novelSusiti Chapter 65 The Best Strategy is to Outwit the Enemy.
Chapter 65 The Best Strategy is to Outwit the Enemy.
The Zhou army, consisting of 100,000 imperial guards and garrison troops, had been besieging Shouzhou for over a month. With the siege proving fruitless and the weather growing increasingly damp and cold, the morale of the soldiers had been severely damaged.
Even more critically, in mid-November, Li Chongjin, the Imperial Guard Commander in charge of intercepting reinforcements on the western route, suffered a major setback, with over 17,000 men being defeated by the rapidly advancing Yu reinforcements. This allowed the Yu reinforcements to seize the opportunity to establish a camp at Bagong Mountain.
Bagong Mountain is not far from Shouzhou; it can be seen from the city walls. Zhou Jun naturally could not stand idly by. Zhao Quanzhong dispatched troops to attack Bagong Mountain several times, but each time he failed due to the unfavorable terrain and the strong resistance of the Yu army.
Although Guo Rong arrived with 70,000 main force troops within a few days and launched a fierce attack, the terrain of Bagong Mountain limited them to only three or four thousand men at a time. Li Jue, the military commander of Yu Guodesheng Army and the prefect of Luzhou, calmly responded to the attack. Behind Li Jue were local militias and soldiers from all over Huainan, who spontaneously came under the organization of local governments.
In December, the flags of the regular army dispatched by the State of Yu from Jiangnan also appeared on Mount Bagong.
Guo Rong looked at the increasingly vigorous momentum on Mount Bagong in the distance and sighed deeply. He had sighed countless times during this period.
Standing behind him, Li Chongjin looked like a plucked chicken. Every sigh Guo Rong uttered seemed to resonate deep within Li Chongjin's heart, causing him pain, shame, and an inability to defend himself. A loss was a loss, a crushing defeat was a crushing defeat. Li Chongjin had no habit of shifting blame; he never shirked the responsibility that was his to bear. Therefore, although Li Chongjin wasn't as shrewd as Zhao Quanzhong, his interpersonal relationships within the army were quite good.
Li Chongjin pleaded guilty again, saying, "It is all my fault for failing in battle, which has led the army into a predicament. My crime is unforgivable; please punish me according to the law, Your Majesty."
Guo Rong would never prosecute Li Chongjin. Zhao Quanzhong and Li Chongjin were his two most trusted and most suitable generals to check and balance each other.
If Li Chongjin is replaced, Guo Rong must replace Zhao Quanzhong. Otherwise, there will be no other general who can gain Guo Rong's trust and also rival Zhao Dalang in prestige. If the balance in the army cannot be maintained, something big will happen.
Guo Rong sighed, "I already know what happened during the battle. You were certainly careless, but you encountered a stronger opponent. This Prefect of Luzhou, the Commander of the Desheng Army, is truly a formidable figure."
Who could have imagined that the main force of the Desheng Army garrison had been annihilated by us? How could he possibly turn the tide in just two or three days with only a few thousand regiments of training troops and civilians who had just taken up arms?
Such a heroic figure, who only appears in historical records, actually appeared in Huainan, and coincidentally seized real power after the Desheng Army was defeated. We were unlucky to encounter him, so don't blame yourself too much.
Zhao Quanzhong smiled inwardly. The Emperor had easily absolved Li Chongjin of all responsibility with just a few words. It wasn't that Li Chongjin was incompetent, but rather that Li Jue on the other side was too formidable.
However, the Emperor's words are not wrong. Li Chongjin is a seasoned general, a true master of his craft. He just annihilated the enemy's main force two days ago; who would have thought that a militia would arrive just two or three days later, and that this militia would be so formidable, completely defying common sense? Alas, a thousand soldiers are easy to find, but a good general is hard to come by.
Although Li Jue was a civil official, he was a promising general, quick-witted, accurate in seizing opportunities, and bold enough to rally his soldiers to fight to the death. Let alone Li Chongjin, even Zhao Quanzhong himself knew he probably wouldn't have gained much advantage in that situation.
Since the emperor had exonerated Li Chongjin, the shrewd and resourceful Zhao Quanzhong naturally knew what to do.
He said, "What Your Majesty says is true. Most of the famous generals in the world are forged through years of fighting like us. This Li Jue has accomplished so much on his first battle. I can't help but admire him. Is there really such a natural-born general in the world? I've heard that he has a high reputation in Huainan. If only we could persuade him to join our dynasty. With him at Bagong Mountain, we might as well retreat as soon as possible."
Guo Rong shook his head and said, "It's difficult. If I were the ruler of the Southern Dynasty, I should appoint Li Jue as the military governor of Desheng Army right now. With him commanding the Desheng Army in the rear and Liu Renzhan commanding the Qinghuai Army in the front, the two can cooperate to defend against any attack. The ruler of the Southern Dynasty is not a fool, and there are talented people in the court. Do they not know what's good for them? It's freezing cold, and we can't continue the war this year."
Now that the Emperor had pardoned him, Li Chongjin immediately got into the swing of things and agreed, saying, "The Emperor is right. Commander Fu of the Eastern Route Army has divided his forces in Chuzhou. The Black Spear Dragon Cavalry has entered the vicinity of Chuzhou alone to cut off enemy reinforcements from the sea."
Commander Fu personally led his remaining troops in a feint at Chuzhou before swiftly advancing south. Near Gaoyou, they ambushed the northward-bound Yu reinforcements, annihilating over 20,000 enemy soldiers. However, 15,000 enemy troops remained in Xinghua, holding their ground by utilizing the river and pond terrain.
The Southern Dynasty navy was active on the waters near Xinghua, preventing our army from making a breakthrough. Instead, the Chuzhou army rushed out and cut off the eastern army's rear.
Commander Fu is already in a very passive position, attacked from two sides. From a military strategy standpoint, he should retreat, but he's stubbornly holding on for the sake of the Shouzhou battlefield. Your Majesty, this humble general believes that continuing the fight is not worthwhile. We can simply resume the battle after the spring planting next year.”
Guo Rong sighed again. Although he had already decided to withdraw his troops, it was still very difficult to leave like this.
Guo Rong said nothing more, spurred his horse to turn back to camp. Li Chongjin wanted to say something, but Zhao Quanzhong grabbed him and said, "That's enough. His Majesty understands perfectly well. We both just said we were withdrawing, and the way out has been prepared for His Majesty. He will decide when to use the way out; we just need to follow orders."
Li Chongjin smiled wryly, "Alas, after such a crushing defeat, my mind is foggy. I couldn't even think of that. Thank you for your kind words, brother."
Zhao Quanzhong chuckled and said it was no problem. The two wasted no time, spurring their horses to chase after Guo Rong's retreating figure. Behind them, banners stretched endlessly across Mount Bagong. The Yu army had even built their camps at the foot of Mount Bagong, clearly indicating that the arrival of reinforcements had restored the Yu army's morale and fighting spirit. Continuing the fight was indeed pointless.
Guo Rong returned to his barracks, and a wave of heat hit him as soon as he entered. He was frugal, but the winter cold was so intense that his hands and feet went numb, making it impossible to hold a pen and write; even the ink would freeze. Charcoal was essential. Besides, Guo Rong also had his entourage of court officials in his barracks; he couldn't expect the central officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty to suffer in the cold as well.
Li Gu and Li Fang, who were working in the office, had just been excitedly talking, their voices a little louder than usual. Guo Rong entered and immediately asked them, "Is there some urgent news? I heard you two shouting outside. Is it good news or bad news?"
Li Gu and Li Fang quickly stood up and bowed to Guo Rong. Li Fang consciously kept quiet, leaving the opportunity to speak to the higher-ranking prime minister, Li Gu.
Li Gu readily agreed, "It's good news, a great achievement. We just received a message from the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry in Haizhou. They have annihilated 20,000 reinforcements from the Yu Kingdom transported by sea, and then took advantage of the situation to capture the sparsely defended city of Haizhou. They are currently resting in Haizhou and requesting the court to send troops to support them."
Guo Rong raised an eyebrow, overjoyed, and said, "Haizhou has been captured? This is fantastic news! Shouzhou was so difficult to conquer, and the Chuzhou army is not to be trifled with either. As one of the three towns along the Huai River, I never imagined that the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry could take Haizhou. Let me guess, did the Li brothers play a crucial role?"
Li Gu smiled and said, "Your Majesty is wise. With the help of the Li brothers and the Huai Army, the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry is as comfortable as if they were back home in Huaidong. This is a report sent by Han Kun. It seems that the situation is urgent. It is just a report on the course of the battle. The official commendation documents will have to wait a few days to be sorted out."
Guo Rong took Han Kun's test paper and looked at it. Not satisfied with just one reading, he read it again, finally letting out a sigh of relief and saying:
"Good, good, good. Dragons rise against dragons, heroes discuss heroes on Dragon King Beach, truly valiant men. Hmm, Han Kun is indeed sensible. He knows to send the memorial first. Minister Li, Haizhou's location is crucial, the Privy Council should immediately dispatch no less than 15,000 troops to take over its defense."
"We can't expect the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry to do any more. Han Kun's report clearly states that after a month of fierce fighting, they've suffered over half their casualties, and now only have a little over three thousand soldiers capable of fighting. Han Kun is constantly worried. Oh dear, that old fox has become cunning; he's trying to ask me for more troops."
Li Gu and Li Fang both burst into laughter along with Guo Rong.
After Li Gu finished speaking, Li Fang dared to continue, saying, "The full strength of the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry should be 15,000, but the Commander of Han Du only received 6,000 soldiers. He must be very resentful. If the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry had been at full strength in this battle, I'm afraid Huai Dong would have been turned upside down by them long ago."
Guo Rong chuckled and said, "Human strength has its limits. You're a high-ranking official in the court, how could you not know the cost of firewood and rice? If we don't take Huainan, the Central Plains only have so much tax revenue, how can we support more troops? Forget it, for the sake of Han Kun's outstanding achievements, let's prioritize replenishing the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry after we return this time. Eight thousand or ten thousand, it doesn't matter. After next spring's planting, we'll use whatever number of Black Spear Dragon Cavalry we have to continue our southward campaign."
Li Gu's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, and he asked, "Is the Emperor preparing to withdraw the troops?"
Guo Rong carefully put away Han Kun's report card, nodded, and said, "The New Year is approaching, and the weather is unbearably damp and cold. The soldiers in the army have been fighting for a long time without any results and are still exposed in the field. We have no choice but to withdraw. The battle on Fu Qing's side is not going well either. It is really inconvenient to fight in the Huainan water network area without a navy. The results of the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry show that it is best to use the people of Huainan to fight in Huainan."
Li Gu breathed a sigh of relief; there was indeed no need to continue fighting at the moment.
He immediately agreed, saying, "Your Majesty is wise. We have discovered many problems during this southward campaign, and we should return to Bianliang to conduct a thorough review and analysis. Your Majesty has suggested using the Huai people, and we have taken in tens of thousands of Yu army prisoners of war this time. We can select thousands or even tens of thousands of elite soldiers from among them to join the Imperial Guard. With the help of these Huai people, our army will not be as passive as it is today when we march south next year."
Speaking of being on the defensive, Guo Rong couldn't help but recall the biggest problem that had put Zhou Jun in such a passive position. He asked Li Fang, "Have you found out the background of Li Jue, the military commander of the Desheng Army? Is there anything we can do with him?"
Li Fang was waiting, and he suppressed his excitement, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture as he reported:
"Your Majesty, I have investigated extensively and learned some information about Li Jue. He is a member of the Li clan of Guangling and a grandson of the current generation. Several years ago, he was recruited into the Yu State court and has been handling military and civilian affairs in Huaidong and Huaixi. It is said that he has achieved excellent results and is highly regarded by the former military governor of Desheng Army. In just a few years, he has risen from a minor official to the military training ambassador of Desheng Army."
Guo Rong said disappointedly, "Judging from your expression, what's there to be happy about? You're rising rapidly in your official career, you're capable, and you've even gained prestige in this battle. You might be the military governor of Desheng Army next year. I'm already having a headache, and you're happy about it."
Li Fang said with a smile, "Your Majesty, please think about it again. He is the eldest grandson of the Li family of Guangling."
Guo Rong paused for a moment, seemingly grasping the idea but unable to quite understand it. He simply waved his hand and said, "Don't keep me in suspense, tell me quickly, is there some mystery involved?"
Li Fang stepped forward, unfolded a piece of paper, and wrote down three names: Li Jue, Li Xuan, and Li Ji.
Guo Rong stared at the three names, and then suddenly laughed: "So it's the Li family of Guangling. Oh dear, I'm so forgetful. They're all from the same family. Oh, no wonder you're so happy. The Li family of Guangling also comes from the Li family of Jiangxia. Why don't you try persuading them to surrender?"
Li Fang repeatedly declined, saying, "Your Majesty, please spare me. This happened hundreds of years ago. If I acknowledge him, we're considered family; if I don't, it's not a big deal. But Li Xuan and Li Ji are probably his close and legitimate family members. Bringing them here might be useful."
Guo Rong thought for a moment and said, "Let's call Li Xuan instead. Look at their ages, Li Xuan and Li Jue are only a year apart, while Li Ji is much younger and probably doesn't have much of a relationship with Li Jue. Wow, the Li family of Guangling is really something. Li Xuan is twenty-four years old this year, and Li Jue is only twenty-five. Two generals from the north and south, this family is extraordinary."
Li Fang laughed and said, "Your Majesty, what I have found out is not all. If he were to rise to prominence so quickly, Li Jue is an upright gentleman. How could he be swayed by a few words from Li Xuan? According to news from the south, this Li Jue has already greatly offended the five most powerful ministers in the Jinling court."
Originally, it was powerful officials who exiled them to Jiangbei. Li Jue's rapid rise in rank was due to the appreciation of his predecessor, the military governor of Desheng Army.
The old general was highly experienced, had a fiery temper, and was a close relative of the former emperor of Yu, maintaining a good relationship with the current emperor. This allowed him to withstand pressure and promote Li Jue. Now that the old general has retired, Li Jue has no powerful backers, and those influential officials will not let the matter rest.
Guo Rong suddenly realized, "So, while they're openly trying to persuade him to surrender, they actually want to use some tricks to find a way to replace Li Jue from Jinling? Surely the Emperor of Yu isn't that foolish."
Li Fang, however, did not see it that way. He said, "The Emperor of Yu is indeed intelligent. But he is outwardly lenient but inwardly suspicious, and he cannot tolerate truly talented people. Although Li Jue is excellent, he did not come from the Yu Emperor's former residence or from among his confidants. He rose through the ranks in Jiangbei based on his own abilities, and this time he has made great contributions."
Your Majesty, consider this: the commander of the Desheng Army appointed by the Yu Kingdom's court lost all his troops. Li Jue, however, with the support of the remaining Desheng Army officers and soldiers, took over the position. Although Li Jue did not assume the post of military governor, everyone knows that they were rebelling against their superiors. The soldiers imprisoned the court's military governor and elected Li Jue. How could this not be a thorn in the side of the Emperor of Yu in Jinling?
"Having a thorn in one's side creates an opportunity to plot. If you were to suggest that Emperor Yu should destroy his own defenses and harm Li Jue, I believe that's impossible. However, it would be excellent to orchestrate a scheme in Jinling to persuade the five powerful ministers to transfer Li Jue from Jiangbei to a sinecure elsewhere."
Guo Rong smiled with satisfaction: "Good, let's do it that way. What's a hero to them is poison to me. I don't want to be the villain, so let those clever ones in Jinling do it. Alas, Li Jue, Li Hehuang, why don't they come and serve me? Such talented people, skilled in both literature and martial arts, are not valued and are even restricted by powerful ministers. It truly makes me feel indignant."
Li Fang thought to himself that the Emperor's collecting obsession had flared up again. The Li family of Guangling was clearly betting on both the south and the north. Li Xuan and Li Ji were already very outstanding, but the Emperor was eating what he had and thinking about what he could get.
While inwardly complaining, Li Fang still had to comfort Guo Rong, saying, "As long as Your Majesty works diligently and our dynasty expands its territory, renowned ministers like Li Jue will naturally emerge like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. At that time, Your Majesty will only complain that there aren't enough official positions in the court. Besides, the time is not ripe to accept Li Jue today, but there is plenty of time in the future. We can certainly persuade Li Jue to surrender willingly."
Guo Rong nodded and said, "Very well, I'll leave this matter to you. Make sure you handle it properly. When I travel south again after the spring planting next year, Li Jue should have already been transferred elsewhere."
Li Fang respectfully accepted the order.
Guo Rong then said to Li Gu, "Sign the transfer order, ordering Li Xuan to immediately travel to the Shouzhou military camp via the post road on the north bank of the Huai River. I will wait for him here. The Privy Council should begin the withdrawal plan, and do not forget to send reinforcements to support the retreat of the Eastern Route Army."
The retreat master Li Gu already had a plan in mind, and he immediately accepted the order, saying, "Your Majesty is wise, I obey your decree."
Guo Rong thought for a moment, still hoping with reluctance, "If Li Xuan could persuade Li Jue to come over, that would be wonderful. I am willing to enfeoff Li Jue as a marquis. It is truly heartbreaking to see such a young and talented man, skilled in both literature and martial arts, being wasted by the Yu Kingdom. This Emperor of Yu has people who don't know how to use their talents; it's such a waste, utterly shameful."
Li Gu and Li Fang exchanged a smile; Guo Rong's thirst for talent had struck again.
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Upon receiving the transfer order, Li Xuan dared not delay. He quickly arranged the affairs of the army and led his personal guards across the Huai River without stopping, speeding eastward along the post road.
On the same day that Li Xuan left the city, the underground forces of the Yu Kingdom in Haizhou, after going through countless hardships, finally annihilated the Fu Hai Long Xiang Army and sent the news of Haizhou's fall to Chuzhou.
Lin Xiao, the military governor of Huai'an, was shocked. He was still hoping that Fu Hailongxiang's army would arrive to help. Who knew that not only were the reinforcements wiped out, but even the important town of Haizhou had fallen. The defensive situation in Huaidong deteriorated rapidly in an instant.
Lin Xiao paced back and forth in the military camp, saying angrily, "What are you all good for? Haizhou is an important town, with high walls and deep moats. Even a few thousand pigs wouldn't be wiped out in one night. You want me to send troops to attack Haizhou? I still have forty or fifty thousand Zhou troops pressing down on me."
This is bad, this is really bad. Haizhou is gone, the gateway to Huaidong is wide open, and our Chuzhou is in danger. No, this matter is beyond the capabilities of our Huai'an army. We must report to Jinling immediately. I also need to impeach the Prince of Qi. He still has 60,000 troops in Guangling. What are they doing there? Having babies?
The Black Spear Dragon Cavalry, each army must have at least ten thousand men. How did so many of them manage to sneak into Haizhou without my knowledge? Heavens above, if reinforcements don't arrive soon, my Huai'an army will be pushed into the city and beaten by the Zhou army!