Chapter 949: Opening Battle: Heir Prince!

The Wei River rolled endlessly onward.

In terms of terrain, this river was effectively the dividing line between north and south.

North of it lay the flat expanses of Shanggu Commandery. Beyond Zhennan Pass stretched the basin of the Three Jins.

South of it began the standard landscape of Chu, crisscrossed by rivers and lakes.

And now... military camps had already risen along both banks, especially the northern side.

Large numbers of eastern Jin troops moved constantly between them.

Farther behind, still more soldiers and horses continued converging upon the river.

Qin Dayong sat astride his horse, following his Centurion on patrol along the Wei River.

There were many small cavalry detachments like theirs now, spread throughout the upstream and downstream regions.

Their purpose was to monitor the Chu navy.

Ever since the defeat in the First Battle of Wang River, Yan had always treated Chu’s navy with deep wariness.

Although Yan had spent all these years developing a navy of its own, its present strength still could not compare with Chu’s.

“Everyone rest here for a while.”

The Centurion gave the order.

The soldiers dismounted one after another.

They fed fodder to their horses and tossed down salt bricks for them to lick, while they themselves began eating roasted flour.

Qin Dayong noticed a large column of laborers moving southeast from the north.

They pushed cart after cart.

The objects loaded atop them were oddly shaped.

“Parts for trebuchets. And other siege equipment too,” the Centurion explained to the young Standard-Household soldiers under him. “These parts are the hardest to make and require specialized materials. Trying to produce them on the spot would be far too slow, so they were manufactured in the workshops outside Fengxin City and shipped here. The support frames and other ordinary timber pieces can be cut and assembled locally.”

Qin Dayong swallowed a mouthful of roasted flour.

He found himself wondering... could his two younger brothers be somewhere in that transport column?

...

“Second Brother, water.”

Qin Xiaoyong shouted while pushing the cart.

Qin Eryong unhooked his waterskin and tossed it over, then continued pushing.

Earlier, Xiaoyong had filled his own waterskin directly from a stream.

The Lieutenant overseeing this labor battalion had seen him do it and given him a lash.

Eastern Jin military regulations contained one very clear rule.

Whether combat soldier, auxiliary soldier, or laborer, unless conditions were so dire there was absolutely no alternative, no one was permitted to drink untreated water.

Xiaoyong hung the waterskin back on his second brother, then put both hands against the cart again and pushed.

“Little Brother, still hurt?”

“A little.”

“Remember the lesson.”

“Got it.”

The Qin brothers pushed their loaded cart into the camp.

Many bare-chested craftsmen were assembling equipment there.

Farther out, great numbers of laborers carried timber back and forth.

A dwarf stood atop a watchtower, directing the different groups of craftsmen.

Nearby, a man built like an iron tower lifted thick logs one after another and stacked them into piles.

“You two. Come carry timber.”

“Yes.”

Qin Eryong and his younger brother joined the “craftsmen.”

The labor continued until deep into the night.

No one even had time to eat along the way.

Only when work finally stopped did food arrive from the rear.

Rice.

Pickled vegetables.

Cured meat.

Plenty of it.

Enough to fill everyone.

After eating, Qin Xiaoyong leaned back and patted his stomach.

“Second Brother, is this how wars are fought?”

“I don’t know either.”

“Why haven’t the lights been extinguished yet!”

Xu An entered the auxiliary camp with a group of armored soldiers.

Seeing lights still burning, he immediately barked the question.

The Qin brothers watched their own Lieutenant hurry forward.

“General Xu, this camp returned from transporting materials this afternoon and was then assigned to the craftsmen’s camp until deep into the night. They only just finished eating, so we have not yet had time to—”

“Did the craftsmen’s camp issue written authorization?”

“No.”

“Did they return after curfew?”

“No.”

“Have they had a full quarter-hour to eat?”

“Yes.”

“Men. Seize him. Twenty strokes of the cane. Record a demerit.”

The Lieutenant opened his mouth.

Then, in the end, he could only kneel.

“This subordinate accepts punishment.”

“One more offense after this demerit, and you will be executed.”

“Yes!”

Xu An’s gaze swept across the camp.

His voice was cold.

“There are this many people in an army. Without rules holding everyone together, what kind of chaos do you think we would have? We haven’t fought a proper war in years, and you little bastards really have forgotten even the regulations.”

“Second Brother, that general is scary.”

“Stop talking nonsense. Back to the tent. Sleep.”

Qin Eryong dragged his younger brother into the tent.

“Second Brother, do you think we’ll go onto the battlefield?”

“I don’t know.”

“I kind of want to. But I’m scared too.”

“Heh. Who isn’t?”

...

After completing his inspection of the camps under his jurisdiction, Xu An mounted his horse and entered the central army.

He dismounted before the command tent and handed his register to Liu Dahu, who stood outside.

“General Xu came personally?” Liu Dahu knew Xu An.

Years ago, Xu An and Chen Xianba had both served as Jin Shuke’s personal guards.

“I happened to be nearby after inspecting the camps, so I brought it myself. Is His Highness holding council?”

“Yes.”

“I want to see His Highness and report something.”

“Please wait a moment, General Xu.”

Liu Dahu entered the command tent.

A short while later, he emerged and lifted the curtain.

Xu An stepped inside.

The Prince sat upon the commander’s seat.

Below him stood Chen Xianba and Qu Peiluo.

Heir Prince Jingnan sat nearby reviewing memorials.

The Prince’s gaze fell upon Xu An.

Xu An knelt.

“Your Highness, this general has a matter to report. I have discovered deficiencies in discipline and military law among the auxiliary and labor camps. I fear they may create future trouble.”

“It has become that serious?” the Prince asked.

“Replying to Your Highness, yes.”

The eastern Jin army had inherited the military style of the old Jingnan Army.

No matter how small the matter, military affairs were expected to be handled strictly.

But over these past years, although there had been annual exercises and large-scale troop rotations, a true campaign had not occurred in a long time.

Add the large number of young men entering the auxiliary and labor ranks this time, and sloppiness was beginning to appear.

In another army, problems of this level might not even have drawn attention.

To eastern Jin, they were already unacceptable.

More importantly, Xu An now served specifically as an officer responsible for military discipline.

This was his duty.

At that moment, Tian Tian looked up from the memorials he had been reviewing.

“Father Commander, there have been many reports these past days of auxiliary soldiers and laborers violating regulations.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

Then looked at Xu An.

“Xu An.”

“This general is here.”

“This Prince orders you to take charge of rectifying military discipline in the auxiliary and labor camps. The great war is about to begin. You do not have much time. Straighten their discipline out for me.”

“This general accepts the order!”

Xu An rose and withdrew from the command tent.

Zheng Fan’s gaze returned to Chen Xianba and Qu Peiluo.

The present situation was simple.

After leaving Zhennan Pass, eastern Jin’s army had surged forward aggressively and already spread its formations across southern Shanggu Commandery, along the Wei River.

Naturally, the troops were not piled together in one mass.

They had been dispersed across the front, concentrated according to strategic need.

Both sides knew perfectly well what came next.

Eastern Jin’s army intended to cross the river.

Chu had already begun a strategic withdrawal.

The Chu had no intention of fighting a decisive battle directly along the Wei River, because such a bargain favored Yan far too much.

If eastern Jin lost here, assuming they had properly guarded against the Chu navy beforehand, the result would at worst be a failed assault across the river.

They would suffer casualties.

They would lose men and horses.

But could one truly call it a crippling defeat?

Not really.

And even if eastern Jin’s first offensive failed, would the Chu army dare seize the opportunity to counterattack across the Wei River?

Never mind that Shanggu Commandery’s terrain would leave Chu’s infantry-based army practically running naked across open ground.

Even if they somehow exploded with strength and forced their way north...

Zhennan Pass would still be standing behind them.

Then the Chu army would be trapped between advance and retreat.

For Chu, any counterattack across the Wei River would have to achieve one strategic objective in a single continuous operation: defeat eastern Jin’s main army... and then capture Zhennan Pass.

Otherwise, across that broad open plain, eastern Jin cavalry could bury Chu’s elites alive.

Holding the Wei River itself was also a gamble.

If eastern Jin broke through at even one point and secured a landing—or went farther west, crossed around Sansuo Commandery, and came back around—then any Chu decision to defend the river line rigidly would become disastrous.

The defense would already resemble a long snake stretched in one straight line.

Puncture a few holes in it... and eastern Jin’s forces could divide, surround, and swallow the segments one by one.

Neither side had fought a major war in years.

But both understood the other’s tactical habits perfectly.

So from a purely military perspective, the decision of Chu’s Prince Xiong Tingshan to contract strategically and trade space for time was correct.

After all, Yan armies had twice broken deep into Chu territory in years past.

Both times... they had ultimately been forced to withdraw.

Still... the Chu could not retreat so cleanly that they offered no resistance at all.

At present, both armies lined opposite banks.

You know I intend to advance.

I know you intend to withdraw.

But there still had to be a few opening pushes.

A flourish.

A test.

Some point on this front would very likely become the focus of both sides.

They would fight there.

Then, depending on the result, both armies would proceed with their next steps.

And that was why Chen Xianba and Qu Peiluo had appeared here.

They wanted to slip in through the back door before tomorrow’s drum assembly of the generals and reserve this “opening victory” for themselves.

Once Xu An left...

Chen Xianba immediately spoke first.

“Your Highness, this general has operated along the Wei River for years. I know the defenses of the Chu water stockades and the Chu methods of battle extremely well. In addition, although this general commands only three thousand cavalry, every one of them is a brother-in-arms trained personally by me. They will fight. They can fight. Know yourself and know the enemy. For that reason, this general believes I can shoulder responsibility for the first battle!”

The moment Chen Xianba finished, Qu Peiluo spoke.

His tone lacked Chen Xianba’s hard edge.

After years of hardship, the former Young Master of the Qu Clan had gradually recovered some of the elegance that belonged to a nobleman of Great Chu.

“If we are speaking of knowing both sides, I am Chu. The men of my Chu Battalion are Chu as well. General Chen, I think we understand ourselves better.”

Chen Xianba turned and narrowed his eyes at Qu Peiluo.

Qu Peiluo smiled faintly, unafraid.

Then he cupped his hands.

“Your Highness, the Chu Battalion requests battle. In this war against Chu, using Chu to strike Chu is the proper answer.”

Zheng Fan sat upon the commander’s seat watching the two generals argue.

He seemed to find the choice extremely difficult.

Nearby, Tian Tian had gone back to reviewing memorials.

If anything... he seemed a little too quiet.

Zheng Fan reached out and nudged the teacup before him.

Tian Tian rose, picked up the cup, refilled it with hot tea, and returned it.

As he set it down, Zheng Fan looked at him in confusion.

“What?”

Tian Tian blinked.

“Hm?”

“Hehehe.”

Zheng Fan suddenly began laughing.

He pointed at Tian Tian.

“So you’re itching to fight too?”

Tian Tian hesitated.

“Uh...”

Zheng Fan looked toward Chen Xianba and Qu Peiluo below.

“What a problem. The two of you argued so hard you made this son of mine itch for battle too.”

Qu Peiluo immediately bowed.

“Then please allow His Highness the Heir Prince to fight the first battle. We will accept it wholeheartedly.”

After saying this...

Qu Peiluo turned and glanced at Chen Xianba beside him.

Chen Xianba drew a deep breath and cupped his fists.

“This general is willing to lend my troops to His Highness.”

Tian Tian’s formal status was Heir Prince Jingnan.

He was also the Regent Prince’s “eldest son.”

By feeling, by ritual, and by status, if he took the vanguard and seized the opening victory, there was truly nothing anyone could criticize.

After all, both his biological father and his adoptive father had left bloody scars across Chu.

For the son to inherit the fathers’ work now would boost morale on Yan’s side while further suppressing the enemy.

More importantly... the Prince had already asked with a smile like that.

His meaning was perfectly obvious.

He was not asking for anyone’s permission.

Chen Xianba and Tian Tian had half grown up together.

Tian Tian had called him “Brother Ba” for years.

No matter how proud Chen Xianba was, he still could not bring himself to compete against Tian Tian for this honor.

As for Qu Peiluo... why would he deliberately come all the way into this command tent to fight the hottest rising figure of eastern Jin’s new generation for the first engagement?

He wanted to accomplish something in this campaign.

But he had not grown so arrogant as to compete for precedence against the true members of the household.

Liu Dahu had called him here.

When he arrived and found Chen Xianba present, and Chen Xianba began asking for the battle...

Qu Peiluo understood the script.

Fine.

Argue.

Fight over it.

Now it turned out both of them had merely been paving the road for the Heir Prince.

And tomorrow, when the drums summoned the generals and assignments were formally made, the two of them would have to perform this entire argument again.

The Prince could practice “favoritism” openly in front of them.

But unless absolutely necessary, he still preferred to appear “fair and receptive” before the assembled generals.

Compared with Chen Xianba and Qu Peiluo, who surrendered the opportunity decisively...

Tian Tian himself was a little stunned.

He had genuinely never imagined his father would hand such an important opening battle directly to him.

He had assumed his task was to remain beside Father Commander, review memorials, run errands, and learn.

Of course, he had imagined fighting on the front line.

But this happiness had arrived so suddenly that it caught him unprepared.

Zheng Fan sipped his hot tea and watched Tian Tian’s slightly awkward expression.

For a moment... he remembered the days when Old Tian had shoved him forward like a duck onto a perch.

The difference was... back then, Zheng Fan genuinely had not wanted to risk his life.

Tian Tian... felt no fear.

Fate... seemed to have drawn a circle here.

Tian Tian stepped back two paces and knelt.

“This son will not disappoint Father Commander!”

The assignment... was accepted.

Zheng Fan set down his teacup.

“Xianba, take your troops and provide support.”

Chen Xianba looked slightly puzzled.

Earlier he had said he was willing to hand Tian Tian the troops he had personally trained.

But the Prince’s words clearly meant Tian Tian would not be using his men.

The problem was...

Tian Tian possessed no personal troops.

He had never truly had time to establish and develop a direct force of his own.

As an elder brother, Chen Xianba did not want Tian Tian thrown into command of some random unit gathered at the last moment for such an important battle.

They could not afford failure.

Never mind what failure would mean for the campaign.

Its effect upon Tian Tian himself would be enormous.

Sometimes... the glory of two fathers could become its own crushing pressure.

A tiger father could not have a dog for a son.

Because a dog of a son... would be bitten to death.

Then Zheng Fan spoke again.

“I’ll assign the Brocade-Clad personal guards to you.”

Chen Xianba had nothing left to say.

Young though he was, bold enough to fear neither Heaven nor tiger... he had once served personally beside the Prince.

He knew exactly what kind of force the Brocade-Clad personal guards were.

Since their establishment, their sole responsibility had been protecting the Prince’s safety.

If Li Chenghui’s force represented the final glory of the old Zhenbei Army... if Liang Cheng’s command represented eastern Jin’s true elite... if Jin Shuke’s command represented eastern Jin’s baseline strength... then the Brocade-Clad personal guards were the true concentration of the finest essence in the entire eastern Jin army.

Elite among elites.

More importantly...

Tian Tian knew them extremely well.

With the main army holding the field behind him, and the Brocade-Clad personal guards used to crack the situation, Chen Xianba truly could not imagine how Tian Tian could lose.

Both Yan and Chu would tacitly keep this first exchange within a controlled scale.

“Many thanks, Father Commander!”

Zheng Fan nodded.

Then waved his hand.

“This general withdraws!”

“This general withdraws!”

Chen Xianba and Qu Peiluo left together.

Once outside the command tent...

Qu Peiluo glanced at Chen Xianba curiously.

“General Chen doesn’t seem especially dissatisfied.”

Chen Xianba sneered.

“I’m not so petty.”

“Then Qu apologizes.”

“No need.”

Inside the command tent...

Tian Tian, having received his military order, looked uncertain for a moment.

Should he go reorganize the Brocade-Clad personal guards?

Or should he sit back down and finish reviewing the memorials he had not completed?

“I’ll handle the memorials. Go speak with them.”

“Yes!”

Tian Tian turned and began walking out.

Then a voice sounded behind him.

“Wait.”

Tian Tian stopped and turned.

“Father Commander?”

Zheng Fan raised one hand.

A red stone flew toward Tian Tian.

Tian Tian caught it.

“Big Sister.”

“He is a child you watched grow up. Now he is going onto the battlefield. It is only right that you protect him for a stretch of the road.”

The red stone stood upright in Tian Tian’s palm.

Then swayed from side to side.

Demon Child had always been extraordinarily arrogant.

No matter what instruction or order it received, whether it intended to obey or not, even if it did obey, it always had to show an attitude of extreme reluctance first.

But this time... it was perfectly willing.

Tian Tian had grown up beneath its watch.

“Father, your son will definitely not disappoint you!”

With that...

Tian Tian took the red stone and left the command tent.

Almost immediately, his shout rang from outside.

“By order of the Regent Prince, from this moment onward the Brocade-Clad personal guards are under my command!”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

Inside the command tent...

Zheng Fan leaned sideways against the commander’s seat.

One finger tapped lightly against the armrest.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Gradually... a smile appeared at the corner of Zheng Fan’s mouth.

“Chief Commander of Snow Sea Pass, General of Great Cheng, Count Pingye Zheng Fan, receive your orders!”

“This general is here!”

“This Prince orders your command to seize Yangshan Stockade directly. Win, and this Prince will record the first merit of the war against Chu under your name. Lose... and don’t come back. You might as well go ask the Chu across the river whether they are still willing to take in their perfectly legitimate Imperial Son-in-Law.”

“This general... accepts the order.”

[End of Chapter 949]