Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 277 Political Mind, Hero of Jiangzuo

The decision by generals Zhou Fang and Sun Huan to abandon Zigui was undoubtedly wise.

The Han army demonstrated to the Wu army in Zigui what "speed is of the essence" truly meant.

Unlike Wuxian, Zigui is located south of the Yangtze River.

Before the Wu army in the city could react, the north gate of the city had already been captured by Liao Shi, who was flying Sun Kai's banner, and the Han general Fu Qian and Liu Yin's troops who arrived by boat.

The Lu Gate in the east of the city was also attacked at almost the same time.

Official temple within Zigui city.

The two generals Kuai Xi and Zhang Jian, who were left behind, were drinking with their subordinate generals, captains, and military commanders, complaining that it was completely unnecessary for Zhou Fang and Sun Huan to go out of the city to consolidate the defenses. With Wuxian Jiangguan in front of them, the Shu people had no chance of reaching Zigui.

The sudden commotion startled the Wu generals at the official post, who threw down their cups and stood up abruptly.

"What's going on?!" Kuai Xi listened intently, his expression changing drastically.

Zhang Jian strode to the gate of the official temple and saw that there were already flashes of fire in the north of the city, and the surrounding area was bustling with noise and chaos.

"What happened?!" Kuai Xi grabbed a civilian who was running around in confusion and asked angrily.

The commoner naturally didn't know how to answer, since he had only seen everyone around him fleeing, so he followed suit.

After throwing the man away, a short while later, a military officer covered in blood came crawling over.

"General Kuai! Something terrible has happened! The Shu people... the Shu people are impersonating our army and have seized the water gate and the dock. The north and east gates have been lost, and nearly a thousand Shu people have already entered the city!"

"What?!" The Wu general named Kuai Xi was both shocked and angry, followed by endless fear and despair.

"What...what exactly is going on?"

"Zhou Zhaoyi and Sun Yangwei...where are they?"

It was Zhang Jian, who came from one of the four prominent families of Jiangdong, who reacted quickly and shouted, "Quick! Go to the armory! Take control of the armory!"

If asked what the most crucial element of a successful coup is, it would be...
The answer is to control the capital's armory.

The same applies to military coups.

Outside of wartime, most soldiers do not have armor or weapons.

If the armory is lost, the city's garrison will be without armor and weapons, and we will be at their mercy.

The people of Wu moved very quickly.

But Fu Qian moved faster than the Wu people.

After capturing the north gate of Zigui, he disregarded the sporadic resistance behind him and the need to capture the east gate to prevent the Wu people from escaping from the east of the city. Following the defense map provided by Liao Shi, he personally led two hundred elite troops straight to the Zigui Armory located in the west of the city.

They encountered small groups of Wu soldiers blocking their way.

He didn't bother to entangle them at all, but instead used crossbow bolts to clear a path and advance straight in.

The armory was guarded by only a hundred or so men. Caught completely off guard, they offered only token resistance when the Han army charged at them like wolves and tigers, before being killed or driven away.

Fu Qian ordered the storehouse doors to be tightly closed, and his subordinate, the Commandant of the Expeditionary Army Liu Yin, immediately dispatched another 300 men to guard them. Thus, with only 500 men, they successfully dismantled the resistance of 4,000 to 5,000 Wu soldiers in Zigui City.

Fu Qian then sent men to quickly take control of the three large granaries adjacent to it.

After inspecting the mountains of grain and fodder in the granaries and the layers of armor and weapons in the armory, the former commander-in-chief, Fu Qian, breathed a sigh of relief.

Zigui has been captured, so there is no need to worry.

The city was prepared for a long-term defense, with over 200,000 tons of grain stored within, enough to support 20,000 people for ten months. Now, it all belongs to the Han Dynasty, which can relieve the immediate crisis.

When Wu generals Kuai Xi and Zhang Jian led their troops to the armory, they found the doors tightly shut and the surrounding area filled with Han soldiers armed with spears and crossbows.

A banner embroidered with the mythical beast Suanni and bearing the character "Fu" was placed in front of the armory gate, and a Han general with a bronze Suanni mask on his face remained as still as a mountain.

"Zigui has fallen, those who surrender will be spared!" Commander Liu Yin shouted.

Kuai Xi and Zhang Jian looked at the Han army standing ready in front of them, and then looked back at the growing chaos in the city.

They exchanged a final glance, both seeing despair in each other's eyes.

resistance?

The armory has been lost, and the soldiers are unarmed.

Resist with your head?

The tide is gone.

All the Wu soldiers inside the city surrendered.

outside the city.

The Han navy, led by generals Yan Yu, Chen Hu, and Zheng Chuo, arrived later and had completely taken control of the river, and began to land.

Zigui City was completely besieged.

The generals Zhou Fang and Sun Huan disappeared without a trace, and all the military equipment and supplies fell into enemy hands. The resistance completely disappeared, and groups of Wu soldiers, under the command of the Han army, threw down their helmets and armor and prostrated themselves to surrender.

Wu's troops, who attempted to escape into the mountains from the south gate or flee into the river by boat from the west gate, were either intercepted and killed or forced to retreat back into the city.

More than ten small and medium-sized Wu boats escaped from Xiaogangbo Bay downstream of Zigui.

Prefect Yan Yu of Badong commanded Zheng Chuo, the captain of the naval fleet, and Liao Shi, who was familiar with the waters, to lead more than 2,000 naval troops in pursuit downstream, ensuring that no one escaped.

Night completely enveloped Zigui.

The chaos within the city gradually subsided.

The sporadic resistance was quickly extinguished.

Under the firelight, the Wu soldiers in the prisoner camp looked bewildered and terrified, while the Han soldiers methodically quelled the unrest and brought the prisoners under control.

Towards the dock.

General Chen Hu, commander of the warships, and Zheng Pu, magistrate of Yong'an, along with other Han soldiers, were directing the Han army's naval troops to inventory the Wu army's ships and the grain and supplies at the docks and granaries. Their faces were filled with undisguised excitement.

As the largest grain and fodder transshipment hub upstream of Wuxian, Zigui still had 30,000 to 40,000 shi of grain stored in the granaries near the dock that had not yet been transshipped, and these were now all taken over by the Han army.

This truly reflects the famous saying: "My neighbor hoards grain, I hoard guns; my neighbor is my granary."

Starting a war, if you can win, is indeed much, much more profitable than working hard in the fields or forging iron.

Leaving aside the grain, the Han Dynasty has captured more than 200,000 pieces of armor and weapons in the year since its northern and eastern expeditions began.

These spoils of war, combined with the armored soldiers that the Han Dynasty originally possessed, may not have been more numerous than those of Cao Wei, but they were certainly more numerous than those of Sun Wu.

The Battle of Shayuan, fought by Yuwen Tai of the Western Wei Dynasty, not only extended the life of the Western Wei, but also directly obtained 200,000 armored soldiers from Gao Huan.

The Western Wei, which was originally weak, was brought to a state almost on par with the Eastern Wei and Southern Liang in one battle, laying the foundation for the unification of the Zhou and Sui dynasties that followed.

Now, the Han Dynasty has acquired hundreds of thousands of soldiers through war, saving the country more than a decade of effort in building and accumulating weapons.

With the addition of the nearly 20,000 Yingyang and Zhechong troops from the Guanzhong region, who were eager for battle and thirsty for it, the Han Dynasty was no longer inferior to Wei and Wu in terms of military strength.

The only thing lacking was food.

The grain captured from the two Wu border cities of Wuxian and Zigui was almost enough to support the Han army's eastern expedition until another autumn harvest.

As for the captured Wu people, they were directly transported back to Shu for food.

Yan Yu, who was in charge of commanding this "blitzkrieg against Zigui", led more than 4,000 men and cooperated with generals Fu Qian and Chen Hu to subdue and control more than 8,000 Zigui water infantry.

These more than 7,000 people were scattered by the Han army in eight corners of the city. The houses in each corner of the city were demolished, clearing out a narrow and cramped open space, which was then fenced off and tightly controlled.

Yan Yu then summoned several prominent families in Zigui City, explained the principles of morality to them, and called on them to lead their family soldiers and troops to search for the remnants of defeated soldiers hiding in the homes of ordinary people within the city for the imperial court.

These powerful clans dared not be negligent, much less negotiate with the Han army.

They already knew about Pan Jun's execution.

After the fall of Zigui City, they changed their tune accordingly and were credited with welcoming Pan Jun and Bu Zhi into the city.

If the Han dynasty were to purge them, none of them would escape. They also dared not gamble that Yan Yu might be Liu Shan's Geng Yan or Wu Han, who would massacre three hundred people in the city for Liu Shan.

The city gates of Zigui were tightly closed.

All the fortifications, camps, and fortifications outside the city were taken over by the Han army.

The Han army stood ready, awaiting the Wu army that would hastily return from the western passes to defend the area.

The next day.

Until noon.

Several thousand Wu soldiers, stationed west of Zigui, slowly made their way towards Zigui along the mountain path.

However, contrary to the expectations of Yan Yu, Fu Qian, Chen Hu and other generals, the anticipated event of Zhou Fang and Sun Huan leading the remaining troops to resist and fight their way out did not occur.

Wu Jun was hungry, cold, tired, and exhausted. He had no intention of breaking through the siege and fleeing east. On the contrary, several lieutenants and captains surrendered by baring their shirts and binding themselves in the early spring when the weather was still chilly.

Outside Zigui City.

A Wu general who was still in armor was brought before Yan Yu, Fu Qian, and other generals.

He was not tall, and although he was a surrendered general, he still possessed a fierce air about him. Upon seeing Yan Yu, Fu Qian, and the other Han generals, he gave a rough bow and spoke in a manner that was neither humble nor arrogant:
"Zhou Ji, a surrendered man, was a retainer of Zhou Ziyu, the head of the Zhou family of Yixing. He was ordered by his patriarch to lead three thousand men of the Zhou family of Yixing to surrender to the Han."

Judging from his words and expression, it didn't seem like he was surrendering; rather, it seemed like he was making demands.

"But we still have one more request."

"After we return to Han, we only wish to fight against the Wei barbarians, and we do not wish to meet with our old friends from Jiangdong. We hope that you generals will understand."

"If you agree, the Zhou family of Yixing will never let the Han court down."

All the Han generals were surprised to hear this.

Yan Yu, who was in charge of the blitzkrieg at Zigui, scrutinized the Wu general named Zhou Ji with a deep gaze.

Since the alliance between Han and Wu at the Battle of Red Cliffs, there has been a constant exchange of news. As is well known, the Zhou family of Yixing is the most powerful and influential clan in Jiangdong after the Sun family. They have tens of thousands of households and tens of thousands of followers, and their influence is enormous. Even Sun Quan was unwilling to provoke them easily, so he bestowed upon Zhou Fang the title of General Zhaoyi and offered him amnesty.

The bestowal of the title "Zhaoyi" by Sun Quan was not a gesture of respect to Zhou Fang, but rather a gesture of respect from the powerful Zhou clan, a local military force in Jiangdong, to Sun Quan.

Zhou Fang has now ordered his retainers to lead their troops to surrender to the Han, while he himself has abandoned his army and fled. The implications of this are truly intriguing. After much deliberation, Yan Yu finally spoke slowly:
“Zhou Jun is a man of great integrity, and I admire him greatly.”

"However, accepting surrender and submission is a matter of great importance. Although I can handle the requests made by Yu'er and others expediently, it is ultimately best to report to the Emperor for his decision."

"Our Emperor of Han is benevolent and magnanimous, and will surely make proper arrangements for the Zhou family's troops."

"Until His Majesty's decree arrives, we hope that General Zhou and his troops will rest in the camp and refrain from causing any trouble."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ji remained silent for a moment, and finally nodded:
"General Yan is quick-witted and straightforward, and Zhou Ji is very perceptive."

"My Zhou family is in Zigui, awaiting Your Majesty's decree!"

He knew very well that this was the best result he could get at the moment.

At least their Zhou clan's three thousand troops wouldn't have to be scattered and bound in prisoner-of-war camps by the Han army, suffering cold stares and mistreatment.

Yan Yu neither refused outright nor readily agreed, but instead pushed the decision-making power to the Han emperor who had not yet arrived. This showed both seriousness and the ability to reassure the Zhou family's three thousand available soldiers.

Before long, the news that surprised Yan Yu, Chen Hu, Fu Qian and other generals spread rapidly in Zigui.

"Generals Zhou Fang and Sun Huan actually abandoned their troops and fled?!"

The few remaining Wu people in the city who still harbored some selfish thoughts were now almost entirely in despair.

Upon learning of this news, most of the Wu military officers and clerks who had been hiding in the homes of ordinary people surrendered themselves to the authorities.

After Zhou Ji's three thousand Zhou clan retainers were properly settled, General Chen Hu of the naval fleet arrived at the south of the city, climbed the Zigui city tower, looked at the Ten Thousand Mountains, and asked Yan Yu with some doubt:

"Lord Yama, those two generals Zhou Fang and Sun Huan abandoned their troops and fled. They must have taken the small path in the South Mountain. Should we send some elite troops into the mountain to pursue them?"

Yan Yu immediately shook his head upon hearing this:

"No need. Right now, the most important task for our Han Dynasty is to consolidate Zigui, consolidate our gains, and prepare for the recapture of Yiling."

"Moreover, it is still unknown whether they can make it out alive in these vast mountains."

Chen Hu nodded upon hearing this and asked no further questions.

Yan Yu stood with his hands behind his back, gazing eastward. After a short while, he slowly spoke:

"Yiling... is the last pass for our Han Dynasty to advance eastward. Once we pass Yiling, the plains are flat and there is no longer any natural defense in Jingzhou."

"But... this is a real tough nut to crack. If we act quickly, we might be able to catch Zhu Ran off guard again."

He paused, then spoke with a firm tone:
"Pass down the order: all battalions and schools should seize the time to rest and recuperate, treat the wounded, and take stock of the spoils."

"The gates of Zigui are tightly closed, and entry and exit are strictly checked."

"All fortresses and camps outside the city should be reinforced with additional sentries."

"His Majesty is about to arrive; we cannot allow any unforeseen circumstances to occur."

"As for Yiling, we should not give the Wu people a moment's respite."

"Yes, sir!" On the city tower, Chen Hu, Zheng Pu, Wang Chong and other generals answered in unison.

The Han Dynasty's eastward expedition did not stop. Generals Fu Qian, Liu Yin, and Chen Hu did not linger in Zigui, but continued to lead their troops eastward down the river, heading straight for Yiling.

Only Yan Yutong, Zheng Pu, and Wang Chongzhu will remain in Zigui to await the emperor's further orders.

...

Wuxian County.

Liu Shan, along with generals Chen Dao, Guan Xing, and Zhang Gu, discussed military affairs aboard the flagship Yanwu, gazing at the eastward-flowing river.

A dragon-riding man quickly boarded the ship.

A piece of good news from Zigui is presented with both hands.

"Your Majesty! Grand Marshal!"

"Urgent report from Lord Yama, the Prefect of Badong!"

"Zigui has been captured!"

Liu Shan took the silk scroll and quickly scanned it.

"Yan Jun and Gong Quan have occupied Zigui and seized countless grains, armor and soldiers. Wu generals Zhou Fang and Sun Huan abandoned their troops and fled. Most of the soldiers guarding Zigui surrendered."

Upon hearing this, all the generals were greatly encouraged.

It was midday.

A grain transport fleet slowly approached the shore.

On the lead ship stood a Han general, none other than Li Feng, who was guarding Jiangzhou in place of his father.

He personally led two thousand Jiangzhou soldiers, escorting a large amount of grain and supplies to Wuxian.

As soon as the boat came to a stop, Li Feng quickly disembarked, walked to the Emperor's dragon banner, and bowed in salute.
"Your subject Li Feng has arrived with imperial orders to deliver grain. I pay my respects to Your Majesty!"

Liu Shan personally stepped forward to help Li Feng up.

Back in the "Yanwu" cabin, he asked with concern:

"Guosheng has had a tough journey."

"Is your father's typhoid fever any better?"

Upon hearing this, Li Feng's expression hardened, and he respectfully replied:

"Your Majesty, I am grateful for your concern. Before I left home, I sent a reliable servant with medicine back to Chengdu to serve you."

"I recently received a letter from home saying that my father has improved after taking the medicine and his health should be fine, but he still needs to rest."

Last December, he received news from his servant in Chengdu that his father had caught typhoid fever and asked him to send some precious medicinal herbs from Jiangzhou to Chengdu for recuperation.

Liu Shan sighed softly and said to Xi Zheng beside him, "Lingze, go and fetch the old ginseng and lingzhi that I have prepared."

He then spoke gently to Li Feng:
"I previously ordered the imperial physicians to administer medicine."

Your father always declined, saying he "dared not be wasteful".

"These medicinal herbs are a small token of my appreciation. Send someone to deliver them to Chengdu at top speed, and make sure your father recovers well."

"The court is in dire need of capable people, and I hope he can recover soon and share the burden of the country."

Li Feng looked at the precious medicine that Xi Zheng had brought, its packaging meticulous, clearly indicating that he had been prepared in advance, and bowed deeply once again:
"Your Majesty, your grace!
"Your father and I are deeply grateful!"

"Your Majesty, I, Feng, on behalf of my father, kowtow in gratitude!"

After saying this, Li Feng actually knelt down on both knees and kowtowed on the ground to express his gratitude.

Liu Shan stepped forward and helped him up. After a moment, he looked into Li Feng's eyes and said:
"The country prospers."

"I shall now march east to Yiling to avenge the late emperor and the tens of thousands of soldiers of the Han Dynasty who died there."

"Now, the important task of transporting grain and supplies in Wu County, which is now in Xinke, is entrusted to you."

"This place has just been settled, and the people's hearts are not yet won over; we must not lose it."

Li Feng immediately straightened his back, his voice and expression brimming with the fighting spirit inspired by the emperor's trust and the heavy responsibility on his shoulders:

"Your Majesty, please rest assured!"

"Your subject Li Feng hereby swears that he will do his utmost to defend Wu County for the Han Dynasty, ensuring the smooth flow of grain and the safety of the rear!"

"If anything goes wrong, I'll answer to you with my head!"

His voice was resolute, drawing the attention of all the civil and military officials in the cabin.

...

Zigui.

As soon as Liu Shan disembarked, Yan Yu greeted him and then told him about Zhou Ji's surrender of 3,000 of his troops to the Han Dynasty, leaving Liu Shan to deal with the matter.

"The Zhou family of Yixing?" Liu Shan was slightly taken aback.

He truly hadn't expected that Zhou Fang would not only abandon his army and flee, but would also voluntarily order his three thousand Zhou clan retainers to obey the Han.

Although it was done out of necessity, isn't it still an investment?
The saying goes, "Among the heroes of Jiangzuo, none surpasses Zhou and Shen."

At the end of the Western Jin Dynasty, Zhou Fang's son Zhou Chu, the protagonist of the story "Zhou Chu Eliminates the Three Evils", and Zhou Fang's grandson Zhou Qi and his son, led their family troops to quell three rebellions by Shi Bing, Chen Min and Qian Hui for the Western Jin Dynasty, and pacified Jiangnan three times, with unparalleled power.

During Zhou Qi's reign, his clan became too powerful, which aroused the suspicion and jealousy of Sima Rui. As a result, he was unable to be promoted for a long time and harbored resentment. He was also looked down upon and ostracized by the scholars who had crossed the river to the south. So he conspired with others to launch a coup, kill all the northerners, and control the southern dynasty.

Generally speaking, the status of powerful military figures is far inferior to that of aristocratic families like the "Gu, Lu, Zhu, and Zhang".

However, when a powerful clan's influence reaches the point of gathering thousands of households, it becomes a force that no one can underestimate.

This means that his farmland can support an army of 10,000.

Ten thousand soldiers, during the Three Kingdoms period, represented one or even two-tenths of a country's military strength. Who could ignore them, and who dared to ignore them?
A typical example within Cao Wei territory is the Li family of Shanyang, also known as the Li Dian family. While Cao Cao was being overwhelmed by Lü Bu in the great battle of Yanzhou, the Li Dian family even defeated Lü Bu.

As for the typical example within the territory of Sun Wu, it is the Zhou family of Yixing led by Zhou Fang.

"Alright, then we will follow Zhou Ji's advice," Liu Shan finally replied.

Liu Shan originally did not want to send Wu prisoners to fight against Eastern Wu, because the uncertainty was too great, and no one could be sure that they would not defect in the face of battle.

These three thousand men who surrendered voluntarily would indeed be a force to be reckoned with if they could be put to use by the Han.

The retainers of the Wu family, though not as elite as those trained by Lu Xun and others, were far superior to the newly recruited soldiers.

“Yes, sir!” Yan Yu immediately accepted the order and left.

Liu Shan watched Yan Yu's retreating figure and was filled with emotion.

It must be said that Yan Yu, who came from a scholarly background, was far more politically astute than Deng Ai, the commoner who, after the fall of his country and the surrender of Cao Wei, "bestowed the title of General of the Cavalry" upon Liu Shan in the name of the Cao Wei emperor, and then immediately petitioned to bestow the title of King of Fufeng upon Liu Shan.

If Yan Yu were to directly accept the surrender and defection of these three thousand Zhou clan troops, then the object of their gratitude would be Yan Yu, and the favor they would feel would be a personal favor from him.

Yan Yu had Liu Shan personally receive the gifts, so that the object of their gratitude and repayment would be the grace of the Han Dynasty and the Emperor.

(End of this chapter)