Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress

"Previously, Yun Lan mentioned the usage of the Bai family army's Huying Camp. Now that we have so many elite Huoyun soldiers, this time we will surely achieve a triumphant victory!" Yun Lingzhi said.

"Lingzhi, order your deputy general to lead the elite troops, quietly enter the city from the east gate by any means, and split your forces into two: one to infiltrate the Governor's Mansion and capture Bai Qingyan alive, and the other to open the city gate..." Yun Poxing instructed his son.

"Yes!" Yun Lingzhi accepted the command.

Yun Tianao could no longer hold back: "Grandfather, I can take the first batch of Huoyun troops to the south gate, set up a formation to draw the attention of the Zhou, and when the east gate of Pingyang City opens quietly, you can lead the Huoyun Army into the city, and I will lead them to the walls to draw their main forces."

Yun Poxing shook his head: "In warfare, Bai Qingyan is very clever. If you lead the troops from the south gate to attract attention, it may backfire and make Bai Qingyan vigilant! She might even send people to Pingdu City to order soldiers to return and support! For us, it would be a loss without any gain! We should let the Huoyun Army infiltrate the city, wait for the city gates to open... then storm in."

Yun Lingzhi nodded along: "We don't have many troops, splitting the army is not advantageous for us Xiliang!"

Just as they settled the major matters, a scout brought news that the Zhou had begun attacking Pingdu City.

"Grandfather!" Yun Tianao exclaimed excitedly, "Our army is ready!"

Yun Poxing clenched his fist, remained silent for a long time, wondering if it was because he was getting old, for lately, he often recalled the battle in the southern frontier with Bai Qingyan, which still left him in fear.

Bai Qingyan's strategies often caught people off guard.

"Grandfather!" Yun Tianao called Yun Poxing again, saying, "We can't wait any longer! Pingdu City is already in combat, and by the time they're done, our attack on Pingyang City will still not be over, or someone might go out and report, leading to a pincer attack, making our battle difficult."

Yun Poxing looked out toward the mountains outside: "Let's wait a bit longer..."

"Grandfather, we've already made our decision, what are we waiting for?" Yun Tianao was becoming impatient.

"Bai Qingyan is fond of using ambushes; entering and exiting the mountains... the terrain on both sides is high, I fear there might be an ambush!" Yun Poxing poked the fire with the stick in his hand, "I've already sent out a brigade to scout, wait for them to return, confirm there's no ambush or scouts, then it's not too late to move!"

"Grandfather, didn't King Yan already send people to scout!" Yun Tianao, young and impetuous, felt his grandfather had been scared by Bai Qingyan at Wengshan, Jinghe.

"Being cautious in warfare is never wrong! Don't be too hasty!" Yun Lingzhi told Yun Tianao, "Wait for the people your grandfather sent out to return, then it won't be late to set out."

Upon hearing this, Yun Tianao threw down the stick in his hand and sat on a rock, full of resentment.

Before long, the brigade Yun Poxing sent out to search returned, reporting to him that they had not found any ambushes, nor seen any scouts.

Yun Poxing threw the stick to the ground, leapt onto his horse, and rode quickly to the front of the army.

In the swirling snow, Yun Poxing turned his horse, speaking to the Huoyun soldiers carrying bags on their backs: "Xiliang warriors! We've suffered a grievous defeat at Wengshan! Do you know why? Because we didn't have warriors as brave as the Huying Camp! That's why our one hundred thousand Xiliang warriors were all slaughtered by Bai Qingyan in that valley, that fire that burned our Xiliang warriors turned the sky red, searing hot! Like our flaming hatred and blood! Our fathers, our brothers, all surrendered only to die in that fire! Such hatred! Can we endure it?"

"No!"

"No!"

"No!"

The young soldiers of the Huoyun Army roared loudly.

Yun Poxing's warhorse trotted as he inspected back and forth in front of the Huoyun Army: "Bai Qingyan wants our Zhou to submit to them! Wants us to use the lives of Xiliang warriors to fight the Elephant Army to prove our willingness to submit to their Zhou, but we Xiliang warriors have always rather died standing than lived kneeling!"

"Today... we have the invincible elite troops of the Huoyun Army! Every warrior of the Huoyun Army is the sharpest scimitar that Xiliang plunges into the enemy's heart! Our enemy is now in Pingyang City, who is Xiliang's most valiant warrior, who will join me in charging into Pingyang City, taking Bai Qingyan's head to honor our fallen Xiliang warriors! Using their blood... to wash away the disgrace of our defeat at Wengshan!"

Yun Poxing looked at the eager young soldiers, drew his sword from his waist, and shouted, "Set out!"

"Kill!"

At Yun Poxing's command, the Huoyun Army roared one by one, following the Xiliang general towards Pingyang City, vowing to take the head of the Zhou Emperor to wash away the disgrace of their defeat at Wengshan.

·

Bai Qingyan stood atop the east gate wall, gazing at the quiet and undisturbed dark night after the white snow in the distance, turned back and asked, "Have all the people left?"

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, they have all been settled in the Huying Army's camp, only telling them that Zhou and the Yan Kingdom would jointly attack Pingdu City tonight, asking them to leave the city and settle in the camp just in case, and return early tomorrow morning." Wei Zhong smiled gently as he spoke to Bai Qingyan, "At first, some people protested, but once they heard that Your Majesty would be staying in the city, they truly didn't take any belongings and left quietly under the cover of night with the soldiers."

Wei Zhong did not mention those unwilling to leave were forced by Shen Liangyu with a drawn sword.

Bai Qingyan nodded; she had only eighty percent certainty about the Xiliang's assault on Pingyang City today, but she couldn't risk the lives of the people, so even at the risk of Yun Poxing discovering it, she had to send the people out of the city first.

Moreover, even if discovered, knowing the Bai family's concerns, Yun Poxing might understand she was afraid the battle in Pingyang City would endanger the people, but that Li Tianjiao, bold enough to invite the Tianfeng Kingdom with its Elephant Army into Xiliang, as the Emperor of Xiliang... she had little choice left.

The Zhou, the Yan Kingdom joined together against the Tianfeng Kingdom. Winning... they would carve up Xiliang, losing... the Tianfeng Kingdom would occupy Xiliang.

Not to mention that Li Tianjiao might not know that Bai Qingyan only had the Huying Army as a hidden force that had not been exposed, but even if known... the only way was to go all out, only by capturing her, the so-called "God of Slaughter" who once killed a hundred thousand surrendering Xiliang prisoners, could Li Tianjiao restore his prestige and unite the scattered people of Xiliang!

If the Zhou and the Yan Kingdom were to defeat the Tianfeng Kingdom again, then... the Xiliang families that once followed Li Tianfu, the opportunity would turn to support Li Tianjiao, regrouping under Li Tianjiao's banner so that she could again stabilize her position as the Emperor of Xiliang.