Chapter 1026: The Fall of the State

In the early morning, a thick mist hung over the Qinhuai River, shrouding the inside and outside of Jinling, and only began to thin and disperse as the sky brightened. As winter deepened, the climate turned colder, and especially on these winter mornings, the damp cold of Jiangnan was highly uncomfortable, even agonizing, for a portion of the northern soldiers.

Of course, the court's war preparations had also been thorough. Considering winter operations, cold-weather gear such as padded clothing and charcoal for warmth were supplied in abundance, so the troops did not have to endure the wind and cold entirely exposed. Moreover, this campaign had gone smoothly, advancing steadily all the way. Under the impetus of victory, morale was stable and fighting spirit high. Now that the army had besieged the enemy capital, nearly all the Han soldiers were waiting to breach the city, to end the war, collect plunder, and receive rewards.

As the de facto economic center of the southern region, Jinling's prosperity had long been renowned. Setting foot on this land as conquerors, it was inevitable that the soldiers' hearts would race with anticipation, and their desire to seize a windfall while the opportunity presented itself was understandable.

Furthermore, back when Shu was pacified, the soldiers had mostly gained considerable spoils in Chengdu, drawing the envy of a great many people. Now, some were already planning to replicate the Chengdu story. For most soldiers, enduring hardship and risking their lives in battle — while there was certainly some propaganda effect of loyalty to the sovereign and serving the country, of building merit and establishing achievement — the greater motivation was still rewards, still plunder.

Thus, with Jinling right before their eyes, within easy reach, little encouragement was needed; the Han soldiers' fighting desire and morale were both extremely high. From dawn onward, cooking smoke rose from the vast Han army camp. Thereafter, the various armies and battalions ate and exercised on schedule, and officers at every level encouraged their men, making final preparations for mobilization.

As the commander-in-chief, Li Gu also convened his tent to discuss matters, holding a military council before the assault. The arrangements for the attack had long been settled and passed down: a three-sided simultaneous assault, with Shi Shouxin in overall command, Zhang Yongde attacking the south of the city, Yin Chongke attacking the north, and Zhao Yanjin attacking the east.

Therefore, Li Gu's pre-battle council had only one agenda item: military discipline. Li Gu paid particular attention to morale and fighting spirit, and he had taken full measure of the soldiers' expectations for breaching the city. A Confucian commander like Li Gu would never permit what he foresaw.

At the military council, even Liu Yang, the Crown Prince, had to sit obediently below, while Li Gu occupied the commander's seat and said sternly: "The deadline has passed, and Jinling has still not surrendered. Today, we launch the attack!"

"Yes!" The assembled generals answered in unison, their momentum high.

"However!" Scanning the crowd, Li Gu let out a sigh and said: "There is one matter that weighs heavily on my mind, nearly becoming an obsession!"

"May we ask what weighs on the Marshal's heart, and whether we subordinates can share the burden?" Shi Shouxin cooperated at just the right moment, following up with the question.

Li Gu said: "The prefectures of Jiangnan are a land of fish and rice, with fertile soil, abundant goods, and prosperous people — especially Jinling, where wealth accumulates and gold and silk gather. What I worry about is that when the army breaches the city, the soldiers will be seduced by it, their conduct becoming hard to restrain, military discipline destroyed, and this famous city ruined in a single day. Then I will have no way to answer to the court. Hence my worry!"

At these words, all fell silent. Among the current Han generals, especially the senior ones, those completely illiterate and ignorant of propriety, as in the early days, were already few. They understood somewhat what Li Gu meant, but for the moment, none spoke up.

Throughout the ages, when armies went to war, which one had ever truly achieved the ideal of not harming a single hair of the people? Especially facing a city as dripping with wealth as Jinling — not to mention the lower-ranking officers and men, even the mid- and high-ranking commanders, did they not also harbor expectations?

Noting the generals' reactions, Li Gu was unsurprised and continued: "Before the southern campaign, His Majesty admonished that the people of Jiangnan are also subjects of the Great Han, merely sheltering temporarily under Jinling. The imperial army marches south to aid the distressed and relieve the suffering, to welcome them back into the court. With the flames of war rekindled and blades drawn against each other, His Majesty is deeply concerned about harm befalling the people of Jiangnan. His Highness the Crown Prince, by imperial decree, has come to reward the troops and has once again emphasized His Majesty's sacred intent — military discipline must be strictly maintained..."

"This is easy — the Marshal need not worry!" Zhao Yanjin suddenly spoke: "The Great Han has its own military discipline; the three armies need only obey as usual. Whoever dares to violate it will be dealt with by military law. That is all!"

"Army Supervisor Zhao speaks truly. We shall naturally obey His Majesty's decree and await the Marshal's military orders!" Shi Shouxin followed.

Led by Shi and Zhao, the rest, including Zhang Yongde and others, also voiced their assent, expressing willingness to obey military orders, restrain their men, and maintain strict discipline.

Seeing this, a hint of a smile finally appeared on Li Gu's aged face. Then he said solemnly: "I have received the imperial decree to pacify the south and lead the army to conquer this state. Thanks to the soldiers' dedication, we now stand before the enemy's lair. Jinling is an isolated city that cannot withstand our military might; it is certain to fall. On the day we take the city, there are three rules that the three armies must bear in mind.

First, the sovereign and ministers of Jinling shall be presented as captives to the Eastern Capital, to be dealt with by His Majesty and the court; the soldiers must not treat them lightly or with insult;

Second, on the day the city falls, the scholars and commoners within shall become subjects of the Great Han; they must not be killed or humiliated;

Third, for the merits earned in battle, the court will naturally bestow rewards afterward; the granaries and storehouses within the city must not be seized at will, and the property of the common people is strictly forbidden to be violated.

These three rules shall be announced to the entire army. Any violator will be punished by military law!"

When he said the words "punished by military law," Li Gu appeared utterly murderous, his authority imposing, making it impossible for anyone to look him in the eye. The generals present naturally dared not object, and answered in unison: "We obey the Marshal's orders!"

Ever since Liu Bang entered Guanzhong and left behind the famous precedent of the "three-point covenant," later generations had often imitated it according to the times and circumstances. Three rules were sufficient — more would be hard to remember. In truth, this was only a basic measure; outside these three rules, there were plenty of loopholes to exploit. But being able to uphold these three points was already the mark of strict military discipline.

Sitting to one side, Liu Yang had not spoken from beginning to end, only silently observing and pondering Li Gu's methods of commanding generals. He could not help but feel some admiration — so this was how the gentle, courteous, and tolerant Lord Li wielded such authority and skill when handling proud soldiers and fierce generals. It seemed he had learned something...

In the court, by Emperor Liu's side, all he could ever see was how the officials above and below, the civil and military ministers, were submissive and obedient to his father, never daring to defy him. That was an authority accumulated over more than a decade of strengthening imperial power and military prestige — not something easily learned. In fact, in recent years Emperor Liu had rarely needed to resort to schemes or intrigues to enhance his authority.

As Li Gu's orders were issued, the Han army moved with lightning speed. The various units participating in the assault deployed in orderly fashion, baring their fangs. Meanwhile, atop Jinling's walls, the defenders scrambled in haste, making mistakes in their rush. And within the palace, when the war drums from outside the city thundered, Li Yu's last vestiges of wishful thinking were extinguished completely.

That night, Li Yu did not sleep. Together with his uncle Jingda and several of his grown younger brothers, he discussed the fate of the state and the future of the clan at Consort Zhong's place. Though none spoke directly, a consensus was reached.

When he learned that the Han army had already deployed in force and the siege engines had been rolled out, with no further words of persuasion to surrender being issued, Li Yu finally believed that the Han army meant what it said. He had no more time to hesitate.

And so, under the gaze of his clansmen and brothers, Li Yu, with a mournful heart, personally wrote out a letter of surrender. Tears soaked the silk, blurring the ink. After affixing the imperial seal, he handed it to his royal uncle Li Jingda, who would leave the city to deliver the surrender document.

When the white flag was raised atop Jinling's walls, it proclaimed the fall of the Southern Tang. From its founder Li Bian's ascension to the throne and founding of the state, to Li Yu's surrender, the state had endured for twenty-six years in total.