“All of you, rise!”
Li Mu told the kneeling civilians to stand up, looking toward the middle-aged man in the lead, his gaze sweeping over the man’s legs and feet with skin cracked like tortoise shell and hands with joints swollen to deformity.
“You are a craftsman? Why do you pursue me?”
The man raised his head and shouted: “Grand Marshal, I am indeed a craftsman! The Xianbei people want to use the great river’s flood to divert water and inundate the plains! When I escaped, the river’s water level was already several zhang higher than the lowlands on both banks, like a suspended river. Now the only hope is for the Grand Marshal to intervene and save us! If the Grand Marshal refuses to save us, once it bursts, below Luoyang, dozens of counties connected by waterways will all become vast oceans, and no one will be spared! Even this place, where the Jian River connects to the Luo River, once the great river floods backward, I fear it cannot be spared either!”
The man’s voice trembled, his face covered with mud and water, his original features almost unrecognizable, revealing only a pair of bloodshot eyes filled with fear, anxiety, and desperate hope.
After he finished speaking, those villagers who had learned the news by asking about Li Mu’s army’s route and then chased after them together also pleaded desperately.
Once the Yellow River bursts, it would be like the collapse of heaven and earth. Moreover, with continuous heavy rain for days, how fierce the flood would be – which of the people who had lived along the Yellow River for generations didn’t know this in their hearts?
Amid the chorus of pleas, an old man from Xu Village wiped his tears and said: “Grand Marshal, this old man is the village chief of Xu Village. I am aged and ill, having been bedridden for days. Only yesterday did I learn that the Grand Marshal’s party passed by our village entrance and was refused shelter from the rain. Blame the villagers for being blind! Having gained some benefits, they thought the Xianbei emperor would truly treat us common people as human beings. My villagers were ignorant and offended the Grand Marshal. I beseech the Grand Marshal’s magnanimity to save us from suffering!”
He led the villagers behind him, who were too ashamed to raise their heads, continuously kowtowing in the mud.
Li Mu quickly dismounted and personally helped the old man up.
The old man wept bitterly, refusing to rise, and continued: “Thirty years ago, this old man was still a child, but I still remember that year when the great river burst its banks – dozens of counties in the surrounding area were flooded into vast oceans overnight. Several of this old man’s family members all died in the flood. After the floodwaters receded, the great river changed course, and it took many years before it stabilized. If this man’s words are true, that black-hearted Xianbei emperor wants to divert water for flooding, and with such continuous heavy rain, the water’s force will likely surpass that flood disaster of thirty years ago. With natural disasters and human calamities, all of us will have our livelihoods cut off!”
The old man wept bitter tears.
Li Mu had his subordinates help the old man up from the ground, then said to the craftsman: “You come with me.”
The craftsman hurriedly scrambled up from the ground and followed.
Li Mu brought him into a military tent by the roadside and said: “What exactly is the situation? Tell me from the beginning!”
The craftsman was extremely grateful. This big, burly man choked up before he could speak, his eyes reddening as he recounted everything in detail.
Three years ago, shortly after Murong Ti captured Luoyang, he conscripted laborers to build water conservancy projects in various places. One of these was located at Shangjin Pass.
Shangjin Pass was located downstream on the Luo River that flowed through Luoyang. It was also the confluence of several nearby rivers with the Luo River, and was situated at a bend of the Yellow River where all waters connected. Every flood season, the Yellow River would back up into the Luo River, rise above the embankments, and flood the fields and villages on both banks. The people had long suffered from this. But because the scale wasn’t large, and the former Northern Xia court paid no attention to it whatsoever, day after day, they could only continue living this way.
This craftsman was named Wang Xingwu, a native of Shangjin. His father and grandfather were both craftsmen, and he had been intelligent since childhood with considerable understanding of water conservancy matters. Knowing his hometown suffered from flooding, he had for many years surveyed the terrain, drawn blueprints, and submitted proposals to the Northern Xia government, pleading to build dikes and dams in this area to store water when dry and release water when full, to eliminate the former flood disasters. But the Northern Xia court ignored him, leaving him helpless. Unexpectedly, the newly arrived Northern Yan Emperor actually wanted to build dikes and dams, knew his name, and invited him to oversee the construction. Wang Wu was overjoyed and led all the able-bodied men from his village to the river mouth, directing the laborers to begin construction. Through various difficulties over more than two years, just a few months ago, this dam that regulated water levels using natural terrain elevations was finally completed.
Just as Wang Wu and others were celebrating, and nearby people were grateful to Northern Yan Emperor Murong Ti, nightmare struck.
Recent rains had been continuous. Starting seven or eight days ago, the Luo River gradually rose and the village accumulated water. Wang Wu was worried and brought a group of craftsmen to inspect the dam, only to discover unexpectedly that the dam had been occupied by an army.
That was bad enough, but what shocked him most was the operation of the dam.
It was already the Yellow River’s flood season, plus continuous heavy rain – they should have been releasing flood water to ensure smooth passage through that bend. But he never expected that the dam was actually closed. Not only was it not helping with flood discharge, but it was like forcibly placing a barrier across the river channel to block the water flow.
Upstream flood waters from the Yellow River came rushing down, were blocked by the dam here, forced to change course, and compelled to back up into the Luo River. The Luo River also carried floodwaters from upstream, and when these two peaks met, huge waves towered to the sky. The water level kept rising, impacting the river channels on both sides.
Once the embankments were torn open, it would instantly collapse for thousands of li. When river water flooded backward, what terrible catastrophes would befall Luoyang and other counties in the first instance – Wang Wu knew this all too clearly.
He was horrified and tried to intervene, but was beaten and driven away by Xianbei soldiers. Among the accompanying villagers, several were beaten so severely they vomited blood and were forced to return. Both frightened and confused, they couldn’t understand why soldiers would do such things to this dam that had cost enormous human and material resources and taken two years to build, originally meant to benefit the people. It wasn’t until late that night when a minor official in charge of waterways who usually had dealings with him secretly sought him out, saying he was about to flee and telling Wang Wu to quickly take his family and escape as well, that he learned the Northern Yan Emperor Murong Ti actually intended to flood Luoyang.
Subsequently, more news spread that his reason for making such a plan was to block the Northern Expedition army of Li Mu from the Southern Dynasty.
Water levels continued rising. News spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred, and soon people in villages for dozens of li around all knew.
Once the river channel completely collapsed, Luoyang and other counties would naturally be swallowed by the towering floodwaters flowing backward, but this place would be leveled to the ground in the first instance.
How could people who had lived on this land for generations willingly abandon their homes? Many rushed to reason with the Xianbei soldiers, but reasoning quickly turned into slaughter.
Several of Wang Wu’s kinsmen were killed on the spot.
The news spread like plague. Helpless people could only tearfully pack their belongings and flee to any nearby high ground that could temporarily shelter them.
Seeing the dam built with his countless efforts ultimately become the culprit destroying his homeland, Wang Wu was heartbroken. In desperation, he thought of Li Mu, the Southern Dynasty man who according to widespread recent rumors was about to reach Luoyang. Holding onto the last thread of hope, he rushed over regardless of everything, hoping his army could quickly reach Shangjin and open the dam before it burst to release the floodwaters.
Li Mu’s expression became extremely grave. After pondering for a moment, he asked: “In your estimation, how long can Shangjin Pass hold out?”
Wang Wu said: “Fortunately, when the dam was originally built, after my repeated requests, the embankments were also reinforced. But with such massive water force, the river mouth is in imminent danger. From what I saw that day, if the dam isn’t opened quickly, it will inevitably collapse within seven or eight days at the latest. Once it collapses, the flooding will rush backward…”
He showed fear in his eyes, wept bitterly, and knelt down again, continuously kowtowing and pleading with Li Mu.
…
Murong Ti stood on a slope at Shangjin Pass, gazing at the river mouth with its raging huge waves, his figure motionless for a long time.
Below the river mouth, hundreds of thousands of people and thousands of qing of fertile land would soon accompany that Southern Dynasty man Li Mu in death beneath the heavenly waters that would pour down when the dam burst.
Long ago, he had promised a woman that when he captured Luoyang in the future, he would not massacre the city in revenge.
He had indeed kept that promise.
Now if they wanted to blame someone, let them blame fate.
The one who harmed them was that Southern Dynasty man named Li Mu.
“Your Majesty, this place is dangerous. Please quickly withdraw to a safe location.”
His trusted aide, a Xianbei general named Yao Gui, advised him from the side. Seeing no response, he followed Murong Ti’s gaze toward distant Luoyang and hesitated: “Since Your Majesty has made such arrangements, why not proceed secretly? I heard the craftsman surnamed Wang escaped and should be seeking Li Mu’s aid. If the great waters flood backward, it can indeed block his army and give our forces a chance to regroup, but if we keep the news from him to prevent his escape, wouldn’t it be better to drown his army then?”
Murong Ti finally turned toward him, his expression cold: “Do you think such a major matter can be concealed forever? Moreover, if his army could be easily drowned by floodwaters, you and I wouldn’t be in such a sorry state today!”
Yao Gui showed shame, lowering his head: “It’s all due to this subordinate’s incompetence!”
Murong Ti’s expression softened slightly: “Forget it, I can’t blame you alone. You don’t know Li Mu – he’s different from others. Those Southern Dynasty people are all good-for-nothings who wasted the excellent opportunities I created for them! I deliberately let that craftsman go deliver the message to him, which is why I didn’t stop him.”
He sneered coldly: “Doesn’t he want to recover Luoyang? I’ll use Luoyang as the stake and gamble big with him.”
Yao Gui seemed to understand but didn’t, yet knowing Murong Ti’s thoughts were always deep, he said no more.
Murong Ti pondered again for a moment and asked: “Are the heavy troops at Kanglong Pass properly positioned?”
“Everything is arranged! Even a fly couldn’t pass through there!”
Murong Ti nodded slightly: “I trust only General Yao! This time, please personally go guard Kanglong Pass! As long as we can eliminate Li Mu, from now on, with the vastness of the world, our Great Yan will have no more enemies!”
Yao Gui showed excitement, falling to his knees with a thud: “Please set Your Majesty’s mind completely at ease! As long as he dares attack Kanglong Pass, this subordinate will ensure he never returns, dying at the pass!”
…
The night was black as ink, heavy rain poured down.
Columns of soldiers, now fully armed, stood in neat formation on the highland, awaiting Li Mu’s decision.
Outside the main tent stood over ten Yingtian Army generals, all silent.
Li Mu stood alone in the tent before a spread map of mountains and rivers, his figure motionless for a long time.
Never in his life had he faced such a difficult choice as tonight.
If he didn’t rescue them and immediately led troops back to Hongnong, he would certainly be safe. But within days, very likely even this place where he now stood would become a vast watery country.
If he ordered a rescue, time was too urgent.
From here to Shangjin, the nearest shortcut was the Kanglong Road shown on the map.
For the Northern Expedition, he had previously made extremely detailed studies of the geography of the Central Plains area.
This Kanglong Road was actually a crevice in Choulin Plateau. Choulin Plateau was table-shaped, flat as plains on top and covered with lush trees, but surrounded by steep cliffs dozens of zhang high where birds couldn’t roost. The Luo River flowed past along one cliff face, and the only passage was this crevice, which locals called Kanglong Road.
The crevice had existed since ancient times, as if split open by a giant axe from heaven ten thousand years ago, right through the middle of Choulin Plateau. Fifteen li long, winding and narrow, with sheer cliff walls on both sides so narrow that only a few people could pass side by side – truly a place where a small amount of mud could block it.
If he went to Shangjin, he had no choice but to take Kanglong Road. This required capturing Kanglong Pass at the mouth of Kanglong Road with utmost speed.
Kanglong Pass relied on natural barriers, commanding from high ground – one man could guard the pass against ten thousand. Once he sent troops there but couldn’t capture the pass and get through quickly within days to reach Shangjin in time to open the dam and release water before the river mouth was destroyed, he would very likely be swallowed by the rolling floods behind him along with his accompanying soldiers.
Once he gave the order, there would be no retreat. He must win, and could only win.
Otherwise, if unsuccessful, the price would be enormous.
Footsteps came from outside the tent as someone entered.
Li Mu turned to see it was Gao Huan.
Gao Huan stood there soaked by rain and said: “Brother-in-law, before I left, my sister asked me to bring you a letter from her. I forgot momentarily – brother-in-law please don’t blame me.” He then took from his bosom a letter with one corner dampened by rain.
“If brother-in-law decides to take people to attack Kanglong Pass, remember to let me come along.”
After speaking, Gao Huan respectfully placed the letter on the desk, gave Li Mu a solemn military salute, then turned and quickly left the tent.