Chapter 4, The True Intention

But we have scolded the Chancellor severely, truly deserving of a thousand deaths. I... I do not even know how to apologize to the Chancellor?" With a face full of stubble, Wu Longqi cried like a child, wiping his tears as he spoke to He Kang. Ling Zhen was also crying uncontrollably, unable to articulate his words, and could only nod repeatedly at He Kang, indicating that he wanted to say the same thing as Wu Longqi. Both Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi genuinely regretted having scolded Jia Sidao so harshly. However, what they did not know was that the Jia Sidao before them was no longer the same as the one from before. If it had been the previous Jia Sidao, their heads would have likely been delivered to Kublai Khan long ago.

Meanwhile, in a secret tent of the Song army's rear camp, Wu Longqi and Ling Zhen were utterly bewildered. Not long ago, Jia Sidao had ordered his personal guards to drag them out of the main tent for execution. The guards did indeed pull them out of the inner tent, but in the corridor between the inner and outer tents, which was specifically designated for storing tea, food tables, and other miscellaneous items, the Qing soldiers escorting them hid them around the corner of the corridor. They then brought out two large men, tightly bound and gagged, who had already been dressed in tattered Song army uniforms, their faces and bodies smeared with blood and dirt. If one were to look closely without cleaning them up, they would appear almost identical to Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi. The guards said nothing as they dragged the unfortunate men out of the outer tent and executed them, then returned with their severed heads to the inner tent to report. Meanwhile, Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi were secretly brought to this hidden tent to stay, given clean clothes, and not only were they provided with medicine but also treated to fine wine and meat. All of this was simply unbelievable to Wu Longqi and Ling Zhen, leaving them filled with confusion.

"The Prime Minister has a brilliant plan, and I, as a subordinate general, am willing to be the vanguard!" Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi jumped up again, eager to request orders from He Kang. However, Chen Yizhong frowned and raised an objection, saying: "Your Excellency, please forgive me for speaking candidly. Although this plan is clever, I fear it will be extremely difficult to succeed."

"When will the Prime Minister take action? What action is the Prime Minister preparing to take?" He Kang, having read some historical texts, understood that those in power are most wary of their subordinates guessing their thoughts, and with a sharp gaze, he let out a cold snort. Chen Yizhong, being quite perceptive, immediately changed his words: "When the Prime Minister presents tribute to the Tatar prince, the Tatar prince will surely obediently lead his troops to withdraw across the Yangtze River and retreat back to the north"

"Rest assured, the two individuals who died for you were captured Tartar prisoners, two traitorous Han collaborators, and they deserved their fate." The curtain of the tent was pushed aside, and Jia Sidao, the right chancellor of the Southern Song Dynasty, who was reasonably good-looking but had a rogue-like demeanor, entered to answer Ling Zhen's question on behalf of Wu Longqi. Behind Jia Sidao followed Chen Yizhong, the Cloud Cavalry Captain, who was familiar to both Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi. He Kang first instructed Chen Yizhong to close the tent door properly, and then, feigning sincerity, he clasped his hands in front of the already dumbfounded Wu Longqi and Ling Zhen, saying: "You two generals have suffered. I did not inform you in advance about using your suffering as a ruse, which caused you to endure physical pain. Sidao feels deeply ashamed and hopes for your forgiveness."

If the two generals believe themselves to be guilty, then as a person of integrity, I shall grant you an opportunity to atone for your sins. He Kang smiled and slowly said: "On the battlefield, if you kill more Tartars for me, that would be considered a way to make amends to me"

"Sit down, sit down." He Kang pressed Ling Zhen and Wu Long back onto the hospital bed and said in a serious tone: "Do not misunderstand, my target is not Kublai Khan—do not dream of taking Kublai Khan's head; he is protected by two hundred thousand troops. My target is the Mongolian bastion of Huhuangzhou south of the Yangtze River. I plan to wait until the main force of the Mongols has retreated north of the Yangtze River, then concentrate all our forces to launch a surprise attack on Huhuangzhou, removing this thorn in one fell swoop! After that, we will use the natural defenses of the Yangtze River to hold our ground and gradually deal with Kublai Khan!" My target is the Mongolian bastion of Huhuangzhou south of the Yangtze River. I plan to wait until the main force of the Mongols has retreated north of the Yangtze River, then concentrate all our forces to launch a surprise attack on Huhuangzhou, removing this thorn in one fell swoop! After that, we will use the natural defenses of the Yangtze River to hold our ground and gradually deal with Kublai Khan!

Continuing, "It is quite disheartening to discover such a significant flaw in a plan that was so painstakingly devised. However, I still wish to hear about any other weaknesses in my strategy. Chen Yizhong first noticed that He Kang's face showed no signs of anger before continuing, 'The second point is even more critical. The cavalry in the enemy's forces is numerous and their mobility far exceeds that of our army. Additionally, some transport ships can ferry troops at any time, allowing them to cross the river and reinforce Huhuangzhou. If our army's surprise attack on Huhuangzhou does not succeed immediately, the main force of the enemy will inevitably retaliate. At that point, our army, which lacks strong land combat capabilities, will be at risk of being surrounded by the enemy's forces.'

The two generals are injured, please rise quickly. Chen Yizhong, assist the Prime Minister in helping the two generals to the bed. He Kang personally helped Ling Zhen back to the sickbed and seated him properly, while Chen Yizhong helped Wu Longqi onto the bed and brought a chair for He Kang to sit down. He Kang then gently spoke to the weeping Wu Longqi and Ling Zhen: "Both generals are loyal to the monarch and love the people, neither flattering the superiors nor deceiving the subordinates. The Prime Minister did not inform you of the truth beforehand, how can you be blamed? Moreover, without the genuine emotions expressed by both generals, how could the Prime Minister easily convince the Tatar envoy?" He Kang then gently spoke to the weeping Wu Longqi and Ling Zhen: "Both generals are loyal to the monarch and love the people, neither flattering the superiors nor deceiving the subordinates. The Prime Minister did not inform you of the truth beforehand, how can you be blamed? Moreover, without the genuine emotions expressed by both generals, how could the Prime Minister easily convince the Tatar envoy?"

"En Xiang, have you forgotten about our troops in Ezhou City?" Chen Yizhong laughed, "They number fifty thousand, and many of them are elite troops capable of fighting hard battles. If our suicide squad launches a surprise attack, can En Xiang not give them another order? Can Gao Da and General Lü Wende not mobilize their elite forces to assist En Xiang in attacking Huhuangzhou?" As he spoke, a fierce look flashed across Chen Yizhong's face, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "As long as we capture Huhuangzhou, we can immediately send reinforcements to Qingshiji. By then, the garrison in Huanggang will also have enough time to reinforce Qingshiji. We will launch a three-pronged attack on the Tatars reinforcing Huhuangzhou, and the Tatars will undoubtedly be defeated!"

"Three to four thousand people? The garrison of Huhuangzhou has as many as twenty thousand!" He Kang, Ling Zhen, and Wu Longqi were all taken aback, thinking that even if the elite soldiers were highly capable in combat, the disparity in troop strength was so great that it would still be a siege. Could they really capture the strategically important Huhuangzhou?

The general vowed, "I will definitely kill more Tatars to atone for my sins!" Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi, excited and disregarding their injuries, jumped up and asked He Kang in unison, "Prime Minister, please give the order. When shall we launch the counterattack? I am willing to lead the death squad to charge into the enemy camp and bring back Kublai Khan's head as a tribute to the Prime Minister!"

How should this be interpreted? Yi Zhong, please speak frankly. He Kang also knew that he lacked combat experience, and the plans he devised might not be flawless, so he quickly pressed Chen Yizhong for more details. Chen Yizhong, counting on his fingers, explained: "This plan has two flaws. The first is the concentration of all forces to attack Huhuangzhou. Although our army is vast with 130,000 troops, the size of the force is too large and the distance to Huhuangzhou is considerable. The movement of our army westward will inevitably be detected by the scouts of the Tatars, allowing the Tatar main force and the garrison of Huhuangzhou to prepare, thus failing to achieve a surprise attack. Even if the Tatar scouts do not detect us, our 130,000 troops are a mixed bag. From past battles, I dare say that there are Tatar spies among our ranks, which has led to our army being unprepared before we even move, giving the Tatars the opportunity to seize the initiative. Therefore, once our army mobilizes, the Tatar main force and the garrison of Huhuangzhou will certainly be able to prepare in advance.

Let's do it this way! He Kang was actually unaware of the situation on the battlefield; he simply made a decision based on intuition to adopt Chen Yizhong's plan—"In order not to die in the toilet, let's take a gamble on this." This was what He Kang thought in his heart, knowing the historical cause of Jia Sidao's death.

Rest assured, my lord, this realization was indeed made by the student himself, and not disclosed by anyone else. Moreover, based on the student's observations, there is no second person in our army who has discerned your true intentions. Chen Yizhong's response relieved He Kang; although He Kang had never been on the battlefield, he was already aware, from his limited knowledge of Southern Song history, of the significant differences between the land combat capabilities of the Southern Song army and those of the Mongol forces. While it might be possible to compensate for these differences through the development of new weapons and rigorous training of soldiers, it would require time. Therefore, He Kang was strict about keeping his plans confidential, taking great care to prevent any leaks that might allow the Mongol army to prepare. Chen Yizhong further flattered and comforted He Kang, saying: "My lord's strategy is truly brilliant. From my observations, the Mongol envoy Ahama has completely fallen for it. The Tatar prince Kublai, upon receiving his report, will certainly not be on guard against you. When you take action, you will surely catch the Tatars off guard."

In that case, is it no longer possible for us to launch a surprise attack on Hu Huangzhou?" He Kang's rogue-like face turned mournful, almost losing all hope. Ling Zhen then suggested, "Since that is the case, why doesn't the Lord wait until the main force of the Tartars has moved far away before launching a counterattack? The Tartar garrison in Hu Huangzhou only has twenty thousand men, and our forces are sufficient to annihilate them all.

Thank you for your promotion, I will never forget your kindness. Chen Yizhong was overjoyed and quickly bowed to He Kang in gratitude—assisting in military affairs beside Jia Sidao was even more prestigious than a three-level promotion, and it was also easier to gain wealth and power. He Kang then instructed, "Let us go and see Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi, and discuss how to present a generous gift to the Fourth Prince of Mongolia." Chen Yizhong understood the implication and eagerly agreed, "Your Excellency is wise, Generals Ling and Wu will certainly spare no effort to ensure that the gift is delivered well and sufficiently!" He Kang reiterated, "Let us go and see Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi, and discuss how to present a generous gift to the Fourth Prince of Mongolia." Chen Yizhong understood the implication and eagerly agreed, "Your Excellency is wise, Generals Ling and Wu will certainly spare no effort to ensure that the gift is delivered well and sufficiently!"

The student boldly speculated that the two patriotic and resolute generals were not executed by the Prime Minister! Instead, they were secretly protected by him! Before Chen Yizhong's words had finished, He Kang had already jumped up anxiously and asked, "Chen Yizhong, tell me honestly, is this something you figured out yourself? Or did someone tell you? Does anyone else know about this?"

"Brother Ling, who do you think is behind all this? Why go through so much trouble to rescue us?" Wu Long asked, puzzled, looking at Ling Zhen. Ling Zhen was even more confused than Wu Long. "How would I know? Could it be Jia Sidao? But if he wanted to save us, wouldn't it be easier to just order our release? Why go so far as to use someone else's head to impersonate us and send it to the Mongolian Tatars?" At this point, Ling Zhen nervously asked Wu Long, "Brother Wu, who do you think those two who died in our place were? They aren't also brothers from our army who opposed Jia Sidao's surrender, are they?"

"My lord, I believe the spy must be that bastard Yuan Jie!" Wu Longqi interjected in a coarse voice, "At that time, he and General Lü Wenxin defended Huhuangzhou together, while the enemy forces besieged Huhuangzhou so tightly that not even water could leak through. As a result, General Lü died in battle for his country, yet he managed to escape. Was General Lü not as brave and skilled in combat as he? There must be something fishy going on here!"

The Prime Minister not only needs to eliminate the thorn of Huhuangzhou, but also to hold back the main force of the Tartars, which is not without hope. Chen Yizhong smiled and said, "I believe the Prime Minister has already prepared the preliminary work very thoroughly. As long as the plan is slightly adjusted, it is possible to both launch a surprise attack on Huhuangzhou and hold back the main force of the Tartars!"

It turns out that the Prime Minister intended for us to use a strategy of self-harm to deceive the Tartars, making them lower their guard against us. Then, the Prime Minister would take the opportunity to launch a counterattack and strike the Tartars hard?" Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi were both surprised and delighted, repeatedly asking He Kang. He Kang smiled and first made a gesture for them to speak quietly, then nodded with a smile, acknowledging that Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi had guessed his true intention. Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi exchanged glances, then hurriedly crawled down from the sickbed and knelt before He Kang, bowing their heads. He Kang smiled and first made a gesture for them to speak quietly, then nodded with a smile, acknowledging that Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi had guessed his true intention. Ling Zhen and Wu Longqi exchanged glances, then hurriedly crawled down from the sickbed and knelt before He Kang, weeping bitterly, saying: "Prime Minister, I have wronged you, and even scolded you. I deserve to die a thousand deaths. Please punish me, Prime Minister."

You, this student, are quite impressive. He Kang chuckled, and having heard Han Zhen mention that Chen Yizhong had a good reputation in both the court and the public, He Kang felt inclined to recruit him. He initially thought of promoting Chen Yizhong but was unaware of the military ranks in the Southern Song army, nor did he know how to facilitate such a promotion. He Kang then changed his words: "From today onwards, you will specifically serve by my side, assisting me in handling military affairs."

It is not acceptable to allow Kublai Khan's main forces to move far away; I must keep Kublai Khan's main forces detained in Ezhou, preventing him from smoothly advancing north to contend for the Khan's position. He Kang resolutely rejected Ling Zhen's proposal, for although He Kang was an uneducated and mediocre university student, he clearly understood that the person capable of unifying all of China in the future was Kublai Khan, who was adept at winning over traitorous Han officials. At present, Kublai Khan had not yet ascended to the Khan's position, and this was He Kang's only opportunity to support the crumbling skyscraper of the Southern Song Dynasty—rather than allowing Kublai Khan to ascend to the Khan's position, it would be better to prevent other Mongols, who were not skilled in utilizing Han traitors, from becoming that worthless Genghis Khan. This way, it would be easier to deal with them—at least that was how He Kang wished to think.

"Do not panic, Longqi, let Yizhong finish speaking first." He Kang, who had just arrived in the Southern Song Dynasty for only one night, did not even know who Yuan Jie was, so naturally he did not dare to conclude who the traitor was based solely on Wu Longqi's words. Chen Yizhong continued: "The first two points are merely preliminary preparations, while the latter two are more decisive. The third point is that the envoy must allocate a fleet, led by a general, to ambush the Tatars' reinforcements at the Qingshiqi ferry. Our army excels in naval warfare, and there is hope in intercepting the enemy on the water. The fourth point is that the envoy should select brave and skilled soldiers to form a death squad, which will stealthily bypass and launch a surprise attack on Huhuangzhou during the night. This contingent should not be too large, and the main force must continue to be stationed at Huanggang to confuse the Tatars; otherwise, it will be easily detected by the garrison at Huhuangzhou. Based on my estimation, three to four thousand men would suffice.

What clever strategies does Yi Zhong have? Speak quickly!" He Kang was overjoyed and hurriedly asked Chen Yizhong. Chen Yizhong felt quite pleased to be valued so highly by the current Prime Minister, and he raised four fingers, slowly saying: "Your Excellency, I believe that as long as we accomplish four points, a surprise attack on Hu and Huangzhou could be successful. First, Your Excellency should continue to employ the strategy of feigning madness to deceive the main forces of the Tartars across the Yangtze River. Second, we must find a way to eliminate the Tartars' spies within our army. If we can capture them alive, that would be best, allowing the spies to send false intelligence to the Tartars, misleading their main forces further away and giving our army more time to prepare for the assault.