Chapter 630: Arrogant Troops March South

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Daoist masters soar through the sky and burrow into the earth, capable of taking heads from a thousand miles away. Buddhist Bodhisattvas, with downcast brows and furious gazes, can shake Mount Kunlun with a raised hand. Who says scholars lack spirit? In a rage, they dare to make the Son of Heaven show distress. Stepping across rivers, lakes, and singing, I wield a sword that makes immortals kneel. Wielding sabers, swords, and wine, three hundred thousand iron cavalry conquer the heavens. Welcome to the "Beacon Towers and Feudal Lords" Reader Forum!

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Beacon Towers and Feudal Lords []

Outside Youlu Pass, in the main general's tent, the atmosphere was tense and peculiar. A cavalry messenger, one of Lu's personal guards, delivered an urgent military report. Lu Shengxiang, the Minister of War's aide, sat behind his desk, composed, his fingers gently caressing a military tally. Inside the tent, generals and captains were arrayed, divided into infantry and cavalry. Most of these military officers were part of Minister Lu's trusted retinue, brought from Guangling Dao to the capital. Their loyalty and competence were beyond doubt. The group included steady veterans, seasoned by the Spring and Autumn conflicts, as well as ambitious and talented young officers in their prime. Interspersed among them were several young commanders who had been exceptionally promoted, resulting in a well-balanced age distribution. A trusted favorite general, who had been sent to act as a stableman, burst into the main tent in a hurry, his expression urgent. The tent guards did not stop him. Lu Shengxiang did not even lift an eyelid; he merely continued to gaze at the old map that had been so difficult to acquire from the Ministry of Revenue. It was laughable to think that the Ministry of War, which Gu Lu had overseen for years, couldn't provide a satisfactory map of the southern capital region for Lu Shengxiang, yet hundreds of maps of the Two Liaos border could be easily found.

Guo Dongfeng, smelling strongly of horse, glared at his gloating peers and brazenly questioned: "General, has Yang Shenxing lost his mind? Why did he unilaterally decide to hastily advance south first? Is he so confident that he can single-handedly breach Yufang Pass, cross Qinshui Ford, and then capture Kui'xiao, the foremost strategic town in northern Guangling Dao? With such a reckless charge, where does that leave our two armies? General, tell me, should we just watch him lead a bunch of dandies to their deaths, or should we play with fire alongside them? Damn it, forty thousand troops! That's the last remaining strength of the Jinan Army! Once they cross Qinshui Ford, before reaching Kui'xiao Town, they'll be in the Qingyang Basin, a historical battleground where four armies have fought. And now we're completely blind to the troop movements on the Guangling Dao side. Where does this old man get the confidence to venture deep alone? Even if Western Chu is weak, they can surely muster eight or nine thousand cavalry, can't they? What if the Kui'xiao garrison commander feigns surrender? The dignified General Anguo would be humiliated by such a crude deceptive maneuver, and then you, General, would be the one taking the blame!"

Lu Shengxiang, without lifting his head, calmly replied: "First, it can be confirmed that Han Penglai, the garrison commander of Kui'xiao, is not feigning surrender. Secondly, the forty thousand veteran elite soldiers of Jinan are well-supplied, and General Anguo is skilled at methodical campaigning, advancing step by step. Even against eight or nine thousand cavalry, as long as there is no heavy cavalry surprise attack, they may not lose. Finally, no one can be certain whether the Western Chu remnants can deploy nearly ten thousand cavalry along the Kui'xiao-Qingyang line. Due to geographical constraints, Western Chu has always fought infantry battles in the west and cavalry battles in the east. Of course, if we encounter a madman, then anything is possible."

Guo Dongfeng retorted stubbornly: "But the Ministry of War's established strategy was to have Prince Zhao Ying, garrisoned in Huatai, and Prince Zhao Xun, stationed at Hao'ao Lake, launch a simultaneous offensive. Regardless of their success or failure, it should then be Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling's turn to take the stage. How could it be Yang Shenxing's place to act?!"

Lu Shengxiang angrily rebuked: "Is a prince's given name something you are permitted to utter so casually? Go back and feed your horses!"

Guo Dongfeng flinched, shrinking his neck, and obediently exited the tent. Soon after, he lifted the tent flap again, poking his head inside, and curiously asked: "General, may I inquire where the commander-in-chief Cao Changqing and the veterans like Zhou Song and Pei Hongzhi are currently located?"

Lu Shengxiang continued to stare at the map. A middle-aged general from Guangling's Chunxue Tower chuckled softly, saying: "Cao Changqing is personally overseeing the Guangling army. Zhou Song and Pei Hongzhi are not near the northern front; one is guarding the Huai River, and the other, the Yangtze River."

Guo Dongfeng let out an "Oh," then turned and left, muttering to himself: "It seems Western Chu is no longer the Great Chu after all. It no longer possesses the spirit to fight the enemy beyond its borders."

Once Guo Dongfeng had gone, Lu Shengxiang looked up at an elderly man in scholarly attire who stood out slightly from the rest. He asked: "Regarding the movement of horses in northern Guangling Dao, has Zhao Gou's intelligence uncovered any clues?"

The old man replied helplessly: "It's difficult. The war hasn't even begun, yet more than forty of our court's spies have died, in addition to over twenty who defected earlier. General, this is not a good omen."

Lu Shengxiang hummed in acknowledgment and waved his hand, signaling everyone to withdraw. The aide to the Minister of War, who was also the acting commander, glanced at the military report. It roughly outlined the reasons for the southern expedition, using ornate and elegant prose. The literary flair was obvious, making it clear that Yang Shenxing, a crude general, could not have written it. Lu Shengxiang knew without thinking that it was the work of a prince's son or noble's descendant well-versed in military texts. The report stated: "'Although the south of the capital region is 'the heartland of the world' and 'the cornerstone of imperial ambition,' it must not be held steadfastly. Instead, it must be defended beyond our borders. The reasons for the fall of Southern Tang must be thoroughly examined.'"

Lu Shengxiang murmured softly: "Armchair strategizing, damn it."

Autumn of Xiangfu Year One, the End of Heat solar term. The summer heat receded, and the weather turned cool.

Finally, there was a hint of crisp autumn air, bringing a sense of relief to the nearly a thousand new recruits who had hastily joined the army in mid-summer. Their sickly expressions vanished, replaced by a surge of vigor. Especially as the army crossed Qinshui Ford to the south, these young men, mostly riding tall, magnificent horses, disregarded river-crossing formations. They donned their bright armor and galloped along the northern bank of the river, competing in horsemanship. In truth, not long after these men enlisted, many had harbored thoughts of returning to the capital to enjoy a comfortable life. The army camp was simply too foul-smelling, worse than a pigsty, and bathing was difficult. During the height of summer, these pampered scions had personally experienced the torment of being covered in fleas. This was far removed from their beautiful initial ideal of confronting armies, capturing flags, and slaying enemies. It was only because their elders at home had cajoled them with pleas and constantly sent in large quantities of prohibited items through connections that these descendants of dukes, marquises, generals, and ministers, with disgusted expressions and pinched noses, reluctantly remained to suffer in old General Yang Shenxing's army. These more than a thousand 'connected individuals,' raised in the emperor's shadow, almost all brought personal guards and attendants. This, out of nowhere, added three thousand 'elite cavalry' to General Anguo's command. When the army advanced south, over a dozen prominent young masters and noble scions approached Yang Shenxing to request to serve as the vanguard. The old general smiled and gave a multitude of excuses, solemnly swearing that these three thousand cavalry were his trump card, and a good blade should be used where it matters most.

Yang Shenxing, burly and showing no signs of age, stood on the south bank with one hand on his saber. Beside him, his eldest son, Yang Huchen, who had followed his father in military campaigns for over twenty years, wore a bitter expression. Looking at the young men galloping their horses and cracking their whips, he softly said: "Father, I don't know which young man said it, but they're advising caution against enemy attacks while the army crosses the river, so they want to help as scouting cavalry to protect us. Don't these children know about scout reports? All this does is disrupt formations and delay the crossing; it's utterly useless! And then there's the second son of the Marquis of Guan Nei, asking if I'd allow him to challenge an enemy general to single combat during a major battle. What kind of request is that? I don't know what nonsensical historical novel he's been reading! Furthermore, the eldest son of the Earl of Zhenting objected, saying that our daily march of fifty li is too slow, even comparing it to a turtle's crawl. He claims that in the Spring and Autumn conflicts, light cavalry often covered three hundred li in a day and a night. Sigh, there's just no reasoning with them. Father, these three thousand cavalry, though impressive in appearance, are actually more trouble than they're worth."

The white-haired Yang Shenxing, full of authority, admonished: "I know what I'm doing! Huchen, you must never show even a hint of dissatisfaction from now on."

Yang Huchen smiled wryly but said nothing.

Yang Shenxing composed his stern face and spoke earnestly: "Gu Jiantang oversees the military and political affairs on the eastern front, and that young man named Xu from Beiliang carries the burden on the western front. In times of peace, how difficult it is to achieve genuine military merit? With the Western Chu remnants revolting, a southern front has suddenly emerged. This opportunity is one I seized by sacrificing most of my life's accumulated reputation. Among the young men on the north bank, by ties of friendship and seniority, most of them should call you 'Uncle' or 'Elder Brother.' But these youngsters, don't be fooled by their warm and diligent greetings; they are fickle and difficult to please. You must not, with good intentions, do something that backfires, leading to us giving them military achievements only for them to remain ungrateful and forget the kindness of our Yang family."

Yang Huchen nodded glumly.

Yang Shenxing patted his hopeful son's shoulder and chuckled: "Putting other things aside, if it weren't for the efforts and connections of these young men's fathers, we wouldn't have acquired those five thousand fine horses. The Jinan veterans have always been known for their infantry combat. This time, my grandson has certainly had his fill of being a cavalry general. Moreover, this grandson of mine is much more shrewd than you. He's already begun to call many originally unfamiliar capital youths 'brothers,' which is excellent news."

Yang Huchen finally managed a smile.

Yang Shenxing sighed softly: "A tiger that has been in a cage for a long time will inevitably retract its claws. Not everyone can leave the cage. Look at Xu Gong, the Dragon-Soaring General of the Xu clan from Gumu; he missed this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Although you are currently one rank below him, it's hard to say what the future holds."

Yang Huchen nodded.

Yang Shenxing unfastened his saber, turned, and pointed south. "The old Western Chu veterans that your father respects, like Pei Hongzhi of the Pei clan, along with Zhou Song and Zhu Yinliang, are reportedly still tied down and delayed in the central and southern parts of Guangling Dao. Cao Changqing, moreover, is facing off against Zhao Yi. As long as we push straight to Kui'xiao military town and secure the first major achievement, we will have a decisive victory. After that, whether we advance or retreat, the imperial court will have ample room for maneuver. As for the criticisms from the Ministry of War, can they withstand the scorn of the many powerful court officials backing those noble scions on the north bank? As for Lu Shengxiang, he's just an aide to the Ministry of War from Chunxue Tower; he's hardly worth mentioning. The only small variable is whether someone in the Qingyang Basin will be audacious enough to try and intercept us."

Yang Huchen smiled. "It would be good if they came. That child Wenqi is itching for action. In the future, our Yang family won't rely on me; we'll rely on him, this scholar-general."

Yang Shenxing nodded, then suddenly sneered: "Cao Changqing is also a scholar-general, but unfortunately, he has bad luck."

Kui'xiao, a key military town on Guangling's northern front.

Han Penglai, the garrison commander who had first rebelled against Liyang and then against Western Chu, died suddenly. His head, severed, was placed on that priceless zitan wood desk.

Along with him died his trusted direct subordinates, six veteran spies from Zhao Gou's intelligence agency, and over three hundred members of a martial arts sect.

The new master of the general's mansion was a handsome young nobleman, renowned in Guangling Dao for his elegant and romantic demeanor. He was Pei Sui, the legitimate eldest grandson of the Pei clan, one of the ten great noble families of the Spring and Autumn period.

Pei Sui instructed someone to remove the unseeing head and began to systematically take over the military town's affairs. There was no trace of awkwardness from recently taking over; he was exceptionally familiar with the military matters of the place.

Pei Sui gripped his brush pen, and spoke in a deep voice: "It's all up to you, Xie Xichui. This battle of ours is being watched by everyone under heaven. We must annihilate all forty thousand Jinan veterans!"

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