Chapter 13: Shrewd or Foolish?

"Uncle Wu, do you still remember the great battle we fought here?"

"Of course I do. The blood of our Dragon Army stained the city walls and soaked half the river."

Back then, Dragon Ye and his five sons led the Dragon Army in a fierce assault on Linjiang City. The Empress was at the height of her power, and Eastern Zhou was formidable. After that brutal battle, Dragon Ye was gravely wounded, and even the Empress was injured. Eastern Zhou withdrew from Linjiang City.

From that day on, the great river became the border between Eastern Zhou and Southern Liang.

"Isn’t it a bit ironic? We fought with all our might to seize Linjiang City from Eastern Zhou, and now we must take it back from Southern Liang."

Dragon Chen spoke with solemnity.

Wu Jian's voice was filled with hatred. "That scoundrel Li Chengdao framed our Dragon Army. This is just the beginning of our revenge."

Li Xiannan arrived with his personal guards to welcome them. Princess Di Luoxi greeted him cheerfully, "General Li, you’re looking younger by the day."

Li Xiannan replied with a laugh, "The princess is the true beauty here, like an immortal descended to earth."

Li Xiannan was the loyal general of the Fourth Princess, Di Luoxi; their relationship was extraordinary.

"Princess, who are these two gentlemen?" Li Xiannan had never met Dragon Chen and Wu Jian, but their uncommon bearing aroused his curiosity.

Qingyue introduced them. "This is the renowned Long Cheng'en, the scholar who bested Yu Shinan in literary debate at Daming Palace."

Li Xiannan burst out laughing. "So it’s him! What a pity—he's quite a handsome fellow, but a eunuch nonetheless."

Dragon Chen’s lips twitched slightly; the identity of a eunuch was indeed awkward.

The army entered the city. Di Luoxi and Li Xiannan immediately summoned the generals to discuss the assault on Linjiang City.

In the main hall, Di Luoxi sat at the center with Li Xiannan at her side, the other officers standing nearby. Dragon Chen took a seat next to Di Luoxi, with Wu Jian standing behind him.

Pointing to the sand table before them, Li Xiannan said, "On the other side of Linjiang City, Shangguan Xiu commands a force of one hundred thousand from the Celestial Might Legion—twenty thousand inside the city, eighty thousand outside."

"The southern approaches to Linjiang City have already been stripped bare. Some of the civilians have been evacuated, but most remain."

Di Luoxi asked, "How many troops are there in Fishing City? Are the tower ships prepared?"

Fishing City and Linjiang City were separated by a great river; a fleet of large vessels was essential for the assault.

Li Xiannan replied, "Fifty thousand. The tower ships have been readied; we have thirty large tower ships and five hundred smaller boats."

Ever since the Dragon Army took Linjiang City, Eastern Zhou had been preparing to reclaim it. Their tower ships were moored at the port, something Southern Liang was well aware of.

Di Luoxi nodded. "The army will rest for three days. In three days, we attack!"

Dragon Chen sat in silence, and Wu Jian shook his head slightly.

Li Xiannan went to relay the orders, while Di Luoxi took Dragon Chen into her bedchamber. Fishing City had its own palace.

Once inside, Di Luoxi spread her arms and said, "Little Dragon, help your princess remove her armor."

Dragon Chen stepped forward, unfastened the silk cords, and removed her breastplate and backplate, then took off her boots. Di Luoxi had a fondness for plum blossoms; her close-fitting trousers and stockings were embroidered with them, accentuating her long, shapely legs.

If those legs were clad in black silk, they would be perfection itself.

"What are you staring at?" Di Luoxi noticed Dragon Chen had drifted into a daze. She pressed her long leg against his navel, rubbing it teasingly. "Do you like my legs that much? Too bad you’re a eunuch, otherwise…"

Dragon Chen set her boots aside and replied, "Otherwise, you’d have gouged out my eyes and chopped off my head by now."

Di Luoxi giggled. "As long as you know. Our family’s women have no need for men."

It was said that the Empress conceived after drinking celestial dew, without ever marrying. None of the four princesses required men.

Dragon Chen hung up her clothes. Di Luoxi wore only a thin garment, reclining on her side atop the couch.

"Massage my shoulders."

She leaned lazily against Dragon Chen, her body outlined before him, skin as white as snow…

Dragon Chen kneaded her delicate shoulders as she asked, "Your knowledge of military strategy is unrivaled. What do you think of my deployment just now?"

He replied, "The princess must have her own considerations."

"So, you think my plan is flawed?"

Dragon Chen steadied his mind, his gaze drawn to the faintly trembling valley before him.

"Linjiang City’s northern side faces the river. The walls are fifteen meters thick, their outermost layer built with massive blue stone slabs. To deter scaling, the northern walls are not vertical but slope outward."

"The walls rise thirty meters high, equipped with catapults and giant crossbows. Should the tower ships approach, both would fire at once—enough to destroy the vessels."

"Two small fortresses surround Linjiang City, both built by Grand General Dragon Ye. Each can garrison ten thousand men. If the princess attempts a landing and encirclement, reinforcements from the forts can intervene—this is what’s called the pincer formation."

"Unless the princess commands a surprise force, a frontal assault is doomed to fail."

After listening, Di Luoxi turned to face Dragon Chen and demanded, "How do you know Linjiang City so well?"

Dragon Chen wanted to say: Of course I do. I built it myself.

"I am a native of Southern Liang. Since I study the art of war, I must be intimately familiar with all the key fortresses of the land."

"Anyone who studies military strategy and is ignorant of the nation’s terrain and strongholds is no true strategist."

Di Luoxi reclined again with a lazy smile. "You’re right. I have my own clever plan."

Dragon Chen had already guessed she wouldn’t resort to a senseless frontal assault.

"Princess, I also have a plan."

"Speak!"

"Please prepare the materials on this list. We’ll need them in due time."

Dragon Chen produced a slip of paper, on which was written: limestone, clay, iron ore.

"What do you need these for?"

"I have my own uses for them."

"How much?"

"As much as possible."

After a moment’s thought, Di Luoxi summoned Xuan Yi to arrange for their procurement.

Dragon Chen noticed Qingyue was nowhere to be seen.

As Di Luoxi drifted off under his ministrations, Dragon Chen covered her with a blanket.

Asleep, Di Luoxi was a rare beauty, exuding an enchanting aura that could drive any soul to the brink of feverish longing.

But as a eunuch, Dragon Chen could do nothing but steal a couple of glances before slipping out, drooling.

As soon as he left, Di Luoxi rolled over and muttered under her breath, "Damn eunuch."

Outside, Dragon Chen ascended the city wall, where Wu Jian was already waiting.

Across the river, the banner of the Shangguan family fluttered high, bearing the character "Might"—the personal standard of Shangguan Wei.

"Young General, the princess’s assault plan is too foolish," Wu Jian couldn’t help but remark as he gazed at the city opposite.

"I know. She knows too—she has her own plan."

Dragon Chen didn’t know what Di Luoxi intended, but if her plan failed, he would enact his own.

"Shangguan Xiu is no fool. He’ll be a tough opponent."

Shangguan Xiu was Shangguan Wei’s eldest son, more talented even than his father.

"He’s formidable, but this battle will be his defeat."

Dragon Chen smiled coldly, and Wu Jian answered with a mysterious grin.

"Shangguan Xiu married the Sixth Princess."

Wu Jian added suddenly.

Dragon Chen smiled. "What does that have to do with me? In Eastern Zhou, I have four princesses, all more beautiful than she is."

The Sixth Princess of Southern Liang, Li Yunjie, was once betrothed to Dragon Chen. After the Dragon Army was destroyed, Emperor Li Chengdao gave her to Shangguan Xiu, and they were now married.

Another man might have resented this loss, but to Dragon Chen, since Li Yunjie willingly followed Shangguan Xiu, there was no affection left to speak of.

Besides, the four princesses of Eastern Zhou were far more beautiful than Li Yunjie.

On the other side, at Linjiang City.

A general in a crimson cloak, wielding a great saber, stood atop the city wall, braving the biting wind as he stared at the assembled tower ships across the water.

This was Shangguan Xiu.