Due to the urgent military situation, the regional governors and generals who had reached Yuncheng all entered the palace for a political meeting.
Having reveled all night and only fallen asleep at dawn, governors and officials from various regions were awakened, bleary-eyed, and entered the palace together with Gou Xi.
Except for Gou Xi, who urgently took a bath and tidied himself up, the rest still wore last night’s clothing, their whole bodies reeking of alcohol, filling the already small hall with a stench of wine.
Zhao Zhongyu frowned in displeasure. Because Zhao Hanzhang was right here, he didn’t hold back in questioning Gou Xi. “Grand General, the Xiongnu moved south and took five cities in succession. Did you receive no intelligence about this at all?”
Due to his hangover, Gou Xi’s temples throbbed. He pressed his lips together. “They acted with strict secrecy, attacking suddenly. I received no intelligence. However…”
He raised his head, his gaze boring directly into Zhao Hanzhang. “The Xiongnu moving south must pass through Jizhou, and southern Jizhou is now under Zu Ti’s control. Isn’t Governor Zhao on good terms with Zu Ti? How is it you also didn’t know?”
Zhao Hanzhang replied expressionlessly, “Grand General, Zu Ti only occupies Quzhou and ten other counties. Jizhou is so vast—bypassing his sphere of influence would be easy. Moreover, this is Yanzhou. If my couriers could move freely throughout Yanzhou, you should be the one panicking, Grand General.”
Zhao Zhongyu interjected, “Grand General, stop deflecting. You didn’t know about the Xiongnu moving south, but your subordinate generals defecting to join Liu Cong—you didn’t know about that either?”
His face flushed red with anger. “They could advance on Yuncheng so silently precisely because your subordinate generals opened the gates to welcome the enemy, taking five cities without deploying a single soldier!”
Soon worse news arrived—the Xiongnu had now taken eight cities in succession, less than a hundred li from Yuncheng. They only needed to capture two more county seats to be at the city gates.
Gou Xi’s expression darkened. The court hall filled with buzzing discussion, most people questioning Gou Xi, while a smaller portion asked what to do.
Zhao Hanzhang finally spoke. “Your Majesty, now is not the time to assign blame. We should make decisions quickly.”
The Emperor immediately nodded. “Yes, resisting the enemy is paramount. Other matters can wait until after we’ve repelled them.”
Zhao Hanzhang looked at Gou Xi. “How many troops can the Grand General deploy now?”
Gou Xi’s face turned pale with a greenish tinge. “One hundred and fifty thousand!”
“But the Xiongnu army numbers two hundred thousand!”
“Shi Lei has also divided his forces toward Yuzhou and Sizhou—who knows how many troops?”
“The Xiongnu are attacking with their full national strength—could it be to prevent His Majesty from sacrificing to Heaven at the summer solstice?”
Otherwise, why was the timing so perfectly calculated?
An official suggested, “Your Majesty should continue with the sacrifice to Heaven. With Heaven’s aid, we can annihilate the Xiongnu in one stroke!”
“Inadvisable, Your Majesty! The Xiongnu moving south now shows that the sacrifice violates Heaven’s will. We should immediately cancel it and issue an edict of self-reproach.”
“Nonsense! We’ve prepared for half a year for this sacrifice, at enormous cost. Just because the Xiongnu attack, we won’t sacrifice? Your Majesty, we left our administrative duties and traveled a thousand li to the capital for this sacrifice. You cannot go back on your word!”
The Emperor had indicated that after the sacrifice, he would enfeoff meritorious officials and re-confer official positions and noble ranks. Otherwise, why would officials from various regions risk the dangers of bandits to travel a thousand li to Yuncheng?
“We should first discuss arrangements for resisting the Xiongnu. The matter of the sacrifice can be discussed afterward.”
The court hall buzzed with debate about everything, noisier than the morning vegetable market. Zhao Hanzhang’s head ached from listening.
She looked at Gou Xi and saw him lowering his eyes, deep in thought, not saying a word.
Zhao Hanzhang held back, but ultimately couldn’t restrain herself. She slammed the table heavily. The low table in front of her cracked under her strike, and the tea cups on it fell to the floor. Only then did the officials gradually quiet down.
Zhao Hanzhang’s sharp gaze swept the room. She pressed her lips together. “At the Xiongnu’s current rate of advance, they could reach the capital as early as tomorrow. Would we sacrifice to Heaven while welcoming the Xiongnu into the city?”
She didn’t ask them what to do, but looked directly at Gou Xi sitting across from her. “Grand General, how do you plan to fight this battle?”
Gou Xi had already made calculations. “Have Gou Chun lead twenty thousand troops from Yuncheng to Dunqiu to intercept the Xiongnu. I will personally inspect the army for traitors and arrest them all. I’ll deploy troops from throughout Yanzhou—in the short term, I can mobilize one hundred thousand men who can reach Yuncheng in three days.”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “I have eighty thousand troops at the border. If the Grand General orders the roads opened, they can also reach Yuncheng in three days to provide support.”
Gou Xi pressed his lips together and looked up sharply at Zhao Hanzhang. “Who leads them?”
Zhao Hanzhang replied, “Zhao Ju!”
Gou Xi didn’t hesitate long and immediately nodded. “Good. I’ll open the roads, but once they arrive, they must follow my commands.”
Zhao Hanzhang responded, “Naturally. The Grand General is Supreme Commander—of course we’ll follow your orders.”
The Emperor, seeing the two willing to compromise with each other, breathed a great sigh of relief. The officials looked back and forth between them, watching as they reached agreement through this exchange.
They weren’t given any opportunity to interject.
The matter didn’t end there. Zhao Hanzhang raised a point: “What about provisions?”
Gou Xi said, “Within three days, I can provide provisions for one hundred thousand men for ten days. Within half a month, I can provide for twenty days. No more than that.”
He planned to requisition directly from the common people.
Zhao Hanzhang pressed her lips together but didn’t oppose his decision. Instead she said, “I can guarantee provisions for my eighty thousand troops for half a month.”
“That’s not enough,” Gou Xi said. “Jingzhou, Yangzhou, Xuzhou, and Shu must provide provisions.”
All the officials looked at the governors or officials from these provinces.
Zhao Hanzhang’s brow twitched. “Jingzhou cannot. Jingzhou just ended a rebellion. Forcibly requisitioning provisions now will surely cause new unrest.”
“Our Shu region is also unstable, with many refugees. We cannot forcibly requisition either.”
“Yangzhou even more so. Moreover, we’ve already provided much grain to Yuncheng this year.”
“Xuzhou faces even greater difficulties.”
Gou Xi wasn’t consulting them. He stated directly, “Set provision quotas for each province. Every one must fulfill them.”
Zhao Hanzhang also told them, “Everyone, we now share prosperity and adversity. If Yanzhou falls, Xuzhou and Yangzhou below it—not one place will be spared.”
The officials from Huainan and Jiangnan were unconcerned. They were separated by the Yangzi River. As long as they held the passes, they could still preserve themselves.
Zhao Hanzhang seemed to know what they were thinking and sneered coldly. “If the north is lost, the Grand General and I will escort His Majesty south. At that time, we’ll have to trouble you all to make some room.”
Officials from both regions felt a chill run through them. After glancing at the stern-faced Gou Xi and exchanging looks with each other, they lowered their heads in agreement.
Weren’t Zhao Hanzhang and Gou Xi supposed to be in mortal conflict? How had they become so cooperative?
Besides provisions, Gou Xi also wanted them to send troops to support. Wang Dun of Guangzhou immediately agreed. The other governors and officials hesitated before also agreeing.
Gou Xi looked at Zhao Hanzhang. “Governor Zhao, as for Sizhou and Yuzhou…”
“I’ll defend them,” Zhao Hanzhang’s expression was grave. “Your Majesty and Grand General can rest assured. I will do everything in my power to hold Sizhou and Yuzhou and absolutely will not let Yanzhou be attacked from the rear.”
Gou Xi grunted in acknowledgment, quite trusting her promise.
The Emperor was even more moved. He rose from the dragon throne, grasped her hand, pulled her to her feet, then took Gou Xi’s hand as well. His eyes brimming with tears, he said, “With you two beloved ministers working together to resist the enemy, what do I have to fear?”