Chapter 671: Old Marshal Meng Has Arrived

Huang Lie rolled his eyes repeatedly as he listened. Even ants struggled to preserve their lives, yet this man, instead of trying to live properly, was actually asking to die. Huang Lie did not even know how to reason with someone like that.

He sighed. “My Marshal Meng, Niu Youdao went to the trouble of sending His Highness back precisely because he did not want His Highness to remain in their hands. Yet now you want to deliver yourself straight to them. I ask only one thing: will Niu Youdao agree?”

Shang Chaozong answered in a muffled voice, “Master Dao said he would not interfere with how the war is fought. The decision is entirely mine!”

Those were indeed Niu Youdao’s words, though Niu Youdao had not told him personally. Guan Fangyi had relayed them.

Huang Lie was momentarily speechless. Then he pointed at Meng Shanming and challenged Shang Chaozong again. “Your Highness, can you truly bear to do this? Look at Marshal Meng’s body. Can you really bear to send him off to die?”

Shang Chaozong’s jaw tightened. “Sect Leader Huang, the war has reached this point. Unless all our forces work together with one heart, there is no possibility of victory. Military morale is unsettled, and the regional lords refuse to exert themselves. I fear they have already begun harboring other intentions. Someone capable of suppressing them must go.”

“Every one of those regional lords once served under Marshal Meng. No one knows their abilities better than he does. Once Marshal Meng arrives, none of their tricks—false reports, feigned effort, dragging their feet in battle—will fool him, and they will not dare try those tricks in front of him either.”

“I do not want Marshal Meng to suffer this hardship. But the situation leaves us no room to delay. Only if Marshal Meng goes personally do we have any chance of stabilizing the situation as quickly as possible.”

Meng Shanming said, “Your Highness praises me too highly. I am ashamed to accept it. Still, Sect Leader Huang, this old man is not going there to die. His Highness and I have already settled the broad strategy. It is far from certain who will bring down the deer in the end.”

“Yan may have declined, but that does not mean just anyone may run wild here. I would like to see what that young Luo Zhao truly has in him, that he dares behave so arrogantly in my Great Yan!”

With both men determined to proceed, Huang Lie had no answer left.

Nanzhou’s troops were not his to command. Under the present circumstances he also did not dare make trouble for these two. If he caused disorder at a time like this, he would offend practically everyone. Forget all other considerations: stirring up trouble now would amount to deliberately tearing down the stage beneath Yan’s three major sects.

If Dachan Mountain chose to oppose them now, it would not even be able to hold on to its foothold in Nanzhou.

In the end, forced by circumstances, Huang Lie could only dispatch a flying mount to carry Meng Shanming away.

A flying mount could bear only so much weight. Very few people could accompany him. Meng Shanming was sent out quietly with almost no protection at all.

The matter could not be announced publicly. Otherwise, enemy-state forces would certainly send men to intercept and assassinate him.

While Shang Chaozong had been trapped in the capital, his military orders could not flow freely. Now that he was out, his orders immediately became public and formal.

The command went out across Yan: Meng Shanming was appointed Grand General of the Eastern Campaign and granted full authority to direct all forces at the front in their war against Song.

...

Deep in old mountain forests where ancient trees towered overhead, Niu Youdao sat cross-legged beneath a tree in meditation.

Guan Fangyi came over and reminded him, “We just received word. Meng Shanming has gone to the battlefront. His Highness appointed him Grand General of the Eastern Campaign.”

Niu Youdao opened his eyes. “How many people went with him?”

“Everything was rushed. He borrowed a flying mount from Dachan Mountain. How many people could he possibly take?” Guan Fangyi said. “One Luo Da’an, plus a wheelchair. That’s all.”

Niu Youdao frowned.

...

Across the heart of a broad plain, a mountain range formed a natural defensive barrier.

Changzhou’s army held the dangerous terrain, while camp after camp stretched behind the mountains. These were Zhang Hu’s troops, temporarily resting and regrouping.

They had already clashed with Song’s army several times and suffered defeat. Fortunately, Zhang Hu had directed the withdrawals properly, and the Changzhou forces had suffered almost no serious losses.

The Song army fighting Yan seemed remarkably cooperative as well.

It appeared to be showing special consideration to the troops of the five regional lords. The moment one of those armies began retreating, Song rarely pursued relentlessly.

Since the five regional lords were unwilling to exert themselves, Song Grand Commander-in-Chief Luo Zhao was naturally delighted. There was no need to force them into desperate resistance.

And so one side won quickly, the other side retreated cleanly, and both sides went back and forth with a tacit understanding neither needed to state aloud.

The unlucky ones were the imperial court’s own troops.

Whenever Song caught court forces, it struck them savagely. There was no such thing as showing mercy.

Outside the central command tent, Xiaoyao Palace Elder Nong Fengting approached and entered with an ugly expression.

Zhang Hu, Provincial Inspector of Changzhou, was standing before a map discussing military affairs with a group of generals. He looked back, waved for the officers to withdraw, then asked, “Elder Nong, what has made you so unhappy?”

Nong Fengting gave a cold snort. “Lian Anshan deserves death!”

Lian Anshan was a Grand Commander on the imperial court’s side. He held fifty thousand court troops and had been stationed at Iron Gate Pass.

The pass was strategically vital, easy to defend and difficult to attack. It controlled an important westward route through the current theater of war.

Zhang Hu’s gaze flickered. “Could Iron Gate Pass have fallen?”

“If it had merely fallen in battle, that would be one thing,” Nong Fengting said harshly. “That dog bastard did not move a single soldier. He simply opened the pass and surrendered to Song!”

“Luo Zhao proclaimed a decree on behalf of the Song court and immediately enfeoffed him as Marquis of Anle. The gate opened in surrender on one side, and the decree of enfeoffment arrived on the other. Plainly that traitor had long harbored rebellious intentions and secretly established contact with Song.”

“Ah!” Zhang Hu was genuinely shocked. “Isn’t his family being held in the capital as hostages?”

Under ordinary circumstances, when a state went to war, the imperial court would “take care” of the families of officers at the front.

It really did give them preferential treatment. Their men were risking their lives on the battlefield, so naturally their households would not be neglected.

But in another sense, those families were also being held by the court as hostages, particularly in the case of important generals, to prevent them from developing treacherous intentions.

Nong Fengting ground his teeth. “He does not give a damn whether that family lives or dies.”

Zhang Hu clicked his tongue. “He is that ruthless?”

“Ruthless, my ass. The truth only started coming out after the incident,” Nong Fengting said. “The pair of children in his household are reportedly not his at all. Rumor says his wife had an affair with one of his superiors and bore those children by him.”

“Meanwhile, Lian Anshan himself has another woman outside the capital and another family with her. He abandoned the household in Yanjing and took the outside family away with him.”

“Now his wife in the capital has suddenly been assassinated as well. The dead cannot testify, and no one knows which of his former superiors was sleeping with her. Every man who once served as Lian Anshan’s superior has now become a suspect. It depends on whether Lian Anshan himself ever reveals who put the green hat on his head.”

“Something like that actually happened?” Zhang Hu shook his head, half laughing and half speechless.

“Still, finding the man who was involved with his wife should not be impossible. Whoever gave Lian Anshan the greatest help climbing the ladder is the most likely suspect. Anyone capable of placing Lian Anshan in that position could hardly have held a low office.”

“Lian Anshan himself is no good thing either. If he could tolerate something like that, then plainly he acquiesced because the arrangement benefited him. Exposing it would only make him lose face as well. I doubt we will ever hear him name the man.”

Then Zhang Hu turned back toward the map.

“Iron Gate Pass is the gateway west. Once it falls, the road toward the capital is opened. Hah, for the imperial court to place a man like that in charge of such a vital position... truly...”

He did not finish the words: It would be strange if Yan did not perish.

He only shook his head again before asking, “I heard the court finally investigated matters and confirmed that Commandery Prince Yongping had been falsely accused. He has now been restored to full princely rank and given command over the war throughout Yan?”

Nong Fengting tipped his head back and sighed. “He escaped. He never even went to take up the post. I fear he intends to return to Nanzhou and hold his troops for his own protection.”

“This...” Zhang Hu looked almost unwilling to believe it. “Commandery Prince Yongping... Prince Yong can betray Yan? He is of Great Yan’s imperial blood, the son of Prince Ning whose might once shook the realm. How could he betray the state?”

“In times like these, how many good men are left?” Nong Fengting gave a cold snort. “He had better not fall into my hands. Otherwise I will make him beg for death and fail even to obtain it.”

The look he gave Zhang Hu carried a faint warning as well.

Zhang Hu pretended not to understand. He merely shook his head and sighed.

Just then, a general suddenly rushed into the tent and shouted, “My lord, Marshal Meng has arrived!”

Nong Fengting whipped his head around.

“Who?” Zhang Hu thought he had misheard.

The general said urgently, “Meng Shanming. Old Marshal Meng has arrived!”

Zhang Hu and Nong Fengting looked at one another.

The next instant Zhang Hu abandoned Nong Fengting where he stood and ran out.

He hurried from the tent and saw a young man carrying twin spears, pushing a wheelchair toward him.

An emaciated old man sat in that chair, silver threading his hair. His frame was thin and withered, but his eyes remained bright and penetrating.

Who could it be but Meng Shanming?

A large flying mount circled overhead for a time, then flew away. No one else had accompanied the man sitting in the wheelchair below.

Emotion rose visibly on Zhang Hu’s face when he saw Meng Shanming.

He strode forward, stopped before the wheelchair, and cupped his hands.

“This subordinate general greets the Marshal!”

Meng Shanming replied calmly, “You are no longer the boy who fed horses back then. Now you are a regional lord in your own right. There is no need to put a crippled old man like me in your eyes. I am no longer anyone’s Marshal either. I cannot accept such a salute.”

The group of generals who had rushed over to pay their respects all became awkward when they heard that. For a moment, no one knew where to put his hands.

Zhang Hu looked ashamed. “There was an opportunity last time. I had intended to pay my respects to Marshal Meng, but the military situation was urgent and His Highness issued orders. That was why I missed the chance.”

“Do not waste words on useless things.” Meng Shanming made a slight gesture behind him.

Luo Da’an stepped forward from behind the wheelchair and handed Zhang Hu a letter of appointment.

As Zhang Hu opened it, Meng Shanming said, “His Highness is now Grand Commander-in-Chief for the Campaign. He has appointed this old man Grand General of the Eastern Campaign. That sheet of paper is the proof. Lord Zhang, do you believe it or not?”

Having read the appointment, Zhang Hu answered awkwardly, “Anything Marshal Meng brings personally cannot possibly be false.”

“Then may I issue orders in my capacity as Grand General of the Eastern Campaign?”

Zhang Hu immediately bent forward with repeated nods. “Naturally. This subordinate general awaits your orders at any time.”

“Good. Then I will try it and see,” Meng Shanming said. “Send word immediately to Su Qitong, Xin Mao, An Xianzhao, and Xu Jingyue. Order all four to come here and see me at once.”

“This...” Zhang Hu hesitated. “Marshal Meng, their armies are all engaged with Song. As commanders of their respective forces, I fear it would be inappropriate for them to leave at a time like this.”

“Engaged?” Meng Shanming repeated. “Are they actually engaged with Song?”

Then he sighed.

“It seems I truly have grown old. My eyesight must have failed. I cannot understand what kind of war you gentlemen are fighting at all. I merely want to invite them here so I can ask for a little instruction.”

The barbs hidden in his words made Zhang Hu’s face redden.

Their little tricks could deceive others.

They could not deceive the man in front of him.

Meng Shanming continued, “Tell them to stop entangling themselves with the enemy. Have every army under them withdraw and break contact with Song. Once I have asked for their instruction, we will decide what happens next.”

“Lord Zhang, do you find this arrangement improper?”

“If you do, then your wings have hardened anyway. You are free not to carry it out. This old man came here alone and does not have a single soldier under his command. Whatever you wish to do with me requires only one word from Lord Zhang.”

Zhang Hu’s expression twitched.

He spun around and shouted, “What are all of you standing there for? Didn’t you hear Marshal Meng? Hurry and send the orders!”

Someone among the line of officers behind him immediately ran off to carry them out.

Meng Shanming asked, “Are people from the three major sects here?”

Nong Fengting stepped forward. “Marshal Meng is certainly a rare guest.”

Meng Shanming had no interest in exchanging courtesies.

“I must trouble you to notify the three major sects’ people stationed with every army. The four men I named are to be escorted here immediately.”

“If any of them resists coming, behead him on the spot without pardon!”

“If anyone has objections, tell them those words came from me. It has nothing to do with anyone else. They are welcome to raise their troops and come settle accounts with me!”

[End of Chapter 671]