Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 184

Chapter 184: Chapter 183: The Military’s Heart is in Chaos_1

“We must thank Yun Poxing. If not for Yun Poxing, the treacherous villains in court, along with the Emperor, would have devised all kinds of schemes to prevent me from coming to Nanjing! The Crown Prince would have used every possible means to stop me from marching into battle and joining the Bai family’s army! I would have been left to languish in Dadu City, watching helplessly as the last ten thousand soldiers of my Bai family were used as pawns, fighting to their deaths in Nanjing!”

“From my grandfather to every elite soldier charging into battle, the Bai family’s army has never harbored rebellious intentions. They are the most loyal and brave warriors of the Jin Kingdom! We swear to fight for tranquility and peace for the people! For the unification of the world! But now, the Emperor and the treacherous villains in the court only wish to discard us once we have outlived our usefulness!”

“We will not rebel! But today, since I, Bai Qingyan, have taken up the black flag with the white python emblem of the Bai family’s army, I swear to protect my soldiers, even if it means using underhanded tactics that go against our family’s principles and ancestral teachings! The brave elite soldiers of the Bai family can die on the battlefield, under volleys of enemy arrows, but they must not fall to the vile schemes of treacherous men.”

The Bai family’s soldiers, donned in mourning cloth, felt a fierce flame ignite in their chests as they listened to Bai Qingyan’s words. Their bodies grew hot and numb, and their eyes welled up with tears.

Bai Qingyan clasped her hands in salute, respectfully bowed to the soldiers of the Bai family, and knelt on one knee, lifting the hem of her armor: “I, Bai Qingyan, vow to the martyrs of the Bai family who perished in Nanjing, to the twenty-three heroic spirits of our family! In three years, I, Bai Qingyan, will bring back Yun Poxing’s head to exact vengeance! Trust me, everyone!”

“Young General Bai!” Cheng Yuanzhi, a tall and burly man, knelt with tear-filled eyes.

The spirited men of the Bai family’s army also knelt down.

“We trust Young General Bai! Life and death, without doubt!”

These three years were the time she gave to Yun Poxing and herself.

In three years, she would ensure that no one in the entire Jin Kingdom dared harm the members of her Bai family!

In three years, she would ensure that no one in the entire Jin Kingdom dared covet the Bai family’s army!

In three years, she would avenge the past wrongs!

After consoling the Bai family’s soldiers, Bai Qingyan stood up solemnly and said, “Letting Yun Poxing go earlier, once he returns to the Xiliang camp already disrupted by the burnt supplies, the demoralized Xiliang army will see that out of Yun Poxing’s hundreds of thousands of men, only a few dozen have returned. Knowing that Yun Poxing suffered a crushing defeat at Wengshan, with no supplies and the Commander defeated, the army’s morale will surely collapse!”

She tearfully commanded in a loud voice, “The soldiers of the Bai family’s army will immediately return to Wengcheng to rest. In one hour, two thousand men will join me in raiding the enemy camp to retrieve my father’s head!”

“Yes!” Cheng Yuanzhi responded with a voice as loud as a bell. Then he turned and whistled sharply with his fingers.

The Bai family’s soldiers also whistled to summon their warhorses.

Suddenly, Zhang Duanrui rode swiftly down the canyon, shouting, “General Bai! The Xiliang soldiers in the valley, seeing their Commander escaped, are surrendering. Should we have Zhen Zeping and Shi Panshan open the exit to let them out?”

Bai Qingyan looked up at Zhang Duanrui with a steadfast gaze, showing no hesitation: “Kill! Leave none alive!”

Zhang Duanrui was stunned, “But…”

It was a long-standing rule not to kill surrendered soldiers.

“If General Zhang fears bearing the infamy through the ages, I, Bai Qingyan, will bear it! Killing one more Xiliang soldier today means fewer Jin citizens will die tomorrow. With the Commander’s Seal in hand, this is my order alone and has no bearing on General Zhang!” Bai Qingyan spoke with a tone that brooked no argument.

After a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Duanrui knew that the Crown Prince’s Commander’s Seal was in Bai Qingyan’s hand. He had no choice but to salute, “As you command!”

“After exterminating all Xiliang soldiers in the valley, Generals Zhang Duanrui and Zhen Zeping will count the troops and head to Wengcheng to rest. Await further orders to retake Tianmen Pass with the Bai family’s army tomorrow morning!”