Yang Zhitang naturally understood the principle that even when a lion hunts a rabbit, it must use full strength—how much more so when Liang forces were no weak rabbit at all.
However, without a national edict, provincial armies wouldn’t accept deployment orders, let alone comprehensive mobilization of garrison military offices.
Among the standing forces along both banks of the Yangtze River, the Imperial Guards’ responsibility was protecting the capital region. Especially with Liang forces’ southern front directed straight at Jinling, they couldn’t easily leave Jinling to cross the river for battle.
Beyond this, within the Forbidden Army system—aside from the Right Vermillion Bird Army stationed in Lingnan with Zheng Hui—there were currently the Left and Right Prancing Tiger Armies, Left and Right Dragon Martial Armies, Left and Right Martial Guard Armies, and Left and Right Divine Martial Armies, totaling one hundred twenty thousand troops deployed along the Yangtze’s banks.
Bypassing the Bureau of Military Affairs, the forces Yang Zhitang and the others could directly mobilize included the thirty thousand Chuzhou troops organized as the Left and Right Divine Martial Armies under Prince Xin Yuanyan’s direct command, the Right Prancing Tiger Army commanded by Zhao Zhen stationed at Suiyang in northern Jing, and the Right Dragon Martial Army that had always been the Shou Prince mansion’s direct forces.
The Left Dragon Martial Army, permanently stationed in Yongjia in southern Zhe, had gradually deployed to defend Jiangdong after eastern Min warfare ended.
Though Gu Zhilong had been transferred to the capital and no longer served as Left Dragon Martial Army Commander, the position currently remained vacant, with all vice-commanders being Gu Zhilong’s direct subordinates.
On the surface, Huang Lu commanded the Left Prancing Tiger Army with Zhang Xiang’s son Zhang Feng as vice-commander, but without orders from the Bureau of Military Affairs, for Huang Lu to bypass Zhang Feng and other generals to drag the Left Prancing Tiger Army onto the battlefield against Liang was clearly wishful thinking.
The Right Martial Guard Army remained under Zhang Xiang’s control, currently stationed at襄阳, defending against Liang forces from Liangjin, Deng, and Jun. The newly organized Left Martial Guard Army stationed at Yuezhou and Langzhou to defend against Liang forces from Xuzhou had Zhou Bingwu’s son Zhou Nan as commander.
Whether called opportunistic or weak-willed, Zhang Xiang, Zhang Feng, Zhou Bingwu, and Zhou Nan—these fathers and sons—never participated in court struggles, always waiting until situations clarified before pledging loyalty to whoever held righteous authority.
No one expected them to risk participating in conspiracies, which was why Zhou Bingwu enjoyed widespread support to control Bureau of Military Affairs operations after Yang Zhitang, and why Zhang Xiang had remained standing all these years.
Currently, Zhang Xiang was far away in Xiangyang maintaining harmonious relations with Liang forces across the river, while Zhou Bingwu, advanced in years and repeatedly seeking retirement, wholeheartedly wanting to relinquish his Bureau position—he would hardly stir up trouble now.
Yang Zhitang hoped to initially pour all available strength into attacking the defensively vulnerable Huaixi, at minimum creating an impressive opening. Besides secretly dispatching envoys to contact the Sima clan, his work focused mainly on Gu Zhilong, who had just returned to the central government with unstable footing.
“At court, many voices hope that after Chief Zhou’s tenure, Zhang Xiang will control military affairs. They imagine Duke Gu taking the Ministry of War. But Prince Shou and Prince Xin believe Zhang Xiang is not only aged but has unclear entanglements with the Li family. They especially favor Duke Gu controlling central military affairs!” Zhang Xian once again visited the Gu mansion, laying out conditions plainly, hoping he would commit to participating in this military conspiracy.
Chief of Bureau of Military Affairs and Minister of War both seemed like second-rank positions, but since the late previous dynasty, military affairs had been decided entirely by the Bureau of Military Affairs. Though Shen Yang and Yang En had recently led efforts to check the Bureau’s power, transferring garrison military office jurisdiction to the Ministry of War, this couldn’t change the fact that the Ministry of War was subordinate to the Bureau of Military Affairs.
Gu Zhilong’s expression grew somber. He recognized that the Shou and Xin Prince mansions were about to act, but couldn’t possibly give Zhang Xian any immediate answer.
“Prince Shou will host a banquet at his mansion in three days for intimate associates. He hopes Duke Gu can attend,” Zhang Xian bowed and departed.
Though Zhang Xian was merely a guest of the Shou Prince mansion, Gu Zhilong still rose to see him off, then led his trusted confidants back to the hall to discuss matters.
“Duke Gu, Zhang Xian spoke correctly—Liang forces’ main strength is trapped in southern Shanxi. This is Great Chu’s best opportunity to recover Huaixi, and Duke Gu’s opportunity to achieve greater merit for Great Chu. This opportunity is fleeting and cannot be delayed,” Xi Shepeng said. He and his brother Xi Shesheng had decided to attach themselves to Gu Zhilong’s service, eager to prove themselves again to Chu court officials in this Huaixi campaign.
The Xi Shepeng and Xi Shesheng brothers declared their position clearly—even somewhat impatiently. Fu Gengwen, however, noticed hesitation in the expression of white-haired Xi Ying.
Xi Ying had ten sons and once dominated Chenzhou. Now only Xi Shepeng and Xi Shesheng remained at his knee.
Besides two sons who died of illness, Xi Ying’s other six sons had all died on battlefields. Of those six battlefield deaths, four had died directly under Wuling Army’s military might years ago along with over ten thousand Chenzhou tribal warriors.
Xi Ying’s hatred for His Majesty was naturally profound, but precisely because of this, Fu Gengwen sensed Xi Ying’s fear and dread of His Majesty ran equally deep—otherwise, years ago he wouldn’t have so decisively abandoned Chenzhou and relocated his entire clan inland.
“Minister Fu, what do you think?” Gu Zhilong noticed Fu Gengwen pondering at length, seemingly contemplating something, and asked.
“Is Duke Gu determined to enter the Bureau?” Fu Gengwen asked.
“Entering the Bureau would naturally be good,” Gu Zhilong needn’t conceal anything before his trusted confidants. If he remained ambiguous even before them, how could he expect their counsel and strategy?
“If Duke Gu desires to enter the Bureau, you should refrain from action—only then will the Bureau fall into your grasp. Otherwise, I fear Duke Gu will have no connection with the Bureau,” Fu Gengwen said calmly.
“How can not exerting effort win the Bureau position, while exerting effort loses it instead?” Gu Zhilong’s youngest son Gu Xiongchang, over thirty years old and residing in Jinling all these years without accomplishing much, had an impatient temperament. Hearing Fu Gengwen’s words, he was first to question urgently.
If speaking of war hawks within the Gu mansion, Gu Xiongchang could be called their backbone.
“What reasoning is this?” Gu Zhilong also asked with considerable puzzlement.
“As General Shepeng said, Liang forces’ main strength is trapped on the northern front unable to disengage. They have only twenty thousand defenders in Chuzhou. With Prince Shou and Prince Xin joining forces, plus the Sima clan stirring restlessly and deploying troops west of Fanliang Lake, initially they can achieve certain military success. But whether they can truly recapture Huaixi and drive Liang forces north of the Huai River—the subsequent warfare will be crucial.”
Fu Gengwen naturally wouldn’t mention the possibility of the Shou and Xin Prince mansions suffering setbacks—such words would not only expose his intentions and provoke Gu Zhilong’s suspicion, but might actually push Gu Zhilong to take the risk. Instead, he analyzed based on what Gu Zhilong most desired—Bureau authority.
“Duke Gu also mentioned today’s Changxin Palace events. We can predict that once Prince Shou and Prince Xin deploy troops and gain footholds within Chuzhou territory—possibly even recovering Tangyi City and eliminating the capital region’s most direct northern threat—with His Majesty and the Huang family’s full support, Great Chu will inevitably choose comprehensive warfare against Liang. At that point, the Changxin Empress Dowager, Prime Minister Shen, and Minister Yang can only follow imperial will and popular sentiment. Gengwen must ask Duke Gu—if the Changxin Empress Dowager, Prime Minister Shen, and Minister Yang all choose to follow imperial will and support comprehensive warfare against Liang, Prince Shou’s return to central government is certain. But can Prince Shou truly drive Prime Minister Shen and Minister Yang from central government? Will the Changxin Empress Dowager’s words truly become weightless at court?”
“…” Gu Zhilong slapped his forehead, understanding Fu Gengwen’s meaning.
“How does the Changxin Empress Dowager, Shen Yang, and Yang En being forced to support comprehensive warfare against Liang relate to whether my father can enter the Bureau?” Gu Xiongchang still didn’t understand and pressed further.
“…”
Fu Gengwen couldn’t rebuke Gu Xiongchang for being too dim, and could only continue explaining.
“According to Zhang Xian’s argument, for Duke Gu to participate in their military conspiracy requires the Changxin Empress Dowager and His Majesty to become bitter enemies, with Shen Yang and Yang En driven from central government—only then could Duke Gu possibly lead the Bureau. However, the Changxin Empress Dowager and His Majesty are mother and son after all. Even after the Shou and Xin Prince mansions deploy troops and His Majesty personally handles governance, he cannot truly become enemies with the Changxin Empress Dowager. His Majesty’s youth and impetuosity are real, as is his eagerness to personally govern and push for warfare against Liang. But His Majesty cannot possibly completely ignore vigilance toward Prince Fu and Empress Dowager Mingcheng. If Duke Gu participates in conspiracy now, the Changxin Empress Dowager and His Majesty will certainly believe you have connections with the Huang family. At that point, the Empress Dowager and His Majesty would rather invite Zhang Xiang to Jinling to lead the Bureau than possibly employ Duke Gu. If Duke Gu refrains from action now, when the Empress Dowager and His Majesty want to prevent those with Huang family connections from controlling the Bureau, and Zhang Xiang proves somewhat a distant solution for an urgent problem, won’t Duke Gu naturally become the only candidate to replace Zhou Bingwu in leading the Bureau? At worst, even if the Empress Dowager and His Majesty employ the more trustworthy Du Chongtao to lead the Bureau, Duke Gu replacing Du Chongtao to command the Imperial Guards Grand Command probably wouldn’t be a bad choice either?”
“…” After pondering, Xi Ying had to admit Fu Gengwen spoke with great logic. He stepped forward to state his position: “Minister Fu’s words have great merit. From my understanding of Prime Minister Shen and Minister Yang, when compelled to deploy troops against Liang, they will support it. When His Majesty’s opinions conflict with Prime Minister Shen and Minister Yang, he might be swayed by Prince Shou. But when His Majesty agrees with Prime Minister Shen and Minister Yang, no one should be able to divide them.”
Gu Zhilong nodded, saying, “I’ll have to claim illness and be unable to attend the Shou Prince mansion’s private banquet in three days. At that time, Marquis Xi and Gengwen, you’ll represent me…”
In October, Jin territory already had heavy snowfall. Though Jianghuai hadn’t yet reached the point of frozen streams and rivers, white frost covered the wilderness and cold winds blew fiercely, rendering the river waters clear and penetrating blue-green.
In late September, Huainan Province had issued war warnings to all merchant guilds and shipping groups, gradually withdrawing personnel from Chu’s border trade market points.
Feng Yi and Han Jianji repeatedly protested the frequent Yangchu garrison troop movements, scouts repeatedly violating the Liang-Chu peace agreement by entering the mutually agreed buffer zone for reconnaissance, and violations of the peace agreement by conscripting laborers into buffer areas to construct roads and bridges—military intentions obvious.
Though the Chu Bureau of Military Affairs repeatedly reprimanded Yangchu garrisons, demanding Prince Xin Yang Yuanyan and his generals restrain soldiers from violating the Liang-Chu peace agreement, Yangzhou and Chuzhou garrisons ignored this. Almost daily, court officials and prefectural magistrates submitted memorials requesting recovery of Huaixi and petitioning the young emperor to assume personal rule and handle state affairs.
National Academy students also clamored noisily all day, denouncing Zheng Yu, Zheng Chang, Shen Yang, Yang En, Zhou Bingwu, and others who had previously promoted peace as Liang traitors and Chu turncoats.
Though the young emperor issued edicts and Capital Prefecture patrols deployed secret agents prohibiting marketplace criticism of palace affairs, the more scandalous matters were forbidden, the more enthusiasts grew excited. Private transmission of various messy rumors simply became more covert yet more unbearable.
In marketplace streets, some even drew picture books of the Changxin Empress Dowager cross-dressing to privately tour Chu territory with the Liang ruler, and the Liang ruler abducting the Empress Dowager to Xuzhou. Some even spread that the late emperor had caught the Liang ruler and Empress Dowager in adultery, leading to their ultimate enmity, and that the late emperor’s death remained unclear…
As Capital Magistrate, Zhou Qinian arrested one or two people every few days, punishing them for “great disrespect,” submitting case files directly to the imperial desk in the name of responding to edicts, bypassing the Ministry.
The young emperor’s temperament grew increasingly volatile. Seeing palace attendants or maids slightly displeasing, he would have them dragged away for severe beating. Within half a month, five attendants and maids had been beaten to death, leaving Zhang Ping trembling with fear when standing before the young emperor.
Authority like a blade—passed into the hands of the young, impetuous, volatile emperor by those with ulterior motives, once its power was displayed, inevitably began wounding those closest to him.
Shen Yang and Yang En now deeply felt the harm of having advocated dual palace authority years ago. With Empress Dowager Mingcheng obstructing everywhere, they couldn’t temporarily remove this “sharp blade” from the young emperor’s hands.
Cai Chen, always considered the Changxin Empress Dowager’s direct subordinate and appointed Chamberlain for Ceremonials specifically to liaise with Liang envoys, was rebuked by the young emperor over a minor matter and simply claimed illness to recuperate at home. The Changxin Empress Dowager made no move to intervene.
This was viewed by court and countryside as a critical signal, suggesting the Changxin Empress Dowager would soon face complete isolation, intending to transfer power and cease interfering in state affairs.
Under Empress Dowager Mingcheng’s direction, the young emperor began directly bypassing Shen Yang, Yang En, and others to receive young militant officials. In early October, he even summoned Prince Shou Yang Zhitang for an audience.
Seeing the situation increasingly uncontrollable, in early October Feng Yi and Han Jianji first led Liang Embassy personnel out of Jinling, crossing the river back to Tangyi to observe developments.
After crossing the river, Han Jianji proceeded directly to Luoyang for debriefing, reporting Jianghuai’s situation directly to various offices and Han Qian. Feng Yi and Wen Ruilin, after meeting Gao Shao, Yang Qin, and others in Tangyi and staying one day, rushed to Shiliang County to see Zhao Wuji supervising warfare there.
Shiliang County lay south of Hongze Lake and west of Fanliang Lake, facing Chuzhou’s southern Dongyang County across the Fanchuan River.
Hongze Lake and Fanliang Lake’s waters were vast. Chu naval forces held no advantage. Yang Yuanyan leading Chuzhou Army’s most convenient deployment route was crossing the Fanchuan River from Dongyang County territory into Shiliang County.
West of Shiliang County lay the Wujian Mountain Range’s northern section, bordering Chuzhou Prefecture’s administrative seat Yongyang.
Great Liang’s largest-scale coal and iron production base was located in the northern Wujian Mountains, accounting for nearly forty percent of current production within Liang territory.
If Yang Yuanyan led Chuzhou Army across the Fanchuan River eastward, Zhao Wuji needed to ensure the western coal-iron production base remained secure. Unless absolutely necessary, he couldn’t contract forces into cities and military strongholds for defense while allowing Chu forces to freely penetrate and infiltrate westward.
The first battle between Liang and Chu forces would occur in the thirty-to-forty-li depth between Shiliang City and the Fanchuan River—something both sides could predict before warfare.
Though Great Liang had over twenty thousand troops total on Huainan’s eastern front, Huainan Province’s eastern region—besides Chuzhou Prefecture’s five counties—also included Tangyi, Wushou, and Tingshan counties belonging to East Lake Prefecture in the south, requiring defense of vast territory. Especially Tangyi City across the river from Jinling not only needed to defend against possible sudden Imperial Guards naval attacks but also guard against Yangzhou Chu forces advancing west along the Yangtze’s northern bank—necessarily requiring certain troop deployments for precaution.
Adding the need to leave small garrisons in Yongyang, Puyang, Wushou, Tingshan, and elsewhere, ultimately Zhao Wuji could only concentrate available elite forces—Cao Ba, Li Chi, and Lu Ze’s three divisions totaling just over twelve thousand cavalry and infantry—in Shiliang County territory to meet Chuzhou Army forces that might cross the Fanchuan River at any moment.
Though Cao Ba, Li Chi, and Lu Ze’s divisions were Great Liang’s most elite combat power, considering Yang Yuanyan could conscript large numbers of military household surplus males in Chuzhou territory to defend fortifications while he personally led Chuzhou Army forces in full deployment, it meant thirty thousand well-equipped, well-trained elite troops would attack Shiliang County—forces two-and-a-half times the defenders.
Feng Yi and Wen Ruilin still worried Shiliang County’s victory was uncertain.
Of course, besides being at absolute disadvantage in troop scale, defenders weren’t without other advantages.
Feng Yi and Wen Ruilin had no authority to interfere much with specific military defensive command, nor patience to participate in detailed operational planning. They simply climbed Shiliang County’s city tower in the bleak cold wind.
Besides the western and northwestern areas where Wujian Mountain’s edges and remaining ranges created undulating terrain, most of Shiliang County’s territory was plains. Standing on the city tower looking east revealed completely flat terrain.
Though east of Shiliang County was flat plains with virtually no topographical variation, this didn’t mean Chu forces could charge westward unobstructed like fierce wind and sudden rain.
Standing on the city tower on clear weather bleached white by cold wind, even without brass telescopes one could take in the terrain within thirty to forty li radius.
Between interlacing streams and rivers, dense forests grew everywhere, wild grass rippled in waves under the wind. The few dirt embankment roads visible extended into the far distance, connecting several defensive fortresses along the Liang-Chu border.
Shiliang County’s eastern region, sandwiched between Hongze Lake and Fanliang Lake, had been a dense waterway network for millennia.
Brutal, long-lasting warfare had ravaged this ancient city with over a thousand years of county history and its attached lands. When Han Qian took control of Shiliang County from Huaidong, registered households didn’t even reach ten thousand. This situation meant vast stretches of Shiliang County land had been abandoned for decades, with large numbers of trees and shrubs growing wildly.
Ditches went unrepaired for years. Especially with recent years’ Yu River seizing the Huai to reach the sea, flooding along Hongze Lake shores meant east of Shiliang County had long become a region of interlacing dense forests, swamps, and streams.
Though Huaixi’s population had more than tripled from its lowest point in recent years, Huaixi’s three core mining-industrial zones of East Lake, Huaiyang, and Yongyang primarily utilized abundant water resources in low mountain and hilly regions. This meant newly migrated agricultural populations settled mainly around these mining zones’ peripheries rather than directly in plains regions.
This special mining-agricultural pattern meant Huaixi’s traditional agricultural regions hadn’t necessarily developed fully even after substantial population growth.
Taking Shiliang County as example—population had rapidly grown from under ten thousand at its lowest to nearly fifty thousand currently, but four-fifths concentrated in the county’s west near the northern Wujian Mountain section.
The county’s eastern region, and even Tangyi County’s eastern areas bordering Yangzhou, served as Liang-Chu buffer zones, even deliberately left abandoned.
Shiliang and Dongyang seemed separated only by the Fanchuan River, but when Yang Yuanyan led Chuzhou Army forces to attack, routes for marching through swamps, streams, and dense forests numbered only a very limited few.
Along these limited routes, Great Liang had also constructed solid fortresses.
Various divisions concentrated mainly along these several routes to meet invading Chuzhou Army forces.
Of course, since early September Chuzhou Army scouts had infiltrated in large numbers. From late September, they’d conscripted large numbers of laborers to first clear forests on the Fanchuan River’s eastern bank, widening deployment routes.
On October eighth, Feng Yi and Wen Ruilin followed Zhao Wuji to forward lines, seeing rows of palisades tall and short standing in layers through dense forests and swamps, with encampments built in clearings opened in forests beside earth roads.
Though both sides hadn’t formally declared war, scouts and patrols from both sides had already started fighting.
Dozens of severed heads hung from the crude camp’s gate tower—the earliest had been dried by wind, still faintly showing fierce expressions at death—this was Cao Ba’s consistent style.
“Yang Yuanyan has spent years painstakingly building up eight thousand cavalry. These cavalry probably won’t attack directly from the Fanchuan River direction—too many dense forests and swamps, cavalry can’t display combat effectiveness. But Yang Yuanyan won’t fail to commit his most elite combat power to warfare that may be his life’s last gamble.”
Seeing Zhao Wuji, Cao Ba bellowed.
“From current appearances, he’ll very likely send infantry main forces across the Fanchuan River to engage us in close combat and pin us down, while his eight thousand cavalry borrow routes through Yangzhou territory to strike directly behind us! You’ve left only Lu Ze’s two thousand cavalry as rear reserves—I fear that’s insufficient. My idea is to replace forward forces with reserve brigade troops while Li Chi’s division and mine shift back, waiting south of Shiliang County for that bastard Yang Yuanyan to enter our trap!”
“Yang Yuanyan may well be watching our every move,” Zhao Wuji gripped his crimson cloak.
Ye Feiying rode a white horse wearing red armor, like a flame leaping through bleak forests.
Cao Ba pursed his lips in distaste but couldn’t say anything, only pretending not to see.
Zhao Wuji gazed toward dense forests outside the encampment.
Though after autumn many deciduous trees shed leaves, many evergreen shrubs still grew tangled in the woods.
Hard to imagine this forested land had been fertile fields decades ago, with many broken village and house ruins still faintly visible scattered throughout.
After winter arrived, Hongze Lake’s water level dropped. But Jianghuai received abundant rainfall—even in autumn and winter, flood-scoured lands remained saturated with water, becoming swamps that could trap men and horses at any moment.
In the border buffer zone, both armies primarily felled trees.
This both opened sufficient space from dense forests and piled wood to fill soggy swamps for passage.
Warfare most times wasn’t simply pulling soldiers to open fields for mutual slaughter—war’s results couldn’t emerge after just a few charges.
Cao Ba, stationed here with General Staff division assistance, handled everything well. But by nature he still preferred straightforward battlefield charges.
Cao Ba hoped to lure Chuzhou Army’s cavalry main force into depth between Shiliang and Tangyi for ambush—naturally a good idea. Even if Yang Yuanyan didn’t take the bait, the situation wouldn’t worsen.
But Zhao Wuji needed to consider issues from a higher level. He’d discussed with Gao Shao and Yang Qin—they still needed to strive to inflict heavy damage on Chuzhou Army in the shortest time.
Prolonged situations actually proved quite unfavorable to Great Liang.
Feng Yi and Wen Ruilin’s return from the south bank showed war fever growing increasingly fanatical within Jinling. Without timely cold water, the longer delays continued, not only would the Sima clan dispatch elite forces to participate, but Du Chongtao, Zhou Bingwu, Gu Zhilong, and others might join the war faction at any time.
At that point, they’d face not just Chuzhou and Yangzhou armies.
“Why must we lure Chuzhou Army into Shiliang’s depths?” Zhao Wuji pressed his lips together, expression growing more resolute. Gripping his waist blade, he said, “Chu forces have already crossed the Fanchuan River. They’ve already initiated warfare. What we must do now is launch counterattack—strike directly across the Fanchuan River, forcing Yang Yuanyan’s eight thousand cavalry to remain in southern Chuzhou to intercept our fierce eastern sweep…”
“Excellent plan!” As long as he needn’t cower behind crude palisades, Cao Ba cared nothing about exactly how they fought.
Current terrain disadvantaged cavalry combat—so what? Couldn’t cavalry dismount to fight?
His men weren’t so delicate!
Moreover, Yang Yuanyan had been preparing east of the Fanchuan River for more than a day or two. Though Shiliang County’s eastern region west of the Fanchuan River had few decent roads, once they struck across the river into Dongyang County territory, road conditions improved considerably—cavalry would find their purpose.