Chapter Ninety-Seven: A Sword Taken by an Unorthodox Path, A Dangerous Move in War

A diversion?

Chu Junhan stroked his chin in thought. “Not entirely,” he said. The child’s small hand also pressed against the map, pointing to the city in the south. “Looking at the map, there are three roads to the capital of the Liao Kingdom: south to Kandin City, north to Chao City, and the route through Yecheng in the middle.”

“Mm.” The two of them leaned over the map, nodding gravely.

Chu Junhan went on. “Yecheng is without question the fastest and shortest route to the Liao capital. And now that Yecheng has fallen, if Changming is lost as well, then along this middle road there will be nothing left to hinder our westward advance. So...”

“So that old Tamon will surely concentrate his main force in Changming,” Feng Meng added.

Tang Chen understood at once. He cupped his hands and looked at the child. “Commander, this subordinate Tang Chen requests troops to march south. Within one month I will break through Kandin and take all the large and small cities to the south in a single sweep.”

“Good!” Chu Junhan took a military tally from his pocket. “These are the one hundred thousand elite troops Father entrusted to me. Treat them well. Promise me this: even if you cannot break through, you must bring them home.”

“This subordinate obeys!”

...

In the blink of an eye, eight days had passed since Tang Chen marched south, and snow had begun to fall from the sky.

Inside Changming City, blanketed in silver, the streets were deserted. Gone was their former bustle. Across the vast roads there was only the dull, oppressive thud of footsteps, the sound of the city garrison patrolling in squads.

And a hundred li behind Changming City, an army of a million was camped, black and dense as a swarm, stretching out beyond sight.

Among them was the ruler of the Liao Kingdom, Afulgan Tamon, who had personally led his forces to the front and encamped outside Changming City.

Within the military camp hung an air of grim murderousness. Tamon, in full armor, sat upright in the main tent, waiting in battle formation.

“Report! My king, Kandin City has come under attack and is requesting reinforcements!” a soldier rushed into the main tent, panic written across his face.

Tamon lifted the hot wine from the table and drank it in one gulp, then sneered. “A feint in the east, a strike in the west. Hah. Child’s play.”

The soldier seemed about to speak, then hesitated. At last he clenched his teeth, knelt, and stepped forward. “My king, Kandin cannot be lost!”

Tamon sprang to his feet, drew the sword at his waist, and with a ringing cry the blade left its scabbard, flashing cold and bright in his hand. “This king makes his own decisions. Send word at once: hold Kandin to the death. Their rear has no support; they cannot press the attack for long.”

But before he had finished speaking, another soldier came from outside and charged straight into the main tent. “Report! My king... a... a grave disaster!”

These past days Tamon had been on edge, his nerves already taut with unease. The shouting from outside startled him, and he roared impatiently, “What is it?”

The soldier stumbled in, no longer caring whether Tamon was angered. He dropped to one knee, swallowed hard, and gasped, “My king, Chu Xiong has led his troops north. Chao City is requesting reinforcements!”

Tamon’s face twitched. If Tang Chen’s southern advance was a diversion, then Chu Xiong’s northern march... this was a pincer attack!

“Who is now defending Yecheng on the Chu family’s side?” Tamon was no ordinary man; otherwise he would not have dominated the Liao lands for more than a decade. Remaining calm in danger was the most basic of virtues.

“Your Majesty means...?” The soldier could not help shivering.

Tamon swung his sword and cleaved off the corner of the table. “To strike where they are unprepared and catch them off guard, and think to make me withdraw my troops on two fronts? Hah. Even the old Chu Xiong miscalculates sometimes. Now my great army presses at his gates, and he still dares divide his forces into two directions. I’d like to see what he can use to defend Yecheng!”

“My king, such desperate tactics are not Chu Xiong’s style. He has always won through caution and stability. There must be some trick here. Please think it over carefully!” A burly, bearded general, having learned that Tamon intended to attack Yecheng, hurried forward to stop him.