Late Tang Dynasty: Descendants of the Imperial Clan

Zheng Tian suddenly turned to Sun Chu, his eyes slightly bloodshot:

"The result was that most of the troops in the three towns were routed, and more than 10,000 soldiers were lost in Chang'an. Jingzhi, Cheng, and Qiu were besieged in the western suburbs, their fate unknown! How could I, as the commander-in-chief, have been in this position!"

When he got excited, he coughed violently again, coughing so hard that he curled up and his face turned bright red.

Sun Chu hurriedly stepped forward to pat his back, and the military doctor panicked and went to get the silver needles.

Zheng Tian waved his hand, stopping them.

He leaned against the pillow, closed his eyes, and breathed heavily for a while before gradually calming down.

"alright."

His voice had regained its composure; though still weak, it had regained some of its former decisiveness.

"Crying and wailing, regret and self-blame will not save Jingzhi, nor will it save the besieged soldiers. The most important thing right now is to quickly mobilize troops."

He propped himself up and sat up, and Sun Chu quickly placed a pillow behind him.

Zheng Tian gasped for breath, his face still ashen, but his eyes had regained some clarity.

"Bring me the map."

He said in a hoarse voice.

The military officer standing to the side hesitated for a moment and looked at Sun Chu.

Sun Chu knew his old minister's temperament; once he made up his mind, nothing could change it. He could only sigh, turn around, take the map from the table, and spread it out in front of Zheng Tian.

Zheng Tian's gaze swept quickly across the map, and each time it stopped, a name was uttered from his lips.

"Tuoba Sigong... Li Xiaochang..."

His finger pointed at the martial arts technique.

"The troops from these two towns are at Wugong. Order these two men to immediately advance eastward along the Wei River to reinforce Chang'an!"

Sun Chu quickly took notes.

Zheng Tian's finger moved eastward again:

"Wang Chongrong... Zhuge Shuang..."

He paused, his brow furrowed, and after a moment of contemplation, he slowly spoke.

"I am not familiar with these two people."

Upon hearing this, Sun Chu raised his head, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

Zheng Tian knew what he was thinking, shook his head, and said:

"It's not that I don't trust them. It's just... as you saw last year, when Huang Chao broke through Tongguan, Wang Chongrong held his troops back and watched the winds blow. When Huang Chao entered Chang'an, he was the first to submit a memorial to surrender. Later, when Huang Chao's demands for taxes became too excessive, he turned his back on him, killed the messenger, and returned to the court. He surrendered and then rebelled, rebelled and then surrendered again. This shows how fickle he is."

He paused, then said:

"Zhuge Shuang is just so-so. When Huang Chao entered Chang'an, he submitted a memorial to surrender, but now that he sees the allied forces are powerful, he has turned against them again. Such a person can be an asset if used well, but a hidden danger if used poorly. The reason they have sent troops now is because they see that Huang Chao is about to be defeated. If the war becomes stalemate, will they retreat again? Will they turn against Huang Chao and launch a counterattack?"

Sun Chu remained silent.

Having followed Zheng Tian for many years, he naturally knew how accurate the old prime minister was at judging people.

People like Wang Chongrong and Zhuge Shuang are certainly not people you can entrust your future to.

"Therefore, I must write them a letter."

Zheng Tian's voice turned somber.

"Let them know that the court has not forgotten them, nor has the emperor. We must urge them not to hesitate any longer and to quickly advance their troops to attack the rebels."

The letter also emphasized that Huang Chao was already at his last gasp, and that launching an attack now would be the greatest achievement. If they hesitated any longer and someone else took the credit, they would gain nothing.

As he spoke, he reached for the pen, but his fingers were still trembling slightly. He gripped the pen several times before he could hold it firmly.

Seeing this, Sun Chu whispered:

"General, you are not fully recovered yet, this letter... perhaps I should write it for you?"

Zheng Tian shook his head and said:

"I wrote it myself. Only when they saw my handwriting did they realize the weight of this letter."

He took a deep breath, dipped his pen in ink, spread out a blank document, hesitated for a moment, and then began to write.

Although the handwriting was not as vigorous as usual, it was still neat and tidy, with each stroke precise and clear.

When he got to the crucial parts of the writing, his breathing became rapid, and he had to stop and rest until his breathing calmed down before continuing to write.

Sun Chu stood to the side, watching his graying temples tremble slightly in the candlelight, watching his hand holding the pen tremble from time to time, yet he gritted his teeth and refused to put the pen down. He felt a mix of emotions, and his eyes even started to sting.

In about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, both letters were finished.

Zheng Tian put down his pen, blew the ink off the letter, folded it, put it into two envelopes, affixed his seal, and handed it to Sun Chu, saying:

"Given their marching speed, they should have already reached the vicinity of Xinfeng by the time your letter arrives. Send out fast horses, traveling day and night, without delay."

Sun Chu took the letter and was about to turn around and go out to make arrangements.

Zheng Tian looked at him again and said:

"Go to Wugong's place yourself. Tell Tuoba Sigong and Li Xiaochang that Li, Cheng, Qiu, and Tang are besieged in the western suburbs of Chang'an and are in imminent danger. Order them to immediately send troops eastward along the Wei River, without waiting for my command. If they hesitate any longer... alas, if they can save the four, the credit will go to them!"

Sun Chu clasped his hands in agreement and hurried out.

The tent finally fell silent.

Zheng Tian leaned against the couch, his eyes closed, his chest still rising and falling slightly.

His face remained ashen, his forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, his lips were chapped and peeling, and he looked as if he had aged ten years.

The medic brought the medicine, which he took and drank sip by sip. He handed the empty bowl back, not complaining about the bitterness. He simply closed his eyes and leaned against the pillow, remaining motionless.

There was a long silence in the tent.

The candlelight flickered, casting his shadow on the curtain wall, long and thin, all alone.

The medical staff stayed by the bedside, not daring to leave.

Looking at Zheng Tian's aged and weary face, he felt an indescribable pang of sorrow.

This old gentleman, having only recovered from paralysis a few months ago, has taken up the banner of the allied forces from all sides of the capital despite his ailing body.

The great victory at Longweipo, the military triumph over the city, and the unstoppable advance all the way to the gates of Chang'an were supposed to be an unparalleled achievement of recapturing the capital and welcoming back the emperor. However, overnight, the mission was thwarted.

He was not defeated by Huang Chao.

He was defeated by his own people.

They were defeated by those arrogant and unruly soldiers who lost control once they entered the city, by those rabble who forgot military discipline when they saw the benefits, and by the prevailing trend of regional separatism and disunity among the people.

The medical engineer sighed, turned up the candlelight on the table, and took a cloak from the shelf, gently covering Zheng Tian with it.

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

Meanwhile, Wang Chongrong and Zhuge Shuang, since raising troops in Hezhong and Heyang, have been advancing with unstoppable momentum.

Wang Chongrong decisively defeated Zhu Wen and Huang Ye, killing tens of thousands and gaining widespread fame.

Not to be outdone, Zhuge Shuang raised an army and set his sights on Guanzhong.

The two joined forces, claiming to have 100,000 men, and marched westward along the Wei River. Wherever they went, the rebel army surrendered at the mere sight of them.

On this day, the army arrived in Weinan.

Weinan is the eastern gateway to Chang'an. Although the city is not large, its location is extremely important.

The city's garrison numbered only two thousand. When they saw the Tang army's banners obscuring the sun as they approached, how could they dare to resist?

The city gates were wide open, and officials led a crowd out to greet them, presenting them with official seals and maps.

Wang Chongrong and Zhuge Shuang acquired this important town without losing a single soldier, which naturally pleased them.

That night, the two men stayed in Weinan County, where they rewarded their troops and rested for the night in preparation for continuing their westward advance the next day.

The next morning, Wang Chongrong was having breakfast in the county government office when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps below. A scout strode in, his face full of excitement, knelt on one knee, and loudly proclaimed:

"Great news, General! Victory in Chang'an! The troops of Cheng Zongchu, Tang Hongfu, Qiu Gongyu, Wang Chucun, and Li Cenji, the acting governor of Fengxiang, have recaptured the capital yesterday, and Huang Chao has abandoned the city and fled east!"

Wang Chongrong slammed his chopsticks down on the table, abruptly stood up, and stared wide-eyed as he said:

"What? Chang'an has been recaptured?"

"Absolutely true!"

That scout path,

"I personally witnessed that the banners on the walls of Chang'an have been changed to Tang army flags, and Tang troops are guarding both Yanqiu Gate and Kaiyuan Gate. The people of the city are bringing food and drink, and lining the streets to welcome the royal army!"

Wang Chongrong was stunned for a long time, his expression changing from astonishment to annoyance, and then from annoyance to resentment.

He slammed his hand on the table, making the dishes jump, and cursed:

"Damn it! I fought tooth and nail in the river, almost taking Zhu Wen's head. I thought the credit for entering Chang'an would be ours, but those guys beat me to it!"

Just then, Zhuge Shuang also received the news and rushed over.

This man was about fifty years old, with a dark complexion and short beard. His triangular eyes gleamed with shrewdness. Upon seeing Wang Chongrong, he cupped his hands and said:

"Wang Shuai, have you heard the news?"

"I've heard about it!"

Wang Chongrong said irritably.

"The officials of the western and northern regions, and Wang Chucun, have already entered Chang'an. We're too late!"

Zhuge Shuang was more composed than Wang Chongrong, but he stroked his beard and sighed:

"What a pity. We fought our way from Heyang, traveling day and night, hoping to get ahead, but we were still too slow."

Wang Chongrong snorted, paced back and forth in the hall a few times, then suddenly stopped and said:

"So be it, we've already entered, what else can we do? Tomorrow we'll speed up the march and get to Chang'an as soon as possible. We can't afford to be left without even a sip of soup."

Zhuge Shuang nodded in agreement, and the two discussed the military matters for the next day for a few more minutes before parting ways.

Unexpectedly, the situation changed drastically as night fell.

Wang Chongrong was drinking with several close generals in the hall to relieve his boredom when he suddenly heard the rapid sound of horses' hooves outside. Immediately afterwards, a scout stumbled in, his face pale and his voice distorted:

"General! General! Something terrible has happened! Huang Chao has returned to Chang'an!"

Wang Chongrong smashed his wine cup on the ground with a clatter, splashing wine all over himself, but he was completely oblivious, and shouted sternly:

"Explain it to me in detail!"

The scout, panting heavily, said:

"Yesterday, Huang Chao abandoned the city and fled east. Halfway there, he heard that Tang troops were looting in various wards of Chang'an, leaving the city defenses weak, so he turned back. The troops of the various garrisons were caught off guard and were routed by the rebels, suffering heavy losses! Only the troops of Fengxiang, who were encamped in the western suburbs of Chang'an, suffered no losses. Now, Cheng, Qiu, Wang, and Li are besieged in the Fengxiang camp in the western suburbs, and Chang'an has fallen again!"

The hall was deathly silent.

Wang Chongrong's expression gradually calmed down, showing neither joy nor sorrow. He paced back and forth in the hall, and finally sent someone to invite Zhuge Shuang first.

Zhuge Shuang arrived shortly afterward. After hearing the scout's account of the entire incident, he was also deeply shocked, and it took him a long time to finally manage to squeeze out a single sentence:

"Looting? Looting! Damn it, are those guys idiots? Instead of setting up defenses after entering Chang'an, they went to loot first? They deserve to be surrounded!"

After they finished hurling insults, the two looked at each other and saw the same thing in each other's eyes:

The situation has reversed.

Yesterday, the Tang army had recaptured the capital and Huang Chao had fled eastward in panic. Overnight, however, the situation turned into a dead end, with the Tang army trapped and the rebels reoccupying Chang'an.

The changes were so rapid that they caught everyone off guard.

"sit."

Wang Chongrong pointed to the chair opposite him and plopped down on it first.

Zhuge Shuang didn't stand on ceremony and sat down opposite him.

The hall was quiet for a moment, with only the soft crackling of the candlelight.

Zhuge Shuang spoke first, his voice very low:

"Commander Wang, what's your view on the current situation?"

Wang Chongrong did not answer immediately.

He picked up the wine pot on the table, poured himself a cup, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. He wiped his mouth and said:

"Let me be frank: no matter how the situation changes, I am determined to defeat Huang Chao. This man is fickle, cruel, and inhumane. Every day he occupies Chang'an, the people of Guanzhong suffer another day. Although I am not a saint, I know how to write the words 'loyalty' and 'righteousness'."

Zhuge Shuang nodded, looking as if he deeply agreed:

"That's what I mean too. I surrendered to Huang Chao out of necessity; later I turned against him and returned to the Tang Dynasty because my heart was with the Tang. Now that we have raised the banner of righteousness, there is no reason for us to give up halfway."

After saying this, both of them slightly twitched the corners of their mouths, looking at each other with a half-smile, but said nothing.

Having said that, they already had a plan in mind, and Zheng Tian suspected they were being indecisive, but he was mistaken:

Huang Chao's ship has already leaked.

Shang Rang died, and the 50,000-strong army was gone; Zhu Wen and Huang Ye were defeated, and the 50,000-strong army was gone again.

How many soldiers does he have left?

At most, it's only thirty to fifty thousand, and they're all easily frightened.

And what about the Tang army?

In western Beijing, Zheng Tian was in charge; in eastern Beijing, there were two towns.

Huang Chao was surrounded on all sides, his food supplies were running out, and his morale was low. How long could he hold out?

Wang Chongrong stood up, walked to the map, pointed to the location of Chang'an, and then drew a line westward, saying:

"It's only a hundred or so li from Weinan to Chang'an. We'll break camp before dawn tomorrow and travel day and night. We'll be at the gates of Chang'an within two days. Once we arrive, there's no need to rush to attack the city. First, send someone to contact the besieged towns west of the city. We'll launch a pincer attack from both inside and outside, catching them off guard."

Zhuge Shuang also walked up to the map, studied it for a moment, and agreed with the plan.

The two immediately issued their orders:

Let's rest early tonight, prepare breakfast at dawn tomorrow, break camp at daybreak, and the whole army will march westward along the Wei River, traveling day and night, heading straight for Chang'an.

Before dawn the next day, the area outside Weinan City was already filled with shouts of people and neighing of horses.

Wang Chongrong and Zhuge Shuang each led their troops, broke camp and set up camp one after another, and marched westward in a grand procession along the official road on the south bank of the Wei River.

The vanguard consisted of Wang Chongrong's elite cavalry from Hezhong, while the rearguard consisted of Zhuge Shuang's infantry from Heyang. With supplies and provisions in between, the army stretched for more than ten miles, with banners obscuring the sun and billowing dust.

On this day, the army marched extremely fast.

Wang Chongrong personally led the vanguard, urging his soldiers to hurry on their way and not allow any delays.

As they passed through several villages and towns along the way, the people lined the road to welcome them upon seeing the Tang army's banners. Some offered water, others offered grain, but Wang Chongrong declined them all, only ordering his soldiers not to disturb the people and to speed up their advance.

By evening, the army had reached Xinfeng, which was only fifty or sixty li away from Chang'an.

Wang Chongrong ordered his men to set up camp, while sending scouts ahead to explore the area, and discussing the marching route for the next day with Zhuge Shuang.