novelSusiti Chapter 16 Urgent Report from the Northern Frontier: The Peril of Youzhou
Chapter 16 Urgent Report from the Northern Frontier: The Peril of Youzhou
The Great Xia calendar was in its 321st year, and the Chengping era was in its 21st year.
In Kyoto, Suzaku Avenue is bustling with traffic, and the taverns and teahouses are filled with the sounds of music and singing. The peonies inside the high walls of the vermilion gates are in full bloom, creating a scene of peace and prosperity.
However, beneath this prosperity, a hidden undercurrent of five kingdoms vying for supremacy was brewing.
The Eastern Yi and Northern Di tribes surrounded them, while the powerful Da Cang and Da Yao were also watching them closely.
Although there are occasional border skirmishes, they are all due to mutual fear of each other's strength, and dare not easily start a war.
In times of chaos, once the flames of war spread, the outcome is unpredictable, and no one is willing to rashly stake the fate of the nation.
Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves outside the city, as rapid as thunder, came from afar and shattered the tranquility of the Kyoto afternoon.
A black horse galloped at full speed, kicking up dust as its hooves flew. The courier on its back was dressed in a dark, tight-fitting outfit, his robes soaked with sweat that clung to his back, his face burning with anxiety, and his lips cracked and bleeding.
A red flag fluttered in his hand, like a burning flame, and his hoarse roar pierced the streets: "Urgent dispatch! Border report! Anyone who obstructs the way will be executed!"
Upon seeing this, the locals and vendors hurriedly made way, pushing their carts and overturning their baskets, creating a great commotion.
Countless surprised and puzzled faces peered out of the teahouse windows, and a buzz of discussion arose: "North or west?"
"Red Flag... is the most urgent military intelligence!"
The courier seemed oblivious to the chaos around him, his eyes bloodshot as he stared intently at the palace gate ahead. He swept across the long street like a whirlwind, heading straight for the imperial city.
The golden-armored imperial guards in front of the palace gates saw that dazzling red color from afar, and their expressions changed drastically. They dared not delay for the slightest. The heavy palace gates were opened with a rumble, allowing the man and his horse to carry the ominous message straight into the heart of the empire.
Inside the imperial study, candlelight flickered and ambergris wafted, yet it could not dispel the heavy, stagnant atmosphere filled with the mingled scents of chronic illness and medicinal herbs.
In the sweltering summer heat, Emperor Tian Ke leaned back on the dragon throne covered with soft satin. He was just over forty years old, but illness had already drained his energy.
His face was sallow with a grayish tinge, and his temples were covered with white hair. Even in the warm spring sunshine, he was still wrapped in a thick blanket.
One suppressed cough after another burst forth from deep within his chest, making one's heart tighten.
When the eunuch bowed and almost ran to present the battle report, stained with dust, sweat, and dark red blood, to the emperor, Tian Ke's cloudy eyes flickered.
He reached out his withered, trembling hand to take it; the bright yellow silk felt cold and heavy to the touch. His gaze slowly swept over the hastily written yet powerful characters on it, which were initially somewhat scattered, but then suddenly coalesced, as if struck by lightning!
"Cough...cough cough...pfft—" He suddenly sat up straight, and after a series of heart-wrenching coughs, a streak of scarlet blood spilled from his mouth, splattering on the sleeve of his dragon robe, a shocking sight.
"Your Majesty!" the attendant exclaimed as he rushed forward.
Tian Ke shoved him away, tightly covering his mouth with a handkerchief, his eyes flashing with a terrifying light, his voice hoarse as if grinding sand: "The Northern Frontier... Something has happened in the Northern Frontier!"
Ignoring the metallic taste in his throat, he gave the order in a stern voice, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth.
"Issue my decree! Immediately summon the Left and Right Chancellors, the Ministers of the Six Ministries, the Privy Councilor, and all high-ranking military officers of the third rank and above residing in the capital to the Imperial Study for a meeting! There shall be no delay! Furthermore, issue another decree ordering Prince Qin, Tian Heng, to come immediately! Since he is about to be stationed in Youzhou, the safety of the front lines rests on his shoulders; he must be present!"
The eunuch repeatedly agreed and hurriedly left. The imperial study returned to deathly silence, with only Tian Ke's heavy breathing like a bellows.
He looked out the window at the seemingly calm, gray sky, his eyes filled with a mixture of raging anger, heart-wrenching sorrow, and unfathomable anxiety and unease.
Before long, high-ranking officials from the court arrived one after another.
Left Chancellor Wang Qin was over sixty years old, with white hair and beard. He leaned on a sandalwood cane, and his steps seemed steady, but his brows were furrowed in a deep frown.
Right Chancellor Li Rong was in his prime, with sharp eyes like an eagle and a calm, composed expression.
Minister of War Zhao Yi was still wearing his military uniform, the edges of which were still covered in dust from the drill ground, and he was not yet fully awake.
General Qin Yue, the Grand General of the State, was fully armored, broad-shouldered and burly, with a face full of bristling beard and an unyielding aura of menace. He had clearly ridden directly from the military camp.
The group exchanged glances, each seeing a grave expression on the other's face. The air in the imperial study seemed to freeze, pressing down on everyone, making it hard to breathe.
Tian Heng also arrived shortly afterward.
He was dressed in the casual clothes of a prince, his handsome face bearing the marks of hardship. He was ordered to take up a post in Youzhou to establish his own government, a glorious and important mission, and his travel gear was already prepared.
Suddenly, he heard an urgent summons from the palace, knowing that something earth-shattering must have happened. He came all the way here with trepidation. At this moment, he stood respectfully at the end of the ranks of military officers, holding his breath and concentrating.
Once everyone had arrived, Tian Ke, supported by his attendants, struggled to his feet despite his illness.
The dragon throne groaned softly as he rose, seemingly unable to bear the weight. His gaze, icy as ice, slowly swept over each face, his hoarse voice carrying the weight of a thousand pounds:
"My lords, you are all pillars of the nation. This report concerns the fate of the country. You should read it carefully, think it over, and then speak."
The eunuch, his hands trembling slightly, handed the battle report to each of the ministers in turn. Starting with the Left Chancellor Wang Qin, each minister who received the report initially managed to maintain his composure, but as his gaze moved downwards, his expression changed drastically.
Some gasped, some trembled, some closed their eyes and sighed, and some had veins bulging on their foreheads. The heavy breathing was exceptionally clear in the quiet room where you could hear a pin drop.
The battle report eventually reached Tian Heng. He took a deep breath and began to read it carefully.
The handwriting is chaotic, the ink dripping, as if one can see the writer's trembling wrist and the turmoil in their heart at the time:
"The Prefect of Youzhou and Zheng Hun, the General of Beique Pass, jointly submitted an urgent memorial! The Eastern Barbarians have suddenly mobilized an army of 200,000, with the 'Heavenly Wood Spirit God' Huli Changsheng as their vanguard, and have launched a fierce surprise attack on Beique Pass!"
Fortunately, Zheng Hun, the garrison commander of Beique Pass, and Su Han, the general of Youzhou, were always on high alert. They led 10,000 elite troops and 30,000 soldiers in a desperate battle, exhausting their arrows and rolling stones, and barely managed to repel the enemy. The pass walls collapsed everywhere, and the soldiers suffered heavy casualties.
However, the Eastern Barbarians were extremely cunning. Taking advantage of the chaos, they plundered the border markets and even captured Li Huan, the only son of Li Yuan, the governor of Youzhou, who was inspecting the trade at the pass! Afterwards, the Eastern Barbarians pretended to be exhausted and retreated, abandoning their supplies and flags along the way to lure our army out of the pass.
Desperate to save his son and seeing the enemy's "defeat," Governor Li, greedy for merit, rushed forward recklessly. Ignoring the kneeling pleas of Tian Rangju and Su Han, he used his authority as governor to force the main force of the Youzhou Guard to leave the pass and pursue them! Generals Tian and Su had no choice but to lead their troops to follow.
Our light troops advanced swiftly, penetrating deep into dangerous territory, and were ambushed and surrounded by the Eastern Barbarians in Black Wind Valley. Only then did we realize that the Eastern Barbarians had secretly reinforced their forces by 100,000, personally led by the renowned general Helan Cangfeng, and had already cut off our army's retreat! The Youzhou army was besieged in the valley for several days, running out of food and water, arrows, and bows.
Faced with this desperate situation, Li Yuan, with only a hundred personal guards, abandoned the main army under cover of night and fled in disarray through a side path! With their commander gone, the morale of the army collapsed instantly!
Fifty thousand border cavalry from Youzhou and one hundred thousand county soldiers, with no way to break out and no way to seek help, ultimately... were all wiped out! Corpses piled up like mountains in the valley, and blood soaked the wasteland!
The governors of the five prefectures in the northern border of Youzhou all led their troops to fight to the death and died for their country; not one surrendered! Of the 50,000 border troops, only General Tian Rangju led 5,000 remnants, fought bloodily, tore open a gap, and broke out of the encirclement. Of the 100,000 prefectural soldiers... not one survived!
The Eastern Barbarian bandit leader, Huli Changsheng, broke through in battle and reached the Saint Martial God Realm! Together with the Eastern Barbarian generals, he besieged the Protector of the Nation Marquis, Divine Might General, and Flying Dragon Blood God General Huangfu Yang, who were guarding the border!
General Huangfu charged into battle alone, wielding his crimson dragon scale spear to fell thirty-seven enemy generals. His battle robes were stained with blood. After a day and night of fierce fighting, he finally succumbed to exhaustion due to depleted inner energy and being outnumbered. He was wounded by the combined forces of Huli Changsheng, Helan Cangfeng, and others, and died from exhaustion. His head... was taken by the Eastern Barbarians!
Riding on the momentum of their great victory, the Eastern Barbarians drove their troops south, breaking through two of our military towns in succession. Their advance was aimed directly at the heart of Youzhou, with the intention of seizing the entire territory of Youzhou and opening up the northern gateway of our Great Xia!
Fortunately, after his victory, the Eastern Yi commander Helan Cangfeng became arrogant and overconfident. His vanguard, led by Nurhaci, with 50,000 troops, underestimated the enemy and advanced recklessly. They were ambushed by the remnants of General Tian Rangju at Luoyingjian, suffering heavy losses and retreating in defeat, which temporarily halted the advance of the Eastern Yi.
However, the entire strength of the Eastern Barbarians has been poured into this region, and reinforcements are continuously arriving. The remaining troops in Youzhou number less than ten thousand, suffering from severe shortages of food and weapons. The people are filled with fear and panic; the region is on the verge of collapse! I tearfully beg the court to send heavenly troops to its aid immediately! Delay will mean the loss of Youzhou to Your Majesty!