Chapter 1266: The Youzhou Field Headquarters

Of course, beneath the calm surface, turbulent currents were already brewing—the pent-up undercurrents only needed a spark to erupt into towering waves that would engulf both Han and Liao forces across the entire northeast.

Liaodong was the main axis of attack, and the eastern army was the main force of the northern expedition—the most elite troops, the most numerous officers, the most formidable strength. Yet the mobilization of troops was not slow; shortly after the Crown Prince arrived in Youzhou, the full assembly was already complete.

Of course, precisely because of the sheer numbers, coordination was not as flexible and mobile as on the central and western routes. Moreover, the composition of the army was complex—cavalry and infantry, imperial and frontier troops, including local forces, auxiliary soldiers, local militiamen, and even able-bodied laborers conscripted for the campaign.

Gathering so many men from such diverse origins and trying to weld them into a single force was no easy task. A certain amount of integration and training was needed to facilitate command and deployment.

Though this was Zhao Kuangyin's first time commanding such a massive army in battle, his command attributes were exceptionally high. Combined with his vast combat experience and skill in managing generals, he naturally understood the intricacies involved and would not act rashly.

Therefore, even though quite a few generals could not contain themselves and repeatedly requested to engage the enemy, he suppressed them all—even when the matter escalated to the Crown Prince, it was to no avail.

For the Crown Prince, the first major test since setting out as commander was this conflict of opinions between commander and generals. Zhao Kuangyin, as a Duke and former commander of the imperial army, wielded considerable prestige among the troops, but it was not absolute—it seemed that frontier generals like Ma Renyu and Li Hanqiong were not so easily won over.

When a group of generals came to him requesting battle, an opportunity to intervene in the army's decision-making lay right before him. The exalted position of Crown Prince and the status of Grand Marshal would allow him to interfere with the great army with ease.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince did not let it go to his head. With solemn caution, treading as if on thin ice, he kept Emperor Liu's instructions firmly in mind and refused the generals who were eager to attack and claim merit.

At the same time, the Crown Prince also discovered the first true meaning of his role as the nominal commander of the northern expedition and gradually found his positioning—that of coordinating the relationships between commanders and generals. On one hand, he gave full support to Zhao Kuangyin's decisions; on the other, he soothed the generals below, stabilizing military morale.

No one dared to disregard the Crown Prince's face. The dispute over advancing was settled, and with the Crown Prince's support, Zhao Kuangyin steadily pushed forward according to his own rhythm.

During the half-month or more of army assembly, he devoted himself entirely to the drilling and training of the various route armies and the boosting of morale, while vigorously stockpiling grain and weapons. At the same time, he discussed the strategy for advancing with senior commanders of the northern expedition such as Gao Huaide and Wang Yanchao.

Striking at Liaodong was a strategy formulated by the Bureau of Military Affairs, but in its specific execution, following the established style, full autonomy was given to the frontline commanders. How exactly to advance was naturally a matter of primary consideration for Zhao Kuangyin and the others.

Of course, during this process, the disposition of forces had already been laid out. Along the narrow Liaoxi Corridor, reconnaissance activities on both the Han and Liao sides were frequent and fierce. The skirmishes between scouting cavalry never ceased—people died every day, and every day various tidings of true and false military intelligence came in.

Yu Pass was the base for advancing into Liaoxi, while Youzhou was the rear of the northern expeditionary army. Adding auxiliary soldiers and laborers, a full two hundred forty thousand men were assembled here. The camp layout stretched for dozens of li, and the scale was nothing short of immense.

Of course, for the people of Youyan who had experienced the previous northern expedition, this display was nothing special—having witnessed it once before, seeing it again no longer carried the same shock.

However, as a frontline prefecture, with war descending, the demand for support was the highest, and the impact was the greatest.

For the Crown Prince, this was also a brand-new experience. He had seen such large armies before—when he pacified the south in years past, he had been sent by imperial decree to Jinling to reward the troops, and the situation had been much the same.

Only, that time he had merely been an envoy of the Emperor and the court, carrying out a rewarding mission. This time, he was the commander—the commander in name and in truth—and he bore responsibility for the northern expeditionary army.

Though he was in Youzhou, the Crown Prince declined the invitation of the Youzhou prefectural office. He did not comfortably lodge in the city but chose to stay in the military camp. It could hardly be called sharing hardships, but at least he stayed together with the officers and men.

With Ma Huaiyu following along, the Crown Prince strolled through the supply camp. During this period, aside from listening to the commanders' plans at headquarters and learning how to command, he spent most of his remaining time inspecting the camps. To govern an army, one must first understand its soldiers.

For the Crown Prince, this was a relatively novel experience, a special ordeal. In the past, he had stood high in the court, interacting almost exclusively with ministers and high officials. Now, he had to learn to deal with generals and soldiers who lacked refinement.

The entire field headquarters was not particularly lively. This was wartime, and under strict military discipline, each unit stayed obediently within its camp—daring no transgression beyond drill and training.

If there was any place with activity, it had to be the supply camp—the largest in area and the most numerous in personnel. The camp's grain commissioner was Han Hui, son of Han Tong, Duke of Henei, who had previously already held the office of Minister of Revenue.

During the northern expedition of years past, he had served in the army and rendered great merit in the great battle at Nankou. From then on, he had gained even greater appreciation from Emperor Liu, rising step by step through major posts in military, justice, and finance, until he reached the head of a ministry.

This time, for the great undertaking of the northern expedition, Emperor Liu had not only dispatched elite troops and formidable generals but also capable officials for the logistics he valued most. In the rear, Zhang Mei was responsible for the transport and supply of the entire army, while at the front, Han Hui coordinated.

Even now, large quantities of military supplies were still being transported up from the south, filling the military granaries, while a considerable amount was also being sent to Yu Pass. The official granaries within Youzhou city had long since been filled to capacity.

Watching the wagons coming and going, the granaries filling the view, the officials shouting orders, the laborers coming and going, the Crown Prince truly felt the tediousness and complexity of war. Simply maintaining the orderly operation of this supply camp was no easy task, let alone commanding a great army in battle. And these trivial details were things he had never experienced before.

In the past, handling those numerous memorials and official matters—merely reviewing and signing—had already seemed complex. Now it was clear that the actual issuance and execution of orders was what truly tested one's ability.

Deeply influenced by Emperor Liu, the principle of "troops move only after provisions are ready" was firmly etched in the Crown Prince's mind, and he placed extreme importance on logistics. He had already inspected the granaries and armories within Youzhou city twice, and he had come to this supply camp several times. The storage and protection of grain and equipment outside the city required even greater attention.

"Your subject pays respects to the Crown Prince!" Learning that the Crown Prince had come again, the grain commissioner, who had been arranging the warehousing of a batch of grain, hurried over to greet him, his steps quick.

The early summer weather was not yet hot, but the man's forehead was covered in sweat—whether from exhaustion or busyness was unclear. Noticing the dust and grime covering the man, clearly deeply absorbed in his work, the Crown Prince asked with satisfaction: "How much military grain is in the field headquarters at present?"

"To answer Your Highness, grain and rice have currently increased to two hundred seventy thousand dan. Within the next day or two, we can make up three hundred thousand dan! Flour already stands at ninety thousand dan, and the Yan Mountains Circuit can supply another ten thousand dan!" the grain commissioner answered hurriedly. "There is also seventy thousand dan of fodder, stored on the southeast side..."

"The fodder seems somewhat insufficient?" the Crown Prince said with a furrowed brow. "The army has many livestock—can seventy thousand dan sustain the consumption?"

Hearing this, the grain commissioner hurriedly explained: "To answer Your Highness, in these past four days, another fifty thousand dan have been shipped to Yu Pass for use!"

Hearing this, the Crown Prince finally understood. He instructed: "Be sure to guard against rain, dampness, and fire!"

"Rest assured, Your Highness. Minister Han has also given strict admonitions—we dare not be negligent!"

"And Minister Han? Is he in camp?" the Crown Prince asked.

"A batch of grain has arrived by sea at Wuqing Harbor, and Minister Han has personally gone to inspect and receive it!" the grain commissioner replied.

Hearing this, the Crown Prince nodded and sighed: "Minister Han's personal dedication is worthy of commendation!"

"Are medicinal herbs for treating wounds sufficiently stocked?"

"Puyin is currently making every effort to supply the field headquarters, and the court is also allocating from the capital region and Henan!"

Puyin in Hebei was a famous medicinal capital of the Great Han.

"Supplies for treating wounds must never be lacking—be sure to step up preparations!" the Crown Prince said.

Looking at the bustling scene in the supply camp, where not a single person paused, the Crown Prince continued to ask: "Is the manpower sufficient?"

Hearing this, the grain commissioner answered with a wry smile: "How could it not be lacking? Everywhere is short of hands now. Even with over forty thousand auxiliary soldiers and laborers available for deployment in the field headquarters alone, it still doesn't feel like enough!"

"I will discuss with Governor Chu (Administration Commissioner of the Yan Mountains, Chu Zhaofu) to see if we can conscript more civilian labor!" the Crown Prince sighed.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" the grain commissioner replied, his face brightening with joy.

Reaching out to pat the man's shoulder, the Crown Prince said solemnly: "You have worked hard! But His Majesty has said more than once—war is fought with grain and weapons, and what it truly tests is national strength. Only when military supplies are fully provisioned can the soldiers fight without worry and kill the enemy with abandon!

We have not yet launched the main offensive—there is still time for dispatch and preparation. Once the army advances east, it will be even busier. You must press on! Your task is a very important one!"

"Yes! Your subjects will surely do their utmost and dare not slacken!" the grain commissioner said, his expression turning serious and solemn.

"Good! Very good! Go attend to your affairs—I'll take a look around the camp..."