The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 330 The Eastern Army Advances
The first day of the tenth month of the fourth year of Qianning.

After the Double Ninth Festival, autumn arrived as scheduled, and the entire Bianliang Palace was filled with falling leaves, creating a desolate scene.

Inside the deep and secluded Wansui Hall, soldiers filled the smooth hall paved with camel-red logs.

Dressed in white and wearing black shoes, with a headband identical to that of the royal army, she sat quietly on a futon with her hands on her knees. Surrounded by the fragrance of incense and the sound of the Yuefu chime bells, she appeared kind and benevolent.

The shogunate officials sat facing each other across the aisle.

"Gentlemen—" Zhu Dalang glanced around, straightened his back on the dragon throne, and said, "I will not offend others unless they offend me. That tyrant is determined to exterminate us all. How can we sit idly by and wait for our deaths? Our chances are running out. This may be the last time."

Since the emperor left the capital, news of his departure has spread to various places in the past twenty or thirty days.

At this moment, Zhu Dalang contacted his former subordinates who were outside his rule, such as Shao Zan of Heyang, Wu Ziling of Cai Shuai, Ge Congzhou of Yuncheng, and Yuan Xiangxian of Yanzhou. At the same time, he summoned his ministers, gathered troops and provisions, and announced that he would soon lead his army on another westward expedition, break through Tongguan, and go straight to Chang'an!
Under strict orders from the military government, all the Bian army forces gathered in the Kaifeng, Junyi, Chenliu, and Hulao areas. Xu Huaiyu's Shenjie Army was even more excited and advanced rapidly, having already joined forces with the Xiongwu Army in Luoyang. They had probably already entered Shaanxi and Guo provinces and begun their scouting mission.

It wasn't that the Bian army was particularly proactive.

In fact, during Zhu Wen's time, they had already suffered greatly under Emperor Li and the feudal lords. The reason for their excitement was that the floods that broke out in Guanzhong last year flowed into the Yellow River, causing a chain reaction in the Central Plains. Coupled with poor governance and the aggressive military campaigns of Zhu Da and his ilk, who were willing to squeeze the people to the point of starvation even in Bianliang and to support their armies along the way, the Central Plains had long since become a hell.

Coupled with the chaos caused by warlords and the continued political, economic, and military oppression from the feudal lords and the emperor, local rule was practically paralyzed. Powerful clans rose up everywhere, bandits raided cities, and fortified villages sprang up. They were merely fighting amongst themselves for survival, waiting for a new dynastic change.

Bianliang's rule had narrowed to Bianliang and the area east of it, along the Cao Song line, and west of it, along the Luoyang line. Bianliang's heavy military forces were confined to the Zhengzhou-Bianliang region; in other directions, only cavalry and garrison commanders were seen looting, confiscating property, and killing people for meat. This was the epitome of exploitation and plunder. The army, naturally, fared no better; soldiers and laborers alike were anxiously awaiting food in Guanzhong.

After Zhu Dalang finished speaking, every officer from Bianjing looked grave. The sound of the chime bells added to the eerie atmosphere.

Everyone knew that this campaign into Chang'an was a do-or-die situation. It was like the time when the traitor Cai swept across the land, scavenging and scraping flesh from people to sustain his army. If successful, there was still hope for a comeback. If defeated, there would be no need for further campaigning; the entire force would crumble on the spot.

All eyes were fixed on Zhu Dalang on the dragon throne, silently hoping that he could bring them miracles again, just like he had done in conquering Huangye, Huang Chao, Xuzhou, and Zhu Xuan, and like the upheaval in Hongnong and the Battle of Hengshui.

"General, aren't Ge Congzhou and General Niu from Songzhou going?" Zhu Youwen's face quietly emerged from the shadows.

“Two bastards.” Zhu Dalang casually stroked his beard. “I tried to persuade them repeatedly, but they only said that they would obey if Li Ye, that scoundrel, attacked. They said that they would never follow me to launch an attack and destroy the Tang dynasty to rebel against Li.”

These watchdogs can only see three feet in front of them.

I never imagined I'd be finished. Li Zicheng has stormed into Bianliang, and he still thinks he can be a local warlord?
Zhu Youwen slowly shook his head: "It's difficult for us alone. The fortification of Tongguan has repeatedly enraged the old thief, leading him to kill in revenge..."

"That old thief doesn't know anything about military affairs." Zhu Dalang sneered a few times: "Without Zhu Zhen, he can't even train soldiers. Do you think he's good at fighting? He recklessly attacked Shicheng, which was being flooded in the blizzard winter. He's a damn old codger! He only got a boil on his neck."

The courtiers burst into laughter.

"It's already October, and we don't have much time. If we can't break through in two months, what will happen when winter comes?"

"Don't rush..." Zhu Dalang tilted his head, smiling as he looked down at everyone: "With Li Pifu's main force gone, two months is enough to take it. There are starving people all over the land. Once the army sets off, they will follow along and pick up offal to fill their stomachs. When we reach Tongwu, there will be plenty of lives piled up in the city."

Zhu Youwen sighed: "One meal a day, and the food and fodder will only last for half a year."

This entry into Chang'an involved not only the main military forces, but also elite troops from various outlying garrisons under the military government, as well as local militias, recruited bandits, laborers, and a large number of draft animals. The last remaining strength of Bianliang was mobilized. The infantry and cavalry forces totaled 80,000, with countless other personnel. Even with Zhu Youwen's painstaking efforts to scrape together enough supplies to last six months, this alone had completely depleted Bianliang's resources.

Zhu Dalang glanced at him and smiled wryly: "It's a small problem. If Chao and Cai can eat meat, and the feudal lords can eat meat, so can we."

The casual conversation before issuing orders ended when Zhu Dalang finally got up.

Zhu Dalang, his hand on the jade belt at his waist, slowly descended from the dragon throne and paced in the middle of the palace corridor: "The people of Bian and Song have suffered so much, I won't say more. Li the scoundrel has regained his power, but only relatively; in reality, he is weak and feeble. If he were truly powerful, he would have killed us long ago. Why would he pretend not to see Luoyang being recaptured by us? Now his army has gone a thousand miles west, and those few scoundrels, Wang Zimei and Wang Congxun, with only thirty to fifty thousand men, are going to have a tough fight."

All the civil and military officials perked up.

Emperor Li dared to embark on such a risky expedition because the garrison troops were utterly incapable of fighting in the open around Chang'an. Once they entered the pass, there was no reason they couldn't win. The garrison's strength lay in the terrain, but their weakness was the disorganized and ineffective nature of their troops. With attacks from both Tongguan and Wuguan, if they could even manage to open a small path to send in three to five thousand elite soldiers, the situation would be completely turned around.

Zhu Dalang looked around and met the burning gazes of the assembled officials: "We shall re-enter Chang'an today! I have a plan; all generals, heed my command!"

At this moment, everyone straightened up, knelt with their hands on their swords, leaned forward, and said in unison, "We respectfully accept your command!"

Zhu Dalang looked calm. He was a veteran general and knew all the terrain and troops in his heart. He could recite them off the cuff without needing maps or documents: "Gao Jichang, the commander of the Shunyi Army, Zhu Youlun, the commander of the Yiyong Army, and Wang Huangwenjing, the commander of the Xiaoyong Army, listen to my command!"

With a few clattering sounds, the three men rose up, their hands on their swords.

"Your three armies will form a large force and sail westward from the Luo River. With your mighty army, you will advance directly from Lushi County in Guozhou to Shangzhou. If the royal army requests battle, you must defend your fortified camps and refrain from open battle to avoid defeat and loss of morale. Just wait. Once we apply pressure at Tongguan, the royal army's garrison will be small and disorganized. After a month of fierce attack, we will surely be able to shake the situation and call for reinforcements everywhere. At that time, we will await your orders and attack Wuguan Pass!"

"Yes, sir!" The three officers and Zhu Youlun clasped their hands together.

"Wang Tan, the commander of the Baosheng Army, and Du Tingyin, the supervisor of the Imperial Works, receive the order!"

The two of them stood up without uttering a sound.

"The Baosheng Army, along with the foremen of the Imperial Workshops, will lead 20,000 laborers and militia to garrison at Huangxiangbanhou Road in Wenxiang, controlling the Yellow River, and felling timber to build ships. When the time is right, they will secretly cross the Yellow River, flow upstream into the Wei River, launch an attack at the Wei River's confluence, and march straight for Chang'an!" Having said this, Zhu Dalang paused slightly, subconsciously considering how to break through the Wei River, then turned to Zhang Jilong, who was kneeling upright, his body tense, and loudly ordered: "The remaining garrison troops are all under your command—"

At this point, Zhu Dalang's voice was like the clash of metal, his eyes flashing like lightning as he fiercely surveyed the assembled officials: "If I am defeated, I am willing to be defeated and killed. But I will not be defeated. This campaign will only have two outcomes. Either Emperor Li will kill me, or I will slaughter his entire clan and massacre the people of the capital! Any true man would only be grateful for his death on the battlefield, not beg for life with disheveled hair and a bowed head! Defeat Emperor Li and live; defeat and die. It's that simple, and quite satisfying!"

The officials were all solemn and listened quietly to Zhu Dalang's instructions.

His tall, thin figure and sorrowful face seemed to fill every corner of the Wansui Hall.

"I'll lead you all westward to beg for a living. This time, when we attack the pass, I'll be at the very front! ... My men, let's take Tongguan!"

"If we succeed, we will change this competition!"

Zhu Dalang surveyed the assembled officials, then simply raised his hand and declared: "...This time, we will live and die together, and create history together."

"We respectfully accept your command!!" The soldiers clasped their hands in salute and shouted in return.

After a long, long silence, Zhu Dalang suddenly flung off his cloak, turned, and strode away, saying, "If I fail, wrap my body in horsehide." He lightly raised his right hand, his gaze as firm as iron: "Long live the Emperor!"

The soldiers raised their hands in unison, and a thunderous roar echoed from the Bianliang Palace: "Long live the Emperor!!"

After the meeting, Zhu Dalang returned home.

Bathed in the warm autumn sun, in the inner courtyard, Zhu Chacha, Zhu's beloved concubine, was combing her daughter's hair. Zhu Chacha was Zhu Dalang's eldest child. She sat obediently in front of her mother, her crescent-shaped face and smiling eyes constantly turning back to talk to Chen.

Viewed from the side, the mother and daughter seemed to have melted into the sunlight, their bodies bathed in a white halo.

Unlike her daughter, Chen's long eyelashes conveyed sadness and melancholy. However, her features, figure, skin, and hair were flawless. She was already a mother of two and pregnant with her third, yet she looked no more than twenty.

"Mother, is it ready yet?"

"Sit still, sit still, don't move around, it'll be over soon."

Zhu Dalang stood silently by the door, watching this scene unfold. Power is intoxicating. It can make such a beautiful woman submissive and unapproachable. The more one enjoys the benefits of power, the less one can tolerate losing it.

"Zhu Lang is back?" Ah Chen sensed being watched and turned around, her hand still busy combing her hair.

"Ah."

"Please sit down, I'll go and make tea for Zhu Lang."

"Sigh, never mind." Zhu Dalang propped himself up on his legs and sat down. "You go ahead and comb Danniang's hair."

"Are we going to war?" Ah Chen was a little surprised. She looked up at her husband and saw solemnity and anxiety in Zhu Dalang's expression.

"Yes." Zhu Dalang nodded.

After Zhu Chacha's hair was combed, he held his daughter in his arms and read her elementary stories.

"Who are you hitting?"

"Of course it's Emperor Li."

"Huh? Didn't the Emperor not provoke Zhu Lang? He even appointed Zhu Lang as a military governor before..."

"You don't understand!" Zhu Dalang was a little annoyed, then realized his tone was a bit harsh and sighed, "Don't meddle in these things."

"Alright." Ah Chen brewed some tea and poured him a bowl. "Zhu Lang, I'm pregnant with my third child. I told you the other day that I wanted to build a villa in the suburbs to take care of the pregnancy. What do you think? Should we consider it? If not, we can buy one. Bianliang Palace is too gloomy. I live alone in this courtyard. When you're not here, I always feel uneasy and scared at night."

"Besides, the palace isn't safe either. If something happens, it'll be difficult to escape..."

Zhu Dalang knew better than anyone what kind of life Ah Chen was envisioning: leaving the Bianliang Palace, finding a place in the suburbs with the warmth of everyday life, and building a small two-courtyard house. There would be a stream in front, a bamboo grove in the back, vegetable patches... and the children could play with the neighborhood kids.

At this moment, Zhu Chacha started to wriggle on his lap, protesting that her father was not paying attention.

"We'll see," Zhu Dalang said, turning his gaze back to the primer.

"...Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe was vast and boundless. Since Pangu separated heaven and earth, in the far, far east, forests covered with dense reeds stretched along the coast. There were huge fish in the sea, as big as multi-story ships..." As he spoke, the water shimmered in Zhu Dalang's eyes.

He wanted his beloved concubine's freedom, he truly did, but he only had one chance left. If he were to die an ignominious death like Zhou Dewei and Zhu Wen, amidst the chaos of war, or at the foot of Tongguan Tower and in front of Jingou Village, could Ah Chen bear it? Their fates were already so fragile that they could shatter at the slightest touch, and Ah Chen was completely oblivious.

(End of this chapter)