Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress

He clenched his molars, looking at the densely packed Zhou soldiers raising the black sail with the white python flag, and sneered, "Surrounded but not attacking, it's merely because they don't have the courage to assault the city, yet they can't bear the fact that our Tianfeng Kingdom, with its Elephant Army, besieged and fought at Pingyang City previously. Stubbornly maintaining appearances while trying to display a façade of fearlessness in front of us Tianfeng Kingdom!"

The Great Shaman's disciple followed beside Sal Khan, feeling inexplicably ominous seeing that black sail with the white python flag. He suggested, "Your Majesty, why not we withdraw from Pingdu City first? Show subservience to Zhou, lower our posture... offer gold, silver, and smiles to deceive Zhou... make Zhou believe we Tianfeng Kingdom are not their match, perhaps then Zhou and Yan would be willing to lease us lands and cities!"

Lowering their stance to deceive Zhou was Sal Khan's strategy towards Zhou, but at this moment, amidst being surrounded by Zhou, hearing the disciple of the Great Shaman suggest it, he unexpectedly felt extremely displeased.

"Backing down and withdrawing from Pingdu City is definite, but… it needs to be suggested by Zhou and Yan, then we can use withdrawing from Pingdu City as one of the conditions to maneuver Zhou into leasing us a city!" Sal Khan braced the walls of Pingdu City with both hands, his gaze fixed on the Zhou soldiers, "Even if it forces Li Tianfu to give all of Pingdu City and Danshui River to Zhou, we'll establish ourselves at Quanya City on the opposite bank of Danshui River!"

As long as they can trade with Zhou, allowing Tianfeng Kingdom caravans to enter Zhou to search for the jade cicada, Sal Khan could even consider Quanya City as borrowed from Zhou, to foster a good relationship with Zhou!

Sal Khan thought clearly, just in front of Quanya City lies the natural barrier of Danshui River, retreating to beyond Danshui River would indeed have its advantages for their Tianfeng Kingdom.

The Great Shaman's disciple looked towards the distant direction of Pingyang City and then focused on Bai Jinzhi riding out from the dense cavalry of heavy armor on a white horse, saying, "Based on our intel, Zhou is not a warlike nation, as long as we show our sincerity and make every effort to display our friendliness and goodwill, it seems Zhou would also be willing to coexist peacefully with us!"

Sal Khan shook his head, recalling the scene during the Four-Nation Alliance when he tried to approach Bai Qingyan, thinking women were tender-hearted, yet Bai Qingyan ruthlessly exposed Tianfeng Kingdom's scheming, he said, "Not necessarily, that Emperor of Zhou is exceptionally clever, fully aware of our Tianfeng Kingdom's plotting, I'm afraid she… has a heart of stone!"

The jade cicada being in Zhou truly puts one in a predicament.

"Have the soldiers prepare, bring up all the stones and fire oils to guard against Zhou's attack!" Sal Khan gritted his teeth, and after a moment of thought, said, "Let the Xiliang soldiers come up to the walls to defend! Tell them our Tianfeng Kingdom is fighting on their behalf, and if Pingdu City falls, Tianfeng Kingdom won't care!"

"Yes!" The young general of Tianfeng Kingdom acknowledged the order and complied.

·

Bai Jinzhi rode forward on a white horse, raised her arm, and pointed the red-tasseled silver spear at the Tianfeng Kingdom commander on the giant elephant, casually shouting, "Want to negotiate? Sure! First, get off that elephant; I, your aunt, don't like talking with my neck craned!"

The Tianfeng Kingdom commander on the elephant was infuriated by Bai Jinzhi's arrogant demeanor but remembered his Sovereign's orders and the Elephant Army General who had his head cut off after assaulting Zhou's Pingyang City with thirty elephants before, he curbed his anger and patted the elephant's head.

The giant elephant let out a long trumpeting sound, its front legs slowly kneeling down.

Once the giant elephant lay in the snow, the Tianfeng Kingdom commander stood up, stepped on the elephant's head, held onto the elephant's trunk, and dismounted, handing his saber to the soldier following him, he then stepped forward, saluting, "May I request the General to dismount for talks."

Bai Jinzhi watched the way the Tianfeng Kingdom commander dismounted from the elephant, raising an eyebrow, thinking that dismounting from an elephant was quite an impressive sight, and when they win and return, she'd also like a giant elephant as a mount; it's a standout in battle.

Shen Qingzhu, riding beside Bai Jinzhi, surveyed the Tianfeng Kingdom commander, confirmed that the commander was unarmed, and nodded at Bai Jinzhi.

Bai Jinzhi thrust the red-tasseled silver spear into the ground with force and dismounted with a flip, landing steadily as she walked towards the Tianfeng Kingdom commander.

Shen Qingzhu also dismounted, protecting Bai Jinzhi.

"I wonder if the reason Lord of Gaoyi led Zhou soldiers to besiege the city today is because yesterday... our Tianfeng Kingdom's commander, accompanying the Empress of Xiliang, recklessly attacked the city while retrieving the traitor Li Zhijie at Pingyang City?"

"Did your Tianfeng Kingdom's envoys not deliver my elder sister's message? Your Tianfeng Kingdom dared to attack me… dared to kill my Bai family's guards, do you think you can just brush past this as if nothing happened without asking if I'll agree, Bai Jinzhi?" Bai Jinzhi's eyes looked towards the walls of Pingdu City, "I, Bai Jinzhi, am here today for revenge! I've destroyed Daliang, do you think I'd fear destroying a small Tianfeng Kingdom?"

Following her Fifth Brother's instructions before leaving with the troops, Bai Jinzhi confronted Tianfeng Kingdom arrogantly.

She needed to stall long enough for her Fifth Brother and General Shen Kunyang to prepare! And hold out until the Yan Army arrives! Also, stall until the Huoyun Army reaches Pingyang City.

However, the Tianfeng Kingdom commander chuckled, "Lord of Gaoyi is indeed a young hero, naturally not afraid! However, our Tianfeng Kingdom's Elephant Army is not so easily vanquished either! Out of thirty elephants besieged and hunted by both Zhou and Yan, over a dozen managed to return, imagine the power of the giant elephants!"

Seeing Bai Jinzhi raise her hand to point at him as if angrily shamed, the Tianfeng Kingdom commander quickly saluted, continuing, "But… our Tianfeng Kingdom was invited by Xiliang to eliminate the Rong's threat, and now that the Rong threat is gone, our Tianfeng Kingdom in the spirit of friendship wishes to trade with Zhou… to benefit both nations' citizens, we have no desire for war with Zhou! There is always a solution to everything, why don't the two nations sit down and talk?"

Bai Jinzhi aimed for Tianfeng Kingdom to propose talks.

"Alright! We can talk, but… I can't make the call on this matter! Why don't your Tianfeng Kingdom's Monarch personally go to Pingyang City to speak with my elder sister and our Chief of Staff Minister Liu?" Bai Jinzhi's lips curled into a smile.

"Oh Lord of Gaoyi, you're jesting again. Even if our Tianfeng Kingdom's Monarch wishes for friendly relations with Zhou, your army currently heavily besieging the city, and now demanding our King to enter Pingyang City, we are genuinely afraid!" the Tianfeng Kingdom commander said.

"Then how do you propose we talk!" Bai Jinzhi asked, exasperated, "Should we fight our way in and then talk?"

"The Zhou Empress is presently pregnant, and with the snow falling, why not invite Minister Liu here, and we can talk under Pingdu City…"