Chapter 148: Concerns About Ruining a Talent

The next day.

Heaven was kind, and the weather was fine. Though it was already late autumn, the breeze was gentle, the clouds were light, and the autumn sun shone down. Thanks to thorough preparation, orderly coordination, and effective execution—just as Wang Jun had said the night before—the entire army crossed within a single day.

After crossing north, Liu Zhiyuan deliberately slowed the army's pace, advancing steadily toward Yedu at a rate of sixty li per day.

As for Liu Chengyou, he temporarily left the main army and led a contingent of cavalry west to inspect the Yongji Canal. The frontline had reported that military supplies had recently not been arriving in a timely manner, and the Water Route Fiscal Commissioner Wang Jingchong had reported that the waterway was not flowing smoothly, which was affecting the transport of grain and equipment.

Since the siege began, most of the Han army's supplies at Yedu had come by water transport. Though carts and horses also delivered goods overland, it was time-consuming, laborious, and inefficient—merely a supplementary means. The canal connected the Eastern Capital with Yedu. During this campaign to suppress the rebellion, since the stalemate began, the Tongji–Yellow River–Yongji stretch of waterways had played an enormously important role; it could be called the lifeline of supply. Hearing that a problem had arisen here, Liu Zhiyuan was especially concerned and sent Liu Chengyou to investigate.

Liu Chengyou had also been wanting to take a look. He mustered one command of cavalry to accompany him, led by Commander Yang Ye.

"Yang Ye, your reputation in the Husheng Army has been growing louder lately!" While stopping to rest the horses along the way, Liu Chengyou called Yang Ye to his side and spoke to him in a teasing tone—the two had not had a proper exchange in a long while.

Hearing this, a hint of embarrassment appeared on Yang Ye's resolute face: "Your Highness, please don't mock your subordinate."

During the recent reorganization of the imperial army, the Husheng Cavalry under the Imperial Guard Command had absorbed various cavalry units, forming a total of twenty thousand horsemen. They were divided into left and right wings, comprising ten armies and twenty command units. Yang Ye had been transferred to the Left Wing of the Husheng Army as commander of one of its commands.

Originally, given Yang Ye's seniority and age—even with the military merits he had earned following Liu Chengyou in Hebei—he would not have been qualified to be one of the twenty commanders. But he had someone above to lift him up.

There were many veterans in the army, and the reorganization was also a time for dividing the spoils. They themselves felt they did not get enough, so when a young upstart like Yang Ye suddenly appeared, there was naturally much resentment. In the army, aside from military law and regulations, nothing was truly fair. Veterans bullying newcomers was a common occurrence, even if he was one of His Highness the Prince of Zhou's men.

But was Yang Ye so easy to bully? The young Yang Ye, even after years of tempering in the military, still burned with the spirit of a chivalrous wanderer. He was proud, eager to prove himself, unwilling to suffer losses, and always presented a tough front. Before long, everyone in the Husheng Army knew that Yang Chonggui was a thorny character, not to be trifled with.

In truth, if Liu Chengyou had not occasionally shielded Yang Ye from above, he would long ago have been "beaten down by society" and exiled to some remote corner to sulk. Even so, he was repeatedly sidelined. Though he never suffered open losses, he took plenty of hidden ones, and Liu Chengyou could not protect him from everything.

In comparison, Han Tong, who was also assigned to the Husheng Army, was far more tactful. He was one of the ten army commanders of the Husheng Army. Though his temperament was equally fierce, his age, seniority, and experience were enough to let him stand firm in the imperial army.

Yang Ye, after all, was still too young.

Glancing at him, Liu Chengyou said flatly: "You still need to manage your relationships in the army. But being young and hot-blooded—arrogance is unacceptable!"

Hearing Liu Chengyou say this, Yang Ye's face showed composure, but his tone carried a hint of disdain: "The army is full of mediocrities who only lord their seniority over others. I am ashamed to be in their company!"

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou's brows furrowed slightly. Was the Invincible Yang this arrogant when he was young, or had he been led astray by himself?

Drawing a breath, Liu Chengyou said to him in an admonishing tone: "It is precisely this temperament of yours that you must rein in. Otherwise, even if I can protect you for a time, you will eventually suffer a great loss!"

After a moment's deliberation, he added in a somewhat stern voice: "The army may have its flaws and bad habits, but how can you hold long-term grudges against your comrades-in-arms? What are comrades? On the battlefield, they are the ones you entrust with your life. Ask yourself—in the Husheng Army, how many people can you entrust with life and death?"

"The brothers under my command!" Yang Ye's tone was certain, but his voice unconsciously lowered, as if lacking confidence.

Liu Chengyou immediately turned his head and stared at him: "Do you plan to spend your whole life as commander of just this one command?"

Hearing Liu Chengyou say this, Yang Ye fell silent, slowly lowering his head. The casual air about him completely dissipated, replaced by an expression of serious contemplation.

The scene looked somewhat odd—Liu Chengyou was clearly younger than Yang Ye, yet when scolded by him, Yang Ye was perfectly proper, obediently listening to the lecture, showing none of the spirited defiance he displayed in the army.

Through long-term cultivation of his image, Liu Chengyou's dignified and solemn bearing had become deeply ingrained in people's minds. Not just Yang Ye—many had subconsciously forgotten his age. Even Shi Hongzhao, when in the Eastern Capital, never again dared to underestimate Liu Chengyou as he had back in Jinyang, treating him like a mere child.

Yang Ye pondered for a moment, seeming to grasp something. He quickly came back to himself and solemnly clasped his fists to Liu Chengyou: "Thank you for your instruction, Your Highness. Your subordinate will take note!"

Seeing his attitude, Liu Chengyou's expression gradually relaxed, returning to calm.

Liu Chengyou knew that Yang Ye was not an overbearing person. In the army, Yang Ye had suffered some grievances in many situations. But Liu Chengyou still could not help wanting to knock him down a peg.

If one were to speak of grievances—His Highness the Prince of Zhou had endured so much anger along the way without complaint. What right did a mere command commander have to be so full of pride?

Influenced by "Lord Yang," though he had not gone out of his way to fawn over Yang Ye, his regard for him was genuine. And after more than half a year of observation, Liu Chengyou found that Yang Ye indeed had great potential. Even if his abilities were not as exaggerated as in the tales, he was certainly of superior caliber.

Murong Yanzhao had quietly mentioned to Liu Chengyou before that Yang Ye had the makings of a great general, only that he was still young and lacked tempering and experience. If even Murong Yanzhao thought so highly of Yang Ye, then Liu Chengyou had even less reason to doubt his own judgment.

But recently, hearing of Yang Ye's situation in the Husheng Army, Liu Chengyou began to have doubts. Thanks to his promotion, Yang Ye had been riding high these past six months. Liu Chengyou worried—was he perhaps pulling up the sprouts to help them grow?

If the esteemed Lord Yang were to be ruined by his own hand, that would be a grave sin. So today, Liu Chengyou had deliberately brought him along and spoken at length. In the end, Yang Ye's reaction satisfied Liu Chengyou greatly. Had he shown even a hint of impatience or dismissiveness, then even if his name were Yang Ye, Liu Chengyou would have had to reassess him.

"Your Highness, may your subordinate ask you something?" Yang Ye suddenly said to Liu Chengyou.

Liu Chengyou waved his hand: "Since you've spoken up, how could I not listen? Go ahead."

"Mm..." Yang Ye hesitated, organizing his words for a moment before looking at Liu Chengyou with a searching gaze: "Your subordinate was plucked from the ranks by Your Highness, repeatedly promoted and protected. I am truly deeply grateful. Though I consider myself to have some crude courage, I have nothing extraordinary about me. I am genuinely curious—why does Your Highness regard me so highly?"

Hearing the question, Liu Chengyou turned his head in surprise, noticing the curiosity in his eyes. He guessed this question had been buried in Yang Ye's heart for a long time.

How to answer this question? A faint trace of awkwardness flickered across Liu Chengyou's face. He could hardly tell Yang Ye that he had grown up listening to the stories of the Yang family generals. Nor could he answer as he had with Zhang Yanwei back then, telling Yang Ye, "I like you"...

After pondering for a moment, Liu Chengyou answered with a question instead: "Do you think you have the bearing of a famous general?"

Yang Ye thought seriously for a moment. In a daze, scenes from his youth flashed through his mind—riding out to hunt, the bold words he had spoken with the young retainers. A confident smile curled at the corners of his mouth as Yang Ye answered Liu Chengyou: "When I one day command troops in battle, it will be like using hawks and hounds to chase pheasants and hares!"

These very words—back in Jinyang, when Liu Chengyou had first received Yang Ye, he had asked about this matter, and Yang Ye's answer then had been modest and reserved. Now, he could repeat it with confidence and an even keel.

"That is enough!" Liu Chengyou said calmly: "I believe in you, and I believe in my own judgment. I hope you will not make me look bad!"

Yang Ye said nothing, only stepped back and gave Liu Chengyou a very solemn bow, bending ninety degrees at the waist.

"Let's go!"

The problematic stretch of canal was within Neihuang County, not far from Desheng City—less than a hundred li away. The light cavalry arrived quickly.

On the Yongji Canal section northwest of Neihuang County, over a dozen fully loaded military supply ships drifted on the waterway. Each ship was bound with over a hundred thick, taut tow ropes, and on the shore were rows of trackers, shouting work chants at the top of their lungs as they strained to pull, while the ships labored northeastward.

Fiscal Commissioner Wang Jingchong led several hundred escort soldiers on land, both supervising and guarding.

"Your... Your Highness." Seeing Liu Chengyou arrive with his men to inspect, Wang Jingchong personally came forward to greet him, his expression very unnatural.

After all, back in the court, he had once acted as Liu Chengyou's "supporter."

"I have been ordered to investigate. What is going on with the material transport?" Liu Chengyou paused only briefly before him, his face expressionless, adopting an official, businesslike manner.

Wang Jingchong breathed a sigh of relief, but also could not help feeling anxious as he reported: "This stretch of the Yongji Canal has not been dredged in years. Sediment has accumulated at the bottom of the channel. When this batch of military supplies reached this point, the ships suddenly ran aground."

This time, with Yang Bin's recommendation, he had been entrusted with the post of Water Route Fiscal Commissioner. Wang Jingchong had taken up the post joyfully, full of drive, eager to earn merit in the suppression campaign. Who would have thought that such a mishap would occur on the Neihuang waterway?

If this matter affected the frontline campaign, let alone merit—whether he could even keep his life would depend on whether Yang Bin was still willing to protect him.

Seeing Liu Chengyou's cold face, Wang Jingchong quickly reported further: "Upon learning of this situation, your subordinate immediately brought men to handle it. There was no time to dredge the channel, so I requisitioned a group of trackers to pull the ships..."

"How long will it take?" Liu Chengyou interrupted him, asking directly.

The autumn was cold, but sweat could not help but form on Wang Jingchong's forehead. He dared not make guarantees, only lowering his head and saying: "Your subordinate will do his utmost!"

"I don't need your utmost. I only need you to deliver the military supplies to Yedu as quickly as possible!" Liu Chengyou said coldly.

His face twitched. Wang Jingchong took a deep breath, lowered his head even further, and said through gritted teeth: "By tomorrow at the latest, your subordinate will definitely deliver them to the front!"

Glancing at Wang Jingchong, Liu Chengyou led his men to observe the condition of the Yongji Canal.