Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 1516 - 1511: Punished by Military Law

Bai Qingyan believed that Liu Pinggao and others would surely compete with Cheng Yuanzhi, eager to accompany her to the perilous lands of Yan Kingdom.

"Eldest Young Lady’s intentions, Ah Jue understands!" Bai Qingjue stood up, performed a long bow toward Bai Qingyan, and then went out to make arrangements.

After Bai Qingjue left, Bai Qingyan picked up her pen to write a letter to Xiao Rongyan, informing him of her plan to go to Yan Kingdom and asking him to issue an order to the border guards to allow her to bring herbs and a guard company into Yan Kingdom.

She calculated the time, dispatching someone to catch up with Xiao Rongyan and then for Xiao Rongyan’s order to reach the border troops. By the time Bai Qingyan gathered the herbs and reached the Yan Kingdom’s border at Dongguan City, it would be timely.

On her way to Yan Kingdom, Bai Qingyan planned to collect medicinal herbs along the way, gathering some from each city to accumulate a substantial amount. If she only collected from one or two cities, it might shake up the medicine prices, affecting the local people’s ability to buy medicinal herbs, not to mention that profit-seeking merchants might hoard them given the current epidemic in Yan Kingdom.

After writing the letter and sealing it with wax, Bai Qingyan was about to call for Xingchen when she remembered she had left Xingchen in Dongyi Kingdom’s capital, beside Tuoba Yao, to ensure Tuoba Yao’s safety.

"Weisu..." Bai Qingyan called once.

The candlelight flickered as Weisu appeared in the center of the large tent, kneeling on one knee: "At your service!"

She pushed the letter to the other end of the desk: "This letter is to be delivered immediately to the Regent Prince of Yan Kingdom; do not delay."

Weisu stood up, bent forward, took the letter with both hands, and left.

Bai Qingyan frowned, calculating the days. November... Yan lands are very cold. After the epidemic, she feared snow disasters and famines would follow. Therefore, it was urgent to find a cure for the epidemic and urge Wei Bugong to start dispatching grain to the Yan lands to prevent any issue.

·

As Bai Qingyan expected, when Bai Qingjue gathered the commanders and asked who would risk joining him in escorting His Majesty to the Yan lands of Zhou Territory, Cheng Yuanzhi was the first to step forward, stating that the Bai family army ought to take on the task. Liu Pinggao was equally insistent, stating that the Anping army was willing to go.

"Cheng Yuanzhi, now His Majesty has ascended the throne as the Emperor; he is our Zhou’s Emperor, not just your Bai family’s Young General Bai!" Liu Rushi clasped his fists and slightly bowed upward, continuing, "The Anping army consists of soldiers serving His Majesty too. Why should only your Bai family army be responsible for escorting the Emperor? What’s the reason for this!"

"Indeed! All lands under heaven belong to the Emperor; surely the Emperor isn’t just an Emperor for your Bai family!" A young officer standing behind Liu Pinggao shouted loudly.

"Why isn’t he part of our Bai family army! Have you not heard of our name? Our Bai family army bears the Bai surname... being the Emperor’s direct lineage! The Bai family’s sister is our Bai family’s Young General Bai!" Lu Yuanpeng chimed in.

Sima Ping stood at the back and did not stop Lu Yuanpeng because he understood Bai family’s seventh son, Bai Qingjue’s intention in bringing together the generals here. It seemed he was waiting for the Bai family army and Anping army to quarrel endlessly before assigning the escort duty to the Anping army, letting them understand that the Emperor valued them too.

The Bai family army being the Emperor’s direct lineage was true but if the Emperor only trusted his Bai family army, it might dishearten other soldiers.

Aware of this, Sima Ping simply retreated to the side, crossed his arms, leaned against his master, watching these muscular men with simple minds argue fiercely, almost rolling up sleeves ready to brawl, contemplating where to get a handful of sunflower seeds to munch on while enjoying the spectacle, until he saw Bai Jinzhi entering from outside.

Bai Jinzhi looked at the Bai family army with Cheng Yuanzhi and Lu Yuanpeng as the main force, tiptoeing and stretching his neck to shout at Liu Pinggao, who was equally unwilling to concede, tiptoeing and shouting back, his face flushed, neck thick with anger, sleeves rolled up shouting: "Are the Bai family army ready to challenge our Anping army to a fight over who wins and escorts the Emperor?"

Seeing this situation, Bai Jinzhi unexpectedly refrained from getting involved, she stepped back outside, leaned against the column of the corridor, opened a pouch stolen from Yingshuang, snacked on some treats while watching Bai family army generals and Anping army generals arguing fiercely.

Sima Ping noticed Bai Jinzhi enjoying the commotion, occasionally unable to restrain herself from standing up, controlling herself from speaking out, clenched her fists surreptitiously cheering on Cheng Yuanzhi and Lu Yuanpeng, with eyes filled with amusement and brows full of gentle warmth.

Feeling the timing was right, Bai Qingjue prepared to intervene, his peripheral vision catching sight of Sima Ping standing beside him with crossed arms. Following Sima Ping’s gaze, he saw Bai Jinzhi outside munching snacks and watching avidly, even wishing everyone would start fighting, sighed and spoke: "Generals! Generals pause for a moment, this Prince has something to say..."

On hearing this, Cheng Yuanzhi shouted at Liu Pinggao, who was baring his teeth: "Loyal Prince has something to say, why are you shouting, as if your voice is louder than mine, Old Cheng!"

Liu Pinggao was about to shout back when Bai Qingjue’s voice suddenly rose: "Cheng Yuanzhi, Liu Pinggao listen to my command!"

Breathless, the two faced Bai Qingjue, kneeling on one knee in a commander’s posture, awaiting orders, even Sima Ping withdrew his gaze and knelt down together.

"Cheng Yuanzhi and Lord Yinghui will lead the Bai family army to escort the King of Hancheng back to Hancheng, after burying the King of Hancheng, return to Dadu City!" Bai Qingjue’s voice fell just as Cheng Yuanzhi strained his neck ready to argue, Bai Qingjue stiffened his face glaring at Cheng Yuanzhi, "Don’t forget your promise to the King of Hancheng, to take care of the Princess of Hancheng!"

Cheng Yuanzhi thought of the King of Hancheng, suddenly sealing his lips, clasping his fists and accepting the order: "Cheng Yuanzhi accepts the order!"

"General Cheng escorting the King of Hancheng is rightful, but other members of the Bai family army can still escort the Emperor!" Lu Yuanpeng said as he turned to find Sima Ping kneeling in a far corner, speaking up, "Sima Ping and I can do it! We can surely protect the Emperor well! Seventh Brother... it is a place of epidemic, only the Bai family army can protect the Emperor, the Emperor can be at ease!"

"Nonsense! Lu Yuanpeng I think you..."

"Enough!" Bai Qingjue interrupted the Anping army’s commander’s words, slowly spoke, "The Emperor now is the Zhou’s Emperor, be it the Bai family army or the Anping army, all are Zhou’s soldiers, all are the Emperor’s soldiers, all are the Emperor’s direct lineage! Whoever escorts the Emperor... the Emperor will be at ease! The Emperor originally preferred the Anping army to escort, since the Anping army is willing, let the Anping army escort the Emperor into Yan."

"But we..."

Lu Yuanpeng still wanted to fight for it, but was interrupted by Bai Qingjue raising his hand, "This matter is the Emperor’s will, no more discussion! Whoever disobeys will be handled by military law! Go prepare yourselves!"