The Road to Glory

Chapter 183: "The Supreme Art of War Is to Subdue the Enemy Without Fighting..."

Wen Yu set down her brush and slowly lifted her head. Zhao Bai presented the confessions obtained from interrogating the Chen soldiers earlier.

After skimming through them rapidly, Wen Yu remarked with slight surprise, "This mole has hidden quite deeply."

She closed the confession documents, pressing them lightly with four fingers before placing them back on the table, and asked, "Are there still survivors?"

Zhao Bai nodded, "When we captured them, we immediately dislocated their jaws and removed the poison sacs hidden behind their teeth."

Wen Yu said, "Keep them imprisoned for now. Publicly announce that they are already dead, their bodies thrown into the mountains to feed the wild wolves."

Zhao Bai understood this was to prevent any remaining spies from the Chen army from silencing these witnesses during the war, ensuring they could present both the witnesses and evidence for confrontation after returning to Southern Chen.

She clasped her fists and said, "This servant understands."

Wen Yu raised her hand to rub her temples. Seeing the fatigue on her face, Zhao Bai advised, "It will be dawn in two more hours. Your Highness should rest for a while."

Wen Yu replied, "I can make up for sleep tomorrow in the carriage while traveling."

In this campaign against Pei Song, their apparent main force, led by Chen Wei, was advancing northward to attack Xiangzhou.

However, to rescue Jiang Yichu, Fan Yuan was secretly leading twenty thousand troops along the Qi Mountain Range to march on Fengyang.

After rescuing Jiang Yichu, she also intended to negotiate with Wei Qishan to secure Xiao Li's release in exchange.

Tan Yi, the vanguard under Fan Yuan's command, had already gone ahead to scout the route. She would set off with the main force tomorrow morning.

Tong Que, who had gone out to brew tea, lifted the curtain and returned, holding an unopened scroll of letters. "Your Highness, a message has arrived from Fengyang."

Hearing this, the weariness between Wen Yu's brows lessened slightly. She took the scroll and opened it, but soon her brow furrowed lightly.

Seeing this, Zhao Bai couldn't help but ask, "Has something happened in Fengyang?"

Wen Yu handed her the letter.

After reading it, Zhao Bai also frowned, "A Yin is no longer in Fengyang?"

Tong Que, who was pouring tea for Wen Yu, froze at these words, "Then the Shizi Consort must also no longer be in Fengyang?"

After Jiang Yichu helped them rescue the officials imprisoned at Hong'en Temple in Fengyang, she had been completely surrounded by Pei Song's men. The Azure Guard they had sent could no longer reach Jiang Yichu.

Thus, Wen Yu had ordered them to instead keep watch on the young county princess, who was held separately by Pei Song.

Zhao Bai said, "Recently, a large number of garrison troops have been secretly deployed within Fengyang. It seems as though Pei Song already knows we plan to take Fengyang."

She looked at Wen Yu, "Your Highness, should we still march to Fengyang tomorrow?"

Wen Yu found the situation somewhat peculiar. She lightly furrowed her brows and asked, "Where is Wei Qishan's army currently?"

Zhao Bai replied, "According to the intelligence report received during the day, they have just passed Anguan. It appears they intend to first go to Mozhou to clean house and deal with the Wei general Zheng Daye, who previously defected to Pei Song."

Their original plan was to take advantage of Pei Song's northern forces being tied up by Wei Qishan, allowing them to secretly attack Fengyang, rescue Jiang Yichu, and withdraw.

Now, however, plans had to change with the circumstances.

After a moment of thought, Wen Yu said, "We will march as planned tomorrow morning. However, upon reaching the vicinity of Fengyang, we will hold our position and observe the movements of the Wei army."

Zhao Bai clasped her fists, "This servant will go inform General Fan immediately."After Zhao Bai, Tong Que, and several Azure Guards in the hall had withdrawn, Wen Yu, though still somewhat unsettled, no longer had the heart to continue copying scriptures.

Rescuing her sister-in-law and A Yin would have to wait a little longer.

She gently rubbed the pouch at her waist containing the carp wood carving and murmured softly, "You must wait a little longer too."

Wei Qishan had deployed troops to campaign south, while Pei Song had long been secretly colluding with the barbarians beyond the pass. The barbarians would not miss this opportunity to attack the Northern Border.

With the Southern Border now stable, the Liang and Chen armies had captured several cities beyond Purple Sun Pass. Bolstered by multiple victories, military morale was high. Moreover, with Grand Tutor Yu and other senior ministers helping her stabilize internal affairs, her secret northern expedition with twenty thousand troops would not burden the Southern Border further.

Once this battle concluded, she would still need to deal with the Empress Dowager and the Jiang Family upon returning to Southern Chen.

But she had already uncovered the traitor behind Chen State—the very worm whose treason had led to Jiang Yu’s death. The wrath of Empress Dowager Jiang and the Jiang Family would rightfully fall upon that traitor.

Now, it was Northern Wei that found itself in a weakened position.

Regardless of whether Wei Qishan presented himself as an official of Jin or Liang, faced with a common enemy, he had no reason to refuse negotiating cooperation with her again.

Outside Weizhou City, Zhang Huai nearly clapped his hands in delight upon hearing Song Qin’s report: "Go! Why not go! This is the prefect’s moment of fortune!"

Song Qin seemed puzzled: "Will resisting the barbarian invaders benefit the prefect?"

Zhang Huai replied, "Those who achieve great deeds must not be shortsighted, nor can they lack benevolence. The prefect and his brothers rose from humble beginnings and understand the hardships of the people well. As Han Feizi said, 'The sage discerns the sprout from the subtle and foresees the end from the beginning; thus, he trembles at the sight of ivory chopsticks, knowing the world will not suffice.'"

"The prefect has only recently joined the military ranks. In terms of seniority, he cannot compare to veteran generals like Yuan Fang and Liao Jiang; in winning hearts, he lacks the decades-earned prestige of a scholarly commander like Wei Qishan. Yet not only do the troops from Tongzhou follow him, but even the other righteous armies that gathered under his banner after arriving in the Northern Border now obey him wholeheartedly. Why?"

Zhang Huai answered with a smile, "It is not only because the prefect is valiant and leads them to repeated victories, but also because he is resolute and impartial, never showing favoritism or suppressing them to promote his own loyalists. Initially, they relied on him out of fear of being sidelined in the Wei camp. But the prefect does not dwell on their reasons for following him—so long as they fulfill their duties on the battlefield, he ensures they receive their due share. If they are bullied by Wei’s core troops, the prefect will protect them."

"In my view, these actions move hearts far more than empty promises. Facts have proven this true. Now, the prefect upholds great righteousness and pities the suffering people of the Northern Border. Such is his innate character. General Song, are you still afraid that, in time, the people will not recognize the prefect’s benevolence?" Zhang Huai’s refined face showed both ambition and admiration. "Moreover, the prefect is right: if we stand by while barbarians invade, this failure will forever weigh on our conscience should we aspire to greater deeds someday."

Reassured by Zhang Huai’s words, Song Qin clasped his hands and said, "I will mobilize troops to enter the city at once."

Zhang Huai nodded and added, "When you enter the city, fly the prefect’s banner."

Song Qin looked back at him. A faint smile touched Zhang Huai’s eyes as he said, "We will help defend the Northern Border, but its people must also know who it is that guards their homeland!"Dawn was approaching, and most of the civilians in Weizhou City had been evacuated overnight. Wei Ang stood atop the northern gate tower, gazing down at the fewer than two thousand soldiers assembled below. His eyes, reddened by the cold wind after a sleepless night, burned as he shouted to the ranks: "The Marquis has marched south to quell the traitor Pei Song! Now Yanle Mountain is in peril. So long as there remains a single man of Northern Wei, we shall not let the barbarians cross Yanle Mountain!"

The Wei soldiers below raised their spears, roaring "Kill!" into the bitter wind, though in their hearts they knew this departure likely meant never returning.

Wei Ang made a sharp gesture and bellowed: "Open the gates!"

The massive city gates, reinforced with black iron plates and countless copper rivets to withstand barbarian assaults, slowly rose, hauled up by iron chains from the gate tower.

Suddenly, the thunder of hooves echoed as over a dozen riders galloped into the city.

Reining in at the tower's base, their leader lifted a face both arrogant and handsome, his voice cold and firm: "Give me the tiger tally!"

Realizing what Xiao Li meant, Wei Ang nearly wept with relief. He hurried down the tower, presenting the tally with a tearful salute: "If Governor Xiao lends his aid, Northern Wei shall never forget this great debt!"

Another scout raced up to report: "General! The righteous army camped outside the city has struck camp and approaches the southern gate!"

Wei Ang stared at Xiao Li in alarm.

Xiao Li tucked away the tiger tally stained with dried brown blood. "My thirty thousand men will join the defense of Yanle Mountain."

Wei Ang was overwhelmed. Despite how Wei Qishan had treated him, Xiao Li would still aid Northern Wei. His eyes reddened further as he bowed again: "Thank you for your righteousness, Governor Xiao!"

Xiao Li looked down from his saddle: "If your Wei army troubles my men after this battle, all under heaven will scorn you."

Wei Ang vowed urgently: "I swear upon my own head such things shall never happen again!"

As Xiao Li rode past, he said only: "I trust you, General."

By noon, the snow had ceased. Wen Yu's carriage moved with the army, concealed among pines along the mountain path.

Zhao Bai approached her carriage to relay the scouts' report: "Last night, our scouts followed the Qi Mountain Range to Mozhou. At dawn, they observed the Wei camp—many cooking fires, but few soldiers in uniform upon closer inspection."

Wen Yu's expression darkened.

Zhao Bai continued: "Azure Guard disguised as refugee women were taken into the camp. They found few real Wei troops—mostly conscripted refugees posing as the main force. Meanwhile, General Tan Yi's men disguised as refugees learned from southern fugitives that another Wei army camps north of Fengyang."

Tong Que exclaimed: "So Fengyang's defenders aren't there because Pei Song anticipated our attack—they're reinforcements from that Wei army?"

She turned to Wen Yu, puzzled: "We attack Fengyang to rescue the Princess Consort and the young lady. Why would the Marquis of Shuobian garrison troops there?"

Wen Yu's slender fingers rested on her fur-covered hand warmer. "It seems the Marquis of Shuobian, like us, has his own plans."Zhao Bai declared with near certainty, "That old scoundrel surnamed Wei must have calculated that Your Highness would come to rescue the Consort and the County Princess. He deliberately feigned an attack on Fengyang to lure that dog Pei Song into sending reinforcements into the city. Had we not been monitoring the County Princess and known the Consort was no longer in Fengyang, we would have launched a direct assault by now, letting Northern Wei reap the spoils!"

Wen Yu responded, "That is possible. But for the Marquis of Shuobian to go through such elaborate deception, creating the illusion that his main force is in Mozhou just to gain Fengyang—that would hardly qualify as superior strategy."

Zhao Bai quickly grasped her meaning. "You mean the Wei troops stationed north of Fengyang might not be Wei Qishan's true main force either?"

Wen Yu's gaze remained serene. "Currently, Pei Song is threatened from both north and south, with the Qi Mountain Range blocking his east. If he retreats, his only path is west—and west of Fengyang lies Luodu. The Marquis creates the appearance of jointly attacking Fengyang with us. When Pei Song withdraws west to Luodu, his forces left in Fengyang become entangled with ours. If another Wei army lies in ambush outside Luodu, Pei Song would find himself completely isolated."

Zhao Bai's expression turned grim. "So that's his scheme. What a cunning old fox!"

After processing this, Tong Que exclaimed in alarm, "Your Highness! Since you've deduced that Pei Song secretly took the Consort and the others to Luodu, why don't we just attack Luodu directly?"

Zhao Bai answered for Wen Yu, "Our original plan was to exploit the conflict between Old Wei and that dog Pei Song to raid Fengyang and rescue the Consort before withdrawing. We haven't captured the southern cities yet—our only escape route is using the Qi Mountain Range's complex terrain to lose pursuers and slip back to the Southern Border."

"Now, bypassing Fengyang to take Luodu? Regardless of how battles with the Pei and Wei armies might go, the Pei troops in Fengyang alone could block our retreat back into the Qi Mountain Range." Zhao Bai frowned deeply. "To advance on Luodu, we must first eliminate this Pei Army in Fengyang."

Tong Que now fully understood the stakes. "If we attack head-on, we'd likely just hand advantage to the Wei army north of Fengyang. Even if we then tried to advance on Fengyang, our position would be exposed, putting us at disadvantage against the Wei camp."

Both wore troubled expressions, realizing they'd walked right into Wei Qishan's trap on this northern expedition.

Wind whispered through the forest, shaking snow from branches in soft cascades that deepened the mountain wilderness' stillness.

Wen Yu lowered her lashes. "The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Next comes breaking their alliances."

Her tourmaline earrings swayed in the cold breeze. "Inform General Fan: after the vanguard feigns attack on the southern gate for half a day, send envoys to pay a visit to that Wei army camp."