Chapter 600: No Birth Separation, Only Death Departure

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Chasing the Deer Together

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Two armies faced each other at West Leibi. Having just endured the dreadful plum rain season, the muddy ground was gradually firming up when an imperial decree from Tai'an City was, for unknown reasons, made public and widely disseminated. It struck like a summer thunderclap, suddenly echoing across the land and unsettling people's hearts.

Before this, Xu Xiao of Liyang had painstakingly won the Battle of Jinghe with the majority of the Xu Family's elite cavalry, wiping out the Great Chu's seemingly invincible Great Halberdiers. Their morale was soaring, and they were poised to deliver a decisive blow at West Leibi at an opportune moment. However, with the issuance of the imperial decree, their efforts were ruined. The encirclement of Great Chu, which was never fully completed, now grew even looser.

The fragile balance, achieved at the cost of tens of thousands of Xu Family soldiers' lives, instantly became precarious.

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The northeastern defense line remained stable, as Gu Jiantang had effortlessly crushed Dongyue, leaving most of his elite forces intact. Even if they hadn't moved south as promised to support Xu Xiao's army, they still posed a constant threat to Great Chu. However, Grand General Zhao Bodang, who had consistently avoided direct confrontation during the southern campaign and was only tasked with the relatively light duty of establishing the northwestern defense line, surprisingly abandoned his post at this critical moment. As one of the few high-ranking generals with royal family ties, he retreated a full six hundred li, seemingly resolved to watch from the sidelines. This move undeniably squandered the significant gains from the Battle of Jinghe. Zhao Bodang had evidently received the imperial decree earlier than Xu Xiao, who was painstakingly strategizing on the southern West Leibi battlefield. Thus, when his army rapidly withdrew overnight to Qianshan Pass, six hundred li beyond Concubine's Tomb, it became clear to all discerning observers that the true, decisive war between the two nations had surfaced ahead of schedule!

At that time, Great Chu, which still held a numerical advantage, could have regained the Concubine's Tomb line with forces that wouldn't impact the West Leibi front, thereby gaining greater strategic depth. If Xu Xiao, despite his numerical disadvantage, dared to split his forces towards Concubine's Tomb, the Military Sage Ye Baikui could have immediately sounded the charge at West Leibi. How could the undefeated Ye Baikui ignore such a rare opportunity? Great Chu's current predicament stemmed from Xu Xiao's series of almost reckless, decisive battles. It was during these campaigns that his relatively unknown adopted son, Chu Lushan, distinguished himself. This corpulent Chu, known for his brutal and unreasonable tactics, which often resulted in self-inflicted losses while inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy, stunned Great Chu's northern army. This allowed Chen Zhibao to clear the entire northern periphery, ultimately leading to the great victory at Jinghe and forcing Great Chu to retreat and garrison West Leibi, thus losing geographical advantage despite retaining human resources. Ye Baikui, regarded as the pillar of Great Chu and a military strategist capable of rivaling an entire nation, made a decision at this juncture that would be debated by historians for generations: he bypassed Cao Changqing, who had shown astonishing military talent despite his youth, and instead chose his deeply trusted general Meng Hu, a man of profound experience, distinguished military achievements, and stable character, dispatching him to lead an elite force to Concubine's Tomb.

In stark contrast, before the Xu Family army had to dispatch troops, a fierce, localized dispute arose between their two principal strategists, Zhao Changling and Li Yishan, who had always worked together seamlessly. For the first time, a sharp disagreement emerged. The brilliant Zhao Changling argued that since their side had lost the momentum for a decisive push, and the Zhao emperor had decreed retreat if they didn't fight, their army of three hundred thousand, commanded by the Grand General, should demonstrate their withdrawal to Liyang. They could openly retreat to Concubine's Tomb, or even further to Zhao Bodang's encampment, and in doing so, "absorb" his forces. After resolving the "Gu" (Gu Jiantang) concern by making him submit, they could then engage Great Chu and Ye Baikui in a decisive battle. Li Yishan, however, believed that such a retreat would allow Great Chu, which was on its last breath, to recover. Therefore, Li Yishan proposed a swift division of forces, but stressed that the number should be strictly limited, with twenty thousand being the absolute maximum. The normally gentle Zhao Changling became furious, directly accusing Li Yishan of playing games. He pointed out that Ye Baikui had clearly learned of the imperial decree and Zhao Bodang's retreat earlier than the Grand General. While Great Chu could spare forty to fifty thousand men from the already overcrowded eastern side of West Leibi without significant detriment, dispatching twenty thousand from their own side would both harm the Grand General's chances of victory in the ongoing standoff and be a foolish, negligible effort, tantamount to sending them to their deaths at Concubine's Tomb.

Inside the tense military tent hung a map of Great Chu, marked with red and black lines to symbolize offense and defense, drawn with vermilion and charcoal pens. On the table, a military water clock, used for precise timing, slowly dripped water.

Inside the tent stood Xu Xiao, who at his thirties was already instrumental in determining the fate of the realm; Zhao Changling and Li Yishan, who had been orchestrating strategies within the tent; his three adopted sons, Chen Zhibao, Yuan Zuozong, and Chu Lushan, who had been urgently summoned; and a group of distinguished commanders from both infantry and cavalry. Among them were the swordsman Wu Qi, who came with his sister from the Wu Family Sword Tomb and served as half a military mentor to Chen Zhibao; Xu Pu, whose prestige in the cavalry was no less than that of Wu Qi, the Grand General's brother-in-law, and who was a rare scholarly general in the Xu Family army; General Zhong Hongwu; and Yan Wenluan, the rising star of the infantry, newly nicknamed "Fortress at Every Step," along with generals Liu Yuanji and Yu Tieshan. It could be said that if just half of these dozen or so individuals in the tent were successfully assassinated, the entire realm would fall into Great Chu's hands.

Xu Fengnian turned around, gazing at these faces, at once familiar and unfamiliar. It was they who had helped Xu Xiao conquer the realm. None of them saw a young man standing beneath the map, his fingers gently tracing the red and black lines of march. Atop Wudang's Lotus Peak, "one mind, two uses" allowed for dreaming of the Spring and Autumn period, where three "individuals" each entered and observed the era. This "he" had appeared in the brutal Battle of Jinghe and then followed the path all the way to West Leibi. However, in his eyes, the people and objects of the Spring and Autumn period were only in black and white; his emotions had no influence whatsoever on the participants within that historical game. At this time, Zhong Hongwu had not yet fully taken command of the Beiliang cavalry, with Swordsman Wu Qi and Xu Pu still serving as formidable figures before him. Yan Wenluan had already lost an eye, but within the grand tent, he was considered the newest face. Chu Lushan appeared dozens of pounds thinner than the "Lukuai" (his later nickname) he would become, full of malice, unlike the constantly fawning smile he would wear decades later. Yuan Zuozong, the renowned "White Bear," seemed to have neglected his beard, which was thick and bristly, making him look even more heroic.

The veteran general Hong Ze had not yet succumbed to illness outside Xiangfan City, nor had General Su Hengqu fallen in battle within Western Shu.

Xu Fengnian looked towards Zhao Changling, who stood beside Xu Xiao, observing the strategist's profile. Zhao Changling, from the Zhao clan of Guangling Green Pavilion in Great Chu, was refined and resolute, the kind of scholar whom kings and nobles would admire at first sight. When attacking Great Chu, which was effectively his homeland, Zhao Changling showed no restraint; on the contrary, much of the Xu Family cavalry's strategy for conquering Great Chu originated from his designs. With Zhao Changling as the primary strategist and Li Yishan as his assistant, the two advisors always complemented each other perfectly.

Xu Fengnian shifted his gaze slightly to the humble strategist, who had always willingly let Zhao Changling overshadow him. Under Zhao Changling's aggressive questioning, his expression remained calm.

At this moment, his master's complexion was still very good.

Li Yishan, who rarely argued with anyone, still did not contradict Zhao Changling directly. Instead, he walked to the map, pointed a finger at Concubine's Tomb, and addressed everyone in the tent, saying, "Ye Baikui has already dispatched troops here. It's evident that, if I were in his shoes, I would send two waves of forces: first, light cavalry to counter our reinforcements, and then a relatively slow-moving heavy cavalry as a fallback. Everyone knows that Western Chu's treasury is overflowing with countless silver, otherwise our Grand General wouldn't constantly talk about wanting to lie down in mountains of gold and silver for a good sleep after winning the war..."

When Li Yishan reached this point, even Zhao Changling's expression softened slightly, Xu Xiao grinned awkwardly, and the other generals exchanged knowing smiles.

Li Yishan continued, "Great Chu has two 'gold nuggets.' Those tens of thousands of Great Halberdiers have proven to be an outdated burden, but whether Ye Baikui's sixty thousand heavy cavalry are a liability is still debatable. Maintaining heavy cavalry is, of course, extremely expensive; one ordinary heavy cavalryman probably costs at least as much as three to four elite light cavalrymen. Their advantages and disadvantages are both significant. The disadvantages are their heavy horses and armor, making them slow to move before a battle truly begins, slow to armor up, and slow to mount. One could say everything is slow except for the mounted charge once everything is ready. Turning is even slower; after a successful charge penetrates enemy formations, they still cannot stop but must make a large turning radius to regroup before launching a second charge. However, on a suitable battlefield, heavy cavalry—often ridiculed by many light cavalry generals as capable of only a 'one-shot deal'—is truly the undisputed king of the battlefield. Concubine's Tomb, with its wide terrain suitable for charges, is precisely such a battlefield where Great Chu's heavy cavalry can excel. Changling said that if our divided force numbers less than fifty thousand, they would be sent to their deaths."

Li Yishan spoke rapidly, clearly not wanting to waste a moment, but he subconsciously paused here before stating, "Of course, they would be sent to their deaths."

Li Yishan quickly made a dismissive hand gesture and continued, "Once Great Chu is defeated, conquering Shu, Tang, and Nanzhao will be trivial, as easy as pushing a boat with the current! We have no doubt about this, and it is precisely because our Xu Family Iron Cavalry has led every charge and fought at the forefront that we have reached West Leibi in one fell swoop. But if we choose to retreat at this juncture, to avoid their edge, then it's hard to say whether we can still defeat Great Chu, or whether the Grand General can maintain military control. We have lost many lives, and more will surely be lost. However, if we save twenty thousand lives at Concubine's Tomb now, all the Xu Family comrades who died before will have died in vain!"

Li Yishan did not look at Zhao Changling, but stared at Xu Xiao, stating in a deep voice, "I implore the Grand General, let one man lead twenty thousand light cavalry to their deaths!"

Chen Zhibao, who had just arrived at the main tent, covered in dust from inspecting various battlefields, said calmly, "Adopted Father, not twenty thousand. Give me fifteen thousand cavalry, but I need the strongest warhorses, the best spears, and the best crossbows. I will defend Concubine's Tomb."

Zhao Changling gazed at this highly valued young general, his expression complex.

Yuan Zuozong stroked his stubbly chin with his palm and chuckled, "Zhibao still needs to familiarize himself with the commanding abilities and habits of the various captains from different armies to ensure full control in the final decisive battle. After all, there are many foreign forces and surrendered generals, and we cannot afford delays. Perhaps it's better for me, this idle fellow, to go to Concubine's Tomb."

Chu Lushan suddenly chuckled, "For a suicidal battle where everyone dies, Yuan 'White Bear,' are you as familiar with it as I am? You're not ashamed to compete with me for this?"

Li Yishan said plainly, "In this battle at Concubine's Tomb, Ye Baikui will have sequential moves, so we must also divide our forces into two waves, essentially dying in succession. The first wave must die slowly, the slower the better. Ideally, they should exhaust all of Great Chu's light cavalry, and it is even crucial to force Great Chu's heavy cavalry to make at least one charge. Zuozong excels at cavalry battles where preserving strength is key."

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Yuan Zuozong nodded.

Chu Lushan widened his eyes and said, "Then the forces for the second wave, surely they're mine?"

Li Yishan shook his head, "If our goal were a Pyrrhic victory where both sides are severely wounded, you could go. But in that scenario, Great Chu would ultimately win. Ye Baikui could continuously send troops to Concubine's Tomb, turning it into a war of attrition highly unfavorable to us. It would not only exhaust the Grand General's strength but also drain Tai'an City's patience. Unfortunately, we cannot afford to lose on any of those counts."

Chen Zhibao smiled, "I'll go then. Give fifteen thousand cavalry to Zuozong. I only need the subsequent five thousand cavalry. As long as Zuozong can hold out until Great Chu's heavy cavalry commits to battle, I guarantee I can annihilate them, ensuring Ye Baikui never dares to send another soldier to Concubine's Tomb."

Zhao Changling worried, "What if Ye Baikui suddenly launches a decisive battle now?"

Commander Xu Xiao lightly patted the shoulder of the strategist, who was renowned for his "impeccable plans and unerring calculations," and laughed heartily, "Didn't intelligence say that big trouble-maker Cao Changqing is still in the south? Since Ye Baikui hasn't used him, it most likely means he dares not engage in a decisive battle too early. Besides, he still holds the advantage right now. As a crucial figure and backbone of Great Chu, he has no need to gamble recklessly against us barefoot paupers."

The elegant and dashing Zhao Changling offered a wry smile, but finally ceased to insist on his own opinion.

It is often said that troops move only after provisions, yet this time, the covert long-distance raid of twenty thousand light cavalry carried only minimal provisions, with no superfluous movements.

To conceal their true intentions, Chen Zhibao even intentionally rode his white horse and long spear alone to the front lines of West Leibi.

The Great Chu vanguard could clearly witness his imposing presence.

Yuan Zuozong led fifteen thousand cavalry to Concubine's Tomb first, following a route that went north then east.

Before mounting his horse, Li Yishan stepped forward, his lips trembling slightly, but he said nothing.

Yuan Zuozong suddenly clasped his hands in a respectful salute, his eyes clear, his expression resolute, and he too remained silent.

Xu Xiao stepped forward and said softly, "Zuozong, your adopted father won't say anything grand, just one thing. Even if you die, try to keep your body intact. That way, when you're laid in your coffin later, your adopted father can help you put on a pair of cloth shoes he sewed himself."

Yuan Zuozong listened to these disheartening words without any resentment, and laughed freely, "No need, just save them for Xiao Nian to wear. Consider it Zuozong's gift to him. I haven't given him anything for so many years, and it always bothered me."

Xu Xiao waved his hand and said, "Go."

Fifteen thousand light cavalry quietly departed West Leibi in the dead of night.

Xu Xiao stood his ground, with Zhao Changling to his left and Li Yishan behind him, perfectly embodying the Grand General Xu Xiao's left and right arms.

Chu Lushan squatted in front of his adopted father, sulking, pulling up a blade of wild grass that had miraculously escaped being trampled by horse hooves, and chewed on it, grass and dirt alike.

Xu Xiao squatted beside his adopted son, reached out to pat Chu Lushan's head, and said with a smile, "As long as we can conquer Great Chu this time, you can be the vanguard for the campaign into Shu. Your adopted father had originally promised this to Zuozong, but if he dies, then you can take his share."

The stout fellow, who in the Xu Family army would turn hostile at anyone trying to snatch military merits, showed not a trace of joy for the first time, his large, fleshy ears drooping.

For the Xu Family Iron Cavalry, generations of veterans passed, and new recruits arrived. But ever since they followed Xu Xiao out of Liangliao and fought all the way to West Leibi, there had been no departures in life, only farewells in death!

《Those Wealthy Young People》 has been launched on Tencent Literature.

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Here, you can also read the first extra chapter of 《I Am a Toad》, titled 《King Meets King》.

Please favorite and recommend.

Xu Fengnian squatted beside Xu Xiao, wanting to tell Chu Lushan and Xu Xiao, whose back was not yet stooped, that Yuan Zuozong would not die, and the Battle of West Leibi would not be lost.

But afterward, when he was enfeoffed as king and established Beiliang to fight Beimang, departures in life gradually increased, and farewells in death gradually decreased.

Until he, Xu Fengnian, raised the Xu Family's royal banner and once again confronted Beimang's million cavalrymen.

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