Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 424

Chapter 424: Chapter 421: At the Forefront_1

Two reasons: it was not only to prevent Bai Qingyan from establishing too much prestige in the military, but also to ensure that once Bai Qingyan had the same high reputation as Bai Weiting, she wouldn’t use her troops to her advantage due to her fearless temperament and lack of reverence for the Imperial Family. If that happened, the Emperor would find her hard to control. Worse, Bai Qingyan might even rebel.

Lu Ping had always respected this frail yet victorious daughter of the Bai family, who achieved a great victory over Xiliang in the southern border.

At first, Lu Ping thought the Emperor was being overly cautious. However, after reflecting on Bai Qingyan’s resolute speech at the palace banquet and recalling how she forced the execution of King Xin by striking the drum of grievances, he concluded the Emperor’s concerns were not unfounded.

Lu Ping understood he lacked the skills of legends like King of Zhen Bai Weiting and Duke Bai Qishan. The Emperor chose him as Commander mainly because he had been loyal to the Emperor even before his ascension to the throne. He never sought power, had no grand ambitions, and remained unchanged to this day.

Therefore, upon hearing that Bai Qingyan was rushing from Shuoyang to Longyang City with a squad of guards, he remembered the Emperor’s warning. The Emperor had said not to let Bai Qingyan gain further military merit unless absolutely necessary. This made Lu Ping exceedingly anxious. He abandoned the bulk of his army and hurriedly traveled day and night with a squad of cavalry.

Lu Ping feared no one else could restrain Bai Qingyan. As the supreme commander, Bai Qingyan had to obey him.

However, the journey took a toll on Lu Ping. He did not dismount, and the saddle sores on his inner thighs grew severe. Before entering the city, he even developed a high fever. Upon hearing from the city guards, he learned that Bai Qingyan, upon arrival, had not rested but immediately engaged in battle. She defeated the fierce Liang general Zhao Tong in three moves, greatly boosting the morale of the Jin Army.

Additionally, Bai Qingyan had predicted the Liang Army’s night maneuvers. The Jin Army had already captured the Zhao family soldiers who had sneaked into the city. Bai Qingyan then ordered a team to burn down the Liang camp’s grain supplies.

Seeing the admiration for Bai Qingyan written all over the faces of the guards, Lu Ping felt disheartened. Without rest, he immediately ordered the assembly of generals at the training grounds.

At the training grounds, all the high fire pits were lit. The fluttering banners and dancing flames illuminated the grounds as if it were daylight.

Pale-faced, Lu Ping sat on a chair. He felt feverish and struggled to breathe; his mouth felt like it was on fire.

Though he desperately wanted to rest, he didn’t want the troops who retreated to Longyang City to feel that their commander was inferior to a young woman.

Lu Ping clung to his chair, battling fatigue. He feared that if he lay down, he wouldn’t wake up for days. He needed to meet with the generals and make proper arrangements.

When Bai Qingyan and her group arrived, Lu Ping, cloaked in heavy armor and a cape, was seated on the platform flanked by sword-bearing cavalry, giving an imposing display of commander’s authority.

"The subordinate greets the Commander!"

They stood below the platform and saluted Lu Ping.

Lu Ping intended to rise but was too weak, his joints racked with feverish pain. Forced to remain seated, he clasped his hands in greeting to the generals: "Generals, my apologies. I have caught a cold and suffer from aches. I won’t stand. From today, without my direct order, no one is to engage the enemy. Violators will be treated as traitors. All troops must stay within the city, waiting for reinforcements to arrive before acting."

The generals exchanged glances, all acknowledging with a fist salute.

Bai Qingyan glanced at Lu Ping. He quickly averted his gaze, feeling guilty and avoiding eye contact with her calm, deep eyes.

Lu Ping had raced forward, risking his life, just to issue this order.