SWDnovel Chapter 1495 Breaking the Alliance
Chapter 1495 Breaking the Alliance
Chapter 1495 Breaking the Alliance
The year is now the seventeenth year of Yanxi.
On the fifth day of the first lunar month, Chang'an was still immersed in the lingering aroma of firecrackers and the fragrance of pepper and cypress wine.
The front hall of Weiyang Palace was already filled with a somber atmosphere.
An urgent military report from Jiangnan, delivered over 600 li, struck the Han emperor and his officials at the New Year's court assembly like a thunderbolt.
"Wu's army has reinforced Huainan with 50,000 troops to strengthen the city's defenses!"
"Lu Kang was appointed as the commander of Xiling, and in charge of military affairs in Jiangling and Yidao!"
"Lü Dai has closed the trading market in Xiangyang, and no one is allowed to enter or leave at will!"
"Zhu Ji held a grand review of the three armies in Wuchang, declaring that he 'swore to defend the Yangtze River!'"
With each message delivered by the messenger, the temperature in the hall dropped by one degree.
When the last sentence, "Sun Jun summoned all the armies in Jianye and personally led 100,000 troops," was uttered, the faces of all the civil and military officials were extremely grim.
That damned Wu dog, he can't even let people have peace during the New Year.
Liu Shan sat on the throne, gripping the wine cup tightly in his hand.
This usually magnanimous emperor, for the first time, displayed a thunderous rage on his face.
"Well... well, what a fine Sun family member!"
Liu Shan slammed his wine cup down on the table and roared in anger:
"I remembered the old friendship between the Han and Wu dynasties and granted them a six-month grace period. But instead of returning Guangling, they increased their troops and flexed their muscles!"
"What are they trying to do? Do the Wu people think that our Han Dynasty is easy to bully?!"
Seeing His Majesty's fury, the ministers were eager to try their luck.
However, before stepping forward, they all subconsciously looked at the figure sitting at the very front.
Last time, when the Wu people secretly colluded with the Wei state, all the officials in the court requested to fight, but unexpectedly, Grand Marshal Feng strongly opposed it.
In the end, it was only after Deng Xiaoping and Zong Gong intervened that Feng was forced to deploy troops on the border.
Let's see what he has to say this time.
Just as everyone was hesitating about whether to steal the spotlight, a voice rang out:
"Your Majesty, calm down!"
It turned out that the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Fei Yi, stepped forward:
"The people of Wu are untrustworthy, greedy, and forget righteousness. Now that they have openly prepared for war, our Great Han should immediately send troops to demonstrate the might of Heaven!"
Very good!
Last time, Minister Fei also said there was a shortage of funds and grain, but I didn't expect this time...
It seems that this time, the money and grain in the treasury should be enough.
"His Majesty!"
Another aged and furious voice rang out.
Grand Commandant Deng Zhi stepped forward, trembling. This nearly seventy-year-old official had his hair and beard bristling, and the tablet in his hand trembled slightly with excitement.
"This old minister has reached his limit!"
Deng Zhi walked into the hall, bowed deeply to the throne, and turned away with eyes blazing with anger:
"Your Majesty! Gentlemen! This old minister was once sent by Zhuge Liang as an envoy to Eastern Wu, where he negotiated with Sun Quan and swore an oath of brotherhood with blood!"
He raised the tablet in his hand and recounted the events of that year:
"This old minister personally negotiated the alliance between the states of Han and Wu with Sun Quan, and witnessed him cut off his hair as a substitute for his head, pointing to the river as a pledge!"
"Now, only thirty years later, how dare their descendants be so treacherous and disloyal?!"
The old general became more and more agitated as he spoke: "The alliance from back then still stands, yet today the Wu people dare to occupy my Guangling and increase their troops to show off their power!"
"This is not only betraying the Han dynasty, but also betraying the oath of his ancestors! If Sun Quan could know this in the afterlife, he would be ashamed to face his ancestors!"
He turned abruptly, facing south, and shouted sharply:
"Sun Jun, you brat! Sun Luban, you vixen! Do you even know how to write the words 'trust' and 'righteousness'?! Do you even know that the words 'oath' and 'sworn oath' weigh a ton?!"
"Deng Gong is absolutely right!"
Another veteran official stepped forward; it was General Zong Yu, the commander of the garrison.
His face was ashen at this moment:
"Your Majesty, I have also been sent as an envoy to Eastern Wu."
Zong Yu walked to Deng Zhi's side, and the two stood side by side, like two ancient pine trees in the imperial court:
“At that time, Sun Quan had just died of illness. The people of Wu repeatedly told me that Han and Wu should be on good terms. I never expected that as soon as I returned, the people of Wu would turn around and secretly liaise with the puppet state of Wei.”
Zong Yu finished speaking and bowed to the throne:
"Your Majesty! The Wu people are fickle, and this is not the first time. When Lord Guan was stationed in Jingzhou, Sun Quan broke the alliance and seized Jiangling."
"Now that our great Han Dynasty has recovered the Central Plains, they have resorted to their old tricks again! Such a faithless and unrighteous nation should be attacked and destroyed!"
"The last general invites you to fight!"
One general stepped forward with a resounding thud.
It was General Zhang Jiu, the General of Zhenyuan, whose bright armor gleamed under the candlelight in the hall.
Zhang knelt on one knee, clasped his hands above his head, and spoke in a loud, clear voice:
"Your Majesty! I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's great favor, having been granted command of the Vanguard Army. I have been training my soldiers day and night, awaiting Your Majesty's command!"
"Now that the Wu people are so rampant, the soldiers in our army can no longer restrain themselves!"
He looked up, his eyes burning with fighting spirit: "This humble general knows that 'the Han and the traitors cannot coexist.' Now that the false Wei has fled, only this scoundrel remains in the Central Plains."
"Your Majesty, please grant me permission to lead 30,000 elite troops as the vanguard of the main army. Within three months, I will surely capture Guangling and bring Lü Ju before Your Majesty's steps!"
Zhang Jiu's words were like sparks thrown into a hot oil pan, and a chorus of voices urging to fight immediately rose from the martial arts troupe:
"The general will go where he wishes!"
"Your subject requests permission to fight!"
"Crush the Jiangnan region!"
In an instant, calls for the fight surged like a tidal wave.
The civil officials quoted classical texts to denounce the Wu Kingdom for breaking the alliance; the military generals were eager to fight and vowed to conquer the south of the Yangtze River.
The atmosphere in the hall was as heated as boiling water, as if the troops were about to be mustered and sent into battle at any moment.
Liu Shan seemed not to have expected that his words would elicit such a surge of requests for battle from his ministers.
He subconsciously looked at Feng Lianjin, who was sitting closest to him.
Feng Da Sima took a sip of tea and slowly put down his teacup.
The bottom of the cup touched the celadon tray, producing a crisp yet very clear "ding".
The sound wasn't loud, but it was like ice crystals thrown into boiling water, instantly silencing the clamor in the hall.
Grand Marshal Feng then slowly rose, stepped out of the ranks of officials, and calmly said:
"Gentlemen, please be patient and calm."
The entire front hall of Weiyang Palace was completely silent.
All eyes were on the Grand Marshal.
Grand Marshal Feng walked into the hall, first bowed to the throne, then nodded slightly to Deng Zhi and Zong Yu, and finally his gaze fell on Zhang Jiu, who was kneeling on the ground.
"General Zhang, please rise." Grand Marshal Feng offered a slight gesture of support, and only after Zhang had stood up did he slowly say, "The loyalty and bravery of you gentlemen are evident to Heaven and Earth. However..."
He paused for a moment: "To conquer a country, one needs a just cause; to destroy a country, one needs righteousness."
Looking at Deng Zhi:
"Deng Gong just mentioned the alliance from back then. If I remember correctly, you made an agreement with Sun Quan."
"If, after annexing Wei, each ruler cultivates his virtue and each minister fulfills his loyalty, then the battle will begin when the drums are raised."
He turned to face the throne:
"Your Majesty, although the pseudo-Wei state has not been completely destroyed, Sima Zhao has fled to Liaodong, leaving only the Han and Wu states in the Central Plains."
"The premise of 'after the annexation of Wei' has already been fulfilled."
Whispers filled the hall.
A glint flashed in Deng Zhi's eyes: "Grand Marshal, are you saying... the alliance has been automatically dissolved?"
“Exactly.” Grand Marshal Feng nodded. “Wu’s occupation of Guangling is a breach of contract; our Han’s attack on Wu is a fulfillment of the contract—the contract that ‘the war has just begun’.”
Zong Yu clapped his hands: "Excellent! In that case, our Han Dynasty's dispatch of troops is not only without fault, but also a fulfillment of Zhuge Liang's legacy!"
“However, our great Han Dynasty was founded on trust and righteousness,” said Grand Marshal Feng in a deep voice. “Even if the alliance has been automatically dissolved, it should still be announced to the world.”
"Let the people of Wu, the common people, and future historians see clearly that it was the state of Wu that broke its promise first, and it was the state of Han that raised an army later."
He walked to the steps and bowed deeply:
"Your Majesty, I request that you personally write a letter of state and send it to Jianye."
The book states: "The old alliance between Han and Wu is officially dissolved today. From this day forward, the two countries are no longer bound by any friendship, and only war will suffice."
“In that case,” Grand Marshal Feng straightened up, his gaze sweeping over Deng Zhi, Zong Yu, and Zhang Jiu before finally settling back on the throne:
"When our great Han Dynasty sends out troops, they are a righteous and honorable army."
"Later historians should record: In the first month of the seventeenth year of Yanxi, Wu broke the alliance, Han broke off relations, and then the heavenly army pointed south."
Liu Shan remained silent for a long time before slowly standing up.
"Draft an edict." The Emperor's voice resounded throughout the hall:
"To Sun Liang, the ruler of Wu: In the past, Han and Wu were allies and jointly resisted Cao Wei. Now Wei has fled to Liaodong, and the Central Plains are safe and sound."
"However, Wu occupied Guangling, increased its troops and prepared for war, and broke its promises and betrayed its principles. This was the worst it could have been."
"I have granted you a six-month grace period out of consideration for our past friendship, but your country has not repented and has instead become even more rampant."
"The alliance between Han and Wu is hereby officially dissolved."
"When the heavenly army marches south, do not say you were not warned."
-
After the imperial edict was issued, the emperor looked at the old general and said, "Lord Deng."
"The old minister is here!"
"This edict was personally delivered to Jianye by you, sir."
Liu Shan's voice trembled slightly with excitement:
"Let Sun Liang see how the man who made an alliance with Sun Quan back then will sever that alliance with his own hands today!"
Deng Zhi trembled, his old eyes instantly welled up with tears, and he knelt down deeply: "This old minister...accepts the decree!"
"Grand Sima."
"The minister is here."
"Order all armies in Guanzhong to prepare for battle. Tell the soldiers that after we destroy Wu, I will reward them on the walls of Jianye!"
"I accept the decree!"
After the court assembly, Deng Zhi met with Grand Marshal Feng outside the palace gate.
The old general looked at the powerful Grand Marshal and suddenly smiled:
"Grand Marshal, I still remember that it has been thirty years since you first met Zhuge Liang, hasn't it?"
Grand Marshal Feng looked up at the sky and sighed, “Thirty years of fame and glory are but dust and dirt, eight thousand miles of road are but clouds and moon.”
"Good!" Deng Zhi patted his shoulder and took out an object carefully wrapped in a brocade pouch from her bosom.
He untied the brocade pouch, revealing a jade seal with a dragon-shaped knob.
The seal body is warm and smooth, the dragon-shaped knob is carved in an ancient and simple style, and the seal text is clearly legible with the four seal characters "Seal of the Chancellor of Han Dynasty". The side inscription is engraved with the small characters "Made in the first year of Zhangwu".
"This talisman was bestowed upon me by Zhuge Liang in the past, and today I present it to the Grand Marshal."
Grand Marshal Feng was astonished: "Lord Deng, this...this is the seal of the Prime Minister?"
"Holding this seal is like having Zhuge Liang himself here. When I was sent by Zhuge Liang to Eastern Wu, he gave me this seal before I left."
Deng Zhi gently placed the jade seal in Grand Marshal Feng's palm, his gesture as solemn as if he were handing over a city:
"Zhuge Liang once said: Holding this seal is as if Zhuge Liang were personally present. All the gentlemen of Jiangdong should know the sincerity of the Han Dynasty."
He paused, a glimmer of memory appearing in his eyes:
"I presented this seal to Sun Quan, and we swore an oath of brotherhood by blood outside Stone City. For the past thirty years, this seal has never left my side."
"It bears witness to the beginning of the thirty-year alliance between Han and Wu."
Grand Marshal Feng held the jade seal, feeling its weight as heavy as a thousand pounds: "Lord Deng, this is a national treasure, how could I ever..."
"It is precisely because it is a national treasure that it should be given to you."
Deng Zhi pressed his hand down, her voice low:
"When Zhuge Liang used this seal to establish the alliance, he hoped that the two countries would be friendly forever; today, I am giving it to you so that you may hold onto this seal to complete the alliance."
"Since this seal initiated the alliance between Han and Wu, it should be used to end this feud."
Feng Yong remained silent, then took out his Grand Marshal's seal and handed it to Deng Zhi:
"In that case, Lord Deng, take my Grand Marshal's seal this time and tell Lord Sun Liang of Wu that the alliance is over!"
"Good, good, good!" Deng Zhi laughed, took it, turned to get into the car, and looked back one last time.
"Go and tell the soldiers of the three armies—the spirit of Zhuge Liang in heaven dwells with this seal!"
"Furthermore, we must tell the people of Wu—those who used this seal to make the alliance back then will use it to break the alliance today!"
"In the first year of Zhangwu, when Marquis Wu received this seal, the Shu Han dynasty was founded."
"In the second year of Jianxing, when Deng held this seal, the alliance between Han and Wu was formed."
"today……"
"You shall take this seal and bring an era to a close."
After saying this, Deng Zhi got into the car and left.
Grand Marshal Feng bowed deeply to the carriage:
“Yong, remember the teachings of Zhuge Liang. This seal is in Yong’s hands not to flaunt power, but to end the chaos of the world.”
The civil and military officials following behind all stood solemnly.
Snowflakes are falling.
Chang'an City was covered in silver.
Upon returning to his residence, Grand Marshal Feng was immediately greeted by a servant who reported:
"Grand Marshal, the General Who Guards the East has been waiting at the White Tiger Hall for quite some time."
Feng Da Sima, who was originally in a solemn mood, was suddenly shaken!
Town...town what?
Inside the White Tiger Hall, Madam Zuo was dressed in military attire.
She wore no helmet, her long hair was tied into a high bun with a gold ring, she was dressed in black fish-scale armor, and a horse-slaying sword was at her waist, exuding a heroic aura.
He was standing there, looking down at the map on the table.
On the map, five arrows point directly to Jiangnan.
General Zhang Bao, who led the Eastern Expedition, commanded 50,000 troops under Wang Han, Liu Hun, Tuoba Tianli, Xiahou Ba, and others. They stationed themselves in Qiao County and established a fortified camp near the Huai River.
General Jiang Wei, commander of the Southern Garrison, led 50,000 troops under Liu Yin, Shi Bao, Guanqiu Jian, and others to garrison Nanyang.
General Fu Qian, along with Du Yu, Ma Su, and others, led 30,000 troops and gathered in the three eastern commanderies of Hanzhong.
General Zhang Yi of Annam, commanding 30,000 troops under Luo Xian, Wang Jun, and others, was stationed in Yong'an.
In addition, Crown Prince Liu Chen led the Wuwei Army in Guangling, making a total of five armies.
Grand Marshal Feng came up behind her, took a tiger tally from the table, and handed it to her:
"The Hanzhong navy has 30,000 men and 200 warships, all under your command."
Guan Yinping took the tiger tally, but did not put it away immediately.
She looked up at Grand Marshal Feng:
"Are you really not going to the expedition this time?"
Grand Marshal Feng shook his head and slowly said:
"If I go to war, all the credit for this battle shall be mine."
"But the Crown Prince needs a war to establish his authority, a war that will win the hearts of the people and make the court and the people submit to him, a war that will destroy a country."
Madam Zuo frowned: "So you want me to go to Hanzhong to command the navy? That's the main force of the Han navy..."
"It's precisely because you're a key player that you should go."
Grand Marshal Feng stared into her eyes:
"Jingzhou was lost from my maternal uncle."
"In the twenty-fourth year of Jian'an, during the Battle of Xiangfan, my maternal uncle flooded the seven armies, which shook the whole of China. However, due to the betrayal of the Eastern Wu and a sneak attack, he was ultimately defeated and fled to Maicheng."
He reached out and gently stroked the armor on Lady Zuo's shoulder.
He knew that Madam Zuo had been carrying the pain of her family's tragedy deep in her heart for so many years:
"Today, you wield your maternal uncle's sword, lead the Han navy, break through Xiangyang, and reclaim Jingzhou. This is to vindicate the Guan family and avenge your maternal uncle."
Upon hearing this, Lady Zuo, a veteran of many battles, trembled slightly and looked up, her eyes glistening with tears.
"As for Jianye..." Grand Marshal Feng stroked the face of the General Who Guards the East, "that is the Crown Prince's battlefield."
"The capture of Wu's capital and the taking of Wu's ruler should be carried out by the crown prince himself. Only in this way can he have unparalleled prestige when he ascends the throne."
Feng Da Sima has gone to great lengths for his son-in-law, Liu Chen.
She paused, then softened her voice: "If I go, it would be stealing the credit; if I don't go, it would be giving up the credit. You should understand the difference."
The General Who Guards the East remained silent for a long time, then suddenly knelt on one knee—not as a wife to her husband, but as a general to his commander:
"This humble general, Guan Suo, holds the seal of General Who Guards the East and commands the Hanzhong navy. On this journey, I will surely conquer Xiangyang and reclaim Jingzhou to comfort... the spirit of my late father in heaven!"
Grand Marshal Feng helped her up and took out a scroll of silk: "This is a secret order for Jiang Wei."
"He stationed troops in Nanyang, ostensibly to contain Wuchang, but in reality to cooperate with your attack on Xiangyang. Once your navy sails east, he will send 20,000 troops to support you along the north bank of the Han River."
He took another scroll: "This is for Zhang Yi. He is ordered to send troops from Yong'an. He need not seek victory, but only to keep Lu Kang firmly in check so that he cannot go north to rescue Xiangyang."
Finally, he took Madam Zuo's hand and placed the three volumes of military orders in her palm:
"Once you have captured Xiangyang, the armies of Jiang Wei and Zhang Yi will both be under your command. The three armies will converge at Jiangling and sail down the river to the east—at that time, you will be the commander-in-chief of the three armies."
Guan Yinping looked up, her eyes filled with a mixture of tears and fighting spirit: "Then you... will wait in Chang'an?"
“Wait.” Grand Marshal Feng smiled. “Wait for your good news, wait for the Crown Prince’s triumphant song, wait… for the day when the world is unified.”
He walked to the front of the hall and opened the window.
A north wind rushed in, causing the candlelight to dance wildly.
“Unless—” Grand Marshal Feng’s voice turned cold, “unless the war situation changes, unless Wu has some unexpected backup plan…”
"Otherwise, I will stay here in Chang'an and watch how you...end this chaotic world."
January 23rd, the seventeenth year of Yanxi.
Yong'an Water Village.
After reading the military order, Zhang Yi smiled at Luo Xian and Wang Jun and said, "The Grand Marshal wants us to be the tripwires—to hold back Lu Kang, this fine steed of Jiangdong."
He walked to the bow of the boat and looked towards Xiling:
"Lu Boyan's son? I'd like to see how much of your master's talent you've inherited."
"The humiliation of Yiling suffered by the late emperor must be avenged today!"
Meanwhile, at the Hanzhong naval camp, warships were as numerous as clouds.
General Zhen Dong, dressed in full military attire, stood atop the flagship warship, with 30,000 soldiers standing solemnly behind him.
"Soldiers!" Her voice was clear and resounding throughout the Han River, "Thirty years ago, my late father, Lord Guan, flooded the seven armies in Jingzhou, his might shaking the entire land!"
"Thirty years from now, I intend to lead the army of the Han Dynasty to conquer Xiangyang and reclaim Jingzhou. Are you, my generals and soldiers, willing to follow me?"
The soldiers roared, "We are willing to follow you to the death, General, to break through Xiangyang and take back Jingzhou!"
The roar of the waves rolled across the river like thunder, startling countless water birds into flight.
(End of this chapter)