Liu Cong led his army all the way to the walls of Jinyang City. The common people outside Jinyang had all hidden inside the city. Liu Kun defended the city without emerging. For a time, Liu Cong truly had no way to deal with him.
Liu Kun himself wasn’t skilled at warfare, but he had capable generals under his command. Linghu Sheng was one of them. With him there, Liu Cong couldn’t break into Jinyang for the time being.
They also had no spare forces to aid Liu Xi in Ji Province.
Imperial edicts from Pingyang arrived one after another. Liu Cong learned that Zhao Hanzhang had positioned her army outside Pingyang City. Even knowing this was a ploy to relieve the siege by attacking the enemy’s base, he could only lead his troops back to defend.
What was infuriating was that Shangdang’s position was clearly more important, yet she bypassed Shangdang and only positioned her army outside Pingyang City.
And Shi Lei only observed without sending troops.
Like Liu Yuan, Liu Cong couldn’t afford to gamble. Once Pingyang was lost, the Han Kingdom’s prestige would be swept away.
Liu Cong left only a portion of his forces and withdrew his main army.
He rushed back to Pingyang with his army as fast as possible, only to find that he couldn’t send troops because Liu Yi had run into the Zhao Family Army camp on his own. Liu Cong was nearly enraged to death.
He didn’t hide his fury and directly smashed everything in the room.
“General, the envoy has already departed. Did we withdraw just to negotiate peace?”
“Yes, General, this matter cannot be left like this.”
“If you ask me, it doesn’t matter who it is. Taking down Zhao Hanzhang is what matters. If we can defeat her here, we might be able to take Luoyang in one push.”
“This kind of fantasy is fine to discuss among ourselves, but don’t say it outside.”
“His Majesty is still covering for the Prince of the North Sea, saying he went to resolve Pingyang’s crisis, or else the Zhao Family Army would have launched a night raid before the General returned. But we went out and circled around—within twenty li of the city, there’s no enemy army at all, nor any traces of troops having camped there. What night raid? That’s all made up! I don’t know if Zhao Hanzhang deceived the Seventh Prince, or if the Seventh Prince deceived His Majesty?”
“Enough. It’s too late to say anything now. General, are we just going to do nothing and let Zhao Hanzhang lead us by the nose?”
Liu Cong’s eyes flashed with cold light. “Zhao Hanzhang has taken almost all of Si Province. The Central Plains have all fallen to her. Do the Jin Emperor and Gou Xi have no reaction at all?”
He clenched his fists and said coldly, “Send someone with valuable gifts to Yun City. Since she can march straight to Pingyang Commandery, we can also make her rear catch fire.”
“Yes!”
Other ministers in the court could tell Liu Yuan to abandon Liu Yi, but the Crown Prince couldn’t, and neither could Liu Cong.
Liu Yi wasn’t just Liu Yuan’s most beloved son—he was also Empress Dowager Dan’s son, a legitimate son.
Liu Yuan promoted Han governance. Though the ministers in the court didn’t like Han governance, they deeply agreed with one point—the system of legitimate eldest son inheritance.
So Liu He was Crown Prince because he was born to Liu Yuan’s first wife—the legitimate eldest son.
And after Liu He, Liu Yi was the second in line for succession.
Honestly, Liu Cong didn’t think much of his elder brother Liu He. He felt his father didn’t think much of him either. If he could freely choose, Liu Yuan would probably select Liu Yi.
Therefore, Liu Cong couldn’t target the Crown Prince, nor could he target Liu Yi. Liu Yuan would be very displeased.
The bond between father and son wasn’t actually that deep. Liu Cong had a feeling that his father would kill him for the great cause, and would also kill him for Liu Yi’s sake.
Just as Liu Cong finished selecting people to go to Yun City, Wei Jie and Zhao Xin had already entered Ji Province.
They carefully circled around Shi Lei’s sphere of influence, pretending to be a merchant caravan traveling. The Zhao Family Army soldiers escorting them had put away their armor, but their backs were straight and their movements disciplined—clearly not ordinary guards.
At a fork in the road, everyone stopped and waited for Wei Jie and Zhao Xin to choose their route.
Wei Jie unfolded a small map and carefully compared it before pointing to a spot. “We should be here. If we go west, in two more days we can reach Zhongshan Commandery. Liu Xi is there, and Prince Wang Jun’s army is also outside Zhongshan Commandery.”
Zhao Xin said, “Then we’d have to pass through Changshan Commandery. More than half of it has been occupied by the Xiongnu Han Kingdom. Although Liu Cong has withdrawn now, he left many soldiers behind. It’s still wartime, so security along the way is tight. It might be difficult for us to pass through.”
Wei Jie nodded. “So we’ll take this route. It’s a bit more roundabout and might take four days.”
It was more roundabout, but safer. If they hurried, three days wasn’t impossible either.
Wang Yu had wanted to ask for a while now. Seeing them huddle together talking for so long, he couldn’t help but lean over to look. Seeing that the map was quite detailed, he asked, “I’ve wanted to ask—where did this map come from?”
The half-grown youth Zhao Shi immediately said proudly, “My Third Brother-in-law drew it.”
Wang Yu asked, “Who’s your Third Brother-in-law?”
Zhao Shi: …
Zhao Shi glanced at him. “Fu Tinghan, my Third Brother-in-law!”
Zhao Xin on the side smiled. “Minister Fu is very capable. He found descriptions of mountains, rivers, and roads from various classics and county gazetteers, and based on these he can draw rough maps.”
The topographical map that the Imperial Academy was currently drawing was being supervised by him and Uncle Cheng. The small map they had now was just an excerpt from part of it.
Speaking of this, Zhao Xin had to admire Fu Tinghan’s mind. Without comparing it to the full topographical map, relying solely on memory, he could draw a small map.
Along the way, he and Wei Jie had compared it—the actual difference from the map was only about two parts in ten. Where there were differences, he noted them down to submit to Fu Tinghan for corrections later.
Wei Jie put away the map and said, “Then let’s take the eastern route.”
Everyone acknowledged and got into carriages or mounted horses, turning east.
They felt that going east was safer, but who knew—in less than half a day, they would encounter a band of disorderly troops head-on.
The soldiers running toward them had abandoned their helmets and armor, their hair disheveled, with no formation—clearly defeated troops.
Zhao Xin was startled and immediately ordered, “Quick, hide up the mountain!”
But the routed troops were fast. They soon collided head-on. Seeing that Zhao Xin’s group had carriages and horses, with cloth covering items tied with many boxes on the carts behind—clearly wealthy merchants—their eyes lit up.
The routed troops’ eyes gleamed as they rushed forward to rob them.
Wei Jie’s face paled. “Cut the ropes and scatter the goods from the carts. Preserving lives is what matters!”
But Zhao Shi was unwilling to give up. Third Sister was so poor—these were all valuables meant as bribes for Prince Wang Jun. If they lost them, where would they find so many treasures to bribe Prince Wang Jun?
He snatched his long spear from a guard and directly selected two squads of soldiers, shouting loudly, “You lot follow me to engage the enemy. They’re just a bunch of petty deserters. Does the Zhao Family Army fear them?”
The soldiers shouted “Hah!” in unison and drew their sabers from the carts, quickly forming ranks behind Zhao Shi.
Zhao Xin and the others ran toward the mountain while looking back.
Zhao Shi only turned back once, shouting loudly, “Cousin, rest assured. I’ll hold the rear for you. You and Master Wei are envoys—you mustn’t come to harm!”
He shouted at Wang Yu, “Captain, the delegation is in your hands!”
Wang Yu also became serious, acknowledged, and led people to escort the carriages and valuables up the mountain to safety.
Zhao Shi led his men to block their path up the mountain, his eyes bright as he stared at the approaching disorderly soldiers.
—