Chapter 440: Reputation Like a Dragon, The Bowing Ceremony

In the court of Ying State, all the high officials remained silent.

Crown Prince Jiang Gao and Imperial Prince Jiang Yuan also sat in silent stillness; Grand Tutor Jiang Su had his hands tucked within his sleeves, expression calm, while Jiang Wanxiang studied the battle report, which stated that the Fire Qilin Army had breached the border, shattered our great army, and seized several cities.

The world was vast, divided into commanderies and counties; under Ying State lay two hundred large and small provinces, over five hundred commanderies, each with multiple counties—immense in scope. Now, with the Fire Qilin Army marching deep inside, such incursion meant little loss to Ying State's ten-thousand-li territory.

But it was like the first sign of a beginning—a sword thrust straight through the bone.

Moreover, the empire had suffered defeat after defeat in war, as if its soaring momentum had been violently crushed; countless officials trembled with terror.

Why had the Emperor of Ying State previously paid little heed to Jiangnan?

It was simply because of this.

Jiangnan spanned a thousand li, comprising merely eighteen provinces and over fifty towns and cities; compared to an empire ruling ten thousand li with hundreds of commanderies, it was merely a regional power—hence their ease in deciding to invade.

And within just over ten days, they nearly pierced through all eighteen provinces of Jiangnan.

Yet against Chen State, it took two full years, confined to skirmishes along the border provinces, never a direct thrust inward.

This was the difference between a great state and a vassal lord—and now, this vassal, once thought easily toppled with a flick of the wrist, had transformed into a seated Pixiu, the Fire Qilin raising its head.

It had bitten down hard on Ying State's palm.

And this counterattack was so fierce, so agonizing.

The defeat in Jiangnan was still within acceptable limits.

But what terrified the high officials in court was the future trajectory.

Jiangnan's fall signaled that Qin Wu Hou's rise could no longer be halted; once his momentum surged forward and seized the western and southwestern territories, the riverine regions around him, it would no longer be a domain of a thousand li—it would become the foundation of a great state.

Chancellor Wei Yiwen submitted: "Your Majesty, the rebels have risen, yet Jiangnan lies far from the heart of our great Ying. With Jiangnan's resources, it cannot launch a sustained advance; otherwise, our armies would cut off its supply lines, and that would be the end of the Yu Langwang."

"Yet we must guard all borders, hold fast within our city walls."

"Jiangnan's forces are numerous; men and horses consume vast supplies. In two months, they will collapse under strain."

"Only by holding firm."

Jiang Wanxiang said: "Are you saying that while the enemy invades our land, we cannot retaliate, but must cower like turtles, clinging to our walls and avoiding battle?"

Wei Yiwen replied: "Precisely."

Jiang Wanxiang's chest heaved violently, but after a long, fierce gaze, he said: "Granted."

Wei Yiwen added: "I beg Your Majesty to order Grand Tutor Jiang Su to lead the Tiger Barbarian Cavalry back to reinforce."

"Previously, Grand Tutor's forces were deep in the Western Regions, isolated; when the Yu Langwang attacked our cities, we had no choice but to recall him. Now, Grand Tutor is within our borders, with the state's fortune supporting him, while Qin Wu Hou's forces are isolated deep inside—circumstances have truly changed."

After the court session ended, Jiang Wanxiang returned alone to the palace, ascended the Zhaixing Tower, held the juan sect, studied the battle report, heard footsteps behind him, turned—and saw Grand Tutor Jiang Su approaching.

Jiang Wanxiang suppressed the sting in his heart, yet managed a self-deprecating smile:

"Underestimated that boy—now we're humiliated like this."

"This defeat won't cripple great Ying, but it has utterly shattered any chance of contending for the Mandate of Heaven within ten years. Grand Tutor, which of my sons should I name Crown Prince?"

Jiang Su replied: "The great tide of the state is not for this minister to speak of."

Jiang Wanxiang said: "It is only you and I now—speak your mind."

Jiang Su fell silent, then answered:

"Today's world, our great Ying and Chen State, have lost all chance to contend for the Mandate of Heaven. Ying's path forward is to rest, recover, and secure the north—that is one route. If so, the world may avoid total chaos."

"To restore the people's strength, Crown Prince Jiang Gao is more suitable."

Jiang Wanxiang was startled, coughed several times, and laughed: "I thought you'd say my second son, Jiang Yuan, better suited a ruler in turbulent times."

Jiang Su, even seated, his black robe exuding grandeur, said:

"If the future world sees our great Ying still mighty, invincible, swallowing ten thousand li, with powerful enemies surrounding us—that would be Imperial Prince Jiang Yuan's opportunity. But now, the world is unsettled, our great Ying has suffered repeated setbacks, and we must rest and recover."

"Continue as we are, this ten-thousand-li empire will collapse of its own weight."

"We must ally with Chen Dingye of Chen State to jointly resist Qin Wu Hou. For over a decade, there must be no conflict. Ying's reserves remain intact; the court's foundation endures—this cannot be shaken by a few localized battlefield victories."

"Our military still has me, Qin Yulong, He Ruo Qinhu, Yuwen Lie. Among Li Guanyi's forces, only he himself qualifies as a famed general; though Xue Duke still lives, he cannot fight."

"With Crown Prince's benevolence, our great Ying can rest for years; but with Second Prince's nature—fierce, strong, yet vengeful—within years of ascending the throne, another great war will erupt."

"At that time, it will mean annihilation."

Jiang Wanxiang was startled, coughed several times, and fell silent: "We'll decide then."

"This old thing still has some strength left."

Grand Tutor Jiang Su played a game of chess with Jiang Wanxiang, then rose and departed. Jiang Wanxiang watched until Jiang Su left the palace, then could bear it no longer—he stared at the battle report, his face paled, and suddenly spat.

A mouthful of blood splattered onto the ground.

He swayed, this former emperor who once swallowed mountains and rivers, now knelt halfway, his vision darkening in waves, his heart clenched in pain; he raised his head—and saw the portrait of the woman from his youth.

Suddenly, the portrait of his wife seemed more vivid, lifelike—as if she were coming to find him.

Crimson and glaring, the eternal lamp in Zhaixing Tower suddenly shook violently.

……………

Li Guanyi led his army against Ying State's border; this time, he felt the sensation of a large force far from its rear, advancing deep into enemy territory. His assault force numbered seventy thousand elite soldiers, but logistics required an additional contingent for every hundred li.

Now, the logistics corps had reached one hundred thousand.

Before Li Guanyi understood battlefield tactics, he had not grasped why logistics pressure was so immense; now, as a regional lord, he gradually understood: as the army advanced, men and horses consumed vast supplies daily.

Transporting grain and supplies required three separate military columns.

These soldiers farmed their own land in peacetime, trained regularly, and stored enough grain for daily needs; once mobilized for war, these militia became full-time logistics troops, all consumption borne by the Tiance Prefecture.

To deliver grain for seventy thousand men over a thousand li, the logistics troops themselves would consume over half en route.

The more grain transported, the more men required.

The more logistics troops needed, the greater the grain lost en route.

The greater the grain lost en route, the more grain had to be carried at departure—this was a snowball effect; the deeper the army penetrated enemy territory, the greater the consumption.

Thus, the battlefield is but an extension of the court—and at every moment, it consumes gold and silver.

Unless Li Guanyi's Tiance Prefecture also followed the norm of armies in this era.

Upon reaching every location, they would ravage villages and towns, forcibly seize military grain supplies, and kill anyone who resisted; otherwise, Jiangnan alone could not sustain them for long.

But if the Tiance Prefecture did such things.

Not to mention the changes across the land, or Li Guanyi's own Heart Realm collapsing.

Even this utterly fierce, peerless army would collapse from within—Li Guanyi watched the daily battle reports on grain consumption, his temples throbbing violently—

This expedition was different from the one to the Western Regions.

In the Western Regions, Li Guanyi's men and horses all relied on the Duke of Li's resources, swindling ample supplies from the Duke's eldest son; later, they captured over sixty cities, and the main battlefield was in the Western Regions.

Li Guanyi never had to bear the cost of moving his army a thousand li.

This time, it was completely different.

Li Guanyi stared at the red-inked characters on the battle report and murmured:

"We're screwed…"

"This grain consumption is too fast."

Master Yan Daiqing's two-year accumulation of grain, slowly stockpiled in the granaries, had been depleted by at least forty percent in this single expedition—and as the campaign continued, consumption would only grow larger.

It might take ten thousand troops' daily rations to transport grain from Jiangnan.

The journey itself would consume seven days' worth of rations for ten thousand troops.

This was only because the Changfeng Lady had, during this campaign, donated her own grain to Li Guanyi for free, requiring only a financial receipt from him.

A woman from the Xue family joked:

"The Lady says, every time Your Lordship signs a receipt, you owe my Young Lady one day."

"Who knows how many lifetimes it would take to buy your days and nights, generation after generation?"

Li Guanyi grinned.

This female merchant had a sharp tongue—he was no match for her.

He had wanted to fiercely refute her: what did she mean by "buying" his days and nights?

He didn't need gold or silver to accompany the Young Lady.

But the daily grain losses were simply too great—he could almost feel Master Yan Daiqing's anger rising invisibly; if he consumed every last grain Master Yan had painstakingly hoarded over two years, like a hamster stockpiling for winter,

Master Yan Daiqing might faint dead away.

No matter what, his men needed to eat.

Your Lordship's prestige shook the world, yet he was destitute—forced to sell himself, this was all he could do.

Li Guanyi signed the receipt with grandeur, took the grain, and marched off with noble bearing.

Behind him came the woman merchant's loud laughter.

It was even more bold than Your Lordship's!

But even so, it was not a sustainable solution.

They had now entered the Ying state for over two hundred li; with fortified cities held and wounded troops withdrawn, his army had shrunk from seventy thousand elite soldiers to forty thousand.

Li Guanyi muttered: "It's nearly over."

"Knowing when to stop is wise."

But his military strategist Feng Xiao told him the grain had already run out—so badly that Feng Xiao had even stopped drinking, and with logistics failing, they could not advance recklessly.

Feng Xiao gnawed on dried tea leaves and said: "Your Lordship, we've taken all these cities—we must find a way to secure military grain."

Under Qin Wu Hou's command, all his men had abandoned the idea of plundering civilians.

They showed not the slightest harm—even harboring a quiet pride.

But men must eat.

Li Guanyi said: "What about the noble families?"

Feng Xiao sighed: "They're all gone."

Li Guanyi exclaimed: "Gone?"

Feng Xiao grinned: "That man, Master Wen Qingyu, was too ruthless. Even though he left no trace when he acted, the noble families weren't fools—they'd seen over the past few years that nearly every noble family in Jiangnan had been wiped out."

"Every old case was dug up, turned upside down."

"They didn't understand Master Wen Qingyu and Xiao Zhi's methods."

"But they knew the fate of the noble families."

"These people fled faster than anyone else."

"They left nothing behind—except, before leaving, they harvested debts from the common folk, sold their shops at inflated prices to ordinary people, and slipped away with full pockets."

There were many clever people.

Li Guanyi sighed: "Too bad Nangong Wumeng didn't keep up—if she had, we might have dug into the noble families' walls and found something."

Feng Xiao said: "With Big Lady Xue helping us gather grain from merchant guilds, she's already saved our Fire Qilin Army thirty percent in logistics costs—but this can't last."

"Why not go buy grain from villages and towns?"

"The guilds haven't reached there yet."

Li Guanyi nodded. This was right after they had captured two more cities—he had originally thought sieges would be extremely difficult, but now he realized that, under the crushing blow of fleeing troops, these cities weren't strongholds.

They had no monstrous, nauseatingly massive walls.

No corridors bristling with crossbows.

No hidden moats, no inner and outer citadels, no granaries stocked with enough grain to feed a hundred thousand for a month, no ironclad will.

The hard part wasn't the sieges.

It was Lu Youxian.

After breaking Lu Youxian, no one remained to block their path.

Only when attacking other cities did the generals of Tiance Prefecture realize how troublesome Lu Youxian was—now that the city's defenders had been defeated and the Fire Qilin Army had stationed here, they could not advance further due to logistical constraints.

Human and horse consumption was enormous, and with casualties and battle losses, they needed medicinal supplies.

Li Guanyi changed his clothes, personally leading several personal guards and Mr. Feng Xiao, with the Fire Qilin perched on Li Guanyi's shoulder; when Li Guanyi and the others reached the nearby village, they found the settlement unchanged, with no signs of chaos.

Yet throughout the village, people were wary and on guard.

Young men held hoes, sickles, and hammers, guarding the village.

Seeing strangers approach, someone on high ground shouted to ask who they were; Li Guanyi claimed to be a student on a learning journey, fleeing the city due to the chaos, and since autumn still carried some heat, he had come here seeking water.

Mr. Feng Xiao was one of the Nine Sons of the Imperial Academy and carried official documents and credentials from the Academy.

Fortunately, he hadn't pawned them off for wine.

But the village elder chuckled: "Ah, at a time like this, visitors still come? Truly a surprising thing."

Li Guanyi had earlier claimed to be an Academy student; the villagers had not fully believed him, but since he produced Academy documents and said he was willing to pay silver for goods, they let him in. As Li Guanyi drank water, he noticed the young men around him on guard.

"Old sir, why is everyone in the village so tense?"

The elder cursed for a while before saying: "Mr., you don't know—earlier, some soldiers came in with swords and knives, looting. If our village hadn't had a few strong men, we'd have been ruined."

Li Guanyi and Mr. Feng Xiao exchanged a glance, both faces tightening slightly.

Li Guanyi asked: "Was it the Fire Qilin Army?"

The elder's face turned pale; he slammed his cane hard against the ground: "Young man, how could you say such a thing? I took you in out of kindness, and now you mention the Fire Qilin Army? Who doesn't know its reputation? If they came, it'd be better!"

"It was the city's own garrison—damn it! Always quick to collect taxes, every one of them eager, but when the Fire Qilin Army came, they resisted briefly and then ran. Now they're armed, coming here to plunder."

"They've become soldier-bandits."

Li Guanyi and Mr. Feng Xiao exchanged another glance: defeated troops became fugitives, fugitives became marauders—marauders' havoc was no less than bandits'.

They listened to the villagers' complaints, then ate a simple meal.

Li Guanyi sighed: "The people's suffering is our fault too. Even with overwhelming military force, we still cannot end this war in one strike—our foundation is still far too weak."

Mr. Feng Xiao found some rustic rice wine and drank it: "Ah yes yes yes, Lord, you're absolutely right."

Li Guanyi said: "To exhaust the people through endless warfare—this is how a nation is ruined."

Mr. Feng Xiao's face flushed slightly: "Ah yes yes yes."

"Lord, you're absolutely right."

Li Guanyi said: "Why not leave Mr. Feng Xiao here as a son-in-law? Then he could drink his fill."

Mr. Feng Xiao: "Ah yes yes…"

He shuddered, eyes wide: "Ah, that's not right, Lord!"

Li Guanyi laughed heartily.

The elder came forward, smiling: "Now that rogue soldiers come, gentlemen, you may stay here a few days. When the timing is right, take the back roads—just over ten li away lies the territory of the Fire Qilin Army."

"Then you'll be safe."

Li Guanyi sipped porridge made from yellow millet, picking at pickled radish, and said:

"Old sir, what do you think of the Fire Qilin Army?"

The village elder slapped his knee: "What's there to say? Many fled south across the river during the chaos—I tell you, not only are taxes lower there, but here we pay head taxes on top of everything else."

"In the south, it's one tax in thirty—light levies, light burdens."

"They teach people martial arts and literacy, and even distribute land!"

"Even the aristocratic clans can't oppress the common folk—ah, what a wonderful place!"

Li Guanyi and Mr. Feng Xiao exchanged a glance; suddenly, their guilt deepened.

Master Yan Daiqing had, under such conditions, beaten the aristocratic clans while strengthening the army, boosting people's incomes through commerce despite low taxes, ensuring total tax revenue, enriching the state and strengthening the military, squeezing out grain and silver from the cracks between fingers.

Li Guanyi returned and raised his arm to launch the expedition.

The numbers plummeted like water rushing down.

Li Guanyi's temples throbbed.

Mr. Feng Xiao burped from wine: "Then why don't you go there?"

The village elder said: "Go…"

His face bore the weariness of age; he stroked his cane: "You're still young—you don't understand. Right now, Qin Wu Hou is powerful. If he comes in, we could surrender to him immediately."

"But what if the Great Ying Army returns? Qin Wu Hou can withdraw easily—what happens to us?"

Li Guanyi and Mr. Feng Xiao froze.

The elder said: "Decades ago, this place was the frontier of Ying. Beyond the river lay Chen. On peaceful days, we crossed the river to visit. Then General He Ruo Qinhu captured the other side."

"Then Tai Ping Gong and Wu Wang pushed their armies here again."

"And Yue Pengwu."

"Aren't all of them legendary heroes? Yet since the Great Ying counterattacked, didn't they all have to retreat? When they withdrew, what became of us common folk?"

"We common folk have our own way: we mustn't rush to pick sides. If we surrender to Qin Wu Hou now, one day he too will be forced to retreat."

"Then when the Great Ying holds us accountable, what do we do?"

Li Guanyi said: "The Emperor wouldn't be like that."

The village elder smiled: "I don't know about the Emperor—but even the county magistrate probably wouldn't care. Yet beneath him, how many officials are there? Would they care?"

"And the local elders—if they just whisper a word, tighten their fingers a little, raise the land tax by a fraction, we'll suffer terribly, starve for long stretches, maybe even die."

The elder sighed: "We're just weeds in the fields—everyone who passes tramples us. Who cares? We can only tread carefully, hoping to live a little longer, at least not die so easily."

He rose, leaning on his cane, swaying. Li Guanyi remained silent for a long while, then asked the elder if he could buy grain. The old man smiled: "Mr., you want grain? How much?"

Li Guanyi said: "I don't know how much grain you have—could you spare some? We'll pay with silver."

The elder froze, then his expression changed.

Li Guanyi said: "I am a… staff officer of the Fire Qilin Army."

"This is my deputy."

He pointed at Feng Xiao, who coughed uncontrollably; the old man's face changed color several times, rose to his feet, abandoned his cane entirely, and strode swiftly to shut the door, then stared at Li Guanyi and the others: "Are you men of the Fire Qilin Army?!"

Li Guanyi said: "I'm not worthy of the title General—just a foot soldier."

The old man's expression shifted several times, filled with an extremely complex emotion, and asked: "Is the Fire Qilin Army preparing to keep fighting? Are you going to take and hold this place?"

Li Guanyi looked at the old man and said:

"We will protect this place. We will not leave."

The old man's face changed several times, as if making a final decision, and said: "Each of us can spare you a few days' rations… no more, General. Food—food is our very life."

Li Guanyi said softly:

"To give one day's grain is to give one day's life."

"Li Guanyi is deeply grateful."

"I will not fail your trust."

Li Guanyi and Feng Xiao departed; though drunk from wine, Feng Xiao's eyes were clear, and he said: "Lord, the people's hearts can be used. If a single village can do this, then other villages can also provide grain—gather them together, and we can fight."

Li Guanyi replied: "Mr., the people's hearts cannot be used."

"It is not about using people's hearts."

"It is about standing with them."

Feng Xiao paused slightly, his gaze shifting as he looked at Li Guanyi on horseback, and said: "Lord, your bearing has grown ever more kingly. Compared to two years ago, you are truly unrecognizable."

Li Guanyi did not answer: "They gave us one day's grain—they gave us one day's life."

"It cannot be lightly discarded."

Feng Xiao bowed his head: "Yes."

But as they returned, a Fire Qilin Army scout arrived and said: "Lord, the Grand Tutor Jiang Su of the Ying State has arrived with the Tiger Barbarian cavalry."

Li Guanyi did not show fear, only said: "Jiang Su…"

"Has the gift been prepared?"

Feng Xiao said: "Jiang Xuantao's body was seized and dragged away by his own men, trampled into pulp amid the chaos—only his head remained. We've preserved it and placed it in a box."

Li Guanyi said: "Good!"

He tightened the reins, his brow rising with fierce resolve, and said:

"Let's return and deliver this gift to Jiang Su!"

"He thinks our—"

"Salute is this!"

………………

After they left, someone in the village asked the Fire Qilin officer's name; the old man finally replied: "Seems his name is Li Guanyi—probably just some low-ranking officer."

"But Li Guanyi…"

"Somehow, the name feels familiar."

?? The *Book of Sui: Preface to the Geography* records: at the end of the Northern Zhou, there were 201 prefectures, 508 commanderies, and 1,124 counties. This novel's framework is based on the late Northern and Southern Dynasties period; maps are being worked on (at ease).

? Had some business today, update is late—don't wait up, everyone~