Though Tong Pass currently remained under Liang forces’ control, eastward from Tong Pass—Hangu Pass, Luoyang, Yanshi, Xingyang and other places—all lay under Wei Province rebel and Mongol control. Unless Guanzhong Liang forces made an all-out effort to break through eastward, attacking cities and strongholds along the way, tearing through Wei Province rebels’ multiple blockades, they might join with Liang forces desperately holding Bian capital in the Central Plains. But five thousand troops taking this route to withdraw back to Cai Province or Bian capital was absolutely impossible.
Of course, Hanzhong City and Yong Province connected via Tangluo Road, with Tangluo Road completely under both parties’ control. At this time, three to five thousand Liang troops changing into Chu military uniforms and using the Right Divine Martial Army’s withdrawal to Tangyi as cover to return to Cai Province via Tangyi—this truly could be accomplished without anyone knowing. Chishan Association merchant ships could directly reach Tiehe Stronghold, Tang City and Hanzhong City. If they truly wanted to accomplish something, having troops board and disembark Chishan Association merchant ships with large numbers of soldiers hiding in cabins under night’s cover—even if Li Zhigao’s scouts and hidden sentries watched this side, detection would be difficult.
Currently Cai Province still had fourteen to fifteen thousand Liang troops closely connected to Han Yuanqi. Main commanders were all officers Han Yuanqi had cultivated, still loyal to Liang Emperor Zhu Yu. But due to Xu Mingzhen on the flank maintaining an ambiguous attitude—even recklessly expanding into Ying and Qiao regions after the Heshuo upheaval—combined with Xiangbei forces from the south watching like tigers, Cai Province troops had no way to hastily advance north to reinforce Bian capital.
In reality, after Han Yuanqi and Chen Kun led forces to reinforce Bian capital, they currently could only barely hold Bian capital city. But facing more powerful Wei Province rebel forces, having over ten thousand Cai Province troops near Bian capital with unstable morale and uncertain retreat routes held little significance.
However, if Guanzhong Liang forces could extract five thousand most elite troops and secretly reach Cai Province to join with Cai Province forces with Tangyi’s help, the significance would be extremely different.
When Cai Province forces advanced north to reinforce Bian capital, Wei Province rebels would quite possibly severely misjudge Cai Province forces’ combat capability, thus achieving surprise attack effects.
If Liang forces could achieve one or two key victories near Bian capital, this could greatly improve the dire Central Plains situation, perhaps even reverse the ambiguous unclear attitudes of forces like Xu Mingzhen.
Of course, Xu Mingzhen’s attitude changing would also benefit Tangyi. After all, helping this much, shouldn’t Liang forces (Shouzhou forces) at minimum yield the two cities of Shouchun and Huoqiu on the Huai River’s southern bank?
When Shen Peng first made this request, Guo Rong, Chen Jingzhou, Wen Bo, and Tan Yuliang were all shocked. But upon careful consideration, it was a brilliant strategy. Withdrawing to the side and discussing quietly for a moment, Guo Rong formally replied to Shen Peng: “We cannot decide this matter, but tonight we will dispatch someone to report to our lord…”
“Can preliminary preparations begin first?” Shen Peng asked.
Tangluo Road stretched about five hundred li. For five thousand Liang troops to travel from Yong Province to reach Tiehe Stronghold at Tangluo Road’s southern pass would require at least seven to eight days.
On this side, to strictly prevent even a whisper from leaking, even Right Divine Martial Army soldiers might not be completely reliable. They needed to replace all garrison troops on the Tiehe Stronghold line with guard personal troops led by Han Donghu or veteran troops Tan Yuliang brought from Xu Province. Only this way could they truly conceal the truth to cross the sea.
Guo Rong exchanged glances with Chen Jingzhou, Wen Bo, and Tan Yuliang. They knew that dispatching someone to request Han Qian’s instructions would require at least seven to eight days round trip. The current situation could be described as every moment precious as gold. Being able to prepare in advance, they truly should not delay seven to eight days.
…
…
Wang Zhe and Zhao Ci departed that very night rushing to Huaixi.
Small groups or scout messengers passing through Xiangbei territory—Li Zhigao would not make things difficult. Two days later, Wang Zhe and Zhao Ci rode fast horses to Huangchuan.
At that time Han Qian was no longer stationed in Huangchuan. They chased from Huangchuan to Huaiyang, meeting Han Qian who was inspecting there.
Han Qian immediately agreed to provide cover for Liang forces, escorting them secretly to Cai Province, ordering Guo Rong and Wen Bo to fully cooperate.
Simultaneously, Han Qian formally issued an order under the pretext of preparing to attack Shouchun and Huoqiu, withdrawing the Right Divine Martial Army and Tianping Battalion from Liang Province, so Guo Rong and Wen Bo could use this to negotiate with Li Zhigao and Li Changfeng.
On April tenth, Wang Zhe and Zhao Ci carried Han Qian’s written orders urgently back to Hanzhong City. By this time, the secretly crossing Liang elite troops had already made preparations north of Tiehe Stronghold to mix with fish eyes and conceal the truth.
Guo Rong then took Han Qian’s written orders and letters to negotiate troop withdrawal with Li Zhigao and Li Changfeng.
At this time they could roughly confirm Zhao Mengji and Wang Xiaoxian dared not counterattack Liang forces short-term. Wen Bo and Tan Yuliang withdrawing troops on Han Qian’s secret orders also fulfilled previous promises, completely handing Liang Province over to Xiangbei forces and the Left Militant Cavalry Army.
Combined elite forces of Xiangbei Army and Left Militant Cavalry Army exceeded sixty thousand troops. Other directions faced no major military pressure. In Liang Province they had seized many cities first, possessing the enormous advantage of defending from cities. With the Han River connecting to Jun, Xiang, and Deng provinces, they completely had the capability to independently shoulder Liang Province’s defensive mission.
Li Zhigao had even begun relocating households and Forbidden Army military households to old Jin Province strongholds like Xunyang, Hanyin, Shiting, Xicheng. At this time, if Wen Bo and Tan Yuliang continued leading forces to remain, they would have to divide attention guarding against other contingencies. How could they possibly oppose Wen Bo and Tan Yuliang withdrawing troops back to Tangyi to participate in preparations for recovering Huoqiu and Shouchun?
Of course, with Wen Bo’s newly formed Right Divine Martial Army withdrawing, Li Zhigao required they strictly travel by boat down the Han River to the Yangtze to Donghu, no longer allowing them to take land routes directly through Xiang, Sui, Deng, Jun and other provinces to garrison Guang Province.
Taking the water route appeared to add two thousand li, but sailboats traveling down the Han and Yangtze Rivers, then via Chao Lake and Fei River north to central Huo Province would only be a few days slower, while soldiers would not suffer such hardship.
Thus, Chen Jingzhou, Guo Rong, Wen Bo and others would depart first with the first batch of five thousand withdrawing troops (three thousand of whom were disguised Liang forces). Tan Yuliang, Han Donghu, Guo Que, and Wen Bo’s subordinates Wen Yuanyu, Cao Ba, Xue Chuan and other commanders would await the second and third withdrawal batches.
…
…
The first batch of withdrawing troops boarded Chishan Association merchant ships on April twenty-second, entering Chao Lake.
By this time the Yangtze-Huai region had reached early summer. The weather already carried some hot breath. In another half month would come the Yangtze-Huai region’s summer grain harvest season for beans and wheat.
This year’s rainfall in the Yangtze-Huai region after entering summer remained far more abundant than previous years. News of flood disasters occurring in quite a few provinces and counties had already arrived.
After the fleet entered the Yangtze, both banks saw continuous drizzling rain for days.
The only comfort—provinces and counties in Great Chu’s heartland had enjoyed relatively peaceful times these five or six years. Traveling by boat did not delay the journey.
Emperor Yanyou, Shen Yang and others governed quite diligently. Local capacity to resist natural disasters was also strong. Even though tax burdens and miscellaneous levies were extremely heavy, bottom-level poor people could barely get by.
Even with last year’s massive windstorm disaster in Jiangdong, large-scale famine deaths did not occur—in such times this could be called extremely rare.
Of course, Tangyi deserved much credit for this. Last year Chishan Association guided over forty thousand disaster victims from Jiangdong region alone into Chu and Chao provinces for resettlement.
Additionally, with the Imperial Guard expansion, the Ministry of War absorbed over ten thousand households of disaster victims and refugees into garrison military prefectures near the capital region for settlement, expanding the scale of military households near the capital region.
After the fleet passed through Yuxi River into Chao Lake, ships carrying guard cavalry and some Xu Province veteran troops sailed toward Donghu Harbor. Ships carrying three thousand Liang troops would directly cross Chao Lake, continuing north from the South Fei River west of Chao Province City straight to near Anfeng to disembark, then taking land routes to rush to Cai Province.
Shen Peng and Jing Zhen—the commander leading these elite Liang troops—regardless of anything, had to follow Chen Jingzhou, Guo Rong, Wen Bo and others into Donghu City to pay respects to Han Qian.
Their party did not fear delaying two or three days in Donghu. Riding horses they could quickly catch up with Liang forces proceeding north via Chao Province first.
At this time, viewing Chao Lake’s eastern shore—sails like clouds. Besides Chishan Association merchant ships and Tangyi naval warships, large numbers of merchant ships from various places entered Chao Lake. The harbor scale was no less than Jinling.
Of course, Jinling’s situation was that external commercial goods mainly concentrated via water routes to supply the capital city’s high officials, nobility and their descendants’ consumption and extravagance.
Besides grain shipments and tribute items transported by various provinces and counties, to satisfy Jinling City’s several hundred thousand people’s clothing, food, housing and travel required additionally transporting over two million shi of grain, over a million bolts of cloth and other goods from various places.
On Donghu’s side, commercial goods shipped out on massive scale to provinces and counties.
The two cities’ different demands destined increasingly prosperous water transport between Donghu and Jinling.
Ships transporting ordinary soldiers had designated anchorage at the naval camp side where troops could directly disembark to garrison barracks for rest. The two sailboats carrying Chen Jingzhou, Guo Rong, Wen Bo, Shen Peng, Jing Zhen and others, under patrol boat guidance, sailed directly toward a military wharf outside the naval camp.
From afar they could see over a hundred people standing on the wharf.
Surrounded by over a hundred armored soldiers, Han Qian stood on the wharf with Wang Jun, Xi Ren, Gao Shao, Feng Liao, Zhao Wuji and even Wen Muqiao.
Chen Jingzhou, Guo Rong, and Wen Bo thought Han Qian had personally rushed to the harbor wharf to welcome them. When the bow drew near, they saw beside Han Qian and Wang Jun stood a gracefully upright young girl gazing eagerly with anxious anticipation all over her face.
Chen Jingzhou looked somewhat puzzled toward Guo Rong and Wang Zhe, not understanding what identity this girl held on such an occasion, asking: “Who is the young girl beside Your Lordship?”
“Princess Yunhe?” Guo Rong unconsciously answered Chen Jingzhou’s question, but speaking these words, both he and Wang Zhe immediately became puzzled. After a moment’s thought, their gaze searched through the attendants behind Shen Peng and Jing Zhen.
They understood that if merely meeting Shen Peng and Jing Zhen, Han Qian had no need to directly bring Princess Yunhe to the wharf. At most afterward he could have them meet—Tangyi’s sincerity would be complete. Unless…
They saw among Shen Peng’s attendants a gaunt scholar wearing blue robes with a sallow complexion carrying some lingering illness now stepping before Shen Peng and Jing Zhen. At this moment both Guo Rong and Wang Zhe wanted to slap themselves, not having imagined they had escorted Liang Emperor Zhu Yu to Donghu completely unaware the entire journey.
However, compared to the Military Intelligence Bureau’s secretly collected portrait of Zhu Yu, the current Zhu Yu was much more gaunt with some undisguisable illness—no wonder they had not recognized him.
Shen Peng and Jing Zhen had been anxious the entire journey, even more opposed to Zhu Yu entering Donghu City with them, fearing that after their movements were exposed, Han Qian would suddenly change his mind.
Now they felt relieved instead. Since Han Qian had already guessed beforehand that His Majesty was hidden in the fleet yet made no extra moves, coming to the lakeside wharf now to meet—naturally he should not make things difficult for them.
…
…
“Since parting at Turtle Mountain, several years have passed in a flash, like a white horse glimpsed through a gap.”
Even not wanting to arouse unnecessary vigilance among Shen Peng, Jing Zhen and these Liang commanders, Han Qian would not invite Zhu Yu into Donghu City. Meeting once at the wharf would suffice.
Guards stood at the outer perimeter on alert strictly forbidding unrelated people from observing this side. With all present being close ministers and direct lineage commanders of either Tangyi or Liang forces, Han Qian spoke with Zhu Yu without reservations.
“Wang Jun pays respects to Your Majesty.” Wang Jun stood beside Han Qian, bowing in salute to Zhu Yu.
Though she had earliest predicted Zhu Yu would quite likely personally rush to Cai Province to command operations, she still could not help curiously observing this figure before her.
“Madam is too polite. Even in Bian capital I heard the Wang family had an excellent daughter. That the Marquis of Qianyang could obtain your assistance truly can be called like a tiger gaining wings. But did Madam predict I would pass through Donghu en route to Cai Province?” Zhu Yu nodded slightly, smiling as he asked.
Wang Jun lowered her head slightly, replying: “My husband is a man of outstanding ability. Your Majesty is also a man of outstanding ability. Wang Jun just guessed Your Majesty would visit Donghu.”
Chen Jingzhou and Guo Rong had been quite puzzled just now, thinking that with thousands upon thousands of troops, at this time wanting to enter Cai Province from Guanzhong without anyone knowing absolutely required Tangyi’s help to provide cover. But if Zhu Yu wanted to go to Cai Province, he could completely bring personal guards to directly traverse Funiu Mountain. They never imagined he would hide in the fleet, specifically making this trip to Donghu.
Yet now hearing the barbed words between Zhu Yu and Wang Jun, Chen Jingzhou and Guo Rong felt something, thinking—could it be Zhu Yu did not place much hope in his Cai Province campaign?
Zhu Yu looked toward Wen Muqiao standing together with Feng Liao and Gao Shao, asking: “Has Lord Wen already determined Tangyi is your home?”
However seasoned Wen Muqiao was, standing before Liang Emperor Zhu Yu at this moment felt slightly awkward. Bowing in salute, he said: “Your Majesty’s kindness to the Wen clan, Wen family descendants will never forget for all generations.”
“No war between nations is righteous. When I employed Wen family descendants, I also intended to scheme against Chu—what kindness was there to speak of? If the Wen family remains in Tangyi without wavering loyalty, they can expect historical recognition.” Zhu Yu said with emotion.
Wen Muqiao replied: “Your Majesty speaks truly.”
Zhu Yu stood on the slightly elevated wharf, gazing westward toward newly built Donghu City for a good while before speaking again with Han Qian: “Though Donghu has dilapidated places, it possesses a new vitality unprecedented since Qin and Han over a thousand years. The depths within your breast are ultimately more unfathomable than I imagined.”
“Your Majesty overpraised,” Han Qian said.
“The Mongols’ strength—I underestimated the enemy. If within three years I cannot settle the Central Plains’ broken situation, Xiao Yiqing and Wusu Dashi will also become your formidable enemies. I accept your kindness and can at most persuade Xu Mingzhen to return Huoqiu and Shouchun cities to you. But if at that time Chu’s internal troubles do not depart, external threats will also be difficult to prevent.” Zhu Yu said.
“We can only take things as they come,” Han Qian sighed lightly.
“Imperial Father!” Princess Yunhe at this time could no longer restrain herself from calling out.
Zhu Yu gently stroked Yunhe’s forehead, saying: “Yunhe, you should remain in Donghu. After three years, if the Central Plains situation can be settled, I will send someone to fetch you. With the Marquis of Qianyang’s broad-mindedness, you need not worry about having no day to reunite with your father.”
“…Yunhe…” Princess Yunhe opened her mouth to speak.
Zhu Yu shook his head, interrupting her request to follow to Cai Province, saying to Han Qian: “I originally planned to enter Donghu to gather with you for two or three days, but upon entering Chao Lake via Yuxi River, I discovered this was unnecessary—I truly hope one day you and I can meet on the battlefield.”
“I hope there will be such a day,” Han Qian said.
…
…
Zhu Yu ultimately did not enter Donghu City. Han Qian arranged a boat to send him with Shen Peng and Jing Zhen to catch up with the Liang main force currently passing through Chao Lake toward the South Fei River.
Han Qian stood at the wharf until the lone sail merged into cloud shadows, difficult to distinguish with naked eyes, before inviting Chen Jingzhou, Guo Rong, Wen Bo and others to leave the wharf with him, riding together by carriage and horse through Donghu City toward Liyang.
Though Hu Lane was extremely prosperous, Donghu City at this time still could not compare in scale with Jinling City.
However, as Zhu Yu said, Donghu possessed a new vitality that major provinces at that time lacked.
Passing through broad thoroughfares, carriages and horses under guard escort rushed toward Liyang City thirty-plus li away.
Today Chen Jingzhou, Guo Rong, Wen Bo led the first batch of troops withdrawing to Tangyi—naturally a welcoming dust-washing banquet would be held to celebrate their achievements, not to be interrupted by Zhu Yu’s arrival and departure.
Liyang remained a quiet small city hidden in lush summer greenery, situated at quite high elevation. The summer climate was also quite dry and refreshing, without the Yangtze-Huai region’s characteristic stifling humid heat—truly a rare summer refuge.
Besides the very limited few including Gao Shao, Feng Liao, Wen Muqiao accompanying Han Qian to the wharf to meet Zhu Yu, at the banquet set in Lianyuan Garden in Liyang City, Han Qian also invited Yang Qin, Yuan Guowei, Zhao Wuji, Zhao Qi, Chen Zhiyong, Ji Xiyao, Chen Jitang, Xi Fa, and important Wen clan figures including Wen Zhanyu and Cao Kun.
Covering for Liang forces’ passage, especially Liang Emperor Zhu Yu’s arrival at Donghu today—these matters naturally would absolutely not be casually mentioned at the banquet. Besides Liang Province warfare and Yellow River-Huai situation, what those present discussed most was still Huaixi’s people’s livelihood and the worrying rainfall and floods since entering summer.
Though newly recovered and established counties in Huaixi would no longer have summer grain field taxes reduced this year, field tax revenues were retained at provincial and county levels.
Currently counties reported ditch, channel and road construction projects according to population scale.
Especially in Huo, Hao, Shou, and Guang provinces—considering subsequent warfare would quite possibly develop along both Huai River banks—civilian settlement points, especially households with particularly crude living conditions requiring county and township office subsidies, would this year gradually concentrate on building fortified houses and strongholds according to standards defending against small cavalry raid teams.
Field taxes collected by counties and township offices would all be invested in these projects. The Command Bureau would also correspondingly subsidize portions of cash and grain to maintain daily operations of provinces, counties and township offices.
For these many matters, counties and township offices would purchase building materials locally as much as possible, either with officials directly involved or encouraging private fundraising to build various brick kilns, lime kilns, lumber mills and other workshops, hiring local laborers for expenditures.
Work relief while expanding local infrastructure construction could continuously improve living conditions for bottom-level poor people in these places—this was work Huaixi would persistently and unremittingly continue doing.
Han Qian and Chen Jingzhou, Zhou Dan maintained close correspondence, timely reporting Huaixi’s recent conditions. Though Chen Jingzhou had limited opportunities to enter Huaixi after the Jinling Incident, he understood Huaixi’s current situation extremely well.
Wen Bo had long led troops confronting Huaixi (Tangyi)—he was even more familiar with Huaixi’s situation. But he knew clearly in his heart that some things Tangyi could do but Shouzhou forces could not—fundamentally because both sides relied on different sources for military expenditures.
Beyond selling goods to Yangtze-Huai, Sichuan-Shu, Qianzhong and other regions, Tangyi could also raise funds through the Official Money Bureau from Qiao and Chen clans drawing closer, purchasing large quantities of grain and other supplies from Yangtze-Huai regions. Shouzhou forces could only exploit directly controlled households through traditional field taxes, corvée levies and various additional miscellaneous impositions.
Before the Battle of Wujin Ridge, even relying on four to five hundred thousand shi of grain provisions allocated from Bian capital, supplies Shouzhou forces could deploy already lagged far behind Tangyi.
The Battle of Wujin Ridge—others might think Han Qian used risky stratagems and deception to achieve merit. But in Wen Bo’s eyes, even without the Battle of Wujin Ridge, Shouzhou forces would have had great difficulty holding Chao Province and other places these past two years.
After discussing people’s livelihood, inevitably they discussed settling Wen clan members and the newly formed Right Divine Martial Army.
Though some concerns remained in their hearts previously, after today witnessing the scene of Han Qian meeting Liang Emperor Zhu Yu at the wharf, Wen Muqiao and his son Wen Bo no longer hesitated. They immediately stated their position—resolutely abandoning independent mountain stronghold status, determining everything must be premised on integrating into Tangyi forces to resolve any lingering problems the Right Divine Martial Army might have.
With Wen Bo, Wen Muqiao and other core Wen clan figures actively stating their positions, these matters could be openly discussed and negotiated.