Chapter 1458 – Sun Wen’s Mission (Part Six)
Sun Wen was in a state of doubt when Nie Liang, who had been so secretive before, suddenly called for him.
Fan Chen vehemently opposed this.
“Sun Wen’s intentions are unclear. If the Lord refuses to see him, it’s no big deal. Why tire yourself out?”
Wei Ying, watching Nie Liang’s pale face and the dark circles under his eyes, had a foreboding feeling in his heart.
Even so, reason overpowered the rising emotions.
Wei Ying said to Fan Chen, “Avoiding him isn’t a solution. If our Lord won’t meet Sun Wen, what if that rascal refuses to leave? With our armies about to engage in battle and military movements frequent, it would be a disaster if he managed to gather any intel.”
Nie Liang managed a weak smile.
“Sun Wen must be seen; I might know what he’s after.”
Fan Chen looked puzzled. “I’m rather dull, so please do enlighten me, my Lord.”
Nie Liang explained, “Liu Xi has split her forces into two paths; this was already her plan. After a year of recuperation last year and six months of preparation for battle this year, she should have considered every possible detail. It’s unlikely she would make a rash decision at the last minute. Recently, we received intelligence that large quantities of wood and stone materials were being purchased in Dongqing, transferred from Liu Xi’s Woodworking Workshop to the frontlines, most of which is headed for Cangzhou.”
Fan Chen and Wei Ying exchanged glances; neither of them had seen that intelligence report before, and this was their first time hearing about it.
Wei Ying asked, “Is our Lord certain they are being sent to Cangzhou?”
With Zhanjiang Pass on the Cangzhou border, sending supplies there means military resources are shifting towards the Zhanjiang front.
Fan Chen ventured, “Is Liu Xi afraid of us? Is that why she hurriedly added more supplies? Did she send Sun Wen to confuse us?”
Fan Chen’s reasoning made sense, but after closely studying Jiang Pengji’s approach, Nie Liang felt otherwise.
Nie Liang said, “We have over two hundred thousand troops, but Liu Xi has fifteen thousand as well, further bolstered by the defense of Zhanjiang Pass. If war breaks out, victory or defeat is fifty-fifty. Liu Xi attacking on two fronts doesn’t fit a strategy that’s defensive. To conserve her forces, she must be planning one route for defense and the other for attack. Yang Tao, being weaker, is the easier target. By using Yang Tao as a breakthrough point to concentrate our forces, we could still have the strength to strike against the Southern nobles led by An Huan… So why is Liu Xi sending supplies to Cangzhou? Doesn’t that seem strange?”
According to Nie Liang’s analysis, they should reinforce the southern front to rapidly take down Yang Tao, leaving them free to deal with An Huan.
So why is Jiang Pengji making unexpected moves by bolstering Cangzhou instead?
Is she that afraid Zhanjiang Pass won’t hold?
Nie Liang had dispatched someone to gather intelligence on Jiang Pengji, and after careful analysis, he believed Jiang Pengji wasn’t that simple.
Though her actions seemed reckless, like a gambler going all in, in reality, she was calculating, ensuring to expend no more effort than absolutely necessary.
Thus, her reinforcement of Cangzhou carried significant implications.
Fan Chen silently mulled over it for a long time, then a terrifying speculation came to mind.
“Could it be that Liu Xi intends to shift from defense to offense? Does she have enough troops for that?”
At that moment, Nie Liang felt a tightness in his chest and lifted his sleeve to cover his mouth as he coughed a few times.
A familiar taste surged in his throat, and Nie Liang was alarmed but kept his expression unchanged, using his cloth to wipe away the traces. Since he learned that his health was declining, he stopped wearing bright colored garments, opting instead for dark hues like deep brown, black, or dark blue. If he coughed up blood in front of others, at least he could cover it up.
Nie Liang secretly stashed the cloth away, feeling the warmth of the residue under his fingertips, a sudden thought flashing through his mind.
Frowning slightly, he said, “She? Could it be that…”
Fan Chen asked, “My Lord, are you thinking of something?”
Wei Ying had known Nie Liang for years, and they had developed a certain tacit understanding.
Seeing Nie Liang’s reaction, Wei Ying seemed to perceive something as well.
Before he could speak, Nie Liang coldly said, “Liu Xi has ample military resources; a year or a year and a half would not be a problem for her, but my health can’t take it.”
Fan Chen and Wei Ying felt as if lightning had struck them.
“My Lord!”
Nie Liang waved a hand. “The original plan was to use surprise tactics to breach Zhanjiang Pass in the shortest time possible. Before we could act, Liu Xi suddenly bolstered her forces at Zhanjiang. Our chances of breaking down the gates have increased, and if Liu Xi employs cunning delay tactics… my health…”
Even though Nie Liang had been concealing his condition from the world, a few of his close confidants were already aware.
If they didn’t know, the day he fell ill and passed away, there wouldn’t even be anyone left to stabilize the situation.
Immediately, Fan Chen and Wei Ying replied, “Your health is in its prime, and you shall surely live a long life!”
Nie Liang smiled grimly, “I know my own body. If Liu Xi has that in mind, Sun Wen must be carefully dealt with.”
Fan Chen gritted his teeth. “Sun Wen is of use to Liu Xi. It’s better to kill him and end this!”
Nie Liang shook his head.
Sun Wen couldn’t be killed just yet; that would alarm the snake in the grass. Who knew what Jiang Pengji, that lunatic, might do next?
Nie Liang said, “Plans have changed. Zishi, you send someone to Bianzhou to bring Dawang back. Be discreet about it.”
If Nie Liang’s body truly couldn’t hold up, the army would inevitably descend into chaos, and with Nie Qing here, he could help maintain order.
Most importantly, Nie Qing held military power, so the Nie clan wouldn’t dare act rashly.
After further reflection, Nie Liang found no flaws in his new strategy. He changed into a fresh set of clothes and had someone apply some makeup to improve his complexion. It was normal for literati to wear makeup these days, and Jiang Pengji wouldn’t be staring at his face too closely.
This meeting lacked the tension of a previous encounter, yet the atmosphere felt more severe.
Sun Wen returned empty-handed, but he wasn’t discouraged.
If he couldn’t gain the upper hand with Nie Liang, could he not handle others?
After waiting in the tent for a while, a retainer who had escorted Sun Wen came to see him.
Sun Wen leaned in and asked, “What did you find out?”
The retainer whispered back, “I’d followed your instructions and chatted with the cooks; I indeed found something.”
In ancient times, being a soldier wasn’t considered honorable. Many soldiers were pushed into service by life’s circumstances; that’s how they ended up on the battlefield.
Even though the Nie family had vast wealth, it was impossible to adequately feed every soldier, and many only managed to eat five or six parts of a meal.
Over time, aside from elite troops, many ordinary soldiers were emaciated and starving.
The retainer didn’t have it as good as Sun Wen, being stationed near the average soldiers and living the same daily life as them, seldom if ever getting full. Acting under Sun Wen’s orders, he had befriended the logistics cooks. During their chats, he discovered underlying rules in the logistics sector.
The logistics crew had more perks, and many cooks looked portly since they received good provisions, especially the cook assigned to serve Nie Liang.
Why was that?
One of the supporting little soldiers grumbled, “Look at him; he eats like a pig!”
The retainer chuckled, “He certainly has plumped up a bit.”
The soldier replied, “Hey, it’s not like his weight isn’t from the grain!”
The retainer questioned, “Isn’t it all the same wheat meal?”
The soldier said, “Not at all! The refined grains that nobles won’t touch have all gone to him; that’s how he got that piggy face!”
The retainer countered, “Nobles have to eat too; how much can he really leave behind?”
But the soldier insisted, “I once saw it; two whole bowls of fine white rice, and the noble only took a couple of bites, leaving the rest for him. If this keeps happening, he’ll eventually turn into a pig. He should remember what kind of worthless body he has; how could he enjoy the food of the privileged!”
