Zhao Sheng and Yang Wuce gripped their swords tightly, waiting quietly for Bai Qingyan’s orders.
Bai Qingyan lifted her gaze to look at the two generals: “Any more Liang army scouts heading to Daming Prefecture must be killed without mercy. We absolutely cannot let even one escape to report back.”
Zhao Sheng nodded, then saw Bai Qingyan pointing to several observation points marked with red flags: “After that, send men with the army’s tracking dogs to search these locations for Daming Prefecture’s scouts.”
She turned to look at Generals Yang Wuce and Zhao Sheng, tapping her finger on the edge of the sand table: “If we find anyone there and cannot capture them alive, shoot to kill. I’ll say it again—we cannot let anyone escape and create unexpected variables.”
Previously, Zhao Sheng had known that Princess Zhenguo was extremely skilled in warfare, but he hadn’t known that Bai Qingyan was this formidable. From the moment they entered the tent to report that Cao Renyi of Daming Prefecture had sent people to deliver Liang wine and foods unique to the Liang Kingdom, Bai Qingyan had been able to deduce Cao Renyi’s intentions in such a short time and arrange everything methodically and swiftly…
No wonder everyone said Princess Zhenguo possessed the talent of a commander. Such quick and decisive adaptability was something Zhao Sheng admitted he could not achieve.
“Yes! This subordinate will arrange it immediately!” Zhao Sheng clasped his hands and quickly left the main tent to make arrangements.
Yang Wuce, however, was quite worried: “Princess Zhenguo, why don’t I stay in the camp instead? The troops waiting in camp will have to face Cao Renyi’s army head-on. If Princess Zhenguo remains in the military camp, there might be danger.”
Yang Wuce had finally made up his mind to follow an ambitious master who aspired to swallow the world whole. He didn’t want the grand unification enterprise mentioned by Princess Zhenguo to end before it even began, with her dying before achieving victory.
“It’s fine, I have arrangements. General Yang can rest assured.” Bai Qingyan clasped her hands toward Yang Wuce. “For the rest, I’ll have to trouble General Yang.”
Since Bai Qingyan said this, Yang Wuce couldn’t advise further. He could only clasp his fists and leave Bai Qingyan’s main tent to deploy troops and make arrangements.
Seeing Yang Wuce leave the main tent, Xiao Rongyan closed the bamboo scroll of military treatise written by Bai Qingyan that he held in his hands and said: “A’Bao has other arrangements for General Zhao?”
Just now, when Bai Qingyan gave orders, she told Zhao Sheng to lead fifty thousand troops to the right side of the military camp and await orders, rather than provide support. It seemed Bai Qingyan had other plans for Zhao Sheng.
“It depends on how deep Cao Renyi’s resolve runs. If he wants to annihilate the Jin army on this New Year’s Eve and comes out in full force, then… Zhao Sheng can take these fifty thousand men straight to Daming Prefecture and capture it tonight! If Cao Renyi only wants to inflict partial losses on the Jin army tonight, then let all the troops Cao Renyi sends be buried here!”
Bai Qingyan’s voice was steady, as if she had everything under control.
Xiao Rongyan placed the bamboo scroll aside: “This General Cao Renyi has an extraordinary relationship with the late Fourth Prince Wei Qiheng of the Wei Kingdom. Very few people know about this…”
Hearing this, Bai Qingyan, who had been standing in front of the sand table, turned to look at Xiao Rongyan kneeling at the desk, remembering Wei Qiheng, who had died mysteriously at Qingxi Mountain pass: “You had someone beside Wei Qiheng? Was Wei Qiheng’s death… related to the Yan Kingdom?”
Xiao Rongyan rose and walked toward Bai Qingyan, placing both hands on the edge of the sand table to encircle her within his arms. He glanced at Bai Qingyan’s arrangement on the sand table, then lifted his eyes to gaze quietly into hers, not hiding anything: “Wei Qiheng had a strategist surnamed Guan beside him, one of the sleeper agents we planted in Great Liang years ago, and also the one closest to imperial power. This time… when the Wei Kingdom sent Wei Qiheng to the Jin Kingdom to seek peace, if Jin and Liang ceased hostilities, Yan would be in danger! Therefore… at Qingxi Mountain pass, Master Guan had someone kill Wei Qiheng and his entire party, pinning the blame on the Jin army!”
Only after hearing Xiao Rongyan explain this did she understand. At one point, Bai Qingyan had thought the Jin army had mistakenly killed Wei Qiheng, or that Bai Jinzhi had eliminated Wei Qiheng at Qingxi Mountain pass to deny the Liang army a chance for peace.
“Later, to make the act complete, Master Guan even calculated his own life into it. He returned to Great Liang’s capital, Han City, severely wounded, using his last breath to bring Wei Qiheng’s body back to Han City. Master Guan knew Wei Qiheng was the Liang Emperor’s most beloved son, so he fabricated some words that the Liang Emperor couldn’t bear to hear, telling the Emperor they were Wei Qiheng’s dying words. But every word and sentence struck at the Liang Emperor’s heart, making him abandon any talk of peace negotiations with the Jin Kingdom for Wei Qiheng’s sake. This way, with the Jin Kingdom tied down on the Great Liang battlefield, Yan could deal with the Wei Kingdom without worry of being attacked from both sides.”
The two were very close, with Xiao Rongyan’s handsome features right before her eyes. She could see… There was regret in Xiao Rongyan’s eyes, and his words were full of respect for this Master Guan.
“Master Guan was a true patriot of the Yan Kingdom.” Bai Qingyan reached up to gently grasp Xiao Rongyan’s arm, not wanting to involve him in Jin’s war affairs: “The Jin army camp might be chaotic in a while. You’re injured, so leave first!”
“With a great battle imminent, how could a fiancé abandon his fiancée and leave?” Xiao Rongyan looked at her, his voice especially tender in the brightly lit tent: “Since A’Bao acknowledges me as your fiancé, why are you being so distant with me?”
Their eyes met, and her hand gripping Xiao Rongyan’s arm tightened slightly, her heartbeat quickening again.
Earlier, calling Xiao Rongyan her fiancé to Zhao Sheng and Yang Wuce had just been an expedient measure.
However, Bai Qingyan didn’t doubt Xiao Rongyan’s martial skills.
She nodded: “Then be careful…”
“Let me help you with your armor,” Xiao Rongyan said.
After Shen Qingzhu arranged for the Bai family guards to return to the capital to deliver messages, he came back to find Xiao Rongyan there as well, slightly surprised. Bai Qingyan was removing the iron sand bags from her body, and Shen Qingzhu stepped forward: “Eldest Miss?”
Xiao Rongyan took Bai Qingyan’s silver armor to help her put it on, and heard Bai Qingyan instruct Shen Qingzhu: “Qing Zhu, get a set of armor for Master Xiao. In half an hour, have the Bai family guards escort Physician Hong back to Yong’an City.”
Although Physician Hong was the accompanying military doctor and was needed during great battles, he was old and not like young people. Bai Qingyan would be more at ease sending him back to Yong’an City.
But she feared Physician Hong wouldn’t want to leave. While adjusting her arm guards, she continued: “If Physician Hong is unwilling to go, have him and all the military doctors follow Zhao Ran’s movements. Tell Zhao Ran that if Zhao Sheng heads to Daming Prefecture… send someone to escort Physician Hong to stay in place, and make sure to protect his safety.”
Shen Qingzhu’s expression remained calm as he asked quietly: “Eldest Miss, are we conducting a night raid on Daming Prefecture tonight?”
“Tonight, Cao Renyi, the defending general of Daming Prefecture, will likely come to attack our camp! Go prepare!” Bai Qingyan ordered.
Shen Qingzhu acknowledged and quickly left the tent…
Soon after, the Jin army camp indeed began gradually extinguishing its lights, with only a few generals’ main tents still lit.
The Liang army scouts hidden at observation points saw this and ordered two of them to return to Daming Prefecture to report, while the rest continued monitoring the Jin army camp so they could immediately report to General Cao if anything changed.