Chapter 1017: Commander Pan Welcomes the Enemy's Reinforcements

In the fifteenth year of Qianyou, winter, tenth month, fourth day, at the great camp of the Han army in Shaozhou. Several consecutive pieces of news from the south caused Pan Mei, the Han commander-in-chief on the Yue-pacification campaign, to be overjoyed, and he immediately convened a council in his tent.

The sources of this news were of three kinds: first, intelligence from the Wude Office; second, secret agents from the military intelligence bureau; and third, some death-sworn spies Pan Mei had recruited himself. But regardless of the source, all pointed to one thing — the reinforcements from Southern Yue at Panyu had finally marched north, and the commander leading them was none other than the palace eunuch Xu Yanzhen.

"The Lord of Southern Yue truly has not disappointed my expectations!" Learning of the reinforcements, Pan Mei was in an excellent mood.

From the Son of Heaven's decree ordering Hunan to dispatch troops, to Pan Mei's army encamping before the walls of Qujiang and Shaozhou being imperiled, a full twenty days had already passed. Yet only after those twenty days had the Southern Yue reinforcements finally arrived — a pace that could only be called slow.

Of course, there were reasons for the slowness. The most important problem lay in the Southern Yue court, which was already a mess of foul smoke and murky air — sorceresses wielding power, eunuchs monopolizing government. These people might be capable of ruining the state and confounding governance, but when a true crisis arrived, they could produce not a single effective countermeasure. As for Liu Chang, the Lord of Southern Yue, upon learning that the Han army was marching south, his first reaction was disbelief — he had already voluntarily stripped himself of the imperial title and confessed his crimes to sue for peace, so how could the court still send an army to punish him?

The Han emperor's edict of southern pacification, fermented by time, had also spread to every prefecture of Lingnan. Amid widespread anxiety, most of the gentry and common folk were in fact filled with anticipation — there was no undercurrent of unrest, only silent waiting for the arrival of the heavenly army.

And when the news of the Han army's southern campaign was confirmed, Liu Chang panicked. After the court's harsh beating three years prior, this young, dissolute monarch had become far more docile, daring no longer to do anything against the court. Now, he changed color at the very mention of the Han army.

Of course, to deal with the Han army's coming, Southern Yue had still done some work — for instance, conscripting and concentrating troops from every prefecture, which was itself a time-consuming affair. Speaking of it, regarding the court's southern pacification, Jiangnan had at least maintained some defensive preparations from top to bottom, but Southern Yue had not the slightest psychological readiness. Or rather, voices of foresight had been raised, but no one listened when they were spoken, and even those who listened could hardly stem the tide.

In the panic, mere discussion alone consumed three days. Later, as news from the front arrived — the main Han force to the north was stalled at Shaozhou, and Hezhou to the west was still in hand — Liu Chang stopped being anxious. Last time the Han army had failed to break through; this time, if he only defended well, perhaps he could hold them off again.

After deliberation, it was still decided to send reinforcements, but the foremost problem was who should lead the army to the rescue. Because in recent years, Liu Chang had slaughtered meritorious ministers and veteran generals on a grand scale, leaving Southern Yue with few capable commanders.

In the end, the assembled ministers jointly recommended the great general Pan Chongche — the man hailed as the number one general in the Southern Yue army. Back when the Ma Chu was in internal turmoil, it was he who, together with Wu Huai'en, had taken all the prefectures of Lingnan and even pushed into Hunan. But after Liu Chang ascended the throne, he grew suspicious of him, and on the slander of eunuchs, stripped him of his post and authority.

Now that a crisis had arrived, the court thought of Pan Chongche again. However, Pan Chongche was by this time utterly disheartened. He had seen with his own eyes how the Southern Yue state was being ruined by that benighted lord and his fawning minions, and at such a juncture, he had no wish to serve them further. So he pleaded illness and declined, refusing to take command.

At this, Liu Chang, young and hot-tempered, was quite incensed — without you, Pan Chongche, can we not resist the Han army? And so, on the recommendation of the sorcerers and eunuchs around him, he dispatched two "great generals": one was Wu Yanrou, Defense Commissioner of Wuzhou, and the other was the eunuch Xu Yanzhen. The two were to lead troops separately to relieve Hezhou and Shaozhou. The importance of Shaozhou went without saying; the relief of Hezhou was for fear that if it fell, the Han army could come east and strike from two sides.

Wu Yanrou, though hardly a famous general, was at least of soldierly origin with experience leading troops. As for Xu Yanzhen, he was a thoroughgoing eunuch — skilled at flattering superiors, adept at manipulating power, and fighting battles was hardly his forte. Yet he was the one chosen, and the main army of Panyu was placed under his command. Presumably, Liu Chang was using him as a stand-in for the great eunuch Wu Huai'en, who in earlier years had been famed for his martial prowess in expanding Southern Yue's territory.

In the central command tent, more than twenty Han officers of the southern campaign had gathered. This army sent to punish Southern Yue used the fewest imperial army troops of all the pacification forces — a first in years of campaigning. On Cui Yanjin's side, the main force was the eastern Sichuan troops, supplemented by Yao tribesmen to form the Pingqian Army. Pan Mei's host was primarily Jinghu troops, supplemented by barbarian soldiers — one could say southerners punishing southerners. Several junior officers of Miao and Yao origin also took part in the council.

"This council is convened for one matter only!" In full armor, Pan Mei sat behind the commander's desk, swept his gaze over the assembled generals, and said directly: "The Lord of Southern Yue has already sent forty thousand troops north to aid Shaozhou, and they will arrive at Qujiang within two or three days!"

Hearing this, most of the generals wore grave expressions and felt surprise — because upon learning of the enemy's reinforcements, Pan Mei seemed positively delighted. Army Supervisor Murong Chengtai voiced the doubt on everyone's behalf: "May I ask, Commander, if the Yue reinforcements arrive, their strength will surpass ours. If they then hold the strong city, how can we take it?"

Murong Chengtai was something of a scion of the imperial clan. After years of military life, he had been fully tempered and was one of the rare martial talents among the emperor's close kin. Before the southern pacification, Pan Mei had requested the court to provide some cavalry, and Liu Chengyou had sent Murong Chengtai south with three thousand horsemen to assist, also holding the post of Army Supervisor.

"Since ancient times, the art of war has never lain in numbers of troops. Though the enemy be many, how can they match the elite soldiers of our Great Han!" Pan Mei's bearing was proud, his confidence plain: "Do you all know that the commander of these reinforcements is Xu Yanzhen, a palace eunuch of the Southern Yue court? One incompetent general exhausts three armies to death — and how much more so this worthless, fawning eunuch? The Southern Yue court and populace have suffered the eunuchs for long, and the Southern Yue soldiers are equally full of resentment. How can such an enemy be a threat?"

Hearing Pan Mei's analysis, the generals could not help but show contemptuous expressions, their gravity dissipating somewhat. On reflection, it was true — what was there to fear from such an opponent?

Murong Chengtai nodded as well, a hint of pensive thought showing on his swarthy face. He clasped his hands and said: "Commander, the enemy holds Qujiang with few troops and has not rashly attacked the city, knowing it is hard to break. Now that tens of thousands of reinforcements are coming, you instead feel it will be easier to attack. Have you already formed a plan? Otherwise, if the Yue army still chooses to hold fast and fight a war of attrition, how will we break them? By then, even a full assault would be too late!"

Murong Chengtai's words carried a faint trace of doubt. Pan Mei glanced at him — for this imperial-clan warrior, he would grant some face — and said with a light smile: "What General Murong says is reasonable. But as you yourself said, I fear a strong city held by few troops of one mind, yet I rejoice in an enemy army that is numerous but whose commands are divided!"

"Hear my orders!" Having spoken, Pan Mei rose and said in a loud voice, and the generals immediately pricked up their ears. Yet what Pan Mei issued was an order that left everyone stunned: "Have the entire army pack up and prepare. When the Yue reinforcements arrive, we will withdraw and make camp at Baixing Mountain! Prepare in advance, so we are not caught in a fluster!"

Though stunned and full of questions, military orders were like mountains, and given Pan Mei's usual toughness, no one raised objections. But after the council dispersed, Murong Chengtai came up to him, with Liu Fang following — though the young man disliked special treatment, his privileges were in fact ever-present.

"The Commander intends to withdraw, to lure the Yue army into sallying forth from the city in pursuit, is that it!" Murong Chengtai asked directly, brows furrowed.

Looking at Murong Chengtai, Pan Mei smiled faintly and nodded: "Exactly so!"

Noting Pan Mei's relaxed expression, Murong Chengtai's face grew even more somber, and he said: "Forgive my bluntness — the Yue army may not sally forth to pursue. Even if we feign retreat, they may not take the bait!"

"Rest assured, General — the Yue army will definitely sally forth in pursuit!" Pan Mei said calmly.

"Why is the Commander so certain?" Murong Chengtai was puzzled: "If we pin our hopes on the enemy's judgment, then this matter of state and army is far too presumptuous, too much of a game!"

"Matters of state and army — how would I dare treat them as a game!" Pan Mei's expression turned serious, his gaze burning as he fixed on Murong Chengtai: "This feigned retreat to lure the enemy — even if it is only an attempt, even if it fails, it harms not our soldiers and loses nothing of the overall situation!"

"But it will waste time, squander the opportunity for battle, and affect morale!" Murong Chengtai's tone finally turned stern, meeting Pan Mei's eyes: "We were decreed to pacify the south. If we linger here long without advancing an inch, how do we answer to the court?"

Previously, among the officers, there had been those who advocated immediate attack — Murong Chengtai was one of them. By his judgment, Qujiang could be taken by storm, but Pan Mei had suppressed this voice for swift action.

"Success or failure, all merit and blame — I, Pan, will bear it myself!" Seeing his attitude, Pan Mei's voice also cooled by several degrees.

Seeing his intransigence, Murong Chengtai drew a deep breath, his face twitching a few times, and clasped his fists in salute: "I have no intention of contending with Commander Pan. I only hope His Majesty has not chosen the wrong man! I take my leave!"

With that he withdrew. Watching Murong Chengtai's retreating back, Pan Mei said quietly to himself: "How could I dare betray His Majesty's trust!"