Chapter 2802 - 2801: Clash at Yang Valley Pass

Chapter 2802: Chapter 2801: Clash at Yang Valley Pass

Wang Fu and Li Bangyan both frowned in deep worry as they listened; they hadn’t expected Cai Jing to have such a plan.

They were civil officials; how could they be thinking of going to the front lines to fight a war.

But right now this was the only way to offset their crimes.

They had no choice and could only clasp their fists and accept the order.

When the news reached the palace, Huizong was so enraged he spat blood; he had never thought Lin Chong would actually rebel.

And he even took away his hundred thousand elite Imperial Army troops.

According to the Great Songg military system, the soldiers did not know the generals and the generals did not know the soldiers, which was meant to strictly prevent the emergence of private armies.

But Lin Chong’s prestige within the Imperial Army was simply too great, and he had just pacified the bandit unrest in Huaixi.

The hundred thousand Imperial Army all obeyed Lin Chong, and that was what led to the current situation.

Huizong issued an edict, ordering the various Garrison Troops along the route to surround, pursue, and intercept these hundred thousand rebels; they absolutely must not be allowed to move north and merge with Song Gongming in Lu State.

He hardly needed to say it; the Privy Council had already mobilized troops and horses.

In the end they concentrated them at Yang Valley Pass, planning to rely on the natural barrier of this pass to bury Lin Chong’s hundred thousand men there.

The people above knew that back then the General of Yang Valley Pass, Wu Zhi, had a grudge with Cai Jing, so they deliberately dispatched a front-line Military Supervisor to come and oversee.

This Military Supervisor belonged to Tong Guan and Cai Jing’s faction, a civil official by background, named Zhang Mengfang.

As soon as he received the order, he rushed to Yang Valley Pass.

He even brought along his sworn brothers and close confidants, Zhang Biao and Jiang Zhong.

The two confidants had a force of a hundred thousand trained civilian militia stationed in Mengzhou City near Yang Valley Pass.

Zhang Mengfang wanted to use this to put pressure on Wu Zhi, to keep him from doing anything rash.

Yang Valley Pass was the only route between Lu State and the Capital City, a hundred-li gorge, mountains high and forests dense on both sides.

Hold this pass, and ten thousand men cannot force it.

After Wu Song rose in rebellion with Song Gongming, he had been constantly trying to persuade his elder brother to join Song Gongming.

But Wu Zhi was a loyal and valiant man; though he had ties with Song Gongming and sympathized with him,

feelings were feelings, conviction was conviction.

The Wu Family had received imperial favor for generations, and his wife’s clan was the Capital City prefect.

If he rebelled, not only would the Wu Family be stripped of their honors, the Pan Family would hardly escape the calamity.

After he received news that Lin Chong was marching north, he had already ordered defenses to be set up at once, laying layer upon layer of checkpoints at Yang Valley Pass, planning to divide and block this hundred thousand-strong army.

But Zhang Mengfang did not trust him, and as soon as he arrived he meddled in the military affairs of Yang Valley Pass, saying that with such a formidable enemy before them, they must not be reckless and split forces to intercept.

Instead, they had to consolidate and hold one place, play ostrich and hole up atop the main pass at Longshou Peak.

Wu Zhi told him that when Lin Chong’s army arrived, they would not only face the enemy head-on; Song Gongming would certainly lead troops to attack from behind.

If they clung to one position, they would definitely fall into a pincer attack between two armies.

By then they would be under attack front and rear, and Longshou Peak would surely fall.

Zhang Mengfang wouldn’t listen, even suspecting in his heart that Wu Zhi harbored sinister intentions—pretending to split forces while actually trying to open a corridor for Lin Chong.

This thinking left Wu Zhi furious.

But Zhang Mengfang was the front-line overseer; no matter how dissatisfied Wu Zhi was, he had to obey him.

The two each submitted memorials to the Privy Council, asking it to decide.

In the end the Privy Council took Zhang Mengfang’s side, ordering Wu Zhi to follow Zhang Mengfang’s plan in all things.

The hundred thousand garrison troops of Yang Valley Pass, plus the hundred thousand militia Zhang Mengfang had brought, were all stationed on Longshou Peak.

The place had treacherous roads, that was one thing, but the key was that there was no water source.

To drink, they had to have people haul water up from the foot of the mountain.

If they were to hold this place, they had to secure the front lines.

Yet Zhang Mengfang insisted on pulling back, handing the front lines away without a fight.

Up on the mountain, Wu Zhi could only sigh as he watched; a perfectly good Yang Valley Pass had been turned by Zhang Mengfang into a death trap.

That night, as Wu Zhi was inspecting the camp, a youth suddenly slipped into his command tent.

Wu Zhi was startled and snapped in a low voice to the youth, "Second Brother, what are you doing here?"

Wu Song urged him in a low voice, "I’ve come on Brother Gongming’s orders, to persuade you to surrender. The Great Songg’s Mandate of Heaven is exhausted; that old Emperor has employed treacherous ministers who wreak havoc, he’s even driven his own imperial uncle to rebellion, and forced the Empress, the Princess, and the Crown Prince to their deaths. Across the realm, officials and commoners alike are heartsick with grief and rage. Big Brother, are you really going to lay down your life for such a muddle-headed ruler?"

"Hold your tongue!"

Wu Zhi cut him off, his Divine Sense sweeping the surroundings as he said, "The Wu Family has eaten the ruler’s grain for generations. Others may rebel, but the Wu Family cannot. Your Majesty is merely momentarily blinded by traitors; there will come a day when he wakes up!"

"Big Brother, stop lying to yourself, will you?"

Wu Song growled softly, "The Emperor as he is now—how is he any different from King Zhou of Shang? We are merely following the example of Emperor Wu of Zhou, pleading justice for the people of the realm. With your courage and prowess, if you joined Brother Gongming you’d certainly be given great responsibilities. Why stay here, swallowing grievances in that filthy court, with no place to use your skills?"

Wu Zhi shook his head. "Go. There are no brothers on the battlefield. Whatever happens, I, Wu Zhi, will never rebel against Song."

"Big Brother, you’re truly dull-witted!"

Wu Song was never one for eloquence; now that Wu Zhi had blocked him, he couldn’t find more words.

He left in anger and went back down the mountain.

In the Mandarin Duck Tower at the foot of the mountain, Zhang Mengfang was feasting his sworn brothers Zhang Biao and Jiang Zhong.

The two were pouring his wine, thumping their chests in assurance. "Don’t worry, Big Brother. With the two of us here, no matter how capable Lin Chong is, he won’t get out of here alive."

"That’s right. Back then we cultivated on Qingfeng Mountain, in Purple Sun Cave, under Elder Qingshu. We’re proper Twelve Golden Immortals of Exposition Sect; our fellow Sect Disciples are all highly skilled and spread across the world. Why would we fear one Lin Chong?"

"I knew all that, that’s why I invited you over!"

Zhang Mengfang raised his cup to toast them, and they all drank together.

The two were indeed Disciples under Qingfeng Mountain’s sect, but only lowly Outer Sect menial workers, who had done hard labor building the mountain gate at Qingfeng Mountain back then.

They had only learned some superficial Daoist arts; even so, they had a bit of Cultivation Level, having just broken into the Divinity Transformation Realm.

The Divinity Transformation Realm was everywhere in the Human Realm nowadays.

Not to mention here in the Immortal Realm—their level was only enough to strut around in the mortal world.

Yet Zhang Mengfang treated them like treasures, heavily relying on them; he had no choice, they were the only two brothers he’d managed to befriend.

Zhang Biao suggested, "Big Brother, if you ask me, you might as well submit a memorial to the Imperial Court and have it dismiss that Wu Zhi from his General post. I’ve heard that his younger brother Wu Song has already pledged himself to Song Gongming. From such a rebel family, what loyal and brave man could possibly emerge?"

Jiang Zhong nodded and chimed in, "Exactly, exactly. His brother has already rebelled; we can’t be sure he doesn’t harbor rebellion himself. We have to plan early, or we’ll be on the back foot later."

Zhang Mengfang said, "I’ve already memorialized the Privy Council, but people at court are speaking up for Wu Zhi, saying the Wu Family has been loyal and upright for generations and could never produce a rebel. Besides, Wu Song already slit his own throat in the street last time—everyone in Yang Valley Pass saw it! Right now we have no solid evidence; we can’t very well claim this man has come back from the dead and use a corpse to frame Wu Zhi, can we?"

"Overseer, I swear Wu Song has truly come back to life; lots of people have seen it!"

Jiang Zhong and Zhang Biao shouted in anxiety.

Zhang Mengfang said, "To catch a thief you need the stolen goods; to catch an adulterer you need them together in bed. If we don’t personally seize Wu Song, nobody will be able to make it clear."

Jiang Zhong and Zhang Biao exchanged a cold glance. "Don’t worry, Big Brother, we’ll immediately send troops to capture that traitor. Once we’ve taken him, you can memorialize the Imperial Court at once and strip Wu Zhi of his office. After that, Yang Valley Pass will be yours."

"Yes, yes!"

Zhang Mengfang lifted his cup and laughed heartily, as if he could already see his future prospects.

Yang Valley Pass was a fine place; if he became General of Yang Valley Pass, he could be enfeoffed, his wife and children granted privileges, and his descendants for three generations would enjoy prosperity.

Just then, a shout suddenly rang out from downstairs: "You’re trying to catch me, are you?"