Chapter Ninety: The March on Shouchun

Shouchun, the palace.

Yuan Shu wore imperial robes and stared at the military dispatch in his hands. Ji Ling had lost. He had lost!

One hundred thousand troops had been routed by Sun Ce, leaving only twenty thousand to retreat to Hefei and join Zhang Xun.

At the front, only ninety thousand remained.

On the other side, Liu Bei, with thirty thousand under his command, had already taken Huaiyin.

In pursuit of a swift victory, Yuan Shu had dispatched a full one hundred and seventy thousand troops to Luzhou, and half the imperial treasury had already been squandered.

And yet he had lost. Lost!

"Ji Ling, Ji Ling! I trusted you so deeply, and yet even after Sun Jian's death you still suffered defeat, such a crushing defeat! What use are you to me now? Carry out my decree: issue an edict at once and put Ji Ling to death!"

Yuan Shu roared in fury, and the palace maids scattered in terror.

"Your Majesty, though the Grand Marshal has erred, he is indeed a rare and valiant general. The war is still underway at the front; under no circumstances should Ji Ling be executed!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. The general has after all rendered illustrious service. Merely killing Sun Jian was enough to shake the realm!"

"I beg Your Majesty to reconsider!"

Yuan Shu's ministers prostrated themselves and pleaded.

Yan Xiang stood quietly where he was, his aged face showing no surprise at all.

Most of these ministers were pedantic scholars. After Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor, he indulged in luxury and lust, extorted the people without restraint, and caused many to starve. None of these officials ever dared offer remonstrance; instead, they joined in and plundered the wealth of the people.

Such an emperor, such ministers, would be assailed by all even in an age of peace.

Let alone in times of chaos like these!

"Prime Minister, what is your view?" Yuan Shu's anger had somewhat abated. He also knew he had few capable men left. Sun Ce had already killed many of his generals; if he executed any more, he might truly have no one left to use.

Yan Xiang bowed and said, "Your Majesty, in this minister's humble opinion, even if General Ji Ling has erred, he should not be punished. Furthermore, I believe the Great General's troops should be recalled at once to defend Shouchun."

Grand Commandant Yang Hong also spoke up. "Prime Minister, your words are mistaken. General Zhang Xun has already sent a memorial to Your Majesty stating that Hefei is in grave peril, yet it can be taken in another half-month. Sun Ce would never dare lead his full force here. I believe he will remain to defend Hefei. At that time we can order General Zhang Xun to withdraw. This, too, is a plan to besiege Wei in order to rescue Zhao!"

"Grand Commandant Yang, are you speaking in earnest? What sort of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao? Even if the Great General continues the siege, Sun Ce would lose only a small city like Hefei, nothing painful, and it could be retaken at any time. But what Your Majesty stands to lose is the great stronghold of Shouchun! Anyone with eyes can see that Luzhou is not far from Shouchun, and Sun Ce's forces have always moved with astonishing speed. If General Zhang Xun is not recalled, I fear it will be too late for regret!"

"You are merely inflating his prestige and crushing our own morale. Could it be that you have already taken Sun Ce's side in your heart?" Yang Hong said. "Anyone with eyes can see that the Prime Minister is mocking this official. Do you take me for a man without discernment?"

"Enough, enough, stop arguing. As for the matter of punishing General Ji Ling just now, since the Prime Minister has also pleaded for him, I shall not pursue it further. And as for the matter you were discussing afterward, both of you make a plausible case, but I think the Grand Commandant's words are more to the point. Let us follow the Grand Commandant's proposal: there is no need to recall the Great General. Continue the assault on Hefei!"

"That will be all for today. Dismiss the court!"

Yuan Shu said impatiently. In recent days, the chief eunuch had found another beauty to lavish his favor upon; he ought to go to her early.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty!!"

"Your servants take their leave!"

The officials also seemed long since impatient. As soon as court adjourned, they began discussing how they should spend the day in pleasure and revelry, entirely unconcerned with the front lines.

As the saying goes, if the beam above is crooked, the beams below will be crooked too. When even the emperor is such a treacherous fool, how could one expect his ministers to be upright and devoted to the state?

It was also their own wish that Ji Ling not be executed. After all, someone had to stand in front and block for them; otherwise this comfortable life would be gone.

"The Prime Minister has grown distant from Your Majesty lately. So many times his remonstrance has gone unheard. Why don't I offer the Prime Minister a fine suggestion? Go among the common people and find some lovely women to present to Your Majesty. That way you can keep your official cap and sash!" Yang Hong said smugly.

"You knew perfectly well that recalling Zhang Xun was the best course, so why did you not join me in urging it?!"

Yang Hong said smugly, "What best course? This official knows nothing of that. I only know that attacking Hefei is the best course. If Sun Ce insists on attacking Shouchun then, General Zhang Xun can advance on Xiangyang. I don't believe Sun Ce can endure that!"

"I overestimated you. You have no vision, no strategy. To serve in office alongside a man like you is my disgrace!" Yan Xiang said angrily, and then he left at once.

"What do you mean by that, Yan Xiang!" Yang Hong shouted darkly, but Yan Xiang paid him no heed and departed without looking back.

As Yan Xiang thought of Yang Hong's self-satisfied expression, he could not help but sigh inwardly. This man could do nothing but oppose him. He never considered whether a matter was advantageous or harmful to the state; he only cared whether it agreed with his own words.

Because Yan Xiang was the Prime Minister and he was not, he now wanted to suppress the very office he coveted in order to increase his own power.

How ironic. They knew only how to fight among themselves, and nothing of the threats beyond their walls.

How could the state of Zhong have any destiny left to speak of?

From the moment Yan Xiang learned that Yuan Shu intended to campaign against Luzhou, he knew the battle was doomed to go poorly. He had originally believed that, with Sun Jian gone, they might gain Zhong some breathing room. But the result was exactly the opposite.

One hundred thousand troops had been shattered by Sun Ce, leaving only twenty thousand. Together with Zhang Xun's forces at Hefei, they now had a little over ninety thousand men.

In former days Sun Jian had marched with only one hundred and thirty thousand men against Shouchun, and even with fewer troops he had still held the upper hand. But now they outnumbered their enemies.

And now that Sun Ce had crushed Ji Ling, the deepest blow was to the army itself. The collapse of morale was beyond imagination.

Yan Xiang returned to his residence, where his lovely wives and concubines had already prepared the meal, but he had no appetite at all.

He went into his study, took out his official seal, and placed it on the table. Then, with brush in hand, he wrote upon a bamboo slip:

The Han has lost the sacred mandate. The world is already in upheaval. The lords hunt deer upon the plain, each casting covetous eyes upon the imperial treasure.

The emperor is wise and bright, the ministers are worthy. The foundation of the realm is already half-built, enough to replace the Han.

Yet this servant finds that Heaven's time has come. My strength is failing, my spirit is breaking, and I can no longer fulfill my duty to the imperial enterprise of Zhong.

...

When he had finished, he set it aside, pressed it with his official seal, and busied himself ordering his household to pack their belongings.

Sun Ce's camp.

"Drink! Drink! Drink!"

The soldiers gathered in a circle and danced their war dance to celebrate the victory. While the generals watched, they drank fine wine and ate roasted meat.

Inside Sun Ce's tent, Sun Ce looked at the letter in his hand, while Zhou Yu beside him narrowed his eyes slightly.

Sun Ce said calmly, "This is the letter Ziming had Lu Min draft. It says that in Xiangyang, Dong Cheng has already hidden axemen in ambush, and when our army returns in triumph, they will take my life."

Zhou Yu said, "How would Lu Min know such a thing?"

"It was Chang Su who said it. Chang Su sensed that something was amiss, so he informed Ziming to write this letter to me." Sun Ce set the letter aside. "When Chang Su left Xiangyang, Ziming even gave one of Dong Cheng's generals a beating."

"Did he blame Ziming for it?"

Sun Ce laughed lightly. "He would not dare. So long as I am not dead, he remains nothing but a puppet emperor, with not a shred of military authority. Even if Ziming were to kill Dong Cheng, he could only swallow the insult."

Zhou Yu nodded. "Those old ministers also know that this is the best opportunity. Though they have already laid an ambush of axemen, they do not yet know that we are aware of the secret decree."

"What does the Prime Minister think should be done?" Sun Ce asked, looking at the letter.

"Since someone means to murder me, what more is there to say? Naturally, we should investigate thoroughly and help our rightful emperor purge these treacherous ministers."

"Since the Prime Minister has such resolve, that is enough. However, the world still requires these old ministers to help us steady the situation for now. Execute the gravest offenders; those who can be spared need only be warned."

Sun Ce said, "I am not concerned in the slightest. These senile old trash cannot stir up any great storm. Though Ji Ling has been routed, these defeated remnants are still not to be underestimated. After joining Zhang Xun at Hefei, they still number ninety thousand."

"In your humble view, Gongjin, what should we do next?"

"Lead the army and strike directly at Shouchun."

Sun Ce rose and looked at the map. After Ji Ling's collapse, the strongest line of defense before Shouchun had been laid bare. There was no need to concern himself with Zhang Xun at Hefei; he could simply lead his forces straight to Shouchun.

Even if those ninety thousand men moved to reinforce it, by then it would likely already be too late.

"Very well. Pass down my order: today's celebration banquet ends here. All soldiers are to return and rest. Tomorrow we break camp and march east, taking Shouchun directly."

Zhang Xun's camp at Hefei.

Yuan Shu had honored Zhang Xun as Great General, yet the troops under his command were fewer than Ji Ling's, and Ji Ling's prestige in the army had always been even greater than his own.

This made Zhang Xun deeply displeased. But today, Zhang Xun found the sky so blue and the flowers so red, and when he saw Ji Ling's face flushed that way, he felt all the more comfortable inside.

Ji Ling drank cup after cup in gloomy silence, his arm trembling constantly, for the defeat at Luzhou had wounded his vitals and he still had not recovered.

Yet he kept drinking so, utterly unconcerned for his own body, as though the blow had struck him too deeply.

Zhang Xun said, "The general truly cuts a heroic figure. Compared with Huo Qubing himself, marching with one hundred thousand men to attack Luzhou and still escaping with twenty thousand—this is no easy feat!"

"Spit!"

Ji Ling's whole body convulsed. The wine he had just swallowed came surging back up, mixed with blood.

His lips had gone pale, and there was no longer any martial vigor in his eyes, only desolation. "This subordinate is injured and will take his leave of the Great General."

Better to die sooner!

Seeing Ji Ling in such a state, Zhang Xun felt not the slightest sympathy.

A soldier outside hurried in to report, "General, the mountain people nearby say there is a narrow path that can circle around into Hefei. I went to see it myself. That path is desolate and rarely traveled."

"Good. Tell the officers to lead three thousand men along the path into the city. Once inside, kill and burn, and throw Hefei's defenses into chaos!"

"Yes, sir. I will pass down the order at once!"

Hefei.

Cui Liang studied the map.

"Report, sir! General Han Dang has led troops to kill three thousand enemy soldiers in the outskirts of Hefei!"

Cui Liang said, "Tell the general to return to the city at once. He must not linger outside in battle!"

"Where is the grain officer?"

A somewhat stout man hurried in, his face full of deference. "What urgent matter does my lord require of me?"

"How many more days will the city's provisions last?"

"To report, my lord, they could originally have lasted a month, but now they can only last ten days."

Cui Liang frowned. "Why is that?"

"My lord must already know that the Prime Minister crushed Ji Ling's army in Luzhou. A fast horse just arrived with word that the Prime Minister intends to march east and strike Shouchun directly, which will require vast quantities of grain. As a result, most of Hefei's provisions were also taken by the Prime Minister."

"This..." Cui Liang was at a loss for words. "When will the grain arrive?"

The grain officer said cautiously, "Because of this campaign, all the grain from the nearest cities has already been exhausted. If we tax the people for more grain, I'm afraid they will have nothing to eat but roots and grass. As for grain from the rear, it will take at least two months to reach Hefei."

Cui Liang let out a helpless sigh. This was a difficult burden indeed.

Ten days of provisions—how many days Hefei must be held, he did not know. Yet the campaign against Shouchun was the sharp blade that could end this war. If that blade struck true, Yuan Shu would have no further chance to breathe.

Cui Liang looked again at the map. Sun Ce's position was not far from Shouchun. If they sailed down the Huai River on warships, they could arrive even faster.

Zhang Xun's camp.

"Hey, can we still win this battle?"

"I don't know, but I heard that General Ji Ling took one hundred thousand men and came back with only twenty thousand. I don't think this battle can be won!"

"My wife is waiting for me to come home. If we lose, I'm afraid I'll never see her again."

"I don't know how much longer this will drag on. I really want to go home and take a look."

"You lot, pull yourselves together. If you dare say more words that shake the army's morale, you'll be dealt with under military law!" the patrolmen passing by shouted in rebuke. The soldiers who had just spoken all forced smiles and hurriedly promised they would never do it again.

Inside the main camp, Zhang Xun's expression was rather unsightly. The three thousand men he had sent out today had been annihilated, as though they had walked straight into the jaws of a tiger.

Ever since Ji Ling arrived in Hefei, the rumors he brought with him had left the entire army in a state of gloom.

Zhang Xun had no choice but to intensify the patrols. Just a little while ago, he had personally beheaded several deserters.

On the Huai River, warships advanced along the current toward Shouchun. The generals all knew that once an opportunity was lost, it would never return.

The river surged and the waves rolled. The warships moved swiftly. The soldiers rowed in unison, answering each command with a single shout.

Parting the great waters, they slid forward once more.

Shouchun Palace.

Yuan Shu stared at the letter in his hand.

Yan Xiang had resigned and gone into retirement!

A lofty Prime Minister of an entire realm, and he had actually done something so absurd!

"Your Majesty, since the Prime Minister has resigned, Your Majesty may appoint another Prime Minister!"

"Your Majesty, Grand Commandant Yang works day and night for Your Majesty, dividing duties and dispelling your worries. He is truly a worthy minister of Zhong. This office of Prime Minister, I would recommend Grand Commandant Yang!"

"Re... report!"

A soldier in armor and carrying a sword rushed into the palace!

"What is it?!"

"Twenty li outside Shouchun, the warships of Sun Ce's army have been spotted!"

"What? Sun Ce has really reached Shouchun? He is not even defending Hefei?! You must know that once Hefei is taken, the route from Xiangyang to Hefei will be completely open to Sun Ce!"

"Isn't Great General Zhang Xun encircling Sun Ce's troops at Hefei?"

"The force encircled at Hefei is only a small portion of Sun Ce's army. Now Sun Ce has come with his full host to take Shouchun!"