Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 201 The Dharma Image (Part 2)

The fundamental national policy of the Xu state now is to expand eastward, and Lü Shang will naturally not let go of this opportunity to encroach on the power of the Zhuji.

"Pass on my orders,"

A faint spark suddenly rose from the Zhurong Banner beside Lü Shang, and the flames on the banner seemed to be driven by an invisible wind, rolling eastward.

"Pursue Zhu Ji!"

At the command, the chariots of the various kingdoms in the western corner immediately roared to life. The bells on the bronze chariots collided with the armor plates of the warriors, creating a torrent that rolled eastward along the ancient loess road on the east bank of the Zhen River.

The allied forces of the fifty-nine kingdoms of Zhuji collapsed, and the defeated soldiers scattered and fled. Lü Shang personally led his armored soldiers to gradually subdue the remaining Zhuji troops.

Of the 30,000 soldiers from the 59 states of Zhuji, more than 10,000 remained, having died in battle at the Qin River. They fled in panic, abandoning their armor and weapons, along the shallows of a tributary of the Qin River.

Lü Shang then slowly advanced his troops, plundering small towns within the territory of Zhuji and relocating the people of Zhuji.

As the army advanced, on the fifteenth day after the battle, as the dawn broke over the ancient course of the Qin River, Lü Shang's chariots rolled over the ruins of a settlement of the Zhuji people.

A military officer standing nearby held up a bamboo slip and said, "Your Majesty, the remaining troops of Zhuji number over ten thousand. Eight thousand three hundred have surrendered, and fewer than two thousand have died in battle or fled. Forty-seven small towns have been captured, and the people have already moved into Xu along the ancient road."

"Forty-seven towns, eight thousand surrendered soldiers,"

As Lü Shang gazed at the ant-like procession of migrants winding along the ancient course of the Qin River, his hand, gripping the railing of the chariot, slowly tightened.

"This gain will be enough to make Zhu Ji feel the pinch for a long time!"

He then said, "Too much is as bad as too little. I hereby order you to halt the advance."

"Halt the advance!"

The messenger rode a fast horse, galloping back and forth between the army and the chariots. One by one, the chariots stopped on command, and the rumble of the wheels rolling over the yellow earth gradually subsided.

Only the cries of infants in the migrating procession floated and sank in the morning mist of the ancient Qinshui River.

Behind the chariot formation, the newly surrendered 8,000 armored soldiers were divided and guarded by Xu Guo's elite troops, and the ranks were still filled with the lingering stench of blood.

The chariots of the western lords slowly approached, the animal patterns on the bronze chariots reflecting a cold light in the dew.

"Uncle Xu,"

A feudal lord wearing a bearskin cloak reined in his horse, bringing the chariot to a sudden halt. The horse pawed nervously, saying, "The remnants of Zhu Ji's forces are now like frightened birds. Our elite troops are about to press their advantage and attack. Why withdraw now?"

Before he finished speaking, the carriages of several feudal lords had already drawn up behind him.

Three years of governing is not as good as half a month of plundering now. The feudal lords have naturally tasted the sweetness of this.

Even though they knew that with their current strength, it was impossible for them to destroy the Zhuji state, they still couldn't help but continue their eastward advance when they saw the captured enemies.

Facing the assembled lords, Lü Shang said, "I believe that although Zhuji has been defeated, its strength is still intact. If our army is greedy for merit and advances recklessly into Zhuji's heartland, and once Zhuji unites to attack, we with only 20,000 armored soldiers will have little chance of victory."

"The Ji clan is, after all, one of the direct descendants of the Yellow Emperor, and they possess the blessings of the Heavenly Emperor. Unless we are prepared to fight them with all our might, I think we should stop while we're ahead and call it a day!"

"The situation of the East being strong and the West being weak cannot be changed by a single Battle of the Qin River."

“What Uncle Xu said is absolutely right!” Jiao Bo Jiang Xia was the first to speak. He raised his hand and placed it on the jade-hilted short sword at his waist, saying, “Although Zhu Ji suffered a minor defeat, her strength is still there.”

As one of the leaders of the Western Region, Jiang Xia was well aware of the subtleties involved.

"Although we have won the battle, Zhu Ji is still deeply rooted and has many forces involved behind her. If we are not greedy enough, I am afraid there will be setbacks."

"Jiao Bo is absolutely right,"

Another lord echoed this sentiment, his carriage adorned with intricate cloud patterns, saying, "This withdrawal was indeed a wise move. We have gained so many benefits; we should know when to stop and go back to properly digest what we have acquired."

The various lords nodded in agreement. Although they were still somewhat unwilling, they understood that Lü Shang and Jiang Xia's words made sense. This war had already brought them considerable gains, and if it continued, the situation might spiral out of control, which would be a greater loss than the gain.

Looking at the reactions of the feudal lords, Lü Shang nodded slightly. The fact that these feudal lords were willing to listen to his advice showed that he had begun to gain popularity among the western states.

"Since everyone has no objections, then pass down the order to return to the capital."

At Lü Shang's command, the vast army of soldiers from various states began their orderly return. The rumble of chariots and the neighing of horses carried the dust that lingered for a long time along the ancient course of the Qin River.

Along the way, the feudal lords in the western region each had their own agendas.

Those lords who originally planned to continue eastward and make a fortune, though unwilling, understood that Lü Shang's words made sense, and could only secretly regret missing out on more opportunities.

Other feudal lords, however, were overjoyed, plotting how to use this victory to expand their power and elevate their state's status among the western states.

When the army reached an open plain, the sun was high in the sky, and Lü Shang ordered the army to set up camp for a rest. The soldiers unloaded their weapons, lit fires, and cooked, and soon the camp was filled with wisps of smoke.

Inside the camp, Lü Shang discussed with the western lords, led by Ying Kai and Jiang Xia, how to distribute the spoils.

The Battle of Zhenshui was a devastating defeat for Zhu Ji. In contrast, Lü Shang and his allies reaped enormous rewards.

The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy. All the lords' eyes were fixed on Lü Shang, who was undoubtedly the key figure in this distribution of spoils. He sat upright in the main seat, his expression calm, quietly processing his thoughts.

This left Lü Shang with no choice but to be cautious. He was more concerned with unequal distribution of the spoils than with scarcity, as the future relationship between the western states could very well determine the course of their relations. Lü Shang was well aware that any unfairness could easily trigger internal strife in the west, something he desperately wanted to avoid.

Lu Shang glanced at the various lords and said, "The spoils of this battle should be judged by merit, and after that, they should be distributed according to the number of troops deployed."

Just as Lü Shang and the western lords were dividing up the spoils of victory, Ji Shi, who had fled back to Yandu alone, sat in the empty palace, looking at the compass chariot in the hall. After sitting there for a long time, she finally let out a sigh.

"Heavenly Emperor, have you abandoned my surname, Ji?"

Ji Shi's face was as pale as paper. Intermittent wailing could be heard from outside the palace, carried into the palace by the night wind, sounding like a funeral dirge.

After repeated defeats and with the monarch's power unstable, Ji Shi had lost everything. The resentment of the people surged towards Ji Shi like a raging tide.

The Qing clans, who were already dissatisfied with Ji Shi, became even more restless, and in an instant, Ji Shi, the leader of the alliance, became truly isolated.

Beset by internal and external troubles, Ji Shi was powerless to control the situation. He suffered a series of crushing defeats, and the resentment of the court almost overwhelmed him.

Outside the palace, a palace servant rushed in, his voice tinged with urgency, and said, "Your Majesty, the armies of the western kingdoms have returned!"

Ji Shi suddenly came to her senses, a complicated expression flashing across her face. She then slowly got up, walked unsteadily to the palace entrance, and sighed softly.

(End of this chapter)