Chapter 87: Divergent Hearts

The Liao camp stretched for over ten li along the course of the Xiao River, positioned flanking the city. Besides the hundred-some-thousand Hu and Han infantry and cavalry, there were also tens of thousands of "extraneous" personnel—Jin officials, family members, civilian laborers, and coolies. Counting sheer numbers, that made two hundred thousand; doubled, they could claim to be a "four-hundred-thousand-strong army."

Since returning from the north, apart from crossing the great river and attacking Anyang, Luancheng was where they had lingered the longest. From top to bottom, all were immersed in a restless agitation. Within the Khitan ranks, the antagonism between various armies and tribes, fueled by conflicts at the upper levels, was gradually intensifying, and clashes grew ever more frequent.

Even the surrendered soldiers and able-bodied men in the army had become jittery—secret delight mingled with unease, and amid despair, they seemed to glimpse a sliver of hope.

Previously, the Yan troops who had marched south with Yelu Deguang numbered roughly forty-some thousand infantry and cavalry. After deducting the continuous combat casualties and the forces assigned to garrison various prefectures, nearly thirty thousand still accompanied the army—within the Liao army at this time, they were also an independent and formidable force that could not be ignored.

They had not been arranged together, but rather in three Yan camps, with troops numbering in the tens of thousands. The camp fortifications were crudely built, hastily thrown up in the two days since Yelu Deguang's death—clearly some kind of preparation was underway.

Inside the military tent, Zhao Yanshou, clad in a brocade robe, sat in the seat of honor, deliberating with a group of Youyan Han army officers on how to respond to the changing situation. Their Yan troops, ordinarily subjected to suspicion and exclusion, treated as second-class, could only huddle together for warmth in such sensitive times.

The atmosphere was stifling; even their discussions were kept in hushed tones. The assembled officers voiced their thoughts and offered suggestions for Zhao Yanshou's consideration, but the Prince of Yan seemed somewhat distracted, as if not listening very attentively.

The composition of the Yan army was equally complex—there were diehard traitors, powerful clans of the Yan region, remnant ministers of the Jin state, and righteous generals still loyal to China... Even huddled together for warmth, their minds were all over the place.

Zhao Yanshou was well aware of all this. He swept his gaze around the circle and sighed inwardly. He knew that gathering these men together was easy, but uniting them to plot great affairs would be difficult. He, Zhao, though possessing some renown, had not yet reached the point where one call could rally a thousand responses.

"That's enough!" Zhao Yanshou suddenly raised his head, waving his hand listlessly. "The most important thing right now is still to organize our brothers. As long as we have troops in hand, no matter how the winds of change blow, others will not dare to humiliate us lightly—the Khitan included. Also, maintain contact with the other two camps, advance and retreat together with us..."

"I have submitted to the Khitan for many years and know well the internal contradictions weighing on them. With the Liao emperor dead, they will inevitably be stirred up, and we will be dragged in. Since ancient times, struggles for power have been cruel and fierce—these past two days, the contest over the imperial camp has already shown us a glimpse. We are men of the southern lands, with elite troops and strong generals; it will be hard to stay out of it!"

Zhao Yanshou's face was ashen, wrinkles crawling across his features. He said solemnly: "With the situation as it is, safety hangs in the balance. We must unite our strength, pull together as one boat, and weather these hard times!"

This candid speech had some effect—the assembled Yan officers all voiced their assent in unison.

Only then did Zhao Yanshou let out a faint sigh of relief. Just as a hint of gratification appeared on his face, he was startled by a sudden commotion erupting outside the camp.

"Your Highness, something terrible has happened!" A trusted yabing officer burst in hastily, his expression panicked: "The camp is surrounded by Khitan cavalry—we're encircled!"

His expression changed at the news, utterly unexpected. Zhao Yanshou could only forcibly suppress his shock and suspicion, calming the officers as he led them out to survey the situation. He showed no fear—he did not believe that under these circumstances the Khitan would stir up internal strife and move against them.

As the yabing officer had reported, large numbers of Khitan cavalry had already fanned out around the perimeter. The camp stood with its back to the water, threatened on three sides. The mid- and senior-ranking officers were all gathered in the tent for discussion, with no one in command, and the lower-ranking Yan troops were at a loss in the face of this sudden change.

By the time Zhao Yanshou led his men out of the tent, he could already see over a thousand Khitan cavalry having burst through the camp gate—utterly arrogant, with soldiers who failed to dodge in time being trampled to death outright.

"General Yelu comes with such a great show of force, forcing his way through the camp walls—what is the meaning of this? Do you not fear provoking a mutiny?" Gazing coldly at the Khitan commander galloping toward him, Zhao Yanshou's tone was hard, showing no cowardice.

At this moment, the surrounding Yan troops had snapped to their senses and begun forming ranks to resist, though they had no real way to deal with the Khitan forces that had broken into the camp—it was merely instinctive self-preservation.

The leading Khitan commander was none other than Yelu Jieli, who had previously been banished by Yelu Deguang to tend horses. The moment Yelu Deguang died, Yelu Ruan had directly reinstated him, restoring his command of the army.

Mounted on a tall horse, Yelu Jieli pressed forward, looking down on Zhao Yanshou with contempt: "The Emperor has passed on. Hearing that the Yan camp was stirring, I, by order of Prince Yongkang, have come to take over the Yan camp, to coordinate and deploy, to guard against the unexpected!"

"The General must be joking!" Zhao Yanshou's expression turned ugly.

"Whether I'm joking, the Prince of Yan knows in his own heart. You were stripped of military command by the Emperor long ago—why are you here?" Yelu Jieli's tone grew even more contemptuous, his gaze sweeping over the Yan officers behind Zhao Yanshou: "And summoning these officers—what scheme are you plotting?"

At these words, not only Zhao Yanshou but all the other Yan officers changed expression, wariness and fear showing in their eyes.

Watching their reactions, Yelu Jieli straightened his back, chin raised, and swept his gaze around before declaring loudly and forcefully: "I have come on orders. Do you still have questions?"

"Great King, the Yan camp has been secured!" On the Liao army's imperial camp side, Yelu Anbo reported to Yelu Ruan.

"No resistance was provoked?" Yelu Ruan had just returned from inspecting the camps, his expression grave, and asked upon hearing this.

"Rest assured—the three Yan camps were cut off from one another, and with our sudden strike, they were easily brought under control!" Yelu Anbo replied.

Yelu Ruan: "And Zhao Yanshou?"

"He has been placed under house arrest!" A trace of disdain appeared on Yelu Anbo's face: "This man secretly summoned the Yan officers, clearly plotting treachery. He truly doesn't know his place."

Yelu Ruan let out a heavy sigh of relief, then led the way back toward the imperial camp, saying gravely as he walked: "This cannot go on!"

"Are you worried about those generals loyal to the late emperor? Now that the Yan troops are under control, will you next set about dealing with them?"

Yelu Ruan shook his head: "They are all Khitan talents. The momentum is on our side; they will compromise sooner or later. I made a circuit of the camps—discipline is lax, morale is low, brawls keep breaking out—it's utter chaos. I must impose strict discipline, stabilize things as quickly as possible, set things right, and march the army home. Otherwise, a great disaster will erupt sooner or later!"

"By the way, what of that Longqi Army at Zhaozhou?" Yelu Ruan suddenly asked.

Yelu Anbo replied dismissively: "They seem to have withdrawn already. The other side probably no longer dares to advance deep alone."

"Mm." Yelu Ruan acknowledged.

With a sigh, Yelu Ruan gave his orders: "Have Chage, Shugu, and the various generals and ministers come to the imperial camp to see me!"