One's Duty
After completely routing and driving back the Xiliang army on the fourteenth of February, Bai Jingyan had pushed the Jin army's camp deep into Liuyu Pass, a natural fortress within Xiliang territory — and by coincidence, a position that faced Xiliang's Chuishanguan head-on.
That day, Bai Jingyan led her commanding officers to the banks of the Jinghe River to welcome the Crown Prince. The moment he stepped off the boat and saw Bai Jingyan and her generals standing there in full armor to greet him, his spirits lifted.
So Bai Jingyan has fully submitted to me at last.
The Crown Prince gave a low chuckle.
Advisor Fang stroked his beard and nodded.
"Indeed, Your Highness. Congratulations on bringing such a ferocious general under your command. Among the other kingdoms they call Bai Jingyan the Butcher God — they say her very name makes them tremble three times over. If someone like that gives her loyalty to the Crown Prince, I doubt we shall need to worry about the borderlands again."
Zhen Xiangzhi followed behind in silence. It was only when he saw how splendidly Bai Jingyan had arrayed her subordinates to meet them that his heart finally settled. Whatever else had happened, at least her life had been spared.
"Commander Bai Jingyan pays her respects to Your Highness!"
Bai Jingyan cupped her fists and dropped to one knee.
"General Bai, rise at once!"
The Crown Prince hurriedly lifted his hands in the air, urging her up.
"Nanyan and Xiliang joined forces to strike our Great Jin, and thanks to General Bai, we have won a magnificent victory!"
"This commander dares not claim all the credit. This great victory was won by the soldiers, who joined their hearts and strength as one. I am also deeply grateful that Your Highness the Crown Prince placed his trust in me and entrusted the military command to my hands."
Hearing such pleasant words, the Crown Prince could not close his grinning mouth. He nodded and walked along beside Bai Jingyan, conversing as they went.
"So humble even after such a triumph — truly worthy of being the Grand Princess's granddaughter. General Bai, once we return to the capital this time, I shall certainly petition His Majesty to confer a title upon you."
"Your Highness, now that this great victory is won, my intention is to return to Dadu once the peace talks conclude, and then go back to the Bai family estate in Suyang together with the widows and orphans of our clan."
Zhen Xiangzhi nodded inwardly. The Bai family was now hurrying forward like a boat in a flood, yet bravely choosing to withdraw. Eldest Miss Bai's judgment was wise indeed.
At Bai Jingyan's words, the Crown Prince stopped in his tracks. He turned his head and looked at her.
"General Bai... what exactly do you mean by that?"
The Crown Prince frowned. If she had, as before, handed all the military glory over to him, then Bai Jingyan returning to Suyang would actually have been a fine thing. But her military achievements were so glorious this time — if she simply withdrew to Suyang now, how would the people of the world view the imperial house of Great Jin?
Besides, he had spent an entire month pouring out manpower and resources to make Bai Jingyan famous through the war against Shu and the battle of Ongsan, even manufacturing the name of Butcher God for her. All of it had been done for one purpose only: to win Bai Jingyan's loyalty.
And the Crown Prince had wanted to show the whole world that even if Bai Jingyan was called a Butcher God, she could not help but submit to him. Bai Weiting was dead, but he wanted the world to know that Jin possessed a general bolder and fiercer than Bai Weiting had ever been.
None of this had been intended to pave the way for Bai Jingyan to withdraw to Suyang after the war.
More than anything, the Bai family's reputation within Jin had grown too lofty. It already showed signs of surpassing the imperial house itself. But the massacre of the surrendered soldiers was an act against Heaven's way. That was precisely why Bai Jingyan had to be raised to the highest position — and had to enjoy that glory with utter composure. Only then would people come to understand Bai Jingyan's temperament, unmoved by slaughter, and only then could they smear ink over the Bai family's reputation for benevolence and virtue.
But if, after winning such a great victory, she neither grasped for reward nor retired to Suyang, they could not even pin on her the infamous name of one who delights in killing.
Advisor Fang's fingers twitched lightly, as if in surprise.
The scheme of turning Bai Jingyan into a Butcher God had been his own policy proposal. The Emperor and the Crown Prince had expended considerable effort to make her name ring across the rival kingdoms — they had even mobilized the spies lurking in enemy territory. If Bai Jingyan truly withdrew to Suyang now, the Emperor would blame him for wasted effort, and the Crown Prince would certainly never again trust and follow his counsel the way he did now.
When he had first put forward this plan, Zhen Xiangzhi's words of dissuasion to the Crown Prince came back to him. Zhen Xiangzhi had argued that although Bai Jingyan had beheaded Fangping's ruler in the war with Shu and won a great victory at Ongsan, the title of "Butcher God" did not suit her at all.
Furthermore, he had added, the killing of the surrendered soldiers at Ongsan was a grave transgression — if the Crown Prince exalted Bai Jingyan like this, then later, when she understood his true intentions, she would never give him her loyalty.
At the time, Advisor Fang had sneered at Zhen Xiangzhi. But now events were unfolding exactly as Zhen Xiangzhi had predicted. Zhen Xiangzhi was a man of exceptional cunning. If the Crown Prince ever learned to use him properly, there would be no place left for Advisor Fang to stand.
Advisor Fang gazed at Bai Jingyan with faintly clouded eyes, as if trying to measure how much of what she had said was sincere.
Watching from the corner of her eye as Zhen Xiangzhi let out a breath of relief, Bai Jingyan had a fairly good idea of what was going on.
Rumors had swept through all the rival kingdoms that Bai Jingyan relished war and knew no hesitation in slaughter — a tide of infamy that threatened to rise even higher than her grandfather's legend. Granted, it had all begun with her own bone-chilling act of putting every surrendered soldier to death, but if no one had fanned the flames from behind the scenes, the affair would never have swelled to this scale.
She did not need to think hard to guess who had done it. Hanging the grand-sounding name of Butcher God upon her head looked outwardly like an exaltation, but in truth it was a scheme to push her down the road to ruin. Who but this Crown Prince and Emperor of Jin would do such a thing?
Bai Jingyan was a descendant of the Bai family — a clan upright, benevolent, and held in the highest esteem. It would not matter if the infamous reputation for bloodshed fell on her alone, but she feared it might stain the whole family.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince knows the state of my health. I cannot lie to you. The true reason I took the field this time was that Great Jin was truly in peril. It was a decision I could not avoid. After the battle of the Southern Border, Xiliang will most likely never again be able to invade our Great Jin. The realm need no longer fear for its southern frontier. And so I, too, must return to Suyang with my mother."
Bai Jingyan offered the Crown Prince a fist-cupping salute.
"But my late father taught that whenever the people suffer hardship or war breaks out in the realm, the Bai family must step forward without hesitation. So if Your Highness and the people should ever desire it, I, Bai Jingyan, will don my armor once more and take the field. I will never withdraw from duty entirely — so please, set Your Highness's heart at ease."
The Crown Prince was deeply moved. Did this mean, then, that Bai Jingyan would follow his commands?
Thinking it over, her return to Suyang was not such a bad thing after all. It was true he had intended to confer a title upon her — but it was equally true that he had worried a Bai Jingyan holding military power might become a second Bai Weiting.
A subject who appears when her master needs her, and quietly keeps to the side when she is not needed... No military authority, no craving for power. What sovereign under heaven would not want such a loyal, obedient minister?
At the end of the day, Bai Jingyan was still a woman. She did not lust after power the way a man would. That, perhaps, was the advantage of raising a woman to the rank of general.
Yes. Later I shall submit a secret memorial to my royal father, asking him to issue an edict rewarding Bai Jingyan generously. When she declines on the grounds of her poor health, I will step forward once more and ask him to confer on her the title of County Princess or Commandery Princess instead. People will say the bond between sovereign and subject is a warm one, and Bai Jingyan will serve me with even greater devotion.
"My royal father intends to issue an edict granting General Bai a great reward! If General Bai truly has no thought of remaining at court, will His Majesty not suspect she harbors other intentions? Would that not be most unlovely?"
The Crown Prince wore the expression of a man sunk in grave deliberation.
Advisor Fang's eyes flashed. He stepped forward and bowed at the waist.
"Your Highness, His Majesty, dwelling far away in Dadu, may not know the depth of General Bai's loyalty — but you do! If Your Highness would exert yourself a little on General Bai's behalf, His Majesty will surely consent! Only... General Bai has rendered such an immense service, and yet after her victory she means to return to Suyang, so..."
Advisor Fang broke off mid-sentence and left the rest unsaid, reserving it for His Highness the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince nodded and sighed with regret.
"Yes — to win such a great victory and then return to Suyang without enjoying the honor of it. That must truly sting."
"I am one who lives for the people of Jin. To lend my strength to the realm is simply my duty. How could such a person as I dare covet credit?"
Bai Jingyan said, bowing her head.
"Then let it be thus. I shall petition my royal father to confer upon General Bai the title of Commandery Princess."
The Crown Prince drew a little closer to Bai Jingyan and lowered his voice.
"I have heard all about what the Bai clan kinsmen in Suyang did at the Duke of Zhenguo Estate's funeral. Once you hold the rank of Commandery Princess, they will never dare mistreat you again!"
Bai Jingyan, well aware that he was trying to win her favor, cupped her fists and dropped to one knee.
"I am grateful for Your Highness the Crown Prince's grace."
"General Bai, rise at once! If family carries on like this, it wounds my heart."
The Crown Prince hastily bent down and helped Bai Jingyan to her feet.
"We are kin, after all. You have won this great victory, and I share in the glory myself."
Having said this, the Crown Prince turned his head to look at the envoy sent by the Emperor to oversee the peace negotiations.
"Vice Minister Liu of the Court of Judicial Review, who is in charge of the peace talks, has brought a letter from your family."
The moment the Crown Prince finished speaking, Vice Minister Liu Yushi of the Court of Judicial Review frowned and cast a single deep, unreadable glance at Bai Jingyan. He made no effort whatsoever to hide his displeasure with her. Then he thrust Bai Jinxiu's handwritten letter carelessly into Bai Jingyan's hands.
There was a reason the Emperor had sent Liu Yushi as his envoy. Among the envoys Xiliang had dispatched was Li Zhijie, the Prince of Yan — a man of notorious dissipation. Because Li Zhijie favored only handsome and lovely faces, the Emperor had deliberated at length before selecting an envoy who was young and refined in appearance.
"Thank you."
Bai Jingyan received the letter with both hands.
Liu Yushi gave an audible sniff, dusted off his sleeves, and went to stand behind the Crown Prince. Then, with an air of haughty disdain, he refused to look at Bai Jingyan at all.
Liu Yushi was a Confucian scholar. He had heard the rumor that Bai Jingyan had put to death more than a hundred thousand surrendered Xiliang soldiers — and that was how he had come to harbor such resentment against her.