By the end of the sixth year of Taihe, each unit had more thoroughly completed the mopping up of remnant enemies in the Fen River valley and surrounding mountain ranges.

The Zhiguan Pass campaign lasted a total of eleven months from start to finish, altogether annihilating over one hundred twenty-five thousand Mongol troops (of which over seventy-one thousand enemy soldiers were captured—captives counted in the annihilation total—and over fifty-four thousand enemies killed); additionally, over twenty thousand Mongol women and children were captured in the northern part of Jinzhou (Pingyang Prefecture).

The elite cavalry of the Mongol tribes fought most valiantly and ferociously. Over twenty-four thousand were killed on the battlefield, with fewer than six thousand ultimately surrendering and laying down their arms—a proportion far different from the surrendered Jin troops and Yanyu Han forces.

The surrendered Jin troops, Yanyu Han forces, and Bohai infantry had much weaker fighting will after being routed. Including the over ten thousand Luzhou elite troops killed in the earlier defense and reinforcement of Yuanqu City, the surrendered Han forces ultimately killed on the battlefield, plus those who drowned in hasty attempts to swim across the Fen River northward, totaled only about twenty-four thousand.

In the Zhiguan Pass great victory, the surrendered Han troops captured from start to finish totaled over sixty-four thousand soldiers.

The Mongol captives, along with able-bodied men from the southward-migrated Mongol tribes captured in Pingyang Prefecture—over seven thousand in total—were all incorporated into supply battalion units to serve as laborers for road and wall construction.

The Mongol women and children taken from Jinzhou were dispersed and relocated to township offices in various prefectures and counties to be registered as civilian households, forcibly matched in marriage with previously surrendered Eastern Liang army and surrendered Han army captives to form new families and increase the population.

The over sixty-four thousand captured enemy-collaborating Han army soldiers were all incorporated into reserve brigades for use as auxiliary troops, receiving intensified training and indoctrination.

Due to the valor and martial prowess of the Mongol tribal elite, even when routed and surrounded, few surrendered, causing considerable casualties among Great Liang forces as well—in this campaign, excluding soldiers who recovered from wounds and returned to service, Great Liang officers and men who died in battle or died from severe wounds, or were disabled and retired to their hometowns, totaled over thirty thousand.

However, among the lost troops, reserve brigades still formed the majority. Particularly among able-bodied men recruited from eastern Henan refugees into reserve brigades, losses accounted for half.

This was mainly because during the final surprise decisive battle, Wen Bo, to break through the enemy’s frontal defense line, threw reserve brigade soldiers with poor assault combat capability into the battlefield in human wave fashion regardless of casualties, tearing apart the Mongol army’s front line and fortifications, resulting in numerous battle deaths.

This was a necessary sacrifice to win this glorious victory.

The reduction of elite main forces was still controlled within limited levels, without losing the capability for sustained combat.

After this battle, main infantry combat brigades, cavalry brigades, and naval brigades expanded to forty brigades with two hundred thousand troops; reserve brigades, due to absorbing large numbers of captives, would subsequently maintain an active-duty scale of seventy thousand troops, though their combat capability would temporarily be much weaker; the Liangzhou Army led by Li Zhigao and Chai Jian was counted separately, organized into six brigades with thirty thousand troops.

In other words, after the Zhiguan Pass campaign, Great Liang’s military strength climbed an entire new level. After incorporating civilian households from the three prefectures of Pingyang, Hejin, and Jiang, Great Liang’s total military and civilian population also just passed the threshold of eight million.

After the Zhiguan Pass great victory, Wang Yuankui and Wang Xiaoxian immediately withdrew troops from Huatong Prefecture and Shangluo Prefecture territories, retreating to Yongzhou and Qizhou.

Throughout the winter, aside from desperately constructing fortifications in eastern Henan and Biangliang, the Eastern Liang army didn’t send a single person across the frozen Ying River to attack even half a step west of Ying…

The imperial mausoleum of Emperor Shizong Zhu Yu, under the supervision of Chen Kun—who had been demoted to County Registrar of Yichuan after the Xingyang campaign—was completed at the end of the sixth year of Taihe at Nanling in Yichuan County.

After Han Qian returned to Luoyang, he personally led civil and military officials to escort Zhu Yu’s coffin from Qianxi Temple for burial at Yichuan Nanling.

Han Qian was busy with administrative affairs. After the grand burial ceremony, he returned to Luoyang with civil and military officials. Zhu Juezhong, Zhu Zhen, Princess Yunhe, and other Zhu clan imperial descendants, along with Zhu Yu’s former consorts, had to remain behind to guard the tomb.

Chen Kun was still a minor ninth-rank county registrar. He didn’t rush over to see Han Qian off, instead remaining before the mausoleum’s memorial hall, watching the distant ridges and nearby streams all covered in white snow.

Chen Kun, now over fifty years old, had temples gradually frosted with white.

Three years ago when they captured Xingyang, he was seriously injured, leaving him with a foot ailment that made him walk with a limp. Now his greatest pleasure was sitting on the steps before the mausoleum’s memorial hall, watching the streams, peaks, and ridges before the tomb, each season’s scenery different.

After a while, he saw Zhu Zhen approaching from afar, dressed in mourning white. He limped over to meet him. Seeing Zhu Zhen standing dazed before a small pavilion, he asked, “What is Your Highness thinking about?”

“When my imperial father initially abdicated to His Majesty, I was quite perplexed in my heart. Looking at it now, my imperial father’s decision was correct. Had I not come around back then and stubbornly fought for that position, it would only have shattered our mountains and rivers, and we Zhu clan descendants would all have left no intact corpses,” Zhu Zhen stood on the pavilion’s front steps and exhaled deeply, as if finally unburdening his heart. “I’m thinking that after completing tomb-guarding duty for my imperial father, I’ll go to Shangluo. After recovering Yongzhou, I could serve as an official benefiting one region, which wouldn’t waste my imperial father’s teachings.”

Yongzhou City was lost under his watch. He absolutely refused to miss the campaign to recover Yongzhou City. As for subsequent warfare, after recovering Guanzhong, the overall situation would be set—whether he was there or not wouldn’t make much difference.

“Excellent!” Chen Kun had always worried that Zhu Zhen harbored resentment. Hearing him say this, he also smiled with relief and said, “Having built this tomb well for the late emperor, my wish is fulfilled. After Your Highness recovers Yongzhou and goes there, though I cannot do other things, I can hold your horse and whip for you…”

“Great Liang is at a time when it needs people. His Majesty probably won’t let you go,” Zhu Zhen said.

“Great Liang has countless capable ministers and competent officials. What am I worth?” Chen Kun shook his head and smiled.

Before long, Zhu Juezhong returned from seeing Han Qian off. Riding up to the pavilion on horseback and seeing Chen Kun and Zhu Zhen standing together, he said, “His Majesty says you rendered merit in constructing the tomb and specially promoted you one rank. After completing your period guarding the tomb and protecting His Highness, you’ll go to Luoyang Military Academy to serve as a junior instructor…”

“Can I have another choice?” Chen Kun asked.

“His Majesty says you may not disobey orders,” Zhu Juezhong said. “You really are something—just now a whole group helped speak well of you, but you hid yourself and didn’t even see His Majesty off…”

“I’m a sesame-seed-sized ninth-rank official. Do I have qualifications to crowd before His Majesty?” Chen Kun asked.

Zhu Juezhong smiled bitterly and shook his head, not arguing nonsense with Chen Kun. He asked Zhu Zhen, “Your Highness, where is Yunhe?”

“She should be in the memorial hall. What do you need Yunhe for?” Zhu Zhen asked.

“Yunhe has always wanted to establish a school exclusively admitting female students. These past years the national treasury has been tight with no spare money or grain to waste on this. Just now Noble Consort said something extra, and His Majesty wants the Left Interior Ministry to allocate some funds after the new year to establish it,” Zhu Juezhong said. “Don’t you think this is pointless fussing? Once the new year passes, the campaign to recover Guanzhong must be launched in earnest. Where will there be spare money and grain to handle this matter? You should all persuade Yunhe to abandon this idea first, so she doesn’t take His Majesty’s casual words seriously.”

Since Han Qian had spoken, they naturally couldn’t casually disobey the order. They hoped Yunhe herself would abandon the idea, saving this inappropriate expense.

“Humble families’ daughters can all attend new-style schools, yet you old conservatives raise high the whip of family propriety, blocking your own daughters from new-style schools. Now I’m establishing a girls’ school—you surely can’t have anything to say,” Yunhe walked out from the memorial hall, dissatisfied.

“His Majesty has permitted me to bring Shurong and Tian’er with me to take up my post in Shangluo after tomb-guarding. The house in Luoyang City will stand vacant. If you want to establish a girls’ school, take it to use,” Zhu Zhen said.

“Elder brother treats Yunhe best,” Princess Yunhe smiled happily, then said to Zhu Juezhong, “The Council has four议政 seats for our Zhu family. Since elder brother doesn’t wish to remain in Luoyang and wants to go to Shangluo to command troops and lead armies, elder brother’s seat should be mine to fill…”

“You’re establishing a school—where will you have the leisure time? Besides, His Highness going to Shangluo is to avoid suspicion. This seat should remain vacant,” Zhu Juezhong said. He couldn’t imagine what having a single red among ten thousand greens in the Council would be like, so he wanted to dissuade Yunhe from entering the Council.

“Now everyone in Great Liang acknowledges His Majesty as master. What need is there to avoid suspicion?” Yunhe said. “If you obstruct me, I’ll go directly to His Majesty about this matter.”

“Fine, do as you please—just don’t complain about me behind my back,” Zhu Juezhong agreed with a bitter smile…

Compared to Luoyang’s jubilation, during the New Year festival of the seventh year of Taihe, Mengzhou City was shrouded in an unspeakable atmosphere of oppression.

Zhao Mengji’s provincial governor’s office had no lanterns or decorations—not half a trace of festival atmosphere could be seen. The residential wards in various streets and alleys were also quite perceptive, showing no festival atmosphere whatsoever.

The main street’s accumulated snow was cleared by people, but residual snow remained at wall corners and under eaves. Pedestrians hurried past, some with worried expressions, some with doubtful looks, but no one dared casually discuss when the Liang army might possibly come attack Mengzhou City.

However, no matter how they suppressed and blocked information, Mengzhou was just separated from Puzhou and Jinzhou by the Wangwu Mountains. Even routed soldiers had fled to Mengzhou before the new year. How could news that the Mongol army was thoroughly routed by the Liang army at the Wangwu Mountains possibly be blocked?

Not to mention officers and officials—even common citizens in the streets and alleys had heard various rumors. There were even claims that the Mongols’ South Court Prince had been beheaded in Puzhou City, and the remnant forces would flee back to the great desert.

An Jixiang, who had followed Lü Qingxia and Zhou Yuan in leaving Liangzhou, fleeing east and west before finally submitting to the Mongols, could not possibly feel good in his heart.

He was a castrated eunuch official, unable to establish a family. In his early years, he had been an orphan wandering the streets, secretly taken in by Wanhong Tower. At this time, he had no relatives accompanying him.

He didn’t get along with Zhou Yuan and others. Not wanting to remain in a cold and cheerless residence on the festival, staring blankly at a few old servants, he walked early in the day to Zuiyang Tower in the East Market to drink. Leaning by a second-floor window watching the accumulated snow on the city’s densely arranged roof eaves, his mood improved slightly.

From afar, he saw Provincial Household Bureau Director Wei Mingfu riding a thin donkey, stopping before Zuiyang Tower. Seeing him hand the thin donkey to an old servant to lead away while he himself walked toward Zuiyang Tower, he felt puzzled—Wei Mingfu was also coming so early on New Year’s Day to drink?

“How coincidental—Director An is also here drinking?” Director Gu ascended the stairs, saw An Jixiang sitting by the window, and asked with cupped hands, quite surprised.

Director Gu was one of the few people in Mengzhou City with whom he could exchange a few words. An Jixiang stood to return the courtesy, inviting him to sit by the window. He had an attendant add a wine cup for Director Gu, thinking that on such a cold morning, having someone to drink with was definitely not a bad thing.

“When does Director An think the Liang army will attack Mengzhou?” Director Gu drank a cup of wine, rubbing his frozen hands, and asked in a lowered voice.

“Who knows?” An Jixiang smiled bitterly and said, “Perhaps the Lord of Liang feels Commander Zhao is no longer a threat, and will leave Mengzhou unattacked, taking Guanzhong first…”

In An Jixiang’s view, even if the Liang army attacked, they would certainly wait until the Hehuai region thawed before deploying troops.

By then, the Eastern Liang army couldn’t threaten western Henan. At the same time, they would surely worry that the Wuzhi Dam might be breached by the Liang army, causing the Yu River waters to return to their old course, once again separating Biangliang from Mengzhou. In that case, Zhu Rang might not dare directly deploy Biangliang troops to aid Mengzhou.

While the Mongol forces in Ze and Lu Prefectures had with difficulty assembled thirty thousand troops to block the Liang army’s advance east from Qinyang, they couldn’t look south. Under these circumstances would be the best opportunity for the Liang army to attack Mengzhou.

Of course, Zhao Mengji might not continue to fight for the Mongols at this point. If Han Qian could grasp this mentality of Zhao Mengji’s, he might possibly leave Mengzhou unattacked and take Guanzhong first.

An Jixiang’s dispirited words seemed not to weigh on Director Gu’s mind. He drank another cup of wine and said with furrowed brow, “Why is Zuiyang Tower’s wine somewhat astringent today? Could water have been added? On New Year’s Day, such a large establishment hasn’t prepared any drinking snacks…”

“How could the proprietor imagine two idle people like you and me would come drink so early today?” An Jixiang laughed.

“I hear news that Nanyang will soon transfer Madam Lü, Minister Zhou, and the others to Taiyuan. Director An will go to Taiyuan together, I suppose—once Director An’s travel is set, let me know so I can host a farewell banquet at my residence,” Director Gu said.

“What use would this half-crippled life of mine, wandering for many years, have in Taiyuan? I’d rather continue to remain at Commander Zhao’s side awaiting assignment,” An Jixiang smiled miserably. “In any case, Mengzhou’s winter is somewhat easier to endure than Taiyuan’s.”

“Director An won’t go to Taiyuan?” Director Gu asked quite surprised.

“No, no. Initially fleeing to Mengzhou was out of fear of death. Now there’s no blade at my throat—why suffer the hardship of carriage and horse travel?” An Jixiang drank a cup of wine. Perhaps because of his mood, he smacked his lips and said, “This wine truly is much more astringent today.”

“My residence still has two jars of good wine stored. It’s just that I got up early and heard my wife nagging—couldn’t stand it, so I escaped to drink. How about Director An accompany me back to my residence to drink? Listening to my wife nag would at least be livelier than here?” Director Gu asked.

“Agreed.” An Jixiang now went along with circumstances. On New Year’s Day, if he could have a place to drink with others, he wouldn’t have run alone to Zuiyang Tower. Hearing Director Gu’s proposal, he rose decisively, almost eagerly wanting to escape this place.

As Household Bureau Director, Director Gu had minor position and low rank. He lived at the corner of a small alley across from Zuiyang Tower. After walking three to four hundred paces, they arrived. With a creak, pushing open the courtyard gate shook loose a handful of accumulated snow from the gate eaves, some falling into An Jixiang’s collar, chilling his neck until he shivered.

While An Jixiang bent over digging residual snow from his neck, he crossed through the hanging flower hall with Director Gu toward the central courtyard.

An Jixiang knew Director Gu’s two sons had died young. In the courtyard besides two old servants, only his wife Lady Zhao lived there. But at this moment, the central courtyard was silent without a soul visible.

Pushing open the hall’s wooden door, a brazier was burning inside, hot air steaming. An Jixiang saw three people already sitting in the hall drinking, seemingly waiting specifically for him and Director Gu to arrive.

Seeing the three men’s faces were unfamiliar—not Director Gu’s household servants, nor resembling officers or officials from Mengzhou Provincial Office or the military—their dress was also quite ordinary, like common carriage drivers.

Yet such people sat drinking in the Gu family’s main hall. How could An Jixiang not be alarmed?

“Director An sees new friends—why unwilling to sit down and drink a cup of wine?” The leading man, who revealed somewhat of a scholar’s bearing, smiled and asked.

“Who are you people?” An Jixiang asked warily and sternly.

“If I announce my identity, wouldn’t Director An be even less daring to sit and drink?” That man asked with a smile.

“Then consider I never came. Farewell.” An Jixiang cupped his hands and made to leave.

“Director An has already guessed we’re from Luoyang. Won’t you favor us with a cup of wine?” That man asked.

“…” An Jixiang didn’t answer, just stood at the door, scrutinizing the faces of the three men in the room.

“Luoyang Military Intelligence Staff Office Northern Division Vice Director Zhang Shimin, greetings to Director An,” that man stood up, taking a letter from his bosom. “Originally our lord instructed Northern Division Minister Yin Peng to come see An Jixiang, but Minister Yin temporarily had matters preventing him, so he had me carry our lord’s edict to see Director An…”

An Jixiang still recognized Han Qian’s handwriting. Such ugly calligraphy was difficult for others to imitate. Seeing Han Qian’s edict mention some old matters from when he followed Zhang Ping as supervising officer in Xuzhou, he could further confirm this edict wasn’t forged by others to deceive him.

He returned the edict to Zhang Shimin, saying, “I’m just a useless person in Mengzhou. If you want to recruit Zhao Mengji to surrender, I’m afraid I can’t help.”

“Having seen our lord’s edict, Director An can guess our purpose in coming. How can you say you can’t help?” Zhang Shimin smiled. “Zhao Mengji has people watching him. Xiao Yiqing will also surely guard against us coming to recruit Zhao Mengji and will most likely have left hidden means—if we or Director contact Zhao Mengji rashly, we might very likely ruin things. If Director An is willing to relay messages, Luoyang will have a place for Director An in the future. Could Director An at this point still be willing to be led by the nose by Lü Qingxia and Zhou Yuan?”

“The Cishou Palace incident had nothing to do with me. Fleeing afterward was only out of fear of death…” An Jixiang said.

“Our lord has of course long since investigated clearly that Director An was not Lü Qingxia’s puppet, and Emperor Yanyou’s death was not Director An’s doing. How pitiful that Chen Ruyi was loyal and devoted to Lü Qingxia, yet in the end was still killed by Lü Qingxia to silence him—we’ve always been paying attention to Director An, believing Director An and those like Lü Qingxia are not birds of a feather, which is why we’ve come seeking Director An,” Zhang Shimin said.

An Jixiang sighed and said, “Years ago, our lord secretly assisted Wang Yong in launching a military coup. Zhao Mengji had no home to return to—it’s impossible he harbors no resentment. Yet at this time, he at least commands large armies and holds a region. Even if our lord deploys troops to seize Mengzhou, he could still retreat to defend Zezhou, helping the Mongol army divide half the realm with our lord. He probably won’t easily place his life and fortune in others’ hands.”

Seeing An Jixiang had changed his tone and form of address, Zhang Shimin invited him to sit and talk: “In military and state affairs, whether victory or defeat, how could someone of Zhao Mengji’s caliber not see through everything? Moreover, it was our lord who persuaded the Shu ruler not to kill Zhao Mengji and Wang Xiaoxian’s families, but instead send them to Jinling for imprisonment. Zhao Mengji can choose not to appreciate this favor, but he cannot pretend it doesn’t exist. As long as Zhao Mengji can submit to Great Liang, bringing his family back from Jinling for reunion is just around the corner—how could he not know? As for Zhao Mengji’s status and treatment after submitting to Great Liang, our lord also said if he’s willing to lead his troops garrisoning Mengzhou, our lord intends to appoint him Mengzhou Prefecture Commissioner, commanding his troop forces. Or if he has other ideas, we’ll have to wait until Director An has asked him before we know clearly…”

“Has our lord sent people to see Marquis Wei Wang Xiaoxian?” An Jixiang asked.

This time Zhang Shimin came representing the Northern Division to first recruit An Jixiang, laying groundwork for subsequently recruiting Zhao Mengji and various generals. Naturally, he wouldn’t hide some matters from him, saying, “Marquis Wei Wang Xiaoxian is obstinate and self-willed, with a solitary temperament. Our lord’s instructions focus on working on Zhao Mengji…”

An Jixiang nodded. He hadn’t expected Luoyang’s work to be so meticulous. No wonder the Zhiguan Pass campaign was fought so smoothly. He said, “When Wusu Dashi initially decided to leave Marquis Wei Wang Xiaoxian in Fengxiang while transferring Zhao Mengji to Mengzhou, it was precisely because he worried Zhao Mengji’s thoughts were unstable, and transferring his troops to Mengzhou would facilitate control. However, though Marquis Wei Wang Xiaoxian has a solitary temperament and is difficult to turn back, his subordinate generals might not be willing to use their bodies to block Great Liang’s elite forces. Many of Wang Xiaoxian’s subordinates are Zhao Mengji’s former officials. If our lord now has intent to persuade Zhao Mengji to surrender, this is also his aim, isn’t it?”

Zhang Shimin nodded, acknowledging An Jixiang’s speculation.

Over the past two years, Wang Yuankui and Wang Xiaoxian had established numerous military farms on both banks of the Wei River, recruiting refugees as farm troops. With Mongol support, they had extensively constructed fortifications, both gaining corresponding increases in military strength.

If following the established plan of first expelling the Pingxia people from Longyou to occupy Qinzhou, then dividing forces—one route crossing Longshan Mountain from the west to attack Fengxiang’s western flank, one route entering southern Fengxiang through Chencang from Liangzhou—even capturing Fengxiang would require countless hard battles.

Purely in terms of eastern flank military resource investment, leaving Zhao Mengji without urgently recruiting him to surrender wouldn’t increase eastern flank military defensive pressure. But considering Great Liang’s next focus was recovering Fengxiang Army, whether successfully recruiting Zhao Mengji might not greatly impact Wang Xiaoxian himself, the psychological impact on Wang Xiaoxian’s subordinate officers and officials would be enormous.

Of course, whether recruitment or accepting surrender, different stages meant different terms offered.

Whether Zhao Mengji could submit to Great Liang in time would not only peacefully resolve Mengzhou’s ownership, but also influence western flank warfare. Han Qian was willing to give more preferential treatment. But next, they still had to see if the Zhiguan Pass campaign’s impact on Zhao Mengji was deep enough.

They agreed that An Jixiang would carry credentials to find opportunities to contact Zhao Mengji. In Mengzhou City, for any matters, An Jixiang would contact Director Gu through a single channel. After Zhang Shimin and the others concluded negotiations, they went into hiding in Mengzhou City, watching the city’s every movement while also awaiting further news…