The Grandmaster Strategist

Volume 6, 35: Xiangyang Regret

Volume 6, Chapter 35: Xiangyang Regret

Translator: hweirdo

] When the Duke first became general, he replaced his father in the defense of Sichuan. Although he did not gain prestige, the troops and elders all admired his virtue. Later, he directed a military strategy and stationed soldiers in Jiangxia and oversaw Jianghuai, not allowing northern horsemen to gallop south.

]

] Then Prime Minister Shang took power as regent and did not consider pushing forward. Can could only silently comply. In the fifth year of Tongtai, Can did not ask for orders from his superiors and took advantage of the turmoil in Great Yong’s eastern Sichuan province to seize Jiameng Pass with light cavalry, cutting off the Yong army’s route into Sichuan. When Prime Minister Shang heard the news, he furiously reproached him for sending troops under the pretext of the ruler’s orders. The Duke openly declared, “Can carries on the legacy of his father, bearing the heavy responsibility of being regent. The entire court has been turned over to the Prime Minister. If Can had waited for the court to order Can carry out the major military strategy, the secrets would have been leaked!”

]

] When Prime Minister Shang heard this, he recanted his reproachment and was truly fearful.

]

] In the eleventh year of Tongtai, the Yong Emperor started a war over a trifle. The three columns of the army divided up to capture Jingxiang, Huaixi, and Huaidong. When Huaidong fell into enemy hands, the Yong army garrisoned Yangzhou, spying on Jiangnan. The Duke personally defended Jingkou with the navy and dispatched his eldest son, Yun, in a hurry to Shouchun, Huaixi to assist Shi Guan in the defense of Huaixi. The Yong army did as the Duke expected, taking advantage of the discord to attack Huaixi. A fierce battle for Shouchun took place over a dozen days. When the soldiers and people heard Yun was present, they all said, “The Grand General has not abandoned us. We shall fight to the death!”

]

] The long battle exhausted the Yong army, and the Flying Cavalry broke them. Huaixi returned to peace. With the triumph in Huaixi, the Duke took the chance to reinforce Yangzhou. On a snowy night, he routed the Yong army at Guazhou Ferry. The successive victories restored Huaidong. By himself, the Duke turned the tide of desperation.

]

] Many years later, in the Yong-Chu War, the ravages of war stretched for thousands of li. Although the Yong army was strong, they could never cross the river. The Duke fought all across the country, undefeated. When people discussed the most famous generals, they ranked the Duke as number one.

]

] The Flying Cavalry was raised in the fifth year of Tongtai. Originally, the Duke had plans to raise more, as Jiangnan lacked elite cavalry and couldn’t compete with the Yong army. He wished to build cavalry barracks in Jianghuai but was blocked by courtiers. The Duke had no choice but to hope to borrow Xiangyang as a place to secretly train elite troops. Yuan suspected the Duke was trying to seize military power in Xiangyang, so covertly blocked the Duke from acting. As a result, a rift was born between the two men.

]

] Later, when the Duke captured Jiameng Pass and Sichuan and took both under his control, he used the lands to secretly train elite cavalry, calling them the Flying Cavalry. In the Battle of Huaixi, they became famous throughout the world. The Duke highly valued the Flying Cavalry, selecting each and every officer of the cavalry unit. During every truce, he ordered all the horsemen to wear heavy armor and practice horseback archery. Rewards and punishments were weighty, and not even father-sons could avoid it. The elite Flying Cavalry were not inferior to Great Yong’s heavy cavalry. In the fierce fighting in Huaixi, he relied on the Flying Cavalry many times.

]

] —Southern Chu Dynastic Records, Biography of the Duke of Loyal Courage

Realization dawned upon Huo Cong, and the doubt that had arisen since leaving Dinghai was resolved. He asked, “Sir, was Yun Zishan, the person who’s helping the Southern Chu volunteer army construct forts and tunnels in Wuyue, dispatched by Sir?”

I smiled without saying anything. I raised an eyebrow to indicate he continue, and Huo Cong determined his judgement to be accurate. He proceeded, “This disciple learned from the Duke of the Tranquil Sea that a unique individual was helping in Wuyue. I found it rather peculiar. Sir has quite the strength in Jiangnan. If it weren’t for this, we couldn’t easily traverse Wuyue and Jianghuai. If someone in Wuyue were truly proficient in civil engineering, Sir would know. The fighting in Wuyue is due to Sir’s single-handed provocation. If Sir knew someone were hindering his plans, he certainly would not sit idle and watch it happen. With Sir’s hidden influence in Southern Chu, he absolutely wouldn’t allow Yun Zishan to expand to this state. As such, this disciple surmises that person is somewhat connected to Sir.

“Sir always closely guards the secrets of his disciples’ activities. Others only know the names of Wang Chi, Hai Li, Liu Hua, and Lu Er, all of whom are Sir’s disciples and adopted his surname. However, few know their real names are Chiji, Daoli, Hualiu, and Lü’er. Every scholar has probably read the story of the Eight Horses of King Mu, so this disciple surmises that Sir’s disciples total eight people, including Chiji and the others. Presumably, Yun Zishan is the fifth among them. Although Sir has never told this disciple the detailed circumstances, this disciple knows Sir has had many attainments in construction stratagems. Presumably, that person has inherited Sir’s mantle in that area?”

I smiled. “If another heard what you said, wouldn’t they believe I defected to Great Yong to secretly help my homeland? This is no minor crime.”

“One must first give in order to take,” Huo Con said with a smile. “Sir ordered that older martial brother to secretly help the volunteer army. Although this makes it difficult for the Eastern Sea Navy to make further gains in Wuyue, it has reduced the fighting spirit of the volunteer army. If every person hides in the tunnels to avoid battle, wouldn’t that let our army come and go as they please? Moreover, since those building the tunnels are our people, we only need a map for our army to find everyone. But I don’t think Sir has such thoughts. Sir shouldn’t be considering the campaign in Wuyue. Since Sir is using Xiangyang as bait, I presume letting the Wuyue volunteer army get the upper hand is to make General Lu feel reassured to go north?”

I sighed softly in response. “I tried for three years to force Lu Can to enter my trap. Now, his only place to break through the deadlock is Xiangyang. Lu Can definitely doesn’t know that the deadlock in Wuyue is my design. Without fear of troubles in the rear, he’ll be sure to forge ahead with keen determination. Jianghuai is defended by the Prince of Qi. Even if he has an incredible strategy, he can’t achieve that much military success. Only the region of Jingxiang appears slightly weak, though garrisoned by Zhangsun Ji. In addition, Rong Yuan will never forget, for the rest of his life, the humiliation of abandoning Xiangyang. If Lu Can takes Xiangyang, Rong Yuan would bravely compete to be first. And in the north-south conflict, Xiangyang is a militarily strategic town. Even if Lu Can sees through my strategy, he still cannot capture Xiangyang. If he doesn’t take the opportunity to march north, he likely won’t have such a good opportunity again.”

“But this disciple doesn’t understand how Xiangyang is Sir’s missing piece,” said Huo Cong in uncertainty.

I cast a look at him and evenly replied, “Stay by my side, and you’ll learn how fortune and misfortune go hand in hand.”

Huo Cong quietly responded, “This disciple would rather see that Sir and General Lu, master and disciple, never destroy each other. Even if Sir wins, I fear you won’t feel any joy.”

I had been reaching out to grab the teacup on the table when my hand trembled at the words. Tea splashed everywhere. After a long while, I finally said calmly, “You still don’t understand Lu Can’s personality. If he can take my life, he won’t have the slightest hesitation. Yet his reverence for me also won’t lessen the least bit. Since I decided to come south, I won’t show him mercy. But he will forever be my beloved disciple. Cong’er, if you rebel against me, I will personally kill you. But if you have any hardships, I’ll take responsibility for them if you tell me.”

Huo Cong was rocked to the core, and his face drained of all color, but he kept his mouth shut. A stubborn expression appeared on his face.

While Huo Cong and I were conversing, Xiaoshunzi had gotten up and moved to the side. Within several zhang, no matter how soft our two voices were, he could hear everything perfectly. But out of respect, he still had to give master and disciple room for a private heart-to-heart. Seeing Huo Cong defying the young master’s regards and stubbornly staying silent, killing intent dashed across his face. The air in the inn seemed to cool a few degrees.

Huo Cong was very clever and, feeling the hair on his nape rise, he knew Xiaoshunzi had aroused the intent to kill. But he was a tough and persistent person. Although the pressure rolled in, he sustained himself by force of will, unwilling to show any weakness.

I sighed at the sight. This child was still unwilling to speak his heart. He clearly knew I could banish him to a distant land again with a word and even take his life, but he was still just as stubborn. Although I had some regret that this young man didn’t trust me at all, I just couldn’t make things difficult for him when I saw him so. I forced a smile and remarked, “Forget it. We can talk about these matters in the future. You should still come with me to Xiangyang.”

Huo Cong felt his body relax, the surging killing intent suddenly fading. He couldn’t restrain himself from wiping away the cold sweat on his head. He gazed at Jiang Zhe and thought to himself, Soon, I might not have the opportunity to attend to respected teacher. I just don’t know if respected teacher will treat me with the love of master and disciple like with Lu Can yet still act without mercy when it comes time for him to deal with me.

Around the same time as Jiang Zhe and Huo Cong, master and disciple, were reuniting, two Southern Chu military generals were having a private discussion aboard a tower ship on the Han River outside the city of Jiangling. One of the men was Lu Can, while the other was the defending general of Jiangling, Rong Yuan. Less than three years after Xiangyang fell, Rong Yuan had aged and wasted away a great deal. Although he was facing the head of the Southern Chu military, his expression was apathetic and distant. Lu Can’s expression was calm and composed, but a warm light was twinkling in his eyes.

Rong Yuan was silent for a long time before finally lifting his head and coolly stating, “Recapturing Xiangyang has been my dream for years. As the Grand General has made this decision, how could I refuse to obey? It’s just that Grand General is also going to hide this major event from the court. Are you not afraid the King will censure you?”

“I didn’t expect this action would cause criticism, but brother Rong should know the state of the court,” sighed Lu Can. “If I had actually requested orders to act, I fear the Yong army would already know our army’s target. Furthermore, a general in the field need not adhere to all the orders of the sovereign. Since I am in charge of the military strategy, I must do my best. Xiangyang is easy to defend and difficult to assault. I will try my best to lure Zhangsun Ji out of the fortified city. Brother Rong will take the opportunity to storm Xiangyang. If something unforeseen happens in the meantime, brother Rong can act as circumstances dictate.”

An icy light gleamed in Rong Yuan’s eyes. “The Grand General should know that if we don’t capture Xiangyang this time, Prime Minister Shang will denounce the Grand General. Now that the King has assumed the throne, the Grand General’s regent powers have been retaken by the court. If you act independently, Grand General, you’ll give them leverage over you.”

Lu Can said serenely, “If we can recapture Xiangyang, there won’t be any harm if I have to bear some criminal charges. The enemy and us have been deadlocked for over a year. The Yong army is slacking off right now, while our army has nursed vengeance, looking for a chance in battle to avenge the humiliation. The fighting in Jianghuai and Wuyue has bogged down, giving us an opportunity to dispatch troops to Jingxiang. Xiangyang is a key military location in the north-south conflict. If we can’t take Xiangyang, both Jiangling and Jiangxia will be threatened. Our army doesn’t have the means to threaten the enemy either.”

“This general will go all out. If I can’t recapture Xiangyang, I most certainly won’t retreat,” Rong Yuan respectfully replied.

Lu Can was slightly relieved. Rong Yuan and he might have incompatible personalities, as Rong Yuan had already realigned himself with Shang Weijun, but he believed that if there were a chance to retake Xiangyang, Rong Yuan would do anything to execute the order. If he wanted to recapture Xiangyang and he didn’t get Rong Yuan, the hope would be much smaller. Thinking of this, he turned his head to Rong Yuan right as Rong Yuan was turning to look at him. Their eyes met, and the two men saw fervor and fighting spirit in each other’s eyes. The two men were of one will in the action to capture Xiangyang. Because of this reason, the animosity between them disappeared without a trace in this moment.

On the twelfth day of the eighth month, Lu Can personally led troops from Jiangxia upstream on the Huanshui River to Yiyang Commandery. South of Yiyang were three passes, split into the Wusheng Pass, the Pingjing Pass, and the Jiuli Pass. The Wusheng and Jiuli Passes were controlled by the Southern Chu military, while the Pingjing Pass was in the Yong military’s hands. The three passes supported each other and were all well-fortified. As a result, the two militaries fought fiercely for many years, rarely getting a chance like this. But in fact, Lu Can had set out on this task many years ago. Through years of scheming, his army had borne down on the border and breached into Yiyang several days ago. The general defending Yiyang died in battle.

On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, Lu Can exited Yiyang and went west, seizing Wan Prefecture and Deng Prefecture with little resistance. This action happened abruptly, and as Lu Can expected, Zhangsun Ji had to personally lead his army to meet him in battle. Of all the Great Yong generals in the commandery of Nanyang, only Zhangsun Ji could match Lu Can in terms of military strategy.

The city of Xiangyang had high walls and a deep moat, well-fortified, but the city of Nanyang was slightly vacant. Zhangsun Ji would definitely dispatch troops back to Nanyang unless he lacked consideration for the basics. Unexpectedly, Zhangsun Ji merely dispatched his deputy Mo Ye to meet the enemy. The two armies fought in the river, and Mo Ye was defeated, retreating to defend Nanyang.

Lu Can then marched south to attack Xiangyang from all sides. Mo Ye led troops in an attack on his rear, so Lu Can set up an ambush in Xinye. Mo Ye noticed and was afraid to advance. Lu Can left a general to defend Xinye and personally led his main force south to capture Xiangyang.

Compared to the smooth sailing Lu Can was experiencing, Rong Yuan’s every step was a struggle. On the fourteenth day of the eighth month, he departed north from Jingling, wishing to take Xiangyang. To his surprise, Zhangsun Ji ignored Lu Can’s threat and personally defended Yicheng with his army. The two armies engaged each other for a dozen days in the area between Yicheng and Jingling.

Rong Yuan learned from a situation report that Lu Can had already outflanked Xiangyang and was attacking it from all sides. Rong Yuan was infuriated and led his troops in a fierce assault on Yicheng. Zhangsun Ji secretly sent troops into hiding in the countryside during the middle of the night, and on the second day of Rong Yuan’s assault on Yichang, the ambushing troops sprang up from all around, routing the Southern Chu army. Rong Yuan was defeated and driven back to Jingling. Zhangsun Ji counterattacked Jingling, where Rong Yuan firmly defended for six days.

On the twenty-seventh day of the eighth month, Jingling was in a desperate situation when Zhangsun Ji suddenly retreated far away. Rong Yuan gathered intelligence, and after learning Lu Can had captured Xiangyang, he was seized by an outburst of anger. Having already taken a serious injury while defending the city, he kept coughing up blood and was bed-ridden.

On the twenty-ninth day of the eighth month, Rong Yuan angrily returned to Jiangling and petitioned the Southern Chu court. He accused Grand General Lu Can of disobeying the king’s orders, of rashly dispatching troops, of plunging the troops under his command and allied forces into extreme misery, of treason and insolent arrogance, and of acting arbitrarily.

Lu Can was also very surprised about capturing Xiangyang. The garrison of Xiangyang was quite weak, and in less than nine days, the Southern Chu army captured the city. Lu Can questioned the prisoners of war and learned that on the seventh day of the eighth month, Adviser Jiang Zhe of the Jiangnan Command Post had personally come to Xiangyang. After a private talk with Zhangsun Ji, thirty thousand troops were secretly split off, heading somewhere unknown. Due to this, the city of Xiangyang had holes in the defense such that it was taken by Lu Can. He knew Jiang Zhe had all manner of schemes and worried, so dispatched scout cavalry in every direction to fish for intelligence on the Yong military. In his opinion, Jiang Zhe by himself was worth a hundred thousand elite Yong troops.

In splitting his attention, he didn’t send troops in time to attack Zhangsun Ji in the rear and rescue Rong Yuan. He assumed that even if Rong Yuan didn’t win, it wouldn’t be a problem as he was defending the fortified Jingling. But he forgot about Rong Yuan’s rancor, and the dayslong delay led to irreversible regret.

On the twenty-sixth day of the eighth month, Lu Can received reports that Jiang Zhe had stationed troops in Gucheng. After much deliberation, he left a deputy behind to guard Xiangyang and personally led his army to Gucheng and besieged the city. Although Gucheng wasn’t a big city, it was a strategic military location guarding the middle of the Han River. And with a large army defending it, it couldn’t be taken in haste.

I stood on the walls, gently fanning a folding fan. Looking down at the Southern Chu troops in resplendent armor, I smiled at Huo Cong, who was standing behind me with a composed face, and asked, “You saw Lu Can command troops in Wuyue. Can you guess how long Gucheng will hold out for?”

Huo Cong smiled wryly. Glancing at General Chang Liang in the tower conducting the defense of the city, he thought, It’s lucky that person can’t hear what Sir says. He replied, “In the naval battle of Wuyue, General Lu and the Duke of the Tranquil Sea engaged each other multiple times. This disciple observed that General Lu commanded troops with great skill, and the Duke of the Tranquil Sea often sighed. If not for the Eastern Sea Navy excelling at naval combat, defeat would have been inevitable. Look at how he took an alternate path this time, sending troops to Yiyang to flank and attack Xiangyang from all sides. That way of waging warfare is truly as powerful and unrestrained as a heavenly steed soaring across the skies. Our Great Yong may have many famous generals, but none can compare. If he doesn’t have outside help, I’m afraid Gucheng can’t be held for ten days.”

“Although that’s the truth, you didn’t let me down gently at all. After all, I’m Lu Can’s master. Am I definitely going to lose?” I couldn’t help muttering.

Huo Cong heard but dared not speak. Xiaoshunzi, though, scoffed, “Young master has never directed a battle. A normal general holding out for ten days would be an achievement. If you meddle, I fear it would take even fewer days.” His voice wasn’t loud, but Huyan Shou and several bodyguards not far behind me heard clearly, all of them holding back laughter, afraid to make a sound.

Helpless, I shook my head. I would never dare rebut Xiaoshunzi. Glancing down the wall, I sighed, “It’s a pity he doesn’t have ten days. Lu Can is open and candid, as well as of aristocratic birth. But he knows far too little about the evil of man. I presumed he would soon send troops to Xiangyang. His true intention was to, while Zhao Long is still early in his reign and he can still act as he sees fit, capture Xiangyang. In order to be more assured, he would surely launch a combined attack with Rong Yuan. As a result, I ordered Zhangsun Ji to favor one over the other and block Rong Yuan. Rong Yuan gnashed his teeth and remembers losing the chance to take Xiangyang. Lu Can used him as an auxiliary force because he would unite and fight to the death. With Lu Can’s reputation, it was reasonable to expect Zhangsun Ji would personally meet him in battle. This way, Rong Yuan could swoop in and capture Xiangyang. Not only would that achieve his goal, he could also patch up the ill will between Rong Yuan and him. It would be killing two birds with one stone. But I deliberately had Zhangsun Ji stop Rong Yuan, reserving the glory of capturing Xiangyang for Lu Can to take. For Lu Can, he didn’t have a choice. He couldn’t just wait for Rong Yuan to capture Xiangyang. But Rong Yuan is narrow-minded by nature, and he had animosity with Lu Can. This joining of forces was to tamp down on the old hatred created through the enmity of losing Xiangyang. Once Lu Can captured Xiangyang, Rong Yuan’s fury was enough to make him do irrational things. Turmoil is about to rise throughout Southern Chu. How can Lu Can possibly wage war with assurance?”

Although Huo Cong was well aware of this, he still felt a chill in his heart. After a little hesitation, he asked, “Since Sir has long had the ability to use the strife between general and commander-in-chief against Grand General Lu to cause internal trouble, why did Sir hold back for three years?”

I grumbled under my breath, “Did you think I didn’t want to conquer Southern Chu earlier?” Then I answered, “It wasn’t the right time. Even if the threat erupted, it wouldn’t break their back. In three years of fighting, relying on his own strength to resist the Yong army multiple times the size of his own, Lu Can has become Southern Chu’s god of war. He’s deeply respected by the troops and citizens. Only at this time will civil strife weaken the fighting spirit of Southern Chu citizens and troops the most. If I had acted too early, the Southern Chu military would only have splintered even if Lu Can had died. They wouldn’t give up on resisting our military. The war would continue for at least a decade. Moreover, if I had used this stratagem while Shang Weijun and Lu Can were both regents, even if Shang Weijun had planned to oppose Lu Can, Lu Can wouldn’t have willingly bent his head. But it’s different now. Zhao Long has assumed the throne, and his decrees are genuine royal orders. Unless Lu Can intends to rebel, he absolutely won’t publicly disobey.”

“Grand General Lu may have the contribution of defending the state, but in the minds of Shang Weijun and the King of Southern Chu, I’m afraid he’s just a powerful minister controlling a huge army who they fear will challenge Zhao Long’s kingship,” sighed Huo Cong gently. “If the two countries were living peacefully with one another, during a time when generals are useless, I fear the Grand General would find it difficult to escape the misfortune of being disposed of, as he’s served his purpose. But war rages between the two nations, so the Southern Chu court shouldn’t destroy their own pillar, right?”

A light glittered in my eyes. “I naturally have a way to reassure the Southern Chu monarch and ministers, but there’s no need to talk about it right now. Let’s first take care not to let him capture Gucheng.”

Xiaoshunzi sternly interjected, “Since young master knows the danger of defending a city, why must he stay in Gucheng and face an army? When it comes to marching and fighting, Lu Can is a famous general who’s one of the best. Does young master believe he will show mercy?”

“If Lu Can showed mercy, he wouldn’t be Lu Can. However, I must risk this danger. If not, how could I make it difficult for Lu Can to vindicate himself?” I replied with a long sigh.

Xiaoshunzi’s expression slightly softened. “The enemy army is beginning to siege the city. Young master should go to the city center to hide. Weapons are blind. Don’t stay in a dangerous place for too long.”

I listened to battle cries coming from the bottom of the walls and saw arrayed troops on the walls standing ready. I said with a smile, “Although I’m not the commander-in-chief, I have the title of marquis. How can I hide in the city center? Xiaoshunzi, fetch me my guqin. Let me play a piece in the tower to entertain the troops of the army.”

I then flicked my sleeve and walked up the tower. Xiaoshunzi sighed and eventually proffered the zither. I sat on high, gazing down at the Southern Chu army leisurely sieging the city, as well as at the tall and upright figure wearing a brocade gown and metal armor among the powerful host. In the many years since, his face had aged a great deal, which pained my heart at the sight. As a matter of fact, we hadn’t met for thirteen years.

Gently plucking the zither strings, the indistinct sound of the zither drifted out of the tower. The sound of the zither wound like a river, the river flowing endlessly, sounding like the sorrow of parting. I cast aside the war before me and all the plots in my mind. I focused only on playing, not even thinking of how to use the music of the zither to encourage the morale of my side’s soldiers or how to dispel the fighting spirit of the enemy army. I was back in the Cold Courtyard, playing to the flowers, or on the river, playing into the wind.

Below the walls directing the siege, Lu Can tightly knit his brows. The murmuring of the zither spilled all through the Heavens and the Earth. Note by note, the music entered his ear, startling him. It was obvious who would be carefree enough to play the zither at this time. Nobody else but his master would do so. But even though his master was proficient at melody, he didn’t have internal energy. How could he make the zither music concentrate together and overflow the Heavens?

However, he wasn’t in the mood to ponder this. He ordered the soldiers in the army to beat the war drums of haste. The rumble of the drums reverberated through the Heavens and the Earth, trying to block out the zither. But the zither music zipped through the rests like a cool breeze, like running water soaking sand. Even though it was barely audible, it never stopped the entire time, each note entering his ear. Dejection arose within Lu Can, feeling like the sky before him was entirely trapped within the net of the zither player.

On the bank of the Han River, two figures stood silently, watching the raging battle from the distance. One of them was a man wearing clothes white as snow and had bladelike eyebrows and big, bright eyes. He looked charming and elegant and stood with his arms folded behind his back, his expression indifferent. The other person was a black-clothed young man, gallant-looking with an icy expression. He held a zither bag, his eyes bright as he gazed at the battlefield splattered with blood. His whole body was brimming with a dense killing intent and will to fight.

The white-clothed young man listened to the zither and was deep in thought for a long time before saying, “When it comes to skill at the zither, Suiyun is far inferior to me, but his comprehension is so outstanding. He doesn’t need to rely on external energy to sink into one’s heart and soul. Even with a wall of thunderous noise, it’s difficult to block it out. I just reached this realm two years ago, but I never thought he could play this kind of zither music. Ling Duan, hand me my zither. I want to play a piece with Suiyun.”

Ling Duan curled his lips. Although the Devil Sect was now a subject of Great Yong, for Ling Duan, that Jiang Zhe was still his most hated foe. Not because that man’s enacted stratagems made General Tan, the one he most revered, get killed in action, dying on the battlefield, as that was Tan Ji’s long-cherished wish. Nor was it because that man used him to murder General Shi. Although he knew Shi Ying’s death was due to Great Yong’s machinations, his bad impression of Shi Ying had never faded. For him, the one he kept in mind all the time was Li Hu. That reckless imbecile was killed by Jiang Zhe for an abominable reason. In the mind of Jiang Zhe, petty individuals like him were probably lower than ants.

Over the years, he’d followed the fourth young master to have an audience with Jiang Zhe many times, but he wasn’t willing to say a single word to him, even purposely avoiding the man. He feared he wouldn’t be able to hold back and would interrogate the man about the affairs related to Li Hu.

Although hatred filled his heart, he dared not disobey Qiu Yufei’s order. He respectfully offered up the guqin named “Welcoming a Guest from Afar.” Qiu Yufei sat cross-legged and placed the zither on his knees, gently plucking the strings, a lonely tone spilling from his fingers. The sound of the zither soared into the sky like spectacular peaks, evoking wonder and elegance. Yet it also seemed to stay on the beat with the zither music coming from the walls of Gucheng.

Of the two melodies, one sounded natural like floating clouds and flowing water, while the other resembled craggy, lonely peaks with running water coiling around the spectacular peaks, sounding sorrowful. Although the difference between the two melodies was clear, they still seemed to blend together to reflect a landscape of flowing rivers and lonely peaks.

Whether it was the Yong troops on the walls or the Southern Chu troops on the ground, they were all dazed in this very moment, absorbed in the music. The noises of combat on the battlefield gradually disappeared, brutality turning into peace. Lu Can couldn’t help shaking his head and sighing from within the Southern Chu formation. The troops wouldn’t regain their fighting spirit today. A guqin piece dispersed seventy thousand Southern Chu troops’ will to fight. This truly made it difficult for him to explain the pain he felt, and he sadly ordered the gongs beat the retreat to prevent his side from being attacked by the Yong troops in the city.

When the Southern Chu troops heard the gongs, they all wore unwilling expressions, but they dared not be insubordinate and slowly withdrew. The deputy generals of the army were right about to escort Lu Can away when he gritted his sharp teeth and waved for his personal bodyguard to give him his divine bow. Spurring his horse out of formation, he drew the engraved bow back until it resembled a full moon and shot an arrow at a wall tower of Gucheng. He was located a full five hundred paces from the tower.

The arrow flew straight without leaving a trace and traveled the great distance in the blink of an eye, flying at the throat of Jiang Zhe, who was playing the zither in the tower. When the Yong soldiers on the wall saw Lu Can draw the bow and loose the arrow, they opened their mouths to yell, but the arrow was already a few zhang away from Jiang Zhe.

However, the arrow didn’t have a chance to go any further. An empty hand that looked like it had been carved from pure, fine jade blocked the arrow. With a flick of the fingers, the arrow with eagle feather fletching powerful as thunder generated by lightning was flicked to the ground. Xiaoshunzi wore a severe expression, boundless killing intent shining in his eyes.

Lu Can had superhuman strength in both his arms. When he killed enemies in battle, he often shot enemy generals dead with the bow. He may not have been as skilled at archery as people like Great Yong’s Zhangsun Ji, but his arrows didn’t miss the target within five hundred paces. It was just that after he became the Grand General, he had few chances to personally go into battle. And because he was well-versed in the classics and the histories, he had the reputation of being a scholarly general, so his famous bravery was slowly forgotten.

However, Lu Can wasn’t trying to blow off steam with this arrow, nor did he want to take Jiang Zhe’s life. He knew Jiang Zhe had someone with him who could block the arrow. This arrow represented the severing of ties between master and disciple. So once he shot the arrow, he didn’t even take a look at the result, galloping his horse back into the army, escorted by his bodyguard into the distance.

Whether it was the Southern Chu troops on the ground or the Yong troops on the walls, any who saw this arrow was sorrowful. A master and disciple falling out, old friends permanently separated was a great pity in life.

In the tower, Jiang Zhe had slightly closed his eyes, focusing only on playing the zither, seemingly not having noticed the arrow that almost just killed him. The sound of the zither changed, now resembling the ebbing and overlapping of ocean waves, harmonizing with the Southern Chu withdrawal. And the zither playing from the bank of the Han River changed in accordance, becoming a massive reef that had towered in the ocean for millennia. Even though the gale and waves had died down, it still stood proud in the roaring waves, unchanged since time immemorial. Green mountains and clear waters turned into sapphire seas with reefs and cliffs. The music intricately wove together, more intimate than normal.

When the receding figure of the Southern Chu host disappeared from eyesight, both zithers abruptly stopped playing as if agreed upon beforehand. I pushed the zither away and stood, evenly saying, “If Yufei has come, Cong’er, invite him to the county office to meet me.”

Huo Cong couldn’t help but reply, “Sir, was General Lu’s arrow really meant to kill Sir?”

Melancholy flitted by in my eyes. “If he truly tried to kill me, there would be nothing wrong with that.” Then I turned around and walked into the city.

Huo Cong watched Jiang Zhe’s figure recede, distress showing in his eyes.

After some time, Qiu Yufei arrived below the walls of Gucheng with Ling Duan in tow. As nobody knew when the enemy army might attack, the gates couldn’t be rashly opened. A rope with attached bamboo basket dropped from the top of the walls, taking the two men into the city. Qiu Yufei and Ling Duan were both familiar with war, so didn’t believe this was to humiliate them. Qiu Yufei let Ling Duan ride the bamboo basket up, quickly reaching the top.

The soldiers were just about to let the basket down again but they saw a flash of white before their eyes. A young man wearing clothes white as snow was already standing before them. The jaws of the soldiers dropped. Although the ancient city’s walls weren’t too high, they were around a dozen zhang tall. The basket could only hold one person, but this white-clothed young man didn’t need any help. He easily and deftly ascended the gate tower. The soldiers were glad he wasn’t an enemy.

Huo Cong wasn’t the least bit alarmed. Although he had barely learned some common martial arts, he had seen Xiaoshunzi’s skill before. He knew all about Qiu Yufei’s status. A direct disciple of the Devil Sect having such martial arts wasn’t strange. He went forward and saluted. “Huo Cong pays his respects to fourth young master. Sir is waiting for fourth young master in the county office.”

“Sir Jiang is truly courteous, even remembering to send a person to welcome us. He must think highly of old friends,” Ling Duan said with a sarcastic smile.

Huo Cong could sense the hostility in Ling Duan’s tone and also knew a slight amount about Ling Duan. He said with a smile, “Brother Ling is too polite. My master and fourth young master dueted on the zither with heartfelt understanding of each other. Fourth young master is uninvolved in worldly affairs and has always had a subtle elegance. Sir could not personally welcome you because for one, he still has public affairs to attend to, and two, he is unwilling to disgrace the fourth young master with this worldly etiquette.”

Ling Duan wanted to argue and opened his mouth several times in a row, but he couldn’t think of what to say. He was stuck at a loss for words. Outraged, he stood off to the side.

Qiu Yufei had been watching Ling Duan and Huo Cong converse with a grin. With the zithers playing off each other, he intuitively understood the other party. He would never misunderstand that Jiang Zhe looked down on him. Ling Duan had seized this as a pretext to make a fuss, and Qiu Yufei didn’t stop him either. He just wanted to see how Huo Cong would respond. Although he didn’t recognize the young man, the Devil Sect was well-informed. How could he not know who Jiang Zhe’s most beloved disciple by his side was? Just from Huo Cong’s appearance and bearing, Qiu Yufei knew his identity.

He may have known that Jiang Zhe’s disciple was sure to be talented, but Huo Cong’s downplaying of events not only demoralized Ling Duan but also moved him. Upon close inspection, the young man’s appearance may have been normal, but over half of his bearing and spirit resembled Jiang Zhe. He was just missing some laziness and disregard, having more dignity and gentleness. But after a few more looks, Qiu Yufei furrowed his brows. The young man named Huo Cong had suffering showing on his face. He clearly had loads on his mind. Jiang Zhe was proficient at medicine, so how could he not notice, and how could he let his disciple become so distressed? But he simply kept it in mind. He said with a smile, “All right, Ling Duan, mind what you say. Please lead the way, Huo Cong. Suiyun is likely still waiting for me.”

Huo Cong guided the two men to the county office. The county office had been turned into the official residence of the Marquis of Chu of the imperial rank, Jiang Zhe. It was highly guarded, the guards on every side all Stalwart Tiger Guards who wore black clothes and black armor. Right as the three men walked through the entrance of the county office, a light glowed in Ling Duan’s eyes. He scanned the surrounding terrain, which was a habit of his, and caught sight of a black-clothed man standing at the bottom of the stairs. Ling Duan’s jaw dropped in a split second. Bounding over to the burly man, he stammered out, “Li Hu, how are you still alive? How’d you become a Stalwart Tiger Guardsman?”

The big man rubbed his head in confusion. “So it’s you, Little Ling. How did you not know I was still alive?”

“How could I know you were still alive? You were taken away by Zhuang daren at the time. Wasn’t it said that you were silenced? How are you still alive and well? Since you’re alive, why didn’t you think to send me the news all these years? Do you not have the slightest bit of consideration for trials and tribulations?” Ling Duan angrily scolded. His fury was bursting, the recent ecstasy at seeing his old friend fading a little.

Bewilderment shone in Li Hu’s eyes. “Silence me? Those brothers and I were detained elsewhere at the time. After over a year of hard labor, we were set free. Most of the brothers took taels back home. I didn’t have anywhere to go and while I was wondering how to make a living, to my surprise, Commander Huyan Shou came to ask if I wanted to go to Chang’an. I thought of how General Shi was gone too, so followed the commander to the capital. I first stayed in the Winged Tiger Army for a few years. Huyan daren often came to improve my martial arts.

“In my fourth year there, the Emperor personally visited the army and selected a large batch for the Stalwart Tiger Guard. I originally missed the mark by a little, but the Emperor heard I was the one who knocked Marquis Jiang into the water with one lance thrust, Li Hu, so picked me for the Stalwart Tiger Guard. Three years ago, I was sent here to protect Marquis Jiang. However, I heard you followed fourth young master Qiu to the Tranquil Sea Manor in the Eastern Sea. I asked someone to write you a letter. Did you not get it?”

Ling Duan saw Li Hu’s perplexed look and knew this oaf was ignorant, muddle-headed about past events. Over the years, only he constantly endured the torment of hatred. Raising his eyes and looking around, Qiu Yufei and Huo Cong were long gone, and even the Stalwart Tiger Guards nearby had all shied away. Years of hatred suddenly landed in the empty air. Happy yet at a loss, he asked in a murmur, “Who did you ask to send the letter?”

Li Hu scratched his head and answered, “I don’t know where the Tranquil Sea Manor is, so I asked Huyan Shou to help, who passed it on to the marquis to deliver you the news. I wondered when you would come to Chang’an to find me for a drink.”

Ling Duan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Now, he knew where the problem was, but thinking of how his old friend was actually still alive, the joy within him mixed with an indescribable feeling, and tears rained from his eyes out of his control.

Li Hu saw his old friend who’d gone through adversity looking like this and was overwhelmed, constantly circling around Ling Duan, not knowing what to do.

Guided by Xiaoshunzi, Qiu Yufei walked into the inner chamber and saw Jiang Zhe standing at the front of the chamber with his hands folded behind his back, which looked a bit bleak. Qiu Yufei sighed, “Is Suiyun sore about that arrow?”

I didn’t look back to reply, “The two countries are at war. What grace is there to speak of? Besides, I’m just an ungrateful man who betrayed my country. His treatment of me has already shown extreme patience and magnanimity. Back when I was a family tutor at the Lu residence, consumed by the death of my father, I made a deal with him to each do what we thought was right because he didn’t like to study. In reality, it was because I wasn’t in the frame of mind to teach him at the time. If not for his sincere conduct, I wouldn’t have cheered up so quickly. And even though I was rather talented, I was inexperienced due to my youth. I often made omissions when teaching him. If we hadn’t been diametrically opposed when debating theory, I wouldn’t be as successful as I am today.

“In five years at the Lu residence, I was without a friend in the world. Although he was heir to the marquis, Marquis Lu was training troops and wasn’t home for many years at a time. He also lost his mother in early childhood. In the huge Lu residence, we were the only two who could depend upon one another for survival. Instead of saying we are master and student, it’d be better to say we are friends and brothers.

“I may have often teased and pranked him when he was a teenager, but he sincerely regarded me as a relative. I like to read the only extant copy of a masterwork, so he searched for them for me. My obsession of admiring snow on the river got me a cold, and he personally served me a decoction. Back when I had an idea of leaving Southern Chu, I was most worried about this student who was like a brother to me. But now I must personally design a trap for him to fall into. Even if he truly tried to kill me, I couldn’t blame him, much less him shooting an arrow at me to show all ties have been severed. If not for His Imperial Majesty gracing me with deep favor, I wouldn’t have meddled in this war even if the flames rampaged unabated for thirty years.”

Qiu Yufei sensed the bleakness in Jiang Zhe’s tone and purposely mocked, “Suiyun may not hate Lu Can for severing ties, but if you say you don’t blame him, I certainly don’t believe you. Ling Duan saved my older martial brother by taking hostages just once years ago, yet you purposely hid it from him for ten years, making him nurse his hatred all day long without end, thinking of his dead friend. If not for you seeking an audience with me, I’m afraid you still wouldn’t let him know the truth for fear that he would place obstacles in your way.”

I couldn’t help smiling at the words. I looked back and said, “It’s not like you just learned how Jiang Zhe is narrow-minded and holds grudges. Why ridicule me?”

Qiu Yufei saw that Jiang Zhe was showing a happy face and was relieved. Raising his eyes and looking over, he saw that, in the many years they hadn’t met, Jiang Zhe’s temples had grayed a little more, and his gray hair had thinned out a bit. He sighed, “I heard Suiyun has been wandering the land for the past few years, not paying much attention to military affairs. I had thought Suiyun was bound to be radiating health and vigor. Why do you look much more haggard?”

I sighed gently. “The years fly by. The aging of one’s face is unpreventable. Yet Yufei looks as elegant as ever, making Zhe both jealous and envious. Zhe sent a request a long distance for assistance on a truly important matter. After much thought, only Yufei could lend me a hand. It’s just that there are rather difficult factors. If the Devil Sect doesn’t permit it or Yufei finds it inconvenient, Zhe won’t insist.”

Qiu Yufei’s heart skipped a beat. He’d already guessed what Jiang Zhe was entrusting him with. Unperturbed, he said, “Since Suiyun has requested help, how could Yufei not comply? My Devil Sect is now a subject of Great Yong. Before coming here, I first paid Master a call. Master has permitted me to act at my discretion. If the matter is critical, I can head south this very day. But I fear that your painstaking efforts will be to no avail.”

“Whether a success or a failure, I must always do my best. Many thanks to Yufei for helping without stint,” I gladly said. “But we still have some time at present. There’s no harm in you and me getting together for several days. We can put it off until Southern Chu retreats.”

Qiu Yufei sighed, “That’s true.” Then he said with a smile, “Suiyun’s zither playing has improved by leaps and bounds. I was going to ask for tips.”

“Exactly what I was hoping for,” I said with a smile. “Xiaoshunzi, I won’t go atop the walls for the next few days. Let Cong’er follow General Chang into battle.”

Xiaoshunzi turned around and went out to relay the order.

A light flashed in Qiu Yufei’s eyes. “Suiyun still cares for Lu Can, whose arrow severed master-disciple affection. Why do you not value him as much? Why else would he be depressed? If you don’t cherish a talent like him, it’d be better to give him to me.”

I meaningfully said, “When the Heavens confer great responsibility unto someone, they first test one’s resolve, exhaust one’s strength, starve one’s body, leave one destitute, and confound one’s undertakings so as to stimulate one’s spirit, toughen one’s nature, and overcome one’s weaknesses.”

Qiu Yufei sighed softly and didn’t say anything else. The two men exchanged a smile and walked side by side into the rear courtyard.

For the next ten days, the two men stayed in the back playing the zither and discussing music, paying no heed to the warfare outside. They let Huo Cong remain with General Chang and ward off Lu Can’s assault.

On the twenty-seventh day of the eight month, Zhangsun Ji swung back to Xiangyang with his army, attacking the city with great speed. Some of Lu Can’s deputies likely advised him to first return to Xiangyang to destroy Zhangsun Ji, and he considered it repeatedly, but he only ordered they defend Xiangyang to the death to not allow Zhangsun Ji to come to the aid of Gucheng. Then he ordered a violent assault on Gucheng, because the attack on Xiangyang had used up the catapults and ballistae.

On the twenty-sixth, Jiang Zhe and Qiu Yufei had combined their strengths on the zither to dispel the fighting spirit of the Southern Chu army. After Lu Can retreated, he ordered the soldiers to quickly build catapults. At the start of the twenty-seventh, the siege continued around the clock. Although he had never led troops in the region of Xiangyang, he had ordered someone years ago to inquire about the strengths and weaknesses of all the cities and towns around Xiangyang. Gucheng was less than one hundred fifty li away from Xiangyang. A swift horse could travel between the cities in a day, so he knew the weaknesses of Gucheng’s walls quite well. The boulders thrown by the catapults greeted the weak points of the wall. Within a day, Gucheng’s walls were breached and ruined.

Huo Cong sought advice from Jiang Zhe but was turned away at the door. Helpless, he steeled his heart and acted on his own initiative, ordering troops to construct small catapults and move them onto the walls. Bundling dried grasses into balls and placing fire starting material inside, they were thrown towards the enemy formations after being lit. After burning down a dozen catapults, it was difficult for the Southern Chu army to continue the offensive.

On the thirtieth day of the eighth month, Lu Can learned of Rong Yuan retreating, and after days of siege, discovered Gucheng absolutely didn’t hold thirty thousand men. They only had at most five thousand. He determined that the rest of the Yong army had transferred to a different location in secret, maybe even swinging back to Xiangyang. If Xiangyang fell, his rear lines would be cut off. But Lu Can also knew his force was isolated in Yong territory. Even if he retreated to defend Xiangyang, he would be beset with difficulties both foreign and domestic, so he continued to siege Gucheng. He was deliberately using Gucheng to lure the Yong army into sending a relief force, and he also sent many people to sneak back into Southern Chu, using the order of the Grand General to mobilize the navy stationed back in Jiangxia as reinforcements.

In the meantime, a Yong army arrived at Gucheng through Deng Prefecture via Laohekou, after which Jiang Zhe ordered them to gallop back to Xiangyang and rendezvous with Zhangsun Ji to sever the roads to Xiangyang. According to Jiang Zhe’s prior orders, they would focus on attacking the city of Xiangyang and not rescue Gucheng.

On the second day of the ninth month, Zhangsun Ji learned of Lu Can diverting rivers to flood the city. The defenders responded by digging moats to make the waters flow underground. Worried Gucheng couldn’t be held anymore, he dispatched ten thousand troops to relieve the city. When they were thirty li from Gucheng, scouts reported back that thick smoke was billowing from Gucheng. The commander of the relief force mistakenly believed Gucheng had fallen and spurred the army on at full speed to the rescue, heedless of danger. He was ambushed along the way by Lu Can’s deputies, with over ten thousand casualties recorded.

When Zhangsun Ji heard the report, he ordered an assault on Xiangyang. Only some ten thousand Southern Chu troops were defending Xiangyang, as the Yong army had carried off most of the fodder and provisions and supplies before abandoning the city. It was already extremely difficult to defend the city, but although the Yong military had kindly treated the elders of Xiangyang, the people of Xiangyang still clung to their homeland. When they heard Grand General Lu Can had captured Xiangyang, they all left home and did their utmost to help the Southern Chu troops defend the city even at the risk of their lives. The Yong army found it difficult to take the city in a hurry.

On the fourth day of the ninth month, Lu Can ordered troops to dig channels to carry away the standing water around Gucheng, as deep waters submerged the land within and without the walls, the foundation floating. Lu Can ordered his troops to sap into the city, but Huo Cong flooded the tunnels with standing water from within the city, destroying the Southern Chu attack.

On the fifth day of the ninth month, Lu Can ordered soldiers to burn the city by placing firewood outside the tunnels, from dawn to dusk and dusk to dawn. This time, they weren’t piling on fire and smoke to trick a relief force, instead trying to destroy the walls. Huo Cong ordered troops to repair the walls, miserable work, but by the morning of the sixth day of the ninth month, with war drums having sounded all day and night beyond the walls, Gucheng’s southern wall collapsed. Huo Cong was at his wits’ end when he realized the Southern Chu army outside the walls hadn’t taken the opportunity to attack. Dispatching scouts out of the city to investigate, they only found twenty-odd mountain goats in the Southern Chu camp that had been blindfolded and hung upside down. Their front hooves had been banging together around the clock, and the Southern Chu army had actually left during the night.

In the wee hours of the morning of the sixth day of the ninth month, Lu Can suddenly appeared outside the city of Xiangyang with an army. Last night, scouts had reported back that Lu Can was still at Gucheng. Zhangsun Ji didn’t anticipate Lu Can’s return, because Xiangyang’s defenders lacked the strength to sally out of the city, so he didn’t take precautions. Besides, it was already dawn, when Southern Chu troops were sound asleep. Lu Can trampled the Yong camp with cavalry, and in the turmoil, Zhangsun Ji suffered a crushing defeat, unable to form up his army in time. Luckily, most of Yong’s elite troops escaped alive. Lu Can entered Xiangyang again, sweeping away the Yong army’s tight encirclement. Then he once again dispatched a messenger to Jiangling and Jiangxia to send reinforcements.

While Lu Can was fighting hard and leading troops in Gucheng and Xiangyang, chaos consumed Jianye. On the first day of the ninth month, Rong Yuan’s accusation memorial to the king arrived in Jianye. When Shang Weijun learned Lu Can had sent troops out, he convened his trusted aides to discuss official business, enraged. The king had assumed the throne, but although Shang Weijun still controlled the court, they gained a king in name. And Shang Weijun may have coveted power, but he didn’t intend to rebel. He only aimed to protect and fawn over his grandson.

And for Lu Can, the military power he wielded grew stronger. In the eighth year of Longsheng, he used the excuse of defending against the enemy to take away the right of officials of the fourth rank and lower to promote and demote others in the regions of Jianghuai and Jingxiang.

Shang Weijun had long been wary and worried about this. For Shang Weijun, with a several hundred thousand-strong army defending Jianghuai, and with the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, the Jiangnan defensive lines that had been manned again for over a decade were invulnerable. Even if Lu Can were gone, as long as several useless cities that were often fought over were abandoned and the strategic towns were well-defended, even if the Yong army embarked on a southern campaign, they couldn’t cross the Yangtze again. On the other hand, Lu Can had a large army consolidated around himself that challenged the court, and he also won the hearts of the commoners and soldiers. If he rebelled, it would be an unmitigated disaster.

After Zhao Long assumed the throne, Shang Weijun intended to slowly take back Lu Can’s military power in the name of the king. He didn’t expect Lu Can to be stuck in his ways and not give notice before going to battle like before. Shang Weijun made the decision that even if Lu Can captured Xiangyang and crushed the Yong army, he would still recall him to Jianye and make him stay behind with the excuse of rewarding him. After discussing for a night, they designed a stratagem to lure Lu Can back to Jianye.

Shang Weijun ordered the Minister over the Masses, Cai Kai, to act as a royal envoy and go to Jiangxia to await Lu Can. After Lu Can won, he would summon Lu Can back to the capital to receive awards. Cai Kai was the father of the new queen, a dignified elder statesman, and an important minister of the court who was illustrious, ever a renowned scholar. Minister Cai was competent, and Lu Can had made achievements. Cai Kai going to summon him would not make him suspicious.

Surprisingly, not a few days later, the news came back that the Southern Chu army had been surrounded in Xiangyang yet Lu Can had assaulted Gucheng, where Jiang Zhe currently was. In addition, Lu Can had ordered the mustering of reinforcements. Although Shang Weijun worried Lu Can would lose, damaging the spirit of Southern Chu, he was comforted by the fact Lu Can placed righteousness before family, even personally sending the order for Rong Yuan to relieve Xiangyang. Rong Yuan declined leadership due to his serious illness and again sent a memorial to the king, saying Lu Can had a large army consolidated around himself and ignored the court, doing things for his own achievement, not sparing the lives of his soldiers.

On the morning of the sixth day of the ninth month, rumors abounded in Jiangnan, all saying Lu Can was defending Xiangyang with an isolated force, not retreating or advancing, because Lu Can intended to break away with Jianghuai and declare himself king. They also pointed to Lu Can not storming Gucheng because he wasn’t willing to offend Great Yong’s imperial family, because once he became independent, he would be facing enemies on both sides of Jianghuai. So he was secretly bending the knee to the Marquis of Chu of the imperial rank, Jiang Zhe, showing reconciliation. Routing Zhangsun Ji and capturing Xiangyang was just to pull the wool over people’s eyes. Why else would the Yong army hesitate to attack Xiangyang again?

On the twelfth day of the ninth month, the Head of the Yihuang Hall, Ji Xia, presented a short song she’d received from the people to Shang Weijun:

] The Metal Servant Girl plumed with condor feathers,

] The parted ends of the banner form a swallow’s tail.

] King Lu hoists the banner and gives new orders,

] The millions of his army respond in kind.

Shang Weijun’s heart froze when he read it. Who could the poem be referring to when speaking of King Lu if not Lu Can? The military exploits, making a show of strength, the multitudes responding to his call; at an order, the millions of his army respond in kind—who could it be besides Lu Can? Analyzing the meaning of the poem, Lu Can was actually planning to declare himself king. Shang Weijun worried to himself that Ji Xia was trying to frame Lu Can and ordered his trusted aides to investigate in secret. They discovered that, in the span of several days, the song had swept through Jianghuai, Jingxiang, Wuyue, and the north and south banks of the Yangtze River. Even three-year-old toddlers learning to speak were singing, “King Lu hoists the banner and gives new orders, / The millions of his army respond in kind.”

Shang Weijun was well-versed in the classics and histories, so he knew about prophetic songs. If Lu Can didn’t plan to rebel, why would a rebellious song like this be spreading? If it weren’t for Lu Can’s position and authority, how could a song spread across the Yangtze River in just a few days?

Suspicion rising, Shang Weijun was very worried. Right at this moment, Shang Weijun’s son, Shang Chengye, advised, “Lu Can has an army and occupies key towns, rarely asking for orders and instead independently sending troops. Although he’s done great deeds, he isn’t a loyal subject. And regardless of whether the news that he intends to rebel is true or false, all levels of society know Lu Can, but not the King, much less Father. If Lu Can issues a call to arms, I fear Jiangnan will immediately switch sides. Not only would His Royal Majesty die and the kingdom be wiped out, our Shang family would disappear into thin air too.

“If Lu Can returns triumphant from the Battle of Xiangyang, the court will have to reward him greatly. Reports say there’s already complaints in the military that cannot be explained away like the last several times. But that man has reached the highest position as the Grand General of Southern Chu, overseeing military affairs in Jiangnan, and has been enfeoffed with the title of duke. If he’s awarded further, he can only be enfeoffed as a prince. A prince with a different surname is an omen to rebellion. Even if Lu Can doesn’t currently have plans to rebel, in time, it’ll be difficult to avoid his deputies coercing him to declare himself king.

“For Father’s stratagem, instead of awaiting certain destruction, it’d be better to strike first and gain the upper hand. After eliminating Lu Can and his confidants, placate his soldiers whose relatives are all in Jiangxi Province. How then will this flock of sheep without a shepherd rebel? Then select a couple of veteran generals who have grudges with Lu Can and have them defend against the Yong armies with proper behavior. Father presumably doesn’t desire the Central Plains, so why insist on relying so heavily on Lu Can?”

Although Shang Weijun tacitly approved, he was still hesitant and uncertain. Right at this time, another military report arrived from the front. Lu Can abandoned the easily obtained Gucheng and returned to Xiangyang, crushing Zhangsun Ji, and wrote back requesting reinforcements. When Shang Weijun heard the news, his spirits were lifted. If Lu Can triumphed in Xiangyang, he would have no way of forcing Lu Can to submit. Since Lu Can urgently required reinforcements, he could use this opportunity to force Lu Can to withdraw. Without Xiangyang, the most they’d lose would be the possibility of capturing the Central Plains. However, if Lu Can rebelled, Shang Weijun’s family and country would be destroyed, so he entered the palace at once and asked Zhao Long to decree that Cai Kai would be appointed as military supervisor. He used the royal decree to prevent the Jiangxia army from setting out and transferred Rong Yuan to Jiangxia, claiming to be awaiting the royal decree to combine forces to march north to Xiangyang. But he surreptitiously had Rong Yuan fence off the river, not permitting the Jiangxia army to march north.

Although Zhao Long had already assumed the throne, he had sunk into alcoholism. He was not the least bit concerned with affairs of state. He had no objection to his maternal grandfather’s propositions, so sent his decree to Xiangyang, ordering Lu Can to retreat. In his view, an isolated force marching north to capture the Central Plains was truly unnecessary. They occupied a vast swathe of territory that stretched as far as the eye could see. The royal palace gleamed, full of rare treasures on the inside. Beautiful women fair and smooth filled his oily clutches. Under the crystal bead curtains were rouged and powdered faces. With such good fortune, it was enough to spend one’s last years in Jiangnan. Why invite disaster by inciting disturbances?

On the eighteenth day of the ninth month, the royal decree reached Xiangyang. Lu Can rejected the order, using the claim of “a general in the field need not adhere to all the orders of the sovereign” to refuse to withdraw.

When the news of Lu Can repudiating the order reached Jianye, Zhao Long was infuriated. Although he’d never wielded power when he succeeded the throne in childhood, nobody had ever defied his orders before. For him, Lu Can was just a normal minister, yet went against a royal decree. Enraged, he issued another decree to summon back Lu Can. Noble Consort Ji Lingxiang purposely veiled criticism in satire, saying Lu Can wouldn’t obey the decree. Zhao Long worried about losing face in front of his beloved concubine and issued seven withdrawal orders in succession within two days.

On the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, the second written edict arrived in Xiangyang. Lu Can was indignant and refused to accept, but seven royal envoys arrived from Jianye in a row, all promulgating that Lu Can was to withdraw. Even so, Lu Can still wasn’t willing to abandon Xiangyang, but though he’d decided to forge ahead, the Jiangxia reinforcements had been blocked by Rong Yuan. The Jiangxia army had no ability to mobilize. Out of provisions and troops exhausted, he was isolated and without help. The Yong army, however, had regrouped, and he could see they would attack Xiangyang in a few days, and they had stripped the earth and fortified the land around Xiangyang, not allowing Southern Chu troops to forage on their enemy. Lu Can stood on the walls of Xiangyang, weeping into the wind, “The great undertaking is incomplete, and by moving south across the river halfway through, there will never again be the hope of taking the Central Plains.”

Unwillingly, Lu Can ordered the troops to withdraw. When the people of Xiangyang learned the Southern Chu army would be retreating, they flew into a panic. Congregating in front of Lu Can’s command residence, they all said, “We will help the Grand General defend the city! Once the Yong army retakes Xiangyang, won’t they punish the populace? With Great Yong’s strict laws, there will be nothing but death for us. We beg the Grand General to save us!”

Lu Can sighed in response, “I cannot look north to the Central Plains, but I also cannot harm the elders of Xiangyang.” Then he ordered for the Xiangyang populace to move south first, cross through Suizhou, then settle in Jiangxia.

Lu Can personally led the rearguard, defending Xiangyang without withdrawing. When Zhangsun Ji learned the Xiangyang population was moving south, he ordered his army to attack the city in a fit of surprised anger. Lu Can defended with discipline for seven days, and the tops of the walls of Xiangyang were dyed with blood, the Yong army finding it difficult to break through.

On the third day of the tenth month, Lu Can set Xiangyang ablaze, then took advantage of the chaos to break through the siege lines from the western gate of Xiangyang and journeyed to Suizhou.

After Lu Can was about a dozen li away from Xiangyang, he heard thunderous booms that continued without end. It sounded like the God of Thunder was raging. His heart pounded and his face paled to the color of paper. Just from hearing the location of the sound, he knew it had come from the walls. It had to be the gunpowder hidden in the tunnels dug under the walls exploding after getting lit by the inferno. Lu Can was very clever and surmised this had to be the Yong army’s secret plan to break into the city. There was no way a defensive general would think of that method. And for the times the Yong army attacked the city, they didn’t use covert operations to storm the city.

Lu Can knew he’d fallen into the trap already, so even if he lived through Xiangyang, he would inevitably be suspected by the king. To prevent that from happening, someone had likely set up this gunpowder contingency. With a pained smile, Lu Can spurred his horse onward to Suizhou.

After more than a month of bitter fighting, flames engulfed Xiangyang. All that remained were the blood of soldiers and a general’s eternal regret.