Chapter 01 Part 07 - The Past (1/2)
Chapter 01 Part 07 - The Past
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Far Eastern Army Fort Warren Staff Department
“Ah Xiu, do you realize why Yang Ming Hua promoted you straight to Deputy Commander? Luo Bo glanced at him with a gloomy expression, lacking any of the usual joy he should have when promoting one of his own men.
“Yes Sir, I do.”
“Oh?”
ZiChuan Xiu spoke with the same kind of seriousness: “It basically means… that I can start hiring a pretty doll like secretary too, for science of course and hiding alcohol in the office without fearing the inspection from the Ministry of Supervision!”
“d.i.c.khead, why don’t you use that head of yours for once and take a good look at the decree: It is ordered by Supreme Commander Yang Ming Hua!”
“So then…”
“You should know better than me what kind of person he really is, right?”
ZiChuan Xiu readily recited: “Our esteemed Supreme Commander Yang Min Hua, at work he is wise, decisive in battle, brilliant and shows great foresight; at home he is morally impeccable, in possession of a great character, kind to his men, strict with himself, lenient towards others, loved by all, loyal to a fault to the Head of the family and most importantly, he is completely selfless as he always puts the family interest above his personal gain. No matter whether it is his kindness, wisdom or bravery, he can be seen as the role model for every soldier in the Army in service of House ZiChuan. He has my utmost respect! We are blessed by G.o.d to have someone like him amongst us, may he live forever, his contribution to the cause has been…”
Luo Bo interrupted him: “Enough, I don’t have “Eyes and Ears” around here, you may speak your mind.”
ZiChuan Xiu revealed his signature smile of innocence again: “What do you mean, Sir? Those were the words from the bottom of my heart. Please believe me Sir, my love and admiration for the Supreme Commander is coming from the bottom of my heart…”
Luo Bo stared at him, eyes unflinching, trying to detect the slightest hint of pretentiousness in his smile… “ZiChuan Xiu’s smile” later became a common idiom used to describe people like sales agents or insurance companies making false promises. And like always, Luo Bo was left empty handed.
“I hope you haven’t forgotten what happened seven years ago.”
…
Imperial Calendar, Year 771 March, House Liu Feng launched a large scale invasion against House ZiChuan. The Army of House Liu Feng took a hidden path and circ.u.mvented Border Army’s defence lines, appearing undetected outside the walls of the Capital. The former Head of the Family, ZiChuan Yuan Xing thought it was a small group of enemy separated from their main force, instead of waiting for the reinforcements, he attacked with the Central Army and Imperial Guard Army stationed inside the Capital. The result was a b.l.o.o.d.y ma.s.sacre that almost completely annihilated the Central Army and Imperial Guard Army. The death toll numbered over eighty thousand and ZiChuan Yuan Xing was gravely wounded during the battle as well. Only then did they find out, the ambush was led by the heir to the House Liu Feng, the cunning and calculated Liu Feng Xi Shan. His forces numbered over hundred-thirty thousand!
Liu Feng Xi Shan believed the outcome to be certain, thus instead of trying to breach the thick walls of the Capital, he divided his remaining forces in two and sent fifty thousand back to encircle the Border Army while leaving fifty thousand infantry to besiege the Capital. The Far Eastern Army at the time found themselves at a critical juncture in the war against the Demons, while both the Border Army and Black Banner Army were pinned down by the Army of House Liu Feng. With barely any able bodies and capable generals left inside the Capital, and no help on the way, fear overwhelmed the City. Everyone thought that was the end of House ZiChuan!
With Far Eastern Army Commander Ge Ying Xing’s acquiescence, (He was also the Princ.i.p.al of the Far Eastern Army Academy) ZiChuan Xiu who was only a student at the time, used “Military Exercise” as an excuse and led a group of 800 Calvary trainees back to the capital, where he got to see his stepfather ZiChuan Yuan Xing for the last time.
After Yuan Xing’s death, the House was left in disarray. The Council of Elders, the House of Headmaster, the High Command and the Army Administrative Office all blamed each other, and while denying their own responsibility. They each advocated their own plans which they believed would save the House from its imminent destruction, but could not agree on a single course of action. Endless votes were taken, and countless conferences, debates and elections were held, but no one knew how to handle the fifty thousand menacing Liu Feng soldiers outside the city walls. In a sudden burst of rage, ZiChuan Xiu led the 800 Calvary trainees he brought back from the frontlines and instigated a coup, seizing power and control of the House of Headmaster, the High Command, Army Administrative Office and other military sites of strategic importance. After seizing operational control, he immediately gave out the emergency order to every commander in every garrison; ordering them to return to the Capital within the month, which was impossible of course. Even if they did, after dealing with the ambushes on the way back, there wouldn’t be much of an army left by the time they arrived. Not to mention the other Liu Feng forces they would have freed up in the process.
Everyone in the Liu Feng camp laughed hysterically at the new Headmaster of House ZiChuan, an eleven year old child who just gave the order to send every last one of his men to their doom. The laughter continued till that dreadful night, the same night the orders were given. 800 riders under ZiChuan Xiu’s command snuck into the main camp of Liu Feng Army wearing their uniforms. Once inside, they set the camp alight, killing and spreading rumours that the main force of Far Eastern Army has arrived and all of House ZiChuan’s forces have gathered, over a million strong in total!”
The Army of Liu Feng woke up into a nightmare of fire and swords… they couldn’t possibly have put up an effective defence… not that there was a way they could have defended in the first place. Everyone was wearing the same uniform and the one shouting: “Don’t attack! We are on your side, the enemies are over there!” was often the one stabbing you in the back… Under such situation where one could not separate friend from foe, the only way to survive was to be the first one to strike. As a result, over half of the twenty thousand casualties the Army of Liu Feng sustained that night, was due to friendly fire.
Even Liu Feng Xi Shan himself only barely escaped with his life. He had hoped to able to regroup and counter attack when the light dawned, but before he could gather his forces, ZiChuan Xiu’s riders had already appeared. Another battle later, the defeated army was defeated once more. Later that night, Liu Feng Xi Shan tried again, hoping to regain control of his scattered forces and yet again, just when his forces were about to gather, the hooves of the pursuing riders sounded behind them…
The exact same scenario happened seven times!
By the eighth time, Liu Feng Xi Shan’s forces have already retreated to the border of the two houses. Waiting in front of them, was the three hundred thousand vengeful and angry soldiers of the Border Army of House ZiChuan, and behind them, was the ferocious pursuing riders led by ZiChuan Xiu… He would rather kill himself than to face ZiChuan Xiu again. The only reason he escaped alive that day, was due to his daughter, Liu Feng Shuang’s reinforcement, and a little bit of luck… Many war historians later believed that if ZiChuan Xiu was allowed to continue his pursuit, even with Liu Feng Shuang’s reinforcement, Liu Feng Xi Shan wouldn’t have been able to escape, even less inheriting the seat of House Liu Feng on his return.
But the two hundred thousand soldiers brought here by Liu Feng Xi Shan did not have such a daughter or luck, less than one third of them made it back alive.
On the side of House ZiChuan, the victor fared even worse than the loser. ZiChuan Xiu had hoped to be received by pretty girls with flowers, but instead, all he got was a rude awakening in the middle of the night during his pursuit, and to find out that his personal guards had all been disarmed. His entire camp was surrounded by a sea of Military Constables from the Ministry of Supervision and if he had so much as moved a muscle, he would have been executed on the spot…
A rather well mannered Constable shamelessly informed him: “By Supreme Commander Yang Ming Hua’s order, you have been accused of “Inciting a mutiny”, “Insubordination”, “Unlawful force deployments” and “Intentional misconduct”. Therefore you have been removed from active duty, effect immediately. You have the right to remain silence, and you have the right to appeal at the Court Martial.
Every one of those crimes was punishable by death.