Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 174

Cui Cuo was taken aback upon hearing this and hurriedly asked, "If what you say is not true, then my lord is safe and sound. Why then does Judge Du look worried?"

Du Huangshang replied in a low voice, "I fear that Wu Shun's army will use this letter to unsettle the people of our town, and that they intend to take advantage of the state's vulnerability to launch an attack!"

Upon hearing this, Cui Cuo raised his eyebrows: "He dares!" Then he realized: "If that's the case, we must inform Commander Yan as soon as possible!"

Du Huangshang nodded and said, "Madam, do not worry. I will immediately send a letter to inform Commander Yan. Commander Yan is also a famous general who defends the city. He was not afraid of the hundreds of thousands of rebels during the An Lushan Rebellion. He will surely be able to protect Weizhou without any trouble now that the Wushun Army is here."

So he bid farewell to Cui Cuo and went to inform Yan Zhenqing. After careful consideration, Yan Zhenqing came to the same conclusion as Du Huangshang—first, if what was said in the letter was true, then we had few soldiers and generals, and were hundreds of miles apart, so we really couldn't help, and could only look north and pray… second, if the letter was a lie, then there was a high probability that Wu Shun's army intended to harm us!

In truth, if Wu Shunjun truly intended to sow discord and plot against Weibo, he would have secretly dispatched spies to spread rumors everywhere. How could he have only sent a letter to Cui Cuo? However, the people of Weibo generally distrusted Wu Shunjun, and thus naturally assumed that his intentions were the most sinister.

Yan Zhenqing said that we should urgently send scouts north to investigate the situation, and summon nearby auxiliary troops and garrison soldiers. I will personally lead them to the border of Guantao to guard against any unforeseen circumstances. I will leave the Yuancheng area to you, Zunsu.

Two days later, Yan Zhenqing led two thousand soldiers into Guantao. At the same time, news arrived from the north that Wu Shun's army had blocked all waterways, preventing travelers from traveling north and south. Yan Zhenqing clenched his fists: "Wu Shun's army is indeed plotting against me! Such fickle and treacherous generals are not to be trusted!"

He ordered the city's defenses to be strengthened and that the city be kept under strict guard. Then, a few days later, someone suddenly swam across the Yongji Canal and brought a secret letter, signed by Du Liu, the military commander of Dezhou.

Du Liu had once encountered Li Ji by chance, but failed to recognize him. Qin Rui witnessed this and, from then on, Du Liu was sidelined and never given any important positions. Although Qin Rui appointed Du Liu as the Military Commander of Dezhou to save face for Li Ji, he also appointed three deputy commanders, each with their own battalion commander. However, Du Liu's troops were gradually transferred elsewhere, leaving him with fewer than three hundred personal guards…

Therefore, Du Liu would definitely not be involved in this campaign against Tianxiong Army, whether it was the eastern or western route. He could only stay in Ande City and continue to live a life of idleness. When Guo Mo returned to his post, he felt that his troops were insufficient, so he summoned Du Liu to Qinghe.

Upon learning the inside story, Du Liu's first reaction was, "Wu Shun's army is finished." This crushing defeat at the front wasn't enough; even the commander-in-chief had been imprisoned. If I didn't seize this opportunity to switch sides, when would I ever get another chance? He urgently dispatched a secret envoy to sneak across the pass and inform the Weibo side—and the letter thus fell into Yan Zhenqing's hands.

According to Du Liu's report, the Weibo army had not been defeated; in fact, rumors circulated that they had achieved a great victory, and Xindu City remained in Weibo's hands. The reason Wu Shun's army suddenly blocked the roads was because Commander Qin had been captured by the Xindu garrison commander. Wu Shun feared that the Weibo army would seize De and Bei prefectures on their return journey, and also intended to use this as leverage to exchange with Commander Li…

However, there is no general in Qinghe City now, only staff officers in charge, and the garrison is less than three thousand, with the rest scattered to guard the passes.

"If Weibo intends to take Dezhou, I am willing to be an inside agent!"

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Wise Man's Considerations

In this world, there are no truly shrewd individuals who can devise a hundred plans in one step. Moreover, when the situation is unclear and information is difficult to exchange, for rulers or military strategists, it is like solving a complex mathematical problem with most of the parameters unknown. They can only guess and make assumptions in hopes of obtaining the answer closest to the truth. If a situation arises urgently and a plan needs to be made, then it is quite normal to be negligent or even make mistakes in haste.

The truly talented are simply those who realize this sooner than others.

Guo Mo was just like that. When he returned to Qinghe and caught his breath, he finally had enough time to review his previous strategies and realized that he had made a big mistake.

He only wanted to deceive the Cui family of the Li clan with deceitful words, hoping to persuade her to plead for Qin Shuai in front of Li Ji. He thought that she was just a woman with limited knowledge and could be easily fooled. However, the more foolish a woman is, the less likely she is to influence the affairs of Weibo. She must consult with Yan Zhenqing and others. But would Yan Zhenqing and his ilk care about Qin Shuai's life or death?

He also ordered the blockade of the north and south routes, both to prevent Weibo from taking advantage of the situation to attack Beizhou, and to facilitate future negotiations with Li Ji to open up a retreat route in exchange for Qin Shuai's safe return. However, what would Yan Zhenqing and others think of these actions? Would they think that Wu Shun's army intended to attack Weizhou?

Ah, in my haste and momentary lapse of judgment, I've resorted to such a desperate measure...

Not long after, someone reported that Yan Zhenqing had led his troops away from Yuancheng and north into Guantao—he was indeed suspicious of me and wary of me!

However, the arrow has already been released and cannot be retrieved. If the blockade were lifted now and the news of the Weibo army's victory in Zhangbei were reported to Yan Zhenqing, not only would it be unbelievable, but it would also arouse deeper suspicion in the other party. Yan Zhenqing might directly lead his troops across the border in order to help Li Ji return south. By then, all the passes would have been lifted, and the main force of Weibo could move freely north and south. Wouldn't Qinghe then become an isolated city?

Should we place all our hopes on Li Ji having no intention of annexing Wu Shun, or on Yan Zhenqing daring not to overstep his bounds? Guo Mo believed that human nature is inherently evil, and those who would refrain from taking advantage of others' interests are extremely rare—if I were Li Ji or Yan Zhenqing, I would also seize the opportunity to take Beizhou!

Therefore, they had no choice but to continue down this path, maintaining martial law within the state, blocking roads and communications, and summoning troops from Dezhou and other places to gather in Qinghe in response to the unexpected events.

He had already dispatched eloquent and persuasive men from the prefecture north to Xindu, waiting for Li Ji to return with his troops so they could immediately persuade him. He also threatened that if Commander Li refused to release Commander Qin, they would petition Chang'an to impeach him, and that Beizhou had already amassed tens of thousands of troops, ready to march south and raze Weizhou at any moment, inevitably leading to mutual destruction…

Guo Mo had no idea whether the lobbyist's words would be useful, or what decision Li Ji would ultimately make.

Like Guo Mo, after seeing Yan Zhenqing off, Du Huangshang returned to his office and pondered the matter repeatedly. He quickly overturned his initial view—at that time, he was worried that if our army were really defeated in Zhangbei, we might not be able to return even with a single horse. He was somewhat flustered and his thoughts were not rigorous enough.

So he wrote a letter to Yan Zhenqing, analyzing the situation as follows:

"If Wu Shun's army is defeated and the pontoon bridge is burned by the enemy, then if our army is also defeated, it should be within a short time, and we will not be unable to get the news for a long time. If our army can temporarily stop the enemy's momentum and retreat to defend our stronghold, with Commander Li's ability to fight and the bravery of our soldiers, we may be able to escape the danger."

"Furthermore, in my humble opinion, Commander Li is a man of character who, though defeated, is not discouraged and is unyielding. He was the one who first proposed the northern expedition, and if it fails, he fears he will have no face to face the elders of Weibo. Therefore, he will certainly not be willing to return hastily. Xindu has no less than 500,000 bushels of grain. If it falls into the hands of the Tian family, they will surely rush south to seize Beizhou. Then Beizhou will gather troops to block the border, which may not be their intention to attack us. Commander Li will also not be willing to lose Xindu and will rush back to defend it. In the past, Sima Yi defended Pingyuan for a year, and Zhang Gong defended Suiyang for more than a year. Yet the Tian family's troops were far fewer than the An Lushan rebels. How can it be said that Commander Li is incapable of defending it?"

"If Commander Li truly occupies Xindu to curb the enemy's power, then detaining Commander Qin of Wushun Army is tantamount to fearing a rebellion in Beizhou and cutting off their retreat. Therefore, the current gathering of troops by Wushun Army to blockade the border, even if not for plotting against us, must be a sign of internal strife."

"This humble official is also unsure which of the speculations and judgments is true. If it is as the former statement is true, then I should hasten to take Beizhou to curb the enemy's power and to protect Wei, awaiting Commander Li's return—since Wu Shun's army has no commander stationed there, they cannot be relied upon to defend against the enemy. If it is as the latter statement is true, then I should also hasten to capture Beizhou, open up the roads, and receive Commander Li."

"In terms of the situation and human nature, this lowly official is truly ignorant of military matters, and the decision rests entirely with the Sima."

Almost simultaneously with receiving Xu Liu's secret letter, Yan Zhenqing also received a letter from Du Huangshang. Comparing the two, he couldn't help but stroke his beard and exclaim, "Du Zunsu is truly a man of wisdom and resourcefulness, adept at adaptability; I am no match for him." He then summoned a military officer—Li Ji had not taken all of them to the front lines—and asked, "When you accompanied the military governor incognito to Dezhou for reconnaissance before, did you ever see a military officer named Xu Liu? Tell me what happened that day."

The soldier then recounted the entire incident in detail. Yan Zhenqing thought to himself: "So, Xu Liu wasn't lying at this point. His request to be an inside agent today is most likely genuine." Moreover, as Du Huangshang said in his letter, regardless of the situation at the front or the motives behind Wu Shun's road blockade, we in the rear cannot possibly fly over to Xindu or even Zhangbei to rescue Li Ji. The best course of action is to take Beizhou first.

If we can capture Qinghe and open up the north-south passage, we can both support Li Ji's defeated troops heading south and block the potentially overwhelming Tianxiong army. Moreover, Li Ji might have fiercely resisted the rebels at the gates of Xindu, and with sufficient provisions and knowing his rear was open, his morale would be restored, and he might even have a chance to turn defeat into victory. Who knows?

Ultimately, I had too few troops at my disposal, and I feared there were too many troops stationed at Qinghe. Without Xu Liu's secret letter, even if I agreed with Du Huangshang's assessment, I might not have dared to advance rashly. Fortunately, Xu Liu was willing to be an inside agent, so how could I miss such a golden opportunity?

Is it possible that Xu Liu is feigning surrender to lure us into a quick capture, so that Wu Shun's army can turn around and launch a surprise attack on Weizhou? To be honest, there is a two or three percent possibility, but since ancient times, there has never been a war without taking risks. If we miss this opportunity and our main force is delayed in Jizhou and unable to return, or has to detour through Xingzhou, Mingzhou and other prefectures to return to our garrison, then the outcome will be unpredictable.

The two prefectures of Wei and Bo will most likely be lost!

Thinking of this, Yan Zhenqing hurriedly summoned the officers and soldiers of each camp and issued military orders.

Li Ji was unwilling to take the auxiliary troops to the battlefield, believing they were only sufficient for transport and guard duty. Yan Zhenqing, however, disagreed—"Li Changwei, your vision is a bit too high. They are, after all, former Wei soldiers, with at least five or six years of military experience. In recent years, their stipends have been relatively ample, and they are regularly trained, not just responsible for farming and construction. Why can't they fight? Back when I was fighting the An Lushan rebels in Pingyuan County, I only had three thousand Jingse soldiers under my command, and temporarily recruited ten thousand new recruits. In terms of quality, combat skills, and discipline, they were far inferior to today's Weizhou auxiliary troops. Didn't I still manage to fight against the rebels with fewer troops for nearly a year?"

Furthermore, if Tongguan had not fallen, and the emperor had not gone on a western hunt, causing widespread chaos in Hebei, I would not have been defeated, and my cousin Yan Gaoqing would not have been killed by the rebels...

Today, I will lead these two or three thousand auxiliary troops to achieve merit and capture Qinghe in one fell swoop, which may turn the tide of the battle!

----------

While Yan Zhenqing was plotting against Qinghe, the main force of Weibo, under the command of generals such as Li Ji and Lei Wanchun, had already successfully captured Xiabo County and was now marching straight towards the enemy's stronghold, Wuqiang.

On that day, Tian Chengsi led his main force to Hengshui to fight against the government troops, while the rest of his troops were scattered within Yingzhou or following General Kang Yin to relieve Cangzhou and Dizhou. He did not send many troops to Xiabo County, which was between the front line and his base. As a result, Tian Chengsi fled back to Xiabo, and before he could gather his defeated soldiers, he heard the news that Hengshui had fallen. Soon after, Lei Wanchun led his troops to the city.

With few soldiers and little manpower, Tian Chengsi dared not defend Xiabo City and was forced to remount his horse and flee in disarray. The two or three thousand soldiers he had initially gathered scattered further during the escape, and by the time he returned to Wuqiang County, less than a thousand remained…

Fortunately, there was still a garrison left in Wuqiang City. Tian Chengsi urgently sent someone to summon Kang Yin back, and at the same time, he searched the city for able-bodied men, issued them weapons, and sent them to the city walls to assist in the defense. He had originally built seven strong fortifications outside the city like the Big Dipper, as a defensive formation, and thus deployed most of his usable troops to defend the city, hoping to delay the advance of Weibo.

Ultimately, the Weibo forces only number around ten thousand. After a long and fierce battle, and having penetrated deep into our territory, they need to be garrisoned. How many will be left if they truly reach Wuqiang? Even if I dare not engage in open battle again, I can still hold the city. The city's food supplies are enough for more than a month, while the enemy is isolated in our territory, besieged by our fortified city. How long can their morale be maintained? If Kang Yin and the troops from Yingzhou and other cities come to our aid, there is still hope for a counterattack.

Of course, at the same time, we must also send someone to Chang'an to apologize and plead with the court to let Weibo cease its military operations. As for the conditions, they are all negotiable.

Li Ji marched all the way to the city of Wuqiang. After setting up camp, he first went to scout out the enemy's situation. When he returned to the camp, he couldn't help but look somewhat worried.

He said to his subordinates, "Everyone says that Tian Chengsi has used Wuqiang as his base and built up the city walls, making it as solid as an iron barrel. I didn't believe it at first—it's only been a few years, and manpower and resources are limited. Wuqiang is not a famous city or major city since ancient times, so how solid could it be? But seeing it today, I realize it's not easy to take..."

He then said bitterly, "If Zhaoyi's army had not been defeated, even if Wushun's army were here, I would dare to directly attack Wuqiang's defenses, using a victorious army to defeat a cowardly enemy. At most, I would conquer it in a month! But now I have less than ten thousand men under my command. If I attack with all my might, I fear I will lose more than half of my soldiers, and there is no guarantee of a complete victory..."

He then asked his attendants, "Where is General Nan?"

Nan Jiyun had previously been ordered to lead the troops of Bozhou eastward, advancing with unstoppable momentum, capturing Yanci and Yangxin, and almost pacifying the entire Di state within days, before heading north to Cangzhou. Simultaneously, Wu Shun's troops from Bozhou also marched north, shoulder to shoulder with Nan Jiyun, vying for territory and thus slowing down the Bozhou army's advance. The last message from Nan Jiyun before the decisive battle in Zhangbei was that he had encountered Tianxiong's troops guarding the salt fields between Rao'an and Yanshan, anticipating a fierce battle.

Now that Li Ji had asked about Nan Jiyun again, Tian Qianzhen replied, "Our army needs to make contact with General Nan by going around the northern part of Dezhou, which makes communication difficult. I heard that General Nan has already defeated the enemy's saltworks army and is about to pursue the fleeing enemy. So he sent someone to convey the commander's order, ordering him to come west to meet us. However, judging by his journey, he can only reach Dongguang at most, which is still two hundred li away from Wuqiang..."

Two hundred li is a distance that would take four or five days even at a normal marching speed. Moreover, given that we are in enemy territory, you can't predict where the Tianxiong Army might block our way. So, it would probably take at least ten days to get there.

Moreover, they might be cornered at some strategic pass, facing numerous difficulties—Tian Chengsi wasn't stupid either; if he still had a mobile force, he would definitely defend Nanjiyun to the west to prevent the two Wei armies from meeting at the city.

Li Ji sighed and said, "Forget it, let's build siege equipment first and wait for General Nan... If he doesn't arrive in five days, I'll have to attack the city alone."

Having overcome countless difficulties and dangers to reach this point, are we really going to give up now that we see the enemy's stronghold is difficult to conquer, only to fail at the last minute and turn back? We should at least fight a few battles and take down a few of their strongholds first.

Anyway, the road to Xindu is basically open, and I have enough food to eat right now. Since Nie Feng has imprisoned Qin Rui, I'm not afraid that Wu Shun's army will sabotage me from behind... I can easily wait ten or fifteen days to stay under this fortified city.

However, the order had just been issued, and the soldiers were busy cutting down trees and weaving ropes in preparation for making siege equipment, when an urgent report came: "More than 30,000 troops from Chengde have crossed the Hutuo River at Anping and are heading south!"

Everyone was shocked: "The journey from Hutuo River to Wuqiang takes at most two days. If Chengde's army is here to reinforce the Tian family, we will not be able to defeat them! Moreover, if they take Xiaobo first and cut off our retreat, our army will be wiped out!"

Li Ji was also somewhat worried, but in front of his officers and generals, he had to remain calm. So instead of being worried, he laughed and said, "We do not yet know Cheng De's intentions. Why are you all so afraid? If he comes, I will cross the Zhang River to the south, then cross the old canal, and circle around Wuyi back to Dezhou. But I will first build pontoon bridges on the two waterways. What can Cheng De's thousands of troops do to me?"

That being said, Chengde's army was ultimately large and strong, and a fresh force. If they really pursued relentlessly, they might be able to follow behind Weibo's army, capture Dezhou, and then head towards Bozhou... So Li Ji was filled with hatred. "Li Baochen, if you ruin my plans, after I have prepared my troops and regrouped, I will not care about Tian Chengsi for now, but will take you down first!"

Gao Ying volunteered to go as an envoy to Chengde's army. When asked about his purpose, Li Ji agreed.

They waited anxiously until dawn the next day, when news finally came back from Gao Ying: "The Chengde army says they have come to our aid on behalf of the Hedong army to jointly attack the Tian family."

Upon hearing the report, Li Ji couldn't help but smile slightly: "It was expected." It was as if he had already foreseen yesterday that the German army meant no harm.

However, Chengde's statement was not entirely unexpected. As Xing Caojun said that day, "I expect Chengde to know the outcome of the war and will not dare to act rashly." Although his prediction was not entirely accurate and the other side still made a move, it was a well-planned move and was definitely not rash.

But can this be believed or not? Did the Chengde army really come to reinforce the government troops, or to cause trouble, or even secretly help Tian Chengsi?

Chapter Thirty-Four: Choosing Between Two Evils

Li Baochen, the military governor of Chengde, had never gotten along with Tian Chengsi, but was on good terms with Xue Song of Zhaoyi Army. In particular, Xue Song often traded money, silk, grain and other goods for horses in Heng and Ding prefectures, and was a major customer of Li Baochen.

Chengde Town is located in the northwest corner of the Hebei Plain, backed by the Taihang Mountains. Its territory is rich in resources; Jingxing and Fangshan produce iron, Tang County has both iron and copper, and Heng and Ding prefectures are known for their fine horses. The valleys are teeming with herdsmen. However, precisely because of this, Chengde Town has the least arable land per capita among all the prefectures in Hebei, often resulting in insufficient grain supplies—especially since Li Baochen also maintained tens of thousands of troops—forcing him to purchase grain from other prefectures.

But what could they use to trade with others? The surrounding Hedong, Youzhou, and Tianxiong Army had no shortage of iron or horses. Even if they lacked copper, Li Baochen did not have the technology to mint coins, and the various towns had no intention of creating their own currency... Only the Zhaoyi Army in the south, although rich in copper and iron, lacked sufficient good horses and horse farms within its territory.

Therefore, Chengde Town traded horses, and its soldiers relied heavily on the Zhaoyi Army for clothing and rations. Li Baochen and Xue Song frequently corresponded, praising each other and appearing outwardly very harmonious. Weibo, on the other hand, was rich in grain—relatively speaking—and silk, but also lacked good horses. Li Ji traded with Chengde Town through Xue Song, for which Li Baochen was quite grateful.

It can be said that only the Zhaoyi Army can become a German army, and if Weibo is added, it can become a German army rich.

As a result, the imperial court issued an edict to suppress the Tianxiong Army. Most of the generals of Chengde were happy to obey, but they were puzzled: "Chengde is adjacent to Jizhou. Why does the imperial court not order us to send troops, but instead summon the Hedong Army across the border?"

Li Baochen was fully aware of this: "Because the court does not trust me."

He then explained that the imperial court naturally harbored some fear and suspicion towards us surrendered generals from the An Lushan Rebellion, fearing that we might be secretly colluding with Tian Chengsi. Li Ji and Xin Yunjing were both former generals of the imperial court, so there was no need to elaborate; Xue Song was always obedient, and if there was one person among the Yan and Zhao warlords whom the court could still trust, it would undoubtedly be Xue Song; as for Wu Shun's army, its strength was small and weak, and it had only bound Qin Rui to the war chariot in order to open up a supply route for Weibo.

We, Chengde, have neither the trust of the court nor the strength of our army, which is enough to cause trouble. How could the court dare to order us to send troops to participate in the punitive expedition?

"Sending the Hedong army across the border to attack is probably also intended to monitor us."

Soon after, Tian Chengsi's envoy arrived, arguing incessantly and using rhetoric to argue that the loss of one's allies was a matter of mutual dependence, requesting Chengde to send troops to assist. Li Baochen, upon hearing this, found some merit in it and summoned his generals again to discuss the matter. He said:

"Originally, we each guarded our own borders, protecting Hebei for the court and monitoring the troops in Youzhou. The court could then focus on its western affairs, and we could keep to ourselves. Wouldn't that be better? But now the imperial edict has been issued to suppress the Tianxiong Army. If Tian Chengsi is killed, I fear that Chengde will be next. What should we do?"

Xin Zhongyi, a senior general, said: “If the court were to attack the Tianxiong Army without any fault, we would not obey the chaotic order. However, Tian Chengsi is truly rebellious, daring to build a shrine and offer sacrifices for An Lushan and his son. If this trend is not stopped, how can the court maintain its prestige? The world will also be in great chaos. This is Tian’s fault; he does not want Hebei to be peaceful, not because the court’s edict is wrong.”

General Zhang Penglao said, “Tian’s fault is self-inflicted and he deserves to die, but I fear he will implicate me, Chengde. Just as Commander Li said, the court only trusts Li Ji and Xue Song. Youzhou is far away and difficult to conquer. Once the Tianxiong Army is defeated, the next target will surely be the Wushun Army, and then it will be my turn, Chengde. How can we not prepare for the future?”

Lu Chu smiled and said, "It is only natural that the court suspects me, Chengde, and intends to remove me. Do you gentlemen sitting in the Hall of State Affairs, plotting for the Emperor, not have such thoughts in your minds? However, the Emperor is far away and the heavens are high. Even if the Tian family is destroyed, the court will still have difficulty controlling Hebei. Do you think that even if we are aware of the danger, Youzhou, or even the Zhaoyi Army and Wushun Army, will not feel the same sense of unease? The Tian family is rebellious and immoral. Zhaoyi and Wushun are willing to obey the imperial edict to attack them, but we will not follow in their footsteps. The court can only order the Hedong and Weibo armies. How dare they even look at me, Chengde, with a straight eye?"

The crowd discussed the matter at length, and the final conclusion was: First, we cannot rashly disobey orders and align ourselves with the rebel Tian; second, we should take advantage of this chaos of war to gain some benefits; third, the incursion of the Hedong army is too dangerous, it would be best to prevent them from coming…

Li Baochen then secretly sabotaged the operation, causing the Hedong army to mutini before even leaving Jingxing Pass; he then gathered an army of 30,000 and entrusted it to Xin Zhongyi, instructing him to observe the situation in Ji Province and determine his course of action.

"If the government troops are defeated, you should send troops under the pretext of resolving the conflict between the two sides, seize several cities in Jizhou, isolate the two sides, and it would be best to withdraw the government troops to show your favor to Tian Chengsi; if the government troops are victorious, you can take the pretext of responding to the imperial edict on behalf of Hedong, and seize several cities in Jizhou to gain some merit."

The reason for appointing Xin Zhongyi was twofold: firstly, he was a prudent general, and secondly, he lived up to his name – Zhongyi (meaning loyalty and righteousness). It was believed that with Xin Zhongyi leading the troops, they would not rashly go to rescue Tian Chengsi. After all, Li Baochen himself disliked Tian Chengsi and was unwilling to turn against the court prematurely when the opportunity was not yet ripe and the strength was insufficient.

If we wait a few more years, there might be an opportunity. Right now, the great chaos has just subsided, our soldiers are not yet well-trained, and we are short of money and provisions. Furthermore, the armies of Zhaoyi and Youzhou have no alliance to advance and retreat together. How can we dare to easily invite trouble? Unless the government army suffers a major defeat, we must also guard against Tian Chengsi taking the opportunity to expand his power.

Therefore, Xin Zhongyi, under the pretext of autumn military exercises, gathered troops in Anping County. Although he heard that the government troops had not yet assembled and were only on the defensive in Zhangbei, with the Tianxiong Army temporarily gaining the upper hand, he was unwilling to make any rash moves. It wasn't until news of the great victory in Zhangbei arrived that Xin Zhongyi said to his men, "Tian Chengsi is doomed. However, I fear that Weibo will monopolize the credit and become a future threat to us. Our army should immediately march south to jointly attack the Tian family. If we can enter Wuqiang first and obtain Tian's head, the court will surely reward us handsomely; if we cannot, I will take everything from the Wuqiang treasury."

So the army crossed the Hutuo River and headed south. When the news arrived, most of the officers and generals of Weibo turned from worry to joy. Only Li Ji and Tian Qianzhen, after their initial joy, showed a hint of unease on their faces.

Immediately, Tian Qianzhen crossed his hands and pleaded, "Please go to Wuqiang and tell Tian Chengsi to surrender."

Li Ji glanced at him: "What makes the deputy commander so confident that he can persuade Tian Chengsi?"

Tian Qianzhen hesitated for a moment, then looked around and said, "I would like to speak with the commander in private."

Li Ji waved his hand, and the officers and generals withdrew temporarily, leaving only him and Tian Qianzhen in the tent. Tian Qianzhen then said in a low voice, "What I just saw was that the commander-in-chief was not very happy when he heard that Chengde was coming to his aid; on the contrary, he looked worried. I privately speculate that the commander-in-chief originally intended to wipe out the Tian family and seize their four prefectures, but if Chengde's army comes, he will definitely share the credit. Moreover, Jizhou is close to Chengde but far from Weibo. I fear that if we are not careful, we might end up increasing the power of Chengde's town even after destroying Tianxiong's army..."

Li Ji's lips curled slightly, as if he were smiling, but he did not respond or comment.

To be honest, Lao Tian, ​​you're basically right. But my purpose in destroying the Tian clan wasn't really to strengthen Weibo, but rather to allow the imperial court to extend its reach into Hebei, gradually relieving the Yan and Zhao states of their threat. Our army has fought countless battles, and victory is in sight, only to have the Chengde army interfere and steal our spoils. This is intolerable!

If I were certain of a swift victory over Wuqiang, I would definitely issue a decree ordering the Chengde army—"This is none of your business, don't come!" But the problem is that we are outnumbered. If our plans go wrong, we might be bogged down in a fortified city and become easy prey for the enemy. I need reinforcements right now... Moreover, the Chengde army is composed of fresh troops, three times the size of mine. If I anger Li Baochen and he turns on me, all my previous efforts will be for naught.

However, by suppressing Tian Chengsi, Li Baochen actually benefits. If he seizes several cities in Jizhou and plunders a large amount of wealth, his strength may increase significantly, and he may eventually overpower the Zhaoyi Army and become the leading vassal state in Hebei! Wouldn't that be like turning away a tiger at the front door only to let a wolf in through the back?

Hearing Tian Qianzhen continue, “The commander knows that I have come here because the court intends for me to replace Tian Chengsi as the leader of the Tianxiong Army. I am, after all, Tian Chengsi’s uncle, so I can persuade him. If he refuses to surrender, when Chengde’s army arrives, Wuqiang will surely be defeated, and we will all perish, and the Tian family will be wiped out! But if he can surrender himself before Chengde’s army arrives, I can take care of the Tian family members. His brothers, nephews and nieces can all escape, and he will be the only one to suffer the consequences. Moreover, if Commander Li can promise not to kill Tian Chengsi, then this persuasion will have a 70-80% chance of success.”

Li Ji slowly shook his head: "How Tian Chengsi is punished is a matter for the court, and I have no right to comment."

Tian Qianzhen smiled and said, "We should put him in a cage and escort him to Chang'an to await the Emperor and the court's judgment. The military commander only needs to promise not to harm him on the way."

Li Ji laughed and said, "My feelings for him are purely out of public anger, and I have no personal grudge against him. Why would I want to harm him on the road? This matter is agreed upon."

Actually, I was quite uncomfortable. I originally planned to disband the Tianxiong Army in one fell swoop, but in the end, I had to keep it, and it would continue to be under the Tian family name... However, Li Bi sent Tian Qianzhen because he thought this person was easier to control than Tian Chengsi, so keeping this half-crippled Tianxiong Army was better than letting Li Baochen benefit from it. I never expected that all my hard work would be for Tian Qianzhen's benefit.

Well, well, when faced with two evils, we must choose the lesser one; this is the only option left...

Therefore, he agreed to Tian Qianzhen's request and ordered him to enter the city immediately to persuade Tian Chengsi to surrender.

At dusk that day, Chengde's troops finally arrived at the walls of Wuqiang City. For Tian Chengsi, this was undoubtedly the last straw that broke the camel's back. When Tian Qianzhen went into the city alone to persuade them, he didn't believe him. So he personally climbed the city wall and saw countless Chengde banners surging towards them, setting up camp on the north side of the Weibo army. Although the Weibo side appeared to be on high alert, they did not engage in battle. Chengde did the same. And soon after, a dozen or so riders, surrounded by their generals' banners, galloped towards the Weibo camp.

As expected, my uncle was right; Cheng Debing was indeed not there to help me...

Only then did Tian Chengsi summon his relatives and generals and announce his decision to surrender the city. However, he also said, "I have fought on the battlefield for more than forty years, rising from a junior officer to a military governor and then to a regional military commander. I wear purple robes and gold ornaments, and now I am over sixty years old. How can I suffer the humiliation of a mere boy again?"

Although Tian Qianzhen promised to spare his life and that Li Ji would never harm him without his consent, Tian Chengsi was more concerned with his reputation than his own life. Even if Li Ji promised not to kill him, wouldn't he bind him and put him in a cage? Even if Li Ji was willing to treat him with courtesy, would the soldiers escorting him treat him well? The journey to Chang'an was two thousand miles long, nearly three months. Was he going to suffer the humiliation of those rude soldiers all the way?

Besides, once I return to Chang'an, I will inevitably fall into the hands of the prison officials. If the court is willing to pardon me and allow me to return, that will be fine. But if I am ultimately doomed to death, why should I kneel and bow before others before I die?

Tian Chengsi was prepared to commit suicide, but everyone knelt down and pleaded with him. Tian Chengsi said, "I disregarded the opportune moment, ignored your advice, and acted willfully, leading to this predicament. I have only myself to blame and have no one else to blame. But if you still hope to get away with it and refuse to yield, when the city falls, we will inevitably perish together, and my entire Tian family will be wiped out!"

"For the sake of the entire clan, and to save your lives, I have no choice but to surrender. I will only take my own life. Perhaps my uncle will feel guilty and promise to take care of you. After all, he is surnamed Tian. If I am still alive, he may not trust you. If I am dead, then there is no doubt..."

These words were spoken to his younger brother Tian Tinglin, nephew Tian Yue, and sons Tian Wei, Tian Chao, and Tian Hua. Tian Chengsi had many wives and concubines, and had five sons and one daughter. His eldest son, Tian Wei, was not much younger than Tian Qianzhen, and his youngest son, Tian Xu, was still an infant.