The Splendor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 118 The Strategy of Hedong
On the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, outside Chanzhou City, the wind and snow reached their peak.

Twelve riders galloped up, one of whom had a listless Liu Yun lying on his back.

Xiao Yi reined in his horse, Wuzhui, at the city gate. Looking around, he saw a continuous stretch of camps and fortifications in the distance, with clearly defined trenches and smoke rising from the cooking fires, as if 30,000 troops were shaking off the dust.

"Xiao Yi, the 20th commander of the Tianxiong Army and the military governor's assistant, has been ordered to bring the wanted criminal here."

"The general is to wait for an audience at the marshal's residence."

This was Xiao Yi's second visit to Chanzhou. Upon entering the city, he noticed that although there was a pre-war atmosphere, many doors were still decorated with colorful lanterns as the New Year approached.

The military governor's mansion, which originally belonged to Li Hongyi, has been requisitioned by Guo Wei, and armored soldiers stand solemnly in front of the gate.

Upon being informed, they entered and met Wei Renpu in Cao Fang.

"Mr. Wei."

Wei Renpu was fiddling with the abacus, a worried look between his brows. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, his pupils contracting slightly as he pointed at Liu Yun's severed arm.

"How did it come to this?"

Xiao Yi said, "The guards are fierce. If we don't cut off one of their arms, we won't be able to intimidate them. Otherwise, it will be our own men who die."

Wei Renpu gave him a deep look with a hint of scrutiny, but in the end, he neither praised nor criticized him. Then, as if remembering something, he stood up and bowed to Liu Yun.

"Liu Liuhou has had a long and arduous journey. Someone, take him away and take good care of him."

"Yes."

Wei Renpu then turned to Xiao Yi and asked, "Among the fierce soldiers of Hedong, have any escaped to report the news?"

"Zhang Lingchao escaped with only a few riders, but Liu Tingrang has already led his troops to surround and intercept him."

Xiao Yi recounted how he captured Liu Yun.

That night, he chased Zhang Lingchao and Liu Luan to Xianghe Bridge, shot down Liu Luan with an arrow, and ordered his men to cross the bridge and pursue them. Not long after, Liu Tingrang arrived in person and told him to take Liu Yun to Chanzhou to report back. He said he would handle the capture of Zhang Lingchao and the follow-up to Xuzhou City.

He rushed over without stopping, leaving only Lü Chou to take care of Wang Jiu and handle miscellaneous tasks.

Although Zhang Mei was a scholar, she managed to keep up with Xiao Yi's pace.

Finally, Xiao Yi said, "Don't worry, sir. All roads north of Songzhou have been blocked to prevent the news from reaching Hedong."

Wei Renpu smiled and said, "You guessed what Lord Ming was thinking, didn't you?"

Xiao Yi asked, "Is a great battle imminent?"

Wei Renqing turned to look at the sky, sighed softly, exhaled white breath, and murmured, "It's the dead of winter, so cold."

Xiao Yi sensed the hesitation in his words.

Since heading south from Yedu, this was the first time Xiao Yi had seen him so bewildered.

Wei Renpu patted Xiao Yi on the back, gathered his sleeves, turned and left, leaving behind a meaningful silhouette.

After resting and eating in the side room for a while, Xiao Yi was led to the main hall to see Guo Wei.

There was another person in the hall, who also looked travel-worn, as if he had come all the way from Yedu. Xiao Yi found him very familiar; it was Wang Yanchao, whom he had met briefly when he first went to the Guo residence with Shi Dechong.

"Desheng, take a look, do you still recognize this kid?"

"Is that the servant of the Shi family... Xiao Yi?" Wang Yanchao exclaimed in surprise, "I haven't seen him for two months, and he has become a great general. A fine horse meets a discerning eye, a truly timeless tale."

Xiao Yi returned the greeting and thanked him, then asked, "General Wang, you came all the way from Yedu? I wonder how Sanlang is doing?"

"What else can he do? He's always causing trouble."

“Let’s not talk about that kid.” Guo Wei pointed at Xiao Yi and said, “That kid is quick. I was planning to send you to Xuzhou to cover for him, but he has already taken Liu Yun into custody.”

Wang Yanchao hurriedly said, "Congratulations, Commander, you have gained Huo Qubing!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi knew that Wang Yanchao was no ordinary soldier, but rather quite capable. To compare him to Huo Qubing was to compare him to whom Guo Wei was being compared?

Unfortunately, Guo Wei remained expressionless and said, "Xiao Yi, tell Desheng about the situation in Xuzhou."

"Yes, Liu Yun's general Gong Tingmei is also stationed in Xuzhou, with 20,000 local troops, about 3,000 elite troops, and 500 local soldiers from Yanzhou."

Xiao Yi knew that Liu Tingrang's qualifications and military strength were insufficient to pacify Xuzhou; at most, he could only serve as a vanguard, and a veteran like Wang Yanchao would have to step in.

As expected, Guo Wei stood up and ordered, "Wang Yanchao, listen to my command."

"exist!"

"I hereby appoint you as the acting commander of the Wuning Army, and you shall immediately lead your troops to take up your post in Xuzhou."

"Here!"

Wang Yanchao stepped down.

Guo Wei looked at the map for a long time before he came to his senses. He then said casually, "Don't be so formal. There are no outsiders here."

"Yes."

"I heard that Liu Chong's daughter admired you and wanted you to marry her. How could you be so heartless as to shoot her dead with an arrow?"

Xiao Yi thought to himself that Guo Wei's information came very quickly; it must be that Wei Renpu had interrogated Liu Yun swiftly and then reported him to the authorities.

"Your Excellency, I am devoted to public duty and have shown no favoritism whatsoever."

"So you're saying you don't like it?"

"I don't like her." Xiao Yi was also straightforward, saying, "Liu is cruel and tyrannical, and it's impossible for me to like her."

"Liu Chongzhi's woman has a bad temper," Guo Wei murmured casually. "And my daughter? What's her temperament like?"

"How could Liu be compared to Fifth Sister?"

To be honest, Xiao Yi had never compared Liu Luan and Guo Xin. Only now did he realize that one of them was not even worth dust in his heart, while the other... at least held a place in his heart.

Guo Wei seemed to sense his attitude, nodded in satisfaction, fiddled with the military flag on the map, and asked a question casually.

"like?"

"what?"

Xiao Yi was taken aback.

"Don't play dumb," Guo Wei said. "You've gotten yourself into trouble. Why did you displease Fifth Sister before leaving the capital?"

"This humble general..."

"Stop dawdling! Let me ask you, do you want to marry Guo's daughter or not?"

Xiao Yi's body stiffened involuntarily, and the first thing he felt was the pressure of Mount Tai pressing down on him.

This is why he gets along quite well with Guo Xin, but he doesn't dare to see her when marriage is mentioned, which suddenly makes things complicated.

He sensed that Guo Wei was not far from becoming emperor, and that proposing marriage before or after his ascension would have made a world of difference. The fact that he proposed at this particular time shows that Guo Wei valued relationships and was more willing to entrust his daughter to him than to arrange a marriage alliance.

For the first time in his two lifetimes, Xiao Yi realized that his reluctance to discuss marriage was wavering, but only for a moment.

He didn't want to be confined by his identity as "Guo Wei's son-in-law".

How to do?
Xiao Yi had a sudden inspiration and replied, "With the world in chaos and things not yet settled, how can we think of a home?"

"Hmph, do you really think you're Huo Qubing?!"

Guo Wei possessed an imposing aura, but he didn't truly blame Xiao Yi. Instead, he arrogantly said, "There are countless people who want to marry my daughter. Since you have no such intention, then give up."

Xiao Yi didn't ask him for anything, thinking to himself that there were plenty of women who wanted to marry him.

The charcoal fire inside crackled softly, and the weather remained bitterly cold.

After a long silence, Guo Wei's eyes widened, he cleared his throat twice, and said, "You ignorant brat, you don't know anything about men and women. Cough, this map... what can you possibly see?"

Xiao Yi felt relieved and thought to himself that Guo Wei still didn't understand him.

Looking at the map, one can see detailed mountains, rivers, prefectures, counties, and passes. The generals and troops are marked in tiny characters, densely packed together. Along the route from Fukou Pass to Qinzhou and Jinyang, key points are outlined in red ink.

"Does Your Excellency intend to take advantage of Liu Chong's unpreparedness to launch a surprise attack on Hedong, wipe him out completely, and eliminate any future troubles?"

"Ah."

"Luzhou is the first key point."

"My appetite has decreased."

When it comes to strategy, Guo Wei is very confident and domineering.

He pointed heavily at Luzhou and said, "This is the residence of Chang Si, the military governor of Zhaoyi Army. Chang Si served under me in his early years, so we have some connection. I have already sent Wang Pu as an envoy to persuade him to surrender."

Xiao Yi had indeed not considered this point, and said, "Obtaining Luzhou means entering the southern gateway of Hedong. It's not impossible to take Taiyuan in one fell swoop."

Guo Wei's eyes gleamed as he murmured, "That's why I defied all opposition and took this risk. Do you know what I fear most in this battle?"

Xiao Yi thought for a moment and replied, "I fear a prolonged war. Hedong is mountainous and treacherous, and Liu Chong has been building up his territory for many years. Only by catching them off guard can we achieve a swift victory. Your Excellency is worried that... Liu Chong is prepared?"

Guo Wei moved his finger westward, landing on Qinzhou, west of Luzhou, and his expression turned serious.

"The scouts risked their lives to investigate and found that Liu Chong had already sent his trusted general Li Cungui with 5,000 elite Shatuo cavalry south. They will probably arrive in Qinzhou within three days."

Xiao Yi picked up the scroll with the words "Li Cungui" pasted on it next to the map, unfolded it, and looked at it.

"Li Cungui, a Shatuo native and descendant of Li Kerang, was appointed as a junior officer in the Hengchong Commandery as a member of the imperial clan at a young age. He distinguished himself by breaking through enemy lines and beheading enemy soldiers during the campaign against Tuyuhun. During the Tianfu era, he was promoted to the position of Left Deputy Commander of the Hedong Military Prefecture for his 'old meritorious service in the north,' assisting Liu Chong in military affairs..."

Liu Chong sent a general.

He knew what this meant. Shanxi was a mountainous and treacherous place. If even Qinzhou couldn't be taken, this battle would have been a strategic failure.

But, not necessarily.

Xiao Yi pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, Li Cungui's arrival may not be because he has discovered our intentions."

"is it?"

"Liu Chong sent a message to Liu Yun, intending to send a contingent of troops to protect Liu Yun as he ascended the throne. This contingent was very likely Li Cungui."

Xiao Yi relayed the information Xiao Tao had gathered, concluding, "Liu Yun has personally written a letter ordering Liu Chong to withdraw his troops. The letter may have just arrived in Hedong. In other words, Li Cungui may be able to turn back."

Guo Wei walked to the door, beckoned to someone, and ordered him to interrogate Liu Yun again.

He paced around the map for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No, we won't let Li Cungui return."

"Does Your Excellency mean to eat him?"

"Taking advantage of his hesitation, annihilating a unit of Shatuo elite cavalry is more useful than the gain or loss of a city or territory."

“My lord, you are a hero. Li Cungui is in a hurry to get on his way. Our army can take him by surprise and intercept him halfway, strike his elite troops, cut off Liu Chong’s arm, and take Qinzhou in the process. Taiyuan will surely be shaken.”

"There wasn't enough time to mobilize the army."

"The general will go where he wishes!"

Xiao Yi immediately clasped his hands and volunteered, saying, "This humble general is willing to lead an elite force westward to ambush Li Cungui on his inevitable route before he arrives."

"You have never let me down, but it's too early for you to be able to stand on your own."

Guo Wei was quite decisive. He patted him on the shoulder, turned around and ordered, "Summon Li Rong!"

"Here!"

After giving the order, Guo Wei frowned, slowly walked back to his seat, sat down, pressed his fist against his knee, and stared blankly.

"Ming Gong?"

"It's alright, it's just my old leg pain... it's too cold."

This was the second time Xiao Yi had heard this sentiment today. From Wei Renpu to Guo Wei, it was certainly not because they were afraid of the cold.

The concern is that this is not a good weather for attacking Hedong.

"Does Your Excellency have other concerns?"

"It doesn't matter."

Guo Wei waved his hand, not saying anything further.

However, Xiao Yi sensed that the atmosphere in the army was different from when they had been conquering cities and territories and their morale was high since they marched south. It seemed that there was an invisible undercurrent permeating these strategies.

He even detected a hint of helplessness in Guo Wei's voice.

"If I can eliminate Liu Chong first, then I can act freely..."

"General! Li Rong has arrived!"

The sudden announcement interrupted Guo Wei's reflections. He immediately composed himself, stood up, and spoke decisively.

"Li Rong, Xiao Yi."

"The general is here!"

"Issue Li Rong as the vanguard of the central route, with Xiao Yi as his deputy, leading two thousand elite cavalry, each with two horses and carrying five days' rations, to advance westward immediately!"

"Here!"

That night, Xiao Yi and his ten soldiers were incorporated into Li Rong's vanguard army.

The team was ready, and it also included Liu Yun, the Wuning Army flag, and more than twenty sets of armor from Xuzhou soldiers.

(End of this chapter)