Chapter 245: Righteousness Lies with the Eastern Army

Wang Mang was adept at amassing wealth. He gathered all the gold in the realm and concentrated it in the imperial house, storing it in chests each holding ten thousand jin of gold. There were still sixty such chests. If one added the stocks held at the Yellow Gate, the Hook and Shield, the Storehouse, the Palace Workshop, and other such offices, the total approached one million jin.

All this wealth was kept within the forbidden palace. Wang Mang said it could serve as the principal reserve for the government to issue large-denomination copper coins. As long as the gold was in hand, they could peg the value of copper coins to gold — issue a thousand if they wanted, or ten thousand... The idea was not bad; it was a pity that it all fell apart.

For over ten years, Wang Mang could not bear to touch it. Now, driven to a dead end, he finally gritted his teeth and took out a hundred thousand jin to reward the officers and men of the Northern Army. In theory, each man would receive four jin (one kilogram). In peacetime, that would be enough for an ordinary man to buy fields, a house, an ox, and settle down with a wife and children by a warm kang.

It was a pity that, although the Minister of Works Song Hong could guarantee that the gold left the treasury without the slightest deduction, he could not prevent it from being sliced away by officials at every level on the journey to the front — one cut here, a piece taken there. The usual laws and ordinances had become mere dead letters. The gold dwindled rapidly, and by the time it reached the front, only a small fraction remained.

Then it was the turn of the mid- and high-ranking officers to divide the spoils. The Northern Army had been established for over two hundred years. As early as the time of Emperor Wu of Han, they had begun knocking through barrack walls to do business, treating the soldiers as private dependents and retainers. Although their arms and armor were indeed excellent, their minds had long ceased to be on defending the realm and were wholly set on marketplace commerce and moneymaking.

By the time of Emperor Xuan of Han, the Northern Army's fighting strength was already completely useless. When the Five Generals campaigned against the Xiongnu, the Northern Army also took part — and the campaign came to nothing. After the reigns of Cheng and Yuan, it became even more of a mere showpiece.

Their combat ability declined with astonishing speed, but their talent for lining their own pockets only grew sharper. By the time Wang Mang's reward reached the hands of the common soldiers, in camps where some conscience still remained, four jin had become four liang — at least enough to buy an ox. But in camps where there was no will to fight and the officers only planned to grab one last haul before deserting, the soldiers never even saw the gold. They were simply given some long-abolished "Large Spade Worth a Thousand" coins to make up the numbers, and some did not even receive that worthless copper.

When they further heard that the Central Rampart Camp, stationed in the rear to guard the southern suburbs, had accompanied the Emperor in wailing to Heaven and received a bolt of silk for a single shichen of weeping, the soldiers of the Yue Cavalry Camp stationed in Nanling County erupted in fury: "Men who shed blood are worth less than men who shed tears?"

The previous two days, they had fought with some effort, relying on their superior arms and armor to keep the rebels from landing. Today, that spirit had entirely dissipated.

"If the rebels on the opposite bank come across, we'll just throw down our weapons and surrender. Let the Emperor and his hundred officials in the rear do the weeping!"

"Rather than surrender, why not switch sides? I've heard that the Five Tombs north of the Wei have all fallen to the rebels."

Someone wailed, "My family is in the Five Tombs!"

"Then you and Diwu Lun on the opposite bank are fellows from the same district?"

Someone proposed, "That's right. The rebel army across the river has Eastern bandits among them, but most are men of Guanzhong. These past several days, they've been singing Qin folk songs on the opposite bank."

This was a psychological offensive launched by Diwu Lun. They sang "The Song of the Five Marquises," which mocked the extravagant and overstepping lives of Wang Mang's uncles, or "Chang'an Has Narrow Slanting Lanes," which expressed envy for the lives of the red-wheeled noblemen in Chang'an. Then, from the eastern bank, they shouted to the Northern Army on the western bank:

"Chang'an has narrow slanting lanes; its wealth and honor, Xianyang is unworthy to be named beside it, and Linzi — who could compare?"

"Behind you, gentlemen, are red-wheeled noble wanderers, paired teams of ten-thousand-worth colts, and dazzlingly clad sons of a thousand gold. While you suffer at the front, weary beyond endurance, they feast in the rear, gorging on fish and meat. Why not turn your blades and strike together, enter Chang'an, seize the red wheels and the thousand gold, and divide the wealth of the Wang clan?"

Now, seeing how unfairly the rewards from the rear had been distributed, the indignant soldiers began to stir restlessly.

And so, on the twenty-ninth day of the fifth month, Diwu Lun sent men upstream to dam the river with sandbags. The new Colonel of the Yue Cavalry Camp barked orders at his men to shoot their crossbows at the opposite bank, insisting they must stop those rebels carrying sandbags to fill the river.

But the men of the Yue Cavalry Camp turned a deaf ear. They were not yet in a hurry to switch sides; they merely muttered under their breath, "First, trick them out of some gold."

So they began their traditional skill, shouting that their crossbows were jammed and needed to be lubricated with gold before they could work. The implication was: "No proper reward, no shooting!"

Some camp officers, left with no choice, took out the gold they had embezzled and distributed it. The soldiers gleefully received their reward, then lazily shot a few arrows at the opposite bank. And guess what? The mechanism jammed again!

But some camp officers would rather abandon their posts than part with the gold clutched to their chests, and they simply deserted the camp and fled!

Since the commanding officers had run off, and the soldiers could not get their reward, what was the point of staying? All dispersed in resentment. On the Ba River defensive line, an enormous gap suddenly appeared.

Wan Xiu, who had been ordered to dam the river with sandbags, was also dumbfounded. His force was supposed to be a diversionary detachment to draw the enemy's attention. How was it that as soon as they beat the drums and began filling the river, before the dam had even taken shape, so many men on the opposite bank had dispersed on their own?

Wan Xiu then ordered his men to attempt a crossing and attack. Unlike the fierce resistance they had met the previous two days, today's crossing was surprisingly smooth. After only sporadic fighting, they landed on the western bank. Many soldiers of the Yue Cavalry Camp even tied up their Colonel and presented him as a gift.

Looking downstream, the diversionary force tasked with making a show of strength had actually crossed the river ahead of Grand General Diwu's main force. This was somewhat awkward.

There were those who collapsed at the first touch, and there were those who fought with desperate courage. General of the Front Wang Sheng, who guarded the river stretch at Ba Bridge and faced Diwu Lun's main force directly, was one of the latter.

Although the Pancake-Selling General lacked the courage to attack and had burned down Ba Bridge, he was adept at fighting a "standing formation." He had not embezzled the gold but distributed it in full to the soldiers of the infantry camp. With several thousand men, he still held his post, relying on the crude fortifications built over these days along the Ba River and the power of strong bows and heavy crossbows to block the rebel advance.

"I was a lowly peddler. It was only by His Majesty's grace that I have reached this position. I have enjoyed over ten years of good days as a high duke and state minister, and have tasted every conceivable wealth and honor this world can offer. That is enough."

Back in the day, what Wang Sheng sold near the Zhi City Gate was soup cakes, always one hand taking the cash, the other handing over the scalding cake. But Wang Mang had given him far too much in return — the title of Duke Who Exalts the New, the post of General of the Front. Wang Sheng felt that even his own life and the lives of his entire family were not enough to repay it.

Today, Wang Sheng could only use the flesh and blood of the rebels as the filling, and the Ba River as the boiling broth, to serve one last bowl of soup cake to His Majesty!

Although the Ba River had shrunk, the deepest part at the center still reached waist or chest height. One had to hold weapons aloft to wade forward. Moreover, the mud underfoot trapped their feet, making the crossing arduous for Diwu Lun's great army. On the western bank, the infantry camp's heavy crossbows fired in volleys, shooting down many of the enemies in the water. Corpses floated on the Ba River, nearly dyeing it red with blood.

The chilly river water and the floating bodies of comrades shot dead by the crossbow formation sapped the morale that the raw recruits crossing the river had so painstakingly built up. Some turned to retreat, but Diwu Lun gave the order: anyone who turned back and tried to regain the shore was to be executed on the spot!

A few soldiers, looking like drowned rats, had just returned to the eastern bank when Ren Guang had them forced to their knees and beheaded.

To go east was death; to go west was death. Most could only grit their teeth and, following the thousand-odd soldiers of the Diwu clan troops, attack once more!

Even though Wang Sheng was determined to defend to the death, the Ba River was too long, and there were too many places to cross. He could hold one point, but he could not stop the enemy from landing at seven or eight other places.

After several thousand vanguard troops became locked in fierce battle with the infantry camp, the great army of over ten thousand that came surging across the waves right after them was free of the hindrance of arrows. Their morale had reached its peak, and their war cries were deafeningly loud. The infantry camp's morale, however, sank lower and lower — after all, they could see the beacon fires of the Eastern Wei Bridge from their position.

Add to that the psychological offensive of "Qin songs on all sides" that Diwu Lun had waged over the past several days, and in the eyes of many soldiers, it seemed that all of Guanzhong had already fallen into Diwu Lun's hands and they were surrounded.

By the time the battle had lasted half a shichen, large numbers of enemy troops had landed and begun a fierce assault on the stubbornly resisting infantry camp. Wang Sheng could no longer hold out and could only send riders to the rear, over ten li away, to General Who Pacifies the Beginning Shi Chen, begging for reinforcements!

With the dam completed, Diwu Lun's great army launched its general assault. At the front, General of the Front Wang Sheng sent one urgent plea for help after another to the rear. But at the Northern Army command post in Zhi Circuit, Shi Chen, the General Who Pacifies the Beginning in charge of the entire battle line, was receiving a fellow townsman.

"The former general (Feng Fengshi) and His Excellency Shi's honored ancestor, the Marquis of Leling (Shi Gao), served Emperor Xiaoxuan together."

Feng Yan, like Shi Chen, was a man of Duling. While Diwu Lun had been vigorously employing strategy and psychological warfare these past few days, Feng Yan felt he had not yet rendered enough meritorious service. Seeing that the Five Tombs north of the Wei had already fallen and the overall situation was set, he volunteered to cross the river and meet with Shi Chen.

Diwu Lun felt this was an unnecessary move and that a direct military assault would suffice, but Feng Yan urged, "The Shi clan is a prominent surname south of the Wei. Even Wang Mang admired their pedigree and wished to form a marriage alliance with them. If used properly, they are enough to contend with the powerful families north of the Wei. Moreover, Shi Chen is the chief of the four generals. If he can be persuaded to surrender, with the ten thousand-plus Chang'an laborers under his command joining us and serving as our vanguard, taking Chang'an next will be much easier."

Thus, he had crossed the river under cover of night and been brought before Shi Chen.

Shi Chen indeed harbored other thoughts; otherwise, he could have simply killed Feng Yan outright and not allowed him to exercise his strong suit here, talking grandiloquently: "In the time of Emperor Yuan, my grandfather (Feng Yewang) and His Excellency Shi's grandfather, the Marquis of Wuyang (Shi Dan), both entered service as Palace Attendants to the Crown Prince through their fathers' rank, and together served Emperors Xiaoyuan and Xiaocheng."

In Chang'an, the eras of Wu, Xuan, Yuan, and Cheng were known for the "Seven Chancellors and Five Dukes." The Five Dukes referred to Zhang Tang, Du Zhou, Xiao Wangzhi, Feng Fengshi, and Shi Dan.

"It is precisely because of this bond of friendship that I risked my life to cross west of the river, wishing to stop the calamity that would extinguish your family line, General!"

After claiming this old connection, Feng Yan began urging Shi Chen not to resist stubbornly any longer: "The General's family were maternal relatives of the Former Han, and raised Emperor Xuan of Han. The Marquis of Leling and the Marquis of Wuyang both performed great service in securing the succession, receiving the grace of four generations of Han. When Wang Mang usurped the Han, they did not even show loyalty to the Han then. Now, the General has merely received the post of one of Wang Mang's four generals, yet you would swear a death oath to serve him? Is that not absurd?"

Feng Yan then began to intimidate him: "Now, the Five Tombs north of the Wei have already raised the banner of righteousness, and their troops press upon Wei Bridge. The Grand General can cross the river at any moment. The Northern Army's morale is low; how can it withstand? In a mere few days, it will collapse. Even if the General had the talents of Sun Wu or Wu Qi, he could not reverse this defeat. If you persist in delusion, I fear that in Duling henceforth, there will no longer be the high gates of the Shi clan!"

"For the General's sake, it would be better to raise the banner of righteousness."

Shi Chen raised his head. "Sir, but my family are Wang clan maternal relatives. Can the Grand General Diwu truly pardon my crime?"

Feng Yan immediately burst into hearty laughter. "Though His Excellency Shi wished to form a marriage alliance with Wang Mang, the marriage was never completed, so it does not count. Would it not suffice to simply use blade and spear to annul the engagement with Wang Mang?"

His eyes darted, and a bold idea came to him. "What is more, does His Excellency Shi know why the Grand General Diwu absolutely had to kill Wang Ye and raise his troops on the very eve of the Emperor's grand wedding?"

Was it not because Wang She and the others were arrested, the plot was exposed, and he had no choice?

Feng Yan shook his head vigorously. "Not at all. I will say only one line; the General may guess for himself."

Letting his imagination run wild, he said, "It is because... a gentle and modest maiden is what a gentleman seeks!"

It was to stop his daughter, Shi Luo, from marrying the Emperor!?

Shi Chen was stunned — but Diwu Lun had never even met Shi Luo, nor had he ever set foot in Duling!

But Feng Yan was unwilling to say more. He merely looked at Shi Chen with a faint smile. "Think again, Lord Shi. Grand General Diwu could have broken through the Ba River by force. Why, then, did he insist on sending me to urge your surrender?"

It was entirely because Feng Yan, in his over-eagerness to claim credit, had been far too proactive — and the argument he had just made was also his own improvisation. Last time, when he wrote the proclamation for Diwu Lun, that heavily restricted topic-composition had nearly stifled his inner armchair strategist. It had been unbearable.

So today, his old affliction flared up again, and he launched into free improvisation. First, trick Shi Chen into surrendering — everything else could be dealt with later!

He had no choice; Feng Yan had to move fast. He realized his current situation was remarkably similar to that of Li Yiji, who, during the Chu–Han Contention, was sent by Liu Bang to persuade the Tian brothers — Diwu Lun's own ancestors — to surrender. If Diwu Lun's troops attacked first, then Shi Chen's surrender would be meaningless.

"I never imagined Diwu Lun was such a lecher!" Shi Chen felt humiliated, yet in his heart there was even a sliver of relief. If this were truly the case, then the clan still had hope.

Disaster is what fortune depends upon; fortune is where disaster hides. A hundred years ago, their Shi clan had been caught up in the witchcraft scandal because of Shi Liangdi, yet because of their maternal grandson Liu Bingyi, they had risen to the highest offices and soared to prominence. Who would have thought that today would be the same?

Just then, Front General Wang Sheng also sent a man to request reinforcements!

Only now did Shi Chen learn that Diwu Lun's main army had already launched a general assault. He stared at Feng Yan in shock, his mind wavering between boiling the man alive and kneeling in submission. Finally, he gave an order.

"Send men back to Duling at once. Protect the virtuous lady."

Then he bowed low to Feng Yan. "Had it not been for you today, sir, the Shi clan would have been exterminated!"

"Shi Chen is willing to follow in the Grand General's wake, join the attack on Wang Sheng, and together punish the tyrant!"

"In this battle, righteousness lies with Diwu!"

……

"Grand General, please board the carriage to cross the river."

"No. I will wade across like the common soldiers."

Diwu Lun had been beating the drum on the eastern bank for half the day. With Shi Chen's defection, Wang Sheng, who had been stubbornly resisting near the Ba Bridge, suffered a crushing blow. The infantry battalions could hold out no longer — some surrendered, some fled.

To the south, Wan Xiu also led over ten thousand men across the river after the Yue Cavalry Battalion switched sides. His crossing went even more smoothly than the main force's. The enemy before him likewise collapsed and surrendered in droves, utterly devoid of fighting spirit; the resistance they met was extremely feeble. This situation was due, on the one hand, to the strategic advantage already secured — the Five Tombs north of the Wei had put immense pressure on the Northern Army, forcing them to split their forces to hold the line — and on the other, to Wang Mang's unequal distribution of rewards, which had left the Northern Army, exhausted after days of guard duty, thoroughly dispirited.

Still, many had died in the fierce fighting. Some wore armor, others had blades still lodged in them, their bodies bobbing up and down in the water. Diwu Lun ordered the follow-up units to do their utmost to collect the scattered dead from the river and give them a dignified burial.

Once ashore, he saw the new recruits gleefully stripping armor and weapons from captured or slain Northern Army soldiers. This equipment was far finer than their own — brand-new lamellar armor, sharp blades — all of it now fell into Diwu Lun's hands for free.

The body of Front General Wang Sheng was found inside his camp fortifications; he had cut his own throat. Diwu Lun had no deep impression of this cake-selling general and had originally disdained him for his meteoric rise through a mandate omen. Yet though the man knew nothing of warfare, he had remained loyal to Wang Mang to the very end. Truly, it is often the butchers and dog-slaughterers who understand honor best. This final bowl of soup-cake, it turned out, was made with his own blood.

In stark contrast was Shi Chen, who had nearly become a Xin Dynasty imperial in-law. Led by a thoroughly pleased Feng Yan, he knelt with a crowd of surrendered Northern Army officials by the banks of the Ba River to welcome Diwu Lun.

Diwu Lun treated them with an amiable expression, even helping Shi Chen to his feet. But in secret, he gave orders to have them all placed under control. This group might stab him in the back at any moment — yet the reason Diwu Lun had agreed to their surrender was that they would still be useful shortly.

Afterward, Diwu Lun ordered the immediate disbanding of the Chang'an civilian laborers under Shi Chen's command, keeping only those willing to join the righteous army and lead the advance into the city, along with the several hundred cavalry from the Yue Cavalry Battalion who had risen in revolt — these would serve as guides.

"Botong, take five thousand men and hold the eastern bank — Baling and Hongmen. Guard our rear and watch out for Division Commander Tian Kuang." Tian Kuang had not been summoned into Chang'an; before he could set out, Diwu Lun had mutinied. Upon learning the news, Tian Kuang had pulled back — he could not be left unchecked.

"Boqing, you also take five thousand men and remain on the western bank of the Ba River. Keep an eye on the Northern Army's surrendered troops."

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He also dispatched three thousand men north to link up with Diwu Ba north of the Wei and help him cross the river. As for Wang Yuan, Marquis of Qiongcheng, at the Middle Wei Bridge… there was no need to bother with him.

Diwu Lun himself, with only Wan Xiu, would take twenty thousand men, light extra torches, and advance westward through the night!

According to Shi Chen's account, the outer perimeter of Chang'an was still guarded by five thousand men of the Central Rampart Battalion.

Inside the city, there were the Bearer of the Gilded Mace and the Five Majesties Central City General's forces guarding the twelve city gates — five thousand men in total.

There were also the Grand Commandant troops in the palace, guarding the four watchtowers of Shoucheng Hall, and the Director of the Multitudes troops in the inner palace — together, another five thousand.

Add to that the walls of Chang'an — these were the final obstacles standing between Diwu Lun and Wang Mang.

It was dusk. Diwu Lun gazed westward. Past countless farmlands, village gates, market wards, and straight roads, he could already make out, dozens of li away, the enormous silhouette of Chang'an.

Bathed in the slowly sinking afterglow of the Xin, Chang'an seemed plated in a layer of gold.

He was entering the capital again — but this time, not as a subject, not as a pawn, but as the player moving the pieces!

The supreme Grand General Diwu would, tomorrow, arrive at his faithful Chang'an!

……

PS: Chapter 2 at 18:00. (Actually, it'll probably be delayed by an hour or two.)