Chapter 484: Next Stop Bianzhou

"Grand Marshal Fang, Crown Prince, this way, please."

Below the Tongguan city tower, Ma Lin made a beckoning gesture. At this moment, the elite of the Control Crane Army led by Fang Youde had fully seized Tongguan inside and out, and had placed the officers and soldiers who disobeyed Ma Lin's orders under soft detention.

"You have done well; the Crown Prince will remember your merit."

Fang Youde stepped forward, gave Ma Lin a modest nod and said.

As for Gao Shi, who pretended to be the Crown Prince, Ma Lin clearly knew he was an impostor, but he wasn't a fool and would not expose the matter.

"I, the junior general, dare not claim credit; the Crown Prince's enthronement is what the people desire. I opened the Tongguan city gates also for the nation, so that loyal brave soldiers need not wastefully fight and die in vain."

Ma Lin clasped his fists in salute to Fang Youde, treating the stand‑in Gao Shi as if he were invisible.

Ma Lin comes from a Guanzhong military aristocratic family; many things need not be explained in detail. They are loyal to the Guanzhong noble and power elite, striving to protect their interests, rather than being personally loyal to Brother Ji.

Now Brother Ji has lost the people's hearts; even his original base has abandoned him. Only a lone minister like Cui Qianyou would remain fiercely loyal to Ji.

But however loyal and brave these people are, they cannot change the great trend and people's hearts.

The most terrifying and treacherous thing in the world is not some flood or beast, but the unseen, untouchable yet truly existing shifts of human hearts!

"Take me to see Cui Qianyou."

Fang Youde let out a light sigh and said.

"Understood!"

Ma Lin didn't wait for his request; he directly led Fang Youde to a firewood storage room inside the Tongguan city tower.

Cui Qianyou, bound with thick ropes, sat on the weeds with a face ashen, a torn cloth stuffed in his mouth, his thoughts unknown.

His disheveled hair was half white, looking almost like straw. In contrast, Fang Youde, much older than Cui Qianyou, was impeccably dressed, exuding authority without anger.

At this moment, the two were not meeting but rather a victor judging a loser.

"Untie him."

Fang Youde ordered Ma Lin.

Ma Lin hesitated a moment, reluctantly untied Cui Qianyou and removed the torn cloth from his mouth.

Fang Youde waved his hand lightly; Ma Lin bowed and took his leave, closing the door, leaving only Fang Youde and Cui Qianyou.

"Fang Youde, the Sage has not been unkind to you, promoting you from obscurity.

I didn't expect you to betray him; you truly deserve death."

Cui Qianyou spat a mouthful of saliva onto the ground in hatred.

"My heart holds only the Tang; since the Sage lacks the Way, he does not deserve to be called a Sage."

"Even if he were my father or brother, I would still stand up against him."

"Because it's not the Tang that has wronged him, but he who has wronged the Tang."

"He should die!"

Fang Youde said calmly, his expression showing not even a hint of insecurity.

Cui Qianyou understood; Fang Youde truly thinks differently—his rebellion is not for himself but to uphold the so‑called 'righteousness' in his heart.

Such a person only clings to what he believes is right; he rejects all other kin!

"The matter has come to this; no need for more words. Just act; making me surrender is impossible."

Cui Qianyou stared straight at Fang Youde, as if they were meeting for the first time.

One deliberately provokes, the other is unruly.

The air seemed to solidify in an instant.

Two stubborn factions holding different ideas; they could never compromise with each other.

"You may go; go wherever you wish."

Fang Youde let out a light sigh, pointing toward the firewood room door.

Hearing this, Cui Qianyou thought he was hallucinating and didn't move his feet for a moment.

"If you don't go yourself, do you expect this commander to send someone to escort you?"

Fang Youde, for once showing a hint of amusement, retorted.

"Will you let me go?"

Cui Qianyou asked in disbelief.

"Otherwise, what do you think you are, some great figure? Do you think that because you exist, the Tang will perish? Do you think you're worthy of me delivering a killing blow now to eliminate future trouble? Do you deserve it?"

Fang Youde crossed his arms, looking at the shocked Cui Qianyou, and said.

These words, like a sharp sword, pierced Cui Qianyou's heart, causing immense pain and shame.

Unworthy of death; this is the greatest humiliation for a general.

"Aren't you afraid that I might join the Hebei rebels and someday march to Chang'an?"

Cui Qianyou asked in a deep voice.

However, hearing this, Fang Youde seemed to hear a joke; he drew his sword, tapped Cui Qianyou's arm with the blade, and said:

"If you wish to die seeking death, just charge at me. If your existence alone can doom the Tang, then let the Tang perish by your hand."

"Who doesn't tell tall tales?"

"Now get out; this commander won't see you off."

After speaking, Fang Youde sheathed his sword, turned and left. He didn't close the door, leaving the firewood room ajar.

Everything was laced with unabashed contempt.

In the firelight, Cui Qianyou's expression kept shifting.

He slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath. Opening them, his gaze became resolute.

This time he truly lost, but Cui Qianyou was not convinced; it wasn't a lack of skill, but betrayal by his subordinates!

But what can one do about being unwilling to accept it?

The world is so vast, where else can we go? Must we truly seek refuge with Huangfu Weiming?

Cui Qianyou has no regard for Huangfu Weiming, and cannot find a reason to give his life for them.

"First, let's leave Tongguan. The world is so vast; how could there be no place for me to set foot?"

Cui Qianyou slowly walked out of the firewood shed and encountered many hurried soldiers; some he recognized as members of the Black Cloud Long Sword Army, others he did not, probably from Fang Youde's side.

Regardless of who they were, upon seeing him they acted as if they hadn't, passing by without a glance.

In that moment, Cui Qianyou suddenly felt he was superfluous, unfit to exist in the world.

It seemed he ought to seek the meaning of his own existence.

…

In Xiangzhou, within the Yecheng magistrate's detention hall, Huangfu Weiming was furrowing his brow, staring blankly at the map on the wall.

"Grand Marshal, our provisions are ample and supplies flow smoothly. After two months of repairs, the previously disrupted logistics have been rebuilt.

Using the canal as the backbone, with Youzhou as the starting point and Yecheng as the end, the Yi River and Qing River as main stems and smaller rivers as tributaries, it can cover the entire Hebei region."

It was still Wei Jian, dressed as a Taoist priest, who crossed his hands and bowed to Huangfu Weiming, saying.

"We have known each other for years; no need for formalities. Back then you were the court's transport commissioner, and I know your capabilities."

Huangfu Weiming turned, patted Wei Jian's shoulder, and said with a sigh.

Back then the two called each other brothers because their respective offices each had strengths that complemented one another, making their political status equal.

Equal political standing fostered complete character, allowing them to get along happily.

Now Huangfu Weiming is already 'second only to the ruler'; his political rank differs vastly from Wei Jian's, making equal interaction impossible.

Even if they shout affectionately, fundamentally it remains the same.

Wei Jian clearly understood this, speaking in a very deferential tone.

"Grand Marshal, what worries you?"

He asked with a puzzled expression.

In these two months, although the Hebei rebels have not launched a large‑scale offensive, they have not been idle either.

Troops from various routes moved county to countryside, clearing military, civil, and administrative relations state by state, determining tax collection, grain transport, daily governmental operations, and troop replenishment.

And they reestablished reliable supply routes patrolled by mobile forces.

Among these tasks, Wei Jian made outstanding contributions; his former role as transport commissioner and his experience digging canals proved immensely valuable.

Wei Jian oversaw logistics, freeing Huangfu Weiming from tangled affairs so he could devote his full attention to military matters.

It must be said, Wei Jian was already capable of digging canals and ensuring smooth navigation; his administrative ability was indeed strong.

For two months he directed Hebei rebel logistics; all army baggage and supplies were prepared without any error or delay.

During this period, although the Hebei rebels did not conduct large‑scale sieges, their combat power and morale were considerably stronger than before.

"Cai Xide wrote to me, saying that the ageless saint is leading troops south to Puzhou, intending to return to Chang'an to settle scores with Crown Prince Li Chang and some others.

He has been planning a two‑month encirclement battle, essentially flashing a seductive glance at the blind."

Huangfu Weiming sighed helplessly; despite countless calculations, he had not foreseen that the main imperial army would escape disaster because of such a trivial matter!

"The summer wheat will be harvested soon; once the harvest is done, the Yellow River will freeze quickly, and that will be an excellent time to deploy troops.

I now cannot determine the best point from which to launch forces."

Huangfu Weiming took a thin wooden stick, pointed at the large map on the wall, and continued speaking, sighing repeatedly.

Wei Jian nodded slightly; he was not a clueless fool. In fact, for this encirclement battle, the Hebei rebels made many logistical preparations, and he contributed greatly.

In the end, none of it was used.

"Our current difficulty is not a lack of places to deploy troops, but that there are far too many viable locations, making it hard to choose a direction."

Huangfu Weiming didn't know what to say; the situation now is that there are too many 'opportunities,' and we can't figure out which one is the real chance!

The northernmost option is to support Shi Siming and capture the relatively thinly defended Taiyuan.

The southernmost is to march south to Bianzhou, in one stroke destroying the grain route on which the court depends for survival.

The other directions include advancing west from Hulaoguan into Luoyang, or west from Henan into Puzhou, each seeming like a good move.

Two days ago Huangfu Weiming held a meeting with his generals; everyone had their own opinions, and no 'optimal solution' was reached.

Today Wei Jian happened to arrive from Beizhou to Yecheng, and Huangfu Weiming was eager to hear his view.

"After winter sets in, head south to Bianzhou along the canal, abolish the grain transport; this is a plan to pull the firewood from under the cauldron.

Without provisions, even the elite troops and generals in Chang'an would be in vain."

Wei Jian said with unusual certainty.

From a logistics officer's perspective, he instantly spotted the greatest weakness of the imperial forces and Chang'an's core.

In fact, Wei Jian was not the first to raise this point; officials like Wu Lingxun also firmly urged Huangfu Weiming to concentrate forces and move south to Bianzhou.

"What do you mean by that?"

Huangfu Weiming asked curiously.

"That ageless saint is contending with Crown Prince Li Chang for power and profit.

Both sides have armies and cannot compromise; a life‑or‑death battle is inevitable.

If we now rush to attack Hedong or Luoyang, making them feel their rear is threatened, we cannot rule out the possibility that the saint and the crown prince will unite against us.

Should that happen, months of preparation would become futile labor, which is untenable!

Therefore, only by temporarily sparing the campaigns against Hedong, Guanzhong, and Luoyang can we let the saint and the crown prince fight each other without distraction!

Whether Li Chang is eliminated or the saint is killed, both are wholly beneficial to us; why not let them battle it out?

And we only need to capture Bianzhou!

Wei Jian lifted the thin wooden stick, tapped the spot of Bianzhou on the map, and said,

"Brilliant! By the time Li Chang and the saint determine a victor, they will already be exhausted, and the army's officers and soldiers will suffer heavy casualties."

At that time we had already taken Bian Prefecture and seized control of the canal.

Then we would advance westward to marshal an army at Luoyang; who could stop us?

Even Chang'an could be thought of.

Huangfu Weiming clapped his hands and laughed heartily, finding it more and more ingenious.

Concentrate forces, cross the Yellow River, seize territory in Henan, and make controlling the grain transport the top priority!

Once the grain transport stops, it is as if most of Guanzhong's supplies have been cut off. The logistics from Jiangnan and the two Huai regions cannot be sent into Guanzhong, and then the central administration in Chang'an will be unable to pay the salaries of civil and military officials!

This bird is still fighting; if it doesn't starve to death, it'll just be sneering!

Only the supplies sent from Jingxiang and the Shu region can still reach Guanzhong via other routes. However, the roads in those areas are rugged and cannot carry heavy cargo such as grain. These routes have great limitations!

Wei Jian's devious scheme truly struck a vital point of the imperial troops. After all, back then he was in charge of the canal, and such matters were second nature to him.

When the time comes, whether Li Chang or Ji Ge, they will both have to expend great effort and dispatch troops to retake control of the canal.

That is far from easy!

Even if we take a generous view and say that even the Hebei rebels cannot defeat the imperial troops, could they still not manage to damage the fragile canal system?

They set fire to every ferry crossing along the way, then filled and blocked the canal's key points with earth.

These wholly malicious acts would disgust the imperial troops and the officials of Chang'an to the point of vomiting blood.

"What preparations are still needed for the southward march to Bian Prefecture?"

Huangfu Weiming asked casually, not taking it seriously.

"We need to take advantage of the canal not yet frozen and pre‑transfer logistics to the grain stores of Wei Prefecture, Xiang Prefecture, Wei Prefecture, and Bo Prefecture.

With large‑scale troop deployment, the grain and fodder cannot keep up, rendering the effort futile.

I think at least a month is needed to transfer supplies to support a three‑month expenditure for a hundred thousand troops; we cannot pause for a moment, and we must start this operation now."

Wei Jian said with a solemn expression.

Before the troops move, supplies must go first; war is not just issuing an order to shift an army from one place to another.

This large‑scale military operation will require at least one hundred thousand troops. Supplying a hundred thousand people cannot be done merely by talking; it needs a very concrete and feasible plan.

However, Wei Jian is fully confident; the warehouses along the canal are ready, and after the summer wheat is harvested throughout Hebei, it can be transferred to those four prefectures.

These are all routine tasks; the only thing needed is time, not any high‑tech work.

"The logistics for this great army are now entrusted to you.

I will now issue an order to recall Li Guiren and his men, station them on the north bank of the Yellow River, and have them ready to cross at any moment."

Huangfu Weiming gave a slight nod, saying that he now had a clear idea of the upcoming deployment direction.

"I hear that the one governing Bian Prefecture now is Fang Chongyong; he is very difficult to deal with.

We might first write a letter urging surrender and test his intentions.

While saying flattering words, we can secretly prepare troops, lavishly promise high offices and generous salaries, and show goodwill.

Whether he listens or not, we will deal with him later anyway, so the promises are irrelevant.

Wei Jian chuckled and made a throat‑slashing gesture.

They have all signed the 'Proclamation Against the Rebellion'; how could there possibly be any way out?

Neither Huangfu Weiming nor Wei Jian truly considered issuing an edict to pacify Fang Chongyong.

But using a bit of trickery to lull the opponent, even sending lavish gifts, is one of the viable options.

Calling him 'brother' with the mouth while handling a knife in hand—this could be considered, in a sense, "the army does not tire of deceit."

Huangfu Weiming nodded and said, "Indeed, I will write the letter now; the troops are still far off, so we might as well keep busy."