Chapter 636: Attaining the Way

Chapter 637: Northside Drawing Ashes

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Daoist masters can fly through the skies and delve into the earth, taking heads from a thousand miles away. Buddhist Bodhisattvas, with their lowered brows and fierce gazes, can shake Mount Kunlun with a raise of their hand. Who dares say scholars lack spirit? In a fit of rage, they can make even the Son of Heaven show a crestfallen face. Traversing rivers, lakes, and singing, I wield a sword that makes immortals kneel. Raising blades, swords, and wine, three hundred thousand iron cavalry conquer the heavens. Welcome to the Fenghuo Xizhu Hou Readers' Forum.

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Gong Zhulu

Jian Tiaotiandao15

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The Northern Mang and Southern Dynasty each had their imperial courts. Although the Northern Court had a capital city, the Empress spent two seasons of the year in the royal tent. The royal tent's location served as the central hub, a mobile city formed by countless large and small tents. The tent where the world's most distinguished old woman resided was exclusively golden, resembling a giant golden spider crawling on the grasslands, vying with the sun for brilliance. When this golden royal tent appeared in Gusai State, the Southern Dynasty's imperial court immediately paled in comparison. All the noble ministers gathered around the royal tent, quietly awaiting an audience with Her Majesty the Empress. Those of higher status were closer to the royal tent, such as the newly appointed Southern Court Grand King Dong Zhuo, the co-lord of the Rouran Iron Cavalry Hong Jingyan, the Military Governors of Gusai and Longyao states, and the Southern Dynasty Grand Generals Liu Gui and Yang Yuanzan. These influential figures in the Southern Dynasty could all be relatively close to the golden tent. Today, the Northern Mang Empress hastily convened her northern and southern ministers for a routine "drawing ash" strategic planning meeting. Everyone sat on embroidered stools, forming a circle, with no distinction in seating hierarchy. However, the white-haired but vigorous old woman still sat facing south, like an emperor of the Central Plains. To her left was the Grand Minister of Qijian Leyu, and to her right was Tuoba Pusa, the God of War of Northern Mang. One civilian, one military. But as the lineup continued from their sides, civilian and military officials were mixed, unlike the clear-cut civilian-military confrontation seen in the Liyang Dynasty court.

As Dong Zhuo ascended to the position of Grand King of the Southern Court, his seat grew closer to Empress Murong. However, he was still separated by influential nobles and powerful ministers like Murong Baoding, the Military Governor of Juzi State. Today, after entering the tent, "Fatty Dong" was absent-minded. He looked around, idly bending his thick fingers, counting how many seats still separated him from Her Majesty the Empress. In the Southern Dynasty, he was already the highest-ranking official. However, many old men from the two major imperial clans of the Northern Court, bearing the surnames Yelü or Murong, were still holding positions without doing anything useful. Even with their failing eyesight and inability to stand straight, they still insisted on attending this "drawing ash" meeting. Dong Zhuo's gaze met that of a smiling old geezer. If he remembered correctly, the old man was named Yelü Hongcai, who had accomplished a few remarkable feats in his youth but had been inactive for years. The old man chuckled foolishly at Dong Zhuo, and Dong Zhuo, bored, chuckled back. They thus engaged in a silent contest of smiles. In the end, Dong Zhuo's face grew stiff from smiling, while the other's smile remained vibrant and lively. Dong Zhuo conceded defeat, rubbed his cheeks, and gave the old man a thumbs-up, wearing an expression that said, "You win." Yelü Hongcai's smile didn't diminish; he picked his nose, showing no attempt to conceal his smugness. Dong Zhuo couldn't help but roll his eyes. Was this fellow the "tumbler" who had received the dying injunctions of three Northern Mang emperors? When Saint Emperor Yelü Wenshunu was on his deathbed, this old man was present with six others to receive the command, his seat at the very bottom. When Divine Emperor died, Yelü Hongcai was among five present, ranking third. When the Late Emperor died, and Grand General Yelü Shulie, Central Plains refugee Xu Huainan, Tuoba Pusa, and Murong Baoding were present, he already ranked second.

What next? Dong Zhuo instinctively turned to glance at Her Majesty the Empress.

In the large circle formed by the gathered officials, a cloth map was spread, covering the southern Jingji region of Liyang and the vast Guangling Dao territories. While Dong Zhuo was engaged in his silent contest with old Yelü Hongcai, the Empress had already discussed the future course of the war with several grand generals. They all favored Western Chu's short-term explosive power but still didn't believe Western Chu could succeed or ever truly restore its kingdom. The Empress mainly asked the military generals how "short" this "short term" truly was: a few months or half a year? Or could they maintain the stalemate until next autumn? Then, considering various possibilities, she asked the civilian officials how much the Liyang court's treasury would decrease under each scenario. During the discussion of the broader situation, several young people from Western Chu also came to the attention of the Northern Mang Empress. Xie Xichui was mentioned most frequently, up to four times, with Kou Jianghuai closely following with three mentions. This piqued the Empress's interest, but ultimately, it concluded with a sigh, "Born at the right time, but in the wrong place. What a pity." Within the tent, the Northern Mang military generals unanimously believed that Cao Changqing's eastern front, in the war against Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling, would still prevail. However, the crucial factor afterward would be to see who Liyang's Zhao Imperial Clan would appoint as the commander-in-chief to clean up the mess: would it be Lu Shengxiang, who suffered from constant restrictions, or Lu Baixie, the Minister of War appointed in a time of crisis, or perhaps even Gu Jiantang, the Great Pillar State and a major concern for Northern Mang further north? From Grand Minister Taiping's perspective, the Liyang court was far too dismissive of Western Chu, and without Gu Jiantang commanding the Ministry of War, their operational speed was vastly inferior compared to twenty years ago. However, Grand Minister Taiping was also worried, stating that the more Liyang suffered losses from Western Chu, the more concentrated and formidable Gu Jiantang's military power would become in the long run. From a long-term perspective, it was a mixed blessing at best.

Dong Zhuo did not participate in this largely agreeable discussion. When "Fatty Dong" saw Her Majesty the Empress raise her hand, not only the civilian officials, who were at least third-rank, but also a large group of arrogant and condescending military generals, indeed almost everyone, instantly became alert. Dong Zhuo also composed himself, watching as four young female officials brought out another map and spread it over the previous one. When this extremely detailed colored map fully came into view, Dong Zhuo noticed that even Yelü Hongcai, the toothless tiger, narrowed his eyes and leaned slightly forward, carefully gazing at the map, which was three zhang long and three zhang wide. Perhaps due to his failing eyesight, the old man slowly stood up and took a few steps forward. Throughout Northern Mang, he was the only one permitted to bring an attendant into the tent for the meeting. The attendant behind Yelü Hongcai attempted to help him, but the old man waved him off.

As Yelü Hongcai solemnly stood up, most of the Northern Mang dignitaries dared not remain seated but followed the old man, leaving their embroidered stools.

It was a grand map of the Mang-Liang situation!

A few individuals had not yet stood up, but they rose as Empress Murong stood. The old woman's face no longer held the previous relaxed air of calmly observing the situation; she said in a deep voice, "I know that even now, some still want to attack the eastern front first, believing that by crushing the eastern front, which is not yet fully formed under Gu Jiantang's command, they can drive south and seize Tai'an City of the Liyang Dynasty in one fell swoop, considering it a wise, once-and-for-all move."

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At these words, the atmosphere inside the royal tent instantly became solemn, and the expressions of several grand generals and military governors turned grim.

The old woman suddenly gave a self-deprecating smile. "Some also believe that my insistence on attacking the western front is merely to spite that dead man, Xu Xiao."

Dong Zhuo couldn't help but burst into laughter, resulting in over a dozen glares and eye-rolls from the powerful figures in the tent. Ordinary Northern Mang officials would have been terrified, but "Fatty Dong" tilted his head back, imitating Yelü Hongcai picking his nose.

The old woman continued to smile, "Believe what you will. It makes no difference. Today, I only wish to tell you one thing: the decision to attack the western front is irreversible. Whoever opposes it may do so; I give you one last chance. Leave this tent now..."

Soon, several elders of the royal court simultaneously snorted coldly and strode out of the royal tent. These elders were all once eagles of the steppe, each bearing the Yelü surname, and still wielded considerable military power, resembling the imperial princes of the Liyang Dynasty. The Northern Mang royal court's system was inherently loose, with each faction governing itself, nominally accepting only the emperor's authority. Among these elders, there were not a few who had not participated in the northern expedition against Liyang's army even a decade ago, yet even Her Majesty the Empress could not settle scores with them afterward. In the eyes of these elders, only attacking the eastern front was profitable. The western front? What if all 300,000 Northern Liang soldiers were annihilated? Northern Liang was a godforsaken place, not even as good as the lush grasslands of their own territory. Advancing further south led to Western Shu, a region whose treacherous roads were known even to Northern Mang children, a place that had never produced an emperor who unified the Central Plains, and moreover, an area where Northern Mang iron cavalry had to dismount to fight. Fighting all the way there would result in many deaths with pitifully little gain. Who would be willing? "You old woman can listen to that nonsense Grand Minister Taiping's instigation, but we won't participate!"

As these unruly "Prince Yelüs" strode away, three-tenths of the royal tent's occupants departed. Fortunately, not a single military governor or grand general from the Southern Dynasty remained, and Tuoba Pusa continued to stand firmly beside the Empress.

Yelü Hongcai remained motionless, staring at the map. With this elder showing no movement, seven or eight powerful figures in their fifties and sixties, though restless, patiently remained in the royal tent.

Empress Murong's expression remained unchanged. Without even looking at their retreating figures, she held a piece of charcoal between two fingers, gazed at the map beneath her feet, extended a hand to press down on it, and smiled, "Let us all sit down, as if we're prematurely sitting upon the empire. After all, apart from a few young men like our Grand King of the Southern Court, most of us are no longer young."

The group sat around the edges of the map. Those ministers further from the old woman naturally sat on the Liyang territory, with the southernmost person even sitting on Nanzhao.

Once everyone had "taken their seats," the Empress joked, "I do not understand military strategy. I only know that our million-strong Northern Mang army cannot simply line up along the borders of Gusai and Longyao states all at once. For the specific details, let Grand Minister Taiping explain."

Grand Minister Taiping nodded, holding the charcoal, and walked to the map. Instead of going directly to the Liang-Mang border, he squatted near the eastern front and drew a semi-arc with its curve facing inward towards the steppe. He calmly stated, "Western Chu's restoration has tied up Liyang's forces in the Jingji region. However, Gu Jiantang's movements tend towards a southern deployment or holding his forces in reserve. These tendencies do not mean that Liyang will necessarily stand by idly; it's possible that Liyang and Northern Liang might reconcile. Unlike the Liyang court, which always seeks to maximize its own interests, we must prepare for the worst-case scenario: that Gu Jiantang sends troops north, leading to a two-front engagement. Therefore, Old General Yelü Hongcai, along with Military Governors Helian Weiwu and Murong Baoding, will lead their forces in a feigned advance. If Gu Jiantang has the courage to deploy all his forces, then we will respond with corresponding boldness, fighting as we retreat, then falling back to the arc I have drawn. From this point, not a single step back is allowed!"

Helian Weiwu nodded; Murong Baoding remained silent.

The gaunt Yelü Hongcai looked at the arc and offered no rebuttal.

Grand Minister Taiping paused, then continued in a calm tone, "Next, we also have two fronts to attack, though not simultaneously. The southern front will be entirely at the discretion of Grand King Dong Zhuo of the Southern Court; Your Majesty will not interfere with a single soldier. But before that, the northern front, which is our Northern Mang's backyard, will be handed over to Grand General Tuoba Pusa to be thoroughly cleared. The targets are the major steppe tribes belonging to those who just walked out of the royal tent."

Yelü Hongcai's eyelids twitched. He slowly raised his head and asked hoarsely, "Your Majesty, wouldn't it have been simpler to kill them on the spot?"

The Northern Mang Empress smiled and shook her head, replying, "Too few."

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