Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress

Soon the giant elephants waded across the Danshui River. Perhaps because they were scorched and burned by the raging fire, the sudden touch of water made them feel alive again, and they stood in the water unwilling to leave.

However, the rushing river quickly washed away the heat from their bodies, and they had to go ashore because of the cold, following the sound of the bone whistle, heading towards Quanya City.

Shen Kunyang led his men in pursuit, wiping out the Tianfeng Kingdom soldiers left in the rear; after capturing a significant number of prisoners, he looked across the Danshui River and saw the pitiful figures of just a dozen elephants clumsily emerging from the river, fleeing in disarray, and ordered the retreat to be signaled.

To this point, this battle... the Giant Elephant Army led by Sal Khan of the Tianfeng Kingdom was reduced to just over a dozen left. With minimal soldier losses, this was considered a grand victory for them!

Shen Kunyang ordered to halt not only because pursuing a cornered enemy is unwise, but also because they initially didn't plan to cross to the opposite bank of the Danshui River.

"Clean the battlefield!" Shen Kunyang turned his horse and shouted loudly.

Bai Qingyu, having traveled all the way, knew the battle was over, thus recalled the troops to the city first, leaving half of the soldiers to clean the battlefield, and instructed to bring back the elephant meat that wasn't entirely burned to see if it could be made into military rations.

"On New Year's Eve, let the Huotou Army try if this elephant meat can make dumplings!" Bai Qingyu said and turned his horse, leading the troops back to the city.

In the last month of the first year of Yuanhe, on the 29th day, the allied forces of Zhou and Yan launched an attack on the Tianfeng Kingdom's Elephant Army occupying Pingdu City, resulting in a disastrous defeat for Tianfeng Kingdom.

After a night of nerve-wracking battle, the soldiers were immersed in the joy of defeating the giant elephants. After all, these elephants were considered invincible in their eyes; unexpectedly, overnight, all these elephants perished at Pingdu City and Hanwen Mountain.

At daylight, they extinguished the flames, descended to harvest elephant meat and armor from the elephants, excitedly chattering about eating dumplings made from the giant elephant on New Year's Eve, as if they were consuming prey caught by their own hands.

On the 30th of the last month, New Year's Eve, the soldiers couldn't help but think of their families upon seeing the harvested elephant meat; tears welled up in their eyes... If only their own parents, wives, and children could taste this elephant meat.

While soldiers from both armies were busy clearing the battlefield, Bai Jinzhi watched the giant elephant armor brought back by the soldiers, contemplating how many weapons could be forged from it. She then heard that the Zhou soldiers and Yan Army were nearly at each other's throats outside the city.

With a surge of anger reaching her head, Bai Jinzhi paused to consider that in the future, the two countries would become one, forcibly suppressing her anger, and sent someone to inform her eldest sister and fifth brother, who were discussing matters in Pingdu City with the Ninth Prince of Yan and Yan's General Xie Xun. Then, she leaped onto a horse and said, "Take me there and let's have a look!"

·

Upon hearing Bai Qingyan elaborate on the method of distributing the armor from the Elephant Army, Shen Kunyang hesitated to speak, glancing at the Ninth Prince of the Yan, who wore a silver mask.

Murong Yan pondered briefly before saying, "Although this operation was a joint effort of both countries, the number of troops dispatched by Yan was not as many as that of Zhou, and the ambush at Hanwen Mountain was also set by Zhou. Our Yan gained more elephants compared to Zhou, which is unfair to Zhou. Hence, Yan will only take the Elephant Army from outside the northern gate to the front of Hanwen Mountain!"

Xie Xun clenched his fists, feeling discontent, "My Prince, if that's the case... I'm afraid the soldiers below won't agree."

Though Yan dispatched fewer troops, without Yan's involvement, Tianfeng Kingdom wouldn't have suffered such heavy losses before the Elephant Army reached Hanwen Mountain, right?

Moreover, whether it's Lord Gaoyi and Yang Wuce leading soldiers to seize the city or setting the ambush at Hanwen Mountain, the Zhou soldiers held the higher ground, and only during Gaoyi and Yang Wuce's city capture did Zhou suffer greater losses. In the ambush at Hanwen Mountain, Zhou's troops from the high ground suffered almost no losses at all.

But Yan is different; Yan soldiers faced the Elephant Army head-on, suffering significant losses!

Xie Xun had no qualms about the city being seized by Zhou and given to Zhou, but the giant elephants, if not taken more, should at least be divided equally.

Bai Qingyan was well aware of Yan's situation. Due to Yan's geographical location, they didn't produce as many minerals as Zhou. Now with Jin Dynasty replaced by Zhou, naturally, the mountains Xiao Rongyan purchased in Jin Kingdom reverted to Zhou's hands.

Even if Yan could now mine from Wei Kingdom, crafting weapons would still take time. But the armor from the Tianfeng Kingdom stripped from these giant elephants could be made into sharp weapons, and the elephant meat could be dried for rations. While it's a mere drop in the bucket insufficient to alleviate Yan's food shortage, it still served as a goodwill gesture from Zhou.

"This time, Yan Army at the north gate couldn't rely on high ground, directly facing the Tianfeng Kingdom Elephant Army, and the losses were significant! Besides... it was a collaboration of both countries initially, Zhou first captured the city and gained Pingdu City. Regarding the elephants... Zhou should take a bit more." Bai Qingyan considered the long term, "After all, both countries need to cooperate more in the future. This time I give in a little, next time you give in a little, that way we can go further together, otherwise if we all staunchly hold onto our own interests when dividing these spoils, over time, everyone will feel shortchanged, which might lead to internal conflicts."

Hearing Bai Qingyan speak, Xie Xun turned towards her with admiration, fearing his prince might refuse, he immediately straightened his posture, bowed to Bai Qingyan, and said, "I am deeply impressed by Emperor Zhou's generosity! I sincerely admire and am grateful to you!"

Xie Xun felt that Bai Qingyan's magnanimity probably related to Zhou's abundant confidence. The former Jin Kingdom was already wealthy, and after Bai Qingyan conquered Daliang, providing people with epidemic treatment and medicine, it could be said that they surrendered more and fought less, losing little strength.

Whereas Yan was won through hard fighting.

Thus, Zhou had the luxury to act magnanimously, but Yan lacked such confidence.

·

Outside Pingyang City.

Still stained with blood and unable to change out of armor, Zhou soldiers stood on one side while similarly unreturned Yan soldiers lined the other, distinctly separated, noisy and pointing at each other. Each bore a fierce countenance; the air was thick with tension, with a battle seemingly ready to break out at any moment.

"Could it be that the Tianfeng Kingdom was only defeated by your Zhou alone? Why did you take Pingdu City and the giant elephants inside, claiming them all... even the elephants in Hanwen Mountain are yours! Did our Yan troops dispatch for nothing?" Yan soldiers loudly demanded, their throats nearing a shout.

Unwilling to show weakness, a Zhou soldier took a step forward, roaring, "Our Lord Gaoyi fought into the city, driving these elephants to the south gate of Pingdu City, and wasn't it your Yan army that ambushed at the south gate? If you want elephants, why didn't you kill them yourself! You couldn't keep them from escaping, and now you're greedy for our bounty! If you wanted them... why didn't you bring more troops to ambush at Hanwen Mountain?"