Chapter 859 - 856: Prevalent
"General Liu claimed he dared to use his life to guarantee that the Emperor did not want to use these children to refine elixir, but on what basis do you dare use your life as a guarantee?! Children... are the future of a nation! Who can guarantee that among these children won’t emerge future generals or prime ministers?! Is your life, General Liu, more precious than a thousand children?! How dare you speak of such a guarantee with your life!"
Liu Hong’s face turned ashen, unable to utter a single word.
"Imperial power and authority?! Ha! By then... imperial power will demand the lives of these thousand children! Authority will demand the lives of these thousand children! General Liu... could your death bring back these children’s lives?!" Bai Qingyan questioned coldly, "Do you forget the event when King Liang used children to refine elixirs for the Emperor to consume?! We all knew it was King Liang’s doing, but under whose orders was it?! Why did the Emperor go to such lengths to protect King Liang afterwards?! General Liu! Have you really forgotten all that?!"
"As soldiers, what do we fight and bleed for?! We do it to protect the people! But look! Open your eyes and look!" Bai Qingyan pointed at those tearful and seemingly resentful commoners, "They are the people we risk our lives to protect! Yet the Emperor treats them as insignificant, treats these children’s lives as insignificant! If you abandon the people for the so-called imperial power and authority, can you face our fallen brothers?! Can you face the fallen soldiers?!"
Bai Qingyan’s words were powerfully resounding, nearly moving Liu Hong to her side.
"We know our Emperor’s nature very well! General Liu understands more than I do! Selfish and self-serving, all for his own desires..."
"Princess of Zhen!" Liu Hong interrupted Bai Qingyan, eyes wide in fury, shouting, "Do not forget, you are a subject of Jin Kingdom! It was His Majesty who conferred upon you the title of Princess of Zhen!"
"I no longer care to be the Princess of Zhen." Bai Qingyan threw the whip in her hand, turned upright to face Liu Hong, "The Bai family’s descendants are born to learn these four words: protecting and easing the people! The Bai family army will not die in battle without shedding their armor, for they protect the people’s peace and worry-free lands! It’s never been for any imperial power or authority! Whether it’s me, Bai Qingyan, or Bai Jinzhi... we stake our lives in battle, never for the Imperial family! It’s for the people who pay the taxes and support us! Whoever harms the people, whoever they might be... they are my enemy, they are the Bai family’s enemy, and the enemy of the entire Bai family army!"
The atmosphere between Liu Hong and Bai Qingyan instantly turned tense, as if on the verge of drawing swords and nocking arrows.