Which one will make him renowned in all nations?
Which one can truly be considered as avenging the Fourth Prince?!
This is self-evident.
Cao Renyi was eager for merit, but he also knew he could not be careless when facing the Princess of Zhen. His gaze swept through the camp as his mind raced, trying to find a way to break the current weak position.
In just a few breaths, Cao Renyi came up with a plan. He tightly gripped the hand of his trusted subordinate beside him, and calmly said, "Immediately, take the crossbowmen... No matter what, you must kill your way behind the Jin army’s commander tent. Soon, I will shout for our soldiers to take the head of the Princess of Zhen! The Jin army will surely protect the Princess and retreat! You must get the Princess’s head, or... after this battle, we will have no chance of turning things around in the Liang Kingdom!"
The Liang commander glanced at the only tent with lights on amid the thundering sounds of battle, clasped his fists, and shouted to Cao Renyi, "I will charge into the tent and fetch the Princess of Zhen’s head!"
"No!" Cao Renyi grabbed his subordinate, urgently saying, "All the lights in the Jin army are extinguished, only one tent is lit. Could the Princess of Zhen be a fool—waiting for you to come and kill her? There must be a trap in that tent! Go... sneak around to the rear! Quickly!"
Cao Renyi did not doubt that Bai Qingyan might not be in the camp at all. But he noticed messengers coming and going from the tent, so even if Bai Qingyan was not in the tent, it would be a major general from the Jin Kingdom, perhaps Zhao Sheng or Yang Wuce.
No matter who it was, as long as they could take the commander’s head... the Jin army would be in chaos!
Cao Renyi’s subordinate received the order, led the archers and shield bearers, and cut a bloody path, leading the soldiers around the edges of the Jin army camp as instructed.
Cao Renyi saw his soldiers taking advantage of the chaos to head to the rear, drew his sword, raised his arm, and shouted, "Soldiers of Daliang! There is a traitor among us. We are now fighting with our backs to the river. As long as we can take the head of the Princess of Zhen, we will achieve a great victory! Soldiers of Daliang! The Jin army leaves no path for our survival, intending to kill us all here! We must spare no cost to slay the Princess of Zhen, without the traitor of Liang, chaos will reign!"
Cao Renyi’s troops shouted, "Soldiers of Liang, hear the order! Whoever can take the head of the Princess of Zhen will earn a title! Kill!"
The Liang army, which had been scattered due to the commander’s order to retreat, suddenly found its direction. They all risked their lives to charge towards the lit commander’s tent, clearly aiming for Bai Qingyan’s head.
The once trapped Liang commanders reignited their fighting spirit due to Cao Renyi’s words, their eyes locked on the Jin army’s commander’s tent, madly rushing towards it with the determination to take Bai Qingyan’s head.
Inside the tent, Shen Qingzhu gripped her longsword tightly, stood guard with the guards and Yue Shi, and shouted, "Light the lamps!"
Following Shen Qingzhu’s order, the campfires in the tents began to light up one by one. The Liang army, which had just been drawn to the tent by the light, suddenly lost its direction...
Several tents of the generals were almost in the same direction, and not far from each other. The Liang army, confused in the chaos of battle, could no longer distinguish which tent was Bai Qingyan’s.
Cao Renyi’s long sword rose and fell, chopping off a Jin army head. He gritted his teeth and whispered to the young Liang general by his side, "You take your men and rush out, behead anyone, and shout near the lit tent that you have taken the Princess of Zhen’s head! In this way, the Jin army will be thrown into chaos... and we will have a chance to win!"
If the Princess of Zhen was not in the camp, this move would surely throw the Jin army into chaos.
If the Princess of Zhen was indeed present, she would be forced to reveal herself, making it easier for him to personally take the Princess’s head.
"Yes!" The Liang soldier accepted the order and charged out.
Xiao Rongyan, hearing the Liang army’s rising cries for Bai Qingyan’s head, looked up at Yue Shi...
Yue Shi was upset hearing Cao Renyi’s words about taking Bai Qingyan’s head. He understood that his master wanted him to take Cao Renyi’s head, nodded, and was about to leave, but was stopped by Shen Qingzhu.
Shen Qingzhu turned to Bai Qingyan, her gaze calm and steady, "Young Miss, the Liang army is rushing towards the commander’s tent, let Yue Shi escort Young Miss and Mr. Xiao to retreat first, I will go cut off that Cao Renyi’s head."
Yue Shi stepped forward and clasped his fists, "Master, Young Miss, I will go with Miss Qingzhu. We will definitely take Cao Renyi’s head!"
"Retreat? The morale of the Jin troops is high, if I retreat now, it will damage our morale and give Cao Renyi an opportunity!" Bai Qingyan’s voice was steady and calm as she got up, strapped the quiver onto her waist, and said, "Light the commander’s tent! Let all the soldiers see... Bai Qingyan is here!"
The Bai family guards in the tent received the order and set the commander’s tent and the curtains inside it on fire.
She had never forgotten her grandfather’s and father’s teachings...
—To be a general, if you dare to lead by example, you can inspire the fighting spirit of your soldiers. Victory will be ensured! Attacks will be unstoppable!
As soon as the commander’s tent was lit, a loud shout was heard outside, "The Princess of Zhen is dead, her head is here! Jin army, surrender quickly! Lay down your arms and you won’t be killed!"
Everyone in the tent was shocked and looked outside, then turned back to see Bai Qingyan bending over to take up the Sun-shooting bow on the table: "It seems... Cao Renyi is trying his utmost to force me out!"
"Young Miss!" Shen Qingzhu pushed aside the obstructing Yue Shi, stepped forward, and took the Sun-shooting bow from the table in front of Bai Qingyan, "Young Miss! I heard that Cao Renyi is also a master archer! Let me go out pretending to be you!"
"Miss Shen, don’t worry, with me here... I won’t let Young Miss get hurt!" Xiao Rongyan stood up and straightened his clothes, looking composed and unruffled.
Shen Qingzhu frowned, but eventually nodded and handed the Sun-shooting bow back to Bai Qingyan with both hands.
"Yue Shi!" Bai Qingyan took the Sun-shooting bow and looked at Yue Shi, "Your master is injured, protect your master!"
Yue Shi was slightly stunned, but still clasped his fists and responded, "Yes!"
Outside the tent, the sounds of killing were deafening. Bai Qingyan’s steps were firm and resolute as she gazed at the glinting cold of swords and spears outside the tent.
Yue Shi also threw the longsword hanging inside the tent to Xiao Rongyan, "Master!"
Xiao Rongyan caught the sword and, together with Bai Qingyan, holding the Sun-shooting bow, strode out of the tent and whistled.
At the sound of the whistle, a pure white horse neighed amidst the chaos, leading a group of more than a dozen well-bred horses from the stables, galloping towards the commander’s tent.
Bai Qingyan recognized the leading horse as Taiping, surprisingly, she turned to look at Xiao Rongyan, who had whistled.
Bai Qingyan did not ask why Taiping responded to Xiao Rongyan’s whistle. She stepped forward quickly, following the direction of the galloping Taiping, grabbed the saddle, and leaped onto the horse. Without hesitation, she drew her arrow, aimed at the Liang soldier holding a head and shouting that the Princess of Zhen was dead, and shot.