xymnovel Chapter 54 We Still Have One Way Out
Chapter 54 We Still Have One Way Out
Tokyo, Cai Jingfu.
The Privy Council's official letter arrived last night.
Cai Jing got up in the morning and opened the letters in his study. He first read the appendix from the Privy Council, then Yang Zhi's secret report. After reading them, he placed the two sheets of paper on the table, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.
The tea is this year's newly tribute Dragon and Phoenix Tea, with a bright green liquor and a delicate aroma.
He took another sip.
Yang Zhi. The Yang Zhi who lost the birthday gifts. A subordinate of his son-in-law, Liang Zhongshu.
Zengtou City colluded with the Jurchens.
Cai Jing put down his teacup and read the letter again.
He wasn't angry, nor was he anxious. He was over seventy years old; what storms hadn't he weathered?
He picked up a brush and wrote a few words on the paper: "Forward to Liang, the garrison commander of Daming Prefecture. Take proper care immediately and prevent it from spreading."
He put down his pen and summoned his retainers.
"Send this letter to Daming Prefecture and give it to my son-in-law."
The retainer accepted the envelope, bowed, and withdrew.
Cai Jing picked up his teacup again and took a sip. The tea had gone cold.
He squinted, looking out the window at the old locust tree in the courtyard. The locust blossoms were in full bloom, the tree covered in white flowers, and bees buzzed around it.
"Yang Zhi..." he muttered to himself, "What a pity."
No one knows whether he felt sorry for Yang Zhi or for the fact that the matter had blown up and was difficult to resolve.
……
Daming Mansion, left-behind department.
When Liang Zhongshu received the letter forwarded by Cai Jing, he was listening to a tune in his study.
He didn't listen to the whole thing. He opened the letter, glanced at it, and his expression changed.
He waved for Xiao Qu to leave and read the letter again from beginning to end.
Yang Zhi.
He wrote a letter to the Privy Council.
Accuse Zengtou City of colluding with the Jin people.
Liang Zhongshu slammed the letter on the table, stood up, and took a few steps around the study. He then came back, picked up the letter, and read it again.
"You bastard Yang Zhi..."
He forced out those words through gritted teeth.
The reason Yang Zhi was sent to Jizhou Prefecture was to keep him out of sight. Unexpectedly, this defeated general dared to bypass him and go directly to the Privy Council.
Liang Zhongshu sat back in his chair and tapped his fingers on the table a few times.
"Someone come here."
A close attendant pushed open the door and came in.
"Pass on my order. Suspend the supply of provisions to Yang Zhi's troops. Let him figure out his own way."
The attendant hesitated for a moment: "My lord, provisions for five hundred men..."
"I said stop, and that's it." Liang Zhongshu's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chill. "Isn't he so capable? Isn't he brave enough to petition the emperor? Let him figure out his own way."
The attendants dared not ask any further questions and bowed as they withdrew.
Liang Zhongshu leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
Yang Zhi, you're courting death.
……
The camp outside Zengtou City has been without food for three days.
Yang Zhi stood at the camp gate, gazing at the earthen walls of Zengtou City in the distance. Soldiers moved about on the walls, carrying long spears and wearing worn leather armor. The lanterns on the watchtowers lit up at night and remained lit until dawn.
Three days ago, the grain delivery convoy failed to arrive. The next day, he sent someone to Jizhou Prefecture to urge them on, but the messenger returned saying that the prefecture had not received any official document ordering the distribution of grain. On the third day, he sent someone to Daming Prefecture, but the messenger still hadn't returned.
Wang Cheng walked over with a bowl of wild vegetable soup and handed it to Yang Zhi.
"Commander, have a drink."
Yang Zhi took the bowl and glanced at it. The soup was grayish-green, with a few rotten vegetable leaves floating on top, and no oil. He took a sip and handed the bowl back to Wang Cheng.
What are the brothers eating?
"This morning I cooked the last few bushels of rice into porridge, and gave everyone a bowl." Wang Cheng lowered his head. "Tomorrow... there won't be anything left."
Yang Zhi remained silent. He gazed at Zengtou City in the distance, the lanterns on its earthen walls swaying in the night wind. Seven or eight hundred villagers, earthen walls, arrow towers, and ample provisions. His five hundred men, on the other hand, were starving and lacked even ladders for attacking the city.
"Commander," Wang Cheng said in a low voice, "let's retreat."
"Withdraw?" Yang Zhi turned around. "Withdraw to where? If we go back to Daming Prefecture, Liang Zhongshu will not let me off the hook. If we go to Jizhou Prefecture, they won't recognize us. Withdrawing means scattering, and if the brothers scatter, they will be deserters, and if they are caught, they will die."
Wang Cheng fell silent.
Yang Zhi returned to his tent. The oil lamp was still burning, its wick charred black, the flame barely the size of a bean. He sat at the camp table, the map still spread out before him. He had studied every part of it countless times; he could draw it with his eyes closed. But the way out wasn't on the map.
The old steward lifted the curtain and came in, carrying a bowl of hot water. His face was thinner than a few days ago, his cheekbones were high and prominent, his eyes were sunken, and his hands trembled violently.
"Commander, have some hot water to warm yourself up."
Yang Zhi took the bowl; the water was hot. He held it in his hands but didn't drink it.
"Sir, tell me, am I destined for bad luck wherever I go in my life?"
The old steward squatted down and looked into his eyes.
"Commander, you're not just unlucky, you've been set up. From the birthday tribute to Zengtou City, someone doesn't want you to live."
Yang Zhi did not respond.
The old steward said again, "But you can't die. If you die, those four hundred-plus brothers outside won't survive either."
The bowl in Yang Zhi's hand trembled slightly.
.........
Fourth day.
The camp began slaughtering horses.
It wasn't Yang Zhi who gave the order; a few soldiers did it themselves. They killed an old horse, skinned it, and roasted it over a fire. The aroma of the charred horse meat filled the entire camp, attracting even more people. Some grabbed, some fought, and some cried.
Wang Cheng led several teams to rush over and pull away the people grabbing the meat. But for every one they pulled away, two more came. They couldn't stop them.
Yang Zhi stepped out of the tent, stood on a high point, and looked down at the chaos below.
He didn't shout.
He stood there, watching. The wind ruffled his cloak. The soldiers below gradually quieted down, raising their heads to look at him.
"Commander..." someone called out, their voice trembling.
Yang Zhi got down and walked to the fire. The horse meat on the fire was charred black and torn beyond recognition. He squatted down, picked up a piece of bloody meat from the fire, and stuffed it into his mouth.
I chewed it twice and swallowed it.
"Commander!" Wang Cheng stepped forward, trying to stop him.
Yang Zhi raised his hand to stop him.
He looked at the soldiers before him. Some were young, not yet twenty, with just a few hairs growing on their lips; others were older, over forty, with graying temples. Each one was sallow and emaciated, their eyes almost lifeless.
"Brothers," Yang Zhi's voice wasn't loud, but everyone heard it, "it's my fault, Yang Zhi, that I've let you down. I've made you suffer with me."
No one speaks.
"But you need to think this through. Outside this camp is Zengtou City. They have over a thousand villagers, earthen walls, and arrow towers. We can't defeat them with our small numbers."
He paused.
"Behind the camp lies Daming Prefecture. Liang Zhongshu will neither provide us with provisions nor allow us to return. If we go back, we will die."
Some people lowered their heads, while others clenched their fists.
Yang Zhi took a deep breath.
"But we still have another way."
All eyes were on him.
"Someone is willing to help us. They'll help us get our families out and take them to a safe place. Once our families are settled, we'll have somewhere to go."
Wang Cheng was the first to speak: "Commander, who? Who is willing to help us?"
Yang Zhi glanced at him.
"Chao Baozheng of Yuncheng County."