84
“Zhukou County fell?!”
The news of Zhukou County’s loss sent a shockwave through Anyang City, and Liu Ziyi was both surprised and furious. He swept the documents off his desk and demanded, “Where is Chai Meng?”
The scout reporting to him spoke quietly, “General Chai… was killed in action.”
Liu Ziyi furrowed his brows, his voice darkening, “What exactly happened in Zhukou County? How could Mu Peixuan take it so easily?”
The scout, who had fled from Zhukou County, hesitated and stammered, “In reply to King Yi, Mu Peixuan was cunning. He managed to infiltrate Zhukou County, coordinating with inside forces to open the city gates… and then… then…”
Liu Ziyi’s face turned cold. “How did they manage to infiltrate?”
The person lowered his head and said, “They pretended to defect to General Chai—”
Under Liu Ziyi’s heavy gaze, the words faltered. Liu Ziyi pressed his hand to his forehead. When he first took in Chai Meng, it was because of Chai Meng’s bravery and the five thousand troops he commanded, which were useful to him. These five thousand troops were mostly bandits and marauders, far more battle-hardened than common refugees, and indeed, they proved their worth. Under Chai Meng’s command, his bandit army conquered cities and towns with ease, and few counties could resist. However, the problem soon became clear, Chai Meng was, after all, a bandit, and his followers were not disciplined soldiers but rather lawless marauders who repeatedly ignored his orders not to harm civilians.
Shengzun had once warned him not to trust Chai Meng too much, but Liu Zi Yi thought he could control him until Chai Meng slaughtered the entire family of the county magistrate of Wenzhou and allowed his subordinates to indulge in raping and pillaging within the city.
Liu Ziyi originally wanted to find an opportunity to execute Chai Meng, but Chai Meng already had some signs of being self-reliant, and Liu Ziyi had to take his time to prevent him from doing something desperate. However, to his surprise, Chai Meng had become the spearhead of the court’s forces attacking Anyang.
In the yamen of Anyang City, the room was filled with those who had participated in the uprising. After their defeat in Fengzhou, the rebel army had been retreating step by step, and now they had lost control of Zhukou County. Once Zhukou County fell, the imperial army would inevitably march toward Anyang.
Apart from Sun Qing and Xu Jianghe, the military commander of Fengzhou, the room was filled with ordinary citizens. Hearing the dreadful news, they exchanged anxious glances. Some were terrified, while others angrily cursed Chai Meng. Sun Qing and Xu Jianghe remained calm. Liu Ziyi turned to Sun Qing and asked, “Now that Zhukou County has fallen, the imperial forces will soon be at the gates of Anyang. General Sun, do you have any good strategies?”
Sun Qing pondered for a moment before speaking, “The battle for Anyang is already decided. In my opinion, it would be best to retreat to Longzhou.”
Liu Ziyi remained silent.
Sun Qing’s expression was cold, showing no sign of discussing his side’s defeat or retreat at all. He continued, “Mu Peixuan originally came from Ruizhou, passing through Wanzhou and Fengzhou. As long as we retreat to Longzhou, even Mu Peixuan won’t be able to reach us in time.”
“Moreover, this battle has been ongoing for months, and the imperial treasury is empty. The court has always been slow to allocate military funds to the border forces. From what I’ve heard, after the death of King Duan, Liangdu has fallen into chaos, and the court is too preoccupied with its own troubles to support the southern army’s logistics and supplies.”
Longzhou was impoverished, even worse than Fengzhou, and upon hearing of the suggestion to retreat there, the people in the room were reluctant. Yet, facing Mu Peixuan’s iron cavalry, they had no choice but to look toward Liu Ziyi, waiting for his decision.
Liu Ziyi said, “This matter can be discussed later. The immediate priority is the defense of the city gates.”
“General Sun, Commander Xu, Anyang City is in your hands now.”
After leaving the council hall, Liu Ziyi, Sun Qing, and Xu Jianghe headed toward the inner courtyard.
Inside, there was an incense table with a shrine dedicated to a statue of the Holy Lord, depicted with a lowered gaze and a serene expression. Yun Zuo was kneeling on a cushion, his eyes closed, earnestly reciting scriptures. His pale complexion and simple white robes, surrounded by the scent of sandalwood, made him appear even more pure and holy.
Liu Ziyi gazed at Yun Zuo, a deep feeling of guilt rising within him. He bent his knees and knelt, whispering, “Shengzun.”
“Liu Ziyi is incompetent. With the fall of Zhukou County, I’m afraid the imperial forces will soon be at Anyang.”
Yun Zuo opened his eyes and glanced at the statue of the Holy Lord before saying, “Rise.”
Liu Ziyi remained silent.
Yun Zuo stood up and looked down at Liu Ziyi, saying, “You are King Yi; your knees are precious. How could you bow so easily?”
Liu Ziyi looked at Yun Zuo. His face was neither sad nor joyful, and the red mole on his forehead gave him an air of compassion and serenity. Yun Zuo spoke softly, “If I hadn’t mistakenly kept Chai Meng…”
Yun Zuo continued, “Everything happens for a reason.”
“Mu Peixuan may stop you from attacking Daliang, but he cannot stop the course of destiny,” Yun Zuo said slowly. “The people have already lost their faith in Daliang. The struggle for power is inevitable, and the change of the dynasty is already decided. Ziyi, you are the ruler chosen by the Holy Lord. Your kindness is not your fault. It is Chai Meng’s arrogance and overconfidence that make him unworthy of trust.”
Liu Ziyi stared at Yun Zuo, his heart settling, and he respectfully said, “Yes, thank you for your guidance, Shengzun.”
After saying that, he slowly stood up.
After Liu Ziyi left, only Sun Qing, Xu Jianghe, and Yun Zhuo were left in the room. Yun Zuo was at the front, and the two of them followed the Kunze behind the screen, where they saw a map spread out on the table, it was a map of Anyang City.
Yun Zuo looked at the map, muttering to himself, “I’ve long heard that Mu Peixuan is skilled in warfare. Let’s see whether his Marquis Annan Mansion is superior or if my Marquis Xuanping Mansion is the one with the higher strategy.”
Sun Qing furrowed his brows and softly said, “Shengzun, Anyang City cannot be defended.”
Yun Zuo smiled slightly and replied, “I know.”
Sun Qing looked at Yun Zuo, the young Kunze’s fingers soft and white, like jade, gently stroking the map. He said, “But I want him to take Anyang City and be severely wounded as well, just like—”
“Like how Mu Peizhi took Fengzhou.”
Yun Zuo had made up his mind, and Sun Qing had no objections. After discussing for a moment longer in the room, Sun Qing and Xu Jianghe exited. Xu Jianghe suddenly said, “General Sun, once Anyang City falls, please be sure to protect Shengzun’s safety.”
Sun Qing looked at Xu Jianghe. Before the Fengzhou rebellion, few knew that the commander of Fengzhou’s yamen was a protector of the Jiulian Sect.
Without hesitation, Sun Qing replied, “Naturally.”
On the weathered walls of Zhukou County, the rebel army flag was replaced by Mu Peixuan’s flag with the character “Mu” on it. After resting for a day in Zhukou County, Mu Peixuan led his army towards Anyang City.
In the battle at Zhukou County, Lu Chong and Zhou Zhijin had played a key role in defeating Chai Meng and earning great merit. Naturally, the two of them were accompanying the army toward Anyang. It was a fine day, and Zhou Zhijin, riding on horseback, softly asked Lu Chong, “Second Brother, what did His Highness say to you yesterday?”
He mumbled, “Yesterday, His Highness looked really upset; it scared me a bit.”
Lu Chong, also riding a horse, glanced toward Mu Peixuan in the distance and recalled what Mu Peixuan had said to him when he had stayed behind alone after entering the mansion the day before.
Lu Chong knew that he had acted on impulse.
According to their original plan, they were supposed to send out the city defense map and then coordinate with Mu Peixuan to break open Zhukou County’s gates and take the county in one strike, rather than him going off on his own to cause trouble with Chai Meng.
Mu Peixuan didn’t blame him. The young commander had a remarkable air of leadership, exuding calmness. He merely stated that everything during the march should follow orders, and that was that.
Lu Chong knew that he was ultimately someone from Duan Linzhou’s faction, and since he wasn’t originally a soldier in the army, Mu Peixuan wouldn’t go over Duan Linzhou’s head to criticize him.
If it had been seen by someone with ulterior motives, he might have been accused of seeking glory and acting recklessly already.
Lu Chong was a man of the martial world, one who valued settling grudges swiftly. He couldn’t stand the sight of Chai Meng and simply wanted to take matters into his own hands. But if something had happened to him, if he’d fallen at Zhukou County, even if he had killed Chai Meng, Mu Peixuan would’ve had a hard time explaining it to Duan Linzhou.
Lu Chong wasn’t foolish. When he saw Mu Peixuan’s expression yesterday and met the gaze of the young man in military armor, he had already realized his mistake. Both were intelligent men; Mu Peixuan didn’t say much, and Lu Chong’s initial pride at slaying Chai Meng had already faded somewhat.
Lu Chong rubbed his nose and asked Zhou Zijin, “Weren’t you supposed to go to the city gate yesterday? How come you followed me instead?”
Zhou Zijin chuckled and said, “I went, but halfway there, something didn’t feel right, so I turned back to check on you.”
Lu Chong laughed. “You little rascal — fine, this life-saving favor, your second brother won’t forget.”
Zhou Zijin waved his hand and said, “We came together; naturally, we should go back together. But Second Brother, why did you turn back to kill Chai Meng? Wouldn’t it have been the same if we waited until we took Anyang City?”
Lu Chong clicked his tongue and said, “He made us work as cooks for so many days, how could I just let that go?” He looked at Zhou Zijin. “But don’t you go copy me.”
Zhou Zijin suddenly understood. He looked at Lu Chong and said, “Second Brother, once this is all over, you should join the army. Being a merchant really doesn’t suit you. Then we could ride across the battlefield together and win glory and honor!”
Lu Chong immediately burst into hearty laughter. “That’s not for me.”
Zhou Zijin said, “Why not? Second Brother Lu, you’re both brave and clever—”
Lu Chong said, “Everyone seeks different things. My heart’s not in that path.”
He said, “These past years following my boss, I’ve sailed across vast, boundless seas, ventured deep into the Ten Thousand Great Mountains down south, and even crossed the borders and visited foreign lands. The world is far broader than I could have ever imagined. So I just want to keep going, further and further.”
To him, fame and fortune were like cages and shackles, far less precious than freedom.
Listening to him, Zhou Zijin couldn’t help but feel wistful and inspired. He sighed and said, “Second Brother, after hearing that, I kind of want to go with you.”
Lu Chong burst out laughing and said, “That won’t do. Everyone walks their own path. I’m like a drifting cloud, a wild crane, used to a free life, I can’t stand the constraints of official robes. But you’re different.”
Zhou Zijin thought about it and realized it was true. He had worked for years as a lowly gatekeeper, and now, thanks to Lord Marquis, he had finally found someone who recognized his worth and had a real chance to rise in the world. How could he be willing to give that up? That was what he told himself, but still, a faint sense of longing lingered in his heart.
Zhukou County was not far from Anyang. Mu Peixuan led his army forward, encountering no resistance along the way, and soon arrived outside the city.
Within Anyang, the defenders were clearly well-prepared and ready for battle. Mu Peixuan did not launch an immediate assault but instead set up camp ten li from the city. He looked toward the distant walls of Anyang, tall and imposing, pale under the bleak moonlight like a frost-covered fortress.
No matter what, he was determined to take Anyang.
Lan Duo was stationed with his troops at Bu’er Pass. Mu Peixuan had originally assumed that apart from Sun Qing, the rebels had no other capable leaders. Yet once they engaged in real combat, it became clear the rebel forces were far from weak.
What drew Mu Peixuan’s attention most was their defense strategy.
Most of the rebel forces under Liu Ziyi were commoners and displaced people unfamiliar with warfare, utterly incomparable to the border troops. But the garrison within Anyang displayed a surprising array of tactics, even deploying giant Chuang Nu Crossbows typically used by northern border forces to repel barbarian invasions. At present, such weapons were primarily allocated to the northern garrisons for deterring nomadic tribes; they were rare in the southern army, let alone in a place like Anyang.
Where did the Chuang Nu Crossbows in Anyang come from?
Zhou Ting, who had served in the northern garrison and was familiar with the weapon, said, “Sun Qing was once part of the northern garrison, could it be that he had them made?”
But even as he spoke, Zhou Ting knew it was unlikely. Sun Qing had held a low rank in the northern army, how could he have had access to such top-level military equipment? What Zhou Ting could see clearly, Mu Peixuan understood as well. He wondered, could the rebels have colluded with the northern garrison?
But just last winter, the northern garrison had already mutinied once due to delayed wages from the court. The frontier was now plagued by both internal unrest and barbarian raids. How could they possibly extend their reach to Fengzhou? And yet, with Sun Qing’s background in the northern army, along with the presence of Chuang Nu and the rebels’ intricate defense strategies, it all pointed to one thing: there was likely someone within the city who had once served in the northern garrison.
Mu Peixuan keenly sensed a feeling akin to a chess match — someone among the rebels was playing against him. This person seemed indifferent to life and death, victory or defeat, exuding a calm yet frenzied intent, like a venomous snake lurking in the dark, watching for the right moment to strike.
The battle was dragging on longer than Mu Peixuan had expected. Even Zhou Ting was beginning to grow agitated.
Zhou Ting had narrowly escaped injury from a Chuang Nu; his arm was now in a sling, and his face had turned pale. Reflecting on the days of skirmishing with Anyang, he couldn’t shake the strange sense of familiarity that lingered in his mind.
Somehow, it made him think of Yun Chu, Marquis Xuanping.
But the entire Yun clan had been executed for treason.
Mu Peixuan was in the midst of discussing military affairs with Xu Ying when he caught a glimpse of hesitation in Zhou Ting’s expression. He asked, “Commander Zhou, is something the matter?”
Seeing that only Xu Ying and the young commander were present in the tent, Zhou Ting hesitated for a moment before speaking. “I wonder if Xiao Junwang has ever heard of Yun Chu, Marquis Xuanping?”
Mu Peixuan furrowed his brow slightly and looked at Zhou Ting. Zhou Ting spoke slowly, “Back then, Yun Chu, Marquis Xuanping, was also hailed as a once-in-a-generation military genius. From what I’ve seen of the rebels’ tactics in recent days, their style bears a striking resemblance to Yun Chu’s.”
Before Mu Peixuan could respond, Xu Ying exclaimed in shock, “Wasn’t the entire Yun family executed?”
Zhou Ting said, “Indeed. All two hundred and thirty-six members of the Yun clan were beheaded and displayed in Liangdu.”
In the past, the Yun family commanded an army of two hundred thousand troops stationed at the border. After Yun Chu rebelled, he successfully captured the nine provinces of the northern Liang region, pushing toward Lin Pass. Lin Pass was the gateway to the capital, and once it fell, the capital would be in danger. However, Yun Chu’s army was eventually defeated, and Emperor Wu, enraged by the Yun family’s betrayal, not only executed the entire Yun family but also became increasingly wary of border generals.
The division of the tiger tally originated from this event.
Zhou Ting sighed, “I also find it a bit strange… perhaps I’m overthinking it.”
Mu Peixuan, however, responded, “What Commander Zhou says is not entirely impossible.”
Xu Ying fell silent, gazing at Mu Peixuan. He murmured, “This Liu Ziyi is — truly remarkable. He dares to take in remnants of Marquis Xuanping’s family, as well as the royal Chiluo clan. How bold of him…”
Mu Peixuan replied indifferently, “I fear Liu Ziyi may not be the true mastermind behind this.”
☺️🥰🥰