Fish Meat – Chapter 110

The Tenth Year of Shenchu

Iron horses and golden spears (12)

Since ancient times, the treacherous path of Crane Road has often been immortalized in various poems by poets from the Central Plains, serving as a vessel for their emotions and aspirations.

            

Legend has it that by following the ancient Crane Road eastward to its very end, one can ascend to the summit of Mount McKuen, the highest peak in the realm of Da Yu. Throughout history, few have managed to scale this peak, and even fewer have had the privilege of beholding the dazzling and majestic vista from its summit.

Thus, Crane Road has become a sacred place in the hearts of many scholars and warriors of Da Yu, evoking not only sentiment but also a strong desire for conquest.

Now, surprisingly, Zhen Wenjun has set foot on Crane Road, though she is not here to admire the scenery.

            

Crane Road is a long and narrow ancient path, winding perilously through towering mountains and steep cliffs. Even walking here is extremely difficult, let alone constructing a proper road. The path has been formed by the footsteps of countless travelers throughout history, creating a strategic position that is easy to defend but difficult to attack.

Although Mengliang is difficult to conquer, the Chongjin army has already taken it once. This time, they have assembled a massive force of 300,000 troops. If they were to reach the walls of Mengliang city, the tragedy of the previous breach might repeat itself.

In a battle where the strength is so unevenly matched, a direct confrontation is not an option. One must rely on strategy.

            

Zhen Wenjun’s plan is to reduce the number of Chongjin troops on Crane Road.

Zuo Kunda led 300 light cavalry to scout the enemy’s military situation and returned, reporting that the Chongjin army is only ten li (approximately 5 kilometers) away from Crane Road and will arrive soon.

“Good,” Zhen Wenjun commanded, ordering all soldiers to take their positions.

            

The Chongjin army had traversed Crane Road once before, so they were certainly aware of its dangers. If enemies were to hide in the mountains and roll boulders down, they would have no choice but to be flattened. Therefore, before entering Crane Road, the Chongjin army was fully armed. All vehicles and horses moved along the center of the road, making it difficult for even massive boulders rolling down the mountainside to directly hit the soldiers. Ha’erci ordered all his brothers to don armor and carry iron shields. Even the horses were clad in sturdy battle armor to guard against a surprise attack by the Yu army’s Huben cavalry.

Ha’erci cautiously advanced the army, even dispatching scouts to explore the mountain paths on both sides of the road for any signs of Yu army ambushers. However, searching the endless green mountains was no easy task.

Ah Xi also accompanied Zhen Wenjun. Although she had never climbed Mount McKuen, she had traversed Crane Road hundreds of times and was very familiar with the surrounding mountain terrain. She knew which areas were best for setting up ambushes and which narrow sections of the mountain road were most suitable for launching attacks.

            

Zhen Wenjun and her troops were hidden in the mountains, wearing camouflage that made them difficult to spot.

They waited there.

They’ve come.

            

Looking down from the mountain, the Chongjin army appeared like ants marching along Crane Road, forming a long line that stretched as far as the eye could see. It looked to be at least 50,000 strong.

“This isn’t their entire force,” said Zuo Kunda. “A Da Yu person who previously surrendered to Hu’erji had some knowledge of military strategy. He advised Ha’erci not to let the entire army cross Crane Road at once. Putting all the eggs in one basket – if the basket tips over, the losses would be devastating.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Zhen Wenjun said with a slight smirk. “Wiping out 50,000 of them in one fell swoop is enough.”

            

Ma’erhe, the commander of the Chongjin vanguard, rode on horseback, constantly surveying his surroundings. Although the mountains were silent except for the sound of their horses’ hooves, he had an intuition that some danger lurked in the shadows.

As the cavalry entered the Crane’s Mouth (likely referring to the entrance of Crane Road), Ma’erhe suddenly felt something unusual about the horse beneath him.

The horse whinnied softly a few times, its steps becoming increasingly erratic, as if drunk, constantly veering towards the left mountain wall. Ma’erhe tightened the reins, trying to regain control, but the horse not only refused to obey but seemed as if possessed, moving towards the cliff face. Ma’erhe realized it wasn’t just him; all the horses that had entered the Crane’s Mouth were being drawn to the mountain walls on both sides. In an instant, people and horses were thrown into disorder, with sounds of commotion suddenly rising.

            

Ma’erhe was shaken to his core. Was this mountain path haunted, or had the Central Plains people cast some sort of sorcery?

He made a split-second decision to dismount, but at that moment, something even more terrifying occurred.

An enormous invisible force, like a giant hand, grabbed him tightly, desperately dragging him towards the mountain wall. Just as Ma’erhe freed himself from the stirrups, his entire body was lifted off the horse, flying through the air directly towards the cliff face, slamming into it hard.

            

Ma’erhe couldn’t believe his eyes. Countless horses and soldiers were, like him, being sucked onto the steep cliff face. Some were being dragged along the ground, others flying through the air, dazzling his vision. Such a bizarre scene was truly unforgettable for a lifetime!

Simultaneously, a rumbling sound “hong long long” came from above, and Ma’erhe’s worst fear came true.

Large boulders, hidden atop the mountain, were pushed out. At Zhen Wenjun’s command, the massive rocks tumbled down the mountainside. Amidst the earth-shaking commotion, agonized screams echoed throughout the valley. Although the Chongjin army was prepared for a rock-fall ambush, they never imagined being stuck to the cliff face by sorcery, leaving no room for escape.

            

The boulders crushed the 50,000 Chongjin vanguard into a sea of bloody pulp. As the dust gradually settled, fewer than 2,000 people miraculously survived. But they hadn’t truly escaped death.

Before they could recover from the shock, battle cries erupted from all directions. Zhen Wenjun and Zuo Kunda led 5,000 elite troops to surround and slaughter them, capturing over 500 surrendering soldiers and more than 3,000 war horses alive. It was a complete victory.

The vanguard was the elite of the Chongjin forces, and Ma’erhe was a young general in whom Ha’erci had placed great hopes. Unexpectedly, they were crushed to death before even reaching Mengliang, with not a single one of the 50,000 men remaining. This left Ha’erci utterly perplexed.

            

Hadn’t they already devised strategies to counter rock falls and arrow attacks before setting out? For this reason, they had deliberately advanced in sections to maintain formation, stayed away from the cliff walls, and were fully armed. So why were they still crushed to death?

“Hahahaha! If it weren’t for their Da Yu strategist, making them advance so cautiously, this Magnetic Mountain Strategy might not have succeeded.”

Returning to Mengliang after the great victory, Zhen Wenjun was invited by Wei Jing’an to drink. Various officers came in turns to toast her. The banquet was extremely lively, as the good start to the battle was a joyous occasion for everyone in the Da Yu army.

            

Zhen Wenjun was very happy, but she remembered her own drinking capacity. Her behavior after drinking was truly frightening, especially with Wei Tingxu present.

After excitedly drinking three cups, she glanced at Wei Tingxu sitting in the corner, wearing a kind and serene smile while looking at her. Zhen Wenjun felt somewhat bewitched. Now, no matter what expression Wei Tingxu made, she felt there was some hidden meaning, as if she might draw her sword and kill a few people at any moment, even though the “killing demon” had become much gentler recently. Perhaps her terrifying nature had been deeply etched into her bones, unforgettable.

Obediently putting down her wine cup and not daring to drink more, Zhen Wenjun brought Ah Xi out. Facing the tent full of officers who had just praised her as a heroine and elite of Da Yu, she told everyone that the magnetic mountain strategy to destroy the enemy would have been impossible, even unthinkable, without Ah Xi.

            

Shortly after her arrival at the front lines, Ah Xi had told her about the “now only two peaks” of Cansan Peak. Originally, Cansan Peak had three peaks, but one was full of magnetic stones, making it unsuitable for horses and vehicles to pass. So it was excavated, and all the magnetic stones were filled into Gui Xin Valley. A month ago, Zhen Wenjun and Ah Xi found these magnetic stones in Gui Xin Valley. Upon discovery, the long spear on Zhen Wenjun’s back was suddenly pulled strongly, almost dragging her into the valley.

It seemed the magnetic force was astonishing, making this plan feasible.

They expended enormous manpower and resources to move the magnetic stones from Gui Xin Valley to the Crane’s Mouth, the narrowest part of Crane Road. They cut them into huge stone slabs and placed them on both sides of the mountain walls. Since the mountain walls were already grayish, the magnetic stones blended in without standing out. They further concealed them with some weeds, and sure enough, the Chongjin people didn’t notice.

            

The most amusing part of this was that the Chongjin people’s cleverness backfired. If they had worn only animal skins as before, without putting iron armor on their horses, the magnetic stones wouldn’t have caused any harm. No matter how many rocks fell, it would have been impossible to crush all 50,000 people to death. Moreover, transporting huge boulders to the drop points required enormous manpower, making it impossible to prepare thousands for random throwing – they had to hit the target every time. Attracting the enemy to the mountain walls maximized the killing power of the falling rocks.

“So in this victory over the enemy, Ah Xi deserves the highest merit,” Zhen Wenjun said. Rarely the center of such attention, especially with all the Wei family members staring at her, she felt a bit shy. She pushed Ah Xi forward to shield herself from the intense gazes.

Ah Xi, however, was without shame, and said with a chuckle: “It’s nothing, really. I just ran my mouth. All the troop deployments and maneuvers were the work of Wenjun and Jiyong. I didn’t do much.”

            

A group of people came to toast her as well. She didn’t stand on ceremony at all, holding a wine cup in one hand and a freshly roasted lamb leg in the other, alternating between sips of wine and bites of meat, eating with great relish.

Zuo Kunda was also happily mingling with everyone. Thanks to these two helping to fend off the attention, Zhen Wenjun was able to quickly slip away and return to Wei Tingxu’s side.

“The smell of alcohol is strong in the tent. Push me out for some fresh air,” Wei Tingxu said.

            

“Alright!”

Zhen Wenjun pushed her out of the tent. The cool night air instantly cleared her foggy mind considerably.

“Little sister, you truly are an uncut jade, a rare talent fit for both military and civil service. Tonight, you shone so brightly among the crowd. I’m happy for you.” Wei Tingxu’s praise greatly pleased Zhen Wenjun, making her feel both bashful and sweet inside. However, she noticed a hint of melancholy on Wei Tingxu’s face.

            

“Elder sister, what are you thinking about?” Zhen Wenjun crouched down, taking Wei Tingxu’s cold hands into her own. She wasn’t sure when it had started, but they had become so close, and Wei Tingxu no longer showed any resistance to such intimacy.

Wei Tingxu looked at the star-filled sky and said, “I’m thinking about my elder brother.”

Zhen Wenjun’s expression slightly tensed.

            

“My eldest brother was named Wei Jinghe, second brother Wei Jing’an, and third brother Wei Jingtai. Their names carried Father’s hopes for Da Yu’s prosperity and peace. Back then, Father wasn’t yet suspected by the late emperor, nor did he imagine that the loyal Wei family would one day face calamity. Now, after years of war with the Hu tribe, we still haven’t eliminated this threat. If my eldest brother were still here, forget about Mengliang, the Hu people wouldn’t even dream of crossing Qianhai Pass. How could there have been the shame of a city massacre?”

Zhen Wenjun asked, “Did seeing the Second Young Master’s battlefield prowess remind you of the Eldest Young Master?”

Wei Tingxu didn’t speak, just quietly gazing at the night sky.

            

Since she didn’t want to talk, Zhen Wenjun simply kept her company, taking off her coat to drape it over Wei Tingxu for warmth.

“Sister, do you know? When I first reunited with you, I was very afraid of you,” Zhen Wenjun crouched in front of her, carefully fiddling with her fingers. “To be honest, you were completely different then. Either your face was ice-cold or your mood was unpredictable. One moment I’d feel we were close, the next you’d turn on me coldly. I always felt I didn’t understand you. But recently, you’ve been showing your true emotions more often in front of me. Even when you’re a bit moody, it’s fine. I know you finally see me as one of your own, and I’m really, really happy about that. I take everything about you to heart; it’s now the most important thing to me. I know you’ve always been strong, but… if there’s ever a moment when you want to confide in someone, will you come to me?”

Zhen Wenjun looked at Wei Tingxu with utmost sincerity, pressing the back of Wei Tingxu’s hand to her lips, her lip bead (the center of the upper lip) lightly touching Wei Tingxu’s knuckles.

            

Wei Tingxu lowered her eyelashes, looking at the gentle and obedient Zhen Wenjun before her. She raised her other hand, caressing from Zhen Wenjun’s temple to the tip of her ear, tapping the mole on her earlobe, and said with a smile, “They say people with moles on their ear tips are particularly obedient.”

“Yes, obedient. But not to everyone’s words.”

“Oh?”

            

“I only listen to sister’s words.” Zhen Wenjun chuckled. Her kneeling position was becoming painful and cold, but she didn’t want to get up at all. She particularly enjoyed the feeling of Wei Tingxu caressing her, as if she were floating on clouds, being tickled by white clouds, with a subtle happiness constantly being stirred in the depths of her heart.

Wei Tingxu tapped her fingertip on Zhen Wenjun’s face, pulling her back from the soft layers of clouds.

“I don’t avoid what happened in Rangchuan; I still remember every detail. Even if I didn’t want to remember, the scars on my body wouldn’t let me forget. Rather than running away, it’s better to accept it, accept that it’s part of my life, part of what I had to experience to become who I am. Apart from my weak constitution, I like who I am now. Compared to staying in the inner chambers only knowing about the four arts, I understand that I have more to do and the ability to do it well. You don’t need to worry about this. When I showed you my scars earlier, I just wanted you to understand that our enemies have human faces but beast hearts, and are experts at bewitching people. I don’t want you to be bewitched by him. Achieving great deeds is naturally important, and our Wei family has been forced step by step to our current situation; we have no choice. Of course, I understand that you’re clever and can discern truth from falsehood, but I don’t want to lose any more important people, neither my second brother nor you.”

            

Zhen Wenjun’s heart suddenly stirred, as if she had heard an important message hidden in Wei Tingxu’s words. Zhen Wenjun looked at Wei Tingxu, her expression as radiant as spring sunshine. Her lips moved, about to speak, when Wei Tingxu suddenly said:

“But the great endeavor of a thousand years is before us, and we can’t be negligent. Little sister, no one is more suitable for this task than you.”

As they were talking, a sudden loud shout broke through the peaceful night sky of Mengliang.

            

Zhen Wenjun’s scalp tightened as she quickly stood up. They both recognized that the shout came from Mengliang’s South Gate.

Suddenly, the bells on the city tower began to ring loudly – this was the signal that enemies were attacking the city!

A layer of alcohol vapors floated over Mengliang city, still immersed in the joy of their first victory. Everyone was about to sleep after the celebration when the urgent bell sound rang out unexpectedly.

            

The person ringing the bell was none other than Wei Jing’an!

After drinking some wine in the tent, Wei Jing’an didn’t continue. He let everyone enjoy themselves while he went to the city wall to relieve the soldiers on duty.

“Tonight there’s good wine, good meat, and lamb legs. Don’t miss out! Go quickly and fill your stomachs. I’ll take over here!” As soon as the general spoke, the soldiers’ stomachs growled in unison. Thirty of the guards stayed with Wei Jing’an to patrol the city wall, while the others went back to fill their bellies.

            

Wei Jing’an’s mind remained taut like a string. The happier the atmosphere, the more he felt an ominous premonition that made him uneasy. Perhaps it was because when he received news of his eldest brother’s death at sixteen, he had been preparing to marry his childhood sweetheart. It was a time when he was riding high on success. The news of his eldest brother’s death shattered the Wei family in an instant, completely upending his life as well. A month after his eldest brother’s passing, his childhood sweetheart inexplicably contracted encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and quickly passed away. Since then, Wei Jing’an had always felt fearful in lively and joyous occasions. He always felt that at any moment, someone might rush in to tell him of someone else’s death.

Therefore, the earlier banquet had left him feeling somewhat depressed. Not wanting to spoil the good atmosphere, he chose to come out and stand guard instead.

It was precisely because of this that Wei Jing’an, always on high alert, noticed something unusual.

            

Shortly after climbing the city wall, he saw some dark shadows moving in the night. These shadows were like an army of ants surging towards Mengliang in the darkness, dense and extremely quiet, making one’s hair stand on end.

“Light the search lamps!” Wei Jing’an shouted, all his nerves taut. The soldiers immediately lit the search lamps and sent them into the air. Mengliang was known for its year-round north winds, so any enemy approach from the south would be clearly illuminated by the search lamps.

Thousands of search lamps were blown southward by the wind, illuminating the dark earth. At that moment, Wei Jing’an and his men saw that the shadows were the entire main force of the Chongjin army! They hadn’t ridden horses but had run wildly through the night without making a sound, reaching the foot of Mengliang city unnoticed! This was no small shock. Wei Jing’an immediately struck the great bell, ordering all soldiers to prepare for battle!

            

Zhen Wenjun and Wei Tingxu also heard the bell. Zhen Wenjun immediately pushed the four-wheeled chair back towards the camp. Before they could run ten steps, several eerie “boom boom boom” sounds came from above, as if something extremely large and powerful had shot into the sky. They looked up to see dozens of fire-oil bombs launched from beyond the city walls into the air, turning the night sky crimson, about to fall into the city.

The city was instantly engulfed in a wave of screams, and the crowd around Zhen Wenjun became agitated in an instant.

The fire-oil bombs crashed into Mengliang city, exploding and spreading countless droplets of burning oil. In a moment, Mengliang city was engulfed in a sea of fire, with even the military camps set up inside the city swallowed by tongues of flame.

            

Zhen Wenjun’s hair caught fire, and she immediately cut off the burning ends. She pushed Wei Tingxu’s chair, running for their lives. People crashing into them head-on, horses galloping past, and burn victims wailing in agony made it difficult for Zhen Wenjun to move an inch. The four-wheeled chair was already cumbersome, making it even harder for them to escape. Seeing a burning man screaming and lunging at Wei Tingxu, Zhen Wenjun kicked him away, picked up Wei Tingxu, and ran.

Exploding balls of fire-oil fell from the sky; even a small drop could cause severe burns. Zhen Wenjun had to watch her step while also being mindful of the fire behind her, making it challenging to cope. As a ball of fire-oil was about to hit the back of her head, Wei Tingxu, who had her arms around Zhen Wenjun’s neck, shouted:

“Two steps to the left!”

            

Without thinking, Zhen Wenjun instinctively followed Wei Tingxu’s instructions and immediately moved two steps to the left, avoiding the fire-oil.

“Go! You focus on what’s ahead, I’ll watch above!”

“Alright!”

            

The two worked together in perfect harmony, quickly dodging obstacles and rushing to the entrance of the underground waterway. With the fire-oil bombs causing such devastating damage, all the buildings in the city were either bombed or burned down. There was no way to survive above ground, so Zhen Wenjun’s first thought was to escape into the underground waterway.

She opened the waterway cover and gently lowered Wei Tingxu inside. Mengliang’s waterway was much shallower than Runing’s, just a bit higher than Zhen Wenjun’s head.

“Sister, I’m sorry you have to stay here for a while!” Zhen Wenjun said. “I’m going to rescue the others!”

            

As she was about to leave, Wei Tingxu grabbed her hand.

Zhen Wenjun turned back and saw clear reluctance and worry in her eyes.

Above them, the bombing continued, and screams of agony persisted. These were all from her fellow countrymen. She didn’t want to watch these people die in vain. Moreover, she had more important things to do.

            

“Don’t worry,” Zhen Wenjun grasped her hand in return, feeling a surge of tender emotions. “I will definitely accomplish it. Tingxu, I… I want to return to Runing with you, to see the wandering flowers you planted for me.”

Wei Tingxu could only watch as she let go of her hand and returned to the surface.

The waterway cover was replaced, and Wei Tingxu was momentarily lost in thought about Zhen Wenjun’s change in address.

            

No one had anticipated the Chongjin’s surprise attack, let alone that they would dare to abandon their mounts and approach on foot to reach Mengliang undetected. What was most unexpected was that instead of a frontal assault, they used fire-oil bombs, employing Da Yu’s siege weapons against Da Yu itself – this was the handiwork of Da Yu’s traitors.

This sudden attack resulted in heavy losses for Mengliang, with countless dead and wounded. After several encounters, the Chongjin had figured out the layout of Mengliang city and knew that the South Gate was its weakest point. Concentrating their firepower there would double their chances of victory.

Wei Jing’an fought desperately, determined not to let the Chongjin forces enter the city.

            

Zhen Wenjun rushed to the city wall, joining Wei Jing’an and others in fighting the enemy.

Just as Mengliang city was on the brink of falling, Ah Xin and Guo Xiao suddenly arrived, launching a surprise attack on the Chongjin army from behind. Wei Jing’an and Zhen Wenjun seized the opportunity and led a charge out of the city. Both sides battled until dawn, with corpses piling up like mountains and smoke rising everywhere. Wei Jing’an once again defeated Ha’erci, piercing his shoulder with a spear. Ha’erci fled in pain.

As Wei Jing’an was about to pursue on horseback, Zhen Wenjun persuaded him: “This might be a Chongjin trick! General, you mustn’t pursue recklessly! Defending the city is crucial!”

            

“But if we don’t kill him this time, we might never have another chance!”

“I’ll pursue him!” Zhen Wenjun led troops in hot pursuit, while Wei Jing’an stayed to guard Mengliang. Together with Ah Xin, they worked in perfect harmony to slaughter the remaining Chongjin forces, though Da Yu’s troops were also nearly depleted.

This unexpected battle lasted a day and a night, but Mengliang was finally defended successfully.

            

The Chongjin forces suffered heavy losses and retreated to the north, bringing temporary peace to Da Yu’s borders.

However, everyone knew this peace wouldn’t last long. Once the Chongjin forces recovered, they would surely return, creating a cycle of never-ending border troubles.

Regardless of what might happen in the future, at least this chapter had come to a close.

            

This should have been a joyous occasion, but Wei Tingxu, Lingbi, and the others felt no happiness at all.

Because Zhen Wenjun had disappeared.

After leading troops to pursue Ha’erci, she vanished without a trace, as if she had evaporated into thin air.

            

Wei Tingxu sent people to search the entire northern region but found no trace of her, not even a corpse.

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