Chapter 950: King Against King

“BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!”

“WOOOOOO!”

War drums thundered.

Horns howled.

Every formation was rapidly moving into position.

The clash of weapons and armor carried a dense killing intent through the air.

The Regent Prince’s mobile headquarters rolled forward to the front.

On the raised command platform, the Regent Prince sat alone.

Siniang and Mr. Bei stood on either side.

One level below them stood A’Ming and the Sword Saint.

Another level down stood the standard-bearers and signal soldiers.

Around the mobile headquarters, mounted orderlies from every command waited in full readiness, ensuring that the Regent Prince’s will could be carried to any corner of the battlefield as quickly as possible.

The Blind Man’s hands were itching again.

He had started peeling an orange.

Only... he was peeling it very slowly.

Master would refuse.

Siniang would refuse.

The Sword Saint would refuse.

A’Ming... would refuse too.

Peel it too quickly, and he would only end up eating it himself.

That was no fun.

“Master, the atmosphere today really is different from every campaign before this. No rushing around in desperation. No staking everything on a single throw. Comfortable. Leisurely. Downright pleasant.”

Zheng Fan smiled.

At present, the frontal battlefield along the Wei River had been divided into four sections.

Li Chenghui’s thirty thousand iron cavalry had already entered Sansuo Commandery.

Naturally, they had not advanced deeply.

They simply occupied the Wei River line there and made a show of preparing to cross.

Jin Shuke’s command stood upstream, to Zheng Fan’s east.

Liang Cheng’s army stood downstream, to Zheng Fan’s west.

Why had the Chu obediently adopted the posture of drawing back?

This was why.

And this central battlefield... was personally controlled by Zheng Fan, Regent Prince of Great Yan.

Zheng Fan leaned sideways in the commander’s seat.

One finger moved lightly forward.

“Advance.”

“BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!”

This battlefield lay not far from the ruins of Jing City.

Years ago, Jing City had been a major Chu logistics base.

Zheng Fan had led troops across the water in a surprise attack and burned the entire place down.

In the years since, Yan and Chu had mostly limited themselves to small clashes around the Wei River.

Jing City, despite its strategic location, had never been rebuilt.

But once eastern Jin’s army crossed the river and pushed out a broad buffer zone...

Jing City would certainly rise again.

Zheng Fan and Liang Cheng had long since discussed the objectives of this campaign against Chu with perfect clarity.

First, cripple the imperial-clan Imperial Guards.

Then seize Moya, Wenqiu, and Shangyang Commanderies.

Afterward, absorb Sansuo and Liusha Commanderies along the momentum of victory.

On that basis, Shanggu Commandery—which eastern Jin had controlled for years but could never truly develop because it remained exposed—would finally transform from strategic buffer into interior territory.

Add everything together... and the six-commandery region would actually be somewhat larger than eastern Jin itself.

It would be like taking a spoon and gouging a huge bite out of northern Chu, then gifting Zheng Fan’s imperial brother-in-law a passive version of:

“The Son of Heaven guards the national gate.”

Such a vast region could not be conquered and held through eastern Jin’s strength alone.

Fortunately... this was a national war.

“Advance!”

Xue San stood atop Fan Li’s shoulders with a signal flag in his hand.

Under his direction, trebuchets and other siege engines began moving forward.

They had already bombarded Chu’s water stockades on the opposite bank during the previous two days.

The actual casualties inflicted had been limited.

After all... these things possessed no guidance systems.

Not everyone could enjoy the kind of absurd luck the Regent Prince himself had once possessed...

Still, casualty numbers could be set aside for the moment.

When a long line of trebuchets began pounding the opposite bank with crash after crash, the psychological effect was obvious.

Enemy morale suffered.

Friendly morale surged.

Most importantly... obstacles, defensive works, and prepared positions along the opposite bank could be smashed apart as thoroughly as possible.

After several rounds of bombardment, Xue San ordered a halt.

Yan boats had already begun moving forward.

There were not many large vessels.

Most were medium and small craft.

Next came the insertion of the vanguard.

High above in his commander’s seat, Zheng Fan could clearly see the young silver-armored general standing at the riverbank.

“Blind Man.”

“Master?”

“Back then, when Tian Wujing watched me, do you think it looked like how I’m watching Tian Tian now?”

“This subordinate thinks it was different.”

“Oh?”

“Back then, Master had already distinguished himself. Whether in breadth of vision or in temperament, you had already proven yourself a rare talent. Only on that foundation did Prince Jingnan begin to value Master.”

The Blind Man’s meaning was simple.

You had ability first.

You showed results first.

Only then did you qualify to enter Prince Jingnan’s eyes.

Without that premise... nothing that followed would ever have happened.

“But the way Master watches Tian Tian now is purely a father hoping his son becomes a dragon.”

Zheng Fan neither agreed nor disagreed.

He turned and glanced toward the Sword Saint standing below him.

“Want me to go?” the Sword Saint asked, sensing Zheng Fan’s gaze.

Zheng Fan shook his head.

“He’s a fledgling eagle.”

The Sword Saint smiled faintly.

“At least he has more promise than his father did.”

“I’ll take that entirely as praise.”

Zheng Fan looked toward the upper and lower wings of the battlefield.

Then he called down to Liu Dahu.

“Transmit the order. Watch the upstream and downstream sectors closely.”

“Yes!”

Liu Dahu immediately left to relay the command.

What Zheng Fan wanted was simple.

Either the Chu did not fight at all and simply withdrew... or, if they did fight, they kept it shallow.

A brief exchange.

Nothing more.

“Master, Prince Jingnan never arranged things this carefully for you back then.”

Thinking back... every assignment Prince Jingnan had handed Zheng Fan seemed to promise enormous merit.

And every single one had also been terrifyingly dangerous.

Zheng Fan did not care.

“One of us called him Brother. The other calls me Father. How could that be the same?”

“Master speaks with reason.”

...

As Army Supervisor, Eunuch Huang needed some occasion to make his existence felt.

So at this moment...

Eunuch Huang stood at the riverbank.

An imperial edict rested in both hands.

He began reading the decree of the Emperor of Great Yan toward the opposite shore.

The wording was magnificent.

One of the Grand Secretaries had drafted it.

Every line displayed His Majesty the Emperor of Great Yan’s ambition to swallow the universe and unify all Xia.

Unfortunately... the far bank had just been battered by trebuchets.

The river itself was broad.

And now the wind had risen.

Although some Chu soldiers could be seen moving on the opposite bank... they probably could not hear a single word Eunuch Huang was saying.

Even if they could... they might have assumed a wild-duck nest had been smashed by a trebuchet and the birds were now flapping around in panic.

Still...

Eunuch Huang read the entire decree from beginning to end.

And felt extremely satisfied afterward.

What made him even happier was that once he finished, the Heir Prince standing beside him voluntarily asked:

“Eunuch Huang, can I attack now?”

Eunuch Huang found the young Heir Prince utterly endearing.

Naturally, he did not dare act arrogantly.

He immediately bowed.

“This slave wishes Your Highness a triumphant return!”

Tian Tian smiled.

“Father Commander means to occupy the territory this time. It isn’t a matter of fighting and then coming back.”

“This slave misspoke. This slave misspoke.”

Eunuch Huang lightly slapped his own mouth twice.

Then... he gestured toward the crowd of godsons and god-grandsons behind him.

The eunuchs immediately opened the boxes they were carrying.

From inside... they drew out a military standard.

The banner of the Jingnan Army.

Eunuch Huang might officially be “retired,” but that merely meant he was enjoying life.

The fact that he had reached eastern Jin ten full days ahead of schedule proved his bones remained extraordinarily sturdy.

Now Eunuch Huang personally lifted the Jingnan Army banner onto his shoulder.

“Heir Prince, this slave will carry the banner for you!”

Tian Tian looked at the standard.

He did not show much excitement.

Truthfully... he did not feel particularly close to his biological father.

If his own father had not spent his entire childhood repeatedly telling him stories about that man, Tian Tian might by now have almost forgotten that he possessed another father at all.

This Jingnan Army banner...

Tian Tian turned somewhat anxiously toward the princely mobile headquarters behind him.

“Eunuch Huang, is this really appropriate?”

Tian Tian knew perfectly well that his title was Heir Prince Jingnan.

But on the first campaign of his life, he did not especially want to march under this banner.

Especially not while his father sat behind him watching.

Dad... might feel hurt.

Eunuch Huang froze for a moment.

Then he immediately said:

“Your Highness, rest assured. Rest assured. His Highness the Regent Prince personally sent men to entrust this banner to this slave. Your Highness must not overthink it. This slave is an old man from those years. I know perfectly well how close our Regent Prince and Prince Jingnan truly were. Today is Your Highness’s first battle. His Highness probably hopes Prince Jingnan can see you too.”

Since it was his own father’s arrangement...

Tian Tian accepted immediately.

“Thank you, Eunuch Huang.”

“Aiya, Your Highness is too courteous. Too courteous.”

Hum!

Tian Tian drew his saber.

Then he turned toward row after row of Brocade-Clad personal guards behind him.

“Elder brothers. Uncles. Some of you watched me grow up. Some of you grew up alongside me. Today, by Father Commander’s grace, you have been placed at my side and ordered to follow me into battle. To command you... is my fortune. And my honor. The military law of eastern Jin asks three things. First! Can military orders stand like mountains?”

Every Brocade-Clad personal guard roared together:

“HU!”

“Second! Can you fight bravely at the front?”

“HU!”

“Third! Can you look upon death as returning home?”

“HU! HU! HU!”

Tian Tian’s gaze swept ahead.

Then... he slowly turned toward the river.

He raised his saber horizontally and shouted:

“Today I swear... I will charge ahead of all of you! Brothers! Board the ships with me!”

...

On the princely mobile headquarters... the Blind Man suddenly lowered his head toward Zheng Fan.

“Master, when you assigned the Brocade-Clad personal guards to Tian Tian, did you give him the princely command token?”

Zheng Fan raised one hand and lightly smacked his forehead.

“Oh. Forgot.”

The Blind Man smiled too.

“Give the order. Move the princely headquarters forward. I want to watch my son.”

“Yes!”

...

The Brocade-Clad personal guards began boarding the ships.

Every one wore the distinctive brocade uniform.

They looked solemn and imposing.

Beneath the brocade... they wore inner armor.

Their protection was more than adequate.

The strength of this force had always hovered around three thousand.

This time...

Zheng Fan had given Tian Tian the full three thousand.

Selection and training standards for these men were the strictest in eastern Jin.

After all, under normal circumstances... they formed the last line of defense protecting the Regent Prince himself.

As the flotilla began crossing toward the far bank... eastern Jin’s trebuchets completed two more rounds of bombardment.

There were very few Chu troops visible on the opposite shore.

At this point, the bombardment served mostly to raise morale.

Xue San still possessed explosive shells and incendiary shells.

But the battle had not reached the point where those were needed.

So he kept them in reserve.

The Chu bank remained quiet.

When the boats finally touched shore... no organized Chu formation appeared to oppose the landing.

Tian Tian led the soldiers ashore.

The vessels immediately turned back, preparing to transport the second wave of troops across.

During the interval... the first troops landed would have to withstand any Chu counterattack that appeared.

They had to hold the beachhead and buy enough time and room for reinforcements from the rear to arrive.

In truth... it was not much different from storming a city.

The only difference was that Chu place-names seemed determined to reverse everything.

Something that looked like a great jiang might be called a he.

Something that looked like an ordinary river might be called a jiang.

Mijiang carried “jiang” in its name despite being more like a river.

The Wei was called a “he” even though it looked far more like a great river.

Once ashore...

Tian Tian immediately ordered:

“Form ranks!”

“Yes!”

Nearly three thousand Brocade-Clad personal guards began forming up.

Shieldmen stood in front.

Saber-and-axe troops behind them.

Archers occupied the center.

Spearmen were interspersed throughout the formation.

To carry as many men across as possible, naturally they had not transported warhorses with the first wave.

This first battle on the beachhead... would inevitably be fought on foot.

...

“The Yan have landed, Your Highness.”

“This Prince can see that.”

Xiong Tingshan placed a sour fruit into his mouth.

“Your Highness, then...”

“No hurry. Let us watch a little longer.”

At that moment, messengers began riding in one after another.

“Report! The Yan vanguard has landed!”

“Report! The Yan vanguard’s banner... is the Jingnan Army banner!”

The moment he heard that...

Xiong Tingshan’s gaze sharpened.

A deputy beside him immediately said:

“Your Highness, I’m afraid that Zheng fellow is playing tricks again.”

Years ago, Zheng Fan had once reached the Wei River, raised Prince Jingnan’s commander’s banner, and frightened the Chu troops across the water half to death.

Of course... the Regent Prince of Great Yan no longer needed to play such childish games.

His own princely standard had already acquired the same effect as the old Jingnan banner.

But to Chu... the name Prince Jingnan remained a thorn buried deep in the flesh.

Because that man had once broken Ying Capital.

Its luxurious palaces and towers... that man had consigned them all to fire.

“It cannot be my imperial brother-in-law,” Xiong Tingshan said. “Others may think he likes bizarre gambits in war and constantly stakes everything on one throw, but Imperial Brother once said that man actually treasures his life greatly. Besides, too much now rests upon him. How could he personally risk himself in the first landing the moment this great war begins?”

Xiong Tingshan spat out the fruit pit.

At that moment, Xie Yu’an walked to his side and picked up the thought.

“Naturally it cannot be that Regent Prince. But in all of eastern Jin, there is really only one person qualified to march openly under the Jingnan Army banner. No one else has a stronger claim to it. That Regent Prince truly has nerve. He actually let him serve as vanguard.”

As Xie Yu’an spoke, he lightly smoothed the long hair hanging at his temples.

Chu hairstyles favored long locks on both sides.

By now, Xie Yu’an had grown into a genuinely elegant and handsome young man.

“Report! The landed Yan troops are wearing brocade uniforms!”

Hearing this report...

Xie Yu’an laughed.

“Then there’s no question at all. If he is willing to deploy even the Brocade-Clad personal guards, then it truly is Heir Prince Jingnan leading the opening campaign himself. Your Highness... They really don’t take Great Chu seriously anymore. They’re using us to consecrate the younger generation with blood.”

“Is Great Chu not doing the same thing now?” Xiong Tingshan asked, looking at Xie Yu’an.

The Emperor of Chu had issued an edict appointing Xie Yu’an as Army Supervisor Grandee.

At the same time... he had sent Xiong Tingshan a secret edict explicitly ordering him to follow Xie Yu’an’s direction.

“Your Highness, whatever else you say, I’m still quite a bit older than that boy, aren’t I?”

Xie Yu’an knew perfectly well how dissatisfied this Prince was with having frontier military affairs placed partly in his hands.

Truthfully...

Xie Yu’an had not wanted the assignment either.

But the Emperor’s decree had come down with brutal directness.

He had not been given any opportunity to refuse.

And now...

Xie Yu’an stood here overseeing Great Chu’s frontier armies.

His own father commanded the Xie Clan Army farther west, guarding against Fan City.

Father and son... between them... were basically responsible for Great Chu’s entire northern defense against Yan.

The thought was almost funny.

In the original plans of years past... father and son had actually considered rebelling against the Xiong imperial clan.

Now... they no longer possessed the thought.

Nor any need for it.

Yan’s pressure was simply too great.

What was the point of seizing a chair you would not even have time to warm before someone came smashing through the door?

“Then we withdraw,” Xiong Tingshan said.

Earlier... he had proposed fighting several exchanges along the Wei River and testing strength against the Yan.

Xie Yu’an had rejected the suggestion.

His argument was simple.

If they were going to fight, then fight a decisive battle.

If they were not going to fight decisively, then admit weakness openly and contract the line.

Today... they had merely come to see which way the wind blew.

“Don’t rush, Your Highness. I’ve changed my mind.”

Xie Yu’an clapped his hands.

“The younger generation has already stepped onto the stage. We elders should at least help hold up the scene for them, shouldn’t we?”

“You’re going?” Xiong Tingshan asked.

“Hahahaha.”

Xie Yu’an burst out laughing.

“I’m a sickly man. Your Highness, surely you aren’t joking?”

“Then who do you intend to send?”

As he spoke...

Xiong Tingshan’s gaze swept across the generals behind him.

Xie Yu’an reached out and tapped one finger against Xiong Tingshan’s chest mirror.

“Your Highness... I want you to go.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“The man across from us is that Zheng fellow’s adopted son!”

“Tch. So what if he’s an adopted son? Your Highness feels humiliated? You think he isn’t worthy of matching you? You’re afraid word will spread and stain your lifetime of fame? Aiya, my Prince. That isn’t how the account works.”

Xie Yu’an grabbed the long locks at both temples with both hands.

Then violently flung them backward.

He turned.

Looked straight at Xiong Tingshan.

And pointed north.

“Why does that Regent Prince of Great Yan dare send some milk-smelling brat to command troops in the first battle? Because he looks down on us! He simply looks down on us! And why does he look down on us? He and his brother... That Prince Jingnan... How many of our Pillars of State did those two cut down? How many of our elite troops did they destroy? How many of our ancestral graves did they dig up? The older generation. Their own generation. More than half of them were broken in the hands of those two brothers! They have killed until they are numb. They have won until victory itself has become boring. They cannot even be bothered anymore. So now they throw out a junior to collect some experience and smell blood! And at a time like this you still want face? We Chu people... what damned face do we have left to look for? Where is it? On the ground? Point it out! I’ll bend over right now and pick it up for you!”

The final words came out as a roar.

Then...

Xie Yu’an’s voice abruptly returned to calm.

“If we can win one... then let us win one first. An elder bullying a junior is still a victory, isn’t it? The Yan have begun crossing upstream and downstream too. Our main force has already withdrawn. Your Highness... you only have the troops behind you. And you probably have only one opportunity to charge. After that charge, you must come back. Otherwise, we risk the Yan wrapping you up like a dumpling. Fair enough, really. He is young. And you only get to draw your saber once.”

...

The Brocade-Clad personal guards stood arrayed along the bank.

Ready.

Waiting.

Tian Tian watched the terrain ahead with complete vigilance.

Then... the ground began trembling faintly.

Dust rose in the distance.

Tian Tian sheathed his saber.

He walked to one of the Brocade-Clad guards in the front rank and took the man’s spear.

Then he walked to a shieldman and took his shield.

Shield in his left hand.

Spear in his right.

Tian Tian moved to the absolute front of the formation.

BOOM!

He slammed the shield down against the ground.

Tian Tian bent his knees.

Crouched.

The spear rested beside him.

Then he shouted:

“Brocade-Clad personal guards! Change formation!”

“Yes!”

The formation shifted instantly.

It became a wedge.

And Tian Tian... stood at the very point.

Not one guard told Tian Tian to fall back.

Not one rushed forward to perform some show of loyalty by standing in front of him.

An army was built by men.

But it also had to be conquered by men.

To the Brocade-Clad personal guards... the Regent Prince’s eldest son... belonged exactly there.

The Chu cavalry had appeared.

Their figures were now visible.

They were about to sweep forward into the attack.

At that moment...

Tian Tian thought for a heartbeat that perhaps he ought to say something.

Raise morale again.

Then he regretted having said everything worth saying before crossing the river.

Now... he had nothing left.

Since there was nothing to say... then say nothing.

Tian Tian reached into a pouch beneath his armor.

He took out a piece of shaqima.

Raised it to his mouth.

And began eating it bite by bite.

When the final mouthful disappeared... the Chu cavalry entered the acceleration phase of their charge.

Tian Tian seized the spear beside him.

Tucked the shaft under his armpit.

Then shouted:

“Raise spears!”

“Yes!”

Two ranks of spears rose around the outer edge of the formation.

The entire wedge... became a hedgehog.

Ahead... the pounding of hooves drew closer.

The very air seemed to heat.

At this moment...

Tian Tian felt no nervousness at all.

No montage of memories appeared in his mind.

He did not have time for one.

Only a single sentence... echoed through his heart.

Dad.

Watch closely.

Your son... has grown up!

[End of Chapter 950]