“The Liang naval forces have reached Canglang City, yet the Left Division’s scouts failed to detect this beforehand?”
Li Chong had not expected that a failure by the Left Division’s scouts would cost the Longque Army the chance to achieve another extraordinary feat. His voice carried an unmistakably sharp edge of accusation.
“Han Qian was careless,” Han Qian said, ignoring Li Chong’s interrogation as he turned to address the Third Prince and the others including Yang Jian and Shen Yang. “Yesterday I was solely focused on arranging scouts to monitor the movements of the Liang forces that had withdrawn into Neixiang, fearing that Han Yuanqi might launch a sudden counterattack. I was careless about other directions. This is my oversight. I ask Your Highness to impose punishment.”
The Chu army’s soldiers were exhausted, while the Liang forces over the past month, aside from their fierce battles at Xichuan City, had not engaged in major combat in other directions—they could even be said to have conserved their strength while awaiting battle.
Han Qian did not believe that last night had been an opportune moment for a victorious pursuit, but as someone who always took unconventional approaches, constantly walking tightropes to seize opportunities from danger, he found it inconvenient to explain further. At this moment, he simply took full responsibility for the oversight.
Shen Yang and the Marquis of Zhenyuan Yang Jian remained expressionless.
Having weathered countless storms throughout their lives, they knew that unconventional tactics were not a sustainable long-term strategy—sooner or later, one would get burned playing with fire. They did not feel they had truly missed any opportunity. This time, forcing the Liang army to withdraw and recovering Jingxiang already constituted a great victory; they had not harbored extravagant hopes of truly being able to severely damage the Liang forces under such hasty conditions where various aspects were insufficiently mature.
The Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu and others like Chai Jian wore expressions of uncertain emotions. Naturally, they too were dissatisfied with the Left Division’s mistake this time, but they felt that even if Han Qian occasionally erred, it at least would not diminish the Third Prince’s trust in him at this moment—speaking further would serve no purpose.
Yang Yuanpu was currently riding high on success and felt somewhat regretful about not achieving another extraordinary feat, but that was the extent of it.
In the subsequent discussion of military affairs, everyone felt that stabilizing the western front should take priority. Once they had forced the Liang troops besieging Jingzikou to withdraw and the western front situation was thoroughly resolved, they could then dispatch forces to recover the Tieeling-Canglang City line. Afterward, from the western flank, they would occupy the strategic position at the upper reaches of the Dan and Han Rivers, positioning themselves to threaten Xiangzhou. The offensive and defensive dynamics in Jingxiang would then be reversed once again.
However, before the Louchuan Navy’s warships could traverse the narrow upper Dan River waterway to reach Jingzikou, the Liang forces from Guanzhong also withdrew their siege.
The Liang Kingdom had not long controlled the Guanzhong region, and its Guanzhong forces, like the Chu forces from Sui, Ying, and other prefectures, had not yet developed sufficiently firm loyalty to Liang—their fighting spirit was weak. Although Jingzikou, defended by Zhou Shu and Gao Chengyuan, appeared to hold a stronger strategic position than Xichuan, the intensity of combat and casualties were far less severe than the brutal offense and defense at Xichuan.
The Liang forces besieging Xiangzhou City, located on the southern bank of the Han River, quickly crossed the river and withdrew to Fancheng before the Louchuan Navy could exit the Dan River again. Over the following ten days, the Liang forces contracted from both flanks toward the Nanyang Basin north of Fancheng, while the reinforcements from Jinling, personally led by Emperor Tianyou, recovered Yingzhou, Suizhou, Pingzhou, Zaoyang, and other locations.
By the end of the fourth month, the Liang forces had retreated to Wuyang north of Fangcheng. Du Chongtao also led the Left Wuwei Army to recover Fangcheng, and both sides began constructing fortified camps in the gap between the western foothills of the Tongbai Mountains and the eastern foothills of the Funiu Mountains to guard against enemy attacks.
The Liang-Chu winter offensive, which had lasted nearly half a year between the two nations, was finally coming to an end.
Although the Liang forces had not accomplished their strategic objective of seizing Jingxiang in this campaign, they had raided the four prefectures of Sui, Ying, Ping, and Xiang, set fire to all cities before withdrawing, abducted nearly one hundred thousand able-bodied laborers and prisoners of war, annihilated over fifty thousand men from Chu’s Imperial Guards and provincial forces, while suffering only around twenty thousand casualties themselves.
After this campaign, the Liang forces had also successfully occupied and controlled Caizhou in its entirety, which commanded the northern foothills of Tongbai and the upper Huai River region.
For the Liang forces, this battle could be said to have yielded abundant gains.
For the Chu forces, the Jingxiang region, which had finally enjoyed several years of recovery and rehabilitation, saw production suffer another heavy blow. Beyond the severe damage inflicted on both the Longque Army and the Left Wuwei Army, the four prefectures and the provincial and county militia that had reinforced Deng and Xiang were all devastated.
The sole bright spot was perhaps that the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu had not hesitated to personally station himself at Xichuan despite his invaluable status, commanding his soldiers to fight courageously and crushing Liang’s ambitions to devour Jingxiang.
In comparison, although Du Chongtao had held Xiangzhou City, his several battles with the Liang forces outside the city had all been rather strained. Compared to the Longque Army’s achievements, they were truly far inferior.
Moreover, failing to detect Liang’s feint strategy in advance, Du Chongtao bore enormous responsibility.
Had Du Chongtao not been so passive in avoiding battle initially, and instead fought several hard battles with the Liang forces at Fangcheng, Wancheng, and Xinye without so easily abandoning the Nanyang Basin, it would not have been difficult to detect Liang’s intentions.
…
…
“South of Fangcheng and north of Fancheng lies ten thousand hectares of fertile land. We should establish numerous military garrison farms, relocating displaced people and convict laborers to fill them for agricultural-military rotation training. Only then can the national treasury be enriched, military provisions be sufficient, and usable troops be available to defend the borders, thereby restricting Liang’s southward ambitions and forcing Liang to station heavy forces in Xuzhou and Caizhou, depleting their treasury’s grain supplies…”
At the end of the fourth month, Emperor Tianyou led various Imperial Guard units to enter Xiangzhou City. The Liang forces within the Nanyang Basin had all withdrawn. Li Zhigao, Chai Jian, and others continued to lead their troops to garrison at Neixiang, Xichuan, and other cities, while Han Qian, Shen Yang, the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu, Palace Attendant Bureau Deputy Director Shen He, Li Chong, and others accompanied the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu from Neixiang City, located at the western edge of the Nanyang Basin, heading south toward Xiangzhou City for an imperial audience.
Sitting in the swaying carriage, watching the wild grass growing tall and orioles flying, with brilliant wildflowers blooming on both sides of the damaged road, Han Qian discussed with the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu strategies for managing Deng and Xiang.
This was also the homework that the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu would most likely face questioning about during his imperial audience.
Han Qian did not expect all the suggestions the Third Prince presented to be adopted, but before Emperor Tianyou, the most important thing was for the Third Prince to have his own insights.
This military conflict was essentially settled, but the strategic importance of Jingxiang had been thoroughly highlighted.
Issues such as the weak foundation of Great Chu’s rule in the Jingxiang region and the insufficient defensive strength of border troops should all receive attention.
Han Qian also speculated that this was probably the most urgent problem Emperor Tianyou wanted to resolve.
Of course, beyond broad issues like the reorganization of the Jingxiang region and the construction of the Deng-Xiang defense line, the Third Prince concurrently governed Junzhou. Matters concerning Junzhou’s administration, the employment of stronghold leaders like Zhou Dan, and the resettlement of stronghold residents and fugitive households were topics the Third Prince would need to explain in detail before Emperor Tianyou.
The laxness of the Guanzhong forces was also a key reason for the frustration of Liang’s strategic intentions this time. If the Liang Emperor was not foolish, he would subsequently strengthen his control and reorganization of the Guanzhong region. Then, beyond the defenses along the Funiu-Tongbai mountain line in Jingxiang, defenses at the eastern foothills of the Qinling Mountains would also become extremely important.
This was precisely the military responsibility that Junzhou faced.
The stronghold forces had rendered great service in holding Xichuan this time.
At least for now, it was necessary to consolidate and strengthen the stronghold forces. Therefore, establishing military garrison farms under Junzhou needed to be built on the foundation of stronghold forces to have any hope of quick success.
Although subsequent rule over Junzhou would be built more on the loyalty of stronghold leaders like Zhou Dan, this could only be considered a temporary stopgap measure—treating the symptoms rather than the root cause.
However, this did not mean Han Qian lacked systematic thinking about the problems existing in the Jingxiang region.
Great Chu had established its capital at Jinling, with all institutions modeled after the previous dynasty, but Emperor Tianyou leading the Jianghuai elite to establish the Chu Kingdom at Jinling faced many complex realities very different from the previous dynasty, naturally producing many systematic problems and drawbacks.
In Jinling and in Xuzhou, Han Qian had thoroughly discussed these issues with his father Han Daoxun.
In fact, his father Han Daoxun, precisely because of his deep research and understanding of these problems, firmly believed that major surgery was necessary—profound and extensive reforms must be carried out across the territories ruled by Chu to possibly overcome these drawbacks.
However, Han Qian also knew that truly overcoming existing drawbacks in a short time would mean reforms touching the interests of current power holders too broadly and deeply. Those who initiated reforms would inevitably face fierce retaliation from these forces.
Han Qian had previously not wanted his father to become a sacrifice to reform, so he had tried every means to facilitate his father’s appointment to a border prefecture. At this moment, he also could not suggest more radical strategies to the Third Prince. Everything must prioritize temporarily stabilizing the current situation in Deng and Xiang. As for potential hidden dangers—those were matters to consider later.
Han Qian and his party traveled overland south from Neixiang City, crossing the Han River from the riverbank on the southern side of ruined Fancheng to enter Xiangzhou City.
Just after entering the city, Shen He accompanied the Third Prince to directly see Emperor Tianyou, while Han Qian, Shen Yang, and the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu, along with the Guard Battalion’s young warriors—now fewer than two hundred after the war—headed toward Jinxing Ward.
As Deputy Director of the Palace Attendant Bureau, Shen He naturally needed to return to attend Emperor Tianyou. While the Third Prince returned to Emperor Tianyou’s side for a father-son reunion, Shen Yang, the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu, and others had to await summons at Jinxing Ward before receiving an audience.
As for Han Qian, at this time he still did not have the qualifications to receive a summons.
Han Qian did not dwell on this matter. Watching the large army enter and make Xiangzhou City crowded yet strangely vibrant with life, Han Qian quite enjoyed this feeling.
As they neared Jinxing Ward, a group of riders escorting Tanzhou Military Commissioner’s heir Ma Xun and others passed by.
Seeing Ma Xun’s armor bright and his expression composed, Han Qian was quite surprised. He heard the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu also ask Shen Yang hesitantly: “Could it be that His Majesty has already pardoned this fellow for abandoning the city and suffering defeat?”
Watching Ma Xun bow in salute from several dozen paces away, Han Qian thought the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu’s speculation might be true.
At this moment, Shen Yang directly turned his head away, demonstrating his disgust and disdain for someone like Ma Xun.
The Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu merely remained expressionless. Although he had no need to offend Tanzhou, he also had no need to curry favor with Ma Xun.
Han Qian, however, had to consider the practical problems facing Xuzhou. He cupped his hands toward Ma Xun, returning the salute.
Ma Xun also knew he was unwelcome and would not come over to invite humiliation. He cast a resentful glance at Shen Yang, then slunk away with his attendants.
After Ma Xun departed, Han Qian saw that Shen Yang still wore an expression of indignant resentment and said: “That His Majesty did not seize this opportunity to punish Ma Xun for abandoning the city and suffering defeat—perhaps he has some demand from Tanzhou?”
“Ma Xun abandoned the city and suffered defeat. Not to mention over ten thousand soldiers killed, he caused Sui and Ying to fall to the Liang forces with almost no resistance. Not punishing this crime means the law is not upheld, which will only dishearten the troops. This is something that no amount of concessions from Tanzhou can compensate for,” Shen Yang naturally could guess why Ma Xun could parade through the streets of Xiangzhou City in bright armor, but he still spoke coldly, not concealing his dissatisfaction with the entire matter.
In the past, Han Qian might have thought Shen Yang too stubborn, but thinking of the bloody corpses at Xichuan City, he too remained silent.
In truth, if Ma Xun had truly dared to fight hard battles, or even followed Du Chongtao’s orders and led his troops to break through toward the Han River, ferrying over ten thousand soldiers across the Han to withdraw to Yicheng southeast of Xiangzhou City or to Shimen Ridge in the south, rather than suffering annihilation at the northern foothills of Dahong Mountain, the entire Jingxiang region’s situation would not have developed so perilously afterward, and their defense of Xichuan City would not have been so arduous and brutal.