13. Zhang Observes the Reinforcements Crossing the Border

“Rumor has it outside that you are the manifestation of Erlang Shen, able to divide waters and capture dragons, with the power to move mountains and fill seas.”

Li Rang, who usually ate at a leisurely pace, suddenly grew impatient as he spoke. What did he mean by saying Zhang Xun was Erlang Shen? Zhang Xun was indeed the second son, but what connection did he have with the divine lord?

“Li Bing, the second son of the Governor of Shu Commandery, built dikes to split the two rivers. It’s said in Shu that he had the ability to slay demons and control waters, to raise mountains and fill seas,” Lu Xiufu, sensing Zhang Xun’s ignorance, feigned a casual explanation.

“Huh?” Zhang Xun thought to himself, so that was the kind of Erlang Shen they meant.

“They also say you captured a vicious flood dragon and obtained two brilliant pearls—one large pearl absorbing the sun’s essence, the smaller one drawing in the moon’s radiance. These are the dragon’s internal elixirs,” Li Rang went on spinning his nonsense.

“Isn’t my elder brother returning to Wuxi soon?” Zhang Xun interrupted, stopping him from going on. The more he spoke, the more absurd it became.

“Yes, he’s coming back soon, but only for three to five days,” Li Rang chuckled, continuing as if nothing was amiss.

Having helped Lu Xiufu recruit five thousand soldiers equipped with white armor, Li Rang was naturally set to return to his home in Wuxi. Next year, Changzhou was to hold the imperial examination, coinciding with the spring exams of the tenth year of the Xianchun era. So, Zhang Xun’s maternal uncle had asked Li Rang to make some connections at the prefectural academy.

It wasn’t so much about studying literature or exchanging exam tips, but rather about meeting fellow townsmen and county mates who were also heading to Hangzhou for the spring exams, so they could travel together for safety.

The times were growing increasingly chaotic; Lake Tai was full of marauding bandits. The patrols from all sides, the inspectors of the two Zhe regions, all failed to bring order.

Sending hundreds of archers to protect exam candidates was out of the question. The best strategy was to gather dozens of fellow students from the same county, each with a small retinue of attendants, and set out together to strengthen their numbers.

Small groups of bandits, seeing a large convoy, dared not attack. After all, robbery involved risk and reward. In these times, even a minor wound could lead to fatal infections. Even larger gangs avoided clashing with well-armed caravans or large groups of travelers.

Li Rang had already informed Zhang Xun’s mother of this plan; she agreed wholeheartedly and even hoped to arrange a marriage within the Zhang clan for Li Rang.

Since Li Rang was born late, Zhang’s mother had already married off her two grown daughters, and another sister had died young. Otherwise, Li Rang and Zhang Xun would surely be closely related by marriage.

This was troublesome—Li Rang was cunning to have persuaded Zhang’s mother beforehand. Now, Zhang Xun could only watch as Li Rang continued his mysterious chatter right before him.

---

“And what of Elder Brother Danei?” Zhang Xun addressed Lu Xiufu more formally.

“The official duties in Liyang are complete, and the Ji Duke’s household is well,” Lu Xiufu replied, answering Zhang Xun’s question and reassuring Zhang’s mother.

The Ji Duke’s household referred to the family of the late Chancellor Zhao Zhongjing, whose given name was Kui. Zhang Xun’s second elder sister was married to Zhao Kui’s great-grandson, son of Zhao Huai, commander of the Wuwei Army.

At this time, Zhao Huai had retired and returned to his hometown, no longer commanding troops in the Two Huai regions. This was likely due to the fragmentation of Zhao Kui’s power after his death, much like Zhang Xun’s maternal uncle losing his position and failing to be reinstated after Zheng Qingzhi’s passing.

Learning that her daughter was well, Zhang’s mother merely nodded. Married daughters rarely returned home, and the distance between Liyang and Changzhou made frequent visits inconvenient.

After finishing breakfast, Zhang Xun set about tending to household affairs as usual.

Meanwhile, Li Rang packed to return to Wuxi for a few days. Lu Xiufu, having completed his official business, was to return to Runzhou to take command of the supply ships transporting the five thousand armored troops, accompanying Li Tingzhi to aid Xiangyang.

As Zhang Xun was busy with preparations, a messenger arrived with news: Zhang Shijie, the newly appointed Defense Commissioner of Hezhou, was leading five thousand troops to Yingzhou and would be staying overnight at Changzhou, requesting local assistance.

Ah, Zhang Shijie.

This was serious business. The court was urgently mobilizing troops to relieve Xiangyang, so Zhang Shijie’s conscription to the front lines was natural. With Li Tingzhi, the Two Huai envoy, already deployed, it was no surprise that Zhang Shijie, formerly commander of the Gaoyou Army, was summoned as well.

As for the Defense Commissioner title in Hezhou, it was purely honorary. The actual governance was handled by the prefect, not Zhang Shijie.

Upon hearing Zhang Shijie’s arrival, Lu Xiufu mentioned he would be traveling the same route and would not linger at Zhang Xun’s home. Understandably, Zhang Xun immediately arranged to purchase a hundred sheep to send to Changzhou as a gift for Zhang Shijie’s troops.

By chance, Zhang Xi was seen at the door. Instead of sending a servant to meet Zhang Shijie, Zhang Xun decided to dispatch a cousin to make a more formal impression. At least Zhang Xi was literate and knew how to behave properly.

With preparations underway, Zhang Xi set off with Lu Xiufu first, while Zhang Xun planned to meet the county elders later. A hundred sheep wouldn’t feed five thousand troops; more pigs and sheep needed to be purchased in the county seat to properly entertain Zhang Shijie.

According to the marching protocol of the time, the army rose before dawn and set out at first light, following an orderly sequence: scouts, vanguard, front army, center army, rear army, and the supply train—each step precise and without error.

---

By afternoon, the vanguard and front army would halt camp to await the rear troops. The army traveled only half a day at a time, with the remainder spent gathering firewood, fetching water, and constructing fortifications.

However, Changzhou lay within Song territory, so no fortifications were necessary. The troops could stay overnight in the Chongning Barracks within the city, simply pitching tents for rest.

As the local elders gathered, prominent families—Qian, Chen, Wang, Zhao—brought livestock for the troops. Maintaining army discipline was vital, of course. After providing for the soldiers and silencing Zhang Shijie’s complaints, Zhang Xun could then urge him to keep the troops confined to camp.

Upon reaching the county seat, Zhang Shijie had already arrived, with mid- and lower-ranking officials coordinating troop arrangements. Seeing Zhang Xi and Lu Xiufu beside him, Zhang Xun strode forward to pay respects.

Being a familiar brother and the one delivering the livestock, Zhang Shijie bore no ill will toward Zhang Xun despite his late arrival.

Once he learned that three hundred pigs and sheep had been gathered for the troops, and that firewood had been shipped in, Zhang Shijie nodded slightly. Yet his main gratitude went to Lu Xiufu, naturally, as he valued the prestige of this renowned Runzhou scholar of the Three Wu region.

No matter; Zhang Xun was simply here to observe Zhang Shijie’s demeanor. The man was rather stout—yet, stout notwithstanding, muscular. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, agile steps, and a booming voice marked him as a general who had risen from the ranks.

At least as commander of the Gaoyou Army, he was competent.

Leading more men was a matter of perspective, difficult to judge.

As for friendship, that was out of the question. Zhang Shijie would never surrender to the Yuan, while Zhang Xun, barring surprises, intended to do so. Forming ties now was pointless. They might meet again in the future, when Zhang Xun had already led his county’s people to surrender, barricading the city against Song forces, and Zhang Shijie would be cursing him from outside the walls as a traitor worse than swine and dogs.

Knowing what the future held, Zhang Xun decided to simply go through the motions now—observe proper etiquette, offer some gifts, and ask Zhang Shijie to restrain his troops. That was the purpose of his visit.