Chapter 395: The Bloody Battle for Luoyang City (Part One)

Wang Dou and Chen Yongfu arrived at the main gate of the Branch Administration Commissioner's office, and saw a large crowd surge out from within. The man at the front, extremely stout and wearing a yellow robe, was none other than the Prince of Fu's heir, Zhu Yousong. Behind him followed former Minister of War Lü Weiqi, Military Defense Vice Commissioner Wang Yinchang, Henan Prefecture Prefect Kang Menggui, and others.

That so many heavyweight figures had come out personally to greet them caught Wang Dou by surprise, and Chen Yongfu was even more overwhelmed by the unexpected honor, looking deeply stirred.

Wang Dou and Chen Yongfu were just about to step forward and pay their respects to the heir Zhu Yousong when Zhu Yousong had already rushed up, seized Wang Dou's hand, and asked anxiously, "General Wang, can this city of Luoyang be held...?"

Wang Dou saw the hopeful look on Zhu Yousong's face, and the same expression on all the officials behind him. Wang Dou said, "Your Highness may set your mind at ease. The roving bandits are but clay chickens and tile dogs—though they boast great strength, they cannot withstand a single blow. So long as the soldiers and civilians of Luoyang are united in purpose, holding Luoyang City is no cause for concern..."

Zhu Yousong let out a breath of relief, his brows dancing with delight as he smiled. "That is good, that is good. I am reassured..."

Wang Yinchang, Lü Weiqi, and the others behind him likewise breathed easier. Only Wang Shaoyu and a few others behind them looked toward Wang Dou and Chen Yongfu with expressions full of dark resentment.

Everyone entered the residence. Zhu Yousong insisted on holding Wang Dou's hand, and Wang Dou had no choice but to let him.

Once everyone was seated, Wang Dou sat in the guest seat, while Chen Yongfu sat below Wang Shaoyu.

As soon as Chen Yongfu was seated, he turned furiously to Liu Jianyi and Luo Tai: "Mobile Corps Commander Liu, Mobile Corps Commander Luo—you two were defending the East and South Passes. How is it that in less than a shichen, you abandoned the passes and fled? If your troops were insufficient, why did you not request reinforcements from me and General Wang? Did you two give any thought at all to your defensive duties?"

Luo Tai sprang to his feet, veins bulging on his face. "Chen Yongfu, don't think that just because you've achieved some trifling merit, you can order me and Old Liu around. With all our superiors present, before Military Governor Wang and the Military Defense Commissioner have spoken, it is not your place to interrogate us..."

Liu Jianyi also sneered. "You're only a Vice Regional Commander, yet you truly fancy yourself a superior officer, thinking you can lord it over us?"

Mobile Corps Commanders are subject only to the authority of the Regional Commander or the Provincial Governor. Although Chen Yongfu was a Vice Regional Commander, he had no authority over Liu Jianyi and Luo Tai. All the more so in the current atmosphere of open hostility, Liu Jianyi and Luo Tai were even less polite—one mocking with cold sarcasm, the other erupting in direct fury.

"You jailbird scum..."

Chen Yongfu flew into a rage, rose directly, and struck Luo Tai square in the face with a punch. Luo Tai let out a miserable cry, his face instantly a bloody mess. Chen Yongfu's son Chen De, standing behind him, also charged forward and delivered a flying kick, slamming heavily into Liu Jianyi's lower abdomen and sending him sprawling face-first like a dog eating dung.

Chen De cursed, "A petty Mobile Corps Commander like you dares speak to my father this way?"

It all happened as suddenly as a falcon swooping on a hare. Watching the military officers in the hall start brawling outright, the civil officials were all stunned.

Only the heir Zhu Yousong's eyes gleamed as he said repeatedly, "How amusing..."

Liu Jianyi and Luo Tai howled and were about to lunge forward to grapple. When the master is worried, the servant feels shame; when the master is shamed, the servant dies—their personal officers behind them were equally aggressive and ready to surge forward.

Then a shadow fell before them as a tall figure stepped across—gleaming armor, a fine bright-red cloak—it was Wang Dou. Behind him, Xie Yike was grinding his teeth, equally eager to have a go.

Wang Dou's face darkened as he bellowed, "What are you two doing? Do you want to rebel?"

The shout was like a thunderclap. Liu Jianyi and Luo Tai froze and immediately halted in their tracks.

Liu Jianyi's eyes shifted, and he said to Chen Yongfu, "Vice Regional Commander Chen, what do you mean by colluding with outsiders to bully us local Henan officers?"

Chen Yongfu said angrily, "General Wang may not be a local officer of our Henan, but his devotion to the land and people of our home surpasses yours by more than you could ever match, no matter how you flatter others."

"Enough..."

Military Defense Vice Commissioner Wang Yinchang shouted, inwardly furious. These military men were growing more arrogant and domineering by the day, running wild right here inside the Branch Administration Commissioner's office—and what galled him most was that he was powerless to stop it. He roared, "Inside this hall of justice, have you no sense of decorum...?"

Only then did Henan Regional Commander Wang Shaoyu react, also rising in anger. "Vice Regional Commander Chen, what are you all doing...?"

"Alright, alright..."

The heir Zhu Yousong, who had been enjoying the show for quite some time, stepped in to defuse the situation. "The military situation is urgent. Let us begin the council."

Former Minister of War Lü Weiqi also said, "His Highness speaks truly. With a great enemy before us, we should all the more unite our efforts. We must not harm one another and do that which pains our friends and gladdens our foes..."

Liu Jianyi and Luo Tai swallowed their rage and desisted. Not to mention that the Prince and the heir held transcendent rank within the city and could, in times of military emergency, command and direct the city's officers and troops—even former Minister of War Lü Weiqi, though now without official position, was held in high esteem within Luoyang. Once they spoke, the matter could only be dropped. They had been beaten for nothing.

They returned resentfully to their seats, though they still glared furiously at Chen Yongfu and Wang Dou.

Seeing them back down, Wang Dou also returned to his seat. As he turned, he cast a contemptuous glance at the two. "Two worthless wretches. Even alive, you're useless..."

Liu Jianyi and Luo Tai were so infuriated they nearly leaped up again.

Yet that glance Wang Dou gave as he turned away also sent a chill through the two men's hearts. They wanted to act but did not dare.

Once everyone was seated, calm returned to the hall. Xie Yike and Chen De stood behind Wang Dou and Chen Yongfu respectively. The two exchanged a glance and both snickered quietly. The scene just now had been most entertaining.

Wang Yinchang's heart was heavy. The three passes had just been lost, a great enemy was at hand, and now infighting had broken out on their own side. Whether the city could be held, he was deeply uncertain.

He said to Regional Commander Wang Shaoyu, "Regional Commander Wang, with the three passes lost, Luoyang's defenses are critically exposed. Can we assemble some forces to retake the three passes...?"

Wang Shaoyu, Liu Jianyi, and Luo Tai all looked grim. Wang Shaoyu hesitated and said, "The three passes are already occupied by the Chuang bandits. To retake them, I fear, would be difficult..."

He looked at Liu Jianyi and Luo Tai. "Perhaps we could let these two generals redeem themselves by recapturing the pass cities..."

A flash of anger crossed Luo Tai's face. He rose and said in a gruff voice, "It was precisely because the roving bandits were so strong that General Liu and I abandoned the passes to consolidate our forces. Now each pass likely holds ten thousand bandits—how are we supposed to fight that? If you want to retake the passes, let Regional Commander Wang go do it himself."

Wang Shaoyu, however, showed not the slightest authority or self-awareness befitting a Regional Commander. He merely said, "The troops under my command are insufficient. I fear I cannot retake the passes."

Seeing them pass the responsibility back and forth, everyone in the hall was deeply disappointed. The heir Zhu Yousong let out a scornful laugh. "What use does the court have for the likes of you?"

Then his voice softened as he looked toward Wang Dou. "Wang Dou, Chen Yongfu—what are your views?"

Everyone looked at Wang Dou. Chen Yongfu also waited for Wang Dou's opinion.

Wang Dou rose and saluted, then said, "Your Highness, my lords—the three passes are already lost, and the bandits hold them with heavy forces. Attempting to retake them would likely cost us many troops."

Wang Dou continued, "It would be better for us to defend the main city securely. That way we can also concentrate our forces."

He said, "For the sake of Luoyang's defense, I can draw an additional one thousand Shunxiang Army troops into the city to assist in defending Luoyang's east, west, and south gates."

His sharp eyes turned to Liu Jianyi and Luo Tai, making their hearts pound, and both involuntarily averted their gazes.

The Luoyang officials were all delighted. Originally, one thousand Shunxiang Army troops and one thousand Vanguard Battalion soldiers had already entered the city. With another one thousand Shunxiang Army troops, holding the city would be even more assured. With these three thousand elite soldiers assisting in the defense of the East Gate, South Gate, and West Gate, Luoyang City would be absolutely secure.

As for the North Gate, defended by Henan Regional Commander Wang Shaoyu, it was not far from the North Pass—only two li. Coming out from the south gate of the North Pass, one would reach the outside of the North Gate in no time. Even the red-barbarian cannons positioned between the two gates, if angled high, could fire upon each other's walls. Bombarding from both inside and out, they could blast apart any bandits trying to seize the gate.

That was precisely the significance of the pass cities—mutual support front and rear, a three-dimensional defensive line. But with useless defenders, even the best defensive line could not be brought into play.

Wang Yinchang said happily, "If we transfer troops into the city, will General Wang and General Chen be hard-pressed defending the North Pass?"

Wang Dou said, "The Military Defense Commissioner need not worry. I and Military Governor Chen still have two thousand infantry at the North Pass. I also have three thousand cavalry that can respond to any gate at any time from outside, attacking the bandits from both within and without, so that the bandits cannot assault the gates with full force."

The sheer number of Wang Dou's troops once again impressed everyone. Hearing Wang Dou's words, they all felt as if they had taken a calming pill. The shadow cast by the loss of the three passes instantly dissipated.

Coming out from the Branch Administration Commissioner's office, Liu Jianyi and Luo Tai's faces were so dark they seemed about to drip water. Luo Tai cursed angrily, "Damn it, look at Chen Yongfu and Wang Dou, so puffed up with petty success. I can't stand this kind of crap any longer. Brother Liu, why don't we go surrender to the Chuang King today?"

He touched his face. Being punched by Chen Yongfu—it still hurt even now.

"Watch your words."

Liu Jianyi quickly glanced left and right. Seeing that only his trusted confidants were nearby, he relaxed slightly and said in a low voice, "Brother Luo, surrendering to the Chuang King is inevitable. With our status and the elite troops under our command, if we go over to the righteous army, we will certainly be given important posts."

He said, "But the time is not yet ripe. To earn the Chuang King's high regard, we must first demonstrate our prestige and power. In the coming days, we must put real effort into defending the city. The better we fight, the higher our standing will be in the Chuang King's eyes in the future. If we surrender today, we will instead be looked down upon by all the Chuang camp's generals."

Luo Tai had always admired Liu Jianyi's cunning. Hearing this, he was thoroughly convinced. "Brother Liu is truly worthy of being called a Zhuge Liang reborn. That is exactly how it is."

Praised by Luo Tai, Liu Jianyi couldn't help feeling smug, and with affected modesty said: "Brother Luo, you flatter me."

Luo Tai suddenly recalled something: "The way Wang Dou was acting so mysteriously — he couldn't possibly know about our secret discussions, could he?"

Liu Jianyi dismissed it: "We've been discreet. That Wang Dou is no immortal — how could he possibly know?"

Yet he mused: "Wang Dou has increased the troops entering the city. When the time comes to surrender the city, it will be troublesome... Well, we'll act as circumstances dictate."

When Wang Dou and Chen Yongfu took their leave and came out, Henan Regional Commander Wang Shaoyu was detained in conversation by Vice Military Defense Commissioner Wang Yinchang.

Wang Shaoyu complained to Wang Yinchang: "Military Commissioner, as you can see, that Chen Yongfu grows more arrogant and domineering by the day, and doesn't take me, your humble officer, seriously at all."

Wang Yinchang stood with hands clasped behind his back, merely gazing at the screen before him, letting Wang Shaoyu talk without uttering a single word.

When Wang Shaoyu had tired himself out, he suddenly said: "Regional Commander Wang, I hear there is much seditious talk among your subordinates? Can you control your troops or not? If trouble breaks out in your unit, even I cannot protect you. If you don't wish to be replaced by Chen Yongfu, then defend the city properly."

Wang Shaoyu's performance in Luoyang had deeply disappointed Wang Yinchang; instead, Chen Yongfu impressed him more and more. Wang Yinchang had already thought it through clearly — although Chen Yongfu was on good terms with Provincial Governor Li Vanguard Commander, Li Vanguard Commander was growing old and had few years left in Henan. Once Li Vanguard Commander was gone, he himself would become Henan Provincial Governor.

Chaotic times were upon them, and one must draw close to a force with strong fighting power. Wang Dou was a guest general; after the battle of Luoyang City, he would soon leave Henan. Chen Yongfu, however, was a local officer. Setting aside the fighting strength of his vanguard battalion, even Prince Fu and others thought highly of him, and he himself increasingly appreciated him.

With Chen Yongfu at his side in the future, he could better protect his own life and property, his power and position. Wang Yinchang had already begun to harbor thoughts of drawing Chen Yongfu close. So upon hearing Wang Shaoyu's complaints, he instead spoke a different set of words. In any case, with Chen Yongfu and Wang Dou now in Luoyang City, he had little need to rely on Wang Shaoyu, and thus had no misgivings.

Hearing Wang Yinchang speak thus, Wang Shaoyu was stunned.

And seeing him walk away without even turning his head, Wang Shaoyu's expression grew even uglier: "Burning the bridge after crossing the river — what a piece of work."

At the beginning of the hour of Wei, Wu Zhengchun led a unit of Shunxiang troops, marching in a mighty column through the southern gate of the North Pass into Luoyang City.

Seeing this ironclad army arrive, the city's common people seemed to find their backbone, and both military morale and civilian spirit grew even more settled.

Not long after, the Chuang army, which had occupied Luoyang's East Pass, South Pass, and West Pass, once again launched thunderous assaults upon Luoyang City.

Looking down from the city wall, the dark mass of men and horses seemed to stretch all the way to the ends of heaven and earth...