novelSusiti Chapter 53 Righteousness often comes from humble beginnings.
Chapter 53 Righteousness often comes from humble beginnings.
Upon hearing that the military governor had returned with only a dozen or so men, officials in the city rushed to the military governor's office.
Liu Yanzhen quickly tidied her appearance, changed her clothes, and forced herself to appear before everyone.
Liu Yanzhen's behavior clearly showed that he had abandoned the main army and fled back. The main army was the elite of the Desheng Army, with many of the soldiers' relatives serving in it. Now, only Liu Yanzhen had returned, and everyone's angry eyes were filled with hatred, as if they wanted to devour him.
Liu Yanzhen was so frightened by the angry stares of everyone that he dared not move. In the chaotic world, it was common for people below to rebel and kill their generals. Even the imperial court would sometimes reluctantly admit that the killings were justified.
As if on cue, an officer, gripping his sword, roared, "Commander Liu, where are your troops? Where are our Desheng Army? Where are they? Why have you returned alone?"
In order to save his own life, Liu Yanzhen immediately came up with an excuse—to shift the blame: "Gentlemen, our Desheng Army fought the Northern Army on the banks of the Huai River for eight or nine days without a clear victor, but unexpectedly, Northern Army reinforcements arrived at lightning speed, and Northern Army cavalry crossed the Huai River from upstream to attack our rear. Under the combined attack from both sides, our Desheng Army was outnumbered and collapsed in one battle!"
It's hateful that Liu Renzhan of the Qinghuai Army refuses to send troops to our aid; we are truly desperate. Let's not waste time. There are still some naval ships remaining outside the city. Let's quickly organize our forces to cross Chaohu Lake and escape.
Oh, and don't forget to send an urgent message to Jiangnan requesting reinforcements. The Northern army is fierce and cannot be defeated by force. Luzhou is in imminent danger and cannot be defended. Only by transferring 100,000 troops from Jiangnan can we resist them.
Li Jue could no longer bear to listen and angrily rebuked, "The Emperor entrusted the safety of the nation to you, but how can you abandon the state before the affairs of state are settled? Shouzhou is still in our hands. The northern troops are advancing south alone and deep into enemy territory; they must be exhausted. I should organize another force to escort supplies into Shouzhou. With Lord Liu of Shouzhou here, the northern troops will not be able to run rampant. Men, please ask the commander to go and rest."
The already dissatisfied officers drew their swords and seized Liu Yanzhen's last remaining followers. Under the pressure of numerous swords, Liu Yanzhen was locked in a room.
After imprisoning Liu Yanzhen, the officers were momentarily stunned. They nodded to each other and quickly surrounded Li Jue, who was still in a daze, and all knelt down with a thud.
They said to Li Jue, "When the old commander was alive, he valued Prefect Li the most. Although Prefect Li was not a military man, he led us to settle down in Desheng Army, and both civil and military officials and ordinary people lived a better life than they could have imagined. Everyone remembers Prefect Li's kindness."
Now Liu Yanzhen is utterly irresponsible, ruining our Desheng Army, and even wants to abandon the city and flee. Our Desheng Army cannot afford such a commander. Years ago, Commander Li led us to cultivate the land, establish fortified villages, and save countless lives for our Desheng Army.
Now that the Northern army is approaching, catastrophe is inevitable. Commander Li, we regard you as our parents; please give us another chance! We beg Commander Li to lead us in defending Desheng Army. All the soldiers in the army are willing to support Commander Li as the commander of Desheng Army!
"Please appoint Governor Li as commander-in-chief!"
Surrounded by everyone, Li Jue heard that they wanted to support him as the commander of the Desheng Army, and he sighed and said:
"What does it matter whether he's a military commander or not? Now that the main force of the Desheng Army has been wiped out, the court will surely send reinforcements and generals. If you rashly enthrone a military commander at this time, your fate is self-evident. Rest assured, even without official rank or position, I will fight alongside you. The most urgent task is to find out the movements of the Northern Army. Interrogate Liu Yanzhen's followers; torture is acceptable!"
The situation was urgent, and the torture was carried out more hastily. Fortunately, Liu Yanzhen's followers were not stubborn and one by one they revealed the military situation of the past few days. They had been with Liu Yanzhen in the central army and were quite familiar with the military situation.
The two reinforcements from Zhou Jun suddenly appeared, and they clearly saw and understood the cavalry attack.
After obtaining more than a dozen similar testimonies, Li Jue said to the civil and military officials present, "What I said just now was serious. Shouzhou is the northern shield of Luzhou. As long as Shouzhou is still holding, the Northern Army can only send a detachment south to plunder. These people unanimously confessed that the Northern Army sent cavalry south to pursue Liu Yanzhen."
However, one part of the Northern Army reinforcements sped south to support the Huai River battlefield, while another part detoured over a hundred miles to cross the river upstream and then launch a surprise attack that routed our army. They then followed Liu Yanzhen's retreat without stopping.
After several days of continuous fighting, exhaustion is inevitable for our men and horses. They appear fierce, but in reality, they are at their last gasp, clearly believing that our Huainan region is defenseless. Such arrogance is utterly laughable!
A militia officer said, "My lord, even so, besides the seven thousand militiamen and two thousand city garrison troops, we only have the ten thousand-odd crossbowmen we recruited a few days ago. They are all novices who have never been in battle, and our forces are insufficient."
Li Jue said, "I have heard that the quality of an army is more important than its quantity. Courage lies in why we fight, not in how many soldiers we have."
The militia are all skilled at defending their homeland and should not be tasked with long-distance operations. But you all know the nature of the Northern Army; once they invade our Desheng Army territory...
No matter how bravely we fight, the fertile fields, houses, and granaries we have painstakingly accumulated over the years outside the city will all vanish. And if the fortified villages are breached, countless people will be taken captive to other places.
Gentlemen, I believe that since the enemy is exhausted, our army should take the initiative to attack. Defending Desheng Army does not necessarily require stationing there. Look, this is Shouzhou, and to the southwest of Shouzhou lies a large mountain range called Bagong Mountain.
Bagong Mountain overlooks Shouzhou to the east and guards the confluence of the Huai River and the Fei River to the west. Its terrain is rugged and its location a vital transportation hub. Establishing a fortress here would allow for both support of Shouzhou and blocking access to the Fei River and the official road.
"If we take the initiative and first defeat the exhausted Zhou army, then sail downstream into the Bagong Mountains, establish a stronghold, and hold our ground, the Zhou army will be unable to break through Shouzhou or the Bagong Mountains. Will they then have any way to advance south?"
A senior officer with extensive experience suddenly realized, "That's right. When the Northern Army marched south before, the old commander led us to establish a stronghold at Bagong Mountain. As long as we stationed troops there, the Northern Army could only waste their efforts around Shouzhou."
Speaking of which, there's still the fortress we built there before. I wonder what's become of it. It might have been occupied by the Northern army. It'll probably take some effort to find it."
Li Jue laughed and said, "That's right. When the old commander was alive, he taught me many times that once the Northern Army marched south, as long as our army seized Bagong Mountain and established a stronghold, the Northern Army would only be able to focus on attacking the fortified city of Shouzhou. Even if it was occupied by the enemy, we wouldn't be afraid. The old commander said that the stronghold was built against the mountain and by the water, and when it was built, a weak gate was deliberately left at the water gate."
Moreover, our navy can directly bombard the stockade walls from the Fei River. As long as we seize the opportunity to launch a fierce attack, we will surely be able to unexpectedly break into the stockade. The Northern army has annihilated the main force of our Desheng Army, and they must think we are powerless to turn the tide, thus lowering their guard. This is our chance.”
With the old marshal's reputation, the officers present gained confidence. Li Jue decisively said, "Order the entire 7,000-strong training regiment to assemble. Explain clearly to the brothers what we are going to do: as long as we hold Bagong Mountain, everyone's families will not be harmed."
Order that capable crossbowmen be recruited from the newly formed 10,000; 1,000 is acceptable, but the limit is 3,000.
The order was given that the navy should immediately prepare to unload provisions, weapons, and supplies onto the ships.
"Order the treasury to be opened, and all soldiers who went to war should be rewarded!"
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As orders were issued, the residents of Luzhou City, the refugees who had fled in from outside, as well as the two thousand city defense troops, the seven thousand militia, and the more than ten thousand newly formed crossbowmen all received the news.
The news spread like wildfire, and before people could even feel panic and grief over the annihilation of the main force of the Desheng Army, they received the good news: "Lord Li has been appointed military commander!"
Although Li Jue declared in the government office that he would not become a military commander, the common people and soldiers at the lower levels had no idea about the intricacies of politics.
The officers, known for their straightforward and blunt approach, delivered the message simply: "From now on, the Desheng Army will be under the command of Magistrate Li. We must follow Magistrate Li into battle and hold off the Northern Army at Bagong Mountain. Men, come with me, collect your reward, and leave your lives to fate!"
These words spread like wildfire, and before long, the whole of Luzhou knew that Governor Li had been hailed as the new military commander.
Li Jue, who was completely unaware of all this, finished arranging the affairs in the city and walked out of the government office, only to find that the area outside was crowded with the elders and folks of Luzhou City.
Seeing Li Jue come out, everyone became excited and asked one after another:
"Lord Li, avenge my child!"
"General Li, we'll follow you! We absolutely cannot let the Northern army invade!"
"Lord Li, this year has finally brought us a good harvest. If the Northern army invades and loots everything, how will we survive next year?"
"Lord Li, I know the way to Bagong Mountain very well, please take me with you."
"Lord Li, I kneel before you. Please drive out the Northern Army and give us the chance to go to Shouzhou to collect their remains!"
Wherever Li Jue went, the villagers knelt down, like a wave of people, like a sea of people. They had only three demands: to protect their homes (everyone), to avenge the fallen soldiers of the Desheng Army (the families of the soldiers), and to collect the remains of the fallen soldiers so that they would not become wandering ghosts (the families of the soldiers).
The crowd was so dense that Li Jue had no choice but to walk to the training ground.
As he walked, he kept saying to everyone, "Get up quickly, get up quickly. We will definitely win." He said it again and again, but everyone was still unwilling to leave, and followed him in a grand procession to the training ground.
The drill ground was vast, capable of accommodating 15,000 soldiers for training exercises. A tall command platform stood in the best vantage point. A large flag fluttered in the cold wind, marking the departure of wave after wave of Desheng Army soldiers; some returned, others never to be seen again.
In the drill ground, seven thousand militiamen from various parts of the Desheng Army were ready to go. To Li Jue's surprise, upon hearing that they were to be stationed at Bagong Mountain to block the advance of the Northern Army, these soldiers did not hesitate to sign up.
Li Jue walked up to a soldier and asked, "Aren't you afraid to leave the walls of Luzhou and walk a hundred miles to Bagong Mountain?"
The soldier replied, “My lord, I am afraid, but I am even more afraid of the Northern army invading. I am safe in Luzhou City, but my parents, wife, and children are still in the countryside, my relatives and friends are still in the countryside. Everything I own is in the countryside. If I cannot stop the Northern army, what is the point of hiding in the city for ten years? I am a dignified husband, with a spear in my hand and a bow and arrows on my back. If I cannot protect my wife, children, and elderly parents, what face do I have to live?”
Li Jue nodded, patted the soldier on the shoulder, and said, "Well done. You'll receive your reward later."
After speaking, he continued walking towards the command platform, where a circle of guards stood watch.
Li Jue noticed a soldier who was small in stature, and the armor on him seemed a size too big, which looked quite comical.
Li Jue stepped forward and asked, "Soldier, how old are you?"
The soldier answered loudly, "Reporting to the commander, I am fourteen."
Li Jue angrily said, "Nonsense! Our Desheng Army isn't so weak as to send a fourteen-year-old to the battlefield. Who recruited you?"
The fourteen-year-old soldier said anxiously, "Commander, you can't look down on me just because I'm young. I'm also from Luzhou. My father and brothers are both at the front. I'm the pillar of my family. I want to go with you to bring my father and brothers back!"
Li Jue's expression softened slightly. He realized this was a child who had just lost his father and brother. He said softly, "Good child, I will bring back every fallen soldier. Your family is missing two people, and they need you even more now. If you were gone too, who would your family rely on?"
The fourteen-year-old soldier's eyes reddened as he listened: "I have a younger brother at home, twelve years old this year, old enough to support my mother and sisters. Commander, I beg you. You are not a local, yet you still stood up for our Desheng Army. What do I have to be afraid of? I have been studying martial arts for five years, and I am proficient in spears, broadswords, and bows and crossbows. Please accept me as your soldier."
The officer beside him pleaded, "My lord, please take him in. I know the boy well; he's a promising soldier. It wasn't unusual for someone to go to the battlefield at fourteen in the past. It's only in recent years, with stability restored and your successful land reclamation efforts with our Desheng Army, that things have improved and the military has become more focused on this."
Li Jue sighed and asked, "Are there still such young children in the army?"
The officer nodded and said, "There are still thirty-odd others, all of whom just heard the news and volunteered to join the army. My lord, we people of Luzhou, the men of the Desheng Army, have no cowards. You see, as long as you lead us in battle, we are not afraid of even fourteen-year-old children."
Li Jue looked at the children and solemnly ordered, "Gather all these children around me to be my personal guards. I am but a scholar, powerless and weak, so I will stay in a safe place. Consider it a selfish act."
Standing on the reviewing stand, one could see 7,000 militia soldiers fully equipped and ready to go, while 3,000 newly selected crossbowmen entered the field in an unfamiliar formation.
Everyone was watching Li Jue. Li Jue wanted to say something, but no matter how loud he spoke, his men below couldn't hear him clearly. So he simply stopped talking and ordered the armory to send over some armor.
In peacetime, normal militia soldiers do not wear armor. The fact that the fourteen-year-old boy was wearing armor a size too big clearly indicates that he was being given special treatment because of his father and brothers.
Because of the collapse of the main force, the Desheng Army's warehouse now has very few iron armors, but a lot of paper armor, a full 20,000 sets. They thought they would never need them, but unexpectedly they came in handy today.
The soldiers were not picky and silently accepted their paper armor. Before long, the training ground gradually turned completely white.
As Li Jue went through the process of turning white, he thought to himself that hundreds of years ago, a general from the Southern Dynasty led his white-robed army to repeatedly defeat the iron cavalry of the Northern Dynasty. Now, Li Jue did not have a white-robed army, but he did lead a group of soldiers in white armor. He wondered how much skill and luck he possessed that famous general.
After the armor was distributed, a group of conscripted laborers carried baskets of heavy silver coins into the arena. Thanks to Liu Yanzhen's short tenure, this silver coin, accumulated over many years, was saved for the most crucial occasion.
The laborers lifted the thick cloth covering the bamboo baskets, and under the sunlight, the baskets of silver coins shone with dazzling brilliance, making people itch with desire and unable to resist.
The laborers awaited the officers' orders, and the officers awaited Li Jue's orders. Li Jue nodded and said, "Here are 420,000 silver coins. Give each person forty coins. We're not going to celebrate today. Give them all out. The rest can be distributed to the officers."
The heavy silver coins were strung together with rope. Junior officers of all ranks silently stepped forward to take them, distributing them in groups of forty. There was no chaos, and hardly any sound. The only sound in the drill ground was the crisp clinking of the coins.
The army was an organized and highly efficient group. Under the organization and distribution of officers at all levels, the 400,000 taels of silver were quickly distributed. The remaining 20,000 taels of silver were unwanted.
Li Jue walked down from the platform in confusion and called out a battalion commander in the ranks, asking, "Why aren't you going to collect the money? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
The officer smiled and said, "General, I'm not short of money. With so many brothers on the expedition, there will be times when we need funds. Let's save it for everyone."
He asked several officers, and they all gave similar answers. In his seven years of service, Li Jue had never seen a soldier who didn't want money. From their eyes, Li Jue seemed to read a different message. It was a look that was unfamiliar and incomprehensible to him, yet for some reason, it stirred a faint excitement within him.
What shocked Li Jue even more happened. As Li Jue approached, a soldier suddenly threw the silver coins he was carrying onto the ground in front of him. Meeting Li Jue's gaze, the soldier grinned broadly: "General, what do you need money for when you're protecting my home? Hahaha!"
Laughter seemed to be contagious; one person laughed, a hundred laughed, and ten thousand joined in. Everyone threw the coins they had just received, which had not yet been stained with their own grease and dirt, on the ground, as if they were performing some sacred ritual.
The drill ground, which had been perfectly leveled by rolling and tamping with a stone roller, was instantly transformed into a silvery sea.
Sunlight shone on the silver surface and reflected in the limited space of the drill ground, as if heaven had bestowed boundless holy light upon every dark, ordinary, and simple face. It seemed that in a certain moment, they had shed their past dullness and stiffness caused by life's burdens, and smiled with extraordinary vividness and radiance.
Li Jue slowly walked to the soldier's side, tears welling up in his eyes. He smiled silently and embraced the soldier, disregarding etiquette. The soldier, perhaps for the first time being held by a man, froze on his face, which only caused his comrades around him to burst into even more enthusiastic laughter.
Li Jue released him, and at that moment, he seemed to feel it, to feel what true power was: "When the granaries are full, people know etiquette; when they are well-fed and clothed, they know honor and shame."
He seemed to see Li Xuan uttering that resounding declaration in class that year: "Those who wish to pacify a chaotic world must first nurture the people. In a world where the people are nurtured, even warriors will be law-abiding citizens. Those who bring chaos to a world are not warriors, but rather governments that harm the people."