Jinting Han people

The news that Wang Dun was crossing the river to support Yiling quickly reached the Han army, and for a time, there was much discussion throughout Yi'an.

The importance of Yiling is well known. After all, the first major task of the Han army's eastern expedition was to capture Yiling. However, no one expected that the battle surrounding Yiling would last so long. Nearly four months have passed since the Han army's eastern expedition began, and Yi'an has begun to restore order, but even so, the battle for Yiling continues.

According to Yang Nandi's battle report, since he recovered Yidao and went north to relieve the siege of Yiling, the Jin army and the Han army at Yiling have fought back and forth 25 times, including 4 major battles and 21 minor battles. Both sides have suffered 10,000 casualties, and the casualty rate has reached an alarming level. Even the high-ranking generals are almost all wounded.

Wen Shuo, needless to say, was wounded in his first battle with Du Zeng. He fought Du Zeng several more times afterward, with each side winning and losing. Yang Nandi's younger brother, Yang Jian, was leading troops into battle when he was also hit by three arrows. He needed to drink alcohol to relieve the pain in order to continue commanding. In addition, several mid-level generals, including Luo Yang and Zhang Jingou, were also lost.

Even Liu Lang went to the battlefield. After obtaining Yang Nandi's consent, he finally fulfilled his dream of fighting on the front lines and wrote to Liu Xian with great pride, saying that he had killed seven people and even personally beheaded a general. However, Liu Xian later learned that Liu Lang had actually tried to engage in a prolonged fight with Du Zeng, and as a result, he was no match for him and his left arm was pierced by Du Zeng, almost leaving him crippled.

Of course, the Jin army also suffered many casualties, and the Han army also killed several generals, including Shi Lan and Wang Guo, in battle. Tao Kan and Zhou Fang were also wounded, and Du Zeng, as the top general in the Jin army, was covered in wounds after repeated battles and had to temporarily refuse to fight and recuperate.

Even so, the two sides have not yet determined a winner and are still fighting at a high intensity.

Some time ago, Lu Yun received Liu Xian's imperial edict. When he came to Yi'an from Jianping to take up his post, he reported the battle situation to Liu Xian in the following way: "When I was passing Yidao by boat, I heard that Governor Yang was rushing to the aid of Yiling. Even though we were ten miles apart, I could hear his voice."

Lu Yun was a very cautious person. Because of his inability to laugh, he couldn't stop laughing once he started, so he was usually very restrained in his speech. Not only did he not laugh, but he also rarely uttered praise or exclamations. However, when he heard about the Battle of Yiling, he was also moved by it and, very unusually, praised Yang Nandi, saying, "Zhou Fang and Tao Kan were formidable enemies, but Commander Yang was able to risk his life to fight them both. He is worthy of Your Highness's respect."

Liu Xian understood this perfectly well. Although Yang Nandi had his flaws, he was undoubtedly one of the few talented commanders under his command. He and Zhang Guang were determined not to let their guard down, yet they had managed to hold out against Tao Kan and Zhou Fang's forces for so long, which showed just how formidable the Jin army was here.

With the battle escalating to this point, the Battle of Yiling had become the focal point of the Jing-Yi battlefield. Its intensity surpassed even the Battle of Yi'an, making it the most fierce battle of the Eastern Expedition.

Therefore, Wang Dun's decision to lead his troops to Jiangbei at this time undoubtedly aroused the anxiety of many people.

Because his collusion with Liu Xian to defect was still a secret, the King of Han did not inform the others, except for the dozen or so people present at the time. This led most of the generals to believe that the battle at Yiling might escalate further, so many officers submitted memorials requesting to go to Yiling or to take advantage of the weakened enemy forces to launch another general offensive.

This was a perfectly reasonable reaction, as they were unaware of the situation. However, those officials who did know the details were mostly critical of the matter. For example, veteran general He Pan distrusted Wang Dun and privately advised Liu Xian:
"Your Highness, you must not lower your guard because of the surrender offer. Do you know Zhang Te, who is guarding Hefei? This may be a delaying tactic that Wang Dun is using to emulate him!"

The so-called delaying tactic is actually to lull the enemy into a false sense of security by surrendering, while secretly taking the opportunity to regroup and restore combat strength in preparation for another battle. This is indeed a common situation on the battlefield.

During the Jianxing era of the Eastern Wu, after the Battle of Dongxing, Prime Minister Zhuge Ke launched a northern expedition against Huainan, attempting to capture Hefei's new city with an army of 200,000. He besieged the city for over ninety days and was on the verge of taking it. Just as the city was about to fall, the defending general Zhang Te sent an envoy to Zhuge Ke feigning surrender, claiming that to uphold Cao Wei military law, he hoped Zhuge Ke would halt the offensive and allow him to hold the city for one hundred days before surrendering, thus avoiding the punishment of his family. The Wu army, exhausted from the siege, readily agreed. However, Zhang Te intensified his repairs of the city's defenses during this period, and as soon as the one hundred days were up, he immediately reneged on his promise and returned to fight the Wu army to the death. Thus, Eastern Wu missed its last chance to capture Hefei.

Now, Wang Dun has contacted Liu Xian, claiming he is about to defect, but he hasn't contacted the Han army again. Instead, he's gone to Jiangbei to regroup his troops. From this perspective, it does seem like a delaying tactic to capture Yiling. Although losing Yiling wouldn't change the overall situation, it would still cause considerable trouble for the Han army, and no one wants to invite trouble.

However, Liu Xian did not share this concern, not only because he understood Wang Dun's personality, but more importantly, because he understood the atmosphere within the Jin army after the defeat.

After a series of military mismanagement errors by Wang Kuang and others, the troops under Tao Kan and Zhou Fang may not have been affected yet, but the morale of the Jin soldiers who participated in the Battle of Yi'an had deteriorated to an alarming degree. Desertion was rampant, and soldiers were acting independently. Ordinary methods of reorganizing the army and fighting again were no longer feasible; a change of commander was necessary. However, this was precisely impossible, which is why Wang Dun considered defecting.

This situation is just right. As long as we wait patiently, the fruits of victory will naturally fall. However, if we send more troops to be on guard, it would actually reveal our hostility and distrust, causing Wang Dun's troops to have unnecessary concerns and vigilance, which might force the other side to change their mind again, and that would be counterproductive.

Therefore, he told his dissenting ministers to calm down and replied, "If Cao Cao could accept Zhang Xiu, who had killed his son, why can't we be a little more patient?"

Of course, Liu Xian wouldn't do nothing. Instead, he ordered Yang Nandi to immediately cease the battle at Yiling and retreat to Yidao City for rest and reorganization. At the same time, he dispatched scouts to continuously monitor and spy on Jiangling City, in order to ascertain the various movements of Wang Dun's army and be prepared to respond at any time.

Wang Dun's army's actions were also simple. As soon as he entered Jiangling, he issued military orders, claiming that he was ordered by the imperial court to aid Yiling and, in order to ensure victory, demanded that the generals of all the troops in Jiangbei come to discuss matters overnight. In an instant, troops from all over Jiangbei flocked to the city. Xiangyang, Anlu, Xiakou, Shicheng, Shishou... not only the various military strongholds in Jiangbei, but even every prefecture and county had to send officials to participate.

This action further provoked the Han army in Yi'an. Judging from the commotion in Jiangling, it was clear that a general mobilization was underway in the Jianghan region to launch a second decisive battle against the Han army. Therefore, many people once again advised Liu Xian to launch a general offensive against the Jin army camp twenty miles away before the Jingzhou army could make a move.

But Liu Xian remained unmoved. He used the battle report from Xiangnan to reassure his generals, saying, "This news came the day before yesterday. Xi Qing and Du Xiangzhou have successfully captured Shian City and taken Jin generals Xun Tiao and Wang Ji prisoner. After a short rest, they will soon head north to join us. At that time, our army will surely win. Why rush things now?"

Once this news was released, all the generals breathed a sigh of relief, then cheered and jumped for joy, and the discussions about going into battle disappeared.

The battle of Xiangzhou is finally over! It should be noted that the Han army's hasty eastern expedition was in response to Du Tao's uprising. Yet, after so many battles, the two armies haven't even clashed. Many are privately criticizing Du Tao, saying he's either incompetent or trying to consolidate his power and observe the situation from Xiangzhou. Otherwise, how could the Guangzhou army, with at most 30,000 to 40,000 troops, have held off the Xiangzhou army for so long?
But now, all that is in the past. Sixty thousand fresh troops are about to march north to join the battle, and the Han army has already secured victory. No matter what the Jin army does, the Han army has already established a foothold in Jingnan and cannot be driven out. However, what the generals don't know is that the King of Han has only revealed half the information.

In his military report, Xi Jian stated that during their rest period, they inquired about the military situation in Guangzhou and unexpectedly discovered traces of Zhang Fang's army's activities there. Some time ago, Zhang Fang appeared to have been resting in Guilin, absorbing many displaced people and restoring his army to its former size of ten thousand. While the Xiangzhou army clashed with the Guangzhou army, Zhang Fang secretly attacked and seized territory in Guangzhou, further strengthening his forces. Therefore, to eliminate any future threat, Xi Jian informed the Prince of Han that he planned to lead his army deep into Guangzhou to completely annihilate Zhang Fang's forces before heading north.

Upon hearing Zhang Fang's name again, Liu Xian couldn't help but feel somewhat surprised. This man was truly like a weed, constantly growing back after being cut down; he had survived so many defeats. Liu Xian naturally admired Xi Jian's decision to pursue and eliminate him, but at the same time, he felt a tinge of worry. No matter how weak Zhang Fang's forces were, he was still one of the most renowned generals in the land, possessing the ability to turn the impossible into reality. Victory would be fine, but defeat would also have unpredictable consequences.

But as the saying goes, "A general in the field may disobey orders." Since Xi Jian had made his decision, he must have his reasons. Liu Xian was powerless to stop him and could only choose to trust him. He then temporarily concealed the matter and awaited the final outcome.

Five more days passed in the blink of an eye. Not only was there still no news from Jiangling City, but it was also under martial law. The Han army was baffled by the changes. Suddenly, on the morning of the sixth day, the Jingzhou army opened the city gates and marched in a grand procession towards Yiling. Upon hearing this news, even Liu Xian was surprised. What did Wang Dun mean by this? Had he really changed his mind at the last minute?

Wang Dun, of course, did not change his mind. Within ten days, under the pretext of discussing military secrets, he had already rounded up all the officials of Jingzhou, including He Song and Liu Pan, and then sent his trusted generals, such as Shen Chong, to take over key military locations. But his most important target was not them, but the Jin army at Yiling.

At this moment, he led his troops westward, summoning Tao Kan, Zhou Fang, and others to a meeting in the name of the imperial court. Due to the information blockade, the Jin army in Yiling was also delighted. Tao Kan, unaware of Wang Dun's secret actions, only thought that the commander-in-chief recognized the importance of Yiling and had voluntarily requested reinforcements. Thus, they arrived without any precautions, riding swiftly to meet him. However, as soon as they entered the camp gate, they were immediately seized by Wang Dun's guards. Several men bound them tightly with ropes and escorted them before Wang Dun like dumplings.

While the two men were still in a daze, Wang Dun revealed his true intentions, demanding that they order their troops to lay down their weapons and surrender to the Han army in Yiling City. Tao and Zhou then realized that Wang Dun had switched sides!

Zhou Fang immediately launched into a tirade against Wang Dun, saying, "You petty thief, how could I be like you lowly merchants, unaware of the meaning of shame?"

These words struck a nerve with Wang Dun, who flew into a rage and immediately ordered Zhou Fang to be taken out and beheaded. Fortunately, Tao Kan and Zhou Fang were related by marriage, and Tao Kan, being more pragmatic, immediately pleaded for Zhou Fang, saying, "My lord, although Shida is dull-witted, he has always shared weal and woe with the soldiers and has a great reputation in the army. If you were to behead him, I fear it would cause resentment in the army. Please bear with it, and I will write the execution in his stead."

These words made Wang Dun somewhat hesitant. After careful consideration, he agreed to Tao Kan's request, sparing Zhou Fang's life and imprisoning him in a cage. Tao Kan then sent letters to the various units of the Jiangzhou army, ordering them to raise white banners, remove their armor and weapons, and surrender to Zhang Guang's troops at the city of Yiling.

At the same time, Wang Dun ordered all cities in the Jiangling and Huarong areas to be re-flyed with Han army banners. He also sent envoys to the Jin army camp to formally declare his defection from the Jin Dynasty and his allegiance to the Han Dynasty.

Upon hearing the news, Wang Kuang and his men were greatly alarmed. The battlefield situation had changed dramatically in an instant, so much so that they no longer had the thought of cursing Wang Dun. The first and only thought that came to their minds was to retreat as quickly as possible. Thus, within a mere half an hour, the Jin army camp was completely emptied, leaving not a single person behind.

The Jin army was able to move so quickly because they abandoned all their baggage and provisions and rushed out of the camp to the east. Along the way, the soldiers were extremely tense, suspecting that there were ambushes ahead and pursuers behind. As a result, they only encountered the cry of a water bird once, and their morale collapsed, leading to a huge rout. The various units lost their order and scattered in all directions, with thousands trampled to death.

However, it must be said that, under the fear of death, the surviving Jin army indeed unleashed unprecedented potential. The speed of their retreat astonished even the Han scouts. In just one day and night, the routed Jin soldiers, relying solely on their own two feet, ran nearly three hundred li (approximately 150 kilometers) to reach the northern mouth of Dongting Lake. Then they boarded boats and headed east, continuing their journey without stopping, leaving Jingzhou like flowing water.

By this time, of the 200,000 troops that the Jin Dynasty had painstakingly assembled, only about 80,000 remained.

This happened on the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month in the third year of the Qiming era of the Han Dynasty. The following day, the 29th, with the end of the year approaching, Wang Dun led an army of 30,000 across the Yangtze River to Yi'an once again. The city of Yi'an was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and the people brought food and drink to celebrate at the north of the horse-head city.

When the Jingzhou army landed, the dock was already packed with people, and the air was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums. Everywhere was filled with laughter and joy, and the city was ablaze with lights and revelry. Everyone present, whether from the Jingzhou or Yizhou armies, was infected by the atmosphere. While crossing the river, the Jingzhou soldiers had shown some hesitation and unease, but as they were escorted by the people to the city walls, all their concerns vanished.

Liu Xian was dressed in simple yet capable military attire, with a sable fur hat and a crane-feather cloak. Seeing Wang Dun arrive from afar, he led the civil and military officials of Shu Han to greet him. Upon seeing this, Wang Dun immediately knelt and performed the grand ceremony of ruler and subject. Liu Xian quickly helped him up, smiling, "There's no need to mention anything from these past few years. We can still be as we were twenty years ago."

Wang Dun sighed, "How can they be the same? Victory is victory, and defeat is defeat. Since Your Highness has achieved such a great victory, I naturally concede defeat."

"I don't think so. I wasn't the one who won the great victory..." Liu Xian shook his head and said, "It should be said that it was someone else."

"Someone else?" Wang Dun asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yes, after today, the people of the South who longed to be free from the ravages of war will be victorious. This is the will of the people and the inevitable trend of the times!"

At this point, Liu Xian's gaze swept around, and Wang Dun followed suit; they were surrounded by an ocean of joy and celebration. Countless smiling faces and laughter filled the air, a truly intoxicating sight.

Liu Xian said no more. He took Wang Dun's hand and led him to the prepared carriage. In the long procession, the eight magnificent horses pulling the carriage were dazzlingly decorated; their bells jingled as they walked, and children lit firecrackers nearby, creating a crackling sound. Then Liu Xian ordered a general amnesty and the lifting of the seven-day lockdown, to the delight of the people. Even decades later, the fervor of that scene remained vivid in the memories of all who experienced it. (End of Chapter)