novelSusiti Chapter 62 The Three Armies Pass Through Jiange—I Took That Chair With Me
Chapter 62 The Three Armies Pass Through Jiange—I Took That Chair With Me
The seventh year of Jianxing. The nineteenth day of the first month.
Chengdu North Campus.
Fifty thousand men stood in formation.
30,000 infantry. 8,000 cavalry. 6,000 supply trainmen.
Two thousand elite White Feather Soldiers. Two thousand archers. Two thousand engineers.
The banners stretched from the north end of the drill ground to the south end. The end was nowhere to be seen.
The wind rushed in from the direction of Jian Ge. It whistled and whistled, drowning out the lingering echo of the horn.
The platform for reviewing the troops took three days to build. It was made of pine wood.
There was no red carpet. It was just the raw wooden floor. It made a sound when you stepped on it.
At 3:45 AM, Zhuge Liang ascended the platform.
A white feather fan. A blue silk turban. The prime minister wears a gold fish-shaped pouch bestowed by the emperor on his robes.
"The strategy for the Northern Expedition has been decided. Five routes will be deployed. All units, listen to my orders—"
Jiang Wan stood in the first row below the stage, holding the Ministry of War's transfer orders in her hands, which were being distributed one by one.
First Route. Qishan Front. Zhuge Liang personally led 30,000 infantrymen out of Qishan Road, heading straight for Tianshui.
The second route. The detachment at Xiegu. Wu Yi and Wu Ban lead 5,000 cavalry. A feigned attack on Mei County. To contain Cao Wei's right flank.
The third route. A feint at Jigu Valley. Zhao Yun—
Jiang Wan paused here. Zhao Yun fell seriously ill last winter and has not yet recovered.
Zhuge Liang then took over the conversation.
"The Jigu route will be placed under the command of Liao Hua. With 3,000 soldiers, they will serve only as a feint, not to achieve victory."
Liao Hua stepped out of the ranks. He clasped his hands in a fist salute. Without saying much, he accepted the command flag and retreated.
Fourth Route.
Jiang Wan unfolded the transfer order. Her voice rose slightly.
"The old Chencang road. General Wei Yan, the Grand General Who Conquers the West, is the commander-in-chief, and Jiang Wei is the deputy commander. Three thousand elite cavalry will detour through Chencang and launch a surprise attack on the granary."
Wei Yan strode forward. He wasn't wearing a helmet; his head was bare.
The sun shone on his face. An old scar stretched from his forehead to his temple.
"This subordinate obeys."
Jiang Wei followed behind, stepping out of the ranks. He was young, twenty-seven.
He was a size narrower than Wei Yan, but his back was ramrod straight.
"This subordinate obeys."
The two stood side by side for a moment. Wei Yan glanced at Jiang Wei.
He didn't speak. He tucked the command flag under his arm and retreated.
Fifth Route.
Jiang Wan's voice paused for a moment.
"The Emperor personally led the expedition. He commanded 10,000 troops in the central army, marched out of Xiegu Valley, and positioned himself in the center to provide support."
The drill ground was quiet for three breaths.
The breathing of 50,000 people was suppressed.
—The emperor personally led the expedition.
Four words.
The Shu Han dynasty in the seventh year of Jianxing. No one expected these four words to appear in a transfer order.
His Majesty personally leads the expedition. His Majesty spends all day playing with crickets. His Majesty dozes off during court sessions, even having eunuchs read his memorials aloud.
A personal expedition?
Behind the drill ground. In the ranks of junior officers. Some were whispering amongst themselves.
The sound was very soft. But it couldn't drown out the buzzing of 50,000 people.
-
The buzzing from the audience lasted for ten breaths.
Then it stopped.
Because people have arrived.
Liu Shan walked out from the passageway on the east side of the training ground.
No carriage. No umbrella. On foot.
armor.
The Shu Han emperor's gleaming armor. The chest is inlaid with gold cloud patterns.
The shoulder armor is engraved with two dragons. A sword hangs at the waist. The one left behind by Liu Bei.
White Feather Soldiers lined up on both sides to guard him. Chen Dao walked at the very front.
Liu Shan ascended the stage.
Each step made a thud. The pine planks were firmly planted underfoot.
Zhuge Liang relinquished the main seat and took a half-step back.
Liu Shan stepped forward onto the platform.
His gaze swept from left to right. Fifty thousand men. Banners. Weapons. Horses.
No one spoke.
Liu Shan didn't rush to speak.
He stood there for five breaths, letting everyone see clearly—the person beneath the armor wasn't the one sitting in the palace playing with crickets.
Then he opened his mouth.
"The late emperor passed away in Yong'an, leaving behind two sentences."
The sound wasn't loud. But the drill ground was quiet. So it carried far.
The first line is: "The Han and the traitors cannot coexist; the royal cause cannot be achieved by merely occupying a corner of the land."
"The second sentence—is left for me."
Liu Shan's hand rested on the hilt of his sword.
He said, "Son, your father has fought wars his whole life. It's never over."
No one in the audience moved.
"I've remembered this for seven years."
"Today, I will continue the fight."
There was a three-breath silence in the audience.
Then the sound started. From the front row. Moving towards the back.
The weapons suddenly hit the ground.
Fifty thousand men. Spears pounded the ground. Shields slammed into the earth. The roar rolled from the north end of the drill ground to the south end.
The ground shook. My feet went numb. The tremors came one after another, becoming more and more synchronized.
Zhuge Liang stood half a step behind Liu Shan. His feather fan remained still. His gaze was fixed on Liu Shan's back.
Seven years.
From that boy who cried uncontrollably in Yong'an Palace.
Today, the emperor stands before 50,000 people, clad in his gleaming armor.
Zhuge Liang's throat bobbed.
—The oath-taking ceremony is over.
The army broke camp at noon that day.
The vanguard, led by Wei Yan and Jiang Wei, consisted of three thousand cavalry. They had already left the north gate by Chen Shi (7-9 AM).
Take the Golden Ox Road. Circumnavigate Jian Ge. Head straight towards Chencang.
Zhuge Liang led his main force of 30,000 men. They set off at noon, taking the Qishan Road.
Liu Shan led a central army of 10,000. They set off an hour later, passing through Xiegu Valley.
-
The day the army left the city, Chengdu was deserted as everyone flocked to the streets.
The common people crowded on both sides of the official road outside the North Gate.
Some people are holding Shu brocade banners. Some people are holding wine bowls.
Liu Shan rode his horse at the very front of the central army.
He didn't turn around.
Behind them followed the White Feather Soldiers. Chen Dao rode on his horse on the left. Dong Yun sat in the central army advisor's carriage.
Zhou Fu followed in the supply train, doing the work of serving tea and water.
Liu Shan knew which carriage he was in. Which row? The third carriage from the left.
The sentries behind the curtain had changed. Two soldiers in white uniforms disguised themselves as cooks and slept next to Zhou Fu.
The aconite was still in his sleeve. He checked it every day.
Liu Shan's right hand rested on the saddle. His thumb rubbed against the saddle bridge.
There are no dents.
I looked for it out of habit. I couldn't find it.
Forget it.
The army exited through the north gate, passed through Mianzhu, and headed towards Jiange.
Night falls. Camp is set up.
Central command tent.
A geomantic map was laid out on the table. From the entrance of Xiegu Valley to Mei County, it was 120 li.
The first urgent letter arrived from Chen's messenger.
Wei Yan's.
"The vanguard has passed Baishui Pass. Tomorrow we will enter Chencang Road. There are no Cao Wei outposts along the way."
Turn it over.
"Jiang Wei suggested dividing the troops into 1,000 to first capture San Pass and block Cao Wei's eastern reinforcement route."
Liu Shan glanced at it for a moment, then picked up his pen.
"allow."
Fold it neatly. Seal it with sealing wax. Hand it over.
The curtain was lifted. Dong Yun entered.
"Your Majesty. Zhou Fu checked the hidden pockets today—they're still there."
Liu Shan nodded.
"Where is Liu An?"
"He was detained yesterday on charges of embezzlement. The head of the kitchen has been replaced by someone arranged by Jiang Wan. Zhou Fu showed no unusual reaction."
"He didn't know that Liu An was his superior."
"Yes. In his mind, the item appeared out of thin air in his sleeve from the laundry room."
Liu Shan leaned back in his chair.
Camp chair. Hardwood. No armrest dents.
"From now on, report Zhou Fu's condition to Chen Dao every three days. I will no longer inquire about it."
"Unless the hidden pocket is empty."
Dong Yun accepted the order and left.
Only one oil lamp remained inside the tent.
On the geomantic map, the positions of the five armies are marked with a vermilion brush.
Zhuge Liang's main force has arrived at Mianyang. Tomorrow they will pass Yangping Pass. The day after tomorrow they will reach the Qishan outpost.
Wu Yi and Wu Ban's cavalry took the Baoxie Road. They were half a day slower than the main force.
Liao Hua's feint troops have already entered Jigu Valley.
Five routes. Advancing simultaneously.
Liu Shan's finger traced from the entrance of Xiegu Valley to Mei County. Then it traced from Mei County to Chang'an.
Two hundred and forty li.
There was one person in between.
Sima Yi.
The bugle call for the patrol sounded outside the tent. (First time.)
Liu Shan rolled up the geomantic map and tucked it into a hidden compartment under his desk.
Lie down.
A dagger was tucked under the pillow. The habit hadn't changed.
The tent fabric billowed in the wind for a moment, then deflated again.
Springtime of the seventh year of Jianxing.
The Shu Han army marched out of Jiange.
[End of Chapter]