Jinting Han people

It was truly a resounding victory. Even decades later, every surviving participant still talked about the scene of this battle with great relish:

The vast enemy force was like frightened birds. The knights galloped in, only to scatter in all directions, in a chaotic and disorderly manner. Each swing of the knights' swords was like slaughtering lambs, offering no resistance at all. Banners fell one after another, and captives and corpses lay on the ground, begging for mercy. The infantry strode through the midst, their quivers empty and hung with heads for bounties. Of course, some were wounded, but at this point, injury became a badge of honor. Soldiers competed to see how many wounds they had, boasting of their courage, each believing themselves to be a chosen one.

Afterwards, the Jin army spent three or four days just cleaning up the battlefield.

As the commander of the right wing, Liu Xian was naturally delighted. Such a decisive victory was a first in his military career. He felt a surge of enlightenment from the victory, for battle was a test of courage and willpower, especially when defeating a previously formidable opponent. This gave him a sudden sense of change.

But at the same time, witnessing the devastation and brutality on the battlefield, Liu Xian couldn't help but feel sorry for Qi Wannian. He couldn't help but wonder: If it were me, could I win this battle? The answer was undeniable: I couldn't.

Qi Wannian was able to raise an army of over 200,000 in just two years, while maintaining order and avoiding widespread mutiny during famine. This alone was remarkable. Furthermore, he had to contend with the constant influx of reinforcements from the Jin Dynasty. The Luoyang court's previous inability to appoint a competent commander gave him an opportunity. But if a renowned general like Meng Guan had emerged, he would have stood no chance.

Thinking of the terrifying might of the Shanggu Iron Cavalry on the battlefield, Liu Xian couldn't help but feel uneasy. Such a formidable force, while on the same side as him now, was fine, but what if they were to become his opponents on the battlefield one day? Liu Xian couldn't say he had no options, but all of this was premised on the premise that his opponent wasn't Meng Guan.

Thinking back to his own impulsiveness during the Qi Wannian uprising, Liu Xian couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, fortunately. It seemed that if he truly wanted to restore his country, he still had a lot of preparation to do.

But that was all later. Meng Guan had told him beforehand that after the Guanzhong campaign ended, he would be transferred back to Luoyang to serve as an official. Liu Xian couldn't help but think deeply. Although he had doubts and reluctance, in the end, all his emotions faded, leaving only a longing to return home. No matter what, he thought, it was always good to be able to reunite with his family for a while.

What's more, I still have some questions to ask Liu Xun.

But this will have to wait until the war is completely over.

On the fourth day of the Battle of Chenmayuan, Meng Guan summoned all the generals to hold another military meeting to discuss the next plan.

Compared to the atmosphere at the previous military meeting, this time, the generals of the Western Expedition Army were completely subservient to Meng Guan. His unimaginable tactics and achievements not only defeated the rebellious forces, but also subdued the arrogant generals under his command. Now, everyone in the army said: "The Duke of Shanggu is probably the greatest general of his time. Ma Long was no better than him when he recaptured Liang Province!"

Meng Guan was clearly just casually leaning against the table, but everyone present sat up straight, their faces solemn, for they were afraid of showing any embarrassment and causing the Marshal to look down on them.

Seeing everyone so serious, Meng Guan waved his hand and said with a smile, "Why are you so formal? It's like you've lost a battle. You're all heroes, so relax a little."

But everyone still dared not relax. Only the oldest, Suo Jing, bowed and said:
"The Marshal is truly a master of predictions. We are far behind him. If you have any orders, please tell us directly. We will do our best to carry them out."

Everyone nodded in agreement, sharing the same attitude.

This scene made Liu Xian sigh with emotion. In previous military meetings, everyone was afraid to express their opinions. Firstly, they wanted to show off their achievements, and secondly, a defeat would affect everyone, and no one wanted to face defeat. But in front of Meng Guan, everyone was as shy as virgins, waiting for the commander's orders. This was the kind of behavior one would only show when they deeply admired someone.

Meng Guan smiled and nodded, saying confidently, "In that case, I won't be polite."

He poured himself a bowl of tea, took a sip to moisten his throat, and then summarized the current situation to everyone:

"I'm very happy that you are all so cautious. Although we won this battle, it doesn't mean the war is over. After all, we haven't caught the Qi bandits, Qinzhou has not been recovered, and there are so many Hu people in Guanxi. If we don't handle it properly, it may take several years to suppress the bandits."

"Fortunately, the Qi bandits are not dead yet. According to our scouts, after their defeat, they did not retreat to Qinzhou, but instead entered Chencang and held their ground."

This choice surprised everyone present. Huangfu Shang couldn't help but ask, "Huh? Why doesn't he retreat to Qinzhou? Qinzhou is full of dangerous mountains and hills. Logically, wouldn't it be easier to defend there? Does he have some other trick up his sleeve?"

"It's not a trick." Li Ju, who was standing by, thought about it and came up with something. He explained:
"We won the battle, and the Qi bandits' morale has collapsed. It will probably take some time for them to regroup. Qinzhou is his base camp. If he retreats directly into Qinzhou, the Qiang and Hu tribes will not be prepared to fight and will only suffer a crushing defeat."

"Chencang is a fortified city. The Qi thieves have already built and repaired it. They are now holding on here in order to delay our army, allowing the various tribes in Qinzhou to remobilize their people and organize another army. Perhaps we can fight again."

This judgment was recognized by everyone. Meng Guan exclaimed in admiration: "Good boy, you are really smart! I agree with you."

He continued, "Now the Qi bandits have been forced into a desperate situation. They can either fight to the death or become a stray dog and flee with their people to the ends of the earth, where they might still be able to save their lives."

"It seems the Qi thief doesn't care about his life. He thinks that by putting on an act in Chencang, he can boost morale. Unfortunately, I won't give him that chance."

When the generals heard this, they couldn't help but perk up and turned their eyes to the coach, wondering what strategy he would use next to defeat the enemy.

"I don't plan to attack Chencang."

Not attacking Chencang? Everyone looked at each other. Based on Meng Guan's previous fighting style, everyone thought he would try to force his way through Chencang!

Meng Guan also knew what his subordinates were thinking, and he said jokingly:

"Chencang is a famous strong city. Remember, Zhuge Liang was defeated here, so I won't force my power." "We just need to leave some people behind to guard the city and prevent the Qi bandits from making any rash moves."

Meng Guan's contempt for Qi Wannian was evident in his words. "Guarding this city?" he asked. The generals present were almost laughing, and the atmosphere in the tent relaxed somewhat.

But everyone was still a little puzzled. If they weren't attacking the city, what was their plan? Were they going to bypass Chencang and attack Qinzhou? This wasn't a good idea. After all, Chencang blocked the army's food supply. If they marched into Qinzhou without resolving this concern, they would risk running out of food at any time.

As expected, Meng Guan said, "I plan to split the remaining troops into two groups and send them directly to Qinzhou."

At this point, Jia Kan could no longer hold back and finally asked, "Marshal, it's not difficult to enter Qinzhou, but how are we going to deal with the food supply? If we don't take Chencang, the Qi bandits will be able to harass the food supply route."

Meng Guan was still laughing. He patted the sword at his waist and said:
"Hahaha, of course I understand that, but haven't you ever thought about why we should worry about food supplies?"

"Shouldn't it be?"

"The army can just go to the local area to find food! We are not going to exterminate these barbarians, but to negotiate and pacify them!"

When everyone heard this, they stared at each other in amazement, and then listened to Meng Guan slowly stating his thoughts:
"There are so many Hu people in Qinzhou, nearly a million, right? There are countless tribes, both large and small. Even if we defeat the Qi bandits, will we be able to kill them all in time? They may not be able to defeat us, but if they hide in the mountains and forests and circle around us, we will definitely be unable to kill them all."

"I discussed this with Duke Lu and the others before I came here. We must completely eliminate the Qi bandits and their direct descendants, but as for the rest of the Qiang and Hu people, except for a few who stubbornly resist, we will appease them if we can."

"In other words, during this campaign against Qin, those Qiang and Hu tribes willing to provide food and fodder to the royal army can be pacified. Those who refuse to provide food and fodder, or even resort to violence, should be annihilated with all your might to serve as a warning to others."

Everyone finally understood what the marshal meant. The generals were all military personnel, solely responsible for attacking and killing the enemy. The decision to pacify the enemy was a political matter, beyond their power to decide, so they didn't consider it. Unexpectedly, Meng Guan had already prepared for this step before setting out, revealing his foresight in warfare.

But Liu Xian was more sensitive to the fact that Meng Guan didn't mention his own movements in his words. Instead, he directly told the generals about the principle of improvisation. This made him ask:
"Marshal, you are saying this, but you don't plan to go to Qinzhou in person?"

Meng Guan nodded, leaned forward slightly, and then said:
"It seems Huai Chong has guessed it. Qinzhou is inhabited by both the Hu people and refugees held hostage by the Hu people. The situation is extremely complicated. I'm new here and don't know the details. I can't possibly pacify them. Therefore, I don't plan to enter Qinzhou. Instead, I'll stay in Chencang and personally keep an eye on the Qi bandits."

"As for the pacification, as I mentioned before, I plan to split my forces into two groups and leave this matter to you and Zhang Shiyan."

As they spoke, everyone in the room turned their gazes towards Liu Xian and Zhang Gui, and Liu Xian felt a slight pressure. Meng Guan calmly stood up and slowly walked to the center of the tent, drawing everyone's attention back. He continued to address Liu Xian:

"I know this isn't an easy task. It's hard to strike the right balance. If you rush it, it could lead to chaos. If you slow it down, it could be futile. But this is the best way."

"The reason I persuaded Duke Lu to reinstate Brother Shi Yan is because he has served as the commander of the Western Expedition Army for many years and is familiar with the geography and customs of Qinzhou. If anyone can accomplish this, it must be him."

"And the reason I persuaded Duke Lu to appoint Huai Chong as the commander of the Pingxi Army is because over the years, you have governed the people and suppressed the rebellion, putting benevolence and trustworthiness first in everything you do. We have seen it all, and so have the Hu people. There are many things we say that are not enough to gain their trust, but perhaps you can."

Hearing Meng Guan's expectation, Liu Xian was moved. He wanted to decline, but felt that it would be more appropriate to recommend Jie Xi, the governor of Yongzhou, to handle the matter. So he agreed and said to Meng Guan:
"I dare not let down the Marshal's generosity!"

After that, the military meeting was concluded with a simple redistribution of some personnel issues.

Since the troops were divided into two groups to recruit and pacify the people, the Qiang and Hu people in Qinzhou were also divided into two parts. Zhang Gui was responsible for recruiting and pacifying the five counties of Xinping, Anding, Nangan, Longxi and Jincheng, while Liu Xian was responsible for recruiting and pacifying the four counties of Lueyang, Tianshui, Wudu and Yinping.

Now that the plan has been decided, the next step is to take action.

On the 23rd day of the 7th month of the 8th year of the Yuankang reign, the Jin army advanced westward again, reaching the city walls of Chencang. Here, you can see the red crow flags atop the walls. You can also see that Qi Wannian had built a high wall above the city walls and dug a nearly ten-foot-deep moat beneath them, diverting the Wei River to form a moat. It seems Qi Wannian had indeed put considerable thought into this.

Unfortunately, as Meng Guan had said before, he had no intention of attacking the city, but instead openly divided his troops under the city of Chencang.

Zhang Gui led 40,000 troops in the north and headed north. They would make a big circle, starting from Xinping County, then go upstream along the Jing River in the Qiaoshan Mountains, cross the Liupan Mountains, and then enter Liangzhou. After confirming the situation in Liangzhou, they would successively pacify Nannan, Jincheng, and Longxi.

Liu Xian led a 20,000-man army south, heading west. His mission was to cross the Longban Pass head-on and follow the Wei River to its source, thus passing through Lueyang and Tianshui. After pacifying the Qiang and Hu people of Tianshui, he would retrace his route along the Qishan Road, enter Wudu County, and finally reach Yinping.

According to the plan, they would have a year to pacify all the rebels. However, each of the two armies only brought enough food to last for thirty days. After that, everyone would have to rely on their own ability.

As for Qi Wannian, he had gathered 30,000 defeated soldiers in Chencang City. When he saw the Jin people dividing their troops, he thought about it for a while and suddenly realized it. He guessed Meng Guan's strategy, which made Qi Wannian extremely anxious.

After Zhang Gui and Liu Xian's armies departed, Qi Wannian observed the enemy's position and discovered that the Jin army outside the city numbered only about 10,000. Overjoyed, he regrouped and attempted a night attack on the Jin army. Unexpectedly, the commander stationed there was none other than Meng Guan, who personally led the Shanggu cavalry and easily defeated Qi Wannian's surprise attack. This resulted in the loss of over 4,000 rebels, forcing Qi Wannian to retreat and reconsider his strategy.

Now, the war in Guanzhong has entered a new phase. (End of this chapter)