novelSusiti Chapter 50 Matters of State, Only the Ministers Can Strive for Excellence
Chapter 50 Matters of State, Only the Ministers Can Strive for Excellence
Lin Xiao was covered in blood, his once-neat armor now loose and frayed as some of the threads broke. But this did nothing to dampen his spirits. He watched the Zhou cavalry being withdrawn, feeling no worry. The elite troops of the Huai River region, based on their homeland, were best positioned to counter cavalry.
Without time to think, Lin Xiao organized his cavalry to change formation. Instead of retreating, he commanded them to roll and grind towards the salt workers' army like a millstone. Clearly, they intended to coordinate with the salt workers' army in battle.
Meanwhile, on the salt workers' side, even though three thousand cavalrymen were being gradually redeployed to harass and block the enemy, the salt workers' army calmly separated a portion of their troops to engage the Zhou cavalry. The rest of the army, completely unconcerned about their flanks and rear, acted like soldiers born from the underworld, meticulously nocking their crossbows and firing in unison at a group of Zhou infantrymen. Then, the soldiers in the rear dropped their crossbows, grabbed their spears, and, in coordination with their comrades in the front, launched a devastating final attack.
The remaining Zhou army infantrymen were like those who had been struck by a giant iron hammer against the courtyard wall. First, cracks appeared, and after the giant iron hammer struck twice more, the wall collapsed completely at an incredible speed—the Zhou army infantry formation was defeated!
The Zhou cavalry around them panicked and rushed forward to cover the infantry's retreat. At this moment, the salt workers who had been in the rear ranks became the front ranks. The salt workers in the front ranks took off their crossbows and began to cock them, just as they had done before.
Wielding spears over two zhang long (approximately 6.6 meters), the salt workers' army continued to force the Zhou cavalry to retreat in a dense formation. Every now and then, a volley of crossbow bolts would erupt from the salt workers' ranks, each time felling a rank of Zhou cavalry.
The Zhou cavalry also retaliated with mounted archery, but their bows were ineffective against the heavily armored salt workers. Furthermore, the Zhou cavalry's efforts to fight on foot were quickly thwarted by the even stronger and more ruthless salt workers.
These cavalrymen, dismounted, performed far worse than the Zhou infantry. They routed the infantry and forced the Zhou cavalry to retreat, suffering heavy casualties. The salt workers' army actually got close to Lin Xiao's cavalry.
Fu Zhongdao took a deep breath. This was just a feint attack; he couldn't afford to waste too many troops in Chuzhou. His main objective was to cover the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry's advance into Huaidong, not to fight a deadly battle with the Huaian army here. To the south of Chuzhou, an unknown number of reinforcements from Guangling were steadily arriving.
Thinking this, Fu Zhongdao said to his men, "Order the central army to follow me in the attack, and to cover the retreat of our cavalry and infantry. Don't panic, it's just a minor setback, the sky won't fall. Brothers, follow me!"
After speaking, Fu Zhongdao led his personal guards and charged ahead. His command flag was very conspicuous in the field, and Lin Xiao spotted it at a glance.
Panting heavily, Lin Xiao forced a smile and said, "Alright, you finally forced it out. You want to besiege a point and then attack reinforcements? Then I'll use a point-to-reinforcement strategy! Who's the point and who's the reinforcements? You'll have to ask me first. Didn't expect that the point we surrounded was the real reinforcements, did you? Hahaha, let's go, let's meet up with the salt workers' army, and together our infantry and cavalry will form a battle formation. Today, we'll give these Northern soldiers a good show."
Lin Xiao wanted to show off, but Fu Zhongdao wouldn't give him the chance. Fu Zhongdao's fortifications were only for the purpose of facilitating the retreat of the various armies involved in the battle. This battle had already tested the fighting strength of the Huai'an Army, and even more so, it had revealed that the commander of the Huai'an Army was a general with a strong sense of initiative.
Seeing his men in such a sorry state, no longer the arrogant ones they once were, Fu Zhongdao breathed a sigh of relief. The Eastern Route Army had been deep in enemy territory and had been extremely arrogant these past few days, thinking that once they crossed the Huai River, they could be easily manipulated and that credit could be easily taken. This battle was well fought and worthwhile!
In front of his dejected generals, Fu Zhongdao openly exclaimed, "The Southern Army actually has such a formidable force; they are indeed not to be underestimated. Monk Han has met his match this time. After two days of this charade, it's about time. We'll break camp and take it tomorrow. If Lin Xiao has the guts, let him chase after me!"
Under the cover of the army, Han Kun, the monk Han Heshang who was being talked about by Fu Zhongdao, led the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry across the Han Canal and plunged into the vast Huaidong land.
To ensure the safety of the army and the smooth operation, Li Xuan mobilized the Huai people in his and his brother Li Ji's armies, sending out all those with connections in Haizhou and Chuzhou. They were all locals, and once they changed into civilian clothes and walked around for a while, they would blend into the crowd, like ink drops disappearing into a pool.
The main force of the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry was stationed in Fangjiawei, a remote fishing town. The town was easily accessible but secluded, with withered reeds providing ample cover, making it an ideal hiding place for the troops.
The town's leader, a powerful local figure, was none other than Fang Dalu, the father of Fang Youfu, Li Xuan's former personal guard and now a captain. Just by looking at his name, one could tell that he was destined for officialdom.
With Li Xuan's introduction, Han Kun immediately issued the first official document since crossing the Han Canal, granting Fang Dalu the position of Commander of the Eighth Rank Xiang Army, who was authorized to recruit 500 men to form an army.
Outside stood an uninvited army, brought by his own son. Before him stood the imposing and stern Commander of Han, a general of the Northern Dynasty. Fang Dalu had no other choice but to steel himself and go all the way. He smiled and knelt down to accept the official document, saying, "This humble servant greets the Commander."
Han Kun personally helped Fang Dalu up and said with a smile, "Commander Fang, I am new to this land and would appreciate your help. His Majesty's ambition extends to all corners of the world, and he welcomes heroes from all directions. Emperor Yu was tyrannical, and so many heroes of the Huai River region could not be used, and could only stay at home as peasants. As long as the people of Huai River serve our dynasty, His Majesty will not be stingy in granting them official positions and titles."
With this act of submission, Han Kun, Li Xuan, Fang Youfu, and Fang Dalu all breathed a sigh of relief. Fang Dalu, in particular, felt a growing fire of ambition ignite within him after a brief period of trepidation. Fang Dalu's father had come from the Black Cloud Longsword Sect of Yang Wu.
After the State of Yu replaced Yang Wu and was established, the Fang family was not persecuted, but they lost their chance to advance. Now that Fang Youfu has a future in the north, what's wrong with being an official? So Fang Dalu gathered his clansmen and devoted all his resources to providing supplies for the army. He also took the initiative to contact good brothers around the Zhou army and called on everyone to join him in doing great things.
Those veterans who had also been suppressed did not hesitate much. They all bore the same black cloud sword mark. Fang Dalu had "betrayed and surrendered to the enemy." The Yu Kingdom would not let other families off the hook in the future.
Moreover, many families' children had followed Li Xuan and Li Ji northwards before, and now that they have returned so quickly, the situation is obviously very favorable. Why not help their own children instead of outsiders? They simply brought their family members and their treasured weapons and came to Han Kun from all directions.
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Outside Haizhou City, Li Chang secretly infiltrated the city with two men. Several years ago, it was in Haizhou that Guo Rong, disguised, first met Li Xuan and Li Ji, and their bond as ruler and subject began then.
The powerful family that secretly hosted Guo Rong was an old friend of Li Xuan. Later, Li Xuan brought Li Chang to visit several times. Therefore, if you were to ask which powerful family in Haizhou was the most reliable, it would definitely be this one who dared to hide even Guo Rong.
Li Chang rode his horse to a large village. It was close to the front line, and the village was built like a fortified stronghold. With year after year of reinforcement and repair, not only were the rammed earth walls incredibly thick, but the moat protecting the village was also quite wide and deep, and it was connected to the water system, forming a moat surrounding the village.
The approach of the three riders alerted the village guards on the wall, who drew their bows and fired a warning arrow at the three riders. Li Chang, seeing the arrow embedded in the ground not far away, smiled, dismounted, and walked forward. When he reached the outer edge of the moat, someone on the wall poked their head out and asked, "Where do you come from, sir? And where are you going?"
Li Chang spoke as if in casual conversation: "Guests come from where they should come, and go where they should go. The silver platter (the moon, symbolizing smuggling at night, which cannot be seen in the light) rises in the east, and white snow (salt) covers the ground. Passing through this precious land, I'm short of some salt water to feed my horses. I wonder if I could pay a visit to the owner of the estate?"
After checking the incision, the servants informed their master and lowered the drawbridge, secretly pleased—their benefactors had arrived. Thank goodness, in the past, every month some smugglers would come to the village to buy salt. But since the northern army marched south, and the Huai River region was in turmoil, no smugglers had come for over ten days.
After all, while the brothers in the underworld are indeed brave and fierce, it depends on who they are compared to. With the regular army frequently mobilized, who would dare to go out and seek death?
The manor owner naturally recognized Li Chang. He walked over and looked Li Chang up and down, then exclaimed in surprise, "I haven't seen Brother Chang for a year. You came alone this time? Li Dalang must be very bold. At this critical juncture, with the Grand Canal about to be breached by the army, you still dare to come and smuggle salt."
Li Chang chuckled: "Boss Tian, we're salt merchants. As the saying goes, the more soldiers, the more expensive the salt. We dare to do what others dare not, and if we succeed, the profits will naturally be more than a year's worth of hard work. My master asked me to pass on a message to you, Boss Tian: In these chaotic times, everyone with ambition is looking for opportunities. Boss Tian, would you like to spend your whole life as a nouveau riche in the countryside?"
The farm owner, Boss Tian, was shocked and quickly pulled Li Chang into the room, saying, "On the battlefield, swords and arrows don't discriminate. We have land and a livelihood; why would we strive for such a lowly official position? Don't you want to live? Let me tell you, don't be fooled by how polite those officials are to us; it's only because we pay them well. If we chose to enter officialdom, those connections might not be useful, and we might be sold out. Wait, you didn't come here to buy salt, and Li Chang isn't a reckless person. You want to recruit me? Is it Commander Lin or Prince Qi?"
Lord Tianzhuang hadn't seen Li Xuan, Li Ji, and Li Chang for a year. Today, seeing that Li Chang seemed to be trying to recruit him into the army, he assumed they had already joined the Yu Kingdom's army.
Li Chang solemnly bowed to the north, then rose and said to the dumbfounded Master Tian, "We are now all officers of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The Zhou ruler is wise and his ministers are virtuous, valuing talent and not discriminating against outsiders. My brother Xuan is already a general commanding 2,500 men (exaggeration, there aren't actually that many). My brother Ji's appointment has also been issued, and he will be promoted after this southern expedition. Master Tian, we left our hometown for Bianliang in April, and now it's November, only seven months have passed."
The owner of the estate was deeply moved and took a few steps forward, but then said somewhat timidly, "I envy the good fortune of your brothers. If Xuan-ge and Ji-ge are doing well in the north, we can do business again. No matter how the world changes, we will always be brothers on the same path. Chang-ge, whatever brings you to Haizhou, I will treat you well. You can leave early tomorrow morning."
Seeing this, Li Chang said softly, "Brother Xuan said that in Haizhou, everyone else can shirk responsibility. Only you, Boss Tian, will not only not betray me, but will also wholeheartedly help me and make contributions to the Great Zhou."
The manor owner, his heart pounding, said, "Brother Chang, we're good brothers, of course I wouldn't betray you. But what you said about serving the Great Zhou makes me uneasy."
Li Changlang laughed loudly and asked forcefully, "It was Boss Tian who invited my Xuan-ge and Ji-ge to meet some guests from the north. Has Boss Tian forgotten?"
The manor owner forced a smile and said, "We're businessmen; we have friends all over the world. What's wrong with entertaining a few friends from the north? Does Brother Xuan have no regard for our relationship and want to sell me out? What good would it do him to sell me out? Would it count as military merit for a country manor owner?"
Li Chang said with a smile, "Ordinary merchants from the north are nothing special. But the friends you entertained that day didn't seem to tell you their real names. Those two are now in high positions of power in the Great Zhou. One is the current Emperor of the Great Zhou, and the other is the Prime Minister of the Great Zhou, concurrently serving as the Chancellor. Boss Tian, you've long since run out of options."
The estate owner exclaimed in shock, "How could this be? This, this, how could the Emperor of the Great Zhou come to my remote place? You're trying to scare me, you must be trying to scare me. Whether it's true or not, do you think I'm going to go to the Bianliang Imperial Palace to verify who he is?"
Li Chang said dismissively, "Hey, don't get agitated. Boss Tian, why are you only thinking about the downsides and not the upsides? If we don't think of a way, we'll never have a proper background in our lives. We'll be living in fear every day while doing salt trading. When will that ever end?"
Your family has hosted the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty—an opportunity most people could only dream of. If you help me achieve great merit this time, you will have the chance to meet the Emperor in the future, earning fame and titles—a truly remarkable achievement. Your children and grandchildren will be grateful to you.”
The estate owner plopped down in his chair, his face a tug-of-war of conflicting emotions. After a long while, he slammed his hand on the coffee table and said, "Fine, fortune favors the bold. I'll do it. So, what do you want me to do?"
Li Chang asked him seriously, "Have any ships or reinforcements arrived in Haizhou City during this period?"
The estate owner nodded and said, "Hundreds of warships at sea are entering the port in batches to unload people and cargo. All the able-bodied men from the nearby villages have been conscripted to help at Haizhou Port. They say they need to complete the reinforcement formation as soon as possible so that they can go to Haizhou to participate in the battle. I think there are at least ten thousand or so people."
Li Chang asked with delight, "Can you tell me when they will have finished disembarking and when they will set off?"
The estate owner said in a deep voice, "That's not difficult. Warships at sea can't travel on inland waterways. If the army wants to reach Chuzhou, it can't do without the help of the local navy and civilian ships. The navy doesn't know, but the owners of the civilian ships that have been conscripted have already received the news and will set off within four days."
Li Chang laughed heartily, "Boss Tian, soon you'll be an official! This time, our commander-in-chief is leading his army into Huaidong, carrying one hundred blank official documents specifically for rewarding heroes along the Huai River. As long as you help our army wipe out these troops, why worry about not getting an official position?"
After a long silence, the manor lord suddenly laughed: "Damn it, if the Li brothers are willing to fight, what am I afraid of? If you can annihilate these troops, I will give you a great reward."
Li Chang asked, "What merit?"
The estate owner smiled mysteriously and said, "Haizhou."