Jinting Han people

On the same day, the first day of the Lunar New Year, the night Meng He escaped from Jinyong City, Grand Commander Liu Tun and General Wang Cui had already led 60,000 troops to Yanshi and were holding a banquet.

It was the new year, after all. No matter when or where, no matter what battles were fought, even if the sky were falling, people couldn't stay tense forever; they still needed something joyful to relax. However, for the generals commanding the reinforcements, it was difficult to show a good mood. During the banquet, they were even discussing what to do next.
“The Grand Commandant’s original plan is no longer appropriate. With Zhang Fang’s current defensive measures, our army simply cannot break through. We must come up with a new strategy,” said Grand Commander Liu Tun.

The reinforcements from Xuchang had been in Yanshi for more than ten days, but upon arrival, they found that the situation was completely different from what they had expected.

According to the plan Liu Xian had Li Sheng relay, the reinforcements were to establish a camp in Yanshi, then gradually guide the refugees, continuously harass the Western Army, put pressure on Zhang Fang, and force the Western Expeditionary Army to retreat. However, before the reinforcements arrived, Zhang Fang first built a fortified earthen mound centered on Jinyong City, and at the same time established the Jinshan Camp in Shouyang Mountain, and built the Shiliangwu between Qilijian and Luoshui.

Thus, the Western Army formed a triangular defensive formation east of Luoyang, meaning that if one point was attacked, the other two could easily provide support. This made things extremely difficult for Liu Tun and his men, who had not found a way to break the deadlock. Several tentative attacks had also failed. Therefore, for more than ten days, everyone hesitated and was unsure whether to advance or retreat.

Concerned about the situation in Luoyang, Zhuge Yan urged everyone, "Don't hesitate! Before we arrived, the Westerners' supplies were already inadequate. They've been fighting for so long, everyone is exhausted. Let's just go for it and charge in. If the Westerners come to fight, the Grand Commandant inside the city will coordinate an attack from the inside. How can Zhang Fang possibly win?!"

This argument seems reasonable, but the opposition to fighting was even stronger within the army. Xun Fan, the Duke of Xihua County, disagreed, retorting, "We must be lenient in our assessment of the enemy. How can war be treated so lightly? According to what Chief Clerk Li (Li Sheng) said earlier, after the crushing defeat in the city, they were routed, their armor and weapons scattered, and they were short of food. They might not even be able to launch a counterattack. If we break in, without the Grand Commandant's support, wouldn't we be like sheep entering a tiger's den, courting our own destruction?"

Upon returning to the capital region, the prosperous city of Luoyang was utterly devastated by Zhang Fang, a sight witnessed by everyone. Although a formal battle with the Western Army had not yet taken place, the sights and thoughts before them instilled fear in the soldiers. Morale, like the prevailing wind, is laughable. Once a strong wind blows in a certain place, even if it is meaningless, people will flock to it; conversely, it will quietly disappear.

Therefore, holding a grand banquet at the end of the year also served to dispel everyone's fear. Seeing everyone so dejected, Wang Cui raised his cup and said, "Don't argue anymore, Grand Commandant will surely have a solution. Come, let's drink three cups tonight."

"Is the General so sure that the Grand Commandant will respond?" But a banquet alone is not enough to boost morale. Seeing this, Cavalry Commandant Tian Hui added a sentence.

Tian Hui originally belonged to the Eastern Expeditionary Army and was a famous fierce general in the Central Plains, known for his mastery of both archery and spear. His attitude basically represented the attitude of most of the soldiers in the Eastern Army.

Wang Cui smiled and said, "Commander Tian doesn't understand the Grand Commandant. Although the Grand Commandant is bold, he is also extremely intelligent. You and I both know that this matter is very difficult, so how could the Grand Commandant not know that?"

"Please enlighten me, General."

"If he were inside the city, starving his entire army to the point of immobility, why would he even bother entering Luoyang? He must understand this, yet he still did it, which shows he must have been prepared. Come on, let's not think about anything else, let's drink!"

After saying this, Wang Cui turned to Xun Fan, who was expressing pessimism, and said, "This year is the Jiazi year. A full cycle of sixty years has passed, and everything is renewed. Could you compose a good poem, Lord Xihua?"

Upon hearing this, Xun Fan not only refrained from composing a poem, but instead said with a serious expression, "General!"

"what happened?"

"Are you implying that you're prepared to launch a full-scale attack on Luoyang even without knowing the situation inside the city? Have you already made up your mind?"

"We came here to provide assistance, didn't we? Are we just going to make a wasted trip, abandon the Emperor and his officials, and slink away in disgrace? Is that what we, as subjects, should do?"

Wang Cui's words were the right path, and no one could refute them. But the right path couldn't solve the problem, and if they lost, how many lives would be at stake? This outcome made everyone present uneasy. Seeing that everyone was frozen again, Liu Tun, who was standing to the side, eased the atmosphere by saying, "Don't worry, the reinforcements from the Prince of Yuzhang's side have written to me saying that they are almost here."

"Although we don't know how many people the Prince of Yuzhang brought, we now have fifty or sixty thousand men. By then, with the addition of the garrison in Luoyang, our army will at least have a numerical advantage. We should give it a try."

"Lord Xihua, let's compose a poem! The foundation of the entire nation rests here. Even if we all die here, we will die with the nation, and we will have no regrets."

Upon hearing this, Xun Fan sighed, stood up, and said, "I am almost sixty years old, how could I possibly write poetry? How about this, I will sing a poem by Ruan Ji, 'Poem of My Feelings,' for everyone!"

Having said that, he raised his wine cup and, in a weary, aged voice, sang softly to the moonlit sky:
"The chariot is in the southwest, and Xihe is about to fall."

Its radiant light shines across the four seas, then suddenly fades into dusk.

He was honored by the Emperor's favor at the Xianchi Palace, and received the glory from the Emperor's family.

Little did they know that the poor and the rich, once dead, could never be brought back to life.

Look at those peach and plum blossoms, who can remain so bright and beautiful for long!
Where is the sage? My sighs are not yet over.

Looking up at the pines of Jingshan Hill soothes my soul.

This poem was written by Ruan Ji one evening at dusk. As he watched the sun about to disappear from the sky, the twilight bathing everything in golden light, he suddenly reflected on the brevity of life. Once dead, one cannot be brought back to life; the splendor of peach and plum blossoms cannot last; is the integrity of a virtuous person also so fleeting? Looking at the ancient pine trees on the mountain, Ruan Ji felt that it was not so. Although Xun Fan was pessimistic about the war, at this moment, he remembered this poem, and the peace he felt when he first read it. So he sang it to everyone, and they felt a detachment beyond material concerns, thus gradually easing the tension.

When the song ended, everyone burst into applause. Li Sheng, who was standing to the side, quietly stood up and pulled Zhuge Yan outside. At this moment, the moonlight illuminated all the shadows clearly, the wind blew intermittently, and some blood-red plum blossoms were frozen by frost, making them particularly charming in the cold moonlight.

“We must send an envoy into the city to contact our lord,” Li Sheng said to Zhuge Yan. “There is a strong sense of war-weariness in the army right now, and many people don’t even care about the court. We need our lord’s orders to boost morale.”

Zhuge Yan agreed with Li Sheng's opinion, but he shrugged and said, "This is no easy task. Do we have a suitable candidate? Or should I go? Or should you go?"

The two men were immediately caught in a dilemma. In the current situation, it was impossible to entrust the task of making contact to an ordinary person. Firstly, they were untrustworthy, and secondly, many things would be difficult to explain clearly. However, if they were to make the contact themselves and fail, it would likely further weaken the morale of the reinforcements.

But Liu Xian is currently trapped in the encirclement. What can they do if they don't try to contact him? If their lord dies, their existence will be meaningless. Thinking this, Zhuge Yan said to Li Sheng, "I'll go! But we should wait two more days until the reinforcements from Qingzhou arrive before we can bring all the confirmed news into the city, which will also boost morale."

Li Sheng nodded gravely. To be honest, Zhang Fang's defenses were far more formidable than he had imagined. Even if he could contact Liu Xian inside the city, he didn't feel confident of victory.

But having followed Liu Xian for so many years, he knew this battle was inevitable. It wasn't just for the people of Luoyang, but also to show the world that no difficulty could deter this descendant of Liu Bei from upholding the principle of comforting the people and punishing the grieving. If this battle succeeded, everyone would believe that Liu Xian's lord wasn't just fighting for the restoration of Shu Han, but was a true emperor who wanted to unify the world.

But everything boils down to one issue: as things stand, Zhang Fang is simply too powerful as an adversary. It's not just that he's tactically invincible, nor is it merely that he's morally bankrupt; rather, it's that his judgment of the overall situation is almost flawless, which is extremely rare. This allows Zhang Fang to perfect his invincibility, and no one has been able to gain an advantage against him.

How could they possibly win? Li Sheng couldn't think of a good way at all, and he could only secretly pray that Liu Xian could find an answer.

The next day, the second day of the lunar month, the reinforcements from Qingzhou arrived in Yanshi, led by none other than Sima Chi, the Prince of Yuzhang. As one of the five surviving sons of Emperor Wu, he received extremely high honors. All the officers of the Eastern Army came out to greet him, though it was merely a formality. The Prince of Yuzhang wore a serene smile and was exceptionally courteous, which pleased all the officers who came to welcome him, and they developed a great fondness for him.

Sima Chi brought 30,000 infantry and cavalry, along with 300,000 bushels of provisions, a timely and much-needed boost. He told Liu Tun and the others, "Our army will rest for three days before launching an attack." This undoubtedly reassured everyone, but they still had no idea how to confront Zhang Fang next.

At dawn on the third day, just as Zhuge Yan was preparing to leave Yanshi as planned and sneak into Luoyang, Meng He, who had escaped from Jinyong City, had already overcome numerous obstacles and arrived in Yanshi City like a beggar.

When he claimed to have come on Liu Xian's orders, the soldiers guarding the camp could hardly believe it. His hair was wrapped in a coarse cloth, he wore simple, peasant-like clothes, and straw sandals; he looked extremely disheveled, and his eyes were bloodshot—he didn't resemble the court envoy he claimed to be at all. It wasn't until he produced Liu Xian's handwritten letter and had Li Sheng come out to verify it that Meng He's identity was confirmed.

"Gentlemen, the Emperor and the Grand Commandant inside Jinyong City are still safe and sound!"

When he first announced the news, the entire army was in an uproar. The officers and soldiers of the reinforcements were most worried that Luoyang, surrounded by enemy forces, would become a stagnant pool, which would mean that it would be too late for them to do anything. Fortunately, none of that had happened yet.

When Meng He informed the generals that the city was still unaware of the arrival of reinforcements and morale was low, the generals felt extremely ashamed and indignant. Liu Tun assured Meng He, "You have done a good job, but don't worry, we now have 100,000 men. After five days of rest, we will begin the decisive battle with the Western Army. As long as the Grand Commandant can respond from within the city, we can attack the Western Army from both inside and outside, and there is no reason for us to fail."

Upon hearing this, Meng He's eyes lit up. He had originally thought on the way that he would be lucky to get 30,000 or 40,000 reinforcements, but he hadn't expected so many to come. This almost made him imagine the Westerners being utterly defeated. He immediately shouted, "Good, excellent!"

"But someone still needs to go back and deliver the message," Li Sheng reminded him from the side. "Are you even able to go back?"

Without hesitation, Meng He replied, "Don't worry, the city desperately needs this news to boost morale. Besides me, who else can go?"

"Okay! Thank you for your hard work. Have something to eat first, change your clothes, rest for a day, and then set off."

"There's no need to rest for so long!" Upon hearing about this arduous task, Meng He showed no sign of difficulty. He cupped his hands and said, "The city is currently unaware of any reinforcements, and the entire army is extremely demoralized. The sooner we find out, the sooner we will be relieved. There is no need to delay any longer. It is already a great privilege for me to have a good meal and a good night's sleep here."

"I only hope that you gentlemen will send troops soon so that this calamity can be ended as soon as possible." As he said this, he bowed, and everyone could hear his sincerity. Thinking of his biological father, Meng Guan, they were all filled with emotion.

After Li Sheng led him out of the main tent, he first took Meng He to have a meal. While Meng He was eating steamed buns, Li Sheng praised him, saying, "You came just in time. You really solved our big problem. You are worthy of being the son of Marshal Meng."

Before Meng He could even smile, Li Sheng immediately added, "But on the way back, you must not be careless. As the saying goes, good fortune does not come twice, but misfortune will surely come again. Being able to get out smoothly does not mean that you can return smoothly."

Meng He was starving. He stuffed several steamed buns into his mouth, but when he tried to speak, he choked on the dough. He quickly grabbed the water jug ​​and poured water down his throat. It took him a while to recover. Rubbing his neck, he said, "Please rest assured, Chief Secretary, I will deliver the message back to my brother no matter what!"

After finishing his meal, Meng He dozed off for two hours on Li Sheng's bed. Upon waking, he warmed himself by the fire, stretched, and changed his clothes. Seeing that the sky was dim and suitable for stealth, Meng He bid farewell to Li Sheng and the others and began his return journey.

As he vanished back into the night, all was still quiet, and the weather remained extremely harsh. But Meng He was completely unaffected, his spirits soaring. He believed that what he was bringing back was not merely a simple message, but a tangible victory. (End of Chapter)