Chapter 88: Go to Luoyang Yourself to Fetch It?

We pay our respects to the Invincible General.

The assembled officers bowed in unison.

Dong Bai was delighted and proud, clinging to Chen Cong’s arm with her chin lifted even higher.

Chen Cong was grinning from ear to ear as well. A man drifting through the world of men and swords had to make a name for himself, did he not?

If only his younger brother Shi A knew how far he had risen out here, he would surely be green with envy.

Then, all at once, Chen Cong recalled something most serious.

There was a saying that one does not strike the smiling face. Since everyone treated him with such respect now, how was he supposed to lay hands on them when the armies met again in the future?

But then he thought of Cao the traitor’s strategic plan, and everything became clear at once.

Those who stayed at Niu Fu’s side did not require him to strike with lethal force anyway.

As for the generals who stood by others, he would cut them down to the death.

Is there anything people fear more than unequal treatment?

By then, the men of Liang would not hate him, Chen Cong.

They would only despise what Niu Fu had done, while still forcing their way into Niu Fu’s ranks with bloodshot eyes, and at the same time grumbling that their own commander was not Niu Fu.

Chen Cong would merely be an enemy general. What was wrong with fighting to the death for one’s own lord?

Thus, Niu Fu would continue to grow stronger and stronger, while secretly establishing good ties with Cao’s camp. And when the fat one Dong fell...

It would not even take much. If those five thousand Liang cavalry under Niu Fu could be absorbed into Cao’s camp, it would be enough to sweep the Central Plains clean.

Chen Cong looked again at the people in the tent. Where were the enemies? They were all brothers now.

He remembered. He had actually done this one before.

"Secretly bribing those around him and winning their deep loyalty, while his inner circle becomes estranged from the realm. The state will then suffer harm. What is the meaning?" Wasn’t that exactly what Cao Cao had personally taught in the little lecture hall at the Cao residence back when he was in Luoyang?

At the thought, Chen Cong’s smile widened.

His eyes fell upon a few familiar faces in the crowd, and he greeted them one by one.

"Ah, you. I remember you. Back then under Hulao Pass, when I drew my bow and shot at my uncle, you were the one who stood at his side and blocked two arrows in a row. Loyal and brave!"

The man was flattered beyond measure and cupped his fists deeply. "This humble general is Han Yue, a personal guard of the Colonel of the Central Army under the Tiger and Ben division. Greetings, Invincible General."

"Hahaha, easy now. We’re all brothers here. Sit and speak."

"Thank you, General!" Han Yue bowed again, and when he took his seat, his back was noticeably straighter. He cast a proud glance around, meeting a field of sour, envious looks, and felt more pleased than words could say.

Chen Cong pointed to another man. "And you. During the raid on the camp, everyone else used hand crossbows, but you were the only one who shot at me with a long bow. Fine archery."

The man had just opened his mouth to apologize when Chen Cong waved him off and continued, "Battle and slaughter are unavoidable. Now that we’re drinking together, we’re brothers. Don’t do it again in the future."

"This humble general is Cheng Zhuo, military administrator of the front camp of the Flying Bear division. Greetings, Invincible General."

Chen Cong knew full well that the Flying Bear troops had long been under Li Jue’s command, and now that he had won over Li Jue’s men, they could hardly avoid feeling unsettled.

Still, that was no matter. They were merely close to Li Jue; in the end, they served only one master.

Chen Cong kept playing the old acquaintance card. "Hahaha, good. When I next see General Yue, I’ll be sure to put in a good word for you. Skilled in bow and horse alike, you’re wasted as a mere military administrator."

Cheng Zhuo was overjoyed, and he cupped his fists hard. "Many thanks, General!"

Once the men were familiar, of course, there was the wine of friendship.

Chen Cong held a bowl of chicken broth and accepted everything offered him. Wine was impossible for him. Absolutely impossible.

Since antiquity, how many great affairs had been ruined by wine? He did not know what sort of miserable state he would end up in if he drank too much, and if he blurted out something important in public, the fun would be enormous.

On the contrary, after he openly admitted that he was poor at drinking, the others grew even more warm and familiar with him.

For one thing, admitting one’s weakness was itself a way to draw closer.

Besides, Chen Cong was the very pinnacle of martial men. For a brute with little wit, the bigger the fist, the truer the words.

Not to mention that chicken broth filled the belly far more than wine. His willingness to sit and keep them company was giving them face.

Who would dare refuse the face given by Chen Invincible?

...

Three days passed in this manner. By day, Chen Cong would return to the Cao camp to report in, and after that he would sleep in the Liang army camp.

It was practically like clocking in and out of work.

When he had free time, he would even instruct the soldiers in their martial arts.

After close contact with them, he also learned quite a few advanced methods of cavalry warfare.

As well as the rules for setting up a cavalry camp.

No need to be near water; absolutely must be near mountains. Choose high ground, never low-lying hollows. Favor open plains over dense woods.

Because cavalry moved swiftly, and with far fewer men than a traditional infantry formation, when it came time to cook, they could ride down to the riverbank and stop whenever they wished.

Setting the camp against high ground meant that in the event of sudden trouble, they could launch a charge at the fastest possible speed.

Avoiding dense woods made night patrols far easier, since if they were ambushed and the horses in camp panicked, the losses would be even more grievous than in an infantry encampment.

As for tactics, the rule was not to fall into a heavy encirclement, to use bows when possible and crossbows only when necessary, and to use crossbows rather than charge.

The principle was simple: wear the enemy down little by little at the smallest possible cost.

He even had the chance to observe Niu Fu at close range as he intercepted the allied army’s advance.

It was completely unlike the image Chen Cong had imagined, of charging in, firing a few arrows, and then running off.

From start to finish, it was two words: destroy the roads.

Open the rivers when he met them, break the bridges when he met them, hurl down stones on the mountains, chop down trees in the forests and lay them across the fields, and when he reached the plains, set them ablaze.

The whole approach was like a toad perched on your foot: it didn’t bite you, but it was disgusting.

After once again opening channels and flooding the roads, Niu Fu came to find Chen Cong as usual.

"Come on, Zi Ning. Today at the game of pitch-pot, I’m certain I’ll beat you."

Chen Cong was holding Dong Bai and thinking absentmindedly, and had not heard a word Niu Fu said.

Only when Niu Fu called again did he come to himself.

Niu Fu asked with concern, "Is Zi Ning not in a cheerful mood today?"

Chen Cong’s mouth twisted slightly. He really could not feel cheerful.

Dong Zhuo’s great army had already reached Luoyang, while the allied host’s advance remained distant and uncertain. He did not know whether the wings of his little butterfly had fluttered hard enough. If they had not, then with one great fire from that unreliable General Yue...

Chen Cong had no great moral virtue, but as a son of the Han lands, he had at least a bit of integrity.

And there was the Imperial Jade Seal, and also...

"Uncle, is General Yue planning to move the capital?"

Niu Fu had nothing to hide, and nodded. "Yes. Move the capital to Chang’an, with Western Liang at our back, and hold Hangu Pass to block the rebels’ westward advance."

"Then do you think he’ll burn the city?"

Niu Fu blinked. "Of course not. Why does Zi Ning ask that?"

Chen Cong questioned him, "How reliable is this intelligence of yours, really?"

Niu Fu laughed.

"Zi Ning may not know this, but the Grand Tutor ordered me to delay them for seven days. In such a short time, even if Father-in-law stripped the noble households bare, he still might not finish looting them. If he then burned the city as well, and chaos rose in the east, with refugees pouring westward all at once toward Hangu Pass, how could that possibly be acceptable?"

That truly was excellent news.

However one looked at it, Dong Fatty was still his father-in-law, and it was better to do as few heaven-defying and human-defying deeds as possible.

But if Luoyang was not going to be burned, what about the Imperial Jade Seal?

What if that court lady did not throw herself into the well after all?

That was a business measured in veins of ore!

Right, and there was also that enchantress who meant to harm General Yue. He must never let her succeed!

"Ahem, Uncle, there is another matter."

"Go on, Zi Ning."

Chen Cong laughed heartily. "Well, I have a kept woman in Luoyang as well, also from a noble house. When the time comes, she’ll surely be swept westward by General Yue too. Could I trouble you, Uncle, to fetch her for me?"

Dong Bai turned her head, her expression carrying a hint of inquiry, unaware that the woman Chen Cong spoke of shared a chamber with her as well.

Of course, Chen Cong was absolutely not lusting after any beauty with moon-soothing features. He was only sacrificing himself to feed the tiger.

Dong Fatty was getting on in years, and it would be good for his health to eat something light for once. It would also help him live a little longer and accumulate more political capital for Niu Fu.

Yes. That was exactly it.

Niu Fu looked troubled, and in the end shook his head.

"Zi Ning, it’s not that I don’t want to help you. You see, I’m busy with military affairs and cannot leave. If I entrust it to someone else, all my men are rough and reckless fellows. If something goes wrong, I couldn’t bear the blame. Perhaps you could make the trip yourself?"

That was exactly the answer Chen Cong had been waiting for. They were in the middle of a war, after all. What could Niu Fu possibly help him fetch?

Besides, he could hardly say outright that he was merely gathering stray rabbits while cutting grass, and that stealing the jade seal was the real prize.

Since Niu Fu was so considerate, how could he fail to respond?

At once, he grinned. "That’s the spirit!"