“Who isn’t afraid of death?” Bai Qingyan said with a smile. “Even Emperor Qin Shi Huang was afraid… otherwise, why would he have sent Xu Fu to seek the elixir of immortality?”
Some soldiers nodded in agreement, and the boldest ones said to Bai Qingyan, “But we’ve heard that Princess Zhenguo isn’t afraid of death. In your early campaigns… You always fought alongside the death-defying soldiers, serving as the vanguard!”
Bai Qingyan, dressed in silver armor, smiled as she sat down nearby, waving her hand to indicate the soldiers should all sit, then slowly began to speak: “I’m also human—how could I not be afraid of death? I remember when I was thirteen and first went to battle with my grandfather. That was the first time I truly saw heads rolling, saw the severed limbs and broken bodies of enemies and comrades alike. I vomited terribly, ran a high fever that very night, and felt like retreating. I wanted to return to the capital and was unwilling to remain on the battlefield…”
The soldiers in the medical camp all gathered closer, wanting to hear Bai Qingyan’s detailed account.
Yue Shi very perceptively brought a stool for Xiao Rongyan, who sat down composedly, his profound gaze never leaving Bai Qingyan’s smiling face.
She looked toward the old soldier who had lost an ear and wanted to find a chance to escape, saying, “At that time, I was just like you, wanting to be a deserter! I told my grandfather… we’re all equally human, all born and raised by parents. Though we’re from different countries now, we share the same writing, the same cart tracks, the same measurements, the same customs. What difference is there between us and the people of one Kingdom? Hundreds of years ago, when Emperor Qin unified the realm, we were all people of one Kingdom! Why must there be bloodshed and sacrifice? Why must it be that today you fight me… tomorrow I fight you! Why can’t we let tenant farmers focus on farming? Why can’t we let scholars in their prime read and study, pass examinations, and use their knowledge to strengthen the Kingdom and benefit the people?”
“Whose life in this world isn’t precious? Who wasn’t born crying and raised with parental love? Did our parents birth us and raise us for over ten years into adulthood… just so we could raise golden weapons against other families’ good sons and bury ourselves on the battlefield?”
When Bai Qingyan spoke with these soldiers, her pace was neither fast nor loud, speaking slowly and steadily, resonating with the soldiers.
Who didn’t cherish their life? Who wanted to come to this battlefield to bleed and sacrifice?
Xiao Rongyan observed the solemn expressions of the surrounding soldiers, quietly watching Bai Qingyan.
“I asked my grandfather, exactly… why do we fight wars? Is it truly to protect our homes and people, or is it for the interests of the ruling monarchs of our mother countries, making ordinary people bleed and sacrifice? Today, it’s one Kingdom’s ruler coveting another’s fertile lands, so he sends troops to war. How many soldiers die or are wounded matters nothing to them. The court rulers only care whether they can take the territory they want, and to them, the dead soldiers are merely simple numbers. Which ruler knows the names of those soldiers who died for their selfish desires?!”
“Tomorrow, it’s this Kingdom’s ruler feeling slighted by another nation, so he commands soldiers to war, as if only this way can prove their spines are straight! But why must a monarch’s honor and disgrace be washed clean with countless soldiers’ blood… why doesn’t this ruler personally take to the battlefield to wash away the shame?! Or like today’s Emperor Liang, for his son’s vendetta, disregarding the people’s lives… disregarding soldiers’ bloodshed and sacrifice, insisting on fighting to the death for revenge! But if he truly wants revenge, why doesn’t he come forward with a blade himself?! His son’s life is precious! But don’t the bleeding, sacrificing soldiers all have parents too? Were they all born from stones?!”
Xiao Rongyan’s palms tightened. Bai Qingyan’s words could be considered extremely bold—this… could be counted as challenging imperial authority.
The soldiers were also shocked by Bai Qingyan’s words, whispering and discussing among themselves.
Bai Qingyan stood up unhurriedly, seemingly unaware that her words were startling: “I also asked my grandfather… when will this world truly have peace, when will there be no more warfare!”
She surveyed the soldiers surrounding her and declared loudly: “My grandfather told me that all our campaigns are to protect our homes and people! Moreover, they’re for the unification of the realm! Only when the realm is unified and all under heaven are one family can the people achieve eternal peace! The Bai family and the Bai family army protect and pacify the people… but we protect not only the people of Jin, but all people under heaven! We pacify… not only the people of Jin, but all people in the world! This is the Bai family’s generational aspiration; this is the original intention of the Bai ancestors in establishing the Bai family army! Being able to leave mountains of gold and silver for descendants is a capability, but being able to secure worry-free, fear-free, peaceful mountains and rivers for descendants… that is truly establishing hearts for heaven and earth, establishing destiny for the people—true heroes! True champions!”
“I tell you all this today not to show you how lofty the Bai ancestors’ aspirations were, how their hearts embraced all seas! I’m telling you all… the Bai ancestors were also human, afraid of death! But even though afraid, the reason they had to continue fighting this war was so that our children and grandchildren wouldn’t have to barely survive in the chaotic world we live in! So that our children and grandchildren wouldn’t have to spill their blood on battlefields for the gains and losses of monarchs’ imperial interests!”
“The reason I’m willing to be the vanguard despite my fear of death is for just four words… peace under heaven!”
Bai Qingyan held up four fingers, emphasizing each word, then withdrew one finger. As her words fell, her raised hand had already clenched tightly into a fist.
“Whether Liang people or Jin people, all are people under heaven! Our current military campaign here is different from any previous warfare! We gather here today… not to fight for the interests of various ruling powers! But to fight for our children and grandchildren! To fight for peace under heaven!” Bai Qingyan cupped her fists and surveyed the soldiers around her who were already fired up with passion. “Therefore, Bai Qingyan humbly requests that you all fight alongside Bai Qingyan, so that this world… will have no more warfare and killing! No more bloodshed and sacrifice! Bai Qingyan will do everything in her power throughout this life to let you all witness the unification of the realm, peace under heaven, people living and working in peace and contentment… enjoying the prosperity of a peaceful golden age!”
Bai Qingyan’s voice was resounding and stirring, making the soldiers’ blood surge with passion.
A young soldier standing in front who had lost an eye, with reddened eyes, knelt on one knee, cupped his fists, and shouted: “Sworn to follow Princess Zhenguo to the death!”
The soldiers now in this medical camp weren’t moved by Bai Qingyan’s empty words alone, but because Bai Qingyan’s actions were consistent with what she said today.
Everyone said Bai Qingyan was a god of killing, but when Bai Qingyan captured Liang cities, she ordered the entire army not to plunder the people, and even helped the people treat epidemic diseases!
Especially outside Liuzhou City, Bai Qingyan sent Jin soldiers and military doctors to treat the people in the Taoist temple, and even unafraid that Liang physicians might glimpse the medicinal formulas, she sent the prescriptions back to Liang’s capital… risking the loss of what Jin could best use to pressure Liang in future negotiations.
Not only that, Bai Qingyan also had General Zhao give the prescriptions to Master Yang Wu Ce, having Yang Wu Ce send them to the capital to save more Great Liang people.