Jinting Han people

Chapter 741 Reconnoitering the Enemy's Situation

The next morning, after a brief discussion with his generals, Liu Xian led several dozen trusted men on a speedboat to survey the terrain of Jianye and observe the Qi navy up close.

This was actually a somewhat risky move. After all, for the emperor to personally survey the terrain was a risky move. If the Qi people discovered this and then surrounded the area with a large number of ships, the consequences would be unimaginable. However, considering that the navy is a branch of the military that relies heavily on experience, the Han army had trained for about two or three years before mastering this tactic. Even so, the Han army's performance in using the navy for the first time on the Jingzhou battlefield was still rather clumsy. Fortunately, the Jin army's navy was also of average ability, and the Wu people, who were most skilled in naval warfare, could not be relied upon. This allowed the Han army to achieve a complete victory.

In contrast, the Qi people were deploying such a large-scale navy for the first time, and their experience was inevitably severely lacking. Even though they had just absorbed some Wu people, they couldn't really put them to use. Therefore, after discussion, everyone felt that the difference in naval strength between the two sides was quite obvious, and the danger should not be too great. So they agreed to the emperor's plan to go and scout out the enemy's situation.

It so happened that a biting wind blew across the river that day; though it wasn't yet deep winter, it was already chilling to the bone. As the water vapor rose, it met the icy north wind and instantly formed a thin, hazy mist on the river's surface. This made the reconnaissance easier, so apart from Meng He remaining to guard Wujiang, Wang Dun, Du Tao, Tao Kan, Lu Yun, and other important officials accompanied the emperor.

The Wujiang River is only about forty li (approximately 20 kilometers) from Jianye. In about an hour and a half, Liu Xian and his party arrived at the north bank of Jianye. The fog had lifted slightly, but Liu Xian could not yet see the outline of Jianye, as the river here was very wide. Although not as wide as the forty-li (approximately 20 kilometers) wide at Jingkou, it was still about twenty li (approximately 30 kilometers) wide. In comparison, even the seven or eight-li (approximately 3.5-4 kilometers) wide Jingjiang River seemed rather narrow.

Seeing the vast expanse of the river, Liu Xian looked around for a moment, then exclaimed in admiration, "Before even seeing the perilous terrain where tigers crouch and dragons coil, I already know how incredible the river defenses are. It truly lives up to the name of Jianye!"

Liu Xian's感慨 (gǎnkǎi, deep feelings) stemmed not only from the wide expanse of the river, but also from the unique topography of the river in the Jianye area, which he had never heard of or seen before. Because the Stone Mountain and Mufu Mountain extend into the river, the river in Jianye presents a shape that is narrow in the middle and wide at both ends, resembling the arms of a bow. The two mountains enclose Xuanwu Lake in the middle, leaving only a river mouth less than a mile long. Upstream and downstream of this mouth, due to the slowing current, silt has accumulated, forming a series of sandbars of varying sizes, enveloping Jianye and creating a natural water barrier.

Liu Xian opened the map, pointed it at the river, and asked the people around him, "What are the names of these continents?"

After saying this, Tao Kan stepped forward, pointing to the river with one hand and the map with the other, and introduced to Liu Xian: "Your Majesty, as you can see, there are two large islands and two small islands upstream of Jianye, namely Cai Island, Bailu Island, Qiezi Island, and Zhanggong Island. The sandbar adjacent to Jianye is Cai Island, with a circumference of fifty-three li, which can accommodate tens of thousands of troops and is the largest island upstream; while the one to the west is Bailu Island, with a circumference of twenty li, which faces Jiangning County across the river and is also a place we must seize. As long as we take these two large islands first, the small islands will not be a concern."

"Downstream from Jianye, there are also two large islands. However, Your Majesty, the downstream is the opposite of the upstream. Ma'ang Island, which is close to Mufu Mountain, is relatively small, with a circumference of more than ten li, but it is very close to Mufu Mountain, only about three li away. Further downstream is Xin Island, which is the largest sandbar among the four islands upstream and downstream. It has a circumference of nearly one hundred li and can be used for farming. Because it is rich in reeds, the locals often cut reeds on it, so it is also known as Reed-Cutting Island. The other small islands are similar to those upstream, so I will not go into details."

Liu Xian nodded, then compared the map with his own for a moment before ordering the sailors to row the speedboat closer to Caizhou. At first, the group was cautious and prepared to turn back immediately if they encountered any Qi ships. However, after rowing for more than ten miles, even after reaching Caizhou, they still did not see any Qi navy.

This initially left the Southern Han rulers and ministers bewildered, wondering if the Qi people were plotting something significant. However, when they anchored their speedboats in the reeds of the sandbar and quietly made their way to the south bank of Caizhou, they discovered that the Qi people had not occupied Caizhou at all, but had instead anchored their navy further south on Qiezizhou, closer to the riverbank.

Seeing this, Liu Xian was overjoyed and laughed to those around him, "I thought Wang Feibao was so brave, but it turns out he's afraid of water too!" Everyone laughed at his words.

He said this because it was clearly a sign of the Qi people's fear of naval warfare. A little analysis reveals that if the Qi people believed they could fight on the river, they could have divided their forces to occupy the sandbars. In the event of a naval battle with the Han army, the troops on the sandbars could have acted as a diversion, creating space for the Qi navy to attack from other directions. But the Qi people did not do this because they feared that if they lost the naval battle, their troops stationed on the sandbars would become isolated and helpless targets, easily annihilated by the Han army.

This back and forth means that the initiative on the river has been handed over to the Han army, and it also allows Liu Xian to conduct further reconnaissance on Caizhou without any restraint.

Liu Xian groped his way through the reeds to the east for a while longer, until the charred stone mountain finally appeared on the east side of the river. Here, the cliffs rose several meters high, as if carved by an axe. Perhaps due to the constant erosion of the waves, the cliffs were riddled with pebbles, pitted and mottled. From the cliffs, four mountain ranges could be vaguely seen: Lulong Mountain, Siwang Mountain, Ma'an Mountain, and Qingliang Mountain. None of the mountains were particularly high, but they offered a panoramic view of the surrounding area. The blackened stone city lay at the foot of Qingliang Mountain, the smoke of battle painting a ghastly face upon it.

From Stone City down the mountain, the Qi people's camp stretched endlessly along the mountain's rugged terrain, seemingly without end. The Qi people's ships anchored at the mouth of the Zhuque River, extending southwestward from there.

After surveying the area, Liu Xian had a preliminary understanding: the terrain here was indeed treacherous, and a frontal assault would be extremely difficult. However, the Qi people's concerns were not unfounded; their navy was significantly weaker than his own. In terms of sheer size, their warships were a head shorter than Wang Dun's Golden Wing warships, and they were still using relatively outdated ballistae. They were no match for the Jiangzhou army's navy.

So the current situation is that the Han army has the initiative in the war, but the Qi army's terrain advantage is more reliable. But for Liu Xian, that's enough. He doesn't believe that there is such a thing as an invincible terrain advantage in the world. If there is, it must be because the attackers are not meticulous enough and their deployment is not reasonable enough.

Liu Xian immediately led everyone back to the speedboat, then ordered the sailors to continue downstream, intending to observe Jianye's terrain from another direction. However, this time, when Liu Xian and his group reached the junction of Mufu Mountain and Shitou Mountain, they were spotted by the Qi people on higher ground. More than ten warships immediately emerged from Xuanwu Lake to pursue Liu Xian. Seeing the situation was unfavorable, the sailors immediately changed direction and steered upstream. Working together, they quickly left the warships behind.

Further exploration could not proceed, but the group had already made sufficient gains. By the time they returned to the county government of Wujiang, it was already evening. Liu Xian convened a brief military council, where the group ate and discussed their next attack plan.

After this reconnaissance, everyone reached a consensus on the first step of the operation. Wang Dun took the lead and said, "Since the Qi bandits have ceded Caizhou, it means they dare not fight our army in a naval battle. Our army does not need to be polite and can set up camp on Caizhou first. This place is only a stone's throw away from Jianye. In this way, our army can send troops at its own pace and choose a place to attack."

Everyone nodded silently in agreement, but Du Tao immediately pointed out: "Offense is about taking advantage of the weak and exploiting weaknesses, but where is the weakness in Jianye's current terrain?"

Wang Dun pointed to the map and calculated, "I think we can proceed in three steps. First, we'll destroy the Qi navy. Second, our army will establish a base at Xinting, opposite Caizhou. Third, under the cover of our navy, our army will gradually cross the Zhuque River. By advancing step by step, our forces will reach Jianye. The Qi will have no room to maneuver and will have no choice but to fight us in front of Jianye." Du Tao, however, questioned, "Commander Wang is right. These three steps can indeed be executed steadily, but currently our army has less than 60,000 men, while the Qi claim to have 300,000. However, the troops that have crossed the river will number at least 100,000. With such a disparity in strength, our chances of winning a head-on battle are not necessarily high."

Faced with Du Tao's question, Wang Dun was visibly taken aback. He glanced at Liu Xian, shrugged, and said, "With His Majesty leading the charge and the soldiers fighting bravely, and the Qi people so cowardly, I think there's no need to worry. Didn't His Majesty also achieve a victory against overwhelming odds at Yi'an two years ago?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian couldn't help but chuckle. He shook his head and said, "Chuzhong, you're treating me like a god. Back then, I was able to defeat the strong with the weak because your cousin was careless and overconfident, and I had the advantage of terrain, which allowed me to devise a countermeasure. But in this situation, the Qi people have the advantage of terrain, and our army doesn't have a numerical advantage. We still need to be cautious in our assessment of the enemy!" The implication was that Wang Dun's plan was not feasible.

Upon hearing this, Wang Dun was not discouraged. He stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "Then I understand. Your Majesty means that you want us to seize the geographical advantage, avoid a decisive battle, and find a way to force the Qi people out of Jianye."

"Yes." Liu Xian pointed downstream and said, "Chu Zhong, you see, as long as the Qi people withdraw from Jianye, our army can cut off Jingkou by waterway. The Qi people will be in a dead end. Our army can make the Qi people disintegrate on their own simply by recruiting and accepting defectors."

“Then I really have no way.” Wang Dun decisively abandoned his plan, shook his head and smiled, “Your Majesty, this matter is probably more difficult than winning the decisive battle against the Qi people at Jianye.”

This remark resonated with many present, and everyone nodded in agreement once again. Liu Xian smiled and said, "Then tell me, Chu Zhong, what exactly is so difficult about forcing the Qi people to retreat?"

Wang Dun then drew a semicircle on the map and gestured, saying, “Your Majesty, we have all seen it on the spot. The existence of Stone Mountain and Mufu Mountain is like a naturally formed circular formation on the water. The two mountains encircle Xuanwu Lake, and the Qi people have basically occupied most of the high ground on the two mountains. They only need to deploy a small number of ships in Xuanwu Lake to block the river mouth, and they can use the ships to support other areas. If our navy wants to concentrate its forces to attack one point and forcefully open a breach, the Qi people can also quickly gather their forces to support us.”

"As Your Majesty said, the Qi army far outnumbers ours. If the conflict drags on any longer, our army will be outnumbered. At that point, without the advantage of terrain, our losses will likely be even greater than those in the decisive battle on the plains."

After this analysis, the assembled generals and officers had a significantly different opinion of Wang Dun. After all, most people believed that Wang Dun, as the commander, was largely to blame for the Langya Wang clan's defeat at the Battle of Yi'an. Furthermore, Wang Dun had only attained his high position by switching sides and having a past relationship with the emperor. Therefore, many considered him nothing more than an incompetent ruler. They hadn't expected him to analyze the military situation so concisely, succinctly, and aptly.

Liu Xian smiled and nodded, then crossed his hands and slowly said, "Chu Zhong is right. If it were a siege, our army would indeed face this situation. But what if we change our approach?"

“Our army will not attack the Qi people’s strategic strongholds, but will instead choose a place between these two mountains to build a fortification, forcing the Qi people to come and attack us. What do you think?”

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up. Tao Kan slowly and methodically said, "Your Majesty's plan is brilliant. If we can build a fortress between the two mountains, we can cut off Jianye's natural circular formation, and our army can gain a foothold on the south bank. If the Qi people do not attack us, our army can use the navy to gradually clear the two mountains. Therefore, the Qi people will definitely not sit idly by and will take the initiative to attack our fortress. At that time, our army will be the one that occupies the advantageous terrain and waits in comfort."

Du Tao also bowed in admiration and praised, "If attacking is unsuccessful, then defense becomes offense. So that's how it is! Your Majesty is indeed a genius in military strategy!"

So the next question was where to build the fortifications and by whom. Everyone unanimously focused their attention on the northern end of Mufu Mountain, at the mouth of the river. The terrain there was relatively flat, the furthest from Jianye, and the weakest Qi forces. Moreover, once they occupied this place, they could blockade Xuanwu Lake, and the Han army would be able to completely control the waters of the river.

"Does this place have a name?" Liu Xian turned to ask Lu Yun.

“This place has been eroded by the river for many years, so the stones here are different from those in other places, with a bluish-white color. Therefore, the locals call it Baishibei (White Stone Slope),” Lu Yun replied.

"Bai Shi Bei." Liu Xian repeated it twice, then looked up at his generals and said decisively, "Then it's settled. Whoever can build a fortification on Bai Shi Bei will have the greatest merit in this battle! Who among you can achieve this?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Du Zeng stepped forward and said first, "Your Majesty, to build this fortress, we will surely face a fierce battle. We need brave generals to pave the way. Who else but me can do this battle?"

This is indeed an extremely difficult task. Once the fortifications are discovered by the Qi people, and they launch an attack before the stone fortifications are completed, they will surely send their elite troops to contest them. If it weren't for a fierce general like Du Zeng, they might not be able to withstand them. Upon hearing this, Liu Xian nodded slightly and said, "Good! I have long heard of Minister Du's reputation as the number one warrior in Jianghan. This is a good opportunity to witness his prowess!"

Thus, a plan was devised, and three thousand elite troops were assigned to Du Zeng as the vanguard. Three days later, on the night of the same day, the Jiangzhou navy would cover their advance to Baishibei to secretly construct fortifications.

(Topographical map of Jianye during the Sun Wu period) (End of this chapter)