Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 1199

Chapter 1199: Chapter 1193: Contest

She raised her hand to point at the flickering torches on the city wall behind her, at the Zhou soldiers on the wall with bows drawn and fully vigilant. Her voice resonated, "How can we possibly face those Zhou soldiers who stood shoulder to shoulder with Bai Qingyan, left their homeland, and risked their lives for peace for their families and people?"

General Cui looked at Bai Qingyan, recalling Bai Weiting. There was a sense of admiration for this Emperor of Zhou in his heart, yet admiration aside, the two armies still stood on opposite sides.

"If His Majesty insists on fighting, perhaps there is no winning!" General Cui then ordered, "Bring the person up here!"

"Yes!" The general who had been standing behind General Cui took the order and rode away swiftly.

General Cui looked at Bai Qingyan and said, "The Xiliang soldiers sent by His Majesty to request aid in the direction of Yecheng Pass have already been captured by us!"

Cui Shanzhong raised his head to gaze at Jiangzi City and said, "With the city surrounded on all sides, and since Jiangzi City is a Xiliang city, with its construction blueprints retained in the nation’s capital, the Xiliang army is well-versed in the secret paths of Jiangzi City. It can be said... if I want to trap His Majesty in Jiangzi City, the Zhou army would have no way to send a message out. The people in Jiangzi City are all from Xiliang. How long does His Majesty think you can hold out?"

"General Cui, can’t the smoke signals be sent as messages?" Bai Qingyan’s lips curved into a smile. "Besides, I don’t need aid from Zhou. I just need to hold on until Zhou forces their way into Yunjing and captures Li Tianjiao alive. Xiliang will then disappear from history forever."

Cui Shanzhong’s hands slightly clenched, yet he maintained that benevolent smile, "Well then, has His Majesty considered that once Zhou breaks through Yunjing, or even... captures our Emperor of Xiliang, our Xiliang army will inevitably throw all efforts into attacking to save our Emperor? At that time, with just the forces inside this city, can His Majesty still hold it?"

Just as General Cui finished speaking, the Xiliang general ordered the bloodstained secret guard team leader of the Bai family army to be dragged out and made them kneel next to General Cui.

"Young lady..." The eyes of the secret guard team leader were swollen, and their entire body seemed as if they’d been fished out of blood.

Bai Qingyan glanced over the team leader’s body, smiling slightly at Cui Shanzhong. In the roaring cold wind, she wrapped her fox cloak tighter, "How is it, General Cui Shanzhong, that you are so sure I will only stand firm in defense... and not take the initiative to attack? Though you hold the advantage in troop numbers, it’s no safer or easier than us being in a high city. If we launch a night raid, there surely will be a time when fatigue causes you to falter."

She didn’t wait for General Cui Shanzhong to answer and looked again at the Xiliang army holding torches behind him, "This should be the main force of Xiliang... also the entire backbone of Xiliang. The old general can only hope to rely on this small resource to resist the Yan Kingdom. Therefore, you can only besiege me, the Emperor of Zhou, and thereafter hand the city over to Zhou, forcing them with both soft and hard tactics to make Zhou ceasefire with Xiliang to give Xiliang a breathing space. Subsequently, Xiliang would then seek peace with the Yan Kingdom. If they agree, at least Xiliang can survive, and if they don’t... Xiliang can free up forces to deal with the Yan Kingdom!"

General Cui Shanzhong knew the Bai family was intelligent. Even if he hadn’t come to meet Bai Qingyan, she could clearly analyze Xiliang’s entire battle situation, knowing he hadn’t intended to attack the city directly this time.

Either succeed in negotiating peace and sign an alliance with Zhou, allowing General Cui Shanzhong to focus on dealing with the Yan Kingdom, since in the current state... even exhausting all of Xiliang’s resources would surely not enable them to simultaneously confront both the mighty Zhou and Yan.

Li Tianjiao is no Li Tianfu, and Cui Shanzhong is certainly not a blindly optimistic commander. After weighing the odds, it was obvious to make peace with the stronger Zhou first, dismantle the Zhou-Yan alliance, and then seek peace with the Yan Kingdom. If they succeed, that’s great, but if not... Xiliang would fight to the death against the Yan Kingdom.

General Cui Shanzhong nodded, "Why doesn’t His Majesty consider another approach? Ceasefire with Xiliang this time and gain so many cities with ease, and perhaps even more could be negotiated! First, resolve the current siege crisis, conserve military strength, and if the Yan Kingdom and Xiliang cannot reach an agreement, and war breaks out again, wouldn’t Xiliang be the fisherman who benefits?"

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