20demayo Chapter 14 The War Between Zhou and Zheng
Chapter 14 The War Between Zhou and Zheng
King Ping's reign was short. During this time, Zhang Quzhuo made peace with the Qin state, launched a southern expedition to Shu, and destroyed the states of Xi and Qi.
Now, the territory of the Liang Kingdom encompassed Chencang Road, the Hanzhong Basin, and northern Shu.
After King Ping died, King Huan ascended the throne. Not long after Zhang Quzhuo returned to Liangyi from Luoyi to pay homage to the new emperor, news came that the emperor was going to launch a campaign against the state of Zheng.
Although he resigned from his post out of resentment that King You ignored his advice, Zhang Quzhuo considered himself the most loyal prince to the royal family.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent troops to escort the late king to Luoyi.
Upon hearing this news, he immediately asked Zhao Fengchun, "Chun, do you know who the Emperor's main general is in the battle against Zheng?"
Zhao Fengchun was a descendant of the Zhao clan, whose members had served as officials for generations since following Zhang Chengsi, loyally assisting the Zhang family.
Zhao Fengchun is currently the Minister of Justice of Liang State and also Zhang Quzhuo's right-hand man.
Zhao Fengchun, dressed in a moon-white robe, with a handsome face, held a feather fan and appeared calm and composed.
"Your Majesty, why don't you guess who it is?"
"Sima Nangong Ye?"
"wrong."
"...Doctor Xin Shunhua?"
"No!"
"That is..."
"The Emperor himself is leading a large army on the expedition!"
"Huh? Him!"
When Zhang Quzhuo heard the words "the emperor personally led the expedition," he almost dropped the bamboo slip in his hand. He looked up at Zhao Fengchun, his eyes filled with disbelief.
He knew that the current emperor wanted to regain his imperial authority, but he also knew that the current emperor was not up to the task.
Zhang Quzhuo slammed the bamboo slips to the ground and said angrily, "Back then, our ancestors and the Duke of Zhou established rites and music to build six armies and eight divisions to intimidate the feudal lords."
"King Zhao's southern expedition resulted in the loss of six armies, and King You suffered another calamity at the hands of the Quanrong. At this time, the best course of action is to conserve strength and rebuild the six armies."
"If war against Duke Zheng is inevitable, then the feudal lords should be mobilized as the army, and the emperor should be stationed in Luoyi to command the troops. Why should the emperor personally lead the army? This is a path to disaster!"
"If defeated, the emperor's authority will be completely destroyed. At that time, the feudal lords will not obey the king's orders and will treat the emperor as a plaything!"
"Alas, what a tyrant!"
After a moment of silence, Zhao Fengchun sighed and said, "Duke Zheng instructed his army to harvest the emperor's rice. When Duke Zheng went to see the emperor, the emperor did not receive him with proper etiquette and refused to allow him to participate in court affairs. Duke Zheng then stopped going to see the emperor, which angered the emperor, who naturally sent his royal army to punish Duke Zheng."
Zhang Quzhuo snorted coldly, "Bo Zheng and I were both ministers who escorted the late king to relocate the capital. It was the emperor who stripped Bo Zheng of his ministerial title, which led to Bo Zheng harvesting the emperor's rice. His merits and demerits cancel each other out, and a punishment is sufficient."
"Yet the emperor did not receive Duke Zheng with proper etiquette. How can this be considered the virtue of a sage king?"
"If the Emperor wishes to attack Duke Zheng, he should order all the feudal lords of the realm to gather in Luoyang and jointly punish him. Why must he personally lead an army to attack him?"
Faced with the indignant Zhang Quzhuo, Zhao Fengchun could only sigh.
Like Zhang Quzhuo, he believed that the emperor was bound to lose this battle, given the precedent of defeat.
Now we need to figure out how to deal with the series of consequences following the emperor's defeat.
After careful consideration, Zhang Quzhuo said to Zhao Fengchun, "Chun, the emperor is willful and ignorant of military affairs, and he is also stubborn and self-willed. I am certain that he will be defeated in this battle, but the state of our Zhou is more important than the emperor's."
Our ancestors devoted themselves to the state of Bangzhou, and I cannot allow Bangzhou to fall into utter ruin. When the Emperor launches a military campaign against Zheng, you will lead the army with me from Guanzhong to aid the royal army!
Zhang Quzhuo did not sympathize with Zheng Bo's plight, but that was not a reason for him to rebel, especially since it was Zheng Bo who had overstepped his bounds.
Daring to attack the emperor, this is no ordinary feudal lord; we must strike hard!
Zhang Quzhuo was unaware that Zhang Zhao was watching him. As news of the royal army's expedition against Zheng arrived, he and Zhao Fengchun led their troops out of Guanzhong as they had agreed that day, their forces heading straight for Zheng.
The death of King You led to a decline in the emperor's authority, but at this time the emperor could still command the feudal lords.
The main ones were the states of Qi and Lu in the east, Liang in the west, Yan in the north, and Jin, all of which were still obeying the king's orders.
Therefore, when the news spread that Liang Bo had sent troops to assist the emperor in his campaign against Zheng Bo, all the vassal states also sent troops to support the king.
Just as the feudal lords joined forces to defend the king, the royal army had already reached Xuge.
King Huan personally led the Zhou army and the armies of the four states of Chen, Cai, Guo, and Wei to attack Zheng.
King Huan, clad in armor and wielding a sword, pointed enthusiastically at the map, his voice booming and full of vigor, looking more like he was going hunting than to fight a war.
King Huan stood before the map, his armor gleaming coldly in the candlelight. He drew his sword, its tip touching the map, and said in a booming voice, "Duke of Guo, you shall lead the right wing army; the armies of Cai and Wei shall be at your command."
Guo Gonglinfu stepped forward, clasped his hands, and accepted the order.
"Shoulder, you will lead the Left Army, and the Chen Army will be subordinate to your unit."
Zhou Gongheijian stepped forward in response.
King Huan sheathed his sword, straightened his chest, and glanced at the generals in the tent: "I will personally lead the central army. With the three armies advancing simultaneously, Duke Zheng will have no chance to escape."
The generals in the tent shouted in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"
King Huan nodded in satisfaction and was about to speak again when hurried footsteps sounded outside the tent. A scout lifted the curtain and entered, kneeling on one knee: "Your Majesty, Lord Liang has arrived with his army!"
A moment of silence fell over the tent. King Huan raised an eyebrow, then laughed. "Lord Liang has arrived? I knew he would come." He stroked his beard and said to those around him, "Quickly, invite him in!"
Before long, Zhang Quzhuo strode into the tent.
His armor was covered in dust, and a sword hung at his waist. He walked up to King Huan, knelt down, and kowtowed: "Your Majesty, I am late. Please forgive me."
King Huan personally stepped forward to help him up, held his hand and looked him up and down, then smiled and said, "Lord Liang, you must be tired from your journey. I was just discussing military matters with my ministers, and your arrival is timely. Come, come, take a look at my plans."
He pulled Zhang Quzhuo to the map, pointed to the dense markings on it, and began to explain with great interest.
Zhang Quzhuo listened, his gaze sweeping across the map, his face expressionless.
"Your Majesty's insight is brilliant." After a moment, he uttered a calm sentence.
King Huan laughed heartily and patted him on the shoulder. "With you here, I have even more confidence. Tomorrow in battle, you will lead the Liang army as the vanguard."
Zhang Quzhuo cupped his hands and said, "Your subject obeys."
Zhang Quzhuo returned to the ranks and remained silent. He looked at the three routes of advance marked on the map and frowned slightly.
The right, left, and central armies appear to be advancing in unison, but the distance between the three routes is too great for them to support each other. If Zheng's army concentrates its forces to break through one route first, the other two routes will not be able to provide timely assistance.
He glanced at Guo Gong Linfu, then at Zhou Gong Heijian. Guo Gong was old, and Zhou Gong was cautious; neither of them were capable of fighting tough battles.
But he couldn't bring himself to say it. The emperor was in high spirits, and all the generals in the tent were echoing his sentiments; if he were to speak, it would be like pouring cold water on his enthusiasm.
After a while, the generals dispersed.
After leaving the main tent, Zhao Fengchun approached, gently waving his feather fan: "Your Majesty, what are the Emperor's plans?"
Zhang Quzhuo recounted the division of the three armies into three routes. After listening, Zhao Fengchun remained silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Dividing the troops is too scattered. If the Zheng people concentrate their forces to break through one route first, the other two routes will not have enough time to come to the rescue."
"I know," Zhang Quzhuo said, gazing at the distant night sky, "but the emperor has already been chosen, and it cannot be changed."
Zhao Fengchun sighed and said nothing more.
The following day, the allied forces broke camp and advanced north. Duke Guo Linfu led the right army to advance northeast, Duke Zhou Heijian led the left army to advance southeast, and King Huan personally led the central army to advance northward.
Zhang Quzhuo led Liang Jun at the forefront.
Less than half a day later, a scout reported: "The main force of Zheng's army is arrayed in the Xuge area, with about three hundred chariots and more than ten thousand armored soldiers."
Zhang Quzhuo reined in his horse and looked towards the northern horizon. Xuge was less than twenty li away.
He glanced back at the direction of the central army. The emperor's banner was still moving slowly in the distance, followed by a dense array of chariots and armored soldiers.
"Order the entire army to halt its advance and form ranks, awaiting further orders," he said to Zhao Fengchun. "Send someone to report to the Emperor that the main force of the Zheng army is already in formation at Xuge. Request the central army to join them immediately."
Zhao Fengchun accepted the order and left.
Zhang Quzhuo jumped off the chariot and stood by the roadside, his long spear planted in the ground. The wind blew from the north, carrying the scent of autumn's withered grass and trees. He gazed northward, silent.
He won't lose this battle, but what he's worried about is that someone else will lose.