When they left, over a hundred thousand men marched with imposing might.
When they returned, only two thousand remained, dispirited.
Helian Heng and his retinue, arriving back at Jian Ge, were each gaunt, their hair disheveled. Even Nong Yue, usually so composed, had a shaven head that was smeared with grime.
The three families had dispatched a combined force of 170,000 men, only to suffer tens of thousands of casualties at Liang Xiao's hands.
Those who survived were either traitors or had perished in the army mutinies caused by the camp sickness.
"If only this general had seen through Liang Xiao's schemes earlier, we would not have faced this calamity today!" Helian Heng gritted his teeth.
The King of Brocade Robes and Chan Master Nong Yue exchanged a glance, suppressing their burning resentment, and remained silent.
This was Helian family territory. Their own forces had been almost annihilated. If they were to descend into infighting, not only might Jian Ge fall, but their very lives would be in jeopardy.
"This general will compensate both of you. We shall defend Jian Ge steadfastly until Liang Xiao's supplies run out and he is forced to retreat. Then, we shall conscript men from Xichuan to replenish our ranks! We will also extort wealth from the populace to finance our war efforts!" Helian Heng, having calmed down and analyzed the situation, made his promises.
The King of Brocade Robes and Chan Master Nong Yue managed a strained smile and nodded.
Due to the army mutinies, they had been unable to bring away any provisions.
The total provisions for 170,000 men, barring any unforeseen circumstances, would have been captured by Liang Xiao!
Xiao Feng, the young lord of Brocade Robes, who had remained silent, interjected, "The most pressing matter now is to hold Jian Ge. If Jian Ge falls, Xichuan will also be lost!"
"This place is a natural fortress. Even if Liang Xiao were given ten years, he could not breach it!" Helian Heng stated gravely.
The King of Brocade Robes narrowed his eyes, displeased. "Has the Helian family patriarch not learned his lesson? What is impossible in front of Liang Xiao? Was it impossible to defend Luzhou? Was it impossible to defeat the Barrens? Was it impossible to march to Hanzhong?"
Helian Heng, finding himself at a loss, muttered, "You speak the truth... But Jian Ge is sufficient for defense. It cannot be conquered by mere strategy and armament. You may rest assured!"
The others, understanding the formidable nature of Jian Ge, said no more and returned to their respective lodgings to rest.
Helian Heng ascended the city wall, gazing north, his voice trembling.
"If only I had heeded the Grand Tutor's words!"
The Grand Tutor he spoke of was the former Grand Tutor, Gongyang He, who had maintained close ties with the Helian family. He had advised Helian Heng not to be hasty, urging him to hold Jian Ge and wait for turmoil to arise in the Great Gan before marching on Hanzhong to establish himself as emperor.
However, upon learning that Liang Xiao had marched on Liaodong, and with Lu Yi still entangled with the Guishuang Dynasty in the western and western regions, Helian Heng had become restless, eager to seize this rare opportunity...
"Gongyang Qiu, the Grand Tutor's eldest son, who inherited his father's full mantle, is still in Xichuan, correct? Send someone to invite him quickly!"
Meanwhile, Liang Xiao was fortifying his encampment on the spot and simultaneously dispatching men to seal off Jinniu Pass and Micang Pass, to prevent the enemy from taking a detour and launching a surprise attack on Hanzhong, which could trigger a rebellion among the surrendered soldiers there.
These were two vital routes from Hanzhong into Xichuan, and naturally, also the routes from Xichuan into Hanzhong.
Liang Xiao and the enemy forces had clashed on Jinniu Pass.
While the initial victory was cause for joy, Jian Ge presented a truly insurmountable challenge.
"I wonder how things are on the Jiangnan front? They should be able to threaten Chengdu, shouldn't they?" Liu Fan sighed beside him.
Including Liu Fan, Liang Xiao had eighteen strategists. Mo Hongming was dispatched to pacify Liaodong, three were sent to Jiangnan to assist Zhuo Ying, four were sent to the western regions to aid Lu Yi, four were managing various northern territories, and the remaining six were with Liang Xiao's army.
However, faced with the natural defenses of Jian Ge, they and Liang Xiao felt utterly perplexed, and no one dared to offer hasty suggestions.
Attacking a strategic point like Jian Ge would come at the cost of countless soldier's lives.
Its formidable terrain meant it could not be easily taken through mere battlefield formations.
No one understood better than Liang Xiao that both here and in his homeland, Jian Ge was the only pass in the age of cold weapons that had never been directly breached, a testament to its formidable nature...
"Reward the army, and on an auspicious day, we shall break the pass!"
Liang Xiao's command was followed. The army slaughtered livestock and began their rest and recuperation.
Yue Yun, who had accompanied Liang Xiao on the campaign in Xichuan, inspected the military camp with Yue Qing Tian and others, feeling deeply moved.
Everything was in order for the Great Gan soldiers. There were no complaints; instead, their morale was soaring.
In contrast, while Helian Heng was considered adept at military strategy, more than half of his troops had harbored unspoken resentment.
And the Huichun Sect, the Sun Moon Army... these so-called allied forces, though regular troops, were even inferior to Helian Heng's own, clearly indicating that the King of Brocade Robes and the leader of the Huichun Sect were less skilled in training soldiers and fighting than Helian Heng.
Faced with such a crushing defeat, Helian Heng no longer had the capital to boast of his military acumen!
Yue Yun knew that by pledging allegiance to Liang Xiao, he had made the right choice. In the future, he would surely achieve great deeds and bring honor to his ancestors alongside Liang Xiao.
However, with this seemingly insurmountable natural fortress blocking their path, anyone would be at a loss.
At this moment, Liang Xiao was also inspecting the military camp, offering words of encouragement to his soldiers.
He could not ascertain when he would be able to return to the capital and could only pray that Xiao Qing and Zhuo Yun would both have a safe childbirth.
Pacifying Xichuan was the best assurance he could offer his wife and children!
In the capital, the Medical Sage Mu Xueqin was performing her routine check-up on Xiao Qing. Seeing Xiao Qing's growing belly, she also felt a surge of nervousness.
"His Majesty appears to be carrying twins, there's no doubt about it!"
Xiao Qing's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Zhuo Xun's significantly smaller belly and bit his lip, managing a faint smile. "This is a joyous occasion..."
Mu Xueqin could only offer words of comfort, her heart filled with worry.
Throughout history, if twins were safely born, it was naturally a good omen, even considered auspicious.
For example, the founding emperor and the King of the East Sea of the Great Heng Dynasty, the Emperor of Great Zhou and the Martial Saint of Great Zhou...
But the premise was a safe delivery.
Yet, as a physician, no one understood better than Mu Xueqin, the Medical Sage, how much greater the risks were for twins compared to a single birth. Therefore, carrying twins often filled expectant mothers with dread...
One day, Xiao Qing, still uneasy about state affairs, instructed Ding Wuyi to seek out Wang Canghai to discuss the matter of the Three Ducal Ministers.
Grand Tutor Dugu Qun and Grand Tutor He Wanli had both resigned, leaving three vacancies for the Three Ducal Ministers.
The Three Ducal Ministers might differ from one dynasty to another, and even from one emperor to another.
However, posts like Grand Commandant, Grand Minister of Works, and Grand Minister of Agriculture, with their fluctuating powers, made positions like Grand Tutor, Grand Protector, and Grand Tutor the more stable choices for the Three Ducal Ministers.
Wang Canghai and Zhuo Zifang, as the most qualified candidates, both declined the appointments. The other senior officials naturally dared not accept them.
However, Xiao Qing insisted on establishing new Three Ducal Ministers to show his favor.
After much deliberation and nomination, Gu Hong, the Minister of Revenue, was appointed Grand Tutor, and Huang Xing, the Minister of Works, was appointed Grand Tutor.
Liu Qingping, who returned to the capital from Qiantang, having served with integrity, succeeded Dugu Yuncheng's vacant post as Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince.
Representatives from the families that supported the imperial authority received honorary titles, clearly indicating the emperor's intention to appease them and not suppress them as he had the aristocratic clans.
The prerequisite was that the Great Gan Dynasty would no longer see the rise of aristocratic clans, and for the scions of various families to become officials, they would primarily rely on the imperial examinations. The court would also periodically hold new "National Talent Selection" events.
With the aristocratic clans no longer disrupting the capital, it was more stable than ever.
The eyes of the entire realm were focused on Liang Xiao, who was leading the campaign to pacify Xichuan.
Three days later, the scouts dispatched by Liang Xiao returned with their reports.
"Marshal, it matches the contents of the map, with little deviation!"
Liang Xiao and his soldiers looked at the map on the table, their expressions grave.