Volume III: Heroes Are Silent While Heaven and Earth Grow Old - 41 - Heavy Clouds II

Today in History:
On February 17, 1380 (the 11th day of the first month of the 13th year of the Hongwu era in the Ming dynasty), taking the opportunity of purging Prime Minister Hu Weiyong, Zhu Yuanzhang abolished the Secretariat and the Chancellor system. He divided the powers of the Secretariat and the Chancellor among the Six Ministries, relatively enhancing the authority and status of the Six Ministries, making the Ministers of the Six Ministries directly responsible to the emperor. The integration of chancellery and imperial authority strengthened autocratic centralization.
On February 18, 1294 (the 22nd day of the first month of the 31st year of the Zhiyuan era), Kublai Khan passed away.

——

During the siege, the Red Turbans shouted that Gao Jianu had fled; upon searching the captives after the battle, Gao Jianu had indeed run away. However, compared to capturing Gaizhou, this minor flaw was hardly worth mentioning.

After the battle, Deng She inspected the city and observed the various defense preparations made by Gao Jianu, feeling a sense of admiration. Summarizing their experiences with the generals, they mutually agreed that had they not employed tunnel warfare tactics, breaking the city would likely have taken much longer. Liu Yang's primary contribution was undisputed, and since Deng She always rewarded merit, he promoted him on the spot. Within a few days, Liu Yang was elevated from a commander of a hundred households to a commander of a thousand households.

"This man is a talent," Deng She remarked. Setting everything else aside, just his skill at tunneling made him worth winning over. He immediately detached several hundred cavalrymen from the various armies and handed them to him. In times of turmoil, no reward was more practical than giving someone men and horses.

Next, Deng She selected several personal guards to follow him and learn the art of tunnel excavation. Two birds in the bush are not worth one in the hand; no matter how much or how well others knew something, it was never as good as knowing it oneself.

The Wanyan encampment in the south of the city. The Japanese had long been starving to the point where many soldiers witnessed cannibalism firsthand; they had broken out several times, failing every time, and although large groups had attempted to surrender, Chen Hu ignored them completely. A few days later, upon receiving orders from Deng She, they launched a massive assault on the camp, and more Japanese died of starvation than in battle.

"How should the Japanese captives be dealt with?"

Chen Hu's face was cold as he waved a hand: "Execute them."

Thousands of heads were piled outside the city to serve as a deterrent. Having gained experience from conquering Goryeo, Deng She was now extremely adept at handling post-conquest affairs. Aside from deterrence, the first priority was pacifying the populace, the second was restoring order, the third was executing civil and military officials who refused to surrender or whose surrender could not be trusted, and the last was arranging personnel to repair the city walls, deploy defensive lines, and incorporate surrendered troops.

Out of more than twenty thousand Yuan soldiers, thousands became casualties. Filtering out the wounded and weeding out the weak, Deng She secured ten thousand elite troops. These men could not be left locally, and Deng She intended to take them back to Shuangcheng. During their stay in Gaizhou, daily bitterness-recollection meetings were held for ideological transformation. The effect might have been limited, but it existed nonetheless.

The courier he had sent to Shuangcheng still had not returned with any news.

To describe it in one word, Deng She was eager to return as an arrow flying from the string. However, the military campaign in Liaoyang was ongoing, so he could not simply leave at a moment's notice. He stayed in Gaizhou for another three or four days until he was certain that Mao Jujing had arrived safely outside the city and received his support; for the time being, Liaoyang could be considered secure.

Only then did Deng She mobilize his troops. For the journey back to Shuangcheng, speed was paramount, so he did not bring excessive baggage trains; along with the surrendered troops, he brought only twenty thousand men. The remaining forces were left under the command of Zhao Guo for local defense.

Before leaving, he sent separate letters to Guan Duo and Mao Jujing with earnest wording, once again explaining the reasons for his departure while promising that as soon as the rebellion in Shuangcheng was quelled, he would immediately lead a second western expedition to aid Liaoyang.

Marching day and night, they crossed the Yalu River two days later, traversed mountains and ridges, and entered Northern Guan via Dechuan and other places. The mountainous terrain was difficult to navigate, slowing the march slightly. On this day, scouts ahead reported that they were less than a hundred li away from Shuangcheng.

Deng She rode ahead, surveying the distance. It was very cold; the surface soil was frozen solid, and the horses' hooves made a crisp, harsh sound upon striking it. The farmland along the road was completely empty, as the impact of the rebellion had already spread here, leaving almost no human habitation.

Along the route, the relocated Jurchen tribes were ten parts empty, and without having to think, most of them had joined the rebel forces. Chen Hu dispatched elite cavalry to sweep through the area; any remaining tribes were slaughtered without mercy. The casualties were heavy, and the severed heads were hung from flagpoles, dripping blood all the way.

"General, please look. The intertwined hoofprints and cart ruts on the ground should be the traces left by various reinforcements. Among the Jurchen tribes, most are women and children. According to the prisoners I interrogated, Shuangcheng is still in our hands."

Deng She pressed his lips together, his armor cold in the biting wind. He said, "Send fast scouts to reconnoiter Shuangcheng." Even without Chen Hu asking, he could deduce that Shuangcheng had not fallen. But not falling was one thing, and the state of the battle was another; he needed to find out clearly.

After marching in forced haste for many days, the troops were physically exhausted. To ensure they could fight upon arrival, Deng She slowed the pace of the march. They covered only thirty li that day and set up camp early to rest in place.

Just as the entire army was sharpening weapons and horses in preparation for battle, scouts returned at night. They brought astonishing news: "The Jurchens have surrendered."

The generals were dumbfounded. Deng She froze, then burst into laughter. Although unexpected, upon careful reflection, it was within reason. "The Jurchens must have heard rumors of our army's return. They besieged the city for many days without gaining any advantage, so they simply surrendered."

"Fickle and treacherous, such petty people—General, even if they have surrendered, they cannot be spared."

Yang Wanhu's words won the support of the majority. Initially, utilizing the Jurchens was a last resort; times had changed, and Shuangcheng had long since passed the stage of struggling to survive. Now, after repeated battles, their troops were elite, their generals brave, and their forces strong. Losing the Jurchens would not shake their foundation.

Furthermore, after this rebellion, they could never truly trust them again in the future. However, acting as Yang Wanhu suggested was also not feasible. Execute them all? Shuangcheng was close to the ancestral lands of the Jurchens, and the northern region was entirely populated by Jurchen tribes. Many rebels had ties to them; excessive slaughter would only create blood feuds.

How to handle the matter properly required careful consideration. Deng She did not express his stance. With the rebel forces surrendered, the pressure eased; the joy of newly acquiring Gaizhou and eastern Liaoning finally filled his heart. He laughed heartily: "Break camp tomorrow morning and return to Shuangcheng!"

Outside Shuangcheng, days of warfare had left broken walls, numerous scattered arrows and stones, and bloodstains everywhere. Uncleaned corpses could be seen everywhere; dejected Jurchen captives were guarded by Han soldiers, tasked with cleaning up the battlefield.

Hong Jixun, Yao Haogu, Zhang Daier, and others came out to welcome him. Deng She leaped down from his horse. Having not seen them for many days, he truly missed them, and a warm reunion naturally followed.

As they reached the edge of the city, Deng She noticed several heads hanging from the city tower, with small braids tied at the back of the skulls and large earrings dangling from the lobes—clearly the leaders of the Jurchen rebels. Deng She said, "Over ten thousand Jurchens besieged the city, a sudden crisis at our elbows, yet the scholar-official held the city with a few thousand men without losing it, ultimately achieving victory and pacifying the rebellion. This demonstrates not only literary brilliance but also military strategy that leaves one in awe."

Hong Jixun said, "The General's praise truly makes this humble person blush." It was rare for Hong Jixun to blush, and he continued, "Quelling the rebellion is not worth mentioning; it relies largely on the General's prestige. The General entrusted Shuangcheng to this humble person, yet I failed to guard the rear for the General. I am deeply ashamed."

Both men were clever. When Deng She led his troops back, why did he do so? Because he had learned of the rebellion. How did he learn of the rebellion? Obviously, an officer had reported it to him. Hong Jixun believed Deng She would understand his painstaking efforts, so he did not offer lengthy explanations. Nor did Deng She ask.

Some things, once spoken aloud, were worse left unsaid; blissful ignorance had its merits.

Right then, Hong Jixun recounted the entire process of the Jurchen rebellion from beginning to end in detail. Pointing to one of the heads on the city wall, he said, "This is the head of Zhao Xiaosheng, and the one beside it is Zhuo Duqing. This Jurchen rebellion was entirely instigated by them."

Deng She glanced up, not seeing Tong Doulan, and asked, "Tong Doulan?"

Hong Jixun replied, "Bound within the city, awaiting the General's disposition."

"And the surrendered Jurchen soldiers?"

"Imprisoned entirely in the main camp, also left for the General to dispose of."

As the group conversed and entered the city, they saw a man kneeling on the ground just inside the city gate, whose face was unfamiliar. Deng She found it strange, quickly guessing he must be a leader of the surrendered troops. Indeed, Hong Jixun stopped and said, "Allow me to introduce him to the General. This person is our army's greatest contributor to defeating the enemy. Had he not turned against them in the heat of battle, this humble person fears I could not have settled the rebellion before the General's return."

"Oh?" To be honest, Deng She held no fondness for such cowardly people who surrendered; however, for the sake of the bigger picture, he had no choice. He forced a smile on his face, personally stepped forward to help the man up, and raised his eyes to look. What a strapping fellow he was—eight feet tall, thickset, and majestic. He asked, "What is the valiant warrior's name?"

The man smiled ingratiatingly and said, "This humble person is Zhao Temur."

It was very common for Han people to adopt Mongolian names; Zhao Xiaosheng himself was a Han person who even wore a Mongolian hairstyle. Deng She did not mind and smiled, saying, "Sharing the surname Zhao, the valiant warrior understands the greater righteousness and is far superior to Zhao Xiaosheng, whose head met the executioner's blade. ... Come, come, follow me into the city. Tonight, we shall drink deeply."

Hong Jixun sneered and said, "The General speaks truly. Sharing the surname Zhao, he is precisely the adopted son of Zhao Xiaosheng."

Deng She was dumbfounded, and Zhao Temur hurriedly added, "Adopted son."

"Zhao Xiaosheng's head was severed by his own hands."

Deng She was left speechless. Looking at Zhao Temur again, his gaze changed completely. Killing one's foster father to save one's own skin—such a petty villain was lower than pigs and dogs. He felt a slight sense of wonder; given Hong Jixun's temperament, how could he have spared his life? Hong Jixun perceived his confusion, reached out to lead the way, and said, "Please, General, enter the city, and then we will discuss it."

Truth be told, although Shuangcheng had been Chinese territory for many dynasties over a long period, compared to Liaodong and the Central Plains, it still felt somewhat distant. Yet the moment Deng She walked into the city, a profound sense of familiarity rushed over him.

This feeling was completely different from what he experienced in Liaoyang.

He looked at the residences and commercial shops on both sides of the street; walking along the wide bluestone-paved road, the horses' hooves clicked rhythmically. Occasionally, a young girl could be seen peeking through a window with curious eyes. Though weathered by the baptism of war, Shuangcheng had not changed much; it remained the scenery he had left behind. The poetic line about human faces and peach blossoms smiling in the spring breeze flashed across his mind—perhaps slightly out of context, yet carrying its own unique flavor in his heart.

The wind of late autumn and early winter had stripped the trees along the road; the bare branches, shedding their dense and bulky foliage, pointed spiritedly toward the blue sky.

Recalling the experiences of the past few months felt almost like a dream. When he rode out of the city toward Liaoyang, he had been full of heavy thoughts, struggling merely for survival. How could he have ever imagined that worldly fortunes are unpredictable, and that misfortune would turn into blessings, allowing him to conquer eastern Liaoning and gain an opportunity to reach into Liaodong?

"The ancients have a saying that perfectly matches the General's state of mind right now." Having known Deng She closely for years, how could Hong Jixun fail to read his thoughts? He said with a faint smile.

"Oh? Which line?"

Hong Jixun pointed to the trees along the road: "Even trees are thus; how much more so must it be for man?"

This line originated from *A New Account of Tales of the World* (*Shishuo Xinyu*). During the Eastern Jin dynasty, Huan Wen marched north on a campaign, and reaching Jincheng, he saw that the willow trees he had planted in his youth were now ten spans in girth. Sighing with emotion, he said, "Even trees are thus; how much more so must it be for man!" Holding onto their branches, tears streamed down his face. His genuine display of emotion was certainly characteristic of the Wei-Jin spirit; his lamentation stemmed partly from sorrow over the rapid passage of life, yet during his second northern expedition, it also carried the ambition of establishing great achievements and accomplishing monumental tasks.

Deng She did not read extensively, but he knew this quote. A ripple stirred in his heart, and he glanced at Hong Jixun. At a time like this, why quote this allusion? Hong Jixun, feeling the sentiment lingering, chanted in a low voice:
"In former years we planted willows, lingering by the southern river;
Now we see them withered and fallen, sorrowful by the river's bank.
Even trees are thus; how much more so must it be for man?"

These lines were from Yu Xin's *Rime on the Withered Tree* (*Kushu Fu*). Deng She had never heard of it before, but the meaning within the rime was clear. He smiled and said, "At the end of autumn and the beginning of winter, all things wither in the cycle of the four seasons. Though you possess great talent, sir, you ultimately cannot shake off the habits of a scholar."

His words carried a teasing tone. Hong Jixun leaned on his saddle with deep emotion and said, "Man living between heaven and earth is merely like a white horse passing a crevice—all too fleeting. Some say the dead become ghosts, yet the Master did not speak of ghosts, gods, strange forces, or disorder. A person's life lasts only a few decades. In this turbulent age, the foul Tartar Yuan has plagued the Central Plains for a century; if a man of great ambition cannot establish achievements, rise swiftly to prominence, enjoy life today, and leave a renowned name for posterity, he truly lives in vain."

What did establishing achievements mean? What did rising swiftly to prominence mean? Deng She's smile paused slightly, but he immediately acted as if he had not grasped the deeper meaning, merely echoing the sentiment: "That is indeed true. When I was in Liaoyang, Grand Councillor Guan asked the generals about their lifelong aspirations, and I was deeply moved."

"And the General's aspiration?"

"He asked, and I spoke," Deng She said helplessly, adding, "Unfortunately, I've forgotten." He shook his head repeatedly, "Too much wine leads to mistakes, too much wine leads to mistakes."

Hong Jixun was startled, then burst into laughter. "Whether you remember or forgot, it doesn't matter. No matter what the General said, Old Guan can barely protect himself now; there is no need to pay him any mind."

Talking and laughing, the group arrived at the official residence. The soldiers who accompanied them back were assigned places to settle down. As the highest military and political commander, Deng She's primary task naturally was to handle the Jurchen rebellion and listen to reports on military and political affairs over the past few months from Hong Jixun, Wu Henian, Zhang Daier, and others.

The Jurchen rebellion might have seemed difficult to handle, but once subjective emotions were removed and objective, clear-headed analysis was applied, it became easy to manage. This was precisely Hong Jixun's forte; by the time the rebellion had just been quelled, his thoughts were already fully matured.

His opinion coincided with Deng She's: they could not slaughter everyone; they must punish the ringleaders and pardon the coerced accomplices. The heads of Zhao Xiaosheng and others had already been severed, while dozens of lesser rebel officers whose fates hung in the balance between execution and pardon had all been retained by Hong Jixun for Deng She to decide.

Deng She carefully inquired into the family backgrounds of these individuals, selected a dozen or so whose ties to the major Northern Jurchen tribes were weak, and had them executed on the spot.

With the officers dealt with, the thousands of captives remained. "How shall the General dispose of them?"

Execution was out of the question, and keeping them all was impossible. The best strategy was to borrow a knife to kill. Deng She instructed, "Among the captives, those without brothers should be dispersed and sent home; those with brothers where all brothers are in the army should have the youngest sent home; the rest should be shuffled, reorganized, and sent to Zhao Guo after some time to garrison Gaizhou."

Those without brothers were extremely rare—perhaps one in ten—and those with all brothers in the army were similarly few. Dispersing them home would not weaken their strength while conveying an image of benevolence to others, which would at the very least lower their guard and anxiety, dissolving a portion of their rebellious psychology.

This was a show put on for the Jurchens to see. Putting on a good show didn't fill bellies, however; solid, substantive work still had to be done. Deng She asked, "How many troops in total came to reinforce Shuangcheng?"

Zhang Daier replied respectfully, "Including my own division, a total of six thousand men came from various cities; a little less than half of them only arrived recently."

The military forces of Shuangcheng, combining new and veteran recruits, nominally numbered one hundred thousand; why did only six thousand come? The various garrisoned cities required forces and could not be stripped bare; most of the movable troops had been dispatched to the south to prevent the Goryeo people from making trouble. Therefore, very few actually came to reinforce Shuangcheng.

Deng She nodded at him without speaking further, his eyes revealing an expression of approval, which served as praise for the letter he had sent earlier to report the news. Hong Jixun and the others did not quite understand, but Zhang Daier understood. He bowed and said, "Whenever the General gives an order, I will brave boiling water and tread on fire. Please give your commands, General."

"The Jurchen tribes relocated to our Northern Guan jurisdiction must be strictly guarded. In areas where Jurchen tribes gather, strengthen the garrisons of all cities. Border areas and cities bordering the northern Jurchen ancestral lands must be defended even more strictly. As for how to deploy troops, which ones to deploy, how many are needed, and from where they should be drawn, draft a plan and bring it to me."

"Understood," Zhang Daier acknowledged, accepting the command.

Among the garrison commanders of various towns, he was only a relatively important one. In terms of status, he could not compare to Wen or Chen, nor to Zhao Guo, and he was even inferior to veteran generals like Luo Guoshi, Li Heshang, and Guan Shirong. Strengthening the borders and garrisons everywhere was a major engineering project; logically speaking, drafting this plan should never have fallen to him. Yet Deng She handed the task to him in front of everyone, which seemed to portend that Zhang Daier's status within the army would soon experience a significant elevation.

Looking at Zhang Daier again, the others harbored envy, incomprehension, and thoughtful contemplation.

Having dealt with the rebels, Deng She had not yet decided how to dispose of Tong Doulan, so he temporarily set the matter aside. Hong Jixun and Wu Henian briefly reported on the recent situation in Shuangcheng to give Deng She a preliminary impression, leaving specific details for the following day. As dusk fell outside the hall, Hong Jixun prepared a banquet. Everyone left the main hall and, like stars surrounding the moon, escorted Deng She to the feast.

Aside from them, many other high-ranking civil and military officials who had no share in welcoming Deng She—such as Luo Lilang from the Chief Administrator's Office—also attended the banquet. The feast was prepared at the finest restaurant in the city, which had long been secured by soldiers. When Deng She climbed to the upper floor and looked around, it was indeed luxurious and extravagant.

It was hard on Hong Jixun; in the bitter cold of Shuangcheng, freshly emerging from the fires of war, rare delicacies were not unusual, and there were even specialty dishes originating from the Central Plains and Jiangnan. One could only wonder where he had managed to source them.

However, Hong Jixun had always been like this, living a life of fine food and clothing, a habit Deng She had long since grown accustomed to. Many people had filed petty complaints against him—such as Wu Henian and others—accusing him of abusing his power for personal gain or using Chen Zhen to trade with Shandong to procure rare treasures and beauties. Deng She had known of this for a long time and thus felt no surprise, surmising that the rare ingredients at the banquet all originated from his personal estate.

Among the attendees were three or four unfamiliar faces to Deng She. Hong Jixun introduced them one by one; they were all literary scholars and famous figures he had gathered from various regions over the past few months. Except for one Goryeo person, they were all Han Chinese, waiting for Deng She's appointment. Deng She's thirst for talent was now truly akin to the Duke of Zhou spitting out his food to greet scholars, and he was overjoyed. They met and conversed very happily. Based on Hong Jixun's recommendations, those with military talent were assigned to the army, while those with civil administration talent entered the Chief Administrator's Office or various local government offices.

In short, the banquet was filled with joy. Hong Jixun, Wu Henian, and even Yao Haogu took turns stepping forward to congratulate Deng She on utterly defeating Gao Jianu and projecting his might across Liaodong. Yao Haogu's expression, however, was somewhat strange, as if he had words he wished to swallow.

Deng She had drunk a fair amount of wine and smiled, asking, "Is Master Yao worried about Master Fang? Rest assured, Master Fang is accompanying Commander Mao and is completely safe."

Yao Haogu forced a dry laugh. "It's not that I'm worried about Fang Buzhen..." He glanced around, noting the bustling crowd, and said, "I wonder if the General has time tomorrow? This humble subordinate wishes to pay a formal visit. Ah, it has been so long since we last met, and I have missed the General dearly. We can take the opportunity to catch up on what has happened."

How could Deng She not know what "happenings" he wanted to discuss? It was nothing more than urging him to send troops to Liaoyang. He let out a hearty laugh and said, "What formal visit? That's far too courteous. If Master Yao wishes to come and chat, I welcome it anytime."

Hong Jixun coughed, interrupting their conversation. At that moment, the banquet below was in full swing. Eighty percent of the attendees were military generals, many of whom had started out as mountain bandits and were as familiar with Deng She as family. Unrestrained and uninhibited, these burly men were shouting wine-guess games and making a ruckus, paying no attention to the few of them.

Hong Jixun said, "Upon entering the city today, the General seemed somewhat dismissive of Zhao Temur?"

Deng She had一直 been puzzled by this question without having the chance to ask. Hong Jixun bringing it up voluntarily immediately captured his interest. He said, "Killing one's foster father to preserve one's own life is truly not a human act. Given your temperament, sir, you surely would not forgive such an intolerable behavior. I have been wondering why you kept him alive instead of executing him."

Hong Jixun smiled, glanced sideways at Yao Haogu, and whispered close to his ear: "To pacify Liaodong, this man may yet prove immensely useful."