Chapter 230
“When the Xiliang army besieged Feng County, I was on the city wall helping to bandage the wounds of the Bai family army. I… witnessed with my own eyes the Xiliang commander beheading and disemboweling the ten-year-old Young General of the Bai family…”
Ji Langhua choked on her words and struggled to continue. She wiped her tears with her sleeve and said, “I also heard with my own ears General Jiyong shouting that the Bai family army would fight to the last man, swearing never to retreat! Everyone in the Bai family army, from Commander Bai… to the ordinary soldiers, died to protect the people! As someone whose life is as insignificant as grass, I also want… to contribute to the soldiers.”
Hearing the words “Feng County,” Bai Qingyan couldn’t help but think of Bai Qingming and the seventeenth child, feeling an overwhelming sadness. She sighed painfully: “Feng County…”
“Yes! Feng County…” Ji Langhua’s throat tightened painfully.
Bai Qingyan seemed to see through Ji Langhua’s veil to the grim scar on her face. Her sorrowful voice became hoarse, “In that case, you must live well, don’t let down… the Bai family army who have died.”
Ji Langhua, hearing Bai Qingyan’s words that were just like Bai Qingming’s, tearfully agreed.
She finished bandaging Bai Qingyan’s wounds, carefully helped her put on the armor that hadn’t yet been cleaned of bloodstains, bowed to send her off.
Shen Liangyu, who had already finished bandaging her wounds yet hadn’t rested, was carrying a jar of wine to Bai Jinzhi’s tent. She saw Bai Qingyan coming out of the tent for treating the wounded soldiers and stepped forward hurriedly, “Young General Bai!”
“Why haven’t you gone to rest?” Bai Qingyan’s gaze fell on Shen Liangyu’s freshly bandaged wound.
“I thought of today’s Fourth Miss being injured and brought this for her…” Shen Liangyu raised the wine jar with a smile.
Perhaps saving Bai Qingyun had put Shen Liangyu in high spirits; she looked completely unfatigued.
“Honey wine!” Bai Qingyan reached out to take it, “I’ve had this before! I heard it’s a family secret recipe of yours! I’ll take it to the fourth one, you go rest!”
“Yes!” Shen Liangyu nodded, seeing the bloodstains on Bai Qingyan’s armor and asked, “Has Young General Bai been injured too? Is it serious?”
She shook her head, “It’s all the blood of the Xiliang soldiers!”
Shen Liangyu breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, clasped her fists in farewell, and went back to rest.
After a night of fierce battle, Shen Liangyu indeed needed rest.
·
At this moment, the Crown Prince was fully awake. He gathered his cloak tightly, listening to Mr. Fang’s slow voice.
“No matter what malicious intent Xiliang hides, this time our Huying Camp’s men infiltrating Qiushan Pass and discovering these experts disguised as Jin soldiers led to a big fight. King Yan of Xiliang must be frightened. They will either pretend nothing happened and not mention it! Or they will act first to gain the upper hand!”
Qin Shangzhi looked up at Mr. Fang sitting under the lamp, nodding slightly in agreement.
Mr. Fang stroked his goatee, his eyes half-closed, “As long as they act… we can know Xiliang’s intentions! That’s why I told the Crown Prince to observe the developments! If they don’t move, we also don’t move, pretending this matter never happened! Otherwise, we’ll have to explain why we sent Huying Camp into Qiushan Pass, which would damage the Jin Kingdom’s reputation among other nations!”
Hearing Mr. Fang’s latter words, Qin Shangzhi widened his eyes, almost fainting in anger. He agreed with the former part but could not accept the latter.
“Your Highness! Qin agrees with Mr. Fang’s earlier words. But Huying Camp going to Qiushan Pass was mainly because the timing of this negotiation was clearly arranged by Xiliang. King Yan of Xiliang used various excuses in the negotiating tent to delay and change the date. How could we not be cautious?! What if Xiliang harbored some plot? But instead, they had a group of experts dressed as Jin soldiers hidden in Qiushan Pass. What were they planning? We are the winning nation… Xiliang must give us an explanation!” Qin Shangzhi said angrily.
“Mr. Qin is young and impetuous! Last time, in the Battle of Wengshan, General Bai burned and killed 100,000 Xiliang captives, and other countries already view us as a brutal, wolf-like nation! Now, just after signing the peace treaty, we sent troops to Qiushan Pass at night before they handed over the city, leveraging our victor’s status! Do we still want our reputation among other nations? How will they see our Jin Kingdom?” Mr. Fang didn’t even look at Qin Shangzhi, but clasped his fists to the Crown Prince, “Your Highness, please reconsider!”
Qin Shangzhi saw the Crown Prince nodding and felt a wave of anger almost choking him. He tightly pursed his lips and remained silent.
The Crown Prince let his hand emerge from his black cloak to warm by the fire and said, “For now, we will follow Mr. Fang’s plan, using stillness to counter movement! Mr. Qin and Mr. Ren, you should both go rest; I have more to discuss with Mr. Fang.”
Qin Shangzhi, feeling stifled, got up, bowed, and turned to leave, while Ren Shijie respectfully saluted the Crown Prince and Mr. Fang before exiting the tent.
Mr. Fang eyed Qin Shangzhi’s angry back, scoffed, then turned to the Crown Prince with a gentle and respectful demeanor, “Is His Highness troubled?”
The Crown Prince shook his head and opened his hand to show Mr. Fang the Commander’s Seal.
Mr. Fang looked slightly surprised, “The Commander’s Seal?!”
“I returned just now, too tired to summon Mr. Fang immediately! This Commander’s Seal was voluntarily handed over by Bai Qingyan after the peace negotiation ended! She said she hadn’t submitted it earlier because the treaty wasn’t signed and feared Xiliang would go back on their word! Now that the treaty’s signed, she returned the seal! Not only that…” The Crown Prince looked at the flickering fire in the brazier, his tone nostalgic, “Bai Qingyan also petitioned to have the Bai family army garrison Tonggu Mountain. One Bai family general stationed at Zhongshan City and another at Bailong City, to guard while training soldiers for me!”
Mr. Fang was slightly taken aback. He thought about the locations of Tonggu Mountain, Bailong City, and Zhongshan City, frowning, “To have the Bai family generals guard the cities and train troops for Your Highness… means… allowing the Bai family generals to lead Jin soldiers? Your Highness must be cautious!”
“Mr. Fang… you’re overly cautious!” The Crown Prince smiled, “Bai Qingyan also said I could send loyal generals to co-guard Bailong City and Zhongshan City with the Bai family generals. The Bai generals would train the troops while my loyalists command them! That way… the elite soldiers of the Jin Kingdom would be for my use! Where the sword points… they will follow! Considering her poor health, she could only entrust the Bai family army to me.”
Seeing the Crown Prince’s expression, Mr. Fang knew he had deep trust in Bai Qingyan. “Your Highness, what about Huying Camp? How did Bai Qingyan arrange them?”
The Crown Prince was taken aback, squinting, “Bai Qingyan… didn’t mention it! But I’m sure if I make arrangements, Bai Qingyan won’t oppose!”
Mr. Fang thought of Bai Qingyan’s respectful attitude towards him earlier, stroked his goatee, nodded, “His Highness is benevolent and virtuous, even a valiant general like Bai Qingyan submits to Your Highness! Congratulations… for having the Bai family army under your command!”