The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 88

The Deputy Commander and heir of the Zhenguo Duke, Bai Qishan, who had been ordered to rush to Fengcheng, discovered Fengcheng was unharmed upon his arrival. The grain store officers in charge of provisions stated that the supplies had never reached Fengcheng, and that Lieutenant General Liu Huanzhang had previously passed through Fengcheng, claiming that the provisions had already been sent directly to the frontline camps, so the officers need not worry.

When First Master Bai Qishan realised Liu Huanzhang had betrayed them, he turned back, intending to rush to support Chuanling Mountain. Who would have thought Liu Huanzhang would lead 180,000 troops to ambush him midway at Luofeng Gorge? The difference in military strength was too great… Deputy Commander Bai Qishan, with 10,000 troops, could not withstand it. Gravely injured, he led a 1,000 battered soldiers in retreat to Fengcheng.

Deputy Commander Bai Qishan was trapped in Fengcheng for five days and exhausted their provisions. Liu Huanzhang captured five sons of the Bai family alive, stripped and flayed them at the front lines to humiliate them, intending to force Deputy Commander Bai Qishan to surrender. Bai Qishan was determined to fight to the death with Liu Huanzhang to delay him so that the civilians of Fengcheng could retreat. In tears, he shot arrows to end the lives of the five Bai family’s sons.

Before going to battle, Deputy Commander Bai Qishan had ordered all who had elderly parents to take a step back, those unmarried with no heirs to take another step back. The rest… Those willing to die for the people of Jin, follow him into battle to face the enemy!

The 17th son of the Bai family, only ten years old, stepped forward with sword in hand, declaring that he was willing to sacrifice flesh and bl00d to fight alongside his father for the people of the Great Jin Kingdom, and would never live in disgrace! The Bai family army was deeply moved by the ten-year-old boy. One after another, they drew their swords, ready to fight to the death to protect the people. They shouted thrice, “Rather die in battle than live in disgrace!”

When 50,000 elite soldiers of Nanyan launched a surprise attack on the camp, Prince Xin took 3,000 troops and fled with his tail between his legs, leaving behind only 2,000 Bai family soldiers who were willing to die for the people alongside General Jifeng Bai Qingyu, to buy time to evacuate the civilians in the rear.

Bai Qingyu sent 500 soldiers to evacuate the civilians, and with 1,500 troops drank a cup of farewell wine. He said… Although they had not been born at the same time, today they would fight together for the people of Great Jin, thus they were bl00d brothers. Once this cup was drunk dry, they will meet again in the next life!

Later, General Jifeng Bai Qingyu died alongside 1,500 soldiers and their bodies were burned.

General Jiyong Bai Qingming defended Feng County to his death. The combined forces of Western Liang and Nanyan laid siege. General Jiyong Bai Qingming said that with millions of civilians behind them, the Bai family army had no choice but to fight with their backs to the river. As long as one soldier remained, they would still not retreat! To break the morale of Jin’s army, the enemy general of the coalition forces, Yun Po, beheaded all 17 sons of the Bai family before the battle formation, then disembowelled and desecrated the corpses. The son’s stomachs were full of tree roots and soil. Yun Po was greatly shocked!

The Bai family army’s fighting spirit ignited. They fought bravely and killed enemies!

Even the historian assigned to record the campaign wrote this final entry…

“A ten-year-old child’s hot-blooded courage puts me to shame. At this point, though I am a scholar, I too dare throw down my pen and draw a sword! Let my corpse be wrapped in horsehide… Go!”

When the six bamboo scrolls were read to the end, in front of Wude Gate… The Bai family and the people of the capital were already weeping uncontrollably.

Bai Qingyan raised the six bloodstained bamboo scrolls of military records high with both hands and shouted, “In Nanjiang, the provisions never arrived. Lieutenant General Liu Huanzhang committed treason! Prince Xin, greedy for merit, forced the Zhenguo Duke Bai Weiting to go to war, leading to tens of thousands of soldiers dying in Nanjiang. Yet, he put the blame on the Zhenguo Duke, accusing him of stubbornly misusing troops. We beseech His Majesty to return justice to the heroic spirits, restore honour to the loyal! Arrest Liu Huanzhang, execute Prince Xin, uphold the law of the state, and pacify the people’s hearts!”

After hearing this, the gate commander was filled with righteous indignation and tears welled up in his eyes. He turned back and kindly said to the Princess Dowager, “Princess Dowager, one strike of the Drum of Appeal means being beaten 30 times with the board! Stop Third Miss first!”

“Strike it!” Bai Qingyan stood up, eyes like torches. “I will take the 30 blows! Even if I die here outside Wude Gate today, this resolute sound must reach the Emperor’s ears!”

She knelt on one knee at the very front, assuming the posture to receive punishment by board, gazing unwaveringly at the towering and awe-inspiring Wude Gate before her.

All these years, the drum had stood here in name only. It was more like a symbol, no one had ever dared step forward to strike it.

The officer held the long rod tightly, his emotions surging and turbulent. After hearing how the men of the Bai family had died, this rod… how could he bear to hit her with it?!

Before him stood a delicate and beautiful young woman. This was a widow of the Bai family! He truly could not bring himself to do it.

But even if he could not bring himself to do it, he still had to. He could only be a little more lenient with his wrist.

“First Miss Bai, the rules are before us. I must act. I beg your forgiveness!”

That rod was raised high, its strength restrained as it fell… The heavy stick, cutting through the air, struck straight down. Bai Qingyan clenched her fists tightly, nearly toppling to the ground. She bit down hard, only feeling a metallic tang rising in her chest.

“I’ll take it! I’m strong and sturdy, let me!” Bai Jinzhi stepped forward to block the rod, kneeling in line with Bai Qingyan. She said to the officer, “Eldest Sister was wounded while slaying bandits that year, her health has never been good. I’ll take the punishment!”

“I struck the drum! Naturally, I should be the one to take the punishment!” Bai Jintong struck the drum forcefully, her hand not stopping.

“We sisters… will take it together!” Bai Jinxiu also knelt beside Bai Qingyan. “We’ve endured many blows with the military rod before, are we to fear this mere court rod?!”

Among the crowd knelt a man who was weeping. He suddenly stood up and stepped forward, kneeling down as he said, “I’ll take the punishment on behalf of the Bai family’s young misses! The Bai family’s men died for the country, must the Bai family’s widows now die just to seek justice?! For the Bai family’s loyalty and righteousness… His Majesty must grant them justice!”

“Let me! That treacherous Prince Xin colluded with the traitor Liu Huanzhang to shirk his responsibilities and even disgraced the bodies of heroes who died for the Great Jin Kingdom! The Bai family’s men dared to die for this country and its people, wrapped in horsehide. I too dare to give my life for the Bai family’s justice!”

A pale-faced scholar had already stood up, “Well said! Truly, sacrificing one’s life for righteousness! I am but a mere scholar, and it is often said that scholars are utterly useless. Today, I’ll give up this useless body, if only to bring justice to the heroic and loyal spirits of the fallen!”

The scholar’s words stirred the emotions of the crowd. Even the women and children could not help but burst into tears, especially the mothers. When they thought of the fate of the ten-year-old 17th young master of the Bai family, and of Fourth Madam who nearly died by throwing herself upon the coffin, they too stood up, declaring their intent to take the punishment for the Bai family.

The people were stirred to righteous fury. Moved by the chivalry of the few who had first stepped forward, they responded one after another.

Bai Jinzhi turned to look back at the citizens who stood up for the Bai family. Her heart surged as if great waves and stormy seas were churning within it. Tears streamed down her face in great drops and her throat choked so much that she could not even utter a single word of thanks.

She suddenly remembered what her eldest sister had said to reprimand her in Qinghui Courtyard on the first day of the new year…

We have no support in the imperial court and our position is already precarious. Without the support of the people, it would be utter ruin! This… is the outcome of our Bai family those manipulators behind the plot are striving for!

So this… This was the people’s support that Eldest Sister wanted! It turned out that the will of the people can be so powerful and vast.

The bl00d in her heart surged hotly, her knuckles slowly tightened, and in that moment, it was as if clarity had poured into her like sweet dew upon awakening… No wonder her once-reticent Eldest Sister had painstakingly repeated the Bai family’s merits in front of others, had tirelessly voiced the Bai family’s loyalty to the nation and care for the people.

In the past, the Bai family did much but said little, so the people took it all for granted.

Now, Eldest Sister spoke out about all that the Bai family had done for Great Jin, for the people of Great Jin, and the people… were moved to tears in gratitude.

As the saying goes, the child who cries gets the milk. Indeed, that could not be truer.

“Let me too! I’m strong and sturdy. No matter how many times Third Miss Bai struck that drum, I’ll endure the blows for her!”