However, when asked about news of County Princess Gaoyi Bai Jinzhi, Li Chunyao shook his head, saying that County Princess Gaoyi had led troops out of the city to rescue General Zhang Duanrui, but afterward… Xun Tianzhang had sent people to return General Zhang Duanrui’s corpse, yet sent back no news of County Princess Gaoyi.
Bai Qingyan became even more anxious and worried.
The next morning, Bai Qingyan’s party arrived at Longyang City’s south gate.
Li Chunyao stepped forward and shouted: “I am Li Chunyao, deputy to Youhua City’s defender General Wang Rui’an, accompanying the Princess Zhenguo! Please open the city gates!”
“The Princess Zhenguo?!” The guards on the city gate looked down and saw no reinforcements—just about twenty people. They quickly turned and shouted: “Hurry and report to the general that the Princess Zhenguo has arrived, bringing only about twenty people!”
Shortly after, Zhang Duanrui’s deputy hurried up the city tower and looked down. It was indeed Princess Zhenguo Bai Qingyan. He immediately shouted: “Quickly open the city gates!”
Since the Princess Zhenguo had come to provide reinforcement, why hadn’t she brought troops?
General Zhang Duanrui’s deputy, Lin Kangle, had no time to think further and hurried to the gate to welcome her.
The city gate drawbridge was lowered and the gates opened wide…
A faint smell of charring still lingered in the city, presumably from fire pots used when the Liang army attacked. The broken walls still bore traces of smoke and fire damage.
The common people of Longyang City who could leave had already gone. Those remaining were the old, weak, sick, and disabled, or those unwilling to abandon their homeland. They all helped the Jin army arrange defenses at the city’s north side.
Bai Qingyan’s party rode into the city as Lin Kangle led the crowd in a respectful welcome.
During the previous Nan Jiang campaign, Lin Kangle had accompanied Zhang Duanrui on the expedition and fought alongside Bai Qingyan. Like Zhang Duanrui, he trusted Bai Qingyan completely!
To outsiders, Bai Qingyan’s great victory in the Nan Jiang campaign seemed due to luck, but Lin Kangle, who had been by General Zhang Duanrui’s side, had not forgotten… Bai Qingyan had anticipated Yun Poxing’s actions ahead of time, then turned the tide when the Crown Prince ignored advice and was about to suffer a great defeat, completely crushing the West Liang army.
The Bai family… were born for warfare. Their acuity regarding battle situations was extraordinary.
Even though Bai Qingyan had brought only about twenty people to Longyang City, for Lin Kangle, seeing Bai Qingyan meant seeing hope of victory.
The city guards shouted to open the gates. After Bai Qingyan’s party entered the city, the drawbridge was raised, and the gates slowly closed.
“Princess! Before General Zhang Duanrui left the city, he instructed this humble general to defend Chun Mu City to the death. This humble general is useless! I lost Chun Mu City!” Lin Kangle looked at Bai Qingyan with excitement, his eyes reddening as he knelt on one knee. “Princess, you must avenge General Zhang!”
As soon as Bai Qingyan dismounted, she handed her black gold riding whip to a guard and asked Lin Kangle, “Is there any news of County Princess Gaoyi?”
Lin Kangle gritted his teeth and shook his head: “County Princess Gaoyi led two thousand men out of the city to rescue General Zhang, who had fallen into an ambush. After that, we lost all contact. I fear…”
Bai Qingyan refused to think about that “I fear.” Moreover, Shen Qingzhu was by Bai Jinzhi’s side—she would never let anything happen to Bai Jinzhi.
Suddenly, the high, resonant sound of war horns rang out. Great Liang was attacking!
“Liang soldiers are coming! Liang soldiers are coming!” someone shouted.
The sudden horn blast shattered the calm within Longyang City. Some elders hurriedly dragged their young grandchildren home to hide, fearing that fire pots hurled by the Liang army might injure their children.
“Princess!” Lin Kangle gripped the sword at his waist.
“Miss!” Lu Ping, having heard the news, came riding over and leaped off his horse. “Miss!”
Bai Qingyan nodded to Lu Ping, then turned to loudly command the guards behind her: “First repel the enemy! Change armor!”
At Bai Qingyan’s command, the twenty guards who had followed donned their armor and helmets.
“General Lin, go to the tower first. I’ll be there shortly!” Bai Qingyan said.
Lin Kangle saluted and rode off quickly.
“Is there any news of Xiao Si?” Bai Qingyan asked Lu Ping.
Lu Ping looked ashamed and shook his head: “Lu Ping has failed Miss’s trust and didn’t watch over Fourth Miss properly!”
Bai Qingyan pursed her lips: “Has Shen Qingzhu sent no messages back either?”
Lu Ping shook his head but pulled out a folded leather map and several thin papers from his chest: “However, Miss Shen has already investigated the topographical map of Chun Mushan and the combat methods and personalities that most of the generals Great Liang excel at. She left these with me, telling me to stay in the army and wait for Miss to arrive… to hand them over to Miss.”
Bai Qingyan took them, briefly scanning the thin papers’ lists and detailed contents while changing into battle armor.
The news that the Princess Zhenguo had arrived ahead of the main reinforcements greatly heartened the city defenders and Zhang Duanrui’s subordinates. General Wang Xiping, standing on the city wall, brightened upon hearing this and couldn’t help asking Lin Kangle again: “The Princess arrived first? The Princess Zhenguo?!”
“Yes! The Princess Zhenguo!” Lin Kangle adjusted his helmet and patted Wang Xiping on the shoulder.
Watching the Liang army’s large force approach menacingly and stop in the distance, their commanding general rode forward and shouted provocatively before the moat: “Hey! After all the men of your Great Jin’s Bai family died out, didn’t you produce a killing god Princess Zhenguo Bai Qingyan? Isn’t she supposed to be invincible in battle? Zhang Duanrui is dead… why hasn’t your Jin Emperor sent her? Is he afraid she’ll come here to die?!”
For some time now, the Liang army had always used the Bai family for provocation, repeating the same words over and over until the Jin army could recite them backwards. It was as if Great Liang had nothing else to use for insulting and slandering Jin.
“General Wang! General Wang!” Du Sanbao, wearing armor, came running frantically. Seeing Lin Kangle was also there, he quickly saluted, then asked Wang Xiping with a simple smile: “General Wang, has the Princess Zhenguo arrived?! I heard the Princess Zhenguo came to Longyang City ahead of the main reinforcements!”
“Yes! General Lin just said… the Princess Zhenguo has arrived!” Wang Xiping didn’t even notice that his voice carried joy and confidence as he spoke.
Du Sanbao grinned, showing a row of white teeth, then turned and shouted: “Brothers! Our Princess Zhenguo has arrived! In the Nan Jiang campaign, it was the Princess Zhenguo who led us to victory against superior numbers, killing a hundred thousand West Liang elite soldiers! We beat West Liang so badly they fled with their tails between their legs and begged for peace! Now the Princess Zhenguo will surely lead us to drive back the Great Liang dogs who dare invade our Jin borders and slaughter our Jin people!”
Du Sanbao’s voice was rough and resonant. His words were stirring and instantly boosted morale.
“Drive them back!”
“Drive them back!”
“Drive them back!”
Wearing silver armor with a red cloak and carrying her Shooting Sun bow, Bai Qingyan stepped onto the city tower.
The soldiers looked at Bai Qingyan—heroic and valiant with steady, agile steps—each burning with passion, full of fighting spirit as if they had been injected with adrenaline. Their blazing, bright gazes followed the woman in silver armor, accompanied by over twenty silver-armored guards, striding past with quick steps.
Whether in this world or the military, the strong had always been revered!
Having once followed Duke Zhenguo in leading Jin forces to destroy the Shu Kingdom, and having achieved victory against superior numbers in the Nan Jiang campaign, Bai Qingyan might not yet be considered a war god or killing god, but in the eyes of the Jin army, she remained invincible in battle!