Quelling the turmoil

The armies rallying to the king now advanced along three routes. The Marquis of Jin led fifty thousand fighting men along the Yi River, circling toward Xiong Dun's western flank.

The Marquis of Qi and the Duke of Song led their armies against Xiong Dun from the north, confronting him head-on and slowly pressing forward. Most importantly, they maintained a unified command, preventing Xiong Dun from unleashing his greatest strength: fighting short, sharp engagements.

The third force, led by the Count of Zheng, was tasked chiefly with occupying Fang and Cai to prevent Xiong Dun from raiding eastward.

Over the past days, the allied armies of the lords had fought the Chu army many times and gained a deep appreciation of the Chu soldiers' ferocity. Xiong Dun himself was especially formidable. No one could withstand even one exchange with him, and armor was useless-he could dent it with a direct blow.

Still, Xiong Dun's position remained unfavorable. The Chu soldiers were outnumbered, after all, and they had gained so much from this campaign that they all wanted to return home. Only his towering prestige kept them in line.

During these days, cart after cart of slaves, treasure, and grain had been transported to Chu State. The wealth of the entire state had more than doubled in an instant. If Ji Wan's southern campaign alone had brought this much wealth, one could only imagine how much lay within the royal domain around Luoyi.

Luo Su saw both sides' positions as clearly as if they were lit by fire. He had come here to end the current standoff as quickly as possible. Maintaining this enormous army of royal loyalists placed a tremendous strain on the treasury.

In truth, although the King-Protecting Army had surrounded the Chu army on three sides, the Chu soldiers could withdraw directly down the Han River whenever they wished. All five cities along the Han River were now in Xiong Dun's hands. He could advance to attack or retreat to defend; the strategic initiative lay entirely with him.

Luo Su did not waste a moment after reaching the front. He immediately sent an envoy to the Chu army, proposing talks with Xiong Dun.

Xiong Dun had long wanted to meet Luo Su, and this was one reason he had not withdrawn. After many years apart, the two met again, but though the surroundings remained, everything else had changed.

A gentle breeze brushed their faces as they sat opposite each other. Luo Su had brought no guards. He had considered whether guards might capture Xiong Dun, but ultimately abandoned the idea. There was no need, and he had no certainty of success.

Xiong Dun filled a wine cup to the brim for Luo Su and another for himself, then said with some emotion, "Marquis of Luo, I have wanted to see you for a long time. I still remember that in all of vast Luoyi, you alone praised me as 'a pillar of the Zhou State and a light for All Xia.' Who could have imagined that when we met again, the king you served would have died by my hand?"

Luo Su showed no particular reaction to Xiong Dun's use of a king's form of self-address. He merely said evenly, "Viscount of Chu, You and Ji feared that loyal, upright men would purge the villains around the sovereign, so they held the Son of Heaven hostage and caused him to perish amid the chaotic fighting. You are not a regicide. Otherwise, I would not be sitting here now. I would be mustering every soldier to fight you to the death."

Only by first removing the charge of regicide from Xiong Dun could these negotiations proceed. Otherwise, there truly would be nothing to discuss. If the murder of a sovereign went unavenged, how could the rites and laws of the Zhou State continue to function?

"Hahaha!"

Xiong Dun laughed heartily. He was not remotely angered by Luo Su calling him the Viscount of Chu. Luo Su was a descendant of the Sage King, after all; defending the established order was almost instinctive for him. "Marquis of Luo, you truly are a remarkable man. What a pity that you descend from the Sage King. Otherwise, if I brought you back to the Chu State, perhaps I too could gain the favor of the Mandate of Heaven."

Watching Xiong Dun laugh, Luo Su said calmly, "Viscount of Chu, what happened yesterday cannot be recalled. A man must always look ahead. Now that I have come here, you should withdraw your troops and return to the Chu lands."

Xiong Dun's smile vanished, and he said coldly, "Your words are arrogant, Marquis of Luo, and utterly laughable. I command a hundred thousand troops. That brat Ji Wan mustered all the armies of the Zhou State, yet I crushed him. Now I have taken the lands along the Han River and occupied Shen and Lü. I can strike directly at Luoyi from three directions. Am I to withdraw simply because you say so?"

As Xiong Dun's expression chilled, Luo Su began to smile instead.

"Exactly as you said, Viscount of Chu, I am a descendant of the Sage King. The altars of the Zhou State and the bestowal of the Mandate of Heaven all lie in my hands!"

He stared straight at the surging river behind Xiong Dun and abruptly asked a seemingly unrelated question. "Viscount of Chu, do you know that Heaven's will is like a blade? Those who defy Heaven must suffer its punishment.

"Even Yin Shang's six-hundred-year reign could not escape. Shen and Lü truly offer splendid scenery, but what would happen if Heaven sent down heavy snow and the great river froze?"

Hearing Luo Su's threat, Xiong Dun said dismissively, "What a fanciful imagination you have, Marquis of Luo. I have faced life and death and do not believe in such things. It is the sixth month now. How could it possibly..."

Yet as he spoke, he saw that Luo Su's expression remained entirely serious. He suddenly recalled the legend recorded in the ancient texts: during the Sage King's Eastern Campaign, he had borrowed fierce winds from Heaven. A bone-piercing chill shot straight into Xiong Dun's skull.

If heavy snow fell and the river froze, the Chu army would die without even a place to bury their bones!

Murderous intent surged from Xiong Dun in an instant. He stared fixedly at Luo Su and said hoarsely, "Surely you are joking with me, Marquis of Luo. Heaven..."

Luo Su seemed not to notice the almost tangible killing intent. Still wearing a warm smile, he said, "Sit down, Viscount of Chu. Taste this cup of iced wine. Before coming, I made a special visit to the ancestral temple to request it from my ancestor. To drink a cup in this season is a pleasure indeed."

His ancestor!

The Sage King!

"Do not jest, Marquis of Luo. The Sage King passed away back in King Kang's reign."

As Xiong Dun spoke, he involuntarily reached for the cup. A piercing cold met his hand. Looking closely, he saw thick ice frozen over it. His soul nearly fled his body, and he collapsed into his seat in a daze, murmuring, "The Sage King... Is this the protection of the Mandate of Heaven?"

He looked at Luo Su's refined face and wondered how many Chu soldiers could escape alive if heavy snow descended.

A reckless, smash-the-cracked-pot impulse rose in Xiong Dun's heart. He could kill Luo Su first, then lead his army into one last battle against the royal coalition. At least his passage through this world would not have been in vain.

One look at Xiong Dun's expression told Luo Su that he was probably already considering killing him. Luo Su had never intended to drive him truly to desperation. He took out another wine cup, filled it, and pushed it across with a smile. "There is no need for such alarm, Viscount of Chu. If I intended to catch the entire Chu army in one net, I would not be sitting here today."

Already shaken to his core, Xiong Dun hurriedly replied, "What guidance do you have for your king-no, for me, Marquis of Luo?"

Seeing the earth-shaking change in Xiong Dun's attitude, Luo Su could not help marveling at how useful divine artifacts were.

He had just used a bamboo slip bestowed by his ancestor to freeze ice onto the wine cup. Combined with his ancestor's illustrious reputation and deeds, as well as the Zhou State's unwavering promotion of the Mandate of Heaven over the years, it had subdued Xiong Dun in an instant.

In truth, even if he had actually used June Snow, it could not have frozen an entire great river. At most, it would have battered the Chu army's morale and weakened its fighting strength.

"Do not worry too much, Viscount of Chu. Although you have usurped the title of king over these years, you have merely flaunted it within your own state. I know that when you campaigned against the various barbarians, you still used the Rites of Zhou to civilize them. That is your achievement, and it is why I am here to save you now.

"When my ancestor, the Sage King, enfeoffed lords far and wide, preserving the Zhou State's eternal Mandate of Heaven was only a secondary aim. His true purpose was to establish Xia Lords and Yi People. Heaven decreed that every place touched by sunlight must become a blessed land for All Xia.

"You have rendered service to All Xia. That is why I have always worked to ease relations between Chu State and the Son of Heaven, and was even willing to petition for you to be made a marquis.

"But in this battle on the Han River, you committed a grave wrong. Your former achievements are now wiped away. Let me ask you: are you willing to redeem your offense through service?"

Xiong Dun knew he had no power to refuse. Now, all he wanted was to bring the Chu army home to the Chu State.

These men had followed him on campaign. He could not let them all die in a foreign land. He said heavily, "Please speak plainly, Marquis of Luo. In my present position, do I have any other choice?"

Once Xiong Dun made his position clear, Luo Su laid out the measures he had considered throughout his journey. "Viscount of Chu, you must submit a memorial of contrition to Luoyi, making the following points clear.

"First, your usurpation of the royal title was merely an outburst of indignation. In your heart, you knew you had not received Heaven's Mandate, which is why you never called yourself Son of Heaven. You are now willing to relinquish the title of king, submit to the Zhou State, and release the nobles you previously captured.

"Second, you took up arms against the Son of Heaven only because you believed you had rendered great service to the Zhou State without receiving a reward. You never expected the Son of Heaven to be harmed by treacherous ministers and fall like a crumbling mountain. Overwhelmed with grief, guilt, and remorse, you will offer the Chu State's treasures to accompany him in burial, demonstrating your loyalty to your sovereign.

"Third, you certainly cannot hold Shen and Lü. Of the five states' lands, I will reclaim Sui and Tang and send senior ministers to establish marquisates there. This will benefit us both. Deng, Lu, and Ruo will remain yours. Otherwise, I fear you would have no way to answer to the people at home.

"Having been allowed to return this time, you must strive to advance. My ancestor, the Sage King, once said that south of the Chu lands lay three thousand li of splendid mountains and rivers. You may take them all. I have said all I need to say. Let that be our agreement."

Xiong Dun's emotions had gradually settled. Seeing that the Marquis of Luo had even considered his circumstances, he felt somewhat moved. He bowed solemnly to Luo Su and said, "Here before the Han River, I swear that for as long as the Marquis of Luo remains in the royal domain, the Chu State's blades will never point north. If a future ruler of the Chu State is fortunate enough to reach the Central Plains, he shall pay his respects before your tomb."

Both men knew that even if he once again declared himself a subject and paid tribute, Xiong Dun would remain different from the other lords. He could never go to Luoyi to pay homage to the Son of Heaven. After this parting, the two might never meet again.

His pledge not to turn his blades north served, first, to lend Luo Su additional support. Second, he understood that once he retreated, he would never again have an opportunity to march north.

"Marquis of Luo, until we meet again!"

Xiong Dun turned and left.

"Until we meet again." Luo Su rose to see Xiong Dun off, watching him recede into the distance.

"Ancestor, once Xiong Dun leaves, the vast south will lie open to him. Chu State will surely become a dagger lodged in the heart of our Zhou State."

"You chose to let him go nonetheless."

"Ancestor, your wisdom reaches Heaven. Did I do the right thing?"

"I can know a thousand years into the past and a thousand years into the future, yet I cannot say one word too many. I can only teach you a few principles of being a man. How you act must still depend on you."

"I understand."

As soon as Luo Su returned to the royal coalition's field camp, a crowd of lords gathered around him. "Grand Preceptor, what did Xiong Dun say?"

Some among them hoped negotiations would break down so they could seize power through war. Others hoped the talks would succeed, because warfare was not the pressing matter now. Politics posed the greater problem.

Luo Su told them the terms he and Xiong Dun had agreed upon.

"Grand Preceptor, surely you are joking?"

"Could someone as unruly as Xiong Dun agree to terms like these?"

"It is perfectly natural for him to surrender Shen and Lü, but he would give up Tang and Sui as well? Does he truly intend to submit again?"

Disbelieving voices rose one after another. Xiong Dun was far from weak. Most importantly, he could bring his entire state to war. The two sides had pursued different objectives from the beginning, and that was the fundamental reason for their stalemate.

The Five Han River States lay far from the Central Plains. They had sparse populations, numerous barbarians, and, reportedly, pestilential miasmas. They were wilderness lands. Few nobles would willingly go there even to take up a fief. To most lords, establishing a state there meant wasting manpower and resources for nothing.

But they knew that Sui and Tang were core interests for Chu State. Once those lands were surrendered, Luoyi could quickly rebuild a defensive line.

"Although Xiong Dun has submitted, we cannot neglect our defenses against Chu State. I have decided that after the crown prince ascends the throne, I will request golden investiture tablets from the new Son of Heaven. Four marquises will be enfeoffed in Shen, Sui, Tongbai, and Tang River, each with a domain three hundred li square. Troops will also be stationed there for three years to secure the foundations of the four states."

Four marquises!

This was a grand undertaking. Every enfeoffment of a marquis meant a redistribution of wealth. Thus, the granting of fiefs had become increasingly cautious, and only genuine sons of kings or lords could receive them.

As for the Son of Heaven refusing, that was simply impossible. Ji Xi had not yet come of age. Luo Su would surely govern when the time came, just as the Sage King once had.

The sole difference was that Ji Zhao's regency had been personally decreed in King Wu's final edict. He had been entrusted with overall command of the Zhou State and governance in the king's stead, possessing all the powers of the Son of Heaven. Luo Su had no such edict, and many would oppose him. Another struggle in Luoyi was inevitable.

Once Xiong Dun submitted his memorial of contrition, Luo Su dispatched troops to take possession of Shen and Lü. Only when those two cities were in his hands was the standoff truly over.

Xiong Dun withdrew swiftly. He still needed to return home to reward his nobles, and his sudden retreat also required an explanation.

The royal coalition likewise began withdrawing slowly. Most troops were led back to their fiefs by the lords' subordinates. The lords themselves naturally would not return home. Preparations for Crown Prince Ji Xi's enthronement had begun when Luo Su left, and upon their return, they would raise Ji Xi to the throne.

Many came to ask Luo Su when they would enthrone the crown prince. Even though Ji Xi's succession was nailed fast according to ritual law, the merit of supporting his accession would be recorded, with the various rewards and titles listed accordingly.

Ordinarily, everyone would scramble to be first in such matters, appearing before the crown prince to make their faces familiar. But now Luo Su had declined merit offered for the taking. Clearly, he had some plan in mind.

Under these circumstances, even the lords at odds with Luo Su did not dare make themselves the target of every arrow.

Luo Su could only tell them again and again, "I already have a sound plan in mind. Once we return to Luoyi, I will inform you all."

In fact, Luo Su had long since drawn up the list of those who would support the accession. Nothing in politics was trivial. His arrangements for Luoyi's coming political order would begin with this enthronement.

The most important task now was to rest and recover. They absolutely could not fall into internal strife. Luo Su therefore devoted considerable thought to the matter, and after returning to Luoyi, the lords finally received his list.

Looking at the list and considering Luo Su's intentions, everyone could only bow in admiration. He truly lived up to his descent from the Sage King.

The list contained a dozen or so lords, divided into four groups.

The first consisted of the Marquis of Luo, the Marquis of Yan, and the Marquis of Jin, the three most powerful Ji-Surname Feudal Lords. This would declare the Ji-Surname Feudal Lords' recognition of the heir to their senior lineage. Luo Su had deliberately excluded the Marquis of Wei.

The second group was the Two Kings and Three Revered. As guests of the Zhou State, they retained high political standing and would demonstrate the legitimacy of its Mandate of Heaven.

The third group consisted of powerful royal in-laws such as Qi State. Their strength would display the power held by the Son of Heaven.

Only last came representatives of the other lords bearing different surnames. Their presence would chiefly prove that the Zhou State comprised more than the lands of the Ji clans, and that the Son of Heaven treated all his subjects beneath Heaven with benevolence.

As the assembled lords urged Ji Xi to ascend, the Zhou Dynasty welcomed its new Son of Heaven: Ji Xi.

The King of Chu, Dun, defeated Zhou, attacked Ba, and crushed the barbarians. Of more than a hundred battles, there was none he did not win and no foe he failed to overcome. His contemporaries all called him the Lord of War.

An attendant asked, "Why not march north and inquire into the weight of the royal cauldrons?"

The king replied, "The Marquis of Luo descends from the Sage King and holds the royal enterprise in his hands. The Mandate of Heaven rests with Zhou. I revere Heaven and understand its decree; thus, I do not turn north." -Records of the Grand Historian, "House of Chu"

A man's success depended not only on his own ability, but also on the course of history. Xiong Dun, a hero fit for troubled times, had met such an ending. His fate was a reflection of so many loyal ministers and renowned generals throughout history.

Updating at that ungodly hour every day really does not seem ideal. From now on, I will probably update around this time instead. To keep everyone from waiting too long, I am adding an extra chapter today.

For such a considerate author, please lift those little hands and cast a few votes. Moonlit Night bows in thanks.