Chapter 279: Hello Chang'an
Chapter 279: Facing the Enemy!
That night, the waters of the Bian River were still, as if stirred by no wind.
Over twenty warships set out from Bianzhou, cutting through the water in slow formation. A smaller scout boat returned ahead, and the soldier aboard looked slightly alarmed.
“Prefect Hu, thirty li ahead, dozens of warships have been spotted!”
Hu Lin, Prefect of Bianzhou, stiffened at the news.
The generals around him were equally astonished.
“Xu Zhengye’s forces have arrived so quickly?!”
“That… how is that even possible?!”
“Can you make out the banners on the ships? Are you certain they belong to Xu’s rebel army?” Hu Lin asked, trying to maintain calm.
The soldier hurriedly replied, “No lanterns were lit aboard their ships. We could not clearly see the banners.”
But with ships approaching from the south, who else could it be but Xu Zhengye?
A general squinted into the darkness; the night had neither stars nor moon. He frowned. “No lights… how are they navigating at night?”
“They are not moving, merely moored along the riverbank,” the soldier explained. “We only noticed them after drawing near, and counted roughly dozens of ships… I dared not approach closer, fearing we’d alert them and be unable to report back!”
The generals exchanged glances, a mixture of alarm and confusion. Something about this was deeply strange.
“Prefect…” they instinctively looked to Hu Lin.
He, however, stared into the dark ahead. “Are you sure we haven’t alerted them?”
As he spoke, he rested a hand on the hilt of his sword, eyes sharp and watchful.
The others followed his gaze. The soldier also looked back.
Hu Lin suddenly drew his sword. “Stop the boats! Prepare for combat!”
The men immediately tensed, swords drawn, bows at the ready.
Ahead, a faint glow appeared, revealing a small boat with a lantern at its prow, approaching steadily.
Though the boat was tiny, it bore a command banner. As they focused, they saw a large character emblazoned on it: “Xiao.”
Xiao?
Currently, the only commander surnamed Xiao was Xiao Min.
But how could Xiao Min’s troops appear on the Bian River ahead of Xu Zhengye’s army?
This was even more mysterious than Xu Zhengye’s rapid advance—astonishing and hard to believe.
Still, Hu Lin gestured for calm, forbidding rash action.
“Prefect, be cautious—there may be a trick!” a general warned, holding his sword defensively in front of Hu Lin.
From the small boat came a loud, clear voice.
“May I ask if the forces ahead are the Bianzhou defenders?”
It was a woman’s voice!
Hu Lin frowned. “Yes, that’s correct. May I ask who is speaking?”
“I serve under General Ningyuan!” she called, her voice approaching. “Our general wishes to invite you for a meeting!”
“…General Ningyuan?” a general exclaimed, eyes wide. “The Lady of Chang family?!”
Indeed, she was following Xiao Min’s command, matching the “Xiao” banner. Yet still—the question remained—how were they here?
As doubts lingered, a tall figure appeared at the prow of the small boat.
“We made some very good tea and baked buns—meat-filled, very fragrant!” the girl said, smiling as she swallowed. “We specifically invite you to come as our guests!”
Hu Lin raised his eyebrows in surprise. “…General Dian?!”
Ah Dian, curious, craned his neck. “Do you recognize me?”
Having confirmed their visitor, Hu Lin saluted with respect. “I am Hu Lin, Prefect of Bianzhou.”
Over ten years ago, when he was still a minor county official, he had the fortune to meet the former Crown Prince and his subordinates. This extraordinary General Ah Dian left a deep impression.
The small boat carrying Ah Dian and others approached. Hu Lin consulted briefly with his subordinates and decided to meet them.
This general, by nature innocent, would not have been coerced to deceive them.
Moreover, if it were Xu’s rebel forces, they would have simply attacked without such ceremony.
Still cautious, one general insisted: “Allow us to escort the Prefect to meet the general!”
Hu Lin did not refuse. Two generals and a contingent of guards accompanied the boat.
As the soldier had said, after traveling thirty li, they saw dozens of warships moored along the riverbank.
But unlike the soldier’s earlier account, these ships were now all illuminated.
“Finally, we can light our lanterns!” Ah Dian cheered.
It was their first time in half a month to light lanterns at night.
Jiang Cai smiled. “As soon as Bianzhou’s defenders arrived, we said we could finally light lanterns openly!”
Hu Lin pondered.
The ships bore no command banners, but drawing closer, he recognized them as official ships from Shouzhou and Guangzhou.
This reassured him somewhat, yet he remained vigilant.
When his boat stopped, he saw atop the tallest tower ship a young girl descending with soldiers from the second level.
The two boats connected. Hu Lin boarded the tower ship. By lantern light, he saw the girl was perhaps seventeen or eighteen, around the age of his eldest daughter. She wore no makeup, no ornate dress—just a dark blue robe with bound sleeves, and a strikingly beautiful face.
Yet her presence exuded an air that reminded him of…
She stopped before them and saluted. “I am Chang Suining. Greetings, Prefect Hu and generals.”
She carried an object, which Hu Lin took and examined—a general’s command token.
Upon confirmation, Hu Lin returned the salute. “So it truly is General Ningyuan here… forgive us for the lack of proper welcome!”
Regardless of how he personally judged this young female general, her appearance here could well be a turning point for Bianzhou. Courtesy demanded he show respect.
Chang Suining invited them into the cabin. She instructed her subordinates, “Please, Have General Xiao, come here.”
“Yes!”
Hu Lin and his companions were stunned—Xiao Min himself, the commander, had come in person.
He asked first, still surprised: “Commander Xiao and General Ningyuan—when did you arrive here?”
He looked toward Xiao Min, who instead glanced at the girl sitting cross-legged beside him.
“Half a month ago,” Chang Suining replied.
“Half a month ago?!” a general exclaimed in local dialect. “No way!”
“Indeed, half a month ago,” Chang Suining explained. “At the end of the month, when Xu Zhengye dispatched thirty thousand troops to attack the Huainan region, we had already set out.”
She elaborated: “Before the Lantern Festival, the warships were ready. We departed from Shouzhou port, following the Huai River, then turned into the Bian River, traveling north to this point.”
The Huai River region had long been under their control. Where the Huai met the Bian, still far from Yangzhou, they avoided Xu’s attention by disguising their movement as a routine deployment under Chu Xing.
While Xu Zhengye feinted eastward, they covertly moved north.
After reaching the Bian River, they were entirely out of Xu’s view.
They had prepared areas that might have been disturbed along the way—Shouzhou and Guangzhou—keeping the movement secret. Ordinary civilians feared speaking, lest they draw trouble. Even if rumors leaked, the impact would be minimal.
A sudden heavy rain then shrouded the water, further masking their presence.
Chang Suining had not anticipated the rain would last nearly ten days, delaying Xu Zhengye’s advance along water and land routes.
This was both a boon and a burden—she gained extra training time for her troops, who recovered energy and stamina.
Yet hiding so long required constant vigilance to prevent exposure of their ambush.
“We also regularly sent Bianzhou’s navy to patrol… yet never spotted Commander Xiao or General Ningyuan!” a general remarked, still astonished.
“Because General Ningyuan stationed sentries along each river stretch,” Xiao Min replied. “Whenever Bianzhou patrols approached, we temporarily relocated to avoid detection.”
The general was dumbfounded. Evading the patrols consistently was no small feat.
Hu Lin asked, “Commander Xiao, how many troops are hidden here?”
Xiao Min answered: “Seventy thousand.”
“Seventy thousand!” the general exclaimed. Not just the few dozen ships visible—the concealed forces were vast!
Hu Lin, Prefect of Bianzhou, was shocked. He had been unaware that seventy thousand troops had been hidden along the Bian River for half a month.
Of course, the Bian River’s main channel spans over a thousand li, and patrols could not cover every inch. Yet half a month of silent concealment still seemed incredible.
From Xiao Min’s words, it was clear that General Ningyuan commanded these maneuvers.
Hu Lin asked further: “General Ningyuan, are you familiar with the Bian River’s waterways and naval warfare?”
These troops from the capital were not sailors. Without skilled command, they would have lost their way on the broad river, let alone remain hidden.
“Before coming, I studied maps of the Bian River,” Chang Suining smiled. “Besides, I enjoy reading military texts.”
Hu Lin’s expression flickered.
Wait—was this just book learning? Could a young person really perform so well with theory alone? Could this even be plausible?
Ah Dian, curious, interjected: “I am said to be the reincarnation of a general star. Haven’t you heard of me in Bianzhou?”
Hu Lin replied, “I’ve heard rumors…”
But seeing it in person is far better than merely hearing about it…
This time, Hu Lin truly had his eyes opened.
So experience and effort are truly insignificant in the face of innate talent, are they?
“Previously, we did not reveal our position to the Bianzhou navy for fear of alerting the enemy,” Chang Suining continued. “Now that I know Bianzhou has sent troops to meet Xu Zhengye, I can explain this matter.”
Hu Lin nodded.
She went on: “With us here to intercept Xu Zhengye’s army, you may return to Bianzhou to defend the city without worry.”
Hu Lin and his generals were stunned. “General Ningyuan… you want us to return to the city?”
“Yes,” Chang Suining said, looking at them. “Xu Zhengye comes partly due to his ambition for Luoyang, and partly because I deliberately provoked him. For Bianzhou, this would have been an undeserved disaster; for us, it is a matter of duty.”
She added, “I only ask that Prefect Hu allow us to borrow the Bianzhou battle banners to confuse Xu Zhengye’s sight.”
Hu Lin and his generals fell silent, surprised.
Defending the city required troops. They left twenty thousand to guard Bianzhou, bringing ten thousand water-trained soldiers to meet the enemy.
Ten thousand against a hundred thousand—like an egg striking a stone. Yet if Bianzhou did nothing against Xu Zhengye’s forces, the court would demand accountability.
This mission was, in truth, a near-suicidal one.
Yet within half an hour, the situation suddenly changed. They went from “doomed men” to being protected, spared from risking their lives.
The sudden shift left them unprepared.
After a long pause, Hu Lin clenched his fists and looked at Chang Suining. “General Ningyuan, your words are mistaken. Rebels must be eradicated; if left unchecked, the world falls into disorder. Bianzhou or Yangzhou, both are Da Sheng territory—how can it be called an undeserved disaster? With a great enemy before us, both General Ningyuan and I are ministers of Da Sheng. How can I stay behind for personal safety?”
He glanced at Xiao Min. “Two of you command seventy thousand troops, Xu Zhengye has over a hundred thousand, and we have ten thousand. If we join the fight, our chances of victory increase!”
He rose, clasping his hands heavily in salute. “I am willing to stay and fight alongside the two of you!”
To be honest, on the journey here, his heart had been heavy with sorrow and resentment—for himself and for Bianzhou.
Yet now, facing a young general who seemed merely “book-smart,” his resentment transformed into willingness.
They offered true loyalty and justice first; naturally, he returned it in kind.
Blood and honor, when stirred, could ignite the heart.
The generals beside him rose as well, their eyes instinctively drawn to the seated young girl.
“We are willing to fight alongside the two generals!”
“We’ve been eager to face these marauding rebels!”
“Please, allow the two generals to fulfill this!”
“…“
Facing their resolve, Xiao Min looked at Chang Suining.
After a moment, she raised her hand, smiling: “Then please, everyone, be seated. Let us discuss strategies against the enemy.”
…
Behind a screen, Yao Ran, pen in hand, quietly observed the gathering.
Though surrounded by seated men, she could see that only the Chang family lady—Chang Suining—truly commanded the center of attention.
Yet Yao Ran fully agreed: she deserved this. The respect and support were earned by ability and sincerity, not given lightly.
Such a person is rare in the world.
In that moment, Yao Ran felt sincerely that the “reincarnated star of generals” title was not exaggerated.
Perhaps she truly was a star meant to save the world.
Ordinary people could not become like Chang Suining, but being near such a person was a great stroke of fortune.
Yao Ran’s fortune was indeed excellent.
She continued writing, meticulously recording the discussions. There was much for her to learn.
…
News of Bianzhou’s prefect leading troops to meet Xu Zhengye soon reached outside Luoyang, to Li Xian.
“Ten thousand facing the enemy?” Li Xian sighed. “Like an ant trying to stop a cart. They won’t last two days.”
The strategist beside him considered, “With twenty thousand left in Bianzhou, they should hold for some time…”
“I am tasked with defending Luoyang, yet I cannot watch Bianzhou fall,” Li Xian said pityingly. “If they cannot hold, I will risk leaving Luoyang to assist.”
To appear at the critical moment, a hero to save the day, turning the tide—just as Cui Jing and Chang Kuo had done in the south.
Li Xian accepted the incense tea offered by a woman in blue, hiding the subtle sarcasm in his eyes.
Soon, a bodyguard hurried in.
“Report, General. That deputy named Yu led a thousand troops to patrol outside the camp.”
Li Xian raised an eyebrow. “Let them go.”
These Xuanzhe troops were displeased that he did not personally send reinforcements to Bianzhou. Under his deliberate secrecy, they did not know the details of Cui Jing’s death, and spent each day covertly investigating, anxious and restless.
Indeed, their loyalty was unquestionable.
Because of this, they did not treat him with excessive respect, often acting independently on patrols and other matters—subtly expressing dissatisfaction.
He did not get angry; as long as they did not cross the line, he let them act. Cui Jing was gone, and the holy mandate would eventually have him take command of the Xuanzhe troops.
Time was on his side, and he had much patience. What needed noting, he would note, and manage in due course.
One day, he would tame the Xuanzhe troops like a wild beast. After all, he was not the only one capable of “taming beasts.”
…
Deputy General Yu, leading a thousand cavalry, departed the camp, heading east.
“General Yu… are we going to Bianzhou?” a subordinate asked.
“Towards Bianzhou, yes, but not to enter the city,” Yu replied. “We must bypass it.”
Where were they going?
“To seek General Yuan Xiang?”
They had been in contact with Yuan Xiang but he had not revealed Chang Suining’s plans.
“No,” Yu said suddenly, turning with a bright smile. “Just follow me.”
The cheerful, invigorating smile startled the subordinate. Could it be…?
“Charge!”
Yu spurred his horse forward, and the thousand Xuanzhe cavalry galloped, hooves kicking up half-dried mud.
…
Meanwhile, Chang Suining and Xiao Min had ordered the assembly of the warships and eighty thousand troops.
The ships moved in orderly formation, massive sails raised high. The twenty vanguard ships flew banners with the character “Bian,” fluttering in the wind.
Standing atop the tower ship, Chang Suining gazed at the mist-covered water ahead.
Their long-awaited “guests” were approaching. It was time to meet them.
By estimation, Xu Zhengye’s army would encounter them in the late hours of the night.
Waiting passively at their position was possible, but would only bring action in daylight.
A night raid, however, would maximize their advantage.
Thus, Chang Suining chose a two-pronged approach.
The warships cut through the water, sails billowing as if to blot out the sky, hastening the coming darkness.
As they advanced, the formation began to shift.
Gradually, the twenty “Bian” banner ships created just the right distance from the rear. Lanterns illuminated both inside and out.
The remaining ships seemed to vanish silently into the night.
…
“Report!”
“Twenty li ahead, Bianzhou navy sighted!”
On Xu’s flagship, a general beside Xu Zhengye received the latest news. “How many have come?”
“Twenty ships, about ten thousand men,” came the reply.
The generals burst into laughter.
“Ten thousand dare to die at our front? Are all Bianzhou troops champions capable of taking on a hundred?”
“Wrong. Bianzhou has only thirty thousand total. How many could they really send?”
“True. Li Xian refuses to send reinforcements. They must leave troops behind to defend the city.”
“Seems they are determined to die. Very well, let them have it!”
“Kill these obstinate locusts tonight, march two days, and Bianzhou falls!”
“Bianzhou may not equal Luoyang, but it is prosperous… Once inside, we shall first visit the largest pleasure house!”
“Agreed!”
Xu Zhengye, hearing the jokes, hardened his expression. “Do not underestimate them.”
Without hesitation, he ordered, “Advance! All ships on guard, prepare for combat!”
The generals instantly suppressed their humor and responded solemnly, “Yes!”
As darkness deepened, the Bian River trembled with a growing sense of imminent battle.
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