Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress
Chapter 417 - 414: Absurd_1

Chapter 417: Chapter 414: Absurd_1

Their marching speed was so fast that they left behind the urgent army heading towards Chunmu Mountain with twenty thousand soldiers.

The closer they got to Chunmu Mountain, the more refugees they saw.

The official government had sealed off the official road, prohibiting refugees from moving south. So the refugees carried dry food and children, navigating through mountain paths.

There was a rumor that the Commander of Daliang, Xun Tianzhang, said every time they entered a city, they would massacre it. The people were terrified and feared losing their lives if they didn’t move south.

Further north, reaching Youhua City, Bai Qingyan and the group passed through the city. The city was in chaos. Every household was loading boxes and other valuables onto carts, ox carts, and donkey carts in the streets and alleys. The cries of children, the shouts of men, and the sharp curses of women who had their ducks stolen intertwined in a cacophony of noise.

Everywhere, Jin soldiers were busily transporting chevaux de frise to the north gate. Squad leaders shouted at the soldiers carrying shovels to the north gate to dig trenches to hurry up.

The entire city was in a state of military chaos.

People carried bundles filled with valuables, grumbling and swearing as they headed south towards the city gate.

A little girl sitting on an ox cart wanted to go back to pick up her dropped doll but was scolded by her father, causing her to cry loudly on the ox cart.

"All you know is crying! If you cry again, the Liang army will come and take you away!"

"Tell me, what kind of situation is this? When the King of Zhen was around, when did our Jin Kingdom ever get beaten so badly? The Liang army probably wouldn’t even pass Chunmu Mountain before being defeated and sent back home!"

"What’s the use of saying these things now! If you want to blame someone, blame Liu Huanzhang, the traitor who colluded with the enemy, and that damned King Xin!"

"Shh! Do you want to die? You dare speak of the prince!"

Bai Qingyan, sitting high on her horse, signaled a guard to dismount and inquire.

The guard to Bai Qingyan’s left swiftly dismounted, stopping the squad leader who was shouting at the Jin soldiers to hurry up, and asked, "Is the Liang army about to attack Youhua City?"

Bai Qingyan was in a rush, barely dismounting her horse. No guard could get ahead faster to gather information. They entered this Youhua City, but they were still in the dark about the situation.

"Let go of my child! Let go of my son!"

"Mom! Mom... save me, Mom!"

"You foolish widow, the Liang army is about to attack Youhua City. We can only bring a limited amount of food if we flee now. If you sell your son to someone else, I can take you along. Otherwise, both you and your son will die!"

The citizens in Youhua City, seeing the scene, glanced at the widow, known for her poor reputation and mixing with local ruffians, shook their heads, sighed at the child’s plight, and went their own ways. Nowadays, not even the official government cared, so who among the ordinary folks would step in?

The child trader grabbed the child’s arm, threw a few taels of silver at the widow’s feet held by the ruffians.

"I don’t want silver! I want my son! Give me back my son!"

Bai Qingyan pulled out a feathered arrow from her quiver swiftly. Her eyes darkened, and the arrow pierced through the child trader’s bun, dragging him to the ground with a scream, terrified.

The ruffian, glancing towards Bai Qingyan’s sharp gaze from atop her horse, felt a chill in his heart and soul.

Seeing this, the widow broke free from the ruffian’s grasp and rushed to hug her son, like a protective beast. She glared at the ruffian fiercely, pulling out a hairpin from her head, "If you dare touch my son again, I’ll kill you!"

The ruffian, looking at the child trader, who was pale and holding his head where the arrow had struck, turned and fled hurriedly. The child trader also left, rolling and crawling.

Seeing the two leave, the widow then turned back, hugging her son tightly and crying uncontrollably.

The squad leader, scrutinizing the extraordinary demeanor of the guard, shifted his gaze to their horse team. His eyes fell upon Bai Qingyan, seated on her horse with an air of immense authority, holding a bow. He lowered his voice to inquire of the guard, "Who are you?"

"My master is the Princess of Zhen." The guard did not conceal the truth.

"Princess of Zhen?!" The squad leader was taken aback, looking wide-eyed at Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingyan turned her gaze toward the squad leader, "Is the Liang army at the city’s doorstep that it has your city guard in such a panic? You even neglect the acts of looting within the city?"

The squad leader, tears welled in his eyes, knelt down immediately, "Princess of Zhen! The Liang army has already reached Longyang City! The citizens there have fled south. Once Longyang City falls, Youhua City is next. Our general had no choice but to have the citizens evacuate and leave us to defend!"

Dragging ox carts, donkey carts, and handcarts, and carrying bundles to flee, the citizens slowed their steps, turning to look at Bai Qingyan, whispering among themselves.

"Is it really the Princess of Zhen? Did the Imperial Court send the Princess of Zhen to lead the army and repel the Liang army?"

"Princess of Zhen? The goddess of slaughter who burned and killed a hundred thousand captured rebels on Wengshan?"

"Isn’t she the granddaughter of the King of Zhen?"

"If the Princess of Zhen comes, does that mean we don’t have to leave our homes, becoming refugees?"

The defending general, who had just come down from the city wall after a day and night of hard work, was about to return home to rest. Suddenly, he heard someone mention the Princess of Zhen. He dismounted and hurried towards Bai Qingyan.

"I am Wang Dean, the general defending Youhua City. Greetings to the Princess of Zhen!" Wang Dean hastily saluted.

"The enemy troops haven’t arrived, and yet you’re already in disarray! Absurd!" Bai Qingyan could not suppress the anger in her heart.

Wang Dean, in unrest, bowed his head even lower, "I am guilty!"

Bai Qingyan, her face stern, tightly gripped the reins, and said, "Immediately restore order in the city. Any incidents of arson, killing, or looting will be dealt with severely according to Jin law! Send someone knowledgeable about the military situation to accompany me to Longyang City at once!"

"Yes!" Wang Dean stood up and called out behind him, "Li Chunyao!"

Wang Dean’s deputy, Li Chunyao, squeezed out from the crowd, "Greetings to the Princess of Zhen!"

"Princess, regarding the current military situation, whatever I know, Li Chunyao knows! Let him accompany you!" Wang Dean said hurriedly.

Bai Qingyan glanced at Li Chunyao and said, "Mount your horse! Talk as we go!"

With that, Bai Qingyan kicked her horse into a gallop toward the north gate of Youhua City.

Seeing the Princess of Zhen’s guards all mount their horses, Li Chunyao quickly turned to salute Wang Dean and then leaped onto a horse to catch up.

From Li Chunyao’s account, the military situation Bai Qingyan learned was more detailed than the military reports and the information Lu Ping had sent back.

The Liang army had now passed Chunmu Mountain and captured Puwen City.

General Zhang Duanrui’s forces had withdrawn to Longyang City because the reinforcements dispatched by the Imperial Court had not yet arrived. The defending general of Youhua City, Wang Dean, fearing that the fall of Longyang City would endanger the citizens of Youhua City, had sent a batch of provisions at the time, personally escorted by Li Chunyao.

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