Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 41 Hunting the Ghost Car
The perspective shifts to the Wu family army heading north. After setting off north, an imperial edict arrived, ordering the Wu family army to halt on the east bank of the Donghua River and assist in suppressing the aquatic creatures of Yunmengze Lake.

It is said that when the imperial envoy read the edict, although the generals received it, the decree did not bring any overwhelming benevolence or authority. The army's banners fluttered loudly, the sound clashing with the rhythm of the imperial envoy's reading. At the same time, the imperial envoy's ceremonial halberd twisted and contorted like a snake's tail, as if fleeing from something. This strange phenomenon clearly indicated that the imperial decree could not command the army's obedience.

This is a world where everything can be "divinated," including people's hearts and mountains and rivers!

A ruler must have a plan for the people and the country, and must also constantly monitor himself for any moral failings. If a decree issued due to moral failings is ultimately implemented after being passed down to the lower levels, it will disrupt the balance of the dynasty's "grandeur".

As for the current situation: before the imperial edict was issued, the Wu family army had already set up camp by the Donghua River.

The reason for this was that the army was originally stationed there because it had clashed with local nobles and other powerful figures, and had to back down.

At that time, the imperial court did not make a timely ruling on the conflict. Instead, after the Wu family army had swallowed their anger and compromised, the imperial court suddenly issued an order in the form of an "instruction," as if to say, "This is exactly what I wanted. All your actions were arranged by me."

In reality, the imperial court could do nothing, tacitly acknowledging the conflict between the military forces transferred under orders and the local aristocratic families. Ideally, they should even acknowledge this conflict. There's no need to resolve it immediately, as those loyal to the emperor understand that these are turbulent times.

The Wu family army's strategy of retreating was to prevent the conflict from escalating.

However, the imperial court intervened, effectively legitimizing the actions of the southern aristocratic families in bullying the passing army, which led to the army's premature disbandment. The current imperial edict is tantamount to informing the Wu family army that their retreat was justified!

This caused the aristocratic families to lose the restraint they had shown during the initial negotiations, and instead become arrogant: "If you haven't been wronged, you should have been more considerate of the aristocratic families. You should have realized this much earlier."

In peacetime, maintaining the so-called overall situation by using civil means to control military forces depends not only on civil means, but also on the awareness of military forces.

Those who wield destructive power implicitly believe they shouldn't act arbitrarily. However, this doesn't mean that certain delusional classes can act arbitrarily towards us!
The imperial messenger watched as Wu Hanluan knelt to receive the imperial decree. He saw no sign of disrespect from the general, but sensed something was amiss, so he quickly delivered the decree and left.

The messenger knew that this "supplementary order" from the imperial court was actually the result of a petition from local officials, including the prefect of Taonan County!
Having just experienced discord with the passing army, it would be inappropriate to submit a memorial at this time. Furthermore, it would be even more inappropriate for the court to heed such a memorial entirely.

The nation is facing difficulties, and the court now relies on military strategists, who in turn need to trust the court before serving.

However, military strategists were suspicious of powerful clans, while the imperial court sided with them! As a result, military strategists also became suspicious of the imperial court.

…Things appear peaceful on the surface, but undercurrents are swirling beneath…

Let me explain why the imperial court dispatched the Wu family army northward.

In the middle of the 26th year of the Tianxu calendar, a strange star fell into the Yunmeng Marsh. The local officials concealed the incident and did not investigate. However, the strange star that fell there was actually a dragon ship as large as a mountain. The dragon ship was hidden in the mist of the Yunmeng Marsh and was repaired over a year. Afterward, all the aquatic creatures in the marsh became attached to it.

The imperial court was furious upon learning of this, but it was too late to punish the local officials. They could only order troops, who happened to be nearby, to suppress the rebellious aquatic tribes. However, the local soldiers were ineffective! For two consecutive years, the bandits not only failed to be eliminated but grew stronger, prompting an urgent call for available troops from the surrounding area to crush them.

Six months ago, troops from Jizhou were mobilized to suppress the rebellion, but unfortunately, the region remained unsettled. The aquatic tribes' disturbances have only intensified.

Therefore, in order to quickly quell the rebellion, the available troops from the two prefectures of Zhu were naturally drawn to the front lines.

Of course, at this time the imperial court still had a large army in the area to besiege the aquatic tribes, which is why they were so indifferent to the Wu family army.

…Three days after the imperial envoy left…

The Wu family army encountered a problem near its central camp. The tens of thousands of troops currently heading north are stationed in a place called "Hongze". As the name suggests, this place is a swampy area that connects to Yunmengze.

Changcheng is located 20 kilometers south of Hongtan.

Changcheng is a place where many waterways converge, earning it the reputation of being a thoroughfare connecting nine prefectures. These waterways divide the area into two or three parts.

In the industrial era, a bridge could be built across this waterway, and the river channel could be stabilized with dams. High-rise buildings could be constructed simultaneously in the three areas divided by the river, and industrial and commercial districts could be planned to form a metropolis.

In this era, cities are not capable of crossing rivers. Therefore, Changcheng was built separately in the south, while Yunmengze was in the southeast.

Currently, the other two armies have also set up two large camps in the south to confront the Yunmengze bandits.

Judging from the map, the Wu family army appears to have been pushed into an insignificant corner in the north to set up camp! This shows a lack of attention.

This arrangement didn't bring peace to the Wu family army either, because there were also things to be found to the north.

After setting up camp, Wu Hengyu frowned as he looked at the army's provisions. The army's provisions were only enough for seven days, and supplies were being sent from Changcheng every seven days.

Yes, the supplies for these tens of thousands of troops were not in the camp, but in the high-walled city of Changcheng across the river, and in the fortified villages of the nearby powerful clans.

Separating the supply of provisions from the main army is the means by which the imperial court still maintains control over the various armies!
It makes sense. If an army occupies a city, has its own city walls, and its own storage system, then it becomes a regional military governorship that is not under the control of the imperial court.

The camp, built against the mountains, was laid out like a city within its antler-shaped fences, and even had a market specifically for peddlers.

"Woo~woo~"

The bugle sounded, and the soldiers in the camp began to line up and head out to chop firewood in the mountains. Wu Hengyu, carrying his helmet, also left his tent. The wild animals in the mountains had been extremely ferocious these past few days, frequently attacking people in packs. This was why the southern aristocratic families had left this northern land for the Wu family army to set up camp.

...evil energy attracts evil beasts...

Two hours later, the soldiers on the mountain were chopping firewood, and the trees were being loaded onto carts. Wu Hengyu was also riding his horse in the procession, looking at the ancient road that had been opened up and had been abandoned.

Suddenly, the sound of gongs rang out from ahead, and a group of monsters appeared out of nowhere in the mountains. Among these monsters were bears and wild boars, numbering four or five hundred in total, making a ruckus as they suddenly appeared on the mountain.

Wu Hengyu stared at the treacherous peaks and ridges, where clouds gathered, clearly indicating that something had just stirred up evil energy to gather the spirits and monsters that had gathered in the mountains!
Wu Hengyu sighed, “There are aquatic creatures in the water (Yunmeng Marsh in the south), and spirits in the mountains. The local government is truly despicable.”

In the realm of Xiren, heaven and earth, mountains and rivers, and the human way are in harmony and interconnected. In other words, if this harmony is disrupted, heaven and earth, mountains and rivers will detach themselves from the influence of the human way. In particular, if the human way malfunctions, the mountains and rivers will generate evil energy, and the people who live by the mountains and rivers will exhibit strange phenomena. Beasts that feed on dew and lick rocks will learn to absorb souls. Thus, spirits and monsters are born.

Spirits and monsters are two different things. Spirits are wild beasts that devour humans and gain intelligence; while monsters are originally human people who were invaded by strange forces and turned into monsters. Therefore, the creatures in the mountains are "spirits," while the aquatic creatures in the Yunmeng Marsh in the south are "monsters."

According to the Confucian concept of the Great Dao, if a sage-king is in power, no spirits or monsters will appear under the interaction between Heaven and humanity.

The mountains and rivers no longer communicate with the ruler and governor, and instead give rise to monsters that devour humanity. What can be done in this situation?
The military theory is "killing." Kill as many spirits as you can; once they are all wiped out, offer them as a sacrifice to the mountains and rivers, and the mountains and rivers will naturally resonate with humanity. This is how it is at Yongji Pass; the mountain range is a feng shui site, used by Wu Fei.

Returning to the current battle situation facing Wu Hengyu, the army of more than 1,500 men has already formed ranks.

Wu Hengyu gazed at the group of spirits on the opposite hillside. The various mountain spirits draped in grass at the front were not to be feared, but they had no ability to form ranks! Above the enemy formation, the wind and clouds were shifting.

General Wu Hengyu patted his steed "Wuzhui," and the strange beast spread its wings and rode the wind and clouds to reach the highest point.

Wu Hengyu made a hand seal, and spiritual light flashed from his fingertips. He touched his brow with his fingers, and his Heavenly Eye opened. He then saw clearly the three wisps of clouds above the enemy formation! He was greatly shocked; they were three giant aerial beasts.

These three giant beasts resemble phoenixes and are much larger than the boar-eating eagles of Lingnan, with a wingspan of fifty meters and nine heads.

Wu Hengyu instantly understood what it was: the nine-headed bird, the nine-phoenix, and of course, it also had an obscure name, "Ghost Chariot." Unlike the auspicious phoenix, the Ghost Chariot was very evil and loved to devour the souls of children.

The ghost carriage was an extremely powerful and ferocious creature, and Wu Hengyu gritted his teeth and began to ride it.

The battle flags began to turn, and Wu Hengyu's infantry formation began to lengthen, forming a relatively broad line, and they began to advance. This military formation did not expect to directly kill the ghost chariot in the sky, but it could use the pressure of the formation to drive away the ghost chariot's spirit assistants on the ground, causing the ghost chariot to lose the support of its own spirit's evil energy, be contaminated by the evil energy of the army, and thus lose its ability to float and be forced to fall.

At this moment, the Wu family army's malevolent aura formed a large net in the sky. This malevolent aura touched any birds in the air, and the birds began to fly low and flee the battlefield because their wings were heavy.

Wu Fei wouldn't consider such a reckless move as personally engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a flying behemoth in the sky.

In specific countermeasures, Wu Fei would have his soldiers form a defensive formation to protect the cannons, and then send out scouts with bows to harass the enemy formation and lure out the flying beasts. Once the flying beasts broke free, they would be trapped with nets and tripwires and shot at from a distance.

Wu Hengyu encountered the ghost carriage while chopping wood on the mountain; he didn't bring any cannons with him at all.

If Wu Hengyu doesn't choose to charge directly, then Guiche's plan is for one to stir up trouble in front, while the other two will circle around to the sides and rear. When the mountain spirits in front rush up for close combat, they will swoop down and launch an attack on the Wu family army's formation.

Now, the three ghost chariots also came forward. When faced with Wu Hengyu's black horse transformed into a divine beast and coming forward aggressively, these nine-headed birds were obviously a little flustered, so they first unleashed a wave of their own signature skills.

Each of the nine heads possessed various supernatural abilities, including breathing fire, swirling sand, and fanning poisonous smoke. At this moment, several of the heads began to wreak havoc, attacking the sky and the earth. One of the streams of poisonous smoke swept across the ground, causing vegetation within a hundred paces of its impact to wither and die.

However, Wu Hengyu bypassed the deadly zone formed by the intersecting spray patterns of over a dozen arrows, and then aimed directly at the largest bird, stabbing it fiercely. Wu Hengyu's marksmanship was sharp; he could basically blast off a bird's head with three shots each time. Even though these bird heads could regenerate after being blown up, it couldn't stop such a rapid harvesting speed.

From the rear ranks came shouts: "General, I'm here to help you!" Behind him, twelve warriors riding dragon horses followed.

Wu Hengyu, holding the Starry Sky Spear, said, "You can all stand by and watch from the sidelines." The clouds, as if alive, began to swirl around Wu Hengyu, forming a powerful protective shield.

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Hengyu's divine beast used its wind-riding technique to dash ahead and charge into the enemy formation, slaying a ghost chariot hidden in the wind and clouds with a single spear thrust!
The slain ghost chariot left no corpse, but transformed into a red mist, which then condensed into a torrential downpour of blood rain from the sky, soaking the mountain spirits' tangled fur. Some of the spirits' fur fell off like grass washed with acid, causing immediate panic and chaos, and their formation crumbled.

Immediately afterwards, Wu Hengyu, holding his spear horizontally in the air, pointed in the distance. The axemen below him understood the order, removed their armor to reduce their weight, and sped up to flank and cut in from the indicated route.

Under this fierce onslaught, the already demoralized mountain spirits and monsters were utterly routed.
Seeing this, the remaining two ghost chariots in the sky anxiously tried to swoop down, but were blocked by the general riding a dragon horse. The chief of the gatekeeper, Ge, swung his sword in an arc in mid-air, intercepting the ghost chariots' retreat and sending a string of black feathers flying in the air.

Wu Hengyu also charged down instantly, forcing the two giant beasts to fall into the bushes nearby. They fought Wu Hengyu from the sky to the side, eighteen heads battling Wu Hengyu's single spear, yet the two were evenly matched. But soon, soldiers rushed into the jungle and surrounded them.

When the infantrymen wielding long weapons now gather around and gang up on each other, the outcome is already decided.

The spearmen covered their mouths and noses with cloths soaked in urine and surrounded the nine-headed bird, pinning it to the ground. The bird whimpered and its chest heaved, just like a rooster with its many heads pinned down.

Inside the camp, the captured nine-headed bird was locked in a cage and sealed with runes inside the main tent. What awaited the nine-headed bird next was forty-nine days of "torture."

In the camp, Wu Hanluan looked at the two Guiche birds, which had buried their heads in their indigo breast feathers like ostriches, through their cages on the parade ground: "It is a real pity that such strange beasts are not used by our army."

Wu Hengyu, standing to the side, said, "Then I'll go catch a few more!"

Wu Hanluan shook his head: "No rush, no rush." ​​Then he walked to the cage and plucked the giant beast's feathers. The ghost beast immediately began to bar its teeth through the cage, and some of its heads even made a breathing motion. However, Wu Hanluan coughed lightly, and the ghost beast seemed to have its life force pinched, shutting down from its ferocious state and drooping its head.

Wu Hanluan fiddled with the feather in his hand and said to Wu Hengyu, "Send it to Yuan Chang."

Wu Hengyu frowned: "Are we really going to send this beast all this way home?"

Wu Hanluan shook his head: "What we sent from afar was nothing more than a goose feather."

Wu Hengyu was puzzled.

Wu Hanluan: "It's to tell him that there's work for him to do here."

He drew a map on the sand with an arrow and pointed it out to Wu Hengyu. The mountain range that was originally blocked by evil energy was actually a trade route after the Wu family's military spirit was unblocked.

The generals standing nearby understood.

……

After the ghost carriage was hunted down, the evil aura in the mountains subsided. Inside Changcheng, the governor saw that the mountains to the north had become peaceful. He lit a lamp and looked at the map to see the location where the Wu family army was stationed. After a long time, he said, "This southern army can bring peace to this region."

So he prepared gifts and made arrangements to visit Wu Hanluan.

(End of this chapter)