This season of Kingdom really hasn’t wasted any time diving right in to the serious military machinations. In this series’ terms that’s fanservice, more or less – like a sports anime focusing on actual games right away. I enjoy all the other aspects of this series – the politics (which in Kingdom is cumulatively warfare’s equal partner), the interpersonal relationships. But there’s no denying that we’re getting instant gratification here.
There is a bit of reflection time here at the start of the episode. The green recruits are somewhat in shell shock after their first battle, despite it having been surprisingly easy. They get some good-natured abuse and from the squadron commanders and good-tasting booze courtesy Xin. The Bow Brothers too are shaken. Ren’s hand literally as he thinks back on his first time taking human lives. And Dan as he reflects on having let his brother and army down. Diao gives Ren some support and comfort, and there’s no denying he came up huge despite his misgivings. But for Dan, this is a serious crisis that’s not going to just go away.
We already know, however, that something is seriously wrong in Liewei (not least because Li Mu bragged about it). Diao has spotted it; so has Meng Tian. And if they have you know Wang Jian has. In fact, he’s buggered off leaving behind only the message “remain at Liewei for three days”. That seems strange to Xin, when so much has been staked on getting the jump on Li Mu. But iff we’ve learned anything about him, it’s to never expect a conventional strategy. And this certainly fits the pattern.
In point of fact, Liewei is a trap. It was built to be impossible to defend – which explains how easily Yang and Duanhe took it without a prolonged siege. This is a profound crisis for the invading Qin army for a multitude of reasons. Liewei was essential to their having supply lines to Ye (and eventually the royal capital). If it falls those supply lines are cut off. Not to mention that once Zhao retakes control of Liewei, they can trap an invading army with no means to escape, provided they have a large force to their north (the Yellow River lies to the south). In essence, Changping’s entire strategy has been trumped by Li Mu’s ruse.
Meng Tian is the most tactically-minded of the young lions, and he sees only three options. Leave a huge garrison at Liewei and march on Ye with the rest, or spend time they don’t have trying to effectively rebuild it into a defensible fortress. Both are non-starters, leaving only the third option – retreat to Qin. With their invasion plan in tatters it seems to be the only thing that makes sense. But Huan Yi has other ideas, and mocks the boys for their inexperience. There’s a fourth option, he says – take everything with them and march on Ye. And Wang Jian is likely out scouting that possibility.
I have my doubts about Wang Jian simply bolting and telling his generals next to nothing, but not about his decision to scrap the high command’s doomed strategy and institute his own. That’s why Changping chose him to lead the invasion after all, in case events necessitated a total rethink. That said, he’s scouted Ye and found it to be “perfect” and impenetrable. As such his new orders seem like a suicide mission to most of the others, who imply that Wang Ben – as his nephew – should protest to that effect. But Huan Yi tells his own people that Wang Jian never starts a war he’s not sure he can win. Just how he plans to do that is still a mystery, but we should get most of our answer next week.
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