"The rebels have led a great army against Chaoge, their arrogance blazing high. If we stay behind our walls, we will only fan those flames. Our Great Shang has endured for over six hundred years. In ages past, our founding ancestor Cheng Tang was born of the Dark Phoenix, swept across the realm, and crushed Xia Jie. Why should we fear a mere band of rebels!"
That voice... was a woman's?
Lu Xiong took a few more steps and saw a female general clad in red armor, metal clinking with her every movement.
Was this Lady Huang of the Western Palace?
Lu Xiong and Huang Feihu were the closest of friends, so naturally he knew his younger sister.
Noble Consort Huang's given name was Feiying. Born into a military family, she had practiced martial arts since childhood and had a bold, unrestrained temperament. Lu Xiong had even taught her a few moves back then.
Huang Feiying had played no small part in how the Ballad of Mulan had instantly changed Huang Feihu's stance. She had always wanted to become a female general like Fu Hao or Mulan.
Huang Feiying surveyed everyone around her, paused, then declared sharply:
"Send the entire army out through all four gates and form ranks to meet the enemy!"
The generals remained silent.
A consort naturally had no authority to command them, but Consort Huang held King Zhou's jade pendant-the Dark Phoenix Jade Pendant. Seeing the pendant was as good as seeing the king himself.
Moreover, her elder brother Huang Feihu was the King of Wucheng Who Guards the Nation. Though he was now left to subsist on the northwest wind, he still wielded considerable influence in the army.
Lu Xiong, the one man who could rein Huang Feiying in, happened to be absent. Naturally, the generals did whatever she said.
In any case, this was hardly the first time a woman of Great Shang had commanded troops. King Zhou had also composed that poem, so he might very well have entrusted the army to Noble Consort Huang.
After all, rebels had emerged. Who could guarantee that every minister at court was loyal?
By comparison, the woman who shared his bed was more trustworthy. The Huang family's generations of loyalty and honor offered some assurance as well.
Huang Feiying continued:
"Eight hundred imperial guards will patrol the city. Any armored soldier found refusing to leave the city and fight will be executed!"
At those words, every general was startled. None had imagined that a woman could be so decisive. The severity of her military orders bore quite a resemblance to her brother's.
Perhaps our Great Shang has gained another Fu Hao?
Before they could catch their breath, Huang Feiying's spirited, heroic voice rang out again as she began assigning generals:
"The four gates are Chaoge's entrances. I will now dispatch generals to reinforce them. Anyone who loses a gate will be executed!"
"North Gate, Xu Gai!"
"East Gate, Chao Tian!"
"West Gate, Chao Lei!"
She stopped.
This was no ordinary pause, for everyone knew there was one gate she had not named: the South Gate.
According to the reports from the commanders guarding the four sides of the city, the rebels had massed most of their troops at the South Gate. Once fighting began, it would undoubtedly be the fiercest battlefield.
The rebel army was powerful. That was hardly a desirable posting.
They did not have to wait long, for Huang Feiying soon named the general who would reinforce the North Gate:
"South Gate, Huang Feiying!"
The generals froze. Who was that? There was no one by that name in the army!
Only a moment later did they understand, staring blankly at the female general in red armor.
Feihu and Feiying... could Huang Feiying be Her Ladyship herself?
Lu Xiong had been standing to one side, inwardly marveling that female generals were not to be underestimated. Every one of Huang Feiying's orders had been perfectly judged.
Her finest move was sending the army to reinforce all four gates and take the initiative in meeting the enemy.
An ordinary general would never have advanced so boldly, choosing instead to act cautiously and shrink behind the defenses.
But only seasoned veterans like Lu Xiong understood: the rebels had risen without warning, their numbers unknown, their whereabouts unknown, and whether they had reinforcements unknown as well. What filled the soldiers' hearts above all was fear of the unknown.
In warfare, momentum was everything.
Taking the initiative and forming ranks to meet the enemy was the best choice. It would both raise morale and probe the enemy's true strength.
This was also the central point King Zhou had hinted at through their game of Go: soldiers needed an edge, and they must overwhelm the enemy with momentum.
But when Lu Xiong heard that Huang Feiying intended to lead the army herself to the South Gate, where the rebels were most numerous, he immediately cried out:
"No! Your Ladyship, you must not! I will lead the troops to reinforce the South Gate!"
Seeing that Lu Xiong had arrived, Huang Feiying did not change her orders. She merely said, "General Lu may accompany me to the South Gate to meet the enemy."
"No, you must not!" Lu Xiong said urgently. "Your Ladyship's precious person-"
Before Lu Xiong could finish, Huang Feiying drew her sword, its cold light gleaming sharply. "Governing the state falls to its sovereign and ministers; those who feast on meat must devise its policies. But defending the state is a duty women share!"
Lu Xiong was first taken aback. Then his back, slightly stooped with age, straightened completely.
Governing the state was the business of the king and his ministers, but defending it was everyone's duty-including women!
Lu Xiong cupped his fists. "I shall remain at Your Ladyship's side and protect you!"
Huang Feiying raised her Precious Sword high:
"All soldiers and generals within the city must fight the enemy bravely. Once battle begins, we fight to the death!"
"On the battlefield, any general who abandons his troops and retreats first will be executed!"
"On the battlefield, any troops who abandon their general and retreat first will be executed!"
"Anyone who dares disobey military orders will be executed!"
Hearing those murderous words, everyone felt as though they no longer recognized the lady speaking before them.
Was this a consort from the Imperial Harem?
Of course.
If the king dared utter heaven-defying words of disrespect for Heaven, how could his consort be an ordinary woman?
At that moment, Huang Feiying's wrist trembled a little, but she was utterly resolute.
Taught by her family since childhood, Huang Feiying knew military strategy well. She understood that someone needed to step forward now and rally morale. The Shang Army in Chaoge needed a pillar to lean on.
Ideally, that person should have been King Zhou, but he could not do it. Next would have been Wen Zhong or Huang Feihu, yet one was in the North Sea and the other in Jizhou.
Lu Xiong had both the experience and the ability to command the entire army, but his standing fell a little short. His rank was not exalted enough.
And so Huang Feiying had stepped forward. She was suited to the task.
This suit of red armor had been specially forged when she entered the palace. She had always thought she would never have a chance to wear it in her lifetime, yet today it had finally found its use.
Was she truly without fear?
Of course she had been afraid. Huang Feiying was only a consort of the Imperial Harem. Though she came from a military family, had studied military texts thoroughly, and had practiced martial arts since childhood, she was not a military commander. She had never directed a battle or killed anyone.
Lately, the thing she had done most was play Go with King Zhou.
Yet she had still stepped forward.
Queen Jiang of the Central Palace was graceful and regal, virtuous and kind, and kept the affairs of the Imperial Harem in perfect order.
Consort Su of Shouxian Palace was as beautiful as a heavenly immortal and understood King Zhou's heart.
What strengths did she herself have?
Perhaps it was that she could slaughter King Zhou on the Go board without leaving him a single stone. She was also rather unruly in daily life: every maiden selected by King Zhou and assigned to the Western Palace had been ordered by her to practice martial arts and trained into a female soldier.
Perhaps this was the only moment when she could give something to Great Shang and King Zhou.
As a child, she had vowed to become someone like Fu Hao. Through summer heat and winter cold, she had practiced with spear and staff, never giving up. After entering the palace, she had felt a little closer to Fu Hao.
Later, however, she had regretted it. The palace was too stifling, and she could not leave freely. She had even thought many times that, with her restless nature and fondness for spears and staffs, she would probably have been deposed long ago if she were not Huang Feihu's sister.
Then, later still, she had heard the poem inscribed at Nuwa Palace.
Governing the state fell to its sovereign and ministers; those who feasted on meat must devise its policies. But defending the state was a duty women shared.
"A general may choose not to fight, but once she fights, she must win!"
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