In the valleys of Qingxi Mountain, horses trampled through puddles, splashing mud everywhere. Rain cut across Bai Qingyan’s face like knife blades, stinging painfully, yet she dared not hesitate for a moment.

The fierce battle at Qingxi Mountain Pass continued. The Jin army gradually advanced, and the city gates were battered until they swayed precariously. The two small squads of soldiers Liu Hong had stationed inside Qingxi Mountain Pass finally drew their blades, engaging in close combat with the Great Liang soldiers who were using their bodies to brace against the gates, resisting the battering rams.

Inside the heavy, thick iron-clad wooden gates of Qingxi Mountain Pass, two teams of Jin soldiers clashed bloodily with the Great Liang soldiers bracing the gates. Outside the gates, iron-armored battering rams violently collided with the city gates. Several times, they nearly broke through, yet always fell just short.

Liu Hong, standing on his war chariot, was also burning with anxiety. This battle was proving much more difficult than Liu Hong had imagined!

The previous Liang army could not compare with the current Zhao family army. After the Zhao family army’s setback following Xun Tianzhang’s last campaign, they had been coldly treated by Emperor Liang for so long. Now they came with pent-up determination. This battle at Qingxi Mountain Pass was an opportunity that Zhao Sheng had secured by issuing a military pledge, trading his head for the chance. Naturally, the Zhao family army would fight to the death.

What Liu Hong worried about more at this moment was Bai Jinzhi. He had let Bai Jinzhi choose her people to take with her, but that little girl was also bold – she had only brought five hundred people, so Liu Hong had sent an additional thousand.

Currently, the Liang army was intimidated by the Black Banner with White Python flag that Bai Jinzhi had raised, with most of their forces going to deal with Bai Jinzhi. This city gate must be breached before Zhao Sheng realized what was happening, otherwise… with the Liang army relying on the city gates for full resistance, retaking Qingxi Mountain Pass would become extremely difficult.

What a pity… Liu Hong didn’t have elite soldiers like the Bai family army’s Tiger Eagle Battalion in his hands; otherwise, flattening this Qingxi Mountain Pass wouldn’t have been so difficult.

Liu Hong clenched his fists tightly. Today was the battle to wash away his name of “turtle who’s good at shrinking back.” He must take it before Princess Zhenguo arrives with reinforcements!

“Report…”

Liu Hong, on the war chariot, heard the call and turned his head.

He saw a messenger soldier coming from behind, reining in his horse and shouting: “Commander… Princess Zhenguo has arrived with reinforcements!”

As soon as the messenger finished speaking, Liu Hong saw Bai Qingyan approaching swiftly on horseback.

“Princess Zhenguo!” Wang Xiping immediately spurred his horse forward to greet her.

Liu Hong’s heart jumped. With Bai Qingyan’s current physical condition, could she withstand such heavy rain?!

Bai Qingyan nodded to Wang Xiping, rode her horse to Liu Hong’s side, reined in her mount, and cupped her hands toward Liu Hong: “General Liu!”

“Princess Zhenguo, why didn’t you return to camp to rest? Can your body hold up?” Seeing Bai Qingyan in full armor in the rain, yet without the frail, vulnerable appearance she had in the capital city, Liu Hong thought Bai Qingyan was forcing herself to appear fine to avoid affecting morale. He quickly extended his hand toward Bai Qingyan, “Princess Zhenguo, quickly come up to the war chariot to shelter from the rain!”

Bai Qingyan waved her hand, her sharp, keen eyes gazing at the only brightly lit corner tower on Qingxi Mountain Pass walls. She tightened her reins to control her restless mount and asked: “How many people did Bai Jinzhi take to circle to the rear?”

Liu Hong’s palm tightened, afraid that Bai Qingyan would worry about Bai Jinzhi acting impulsively, yet he had no choice but to say: “Princess Gaoyi took fifteen hundred people, flying the Black Banner with White Python flag.”

Cai Ziyuan, following behind Bai Qingyan, was stunned. He didn’t know whether to call Princess Gaoyi boldly skilled or reckless. He quickly brought his horse forward and said to Bai Qingyan, “Fifteen hundred people – I’m afraid the deception will be discovered soon. We must quickly breach the city gates and can delay no longer!”

“Princess Zhenguo, rest assured. I’ve already left people in the city, precisely to find an opportunity to open the city gates after Princess Gaoyi draws the people away!” Liu Hong’s palm tightened, “It won’t be long before we breach the gates. Princess Zhenguo, please be patient a little longer!”

Bai Qingyan gritted her teeth, listening to the continuous whistling sounds overhead as catapults hurled massive stones toward Qingxi Mountain Pass walls, then watching the city walls where they pushed down scaling ladders, constantly shooting arrows and crossbow bolts, viciously hurling stones at Jin soldiers attempting to climb the walls, amid continuous screams…

The heavy-armored battering rams were still striking the city gates, but it didn’t look like they could break through anytime soon.

After an unknown amount of time, the torrential rain had ceased.

“Report…”

A messenger soldier rode swiftly from beneath the city gates of Qingxi Mountain Pass toward the Jin army side, shouting through the rain: “Liang army defenders on the tower have increased! Main force suspected to be returning to defense!”

Just as these words finished, scouts that Liu Hong had sent to observe enemy conditions inside the pass from the narrow cliff paths also quickly reported: “Report… Great Liang’s main force returning to defense!”

Liu Hong’s palm tightened as he shouted: “Send orders, spare no cost, break through the city gates immediately! Quickly!”

Bai Qingyan felt deeply that they could hesitate no longer. If they delayed further, the Jin army’s casualties would be even greater, and Bai Jinzhi would also fall into danger.

She turned to look at Liu Hong, whose expression was grave: “Does General Liu want the soldiers’ lives, or must you wash away the name of shrinking like a turtle today?”

How could Liu Hong not understand Bai Qingyan’s meaning? The main force had already returned to defense, which meant Zhao Sheng had discovered that Bai Jinzhi’s raising of the Black Banner with the White Python flag was just to frighten them. Once the main force returned to the tower, if they still hadn’t opened the city gates, they probably wouldn’t be able to take Qingshan Pass today.

If Liu Hong still wanted an empty reputation and wouldn’t let Bai Qingyan intervene, even if they could take Qingxi Mountain Pass today, the losses would certainly be devastating.

In siege warfare, they were positioned below and were already at a disadvantage.

Liu Hong quickly made his decision in his heart. Even if he had to bear the reputation of being a turtle for his entire life, what of it? He couldn’t let the soldiers die in vain!

“Please lend your assistance, Princess Zhenguo!” Liu Hong cupped his hands toward Bai Qingyan.

Wang Xiping was overjoyed to hear these words.

Upon hearing this, Bai Qingyan turned her horse around and said to Cai Ziyuan: “Send orders, attack the city immediately!”

Cai Ziyuan received the command and rode straight to the rear, reining in his horse before the soldiers from Niujiao Mountain who stood quietly in formation behind them.

These soldiers had undergone the most rigorous training under Ji Tingyu at Niujiao Mountain. The torrential rain just now had already made ordinary Jin army soldiers shiver with cold, yet the Niujiao Mountain soldiers who had just galloped here stood with straight backs, steam rising from their bodies.

These soldiers, regardless of harsh winter or blazing summer, had experienced the most severe treatment, because only thus… after truly entering the battlefield, could they preserve their lives to the greatest extent!

For the Bai family army, victory was important, but the soldiers’ lives were equally important.

Cai Ziyuan said to Zhao Ran, the Bai family guard leading the three thousand Niujiao Mountain soldiers: “General Zhao, Princess Zhenguo orders an immediate attack on the city!”

Zhao Ran nodded, turned his horse around, and shouted to the Niujiao Mountain soldiers: “We’ve been holed up in the mountains for over a year, training desperately day after day, risking life and death countless times, all for this very moment! This is your first time on the battlefield! Show the level of your usual training, and you can easily storm cities and seize territory, minimizing casualties for our Jin state to the greatest extent! Let the Jin army soldiers see clearly… how we Bai family army fight our battles! Attack the city!”