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墨書 Inktalez
Murong Hanzhu, though talented and reserved, is not one to passively endure the jealousy of others. He cannot bear to see the grand chessboard disrupted, often sacrificing his own interests for the greater good. History is filled with tales of the talented being envied, and Murong Hanzhu is no exception; as the saying goes, "the tall tree catches the wind."
He discerned Han Wei's feigned surrender, knowing it was Xu Zhenzhi's ploy to use Han Wei as bait to eliminate him under the cover of night. However, Lu Dongzan's loyalty led to a warning that brought Qizong Nongsan rushing to the rescue.
Han Wei can be considered a true man; despite enduring torture, he maintained a facade of truth and clung tightly to the Xu Zhen's strategy. Now bound at Xingtai by Murong Hanzhu, he remained calm and composed, embodying the spirit of a Tang General—truly iron-willed!
Qizong Nongsan hurriedly arrived and, seeing Han Wei's strong demeanor, felt increasingly fond of him. He quickly ordered the Soldier to halt the execution and angrily asked, "Why has the strategist come to this? Though I respect you, such a significant matter should not be decided without my consultation. Do you have no fear of me?"
Murong Hanzhu, noticing his anger, quickly defended himself: "Your Majesty is always wise; how could you be deceived by a treacherous minister? This man is the Songzhou Governor. We have taken over his nest; he would love nothing more than to devour us. How could we trust his loyalty?"
Having ascended to power at a young age, Qizong Nongsan was particularly wary of ministers wielding too much influence. After finally gaining control, he found Murong Hanzhu not only lacking in respect but also daring to oppose him, which ignited his fury.
"Strategist, please be cautious with your words! The people of Songzhou are all from the Tangxiang and Tuoba clans. Are they not meant to belong to Tang? If they can return to Tang, why can they not submit to Tuguhun? Are you suggesting that my court is filled with treacherous ministers while you alone are loyal? If you insist on overstepping your bounds, how are you different from those treacherous ministers?"
Qizong Nongsan turned away in anger, no longer looking at Murong Hanzhu. The latter's eyes dimmed as he sighed lightly, realizing that there was no way to salvage the situation. Feeling helpless and lonely, he bowed in apology: "I was reckless... but this Han Wei is certainly not a loyal person; I urge Your Majesty to execute him to eliminate future troubles!"
After Murong Hanzhu finished speaking, Qizong Nongsan did not turn back but coldly snorted: "Who is born loyal to me? Even you, strategist—born in the Sui Dynasty yet entering during the Tuguhun and then betraying it for Tuguhun—how do you compare with Han Wei?"
As soon as these words fell, Murong Hanzhu felt a buzzing in his ears as if struck by lightning. He realized that a rift had formed between him and Qizong Nongsan that would likely be hard to mend in the future. Not daring to argue further, he could only sigh deeply and take his leave, thus sparing Han Wei and others.
Meanwhile, Qizong Nongsan felt he had struck a nerve with Murong Hanzhu and believed he had uncovered a hidden truth within him. This only deepened his estrangement from Murong Hanzhu and left him feeling regretful and gloomy.
Once upon a time, they had discussed matters of state together as ruler and minister, seemingly finding someone truly dependable. But now, due to Han Wei's incident, he saw Murong Hanzhu's true nature clearly. Reflecting on it all made him appreciate Lu Dongzan and his fellow old ministers who had remained steadfast.
Thinking of this and recalling how he had neglected Lu Dongzan and others, Qizong Nongsan felt guilty. He ordered gifts of cattle and sheep along with female slaves from Songzhou City for these old ministers in hopes of making amends. He also spared Han Wei for proper care, which eased his troubled heart slightly.
Lu Dongzan and the other old ministers suddenly realized, no longer being deceived by Murong Hanzhu. Everyone was delighted, and the people of Songzhou felt more at ease than before, with a renewed vigor. The soldiers were united in purpose, praising the merits of Zanpu. Qizong Nongsan was also pleased, further neglecting Murong Hanzhu.
With Songzhou having relaxed, spies had already sent back intelligence. Xu Zhen smiled without speaking, spending her days riding out with scouts to gather information. She also climbed to high ground with Ginger Sage to observe the heavens and that night began to prepare for a surprise attack.
Many soldiers saw Xu Zhen's playful demeanor from the previous night and felt discontented, thus they did not take matters seriously. Military discipline was lax, morale was scattered, and there was no fighting spirit. Li Daozong and the other veterans observed this and felt it was unwise to launch an attack. However, Xu Zhen took the opposite approach; in a state of urgency, she ordered the soldiers to carry torches openly, raise banners, and travel light and swiftly. By midnight, they had arrived at Little Gansong Ridge.
The Tuguhun garrison saw the multitude of torches and flags and became even more convinced of Han Wei's words that the Tang army indeed intended a night raid. Unable to discern the number of troops, they believed a large army was pressing down on them and hurriedly reported back to Songzhou City. Qizong Nongsan ordered his generals to assemble their forces and rush to Little Gansong Ridge.
Xu Zhen calmly held her troops in check without ordering an attack, only allowing the soldiers to beat drums and wave flags, creating an illusion that the entire Tang Kingdom army had mobilized.
Little Gansong Ridge originally had two thousand garrison troops; however, after Zanpu rewarded the three armies the previous day, half of the soldiers returned to Songzhou headquarters for rest and recuperation. Now their defenses were half-empty. The garrison did not dare be careless; upon seeing Xu Zhen's troops arrive, they hastily unleashed a rain of arrows. Although it was nighttime, the white-feathered arrows fell like snowflakes, creating a magnificent sight.
Unfortunately, due to unclear visibility at night and the Tuguhun soldiers misjudging the distance between both sides, most of the feathered arrows landed in front of Xu Zhen's formation without hitting anyone. Only a few remarkably strong archers managed to shoot arrows that reached her ranks but were too weak to penetrate armor or cause injury.
The Tang cavalry saw their enemies launching an attack and were instantly filled with overwhelming battle fervor. They shouted and urged their horses forward, drawing swords and raising spears as they charged towards Little Gansong Ridge.
At that moment, Tuguhun reinforcements from Songzhou City surged forth like a stormy tsunami. Xu Zhen narrowed her eyes slightly, raised her long knife, and finally issued her military order.
"Retreat!"
As soon as this command was given, many Tang soldiers felt as if they had struck empty air with a furious punch—frustrated beyond measure but bound by military orders, they could only retreat begrudgingly.
Li Daozong and other veteran generals could not understand Xu Zhen's intentions. Although she aimed to toy with the enemy, this also meant mocking her own soldiers and offending many within her ranks.
Just as Tuguhun reinforcements arrived, the Tang army retreated again. The generals were perplexed and sought counsel from Qizong Nongsan. Although Nong Zan was brave in battle, he lacked military strategy expertise. He initially wanted to consult Murong Hanzhu but could not bring himself to do so; instead, he called upon Lu Dongzan and others for advice.
Lu Dongzan and the other old ministers rarely agreed, but they spoke well of the situation, claiming that the Tang army feared the natural defenses of Little Gansong Ridge and did not dare to charge forward. They suggested that as long as heavy troops were stationed at the mountain passes, the Tang army would definitely not dare to approach.
The expeditionary Tang army achieved nothing, and their Majesty would become anxious about the situation, ultimately agreeing to a marriage alliance, possibly even offering Songzhou as a dowry to Tuguhun.
Qizong Nongsan was not one to enjoy flattery, but Lu Dongzan and his companions made convincing arguments, which he found reasonable. This pleased him, leading him to relax the soldiers in the city, only needing to increase personnel to guard the passes.
Five days passed in this manner. The Tang army came every night, always with great momentum but then abruptly halted, causing anxiety among the Tubo Army stationed at the passes. As time went on, seeing the Tang army approach no longer raised alarms; after all, these Tang soldiers were merely putting on a show.
General Liu Lan of the right army was hot-tempered. Although he was not in the vanguard camp, he could not tolerate Princess Jinyang's lazy demeanor. He reprimanded her several times and allied with Niu Jinda to pressure Li Daozong into removing her from command.
Li Daozong felt immense pressure and could only summon Princess Jinyang privately. However, she remained enigmatic and ultimately succumbed to Li Daozong's authoritative insistence, leading him into the Craft Workshop.
The Craft Workshop was heavily guarded at Princess Jinyang's request, with no unauthorized personnel allowed inside. The air was filled with a pungent smell as blacksmiths worked day and night. The soldiers who longed for battle but could not fight were already dissatisfied with Xu Zhenxin, and the constant disturbances from the Craft Workshop only fueled their resentment.
However, after Li Daozong returned from the Craft Workshop, he seemed resolute and unwavering despite numerous generals' attempts to persuade him; he continued to support Princess Jinyang.
As a result, Niu Jinda and Liu Lan grew even more hostile towards Princess Jinyang but found themselves powerless against her. She no longer cared about these old generals and chose to let things be for a time.
After several setbacks for Niu Jinda, Princess Jinyang became more active, recruiting brave individuals from the cavalry and secretly teaching martial arts. After rigorous selection, she gathered three hundred personal guards for secret training. Many were curious and pressed for information, but those three hundred remained tight-lipped.
That night, the Tang army came to harass once again. Tuguhun had grown numb to it all; they shot a round of arrows in response and awaited the Tang army's retreat.
Qizong Nongsan could not suppress his curiosity any longer and decided to ask Murong Hanzhu about it. He recalled Han Wei and summoned him into the Golden Tent for detailed inquiries.
Han Wei thought of Xu Zhenzhi's instructions and was delighted when Qizong Nongsan sought his counsel. He relayed all that Princess Jinyang had previously instructed him to say to Nong Zan, who could hardly contain his joy.
The Tang army was not as united as it seemed. The old generals were suspicious of the newcomers, while the newcomers were intimidated by the veterans, leading to significant strategic disagreements. Previously, Niu Jinda had acted on his own, resulting in heavy casualties, and he had been replaced by Xu Zhen. However, the old generals were not fully supportive of Xu Zhen, who was known for her unpredictable nature. She proposed a strategy of feigned attacks each day, creating a facade that caused Sage to lose trust in the older generals.
Qizong Nongsan suddenly understood the situation and felt reassured. He rewarded the soldiers daily, waiting for the Tang army to leave so that Li Shimin would agree to a marriage alliance.
He had come seeking this alliance, and now occupying Songzhou allowed him to enjoy abundant resources and manpower. He was already quite satisfied. His soldiers had spent years living on horseback, and now with a city under their control, they found comfort and their morale began to wane.
On the other hand, Murong Hanzhu refused to relax but felt helpless. Nong Zan did not heed his advice or plans, leaving him disheartened yet unwilling to depart.
Three days passed, and Xu Zhen launched another harassment campaign. Many soldiers had grown accustomed to this rhythm and complained about her incessantly but had no choice but to march with suppressed anger, feeling as if they had tread the same path countless times.
However, this time Xu Zhen brought out three hundred secret soldiers, allowing the cavalry to advance first. The three hundred protected several throwing carts and assault vehicles as they moved slowly forward, with five or six heavily covered supply wagons following closely behind. Ginger Sage marched with them, beaming with joy that he could hardly contain!
After a round of flag waving and shouting from over two thousand cavalrymen, they retreated. Xu Zhen then issued orders for them to hold their positions, instructing them to charge only after hearing thunder.
Many soldiers mocked this order; with the calm weather, how could there be any thunder?
Xu Zhen did not reveal her intentions but merely smiled in silence.
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