Chapter 789: In the Silence, Hear the Thunderclap

All good things must come to an end, and Zhao Ningshen was eventually persuaded by Bai Yu to descend the mountain. Bai Yu, whose eyesight was poor, did not see him off far. As they parted, Bai Yu suggested that for his next spiritual cultivation, Zhao Ningshen might consider settling down in a hermitage on Dipai Mountain, where the evil dragon was once slain. He also instructed Zhao Ningshen not to let Longhu Mountain get embroiled in any conflicts for the time being. With Zhao Danping, the "Azure Word Chancellor," in Tai'an City supporting the Celestial Master's Residence, Liyang would not make things too difficult for them. Zhao Ningshen was full of worries, clearly uneasy about Master Bailian being held as a hostage in Beiliang. Bai Yu, however, was unconcerned. He offered a few words of comfort, saying it was uncertain whether Xu Fengnian and Beiliang could even cross the river, let alone dismantle the bridge.

After Zhao Ningshen descended the mountain alone, Xu Fengnian, who had to change into a clean set of clothes again, appeared beside Bai Yu. Zhao Ningshen's journey to Dipai Mountain, the foremost Daoist blessed land, for cultivation, was a private agreement between him and Bai Yu. Longhu Mountain had schemed against the Xu family three times. The first time was under the old locust tree at the Xiamawei Inn in the capital, where they manipulated fate and stole fortune. The second time, the old Celestial Master, who had reverted to a childlike state, personally set out to kill Xu Fengnian. And this time, Zhao Ningshen did not hesitate to consume his vital Golden Lotus to guide his flying sword. How could Xu Fengnian simply let it go, just because Bai Yu remained in Beiliang to assist with governance? If it weren't for the sake of Zhao Xizhi, the old Daoist master and teacher of Huang Man'er, even if Xu Fengnian allowed Zhao Ningshen to leave Beiliang, he would surely make this noble of royal lineage pay a heavy price.

Bai Yu looked down at the mountain path; with his poor eyesight, he could no longer discern Zhao Ningshen's figure. He said softly, "According to Your Highness, Dipai Mountain is not only a Daoist blessed land but also the vital point from which the Liyang Zhao dynasty, originating in the north, suppresses the southern territories. Zhao Huangchao, who lived in seclusion on Longhu Mountain, failed at the last moment: first, the black dragon was wounded by Li Yufu, the Wudang sect leader, and then Zhao Huangchao himself was killed by Your Highness. Therefore, Ningshen's quiet entry into Dipai Mountain, which remains sealed by the imperial court, is tantamount to undermining the Liyang imperial family. No one else could really accomplish this task; only Zhao Ningshen is most suitable. Firstly, he shares the surname Zhao, giving him the advantage of proximity. Secondly, Zhao Ningshen carries the fortune of an entire sect. Furthermore, the Liyang Northern School of Qi practitioners has been largely depleted, and their last vestiges of vital energy were consumed in the sword-casting at Dongyue Sword Pool, making it difficult for them to detect this matter."

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "So, only the Zhao emperor is allowed to play tricks, but I, Xu Fengnian, am not allowed to make him squirm? Master Bai Yu's first journey down the mountain was not to pay respects to the current emperor, but to secretly meet with Zhao Zhu, the Prince of Southern Jiang. To see the 'flood dragon' but not the 'dragon' itself—isn't that hoping to achieve the feat of 'aiding the dragon' and instantly becoming a loyal minister?"

Master Bailian smiled faintly, "But now I am forced to remain in Beiliang for two full years. Even if I were to succeed by chance, the merit of 'aiding the flood dragon to become a dragon' would inevitably be greatly diminished. Does Your Highness have no indication to offer?"

Xu Fengnian turned his head and said playfully, "Sir, that's not fair. Zhao Zhu is currently constrained by Wu Chongxuan, the foremost general of Southern Jiang, at every turn. The only troops he can barely mobilize are the two to three thousand cavalry who first went north to suppress the rebellion, most of whom were borrowed from Wu Chongxuan. If you were to stay with Zhao Zhu now, it would be like a clever housewife trying to cook without rice—what could you do besides staring blankly at His Royal Highness, the Prince of Yan Chi? It's better to arrive at the opportune moment than too early; I am considering your best interests, Sir. Once you have accumulated enough prestige in Beiliang, it will be a natural progression for Zhao Zhu to let you lead independently."

Bai Yu gave a wry smile, "So, I suppose I should thank Your Highness for your thoughtful intentions."

Xu Fengnian said with a beaming smile, "For the next two years, we'll be under the same roof. Talking about thanks or no thanks is so vulgar!"

As the two returned to the thatched cottage, Bai Yu spoke up spontaneously, "Your Highness, please tell me about the situation in Beiliang, so I can have a clear understanding and avoid looking completely ignorant or being ridiculed when I meet the Deputy Song Strategic Commissioner at Qingliang Mountain. My unreliable eyes are almost as useless as a blind man's."

Xu Fengnian was momentarily lost in thought, inexplicably recalling Lu Xu, the blind chess master who gambled on chess for a living in Yongzi Alley in Qingzhou years ago. This man, after successfully assisting Zhao Xun in securing his position as Prince Jing'an and masterminding the thousand-mile rescue operation in Guangling Dao, which earned Zhao Xun widespread praise from both the Liyang court and the public, and preliminary trust from the imperial court, finally attracted the current emperor's attention. To pull the rug out from under him, the emperor simply summoned him to Tai'an City. It was not surprising that Lu Xu did not agree to come to Beiliang when he was urged to stay. However, Lu Xu's calm acceptance of the summons to the capital was perplexing.

Xu Fengnian collected his scattered thoughts and slowly said, "Having Liu Jinu oversee military affairs in Hutou City is a great fortune for Beiliang; holding out for another six months will not be an issue. However, the precondition is that the three towns of Huaiyang Pass, Liuyuan, and Fuling do not divide their forces. If Qingcang City in Liuzhou or Xiaguang City in Youzhou send urgent distress signals, and any single front falls into peril, it is highly likely that all three fronts would become precarious. At that point, internal garrisons like Luo Hongcai, the Horned Eagle Captain of Youzhou, or Huang Xiaokuai, the Pearl Captain of Lingzhou, would have to rush to the battlefield. But before the new city in northern Liang, which will be larger than Hutou City, is completed, such large-scale and wide-ranging long-distance troop movements, coupled with the pressure of grain and fodder allocation, would be immense. The fear is not just being exhausted by the effort, but ultimately, it would be a case of 'distant water cannot quench a nearby fire.' So, currently, although Beiliang holds a steady advantage on the visible battlefield, on the unseen battlefield, it is at best a stalemate with Beimang. At Hulu Pass, Xiaguang is the last major border city. Yan Wenluan has already issued a military pledge to both Qingliang Mountain and the Protectorate: if Xiaguang City is breached by Beimang before Hutou City, then Yan Wenluan will have his deputy, Chen Yunchui, deliver his head to Huaiyang Pass."

Xu Fengnian let out a soft sigh, his expression solemn as he said, "Beimang probably didn't anticipate the stalemate in Liangzhou and Youzhou, and they are also desperately seeking a breakthrough. Therefore, Dong Zhuo, the King of the Southern Court, recently ordered tens of thousands of his private troops to march from north of Hutou City to Liuzhou. Fortunately, Chu Lushan anticipated this and successfully held back Dong's cavalry with just eight thousand horsemen, otherwise the consequences for the Liuzhou campaign would have been unimaginable. This battle, which neither side heavily publicized, was in fact the most thrilling and perilous since the war between Liang and Mang began. Although the casualties on both sides were relatively low, if Chu Lushan's eight thousand cavalry had failed to both preserve their own strength and prevent Dong's cavalry from rapidly breaking into Liuzhou—even if Chu Lushan had sacrificed all eight thousand men to destroy twenty thousand of Dong's cavalry—as long as the remaining ten thousand men infiltrated Liuzhou and linked up with Liu Gui's main army and Tuoba Pusa's elite troops, Liuzhou would have effectively been lost. The western gate of Liangzhou would then be left open for subsequent Beimang cavalry to rampage freely. Not only would our new city in Beiliang fail to be built, but Beimang, with sufficient troops to transport, garrison, and deploy, could launch a concerted assault on Huaiyang Pass. Of course, the situation is different now, and I won't hide anything from you, Sir. Kou Jianghuai, who rose to prominence in Guangling Dao, is now our new Liuzhou General and has successfully led his troops to reinforce Qingcang City."

Bai Yu said softly, "It seems then that Protector Chu is truly the destined nemesis of Beimang's Dong Zhuo. In the first great war between Liyang and Beimang, if Protector Chu hadn't thwarted Dong Zhuo's plans, he might have become the youngest Grand General in Beimang's history back then. And now, Protector Chu himself led eight thousand cavalry, like divine soldiers descending from heaven, causing Dong Zhuo to fail at the cusp of success once again."

Xu Fengnian nodded and joked, "The two fat men, Chu of the South and Dong of the North—perhaps because our Protector General is a bit fatter, he has an advantage in a fight."

Bai Yu suddenly sighed with genuine emotion, "I never thought I'd see a day like this in my life, fighting alongside so many renowned figures: Liu Jinu, who is highly respected even by Beimang's enemies; Chu Lushan, the 'Great Demon King of Spring and Autumn'; Yan Wenluan, commander of Beiliang's infantry; and Gu Dazi, the foremost figure of the former Southern Tang, among others."

Xu Fengnian laughed heartily, "You'll get used to it. Perhaps because I grew up here from a young age, I don't quite feel the same way you do, Sir."

Bai Yu whispered, "What if one day I get used to staying here and can't bear to leave?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head and said, "That would be difficult."

Bai Yu quickly understood the implication: Beiliang's chances of victory were too slim. Whether he wanted to stay in Beiliang or not, he would still not be able to control his own fate. Perhaps at that time, he would flee to the Central Plains with many other scholars and literati, leaving behind the tragic battlefield of Beiliang, where blood flowed for a thousand miles and lives were devastated. Furthermore, Bai Yu's ambition was to secure a place in the imperial court, a realm dominated by civil officials, not to be measured by the military achievements on the frontier. His earlier words were merely a momentary burst of emotion. So he hummed in affirmation, "Indeed."

As they approached the thatched cottage, Bai Yu asked, "Is there a map of Beiliang's strategic geography inside? The Celestial Master's Residence once had a few, but they were too old and crude, and Liuzhou wasn't even included."

Xu Fengnian led Master Bailian, who seemed to have inexplicably become a Beiliang strategist, inside, found a map, and spread it out on the table. It was already dusk, so Xu Fengnian specifically lit an oil lamp. Bai Yu simply held the bronze lamp and leaned over the table, beginning to ask Xu Fengnian in detail about the distribution of Beiliang's border garrisons and internal troops. He even requested writing materials, with questions and answers, discussions and notes. The saying 'A scholar knows all under heaven without leaving his door' is both true and false. It might barely work for general strategic guidance, but it's insufficient to support specific tactics for a particular time and place, especially in Beiliang, where hidden talents abound. If Bai Yu wished to make significant contributions to border military affairs, he needed to be knowledgeable and confident, otherwise, he would only make a fool of himself and bring shame upon himself by showing off in front of talents like Song Dongming, a future chancellor, or seasoned officials like Li Gongde.

Xu Fengnian leaned on the opposite side of the table and said softly, "After Gu Dazi, the progenitor of strategic theory, arrived in Beiliang, my teacher Li Yishan had a very pleasant conversation with him. The two ultimately decided to divide Beiliang into fourteen critical defense areas. Internal garrisons, such as Luo Hongcai, the Horned Eagle Captain, who is responsible for one of these fourteen areas, holds a rank one level higher than other internal captains like Huang Xiaokuai from Lingzhou. Currently, excluding provincial generals like Huangfu Ping, most of the newly risen captains who hold real power, after the last round of replacements orchestrated by Chen Xiliang, are in their prime, with some even under thirty years old. They have been fiercely loyal to Beiliang since their fathers' generation, possess great enthusiasm for frontier achievements, and relatively cherish the territories their fathers established. Therefore, there are now some discussions in various academies, for example, saying that while I outwardly rely on scholars who come to Beiliang, clearing all seats in the three levels of government—from province to commandery to county—for them, I actually still harbor prejudice, practice nepotism, and fundamentally value military bloodlines. To such criticisms, I admit them. After all, it's an unavoidable situation. With Beimang at our doorstep, I can only, and dare only, promote these people."

After setting down his pen, Bai Yu squinted at the map, a finger stained with a bit of ink slowly tracing across it, and casually asked, "Is all the grain and fodder for the newly established Liuzhou overseen by Xu Beizhi, the Prefect of Lingzhou?"

Xu Fengnian quickly pondered the underlying meaning of the question but couldn't deduce it, so he nodded and said, "Sir, you must have heard of Xu Beizhi's nickname. And Beiliang has already begun purchasing large quantities of grain from several neighboring provinces. To be frank, many wealthy families who outwardly appear to have fled Beiliang out of fear of war are actually secret agents of Fushui Manor, and they have performed many meritorious deeds in the matter of purchasing grain. Liangzhou and Youzhou are self-sufficient, so the matter of grain and fodder for Liuzhou is far from urgent."

Xu Fengnian smiled, "I've made up my mind. If the Liyang court truly insists on cutting off the river transport of grain, then Beiliang will simply openly seize it—no, 'borrow' it. Not only from Huainan Dao, where Cai Nan's one hundred thousand troops are stationed, but even from Chen Zhibao's Western Shu Dao, I would dare to 'borrow'!"

After Yin Changgeng's mediation, Han Lin's appointment as Strategic Commissioner of Huainan Dao, quietly forming an understanding with Beiliang, was a moderately good piece of news. With Beiliang playing the 'black face' and him the 'red face,' Han Lin desired a reputation for integrity among scholars and a majestic image as a staunch and loyal official in the imperial court. Beiliang would grant him this, giving him as much as he wanted! As for the widespread condemnation from both court and public, would Xu Fengnian care? And Chen Zhibao, aren't you going to 'pull chestnuts from the fire' in the Central Plains? Doesn't Xie Guanying enjoy playing tricks? Xu Yanbing is currently in southern Lingzhou, with his junior martial brother Han Laishan, who is serving as Lingzhou General. Without Chen Zhibao personally guarding it, the northern gate of Western Shu Dao would find it difficult to stop Beiliang's grain-borrowing advances. As for the precise timing and method, Xu Fengnian trusted Han Laishan.

Bai Yu stared at the vast territory of Liuzhou, which appeared exceptionally sprawling compared to the other three provinces, and asked, "Yang Yuanzan, who is responsible for attacking Hulu Pass, which relies on natural defenses, has at least managed to capture the two cities of Wohong and Luanhe. But Liu Gui, whom the Beimang Empress trusted more with important tasks, is fighting in Liuzhou on the western front, yet his main army has remained idle, even to the point where Beimang had to invite Tuoba Pusa into Liuzhou. Now, Dong Zhuo has even been forced to dispatch his private troops to Liuzhou to break the stalemate. Is Liu Gui, hailed as 'half of Xu Xiao' by Beimang, truly so incompetent?"

Xu Fengnian slowly explained, "Liuzhou has no natural defenses to rely on; to fight, one must do so openly, and this applies to both sides. In terms of troop strength, Liu Gui's army certainly has an absolute advantage. Not to mention his thirty thousand private troops, the four military towns south of Gucai Prefecture—Wazhu, Junziguan, etc.—have all been deployed. Several old Longguan noble families from the Southern Dynasty also sacrificed their resources to provide thirty thousand infantry. The Governor of Gucai Prefecture, who is on good terms with Liu Gui, also contributed eight thousand Qiang light cavalry, totaling a hundred thousand soldiers. However, the Qiang cavalry were 'devoured' by the Dragon-Elephant Army in one go. This makes it quite difficult for Liu Gui's army, whose cavalry strength was already inferior to ours in Liuzhou. On the ground in Liuzhou, whether Qingcang City, the provincial capital, can be held is not important. The victory or defeat of the main cavalry engagement is the key to determining the final outcome. Facing the thirty thousand Dragon-Elephant Army, which can abandon Qingcang City if necessary, with over forty thousand disorganized cavalry from various factions—it's not Beiliang being arrogant, but Liu Gui truly dares not make a rash move."

Bai Yu's gaze slowly drifted across the Liuzhou map. "Not making a rash move is correct. To remain still until delivering a fatal blow is also the essence of the matter."

Xu Fengnian frowned, "There have already been many discussions within the Huaiyang Pass Protectorate regarding how Liu Gui might achieve a surprise victory."

To see the map clearly, the oil lamp in Bai Yu's hand had unknowingly been brought too close, making his right cheek feel hot. Without showing it, he subtly shifted it a bit and nodded, saying, "Of course. Protector Chu's eight thousand cavalry achieved their objective, Kou Jianghuai has entered Liuzhou as general, and the Dragon-Elephant Army already has powerful generals like Your Highness's younger brother and Li Mofan Wang Lingbao. Coupled with Yang Guangdou, the Prefect of Liuzhou, and Chen Xiliang, the strategist, both being top-tier talents, and no worries about grain and fodder in the rear, the situation seems much better than in Hutou City in Liangzhou and Hulu Pass in Youzhou. But I believe the more favorable the situation appears, the more likely Liu Gui is to act. Perhaps Liu Gui, who has the fewest troops among Beimang's three southern invasion fronts, has been so patient precisely because he is waiting for Dong Zhuo's central front and Yang Yuanzan's eastern front to fall into a disadvantageous position..."

Bai Yu shook his head and said to himself, "No, it's not 'perhaps,' it's 'certainly!'"

Xu Fengnian remained silent.

Bai Yu looked up, his eyes shining brightly, and asked in a deep voice, "If Liu Gui were to use sixty thousand infantry as bait, sacrificing them all, to attack Qingcang City at any cost, deliberately putting himself in a desperate situation, even abandoning his disorganized cavalry, and using only his Liu family cavalry and the elites brought by Tuoba Pusa as the true decisive force, could the thirty thousand Dragon-Elephant Army resist taking the bait? Even if the Dragon-Elephant Army could resist, could Kou Jianghuai, newly arrived in Liuzhou, resist? Once one side engages and falls into the trap, would the other side have the broader perspective to dare to stand by and watch them perish?!"

Bai Yu looked at Xu Fengnian and finally asked, "I want to know if Beiliang has received any intelligence, like reports of the Beimang Empress's fury at Liu Gui's western front, or news of powerful Southern Dynasty officials being extremely displeased with the western front's stagnation, and collectively attacking Liu Gui in court?!"

Xu Fengnian's heart jolted.

Bai Yu put down the oil lamp and said plainly, "Then Your Highness can commit all your strength to reinforce Liuzhou."

Bai Yu said no more, and neither did Xu Fengnian.

The room was silent, save for the occasional faint crackle of the lamp wick.