Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress

Chapter 94: Chapter 93: Desperate to Fight_1

The Eldest Princess, who had been anxious in the side hall, finally breathed a sigh of relief when she heard these words. Her stiff back relaxed against the soft pillow, and two streams of hot tears flowed from her closed eyes, unstoppable.

Just now, Bai Qingyan’s intense and forceful words had several times provoked the Emperor’s murderous intent.

But with these words, her granddaughter’s life was saved.

Fortunately, Bai Qingyan had not been blinded by hatred and knew to leave herself a chance of survival.

The Emperor gazed at the woman in mourning attire kneeling in the center of the grand hall, her demeanor unyielding. She very much resembled Bai Su with that proud and unyielding spirit.

The Emperor’s innermost tender emotions were touched. He stared intently at the woman who met his gaze, as composed as an old monk in meditation.

In this world, loyal ministers are not hard to find. What is hard to find are capable ministers who are both loyal and righteous. Yet, capable ministers are often the ones most easily attacked by treacherous ministers and feared by the Emperor.

After a long time, the Emperor straightened his spine and slowly spoke, his voice tinged with weariness, “King Xin… I will demote him to a commoner and confine him within the King Xin Residence! As for Liu Huanzhang, his entire clan will be eradicated! Are you satisfied with this result?”

“Father?! Father!” King Xin exclaimed in disbelief, crawling forward and crying out, “Father, I am your legitimate son!”

The Emperor clenched his teeth, deeply disappointed and furious with this legitimate son, his voice sharp, “Drag King Xin out! What decorum is this, crying and wailing?!”

Reluctant to kill the legitimate son, the Emperor thought. She would kill him anyway; it would only mean a few more days of survival and more torment for King Xin.

She respectfully kowtowed to the Emperor on the throne, “I beseech Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate the matter recorded on the bamboo slip about the grain and military supplies not reaching Fengcheng, to bring justice to the Bai family’s spirits!”

Seeing the woman bowing, with her long hair cascading from her shoulders, the Emperor closed his eyes and completely suppressed his murderous intent.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ƝονǤօ.сο

Fine, let this woman of similar spirit to Su Qiu live in her stead.

“The matter of the grain and military supplies involves the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage, Qin Dezhao. Your second sister has just married into the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage’s residence…”

“Your Majesty, Qin Lang has already renounced his position as Princely Heir and moved out of the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage’s residence. He is also known among the aristocratic families as a model, praised by Your Majesty. The Bai family only seeks justice and does not wish to implicate others.”

“I will thoroughly investigate the matter of the grain and military supplies!” The Emperor approached the desk, with imperial majesty, and took his seat behind the Dragon Throne. After observing Bai Qingyan for a moment, he asked, “You just said, after the Jin Kingdom makes peace with Nanyan and Xiliang, Rong and Daliang will immediately pounce to take advantage. This statement hits the nail on the head and is insightful. If we do not seek peace, the armies of Xiliang and Nanyan will bear down on us. If we seek peace, Rong and Daliang will salivate like tigers eyeing us.”

The Emperor pursed his lips and remained silent, waiting for Bai Qingyan to speak.

The Emperor, who was praised by the Duke of Zhen, wanted to see what capabilities she had.

Originally, Bai Qingyan planned to head to the southern border after everything settled down. Little did she know, the Emperor would present this opportunity to her.

She needed to go to the southern border, not just to find and assist the surviving members of the Bai family… The most important thing was that the foundation of the Bai family lay in the military!

Like an insect with a hundred legs that does not stiffen even in death, the army was the place the Bai family should focus on the most. Raising an arm to call for response, that was something no other surname in the Jin Kingdom could achieve.

After pondering for a moment, she kowtowed and said, “A battle in the southern border is unavoidable and must not be reconsidered! Ceding territory, paying reparations, and seeking peace with a low profile might temporarily make Xiliang and Nanyan withdraw their troops, but Rong and Daliang will pounce. But if we win this battle despite the current dire situation, every nation will know that the might of the Jin Kingdom is still inviolable.”

“Are you confident of… victory?”

After the Emperor asked this, he lightly clicked his tongue. At the celebration feast after conquering Shu, the Duke of Zhen said his granddaughter was a natural-born military talent. He only smiled silently, thinking that the Duke of Zhen was exaggerating. A daughter from a noble family, though she had the reputation of defeating General Pang Pingguo of the Shu Kingdom, surely she was aided by others.

And now, he was actually discussing frontline battles, national warfare strategies with this daughter he had once dismissed as insignificant.

Strangely, the Emperor recalled the talent… Bai Qingyan, who the Duke of Zhen said had grand ambitions like a Kunpeng.

Unable to resist, he remembered he had once told the Duke… He would entrust the military power for life, never to doubt.

The Emperor’s heart suddenly felt guilty, and he closed his eyes.

Speaking of regret… he regretted losing a loyal and capable minister.

Speaking of no regret… for several generations of meritorious achievements that overshadowed the sovereign, power dismantled, and no one could threaten his imperial authority anymore, he did not regret it.

The subtle torment in his heart was nothing more than an inevitable sense of melancholy and loss.

“It depends on who goes to battle.” Bai Qingyan, hearing the Emperor’s implied meaning, looked up at the high-ranking one, “A soldier’s courage is easily found, but a general’s talent is one in a million.”

The Emperor, leaning against the golden soft pillow, clenched his fingers.

“Matters of war must not be avoided. Sacrifice filial piety for loyalty! If Your Majesty still trusts the Bai family, Bai Qingyan is willing to swear by the Bai family’s century-old honor, never to rest until the enemies of the Jin Kingdom are defeated! If Your Majesty no longer trusts the Bai family…”

The Emperor’s eyes were as sharp as a torch, “If I don’t trust you, then what?”

“Then I ask Your Majesty… for the sake of the people of the Jin Kingdom, endure a bit, even dispatch a prince to accompany. As for military merits… the Bai family does not want them! After this victory, the nations will fear the Jin Kingdom even more. By then, the Jin Kingdom will have ample time to cultivate future military talents. I will return to my ancestral home in Shuoyang to mourn my grandfather, father, uncle, and brothers.”

The Emperor’s fingers, which were touching the edges of the soft pillow, paused. Bai Qingyan’s words meant… she intended to offer the military merits to the accompanying prince on a silver platter?!

The Emperor pursed his lips, “Offer military merits? Are you willing?”

“Your Majesty, on the day of the palace banquet, I thought… I had made it very clear. The Bai family has never sought any military merits. The Bai family has always sacrificed its life to protect the peace and prosperity of the Jin Kingdom! The spirit of the Bai family army is to never rest until the bandits who violate our Jin people are wiped out!”

The Emperor’s palm suddenly tightened.

To never rest until the bandits who violate our Jin people are wiped out!

If they are indeed talented, the full male members of the Duke of Zhen’s household perish, the Emperor feels sorrow without regret. At this moment, his state of mind was very different.

His heart felt as if stung by a venomous scorpion.

Once, he promised never to doubt. But he still doubted the Duke of Zhen.

But he couldn’t regret it; the Duke of Zhen’s merits were too overwhelming. The Jin Kingdom’s empire under the house of Lin could not afford mishaps during his reign, or he would not be worthy of the Lin family ancestors.

Better to mistakenly kill than let go. He was right! As the Emperor, he must be right!

The Emperor’s fingers trembled lightly. After a long while, he said hoarsely, “Go to the side hall and support your grandmother back. I will think about it…”

Bai Qingyan kowtowed and retreated from the grand hall, only to find her grandmother already waiting for her at the door.

The grandmother and granddaughter, both with reddened eyes, looked at each other and supported one another as they walked silently out of the palace.

“Did you… advocate for war and volunteer to go to the southern border to force His Majesty to kill King Xin?” the Eldest Princess asked with cold fingertips.

“It’s not that I advocated for war, but it is a battle that cannot be avoided. Today, the words spoken by your granddaughter to His Majesty were not alarmist talk.”