novelSusiti Chapter 49 Matters of state are of utmost importance; only the ministers can exert their utmost effo
Chapter 49 Matters of state are of utmost importance; only the ministers can exert their utmost effo
As dusk approached, the army began selecting locations to establish camps. The Zhou army possessed a large number of horses and mules; each of the ten thousand cavalrymen rode two horses, and even the infantry were a mule-based force, each rider carrying one horse, giving them far greater mobility than the Yu infantry. However, the daily consumption of such an army was also higher than that of a normal infantryman. Therefore, the selection of campsites had to take into account factors such as the horses' survival and water availability, and could not be taken lightly.
Fu Zhongdao, the second son of King Fu Yanqing of Wei, was eight feet tall, handsome, and eloquent. He became a general at the age of fifteen and participated in all the battles in Hebei. Even when fighting against the Liao army, he was never at a disadvantage.
At the beginning of the late emperor's reign, Guo Rong was left destitute and alone after all his wives and children had been murdered. The late emperor then arranged for him to marry Lady Fu, the daughter of the Prince of Wei.
To show that he would not compete with his elder brother for the position of family head, he simply requested to stay in Bianliang as an official when he sent his younger sister to marry Guo Rong and make her empress.
During the Bianliang period, Fu Zhongdao did not use his status as the emperor's brother-in-law to seek special treatment or privileges, nor did he request to take up a military post. Instead, he lived and worked in a low-key manner like an ordinary worker, which earned him the favor of Guo Rong.
Therefore, after assigning tasks to Li Chongjin and Zhao Quanzhong, Guo Rong, when faced with the choice of the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Route Army, did not hesitate to appoint Fu Zhongdao, who was talented, had not deep roots in the Imperial Guard, knew how to behave, and was both close and noble in status.
Perhaps due to the prestige of the Prince of Fu, the Eastern Route Army was relatively obedient to Fu Zhongdao. During Fu Zhongdao's time in command of the Eastern Route Army, the generals got along very well. However, this pleasantness was merely a personal feeling. Fu Zhongdao knew very well how much risk his brother-in-law Guo Rong had taken on this southern expedition. To repay Guo Rong's trust, for his sister, and for his newborn nephew, he was determined to achieve great merit as the commander-in-chief.
Before the military camp was even set up, Fu Zhongdao, the commander of the Eastern Route Army, who was looking out from a high point outside, watched with amusement as Han Kun came to cause trouble.
Fu Zhongdao said, "Monk Han, stop pretending in front of me. You're the kind of guy who never does anything without a profit. If you don't tell the truth, hehe, I'll call all the commanders and let those old foxes interrogate you together. I don't believe you're made of iron and they can't pry your mouth open."
"Tell me quickly, what benefits do you have that make you dare to apply to leave the army and venture east of Chuzhou? You want an official document? No problem, the Emperor has given us two hundred for this southward journey. As long as your reason is sufficient, I can give you a hundred more without hesitation. Just don't think you can be fooled just because I wasn't previously in the Imperial Guard. I can tell what you're up to the moment you open your mouth, you old rogue."
Han Kun wasn't annoyed that his deception had been exposed. People in the army are very pragmatic; they don't care about the rhetoric, if one method doesn't work, they'll try another. He laughed awkwardly, "Oh dear, haha, nothing can be hidden from Commander Fu. I'm just loyal to the king and anxious to serve him. I just learned that Haizhou in the northeast of Chuzhou has a special location."
Every year, the State of Yu sends a fleet to escort troops and provisions directly to Haizhou by sea. If we don't rule out the possibility of sending troops deep into the east of Chuzhou and cutting off this canal, Chuzhou will receive a steady stream of reinforcements from Haizhou. Once Chuzhou gains another 20,000 troops, and the Yu army from Guangling arrives, we will be at a disadvantage.
"This humble officer requests permission to lead the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry to secretly infiltrate the area east of Chu Prefecture via side roads, to scout enemy positions, identify any reinforcements from Yu State arriving by sea, and intercept them. Only in this way can we ensure that our eastern army does not fall into a passive position."
Fu Zhongdao carefully calculated for a moment and then said to Han Kun, "I am from Hebei. I came to Bianliang as an official, but I have never seen the sea and know nothing about maritime transport. You have a large number of Huai people under your command, and I trust their local intelligence. Do you think the Yu Kingdom's fleet can transport 20,000 people at a time?"
Han Kun said, "The Han Canal is narrow and has limited transport capacity. If reinforcements go north from the Han Canal, it means that the Yu army in Guangling will be mobilized in full force, and the 100,000 men will be separated into several parts that are more than 100 miles apart. It will be difficult for them to support each other. Our army has a large number of horses and mules, and their speed is superb. We are not afraid of such a large enemy force. On the contrary, it gives us an opportunity to attack their logistics."
If I were a general of the Yu state, I would definitely choose to advance in two directions. No matter how many reinforcements come from Guangling to the north, whether they can drive out my army, or how many of them can reach Chuzhou, as long as the troops in Chuzhou can be increased by 20,000, the Huai'an army will have enough strength to deal with me and prevent us from cutting off the Han Canal transport.
Therefore, I deduce that the reinforcements heading north from Guangling are the overt force, while the reinforcements from Jinling landing at Haizhou Port are the covert force. The State of Yu will definitely reinforce Chuzhou from the Haizhou direction.
If the State of Yu hadn't done that, the Commander-in-Chief could have ignored our Black Spear Dragon Cavalry and led his troops south along the Han Canal, bypassing the Huai'an Army, and directly seeking an opportunity to strike the Yu forces marching north. Our marching speed is fast; if we seize the right moment, we will surely catch them off guard.
Yes, the Huai'an army in Chuzhou lacked sufficient mules and horses, preventing them from venturing too far from the city. Their own forces were also insufficient, with a maximum of ten thousand mobile troops that could be spared. Generals like Fu Zhongdao and Han Kun were not afraid of the current Huai'an army venturing out of the city to meet them in battle or pursue them.
The only real opponent for the highly mobile Eastern Route Army was the reinforcements from various regions, especially those from Guangling. In those days, armies didn't wear armor during normal marches because it was too heavy. If they were to walk in armor before even entering a war zone, they would exhaust themselves to death before even encountering the enemy.
Therefore, Fu Zhongdao originally intended to concentrate his forces and quickly move south, preemptively reaching an area that the Yu army considered safe to ambush and eliminate this army advancing north along the Han Canal. With such a powerful army at his disposal, he wouldn't obediently wait for the enemy to attack from the outskirts of Chuzhou. However, he hadn't expected that there was such an important connection between Haizhou and Chuzhou.
If reinforcements from Haizhou enter Chuzhou while my troops are marching south, Lin Xiao of Chuzhou will have enough troops to cut off my retreat. My men are not as familiar with the terrain as the Yu army, and their supplies are not as reliable; I'm afraid we'll run into trouble.
Fu Zhongdao took a deep breath, his mind already leaning towards Han Kun's view: the potential reinforcements from Haizhou would be the deciding factor. He commanded 50,000 troops in unfamiliar territory; concentrated strength meant strength, divided strength meant weakness.
He asked frankly, "Your Black Spear Dragon Cavalry only has six thousand men, and even including your personal guards, it's only seven or eight thousand. Can you keep your infiltration into the east of Chuzhou a secret? Are you really confident that Chuzhou won't discover you?"
Han Kun nodded firmly. At this moment, the only thing to do was to take on the task first, and then figure out the technical issues such as how to do it later.
Fu Zhongdao continued, "I know there are many Huai people in your army. Perhaps your local connections can be useful. You just mentioned that the reinforcements from Haizhou number around 20,000. Can your 7,000 or 8,000 really hold them off? With the Haizhou army in front and the Chuzhou army behind, they can't handle us, but dealing with a lone Black Spear Dragon Cavalry army that has penetrated deep into enemy territory shouldn't be too difficult, right?"
Han Kun laughed and said, "General, how can we do great things without taking risks? If we have a 30% chance of success, we can go all out. How high are our risks behind enemy lines? It depends on when you defeat the enemy forces heading north from Guangling. As long as you win cleanly and decisively, and your might shakes Huaidong, we will naturally be able to win and escape. How can we take on the main force of Yu with tens of thousands of troops without taking risks? Besides, although I am slow-witted, I have many local people under my command, and we won't suffer from the local sentiment. I still have some confidence."
Fu Zhongdao nodded in relief: "Good, well said. Someone, bring a bag of wine. Han Du Yuhou, drink this bag of wine and take away a hundred blank official documents. You will have full authority over the war east of Chuzhou. You can write down any official titles below the sixth rank and issue any promises you want. Even if the local strongmen of Huai want to join the army, you can just organize the local troops and gather them in. You don't need to ask the Privy Council. As long as we win, I will take care of everything."
Han Kun looked at Fu Zhongdao, who was willing to break the rules to make things convenient for him, with gratitude. He then handed Fu Zhongdao a leather bag of wine and said, "I, Old Han, only drink victory celebrations. Let's skip the farewell drink. Commander Fu, this drink will be served when I, Old Han, return in triumph. The entire Black Spear Dragon Army will drink together."
Fu Zhongdao grasped Han Kun's hand tightly: "The affairs of the state depend on the ministers' efforts." The two of them gradually burst into laughter.
After a while, watching Han Kun ride away on his horse, Fu Zhongdao instructed his personal guards, "Store this bag of wine carefully. When Han Du Yuhou returns, I want to personally pour him the wine."
The guard whispered, "The commander of Handu may not achieve anything, so my lord should not be too happy."
Fu Zhongdao glared at him and said, "Going deep into enemy territory alone to buy us time is an act of immense courage. Why judge heroes by victory or defeat? Let's go. The main camp is ready. Quickly summon all the commanders to the main tent for a meeting. Tomorrow, we will first cover the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry as they cross the Han Canal, and then the entire army will speed up our southward advance. Commander Han is right. The better and faster we fight, the safer they will be."
-----------------
Within two days, the hastily arrived Eastern Route Army reached Chuzhou and, without pausing, launched feigned attacks on various cities within Chuzhou. In the countryside of Chuzhou, Zhou's infantry and cavalry attacked from different directions, setting fires and causing destruction.
They plundered grain transport ships, looted warehouses in riverside ports, seized goods and ships from merchants who couldn't escape, and confiscated large quantities of grain, fodder, and salt, while also making a great show of force. For a time, the area around Chuzhou was filled with fear and unease.
Others may panic, but Lin Xiao, the military governor of Huai'an in Yu State, must not. While defending several cities, he calmly observed the Zhou army's deployment and intentions.
On the city wall of Chuzhou, Lin Xiao asked疑惑地问道, "The Zhou army's haste in the face of a fortified city is illogical. What exactly are they trying to do?"
A scout rushed over with bad news: "General, three or four thousand Northern Army infantry and cavalry are attacking Yongfeng Granary, and the city is under attack!"
Lin Xiao sneered, "Perfect timing. Zhou Jun didn't expect this, did he? There's not much grain in Yongfeng Granary, but there are three thousand elite soldiers I've deployed. Men, gather three thousand elite cavalry to accompany me into battle."
Since they couldn't understand Zhou Jun's actions, they would use sheer force to reveal Zhou Jun's intentions! In order to reveal his intentions, Lin Xiao disregarded the danger and led out the only 3,000 cavalry unit of the Huai'an Army.
The three thousand elite soldiers stationed at the salt warehouse were Lin Xiao's renowned salt workers' army. This force was not as chaotic as the scouts had described. The so-called precarious state was merely an act for Zhou's army.
Yongfeng Granary was a major granary in Huaidong, storing over four million shi of grain at its peak. If it were captured, the Eastern Route Army could obtain food supplies for almost a year's campaign. Lin Xiao, as the garrison commander, naturally understood the importance of Yongfeng Granary.
So he decisively used this warehouse as leverage. The warehouse was gone, the grain was destroyed, but they could be rebuilt. What he wanted was to gain an opportunity to inflict a heavy blow on Zhou's army. Besides, he had already evacuated most of the grain from the warehouse before the battle, so he was even more willing to use it as bait.
The fields outside Chuzhou City had been occupied by Zhou cavalry. The three thousand Huai'an cavalrymen had only gone twenty miles out of the city when they were caught up and entangled by more and more Zhou cavalrymen.
Lin Xiao, spear in hand, stepped forward, leading his personal guards in an arrowhead formation, repeatedly clashing with the oncoming Zhou army cavalry. Fu Zhongdao arrived at the scene, furious, and exclaimed, "Southern boats, northern horses! If they can't outmaneuver the southerners by boat, fine. But how can they be so cowardly with their cavalry? Men, beat the drums to boost morale! Anyone who retreats will be executed!"
With Fu Zhongdao's arrival, the fighting spirit of the Zhou army cavalry surged. Lin Xiao found it increasingly difficult to fight. After another round of fighting, looking at the Zhou army's command flag in the distance and the Yongfeng granary not far away, Lin Xiao laughed and ordered, "Sound the horn! Order the salt workers' army to attack!"
A series of distinctive bugle calls rang out from the Yu Kingdom cavalry. The salt workers' army, already prepared inside Yongfeng Granary, stood ready for battle. They were clad in heavy armor, wielding long spears, carrying large crossbows, and each had a single-handed axe strapped to their body. Their dark faces, protected by their helmets, were exceptionally resolute, as if they were facing not tens of thousands of enemy troops, but a hunt.
Yu Jun's unusual behavior immediately attracted the attention of Zhou's generals. Fu Zhongdao suspected an ambush, but after looking around twice, he couldn't figure out where the troops could be hiding.
Suddenly, he turned around in horror to look at Yongfeng Warehouse. Inside, rows of densely packed salt workers were marching out in perfect unison. Their white uniforms and black armor, bathed in sunlight, possessed a simple yet desolate beauty.
The Zhou imperial infantry, besieging Yongfeng Warehouse, reacted swiftly, forming tight squares and advancing with long spears. One force consisted of elite soldiers from the Huai River region, the other of elite troops from Daliang. The two infantry units, from different backgrounds, engaged in a deadly, unpretentious battle in this confined space using similar tactics.
The battle formations clashed, silent yet terrifying. Ten thousand spears thrust in and out, a back-and-forth exchange. The soldiers in the front ranks either killed their opponents or were killed by them. There was no skill involved, no room for luck; it was all about who was faster, more steady, and more ruthless.
This kind of life-or-death bayonet fighting best reflects the comprehensive quality of an army. The salt workers' army seemed to be oblivious to death, and didn't seem to think that the sacrifice of their comrades was a big deal.
They operated with the precision of machines. The men in the back rows fired their crossbows, while the men in the front rows coordinated to thrust at the enemy, one after another, dying without hesitation. The men in the back rows silently filled the gaps left by the men in the front. Little by little, they managed to tear a gap in the Zhou army's infantry formation!
In less than a quarter of an hour, the three thousand salt workers, braving the resistance of the Zhou army's infantry, slowly made their way out of Yongfeng Granary, deployed their formation, and then pressed forward with their entire army. The more than two thousand Zhou infantrymen could no longer withstand the onslaught, and their formation began to crumble and fall into chaos.
Fu Zhongdao urgently mobilized the cavalry that had been besieging Lin Xiao to join the battle, determined to annihilate this extraordinary elite force of the Yu Kingdom.