Chapter 191: The Furious Emperor

"Don't you think this is actually pretty interesting?

"An Emperor rebelling against his own family."

The Marquis of Zhenbei sat atop his Pixiu, chewing dried rations while speaking.

"The difference between an Emperor and an ordinary person can sometimes be enormous.

"At other times—there is no difference at all.

"An Emperor without real power can sometimes live worse than an ordinary commoner."

The Marquis of Zhenbei nodded in agreement.

"Does the Son of Heaven possess a seed?

"Whoever has strong soldiers and powerful horses may claim the position."

That had been an unchanging truth since ancient times.

With the Jin Emperor personally acting as a guide, the two hundred thousand Yan iron cavalry entered Jin through South Gate Pass.

Their advance became astonishingly fast.

The Yu Clan was still Jin's imperial surname.

True the Three Great Clans had controlled the state's power for several generations.

But the imperial house had not spent all those years simply eating, drinking, and waiting to die.

Certain arrangements.

Certain hidden pieces.

In normal times they could not change anything at all.

At a moment like this, however they produced miraculous results.

Along the route, the Yan army passed three strategic passes and seven fortified stockades.

Two passes and four stockades opened their gates and surrendered directly.

Inside the remaining positions the Yan already possessed collaborators.

The army paid almost no price.

It barely even lost time.

From southwestern Jin at South Gate Pass it drove directly northwest.

The Yan-Jin border where the current battlefield lay was already right before them.

Ultimately the location where the Yan army had entered was simply too sensitive.

It was as though the armies of the Wenren and Helian Clans were fighting Yan garrisons across a doorway while the Marquis of Zhenbei and Marquis of Jingnan had led the main army around the door and approached from diagonally behind them.

The distance truly was that short.

And precisely because the answer lay directly beneath the lamp it became the place people least expected.

"Wujing.

"Although this Marquis has fought plenty of battles in the desert—

"I still have to admit that in the art of commanding troops—

"I am inferior to you."

During ordinary conversation, the two men usually referred to one another casually.

When the Marquis of Zhenbei deliberately called himself "this Marquis" it meant the conversation had become serious.

"You are too modest," Tian Wujing answered expressionlessly.

The Marquis of Zhenbei did not know how to fight?

Anyone who heard such a thing would laugh their teeth out.

No one would believe it.

"I'm serious.

"By the time I inherited the Marquis of Zhenbei's household—my father and grandfather had already beaten the barbarians soft.

"When it became my turn to carry the burden—the barbarians were already soft persimmons.

"Truthfully—rather than saying I know how to fight—it's more accurate to say the Zhenbei Army beneath me possesses terrifying combat strength.

"There are very few battles it cannot win."

Li Fusheng had once told Zheng Fan that war ultimately came down to four words strong soldiers, powerful horses.

That was the Zhenbei Army's belief.

And its confidence.

When you possess absolute strength as long as you advance steadily and avoid mistakes you are already overwhelmingly likely to win.

When three thousand of your cavalry can smash headlong into an enemy formation of tens of thousands seven or eight times, reform again, and launch yet another charge how exactly are you supposed to lose?

"Truthfully, when His Majesty first named you commander of this campaign against Jin—

"I felt no resentment whatsoever.

"I merely thought the Zhenbei Army's growth below had become somewhat too great.

"Supporting your southern Marquisate so that one stood north and one south—would create balance.

"That would be good for Great Yan's future as well.

"But I truly did not expect—that there really are people beneath Heaven who seem born already knowing.

"How many years has your Jingnan Army gone without fighting a true war?

"Normally—you merely trained troops.

"Yet from marching south into Qian—to borrowing passage through Qian and entering Jin—you understood the mountains and rivers, the routes of advance, even the weather and climate.

"The army moved incredibly quickly.

"And without making a sound.

"If I had been commander—

"I absolutely could not have achieved this."

"There is no such thing as being born knowing.

"I have simply spent these years studying these matters.

"Even the marching routes—

"I did not merely send merchant caravans through them repeatedly.

"Two years ago—

"I personally disguised myself and joined a caravan to travel the route once.

"In the end—

"I simply lacked confidence.

"So I prepared more.

"That way—

"I could feel a little more secure."

"Hey.

"Stop being modest in front of me.

"I rarely praise anyone.

"When I praise you—just accept it."

"Fine.

"I am indeed better at fighting wars than you."

"That's bullshit!"

Tian Wujing raised his head and looked at the sky.

Then said, "Truthfully, His Majesty began planning this battle before he even ascended the throne.

"The Jin imperial house has been able to preserve a degree of independence until now.

"Do you truly think a few merchant caravans could sustain them?

"His Majesty has been secretly supporting them the entire time.

"Not merely with silver and wealth.

"With people as well.

"Those people returned to Jin alongside imperial merchant caravans.

"Through the Jin Emperor's connections, their identities were cleaned.

"They became Jin people.

"And because the Three Great Clans wanted to suppress the Emperor's faction—anyone who displayed obvious talent within Jin's miniature imperial court would be recruited by one clan or another.

"Of the three passes and seven stockades we passed over the last several days—it looked as though Jin Emperor loyalists opened them.

"But half the people inside—were actually Yan men."

"War is war.

"Why does fighting a war have to involve so many twists and schemes?

"Makes my damned head hurt."

"If your Zhenbei Army numbered not three hundred thousand—but six hundred thousand—eight hundred thousand—one million—then we would not need to take this detour either.

"In the end—

"Great Yan still lacks enough land.

"Too few people.

"We cannot be called some tiny state with a tiny population.

"But compared with Qian, Chu, and Jin—our position is genuinely difficult.

"When a smaller force tries to overcome a greater one—technique becomes necessary.

"Because even if both sides suffer equally—the loser is still us."

"Hey.

"I've always thought Qian was the richest.

"The Three Frontiers they call bitter and cold—to us Yan people—look practically like Jiangnan beyond the frontier."

"Zhao Jiulang once said—

"Qian suppresses the military with civil authority.

"It appears weak.

"But the achievements of its civil institutions lie inward rather than outward.

"Breaking Qian is easy.

"Governing Qian afterward is difficult.

"Jin is different.

"The Jin Emperor's branch has been weak for several generations.

"The state may still be called Jin—but in reality, rulers do not act like rulers, ministers do not act like ministers, and the state scarcely acts like a state.

"Once we break their armies—taming the Jin people will actually be easier than taming Qian."

"Every damned one of you knows how to talk.

"Makes it feel like I'm the only rough bastard.

"Dog meat that can't be brought onto the banquet table."

The Marquis of Jingnan shook his head.

"You possess the finest elite troops beneath Heaven—yet you never proclaimed yourself King and remained willing to serve Great Yan.

"Among all beneath Heaven—there truly are not many men cleverer than you, Li Liangting.

"Look at Jin's situation—three clans dividing the state.

"Let me say something that could condemn the heart.

"If Great Yan did not possess you and me—how would it be any different from the Jin before us?"

"That sounded like you were praising yourself.

"But since you brought this Marquis along for the praise—

"I'll accept it.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Tian Wujing drew in the reins.

The Pi Beast beneath him stopped.

Li Liangting signaled for his Pixiu to halt as well.

The two Marquises of Great Yan looked at one another.

Tian Wujing said, "When discussing the cavalry of this age—

"Great Yan's iron cavalry is publicly recognized as number one beneath Heaven.

"But the Jin have never accepted that judgment.

"Jin lacks neither horses nor cavalry.

"They simply never possessed an opportunity to truly compete against Great Yan's iron cavalry."

Li Liangting reached down and gently patted the head of the Pixiu beneath him.

Then said, "To say we'll beat them until they submit—would be too crude.

"If they refuse to accept it—then let them hold it in.

"If holding it in becomes uncomfortable?

"Easy enough.

"Die."

...

Beside the Bian River—

Li Fusheng ordered the army to withdraw.

However, one day before retreating, Li Fusheng deliberately led his iron cavalry in smashing through a Qian fortified camp composed of tens of thousands of relief troops from various regions.

To outsiders it looked purely as though he wanted to vent the frustration that had been trapped inside his chest.

Only Zheng Fan knew—

Li Fusheng's face had been glowing red that day.

Where did he look frustrated?

He looked more like some lively child finally being allowed to run wild.

When the Yan withdrew across the Bian River the Qian army that had circled around from upstream merely camped outside Upper Capital and remained firmly behind its fortifications.

They had spent several days marching there.

It almost seemed as though they had come for no other reason than to wave farewell to their Yan friends from afar.

After the retreat reached Beihe Commandery—

Li Fusheng's force merged with Li Bao's.

Both armies had fought bitter battles in succession.

But Li Bao's casualties were even more obvious.

Li Bao himself had lost one arm.

When Zheng Fan followed behind Li Fusheng to see Li Bao the man was eating garlic with his remaining right hand.

The moment Li Bao saw Li Fusheng he bared his teeth.

And smiled.

Li Fusheng walked over.

He hugged Li Bao.

Then, Li Bao kicked him to the ground and sent him rolling several times.

"You son of a lowly maid!

"Rotten bastard!"

Li Fusheng silently sat up from the ground.

He was not angry.

Instead, he answered, "Got it out of your system?

"If not—kick me a few more times."

"Enough."

Li Bao nodded.

Then, he stepped forward and kicked Li Fusheng twice more.

Li Fusheng rolled across the ground another two times.

Then cursed, "Didn't you say you'd had enough?

"Why the hell are you still kicking?

"You think I'll let you climb all over my head?"

"Because I don't dare kick those other two.

"So I can only vent on you!"

Hearing that Li Fusheng fell silent.

Originally they had believed their two forces were the bait advancing deep into enemy territory.

Who could have imagined they were actually isolated armies!

They had fought and killed their way forward.

How many of their men had died?

Yet in the end it had all been a feint.

Li Bao especially to help Li Fusheng raid Upper Capital, he had voluntarily led his troops to assault Qian's heavily fortified camps.

He could understand the plan.

But he was still furious.

And there was nowhere to direct that fury.

Li Fusheng sat on the ground, looking somewhat dejected.

Li Bao stepped closer.

He grabbed a handful of garlic with his right hand and offered it to Li Fusheng.

Then said, "Eat some garlic.

"Forget it."

...

The Yan withdrew.

Inside Upper Capital commoners hung lanterns and decorations everywhere.

They celebrated victory.

At court civil and military officials cried out in unison:

"His Majesty is wise!"

Emperor Zhao sat upon the dragon throne with carefully restrained dignity.

He held a cup of wine.

Sipped it little by little.

Inside his head he quietly calculated how many people could be removed from court after this crisis.

How many of his own people could be promoted.

How much silver the treasury could save.

How many new troops that silver could train.

The commoners celebrated because they had survived disaster.

But seeing his civil and military officials celebrate this wildly—

Emperor Zhao had only four words in his mind:

*Painting over peace.*

At least this time, he had not fallen into Yan's trap.

The Three Frontiers remained under Qian's control.

Qian's elite forces were still intact.

With that skeleton preserved he could train several more elite armies around it.

He would never again allow Yan cavalry to ride south through his realm as though entering an empty wilderness.

As for the final outcome of the board that would depend upon the games played in years to come.

Several days later news arrived from northeastern Qian.

The entire Qian court was stunned.

The Marquis of Zhenbei and Marquis of Jingnan of Yan had led two hundred thousand iron cavalry through South Gate Pass.

They erupted from behind the Jin army.

The Clan Head of the Helian Clan died in battle.

The Clan Head of the Wenren Clan was captured.

Of Jin's six-hundred-thousand-strong army more than half were killed or wounded.

Those who threw down their weapons and surrendered numbered in the tens of thousands.

The current Jin Emperor, Yu Ciming personally cut off the head of the Wenren Clan Head.

Then submitted a memorial to Yanjing kneeling and requesting incorporation into Yan.

The entire western half of Jin fell into the territory of Great Yan!

The Situ Clan sent envoys to Chu seeking aid.

But by sheer coincidence the Emperor of Chu had died.

The various Princes immediately began fighting for the throne!

That night a furious Emperor Zhao seized a sword and smashed every piece of porcelain inside the Pavilion for Seeking Spring.

The schemes he had believed so clever.

The countermeasures he had thought decisive and brilliant.

In the end the only Yan troops that had truly marched south into Qian numbered fewer than sixty thousand cavalry!

And he had personally ordered the elite troops of Qian's Three Frontiers not to return in defense.

He had strictly ordered local garrisons throughout the realm to hold their positions and refuse to move.

That was what allowed the Yan to kill their way all the way to the walls of Upper Capital!

His fury had not yet been exhausted.

But Emperor Zhao was already drained of all strength.

He collapsed weakly into a chair.

And suddenly inside his mind he remembered the sentence that Yan envoy surnamed Zheng had spoken directly to his face that day:

"Your Majesty—you've never fought a war."

(End of Chapter)