A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 365 Shannan Military Governor

"Shannan is located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, connecting Sichuan and Chongqing in the upper reaches and the southeast in the lower reaches, occupying a pivotal position."

In the Taiji Palace,

Li Yi came to bid farewell to the emperor, and Li Yuan pulled him to stand on the huge sheepskin map spread out in the hall. "After the founding of the Tang Dynasty, I successively sent Li Yuan, Li Xiaogong, Zheng Yuanzhu, Ma Yuangui and others to manage the southern part of the mountains."

However, they have not been able to stabilize Shannan to this day. Dengzhou was captured twice by Zhu Can, and now Wang Shichong has taken advantage of the situation to invade.

With Xiao Xian in Jingxiang, Wang Honglie in Dengxiang, Yang Shilin in Handong, and Wang Shichong in Luoyang, the pressure from all sides, coupled with Zhu Can's previous looting, left Xiangyang and Dengxiang in ruins.

Whether we aim to eliminate Xiao Xian or Wang Shichong, Xiangyang and Dengzhou are places our Great Tang must capture first.

"Now that our Great Tang Dynasty has the Bashu region, as long as we take Jingxiang and gain an advantage in the upper reaches, we can pacify the Jianghuai and Lingnan regions in turn."

Fortunately, the Tang Dynasty did not come away empty-handed in these years. Although it failed to achieve Li Yuan's expected strategic goals, it did manage to control the Three Gorges and take control of the middle and upper reaches of the Han River.

Even if Xiangyang and Dengzhou are lost again, the imperial court still holds a significant advantage as long as it controls the upstream areas.

Especially within the territory of Shannan, the strategic significance of the Han River is no less than that of the Yangtze River.

Historically, the key to the rapid success of wars in the south lies in the advantage of waterway transportation. The biggest problem in wars in the north is the difficulty in transporting food and supplies. With limited transport capacity, such as carts and horses, the consumption of supplies is enormous.

It can be transported by boat using the river network, which is not only fast but also consumes less resources.

They can quickly penetrate and break through battle lines stretching over thousands of miles, and there is no need to worry about supplies.

Li Yuan pointed to the Han River and Xiangdeng Mountains at his feet, saying, "The Han River valley has been a crucial passage for north-south trade throughout history, and its core hub is the Nanyang region. From here, one can enter from all sides and launch attacks from all sides."

Following the main channel of the Han River downstream, one can reach the Jianghan Plain from Xiangyang through the low-lying valleys between the Dahong Mountains and the Jing Mountains, and then enter the Yangtze River.

Traveling westward along the Han River leads to Hanzhong, and then directly to southeastern Gansu. The Dan River, a tributary of the Han River, cuts through the Qinling Mountains, serving as a passage between Guanzhong and Nanyang. Wuguan, one of the four strategic passes of Guanzhong, is located on this passage.

Following the tributaries such as Xichuan upstream and crossing the Funiu Mountains, one can enter the Yiluo River Valley.

Other tributaries, such as the Tang River and the Bai River, extend into the heart of Henan.

Therefore, the Nanyang Basin provides access to any location between Guanzhong, Hanzhong, the Central Plains, and Jingzhou. Controlling the Nanyang Basin allows for easy expansion in all directions.

Standing on this huge map, Li Yi listened to the emperor's explanation and could clearly feel the importance of the Nanyang Basin. No wonder the emperor immediately organized a counterattack after the fall of Dengxiang, even launching it earlier than Li Shimin's main force in his eastern expedition to Luoyang.

This place is extremely important.

Over the past three years, Li Yuan has dispatched several groups of high-ranking officials to fight in the Nanyang Basin, but he has been unable to stabilize the region.

Li Yuan and Li Xiaogong both failed here, and Ma Yuangui and Lü Zizang died here.

Although Zheng Yuanzhu twice sent troops to Shannan, he only managed to maintain the situation.

Now, the emperor has high hopes for Li Yi.

"What else do you need to attack Nanyang? If you need soldiers, I can squeeze out some more for you."

"Your Majesty, the quality of an army is more important than its quantity. Thirty thousand soldiers are sufficient. Too many soldiers will only make logistics difficult. The southern part of the mountains has already been destroyed, so it will be difficult to resupply locally."

Your Majesty has only one request: to establish a field hospital. I humbly request that Your Majesty transfer physicians and pharmacists from the Imperial Pharmacy, Imperial Food Bureau, and Imperial Medical Bureau of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to accompany the army, and also allocate some medicinal herbs, especially those for preventing heatstroke.

"Yes," Li Yuan readily agreed, and immediately issued an imperial edict to dispatch physicians, pharmacists, and medicines.

When the Tang army went on campaigns, medicine was always a major problem. In this era, there were few pharmacists in society, medicinal materials were expensive, and there were very few doctors in the army. There might be only a few doctors in a camp with 10,000 or 20,000 people.

Having fought several battles, Li Yi understood this point deeply. This time, leading troops again, he planned to prepare in advance, not only borrowing imperial physicians from the emperor but also recruiting doctors from the common people.

He even plans to select a group of doctors, pharmacists, and apprentices from his own Qianjin Medical Clinic and the Wuji Pharmacy he learned from to join the army and establish a relatively complete military hospital.

···
June 1st

Li Yi swore an oath at the general's camp before setting off on his campaign, leading 10,000 soldiers from the Southern Army Headquarters in Guanzhong and 2,500 imperial guards.

In addition, there were four hundred cavalrymen from the Eastern Palace and the Qin Prince's Mansion.

Li Yi brought 108 soldiers from the Qu family, each riding two horses. Liu Heizi, Luo Wu, and the other ten were also summoned. After resting at home for a few months, they found themselves longing for military life.

Of course, they missed the days when they followed Li Yi to achieve merit and quickly rose through the ranks to make a fortune. After all, they could at least get a few grains of food from the soil. Although they now each owned several hundred acres of land and had tenant farmers and slaves, they were still just small landowners.

Upon hearing that Li Yi was in charge of the expedition, they all rode to Chang'an without Li Yi even having to call them, insisting on joining the campaign. They even brought their sons and retainers with them.

Da Fu then brought his younger brother Da Gui along.

Since Liu Heizi had no clansmen, he brought along five slaves and tenant farmers.

Luo Wu also brought along two cousins ​​and three slaves.

They say they want to serve the country, but what they really want is to make more contributions on the battlefield, or even to plunder more and get a bigger share of the spoils.

This was a common practice for soldiers going on campaign. Which officer didn't bring his sons and entourage? Even ordinary soldiers would usually bring their sons and entourage if it was an easy battle.

The two princes, Li Boyi and Li Fengci, each led three hundred mounted retainers. Once their camps were equipped with armor and crossbows, they were considered cavalry.

Although Li Xiaogong, Li Wenxiang, and Guo Xiaoke looked somewhat like stray dogs, they each led fifty riders on this expedition.

Li Daliang and Li Hongjie only brought two families of servants with them.

Logically speaking, Li Daliang's great-grandfather was a minister, his grandfather was a prefect, and his father was the governor of Shuozhou. His family was undoubtedly a powerful military aristocratic family in the Guanzhong Plain, yet he was very simple and honest.

It is said that he was not only incorruptible as an official, but he even sold his own horse to buy seeds for the people. He also used all his salary to help relatives and poor neighbors, making him an eccentric.

Banners fluttering,

Li Yi inspected the three armed forces.

The regular force consists of 12,500 combat soldiers.

In reality, the sons of officers, their retainers, and the sons of soldiers who volunteered for the campaign, plus the four hundred elite cavalry assigned by the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin's residence,
He also added 1,200 cavalrymen and about 6,000 volunteer youths to his command.

In particular, when the emperor led the imperial guards, each of them brought at least one of their sons or retainers with them on the expedition.

Li Yi had nearly 20,000 men under his command.

It's very hot.

But morale was high. Behind Li Yi stood six imperial banners bestowed by the emperor, along with several other official flags bearing various titles.

"Hold the imperial staff!"

"The Pacification Commissioner of Shannan Circuit!"

"Inspector of the Xianzhou Circuit, Minister of the Imperial Secretariat".

"Left Vice Minister of the Yizhou Circuit!"

"Commander-in-Chief of the Han River Road Army!"

"Inspect the Chief Administrator of Dengzhou!"

"Allow them to act expediently!"

"Special authorization to bestow titles and honors!"

"Shangzhu Kingdom!"

"General of the Garrison!"

"The Duke of Jin!"

"Right Grand Master of the Palace!"

"General Canqi!"

"A thousand households will be granted food security!"

"plum!"

······
Each of those red flags, with its gold-embroidered characters, signifies the extraordinary status of this young head coach.

Li Yi rode slowly past the army.

At this moment, 20,000 soldiers were lined up in formation. The central army was in front of the command platform, flanked by the left and right wings, followed by the front and rear armies, and then the left and right guards.

Twenty thousand people lined up for a full five miles.

The soldiers donned their armor and carried their weapons.
A gentle morning breeze swept by, the rising sun shone brightly, and the gleaming armor reflected the sunlight.

Armor gleams in the sun, golden scales unfold!

Li Yi drew his sword.
"Wan Sheng!"

The captains at the front, rifles in hand, roared in response, "Victory!"

The soldiers in the ranks behind them also followed suit, shouting loudly.

"May you be victorious,"

"Wan Sheng!"

Countless voices converged, their sound shaking the heavens.

Then the angel rode up on horseback.

"The Emperor bestowed upon General Li two banners and two insignia, the banners for exclusive rewards and the insignia for exclusive executions. When he goes out, he will raise the insignia and erect the six flags!"

"All officers below the fifth rank may be executed first and reported later!"

The imperial banners and ceremonial staffs consisted of eight items: two gate flags, one dragon and tiger banner, one staff, two spears, and two leopard tails. The staff was made of gold and copper leaves, and the flags were made of nine strips of red silk, each adorned with a gilded copper dragon head shaped like a wooden plate.

The emperor bestowed upon Li Yi two banners and two insignia to emphasize his great power as a military governor.

The emperor had high expectations for Li Yi's expedition. If he could quickly gain an advantage, it would greatly help Li Shimin's main attack on Luoyang and eliminate any worries about his rear.

They could even join forces with Xiao Gong to attack Jiangling from behind and eliminate Xiao Xian.

Eliminate the enemy right next to your bed.

Therefore, Li Yi was not only the Commander-in-Chief of the Han River Road Army this time, but he was also given the title of Pacification Commissioner of Shannan and the Acting Minister of the Xianzhou Road Administration, and could temporarily command the military affairs of the six general administrations and thirty-five prefectures in the east of the Han River.

He also served as the governor of Dengzhou, directly overseeing the seven prefectures of Nanyang.

They were also given double banners and double insignia, and were allowed to act at their own discretion and to appoint and confer titles. They could not only execute those who disobeyed orders first and report later, but also directly appoint, dismiss, and confer local official positions.

This already grants the highest level of access.

During the war, Li Yi had the final say.

In the Tang Dynasty, governors were typically granted the title of "Imperial Insignia," and general administrators were typically granted the title of "Envoy with Imperial Insignia." However, in practice, the conferment of these titles was generally more cautious, with only the official rank being added.

For Li Yi to be granted a complete set of banners by the emperor before his expedition, including double banners and double scepters, was quite rare, further highlighting the emperor's high regard for him.

Li Yi stepped forward to receive the imperial decree and express his gratitude.
The double banners and double scepters were displayed in a grand manner, and Li Yi's radiance immediately shone brighter as the magnificent set of banners and scepters were unfurled under the six banners.

"set off!"

Li Yi held the jade-hilted sword bestowed upon him by the emperor, pointing eastward.

Amid the drumbeats,
The army set off in sequence, with the vanguard leading the way, light cavalry scouts going out twenty li ahead to scout, followed by the left flank, left wing, central army, right wing, right flank, and rear army.

A marching column of 20,000 men stretched for twenty miles.
Traveling along the Lanwu Road, one can first reach Lantian via the imperial road, then cross the Lanqiao, Lanling, and Lantian Pass to enter Shangzhou. Following the Dan River downstream, one can exit through Wuguan Pass and proceed by both land and water, enabling the transport of troops and supplies by boat.

Upon reaching Xichuan, which later became the Danjiangkou Reservoir, one exits the continuous and treacherous mountainous region. To the east lies the Nanyang Basin, from where the river flows into the Han River, reaching directly to Xiangyang.

The journey from Chang'an to Wuguan is four hundred li.

From Wuguan to Nanyang, it's 450 li.
The distance from Wuguan to Xiangyang is 600 li.

Wuguan Pass is 620 li away from Biyang in Xianzhou.

There is only one road, Lanwu Road, from Chang'an to Wuguan. However, after leaving Wuguan, there are two routes. One is to continue down the Dan River, and the other is to go through Shangluo, Xixia Neixiang, and Xincheng after leaving Wuguan, and continue east to Nanyang, or south to Rangxian in Dengzhou.

The good news is that although Xiangyang and Dengzhou have both fallen to Wang Shichong, Xizhou, located east of Nanyang, and Junzhou, upstream of Xiangyang, are still under the control of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Yi doesn't need to worry about being trapped in the Shangluo Mountains and unable to get out.

(End of this chapter)