Bianjing West City Gate.
A cavalry troop galloped towards it, dust billowing as they headed straight for the gate.
The gate’s defending general, as if facing a great enemy, immediately cleared the crowd and prepared to close the gate.
Soldiers on the walls drew their bows and nocked arrows, ready to attack at any moment.
“Put down your bows, all of you. Can’t you see they’re wearing red feathers? It’s the Western Garrison’s Red Feather Messengers!”
An elderly captain roared, “Quick, make way, let them through!”
The guards on the gate finally saw clearly that amid the dust, a Western Garrison flag flickered in and out of view.
Red Feather Messengers represented the most urgent military intelligence. Blocking them meant beheading.
The soldiers promptly drove the nearby civilians to the roadside, clearing the path.
“I wonder where the emergency is this time?”
“Red Feather Messengers from the Western Garrison, so it must be the west.”
“Sigh, the Dangxiang are attacking again. Who knows how much taxes will rise this year.”
“Those damned Dangxiang, taking our Dakang’s annual tribute every year, yet still invading annually. It’s too much.”
“If only the Western Garrison could stop the Dangxiang, we wouldn’t have to pay tribute.”
“I heard General Fan went to the Western Garrison. Maybe they can defeat the Dangxiang.”
“Don’t dream.”
…
The civilians by the roadside, hearing of the Red Feather Messengers entering the capital, all sighed with bitter faces.
Over the years, every time Red Feather Messengers entered the capital, it was for aid requests.
Then taxes rose the following year.
The Red Feather Messengers knew the capital’s people disliked seeing them, so they tried to enter discreetly.
But this time was different.
Half a mile from the gate, the Red Feather Messengers shouted in unison:
“Western Garrison urgent report, great victory at Clearwater Valley. Iron Forest Army slays a thousand enemy cavalry, captures a thousand!”
Exaggerating the results boosted morale, reassured civilians, and gained more rewards for the meritorious troops.
It pleased everyone.
General Fan believed the Ministry of War, even if aware of the truth, would not expose it, so he inflated by a few hundred to amplify the impact.
This was a military tradition.
“My heavens, did I hear right? The Western Garrison won a battle?”
“Who knows if it’s fabricated for merit.”
“Didn’t you hear? It’s Marquis Qing’s Iron Forest Army that won. When has Marquis Qing ever falsified merits?”
“Looks like a real victory!”
“Iron Forest Army is mighty!”
“If the Iron Forest Army can keep the Dangxiang outside the passes, maybe no tribute this year.”
Dakang had few armies that could stand against the Dangxiang, so the Iron Forest Army held high prestige among civilians.
“Western Garrison urgent report, great victory at Clearwater Valley. Iron Forest Army slays a thousand enemy cavalry, captures a thousand!”
Shouting the slogan, the Red Feather Messengers sped through the gate, heading straight for the imperial city.
Dakang had been stifled by defeats for too long. A sudden win was overwhelmingly stimulating for the people.
Wherever the Red Feather Messengers passed, streets turned into seas of cheers.
More civilians, hearing the cheers, rushed to the streets to join the excitement, inquiring what happened, then adding to the cheering crowd.
In the imperial palace, Dakang Emperor Chen Ji held a brush in his right hand, standing before the desk with furrowed brows.
A beautifully attired consort signalled two fan-wielding palace maids to withdraw, smiling as she slipped into Chen Ji’s embrace:
“Your Majesty, what troubles you so?”
“My dear consort, you don’t know. I’ve finished this landscape painting over a month ago, but I can’t think of fitting poetry to accompany it. It’s truly regrettable.”
Chen Ji deftly slipped his left hand into Consort Liu’s collar: “This morning at court, I had a brilliant line, but those ministers kept chattering about mundane affairs. Now I can’t recall it.”
“If forgotten, don’t force it. Your Majesty’s literary talent is exceptional. In a few days, you’ll surely think of something better.”
Consort Liu’s jade-like fingers gently smoothed Chen Ji’s brows.
“My dear consort speaks wisely.”
Chen Ji tossed the brush, about to slip his right hand into the collar too, when cheers erupted outside.
The emperor, in the midst of passion, shouted irritably at the door: “What causes such clamour?”
Chief Eunuch Li Youde hurried in with small steps, not daring to look up, bowing as he replied:
“Reporting to Your Majesty, Red Feather Messengers’ report: great victory at Clearwater Valley. Iron Forest Army slays a thousand enemy cavalry, captures a thousand!”
“Iron Forest Army?”
Chen Ji frowned slightly: “Isn’t Qinghuai severely injured and comatose?”
As emperor, he naturally knew of Qinghuai’s return to the Iron Forest Army.
Dakang had stood for centuries, amassing countless nobles with intertwined relations and influences. The Western Garrison had over thirty numbered armies, controlled by more than twenty noble families.
Chen Ji knew Qinghuai’s resumption of command was the result of court ministers’ manoeuvring, so he hadn’t paid much heed.
Days ago, he received a report that Qinghuai, inspecting the front, was ambushed by Dangxiang cavalry, severely injured and comatose, handing the Iron Forest Army to a rustic craftsman.
For this, Chen Ji raged at court, harshly reprimanding Duke Qing.
If not for Duke Qing’s rivals wanting to see the Iron Forest Army’s downfall, repeatedly stressing no changes during battle, Chen Ji might have decreed altering Qinghuai’s order.
Now claiming Iron Forest Army victory?
What was going on?
“The report, bring it for Us to see.”
“As commanded!”
The chief eunuch backed out, still bowed.
From start to finish, he dared not glance at Chen Ji and Consort Liu.
“Your Majesty, this consort takes leave first.”
By custom, consorts avoided state affairs. Consort Liu, sensibly, disentangled from Chen Ji, straightened her clothes, and prepared to depart.
But Chen Ji casually pointed to a nearby cushion: “This isn’t the Hongde Hall for deliberations, no outsiders. My dear consort need not avoid anything.”
“Yes!”
Consort Liu obediently knelt on the side cushion.
Soon, the chief eunuch returned with the report.
“We’ll see how old Fan Wenabyss plans to fool Us.”
After verifying the wax seal and Western Garrison commander’s stamp, Chen Ji muttered as he opened the envelope.
The report, penned by General Fan himself, was concise without embellishments.
Deep down, Chen Ji doubted the Iron Forest Army could defeat Dangxiang cavalry, so he skimmed at first.
But midway, he sat up straight, his expression turning serious.
Jin Feng’s methods were simple. Chen Ji, pondering briefly, judged that pit traps and the phalanx could indeed counter cavalry.
Reading how Jin Feng used pit traps and the Macedonian phalanx to wipe out the Dangxiang vanguard, then trapped the remaining thousand-plus cavalry, Chen Ji clenched his fist:
“Good! Excellent, this Jin Feng! To create such a formation!”
“Send the Red Feather Messengers to Hongde Hall. We wish to see them personally.”
“As commanded!”
The chief eunuch left with small steps.
“Wonderful, truly wonderful.”
Chen Ji paced the hall excitedly.
