Clang—
The medicine bowl shattered into pieces.
“What did you say?” Wu Yanqie looked in shock at Duan Geshou kneeling on one knee.
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger.” Duan Geshou fell to both knees. “This officer failed in vigilance. I request Your Majesty’s punishment.”
“The Feng Zhou water garrison has fallen? How is that possible? How is that possible?” Wu Yanqie began coughing violently.
Wu Yanle hurriedly poured water and handed it over. “Your Majesty, don’t be anxious. The situation is still unclear, and even if the Feng Zhou water garrison has fallen into Song hands, they cannot conduct operations away from Yuling for too long—their provisions and military supplies will be exhausted.”
Wu Yanqie wasn’t so optimistic. “Feng Zhou is my rear. To capture Yuling, I deployed my main forces. Aside from the two hundred thousand troops on the northern border, the country only has local garrison forces. Once the Song army lands, fifty thousand men can rapidly capture all of Feng Zhou, even other prefectures and cities. They can plunder provisions and confiscate military equipment. Do you think the Song army are great philanthropists? Don’t forget—they don’t keep Daqiu prisoners.”
“Then—immediately dispatch General Sidan from the northern border to Feng Zhou.” Wu Yanle’s heart was anxious, but he also feared agitating his ill brother.
“Duan Geshou, stop kneeling. Bring me the map.” Wu Yanqie struggled to stand.
Duan Geshou immediately spread the map before Wu Yanqie.
Wu Yanqie looked at the map, fury rising within him. “I just don’t understand—the western flank river surface is under our tight control. How exactly did the Song army cross—” Suddenly connecting this to the disappearance of patrol boats some days ago, he immediately understood. “So that’s how it is!”
“Your Majesty, forgive this officer’s dullness—how exactly did they cross?” Duan Geshou asked.
“It’s not that they grew wings, but that we clipped our own wings. The disappearance of patrol boats was their doing, but we couldn’t find the reason. Thinking they were hiding in the port towns, we tightened both flanks and inspected all ports and docks, thereby opening a path right through the middle of the river.” Wu Yanqie smiled bitterly. He’d figured it out, but it was already too late.
“But transporting fifty thousand men would require at least three or four hundred ships. So many ships passing through the river couldn’t possibly make no sound. This officer was along the river for five days, and at night was extremely alert—I truly heard no unusual activity.” Duan Geshou still couldn’t understand.
“If they’re ships she built, it’s normal you heard no sound. Do you know that her recent new ships have rudders and oars below the water surface, driven by mechanisms, advancing silently yet quickly—Daqiu ships are far inferior. Even though we’ve imitated the ball throwers and great crossbows, we still haven’t solved the secret of the explosive balls. Furthermore, the former Nande Jiang family could reign supreme at sea yet all died at Song hands, indicating she can also build ocean-going ships.” Wu Yanqie’s eyes gradually sharpened as he suddenly pointed east. “The Ta River connects to the sea, and Feng Zhou is only a hundred li from the sea. Could it be a feint to the east while attacking in the west—using a small force on the western flank to attract our attention while the main force took the sea route?”
“But in winter the sea has great winds and waves—how could they travel?” Wu Yanle thought it impossible.
Wu Yanqie didn’t say again that if it was Mo Zi she could do it—it no longer had meaning. She was now his enemy in a fight to the death.
“Withdraw the troops,” he said.
Duan Geshou looked at him in astonishment. “Your Majesty! We’ve lost so many brothers to hold on until today. If the Song army’s fifty thousand are at Feng Zhou, then Heng City only has a hundred thousand men. As long as you immediately order an attack on the city, all of Yuling can be taken. We cannot withdraw! Once we retreat, the Song forces can catch their breath and counterattack with momentum—our battles will have been fought in vain.”
“Not withdraw?” Wu Yanqie sneered, his fingertip tapping the map. “Look carefully—if they’ve truly already opened the sea route, most of the seaside has no towns or cities. We can only watch helplessly as their large ships transport troops to our doorstep to capture Feng Zhou, the northern border, even the capital. Great Zhou has an alliance with the Song people. Because Empress Wang seized the palace, the court officials underwent old and new transitions—it was chaotic for quite a while, but now it’s almost recovered. If Great Zhou declares war on Daqiu’s northern border, forget deploying those two hundred thousand to help Feng Zhou—whether they can even hold their position becomes a question. If we don’t withdraw, do you want to be unable to attend to both head and tail, lose our home base, and from then on be stuck in this little place?”
Duan Geshou was struck speechless.
Wu Yanqie sighed deeply. “How could I not know how much hardship it took to recapture Yuling, how many people died, how much national strength was exhausted—just one more prefecture and it would all be Daqiu territory. However, victory in war depends most on timing. When I failed to anticipate that the Song people would abandon the near to attack our doorstep, this battle was already unwinnable. But if green mountains remain, one need not worry about firewood. We cannot lose the greater for the lesser and let people invade our Daqiu’s hundred-year foundation. If we lose this time, there will be a next time. The heart of the wolf clan never dies—the Eagle Spirit will guide us.”
Duan Geshou knelt again. “Your Majesty, this officer is useless for letting the Song army exploit an opening. This officer is willing to fight as vanguard and will certainly retake Feng Zhou.”
“This isn’t your fault either—we can only say the opponent is cunning.” Though Wu Yanqie spoke well to Duan Geshou, inwardly he was dejected. Deploying troops to Yuling twice, yet twice being forced to retreat by the same opponent—how humiliating. Especially this second round—not sparing prolonged war, not sparing manpower and resources, he’d been determined to take this place, yet someone had raided his home base. What a vicious move. He could choose not to retreat—Yuling would become his nation, Song and Zhou would divide Daqiu between them, and in the end when squeezed from both sides, he would get nothing.
“Your Majesty, I’m willing to accompany General Duan Ge to first resolve our homeland’s crisis.” Wu Yanle also knelt down.
“No, I will return with you to fight back. If they dare to take Feng Zhou, they must have reinforcements behind them, even Great Zhou’s support. If we still harbor hopes and refuse to let go of Yuling out of greed, your vanguard will also be completely annihilated. Since the timing isn’t with us, there’s no need to be reluctant. Order all garrisons to withdraw from Yuling and rush back to Feng Zhou with all speed.” Wu Yanqie had decided.
At this moment, on the Eastern Sea, a hundred ocean-going ships were sailing majestically toward Feng Zhou. Two men stood at the bow—one in a crow-black robe with blue patterns, one turning a fan—Yuan Cheng and Jin Yin.
“If I were the Daqiu King, I wouldn’t necessarily do what you think. He could think this way: the Song army can capture the Feng Zhou garrison but would find it difficult to penetrate deep into the heartland—at most they’re just scaring him. With just one last breath needed, he could gather all his forces in Yuling for a strong attack, and Heng City definitely couldn’t be defended.” Jin Yin wore an all-white robe with a tooth crown and dangling colored pearls, smiling to show white teeth.
“Because the Daqiu King isn’t an idiot like you. The northern border troops can’t move—they must guard against Great Zhou. His main force is all in Yuling; his home is empty. The Feng Zhou water garrison is the largest deployment on the southwest side. Once we capture it, striking all the way to the capital would be as easy as turning over one’s hand. He wouldn’t dare take that risk. I rather hope he’s greedy. If he’s greedy, we’ll follow the momentum and unite with Great Zhou to destroy Daqiu. If he swiftly withdraws, it’s back to a three-nation stalemate that won’t change for a year or two.” Yuan Cheng wanted to take a big bite, but he also knew the Daqiu King wasn’t weak.
“Seeing you so calm and composed, aren’t you afraid something might happen to Mo Zi? This is war—no matter how capable you are, you shouldn’t have sent your wife as the vanguard.” Jin Yin didn’t mind being called an idiot.
“If I didn’t let her go, she would instead be angry with me. To her, Stinky Fish was like family—going through life and death together, supporting each other through hardships, reaching today wasn’t easy. Before they could even enjoy good fortune together, he died like that—how could she not feel regret and hatred?” Yuan Cheng still remembered Mo Zi saying she wanted revenge—his heart had trembled. That was an absolute determination to repay blood with blood. He was glad he had never been her enemy. With just a few of her orders, all the shipyards in Song territory sprang into action, incredibly delivering a thousand warships of various types. Song’s naval power reaching such strength far exceeded his expectations.
“So you’re not worried?” Jin Yin was quite worried, afraid Mo Zi would be impulsive and personally enter battle to kill enemies.
“I’m worried, but I also trust her. She promised me a lifetime—she definitely won’t carelessly throw away her own life. Besides, Zan Jin, Ding Gou, and the others are there.” Yuan Cheng gazed into the distance and saw the river mouth already not far ahead. “Jin Yin, this battle—let’s win it together with Brother Mo.”
Jin Yin became serious. “I don’t know why, but what you said makes my heart surge with heroic spirit reaching the clouds. I suddenly remember our sworn brotherhood oath.”
“Though we cannot be born in the same year, month, and day, we pray to die in the same year, month, and day.” The two spoke in unison, then laughed heartily—brotherly affection needed no more words.
At this moment at the Feng Zhou water garrison, two distinguished guests arrived.
Mo Zi entered the command tent. They looked at each other, all stunned.
“General Xiao, General Wei, how is it you two?” She revealed a smile.
“The vanguard general is you, Song Mo Zi?” Wei Jia asked in return, then said, “Your husband let you come?”
Xiao Wei didn’t ask such questions, because he knew that Yuan Cheng wouldn’t do things without confidence, and neither would Mo Zi.
“I’m not a general—I’m a military advisor. The difference of one character makes all the difference in the world. This army is led by Ding Gou; I occasionally offer ideas.” So she didn’t dare claim the title.
Wei Jia sighed. “That’s still quite formidable.”
“You still haven’t answered me—why did you come?” Mo Zi poured tea for the two. “On military campaigns, serve yourselves.”
“I brought them.” Another person entered from outside the tent, smiling dashingly—it was Yang Ling himself. “By order of Master Sikong, I’ve borrowed twenty thousand men from Great Zhou to bolster our Song’s prestige.”
“Yang Ling, which side are you on now?” Not having seen him for a long time, things had changed. Wei Jia looked at him with shining eyes. “I don’t know what you wrote, but His Majesty had us depart immediately.”
“I’ve already submitted my resignation to His Majesty. Now I’m an official of Song territory.” Third rank, appointed Vice Minister of Revenue.
Xiao Wei sighed inwardly. Great Zhou’s court was precisely when it needed people, yet someone like Yang Ling had left. Song territory was thriving vigorously with unstoppable momentum.
“I really don’t know whether to scold you or congratulate you.” Wei Jia’s charm lay in his open-mindedness.
Yang Ling shook his head with an indifferent look. “As you please.”
“Just now on the way here, I didn’t see any Daqiu prisoners.” Xiao Wei found it strange.
“There are no prisoners.” Mo Zi’s expression was somewhat cold.
“Did they all escape? How was this battle fought?”
“They all died.” Mo Zi answered.
Wei Jia was dumbfounded, looking at Yang Ling, but he showed no expression.
“You massacred the entire water garrison?” Xiao Wei couldn’t believe she would be so cruel.
“I offered them surrender. They refused, preferring to die in battle rather than become prisoners. So I simply fulfilled their wishes.” Mo Zi’s tone dropped to freezing. “This is a battlefield. General Xiao should understand this better than anyone. Today you spare ten thousand prisoners; tomorrow they take your head. Daqiu people never show mercy to enemies—I won’t sympathize with them either.”
Xiao Wei certainly understood. He just didn’t know Mo Zi would be like this too.
“Stinky Fish was killed.” Yang Ling’s one sentence explained everything.
Mo Zi strode out of the tent. She needed the northwest wind for her tears.