Chapter 1262: Setting Forth Amid Cheers

According to the Bureau of Military Affairs' troop deployment, for this northern expedition, the imperial armies of the two capitals were to dispatch nearly seventy thousand soldiers, especially the numerous cavalry and infantry units under the Palace Command and the Imperial Guard Command.

Half of the imperial army around the Eastern Capital was drawn away, and the Western Capital side bore the brunt even more—the Iron Cavalry, Dragon Swift, Dragon Rest, Xiaodi, Husheng, and Fengguo armies were all within the deployment sequence, and the imperial troops guarding the passes around the Yellow River and Luo River regions were also being transferred north in complete formations.

However, the soldiers departing directly from the Western Capital, Luoyang, numbered only a little over twenty thousand cavalry and infantry. An army of several hundred thousand marching north was not assembled all together before setting out, but rather moved in batches, each reporting to its own destination, with Youzhou being the largest assembly point.

On the Western Capital side, besides the departure ceremony before the Qianyuan Hall, an additional city-exit ceremony was arranged. The soldiers ordered north on the expedition were all to depart from the main gate of the imperial city, cross the river bridge, proceed along Luoyang's Heavenly Avenue, exit through the southern gate, and then head north.

The number of departing troops was not large, but the commotion it stirred was considerable. Since the founding of the Great Han, this was the first time such a ceremonial departure procession had been held.

On both sides of the Heavenly Avenue, the Luoyang citizens and scholars watching numbered in the hundreds of thousands—spectators packed like walls, voices surging like tides—yet they all conscientiously stayed outside the cordon lines.

Among the crowd were those seeing off their sons and younger brothers, those cheering on the soldiers, and those simply there for the spectacle. Nothing was deliberately organized, but the momentum was immense.

Watching the banners snapping in the wind, the gleaming armor, the sharp and dazzling light reflected off the long spears, the orderly military bearing displayed a formidable spirit. Although the Great Han's imperial army had enjoyed years of peace, the confidence cultivated through long-standing victories since the founding of the state still remained. Coupled with the fact that military construction had never been relaxed, when the sons of the Great Han donned their battle armor and strapped on their war blades, they were still that formidable army that looked down upon the world.

Amid the cheers and encouragement of the multitude, the departing soldiers could not help but puff out their chests, their marching steps growing even more resounding and powerful. And the response from Luoyang's common folk grew even more fervent—they seemed to have rediscovered the confidence and passion that had long lain dormant in the residents of this ancient capital. The pioneering and enterprising spirit and bold pride of the Great Han's sons burst forth in this very atmosphere.

Among the onlookers were people of every stripe, from all corners of the realm—officials, scholars, soldiers, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Naturally, this also included the merchants and foreign residents of various peoples dwelling in the Western Capital. Many of them had lived in the Great Han for a long time and had witnessed no small number of astonishing things, yet the scene of this departure—the mighty and stalwart soldiers, the enthusiastic and jubilant populace—still left them shaken. Even as they admired the Great Han's prosperity in their hearts, they gained even more awe and longing.

In the process of the Great Han's rise to prosperity, Emperor Liu, through the Xuanwei Bureau's years of sustained propaganda, had been quietly forging a sense of identification among officials and commoners alike with the court and the state. Over more than twenty years, initial results were now visible.

Beyond the Han folk, the various minority peoples were the same—among the crowds cheering and shouting on both sides of the Heavenly Avenue were no small number of Tibetans, Miao, Yao, Yi, Tangut, Uyghur, and Jurchen, and even Goryeo and Fusang people, and even those turban-wrapped Muslims...

Just as Zhao Kuangyin had said earlier, the soldiers of this northern expedition were predominantly young and vigorous. So many years had passed that the Great Han's ranks had seen a generational turnover—new talents rose in succession, the younger generation had completely replaced the old veterans and senior generals, and outstanding scions of military-merit noble families filled the ranks as well. Among the nobles enfeoffed in the Kaibao era, virtually all had sons or younger relatives serving in the northern expeditionary army.

The main Yellow River crossings north of Luoyang were naturally Mengjin and Xiaopingjin—both ancient fords of long history and vital thoroughfares. Under the development of the Western Capital's government, they had grown increasingly lively in recent years, especially after the court's relocation westward.

As for this great army heading north, apart from the ten thousand imperial cavalry already dispatched in batches to Shanyang, the remaining soldiers were all to travel by ship, going up the Yellow River and then via the canal northward. Though for many landlubbers, traveling by boat was rather uncomfortable, it was still far more convenient and quicker than marching overland.

With the government's liberalization and advances in shipbuilding technology, the Great Han's water transport naturally enjoyed vigorous development, especially against the backdrop of north-south connectivity following unification.

Maritime shipping and overseas trade had already begun to show their promise. The south had opened up several mature shipping routes, with Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Fuzhou and other places serving as their origins. The Great Han's civilian fleets had reached as far as the Indian Ocean, engaging in exchange with the various kingdoms of India, and the Great Han's influence was being markedly enhanced through increasingly dense and prosperous economic exchanges.

However, the most rapidly developing sector was inland river shipping. With the several-thousand-li canal as the main artery, supplemented by the northern and southern water systems, civilian boats came and went with particular frequency. The boatmen, river workers, trackers, and canal folk across the nation who directly depended on river transport for their livelihoods numbered in the millions. Setting aside north-south water transport, between east and west, through the renovation and expansion of the Stone Gate, goods from Jiangnan could now be transported into the passes more smoothly and unimpededly than ever.

And when these water transport conditions were applied to warfare, the energy they unleashed was tremendous. To convey this batch of soldiers and military supplies, Zhang Mei, the Fiscal Commissioner of Water and Land Transport responsible for supplying this great army, easily assembled over three hundred boats of various sizes, the majority of them civilian vessels, including over a hundred passenger boats to make the journey more comfortable for the troops...

War, besides burdening the state and its people, had a clearly stimulating effect on the Great Han's industry and commerce, especially shipbuilding and the handicraft industries related to military supplies. This had already become evident after the northern expedition edict was issued.

The next day, Emperor Liu did not remain in the palace. He set out early, heading north past Mount Mang, for he wanted to see with his own eyes the soldiers board their ships and embark on the northern expedition's journey.

Emperor Liu did not go down to the ferry landing itself, but instead climbed to the summit of Mount Mang to gaze at the crossing from afar. Since the court's relocation to Luoyang, Emperor Liu had climbed Mount Mang several times before, standing upon the peaks with the strategic grandeur of the Yellow River and Luo River spread fully before his eyes—but never once had his emotions been as complex, his heart as surging, as this time.

The sun had climbed higher, hanging in the east, its golden light casting upon the peaks of Mount Mang, the daylight growing ever brighter—it was a fine day. At the Mengjin ferry landing, there was a lively bustle, with shouts and calls ringing out continuously. All preparatory work had long been completed. The soldiers, having rested through the night, followed the arrangements and boarded the ships in orderly fashion. Though busy, there was no chaos—the military was always the most disciplined and efficient organization.

Under the spring evening breeze, Emperor Liu felt most comfortable; even having stood for so long, he did not feel tired.

"Your Majesty, half the ships have already set sail. The rest can be underway by noon at the latest!" Zhang Yong, who had been singled out by Emperor Liu and appointed as an Academician of the inner court, received the news and came to report.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Liu asked, "Where is Zhang Mei?"

Zhang Yong replied, "Governor Zhang is at the ferry landing, personally overseeing the transport!"

Emperor Liu nodded. Zhang Mei had never been anything less than watertight in this regard, and he was especially experienced in supplying great armies—this was precisely why Emperor Liu had put him in charge of the matter.

Gazing into the distance toward the north, though his vision had its limits, he seemed able to see it—upon the great river, a hundred boats racing forward, laden with soldiers, weapons, and grain, cutting through the waves eastward under the boatmen's skilled hands...

Emperor Liu's gaze grew deep. Finally, they were heading north. His surging emotions gradually settled, yet his heart could not help but feel a hollow emptiness. As he calmed down, doubts began to surface once more.

The northern expedition had begun with great fanfare, but how would this campaign fare in victory or defeat? Would it unfold smoothly? Could the strategic objectives be achieved? How would Liao respond? Would it end in a humiliating mess like Emperor Yang of Sui's campaigns?

With an army of several hundred thousand, could there be problems in overall coordination and dispatch? Could Liu Yang, the Crown Prince, play the role he was meant to play? Would Zhao Kuangyin and Gao Huaide betray his trust?

The more he thought, the more Emperor Liu could not help but worry—if Liu Yang used this northern expedition to establish his prestige, with several hundred thousand troops in hand, would he, would he dare...

Accompanying the imperial entourage, besides several ministers and Liu Xu, Liu Xi, and the other brothers, was Liu Jia, the most beloved eldest princess. Seeing Emperor Liu somewhat distracted, she could not help but ask, "Father, are your legs tired from standing?"

Hearing the voice, he turned around. Looking at his eldest daughter, whose height had grown to his chin, brimming with youthful vigor yet increasingly carrying the bearing of an elder sister, Emperor Liu's eyes flickered, and he teased, "Li Jilong, Guo Yi, Zhao Dezhang and the others are all in the northern expeditionary army—they've gone to win glory on the battlefield. You still haven't told your father which one you've set your eyes on. When they return in triumph, we'll..."

The moment Emperor Liu's words came out, Liu Jia's face turned red. Previously, the sons of the noble families had all come to the palace one after another—both for the Empress to look over, and for the Princess to choose from.

As for Liu Jia, though she said there was no one, her gaze drifted northward, and in her clear, bright eyes there was still a distinct look of anticipation. Unbeknownst to herself, the young maiden's heart had already begun to stir with spring.

"We'll talk about it when they come back!" Liu Jia murmured.

Hearing her words and observing her manner, that beautiful, bashful face made even Emperor Liu feel a twinge of something like jealousy...