Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 765 - 762: Good Military Advisor_1

Quan Yu hurriedly nodded and was about to speak when he saw Bai Qingyan push herself up from the armrests of the chair and slowly stand up. He looked up at the imposing and sharp-eyed Bai Qingyan and quickly stood up as well.

Bai Qingyan looked towards the direction outside the main hall door and calmly said, "Quan Yu, please convey to those court officials that the city and land lost by the Bai family will be personally recovered by Bai Qingyan. They need not worry themselves!"

Though Bai Qingyan’s voice was not loud, it resonated powerfully, making Quan Yu’s hair stand on end.

"Princess of Zhen!" Quan Yu immediately knelt before Bai Qingyan, his eyes wide and red. "Princess of Zhen, your health is not suited for warfare! The Crown Prince sent me here with no intention of having you go to battle! Please, for the sake of your health, reconsider!"

Within less than half an hour, the news that Princess of Zhen, Bai Qingyan, who had been bedridden for nearly a year, had donned armor and was preparing to campaign against Daliang to reclaim lost territory, spread throughout Shuoyang City like wildfire.

At the hour of Wei, Clan Leader Bai Qihe, Bai Qingping, and Shen Yanzong, along with Shen Tianzhi’s sons, Shen Yanan and Shen Yanzhong, Zeng Shanru, Steward Liu, Lu Ping, and Steward Hao, gathered in the main hall of the Bai Mansion to discuss Bai Qingyan’s expedition. Even Cai Ziyuan, the former counselor of the Left Prime Minister’s Mansion, was seated in the hall.

"Before the troops move, provisions must lead! Since Princess of Zhen intends to take our new soldiers from Shuoyang to Daliang, how about having Qingping escort the supplies first?" Bai Qihe suggested.

Bai Qingyan had explained her expedition clearly to Quan Yu. Since Quan Yu mentioned the difficulties the Crown Prince faced, she could not allow the Crown Prince to be troubled. She would not cause problems for the Crown Prince. The newly trained soldiers of Shuoyang would suffice. Bai Qingyan would mobilize the entire Bai Clan to gather the resources for the expedition and lead the Shuoyang soldiers.

Bai Qingyan’s statement was also not just a show of loyalty to the Crown Prince. More importantly, by not using the Imperial Court’s military supplies, the gold and silver treasures gained from conquering Daliang could legitimately be used as military resources. She could have the wealth continuously transported to Xiliang to help her third sister, Bai Jintong, in her plan to weaken Xiliang.

Bai Qingyan had roughly planned the transport route in her mind, which is why Steward Liu needed to stay back in Shuoyang to follow orders from Ji Tingyu and smoothly hand over what Bai Jintong needed to Shen Kunyang before sending it to Xiliang.

"This year, Shuoyang’s military strength has grown. Shen Yanzong and I have checked the roster thoroughly. Counting the unreported ones to the Imperial Court, Shuoyang has eleven thousand soldiers, if not more," Bai Qingping spoke.

Sitting at the end, Cai Ziyuan’s heart trembled. He had not expected that now Bai Qingyan had over ten thousand soldiers in Shuoyang alone. She conscripted not through force but entirely through the willingness of the people. In just a little more than a year, she had gathered such a significant number, which was alarmingly impressive.

Zeng Shanru calculated with his hand hidden in his sleeve and then turned to Bai Qingyan with a respectful bow. "Regarding weapons, if you intend to use the old ones, that is not a problem. If you wish to use new weapons for the entire army, I can immediately have people stop their current work and prepare. The first batch can be sent to Daliang in a month and equipped for a thousand men."

Cai Ziyuan was greatly shaken. The Princess of Zhen was still forging weapons! What could she be planning?

Could she be... planning a rebellion?

Cai Ziyuan stared wide-eyed at Bai Qingyan. The woman sitting at the head of the hall had a serene yet resolute expression. She waved her hand. "There is no rush for new weapons. We need precision, not quantity! I plan to take only five thousand men, leaving the rest in Shuoyang as a precaution. Steward Hao, I need your help on this!"

Bai Qingyan’s precaution was that if the Imperial Court discovered anything and came to Shuoyang to capture the Bai family as a threat...

"Rest assured, I will guard Shuoyang like an ironclad fortress!" Steward Hao vowed.

Precaution? Cai Ziyuan’s hand trembled slightly. He understood what this precaution meant.

It seemed the Princess of Zhen truly intended to rebel.

Though shaken, Cai Ziyuan also understood that Bai Qingyan allowing him to be there showed she already considered him one of her own, involving him in such confidential matters.

He was deeply moved. The Princess of Zhen’s decision to campaign against Daliang was clearly a sudden one, with departure planned for the next day. Yet the Bai family’s members could, in such a short time, consider provisions, weapons, and arrange everything without any complaints.

The unity of the Bai family was something he had never seen in the Left Prime Minister Li Mao’s mansion.

"Let Shen Yanzong handle the escort of provisions. After that, he will join me on the battlefield!" Bai Qingyan looked at Shen Yanzong.

Shen Yanzong’s blood boiled with excitement. He bowed and answered, "Yes!"

The entire Shen family now knew that his father, Shen Tianzhi, had pledged their loyalty to the Princess of Zhen. Naturally, everything would follow her arrangements.

"Bai Qingping will remain in Shuoyang to oversee the remaining soldiers. You have a meticulous mind, be vigilant, and ensure nothing seems out of the ordinary in Shuoyang!" Bai Qingyan instructed Bai Qingping.

Bai Qingping knew that he was not as martial as Shen Yanzong. With Shen Yanzong by Bai Qingyan’s side, Bai Qingping was at ease. He nodded and bowed, "I will not fail!"

"Shen Yanzhong, Shen Yanan, you will stay behind and follow Steward Liu’s directives. There are other tasks to be done. This concerns the future of the Jin Kingdom. You must be extremely careful and cooperate fully with Steward Liu. No mistakes are allowed!"

Shen Yanzhong and Shen Yanzong both bowed in agreement.

"Uncle Ping, you will not accompany me to Daliang this time. Shen Yanzong and Mr. Ziyuan will be by my side. I need you and Steward Hao in Shuoyang to keep things secure in case of any surprise."

Cai Ziyuan, suddenly named, straightened his back and glanced nervously at Lu Ping, who eyed him critically, clutching his clothes tightly.

"But Mr. Cai..." Lu Ping furrowed his brows.

Cai Ziyuan thought Lu Ping might accuse him of being a former counselor of the Left Prime Minister’s mansion, but Lu Ping said, "Mr. Cai is a frail scholar. On the battlefield, he might not be able to protect the young lady and might lose his life. It’s better for Mr. Cai and Steward Hao to guard Shuoyang while I accompany the young lady to Daliang."

Bai Qingyan shook her head. "On the battlefield, a good strategist is worth more than thousands of soldiers!"

Cai Ziyuan’s heart tightened, stirred by Bai Qingyan’s words. He rose and bowed deeply to her, then to Lu Ping. "Minister Lu, rest assured, I am honored by the trust of the Princess of Zhen. I will devote my intellect fully to helping the Princess and Commandery Princess Gaoyi win the war."