Chapter 577 – Northern Frontier Horse Plague (Part 4)
Huang Song pondered Jiang Pengji’s nature, wearing a troubled expression as he said, “Even with the three Northern Frontier clans watching, Liu Xi’s temperament is so unpredictable that her actions can take anyone by surprise. Last year she was merely a county magistrate in Xiangyang, and now she’s claimed Fengyi County without the slightest regard for the imperial edict.”
If she were to suddenly turn against Huang Song, he currently had no means to defend himself.
Cheng Jing chimed in, “The news of An Yina, the Second Prince’s consort, dying unexpectedly has already reached the three Northern Frontier clans. The barbarians have long coveted the Central Plains. By next spring, when the pastures are lush, they’ll surely mobilize to attack Dongqing. The primary target? Isn’t it Liu Zhi’s Chongzhou?”
The impending attack on Dongqing by the three Northern Frontier families was unavoidable for Liu Zhi.
Now, it seemed that Chongzhou was already preparing vigorously to face the Northern Frontier cavalry, leaving no time to spare for Huang Song.
Liu Zhi, being Liu Xi’s father, would surely risk everything to repel the Northern cavalry if his family faced danger. Comparatively, Huang Song bore much less pressure from outsiders. Even though Huang Song’s growth might lag behind Liu Xi’s, that gap wasn’t insurmountable.
With Liu Xi’s family entangled with the three Northern clans, regardless of the outcome, the cost would be substantial.
In this tug-of-war, who was stronger—Huang Song or Liu Xi—was yet to be determined.
Though Huang Song had initially felt somewhat disheartened, Cheng Jing’s analysis instilled a bit more confidence in him, restoring his energetic state. Feng Jue discreetly sighed in relief, since missing out on Yang Si had indeed dealt Huang Song quite a blow.
With Cheng Jing’s arrival, it felt as though a missing piece was finally filled.
A few others were also on their way, and Huang Song had sent invitations to skilled relatives, prompting them to rush over… Once everything was back on track, Huang Song’s influence would grow rapidly, while the Dongqing royal family would be heading toward its demise.
Huang Song and Cheng Jing engaged in deep conversation, feeling a certain affinity as if they were old acquaintances.
Cheng Jing remarked, “I’ve heard that Feng Jin, Huai Jian’s second brother, is serving under Liu Xi?”
Huang Song’s nerves tensed, and Feng Jue subtly frowned.
Huang Song responded, “Everyone serves their own master; Huai Jian is one thing, and Feng Jin is another. Let’s not suspect our friends without cause.”
Cheng Jing laughed, “I’m not doubting Huai Jian, but I’m concerned that when spring arrives next year, if Liu Xi strikes Wanzhou, Shangyang County may fall without a fight.”
If Shangyang County also surrendered, only Chengde County would remain, and Liu Xi could easily annex it.
Huang Song was caught off-guard and took a moment to process.
“Why?”
Feng Jue had figured it out—the crux lay with Feng Jin.
Cheng Jing explained, “The Feng clan’s ancestral home is in Shangyang County, which is now the region of Beijing. The county governor has a very close relationship with the Feng clan. Feng Jin is the second son of the Feng family. With this connection and Liu Xi commanding strong troops, it’s hard to guarantee that the Feng family won’t be persuading…”
The Feng clan was one of the four noble families of Dongqing, and they had considerable influence over Shangyang County; even the county governor had to tread carefully around them.
The Feng family’s stance could significantly sway the ultimate fate of Shangyang County.
“If Shangyang County stubbornly defends its walls, even if it ultimately falls, it could still inflict a bit of damage on Liu Xi. If it surrenders without a fight, Liu Xi’s power would be preserved to the greatest extent.” Cheng Jing chuckled. “I lean toward Liu Xi sneaking away with a bit of an advantage.”
Noble families were adept at assessing the situation and ensuring their actions were foolproof. When faced with impending disaster, naturally they would choose to capitulate.
Not to mention, since Feng Jin was serving under Liu Xi, the benefits of allegiance far outweighed the consequences of stubborn resistance for the Feng family.
Only a complete fool would reject the inevitable when they saw no hope; they certainly weren’t the type of noble family.
Cheng Jing’s choice of backing Huang Song wasn’t merely because Huang Song aligned more closely with his disposition and the image of a wise ruler he envisioned, but also because Liu Xi, despite appearing prosperous, was precariously balancing on a tightrope, one misstep away from disaster.
Were the three Northern clans just spectators?
As grand as Liu Xi seemed now, once pressure from the Northern tribes bore down, that weight would be immense.
In contrast, Huang Song seemed more aligned with Cheng Jing’s expectations.
However, all of this hinged on the genuine capability of the Northern tribes to march south.
Did they have the ability to descend?
Wei Ci smiled silently.
【November of the 20th year of Tianshu, the Northern Frontier Horse Plague struck. Numerous war horses fell ill and died, with only one in ten or twelve surviving.】
It was reminiscent of the past when the three Northern clans sharpened their blades against the Central Plains, only to face an unprecedented large-scale horse plague triggered by a few prized horses from the Shalan Kingdom, leading to countless war horses falling ill, with survivors barely exceeding one or two. The cavalry’s combat strength was virtually wiped out.
By the time the Northern clans recovered from the effects of the plague, the Central Plains had already engaged in fierce battles with various lords.
After the three Northern clans ambushed Jiang Pengji’s rear base, they encountered Qi Guanrang, who was guarding the home front, preventing them from gaining much advantage. When Jiang Pengji returned from battle, she was furious and immediately set out to retaliate against the Northern Frontier, temporarily escaping the chaos in the Central Plains.
And then the Northern clans were utterly bewildered by Jiang Pengji’s relentless fighting style.
Today’s emperor was stronger than ever before; once she unified the North, she could proactively strike before the Northern clans could catch a breath.
There’s a phrase that fits well: “Take advantage of someone when they’re down.”
Thinking of the Northern clans’ flourishing pastures and boundless mineral resources, Wei Ci could hardly suppress a gleeful smile.
Every time Wei Ci grinned like this, Yang Si couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine.
In another location, Jiang Pengji was nearly fuming.
She had neither the time nor the inclination to deal with the Northern Horse Plague; she simply wanted to know which * had gotten her Big White pregnant!
All war horses were gelded—how could Big White possibly be expecting?
Could it be that the stable hand had engaged in some unspeakable act?
“Stop licking, we’re discussing serious matters.”
Jiang Pengji raised her hand to smooth Big White’s mane, smiling, then turned with a fierce glare at the stable hand in charge.
Big White innocently rubbed her face against Jiang Pengji, occasionally sticking out her tongue to lick her, despite the heavy scent.
Jiang Pengji felt all her anger dissipate, allowing Big White to show her affection.
Since the last big battle, Jiang Pengji had rarely taken Big White out for rides—no wonder the Young Girl missed her so much.
Today she had planned to go hunting for some game to grill with her friends from the administrative hall, but when the stable hand brought Big White out, she took one look and nearly exploded. Dian Yin quickly pinned the stable hand to the ground, awaiting Jiang Pengji’s command.
The stable hand trembled and said, “Milord, I have no idea what happened!”
Jiang Pengji’s gaze drifted down to Big White’s belly, and she could already see that it was pregnant. She even sensed a faint mental pulse emanating from Big White… it was indeed pregnant. However, all war horses had been gelded, and Big White had very high standards for her companions. Every spring, there were no lacks of stallions vying for her affection, all of whom were kicked away by the Young Girl. Now it was late autumn—how on earth did she end up with a big belly?
Jiang Pengji reached out to touch Big White’s belly and could vaguely sense a presence.
Pregnant mammals were usually very cautious; anyone daring to touch a mare’s belly would surely receive a kick in response. However, Big White trusted Jiang Pengji immensely, maintaining her gentle temperament… well, that was only towards Jiang Pengji. To others, she was a proud queen; whoever crossed her would get kicked.
“Are there any intact stallions remaining in the stable?”
She rolled up her sleeves, ready to take matters into her own hands and geld that stallion.
