Fish Meat – Chapter 206
by Little PandaThe Fifth Year of Zhao Wu
Jointly Chasing The Lost Deer (2)
After striking a devastating blow against the Chongjin army, the Wei family and Zhangsun family’s fifty thousand troops quickly escorted Empress Dowager Geng and the two heirs westward.
Zhen Wenjun stayed close by their side. Besides Zhangsun Wu, several members of the Zhangsun and Wei families served as his deputy commanders in the army. All important military commands were issued by Zhangsun Wu.
Zhen Wenjun knew that Zhangsun Wu had never held official positions and had limited battlefield experience. Yet his command and deployment appeared remarkably composed, not at all like a novice. This reminded Zhen Wenjun of her shock when she witnessed Ah Liao opening the Heavenly Army Box at the Maritime and Terrain Bureau.
It seemed the Zhangsun family had been concealing their true strength all along. Just as Ah Liao had done, so too did Zhangsun Wu.
When Da Yu’s central army was lacking in numbers, they often paid to hire private armies from local noble families for battles. Military management was chaotic, and if Zhangsun Wu wanted to accumulate military experience, he didn’t need to do it openly where it might raise suspicions. He could simply blend in among the private armies, even using someone else’s name as cover.
When chaos arrived, Zhangsun Wu was immediately able to shoulder great responsibilities.
The Zhangsun family had always played the role of “hiding one’s strength and biding one’s time”. Perhaps this was arranged in coordination with the Wei family. While the Wei family attracted attention on the surface, the Zhangsun family quietly gathered strength in the shadows.
Now Wei Tingxu was “mourning” in Pingcang. Besides Wei Lun’s funeral matters, the entire Wei family showed no other movements. The Zhangsun family gradually emerged from the shadows – their coordination was truly masterful.
However, after the Emperor’s westward journey, he would inevitably pass the throne to one of the two heirs. Now that Zhangsun Wu held both the Empress Dowager and the heirs hostage, he possessed the most valuable bargaining chips while simultaneously placing himself in the greatest danger.
Although Bu Jie had not accompanied Zhen Wenjun to Runing, he and the other strategists had not been idle.
The numerous letters flying into Zhen Wenjun’s hands these past days made her increasingly worried.
She had always known that Da Yu’s central government was weak while the local noble clans were strong. Even when the central government needed to wage war, they had to pay to hire local private armies to fight for the nation. Each battle would consume years of accumulated resources, and while the national treasury was empty, Da Yu as a whole wasn’t poor. The taxes that couldn’t be collected had settled in local regions for far too long. Zhen Wenjun was particularly concerned about how much private military force and wealth was concentrated in whose hands, as these people could instantly become her enemies.
Two months ago, she had instructed Bu Jie and other strategists to secretly investigate the private military forces and wealth status of the forty-eight commanderies of Da Yu to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of potential allies and enemies. The results worried her deeply.
It turned out that while Li Yanyi had been wracking her brains over money, even resorting to tricks and schemes to squeeze a bit of resources from her ministers to fill the national treasury, every powerful clan in the local commanderies possessed enough wealth to establish their own nation. Though Zhen Wenjun felt she possessed a mountain of gold, when truly calculated, she probably couldn’t even be counted among the top powers.
Time was limited, and she believed what Bu Jie and others had investigated wasn’t even the complete picture.
If Li Yanyi were still alive and knew all this, one wondered what she would think.
No wonder Da Yu fell. No wonder the Chongjin forces could advance directly without meeting much resistance.
She recalled how her Ah Mu had told her about how Da Yu’s founding emperor rose up in rebellion, how heroically he destroyed the corrupt and tyrannical previous dynasty, creating an era of prosperity. Two hundred years had passed in a flash, and all the legends had been buried. Yu had become another corrupt empire awaiting revolution.
Living in these turbulent times, Zhen Wenjun clearly felt how the wheels of history mercilessly rolled over everyone.
Da Yu had more than just the Wei family and the Zhangsun family. Zhen Wenjun realized her perspective had been focused on the central government for too long, overlooking other potential threats.
Countless powerful figures were watching eagerly from the darkness. Not just Wei Tingxu – all the ambitious ones were waiting for the perfect moment.
Now that Zhangsun Wu had actively taken the Empress Dowager and heirs into his custody, if he played his cards right, it would be a case of “using the Son of Heaven to command the nobles”. If he played them wrong, he would bring disaster upon himself.
Zhen Wenjun was particularly interested in how the Wei family and Zhangsun family would play this chess move.
Since Zhangsun Wu’s large army moved much slower than Zhen Wenjun traveling alone, she could first return to Runing and then pursue him later.
At dawn, when Zhen Wenjun reached the gates of Runing, she could barely recognize this once brilliant and glorious capital. The supposedly impregnable city walls were devastated, smoke rose everywhere, corpses littered the ground, and Chongjin soldiers stood guard with strict vigilance.
Runing had been occupied by the Hu people, and entering through the main gate would be difficult. As it was the dry season, Zhen Wenjun planned to enter through the underground waterways.
The waterway entrance was sealed tight with ice. She used fire to melt it and managed to slip inside with great difficulty.
The once-familiar neighborhoods had become piles of unfamiliar ruins. The once-bustling marketplaces were strewn with overturned carts and severed limbs. Rolling smoke still invaded Zhen Wenjun’s nostrils, making it difficult to breathe.
With roads blocked and houses collapsed, Zhen Wenjun struggled to find her way through what remained of the remembered paths.
While searching through the city for a long time, she managed to save several barely surviving civilians when the patrol soldiers weren’t looking, directing them to escape through the waterways. Besides this, there was no trace of her Ah Mu’s whereabouts.
After hiding and searching for half a day, Zhen Wenjun understood that Li Yanyi, knowing she couldn’t escape this catastrophe, had likely already arranged for what would happen after her death. This included her Ah Mu.
Touching the tiger tally at her waist, Zhen Wenjun understood that her Ah Mu had been swept into the tide of war, and Li Yanyi’s remaining will would come looking for her.
When Zhen Wenjun returned to Nianshan Mountain, both Ah Xin and Li Yanyi’s corpse were gone, replaced by a large bump on Xiao Xiao’s forehead.
“Where’s Ah Xin?” Zhen Wenjun asked casually. Seeing the scene, she already knew what had happened and deliberately softened her tone, but unexpectedly, Xiao Xiao still sniffled with reddened eyes:
“I… I wanted her to stay, but she insisted on leaving. So I used the Yu-style fist to try and force her to stay…”
“Force her to stay? Did you know that Ah Xin ranks among the top fighters in all of Da Yu? How could you possibly force her to stay?”
“How was I supposed to know? Ah Mu never told me.”
“So how many moves did you exchange before losing?”
“We exchanged only twenty moves before my forehead got hit. She took the corpse and fled like the wind! I tried to chase her, but after following for several li, she just kept getting further away. I was worried you’d return and not find me, so I had to give up.”
To Zhen Wenjun’s surprise: “You actually managed to last twenty moves against Ah Xin, and even kept up with her for several li without losing sight – impressive! You’re much more capable than I thought.”
Covering the bump on her forehead, Xiao Xiao complained pitifully: “But I still lost, and got a lump on my head.” Having thought her diligent practice had made her quite formidable, only to suffer such a defeat, Xiao Xiao pouted, feeling ready to cry. Zhen Wenjun crouched down and flicked the bump, causing Xiao Xiao to cry out and quickly retreat several steps:
“That hurts!”
“Good that you know it hurts. She knew you meant no harm, otherwise you’d already be dead.”
Hearing the words “dead,” Xiao Xiao shuddered.
“Although you might be the most skilled child in Da Yu, you’re still no match for a master.” Zhen Wenjun said seriously, “When I was your age, I had already left my Ah Mu’s side and was struggling between life and death. Real enemies won’t show mercy because of your age. You might not fully understand the cruelty of this world yet, but I can tell you responsibly that even a moment’s negligence means certain death. Tears won’t soften anyone’s heart.”
Giving a sweet date [a Chinese idiom meaning praise] before delivering heavy blows made Xiao Xiao both encouraged and tense.
“In the coming days, I might not even be able to protect myself. If you want to continue following me, you must be prepared to lose your life at any moment. Still want to come?”
“Yes!” Xiao Xiao had already forgotten about her forehead pain and stopped whining.
“Good. I’ve found you a horse, it’s a Chongjin warhorse. You’re growing quickly and it’s time you tried riding a warhorse. It’s wild and fierce – you’ll only be able to tame it if you’re even wilder and fiercer than it is.” Zhen Wenjun patted the saddle, “Come try it!”
Xiao Xiao, with determination in her eyes, leaped onto the horse. The horse was taller than any she had ridden before. As soon as she mounted, the horse began to neigh and tried repeatedly to throw her off. Zhen Wenjun didn’t intervene, having already ridden her own horse a hundred paces away. Xiao Xiao gritted her teeth and persisted. After nearly falling several times, she finally managed to steady herself and struggled to catch up with Zhen Wenjun’s pace.
Ah Yin had left Pingcang even earlier than Zhen Wenjun and should have already reached Runing, yet there was no sign of her.
Zhen Wenjun suspected that Li Yanyi’s final will had been entrusted to Ah Yin. Ah Yin was a very subtle existence, like a part of Li Yanyi’s shadow, rarely appearing in broad daylight. Unlike the Empress Dowager who attracted attention, even those who knew of her existence were few. She could move naturally and freely, making her difficult to catch.
While Zhen Wenjun was still calculating when Ah Yin might appear again, something completely unexpected happened—
Zhangsun Wu’s army was ambushed by several thousand troops from the Liu family of Julu County. Caught off guard in the chaos, they only managed to escape with Mu’er, while the Empress Dowager and Gong’er fell into the Liu family’s hands. Later, even Mu’er was lost, leaving Zhangsun Wu empty-handed.
It was said that the Liu family of Julu was backed by Geng Bai. They were minor nobles of a small county with only a hundred retainers, and their private army was hastily assembled by Geng Bai. This time they only intended an ambush – if successful, good; if not, they would retreat without pursuing battle. Unexpectedly, they succeeded with one strike.
When Liu Wenxing saw the soot-covered Empress Dowager and Gong’er, he even forgot to kneel, hardly believing he had managed to “invite” them into his custody.
Zhangsun’s army scattered without a trace. Liu Wenxing temporarily kept the Empress Dowager and Gong’er in Julu, and ten days later, held an enthronement ceremony for Gong’er at his residence, declaring her the new Emperor of Da Yu. Without the Imperial Jade Seal, without the late Emperor’s edict, and without even proper imperial robes, Gong’er was thus elevated to the throne.
This event caused an uproar throughout the nation. Meanwhile, King Wang Shou of Dai’an, who had captured Mu’er, also declared him the new emperor. He even produced an “imperial edict,” claiming it was written by Li Yanyi herself, passing the throne to Mu’er. He loudly denounced the old bandit Liu of Julu for daring to coerce the Empress Dowager into installing a false emperor, showing great disrespect to the late emperor, and called for all nobles to punish this transgression.
When Liu Wenxing heard that Wang Shou would speak so disrespectfully, he didn’t hold back either. He had all his advisors jointly condemn Wang, claiming he was a villain making preemptive accusations. They argued: How could the previous Emperor, who was female, possibly pass the throne to a male child? What would become of the Haina Reforms she had worked so hard to implement? How would women’s status be elevated?
Moreover, everyone knew which heir was clever and which was slow-witted. Princess Zhiqiu Li Rong [李蓉 | lǐ róng] showed signs of being a true ruler even at a young age, while Prince Nanyang Li Jia [李甲 | lǐ jiǎ] was timid as a mouse and of average talent. How could such a brilliant true dragon as the late emperor pass the throne to him? Furthermore, with the Empress Dowager present, could her words be false?
Li Rong was Gong’er’s formal name, while Li Jia was Mu’er’s. Liu Wenxing’s widespread propaganda even became children’s rhymes, growing more exaggerated with each retelling, effectively painting Mu’er as an idiot and Wang Shou as a treacherous minister plotting to usurp the throne, making him universally despised.
When Wang Shou counterattacked, Liu Wenxing remained equally defiant. As both sides were about to wage war over which heir was the legitimate heir, Li Yan [李敏 | lǐ yǎn], one of Li Yanyi’s cousins, stepped forward to bitterly denounce both rebels. He declared: “The Emperor has merely gone missing, yet instead of seeking to rescue her, you’re already fighting over who will be the future ruler! If you have an imperial edict, show it! If you have the Empress Dowager’s support, let her speak! Otherwise, all nobles should unite to punish you both!”
Li Yan’s words stirred up massive waves. Among Da Yu’s forty-eight commanderies, nobles who had laid dormant for years or even decades began settling both new grudges and old scores. They took sides, formed alliances, and fought for power… dividing into the Nanyang faction supporting Mu’er’s ascension and the Zhiqiu faction insisting Gong’er was the legitimate heir. Both sides engaged in fierce battles over future resources. Some who considered themselves powerful enough simply claimed their own territory and declared themselves kings or emperors.
The realm fell into chaos.
The fifth year of Zhaowu, which would be the last year of the Zhaowu era, saw unprecedented warfare among various warlords. Forces that had been accumulating for years erupted, as if returning to the chaotic Warring States period. Adding to this, the Chongjin invaded from the north, occupying central regions like Runing, Guanyang, and Fenhua [汾化 | fén huà], while continuously attempting to expand in three other directions, creating constant friction.
This nation, which had barely survived years of famine and war, was once again fragmenting and teetering on the brink of collapse.
Everyone’s ambitions were emerging, while Zhen Wenjun quietly withdrew to the southern region away from the fighting. There, along with Guan Xun – who had been exiled as magistrate of Huaiyang – and the surviving Lin family, she recruited soldiers and bought horses, accelerating the expansion of her power base.
Since the ninth year of Shenchu, when she had secretly begun planning by buying her first plot of land in Sudu, slowly accumulating wealth and connections, Zhen Wenjun finally welcomed her chance to emerge.
The noble families knew well that war could cause centuries of accumulated family wealth to vanish in an instant. So these nobles, who spent their days consuming Furong San and living lives of debauchery, only engaged in internal friction and shouting matches, not wanting too deep an entanglement with the fierce Hu people.
But Zhen Wenjun had no such concerns.
She was originally just a flower gardener’s daughter from the small county of Suichuan, having nothing to her name, born in turbulent times and always at the mercy of others’ blades. She had been accumulating resources for years just for this one fight – even if she lost, she would merely return to where she started.
Years of accumulation transformed into a massive army and abundant resources. She personally led troops back to the Central Plains, using the tiger tally to command the nobles’ armies. Though there were many complaints, all the families were now fighting under the banner of protecting legitimate rule and couldn’t easily disobey.
Zhen Wenjun’s strike caught the Chongjin completely off guard. She reclaimed several commanderies south of Runing from the Hu people, connecting them with Huaiyang commandery to create a safe zone where refugees from the war could seek shelter.
When Zhen Wenjun finally had time to count the days again, she realized that half a year had passed in a flash. The bitter winter had long gone, and after the lingering summer, autumn had arrived.
Ah Xin had disappeared with Li Yanyi’s corpse, destination unknown.
Zhen Wenjun was still waiting for two things. One was Ah Yin’s appearance, the other was Wei Tingxu’s power play.
Wei Tingxu, stationed in Pingcang, still showed no movement.
The stillness was both unlike her, yet completely like her.
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