Late Tang Dynasty: Descendants of the Imperial Clan

Between Fengxiang and Chang'an lie three county towns: Guo County, Mei County, and Wugong County.

Guo County is not far east of Fengxiang. The Tang army left Fengxiang and crossed Guo County on the third day. Now Guo County is behind the Tang army camp west of Longweipo.

Wugong County is located west of Chang'an, within the capital region, and was already under Huang Chao's control.

The Tang army now only has Mei County ahead of them, which is still within the territory of Fengxiang, about twenty or thirty miles east of Longweipo.

It was already late at night when Li Cenji left Zheng Tian's tent.

In the dead of night, a fast horse galloped from the east along the official road, its hooves flying and crushing the thin frost on the road.

The rider, with a flag on his back and covered in dust, nearly fell as he dismounted at the camp gate.

The soldiers guarding the camp rushed forward to help him up, but the rider pushed him away, saying in a hoarse voice:

"Breaking news, Commander! Mei County... Mei County has fallen!"

When the news reached the central command tent, Zheng Tian had not yet rested.

The candlelight in the tent was still burning, and Sun Chu sat alone at his desk, writing and organizing military affairs by candlelight.

Wang Chu had already taken his leave, and Zheng Tian should have rested as well, but he remained seated behind his desk, repeatedly scrutinizing the plans for the deployment and arrangement of troops from various regions the following day.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps sounded outside the tent, followed by a low inquiry from the guards. Then, the tent flap was lifted, and a cold wind carried in a messenger covered in dust.

The messenger knelt on one knee, presenting a letter with both hands, his voice hoarse:

"General! Urgent report from Mei County!"

Zheng Tian took the letter, opened it, and read it.

Sun Chu also put down his pen, raised his head, and looked at the messenger's dusty face.

Zheng Tian glanced at the letter, his face expressionless, and simply handed it to Sun Chu, saying indifferently:

"Mei County has been lost."

Sun Chu took the letter, read it carefully, and his expression changed slightly.

The letter was written by the magistrate of Mei County, and the handwriting was messy, indicating that it was written in a hurry.

The letter stated that Shang Rang's vanguard had reached the walls of Mei County. After discussing with the county magistrate, the garrison commander concluded that the city's garrison consisted of only a few hundred soldiers, and the city walls were dilapidated and unable to withstand tens of thousands of rebel troops.

The two men remembered the instructions in Zheng Gong's secret letter, "If you find the city cannot be defended, you may act as you see fit," so they led their remaining troops to abandon the city and retreat westward. Mei County had already fallen into the hands of the rebel army.

"The defending troops fled without a fight?"

Sun Chu put the letter down, his brows furrowing.

"General, once Mei County falls, the enemy army can advance unimpeded. By tomorrow or at the latest the day after, their vanguard will reach Longwei Slope."

Zheng Tian nodded, his expression remaining calm. He simply picked up the tea that had long since gone cold and took a small sip.

Seeing his composure, Sun Chu felt somewhat relieved, but then, after a moment's thought, he couldn't help but sigh and say:

"But the people in Mei County... are likely to suffer. It's impossible for the rebel army to enter the city without taking anything. Although Huang Chao has repeatedly ordered that 'the people must not be disturbed, and those who disobey will be beheaded,' everyone knows very well what kind of people those rebels are. The tragedies that happened in Chang'an will probably be repeated in Mei County."

Zheng Tian put down his teacup without saying a word.

He lowered his head and looked at the map on the table.

Sun Chu noticed that although Zheng Tian's face was expressionless, his complexion was paler than before, a waxy white, as if all the color had been drained away by something.

He knew that Duke Zheng was not unmoved.

"Marshal..."

Sun Chu opened his mouth, wanting to say something comforting, but didn't know where to begin.

Zheng Tian raised his hand to stop him.

The hand was withered and pale, with slightly protruding veins on the back of the hand, but the fingertips were steady and firm, without the slightest tremor.

He placed his hand on the map, on Mei County, and remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking.

"A kind heart cannot command an army."

These four words, spoken softly and in a calm tone, sent a jolt through Sun Chu's heart.

Zheng Tian raised his head, his face still expressionless, but something was churning slightly in his old eyes.

His voice was hoarse yet steady, as if he were speaking to Sun Chu, or perhaps to himself:

"Shang Rang's army set out from Chang'an with 50,000 men, claiming to be 100,000. The Tang army has only about 40,000 men. If the Tang army sets off at full speed from Fengxiang, they can indeed enter Mei County before the rebels. The several hundred garrison soldiers in Mei County, plus the Tang army, relying on the city walls, might be able to hold out for a while. Registrar Sun, don't you think so?"

Sun Chu remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

With 40,000 troops against 50,000, and the city under defense, they might not win, but they were about 80% confident of holding Mei County.

"But if you hold on, then what?"

Zheng Tian asked a question, and then answered it himself.

"Then Shangrang could simply surround them without attacking."

He drew a circle on the map indicating the location of Mei County, and then slowly extended it outwards:

"He only needs to set up a joint camp outside the city, surrounding Mei County like an iron barrel, neither attacking the city nor retreating his troops. What is he waiting for? He is waiting for the east. Waiting for Huang Ye in the east to deal with Wang Chongrong and occupy Hezhong; waiting for Zhu Wen to free up his hands and advance westward along the Wei River to encircle our army's rear. At that time, Shang Rang and Zhu Wen can join forces, and Huang Chao will no longer have to worry about the east. He can then launch a full-scale attack with three armies."

He paused, his voice turning somber:

"Even if we manage to hold out for a while, how long will the city's food supplies last? How long will the city's arrows last? A besieged city, without food or reinforcements, is doomed sooner or later. If our Tang army is defeated then, Fengxiang and Longyou will be handed over to Huang Chao. The people of Mei County will suffer far more than just the people of Mei County."

He slowly withdrew his hand from the map and placed it on his knee. His hand remained steady, but it had somehow clenched into a fist, his knuckles turning bluish-white.

"So it's a good thing that Mei County couldn't be defended."

Zheng Tian said slowly,

"If Shang Rang takes Mei County, he will think that the Tang army is nothing special, and that our army is easily defeated and flees at the first sign of trouble. He will underestimate the enemy, be reckless, and rush towards Fengxiang impatiently. The more he underestimates the enemy, the easier it will be for him to walk into the trap of Longwei Slope."

He raised his head and looked at Sun Chu. The turmoil in his old eyes gradually subsided, turning into a deep darkness.

"As for the people of Mei County..."

He was silent for a moment, then his voice became even hoarseer.

"Once Shang Rang is defeated, I will risk my old bones to petition the Emperor for a decree to exempt Mei County from taxes, open the granaries, and provide relief to the people. But right now, all I can do is win this battle. Only by winning will the suffering of the people of Mei County not have been in vain."

After hearing this, Sun Chu remained silent for a long time.

He had followed Zheng Tian for many years and knew the old prime minister's character well.

He was an official who truly cared about the people.

But now, he has to say the words "a merciful general cannot command an army" himself, and harden his heart to watch the people of Mei County suffer without being able to save them.

How could anyone else understand such torment?

Sun Chu stood up, straightened his robes, and solemnly bowed deeply to Zheng Tian, ​​saying:

"The General's painstaking efforts are evident to all. Although I am not talented, I am willing to follow the General and advance and retreat together."

Zheng Tian waved his hand without speaking, but lowered his head again and focused his gaze on the map, on the place marked with the three words "Longweibei".

The candlelight flickered in the tent, casting his long, solitary shadow on the tent wall.

-----------------

Shang Rang captured Mei County without bloodshed, becoming increasingly convinced that the Tang army was no match for him.

He rested for a night in Mei County, then divided his troops to guard the city with 2,000 men. He also sent a messenger to Chang'an to report the victory to Huang Chao, saying that the Tang army was terrified and that the army would soon be able to march straight to Fengxiang and capture Zheng Tian alive.

Before dawn the next day, Shang Rang issued a military order for the army to continue westward, heading straight for Fengxiang.

A massive army of 50,000 men marched out of the city gates of Mei County and headed west along the official road.

It was early March, and the Guanzhong Plain was still chilly. The willows by the roadside had just sprouted tender buds, and the winter wheat seedlings in the fields were trampled and bent over by horses' hooves. As far as the eye could see, the scene was desolate.

The army marched more than thirty li a day, and by evening they set up camp in a small place called Hengshui Town.

As the campfires were lit and wisps of smoke rose, soldiers from each camp gathered in twos and threes around the fires to cook and warm themselves.

Shang Rang's central command tent was set up on a slightly elevated mound outside the town. The tent was brightly lit, and a map was placed in the center, where several military staff officers were marking the day's marching distance and camp location.

A series of hurried footsteps sounded outside the tent, followed by the tent flap being lifted from the outside. A man clad in light armor strode in; it was none other than the White-Clad General of the army.

This man, named Liu Hong, was in his early forties. He had a dark complexion and an old arrow scar on his left cheek. He was an old soldier who had followed Shang Rang since the uprising in Caozhou. He had fought alongside Shang Rang for thousands of miles and was known for his calm and meticulous nature. He was Shang Rang's most trusted man.

Liu Hong knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist and said:

"Grand Commandant, the military reports from today's scouts have been compiled."

Shang Rang became interested and waved his hand:

Tell me about it.

Liu Hong stood up, walked to the map, and said:

"Today, our vanguard scouts encountered Tang scouts in several directions. Sporadic skirmishes began at dawn and became more frequent in the afternoon. Roughly estimated, our army lost no less than 150 scouts today."

He paused slightly at this point, waiting for Shang Rang to get angry.

Scouts are the most elite scouts in an army, and they are not easy to train. If a hundred or more scouts are lost in a single day, other generals would surely slam their fists on the table and curse them.

But when Liu Hong looked up at Shang Rang, he saw that the Grand Commandant not only did not look angry, but the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.

"One hundred and fifty riders?"

Shang Rang picked up the wine cup on the table, took a sip, and his eyes gleamed.

"In the past, we lost only a dozen or so riders a day, but today it's ten times that. Excellent, very excellent."

Liu Hong naturally knew what the Grand Commandant was pleased about.

Scouts are the hands and eyes of an army.

Reach out your hands and look ahead, to scout out the enemy's path and its strengths for the army.

The more Tang scouts and cavalry were dispatched and the fiercer the battles became, the more it proved one thing—their main force was not far ahead.

They were desperately trying to cover up their true intentions and prevent anyone from discovering their exact location.

But the more you try to cover it up, the more obvious it becomes.

Shang Rang lightly pressed his hand on the map and said:

"You shall mark out in detail all the locations where we clashed with the Tang scouts today."

Liu Hong responded, walked to the map, and took a vermilion pen from the military staff officer.

He first looked at the various skirmishes recorded in today's military newspaper, then bent down and marked them one by one on the map with ink.

At first, the ink dots were just a few scattered spots, but they became more and more dense as you went west. When you reached the due west direction of the official road, the ink dots almost merged into one.

He also marked several scattered points of conflict in the northwest and southwest before finally putting down his pen and taking a step back.

Shang Rang ignored the scattered ink dots on both sides and stared directly at the densest area.

He reached out and picked up an ink brush lying beside the map, and slowly drew a large circle around the dense ink dots.

The center of the circle is exactly to the west of the official road, about twenty miles from Hengshui Town.

If Li Cenji were here, upon seeing this ink circle, he would probably break out in a cold sweat on the spot.

Because the area circled in ink was precisely where Longwei Slope and the main camp of the Tang army were located.

Shang Rang threw the ink brush onto the table, put his hands on his hips, and stared intently at the ink circle he had drawn.

This is the experience of a veteran.

Based solely on the intensity and location of the skirmishes, it was as if a seasoned hunter, through the traces of a wild beast's bite and the messy hoofprints, could locate the den where his prey was hiding.

The direction that the Tang army scouts were desperately trying to intercept was precisely the direction that the main force of the Tang army least wanted the enemy to see.

The most intense clashes took place precisely where the Tang army's main force was located.

Shang Rang looked at it for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter:

"Pass down the order: at dawn tomorrow, the entire army will continue westward. The vanguard will send out many scouts; if they encounter Tang scouts, do not engage them, simply disperse them. I want to see the main Tang army's formation by noon tomorrow. Also, send an order to the rearguard to urge Commander Wang to ensure that the army's supply lines remain unobstructed and unbroken."

Liu Hong clasped his hands in response:

"Understood!" He turned and strode out of the tent.

Only Shang Rang remained in the tent.

He stood before the map with his hands behind his back, his gaze lingering on the ink circle for a long time. A cold smile appeared on his face as he muttered:

"The allied forces of the western capital... Cheng Zongchu, Tang Hongfu, Qiu Gongyu, Li Xiaochang, Tuoba Sigong... are nothing but scheming individuals. How dare they try to stop me? After this battle, western capital will belong to my Great Qi."

-----------------

The next day, before dawn, the sound of drums resounded outside Hengshui Town.

Shang Rang's army prepared food at dawn, and by the time it was just getting light, they had already broken camp and set up camp. More than 50,000 troops surged westward along the official road.

Before the morning mist had even dissipated, the official road was already packed with a dense crowd of people and horses.

This time, Shang Rang no longer concealed his movements or divided his troops for a roundabout route.

He was certain that the main force of the Tang army was in the Longweibei area, and like a tiger that had smelled blood, he pounced straight at his prey.

He dispatched all the scouts, spreading them out like a large net to the west, and ordered the vanguard to speed up their pace, giving them a deadline to reach the Tang army's front line before noon.

The army marched on, raising clouds of dust that blotted out the sun.

The procession of 50,000 people stretched along the official road like a giant black python, its beginning and end nowhere in sight.

Colorful flags fluttered in the morning breeze, and the glint of weapons made people dizzy.

Infantrymen carrying spears and halberds walked in the middle, cavalrymen flanked them on both sides, and supply wagons creaked and groaned at the very back.

The sounds of horses' hooves, footsteps, the clatter of leaves, and the neighing of mules and horses merged into a deep and powerful wave of sound, startling the birds in the roadside trees into fluttering flight.

Shang Rang rode a black horse at the head of the central army, surrounded by dozens of personal guards and generals.

He gazed at the dissipating morning mist ahead, a smug smile playing on his lips.