After the court official left, the steward of the Wu residence loudly announced, "Prefect Dai happy of Canghai County requests an audience."
Wu Shu frowned slightly, closed his eyes, and only let out a soft hum from his nose. His attendant understood his meaning and called out, "Let him in!"
Dai happy, carrying his official robes, stepped through the gate with trepidation. Before he even reached Wu Shu, he knelt down and kowtowed desperately, pleading, "Your Excellency, spare my life! Your Excellency, spare my life!"
“I’ll spare your life? But Li Jun might not spare mine.” Wu Shu said slowly, “You colluded with the traitor Li, causing Canghai to fall and Xizhou to fall, thus opening the door for the traitor to enter our Great Su. You have received the country’s favor but have been corrupt and lawless. In the three years you have been in Xizhou, you have never inspected the soldiers or apprehended any thieves. Now I am thinking of sparing you, but what reason do you want me to spare you?”
"Your Excellency... Your Excellency..." Dai Xi wept bitterly, kowtowing until his forehead bled: "Your Excellency is wise and discerning. It was not my disciple who colluded with the traitor Li, but Dong Cheng who secretly conspired with the traitor Li. Now that Dong Cheng has been appointed as the traitor Li's garrison commander of Qinggui, it proves that my disciple is indeed innocent!"
Dai Xi referred to himself as Wu Shu's disciple because Wu Shu was the chief examiner when he took the civil service exam. He certainly didn't expect that the title of "disciple" would bring him any significant change in his life; he was simply grasping at any straw he could find.
"Hmm, what you said makes sense." Wu Shu nodded slightly, seemingly having taken Dai happy's words to heart.
But Dai Xi knew Wu Shu well. If he remained calm and composed, there was still hope for survival. If he flew into a rage, there was still room for explanation. But if he was as amiable as he was now, it meant that someone was doomed.
“My lord, in a few months it will be your birthday. I know that I am condemned to death this time and will not be able to celebrate your birthday. Therefore, I have prepared a gift in advance. I will be separated from you by death and will never be able to listen to your teachings again…” As he spoke, thinking of the tragic end he might face, Dai happy could not help but wail and cry bitterly.
From behind the screen came a commotion that only Wu Shu could understand. He was somewhat disgusted with his greedy wife, but ultimately fear outweighed his annoyance. He shifted slightly and said, "Considering your past service to the court, I will petition the Emperor to allow you to atone for your crimes. As for whether you will be spared, that depends on you."
As Dai happy, who had finally escaped with his life, stood outside Wu Shu's gate wiping away cold sweat, Wu Shu's wife, Xiong Shi, was asking Wu Shu, "That brat Li Jun actually stole Qing Gui, what should we do, sir?"
“That boy is indeed quite discerning, knowing that Qinggui is a place to establish a career.” Wu Shu opened his narrowed eyes in front of his wife, his eyes gleaming with a cold, yellowish light. Even Xiong Shi could not fathom what he was thinking.
“Yuzhou and Qinggui, if governed by capable officials, are both prosperous places.” Wu Shu thought to himself, “Now most of those who opposed me in the court have been eliminated by me. The emperor has no one to rely on and cannot act without me. Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you intend to kill Lu Xiang, but I will bear the infamy for all time. Since that is the case, I have no choice but to consider my own interests.”
He dared not utter these words even to his wife. All he could say was his plan: "Now that Liu Guang has launched a major attack on that brat Li Jun, only the traitorous general Dong Cheng remains in Qinggui. I will seize this opportunity to send troops to retake Qinggui."
"Among the generals in the court, who can rival Dong Cheng? Moreover, if we entrust military power to him, how can we be sure he won't become the second Dong Cheng?" Xiong's doubts can be seen as a reminder to Wu Shu.
"It's alright. I already have someone in mind. Even if his military strategy is not as good as Dong Cheng's, it won't be too far off. Let him command 100,000 Imperial Guards, and then gather another 100,000 troops from various places. Dealing with a mere Dong Cheng should not be a problem." Wu Shu smiled coldly, the wrinkles on his face twisting like the bark of an old tree peeling off. The sinister light in his eyes made even Xiong Shi tremble. "As for becoming a second Dong Cheng, that's impossible. I reckon Li Jun hates him no less than he hates me. Anyone can surrender to Li Jun, but he would never dare to."
Two days later, the imperial court announced that Wang Gui, a former general of the Invincible Army, a meritorious official who personally killed Lu Xiang, and a general of the Flying Cavalry, would be appointed as the Grand Marshal of the Army and command an army of 200,000 to march south.
"What's wrong?"
Ji Su stared at Liu Guang for a long time without saying a word, while Feng Jiutian was puzzled and asked in surprise.
"These people are spies!"
Ji Su's words were startling, even surprising the deep-thinking Liu Guang. Rumors said this Rong woman was merely skilled in martial arts, but no one had heard of her intelligence. Could she have been hiding her abilities all along, a hidden weapon left by Li Jun in Yuzhou?
"Hahaha, when did Miss Ji Su become so suspicious? Has it been too long since you've seen the Commander?" Feng Jiutian laughed heartily, shaking his head as he joked with Ji Su. "These people are just villagers from nearby. Look how frightened you are! If they were spies, why would they change their expressions so drastically?"
"Him!" Ji Su pointed at Liu Guang, his expression filled with murderous intent. "Look at the way he's riding the donkey; it's not like he's riding a donkey, it's like he's riding a horse. You ordinary people might not be able to tell, but we Rong people, born on horseback, can tell at a glance!"
Before Liu Guang could explain, Ji Su pointed at Liu Guang's guard and said, "Look at him again. There's a skin mark on his forehead. You men might not notice, but it doesn't escape the eyes of us women. That mark is from wearing a helmet for a long time. These two are soldiers, yet they're dressed as civilians. Who else could they be but spies?"
Feng Jiutian stared blankly for a long while, a look of suspicion appearing in his eyes. Liu Guang, however, remained visibly alarmed. He hurriedly dismounted, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, “General, you have excellent judgment. I served as a cavalryman for thirty years, and now I’m old and ill at home, but I can’t change my long-standing habits. That young man is my nephew. He mistakenly joined the Lianfa rebels these past two years and only recently returned home.”
He didn't say a word that he wasn't a spy, but he completely denied the reasons Ji Su accused him of being a spy. Ji Su was stunned and didn't know how to question him for a moment.
Feng Jiutian stared coldly at Liu Guang, seemingly unmoved by his words. Liu Guang met his gaze calmly, his expression regaining its composure. The two stared at each other for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea before Feng Jiutian finally looked away.
"Sir, you are accustomed to military service. Would you be interested in serving in my army?" Feng Jiutian asked with a smile, seemingly having no more doubts.
"I am but a common soldier, how dare I claim to be skilled in military affairs?" Liu Guang bowed again in humility. "The Peace Army has many soldiers and generals. I am just an old soldier, of little use to the Peace Army's great cause. Besides, the war has been going on for so long, I am weary of it all."
"Indeed," Feng Jiutian sighed deeply. "After a long period of war, anyone will grow weary. Even the most invincible general will eventually grow weary. Do you think that the undefeated Marshal Liu Guang also grew weary?"
The words "Undefeated General Marshal Liu Guang" resounded like thunder, causing a drastic change in the expressions of Liu Guang's subordinates, who even began to gather around him. Only Liu Guang's face showed a thoughtful expression, and after a long while, he said, "No one is born a bloodthirsty person. Everyone has a reason to do something. Everyone has a time when they ask themselves these questions in the dead of night."
Feng Jiutian met Liu Guang's gaze again. Liu Guang gave a somewhat forced smile: "Liu Guang is an old soldier, and so am I. I was just guessing."
“The old gentleman is absolutely right,” Feng Jiutian said slowly. “Marshal Liu Guang has his reasons for fighting, and we also have our reasons for fighting. Miss Ji Su, shouldn’t we return to the city?”
Watching Feng Jiutian and Ji Su's group return to the city, Liu Guang smiled slightly. Pang Zhen leaned closer and said, "My lord's composure is extraordinary; however, please refrain from such risky actions in the future."
Pang Zhen's advice made Liu Guang smile again. He narrowed his long, thin eyes into slits and said softly, "If I hadn't come here in person, how could I have met these two wonderful people, Feng Jiutian and Ji Su? Seeing is believing, and these two are certainly worth my personal visit..."
Seeing Pang Zhen's disapproval, Liu Guang lightly flicked her whip: "Ji Su was able to tell from my posture that I was skilled at riding a horse, and from the marks on the guards' heads that I was a soldier, not just a barbarian woman. Feng Jiutian was able to deduce my identity, and after provoking me with words, she was able to subtly let us leave; she's someone who knows how to seize opportunities."
"What!" Pang Zhen gasped when he heard Liu Guang's words, thinking that Feng Jiutian and Ji Su had let everyone go because they couldn't confirm their identities. They were less than a thousand feet away from Huichang City, and the army inside the city had only been out for a short while. If Feng Jiutian had given the order, they probably wouldn't have been able to escape.
"Feng Jiutian thought he couldn't capture me now; he only had about a hundred men with him, but he didn't know how many of our people were among the passersby. And that Rong woman Ji Su might not be a match for me. If I failed in one strike, I fear I would capture those hundred men instead. Therefore, he pretended not to have discovered my identity and returned. I predict he will send out a large army soon; let's go back first."
Less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, thousands of Peace Army soldiers swarmed out, almost trampling both sides of the road, but only found the words "I'm leaving" on the ground.
"Truly worthy of Liu Guang..." This was Feng Jiutian's involuntary exclamation after receiving the report.
Meng Yuan wiped the sweat from his forehead and gazed absently at the opposite bank of the river.
The Gui River is not very wide at Fenglin Ferry, only about a thousand zhang (approximately 333 meters). However, the river is extremely deep, reaching a depth of ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) at its deepest point. Even the Qiang people would need to be five times that height to avoid being submerged. In the middle of the river, the current is swift, and even the Yi people, who are the best swimmers, would likely be swept dozens of zhang (approximately 33 meters) downstream in an instant. Unless they have boats or wings like birds, Liu Guang's men would have no chance of crossing the river.
On a crisp early winter morning, steam rises from the river, turning the entire surface into a milky white expanse. Gazing across to the opposite bank, the scene is serene and enchanting, like a fairyland.
"Who did Liu Guang send?"
He asked Fang Fengyi. He had led ten thousand cavalry to provide support. For Fang Fengyi, who had first faced an attack from the Su Kingdom's troops and then from the Chen Kingdom's troops controlled by Liu Guang, Li Jun's decision to send Meng Yuan, whom he relied on as a ally, to help him during this critical time deeply moved him. Yu Prefecture, too, was in dire need of manpower at this moment.
"A spy reports that the enemy general is Huo Kuang, the former general of the Chen Kingdom," Fang Fengyi said. He seemed somewhat puzzled by the name Huo Kuang.
"Brother Fang, do you have any information on this person?" Meng Yuan was equally puzzled. Liu Guang dared to entrust Huo Kuang with the important task of leading an army independently, so this person must be no ordinary person. Although his official rank of "General of the Vanguard" was relatively high among military officers, he had never heard anyone mention this person before.
"It's said that this man was originally a county magistrate, but he doesn't know any martial arts," Fang Fengyi said, frowning. "In the past, he only dealt with bandits in his county and never commanded any major battles."
"He can't even ride a horse," a general interjected. "He never goes to war on horseback; he rides in a sedan chair carried by eight men."
Meng Yuan glanced at the general and, seeing that his attire was in the style of the Lianfa Army, knew he was a Lianfa Sect general who had come to surrender with Gan Ping. Having suffered a major defeat against Liu Guang in Chen, they naturally possessed considerable knowledge of the enemy's situation. Therefore, Meng Yuan asked, "How well does this man command in battle?"