Ten thousand soldiers of the Dragon and Elephant Army hastily broke camp and marched in haste towards Northern Liang, amidst the deafening sound of horns. Even ordinary soldiers of Beiliang, and especially generals like Wei Fucheng and Dian Xiongxu who held real power, found the situation inexplicable.
Previously, when Chen Zhubao fought Hong Jingyan, the copper-handled warrior from the Chess and Sword Music Bureau observed the battle, which was intense and dramatic. Afterward, Chen Zhubao retreated to Jingtu Mountain, lush with greenery, to recover from his injuries. Wei Fucheng commanded one-third of the Bai Nu Yulin troops of Beiliang, while Dian Xiongxu commanded six thousand heavily armored cavalry, both being trusted subordinates of Chen Zhubao. At this time, not only did these two meet, but several younger generals who had risen through merit along the Beiliang-Northern Liang border also gathered together. Birds of a feather flocked together; Chen Zhubao’s loyalists were divided into two distinct factions, each avoiding the other. The other group was composed of civil officials, mostly scholars and strategists who valued tactics over martial prowess, and hailed from privileged backgrounds. The two factions kept their distance and rarely interacted harmoniously.
General Xu Xiao’s indulgence toward his children was known throughout the land. Within the Beiliang army, three elite units, each numbering close to ten thousand, bore the names of his children, except for the eldest son. Among these, the Dragon and Elephant Army, numbering ten thousand, was particularly renowned, a veritable force hardened in a hundred battles. Not only was the position of commander left vacant, but even the deputy commander remained unoccupied for years, with Yuan Zuozong holding the title in name only without ever interfering in actual affairs. Yet whenever elite soldiers emerged within the Beiliang army, most were sent to the Dragon and Elephant Army for training. This cavalry unit, straddling the line between heavy and light cavalry, was the darling of the Beiliang army. In the past decade along the Beiliang-Northern Liang border, there had rarely been battles involving fifty to sixty thousand soldiers. Yet whenever there was a fight to be had or merit to be earned, the Dragon and Elephant cavalry were always the first to arrive on the battlefield, engaging in fierce and deadly combat without ever suffering defeat. This gave the Beiliang army the impression that the future hereditary rule of the spoiled eldest son over Beiliang would have to rely on his naturally strong younger brother to lead the charge and secure his position. Otherwise, the Fengzi Camp of eight hundred light cavalry, no matter how valiant and skilled its individual members, numbered less than a thousand, and would be insufficient to make a difference in a full-scale war between Beiliang and Northern Liang, where each front would see the deployment of tens of thousands of troops.
It was Chen Zhubao who made the entire Spring and Autumn era realize the terror of coordinated combat across multiple units. His commands were said to be precise down to the smallest centurion, and his army’s formations were flexible and maneuverable, truly reaching the level of effortless control. Even the military sage Ye Bai Kui, despite bearing deep hatred for Chen Zhubao for the deaths of his wife and daughter, could not help but sincerely praise him in battle: “This man’s tactics are flawless and masterful.”
Once, the current emperor stayed up all night reading military treatises, forgetting to eat and sleep, and after morning court, he smiled and asked the gathered civil and military officials: “My dear ministers, tell me, in terms of military strategy alone, who can rival Chen Zhubao?”
At that time, the Beiliang army was at the height of its prestige, and the civil officials naturally kept silent, eyes lowered. The military officials frowned, and some generals who would later become the backbone of Gu Dang exchanged glances, then simultaneously looked toward General Gu Jiantang, who remained with eyes closed in meditation.
The old grand tutor of Western Chu, Sun Xiji, answered expressionlessly: “No one can match him.”
There was a modest estate on Jingtu Mountain, filled with green willows. To this day, the estate had no mistress, and there had been no news of any woman capturing Chen Zhubao’s attention over the years. The servants on the estate were all retired soldiers with injuries and disabilities, and although they were technically servants, they lived comfortably and securely, some even marrying and having children. These children, like their parents, had no sense of inferiority and were completely unafraid of the seldom-smiling white-robed general. The girls who grew up in the estate had a natural confidence, as if there were no other men in the world besides him.
Outside, rumors spread that Chen Zhubao had engaged in a life-and-death battle with Hong Jingyan, the fourth strongest in the world, and had suffered nearly fatal injuries. Yet at this moment, Chen Zhubao wore a white robe, his face showing no signs of illness or decay, sitting on a stone bench under a willow tree. The estate had no outer walls, and looking out revealed endless yellow sands. A young girl brought a tray of sliced watermelon or a pot of chilled plum tea. Chen Zhubao did not speak, and the girls were used to it, stealing a few glances before quietly leaving, not disturbing their master’s contemplation. Chen Zhubao was known for his extensive reading and deep strategic knowledge, and his mastery of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting was no less than that of any scholar. Yet rarely did he speak in refined, literary terms, and never was he seen composing poetry with scholars. Most of the time, he preferred solitude, a man of deep authority second only to Xu Xiao himself within the Beiliang army.
Few people cared what the white-robed war deity was thinking. Wei and Dian merely followed orders habitually, never questioning. They would probably cheer even if Chen Zhubao told them he was tired of being a general and wanted to go to the capital to depose the emperor.
Chen Zhubao suddenly smiled, because he thought of many interesting things. In those days, when the fires of war had subsided and the Spring and Autumn period ended, there were many hardships and many amusing stories. Like the last emperor of Southern Tang, who loved theater, proclaimed himself the patriarch of the Pear Garden, and became obsessed with it for ten years, neglecting state affairs. He mingled with actors and lived in a daze until his country fell. Finally, he spoke a clear sentence, wearing an unseemly theatrical costume, laughing and pointing at his ministers: “All actors!”
Chen Zhubao’s eyes were cold as he softly laughed: “Actors who can’t earn a few coins. Are the spectators any more sincere?”
Without warning, the Dragon and Elephant Army launched a sudden attack on Northern Liang, with the second son Xu Longxiang leading the charge and Yuan Zuozong bringing up the rear.
When Xu Xiao returned to the camp, an old scholar was intently focused on a game of chess. This was none other than the esteemed teacher of Xu Weixiong, Master Wang, the head of the Shangyin Academy. Years ago, Xu Fengnian had seen him playing chess with the terrible strategist Xu Xiao at Qingliang Mountain’s Crane Pavilion, where Master Wang had repeatedly regretted his moves, leaving an indelible psychological shadow on Xu Fengnian regarding the so-called national chess masters. Wang’s claim of never having lost a single game was too much like a common ruffian’s boast. However, since Wang was capable enough to be Xu Weixiong’s teacher, his knowledge of military strategy was certainly not shallow. Xu Xiao sat down and did not rush Master Wang to make his move, smiling as he said, “I thank you on behalf of Huangman for secretly training the Dragon and Elephant Army all these years.”
The academy head picked up a white piece, placed it heavily on the board, and with a confident expression, stroked his beard and smiled: “The overall situation is already decided; General, you’ve lost again.”
Xu Xiao did not expose the old man’s despicable act of secretly altering the positions of the black pieces, pretending to accept defeat: “Losing to you, Master Wang, I may have lost but still feel honored.”
The old man, who had almost no sense of sportsmanship, showed no guilt and instead looked pleased with himself: “Playing chess with a great general is indeed a fortunate event in life.”
Xu Xiao stood up and walked to the map of Northern Liang, slowly tracing a route of advance with his finger. Master Wang narrowed his eyes and stared at the map for a long time without speaking.
Xu Xiao remained silent, and finally, the academy head could no longer contain himself and softly said, “It’s chaotic, very chaotic. In the south, Cao Changqing is stirring things up, and it’s about to come to a head. The Northern Empress has always disliked Buddhism, wanting to promote Taoism and suppress Buddhism, unifying religion to serve her purposes, turning it into a second Rivers and Lakesunder her skirts. No one expected that the monk Longshu would go alone to the Moral Sect, neither arguing nor reasoning, just sitting there, enduring an entire Ten daysof arrow storms and sword rains. General, with you sending the Dragon and Elephant Army now, aren’t you afraid of making the Northern Liang and Southern Liang unite against a common enemy, to fight against your Beiliang cavalry?”
Xu Xiao’s back slightly hunched as he gazed at the map calmly: “The Northern Liang cannot compare with the prosperity of the Central Plains. The royal court has been short of money in recent years, barely managing to feed the twelve great generals while maintaining a stalemate with my Beiliang army and Gu Jiantang’s eastern forces. It’s already at its limit, far from the old woman’s original intention of swallowing up Beiliang in one go. If they want a stronger military, they need real money and silver, but where will it come from? It won’t fall from the sky. Well, the monks have countless donations, so rich they’re practically dripping with wealth. How can she not be envious? She didn’t dare to touch them before because Tuoba Bosa and several other chieftains opposed it, but now with the support of the Qilin National Teacher, a Taoist sage, and several new generals, Tuoba Bosa will only watch coldly. The suppression of Buddhism is already at a critical point; whether I send troops or not won’t stop her from making her move. Not even the abbot of the Two Chan Temples can stop her unless the Buddha himself appears. She’s been pushed to the edge by our recent border policies. Zhang Julu and Gu Jiantang working together has been effective. These two cunning fellows are also forcing Northern Liang to expend its national strength in a life-or-death battle with my Beiliang cavalry. The Northern Liang Empress wants to first seize the Buddhist wealth within her country, then swallow up the isolated Beiliang in one go, bypassing the increasingly stable eastern front, march south, occupy regions like Xishu and Nanzhao, gain grain and soldiers, and then it will be time to contend with the Liang Dynasty for the entire realm. This is the power of Zhang Julu’s political strategy. Originally, if the eastern front were too weak, Northern Liang could directly borrow several generals and over a hundred thousand troops from the western front to form 400,000 cavalry to ravage the east, Ground into a sieve, first take Taian City, become the ruler of all under heaven, then turn back to deal with Beiliang. In that case, I would have to live longer than him and Gu Jiantang. I believe only that old hag who occasionally flirts with me would be happy to see that, no one else.”
Master Wang nodded in agreement, “Bianyan’er, like me, is also a master of the game.”
Xu Xiao smiled, “Originally, it was a chessboard that would remain balanced for another twenty or thirty years, but neither side had patience, and the Northern Liang Empress was even more anxious. Because Zhang Julu, on one hand, managed the northern military and political affairs, and on the other, digested the strength of the eight former Spring and Autumn states in the south, especially preventing the emperor’s attempt to emphasize civil officials over military men, making our country’s vitality far superior to that of the resource-starved Northern Liang. The longer we drag it out, the greater our advantage. Our Liang Dynasty, after unifying the Spring and Autumn states, has truly become a great power, capable of withstanding turmoil. With someone like Zhang Julu, a diligent mender of things, if I were the emperor of Northern Liang, I would feel uneasy. Who the hell wants to be neighbors with a wealthy and educated strongman? That’s exactly the kind of daily annoyance you’d expect.”
The old scholar laughed, “General, your words may be crude, but they hit the mark.”
The old man sighed, “High in the book tower, talking about peace, always thinking that as long as you step out, you can manage the world, turn the tide, making governance as simple as writing a few characters, a danger no less than regional warlords. This was said by Bianyan’er in the emperor’s presence. As a top scholar, being able to say such things shows that being a prime minister is very appropriate. No wonder Zhang Julu can be a rival to General. Heh, General, we’ve strayed far from the topic.”
Xu Xiao continued pointing at the map, smiling, “My thoughts differ from yours, Master. This time the Dragon and Elephant Army heads north, not only must they fight, but they must fight hard battles. Picking on the weak is not the style of our Beiliang army. You worry that if the Dragon and Elephant Army wins, the scholars of the Southern Liang, who forget their roots once they gain wealth and status, will hate Beiliang even more. But in my view, if the Beiliang cavalry doesn’t teach them a lesson, those young men who fled north with their fathers and have recently risen as new elites in the Southern Liang will have their tails sticking up to the heavens. They must be severely punished to know what fear is. I want them to fear to their bones. These little bastards, like the Spring and Autumn scholars before them, only remember punishment, not kindness. So this time, the Dragon and Elephant Army’s first target must be the strongest military stronghold in Longyaozhou, Wazhu, followed by the other strongholds like Junziguan, Ligǔ, and Maolong, all tough nuts to crack. They are not on a straight line, but the Dragon and Elephant Army will take a detour and move quickly, taking them one by one.”
The old scholar worriedly sighed, “But the Dragon and Elephant Army is only ten thousand strong. Not counting the troops along the way, the five strongholds alone have 60,000 elite soldiers. They’ll also have to face two Northern Liang generals. Can they do it? How many of the ten thousand Dragon and Elephant soldiers will return?”
Xu Xiao laughed heartily, “I forgot to tell you, Master. Our Beiliang Snow Dragon Cavalry is about to set out as well.”
The Beiliang cavalry is unmatched in the world, and the Snow Dragon Cavalry dominates the north!
Even in this summer heat, the old scholar felt a chill and pulled his sleeves tighter.
He muttered to himself, “But doesn’t this mean a real war is about to start? That’s not right, truly not right.”
Xu Xiao placed one hand on the map and said one sentence, “My son is there. Is that reason enough?”
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