By the ninth month, the Ning Army stationed in Suzhou and the Chuanjun engaged in a grand and sweeping decisive battle. The combined forces of both sides numbered nearly three hundred thousand men.
The Ning Army was the smaller force, at approximately eighty thousand, but they were on the offensive.
The Chuanjun suffered defeat because the arrows they had been issued were missing their tips, allowing the Ning Army to break through their defensive lines with ease.
The earthen walls, arrow towers, and extensive network of trenches that Chuanjun Grand General Cao Ying had spent four months and tens of thousands of men constructing — none of it served its purpose. Or rather, none of it served much purpose at all.
This massive battle concluded with the Chuanjun’s defeat and their forced withdrawal. The casualties on both sides were exceedingly…
Negligible.
Of the eighty thousand Ning Army soldiers on the offensive, thirty sustained injuries. Nineteen of those had twisted their ankles during the charge, while the other eleven, having chased too fast and caught up with the rear of the retreating Chuanjun, had no choice but to pretend to stumble and suffered scrapes in the process.
Of the Chuanjun’s two hundred thousand troops, the number of injured far exceeded that of the Ning Army. According to estimates, approximately six hundred men were injured — roughly half had twisted their ankles while running, and the other half had twisted their ankles and then fallen as well.
The reason ankle injuries became the leading cause of casualties in this battle was, of course, because of all the pits they had dug themselves.
After paying such a grievous price, Cao Ying’s two hundred thousand troops had no choice but to withdraw eighteen hundred li to avoid the full brunt of the Ning Army’s fighting edge.
And so it was that local residents afterward all spread the tale that the Ning Army’s combat power was unmatched, and their fighting edge extended a full one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine li.
After all, this was not a surrender — nor had they fled without even fighting. They had genuinely been outmatched. If you can win, of course you fight; if you cannot win, are you not permitted to withdraw?
Cao Ying led his forces in a single march all the way into Yangzhou territory, and the men he had sent ahead had already selected a suitable residence for him in Hangcheng.
It must be said: the mark of a truly capable commanding general is exactly this kind of foresight. To have people scout out appropriate lodgings in Hangcheng before the battle had even been fought — that was what ensured a Grand General of his stature would not be left homeless upon arriving in Hangcheng.
Tang Pidi, naturally, had no intention of actually giving chase. His objective was nothing more than the entirety of Suzhou.
Once Cao Ying’s forces had withdrawn, Tang Pidi’s troops deployed their defenses across Suzhou. When Li Xionghu was finally defeated, he would have nowhere to retreat but the south.
With the Ning Army holding Suzhou to the east and Jingzhou to the west, they had yet to set their sights on advancing into Jingzhou, but the encircling momentum had already been established.
By the tenth month, news arrived from Jingzhou: the Grand Army of the Mandate King Yang Xuanji, advancing under the banner of coming to the aid and rescue of the Chu state, launched an assault against Li Xionghu’s Chuanjun.
The Chuanjun was defeated, and Li Xionghu had no choice but to lead his army in retreat.
Yang Xuanji then massed his troops outside the walls of Daxing City, making no move to attack — instead, he kept the city sealed tight on all sides.
After his defeat, Li Xionghu had suffered tremendous losses. When he tried to retreat toward Suzhou and learned of Cao Ying’s defeat, at a moment like this, Li Xionghu was in no state of mind to speculate on whether Cao Ying’s defeat had been real or staged. He had no choice but to withdraw toward Yangzhou as well.
This, of course, was well within Tang Pidi’s calculations.
Tang Pidi had determined that Li Xionghu’s defeat was inevitable, and with Suzhou held firmly in his grip, Li Xionghu would only be able to retreat toward Yangzhou.
As for how Cao Ying would explain himself to Li Xionghu, and whether he would allow Li Xionghu into Yangzhou or not — that had nothing to do with Tang Pidi whatsoever.
That was someone else’s family matter, and it would not do to interfere.
Across the great chessboard of the realm, Tang Pidi had never left Suzhou, yet he had already made move after move.
By the tenth month in the northern frontier, the fighting had gradually eased. The Black Wu forces were making poor progress against the fortified walls and had begun to show signs of withdrawing.
Black Wu’s Southern Court Grand General Yefu Lie harbored grand ambitions, yet his opponent this time was not the border army of the Chu state, but the Ning King Li Chi, who had wagered nearly everything he had.
In order to keep the Black Wu forces out beyond the borders, Li Chi had surrendered the most opportune moment to advance into Jingzhou.
But a man like Li Chi would probably never regret any decision he made.
By mid-tenth month, the Black Wu assaults had gradually diminished from daily attacks to one every three or five days.
And even now, the intensity of their siege bore no comparison to what it had been before.
Li Chi judged that once the weather turned thoroughly cold in the eleventh month, the Black Wu forces would likely withdraw.
It was also around mid-tenth month that Boertie China, who had been roaming through Black Wu territory for an entire month, returned.
He came back with his head held high, filled with a pride that could not possibly be contained — and rightfully so, for what they had done was worth being proud of.
If pride was warranted, then pride was the only proper response — and it could even be doubled.
They had spent a month causing havoc in the Black Wu rear: setting fire to vast swaths of grain fields, launching surprise raids on the camps of several tribal groups, and even circling through the Black Wu Southern Court’s main encampment.
Such a feat had never been accomplished by anyone since the founding of the Black Wu nation — not once.
Of course, this had only been possible because the opportunity presented itself.
If the Black Wu Southern Court’s forces had not all been concentrated at Beishan Pass, let alone two thousand cavalry — even ten thousand would not have dared stir up trouble near the Southern Court encampment.
The pressure on Beishan Pass was steadily diminishing, and the soldiers defending the walls began to breathe a little easier.
By the end of the tenth month, the Black Wu forces had not launched an attack for half a month. They had yet to fully withdraw, and Li Chi surmised they were waiting for the Black Wu Khagan’s orders.
Up on the city walls, Yu Jiuling and Li Chi were playing a game of chess — a game of elegant and sophisticated genius known by the dignified name of “Blocking the Latrine Pit.”
This game was of exceptional complexity, requiring each player to employ as many as two game pieces.
If the Go board requires a grid of nineteen lines by nineteen lines, then “Blocking the Latrine Pit” was something even more extraordinary — it required five lines to be drawn.
Even so, the two of them were locked in a fierce contest, the outcome still undecided.
Xiahou Zuo stood to one side watching. From the way Li Chi played “Blocking the Latrine Pit,” could you really call him a man of far-reaching schemes who determined victory from a thousand li away?
“Military dispatch from Yanzhou.”
A courier came up from below the city, dusty and road-worn.
Li Chi took a water flask and handed it to the courier, and the soldier immediately bowed in salute.
Li Chi unrolled the military report and read through it. His brow rose slightly at the corners.
“Things in Yanzhou seem to be settled as well.”
He passed the military report to Xiahou Zuo.
In early ninth month, General Tang Qingyuan had led his forces in the northeast of Yanzhou and engaged the Bohai Army once again in battle. The Bohai King Shi Zaikun was struck by a stray arrow in the midst of the fighting, and so the Bohai Army was compelled to withdraw.
But Tang Qingyuan suspected that Shi Zaikun had not been wounded at all — that the claim of being struck by a stray arrow was likely nothing more than a pretext to give the Black Wu forces a face-saving explanation.
The Bohai forces who had poured into Yanzhou had numbered over one million in total. After several major battles with the Ning Army, the number killed had reached somewhere in the range of four to five hundred thousand.
Such staggering losses were difficult even for the Bohai people to absorb.
If the Bohai King Shi Zaikun did not withdraw his troops, the remainder of his forces would also come to a bad end.
They were running short of supplies, the Ning Army was pressing in from all sides, and the common people had already evacuated. In a vast, ice-bound, snow-covered wasteland, the Bohai forces could hardly survive on meltwater alone.
“Tang Qingyuan says he is already working on a way to make the Bohai forces pay a greater price — he cannot allow them to simply withdraw like this.”
Li Chi laughed. “I really must have him come here one of these days and take a proper look at him — just where did this remarkable talent come from?”
Shen Shanhu, hearing this, changed her expression at once. “My lord!”
Li Chi said, “Don’t worry, don’t worry — I never said I was going to steal him away. I simply want to meet the man.”
Xiahou Zuo said, “That’s exactly how con artists begin, isn’t it? More or less: ‘I’m not after your silver, I’m doing this for your own good.’ ‘I don’t want your things, I just want to help you look after them…'”
Li Chi shot Xiahou Zuo a glare.
Shen Shanhu said, “This man — I will never let go of him so easily.”
Li Chi said, “Alright, alright. I already promised you, and I won’t go back on my word. What are you afraid of…”
Shen Shanhu said, “My lord’s reputation precedes him far and wide — your subordinates cannot help but be wary.”
Li Chi said, “…”
After a while, Shen Shanhu led some people away to move grain and provisions. Xiahou Zuo looked at Li Chi with a grin. “Go on, admit it — you’re already thinking about how to lure him away, aren’t you.”
Li Chi said, “Others misunderstanding me is one thing — but now even you are misunderstanding me.”
Xiahou Zuo said, “Misunderstanding?”
Li Chi said, “How could I possibly lure him? I would transfer him, invite him — not lure him.”
Xiahou Zuo turned toward Yu Jiuling with a laugh. “I told you, it’s exactly the same as the opening lines of a con artist — ‘I don’t want your things, I just want to have a look.’ Nine-Ling, wouldn’t you say? And a con artist’s tricks, you should know quite well yourself — after all, you are one.”
Yu Jiuling not only failed to deny it, but with complete seriousness said, “I may be a con artist, but what I con people into is different from what our lord cons people into. Normally what I con people into is: I don’t go in, I just want to brush against the edge…”
Li Chi launched a flying kick.
Yu Jiuling darted out of the way in a flash.
Xiahou Zuo roared with laughter.
Yu Jiuling said, “What are you laughing at — like you actually understand.”
Xiahou Zuo said, “I… me?!”
Li Chi burst out laughing as well.
Yu Jiuling said, “And you, boss — why are you laughing? Don’t tell me you understand it too?”
Xiahou Zuo and Li Chi exchanged a glance, both rolling up their sleeves. The two of them moved in together, and Yu Jiuling bolted at full speed.
By the twelfth month, there was finally movement in the Black Wu encampment. From last year’s twelfth month to this year — a full year in total — the Black Wu forces were finally withdrawing.
Looking out from the walls of Beishan Pass, they could see the Black Wu army already packing up their belongings, tearing things down, loading carts.
They still had an enormous force, so when they decided to withdraw, it was not something that could be accomplished in a day or two.
Several days later, the last Black Wu contingent retreated. What remained of their encampment was set ablaze.
Standing on the city walls, watching the great flames roaring in the distance, Li Chi and his men all fell silent. Something that should have called for celebration was met instead with perfect stillness.
Shortly after, a few Black Wu cavalrymen approached close enough to shout something up at the city walls, then drew their bows and loosed an arrow up at the wall.
The arrow flew up and embedded itself in one of the columns of the city gate tower. Li Chi pulled it free and saw that a letter was tied to the shaft.
The Black Wu riders turned and left without a moment’s hesitation — clearly by this point, their hearts had long since been set on going home.
Li Chi opened the letter and read through it, then gave a dismissive huff.
The letter was from Black Wu’s Southern Court Grand General Yefu Lie. It was not long, but it was saturated with resentment and bitterness.
The gist of it was this…
The people of the Central Plains had been fortunate. At this moment in time, a man like the Ning King had appeared among them — and that was why the great armies of the Black Wu Empire had failed to set foot upon Central Plains soil.
Yefu Lie wrote that he believed this was likely the divine spirits of the Central Plains guarding this magnificent land.
He also wrote that when he returned, he would probably face punishment from His Majesty the Khagan. And so the man who would one day breach Beishan Pass and conquer the whole of the Central Plains would not be him — and he felt deep regret at that.
But he counted himself fortunate to have crossed swords with a man like the Ning King Li Chi, for it had allowed him to witness a different kind of Central Plains army.
And then the final words.
*Ning King, you will certainly one day become the master of the Central Plains, and the empire you build will certainly be Black Wu’s most formidable adversary. Yet I firmly believe that in the end, it is the Black Wu Empire that will prevail — for the land of Black Wu has never known an enemy’s footprint, while your Central Plains has been trampled upon countless times already.*
After reading through the letter, Li Chi handed it to Xiahou Zuo, then curled his lip. “This is putting pressure on me to be strict with my descendants… making them put in some effort and go give the Black Wu lands a thorough trampling.”
Xiahou Zuo sighed. “To start laying reasonable groundwork for beating your future children this early — you truly will stop at nothing.”
Li Chi said, “Can I be blamed for beating the children in the future? Can their mother be blamed? None of it is our fault — blame it all on the Black Wu people!”
—