Seeing Yang Qin jump down from the ship and direct men to drag Xi Shetao’s corpse ashore, Han Qian instructed Feng Liao behind him: “Prepare a fine coffin and have Xi Shetao’s remains placed in it first.”
With his temperament from the past, Han Qian would have wanted nothing more than to hang the corpses of the Xi family brothers from the city walls of Chenyang or from flagpoles in the city to be exposed for three months first. But the problems he was now considering went deeper than before.
Although Zheng Hui himself was from a powerful clan background and was unlikely to implement new policies like land tax and native-immigrant household registration unification in Chenzhou, regardless, if it wasn’t necessary, there was no need to especially provoke the nerves of the native tribal households.
Han Qian was also thinking about whether to suggest sending Xi Ying’s three sons’ remains as well as the Xi clan family members in Chenyang City by boat to Datan Stockade.
“When do we attack Yuanling? When we attack Yuanling, it should be our naval battalion’s turn to shine, right?” Yang Qin walked up to Han Qian and asked somewhat impatiently.
Since Han Qian had “fled” to Xuzhou and fought several battles, it had always been the infantry battalion’s armored troops charging into battle at the front. Over the years, apart from harassment raids and blockading waterways, the naval battalion had only rammed and sunk three enemy ships this afternoon—barely counting as a battle.
Yang Qin had absolutely not satisfied his thirst for fighting.
Chenyang City was situated on the western bank of the Yuan River and southern bank of the Chen River, backed by the hills at the northeastern foot of Longya Mountain. It was the connecting point between Yuanling City, the prefectural seat of Chenzhou, and the southeastern major town of Xupu.
With the Wuling Army occupying both Jiming Stockade and Chenyang City, controlling the Chen River, and relying on Chenyang City to cut the Yuan River channel into upper and lower reaches, they had actually completely severed Chenzhou, which mainly relied on the Yuan River to connect the upstream and downstream counties.
If they continued military operations, one choice was to attack Datan Stockade to the south and occupy all of Xupu County territory. The other choice was to attack the prefectural seat Yuanling City to the north, seizing Chenzhou’s political, economic, and cultural center.
From the perspective of managing Xuzhou, naturally they should first attack Datan Stockade to the south and occupy Xupu County, which bordered Qianyang County.
Xupu County possessed over one-third of Chenzhou’s arable land and nearly half its population. It was the only place in the middle and upper reaches of the Yuan River that could meet the standard of a superior county. If Xupu were incorporated into Xuzhou, it would greatly enhance their strength.
Although Yang Qin was originally a water stockade chieftain, over these past two or three years he had been forced to leave Jiangzhou with the Han father and son, forming a boat gang traveling north and south, and had also experienced the Jingxiang campaign. His horizons had broadened, and he knew that Xuzhou was still too small.
To truly cooperate with the court in containing Tanzhou, they should send troops from Chenyang to attack Yuanling to the north. Only from Yuanling could they directly threaten Tanzhou’s territory.
From Chenyang to Yuanling, mountains and cliffs stood tall on both banks of the Yuan River. Without wanting to cross mountains from upstream of the Chen River, the water route was the most convenient and fastest passage in and out of Yuanling.
How could it not be the naval battalion’s turn to be the main force?
Watching Yang Qin’s eager mood, Han Qian smiled slightly, then turned back to see Zhang Ping, as well as Yao Xishui and Chun Shisanniang dressed as men, walking over. He asked with a smile: “Yang Qin is impatient to request orders from Lord Zheng to attack Yuanling. Lord Zhang, when do you think we should attack Yuanling?”
Zhang Ping’s left arm was already crippled, his sleeve hanging empty. As he gazed at the rippling river water, he added a few degrees of desolate feeling of a solitary traveler standing on the riverbank. After pondering for a moment, he said: “Not attacking Yuanling, but sitting in defense at Chenyang to lure Tanzhou troops into entering Yuanling—perhaps that would be better.”
During this period, Han Qian and Zhang Ping had spent time together day and night, so he knew him quite deeply. It wasn’t difficult to guess he would say this.
In Han Qian’s view, aside from Li Zhigao, Zhang Ping was probably the person in the Twilight Red Tower with the most outstanding insight. His vision was completely above people like Chai Jian, Li Chong, and Zhou Yuan. Even Marquis Xinchang Li Pu fell somewhat short in comparison.
He just didn’t know why the Twilight Red Tower would have such a person castrate himself and hide in the palace forbidden quarters for so many years?
Or perhaps Zhang Ping had originally been of eunuch minister background?
Thinking of this, Han Qian was slightly stunned. His previous doubts about the Twilight Red Tower seemed to suddenly tear open a gap with this thought.
The true origins of the Twilight Red Tower—perhaps from the background of figures like Zhang Ping, clues could be glimpsed.
Yao Xishui was still sighing endlessly over the smooth capture of Jiming Stockade and Chenyang City. Seeing that her adoptive father’s words deeply moved Han Qian, he should be thinking the same way in his heart. She asked quite surprised: “Not attack Yuanling, but lure Tanzhou troops to garrison Yuanling?”
“Our main purpose is to contain Tanzhou from the southwest direction. Does Miss Yao think it’s better for us to contain part of Tanzhou’s troops at Wuling County to defend against us after we take Yuanling, or to directly draw part of Tanzhou’s troops into Yuanling for containment?” Han Qian asked with a smile.
Drawing Tanzhou troops into Yuanling would extend Tanzhou’s defensive line, making it more awkward for Tanzhou to respond when the court attacked from three directions—Ezhou, Jingzhou, and Hongzhou.
The powerful clan forces of Chenzhou had previously assembled their main troops and military supplies on the southern line to guard against Xuzhou. If Tanzhou troops now garrisoned Yuanling, they would need to transport grain and supplies from the rear, which would further intensify the shortages within Tanzhou.
Additionally, although the Wuling Army had captured Jiming Stockade and Chenyang City and controlled all of Chenyang quite smoothly, completely annihilating the main Chenzhou tribal forces at Laoya Hollow and Qixing Slope, the tribal soldiers were truly fierce and warlike, causing the Wuling Army to accumulate over a thousand casualties even on such an advantageous battlefield.
The powerful clan forces of Chenzhou had not surrendered, and people like Xiang Jianlong and Yang Zaili in Xuzhou territory would not be completely without thoughts. Relying solely on the Wuling Army’s three to four thousand troops, it would be difficult to control all of Chen and Xu prefectures while also containing a portion of Tanzhou’s elite forces.
At this time, not only was it inadvisable to attack Yuanling forcefully, Han Qian even felt there was no need to urgently attack Datan Stockade or hurry to take all of Xupu County territory. They should temporarily hold firm control of Chenyang City.
Through Old Dragon’s Head, they could still relatively conveniently transport troops and supplies from the southern side of Longya Mountain.
If at this time Jinling still didn’t dare to resolutely strip Tanzhou of military authority and still wanted to continue squeezing the Wuling Army’s potential, Han Qian felt such a court really had no remaining value worth being loyal to.
After Han Qian exchanged views with Zhang Ping, they went together to see Zheng Hui.
Zheng Hui also knew it was inadvisable to excessively squeeze the Wuling Army’s potential. The cards they held were truly too few and too small—they could only win, not lose. Even a slight setback would cause the native powerful clans in the territory to become restless. If they weren’t careful enough, the result would be an utterly dismal outcome with no hope of recovery.
Han Qian mentioned sending the remains of Xi Ying’s three sons to Datan Stockade, and Zheng Hui agreed.
“Please allow this humble one Xunqiao to transport the coffins to Datan Stockade, my lords.” Xi Xunqiao requested in the council hall.
Han Qian was slightly stunned. Looking at Xi Xunqiao, he said: “Tanzhou is not yet settled. Xi Ying would absolutely not easily hand over Datan Stockade and Xupu County to surrender at this time.”
“Xi Ying is deeply cunning and calculating. Even if he won’t easily surrender Xupu County at this time, he also won’t easily kill me,” Xi Xunqiao said. “And when I go to Datan Stockade, I haven’t thought about persuading Xi Ying to surrender. I only want to persuade Xi Ying to keep his troops still and quietly observe how the situation changes!”
Han Qian saw Zheng Hui look over to consult his opinion and nodded slightly.
Since Xi Xunqiao had the courage to go see Xi Ying, if he could persuade Xi Ying to keep his troops still, that would be extremely advantageous for them.
Xupu’s potential was too great. If Xi Ying continued squeezing it, he could still assemble two to three thousand tribal soldiers. Even immigrant prominent households, under powerful military threat, would send troops and grain.
At this time they didn’t want to attack Datan Stockade forcefully, but if Xi Ying sent troops from Datan Stockade to raid Chenyang, Wukou, or even Qianyang City, they would undoubtedly still have to bear enormous pressure.
Being able to persuade Xi Ying to keep his troops still would undoubtedly allow them to concentrate their forces to better attract and contain the Tanzhou troops entering Yuanling.
Among the mountain tribal people of Chen and Xu, there was no shortage of insightful people like Xi Xunqiao—they just lacked a stage to display their talents. Nor was there a shortage of valiant generals like Xi Shehu—they just lacked commanders who could control them well.
Recently, Han Qian had been organizing historical fragments from his dreams and discovered that when the Central Plains were torn to pieces by the war and chaos between Liang and Jin, in southwestern Hunan and central Guizhou and other places, there had been very strong mountain clan powerful forces rising up. They had once separated and ruled the middle and upper reaches of the Yuan River region for several hundred years, until the implementation of replacing native chieftains with imperial officials four to five hundred years later, when they were finally thoroughly integrated into central government rule.
Han Qian didn’t know whether stronger warlords would rise from the mountain tribal people in Jingzhou or even further upstream in the various prefectures of central Guizhou in the future. But he believed that to a certain extent, he had already redirected the historical trajectory of Chen and Xu prefectures.
“Since Xunqiao is willing to go to Datan Stockade to lobby Xi Ying, then I will now go to Jiming Stockade to widen the courier road from Jiming Stockade to Longya City!” Han Qian said.
If Xi Ying was ultimately persuaded by Xi Xunqiao to agree to keep his troops still at Datan Stockade, as a show of sincerity, the naval battalion warships couldn’t pass through the Yuan River channel in front of Datan Stockade, to avoid provoking Xi Ying’s sensitive and fragile nerves.
In that case, this old courier road passing through Longya City would take on the main lifeline for maintaining contact between Xuzhou and Chenyang.
With Zheng Hui and Zhang Ping commanding troops at Chenyang City to contain enemy forces, and Han Qian responsible for logistics and supplies, naturally he would need to be much busier at this time.
“If Lord Han doesn’t mind, could Xishui accompany Lord Han to view the mountains and waters of Longya Mountain’s northern slope?” Yao Xishui’s beautiful eyes, like brimming autumn waters, fixed on Han Qian as she asked.
Han Qian glanced at Yao Xishui, thinking that if Zhang Ping, now over forty years old, had been a eunuch minister before infiltrating the palace, then what were the origins of Yao Xishui and Chun Shisanniang?
At Yao Xishui’s age, when Great Chu was founded and the Twilight Red Tower appeared in Jinling, she would have only been four or five years old. And even if Chun Shisanniang was somewhat older then, she would have only been eight or nine. What were their origins?
Or perhaps they were purely orphan girls abducted or adopted by the Twilight Red Tower and Marquis Xinchang’s manor from elsewhere?
“What, Lord Han is unwilling?” Seeing Han Qian ponder silently for a long while without speaking, Yao Xishui asked again.
Han Qian was slightly startled and said: “If Miss Yao doesn’t mind the hardship, then come along with me.”
During this period, Yao Xishui and Chun Shisanniang had followed Zhang Ping to live in Longya City, showing great interest in the Wuliu Creek diversion dam, the repairs to Longya City, and the native-immigrant household registration unification and new land tax policies implemented in Xuzhou.
Han Qian didn’t care whether Yao Xishui and Chun Shisanniang were secretly learning something. He immediately took them along to bid farewell to Zheng Hui and Zhang Ping, returning to Jiming Stockade.