Chapter 432
Chapter 432
During the last major battle on the border, the King had not slept for three or four days straight. This time, though he appeared to retire to his bedchamber each night, he did not sleep a wink. His face grew more haggard by the day, and his hair began to fall out in clumps. He had even prepared himself for the worst, rehearsing the words he would use to beg the King of Wu for forgiveness and deciding which commanderies he would cede. Had the worst come to pass, Ning Yuanxian would have had to live out the rest of his days with his reputation and dignity in tatters.
Ye Jun mouthed to an attendant.
“You keep watch. I need to get some sleep.”
The Grand Eunuch Ye Jun could no longer hold on. He was a truly loyal servant; when his master was anxious, he was even more so, and when his master was joyous, he was even more ecstatic. For some time now, Ye Jun had not slept at all. While Ning Yuanxian did not pray, Ye Jun prayed to the gods every day. And now that the news of victory had finally arrived, a wave of relief washed over him, and he could feel how weak his body had become. Overcome with joy, all the strength had drained from his limbs.
* * *
Inside the military camp of the State of Wu.
The young King of Wu, Wu Qi, paced slowly inside his command tent.
*Why hasn't the news arrived yet? The dispatch from Tianxi Province should be here by now.*
According to the last report from the Su Clan, Zhang Chong had fallen gravely ill, and the Su Clan had taken his son and grandson hostage. The battle in Tianxi Province should have been over by now. Urgent intelligence was relayed swiftly by a chain of riders, so the battle report should have arrived.
Wu Zhi said, “Your Majesty, please do not be anxious. The outcome is already decided, is it not?”
Grand Marshal Wu Zhi was the King of Wu’s uncle, concurrently serving as the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor and a Privy Councilor. Though he was, in fact, an old official of the conservative faction, as the king’s uncle, his heart naturally leaned toward his nephew. He disagreed with most of the King of Wu’s views and actions, but he stood firmly on his side. Hearing his uncle’s words, Wu Qi nodded.
*That’s right, the outcome is already decided. Zhang Chong will surely die, and Su Nan will sweep through Tianxi Province. This time, our State of Wu will finally avenge the humiliations of the past.*
“A report! An urgent dispatch!”
An urgent voice called from outside. The King of Wu shot up and rushed out of the tent. A warrior from Wu’s Blackwater Terrace ran up, knelt before Wu Qi, and said in a trembling voice, “Your Majesty, a dispatch from Raging Tide City!”
The King of Wu was taken aback.
*Not a dispatch from Tianxi Province? What’s so important about a report from Raging Tide City? Jin Shiying has already betrayed the Jin Clan, so Raging Tide City is as good as ours, isn't it?*
Such is human nature. Once something is considered to be in one’s grasp, it no longer brings joy. Only an unexpected delight feels like true joy. Su Nan conquering Tianxi Province and the State of Yue suffering a defeat in the west—that was the true joy the King of Wu desired. Still, good news was good news.
Accepting the missive, the King of Wu saw that it was adorned with three crow feathers. He frowned.
*Wu Mu is still too young. Taking Raging Tide City is significant, but to report something that was a near certainty with three crow feathers, as if it were a major crisis…*
When he opened the missive and read the first line, it said:
In that instant, the King of Wu froze as if struck by lightning, his hands trembling violently. The characters on the page seemed to squirm before his eyes, and he could no longer make out a single word.
*How did this happen? How could this be?*
The King of Wu had to squeeze his eyes shut to remain standing. He took a deep, shuddering breath before opening them again a moment later. Then, he read Wu Mu’s secret report to the end. It was written in painstaking detail, stretching for a thousand characters. Wu Mu concealed nothing about the events of the battle for Raging Tide City, confessing all of his own faults and even taking the blame for mistakes he had not made. Between the lines, the King of Wu could sense his cousin’s gut-wrenching anguish, a sorrow so deep that death would have been a mercy.
“Royal Uncle, look at this.”
The King of Wu handed the secret report to Grand Marshal Wu Zhi, then staggered slightly as he returned to his seat. Defeat in the battle for Raging Tide City. The strategy for Leizhou Commandery had failed. What a heavy price he would have to pay. Leading tens of thousands of troops south to the border of Yue was a feint, a diversion for the strategy to seize Raging Tide City—his first major strategic move since ascending the throne. And now, that very battle had ended in defeat.
“Jin Shiying, Jin Shiying…”
The King of Wu ground his teeth as he uttered the name.
*If it weren’t for Jin Shiying, would Wu have suffered such a catastrophic defeat? We used a honey trap, and you pretended to fall for it, only to turn our own scheme against us and hand our State of Wu such a devastating loss?*
They had lost eighteen thousand men out of a thirty-thousand-strong army. In truth, the numbers alone were not a crippling blow. More importantly, the opportunity to take Raging Tide City was now likely lost forever. Furthermore, the relationship between the State of Wu and the Hidden Yuan Society would immediately sour. With this defeat, the one million gold coins the Hidden Yuan Society had paid in advance for military expenses were as good as gone.
After reading the report, a chill ran down Wu Zhi’s spine, but as a seasoned old official, he knew he had to remain steadfast at this critical moment.
Wu Zhi said, “Your Majesty, you must rally yourself. We have not yet reached the worst-case scenario. A dispatch from Tianxi Province will arrive soon. Once Zhang Chong is dead and Su Nan has conquered Tianxi Province, Ning Yuanxian will surely come to us, seeking to negotiate a compromise. At that time, we can still seize territory equivalent to three commanderies. If we do, this campaign will still be a victory. Your Majesty, what is lost in the east can be recovered in the west!”
Upon hearing this, the King of Wu regained a bit of his spirit.
*That’s right, things haven't reached their worst. Our defeat at Raging Tide City is just a partial loss of potential gains and a few troops. In contrast, the State of Yue is facing national collapse, a fatal crisis. Our State of Wu has not lost yet. Once the outcome of the battle in Tianxi Province is known, Ning Yuanxian will undoubtedly come to us to compromise.*
The King of Wu straightened up and said, “Royal Uncle, let us continue to wait together! For the dispatch from Tianxi Province, and for the moment Ning Yuanxian comes to us, begging for forgiveness and demanding negotiations! I have not been defeated yet!”
Just then, the frantic sound of horse hooves echoed from outside.
“Urgent news, urgent news!”
The intelligence agent galloped right up to the King of Wu’s tent, practically tumbling from his warhorse, and scrambled inside.
“Your Majesty, the battle of the White Night Army is over. The Su Clan’s army has been utterly defeated, almost completely annihilated!”
The King of Wu heard a phantom clap of thunder in the sky once more.
“What? What did you just say?”
“Your Majesty, the main force of the Su Clan has been utterly defeated, almost completely annihilated.”
In an instant, the King of Wu’s eyes turned bloodshot, and every pore on his body seemed to fly open. He roared, “How is that possible? How could such a thing be possible? The secret report from the Su Clan clearly stated that Zhang Chong was gravely ill and on the verge of death! They even said they had abducted his son and grandson, that taking White Night City was a certainty! What in the world happened?”
The agent, catching his breath, replied hastily, “Shen Lang suddenly appeared from the rear with the Jiang Kingdom’s cavalry and ambushed the Su Clan’s army. The main force of the Su Clan was caught completely unprepared. In just half a day, the soldiers were routed and scattered, their army collapsing like a landslide.”
The King of Wu staggered violently.
*Shen Lang, it’s that man Shen Lang again!*
The strength drained from his legs, and he could no longer stand. He stumbled backward and collapsed into his chair.
*The two worst nightmares have both come true. I have suffered a complete and utter defeat.*
They had lost the battle for Raging Tide City, and Bianwu’s army was still wreaking havoc within the State of Wu. Meanwhile, Ning Yuanxian had achieved a great victory in Tianxi Province, wiping out Su Nan’s main force. It was a dazzling triumph. In a flash, Ning Yuanxian had ascended from hell to heaven, while he, Wu Qi, had plummeted from heaven into hell.
*How did it come to this? What have I done to deserve this from the heavens?*
Tears streamed down the King of Wu's face. Wu Qi could feel no warmth in his body, no sensation at all.
*What consequences will I face now? What will it take to make Bianwu withdraw his forces? What outrageous and humiliating demands will Ning Yuanxian make? Which commanderies will I have to cede to the State of Yue? I, Wu Qi, have brought shame upon my nation and compromised its sovereignty so soon after taking the throne.*
The King of Wu’s voice trembled as he spoke.
“Royal Uncle, I truly cannot do this. Am I unfit for the throne?”
Hearing this, Grand Marshal Wu Zhi immediately dropped to his knees and exclaimed loudly, “Your Majesty is a majestic and decisive monarch! If you are not fit to be king, then who in this world is qualified to be the King of Wu?”
Wu Qi asked, “Then why have I suffered such a great defeat so soon after my coronation?”
“Your Majesty, the outcome of some battles is known only to the heavens. Some rulers only grow more brilliant and wise after experiencing setbacks and trials. Your Majesty must not let this setback diminish your intelligence and sharp edge! A minister can afford to be moderate and conservative, but a monarch must possess grand ambitions. In the past, this old servant worried that Your Majesty’s edge was too sharp, that you were revealing too much of your blade to the world, so I advised you to be more conservative. But we ministers hope for a king who is sharp and enterprising. You must not become timid because of this one defeat.”
Wu Zhi crawled forward a few steps on his knees and said through tears, “This servant dares to speak a few more words. Although Wu Mu was defeated in this battle, he commanded his army quite well. He lost only because his opponent was too strong. Having gone through this trial, Wu Mu will soon become a renowned general of his generation. But if you, his pillar of support, become disheartened like this, the new faction in the court will instantly tear him down.
“Your Majesty, my King! I will speak even more frankly. In this contest against Ning Yuanxian, Your Majesty performed magnificently. Your only mistake was succumbing to the temptation of crushing Ning Yuanxian, forgetting your initial strategy, and continuously drawing troops from the western front to turn a feigned confrontation between two kings into a real one.
“That was an irrational move that left the western front vulnerable, allowing Bianwu to lead his cavalry deep into our heartland to pillage, kill, and burn. But after that, Your Majesty made the right judgment again. You did not send the thirty thousand troops drawn from the west to pursue Bianwu but instead brought them to our camp to exert immense pressure on Ning Yuanxian. Such an action is something only a brilliant monarch could do.
“Victory and defeat often depend on the will of heaven. Your Majesty must not blame yourself excessively, and certainly do not doubt yourself. Are you worried that the conservative old officials will strike back? Your Majesty, rest assured. As long as this old servant is here, if anyone dares so much as to glare at you, I will have their entire clan exterminated. You must pull yourself together. The upcoming negotiations with Ning Yuanxian depend entirely on you. No one in this world can take your place!”
Grand Marshal Wu Zhi’s words came from the heart and touched the King of Wu’s soul. Warmth slowly returned to his ice-cold body, and his chilled heart began to thaw. The will that had just scattered in disarray began to coalesce once more.
“Yes, I cannot fall! I am the King of Wu. Whatever the outcome, whatever the responsibility, I must bear it alone. Now I must negotiate with Ning Yuanxian. My battle is not over—it has just begun!”