novelSusiti Chapter 9: Two Fronts in Crisis, The Emperor's Decisive Move
Chapter 9: Two Fronts in Crisis, The Emperor's Decisive Move
The reports from the spies sounded particularly jarring in the deathly silent hall; every word was like an icicle piercing the air.
Liu Shan suddenly opened his eyes, the resolute look in them fading slightly, replaced by a chilling coldness, and his aura instantly became as sharp as frost.
He no longer feigned any cowardice, his back ramrod straight, the armrests of the dragon throne creaking under his grip, even his jawline taut—Li Yan harbored wolfish ambitions, daring to collude with the enemy and seize power; Hao Zhao launched a surprise attack on Yangping Pass, and Cao Wei was determined to take advantage of the chaos.
His gaze swept over the two military reports on the table in the hall—the flames of the rebellion in the south were still spreading in the southwest, and the letter from Yangping Pass requesting reinforcements had been delivered to the table, carrying the chilling aura of Hao Zhao's military might.
The southwest and northwest, two places plagued by war, were like two nooses. If either one were to break, the entire foundation of the Shu Han dynasty would be completely severed.
"Guards!" Liu Shan's voice was deep and authoritative, without a trace of his usual panic. Every word carried the decisiveness of an emperor, causing the candlelight in the hall to flicker slightly.
The dark figure reappeared, kneeling on one knee with its head bowed, its voice steady: "Your subject is here."
"Issue my secret order!" Liu Shan stepped forward, his eyes blazing, each word ringing with unwavering authority, "Order Zhao Yun to immediately lead five thousand elite troops to reinforce Yangping Pass overnight, assisting Wei Yan in holding it to the death, and to stop Hao Zhao at all costs!"
His tone suddenly hardened, carrying a death order: "Tell Zhao Yun that Yangping Pass is the northern gateway to Shu Han. If Yangping Pass is lost, you will be beheaded!"
The dark figure replied in a deep voice, "Your subject obeys the decree!"
"Further order!" Liu Shan paused, his fingertips tracing the intact tiger tally at his waist, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "Have the men monitoring Li Yan immediately deliver all the evidence of his crimes to Zhuge Liang, informing the Prime Minister that Li Yan has colluded with the enemy and betrayed Shu. We can act according to circumstances; there's no need to report everything!"
"Furthermore, send a message to Meng Huo: if he can lead his army to attack Yong Kai from both sides and completely quell the rebellion in the south, I promise that all the tribes in the south will be exempt from taxes forever, and he can be the leader of the south for generations, free from the control of the court!"
"Your subject will not fail in his mission!" The dark figure bowed deeply, then disappeared into the shadows like a ghost, leaving only a faint whistling sound before vanishing in an instant.
The flickering candlelight outside the hall made Liu Shan's figure appear even more solitary and imposing. He stood alone in the hall, gazing to the north and south, his expression as solemn as iron.
He knew that although Zhao Yun was the bravest in the army, Hao Zhao was good at defense, and it was still unknown whether Yangping Pass could be held; although Zhuge Liang had extraordinary talent, Li Yan held some military power, and if he was pushed too far, he might do something desperate and mess up the overall situation in the south.
Meng Huo, having just experienced the pain of his clansmen being slaughtered, may have the desire to surrender, but he may not be able to fully assist them—every step in this two-pronged struggle is like walking on thin ice.
At this time, in the south of Dianchi Lake, a chaotic battle had already broken out. Shouts of battle and the clash of weapons mingled together, staining half the sky red.
After Zhang Yi dispatched troops to reinforce Meng Huo, his forces were greatly reduced. Having just fought desperately to relieve Li Hui's siege, he was then ambushed by Cao Wei reinforcements. The Cao Wei cavalry were all fierce and brave, and together with Yong Kai's rebel army, they attacked from both sides, instantly putting the Shu army on the defensive and throwing them into chaos.
Zhang Yi, wielding a long spear, was struck in the shoulder by an arrow, his armor soaked in blood, yet he fought on relentlessly, slaying several Cao Wei soldiers as he swung his spear.
"Soldiers! Hold the line! His Majesty's reinforcements will surely arrive! We shall live and die with Shu Han!" he roared, his voice hoarse but powerful, his eyes filled with anxiety—the Cao Wei reinforcements were coming in a fierce wave, and if they could not hold the line, not only would he die, but Li Hui's grand plan to quell the rebellion in the south would also completely collapse.
Just as the Shu army was on the verge of collapse and the soldiers were gradually losing their strength, a deafening shout suddenly came from afar, piercing through the fierce battle.
"The Shu Han army is here! You traitor Yong Kai, prepare to die!"
Zhang Yi suddenly looked up and saw dust billowing in the distance. Meng Huo, covered in blood, holding a long sword, led his tribal warriors at breakneck speed, followed by the remnants of Li Hui's troops, each with a burning flame of revenge in their eyes.
"General Meng Huo!" Zhang Yi shouted with hope in his eyes, and most of his fatigue instantly disappeared.
Meng Huo reined in his horse, his long sword pointed directly at Yong Kai, his voice hoarse yet resolute, each word dripping with blood: "General Zhang, do not panic! His Majesty has decreed that I, Meng Huo, am willing to lead my tribe to assist Shu Han in quelling the rebellion, eliminating the traitors, and avenging my people!"
Upon seeing Meng Huo leading his army to reinforce them, Yong Kai's face turned deathly pale. He shouted angrily, "Meng Huo! Have you forgotten the hatred of your clansmen being slaughtered? How dare you aid and abet the wicked and help these traitors of Shu Han!"
"The hatred for my people is all your doing!" Meng Huo's eyes widened in fury, his murderous aura surging. "The wealth and glory promised to you by Cao Wei were nothing but illusions. You colluded with foreign enemies and slaughtered your people; today is your death day!"
Having said that, Meng Huo brandished his sword and charged out first, followed closely by the tribal warriors. Like tigers descending a mountain, they rushed straight into the rebel camp, each strike carrying the fury of revenge.
Seeing this, Zhang Yi's spirits lifted, and he led his troops in a fierce counterattack. The morale of the Shu army soared, and the battle situation was instantly reversed. The originally scattered formation became neat and fierce again.
Seeing the situation was dire, Yong Kai panicked and hurriedly ordered a retreat. However, Meng Huo held him tightly, each blow fatal, making it impossible for him to escape. Despair filled his eyes.
Meanwhile, in Li Yan's military camp, the atmosphere was unusually strange.
Upon receiving Gao Ding's reply, Li Yan smiled smugly, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table, his eyes full of calculation. In the letter, Gao Ding promised to hold off Ma Zhong's army until he arrived, at which point they would launch a pincer attack, divide up the southern region, and jointly pursue their great cause.
He raised his hand and stroked the military tally on the table, a sinister smile playing on his lips: Zhuge Liang has already seen through my intentions, but fortunately I was prepared. As long as I take over Nanzhong and seize military power, even if Zhuge Liang has evidence, he can't do anything to me! At that time, the Shu Han empire might just be within my grasp!
"Guards!" Li Yan summoned his trusted aides, his voice low and authoritative, "Send word that the army halt its march for now. We will wait for news from Gao Ding before launching a full-scale attack on Dianchi Lake and reaping the benefits!"
"Furthermore, send men to closely monitor Zhuge Liang's movements. If he makes any unusual moves, report it immediately. Any delay will be punished according to military law!"
The trusted aide bowed and replied, "Your subordinate obeys!"
Li Yan was unaware that his every move was being watched by Zhuge Liang's men. Even his communications with Gao Ding had been intercepted and sent to Zhuge Liang.
Inside Zhuge Liang's tent, he held a secret letter sent by Liu Shan, as well as irrefutable evidence of Li Yan's treason against Shu. He gently waved his feather fan, his expression as cold as frost, his eyes devoid of any emotion.
He shook his head slightly, already understanding in his heart: His Majesty has long seen through everything; it was I who was overthinking. Li Yan harbors wolfish ambitions and treacherous intentions; if he is not eliminated today, he will surely become a great threat in the future, endangering the Shu Han empire.
"Guards!" Zhuge Liang commanded in a deep voice, his tone brooking no argument. "Order General Ma Zhong to lead his troops to reinforce Dianchi immediately after defeating Gao Ding, while secretly monitoring the movements of Li Yan's army. Do not alert them!"
"Furthermore, deploy two thousand elite troops to ambush Li Yan's army on their inevitable route. If Li Yan dares to rebel, immediately send troops to encircle and annihilate them, killing them without mercy!"
"Your subject obeys the decree!" The soldiers outside the tent responded and left with hurried steps, carrying an air of killing intent.
Inside Chengdu, Qiao Zhou and others had prepared a joint memorial, each with a smug look on their faces, waiting only to enter the palace early the next morning to put pressure on Liu Shan and plot to seize military power in the capital region.
In the western courtyard, Qiao Zhou sat in the main seat, looking at the aristocratic officials before him. His tone was resolute, his eyes filled with ambition: "Tomorrow we will jointly submit a memorial requesting control of the military power in the capital region. His Majesty is cowardly and incompetent, facing urgent threats from both the southern and Hanzhong fronts, he will certainly not dare to refuse!"
"Lord Qiao is absolutely right!" a gentry official hurriedly echoed, his tone urgent. "As long as we hold military power in the capital region, and send trusted confidants to the south to assist Lord Li Yan in suppressing the rebellion, we can seize control of the south. In the future, the Shu Han court will belong to the gentry of Yizhou!"
The crowd echoed their agreement, their faces filled with confidence, as if the military power in the capital and the southern lands were already theirs for the taking.
Little did they know that their every word and action had already been meticulously reported by Liu Shan's spies, and that Liu Shan had already laid a trap, waiting for them to walk right into it and meet their doom the next day.
Late at night, an urgent report came from Hanzhong, breaking the brief silence in Chengdu.
The dark figure rushed into the hall again, his expression panicked. He knelt on one knee, his voice trembling slightly: "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! General Zhao Yun led his troops to reinforce Yangping Pass, but they were ambushed by Cao Wei's forces en route and are now surrounded, unable to escape!"
"General Wei Yan is holding Yangping Pass desperately, but has already suffered more than half his casualties. Hao Zhao's army is closing in, and the city is about to fall. Yangping Pass is in imminent danger!"
Liu Shan's body trembled, and the teacup in his hand crashed to the ground with a "bang," shards of porcelain scattering everywhere, and tea soaking the hem of his dragon robe.
Zhao Yun was trapped, and Yangping Pass was in dire straits! This was undoubtedly adding insult to injury, pushing Shu Han into an even deeper predicament.
He slowly closed his eyes, his mind racing as he considered countermeasures: the capital region was sparsely populated and there were no soldiers to send; although the situation in the south had taken a turn for the better, it was impossible to spare any troops to reinforce Hanzhong, and if he was not careful, the south would fall into chaos again.
Just as Liu Shan was in dire straits and caught between a rock and a hard place, the shadowy figure spoke again, his voice hesitant yet revealing a glimmer of hope: "Your Majesty, I have discovered that the main force of Cao Wei's army is all outside Yangping Pass, and the city of Luoyang is sparsely defended. Sima Yi is personally leading his army to Yangping Pass and has not yet arrived."
Liu Shan suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing in them. The despair that had enveloped him vanished instantly, replaced by a calm calculation—Luoyang was undefended? Sima Yi had personally gone to Yangping Pass? This might be the only turning point!
Just as he was about to issue an edict to send a surprise attack on Luoyang to relieve the siege of Wei, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall. The eunuch, covered in sweat, scrambled into the hall.
"Your Majesty! Urgent report from the south!" The eunuch knelt and kowtowed, his voice filled with despair, almost weeping. "Yong Kai has been killed by Meng Huo, but Cao Wei reinforcements have suddenly arrived. The allied forces of Zhang Yi and Meng Huo are surrounded and suffering heavy casualties!"
"And...and there's Lord Li Yan. He led a rebellion, detained Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, and declared that he would join forces with Cao Wei and Gao Ding to divide up Shu Han!"
Liu Shan froze, as if struck by lightning, his entire body rooted to the spot, the tiger tally clenched so tightly between his fingers that it almost embedded itself in his palm.
Li Yan has really rebelled!
With Zhuge Liang imprisoned, the allied forces of Nanzhong trapped, Yangping Pass on the verge of falling, and Luoyang, though vulnerable, lacking any troops to send, and facing threats from within (such as Qiao Zhou and others) and without (the overwhelming force of Cao Wei's army) and Li Yan's rebellion, Shu Han was truly at a critical juncture of life and death.
He slowly drew the tiger tally from his waist, his fingertips trembling slightly, yet his resolve remained unwavering—this was a gamble he couldn't afford to lose, nor could he afford to lose. Even if it cost him his life, he would defend the Shu Han kingdom and the legacy left by his father.
What he didn't know was that Sima Yi had already anticipated his plan. Outside Luoyang, he had laid a trap, waiting for him to send a surprise force to walk right into it, thus extinguishing the last glimmer of hope for Shu Han...