Chapter 1037: Wuyue's Fate Is Sealed

Guangde County, three hundred li from Jinling, lay to the northwest of Hangzhou, at the junction of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, in the transitional zone between mountainous terrain and the riverine plains. The county was dominated by hills, with low mountain ranges winding through it, making the topography extremely complex. The Southern Tang had established the Guangde Military Commission here, and it had long served as a key defensive pass against Wuyue. In past conflicts between the two sides, battles were mostly fought around Suzhou and Changzhou, precisely because of the terrain constraints of this region.

It was a pity, as men of ambition would say, that between the Southern Tang and Wuyue, the straight-line distance between their capitals was only a little over four hundred li. Geographically speaking, they were the backyard garden of the southeast, mutually dependent as lips and teeth, mutually threatening as elbows and armpits. And yet, under such mutual threat, the two sides had managed to coexist for so many years.

Under the governance of the Qian clan, Wuyue enjoyed prosperous people and a wealthy state, with rapid development in its economy and people's livelihoods. However, in terms of comprehensive strength, it could hardly contend with the Southern Tang. In earlier years, perhaps constrained by pressure from the north, but even when the Central Plains had no strength to look southward, the south still maintained its inherent balance.

For the southeastern half of the realm to remain divided and fragmented for such a long time was indeed something of an oddity. During the period of the "Three Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms," looking at the south as a whole, it was a time of vigorous economic and cultural development, but political and military stagnation. Whether it was Wuyue, the Southern Tang, the Wang clan's Min, or even the earlier Southern Han and Yang Wu, even after their regimes were consolidated, their grand policies still focused on lenient governance, nurturing scholars, and developing people's livelihoods. They seemed to have no ambition for external expansion, only wishing to make their territories a place to spend their final years.

This, too, was a political characteristic of the south.

After Jinling surrendered, word spread, and Guangde also submitted in turn. As troops dispatched from Jinling arrived to take over the defense, the Han banners that had replaced the city's flags were planted ever more firmly.

At this time, the troops stationed here numbered over ten thousand—part Jianghuai soldiers, part surrendered troops, and part Wuyue soldiers. For this campaign, to coordinate with the imperial court's pacification of the south, Wuyue had mobilized over twenty thousand land and naval troops in support. Apart from those who had been killed or wounded in the surprise attack by Lin Renzhao at Changzhou, the rest had been dispersed—one contingent to Changzhou, one to Jinling, and another to Guangde. The Wuyue troops who accompanied the Han army southward to take over Guangde numbered three thousand, and they were led by their commander-in-chief, Shao Keqian.

The depths of winter had arrived, and the southern wind still cut to the bone with cold. But for the troops stationed in Guangde, it was nothing much. Although this southern pacification campaign forbade burning, looting, and extortion, for the soldiers who had joined the expedition, life was quite comfortable and the treatment excellent.

Not to mention the imperial court's logistical support—after arriving in Guangde, the local rewards alone were enough to be enjoyed for a long time. Clothes were warm, food filled the belly, and every few days there was wine and meat as rewards. The army even held polo and cuju matches. Jiangnan truly was a good place. For many officers and men of the Great Han who had experienced bitter battles, there was no more comfortable or pleasant war than this southern pacification. In such an atmosphere, the Wuyue troops also enjoyed themselves, so much so that few wished to return home.

The camp layout was still proper and by the book, never slackened according to regulations. The atmosphere in the camp was lively, with cheers erupting from time to time. On the drill ground, wrestling matches were held—tense and exciting. Men beaten black and blue, bloodied and with broken bones, only intensified the spectators' cheering.

With another batch of wine and meat for the troops arriving, officers and men alike were naturally overjoyed, for the winter solstice was approaching and the entire army was preparing to celebrate the festival. Whether in the north or the south, the winter solstice was given great importance.

Shao Keqian walked through the camp with several of his personal guards. He was an old general. In bearing, compared to those sharp-edged heroes who had spent their lives in the saddle, he could be called mediocre—one could hardly see anything special about him. But in actual command in battle, he had a tough style and dared to fight.

Ten years ago, when the Han army campaigned against Huainan, the Wuyue army had marched north to assist, fighting at Changzhou. Shao Keqian had been the senior general, and that battle had been lost to the Southern Tang's Prince of Yan, Li Hongji, with heavy casualties. Shao Keqian's own son had died on the battlefield.

Ten years later, Shao Keqian once again led Wuyue's sons to fight alongside the Han army. Although there had been some setbacks at the walls of Changzhou, overall the advance had gone smoothly—taking Runzhou directly and forcing Jinling to surrender.

For Shao Keqian's military career, this counted as a bright spot that could leave his name in history. Yet along this journey, his heart had grown heavier and heavier. Across from Guangde lay Huzhou, which was Wuyue territory. Lately, Shao Keqian could not help but worry, always haunted by a strange feeling that one day, orders would come down, commanding them to march on Hangzhou...

Frost and dew clung to his grizzled beard, and the cold wind, sharp as a knife, scraped mercilessly across his face, yet Shao Keqian seemed utterly unaware. His anxious state had long since drawn attention. A junior officer beside him could not help but speak up: "General, the whole army is rejoicing—why is there no joy on your face!"

On the drill ground, among those who stepped forward to fight were not only the northern troops but also many Wuyue soldiers confident in their own strength, and they had won victories. Perhaps customs and cultures differed, but brave men were never lacking anywhere. In the army, force of arms was the most direct and simple means of winning respect.

Pointing at the scene on the drill ground, Shao Keqian said: "Look at that—the soldiers have all forgotten home in their revelry!"

In truth, after all this time, the Wuyue army had long been won over and controlled by the Han army's various methods. Wuyue soldiers could also make comparisons—under Wuyue rule, they had rarely enjoyed such preferential treatment and glory. Add to that having witnessed the strength of the northern army, plus the promise of post-war rewards, and these Wuyue troops had basically all turned their hearts toward the imperial court.

For Shao Keqian, he saw this with his eyes and worried about it on his face, but any thoughts he had could only be kept bottled up inside. Wuyue's eventual fate could already be clearly seen, and precisely because of this, Shao Keqian dared not do anything to resist.

But for a state he had served with loyalty for nearly his entire life, watching it perish while being powerless to stop it—there was inevitably some turmoil in his heart.

"General Shao, General Kang has prepared wine and food and is hosting the officers. He sent me to invite you to the banquet!" As Shao Keqian sighed, an officer came to notify him.

"I understand. I'll go shortly!" Shao Keqian regained his composure and replied to the messenger.

General Kang was a young battle commander—brave, skilled in horsemanship and archery, with rich combat experience, including in the northern expedition. His name was Kang Baoyi, the son of Kang Zaiyu, Army Commander of Hexi. On this campaign, he had been recommended by Li Gu to serve as Acting Military Governor of Guangde, leading troops to garrison the county. Having traveled alongside him, Shao Keqian dared not underestimate this young Han general in the slightest. To be fair, although Shao Keqian was a generation older in age, when it came to combat experience, he truly could not match Kang Baoyi.

While the Wuyue general Shao Keqian worried in Guangde over the future of the state of Wuyue, in Hangzhou, within the Wuyue royal palace, Qian Hongchu was also facing a choice. In the brazier, charcoal flames burned hot and bright. Qian Hongchu sat in his seat, holding an imperial edict sent from the court.

He did not summon anyone else, only calling for Chancellor Yuan Dezhao. Handing him the edict, Qian Hongchu said: "Lord Yuan, the court has invited me to enter Kaifeng once more, to celebrate the success of the southern pacification. What do you think?"

Yuan Dezhao, with his grizzled beard and an air of immortality, took the edict and read it carefully. After pondering the court's intent behind this decree, he sighed and said: "Great King, this is the court's hint. Your Highness should go north and offer up the territory!"

Hearing this, Qian Hongchu's face showed no great surprise, but he confirmed with Yuan Dezhao: "Lord Yuan thinks it is time?"

Yuan Dezhao nodded and said in a tone of lament: "Great King, forgive me for speaking plainly. This time, the court is celebrating the success of the southern pacification. If Your Highness goes and surrenders the territory to submit, that will complete the unification—this is the surest way to please the Son of Heaven and the court, and also the wisest choice for the treatment the Qian clan will enjoy henceforth. Now, three thousand Han soldiers are stationed at Hangzhou's side, and the troops you have dispatched are largely under the court's control. Since Your Highness already has the intention to offer up the territory, there is no need to hesitate this time!"

Hearing this, a trace of helplessness appeared on Qian Hongchu's plump face. He smiled bitterly and said: "It seems I can only follow the ancestral instruction!"

Within two days, when word came from the south that Liu Guangyi had led troops into Zhangzhou and Quanzhou, and Military Governor Chen Hongjin had voluntarily surrendered the cities and gone north to Kaifeng, Qian Hongchu had no other thoughts. Soon, after consulting with Tao Gu, Qian Hongchu began preparations for the journey north. This time, his entry to the court was even more thorough—he assembled thirty large ships, loaded with treasures and local tribute, to be offered as gifts.

Of course, the most precious gift of all, Qian Hongchu also intended to offer up.