Chapter 111: A Bride Falls from the Sky

Luo An came to see Zhang Chi early the next morning. Seeing the ruins left by the fire, he was truly startled. Only after seeing that Zhang Chi was unharmed did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Since the relay station had been burned down, it was a good time to relocate. After some hurried arrangements, Luo An gathered the people from outside the city and settled them into the residence he had prepared for Zhang Chi in the eastern part of the city.

Upon moving from the outskirts to the new residence, Zhang Chi noticed that Luo An was acting as if he were on fire, and he knew something must have happened. Before even entering the main gate of the new estate, he asked, "Lord Luo, you came to find me so early; I suspect something has occurred?"

As Zhang Chi had expected, Luo An nodded immediately. "You are quite right, young master. At dawn, a messenger from Wuping arrived in Chengdu after riding through the night, reporting that the barbarian cavalry had crossed the Bashan Mountains. Wuping is in critical danger, and they are requesting reinforcements. The Prince of Chengdu has summoned his officials to discuss sending troops and specifically asked me to invite you to the palace."

"Why didn't you say so sooner? Wouldn't delaying this hinder important matters?" Zhang Chi was shocked that the barbarians had crossed the Bashan Mountains so quickly.

Zhang Chi had wronged Luo An this time. Luo An said aggrievedly, "I thought that since we were moving into the city anyway, and the new residence is in the east, we could go straight to the Prince of Chengdu’s palace afterward. It is on the way, not a detour."

"In that case, let us go see the Prince of Chengdu at once."

Without delay, Zhang Chi pulled Qin Bo along and headed straight to the palace with Luo An.

By then, the civil and military officials in the hall were already in a panic. The Prince of Chengdu, lacking any firm resolve, paced back and forth, muttering, "What shall we do? What shall we do?" Most of the people present were either anxious or distressed; only two remained calm. One of them was the Inspector of Yizhou.

How could a high official lose his composure? Especially since, after drinking with Zhang Chi the day before, he had already made his plans. The other was the Inspector of Liangzhou, who sat with a straight posture and a faint smile on his face.

As soon as Zhang Chi entered the hall, the Prince of Chengdu hurried to meet him. "Young Master Zhang, you must help me share this burden! The barbarians have crossed the Bashan Mountains and will reach Wuping in a few days. What is to be done?"

Since the barbarians had just crossed the mountains, it meant they had not yet besieged Wuping. Zhang Chi had considered the situation carefully on the road and spoke clearly: "The Prince of Chengdu should immediately send the messenger back to Wuping on a fast horse, telling them that if they can hold the city for ten days, reinforcements will surely arrive."

Wuping was a vital stronghold in the north of Shu, with sturdy walls and a long history of garrisoning troops. In the age of cold weapons, the most difficult task was laying siege to a city. If the defenders refused to come out and held the walls, it would not be hard to last ten days or half a month.

The Prince of Chengdu, having lost his own sense of direction, followed Zhang Chi's advice and ordered the messenger to return. He then asked, "Young Master Zhang, what comes next?"

Zhang Chi smiled slightly. "Since you have appointed me as Commander to oversee the deployment of troops in Shu, this is the time to give me the authority. You should immediately issue an order for every prefecture and county to send their troops to Chengdu to await orders. Once the troops are gathered, I will march to relieve Wuping and repel the barbarians."

"Issuing the order is not difficult, but I fear the troops may not be easily gathered," the Prince said, looking troubled.

"Do not worry," Zhang Chi said, leading the Prince to the Inspector of Liangzhou. "With the nation in crisis, the Inspector of Yizhou is willing to send fifty thousand troops to fight the barbarians to the death, serving as an example for all of Shu. The counties under Yizhou will surely respond. I wonder about the Inspector of Liangzhou..."

Zhang Chi was now pressuring him to send troops. Although the Inspector of Liangzhou paid lip service to the Prince while acting against him, the Prince was still the nominal ruler of Shu. Before the civil and military officials, he could not refuse. Pressured by Zhang Chi’s words, he made a concession: "The Inspector of Yizhou has over a hundred thousand troops; I cannot compare. However, with the nation in crisis, I am also willing to serve. I can scrape together twenty thousand men for you to command; that should not be a problem."

The Inspector of Liangzhou specifically mentioned the Yizhou Inspector’s larger force to mock him and elevate his own contribution. But thirty thousand troops were not insignificant and met Zhang Chi’s expectations. While the Yizhou Inspector’s fifty thousand were only for show, the twenty thousand from Liangzhou were explicitly placed under Zhang Chi's command.

Still, the Yizhou Inspector's troops were not useless; without that show of force, Zhang Chi could not have pressured the Liangzhou Inspector. Since both provinces were the source of all military power in Shu, if these two refused to move, who else would respond? This was exactly why Zhang Chi had agreed to the Yizhou Inspector's demands the previous day.

Zhang Chi turned back to the Prince. "Excellent! Since both the Inspectors of Yizhou and Liangzhou are willing to serve, we are united in purpose and will surely defeat the enemy."

The Prince of Chengdu was overjoyed. "And my ten thousand imperial guards in Chengdu will also be under your command. That makes eighty thousand troops. With the local county forces, there is no doubt we can reach one hundred thousand."

Zhang Chi nodded and said, "Speed is the essence of war. Since I am in charge, send word to all counties immediately. They must gather their troops within five days. Anyone who delays will be executed!"

"Since I have appointed you as Grand Commander, I yield to your judgment."

The Prince finally felt at ease. He stepped forward, grabbed Zhang Chi’s arm, and asked, "I am truly grateful for your help. You are young and talented; are you married?"

Zhang Chi, not expecting this, was stunned for a moment and shook his head.

The Prince was delighted. "Good, that is good! I have a daughter, Princess Wuyou, who is sixteen. She is well-read and exceptionally intelligent. I wish to betroth her to you. What do you think?"

"I have only just arrived in Shu and am already deeply honored by your favor. How could I dare to aspire to Princess Wuyou? This would not be appropriate," Zhang Chi said vaguely, feeling overwhelmed by the sudden shift from military affairs to marriage.

"Why not? You are unmarried, she is unwed, and you are a man of great bearing—a perfect match! As you are helping me through this crisis, I rely on you for everything. How can you speak of 'aspiring' to her?" The Prince grew increasingly excited. "Do not decline, it is settled!"

The Prince’s attitude was sincere, and Zhang Chi did not know how to refuse. He decided to stall for time. "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, but the barbarians are rampant. How can I consider a home when the enemy is not defeated? To indulge in romance now would only weaken a hero’s resolve."

"You possess great ambition!" the Prince praised. "In that case, the engagement is settled for now. From this day on, we are family. We shall hold the wedding upon your triumphant return!"

It seemed the Prince was determined. Zhang Chi was left feeling helpless, having suddenly acquired a wife from the heavens, without even knowing if she was beautiful or ugly, tall or short.