Jinting Han people

Chapter 227: Failed Military Meeting (4k)

The next day, Liu Xian woke up in the guesthouse. It was still early, the sky outside the window was extremely dark, and the room was completely dark. The charcoal on the brazier was almost burned out, but there were still two or three red-hot charcoal cores, showing their presence, but unable to illuminate the darkness inside the room.

Liu Xian dressed, lit the lamp, and picked up a bucket, intending to go to the well to fetch water. As soon as he opened the door, a bleak wind howled in, bringing a few snowflakes to Liu Xian's body. His hair stood on end, and the sleepiness he had just woken up was swept away. Only then did he realize what was happening, and he opened his eyes wide to look outside the door:
What a heavy snow!

The land, once a riot of black and white before I fell asleep last night, was now blanketed in a blanket of silver. Even though the sky remained dark, Liu Xian could sense the depth and glare of the snow. It seemed as if the entire city was covered in snow. Everywhere he looked, from the ground to the sky, from front to back, from side to side, it was nothing but white. The heavy snowfall in the air and the icicles beneath the eaves added a shimmering, crystalline quality.

When the wind blew, snowflakes hit his clothes, making a fine rustling sound, as if many leaves had flown down and hit them. When Liu Xian went to the well to draw water, he found a thick layer of ice on the surface of the well. Liu Xian used a hammer to chisel for a long time before he finally broke the ice.

The moment Liu Xian mentioned water, his hands were already frozen red, and he thought to himself: This is really an unusual winter.

He boiled a pot of hot water, washed up, and then practiced sword dancing in the snow in front of the door until his whole body was hot. After Li Ju got up from next door, he went back to the room to wipe his face, and went to the market on Chang'an Street with Li Ju to eat and drink.

Li Ju was also very cold. Neither of them was a luxury person, but at this moment they both ordered a bowl of mutton in a basin and drank the hot soup with white smoke to warm their bodies.

After breakfast, the two went to the main hall of the Zhengxi Army Headquarters to prepare for the military meeting. Since Li Ju was the Yamen General, equivalent to the personal guard of the Zhengxi General, he was also qualified to participate in the military meeting.

Since they were staying in the guesthouse, they arrived relatively late. By the time they reached the main hall, most of the attendees had arrived. Liu Xian looked over and saw acquaintances like Jie Xi, the Governor of Yongzhou; Jia Kan, the General of the Western Expedition; Huangfu Zhong, the Prefect of Xinping; and Li Han, the Internal Historian of Qin, all greeting him. Liu Xian was somewhat pleased to see these acquaintances, but looking around, he realized he didn't see Beigong Chun. Upon asking, he learned that after the Hedong Rebellion, he had become disillusioned with officialdom and had resigned and returned home the previous year.

This made Liu Xian feel very regretful, as he had no time to thank Beigong Chun.

However, it was worth noting that the atmosphere within the hall was somewhat cold. Liu Xian could see that after the defeat, the generals of the Zhengxi Army were resentful. Strangely, the generals of the Anxi Army also seemed somewhat aloof, which was inconsistent with their outward appearance.

He asked Huangfu Zhong about this matter. Huangfu Zhong was not very shrewd and told Liu Xian directly:

"Duke Ziyin (Zhou Chu) distributed food to the refugees without the permission of His Royal Highness the Prince of Liang and General Anxi. Now the court has learned of this and is very unhappy. The day before yesterday, a swift edict came with accusations, ordering the army to refrain from causing any trouble. Consequently, His Royal Highness the Prince of Liang and Duke Ziyin had a quarrel, and everyone was disheartened by what they heard."

Just because of this? Liu Xian couldn't help but complain: "This isn't a big deal, is it? The imperial court always has to provide disaster relief, is it really that serious?"

Huangfu Zhong glanced around and said with a smile, "Of course not. The main reason is that Lord Ziyin already has conflicts with His Royal Highness Prince Liang and General Anxi. He is just using this as an excuse to escalate the conflict."

"contradiction?"

"Didn't Lord Ziyin previously serve as the Chief Censor in the imperial court? You know, that position, to put it nicely, means inspecting all officials, but to put it bluntly, it's all about offending people, constantly complaining about this and that. Lord Ziyin was also a renowned honest official, so how could he have offended so few people?"

"How did you offend His Royal Highness Prince Liang and General Anxi?"

"He impeached the King of Liang for raising poisonous birds and accepting bribes. He also impeached General Anxi for corruption and dereliction of duty."

"Ah? Isn't this a very normal accusation..."

Liu Xian was about to say this was an exaggeration; how many officials in the officialdom weren't corrupt these days? But then he understood. If it were just ordinary bureaucrats, it might be fine, but Sima Rong and Xiahou Jun both prided themselves on being honest officials, and being relatives of the imperial family, they cared more about their reputations. To them, Zhou Chu's impeachment was practically tantamount to murdering their own parents.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but glance at Zhou Chu, who was sitting at the table. In fact, Liu Xian had seen him the moment he entered. The old man had a clear face and a sturdy build. Although he was over sixty, he looked only in his early fifties. He sat as still as a mountain, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding discussions. But judging by his handsome appearance, it was hard to imagine that this old man had once been a martyr who fought tigers and pythons.

After everyone chatted for a while, King Liang Sima Rong and General Anxi Xiahou Jun finally arrived. Seeing this, everyone stopped talking and sat down.

However, as soon as he sat down, Sima Rong showed a troubled expression, and Xiahou Jun said:

"These are critical times, so let's not talk nonsense. Everyone knows that the situation in Guanzhong is extremely corrupt. The bandit leader Qi Wannian has occupied two states and ten counties, with a million followers. He is the most formidable enemy since the founding of the country. We have been ordered by the court to come here and we must find a way to wipe out the bandits and give an explanation to the country."

"Today's meeting is to encourage everyone to speak freely, pool their wisdom, and come up with a solution. After the discussion, I also hope that everyone will work together and make concerted efforts."

The military meeting officially began at this point. Everyone responded in unison, and then Liang Wang's Chief Secretary Lu Bo spread out a huge map of Guanzhong in front of everyone and said to them:

"I won't dwell on the previous situation; everyone should be familiar with it. The current situation is that the enemy and us, with Beidi and Xinping as the dividing line, each occupy half of Guanzhong. But the problem is that the rebels have almost occupied the entire Qinzhou, cutting off any news from Liangzhou. Now no one knows what the situation is in Liangzhou."

"According to the investigation of Lord Liu of the Northern Land, the bandits have been fighting continuously for nearly six months, traveling thousands of miles back and forth. They are undoubtedly exhausted, so their army is currently recuperating in the area of Fufeng Liumo. After hearing the news of our army's arrival, he has been frequently mobilizing his troops in preparation for battle."

At this point, Lu Bo asked Liu Xian, "Lord Liu, how many rebels do you estimate there are in this area?"

Seeing everyone's attention focused on him, Liu Xian stood up and replied:

"We should be generous in our estimates of the enemy. Judging from the current situation, Qi Wannian has a million men, and the Qiang and Hu people are all belligerent, with all able-bodied men serving as warriors. This means he has 200,000 soldiers. However, he hastily seized ten counties, and his troops are scattered. It will take time to restore order, so at least half of his men cannot be mobilized. Furthermore, considering he has to guard against troops from Liangzhou and Liangzhou, I estimate he will have 20,000 to 30,000 men. Therefore, the main force in Fufeng should be around 70,000 to 80,000. However, these are likely the elite among the rebels."

"Seventy or eighty thousand..." Everyone looked at each other and nodded silently, obviously agreeing with this judgment.

After Liu Xian sat down, Lu Bo placed abacus chips at the Liumo point on the map, indicating that this was Qi Wannian's main force. He then pointed to Chang'an and fiddled with the chips, saying:

"Four days ago, we recounted the troops in Chang'an City and found that there were still 46,130 soldiers capable of fighting. Our Anxi Army's reinforcements numbered 55,260. In the north, Lord Liu has 5,500 men under his command. A total of 107,000 men."

"What do you think, how should we fight this next battle?"

Soon after the words fell, a calm voice said, "Let me speak first."

Liu Xian looked in the direction of the voice and saw it was Zhou Chu. He slowly stood up from his seat, walked over to the map, and gestured with a wooden stick, saying, "The Art of War says, 'To attack and surely take, attack where the enemy is least prepared; to defend, surely secure, defend where the enemy is least prepared.' This means that in war, the essence is to attack the weak and take advantage of the enemy's weaknesses."

"Since the rebels have concentrated their main forces at Liumo, they are clearly attempting a decisive battle with our army there. Liumo is home to numerous high plateaus and is backed by mountains. They have stationed troops and built camps here, with deep trenches and high fortifications. Our army will have no choice but to attack from above. While there's a chance of success, it will also come with significant casualties. Therefore, we should avoid fighting here and instead attack where they must defend."

"Looking at the geography, although Qi Wannian has many soldiers, their logistics rely heavily on the rebels in Qinzhou. Without Qinzhou's food supplies, Liu Mo's army will collapse without a fight. Therefore, our army should seize the enemy's unpreparedness and, with the overwhelming force of a mountain, preemptively cut off their food supply."

Zhou Chu pointed to a spot on the map and said, "If Qinzhou wants to enter Guanzhong, it must pass through Chencang. Therefore, we must recapture Chencang first!"

"As long as we recapture Chencang, our army will have the initiative. We can then deploy one main force to hold the northern part of Chencang, preventing the enemy from making any rash moves. We can also deploy another special force to march west across Longban and recapture Lueyang, Tianshui, Longxi, and other areas."

"With this two-pronged approach, the people of Liumo are short of food and cannot afford a fight, while the people of Qinzhou are just a mob. By combining kindness and force, we will surely be able to recapture the city."

Hearing this, Liu Xian almost cheered in his heart. What a good military strategy!
While he was still pondering how to defeat the enemy head-on, General Jianwei, with his grand strategic insight, saw through Qi Wannian's flaws at a glance and proposed a countermeasure comparable to the skill of a butcher cutting up an ox. If this strategy were implemented, there would be virtually no major battle, and the rebellion affecting four states could be effectively neutralized. If he were Qi Wannian, his only option would be to risk everything and attack Chang'an from the west. Victory meant life, defeat meant death. However, such an approach would be inferior to the art of war.

The many generals present also discussed the feasibility of this strategy, and it was obvious that most of them were in favor of it.

But soon, General Anxi Xiahou Jun expressed his opinion: "I'm afraid this cannot be carried out."

Zhou Chu asked: "Why?"

Xiahou Jun smiled and said, "It's not just the bandits who are short of food; our army is short of food too."

"This year, the imperial court consumed a large amount of its grain reserves in relief efforts in Guandong. Now, we have to support a hundred thousand troops in Guanzhong, which is really stretched to the limit. Before we left, Secretary Zhang told me that it would be best to end the war within six months. That way, at least the country would not suffer too much loss."

"But according to Ziyin, we are going to fight the enemy. How long will it take to end the war?"

Zhou Chu quickly glanced at Sima Rong and said in a deep voice, "Qinzhou is mountainous, so we must defeat them one by one. The rebels have looted the counties, and based on what they've taken, it should be enough to sustain them for about eight months."

"August..." Xia Houjun leaned forward slightly and said, "This is still an ideal situation. If something unexpected happens, even if it takes a year, it won't be too much."

"..."

"We can't make such plans. We need to understand the court's difficulties." Having said this, Xia Houjun looked around and asked, "Is there any other way?"

Having said this, how could everyone present not understand? Army officer Suo Jing said:
"If the court is in such a dilemma, we, as ministers, should risk our lives and fight the rebels to the death. A quick victory will not only relieve the court's worries, but also save the people of the world from danger."

Zhou Chu was extremely dissatisfied with this and said, "Isn't this just a stupid war? If we win, that's fine, but what if we lose? Wouldn't it take months and years, adding to the burden on the people?"

"War is not about settling scores; the first thing to consider is how to win!"

Zhou Chu was about to continue arguing with Xiahou Jun when Sima Rong, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly coughed. Everyone present suddenly quieted down. Turning around, they saw the commander Sima Rong covering his lower abdomen with his hands, frowning, and whispering something to Lu Bo beside him.

Lu Bo then relayed, "His Highness said he was feeling unwell and would be leaving mid-sentence to rest in his room. Once you have a conclusion, please let him know. His Highness will be leaving now."

After saying this, Sima Rong was helped out of the hall by his servants, and everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Obviously, the King of Liang's claim of being unwell was a pretense, no matter who saw it, and was actually just a protest against Zhou Chu on some level.

Zhou Chu's expression turned extremely awkward. He suppressed his dissatisfaction and said to the crowd, "You are all well-known and knowledgeable people in the court. I don't think I need to explain what should be prioritized."

Most of the people present were silent after hearing this. Only Fu Zhi, the commander of the Anxi Army, said:
"Ziyin, I know you mean well, but please don't say anything careless. We are here to assist His Highness Prince Liang and fulfill our duties. If His Highness doesn't accept my proposal, he has his reasons. There's no need to get so worked up."

At this point, the attitudes of everyone present were clear. Lu Bo said, "Since that's the case, let's take a vote. How many of you agree to a quick battle with the rebels?"

He said first: "I agree."

Xia Houjun followed up and said, "I agree."

The rest of the people also said: "Agree."

"agree."

"..."

Soon, most of the people present had expressed their opinions, and most of them agreed. Soon it was Liu Xian's turn.

To be honest, Liu Xian was indeed more inclined towards Zhou Chu's strategy and did not agree with a decisive battle with the enemy. If the decisive battle failed, who knew how many people would die. But now the general trend was unstoppable, and the King of Liang had also expressed his position. Why would he bother to come out and bring bad luck upon himself?
When Lu Bo and Zhou Chu both looked at him, Liu Xian thought of Sima Rong's warning to him yesterday. After a moment's hesitation, he finally said, "I agree."

Lu Bo nodded with satisfaction, while Zhou Chu's eyes showed contempt, which made Liu Xian feel a little uncomfortable. He knew that what he did was indeed not right.

Regardless, the military meeting ended there. Ultimately, the Western Expedition Army overwhelmingly approved the proposal to engage the rebels in a decisive battle at Zhiliumo.

(End of this chapter)