——The situation suddenly changed.
As both sides changed their tactics one after the other, the atmosphere on the entire battlefield became increasingly grim and murderous.
Although Gu Yan had already decided on a quick battle.
But this war couldn’t be fought simply at will.
Especially in such icy and snowy conditions, he needed to prepare thoroughly.
Within Dingzhou City, horses and carriages rolled by, and large quantities of provisions, arrows, and cold weather supplies were openly loaded onto carts, transported to the predetermined forward camp outside the city.
The forces commanded by Liu Qi, including the Jing’an Camp and the assigned village volunteers, were moving boldly towards Swallow Valley and Hei Fengkou according to plan.
Along the way, they raised numerous banners, lit large bonfires at night, and the scouts moved frequently, deliberately exposing their movements, making the intention to "flank and cut off the enemy’s retreat from this road" blatantly apparent to the Mongolian scouts.
Meanwhile, small groups of elite troops continuously conducted probing attacks on the periphery of these two passes, creating friction, applying pressure, and striving to convince the Mongolian Army that the Song Army’s main assault or key containment direction was here.
The real special force led by Yue Lei—consisting of about five thousand elite mixed cavalry and infantry—had completely gone underground.
It could be said that everything was continuously being deployed according to Gu Yan’s plan.
...
Yingtian Prefecture.
Night, with dense clouds blocking the sky, not a ray of light was seen.
Langzhong’s mansion, private study.
It was already midnight, the doors and windows of the study tightly shut, thick cotton curtains blocking the final shred of light that might leak out.
Inside, only a single dim oil lamp flickered, casting Wang Langzhong’s usually fair but now murky face in half-light and half-shadow.
He sat alone behind the desk, as if waiting for something, or perhaps struggling.
A faint and almost imperceptible knocking sounded, three long and two short. Wang Langzhong shuddered slightly, took a deep breath, and said in a low voice, "Enter."
The door was silently pushed open and then closed, a shadow clad in the common blue attire of Wang’s household servants slipped inside, head lowered.
This person moved with agile steps, without the usual timid demeanor of ordinary servants. He stopped three steps before the desk and slowly raised his head.
In the light of the oil lamp, it was an unremarkable, commonplace face, only the eyes, when raised, flashed with a sharpness and calmness completely mismatched with this attire.
"Master." He spoke, voice pressed extremely low yet extraordinarily clear, with a peculiar accent, not purely Yingtian official speech, nor like any northern dialect.
Wang Langzhong stared at him, his Adam’s apple moving, but didn’t reply.
The man didn’t mind, continued to speak to himself, his tone so flat it sounded like he was reporting ordinary household affairs, but the content was staggering: "The Khan has words for Master Wang."
"The affairs at the front, the Khan has his arrangements, will hold Gu Yan firmly, leaving him unable to escape or advance."
"Great Song now faces internal and external troubles, natural and human disasters arising together, leaving the court overwhelmed, the Gu Clan can’t stand alone, truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
He leaned forward slightly, voice lower yet each word like a hammer, striking Wang Langzhong’s heart: "The Khan understands Master’s and Master’s aligned officials’ difficulties."
"The war is prolonged, canal transport blocked, trade routes interrupted, family businesses suffering great losses daily, if this continues, even a century of accumulation fears unsustainability."
"Moreover, this year’s celestial phenomena are bizarre, disasters frequent, the court treasuries empty, imposing more taxes and levies, or forced allocations in the future, and who will bear the brunt?"
Wang Langzhong’s facial muscles twitched, his fingers gripping the paperweight were whitening from the effort.
"The Khan said," the "servant" observed his expression and continued, "the world isn’t one person’s world, nor one clan’s world."
"The fate of the Song dynasty, Master knows better than this humble one."
"Though the Gu Clan is loyal and brave, for how long can they endure?"
"When the situation stabilizes, the Khan wishes to govern Jiangnan with the gentry."
"Then, dividing the realm to govern, mutual non-interference, reopening trade routes, smooth canal transport, Master and aligned officials’ family businesses not only secured, but can even flourish with this eastern wind."
"The Khan’s golden words, as long as Master and aligned officials... make it convenient."
"Make it convenient?" Wang Langzhong finally spoke, voice dry and hoarse, "What convenience? What kind of convenience?"
"Gu Yan is still in Dingzhou, though Gu Qing... though his talents are limited, the Gu Clan is deeply rooted, and the Imperial Censorate is like an iron barrel..."
"Master need not worry," the man interrupted, tone firm, "Gu Yan is stalled by the Khan in Hebei’s icy snow, unable to split his attention."
"As for court matters, only at key moments, someone to speak a few words, submit some memorials, or let certain news travel slower, let certain orders encounter ’accidents’... Master need not lead the charge personally."
"Regarding the Imperial Censorate," his mouth curved into a faint, near-sardonic smile, "even an iron barrel has leaks, Master has managed for years, how could there be no channels?"
"Even if there aren’t, those arranged by the Khan will assist."
"Master only needs... to nod."
The study fell into dead silence, only the occasional soft sizzle from the oil lamp wick.
Cold sweat beaded on Wang Langzhong’s forehead, he could hear his heart pounding like a drum.
Dividing the realm... exchanging goods... family’s enterprises secured and even expanded... these words swirled in his mind like a demon’s whisper.
On the other side, was the righteous cause of loyalty to the sovereign, possible reckoning by the Gu Clan, the terrifying scene of ruin and execution of the nine kin.
Equally, there was the inevitable eternal infamy.
He knew too well what this action meant.
Almost offering oneself as meat for the wolves.
But how could he choose?
Nowadays the court was tense, everyone suppressed under the mountain of the Gu Clan.
The Gu Clan blocked everyone’s path.
Official careers, financial paths.
It was almost no different from killing them.
Short-term is one thing.
But the reality now is, the time is too long!
Long enough for almost everyone to harbor resentment against the Gu Clan.
And... there seems no end in sight.
How long does this battle have to be fought?
Really until Kyushu scatters?
This Wang Langzhong was silent for a long time, reflecting on the recent court situation, thinking of so many colleagues’ complaints, he remained silent for a long time, ultimately still nodded.
"But—!"
"Master’s wise." The servant didn’t hesitate, immediately respectfully bowed to the former, also revealing a slightly eerie smile.
Dividing the realm, exchanging goods?
Just deceiving these people with lies.
They adhere to ’the ruler’s words are not casual,’ but the grasslands have no such saying.
In the next few days, Wang Langzhong made no apparent changes at all, the atmosphere in Yingtian Prefecture seemingly unchanged.
Gu Qing was still busy in disaster relief every day.
Yet an inexplicable storm was quietly gathering in the shadows.
First were officials previously dismissed by Gu Qing for mistakes, inexplicably appearing in Yingtian Prefecture.
The identities of these people were not simple.
The scope of the disaster was too wide, Gu Qing could only make examples, couldn’t possibly execute all erring officials, dismissal had reached the limit.
Then followed refugees fleeing to Yingtian Prefecture from disaster zones.
This act completely upset the balance within Yingtian Prefecture.
Next came waves of students.
No other reason, targeting the current natural disaster.
Rolling voices rose from the populace, spreading instantly to the court.
And before the court could react, news of "military supply provisions" suddenly emerged from unknown origins.
Especially due to the impending decisive battle.
Gu Yan had urgently reallocated some grain and supply situations, causing an uproar throughout Yingtian.
At this point, even Gu Qing noticed something amiss.
——A conspiracy!...
...
(Ps: It’s the end of the month, begging for monthly votes, seeking support from brothers, Yu deeply appreciates it.)