One of the military advisors who was also present at the strategy meeting said, “What the young generals have said is indeed reasonable. Yet, since Lujia City has such a large garrison, even if its soldiers are mediocre in skill, as long as they hold firm, how could the city possibly be indefensible?”
Chen Ming modestly replied, “I am merely a captain and dare not claim the title of general.” Then, she concurred with the advisor’s point. “Even if a man of mediocre talent defends a fortified city, he would not lose it. It’s not a matter of twenty thousand defending against two thousand – even if it were two thousand defending against twenty thousand, launching a direct assault would never succeed.”
The advisor grew even more perplexed. “In that case…”
Ren Feihong chuckled and asked, “But are they truly defending the city now?”
Hearing this, the advisor was taken aback and seemed to gain some insight.
Ren Feihong explained slowly, “In truth, the strategy we are employing now is no different from the one Her Majesty used to quell the Western Tribes back in the day.” She continued, “Lujia City’s forces are mostly composed of private troops and militias. While their numbers are vast, their elite soldiers are extremely limited. Gan Wei was right on one point: our troops are at least worth ten of theirs each.”
Half of the soldiers who accompanied Shi Zhuhe came from the front camp, and the other half from the imperial guards. They had been honed by the battlefields of Tai Province and were nothing like the local defenders of Lujia City.
Where Ren Feihong emphasized their strengths, Chen Ming began to outline their weaknesses. “It’s a pity that Lujia City has already fallen into enemy hands. All the military equipment and provisions in the city have been seized by the rebels. In terms of armor and weapons alone, they are no weaker than us.”
Ren Feihong remarked, “Lujia City is not a major city…” She suddenly smiled. “In your view, would the other cities in the east send their stored weapons and equipment here?”
Though Lujia City was not a major city, it lay precisely on the route from the front camp to Lankang Commandery, giving it considerable strategic value. If the rebels intended to seize control of the east and then aspire to conquer the realm, they would not easily abandon it.
Shi Zhuhe and Chen Ming obviously understood the value of Lujia City, yet at this moment, they both shook their heads.
Shi Zhuhe said, “The eastern forces have yet to gather in one place. Most of the commanders in various regions hail from local powerful clans and wealthy families. These individuals are absolutely unwilling to weaken themselves to aid others.”
Ren Feihong nodded. “Thus, although Lujia City holds military equipment, it would not exceed the normal limits of a single city.” She continued, “Moreover, although the disparity in troop numbers between the enemy and ourselves is vast, we possess our own unique advantages.
“While Lujia City’s soldiers are numerous, they are not united in one place.”
Ren Feihong was correct – at least on the surface. As it was not wartime, the Ge family’s “mountain bandits” naturally would not be stationed within the city. Meanwhile, the private soldiers of the Feng and Gan families, among others, were each stationed within their own fortified manors.
Ren Feihong said, “Moreover, we know their plans, but they are unaware of our intentions. They are already half a step behind in seizing the initiative.” He looked at Shi Zhuhe. “In General Shi’s view, what were the rebels’ original intentions?”
Shi Zhuhe replied, “First, to lure us into Lankang, then surround me, the commander of the Right Camp, and use me as bait to draw reinforcements.”
Ren Feihong continued, “If you had pursued the mountain bandits all the way into Lankang, where would you have stationed your troops?”
Shi Zhuhe smiled. “It would undoubtedly be Lujia City.”
Following the usual protocol, Shi Zhuhe would resupply some provisions in Lujia City while taking the opportunity to enter the city and establish rapport with the local clan leaders.
At that time, the commander and the soldiers would be separated. As long as the people in Lujia City managed to control Shi Zhuhe, the troops left outside the city would naturally be at their mercy.
Chen Ming glanced at Ren Feihong, thinking that this colleague’s approach was exceptionally meticulous – no wonder she enjoyed the Emperor’s trust. However, she did not realize that Ren Feihong had previously served as an imperial attendant in Jianping, often summoned by Wen Yanran to accompany her. Over time, his way of thinking had subtly absorbed some of the Emperor’s habits.
Ren Feihong said, “After the night raid, their original plan has been foiled. They underestimated General Shi so gravely that they likely will not devise another scheme to lure us in. Instead, they will resort to forceful coercion.”
Unrolling the map, Ren Feihong pointed at the roads marked on it. “If I were in their position, I would send troops to ambush behind the general, forcibly driving our camp’s soldiers into Lankang to encircle them. At this point, they are no longer worried about us resisting – they fear that we might retreat back to the front camp along the way or that our formation will be so disorganized that we scatter and flee upon first contact.”
After the previous failure of the night raid, the people in Lankang have formed a basic judgment of Shi Zhuhe and his group: individual soldiers so formidable that each is worth ten, yet a commander whose incompetence in leading is so profound that it deserves a dedicated section in the history books for criticism.
Chen Ming said, “So they will set up a pocket formation.”
Ren Feihong sneered. “Lujia City’s forces will deploy their troops to the rear and both flanks, leaving only an opening to the east. That way, we would have no choice but to flee toward Lankang.” She added, “If they intend to encircle us so thoroughly that not a drop of water can leak through, they would need to mobilize at least ten thousand elite troops, bypass our camp via small paths, and surround us from the rear.”
The advisor continued to voice his concerns. “But what about the small paths in this area…”
Shi Zhuhe replied, “Her Majesty sent us maps with all the roads clearly marked. I have been leading troops to scout the area these past few days to ensure there are no oversights.”
Ren Feihong smiled. “Once they have set up their ambush, the city’s defenses will naturally be weakened. We can turn the tables, shifting from passive to active, and devise a plan to trick them into opening the city gates…”
In the early morning, the faint chirping of birds echoed outside the camp.
Gan Wei was sound asleep in his tent. With the typical physique of a scholar, he lacked the necessary vigilance and did not wake even when someone barged into his tent.
The intruder was one of Shi Zhuhe’s personal guards. With practiced ease, he subdued Gan Wei’s attendants, then struck Gan Wei himself with a swift chop to the neck, knocking him unconscious. He dragged Gan Wei out of the tent and placed him on horseback.
At this moment, Shi Zhuhe and his companions had already donned their armor, armed themselves with swords and spears, and sat steadily atop their horses.
Within the main camp, aside from the elite soldiers loyal to the Emperor, there were also over a thousand surrendered troops. As a commander who outwardly appeared “incompetent at leading soldiers,” Shi Zhuhe had given these men ample time to sleep while diligently investigating which of them could be won over to his side. By now, nearly one-third of them were already under his command.
To fully embody his persona as a frivolous noble, Shi Zhuhe had made a habit of rising early each day to go hunting with his personal guards. Today was no exception, and it raised no suspicion among the others.
Shi Zhuhe glanced at Gan Wei, instructing his personal guards to keep a close watch on him, then led his cavalry charging out of the main camp. As for Ren Feihong, she commanded her own troops separately and was currently occupied with other important matters.
Approximately three miles behind the main camp, dense and endless rows of cavalry lay in ambush, led by Ge Yu, a direct descendant of the Ge clan of Lankang Commandery.
Under normal circumstances, they would never set up camp so close to the enemy. However, the young noble-born general on the opposing side was truly incompetent to the extreme. Ge Yu was convinced that even if he moved closer, the other side would remain completely unaware.
Without Ge Yu’s slightest awareness, Shi Zhuhe and his troops had already led their forces, charging all the way toward Lankang Commandery.
Their mounts were all fine horses selected from Jianping. To achieve surprise, Shi Zhuhe no longer spared the horses’ strength, pushing them to gallop at full speed the entire way. Upon reaching the foot of Lujia City’s walls, he ordered most of his troops to remove their armor and change into the attire of private soldiers from local clans. Then, they openly revealed their identities and commanded the defenders of Lujia City to open the city gates.
A personal guard stepped forward, holding Shi Zhuhe’s official seal, and shouted, “Our general is the Right Camp commander appointed by the imperial court. We encountered bandits assaulting our camp but were fortunately rescued en route by the Gan family’s private troops. Now we have come to Lujia City to seek aid.”
The city defense officer, also a member of the Ge clan, squinted as he observed from above. Although the other side’s arrival was faster than anticipated, their statement aligned perfectly with the plans he knew. Naturally, this was because General Shi was utterly incompetent and cowardly, fleeing in panic.
The personal guards around the other side numbered only about a hundred, and they all appeared exhausted and worn out. Those missing had either perished in the ambush or scattered along the way. With no other choice, General Shi had sought aid from the Gan family, escorted by their private troops to Lujia City.
A sense of condescending pity welled up in the city defense officer’s heart. Little did those below know that the Gan family had long been in league with them. They believed they had come here to seek assistance, but in reality, they were merely sheep walking into the tiger’s den.
The personal guard below shouted again, his tone tinged with impatience. “The mountain bandits are strong. If you delay and let military affairs be compromised, you will be held accountable!”
The city defense officer hastily agreed, understanding that it was not yet time to reveal the dagger hidden in the map. He had no choice but to continue the act, ordering the gates to be opened and allowing them entry. Chen Ming led the way on horseback, swaggering in with the personal guards.
Outwardly composed, she felt some nervousness inside – before taking action, the three of them had discussed the possibility of their strategy being seen through by the enemy.
At that time, Ren Feihong had comforted Chen Ming, saying, “Unless someone like Her Majesty is in charge of defending the city, it’s unlikely they will see through our plans.” She added, “But if the other side truly had a talent like Her Majesty, they wouldn’t have reached this point. It’s more likely a trap set to lure us in. In that case, Captain Chen, if you can secure the city gates while leading the vanguard, all will be well. If not, please have General Shi lead the remaining troops away and station them at the Feng family’s fortified manor that we captured.”
Chen Ming agreed without hesitation. In her heart, she knew that this plan required her to take on immense risk. Yet, just as Cui Xinjing had been willing to take risks as an envoy to Tai Province back then, if Chen Ming wanted to revitalize the Chen family and restore the Emperor’s trust in them, she had to be willing to risk her life to achieve merit.
Once they had entered the city without incident, Chen Ming, seated high on her horse, suddenly reined in and asked the city defense officer beside her, “May I ask your name?”
The city defense officer clasped his hands in salute. “Ge Qi of the Ge clan.”
Although he did not know who the other person was, judging by their attire, they were clearly an officer of rank. To show respect, Ge Qi lowered his head slightly as he saluted. However, he never had the chance to lift it again – in that instant, Chen Ming drew her longsword without hesitation, backhandedly slicing off the city defense officer’s head. Then, raising her silver spear, she shouted, “Follow me into the city!”
Lujia City’s elite troops had all been taken away, leaving the city’s defenses weak. Although archers were stationed on the walls, without the city defense officer’s command, how could they withstand the fierce and battle-hardened imperial guards who had stormed in? Chen Ming led the charge, wielding her sword at the front, flanked by personal guards for support. Like a tiger unleashed from its cage, she charged straight toward the city wall.
Blades flashed, arrows flew in chaos, and the sounds of slaughter merged into a cacophony. Both sides fought fiercely, locked in a desperate struggle. Having come this far, Chen Ming could not retreat even half a step. Her eyes were bloodshot, her hand gripping the sword was split open, and an arrow had pierced her shoulder, yet she fought on as if feeling no pain. Her gaze was fixed solely on the city wall – as long as she could seize control of the gates and let their forces enter the city, victory would be assured!
Outside, Shi Zhuhe saw the signal from within the city. With his command, the cavalry, disguised as private troops of local clans, retrieved their armor from their horses, put it back on, and charged in with a single, determined rush.
Shi Zhuhe was not rushing to aid Chen Ming. Although she had brought only a little over a hundred armored soldiers, each one was a brave and experienced warrior. His priority now was to seize the moment while Lujia City remained unprepared, pass through the city with his troops, and swiftly capture the other city gates. Otherwise, once the enemy became alert and set up barricades on the roads, their movements would be severely hindered.
The clan leader of the Gong family was sleeping soundly at home when she was urgently shaken awake by a trusted aide.
“Master! There’s trouble in the city!”
The Gong clan leader pushed open the window and looked out. Seeing smoke and fire rising from the eastern gate, she immediately sensed grave danger. She led her private soldiers out through the back gate, but as soon as she stepped outside, a glimpse from the corner of her eye caught an arrow streaking through the air with a cold glint. It struck her in the chest, causing her to let out a sharp cry before she tumbled from her horse to the ground.
The person who fired the arrow was Chen Ming. In truth, she had already taken control of the city wall but had quietly led a small force to circle around to the outside of the Gong family residence. Chen Ming was well aware that if these people believed the city had completely fallen, they would likely barricade themselves inside their mansions and refuse to come out. Thus, they had set fires only at the eastern gate, leaving the western gate untouched – all to lure the major clans in the city into taking action.
Chen Ming had expected them to send troops to seize the western gate or set up defensive barriers within the city. Unexpectedly, they merely intended to slip away unnoticed.
A nearby squad leader, seeing the Gong family leader dead on the ground, praised, “Captain, what a divine shot!”
Chen Ming smiled faintly. “How dare I claim it was divine? General Zhong of the imperial guards is the true divine archer of our time. If not for General Zhong’s exemplary leadership in training troops, how could we have so smoothly captured the city tower today?”
Half of the soldiers who had come with Shi Zhuhe had been transferred from the imperial guards. Zhong Zhiwei was, to them, their former commander. Hearing Chen Ming praise her now brought them more joy than if she had praised them directly.
