The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 335 The Battle Between Ruler and Minister (Part 3)

On the 20th day of the tenth month of the fourth year of Qianning, at Tongguan, it was sunny.

The bugle call echoed and resounded on Huangxiang Slope, announcing the start of another round of attacks.

Tongguan Pass and its surroundings had long been a land of warriors. The soldiers and civilians of the Tang Dynasty, as well as troops from the Central Plains, all converged here. The laborers and officials transporting supplies moved like ants, hauling goods from the Tang Dynasty's capital region and even livestock and equipment sent from as far away as Liangzhou, Shuofang, and Jingzhou. The supply lines brought here by the Bian people from Bianliang were roughly the same.

What I saw most all day long was large caravans of people on horseback, which trampled the Gobi Desert into a smooth expanse wherever they went! Countless starving people followed the army, lingering in various places outside the pass, spreading fear and plague.

On Niutou Plain, watchtowers stood in strict formation, and the camps stretched as far as the eye could see. Various Bian army units flew their different bugles and banners. But the main camp was sparsely populated. After several fierce battles with Wang Congxun on Huangxiang Slope, and having secured this passage, the various armies had only two tasks: setting up camp, gathering firewood, and taking turns carrying out earthworks at Tongguan.

Over the course of several days, a towering loess plateau has been built at the foot of the main city of Tongguan on the Pihe River!

Even at such a height, barely level with the city gate, people from all around, local militia, and volunteers begging to be conscripted in exchange for food, continued to carry sandbags and earth onto the mounds, making the earthen hills even higher.

On the mounds of earth stretching for dozens of meters, small figures could be seen from morning till night, climbing like ants, wielding hoes, and driving stakes.

Corpses were scattered throughout the dust-filled construction site. Time was tight, the task was heavy, the project was huge, there was no food, and if anything went wrong, the soldiers would beat them with the backs of their knives and whips. Even the strongest iron rods and hammers couldn't withstand it for more than a few days!

But at the city gates, the situation was ten times more brutal.

Near the city gate, countless corpses lay blackened from being submerged in a muddy, blood-and-flour-like slurry. Both sides were clad in various types of armor: blue-clad valiant soldiers, green-clad Bian soldiers, white-clad Tiger-Swift soldiers, red-clad valiant soldiers… and civilians, men and women, were simply layered upon each other. On the burned-out city walls, charred skeletons hung like skewered candied hawthorns.

At the base of the wall, there were gaps of varying sizes dug out along the way. Around these gaps were discarded shields, rubble, kerosene, and excrement.

"Attack the city! Attack the city!" The Bian army rushed to the base of the wall. Supported by arrows from the troops behind them, the drums of encouragement, and the bombardment of catapults, they desperately dug tunnels. Once they had dug through the base of the wall, they could pile up gunpowder to burn down the city, or even break through the roads and pour in the city in large numbers for street fighting!
The defending troops, however, used the terrain and fortified villages to put up a desperate resistance. The soldiers and civilians on the upper floors shot down wave after wave of soldiers, only to roll stones and pour water down upon them. The houses near Tongguan, including the Prajna Temple where the emperor had stayed that year, had long since been demolished; only usable earth, wood, metal, and fire were poured onto the Bian army!

"Roar! Roar! Roar!" Black smoke billowed, and from inside the city gate came the shouts of men clashing swords and shields: "Take down the city! Take down the city! Take down Bianliang city until it's turned inside out! Take down Zhang Hui's asshole until it's turned inside out!"

"Go back to where you came from, and go to hell to cry to Zhu Wen!"

The large contingent of Bian soldiers climbed back into the trenches, covered in dust and grime, cursing loudly: "You son of a bitch, get down here!"

"Come up here!?"

"You come out!"

"Come in here! Look, your father is going to cut off your... and take..."

Amidst pointing fingers and shouting insults, the main sect's offensive was once again thwarted.

Blood dripped from the city gate plaque. Shao Zan's Heyang soldiers, covered in blood, rolled back over. The Bianliang garrison soldiers who had been assisting in the attack, their skin torn and bleeding, surrounded Shao Zan, shouting and cursing at him.

"That damned Wang Congxun, we'll storm the pass and skin him alive!"

"You worthless wretch surnamed Shao, why do I see that you and your Heyang soldiers aren't putting in much effort? You should know that Chang'an isn't just for us! Your men are all worthless cowards, a hundred of them aren't worth one of our Bian-Song officials!"

"Shao is a notorious traitor, a dog who's always been fickle. He's actually fighting to the death? Don't make us laugh. Who knows if he'll change his mind again, kill Zhu Wen, and then kill Da Lang? We might as well deal with this scoundrel right here!"

"Damn you, Shao Zan's second aunt! We'll attack again later. As long as there's anyone still breathing in Heyang, they'll all swarm to the front! If anyone dares to hesitate even a step, you know what our soldiers are capable of!"

"Damn it, Wang Congxun can't hold on any longer. If that hill gets any higher, he'll slide down from the city and we'll definitely rip him open..."

A group of people yelled at Shao Zan and his men, spitting all over Shao Zan's face.

Shao Zan remained expressionless.

After retreating across the trench, he glanced back.

A bloodied and mangled burly man with disheveled hair stood on the opposite door. After several days of training, everyone recognized him as Wang Shaorong, the goalkeeper. He stood on the upper floor with his spear planted, cursing, "You traitor Shao, dare to come up here for a one-on-one fight? I'll beat your mother to death..."

"Hmph." Shao Zan pushed aside the cursing soldiers, ran up the mound, and asked the man and woman, "Upon joining the Heyang Army, five vinegar cakes a day!"

The men and women, already worn down by torment, mostly lived indifferently, listening and struggling. But the strong and able-bodied men and women, however, surged in like a whirlwind. Why wouldn't they come? They'd be reinstated to the army, they'd have food to eat, and they'd have a greater chance of survival!

Shao Zan led his soldiers through the crowd, those who could withstand a knife's back, regardless of gender, simply tossed their heads and said, "Lead the team!"

Those who couldn't withstand it were simply kicked aside: "A person as big as an ox, let him be ruined to death!"

Under the bright sun, the thousands of soldiers quickly regrouped. While the soldiers were receiving reinforcements, being given armor, and being given instructions, Shao Zan had already stripped off his blood-stained armor and was stretching his arms and legs: "Two layers of men will still wear armor and hold up shields to cover us. The rest of you will follow me to dig through the city walls."

"Order the entire army to continue the assault on the gate! Let's fight Wang Shaorong to the death!"

…………

As the scattered figures of people and horses coalesced into a vast expanse, they slowly surged forward against the sun.

On the gate tower, Wang Shaorong's face darkened as he descended the steps.

Outside the shed right next to the wall, the corpses brought from the city hadn't been moved and were simply piled up on the ground like firewood.

Inside the shed, the wounded were groaning and talking.

In a corner, on a couch, Wang Congxun's tall body lay. His lips were pale, and the white cloth wrapped around his bare upper body was purplish-black. He was weak, but his expression remained calm. He gritted his teeth and propped himself up against a pillar, talking to the others.

Upon seeing Wang Shaorong enter, the soldiers and civilians quieted down and inquired about the situation: "How is it?"

“Look at me, hey, only the third time we met, and I’m already injured like this, even hit by a stray arrow.” Wang Congxun turned around, saw it was Wang Shaorong, and chuckled in a low voice: “…He’s been consumed by the Golden Elixir, he’s really lost his mind. He hasn’t even become an immortal, and he’s already lost half of his abilities.”

The wounded soldiers burst into laughter.

Wang Shaorong approached silently, sat down beside the couch, and whispered, "It's very risky... The military supplies are indeed plentiful, and there's enough food, but the soldiers can't withstand the constant turnover... That scoundrel Zhu Dalang has mobilized tens of thousands of troops to build mountains and climb city walls, and it looks like it's almost finished. When he rushes into the pass and engages us in street fighting, with our manpower, even with our many fortified villages, how can we hold out for more than a few days? I'm thinking, you should just leave. The Shaanxi military governor, General Wenming, cannot die here; it would be too damaging to morale and too detrimental to the nation's fate... I'll stay at Tongguan!"

Wang Congxun coughed softly and slowly waved his hand: "He's a killing machine, so it's fine if he runs away. I've deserted before, but now... a leopard dies leaving its skin, a man dies leaving his name. Do you think I'm not even as good as Wang Yanzhang's gang of Bian dogs? ... Don't say such things. If the soldiers hear it, it will cause trouble... Shaorong, tell me quietly, how much longer do you think we can hold out?"

Wang Shaorong held his hands tightly with both of them.

Wang Congxun wanted to nod, but the movement aggravated his injuries, causing him to cough up blood repeatedly: "Ten days! Ten days to retreat and defend the various fortresses, at least for half a month. Zhu Dalang's invasion, the Sage couldn't have been unaware of it. My disciple certainly wouldn't abandon me..."

"Where is Fu Cunshen? How is he now? Is he reliable? You need to keep an eye on him; he's from Hedong, and his intentions might not be pure." "I've assigned him to guard the forbidden ditch."

"Boom! Kill!" The sounds of battle raged outside, accompanied by the incessant sounds of bells and drums, mixed with the desperate shouts of soldiers and civilians from the gate, and came from the shed: "The traitor Shao is attacking the city again!"

Wang Congxun slammed his fist on the chopping board, his expression incredibly fierce: "What are you still standing there for? Lead the soldiers and fight back against the counterattack!"

Wang Shaorong closed his eyes, his rough eyelashes drooping, wet with blood, and whispered, "Congxun, our Holy Tang Dynasty cannot afford to have a Grand Commandant die of illness, a Cui Anqian die far from home, and then a Great General die..."

"Cough cough cough cough..." Wang Congxun gasped for breath, clutching his chest, and managed to utter, "The restoration of the Holy Tang Dynasty has reached its most critical moment. As long as we can get through this, I don't care about anything else. Whether I die well or poorly, the Sage will naturally take care of my affairs in a grand manner."

His eyes suddenly widened, and he gripped Wang Shaorong's hand tightly: "The rise and fall of the nation depends on this battle! Be careful, be cautious, and do your best!"

…………

Outside Jincheng Palace.

This area had been cultivated by the empire for several years, with numerous Taoist temples and well-arranged houses. All around were newly reclaimed fields crisscrossed by paths, where farmers moved about. October in Jincheng was already cold, and amidst the light snow, the King of Wu walked with his hands behind his back along the ridges of the fields, inspecting military and political affairs.

The ministers followed closely, step by step.

"How much land do you own?" In a village, the King of Wu sat down in front of a Sogdian family's house.

The homeowner bowed deeply to the ground, his voice barely audible: "Thirty mu."

Why thirty mu?

"The land area is divided into three categories: seven mu for the upper-class farmers, four mu for the middle-class farmers, and two mu for the lower-class farmers."

"So your family consists of you and your wife, an old man, an older son, and two children under ten years old?" King Wu calculated in his mind and guessed.

The head of the household was somewhat surprised and doubtful: "Your Highness, that's right."

"What about the extra acre?" King Wu turned to look at Zhang Li, the official in charge of the Ministry of Revenue.

"Reporting to the Regent, the Guanzhong Plain land law stipulates that, based on the land's advantages in the five prefectures, each person shall be allocated one mu (approximately 0.16 acres) for orchards, fodder, and horse pastures to ensure the livestock's strength," Zhang Li replied.

After a moment's thought, the King of Wu asked, "Why have I not heard of this method in Guanzhong?"

“The situations in Yong and Liang are different, with a large population and little land, hence the differences.”

"In that case..." King Wu nodded slightly, then looked at the head of the household: "How can four men cultivate twenty-nine acres of land properly?"

"Plant as many as you can, and you'll finish planting them all."

"Is that so?" King Wu was puzzled, suspecting that this person was deceiving him.

"The Regent may visit a few more households later, or go to the fields to inspect, and verify the truth for himself." Zhang Li cupped his hands and said, "Some families plant late, and some cannot finish planting, but this is the court's way of preparing for the future. When the sons are older, they will naturally finish planting."

"When your sons grow up..." King Wu observed the small courtyard and asked, "If there are four, five, seven, or eight sons, this thirty acres of land will not be enough to feed and clothe the family. What will you do then?"

Zhang Li lowered his eyes: "Divide the family property and then allocate land again."

"Land is finite, but manpower is infinite. There will always be not enough land to go around. What will happen when all the land is gone?" King Wu clasped his hands together and placed them on his knees.

“There’s no other way.” Zhang Li pondered for a long time: “This is one of the root causes of peasant rebellions.”

“Your land system is flawed; it’s still the same old equal-field system from the Northern Dynasties,” King Wu said, rising to his feet. “How many years has it been? Still the same old tricks. Haven’t you come up with anything new?”

Zhang Li remained silent.

Censor Liu Zong cupped his hands and said, "That's why we need to fight, to launch attacks on all sides, to conquer barbarians, and to expand our territory."

King Wu gently closed his eyes, his mind filled with the words Han Wo had spoken and the classics he had read. Those words kept surfacing, rearranging, and refining into his thoughts: "If this problem is solved, the Mandate of Heaven for the Holy Tang Dynasty can surely be passed down forever."

But a little thought reveals that this is an extremely troublesome matter, one that even the ancient sage kings seemed unable to resolve.

After a long while, the King of Wu realized that his back was covered in a layer of cold sweat.

Is this the eternal law of Heaven? Death is the natural order of things, the inevitable course of existence. Nothing can escape death.

The King of Wu simply raised his hand, caught the snowflakes, and quietly watched the busy people in the fields.

So foolish, so mediocre, and so...terrible.

"Clatter clatter clatter..." The sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from afar, making the attendants' hearts jump.

Looking up in the direction of the sound, I saw several black dots rushing toward us.

The lead rider waved a red flag at the King of Wu and shouted loudly, "Tongguan! Tongguan! The Bian people are attacking day and night, piling up mountains and digging up the city! General Wenming sent me to report an emergency, but it may only last ten days!"

The ministers opposite finally heard his shout clearly, and several ministers who were on horseback stepped forward and rushed over: "Speak slowly, speak slowly!"

"It's an emergency! It's an emergency!"

"Zhu Dalang disregards human lives and is determined to break through the pass. The army is still fighting a bloody battle for the city. We have come to send a message and request reinforcements!"
In early winter of the eleventh month of the fourth year of Qianning, Wang Congxun's report arrived in Jincheng, while the army led by the emperor was also rushing north of the Western Sea.

A coalition of Tibetan forces opposed to him has already formed.

The ancient battlefield of Niuxindui, where the Tang Dynasty conquered Tuyuhun, now bears the white banner of the Yuan Emperor, which was once exposed by wind and rain on the mass grave of thousands of bones.

The area around Niuxindui was heavily guarded. Inside the tents, urgent reports were constantly being sent in and out, bringing news from Shazhou, Guazhou, Jiuqucheng, Jincheng, the south bank of Huanhu Lake, Tongguan, Wuguan, and even the situation of various envoys and the army to the central nervous system.

Zhang Hui, Luo Fu Nangong, and Rou Nu Ding Li sat on either side, tending to the mountain of desks piled up for him.

(End of this chapter)