Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 185 - 183: Shocking Waves_1

Chapter 185: Chapter 183: Shocking Waves_1

Hearing the counselor Fang Lao say this, the Crown Prince’s face grew even darker.

“That’s not right to say! We only brought fifty thousand reinforcements this time. If we keep those surrendered prisoners, we’ll have to waste manpower to guard them. What if they rebel midway? Killing them is correct!” Qin Shangzhi clasped his fists again and implored the Crown Prince. “Your Highness! Quickly order the five hundred soldiers defending the city to transport supplies! While Nanyan is still in disarray, if our army strikes with lightning speed, we’ll surely recapture Feng County!”

Listening to Qin Shangzhi’s impassioned plea, Fang Lao glanced at him calmly and slowly began, “Your Highness, our soldiers have fought fiercely all day and are already exhausted. The Nanyan troops in Feng County are still full of energy. Attacking the city now… would be disadvantageous to our army!”

Qin Shangzhi shot a glance at Fang Lao, gritting his teeth, and continued, “Your Highness! The sky above Wengshan is still a blazing red. As long as that red blaze doesn’t fade, our morale won’t drop! If we don’t seize this moment to attack while Nanyan’s troops are panicked, once Xiliang and Nanyan regroup by tomorrow morning, it will be even harder to retake Feng County!”

“Your Highness…” The sentry raised his head to look at the Crown Prince. “Should we still prepare the supplies and weapons that the Bai family’s army requested?”

“Your Highness! There’s no time to hesitate!” Qin Shangzhi gritted his teeth. “Think of the strategies General Bai has provided in the past. When have they not hit the mark? When have they ever miscalculated the enemy’s deployment? General Bai is recognized as a born military genius by even the King of Zhen! You must trust General Bai! If this time, our army can achieve a great victory over the combined forces of Nanyan and Xiliang in one night, no one will dare challenge the prestige of our Jin Kingdom again!”

The Crown Prince recalled how Bai Qingyan had accurately predicted the ambush locations in Xiliang, and he had already given the commander’s seal to Bai Qingyan. Besides Bai Qingyan, he didn’t know whom else to trust. He nodded, “Go, quickly! Follow General Bai’s instructions. Order the five hundred soldiers defending Wancheng… no! Make it eight hundred! Eight hundred soldiers to transport supplies and weapons! Hurry!”

“Yes!”

Watching the sentry run off into the distance, the Crown Prince turned back to the three counselors in front of him, clasped his fists, and bowed, “I implore the three of you to consider: how can I salvage my reputation for killing surrendered prisoners?”

“Since this battle was commanded by General Bai, and it was General Bai who ordered the mass execution of prisoners, Your Highness only needs to disassociate yourself from it and then harshly punish General Bai, even executing her to make an example. The world will surely see your benevolence. Your Highness need not worry…” Fang Lao said unhurriedly.

The Crown Prince pondered this, seriously considering Fang Lao’s advice to execute Bai Qingyan, “But… wouldn’t that reveal to others that the victory in the Battle of Wengshan wasn’t my doing?”

Qin Shangzhi saw the Crown Prince frowning under the lantern light. He felt deeply uneasy and was momentarily at a loss for emotions. The Crown Prince didn’t want to bear the infamy of killing surrendered prisoners yet still desired the credit for the victory in Wengshan. He was being too greedy.

The King of Zhen and the generals of the Bai family were already dead, removing the major forces of Jin. If the Crown Prince killed Bai Qingyan, an unparalleled talent of a century, then the Jin Kingdom would be left at the mercy of others!

Recalling how the Crown Prince always relied on Fang Lao, Qin Shangzhi’s scalp tingled with tension. He hurriedly stepped forward, “Your Highness, General Bai mustn’t be killed! This victory owes much to her! Besides formulating strategies, she fought alongside the other generals to achieve the great victory at Wengshan. If Your Highness executes General Bai, it will surely chill the hearts of the troops. Who will dare to risk their lives for Your Highness and achieve further victories for Jin?”

The Crown Prince seriously considered Qin Shangzhi’s words.

“Besides, with the Xiliang and Nanyan armies not yet retreated and the war not over, even though General Bai is a woman, she fully inherited the strategies of the King of Zhen in military planning. How can Your Highness harbor the intention to kill a strategist at this time? If General Bai dies now, not only will we fail to reclaim our lands, but even the city beneath our feet might be lost!” Qin Shangzhi’s eyes reddened.

Whether for public or private reasons, Qin Shangzhi wanted to protect Bai Qingyan.

“Mr. Qin’s words are laughable. Could it be… our Jin Kingdom relies on a woman to win battles?” Fang Lao rarely got angry, glaring at Qin Shangzhi. He cupped his hands and bowed to the Crown Prince, “Mr. Qin’s words place the Crown Prince in an unfavorable position. What about the other brave generals of Jin and us counselors of the Crown Prince’s residence?”

Qin Shangzhi felt a deep pain in his chest, gritting his teeth as he questioned angrily, “In this battle, which of our counselors or Jin’s brave generals predicted Yun Poxing’s troop deployment as accurately as General Bai? Who proposed an effective and minimal-loss strategy to defeat the enemy after the battle report arrived? And who led the defense with a thousand soldiers at Wengshan, achieving a great victory for our Jin army while the fifteen thousand troops of Xiliang were annihilated in Wengshan Canyon?”

“I’ve long said, with General Zhang Duanrui stationed on the western side of the canyon, even though the eastern side is occupied by Xiliang troops, General Zhang Duanrui is on the western side. The Xiliang troops are caught between our forces in the canyon. Our Jin army might not have lost. This great victory was expected!” Fang Lao’s chest heaved with anger. “Mr. Qin draws a salary from the Crown Prince’s residence, yet his thoughts always favor Bai Qingyan! One really wonders… in Mr. Qin’s heart, is your master General Bai or the Crown Prince?”

Fang Lao flicked his sleeves, standing with his hands behind his back, putting on an aloof air, not wanting to argue further with Qin Shangzhi.

Qin Shangzhi’s chest burned with fury, nearly drawing his sword in rage. Yet, he couldn’t genuinely fight an elder and forcibly suppressed his anger, retorting, “Fang Lao, have you forgotten whose strategy it was to defeat the enemy? You’ve repeatedly claimed credit, as if the entire deployment was your doing!”

“Mr. Qin!” The Crown Prince’s cold eyes bore into Qin Shangzhi, showing his displeasure. “Fang Lao is an elder. Do you lack the basic courtesy towards elders, or have you forgotten… who your master truly is?”

Qin Shangzhi: “…”

Despite being nearly driven to vomit blood from anger, Qin Shangzhi forcefully held himself back.

Watching the Crown Prince and his entourage depart, Qin Shangzhi stood atop the roaring winds of the high city wall. He looked towards the red sky over Wengshan Canyon, his eyes moistening as he closed them.

At the ten-mile slope outside Dadu City, Bai Qingyan, dressed in mourning clothes, gave him a precious horse, a fox-fur coat, and a dagger for self-defense, saying…

[If the day comes when Bai Qingyan can bear the Bai family’s banner and as a woman secures a place in the highest halls, I will sweep the seat clean for you, hoping you won’t abandon me and will join me in supporting the people of the Jin Kingdom.]

Updat𝓮d from freewēbnoveℓ.com.

At that time, he had been shocked that, though Bai Qingyan was a woman, her ambition was to support the people of the Jin Kingdom! With his heart stirred and his blood boiling, he wished he were younger to achieve great things alongside this ambitious woman.