Chapter 248

…

Although Fang La did not adopt Lü Jiang's suggestion to blockade the Yangtze River, nor did he accept Chen Gutong's proposal to cross the Yangtze directly and spread the war northward—or even launch a direct assault on Dongjing Bianliang—he was by no means unaware of the importance of seizing the Yangtze to hold the Song army north of the river.

He simply was too greedy—he wanted more territory, more righteous armies, and wished to accumulate greater strength before confronting the main Song forces.

Moreover, Fang La still harbored illusions that he could persuade Song Jiang to join him in carving up the Zhao Song dynasty's realm.

In Fang La's view, both he and Song Jiang had killed officials, gentry, and landlords, and both had raised the righteous banner of fighting for the people's survival—they shared a natural foundation for alliance.

Fang La believed that if he could unite with Song Jiang, merging their two righteous armies, they could not only drive the Song army out of Jiangnan, but even bring about the imminent collapse of the Zhao Song dynasty.

Fang La had even imagined that after destroying the Zhao Song dynasty together, he would give Song Jiang all lands north of the Huaihe River, while he kept the south; they would rule as two rival courts, and when the time was ripe, he would march north, defeat Song Jiang, and claim the entire empire for himself.

Precisely because of these beautiful illusions, Fang La deliberately let Song Jiang's righteous army take the front line to shield him from the Song army, while he used the opportunity to first reclaim the southern regions of Jiangnan; once his strength grew, he would turn back to ally with Song Jiang's army against the Song army—or better yet, let the two sides weaken each other like a heron and a clam, and he would reap the benefit: waiting until the Song army and Song Jiang's army exhausted each other in bloody combat, then annihilating both and seizing Jiangnan alone—or even the entire Zhao Song dynasty.

Fang La's calculations rang loud and clear—but he had calculated everything except one thing: that Song Jiang, who had killed so many officials, would choose to accept the court's amnesty—a path he considered "the road to death."

The result? Now the situation had turned: Song Jiang had not become the ally Fang La expected, but had instead transformed into the court's sharp blade, pointing straight at Hangzhou.

Fang La stood atop Hangzhou's city wall, gazing northward, teeth clenched in fury.

He had misjudged Song Jiang's ambition and his bottom line, and never imagined Song Jiang craved fame, fortune, and power so desperately.

Most crucially, he could not understand: how could Song Jiang not fear the court officials' revenge, and willingly risk fighting to the death, letting the court reap the benefits of their mutual destruction?

Song Jiang's choice struck Fang La like a heavy hammer, shattering his grand ambitions and forcing him to reevaluate the current situation.

Among Fang La's officers, some were furious and demanded immediate attack to crush Song Jiang's army; others were deeply anxious, fearing being caught between two enemies, and advised retreating temporarily to plan for the future.

Listening to the passionate speeches of his generals and the calm analyses of his strategists, Fang La's heart began to tremble. He knew that at this moment, he stood at a historical crossroads—every decision would determine countless lives, and the very fate of his entire rebellion.

What should he do?

Retreat?

Where to retreat?

Jiangnan was vast, but the Song army had already marched south, and with Song Jiang's army now serving the court as its sharpest spear, if he retreated, the Song army and Song Jiang's army would follow like shadows, devouring his "million-strong army."

There was no retreat left, no escape possible.

Accept the court's amnesty?

First, Fang La refused to abandon his dream of becoming emperor.

Second, the court had never once offered him amnesty—it seemed they had no intention of doing so at all—how could he accept an amnesty that was never extended?

Fang La privately felt that this world had, overnight, shrunk into a cramped prison, locking him and his rebellion in with no escape.

Fang La's gaze burned as he surveyed the righteous soldiers below the walls, shivering in the cold, their eyes clouded with uncertainty about the future.

Fang La knew well: morale must not break. Once doubt took root, even a million soldiers could not stand against a single brigade. If he chose retreat, he chose death.

So Fang La straightened his spine, his voice deep and resolute: "We rose in rebellion for the people, to overthrow tyranny, to restore clarity and justice to the world. Though the tide now turns against us, our resolve must not waver! Song Jiang has betrayed his oath, defected to the enemy for glory—but can our faith be shaken by the treachery of one man?"

Here, Fang La issued his command with unwavering tone: "Order Fang Qifu, Fang Baihua, and Chen Shisì to crush Song Jiang, absorb his troops, and await the gathering of our main army for decisive battle with the Song!"

Under the leadership of the Moni Sect followers, Fang La's soldiers roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens—as if pouring out their unyielding fury and defiance, echoing over Hangzhou's walls, lingering long after. In their eyes burned a fierce resolve: loyalty to their faith, hunger for victory, fearless even as thorns lined their path.

Fang La gazed at these soldiers who had fought beside him, and warmth surged in his chest.

Yes!

Though he had risen in rebellion partly out of ambition to become emperor, as a southern man long oppressed and wronged, he too had genuinely wished to topple tyranny and bring the people abundance, peace, and security.

For his dream of empire, for every suffering soul on this land, Song Jiang's betrayal had pierced his heart—but it also hardened his conviction: only by utterly defeating the Song army could he become emperor, could he truly save the people, and restore peace to the world.

Fang La ordered: summon Lü Shinang from Xianju County, Qiu Daoren from Shanyan County in Yuezhou, Zheng Mo Wang from Quzhou, Li De, Jiang Cai, Dong Ju, and Wang Guo from Yongkang County, Huo Chengfu and Hong Zai from Chuzhou, and the newly risen rebel generals Yu Dao'an and Zhu Yan and Wu Bang from Xianju in Taizhou, and the female rebel commander Zhu Shi operating around Dongyang—all to converge on Hangzhou for decisive battle with the Song army.

In truth, Fang La had long been urging these rebel bands, each operating under his banner, to march north and submit to his unified command.

Yet only Chen Miao Zhen, that foolish girl, arrived with eight thousand troops from Yongkang. Her subordinates Li De, Jiang Cai, Dong Ju, and Wang Guo had tricked her into coming first, promising to follow with their main force soon after.

Even Chen Gutong came with only a dozen men; his troops still lingered with Huo Chengfu in Chuzhou, watching.

Chen Miao Zhen's response to his call greatly increased Fang La's favor toward this woman famed throughout Jiangnan—he even entertained the thought of making her his imperial concubine.

Let it be clear: Fang La's desire to take Chen Miao Zhen as concubine was not merely for her beauty; more importantly, he sought to gain from her renowned virtue and goodwill across Jiangnan.

But now, the rebellion had only just gained modest success, and Chen Miao Zhen was the only one who had come to reinforce him—if he rushed to propose such a thing, he would risk alienating her and her troops by appearing to seize them outright. It would be easy to say, hard to justify.

So Fang La thought it over, and assigned Chen Miao Zhen to Fang Baihua's command, planning to win her over gradually.

Later, the situation turned dire—Fang La had no time for such schemes. He swiftly dispatched Fang Qifu and Fang Baihua northward, to fight a desperate battle, hoping they could carve out a path to survival for him.

After receiving Fang La's orders, Fang Qifu, Fang Baihua, Chen Miao Zhen, and others decided to engage Song Jiang's army in open battle across a ten-li stretch of open land between Jiaxing, Haining, and Chongde.

Thus, Fang Baihua and Chen Miao Zhen rapidly led their forces to the rendezvous. For Song Jiang's army, which also sought a decisive battle, this was excellent news.

After changing uniforms in Xiuzhou and resting several days, Song Jiang's army marched straight toward the battlefield.

Though Fang Baihua was a woman and only sixteen, she had loved wielding spears and swords since childhood, studied military treatises diligently, and in a stroke of fortune had acquired the military classic Wu Jing Zong Yao, authored by Zeng Gongliang and Ding Du. Combined with her extraordinary talent and martial prowess, this allowed her, despite her youth and gender, to become commander of a righteous army.

Upon reaching the battlefield chosen by Fang Qifu, Fang Baihua advised: "Fame is not without substance. Song Jiang has fought for years, and the Song army has failed to crush him—he must possess extraordinary ability. His forces outnumber ours. A direct, open formation may not win. Let us position ourselves with water before us and mountains behind, supporting each other in flanking positions, striking only when opportunity arises."

Fang Baihua's advice was sound.

Yet Fang Qifu dismissed her—he saw only a sixteen-year-old girl, a woman who had won a few minor victories and grown arrogant, unable to comprehend the brilliance of his own deployment, designed to unleash the full power of Fang La's signature mass-tactic warfare—and so he ignored her counsel, stubbornly clinging to his plan.

Soon after, Yang Zhi led the vanguard of Song Jiang's army to the battlefield.

Fang Baihua again urged Fang Qifu: seize the moment, attack now, before Song Jiang's forces complete their assembly.

But Fang Qifu feared that his undisciplined Fang La troops, if they moved prematurely, would disrupt the flawless battle formation he had painstakingly arranged—and risk losing the victory for a minor gain—so he rejected this correct suggestion.

Thus, the Fang La army adopted the posture of a grand, open formation.

The ground Fang Qifu had chosen was flat, with a marsh ahead—apparently defensible, but in truth, ideal for cavalry warfare.

Yet if they retreated several dozen li north or east, they could take position behind the hills.

After surveying the terrain, Fang Baihua opposed Fang Qifu's deployment: "Troops move for advantage. This terrain is disadvantageous. How can we fight? We must relocate to higher ground to block the enemy's cavalry charge."

But Fang Qifu's subordinates, equally short-sighted, argued that the marsh ahead would suffice to halt Song Jiang's limited cavalry—no need to change position.

Fang Baihua's suggestion was again rejected by Fang Qifu, who trusted his officers' opinions.

…

After Song Jiang led the main force of the Song Jiang Volunteer Army to the battlefield, he saw that Fang La's Volunteer Army had no intention of launching an immediate attack while his troops had yet to gain a firm footing, and he felt greatly relieved by this stroke of luck, then hurriedly made thorough preparations.

During this process, Wu Yong, who was using a telescope to observe Fang La's Volunteer Army's battle formation, suddenly nudged Song Jiang and said, "Brother, look at that young lady over there in the enemy formation."

Hearing this, Song Jiang also picked up the telescope and looked in the direction Wu Yong was pointing.

Very soon, Song Jiang saw a young woman, only eighteen or nineteen years old.

This woman wore a plain dress and cloth skirt with a faded, coarse hemp short jacket over them, a mottled leather medicine pouch wrapped around her waist, her black hair casually gathered into a bun and hastily pinned with a bamboo hairpin, a few stray locks falling by her ears. Her features were as pretty as a painting, the slight upward curve at the corners of her eyes carrying a gentle warmth, her nose small and straight, and when the corners of her lips naturally turned down, a quiet composure and resolve lay hidden within. In her hand she gripped a short spear covered in rust spots, with not the slightest hint of killing intent about her — she actually looked somewhat comical and out of place.

Song Jiang's eyes lit up: 'Isn't this just the beauty to present to Your Majesty!'

Yuwen Xuzhong also picked up the telescope and took a look at this beauty, saying, "This woman should be Chen Shisi of Fangyan Mountain in Yongkang County."

Song Jiang and Wu Yong asked in unison, "Lady Chen Shisi?!"

Yuwen Xuzhong said uncertainly, "Although I have not seen this woman myself, based on the information and physical descriptions of the key members of Fang La's group that my subordinates have sent back, it is most likely her."

Hearing this, Song Jiang and Wu Yong were overjoyed!

Speaking only of looks, Chen Miao Zhen was indeed beautiful, but she might not necessarily compare to the several thousand beauties Zhao Yu already possessed.

But this beauty was also the one who possessed miraculous medical skill, had saved countless lives, and was revered by the people of Jiangnan as a living immortal — "Lady Chen Shisi" — so that was a different matter entirely.

Setting everything else aside, if Zhao Yu could obtain Chen Miao Zhen and then publicize it well, his prestige in Jiangnan would surely rise considerably.

Song Jiang hurriedly asked, "Wise brother, can you confirm that this woman is Lady Chen Shisi?"

Yuwen Xuzhong had never actually met Chen Miao Zhen, so naturally he could not confirm whether this woman he had never laid eyes on was truly Chen Miao Zhen.

But it didn't matter — Yuwen Xuzhong had someone summon a spy who had been gathering intelligence in Hangzhou City, and Chen Miao Zhen's identity was confirmed.

Seeing that this beauty with the unique temperament opposite them really was Chen Miao Zhen, Song Jiang said to those around him that no one was to harm Lady Chen Shisi, for he intended to present her to Your Majesty.

Hearing Song Jiang say he intended to present Chen Miao Zhen to Zhao Yu, not to mention all the generals of the Song Jiang Volunteer Army, even Western Army generals like Yao Pingzhong and Liu Guangshi had to take a good look at Chen Miao Zhen, afraid that a single careless mistake might lead them to kill the wrong person and bring down a great disaster upon themselves.

At this moment, the spy Yuwen Xuzhong had summoned pointed at a woman riding a tall, large horse beside Chen Miao Zhen, a woman fully eight chi and five or six cun in height, and said, "This woman is Fang La's younger sister Fang Baihua, marshal of the Volunteer Army, highly skilled in martial arts and well-versed in the art of war."

Hearing this, the crowd looked toward Fang Baihua again.

They saw Fang Baihua, dressed in a green cloth martial outfit washed nearly white, with a half-worn cowhide chest-protecting armor over it, a faded red silk sash wrapped around her waist, with a short knife wrapped in cloth strips tucked into it. Her legs were clad in coarse hemp puttees and thick-soled war boots, and she sat astride a jet-black steed, her tall, upright figure as straight as a green pine. Her sword-shaped brows slanted upward into her temples, a pair of phoenix eyes sharp as an eagle's, a high straight nose and tightly pressed thin lips outlining a resolute profile. The wind blew her casually bound long hair, stray strands brushing her wheat-colored cheeks, adding a touch of wildness. In her hand she held a plain-wood long spear in a steady grip, the spear tip glinting coldly, and her gaze swept toward their side like lightning, an aura of chilling menace radiating from her whole being, fully displaying the dashing heroic bearing of the Volunteer Army's marshal.

Undoubtedly, Fang Baihua was also exceedingly beautiful, but her stature — taller than the vast majority of men — made Song Jiang unable to help feeling a touch of regret: "Fang Baihua is a bit too tall, otherwise I could present her to Your Majesty along with the other…"

Before Song Jiang could finish, Yuwen Xuzhong whispered in his ear, "Brother is mistaken. Such a tall woman is precisely the type Your Majesty favors — even heaven is blessing us."

Hearing this, Song Jiang's eyes shone brightly, and he immediately issued the order: "Pass down my command — take Fang Baihua and Chen Shisi alive…"

……

(End of this chapter)