Chapter Seven: Supplies Running Low

Ten days had passed since the dust of the departure settled. Inside the imperial palace of the Great Qi Empire, Emperor Qin Tian sat upon his dragon throne, his face dark and somber.

Below him, Fan Jin, the Minister of War, reported, "Your Majesty, as planned, I have driven the disaster victims from three provinces and four counties toward the northern border. It is certain that the Prince of Chu's army must be obstructed by now."

After being forced to issue a decree of self-reproach, Qin Tian had not abandoned his desire for vengeance. How could a dignified monarch ever tolerate the humiliation of a forced abdication attempt?

"What of the others?" Qin Tian asked coldly, referring to those who had stood by Qin Xuan during the palace confrontation—a group that included various royal family members and high-ranking officials.

"Qiu Xingzhi, the Libationer of the Imperial Academy, has been dismissed and demoted to a mere assistant instructor. As for the others, they have all been 'reassigned'." Su Xueji, the Minister of Personnel, used the word "reassigned" with calculated irony. The Imperial Academy was the highest institution in the Great Qi Empire, and the Libationer was equivalent to a chancellor; to demote him to a lowly assistant instructor was a testament to the Emperor’s petty malice.

"Very well, I shall press no further. However, to ensure the Prince of Chu defeats the Jurchen in the north, the national treasury has been emptied. The Ministry of Revenue must act quickly to secure new funds and provisions." Qin Tian had long planned to recoup the losses caused by Qin Xuan’s departure by squeezing the four great merchant guilds and the eight major escort agencies.

"The four great merchant guilds and others have expressed their loyalty to the state, and even the eight major escort agencies are willing to offer their humble service," the Minister of Revenue replied meaningfully.

The Emperor of Great Qi smiled faintly, a cold sneer hidden in his heart: "Qin Xuan, you will live to regret everything you have done!"

Meanwhile, Qin Xuan’s army was less than a hundred miles from Tianshan City, but their pace had grown increasingly sluggish.

"Your Highness, more disaster victims have come seeking refuge these past few days. If this continues, even with the supplies gifted by the merchants, we will never reach the northern border!" Zhao Luoying, clad in silver armor, sat tall on her horse. Though the wind had tousled her hair, it could not obscure her stunning beauty.

Qin Xuan had long noticed the problem, but he could not turn a blind eye. Most of these refugees had fled from various counties; to reject them would not only tarnish his reputation in the eyes of the world but would also weigh heavily on his own conscience.

"How much grain do we have left?" Qin Xuan asked.

"Less than half," Zhao Luoying replied gravely. Originally, the provisions provided by the Emperor were meant to be sufficient for the Shence Army to reach the north with a surplus for the campaign. But as the number of refugees swelled, supplies began to run dangerously thin.

"And the number of refugees?" Qin Xuan frowned.

"Nearly thirty thousand, and still growing," she replied, her face full of worry.

"Invite Master Zhuge Xuan to me; tell him we must discuss an urgent matter," Qin Xuan pondered for a moment before adding, "Also, give orders to set up camp, and have a pot of relief porridge prepared."

Zhao Luoying was puzzled but did not object. She trusted her man; he would never abandon the suffering.

Soon, a scholar in green robes, Zhuge Xuan—the only strategist in the Shence Army—entered the tent. He was a native of Suzhou who had traded his pen for a sword out of hatred for the corruption of the bureaucracy. After being saved by Qin Xuan during a border skirmish, he had become the Prince’s most trusted advisor.

"Your Highness, I assume this is about the refugees?" Zhuge Xuan, a man in his thirties with sunken cheeks but eyes like brilliant stars, asked.

Qin Xuan nodded slightly. "These refugees are peculiar. What is your take, Master?"

"This is a 'sun-strategy'—an open trap," Zhuge Xuan smiled. "These people come from three provinces and four counties, all conveniently located along our route. Your reputation has spread across Great Qi these past few days; if you turn them away, you will be branded as a hypocrite, and the popular support you have cultivated will vanish. Yet, if you accept them, your army will be bogged down and morale may shatter. Either way, you suffer."

Zhuge Xuan’s assessment matched Qin Xuan’s thoughts exactly. "I agree, Master. But I suspect it is impossible for there to be so many genuine refugees from just those areas."

Zhuge Xuan’s eyes lit up. "Your Highness is truly brilliant!" He spread out a map of the empire and explained, "Based on the disaster reports and population density, I am certain a portion of these thirty thousand are imposters."

"However," Zhuge Xuan added, "I am at a loss as to how to distinguish the true victims from the false."

At that moment, Zhao Luoying entered with two soldiers carrying a pot of thin, watery porridge.

"What is this for, Your Highness?" Zhuge Xuan asked, confused.

Qin Xuan smiled faintly. "Cooking porridge."

Even Zhao Luoying was baffled. Why was he cooking porridge that was already finished? Under her astonished gaze, Qin Xuan picked up a basin of sand and gravel and dumped it directly into the pot.

"Your Highness! This is a waste!" Zhao Luoying protested.

But Zhuge Xuan suddenly burst into laughter and bowed deeply. "Admirable! Truly, Your Highness’s wisdom far surpasses my own!"

"What are you two talking about?" Zhao Luoying demanded, exasperated.

Zhuge Xuan smiled at her. "Commander Zhao, if you were a starving refugee, would you eat this sandy porridge?"

"Of course I would," she replied impatiently.

"But what if you were not a refugee? Or if you were already well-fed?" Zhuge Xuan continued.

Zhao Luoying hesitated.

"With over thirty thousand people, this single pot of 'sand-porridge' will reveal who is truly desperate and who is merely a spy sent to sow discord," Zhuge Xuan said, looking at Qin Xuan with renewed admiration. "Such a brilliant stratagem could only come from you, Your Highness."