Jinting Han people

Chapter 734 Zhou Qi made a mistake

Just as the Qi army marched south, heading straight for Qiantang, Zhou Qi, the de facto leader of the Wu people, was stationed in Stone City.

Although Stone City was only a small castle, named after the Stone Mountain located nine miles northwest of Jianye, the mere mention of its name would ring a bell for anyone with a modicum of knowledge, as it was the most important military center in the entire Jiangzuo region. In some people's minds, Stone City was Jianye, and Jianye was Stone City.

The reason for this strange impression lies in Jianye's unique geographical situation. As the former capital of Eastern Wu and the de facto political center of Yangzhou, Jianye, like other important cities such as Luoyang, Chengdu, Chang'an, and Shouchun, possessed a relatively complex city defense system, but in reality, it also had its own unique characteristics.

Simply put, Jianye City basically abandoned its own defenses.

Jianye City was practically undefended. Apart from the palaces built during the Sun Wu period, the area around the palaces was crowded with markets and mansions of wealthy families from all over Jiangnan. For ease of management, Eastern Wu simply used bamboo fences to divide the inner and outer city walls, which locals called "fence gates." This planning led to the rapid growth of Jianye City and unprecedented commercial prosperity, but it also meant that it was difficult to control. There was almost no curfew in the outer city, and the night markets on the south bank of the Yangtze River were a unique sight in Yangzhou.

The reason Sun Quan made such a plan was quite simple: the geographical advantages of Jianye City at that time were unmatched by other cities.

When Liu Bei surveyed Moling, he discovered that to the west lay the Stone Mountains, stretching for several miles, and to the north, the Mufu Mountains, also stretching for several miles. These two mountain ranges, like two powerful arms, forcefully jutted into the Yangtze River, embracing Xuanwu Lake and leaving only a narrow pass a hundred feet wide. To the east of Moling lay the majestic Zhongshan Mountain, and to the south, the Zhuque River, a hundred feet wide. This naturally formed, strategically advantageous location greatly impressed Liu Bei, who described it as "a tiger crouching and a dragon coiled."

Liu Bei believed that as long as he had a powerful navy in Jianye and set up a fortress at the confluence of Shitou Mountain and Zhuque River, it would be enough to make any enemy crossing the river from the north fearful.

Given the terrain, a direct landing would require the attackers to first seize a foothold at Stone Mountain; otherwise, they would be caught in a pincer movement between Stone Mountain and the navy. However, attacking Stone Mountain itself, stretching for miles and commanding a high vantage point, would also result in the attackers being attacked from both sides by the fortress's defenders and the navy. From this perspective, without a navy and army several times larger than the enemy's, and with substantial supplies, it would be virtually impossible for the attackers to breach Jianye City.

Sun Quan readily accepted Liu Bei's advice, first establishing his capital at Moling, and then constructing Stone City on Stone Mountain. From this perspective, capturing Stone City was equivalent to capturing Jianye. Therefore, although Jianye and Stone City were located in different places, they were militarily equivalent.

Therefore, after hearing the news that the Qi army had besieged Huainan, Zhou Qi realized that Jiangnan was also at risk of joining the war. So he immediately sent letters to Hefei and Yi'an. After obtaining He Pan's consent, he immediately led his troops into Shitou City and gathered supplies and troops in Yangzhou, ready to support Huainan at any time.

At this time, Zhou Qi was full of ambition. He often took a boat to Ruxu Dock to investigate the situation of the Qi people and discussed the next battle plan with his colleagues. In his spare time, he would climb Stone Mountain with his friends, pointing out the landscape and chatting happily, thinking that this was the perfect time for the Wu people to make a name for themselves.

It's no wonder he thought this way. Since being enfeoffed as the King of Jin'an, Zhou Qi had enjoyed immense prestige in Jiangzuo. While nominally a settlement for the Jin people, the King of Jin'an effectively recognized the privileges of the Wu people. It should be noted that although the current emperor was kind to people, he was known for his strong-arm tactics and dared to defy authority repeatedly, no matter where he was. This was even more true after he declared himself emperor; even the powerful Celestial Masters sect had to submit to him. That Zhou Qi could actually get Liu Xian to make political concessions was extremely rare, naturally earning him immense prestige.

This experience greatly changed Zhou Qi's opinion of Liu Xian, leading him to believe he had encountered a wise ruler. Therefore, during his time in the Wu region, he devoted himself to coordinating with his fellow townsmen to participate in politics and discuss national affairs, hoping to allow the Jiangnan region to recuperate and achieve political stability. Of course, after a year, many things were only just beginning and had not yet been truly implemented. But it was enough to fill Zhou Qi with great pride.

Regarding this battle, Zhou Qi also believed that this was an excellent opportunity for the Wu people to formally establish themselves in the imperial court. After all, although the court had previously recruited the Wu people, it still harbored some suspicion towards them. However, as long as they could decisively defeat the Qi army and demonstrate their sincerity and loyalty to the emperor, the Yi'an court would have to re-evaluate the value and role of the Wu people. Perhaps in the future, the Wu people would not only be able to maintain their privileges in Yangzhou, but might even be able to exert political influence in the court.

Therefore, after arriving at Stone City, Zhou Qi wrote to many friends, hoping they could bring their troops to join him and participate in the Huainan campaign. However, the result was disappointing; apart from the Lu and Gu clans, who had formally surrendered to Liu Xian, the other clans merely went through the motions.

Given the wealth of the Wu region, it would have been more than enough to muster an army of 70,000 to 80,000. However, Zhou Qi only managed to mobilize a little over 20,000 men, and even with the Han troops already stationed around Jianye, the total force was no more than 30,000, which was truly disappointing.

Therefore, during this period, Zhou Qi was not resigned to his fate and continued to try to contact various ethnic groups in Jiangdong, such as He, Zhu, Zhang, and Xue, hoping that they would contribute more troops. However, the scholars such as Yin You and He Xun refused for a simple reason: they claimed that Jiangdong had been suffering from war for the past few years, and it would be better to protect the territory and its people than to be ambitious and aggressive.

But this is, of course, a lie; the real reason is obvious to everyone. Now that the people of Wu have obtained the autonomy they desired, they have lost the motivation to continue their political ambitions. If investment were increased, those who would truly benefit would likely be people like Zhou Qi and Lu Yun, who had already pledged allegiance to Liu Xian, rather than the ordinary local clans who had no connection with the emperor.

Just like his father Zhou Chu, Zhou Qi possessed outstanding military talent but lacked sufficient political insight, only realizing this at the last minute. By the time Du Tao arrived at Ruxu Dock to contact Zhou Qi and learn the details, Zhou Qi was already in a somewhat awkward situation.

It should be noted that Zhou Qi was already in his early fifties, from a prominent family in Jiangzuo, while Du Tao was only thirty, from an ordinary wealthy family in Bashu. Despite such a significant age difference, their social status was remarkably similar. Logically, Zhou Qi should have displayed the demeanor of an elder and offered assistance to Du Tao. However, the reality was that his forces were severely depleted and insufficient to reverse the tide of battle, making Zhou Qi ashamed to even speak up.

However, Zhou Qi still managed to maintain an optimistic attitude and told Du Tao about the current situation in Yangzhou. Du Tao had anticipated this and was prepared for it, so he didn't criticize him. He simply told Zhou Qi, "Lord Xuanpei, rest assured, as long as you stay in Jianye and protect the Three Wu regions, so I have no worries about the rear, even if Huainan is lost, there will still be room for another battle." With that, he managed to enter Hefei.

Zhou Qi remained in Stone City, gathering supplies and reorganizing his navy, still preparing to cross the river northward. However, what followed was completely unexpected. Five days after Min Hong abandoned Jingkou and left, Zhou Qi finally received news that Dantu was under siege. He was shocked, nearly breaking the table he was leaning against, and blurted out, "Disinformation! Why didn't I receive any news from Jingkou?!" Although he had only left a thousand men in Jingkou, the strategic location of the Jingkou fortress was enough to hold it for three or four days. If a messenger from the fortress came to inform him, Zhou Qi could lead his navy to Jingkou within two or three days. He also had over five hundred ships under his command. Once they sailed downstream from the north of Jingkou, combined with the city's defenses, there was a high probability they could directly crush the Qi navy. Without a navy and without a stronghold, what could the Qi people do but surrender?

But after the messenger from Dantu swore an oath, Zhou Qi had no choice but to believe him. He immediately boarded a fast, unconventional ship, took dozens of men, and went to Jingkou to investigate the situation. When he arrived that night, he saw hundreds of ships anchored in Jingkou, like a pack of wolves, their masts standing tall, or like venomous snakes. Ten thousand men were stationed there to guard the city, and campfires flickered. In the firelight, Zhou Qi could see the blue banners of the Qi army flying high above the fallen city walls of Jingkou in the distance.

This scene shattered his illusions, leaving him dejected at the bow of the boat for a long time. Listening to the surging river below, his emotions were in turmoil, and he said to those around him, "I have no face to see the Emperor!"

But Zhou Qi was not one to give up so easily. His fierce temperament was beyond the imagination of others. In just a moment, he pulled himself out of his defeat, drew his Zhongxing sword with a determined expression, and flicked the sword with his finger, saying, "I was just worried that my fellow villagers were unwilling to work together, leaving me with no way to make a contribution. I did not expect that the people of Qi would go south to their deaths willingly. How can I let this go?"

After saying this, he personally steered the boat back to shore.

In Zhou Qi's view, the fall of Jingkou was certainly bad news, but it was also a good opportunity. The current situation was strikingly similar to the Han army's campaign in Longyou. Liu Yao's surprise attack on Longyou, breaking through Wating Pass, allowed the Zhao army to cross the Longban Pass and ascend the Long River—wasn't this just like the Qi army's surprise attack on Jingkou today, followed by a large-scale crossing of the river?

Since Yang Nandi was able to secretly contact the powerful clans of Longyou and Hexi, suddenly cutting off the Zhao people's route down to Longyou, and then rallying his forces to launch a counterattack, achieving a great victory and driving the Zhao people back to Guanzhong, why couldn't he also rally the clans of the Wu region, destroy the Qi people's navy and retreat route, and then annihilate all the Qi people who were heading south? Although the Wu people have never been particularly aggressive, they have many admirable stories of united resistance against foreign enemies. Great victories such as Chibi, Yiling, and Xiling can all be seen as clear evidence of their unity in defending their territory.

Back in Stone City, Zhou Qi made two decisions. First, in his capacity as Chancellor of Jin'an, he sent a message to the Qiantang court, requesting Gan Zhuo, Chu Shen, Wu Gu, Zhang Liao, and others who remained to mobilize the surrounding powerful clans and their troops to march north and resist the Qi people. Second, he sent a message to Hefei, requesting the Han army from Huainan to march south and join him as soon as possible. Since the Qi people had already crossed the river at Jingkou, he would leave Jianye, move his troops to Jiangcheng, and force the Qi army to return to Jingkou for a decisive battle.

This decisive battle was unavoidable, because the number of Qi people crossing the sea this time was extraordinary, and they would have to rely on grain transported from Huaibei to supply them. In order to ensure the safety of the grain route, the Qi people could only solve the safety of the river first.

However, the situation in Jiangdong did not develop in the direction Zhou Qi had predicted.

First, he consistently overestimated the unity of the Wu people of Jiangdong. Just as his initial attempt to unite them to negotiate with Liu Xian resulted in him being abandoned by the rest of the Wu community. While the Wu people had maintained unity in resisting external aggression over the past century, this was contingent on the Wu territory not being directly invaded. With Yangzhou as their core, the Wu people maintained a balance of power across the river, using their navy to defend against enemies outside the Three Wu regions; perhaps then, they could share both glory and hardship.

However, the Wu people have always been unwilling to shed blood when their homeland is directly threatened by outsiders. When Wang Jun marched east, the Wu people, seeing their navy was no match for him, scattered like birds and beasts, even though Jianye still had nearly 100,000 troops. Thus, without firing a single arrow, they forced Sun Hao to surrender in plain clothes. And isn't it the same principle behind Sun Ce's southward march with only a mere thousand or so troops, yet gathering tens of thousands of troops in the Three Wu regions?

The same applies to this crisis. With the Qi forces already crossed the river and exerting such overwhelming military pressure, no one was willing to risk becoming a sacrifice for the Wu's unity. They crumbled at the first sign of trouble; self-preservation was the prevailing political wisdom. Only with strength can one always have the right to negotiate.

Secondly, Zhou Qi underestimated Wang Mi's determination to march south. Although Qi and Han had been established as states, their foundations were not truly secure. Wang Mi, as the military leader, had no intention of seizing territory and becoming a king; in other words, he still considered himself the commander of a band of refugees. For him, the gain or loss of a single city or territory was insignificant; the most important thing was to expand his army. As long as the army grew stronger with each battle, everything else could be disregarded for the time being.

His southward journey was carefully planned; his primary objective regarding Jingzhou was to contain it. Successful containment would be ideal, but if it failed, the southerners would have two options:

If we advance eastward to fight the Qi people, as long as we force the Wu people to surrender, we will have no worries about food supplies. Then we can occupy the strategic Jianye and confront the Han army for a long time. We can continue to send troops from Jingzhou to harass and raid. In this kind of war of attrition, we can wear Liu Xian down.

If the Southerners did not choose to advance eastward, but instead marched north from Jingzhou to the Central Plains, the Central Plains are now dotted with fortified villages and there is no grain to be transferred. The Southerners would also have to consume a large amount of grain and fodder to conquer the fortified villages one by one. Wang Mi did not believe that the Han army could make rapid progress. By then, after the Qi people had ensnared the Wu people, they could easily advance westward along the Yangtze River, annihilate the Southerners' Huainan and Jiangzhou armies, and strike directly at the heart of Jingzhou. Once Yi'an was threatened, the Qi people would ultimately prevail.

This was precisely Liu Bang's strategy in dealing with Xiang Yu: when there was little chance of winning a direct main battle, it was better to engage in a stalemate on the front lines and win through a roundabout approach.

Of course, Wang Mi didn't expect to achieve a decisive victory in this strategic battle. His actual goal in crossing the river was to force the Southern Han back west of Xunyang, allowing the balance of power to shift and for Qi and Han to emerge as the stronger side.

Regardless of how the war unfolded afterward, or the two men's military command abilities, in terms of overall political considerations at this time, Zhou Qi was indeed far inferior to Wang Mi. Less than four days after Zhou Qi's mobilization order reached Qiantang, Wang Mi's two southward armies had already joined forces in Yuhang, and with the help of Wu figures such as Zhang Kai, Yu Tan, Liu Dan, and Wan Qiu, their military strength had not diminished but rather increased. In contrast, Gan Zhuo, after receiving his orders, only mobilized a little over ten thousand men in Qiantang.

More importantly, with the morale of the people of the Wu region so low, Gan Zhuo had completely lost confidence in resisting the Qi people in Qiantang. He knew that Qiantang was a dead end, with no way to escape; the only convenient option was to flee by sea. So, while making a show of force, claiming to resist the Qi people, he actually requisitioned over two hundred ships. One night in early September, he, along with Sima Chi and others, set sail for the Zhoushan Islands in the East China Sea, intending to observe the situation from the islands.

Thus, the Qi forces swept through the Three Wu regions like autumn leaves, completely free from worries about supplies and logistics. With the situation in Jiangdong developing to this point, Wang Mi's plan was already more than half successful; Jianye had become the eye of the storm in Yangzhou. The Qi forces only needed to take the final step: defeat the last Han troops there, capture Jianye, and the situation in Jiangdong would be completely out of Han control. (End of Chapter)