Two years after Guan Zhong became chief minister of Qi State, its military strength had steadily grown. Lü Xiao Bai was immensely proud of having brought Guan Zhong to Qi State.
Then he learned that the ruler of Qu State had spoken insolently, declaring it improper to place a commoner above the ministers and officials of the Ducal Clan.
Lü Xiao Bai flew into a rage.
Since ascending the throne, he had been riding high. Knowing how powerful Qi State's army had become, he also harbored a desire to show off Guan Zhong's talents and wanted to launch a campaign against Qu.
He said to Guan Zhong, "The Earl of Qu is a base fellow. He has shown Qi State disrespect, and it would be discourteous not to return the favor. He deserves to be attacked."
Guan Zhong knew that this was not the time to take up arms against the other lords. Qi State's reforms had only just begun, and it would grow stronger still.
A small state like Qu could barely manage to fight Qi State now. Once the reforms bore fruit and a great army pressed against its borders, it would have no choice but to bend the knee and surrender.
So he advised, "My lord, this is not yet the time to strike Qu."
Lü Xiao Bai waved a hand dismissively and smiled. "Zhong, I know Qi State should not contend with Qu over a momentary victory, but that Earl of Qu is truly hateful. He actually said you were a country bumpkin and that appointing you chief minister of a state was utterly laughable.
"If he had mocked me, I could have let it pass. But treating you this way is something I absolutely cannot tolerate!
"This time, we shall let Qu taste the edge of Qi State's blades. Let him see that after just two years with you as chief minister, Qi State already has a powerful army. Then we shall see who still dares spout nonsense."
Guan Zhong urged him again, "My lord, I am not someone who cares for empty fame. We should continue implementing state monopolies on salt and iron, collecting taxes, integrating the soldiers and common people, and strengthening and drilling the army. Once..."
Lü Xiao Bai rose at once and took Guan Zhong's hand. "Zhong, I entrust all of Qi State's domestic affairs to you. Leave teaching Qu a lesson to me."
Seeing Lü Xiao Bai insist, Guan Zhong relented. Though he always regarded himself as a subordinate, they had known each other since their humble days, and he had always been somewhat indulgent toward Lü Xiao Bai.
After considering that even a defeat would have little impact, he could not bear to dampen his enthusiasm and could only agree.
Lü Xiao Bai was delighted by Guan Zhong's consent and immediately took Minister An Ning with him to attack Qu.
It had to be said that, after Guan Zhong's reorganization, Qi State's army was disciplined and orderly in both advance and retreat—a truly formidable force among all under heaven. As the two states fought, Qi State won victory after victory, greatly heartening Minister An Ning and Lü Xiao Bai.
Lü Xiao Bai admired the surrounding scenery and laughed freely. "This place is called Long Fields. Let us form up here, wait for Qu's army to arrive, and fight them again. We must make the Earl of Qu come to Qi State in person and apologize before Zhong."
The war between Qi State and Qu was a ritual war.
Wars between the states of All Xia and the barbarians were naturally fought to the bitter end. The Son of Heaven's successive campaigns against states such as Chu State, which refused to submit to his rule, were also fought with real blades and spears, with heavy casualties.
But this time was different. Both sides fought according to the rites, and the aim was not to seize Qu's land, so both armies exercised considerable restraint.
Though Qu had suffered defeat after defeat, its earl was merely humiliated and furious. He did not fear that Qi State would destroy his state outright.
Thus, the two armies arrayed themselves at Long Fields, advancing to the beat of drums until they halted just beyond bowshot.
Buoyed by his string of victories, Minister An Ning declared spiritedly, "Pass on my command. Beat the drums to rouse our men!"
"Boom, boom, boom!"
Qi State's drummers beat a round, and its soldiers advanced. Then Minister An Ning noticed that Qu's army remained motionless, with no drums sounding to rally its troops.
"Why is Qu not beating its drums?"
Qi State's chariots charged, killing and wounding many of Qu's men, yet Qu's army still did not move.
Minister An Ning was puzzled, but he still ordered, "Beat the drums!"
Qi State's drums sounded again, and arrows flew in volleys. Though Qu's men had shields to protect them, many soldiers were still killed outright by the arrows.
Yet even then, Qu remained utterly motionless, without so much as changing formation. Minister An Ning found this very strange.
"What does Qu mean by this?
"They have come out in formation, clearly intending to fight us. Yet we have beaten our drums twice, and they have not beaten theirs even once, nor have they hung out a sign declining battle. This does not accord with battlefield etiquette."
Minister An Ning was no longer as pleased as before. Believing that Qu was looking down on him, he frowned and roared, "Beat the drums!"
Qi State's drums sounded once more, and its soldiers advanced again. This time, Qu's drums finally rang out, their booming beats urging the soldiers of both armies forward.
But after three rounds of drumming, Qi State's soldiers had already lost their initial surge of vigor. Minister An Ning was no peerless warrior capable of stirring their morale.
Qu's soldiers, by contrast, were brimming with fighting spirit. They fought fiercely, broke Qi State's formation, and pushed toward the central command.
The guards from the Luo State, who had received Guan Zhong's instructions beforehand, immediately took the pale-faced Lü Xiao Bai away. They left the battlefield to Minister An Ning, who was, after all, the general commanding the army.
Lü Xiao Bai had only come to enjoy the spectacle, but now he would not get to watch the men of Qu make fools of themselves. If he did not flee, Guan Zhong would probably have to bring a great sum of gold, silver, and treasure to Qu himself to ransom his ruler.
Lü Xiao Bai returned to Qi State utterly crestfallen. In truth, this defeat meant little to Qi State. A great state could naturally afford a great state's willfulness.
Unless, of course, it was a battle like the Luo State's desperate struggle with the Huai Yi during King Yi's reign, from which it had failed to recover even after several decades.
Lü Xiao Bai simply felt too humiliated. He had no face to meet Guan Zhong and dared not go to see him, so he could only drown his sorrows in wine.
With Guan Zhong managing Qi State's affairs, his presence or absence made little difference.
While Lü Xiao Bai indulged in wine and women, his wife, Lady Xi Yi of Qi, was deeply pained to see her husband in such a state.
"My lord, you spend every day in despondency and have not visited Chief Minister Zhong once since returning. This is not how a ruler should behave."
Lü Xiao Bai sighed and drew Xi Yi's warm, soft body into his arms. "My dear, I truly do not know how to face Zhong.
"Zhong is not merely my subject. He is also my dearest friend.
"If I am a fish, Zhong is the water. If I am a bird, Zhong is the sky. I am the one who cannot do without him, not he without me.
For the sake of our brotherly bond, he left his homeland and came to Qi State to assist me.
"I even said I would show the world Zhong's abilities, yet through carelessness I was defeated at Long Fields. Everyone will surely think his reputation is hollow. I am ashamed.
"If Zhong grows angry and abandons me, what am I to do?"
Seeing that her husband had even dropped his royal manner of referring to himself, Xi Yi knew he must be deeply afraid.
She was a gentle, virtuous woman who understood propriety, and she soothed him. "Husband, you yourself said that Chief Minister Zhong is your dearest friend.
"I have heard that if a ruler treats his subjects as his hands and feet, they will treat him as their heart and innermost being.
"Chief Minister Zhong surely knows how much you value and trust him. How could he leave you over this?"
"My lord, Chief Minister Zhong requests an audience!" a court eunuch announced as he entered.
Lü Xiao Bai shot upright from Xi Yi's embrace and said hurriedly, "All of you, withdraw."
The musicians and dancers hastily departed through the side of the hall, leaving only the guards, Lü Xiao Bai, Xi Yi, and a few others.
Lü Xiao Bai straightened his appearance and rose. "Show Chief Minister Zhong in."
Guan Zhong entered from outside the hall. Lü Xiao Bai hurried forward and grasped his hand, tears glistening in his eyes. Yet he did not know what to say and could only utter, "Zhong, I..."
Guan Zhong clasped Lü Xiao Bai's hand in return. Even a man as composed as he was now had eyes brimming with hot tears. "My lord, you need say no more."
Before Guan Zhong could continue, Lü Xiao Bai blurted anxiously, "Zhong, are you truly going to leave me?
"I was wrong. I should never have attacked Qu.
"From now on, I will never act on my own again. You must not leave me!"
"Xiao Bai!" Guan Zhong used a name he had not spoken in a very, very long time. "The bond between us is harder than gold and stone. How could I leave you?
"When you attacked Qu, I did not stop you. That was my failing as your subject. How could the blame fall on you?
"You did not blame me and even compared me to water and the sky. I truly feel unworthy of such praise."
Hearing Guan Zhong call him Xiao Bai filled Lü Xiao Bai with delight. After hearing the rest, he laughed aloud.
He pulled Guan Zhong over to sit on the mats and said to his wife, Xi Yi, "My dear, did you hear? Zhong does not blame me. He is still willing to remain in Qi State and help me."
Seeing her husband transform in an instant from despondent to radiant, Xi Yi smiled happily too. "Chief Minister Zhong and you are like lofty mountains and flowing waters, inseparable."
"Lofty mountains and flowing waters?"
Lü Xiao Bai repeated the phrase a couple of times, taking a great liking to it, then turned to the court historian. "Minister, please record 'lofty mountains and flowing waters' in the annals, to celebrate the bond between Zhong and me."
The court historians of this age had considerable integrity. They would rather die than falsify their records. In particular, many belonged to branches of the Luo Clan, and these histories would all be gathered in the Luo State, which held the most complete collection of historical records under heaven.
In the hall that Xi Yi had quietly left, the reinvigorated Lü Xiao Bai enthusiastically drew Guan Zhong into a discussion of state affairs. For the most part, however, Guan Zhong spoke and he listened.
Lü Xiao Bai's understanding was limited, and he could not grasp many of the subtleties in Guan Zhong's policies. Guan Zhong had to explain them to him, after which Lü Xiao Bai would voice one exclamation of wonder and praise after another.
Such scenes had played out countless times over the past two years.
News of the battle's outcome reached Luo Xiu, but he merely looked over the report. Rather than becoming anxious, he smiled with gratification. "Qi State's military strength is flourishing. If they appoint an able general, victory is certain."
This was the difference between the outlook of a great state's ruler and that of a small state's ruler.
The army had been led by Lü Xiao Bai and Minister An Ning, neither of whom knew much about commanding troops in the first place. Zhang Qi, Qi State's finest military commander, had not taken the field.
Under such circumstances, Qi State's army had still managed to reform its ranks swiftly amid the chaos and had not suffered heavy casualties.
This proved that, after two years of tempering, Qi State's army had undergone a fundamental transformation from the days of Lü Wu Jiu.
Whenever I think of Duke Huan of Qi's end, I cannot help feeling wistful. A mighty ruler of his generation, who honored the king and drove back the barbarians-what a pity.
There will be two more updates this afternoon, for a total of fourteen thousand characters today.
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