Chapter 677: Even If We Can't Break Through, We Have to Attack

Seeing Luo Zhao's attitude so firm, and knowing he had already made his final decision, the others exchanged glances and said no more.

There was little they could say. Whether to withdraw or continue the advance was not the sort of decision an ordinary man could make. Nor did anyone else dare make it in Luo Zhao's place. Even Su Yuanbai and the others, Elders of Song's three major sects, did not dare decide for him. If anything went wrong, they could not bear the responsibility.

In a great campaign, the strategic decision that moved hundreds of thousands of troops across a battlefield belonged to one man alone: Grand Commander-in-Chief Luo Zhao, commander of the army.

Wen You, however, was Luo Zhao's foremost trusted strategist. Naturally he had to think on Luo Zhao's behalf.

He quietly glanced at the reactions of Su Yuanbai, Dong Yinglai, and Chang Fei, his gaze flickering. At the right moment, he said, "Grand Commander-in-Chief, there is something I would like to say. I do not know whether it is appropriate."

Everyone immediately looked toward him.

Luo Zhao said, "Wen You, there are no outsiders here."

Su Yuanbai, Dong Yinglai, and Chang Fei nodded slightly as well, curious what insight he had to offer.

Wen You hesitated before saying, "What concerns me is the court. Once Meng Shanming attacks Great Song and the Grand Commander-in-Chief ignores him and simply allows the attack to continue, I fear some people at court may begin questioning the Grand Commander-in-Chief's intentions."

He had barely finished when a cry of "Report!" sounded from outside.

Someone entered and presented a letter from the court.

Wen You took it first, read it, then handed it to Luo Zhao. "Grand Commander-in-Chief, the court has already noticed the matter."

Luo Zhao read the letter and said, "Reply truthfully."

Su Yuanbai, Dong Yinglai, and Chang Fei then read it in turn.

The court had indeed noticed that Meng Shanming appeared ready to attack Song. It was worried as well. The letter specifically mentioned that Meng Shanming was no mediocre opponent and asked how Luo Zhao intended to respond.

Plainly, the shadow Meng Shanming had left over Song in years past had never completely disappeared. Now that he had returned to the field and might once again be aiming at Song, some people had already lost their confidence.

Wen You quietly studied the three Elders' reactions again before speaking. "Grand Commander-in-Chief, naturally we should answer truthfully. But I fear a careful explanation will also be necessary. Otherwise, the tongues of men are fearsome. Some people at court who like to pull others down may become restless."

"If enough rumors spread, people may fail to understand how much effort the Grand Commander-in-Chief has poured into the campaign here and instead imagine you harbor selfish motives."

Luo Zhao understood immediately.

Those words had been spoken for the three Elders to hear.

There was no helping certain things. No court in any state was ever a solid block of iron. There were always men eager to drag others down.

After appearing to consider the matter, Luo Zhao said, "Naturally I will explain when I reply. I wonder whether the three Elders might also send letters of explanation to your respective sects, lest those who do not know the circumstances think Luo is merely speaking in his own defense."

He wanted the three of them to explain matters to the three major sects at the same time and help stabilize his rear.

The three Elders looked at one another and finally nodded.

Su Yuanbai said, "Grand Commander-in-Chief, rest assured. We have all seen how tirelessly you have labored at the front, and there is absolutely no selfish motive involved. We will not sit by and let you suffer an injustice so easily. We will write back and explain the stakes clearly."

"Exactly," Dong Yinglai and Chang Fei agreed.

Luo Zhao immediately cupped his hands and thanked them.

...

Changzhou's forces rolled onward in a vast procession, divided into two marching columns. Between those two columns moved another army, court troops being driven forward under pressure from the military-law enforcement force.

Warhorses galloped back and forth around a carriage. Intelligence arrived continuously, including reports on the progress of the advance parties felling trees along the Dongyu River and binding them into rafts.

A magnificent white warhorse was led beside the carriage as well. It was the gift Song's Grand Commander-in-Chief Luo Zhao had sent Meng Shanming.

After Zhang Hu learned that Luo Da'an, who stayed beside Meng Shanming, was Luo An's son, he could not help sighing with emotion.

He had heard of Luo An's death. Only now did he learn that Marshal Meng had taken Luo An's elder son with him and was personally training him, while the younger son had become Lan Ruoting's disciple and thus a grand-disciple of Luo Shaofu.

Such thorough arrangements for a man's descendants were a blessing many people could not obtain even if they begged for it. Their prospects were boundless. If there was a future, their achievements might well surpass Luo An's.

Zhang Hu thought that if Luo An, who had died fighting to save Marshal Meng and the Prince, knew of this beneath the earth, he could surely close his eyes in peace.

Zhang Hu and Luo An had once been acquaintances as well. Luo An's rank had been lower than his, but he had been one of Prince Ning's trusted personal guards, and the two had known each other well enough to address each other as brothers.

An old friend was gone. There was nothing Zhang Hu could do but sigh over it, though he did give Luo Da'an a fine warhorse.

Along the march, he also showed Luo Da'an considerable care.

Behind Meng Shanming's carriage, Gongsun Bu traveled with more than a dozen disciples of Wuliang Mountain. Each carried a cage containing a Goldenwing, the cage covered in black cloth.

After receiving Niu Youdao's message, Gongsun Bu had immediately brought men to rendezvous with Meng Shanming. Niu Youdao wanted to know the situation here at all times.

Inside the swaying carriage, a map lay before Meng Shanming. These days, a campaign map almost never left his side.

Whenever intelligence or reports arrived, he frequently consulted the map while thinking them over.

A volume concerning the seasonal solar terms lay beside him as well. From time to time, he would lean toward the carriage window and study the clouds in the sky.

When the army halted to rest, Meng Shanming was carried down from the carriage to get some air.

Nearby, Zhang Hu finished reading a letter, strode over, and offered it with both hands.

"Marshal, another decree has come from the imperial court. It orders us to turn around immediately and pursue Song's army."

Meng Shanming waved a hand without taking the letter, clearly uninterested in reading it. After so many decrees, they all said much the same thing.

Zhang Hu had no choice but to put it away. Even so, he tried asking, "Marshal, do you truly intend to attack Song?"

Meng Shanming asked in return, "Do you think I am playing some child's game?"

"No, no. This subordinate general did not mean that." Zhang Hu scratched his head and gave a sheepish grin.

When facing this man, he occasionally slipped back into the manner of the young soldier who had once served at Meng Shanming's side. Soldiers nearby who happened to see it secretly smiled.

Zhang Hu continued, "This subordinate general only thinks Song's defenses along the Dongyu River are solid as iron. And our greatest problem is grain. Without grain in hand, this battle will be very difficult to fight."

Meng Shanming said slowly, "I have not yet become senile. I have my own judgment."

What else could Zhang Hu say after that?

It was not that Meng Shanming failed to understand the underlying principles.

The ultimate meaning of a state's existence lay in maintaining the balance between the people's supply and needs. The moment war began, that balance was shattered at once, and the violence of the disruption far exceeded what ordinary events could cause.

War across a broad region could almost bring production in every trade to a halt. With output gone and only consumption remaining, the consequences were terrifying. A shortage of one essential resource could trigger shortages of others in a chain.

The principle was simple.

In ordinary times, a household might store only ten days or half a month's grain because more could always be bought in the market with money. No one worried much about it.

But once trouble came, suppose households suddenly tried to store a month's grain instead. Across an entire state, there would be no need for every household to do so. If merely a substantial portion did, the national balance of grain supply could be destroyed almost immediately, perhaps even collapse altogether.

That was why things that seemed common in ordinary markets could suddenly appear to vanish completely once war began.

It was also why, from ancient times onward, once a stable state descended into war, famine so easily followed.

A warning cry suddenly came from the rear.

Zhang Hu whipped his head around.

Several large flying mounts were approaching through the sky. Flying mounts from this side immediately rose to meet them and identify the newcomers.

The Cave Master of Zijin Cave had arrived in person.

Gong Lince had come all the way from Yanjing.

Zijin Cave disciples immediately went forward to pay their respects.

After briefly questioning his fellow sect members, Gong Lince came to Meng Shanming.

He found the old marshal looking weary, with bloodshot eyes.

"Marshal Meng, we meet again. You look exhausted. Have you not been resting well?"

Meng Shanming sighed. "Thank you for your concern, Sect Leader Gong. For you to come personally, surely you did not travel all this way merely to look at me?"

Gong Lince said, "You cannot possibly be unaware of why I came. Song's army is already heading straight for the capital, yet you refuse to obey orders. Not only do you refuse to pursue Song, you have ordered the army to withdraw instead. The entire court is in panic. What is the meaning of this?"

Meng Shanming replied, "I too am only acting on orders. Sect Leader Gong should ask Prince Yong."

"Who is actually controlling the war?" Gong Lince asked. "Do you and I still need to circle around the matter?"

"I have already explained what needed explaining to the disciples of the three major sects. Luo Zhao wants nothing more than to lead our army around by the nose. Pursuing him is useless. Did your disciples not pass that on?"

Gong Lince said, "Wasn't that explanation a little too simple? How is it supposed to convince everyone? You have said what ought to be said. Since I came personally, shouldn't you tell me a few things that ought not be said publicly?"

Meng Shanming asked, "What does Sect Leader Gong wish to know?"

"Why is the army sitting by and watching the capital without saving it? Why refuse battle with Song? Why withdraw in this direction?"

"The army's movements are obvious enough. I doubt Sect Leader Gong truly cannot see them. I intend to gather the army and attack Song, thereby relieving the siege on the capital. I hope to force Song's army to turn back so that we can decide matters quickly."

"Hope?" Gong Lince repeated. "The idea sounds fine. But what if Song refuses to turn around?"

"Sect Leader Gong, the grain in the army's hands will not last even ten days. If the imperial court can give me sufficient provisions, then there is no problem. I will pursue Song and find a way to annihilate them."

"But under present conditions, how am I supposed to pursue?"

"If I truly do as Song wishes and chase them, they need only lead our army around for several days. The moment our provisions run out, we will collapse without fighting."

"And under circumstances like these, the court still issues decree after decree trying to force the matter. Sect Leader Gong, I would like to ask you something. What exactly is inside the heads of those people at court?"

Gong Lince fell silent for a moment.

He could more or less guess how the men at court were thinking and why they were panicking.

Meng Shanming sighed again.

"I am being forced into this, Sect Leader Gong. Right now my only choice is to threaten Song itself and force Song's army to return so we can settle the matter quickly. I will say it again: the grain will not last long."

Gong Lince said, "And I will ask again: what if Song refuses to turn around?"

"That would not necessarily be a bad thing. Song's main army would only be moving farther and farther away from me. It would be difficult for them to return in haste."

"With no threat behind me, I could attack Song without reserve. Then we would see what choice Luo Zhao makes."

Gong Lince said, "As far as I know, Song's defensive line is extremely strong. Can you break through it so easily? And if you attack for a long time without breaking it, you yourself just said your grain is insufficient."

Meng Shanming's voice abruptly rose.

"Even if we can't break through, we have to attack!"

"If we do not attack, is there any road left for this army to live?"

"Sect Leader Gong can go look for himself. The common people behind us are already eating grass and gnawing tree bark. We cannot even seize a mouthful of grain from them anymore."

"Conditions inside Song are better than in Yan. Only by breaking into Song territory can we still think of some way forward."

"I am commander of this army. I cannot stand here and watch the men under me starve to death."

"The army must fight open a road to survival!"

Gong Lince asked, "And simply sit by while Yanjing falls?"

Meng Shanming answered with a question of his own.

"Do the three major sects want to preserve the capital, or preserve the State of Yan?"

[End of Chapter 677]