Volume Three: The Hero Falls Silent, The World Grows Old - 13 Shenyang I

Guan Duo had long enjoyed a formidable reputation for military prowess; once his orders were issued, Pan Mei bowed his head in absolute obedience. It was decided that Pan Mei would have five days to prepare, after which he would lead his troops out of camp to seize Mount Dongmou with all possible speed. Provisions, baggage, and logistics were placed entirely under the authority of Li Dunru’s Left and Right Departments.

Reflecting on the entire conversation, Guan Duo had begun by maneuvering troops from Goryeo, then shifted to the subject of the Taizi River with an air of calculated vagueness, striking from the flanks. Suddenly, he cut to the heart of the matter, settling the core issues in a few crisp sentences. The flow of his strategy—the development, the transition, and the resolution—was nothing short of masterful. Compared to this, Pan Mei’s earlier attempts at provocation seemed petty and lackluster. This was the difference between true wisdom and mere cleverness.

Deng She, observing from the sidelines, could not fully grasp Guan Duo’s ultimate intentions, but merely witnessing these maneuvers left him deeply impressed. Both he and Pan Mei, one bowing and the other stooping, shared the same thought: "A young, sweet talent is no match for an old, seasoned ginger."

Having disposed of the matter with swift efficiency, Guan Duo turned the conversation back. "Commander Deng, I have long heard that you have a scholar and a tiger in your ranks, acting as your right and left arms. Will those two be leading the troops on this campaign?"

"Your Excellency is perceptive. Wen Hua is stationed in Pyongyang and cannot be spared; the man I have dispatched is indeed Chen Hu."

"It must be Chen Hu; no one else could shoulder this responsibility. You should immediately send word to Shuangcheng, ordering them to inform General Pan of his upcoming mission to seize Mount Dongmou so that they may coordinate their efforts." Regarding the grand plan to pacify Southern Liaoning, eliminate Pan Cheng, and secure the Liaodong region, this was a critical juncture where Goryeo could not afford any errors. Guan Duo looked at Deng She with a smile, calculating whether he should grant him some tangible benefits.

Deng She accepted the order respectfully. "With your Excellency’s strategic planning, Shenyang will surely be secure. If Shenyang is secure, the victory in Southern Liaoning is guaranteed. I offer my congratulations in advance, Excellency."

"Haha, I am an old man. Fame and fortune are but external vanities—why speak of congratulations?" Guan Duo sighed deeply. "Despite my age and infirmities, I toss and turn at night, racking my brains, all for the sake of serving the King and saving the court. As long as my lord's worries remain, I shall not take off my armor. Gentlemen, this is truly a moment of life and death for our Great Song; how can we not strive with all our might?"

The men were moved and replied in unison.

Guan Duo continued, addressing Deng She: "That said, as the saying goes, an emperor does not use hungry soldiers. I am well aware of the situation in the Liaoyang army, but have you faced any difficulties in your Goryeo territories?"

Deng She replied, "A subject suffers when his lord is troubled. To save my lord, even if it meant pulling my entire army back from Goryeo, I would not utter a single word of complaint. As for difficulties, I have none." Guan Duo nodded in satisfaction and laughed, "Very good." Deng She added, "However, since you have asked, there are three matters I dare not gloss over with falsehoods. If these were to hinder the rescue of the court, that would be a pity."

"Oh? Pray, speak."

Deng She bowed with cupped hands. "I crave your indulgence, Excellency; I shall speak plainly." It was a rare opportunity not to be missed. He knew he could not be too greedy; he had to strike the right balance. Carefully, he said, "The first matter is a shortage of medicine in the army."

Guan Duo waved his hand. "A trifle. The amount I allocated last time was indeed a bit thin. I shall order the Left and Right Departments to provide you with enough for ten thousand men today. How about that?"

In times of war, supplies for ten thousand could save at least eight thousand veteran soldiers. Deng She joyfully expressed his gratitude. Guan Duo asked, "And the second matter?"

"It is already the tenth month, and the banks of the Yalu River are high and cold. My troops lack thick cloth for winter garments. If your Excellency could..." Guan Duo laughed again. "I shall also allocate you thick cloth for ten thousand men. And the third?"

"Last time, you granted me armor, weapons, muskets, and gunpowder for a thousand men, which truly solved an urgent need. It is sufficient for garrison duty, but should the situation in Shenyang change and a major battle break out, I fear I will struggle with resupply."

Medicine and cloth were fine, but weapons? Liaoyang itself was short of them. If he gave away too much, not only would he lack for his own use, but would he not be strengthening Deng She’s power? Guan Duo thought this, but did not hesitate on the surface. "How can one fight without weapons? It was my oversight. Very well, I shall allocate you another three thousand sets of armor and weapons, and arrows for five thousand men. As for muskets and gunpowder, Liaoyang is short of those as well..."

"To receive your Excellency’s gift of armor and bows is already more than I could ask for. I dare not hope for muskets and gunpowder."

Guan Duo smiled. "Anything else?" Deng She was satisfied; if he asked for more, he risked angering Guan Duo. Guan Duo added, "In that case, I shall have them all allocated tomorrow to be escorted to Goryeo." Deng She bowed in gratitude.

As the two played their parts, Pan Mei felt a surge of regret. His rash provocation yesterday had led to today's misfortune, allowing Deng She to walk away with a windfall. He thought, "One old thief, one young thief—talking of medicine and cloth, only the weapons are worth anything. Before the troops move, provisions must come first. Why are they both playing dumb and not mentioning food!"

He knew, of course, that weapons were near the limit of what Guan Duo would grant. Even if he brought up food, Guan Duo would surely brush it aside, leaving Deng She with nothing. It was clear that while their conflict had not yet erupted, it would inevitably lead to trouble. Pan Mei glanced at Deng She, thinking, "The provocation didn't work; perhaps I should change my strategy."

With the main business concluded, Guan Duo chatted further with the generals, reiterating principles for the defense of Shenyang and telling Deng She to use the coming days to familiarize himself with his future troops.

After a while, the others took their leave. Guan Duo casually added, "Starting tomorrow, the city will be under martial law. After the first watch, no one is to move about without a military pass. Official notices will be issued tomorrow morning. Take note, gentlemen. If anyone violates this, I fear it will be quite unsightly."

Deng She understood perfectly. After putting Pan Mei in his place, this was clearly a warning to him. The subtext was: "I have given you the benefits you asked for, so behave yourself. If I find you colluding with others, it will not be a pretty sight."

He followed the others in acknowledging the order respectfully. Seeing the day was still young, he parted ways with them and returned to his office. He made a round, checked with his staff, and found no urgent matters. Still, he stayed at his desk until dusk out of a sense of duty before returning to his residence.

He appeared the same as usual, but Bi Qianniu, as someone close to him, sensed a difference. After holding back, he finally asked, "General, is there some good news?"

"Good news?"

"You seem very happy, General."

Deng She looked up at the sky. "The weather is nice today."

He spurred his horse and rode off in a cloud of dust. He was indeed in high spirits. Since arriving in Liaoyang, he had been walking on eggshells, but recently things were looking up. Beyond the progress in Goryeo, within Liaoyang, he had gained the loyalty of Hu Zhong and others, and the handover of Goryeo women by He Guangxiu had gone smoothly. The situation was opening up, and his retreat was somewhat secured. Today, he had gained significant advantages, essentially achieving his initial goals. Now, he only had to wait for the war in Southern Liaoning to begin, for Chen Hu to cross the Yalu River, and to bring the Han refugees into his territory.

Back at his residence, he invited Fang Buzhen as usual, and they chatted over tea and dinner. Fang Buzhen had a penchant for board games and, having moved into Deng She's residence, found it hard to find a match. He insisted on a game. Deng She was not skilled at Go, so Fang Buzhen settled for Xiangqi. They played several rounds before he left, satisfied.

By then, the moon had risen, and clouds drifted like silk under the starlight. In the courtyard outside the window, the shadows of the trees were heavy, and the air was stiflingly hot without a breeze.

Having known he would have much leisure time in Liaoyang, Deng She had brought several military manuals, and following Hong Jixun’s advice, he had also selected Confucian classics to read. Not feeling sleepy, he lit a lamp to read through the night.

The maid sent by Guan Duo entered on tiptoe to arrange the bedding and tea. Deng She had never asked her name. She was clumsy and made quite a bit of noise, which distracted him from his reading. He asked, "The servants in the courtyard call you Xiuniang. Is that your name?"

The maid froze. Deng She rarely spoke to her. After a long moment, she replied, "Yes."

"Minister Pingzhang said you are the daughter of a high-ranking Tatar official. What is your surname?"

"Li."

Among the officials in the Shangdu garrison, Deng She knew there was one surnamed Li whose ancestors had been Song officials. After surrendering to the Mongols, they had earned great merit and produced several high-ranking officials. Such a lineage was considered noble.

"Li Xiuniang?"

The maid shook her head and corrected him, "Li Guixiu."

Her skin was as smooth as jade, and even in a servant’s attire, she moved with a grace and elegance that made the name "Guixiu" (A Refined Lady) well-deserved.

However, she was mechanical and numb, sparing with her words and lacking any charm. She was neither as innocent and cute as Luo Guannu had been, nor did she have the subtle allure of Lady Wang.

Deng She thought, "She is so young, yet her family was destroyed and she fell into the hands of Minister Guan. A young lady of quality, trained into a mere puppet—I wonder how much she has suffered."

Her experience made him think of his own. He had spent his life in turmoil, living on the edge of a blade. Had his own father and foster father not met the same fate as hers, consumed by the flames of war? The memory of their teachings and care was still vivid, yet they were gone, separated by the chasm of life and death, never to meet again. Deng She closed his book, lost in melancholy.

He projected her fate onto others. Without his foster father, he still had a group of old brothers to support him. And her? True, her family were rebels against the Song and high officials of the Mongols, but could that be blamed on her? A mere girl of young age, what did she understand? Who was to blame? Only the chaotic times into which she was born.

Once a pearl in the palm, now a slave, stripped of all wealth and glory, unable to even be a commoner, treated by the victors as a gift to be traded back and forth. Deng She felt a flicker of pity, but only a flicker. In the struggle between winners and losers, Guan Duo treated her as a commodity, but did he not do the same, gifting Goryeo women to others?

He smiled at her and said, "It’s been stifling for days; it will probably rain soon. I’m going to read for a while longer; you needn't wait on me."

Li Guixiu was wiping his sweat. Deng She took the towel, wiped his face, and seeing she was also hot—tiny beads of sweat glistening on her forehead in the candlelight—he motioned for her to bow, wiped them away gently, and patted her hand. "You go now. It’s cooler in the courtyard."

Such warmth was rare for her. Li Guixiu was unaccustomed to it; her expression remained blank, but her pace as she retreated from the room was noticeably more hurried than usual.

***

The next few days, the city was under martial law. Acting on Guan Duo's orders, Deng She went outside the city every morning to familiarize himself with the troops assigned to his command. In the afternoon, he sat in his office, handling trivial matters. The only thing worth mentioning was his dealings with the Left and Right Departments to verify the supplies needed for the Eastern Route Army.

As the Eastern Route Army assembled, the troops from Guangning and Liaoxi participating in the Southern Liaoning campaign were also gradually recalled from the front lines.

An urgent express arrived from Shuangcheng. Zheng Sanbao, sent by Guan Duo, had arrived, and Chen Hu had organized ten thousand elite troops, ready to set out at any moment. A secret letter from Hong Jixun arrived, confirming that everything was proceeding smoothly. Order was gradually returning to Pyongyang and other areas. A few days ago, another envoy from the Goryeo court had arrived, asking about Deng She’s whereabouts with evasive words, suggesting ulterior motives.

For this situation, they had long since prepared a strategy: through Teng Guangxiu, they would fund several large bands of Wokou, providing them with armor and weapons, and immediately launch large-scale raids on Southern Goryeo. This would ensure the King of Goryeo was too busy to stir up trouble.

After reading the letter, Deng She felt a moment of worry. But cooling down and analyzing it, with Hong Jixun’s talent and the prestige of the Shuangcheng Ever-Victorious Army, dealing with the Goryeo King would be more than enough. He set his mind at ease. Besides official business, there was a small package that had come with the letter.

Deng She opened it to find a pink sachet made of thin silk, smelling of a faint, lingering fragrance. He paused, finding it familiar. He vaguely remembered that when Lady Wang left, she had given him a sachet, seemingly of the same material, claiming it was cut from her bodice.

He dared not be certain. He picked up the sachet, turning it over, but found no inscription. Shaking the package, there was nothing else. Because of the heat, the sachet grew warm in his hand, and the fragrance seemed almost like the scent of skin.

Deng She felt a sudden pang of guilt. He stood up abruptly and was startled: How had she become so bold? Sending this to Shuangcheng—was she not afraid of being discovered? Fortunately, there was no note. "But she feels so deeply; how am I to respond?"

It was a difficult problem. Deng She could not decide. A reply was out of the question, but ignoring it seemed wrong. After much thought, he took up his pen and wrote to Hong Jixun: "Handle all matters in Goryeo according to your discretion, Sir. I know your talent well. Goryeo is but a small state, and its king a mere clown; he is no match for you. With you in Shuangcheng, I am at ease."

"You mentioned in your last letter that Chen Zhe has already been to Shandong and is familiar with the route. For the sake of the long term, when you next trade, you might as well have him formally pay a visit to Commanders Wang and Xu."

Since he was visiting Wang and Xu, gifts were mandatory. And since there were gifts, the families of Wang and Xu would naturally be included.

On the sixth day, Pan Mei marched his troops out of camp on schedule. Guan Duo and Pan Cheng saw him off, and Deng She, holding the title of commander of the Eastern Route Army, was relegated to the end of the line. At the farewell banquet, Pan Cheng showed no outward sign of emotion, apparently having accepted his loss.

Calculating the distance, Mount Dongmou was only a few dozen miles from Liaoyang. A forced march of a day and night would suffice. The success or failure of this battle was of little consequence to the grand scheme, but it marked the opening of the Southern Liaoning campaign. After Pan Mei left the city, scouts and messengers arrived constantly. The first half of the journey was smooth. To avoid Shenyang, they took a wide detour to the east. On the third day, near Mount Dongmou, they encountered minor trouble.

Whether news had leaked out was unknown, but they were ambushed by a detachment of Yuan troops. Fortunately, their numbers were small, and after a brief clash, they retreated. Pan Mei pursued the victory; although the kills were few, it was a victory nonetheless. That night, they arrived at the foot of the mountain. Without a single arrow being fired, the Yuan troops retreated again, surrendering Mount Dongmou without a fight.

Seizing the mountain was not difficult; holding it was. If the city of Shenyang, only twenty miles away, were to counterattack, the Red Turbans, not yet firmly established, would surely be no match. Pan Mei urged his men to reinforce the fortifications overnight. Perhaps because he moved so quickly and seized the mountain so fast, Shenyang seemed not to have reacted, remaining strangely silent.

The report of victory reached Liaoyang, and Pan Cheng, Deng She, and others could hardly believe it. The ease of this victory showed the incompetence of the Yuan forces. Guan Duo issued a commendation, awarded a bar of silver, and promoted Pan Mei to Vice Marshal.

On the city wall, facing the rising sun, Guan Duo and Pan Cheng stood side by side. Pan Cheng said, "A child breaking a few rebels, and yet to be promoted by Marshal Guan... this is too much favor." —*Are you trying to make things difficult for my son? Pan Mei has done well!*

Guan Duo smiled. "Little Pan has won his first battle; his contribution to boosting morale deserves reward. Let him keep at it, haha, keep at it."

In the camp below the city, the troops were jubilant, their morale soaring.