Chapter 64 An ominous premonition of rebellion enveloped her.
The morning light pierced through the clouds, illuminating the glazed tiles of the Golden Palace in a magnificent glow. However, the atmosphere inside the palace was completely at odds with this brilliant morning light.
Garo Lin sat high on the dragon throne, his face as cold and stern as iron. Below him, civil and military officials stood with their heads bowed, an invisible oppression permeating the air.
The newly appointed Minister of War, Wu Tian, broke the silence with a heavy voice, holding an urgent military report: "Your Majesty, the powerful Wu family in Cangwu County in the southwest has colluded with local authorities to oppress and exploit the people. After last year's floods, they even embezzled relief grain, causing widespread resentment. Now, led by the displaced man Shi Hu, they have gathered tens of thousands of followers and have already captured Longxi and Lintao counties. The prefect of the county requests reinforcements."
These words immediately sparked a murmur of discussion in the imperial court.
“How dare these mere refugees defy the imperial authority? We must immediately dispatch a large army to annihilate them and serve as a warning to others!” A military general stepped forward and declared loudly.
“Absolutely not!” a civil official immediately retorted. “The national treasury is empty, and the war has just ended. How can we wage war again? Moreover, the root of this problem lies in corrupt officials. We should focus on pacification and severely punish corrupt officials to appease the people.”
"Appeasement? If this trend sets in, refugees from all over the country will follow suit. Where will the prestige of my Feng Kingdom be?"
As the debate began, Galo Lin's gaze swept over the assembled officials, her voice not loud, but instantly drowning out all the noise: "Enough."
The hall immediately fell silent.
Galorin spoke slowly, each word crystal clear: "Without order, how can there be new policies? Without order, how can the people be brought peace?"
He looked sharply at the ministers who advocated appeasement, saying, "Appeasement should be done when the bandits are exhausted and outnumbered, not when they are at the height of their power. Otherwise, it is not benevolent governance, but a sign of weakness."
He then turned to the ranks of military officers: "Suppressing bandits is not about slaughter. On the day the army sets out, carry the banner of pardon and accompany the newly appointed prefect. After the pacification, immediately rectify the administration and appease the exiles."
His decision was clear and decisive, leaving neither side in the dispute with a point of contention to refute it.
"This battle concerns the new dynasty, and it is also the first test of the morale of our Feng Kingdom's army." Galuo Lin's gaze finally fell on a tall and upright figure, "General Bai Ziyuan, the Flag Bearer!"
"Your subject is here!" Bai Ziyuan, his armor clanging, strode forward and knelt on one knee.
"I hereby appoint you as the Commander-in-Chief of Pingnan, leading 10,000 elite troops from the capital garrison to Cangwu immediately to quell the rebellion and restore order to the region!"
"Your Majesty, I obey!" Bai Ziyuan knelt on one knee, his voice resolute, "Your Majesty, I will not fail in your trust, I will quell the rebellion and eliminate the treacherous officials!"
-
On the command platform, banners fluttered in the wind. Bai Ziyuan received the tiger tally, his silver armor gleaming in the sunlight.
"Brother," Bai Lian stepped forward as Bai Ziyuan came over to say goodbye, carefully straightening his arm armor and whispering, "The southwest is mountainous and has complex terrain. Since Shi Hu can cause chaos, he must have something to rely on. You must be careful and avoid underestimating the enemy and acting rashly."
Bai Ziyuan laughed heartily and patted his sister's shoulder: "Don't worry, Lian'er! They're just a bunch of rabble, relying on brute force. Your brother isn't even afraid of the Northern Di cavalry, why would I be afraid of them? When I return victorious, I'll bring you back some specialties from Cangwu!"
The army marched off, raising clouds of dust. Bai Lian watched the white banner gradually disappear into the distance, but unease lingered in her heart.
-
At the outset of the war, victories were reported frequently, each report carrying an inspiring force that dispelled the gloom that had initially hung over the court and the country due to the sudden outbreak of rebellion.
Although the military report was concise, it could not conceal its sharp edge: "General Bai led his troops on a swift march and has reached Cangwu. The rebel vanguard was arrogant and set up an ambush on the official road. The general used a counter-strategy, using elite cavalry to lure the enemy while his infantry surrounded them from both flanks, inflicting a great defeat on them, beheading hundreds, and the rest of the troops scattered. Longxi County was recovered."
Just as Galorin had predicted, Bai Ziyuan's military tactics were both swift and meticulous. The initial victory was not only due to the defeat of the enemy's manpower, but also to his astute grasp of the traitor's true nature.
The situation seemed to be progressing rapidly along a clear path to victory, and everyone believed that under General Bai's command, the complete suppression of the rebellion was just around the corner.
The ministers were all praising the name "Bai Ziyuan," as if he were a star general descended from the heavens, sweeping away the gloom in the southwest with the force of thunder.
Bai Moyuan's tense heart was relieved a lot, and some ministers even congratulated him, as if they could foresee Bai Ziyuan's meteoric rise after his great victory.
However, the winds on the battlefield can shift more unpredictably than the weather in the desert.
Bai Ziyuan stood inside the makeshift central command tent, his brows furrowed as he stared at the military map on the wooden table.
On the map, he circled several areas representing the rebels' activities with a red pen, and several clues vaguely pointed to a core that had not yet fully surfaced.
He felt he was getting closer to the truth about the real source of the rebellion and the identity of the mole.
“It’ll be soon,” he muttered to himself, pointing to a pass on the map. “At dawn tomorrow, we will launch a general offensive from here, cut off the rebels’ retreat, and capture their leader in one fell swoop.”
"Your subordinate obeys!" Deputy General Zhang Ben had followed Bai Ziyuan for many years. He was brave in battle and capable in handling affairs, which earned him Bai Ziyuan's appreciation and led to Bai entrusting him with many military matters.
As night deepened, Bai Ziyuan did not fall asleep. He repeatedly rehearsed the battle situation of tomorrow in his mind. A strange and indescribable sense of oppression, like damp fog, quietly seeped into his heart.
Just after midnight, an unusual commotion suddenly broke out in the camp.
First, several teams that were originally supposed to reinforce the front line were transferred to the unimportant rear flanks by a military order stamped with Zhang Ben's seal.
Immediately afterwards, the supply lines to the main force were forcibly cut off by "unidentified" troops.
Before Bai Ziyuan could react, rumors suddenly began to circulate in the army:
"The general intends to lead us to our deaths!"
"The imperial reinforcements have been cut off; we have been abandoned!"
"Run! Staying means certain death!"
Panic spread like wildfire, and some rank-and-file soldiers, misled by rumors, began to desert.
Generals at all levels attempted to suppress the unrest, but found that the command system was experiencing strange blockages and chaos, and many orders could not be effectively transmitted.
Bai Ziyuan tried to gather his core troops, but found himself trapped in an invisible net, his senses blocked and his command ineffective.
Only now did he realize with horror that the mole was right beside him. "Zhang Ben, how dare he!"
"Report!" A scout, covered in blood, staggered into the tent, his voice shrill. "General! The rebels... the main force of the rebels has suddenly appeared and is launching a general attack on our camp! The offensive is extremely fierce. They... they seem to have known about the chaos in our camp all along, and they're heading straight for the central army!"
Bai Ziyuan rushed out of the tent, and on the distant horizon, the figures of the rebel army, surging like a tide, had already appeared.
What shocked him even more was the ferocious flag in the rebel ranks, illuminated by the firelight. It was not the ordinary bandit flag, but a totem battle flag embroidered with a roaring golden wolf!
“Golden Wolf Banner…The Northern Di Royal Court!” Bai Ziyuan’s pupils suddenly contracted, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
Everything became clear. Why was this "rebel army" so well-trained and unpredictable? Why was the traitor able to seize the opportunity so accurately? It turned out that the rebellion in the southwest was merely a facade; the real enemy was the remnants of the Northern Di tribes, who had been lying in wait for many years and were planning a comeback!
The rebel leader named Shi Hu was nothing more than a pawn placed on the stage by the Northern Barbarians.
The betrayal by an internal traitor and the intervention of the Northern Di were like a powerful combination punch, striking Bai Ziyuan and his troops hard at their vital points.
Besieged on both sides, with supplies cut off, and morale crumbling, Bai Ziyuan's loyal subordinates fought desperately to protect him, retreating as they fought, trying to carve out a path to survival.
However, the number of rebels far exceeded expectations. Like herding sheep, they drove Bai Ziyuan's remaining troops to a dangerous place shrouded in mist all year round, the Misty Valley.
The pursuers were close behind, and there were steep, insurmountable cliffs on both sides. The only entrance was now blocked by a large number of enemy troops.
Ahead lay only a thick, impenetrable fog, like the mouth of a giant beast, waiting to devour everything.
Just as Bai Ziyuan and his soldiers were in dire straits, on the verge of life and death, the military news transmission system in the rear seemed to be interfered with by some invisible force. The messages sent to Fengwu City began to become vague and even contradictory.
Initially, there was still an optimistic statement: "Our army pursued the enemy in victory, and the remaining bandits were routed and fled into the Misty Valley."
Next came a battle report that seemed to show overconfidence and recklessness: "In order to achieve complete victory, General Bai personally led his elite troops into the valley to wipe out the bandits, hoping to completely eradicate the bandit threat."
The three words "Misty Valley" were like a needle chilled to ice, piercing the deepest part of Bai Lian's nerves without warning.
An ominous premonition, like the perpetual fog in Misty Valley, instantly enveloped her.
She felt that things were not as simple as the military newspapers made them out to be.
-
The night was deep, the moonlight was like a ribbon, but it carried a hint of coolness.
Bai Lian stood alone in the small garden outside the palace, gazing at the night sky to the southwest.
The stars were dim, as if shrouded in an invisible veil. Several days had passed since Bai Ziyuan entered the so-called "Mist Valley," and the feeling of being suspended in mid-air, with nowhere to settle, almost suffocated her.
A night breeze blew by, and she instinctively hugged her arms tighter. A cloak, still warm from her body, gently fell onto her shoulders.
"The night dew is heavy and cold. Why are you here alone?" Galo Lin's voice sounded behind her, carrying a hint of weariness from handling government affairs, but more so, concern for her.
Bai Lian looked back at him, a hint of worry on her face, "I... I've been restless since this evening..."
Galo Lin tightened his arms, completely encircling her in his embrace. "Don't overthink it. Zi Yuan is brave and surrounded by elite troops from the capital's garrison. It's just a matter of clearing out the remaining bandits; we'll definitely return victorious."
He paused, his tone becoming even gentler, "I have strictly ordered all prefectures and counties along the route to ensure that military reports are transmitted smoothly and without obstruction. We will know immediately if there is any news. He will be perfectly fine."
"Rin, thank you." Bai Lian suppressed her unease and let her thoughts drift into the distance.
-
That morning, Bai Lian awoke from a nightmare, drenched in cold sweat. In her dream, she clearly saw Bai Ziyuan amidst a chaotic army, surrounded and covered in blood…
Her heart pounded like a drum, and a strong impulse made her unable to wait any longer in the bedchamber. She went straight to the imperial study, not even waiting for the eunuch to announce her arrival.
The moment she pushed open the palace door, she saw Galorin standing alone by the window, her back to her, clutching a battle report tightly in her hand.
His back was stiff, as if bearing an immense burden. Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around.
Bai Lian's heart sank when she saw Jia Luolin's solemn expression.
Her gaze fell on the unusual letter in his hand, and her face instantly turned deathly pale.
"How bad is it?" Her voice was calm, but her fists were clenched tightly. "Is he still alive?"
Galo Lin closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, her eyes were filled with deep sorrow and hardship.
He could neither hide it nor be evasive: "Ziyuan... fell into the rebels' trap and is surrounded in Misty Valley... His whereabouts are currently unknown..."
“Whereabouts unknown…” Bai Lian repeated these words, and the last glimmer of light in her eyes went out.
She stared at Galorin, whose eyes, once brimming with tenderness and affection, now burned with only icy flames.
"Let me go." She said each word clearly and firmly, "Now, immediately."
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