Previously, everything prepared for capturing Liyang, with all matters yielding to war preparations.
Now that warfare entered a buffer period, massive accumulated problems required Han Qian’s attention to resolve.
First, after large numbers of officials and military officers transferred to Tangyi, Xuzhou had numerous vacant official positions requiring immediate selection of reliable personnel to fill them, ensuring the foundational territory avoided mishaps while maintaining steady development.
Just as Han Qian had transferred a large batch including Feng Liao, Guo Rong, Gao Shao, Tian Cheng, Feng Xuan, Lin Haizheng, Zhao Qi, Zhou Chu, Kong Xirong, Feng Zhang, and Feng Yi to Tangyi before year’s end, regarding Xuzhou’s subsequent official appointments, Han Qian didn’t intend to select personnel entirely from within Xuzhou. He considered selecting a batch from former Left Guangde Army members, plus sending capable individuals like Qiao Weiyan—those with their own perspectives who could accept Xuzhou’s new policies—to serve in Xuzhou.
Beyond accelerating expansion of Xuzhou’s official and military officer ranks, another factor involved what Han Qian had consistently striven toward: promoting integration between the southwestern borderlands and Jianghuai heartlands rather than isolating Xuzhou.
Additionally, River Fleet warships had already moved south from the Huai River into river networks in southern Shouzhou, northern Chaozhou, and south of Hongze Lake. For Tangyi troops to continue advancing military operations northward while firmly controlling waterway networks including the Chu River, Chao Lake, and Zhegao River northeast of Chao Lake, supporting land-based camp fortifications—beyond currently organized over two hundred warships, they needed to convert batches of medium and large commercial vessels into warships, recruiting corresponding shipwrights and sailors into military ranks.
Subsequently, large-scale material transport between Xuzhou and Tangyi could only be handed over to Chishan Association.
Simultaneously, Chishan Association would serve as a vital link strengthening connections between Tangyi and Xuzhou.
If large-scale material transport between these two regions were undertaken by Xiang and Yang families’ fleets, short-term problems might not arise, but over time, local prominent clan forces might inevitably harbor restless thoughts of resurgence.
Regarding native and immigrant household registry integration, many matters must persist with immigrant leadership, integrating native barbarian households rather than the reverse process.
Chishan Association undertaking these matters would inevitably plant portions of its foundations deeply in Xuzhou. With this foundation, Han Qian could subsequently contend at court for transport of regional tribute grain and salt from various locations, assigned to Chishan Association’s responsibility, establishing a more professional, efficient canal transport system.
After leaving the wharf, riding horseback on the road back to Tangyi City, Han Qian discussed some of his ideas one by one with Qiao Weiyan and Han Chengmeng.
Personnel currently stationed in Xuzhou primarily included Xi Xunqiao, Xi Chang, Ji Xiyao, Chen Jitang, Han Dong, and Zhao Jicheng. Han Qian patiently explained these individuals’ capabilities and temperaments to Qiao Weiyan.
Subsequently, he would recommend Xi Xunqiao and Xi Chang to serve as Xuzhou Chief Clerk and Marshal, cooperating with others to assist Zhao Ting’er representing provisional command of Xuzhou’s military and administrative affairs. He hoped that after Qiao Weiyan arrived at Xuzhou, he could quickly familiarize himself with everyone including Tan Yuliang’s side, ensuring Xuzhou could subsequently maintain stable, rapid development.
Only thus could they more powerfully support Tangyi’s combat operations and construction here.
If Xuzhou couldn’t maintain stability and civil unrest erupted, problems would become extremely thorny—Han Qian would then face advance-or-retreat dilemmas.
Hearing Han Qian discuss numerous new policy approaches for governing Xuzhou, Han Chengmeng and Qiao Weiyan found them utterly unprecedented, both feeling ashamed for previously priding themselves on possessing capable talents.
Next, Han Qian discussed with them matters regarding Tianping Capital and Wuchuan River valley.
When Tan Xiuqun led three elite Tianping Capital battalions obeying the loyalist summons, after reaching Tangyi, he unhesitatingly and without retreat directly participated in bloody brutal combat at Mount Fucha’s western foothills. Qiao Weiyan and Han Chengmeng could then confirm that Si Prefecture’s original civil unrest indeed received Han Qian’s behind-the-scenes support.
Otherwise, even with harmonious relations with Xuzhou after accepting amnesty, Tan Xiuqun couldn’t possibly invest direct lineage elite forces unreservedly into such brutal combat.
However, hearing Han Qian reveal more internal details about Wuchuan River valley, particularly that this year’s well salt production there might reach sixty to seventy thousand shi, they remained profoundly shocked.
In previous records, Wuchuan River valley possessed two salt wells but could only produce one to two thousand shi of salt annually. Who could imagine that after Xuzhou controlled Wuchuan County’s Salt and Iron Supervisory Office, so many salt wells could be drilled within a mere year?
The newly opened salt wells in mountain valleys east of Wuchuan River valley numbered just over twenty—not as many as imagined. However, when drilling small deep wells, they fortuitously struck one fire well (natural gas well), directly resolving fuel problems for boiling brine from over twenty new wells, meaning actual manpower investment decreased by more than half compared to projections.
Well salt produced in Wuchuan County, after transport from Xuzhou, actually cost under one hundred coins.
This meant Wuchuan County’s annual salt profits reached two hundred thousand strings, while calculating Xuzhou’s seven counties’ total output, henceforth each year could provide Tangyi with support approaching nearly five hundred thousand strings in funds and provisions.
Adding the Privy Council’s annual allocation of four hundred thousand strings in military provisions calculated for twenty thousand regular Imperial Guard troops, this meant Tangyi might henceforth have annual military expenditures approaching one million strings—the shortfall far smaller than they’d previously imagined.
Naturally, Tangyi’s early expenditures remained excessive.
Previous brutal battles completely exhausted foundations Xuzhou accumulated over several years. The over three hundred thousand strings in funds and provisions the Han family raised also disappeared as if thrown into a bottomless pit.
Currently, not only did Shouzhou army lack strength for more brutal battles—Tangyi troops also lacked capacity to launch offensives like the Liyang engagement. They currently merely relied upon the Privy Council’s monthly allocation of over twenty thousand strings in provisions to maintain routine expenses.
Subsequent large-scale construction required raising additional funds and provisions.
Currently, Tangyi possessed one hundred twenty thousand military personnel and civilians total. Beyond twenty thousand officers and soldiers, the remaining one hundred thousand registered civilians were almost entirely officers’ and soldiers’ family dependents.
By minimal relief standards, one hundred thousand officers’ and soldiers’ family dependents required merely over thirty thousand shi of grain monthly to barely sustain livelihoods. However, employing them to excavate ditches, construct dikes, build dwellings and fortifications, reclaim new fields, and participate in workshop and mine construction—even without paying additional wages, merely ensuring adequate nourishment and certain nutrition required at minimum one hundred thousand shi of grain monthly.
This didn’t yet calculate massive consumption of manufacturing tools and equipment.
These two items alone might require additional investment of six to seven hundred thousand strings over the coming year, relying short-term only upon the Han family continuing to sell estates in Xuan and She regions to raise funds and provisions.
After all, this remained merely initial settlement expenses for one hundred thousand registered civilians.
Subsequently constructing a long dike between Liyang and Tangyi to block Yangtze waters, plus conducting major development and construction along Chao Lake’s eastern shore west of Liyang—specifically the newly established Donghu County—required astronomical funds and provisions.
Naturally, if the Qiao and Chen clans were willing to contribute over one hundred thousand strings in funds and provisions, both Xuzhou’s Official Currency Bureau and Manufacturing Bureau could open channels allowing their participation. The Chen and Qiao clans could also recommend descendants to serve as officials in Xuzhou or Tangyi.
These matters required Qiao Weiyan and Chen Zhiliang working their respective family clans, with Han Daochang’s side also vigorously lobbying.
Li Zhigao, with Lu Qingxia’s covert support, couldn’t claim absolute control over the Left Dragon Sparrow Army—the problem lay in those two words: funds and provisions.
These years, Wanhong Building and Marquis Xinchang’s residence covertly maintaining a massive intelligence network consumed enormously. However well-managed, accumulated reserves remained extremely limited.
Years ago at Taowu Military District collecting plague-stricken refugees, organizing and training the Dragon Sparrow Army consumed an additional two to three hundred thousand strings in funds and provisions, nearly exhausting their foundations.
Subsequently, warfare continued unabated. Beyond normal military expenditures, Li Zhigao consistently received no additional fund and provision support—thus many matters couldn’t be accomplished.
Li Zhigao currently nominally controlled Huaixi Imperial Guards’ military authority at Shuzhou, but Shuzhou, where he concurrently served as Regional Inspector, possessed merely over two hundred thousand people and over 1.5 million mu of cultivated land. Prefecture and county land taxes and capitation taxes totaled one hundred fifty thousand shi of grain, with capitation taxes and miscellaneous levies combining for over eighty thousand strings in cash.
Even with local expenses additionally extracted from the populace, these land taxes and capitation levies still fell far short of one-tenth to one-twelfth of Huaixi Imperial Guards’ annual expenditures.
Calculated as forty thousand regular troops, beyond combat casualty compensation and merit rewards, the court had to supplement at minimum seventy to eighty thousand strings in funds and provisions to maintain expenses.
Additionally, prefecture troops from Huangchi, E, and Sui regions—approximately twenty thousand forces concentrated at Shuzhou under Li Zhigao’s command—fortunately saw their provisions, post-battle compensation, and merit rewards all covered by respective prefectures.
Otherwise, Li Zhigao at Shuzhou would be even more financially constrained.
Currently, acting in the Empress Dowager’s name proved far more convenient than previously. However, should the Empress Dowager someday lose power with Emperor Yanyou independently commanding court governance again, with Huaixi Imperial Guards’ fund and provision supplies continuing under central control, Li Zhigao avoiding constraints would prove impossible.
When Han Qian initially relinquished Guangde Prefecture’s military and administrative authority, the primary reason was that with Xuzhou and Guangde Prefecture’s three counties’ limited land then, normal methods couldn’t resolve so many officers’, soldiers’, and family dependents’ survival problems.
However, Han Qian’s capacity to forge his own core team at Xuzhou resulted from years of managing Xuzhou, enabling continuous blood and vitality transfusions. Otherwise, how could he cultivate over a thousand basic-level military officers and clerical staff within such short time?
Currently, beyond annual allocation of nearly five hundred thousand strings in additional fund and provision support, Xuzhou entered rapid population growth phases. Henceforth, maintaining stability, approximately ten thousand additional adult laborers could be gained annually.
Population base would also continuously expand at roughly this scale.
Even calculating only male adults, over five thousand annual able-bodied supplements represented four to five times comparable-scale, non-wartime prefecture and county figures.
Among these five thousand able-bodied men, approximately half had received two-year primary school education.
Naturally, Xuzhou ultimately remained isolated in one corner—development potential still couldn’t compare with Jianghuai.
Merely calculating reclaimable farmland, Xuzhou reclaiming 2.4 to 2.5 million mu of cultivated land already reached maximum limits, with most being slope terraced fields.
Tangyi’s currently organized seven counties, excluding northern Chuzhou regions, once long dikes could be constructed and riverbank lands reclaimed as scheduled, possessed reclaimable farmland potential reaching five million mu, most being paddy fields.
Given contemporary agricultural levels, if Xuzhou’s population carrying capacity maximum was five hundred thousand, Tangyi’s seven counties’ population carrying capacity could reach two million or even more.
Currently, over ten Huaidong and Huaixi prefectures combined barely totaled around two million population, while Tangyi’s seven counties had only absorbed one hundred twenty thousand military personnel and civilians.
Tangyi’s future most core matter involved exhausting every means to absorb new population. Xuzhou’s future success or failure also depended upon controlling population quantity.
This represented another important role for Chishan Association, whose reach would extend into various prefectures and counties.
Xuzhou could even allocate portions of funds and provisions to redeem barbarian household bondservants from Qianzhong and other regions, sending them to Tangyi to supplement population deficiencies.
—
Returning to Tangyi City, Han Qian had just entered the command tent established at the county office when Tian Cheng and Guo Rong approached from the opposite corridor.
Seeing Han Qian approaching, Tian Cheng announced loudly: “Kong Xirong has returned—we were just about to send someone to summon you!”
“Is that so? I was just thinking he might arrive these past days.” Han Qian said happily, striding into the courtyard with Tian Cheng and others, observing Kong Xirong standing in the hall discussing matters with Gao Shao and others.
From year’s end intercepting water forces remnants breaking out from Zhongli, Kong Xirong had continuously led troops holding firm within the Wujian Mountain range. Having not directly met for three to four months, compared to before leading troops northward, he’d grown considerably thinner, though his eyes shone with spirit, his bearing more restrained and composed, more calm and quiet.
Compared to several brutal battles along the Chu River and Mount Fucha lines, Kong Xirong’s days holding firm within Wujian Mountain range were hardly comfortable.
First cooperating with Gao Chengyuan leading water forces remnants, coordinating with Li Xiu and Li Chi, transferring from northern mountain ranges to southern ranges.
After Gao Chengyuan’s death, Kong Xirong had to reorganize demoralized water forces remnants in Wujian Mountain range’s southern peak ridges, resisting Shouzhou army suppression campaigns under extremely difficult supply conditions.
Subsequently, over twenty thousand military personnel and civilians from Chuzhou City retreated into Wujian Mountain range.
Particularly after Wei Zhen withdrew with Li Xiu and Li Chi, dumping over twenty thousand civilians on Kong Xirong—however reluctant, he could only ruthlessly slaughter over four hundred horses to supplement food shortages.
During the Liyang engagement, Kong Xirong also had to lead troops restraining Chuzhou City garrison forces from reinforcing westward.
Responsibilities Kong Xirong’s shoulders bore were far more complex than a battlefield commander’s.
Naturally, for Kong Xirong, who previously cared only for battlefield combat, this tempering proved tremendous.
Feng Yi happily draped his arm over Kong Xirong’s shoulders, wanting him to relate interesting stories from Wujian Mountain. Han Qian pulled Feng Yi away, saying: “Xirong can only stay one or two days this return before going back to Wujian Mountain—where’s time for reminiscing? For reminiscing, you represent me making a trip to Wujian Mountain rewarding officers and soldiers.”
“Old Kong’s wasted away to skin and bones—mountain life isn’t so easily endured. I’d rather stay nestled beside you.” Feng Yi retreated with excuses.
“Worthless fellow.” Han Qian cursed with a laugh, calling Guo Rong, Tian Cheng, Gao Shao, Feng Liao, and others over to sit around the table discussing matters.
With warfare entering a buffer period, short-term nobody possessed capacity to launch another large-scale engagement. Tangyi troops would also seize this rare reorganization opportunity to further refine organization, subsequently establishing one Metropolitan Water Force with Yang Qin serving as Water Force Metropolitan Commander, Lin Zongjing as Deputy Metropolitan Commander.
Newly organizing one Metropolitan Cavalry Force, with Zhao Wuji serving as Cavalry Metropolitan Commander, Han Donghu as Deputy Metropolitan Commander concurrently commanding the Guard Camp.
Newly organizing four Metropolitan Infantry Camps: Tian Cheng serving as First Infantry Metropolitan Commander concurrently as Tangyi Field Army Deputy Chief Commander, with Su Lie and Feng Zhang as Deputy Metropolitan Commanders; Lin Haizheng serving as Second Infantry Metropolitan Commander, with He Liufeng and Lin Jiang as Deputy Metropolitan Commanders; Feng Xuan serving as Third Infantry Metropolitan Commander, with Xiao Dahu as Deputy Metropolitan Commander; Zhou Chu serving as Fourth Infantry Metropolitan Commander, with Dou Rong as Deputy Metropolitan Commander.
Tan Xiuqun would lead Tianping Capital continuing to remain at Tangyi for coordinated operations, organizing one Independent Infantry Metropolitan Force with Tan Xiuqun serving as Metropolitan Commander, Dong Tai as Deputy Metropolitan Commander.
Tangyi being a war zone with combined military-administrative governance, beyond Han Qian serving as Tangyi Field Army Chief Commander concurrently as Chuzhou Regional Inspector, he simultaneously recommended Feng Liao as Field Army Chief Clerk concurrently as Prefecture Chief Clerk, responsible for logistics supply, refugee recruitment, military farming and manufacturing, etc. Gao Shao served as Field Army Marshal concurrently as Prefecture Marshal, responsible for military intelligence reconnaissance, military discipline adjudication, armor and weapons manufacturing, military registry and officer promotions and demotions, etc.
Guo Rong served as Chief Secretary concurrently commanding Prefecture Registrar, jointly controlling memorials, seals, and documents with Xi Ren.
Establishing Military Intelligence Advisory Bureau, with Guo Que serving as Military Advisor Metropolitan Commander.
Beyond Liyang and Tangyi counties, five new counties would be established: Puyang, Tingshan, Wushou, Donghu, and Shiquan. The seven county magistrates would be concurrently commanded respectively by Feng Liao, Tian Cheng, Feng Xuan, Lin Zongjing, Lin Haizheng, and Yang Qin.
To many eyes, this proved extremely difficult to imagine.
Late previous dynasty, with regional military governors ruling independently and military men wielding power—whether from military families or rising through ranks, those brave and skilled in combat numbered countless, yet those also versed in governance could be called great talents.
Like Li Zhigao, whose command these years included numerous capable, battle-tested direct subordinate commanders—yet beyond Li Zhigao himself, all others grew through bloody combat on battlefields, never having opportunities to leave military ranks, naturally knowing nothing of practical governance. Therefore, Li Zhigao still needed Zhou Yuan and Xu Jing managing administrative affairs for him, while treating worthy scholars courteously, recruiting talents externally.
In comparison, Tian Cheng, Gao Shao, Feng Xuan, Lin Haizheng, Yang Qin, plus Zhao Wuji, Lin Zongjing, Guo Que, Xi Fa’er, and others all rose from humble origins, mingling in the grassroots underworld. Only Tian Cheng previously held officer rank in Shengzhou army, while others before following Han Qian could barely recognize several characters—already quite remarkable.
Speaking strictly, only Feng Liao, Feng Yi, Kong Xirong, and Xi Xunqiao previously received relatively complete Confucian education due to birth circumstances. Only Zhou Chu trained for years serving as Wuling County Sheriff.
Yet after the Jinling Incident, Lin Haizheng, Feng Xuan, Zhao Wuji, Tian Cheng, Gao Shao, Yang Qin, and others concurrently commanded prefecture and county governance, proving extremely familiar with practical governance, civil welfare, and even law.
Setting aside Lin Haizheng and others—not even mentioning battalion-command-level commanders, at patrol-level mid-to-lower military officers, approximately over half had rotated through Rural Patrol Offices serving as rural officials.
Precisely because possessing such a cohort, Han Qian dared, under such tremendous Shouzhou army military pressure, with twenty thousand officers and soldiers stretching defense lines while simultaneously conducting internal construction.
Recognize that Huaixi Imperial Guards’ defense line southwest of Chao Lake measured under one hundred li.
Naturally, fewer than twenty thousand officers and soldiers defending over two hundred li-wide defense lines from Chao Lake to Tangyi while ensuring construction south of defense lines remained unaffected—the pressure was absolutely considerable.
Currently, over twenty thousand Chuzhou City civilians in Wujian Mountain progressively transferred out, yet over a thousand remained in Wujian Mountain persisting in guerrilla warfare.
Wujian Mountain, bounded by Mopan Valley, divided into northern and southern sections.
From Mount Fucha’s southwestern northeast side extending northeast continuously to Longyou Lake south of Zhongli City, Wujian Mountain stretched over two hundred li across Chaozhou, Chuzhou, and Haozhou territories.
In Han Qian’s operational intent, Wujian Mountain served as a critical passage severing Chuzhou, raiding northern Chaozhou and Haozhou.
He not only wouldn’t withdraw Kong Xirong’s forces but would continue selecting officers and soldiers skilled in mountain guerrilla warfare to strengthen them, planning to independently organize these troops as one Metropolitan Guerrilla Force, with Kong Xirong serving as Guerrilla Force Metropolitan Commander, Xi Fa’er as Deputy Metropolitan Commander.
Subsequently, Kong Xirong and Xi Fa’er using Wujian Mountain as base, conducting raids everywhere to harass Shouzhou army internal lines—the more outstanding their performance, the more effectively military pressure along Chu River and Mount Fucha lines could be alleviated.
Making Shouzhou army internal lines overwhelmed with self-preservation might possibly avoid Shouzhou army proactively deploying small force units to infiltrate and raid, sabotaging their internal construction.
Many matters proved difficult to communicate thoroughly through correspondence.
Han Qian deliberately summoned Kong Xirong back, gathering Feng Liao, Tian Cheng, Gao Shao, and others for deep discussions over two to three days to explain matters thoroughly. Simultaneously, everyone gathering together might research more outstanding, effective combat methods, enabling guerrilla forces to play greater roles on external lines.
Qiao Weiyan also temporarily remained at Tangyi. Han Qian had him participate in such discussions together with Han Chengmeng.
Conducting warfare research, predictions, and post-battle gain-loss analysis wasn’t merely the Military Intelligence Advisory Bureau’s responsibility.
Not only did metropolitan and battalion levels establish military advisory positions responsible for reconnaissance, military intelligence analysis, operational plan formulation, etc.—Han Qian even required patrol units and even squad levels to discuss operational plans during pre-battle mobilization and promptly conduct summary analysis after battles.
This represented the most effective method enabling basic-level military officers’ rapid growth…