The Child Emperor-Chapter 243: Night Assault on White Bridge Town

After their father led the army across the bridge, Cui Teng’s first order to his guards was not to disturb his sleep. His brother Cui Sheng was in command at White Bridge Town anyway, so there was no need for him to be involved.

But he couldn’t sleep forever. After just one night he grew tired of it, and when dawn broke, Cui Teng called in his guards to drink and gamble with him, finally finding some entertainment.

The Second Young Master Cui was neither a good drinker nor gambler, which the guards were well aware of. They deliberately let him win and tried various ways to get him drunk. This strategy worked – before nightfall, Cui Teng passed out drunk. The guards sighed as they collected the scattered silver from the table. Though Young Master Cui was a poor gambler, he didn’t care about money and never asked about where it went afterward.

When drum beats thundered outside, Cui Teng jumped up suddenly, ran in circles on the spot while shouting “Guards!” He put on his boots himself and rushed out of the room, only to freeze in place. The entire White Bridge Town had descended into chaos, with soldiers running around like headless flies. The drum beats came from outside the town, mixed with shouts and hoofbeats, as if thousands were launching an attack simultaneously.

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Still drunk, Cui Teng stumbled forward and fell, managing to grab a guard’s arm. “What’s happening? Are the Xiongnu attacking?”

The guard shook his head in confusion, “Not the Xiongnu – it’s the Northern Army. They say the Northern Army’s Grand Marshal has come and demands our surrender.”

“The Champion Marquis is here?” Cui Teng was surprised.

The guard didn’t know how to respond.

White Bridge Town wasn’t large, and the Northern Army had already reached its edges, facing off against the garrison troops. Direct combat hadn’t broken out yet, though the shouting was quite intense.

“Find my brother!” This was the only solution Cui Teng could think of as he ran off, with several guards following closely behind. Their duty wasn’t just to protect the Second Young Master but also to keep him happy and monitor his whereabouts.

The elder Young Master Cui Sheng, who had been ordered by their father to guard White Bridge Town, was currently gathering his commanders to discuss strategy.

“How did the Northern Army turn against us so suddenly? Wasn’t the Champion Marquis competing for power in the Capital? Why is he here?” Cui Sheng was also at a loss.

Fortunately, an experienced general had been left to assist him, and though the situation was urgent, he had already figured out the basic facts. “The Northern Army’s Grand Marshal isn’t the Champion Marquis – it’s the Weary Marquis. They say he received an appointment from the Emperor…”

“The Weary Marquis? This makes no sense, isn’t he… How many men does the Northern Army have? How many do we have? Can we hold out?” Cui Sheng fired off a series of questions. As commander, he had no opinion of his own and didn’t even know the number of troops under his command.

“The Northern Army likely received reinforcements, probably no fewer than ten thousand men. The Southern Army has forty thousand…”

“We have the advantage then, we’ll definitely win.” Cui Sheng breathed a sigh of relief.

“The Southern Army’s forty thousand are stationed at different camps. White Bridge Town only has three thousand men.”

“What?” Cui Sheng’s face changed drastically. Three thousand against ten thousand gave them no chance of victory. “Let’s quickly cross the bridge to catch up with my father – is there still time?”

“Don’t worry, General. Though three thousand Southern Army troops aren’t many, they can hold out for a while. I’ve already sent for reinforcements from other camps. The fastest can arrive within an hour, and before dawn, we can gather at least ten thousand men. The longer we hold out, the more advantageous it will be for the Southern Army.”

“That makes sense. You’ve done well. Have you sent someone to notify my father?”

“Yes, I have.”

“Good, good. You’ve earned merit.”

“Defending White Bridge Town would be your achievement. I’m merely following orders.” The old general was not only skilled in warfare but also well-versed in official conduct.

Cui Sheng beamed with joy. “Yes, hold out. We must hold out.”

Suddenly the shouting outside grew louder, and Cui Sheng’s expression changed. “What’s happening?”

The old general was also confused and was about to send someone to investigate when a military officer ran in panic-stricken. “T-terrible news! The Northern Army has entered the town and taken control of White Bridge!”

The loss of White Bridge meant losing the path to pursue the Northern Army’s main force southward. Cui Sheng nearly fell from his chair, slamming the table as he rose and shouted angrily at the old general, “Didn’t you say everything was arranged? How did we lose White Bridge?”

The old general’s face turned red. “I-I… let me go check…”

A voice from outside rang even louder than the shouts of both armies: “Surrender! Surrender! By General Cui’s order, the Southern Army surrenders! Everyone surrender! Welcome the Northern Army’s Grand Marshal!”

Now it was Cui Sheng’s turn to flush red. He recognized that voice – it was clearly his brother Cui Teng. Enraged and humiliated, he demanded, “Who let him out?”

Cui Sheng led the charge outside, with other commanders following behind. They all sensed trouble – if it was just the Northern Army’s sneak attack that would be one thing, but the commander’s own brother openly encouraging surrender was far worse.

White Bridge Town had only one main street. Cui Sheng watched helplessly as Northern cavalry charged toward White Bridge, mere dozens of paces away. Other Northern troops split into several units, galloping through the town to divide and surround the Southern Army.

Cui Sheng stood dumbfounded. The old general behind him said, “General Cui, White Bridge Town is lost. We must evacuate quickly.”

“Without White Bridge, how can we cross the river?” Cui Sheng was like an insect fixated on its only light source – his father leading the Southern Army’s main force. Though the river wasn’t wide, it had just begun thawing, with both water and ice. He definitely couldn’t cross it.

“Don’t cross the river – go to other camps. We can still mobilize troops to retake White Bridge Town.”

Cui Sheng finally came to his senses. “Let’s go!”

With only fifteen or sixteen men protecting him, they searched for horses, planning to skirt around the town’s edge to reach another military camp.

Cui Teng rode out on horseback, blocking the way, and shouted joyfully, “Elder brother, where are you going? Brother-in-law is not over there.”

Seeing his younger brother, Cui Sheng’s anger flared. He strode forward, “You ungrateful scoundrel, you lost White Bridge Town. How will you face our father?”

“The Weary Marquis is family. Handing White Bridge Town to him isn’t the same as losing it. Besides, you are the commander. If anyone is to face father and bear responsibility, it should be you.”

Cui Sheng’s eyes turned red with fury. He drew his sword and chased after his brother. However, he was on foot while Cui Teng was on horseback. Cui Teng turned and ran but stopped a few steps later, turning back to say, “Elder brother, you can’t be serious, right? If you hurt me, even if father says nothing, mother and the Elder Laojun…”

Cui Sheng quickened his pace, prompting Cui Teng to hurriedly flee again.

As the two brothers moved further away from the main street, a dozen officers and guards looked at each other, then turned to the old general.

The old general was caught in a dilemma. The correct course of action would be to leave the commander and go to other camps to mobilize troops to retake the town. However, doing so would mean abandoning the commander, and even if they managed to save Cui Sheng, it would be hard to explain later.

“Sigh, with General Cui here… we shall share the hardship together.” The old general led the group in pursuit of the Cui brothers.

By the time Cui Sheng came to his senses, they were surrounded by Northern Army soldiers, who were preoccupied with occupying White Bridge and didn’t notice them. Panic overtook Cui Sheng as he turned to the approaching old general, “How did we end up here? Do you have any plan?”

The old general, helpless, said, “Since the Weary Marquis led the troops to ambush the Southern Army, we should question him about his betrayal.”

“Yes, question him… but won’t that anger him? He was ruthless to his subordinates when he was in Shattered Iron City.”

“Er… General Cui, your sister is the Weary Marquis’s wife. Surely, he will show some familial consideration.”

“Here comes the Northern Army Grand Marshal!” Cui Teng’s voice rang out.

Cui Sheng looked up to see a group of cavalry carrying torches, surrounding a person as they approached. He coughed twice, trying to maintain his composure while considering how to question him.

The old general observed the Northern Army’s movements and quickly estimated their numbers. It was still the few thousand troops stationed outside, with no additional reinforcements. Regret filled his heart; if he had been more resolute, the three thousand Southern Army soldiers in the town might not have surrendered the strategic location so easily.

The old general glanced at his commander, Cui Sheng, beside him and sighed inwardly, finally conceding defeat.

Han Ruzi had meticulously prepared an attack plan that involved a feigned frontal assault while flanking White Bridge from the side. However, Cui Teng’s loud shouts rendered his strategy redundant.

Rumors from the capital had already left the Southern Army soldiers anxious all day. The sudden betrayal by the Northern Army confused them even more, lowering their morale. Everyone recognized Cui Teng, and when he called for surrender, the three thousand soldiers immediately laid down their weapons, avoiding a bloody battle.

Cui Teng rode up beside the Weary Marquis, explaining incessantly, “Brother-in-law, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to tip you off; it’s just that Father kept too close an eye on me. He treated me like a prisoner, assigning six guards to watch me day and night… Anyway, it was my fault for not keeping my word. But persuading the Southern Army to surrender should make up for it, right?”

“Mm, I’ll credit you for that,” Han Ruzi responded coldly, appearing to dismiss Cui Teng, though he was actually dealing with him cautiously. If he was too cold, Cui Teng might get angry and act irrationally; if he was too friendly, Cui Teng would lose respect for him. Han Ruzi chose a delicate balance, just enough to tame Cui Teng’s stubborn temperament.

Cui Teng cheered, “I recognized the Northern Army’s attack style as yours right away. I didn’t expect you’d become the Grand Marshal of the Northern Army. What’s next? Are we going to fight the Xiongnu? I missed out last time, but I’ll definitely be there this time. No, we should go to the Capital; things are getting lively there…”

Han Ruzi ignored him and rode up to Cui Sheng and the others.

Cai Xinghai stepped forward, “The Grand Marshal of the Northern Army is here. Pay your respects.”

The surrounding Southern Army soldiers had already been captured, and the Northern Army had officially taken control of White Bridge Town. Cui Sheng’s face was ashen. He forgot all the questions he had prepared and hesitated before finally saying, “The Grand Marshal of the Northern Army is the Champion Marquis, not… not…”

“His Majesty and the Empress Dowager personally issued an edict appointing the Weary Marquis as the Grand Marshal of the Northern Army,” Cai Xinghai said.

“No, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor are in trouble. My father led the Southern Army to quell the uprising. How could there be an edict?”

Cai Xinghai was about to speak when Han Ruzi spurred his horse forward, looking down at Cui Sheng. “The Grand Tutor has an edict in his hand; why wouldn’t I have one? Cui Sheng, don’t waste my time.”

Cui Sheng’s face turned even paler. He knew about the edict that dismissed Cui Hong and began to believe that the Weary Marquis truly had an edict. Panic set in, and his legs buckled involuntarily. He knelt on the ground, and when he did, the other commanders followed suit and surrendered.

Han Ruzi felt nothing special, but beside him, Cui Teng was filled with excitement. Looking at the Weary Marquis, a wild thought suddenly flashed through his mind: My brother-in-law should be the Emperor.

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