chsdbacks Page 367
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Zhong Ping felt a chill run down his spine. Damn it, could it be that Luo Chen's main force had instantly flown to Hexi?! But the outcome on the battlefield was still the same: hundreds of thousands of Luo Chen's troops were sweeping across the edge of the grasslands in a pincer movement, attempting to pinpoint and annihilate his Xiongnu cavalry! Zhong Ping took a sliver of hope; perhaps Luo Chen's forces in Hexi weren't as numerous as he'd imagined, maybe a few tens of thousands at most. If that was the case, he could still handle it; at worst, he could simply send his steppe wolf army out of the mountains. His trump card would come in handy at this moment!
Hu Yan bowed and scraped as he sat down to the side. Several generals seemed to look down on him, merely nodding slightly, while others completely ignored him—Hu Yan knew this; countless princes had died at the hands of these generals, who held military power and the power of life and death. Only the young scholar-looking man was relatively amiable, nodding with a smile. His nod was genuine, full of goodwill, every part of his face beaming with smiles. Hu Yan felt a warmth in his heart, though the young man also seemed weary, with deep dark circles under his eyes. Hu Yan recognized him; after all, he was too famous—the foremost strategist of the grasslands, the young and handsome Yeso.
Whether Hu Yan saw it wrong or was just imagining things, Yesuo looked somewhat melancholy and seemed to be deliberately keeping his distance from the other generals, sitting to one side instead of next to Zhong Ping.
To Zhong Ping's right stood a burly general with a dark beard, a robust build, and a menacing expression. He spoke little, seemingly following Zhong Ping's orders without question. In truth, Erlu was quite serious, a capable and disciplined general, able to lead independently. It's like someone who's big and burly, with a thick beard—it would be a waste not to do manual labor—but he's a top student, methodical and diligent in his studies, though not a genius, he's still among the top. In battle, Erlu was exceptionally brave, often referred to as Zhong Ping's number one warrior, his fighting style characterized by ferocity.
Then there's the somber General Zhao Cheng, sitting to one side, rarely looking up, seemingly lost in thought. Zhao Cheng is a general who strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies, even more terrifying than Erlu. Erlu may be fierce, but at least you die knowing why. You see a broadsword or a curved blade clearly coming at you, and you die knowing why—simply because your army isn't as elite as others, or your horsemanship isn't as good as this fierce general's—and you accept your fate. But Zhao Cheng is different. You might be awakened in your tent by the howling of ghosts and wolves outside, by the crackling of a fire. Then you might be captured by the enemy without even wearing trousers. You'll see Zhao Cheng's somber, expressionless face, and then be hacked to death from behind by an unknown soldier, your hands still bound. Or you might call your soldiers to rest, and they've just removed their armor and are preparing to cook, when Zhao Cheng's iron cavalry charges in precisely on time, and many soldiers become victims before they can even resist.
This is the ghost of night battles, the phantom. This ghost, Zhao Cheng, is a master of suppressing rebellions. After Zhong Ping's coup, he roamed the Xiongnu lands, leaving a trail of wailing and howling wherever he went, greatly strengthening Zhong Ping's actual control over the region. The left wing of the Xiongnu, many of whom initially disagreed with Zhong Ping's coup and wanted to unite to kill him, faced a perilous situation. To the south, Luo Chen was negotiating peace with Cao Cao, and a large number of his main forces were marching north, seemingly intent on eliminating Zhong Ping. To the east, the royal courts of the left and central Xiongnu were in serious turmoil. Zhao Cheng was undoubtedly appointed to this critical mission—due to immense pressure from Luo Chen's forces in the south and a shortage of manpower, Zhao Cheng had less than 30,000 men. Zhao Cheng led these 30,000 men eastward into the left wing of the Xiongnu. At the time, all the local power holders scoffed at this, after all, these people commanded local armies of over 100,000 men.
But ghosts are ghosts after all. Countless nights, the powerful figures were dragged from their beds, trousers off, and executed on the spot. Their armies crumbled instantly in Zhao Cheng's horrific surprise attacks. Two months later, the entire left flank of the Xiongnu was calm and docile. Zhao Cheng even ambushed Xiahou Dun's light cavalry, virtually annihilating his 20,000-strong army. This greatly washed away the shame of the Xiongnu people from years past.
Chapter 139 Questioning
The tent was huge, and counting them, there were only six people, including myself: Zhong Ping, Zhong Ting, Erlu, Yesuo, and Zhao Cheng. Sure enough, the core decision-making circle was very small.
Seeing that Hu Yan had taken his seat, Zhong Ping cleared his throat and said, "Everyone understands the situation. A large number of desert cavalry have appeared near Hexi. The exact number is still uncertain, but it is estimated to be no less than 10,000."
“We need to activate the emergency plan immediately,” Yesso interjected from the side, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
“Yes, I have already given the urgent order,” Zhong Ping said calmly. “The Xiongnu cavalry in Hexi number about 10,000, and the local temporary army, which has been mobilized, numbers about 20,000. They are now rapidly assembling. And our strategic reserve force has begun preparations.”
Strategic reserve force? Not only Hu Yan, but even the generals present were confused. When did a strategic reserve force appear? The only ones who knew the truth were probably Yesuo and Zhongting. Erlu and Zhao Cheng didn't know, let alone Hu Yan.
"Strategic reserve force?" Erru couldn't resist his curiosity and asked, "When did this happen?"
Zhong Ping paused, clearly considering whether to speak. His gaze drifted to Hu Yan. Hu Yan understood; he was an outsider, and being invited to the meeting to meet the core decision-makers was already a great honor. Hu Yan quickly said, "I'll go out for a moment..."
“No need.” Zhong Ping waved his hand. “It’s just that this matter is top secret. Only three people know the details about the strategic reserve team. Now I’m expanding the scope to six people. But if anything is leaked, don’t blame me, Zhong Ping, for not considering the relationship between ruler and subject.”
"The Steppe Wolf Cavalry Regiment is the name of this army," Zhong Ping said with a hint of pride. "Its organization consists of over 40,000 cavalrymen and over 120,000 steppe wolves."
"120,000!" Erru exclaimed in astonishment. Even the usually indifferent ghost Zhao Cheng suddenly raised his head, his face showing surprise, as if confirming whether it was true.
A legend circulates on the grasslands: Yesuo brought ten thousand wolves, easily annihilating the attacking Qiang army and securing the flank of the grasslands. But—even if the legend is true, it only involved ten thousand wolves; now the number has increased tenfold. Even more unbelievable is the addition of forty thousand riders… It's understandable that a single person might command wolves, given the possibility of some extraordinary individual. But to say that such a large-scale organization of cavalry and wolves is involved—are you sure the wolves won't devour the riders?
Hu Yan opened his mouth wide, wanting to express his feelings, but he obediently kept quiet. After all, he was an outsider and shouldn't say anything carelessly.
"The location of the Steppe Wolf Legion's encampment is an absolute secret, and I won't reveal it to you all," Zhong Ping said coldly. Even now, Yeso didn't know where the Steppe Wolf Legion was stationed; the legion's location was constantly changing, and Yeso had been removed from his leadership position several months ago. "But they can still reach the four prefectures of Hexi."
"So, although most of the Luo army is near the four prefectures of Hexi, as long as the Grassland Wolf Legion is there, we can even annihilate the Luo army?" Zhao Cheng, who was in the corner, spoke for the first time.
"Indeed, the reason I've gathered everyone here today is to urgently discuss our overall strategy against the enemy. The situation is now clear: the majority of the Luo army is on our front, attempting to annihilate our main force; failing to achieve their objective, they have divided their forces to attack our four counties in Hexi, leading to the current situation."
"We need to review our strategic missteps," Zhong Ting suddenly said in a hoarse voice. Zhong Ting looked quite haggard, with slightly dark skin and a gloomy expression. Hu Yan had initially thought this man was the kind of ruthless, deep-voiced warrior, but his voice still surprised him. It wasn't just deep; it was incredibly deep, almost hoarse. Hu Yan wondered if this man had been chronically sleep-deprived.
"General, you should take care of your health..." Erru said, scratching his head.
Zhongting ignored him, his voice even becoming more stern: "Our hundreds of thousands of Xiongnu warriors have been hiding and running on the grasslands, allowing the Luo army to completely seize the initiative. Now the Luo army has divided its forces and has been appearing at the gates of Hexi City until we discovered them. What if we didn't have a strategic reserve? Then we could only watch helplessly as the Luo army easily took over the four counties of Hexi! We need to reflect on our strategic mistakes! The mistakes of our escape strategy!" Zhongting became more and more agitated as he spoke, even slapping his leg.
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"Don't say anything more..." Zhong Ping said in a low voice.
"Whose fault is this? Who orchestrated this escape strategy? Who could make hundreds of thousands of Xiongnu brothers run away with just a few words?..." Zhongting ignored them and questioned them more directly.
Everyone knows who he was criticizing. The one who proposed and urged this strategy was none other than his chief strategist, Yesso.
Hu Yan was completely bewildered. He simply couldn't understand where Zhong Ting's anger came from... Of course, judging from his ragged clothes and haggard face, he must have been badly hurt by the escape strategy Zhong Ting had mentioned...
... ...
"Stop talking!" Zhong Ping said sternly.
Zhong Ting was probably going to call on people by name right away, but Zhong Ping's stern shout had an effect. Zhong Ting shut his mouth and turned his face away.
Such direct questioning from high-level officials is indeed rare. There should be proper procedures and etiquette; Zhong Ting isn't Yesso's superior and has no right to berate him. Moreover—most importantly—this strategy was executed with Zhong Ping's absolute support, demonstrating Zhong Ping's trust in Yesso's analytical and strategic abilities. Criticizing this strategy, to some extent, also criticizes Zhong Ping. At this point, it can only be said that the generals' disagreements are too great.
Yesuo wasn't a fool; he wouldn't cower in this situation. However, he firmly believed his strategy wasn't necessarily wrong. If they hadn't combined their forces to avoid direct confrontation, the Xiongnu army might have already been divided and surrounded by the Luo army. In fact, the steppe generals were furious with this strategy and vehemently criticized it. Cao Cao in the Central Plains and the people of Jiangnan, however, held it in high regard, even applauding it. They had initially thought the Xiongnu's small force wouldn't last long under the Luo army's relentless attacks, but almost a year had passed, and they had stubbornly held on. Meanwhile, the Central Plains had to support an army of five or six hundred thousand every day—a burden far heavier than imagined.
Chapter 140 Next Steps Strategy
“I take full responsibility for my problems,” Yesso said calmly. “General Zhongting, there’s no need to be angry. I respect your opinion, but I also have my own principles.” Yesso’s gaze was calm and firm as he stared at Zhongting, as if to tell him that avoiding war was the right thing to do, and whether you support it or not, it is my principle.
“I obey the Great Chanyu’s orders in everything. However, due to my negligence, the four commanderies of Hexi are in danger, and I request to resign from my position as chief strategist.” The last sentence was calm and clear.
In truth, Zhongting was just indulging in empty talk; when it came to strategy and tactics, he wasn't yet at the level to compare with Yesso. However, Yesso's immediate resignation after his words did indeed surprise him.
“Mr. Yesso, this…” Zhong Ping’s expression was somewhat unreadable, it was unclear whether he was trying to persuade him to stay or agreeing. However, as usual, Zhong Ping did not answer “740” and abruptly jumped to the next topic—this meant that he had not yet thought it through and needed to consider it. “How to fight next depends on what you all think.”
"I suggest that my 300,000 Xiongnu cavalry immediately launch a flank attack on Luo Jun, first destroying one side of his pincer movement. This will thwart his pincer attack," Zhong Ting said without hesitation.
"Have you figured out the enemy's troop deployment? Are you confident? What if the enemy launches a counterattack? Will our army be put on the defensive?" Zhong Pinglian asked.
"Our army has been traversing the grasslands, hoping to confront the Xiongnu army head-on rather than flee in disarray. Although the soldiers are exhausted, their morale is high, and we are ready for battle. Our Xiongnu soldiers have always been known for their bravery and speed; the first wave of attack should be enough to crush and defeat the Central Plains soldiers, and we should be able to retreat unscathed," Zhongting said confidently.
Hu Yan felt increasingly bored. This conversation had nothing to do with him; he couldn't join in, and given his status, no one would listen to him anyway. What was the point of him coming all this way? It seemed General Zhong Ting was planning a direct confrontation with the Luo army, but what did this have to do with Hexi? The Luo army from Hexi was already at the city gates. However, Hu Yan noticed that Zhao Cheng seemed to be only half-listening, his head bowed, lost in his own thoughts. He would occasionally glance up, look around, and then look down again. Typical of a lazy, unproductive student in class.
"Please reconsider, General." Yesso seemed hesitant, but decided to speak anyway, offering a completely opposite opinion: "Our army is attacking the enemy's entire flank with limited forces. The difference in troop strength is not particularly large, and with hundreds of thousands of troops involved in the battle, how can we possibly achieve a quick victory and a clean retreat? It is conceivable that the enemy and our forces will inevitably become entangled. At that time, the other flank of the enemy will most likely join the battle, and the situation will be extremely unfavorable to our side."
"Then what do you want?" Zhongting seemed genuinely angry. "Continue to run? Be cowards? Let the Xiongnu warriors lose their fighting spirit and die while fleeing? If you want to avoid battle, then avoid battle! Don't make us all look like cowards!"
Yesso did not answer. He simply lowered his head, as if he had already said what he needed to say and there was no need to say more.
"Eru, what do you think?" Zhong Ping suddenly asked.
Erlu, usually an executive, was probably seeing this confrontation for the first time, and they stared at each other in disbelief. When Zhong Ping specifically asked him, he thought for a moment and said, "Going into battle is naturally very difficult, but only thinking about the difficulties and avoiding battle seems not to work... The soldiers below are very unhappy about running around every day. I support General Zhong Ting to directly fight the Luo army."
"Zhao Cheng?"
"I will resolutely carry out the Great Chanyu's orders," Zhao Cheng said slyly, but the outcome of this debate seemed quite clear. Zhong Ping's trust in Yesuo had already waned significantly, and now, due to the strategy of avoiding battle, the Xiongnu were in a passive position in the Hexi Corridor, forcing them to deploy the Steppe Wolf Cavalry as a last resort. All these factors were unfavorable to Yesuo. "However, in my personal opinion, blindly avoiding battle is extremely harmful and not a solution. I support General Zhongting." At this point, taking a one-sided stance was probably the right thing to do. Moreover, Yesuo seemed poised to resign...
"Alright. Zhongting will be the General of the Vanguard, and Erlu will be his deputy. They will have full command of approximately 250,000 troops on the main battlefield. The remaining tens of thousands will be responsible for maintaining order and arranging the evacuation of herders, ensuring the safety of women and children in the tribes." Zhongping commanded. Zhongting and Erlu immediately stood up: "Yes!" Zhongping ended the dispute with these appointments. The two generals who advocated for a direct confrontation were appointed General and Deputy General of the Vanguard, respectively, granting them full command authority. Of course, the ultimate command of the battlefield rested with Zhongping; whatever he said was law.
Yesso clearly understood. Having understood, he shut up. To continue the argument would be to blatantly misbehave and cross the line.
Zhao Cheng is no longer bowing his head. The rebellion of the Xiongnu left wing was basically quelled this year, and the central representative sent by Zhong Ping had essentially taken control of the region. Zhao Cheng could be said to have successfully completed this difficult task, delivering an excellent report card. Now, being called to this meeting clearly means they're going to assign him a new task… But the two commanding officers on the main battlefield have already been decided, and Zhao Cheng hasn't been mentioned yet. What's going on? Zhao Cheng looked at Zhong Ping, seemingly wanting to know what his assignment was. Could it be that he's going to be the firefighter in the four commanderies of Hexi? That's far too difficult, relying entirely on some mysterious steppe wolf army. The army in the four commanderies of Hexi only has 10,000 men; the other miscellaneous troops gathered from various places are practically useless. Sending 10,000 men to fight against the fierce cavalry of the Luo army is a sure defeat. Even the Emperor himself couldn't save them. Zhao Cheng didn't want to take the blame.
“The Steppe Wolf Legion is short of a commander,” Zhong Ping said slowly, his eyes glancing at Yesuo intentionally or unintentionally. Yesuo’s expression was calm, but he looked extremely tired. Everyone present knew that, according to legend, Yesuo was very likely the one who created the Steppe Wolf Legion.
"Zhao Cheng, you will temporarily assume command of the Grassland Wolf Legion. Quickly adapt to the environment (2.7), and defeat or even annihilate the invading Luo army in Hexi," Zhong Ping suddenly and bluntly ordered. Zhao Cheng was genuinely shocked. He'd only just learned of the Grassland Wolf Legion's existence, and now he was their commander… and this was clearly a highly favored force of Zhong Ping. Just think… hundreds of thousands of wolves, tens of thousands of riders—their fighting power must be off the charts…
"Yes!" Zhao Cheng answered cheerfully, making no attempt to hide his joy.
Hu Yan finally understood: this next phase of the military intelligence deployment meeting was practically marginalizing Yesuo from the highest decision-making level. Hu Yan had also heard the legends of the Steppe Wolf Cavalry Regiment, so why not use the perfectly capable Yesuo and instead appoint the inexperienced Zhao Cheng as commander? Wasn't this just setting people up for failure? However, as an outsider, it was best to keep quiet.
Chapter 141 Yi Ji's Escape
After remaining silent, Yesuo finally spoke up: "I request to resign from my position as chief strategist. If I am willing to do something practical, I can go to the four prefectures of Hexi to serve as commander."
Everyone fell silent. This Yesso not only requested to resign from his position as chief strategist, but also wanted to go directly to Hexi? Everyone knew the situation in Hexi was quite difficult, yet Yesso was going there voluntarily?
"This..." Zhong Ping was clearly very surprised. To be honest, he really didn't know who to send to the four prefectures of Hexi. Naturally, no one wanted to do such a difficult task. So Zhong Ping could only force Hu Yan to take command, but he would cooperate with Zhao Cheng in the battle. The key was whether Zhao Cheng's wolf army could defeat the Luo army. As for the frontal defense of the four prefectures of Hexi... Zhong Ping didn't care. As long as the troops could be defeated, the territory would still be theirs. It didn't matter if it was temporarily taken away. Now that was good, Yesuo volunteered to go. The Luo army had encountered another obstacle, and it was extremely difficult to capture the cities of the four prefectures of Hexi.
“Alright, sir… you can temporarily take command below, which will be a change of environment. After a year or two, you can be transferred back to the central government.” It would be foolish not to agree, so Zhong Ping readily agreed. Given that Yesso was indeed a talented person, he would still need to be used if necessary. Therefore, Zhong Ping left himself a way out, saying that he would be transferred back in a year or two.
“Huyan, you will serve as the deputy commander of the four prefectures of Hexi. You are familiar with the local environment and will cooperate with Mr. Yesuo in command,” Zhong Ping said sternly.
"Understood!" Hu Yan replied hastily. Now that Yesuo was in command, he only needed to provide slight assistance, which Hu Yan felt was sufficient.
The Xiongnu launched a fierce offensive, and as personnel arrangements were completed, the Xiongnu people organized a clear resistance and even a counter-offensive.
Now, let's turn our attention to Jingzhou.
Liu Bei led his troops back to Xinye. During this time, due to food shortages, a large number of soldiers deserted. Some even surrendered en masse to counties controlled by the Cai clan. Meanwhile, Liu Bei's return was constantly harassed by local armies. Although the Cai clan's forces dared not launch a large-scale attack for fear of attracting the attention and counterattack of the local forces… in short, Liu Bei's troops were drastically reduced on his return journey, reaching only about ten thousand men by the time he reached Xinye. In fact, due to the large number of cavalry deployed by both sides at Xinye, the Jingzhou troops suffered heavy losses; almost all 30,000 cavalry were wiped out, and General Wen Pin fled in defeat. This battle was of a very large scale, causing a great sensation and essentially signaling the start of the civil war in Jingzhou.
On the very night Liu Biao died, Yi Ji packed his things and fled. How could Yi Ji not know the gravity of the situation? With Liu Biao dead, Liu Bei was far away in Jingling, and Liu Qi and others were far away in Jiangxia. The small force in Xinye wouldn't even be enough to protect themselves. This meant that Jingzhou would inevitably fall under the control of the Cai clan, and not only Jingzhou itself, but the entire Jingzhou region would essentially be under their control. As the largest representative of Liu Qi and Liu Bei's group in Jingzhou, Yi Ji was doomed; it would be strange if he weren't placed under house arrest. Previously, Liu Biao had bestowed upon him numerous official titles, from the Court of Justice to Grand Master, but with Liu Biao's death, he was nothing. Not only was he useless, but he would also become a reason for the Cai clan to resent him. Fortunately, Yi Ji's family had already been moved to Jiangxia, making his escape easier.
Even when escaping, one cannot simply run away haphazardly. As a meticulous person, one must have a good escape plan; otherwise, if one wanders aimlessly, one will inevitably be caught and brought back by Cai's agents sooner or later.
Liu Biao died that night, and the news quickly reached Yi Ji. After all, he was the head of the Court of Justice. Yi Ji knew things were going badly, and before the news spread, before martial law was declared in the city, and before Lady Cai and Cai Mao could react—before they could arrest this old man—he had to make his escape.
It was early morning, the sky was faintly white, and the moon could be seen faintly. Autumn had just begun the day before, and there had been several thunderstorms, making the mornings and evenings much cooler. Yi Ji carried only a small bundle containing a change of clothes and some dry rations. He kept some gold and silver close to his body. He couldn't carry too much, lest a villain notice and, driven by greed, kill him for money, ruining his reputation. Then Cai Shi wouldn't have to lift a finger… Yi Ji mounted his horse and headed straight for the north gate. It was still dark, so the gates were naturally closed. Yi Ji reached the city walls, dismounted, and kicked the guards awake. “Open the gates! I want to get out!”
The guard, who was sound asleep, was kicked awake and then berated. He was completely bewildered. Looking around by the firelight, he saw it was Lord Yi Ji. Yi Ji's outburst woke up the soldiers sleeping soundly on and below the city walls. Some peered down from their vantage points, while others simply came closer. They saw it was indeed Lord Yi Ji. Yi Ji had served in Jingzhou for over a decade and had recently been appointed as the Assistant Minister of Internal Affairs, with the Court of Justice under his jurisdiction—a truly powerful and influential position. The captain of the guard on the city wall hurriedly bowed and said, "So it's Lord Yi Ji! We didn't know, sir, please forgive us! It's so late… no, it's almost dawn… no, it's still some time before dawn… where are you going, sir?"
Yi Ji replied dismissively, "It's an urgent matter outside the city, and I need to handle it personally. You don't need to concern yourselves with it." 980
The guard captain on the city wall was also part of the garrison, and the Imperial Household Officer had the authority to oversee the garrison within the city. So why would the guards on the city wall stop him? Besides, news of Liu Biao's death hadn't spread yet; it had probably already been sealed off. The guard captain hurriedly said, "Sir, you're busy..." He then turned and said, "Open the city gate!" He bowed and scraped, "Sir, would you like me to send a few soldiers to protect you? You're so old; it's too dangerous for you to go out alone... If anything happens to you, the people of Jingzhou will be counting on you..."
"No need, no need!" Yi Ji waved his hands repeatedly. Protect my ass! He doesn't even trust his own servants, why would he trust you?
As the city gate creaked open, Yi Ji was about to mount his horse when the sound of rapid hooves came from inside the city. A general rushed to the gate like lightning and leaped off his horse. The general immediately began yelling at Yi Ji, "Who are you! Opening the city gate in the dead of night! Are you looking for death! You old codger! Luckily I arrived in time, otherwise…" His voice trailed off as he approached Yi Ji and was pleasantly surprised to discover the old man's identity… Damn it, wasn't this the Minister of Internal Affairs, Yi Ji?!
Chapter 142 At the North Gate
"Oh... Lord Ichiki..." The guy immediately went limp. Damn it, I didn't see him clearly just now. I thought he was some wild old man. I didn't expect him to be the Minister of the Interior. Is this the end for me? "This humble official didn't see him clearly just now."
Yi Ji recognized him immediately; it was Cai Hua, an officer from the Court of Justice and a relative of Cai Mao.
Although Yi Ji was quite old, he had a truly fiery temper. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to directly confront the wealthy and powerful Cai family. This was unacceptable; someone dared to point their finger at him and call him "asking for death" or "old codger." Normally, no matter if you were Cai Mao's relative, even his own son, it wouldn't matter; you'd be given a severe beating. Moreover, this guy was a subordinate of the Court of Justice, and he outwardly complied with Yi Ji's work but inwardly defied him.
However, in special circumstances, it's best to be patient and let it go. What Yi Ji was most concerned about was why this guy was here. Was he ordered to seal the gate? Had this guy already received news of Liu Biao's death and come under Cai Mao's instructions?
"What are you doing here?" Yi Ji asked coldly.
"I am acting on Mr. Mengyue's orders. Mr. Mengyue instructed me to impose martial law at the four city gates of Jingzhou and forbid anyone from leaving." Cai Hua looked smug. After all, Mr. Mengyue had personally entrusted him with this task, which showed how much Mr. Mengyue trusted him.
Yi Ji's heart skipped a beat. This Meng Yue, his reaction was incredibly quick. This order had two purposes: first, it blocked all escape routes for his political enemies; someone like Yi Ji would be obediently placed under house arrest. Second, it prevented spies and intelligence agents from leaving, effectively blocking the channels of communication regarding Liu Biao's death. This prevented Liu Qi, Liu Bei, and other factions from reacting quickly, giving Cai Shi more time to handle the aftermath and make her own plans. How insidious!
"Why is no one allowed to go out?" Yi Ji's voice trembled slightly, but he still kept a cold face and looked indifferent.
"I don't know about that; I was just following orders," Cai Hua said arrogantly.
"You alone? Blocking four gates?" Yi Ji looked at him in disbelief, wondering if this guy had lost his mind. He was an officer in the Court of Justice; he certainly couldn't block the gates alone, so he would have to go to the Court of Justice headquarters to bring his men out. That was perfect; Yi Ji was still the official head of the Court of Justice, and he could kick him out in an instant.
"Yes... I was just about to apply to you on this matter, sir. I want to allocate a thousand soldiers from the Court of Justice." Cai Hua tilted his hat to the side, standing at an angle, looking quite arrogant.
"No way!" Yi Ji refused without hesitation. "You're crazy. Would I block my own way?" "Meng Yue has no jurisdiction over my Court of Justice. Without my order, the Court of Justice is not allowed to move a single soldier. Anyone who violates this order will be punished according to military law!" Yi Ji said sternly.
“Oh…” However, Cai Hua did not show any disappointment. “Just as Mr. Meng Yue expected, fortunately, Mr. Meng Yue has already sent someone to the garrison to mobilize troops. The person will be here soon. I’m just here to keep an eye on things first.”
"You son of a bitch, are you kidding me?!" Yi Ji was already fuming.
Given the urgency of the situation—the garrison troops were approaching, and he might not be able to leave—Yi Ji decided not to stoop to the level of this fellow. Thinking this, Yi Ji prepared to mount his horse and leave. However, Cai Hua immediately stopped him.
"Sir, you didn't hear me? Let me repeat it to you: Mr. Meng said that no one is allowed to leave the city."
"Mr. Meng has no right to interfere with me! Unless you have the Lord's decree!" Yi Ji tried to break free. "I have urgent business outside the city!" Unexpectedly, Cai Hua refused to let go, and finally shouted at the guards at the city gate, "Why aren't you coming to help! Seize him!" Yi Ji was furious upon hearing this. Damn it, when did this dog dare to be so unrestrained? Yi Ji immediately swung his right hand and slapped Cai Hua hard across the face. Cai Hua staggered from the blow, and upon recognizing himself, he was stunned. Cai Hua touched the left side of his face where he had been slapped, and it seemed that blood was gushing from his gums.
"Damn it! I'm the Minister of Internal Affairs, personally appointed by the Lord, and the Director of the Court of Justice. Look closely! You dog, what did Meng Yue tell you to do? You dare to interfere with me!" Yi Ji pointed at him and cursed. He then drew his sword with a whoosh: "A dog like you, I'll show you the power of life and death of a high-ranking official!"
Cai Hua had never seen anything like this before. He was so frightened that he wet himself. Thinking that Yi Ji was really going to kill him with his sword, he covered his face and ran away as fast as he could.
Yi Ji scared Cai Hua away and mounted his horse. The city gate guards, who had been completely bewildered, were suddenly struck by Yi Ji's sudden slap across Cai Hua's face. He then drew his sword, ready to exercise his life-or-death power as a high-ranking official. Cai Hua, terrified, ran faster than a rabbit. The guards, finally witnessing the power of a high-ranking official, were too frightened to utter a word and hastily opened the gate. Yi Ji tapped his horse with the flat of his sword and galloped out of the city, heading north towards Xinye.
The safest places now are Jiangxia and Xinye, or perhaps finding Liu Bei's army. Jiangxia is the safest, with many soldiers and strategic terrain, but it's too far; it would take at least several days to get there, and we might get caught halfway there. Xinye is relatively closer to Jingzhou City. We can abandon our horses and take a boat, heading north along the Yu River, a tributary of the Xiang River. After abandoning the boat, it will only take an hour to reach Xinye City. Having made up his mind, Yi Ji spurred his horse and galloped northward.
As they approached the ferry crossing, the sky was just beginning to brighten, and a faint red glow appeared in the east. The diligent boatmen were already up, singing as they lit a fire to cook.
Upon Na Yi's arrival, he immediately attracted the attention of the soldiers monitoring the ferry crossing. This tributary of the Xiang River flows northward, passing through cities such as Xinye, Anzhong, Anle, and Wancheng. The trade of these cities all depended on this Yu River, so although the tax revenue here could not compare with that of the Yangtze River port, it was still a very large amount. There were probably four or five hundred soldiers guarding the ferry crossing, as well as government officials and tax collectors.
The soldiers noticed the Iraqi official's attire and the sword at his waist; he appeared distinguished and clearly different from a merchant. They approached and asked, "Sir, where are you going? What is your purpose? Do you have any official authorization?" It turned out that government officials on official business usually had authorization letters to show to the inspectors along the route, which allowed them passage; otherwise, the inspectors had the right to question them.
Why would Yi Ji bother with him? With dawn approaching, Yi Ji could predict that martial law orders would soon be issued everywhere. If Cai Hua told Meng Yue about his forced departure from the city—and definitely he would, that dog—he should have just killed him; sparing his life would only bring him more trouble—then every checkpoint would issue warrants for his arrest. He wouldn't be able to go anywhere then.
Chapter 143 The Boatman
Na Yiji said, "I am... I am Yiji, Minister of the Interior and Director of the Court of Justice." He had originally intended to make up a name and title to avoid being tracked down later. However, he changed his mind in a second. It would be better to tell him directly so he could quickly take a boat to Xinye at the ferry. As for whether Cai Mao's soldiers would come after him, they would definitely find out that he had passed through this ferry. After all, his official attire was clearly eye-catching.
The soldiers exchanged glances, then burst into laughter. "Sir, you're stammering and can't even lie properly. Would the Minister of the Interior really come all the way to the ferry alone?... What are you up to by impersonating the Minister of the Interior!" Yi Ji thought to himself, "Damn it, these guys don't believe me. They're going to detain me here, and if the Minister of the Interior can prove it, I'm finished."
As expected, without explanation, these men claimed that Yi Ji was a charlatan who dared to impersonate the Minister of Internal Affairs, and they were about to hand him over to the ferryman to be detained and reported to Jingzhou City. Yi Ji, however, refused to comply. He immediately drew his sword and shouted, "I told you I am the Minister of Internal Affairs, on official business. You lot are arbitrarily obstructing my duties; you'll regret it!" The inspecting soldiers were taken aback when they saw him draw his sword. But who would believe that this old man with a bag was the Minister of Internal Affairs? These soldiers were convinced he was a fraud and resisted arrest with their swords drawn. Some even ran to call for reinforcements to help subdue the old swindler.
The commotion was getting out of hand when it finally alerted the ferryman. He rushed over and saw an elderly man in official robes, sword in hand, surrounded by his soldiers. A soldier beside him ran alongside, reporting, "This old fellow is... impersonating the Minister of the Interior... a charlatan, and he's even resisting arrest with a sword!"
"Who goes there! Put down your weapons!" the ferryman shouted, pushing through the crowd. He was stunned when he saw what was happening. He hurriedly knelt down: "Lord Yi, this humble official greets you."
The soldiers around them were instantly dumbfounded. Damn it, this old man really was a high-ranking official... The soldiers immediately knelt down, not daring to raise their heads.
It turns out that the ferryman originally served in a small government office in Jingzhou City, and was later transferred to the council hall as a military officer in charge of security. How could Yi Ji, who had served as a councilor for many years, not recognize him? Later, Yi Ji concurrently served as the director of the Court of Justice and the Minister of the Interior, holding high positions and great power. This ferryman had also served in the Court of Justice for a few days, and was now transferred to the Yushui ferry as its director.
"Alright, alright, it's all a misunderstanding. I have urgent business to attend to, I can't argue with you anymore." Yi Ji was too lazy to get entangled with them. Luckily, someone recognized me, otherwise I'd be in big trouble. The ferryman hurriedly followed behind, "Sir, where are you going? I'll send men and boats to escort you! It's really not safe for you to travel alone, sir..."
"No need, no need," Yi Ji said impatiently. "I have to handle things by myself. Don't follow me, or you'll delay my business!" With that, he went to the ferry.
The morning sun had already risen, and soon its rays were dazzling. The temperature rose rapidly. Yi Ji glanced back; thankfully, there was no dust kicked up by horses' hooves. It seemed the pursuers hadn't arrived yet. Without pausing, Yi Ji said to the ferryman, "Leave the horse here for now; I'll take the boat. Don't get thin!" "Understood, understood," the ferryman replied repeatedly.