Chapter 152: The opportunity in a Hopeless Situation
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The people of Jiyang City evacuated at the same time that Xiao Jue took over the city’s military command.
The orders given by the princess herself were not something the citizens would defy. Even if they had their doubts and concerns, the news of turmoil in the city would prompt them to leave temporarily for the safety of their families. Those who stayed behind were the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled, unable to move for various reasons and unwilling to endure the hardships of a journey; they would rather die in their hometown.
The most difficult to deal with were some of the prominent families in Jiyang City who had harbored resentment toward Mu Hongjin in recent years. Although Mu Hongjin was known for her firm and decisive actions despite being a woman, the crisis in Jiyang City was overwhelming, and Mu Hongjin appeared somewhat overwhelmed. This provided an opportunity for these influential families to take action and undermine her authority.
Mu Hongjin could not leave Jiyang City; her departure would not only give those who secretly opposed her a chance but also signify her abandonment of the city and its people. As the princess of Jiyang City, she had enjoyed the love and respect of the citizens, and in times like this, she had a responsibility to bear.
A discreetly disguised carriage departed from the gates of the royal palace.
Mu Hongjin, disguised as a maid, stood at the palace gate, with most of her body hidden behind a pillar. She watched the direction in which Mu Xiaolou left.
Mu Xiaolou was still unaware of the crisis in Jiyang City and believed that this departure was merely for the purpose of attending the birthday celebration of the prince, leaving in high spirits. She promised to bring a gift for Mu Hongjin upon her return and enjoy sweet ice cream when she came back, thinking that perhaps it would be summer then.
Only when she could no longer see the carriage in the distance did Mu Hongjin withdraw her gaze. Just as she was about to turn and step back into the palace, she caught a glimpse of a white-clothed figure standing on the opposite side of the street. The figure was hidden in the shade, and due to the glaring sunlight, Mu Hongjin couldn’t discern their face, but she could see a long sword hanging from the figure’s waist and a zither on their back.
Despite the bustling streets and crowded pedestrians, the person seemed to be looking at her from across the street, yet it also seemed as if they hadn’t noticed her.
A horse-drawn cart carrying goods slowly passed by.
When Mu Hongjin looked back again, there was only a blinding reflection from the sun, and on the other side of the street, there was no trace of the person. It was as if what she had seen just now was her imagination.
She stood still for a moment and then walked away.
…
At night, the study in the Cui Mansion was still brightly lit. Large lanterns were placed in all corners, illuminating the room. Cui Yuezhi’s study was more like an armory than a scholarly space. It was plain, square, and orderly, with little to no elegance. Besides the scrolls scattered haphazardly on the desk and the black wooden bookshelves, there was no sign of refinement.
Cui Yuezhi was not someone who enjoyed reading.
A large map was hung on the wall, taking up half of the space. It depicted a river with swirls and rocks near it, all marked clearly.
Over a dozen men sat in the room, all of them martial men similar to Cui Yuezhi. They were his colleagues and subordinates, and if the Wutuo people entered the city, these men would serve as deputy commanders of the Jiyang City forces, assisting Xiao Jue in his actions.
He Yan and Xiao Jue sat on one side, while Fei Nu and Chiwu stood with their arms folded behind them. Cui Yuezhi held a charcoal pencil and circled a conspicuous spot on the map.
“The canal is the most suitable place for landing,” Cui Yuezhi pointed to a spot on the map, “if we disembark here, the two armies will engage right here. This location is flat and suitable for the formation of the Jiyang City troops. However…” He glanced at Xiao Jue with some trepidation, “we don’t have enough troops.”
Jiyang City wouldn’t have many troops to begin with, and Emperor Wenxuan would not allow it. Many provincial princes and military generals had to disband their forces to protect themselves in the past, including Mu Hongjin, who had only been allowed to keep the Jiyang City troops numbering less than 20,000 due to the emperor’s special favor.
With only 20,000 troops, they will not have enough strength to incite a rebellion, nor would they be able to create significant waves. However, when facing the Wutuo people, who might have tens of thousands of fierce warriors, they had insufficient confidence. Cui Yuezhi also understood this; it was like trying to cook a meal without rice—no matter how skilled General Fengyun is, what could he do with nothing to use? His face?
“It’s not a matter of insufficient troops,” Xiao Jue’s gaze fell on the map as he spoke softly, “it’s a matter of not having enough ships.”
“Ships?” One of Cui Yuezhi’s subordinates looked at him, puzzled. Don’t blame them; Jiyang City had been peaceful for so many years. Except for Cui Yuezhi and a few others, most of those who were a bit younger had never seen a real battlefield.
Xiao Jue tapped the teacup in front of him with his finger and continued, “You explain.”
He Yan: “Me?”
Cui Yuezhi and the others turned their attention to He Yan.
He Yan had already returned to her female attire. The events that took place at the martial arts arena today had reached the ears of those in the room. But in the eyes of those men, who believed that men were naturally superior to women in military matters, they might have thought it was just a case of an extraordinary female subordinate who could do little more than protect her lord and perhaps kill a few enemies on the battlefield.
Strategizing, analyzing war reports—these were tasks that ordinary people wouldn’t be able to handle. Besides, most men believed that they were naturally more skilled in military matters than women. Thus, they viewed Xiao Jue’s decision with some skepticism, believing that the rumors about General Fengyun being cold and uninterested in women were untrue, and now he was blindly indulging his “close” female subordinate.
For quite a while, the looks they cast toward Xiao Jue resembled those of people watching a fallen monarch who had been bewitched by a seductive imperial concubine.
Over the years, He Yan had seen this look of disdain from men toward women countless times. She was determined to show these people the errors of their thinking. After some consideration, she decided not to decline and stood up, wearing a warm smile as she walked over to the map.
Cui Yuezhi returned to his seat, and the others all fixed their eyes on He Yan, as if they were waiting to see what nonsense she would come up with.
Without even looking at the map, He Yan faced the others and said, “All of that is not important.”
The others didn’t understand.
“In naval warfare, there’s no secret. Big ships beat small ships, big guns beat small guns, and numerous ships beat few ships. Numerous guns beat few guns; it’s that simple.”
“You have small ships and small guns, and few ships and few guns. No matter where you land or how you arrange your formations, it’s not the most important thing. Apart from the royal army, the Great Wei Empire prohibits firearms. It’s all about ships. If the Wutuo people have enough ships, they will win.”
“To fight a battle with fewer troops against more, you need ships.”
“On water, they have more ships, on land, they have more people. This map is not suitable for our use at all.”
Although the people in the room hadn’t fought in years, they weren’t fools. Whether He Yan was making it up or not, they knew it. Her words struck at the heart of the problem, and some of their skepticism dissipated.
“Miss He,” Cui Yuezhi said, “you must also know that for these years, the emperor has banned the private maintenance of armies and navy, not to mention firearms. The ships on the canal are mainly used for transporting goods or for passenger travel. Jiyang City cannot risk building its own navy, and it’s even more impossible to use firearms.”
He Yan sighed inwardly; she knew all of this very well. After all, the previous dynasty had seen a series of revolts by provincial princes, and after Emperor Wenxuan ascended to the throne, he had taken particular measures to reduce the power of the provincial princes. Now, the several prominent provincial princes had very little real power left in Shuojing City.
“May I ask, Commander Xiao,” one of Cui Yuezhi’s subordinates looked at Xiao Jue, inquiring cautiously, “in a conservative estimate, how many troops do the Wutuo people have?”
Xiao Jue replied, “Around a hundred thousand, give or take.”
The crowd sucked in a cold breath.
The discrepancy in troop strength was significant, making it difficult to imagine any hope.
“The citizens of the city have already been evacuated per Her Highness’s orders, leaving through the city gates behind.” One of the deputy commanders spoke in a dry voice, “We… can try to delay as long as possible.”
Their words indicated that everyone was prepared to make sacrifices. The evacuated citizens and the young princess represented a spark of hope. All they could do was to buy some extra time for the citizens; the fall of the city was only a matter of time.
Xiao Jue scanned the crowd with a calm and indifferent gaze, sitting up a little straighter, about to speak. Suddenly, a woman’s clear voice rang out.
“With morale as low as it is, this is not a good sign. You need to understand that we have a formidable general here. Do you know what it means to be called a great general?”
The others were stunned.
“In a war that shouldn’t be lost, it won’t be lost, and in a war that can’t be won, there is still a chance to win. That’s what it means to be a great general.” He Yan raised an eyebrow. “When it seems certain that we’ll lose, a great general can find a breakthrough and turn the tide. With two great generals here, victory is certain. If we can’t win with this, it’s better not to show our faces.”
The people in the room didn’t know He Yan’s background, and they looked to Xiao Jue, thinking that his subordinates were going out of their way to praise him. They believed that even with such a hopelessly lost battle, they would firmly believe that Xiao Jue could turn the tables and win. How much did these men admire him to have such unwavering confidence in Xiao Jue’s ability?
Cui Yuezhi remained silent for a moment and asked Xiao Jue, “So, Commander Xiao, how should we turn the tide?”
The world didn’t know that in the previous battle, Xiao Jue had achieved victory against overwhelming odds with a smaller force. To outsiders, he had won the battle with 100,000 Nanfu soldiers against Guo City. But at the time, it was a battle in which they poured water into the city rather than defending it. Jiyang was a water city, and although it was still a water battle, the difference in terrain and conditions was considerable.
Xiao Jue leaned back in his chair, and his fingers gently rubbed against the tea lid. His beautiful eyes displayed a multitude of deep emotions as he said, “It’s your turn.”
He Yan frowned slightly.
Xiao Jue continued, “You’ve had encounters with the Wutuo people, and you understand their methods better than anyone else.”
Wutuo people were known for their brutal and straightforward methods, which was consistent with their overall style. After hiding for so many years and occasionally probing and harassing their adversaries, they were bound to make a grand appearance this time. They had been planning for a long time and had chosen Jiyang City for their campaign. It was certain that they would fight with a spectacular and overwhelming force.
He Yan said, “Water defeats fire; fire and water don’t mix. We should use fire to counter their attack.”
The room fell silent.
“Could you please explain that more clearly, Miss He?” Cui Yuezhi asked.
He treated He Yan with increasing respect, feeling that this girl was different from other women and very unlike Xiao Jue’s other subordinates. For instance, Fei Nu and Chiwu, who were also under Xiao Jue, obeyed only his orders and didn’t express their views as He Yan did. Although He Yan had always appeared to be very respectful toward Xiao Jue, if you looked closely, she didn’t resemble a subordinate in a superior and inferior relationship. Cui Yuezhi was a broad-minded person, and although he couldn’t tell if they were in love, he could feel that He Yan and Xiao Jue saw each other as equals.
If she were a man, she might have considered herself a friend and comrade-in-arms of Xiao Jue rather than a subordinate.
“The Wutuo ships could be quite large. They are unlikely to be like the small ships used by the Jiyang city’s army for transporting goods or people. The Wutuo people are far from the sea in their homeland, and it’s likely that they are not as familiar with water as the people of Jiyang city. I believe the most likely scenario is that they will use large ships to approach the outskirts of Jiyang city. They might land at the location indicated by Zhongqi earlier,” she pointed to the spot marked by Cui Yuezhi earlier. “If their ships are close to each other, we can use a fire attack. Once the fire spreads, the small boats from Jiyang city can quickly retreat, while the Wutuo people’s large ships won’t be able to escape. We can take the opportunity to eliminate the main Wutuo forces.”
Using a fire attack on water, this idea had never been tried before, and for a moment, everyone remained silent. But He Yan’s words brightened their spirits, and they felt an underlying excitement, pondering the feasibility of this plan.
“The Wutuo people have a much larger army than us, and they likely underestimate Jiyang city due to its years of peace. Their arrogance could be their downfall, and our advantage.”
When she spoke, her voice was soft but firm, clear and well-organized. She spoke with such confidence that it restored the hope of those who had previously believed the battle to be unwinnable.
Only… Cui Yuezhi looked at He Yan with suspicion. In such a short period of time, she had come up with a solution. Although it wasn’t flawless, it was a unique and direct way to pinpoint the key to victory or defeat. Can an ordinary woman really achieve this? Not to mention a woman, even a seasoned military general with years of experience might not react so quickly. After all, being a commander requires not only experience but also a bit of talent and unique insight. But how old did He Yan appear to be? He heard she’s only seventeen. A seventeen-year-old girl, and she’s already this capable?
If Xiao Jue’s subordinates were all this capable, then the Nine Banner Battalion must be hiding many talented individuals. Cui Yuezhi felt a faint chill in his heart.
“I’m just presenting this idea,” He Yan said. “Whether it can be implemented and how to implement it, I’m not sure.” He Yan knew she was saying more than she should, consciously passing the decision to Xiao Jue. “Whether this plan is feasible or not, it depends on the Commander’s decision.”
She could have kept her thoughts to herself, but taking every battle seriously was the responsibility of every leader. Moreover, Jiyang City was beautiful, and its people were warm and simple. She didn’t want this idyllic place to fall into Wutuo’s hands. After all, if the Wutuo people occupied Jiyang, they would only march north, and it would be the entire people of Great Wei who suffered.
She would continue to fight to the end.
Everyone looked at Xiao Jue, and his gaze passed over He Yan. He stood up and walked to He Yan’s side.
He Yan lowered her head, avoiding his thoughtful gaze, and returned to her place.
He picked up the charcoal pencil that Cui Yuezhi had put aside earlier, circled the new mark in front of Cui Yuezhi’s earlier mark, and made a completely new mark.
The new mark was in front of the old one, indicating a narrow exit on the shore of Jiyang City. This was where the canal met the river within Jiyang City, like the mouth of a gourd, narrow and pointed. Only by passing through this gourd-like passage could one reach the actual canal.
“Fire attack is feasible, and we can set up an ambush here. This path is narrow, and large ships cannot enter, but small boats can navigate through it.”
Cui Yuezhi’s eyes lit up, and Xiao Jue’s gaze was sharp. This place was perfect for laying an ambush.
“As for how to execute the fire attack,” Xiao Jue said, “it depends on the wind direction and the terrain.”
“The city has an observatory dedicated to observing the weather and wind direction!” one of the Jiyang soldiers said. “It’s usually used for scheduling the planting of crops in the farmlands.”
Another person hesitated and asked, “But what if the wind direction is opposite on that day?”
“Then the fire attack cannot be carried out,” Xiao Jue said. “After all, in war, it’s about timing, location, and people.”
He Yan thought to herself that this was true; all these elements were essential. Of course, Xiao Jue didn’t finish his sentence; if the wind direction was unfavorable, there would be other solutions.
However, in war, luck played a part, and if the heavens were not on your side, history had many examples of failed conquests. What they needed to do was minimize these uncertain possibilities.
The discussion about the water attack continued until late at night before everyone dispersed. The group had started off despondent and pessimistic, but thanks to He Yan’s “absurd” idea, they left with renewed energy and enthusiasm.
When they emerged, Lin Shuanghe noticed the change in their expressions from the beginning and asked in surprise, “What happened? What did you do in there, and why are they so happy?”
He Yan yawned and replied, “We just explained things logically and appealed to their emotions.”
Lin Shuanghe muttered, “It seemed like you had a lot of flower wine in there, the way they’re acting.”
He Yan: “…”
She said, “It’s getting late. I’ll go rest, and we can talk about any matters tomorrow.”
Lin Shuanghe nodded and said, “Sure.”
He Yan returned to her room. She had been correcting the formations of Jiyang City’s soldiers in the training yard during the day and discussing the maps at night, leaving her quite exhausted. After freshening up, when she came out, she saw Xiao Jue still sitting at the desk in the inner room, writing something.
Curious, He Yan approached and saw that he had obtained a smaller copy of the map that Cui Yuezhi had hung in the study earlier. He was comparing it to the copy of the Wutuo military defenses map that Chu Zhao had given to Mu Hongjin.
He was noting down the various aspects to consider for the fire attack, such as the number of ambushes at the bottleneck, wind direction on the planned day, and the arrangement of guards at the city gates and within the city. Given the limited number of Jiyang City’s troops, even deploying a single soldier required careful planning.
It was like a diligent housewife managing the household budget.
He Yan said, “Commander, aren’t you going to sleep?”
Xiao Jue didn’t lift his head and replied, “You go to sleep.”
He Yan sighed inwardly, thinking about how, during their youth, Xiao Jue had been the first in everything, relying on his innate talent to excel even while sleeping in class. However, maintaining that top position over the years wasn’t solely about talent. Back in her days with the Fuyue Army, she had gone through many nights staying awake during the late hours, watching the moon at midnight, in the early hours of the morning, and at the hour of the Tiger.
Thinking about this, she said, “Commander, let me help you.”
As she was speaking, there was a knock on the door from outside, and it was Liu Buwang, “Ah He, are you resting yet?”
It’s so late, and Liu Buwang is still coming to see her? He Yan and Xiao Jue exchanged a glance and she said, “Wait a moment, Master.”
She put on an outer garment, opened the door, and found Liu Buwang standing outside. He seemed to have just returned from the estate, as his clothes still bore the night’s cold dew. He Yan looked outside and said, “Come in.”
Liu Buwang entered and saw Xiao Jue. He nodded slightly in acknowledgment, showing his respect. His gaze fell on the scroll in front of Xiao Jue, and after a brief pause, he asked, “Do you have a plan for the upcoming battle in Jiyang?”
“Just a bit,” He Yan replied.
“What are the chances of victory?”
He Yan said, “At most, fifty percent.”
The best outcome would be a fifty-fifty chance.
Liu Buwang fell silent for a moment and then said, “The Wutuo people might move soon.”
Xiao Jue looked at him and asked, “What did Master Liu find out?”
“The Wutuo people I’ve been tracking have started moving in one direction. Some of them have gone outside the city, and others have disappeared. They have become aware of my presence, and even the evacuation of the citizens by Princess Mengjin couldn’t hide the news,” Liu Buwang said. “The Wutuo people’s ships haven’t arrived yet, so now is a race against time.”
“In the shortest possible time, it’s best for the Jiyang citizens to move as far away as possible, but there are civilians in the city who can’t leave,” Liu Buwang’s voice turned solemn.
He didn’t want the civilians to become the sacrificial lambs of the Wutuo people’s slaughter.
“Master,” He Yan asked, “You can divine and read omens. Have you foreseen whether we’ll win or lose this battle?”
“No answer.”
“No answer?”
In fact, many years ago, when Liu Buwang was still a young man, he had divined the fate of Jiyang City for the next few decades on the mountains. The divination revealed that decades later, there would be a great disaster in the city, with piled corpses and no survivors, not even chickens and dogs. This fate would extend to Great Wei as well, as the dynasty’s fortune would gradually wane. He had wanted to look further, but he happened to see Yunji Daoist break the tortoiseshell divination plate, scolding him, “The heavenly way is ever-changing, do you think you can truly perceive it?”
So, he left it unresolved.
Many things had happened afterward, and he knew that the world was unpredictable, and human efforts were small in comparison to the heavenly way. Liu Buwang had not divined for many years, but upon seeing He Yan and realizing the impending war and the malevolent Wutuo people, he couldn’t stay aloof. So he secretly divined an omen.
Divination, however, didn’t show the causes and the process, only the outcome. He remembered the result of the divination from many years ago, but after several decades, the omens were entirely different.
It was originally a dead end with no escape, and he still saw the same grim image, but this time, there were two blurry figures. These figures were radiant and seemed to possess boundless virtue, like two bright beams of golden light that illuminated the dark divination, turning it from a hopeless outcome into an “unknown.”
He couldn’t see the ending.
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