Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 1262

Chapter 1262: Chapter 1257: Unable to See the Forest for the Trees

Bai Qingqi nodded: "Then let’s proceed with the original plan. Bai Jinhua will follow Bai Qingjue to lead the vanguard in the assault on the city! Once the gates are open... Bai Jinxiu will lead the close-combat cavalry to charge into the city!"

"Bai Qingjue accepts the order!"

"Bai Jinxiu accepts the order!"

"Bai Jinhua accepts the order!"

Bai Jinzhao looked eagerly at his third brother.

Bai Qingqi’s gaze indeed fell on Bai Jinzhao, hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Bai Jinzhao will stay closely by Bai Jinxiu’s side, do not leave for even an inch, or face military punishment!"

Bai Jinxiu clasped his fists: "Bai Jinxiu accepts the order!"

"Third brother..." Bai Jinzhao hesitated, "I want to break into the Imperial Palace to rescue fifth brother!"

Bai Qingqi looked at Bai Jinzhao’s determined expression and said, "Your fifth brother is alone in the Imperial Palace. If he can’t escape, the Emperor of Xiliang and General Cui Shanzhong will surely use him as leverage. You won’t be able to handle it!"

As for rescuing Bai Qingyu, Bai Qingqi must do it himself!

Since childhood, Bai Qingqi knew that whether as an elder brother or as a member of the Bai family, he must protect A Yu at all costs!

Xiao Ruohai knew well where Bai Qingyu was being held, and once the gates of Yunjing City were breached, he would rescue A Yu from the Imperial Palace at the fastest pace.

Bai Jinzhao thought about it and agreed, not contending for the task, and accepted the order wholeheartedly: "Bai Jinzhao accepts the order!"

The Zhou and Yan Kingdom’s armies were already secretly prepared, just waiting for the time to act in concert with Bai Qingyu inside the city.

·

The sky was gloomy, with no stars or moon to be seen, a storm seemed to be approaching.

This night, General Cui Shanzhong felt particularly uneasy for some unknown reason, so he stayed in the Imperial Palace, playing chess with Li Tianjiao.

Inside the grand hall, the lantern shadows flickered, and the layers of gold drapery were pulled to the sides of the hall’s red lacquered pillars by golden hooks.

"Since the Ninth Prince of Yan Kingdom said so, it seems he doesn’t wish to cooperate with our Xiliang!" Li Tianjiao frowned deeply.

"However, the news of the Ninth Prince meeting with this old minister should have reached the Zhou army. After the Yan Kingdom betrayed Zhou, leading to the capture of the Emperor’s brother Bai Qingyu, if the news of this meeting spreads, the alliance between the two countries will be practically nullified! Zhou will undoubtedly become suspicious of Yan!"

Speaking, General Cui Shanzhong slowly placed a chess piece with his bony hand.

Li Tianjiao stared at the chessboard, contemplated for a moment before placing his piece, then said: "Since negotiations with Yan are futile, let’s offer Bai Qingyu as a gift to the Emperor of Zhou when he arrives, to declare our submission!"

"The fear is... Zhou and Yan won’t wait for the Emperor of Zhou’s arrival; they might attack the city first!" General Cui Shanzhong felt increasingly uneasy, sensing something significant was about to happen.

"We are inside the city, they are outside. Yunjing City has General Cui guarding it; it won’t be so easily breached!" Li Tianjiao had great faith in General Cui Shanzhong.

Outside the palace, the wind howled, rattling the windows, and the hexagonal palace lamps hanging under the heavy-eaved halls swayed in the wind, casting sinister shadows on the windows. General Cui seemed to sense something and turned to look outside the hall.

"Report..." Suddenly, an urgent voice of a Xiliang soldier was heard from outside.

General Cui closed his eyes, finally realizing the source of his unease!

When Bai Qingyu and the Bai family soldiers were captured alive, he felt something amiss, but couldn’t figure it out!

The Bai family soldiers, known for their resolve never to surrender, how could they have been captured alive by Xiliang!

It was his arrogance, blinded by the plan to incite discord between Yan and Zhou, that made him careless!

"Quickly! Tell the soldiers on the city walls to be on guard!" General Cui shouted to the young Xiliang officer bringing the report, "Zhou... is going to attack the city! Have the soldiers secure the gates!"

"I didn’t expect that our Yunjing had long since become a sieve!" General Cui Shanzhong’s fists were clenched, trembling with tension, "There are people from Zhou within Yunjing! Otherwise, those Bai family soldiers, surviving on only a meager portion of food a day, couldn’t possibly have started fires and escaped! They have inside help! Bai Qingyu... must have pretended to be captured by Xiliang as part of their plan!"

Bai Qingyu plans to collaborate with the Zhou army outside to open Yunjing City’s gates!

"Whoosh—bang!"

General Cui Shanzhong had just spoken when a red flare rose into the overcast night sky, exploding suddenly!

"They’re attacking the city!" General Cui Shanzhong felt as though he’d been plunged into an icy pool in the dead of winter, his body freezing, hesitating for a moment, he turned to Li Tianjiao, "Your Majesty, you must keep Bai Qingyu securely in hand! Don’t let Bai Qingyu escape!"

"Rest assured, General!" Li Tianjiao nodded.

Without another word, General Cui turned and walked out of the grand hall, heading to the north gate... to resist the impending attack by Zhou’s forces!