Chapter 1139: Recovery of Jiaozhi

"Your servant greets Your Majesty!"

In Wansui Hall, Murong Yanchao and his son were granted an audience together. Emperor Liu was clearly delighted at the return of this father-and-son pair to court, summoning them to the hall for conversation at the earliest opportunity, and his manner was exceptionally warm.

"Rise! No need for ceremony!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

They were seated, and palace eunuchs served hot soup. Because of the bitter cold weather, during this period, when ministers came to pay respects, what Emperor Liu used to receive them with were warming soups meant to ward off the chill.

He looked at Murong Yanchao, then turned his gaze to Murong Chengtai: "Though my uncle often goes out on official business, he is still long in the court, and I can see him often. But you, Chengtai—I have not seen you for several years!"

Whether in the army or in the provinces, Murong Chengtai generally carried a spirited, proud bearing. Yet before Liu Chengyou, he was quite restrained, just like other members of his generation connected to the imperial clan—toward Emperor Liu, he felt the same reverence, even fear.

Sensing the concern in Emperor Liu's tone, Murong Chengtai said: "Thank you for Your Majesty's remembrance! Your servant has been steeped in imperial grace, much favored by Your Majesty's promotion, and only thus have I reached where I am today—I am deeply grateful!"

"Indeed, you have been tempered by experience out there!" Emperor Liu said to Murong Yanchao: "Chengtai is already a great general of the Han, worthy of being entrusted with heavy responsibilities. Is my uncle's heart at ease?"

A smile at the corner of his mouth, Murong Yanchao replied: "Your Majesty overpraises him. He still needs further tempering, to do more for the court and serve Your Majesty with full loyalty!"

On the imperial desk sat a porcelain plate holding some candies wrapped in patterned paper. Emperor Liu gestured to Yan Tuo, then said: "These are candies made by the palace food officers. My grandson has been born, and all the civil and military nobles in the capital have received a share—you two should taste them too!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The father and son ate together, smiles on both their faces. Emperor Liu asked how they tasted, and the answer was, of course, affirmative—sweet!

Murong Yanchao said: "Earlier, when I heard of the imperial grandson's birth, I was outside the capital and could only send a congratulatory memorial. Now that I have returned to the capital, I must make up the gift!"

Murong Yanchao's household was exceedingly wealthy, skilled in managing finances—among the nobles, few were richer than he. Seeing his generous expression, Liu Chengyou, though in good spirits, said: "He is but a mere infant—can he stir the whole realm? My uncle's sentiment is enough!"

Then he looked at Murong Chengtai: "I heard you fell ill on the road back to the capital?"

"Thank you for Your Majesty's concern! Your servant has long been in Guangnan, and on this return journey, traveling day after day, I merely caught a chill!" Murong Chengtai reported.

"Still, you must take care. In that case, after the audience concludes, go to the Imperial Medical Institute and have someone look at you!" Emperor Liu said with a show of importance.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" This was likely the first time Murong Chengtai had enjoyed such concern from the emperor, and all he could do was repeatedly express his gratitude.

"You've been to the Bureau of Military Affairs, I take it?"

"Yes!"

"For Pan Mei to let you return to court to report, the Annam campaign must be progressing smoothly, right? You've come back from the front—tell me how it's going!" Liu Chengyou said.

"Yes!" He looked up to see that Emperor Liu had already resumed a stern expression. That calm face made his heart tighten, as if the gentle words of a moment ago had been but an illusion.

Sighing inwardly at how unfathomable the imperial majesty was, Murong Chengtai quickly composed himself, clasped his hands, and reported: "Commander-in-Chief Pan, having obtained the imperial order to advance, returned to Guangnan and immediately deployed the troops, shifting the army to Guangxi. On one hand, he gathered supplies; on the other, he sealed off passes and roads to block information, while simultaneously strengthening reconnaissance of the Annam region.

Before winter set in, the internal strife in Annam was fierce. After mid-autumn, Ding Buling, who had carved out the central region, led an allied force of over ten thousand tribesmen northward to attack the remnants of the Wu clan's old ministers in the north, who were badly weakened by internal exhaustion, intending to expand and unify central and northern Annam.

Ding Buling was a cunning fellow. After Wu Changwen died and the Wu regime collapsed, he recruited soldiers and horses, building up a great show of force, yet he held his troops still, maneuvering and forging alliances among the various separatist powers while sitting back to watch them fight.

Had the court not intervened, the various northern powers would surely have been swept away by him. But however shrewd he was, he could not have imagined that the Great Han had already decided to send troops.

Our army marched south from Liangzhou, building bridges and paving roads all the way, pressing directly toward Longbian city. By the time the army arrived, the fighting in northern Annam had already concluded. Ding Buling had won a great victory, occupied Jiaozhi city, and dispatched envoys far and wide to summon surrenders and recruit defectors.

However, as our great army passed through, we likewise issued proclamations to the old prefectures and counties under the Jinghai Army, and those who surrendered came like clouds..."

"That Ding Buling must have put up a struggle as well, I imagine!" Clearly, the smooth advance of the southern campaign had not been enough to delight Emperor Liu; he merely asked in a flat tone.

"Indeed!" Murong Chengtai said: "Ding Buling truly was a local hero. When our great army suddenly pressed upon his borders, though shaken and fearful, he did not lose his will to fight.

Not knowing the true strength of our forces, he dared not rashly meet us in battle. Instead, he reinforced the city defenses of Jiaozhi, gathered all the people, livestock, and grain from the surrounding areas together, and sent envoys to invite those separatist magnates he had defeated, intending to unite against the Great Han.

Our army, having marched for many days, needed rest, and so temporarily camped at Longbian. Commander-in-Chief Pan's only worry was that Ding Buling would flee without a fight—fortunately, the man could not bear to give up the fruits of his northern campaign.

While he was preparing for war, Commander-in-Chief Pan decisively ordered Tian Qinzuo to lead three thousand troops on a covert crossing southward, circling around to strike Zhuyuan city and cut off his retreat, before advancing on Jiaozhi city.

When the entire army had finished resting, we arrived beneath the city walls. Ding Buling dared not sit by and watch our army cross the river to besiege the city, so he personally led his troops to hold the riverbank. Our army, with the Pingqian troops as the vanguard, forced a crossing of the Zhuyuan River on boats and rafts, and fought on the river's right bank.

The river-crossing battle lasted more than two shichen in total. We beheaded over three thousand of Ding's rebel troops, while our own casualties were no more than a thousand. Ding Buling led his remaining forces in retreat to defend Jiaozhi city, and our army pressed the advantage to besiege the city.

After that defeat, Ding Buling no longer dared to rashly leave the city to give battle. He chose to defend the city to the death, relying on the size of our army to exhaust our grain supplies, hoping we would withdraw on our own.

Because Jiaozhi was strongly fortified, Commander-in-Chief Pan did not rashly launch an assault. He built up siege walls and trenches, constructed siege engines, and meanwhile sent envoys to urge surrender. He also dispatched detachments to take the various cities east and west of Jiaozhi, conscripting their people and seizing money and grain to supply the army.

After besieging the city for half a month, once the enemy's morale had sunk and our preparations were complete, we attacked from three sides. Ding Buling, having never truly established a firm foothold in Jiaozhi, could not hold out for long. On the second day, the city fell, and Jiaozhi was recovered.

Only, Ding Buling was quick on his feet—he escaped through a gap in the breach, and the pursuit failed to catch him, letting him slip away. It was expected that he would flee back to his old lair at Dahuang Hualü cave, so Commander-in-Chief Pan again sent Tian Qinzuo south with troops to hunt him down and destroy him."

"So, Jiaozhi can be considered recovered!" Listening to Murong Chengtai's account, Liu Chengyou suddenly asked.

Murong Chengtai: "By the time your servant returned north, the prefectures and counties north of Jiaozhi had all been taken. Tian Qinzuo had also pursued Ding Buling to his lair, broken his forces again, and advanced on Ai Prefecture.

But Ding Buling, though beaten, was not finished—he still led his remaining troops fleeing southward. It is said that he and his father once served as generals and officials in the southern prefectures, where they had some prestige, so he sought refuge there, with intentions of staging a comeback.

After the Battle of Jiaozhi, the various separatist forces in central and northern Annam had been swept clean. The only ones remaining who could cause trouble were the three or four 'Governors' in the south. With the intention of eradicating evil completely, once the situation in the central and northern regions settles, we should naturally continue advancing south to clear them out, so that all the old lands of Annam are recovered and return to the rule of the Great Han!"

"Well done!" Finally, a smile appeared on Emperor Liu's face.

"Commander-in-Chief Pan says the court can dispatch civil officials south to take up posts and govern the pacified population!" Murong Chengtai continued.

"That goes without saying!" Liu Chengyou nodded, but then sighed slightly: "However, being at the far south of the realm, I fear the choice of personnel will not be easy. Lingnan is already distant, and Jiaozhi is even more remote and cramped..."

Even as he said this, Emperor Liu's hands moved with practiced efficiency. He took out a sheet of paper, wrote on it, affixed his seal, then summoned an interpreter and instructed: "Send this document to the Hall of State Affairs!"

"Yes!"

"Let the chancellors have a headache over it for a while!" Emperor Liu said with a light laugh.

Then he looked at Murong Yanchao again: "And what business brings my uncle back to the capital this time?"

At the question, Murong Yanchao perked up at once. He took out a rather large blueprint, and with the help of a palace eunuch, slowly unrolled it before Emperor Liu, while introducing it: "This is a blueprint of the Western Capital's palaces, city walls, and road layout, drawn by master builders I assembled, taking two years to complete. I specially present it for Your Majesty's inspection."

His gaze fell upon the unrolled blueprint. It was a design for an entirely new Luoyang city. Even though he could not fully understand it, from the grandeur and appearance presented in the drawing, Emperor Liu knew that if it were built, it would be in no way inferior to the current Kaifeng city.

Uncle Murong seemed to have heard Emperor Liu's thoughts.