The Slender Waist-Chapter 182 - 131: Returning My Wife

The betrayal of the three generals, Han Chuhu, had been an extremely shocking event for the soldiers of the Beiyong Army; they couldn’t even fathom what reasons these three men might have to betray the Great General...

Yet the main force of the Beiyong Army was now in Xinzhou City. If they abandoned Xinzhou to assist Bingzhou, the Qi Army would surely take Xinzhou without delay, which would be an even greater loss for the Jin Army.

However, the Tiger Guard and the Dragon Cavalry Army, closest to Xinzhou, had yet to send reinforcements.

Just this morning, news had arrived from the Central Capital.

The faction led by Li Zongxun at court had petitioned the Imperial Court, citing General Pei’s "overzealous and reckless advances." They argued that Dajin should maintain its current victories, safeguard the five towns including Andu and Wanning north of the Huaishui, and not commit large military forces and resources for a single Xinzhou. They certainly should not advance further into Bingzhou, risking a dangerous move. If they won, the credit would go to Pei Jue; if they lost, the war between Jin and Qi would turn to a decline, which was unacceptable...

This argument won the approval of most of the Civil Officials.

During the more than a year that Pei Jue had led the troops on campaign, Li Zongxun had been consolidating power to secure the positions of his grandson and daughter on the Golden Throne Hall. He formed cliques for personal gain, eliminated dissent, established the Imperial Cavalry Division to check the officials, diluted and divided opposition, and gradually seized control of the Imperial Court’s policies, almost unchallenged.

But beneath his sincere exterior was the abandonment of Pei Jue and the Beiyong Army.

Without sending a single soldier, Li Zongxun could remove Pei Jue, the prestigious minister who gave him sleepless nights from worry, achieving two goals with one action...

Of course, Empress Dowager Li didn’t see it that way.

"Mr. Pei is loyal to me; he will not fail me. Father, by retaining Dajin’s talented generals and loyal officials, we can ensure my son’s empire remains stable."

Li Zongxun just thought she was confused.

"The troops led by Pei Jue are Dajin’s elite and only obey him. He can conquer Qi Country, or he can turn and betray us, plunging a knife into the Central Capital. If he revolts, how will you stop him? With Pei Jue around, you and I cannot truly rest easy. He is a thorn stuck in our throat, and pulling it out is the only way to peace and calm."

Li Sangruo didn’t want to give up on Pei Jue, that was one thing.

On the other hand, she did not want to become completely a puppet of her father.

That day, the father and daughter had a heated argument in the Jiade Hall, their faces red with emotion.

The next day, a royal decree was issued, ordering the Tiger Guard and the Dragon Cavalry Army to each dispatch fifty thousand elite soldiers to aid Xinzhou...

The men in the military knew how to fight, but they had only a superficial understanding of court politics and affairs.

The soldiers said, "The Empress Dowager is kind and righteous and has not forgotten the Beiyong Army."

But by the time the Tiger Guard and the Dragon Cavalry Army arrived in Xinzhou, it would already be too late.

The battle of Bingzhou had to be fought by themselves, no matter what.

In the Central Army camp, the generals expressed their opinions passionately, their faces flushed with heated discussion.

Pei Jue sat at the head, expressionless, motionless, and listened.

The wind in Bingzhou was strong today, howling as it swept over the rooftops as if it wanted to swallow the world and wipe everything clean.

Deng Guang of the Orange Crane Army stepped forward, cupping his hands in salute.

"Great General, I am willing to lead a sortie. I will take advantage of the night and launch a surprise attack on the Qi Army’s siege camp outside the city. You, Great General, can then lead your troops from the north of the city and strike directly at Hongye Valley. The Qi Country has not posted heavy troops there; it is still controlled by the traitor Han Chuhu. Once the Great General arrives, the soldiers will be wary and dare not fully resist you..."

His analysis was clear and to the point.

Soon, it ignited the passion of the camp.

The crowd was abuzz with different opinions.

Pei Jue: "No rush."

Everyone stared at him, stunned.

This was the toughest battle the Beiyong Army had faced since they had marched to war.

Bingzhou was besieged as if caught in the gaping maw of a tiger, and the generals were frantic to act.

Yet the Great General remained calm from start to finish.

As the commander-in-chief, he had always been like this.

Even if the sky were to fall, he would probably not furrow his brow.

But in such an urgent situation, shouldn’t there be some response prepared?

Shi Yin also stepped out, standing beside Deng Guang and saluted Pei Jue with a fist:

"Great General, in the early battles, the Qi Army suffered heavy losses and was on its last legs. We didn’t need to fear them with our fifty thousand soldiers. But now things are different, this new Emperor who emerged halfway has gained momentum, and has the support of the whole of Qi Country. I think we should break out of the encirclement and return to Xinzhou, then plan our next move..."

Deng Guang said, "I agree."

The others in unison: "We agree."

Pei Jue gave them a cold glance and repeated his earlier statement.

"No rush. The main force of the Qi Army is still at Hengqu Pass and hasn’t moved at all. Bingzhou City is strong, we have plenty of food and a wide moat. What if they attack?"

Wait...

If they continued to wait, they would lose the last chance to escape from Bingzhou.

The atmosphere in the camp was fervent, and suddenly outside there was a shout.

"Report..."

A soldier stood at the entrance and called out loudly:

"An envoy from the Qi Army is outside the city asking to see you."

The generals looked at each other, their fists ready, "Good, they even dare to send someone to urge surrender? Let’s just kill the envoy as a sacrifice to the banner, then lead our troops to break out..."

With a cold look from Pei Jue, he stopped their indignant protests.

"Let him in."

The envoy from the Qi Army was Xiao Cheng’s staff member Yan Buxi, a white-haired elder with a benevolent face, a glib and elegant speaker renowned in both the north and south, with many students and widely respected by scholars.

Upon entering the camp, Yan Buxi paid full respects to Pei Jue and the generals. He avoided mentioning the war between Jin and Qi, only sharing that his ancestral home was in Pingcheng and that he had moved his family across the Huaishui to Tai City during the Xifeng year of the previous Emperor of Jin.

Xifeng was the era name of the former Emperor Yuanzhu of Jin.

He added that he and General Pei were both from the same hometown, and felt a certain closeness to him.

With the world in chaos for over a hundred years, speaking of one’s ancestral home held little significance.

Who isn’t related by bloodline or lineage?

Pei Jue patiently listened, saying nothing.

The generals were also silent, watching him with a vigilant, predatory gaze.

Yan Buxi spoke eloquently about the pros and cons, analyzing the reasoning until he was almost spitting, but seeing that none of the generals in attendance were moved, he then raised his sleeves in salute and smiled awkwardly.

"Great General, please forgive me, I couldn’t help but speak out of turn upon seeing an old acquaintance in a foreign land."

Pei Jue said, "Yan Old, please state your purpose directly."

Yan Buxi took out a document from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

"The Qi Emperor, keeping in mind the suffering of the common people, wishes to end this relentless war as soon as possible and sincerely requests peace talks with your forces..."

In a situation where they had the upper hand in surrounding Bingzhou, they sent envoys to negotiate peace.

Clearly, Xiao Cheng had weighed the losses and gains.

Pei Jue signaled Zuo Zhong to take the document and read it.

Apart from expressions of regret about the situation on both sides and the hardships and displacement of the people caused by the war, the only condition was:

"If the General returns my wife, I will grant your forces half a day to withdraw from Bingzhou. Otherwise, we fight till death."

Pei Jue looked at the last line, a trace of coldness spreading through his dark eyes.

Then, in front of Yan Buxi, he tore the document in half.

"Someone show the Qi envoy out of the city."

Yan Buxi’s expression changed. "Great General?"

He had thought it a sure deal, but to his surprise, Pei Jue had flatly refused without a second word.

Could it be that General Pei hadn’t understood the Qi Emperor’s intentions?

He pondered for a moment, then said loudly:

"Great General, allow me to speak frankly. Now is the time for peace talks. Such an opportunity is rare in a thousand years. Everyone knows that the Feng Family is the legitimate wife of the Qi Emperor. It is only right for the General to return her to show sincerity in negotiations. And the Qi Emperor promises to let the General leave Bingzhou safely, even gift the lands of Wanning, Andu, and other territories that Jin’s forces occupy, while the future of Xinzhou can be further discussed. In my opinion, the Qi Emperor is entirely sincere, and it would be unwise for the General to miss this opportunity..."

Only then did the generals understand what was written in the letter.

They all looked at Pei Jue together.

However, Pei Jue didn’t give him another glance.

"Show our guest out!"

Seeing the situation, Yan Buxi repeatedly bowed.

"Great General, it is only when one climbs a high mountain that one realizes how tall it is, and only when one faces the abyss that one understands its depth. Being so headstrong, focusing solely on immediate benefits, one is bound to suffer... "

Pei Jue said, "Yan Old, advising others to be good is the duty of a good official. Tell Xiao Cheng, we fight till death."

Yan Buxi’s face changed as he stared at that indifferent face and huffed heavily, then he left with his sleeves flared.

"The Great General is stubborn and self-willed, disregards advice, and lacks the magnanimity of a sage and the broad-mindedness of a wise man. He will capsized in his own journey and won’t go far. Just wait and see."

Pei Jue silently watched the old man’s retreating figure, pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice:

"Issue an order to intensify training, fortify the camp, defend the city, and avoid friction with the Qi Army."

Deng Guang asked, "How does the General plan to defend Bingzhou?"

Pei Jue said, "Xiao Cheng claims to command an army of half a million, but in my judgment, Hengqu Pass can muster at most two hundred thousand troops. However, with support from Dongquan, Fujiang, Chunning, and other places, they have a continuous supply of provisions and reinforcements. They have the advantage, so our forces should avoid their edge..."

"... Great General, aren’t we going to break out?"

Pei Jue said, "We wait for the right moment."

All of a sudden, the generals fell silent.

The Northern Yong Army was two hundred thousand strong; after fighting their way through Wanning, Andu, and the other five towns, they had divided their force to secure them. With another hundred thousand troops left in Xinzhou, Bingzhou City had at most fifty thousand men...

And now, with many wounded in camps, a severe lack of doctors and medicine, it was a major concern.

Even more frightening was the invisible hand within the Imperial Court.

As the commanding Great General, the fact that both the Tiger Guard and Dragon Cavalry openly defied orders and did not come to aid— who had given them such audacity?

They had been fighting for over a year, through life and death, earning distinction for Jin. Yet now, trapped in Bingzhou, those pampered by luxury in the Imperial Court could utterly disregard them with just a few words from Li Zongxun. It was truly disheartening...

They understood the principle of "when the birds are all gone, the bow is put away."

In the eyes of Li Zongxun, the looming threat was not the Qi Army, but Pei Jue...

As for the power struggles of the Imperial Court—it’s the innocent soldiers who pay the price.

"You may leave."

"As you command, General."

The crowd salute in unison, and just as they were leaving, Zuo Zhong entered in haste.

"General, there’s good news and bad news..."

Pei Jue was examining maps and didn’t look up when he heard the voice.

"Speak."

Zuo Zhong said, "The good news is... the young lady has brought medicine to Xinzhou, and Tan Dajin has already transported some of the medicine and provisions to Bingzhou."

Pei Jue’s fingers paused slightly, and he looked up at him.

Zuo Zhong hesitated, "The bad news is... the young lady has also come, but she didn’t travel with Tan Dajin."

Pei Jue was silent for a moment, his face devoid of the surprise Zuo Zhong expected, only his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"Where is she?"

Zuo Zhong didn’t know how to continue, his eyelids twitching. "The scout reports that the young lady had passed Hongye Valley at dusk, but then she took a sudden turn at Ghost River and her whereabouts became unknown..."