The turbulent, surging floodwaters charged into the city like a pack of ferocious beasts, rushing in all directions. The sound of crashing waves was deafening.

“Flood! There’s a flood!” The Liang soldier shouted, turning to run, but after only two steps he was knocked down by the floodwaters and immediately swallowed up.

The Jin army, standing on the high mountain, watched as the lights in Longyang City gradually went out, knowing the flood had arrived. Soon, the previously brightly lit Longyang City was plunged into complete darkness.

Fu Ruoxi gripped the sword at her waist, unable to contain her exhilaration as she said, “I can already hear the Liang army’s screams of agony. How satisfying!”

Floodwaters were like savage beasts – even skilled swimmers would find it difficult to survive in such rapid and fierce currents, let alone with the flood carrying mostly stones and wood, plus furniture and floating timber washed out from within the city, making the underwater conditions extremely complex.

However, Bai Qingyan hadn’t expected Xun Tianzhang to strike so ruthlessly. Perhaps when Xun Tianzhang originally ordered the digging of the channel, his heart had been too heavy, thinking that since Longyang City’s walls were two zhang high, to finish off most of the Jin army here, the dam opening would have to be made large.

Now, this could be considered reaping what he had sown.

After daybreak, the torrential rain still hadn’t stopped. Below the mountain where Bai Qingyan and the others were positioned, the floodwaters had brought countless corpses of Liang soldiers.

Longyang City had become a vast marsh.

Seeing this situation, General Fu said to Bai Qingyan, “General Bai, I see it’s already flooded to this extent. Why don’t we withdraw? The torrential rain hasn’t stopped, and these floodwaters will rise even higher. We need to leave this place quickly to avoid any mishaps.”

Bai Qingyan nodded. Looking at the current situation, there was probably no need to beat the drowning dogs anymore.

“Let’s withdraw!” Bai Qingyan ordered.

Tianlan Mountain

Near Tianlan Mountain, the rainfall wasn’t as heavy as in Longyang City. The entire Jin army was camped in the spacious areas of Tianlan Mountain, joining forces with reinforcements that had come from the capital.

Liu Hong stood at the entrance of the commander’s tent, watching the pattering rain outside, repeatedly pondering Bai Qingyan’s words…

If they let the Liang army go this time without setting an ambush on the road from Longyang City to Puwen City, when the Liang army escaped back to Puwen City to combine forces, not only would attacking the city become extremely difficult, but at that time, fighting a war of attrition with the Liang army would be disadvantageous for Jin, which had already lost too many troops in Nan Jiang.

After thinking for a long time, Liu Hong suddenly clenched his fists behind his back and shouted, “Have General Lin Kangle come over!”

Soon, Lin Kangle entered the commander’s tent.

Liu Hong explained Bai Qingyan’s idea to Lin Kangle in detail. After listening, Lin Kangle was silent for a moment: “This subordinate believes General Bai’s concerns are very valid! Moreover, during the Nan Jiang campaign, everything General Bai predicted came true. This subordinate trusts General Bai! If the commander approves, this subordinate is willing to personally lead troops around Longyang City’s Longmu River to set an ambush on the road that’s the only route from Longyang City to Puwen City.”

Since even Lin Kangle said this, Liu Hong no longer had any reservations: “I order you to take twenty thousand men to set the ambush. If the enemy commander Xun Tianzhang is still alive, you must capture him alive!”

“Commander, rest assured!” Lin Kangle replied.

After dawn fully broke, Bai Qingyan and Fu Ruoxi returned to camp.

Hearing that the commander had arranged for General Lin Kangle to lead twenty thousand troops to ambush on the essential route from Longyang City to Puwen City, and that he had then gone to rest, Bai Qingyan didn’t go to disturb him.

As long as Liu Hong was determined to annihilate the defeated Liang army on the essential route from Longyang City to Puwen City, the subsequent recapture of Puwen City and Chunmu City would be effortless, the war would come to an end, and she could take Xiao Si and Shen Qingzhu home.

She returned to her tent to check on Bai Jinzhi and Shen Qingzhu. Both were still unconscious.

Seeing Bai Qingyan enter the tent, Ji Langhua, who had just finished changing Shen Qingzhu’s medicine, startled and rose to his feet. Seeing Bai Qingyan completely soaked, he hurriedly said, “Eldest Miss! I’ll go get clean clothes for Eldest Miss. Has Eldest Miss been injured? Do you need me to take a look?”

“I’m fine!” After checking on Shen Qingzhu and Bai Jinzhi, Bai Qingyan went behind the screen to remove her armor and wet, dripping clothes and boots. Her feet had been completely soaked, white, and swollen, her legs had been chafed raw by the saddle, and her snow-white undergarment had stuck to her flesh, making it difficult to separate.

After Ji Langhua heated a small knife over the fire, bit by bit, he separated the flesh from the clothing. The bloody mess was so gruesome that Ji Langhua couldn’t bear to look directly at it. He held back tears as he applied medicine to Bai Qingyan’s wounds, then wrapped her leg injuries with fine cotton cloth.

Others looking at Bai Qingyan would naturally see infinite glory, thinking only that Bai Qingyan was invincible in battle. But no one knew that this woman’s body was covered entirely in scars, old and new wounds interwoven together, quite terrifying to behold.

Ji Langhua helped Bai Qingyan change clothes, his eyes reddening: “In a moment, I’ll apply some medicine to Eldest Miss’s hands as well.”

“It’s nothing. Thank you for taking care of Xiao Si and Qingzhu. Go rest!” Bai Qingyan said while buttoning her clothes.

Ji Langhua shook his head: “Eldest Miss should go rest! I’m here and can monitor Fourth Miss and Miss Shen’s condition at any time.”

Bai Qingyan didn’t insist. After changing into dry clothes, she felt much more comfortable. She had some hot soup and porridge, then heard Bai Jinzhi murmuring in her dreams and suddenly calling out “Elder Sister,” which tugged at her heart terribly. She walked back to the bedside to sit down, grasped Bai Jinzhi’s hand, and said softly, “Elder Sister is here!”

Hearing Bai Qingyan’s voice, Bai Jinzhi’s rigid, tense body gradually relaxed, though her hand still gripped Bai Qingyan’s tightly and wouldn’t let go.

Bai Qingyan touched Bai Jinzhi’s forehead. There was some fever, but it wasn’t serious – she had probably been frightened.

Originally, on the way here, Bai Qingyan had sworn in her heart multiple times that when she found this girl who didn’t know her limitations, she would grab her arm and give this recklessly bold young woman a hard slap. But when she saw Bai Jinzhi, all that remained was heartache.

She lowered her eyes to look at Bai Jinzhi’s face, scratched with small cuts from tree branches, and her hands wrapped in fine cotton cloth, gently stroking them, her heart filled entirely with lingering fear.

If she had arrived even half a cup of tea’s time later, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Fortunately, she had arrived in time…

In the future, she would never again entrust the safety of her family to others. Never again.

“Fourth Miss is just running a fever from fright – it’s not serious. Miss Shen’s condition has also temporarily stabilized. They haven’t woken up because they’re too exhausted… After sleeping well for a day or two, they’ll be fine!” After comforting Bai Qingyan, Ji Langhua’s gaze fell on Shen Qingzhu’s face. “However, regarding Miss Shen’s condition, it would be best if she could go back to recuperate! If this war continues, it would be best not to let Miss Shen overexert herself again.”

Bai Qingyan nodded, her tone calm but very certain: “This war won’t drag on much longer. It will end very soon.”

Bai Qingyan’s words proved prophetic. In the battle that flooded Longyang City, Xun Tianzhang’s son died in the flood, while Zhao Sheng, who led the remaining troops fleeing toward Puwen City, was captured alive while covering Liang commander Xun Tianzhang’s escape.

Subsequently, the Jin army successively captured Puwen City, then Chunmu City. When news reached the Liang capital, the Prince of Liang was greatly alarmed, and arguments between factions advocating war and peace raged throughout the Liang court.

The Jin Emperor dispatched special envoy Liu Rushi to Liang, first presenting a treaty for peace negotiations.