Swords into Plowshares Episode 8 Recap
> Swords into Plowshares Recaps
Shi Shouxin returned from his reconnaissance mission, reporting in detail that the rebel army was marching in four columns. He first saw eight large commander's banners fluttering, which usually represent the core authority of the supreme commander. One banner alone could awe the entire army, let alone eight appearing simultaneously, indicating the immense scale of their formation. In addition, there were two black banners adorned with eagle feathers, symbols of the Khitan elite forces.
Between the columns of commander's banners, a large number of conscripted laborers were interspersed, roughly estimated to be ten thousand strong. Zhao Kuangyin confirmed that the enemy's progress was slow, so he ordered his subordinates to seize the opportunity to rest and recuperate. On another front, Feng Dao and others inspected the refugees and saw Lady Chu personally distributing gruel and offering solace, which slightly eased the refugees' emotions.
Fan Zhi stated that if the Lady had not appeased them in her royal capacity, the refugee families gathered outside the palace would have long since caused trouble. Shuiqiu Zhaoquan and others highly praised Zhao Kuangyin's meticulous defensive arrangements. Only Qian Hongchu remained heavy-hearted, unable to forget the scene of Guo Rong killing people.
Just as Zhao Kuangyin and Shi Shouxin were resting their troops, news suddenly arrived that Zhang Yanze's main force had turned east and was rapidly approaching, like dark clouds crushing a city, presenting a terrifying formation. Qian Hongchu was, after all, young; though he tried to maintain his composure, he couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. Zhang Yanze was indeed a seasoned veteran of the battlefield; he did not attack the city rashly.
Instead, he ordered his entire army to camp ten li from the city, with scouts advancing two hundred paces to patrol, especially covering the main army's left flank, to guard against ambushes secretly set up within the city. This arrangement was rigorous and cunning, impeccable. Zhao Kuangyin observed it, knowing that although there would be no battle today, the true contest had quietly begun amidst the heavily fortified camps.
As night fell, Sang Weihan personally visited the Southern Tang delegation's residence. Facing Xu Xuan's challenge based on "rites and righteousness," Sang Weihan did not conceal his intentions.
He directly brought up the old matter of the Later Jin ceding the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun as a bargaining chip, subtly threatening that if Southern Tang refused to remain neutral in the current Jin internal strife, then continuing to cede the lands of Henan and Hebei to the Khitan would not be impossible. Indeed, this move was utterly ruthless, seizing the Achilles' heel of the Southern Tang regime represented by Xu Xuan.
Xu Xuan weighed the pros and cons and finally compromised under Sang Weihan's threats and promises. He pledged that before the Khitan army reached Bianjing, Southern Tang would absolutely not communicate with Du Chongwei or Zhang Yanze; if secret envoys from these two rebels came to establish contact, they would be "politely refused" outright; furthermore, he dispatched General Li Yuanqing to assist in reorganizing the delegation's guards to ensure no trouble arose before the city fell.
When the news returned, Feng Dao and others breathed a slight sigh of relief. Only Qian Hongchu still had doubts, asking if they would truly sell Henan and Hebei prefectures if Southern Tang refused to comply and insisted on showing loyalty and goodwill to Zhang Yanze. Sang Weihan openly admitted it, stating frankly that worldly affairs are like a game of chess, and strategies can change, but only "right and wrong" remain eternally unchanging.
He sold out his country for glory and ceded land for survival, ultimately earning infamy for a thousand generations. If any future person were to try and whitewash him, such villains should be immediately struck down. As night fell, Qian Hongchu sat on the battlements, still blaming himself incessantly for the refugees who had innocently died during the day. Sun Taizhen patiently comforted him, reminding him that he should focus on the present.
Mere compassion without the ability to act was hollow; only by transforming compassion into the heavy burden of responsibility could he truly fulfill his duty. The next morning, Qian Hongchu insisted on donning his armor and personally ascending the city wall to defend against the enemy. Qian Hongyou and Shuiqiu Zhaoquan jointly tried to stop him, reminding him that war was no child's play.
Qian Hongchu still wanted to prove himself, but he couldn't even draw a common soldier's heavy bow, making the scene awkward for a moment. At this moment, the great army attacked the city. With a command from Zhang Yanze, the Khitan iron cavalry charged directly towards the city gate, covering the city walls with a storm of arrows. Though startled, the defenders remained orderly, holding their shields high and standing ready.
However, a strange scene unfolded: these fierce cavalrymen did not swarm the city as expected, but instead galloped around the city, frantically shooting arrows, as if conducting a grand parade of death. Although the arrow rain was dense, it was all sound and fury, signifying little. Everyone looked at each other, not understanding what the enemy intended.
Zhao Kuangyin knew that Zhang Yanze's military tactics were always practical and ruthless; he never employed empty gestures, so this action must have a deeper meaning. Indeed, Zhang Yanze ordered a retreat, and cooking smoke rose from the rebel camp, as if the mighty offensive just now was nothing more than a routine morning drill. After dark, Qian Hongchu saw Guo Rong alone, mourning the refugees who had died during the day, and felt he was somewhat hypocritical.
Guo Rong told Qian Hongchu that those people should not have died, and the world should not be like this. One day, he would understand that the world's wrongs are still wrongs, and one should not claim that everything done by going with the flow is right just because the whole world is corrupt. Qian Hongchu was stunned by these words. They troubled him, and all boundaries of right and wrong became blurred and menacing.
Towards the latter half of the night, when both men and horses were weary, the enemy suddenly launched a night raid, catching them completely off guard. Shi Shouxin requested permission to personally lead the cavalry in a counter-attack from the city, planning to loop around from the flank.
But Zhao Kuangyin emphatically stopped him, anticipating that in the darkness outside the camp, there must be elite cavalry waiting in ambush, specifically hoping they would open the gates to attack, so they could seize the city amidst the chaos. At the same time, Qian Hongchu and Sun Taizhen were swept into the sudden, bloody engagement. To save Sun Taizhen, Qian Hongchu killed an enemy for the first time in his life, personally ending a life. Zhao Kuangyin stared blankly outside the city, then suddenly conceived a plan: to prepare a surprise attack directly targeting the enemy's provisions.
