Jinting Han people

Chapter 739 Reorganizing Morale

Nine days after the Qi army captured Stone City, in mid-October, Liu Xian led his army to the Yu Lake area of ​​Danyang County.

It was early winter, and the temperature was dropping rapidly. The trees along the riverbanks had mostly shed their leaves, and only the pines and cypresses stood tall and verdant among the rolling mountains, though even they couldn't help but exude a sense of desolation. The soldiers changed into their winter clothes, which had been prepared beforehand, wrapping themselves up like dumplings. However, because the Jiangnan region was exceptionally humid, even the thickest clothes couldn't completely prevent dampness from seeping in. Combined with the occasional howling river wind, they frequently rubbed their hands and stamped their feet, exhaling puffs of white steam.

Liu Xian originally planned to continue forward, leading his army to Jianye to join Zhou Qi's forces. However, during a brief stop at Yuhu, he discovered a large number of refugees there. They were living in groups in the mountains, their clothes tattered, shivering from the cold. Liu Xian sent men to comfort them, and learned that they were refugees who had fled Jianye City. Due to their hasty movements and lack of a stable home, they had ended up in such a state.

Liu Xian thus learned that Taicheng was completely blockaded. This intelligence greatly alarmed him, and he immediately convened a military council on the ship.

He first pointed to the map and asked Lu Yun, "Shilong, how many miles is Yuhu from Jianye?"

Lu Yun replied, "Two hundred and fifty li by land, and one hundred and sixty li by water."

This distance was already within a day's journey for both armies. Liu Xian then asked, "If our army continues to advance, will it be convenient to establish a foothold?"

Lu Yun pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head and explained, “Your Majesty, since the Qi people occupied Stone City nine days ago, judging by the time, they should have also occupied Jiangning City and Sanshan to the east. The terrain here is full of mountains, so it is not difficult for our army to establish a foothold, but it would be too troublesome to go from here to relieve the siege of Jianye.”

Liu Xian agreed with this view. He nodded and said, "Then it seems we can't go directly to Jianye. Let's go to the north bank first, meet up with Du Zhengdong at Wujiang, gather our forces, and then make further plans."

Considering the refugees at Yuhu, Liu Xian said to Wang Dun, "Chuzhong, unload a boatload of grain to provide emergency relief, so that no refugees will starve to death." He then turned to Lu Yun and said, "Shilong, go and send a message to the court to see how much cloth and winter clothes are left, and transport them all to Yangzhou. The weather is still good now, so no one will freeze to death, but it's hard to say what will happen in another month."

Wang Dun and Lu Yun both nodded, but Wang Dun then said to Liu Xian, "Your Majesty, there are not only refugees in Yuhu, but also eight county magistrates and prefects who fled here. They abandoned their posts when faced with the bandits and committed dereliction of duty. Should we behead them to set an example?"

Liu Xian glanced at Wang Dun and shook his head, saying, "This is not enough to constitute dereliction of duty. This time, the Qi people crossed the river in great numbers and their strength was overwhelming. They lacked troops and it was already commendable that they did not surrender to the Qi people. It was inevitable that they would die because they could not defend the city. Why talk about beheading? Besides, I have already issued an edict of self-reproach. If I were to use this as a pretext to execute officials, it would be a breach of my promise."

Having said this, Liu Xian not only did not punish the officials, but instead ordered that each of them be given a hundred gold pieces and allowed to accompany the army, intending to set an example of the emperor's leniency towards the Wu people. Upon hearing the news, the local refugees and Wu people were all moved to tears, shouting "Long live the emperor!" and then crowded to the riverbank, trying to catch a glimpse of the Han emperor. Unfortunately, the emperor did not appear at the bow of the ship. Apart from the guards patrolling the ship, all that could be seen was the emperor's canopy atop the ship and the flag that Lai Zhong had left for him—"The Han and the traitors cannot coexist; the royal cause cannot be confined to a corner."

This was enough to make everyone present talk with great interest. They inquired about the emperor's appearance from the soldiers while discussing the outcome of the battle. Some were pessimistic because it seemed that the emperor's reinforcements were far fewer than those of the Qi people, but most were optimistic, saying, "The emperor alone is worth a million soldiers, so why worry about the number of people?"

While the people remained optimistic, for Liu Xian on the ship, the war was still a matter that required careful consideration. The reason he did not show himself openly was that he did not yet have a mature strategy to defeat the enemy, and therefore had to rack his brains on the ship.

As things stand, the situation in Yangzhou is far worse than Liu Xian imagined. His original plan was that if Jianye were still in his hands, the only remaining channel of communication between the Qi people and Huainan would be Jingkou. At that point, using Jianye as a base, he could quickly blockade Jingkou with his navy, and then gradually win back the hesitant Wu people. The Qi people in Jiangnan would then be trapped like turtles in a jar, and they would be eager to fight the Han army to the death. Liu Xian would only need to use the geographical advantage of Jianye to withstand this wave of attacks to achieve victory.

But now that Jianye has fallen into the hands of the Qi people, that's a different story.

(Map of the situation in October of the sixth year of the Qiming era)

Once the Qi forces captured Stone City, they could blockade the river from Yanziji at Mufu Mountain, preventing the Han army from advancing further east until their naval power was defeated. This allowed the Qi to maintain communication between Jingkou and Guangling, and also made Wu their rear base, providing a continuous supply of manpower and resources. To improve this situation, Liu Xian had to launch a frontal assault and recapture Jianye.

But would it succeed? Without witnessing the terrain of Jianye firsthand, Liu Xian was uncertain, especially given his inferior troop strength. He could only secretly rejoice that Zhou Qi was still holding the fortified city, leaving a weakness in the Qi defenses. However, the specifics of what to do next would have to wait until they reached the walls of Stone City to devise a detailed plan.

Two days later, the Jiangzhou naval forces sailed to the walls of Wujiang City, where Du Tao's troops had been waiting for a long time. When Liu Xian, Wang Dun, and others arrived, it was already dusk. They could see that both banks were brightly lit with torches, but the north bank belonged to the Han army, while the south bank belonged to the Qi army. The Qi army's bonfires were far more impressive than those of the Han army. Between the fires on both banks, the river, which stretched for several miles, surged and roared, its waves constantly washing against the stone walls on both sides, seemingly telling the story of the vicissitudes of time.

Upon meeting Liu Xian, Du Taofu immediately apologized, claiming that he had been incompetent and derelict in his duties, having allowed the emperor to personally lead the expedition, which was a grave offense. Therefore, he requested the emperor to dismiss him.

Liu Xian, of course, understood Du Tao's intentions. Although Liu Xian had taken full responsibility and claimed he wouldn't hold anyone accountable, as the emperor, every decision he made would have both positive and negative political consequences. Since Liu Xian was personally leading the expedition, the subtext could easily be interpreted as the emperor's distrust of Du Tao, which would severely damage Du Tao's prestige and potentially make it difficult for him to command respect in the future. Therefore, Liu Xian immediately helped him up, saying, "These words are too inappropriate, Jingwen, don't say them again! You are a trusted and valued general of mine, and now is the time to put your skills to use. If even you resign, who will I use to fight on the front lines?" Du Tao still pleaded guilty, and Liu Xian persuaded him repeatedly before finally calming him down.

Turning back to inspect the Huainan troops accompanied by Du Tao, Liu Xian found that their morale, like Du Tao's, was rather low. Although the army numbered nearly 30,000, including many brave warriors, the situation in Yangzhou had deteriorated since Du Tao took office. Adding to this, the Qi army had recently set fire to Jianye, the flames reaching the sky and visible from the north bank. The destruction of such a vital city had left everyone feeling ashamed to face the Emperor, hence their low spirits, dejected demeanor, and reluctance to meet Liu Xian's gaze.

Liu Xian realized that the most urgent task was to boost morale, and then he asked to go and pay respects to He Pan.

Not long after Du Tao took office, He Pan suddenly passed away. Logically, after the siege of Hefei was lifted, the Han army should have immediately sent the old man's coffin back to Bashu, so he could rest in peace. However, considering He Pan's dying wish—to see the unification of the nine provinces—and that sending him away before the war in Yangzhou was over would likely cause him resentment in the afterlife. Therefore, Du Tao discussed with He Zhang the possibility of leaving He Pan's coffin in the army, intending to send it back to Bashu after the battle was over.

Liu Xian agreed with this approach, seeing it as a perfect opportunity to express his loyalty to the soldiers. He then changed into plain clothes, led the men to kneel before He Pan's coffin, and, holding a cup of wine, slowly poured it onto the ground, reminiscing about the past to those around him:

"I didn't really have much of a relationship with Mr. He. When we first met, he was already over thirty. At that time, he had no intention of taking up an official post, but after my repeated persuasion, and with his patriotic thoughts of restoring the country in his heart, he disregarded his old age and worked tirelessly for me. I never expected that he would die of illness on the battlefield. I owe Mr. He so much!"

At first, Liu Xian only felt grief, but recalling that night in Luoyang when he blocked the gate of He's residence, he was filled with sorrow. If it weren't for Lord He's help, he probably wouldn't have been able to escape from Luoyang. It was a pity that he didn't have the chance to let him see a peaceful world. Thinking of this, Liu Xian remembered He Pan's memorial before his death, and he couldn't control his emotions. He burst into tears in public, and then the cup slipped from his hand and fell into the mud and dust.

Seeing this, the generals around him were also moved by the emperor's emotions and shed tears of grief. After all, in this day and age, there were very few elderly people still alive from the Shu Han period. He Pan was born in Shu Han, served in the Former Jin Dynasty, and later followed Wang Jun in the conquest of Wu, witnessing the rise and fall of the entire Former Jin court. He also participated in the restoration and revival of the Han Dynasty, and could not be said to be anything less than highly respected. His passing was truly a great loss to the country.

Especially Qiao Deng, who accompanied Liu Xian on his first eastern expedition, was able to return to officialdom after years of seclusion because He Pan had been deliberately cultivating his reputation. This time, he came out of seclusion with the intention of seeing He Pan one last time, but alas, the distance was too great and he was unable to do so. In the end, he did not make it in time. At this moment, he was truly grieved and shed tears that were beyond the reach of ordinary people.

After crying, Liu Xian wiped away his tears, then took out an imperial edict and read it aloud to everyone:

"With the merits of Lord He, who spared no effort in leading the army, he spearheaded the campaigns, pacified the Jiangnan region, and secured the Huainan region, restoring the Han dynasty from peril to peace and the illuminating of the sun and moon. His achievements are truly remarkable and his merits are renowned throughout history. Praising virtue and inscribing merits are the clear rules of the ancient sages. Now, Lord He is posthumously granted the titles of Attendant-in-Ordinary, Three Bestowments, Imperial Envoy, Grand General, Grand Tutor, Commander-in-Chief, Governor, and Duke, with his original titles. He is also granted one million coins, one thousand bolts of cloth, the posthumous title of Zhongwu (Loyal and Martial), and a grand sacrificial offering is made at his shrine."

This was precisely the edict posthumously conferring the title of "Honorary Title for Duke He" that Liu Xian had prepared in Yi'an. He hoped to use it to demonstrate the court's attitude towards meritorious officials and to boost the morale of the army. However, as he approached the coffin, he felt it was still insufficient, so he said to He Zhang:

"Given your merits, mere titles and ranks would hardly be enough to repay your kindness. Today, I bestow upon your family an ironclad pardon, which, barring any heinous crimes such as treason, rebellion, or immorality, will spare your family ten lives. This oath is sworn in gold and stone, and inscribed in red ink, and you will never renege on it!"

After He Zhang expressed his gratitude, Liu Xian turned to the soldiers and said, "Although our ancestors are dead, we, their descendants, must carry on their legacy. With war imminent, we must not disgrace their will. Strive to do so!"

The soldiers readily agreed. Although time is merciless and the dead cannot be brought back to life, there is no birth without the dead. The death of the elders also brings new opportunities to those who come after. With He Pan's death, it means that the three heroes of Bashu from the previous generation have officially left the stage of history. Now it is time for the younger generation to make their mark.

Afterwards, Liu Xian inspected the wounded and sick troops, comforted the soldiers, and publicly rewarded those who had previously resisted the Qi people in Huainan, Hefei, and Juchao, praising them as meritorious. At the same time, he appointed Du Hong as Governor of Xuzhou, Wang Zhen as Commandant of Guangling, and Gao Bao as Commandant of Linhuai. Guangling and Linhuai were territories currently occupied by the Qi people, yet Liu Xian appointed officials before the battle, demonstrating his confidence to the soldiers that he would not only drive the Qi people out of Jiangzuo but also expand the territory and achieve a glorious victory.

After this series of political statements, it was completely dark, but the morale of the Huainan army had clearly improved. On the way back to Wujiang City after the camp inspection, the generals began to volunteer for battle to Liu Xian. Liu Xian smiled but did not answer, only telling the officers to rest well and discuss the matter again early the next morning.

Liu Xian's lodging was in the county government office in Wujiang City. The place had been prepared for him in advance, complete with a bed, brazier, screen, and lanterns. On the table were also Huainan's famous specialties: freshly made Huainan beef soup and Bagongshan tofu, still steaming hot. However, Liu Xian had little appetite. After taking a few bites, he began to ponder the situation in Qiantang and when Guo Song would arrive in Kuaiji from Jiaozhou.

As Liu Xian was silently calculating in his mind, a commotion suddenly arose outside the door. Li Xiu went out to see what was happening and then whispered to the person who had entered. Liu Xian didn't pay much attention at first, but unexpectedly, Li Xiu hurriedly walked in and said to Liu Xian, "Your Majesty, someone wants to see you."

"It's so late. Didn't you say you had official business and would discuss it tomorrow?" Liu Xian asked, slightly surprised.

Li Xiu shook her head slightly. Who was it? Her eyes held a hint of an indescribable smile. "Your Majesty, it's not official business, it's a private matter." Then she leaned closer to Liu Xian and whispered, "It's Meng Sanlang bringing the Second Prince."

Upon hearing these words, Liu Xian was startled and immediately stood up. After pacing back and forth for a moment, he sighed and said to Li Xiu, "I understand. What's done is done. Bring him in." (End of Chapter)