Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 152 The Scheme of Sowing Discord

Spring arrives later and more somberly in Xiliang than in the north. The sounds of military drills outside Guzang City seem to carry a suppressed gloom, far less robust and enthusiastic than in previous years. In the streets and alleys, in teahouses and taverns, people whisper amongst themselves, their eyes gleaming with a hint of wariness. An invisible, unsettling undercurrent, quietly infiltrated by spies from the Censorate and the spread of rumors, has spread like a plague across this land already scarred by internal strife.

At first, it was just the mumbled complaints of soldiers drunk in the corners of the military camp, or the mysterious whispers of idle men in the marketplace. But soon, these fragmented and dubious messages began to spread like wildfire, flying into the generals' tents, the officials' studies, and even... reaching the ears of the suspicious master deep within the royal palace.

Longxi, the military camp of General Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng, nearing forty, with a leopard-like head and piercing eyes, and a thick beard like steel needles, was a renowned fierce general in the Xiliang army, known for his bravery and skill in attack. At this moment, he paced restlessly in his tent, a fragment of a silk scroll, burned to half a corner, lying before him. It had just been "accidentally" discovered by his trusted guards under an incense burner in an abandoned local temple outside the camp. The handwriting on the fragment was messy, but fragments of phrases could be made: "Zhang Heng…possessing troops…Longxi…needs secret investigation…can be transferred to Jincheng…divide their power…" Most importantly, there was a faint, yet strikingly similar, vermilion seal mark on the edge of the fragment, remarkably similar to the seal commonly used by the Han Sui Prince's residence!

"Transfer me to Jincheng? To diminish my power?" Zhang Heng's face was ashen, his teeth grinding together. He had been guarding Longxi for over five years, and his men were all old brothers he had personally trained. The Longxi defense line was something he had painstakingly built. This old man Han Sui, just because he wasn't one of his direct subordinates and had contradicted him a few times over military merits and pay, was so suspicious of him, even wanting to secretly investigate him and transfer him to strip him of his power? Wasn't Cheng Yin frequently transferred because he refused a marriage proposal, and now he was practically a lone captain?

Recalling the rumors circulating in the army recently about a "purge list," and the private warnings from several close colleagues to be "careful," Zhang Heng felt a surge of anger rising to his head. He asked himself, though he harbored resentment towards Han Sui, he had never been disloyal. During Ma Teng's rebellion, he had even led his troops in a valiant effort to quell the uprising and stabilize the situation in Longxi. Now, having been discarded like a dog after its hunt, how could he have ended up like this?

"General, this matter... might be a trap?" a veteran advisor who had served him for many years said cautiously. "The origin of this fragment is unknown, and the handwriting and seals are difficult to verify..."

"A forgery?" Zhang Heng sneered, pointing to the blurry seal on the fragment. "Have we seen this seal countless times in the documents of the Prince's Palace? Even if someone forged it, who could imitate it so perfectly? Besides, there's no smoke without fire! Haven't you heard the rumors about that 'list' lately? Haven't you seen what happened to Cheng Yin? That old man Han Sui is cruel and ungrateful, and suspicious by nature. General Ma Teng, with all his merits, was still forced to have his family destroyed and flee to the Western Regions! What am I, Zhang Heng, in his eyes?!"

He grew angrier as he spoke, slamming his fist on the table: "He wants to transfer me? He wants to investigate me? Fine! I'll be waiting right here in Longxi! Let's see if he dares to send the 'Wolf Guards' to my camp to arrest someone! Issue the order: all camps must strengthen their defenses. Without my command, no one is to be moved without authorization, especially orders from the Prince's residence; they must be reported to me for verification first!"

At almost the same time, Jin Cheng and Yangwu Colonel Cheng Yin also fell into similar predicaments and anger.

Cheng Yin had a refined appearance and was not eloquent, but he was renowned for his excellent defense and strict military discipline. He had just received orders to hand over the defense of the east gate of Jincheng and three nearby passes within three days and move to a remote military camp further west. This was his third transfer in nearly three months, with his defense zone becoming increasingly remote and his troops increasingly scattered. And the person who had transferred him to take over the defense of the east gate was none other than Han Sui's incompetent nephew-in-law, who had not achieved any merit but had obtained the position of colonel through nepotism.

"This is outrageous!" Even the usually composed Cheng Yin couldn't help but slam the transfer order to the ground. The refusal of the marriage proposal had already become a thorn in his side, and now Han Sui had gone even further, so blatantly stripping him of his military power and installing his cronies! Recalling the rumors he had heard recently about Han Sui's plan to "divide and rule" him and Zhang Heng, as well as the "suspicious incident" of his subordinates finding arrows, suspected to have been left behind by Zhang Heng's men, near his defense zone, Cheng Yin's last bit of affection and loyalty towards Han Sui was completely extinguished.

"Han Sui is wicked, cruel, and ungrateful. He favors sycophants and alienates virtuous ministers. General Ma's fate serves as a stark warning," Cheng Yin whispered to the few remaining loyal subordinates beside him. "How can we entrust our lives to such a lord? Even if we die for him, we will likely face the same fate of being discarded after our usefulness is over!"

His subordinates were equally indignant: "Captain, we're with you! Whatever you say, we'll do! We've had enough of this humiliation!"

Meanwhile, in Guzang City, Pang De, who had been demoted to the position of garrison commander and guard of the western granary, was also having a difficult time. He was known for his fierce and loyal nature, and because he refused to falsely accuse his former lord Ma Teng, he had long been considered a thorn in Han Sui's side. Recently, not only had the "Wolf Guards" intensified their surveillance of him and his former subordinates, but rumors were also circulating that Han Sui had found "evidence" proving that Pang De was still secretly in contact with the fugitive Ma Chao and plotting something treacherous, and that he would soon be imprisoned and punished.

Pang De felt a deep sorrow, yet he was powerless to do anything. He didn't want to betray them, but he was even more unwilling to be killed by fabricated charges. His former comrades were either dead, had fled, or had been suppressed; in the Xiliang army, loyal and brave men had nowhere to stand. Whenever the night was still and he looked at the western stars, wondering where his young lord Ma Chao was now, his heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Rumors, fabricated "evidence," and deliberately created incidents, like venomous snakes, burrowed into the already fragile fabric of trust in Xiliang, injecting deadly poison. Zhang Heng's suspicion and resistance, Cheng Yin's resentment and alienation, Pang De's sorrow and insecurity, and the anxiety of many other mid- and lower-ranking generals, intertwined to form a vast, cracked web. Han Sui, sitting at the center of this web, was tightening it even further with his own suspicious and violent nature.

"Report—Your Majesty! General Zhang Heng of Longxi has refused the transfer order, saying that the defense of Longxi is of utmost importance and that he dares not leave without Your Majesty's personal tiger tally and clear reason! His army is heavily guarded, and the men sent by my 'Wolf Guard' could not even get close to the camp gate!" The Wolf Guard commander knelt before Han Sui, reporting with cold sweat dripping down his face.

"What?! Zhang Heng dares to disobey orders?!" Han Sui, already anxious due to internal and external troubles, flew into a rage upon hearing this. His fat face trembled with bulging flesh. "Rebellion! Rebellion! Is he trying to emulate Ma Teng?! Send more men with my imperial edict! If he dares to disobey orders again, treat him as a traitor and execute him on the spot!"

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!" A seasoned advisor quickly advised, "Zhang Heng is of a fiery temperament and commands troops in Longxi. Forcing him now could lead to a major upheaval! It would be better to proceed cautiously, perhaps appease him first, and then seek an opportunity..."

"Appease? How are we supposed to appease them?!" Han Sui roared, interrupting. "That scoundrel Cheng Yin dares to give me attitude after just a few transfers! And that Pang De, he's still up to no good! Now he even dares to openly defy orders to Zhang Heng! These ungrateful wolves are all hoping for my downfall! They're all remnants of Ma Teng! They all deserve to die!"

The angrier he became, the more he felt that everyone was against him, and the more convinced he was that a new round of purges was inevitable. Stimulated by the constant stream of true and false reports from the Wolf Guard, such as "Zhang Heng's men clashed with soldiers in Cheng Yin's defense zone," "Cheng Yin's men discovered arrows with special markings on Zhang Heng's army," and "Pang De's former subordinates secretly colluded," Han Sui's paranoia reached its peak.

Finally, after receiving an urgent report from the border that the Xinghuobao army was making frequent unusual movements and seemed to have the intention to advance westward, Han Sui made an extremely foolish decision.

He secretly summoned several of his most trusted generals and issued a secret order: under the pretext of "autumn review and defense adjustment," he transferred Zhang Heng, Cheng Yin, and several other generals he suspected of being "disloyal" to Guzang for "discussions." At the same time, he secretly ordered these trusted generals to secretly control a portion of Zhang Heng and Cheng Yin's troops and prepare to "place them under house arrest" in Guzang, completely stripping them of their military power!

"Your Majesty, is this plan... too hasty? What if it incites a mutiny...?" a general hesitated.

"A mutiny? They dare!" Han Sui's eyes flashed with a fierce light. "I am the true ruler of Xiliang! What use are disobedient dogs? Ma Teng is a prime example! This matter must be handled confidentially and swiftly!"

However, secrets never stay hidden forever, especially in the current state of Xiliang, which is riddled with problems and its people are scattered. Before Han Sui's secret order was officially issued, word of it had already leaked out.

The news reached Zhang Heng in Longxi, Cheng Yin in Jincheng, and... the most secret liaison point of the Xinghuobao Supervisory Office in Xiliang almost simultaneously.

When Jia Wen received the secret report, he was in the Xinghuo Fortress Supervisory Office, discussing the situation in Xiliang with Li Shu. Looking at the intelligence report written in secret language and shocking after translation, a cold smile of triumph finally flashed in Jia Wen's narrow eyes.

"Han Sui... has indeed fallen for the trap." He put down the note and said to Li Shu, "Immediately activate 'Middle Strategy.' Notify our people around Zhang Heng and Cheng Yin that they can 'reveal' Han Sui's secret orders. At the same time, send in more elite troops to ensure that the information reaches Zhang and Cheng accurately and quickly. Make them believe that this is not speculation, but crucial intelligence!"

"Furthermore," Jia Wen added, a hint of barely perceptible excitement in his voice, "inform General Chen Wei that the border raids can be temporarily suspended, and the main force should be moved forward covertly. The time for a 'surprise attack on Longyou'... is fast approaching."

The scheme to sow discord has succeeded. The poisonous flames of suspicion have finally burned through the last veil of feigned trust between Han Sui and his generals. Within Xiliang, a fire of betrayal and rebellion, ignited by Han Sui himself, is about to blaze fiercely. And Xinghuo Fortress only needs to wait for the fire to reach its zenith before gently toppling that long-rotten pillar.