Chapter 142

Chapter 142

Ying Fusheng dared not imagine how Qi Hanzhou had walked out of a sea of blood and bodies back then, but in his previous life, when he first met Qi Hanzhou, the man had already buried those past pains deep down, becoming the enigmatic Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the eyes of outsiders, spending many years alone in the capital, advancing alone through the years.

Blood feuds are the hardest to let go, no matter how much time had passed, no one could ever set it aside.

The atmosphere in the camp grew increasingly heavy. Only a few military court officials knew about the Youzhou City affair involving Junior General Qi. The massacre of Youzhou City back then was so horrifying that even now, bringing up this heavy case in court could easily stir the hearts of the generals. At the time, the court’s conclusion was that Pei Zhuiyun had failed to defend the city, and the Northern Barbarians entered the city and massacred its people.

The war between Dayuan and the Northern Barbarians had lasted for decades, and the Northern Barbarians would stop at nothing to seize territory. But now, from the Crown Prince’s conversation with the old general, they sensed there was more going on beneath the surface. This made the military officers in the camp unable to sit still, all turning to look at the Crown Prince, hoping to get a clearer answer from the Crown Prince.

“What's the name of the garrison commander in Liangzhou?” Ying Fusheng asked. “If he came from Youzhou City, what relation is he to the Pei family?”

The old general looked dazed and answered automatically: “Pei Yi.”

The name Pei Yi was unfamiliar to the generals in the camp. They could only turn to the only Northern Border soldier here, Ye Xuanqi. Ye Xuanqi had spent a lot of time in the Northern Border, but it was actually Ye Xuanjiu who had followed Qi Hanzhou in investigating the Youzhou City case. They had gathered up many of the Pei family's loyal remains back then, but they didn’t remember every name… Yet the name Pei Yi sounded familiar to him. “I need to send a message to retrieve the Youzhou City archives. That name sounds familiar—he should belong to the Pei Family Army.”

Familiar—that familiarity was the problem.

It meant that this person’s status in the Pei Family Army was likely not low, enough that the Light Garment Guard—men from a different camp—had taken notice. If his status wasn’t low, then the power he could wield wasn’t low either.

The old general's legs gave out as he knelt down. Ying Fusheng’s words seemed to shatter a belief he'd held for years. For over a decade, he had lived under the oppression of the Xishu prefectures. Even now, deep down he still blamed the court and the Qi family for not doing enough about Youzhou City. But in fact, everything he had witnessed told him that the court was making every effort to save Xishu… Then, over these years, who was telling the truth all these years, and who was lying?

“Your Highness, this is a huge deal, Your Highness.” The court military general also realized this was no ordinary affair. He noticed that the Crown Prince seemed off—unusually quiet ever since the old general mentioned the survivor from Youzhou City.

Weng Yanqing called out softly.

Ying Fusheng suddenly snapped back to reality. “Take him down and get him settled in.”

He turned to the court military general. “The southern campaign to retake lost territory is yours. Assign me a thousand elite troops—I need to go to Liangzhou.”

The generals in the camp immediately tried to stop him, but Ying Fusheng was already lost in the puzzles of Youzhou City.

The more Ying Fusheng thought about it, the more conspiracies seemed to hide in Youzhou City.

This wasn't the only time. If he really counted, the Northern Border’s Youzhou City was probably the first move by the mastermind.

After the previous dynasty fell and the late emperor took the throne, they deeply understood that the early days of a new dynasty were most prone to internal strife. The more chaotic it was, the more opportunities they would have to exploit it. At that time, the Northern Border was under invasion by the Northern Barbarians. The fall of Youzhou City severely disrupted Dayuan’s efforts to develop civil governance after establishing the dynasty, plunging Dayuan—still unsteady as a new dynasty—back into chaos.

The destruction of Youzhou City back then was orchestrated by the Secret Faction, but its outcome had exceeded expectations. The massacre surprised all the Northern Border soldiers, which indicated something out of the ordinary. The massacre might have followed the same process as Huaizhou City—bandits disguised as remnants of the previous dynasty appearing inside the city—or perhaps there was a problem with the city’s gate defense.

“I’ve reviewed the files on the Youzhou case. The records say the city was breached and massacred.” Ying Fusheng looked at Ye Xuanqi, offering another possibility. “What if someone opened the city gates back then, deliberately letting the Northern Barbarians in?”

Hearing this, a chill ran down everyone's spine, as if they were shaken by the guess Ying Fusheng had voiced.

Such methods were utterly brutal.

Ying Fusheng felt an urgent need to see Qi Hanzhou.

There were no survivors back then, but now in Liangzhou there's Pei Yi—a possible survivor from Youzhou. There must be another conspiracy behind this.

Ye Xuanqi was unfamiliar with this man, but what about Qi Hanzhou… He was on the front lines in Liangzhou.

Weng Yanqing and Ye Xuanqi followed only Ying Fusheng’s orders. The court army commander, after careful consideration, decided to send two thousand elite troops to accompany him. A thousand was too few—if other problems arose on the road, two thousand could also escort the Crown Prince back safely.

Just before departure, Wu Lao hurriedly caught up. He was afraid Ying Fusheng would leave him behind in Youzhou. “I’m coming with you. I know people in Liangzhou!”

Chen Xuqiu saw that the old man could barely walk steadily, so she reached out to support him. She had seen Wu Lao go to the commander’s tent day after day and knew he was worried about the outcome in Liangzhou. “Let him come along.”

“Your Highness, you can't go into danger yourself!” Other generals were anxious when they saw the commander agree. “We can send urgent messages—how can you go yourself?”

"If the situation in Youzhou City is really as that old general said, you know what that means?" the main general said, looking at the general beside him. "The Secret Faction, led by the Pingnan Prince's Manor, has been plotting for nearly twenty years. Their scheme against Youzhou City wasn't just to cause the Northern Territory to fall back then; they even intended to incite civil strife in Dayuan over a decade ago."

"This means one thing—the Northern Barbarians and the Secret Faction likely have dealings."

The main general of the imperial army had to consider the worst-case scenario.

Back then, the Northern Territory was settled only by the emperor's personal expedition.

But if the Northern Territory hadn't been suppressed that year, Dayuan today would be vastly different.

As the Crown Prince said that day, he wasn't skilled in warfare, but he knew his opponent.

If there are still conspiracies in Liangzhou City, how many frontline generals have faced such foes? If they were plotted against, they risk being outwitted by the enemy. None of Dayuan's soldiers today wish to see another tragedy like Youzhou City.

It would take several days to ride quickly from Youzhou to Liangzhou.

Ying Fusheng didn't hesitate at all, ordering everyone to travel light. He left Weng Yanqing in Youzhou to oversee affairs. On the day of departure, he had a slight fever. Noticing this, he asked Chen Xuqiu and Wu Lao to prepare headache pills.

He knew that at such times, his body must not fail him.

Along the way, they rested when needed, following the two physicians' arrangements.

When they were two days away from Liangzhou, a scout from the Liangzhou imperial army brought urgent news—

"Liangzhou is at war."

"You can rest assured about the Junior General and General Lu; they've fought harder battles than this," Ye Xuanqi said, seeing Ying Fusheng's uneasy expression, trying to reassure him.

Ying Fusheng's gaze wavered as he turned to look at the Liangzhou map. "I'm not afraid of them taking the field."

"But someone is lurking beyond the two armies, trying to manipulate people's hearts."

If he were the mastermind, he would inevitably set up an unbeatable situation in Liangzhou.

What place around Liangzhou could be...

His gaze suddenly fixed on the southern side of Liangzhou.

There was a mountain range encircling the city.

"Call Wu Lao."

-*

The frontline war could break out at any moment, and the imperial army's battle with the rebels was unavoidable.

But this battle erupted suddenly and fiercely. The Liangzhou rebels attacked at the most treacherous terrain, catching the imperial army off guard, forcing them to turn and fight.

At the imperial army's camp outside Liangzhou City, the generals were arguing heatedly.

Reclaiming Liangzhou was imperative, but if possible, the imperial army wanted to do so with minimal casualties. However, the Liangzhou Army's current strategy relied on fierce assaults, trying to maximize the advantages of terrain and troop numbers. In this situation, if the imperial army still considered the former bonds with Xishu, they would fall into an untenable position.

"The terrain in Liangzhou, being the heartland of Xishu, is naturally rugged and mountainous, more suited to light cavalry and infantry," General Lu said. "If this continues, our cavalry brigade will be halved. We can't let them drag us down."

"The enemy general knows this, so they're trying to drag us out now."

"They harass us daily. If we can't take the city quickly, our rations won't hold out."

Fighting only played into the enemy's strengths, and not fighting wasted rations.

Especially after reports came in from various fronts, the Liangzhou rebels outnumbered them two to one. For the imperial army, the battle seemed almost hopeless... The enemy knew many of their generals are unfamiliar with Xishu's war theater, so they dared to invade aggressively, press their advantage.

Qi Hanzhou looked at the bickering generals around him, his eyes on the sand table map’s terrain. "What if we trap them?"

The terrain of Western Shu is mountainous and rugged; under such conditions, a slight change can easily turn into a trap. The Liangzhou rebels’ biggest edge is their numbers. If we trap their main force outside Liangzhou city, we can cut off their support. Against a large army, a head-on fight won’t work; we have to break them apart bit by bit.

"They trust the terrain completely. How can you be sure they’ll fall for it?" General Lu shot back.

Qi Hanzhou quickly reached out and marked a spot on the sand table. "Exactly because they trust it so much, we need to make them think we’re the ones falling for it."

The generals all thought Qi Hanzhou’s idea was wild. Going head-to-head with those Liangzhou vets on mountain terrain could backfire on us.

"It’s feasible." General Lu thought it over and saw Qi Hanzhou’s intent. "But it’s risky for us too."

Most of the Liangzhou rebels are commoners who rose up with the army, with only a small portion being elite trained troops. When Qi Hanzhou served up north, he was in the Light Garment Battalion, known for being quick and nimble—the most agile support unit in the Qi Family Army. The Liangzhou rebels look massive, but these troops are scattered around, and only some know the Liangzhou terrain.

Behind that big force, there are also commoners bad at fighting, and elite troops good at mountain warfare but unfamiliar with Liangzhou. Qi Hanzhou is after those scattered soldiers.

"But who will lure the enemy in?" General Lu asked.

"I will go," Qi Hanzhou said.

The generals were stunned silent by his bluntness.

"Is anyone here better suited than me?" Qi Hanzhou countered.

The imperial army had watched Qi Hanzhou use the Western Shu terrain to move supplies many times. How could a guy like him not know Liangzhou?

He was the youngest general in the tent by far, and his troops were just the Light Garment Guard and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. But after fighting side by side, the generals trusted his skill. Right now, he’s in charge of all the supplies, and both guards follow his orders. If something goes wrong with him, we’re in deep trouble.

"But before this, I need all of you to pay attention to one thing."

Before they could hash it out, Qi Hanzhou spoke a few words in a low voice, and the imperial generals went pale.

"General, the Liangzhou rebels are attacking the eastern camp!" a soldier shouted from outside the tent.

Everyone looked at General Lu. He finally nodded at Qi Hanzhou. "Listen to him."

The three main imperial camps sent troops to fight. When word reached Liangzhou city, the rebels figured the imperial army was losing its cool. After all this harassment, if the imperial army didn’t respond, they’d just burn supplies and show bigger weaknesses.

Hearing that the imperial army had sent ten thousand elite troops to attack the south gate, all the veteran generals looked at the Garrison General of Liangzhou, Pei Yi. Pei Yi was old and banged up; his health wouldn’t let him fight, so he stayed in the city.

He’d assembled this rebellion, and he was the one feeding them most of the intel on the imperial army. Everyone knew Pei Yi had campaigned north with the emperor in his youth and knew the imperial army well. He was the one who led the charge that crushed the Lu Family Army on the Youzhou plains.

From the south gate, you could enter the forest to ambush the imperial army, and they’d jump at the chance to break Liangzhou’s defenses. Pei Yi split his forces. "We need to take out those ten thousand elite imperial troops."

The Liangzhou vets knew the imperial army’s only shot at Liangzhou was those outside troops. Once those elites were crushed, the imperial army would have to retreat. They took their orders and left. Soon after, Fei Xun walked into the tent and saw Pei Yi sitting. "Over the years, these troops have been loyal to you. The opponent is Qi Hanzhou. You’re not scared?"

Pei Yi’s face stayed blank. "Back then, we searched the whole city and couldn’t find him. Pei Zhuiyun protected him to the end, letting him survive. He should’ve died in Youzhou city ages ago."

"But his time’s almost up. While he’s being drawn in by my troops, the imperial main camp only has ten thousand elites."

Fei Xun saw it coming. "You’ve got a two-pronged plan."

The troops in Liangzhou city could be split exactly that way. With the numbers advantage, he was damn well going to use it.

"The Princess Consort Pingnan pulled me out of the fire back then. Failing to kill Qi Shen’s son must’ve let her down." Pei Yi stood up with his crutch, but it wasn’t too late. "Get ready. Once we confirm all ten thousand elites are in the southern forest, don’t let a single one out."

"You’re not worried those old deeds will come to light?" Fei Xun asked.

Pei Yi sneered. "You think the Liangzhou Army would trust the court now? Mr. Fei, the hatred of the dead is heavier than anything. If the imperial army attacks, they’ll kill the people of Liangzhou. Life after life, the blood debts pile up, just like Youzhou back then."

Fei Xun smiled and kept quiet.

Pei Yi hobbled out. Fei Xun watched his back and chuckled softly. "Yeah, lives count more than anything."

Outside Liangzhou city, amid blood and fire, Zhou Qingyuan frowned at Fei Xun. "If the Liangzhou soldiers knew their garrison general opened the gates to let the Northern Barbarians in back then, leading to the massacre—and now they’re your tools against the imperial army—"

He asked, "Aren’t you scared it’ll blow up in your face someday?"

Fei Xun’s expression shifted. The Fei family pulled that trick on the Jiangnan scholars before.

The tougher the times, the more people latch onto whatever comfort they can find. People’s hearts are easy to read and use, and anger is the easiest to stir. Liangzhou city must not fall; if it does, they lose half of Western Shu. "Word of this battle will spread fast: Liangzhou becomes the frontline of Western Shu, and it can fuel anger in other garrisons."

Zhou Qingyuan asked coldly, "Is this the tactic you remnants of the former dynasty always use? You’re notorious in Jiangnan, but here you play the savior. Pretty slick, huh."

"The common people only believe what they see. We stepped up when they were in trouble. Our decades of planning in the south were for this day."

Fei Xun said their family was a century-old Jiangnan clan, rooted there from the previous dynasty.

When the Northern Barbarians invaded, the late Dayuan emperor purged the Yin imperial family. The Fei family could’ve become imperial relatives like the Xu family, controlling all of Jiangnan’s officialdom, and even reaching for higher power in the capital.

History is written by the victors. The Fei family would’ve been credited as loyal supporters.

"This should’ve been the Great Yin’s world. We just want to restore our dynasty. Besides, you’re with us now. Don’t you want to avenge your Zhou family?" Fei Xun said with a smile, his tone persuasive. "And Pei Yi was right. Lives pile up; war brings death, and hatred drives people. In the end, someone needs to save them—that’s the savior."

Zhou Qingyuan’s face changed. "What do you want to do!"

"Pei Yi’s survived this long, but he’s pretty much used up now." Fei Xun looked toward Concubine Xian’s tent. That person said to hold Liangzhou, so they’d not only hold it but use it as a reason to attack Jiangling Pass. "Losing one or two in Liangzhou isn’t a big deal. A fire in the southern mountains—how easy is that?"

Zhou Qingyuan’s expression flickered. Fei Xun had a backup plan, using everyone, and he’d likely torch the southern mountain—and blame the imperial army.

Fei Xun had it all set. This time, the imperial army was just a pawn on their board. "Don’t rush. It might not come to that. We need to wait for some Liangzhou troops to pull out. There are plenty of soldiers; we can’t lose too many at once..."

Before he finished, a military whistle suddenly blew, followed by an unknown horn!

Fei Xun’s face went pale as he looked toward the southern mountain. He rushed out of the tent and grabbed a passing soldier. "Where’s that horn coming from!?"

"Not from our camp. General Pei’s asking too," the soldier said anxiously.

An unknown horn sounded outside the city, from inside the southern mountain!

This was a night attack. They relied on horns, whistles, and beacon fires from Liangzhou city for orders. But this horn was their own Liangzhou command—yet they hadn’t blown it! The chaotic order was spreading through the southern mountain!

Pei Yi hurried over. He recognized the problem—it was the Light Garment Guard!

The Light Garment Guard was the northern border’s best at concealment. Somehow, they’d memorized the Liangzhou battle whistle commands. They didn’t need to know the real meanings; they just needed enough of them. In the forest, it was hard to tell friend from foe. If the fake commands were convincing enough, the soldiers lured in by the Light Garment Guard couldn’t tell the real orders in time.

The Liangzhou troops came from all over. The real Liangzhou troops could spot the fakes instantly, but the others had to rely on their commanders. Now, with these horns in the southern mountain, orders were chaos, and they’d miss their chance. Qi Hanzhou was jamming their signals.

The sounds came from everywhere. Even scouts and messengers couldn’t tell if the horns were from inside Liangzhou city.

Pei Yi knew the imperial army had terrain experts. Confusing the horns was just one trick; the real target was the southern mountain! He was about to follow with his crutch when an urgent report came: "General Pei, the imperial camp is empty! They’re all gone!"

The imperial army had abandoned their hard-won outer defenses and launched a full attack from the southern mountain!

"Our troops went into the southern mountain and went silent."

They’d planned to trap the imperial army in the mountain, but now they’d been outsmarted. The ones who went in were probably trapped and couldn’t get out.

The number of troops sent into the mountains to block the path was no less than twenty thousand. If they were to be outmaneuvered by the imperial army instead, Liangzhou's combat strength would be cut in half. Moreover, half of their troops had been redeployed to the front line of the imperial army, only to find the front line deserted. Now, the southern gate of Liangzhou City was left with no defense!

Pei Yi disregarded everything else. He threw down his crutch, grabbed a horse, and mounted it. "Defend the southern gate!"

Fei Xun retreated several steps quickly and entered Concubine Xian's tent. "The imperial army has reached the city gate."

The noble and graceful woman stood up, looking at him with her usual cold indifference. She waved her hand slightly. "Have you dispatched the people to South Mountain?"

Deep within Liangzhou's South Mountain, a small, secret unit sneaked into the mountain area. When they saw a signal flare light up in Liangzhou City, the leader immediately ordered, "The commander has ordered—not a single person in this mountain shall be left alive—"

Before the words were finished, an arrow flew through the dense forest, taking the life of the commander without delay.

Hidden in the forest, the elite imperial troops suddenly emerged and swiftly captured this group of covert operatives.

At that moment, the imperial army's commanding officer noticed movement on the other side of the mountain and realized that the wind had picked up that night. The wind meant that the area they needed to defend was not just the one in front of them; likely, downwind at the foot of the mountain, there were also arsonists among the Liangzhou rebels.

"Damn it!" A general of the Lu Family Army realized the problem. Junior General Qi had warned them to watch out for arsonists, but they never expected the wind to blow at such a bad time that night. "No one must—"

Before he could finish, figures appeared on the high slopes of the mountain.

Several thousand elite troops from another direction surged into the forest, occupying the high ground almost instantly. At the location of the escaped Liangzhou rebels, fire starters lit up in the forest, visible from afar! At a glance, there were over a thousand figures!

The Lu Family Army was shocked—where did so many people come from!

In a flash of recognition, they saw the banner of the imperial army flash by.

It was an imperial army that had come from nowhere!

Ye Xuanqi took command to intercept the arsonists, extinguishing all the fire starters before looking back nervously. Behind him were the arriving imperial troops. They hadn't expected to see allies in the South Mountain, but soon they recognized the man being guarded in the center of the imperial army. "Your Highness, the Crown Prince!"

Ying Fusheng rode a horse, with Wu Lao by his side leading the way through small paths. This old military doctor from Liangzhou was extremely familiar with the terrain of the South Mountain. Just before nightfall, he had warned them that it might become windy that night, which allowed them to block the imperial secret faction's attempt to burn the mountain!

Several arsonist soldiers had their collars pulled open. Chen Xuqiu rushed over and saw the tattoo of the former dynasty on their bodies. "Your Highness, they are assassins!"

The appearance of former dynasty assassins meant there were others in Liangzhou City.

Ying Fusheng reined in his horse and turned to look deep into the South Mountain. According to Wu Lao, there was a treacherous valley inside, so steep that only a few local herb gatherers would notice it.

When they arrived, they noticed that voices were gathering from the direction of that valley.

Those Liangzhou rebels were trapped deep in the mountains by the imperial army. Qi Hanzhou intended to take Liangzhou with minimal casualties.

Below the South Mountain, Liangzhou City was brightly lit in the night, with countless soldiers swarming.

At the city gate closest to the South Mountain, the imperial army had already arrived at the city walls, closing in on Liangzhou City.

He couldn't see clearly, but he knew that Qi Hanzhou must be there.

He would take Liangzhou City.