Thank you to Kat for the ko-fi~ ٩(^ᗜ^ )و ´-
What to do? The young emperor sat on the throne, his mind filled with only these three words.
Just a few days ago, he had received the news of Liu Yuan’s demise and the internal turmoil among the Xiongnu. Little did he expect that, right after leaving Luoyang, the Han regime would fall into irreparable chaos, even contemplating relocating to Chang’an. This was indeed fantastic news! Once the Xiongnu left Si County and headed to Guanzhong, Liang Feng would certainly strive to reclaim half of Si County. And how could the Xiongnu let their adversary escape when forced to flee? When two powerful forces collide, neither might be able to attend to the other. Wouldn’t Shou City, the new capital, then be safe?
After both sides incurred substantial losses, if Gou Xi led the troops to pacify Yu County and Yan County, by that time, with fully grown wings, returning to Luoyang might not be out of the question. Although Liang Zixi was not entirely trustworthy, he could, at the very least, adhere to the duties of a loyal subject. With a stable Northern region, it would be the beginning of rebuilding the foundation.
Countless thoughts surged in the young emperor’s mind, and for several days, he was too excited to sleep. Unexpectedly, the situation changed in the blink of an eye. The once unbeatable and formidable Gou Xi had met his demise in defeat!
What to do with Shou City? Could he resist the chaos with just the thirty to forty thousand troops at his disposal?
“Your Majesty! Immediately issue a call to Jing County, Xu County, and Yang County, instructing them to send troops to assist and repel the enemy beyond the Huai River!” General Liu Zhun exclaimed loudly.
Ever since the arrival of the imperial carriage, Liu Zhun had clashed with Gou Xi, who came from afar. He had long harbored deep resentment towards Gou Xi! However, Gou Xi’s sudden death was also not a good thing. Taking away most of the imperial forces, his own meager military might might not be enough to defend Shou City. The best solution was to order the governors of each province to send troops, collectively resisting the enemy.
Not to mention Jing County and Xu County, even the Commander-in-Chief of Yang County, Sima Rui, had a considerable number of troops under his command. In such a crisis, would he dare not come to the emperor’s aid? It was the middle of summer, and with abundant rainfall, crossing the Huai River without boats wouldn’t be easy. As long as there were troops, they could fend off the enemy!
These words instantly woke the dreamer. The young emperor immediately nodded, “Yes, there’s also Prince Langya! Quickly dispatch an envoy to instruct him to send troops! General, please lead the troops swiftly to block the enemy bandits!”
Liu Zhun, being someone who had quelled internal turmoil before, didn’t decline and accepted the order with clasped hands. As long as Shou City was defended, no one could challenge his position before the emperor.
However, the intentions of the courtiers were seen differently by Sima Rui.
“Gou Xi commanded a hundred thousand troops, didn’t he? How couldn’t he withstand those two bandits?” When he heard this news, Sima Rui’s heart sank by half.
Before this, Wang Mi and Shi Le had caused havoc in Yu County and Yan County. More and more aristocrats packed their bags and fled with their families. In just a few months, over sixty thousand aristocrats had poured into the territory of Yang County! These weren’t displaced people to be easily oppressed. The Huainan commandery was already unable to accommodate them, and there were also numerous complaints in Lujiang commandery. Moreover, many directly crossed the river, aiming to establish themselves in Jiangdong. How could the prominent families in Yan County not be angry? The once-relaxed relations were now tense again. Not to mention the money and provisions spent to support the emperor, now they had to send troops; wasn’t this tantamount to taking his life?!
On the side, Wang Dun calmly remarked, “Shou City is the bastion of Jiangdong, with the emperor in residence. How can we not defend it? But sending troops will require conscription. If the conscripts all come from Huainan, what kind of situation will that be?”
Sima Rui was startled, understanding the implied meaning in Wang Dun’s words. Huainan commandery had already been disrupted by the migrating northerners, and now, during the busy farming season, conscripting soldiers would undoubtedly arouse public anger. In the past two years, there had been numerous uprisings in Jiangdong, and once someone rebelled, chaos would ensue immediately.
This was indeed a dangerous move. If things went awry, it might implicate him. Moreover, if Shou City fell, and the emperor had to relocate across the river, what would happen?
As if sensing Sima Rui’s hesitation, Wang Dun said, “Commander, you’re overthinking. The emperor was once coerced by the Prince Donghai. Unless absolutely necessary, he’s unlikely to cross the river. Even if Gou Xi is defeated, Shou City still has military strength. Without expending some, how can the Commander’s troops approach? Regardless of success or failure, it won’t harm the Commander.”
Wang Dun, unlike Wang Dao, had a more ruthless personality, making this strategy quite cunning. If Huainan experienced unrest, Shou City fell, and the emperor died, it would be the best outcome. Conversely, even if they couldn’t succeed, they could deplete the imperial forces, giving Sima Rui a reason to send troops. In this way, the powerless and insignificant young emperor would become a puppet easily manipulated.
Sima Rui swallowed a spit; this strategy was indeed chilling. However, it might be a way out, “So, who should be sent?”
“General Liu once served as the Commander of Yu County and had conflicts with Wang Mi. Sending him would be excellent.” Wang Dun smiled faintly.
The General Liu he referred to was undoubtedly Liu Kun. This individual had great renown and a high social status. He had once served as the Commander of Yu County. If not for his alliance with the wrong Prince of Donghai, earning the emperor’s resentment, he might still be in favor. Having such a person by Sima Rui’s side was not a good idea. Taking advantage of this opportunity to send him to Shou City was like using a knife to kill. Since leaving Langya, Wang Dun’s wealth and life were tied to Sima Rui. Wang Dun’s only concern was how to stabilize his position and control this weak and easily deceived prince to achieve his goals.
However, how could Sima Rui see through all of this? Nodding repeatedly, he said, “Then we’ll follow your plan!”
In the entire Jiangdong, unrest loomed as the approaching enemy stirred anxiety. However, in Wang Mi’s main camp, the atmosphere was not as tense as one might imagine.
Watching the messenger standing respectfully in front of him, Wang Mi smiled and said, “How can I refuse General Shi’s invitation?!”
Previously, when Gou Xi was killed, Shi Le had made significant contributions. Without his ambush, it would have been challenging to cut down that formidable general. Therefore, Wang Mi pretended to be generous, attributing all the credit to Shi Le. Even the spoils of war were distributed generously to him. Later, Wang Mi took the initiative to propose jointly attacking Shou City.
If they could capture Shou City, it would be a tremendous achievement. These consecutive actions indeed made Shi Le relax his vigilance. Not only were the two armies’ camps set up closer, but Wang Mi also invited him to a feast to discuss the strategy for deploying troops.
However, Wang Mi’s real intention was far from attacking Shou City. It was just a matter of waiting for Cao Yi to move troops and encircle Shi Le. Killing the Emperor of Jin was not easy, but dealing with a Jie was a walk in the park. Wang Mi didn’t have the intention to help Liu Yao exterminate his enemies. The best way was to enlist Shi Le’s troops and take the route through Jing County. Once Jing County was in hand, most of the Northern territories would fall into his grasp. Considering that Xiongnu would probably fight with Bing County, and the young emperor was holed up in Shou City, wouldn’t this be a perfect opportunity for him to establish himself?
Due to this line of thought, they absolutely couldn’t let Shi Le become suspicious now. That Jie person might even think he wanted to join forces with Liu Yao and come to him for an alliance. If Shi Le became wary, the battle wouldn’t go smoothly.
With Wang Mi’s approval, the messenger happily left the tent. Wang Zhang hesitated a bit on the side, “Brother, do you really want to attend the feast? Going to Shi Le’s side now might not be very secure…”
Wang Mi laughed heartily, “Without entering the tiger’s den, how can one get the tiger’s cub? That Jie just achieved a great merit and is on cloud nine. If I feign admiration, I can surely make him complacent. When attacking Shou City, he can lead his elite cavalry as the vanguard, take advantage of the chaos, and strike back. Easily, we can take his life. The Yan County under his control will then become our possession.”
Wang Zhang’s lips moved, but he didn’t utter a word. He knew his older brother’s temperament too well, and indeed, this plan was almost foolproof. Even if Shi Le saw through something, with the two armies so close, what could he do? It was better to go along with the flow, attend the feast, and completely stabilize the situation.
After deciding on the strategy, Wang Mi, accompanied by his personal guards, rushed to Shi Le’s camp. Shi Le also gave him enough face, personally welcoming him, and the two entered the tent hand in hand, taking their respective seats.
The feast was splendid, the wine was excellent, and even the host smiled from ear to ear. Shi Le raised his cup first, offering a toast to Wang Mi, “This great victory over the Jin army is all thanks to General Wang’s contributions. I, the humble one, am not talented and feel unworthy!”
Wang Mi responded with a smile, “General, why belittle yourself? Everyone knows your bravery. Without your siege and ambush, how could we have killed Gou Xi?”
With such praise and flattery, both men had smiles plastered on their faces. As the pure wine flowed into their stomachs, Shi Le refilled the cup again and toasted, “Back then, I barely escaped from Ji County. If not for General Wang’s shelter, how could I be where I am today? Now that achievements are in hand, it’s all thanks to General Wang’s promotion.”
These words made Wang Mi somewhat itchy. Did you also know that today’s success is entirely due to my promotion? Then why join Liu Yao? However, at this moment, he absolutely couldn’t say such things. After drinking the second cup, Wang Mi sighed lightly, “Who hasn’t experienced a low point in their lives? Speaking of which, I offended Prince Qin earlier. Now, with the capital moving to Chang’an, the days ahead might be difficult. I’ll have to rely on General Shi’s support.”
This statement could explain well why he suddenly showed goodwill, and it should make the other party even more complacent. Unexpectedly, Shi Le raised an eyebrow and said, “General Wang, with your mighty forces at hand, haven’t you thought about leaving Han and establishing your own domain?”
What?! Wang Mi suddenly lifted his head, looking at the Jie leader across from him. What was the meaning behind this statement? Did Shi Le himself have thoughts of independence and want to persuade him to join in breaking away from Han?
However, with a quick change of mind, Wang Mi pretended to be surprised and said, “What do you mean by this, Se Long?”
This statement was as good as not answering at all. Shi Le leisurely finished his cup of fine wine, sighed deeply, and said, “I thought General Wang sincerely regarded me. It seems I misunderstood…”
Wang Mi’s heart tightened suddenly. “Se Long’s words are strange. If I really had such intentions, why would I attack Shou City?”
“Hmm, why indeed?” Shi Le sneered coldly, and with a swift motion of the hand holding the cup, a loud crash echoed as the cup shattered on the ground.
Following this sound, rapid footsteps came from behind the curtain, and over a hundred ambushed axemen rushed out.
Wang Mi’s face changed dramatically. Just as he was about to jump up, a sharp blade struck his neck. The mighty blow sent his head flying, and as if triggered by this command, the axemen swarmed towards Wang Mi’s bodyguards. The sounds of battle and cries for help echoed for an instant before the tent returned to silence.
Wiping the blood from his blade and sheathing it, Shi Le commanded, “Spread the order, attack the camp!”
Wang Mi thought he had kept everything well concealed, but Shi Le had intercepted the messenger he sent to Qing County long ago. Without Cao Yi’s forces joining in and forever ignorant of his general’s orders, it was impossible.
Attack Shou City? Shi Le never had such intentions. His sole purpose was to lure Wang Mi into a trap and seize the opportunity to assassinate him. His elite cavalry was ready, just waiting for Wang Mi to fall into their hands. Although Wang Mi’s forces were comparable to his own, the elite had suffered considerable losses in the previous battles, and his trusted general Cao Yi had been sent to Qing County. Taking advantage of Wang Mi’s unpreparedness, it was not impossible to defeat him.
Since Wang Mi acted unrighteously first, he couldn’t blame Shi Le for being unjust.
“Quickly break through their main camp and kill Wang Zhang,” stepping over the beheaded corpse, Shi Le walked briskly out of the tent.
That night, Wang Mi’s main camp was attacked, and Wang Zhang died fighting. Tens of thousands of troops fell into chaos!
“What did you say? Shi Le betrayed during the battle, and Wang Mi was attacked and killed?” The little emperor stood up abruptly from the throne, his fair face flushed red. Liu Zhun hadn’t even sent out his troops yet, and the enemy was already turning on each other. Wasn’t this heaven’s assistance?
“Hurry, order General Wang to cross the river and eliminate the fleeing enemy!” Unable to contain himself, he shouted loudly. This was the best opportunity to reclaim Yu County! The Han dynasty was already in chaos, and Wang Mi’s remaining forces had to guard against Shi Le. They had no spare capacity to resist the imperial army.
Troops must be dispatched! The more, the better! This move of relocating the capital seemed to have hit the jackpot!
Amid the excited shouts of the little emperor, tens of thousands of troops crossed the Huai River, launching a fierce attack on the cities that had fallen into the hands of the rebels. Countless provisions, along with the massive labor force, advanced toward more distant territories.
For a moment, both banks of the Huai River were boiling like a cauldron.
