Chapter 108: The Banquet at Yi Province Governor’s Mansion (Part II)

In the entire hall, Zhang Chi alone appeared relaxed, while everyone else remained on high alert.

Luo An, in particular, was panicked and flustered. He was not worried for himself, but for Zhang Chi. If a fight were to break out, young Master Zhang had only one guard—and a woman at that. How much strength could she possibly have? They were surely destined to suffer. If Young Master Zhang were to die here today, how could he, Luo An, answer to the Prince of Chengdu?

Luo An was unaware of Dark Blade’s true capabilities, so his worry was understandable. Dark Blade, however, watched the soldiers rushing in with icy indifference. Her right hand already rested on the hilt of her sword; she was confident that even if combat ensued, as long as the Governor of Yizhou remained within ten paces, she could strike him down in a single blow. Even taking him alive would not be overly difficult.

The Governor of Yizhou was a man who had seen the world, and his ability to read people was beyond doubt. He stared at Zhang Chi, who seemed to ignore him entirely, continuing to drink as if he were alone. Had he not possessed some reliance, how could he remain so poised in such a predicament?

This was simply Zhang Chi’s nature. Though he lacked even the slightest skill in martial arts, he remained composed even in the face of thousands of troops, let alone this minor disturbance.

After a brief standoff, Zhang Chi set down his wine cup and spoke: "Governor, neither of us is a fool. You might as well drop these useless theatrics."

Luo An was stunned, not yet understanding the intent behind Zhang Chi’s words, when Zhang Chi continued: "If I am not mistaken, Governor, you do not actually wish to kill me; you merely wish to test my mettle. Am I correct, Governor?"

"So, you had seen through it all along, young master." The Governor’s face shifted into a smile—a transformation faster than turning a page. He waved a hand at the soldiers, who retreated as quickly as they had arrived. In the blink of an eye, the hall grew quiet once more.

The Governor then asked: "You are indeed extraordinary, young master. How did you figure it out?"

What was happening? Luo An’s heart finally settled, yet he felt completely bewildered. Was there a deeper motive behind the Governor’s display? No wonder the young master had been so relaxed; he had seen through the Governor’s ruse from the start. Luo An marveled to himself—this young Master Zhang was truly not simple.

"It wasn't difficult to see," Zhang Chi laughed. "I believe that in this world, everything ultimately boils down to 'profit.' If you were to kill me, I truly cannot see how you would benefit, but if you were to cooperate with me, the benefits would be considerable."

"Oh? What kind of benefits?" The Governor was now deeply intrigued.

"Today at the Prince of Chengdu’s mansion, I noticed you remained silent, neither advocating for war nor surrender. You are clearly still observing," Zhang Chi said calmly. "Whether you favor surrender or war, I believe you have already reached a conclusion in your heart."

"Oh? And what conclusion have I reached? Perhaps you would care to analyze it for me?" The Governor stroked his goatee, his expression unreadable.

"You invited me to this banquet today; surely it wasn't simply to welcome a student," Zhang Chi said, shifting the topic. "I have only just arrived in Shu and visited the Prince’s mansion once, and you immediately invited me to your residence. Though I am dull-witted, I can guess your intent."

"And what is that intent?" the Governor asked.

"This morning at the Prince’s mansion, I urged the Prince of Chengdu to prepare for war. Your invitation now has only one purpose: you wish to gauge my true strength before deciding which side to stand on."

Zhang Chi was right. The Governor had indeed been planning just that. As the Governor nodded slightly, stroking his goatee, Zhang Chi continued: "Earlier, you asked if I had ties to the Huan clan of Jingzhou. If I had answered yes, I suspect you would have felt secure enough to send troops to resist the Hu."

"Why is that?"

"You naturally want to see how much certainty there is in resisting the Hu. If you had the powerful troops of Jingzhou as an ally, what would there be to hesitate about?"

"But you are not, after all, a man of the Huan clan, so I am not necessarily willing to send troops." The Governor tacitly admitted to Zhang Chi’s assessment.

"Governor, you might consider this from the perspective of the Huan clan. Though the troops of Jingzhou are famous throughout the world, since Huan Wen’s northern expedition, they have never once succeeded. At best, they hold the Yangtze River to prevent the Hu from crossing," Zhang Chi analyzed. "Shu is adjacent to Jingzhou. If you were the Huan clan, how would you feel facing this crisis in Shu?"

The Governor pondered in silence. Zhang Chi smiled and provided the answer: "How could the Huan clan fail to understand that when the lips are gone, the teeth are cold? If Shu falls and the Hu use it as a base to march south, there will be no natural barrier of the Yangtze. How would Jingzhou then resist the enemy?"

Everything Zhang Chi said was logical, and the Governor could not help but nod.

"I do not boast, but in this situation, if an envoy were sent to Jingzhou to clarify the gravity of the situation, the Huan clan would undoubtedly be willing to help Shu resist the Hu with all their might."

The Governor was moved, nodding repeatedly while stroking his beard. He remained silent, however, clearly weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

Though the Governor had not yet given a final answer, it was enough for Luo An to be filled with absolute admiration for Zhang Chi. Putting himself in the Governor’s shoes, he knew he would have already been persuaded.

After a long period of calculation, the Governor felt that resisting the Hu served his interests better. If he surrendered, whether he would remain Governor of Yizhou under the Hu was uncertain; even if he did, it would be status quo, with no gain. But if he favored war, the key was whether the battle could be won. With the Huan clan’s support, the odds would increase significantly. Furthermore, if the Huan clan helped defend Shu, their influence would inevitably seep into the region. If he could be the first to establish a relationship with them, the future benefits would be self-evident.

Yet, none of this was the most critical factor. The most critical factor was the Governor of Liangzhou.

The two had been the highest-ranking officials in Shu for years, locked in a clandestine struggle. The Governor of Liangzhou favored surrender and had some connections with the Hu. If the resistance succeeded, he could trample his rival into the ground and ensure he never rose again.

Having weighed all this, the Governor had already chosen his side, though he still harbored reservations.

What kind of man was the Governor of Yizhou? A powerful, entrenched official in Shu, he was bound to be thorough. "What you say is true, young master. In that case, I am willing to send fifty thousand troops to assist you in resisting the Hu."

He said "assist you," not "I am willing to send troops to resist the Hu." There was a difference. But Zhang Chi did not care about such details now; as long as he was willing to send troops, why quibble?

Unexpectedly, the Governor added, "However..."

Luo An, being impatient, quickly asked, "However what?"

The Governor smiled and said, "I will send the troops, but they will only be for show; they will not engage in actual combat."

Even Zhang Chi was taken aback. Only to create a stir, but refusing to fight? What kind of military contribution was that?

Luo An was equally bewildered. Lacking guile, he asked, "Why is that?"

The Governor had his own considerations. "Everything you said is logical, young master, but you see only the surface. There is another important reason why I am reluctant to send my troops, one I suspect you do not know."

"Oh?" Zhang Chi asked. "What is the reason?"

"The warlords of Shu are divided, yet relatively stable, because a balance of power has been struck. The Governor of Liangzhou and I each command our own forces; he cannot touch me, and I cannot touch him. This time, the Governor of Liangzhou favors surrender and will certainly not send troops. If my forces are severely depleted while resisting the Hu, even if we defeat the enemy, I will have no foothold in Shu afterward. Therefore, my eighty thousand men can only make a show of force for you; they cannot engage in slaughter."

With the nation in peril, these powerful officials were still thinking only of power and profit. Zhang Chi was speechless. It was no wonder the Five Barbarians were ravaging the land and the people were suffering when such men held high office.

Luo An was at a loss: "This..."

The Governor remained silent; more words were useless. This was his bottom line. If his troops were truly sent to fight, who could say how many would remain after the Hu were defeated? In troubled times, military power was everything. How could a powerful official like him easily give it up?

If he depleted his army to resist the Hu, the future of Shu would still belong to the Governor of Liangzhou. If that were the case, he might as well let the Hu invade and have everything burn together.

...

After leaving the Governor's mansion, Zhang Chi and Luo An returned to the post house in silence.

Zhang Chi thought to himself: in such chaotic times, everyone acted out of selfishness. With the nation at stake, they were still engaged in such cutthroat intrigue. Was there even any point in fighting this war? Or perhaps such a dynasty deserved to perish!

Even if they fought, they had only the few thousand men Du Ximing had brought from Jiankang, the eight thousand elite soldiers under the command of the Administrator of Ba Commandery, Qin Bo, and whatever the Prince of Chengdu had—all together, barely tens of thousands.

Furthermore, with obstacles at every turn, could they really defeat the Hu? Leaving the Governor’s mansion, Zhang Chi felt somewhat disheartened.

Luo An did not know what to do. Seeing Zhang Chi lost in thought, he dared not disturb him and followed silently. Dark Blade, however, let out a cold scoff: "If this were normal times, I would have killed such a selfish, wretched official with a single sword stroke."

Having followed Zhang Chi for some time, Dark Blade had been influenced by him; she was no longer as impulsive as she once was and had begun to understand the weighing of pros and cons. However, in her heart, she had already made a decision: resisting the Hu was the top priority, but once that was over, she would surely take the life of that wretched official.

The three of them, each lost in their own thoughts, made their way back to the post house.