Not to mention Han Daoming seeing through why Zheng Yu and Zheng Chang would advocate this—Han Jun at this time served as Cishou Palace Guard Military Supervisor, entering a higher level. His vision was also more expansive than before, and he was quite clear about where each family’s interests lay.
The late Emperor had Shen Yang and Zhou Dan as Chief Administrator and Administrator act for the Third Imperial Prince to control Ezhou’s military and political affairs, managing Ezhou as a forward base for attacking Yuezhou and annihilating the Ma family. At this time, Ezhou and Huangzhou facing each other across the river simultaneously became the eastern gateway and protective barrier for the Hunan Provincial Administration.
Only by holding these two places could they calmly and unhurriedly hold their basic foundation, and only then might they subsequently be able to bring Jingxiang into their possession.
By that time, even if Prince Xin Yang Yuanyan attacked into Jinling and brought the Jianghuai lands into his possession, they could still hold Jingxiang and Hunan to stand as equals with him.
However, currently the defense of Huangzhou and Ezhou mainly relied on local provincial battalions—their combined forces were only five or six thousand men, and their combat strength couldn’t be considered very strong either.
With such military strength, never mind resisting Chuzhou forces advancing west—if the Anning Palace wanted to retreat and defend Jiangzhou, Huangzhou and Ezhou would also face extreme threats.
This was the public aspect.
Privately, Huangzhou served as the foundation base of the Zheng clan—they absolutely couldn’t tolerate any mishaps there.
Of course, Zheng Yu and Zheng Chang couldn’t directly emphasize strengthening Huangzhou’s defense. At the same time, to strengthen Huangzhou’s military preparations and defense, they also didn’t want commanders outside the Zheng family’s descendants to command troops there, lest they invite a wolf into the house.
However, Ezhou and Huangzhou faced each other across the river, forming mutual support. Reinforcing Ezhou would provide enormous support to Huangzhou on the northern bank.
Moreover, reinforcing Ezhou would simultaneously tilt other various resources toward Ezhou. At that time, Huangzhou on the northern bank naturally wouldn’t be left out.
“Is the Zheng family now thinking of managing Huangzhou?” Han Jun quietly asked his father.
Han Daoming nodded slightly, indicating his speculation was the same. But on the other hand, the Zheng family managing Huangzhou was also part of the Hunan Provincial Administration. Consolidating the eastern gateway, they in Yueyang could sleep and eat without worry. There was absolutely no need to raise objections.
However, what needed consideration at present was which military forces to deploy to strengthen Ezhou’s defense.
The Right Dragon Sparrow Army commanded by Zheng Hui? Or the Five Fang naval force being established primarily under Gao Chengyuan?
The Right Dragon Sparrow Army was the main force defending Yueyang and protecting the center of the Hunan Provincial Administration—it couldn’t easily leave. This was probably also the key reason why Zheng Yu and Zheng Chang didn’t directly propose strengthening Huangzhou’s defense. After all, they couldn’t directly transfer Zheng Hui and the Right Dragon Sparrow Army elite to Huangzhou.
As a naval force, the Five Fang Army mainly undertook interception and assault combat missions within the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake domain, taking into account naval combat from Huangzhou and Ezhou to Yueyang and even Tanzhou. Defense of cities on land was not what the Five Fang Army could excel at.
Wen Ruilin hadn’t accompanied the Marquis of Xinchang Li Pu to Runzhou. At this moment, as an advisor, he sat behind Chai Jian, leaning his body slightly forward. Somewhat hesitantly, he looked toward everyone and asked:
“Should Li Zhigao lead a portion of Left Dragon Sparrow Army elite forces to immediately transfer and station in Ezhou?”
Zhou Yuan turned to look at Wen Ruilin. Wen Ruilin pressed further: “What do you think, Director Zhou?”
Zhou Yuan served as Administration Ministry of Works Assistant Minister. He and Zhou Shu, who served as Left Dragon Sparrow Army Vice Commander-in-Chief, were brothers who had always been core figures of the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion faction.
The Zheng family had their ulterior motives. Zhou Yuan wasn’t blind to this, but also didn’t feel this was truly a bad thing. After all, they also had their own thoughts and calculations.
The Left and Right Dragon Sparrow Armies plus the newly organized Five Fang Army, along with local provincial battalions—after the Jinling incident, the Hunan Provincial Administration also quickly expanded its forces to around one hundred thousand men.
However, local provincial battalion portions accounted for forty percent. The total forces of the Left and Right Dragon Sparrow Armies expanded to around forty thousand men. Beyond this, Prince Tan’s manor guards and Cishou Palace garrison possessed five thousand elite troops. The planned Five Fang Army naval battalion would also have fifteen thousand officers and soldiers.
Excluding local provincial battalions, manor guards, garrison forces, and the Five Fang Army naval force that mainly undertook naval combat missions, the mobile elite combat power they could deploy was actually very limited—only the forty thousand cavalry and infantry elite of the Left and Right Dragon Sparrow Armies.
And these forty thousand cavalry and infantry elite had to both guard against the rebel forces of Luo Jia and Zhao Sheng’s two units who had withdrawn to defend Yongzhou, deploy forces to Ezhou and Huangzhou to hold positions flanking the river, defend the gateway and protective barrier east of Yueyang, manage Yueyang City as their main base, and later also consider applying pressure to Jingzhou and Xiangzhou…
Zhou Yuan, Chai Jian, Han Daoming, Zheng Yu, and Zheng Chang even brought their toes to the table to plan. They discovered that no matter how they deployed and transferred troops, the forces in their hands were quite insufficient.
If they now definitely ordered Li Zhigao to divide forces to Ezhou, it would create the disadvantage of insufficient forces in all directions. But the greatest benefit of doing this was that transferring Li Zhigao to strengthen Ezhou’s defense—besides vacating the Shaozhou garrison commander position—could also have Li Zhigao leave a portion of Left Dragon Sparrow Army elite forces in southern Shaozhou to defend the Wuzhi Ridge defense line.
This could actually achieve the purpose of dividing Li Zhigao’s military authority.
The Marquis suffered the schemes of Prince Xin and Wang Wenqian in Runzhou, losing troops and generals. For them currently in Yueyang, they needed even more urgently than before to independently control a scaled elite military force. Li Zhigao was an ungrateful wretch not worthy of their trust.
If Wen Ruilin’s suggestion could pass, even if they and the Zheng family had different minds, it could be considered different paths to the same destination.
……
……
Although the late Emperor had already passed away before the year’s end, Yueyang wouldn’t recognize Crown Prince Yang Yuanwo’s enthronement and succession in Jinling. Therefore, Yueyang still used Tianyou as the era name for chronology.
In the seventeenth year of Tianyou, Yang Yuanpu had reached eighteen years old—precisely the age for matters between men and women where he knew the taste of marrow and had vigorous energy. Moreover, Princess Qingyang possessed peerless beautiful appearance, skin delicate as snow that felt like silk to the touch, also full of enticing elasticity. Her sorrowful brows and charming eyes that couldn’t withstand torment made one’s heart flutter and sway—truly could be called soul-consuming and bone-corroding sensation.
Although Princess Qingyang was actually two years younger than Yang Yuanpu, the same age as Princess Consort of Tan Li Yao, by later-world standards both would still be considered minors.
However, compared to Li Yao whose nature was still somewhat timid, Princess Qingyang’s exquisite and beautiful brows and eyes already possessed budding allure of myriad charms, and had long ago captivated Yang Yuanpu until he was dizzy and confused.
Even when the sun had risen three poles high this day, in the courtyard before the sleeping hall stood internal eunuchs and female officials serving and waiting for early rising. Zhang Ping had also run over to look several times.
This was the first time Yang Yuanpu had missed the early council meeting since leaving Jinling to direct the vassal reduction campaign.
Of course, Zhang Ping could more or less understand youthful vigor and blood—occasionally indulging once was a completely different concept from neglecting government affairs.
Several times when he came over to see that Yang Yuanpu still hadn’t risen, he also didn’t enter the sleeping hall to urge him, lest he disturb this pair of new lovebirds’ deep affection.
Qingyang lay in bed embracing the quilt. Her snow-white jade arm without a trace of flaw pressed on the thin quilt woven from Qianyang brocade. Looking at the young man who had vented boundless energy on her last night and was now thoroughly exhausted, she felt somewhat strange, but also felt a trace of inexplicable affection that sprouted after developing an intimate relationship. In her heart she wondered—was she to entrust her life to this man? Was this man worthy of her entrusting her life to him?
Although deep in her heart she inevitably harbored a trace of emptiness, at this moment Qingyang also had a feeling of accepting fate.
At this time, in the courtyard outside the sleeping hall, faint scattered sounds came again, as if someone else had entered. Qingyang pushed Yang Yuanpu awake and said softly: “It seems something has happened?”
Yang Yuanpu drowsily woke up. Listening intently for a while, as if something had happened, he called out from within the bed curtains to Zhang Ping standing in the outer courtyard: “What’s happened?”
“Xu Zhu was beheaded in formation by Prince Xin His Highness. Thirty thousand Southern Court Imperial Guards were utterly defeated and routed by the allied forces at the southeastern foot of Baohua Mountain. However, in this battle, the Marquis of Xinchang Li’s forces unfortunately were routed first by Xu Zhu, suffering quite heavy losses!” Zhang Ping walked quickly to outside the sleeping hall, succinctly and concisely telling Yang Yuanpu the news transmitted back to Yueyang last night.
“What? When did Chuzhou’s main forces cross the river?”
Hearing this news, Yang Yuanpu was completely shocked awake, sitting up in astonishment.
Yesterday morning he was still in Chengyun Hall browsing intelligence transmitted back from Jinling by Jinyun Tower scouts. At least five days ago, because Tower Ship Army warships advanced east, Chuzhou’s main forces were blockaded on the northern bank of the Yangtze at Yangzhou, unable to cross the river and move south.
He had thought the first battle might still be delayed one or two months, unfolding only after both sides prepared more fully. He hadn’t expected to receive news this morning that Chuzhou forces utterly routed Xu Zhu’s forces and beheaded Xu Zhu.
“Chuzhou’s main forces are still at Yangzhou. Prince Xin His Highness only led Silver Halberd Guards across the river, urging Rao Geng and Marquis Li to lead troops out of Runzhou City to attack the Southern Court Imperial Guards stationed at Jingshan Hermitage…” Zhang Ping said.
“How is that possible?”
At this moment, Yang Yuanpu no longer had any mind to continue lingering in the gentle bed. He threw on clothes and got out of bed, pulling Zhang Ping in to inquire about details.
Yang Yuanpu wasn’t familiar with his two elder brothers. After all, when he was just born, even Yang Yuanyan who was slightly younger in age had already been attempting to lead troops in battle.
From limited contact, Yang Yuanpu only clearly knew his second brother always had a sinister and impatient expression, also frequently argued in defiance of the late Emperor’s instruction to him, yet possessed astonishing divine strength.
Yang Yuanpu had personally witnessed his second brother Yang Yuanyan toss high a stone lock weighing three to four hundred catties.
That scene left an extremely deep impression on Yang Yuanpu. Especially after he grew up and recalled it, he could better appreciate what kind of divine strength Yang Yuanyan had. In his heart he also harbored a deep layer of fear.
Within the Dragon Sparrow Army there were some men of great courage who could lift stone locks weighing nearly four hundred catties over their heads. But even if there was error in his childhood memory and the stone lock Yang Yuanyan threw back then wasn’t three to four hundred catties heavy, it should still have been two to three hundred catties heavy.
To toss such a heavy stone lock over one zhang high—probably not a single person in the Dragon Sparrow Army could accomplish this?
Jiangzhou Military Advisor and Campaign Military Commissioner Zhong Yanhu was a fierce general rarely seen in the world. But alas, he had deep friendship with Zhao Mingting. After the Jinling incident, he and Jiangzhou Regional Commander Zhou Ang were the first to submit memorials supporting the enthronement of the new emperor, instead becoming a threat spying on Ezhou.
Besides intelligence reports sent back by the Marquis of Xinchang’s mansion scouts, Jinyun Tower last night also received more detailed battlefield news transmitted back by scouts. It even recorded Prince Xin Yang Yuanyan’s astonishing battle achievement of personally taking the lead in this battle and single-handedly killing nearly a hundred Southern Court Imperial Guard officers and soldiers. Zhang Ping presented it all for Yang Yuanpu to review.
Cross-referencing both sources, Yang Yuanpu could easily imagine Yang Yuanyan wielding his war halberd, leading eight hundred Silver Halberd cavalry piercing through the battlefield in invincible form.
“Previously I heard the Second Imperial Prince was quite brave and martial, but I never imagined the Second Imperial Prince would be so brave and martial—comparable to ancient Elai!” Princess Qingyang also threw on clothes and came over to look at the intelligence report, saying in shock.
Yang Yuanpu smiled bitterly. By the time his second brother Yang Yuanyan grew up and had opportunities to engage with military weapons, Great Chu’s forces had already formed several stable directions of command and expansion under Li Yu, Xu Mingzhen, Du Chongtao and others. When second brother occasionally displayed some skills during military drills, news spreading out would also be thought to intentionally exaggerate the matter. How many people could truly perceive second brother’s divine martial prowess?