novelSusiti Chapter 66 A desperate attempt to save the day, starlight illuminates Jinling
Chapter 66 A desperate attempt to save the day, starlight illuminates Jinling
The city of Jinling has been experiencing many twists and turns these past few days.
In less than two months, the city was swept by the boasting of Liu Yanzhen, the military governor of Desheng Army, and the jubilation of the Yu army's great victory. Just two days later, news came of the devastating annihilation of the main force of Desheng Army and the unknown fate of Military Governor Liu Yanzhen.
The Desheng Army was stationed in Luzhou, which is right next to Chaohu Lake. Chaohu Lake is a tributary of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. In the past, whenever the Northern Army conquered Chaohu Lake, they would train their navy there and then enter the Yangtze River to compete for water security.
Once the northern army had a reliable naval base along the Yangtze River, the Yangtze River was no longer a natural barrier unique to the southern court, but could also become a burden on the long defense line.
Therefore, during that period, everyone from the emperor's family to the princes and ministers in the court mobilized troops and resources beyond their usual capacity. On one hand, orders were sent to Luzhou, instructing the Luzhou government to lead the remaining soldiers and civilians to hold their ground and await reinforcements. On the other hand, naval forces and civilian ships from various places were urgently dispatched to the docks of Jingkou, Jinling, and Jiangzhou to transport reinforcements.
The city of Jinling was in a state of panic, with grain and salt prices soaring. Everyone awaited news of the defense of Luzhou. But this wait turned into a major crisis. The military governor, Liu Yanzhen, abandoned his army and returned alone with his entourage.
Even more critically, the soldiers of Desheng Army were enraged and seized his command. They elected Li Jue, the prefect of Luzhou, the military training commissioner of Desheng Army, and the military agricultural commissioner, as their new commander. They then gathered several thousand regiments of training soldiers and went out of the city to fight Zhou's army to the death!
What's wrong with the Desheng Army? One minute they're saying over 20,000 men have been wiped out, the next they're saying a few thousand are going to fight to the death. Is this reasonable? Is this fair? Have they considered the psychological impact on the spectators in the rear?
Please, that's Luzhou, the key to Jiangbei, the vital point for the safety of Jiangnan! Can't you be a little more responsible? Don't be impulsive, hold out until reinforcements arrive, okay?
The onlookers in Jinling were extremely anxious, and Emperor Li Jing in the palace was not much better off. Ever since he received the news that Liu Yanzhen had been imprisoned and that Li Jue had led a lone army on an expedition.
Li Jing felt completely numb. He didn't know whether he should be suspicious and angry about the insubordination of the Desheng Army and Li Jue's possible disloyalty, or moved by Li Jue's unwavering loyalty as a civil official to fight the enemy in the north and block the breach in Bagong Mountain, and by the indomitable courage of the remaining officers and soldiers of the Desheng Army.
Regardless, Li Jing still possessed the qualities of an emperor. At this critical moment, the most important thing was to quickly send reinforcements to Luzhou, even if it was only two or three thousand men. At the same time, it would be best to lavish praise on Li Jue, so that the people and soldiers of the entire country could not discover the truth about the Desheng Army's rebellion against the imperial order.
According to Li Jue's memorial, there are still 10,000 crossbowmen training in the city. If there were two or three thousand regular troops paired with 10,000 crossbowmen, they should be able to hold out until more reinforcements arrive.
The emperor was anxious, and so was the crown prince. Compared to the emperor, the reason why Crown Prince Li Hong was anxious was quite simple.
He said to the officials of the Eastern Palace, "What a fine Desheng Army, what a fine Li Jue! If all the officers and generals were like this, what would the Northern Army be worth mentioning? I regret that I cannot lead the army north to meet them at Mount Bagong."
Li Hong's words were purely a spontaneous expression of his feelings, yet they attracted the attention of those who were interested.
Along with Liu Yanzhen, Wu Yunqi, a favorite minister of Li Jing, sensed danger from the Crown Prince's words.
He secretly summoned his three other favorite ministers (Liu Yanzhen was imprisoned in Luzhou) and said, "That Li Jue, Li Hehuang, is a man of integrity, and has never been one of us. The Crown Prince now can't wait to see him and seems to admire him greatly. The Crown Prince and Li Jue are both young and impetuous. Once they become close, we may not have a place to stay in the future."
One of his companions said, "Who can argue with that? In our youth, we were full of youthful vigor, cynical, and determined to fight for the fate of the nation. Who hasn't been through that phase? When we followed His Majesty, we were just as ambitious and fearless. Only after sitting in this position did we realize the importance of priorities and gradually became trapped in the mundane world, unable to move forward."
Upon hearing this, Wu Yunqi's eyes darkened. What was the point of bringing out these crazy ideas from his youth? Who would still believe that the Five Ghosts were five passionate young men back then?
He could only sigh and say, "A hero doesn't dwell on past glories. Now that we're in this position, we risk our lives day and night, and we have no choice in the matter. As the saying goes, a new emperor brings a new court. His Majesty has us, and sooner or later the Crown Prince will have his own faction. What will we do when the Crown Prince takes power? So many people in the court and the country hate us; I'm afraid we'll be used as a sacrifice by the Crown Prince."
The old foxes present all understood the implication of Wu Yunqi's words.
One of his companions said with difficulty, "Prime Minister Wu, don't do anything foolish. The Crown Prince is the eldest son of His Majesty and the Empress. His Majesty is not a fool, and the Empress's prestige is far beyond our reach. As long as the Emperor and Empress support the Crown Prince, what can we do? Forgive my bluntness, but both publicly and privately, we can neither deal with the Crown Prince nor should we."
"A bunch of cowards!" Wu Yunqi's probing ended abruptly. While inwardly despising him, he quickly tried to quell the controversy, saying, "Don't talk nonsense. How could I dare to harm the Crown Prince? What I mean is that this Li Hehuang climbed up by stepping on Liu Yanzhen's head, and he's hostile to us because of some past grudges. If he and the Crown Prince become fast friends, and His Majesty favors him and grooms him as a future prime minister, will we and our descendants have any good days left? Of course, we cannot disrespect the Crown Prince, but we cannot let Li Hehuang have an easy time."
My companion at the opposite table leisurely took a bite of the Osmanthus Duck and said, "Prime Minister Wu, you're being too cautious. Li Jue is just a scholar; he's never led troops. It's said that in his seven years as an official, he only did one thing: lead those soldiers to cultivate land. And the Northern Army? They're fierce and skilled in battle. Apart from those few generals, who in our dynasty can withstand them?"
This Li Jue, instead of defending Luzhou, led several thousand troops out of the city to seek his death. He's clearly heartless and lacks foresight. If you ask me, we should punish him severely when he returns defeated. The battlefield is unpredictable; anything can happen. Perhaps he'll return severely wounded, and die from his injuries? Or perhaps we should ensure he never returns.”
Upon hearing this, Wu Yunqi felt it made sense and finally felt a little more at ease.
He raised his wine cup and said, "That's right, the Northern Army's elite status is known throughout the land. This Li Jue brought this upon himself, so he can't blame us. Fine, if he dies north of the Yangtze River, I will definitely make sure the court gives him a grand posthumous honor, a posthumous title, and bestows upon his wife and children all the best. Our Great Yu Kingdom can't be full of generals like Liu Yanzhen who run away; we need to show our people a few heroes who would rather die than surrender."
His companion laughed loudly, "That's right! While he's with Desheng Army, we can't reach him. Once he leaves, he's doomed if he goes north, and if he crosses the river, he'll be under our control. He's nothing but a worm. Don't worry, Qi Gong (Wu Yunqi respectfully addressed him as Qi Gong), I heard you recently acquired a stunning beauty, her skin as white as snow, her flesh as delicate as jade. I wonder if you'd be willing to call her out for the brothers to enjoy?"
Wu Yunqi felt a pang of pain in his heart. These spies! He hadn’t even had a long time to enjoy the new stuff before they had already set their sights on him. They were truly inhuman and degenerate scoundrels!
Wu Yunqi smiled and said, "What's there to be reluctant about? Playing alone is always boring. I was just about to call you all out to have some fun. Please come and comment with yourselves."
"Hahaha, let's be open about this."
The banquet and revelry continued until evening before the emperor's favorites and court officials took their leave.
Wu Yunqi saw them off one by one, rubbed his aching back, and looked at the fading sunset, muttering to himself, "Getting old, getting old."
As Wu Yunqi lamented his advancing age, he thought of General Liu, who was imprisoned in Luzhou, and a smile crept across his face. "Liu Yanzhen," he thought, "no matter how cunning you are, what can you do when fate is against you? Of all times to become a military governor, you had to run into the Northern Army's southern campaign. Now look what you've done; you've lost everything."
It would be perfect if I were the only prime minister among the Five Ghosts. The Council of State has so few seats; we have to consider everyone's needs. The fact that one of us Five Ghosts has become prime minister is all thanks to His Majesty's favoritism. If there were another prime minister, where would I go?
Outside the mansion gate, Wu Yunqi, feeling incredibly refreshed, watched the sunset for a while in the cold wind. He chuckled, tightened his coat, shook his head, and turned to go inside.
Suddenly, the quiet residential area of high-ranking officials was filled with the abrupt sound of horses' hooves. Wu Yunqi looked curiously in the direction from which the sound came, and saw a palace envoy riding towards his residence.
"Prime Minister Wu, His Majesty urgently summons you to the palace," the messenger said, dismounting and bowing.
Wu Yunqi stepped forward and expertly handed over a few gold beans, asking in a low voice, "Do you know why?"
The envoy, without batting an eye, flicked his hand and slipped the gold beans into a hidden pocket in his sleeve. His expression was wooden as he whispered, "The Desheng Army has won battle after battle, and the militia commander Li Jue has already led his troops to capture Bagong Mountain. There is jubilation throughout Huainan, with enthusiastic support. I imagine Nanjing will be filled with jubilation tomorrow as well."
Wu Yunqi was struck dumb, having won battle after battle and captured Bagong Mountain! Although Wu Yunqi was not a famous general, he understood the importance of Bagong Mountain very well. Li Jue already had outstanding political achievements in the region, and now, with his brilliant military exploits that turned the tide, he was about to take off. Wu Yunqi felt dizzy and the bitter taste in his mouth could no longer be contained; he immediately fainted.
News of Wu Yunqi's fainting was quickly sent to the palace.
After a moment's thought, Emperor Li Jing understood why Wu Yunqi had reacted so strongly.
It's a shame he's the prime minister; he's utterly incompetent. So what if there were past grievances? He can resolve them with sincerity. After all, he's still the emperor.
No matter how young and capable Li Jue was, he was still just a young official, and there was a generational difference between him and an old fellow like Wu Yunqi. By the time Li Jue became prime minister, Wu Yunqi would have long since retired and was enjoying his old age.
Li Jing reluctantly ordered, "The Secretariat shall issue an edict praising Li Jue's military achievements."
We can order all the prefectures in Huainan to send troops and resources to Bagong Mountain. Now that we have secured it, we cannot afford to lose it.
The troops reinforcing Luzhou can be ordered to disembark in Luzhou and quickly reinforce Bagong Mountain, seizing the opportunity to relieve the siege of Shouzhou. If the Zhou army cannot break through Shouzhou and Bagong Mountain, they will be in a dilemma, and withdrawal will be imminent.
You should tell King Qi not to linger in Guangling. He turned the tide even in the dire situation in Huaixi. What is he doing holding a large army in Guangling? Just watching a show?
Assign Li Jue his military achievements. This civil official, who commands 7,000 troops, has already made a name for himself. My brother has always been brave and skilled, and Father has praised him. Now, he commands 100,000 elite troops stationed in Guangling. What is the point of not fighting?
The King of Qi should immediately lead his army north to Chuzhou, pressuring the Zhou army's operational area and seizing the opportunity to engage them in a decisive battle. If they fail to reach Chuzhou before the first day of the first lunar month, they will be severely punished.
Li Jue's successful military campaign played a crucial role. Before his victory report arrived, the emperor and ministers of Yu generally lacked confidence in defeating the Zhou army, focusing instead on how to wear down and drag the northern army away.
However, Li Jue's achievements in training 7,000 troops showed them that as long as they were not afraid and had the determination, the Northern Army could be defeated. The Northern Army was indeed powerful, but the army of Yu was not as bad as the court officials imagined.
In war, the primary contest is the confidence, determination, and will of the leaders. Nothing can inspire the fighting spirit of the entire nation more than a glorious, epic, and undisputed victory.
With confidence and assurance, the various government offices throughout the capital seemed to suddenly come alive. The emperor's will was rapidly generated in the two central provinces, and orders were sent to all directions. After get off work, officials talked at length in taverns about the miracles created by Li Jue.
Through their words, Li Jue's legendary experiences, the tragic heroism of the militia abandoning their silver to die before leaving the city, and the heroic spirit of the soldiers quickly spread throughout all levels of society in Jinling, becoming a powerful stimulant. Even some literary and artistic creators were inspired and were already planning to use this as material to create operas, storytelling, and legendary tales.
Within a day, prices in Nanjing, which had been fluctuating wildly due to fear of war, quickly fell back and stabilized. As the news gradually spread to other parts of Jiangnan with the flow of people, the upward trend in prices throughout the region also quickly adjusted to a reasonable level.
Because ordinary people don't understand complex theories. When they learn from stories that on the distant northern front, both civil and military officials are fearless in the face of death, they make a simple judgment—this battle can be won.
With the people at peace, prices will also be stable. The government doesn't need to devise any methods to boost morale, nor does the court need to fabricate battle reports; victory itself is the best medicine. Even the soldiers of the various support armies rushing to the front lines, upon hearing the news of the great victory, visibly relaxed and became more cheerful. The Northern Army can be defeated; even the local militia can win, so we certainly have even more reason to win!
Inside a house known for its luxurious decor, charcoal fires and underfloor heating effectively kept the cold air out. Flowers that usually bloom in spring were already blooming on the windowsill, as if winter had passed and late spring had arrived.
When the orders and reprimands from Jinling arrived at the temporary residence of the Prince of Qi in Guangling, the prince, who was in his thirties, was struggling to his feet from a crowd of pink arms. As he struggled, he complained, "Oh dear, what kind of horrible vixens are these? They almost drained me dry! Never again, never again!"
Inside the room, the fragrance of rouge and face powder seemed to transform into a vast mist. On an enormous couch, the spring scenery shone even brighter, as a dozen or so half-naked concubines coquettishly exclaimed:
"Your Highness, weren't you supposed to spend the whole day playing with us?"
"Your Highness, it's freezing cold, and my heart is cold. Please warm it up for me."
"Your Highness was so heroic yesterday, but you have disappointed me today, hehe."
King Qi blushed, quite tempted but powerless. He could only say helplessly, "There's military intelligence at work, and we can't delay. Everyone, disperse for today. Let me finish my official duties, and then we can fight."
After speaking, he dressed himself completely, attended by a group of stunningly beautiful maids. These maids were exceptionally beautiful and elegant, all trained by palace matrons. The palace gauze strapless dresses they wore were alluring, revealing glimpses of the skin. Under normal circumstances, Prince Qi would have been tempted to take advantage of them, or even indulge in sexual acts.
However, since an imperial decree had come from Jinling, the Prince of Qi dared not be too presumptuous. After quickly tidying himself up, he looked at himself in the bronze mirror and said, "Oh my, whose son is so handsome? He looks like a celestial being."
The maids gracefully covered their mouths and giggled, saying, "Respectfully seeing off Your Highness."
King Qi was in high spirits and walked out of the house with an air of elegance. Attendants who were already waiting draped him in a cloak made of precious fur to protect him from the cold wind, and someone even brought him an incense burner to warm his hands.
King Qi, dressed in a long cloak, exuded nobility and majesty, while the hand warmer he held revealed the elegance and refinement of a royal prince. He showed no trace of the tyrannical figure who struck fear into the hearts of the people of Guangling and could even silence a child's nighttime weeping.
The State of Yu had only been established for a little over a decade, and its foundation was not yet solid. Emperor Li Jing needed his brothers from the imperial clan to guard various regions and protect his family's empire, but he also needed to limit the power of the princes and prevent them from harboring any improper thoughts.
King Li Da of Qi was well aware of this, and no matter where Li Jing sent him, he always maintained the same unhurried, leisurely nature, indulging in eating, drinking, and merrymaking. This time, while overseeing the army north of the Yangtze River, King Li Da was not afraid of the Zhou army's offensive.
In his view, the major towns in Huaidong and Huaixi were very well-fortified, enough to hold out for two years. Although the Zhou army was powerful, their entry into the water-rich Huai region was simply asking for trouble.
As long as the key land and water points in the Huai River region are held, and with 60,000 to 70,000 troops at Guangling ready to provide support, and considering that the Zhou state is in a precarious situation in the Central Plains, surrounded by enemies on all sides and is quite impoverished, how could they possibly attack the Huai River region? Without money, they couldn't possibly succeed.
Therefore, the King of Qi ignored Jinling's urging and instead dispatched 40,000 troops north to be placed under the command of Lin Xiao, the military governor of Huai'an. Lin Xiao, true to his name, was brave and skilled in battle. With 40,000 reinforcements at his disposal, he could easily wreak havoc on the Zhou army; why bother to intervene himself?
Sitting in the position of commander-in-chief in Jiangbei, King Li Da of Qi had to bear the weight of his family's fate and the glory of their kingdom, and could not easily jeopardize his own nation's destiny. At the same time, he had to preserve the wealth and honor of the Qi royal family, and could not truly achieve great merit to arouse the emperor's suspicion. Coupled with his judgment that the Zhou army could not fight for long, all of Li Da's actions since taking command of Guangling could be summarized as—maintaining calm and stillness.
Judging from Jinling's reaction, his elder brother, Emperor Li Jing, was actually quite satisfied with his tact; aside from routine correspondence, there was no further pressure. Ah, that's the life of royalty.
Arriving gracefully at the front hall, Prince Qi, Li Da, met the envoy from Jinling. Facing the powerful Prince Qi, the envoy respectfully bowed and said, "Your Highness, this is a decree from the Privy Council, a letter in His Majesty's own handwriting. This humble servant dared not peek at it; please read it personally, Your Highness."
Upon hearing this, Li Da blinked in surprise, stepped forward, took the two letters, and opened them to examine them.
Upon seeing this, he was so surprised that he couldn't maintain his elegant and wealthy young master persona. He exclaimed in shock, "What? The Desheng Army has recaptured Bagong Mountain with just a bunch of local militia? This Li Jue seems familiar. Never mind. Since His Majesty has ordered me to attack, I will immediately muster my troops and head north."
The Privy Council's documents even questioned Li Da about the fact that seven thousand weak soldiers had already achieved merit.
In his shame and anger, Li Da quickly grasped the emperor's true meaning. Encouraged by the Desheng Army's victory, the emperor genuinely wanted the Prince of Qi in Jiangbei to lead his army north to engage in a decisive battle with the Zhou army, thus ending this sudden war as soon as possible.
This was utterly unreasonable, and Li Da even felt wronged. Didn't his elder brother know why he hadn't moved from Guangling? Now that he had gained confidence, he suddenly turned his back on him. Oh well, what could he do? He was the emperor, after all.
The next day, King Li Da of Qi swore an oath and set out on a campaign, leading an army of 70,000 men northward along the Grand Canal, intending to reach Chuzhou and crush and drive out the Zhou army on the eastern route.
Even when Li Da received news en route that the 40,000 reinforcements he had previously sent out had been caught off guard and most of them had been annihilated by the Zhou Kingdom's Eastern Route Army, which was marching on mules and horses, and that the remaining 15,000 troops had used the terrain of rivers and ponds to confront the Zhou army in Xinghua, he remained unmoved and did not hesitate.
Li Da calmly read the defeat report, and with a cold laugh, continued his northward march. Zhou Jun's victory spoke for itself; if they were truly capable, how could they have failed to defeat even 40,000 troops? Once his 70,000 troops joined forces with those 15,000 men and pressed forward together, how could they possibly lose?