Even after receiving the reply, Song Nanlou remained somewhat unsettled.
As the year-end approached, many refugees had already appeared near the front camp. The imperial court had indeed provided early-ripening rice seeds suitable for the northern lands, but firstly, the temperatures were not warm enough; secondly, there were too many powerful aristocratic families in this region. The entire northern territory had been divided into numerous small spheres of influence, and the court’s decrees were not effectively implemented. Many officials, upon receiving orders, would feign compliance while acting counter to them, even if they did not dare to openly defy them.
With the activation of the [Data Deployment] module, the already tense relationships deteriorated further, almost reaching a breaking point.
Although the local influential families always refused to cooperate with Song Nanlou’s work, they had never really gained the upper hand, constrained as they were by the comprehensive strength of both sides and the Emperor’s inclination toward Song Nanlou. Looking back, Song Nanlou felt that while those people’s intentions were undoubtedly malicious, the consequences hadn’t been too severe. If those families had chosen to cooperate early on, most cities around the forward camp would have remained simple rammed-earth fortifications. Instead, after Attendant Chi brought cement, these earthen walls were transformed into stone fortifications, effectively enhancing the front camp’s defensive capabilities.
Even though he would soon depart for the eastern region, Song Nanlou did not relax his governance over the forward camp. He also compelled the surrounding powerful families to contribute resources for settling refugees, lest unrest break out.
His deputy commander attempted to dissuade him. “If you take too hard an approach, General, those people will likely impeach you for overstepping your authority again.”
Song Nanlou remained indifferent. “I’m heading east soon anyway. Let them file whatever complaints they wish.”
Knowing his superior had made up his mind, the deputy commander said no more. Fortunately, despite some friction between the two sides, the local families restrained themselves from taking action – upon reflection, the deputy understood why: since Song Nanlou would soon be transferred to another post, the locals preferred to bide their time and let him leave peacefully rather than continue their struggle with him.
A personal guard came to the main camp to report: “General Shi’s letter has arrived.”
Song Nanlou and Shi Zhuhe had been friends even before entering officialdom, and they maintained correspondence afterward. A month ago, when Song Nanlou discussed matters of the northern region with Shi Zhuhe, their views aligned perfectly.
When local food supplies fell short, deaths were inevitable. For those borderland minorities, if they couldn’t survive, they might as well stake everything on a desperate gamble. The Wuliu tribe faced a massive grain shortage this year; their inclination toward rebellion had reached such intensity that no amount of appeasement from the Yan family could suppress it.
Seeing his superior sit reading the letter without uttering a word for a long while, the guard took the initiative to ask, “Does the General have any further instructions?”
Song Nanlou suddenly smiled slightly. “Nothing in particular. You all may go prepare and pack – we’ll set out right after the new year.” He added, “Have the clerk write some invitations for the local influential families to attend a banquet. I’ve served as an official here for several years; since I’m leaving, I ought to bid them farewell properly. Consider it bringing matters to a fitting conclusion.”
Although the personal guard doubted that those influential families wished to part on good terms with their general, he dutifully relayed Song Nanlou’s orders to the military clerk.
Song Nanlou had not deceived anyone with empty words. At the end of January of the fifth year of Zhaoming, he led his men to assume his new post at the right camp, and rumors held that his successor was already en route to this region.
People are forgetful. During the years when the northern families confronted Song Nanlou directly, they gradually lost sight of Shi Zhuhe’s elusive and unpredictable style of conduct from years past – Shi Zhuhe frequently employed surprise tactics in battle, and though he had been a major force in pacifying the east, his humility, his tendency to defer credit to others, and his constant concealment beneath the brilliance of the commanding general kept his reputation from ever becoming prominent.
A thousand miles away from the front camp, the border troops of Dingyi Commandery, under the leadership of a Yan clan general, had actually left their original garrison and were marching toward the Central Plains.
By rights, border camp soldiers were forbidden to abandon their posts, especially to venture inland without authorization. When a young member of the Yan clan first learned of this, he was quite alarmed. Yet as they marched all the way here without encountering any obstruction, he found it rather unbelievable.
The Yan clan general elucidated for his younger kinsman. “Blocking the Wuliu bandits from raiding is precisely our duty. Given the current situation, we must exercise discretion as circumstances demand. I have already submitted a memorial to the capital, requesting the Emperor’s forbearance. But back then, when Wen Xun used training exercises as an excuse to go north, how can we not pursue the Wuliu here as well?” He added, “In truth, the powerful families of the north have long become disaffected from the court. If we manage to rise up, even if these people dare not openly assist us, they will privately turn a blind eye.”
Of course, the Yan clan’s talk of submitting a memorial to request the Emperor’s forbearance was merely a formality. Regardless of the actual circumstances, they needed a superficially plausible excuse to maintain the appearance that the Yan clan were not rebels, but had only exceeded their bounds due to urgent necessity. The northern officials likewise required a rationale that would allow them to turn a blind eye to the Yan clan’s actions.
“The Wuliu tribe bypassed our defenses and entered the Central Plains, forcing the Yan clan to pursue them with their troops” – this was an eminently suitable pretext.
In truth, according to the Yan clan’s original intentions, having Dong Fu serve as the nominal leader of this military force would have been ideal. However, because of the Xuanyangzi affair, Dong Fu – who should have returned to the capital for an official post – had been cast back into the bitter cold land of Dingyi instead. As the Commandery Administrator of Dingyi Commandery, he was theoretically the Yan clan’s superior, and the two sides had previously maintained cordial relations. Yet when the Yan clan prepared to lead their troops into the Central Plains, Dong Fu absolutely refused to cooperate. With no other choice, the Yan clansmen had to temporarily bind and imprison him.
“Uncle, the front camp has a large number of troops. Even if we gather all our forces, I fear it would still be difficult to capture.”
The Yan general nodded. “You’re right. But Song Nanlou has already left, and the front camp has no one in charge. Such a golden opportunity, if missed, may never come again. I plan to use a stratagem to seize this place.” He shook his head. “When appointing or removing commanders of the Great Zhou’s five main camps, the usual practice is to wait until the new commander arrives before the old one departs. This ensures the camp’s soldiers don’t fall into disorder. But the young emperor acts willfully, directly swapping these two men’s positions, thus revealing a flaw. Once we capture the front camp, the northern territories will henceforth heed our command.”
The north differed from the east – it possessed a substantial reserve of talented personnel. If they chose to rebel, the court would not find it easy to suppress them. Moreover, the Yan clan did not intend to formally break away from the court – their plan was to emulate Wang You, the former prefect of Tai Province, by carving out a region and establishing independent rule.
With the Yan clan’s tacit approval, the troops of the Wuliu tribe bypassed border checkpoints and galloped all the way to the vicinity of the front camp. The entire process went so smoothly that even they themselves could hardly believe things had proceeded so effortlessly.
Such a situation had clearly not occurred without the involvement of the [Data Deployment] module from Guide to Becoming a Tyrant.
The Wuliu people excelled at horseback archery. As they advanced, they saw that many city walls, ravaged by earthquakes, lay in ruin, utterly incapable of withstanding their attacks. Their hearts blossomed with joy. From initial caution, they eventually took the initiative to attack. Some people chose to take refuge in fortified manor houses, while those who organized resistance, due to their private troops’ mediocre combat capabilities, not only failed to harm the enemy but instead lost substantial amounts of grain and weapons to plunder.
After more than a dozen victories both large and small, the Wuliu tribe’s overall morale soared ever higher. They quickly forgot their original intention of seizing enough winter provisions and departing. Singing songs of triumph every step of the way, they lunged fiercely toward the heart of the Central Plains.
The [Data Deployment] module bestowed numerous advantages upon the Wuliu tribe, greatly enhancing their marching speed while simultaneously making it difficult for the Yan clan in Dingyi to keep track of their movements in a timely manner.
These people swept through like a swarm of locusts, buzzing across the land, leaving everything in their path plundered bare. Armed with weapons obtained from government armories, they now prepared to attack Anyi City.
Anyi City served as one of the front camp’s outer defensive positions.
The Wuliu chieftain had initially heard that many sections of the city walls here had collapsed from earthquakes, but judging by the current situation, even if they had once crumbled, they had now been fully repaired.
In this world, those who can maintain a clear head while holding the advantage are always few. When the Wuliu warriors realized that Anyi City would be difficult to breach, their first reaction was not to retreat, but rather to send their bravest soldiers forward to hurl insults and provocations.
The enemy’s provocation achieved its effect. After a moment, a side gate of Anyi City opened, and a young officer rode out on horseback.
This officer held the rank of Captain, and his name was Xue Jingzhang.
Xue Jingzhang was not tall, while the one who had been issuing challenges was a renowned warrior of the Wuliu tribe, standing a full nine feet in height.
Upon seeing his opponent clearly, the Wuliu warrior burst into loud laughter, brandishing his blade as he called out to his comrades, “I’ll go over now and chop this fellow’s head off with one stroke.”
Noticing his opponent’s ecstatic expression, Xue Jingzhang smiled coldly and likewise raised her blade to accept the challenge. She came from a powerful northern family, but her clan had chosen to align with the central authority when taking sides, which was why she found herself here.
People seldom unite in purpose. There were those who stood against Song Nanlou, and there were also those who chose to pledge allegiance. The Xue clan had been so respectful and discerning in their approach that Song naturally responded in kind, soon submitting a memorial to the court recommending Xue Jingzhang’s promotion to officer rank.
The two people before Anyi City both wielded long blades, and in an instant they became entangled in combat, flashing steel everywhere. After dozens of exchanges, onlookers suddenly saw Xue Jingzhang wheel her horse around, bend low over its back, and race toward Anyi City. The Wuliu warrior, overjoyed, immediately gave chase. But midway through the pursuit, Xue Jingzhang abruptly reined in her horse and spun around, her weapon turning with her body as she delivered a powerful backward slash.
The force contained in this strike was extraordinarily immense. The blade whistled through the air, slicing horizontally across the Wuliu warrior’s abdomen and sending a spray of blood into the air.
Though his opponent wore iron armor obtained from the Great Zhou government’s armories, the long blade in Xue Jingzhang’s hands was forged from refined steel a hundred times over, a weapon of divine sharpness and a treasure of the highest order in this era.
Seeing her opponent severely wounded, Xue Jingzhang did not hesitate. She swung her blade and cut off the Wuliu warrior’s head, then lifted it high, holding it aloft as she burst into two loud laughs directed at the Wuliu tribesmen before riding back into the city on horseback.
This kind of combat was known as champion dueling, and the morale of the side whose champion lost would suffer a tremendous blow. Though the Wuliu commanders inwardly cursed the Zhou for their cunning and lack of martial virtue, they also understood from the exchange they had witnessed that Xue Jingzhang’s skill was formidable – she was no mere incompetent easily defeated.
Back inside the city, Xue Jingzhang stood atop the city wall and watched as the enemy forces below fell into commotion, until finally signs of rout began to appear.
Xue Jingzhang smiled coldly. “The Wuliu tribe has finally come to their senses. Even with the general absent, daring to attack the city with such meager forces shows they have no idea how to stay alive. I truly wonder how they managed to reach the front camp.” She ordered her soldiers to shoot arrows down from the city walls, and after the Wuliu forces hastily retreated, she took the initiative to lead her troops out of the city in pursuit.
One side retreated while the other attacked. Although Xue Jingzhang was not counted among the Great Zhou’s foremost valiant generals, she was fond of leading from the front. The Wuliu tribe lacked outstanding commanding talent, and the three thousand warriors they had sent to harass the front camp that day were utterly annihilated by her in a single battle.
Xue Jingzhang had reported the news to the rear front camp at the very first moment of the attack.
Anyi City was very close to the front camp, and the letter quickly reached the hands of a young man with handsome features and a bearing tinged with leisurely elegance. Standing in the main camp, he carefully studied the military map on the table.
This man was none other than Shi Zhuhe, who according to rumors was still en route to assume his post.
Shi Zhuhe and Song Nanlou had agreed that Shi Zhuhe would first travel lightly to the front camp, quietly complete the handover, after which Song Nanlou would depart with great fanfare, creating the impression that the front camp was left without a commanding general.
To deceive the watchful eyes of those with divided loyalties in the north, Song Nanlou’s departure was genuine.
True to expectations, once the front camp’s commander left his post, sentiments in the north immediately grew restless. Even border tribes like the Wuliu had actually dared to lead troops in an attack on the front camp.
Shi Zhuhe sighed softly. “Now that the Wuliu tribe has revealed their movements, there is still no word from the Yan clan.” He then ordered a message to be sent to Jianping, reporting the current situation.
He harbored some conjectures in his heart, but being cautious by nature, he did not voice them aloud.
“Instruct the military officers to be especially meticulous in their defensive arrangements these days. No unauthorized persons are to be allowed in or out of the camp.”
Shi Zhuhe’s caution was not in vain. Approximately five days later, the front camp received news: the Yan clan, leading border troops from Dingyi under the pretext of pursuing the Wuliu enemy forces, had arrived in the area and requested entry into the city for supplies, citing fatigue from the journey.
For the Yan clan, the front camp currently had no chief officer, and ordinary officers would not dare to slight their family. Subsequent developments unfolded just as anticipated – after the name card was presented, the garrison here immediately opened the city gates and allowed over a thousand vanguard troops to enter.
The young Yan clan member was leading his troops forward when he suddenly noticed something amiss in the surrounding sounds, resembling the grating friction of stone against rope. Looking up to glance around, to his horror he saw the city gates at every entrance being lowered – to facilitate defense against external enemies, the front camp’s gates had all been constructed as barbican structures. Once the passageways were blocked, they would be trapped inside a confined square space.
To lull the enemy into complacency, not all of the Yan clan’s forces had been brought here, but rather a small elite unit tasked with seizing control of the camp – precisely the kind that could be swallowed whole in one go.
Realizing the danger, the young man shouted loudly, “I am from the Yan clan of Dingyi! Do you dare to act this way without fear of future retaliation from my family?!”
As his words faded, he heard a voice from above. “Since you are from the Yan clan of Dingyi, do you not know that border troops entering any of the five main camps without imperial decree, bearing arms, constitutes the great crime of rebellion?!”
The young man looked up, his pupils suddenly contracting as he froze in place -suspended in midair, a banner embroidered with the character “Shi” fluttered, appearing there at some unknown moment.
At the beginning of the fifth year of Zhaoming, Wen Yanran, who had just ended her new year holiday and thrown herself into the new year’s work, saw a freshly displayed war message –
[System:
[Campaign][Battle of the Front Camp] Victory.]
Wen Yanran: “???”
A trace of bewilderment appeared in the Great Zhou Emperor’s eyes – had she even started a war with anyone? How had she suddenly won?
