Chapter 132
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Soon, the battlefield was cleaned and the civilians and surrendered soldiers were in the city. They also remembered to take with them the abandoned warhorses; meager military rations; and the left-behind bows, arrows, spears, and sabers. The only thing they hadn’t taken back with them was several hundred corpses.
The bodies had been piled into an enormous corpse monument towering by the road, one that hadn’t been covered with earth. The mountain of dead could be seen from afar, striking fear in all who beheld it.
That noon, a scouting party came, took one look at the corpse monument, and rode off in a hurry. The next day, they received news that the detachment lying low near Huguan had gathered what was left of the routed troops and withdrawn from Shangdang.
Thus, the siege of Lu City was completely over.
After confirming that the enemy had left, Liang Feng immediately opened the city and began settling the displaced civilians. The Xiongnu had rushed to Lu City too quickly to do much damage to the villages along the way, but having learned a lesson, Liang Feng wanted to combine villages into strongholds, and move as many people as possible out of their primitive, indefensible hamlets into more populous walled villages. Though the strongholds couldn’t withstand a serious offensive from a superior force, they could at least provide some measure of protection to the local commoners and slow down the enemy’s advancement. Furthermore, the strongholds could serve as military bases, making it easier to raise troops.
On the other hand, the over six hundred Xiongnu captives were used as hard labor. Fifteen men to a squad, the whole lot would be executed if any one of them tried to resist or escape. They were given less food than the refugees, and only the three most productive squads of the day would get to eat their fill. After a few fearful days of starvation had erased all traces of their previous ferocity, they became biddable laborers building up their former enemy’s walls.
When the news reached Huguan, Linghu Kuang went to the commandery city to meet Liang Feng personally.
“I heard Your Excellency won a great victory over the Xiongnu cavalry, slaying over a thousand?” Linghu Kuang himself was hesitant to believe the news.
He knew, as commander of Shangdang’s military forces, exactly how many troops there were in the commandery capital. Just the three thousand cavalry besieging Lu City was a threat enough on its own. He’d thought the grand administrator intended to defend until the enemy retreated. When he received the message to stay put in Huguan and not reinforce them. And yet, they’d received word of victory barely a couple of days after. He’d sent reconnoitrers out several times to make sure it wasn’t a Xiongnu trick, that it truly was a resounding victory!
Liang Feng downplayed what’d happened, unwilling to give too detailed an explanation to this colleague of his, “Only seven hundred were directly killed in battle, some were captured. Although, we did manage to seize quite a few warhorses.”
Linghu Kuang coughed awkwardly, “I heard that that night, falling stars landed in the enemy encampment…..”
“Indeed. I saw pandemonium spread throughout the encampment and thus sent my forces to attack. As it turned out, they really were defeated in one fell blow.” When Liang Feng reversed the sequence of events, it sounded much more plausible.
Unable to pick out any faults, Linghu Kuang could only say, “It’s fortunate, then, that Your Excellency’s quick decisiveness resulted in such an astonishing victory!”
“If it weren’t for your forces guarding Huguan, General Linghu, Lu City wouldn’t have gotten away unscathed either,” Liang Feng smiled slightly.
Lf kjr jqqbgalbclcu rbwf wfgla ab tlw atfc! Olcute Bejcu abrrfv tlr vbeyar ab atf yjmx bo tlr wlcv, “Tbe jgf abb tewyif, Tbeg Szmfiifcms. Qtja kbeiv tf tjnf ab ofjg bo atf Wlbcuce, lo jii atf ugjcv jvwlclragjabgr bo Dlcu Ugbnlcmf kfgf ilxf sbe, Tbeg Szmfiifcms?”
Truly, in the varicolored palanquin, people carried people. Liang Feng smiled, “The Duke of Dongying must be informed of this victory, of course. In about two days, I’ll send the report to Jinyang. But there’s something I need your help with, General Linghu.”
Pa kfca klatbea rjslcu atja atf wfgla kbeiv cba mbwf ogff. Olcute Bejcu tegglfvis rjlv, “Gb afii, Tbeg Szmfiifcms.”
“Commander Yi played a large part in this victory, leading the night attack against the enemy encampment. It wouldn’t do to let his talent go to waste, as times of chaos are upon us now. I want to recommend him for the position of colonel and have him serve under your command. Is that possible, may I ask?”
Linghu Kuang knew immediately what Liang Feng was getting at. He wasn’t recommending his subordinate to him; he wanted to obtain an official position for that Jie person through him. After all, the grand administrator had no military authority. Having a trusted subordinate who could command troops in Shangdang would benefit him greatly.
Having fought with Yi Yan before, Linghu Kuang knew his combat capacity better than anyone. Even if he could not use him, it would still be of help to have him nominally under his command. What’s more, he could improve relations with the grand administrator, so why not?
Instantly making up his mind, Linghu Kuang smiled, “Commander Yi should’ve been promoted long ago, considering his numerous feats of valor.”
And just like that, the matter was settled in the span of several sentences. Liang Feng nodded, “My gratitude to you then, General Linghu.”
※
“My lord, you want me to be an official?” Yi Yan frowned, sitting kneeling across from Liang Feng. Would he be sent away from the Liang Estate to follow someone else’s orders?
“Now that it’s certain that chaotic times will be upon us, we cannot confine ourselves to the Liang Estate anymore.” Naturally, Liang Feng knew what he was thinking and patiently explained, “If you became a colonel, you could lead a garrison of troops in Shangdang. Then, when the Xiongnu invade, not only would you be able to gain from your military achievements, you could openly recruit soldiers in defense against them. That, is far more consequential than a mere government title.”
It wasn’t that Yi Yan didn’t understand how important it was, but if he accepted an appointment from the imperial court, could he still stay by his lord’s side?
Truth be told, if that wasn’t the kind of person he was, Liang Feng wouldn’t dare use him so. Liang Feng chuckled and said, “That’s why I sought General Linghu’s assistance. He needs only to say the word for you to become part of the Shangdang garrison. The troops you are assigned will be stationed in Lu City as well, and be appointed at my discretion. In essence, all that would change is your title. Once the military-agricultural system becomes operational, you’ll be able to take command of all the new recruits.”
Hearing those words from his lord, Yi Yan’s heart finally slid back into place, “In that case, I will comply with your arrangements, my lord.”
Seeing that he wasn’t opposed, Liang Feng let out a long breath, “When you formally receive your appointment, General Linghu will a thousand troops to you. They most certainly haven’t received any rigorous training, so you’ll have to start from the beginning. Get them into fighting shape within three months. With all the weapons and horses we’ve just obtained, it should be easy enough to support a strong thousand-man force. In addition, the other militia officers in the estate must also begin entering the military, to keep the troops firmly under control.”
It was like the cuckoo’s strategy of laying its eggs in other birds’ nests. He would appear, on the surface, to be recommending capable people to the imperial court, while in reality, he was seeding members of the Liang Estate’s militia throughout all levels of the imperial court’s military establishment. So long as he held a firm grasp on officers and adjutants at every rank, that force would be the Liang family’s household troops in all but name. This was the only method available to him while he was unable to openly exercise military authority.
Yi Yan fully understood now, that this was a key step in furthering his lord’s control over Shangdang. It could even be said that it was a key step in breaking free of Sima Teng’s influence. And his lord had trusted this most important task to him!
Yi Yan’s heart began racing. For some reason, Zhang He’s words came to mind. If he continued rising, step by step, could he too, stand high enough one day to walk side by side with his lord?
Suppressing the stirrings in his heart, Yi Yan bowed, “I will do my utmost to forge a great army for you, my lord!”
※
“What did you say? Five thousand cavalry, and only half came back? Where’s Liu Wei?!”
Li Xuan had been too busy preparing for Liu Yuan’s coronation these days to give the troops in Shangdang much thought. Liu Wei was one of his most trusted commanders. If he couldn’t conquer Lu City, he could at least use his forces to harass them, loot their foodstuffs, throw Shangdang into chaos. That too was a way to distract Sima Teng. Anything that weakened the Jin benefitted them.
He never could’ve imagined receiving news like this! Five thousand elite cavalry! That would be a serious loss even to the royal court. Just what was Liu Wei doing?
“Chancellor, General Liu has already sacrificed himself for the country…..” the scout quietly reported.
“Liu Wei is dead?!” Liu Xuan sprang to his feet, “How is that possible? How many troops could Shangdang possibly have? How could they ever lose!”
It was utterly inconceivable! Was it to say that Sima Teng had stationed some tens of thousands of troops in Shangdang? Without more than several times their number of foot soldiers, how could they have defeated five thousand elite cavalries, even taking the commander’s life?!
“That…. that, I don’t know.” The scout hesitated before adding, “General Liu split his forces in two, leading one to attack Lu City and sending the other to lie in wait near Huguan. The plan had been to surround the city, then lure out and attack their reinforcements, but in only a day, the encampment outside Lu City was broken. After Lieutenant-General Zhao rounded up the escaped soldiers, we learned that it’d been a night attack…..”
“Not even a night attack could cause this!” Liu Xuan roared in fury. Liu Wei was absolutely not a reckless person. How could a mere night attack inflict such heavy damages?!
“B-but that night, shooting stars landed in their camp. The escaped soldiers s-said it was punishment from The Buddha,” The scout’s voice became weaker and weaker, trembling by the end. He’d seen the glassy-eyed, absent-minded state the defeated troops returned in. That detachment had never witnessed the comets nor heard the thunder, so why were they all acting like they had? Were they all possessed or something? Thinking of that famed bodhisattva did indeed send shivers down his spine.
Liu Xuan’s hands began shaking. He had thousands of guesses, but falling stars? The Buddha’s punishment? Preposterous! Already, so many of the nobles had bought the Liang Estate’s Diamond Sutra, saw the Liang Estate’s white porcelain as rare treasures. How would they see Liang Zixi now, with that nonsense about buddha’s punishment? Would anyone ever dare to move against Shangdang anymore?! That wasn’t a problem he could solve simply by punishing a few people. And how was he going to deal with over a thousand routed troops?
Liu Xuan clutched his chest, feeling a stabbing pain from within. He gaped like a fish out of water, struggling to speak, then collapsed on the ground.
“What did you say? The Chancellor is unconscious from grave illness?” Liu Yuan asked unwittingly after an underling brought him the report.
Liu Xuan was critical to the founding of this country, and he was his predetermined Counselor-in-Chief. He had yet to take the throne, and already, something had gone wrong. What was he to do now?!
But upon hearing what had caused Liu Xuan to faint, and of what had occurred in Shangdang, Liu Yuan’s face purpled. He’d never heard that some bodhisattva had suddenly popped up in Bing Province, as he had always been performing his office in Ye City, and he never could’ve expected that he could call upon The Buddha to rain destruction on thousands of elite cavalry. If word spread, would people take Liu Xuan’s sickness to be an inauspicious omen? How was he supposed to ascend the throne like this?!
“Put the defeated troops under confinement immediately and forbid them to speak! Send a reputable healer to see to the Chancellor’s illness; he must be saved!” Liu Yuan paced around the room, hands clasped behind his back, and continued, “The coronation must be held several days ahead of schedule. If the Chancellor is unable to recover, then the Defender-in-Chief will conduct the ceremony.”
Of the people he’d selected to fill the positions of the Three Dukes, Counselor-in-Chief Liu Xuan was gravely ill, Censor-in-Chief Cui Ji had refused him, and only Defender-in-Chief Liu Hong was usable. In any case, he would have to ascend as soon as possible to prevent any more unexpected complications from occurring.
“What about Shangdang then….” a confidant cautiously asked.
“Leave it be for now. Taking Bing Province, Jinyang, in particular, is top priority,” Liu Yuan said, after a brief pause. Regardless of whether that bodhisattva was a fraud or not, there was no point in confronting him again, just after they’d lost a round. Better to attack Jinyang, where Sima Teng was located, first. Once Jinyang fell, and Bing Province was thrown into disarray, taking Shangdang would become much simpler.
This was a matter concerning the Han kingdom’s great hundred-year undertaking; he could not afford to make mistakes.
After a moment of silence, Liu Yuan said, “Send a few people to closely interrogate the routed troops about how exactly they had lost.”
Liu Yuan had intensively studied the classics since youth, and did not worship Buddha. However, he knew full well the sway that the supernatural held over the people of the world, especially the Xiongnu people under his command. He had to figure out the sequence of events that had led to their defeat, no matter what!
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Soon, the battlefield was cleaned and the civilians and surrendered soldiers were in the city. They also remembered to take with them the abandoned warhorses; meager military rations; and the left-behind bows, arrows, spears, and sabers. The only thing they hadn’t taken back with them was several hundred corpses.
The bodies had been piled into an enormous corpse monument towering by the road, one that hadn’t been covered with earth. The mountain of dead could be seen from afar, striking fear in all who beheld it.
That noon, a scouting party came, took one look at the corpse monument, and rode off in a hurry. The next day, they received news that the detachment lying low near Huguan had gathered what was left of the routed troops and withdrawn from Shangdang.
Thus, the siege of Lu City was completely over.
After confirming that the enemy had left, Liang Feng immediately opened the city and began settling the displaced civilians. The Xiongnu had rushed to Lu City too quickly to do much damage to the villages along the way, but having learned a lesson, Liang Feng wanted to combine villages into strongholds, and move as many people as possible out of their primitive, indefensible hamlets into more populous walled villages. Though the strongholds couldn’t withstand a serious offensive from a superior force, they could at least provide some measure of protection to the local commoners and slow down the enemy’s advancement. Furthermore, the strongholds could serve as military bases, making it easier to raise troops.
On the other hand, the over six hundred Xiongnu captives were used as hard labor. Fifteen men to a squad, the whole lot would be executed if any one of them tried to resist or escape. They were given less food than the refugees, and only the three most productive squads of the day would get to eat their fill. After a few fearful days of starvation had erased all traces of their previous ferocity, they became biddable laborers building up their former enemy’s walls.
When the news reached Huguan, Linghu Kuang went to the commandery city to meet Liang Feng personally.
“I heard Your Excellency won a great victory over the Xiongnu cavalry, slaying over a thousand?” Linghu Kuang himself was hesitant to believe the news.
He knew, as commander of Shangdang’s military forces, exactly how many troops there were in the commandery capital. Just the three thousand cavalry besieging Lu City was a threat enough on its own. He’d thought the grand administrator intended to defend until the enemy retreated. When he received the message to stay put in Huguan and not reinforce them. And yet, they’d received word of victory barely a couple of days after. He’d sent reconnoitrers out several times to make sure it wasn’t a Xiongnu trick, that it truly was a resounding victory!
Liang Feng downplayed what’d happened, unwilling to give too detailed an explanation to this colleague of his, “Only seven hundred were directly killed in battle, some were captured. Although, we did manage to seize quite a few warhorses.”
Linghu Kuang coughed awkwardly, “I heard that that night, falling stars landed in the enemy encampment…..”
“Indeed. I saw pandemonium spread throughout the encampment and thus sent my forces to attack. As it turned out, they really were defeated in one fell blow.” When Liang Feng reversed the sequence of events, it sounded much more plausible.
Unable to pick out any faults, Linghu Kuang could only say, “It’s fortunate, then, that Your Excellency’s quick decisiveness resulted in such an astonishing victory!”
“If it weren’t for your forces guarding Huguan, General Linghu, Lu City wouldn’t have gotten away unscathed either,” Liang Feng smiled slightly.
Lf kjr jqqbgalbclcu rbwf wfgla ab tlw atfc! Olcute Bejcu abrrfv tlr vbeyar ab atf yjmx bo tlr wlcv, “Tbe jgf abb tewyif, Tbeg Szmfiifcms. Qtja kbeiv tf tjnf ab ofjg bo atf Wlbcuce, lo jii atf ugjcv jvwlclragjabgr bo Dlcu Ugbnlcmf kfgf ilxf sbe, Tbeg Szmfiifcms?”
Truly, in the varicolored palanquin, people carried people. Liang Feng smiled, “The Duke of Dongying must be informed of this victory, of course. In about two days, I’ll send the report to Jinyang. But there’s something I need your help with, General Linghu.”
Pa kfca klatbea rjslcu atja atf wfgla kbeiv cba mbwf ogff. Olcute Bejcu tegglfvis rjlv, “Gb afii, Tbeg Szmfiifcms.”
“Commander Yi played a large part in this victory, leading the night attack against the enemy encampment. It wouldn’t do to let his talent go to waste, as times of chaos are upon us now. I want to recommend him for the position of colonel and have him serve under your command. Is that possible, may I ask?”
Linghu Kuang knew immediately what Liang Feng was getting at. He wasn’t recommending his subordinate to him; he wanted to obtain an official position for that Jie person through him. After all, the grand administrator had no military authority. Having a trusted subordinate who could command troops in Shangdang would benefit him greatly.
Having fought with Yi Yan before, Linghu Kuang knew his combat capacity better than anyone. Even if he could not use him, it would still be of help to have him nominally under his command. What’s more, he could improve relations with the grand administrator, so why not?
Instantly making up his mind, Linghu Kuang smiled, “Commander Yi should’ve been promoted long ago, considering his numerous feats of valor.”
And just like that, the matter was settled in the span of several sentences. Liang Feng nodded, “My gratitude to you then, General Linghu.”
※
“My lord, you want me to be an official?” Yi Yan frowned, sitting kneeling across from Liang Feng. Would he be sent away from the Liang Estate to follow someone else’s orders?
“Now that it’s certain that chaotic times will be upon us, we cannot confine ourselves to the Liang Estate anymore.” Naturally, Liang Feng knew what he was thinking and patiently explained, “If you became a colonel, you could lead a garrison of troops in Shangdang. Then, when the Xiongnu invade, not only would you be able to gain from your military achievements, you could openly recruit soldiers in defense against them. That, is far more consequential than a mere government title.”
It wasn’t that Yi Yan didn’t understand how important it was, but if he accepted an appointment from the imperial court, could he still stay by his lord’s side?
Truth be told, if that wasn’t the kind of person he was, Liang Feng wouldn’t dare use him so. Liang Feng chuckled and said, “That’s why I sought General Linghu’s assistance. He needs only to say the word for you to become part of the Shangdang garrison. The troops you are assigned will be stationed in Lu City as well, and be appointed at my discretion. In essence, all that would change is your title. Once the military-agricultural system becomes operational, you’ll be able to take command of all the new recruits.”
Hearing those words from his lord, Yi Yan’s heart finally slid back into place, “In that case, I will comply with your arrangements, my lord.”
Seeing that he wasn’t opposed, Liang Feng let out a long breath, “When you formally receive your appointment, General Linghu will a thousand troops to you. They most certainly haven’t received any rigorous training, so you’ll have to start from the beginning. Get them into fighting shape within three months. With all the weapons and horses we’ve just obtained, it should be easy enough to support a strong thousand-man force. In addition, the other militia officers in the estate must also begin entering the military, to keep the troops firmly under control.”
It was like the cuckoo’s strategy of laying its eggs in other birds’ nests. He would appear, on the surface, to be recommending capable people to the imperial court, while in reality, he was seeding members of the Liang Estate’s militia throughout all levels of the imperial court’s military establishment. So long as he held a firm grasp on officers and adjutants at every rank, that force would be the Liang family’s household troops in all but name. This was the only method available to him while he was unable to openly exercise military authority.
Yi Yan fully understood now, that this was a key step in furthering his lord’s control over Shangdang. It could even be said that it was a key step in breaking free of Sima Teng’s influence. And his lord had trusted this most important task to him!
Yi Yan’s heart began racing. For some reason, Zhang He’s words came to mind. If he continued rising, step by step, could he too, stand high enough one day to walk side by side with his lord?
Suppressing the stirrings in his heart, Yi Yan bowed, “I will do my utmost to forge a great army for you, my lord!”
※
“What did you say? Five thousand cavalry, and only half came back? Where’s Liu Wei?!”
Li Xuan had been too busy preparing for Liu Yuan’s coronation these days to give the troops in Shangdang much thought. Liu Wei was one of his most trusted commanders. If he couldn’t conquer Lu City, he could at least use his forces to harass them, loot their foodstuffs, throw Shangdang into chaos. That too was a way to distract Sima Teng. Anything that weakened the Jin benefitted them.
He never could’ve imagined receiving news like this! Five thousand elite cavalry! That would be a serious loss even to the royal court. Just what was Liu Wei doing?
“Chancellor, General Liu has already sacrificed himself for the country…..” the scout quietly reported.
“Liu Wei is dead?!” Liu Xuan sprang to his feet, “How is that possible? How many troops could Shangdang possibly have? How could they ever lose!”
It was utterly inconceivable! Was it to say that Sima Teng had stationed some tens of thousands of troops in Shangdang? Without more than several times their number of foot soldiers, how could they have defeated five thousand elite cavalries, even taking the commander’s life?!
“That…. that, I don’t know.” The scout hesitated before adding, “General Liu split his forces in two, leading one to attack Lu City and sending the other to lie in wait near Huguan. The plan had been to surround the city, then lure out and attack their reinforcements, but in only a day, the encampment outside Lu City was broken. After Lieutenant-General Zhao rounded up the escaped soldiers, we learned that it’d been a night attack…..”
“Not even a night attack could cause this!” Liu Xuan roared in fury. Liu Wei was absolutely not a reckless person. How could a mere night attack inflict such heavy damages?!
“B-but that night, shooting stars landed in their camp. The escaped soldiers s-said it was punishment from The Buddha,” The scout’s voice became weaker and weaker, trembling by the end. He’d seen the glassy-eyed, absent-minded state the defeated troops returned in. That detachment had never witnessed the comets nor heard the thunder, so why were they all acting like they had? Were they all possessed or something? Thinking of that famed bodhisattva did indeed send shivers down his spine.
Liu Xuan’s hands began shaking. He had thousands of guesses, but falling stars? The Buddha’s punishment? Preposterous! Already, so many of the nobles had bought the Liang Estate’s Diamond Sutra, saw the Liang Estate’s white porcelain as rare treasures. How would they see Liang Zixi now, with that nonsense about buddha’s punishment? Would anyone ever dare to move against Shangdang anymore?! That wasn’t a problem he could solve simply by punishing a few people. And how was he going to deal with over a thousand routed troops?
Liu Xuan clutched his chest, feeling a stabbing pain from within. He gaped like a fish out of water, struggling to speak, then collapsed on the ground.
“What did you say? The Chancellor is unconscious from grave illness?” Liu Yuan asked unwittingly after an underling brought him the report.
Liu Xuan was critical to the founding of this country, and he was his predetermined Counselor-in-Chief. He had yet to take the throne, and already, something had gone wrong. What was he to do now?!
But upon hearing what had caused Liu Xuan to faint, and of what had occurred in Shangdang, Liu Yuan’s face purpled. He’d never heard that some bodhisattva had suddenly popped up in Bing Province, as he had always been performing his office in Ye City, and he never could’ve expected that he could call upon The Buddha to rain destruction on thousands of elite cavalry. If word spread, would people take Liu Xuan’s sickness to be an inauspicious omen? How was he supposed to ascend the throne like this?!
“Put the defeated troops under confinement immediately and forbid them to speak! Send a reputable healer to see to the Chancellor’s illness; he must be saved!” Liu Yuan paced around the room, hands clasped behind his back, and continued, “The coronation must be held several days ahead of schedule. If the Chancellor is unable to recover, then the Defender-in-Chief will conduct the ceremony.”
Of the people he’d selected to fill the positions of the Three Dukes, Counselor-in-Chief Liu Xuan was gravely ill, Censor-in-Chief Cui Ji had refused him, and only Defender-in-Chief Liu Hong was usable. In any case, he would have to ascend as soon as possible to prevent any more unexpected complications from occurring.
“What about Shangdang then….” a confidant cautiously asked.
“Leave it be for now. Taking Bing Province, Jinyang, in particular, is top priority,” Liu Yuan said, after a brief pause. Regardless of whether that bodhisattva was a fraud or not, there was no point in confronting him again, just after they’d lost a round. Better to attack Jinyang, where Sima Teng was located, first. Once Jinyang fell, and Bing Province was thrown into disarray, taking Shangdang would become much simpler.
This was a matter concerning the Han kingdom’s great hundred-year undertaking; he could not afford to make mistakes.
After a moment of silence, Liu Yuan said, “Send a few people to closely interrogate the routed troops about how exactly they had lost.”
Liu Yuan had intensively studied the classics since youth, and did not worship Buddha. However, he knew full well the sway that the supernatural held over the people of the world, especially the Xiongnu people under his command. He had to figure out the sequence of events that had led to their defeat, no matter what!
Soon, the battlefield was cleaned and the civilians and surrendered soldiers were in the city. They also remembered to take with them the abandoned warhorses; meager military rations; and the left-behind bows, arrows, spears, and sabers. The only thing they hadn't taken back with them was several hundred corpses.The bodies had been piled into an enormous corpse monument towering by the road, one that hadn't been covered with earth. The mountain of dead could be seen from afar, striking fear in all who beheld it.That noon, a scouting party came, took one look at the corpse monument, and rode off in a hurry. The next day, they received news that the detachment lying low near Huguan had gathered what was left of the routed troops and withdrawn from Shangdang.Thus, the siege of Lu City was completely over.After confirming that the enemy had left, Liang Feng immediately opened the city and began settling the displaced civilians. The Xiongnu had rushed to Lu City too quickly to do much damage to the villages along the way, but having learned a lesson, Liang Feng wanted to combine villages into strongholds, and move as many people as possible out of their primitive, indefensible hamlets into more populous walled villages. Though the strongholds couldn't withstand a serious offensive from a superior force, they could at least provide some measure of protection to the local commoners and slow down the enemy's advancement. Furthermore, the strongholds could serve as military bases, making it easier to raise troops.On the other hand, the over six hundred Xiongnu captives were used as hard labor. Fifteen men to a squad, the whole lot would be executed if any one of them tried to resist or escape. They were given less food than the refugees, and only the three most productive squads of the day would get to eat their fill. After a few fearful days of starvation had erased all traces of their previous ferocity, they became biddable laborers building up their former enemy's walls.When the news reached Huguan, Linghu Kuang went to the commandery city to meet Liang Feng personally.I heard Your Excellency won a great victory over the Xiongnu cavalry, slaying over a thousand? Linghu Kuang himself was hesitant to believe the news.He knew, as commander of Shangdang's military forces, exactly how many troops there were in the commandery capital. Just the three thousand cavalry besieging Lu City was a threat enough on its own. He'd thought the grand administrator intended to defend until the enemy retreated. When he received the message to stay put in Huguan and not reinforce them. And yet, they'd received word of victory barely a couple of days after. He'd sent reconnoitrers out several times to make sure it wasn't a Xiongnu trick, that it truly was a resounding victory!Liang Feng downplayed what'd happened, unwilling to give too detailed an explanation to this colleague of his, Only seven hundred were directly killed in battle, some were captured. Although, we did manage to seize quite a few warhorses.Linghu Kuang coughed awkwardly, I heard that that night, falling stars landed in the enemy encampment..Indeed. I saw pandemonium spread throughout the encampment and thus sent my forces to attack. As it turned out, they really were defeated in one fell blow. When Liang Feng reversed the sequence of events, it sounded much more plausible.Unable to pick out any faults, Linghu Kuang could only say, It's fortunate, then, that Your Excellency's quick decisiveness resulted in such an astonishing victory!If it weren't for your forces guarding Huguan, General Linghu, Lu City wouldn't have gotten away unscathed either, Liang Feng smiled slightly.Lf kjr jqqbgalbclcu rbwf wfgla ab tlw atfc! Olcute Bejcu abrrfv tlr vbeyar ab atf yjmx bo tlr wlcv, Tbe jgf abb tewyif, Tbeg Szmfiifcms. Qtja kbeiv tf tjnf ab ofjg bo atf Wlbcuce, lo jii atf ugjcv jvwlclragjabgr bo Dlcu Ugbnlcmf kfgf ilxf sbe, Tbeg Szmfiifcms?Truly,in the varicolored palanquin, people carried people. Liang Feng smiled, The Duke of Dongying must be informed of this victory, of course. In about two days, I'll send the report to Jinyang. But there's something I need your help with, General Linghu.Pa kfca klatbea rjslcu atja atf wfgla kbeiv cba mbwf ogff. Olcute Bejcu tegglfvis rjlv, Gb afii, Tbeg Szmfiifcms.Commander Yi played a large part in this victory, leading the night attack against the enemy encampment. It wouldn't do to let his talent go to waste, as times of chaos are upon us now. I want to recommend him for the position of colonel and have him serve under your command. Is that possible, may I ask?Linghu Kuang knew immediately what Liang Feng was getting at. He wasn't recommending his subordinate to him; he wanted to obtain an official position for that Jie person through him. After all, the grand administrator had no military authority. Having a trusted subordinate who could command troops in Shangdang would benefit him greatly.Having fought with Yi Yan before, Linghu Kuang knew his combat capacity better than anyone. Even if he could not use him, it would still be of help to have him nominally under his command. What's more, he could improve relations with the grand administrator, so why not?Instantly making up his mind, Linghu Kuang smiled, Commander Yi should've been promoted long ago, considering his numerous feats of valor.And just like that, the matter was settled in the span of several sentences. Liang Feng nodded, My gratitude to you then, General Linghu.My lord, you want me to be an official? Yi Yan frowned, sitting kneeling across from Liang Feng. Would he be sent away from the Liang Estate to follow someone else's orders?Now that it's certain that chaotic times will be upon us, we cannot confine ourselves to the Liang Estate anymore. Naturally, Liang Feng knew what he was thinking and patiently explained, If you became a colonel, you could lead a garrison of troops in Shangdang. Then, when the Xiongnu invade, not only would you be able to gain from your military achievements, you could openly recruit soldiers in defense against them. That, is far more consequential than a mere government title.It wasn't that Yi Yan didn't understand how important it was, but if he accepted an appointment from the imperial court, could he still stay by his lord's side?Truth be told, if that wasn't the kind of person he was, Liang Feng wouldn't dare use him so. Liang Feng chuckled and said, That's why I sought General Linghu's assistance. He needs only to say the word for you to become part of the Shangdang garrison. The troops you are assigned will be stationed in Lu City as well, and be appointed at my discretion. In essence, all that would change is your title. Once the military-agricultural system becomes operational, you'll be able to take command of all the new recruits.Hearing those words from his lord, Yi Yan's heart finally slid back into place, In that case, I will comply with your arrangements, my lord.Seeing that he wasn't opposed, Liang Feng let out a long breath, When you formally receive your appointment, General Linghu will a thousand troops to you. They most certainly haven't received any rigorous training, so you'll have to start from the beginning. Get them into fighting shape within three months. With all the weapons and horses we've just obtained, it should be easy enough to support a strong thousand-man force. In addition, the other militia officers in the estate must also begin entering the military, to keep the troops firmly under control.It was like the cuckoo's strategy of laying its eggs in other birds' nests. He would appear, on the surface, to be recommending capable people to the imperial court, while in reality, he was seeding members of the Liang Estate's militia throughout all levels of the imperial court's military establishment. So long as he held a firm grasp on officers and adjutants at every rank, that force would be the Liang family's household troops in all but name. This was the only method available to him while he was unable to openly exercise military authority.Yi Yan fully understood now, that this was a key step in furthering his lord's control over Shangdang. It could even be said that it was a key step in breaking free of Sima Teng's influence. And his lord had trusted this most important task to him!Yi Yan's heart began racing. For some reason, Zhang He's words came to mind. If he continued rising, step by step, could he too, stand high enough one day to walk side by side with his lord?Suppressing the stirrings in his heart, Yi Yan bowed, I will do my utmost to forge a great army for you, my lord!What did you say? Five thousand cavalry, and only half came back? Where's Liu Wei?!Li Xuan had been too busy preparing for Liu Yuan's coronation these days to give the troops in Shangdang much thought. Liu Wei was one of his most trusted commanders. If he couldn't conquer Lu City, he could at least use his forces to harass them, loot their foodstuffs, throw Shangdang into chaos. That too was a way to distract Sima Teng. Anything that weakened the Jin benefitted them.He never could've imagined receiving news like this! Five thousand elite cavalry! That would be a serious loss even to the royal court. Just what was Liu Wei doing?Chancellor, General Liu has already sacrificed himself for the country.. the scout quietly reported.Liu Wei is dead?! Liu Xuan sprang to his feet, How is that possible? How many troops could Shangdang possibly have? How could they ever lose!It was utterly inconceivable! Was it to say that Sima Teng had stationed some tens of thousands of troops in Shangdang? Without more than several times their number of foot soldiers, how could they have defeated five thousand elite cavalries, even taking the commander's life?!That. that, I don't know. The scout hesitated before adding, General Liu split his forces in two, leading one to attack Lu City and sending the other to lie in wait near Huguan. The plan had been to surround the city, then lure out and attack their reinforcements, but in only a day, the encampment outside Lu City was broken. After Lieutenant-General Zhao rounded up the escaped soldiers, we learned that it'd been a night attack..Not even a night attack could cause this! Liu Xuan roared in fury. Liu Wei was absolutely not a reckless person. How could a mere night attack inflict such heavy damages?!B-but that night, shooting stars landed in their camp. The escaped soldiers s-said it was punishment from The Buddha, The scout's voice became weaker and weaker, trembling by the end. He'd seen the glassy-eyed, absent-minded state the defeated troops returned in. That detachment had never witnessed the comets nor heard the thunder, so why were they all acting like they had? Were they all possessed or something? Thinking of that famed bodhisattva did indeed send shivers down his spine.Liu Xuan's hands began shaking. He had thousands of guesses, but falling stars? The Buddha's punishment? Preposterous! Already, so many of the nobles had bought the Liang Estate's Diamond Sutra, saw the Liang Estate's white porcelain as rare treasures. How would they see Liang Zixi now, with that nonsense about buddha's punishment? Would anyone ever dare to move against Shangdang anymore?! That wasn't a problem he could solve simply by punishing a few people. And how was he going to deal with over a thousand routed troops?Liu Xuan clutched his chest, feeling a stabbing pain from within. He gaped like a fish out of water, struggling to speak, then collapsed on the ground.What did you say? The Chancellor is unconscious from grave illness? Liu Yuan asked unwittingly after an underling brought him the report.Liu Xuan was critical to the founding of this country, and he was his predetermined Counselor-in-Chief. He had yet to take the throne, and already, something had gone wrong. What was he to do now?!But upon hearing what had caused Liu Xuan to faint, and of what had occurred in Shangdang, Liu Yuan's face purpled. He'd never heard that some bodhisattva had suddenly popped up in Bing Province, as he had always been performing his office in Ye City, and he never could've expected that he could call upon The Buddha to rain destruction on thousands of elite cavalry. If word spread, would people take Liu Xuan's sickness to be an inauspicious omen? How was he supposed to ascend the throne like this?!Put the defeated troops under confinement immediately and forbid them to speak! Send a reputable healer to see to the Chancellor's illness; he must be saved! Liu Yuan paced around the room, hands clasped behind his back, and continued, The coronation must be held several days ahead of schedule. If the Chancellor is unable to recover, then the Defender-in-Chief will conduct the ceremony.Of the people he'd selected to fill the positions of the Three Dukes, Counselor-in-Chief Liu Xuan was gravely ill, Censor-in-Chief Cui Ji had refused him, and only Defender-in-Chief Liu Hong was usable. In any case, he would have to ascend as soon as possible to prevent any more unexpected complications from occurring.What about Shangdang then. a confidant cautiously asked.Leave it be for now. Taking Bing Province, Jinyang, in particular, is top priority, Liu Yuan said, after a brief pause. Regardless of whether that bodhisattva was a fraud or not, there was no point in confronting him again, just after they'd lost a round. Better to attack Jinyang, where Sima Teng was located, first. Once Jinyang fell, and Bing Province was thrown into disarray, taking Shangdang would become much simpler.This was a matter concerning the Han kingdom's great hundred-year undertaking; he could not afford to make mistakes.After a moment of silence, Liu Yuan said, Send a few people to closely interrogate the routed troops about how exactly they had lost.Liu Yuan had intensively studied the classics since youth, and did not worship Buddha. However, he knew full well the sway that the supernatural held over the people of the world, especially the Xiongnu people under his command. He had to figure out the sequence of events that had led to their defeat, no matter what!
