Chapter 968: National War (Finale)

The winter wind kept squeezing through the gaps in the great command tent, impatient to sweep away every trace of warmth inside before circling back to try again.

Xie Yu’an sat in the commander’s seat. Before him lay two piles of military reports and memorials.

He had read them all.

No. More accurately, over the past several days, he had already read them Heaven knew how many times.

The command tent’s curtain was lifted from outside. Still more cold wind poured in, making the papers on the table flutter.

Xiong Tingshan entered. Three people stood beside him.

The first was surnamed Zhao. His name was Zhao Han, and he was already past fifty. The old Clan Head of the Zhao Clan had died of illness two years earlier, and Zhao Han was now the current Clan Head.

The second man was surnamed Shi. His name was Shi Yong. He was heir to the Shi Clan and served within the imperial-clan Imperial Guards.

The last was a eunuch.

Great Chu did not possess the office of eunuch army supervisor. To some degree, the nobles of Great Chu possessed an intense moral fastidiousness and looked down upon eunuchs. For that reason, eunuchs had never held especially high status in Chu.

That was precisely why this man had been left with the army to serve as the Emperor’s intermediary with the front. The Emperor had promised Xie Yu’an he would not interfere in battlefield command, so he deliberately left behind someone of low rank and status, preventing the messenger from overstepping his authority.

The five men now inside the command tent could be called the true decision-makers of Great Chu’s entire front-line army.

This time, Xiong Tingshan did not enter with blazing momentum or an overbearing posture. Instead, he voluntarily walked to one of the side mats and sat. The other three took their seats as well.

Xie Yu’an raised his head and swept his gaze across the four men below. He said nothing.

The silence inside the command tent continued.

At last, the first person to break it was Eunuch Wu.

Eunuch Wu rose carefully. He did not move to the center, nor did he deliberately pinch his voice into a higher register. Yet it remained naturally soft.

“His Majesty has sent a reply.”

Xiong Tingshan, Zhao Han, and Shi Yong rose at once, preparing to step forward and kneel. Even Xie Yu’an, who had sat in the commander’s seat like a wooden statue, placed both hands on the table and prepared to stand.

“This is not an imperial decree, nor is it a verbal edict. His Majesty said he would issue no command concerning affairs at the front. So His Majesty asks everyone to remain seated while listening.”

Everyone hesitated.

Xie Yu’an sat first. The others followed and returned to their places.

“His Majesty said that he has read Pillar of State Xie’s letter. His Majesty said... Pillar of State Xie has suffered greatly. Finally, His Majesty said that affairs at the front remain for Grand Commander Xie to decide.”

When Eunuch Wu finished, he gave everyone present a half-bow, then sat again with a smile on his face.

Xie Yu’an looked at Eunuch Wu a little more carefully.

He did not believe the Emperor had genuinely handed over all authority. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for this “voice tube” called Eunuch Wu to enter with everyone else at precisely this moment.

The Zhao Clan represented the established powers that, like the Dugu Clan, had aligned themselves with the Emperor very early. The Shi Clan represented the core faction of the imperial-clan Imperial Guards. Prince Ding represented the Shanyue faction that had now grown enormous within the army. As for himself—or more accurately, the Xie Clan behind him—he represented the old aristocratic forces that had declined but could still be compared to a camel that remained larger than a horse even after starving half to death.

The Emperor himself filled whatever gaps remained.

For everyone to arrive so neatly, so directly, and with timing this perfect, if they had not discussed matters beforehand, if none of them carried any predetermined inclination, Xie Yu’an would never believe it.

Shi Yong spoke.

“Grand Commander, this general boldly asks permission to offer counsel.”

“No need for such formality. Speak.”

“Yes. I believe the Grand Commander has also read Pillar of State Xie’s letter.”

Xie Yu’an neither confirmed nor denied it.

Shi Yong rose and continued:

“According to intelligence sent by our Phoenix Nest Internal Guard inside eastern Jin, of the two hundred thousand Yan soldiers the Yan court dispatched to reinforce eastern Jin, only a small portion moved east toward Zhennan Pass after completing the autumn harvest. The majority instead shifted toward the southwest. Therefore, this general believes the main body of those two hundred thousand Yan court reinforcements has already entered Great Chu. But they did not leave through Zhennan Pass and Shanggu Commandery. They entered through Mount Meng.”

Xie Yu’an said:

“The terrain around Mount Meng is difficult.”

Shi Yong immediately replied:

“Grand Commander, although the Yan have not rushed to establish a large navy over these past years, they have never stopped developing waterways and hydraulic infrastructure. In particular, Yan’s former Fifth Prince, now Minister of Works, personally visited the lower Wang River twice within five years to inspect river works. Moreover, Prince Pingxi Residence in eastern Jin seems extraordinarily obsessed with projects of this kind. The Mount Meng region today may no longer be as difficult to traverse as it once was. And even if it remains difficult, they have had so much time that troops could have been transported across in batches. The greatest difficulty around Mount Meng has never been that men and horses cannot travel. It is that large-scale supplies from the rear cannot easily be pushed through, making long-term logistics unsustainable. Otherwise, how did that Regent Prince enter Chu by boat years ago? And how did that crimi—... how did that criminal Nian Yao attack Fan City from the north? Besides, Fan City should have accumulated substantial grain and military supplies over these years, enough at the very least to sustain a Yan army temporarily. Transport a large army through first, then fight one swift decisive battle rather than some drawn-out campaign. This general believes it would be more than sufficient.”

Xie Yu’an leaned his head backward.

“The lands of Jin are vast and flat. Yan cavalry moves like wind. More importantly, eastern Jin is almost completely controlled by that Residence. For Prince Pingxi Residence to move troops secretly through its own territory without anyone noticing would hardly count as difficult.”

“Does the Grand Commander doubt the loyalty of our Phoenix Nest Internal Guard? Does the Grand Commander believe our agents sent back false intelligence?”

Xie Yu’an shook his head.

“The Phoenix Nest Internal Guard, especially those working inside Yan territory, are all fine sons of Great Chu.”

“Then the Grand Commander...”

“The problem is that if Prince Pingxi Residence wants to do it, it can deceive everyone. Even its own officials might have no idea where its armies truly went or which road they took.”

“How could that possibly...”

“There is nothing impossible about it.”

Xie Yu’an glanced at Shi Yong and spoke with extraordinary frankness.

“Your Shi Clan has spent too many generations as pure loyalists. No vast fief. No private ambitions. Let me put it this way. If my Xie Clan wanted to rebel, I could send the Xie Clan Army west while arranging for the Phoenix Nest Internal Guard report delivered to your Shi Clan’s desk to say it marched east.”

The example was so ferocious that every person present found himself momentarily unsure how to respond.

Xie Yu’an continued:

“The land is your land. The people are your people. The soldiers are your soldiers. Even the fish in the streams obey your orders. Once your territory becomes large enough, concealing the truth and deceiving Heaven inside your own lands is not difficult. If the Xie Clan can do it, then the Regent Prince in eastern Jin can only do it even more thoroughly.”

Shi Yong pressed his lips together and sat.

Zhao Han rose.

“The Grand Commander is correct. Regarding affairs inside Jin, we might as well be separated by an entire world. But what about affairs inside Chu? The Yan are cautious, yet they still exposed traces in Sansuo and Liusha Commanderies. More than one cavalry force numbering over ten thousand moved from east to west over a month ago, cutting toward the direction of Fan City. Those are movements of eastern Jin’s elite army. They cannot be faked. That alone is enough to prove that not only has the main body of Yan court reinforcements entered western Chu, but nearly half the elite eastern Jin troops under that Regent Prince have also been transferred west. Because our three-commandery defensive line is impregnable, the Yan have found themselves without a solution and can only search for a breakthrough elsewhere. The direction they chose is western Chu, Guyue City, and... Pillar of State Xie. On that point—”

Xie Yu’an suddenly gave a cold laugh.

“So half the eastern Jin elites before us have already gone west through Sansuo and Liusha Commanderies? How are you so certain, Uncle Zhao?”

“Everything leaves traces.”

“Then how did Pillar of State Dugu somehow get sealed outside Fan City by the Yan army all those years ago?” Xie Yu’an countered. “The Yan possess too many gifted commanders. No. More accurately, the eastern Jin army possesses too many. Using cavalry to blind the battlefield has always been what they do best.”

“That was different, Grand Commander. When the present Regent Prince marched from Zhennan Pass toward Fan City back then, his method of concealment was temporary. The aim was merely to keep Great Chu from immediately identifying his movements. How could he truly leave no traces whatsoever? Besides, so much time has passed now. And there is another point. The Yan originally used worthless Savage slave troops to infiltrate and ravage our three-commandery region. Why did they suddenly switch, over a month ago, to units carrying standardized equipment of the Yan court? The autumn harvest ended long ago. The common people have already been gathered together under our army’s protection. For the Yan, there is little merit to gain now and much heavier casualties to suffer. Why continue doing this? Could it genuinely be because that Regent Prince looks down upon the court army’s fighting strength and decided to let them practice in advance?”

Xie Yu’an looked at Zhao Han.

“What do you think the reason is?”

Zhao Han licked his lips and took a deep breath.

“The purpose is to create a false impression for us, to make it appear as though countless troops remain behind his camps. Why else have the Yan spent the past several months building fortifications and military camps like madmen? Did the Yan invade Chu, or did Great Chu invade Yan? They have mobilized huge numbers of laborers and launched construction everywhere. In truth, all of it is nothing more than a maze, a screen. He is feeling guilty!”

“Oh.”

Xie Yu’an nodded.

“You believe the Regent Prince of Yan, Great Chu’s nominal imperial son-in-law, Zheng Fan, whose hands are stained with the blood of three Great Chu Pillars of State, would feel guilty? If he truly wanted to conceal weakness, why not simply do nothing? He could shut the camp gates. No. He could throw the gates wide open and let you look inside. Would our Chu army really charge out merely because we had nothing better to do?”

Zhao Han fell silent for a moment, but he still continued:

“Yesterday, the command tent received the newest military report from the west.”

Xie Yu’an did not conceal it.

“It was a letter from my father. What I saw was exactly what you all saw.”

“Since that is the case, why does the Grand Commander refuse to trust Pillar of State Xie’s judgment?”

“My father is not an immortal. My father can make mistakes.”

“Pillar of State Xie saw everything with his own eyes. How can that be wrong? Pillar of State Xie used himself as bait. He sacrificed himself for righteousness. He drew away the main Yan army and created this Heaven-sent opportunity for our forces at the front. Grand Commander... why do you continue shrinking back?”

Xie Yu’an pressed one hand downward.

“What do you think we should do?”

Zhao Han licked his lips again and took a deep breath.

“Reinforcing Guyue City is already too late.”

As he said it, Zhao Han could not help glancing at Xie Yu’an’s expression. Seeing nothing change, he continued:

“That Regent Prince claims to have brought five hundred thousand troops into Chu. But his true combat troops number at most two hundred thousand, possibly fewer. After subtracting the troops transferred west, the Regent Prince should currently have only around one hundred thousand true combat soldiers under his hand. When the confrontation began, we chose contraction because although our total manpower exceeded theirs, our actual fighting strength was probably only roughly equal to the Yan. But over these past months, large numbers of troops have been transferred into the three commanderies to strengthen our frontier army. The Yan court reinforcements we originally feared are not in Shanggu Commandery, and the Regent Prince’s own direct force has instead become smaller and weaker. Therefore, our army can now advance north in five great columns simultaneously, not merely breaking the Yan force before us, but quite possibly pressing all the way into Shanggu Commandery. And perhaps even... because eastern Jin’s troops have practically emptied their nest for this campaign, Zhennan Pass must be weakly defended. If we can take Zhennan Pass, the balance between Great Chu and Yan will reverse immediately! Even if large numbers of Yan troops remain trapped in western Chu, once we hold Zhennan Pass, what can they possibly do? At most, they can retreat back toward Fan City. And when the time comes, how many of them will actually escape is difficult to say!”

Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap!

Xie Yu’an began applauding.

“You make it sound magnificent. As though the revival of Great Chu is already standing before our eyes.”

“If the Grand Commander has something to say, speak plainly.”

Xie Yu’an stood abruptly.

He kicked over the table before him.

“Why the fuck are we even fighting a war? What is there left to fight? Everyone can wash up and go to sleep together. Dreams give you anything you want! Qu Tiannan thought exactly like you! Nian Yao thought exactly like you! Shi Yuantang thought exactly like you! And Pillar of State Dugu! And far too many others! Why can we Chu people never cure this sickness inside our heads?”

“The best possible outcome? Not only drive the Regent Prince out of Shanggu Commandery, but retake Zhennan Pass too? Wonderful! The great momentum beneath Heaven will belong to Great Chu again! But have any of you considered what happens if the wager fails? Hundreds of thousands of Great Chu soldiers, one wave after another, crossing the Wei River, entering Shanggu... and if the wager fails, how many sons of Chu will ever swim back alive? Without these hundreds of thousands of imperial-clan Imperial Guards holding the three-commandery line, Yan cavalry could reach the capital region in days! Great Chu would never possess another chance to recover!”

At that moment, Xiong Tingshan rose.

His voice was remarkably calm.

“So what if the Yan truly have done exactly what we think? What if our judgment is correct and we still do nothing? Grand Commander, do you intend to sit here waiting for news that your own father died in battle?”

“That is my father! Even if he dies, I am his only son. I will be the one who mourns him and smashes the funeral basin!”

Xiong Tingshan roared:

“Yes! You can afford to lose your father! But Great Chu can no longer afford to lose yet another Pillar of State for no reason, especially the last Pillar of State! Do you understand?”

“...” Xie Yu’an.

Xiong Tingshan pointed toward the outside of the command tent.

“Shanggu was effectively lost long ago when Zhennan Pass changed hands. Liusha and Sansuo Commanderies became isolated enclaves years ago. Fan City sits there poisoning an entire commandery. And now the three commanderies along our present front have become battlefields too! Great Chu’s territory may be vast, but the true essence of Great Chu does not lie in southern Chu. It lies in the north!”

“That bastard surnamed Zheng can come this year. If he gains nothing, he goes home. He comes again next year. And the year after that! How many more times can Great Chu endure this? How long before we can no longer even see hope?”

Xiong Tingshan pointed toward Shi Yong, toward Zhao Han, then toward Eunuch Wu.

“Do you think they do not understand? Do you think His Majesty does not understand? Do you think you yourself do not understand? What is the outcome of forever being a turtle? Every year we are hammered. Every year we are consumed like this. Heh-heh-heh. One side weakens while the other grows stronger. Again and again. Until in the end, are we Chu people supposed to pray that the Chief Shamans somehow curse the Regent Prince or the Emperor of Yan to death before we can ever turn the situation around?”

“If those men stay healthy, if they live long lives, Great Chu will be suffocated to death. Suffocated until we die without even the strength to strike back. Zheng Fan would not even need to personally lead troops again. He could let the next generation command, and they could push over this weakened Great Chu with ease! Chu is not Qian. Qian still possesses its wealthy Jiangnan heartland. How long can southern Chu sustain Great Chu?”

“Grand Commander Xie, we all understand these principles. Originally, we agreed with your strategy. Defend. Defend one final hope. Defend the Chu people’s chance to wake tomorrow and look at the sky again. So you should not think we came here today to force your hand. None of us dares wager. Even His Majesty does not dare wager!”

“It was your father. That father of yours. He has already placed himself, the Xie Clan, and all of Great Chu onto the gambling table! A table where we cannot afford to lose. If Pillar of State Xie dies in battle, then it proves the main Yan army truly is in western Chu. Use Pillar of State Xie’s death to buy Great Chu another sixty years!”

Xie Yu’an sank back into the commander’s seat, looking somewhat lost.

But the weakness lasted only briefly.

Soon, he regained control. He raised one hand, propped up his forehead, and suddenly began laughing.

“Heh-heh-heh... Hahahahaha...”

Xie Yu’an scrubbed his face hard with one hand.

Then he raised his head.

A savage grin appeared.

“So for Great Chu, for the Chu people, for this national war... the only thing this Grand Commander can do now is pray that my father dies sooner. Is that it?”

[End of Chapter 968]