Chapter 105, Governor Zhao

Translator: StarReader

 

On West Cave Mountain Island, the allied forces are engaged in battle with the Whale Gang.

 

At this moment, several miles away from West Cave Mountain, two large warships drifted through the dense reeds on the secluded Vastest Lake.

 

Aboard one of the large warships, in addition to Zhao Juzhen, the newly appointed Wu Region governor, were Magistrate Wang of Gusu City, Magistrate Jiang of Lou County, and thirteen other magistrates, along with more than ten assistants from the Wu Region governor’s office, including Wang Zhubo and Li Changli.

 

Even Wang Fugui, Wang Zhubo’s son and Magistrate Wang’s nephew, was present on this warship as Magistrate Wang’s personal guard, having not accompanied the Medicine King Group disciples to West Cave Mountain islands to clash with the Whale Gang pirates.

 

A table was set up at the bow of the ship.

 

Writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone were all readily available, prepared in advance for Governor Zhao Juzhen.

 

Scholars of the Great Tang Dynasty were fond of poetry, and Zhao Juzhen, as a county governor, naturally appreciates it as well.

 

Especially during the campaign to eradicate the Whale Gang and establish merit, he must compose a poem praising the endeavor to present to His Majesty and to the world, celebrating his remarkable achievements in suppressing bandits in the Wu Region.

 

Merely winning battles was the work of a boorish general, one whose fame remained obscure.

 

One must be able to write poetry and have it spread throughout the world in order to achieve fame throughout the Great Tang. It would also let His Majesty and the world know of his, Zhao Juzhen’s, name as a scholar-general.

 

“Ascending Misty Peak, straight up two miles!”

 

Zhao Juzhen gazed at the perilous peaks of the West Cave Mountain islands, wielding a large brush, effortlessly producing verses.

 

In this campaign to eradicate the Whale Gang, he mobilized four thousand navy soldiers from a neighboring county and recruited over ten thousand elite troops from the Wu Region.

 

Daoist Han Shan, Han Ya, Li Shuo, Han Pingshan, and Sun Baihong—these five Grandmasters personally led the expedition, surpassing the Whale Gang’s strength by a factor of four or five. Provided there were no major mishaps, conquering the Whale Gang’s main headquarters on Misty Peak should take no more than half a day.

 

“Esteemed governor, your literary talent is remarkable! Your vision reaches far and wide, and your writing is crisp and elegant! I can only aspire to such skill!”

 

Magistrate Wang lingered nearby, his eyes wide as he watched Governor Zhao write a line, and immediately exclaimed loudly in admiration.

 

Zhao Juzhen held his brush, deep in thought, and frowned involuntarily.

 

Magistrate Wang possessed little actual talent; he was merely skilled at flattery and ingratiation.

 

Were it not for the Wang clan being a powerful clan in the Wu Region, with deep roots throughout the thirteen counties of the Wu Region, he would gladly send Magistrate Wang far away. He needed the Wang clan’s support to appease the local gentry.

 

“The Great Ravine remains tranquil; the boundless void stretches endlessly.”

 

Zhao Juzhen ignored Magistrate Wang and gazed at the vast, placid Vastest Lake, then recalled another majestic couplet and quickly penned it.

 

“The scale of this line surpasses the previous one, brimming with insight, radiating a myriad of emotions! Governor Zhao’s ambition in this endeavor is unparalleled. This is to definitively quell the pirates’ scourge on Vastest Lake! It complements the triumph you and your brother achieved in the Western Area against the combined armies of those barbarians!”

 

Magistrate Wang’s eyes widened even further, a look of disbelief and awe on his face.

 

“Silence!”

 

Zhao Juzhen, somewhat annoyed, snapped.

 

Writing poetry required complete focus; Magistrate Wang’s interruption and flattery had almost made him forget what he was writing.

 

Magistrate Wang, rebuked, immediately clamped his mouth shut but continued to keep his eyes wide, watching Zhao Juzhen write.

 

Zhao Juzhen pondered for a long while.

 

The depicted scenery appeared, and the grandeur was present; the groundwork was laid—it was time to begin the praise.

 

He continued writing: “Imperial grace is solely the Emperor’s; prayers are offered for the governor.”

 

The second part was a complimentary remark about his own merits in benefiting the local area.

 

“Marvelous, beyond words, a stroke of genius!”

 

Magistrate Wang’s face flushed with excitement as he applauded enthusiastically.

 

“Magistrate Wang, where do you see the brilliance?”

 

Zhao Juzhen, quite pleased with this particular line, couldn’t help but ask.

 

“Zhao Juzhen led our officers and soldiers to eradicate the Whale Gang pirates in one fell swoop, benefiting over a hundred thousand households in the Wu Region; this perfectly aligns with the profound meaning of this verse. If the Emperor were to see Zhao Juzhen’s poem, he would surely acknowledge it. A truly exceptional verse!”

 

Magistrate Wang hastened to say.

 

“Magistrate Wang, you’ve mastered the art of flattery.”

 

Zhao Juzhen felt quite satisfied with the verses of praise, amused and slightly annoyed by Magistrate Wang’s skillful flattery.

 

He wrote this poem of praise hoping that the Emperor would see it and remember his efforts in suppressing the bandits and pacifying the Wu Region, hoping for a promotion.

 

He hadn’t expected Magistrate Wang to understand the deeper meaning as well.

 

“Governor’s praise is too generous! If this official were to write poetry, I certainly wouldn’t be able to. However, discerning the good from the bad is something I can manage!”

 

Magistrate Wang possessed a thick face; he felt no shame in mocking himself. Quite the opposite, he reveled in it.

 

“Reporting, governor! Our Allied Fleet’s war vessels on the Vastest Lake have crushed the Whale Gang’s water devils’ interception. Sun Baihong displayed remarkable skills, annihilating a thousand of the enemy water devils.”

 

A dispatch bearing good news was delivered by the messenger.

 

On the war vessels, the officials displayed elated expressions.

 

“Reporting, governor! Our allied fleet has landed on West Cave Mountain Island. We encountered a five-mile Devil Mist Array in the Northern Swamp and were ambushed by White Lotus thugs. Li Shuo destroyed it, thoroughly dismantling the Devil Mist Array, causing the White Lotus Society to lose a significant number of their elite forces!”

 

The messenger repeatedly brought news of victories from the front lines.

 

Although the fighting on the front lines occasionally encountered some unexpected trouble—such as the Whale Gang’s water devils in the lake or the White Lotus Society’s demon cultivators in the Northern Swamp—they were all overcome by the five Grandmasters, and everything proceeded smoothly.

 

The Allied Fleet’s morale was soaring; after two small victories, they had already approached the foot of Misty Peak. Capturing the Whale Gang’s main headquarters seemed a matter of half a day.

 

Governor Zhao heard the news and rejoiced.

 

With each piece of good news, he penned a stanza of poetry, composing several poems in quick succession, his spirit invigorated.

 

On the large war vessels, joyous smiles filled the air.

 

The various magistrates and assistants from the governor’s office were unable to contain their joy.

 

“Governor, your military tactics are divine!”

 

“A scholar general, truly worthy of this era!”

 

With Magistrate Wang, a man skilled in flattery and placating, leading the praise, how could the other magistrate and officials in the governor’s office be outdone? They eagerly rushed to congratulate Governor Zhao, wishing him a triumphant start and a brilliant future in the court, ascending to a position of great power and influence and becoming a high-ranking minister.

 

Wang Fugui watched, envy simmering within him.

 

He realized that despite having practiced martial arts for five years and becoming a first-rate martial expert, his heart still leaned toward the world of courtly intrigue. Governor Zhao possessed the bearing of a true scholar-general, a master strategist capable of planning victories from afar. He didn’t need to be on the front lines to utterly crush his enemies.

 

Governor Zhao, hearing these reports, was pleased, and the details didn’t surprise him.

 

The court had long intended to destroy the White Lotus Society, but the Whale Gang pirates had grown too powerful, and the government was preoccupied with dealing with them, leaving no time to deal with the White Lotus Society.

 

The White Lotus Society in Lou County and the Whale Gang pirates in Vastest Lake had formed an alliance; their participation in this battle was somewhat unexpected, but still manageable. After all, the Allied forces had a four- or fivefold advantage.

 

Even with the alliance between the White Lotus Society and Whale Gang, the allied forces still possessed a two- or three-fold advantage. This large-scale advance of the White Lotus Society into western Cave Mountain was just the opportunity to eliminate them.

 

Not long after, another report arrived.

 

“Report! A thousand disciples of the Heaven Falcon Group serving as the vanguard have fallen into a trap and are under attack by pirates. Half of the Heaven Falcon Group’s elite disciples have been wiped out. Those who managed to escape are demoralized and unable to continue the fight!”

 

“Report—! Han Pingshan, the Leader of the Iron Sword Group, perished heroically while covering the retreat of the Heaven Falcon Group disciple!”

 

“Report! Daoist Han Shan has already ordered the entire army to begin attacking Misty Peak to avenge Leader Han! The two armies are currently clashing on Misty Peak, on the stronghold fortress of Embracing Moon Cliff.”

 

A messenger urgently reported.

 

“What? Han Pingshan is dead?!”

 

Governor Zhao was visibly shaken.

 

The succession of sudden, devastating news reports left Magistrate Wang, Wang Zhubo, and the other officials momentarily stunned and at a loss for what to do.

 

The allied forces, despite holding a two-to-three times advantage, had lost a Grandmaster, leaving only four remaining. Furthermore, the elite fighters of the Heaven Falcon Group, one of the five major factions, had been decimated. The situation was deteriorating rapidly.

 

With this development, the allied forces were left with only a twofold advantage to attack the formidable Misty Peak, a reversal of the battle’s momentum entirely possible at any moment by the Whale Gang.

 

“Iron Sword Group leader Han Pingshan, one of the famed seven Grandmaster within the Wu Region! Rumor has it he wields a greatsword—deflecting a thousand blades. How could he have fallen so early, before the decisive battle had even begun? A tragic end to a promising life, guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes of heroes! Grandmaster Han, farewell.”

 

Magistrate Wang dabbed his eyes, weeping openly.

 

Wang Fugui’s face had turned ashen. They had been confident of victory, the tide of battle flowing their way, yet now it was spiraling out of control.

 

“Governor, the situation on the front lines seems amiss! This Vastest Lake is the territory of the Whale Gang pirates; should we be defeated, we will be in grave danger. I suggest we quickly retreat to Gusu City and await news from the front lines.”

 

Wang Zhubo’s face paled with alarm, urgently advising the governor.

 

Zhao Juzhen looked towards the assembled officials of the Wu Region.

 

The officials’ faces were pallid, all gripped by panic, urging Governor Zhao to move to a safe location and observe the changing tide of battle.

 

Zhao Juzhen couldn’t help but feel deeply disappointed by the officials.

 

As the highest-ranking authority in the Wu Region, how could he abandon Vastest Lake at such a critical moment?

 

If this battle were lost, the allied forces’ three thousand water soldiers and the Wu Region’s four major factions’ ten thousand disciples would be annihilated, leaving the Wu Region defenseless against the Whale Gang’s depredations.

 

The Whale Gang’s pirates could then attack the thirteen county towns of the Wu Region. The entire thirteen county towns of the Wu Region, populated only by the elderly and the weak, would fall into the hands of those ruthless brigands.

 

The Wu Region was the central hub for river transportation and the granary of the south.

 

Should the Wu Region descend into chaos and fall into the hands of pirates, the entire southern region would be plunged into turmoil.

 

If the main army engaged in warfare with the tribes in the northwest, lacking food and supplies, the Great Tang would be in peril!

 

He, Zhao Juzhen, would become a court criminal, and what face would he have to see the Emperor again? The Zhao Clan’s noble name would also be disgraced, condemned by the world.

 

Even if he died on the battlefield, he would not escape.

 

“No, absolutely not! This battle must be won; otherwise, this governor will die to atone for his error!”

 

Zhao Juzhen felt a chill run down his spine, his face grim, and decisively discarded his writing, “Guard! Bring me my armor. I will personally go to Misty Peak, lead the reinforcements, and engage the Whale Gang in a final battle to the death!”

 

“Governor, please don’t risk your life! What if something happens to you? Who will oversee the Wu Region?”

 

Magistrate Wang panicked and desperately clung to Zhao Juzhen’s thigh.

 

“All military and civil officials, follow me to the battlefield! If this battle is lost, the thirteen counties of the Wu Region will all fall into the hands of the rebels, and none of you will live through it!”

 

Zhao Juzhen’s face was cold, and he kicked Magistrate Wang away, pulling on a brand-new battle armor that had been prepared.

 

Even though he was a civilian governor, he had long since made the decision to die on the battlefield.

 

Two large warships quickly headed west toward Cave Mountain Island and soon landed in the Northern Swamp.

 

Within these two large warships were one thousand elite soldiers and archers; this was the last remaining strength left by Zhao Juzhen, the only force capable of supporting the main force of the allied army.

 

The situation on the Vastest Lake was critical, and the gap in strength between the allied army and the pirates was beginning to narrow considerably. It was essential to immediately commit these remaining forces to the battlefield to reverse the situation and enable the court to suppress the rebellion of the Whale Gang.

 

Zhao Juzhen led the civil officials and naval soldiers off the warships and through the Northern Swamp.

 

Halfway along the route, they encountered Manager Liu of the Heaven Falcon Group, Han Shu, and a group of several hundred battered disciple remnants, all covered in blood, their morale low and mournful, carrying the bodies of their fallen comrades, slowly withdrawing from the battlefield toward the lake.

 

Zhao Juzhen shook his head. The Heaven Falcon Group’s thousand disciples had dwindled to barely three or four hundred, their morale utterly shattered. They were beyond help, so he dismissed them and hastily led his troops toward Misty Peak to reinforce the allied forces’ main body.