Volume 1, Chapter 12: Li Li Indulges in Wine; Duan Wei Submits

Two days later, at the camp of Zhang Ji.

The northern wind whipped up clouds of sand and dust, causing the torches around the camp to flicker and dim.

"Report! Li Li has arrived with ten thousand troops, just ten miles out!"

Zhang Ji and Fan Chou exchanged a glance, a cold sneer appearing on both their faces. Rubbing his hands together, Fan Chou remarked, "A distinguished guest has come to visit; we must be sure to 'entertain' him properly."

When Li Li marched into the main camp with a haughty air, he was greeted by the warm smiles and a sumptuous banquet prepared by Zhang and Fan.

"General Li, you have traveled a long way. You must be exhausted!" Zhang Ji personally poured wine for Li Li. "Have a cup first to wash away your fatigue!"

Looking at the table overflowing with delicacies and the attentive pair, Li Li felt a swell of pride. "It seems my uncle’s reputation still holds weight; these two are afraid." He sat down heavily and downed the wine in one gulp.

In the days that followed, Zhang Ji and Fan Chou devised endless ways to feast, keeping the wine flowing and the entertainers nearby.

At first, Li Li pressed them about marching out, but under the constant barrage of wine and indulgence, he gradually let his guard down.

"March? We shall discuss it tomorrow! Today, we drink until we drop!" By the fifth day’s banquet, Li Li was flushed with drink, clutching a songstress and shouting boisterously.

Fan Chou raised his cup in agreement. "General Li is truly magnanimous! Come, another round!"

Outside the tent, a personal guard whispered to Zhang Ji, "General, are we really going to keep stalling like this?"

Zhang Ji gazed at the debauched sight of Li Li inside the tent and sneered, "Let him be drunk for a few more days."

However, on the morning of the seventh day, Li Li, still nursing a hangover, was awakened by the clamor outside his tent.

He stumbled out with a splitting headache, only to find Zhang and Fan still busy preparing yet another feast. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he suddenly recalled his uncle's orders and his face fell. He slapped his forehead, "Damn it, I've forgotten the main task!"

He hurried to find the two men and demanded they march immediately.

After exchanging a look, Zhang Ji spoke with a fawning tone, "General Li, the feast is already prepared. Why not set out tomorrow instead?"

Li Li shook his head so violently he nearly lost his balance. "No! We must set out now, no more delays!"

Seeing that they could stall no longer, Zhang and Fan finally nodded in agreement. However, their troops began to pack their gear with agonizing slowness, crawling like tortoises.

"What are you doing?" Li Li roared. "How many days has it been? Why haven't we marched?"

Zhang Ji looked innocent. "General Li, we are preparing."

"Preparing?" Li Li trembled with rage. "At this speed, it will take half a year to reach the gates of Chang'an!"

Fan Chou spread his hands. "The soldiers haven't seen battle in a long time; they are quite rusty..."

"Bullshit!" Li Li bellowed. "I see you are intentionally disobeying orders! Do you believe I won't report this to my uncle and have you both executed?"

The smile vanished from Zhang Ji’s face, replaced by a cold, piercing glare. "General Li, choose your words carefully."

Li Li recoiled half a step, startled by that look, but quickly puffed out his chest. "What? Are you planning to rebel? My ten thousand men are not to be trifled with!"

Fan Chou suddenly burst into laughter. "General Li speaks well! How about this: we shall pick up the pace today, and we will certainly depart tomorrow!"

Li Li was skeptical, but seeing their softened stance, he reluctantly agreed. "Fine. I will trust you once more. If we don't move tomorrow, don't blame me for what happens next!"

That night, under a moonless, wind-whipped sky, Li Li was deep in sleep when he was jolted awake by the sounds of slaughter.

He scrambled to his feet, only to be met by two spearheads pressed against his throat the moment he rushed out of his tent.

"General Li, it is not wise to run about in the middle of the night." Zhang Ji emerged from the shadows, his face devoid of the day's sycophancy.

"You... you have such audacity!" Li Li gasped in shock and fury. "My uncle will not let you get away with this!"

Fan Chou approached from the other side, his long sword dripping with blood. "Your ten thousand troops are mine now."

Across the camp, the resisting guards of Li Li were swiftly suppressed, and dozens of bloodied heads were hung at the camp gates as a warning.

Li Li’s face turned ashen, his legs buckling beneath him. "You... you..."

Zhang Ji patted him on the shoulder, his tone terrifyingly gentle. "Rest assured, we will 'duly' escort you back to Chang'an."

—

Ten days later, in the city of Chang'an.

"What? No word from Li Li?" Li Jue paced back and forth in the council hall, his face so dark it seemed ready to drip ink.

Guo Si frowned. "Could there have been an accident?"

Jia Xu interjected at the opportune moment, "Why not send General Duan Wei to investigate?"

Duan Wei cursed Jia Xu’s meddlesomeness under his breath, but had no choice but to accept the hot potato.

As soon as Duan Wei’s troops crossed the Wei River, they were hit by the stench of blood. It was as if they had walked through the aftermath of a massive slaughter, a thick, cloying atmosphere that made him deeply uncomfortable.

When he arrived at Zhang Ji’s camp, he was greeted by seventy thousand troops drawn up in perfect formation and the still-wet bloodstains hanging from the camp gate.

"General Duan, I trust you have been well." Zhang Ji smiled, a sight that sent a chill down Duan Wei’s spine.

With a trembling heart, he followed Zhang and Fan into the tent. The mere ten-step walk felt like hours, and his back was soaked with cold sweat.

After learning the details, Duan Wei weighed the pros and cons: Li Jue was cruel and suspicious by nature, while Zhang and Fan now commanded a formidable force.

"General Duan is a smart man." Fan Chou had soldiers bring in a chest of gold. "Does the General desire glory and endless wealth, or that hollow, illusory dream of a grand cause?"

Duan Wei swallowed hard and slowly nodded. "Since the two Generals think so highly of me, I shall stake everything on this. I’ll fight for a brilliant future!"

As Duan Wei knelt, he threw the secret orders from Li Jue and Guo Si onto the ground, where they were quickly crushed beneath heavy black boots.