Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 17: Face to face argument
The atmosphere in the field was as solemn as water.

"Be bold!"

Song Wei's nephew, Song Xiangling, roared, "Wang Jian, who told you to speak to General Song like that?"

Wang Jian showed no fear, his posture still standing tall and straight like a mountain. Song Wei waved his hand and said, "Xiang Ling, Captain Wang Jian is a talented man. If he has something to say, just listen to him."

After hearing Song Wei speak, Song Xiangling didn't dare to say anything else.

The generals present suddenly remembered that in the battle not long ago when the army defeated Wang Xianzhi, it was this small captain Wang Jian who offered strategies and played a very significant role!
Wang Jian smiled, revealing two rows of excellent teeth. "Since the Marshal is willing to listen to me, please don't think I'm long-winded."

As he spoke, Wang Jian suddenly threw the soap-colored cloak he was wearing onto the ground, and then he took out a bamboo tube of bright yellow corn from somewhere and poured it on the cloak. The pouring rice grains flowed into the shape of rivers.

Wang Jian quickly piled clothes into a mountain and scattered rice into a river, creating a dramatic scene of the Songzhou battlefield beneath the tent. He then pulled a few leftover chicken bones from his pocket and, waving them around, brought the confrontation between the two armies and the impenetrable defense of Songzhou City to life.

"General Qi is trying to dig up the Beibian River, and the bandits are trying to stop him. The two armies are stuck here." Wang Jian pointed at the topographic map.

"If General Qi succeeds in digging the river, the bandits, skilled at escaping, will realize their situation is hopeless and flee in panic. Our army will pursue them and will be unable to annihilate them completely. Previous battles have proven this. Clearly, if our army were to launch a decisive battle at that time, it would be too late."

"Captain Wang Jian, since you say so, what good plan do you have?" Song Wei asked, stroking Wu Liu's long beard.

"The bandits advanced northward, entering the forest to prevent the Taining army from breaching the embankment. The dense forest was not conducive to chariot and cavalry attacks, and they were exhausted from fighting for many days. Despite this, General Qi had few troops and could not defeat the enemy in one fell swoop."

"If our army takes advantage of the fierce battle between the Chao Bandits and General Qi, selects elite troops, rushes in lightly, and surprises them from behind, then together with General Qi, we can hang the Chao Bandits' heads on the gate! Once the Chao Bandits are killed, the Zhi Bandits can also be eliminated in one fell swoop!"

Song Wei pursed his old, cracked lips, as if pondering Wang Jian's opinion. The tent was completely silent, waiting for their commander-in-chief to make a decision.

"Your plan is certainly sound, but our army is a coalition of several towns, and our command is not very strict. And the thief Wang Xianzhi's troops are also composed of many desperate warriors from the martial arts world. If the thief Wang waits for our elite troops to be fully deployed and then launches a surprise attack to destroy any of our camps, it will create a situation of reversing the pearl curtain, and the consequences will be unimaginable. The young man is indeed brave, but after all, the plan is a bit too risky..."

"What's more, the thieves are known for their cunning. If they learn of our movements and quickly withdraw, our army will be left empty-handed, with only a basket full of water to draw, and morale will be damaged. If the main camp is lost during the return journey, it will be a disaster for us. How can we compare to sitting back and watching the Diaoyutai, echoing General Qi from afar, and reaping the rewards of success?"

Hearing Song Wei's speech, "Heavenly Blade" Song Jue, accompanying military lieutenant Song Xiangling, and others nodded in approval. But before they could praise the commander's wisdom, Wang Jian spoke impatiently, "Jian naturally had a plan!"

"The enemy has already raided our camp several times with light cavalry, robbing our food and fodder, causing us great distress. We can take advantage of their tactic and create the illusion of food shortages, spread the word, and then march out with all our might to storm the Zhi bandit camp, but be careful to avoid casualties and only create the appearance of a fierce battle."

"The enemy will surely think we have too many soldiers and are short on food and fodder, and will therefore be anxious to defeat the enemy head-on. This will continue for two or three days. Then, when our army leaves camp, we will no longer march south to attack the Zhi bandit camp. Instead, we will rush east to the embankment of the Beibian River and join forces with General Qi to attack the Chao bandit, catching him unawares."

Wang Jian pointed at the picture on the ground and said, "Our elite troops will occupy these two or three high grounds and quickly erect arrow towers. This will prevent the Zhi bandits from following behind and rushing to support us, and also prevent them from making a surprise attack on our camp."

"And Wang, I would like to lead my troops to station on this mountain, forming a pincer attack with the main camp. If the Zhi bandits attack, I will set up an ambush and attack them as I did last time, annihilating the enemy without a single piece of armor left. General Song can personally lead the troops to kill the Chao bandits."

Wang Jian pointed and deduced on a map made of his cloak, moving chicken bones here and there to simulate a scene of war, as if a real battle had ignited. As he gestured, his eyes were filled with unspeakable excitement, as if he were the commander of this vast army, directing the troops.

But such arrogance that disregards others will naturally make many people unhappy.

"In this world, there are always some country boys who like to be smart." A sharp voice suddenly sounded.

Wang Jian cast his gaze slightly over there and saw a man with dark hair, white face, high nose and deep eyes. He was obviously of Western Hu descent. His eyes were extremely sharp, revealing an aura of dominance and tyranny.

This man's name was Ba Wuji, and he was a general from the Shen Ce Army, the imperial guards.

"Oh?" Wang Jian squinted his eyes and looked at Ba Wuji. "I am just being clever. If Mr. Ba has anything else to say, you can listen to it."

Ba Wuji gnashed his teeth, his eyes instantly becoming as sharp as knives as he glared at Wang Jian: "You bastard, you only offered a few inferior strategies. I, Ba Wuji, advise you not to be so arrogant!"

"If we follow your poor plan and lead our elite troops eastward through the forests of the Beibian River, Wang Xianzhi will be desperate and will fight to the death for his life. If our troops from several garrisons suffer heavy casualties, the cost of their compensation and burial will be enormous. Are you aware of this, considering the difficult state of our country and the shortage of taxes?"

Ba Wuji's eyes were sharp and fierce, like a wolf, and every word he said was heart-piercing. He pointed out that the reason Wang Jian offered suggestions was to gain merit and promotion for himself, but he would risk the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers from the three armies.

The three words "thief bastard" made Wang Jian's bronze face instantly show a few blue veins.

Born into a family of bakers, Wang Jian was a scoundrel in his youth, once stealing donkeys. Being the eighth child in the family, he earned the nickname "Thief Turtle." Ever since he was promoted to a higher position by Jiedushi Cui Anqian, this embarrassing childhood has become an unspeakable pain in Wang Jian's heart. If anyone brings it up to his face, Wang Jian might even draw his sword and fight to the death!

However, it was a great insult for Ba Wuji to shout the three words "thief bastard" in front of all the generals in the hall and in full view of everyone.

"Brother Wuji is right."

Along with the sound of clapping, another cold voice was heard.

The man who spoke had a handsome face, a full forehead, and well-proportioned features, evidently a rare handsome man. However, his cold, sinister eyes and subdued, eerie tone of voice gave him a chilling aura in every gesture.

This man's name was Xu Shenwei. He served in the Shen Ce Army and was appointed as the sixth-rank Zhenwei Colonel.

Xu Shenwei said, "Our army has suffered countless casualties throughout this campaign. Now that we can win without fighting, and let the enemy crumble on their own, why should Brother Wang Jian risk the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers for your own fame?" Wang Jian understood. A tree that stands out in the forest will inevitably be destroyed by the wind. His youthful and resourceful nature, coupled with his numerous brilliant strategies, inevitably aroused envy. Xu Shenwei and Ba Wuji, the two leading figures in the Shen Ce Army, had undoubtedly long resented his spotlight. Taking advantage of his offer, they joined forces and launched a fierce attack. It was more a premeditated act than a spur-of-the-moment impulse!

Ba Wuji's sneer rang out again: "A filthy 'thief bastard', a donkey-stealing boy, can only follow in his father's footsteps and cry to the wall. Why should he grumble in front of this hall full of warriors?"

Even someone as resolute as Wang Jian couldn't help but tremble slightly, and instantly his eyes blazed with murderous intent, clearly enraged to the extreme by Ba Wuji's provocation. All the generals turned their gazes to Wang Jian, waiting to see how he would retaliate, but Wang Jian took a breath, calmed his emotions, and said in a resounding voice:

"If inheriting one's father's legacy is everyone's duty, then we are all descendants of the Xuanyuan clan, and we could all become Yao and Shun! If the throne of a duke or king is not passed down to outsiders, the throne of the world's kings would be passed down for generations, and how could the events of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang escalate?"

These words were deafening, righteous, and resounding. Many officers in the tent also came from humble backgrounds and could not help but nod silently, feeling a sense of empathy.

But Wang Jian sighed again and scolded, "The descendants of beggars from Yangzhou are enjoying nobility and salary, while the descendants of horse bandits from Shuofang are actually getting official positions!"

This remark did not mention anyone by name, but not only did Ba Wuji's face turn purple in an instant, but Xu Shenwei, who always pretended to be calm, could not help but gnashed his teeth and glared.

The reason is simple. Before becoming successful, Ba Wuji's ancestor was a horse thief who was rampant in northern China, and Xu Shenwei's ancestor was born among the beggars in Yangzhou at the end of the Sui Dynasty!

Don't hit someone in the face, and don't expose their shortcomings when you insult them. Ba Wuji and Xu Shen attacked Wang Jian's family background and the embarrassing things he did when he was young, so Wang Jian retaliated by exposing their ancestors' background in public!
"How dare this country boy be so rude in public!" Xu Shenwei could no longer pretend and immediately bowed to Song Wei, saying, "Wang Jian has insulted our ancestors. Please, Marshal Song, help us both!"

The generals in the hall saw clearly that Ba Wuji and Xu Shen had been acting in concert, provoking Wang Jian beforehand, which was why Wang Jian had exposed them so thoroughly. Naturally, many of the officers, coming from humble backgrounds, sympathized with Wang Jian, but there were also those who were jealous of his military achievements and were already hostile to him. For a time, the army was divided into two factions.

Song Wei pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Ba Wuji, Xu Shenwei, your words were indeed somewhat careless. But insulting their ancestors is your fault, Wang Jian. Considering your previous contributions, you don't need to apologize to them. However, the strategy you proposed is not perfect. I will act after careful consideration and do not want to take risks lightly, so I will not adopt it. You may leave now."

These words seemed to be a slap on the wrist for both sides, but in fact, it was clear that they favored Xu Shenwei and Ba Wuji, and wanted to expel Wang Jian from the military meeting.

Wang Jian was stunned for a moment, then he sighed deeply, his sigh full of regret.

"I follow Commander Song's orders. But Commander Song, you know that Wang Xianzhi has been defeated repeatedly, yet he has become stronger and stronger, leading to the current situation that is out of control. Why is that?"

Before Song Wei could speak, Wang Jian continued, "Actually, I understand, General Song understands, and everyone here understands too! Who wouldn't be clear-eyed and yet dare not break that layer of window paper?"

"After each battle, the bandits, whenever they were at a disadvantage, would throw down valuables like gold, silver, pearls, and jade, leaving our troops to pick up. Not only did Wang Xianzhi use this to escape unscathed, but he also inspired our troops to harbor the enemy, turning our troops into a training ground for the bandits!"

"When the bandits first rose up, they had no military discipline at all. A single drumbeat and a single charge would scatter them. But today, they advance and retreat with a disciplined approach, equipped with gongs, drums, and flags. They are a far cry from even just two or three years ago."

"It's our army, however, that has become so bloated and fattened that they've lost all their courage and are no longer willing to fight a hard battle! Previously, I offered a plan to use the terrain of the mountains and rivers in Zhongmu County to ambush the bandits, which helped us achieve another lucky victory. Now that the two armies are facing each other head-on, it's no wonder that some people are so afraid of the enemy, still hoping to take advantage of the situation by following General Qi's footsteps!"

"Today, the army is mobilized for righteousness. To hesitate and not advance is to lose the hope of the world. I am ashamed of you all!"

Wang Jian said these words in anger. Not only Xu Shenwei and Ba Wuji, but Song Wei's expression also changed completely!

The reason why the Cao army's rebellion has spread to this day is closely related to the fact that he, the commander-in-chief, allowed the enemy to remain in his care and gain power.

Now Wang Jian is exposing his shortcomings in public, how can Song Wei not be angry?
"Marshal, this 'thief bastard' is so rude, please punish him by military law and behead him on the spot!" Song Wei's nephew Song Xiangling immediately spoke up!

Song Xiangling's younger brother, Song Xiangyu, took advantage of the situation and fanned the flames: "Why not kill this beast?"

The two burly guards had already rushed forward and held Wang Jian on the left and right.

Song Wei was furious, but he knew that Wang Jian must not be killed.

Not to mention Wang Jian's numerous contributions and achievements. Although he was only a small-scale general, his subordinates were all elite soldiers. He was a favorite general promoted by the Zhongwu Jiedushi Cui Anqian.

Crucially, the court had partially followed Zheng Ting's advice and appointed Cui Anqian as the commander-in-chief of the various provincial camps, effectively creating two anti-rebel generals to divide Song Wei's power! If Song Wei lost control and beheaded Wang Jian today, Cui Anqian would undoubtedly file a petition to impeach him, and Right Prime Minister Zheng Ting would likely attack him again!
Wang Jian showed no fear, his eyes blazing with fire: "You call me a thief, so I am a thief. Kill me if you want. What's there to be afraid of?"

"Some people say I only care about my own fame. Yes, for a humble man like me, Wang Jian, how could I not want fame and success? And some people, thanks to the legacy of their ancestors, are born into a life of luxury, never having to endure hunger or risk their lives to advance easily."

"Wang Jian doesn't shy away from fame and honor, but if he wants it, he's prepared to sacrifice his life! Nowadays, rebellions are constant, wars are endless, and the people are bleeding in the wilderness. I want the government troops to adopt a strategy that will solve the problem once and for all, regardless of the temporary losses. I want to defeat the enemy as soon as possible and prevent future troubles. What's wrong with that? I won't be like some people who are clearly afraid of the enemy like a tiger and are as timid as a mouse, but can only speak high-sounding, empty words!"

Song Wei could no longer bear it and shouted angrily, "Wang Jian, considering your past merits, I will forgive you once again. Come, get out! If you do it again, you will be punished by military law!"

Two ferocious guards in golden armor immediately impaled Wang Jian with their sharp painted halberds and drove him out of the tent.

After walking a long way from the general's tent and approaching his own army's camp, Wang Jian raised his arms and shook his fist angrily: "This is how the world is! The current situation is lamentable!"

When they returned to the camp, the old brothers were furious when they heard about what happened to Wang Jian. They sighed and advised Wang Jian to make plans early to avoid Song Wei's defeat and the ensuing disastrous defeat that would drag down everyone.

However, at the same time, outside the forest in the east, in the direction of the Beibian River, Huang Chao's army, which was locked in a stalemate with the Taining army, was, as Song Wei had hoped, caught in a bitter battle...

(End of this chapter)