Volume III: Heroes Fall Silent, Heaven and Earth Grow Old - 12: Southern Liaoning III

In the palace south of the city, within Guan Duo’s bedchamber, red candles burned quietly as the curtains hung low. In the dim light, Guan Duo paced back and forth in his robe, while two half-naked concubines lay on the bed, their fair bodies sprawled across the bedding. He paid no heed to the women’s exposed charms, but Old Li the stutterer and Xu Ren, kneeling before him, dared not even raise their heads nor draw a full breath.

"Aside from the six words, 'Liaoyang is near, Goryeo is far,' did Pan Mei say anything else?"

"Reporting to my lord, he did not." Xu Ren paused, stole a glance at Guan Duo’s expression, and added, "My lord, in this subordinate’s view, Commander Deng certainly harbors ulterior motives."

"Oh?" Guan Duo stopped his pacing, his face revealing neither joy nor anger. Emboldened, Xu Ren continued, "General Pan invited Commander Deng to a banquet tonight. Although we were present, any discerning eye could see it was merely a facade. General Pan’s true intent was Commander Deng; had the Commander no such intentions, he would not have attended. This subordinate believes he was half-reluctant, half-willing."

Guan Duo let out a laugh. How could he not know of Deng She’s half-reluctant nature? When Pan Mei first sent gifts, Deng She did not accept them, yet he sent a letter and a generous gift in return. He thought he had acted cleverly, unaware that reports had reached Guan Duo long ago. While he did not know what was written in that letter, Pan Mei’s invitation tonight provided a clue.

However, why did Pan Mei speak so bluntly of Li Dunru’s slander in front of Li Jing and Xu Ren? He pondered for a moment, then smiled. "Little Pan’s move is well played."

"My lord means?"

Guan Duo looked at Xu Ren and Li Jing without offering an explanation. He said gently, "You have worked hard. It is late; go back and rest." As the two bowed and retreated, Guan Duo called them back, hesitated, and asked, "Are there any unusual movements among the Goryeo troops in the camp outside the city?"

"Everything is stable."

Guan Duo said no more, his gaze passing through the palace doors to the night sky. The layered buildings were silent in the darkness. Pan Cheng was a brute; he could not have conceived such a scheme. It was most likely Pan Mei acting on his own initiative. Pan Mei and Deng She—these young men were not to be underestimated.

The crescent moon hung like a bow, dotted with stars.

In the Pan residence north of the city, three men sat facing one another. At the head sat a tall, imposing man with a heroic air—Pan Cheng, known as the most handsome man in the army. Beside him sat his third younger brother, Pan Ren, who shared a faint resemblance. The young man at the lower end, his cheeks flushed with residual drink, was none other than Pan Mei.

"You say that after hearing it, little Deng said nothing?" Pan Ren asked with a frown.

Pan Mei replied, "He had quick wit, though. With a burst of laughter, he turned the conversation straight to the war in Shenyang. Heh, young as he is, he is a cunning old fox."

Pan Cheng snorted. "And what if he is a cunning old fox? The banquet has been over for some time; by now, old Guan has likely received the news. A mere child, wishing to stir up trouble and grab a share of Liaoyang? Overestimating himself! It’s a pity old Guan treats him like a treasure, fearing we might snatch him away."

Pan Ren said, "Brother is right. Even if we wanted to snatch him, I fear we lack old Guan’s skill in winning people over. If we can’t win him over, then we simply won't. What we cannot have, old Guan shall not have either. Regardless of the truth of Li Dunru’s news, within three days, it will spread throughout the army via the likes of Zhu Lianxiu. By then, I don’t believe there won't be a rift between the two." Delighted, he pointed at Pan Mei and laughed. "I must say, our Amei’s plan is truly excellent."

Pan Mei was modest. "Uncle is too kind. As the saying goes, if three people say there is a tiger, a lie becomes truth. Even if it is false, if it is repeated enough, it becomes reality. If old Guan wants Deng’s absolute loyalty now, I fear it will be difficult."

Pan Cheng laughed heartily, recalling how Guan Duo had asked him for a secret talk yesterday regarding Goryeo and other matters, using it as a bargaining chip to force him to make concessions in Southern Liaoning. He spat, "What a piece of work!" He asked Pan Mei, "Old Guan has been acting suspiciously lately, with messengers frequently leaving the city toward the east. How goes your investigation?"

"Although I have been in Liaoyang for a long time and my connections are quite broad, old Guan is extremely cunning, and there are places where I cannot reach. I have only heard rumors that, it seems..." Pan Mei paused, and Pan Cheng asked, "Seems like what?"

Pan Mei’s tone grew grave. "It seems he is communicating with Shenyang."

Pan Ren gasped in shock. "Shenyang?" Although they had reached a consensus with Guan Duo about the intention of self-reliance, they had never considered dealings with the Tatars. What was Guan Duo’s intention in reaching out to Shenyang? A thought struck him, and he turned pale. "Could old Guan be planning to surrender?"

Pan Cheng stood up abruptly, paced twice, dismissed Pan Ren’s guess, and sneered, "If he were truly planning to surrender, that would be a good thing."

Pan Mei added, "Indeed. Old Guan is calculating and would never seek his own destruction. Even if we take a step back and assume he has such intent, Liu Pingzhang would be the first to oppose it, and among the two hundred thousand brothers in the army, how many would agree?"

Sha Liu’er was stubborn and rigid, and he never gave those with wavering faith like Pan Mei a good look. Yet his loyalty to the Little Ming Wang was as clear as the sun and moon, and his words matched his deeds. He was also known for his integrity, lack of greed for wealth or women, fairness in commanding his subordinates, and a compassionate heart. Although Pan Mei walked a different path, he admired him greatly, which is why, unlike with Guan Duo, he respectfully called him "Liu Pingzhang."

Pan Ren’s mind was slow, but after hearing Pan Mei, he caught on and nodded repeatedly. "Right, right. Since the Northern Expedition, our army has fought bitterly against the Tatars; countlessly many brothers have died. Aside from the White Lotus Sect members, most of those who joined the army were refugees with no other way to survive. The blood feud with the Tatars is deep. If he wants to surrender, it is impossible to do so rashly. Then what is old Guan doing...?"

Pan Cheng gritted his teeth. "Need you ask?" He sat back down and slammed the table. "No wonder he insisted on attacking Southern Liaoning; he is communicating with Shenyang simply to secure his own retreat."

Pan Mei was worried. "If this is true, Godfather, is Nahaču trustworthy?" Pan Cheng was silent for a long time. He had never dealt with Nahaču and could not judge. Being a Pingzhang himself, he possessed some talent, and when faced with major issues, he could remain calm. After thinking for a long time, he said, "Liaoyang is becoming more dangerous by the day. Under the stalemate, there are undercurrents. Between our army and the Tatars, whoever strikes first gains the initiative. Old Guan cannot wait; he has to take this step."

"How should we respond?"

Pan Mei said, "Let old Guan use his main force to attack Southern Liaoning; you and I shall remain unchanged to meet all changes, watching with cold eyes. We only need to be cautious and guard against him selling us out. Hmph, Shenyang? I would like to see if someone might be too clever for their own good." He cast his gaze outside the door, through the night sky, toward the south of the city.

In the deep blue sky, stars were dense, and the moon was like a bow.

Deng She stood in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, looking up at the moon. He already understood Pan Mei’s strategy—a classic "mutually assured destruction," harming others without benefiting oneself. As for what Pan Mei said about whether Li Dunru had slandered him behind his back, truthfully, Deng She did not care. Guan Duo was a man of firm will and his own mind, not a mediocre person who listened to rumors. If he wanted to kill Deng She, he would not have waited until today. Deng She was confident that the crisis in Liaoyang remained unresolved and that Goryeo’s position was still important; it was far too early for the "bird is gone, the bow is put away" phase.

In fact, Deng She surmised that it was entirely possible Li Dunru had never said those six words. Slandering someone to incite murder behind their back—how could such a secret be overheard by others? Pan Mei claimed a messenger from Gaizhou heard it. When a messenger from Gaizhou met with Guan Duo, would there not be people announcing the arrival? How could there be an opportunity to eavesdrop? Nine times out of ten, Pan Mei was making it up.

The brilliance of the plan lay in the fact that even knowing it was a rumor, it could not be debunked. Even if one were to debunk it, it would inevitably leave a thorn between Guan Duo and Deng She. If left unresolved, it would eventually lead to problems.

On this stage of deceit, everyone wears a painted mask; who can tell the real from the fake? Between two parties who do not trust each other, what if the rumor is false? If you do not resolve it, will the other party not be suspicious? Will he not think you accept it as true? Once this news spreads through the army, do you expect the rumor to stop with the wise? As the saying goes: when the false is treated as true, the true also becomes false.

***

The night deepened, and a breeze began to blow, dissipating the summer heat from the flagstones. A faint, refreshing coolness brushed against the skin.

Deng She paced back and forth. Guan Duo’s actions that morning had given him great inspiration: acting also has its levels of commitment. To show no reaction to Pan Mei’s provocation would be a grave mistake. He thought from different perspectives repeatedly, wondering, "Since I must react, what kind of response would be natural, genuine, and neither too hot nor too cold?"

A sudden thought struck him: could he take it a step further and use this opportunity to gain some benefits?

He was lost in thought. From somewhere, a faint song drifted over—perhaps a neighbor singing a Song Dynasty ballad. In the moonlight, Deng She listened intently. She sang: "The crescent moon shines on the nine provinces, some are happy, some are sad. Some couples share the same embroidered quilt, while others drift in foreign lands."

That night, the moonlight was like water.

What worried Deng She was exactly what worried Guan Duo. It had to be acknowledged that Pan Mei’s bizarre strategy had indeed disrupted the delicate balance between Guan Duo and Deng She. Neither would trust the other, yet at this moment, they had to appear to trust each other. This act was not just for the other to see, but for the entire army.

The war in Southern Liaoning concerned Guan Duo’s long-term plans. He could not sit by and watch his own backyard catch fire. He was the first to react, though he did not seek out Deng She to explain. Instead, he found a small excuse to severely reprimand Li Dunru in front of others, ensuring the news reached Deng She’s ears.

Having made his gesture, Deng She arrived that afternoon, holding a tactical map for the defense of Shenyang, and requested an audience. He asked Guan Duo to summon the generals who had attended the banquet the previous night, including Pan Mei, to hold a brief military council in the provincial government hall to discuss the feasibility of this tactical plan.

Deng She was a veteran of the ranks and had successfully commanded several large-scale battles of over ten thousand men in the past few months; his ability to deploy troops had improved significantly. His plan, while inheriting his usual boldness and attention to detail, had many merits. However, he was relatively unfamiliar with the surrounding terrain—barely knowing himself but not the enemy—and the entire plan contained many omissions.

As the commander-in-chief, Guan Duo knew how to defend Shenyang and originally had no intention of involving Deng She. But at this moment, he simply took it out and placed it before everyone for discussion, taking the brilliant parts to supplement and perfect the original plan.

This move was unexpected by both Deng She and Pan Mei. Deng She’s intention in visiting and asking Guan Duo to summon the generals was merely to show that he held no grudges due to Li Dunru. Guan Duo, however, was willing to adopt part of his plan, which in effect gave him some actual power.

Yet, this was not what Deng She wanted. The Eastern Route Army was composed entirely of the direct subordinates of Guan and Pan. Guan Duo could grant him power, and could just as easily strip it away. In the end, it was like flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water—looking good, but useless.

He said, "Had I known my lord already had a plan in mind, I would not have dared to show off." Guan Duo stroked his beard and smiled. "Why be so humble, Commander Deng? Let me put it this way: I am old..." He pointed to Deng She’s tactical sketch, "...but Commander Deng is full of sharp edges."

In front of Pan Mei and the others, the two appeared harmonious, master and servant, and shared a smile. The matter of Li Dunru was thus put to rest.

Guan Duo stood up, supporting his leg, and looked around the hall. "The troops from Guangning and Western Liaoning will be recalled in a few days. The main force to attack Gaizhou will be assembled within half a month. Spies in Shenyang and Gaizhou are active day and night; our movements in the Liaoyang army will likely be known to Nahaču and Gao Jianu in four or five days. Gao Jianu is one thing, but we must guard against Nahaču coming to provoke us.

"Before Gaizhou moves, Shenyang must move first. To fight well in Gaizhou, we cannot let Shenyang send a single soldier out of the city. The responsibility you bear is far greater than that of the main force attacking Gaizhou. The implications were made clear during the military council that day. Commander Deng..."

Deng She stepped out. "This subordinate is here."

"The military order to mobilize the Goryeo troops was issued yesterday. It is a matter of great importance; how about you issue another one today?"

"Yes." Deng She knew that Guan Duo was doing this for Pan Mei to see. He readily agreed, saying, "Please do not worry, my lord. Everyone in the twin cities follows your command, and we will certainly not delay your grand plan. Within half a month, the troops will be at the Yalu River."

"Very good. General Pan, how goes the mobilization of your troops?"

"Reporting to my lord, my twelve thousand men were ordered yesterday, and they began gathering and preparing today. Within two or three days, they will be ready for combat."

Pan Mei assumed this was just a casual inquiry. Knowing that last night’s incident had displeased Guan Duo, he answered as respectfully and detailed as possible. Watching two guards walk up to spread a map on the floor, he looked up blankly. Guan Duo pressed on his injured leg, walking with a limp, his face kindly as he said, "General Pan’s men are all fierce warriors. When you attacked Liaoyang before the new year, you were credited with the primary merit, were you not?"

Pan Mei’s heart sank, and he cursed silently, steeling himself to answer: "When attacking Liaoyang, I attacked the south gate. I was lucky enough to be the first to climb the city wall. To be ashamed, I could not stop the Tatar counterattack; the ones who first broke the city were not my men, but Marshals Tang Tong and Zhou Cheng under Liu Pingzhang."

"Old Tang and Old Zhou are veterans of the army, experienced and well-versed in the art of war. What is the art of war? It is merely tension and relaxation," Guan Duo said, changing how he addressed him. "Little Pan, you are still young. You use troops too aggressively; over-tension leads to exhaustion, making it hard to sustain the effort."

"Yes, my lord’s instruction is correct."

"Heh, what instruction. Regardless, you were the first to climb the wall. Why couldn't I do it? Young people should have a bit of spirit." Guan Duo dragged his leg, circled the map, took a thin whip, and pointed at it. "Look, how is this?"

Deng She and the others looked, their hearts skipping a beat. Pan Mei swallowed. "The Taizi River?" The Taizi River originated in the east, flowed through Liaoyang, and joined the Liao River into the sea. It was also known as the Dongliang River or Daliang Water. During the Three Kingdoms period, Sima Yi beheaded the Liaodong warlord Gongsun Yuan and his son at the Liang River—this was it.

Guan Duo nodded. "Yes, it is the Taizi River. In historical books, this water is quite famous." Seemingly in a mood to talk, he smiled at them and asked, "Do you know why it is called the Taizi [Crown Prince] River?"

Only Deng She and Pan Mei had read books; one did not know, and the other had ulterior motives, so both shook their heads. Guan Duo did not mind and said, "Have you heard the story of Jing Ke assassinating the King of Qin? ... 'Parting from Prince Dan here, the hero’s hair bristles with anger.' Surely, you have heard it." He recited in a low voice, "The wind blows cold, the Yi River freezes; the hero departs, never to return. A commoner’s courage, entering the glorious Qin alone; at the end of the map, the dagger appeared, daring to assassinate the king of the world. What heroic spirit, what mettle?"

He sighed. "It is a pity. Since the parting at the Yi River, the man is gone, but the water remains cold." He seemed to imply something: "People, no matter how much heroic ambition they have, if they want to accomplish great things, they must know how to discern the situation. Heh, a pity for Jing Ke. This Taizi River gets its name from Crown Prince Dan of Yan, who once hid beneath these waters. That is why it is so named."

He was clearly warning Pan Mei. Pan Mei tried to remain calm. "My lord is knowledgeable; this subordinate has received your teaching."

Guan Duo chuckled and returned to the business at hand. His whip slid up along the Taizi River. "To defend Shenyang, Liaoyang must be the cornerstone; while guarding against Shuosijian, the west side of Guangning can also serve as a surprise force. But these two routes alone are slightly insufficient. The Goryeo troops are far away at the Yalu River; there must be a relay point in between. After consulting with the two Pingzhangs, Pan and Liu, I have decided: General Pan..."

"This subordinate is here."

"Five days from now, you will take your troops, move east along the Taizi River, hide during the day and march at night, and seize Dongmou Mountain to support Goryeo, serving as the third route of troops to surround Shenyang." Dongmou Mountain was located twenty li east of Shenyang, with steep terrain, leaning on the Taizi River to the south and looking toward Guangning Prefecture to the west. Together with Liaoyang and Guangning, it formed an equilateral triangle, enclosing Shenyang in the middle.

Yesterday, while looking through documents on Shenyang, Deng She saw that there were two thousand Mongol-Yuan troops stationed on Dongmou Mountain, and it was close to Shenyang; it would not be easy to take. It was foreseeable that this was not originally Pan Mei’s task; given the temporary appointment at this time, it was truly a thunderous move.

Deng She was slightly alarmed. Looking at Guan Duo again, he saw that behind the gentle face of a Bodhisattva, a wrathful Vajra was hidden. Pan Mei was immediately pale, secretly crying out: "Careless, careless. The old thief’s counterattack came so fast!"

How could it not be fast?

With Goryeo in hand and Deng She showing loyalty, the retreat of the entire army was in Guan Duo’s grasp. Pan Cheng had scruples and dared not turn against him—that was the first reason. Attacking Dongmou Mountain was not a suicide mission; as long as the sneak attack was executed properly, the surprise force could guarantee victory. It was a minor punishment that Pan Cheng could accept—that was the second. Pan Mei had slapped Guan Duo’s face in front of the entire army; without punishment, how could he establish authority? That was the third.

These three reasons were fine; Deng She and Pan Mei could roughly guess them. However, there was a crucial point that they did not know. It turned out that Pan Cheng’s information was correct: Guan Duo’s messengers were indeed frequently sent to communicate with Shenyang.

Pan Cheng had also guessed right: Guan Duo would not surrender, but what if he faked a surrender?

He could not surrender for nothing. Guan Duo’s condition: he wanted Southern Liaoning. There were two reasons: one for the public—Gao Jianu was nominally a Yuan official but acted like a warlord, which was treason; one for private—the regions of Jin, Fu, and Gai were already in the hands of the Red Turbans, and Gao Jianu had brazenly stolen them while Liaoyang was under siege. If he were not killed, the morale of the army would not be convinced, and it would be hard to persuade others to surrender.

Naturally, benefits were only real if everyone shared them. As an exchange, Guan Duo also had a great gift for Nahaču: Pan Cheng’s head and his Guangning Prefecture. As long as Nahaču agreed, once Southern Liaoning was settled, the two sides would join forces to wipe out Pan Cheng.

Nahaču did not object.

Once Pan Cheng was wiped out, he would gain all his troops. He promised the Goryeo benefits to Deng She, ordering his troops to cross the Yalu River and, taking advantage of Shenyang’s emptiness, seize the city in one battle. At the same time, he would turn against Guangning and kill Nahaču, removing this thorn in his back in one fell swoop.

This strategy was largely proposed by Yao Haogu. In ancient times, there was the "one peach to kill three warriors" trick; today, there was one bait to remove two enemies. Turning the situation around, it was truly a case of turning clouds into rain with a flip of the hand.

During this time, what if turmoil broke out in Western Liaoning? Sha Liu’er had no interest in Eastern Liaoning and only wanted to save the imperial court; he could be used as an excuse, claiming that Shenyang was unstable and he could not be distracted, forcing him to stand guard and ensuring the stability of Western Liaoning.

As for the Shuosijian in front, the government army’s combat capability was not worth mentioning; no matter how many men they had, they were a rabble. Moreover, since he had surrendered to Nahaču, he could be lulled into complacency, leaving plenty of room for maneuvering. If things went smoothly, he might even be able to take him out while killing Nahaču. Don’t forget, on the flank of Shuosijian’s army, there were still over ten thousand of Guan Duo’s direct subordinates in Shangdu.

Once the thorn of Shenyang was removed, on one hand, he would use the prestige of hundreds of thousands of troops to coerce Deng She and slowly collect Goryeo; on the other hand, he would continue to drive the wolf to eat the tiger, stabilize Western Liaoning, use Sha Liu’er as a vanguard, cross the sea to intervene in Shandong, ally with Wang Shicheng and Xu Jizu, kill Tian Feng, and step into the Central Plains.

At this point, among those drawing bows to shoot the deer in this world, Guan Duo would be one more.

Returning to the present, in short, the forces in Eastern Liaoning were intertwined. To pacify them, the primary enemy was not an outsider. Why? The enemies on the four routes—Shuosijian, Western Liaoning, Southern Liaoning, and Shenyang—were separated and could not be gathered in one place; their hearts were not aligned, and they mostly sought self-preservation. It looked critical, but it was an opportunity.

Looking at his own army: Pan Cheng was ambitious, stationed in Guangning, and developing rapidly. In a month, he had expanded his army by more than ten thousand. Although they were allies, he was a hindrance in everything. If left for too long, he would become a major concern and must be killed first. Pan Cheng had his sights on Eastern Liaoning, while Sha Liu’er, though a political rival in name, had no such ambition. By grasping his weaknesses, he could be used. As for the child Deng She, give him some sweetness; he was deep in the tiger’s den and would likely not dare to defy orders.

Perhaps things would not go as planned, and variables might appear. But if one wants to accomplish great things, how can one fear for one's own safety? In the quest for the world, who has complete certainty?