novelSusiti Chapter 59 Hometown Sounds, Hometown Feelings, and Fellow Villagers: Planning for Haizhou City Again
Chapter 59 Hometown Sounds, Hometown Feelings, and Fellow Villagers: Planning for Haizhou City Again
Upon receiving the order, Li Xuan dared not delay and immediately mustered two hundred uninjured men from the Third Command, mounted spare horses, and pursued the enemy along the banks of the Yan River towards Haizhou.
Before long, they saw a chaotic scene on the embankment ahead.
It turned out that the Haizhou army, which was the first to collapse, had arrived here and was desperately trying to board a ship and escape.
The ship owners of the civilian boats hid on their boats and refused to dock. These Haizhou soldiers, who had just been defeated, were all in a mentally unstable state. If we rashly let them onto the boats, we didn't know what would happen.
Interestingly, the few remaining Haizhou naval vessels also refused to allow army personnel to board, fearing the army might suddenly go berserk. The defeated soldiers were bound to harbor resentment and seek an outlet for it, and the naval officers and men didn't want to gamble with the army's conscience.
Besides the three groups mentioned above, there were more than 10,000 laborers who were terrified and hid far away. They had come out to pull ropes, but they had no money or food and relied entirely on the supplies carried by the fleet to survive. They even stored their pots and pans on those civilian boats. The remnants of the Haizhou army stood menacingly on the dike and refused to leave. The laborers were caught in a dilemma: they could neither run away nor dare to stay.
There's always a time when a stalemate is broken.
"Damn it, stop right now and take us back to Haizhou! I really won't rob you this time!" The commander of the left wing of the Haizhou army jumped up and down on the dike, cursing.
He was genuinely terrified. The rout had wiped out all their supplies, and if they couldn't get supplies from the fleet, they would go hungry tonight, without even blankets to sleep on. It was freezing cold, and they were starving; how many of them would even wake up tomorrow morning?
As the cursing continued, the surrounding noise gradually subsided. The left-wing commander seemed to hear something, and both the soldiers and the sailors on the ship were looking westward.
Sensing something was wrong, the Left Army Commander turned in the direction of the sound, then collapsed to the ground in despair, crying out, "It's all because of you bunch of idiots wasting time! It's over, too late! Let me die!"
What came into view was more than two hundred cavalrymen, holding high the banner of the Second Army of the Left Wing of the Zhou State Imperial Guard, the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry, who were rapidly approaching.
As the Left Army Commander sat on the ground in despair, awaiting his death, the remaining two thousand-odd soldiers of the Haizhou Army huddled together in fear. In their haste to escape, they had discarded their armor and most of their weapons. They were already outmatched, and now they were even less likely to win, even against a mere two hundred men.
Li Xuan quickly scanned the situation, and as he approached the group of Haizhou soldiers, he arrogantly rode on his horse and said, "Are you still going to run? How about I let you run a little longer?"
The remaining discipline made the Haizhou soldiers all look at the Left Army Commander. The commander stood up with a bitter smile, saluted, and said, "We are at our wits' end, we have nothing to say, we only ask to survive." As he spoke, he seemed to realize something, and looked up expectantly at Li Xuan. Because he finally realized that Li Xuan was speaking the Huaidong dialect.
The Huai-Dong region, stretching from Chu-Zhou in the north to Guang-Ling in the south, and even including Run-Zhou in Jiangnan, had a very similar plan that people in other prefectures and counties could never imitate. If the Zhou general before them were from Huai-Dong, surely he wouldn't have slaughtered everyone present.
Although chaotic times are indeed turbulent, the probability of a warrior indiscriminately slaughtering his own people is still quite low. Most people will do their best to preserve the vitality of their hometown and are unwilling to be remembered for their brutality.
Li Xuan naturally noticed the change in the man's expression. He laughed heartily and dismounted. Li Chang quickly grabbed him, saying, "Brother Xuan, I'll go. Why risk it?"
Li Xuan comforted him, "They've lost their courage, but they're still useful. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Then, he actually bypassed Li Chang and walked directly into the Haizhou army's formation, speaking in the Guangling dialect as he went:
"The battle is over, and you have done what you were supposed to do. Now you are unarmed, without armor, and your wounds will go untreated. When you return to Haizhou, you will be burdened with guilt. Don't tell me that I have tens of thousands of iron cavalry behind me ready to hunt you down at any moment."
Even today, you have no food, you have been humiliated. When the frost comes tonight, how many of you will survive tomorrow? We are fellow villagers. If you surrender to me, I guarantee with my life that you will all live. After the war, you will all be able to return to your hometowns and reunite with your families. Why don't you surrender now? What are you waiting for?
The Haizhou soldiers, who had long lost their will to fight, dared not stand up to harm Li Xuan. Instead, as Li Xuan entered their ranks, they all consciously made way for him. Li Xuan's familiar accent and his promise to take them home gradually brought life back to the eyes of these bewildered and dejected soldiers.
The Left Army Commander looked at Li Xuan, who had fearlessly walked up to him alone, and was filled with mixed emotions—shame and relief. At least his life was saved. If it were their lives at stake, they wouldn't have needed to take such a risk.
The Left Army Commander quickly stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "This humble servant has offended the General's might and was unaware of the will of Heaven in the North. I have now repented and wish to lead my troops to surrender to the General. I hope the General will accept and protect us."
Li Xuan stepped forward, reached out and grasped his hands, saying, "Heaven's mandate lies in the North, not the South. General, now is the perfect time to surrender. If you can achieve further merit, you may continue to serve as an official, and the soldiers before you will no longer have to suffer the pain of being prisoners."
The commander of the left army's eyes lit up, and he asked with delight, "Who would want to be a prisoner if they could become an official? Please enlighten me, General."
Li Xuan said softly, "My men are all from the Huai Army. Haizhou is unaware of the defeat yet. You can lead them into the city and open the gates for the main army. If you capture Haizhou, it will be a great achievement for you. Not only will the soldiers of Haizhou be pardoned, but they might even be able to continue receiving government salaries. As for you, General, you will receive a generous reward. To be honest, you might not be able to keep your current position, but at the very least, you'll be a minor official, a wealthy man."
The Left Army Commander understood perfectly: "That's true. If we weren't from the same hometown, how could we be so open with each other? I agree to what you say, General. I can lead several hundred of your troops, disguised as remnants, into Haizhou. I also have some of my old subordinates and comrades in the city, which will greatly increase your chances of capturing it."
Li Xuan smiled and looked at him without saying a word. The Left Army Commander suddenly understood and thought to himself that he was confused. He turned around and called over a young man and said, "This is my son. My future is over. I hope the general will take him in as a servant and, in the future, for the sake of capturing Haizhou, give him some guidance. That would be a small wish."
Li Xuan nodded and said, "Good, a wise man submits to circumstances. General, you will certainly not regret your choice today."
After a hasty reassurance of these men, the Haizhou officers and soldiers began to line up to be inspected and disarmed by Li Xuan's subordinates (although they were no longer heavily armed).
Li Xuan and Li Chang walked up the embankment and addressed the fleet of ships below: "The Great Zhou army has won. Our dynasty dispatched 400,000 troops to the south, advancing from Shouzhou to Haizhou, winning battle after battle. Haizhou is now vulnerable and certainly cannot be held. You all make your living in Haizhou; are you really going to abandon your homes and flee to Jiangnan? You ship owners are laden with all kinds of military supplies; why not offer them to our army and earn a reward?"
The Salt River is indeed narrow. Li Xuan was trying to persuade the boatmen to surrender from the shore, while the boatmen below were watching him from a boat not far away, their faces and beards clearly visible.
The estate owner, mingling among the boat owners, watched as Zhou's army indeed achieved a great victory, his heart filled with the ecstatic joy of a successful speculation. He preemptively asked before the others, "Who are you, and how can we trust you?" Instantly, he shifted the focus from whether to surrender to how to surrender.
Li Xuan and Li Chang removed their helmets, cleaned their faces, and burst into laughter. Li Xuan called out the names of the boat owners on the river one by one, and surprisingly, all of them were acquaintances he had made when he was smuggling salt by boat. Even the Haizhou Navy only had a dozen or so boats, and only a few officers coming and going, all of whom had done smuggling business with Li Xuan before.
The naval officers and ship owners were pleasantly surprised to recognize Li Xuan and Li Chang. The righteous and chivalrous Li Dalang was a renowned figure in the Huaidong region. "So it's him! It's been a year since we last met. I didn't expect him to have joined the Northern Army."
With Li Xuan's established good reputation and extensive network, and through the internal persuasion and coordination of the estate lord, and despite the predicament of the fleet laden with military supplies unable to turn around or retreat, Li Xuan effortlessly obtained all the supplies for the Yu Kingdom's westward-advancing army. The estate lord approached Li Xuan with a beaming smile, eager to claim credit, but Li Xuan stopped him with a wink.
The owner of the manor immediately realized something, his smile vanished, and he led everyone ashore to accompany Li Xuan.
Li Chang approached the owner of the Tian estate and quietly asked, "Boss Tian, are you aware that the Left Army Commander has a son in the army?"
The owner of the estate was taken aback, then nodded: "Yes, there is such a young master. His father holds a high position of power in the city, so we businessmen in Haizhou naturally need to know who we shouldn't mess with."
Li Chang asked the estate owner, "Among those five people over there, is the young master himself?"
The farm owner was taken aback. He turned around, breathed a sigh of relief, and said to Li Chang, "It is that tall, thin young man whose clothes are different from the other four."
Li Chang's expression softened slightly. The Left Army Commander had just so readily handed over a son. Li Xuan naturally had to accept it openly. However, accepting it in person didn't mean Li Xuan and Li Chang were fools. As the Left Army Commander, one of the top three figures in Haizhou City, if he had a son, he would definitely be the object of flattery and adoration from the local tycoons.
Therefore, Li Xuan arranged the important matters, while Li Chang handled the minor ones behind the scenes.
The fleet and the remnants of the Haizhou army surrendered one after another. Li Xuan then sent soldiers to accompany some local wealthy ship owners to negotiate with the boatmen.
"Greetings to the lord! May your lineage be long and prosperous, and may you enjoy boundless blessings and good health!" Before sunset, more than ten thousand laborers, with no other choice, hungry and exhausted, joined Li Xuan's ranks, accepting employment as soldiers of the Great Zhou Black Spear Dragon Cavalry Army. After all, for commoners, what difference did it make who they worked for?
Previously, the labor service provided to the Yu Kingdom's Fu Hailong Xiang Army was a form of conscription. They received no money, only meals, and the grain and salt were controlled by the Yu army generals.
Although Li Xuan also controlled their food supply, he at least provided each person with one liter of rice per day plus thirty coins as compensation. They were all from the Longxiang Army, but the difference was huge, wasn't it?
The saying goes that money can move mountains, and the boatmen happily accepted their new employer, wholeheartedly promising to serve him. One unspoken point was that the fleet had traveled upstream on the way there, requiring the boatmen to pull the boats, but the return trip was downstream, so the boatmen weren't needed.
The porters, being cunning, kept quiet and made their fortune, taking it one day at a time. Li Xuan also turned a blind eye, spending money to buy peace. The Black Spear Dragon Cavalry had suffered heavy losses, and guarding the prisoners was already a struggle. These ten thousand-plus porters were strong laborers, and they couldn't become a source of trouble. Spending a little money to accomplish a lot was worthwhile.
Furthermore, these 10,000-plus laborers represent almost the majority of the able-bodied men in the Haizhou region. If they are appeased, the Zhou state will have a strong foothold in its future operations in Haizhou. Military affairs are subordinate to politics; the support of the people of Haizhou is more valuable than mere military achievements.
Coincidentally, Commander Han Kun arrived quickly with reinforcements. Thus, a fierce but brief ambush finally came to a victorious end.
From now on, their target is Haizhou City. If they capture it, the Zhou army will have made a substantial breakthrough in the Huai River defense line of the Yu Kingdom. Their military achievements may even make them the top army in this southern expedition.
That evening, in the chief commander's tent, Han Kun and the high-ranking officers of the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry Army indulged in the logistical supplies that originally belonged to the Yu Kingdom's Fuhai Dragon Cavalry Army. Chicken, duck, fish, meat, fine wine, and delicacies were served one after another.
Not only high-ranking officers, but ordinary soldiers also enjoyed a delicious victory feast. As for the surrendered prisoners of war from Fu Hailongxiang's army and Haizhou's army, they were only given a bowl of thin porridge to keep them alive, so that these professional soldiers wouldn't regain their strength and morale and cause trouble for Zhou's army.
Han Kun contentedly downed a cup of wine and devoured a boiled chicken—literally boiled chicken, just seasoned with scallions, ginger, wine, and salt. While far inferior to the taverns of Bianliang, it was still a delicious delicacy for generals on campaigns.
After the food and wine were consumed, Han Kun felt himself come back to life. In front of everyone, he said, "We are able to enjoy such a sumptuous victory feast today thanks to our Second Army Commander, Li Ziyu. Hahaha, his reputation in this area is no joke. He persuaded nearly 20,000 people to surrender all by himself. The military supplies prepared by the Yu Kingdom court are enough for us to eat and drink for three months. We have made a huge profit. Come, let's toast our hero."
The generals laughed heartily and raised their cups to toast Li Xuan.
Li Xuan stood up and humbly returned everyone's greetings, then said, "General, you think too highly of me. If it weren't for the brothers' desperate fighting and clean victory, which left the prisoners with no will to fight, how could I, Li Ziyu, have the face to persuade so many to surrender? General, I propose a toast to our Black Spear Dragon Cavalry, to our brothers who fought today, and to our fallen brothers."
Han Kun shouted, "Cheers! Come on, let's drink!"
After several rounds of drinks, Han Kun finally asked the question that had been on his mind: "Li Ziyu, our army is now riddled with wounded soldiers. Not counting the local militia, our Black Spear Dragon Cavalry has suffered over four thousand casualties in this battle. The fallen soldiers need coffins, the wounded brothers need a safe environment for treatment, and there are over twenty thousand prisoners who need to be guarded. Taking Haizhou is of utmost urgency, but I can only spare two thousand men to go with you to attack Haizhou. I've always entrusted you with the planning of how to take Haizhou; tell me your thoughts."
Before the meal, Li Xuan spoke separately with the owner of the estate and the commander of the left army, and already had a plan in mind:
"My plan to capture Haizhou involves two routes. One is to select several hundred men from our Huai people, dress them in captured Yu army uniforms and armor, and disguise them as the personal guards of the Left Army Commander to infiltrate Haizhou City. The other is that a cousin of the estate owner has joined the army in Haizhou City, and he also has a group of brave and daring brothers under his command."
"I plan to depart tomorrow by boat and sail downstream to Haizhou. Tomorrow night, we will simultaneously open both city gates. Regardless of which gate is opened, our two thousand troops will enter the city in the dead of night. The defending troops, unaware of our strength, will surely collapse."
Han Kun nodded and said, "Fortune favors the bold. Actually, our army is currently full of wounded soldiers and has gained a lot. It would be appropriate to stop here. But we warriors are in this business of risking our lives. Only by making great contributions to the country can we have the capital to boast and a bright future. I am greedy and ask you to disregard your fatigue and fight one last time."
Li Xuan certainly understood the principle that greater risks lead to greater rewards. But judging from Han Kun's tone, it seemed this operation was nearing its end?
Li Xuan couldn't help but ask, "Commander-in-Chief, could it be that Commander Fu has sent a military order? That our army should hold the position after capturing Haizhou?"
Han Kun laughed and scolded, "What, do you want any more new merits? Settle down. If we can capture Haizhou in this battle, our army will almost certainly be the most meritorious among all the armies. Any more merits are not honors, but burdens. Do you understand?"
Our Black Spear Dragon Cavalry is officially designated as 15,000 men, but in reality, we only have 6,000. Even including those you secretly hid in the auxiliary and personal guard units, we only have 8,000 men. Four thousand were killed or wounded in this battle; I, Old Han, have no idea how much pain I feel. December is just around the corner; let's end this year here.
As for Commander Fu, hey, when we entered the area east of Chuzhou, our lives were in the hands of fate. Success or failure, Commander Fu couldn't help us. In enemy-occupied territory, it's either victory or death. You'll understand the pressure I'm under when you lead an army independently someday.”
Li Xuan smiled sheepishly. The entire Black Spear Dragon Cavalry had made great contributions this time, and he and Li Ji, as locals, had played an even more important role. They would surely receive generous rewards upon returning to Bianliang, and their official ranks might even rise several levels. The day when they could lead troops independently should not be far off.
-----------------
The banquet in the commander's tent was short-lived. A major battle had just concluded, and each high-ranking officer had a multitude of tasks to attend to. So, after a brief meal, everyone bid farewell and returned to camp. They needed to organize their troops overnight to accompany Li Xuan to Haizhou to seize the city early the next morning.
Li Xuan returned to his tent and was surprised to see his cousin Li Ji there as well. He and Li Chang were enjoying snacks and drinks provided by the ship owners. Li Xuan was an acquaintance of the ship owners, as were Li Chang and Li Ji; they had all been business partners in the past. Now, both Li Ji and Li Chang were military officers in the Zhou Kingdom, and the ship owners and wealthy merchants were doing a great deal of effort to curry favor with them.
Li Xuan gestured for the two to sit down and said to Li Chang, "How many of our old guard are still able to fight? Tomorrow, when we go to Haizhou to capture the city, we'll need our old guard to infiltrate the city."
Li Chang glanced at Li Ji, who understood and said, "Eighty-one of my brothers have died in battle, and two hundred and ten have been wounded. There are still three hundred men available."
Li Chang said, "Our casualties are greater, with 122 dead and 260 wounded. Only 231 men are still usable."
Li Xuan sighed, "Even a clay pot will break at the wellhead, and a general is bound to die on the battlefield. In this battle, our Black Spear Dragon Cavalry suffered nearly half its casualties, including more than half of our old brothers. Haizhou must be taken by strategy, not by brute force."
All three fell silent. Of the more than 1,200 soldiers they had brought from their hometown, more than 200 had fallen. Another 470 were wounded, some of whom would inevitably die, and some would suffer lifelong disabilities.
Li Xuan made up his mind and said, "Brother Chang, let's take stock of the hometowns of the brothers who died in battle. If they were far away, that would be fine. But we're operating between Chuzhou and Haizhou, not far from the brothers' hometowns. We need to set aside money for their burial so we can send them home for a proper burial. It'll be December in a couple of days, and the end of the year is just around the corner. We need to send a message to the brothers' homes and send them some things as much as possible."
Li Chang nodded solemnly.
Li Ji suggested, "Our two commanders are short of internal funds. Today, our army captured a large amount of goods from the Yu army. Should we ask Commander Han for help?"
Li Xuan shook his head and then nodded, saying, "General Han told me that the system we used in Hebei last time was very good. As long as there are spoils, he will handle them properly and distribute them to all the brothers according to the method last time. So we can't ask for them in advance, otherwise it will be difficult to explain later. I think we should do this: after taking Haizhou, there are many benefits in Haizhou City. Let's collect a batch to enrich our own treasury and earn money for funerals and the New Year."
Li Ji suddenly realized and said, "That's right, Haizhou has a large salt warehouse under the jurisdiction of Chuzhou. There must be a lot of salt in there. We happen to have a large group of old friends here this time. If we ask them to help us process this salt, we're sure to make a fortune."
Li Xuan and Li Chang chuckled. They had spent the whole day thinking about how to "civilizedly make money" in Chuzhou City.
Li Xuan said to Li Chang, "Brother Chang, both Ji and I are commanding troops and cannot leave. Please take me home to pay respects to my parents, Ji's parents, and our grandparents. Please also bring news of Ji and me to their graves."
"While you're at it, check on the village. How's our harvest this year? Are the farmers doing well? How are the villagers faring? How's Uncle Yuantu's health? Oh, and take Li Jin back with you. He's a ninth-rank official now; it's time to show Uncle Hua what a new official looks like."
Li Chang and Li Ji were both stunned. The closer they got to their hometown, the more timid they became, and they dared not ask the strangers. Just this time last year, the three of them were living happily in the countryside of Guangling; today, they were leading troops across Chu and Hai prefectures, establishing their own merits. But while achieving their glory, they wondered about their friends and relatives back home, and whether their parents' graves had been neglected. Especially Li Chang, whose father, Li Yuantu, was old and alone at home, a veritable empty-nest old man.
All of this was a deep-seated pain that the three of them had never dared to speak of. Today, Li Xuan brought it up at just the right time, because—the New Year was approaching. Every year during the festival, those who have traveled far from home always try their best to return.
"Let's go, come with me to see the brothers who are recovering from their injuries. We'll meet again in Haizhou City."