Taiheiki

Chapter 249 Advance

"Then, what should I do?" Dong Zhong asked anxiously.

"Have you ever heard of the saying, 'Shen Sheng died while inside the palace, while Chong Er lived peacefully outside'?" Kuai Sheng asked.

"Shen Sheng? Chong Er?" Dong Zhong didn't know these two names, but he did understand the meaning of "dying within, finding peace without": "Lord Kuai, are you suggesting I leave Luoyang?"

“That’s right! If you leave Luoyang now, you will be the emperor’s envoy, and everyone who sees you will treat you like a treasure; but if you stay in Luoyang, and the situation changes, you may suffer collateral damage and even be killed!”

"I understand!" Dong Zhong pondered for a moment and said, "Since that's the case, then I will accept the Emperor's order and go to Jingzhou!"

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Queyue Fortress, Anlu County, Jiangxia Commandery, Jingzhou.

"Raise your shields!" Liu Sheng raised his voice: "Maintain formation, advance to the beat of the drums!"

As he roared, he raised his rectangular shield above his head, instantly transforming the twelve-by-seven square into a giant tortoise. Each person within the square was protected by this massive "shell" and began to move slowly forward. Liu Sheng, positioned within the square, occasionally felt a faint impact on his right hand holding the shield—arrows and stones fired by the defenders on the city walls. These small projectiles were unlikely to penetrate shields and armor, causing negligible harm to the soldiers.

Through the gaps in his shield, Liu Sheng could see a dozen or so large fires burning at the foot of the city wall in the distance. Some were oil bombs launched by his own catapults, while others were being poured down by the defenders on the city walls. The firelight reflected on the river not far away, creating an eerie scene. At that moment, several loud animal roars came from behind him. Liu Sheng knew they were the roars of war elephants. Although he didn't know what role these massive creatures would play in a siege, he still felt a surge of courage—at least he didn't have to worry about the defenders rushing out to counterattack when he climbed the ladders.

The drumbeats quickened, as if urging something on. Liu Sheng felt the impact from the shields above his head intensify—it was the defenders' arrows. He roared, "Charge! The first to scale the walls will be granted the title of Grand Master and 500,000 coins!"

With Liu Sheng's roar, the soldiers surged across the nearly filled-in moat and rushed to the city walls. Some hurled spears and shot arrows at the enemy on the walls, while others erected long ladders with iron hooks at the ends, using the hooks to jam the battlements before swarming up the ladders. The defenders on the walls desperately attacked these men with catapults, crossbows, and spears, trying to stop them. A brutal hand-to-hand battle quickly erupted on the city walls.

Liu Sheng was the fourth to scale the city wall. Two of the three men before him were already dead, and the sole survivor was in dire straits under the combined attack of several enemies. He roared and leaped down from the battlement. The ground was wet and slippery, half mud and half blood. Liu Sheng tripped over the corpses as he landed, nearly falling. Fortunately, he braced himself with his ring-pommel sword and regained his balance. A guard turned around, hastily dealing with this unexpected enemy. Liu Sheng raised his shield and roared, "Chang Le Wei Yang!" (The Western Han Dynasty's Chang'an Imperial Palace included Chang Le Palace and Wei Yang Palace), eliciting a chorus of echoes from below the city walls. The guard roared and thrust his spear at his chest. Liu Sheng sidestepped his shield, deflecting the spear tip across the outside, then forcefully pushed it away. Simultaneously, he stepped forward, extending his arm, allowing his ring-pommel sword to pierce his armor and plunge into his abdomen. The guard cried out in agony, dropping his weapon and clutching his stomach, trying to stop his entrails from spilling out. Liu Sheng expertly used his shield to strike the enemy's face, smoothly drawing his ring-pommel sword to prepare for his next opponent. His movements were steady and rhythmic, like an old farmer harvesting wheat.

After Liu Sheng had taken down two enemies, the men who came up the long ladder behind him had taken control of an area about two or three zhang square, and he could finally take turns resting. Although it had only been a short while, he still felt extremely exhausted and sat down on the ground, panting heavily.

Liu Sheng caught his breath for a while and felt a little better. Just as he was about to stand up, he suddenly felt a vibration under his buttocks, followed by cheers from below the city behind him.

"It's broken! The city has fallen!"

"The city has fallen?" Liu Sheng was still somewhat bewildered when he saw dozens of bandits fleeing from inside the city gate not far away, their armor and weapons discarded. Behind them were two fully armored war elephants, their trunks waving, their tusks gleaming coldly. Warriors on the elephants' backs were shooting arrows at the fleeing bandits. Behind the war elephants were hordes of Jiaozhou soldiers. At that moment, four words suddenly flashed through Liu Sheng's mind: "borrowing the tiger's might."

The fall of the city gates seemed to be a signal; the defenders who had just been fighting desperately threw down their weapons, either fleeing or kneeling to surrender. Liu Sheng, who had rested enough, picked up his shield and walked down the city walls, hearing the whispers of his comrades around him.

"The city gate broke down so quickly! I thought the battle would go on for a while longer!"

"You don't know! Those of us carrying ladders to scale the city walls are just bait; the real killing move is these war elephants!"

"War elephants? These beasts can even attack cities?"

"They can't attack cities, but they're so strong, one of them is equivalent to dozens of men, and the last two war elephants are dragging a ram's head hammer! With that thing, what city gate can hold up!"

"So that's how it is! The higher-ups are really resourceful!"

"Nonsense, who is Marquis Wei? It's only been a few days, and you've already forgotten the battle at Sangluozhou? So many ships and so many people of the Moth Pirates were burned to the ground. What are a few thousand people in these earthen fortresses at Xiakou?"

"Yes! After this battle, the imperial court will probably bestow more titles and honors upon Marquis Wei! By the way, what titles and honors do you think the court will grant Marquis Wei this time?"

"His title is already at the county marquis level, the highest it can get. The only increase would be in the number of households he's granted, probably six or seven thousand this time. As for his official rank, that's a joke. The court appointed Feng Kun as General of Chariots and Cavalry, which is on par with the Three Dukes, yet after several years of fighting, the E'er bandits have reached Wancheng. Meanwhile, Marquis Wei has blocked the E'er bandits in the Han River after these two battles; pacification is just a matter of time. What official position do you think the court should give Marquis Wei?"

Compared to the soldiers chatting idly, Liu Sheng, a powerful figure from Yangzhou, knew far more. The relationship between Wei Cong and the bandits was far more complex than that between soldiers and bandits; at least within Yuzhang County, the bandits and Wei Cong shared a symbiotic relationship. While the bandits were still at large, the court naturally wouldn't punish them, but after their suppression, it was uncertain whether the court would reopen old wounds and play the game of punishing first and then showing leniency. Ultimately, Wei Cong's military achievement had been too abrupt.

"A Sheng!"

"Uncle?" Liu Sheng turned around, saw it was his uncle, and laughed: "Why did you come up here? There are still remnants of the Moth Thieves here that haven't been cleared out!"

"I just came to check if you were hurt!" Liu Qu said with a smile.

"I'm not injured at all!" Liu Sheng spread his arms wide. "Look, there's not even a scratch!"

"That's good, that's good!" Liu Qu came up and examined him carefully: "Thanks to our ancestors, you have made a meritorious contribution by being the first to reach the summit this time. The reward money is fine, but with a title, we can establish ourselves in Lingnan!"

"Lingnan?" Liu Sheng looked at Liu Qu in surprise: "Uncle, didn't you always want to fight your way back to our hometown? Why have you changed your mind now?"

“Yes!” Liu Qu sighed and shook his head. “I’ve been to some places these days, and compared to Lingnan, they really are inferior. So I’ve decided not to go back at all. After pacifying the bandits, I’ll sell all the farmland in my hometown and settle down in Lingnan!”

"You really do come up with all sorts of ideas!" Liu Sheng shook his head. "Fine, you're the head of the family. Whether you stay in Lingnan or go back to Yangzhou is up to you!"

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Liu Qu flicked his nephew's forehead. "Am I worrying about all this for myself? How many more years do I have left to live? Isn't it all for you younger generations?" Liu Sheng shrank back, forcing a bitter smile. "Yes, yes, I was ignorant and didn't understand your good intentions, Uncle. But whether we stay in Lingnan or return to Yangzhou, we have to finish the war first. Tell me, how long will this war last?"

"Xiakou has been captured, and the E'er bandits are already trapped in the Han River area. It will take at most three months, or at least one month, before they will surely surrender!" Liu Qu replied confidently.

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"General, Xiakou has been captured, and the E'zhao are already trapped like turtles in a jar. They will be wiped out in no time!" Wen Sheng was beaming with joy.

"Yes!" Yuan Tian exclaimed with delight, "Today we have breached the moon fortress, and together with the several cities we captured in the previous two days, the mouth of the Han River into the Yangtze River is now in our hands. All we need to do is light fires on both banks as a signal, and send fast boats to patrol and patrol. The Moth Rebels will have no chance of escaping!"

"Yes, General, you have rendered unparalleled service in eliminating the Moth Rebels. The court will surely reward you handsomely!" This time, it was Huang Ping who spoke, and he was much calmer than the others who had spoken before: "But what if the court summons you back to the capital?"

Wei Cong did not answer Huang Ping's question. He just stood in front of the map, looked at it for a long time, and suddenly asked, "I have a question for you. Will Feng Kun and Zhang Huan take this opportunity to wipe me out along with the moth thief?"

Wei Cong's question immediately silenced the tent, and everyone's face showed an expression of disbelief. But as time went on, the fear on everyone's faces grew stronger.

"It shouldn't be that bad, right? After all, we're the ones who quelled the Moth Bandits! We're considered meritorious officials by the imperial court, aren't we?"

"So what if they were meritorious officials? Han Xin and Peng Yue were also meritorious officials of Emperor Gaozu! And how did Emperor Gaozu deal with them?"

"Yes! If I were Feng Kun and Zhang Huan, we would have done the same. If we don't act this time, the court will send them to deal with Marquis Wei next time, and who will win on the battlefield is still uncertain!"

"Indeed, by taking advantage of our unpreparedness and stabbing us in the back, not only were the Moth Bandits wiped out, but Jiaozhou was also within our grasp. The imperial court will certainly be pleased to see this situation!"

"Yes! One act of letting the enemy go unpunished will bring trouble for generations to come. This is a truth that we are not the only ones who know. The imperial court may have already issued a secret order!"

"Then what should we do? Retreat back to Jiaozhou now?"

"What's the point of running if you lack ambition?"

"What can we do if we don't run? Fight? Those are the imperial army!"

"What's wrong with the imperial army? It's not like we haven't fought them before!"

Seeing that the crowd was getting increasingly absurd, Huang Ping coughed and said to Wei Cong, "My lord, we are all in this position because of the general's kindness, and naturally we will follow your lead. Whether to fight or make peace, we await your instructions!"

"Please give your instructions!" the generals inside the tent responded in unison.

"Get up, all of you?" Wei Cong returned to his seat, waved his hand, and gestured for the generals to stand up. "I just thought of this possibility, not that it will definitely happen! I'm telling you this so you can help me think of how to deal with it. You can't be too careful, right?"

"In my opinion, your safety is the most important thing!" Huang Ping said, "As long as you are still alive, the imperial court will not dare to attack Jiaozhou. Therefore, in my opinion, you must have a guard by your side from now on, and they must never leave your side. It would be best if they were the kind of guards that the imperial court cannot bribe, so that you can be absolutely safe!"

"Hmm!" Wei Cong nodded. "Anything else?"

"In my opinion, we should strike first!" Wen Sheng said. "You can only guard against thieves for a day, not every day!"

“That’s enough!” Wei Cong shook his head: “Is there anyone else? Anyone can speak up, and regardless of right or wrong, no one will be punished!”

"In my opinion, the most important thing is to deal with the Moth Bandits!" Yuan Tian said. "The Moth Bandits number anywhere from two hundred thousand to over one hundred thousand, which is no small number. If they surrender to the court, the court's power will increase. But then we'll have to guard against the court using the Moth Bandits against us. However, if the Moth Bandits surrender to us, our power will increase, and the court will be more cautious, fearing that if you are harmed, there will be no one to control them, and the Moth Bandits will come back again!"

"Hmm, not bad, not bad!" Wei Cong laughed. "You've hit the nail on the head. Indeed, the key is who the Moth Bandits surrender to. As long as they surrender to us, the court won't dare to take action. Also, Feng Kun and Zhang Huan are two different people, each with their own ideas. We need to figure out their thoughts first, and then divide and conquer them. Huang Ping!"

"My subordinate is here!"

"Go to Feng Kun and tell him that I have captured Xiakou. Ask him about the next steps in troop deployment and how the two armies should coordinate. Find out his strengths and weaknesses, understand?"

"My subordinate understands!"

"As for Zhang Huan!" Wei Cong hesitated for a moment: "It's still a bit early now. After all, he's from Liangzhou, and there's no connection or old friendship between the two sides. It's not good to speak up. Let's wait and see. Once the situation regarding the Moth Bandits is settled, we won't be afraid of any tricks he might pull!"

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The tent smelled wonderful, and Lu Ping stood by a table, arranging a bouquet of flowers.

"So, do you like it?" Wei Cong came in from outside: "I had a lot of trouble to get it for me!"

"I like it!" Lu Ping turned around happily. "Are you trying to get me to do something by being so nice to me?"

(End of this chapter)