noveltune Chapter 56 Zhang Wu
Chapter 56 Zhang Wu
Not long after the initial unification of the country, King Zang Tu of Yan rebelled because Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, had killed many of Xiang Yu's former subordinates.
Upon hearing the news, Liu Bang was furious and decided to personally lead the expedition.
Although Zhang Sili was over sixty years old, he still volunteered to be the vanguard. On the snowy plains by the Yi River, the Han army encountered the combined forces of Yan and Dai led by Zang Tu. Zhang Sili took the lead, charging with his old troops and breaking through three enemy lines in succession.
However, while pursuing the fleeing soldiers, his warhorse stumbled into an ice hole, causing him and the horse to fall. Seeing this opportunity, the remaining Yan soldiers turned around and counterattacked, with dozens of spears thrusting at him simultaneously.
"General!" The guards' eyes widened in fury.
Zhang Sili parried several spears with his halberd, but was pierced in the ribs by one of them. He roared, broke the spear shaft, and threw the halberd backhand, hitting the enemy general squarely in the throat.
Blood stained the white snow. This old general, who made it impossible for the allied armies to advance an inch at Hangu Pass, finally fell in the final stage of the Han Dynasty's unification in a charging posture.
When the news reached Chang'an, Liu Bang remained silent for a long time before sighing to his attendants, "The Marquis of Ningguo spent his life guarding the pass for Qin and defeating the enemy for Han. By my decree, he shall be buried with the rites due to a feudal lord, and his sons shall inherit the title and be granted an additional thousand households as a fief."
Zhao Sineng's ending was even more tragic. He was upright and not good at flattery, and offended Empress Lü's clansmen when he served as an official in Chang'an.
In 197 BC, Marquis Chen Xi of Yangxia rebelled, and someone falsely accused Zhao Sineng of having a past relationship with Chen Xi and secretly communicating with him. Empress Lü seized the opportunity to launch an attack and imprisoned him.
In prison, Zhao Sineng faced torture, but he only said one thing: "In my life, I have not failed Qin, nor Han, but I have failed the dying wish of the late King Wu Zhao, and I have not been able to witness true peace in the world."
The following day, Zhao Sineng died unjustly in prison at the age of fifty-eight.
Rumors circulated in Chang'an that on the day of the execution, dark clouds obscured the sun, and an old soldier wept bitterly outside the execution ground. Liu Bang heard this and remained silent for a long time. In the end, he issued an edict to pardon the soldier's family and bury them with the honors due to a general, but he was ultimately unable to clear the soldier's name.
Of the three, Li Zuo left the calmest.
Since returning to the Han Dynasty, he had been bedridden for many years due to a recurrence of his old injuries. In the spring of 201 BC, he passed away peacefully in a separate courtyard of the Liang King's residence. Before his death, he held Zhang Bi's hand and murmured, "Your Majesty... the three of us were ordered by the late lord to assist you... but now we are leaving first. We have no face to meet the late lord in the netherworld..."
Zhang Bi, with tears streaming down his face, said, "Zuo Geng Anxin, it is I who have let you down."
"No..." Li Zuo shook his head, his breath weak, "It's the world... that has changed. Your Majesty, take care... Zhang Shi... take care..." After saying this, he passed away peacefully.
In response, Zhang Bi became even more reclusive, remaining silent on state affairs, attending court annually on time, doubling his tribute, and even proactively proposing a reduction in his fiefdom. Liu Bang would always laugh and refuse, saying, "The King of Liang has shared hardships with me; why should I go to such lengths?"
However, Zhang Bi knew that Liu Bang's suspicions about him and Zhang Bi were growing ever deeper.
In the winter of the same year Li Zuogeng died, Zhang Bi fell seriously ill. The snow in Chang'an was extremely heavy. Liu Bang personally visited him in Liangyi, sat before Zhang Bi's bedside, and held his withered hand.
"Your Majesty..." Zhang Bi struggled to get up.
Liu Bang pressed him down: "King Liang, you should speak while lying down."
"Your Majesty, I'm afraid I can no longer defend this territory," Zhang Bi coughed, his face flushed. "I have a son, named Wu, twenty-six years old, straightforward in nature, but his loyalty is beyond question. If I die, I beg Your Majesty to remember our past relationship..."
"Rest assured, King of Liang," Liu Bang interrupted him, his gaze complex. "I have met Zhang Wu; he is a man of integrity. The land of Liang shall still be guarded by the Zhang family."
Zhang Bi shook his head, panting, and said, "No... Your Majesty, that is not my intention. I wish to submit a memorial requesting that two-thirds of the fiefdom of Liang be reduced, leaving only the old city of Liangyi, which is sufficient for sacrificial rites. My son... may come to Chang'an as a hostage, to be at Your Majesty's disposal."
Liu Bang was stunned. He stared at Zhang Bi for a long time before slowly saying, "Why must the King of Liang do this?"
"Because I know," Zhang Bi smiled bitterly, tears welling in his eyes, "that what Your Majesty desires is for the Liu family's empire to remain secure forever. When I surrendered the pass to the Han Dynasty, it was to find a way for the Zhang family to survive. Today, I am reducing my fiefdom for the same reason. I only ask that Your Majesty... allow my Zhang family to preserve one lineage."
The two men stared at each other for a long time, the only sound in the hall being the crackling of the charcoal fire. Finally, Liu Bang patted Zhang Bi's hand heavily: "I agree."
Three days later, Zhang Bi died and was posthumously honored as "King Gong of Liang"—"Gong" means to respect the virtuous and humble, and to bring peace to the people.
The word "respectful" is the evaluation he earned through a lifetime of caution.
His son Zhang Wu succeeded him as King of Liang, but his fiefdom had been reduced to only the city of Liangyi, and his army numbered no more than three thousand.
This twenty-six-year-old was completely different from his father. He was tall and strong, with a face as red as a date, a fiery temper, and a love of martial arts over literature.
Once, he got into an argument with someone in a tavern in Chang'an and broke three of the other person's ribs with one punch. He was detained by the Court of Justice. If Zhang Bi had not redeemed him with a large sum of money and personally apologized to Liu Bang, he would have almost lost his title of king.
Zhang Wu was extremely dissatisfied with his father's submissive behavior in his later years. At the funeral, he knelt before the coffin, gritting his teeth and whispering, "Father, you've been afraid your whole life. Now it's my turn to live a different way."
Sure enough, after Zhang Wu succeeded to the throne, his style of doing things changed drastically.
He refused to move to Chang'an as a hostage, and instead launched a large-scale military training campaign in Liangyi, repairing the city walls and recruiting wandering knights.
Some court officials impeached him for "secretly amassing weapons and harboring treacherous intentions," but Liu Bang simply laughed it off, saying, "Young man, full of youthful vigor, let him be."
What truly made Liu Bang look at Zhang Wu in a new light was the autumn hunt the following year.
In the Shanglin Garden, a tiger suddenly leaped out and pounced on the imperial carriage. The guards were caught off guard; a red blur flashed past, and Zhang Wu, bare-handed, charged at the tiger. Man and tiger tumbled to the ground, dust billowing. Moments later, Zhang Wu, covered in blood, stood up, holding the tiger's head in his hand; its neck had been twisted clean.
Liu Bang clapped his hands and laughed, "Truly a tiger among your subjects!" He immediately took off the sword from his waist and presented it to him, saying, "This sword is named 'Chixiao,' the sword that slew the white serpent. I now bestow it upon the King of Liang, hoping that you will slay demons and monsters for the Han Dynasty."
Zhang Wu took the sword and knelt on one knee: "Your subject is willing to die ten thousand times!"
In 200 BC, rumors spread that Liu Bang was dying from his injuries. In April, an urgent report came from the border: the Xiongnu Chanyu Modu Chanyu had personally led 300,000 cavalry southward, had broken through Yanmen Pass, and was approaching Jinyang.
In Weiyang Palace, Liu Bang, lying on his sickbed, struggled to sit up, his face ashen: "I...want to personally lead the expedition."
The courtiers were in uproar. Fan Kuai kowtowed and tearfully pleaded, "Your Majesty is unwell; how can you again lead the army? We, your subjects, are willing to go to war in Your Majesty's place!"
"You?" Liu Bang coughed, his gaze sweeping over the generals in the hall before finally settling on Zhang Wu in the corner. "King Liang, tell me, should I go?"
Zhang Wu stepped forward, his voice booming like a bell: "We should go. If Your Majesty does not personally lead the expedition, the Xiongnu will think that the Han Dynasty can be deceived, and they will surely become a great threat in the future."
"Very well!" Liu Bang slammed his hand on the table, aggravating his wound and causing sweat to bead on his forehead. "Issue the order: muster 200,000 troops. In three days, I will personally lead the expedition!"
Empress Lü attempted to persuade him, but Liu Bang sternly stopped her, saying, "Women should not interfere in politics!"
In July, the Han army marched out of Chang'an and headed north to meet the Xiongnu. Zhang Wu led 3,000 soldiers from Liangyi to accompany them and was incorporated into Zhou Bo's command. Initially, the war went smoothly, with the Han army winning battle after battle and recovering lost territory. Modu Chanyu feigned defeat and retreat, and Liu Bang, eager for victory, ignored the advice of Liu Jing and others and led a light cavalry in pursuit.
Upon reaching Baideng Mountain in Pingcheng, a heavy snowfall occurred. Liu Bang led his 30,000-strong vanguard deep into enemy territory, only to be surrounded by Modu's 400,000-strong army. The Han army made several attempts to break out, but each time they were repelled by the Xiongnu cavalry. After seven days and seven nights, their supplies were running low, and the weather was freezing cold; three or four out of ten soldiers suffered frostbite.
On the seventh night, Liu Bang summoned his generals for a meeting. The atmosphere in the tent was heavy; Zhou Bo, Guan Ying, and others all looked grim. Liu Bang unsheathed his Chixiao sword, stroked it, and sighed, "Could it be that Heaven intends to destroy me here?"
"Your Majesty," Zhang Wu suddenly stepped forward, "I am willing to lead my troops to break through the siege and seek reinforcements for Your Majesty."
Everyone looked at him. Three thousand against four hundred thousand—it was like throwing an egg against a rock.
"King Liang," Zhou Bo shook his head, "the Xiongnu have besieged us like an iron barrel; how can we possibly get out?"
Zhang Wu knelt down and kowtowed heavily: "Your Majesty, my father surrendered the pass for the sake of the Han Dynasty. Today, I request to break through the siege, also for the sake of the Han Dynasty. If we succeed, it is Heaven's will that the Han Dynasty has not been forsaken; if we fail, it is my fate to die. I only ask that Your Majesty, if you see my son one day, tell him: his father was not a coward!"
Liu Bang gazed at him for a long time, then stood up, helped Zhang Wu up with both hands, and tied the Chixiao Sword to his waist: "I will wait for the King of Liang to return."
At midnight, the snow fell even heavier. Zhang mistakenly selected eight hundred daredevils, all from Liangyi. He raised his cup to the crowd: "This journey is a one-in-ten chance of death. Those who are afraid may stay."
No one retreated.
"Alright!" Zhang accidentally threw down the bowl, mounted his horse, and shouted, "Open the door!"
The camp gates swung open, and eight hundred cavalrymen shot out like arrows, charging straight towards the Xiongnu camp. Zhang Wu led the charge, his Crimson Cloud Sword gleaming coldly in the snowy night. The Xiongnu, caught off guard by the Han army's proactive attack, were thrown into chaos. Zhang Wu charged through the densest areas of torches, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
"Stop that Han general in red robes!" the Xiongnu general exclaimed.
Zhang Wu had already fought his way through the front camp, but ahead lay an even thicker encirclement. He turned back; of the original eight hundred cavalry, only three hundred remained. In the distance, the Han army camp was ablaze with fire, and Liu Bang was beating drums to cheer him on.
"Charge with me!" Zhang mistakenly turned his horse around and instead of heading towards the breach, charged towards the central banner of the Xiongnu army.
Maodun Chanyu was observing the battle when he saw a red-robed Han general charging towards him like a mad tiger. He was greatly alarmed and shouted, "Fire the arrows!"
Arrows flew like locusts. Zhang was struck by several arrows, yet he continued his charge. One hundred paces, fifty paces, thirty paces... The Crimson Sky Sword flashed, and the Xiongnu king's banner snapped in two.
"The royal flag has fallen!" The Xiongnu army was thrown into chaos.
Taking advantage of this opening, Zhang Wu suddenly turned and led his remaining troops toward the northwest gap. Maodun, realizing what was happening, urgently ordered pursuit: "Catch him!"
Zhang Wu had broken through the encirclement, leaving only twenty-seven riders behind him. He dared not stop and galloped northward for three hundred li until he reached Yanmen Pass. By then, he was covered in blood, and his horse had died from exhaustion.
The garrison commander, seeing it was King Liang, was greatly alarmed and opened the gate. Zhang Wu tumbled off his horse, took out a tiger tally from his robes, and weakly cried out, "Quickly...quickly summon the troops of Dai and Zhao...to rescue His Majesty at Baideng Mountain..."
After saying this, he fainted.
Three days later, Zhou Bo and Guan Ying arrived with reinforcements, launching a pincer attack from both inside and outside the enemy lines. The Xiongnu were relieved and fled. Liu Bang's first words upon escaping were: "Where is the King of Liang?"
"King Liang..." Zhou Bo lowered his head, "He has suffered twenty-seven wounds and is unconscious at Yanmen Pass."
Despite his injuries, Liu Bang personally went to Yanmen Pass. At Zhang Wu's bedside, his face was ashen, and his breath was weak. The accompanying physician shook his head: "The arrow wound has penetrated deep into his lungs, and with days of continuous travel, the cold has seeped into his body... I fear he cannot be saved."
Liu Bang sat before the bed, gripping the hand of the man who had been trembling with fear, tears streaming down his face: "I have failed the King of Liang."
Zhang Wu slowly opened his eyes, saw it was Liu Bang, and struggled to get up. Liu Bang pressed him down: "King Liang, lie down."
"Your Majesty..." Zhang Wu began with difficulty, "The siege... is it lifted?"
"It's all over, all over." Liu Bang choked up. "It was the King of Liang who saved me and the Han Dynasty."
Zhang Wu grinned, revealing bloodied teeth: "Then...that's good...Today, your subject...will not fail the Han..."
His hand slowly fell down, and the Crimson Sky Sword slipped from his bosom, landing on the ground with a clang.
The room fell silent. After a long while, Liu Bang bent down, picked up the Crimson Cloud Sword, wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve, and said to those around him, word by word:
"By imperial decree, King Zhang Wu of Liang, whose loyalty and bravery were unparalleled, has sacrificed his life for the country. He is posthumously honored with the title 'Wu Li,' and his son shall inherit the title. The entire territory of Liang shall be restored. The Zhang family shall live and die with the nation, and their lineage shall continue for generations."
Outside the window, the snow had stopped. A ray of morning light pierced through the clouds, shining on the Crimson Sky Sword, its cold light gleaming as it had when it slew the white serpent.
Liu Bang rose, sword in hand, and gazed at the gradually brightening sky outside the window.
He knew that after this battle, the Xiongnu would not dare to invade southward for ten years. He also knew that his days were numbered. But he knew even more that this Han dynasty had such loyal ministers and martyrs, whose names would be remembered for ten thousand generations.
In his later years, Liu Bang accelerated the purge of his meritorious officials. King Lu Wan of Yan defected to the Xiongnu; Chancellor Xiao He was imprisoned; even Fan Kuai nearly faced execution. The entire court lived in fear.
Liu Bang personally led an expedition against the rebel general Ying Bu, but was wounded by a stray arrow and fell seriously ill on the way back.
Empress Lü seized the opportunity to consolidate power and began to eliminate forces outside the Liu family.
On the Jia-Chen day of the fourth month of the twelfth year of Emperor Gaozu of Han (195 BC), at Changle Palace.
Before the morning bell of Weiyang Palace had even rung, the palace servants were already spreading the news: His Majesty has passed away.
Last night, a heavy snowfall blanketed the entire city of Chang'an. Liu Bang lay on his cold royal bed, his final edict already written—Crown Prince Liu Ying would succeed to the throne, with Xiao He, Cao Shen, Wang Ling, and Chen Ping serving as regents.
Empress Lü knelt before the bed, her makeup ruined by tears, but Liu Bang simply looked at her with a deep gaze.
"Ruyi... Zhao Wang Ruyi..." On his deathbed, he kept repeating this name, but his eyes were fixed on Empress Lü.
Empress Lü trembled, prostrated herself on the ground, and dared not raise her head.
That one glance was the last chill she ever felt from her husband.
Liu Bang never retracted his intention to change the heir apparent until his death, yet he also failed to do so.
What he took with him was his boundless worry for Lady Qi and her son, and the Han Dynasty, which had just quelled the rebellion of the non-royal princes, but was about to fall into the hands of a woman.
On the day of Xinmao in April, Crown Prince Liu Ying ascended the throne as Emperor Hui of Han.
The sixteen-year-old emperor sat on the blood-stained dragon throne.
Empress Lü, as Empress Dowager, ruled from behind the throne, thus beginning the era of powerful maternal relatives dominating the Han Dynasty.
When the news reached the Liang Kingdom, the newly enthroned King Zhang Wuji consulted with his advisors and immediately decided to travel to Chang'an to pay homage to the new emperor. His name, meaning "without taboos," was quite fitting for Zhang Wuji's style. He was Zhang Wuji's only son, and was only fourteen years old.
This child was different from his grandfather and father; he was handsome and loved reading but disliked archery and horsemanship.
Zhang Wusheng once scolded and beat him for this: "Like father, like son! How can someone as weak as you defend the Liang Kingdom in the future?"