The Road to Glory

Chapter 138: The Banquet at Hongmen

Weizhou.

Pale gray roof ridges and withered branches were dusted with a thin layer of snow. In the courtyard, soldiers in short jackets swept fallen leaves with brooms.

The place was heavily guarded; ordinary servants were not allowed near, and all menial tasks were handled by military personnel.

From the study came faint sounds of scolding.

“Is this the good work you’ve done?”

“I sent you to guard Youzhou alongside Liao Jiang, and as soon as the barbarians approached the city walls, you fled in terror? You’ve truly brought me great face!”

No underfloor heating was lit in the room. Outside, the north wind howled, and inside, the chill was just as biting.

Wei Qishan wore plain white inner garments under a loose robe. His tall frame had noticeably thinned due to age and his recent illness, making his usual clothes hang loosely on him.

Kneeling below, Wei Pingjin was dressed in brocade casual attire, his hair tied with a golden gauze crown. As the scolding rained down on him, his fingers clenched into fists at his sides, his eyes filled with humiliation and suppressed anger, clearly defiant.

He argued, “I am not one to fear death. The decision to retreat was made because Youzhou was already lost—the barbarians would have breached the city in an instant. To prevent our soldiers from dying in vain, I gave the order to withdraw to Weizhou. The military secretaries can all testify for me…”

“What is this?” Wei Qishan flung the latest battle report directly into Wei Pingjin’s face.

The stiff paper of the report struck his cheek, leaving a stinging pain that lingered.

Wei Pingjin had arrived in Weizhou late the previous night. As Wei Qishan had already retired, he dared not disturb him, planning to pay his respects and report on the retreat from Youzhou this morning. Unexpectedly, a fast courier from Youzhou had already delivered the victory report to Wei Qishan at dawn.

That Liao Jiang could turn defeat into victory under such dire circumstances was something Wei Pingjin simply could not believe. After Wei Qishan threw the report at him, he knelt rigidly for a moment before picking it up to examine it closely.

Although the report made no mention of his premature retreat, it lavished praise on a righteous army leader named Xiao Li, portraying him as almost supernatural. When Wei Pingjin read that Xiao Li had led only a few dozen riders to burn the barbarians’ grain depot and turn the tide of battle, he scoffed, holding the report. “This man led just a few dozen riders to burn the barbarians’ grain depot—do you believe that, Father?”

Wei Qishan lifted his eyes and coldly glared at his son. Even in illness, his authority remained undiminished. “Your elder brother accomplished similar feats at sixteen. With Liao Jiang and the other generals witnessing it firsthand, why shouldn’t I believe it?”

Wei Pingjin was silenced by these words, the humiliation in his eyes deepening.

He knelt silently for a while longer. Only when Wei Qishan’s attendant knocked and entered with another dispatch did Wei Qishan coldly say to him, “Get out and reflect on your actions.”

Wei Pingjin bowed his head in deep embarrassment, clasped his fists, and said, “Your son takes his leave,” before exiting the study.

The attendant watched Wei Pingjin depart, then turned to place the dispatch from the Southern Border on Wei Qishan’s desk. He cautiously added, “This old servant knows that the untimely death of the Eldest Young Master is a deep sorrow for the Marquis. But how many in this world can match the Eldest Young Master’s talents at such a young age? Although the Second Young Master may be somewhat proud and arrogant, he diligently studies and practices martial arts, always striving to emulate his elder brother. The Marquis need not be too harsh on him.”Wei Qishan glanced at the letter at the corner of his desk, noticing the seal of Great Liang upon it. Without even breaking the wax seal, he tossed it directly into the wastebasket nearby. Picking up a military strategy book instead, he opened it on his desk and remarked, "If he were even half as capable as Chuan'er, I wouldn't have had to assign him to Liao Jiang's side."

The attendant knew well that Wei Pingjin had become a laughingstock this time, causing Wei Qishan to lose face before the veteran generals. He found it difficult to respond to this comment.

Back when Pei Song had just captured Fengyang and Princess Han Yang had not yet risen to prominence in the Southern Border, after severely checking Pei Song's momentum, Wei Qishan had allocated troops to Wei Pingjin and assigned several capable generals to assist him in fighting against Pei Song, all to pave the way for his son. Unexpectedly, Wei Pingjin was driven by Pei Song from one city to another, losing each one he was supposed to defend, thus revitalizing the morale of the struggling Pei Army.

After that battle, the entire army held little respect for Wei Pingjin.

But Wei Qishan had only this one son. No matter how furious he was at his incompetence, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and continue devising ways to pave his path.

After being wounded in Youzhou, he had prepared for the worst. If he were to fall, Wei Pingjin would inevitably have to take over the military power. Liao Jiang was one of his most important generals. He entrusted both Youzhou and his son to Liao Jiang, believing that if anything were to happen to him, with Liao Jiang's staunch support, Wei Pingjin could consolidate the loyalty of the troops within a few years.

Thus, holding Youzhou alongside Liao Jiang became a crucial step.

If they emerged victorious from this battle, Wei Pingjin would naturally share in the military honors.

Even if Youzhou ultimately couldn't be held, having shared life-and-death experiences with Liao Jiang and his officers would earn Wei Pingjin greater support within the army in the future.

Now, however, all these plans had been ruined by Wei Pingjin himself.

Worse still, he remained as obtuse as ever, still failing to grasp where he went wrong.

If he had held out a little longer, fully committing to the stance of standing or falling with all his soldiers, would Liao Jiang have let him die there when the city fell?

Had he been "forcibly" evacuated by Liao Jiang's orders, would the officers below have raised any objections?

Instead, he panicked and withdrew his troops hastily, only for Liao Jiang to achieve victory shortly after. This firmly cemented his reputation as a coward who feared death. How could Wei Qishan not be enraged?

Thinking of his eldest son who died young, a rare melancholy crept into Wei Qishan's expression. "Chuan'er was as heartless as his mother, leaving me all alone in this world. I wonder if his mother still resents me over there..."

Before he could finish, he covered his mouth with his hand and coughed softly.

The attendant hurried to close the window properly and advised, "You surrendered to the new dynasty to spare the people of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun from the ravages of war. The late lady understood your difficulties—how could she resent you? The Great Young Master's passing was truly heaven envying his talent. Please do not grieve over these past matters anymore, Marquis, and take care of your health. The military physician said your wounds need careful recuperation. This old servant will have the underfloor heating in your room lit later. This bitter cold is not conducive to recovery from injuries."

Wei Qishan's first wife was a descendant of the previous dynasty's nobility. After Liang's Ming Chengdi unified most of the Central Plains, faced with Great Liang's offer of surrender and the Outer Pass Barbarians watching covetously, Wei Qishan ultimately chose to surrender to Great Liang for the sake of the people under his governance.

His wife, being strong-willed, left a letter stating that everything was unrelated to Wei Qishan before resolutely taking her own life.Wei Qishan's eldest son with his first wife, Wei Xingchuan, was exceptionally gifted and courageous, the child upon whom he had placed his greatest hopes. Unfortunately, after gaining fame in a battle against the Rongjue at sixteen, the Rongjue grew fearful of him and orchestrated his death on the battlefield.

His first wife and eldest son were the most deeply concealed wounds in Wei Qishan's heart. Every time he thought of them, a few more white hairs would appear.

After his coughing fit subsided, he waved his hand dismissively and said, "I've lived like this for many years. It's not as if my health is failing only this year."

His attendant wished to persuade him further, but Wei Qishan cut him off, asking, "How goes the search for the people I asked you to find?"

The attendant had no choice but to drop the previous topic and reply, "We have gathered twelve girls from various regions whose appearances and ages are suitable. They are currently being taught etiquette. Once their training is complete, they can be brought before you, My Lord, for your final selection."

Wei Qishan glanced at the basket of letters bearing the Liang seal and said, "Have them taught the Four Books and Five Classics as well. The Wen clan of Great Liang has produced a remarkable princess. If our Great Jin princess were illiterate, she would become a laughingstock to the world."

The previous dynasty's name was Jin.

Wei Pingjin left the courtyard and walked cold-faced to the end of the corridor before he could no longer suppress his rage. He slammed his fist hard against a pillar, closing his eyes and remaining silent for a long time.

The attendants behind him were as silent as cicadas in winter, none daring to approach and risk his wrath at such a moment.

Wei Pingjin's knuckles were scraped by the pillar, beads of blood welling up. He curled his lips in a self-mocking smile and said, "My mother was right—the living can never compete with the dead."

This touched upon their Marquis' family affairs, making the attendants even more afraid to comment. They all lowered their heads and bowed, pretending to be mere objects.

Wei Pingjin withdrew his hand, his anger clearly not yet abated. However, after casting a glance at his feigning-dead attendants, he had no desire to vent his frustration on them. Extremely displeased, he said, "Back to the Military Camp."

Once at the Military Camp, his advisors would not be so fortunate as to escape his wrath. After several advisors were dragged out and beaten with military rods, those remaining in the main tent were all sweating nervously on their own behalf.

Wei Pingjin sat in his tiger-skin chair, his military-booted legs crossed on the desk as he toyed with a dagger inlaid with a cat's eye gem. Gazing down at the crowd, he said with amusement, "I keep you all here not to feed idle mouths. Weren't you the ones who claimed Youzhou couldn't possibly be held? Cowards who feared death, you coaxed me into withdrawing troops—how audacious! If I don't execute you today, won't everyone think they can make a fool of me tomorrow?"

The advisors immediately broke into cries of injustice, kneeling en masse.

In truth, they had been wronged in this matter. Although Youzhou had indeed been in grave danger at the time, their advice to retreat had stemmed from Wei Pingjin's own unwillingness to remain and his strained relations with Liao Jiang. Now he was taking it out on them.

Those who depended on pleasing their superiors had no choice but to echo Wei Pingjin's preferences and advise retreat.

Now, with Youzhou successfully defended and Wei Pingjin surely having been severely reprimanded at the Marquis' residence, he was venting his pent-up frustration on them again.

Though the advisors understood the situation perfectly, they dared not speak the truth. They could only feign ignorance, weep, and pledge loyalty while thinking of ways to redirect their master's anger elsewhere.Wei Pingjin listened to their tearful pleas with a cold sneer: "You claim injustice? I am the one who feels wronged!"

He called out to those outside the tent: "Guards! Drag them out and give each fifty lashes!"

The advisors trembled in fear, hastily pleading: "Young Master, please reconsider! The situation in Youzhou was truly desperate! We urged retreat out of concern for your safety—your wellbeing is vital to Northern Wei's foundation and must not be jeopardized!"

Though Wei Pingjin still snorted coldly, these words clearly soothed him somewhat, and he did not interrupt the advisor.

The advisor hurriedly continued: "Secondly, it was for Northern Wei's stability. The barbarians beyond the frontier advanced fiercely, while Pei Song that wolf-eyed predator lurks in the central plains. Had we exhausted our troops in Youzhou, the barbarians and Pei Army might have joined forces to besiege us—then Northern Wei would truly face peril! The only thing we failed to anticipate was that the Righteous Army in Tongzhou possessed such talent—someone who could penetrate deep into enemy territory with merely a few dozen cavalry and burn their grain stores..."

Wei Pingjin withdrew his foot and threw the dagger he had been toying with onto the table. The sharp clang made the advisor immediately cease speaking.

Wei Pingjin said with ambiguous meaning: "I never expected General Liao Jiang had such a move concealed."

His tone carried implicit blame toward Liao Jiang.

He knew his father had assigned him to defend Youzhou alongside Liao Jiang to help him win military loyalty. But Liao Jiang, relying on his status as a key general under his father, not only acted autocratically in military affairs but also concealed this tactical option despite seeing his anxiety about Youzhou's potential fall. Having to retreat and lose face so profoundly filled Wei Pingjin with resentment.

Another previously silent advisor suddenly remarked: "Strangely enough, that Tongcheng Righteous Army leader displayed such extraordinary prowess—first rescuing General Yuan Fang from tens of thousands of Pei troops when Southern Chen traitor Dou Jianliang massacred our Southern Border forces, then charging into the enemy camp with just a few dozen cavalry to burn their supplies during Youzhou's crisis. How could such a figure have remained unknown until now?"

This struck a chord with Wei Pingjin. He had doubted the enemy's reported valor when first reading the battle report. Now hearing this analysis, the connection between these two events seemed increasingly suspicious. He straightened his posture and demanded: "That Tongcheng Righteous Army leader Xiao..."

He momentarily forgot the name. An advisor below hastily supplied: "Xiao Li."

After Youzhou's battle report reached Yuzhou, the victory news and Xiao Li's name had naturally spread through the Wei army.

"Right, Xiao Li!" Wei Pingjin's excitement became visibly evident. He barked: "Investigate this man thoroughly for me!"

If the problem lay with this man, then his retreat from Youzhou wasn't a mistake at all—rather, it was Liao Jiang's faulty judgment that nearly caused disaster!

As his words faded, murmurs arose among the advisors: "That name... sounds somewhat familiar?"

Wei Pingjin's gaze immediately sharpened: "You know this person?"

The addressed advisor trembled under his stare, stammering: "R... reporting to Young Master, this humble one cannot recall immediately, but I've definitely heard that name before..."

Wei Pingjin slammed the table violently, his expression terrifying enough to devour someone: "Can't remember? Then go outside and reflect under military punishment until you do!"The advisor immediately kowtowed and begged for mercy. Just as Wei Pingjin was about to call guards to drag him away, another advisor suddenly exclaimed: "I know this man! Isn't he that Liang Camp general! He gained quite a reputation during the battle for Tao County in the Southern Border!"

Hearing this, the kneeling advisor suddenly remembered as well and quickly added: "That's him! That's exactly him!"

Wei Pingjin stood up, leaning on the table, and demanded: "Are you certain of what you're saying?"

The first advisor who identified Xiao Li as a Liang Camp general replied: "Unless it's a case of identical names, there should be no mistake."

Wei Pingjin paced anxiously before finally throwing the question to his advisors: "Has anyone here seen this Liang Camp general Xiao Li before? Can anyone confirm they are the same person?"

The advisors looked at each other, clearly none having seen Xiao Li before and unable to make the identification.

It was the same advisor who earlier mentioned Xiao Li's previous "lack of fame" who spoke up: "Although we don't recognize this Liang Camp general named Xiao, there were previously many Liang Camp strategists who, unwilling to assist the Southern Chen's usurpation any longer, defected to our Wei Camp. Though the Marquis hasn't employed them, he has treated them courteously, assigning them to compile historical records in the administration office. Since the Tongzhou righteous army leader has achieved such great merits, the Marquis will certainly summon him personally. On the day of reward distribution, if the Young Master brings several former Liang Camp strategists to witness the ceremony, they can identify him. Once confirmed, we can expose Liang Camp's conspiracy on the spot and capture him immediately - wouldn't that be perfect?"

Wei Pingjin couldn't help but clap his hands in approval, saying delightedly: "Excellent! We'll proceed as you suggest!"

He glanced back at the advisor, who bowed slightly with a humble smile, appearing very deferential and obedient.

Wei Pingjin declared: "This entire room is full of useless fools, only you prove somewhat competent. For today's valuable counsel, you're rewarded with ten gold pieces. From now on, you shall remain by my side constantly."

This indicated his promotion to chief advisor.

The advisor smiled and bowed, concealing the expression in his eyes: "This humble servant thanks the Young Master for your grace."

With the victory at Youzhou, the Rongjue people could no longer attack this tough target in the short term. Losing their supplies, they had to relocate to other stations.

After consulting maps with his officers, Liao Jiang concluded they would continue attacking various Northern Border regions. To facilitate subsequent troop deployments for Wei Camp, Liao Jiang transferred part of Youzhou's forces, sending Yuan Fang to lead them to Yuzhou.

The various righteous armies that had previously joined Wei Camp now recognized Xiao Li as their leader. Following the great victory at Youzhou, Wei Qishan naturally had to receive them to fulfill his host duties.

After several days of marching to Yuzhou with tens of thousands of troops commanded by Xiao Li and Yuan Fang, the forces camped outside the city walls. Only about a hundred meritorious officers were admitted into the city.

Yuan Fang, concerned Xiao Li might take offense, explained along the way: "The Marquis cares for the people as his own children. To prevent troops from disturbing citizens, he established military orders long ago forbidding us from bringing soldiers into the city."

Xiao Li naturally understood this mirrored the prohibition against feudal lords bringing troops into the capital, but since Yuan Fang offered explanation, he politely acknowledged: "I've long heard of the Marquis's benevolent governance and excellent administration. Seeing it today proves those reports true."

Hearing this, Yuan Fang felt much relieved. Throughout their journey, he pointed out numerous historical sites and scenic spots, cheerfully promising to personally show Xiao Li around the city later.Upon arriving at the Marquis' estate, they were met at the main gate by Wei Qishan's personal attendant, who had been waiting there. Seeing them approach, he promptly directed servants to take their horses. After everyone dismounted and exchanged greetings, the attendant warmly ushered them inside, saying, "The Marquis has prepared a banquet in the main hall awaiting all generals."

Yuan Fang, being familiar with the attendant and treating Xiao Li as one of their own, asked as they entered, "Has the Marquis' injury improved?"

The attendant was surprised that Yuan Fang spoke so openly in front of Xiao Li, but maintained his cordial expression, replying cheerfully, "Much better. After reading the victory report from Youzhou two days ago, the Marquis has been eating an extra half-bowl of rice each meal." This was an indirect compliment to the Youzhou generals.

Yuan Fang laughed heartily, "That's good! That treacherous Pei Song has been scheming everywhere - not only turning southern Chen generals against us but secretly colluding with the Rongjue barbarians too. He's made our Wei camp suffer terribly! Once the Marquis recovers, we must settle this score!"

As they spoke, they passed through several moon gates and arrived at the estate's main hall.

Seeing the group approach, guards at the door hurried inside to announce them.

The attendant led them up the stone steps. Before entering, he gestured toward soldiers standing respectfully on both sides holding trays and said with a smile, "May I ask the generals to deposit your weapons here."

Yuan Fang and the other Wei generals familiarly unbuckled their swords and placed them on the trays. Having learned the etiquette for martial generals attending their lord during his time in Pingzhou, Xiao Li wasn't surprised and smoothly removed his sword to place on a tray.

Following his lead, the righteous army leaders naturally complied without complaint, though Zheng Hu muttered quietly to Song Qin while surrendering his blade, "So many rules in Marquis Wei's estate."

Song Qin kept his eyes forward and reminded in a low voice, "Have you forgotten the strategist's instructions before we came? Be cautious in speech and action."

Zheng Hu was just venting and, not wanting to cause trouble for Xiao Li, swallowed his remaining complaints.

Servants lifted the wind-blocking curtain at the entrance. The underfloor heating had been lit, and before even stepping inside, they felt warm air brush their faces. The hall's interior was blocked by a landscape screen over ten feet wide depicting countless mountains and rivers, making details indistinct, though they could hear music and strings playing from within.

They hadn't yet seen Wei Qishan himself since arriving, but the grandeur displayed by the Northern Border's ruler already impressed them all.

When the attendant bowed again with an inviting gesture for them to enter, Yuan Fang didn't move but turned to Xiao Li saying, "After you, benefactor."

Xiao Li responded, "General Yuan should lead the way."

Yuan Fang laughed, "Benefactor, no need to stand on ceremony. Let's enter together." He then gestured for Xiao Li to proceed with him.

The Wei generals and righteous army leaders behind them naturally divided into two columns, following the two inside.

Passing around the massive screen into the inner hall, Xiao Li immediately spotted Wei Qishan seated in the host's position. The famed Shubian Marquis, master of the Northern Border's Wolf Cavalry, appeared exactly as legends described - resolute and imposing. Simply sitting there, he exuded an indescribable authority that made everyone unconsciously hold their breath, showing no signs of his previous severe injury.

Wei Qishan was also watching Xiao Li, his gaze calm yet seemingly capable of piercing straight through the person he observed.Xiao Li felt an unprecedented pressure. Although he had encountered many people before—whether it was Li Yao's gaze filled with approval and instruction in the past, or the hatred Pei Song had directed at him when he was killed, a hostility that unilaterally declared his inevitable death—none could compare to the weight in this gaze, a heaviness sedimented through slaughter amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

The eye contact lasted only two breaths before Wei Qishan averted his eyes and asked Yuan Fang with a smile, "This must be the young master Xiao Li mentioned in Liao Jiang’s letter—the one with the courage of a tiger, daring to penetrate deep into the enemy camp with just a few dozen cavalry?"