Jinting Han people

Chapter 174 Sun Xiu's surprise attack (4k)

Sun Xiu did intend to launch a surprise attack on Xia Yang, but he had no choice.

Originally, he treated Liu Xian with a completely indifferent attitude. After all, he and Liu Xian had no grudge against each other, and he was simply being instructed by Duke Jia Mi of Lu. Jia Mi gave him neither a specific deadline nor any specific orders, simply saying, "Give him a good beating."

This was originally a simple matter, especially since Liu Xian was exiled to a poor county in a famous border area. Logically speaking, Sun Xiu should have a hundred ways to punish him.

The result was very embarrassing. Sun Xiu came to Guanzhong only half a year later than Liu Xian, but he was shocked to find that Liu Xian had managed Xiayang so well that no water could get in.

This was the first time that Sun Xiu changed his opinion of Liu Xian. He began to pay attention to Liu Xian and realized that the request made by Duke Lu was not something that could be accomplished casually.

Therefore, Sun Xiu sent Xin Ran to test Liu Xian, which took quite a while. He used the most shameless and crude method, which was to use power to coerce Liu Xian, using a method of calling a horse a zebra to convict him.

The result was beyond Sun Xiu's expectation. Not only did Xin Ran come back in disgrace and tell Sun Xiu that this method would not work, but the weights and measures used to pressure others were actually used by the other party as evidence of illegality.

This was the second time Sun Xiu changed his mind about Liu Xian. This man was simply too impeccable in the officialdom. Not only was he capable of getting things done, but even more crucially, he was also well-versed in the rigged tactics of the officialdom and knew how to defend himself. Using purely official tactics to deal with him was utterly impossible.

Thinking that someone had caught his political handle, Sun Xiu felt very uneasy, so he decided to take action himself.

As a politically wise man, Sun Xiu made three preparations before meeting Liu Xian: one was to win him over, two was to threaten him, and three was to kill him.

But upon meeting Liu Xian, he knew that wooing and threats were futile. He was a man of stone, and his principles were almost impossible to shake. Fortunately, Sun Xiu improvised and made an offer he couldn't refuse, trapping Liu Xian in a scheme to kill him with a borrowed knife.

So after returning to Chang'an, Sun Xiu was lucky and complacent. He thought to himself: "Haha, God bless me, I am the smartest one after all!" Then he made arrangements on the road, intending to wait to collect Liu Xian's body.

The result disappointed Sun Xiu again. Liu Xian once again escaped danger and not only that, he forced Sun Xiu to take credit for it.

This made Sun Xiu change his opinion of Liu Xian for the third time. He had to admit: this was a person who was more capable than himself in all aspects.

Although Sun Xiu likes to dress himself up as a clown, in his opinion, this is a manifestation of his extraordinary wisdom.

While others were still hesitating for temporary dignity and decency, Sun Xiu had already seen through the essence of dignity, which was nothing but vanity before fame, fortune and success.

The world is bewildered by this, leading to chaotic behavior and a loss of direction. However, the clever Sun Xiu has already let go of this obsession and directly achieved success. In turn, he uses this delusion to play tricks on the world. Isn't this the truth that only the truly wise can understand?
Even if the world doesn't understand who is superior and who is inferior for a while, when Sun Xiu achieves the greatest success and kills all those who look down on him, won't it be clear who is right and who is wrong, who is foolish and who is wise?

But the appearance of Liu Xian shattered Sun Xiu's logic. He found that his usual tactics were completely useless against Liu Xian, who seemed to be more intelligent than himself.

Liu Xian was clearly in a disadvantageous position, yet he was able to manipulate Sun Xiu, who had power and had let go of his obsession. How did he do it? Sun Xiu was deeply puzzled.

Fortunately, Sun Xiu finally discovered this person's flaw. As long as he could grasp this flaw, he would once again prove that he was the most impeccable and the most intelligent person.

Who would have thought that the man who committed the Jin Gu Garden robbery would be the Prince of Anle?

Logically, a hostage-like family like this should have lived an honest life, avoiding conflict with any other noble families. Yet, Liu Xian risked his life and offended a dukedom simply to snatch a woman. This is arguably the most inexplicable thing in the world, yet it actually happened.

Sun Xiu speculated on the reason and soon came up with an answer. He realized that this was not only an opportunity to turn defeat into victory, but it could even make him more successful.

As long as he could launch a surprise attack on Xiayang, capture Lu Zhu alive, and destroy the evidence in Liu Xian's custody, he would have completely gained the upper hand in this struggle. Whether he could blackmail Liu Xian into becoming his lackey or report his achievements to Jia Mi and gain even greater power, it would be a sure win.

Not to mention, there is a great possibility of some unexpected gains.

"Ha, the heavens are still blessing me. Young people have no wisdom and actually do such stupid things!"

Sun Xiu thought about this and made the following arrangements:
First, he mobilized five hundred of his followers and sent them directly to Xin Ran's headquarters to collect weapons and armor. This way, without going through any formalities, he assembled the troops within two days, and no one in the Western Expedition Army discovered it. Even if something went wrong later, he would have a reason to shirk responsibility.

Secondly, he directly allocated three times the amount of supplies to Liu Xian. Given Liu Xian's temperament, he would definitely purchase supplies in Chang'an and return to Xiayang with a full load of supplies, which would delay the journey. As the saying goes, a general is the courage of the three armies. No matter how capable Liu Xian was, he couldn't stop him without him in Xiayang.

Sun Xiu then pretended to use the Qixi Festival as an opportunity to retreat and offer sacrifices to the heavens, handing over the affairs of the Zhengxi Army to Xin Ran. However, on the day before Qixi Festival, he took advantage of the night and left Chang'an without anyone noticing.

After this arrangement, Sun Xiu felt that it was perfect. Who could have imagined this? The dignified Chief Secretary of the King of Zhao would go to such lengths to suppress a seventh-rank county magistrate.

But Sun Xiu remained cheerful. He addressed his followers, saying, "The Dao Lord said, 'Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish.' Conversely, cooking a small fish is like governing a great nation. In all matters of life, we must be extremely careful and focused, so that we can achieve a successful beginning and a successful end."

Sun Xiu truly gave it his all. Never before in his life had he devoted so much effort to anything. Whether it was the pre-arrangements or the subsequent planning, for this surprise attack, he even overcame his own tendency to be lazy and scorned work, rushing to Xiayang practically day and night.

The original 400-li journey took ten days, but Sun Xiu arrived in Xiayang in five days. From this perspective, Sun Xiu also accomplished a miracle.

When he arrived at Xiayang Terrace, the county guards were surprised to see five hundred fully armed soldiers passing by on the official road, so they came forward to ask their purpose.

Sun Xiu was also well prepared. He did not show up himself, but instead had his men carry the official seal of the Western Expedition Army and instructed them, "Tell him we are marching from Chang'an to Yanmen to garrison the border on the orders of the imperial court. We will stop at Xiayang today, rest for the night, and then cross the river at Longmen tomorrow."

Sun Xiu's method was indeed effective. After the county soldiers saw it, they could not find any fault at all. Then they pushed someone to lead the way for Sun Xiu.

The county sergeant leading the way asked them, "You are passing through Xiayang. Would you like to see the county magistrate?"

"No, I'll leave tomorrow and it won't be a bother."

"Oh? Then where will you all rest? Without permission from above, I'm afraid you can't stay overnight in our barracks, right?"

"Is that so? That's really embarrassing. Let's meet up. I wonder if the famous Xiayang Magistrate is still in charge of the county now?" Speaking of his own county lord, the county clerk became obviously proud and said with a smile, "Ah, you all came at the wrong time. Our county lord is out on business and said he will be back in a few days. The ones in charge right now are still County Lieutenant Zhang and County Magistrate Xi, both County lord Liu's right-hand men."

"Oh, that's a pity. I heard that County Lord Liu is the most famous and talented person in Guanzhong."

As he spoke, Sun Xiu gradually came into sight of Xiayang City. He knew that this was the most critical moment. As long as he could deceive Zhang Gu, Xi An and the others, his plan would be almost complete.

At this moment, Sun Xiu became even more calm. He had appeared before these people before, so he couldn't deceive them personally. He still had to send his troops to overcome this obstacle. The believer who was called up was a little nervous, but Sun Xiu comforted him by saying:
"He's just a small county lieutenant or county magistrate. What's there to be afraid of? I've been in Guanzhong for two years and I've seen more eighth-rank officials than stray dogs on the roadside."

"Repeat what I just said to them again. Remember, use a cooler tone and a firmer attitude! Ha, that's how it is between people. The tougher you are, the weaker the other party becomes."

"Remember, you have the blessing of the Three Officials, so they should be afraid of you! When you return successfully, I will not only reward you with two hundred gold coins, but I will also report you to Lord Taiping, and he will have you usurped into the Immortal Hall!"

Under such enticements, his men's courage was truly bolstered, and he even left with many thanks. Meanwhile, Sun Xiu, hiding among the believers, leisurely surveyed the market in Xiayang City.

After not seeing it for a few months, the Xiayang market was even more prosperous than before. Sun Xiu had already been impressed by the flow of people in Xiayang City at the beginning of the year, and returning during the autumn harvest season was even more eye-opening.

Unlike the ones he'd seen along the way, the people here were mostly dressed in new clothes, their faces full of joy and energy. The street vendors sold not only common necessities like cloth, grain, and herbs, but also numerous bookshops and cosmetics shops, as well as children's toys like bamboo horses and windmills. Glancing over the area, Sun Xiu keenly spotted small gambling houses and a gold market. Wine shops and inns were also numerous, countless in number.

There was a rare sense of peace here, but it did not make Sun Xiu, a Taoist priest, feel at peace. Instead, he showed an angry expression and said to his followers:

"Alas, Liu Huaichong is talented, but he is also really clueless."

"Doesn't he understand one thing? If we want long-term peace and stability in our country, we must ensure that the ignorant people are neither well fed nor starving to death, so that they have neither the time nor the desire to cause trouble."

"If we allow the lowly people to obtain wealth they don't deserve, they will lose their sense of dignity and develop delusions. This is not only a waste of wealth, but will also lead to disaster!"

The followers seemed to understand, but Sun Xiu didn't care. He had always been a staunch supporter of the wisdom and stupidity of the upper class. He had said this, but he had completely forgotten it. Now he just thought that if this trip was successful, the money he had spent would come back double or triple.

Although Sun Xiu seemed to remain silent on this matter on the surface, this was actually something that made him extremely painful.

What in the world doesn't lie? Of course, it's the glittering, cold, heavy gold that doesn't lie. Precisely because gold doesn't lie, the difference between people coming and going, and who's higher and who's lower, is actually determined by who gives less gold and who takes more. Sun Xiu felt a deep sense of shame when he thought about how he hadn't gotten a penny from Liu Xian so far, while still giving him gold.

Fortunately, this humiliation was finally coming to an end. About three quarters of an hour later, the subordinate who was sent out came back. The smug look on his face told it all: he had gotten away with it.

Five hundred men thus smoothly infiltrated the military camp in the north of the county. With official seals and transfer orders in hand, they were only staying overnight, so no one carefully inspected them. Sun Xi was ordered to allocate fifty barracks for Sun Xiu and his men, and Sun Xiu sent someone to give them a gold cake as food allowance for the day.

Next, Sun Xiu brought fifty of his direct subordinates and swaggered into the inner city of Xiayang, saying that they were military officers and wanted to have a meal and rest in the city.

Normally, these people should have taken off their armor, but Sun Xiu brought with him the seal of a fifth-rank lieutenant. The county soldiers had no right to stop him, nor did they want to offend anyone. Thinking that these people would only be there for one night, they just let the matter go.

Sun Xiu was not lying. He did find an inn and booked it for ten gold coins. He then ordered the innkeeper to serve wine and food, and everyone drank and partied together.

Sun Xiu said to his men, "Eat more, drink more, and you'll have to work hard to capture this rebel. I'll reward you handsomely afterwards!"

At this point, Sun Xiu was already very close to success. He had made a plan, and the next two steps were to be taken.

The first step is to wait until midnight, and then the subordinates in the military camp will suddenly attack, take control of the entire military camp in the north of the county, and set fire to the north of the county to attract the attention of the county government and lure the tiger away from the mountain.

The second step was that when everyone in the county government went to the north of the county, he suddenly launched an attack, led the people in the city to directly control the county government, captured Lu Zhu, and destroyed the testimony and evidence of tampering with the scales.

As long as these two steps are completed, Sun Xiu can wait leisurely in Xiayang and see how Liu Xian falls into the trap.

Everything was so perfect. While everyone was drinking and having fun, Sun Xiu began to recite "Laozi Xianger Zhu" by himself. This was his secret to keeping his mind clear. He would not make such preparations unless he was doing something big.

He kept chanting the sutra back and forth like this until the sounds outside the inn gradually died down, the sky gradually darkened, and finally turned into a thick twilight that was impossible to see through or hear clearly.

An unknown amount of time passed, but the shopkeeper came three times to ask if it was time to break the curfew. But Sun Xiu remained unmoved. Seeing the men's murderous aura and the gleaming armor they wore, several notches better than the county guards, the shopkeeper felt it was difficult to embarrass them, so he sealed the door and had a servant watch over them.

Finally, just when the servant was feeling drowsy, the night was broken.

A commotion gradually emerged from outside the door. It wasn't clear at first, but soon, like a huge wave of the tide, it quickly became unsettling. They could clearly hear someone shouting, "The fire's coming! The fire's coming!"

The servant opened the shop door and looked out. Sure enough, he saw that the sky in the north was getting a little white. He immediately realized that there was a fire.

The inn and the county government were on the same street. Soon, one could see the county officials coming out in a hurry, wrapping their clothes around them and heading towards the north of the county.

The servant was a little panicked and quickly said to Sun Xiu and the others, "Oh, I don't know what's going on. It seems there's a fire. Do you want to go out and take shelter?"

Sun Xiu was waiting for this moment. With a glance from him, the cultist on his left immediately attacked, covering the servant's mouth. Then he pulled out his ring-handled sword and struck the servant's neck.

When the street quieted down a bit, Sun Xiu stood up leisurely and glanced at the body of the servant at his feet. His face was filled with the expression of unwillingness to close. He tilted his head and stared at it for a moment, then shook his head and sighed, "It's a pity that you don't believe in the Tao and have no blessing to enter my immortal hall."

Sun Xiu waved his hand lightly, and his legs moved as if dancing. All this chaos was created by the music he conducted, which made him, as the conductor, feel intoxicated and ecstatic.

Next, it’s time to reap the fruits of victory.

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(End of this chapter)