Chapter 33: It Is Easier to Shake a Mountain Than to Shake the Lu Family Army

In the following three months, war raged across the land, with battles large and small coming one after another; you always anticipated the enemy’s moves, appearing and vanishing without a trace, causing Tuoba Shuyi’s three hundred thousand troops to grow exhausted from endless marching.

Faced with your elusive tactics, Tuoba Shuyi reluctantly abandoned pursuit of you and instead adopted a feint-and-flank strategy, pretending to chase you while secretly leading his main force straight toward Hulao Pass.

Yet he never anticipated that you had already prepared an ambush, forming a pincer attack with Wang Yang at Hulao Pass, utterly crushing the Northern Wind army.

After this crushing defeat, Tuoba Shuyi was forced to retreat with his troops.

This campaign lasted a year and drew the attention of the entire realm.

Every battle you commanded was a repeated victory against overwhelming odds.

Lu Chen’s name became renowned throughout the land.

You and your father and brother, through your glorious military achievements, were promoted four ranks; you were also appointed Military Governor of the Jiangnan West River Region, holding the rank of Junior Third Class.

You did not stop, but continued advancing northward, capturing eighteen cities in two months; the north trembled in fear, and you reclaimed Yanzhou and Yunzhou.

…

…

Yunzhou lies on the northern frontier.

The climate is cold.

By late autumn, a sudden blizzard swept across the entire land.

It turned every thousand li around this region into a blanket of frost-white.

Amidst this storm of wind and snow!

A troop of riders galloped through the snow.

At their head was the Imperial Eunuch Ma Bao, wrapped in a thick sable fur coat, riding a Zhaoye Yushizi horse.

This horse was an imperial steed, extraordinarily swift and worth a thousand taels of silver.

Finally!

After great hardship, the party arrived before a towering military camp; Ma Bao dismounted with agile, decisive movements.

He was of medium build, holding a precious sword in his arms.

His complexion was fair, yet devoid of any effeminacy; instead, his brow radiated martial vigor.

His eyes gleamed with righteous authority, making others dare not meet his gaze.

Ma Bao was the Emperor of Daqing’s trusted confidant, having accompanied him since childhood as his personal attendant.

More than twenty years ago, the current Emperor of Daqing rose from a idle prince to become Son of Heaven.

Ma Bao rose with him, becoming one of the most powerful eunuchs in the Daqing court.

Yet!

This eunuch stood apart: he did not form factions, did not oppress officials.

He was upright, incorruptible, deeply respected by court and people alike; the common folk praised him as “more truly a man than any man.”

He not only enjoyed great prestige at court but was also a top-tier swordsman of the martial world; with sword in hand, his technique was swift as a dragon emerging from the sea, leaving all who witnessed it awestruck.

Yet, after days of relentless travel, even he felt weary, barely able to endure it.

All this toil stemmed from the Lu family father and sons.

Since the Northern Wind army retreated, the Lu family army advanced northward, breaking through like bamboo split by a blade, capturing a city every few days.

Then, leading several thousand elite troops, they surged north like a storm, seizing three more cities in barely half a month, securing half of Yanzhou.

After taking control of Yanzhou and consolidating all its forces, their momentum surged like a rainbow piercing the sky, capturing ten more cities in succession, unstoppable.

The news spread, shaking the realm.

To Ma Bao, this seemed incredible: in barely a month, Yanzhou had returned to Daqing’s embrace.

Remember!

For twenty years, Daqing’s armies had never crossed the Yellow River by even a step.

For twenty years, no Daqing force had ever reached this land.

Yanzhou—the territory Daqing lost twenty years ago—still, in the hearts of most, belonged to Daqing.

Along the way, Ma Bao witnessed the people’s fervent welcome; they offered fruits and vegetables, expressing their respect and gratitude to the Lu family army.

He also sensed the novelty and transformation along the route, filled with wonder at the Lu family army’s new commander.

The Lu family army’s code: “Rather freeze to death than dismantle a house; rather starve to death than plunder.”

Those who oppressed or coerced civilians were punished with beatings, or executed publicly if severe.

Ma Bao knew well the darkness within armies; sometimes soldiers, to vent their rage, disguised themselves as bandits and slaughtered civilians—such strict discipline was exceedingly rare.

Ma Bao murmured to himself: “Lu Chen, style Shen Zhou.”

These principles of the Lu family army were all crafted by Lu Chen himself.

Even children in the north sang folk songs.

“It is easier to shake a mountain than to shake the Lu family army!”

Lu Chen… no.

Now, he had been granted the title of Shaobao by court decree, respectfully called Lu Shaobao.

Ma Bao felt deep curiosity and interest in this young hero.

Now!

They had reached north of Yunzhou, where the Lu family army had gathered sixty thousand troops, preparing to reclaim Yuezhou.

To reclaim two provinces in less than three months—such achievements were exhilarating.

Ma Bao, commissioned by the Son of Heaven, had intended to hold the investiture ceremony on the banks of the Yellow River; yet the Lu family army had already crossed the river and marched north.

He rode hard upon hearing the news, never pausing, reaching Yanzhou—only to receive another report: the Lu family army had advanced to Yunzhou; their speed of march and capture of cities was breathtaking.

Ma Bao pursued without rest, finally arriving at the Lu family army’s camp.

This journey had taken him a thousand li out of his way; though he had traveled in vain, he felt no resentment—only quiet satisfaction.

Now, Ma Bao stood quietly outside the command tent, awaiting audience.

Naturally, a subordinate had already delivered word to the main tent.

He did not presume upon his status; as the imperial envoy, he represented the dignity of the Son of Heaven, and thus must be treated with solemnity.

In moments, footsteps sounded from afar.

Ma Bao’s eyelids flickered; he turned his gaze toward the sound.

A group of dozens approached, their steps synchronized, radiating an aura of slaughter—they were clearly veterans forged in mountains of corpses.

The Lu family army, indeed, was a true iron force.

His mind echoed that phrase again.

“It is easier to shake a mountain than to shake the Lu family army!”

They halted on either side of Ma Bao, standing tall and rigid in the snowstorm like spears, unmoving as steel statues.

Three men stepped forward together, each with a distinct aura.

In the center stood an old general, his hair white with age, every line on his face bearing the weight of time.

To his right stood a young warrior, clad in battle armor, radiating martial vigor.

Ma Bao glanced briefly at them and immediately guessed their identities.

Lu Jiaxuan and his son Lu Yu.

Though Lu Jiaxuan had fought for over a decade, he had always lost more than won against the Northern Wind, never achieving fame or glory.

Lu Yu, though hailed as “a match for ten thousand men,” was not uncommon in a nation like Daqing.

Yet Ma Bao’s gaze did not rest on the young man who walked one step behind to the left.

This youth must be Lu Chen.

Among southern literati, he was praised as “in four hundred years, no general has surpassed him in strategy.”

Tuoba Shuyi, who once sighed helplessly by the Yellow River:

“Given that I, Tuoba Shuyi, was born, why was Lu Shen Zhou born?”

The youth stepped from the shadows.

Tall and slender, dressed in ordinary robes, his hair tied with a Daoist pin, his features handsome, his demeanor calm and composed.

Sensing Ma Bao’s gaze, the youth smiled gently at him.

Ma Bao felt the young man’s eyes were piercingly bright, as if they could see straight into the soul.

…

…

That year, you were twenty-five; you were granted the title of Shaobao, and the Lu family received the authority to establish a headquarters and convene military councils.

In early spring of the following year, you personally led forty thousand Lu family troops, reclaiming six provinces; in half a year, over thirty battles, every attack succeeded, every battle won.

That same year, the Northern Wind sent an envoy south to negotiate peace.

(End of Chapter)