Chapter 1178: Hidden Agendas

The eastern route army marched along the main road—though that was only in comparison to the treacherous mountains and harsh terrain of the western route. In reality, it was still difficult going, especially for a large army on the move: with so many troops and even more baggage trains, the pressure on logistical support was naturally that much greater.

Terrain and roads were absolutely the greatest constraint on the Han army's advance; the climate was less of a problem, since the troops mobilized were all men from the southwestern territories under their jurisdiction.

Responsible for ensuring military supplies from the rear was, of course, Xue Juzheng, the Administration Commissioner of Jiannan. Such matters were well within Xue Juzheng's expertise—back when he had served as a chancellor, he had participated in every campaign.

But conditions in the southwest were quite different, and from the rear, he devoted most of his energy to road-building—cutting through mountains where they rose, bridging rivers where they crossed. It was foreseeable that if Dali could be pacified smoothly this time, a more passable road would be completed on the back of the war, reaching deep into both Sichuan and Yunnan. Of course, the manpower and resources invested in this were also enormous.

Of course, as a general commanding troops in battle, while logistical matters were important, the difficulties of transport in between would not overly concern him—so long as military supplies could be guaranteed, he would not trouble himself with the rest.

Thus, Wang Renshan, blocked at Nongdong, had but one thought: how to break the defenders here, and then press on to Yangxiemie City. After several fierce engagements, the Dali army had completely adopted a strategy of hunkering down and defending to the death, even sealing off the city gates entirely. Moreover, their forces were still considerable, and even with no shortage of sharp weapons, the Han army truly could not take the city.

This was not a question of fighting capability—it was purely a matter of terrain. At Nongdong, three sides were hemmed in by high mountains, with flat fields and broad rivers; a city standing here could not be bypassed at all. Nongdong was also one of Dali's granaries, so food within the city would not run short for some time, and the scorched-earth work had been done before the Han army marched south.

Breaking the city might be difficult, but it was not insurmountable—it was only a question of cost. When it came to attacking fortifications, after the unification wars, the Great Han's army was rich in experience; how could it truly be stymied by a mere city like Nongdong?

Wang Renshan had inspected the city's defenses more than once, yet he still habitually took men out to survey it every day. The Han camp was very close to the enemy city, and from the watchtower one could see it quite clearly.

"General, this city wall doesn't look all that tall—how about we build an earthen rampart to attack it?" Seeing Wang Renshan's pensive expression, a general beside him could not help but suggest.

In past assaults on fortified positions, the Han army had used this plain and unadorned method to weaken the defenders' greatest reliance, but that depended on circumstances. Thus, Wang Renshan shook his head: "That crude method consumes both time and effort, and requires ample room to execute. Moreover, the enemy will not sit idly by while we build at our leisure—it is not suitable here!"

The best example of this tactic succeeding was during the northern campaign years ago, when Murong Yanzhao led troops to break Tanzhou. And that success had come from multiple factors: first, it caught the enemy off guard; second, nearly a hundred thousand laborers accompanied the army, providing ample manpower; and finally, during the construction process, they had contended with the Liao army in both wit and force, paying no small price in casualties, and it still took half a month before the rampart was completed.

Such a high-cost operation could not simply be replicated at will. Of course, it was not impossible to emulate here, but doing so would waste too much time.

And what Wang Renshan least wanted to see was being dragged out for a long time beneath this city. It was not that he feared danger from being long trapped in enemy territory—it was purely that his heart was set on the enemy capital. Moreover, being blocked from advancing or retreating by a mere Nongdong prefecture would also be an embarrassment to him.

"Judging from the results of the assaults over the past few days, the enemy's will to resist is quite resolute. If we rush to break the city, even in victory we would suffer heavy casualties..." As if sensing Wang Renshan's impatience, another general spoke to him in a tone of reminder:

"Furthermore, the Commander-in-Chief's orders to us were only to pin down the Dali army and draw their attention. Now that both sides are locked in battle here, one could say the objective has basically been achieved. Why must the general be so eager for victory? If there is a setback, or losses prove too heavy, I fear it would be hard to account for!"

Hearing this, Wang Renshan's old brows twitched, and he could not help but slant a glance at the general who had spoken. This man was also surnamed Wang—among the commanders of this southern expedition against Dali, there were indeed quite a few surnamed Wang—and the speaker was a nephew of Wang Quanbin's clan.

He understood the implication: was this man afraid that he would advance too smoothly and drive straight into Dali's capital? The corner of Wang Renshan's mouth curled slightly, with a hint of disdain.

Wherever there are people, there are rivalries, and the southern expedition army was no exception. Wang Quanbin and Wang Renshan had both been great generals in the pacification of Shu, serving under Xiang Xun, and both had made mistakes after the war—their situations were somewhat similar.

The difference was that Wang Quanbin had risen to fame earlier, came from a more prestigious background, and in the Great Han, he had emerged from the imperial army. Wang Renshan, by contrast, had risen entirely from local origins, climbing step by step to high position to become a great general in his own right.

Toward Wang Quanbin, Wang Renshan was outwardly deferential, but in his heart, he could not help harboring thoughts of surpassing him. In this southern expedition, the army had split into two routes. Wang Quanbin's route was certainly the more ingenious, but it also carried greater risk—if it succeeded, so be it; but if it failed, it would fall to him and the eastern route army to turn the tide.

Therefore, no matter how one looked at it, Wang Renshan had no reason to slacken in the matter of advancing. Breaking Nongdong quickly was also for the sake of the overall war situation—one could not place all hopes on Wang Quanbin's long-distance raid.

Still, this man's advice did remind Wang Renshan and cool him down somewhat—his recent conduct had indeed been a bit hasty.

Sweeping his gaze over the generals around him, Wang Renshan said calmly: "I have agreed with the Commander-in-Chief to rendezvous beneath the walls of Yangxiemie City. The two routes advance together, combining the orthodox and the unorthodox, supporting each other. The western route's advance is fraught with peril and uncertainty—if we are held up here for a long time, are we to rely on the Commander-in-Chief to come from the west to aid us? Back when the imperial army pacified Shu, every step of the road into Sichuan was fraught with danger, and yet we trampled our way through all of it. What is this city compared to that!"

Wang Renshan's bold words did stir up some morale—why should attacking a passively defended Nongdong require so much hesitation and second-guessing? But bold words were bold words; how to continue this battle and break the city still required careful deliberation.

After thinking for a while, Wang Renshan pointed at the city not far away and said in a cold voice: "How many mighty citadels and strongholds in the Central Plains have ultimately submitted beneath the iron hooves of the Great Han's army? A paltry Nongdong, trying to block us—sheer delusion."

Having said this, he directly gave orders to the generals leading troops beside him: "It's time to bring out all our advantages in weaponry. Take out every fire arrow, all the gunpowder, and all the fire-oil bombs in the army. Also, urge the craftsmen—give them three more days, and have them make as many thunderclap cannons as they can. Let the soldiers rest for three days as well. Three days from now, we blast this city to rubble!"

"Yes!" Seeing that Wang Renshan had given the order, the others raised no further objections.

For this southern expedition, the Han army's preparations had naturally been thorough, for many things had been stockpiled over the years. Moreover, in the earlier weapons modernization, the court had allocated no small number of deadly implements, such as fire arrows and thunderclap bombs. Among the auxiliary personnel accompanying the army, besides baggage troops and laborers, were craftsmen conscripted from across the entire southwestern region.

It was precisely because of all these preparations that no matter how perilous the natural advantages Dali possessed, with ample supplies and overwhelming strength, the Han army could still roll straight over them.

Of course, no matter how sharp the weapons, they were ultimately only auxiliary—in the end, it came down to the men. The eastern route army's progress could be called smooth, but the actual march had been just as grueling. After several battles broke out, the Han army had suffered no small number of casualties in various forms—more than two thousand men in total.

And this was thanks to the southwestern soldiers being acclimated to this land and water. Had troops been transferred from the north, even if they ultimately took Dali, it would have been a miracle if the expeditionary force did not lose half its men.

Descending from the watchtower and walking toward the commander's tent, the tall grand banner flapped violently in the autumn wind. Wang Renshan glanced at the expedition commander's flag—it bore the same character "Wang" embroidered on it, but it was not the same man.

Wang Quanbin was concerned about Wang Renshan, and Wang Renshan likewise could not help worrying about the western route's progress. He certainly harbored a desire to claim merit for himself, but he also did not truly wish to see the western route fail—after all, it was a matter concerning the entire war situation.