Chapter 147: Desheng Ferry

The imperial expedition was thus decided by Liu Zhiyuan, who acted arbitrarily, not even considering the opinions of important ministers like Yang Bin, his tone brooking no dissent. It even seemed somewhat hasty.

Of course, Liu Zhiyuan could not have been truly swayed by Liu Chengyou's few words. He had actually long harbored the thought of leading the expedition personally, ever since the campaign at Yedu had turned unfavorable.

As an emperor, Liu Zhiyuan might not have been qualified, but his vision and insight remained. Setting aside his personal biases and viewing the Yedu campaign objectively, Liu Zhiyuan naturally knew that Gao Xingzhou bore no fault. Indeed, he himself knew full well what the root cause of the stalled pacification campaign was. Discord between generals and commanders had always been a great taboo, let alone with Murong Yanchao, a "army supervisor" with a special status.

Two days prior, Liu Zhiyuan had promoted two former court officials to chancellors—Dou Zhengu was made Grand Minister of Works, Vice Director of the Chancellery, Chief Minister, and Grand Academician of the Hongwen Hall, while Li Tao became Vice Director of the Secretariat and Minister of Revenue, as well as Chief Minister.

Since entering Kaifeng, the court had been in constant turmoil, with the various chancellors contending for power, causing governance to languish. Liu Zhiyuan could no longer tolerate the wanton behavior of these founding meritorious officials, so promoting Dou Zhengu and Li Tao at once broke the Hedong old officials' monopoly over the court, while also serving as a warning to the meritorious ministers.

Of course, the two men chosen were not promoted casually by Liu Zhiyuan. Dou Zhengu had a prior relationship with Liu Zhiyuan, having served together under Shi Jingtang; their temperaments suited each other, and there was a certain bond of shared history. With his reputation for prudence and prestige, he was made a chancellor.

As for Li Tao, he had earned Liu Zhiyuan's appreciation through genuine ability. Earlier, he had secretly memorialized Liu Zhiyuan, analyzing the situation at Yedu with meticulous clarity and penetrating insight, which greatly pleased Liu Zhiyuan. He had also advised Liu Zhiyuan to lead the expedition personally, which suited his wishes even more. Combined with his earlier merit in welcoming the emperor into the Eastern Capital, he rose swiftly to chancellor, becoming a favorite before the emperor.

Therefore, the proposal for the imperial expedition was not something Liu Zhiyuan agreed to in a moment of rashness upon Liu Chengyou's request—it had long been carefully considered.

Liu Zhiyuan's Great Han dynasty had come about somewhat fortuitously, but the hardships and suffering he endured rising from a horse groom to emperor could hardly be fully explained by the word "fortune." Though Liu suffered from old age, recurring old wounds, and a body growing increasingly frail, he was ultimately an emperor on horseback—when truly called to stand on the battlefield, he would never hesitate.

Once the edict was issued, the various military and governmental offices of the court immediately began preparations. The busiest were the Bureau of Military Affairs and the State Finance Commission, mobilizing troops and supplying military provisions. After deliberation, Liu Zhiyuan would take with him over half of the remaining imperial army in Kaifeng. From the Inner Palace's various guard units, the Konghe Army was unshakably his personal bodyguard, with all the scattered officers included; from the various armies under the Imperial Guard Command, the Xiaodi and Longqi armies, along with the Husheng two-wing cavalry, would accompany the expedition. In total, over fifty thousand troops—one could say the elite were all deployed. From this scale and commotion, one could discern Liu Zhiyuan's determination to take Yedu and suppress the rebellion.

The formal edict was issued on the seventh; preparations were made on the eighth and ninth; and on the tenth, Liu Zhiyuan led the great army out of the Eastern Capital, heading north.

On the Eastern Capital front, Liu Zhiyuan also made a fairly sound arrangement, appointing Wei Prince Liu Chengxun to oversee the state, with Yang Bin, Wang Zhang, Shi Hongzhao, and other civil and military officials assisting him. To avoid any trouble at court during his absence, he directly brought Su Fengji along with him. Toward Su Fengji, Liu Zhiyuan seemed to harbor a truly "special" fondness, showing extraordinary tolerance.

As for Liu Chengyou, just as he had hoped, he was smoothly selected by Liu Zhiyuan to accompany the expedition, serving as Army Supervisor of the field headquarters.

Apart from the essential provisions for the march—grain and supplies, armor and weapons, military tents and bedding—the northern-bound imperial army traveled relatively light, and many able-bodied men and mules were conscripted from the populace to accompany them, saving the soldiers considerable effort.

Liu Zhiyuan remained in the central army, neither urging the troops forward nor showing any impatience. With the emperor like this, the entire army's march proceeded with extraordinary composure. Marching at a pace of eighty li per day, they took two days to reach Huazhou, rested one night, and reached Chanzhou on the third day.

As for Chanzhou, the most famous event in its history was the "Chanyuan Treaty." However, during the Five Dynasties period, it had always been a place of strategic contention (there really are too many such places...), and by the middle to late period, its importance grew increasingly prominent, especially in shielding Kaifeng. Back when Emperor Zhuangzong destroyed the Liang, the two sides faced each other across the river, and the Yellow River front was essentially fought over in the Wei and Chan region. Around Desheng Ferry, the two sides repeatedly clashed, engaging in over a hundred battles of varying scale.

And at its core was Desheng Ferry, the vital crossing connecting the north and south banks of the great river. The prefectural city was named Desheng City, divided into north and south cities, originally built by Fu Cunshen (Fu Yanqing's father) on orders to construct them flanking the Yellow River.

Being able to serve as a pivotal crossing on the great river naturally meant it was a suitable place for fording, especially for large-scale crossings. Along the Yellow River's course, the terrain rose and fell with twists and turns, and the waters surged violently. In this era, only a few such strategic crossings could be found along the river.

The army had already encamped at the south city. There were originally military barracks outside the city walls—though insufficient to accommodate so many, they spared the trouble of building anew. They methodically expanded the camp and set up cooking fires. After all, these were the Great Han's most elite imperial troops; though the reorganization had been recent and their combat power had not yet peaked, their basic quality was still evident. On campaign, military discipline was emphasized, and with strict enforcement by the various army officers, everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.

As night fell, the dense Han army encampment before Desheng Ferry gradually sank into silence, the soldiers resting and recovering from the fatigue of days of marching. Around them, the sounds of wind, water, and livestock became all the more distinct.

After making a circuit through the various armies to display the presence of His Highness the Prince of Zhou, Liu Chengyou led a group of men straight to the ferry. Appointed as Army Supervisor of the field headquarters with authority over the entire army, his power was considerable—marching, encamping, drilling... nothing in the army escaped his scrutiny. Of course, as always, Liu Chengyou focused primarily on military discipline. In just two or three days, his nickname "Handsome Yama" was spreading once more. Previously it had only been known within the Longqi Army; now it was throughout the entire expeditionary imperial army.

The winter dry season had not yet arrived, so the water level was not low. In the Hua and Chan region, the terrain was flat, and by the time the river reached here, its current was no longer so turbulent. Looking down at the river from a height, under the dim moonlight in the night sky, one could see mist rising across the water's surface, swirling and spreading, its cold gloom felt from afar.

At the ferry docked several hundred boats of various sizes conscripted by the court, with fishermen and boatmen living aboard them. In the thatched huts and sheds along the shore's mudflats, three to four thousand able-bodied laborers huddled inside, sheltering from the autumn wind through the night. It was said that to support the war effort, over half of the able-bodied young men in Chanzhou had been conscripted one after another.

On the shore, soldiers and escort guards patrolled continuously, sweeping their fierce gazes over the laborers to prevent unrest.

At the waterfront pier, a general surrounded by a cluster of officers and clerks was pointing and discussing something. Liu Chengyou walked up slowly and greeted him: "General Wang."

The general was Wang Jun, appointed by Liu Zhiyuan as Commander-in-Chief of land and water operations for this expedition. Speaking of Wang Jun, around the founding of the Great Han, he had actively campaigned on its behalf, vigorously drumming up support for Liu Zhiyuan's ascension to the throne—he was a founding meritorious official with much toil to his credit. After arriving in the Eastern Capital, Liu Zhiyuan had treated him generously, adding the post of Vice Minister of War, and during the reorganization of the imperial army, made him Chief Commander of the scattered officers, with the concurrent title of Prefect of Bazhou.

However, Wang Jun's ambition clearly did not stop there; he was somewhat dissatisfied. He wanted to climb higher, but the upper echelons were firmly held by civil and military figures like Yang and Shi. Having the fortune to accompany the emperor this time, he was straining every nerve to perform well, working diligently at the camp deployment, striving to leave no oversight. If subordinates made mistakes, he punished them even more harshly than Liu Chengyou—flogging and caning were considered lenient.

The two men had some friendship between them. Back in Jinyang, when Wang Jun had returned from his mission to the Khitan, Liu Chengyou had consulted him on affairs of the Central Plains and gained much. Though their contact had since diminished, it was maintained. When Wang Jun had earlier spoken out in support of Gao Xingzhou, he was among the few who stood on the same side as Liu Chengyou.

"Your Highness." Seeing it was Liu Chengyou, Wang Jun's originally stern expression immediately softened, and he returned a salute. The officers and clerks around him hastily followed suit, bowing.

"You may withdraw. Prepare according to my orders—crossing the river tomorrow, no mistakes allowed!" Wang Jun dismissed his subordinates with a stern voice, exuding considerable authority.

"The General is truly diligent!" Standing on the riverbank, feeling the vibration of the surging water, Liu Chengyou praised him.

Hearing this, a hint of self-satisfied smile curled at the corner of Wang Jun's mouth, though his words were modest: "This humble officer is merely fulfilling his duty."

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou sighed: "In this world today, among the military governors, generals, officers, and clerks across the prefectures, how many truly fulfill their duties?"

The wind by the river was strong, with much noise, so they had to raise their voices to speak. The two walked to a shed in the rear to converse. Liu Chengyou asked: "With the General here, I trust the river crossing will be without worry?"

At this, Wang Jun's tone was certain: "The army carries no heavy siege equipment. As long as heaven cooperates, we can cross in a single day tomorrow!"

"The General is truly capable!"

"Your Highness flatters me."

Peering north through the straw mat curtain, though visibility was dim, the outline of Desheng North City on the opposite bank was faintly visible. Wang Jun said: "Guo's adopted son rendered great merit, holding Desheng Ferry. Otherwise, the pacification campaign would surely have collapsed, and our army would not be crossing the river so leisurely today."

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou followed his gaze northward, thought for a moment, and said: "The General has always had keen insights on military matters. What is your view on the battle situation at Yedu?"

"Is Your Highness testing this humble officer?" Wang Jun turned his head to look at Liu Chengyou, asking with a smile.

"I wish to hear the General's opinion."

"With Your Highness's wisdom, you must already see through the situation at Yedu like a torch in the dark, knowing it by heart." Wang Jun first flattered Liu Chengyou, then said with certainty: "The rebel Du is at the end of his rope. His Majesty personally leads the realm's elite northward—once the army arrives, Yedu will fall at any moment!"

"Why is the General so certain?"

Wang Jun answered directly: "The court cannot afford to lose!"