Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 971

Chapter 971: Chapter 967: Our Aspirations for Strength

Cheng Yuanzhi recalled the various atrocities the people faced during wartime, his eyes reddening: "Who among you had to flee the city with your entire family because the enemy attacked, and became refugees and beggars? Who had to gnaw on bark due to lack of food... or even exchange their children... to survive!"

Cheng Yuanzhi couldn’t bear to say more, swallowing his words about eating their children, choked with emotion.

"Where were you when Xiliang slaughtered the city? Do you know how many generations of border people were killed? Men were slaughtered like livestock... Women were abused to death, countless in number! When Yan attacked our cities back then, slaughtering our people, they may not have allowed slavery, but they treated our people like cattle and horses, forcing them to build the Imperial Palace. Unless they died, they were not allowed to stop working, not even sparing the children. Have you all forgotten?"

"Back then, the Yan Kingdom was a formidable power. I was a mere soldier when they occupied our cities, forcibly recruiting the people to build the mausoleum for the Yan Emperor’s dog. You might not know... why the Bai family army nearly annihilated the Yan? It was because Yan... after conquering all the cities, took away men like animals, turned women into military prostitutes, and the children... those children who were too weak to work and were deemed a waste of resources to feed, those Yan dogs hung the children on trees for the Yan Army to practice archery! Have you ever seen such young children with arrows piercing their bodies? I have!"

At that time, still a soldier, Cheng Yuanzhi followed Bai Qishan to take those children down from the trees and bury them. Then... Cheng Yuanzhi, a rough man, understood why the Commander always said that only through unification could the world achieve peace.

Cheng Yuanzhi’s eyes filled with tears: "Now that Yan is strong, even a rough man like me knows that Yan’s attack on Wei is for unification! It is to ensure that the west and south of Yan have no more worries, fighting boldly for unification! If Yan starts on the path to unification, based on what the Ninth Prince of Yan did to Wei, think for yourselves... the people of Zhou! And you scholars of Zhou, do you still have a way to survive?!"

"Stay vigilant in times of peace... these four words are what our Commander Bai Weiting taught us, the Bai family army, during his lifetime! Even a poorly educated man like me knows what it means, don’t you? Do you really think that after destroying the Liang, Zhou can rest easy and have eternal peace?"

"Relax guard-free..." another student completed for Cheng Yuanzhi.

"Make sure to open your eyes wide and think carefully with your brains! You want to cease war and make peace, but will Yan allow you to do so? Xiliang is currently in trouble; will Xiliang allow you to make peace when they get back on their feet? Can the Rong not come to burn, kill, and plunder our border people?"

"I, Cheng Yuanzhi, deeply believe what my Commander Bai Weiting said, that only through unification can we give the people eternal peace, only through unification can we provide the people with a worry-free and peaceful land! The Vice Commander once said that whoever can bring peace to the people, the Bai family army will be their sword, even willing to be a pawn in their hands. That is why the Bai family army is willing to follow the Bai family generals to the death, to fight and risk life without regret!"

Cheng Yuanzhi’s words lacked structure, speaking whatever came to mind, but his sincere passion was enough to move hearts.

In the vast Naxian Hall, there was no more whispering among the students.

No one understands the brutality of war better than the soldiers and border people, and no one understands the importance of unification better than them.

In war... it is always the soldiers who risk their lives at the front, sacrificing today... so their descendants won’t have to sacrifice tomorrow.

Even Xue Renyi, who initially was full of frustration and discontent, was persuaded by Bai Qingyan and moved by Cheng Yuanzhi’s fervor, bowing deeply to Bai Qingyan.

Because Bai Qingyan set a new goal for them, a unified world with peace and prosperity, with such a common goal, the minor details seemed less significant.

Xiao Rongyan stood beneath a tree, gazing at Bai Qingyan. Bai Qingyan’s words...even the monarchs of nations may not favor war, prefer peace, yet who among their descendants can assure that a piece of treaty lasts forever, already demonstrated that Bai Qingyan is determined to accomplish the goal of unifying the world.

He recalled that yesterday Bai Qingyan mentioned that the contest between Zhou and Yan should be which nation’s policies can truly achieve the prosperity of the nation and the strength of the people, as that nation would rightfully unify the world.

He closed his eyes briefly, his heart inevitably swayed...

Bai Qingyan does not care who rules the world, but who can enrich the country and strengthen the people.

The Bai family truly engraved the words "protect the nation, secure the people" in their very being, Bai Qingyan is striving for the greatest benefit for the people in her own way.