novelSusiti Chapter 37 The Arrogant Bride – Madam Pan
Chapter 37 The Arrogant Bride – Madam Pan
On August 10th, the Liao emperor personally took command in Youzhou and dispatched 100,000 troops from the Khitan and other tribes south to attack Zhou. At the same time, the Liao emperor mobilized over 200,000 able-bodied men from Youzhou as auxiliary troops to ensure the logistical security of the Liao army.
On August 15th, the three key fortified cities on the front line of Hebei—Zhenzhou, Dingzhou, and Xiangzhou—were all under attack. Weibo Town entered a state of high alert, with all 22,000 garrison soldiers holding their positions in various cities, awaiting the completion of preparations by the Zhou State's central imperial guards to support Hebei.
After being tied down by the Shu army and the Han army of Jinyang, the central imperial guards of Bianliang now consist of 40,000 Palace Guards and 40,000 Imperial Guards. The Palace Guards are mostly veterans, ensuring their combat effectiveness. While the Imperial Guards are undergoing rigorous training under the efforts of their officers, their actual combat strength remains to be seen.
Guo Rong and the other prime ministers and generals planned to first transport grain and supplies to Weibo Town to establish a front-line supply center.
Relying on the three key fortified cities of Zhenzhou, Dingzhou, and Xiangzhou, they resisted the Liao army for two months. After the autumn harvest in October, when the fighting strength of the Bianliang Imperial Guard was further strengthened, they sent troops to Hebei to fight a decisive battle against the Liao army.
Given the city's defensive capabilities at this time, and with sufficient reserves, it would be normal for the garrison to hold out for several months or even one or two years, provided they resisted resolutely.
On August 21st, devastating news arrived: three fortified cities, which Guo Rong had considered his Great Wall, had surrendered to the Liao Dynasty in a single day and night. Only Weibo Town remained between the Khitan army and Bianliang.
In the main hall, facing the grim situation, Guo Rong decisively made the judgment: "Prince Fu will not surrender to Liao!"
Of course, they wouldn't surrender to Liao. Prince Fu was Guo Rong's father-in-law, commanding over 20,000 elite troops from Weibo, and in times of crisis, he could mobilize 70,000 to 80,000 civilians to defend the city. A mere 100,000 Liao troops, unskilled in siege warfare, were no match for the well-prepared, heavily fortified Weibo town.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, Prince Fu was a prince, the emperor's father-in-law, and Empress Fu had just given birth to Guo Rong's only son. In the Liao Dynasty, he would at most become a local king. Which is more important? Who wouldn't know the choice?
Wang Qian replied, "Weibo Garrison is certainly reliable. Prince Fu has repeatedly defeated the Liao army since his youth. No matter how powerful the Liao Kingdom is, they can only fool ordinary junior generals. Prince Fu will not take them seriously. However, although Prince Fu is brave, Weibo is our base for advancing on the Northern Expedition. We must not allow it to be lost in a single battle. We should quickly dispatch the Imperial Guards to reinforce and drive out the Liao invaders."
Although the territory of the Great Zhou is small, the generals in the palace are all heroes who rose to prominence in the chaotic times. Many of them have fought against the Liao army in battles large and small. The most recent one was last year, when they decisively defeated the combined forces of the Northern Han and Liao armies outside Jinyang City, routing them for twenty miles.
The Zhou army's imperial guards were only short-staffed; whether infantry or cavalry, the Zhou imperial guards were superior to the Liao army in combat strength at this time.
Unless the Liao Kingdom decides to abandon its current situation and gathers its palace troops scattered throughout the country to suppress various tribes, a total of 120,000 iron cavalry will march south to fight a decisive battle against the Zhou Kingdom's imperial guards.
That would have suited Guo Rong's wishes. Zhou, possessing the Central Plains, could afford to wear down Liao even if they couldn't win in open battle. After exhausting their palace troops, what military force would Liao have left to stop Zhou's northern expedition?
What? You're saying the 120,000 palace guards will bring 200,000 to 300,000 servants with them? Sorry, Youzhou can't afford to support them, nor can it supply them. If there are more than 100,000 cavalry, the extra people and livestock will just have to eat air.
The generals shared Wang Qian's thoughts, and were even more excited, because the Liao Kingdom's national strength was only so-so. If they could defeat their 100,000-strong army this time, it would surely strike fear into the hearts of the Liao people. Whether they took the opportunity to launch a northern expedition to Youzhou to recover Yanshan, or to march south to attack the Yu Kingdom the following year, the Zhou army had ample time to utilize.
Guo Rong feigned concern, saying, "The Palace Guard has undergone replenishment and training, so I am at ease. The Imperial Guard was hastily formed, and its military strength has not yet been fully developed. Nevertheless, even if there are only 40,000 Palace Guards, I will still win this battle."
Upon hearing Guo Rong's words, the expressions of the generals present changed. The generals of the Palace Guard wore bitter expressions; His Majesty was giving the Palace Guard far too much credit.
The Liao army has 100,000 regular troops and over 100,000 more in logistics. In the hands of an excellent general, even these 100,000 armed logistics troops can play a significant role. For the emperor to think that a mere 40,000 imperial guards plus 20,000 soldiers from the Weibo garrison could defeat the Liao army, or even recover the three surrendered fortified cities, is wishful thinking.
The generals of the Imperial Guard were filled with righteous indignation. Li Chongjin, the commander of the Imperial Guard's infantry, took the lead, followed by the various titled commanders of the Imperial Guard. They all knelt down on the ground, piercing their cheeks with the sharp hairpins in their hair, and blood immediately flowed out.
These men, disregarding all consequences, smeared blood on their foreheads and volunteered for battle: "The nation is in peril, the state is in turmoil, the enemy's arrogance is rampant, and the people eagerly await the royal army's victory. How can we, as generals, stand idly by? We would rather die on the battlefield than sit at home and suffer the humiliation of avoiding war. We beg Your Majesty to inspect the various armies of the Imperial Guard, personally assess their fighting strength, and boost morale. We pledge our lives to fight to the last man!"
Guo Rong silently descended from the throne, looked at the generals whose faces were half-covered in blood, and burst into loud laughter: "Hahahaha, good, good indeed! We will not return until victory! The emperor and his ministers of the Great Zhou are united, of one mind, and vow to fight to the death to defeat the Liao people and recover our lost territories! Guards, bring wine to all the ministers! After you have finished your wine, I will immediately leave the palace to inspect the Imperial Guards!"
One by one, mounted riders received the imperial decree and set off from the palace to inform the various armies. It was at this moment that Li Ji received the call to arms, donned his battle robes, and bid farewell to his bride.
At the camp gate, as the two parted, Pan Ziying took out a leather armor and said:
"This is a leather armor that I made for you before I got married, using leather scraps from my family's armor. I'm clumsy, so I only made the front and back armor. Because I love your gentleness, I never thought of letting you try it on to see how it fits since we got married."
"I didn't realize the war was so urgent. My lord, take this with you. If it fits, wear it; it'll at least provide an extra layer of protection. If it doesn't fit, reward it to a capable warrior to win hearts and minds. I'll make it at home."
Li Ji looked at the leather armor with surprise. It would take about twenty days of non-stop work to weave together hundreds of thick leather pieces that had been hardened.
It seems that even before the two met and the marriage was finalized, Pan Ziying already knew something. As a young woman, she worked day and night for him. Li Ji didn't know how to repay such kindness.
Before Madam Pan could cry, Li Ji burst into tears. He wiped away his tears, his nose red, and said to his wife, "My wife, do you now know my size?"
Pan Ziying choked back tears as she said to her husband, "I know, I know. I hope you take care of yourself and return home soon. I will stay home and burn incense and pray for you every day."
Li Ji nodded and said, "I understand, my wife, you should go back now. After Xuan and I leave, you must treat your sister-in-law with the same respect you would show your mother. She is a wise strategist; whenever you encounter a perplexing or difficult problem, your sister-in-law will surely have a solution."
Pan Ziying nodded vigorously: "I understand, I will listen to my sister-in-law, I just want my husband to come back soon."
As Li Ji entered the military camp, batches of imperial guards emerged from the direction of the city. Many military dependents lingered in front of the camp, unwilling to leave. The people of Bianjing had experienced too many wars and were not particularly afraid of the emperor's ceremonial grandeur. These imperial guards, who were protecting the emperor, understood the mentality of the people of Bianjing and did not drive them away, but merely created a path for them.
Pan Ziying didn't stay to join the fun. She and her maid mounted their warhorses and rode swiftly back home. She was no longer the young girl of the Pan family, but Li Ji's eldest wife, the head wife of Li Ji's branch of the family. She had no time to waste watching the spectacle.
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When Madam Pan returned home, she first ordered the doors to be strictly guarded, offered incense to Li Ji's parents and grandparents, and then went to the purification room to pray. Only after reciting the scriptures a hundred times did she emerge from the purification room, feeling dizzy and lightheaded.
The maid said with concern, "Miss, you're still so young, how can you suffer like this? The young master will be back soon, you can't afford to tire yourself out."
Unexpectedly, Madam Pan ignored her maid's advice and instead asked, "Has the sister-in-law next door done anything? I'll go and pay her a visit after I've rested a bit, and learn some manners from those of wealthy families."
Indeed, Pan Ziying harbored complex feelings towards Feng Niaoniao. Every time she was in front of Feng Niaoniao, Pan Ziying felt like a country girl, unable to find any self-respect, even if Feng Niaoniao didn't say a word, as if she was naturally entitled to rule over all the women of the Li family, including herself, Pan Ziying.
However, her husband had truly received meticulous care from this sister-in-law. Most of the clothes and shoes in her husband's trunk were made by Feng Niaoniao. Pan Da Niangzi, who had married Li Ji, had to accept such kindness.
Therefore, when Pan Ziying was with Feng Niaoniao, he both admired her and felt pressured. Expecting a sixteen-year-old girl to handle such a complicated relationship was really beyond her capabilities.
The maid replied, "Madam Feng from next door just went to the homes of the retainers who followed her in the alley. It seems she went in with gifts; I guess she was visiting the retainers' families?"
Pan Ziying was startled and slapped her forehead in annoyance: "Oh dear, this is bad! Yes, Brother Ji took his troops with him, leaving only a few families in Sweetwater Lane. Quick, Xiao Cui, bring twenty bolts of silk. I need to visit each family one by one. Luckily, they are all settled in Sweetwater Lane. Luckily, the master only has ten troops and four families who came with him. Otherwise, I would have been utterly humiliated."
Li Xuan had many retainers and their families, and many of these families were familiar with Feng Niaoniao. People who were familiar with each other would talk for a longer time (in fact, even Li Ji's retainers were previously taken care of by Feng Niaoniao. It's just that now that Li Ji has established his own household, Feng Niaoniao will no longer take care of them).
Even though Feng Niaoniao had started earlier, it still took her quite a while to finish her rounds. She happened to run into Pan Ziying in the alley, who had just finished her outreach work.
Now Pan Ziying couldn't avoid it. She obediently stepped forward to greet Sister-in-law Feng and asked what gifts she had brought. These servants and their families were all from Guangling. It was Pan Ziying's first time dealing with them alone, and she didn't know if her intentions would please them.
Feng Niaoniao led her home and said to her:
"The retainers are the general's confidants. The retainers' families are our confidants. How could we dare to neglect our confidants? Not at all. Ever since you started taking in the retainers, I have always steamed some birthday cakes and sent them to the elders of the retainers' families on their birthdays."
When there's good food at home, I always share it with everyone. When children are born, I check their sizes and knit clothes for them. If they fall ill, I seek medical help for them. Only by truly treating them as family will my men fight bravely and selflessly for my men on the battlefield.
Every general has his own personal guards, and how to get along with the families of these guards is an art. Pan Ziying suddenly realized, "No wonder, my mother and my married sisters are the same way. It's just that they don't do it as meticulously and thoughtfully as my sister-in-law."
Feng Niaoniao laughed and said, "Brother Xuan only has twenty retainers. How can I handle everything personally? If there are two hundred retainers and two hundred households in the future, I won't be able to do everything so meticulously. Your family's retainers must number more than twenty households. You can't let the matriarch of the household be exhausted by taking care of the retainers and their families."
Pan Ziying nodded and said, "Sister-in-law, you're absolutely right. I don't know anything about this. I wonder how you think I should get to know the family? When I came in today, I didn't know what to say. My gift was also rather awkward; it felt like I had good intentions but received no good response."
Feng Niaoniao instructed her sister-in-law, "Starting tomorrow, gather all these family members at your house to talk, beginning with doing needlework together. Have them bring their children, and let them eat together at your home. As long as you are friendly, work and eat together, and take good care of the children, they will become familiar with each other in just one day. You are waiting for your husband to return, and they are waiting too. We are all women who have endured hardship; what barriers can't be overcome?"
Madam Pan suddenly realized what was going on, and after saying a few more words, she bid farewell to Feng Niaoniao.
After Feng Niaoniao returned home, Ying'er, who had been promoted to nanny, whispered to her, "Miss, why do I feel that the person next door isn't very close to you?"
Feng Niaoniao said with a smile;
"She's probably at a loss. I built up Ji-ge's family business all by myself, so my role in the Li family is a bit too heavy. If I'm treated like an ordinary sister-in-law, it's too light. If I'm treated like a mother-in-law, it's far from that. It's not surprising that a young girl like her feels conflicted."
"It's alright, let things be like this for now. Let her establish her authority next door and live her own life. We shouldn't interfere over there. She'll get used to it eventually. As for me, I've wanted to get rid of Ji-ge for a long time. These past few years have really worn me out."
Ying'er smiled and said, "Who told you, Miss, to have such a kind heart?"
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On August 21st, Guo Rong inspected the two Imperial Guards. The troops were well-equipped and high in morale. What particularly pleased Guo Rong was that the Imperial Guards were now ready for battle.
Even more impressively, a group of officers, such as Li Xuan and Li Ji, emerged, commanding elite troops. After rigorous training by veterans like Han Kun, these top commanders were in no way inferior to the elite Imperial Guards of the Palace Guard. No wonder the generals of the Imperial Guards were confident; Guo Rong was truly pleasantly surprised by everyone's efforts.
Li Xuan and Li Ji, relying on the exceptional qualities of the Jianghuai soldiers and their formidable combat strength after rigorous training, swept the top two spots in the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry's martial arts exercise, earning a commendation from Guo Rong. The entire army then enjoyed a delicious meal of mutton and wine.
The next day, August 22, the various units of the Bianliang Imperial Guard set off for Hebei one after another, and rushed towards the arrogant Liao army with lightning speed.