Chapter 466: Auspicious Omen, Troops in Motion—Shouchun Besieged Once More

Even Wang Qiwu, who knew everything, had not yet learned of Kang Yan's killing. He went to investigate and inquire, and only then learned the situation, and reported it to Liu Chengyou.

"Our Commander Wang is truly imposing and awe-inspiring—after all, a Militia Vice Commissioner, killed on a whim!" Upon hearing this, Liu Chengyou remarked with feeling.

Of course, it was precisely because it was Wang Jun that Liu Chengyou took this attitude. If Liu Chengyou himself encountered the same situation, he would likely have had that Kang Yan beheaded without mercy as a warning to all. And given Wang Jun's status as commander of the forward camp, he did have the authority to mete out military justice within the camp.

However, human nature has always been complex and hard to fathom, let alone that of the Son of Heaven. The same matter, for different people, often yields different results—even vastly divergent ones.

"Zhang Yongde!" Liu Chengyou called Zhang Yongde, who was still studying the battle situation with Pan Mei, to his side.

"What does Your Majesty command?"

Meeting Zhang Yongde's curious gaze, Liu Chengyou said: "I am about to dispatch an old general on a mission, but I also wish to entrust heavy responsibility to the young and talented. While in the Eastern Capital, I already discussed with Chancellor Guo—you are to lead an army independently!"

Hearing these words suddenly, Zhang Yongde's face lit up with joy, though he also showed a trace of hesitation. Seeing this, Liu Chengyou asked: "What, no confidence?"

With Liu Chengyou saying this, Zhang Yongde could hardly have any other reaction—he clasped his fists and declared: "I await Your Majesty's command; your subordinate will go at once to serve!"

"No need to rush!" Liu Chengyou raised his hand, pointing at the map, and instructed: "South of Shouzhou, in the Lujiang region, compared to Huang and Guang, it can be called the heartland of the false Tang. Going around Shouchun and heading south would inevitably leave you as an isolated force. Take the time to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the military situation in the south. Together with Pan Mei—I will have him go with you when the time comes!"

"Yes!" Zhang Yongde acknowledged.

Pan Mei, standing nearby, also revealed excitement in his expression upon hearing this.

After handling a batch of military affairs, Liu Chengyou asked Zhang Dejun: "The Worthy Consort—how is her health?"

"The Worthy Consort lady is resting in her tent; an imperial physician has already been summoned to examine her!" Zhang Dejun hurriedly replied upon the Emperor's inquiry.

Upon hearing this, Liu Chengyou's brow furrowed slightly, and he instructed: "I shall go see her!"

Acknowledging the order, Zhang Dejun hurriedly led the way.

Even while still on the boat, Lady Zhe had felt unwell, and after arriving at Xiaca, there had been no marked improvement. Given Lady Zhe's ordinarily robust constitution, Liu Chengyou had assumed she was simply a northerner unaccustomed to the southern climate and told her to rest well. However, now that it had come to summoning the imperial physician, Liu Chengyou could not help but be concerned.

Arriving at the sleeping tent, he went to the bedside, where Lady Zhe lay. Observing her complexion, though it lacked some of its rosiness, she did not appear to be in any serious condition.

"His Majesty!" Lady Zhe tried to rise to pay her respects.

Liu Chengyou sat sideways on the edge of the bed and gently pressed her hand: "No need for ceremony."

He then reached out and pressed his palm to her forehead—a warmth, but not hot; comparing with himself, her temperature was normal. Liu Chengyou asked softly: "How do you feel?"

Feeling the Son of Heaven's gentle solicitude, some rosiness returned to Lady Zhe's pretty face, and a hint of a smile curled at the corners of her lips as she nodded.

Seeing this, suspicion arose in Liu Chengyou's eyes. He then looked at the imperial physician beside them and said sternly: "You—explain what is going on with the Worthy Consort's health?"

Facing Liu Chengyou's intimidating gaze, the imperial physician dared not be negligent. He bowed with clasped hands and said to Liu Chengyou with a smile: "Your Majesty, the lady's body is merely slightly fatigued; a few days of rest will suffice. As for these recent symptoms, it is because the lady is with child..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Chengyou was first surprised, then delighted. Stroking the lady's pretty cheek, he said: "Truly?"

"Examining her pulse, the lady has been pregnant for over a month, and the signs of morning sickness are evident!" said the imperial physician.

"Hahaha..." Liu Chengyou laughed heartily.

The palace eunuchs and female officials in the tent all wore smiles, offering congratulations to Liu Chengyou.

Lowering his head to look at Lady Zhe, her pretty face like a flower, his gaze was exceptionally tender—this woman truly seemed to bear the auspicious sign of bringing fortune to her husband and noble sons. Joy filled his heart: "At this time of great campaign, Heaven bestows a precious son upon me—this is the favor of fortune, an auspicious omen for our army, and victory is certain! Your belly—it brings honor!"

Lady Zhe's mood was naturally good as well. Feeling Liu Chengyou's hand reaching into the blankets and resting on her abdomen, she said: "Your concubine accompanied the carriage to serve Your Majesty, but now my body is inconvenient..."

"Don't overthink it!" Liu Chengyou shook his head and comforted her: "I have so many people around me—am I afraid of lacking attendants? You are with child and should rest well to nurture the pregnancy. Give me another son, and for this southern campaign, I will record you a great merit!"

Before long, news that Imperial Consort Lady Zhe was pregnant spread throughout the army campaigning in Huainan. Through the vigorous propaganda of the army's morale officers, all proclaimed this a heaven-sent auspicious omen protecting the great army—the southern campaign would surely end in victory. Such propaganda was quite effective at brainwashing the soldiers; after all, it was a joyful matter, and everyone believed such talk. The morale, which had somewhat declined due to the cold winter, rose once again.

Subsequently, Liu Chengyou once again convened a council of the generals of the Huainan campaign, deciding to move the army south on the first day of the eleventh month to besiege Shouchun once more.

The Worthy Consort Lady Zhe, due to her pregnancy, remained at Xiaca to recuperate. Lady Zhe had originally planned to return to the Eastern Capital because of her condition, so as not to cause Liu Chengyou trouble, but fearing that the long journey might cause problems in her early pregnancy, she abandoned that idea.

Lady Zhe also suggested that Liu Chengyou summon someone from the Eastern Capital to attend him at the front—such as Noble Consort Gao—but this was directly refused by Liu Chengyou. He, Liu Chengyou, was not a man who could not do without women; moreover, in the army he was not only the Emperor but also the commander-in-chief, and it would not be proper to summon consorts from the Eastern Capital...

Liu Chengyou's use of troops had always been characterized by a single word: "steadiness." Advancing south toward Shouchun, he first sent Han Tong with the Iron Cavalry and Dragon Agile cavalry southward to roam around the outskirts of Shouchun, and also had Xiang Xun dispatch a naval force southward to cut off the water and land routes around Shouchun, isolating it from all communication in and out.

Thereafter, he led the main army from Xiaca—over seventy thousand including main forces, auxiliary troops, and laborers—advancing southward with bulldozer-like steadiness, until three li from the walls of Shouchun, where infantry and cavalry coordinated, they undertook massive engineering works, building fortifications and camps.

First they established the northern camp, garrisoned by the Central Army, Dragon Rest, and Iron Cavalry; then the western camp, garrisoned by the Guardian Sacred and Fengguo Army; then the southern camp, garrisoned by the Dragon Agile and Xiaodi armies; to the east, facing the water, they established a naval camp to block it; and they also built a camp to the northeast, where auxiliary troops and laborers constructed a floating bridge across the Fei River.

One step at a time, a camp every two days, steady as an old dog—they gave the defenders in the city not a single opportunity. He Jingzhu and the others had indeed considered sending troops to harass, but upon seeing how cautious the Han army was, employing the tactic of a lion striking a rabbit, they abandoned the idea.

Beneath the walls of Shouchun, compared to the previous time, the Son of Heaven Liu Chengyou came in person, and the Northern Han army's momentum was even greater than before. Five great camps on land and water surrounded Shouchun so tightly that not even water could leak through—locking it down, trapping it fast.

The fortifications were not only massive and sturdy but also somewhat comfortable. Vast quantities of supplies continued to arrive from the south, stockpiled outside the city—soldiers and grain numbering in the millions. Under Liu Chengyou's command, the Northern Han army made full preparations to spend the winter beneath the walls of Shouchun.

And the besieging Han army, excluding auxiliary troops and laborers, numbered nearly forty thousand in elite infantry and cavalry alone across all units. It could be said that most of the cream of the Eastern Capital's imperial army had been brought by Liu Chengyou.

Though Shouchun was formidable, facing such pressure from the Northern Han army, it seemed on the verge of collapse. Among the soldiers and civilians in the city, aside from a few diehards like He Jingzhu, it was hard to avoid unrest—especially among the common people. This old general He Jingzhu, though he loved his soldiers and cared for the people, had after all not been in office long. Since his arrival, he had focused solely on military matters and had not yet found the time to bestow favors upon the populace and win their hearts.

As the Han army once again besieged Shouchun, their awe-inspiring military might soared to the heavens, and even the cold gloom over the skies of Huainan could not match the chilling gleam of the Han army's armor. When news reached Jiangdong, the Jinling court was thrown into another flurry of panic.