Chapter 29-Muye Oath to Reinforce the Army
（29）
The troops rested for a while before setting off. They walked through the dawn light and traveled another fifty miles. Seeing that they were approaching the outskirts of Zhaoge, King Wu started to get nervous. His face was full of seriousness. Even the steady Lu Shang became unusually excited. The two of them sat quietly on the same chariot with different feelings.
After a while, King Wu broke the silence and said,""After being drenched in the rain for the past two days, coupled with the cold, it's really unbearable. I'm worried that the soldiers will fall sick. He didn't expect the result to be so unexpected.”
"The soldiers are marching east with high morale. Filled with hot blood to enhance the ability to resist the invasion of cold. The effects of mental energy cannot be underestimated." Lu Shang continued,"We'll be arriving at Shangdu soon. We have to prepare for battle." King Zhou of Shang was headstrong and arrogant. We can use this weakness to defeat him.”
King Wu looked at the bright sky and said,""I wonder if the plastic tripod has delivered the letter. It should have arrived by the scheduled date. Today was the 60th year of the Lunar New Year. Would King Zhou be shocked when he heard this news?”He asked Lu Shang,"Father Shang. His father had suffered many losses from King Zhou of Shang in his life. This business had been prepared for decades, but victory and defeat depended on this one move. I'm still a little worried."
"The main force of the Shang army is far away in the southeast.”Lu Shang said confidently," Our army's advantage lies in a quick battle. We can capture the dragon and its head. We can take down Shangdu before the main force of the Shang army returns to the capital and capture King Zhou. That will be our victory. In the past few decades, the Shang army had been fighting against the Huai Yi in the southeast, and they were exhausted. The soldiers 'complaints were already high. If they could conquer the Huai Yi in the southeast, the soldiers would still be dissatisfied with King Zhou of Shang. As long as he used the banner of conquering the Shang Dynasty, he would definitely be able to disintegrate the Shang army. Moreover, there were many conflicts between the generals of the Shang army. They fought over the wealth of the people and were suspicious of each other. Most of the generals were dissatisfied with King Zhou's lust for women. This will be beneficial for us to take them down one by one." Lu Shang saw that the Martial King was looking ahead and said,""Our army has come from a long distance and is currently exhausted. We must pay attention to encouraging them. We've set the time to sixty years, so it's really a bit rushed.”
"I just want to use this good day to encourage the armorers. They could have arrived smoothly, and there was just enough time. Unexpectedly, the heavens made things difficult. The heavy rain, the slippery roads, and the cold added to the difficulties. Sigh, it was finally over. They were about to reach Shangdu, and they were faced with the problem of victory and defeat.”King Wu said,"Shang Fu, how confident do you think our army is in winning this battle? By this time, with so many changes in the situation, I was worried that there were still greater difficulties and dangers ahead.”
"Where the Heavenly Dao goes, it must be invincible. The Shang people complained about King Zhou. The Shang Dynasty was divided internally, and the treacherous officials messed up the government. In addition, the Shang army was far away in the southeast. The enemy's factors were all beneficial to our side. Moreover, our army has undergone years of training and is strong. We will definitely win. When the situation between the enemy and us is compared, victory is in our hands. And the true victory will still depend on our army's full strength. Success depends on heaven, but planning depends on man. Looking at the big picture, the victory in our hands was obtained after thirty years of hard work. However, the materialization of this card would depend on how our army would display their strength in battle. Looking at the big picture and making a move, this strategy had to be seriously considered. Generally speaking, we despise King Zhou of Shang, but how we treat him on the battlefield will still attract a lot of attention. King Zhou of Shang was once a formidable figure…”When Lu Shang talked about King Zhou of Shang, he could not help but feel emotional.
A war chariot came from the front. Lei Zhen came to the front of the Martial King chariot and said,""Big Brother, Father Shang, we will reach the outskirts of Shangdu after we pass that small hill. Uncle Guan and Bi Gonggao asked me to ask if you have any orders.”
King Wu turned his head to look at Lu Shang. Lei Zhen, go back first and tell Uncle Guan to be careful and observe the terrain carefully. We'll greet the various marquises and then go.”
"Yes." Lei Zhen replied. He bowed to the two of them and asked the coachman to turn the carriage around.
Lu Shang added,"Find two locals to understand the situation in Shangdu suburbs."”
"Right, ask Uncle Guan and Bi Gonggao to send out some scouts to observe King Zhou's movements.”The Martial King thought of the problem that worried him the most and hurriedly added another instruction.
As soon as Lei Zhen left, Zhou Gongdan also drove over.
"Big brother, let's go to the outskirts of Shangdu. I've already told the troops behind to follow closely. I came to find you first." Zhou Gongdan was in his carriage and bowed to Lu Shang." Father Shang, the heavens have been giving us trouble these past few days. We're in the suburbs of Shangdu. Don't tell me you're making things difficult for us again.”
"The wind and clouds are unpredictable. The first two days were a little difficult. Looking at the situation now, the heavens will definitely help us. Today was a good day. If he wanted to conquer Zhou for the heavens, he would need the help of the heavens.”Lu Shang smiled as he spoke." Don't you think so? A just cause has many helpers.”
"It's like this." "Big brother, do you have any orders?" Duke Dan asked King Wu solemnly.”
"I was just looking for you. You came at the right time. Inform the rest of the troops that they need to be properly disciplined and encouraged. Then, check the condition of their equipment.”King Wu said,"It's when we eat breakfast later."”
Lu Shang knew that King Wu was concerned about the problem he was worried about, so he smiled and glanced at Duke of Zhou.
"Alright, I'll do it. Then I'll go inform them." As he spoke, Zhou Gongdan drove back.
The Martial King and Lu Shang sped up and rushed forward.
Lei Zhen drove all the way and overtook the troops that were advancing. Suddenly, a shout came from one of the troops," Brother Lei. He was in such a hurry. We have to rush there." When Lei Zhen looked back, he saw Chen Zhuhou driving out of the formation and chasing after him.
"Oh, Chen Zhuhou." Ray Zhen slowed down and replied happily," I'm going back to the front line. They were about to reach the suburbs of Shangdu. King Wu has ordered all troops to be prepared.”
Chen Zhuhou and Lei Zhen were traveling side by side, rapidly moving forward. Chen Zhuhou said,"Brother Lei Zhen, when we reach the front, we will work together. We will ask the Martial King to let us lead the charge." What do you think?"
"It's good, but can you do it? This wasn't like fighting wild boars. This was a large group battle. They had to be brave, listen to commands, and have brains. This…”Ray Zhen knocked his head with his finger and said,""My big brother and Father Shang often taught me this.”
"I'm just like you. As long as you help me talk to him, we'll definitely cooperate and kill him.”Chen Zhu Hou said as he looked at Lei Zhen.
"When Eldest Brother and Father Shang come, you can tell them.”Lei Zhen said,"I still have to rush to the front to pass the order." We'll talk later." As he spoke, he sped up and rushed forward.
Chen Zhuhou slowed down the car and slowly drove forward, thinking to himself. He was excited that he could participate in this war. After a while, the sound of hurried carriages came from behind. He turned around and saw a carriage catching up. King Wu and Lu Shang were sitting on it. Chen Zhuhou quickly waved and shouted,"Martial King, Father Shang." He stopped the car and waited.
The Martial King's carriage came to a halt.
"Martial King, Father Shang." Chen Zhuhou bowed and said,""We're rushing so fast. Are we about to reach the suburbs of Shangdu?”
"Soon. There's still some way to go to Shangdu. The suburbs of Shangdu are just up ahead." the Martial King replied.
" How's the situation in your division?" Lu Shang asked with concern." Is anyone sick? How's the morale?"”
"A few of them are sick. It rained heavily two days ago. Fortunately, it stopped raining now. Otherwise, it would be terrible.”Chen Zhuhou said with satisfaction.
"It never rained here." Lu Shang reminded him," Look, the ground is dry.”
"The headquarters are in a good mood," said Chen Zhuhou. They all requested to quickly kill the enemy and make contributions. They were all asking for instructions to fight for the task of being the vanguard. King Wu, Shang Fu, let our troops be the vanguard.”Chen Zhuhou looked earnestly at King Wu and then at Lu Shang."Father Shang, you know my father's bravery. Of course, I'm the same.”
"Only with your father can you be like this. a tiger's father has no breed of dog. He had to motivate his subordinates to better display their collective power. When we get to the front, I will definitely consider your request.”Lu Shang first praised the other party before encouraging him," Martial King and I have to rush ahead. You can come to the main tent later."
The Martial King's chariot sped forward, leaving Chen Zhuhou's chariot behind. King Wu turned his head and said,"Chen Zhuhou, settle down the troops and come back."”
"Yes.”Chen Zhuhou didn't stop talking. Seeing King Wu's carriage go far away, he smiled proudly and rubbed his fists.
When King Wu and Lu Shang rushed to the front line, the troops were just about to leave the valley.
The Martial King climbed up a small hill and looked at the open land in front of him. On the left stood Uncle Guan, silently accompanying him. On the right, Bi Gonggao pointed ahead and said,""Big brother, it's a plain ahead. There were still fifty miles to Shangdu from here. This place was called Muye. Song Li said that King Zhou of Shang often came here to hunt. He hadn't been here in recent years. Look, weeds are everywhere. It's really a good place in Muye."
"Oh, the terrain is very good. We will attack from here and form a formation along the hillside, which will help us dive. Father Shang." The Martial King was also very satisfied with the terrain here. He turned to look at Lu Shang. At this moment, Lu Shang and Lei Zhen were arguing a little further behind.
Lu Shang patted Lei Zhen's shoulder and walked over. As he walked over, he looked at Uncle Guan and Bi Gonggao, who were beside the Martial King. These were two capable generals. They were about the same age and were both middle-aged. They were strong and had experienced many battles. Bi Gonggao was more experienced than Uncle Guan, but he was the cousin of King Wu and often went out to patrol the border, so it was difficult for him to directly participate in the country's government. As the troops advanced, Bi Gonggao had displayed an extremely strong knowledge and ability to observe and judge the terrain. He explained something to the Martial King.
Lu Shang walked straight to the middle of King Wu and Bi Gonggao.
King Wu pointed to the front and said,"Father Shang, what do you think of this place?"”
Bi Gong Gao Huan pointed around and said,"The northwest is higher, and the terrain is inclined to the southeast." There was a main road here that led directly to Shangdu. According to the local guide, the terrain from here to Shangdu was flat and slightly undulating. This place was completely defenseless. We've already arrived at the Shangji region."
Lu Shang followed Bi Gonggao's finger and carefully observed it for a while. Then, he turned around and asked Uncle Guan if the person who had gone to spy on the news had returned.
Uncle Guan observed the troops at the foot of the hill and did not answer.
Lu Shang said to himself,"King Zhou of Shang did not take any action, did he?"”He looked at the sky on the eastern horizon. It was gray and bright. Through the thin clouds, he could see the light blue sky. The fog was disappearing, and the withered grass nearby kept swaying in the morning wind, making moist puffing sounds. "It looks cloudy this morning, but it might clear up in the afternoon.”After a while, Lu Shang speculated,""The clear sky is beneficial for our army to attack.”
"If King Zhou of Shang holds fast and doesn't fight, we can only attack forcefully. We have many military vehicles, which is not conducive to attacking the city. I was worried that King Zhou of Shang would not come here.”The Martial King said to Lu Shang worriedly.
"I understand King Zhou of Shang. "This tyrant thinks too highly of himself and doesn't put our army in his eyes. He will definitely come to fight before the reinforcements return.”" If the Shang army doesn't come," Lu Shang said confidently," we'll arrive at Zhaoge City tonight. Prepare for the night battle." As he spoke, he looked ahead and saw a few small black dots squirming at the end of the road.
Uncle Guan interrupted at this time,"Maybe the small team that was spying on the news has returned."”
Not long after, this small squad of chariots arrived. When a ten-year-old saw that King Wu and Lu Shang were also present, he hurriedly bowed and reported," The Shang army has already moved out. The vanguard has already left the city gates. We returned to report first, leaving half of our men to continue scouting.”
"You're finally here." When King Wu heard this, he said excitedly,"Uncle Guan, arrange for the front team to strengthen their vigilance." Father Shang, I think we should rest. After a full meal, they would wait in formation.”
"Alright, let's do that." Lu Shang agreed. As long as King Zhou of Shang made a move, the future would be easy to handle. The situation would develop in favor of the Zhou army.
Uncle Guan said to the commander," Rest for a while. After you eat something, you can go and spy. Contact the people left behind and find out how many people and chariots the Shang army has sent.”
"Yes." The squad leader retreated and hurriedly called out to his subordinates.
At this point, the Martial King had also summoned his guards to order the liaison officer to assign tasks.
The troops stopped to rest. The soldiers were busy eating breakfast. The servants were also busy feeding the horses. Unexpectedly, it was raining heavily on the way, but it was sunny here. Moreover, it had never rained before. The air was refreshing and pleasant. The climate in the mountains and the plains was really different.
The generals of the various troops had already received the order and came to this small hill to wait for the Martial King's orders. In an instant, a large group of generals gathered in front of the Martial King.
Chen Zhuhou squeezed to the front and winked at Lei Zhen, who was standing beside Lu Shang.
Lei Zhen looked at the field in front of him and rubbed his hands together, ignoring Chen Zhuhou's hint. Chen Zhuhou was so anxious that he wanted to stomp his feet and shout for him. However, the Martial King had already declared silence. Everyone held their breaths and listened attentively to the Martial King's orders.
Chen Zhenhou did not want to disturb the atmosphere. He knew that he could not break the rules, so he glared at Lei Zhen and looked up at the Martial King like everyone else.
This was a gathering of leaders before the war. Everyone was rubbing their fists, excitedly, emotionally, and solemnly standing there.
King Wu said to the generals with great confidence," King Zhou of Shang has already sent troops to resist me. He estimated that he would be able to reach here by noon. In order to wait for fatigue. Our army is preparing to rest and get into formation, waiting for the Shang army to arrive. " Everyone," King Wu looked around and said," all the troops are about to enter the camp. Everything will proceed according to plan." After breakfast, he immediately re-checked his equipment and put on the carriage frame and the horizontal blade. We have reached a critical moment. We will obey your commands. Victory or defeat will depend on this battle. Later, the formation had to be carried out strictly according to the requirements. Now, we will listen to the state preceptor's orders. Father Shang, arrange the transfer."
Lu Shang paused for a moment before continuing,"Each division will form a formation and use the Five Elements Boundary Formation to block the incoming enemies. Then, they would change into a charging formation to attack the enemy's formation.”Lu Shang pointed at Uncle Guan, Lei Zhen and Bi Gonggao and said,""The three of you will lead your troops to form a vanguard formation. In front of the hill, you will form a long formation. With the hill as the back, the formation will circle around the hill.”He pointed to Chen Zhuhou, Duke Dan of Zhou and Duke Shuang of Zhao and said,"Your troops will be the left wing formation, and the right will be the vanguard formation.……，The rest of the generals were deployed under the command of the Martial King.”Lu Shang arranged the positions of the troops one by one. After he was done, he said," I hope that all the troops will enter the battle formation. Martial King and I will be in the central battle formation, following closely behind the vanguard formation and supervising the commander.”He turned to King Wu and said,"That's all."”
King Wu coughed and raised his voice.""Did you hear that? Go back and bring the troops into the camp. We'll start moving.”With that, everyone stood up and rushed to their respective troops.
Before Chen Zhuhou left, he even ran up to King Wu and said,""Martial King, why didn't you arrange for me to be in the vanguard formation?”
King Wu smiled and said," Your troops aren't very familiar with the battle formation. We've already arranged for them to be at the front of the left formation. We're afraid that when the Shang army arrives, something unexpected will happen." In addition, cooperate well with Duke of Zhou Dan and Duke of Zhao Shuang. Based on this terrain, the formation on the left was very important. You see, if the Shang army were to spread out their formation slightly towards that flat ground, then your left formation would become two frontal formations alongside the vanguard formation.”
Chen Zhuhou followed the Martial King's hand gesture and looked at the terrain in front of him. After pondering for a moment, he seemed to have realized something and said happily,"Oh, I see. I'll go back and bring the troops over.”He turned to Zhou Gongdan and asked,"Let's move immediately on the left side."”
Before Zhou Gongdan could answer, Lu Shang interrupted with a smile,""Don't worry, you should go eat first. Only after you're full will you have the strength to kill.”
"Yes, obey." Chen Zhuhou replied happily.
Lu Shang walked to Lei Zhen, who was still waiting at the side, and looked at him carefully." This time, you have to use your brain to fight in the front line. You can't rely on your bravery. Pay attention to the enemy's movements and work closely with Uncle Guan. Ah!"
Uncle Guan walked a few dozen steps before he turned around and called out,""Lei Zhen, come quickly."
"Alright." Lei Zhen bowed to Lu Shang, then turned around and chased after Uncle Guan.
After everyone left, King Wu said to Lu Shang,""We should eat something. We're about to command the troops to get into formation." As he spoke, he walked to the chariot parked not far behind. The servant had already set up a small table and arranged barbecue, dry food, and even a pot of soup. The Martial King casually grabbed a piece of roasted meat. As he chewed on it, he looked around at the densely packed troops.
Lu Shang sat cross-legged at the table and ate his breakfast. He had been hungry for the whole night, and now he felt even more delicious.
The troops entered the camp one after another. There were people, horses, and vehicles everywhere from the hillside to the open plains. The saber flashed, the flag fluttered, and there was the sound of drums. In front of him was a spectacular animation.
The army is in good formation. All the generals and troops entered their designated positions. After a drumbeat, the plains quieted down, and only the flag fluttered slightly.
King Wu stood on a chariot with a big red flag in the middle of the army formation. He held a copper staff in his left hand and a small red flag in his right. He shouted at the mighty and majestic army formation on the hillside and on the flat ground,"The people of the various races of West Earth have come here from far away.”After a pause, he said,"Alas! The marquises and kings of the friendly neighboring countries, the ministers in power, the ministers, the generals, the generals, the officials, as well as the people of Yong, He, Jiang, Wei, Lu, Peng, Pu, and other marquises. Warriors of all races, raise your dagger-axes, line up your shields, raise your spears, let us swear!”
King Wu shouted in a loud voice," Now King Zhou of Shang only listens to Daji's words. He has completely abandoned the sacrifice to his ancestors and has not repaid the kindness of his ancestors. He has completely abandoned his clan relatives and brothers and has not been appointed. However, they used adulterers as officials, ministers, and scholars, making them very cruel to the people, disrupting the government, destroying the laws of heaven, and breaking the law. " Now, I," King Wu paused and looked around the silent army formation. His voice became even louder as he said," I, King Wu of Zhou, the leader of all the marquises, sent an army to the east to faithfully carry out the punishment of King Zhou of Shang on behalf of Heaven. Now, I say, when we fight, we need the square formation to be neat and orderly, and all our actions to obey orders. When we reach the enemy's formation, we must be as mighty and majestic as a beast, fighting with all our might. However, they could not kill the Shang soldiers who came to surrender. We can ask them to serve us. Warriors, fight hard! We will definitely win!”
King Wu raised his copper staff, which symbolized power, and waved a small red flag. He shouted,""People of Zhou Country, everyone, fight hard and bravely.”He raised his hands high.
On the flat ground on the hill, a series of "Oh!"”His voice echoed for a long time. The voices of the thousands of soldiers shook the earth and stirred the blood of the people.
Taking advantage of the rising sun, King Wu led the troops of the various vassal states of the Western Regions and held a solemn pre-war mobilization meeting in Muye-the Mu Oath. This day was the famous Jiazi Day, January 20, 1046 B.C.
The land and sky of Muye were brewing a war of unprecedented scale in history-the decisive battle of the Shang and Zhou dynasties.
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