Chapter 204: Chapter 202: A Glimmer of Hope_1 Chapter 204: Chapter 202: A Glimmer of Hope_1 The Xiliang soldier struggled to cross the river alone. As he looked at Bai Qingyan, who sat majestically on her horse, her armor glimmering cold under the light, memories of his Xiliang comrades who perished in the burning of Wengshan Canyon flooded his mind. He couldn’t help but lower his head and say, “My commander wishes to meet with General Bai. The location is for General Bai to decide.”

“Oh…” Bai Qingyan responded indifferently, raising her eyes to look at Yun Poxing. “Tell your commander to meet at the upstream of Jinghe. I’m quite busy, but I have a little time now. If your commander needs preparation time, we can meet on the battlefield some other day.”

Bai Qingyan intended to prevent Yun Poxing from setting an ambush, so she wished to meet quickly, giving him no time to prepare one.

The Xiliang soldier paddled back on his bamboo raft and conveyed Bai Qingyan’s message to Yun Poxing.

Yun Poxing pointed his whip towards the upstream direction and led the way on horseback.

Before setting out, Bai Qingyan turned and instructed the Jin cavalry behind her, “Send someone back to bring a box of the refreshments awarded by the Crown Prince.”

“Yes!”

Quickly, Bai Qingyan and Yun Poxing rode rapidly to the narrow and shallow section of the upstream river. To show sincerity, Yun Poxing rode his horse across the water.

“General Bai, I, Yun, come to seek peace,” Yun Poxing said candidly. “As long as General Bai returns my son’s head to this old man, our Xiliang and the Jin Kingdom will cease hostilities at Jinghe, and we shall battle again three years hence.”

Indeed, with food supplies, Yun Poxing felt emboldened. Though defeated, he still dared to dream of returning to the previous status quo, with Jinghe as the boundary.

Bai Qingyan didn’t get angry but laughed instead. “Discussion of peace is not something I dare to decide by myself. However… I think you are quite audacious. Your Xiliang allied with Nanyan to attack the Jin Kingdom and, upon defeat, wish to return to peace as if nothing happened. How can there be such an easy outcome in this world?”

“So what do you propose?” Yun Poxing asked.

“It is not what I propose, but what Xiliang must do to stop the war. You should cede territory, pay reparations, and send an envoy, only then will there be a glimmer of hope,” Bai Qingyan’s eyes flashed cold as she looked at Yun Poxing. “As for your son’s head, I stopped the Jin soldiers from using it as a chamber pot, which was against my will. If you want it back… you can have it, in three years.”

Yun Poxing trembled with anger, his teeth clenched. “It looks like General Bai intends to continue the battle. Don’t forget, our Xiliang army outnumbers the Jin army several times over!”

“Yes, and don’t you forget… who spared your life at Wengshan Canyon, allowing you to survive like a dog!” Her face was icy, her eyes filled with disdain. “And don’t forget how I slaughtered your hundreds of thousands of Xiliang soldiers in Wengshan Canyon, leaving none behind!”

“You are arrogant!” Yun Poxing was furious and frustrated. “I was caught off guard and lost a battle! Do you think you can win against me every time?!”

“Then why have you not dared to engage in battle for the past several days, hanging the ‘no battle’ sign high?” she chuckled softly. “Oh, right, you must be out of food, waiting for Xiliang to deliver supplies. Let me guess… your supplies must be coming through Chuanling Mountain? There’s a treacherous area there… the same place you once ambushed my grandfather!”

Yun Poxing instantly understood Bai Qingyan’s implication. His body tensed, and his nervousness affected his war horse, which stamped its hooves uneasily.

“You dared to come to me today with such an arrogant tone under the guise of seeking peace, simply because you expect your Xiliang army’s supplies to arrive today, giving you the confidence to negotiate. Too bad… I won’t let those supplies reach the Xiliang camp!” Bai Qingyan smiled faintly.

Yun Poxing signaled to his subordinate to report the news, Xiao Ruojiang’s eyes darkened, and he raised his hand.

The archers immediately drew their bows, aiming at Yun Poxing’s group.

For a moment, people were startled, horses neighed, and Yun Poxing’s men drew their swords, the atmosphere tense and ready to explode.

The Xiliang soldier who rode to cross the river to report was shot through the heart by Bai Qingyan, falling into the river.

“What is the meaning of this, Bai Qingyan?!” Yun Poxing shouted.

Bai Qingyan put away her bow and said nonchalantly, “Commander Yun, you’ve probably been starving these days. Here, I have a box of refreshments from the Crown Prince. Sit here and enjoy them in peace. Wait until news of your supplies being intercepted reaches you, then you can leave, not before!”

Yun Poxing looked at Bai Qingyan, sitting upright and overbearing on her horse. Her murderous aura was so strong that one dared not look directly at her. He tried his best to suppress the panic in his heart.

Bai Qingyan was right. It was because the supplies were expected today that Yun Poxing lost his composure and came to Bai Qingyan to demand his son’s head!

Such a cunning girl, to have predicted his actions so accurately!

For the first time, Yun Poxing felt a fear other than for Bai Weiting. His scalp tingled.

Yun Poxing gripped his reins tightly, watching as a Jin soldier brought over the box of refreshments, his face pallid and twisted with rage as he looked at Bai Qingyan, wishing he could kill her on the spot!

“There is one more matter regarding Nanyan. I wonder if Commander Yun has heard. Nanyan’s supplies were seized at Yao Pass by the Bai family army! By the timeline, the Nanyan army should return to Yao Pass today. Do you think… the Bai family army could wipe out Nanyan’s elite forces at Yao Pass, severing Xiliang and Nanyan’s chance to negotiate and ask Nanyan for reinforcements?” Bai Qingyan discussed the life and death of thousands of elite soldiers as if talking about mundane matters.

The wind howled with moisture, and Yun Poxing was so shocked that he almost fell off his horse.

He struggled to control his hatred and fear, staring intently at Bai Qingyan. The woman sat calmly on her horse, the morning light reflected off the rushing river onto her eyes, revealing their sharp and cold brilliance, making him feel as if the wind had frozen his soaked clothes to ice.

Murderous intent spread between them, but clearly, Bai Qingyan’s steely resolve was greater.

Lost!

This battle was thoroughly lost.

But he couldn’t understand. Since this girl was so capable, why didn’t Bai Weiting continue to take her to the battlefield?!

Could it be that this girl was Bai Weiting’s last hope for the Bai family?! Was this why Bai Weiting dared to bring all the Bai family’s descendants to battle?!

So much remained unclear to Yun Poxing, but his heart held genuine fear.

Even though his Xiliang army outnumbered the Jin army, he no longer dared to continue fighting. Since first engaging Bai Qingyan, she had anticipated everything, leaving him no chance to counter, forced to retreat south of Jinghe.

Driven to the brink of despair, Yun Poxing became calm. Bai Qingyan brought many archers, not to mention being a marksman herself. He had no hope of fighting his way back to report.

Since Bai Qingyan hadn’t killed him immediately, she would surely release him once news of the intercepted supplies arrived.

Resigned, he hoarsely asked Bai Qingyan, “You promised me three years. Is it true?”