Chapter 17: Old Zhang Is Furious

Fifteen miles from the site of last night’s fierce battle, in a stretch of slightly level terrain, the main force of the Chen army had temporarily encamped. Here at this provisional stop, the soldiers had erected simple tents; after such a long march, a moment’s rest was hardly unreasonable. Whether the slowed progress of the army was due to Wang Gushan’s actions, no one could say.

The central command tent of the Chen army, hastily assembled, was crude; the mountain winds rushed in, making the hanging drapes flutter and snap. Officers of the rank of captain and centurion emerged from within, their faces grave. Moments before, they had received yet another strict order: none were to engage in battle on their own initiative; all actions must follow the orders of the central command tent. They had also learned that Wang Gushan, after leading his troops out, had not returned throughout the night—a fact that left them even more anxious and uneasy.

They understood all too well that every move must be made with utmost caution; the invincible Wei state always cast an oppressive shadow on their hearts. Should they be discovered by the Wei army’s main scouting riders, they might well perish without a trace.

“Alas! The affairs of the state are dire,” sighed a Chen army adjutant.

The remaining officers shook their heads. When a nation grows weak, it becomes prey for the strong; life in the cracks between giants was bound to be hard. Yet compared with the somber mood outside the tent, inside the command tent, the atmosphere was even more suffocating.

Zhang Yunliang sat in the chief’s seat, his expression as cold and dark as water. This campaign had been fraught with misfortune; losses in troops and officers plagued their march. Though the army had not yet suffered irreparable harm, its fighting spirit had been badly blunted. For the Chen army, deep in enemy territory, this was a fatal blow—especially when their adversary was the overwhelming Wei army.

“That fool Wang Gushan!” At last, Zhang Yunliang could not contain himself and cursed aloud.

Beside him, Ji Hui was equally furious with Wang Gushan; the man had yet to return and was most likely doomed. What a pity for the cavalry battalion—almost certainly doomed to join Wang Gushan in his folly. That was one of Chen’s few cavalry units!

“General, perhaps we should wait a bit longer. Wang Gushan may be on his way back even now.”

Though he felt miserable himself, Ji Hui fulfilled his duty as strategist and began to comfort Zhang Yunliang. Chaos may befall anyone, but the commander of three armies must never lose composure.

“The party sent to meet them has been gone an hour, yet no news. I fear Wang Gushan will not return,” Zhang Yunliang said coldly, his voice full of bitterness.

Never before had Zhang Yunliang felt such anger toward a subordinate who acted against orders, moving the troops at his own whim and temper. He had known something of Wang Gushan’s temperament before. When he had first met with Lord Chen, he had opposed Wang Gushan’s appointment to this force. Unfortunately, the Wang clan held great influence in Chen; even Lord Chen could not afford to offend them.

In the end, Wang Gushan became the cavalry captain, and Zhang Yunliang could do nothing to change it.

Ji Hui understood Zhang Yunliang’s predicament. He knew how crucial this campaign was to the outcome of the war among Chen, Qin, and Wei. Thus, he could sympathize with Zhang Yunliang’s extreme anger at Wang Gushan’s irresponsibility.

“General, Wang Gushan is indeed unfit to command. Upon our return, I shall report to His Majesty and request severe punishment for him,” Ji Hui said, standing at the lower seat, his expression unwavering.

As a royal scion, Ji Hui himself had little patience for aristocratic scions like Wang Gushan. Yet personal dislike aside, the royal house and the aristocratic families shared their fortunes. Wang Gushan must not die—not at least by Zhang Yunliang’s wrath.

Eyeing Ji Hui’s apparent sincerity, Zhang Yunliang sneered inwardly. Ji Hui had no real intention of dealing with Wang Gushan; he merely sought to protect his head. Severe punishment? That meant no execution.

If Ji Hui truly cared for the royal house, he would root out the aristocratic clans like Wang Gushan’s; otherwise, they would drain the lifeblood of Chen like leeches.

Shaking his head slightly, Zhang Yunliang said no more. These matters were beyond his power. Not every ruler possessed the resolve of the late Marquis of Wei.

Just as Zhang Yunliang worried over the affairs of state, someone rushed in from outside the tent. “Report! General Chen Xiang has returned.”

Soon, the clatter of armor was heard outside the tent. A long-faced, middle-aged man strode in, followed closely by Wang Gushan’s deputy, Gao An.

“Chen Xiang (Gao An) reports to the general.”

“Rise,” Zhang Yunliang’s voice rang out from the chief’s seat.

After a brief salute, Chen Xiang stood aside, awaiting Zhang Yunliang’s questions.

“Speak. What is the situation?” Zhang Yunliang rubbed his brow, clearly irritated.

Chen Xiang glanced at Gao An, who nodded slightly, before recounting everything he knew.

“General, I did not encounter Captain Wang. On the way, I met over a dozen of our routed soldiers and learned of Captain Wang’s defeat last night,” Chen Xiang said in a low voice.

“Guided by them, I found the site of last night’s battle between Captain Wang and the Wei troops. It is fifteen miles from here, in a forest between two hills.”

Chen Xiang glanced at Zhang Yunliang, who was staring at him intently, then lowered his head and continued:

“There, many bodies of our soldiers lay scattered. After searching, we did not find Captain Wang among them.”

“So… I surmise… Captain Wang may not be dead yet,” Chen Xiang said, raising his head slightly and furtively looking at Zhang Yunliang.

“Hmph, lucky man,” Zhang Yunliang replied coldly.

After Chen Xiang finished his report, silence fell over the tent, a deathly stillness settling in.

Seeing his part was done, Chen Xiang withdrew to the side, leaving the center of the tent empty once more.

At that moment, Zhang Yunliang lifted his gaze and fixed it on Gao An, who stood nearby, his voice cold: “Deputy Gao, explain how you managed to return unscathed.”

Gao An’s expression tightened; he had expected this question and knew he must answer for himself.

“General, I did not follow Captain Wang into the battlefield.”

At these words, the atmosphere grew even colder.

Zhang Yunliang almost laughed in anger. You did not enter the battlefield—so you were a deserter? To declare it so boldly, here in the war council, did he take Zhang Yunliang for a clay statue?

The more Zhang Yunliang thought, the angrier he became. He slapped the table hard and shouted, “Scoundrel!”

Gao An knew this was the critical moment. His fate depended on his next words. If his explanation failed, he would join his fallen comrades below.

“General, allow me to explain. Last night, I earnestly tried to persuade Captain Wang not to press forward alone, warning him of a possible Wei ambush,” Gao An said, striving to remain composed. “But Captain Wang ignored my advice, determined to wipe out the Wei detachment. He was lured into an ambush, while I thought it best to return and report the situation to you.”

“That is why I did not enter last night.”

“Then why did you not return sooner?” Zhang Yunliang pressed.

“The Wei cavalry patrolled outside the ambush, making it impossible for me to escape,” Gao An replied hurriedly.

Unbeknownst to Gao An, the Wei cavalry he encountered last night were none other than Zheng Dali and his men. Had Gao An lingered less, he might have returned earlier and reported to Zhang Yunliang.

Seated at the chief’s position, Zhang Yunliang listened to Gao An’s explanation in silence, his brows furrowed as if troubled by another problem.

Seeing Zhang Yunliang showed no intention of punishing him, Gao An breathed a sigh of relief; he had survived the ordeal.

Inside the command tent, Zhang Yunliang remained silent. No one else dared speak. Apart from Ji Hui, the others wished to erase their presence entirely, fearing to provoke the chief.

His brows furrowed for a long moment. As if finally making a decision, Zhang Yunliang let out a deep, slow breath.