White Horse, Silver Spear, Grand Commandant Gao

More than three months have passed since Gao Xingzhou returned to Yanzhou from the capital, but he has not waited passively.

The defenses of Qingjian City were continuously strengthened, and the garrison in the city was quietly replenished to eight hundred men, while a large amount of supplies were also transported out in a steady stream.

Lu Qian was sent to Lingzhou to meet with the military governor Zhang Xichong and invite him to cut off the Dingnan army's rear route, which was agreed to.

Zhang Xichong, a Confucian scholar, always valued the distinction between the civilized and the barbarian. More importantly, he and Lu Qian were from the same school, both belonging to the Gongyang School.

The Gongyang School, which originated from Zixia, a disciple of Confucius, began with Gongyang Gao of Qi and flourished under Dong Zhongshu. It respected the way of the king, advocated virtuous governance, and championed the great unification, the great righteousness, and the great revenge. It was a prominent school of thought in the Han Dynasty.

Zhang Xichong not only agreed to put pressure on Youzhou, but even took the initiative to suggest that if Gao Xingzhou attacked Xiazhou City, the Shuofang Army might as well come and help.

"Zhang had long been tired of dealing with these barbarian tribes. After finishing this matter, he could at least give himself some closure and retire peacefully in the Central Plains to enjoy his old age." (Note 1)

Feng Dao was right; he accurately grasped Zhang Xichong's thoughts.

Despite receiving strong support along the way, Gao Xingzhou still dared not be careless.

It was entirely expected that Li Yichao would send troops to reclaim Suizhou and, incidentally, remove Qingjian City, a thorn in his side.

As expected, when the Khitans invaded, Yang Tan requested that the Zhe and Yang families join the army.

Without the Khitans to restrain him, how could Li Yichao dare to launch such a bold attack?

With no hope of reinforcements from Zhe Congyuan and Yang Hongxin in the short term, Gao Xingzhou had to contend with the Xiazhou army, which outnumbered him by more than two, using only the strength of the Zhangwu army.

Suizhou's Gao Junli has already sent an envoy to report the emergency. Not only in Xiazhou, but also in Yinzhou, the defense commissioner Li Renyan is eager to take action. (Note 2)

Yinzhou and Suizhou are adjacent to each other, only about sixty li apart, practically next door, and many men and women from both places marry each other. Li Renyan was an elder in the Tuoba Dangxiang tribe and a contemporary of Li Renfu. He held the official rank of Defense Commissioner, which was below the Jiedushi (military governor) and above the Cishi (prefect) and Tuanlianshi (military commander).

Therefore, it is inevitable that the team will be under pressure and in a defensive or even disadvantageous position in the early stages of the battle.

Suizhou and Qingjian must be rescued, but is Li Yichao's military campaign limited to this?

Gao Xingzhou stood before the map, lost in thought for a long time.

He wasn't worried that the Dingnan army was setting up a siege to ambush reinforcements; their real aim was to swallow up his reinforcements.

Gao Xingzhou smiled calmly. He had fought for the Jin and Liang dynasties and defended against the Khitan in the north for many years, witnessing far larger-scale conflicts. If Li Yichao was after this kind of scheme, he should be careful not to break his teeth.

Gao Xingzhou was worried about the safety of the state capital after the reinforcements arrived.

As the art of war says: A general should consider defeat before victory, and thus he will never be defeated in a hundred battles.

Since Yanzhou is known as the key to the Three Qin regions and the gateway to five routes, it is located in a strategic position in the northwest. The land is vast and the fortifications are sparse, so the enemy has more than one way to come.

The Dingnan Army can either attack Suizhou and Qingjian to the east, or go west through Wuqi Town, or go from the northwest along Hengshan, through Tumen, and directly take the city!

Yanzhou is divided into two cities by the river, with low and insignificant battlements, offering no natural defenses. The only natural barrier is Jinming Town, located forty li away from the city, which is guarded by General Li Jidu.

"We can ask Fu Yanqing to station troops to assist in the defense of Wuqi Town."

Gao Xingzhou pondered whether Li Jidu could defend Jinming Town if the Dingnan Army attacked through Tumen.

If Yang Hongxin's Hengshan Village were built, there would be no such concerns. If the Dingnan Army dared to advance unimpeded, they could be attacked from the rear at any time, cutting off their supply lines and retreat routes.

This is the significance of the fortress strategy.

"No battle can be completely foolproof. I am not fully prepared, but is the enemy certainly fully prepared?"

Gao Xingzhou couldn't help but laugh at himself. The situation had improved considerably since he first took office at the beginning of the year, so why ask for more? It was simply his responsibility as the commander-in-chief to strive for a better chance of victory and to plug any loopholes as much as possible.

Under the current circumstances, it all depends on each other's military command.

"The Khitans cannot sustain a prolonged war; they come quickly and leave just as fast. If they are defeated in one strike, they will flee far away. Li Yichao, you have miscalculated!"

Gao Xingzhou had a clear and thorough understanding of the strategy for this battle.

As long as the three strongholds of Suizhou, Qingjian, and Jinming hold firm for a period of time, and the Khitan army retreats, the Zhe and Yang families, along with Fu Yanqing and himself, can launch a four-pronged attack, and the Dingnan army will surely suffer a crushing defeat.

He focused intently on military strategy, and before he knew it, it was noon. Gao Xingzhou walked out of the White Tiger Hall and saw Yang Chonggui waiting outside, looking anxious.

He quite liked this disciplined and hardworking child, and said gently, "It's still early. You can wait at the training ground while I change my clothes."

No, no.

Yang Chonggui shook his head vigorously: "Marshal, it's your son... Gao Huaide, I went to look for him, but he's gone!"

!! ?

"That kid's probably slacking off again, sneaking off somewhere to play."

Gao Xingzhou didn't take it too seriously; his son was a repeat offender in this regard.

"No, no."

Sweating profusely, Yang Chonggui struggled to explain, "He brought his horse, gun, and dogs!"

Gao Xingzhou frowned.

"I cannot enter the White Tiger Hall without permission, so I have no choice but to wait outside."

Gao Xingzhou was no longer willing to listen to Yang Chonggui's explanation.

Where will my son go?

By the time he figured it out, Gao Huaide had already been gone for most of the day.

……

Madam Gao was greatly alarmed upon hearing the news. She scolded her daughter for not watching over her younger brother properly and ordered Gao Xingzhou to send someone to chase after him immediately.

"What does this have to do with Xuan'er?"

Seeing that his wife was acting rashly and without distinguishing right from wrong, and that his daughter was bowing her head and not defending herself, Gao Xingzhou said unhappily, "He even managed to keep it from the two attendants I arranged, so how could Xuan'er know?"

At this time, the scouts reported that some villagers who were chopping wood and collecting manure saw Gao Huaide leave the city early in the morning, riding a white horse, and heading northeast along the official road.

Gao Xingzhou's expression changed slightly. He immediately guessed that his son must be heading to Qingjian City, and if things went wrong, he might run right into the attacking Dingnan army!

Madam Gao spent every day with him, and seeing her usually calm husband change color so suddenly, she quickly asked what was wrong.

Gao Xingzhou is about to embark on an expedition, and this matter could not be kept secret sooner or later, so he had no choice but to tell the truth.

"Oh dear, why don't you hurry up and chase after him and bring him back!"

Madam Gao immediately bristled like a cat with its fur standing on end. Gao Xingzhou said with a wry smile, "This kid has been walking for most of the day. Even if we ride at full speed to catch up now, we won't be able to catch up before dark. Qingjian City is more than two hundred li away from here. If he walks faster, he will have already entered the city by this time tomorrow."

"We have to chase after them! We have to chase them tonight! If we don't find our son, I'll never forgive you!"

"Nonsense!"

Gao Xingzhou flicked his sleeve, slightly annoyed: "Do you know how difficult it is to find someone at night? He can disappear into any corner, and it would take countless scouts to find him. With a formidable enemy at hand, how can we waste our precious troops for the sake of one man's reckless actions?"

Mrs. Gao was stunned for a moment after being scolded by her husband, and then burst into tears.

"You heartless wretch! You sent your youngest son away, and now you stand by and watch your eldest son be in danger. My two sons, your father is cruel, and your mother is so miserable!"

Madam's outburst left Gao Xingzhou utterly bewildered. He was adept at handling military affairs, but he had no idea how to deal with the current situation.

"Mother, Father is also in a difficult position, so please don't pressure him."

Gao Huaixuan was equally worried about her younger brother, her brows furrowed with deep concern. She tried to comfort her mother, saying, "Let me help you to the back room to rest for a while. Let Father calm down, and he'll surely come up with a solution."

Mrs. Gao thought about it and agreed. She nagged her husband a few more times, telling him to take it seriously, and then went with her daughter.

Completely unaware that his willful actions had caused chaos at home, he leisurely rode his horse along the official road.

The farmland on both sides of the road has been harvested, leaving behind a patch of yellowish-brown stubble.

Farming on this yellow land is not easy, but the hardworking and intelligent people still came up with all sorts of solutions.

Creating ditches and ridges in the fields and planting crops in the ditches can effectively collect rainwater; converting slopes into terraces, although more laborious than carrying water for irrigation than on flat land, can keep the soil fertile.

Gao Huaide recalled his father telling him stories of the late emperor's love for the people.

At that time, the harvest was plentiful, and a bushel of millet was only ten coins in price.

Feng Dao, however, advised His Majesty: "Do not indulge in pleasure just because the harvest is plentiful and the season is peaceful. I hope you will work diligently and conscientiously."

Li Siyuan agreed deeply and asked, "Even if the land is ripe, will the people be able to survive?"

Feng Dao replied: "In years of famine, farmers die as corpses in exile; in years of abundance, they suffer from low grain prices. Both famine and abundance are harmful to farmers."

After speaking, he recited a poem, "Lament for the Farming Family," written by Nie Yizhong, a newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) during the Xiantong era sixty years ago.

"In February, new silk is sold; in May, new grain is sold. To heal the immediate wound is to tear out the flesh from one's heart. I wish the king's heart could be transformed into a bright candle, not illuminating the lavish banquets, but only shining upon the homes of those fleeing in exile."

Although the late emperor was illiterate, he was deeply moved and ordered his attendants to copy his poems, which he often recited to himself.

Although Gao Huaide didn't quite understand the principles of governing the people, he thought that the late emperor and Feng Dao must have been a wise ruler and virtuous minister. Unfortunately, the hard-won peaceful years were about to be broken again.

As the white horse galloped along, he saw some peasant women working in the fields, their children unattended, so he let them play on the ridges and banks of the fields.

He couldn't help but think of the laborer he had killed; his wife probably had to shoulder the farm work alone, and he wondered if she could even make ends meet.

The thought only flashed through Gao Huaide's mind before he quickly dismissed it. What he was most looking forward to now was a thrilling and exhilarating battle.

"Ru Hua, let me take you to see a big spectacle."

Like a flower, it followed the horse trotting along happily, responding with a cheerful "woof."

……

In Yanzhou City, Gao Xingzhou mustered his troops.

A thousand men were left to guard the city, while four thousand state soldiers and five hundred personal guards were ready to go.

The Qingjian garrison commander, Gao Huaiyuan, continued to report that Dangxiang cavalry scouts had appeared and had already gathered the people into the city. It was expected that the vanguard of the Dingnan army would arrive at the city within one or two days.

The enemy's movements were now clear, and Gao Xingzhou was torn between sending troops to their aid immediately.