Chapter 26, Chapter 10: The Pig Flees and the Wolf Escapes
The further they went, the more chaotic the situation became. Liu Jun and his men gathered up the remnants of the defeated army and kept receiving news from Luoyang.
For example, the Han army had a total of more than 20,000 men, but the Jin army suffered twelve consecutive defeats, and the number of soldiers killed in battle even exceeded the total number of Han soldiers.
For example, Liu Yao, Wang Mi, and Shi Le all plan to send troops to attack Luoyang, but there is still no news of them joining forces.
“Shi Le has been delayed in Ningyuan City,” Liu Jun said. He no longer needed to look at the map and had become familiar with dozens of cities, large and small. “If he wants to catch up, it will probably take him more than ten days. If I were Huyan Yan, I would not wait foolishly, but would go straight to Luoyang.”
Liu Dan was not much older than Liu Jun, but he had been fighting alongside Liu Qiao for several years and instantly understood the gravity of the situation. "So, Luoyang has fallen? How can we rescue the Emperor?"
Seeing Liu Jun's serious expression, Liu Dan added, "Where are your grandfather and the rest of your family now?"
Liu Jun smiled bitterly, "Searching for relatives among ten thousand people is like finding a needle in a haystack. We won't force it now, let's see what fate brings. The most urgent thing is to find out the movements of the barbarians and seize the opportunity to rescue the emperor."
Just then, a scout sneaked back and whispered a report about the enemy situation.
Liu Jun smiled slightly when he heard about Xuanyang Gate. "Xuanyang Gate is the road to Nangong. It was from here that Gao Guixiang, the magistrate, once came out."
The title of "Lord of Gaogui Township" is taboo in this dynasty, yet he speaks of it so unrestrainedly, even with a hint of sarcasm on his face. This is quite strange for a young boy. Yet, while he appears weathered, he still clearly retains a strong youthful spirit.
Liu Dan asked anxiously, "Then what should we do next?"
“Enter the prefectural government through the East Gate, the armory through the West Gate, and the Southern Palace through the Xuanyang Gate. There is truly no way to escape.” Liu Jun drew his ring-pommel sword on the ground and drew the Luoyang Palace city in a flash. “The best strategy is to go west through the Yuan Pass and head towards Guanzhong. The middle strategy is to take the Luo River to leave the city, which is fast. The worst strategy is to stay put.”
"Then which policy do you think the emperor will choose?" When he was seven or eight years old, Liu Dan thought he was quite extraordinary. Now, listening to his analysis of the situation, he was even more impressed.
Liu Jun shook his head. "I've heard people say that the emperor is 'of outstanding talent and has great ambitions,' but judging from the matter of the Prince of Donghai, that's not necessarily true. In my humble opinion, we won't see the emperor at Yuanguan Pass."
"Then let's go to the Luo River?"
“No, we may not find the Emperor at Yuan Pass, but we will certainly find a wise man.” Liu Jun glanced at the intelligence report again and still found no news of King Qin, Sima Ye. He suppressed his anxiety and ordered, “Move at full speed! We must reach Yuan Pass before nightfall!”
As Liu Jun had predicted, the Han army had clearly not paid any attention to this dangerous pass, and even though hundreds of cavalrymen arrived in a show of force, they did not encounter a single enemy.
"How about we divide them into groups of fifty, so the brothers can take turns resting?" Liu Dan suggested.
Liu Jun nodded, "Okay."
After several days of travel, both men and horses were exhausted. The soldiers quickly dismounted to rest, and the lower-ranking soldiers took the opportunity to water and feed their horses.
Liu Jun himself did not dismount, but instead took advantage of the still-bright daylight to survey the surrounding terrain and memorize it carefully.
“Your Highness, you haven’t stopped for a while. You’re still growing, I’m afraid you won’t be able to keep going like this,” Liu Yong said, handing over a flatbread with concern.
Liu Jun took it, took a big bite, and laughed, "How many children I've seen along the way have turned into skeletons? Where is there any chance for them to grow up? I'm fine, General, don't worry."
Liu Yong shook his head helplessly upon hearing this. Fortunately, Liu Jun always listened to advice and, feeling that he had not made any mistakes, found a sheltered place to rest.
In the middle of the night, Liu Jun suddenly opened his eyes. He had practiced martial arts since childhood and was still a teenager, so his hearing was more sensitive than that of ordinary people. He was the first to hear the sound of horses' hooves. He jumped up and gripped the ring-pommel sword in his hand.
When the other generals saw him get up, they also sought out hidden places to conceal themselves.
Before long, several riders came galloping in. Seeing that they were Jin soldiers in armor, everyone's spirits lifted.
Liu Jun stared intently until the faces of the people became clearly visible. Seeing that the two leading figures were elderly men, he couldn't help but sigh in disappointment.
As the riders drew closer, they noticed the area, and Liu Dan asked, "Who are you?"
Seeing that their swords were not drawn, the elder in the group knew they meant no harm and replied, "Minister of Works Xun Fan, Grand Master of Ceremonies Xun Zu."
Upon hearing this, Liu Jun immediately stepped out from the shadows. Looking closely, he recognized Xun Fan, whom he had met in the imperial palace in Luoyang years ago. "Lord Xun, do not worry. I am Liu Jun, the heir of the Marquis of Guangwu."
He had grown into a handsome young man, but his features still vaguely resembled those of a child. Xun Fan was overjoyed when he recognized him, "Where is the Marquis of Guangwu?"
"My father was stationed in Bingzhou and dared not leave without permission, so he sent a servant to the capital to rescue the emperor," Liu Jun said honestly.
Not seeing any Xianbei cavalry, Xun Fan was inevitably disappointed. Xun Zu, who was standing to the side, suddenly said, "Your grandfather and Minister Lu have already fled Luoyang with their families and headed north to Bingzhou."
Upon hearing that his family was safe and sound, even though he was mature beyond his years, Liu Jun still showed some joy and bowed, saying, "Thank you for informing me, sir."
After thinking for a moment, Liu Jun asked again, "Does the Grand Commandant know where His Highness the Prince of Qin is now?"
Seemingly surprised by his sudden interest in Sima Ye, Xun Fan did not give a direct answer.
“My cousin, Wen Qiao, is the Sima of the Prince of Qin’s mansion.”
Xun Fan suddenly realized, "They left Luoyang before us, so the Crown Prince probably won't be able to wait for us here. However, I made a secret appointment with him..."
Liu Jun felt slightly relieved. "This is truly a stroke of luck. May I ask if I may accompany you?"
Although his troops were few in number, they were all elite cavalry, which Xun Fan could not have desired.
In Ningping City, most of the high-ranking officials and dignitaries of the court have already been lost. Among the remaining court officials, Xun Fan is outstanding in both official rank and reputation. If he wants to do great things in the future, his support will be of paramount importance.
On the way to Mi County, despite being extremely tired, Liu Jun still mustered all his energy to chat with the Xun brothers. Whether it was due to the passage of time or not, the two of them had quite a lot to say.
"Your Majesty originally intended to travel east by boat from the Luo River, but all the boats were burned by Huyan Yan. I wonder what the situation is now."
"Liu Yuzhou has escaped death; he will surely have good fortune in the future."
"I wonder how the Yingchuan people are doing; it's truly worrying."
"Everyone says that Wen Taizhen is handsome and dashing, but he once humbly said that he was not as good as his cousin. Only after seeing the prince again today do I realize that what he said was true."
"Although Wen Taizhen is fond of joking and gambling, he is quite talented and resourceful. Your Highness has benefited greatly from his assistance in recent years."
"His Highness the Prince of Qin often mentions my lord, but it is a pity that we are separated by mountains and rivers and it is difficult to communicate by letter. Whenever a little news comes from Bingzhou, he is overjoyed for a long time. My lord and His Highness can be said to have become old friends at first sight and have deep conversations despite being strangers."
"Could the Marquis of Guangwu arrange a marriage for his heir? There are still quite a few eligible young women in my clan..."
Just as Liu Jun was about to collapse from exhaustion on horseback, he suddenly heard someone hesitantly calling him.
"Trendy hairstyle?"
Turning my head, I met a pair of eyes that were as gentle as a spring breeze and as clear as autumn water.
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