.

The Crown Prince’s face grew even paler. While victory in this battle was certainly good, nominally, this battle was fought under his command! If word of slaughtering surrendering prisoners spread, his reputation would be ruined! He had originally wanted to use the prisoners to negotiate some benefits with Western Liang in future talks!

He immediately regretted in his heart—he shouldn’t have handed over the military talisman to Bai Qingyan as a show of trust. He truly regretted it to his very core.

“Your Highness?!” Qin Shangzhi was puzzled as to why the Crown Prince was hesitating.

“What a sin!” Old Fang, the eldest strategist beside the Crown Prince, was also frightened pale. “Since ancient times, in warfare between armies, surrendered prisoners have not been killed! If the reputation of slaughtering prisoners spreads, how will the various nations view our Jin? They will surely regard our Jin as tigers and wolves!”