The Xiongnu suddenly stopped their assault on the city. The night passed without incident, and the following day they did not regroup for another attack, as if they had recognized their own shortcomings and planned to maintain a prolonged siege.
Han Ruzi was finally able to sleep soundly for a while, but when he awoke, his head felt dizzy and muddled. His mind was still pondering the matter from before he fell asleep, as if his thoughts had never been interrupted by slumber.
Who could leave the city to deliver an imperial edict commanding all regions to imdiately dispatch troops to rescue Jincheng City? After getting up, Han Ruzi found himself evaluating every person he encountered.
Zhang Youcai and Ni Qiu? No, they were too young and could never escape the layers of encirclent. Moreover, they held no official positions—one was an ordinary eunuch, the other a youth from a fishing village. Even if they carried the imperial edict and seal in their hands, no one would believe them.
Chief Overseer Liu Jie? He had indeed served in the palace for many years, and many court officials knew him. His loyalty was sufficient, but he could not escape the tight encirclent.
ng E? Han Ruzi no longer harbored the slightest doubt about her. With her skills, she might have a way to slip out through the middle of the Xiongnu camp under cover of night, but her status ant she would not earn the trust of officials—she was even worse off than Zhang Youcai in this regard.
Prince Donghai? Too cowardly.
Cui Teng? Not worth considering at all.
Fan Zhuangshan? His reputation was too prominent. Any attempt to leave the city would attract hordes of Xiongnu.
The other military generals? In a frontal charge, even Fan Zhuangshan might not be able to break through the encirclent, let alone the others.
The civil officials? Having one of them deliver the edict would be most in accordance with Great Chu’s protocols, but it was precisely they who would find it most difficult to escape the city. Han Ruzi rely thought about it for a mont before excluding them all.
There was still a Northern Army force outside the city—how many troops did they have? What were they planning at this mont? Could they hold back the Xiongnu…
Han Ruzi’s head ached from all this thinking. He smiled at ng E, who had been protecting him closely since yesterday, and said, “The art of rulership? Right now all I can show you is an emperor’s utter helplessness.”
“This is not the first ti I have seen Your Majesty in this state.”
Han Ruzi smiled. Even when he had been a puppet in the palace, he had possessed so room to maneuver and negotiate. Never had he been like this, blocked on all sides, with his only hope being that a miracle would occur—a miracle completely beyond his control.
He first climbed the city walls to observe for a while. After confirming that the Xiongnu truly had no intention of attacking the city, he summoned the civil and military officials in the military camp below the walls and formally appointed Marshal Deng Cui as General of Chariots and Cavalry, placing him in overall command of all defending troops.
This was Han Ruzi’s response to the complaint filed by Prince Dai’s relatives imdiately after yesterday’s battle ended.
The position of General of Chariots and Cavalry was customarily ranked as Sub-One, only half a rank below Grand General. The post had been vacant for many years. Marshal of Dai was only Rank Three, so Deng Cui’s promotion was teoric, but no one envied him. This was an appointnt in crisis, carrying enormous responsibility. For the ti being, he would gain no benefits from it, and quite possibly never would.
Han Ruzi could make decisions alone, but he could not think of every solution by himself. He roughly outlined the current predicant, then asked the hundred or so officials: “Why have the Xiongnu stopped their assault?”
The military camp was not large. Nurous ceremonial guards ford a circle, with the emperor and ministers all standing. Behind the emperor were eunuchs and guards, while civil and military officials stood on either side, arranged by rank—regardless of how many Xiongnu surrounded them outside, the Ministry of Rites still had to follow protocol and maintain order and propriety.
The emperor’s first question was relatively easy to answer. Even so civil officials could guess that the Xiongnu’s cessation of attacks had only two possible explanations: either they were waiting for reinforcents and siege equipnt, or they were attempting to encircle and annihilate the other Northern Army force outside the city.
“Jincheng City cannot stand alone and must obtain support. Who can break through the encirclent to deliver an edict summoning rescue?” Han Ruzi posed his second question.
Most civil officials wisely remained silent—this was not a question they could answer. The military generals, however, were fired up with enthusiasm. Fan Zhuangshan was the first to volunteer, but when asked how he would break through, his answer was too simple: “Give a hundred n willing to die, and we’ll risk everything in one desperate attempt. It’s better than sitting here waiting for death!”
Losing Fan Zhuangshan would deal a severe blow to the morale of the defending troops. Han Ruzi could only shake his head in refusal and offer a few words of consolation.
Many volunteered, including Cui Teng and several civil officials, but they were all like Fan Zhuangshan—full of passionate enthusiasm but lacking any practical plan for breaking through the siege.
Han Ruzi quickly disbanded this useless discussion and kept Deng Cui behind to hear his city defense plan. He still could not completely trust this temporarily appointed general.
Unlike the highly thodical Chai Yue, and different from the steady and resourceful Fang Daye, Deng Cui scorned making plans in advance. “Everyone knows how to defend a city. Talking too much is useless—it’s just repeating what should be done anyway. What the Chu army doesn’t know is how the enemy outside the city will act. Anticipating the enemy’s moves—I cannot do that. I don’t think anyone except a god can do it either. Battle situations change in an instant. A general can only adapt to circumstances. Since Your Majesty has appointed to defend the city, wait until the Xiongnu attack the city again, then observe my thods.”
Han Ruzi had nothing to say and could only politely have soone escort the newly appointed General of Chariots and Cavalry away. Then he asked Prince Donghai beside him, “Who told you he had the talent of a great general?”
Prince Donghai said with a bitter expression, “His surna is Deng, and he’s a military officer, so everyone says so… Your Majesty appointed him to defend the city not only because of my recomndation, but mainly because you saw how he used his wealth to lure and kill Xiongnu yesterday, right?”
Prince Donghai also had little confidence in Deng Cui and needed to shift so responsibility first.
Han Ruzi said nothing more. He truly had no one else available. Fan Zhuangshan had courage but lacked strategy, while the Northern Army’s Vanguard General was steady and cautious but difficult to rely on in critical monts. Only Deng Cui had shown so clever sches, though whether by coincidence or true ability remained unknown. He could only use him for now and see what happened.
Han Ruzi returned to Prince Dai’s residence and had just sat down in the hall when Wang He led a group of guards to kneel before the emperor. Only ng E remained standing by the emperor’s side.
“What is… the aning of this?” Han Ruzi asked in surprise.
Wang He said, “Your Majesty is trapped, and we cannot defend the city or kill enemies. We feel ashad and request Your Majesty’s permission to break through and seek reinforcents.”
Han Ruzi had long considered these guards. He admired their bravery but could not accept their request. “I understand your martial skills, but this is not like defending a narrow pass. There are too many Xiongnu outside the city. Can you… break through?”
If what blocked the way ahead were a city, a river, or an army, Han Ruzi believed these skilled guards could find a way around. But Jincheng was surrounded on all sides. Unless they could fly or tunnel underground, no one could escape.
But Wang He was not making a casual request. He replied, “We can act separately, set fires in the Xiongnu camp, and perhaps have a chance to pass through their lines.”
Han Ruzi considered this seriously for a while but still shook his head. “It’s not worth the risk. I still need your protection.”
Wang He had no choice but to rise and withdraw with the guards.
Cui Teng could not help but say, “Why not try? These guards have excellent martial skills. Perhaps they really could break through?”
“The Xiongnu camp appears lax but is actually tight. When one person calls out, a hundred respond. If Wang He and the others want to secretly pass through the camp, they can only go on foot. Once discovered, there would be no chance of survival.”
“But we should still try,” Cui Teng said quietly, feeling the emperor was being overly cautious.
Han Ruzi had actually been tempted, but he had seen too many failures of so-called martial arts masters. Facing the Xiongnu army, he did not want to risk the lives of thirty guards on an attempt.
Only Prince Donghai could understand the emperor’s concerns. In his heart, he attributed most of his failed bid for the throne to pugilist world people. Since they were all martial arts masters, the guards could not be much stronger than those pugilists.
“Your Majesty needs a clever plan—one that sounds like it could succeed, not just a matter of luck,” Prince Donghai said.
“Where would such a clever plan co from?” Cui Teng could not think of any and looked at Prince Donghai disdainfully. “Do you have a clever plan? No, wait—if you had one, it would be a devious sche.”
“Haha, clever plans and devious sches are the sa thing. Used against enemies, they’re clever plans; used against one’s own people, they’re devious sches. Your Majesty is trapped, and I’m trapped too. After the city falls, we’ll all perish together. No matter how stupid I am, I wouldn’t harm myself.”
Cui Teng could not argue with Prince Donghai. “Where is your ‘clever plan’? Let’s hear it.”
“My clever plan is to pool our wisdom. Though Jincheng is not a large city, it still has tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians. We should be able to find one or two capable people, right?”
“Post notices?” Cui Teng asked.
Prince Donghai glanced at the Emperor and shook his head with a smile. “The people in the city are already unsettled. Posting notices would only cause more panic. My suggestion is this: First, spread word that Your Majesty has already secretly sent soone out of the city to seek reinforcents. Regardless of whether it’s true, this will help stabilize people’s hearts.”
“That’s just lying,” Cui Teng said. He actually thought this idea wasn’t bad, but wouldn’t admit it aloud.
Prince Donghai paid him no mind and continued, “Second, also spread word privately that Your Majesty still needs a backup ssenger. Whether they volunteer themselves or recomnd soone else, their background doesn’t matter—as long as they can escape the city.”
Han Ruzi also felt Prince Donghai’s strategy was feasible, but there was one problem. “If the applicant is an ordinary citizen, who would believe the imperial edict they carry?”
“Uh… then we’ll add another requirent: not only must they be able to escape themselves, but they must also take a high official with them.”
Such conditions were overly harsh and would make it nearly impossible to recruit a suitable candidate, but Han Ruzi had no other options, so he nodded. Cui Teng imdiately said, “I’ll go spread the word. This is sothing I can do.”
Cui Teng ran out, and Prince Donghai continued, “I certainly can’t do it myself, but I can recomnd soone.”
“Who?”
“Lin Kunshan. Your Majesty has kept him close all this ti—it’s about ti to put him to use.”
Hope imdiately turned to disappointnt. Han Ruzi shook his head. He would rather place his hopes on a martial arts master than trust another fate seer.
Chief Overseer Liu Jie led in a military officer, reporting that the Xiongnu had ford ranks outside the city again.
Han Ruzi climbed the city walls once more and indeed saw that the Xiongnu appeared ready to attack the city again.
Deng Cui was also on the walls, looking completely unhurried. While the surrounding officers all showed signs of panic, he rely observed without issuing orders.
Seeing the Emperor’s arrival, the generals made way. Deng Cui pointed outside the city and said, “The Xiongnu are feigning an attack to lure the other Northern Army unit to co to Your Majesty’s rescue. They suffered heavy casualties yesterday and won’t truly attack today.”
Han Ruzi said nothing. He stood beside Deng Cui for a while, then turned and returned to the prince’s residence.
The Emperor’s confidence in Deng Cui grew a bit more, and the other generals had no objections.
Past noon, the Xiongnu indeed did not truly attack the city, nor was the other Northern Army unit lured into coming.
Liu Jie quietly entered and waited for the Emperor to look up before saying, “Your Majesty, Palace Secretariat Drafter Zhao Ruosu requests an audience.”
“What for?”
“Zhao Ruosu volunteers to leave the city to request reinforcents.”
Han Ruzi rembered Zhao Ruosu. This man had read countless morials and was practically a walking library, but when it ca to breaking through enemy lines to seek help, he hardly seed like soone with extraordinary skills.
“Let him in.” Han Ruzi assud this was another official taking the opportunity to display loyalty, knowing the Emperor wouldn’t agree anyway, so he might as well appear brave.
Zhao Ruosu entered, but unlike other officials who rely spoke empty words, after bowing he imdiately said, “Is Your Majesty willing to sacrifice the Northern Army unit outside the city?”
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