Chapter 273: Return to Liaodong

At a fishing-village dock near Yu'er Town in Changyi County, several fishing boats were drifting down the Wei River toward the Liao Sea. Over a hundred rebels were fighting over the last two fishing boats in the harbor. The boats were already packed with people. The rebels on the shore knew this was their final chance. Ignoring the bone-chilling cold of the river, they leaped into the water and grabbed the gunwales to keep the boats from leaving, making the fishing boats rock violently. Some of the frantic soldiers in the water wailed loudly, pulling gold and silver from their pockets and raising both hands high, trying to trade them for a chance to board.

The people on the boats had no time for them. They used scabbards and bamboo poles to beat the soldiers in the water desperately. Every so often someone was accidentally pulled overboard, sending up huge splashes. The several hundred rebel family members left on the shore wept and wailed. Most of them had been separated from their original families in Pingdu Prefecture. None of their relatives were among the rebels traveling with them, so Kong Youde had abandoned them all.

The dull rumble of hoofbeats came faintly from the distance. The cavalry of Wendeng Camp appeared two li away, racing toward the fishing village. The wailing family members scattered in panic, fleeing for their lives in all directions toward the western bank. The soldiers on the shore grew even more frantic. Those still on land no longer cared about the freezing water and rushed into the river in a swarm, scrambling to climb onto the boats. With a loud splash, one fishing boat was pulled over, and everyone aboard tumbled into the water. Seeing this, the people on the other boat all drew their swords and blades, hacking and slashing wildly at the soldiers clinging to the gunwales. Blood sprayed from the frenzied soldiers, and the surrounding river water quickly turned crimson. The boat broke free of those entanglements, finally leaving the shore and drifting downstream, trailing blood in its wake.

"Go on, chase us, damn you! Let's see if your horses can swim," Kong Youde roared with laughter from the bow, loudly mocking the pursuing cavalry, immensely pleased with himself for his plan's success.

At Changyi, they had pretended they were about to attack the city and had destroyed several wooden bridges over the Wei River, while stationing troops to guard the only stone bridge. The Wendeng Camp behind them had indeed halted. Then, during the night, Kong Youde suddenly withdrew northward, sending all his mounted soldiers to seize boats along the way. Li Jiucheng took a portion of the men to Lvzipu, where scouts reported there were many fishing boats and several large vessels. Group after group of rebels boarded boats one after another, with the final assembly point on the eastern bank at the mouth of the Wei River.

Kong Youde volunteered to draw off the Wendeng Camp pursuers. Along the way, he kept destroying and burning bridges and seizing fishing boats, exploiting a timing gap against Wendeng Camp so that Liu Pojun's troops behind could not catch up. Kong Youde set an example by covering the entire army, only boarding a boat at the very end. He expected that this would earn him the allegiance of this rebel force.

"Kong Daru." Chen Guangfu, a glimmer of hope now in his eyes, looked at Kong Youde with admiration. "My lord, you are brilliant and mighty, toying with that Chen Xin in the palm of your hand. Had I known this earlier, we should have let you take charge back in Dengzhou. We would never have fallen to such a wretched state."

Kong Youde put away his smile and said flatly, "Li Jiucheng does have some skill in battle, but we should have accepted amnesty outside Dengzhou. With all that gold and silver from Shandong, we'd have had no worries about food and clothing for years. I was muddle-headed at the time, too. Otherwise, how would Chen Xin have had the chance to pick up our bargain?"

"Brother Kong, now that we've put to sea, we've shaken off Wendeng Camp, but where are we going? These fishing boats are slow. If we move too slowly and the Dengzhou and Wendeng naval forces come out, we'll still be dead."

Kong Youde remained silent. Chen Guangfu probed, "How about going to Lvshun or Guanglu? Chen Youshi and Mao Chenglu are old brothers; maybe they can help us. If we can pull them in and together petition the court for amnesty, perhaps it could work."

"Petition? How? Lv Zhi and Chen Xin are thick as thieves. How could we get a field report to the court? It's true that Chen Youshi and Mao Chenglu are old brothers. If we were strong, they might add fuel to the fire. But now that we're like stray dogs, would they help us for nothing? Pi Island is even less worth mentioning. None of the Dongjiang people can be relied on right now."

Chen Guangfu said in surprise, "Then why, Brother Kong, did you say outside Changyi that we were putting to sea for Dongjiang?"

Kong Youde sighed. "What else could I say? If they didn't know a way forward, not all these men around us would be willing to follow."

The hope that had just kindled in Chen Guangfu was extinguished in an instant. He stared blankly and said, "The world is vast, yet you and I, brothers, have no place to stand."

"There is still one place."

"Kong Daru, please tell us quickly."

"Lean closer." Kong Youde waited until Chen Guangfu drew near, then lowered his voice to the barest whisper. "Go to Fuzhou. Surrender to the Later Jin."

Chen Guangfu's mouth fell wide open. He had never imagined such a day would come.

As the two spoke, the Wendeng Camp cavalry had already reached the fishing village. With fierce shouts, they began cutting down the rebels fleeing in all directions. A Vice Regional Commander's red banner, surrounded by a large cluster of cavalry, pursued along the riverbank. Some riders had already drawn their walking bows.

"Hug the eastern bank," Kong Youde loudly ordered. His retainers immediately forced the two fishermen to steer toward the eastern bank. They were now near where the Wei River met the sea, and the river surface was very broad, sixty or seventy paces from the shore. The boats were moving swiftly downstream with the current, making them very difficult to threaten with bows.

The cavalry on the western bank pursued for a while, but seeing the boats hugging the eastern bank, they could chase no further and finally halted.

Kong Youde looked at the man beneath the red banner. His features were vaguely discernible. He said to Chen Guangfu, "That man under the red banner is that villain Chen Xin."

Chen Guangfu turned his head woodenly to look. Beneath the one-zhang-four-chi Vice Regional Commander's red banner, a man wearing a helmet with a visor sat high on his horse, gazing in this direction. His build appeared quite tall.

Chen Guangfu had only seen Chen Xin from a distance in Dengzhou. The two had never interacted, but he had deeply learned of this man's vicious ruthlessness. If not for the Wendeng Camp led by this man, he would have long since made a fortune in Dengzhou, living a life of fine clothes, rich food, and widespread influence. Now, he was here with no way out. Thinking of this, his face gradually took on a ferocious expression.

"Your mother, it's all because you, Chen Xin, gave me no way to live. I'm going with Brother Kong."

Having persuaded Chen Guangfu, Kong Youde felt slightly relieved. But he had never had any prior contact with the Jianzhou Chieftain, and whether the other side would accept them was still unknown. The road ahead remained shrouded in uncertainty.

Watching Chen Xin slowly recede into the distance — this man was an outstanding figure among military men, unafraid even of civil officials, and he treated the Liaodong refugees in Wendeng very well. Kong Youde had occasionally entertained the fleeting thought of defecting to him. Now he understood that both he and Li Jiucheng had been used by Chen Xin. This man was ruthless and merciless, destined to be a fierce warlord in these chaotic times. If they met again in the future, it would be a fight to the death. A surge of mixed emotions welled up in Kong Youde, and he actually cupped his hands slightly toward Chen Xin on the shore.

Chen Guangfu, however, paid him no attention. He opened his mouth and roared curses toward the shore: "Chen Xin, you dog! I am Chen Guangfu! One day I will grind your bones to dust..."

The curses carried faintly from the distance. Zhu Guobin heard them and flew into a rage. Unwilling to let it go, he asked Chen Xin, "My lord, shall we continue the pursuit?"

The cavalry behind him were all from the personal guard and the central army scouts. Seeing the big fish escape and hearing insults hurled at their commander, these fierce warriors were all incensed. Liu Pojun stood cautiously to one side, not daring to make a sound. This time he had blundered badly. Now that the pretense had become reality, it was all too possible that the blame would become real as well, so his heart was filled with anxiety.

Chen Xin did not respond to Zhu Guobin either. His face was grim as he watched the few fishing boats on the river, deaf to the cries and shouts of the frantic soldiers around him. His heart was full of regret. On one of those boats, it seemed, was Kong Youde.

Song Wenxian, who was accompanying him, said in a low voice, "Your subordinate has something to say."

Chen Xin nodded. The two walked off alone for over ten paces. Song Wenxian turned to glance behind them before saying, "Why does my lord want Li Jiucheng and Kong Youde dead?"

"Why?" Chen Xin looked somewhat taken aback. "The Wuqiao mutiny has spread to this day, and Li Jiucheng and Kong Youde are the two ringleaders. If I haven't captured and killed them both, the mission is not fully accomplished. The imperial court will certainly be displeased with me and may not promote me to Dengzhou–Laizhou Regional Commander."

Song Wenxian shook his head. "My lord is too close to the situation. In your subordinate's view, given Wendeng Camp's combat strength, achieving further merit is only a matter of time. Even if a Dengzhou–Laizhou Regional Commander were appointed, it would only mean the troop quota of a single main-force battalion. Moreover, your subordinate does not believe the court would deny you this Dengzhou–Laizhou Regional Commander post."

Chen Xin furrowed his brow. He knew the choice Kong Youde had made in the original history. Beyond the enormous political gain Huang Taiji would reap from it, the technology of the red-barbarian cannons was also something he worried about.

When Li Jiucheng withdrew from Dengzhou, he had not taken the Frankish gunners with him; only the various Dengzhou battalion gunners remained. The men arranged by Zhang Dong had killed some of the Dengzhou red-barbarian gunners on the day of the mutiny, but some were still on the city walls. Later, the situation became chaotic, and no one knew exactly how many of those men were left.

Thinking of this, Chen Xin said worriedly, "But once those two put to sea, with no way out, they might defect to the Jianzhou bandits. The new Jianzhou Chieftain is very shrewd. If he uses these two men as a 'thousand-gold purchase of horse bones,' the court will be furious..."

"Even if the court is furious, what can they do?"

Chen Xin paused slightly, his eyes slowly shifting to Song Wenxian's face. The two had known each other for a long time and understood each other's character. Song Wenxian now had complete trust in Chen Xin's abilities. From his understanding of Chen Xin, this man was extremely ambitious and dared to put his ambitions into action. Based on the various orders Chen Xin had sent since last year, he deduced that the chaos in Dengzhou had been deliberately tolerated by Chen Xin, showing not the slightest loyalty to the imperial court.

Now, both his financial and military power were about to take a great leap forward, making it entirely possible for him to do even greater things. And Song Wenxian himself had his own selfish motives. He harbored a desire for power, but having failed the imperial examinations multiple times, he had instead become an advisor to officials — a different form of pursuing power. In the capital, he had suddenly thought of another possibility, so he had rushed back impatiently, hoping to gain greater recognition and lay a solid foundation for obtaining greater power in the future.

Song Wenxian said without pretense, "The realm is now in turmoil. You, my lord, have wealth and troops. Wendeng Camp's might shakes the realm. You are no longer the Battalion Commander of Weihai from years past. Even if the court is furious, what can they do? Even if you, my lord, were to rebel today like Li Jiucheng, unless the court draws away all the frontier armies to fight for a year or more, could they take Dengzhou and Laizhou? Not to mention that the court cannot even muster ten thousand frontier troops."

"Then why is Mr. Song worried about the court transferring me to Liaozhen? By your reasoning, I need not pay it any heed."

"Because my lord's power is not yet strong enough. If the court were truly determined, it could still defeat Wendeng Camp. Once my lord has fully managed Dengzhou and Laizhou and expanded Wendeng Camp several times over, then Dengzhou and Laizhou will be sufficient to protect themselves in this chaotic world."

Chen Xin closed his eyes in thought. He had never intended to sell his life for the court and had long harbored thoughts of contending for the realm. All his struggles were solely for himself and to annihilate the Jianzhou bandits. But having led troops for so long, and being caught up in the situation, there was always a kind of inertia that made him consider the court's attitude.

After a moment, he asked in a deep voice, "Then what does this have to do with Li Jiucheng putting to sea?"

"If Li Jiucheng defects to the Jianzhou bandits, the Jianzhou Chieftain can indeed make a 'thousand-gold purchase of horse bones.' But for my lord, it is not without benefit. With my lord holding Dengzhou, Laizhou, and Lvshun, with this precedent as a warning, which superior would dare to threaten my lord?"

Chen Xin exhaled. "Mr. Song, you know that I will not surrender to the Jianzhou bandits."

"That is only what the General himself knows. If your subordinate may speak bluntly, in the eyes of those lords, the General is just like Li Jiucheng — a mere military brute. They will naturally use Li Jiucheng to draw conclusions about the General. Moreover, Li Jiucheng and Kong Youde putting to sea is precisely a golden opportunity for my lord to take Lvshun."

Chen Xin finally shook his head and smiled. When he looked up again, the gloom had vanished from his face, replaced once more by his professional smile. "Please take up the brush, Mr. Song, and inform Army Supervisor Lv that Li Jiucheng has put to sea. According to the confessions of Geng Zhongming and Wang Bingzhong, it is highly likely that he is colluding with Lvshun Vice Regional Commander Chen Youshi to defect to the Jianzhou bandits. Lvshun may fall into the hands of the Jianzhou bandits."

Seeing him return to his normal demeanor, Song Wenxian also smiled and replied, "Your subordinate obeys. Lv Zhi now has no troops at his disposal and likely lacks the courage to go to Lvshun to arrest Chen Youshi, yet he will also worry about the grave crime of losing Lvshun. His only option is to request that my lord lead Wendeng Camp to Lvshun. Once we go, we will have an excellent justification. Zhou Yanru wants to drag us into the quagmire of Dalinghe, and Minister Wen is waiting for just such a reason. He will vigorously push this matter. As long as he applies a little effort in the court, Lvshun can be incorporated into Dengzhou Garrison."

"Liang Tingdong should not obstruct this matter. It only depends on whether His Majesty agrees."

Song Wenxian said calmly, "Since the third year of Chongzhen, the Dongjiang Garrison has caused countless troubles. The Dongjiang Regional Commander, Huang Long, was so wretched that even his nose and ears were cut off by mutinous soldiers. My lord, on the other hand, has repeatedly achieved great merit. Lvshun controls the throat of the Liao Sea. Tell me, my lord, would His Majesty feel more at ease entrusting Lvshun to us, or to the likes of Huang Long?"

"Haha, I am truly fortunate to have Mr. Song to untangle these threads for me. In the future, I must ask you to remain by my side more often to offer guidance. For now, we must first handle the endgame of the Dengzhou campaign well." Chen Xin took a deep breath and shouted behind him, "Liu Pojun!"

Liu Pojun jumped in fright, thinking Chen Xin was about to settle accounts with him right then and there. He steeled himself and came over to ask, "Your subordinate was momentarily negligent. I beg my lord..."

Chen Xin cut him off. "Your matter will be discussed at the military council. Immediately send orders back to Wendeng. Have Ba Zi lead the naval battalion to Dengzhou naval base to await orders. The Second Company Headquarters, the First Division of the Reserve Battalion, and the Cavalry Battalion are to set out for Dengzhou tomorrow."

Liu Pojun hastily responded, "Yes!"

"Zhu Guobin!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

Chen Xin, full of high spirits, looked north and asked, "Do you want to return to Liaodong?"

Zhu Guobin's eyes reddened, and he answered loudly, "I dream of it even in my sleep."

"Bring your horse and blade. I, your commander, will take you back to Liaodong! This time, we go back and will never retreat again. Together we'll drive the Tatars back into the deep mountains and old forests to live like wild men."

Zhu Guobin, stirred with emotion, cupped his fist and said, "Your subordinate will follow you, my lord, unto death!"

"Let's ride!" Chen Xin lashed his horse's rump fiercely with the whip, wheeled his mount around, and headed back the way they had come. Zhu Guobin let out a shout, and the cavalry behind him answered with a roar, clustering around the fluttering red banner as they galloped away.