A wounded soldier who had originally served under Du Sanbao and was now a Centurion said, “But we can’t speak like that either. In battle, we soldiers provide the strength while generals command – it’s a different division of labor!”

The Jin army had gathered together, discussing, when suddenly someone on the city tower shouted: “They’re back! They’re back! Princess Zhenguo has returned! General Wang Xiping is behind her!”

Liu Hong’s heart relaxed as he shouted: “Quickly open the city gates!”

All the soldiers inside Longyang City who had been waiting for news and hadn’t yet rested stood up, craning their necks to look toward the city gates.

Dark clouds covered the moon, strong winds arose – all signs that a torrential rain was about to come.

In the pitch darkness, Bai Qingyan’s group galloping back had not lit torches, racing against the wind on their swift return journey.

Following closely behind Bai Qingyan and the Bai family guards were the cavalry led by Wang Xiping, holding torches high.

On Bai Qingyan’s horse was Bai Jinzhi, who had fainted from utter exhaustion. Perhaps because her elder sister was beside her, even being jostled dizzy on horseback hadn’t woken her.

For half a month, Bai Jinzhi’s mind had been taut as a bowstring. The moment she saw Bai Qingyan, she finally released all tension and could no longer hold on, fainting completely.

The heavy city gates slowly opened. The drawbridge over the moat was lowered with the sound of grinding iron chains, and Bai Qingyan’s group charged into the city on horseback.

Liu Hong had already led people down from the city tower. Seeing Bai Qingyan leap down from her horse and the Bai family guard army also dismount, he hurried forward to help Bai Qingyan carry Bai Jinzhi down from the horse and support her toward the medical camp.

“Centurion!” The wounded soldiers saw Du Sanbao, covered in blood and lying across a horse’s back, and hurriedly called out as they stepped forward.

“First, take them to the medical camp!” Bai Qingyan said.

“Yes!”

Lu Ping dismounted, carried Shen Qingzhu on his back, and ran toward the medical camp.

“Princess, you’ve worked hard!” Liu Hong said to Bai Qingyan.

Subsequently, Wang Xiping returned with his troops, leaping down from his horse with high spirits: “As soon as I saw the Liang army descending the mountain, I knew the Princess had succeeded and immediately withdrew the troops.”

On the return journey, the wind had grown increasingly fierce. Bai Qingyan couldn’t help but worry and asked: “With heavy rain approaching, I wonder if the Commander has already evacuated the civilians, sent people to harvest the wheat, and destroyed the Liang army’s grain routes?”

Liu Hong nodded: “Rest assured! People have already been sent to handle all of this! Indeed, exactly as the Princess predicted, the Liang army… intends to flood Longyang City, and they sent quite a few people to dig channels. They probably want to take advantage of the darkness to complete the channels in one night, intending to end the battle of Longyang City as quickly as possible. Princess, please go rest! Conserve your energy – there’s still a hard battle waiting ahead!”

“Oh, right!” Liu Hong suddenly remembered the Bai family guards outside the south city gate. “The Longyang City defense general just reported that several Bai family guards outside the south gate have escorted a young lady here, wanting to see the Princess!”

Bai Qingyan turned around and instructed the Bai family guard closest to her: “Go take a look!”

After speaking, Bai Qingyan cupped her fists to bid farewell to Liu Hong and walked toward the medical camp.

On the return journey, Bai Qingyan had checked and found no major wounds on Bai Jinzhi’s body. She figured Bai Jinzhi had fainted from exhaustion. However, Shen Qingzhu had been seriously injured protecting Bai Jinzhi, and Bai Qingyan was truly worried about her.

Bai Jinzhi was indeed fine – just too tired and sleepy, having fallen asleep. Apart from burns on the backs of her hands, the military physician couldn’t examine other injuries on her body, but her pulse was relatively stable.

Shen Qingzhu had both knife and arrow wounds, plus utter exhaustion – she truly couldn’t hold on anymore before collapsing. The military physician said her condition was somewhat dire.

Bai Qingyan looked at the pale-faced Shen Qingzhu and said to the military physician: “Draw a curtain. I’ll go in to examine Shen Qingzhu’s wounds, tell you about her injuries, and you can teach me how to treat them.”

“That will work!” The military physician nodded.

The curtain was drawn. Bai Qingyan had just removed her armor and washed her hands with hot water, preparing to enter the curtained area, when she heard Ji Langhua’s voice: “First Miss!”

Bai Qingyan turned around to see the travel-worn Ji Langhua jogging over: “First Miss! I set out immediately after First Miss departed, but still couldn’t catch up!”

Ji Langhua glanced at the tent: “Is Fourth Miss injured? First Miss, please let me handle this!”

When in Shuoyang City, Ji Langhua learned that Bai Qingyan was departing for the northern frontier. She hurriedly packed her belongings, wanting to accompany Bai Qingyan to the northern frontier. After all, on the battlefield, injuries were inevitable, and with both Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi being women, having her there could help with medical treatment!

But by the time she reached the front hall, Bai Qingyan had already left. It was Dong Shi who made the decisive decision to send Bai family guards to escort Ji Langhua in pursuit of Bai Qingyan. Who knew this pursuit would take her from Shuoyang, riding without dismounting day and night without rest, all the way to Longyang City without catching up to Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingyan trusted Ji Langhua’s medical skills. With Ji Langhua here, she felt at ease. Bai Qingyan lifted the curtain for Ji Langhua and said urgently, “It’s Shen Qingzhu! Thank you for your hard work!”

Bai Qingyan didn’t leave, staying inside the curtained area to assist Ji Langhua.

After Ji Langhua finished treating Shen Qingzhu’s wounds and wrote out a prescription, she collapsed at the table and drowsily fell asleep.

Before dawn, lightning and thunder crashed outside, followed by torrential rain.

Bai Qingyan tucked in Shen Qingzhu’s blanket corners and stood under the corridor watching the pouring rain, worried whether the wheat harvest had been completed.

Lightning flashed brilliantly, and in the moment it split the night, she could see soldiers bent over harvesting wheat in the rain, and sentries standing on high ground with arrows ready to guard against Great Liang scouts.

Tonight’s operations had to be swift and silent – this was a military order that everyone must follow.

In one night, the Jin army harvested the wheat fields while the Liang army completed digging the great channel.

At daybreak, just as Xun Tianzhang’s son finished serving Xun Tianzhang his medicine, they heard scouts arriving in the rain to report.

A Liang general, completely soaked and dripping with rainwater, hurried into the tent. Wiping the rain from his face with his hand, he said: “Commander! Scouts report that last night the Jin army destroyed our Liang army’s grain transport routes, leaving only the Pingming Road. I fear they intend to cut off our army’s grain supplies!”

Xun Tianzhang’s fist tightened. After a moment of silence, he shook his head: “If the Jin army truly wanted to cut off our grain supplies, they should have blocked all grain routes. Leaving only Pingming Road clearly shows they want to lure our army to divide forces toward Pingming Road!”

The Jin army probably wanted to first swallow up the Great Liang forces sent to protect the grain supplies, then devour the grain supplies themselves. At that time… how could Great Liang soldiers fight without food in their bellies?

“How should the Marshal handle this situation?”

Xun Tianzhang picked up a cloth to wipe the corners of his mouth, which had turned sour from the bitter medicine, and said calmly and composedly: “Send the main force to Pingming Road to annihilate all the Jin army there! Summon all generals to the commander’s tent for discussion.”

“Yes!”

“Are the channels finished?” Xun Tianzhang turned to ask his son.

Xun Tianzhang’s son nodded: “The soldiers who dug channels last night just returned to camp to rest. I’ve also sent a battalion to take over, just waiting for Father’s command. Fortunately, father made the decisive decision yesterday – it started pouring rain before dawn. In my forty-odd years of life, I’ve never seen such heavy rain!”