The Child Emperor

As they drew closer to Shattered Iron City, Northern Army Commandant Liu Kunsheng’s position became increasingly awkward, and his anxiety grew. Suddenly, he found himself thrust into a key role, a responsibility that General Han Tong had desperately shirked and that he had been forced to accept.

On the evening they arrived at Divine Hero Pass, Provost Marshal Chai Zhi visited Liu Kunsheng with three other officers, intending to clarify some matters face to face.

Since Liu Kunsheng was the official with the command seal, Chai Zhi and his companions maintained a polite facade, bringing wine and meat. However, they didn’t leave their “superior” any room to refuse. They set up a feast and invited Liu Kunsheng to the head seat. Initially, they drank quietly, then joyfully, and eventually, they engaged in boisterous drinking games.

Once everyone’s faces were flushed and they could speak candidly, Chai Zhi raised his cup and asked, “Commandant Liu, who do you think we are?”

Liu Kunsheng, quite drunk and dizzy, forced a smile. “What, are you testing my tolerance for alcohol? You are the the Northern Army’s Provost Marshal…”

Chai Zhi shook his head repeatedly. “I don’t mean our military titles.”

Liu Kunsheng hiccupped. “A riddle? If I guess wrong, I’ll drink. If I guess right, you all drink. First, let’s finish this cup.”

The five of them downed their drinks in one go. Chai Zhi laughed, “It’s not a riddle, just stating a fact. Commandant Liu, we are not the same kind of people.”

“You… are younger?”

“Haha, just by a decade or so. Commandant Liu, did you inherit your military position from your father and grandfather?”

Liu Kunsheng scratched his head. “Oh, I understand. If you trace back, my family is quite ordinary. My grandfather was a farmer in the capital, my father was selected into the border army as a good family man and died in battle. I joined the army as an orphan and grew up in the military, without making any significant achievements. You all are from noble families whose ancestors made great contributions to Great Chu. We’re indeed not the same.”

“Ancestral merit, enjoyed by descendants. Do you think it’s fair, Commandant Liu?”

Liu Kunsheng was surprised. “Of course it’s fair. Why wouldn’t it be? If one couldn’t pass their merits to their descendants, why would anyone fight so desperately in battles?”

The others laughed heartily. Chai Zhi put down his cup. “You’re right. Family legacies include not just merits but also loyalty—loyalty to His Majesty and to Great Chu. That’s the biggest difference between us.”

Liu Kunsheng, emboldened by the alcohol, slammed his cup on the table, “Is Provost Marshal Chai questioning my loyalty?”

Chai Zhi quickly apologized with a smile, and the other three officers joined in persuading Liu Kunsheng to drink. Once Liu Kunsheng’s anger turned to laughter, Chai Zhi continued, “Loyalty can be of different kinds. Commandant Liu’s loyalty is about making achievements and rising through the ranks. Ours is about maintaining the stability of Great Chu, whether we achieve merits or not.”

At this point, Liu Kunsheng could no longer respond, so he laughed dryly and raised his cup in a toast, drinking first himself.

Chai Zhi picked up his cup and said, “Great Chu has a million strong soldiers to fend off external invaders and internal rebels, but one thing that ordinary Chu soldiers never get involved in is the royal family’s affairs.”

Liu Kunsheng remained silent.

“Chu soldiers don’t meddle in the royal family’s internal matters. It’s an unwritten rule, even though some have broken it occasionally. A loyal and wise general would never cross that line. We are different. Since our ancestors were granted titles for their contributions, we have become part of the royal family and have the right and duty to participate in its affairs. It’s more dangerous than fighting on the battlefield, and such contributions are rarely publicized.”

Liu Kunsheng laughed again.

“Do you understand the difference now, Commandant Liu?”

Liu Kunsheng nodded. “I understand. I’ve always understood.”

“Don’t blame me for being nosy, but I heard that you made significant contributions during the palace coup while serving as a palace guard and that you had contact with the Weary Marquis…”

In the court’s official account, the details of Liu Kunsheng taking the Founding Emperor’s sword out of the palace were vague. Most people believed it was under the Empress Dowager’s orders, but there were other rumors among the noble families.

Liu Kunsheng could no longer feign ignorance. He said seriously, “As Provost Marshal Chai said, ordinary soldiers have no right to meddle in the royal family’s affairs. I was lucky to make a small contribution while serving as a palace guard, for which I was rewarded. As far as I’m concerned, the matter is over, and I don’t think about it or discuss it.”

Chai Zhi raised his cup and shouted, “I knew Commandant Liu was a smart man. Come, let’s drink to Commandant Liu’s early ennoblement, so he can join our ranks!”

The five of them drank heavily until a junior officer came in to remind them they had to march the next day, and the banquet finally ended.

As they bid farewell, Chai Zhi, with a drunken slur, put his arm around Liu Kunsheng’s shoulder and said, “Keep the Grand Marshal’s seal safe, then wait for the chance to defeat the Xiongnu and earn your reward. As for other matters, just observe.”

Liu Kunsheng mumbled, “Other matters are not my concern. Why should I observe? I won’t observe, not even a glance.”

Chai Zhi left, satisfied.

In his room, Liu Kunsheng’s expression turned serious. He pondered for a long time before finally falling asleep.

The army was set to depart at dawn. Although Liu Kunsheng slept late, he woke early, sitting by his bed and recalling the series of nightmares he had experienced the previous night.

“What can I do?” Liu Kunsheng asked himself. Suddenly, he raised his head, looking around warily. The room was dark, with his attendants and personal guards sleeping outside, still not awake.

Liu Kunsheng stood up, lit an oil lamp, and confirmed there was no one else in the room. He felt slightly relieved. Even talking to oneself was unsafe at such times.

He sat back on the bed, unable to sleep, intending to wait silently for dawn.

His right hand, resting on the bed, suddenly touched something strange. When he turned to look, he saw a letter where he had just been lying.

The envelope was smooth, clearly placed there recently.

Liu Kunsheng stood up abruptly, took his waist sword from the wall, and circled the room. He walked to the door, intending to open it but changed his mind and listened instead. Outside, he heard the faint neighing of horses, but nothing else.

Returning to the bed, Liu Kunsheng stared at the letter for a while before finally picking it up. He opened the envelope and took out the letter inside.

There were no words, only a drawing of a sword.

Someone knocked on the door. “Commandant, you’re awake?”

“Yes,” Liu Kunsheng replied, quickly folding the letter and tucking it into his robe. He placed the envelope on the table. This was a room in the Divine Hero Pass office, equipped with ink, paper, and brushes. An empty envelope wouldn’t draw attention.

Leading an army of fifty thousand through the pass was no simple task. After the vanguard, the frontline troops, and the advance guards had set out, Liu Kunsheng led his own troops. Behind him, a large contingent of soldiers still waited inside the pass, which would not be completely cleared until the afternoon.

During the march, Liu Kunsheng remained unsettled. When asked, he blamed it on a hangover.

Two days later, the army emerged from the mountains, and Shattered Iron City came into view.

Shattered Iron City was too small to accommodate the fifty thousand reinforcements. Camps had been set up in the southern hills outside the city, and the Northern Army units entered in an orderly fashion.

As the official with the command seal, even if Liu Kunsheng couldn’t interfere in royal family affairs, he was responsible for the battle against the Xiongnu. When they were still dozens of miles from Shattered Iron City, he led his guards up a hill to observe the terrain around the city.

Veteran soldier Fang Daye and several guides were called over to answer the commandant’s questions.

Having grown up in a military camp, Liu Kunsheng was familiar with warfare but found commanding a large army challenging. His subordinates drafted the battle plans, and he could only ask some trivial questions, occasionally expressing his thoughts. “Thinking back to the Martial Emperor’s time, there weren’t many battles of this scale. After this battle, we can secure at least ten years of peace for Great Chu.”

Fang Daye, having no official position in the Northern Army and not even considered a staff officer, stood with the guides but was therefore bold enough to speak. “This battle may not happen.”

“Why do you say that? Do you think the Xiongnu genuinely want peace talks?”

“I don’t know if the peace talks are genuine, but looking at the terrain, the Chu army and the Xiongnu are separated by a river. To engage in battle, one side must cross the river and form ranks. The Chu army’s advantage is having Shattered Iron City to defend, while the Xiongnu have the open grasslands at their back. Commandant, look, the terrain on the Xiongnu side is open. If they sense things aren’t going well, they can flee immediately, and the Chu army won’t be able to catch them. A decisive battle is unlikely.”

Liu Kunsheng nodded, finding Fang Daye’s words somewhat reasonable.

A military officer stepped forward and said, “Old General Fang only knows part of it. Commandant, don’t worry. The Chu army has a detailed plan. The peace talks are a ruse to deceive the Xiongnu. The frontline generals have already obtained the Xiongnu’s agreement. During the talks tomorrow, the Chu army will send ten thousand men across the river. The river is frozen, and the Chu army has secretly built dozens of simple wooden bridges that can be set up on the riverbed within two quarters of an hour, connecting the two banks. The Chu army can then launch a full-scale attack. At least thirty thousand men will advance westward to cut off the Xiongnu’s retreat before moving north to encircle them.”

Liu Kunsheng nodded in approval.

Fang Daye, however, shook his head vigorously. “The Art of War says, ‘When ten to one, surround them; when five to one, attack them.’ The Chu army and the Xiongnu are evenly matched. How can we divide our forces to encircle them?”

The deputy general sneered, “Old General Fang underestimates the Chu army. Our equipment far surpasses that of the Xiongnu, and we are well-trained and eager for battle. Since the Martial Emperor’s time, one Chu soldier has been worth five or ten Xiongnu soldiers.”

“That’s ancient history. Even General Deng Liao, one of the Martial Emperor’s greatest generals, never encircled the Xiongnu with equal numbers.”

The deputy general wanted to argue, but Liu Kunsheng intervened. “No need to quarrel. The army is here, and we must fight. Old General Fang, there’s no need to worry. Even if the Chu army can’t encircle the Xiongnu, we can certainly defeat them.”

Fang Daye fell silent. Liu Kunsheng walked a few steps before calling Fang Daye over. “Which direction is Flowing Sand City?”

Fang Daye pointed it out. Liu Kunsheng turned his back to the crowd, took out the letter, opened it, and showed it to Fang Daye, then quickly put it away.

Fang Daye was stunned for a moment, then took out a piece of paper with the same sword symbol.

The two men exchanged glances, each gaining confidence, believing that the Northern Protection General not only sensed the danger but also had a plan to counter it.

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