Chapter 683: No Need for Reasoning

In the Protectorate General’s main hall, Yan Luan gazed at the young man in the black robe embroidered with a golden python, seated at the head of the table. For some reason, his mind drifted, recalling the time when the Grand General first donned the blue satin python robe of the Prince of Liang. He, Zhong Hongwu, and Liu Yuanji couldn’t resist going over to touch it. But now, of that old guard, only He Zhonghu and Chen Yunchui remained in the room. Zhong Hongwu was dead, and Yu Tieshan and Liu Yuanji had retired from military service to live out their old age. As for the younger generation, even among those who had sworn fealty to the Grand General, only half remained. As a key figure from Zhao Changling’s faction, Yan Luan naturally placed great hopes on Chen Zhibao. In the old man’s heart, the best day for Beiliang would be when Xu Fengnian held command in Liangzhou while Chen Zhibao fought beyond the passes. Unfortunately, this generation wouldn’t live to see such a sight. Yan Luan refocused. Xu Fengnian was asking Chu Lushanshan about the movements of the Beimang main army. Chu Lushanshan couldn’t give a definitive answer. Even though Beiliang’s spies and scouts had suffered heavy losses, Dong Zhuo’s chaotic troop movements also left the Protectorate General’s office bewildered. It was like a master of the Celestial Phenomenon realm confronting a master of the Subtle Perception realm: having an advantage but not attacking openly, nor resorting to insidious sneak attacks. Instead, the opponent was throwing wild punches in their own territory, seemingly unafraid of disrupting their own formation.

Xu Fengnian quipped, “A large-scale rotation of hundreds of thousands of troops is no small matter. It requires an astronomical amount of provisions and military pay. Is Fatso Dong trying to show off his deep pockets to us Beiliang?”

Gu Dazhu, as one of the border commanders, had a purer relationship with the Prince of Liang compared to the equally ranked veteran generals Yan Luan, Chen Yunchui, and He Zhonghu. After all, they had met outside Beiliang, and he was considered a distinguished guest invited by Xu Fengnian. Therefore, Gu Dazhu spoke with more “room for maneuver,” now chuckling in agreement, “Anyway, it’s not actually the Southern Palace King’s own fortune, so he doesn’t feel the pinch when he squanders it.”

Chu Lushanshan crossed his fingers over his chest, resting his thick arms on the armrests of his chair. His eyes narrowed to slits, and his lips moved slightly, as if he were muttering to himself.

Xu Fengnian looked at Gu Dazhu. Before he could speak, the former Southern Tang’s foremost general straightened his back, adjusted his collar, and, as if reading his mind, said, “Is the Prince of Liang asking if we can fight beyond our borders?”

Xu Fengnian nodded. The downfall of the old Southern Tang dynasty had been due to its complete surrender of all battlefield initiative to Gu Jiantang, retreating all its elite forces within its borders. This led first to the destruction of their navy, followed logically by a complete military collapse. Otherwise, according to Gu Dazhu’s strategy, Gu Jiantang would have incurred at least 200,000 more casualties to conquer Southern Tang. Crucially, Southern Tang would have been able to build up a spirit of resilience, unafraid of fighting to the death. Learning from past mistakes, Beiliang boasted 300,000 cavalry. Of course, not all 300,000 border troops were cavalry; in fact, at most, only half were. But even with 150,000 cavalry and an astonishing reserve of hundreds of thousands of warhorses, this was undoubtedly Beiliang’s confidence in challenging Beimang. It could be said that if Beiliang had no internal concerns and received sufficient support from the imperial court, such an unrivaled cavalry force, both in terms of equipment and combat strength, could proactively seek opportunities by launching attacks along the northwestern border. The reasoning was simple: Beiliang, with its relatively small territory compared to Beimang and the Southern Dynasty, could launch attacks from all sides, always ensuring a numerical advantage on any given battlefield. Even if Beiliang’s cavalry were evenly matched with or slightly inferior to Beimang’s border forces, they could still undoubtedly decimate them, leaving nothing but bones, then resupply and move on to the next battlefield. The current dilemma facing Beiliang was that the imperial court had decided to sit back and watch. Not only was there no retreat route towards Xishu, but with the unrest in Jizhou and Yuan Tingshan’s rise as a powerful figure in Jibei, even Beiliang’s right flank had become a significant hidden danger. While Gu Jiantang couldn’t directly interfere within Beiliang, it was easy for him to manipulate things between the two Liaos and Beiliang, along the eastern and western fronts.

Gu Dazhu paused, then smiled playfully, “It’s not impossible; it just depends on whether Beiliang has the courage.”

Yan Luan smiled faintly. “General Gu mentioned something a couple of days ago. The general idea is that defending Hulukou with the current Youzhou forces wouldn’t be difficult; Youzhou’s infantry would be sufficient. Then, the idle 30,000-plus cavalry could sweep through Jizhou, gaining a significant strategic advantage for Beiliang. If the conflicts in Liangzhou or Youzhou became stalemates, these 30,000 light cavalry could execute an arc maneuver, directly penetrating Longyao Prefecture. This would prevent Beiliang from being stuck in a passive, defensive dead end. However, Jizhou…” Yan Luan deliberately left the sentence unfinished. He Zhonghu and Chen Yunchui’s gazes crossed, then both looked at Xu Fengnian. Since the summer of the first year of Xiangfu, the current Emperor had displayed a perplexing attitude to everyone, both in court and out. Even when Yang Shenxing suffered a disastrous start and Yan Zhenchun’s cavalry was completely wiped out, His Majesty didn’t show much anger. Although Commander Lu Shengxiang’s position was precarious, it wasn’t due to unfavorable battle conditions; rather, it had been a bleak situation from the beginning, and now it even showed signs of stabilizing. After Yan Zhenchun’s death, he was given the highest posthumous honors, with the posthumous title Wujie and posthumously enfeoffed as Marquis Jingzhong, and his son, Yan Dadan, immediately received an exceptional promotion. Yang Shenxing was trapped, losing face for the imperial court, but it was rumored that a secret memorial reached the Emperor, adding fuel to the fire for Jin Lanting, the State Supervisor, who was impeaching Grand Secretary Zhang Julu. This reportedly saved the lives of the Yang family, and there might even be a chance for them to return to Jizhou in the future. Compared to the Guangling Road, where battle smoke constantly rose from successive defeats, the Zhao imperial family clearly shifted more attention to the relatively tranquil Jizhou. Many memorials received the Emperor’s personal red annotations. Outsiders didn’t understand why, but those in Beiliang, especially military leaders like Yan Luan, knew full well: the Emperor’s vigilance against Cao Changqing’s rebellious remnants of Western Chu, who were causing trouble right under his nose, was far less than his wariness of Beiliang’s cavalry, which was “far from the Emperor’s reach.”

Xu Fengnian didn’t give a direct answer, speaking softly. “Chen Zhibao’s cutting off of Liyang’s western line was likely Yuan Benxi’s first step in his grand strategy. The second step is to have Jizhou gradually press closer. Previously, Yang Shenxing was incapable in this regard; even if he wanted to counterbalance Beiliang, his few tens of thousands of old Ji’nan veterans were insufficient. So the court simply sent him to hit a wall in Guangling Road. This pulled the rug out from under Jizhou’s local forces. Taking advantage of this, the court needed a trustworthy figure to fill the void, someone who could not only command respect but also dare to challenge Beiliang. Yuan the Mad Dog’s rapid ascent, if no accident, is a deal struck between Yuan Benxi and Gu Jiantang. Yuan Benxi can further tie Beiliang’s hands, and Gu Jiantang can thus rest assured about the eastern flank’s periphery. Everyone wins.”

Gu Dazhu sneered, “That mad dog is truly insane with ambition to rise to power. The seat of Jizhou’s lord isn’t that easy to hold. If Beiliang really can’t hold them back, Jizhou is a soft target compared to Xishu; it’ll be the first to be riddled by Beimang’s iron cavalry. Otherwise, why didn’t Gu Jiantang send his own son to Jizhou? Even if Yuan Tingshan is Gu family’s son-in-law, can he really be compared to a birth son?”

Chu Lushanshan chuckled, “Fortune favors the bold, you know. Minor figures at a gambling table always act like this: if they’re going to bet, they bet big, never fearing financial ruin. Come to think of it, when we followed our foster father fighting from north to south, we also put ourselves in death traps to find a way to live. Yuan Tingshan, for all his unlikability, is certainly interesting.”

Xu Fengnian suddenly turned to Yan Luan and asked, “General Yan, assuming Youzhou only has infantry, how many Beimang troops could you hold back?”

Yan Luan answered without hesitation, “Hulukou, just beyond Daomaguan, alone could contain 150,000 Beimang troops. With General Honglu Cao Xiaojiao and Hong Jia as a team, we can both attack and defend along the border. And within Youzhou, we have Hu Kui and Huangpu Ping. Thirty thousand — it’s no problem for Youzhou’s infantry to hold back 300,000 Beimang troops. However, this containment naturally has a time limit. But that limit would be sufficient for 30,000 light cavalry to provide emergency relief or launch an offensive.”

Xu Fengnian smiled, “Alright then. These 30,000 light cavalry will enter Jizhou starting today.”

The veteran general Chen Yunchui’s eyes lit up. “Without notifying the imperial court?”

Xu Fengnian countered, “Beiliang is merely sending two or three thousand cavalry to Jizhou to borrow a place for exercises and training. Do we need to deliberately notify them? That would be too formal with His Majesty. Besides, the court will eventually know once they’re in Jizhou, which effectively amounts to a notification, doesn’t it? At worst, we’ll just submit a supplementary document to the Ministry of War later.”

Xu Weixiong, seated beside Xu Fengnian, chuckled softly, “Evidently, Beiliang is still quite reasonable.”

Chen Yunchui stifled a laugh. He Zhonghu, equally pleased, couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “My Lord, three thousand versus thirty thousand—that seems like quite a discrepancy.”

He Zhonghu waved his hand dismissively. “Three thousand and thirty thousand—it’s only a difference of twenty-seven thousand, not thirty thousand and three hundred thousand. Let whoever wants to quibble over it do so. Besides, Minister Lu of the Ministry of War is His Royal Highness’s relative by marriage. Whether for family or for principle, it seems the Tangxi Sword Immortal should help us regardless.”

Xu Fengnian rubbed his face and asked, “This cavalry unit has historically been composed of scattered generals and captains, each commanding their own forces. When they go to Jizhou, who will lead them? Do any of you have suitable candidates?”

As the commander of Beiliang’s 100,000 infantry, Yan Luan should not have interjected. This was, after all, a matter concerning the cavalry. Yuan Zuozong could speak, Chu Lushanshan could speak, and even some infantry generals could express their opinions freely. Only Yan Luan, with his prominent position as a renowned general of the Spring and Autumn period, should have remained silent. However, Yan Luan still spoke directly. “I have two candidates, one for commander and one for deputy commander. The commander must be unconventional in strategy, more ‘extraordinary’ than ‘orthodox,’ while the deputy must be relatively steady, more ‘orthodox’ than ‘extraordinary,’ so they can complement each other and ensure this cavalry unit doesn’t limp. My subordinate, Zhong Tianheng, can serve as deputy commander. As for the commander, Your Royal Highness will need to be unconventional in your choice.”

Xu Fengnian smiled, “Please, General.”

Yan Luan glanced at Chu Lushanshan and said, “Then we’ll have to borrow someone from Protector Chu.”

Chu Lushanshan glared. “Absolutely not! I wouldn’t lend him even if you beat me. That young man is an indispensable figure in the Protectorate General’s office, my left and right arm. I’ll need him to exert himself for me in the future!”

Xu Fengnian couldn’t help but wonder who this remarkable individual was that both Lu Qiuer and Yan Luan held in such high regard.

Yan Luan scoffed, “It’s not me borrowing someone from you; it’s His Royal Highness demanding someone from you!”

Xu Weixiong stated calmly, “Yu Luandao can indeed competently lead this cavalry unit.”

Xu Fengnian suddenly understood.

Chu Lushanshan wore an expression as if dozens of pounds of his flesh had been instantly cut off, sighing deeply.

Xu Fengnian smiled, “Then it’s settled. Let’s go look at the Jizhou topographic map and discuss how these thirty thousand troops should proceed.”

The group moved to the desk where two maps had already been laid out: one showing the complete geography of Jizhou, and another depicting the topography of the Jixi area. Such maps were countless within the Beiliang military.

As Xu Fengnian sent someone to fetch Yu Luandao, he stood before the desk, looking around. He suddenly said in a deep voice, “From today onwards, Beiliang will do whatever we deem necessary. If the imperial court and Jizhou dare to interfere, we will directly sever those hands and feet! In the future, if conflicts arise with any forces outside Beiliang’s borders, there’s no need to specially inform the Prince’s Mansion at Qingliang Mountain. Just do it. Afterwards, the Mansion will help tie up any loose ends.”

Veteran generals like Yan Luan and Chen Yunchui almost simultaneously let out a long breath.

The resentment they had harbored against the imperial court for nearly two decades could finally be openly expressed.