Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress

Chapter 86: 85章:Planning to Strive_1

Ji Tingyu probably cut off another piece of his arm to make the act more believable!

When Ji Tingyu fell off his horse, it was a hard fall. He opened the bundle stained with his blood and handed it to Bai Qingyan, gripping her hand tightly to assure her.

Ji Tingyu’s veins bulged on his forehead. “My lady… I was ordered to deliver winter clothing to the Duke of Zhen and his men in the southern regions. At Chongluan Ridge, we encountered assassins trying to kill General Fang Yan from the Tiger Camp! We fought to the death to save General Fang Yan…”

“General Fang Yan said that Liu Huanzhang had betrayed us and colluded with Nanyan and King Xin. King Xin forced the Duke to go to battle to claim military credits, causing the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers. At the front line, General Bai Qingyu fought to the death while evacuating civilians. King Xin abandoned the civilians, forcibly taking most of his troops to escape! General Fang Yan entrusted us with these six records of the military operation on bamboo slips! We hid and snuck all the way back, losing all our brothers to protect these six bamboo slips! We only ask… Heaven to give justice to the Duke and the Bai family!”

The King of Qi was horrified upon hearing this. Records of military operations presented to the Emperor were common, but why would anyone be pursued and killed along the way?!

Xiao Rongyan lowered his eyes, drinking tea without showing any reaction. In contrast, the nobles invited to the back hall stood up in unison and headed to the main gate, driven by curiosity to learn how the men of the Bai family met their demise!

...

Bai Jintong looked at the floor soaked with Ji Tingyu’s blood. She reached out trembling and took the bundle containing the bamboo slips, knowing that Ji Tingyu had to make his wounds more severe to seem truthful.

But seeing Ji Tingyu inflict such harm on himself for the Bai family made Bai Jintong’s heart turn tumultuous. For the Bai family’s justice… if Heaven and the imperial court wouldn’t grant it clearly, must they resort to such self-destructive methods to seek it?!

Bai Jintong opened the bundle in front of everyone, trembling as she took out one of the bamboo slips and unfolded it.

Mrs. Dong, the princely heir’s wife, and Mrs. Liu, the second wife whose husbands and sons hadn’t returned, pushed past the guards to closely examine the bamboo slip, hoping to find any clue that their husbands and sons were still alive.

Bai Qingyan tightly tied the rope around Ji Tingyu’s severed arm and shouted sharply, “Uncle Ping! Take Ji Tingyu to Doctor Hong for treatment! Hurry!”

The King of Qi pushed past the guards blocking his way, took two steps forward, and bowed deeply, saying, “Since we have the records of the military operation, can the princely heir’s wife hand them to me now so that I may present these bamboo slips to our father, the Emperor?”

The King of Qi was not exceptionally talented, but he knew well that with the Duke of Zhen Bai Weiting’s capability, it was impossible he would act as recklessly as King Xin had claimed in his tearful complaints inside the Imperial Palace, accusing Bai Weiting of using troops impulsively and ignoring King Xin’s advice, forcing an attack!

Forcing the Duke to fight for selfish gains while abandoning the civilians, just these two charges were enough to block King Xin’s path to the throne!

The King of Qi’s heart pounded rapidly. As the elders governed, the legitimate son was established first. However, King Xin was the legitimate son, while he was the elder! Although he knew he lacked great literary or martial skills, he didn’t want the kingdom to fall into the hands of someone as selfish and indulgent as King Xin. If he desired the highest position, he had to plan and strive for himself.

Mrs. Dong looked at the bamboo slip in her hand. Blood rushed to her head, her mind went blank, and she couldn’t hear a word from the King of Qi. Her eyes were wide open, tears streaming down like a fountain, her anger almost turning her whole being into ashes.

Mrs. Liu knelt on the ground, flipping through one bamboo slip without finding any information about her husband and son. She cried heart-wrenchingly and moved on to another one.

Holding the bamboo slip, Bai Jintong clenched her teeth, restraining the surge of overwhelming emotions within her, striving to speak clearly, and read aloud, “On the second day of the twelfth lunar month, the fifteenth year of Xuanjia, scouts reported that Xiliang’s twenty-five-thousand strong main force was ambushed in Chuanling Mountain, trapping Bai Qiying’s reinforcements of forty thousand troops. King Xin urged Marshal Bai Weiting to lead the main force to Chuanling Mountain, planning to coordinate with Bai Qiying internally and externally to annihilate Xiliang’s main force. Marshal suspected deceit. King Xin, by the Emperor’s order, commanded Bai Weiting to battle under the threat of executing Bai Weiting’s nine clans should he disobey.”

The commoners, hearing Bai Jintong read the military records publicly, gathered around, looking up at Bai Jintong standing at the Duke of Zhen’s gate, their hearts filled with horror.

It turned out that it was King Xin who forced the Duke of Zhen to battle!

“On the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the fifteenth year of Xuanjia, Vice Commander Bai Qishan was trapped in Fengcheng for five days with no provisions. The Nanyan Army captured the five sons of the Bai family, stripping and mutilating them in front of their formation, attempting to force Bai Qishan’s surrender. Vice Commander decided to protect the civilians of Fengcheng by retreating and fighting the Nanyan Cavalry to buy time. He shot and killed the five sons of the Bai family with tears in his eyes. Vice Commander Bai Qishan said, if anyone has elderly parents or an only child in the family, step back. Those who are unmarried or without heirs, step back. The rest… those willing to die for the people of Jin, follow me to battle! Seventeen sons of the Bai family, aged ten, stepped forward with swords, declaring they would fight to the death for the people of Jin alongside their father, vowing never to live in disgrace! The Bai family army, deeply moved by the ten-year-old children, drew their swords and shouted three times, ‘Fight to the death, not to survive in disgrace.'”

Bai Jinzhi, with blood rushing to her head, quickly stepped forward and grabbed a bamboo slip randomly, reading with unsteady breath, “On the twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month, the fifteenth year of Xuanjia, General Jiyong Bai Qingming annihilated a small troop of Xiliang Cavalry, returning to camp with a thousand men. The camp was already leveled. General Jiyong saved ten remaining soldiers… they said that one day before, King Xin saw Nanyan’s fifty-thousand strong army approaching and fled with three thousand troops. General Jifeng Bai Qingyu deployed five hundred soldiers to evacuate the rear civilians and led fifteen hundred soldiers to battle. General Jifeng died in battle, his body burnt.”

“So it was King Xin! King Xin was so shameless! He fled with three thousand men!”

“Damn it! How could King Xin have the cheek to accuse the Duke of being reckless? He was the one who forced the battle!”

“Shameless! The poor Bai family’s men were all sacrificed like this!” @@novelbin@@

The commoners cried, cursed, ignoring that King Xin was of the imperial bloodline, the Emperor’s legitimate son. They were grief-stricken and furious, wishing they could tear King Xin apart.

“On the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the fifteenth year of Xuanjia, General Jiyong defended Feng County against Nanyan Army’s assault. General Bai Qingming declared the lives of millions were entrusted to them, and the Bai family army fought with their backs to the river, vowing never to retreat until the last man was standing! To demoralize the Jin army…” Bai Jinzhi’s voice abruptly stopped here.

She gripped the bamboo slip, her teeth gritting, anger, and sorrow almost tearing her apart, blazing with intense fury, she forced herself to utter each word slowly, “Yun Poxing beheaded the seventeen sons of the Bai family in front of the formation, disemboweling and humiliating their corpses. Their stomachs were filled with roots and soil…”

Inside and outside the gate of the Duke of Zhen’s mansion, there was complete silence.

Mrs. Wang, upon hearing the gruesome death of her son, stood still like a statue. After a moment of emotional freezing, she exploded, gripping her clothes tightly, screaming hysterically as she rammed her head into her son’s coffin.