Jinting Han people

The successful recruitment of Zhou Yi, Zhou Fu, and others, while not having a significant impact on the Han army in terms of personnel changes, was a major political event from a political perspective. It signified that Liu Xian's eastward expansion strategy had reached a new turning point.

Prior to this, the Han army's eastward advance into Jingzhou was not as smooth as initially envisioned. Although compared to the previous battles in Yizhou and Ningzhou, the Han army's pace of conquering cities and territories was not slow—in less than half a year, they had already captured five commanderies: Jianping, Yidu, Wuling, Tianmen, and Nanping. Compared to the peak territory of his great-grandfather Liu Bei, Liu Xian only lacked Nan Commandery.

However, during this process, the Han army actually encountered many setbacks and exposed many problems, resulting in several minor defeats with heavy losses, a situation that had never occurred in the battles of Yizhou and Ningzhou.

Liu Xian naturally noticed these problems and summarized them. In general, there were three main reasons: First, the Han army had won a series of victories and was somewhat complacent about the Jin army; second, the war was launched hastily, and preparations for the battle were insufficient, with the Han army lacking familiarity with naval warfare and terrain; and third, the Han army lacked sufficient political appeal in Jingzhou.

Of these three reasons, the first two are secondary, while the third is the primary reason.

As the former territory of Shu Han, Yizhou and Ningzhou, regardless of whether they supported or opposed Liu Xian, could not deny the undeniable influence of the Han dynasty in those regions. Even in the life-or-death moment of Li Xiong's confrontation with Liu Xian, he dared not do anything excessive to the Zhaolie Temple that might offend the people.

But in Jingzhou, although it is the ancestral homeland, it is too distant. While the elders of Shu Han still exist in Yizhou and Ningzhou, Jingzhou is left only with the legends of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhuge Liang; no one retains any related memories. Perhaps some still have special feelings for the Han Dynasty, but after the rebellions of Li Chen and Liu Ni, most of those feelings have been completely extinguished.

Under the rule of Liu Hong, Ying Zhan, Tao Kan, and others, the people of this region lived in peace and prosperity. After Liu Hong's death, Jingzhou submitted to the Jin dynasty, and the Jin army quelled the rebellion of Zhang Fang who had marched south. From this perspective, the people would inevitably have a greater sense of belonging to the Jin dynasty. Liu Xian certainly had external support, namely the refugee army from Bashu in Xiangzhou, but Du Tao was too far away to provide assistance in the short term.

Therefore, the Battle of Jingzhou was, in effect, the first time the Han army fought on the outer front without the support of the people, the advantage of terrain, or the moral high ground. Under such circumstances, difficulties and setbacks were inevitable, and Liu Xian had to start from scratch, winning over the hearts and minds of the Jin army again and rebuilding his own power network.

Fortunately, as the war progressed, the Jin army made a series of blunders. Not only did they fail to maintain discipline, but they also actively engaged in burning, killing, and looting in southern Jingzhou, alienating the people. Furthermore, they failed to maintain a clear system of rewards and punishments, shifting blame for the defeat onto Zhu Si and others, causing internal divisions. In contrast, the Han army's unity and political integrity were more appealing. With the surrender of Zhou Yi, Zhou Fu, and others, the political balance in Jingzhou officially shifted in favor of the Han army.

After Liu Xian persuaded these Jin generals to surrender, he reinstated them to their posts to further stabilize the newly acquired lands and reorganize the captured soldiers. To demonstrate his sincerity, Liu Xian still assigned the 20,000 prisoners to these generals. However, to ensure the court's control, Liu Xian completely dismantled the prisoners' original organization and then conscripted over 10,000 people from Jingzhou, bringing the total to over 30,000, for reorganization.

The reorganized army was divided into five divisions, each led by Zhu Si, Tian Hui, Zhou Fu, Su Wen, and Zhang Gu respectively, to bolster the navy.

This could be considered a good use of talent. Zhu Si, Zhou Fu, and others already had naval experience. Zhu Si, in particular, was a shipwright by trade and skilled in shipbuilding. If they were to fight on land, they certainly wouldn't be as good as the Hedong or Qiuchi armies. But in naval warfare, apart from He Pan, there were few in the Han army who could match them. Moreover, although the Han army had trained its navy for a long time and achieved some results, it was still more accustomed to land warfare. Entrusting the navy to these surrendered Jin generals wouldn't arouse the jealousy of Guo Mo, Suo Lin, and others, making it a win-win situation.

Furthermore, to ensure these surrendered generals obeyed their superiors, Liu Xian specifically incorporated them into He Pan's command. After all, He Pan was a veteran of the Jin Dynasty, holding a high-ranking position among the Nine Ministers, the title of Marquis of Xicheng, and a relative by marriage to the Pei family of Wenxi. His official rank, seniority, and family background were sufficient to subdue these surrendered generals. Liu Xian also appointed his childhood friend Zhang Gu as a supervisor of equal rank and placed some scholars from Yizhou among the lower-ranking officers. With this set of measures, after a period of integration, this Jin army could be turned into his own.

Of course, not all Jin generals were given military positions. For example, Zhou Yi's official rank in the Jin court was too high. As General Who Pacifies the South, Liu Xian could not find a suitable position for him in the army, and even if he did, it would not be convincing. Fortunately, Liu Xian knew him well. After so many years, Zhou Yi had not only not changed much in appearance, but also in temperament. He appeared kind, but he was still a very principled person. So Liu Xian appointed him as the Imperial Censor, responsible for supervising government affairs, which also filled the vacancy left by Liu Shen's death.

There were also some Jin military literati like Dai Miao and Hao Gu, who lacked the ability to lead troops in battle. They were only sent by Wang Yan to supervise the army and ensure the court's control over the military. However, they were actually of little use on the battlefield. It would be a waste for Liu Xian to send them to the army, so he simply appointed Dai Miao as the governor of Wuling and Hao Gu as the governor of Tianmen, which was considered to let them return to their original duties.

These two prefectures were in dire need of stability. Although Liu Xian had conscripted many scholars from Jingzhou, none of them had been immediately given prominent positions, leaving the local gentry with lingering doubts and a sense of unease. Having officials from the existing Jin dynasty system take over at this time could serve as political propaganda, demonstrating that Liu Xian was impartial and fair in his selection of officials, and that this would not contradict the new policies.

At the same time, taking this opportunity, Liu Xian also made some adjustments to the internal personnel. Liu Xian originally intended to appoint Liu Shen as the new governor of Jingzhou, but after Liu Shen's death, he had not found a suitable candidate. Now that the war situation had initially stabilized, the administration of Jianping and Yidu prefectures was back on track, and the grain transport was smooth, and with December approaching and spring planting just around the corner, Liu Xian had to consider the livelihoods of farmers for the coming year. Therefore, he planned to transfer Lu Yun and appoint him as the new governor of Jingzhou.

As for the appointments in Nanping Commandery and Yi'an County, which were the new capital region, Liu Xian had to be cautious. After careful consideration, he chose to appoint Li Sheng as the Prefect of Nanping and Yang Bin, who had started the uprising with Zhang Qi in Jianwei, as the Magistrate of Yi'an.

This is only a preliminary personnel adjustment. After Jingzhou is completely pacified, there will be further rewards for meritorious service, and then a formal relocation of the capital. At that time, after Lu Zhi, Liu Kun, and others move from Chengdu to Yi'an, there will be another round of major personnel adjustments. But for now, this is enough. Liu Xian's focus should be on completely ending this war.

The situation between the two armies is now very clear. On the battlefield of Yi'an, the Jin army is no longer able to fight against the Han army, but they still have a numerical advantage. It is actually quite difficult for Liu Xian to lead the remaining Han army to drive them out and attack their camp. It is precisely because of this that Liu Xian actively recruits Jin army prisoners, hoping to use this to launch a political offensive, to undermine the enemy's morale without resorting to violence, and force them to retreat.

While this may not have the immediate impact of battlefield victories, it is far more devastating because it undermines the very foundation of the Jin Dynasty. Military victories are temporary; with supporters, one can start afresh. But internal strife, even with repeated victories, will ultimately lead to defeat and destruction.

On the other hand, the Jin army's chances of winning were extremely slim, with only one hope remaining: that Tao Kan and Zhou Fang's troops could break through Yiling and then re-block Xiling Gorge, forcing the Han army to retreat due to lack of supplies.

However, according to Yang Nandi's military reports, while Zhou Fang and Tao Kan were indeed formidable opponents, and Yang Nandi and Zhang Guang had repeatedly launched coordinated attacks from both inside and outside, they had always managed to counter them and maintain the siege of Yiling. But similarly, they could not achieve an absolute advantage over Zhang and Yang's forces. They were unable to break through Zhang Guang's defenses internally, nor could they defeat Yang Nandi externally. The two sides were truly evenly matched, and determining a victor would be extremely difficult.

Even if we consider the worst-case scenario—the defeat of Yang Nandi and Zhang Guang's forces and the Jin army's successful recapture of Yiling—it doesn't necessarily guarantee the desired effect of cutting off their supplies. The Han army can still transport provisions by land, through the Wushan and Shaqu areas, via the Yi River. Although this route involves greater losses than the original supply lines, Liu Xian has already established initial control in Jingnan, enabling him to cultivate land and collect grain locally, which should be sufficient to alleviate the food shortage. Moreover, the Han army has another advantage: the Xiangnan battlefield.

After Xi Jian and Du Tao joined forces, the battle progressed very smoothly. By late November, he had already written to say that he had defeated Wang Ji's troops and then besieged them in Shian City. Once the city fell, they would march north to join the main Han army. At that time, a mobile force of 60,000 men would join the battlefield. Given the current state of the Jin army, it would be impossible for them to fight against it, and they would have no choice but to retreat.

From this perspective, as long as no new forces join the battlefield, Liu Xian can simply proceed with the cleanup in an orderly manner and win a complete victory in the Jingzhou campaign.

That afternoon, after inspecting the reorganization of the prisoners, Liu Xian returned to his room to handle official business. Not long after, a guard came to report that the newly appointed Imperial Censor Zhou Yi requested an audience.

Liu Xian was overjoyed upon hearing this, and put aside his official duties to personally go to the gate of the mansion to greet him. Zhou Yi was deeply moved by this, and said to Liu Xian, "Your Highness is of noble birth, how could I possibly deserve such a personal greeting from you?"

Liu Xian laughed and said, "Bo Ren, we are friends, why be so formal?"

Zhou Yi, however, was very principled. He said solemnly, "Your Highness, a ruler and his subject are ruler and his subject. Since I have already appointed Your Highness as my master, and our relationship is established, I must do my best and not overstep my bounds."

Seeing this, Liu Xian did not force him, but still took his hand, and the two went to the window of the study together, where they sat by the fire, drinking tea and discussing matters.

Zhou Yi's trip was primarily to compile a list of Jin Dynasty officials that Liu Xian had previously entrusted to him, detailing their current positions, statuses, and activities. This was exactly what Liu Xian needed most at the moment. After all, he had been away from the Central Plains for too long, and even when messengers inquired, they mostly reported on war and military affairs. Aside from local military commanders, it was difficult for him to ascertain the specific circumstances of other officials regarding personnel changes in the Jin Dynasty. In fact, even ordinary officials struggled to understand the situation; only a scholar like Zhou Yi, who had served as a high-ranking official in the central government and came from a prestigious family, could truly possess such comprehensive knowledge.

The list he provided to Liu Xian was quite specific. Most of them were former colleagues Liu Xian had worked with in the Eastern Palace, the Chu Prince's Mansion, and the Changsha Prince's Mansion. In addition, there were some reclusive scholars who had retired to the mountains after experiencing setbacks. They were: Jiang Tong, Wang Cui, Du Xi, Shi Chao, Ruan Fu, Shan Wei, Le Daorong, Shangguan Si, Linghu Sheng, Cheng Gongji, Guanqiu Ao, Yang Man, Liu Sui, Xun Sui, Liu Chou, Ruan Xiu...

Liu Xian saw many familiar names, and vivid faces immediately appeared before his eyes. He could almost hear their accents. Overwhelmed with emotion, he remained silent for a long time before putting down the list and asking Zhou Yi:
"Xi Nu, is Xi Nu (Shi Chao's nickname) still alive? I always thought he had died in battle after Zhang Fang attacked Hebei."

Zhou Yi said, "He didn't die, but he was indeed seriously injured. Now his left leg is damaged, and he has become a cripple. After the war, he went to Wang Yan, who gave him a sinecure as a Gentleman-in-Attendance. He was very unhappy and drowned his sorrows in alcohol every day. Since he had no power, few people went to see him."

After a moment of silence, Liu Xian pointed at Jiang Tong and asked, "What about Ying Yuan? What is he doing now? Back then, when he wrote 'On Moving the Barbarians,' the court didn't take it seriously, but now it has come true. He should be highly valued, right?"

Liu Xian had always wanted to recruit Jiang Tong, but due to the sensitive nature of his position and Jiang Tong's preference for the King of Chengdu, he had no choice but to abandon the idea.

“Ying Yuan is straightforward. He often criticizes Wang Yan’s policies in court. Wang Yan is very annoyed with him, so he appointed him as the Crown Prince’s Junior Attendant.” Zhou Yi shook his head slightly and sighed, “Ying Yuan couldn’t stand it, so he resigned and went back to his hometown to live in seclusion. If you send an envoy to invite him now, he will most likely come.”

"How are Hongyuan (Wang Cui) and his wife doing?"

“Hongyuan is currently guarding Pengcheng, defending the country against the Qi invaders. Although he is at odds with Wang Yan, he is still the son-in-law of the emperor, and Wang Yan dares not touch him.”

"..."

The snow had stopped, the sky was clear and blue, white clouds drifted lazily, distant mountains were lush and green, and the great river flowed on. Liu Xian held the list and chatted with Zhou Yi about the current situation of these old friends from Luoyang, as if his youthful days had returned to him.

Although his time in Luoyang was mostly filled with struggle and suffering, Liu Xian still remembered many beautiful memories. He still remembered his original intention: to create a haven for all people and rid everyone of their pain. It was a vow he made in his most confused moments, and now it may seem somewhat unrealistic, but even so, he still had a vibrant and beating heart.

Liu Xian thought to himself, it's time to set things right. As long as he can bring most of these people under his control, peace and stability will not be far away.

However, to his surprise, just as he was preparing to follow the clues and contact his old acquaintances one by one, an unexpected person took the initiative to contact him—Wang Dun's envoy had arrived. (End of Chapter)