Chapter 62 Part 1

Zhang Han sized up Guo Zhi, who stood before him, and a sense of absurdity suddenly washed over him.

Just half an incense stick's time ago, someone had reported to him that an envoy from Xianyang City sought an audience. The other party claimed to be the eldest son of the Guo family, a playmate of the Princess of Yu.

Zhang Han had no idea who the Guo family was. Even if the Guo family had some renown in the land of Yu, they were not famous enough for even Zhang Han to have heard of them. What left him both amused and exasperated was the latter part of the title. Since when had military and state affairs become like children's games? When had he, Zhang Han, become so cheap that even a child could trifle with him?

However, on account of the words "the King of Yu's eldest daughter," Zhang Han still had the person brought in.

Although Xiang Yu had urged him time and again, Zhang Han was unwilling from the bottom of his heart to attack that blasted Xianyang City. Thus, even after the army had set out for over ten days, it was still moving sluggishly along the road. Today, seeing that the weather was poor and looked like it was about to rain, Zhang Han ordered a halt to the march and had them set up camp on the spot to rest for a day or two first.

Ever since he had sent letters to Wan County and Xianyang respectively, there had been no reply from Xianyang. Even Liu Yuan had not sent anyone to contact him. Zhang Han was both puzzled and annoyed, and couldn't help but wonder if Liu Yuan had decided to abandon Xianyang. If so, he wouldn't have to be in such a dilemma. He could just occupy Xianyang and be done with it. Why worry about offending Xiang Yu on one hand and Liu Yuan on the other?

In the end, Xianyang finally sent someone over today, but this person was not who Zhang Han had expected. In his view, it should at least have been Fang Yu to come forward. What was the meaning of sending a wet-behind-the-ears youth?

Guo Zhi did not give him much time to ponder. He got straight to the point, putting a high hat on Zhang Han's head: "I have long heard of the King of Yong's great talent, turning the tide for Qin at a time of crisis. Seeing you today, you are truly valiant beyond measure!"

He was dressed today in a cyan quju long robe, with a cyan scarf worn squarely on his head. There was still a smile on his face, but it was much more restrained than usual, making him appear more solemn. He was indeed a handsome and distinguished young man.

However, Zhang Han was not very receptive to his compliments, and said coolly, "A defeated general, how can I speak of courage?"

Inside the tent, armored soldiers stood holding their weapons, their gazes cold, their blades sharpened. As Zhang Han's voice fell, a murderous aura seemed to surge forth. Yet Guo Zhi stood respectfully with his hands folded. It was hard to tell if it was the fearlessness of a newborn calf that does not fear the tiger, or if he was truly calm inside, but he was completely unafraid, his expression unchanged.

Guo Zhi said, "At that time, the King of Yong's men were all convicts and slaves, and had suffered continuous losses from the fierce battles with Chen Sheng and Wu Guang. In contrast, Xiang Yu had heaven's timing, earth's advantage, and human harmony. Therefore, for the King of Yong to be defeated by him was a glorious defeat. The world does not laugh at it; instead, they admire the King of Yong's bravery."

Zhang Han could tell that Guo Zhi was genuinely praising him, not being sarcastic. Only then did his expression soften slightly, and he motioned for him to sit and speak.

Zhang Han: "What is the young gentleman's name?"

Guo Zhi cupped his hands: "I am Guo Zhi. I have come on the order of the Princess of Yu to offer a plan to the King of Yong."

Zhang Han: "Speak."

Guo Zhi: "This plan is but one word: stall."

Zhang Han choked for a moment: "What kind of plan is that?"

Guo Zhi smiled, "This plan is not extraordinary, but it is the best method at present. It can save the King of Yong from Xiang Yu's censure, and also preserve the friendship between the King of Yong and the King of Yu. The King of Yong is a man of high principle, unwilling to go to war with Xianyang and cause needless death and destruction. You sent a letter in advance to inform us, and both the Princess and Governor Fang have taken this kindness to heart. Right now, Xiang Yu is wary of the feudal lords' growing power and is acting perversely, all to force the lords until they can bear it no more and rebel on their own initiative. Then he will send out his troops to deal with the various kings. The King of Yong is sharp and perceptive; you will certainly not fall into his trap and be used by him."

He spoke eloquently while Zhang Han remained impassive. Hearing the end of it, Zhang Han couldn't help but sneer, "You don't have to be in such a hurry to flatter me. How long can I stall? Ten days, half a month, or half a year, a full year? Do you think the Hegemon-King of Western Chu will let me drag this out indefinitely? I'm afraid I'll be the one out of luck then!"

Guo Zhi said with a smile, "King of Yong, please be at ease. Within a month, there will be a great change in the world. By then, Xiang Yu will likely have no time to bother with the King of Yong's affairs."

Zhang Han did not move an inch: "I would like to hear the details."

Guo Zhi said, "Right now, Xiang Yu has ordered Han Guang to cede the land of Yan. The lands of Liaodong and Beidi are even more barren than Yan, and closer to the Xiongnu. How could Han Guang agree? Xiang Yu boasts of his unparalleled military might, invincible in the world, yet cutting off a man's livelihood is no different from killing his parents. Han Guang, forced into a corner, will surely raise troops and rebel in half a month at the least, or a month at the most. And Tian Rong, proud of his great merits and resentful that Xiang Yu would not enfeoff him as a marquis, will certainly respond to Han Guang. At that time, Xiang Yu will be too preoccupied with sending troops to suppress them. How could he still care whether the King of Yong has occupied Xianyang?"

It was only after hearing these words that Zhang Han was certain Guo Zhi truly had some eloquence and wasn't just some random person sent by Xianyang.

"Are these the words of Governor Fang, or the King of Yu?" he asked.

"This is the will of the King of Yu, and also the will of Governor Fang and the Princess of Yu. They are unwilling to rashly start a war and ruin the friendship between Xianyang and the land of Yong. That is why they sent me here to explain things briefly to the King of Yong. We ask that the King of Yong stall for a while; you will see the effects soon enough." Guo Zhi deliberately emphasized the words "the Princess."

Zhang Han seemed to have caught on to something. He smiled and said, "The King of Yu truly has a good daughter! Very well. Since it is so, at my current pace, I can reach the walls of Xianyang in ten days at the fastest, or half a month at the slowest. As for what to do then, I'm sure you all have a plan!"

Guo Zhi was overjoyed and bowed deeply, "The King of Yong is truly a man of high principle!"

Zhang Han laughed heartily, "Say that too often and it sounds fake. I'm also doing this for myself. On the contrary, for Young Master Guo to dare to come here alone as a lobbyist, it is truly a case of a hero emerging from the young!"

With official business concluded, Guo Zhi reverted to his jocular manner: "If I weren't certain that the King of Yong held no ill will towards us, I wouldn't dare be so presumptuous!"

Seeing him shed his feigned seriousness from a moment ago, even relaxing his posture to become casual and unrestrained, Zhang Han felt a sense of appreciation and fondness. He said, "To meet is to be fated. If Young Master Guo has nothing pressing, why not stay a few more days before leaving? I hear that cuju is popular in Xianyang now. There are some in my army who enjoy it as well. We could ask the young master for some pointers."

Guo Zhi did not misunderstand that Zhang Han wanted to hold him hostage. He simply replied with a smile, "I would love to. Cuju is popular in Xianyang now, but unfortunately, there are very few who play it well. The King of Yong's men are all trained in swords and blades, and have galloped across battlefields. I imagine they would be more exciting and interesting to play cuju with. Unfortunately, the Princess and Governor Fang are still waiting for my reply. How about I return to Xianyang first, and then come back to have a match with the King of Yong?"

Zhang Han laughed heartily, finding this young man more and more endearing.

"I hear you can't go three sentences without mentioning Princess Liu. Could it be that you harbor feelings of admiration for her?" he teased.

'Was I that obvious?' Guo Zhi rubbed his nose, not feeling the least bit embarrassed. "A fair maiden, a gentleman's good match!"

"If you are interested, I can be your matchmaker. I just don't know if the King of Yu would be willing to marry his beloved daughter to you," Zhang Han said, half-joking, half-serious.

He genuinely thought Guo Zhi was quite good. He was pleasing to the eye, brave enough, and not lacking in wit and humor. Even though there was a large age gap between them, it did not stop Zhang Han from wanting to befriend him.

Guo Zhi waved his hands repeatedly, then cupped them and said, "The King of Yong's kind intentions, Zizhang accepts with gratitude! Princess Liu has the quality of an orchid; I admire her greatly. I do not wish to rely on parents or elders, but want to try with my own ability to win her personal consent. If I succeed, then Zizhang will definitely have to trouble the King of Yong to propose the marriage on my behalf!"

Zhang Han laughed loudly, "Good, good! Since you have such ambition, I will leave it to you. I wish you success in winning the beauty's hand soon!"

With Guo Zhi having made this trip, there was an even greater tacit understanding between Xianyang and Zhang Han. Everyone knew in their hearts that both sides were putting on a show for Xiang Yu. So, two days later, after the rain had stopped and Zhang Han had "rested" enough, the army slowly resumed its march. Xianyang, on its part, also made orderly preparations: posting notices to reassure the people, gathering grain and supplies, and having that one thousand men take turns patrolling the city walls—behaving as if they were truly going to fight a battle—just that the number of combatants was a little small.

Some ten days later, Zhang Han indeed led his troops to the foot of Xianyang's walls, and a strange phenomenon occurred:

The gates of Xianyang were shut tight. The Yong army shouted challenges from below the walls, and the Xianyang defenders hurled curses back from atop the walls. The two sides reveled in flinging spittle as they greeted each other's ancestors and parents, but—they just didn't attack the city.

Looking inside Xianyang, the common people had also gradually calmed down after their initial panic. Those who should farm, farmed; those who should sell cloth, sold cloth. The main gates were closed, so they used the small gates to go in and out. The Xianyang defenders did not stop them, nor did the Yong army intercept and kill them.

When they were tired of cursing during the day, it was time to rest at night. At this time, a small group of people would come out from Xianyang, carrying cooked pork and mutton to feast the army. The aroma of meat filled the Yong army's camp, and everyone ate with great delight, presenting a touching scene of harmonious and joyful relations between the army and the people, like fish in water.

This was truly a bizarre sight.

However, if Xiang Yu were to see it with his own eyes, he would probably die of anger on the spot.

But Xiang Yu certainly had no time to worry about whether Zhang Han was attacking Xianyang or not, because on the third day after Zhang Han arrived at the walls of Xianyang, Han Guang killed Zang Tu and raised his army.

Tian Rong followed suit, directly killing his own nephew, King Tian An of Jibei, occupying Jibei, and joining forces with Han Guang to attack King Tian Du of Qi.

Of course, to raise an army just like that would make them seem weak, so they had long thought of a reason to rebel. The reason was that someone was holding the Emperor of Chu hostage to rule over the world, so they had to lead their troops to execute the one who was unworthy of being king. This "unworthy of being king" person was, of course, Xiang Yu.

When Xiang Yu heard the news, he was, as expected, greatly enraged and immediately prepared to send troops to attack Han and Tian.

——————

In comparison, Liu Zhen's days were now slightly more leisurely.

Although Zhang Han's troops had not yet withdrawn, everyone in Xianyang had calmed down. Now, the city gates of Xianyang would open for one shichen every day before dawn. The city's people would use this shichen to go in and out. At this time, the Yong army would furl their banners and silence their drums, pretending to be resting, so daily life in Xianyang was not much affected.

If there had been some rumors in the city before, after Han Guang and Tian Rong rose up in rebellion, such talk had vanished without a trace. Every day, besides playing chess with Guo Zhi and the others, Liu Zhen would occasionally go to the kitchen herself to whip up some food.

It was now summer. Unlike back in Xiang Town, Xianyang was a hub with roads leading in all directions and frequent trade. At Liu Zhen's position, she no longer had to limit what she ate to the produce of the north or south. She was also someone skilled at arranging her life. Needless to say, Guo Zhi was a frequent visitor, and even Fang Yu would often come over. Over time, whenever Liu Zhen made some food, she would send a portion to Fang Yu and Guo Zhi, and sometimes even make extra to be sent out of the city for Zhang Han.

Like right now, the dishes laid out on Zhang Han's desk were far beyond what simple army rations during a march could produce.

The lotus root pockets were still warm. Sandwiched between two slices of lotus root was a filling of minced pork belly mixed with scallions, coated in batter, and deep-fried to a golden crisp. When it reached Zhang Han's mouth, because it had been delivered promptly, the crispy outer layer had not yet softened. The fragrance of the batter, combined with the sweetness of the lotus root, filled the entire tent.

The dunchi was prepared by mashing it into a paste, adding malt sugar, mixing, and then heating it to become a sweet taro paste.

Not to mention the salt-and-pepper crispy fish, cold-dressed mallow, stewed partridge, and char siu tenderloin sprinkled with perilla...

Zhang Han stared as Guo Zhi took out a pot of iced honey wine and said in self-mockery, "How is this a military campaign? This is the life of an immortal! A man's mouth is soft when he's eaten another's food. If this goes on, what fighting spirit will I have left to attack Xianyang? Princess Liu is truly farsighted!"

Guo Zhi was amused by him and burst into laughter, "The King of Yong is a world-class hero. How could you lose your spirit over mere food!"

Zhang Han took the honey wine, filled Guo Zhi's cup, and then poured one for himself. "You guessed right. Han Guang and Tian Rong have now raised their armies. Does the King of Yu intend to watch the fire from the other side of the river and stand idly by?"

Guo Zhi said, "If I were to say that the King of Yu is preparing to join the anti-Xiang camp, what would the King of Yong do?"

Zhang Han was taken aback, then his expression turned serious. "Is that true?"

Although they were now eating and drinking together with an amicable relationship, if Liu Yuan really stood on the side opposing Xiang Yu, Zhang Han would of course have to reconsider his own position.