Chapter 1185 – Attack on Xu Pei, First Kill of the Lords (Part 55)
“Are you sure that brat Yang Tao said that?”
Receiving the messenger’s reply, Xu Pei’s face turned ashen. He was furious that Zhao Shao made a mistake that he had to take the blame for, and even more enraged that no one woke him up to the situation.
Xu Pei had cultivated a vast network of connections among the gentry. He was surrounded by dozens, if not over fifty, mediocre generals who were merely there for appearances. Each family that allied with him meant an expansion of his influence, so how could he actively turn them away?
Zhao Shao was also known as a talented scholar in Zhangzhou’s Eastern Gate County. Xu Pei had always been forgiving towards scholars.
Zhao Shao coming to ally with him only proved that his own reputation attracted such figures.
He never expected that Zhao Shao was carrying a debt like this. Had he known earlier, he might not have welcomed him at all.
Xu Pei’s exterior remained calm, but inside he was regretting bitterly.
Everyone can play the hindsight game.
Those who knew Xu Pei would understand that even if he had known about the grudge between Zhao Shao and Yang Tao, he would still have accepted Zhao Shao.
Why, you ask?
Because, apart from the matter with Yang Jian, Zhao Shao had no major flaws.
If Xu Pei had refused Zhao Shao’s allegiance over a feud with Yang Tao, it would be a blatant admission that he feared Yang Tao.
Xu Pei was a proud man, valuing his reputation and face more than any other material concerns.
Moreover, when Zhao Shao sought to ally with him, Xu Pei was riding the wave of a rise in power and influence; he wouldn’t necessarily be afraid of Yang Tao.
Facing Xu Pei’s relentless questioning, the messenger stammered, “It’s true.”
At this, Xu Pei’s heart sank.
Zhao Shao, trembling inwardly as if he had shrunk into a quail, still managed to maintain an appearance of righteousness.
Rather than wait for Xu Pei to seek trouble with him, he thought it better to confess a bit, retreating to advance.
With Xu Pei’s temperament and style, he surely wouldn’t bring himself to deal with Zhao Shao harshly.
“My lord, this matter is merely a personal grudge between Shao and that brat Yang Tao. Every debt has its owner; this should be resolved between them,” Zhao Shao declared, voice heavy and almost tragic. “I fled to Nansheng to avoid persecution, and am grateful my lord did not abandon me, bestowing me the title of general. Having served under you for over a year and achieved no merit, I can only hope to repay in whatever meager way that I can.”
Xu Pei’s expression did not improve; it grew worse instead.
“What do you mean by that?”
Zhao Shao straightened his back, saying, “I am willing to take the head of that person, to settle this old grudge.”
“That is absolutely not to be spoken of again! I, Xu Xinzhong, would never do such a thing, even if it means death!” Xu Pei declared seriously. “To let the world know that I forced a subordinate to his death for self-preservation—are you trying to trap me in injustice? Even if I survive, I would have no face to see anyone!”
Xu Pei decisively interrupted Zhao Shao, leaving no room for rebuttal.
Zhao Shao could only sigh and withdraw.
With no resolution, Xu Pei dismissed the meeting, leaving only Han Yu and Cheng Xun behind.
When Zhao Shao allied with Xu Pei, Han Yu had been out on business, too busy to care.
By the time he learned that Zhao Shao was also under Xu Pei, it was too late to stop it; Cheng Xun had no room to speak at all.
“This Zhao Shao—”
Xu Pei’s gaze turned slightly fierce.
Though Zhao Shao spoke with such righteousness, he was actually stripping Xu Pei of his options and forcing him to take a stand.
This was a humiliation for Xu Pei; he loathed being pressured by others.
Han Yu sighed, “Yang Jian was quite a talent, and yet he ended up dead at the hands of a petty man like Zhao Shao.”
Xu Pei’s gaze flickered slightly; he suppressed his resentment within.
Now, calling Zhao Shao petty—why didn’t anyone remind him of this sooner?
As Jiang Pengji’s attacks grew fiercer, Xu Pei found it increasingly difficult to defend himself. Under such circumstances, his expectations of Han Yu grew higher.
If Han Yu couldn’t turn the tide, Xu Pei wouldn’t just feel sympathy; he’d harbor even greater grievances.
Cheng Xun timely interrupted Xu Pei’s train of thought.
“Looking at the current situation, persuading Yang Tao is off the table.”
At these words, Xu Pei’s head began to spin.
Dealing with just Jiang Pengji was already tough enough. If Huang Song didn’t lend a hand, combining the two forces, Xu Pei would have crumbled by now.
Once Yang Tao brought his troops to join Jiang Pengji, the scales of victory would undoubtedly tip in her favor.
Compared to the battlefield’s peril, Xu Pei was even more concerned about Zhejun.
Zhejun was his stronghold, and if that got completely overrun, Xu Pei would have no face to meet his ancestors, even in death.
It seemed that what one fears most often comes to pass. Just as the three of them were deep in discussion, a piece of dreadful news arrived.
“Report—”
Xu Pei frowned. “Come in—”
The Messenger entered, his expression grim. “Reporting to my lord, the Ming Sha Pass in Zhejun has fallen. The garrison, including the commander, totaling over thirteen thousand men, has been ambushed. The enemy’s main force is advancing straight into Zhejun through the Taiqing River, capturing three key towns in succession—Zhejun, Zhejun…”
The messenger felt the terrifying pressure emanating from Xu Pei, speaking lower and lower, not daring to look at Xu Pei’s face.
Xu Pei was so shocked by the news that he nearly stumbled, his surroundings flickering in and out of focus. Cheng Xun quickly stepped forward to support him.
Zhejun was a prosperous place, with rivers connecting north and south, thriving trade routes.
But it had a deadly weakness, lacking formidable natural defenses; apart from Ming Sha Pass, there weren’t any decent fortifications.
Once Ming Sha Pass fell, the enemy could take advantage of the Taiqing River’s accessibility to push straight in.
Those military strongholds were constructed at great expense over recent years by Xu Pei.
“The commander and troops at Ming Sha Pass were ambushed? What in the world happened?”
Han Yu immediately grasped the crux of the issue.
With ample forces stationed at Ming Sha Pass, how could they be so easily overrun?
Unless the commander was reckless!
Realizing this possibility, Han Yu’s already serious features deepened with frost.
He had warned the commander at Ming Sha Pass to avoid greed!
The messenger stammered out the details of the betrayal at Ming Sha Pass, causing Han Yu’s forehead to bulge with veins.
Zhejun was beyond saving—
Calculating the pace and the enemy’s fighting capability, they could capture all of Zhejun within three to five days.
News from the battlefield often lagged several days, so it was very possible that Zhejun had already fallen—
Losing territory could be recaptured, but family…
A heavy feeling sank in Han Yu’s heart.
The victors take all; the tragic fate of Xu Fei’s death and the fate of his family were still vivid in his mind.
Xu Pei seemed to have thought of this too; he maintained his composure and asked, “Can we mobilize troops today?”
Cheng Xun opened his mouth to speak, turning his gaze to Han Yu, hoping he could dissuade the emotionally charged Xu Pei.
Han Yu spoke calmly, “Yesterday’s battle was just concluded; the soldiers have suffered significant casualties and have not yet regained their strength. It is unwise to initiate another conflict today. As for Zhejun, it would be best for my lord to keep this under wraps for a while. If news of Zhejun’s fall spreads, people will be worried about their families and lose focus in battle…”
Though harsh, Han Yu’s approach was indeed the right one.
If this dreadful news were to leak, the already dispersed morale of the army would likely collapse.
Sometimes, human strength has its limits. Faced with such a powerless situation, even Han Yu found himself at a loss.
