Jinting Han people

The so-called "what is false is made real, and what is real is made false" means that while Liu Lang and Du Zeng were leading their troops to secretly cross the Huainan Commandery, the Shouchun court was nervously watching the battle at Shicheng.

Previously, to prevent the Han army from advancing further east, Wang Kuang, after discussing with Wang Yan, set up three lines of defense along both banks of the Yangtze River. The first line of defense consisted of Shicheng on the south bank and Xunyang on the north bank, defended by Zhao You and Ying Zhan respectively, each with 15,000 men. Next, Sima Rui, the Prince of Langya, led 30,000 troops to Wuhu to oversee the battle, serving as the second line of defense protecting the three Wu regions. Finally, Wang Kuang personally led 20,000 troops, stationed in Hefei, as the lifeline protecting the safety of Shouchun.

Despite the elaborate setup, everyone knew perfectly well that the defenses were just for show. Morale had already crumbled. Although no concrete information had yet been revealed about the contact between the powerful clans of Jiangdong and Liu Xian, the Jin court could sense something amiss and became wary. This arrangement, rather than being a way to wear down the Han army with layers of defense, was actually a way to keep watch in case of any unforeseen events, as they dared not use any other personnel.

What everyone hoped for was that Ying Zhan and Zhao You could turn the tide, using their remaining troops to hold off the Han army outside Yangzhou, winning a minor victory to force them to retreat. This might even win back popular support and preserve the Jin dynasty. But could this succeed? And what could they do but not resist? They couldn't simply surrender. No matter how lenient Liu Xian's policies were, no one wanted to place their life in the hands of another. Cao Shuang had set a precedent; the Wang clan couldn't afford to gamble. So they could only hope for divine mercy, that perhaps a sudden, unseasonable east wind would bring them a great victory at the Battle of Red Cliffs.

Zhao You and his men indeed displayed great resilience at Shicheng. Even after suffering a major defeat, they fought desperately, holding the city walls for ten days. They discovered that the Han army's offensive was not as fierce as they had imagined; all their attacks were repelled by the Jin army, and they inflicted considerable casualties. The Han army's offensive on Xunyang was similar. Although warships crisscrossed the river, banners obscured the water, and drums and gongs resounded, news from within the city had been cut off, and it seemed that a fierce battle was raging, there was no sign of the city falling.

This gave the Jin army in the rear some hope. Wang Yan and Wang Kuang were exchanging letters, considering whether to send reinforcements to Shicheng and Xunyang, but were also worried about the lack of manpower.

During this period, Wang Cheng discussed with Wang Yan whether they should send envoys to Qi and Han to seek assistance. After all, while Qi and Han harbored considerable hatred towards most scholars, they were relatively friendly towards the scholars of Qing and Xu provinces. Previously, the Chen family of Linhuai, one of the eight founding noble families, had been spared by Qi and Han and subsequently recruited into official positions. Now, the Wang family of Langya was also a prominent family in Qing and Xu, perhaps even the most prominent. Could they gain some favor and support from Qi and Han in return?
The saying goes, "If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold." While Qi and Han currently wield considerable power, spanning eight provinces, their strength is hollow. Internal factions are intricate and complex, with numerous displaced leaders, making their foundations far less solid than Shu Han's. Furthermore, if Liu Xian were to seize Huainan and Yangzhou, the manpower and resources required would inevitably far exceed those of Qi and Han. Although the Jin court and Qi and Han are equally locked in a life-or-death struggle, this conflict can be used to pressure Qi and Han into sending reinforcements, allowing Jin to survive in this precarious position.

Upon hearing this, Wang Yan was naturally very tempted, but since the two countries were enemies, they could not openly communicate. So he secretly sent his nephew Wang Xia to contact Qi and Han, and soon received a reply. Liu Baigen's meaning was clear: he could lend troops, on the condition that the Imperial Seal of the State be handed over.

Wang Yan naturally refused. As the saying goes, words are meaningless; who knows if handing over the Imperial Seal would actually secure troops? And if news of the lost Imperial Seal were to leak out, internal chaos would likely erupt before the outcome of the external battle even materialized; the risks and rewards were not equal. Therefore, Wang Yan demanded that Liu Baigen send troops first. Liu Baigen, however, suspected Wang Yan was merely making empty promises and trying to seize his forces, so he refused. Thus, the two sides reached a stalemate.

It was at this moment that Liu Lang and Du Zeng's cavalry suddenly crossed the Bi River.

The crossing point was carefully chosen. Several miles east of Songzi County lay a grove of trees called Xue Liu Bu, filled with willows like clouds. The Han army had already prepared ferry boats, concealing them within the grove. The crossing was scheduled for the morning, when the river was shrouded in mist, perfect for a surprise attack. Meanwhile, on the east bank of the Bi River, Ma Jun's troops were waiting for them.

On the night before crossing the river, Du Zeng reviewed the prepared plan with Liu Lang. Each boat could only carry about two hundred people, plus their mounts, making a hundred cavalrymen at a time. The crossing was expected to take more than an hour. After crossing the Bi River, they would be facing the Jin army's Yangquan City, but there was no need to take it. Time was of the essence, and they had to immediately head to Shouchun City to prevent Wang Yan and his men from escaping.

"What if the garrison in Yangquan discovers our army and comes out of the city to fight?" Liu Lang asked.

“Then let’s eat it.” Du Zeng replied succinctly, “Your Highness, since someone is looking for death, we might as well grant their wish.”

Du Zeng spoke with such certainty that Liu Lang felt less worried. He thought to himself, "That's right. My mission is to capture Wang Yan alive. If I don't have the courage to do it, what am I doing here?" He thought about his father's battle achievements, both those he had seen and those he hadn't, and a sense of pride and ambition rose in his heart. Gradually, he calmed down and fell asleep amidst a chorus of snores.

At dawn the following day, rations were distributed to the entire army. According to pre-battle estimates, the army would have enough rations and horse feed for seven days, carried by horses, to avoid needing resupply. Upon reaching Shouchun, a famous ancient city in Huainan with a bustling market, they could requisition supplies locally, allowing them to hold out for a few more days, roughly for half a month in total. If He Pan's army did not arrive after half a month, the mission would naturally fail, but that would not be their responsibility.

Just as dawn was breaking, Liu Lang and his men arrived at the riverbank. Du Zeng pushed dozens of small boats from the forest into the river. Then, the first group of soldiers, led by Su Wen, had already rowed across the river to the east bank. The boatmen then rowed the boats back. Each boat could only carry three people and two or three horses. This was far too much for the soldiers who were used to traveling on large rivers and ships. So someone came up with a solution: five people would sit in each boat, and everyone would use the reins to lead the horses, allowing them to float across the river.

However, this method of crossing the river was still slow. Some soldiers who were good swimmers simply took off their clothes and hats, threw their clothes and equipment onto the boat, and swam across the river with their mounts. However, at this time of year, the Huai River was much colder than the Yangtze River. After the group swam ashore, the autumn wind made them shiver with cold.

The armored cavalry who accompanied Liu Lang were mostly descendants of meritorious officials like Lai Ping and Ju Tan. Trusted and reliable, they were incorporated into Liu Lang's inner circle as his personal guards, with the intention of achieving great deeds together. At this moment, they were among the crowd swimming across the river. Liu Lang later crossed by boat and reprimanded them, saying, "How could you leave the group so easily? We agreed beforehand to cross by boat, so follow orders. If you don't obey, how can others?"

Lai Ping and the others were somewhat embarrassed and immediately apologized to the young master. At this moment, Liu Lang observed his surroundings. The morning mist was thick, and all was quiet; it seemed no one had noticed them crossing the river. However, Liu Lang was still a little uneasy. After all, his father had taught him countless times that there was no such thing as a foolproof battle, and one must always be cautious.

Halfway across the river, a group of soldiers approached from the north, startling Liu Lang. This was precisely the opportune moment to ambush the enemy while they were halfway across, and the Han army was currently disorganized; an attack would be disastrous. Liu Lang immediately sent men to investigate, only to discover it was a misunderstanding—it wasn't the enemy, but rather envoys from Ma Jun's forces.

Ma Jun sent a messenger to inform Du Zeng that there were still two thousand garrison troops inside Yangquan City, seemingly led by Pei Shao, the Eastern General of the Central Army. They were holding their ground within the city, wary of Ma Jun, but not in the way one might be wary of the Han army. Rather, they believed the bandits might enter the city to loot, and therefore refused them entry, hoping to buy some peace with money and provisions. This was good news. Upon hearing this, Du Zeng ordered Ma Jun to closely monitor Pei Shao's movements and to immediately signal if he sensed something amiss and left the city. Similarly, once the Han army crossed the river, Ma Jun's troops were to quickly join them.

The crossing took longer than expected, almost two hours, before the Han army had completely crossed the river. By then, the sun was shining brightly and the fog had mostly dissipated. However, Liu Lang's luck on his first expedition was quite good, or perhaps the rumors of rampant bandits were too convincing. Throughout the entire process, not only did no Jin soldiers notice anything amiss, but even the surrounding villagers fled, and no one came to join the commotion.

So after crossing the river, the Han army rested here for a while, had a meal, and then officially set off.

Before setting off, Du ordered his men to light gunpowder along the riverbank, which served as the signal for assembly. Ma Jun's main force was only ten miles away and easily spotted the signal. Then, a group of men whistled and sped away from the riverbank like a gust of wind to pursue the vanguard.

The two armies quickly met at Luohu Lake and then began a rapid cavalry charge towards Shouchun. To conserve horsepower, the riders changed horses every twenty li (approximately 10 kilometers).

Heading east from Luohu, there are actually quite a few Jin army fortresses along the way. It turns out that ever since Shi Bing attacked Huainan, Liu Ji and Chen Min had built fortresses here, distributed in a deep network, to hinder the enemy—to hold the city when besieged, and to cut off their supply lines and retreat if they bypassed it. This was based on the same considerations as Zu Ti's approach in Luoyang, and it was precisely because of these fortresses that Wang Yan conceived the idea of ​​moving the capital to Shouchun.

Unlike Luoyang, the Huainan Plain lacks natural defenses like the Mangshan or Funiu Mountains. It's difficult to find a strategic location that would deter any advance without a decisive attack. Moreover, the Han army, consisting primarily of light cavalry, would only appear to be wasting their resources by swiftly passing through. After all, the Han army didn't need a direct assault; they would bypass any fortifications they encountered. Their destination was singular—Shouchun.

Shouchun is only eighty li away from Bishui in a straight line. The terrain is flat and there are no waterways to block it. For the Han army, which is known for its fast horses, it is just a short distance away. In just over half an hour, they whipped their horses and arrived at the city of Shouchun. Their speed and sudden appearance completely exceeded everyone's expectations.

The market outside Shouchun City was still quite lively at this time, as it was the transition from autumn to winter, the peak season for trade. Perhaps it was because the scholars had brought the leisurely customs of Luoyang to Shouchun. Boats, cattle, horses, farmers, merchants, and slaves were everywhere outside the city, coming and going in an endless stream. Suddenly, amidst the hustle and bustle, they saw billowing dust on the official road, and the hooves of nearly ten thousand fast horses pounding the ground with a thunderous, deafening sound.

When the cavalry emerged from the dust, their astonishment turned to horror. Before anyone could shout, the sheer force of the thousands of horses forced people to automatically make way for the Han army, watching as they rode away before their eyes, heading straight for the Feishui ferry crossing east of Shouchun.

Just as Wang Yan received the news, Du Zeng and his men had already forcibly requisitioned all the boats at the Shouchun ferry crossing and scuttled them all, sinking them to the bottom of the river. Wang Yan wanted to investigate, but the city gates of Shouchun were already blocked by refugees from all directions. Everyone knew that war had broken out and assumed that the Qi and Han armies from the north had arrived. So, they pushed and shoved each other in front of the city gates, fearing they would be left outside. For a time, there was a cacophony of voices and the braying of horses and donkeys.

Upon hearing the news, Wang Yan was greatly alarmed. He led Wang Xuan and more than ten guards upstairs to see the situation. They saw that the city walls and surrounding areas were filled with people in complete chaos. Looking eastward to the riverbank, under the bright sunlight, flames were raging at the ferry crossing, and smoke rose straight into the sky. Among the smoke, one could vaguely see many people and horses moving about.

The bright sunlight dazzled him for a long time before he finally yelled at Wang Xuan, "What is Pei Miao of Xia Cai doing! So many people have crossed the river, and there's not even a word from him!" Until this moment, he thought that Qi and Han from the north had secretly crossed the river to attack, trying to take the opportunity to demand the emperor and the imperial seal.

Thinking of this, he quickly ordered the city gates closed, and then sent his general Qian Duan down the city wall in a bamboo basket to negotiate with the Han army. Qian Duan assumed the Qi and Han armies were a bunch of country bumpkins, and as an envoy of the court, he couldn't lose face. So he straightened his clothes, slowly approached the Han army, and said to them in a haughty tone, "I am Qian Duan, the Northern General of the Great Jin Dynasty. Who is your commander? I have something to say to him."

When Qian Duan met Liu Lang, he was taken aback. He thought to himself, "I've never heard of such a young general among the Qi people." But after sizing him up for a moment, he mustered his courage and asked, "Who are you? What position do you hold in Daxing?"

Seeing Liu Lang smile without speaking, he took it as tacit agreement and continued, "Aren't the two countries still negotiating? How can your army break the agreement and march south without authorization? Are you trying to put pressure on us? The Grand Commandant sent me to tell you to retreat immediately! If you retreat, there is still room for negotiation! If you push the court too far, the Grand Commandant will lead his troops south to the Jianghan Plain and hand over the imperial seal to Liu Xian. Then you will regret it too late!"

Du Zeng, listening nearby, couldn't help but exchange a glance and burst into laughter with Liu Lang. Indeed, it wasn't just Qian Duan and Wang Yan; the entire population of Shouchun felt the same way. They never dreamed that the Shu Han army, thousands of miles away from Shouchun, would be willing to risk a flanking attack by the Qi-Han army to launch a surprise attack, inserting a force between Shouchun and Daxing. Failure, or even the slightest mishap, would mean certain death. One could even say that this Han army surprise attack was comparable to Deng Ai's attack on Yinping, though less dangerous, its ingenuity was far superior.

Liu Lang smiled and replied to Qian Duan, "Please go back and tell Grand Commandant Wang that since we are going to deliver the imperial seal, there is no need to trouble you all to go to Jianghan. My father sent me from afar to avoid any trouble for you."

Only then did the people of Shouchun realize that the attackers were under Liu Xian's command, and the entire city was thrown into shock. (End of Chapter)