Chapter 56: What Joy, What Fortune

Liaodong is vast, but the tens of thousands of Liao people live in relatively concentrated areas. The forty thousand infantrymen, all mounted on horses for convenience, were dispatched to various villages and forts; with approximately 450,000 Liao inhabitants, each soldier was responsible for about a dozen people.

Of course, such a calculation is unnecessary—one man, the head of a household, suffices to represent his family. The forty thousand troops, divided into squads of thirty, outfitted with steel blades, bows, crossbows, and armor, could each oppose hundreds of unruly peasants.

The sounds of cavalry thundering past echoed across the fields and village edges throughout Liaodong today. With the royal decree issued, some rejoiced, others worried, and some scoffed indifferently.

Many scholar-landlords who still hesitated packed their belongings the moment they saw the royal command. Liaodong had fallen—better to leave their estates behind! Most landlords, nobles, officials, and scholars chose to depart, though a few elected to remain. These few either could not bear to leave ancestral lands, were unwilling to relinquish official positions, or dared not return to the lands of Yan and Yun.

The noble power in Liaodong had never been strong, and with most having already fled, the remaining landlords dared not oppose the new imperial policies. Soon, even their servants and retainers began joining the empire’s land redistribution movement.

The empire’s land reform caused little upheaval in northern Liaodong, but it sent ripples through the entire Kingdom of Yan. Small farmers naturally welcomed and anticipated the reform, though few commoners in Yan were aware of it. Even if rumors spread, Yan’s farmers regarded them as mere fantasy and gossip.

Since the great defeat in Liaodong, the atmosphere in Ji City seemed to have dimmed. When the fleeing landlords and scholars reached Ji and spread word of the northern reforms, the entire royal city revived.

Not long after the morning court, the delighted Lord Yan Chun hurried to the palace to report good news. Other ministers had to wait their turn to enter, but Lord Yan Chun’s carriage went straight in. It was often said that nothing is closer than mother and son or father and son, yet the relationship between the King of Yan and his brother was even closer than that with his own son, Yan Dan.

After ceding Liaodong, Yan became the laughingstock of the Six Kingdoms—even the dispirited Zhao people in the city began to ridicule Yan’s weakness. Since ancient times, Yan and Zhao produced heroes, but now, facing the northern barbarian army, the Yan people were resigned, silently enduring the scorn of the Zhao and Qi.

Disheartened, the King of Yan could only select new beauties to ease his sorrow.

“Your Majesty, Lord Yan Chun requests an audience.”

It was said that one does not enter the palace without reason; if it were bad news, Lord Yan Chun would rarely seek a personal audience.

“Let my brother in,” the King of Yan replied, not bothering to rise, still reclining on a beauty’s lap, eyes closed in repose.

Understanding the king’s displeasure, Lord Yan Chun sympathized deeply. To build the new Liaohai Pass, all of Yan had shown determination—even he, a lord, had to cut expenses.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty! Yan is safe, and there is hope for reclaiming lost lands!”

It had been long since he heard his brother’s laughter; the King of Yan opened his eyes to look.

“What cause for joy, brother? Is there unrest in the north?”

Lord Yan Chun shook his head, then smiled.

“Your Majesty, yesterday King Linbei issued several absurd decrees, causing the old officials and nobles of Liaodong to flee.”

Good! Excellent! This was the news the King of Yan longed to hear.

His spirits lifted, he sat up, awaiting the tidings. Secretly amused, the sly Lord Yan Chun even swallowed several times.

“Haha, brother, no need to rush; later these two beauties can accompany you back to your residence.”

The King of Yan was indeed planning to savor new delights.

Delighted, Lord Yan Chun raised his hand in salute.

“Your Majesty, the first of the four northern decrees is: King of the northern barbarians ordered the expulsion of scholars and nobles unwilling to serve; the second, the ignorant King commanded that peasants themselves select their team leaders, village heads, and township officials, and even required elders to establish county offices.”

Heh! Good! The King of Yan nodded with pleasure; the more absurd the northern king, the more excited he became.

Glancing at the beauties, Lord Yan Chun continued his sly smile.

“Most marvelous is the decree that confiscated the lands of landlord nobles; though distributed to the commoners, all are now state-owned, and private transactions are prohibited! Thus, the northern king won over the peasants and seized the land, but antagonized the gentry and nobility throughout the realm.”

Haha, splendid! The King of Yan slapped the table in delight.

“Now no one will serve the north—a barbaric nation can never earn the world’s recognition. Sadly, Liaodong will return to ignorance yet again!”

As for the matter of the Yanhuang Academy, Lord Yan Chun did not mention it. With the gentry all fled, the academy was but the northern king’s fantasy.

How fortunate! Let songs celebrate my ambition! The King of Yan was revitalized, brimming with energy.

“Come, bring music and beauties; I wish to drink and rejoice with my brother.”

Lord Yan Chun’s mouth watered, and he bowed repeatedly. With so many palace beauties, today he, Yan himself, would sample paradise ahead of time.

...

Although Yan Dan had been sent as a hostage to Zhao, the Six-Fingered Black Knight had not broken his promise. Now, half of the elite disciples of the Mohist school had arrived at Liaohai Pass. The Six-Fingered Black Knight dared not attack the northern king again, instead channeling his fury into construction.

Perhaps Yan’s generals were few; Qin Qing, fortunate enough to escape punishment, had become the commander of Liaohai Pass. Though the two nations had reached a peace agreement, Liaohai Pass still stationed eighty thousand elite troops, mostly Yan’s best soldiers. With another hundred thousand laborers, Liaohai Pass had become Yan’s foremost fortress.

On the city wall, Qin Qing frowned in displeasure; the noise below drifted up to him. A young man stood below, brow furrowed, face troubled.

To evade his junior apprentice sister and Gao Jianli’s interference, Jing Ke had gotten Gao Jianli drunk and dashed to Liaohai Pass overnight, intending to fulfill his promise to the northern king.

“Young hero Jing, only royal envoys may leave the city. Don’t make things difficult for me,” said the iron hammer giant, whose age was not far from Jing Ke’s, but looked more like Jing’s father! Now the giant was only a gate commander, tasked with preventing anyone from leaving the pass northward.

He knew Jing Ke, a close friend of Crown Prince Yan Dan, and recognized his martial prowess; otherwise, the giant would have acted already.

Jing Ke smiled bitterly—must he take a detour? But he could not turn back; Gao Jianli would surely be in pursuit.

“It’s you! Do you really intend to join the northern king?” Qin Qing also recognized Jing Ke; they had shared many drinks before.

Alas! Jing Ke did not wish to, but his words were already spoken. Yan Dan and the others had been released; he had thought of breaking the promise and staying with his junior apprentice sister, but the vow weighed on his heart—he could not sleep easily, nor enjoy his wine.

“General Qin, the northern king has already agreed; I, Jing Ke, am now his subordinate. Dare I ask if Yan intends to kill or obstruct the northern king’s men?”

Jing Ke knew that pleading was useless—he hoped only to intimidate them with the northern king’s name.

“You! Hmph!” The iron hammer giant glared at Jing Ke, knowing they would be enemies henceforth.

Many merchants and spies from various nations and factions lingered at Liaohai Pass, and Jing Ke’s words were overheard by many.

“Open the gate!” Without hesitation, Qin Qing chose to yield.

He dared not risk it, nor could the King of Yan. If the northern army found another pretext to attack while Liaohai Pass was still being constructed, Qin Qing would not have Wu Yangjing’s luck—he would be killed along with his whole family.

“Yes, sir!”

The iron hammer giant dared not defy the order; he too knew Yan could not afford to offend the northern army.

Jing Ke bowed in gratitude and quickly rode away.