RPAGF Chapter 1465 Righteous Soldiers
Chapter 1465 Righteous Soldiers
Chapter 1465 Righteous Soldiers
Qin Bo finally finished his impassioned speech about "winning both sides," and the hall fell silent for a moment.
Grand Marshal Feng remained noncommittal, simply stating:
“Yuan Xun’s plan is indeed… ingenious. Qin Xiao has had a long and arduous journey. Let us rest at the inn first. This matter concerns national policy. Allow me to discuss it in detail with the officials in the court before giving a reply.”
After some polite exchanges, Grand Marshal Feng ordered his men to escort Qin Bo out of the mansion.
As soon as Qin Bo's figure disappeared outside the mansion gate, the last trace of polite smile on Grand Marshal Feng's face vanished instantly.
He sat back down and picked up the letter, opening it.
Grand Marshal Feng Gongtai's Respect:
Ke bows deeply and prostrates himself.
In the Battle of Dongxing, thanks to the bravery of our soldiers and the blessings of Heaven, we were able to fulfill our mission, pursue the fleeing enemy, and pacify the Huai and Si rivers. This victory also honors your past contributions of supplying provisions and provisions; the alliance between Wu and Han is evident in this.
Now that the false Wei has lost its courage and retreated to Qing and Xu, this is precisely the time for our allies to unite as one and eliminate the traitors.
Looking at the situation of the world, Qiao County, located north of the Huai River, is like a brocade robe worn in the dark for Wu; Nanyang, situated in the strategic position of Jingzhou and Xiangyang, is like a sharp sword hidden in its sheath for Han.
If the two sides could be governed from different locations, Wu would gain geographical advantage and Han would have the opportunity to expand eastward. This would benefit both sides and surely be the will of Heaven.
You are a hero of our time, and surely you can see through the mystery here. If you grant my request, we can agree on a date to jointly attack Qing and Xu, and pacify the Central Plains. Time waits for no one, so I urge you to plan accordingly.
Ke bows again.
After reading it, Grand Marshal Feng chuckled lightly: "Time waits for no one; only you, sir, can plan for it?"
He handed the letter to Ah Chong beside him, and only after Ah Chong finished reading it did he ask:
What's your opinion on this?
Ah Chong quickly bowed and replied:
"My lord, I believe this is absolutely unacceptable!"
"Oh why?"
Because I saw you, sir, cursing Qin Bo's mother in front of him...
Ah Chong silently said to himself, then cleared his mind before speaking again:
“Nanyang is the foundation of Jingbei. It connects to Wuguan and Yaoguan in the west and can control Guanzhong. It can also reach Luoyang and Xuchang in the north by going out to Luyang.”
"If we cede the land to Eastern Wu, their navy will sail up the Han River and threaten our Hanzhong and Guanzhong hinterland, while their land forces will emerge from the Nanyang Basin, leaving our Central Plains wide open!"
"Qiao County is an important town for the puppet state of Wei, but for our great Han, it is just an isolated place in Huaibei. It is guarded by the heavy troops of Wei in Pengcheng in front and the covetous eyes of Wu in Huainan on the side."
"If the Great Han takes over, it will immediately be caught in a pincer movement between Wei and Wu, unable to move. At that time, Zhuge Ke will be able to attack or defend, while our Great Han will bear the pressure from Wei for him."
"This is not a land exchange; it is clearly an attempt to force the Han dynasty to relinquish its power and open its own gates."
Ah Chong finished speaking in one breath, then looked at his master, but saw that his master neither agreed nor disagreed, but simply stood up and said:
"Come with me to the study."
He led Feng Ling to the study, where they stood before a huge map of mountains and rivers.
Grand Marshal Feng picked up the whip from the table, its tip whistling through the air, and pointed precisely at the Jianghuai and Jingxiang regions.
"Do you know why Sun Quan has been attacking Hefei for decades, day after day, despite repeated defeats?"
"And why did he willingly bear the infamy of the world in his early years, committing the act of betraying the alliance and launching a sneak attack, in order to seize Jingzhou?"
The whip tip then struck the Jingzhou area heavily, making a crisp "snap" sound.
"The root cause lies in the fact that the Jianghuai region and Jingxiang region are the lifeblood of Jiangnan."
“Once Eastern Wu completely occupies this area, relying on the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, they can build a fortified defense line in the north along the Huai River and lock the gateway to Jingzhou and Xiangyang in the west, thus forming a complete defensive line.”
"At that time, even if the opponent is the pseudo-Wei, which once controlled eight or nine tenths of the world, Eastern Wu can at least maintain its precarious peace for several decades with this defensive line!"
His gaze fell on Ah Chong, who was listening attentively to the lecture:
"If the opponent were our Han Dynasty, facing a Wu Kingdom with such a complete defensive line, the Han Dynasty would also have to pay a much higher price if it wanted to unify the world."
"Because if that were the case, who knows how much food and fodder would be wasted in vain, and how many soldiers would die needlessly?"
Grand Marshal Feng's voice carried a hint of cold mockery as he snapped the whip back into place.
"But now, Zhuge Ke actually wants to exchange the tasteless Qiao County in Huaibei for the heartland of Jingbei, a strategic stronghold. It's truly laughable!"
"This strategy seems to be a win-win situation, but in reality it harbors malicious intentions, attempting to achieve the strategic layout that Wu has long dreamed of but could not obtain without losing a single soldier!"
Grand Marshal Feng snorted coldly: "His arrogance and conceit are already overflowing!"
"Does he really think that just because of a lucky victory in Dongxing, he's qualified to be on equal footing with my Great Han, or even to treat me, Feng, as a pawn that he can manipulate at will?"
After speaking, Grand Marshal Feng threw down his whip, sat down at his desk, still feeling unsatisfied, but refused to say anything more.
Seeing his father's state, he had a sudden thought, stepped forward, and asked softly, "Sir, now that you know the benefits, may I ask... what are the harms?"
In this world, fortune and misfortune are interdependent, and benefit and harm are mutually reinforcing. This is the fundamental principle of weighing gains and losses in the Feng family's philosophy.
Grand Marshal Feng glanced at his son, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes, and slowly said:
"As for the disadvantages... firstly, it would damage the reputation of our great Han Dynasty as 'trust and righteousness'."
"Zhuge Ke and the Wu people might use this as an excuse to spread rumors that our Han Dynasty has no sincerity in the alliance and only cares about its own interests."
"At that time, those in the world who are unaware of the truth may be misled by it."
He paused slightly, a knowing sneer playing on his lips:
"Human nature is so strange. If you grant him every request, he will take it for granted and show no gratitude."
"But once you refuse him, he will forget all the kindness you have shown him in the past and only remember this one time you have let him down, and he will harbor resentment."
“Of course,” Feng Da Sima said, changing the subject in a calm tone, “this harm to our Han Dynasty will ultimately have a limited impact.”
"Given the past actions of these cowardly Jiangdong people, their attempt to flaunt their own 'trustworthiness' and accuse others of 'dishonesty' is nothing but a laughingstock and won't stir up much trouble."
“The real harm lies in the second point,” Grand Marshal Feng said, his gaze returning to the map. “That is, the path to destroying Wei will be even more circuitous and difficult.”
"With the Wu people taking Qiao County as a barrier, if the Han Dynasty wants to march east and destroy Wei, it will be difficult to directly attack Pengcheng. The only way is to go north around Hebei, force a crossing of the Yellow River, and then invade the heart of Qingzhou."
He explained in detail:
"Although Yanzhou, north of Qiao County, also borders Qingzhou, it is separated by the natural barrier of Mount Tai, as well as marshes and lakes such as Dayeze."
"It is not as convenient for the army to march and transport supplies as it is to cross the river from the Hebei Plain."
At this point, Grand Marshal Feng's voice lowered, carrying a hint of solemnity:
"And once our main force of the Han Dynasty is engaged in fierce fighting with the Wei army in Qingzhou, what do you think Wu will do?"
He asked himself the question and answered it, giving an almost definitive answer:
"Zhuge Ke will certainly not let this golden opportunity slip by. He will surely mobilize all the troops in Huainan and launch a fierce attack on Xuzhou."
"As long as he takes Guangling and Xiapi, the Jianghuai defense line of Eastern Wu will be completely connected."
Ah Chong asked, "So, according to your opinion, sir, we should still reject the Wu people's proposal?"
Grand Marshal Feng nodded: "The disadvantages outweigh the advantages, so we should naturally refuse. Please draft a letter of refusal for me."
Ah Chong agreed and quickly finished writing, handing it to Grand Marshal Feng for review, while asking, "Sir, when should it be sent out?"
After reading it, Grand Marshal Feng glanced at him, tossed the letter onto the table, and said casually:
"Why send it? Take it over to your mother first and let her make another copy."
Ah Chong: ...
At this moment, the study door was gently pushed open, and Madam Zhang Xingyi stepped in gracefully.
She glanced at the father and son, her tone carrying a hint of reproach:
"During the Lunar New Year, the mansion is packed with carriages and horses; how many guests are waiting to pay their respects?"
"You two, father and son, are hiding in this study for peace and quiet. Do you expect us sisters to deal with you in the front hall?"
In the entire Grand Marshal's mansion, besides Grand Marshal Feng himself, only his two wives could freely enter and exit this core study without prior notice.
Grand Marshal Feng raised his chin, gesturing to the two letters on the table.
Ah Chong understood and quickly picked up the letter from Wu and the draft of the master's reply, respectfully handing them to Zhang's mother.
The Right Lady took the letter, quickly read it through, and lightly touched Zhuge Ke's letter with her slender finger, pondering:
"Given Zhuge Ke's stubborn nature, and the fact that he is currently at the height of his success and looks down on everyone, A Lang's direct refusal might displease him."
Grand Marshal Feng knew that she must have come specifically after hearing the news, and that urging the guests to be entertained was just an excuse.
He snorted, with a hint of disdain:
"So what? Even if he's unhappy, can he send troops to attack me?"
It would be a lie to say that the Han Dynasty didn't want Qiao County—but the premise is that Nanyang cannot be exchanged for it.
I don't want to give up Nanyang, but I want Qiaoxian. What should I do?
It can only be said that the scheme laid out by that old scoundrel Sima Yi did indeed have an effect.
Knowing full well that there was a trap ahead, they were caught in a dilemma because of the unreliability of the Wu Kingdom.
Thinking of this, Grand Marshal Feng couldn't help but feel angry:
It's all the fault of those scoundrels from Jiangdong! If they weren't so untrustworthy and had such a long history of misconduct, this wouldn't have happened.
He didn't hear Madam Right reply for a while, so he looked up and saw that her beautiful eyes were darting around, clearly indicating that she was thinking a lot.
Grand Marshal Feng knew this lady was always intelligent and resourceful, and a thought struck him. He quickly leaned forward and asked:
"Has the young lady already made a plan?"
Zhang Xingyi raised her eyes, a sly glint in them: "I do have an idea, but... the risk is inevitably a bit too great."
"It's alright, tell me first," urged Grand Marshal Feng.
The Right Lady chuckled lightly:
"Didn't Alang previously send Du Yu and Wang Jun to Shu, ostensibly to assist Wu, but in reality to survey the waterways and prepare for an attack on Wu?"
"I imagine Ah Lang is well aware that the so-called alliance between Wu and Han will not last more than a few years."
She paused for a moment: "Ironically speaking, the three kingdoms of Wei, Wu, and Han were actually tacitly aware of this matter."
"If it weren't for this, Sima Yi wouldn't have resorted to this 'drive the wolf to devour the tiger' strategy, and Zhuge Ke wouldn't have dared to so recklessly test our bottom line."
"This is not the first time that Eastern Wu has coveted our Nanyang territory. Zhuge Ke's actions this time are less of a proposal and more of a test of how much patience our Han Dynasty has left, and where our bottom line lies."
Grand Marshal Feng listened for a long time, still feeling as if he were looking at flowers through a fog, unable to grasp the core meaning of the Right Lady's words, and couldn't help but frown slightly:
"My lady, after saying all this, what brilliant plan do you have? Stop keeping me in suspense."
The right lady smiled gently:
"Why don't you understand, my lord? What I mean is that Eastern Wu is like a monkey that never learns from its mistakes."
"If you tolerate and ignore its repeated provocations, it will not only fail to appreciate your magnanimity, but will also assume that you are weak and easy to bully, and will become even more demanding!"
She walked to the huge map, pointed to the area representing the Wu Kingdom, and spoke clearly and decisively:
"Only by seizing the right opportunity and giving it a solid, overwhelming blow, making it feel the pain, the pain that goes to its very core, will it quiet down for a moment and learn what discipline is!"
Grand Marshal Feng's gaze followed her finger to the map, and he hesitated for a moment before saying:
"Attack it? How can we attack it? If our great Han Dynasty launches an attack first, wouldn't we be the ones to bear the infamy of betraying our alliance?"
The right lady smiled slightly.
-
Before the festive atmosphere of the New Year had completely dissipated, a shocking piece of news spread throughout Chang'an:
After Wu Jun captured Qiao County, he brazenly dug up the Cao family's ancestral tombs and abandoned the coffins and remains in the wilderness, leaving them to be eaten by wild dogs!
The news caused an uproar throughout the city.
Upon hearing this devastating news, Cao Zhi, the former King of Jibei of Wei and now an official of Shu Han, was struck dumb. He cried out in despair, vomited blood, and fainted.
After being rescued and regaining consciousness, he was disheveled, dressed in plain clothes, and rushed to the palace without regard for anything else. He prostrated himself before the gate, banged his head on the ground, and cried out in heart-wrenching sobs.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Qiao County is the ancestral burial site of my ancestors. Now, it has been trampled upon by the Wu dogs, and the bones of my ancestors are exposed in the wilderness. I... I am heartbroken and have no face to meet my ancestors in the netherworld!"
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you dispatch heavenly troops to recover our lost lands and collect the remains. If this is accomplished, I will repay Your Majesty's boundless grace for all eternity!"
Its sound was so mournful that it brought tears to the eyes of all who heard it.
The palace guards were also moved and turned to look at him.
After a long while, the palace gates opened, and an eunuch delivered the imperial decree summoning the emperor.
Emperor Liu Shan sat upright, listening to Cao Zhi's tearful accusations. His face showed great sorrow and distress. He hesitated several times before finally letting out a long sigh.
"My dear minister, your grief is my sorrow. However... however, Wu is ultimately an ally. Despite its atrocities, if I were to rashly launch a military campaign, wouldn't that be breaking our alliance and losing the trust of the world?"
"Regarding this matter...I will certainly send an envoy to interrogate the Wu ruler and demand an explanation. My dear minister, you must take heed of this and consider the matter carefully!"
Upon hearing this, the last glimmer of light in Cao Zhi's eyes was completely extinguished.
He stopped pleading and instead used all his strength to kowtow heavily, once, twice, and three times to the supreme throne.
Each kowtow was accompanied by the sound of the skull striking the gold brick, and blood stained a patch of ground red.
Then, he struggled to his feet, let out a mournful howl, and staggered out of the hall like a soulless puppet, leaving his sighs and helplessness behind.
Cao Zhi wandered aimlessly through the streets of Chang'an, his eyes vacant, like a walking corpse, until he passed the inn with the flag of Eastern Wu hanging there.
Those empty, lifeless eyes suddenly burst forth with a terrifying light. Like a wounded beast that had spotted its prey, he stumbled and lunged toward the gate of the inn!
"Wu Gou! Get out here!"
A hoarse roar echoed around the inn.
Cao Zhi was overcome with tears and sobs, his voice trembling and distorted with extreme anger:
"Wu dogs! Wu dogs! Even in war between two nations, surrendered soldiers are not slaughtered and ancestral temples are not destroyed! You Wu dogs are a nation of treacherous faith and wickedness! You are worse than beasts!"
"You occupy my territory, yet you are still not satisfied. How dare you commit such a despicable act as digging up ancestral graves and exposing corpses in the wilderness! This is a complete loss of humanity, and heaven and earth will not tolerate it!"
He became increasingly agitated as he cursed, attracting onlookers who quickly gathered around.
"Listen up, you Wu dogs! This hatred and grudge cannot be washed away even by the waters of the Yangtze and Huai rivers! I, Cao Zhi, swear to the heavens that as long as I have a breath left, I will never let you Wu dogs live under the same sky!"
Inside the inn, Qin Bo had already been disturbed by the commotion outside. He hid behind the window, watching Cao Zhi, who seemed to have gone mad, and the growing number of indignant Chang'an citizens. His face turned pale, and he was sweating profusely. He dared not show himself.
As Cao Zhi hurled his curses, his blood surged, and the grief, despair, and anger of the past few days intertwined and rushed to the top of his head.
He felt a sweet taste in his throat, and with a "whoosh," a mouthful of blood gushed out, splattering a shocking crimson stain on the ground in front of the inn.
His body swayed violently a few times, and before his finger pointing at the gate of the post station could fall down, his eyes rolled back, and he fell straight backward, crashing heavily onto the cold street, unconscious.
"Lord Cao!"
"He vomited blood! Cao Cao was so angered by the Wu people that he vomited blood!"
"Hurry up and save people!"
Chaos erupted at the scene as people rushed forward to offer assistance, shouting in alarm.
The news spread like wildfire throughout the city in an instant.
The Xiahou family and the Cao family were related by marriage. Upon hearing the news, Xiahou Ba flew into a rage, slamming his fist on the table and shouting, "How dare these Wu dogs do this! How dare they bully my in-laws like this? If I don't avenge this, I'll be unworthy to be a son!"
Guanqiu Jian, who had always harbored feelings for the former Wei dynasty and thus raised an army against the Sima clan, was now furious: "To desecrate someone's ancestral graves is an outrage against Heaven! Your Majesty, considering the greater good, how can we stand idly by?"
Even You Chu and others, who had surrendered to the Han Dynasty long ago, were filled with righteous indignation at this atrocity:
As a Han official, one should naturally uphold loyalty and righteousness, but loyalty and righteousness are not just empty words; they are based on the bottom line of human ethics.
Wu Gou dug up graves and exposed bones; this is an evil act that tramples on human ethics and cannot be tolerated by the principles of Heaven!
If one remains silent out of concern for one's own safety, where is loyalty? Where is righteousness?
In a short time, many of Cao's former generals went to Cao Zhi's residence to visit him.
After meeting Cao Zhi, they took off their official robes, put on plain white clothes, and raised a white banner that read, "Collect and bury the remains of our ancestors to fulfill our filial duty as sons; exterminate the traitors of the state to uphold the integrity of loyal ministers," and announced the formation of the "Righteous Army for Revenge."
He publicly declared that this action was purely "a subject's personal grievance, to rid the country of a scourge," and had nothing to do with the imperial court.
What I do today is not for my homeland, but for the common good of the world. Heaven and earth can bear witness to my heart and my will!
Xiahou Ba, Guanqiu Jian, and others even destroyed their homes on the spot to relieve the crisis and gave away all their wealth to recruit daredevils.
Outside Chang'an, a righteous army, filled with fervent righteousness and a shared hatred of the enemy, quickly gathered and marched towards Qiao County in the southeast.
Lady Right stood on the watchtower, gazing at the excited crowds of Chang'an, and sighed softly:
"I only wanted to use the power of the court to seek justice for Cao Zhi, put pressure on the Wu people, and gain real benefits."
"Who would have thought that you, Ah Lang... would actually let him wield the knife himself and even label the Wu people as 'traitors to the country'? I'm afraid Zhuge Ke will have a hard time getting out of this mess."
Grand Marshal Feng stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze still fixed on the distance, his tone calm:
“Since he calls me uncle, as his elder, I naturally feel sorry for him.”
“Only by letting him personally wield the sword, in the name of heavenly principles and human ethics, to carry out the act of revenge and vindication, can his reputation for loyalty and filial piety be truly fulfilled.”