Chapter 441: Never Abandon, Never Give Up

"Why did so many of you pursue us?"

Late at night, inside a crude military tent, Che Guangqian was interrogating a Uyghur captive.

Feng Changqing knew Turkic and translated Che Guangqian's words.

That Uyghur officer did not hesitate much and directly rattled off a long string of words.

"Jiedushi, the Uyghur Khagan said that whoever can seize your commander's banner will be granted the Hetao lands."

Feng Changqing spread his hands with a look of helplessness and said.

No wonder the Uyghurs had gone mad. With such a huge stake, even he would have pursued relentlessly!

The Uyghur Khagan had really paid a heavy price to boost morale!

Fang Chongyong could not help but praise in his heart, "What a generous boss."

"The Hetao lands—since when did they belong to you Uyghurs?"

Fang Chongyong asked with a curious expression, feeling that the logic seemed somewhat off.

No matter how much the Uyghurs made a fuss, it was just children demanding candy; they could not possibly have the audacity to swallow up Hetao.

The Great Tang had hundreds of thousands of border troops sleeping on their weapons awaiting dawn—not just the small number of men in the Shuofang Army.

The Uyghurs opening their mouths to demand Hetao—were they not afraid of biting off more than they could chew!

"Ask him whether Huangfu Weiming has a deal with their Khagan."

Fang Chongyong instructed Feng Changqing.

Sure enough, that man again rattled off a long string of words. Feng Changqing explained to Fang Chongyong, "Huangfu Weiming has already formed an alliance with the Uyghurs, offering Hetao as a gift and asking the Uyghurs to help them fight their way to Chang'an!"

Hearing this, everyone in the tent looked at each other in dismay, as if they had heard that the Great Tang had fallen, all wearing expressions of disbelief.

"Huangfu Weiming really has the damn nerve to say that."

He Changqi shook his head and remarked with emotion.

Fang Chongyong's face was calm as still water. He had already guessed something; things were indeed developing in the worst possible direction.

"Take him away."

He waved his hand lightly.

After the captive left the tent, Fang Chongyong looked around at everyone and asked, "What do you all think?"

"A border army rebelling cannot possibly succeed, but..."

Che Guangqian said half the sentence and then hesitated.

"No need to hide it. You want to say that if Huangfu Weiming enthrones a certain prince to 'purge the emperor's side,' then success is not necessarily impossible, right?"

Fang Chongyong supplemented in a calm tone.

"Jiedushi, that is indeed so. If Huangfu Weiming does not have a prince in his hands, his defeat is certain!

But if he did not raise troops under the slogan of claiming the throne, and instead, like the descendants of Li Ji back then, shouted the slogan of restoring the Great Tang, then he would not necessarily lack supporters.

The risk of 'purging the emperor's side' is far smaller than outright rebellion."

Che Guangqian said in a low voice.

All the generals in the tent silently nodded without speaking.

"Jiedushi, that old emperor is not worth protecting anyway. Why doesn't Jiedushi also back a prince, seize Hexi, Longyou, Shuofang, and Hedong to stand on your own, and observe how things develop? Then you might not fail to become second only to one man and above ten thousand!

If Huangfu Weiming does not even back a prince, he is simply fat meat on a chopping block. After we finish him off, apart from Guanzhong, almost all lands north of the Yellow River will be under our control.

By then, won't the court be decided by Jiedushi's word alone?"

He Changqi said, summoning his courage.

"To defy the whole world's condemnation—Jiedushi, you must not be so reckless."

Che Guangqian hastily urged with bitter earnestness, fearful that Fang Chongyong would follow He Changqi's rotten idea.

It was precisely because Huangfu Weiming had rebelled that Fang Chongyong could not rebel!

No matter how you looked at it, now was the time to consolidate power. If you did not establish your persona properly, who would do your bidding?

"After merging with Li Liangchen's forces tomorrow, contract the battle lines. All troops will concentrate in Taiyuan to guard against Hebei forces invading Hedong through Yanmen Pass."

Fang Chongyong said in a deep voice.

According to his plan, the troops under his control would proactively withdraw from Weizhou, Daizhou, Xinzhou, and other places, and defend Taiyuan to the death!

Never mind that the men under his command fought the Uyghurs and the armies of small Western Regions nations like chopping melons and slicing vegetables, casually winning three thousand against ten thousand.

But Tang army versus Tang army, border army versus border army—in estimating combat strength, even if you judged at a one-to-one ratio, it was not very safe!

Right now, within the Hedong Army, the Hengye Army had probably already fallen under Huangfu Weiming's control and was very difficult to recover. The other forces were rather scattered, and because the mountain roads were rugged, mutual support was inconvenient.

At a critical moment, dividing one's forces was a great taboo in the art of war!

The sole core of Hedong was Taiyuan, which was also the dragon-rising land of the Li-Tang; it absolutely could not be lost! As for Weizhou, Daizhou, and Xinzhou, being close to the Hebei side, Fang Chongyong's side could hardly cover all of them.

More critically, Fang Chongyian discovered that the army on his side was actually supplied with provisions directly from Taiyuan! If Taiyuan was lost, all of them would have to run to the grasslands to gnaw on grass!

Of two evils, choose the lesser. Some places could only be abandoned first and dealt with later.

The two Hebei garrisons had over a hundred thousand men on the Ministry of War's registers, but this did not mean that Huangfu Weiming only had a hundred-odd thousand men in his hands. One must know that Hebei's provisions were largely supplied to Chang'an, which was why they appeared so destitute.

But if they intercepted all the provisions for their own use, feeding three hundred thousand troops would not be difficult at all. The armies of the Northern Qi were a classic example.

"Take my handwritten letter and have Li Guangbi lead the Chishui Army to take over the Hetao defense zone. The Shuofang Army will prepare to advance east to Taiyuan to prevent Hebei forces from punching through Hedong and entering Guanzhong via Puzhou (Puban).

If the court also issues military orders, then let him judge for himself what to do."

Fang Chongyong instructed Che Guangqian. He was also worried that the court would directly issue an edict ordering the Chishui Army to enter Guanzhong to set up defenses.

"Orders received!"

Che Guangqian cupped his fists in salute and said, also breathing a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Fang Chongyong's head was clear and he had not lost his wits like He Changqi.

"All of you, withdraw. This Jiedushi is utterly loyal to the court and will absolutely not rebel like Huangfu Weiming.

Your families are all in Chang'an, so you can rest easy on that account."

Fang Chongyong said with pointed meaning.

"Jiedushi, an opportunity like this comes but once! How can a great man shrink from risk when doing great deeds?"

He Changqi was still unwilling to give up and kept trying to persuade him, but Wang Nande, who had remained silent the whole time, tugged at his robe, signaling him not to meddle.

After the generals withdrew, Fang Chongyong finally took a deep breath, then let out a long exhale, as though expelling every last trace of stale air from his chest.

What exactly was going on with Huangfu Weiming?

Fang Chongyong had a deep impression of this man; his instinct told him Huangfu was a sly old fox.

Suppressing the doubts in his heart, he spread paper directly on a wooden board—there being no desk—and, having ground the ink, lay prone on the ground to write Li Guangbi an earnest letter.

Fang Chongyong did not waste words on pleasantries, but instead gave a clear and reasoned analysis of Li Guangbi's own situation.

First, you are a Khitan, and it was only because the court valued you that you were appointed Military Commissioner. Every one of your official posts was granted by the court, bestowed by the Sage.

You have already severed ties with the Khitan tribes and become a frontier general of the Great Tang. If you betray the court, how will others regard you?

Second, the Chishui Army marching directly into Guanzhong might serve a purpose, but the route is too long; over time, the soldiers will yearn for home, and a distant campaign would cost more than it gains.

The Shuofang command, however, lies east of Liangzhou—closer in distance and more similar in customs and climate. The Great Tang's frontiers will always need men to garrison them; detaching a portion of your Hexi troops to fill the gap in Shuofang would also be a great merit.

Third, the troops of the two Hebei commands are surging forth with fierce momentum, and the warfare will likely not end anytime soon. The Chishui Army would be of greater use at the frontier than in Guanzhong.

After finishing the letter, Fang Chongyong held it and read it over and over. Finding nothing amiss, he placed it in a bamboo tube and sealed it with wax, and only then did he feel a weight lift from his shoulders.

With rebellion erupting in Hebei, who knows how many will end up burying their bones in a strange land.

Huangfu Weiming's actions may have been sudden, but the conflict between Hebei and Guanzhong was anything but sudden!

The conflict between the Great Tang court and the Hebei region could be called a long-accumulated grievance; no words of justification could avail—only blood could wash away the hatred!

There is no real question of right or wrong in this; it is simply that everyone wants to live a better life.

Where there is oppression, there will be resistance.

"There's no time to lose—go now."

Seeing Che Guangqian enter, Fang Chongyong handed him the bamboo tube and spoke.

Noticing that Che Guangqian said nothing, Fang Chongyong asked in puzzlement, "Is there something else?"

"Jiedushi, is Huangfu Weiming truly the only one of his kind in this world?

Could Li Guangbi harbor the same ambition?"

Che Guangqian asked quietly.

"Rest assured on that count—Li Guangbi will certainly not betray the court. Even if he were willing, my father-in-law would not be."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said.

But Che Guangqian surely had something else on his mind.

Sure enough, Che Guangqian lowered his voice and said:

"Jiedushi, let your humble officer posit a scenario. If we cannot withstand Huangfu Weiming and the Hebei frontier army, and lose Hedong, punishment from the court will be unavoidable—we might even be made an example to warn others. That goes without saying; Hedong, or rather Taiyuan, absolutely must not be lost."

Hearing this, Fang Chongyong gave a slight nod and said, "Indeed. To boost morale, the court will surely make an example of officers who performed poorly in battle."

"Therefore, what your humble officer wishes to address is a different scenario.

If the Jiedushi leads us to one sweeping victory after another, beating Huangfu Weiming until he has no strength to resist, then by the time the Jiedushi has pacified Hebei, I fear the troops under your command will number no fewer than three hundred thousand, and the territory you control will be no less than the three regions of Shuofang, Hedong, and Hebei.

The Jiedushi has long cultivated connections in Hexi, and your distant campaign in the Western Regions has earned you considerable prestige.

If the Jiedushi were to harbor Huangfu Weiming's ambitions at that point, the court would have no way whatsoever to stop you from becoming a dominant power unto yourself.

May I ask: would that aged Son of Heaven not worry that the Jiedushi might install some prince on the throne—and kick him off the dragon chair with one foot?

How could he tolerate the Jiedushi?

Your humble officer ventures a prediction: when that time comes, if the Jiedushi cannot purge the court, then his fate will certainly not be pleasant. Yet if the Jiedushi does move to purge the court, he would instantly become a second Huangfu Weiming.

What does the Jiedushi think would be the best course of action?"

Che Guangqian spoke bluntly, laying out everything in his mind in full detail.

"What you worry about is precisely what I, as Jiedushi, worry about."

Fang Chongyong said with a long sigh.

A man may have no intention of harming the tiger, but the tiger has the intention of harming the man.

When that time came, it would not be enough for him to protest his own innocence—Brother Ji would not necessarily believe him incapable of rebellion.

The principle of power politics is this: whether you harbor the intent to kill is, in many cases, unimportant. What matters is whether you have the ability to kill!

Suppressing rebellion requires the concentration of military authority, but once that authority is concentrated and the rebels are destroyed, the very army that quelled the rebellion can all too easily turn into a second rebel army!

This is especially true given that the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army already has the prior offense of mutiny at Xiangji Temple on its record—how could that not invite suspicion?

At this moment, Fang Chongyong genuinely wanted to throw in the towel, but having already risen to a high position with a whole band of followers under him, he could no longer step down.

Never mind that He Changqi, Che Guangqian, and the others were all fiercely loyal to him, seemingly willing to follow him to the bitter end even if the court came after them. But the moment he, as Military Commissioner, lost his drive to push forward, his subordinates would immediately abandon him and leave.

They might even take his head as a stepping stone for promotion. After all, no one wants to follow a useless man.

Such is the boundary of loyalty: what the mouth proclaims as everlasting devotion truly represents only the sentiment of that moment. Once circumstances change, whether "eternal loyalty" still holds becomes a very large question mark.

"Go deliver the letter. I understand everything you have said, and I will certainly not drag you brothers into a fire pit."

Fang Chongyong forced a smile and said.

"Jiedushi, actually, what Old He said is not out of the question—it was simply said too early.

If the court treats the Jiedushi unjustly, then do not blame us for being disloyal to the court.

If Huangfu Weiming can purge the emperor's entourage, so can we. As long as we believe the court needs purging, we can purge the emperor's entourage."

Che Guangqian suggested cautiously.

"Sure enough—even the conservatives think the radicals are too conservative?"

Fang Chongyong shook his head and sighed, muttering to himself.

Che Guangqian did not know what those words meant, but he felt that Fang Chongyong had taken his own words to heart. So he hung the bamboo tube at his waist, clasped his fists in salute, and withdrew.

After he left, Fang Chongyong looked at the flickering candle flame and couldn't help but chuckle.

"The turbulent era has begun.

"The powerful clans of the Five Surnames and Seven Families, the local tyrants and petty gentry—are you ready to welcome the new era?"

……

On the walls of Cloud-Center City, Li Liangchen anxiously gazed at the empty field below, where the siege ladders lay scattered like trash, yet no one tended to them.

The Uyghurs launched fierce assaults on the city as soon as they arrived; although their siege efficiency was low due to lack of equipment, their overwhelming numbers made up for it.

Li Liangchen exerted every ounce of strength, and only after suffering heavy casualties and mobilizing the entire populace to defend the city did he barely manage to keep Cloud-Center City from falling.

Even so, he felt utterly exhausted, swaying on the brink of collapse.

"Father-in-law, it seems the Uyghurs have withdrawn."

Li Liangchen's son-in-law, the leader of a Uyghur tribe, Shelige Zhan, comforted him, saying:

The relations among the Tiele Nine Surnames are extremely tangled, full of grudges and feuds. Within the Uyghurs, power is fragmented; the Uyghur khan cannot command all tribes as easily as moving one's arms.

Some smaller Uyghur tribes are actually deeply dependent on the Tang dynasty. They share the same customs as other Tiele clans; only their names differ.

Shelige Zhan is such a case—his tribe shares weal and woe with Li Liangchen's forces, bound by generations of intermarriage.

"Uyghurs, why did you suddenly withdraw? Could you be trying to lure me out of the city?"

Li Liangchen looked bewildered, his brows furrowed, unable to grasp the situation.

"Chief! The banners of the Shuofang Army! Over there—look over there!"

A personal guard beside Li Liangchen shouted loudly!

Actually, he didn't need to say it; many people had seen it.

At the forefront, the commander's banner bore a large "Fang" character!

"Jiedushi! It's Fang Jiedushi—Fang Jiedushi has come to the rescue!"

Li Liangchen shouted excitedly, waving his arms and legs like a child.

"Open the gate! I will go personally to welcome him!"

Li Liangchen excitedly pointed at the guard and yelled.

Even before the guard could descend the wall, he himself rushed to the gate and ordered the gate officer to open the doors of Cloud-Center City.

Soon after, the southern gate of Cloud-Center City swung open; Li Liangchen hurried forward, dropped to one knee before the person under the commander's banner, clasped his fists, and with tears streaming down his face said, "Jiedushi, your humble subordinate has held Cloud-Center City; please enter the city."

"General Li, as Jiedushi I have only one thing to say to my own people:

"No abandonment, no surrender!"

Upon learning you were besieged, I, as Jiedushi, led three thousand elite troops day and night to lift the siege.

Yesterday we fought the Uyghurs in a bloody battle for two hours, finally driving them back. Seeing that Cloud-Center City remains in your hands, yesterday's battle was certainly not in vain.

As you defend the city for me, as Jiedushi I will not let you down!

Fang Chongyong hurried forward and helped Li Liangchen to his feet. Seeing this, all the officers around him were deeply moved.

(End of chapter)