Chapter 437: Sudden Rainstorm Attack

"A little to the left, yes, a little more to the left."

Fang Chongyong said to Anaye, who was massaging his shoulders. Fang Chongyong rested with his eyes closed while pondering the current military situation at the border towns, and the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he grew.

Tomorrow would be the twenty-eighth of the twelfth month. According to the Holiday Decree promulgated by Brother Ji during the Kaiyuan era, officials of the Great Tang government would officially begin their winter holiday tomorrow, with seven consecutive days off.

But the Shuofang Jiedushi yamen within Lingzhou City clearly had no holiday atmosphere whatsoever. Clerks and border generals went in and out, and military intelligence from all sides converged here, keeping everyone so busy their heads were spinning.

"Is there any news from Hedong?"

Fang Chongyong asked Feng Changqing, who was studying the large map on the wall.

"There has been no unusual activity.

The Inspector of Yunzhou and Military Commissioner of the Jingbian Army, Li Liangchen, specifically sent someone to report that the Uyghurs have not been active in the area around Zi River.

He dispatched scouts to reconnoiter over two hundred li to the west and found no large Uyghur forces."

Feng Changqing knitted his brows, cupped his fists in salute, and reported.

Ever since concurrently taking up the post of Hedong Jiedushi, Fang Chongyong had not been idle. He used his authority to reshuffle personnel and plug gaps.

The former Inspector of Yunzhou was Gao Xiuyan from the Heyuan Army under the Longyou Jiedushi. This man was not one of his own people, and furthermore had been suspected of involvement in the Heyuan Army mutiny back then.

Fang Chongyong was not very reassured about Gao Xiuyan.

So he overruled all objections and appointed Li Liangchen, the Inspector of a jimi prefecture adjacent to the Uyghurs' area of activity, as Inspector of Yunzhou and Military Commissioner of the Jingbian Army.

Li Liangchen was of the Tiele people, chieftain of the Tiele Adie tribe, originally the Inspector of Jitian Prefecture (Khentii Province, Mongolia). His original name was Adie Liangchen, and he was later granted the surname Li by Brother Ji.

The way jimi prefectures operated was entirely different from ordinary Great Tang prefectures. The court did not collect taxes, chieftainship was hereditary, and they simply needed to make regular tribute offerings to the court and provide troops to assist in wartime. They were generally used to settle nomadic tribes that had migrated inward, one tribe per jimi prefecture.

Fang Chongyong kicked Gao Xiuyan over to Jiangzhou to serve as its Inspector, and to garrison Longmen Pass in passing. If the realm were in chaos, this place would indeed be of extraordinary importance, a vital crossroads between east and west.

But right now the Great Tang was not in turmoil, and Longmen Pass served no real purpose. Garrisoning Longmen Pass was nothing but slacking off all day. It was hard to say this was anything other than overt praise with covert demotion, an apparent promotion with an actual downgrade.

In any case, Gao Xiuyan could not come up with any words of objection, and dutifully went to Jiangzhou to take up his post.

Inspector of Yunzhou and Military Commissioner of the Jingbian Army — this was something Li Liangchen would never have dared to dream of before. To repay Ambassador Fang's recognition and trust, in a moment of fervor he directly brought his own troops to Yunzhou and set up camp near Wuzhou City to help the Jingbian Army defend Yunzhou.

Fang Chongyong's move, besides eliminating hidden dangers, was also a way to win over the various Tiele tribes and draw a clear line with the Uyghurs. No matter how the Uyghurs played their game, they could never offer the Adie tribe what the Great Tang could.

The more people from the Nine Surnames of Tiele were drawn to his side, the fewer people the Uyghurs could win over. Even if Li Liangchen slacked off all day and did nothing, as long as he did not throw in with the Uyghurs, then this move had been the right one.

Was politics not, after all, a matter of making your own side as large as possible, making the enemy's side as small as possible, and then crushing them to death?

Li Liangchen had originally been a peripheral general of the Shuofang Army (not on the official roster), and suddenly becoming a key figure in the Hedong Army, he was naturally utterly obedient and diligently served Fang Chongyong.

What was even more clever was that this reshuffle did not in the least exceed Fang Chongyong's authority as the "Hetao Pacification Ambassador."

He himself already oversaw two military towns and controlled their personnel appointments and dismissals. Now that the generals of the two towns had been swapped, and Fang Chongyong had not inserted anyone from the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army into Hedong, it did not count as overstepping any taboos.

Fang Chongyong sent someone to personally deliver an urgent memorial to Huaqing Palace. After reading it, Brother Ji waved his hand grandly: minor matters could be decided on his own; there was no need to report every single thing.

In Brother Ji's view, as long as Fang Chongyong was not installing people from the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army into the Shuofang and Hedong military towns, then he could do whatever he wanted and he would not interfere.

Earlier, Gao Shang, who had lost an arm, had returned and already explained to Brother Ji that this Jiedushi Fang was "unmatched in loyalty and valor," having sent back even Prince Yong's personal letter without opening it.

Given all this, Fang Chongyong found it strange. Since Li Liangchen had already been fully won over to his side and could not possibly serve as an inside agent for the Uyghurs, why was there not the slightest movement from the Uyghurs on the perimeter of Yunzhou?

"Jiedushi, something is not quite right. I just returned from the area west of Lingwu and only saw scattered Uyghur light cavalry, no main force."

Che Guangqian also cupped his fists and reported to Fang Chongyong.

"The Shuofang-Hedong line has three major pastures. One is west of Lingzhou, one is north of the Surrender-Receiving City, and one is north of Yunzhou.

Could the Uyghurs be trying to break into the Hetao from the Surrender-Receiving City side? North of Yunzhou there are numerous fortresses and garrison posts, solid as a wall of bronze and iron. Breaking into Yunzhou from the north would be seeking death!"

As Fang Chongyong spoke, a strange look came over his face. He found it hard to believe the Uyghurs could be so brainless. The locations of the three Surrender-Receiving Cities were precisely the heartland of the Hetao region, where the Shuofang Army had massed heavy forces and operated for decades!

Moreover, this area had a dense network of rivers and was not suited for cavalry flanking maneuvers. If the Uyghurs were to use this as their breakthrough point, one had to say, it was truly very, hmm, very imaginative.

Attacking Yunzhou from the north was even more absurd. Starting from the Han dynasty, successive dynasties had built garrison posts and passes here. Going straight in from here was no different from cavalry charging directly into chevaux-de-frise.

In any case, Fang Chongyong himself would not dare to deploy troops like that.

"Jiedushi, actually, we may have overlooked one place."

Che Guangqian lowered his voice and said, his expression cunning. Even Anaye, who was massaging Fang Chongyong's shoulders, stopped to listen to what he would say next.

He Changqi scolded with an impatient look on his face: "If you have something to say, say it quickly! There are no outsiders here! Stop being so wishy-washy! Fuck!"

He increasingly felt his own shortcomings in the area of strategy, and every meeting put him in an inexplicably irritable mood.

Because every time, He Changqi "knew the what but not the why," and his intelligence took a critical hit.

"Jiedushi, our current defenses to the west and north are already nearly complete. I put myself in the Uyghurs' shoes and still found it impregnable.

To the south is the Great Tang's heartland, so naturally there is no need to worry about the Uyghurs appearing from there.

But to the east, our defenses are virtually nonexistent. All our forces are deployed along the western line.

After all, east of Shuofang is Hedong, relying on Hedong for defense; east of Hedong is Hebei, relying on Hebei for defense, and it does not directly border the Uyghurs.

What if — I am saying what if — the Uyghurs detour through Hebei, sneak in through the area where Yunzhou and Guizhou meet, and launch a surprise attack on Yunzhou from the east? How should we handle that?"

Che Guangqian lowered his voice and asked in return.

"Damn it! Huangfu Weiming is going to ruin things!"

Fang Chongyong leapt to his feet, startling Anaye behind him!

That was right. The defensive line Fang Chongyong had deployed now appeared to be very thorough. The commanding officers of each army had all been vetted, and those he could not trust had already been transferred away.

Except for Xue Song, the newly court-appointed Inspector of Weizhou and Military Commissioner of the Hengye Army, whom Fang Chongyong was not in a position to transfer away.

And this place was precisely where it bordered Hebei.

Not only did it border Hebei, it also bordered the grasslands to the north.

If the Uyghurs entered Weizhou from Guizhou, and then Xue Song turned a blind eye and let the Uyghurs pass through, allowing them to stab the Tang army in Yunzhou in the back—

The consequences would be unthinkable!

"Quick, quick, quick! Notify Li Liangchen at once, deploy troops to Niupi Pass at the foot of Baideng Mountain, and reinforce the defenses of Niupi Pass!

The Uyghurs are going to attack Yunzhou City through Niupi Pass!"

Fang Chongyong, normally as steady as an old dog, rarely showed such anxious urgency on his face.

To guard against the Uyghurs, the forces of Yun Prefecture had all been redeployed to Wuzhou City and the Jingbian Army garrison west of Yunzhong City (the prefectural seat of Yun Prefecture), leaving the east thinly defended.

"Orders received — I shall set out at once!"

Feng Changqing hastily clasped his fists in salute. Fang Chongyong, without further ado, wrote him an urgent military order, and Feng Changqing strode out of the study as though his feet were trailing smoke.

After the door was pushed open, a blast of cold wind swept in, and everyone could not help but shrink their necks.

They felt a bone-chilling cold.

……

New Year's Eve, the thirtieth of the twelfth month, was the liveliest time of the Tang people's New Year celebration. Every household hung lanterns and festooned decorations; having grown accustomed to hard days the rest of the year, they had to celebrate properly during the New Year and relax a bit.

Yet in the darkness of night, a cavalry column was passing through Yongxing County in Hebei. Their column was extremely long, stretching vast and mighty as far as the eye could see. Passing by the county seat of Yongxing, they went past without entering.

Like ghosts, they followed the Sanggan River westward, and only after a long time did the column completely vanish from sight.

Some sentries on the walls of Yongxing County thus saw dark shadows moving in the distance — coming from the north and heading west, in staggering, unbelievable numbers.

These men reported the matter to the county magistrate, but the magistrate said their eyes were playing tricks on them and told them to go back and rest.

This mysterious column continued forward; after passing the Hengye Army garrison, it turned back northward along a mountain road, bypassed a series of Tang military forts along the border between the south of Yun Prefecture and the north of Yu Prefecture, and made a detour to Niupi Pass.

Niupi Pass took its name from Niupi Ridge and was the last pass east of Yunzhong City.

The Tang soldiers garrisoning Niupi Pass numbered no more than a hundred — it had been set up in the first place to catch bandits. After all, east of Niupi Pass was Hebei's defense zone; for steppe peoples to fight their way here, they would have to pass through several Tang-controlled prefectures.

Had there been any news, it would have arrived long ago. Warning time was measured in days.

Since Taizong laid the foundation, it had been very rare for foreign tribes to penetrate the Tang's directly controlled territory. Thus many passes that were originally very important became "insignificant" as the battle line shifted northward, until they were eventually abandoned.

Niupi Pass was one such case.

After the battle line in Hebei stabilized, Niupi Pass became like a "rubber stamp" — with or without it, there was little difference.

Caught off guard, the garrison inside Niupi Pass had no time to raise the alarm before unknown enemies scaled the walls bare-handed and slaughtered them to the last man.

After succeeding, this mysterious army continued westward, passed at the foot of Baideng Mountain, and surrounded Yunzhong City with the speed of lightning before they could even cover their eyes!

Li Liangchen, the Inspector of Yun Prefecture, on one hand ordered his eldest son Li Guangpin to take a few trusted aides to Ling Prefecture to seek rescue from Fang Chongyong; on the other hand sent his personal guards to Shuozhou to seek rescue from the Inspector of Shuozhou and Military Commissioner of the Datong Army, Tian Chengsi; while personally taking command in Yunzhong City, organizing resistance and actively defending the city.

By the time Fang Chongyong learned that Yunzhong was under siege by the Uyghurs, it was already several days later.

……

"The Uyghurs are besieging Yunzhong?"

Hearing Feng Changqing's report, Fang Chongyong asked back with a look of astonishment.

All the generals in the hall changed countenance.

Feng Changqing clasped his fists and reported: "Jiedushi, I had just arrived at Yunzhong and before I could even enter the city, I saw torches outside the city thick as clouds, blanketing the sky. The Uyghurs were assaulting the walls with crude scaling ladders, swarming up like ants! I failed to deliver the Jiedushi's military order into Li Liangchen's hands — I beg the Jiedushi to punish me!"

Feng Changqing returned Fang Chongyong's military order, his face full of regret.

His riding speed was by no means slow, but by the time he reached Yun Prefecture, things were already dire.

Everything was exactly as Che Guangqian had said — the Uyghurs had entered through Hebei's defense zone. This was everyone's blind spot.

The Uyghurs had struck Yunzhong from the east in a lightning assault!

One could not say Li Liangchen was not doing his utmost — he had even brought his own retainer troops to Yun Prefecture. But he could never have imagined that the Tang forces in Hebei would deliberately let the Uyghurs pass through!

On the battlefield, the most frightening thing is someone stabbing you in the back!

Especially at such a critical juncture.

To say the Uyghurs had no collusion with the Tang forces in Hebei — Fang Chongyong would not believe it even if beaten to death!

Only, what benefit would this matter hold for Huangfu Weiming?

Fang Chongyong could not quite figure it out.

"Jiedushi, Li Liangchen's son Li Guangpin requests an audience! He is already outside the hall!"

Just then, a personal guard hurried in and reported loudly.

"Bring him in quickly!"

Fang Chongyong stood up and stepped forward. Soon, a youth of about ten or so, still with boyish innocence on his face, knelt and kowtowed to Fang Chongyong the moment they met.

"Jiedushi, Yunzhong is besieged and may fall at any moment. I beg the Jiedushi to dispatch troops for rescue at once — delay may invite disaster!"

The child knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly — truly enough to grieve all who heard and move all who saw to tears.

"Jiedushi, the situation is still unclear, and Ling Prefecture is hundreds of li from Yun Prefecture. Reinforcements cannot arrive in time now.

It would be better to order Tian Chengsi of Mayi to lead the Datong Army to lift the siege of Yun Prefecture. At the same time, order Xue Song, the Inspector of Yu Prefecture, to come to Ling Prefecture on official business; if he does not come, dismiss and investigate him outright, and send someone to take over the Hengye Army!"

Che Guangqian hastily stepped forward to stop Fang Chongyong, who was about to issue orders.

The troops of Ling Prefecture could not be moved lightly.

Not to mention the possibility of the Uyghurs striking their home base — if a long-distance rapid march ended in defeat, the entire situation in Shuofang and Hedong could collapse!

One had to admit, Che Guangqian's idea was sound.

Li Guangpin was indeed pitiable, and Li Liangchen was indeed in grave danger. But for a commander, in order to win, there was nothing that could not be sacrificed.

The essence of "the merciful do not command troops" lay precisely in this.

"Go down and rest first. I shall certainly dispatch troops to rescue Yun Prefecture."

Fang Chongyong stepped forward, helped Li Guangpin to his feet, and said.

After Li Guangpin was led down to rest by a personal guard, Fang Chongyong looked around at everyone and asked, "What do you all think of General Che's words?"

"Jiedushi, a thousand-li rapid march will surely exhaust a top general. With just one man and one horse, traveling several hundred li a day, a round trip to Yunzhong takes five days. Moreover, some mountain roads are rugged and difficult, inconvenient for cavalry to pass through.

If we send too few men to Yunzhong, we cannot match the Uyghurs; if too many, we cannot arrive in under ten days to half a month.

If we forcibly lift the siege of Yun Prefecture and the Uyghurs then besiege Ling Prefecture, we would have to turn right back — would that not leave us rushing about exhausted?

Such an approach to fighting is far too passive."

Feng Changqing also earnestly urged Fang Chongyong.

All the generals present silently nodded without a word, clearly sharing similar thoughts to those of Che Guangqian and Feng Changqing.

「Li Liangchen is in trouble, we won't rescue him. If someday we are in trouble, who would be willing to come rescue us? 」

Not daring to engage in battle is already losing before the fight even starts.

Relay my order: the three thousand Yinqiang Xiaojie Army will set out immediately; this Jiedushi will personally lead the troops to rescue Among the Clouds!

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said, rejecting the suggestions of Che Guangqian and the others.

(End of chapter)