Chapter 183: The Battle Situation at Fengxiang

Fengxiang: the Qinling Mountains screen it to the south, the Wei River runs through its midst, the Long Mountains block it to the west, and fertile plains spread north of the Wei. East it connects to the capital region, south to Cheng and Feng, west to Qin and Long — it is a vital hub on the Guanzhong-Long plains.

In the late Tang, Li Maozhen once held it to set himself up independently, several times humiliating the small Chang'an court, and was enfeoffed as Prince of Qi, his might shaking the western frontier. At the height of his power, nearly the entire northwest lay within the Li clan's sphere of influence. In the early history of the Five Dynasties, though "the Liang-Jin struggle for hegemony" was always the main theme, Fengxiang's "Qi State" also played an extremely weighty role in that period.

The Guanzhong-Long campaign that Liu Chengyou fretted over day and night in the Eastern Capital had reached a very important stage. The Shu and Han armies, totaling more than sixty thousand men, were locked in battle in the region of Longzhou, Baoji, and Dasan Pass.

The Shu Xiongwu Military Governor led seven thousand Shu troops out from Longshang, only to be blocked by the Zhangyi Army Military Governor Shi Kuangyi, who personally led the Jingyuan forces, at Anhua Town in Qianyin County, unable to move an inch.

The main Shu force of over thirty thousand, led by Northern Field Headquarters Recruiting Commissioner Zhang Qianzhao, emerged from San Pass, pressed toward Baoji, and fought a field battle south of the Wei River around Jifeng Mountain against the various Han forces under Wang Jun's overall command.

In mid-first month, Wang Jun led the imperial army west into Guanzhong and, together with the Jinchang Army, crushed the Shu general Li Tinggui's army of twenty thousand at Xiegu Town, directly foiling the Shu army's three-pronged scheme to attack Yong.

News of Li Tinggui's defeat struck the Shu army like a blow to the head, halting them in their tracks. The western Shu forces had discord among their commanders, and so they delayed and did not advance. Zhang Qianzhao's original intention had naturally been to win over Fengxiang Military Governor Hou Yi and take Fengxiang without loss — their march north had in fact been at Hou Yi's "invitation."

But hearing of the Shu eastern army's great defeat, Hou Yi's previously ambiguous attitude suddenly hardened. Wanting to be a "loyal minister" of the Great Han, he led the Qi army to actively set up obstructions along the Wei River. His volte-face was so swift that the Shu army was caught completely off guard. Add to that the threat to He Chongjian's northern army from the Jingyuan forces' flank, and the Shu army's edge was immediately blunted.

Under those circumstances, the Shu commanders each had their own thoughts — some advocated advancing, some retreating — and the commander-in-chief Zhang Qianzhao himself could not make up his mind. After comprehensive consideration, they temporarily fell back to San Pass.

Such hesitant, dithering decision-making gave the Han army ample time to react. After routing Li Tinggui at Xiegu Town, Wang Jun did not focus on expanding his gains, but instead turned and, without pause, led the imperial army in a rapid march into Fengxiang, riding the momentum of his great victory to garrison Baoji. Wang Jun's head was clear, and he always remembered Liu Chengyou's admonition: Fengxiang was the key to contending with the Shu army.

With the Shu army withdrawn, facing the imperial army surging in, the aged Fengxiang Military Governor Hou Yi dared not entertain a single rebellious thought — he sent men to welcome and submit. After entering Baoji city, Wang Jun acted with lightning decisiveness, stripping Hou Yi of military power and placing over four thousand Qi troops under his own command. At the same time, he produced Liu Chengyou's secret edict ordering Hou Yi to proceed to the Eastern Capital for an audience. His methods were resolute and swift — he sent troops to escort (guard) Hou Yi and his family eastward.

Then came news that Emperor Liu Zhiyuan had passed away. Hearing this, Wang Jun felt both fear and relief, while Zhang Qianzhao, still watching the Guanzhong situation from San Pass, stamped his feet in fury, crying that he had missed his chance. At the same time, the Shu army's morale surged — in their view, with the Han court in national mourning and a new sovereign on the throne, there was bound to be chaos from top to bottom, with no time to attend to Guanzhong. This was simply heaven-given opportunity for the Great Shu to seize Guanzhong. On one hand they reported to Chengdu; on the other they sent agents to Fengxiang to spread rumors and sow discord; and having secured the support of their subordinate armies, they raised over twenty thousand troops and marched out of San Pass once more.

But who would have thought Wang Jun was equally tough. He personally led the imperial army across the Wei River southward to meet them, defeated their three-thousand-man vanguard, and with inferior numbers forced the Shu army to fall back to the Jifeng Mountain area southeast of Baoji.

With the momentum of an "army in mourning," they defeated the Shu army again, and Han morale soared. Though they had beaten the Shu army repeatedly, in Fengxiang the Han forces were still better at defense than offense. But Wang Jun, newly entrusted with independent command and having come to win merit, was full of fighting spirit. If the Shu army had shrunk back to Hanzhong, that would have been fine — but since they had come north to fish in troubled waters, he could not be satisfied with merely driving back Zhang Qianzhao.

He sent dispatches inviting the Zhangyi, Jingnan (Binzhou), and Jinchang armies to come west. Earlier, for the great victory at Xiegu, Liu Chengyou had issued an edict appointing Wang Jun Southwestern Field Headquarters Recruiting Commissioner, with full authority over operations against Shu. He also appointed Shi Kuangyi as Southwestern Field Headquarters Commander-in-Chief and Zhao Kuangzan as Field Headquarters Chief Inspector of Cavalry and Infantry, and notified all the military governors within the passes to dispatch troops in coordinated support.

Because of the victories, the various Guanzhong armies all came in support. Shi Kuangyi held the northern line alone, while on the Fengxiang side, Wang Jun, with the imperial army, Qi army, and Yong army (Jinchang Army) as his core, plus portions of the Bin, Tong, and Hua forces — a combined cavalry and infantry strength of over seventeen thousand — marched south to battle the Shu army at the foot of Jifeng Mountain.

On Zhang Qianzhao's side, having personally experienced the Han army's fighting power, he judged that his own forces alone could not defeat them. He ordered the garrison troops left at Jie and Cheng to be transferred north, and also dispatched troops from Xingyuan Prefecture — adding over ten thousand men in total — before he felt he had the confidence to match Wang Jun.

The two sides fought for over ten days along the Jifeng Mountain–Dasan Pass line. Though actual combat lasted only three days, from the very start the fighting was exceptionally fierce.

The Han army was few, the Shu army many — nearly double the Han. Moreover, the Han forces were of mixed composition — imperial army, Qi army, Yong army, and scattered troops from various prefectures within the passes — looking for all the world like a "motley force," with no unified command. Yet it was precisely this "rabble" that forcibly suppressed the Shu army.

Jifeng Mountain — true to its name — has peaks of singular beauty: Jifeng piercing the clouds, a heavenly pillar standing tall, jade bamboo shoots ranked against the sky. Three peaks stand side by side, crowning the entire county. Chencang County's renaming to Baoji originated from this mountain.

Of course, though the scenery was remarkable, it was hardly an impregnable military stronghold. Terrain too dangerous is unfavorable for attack — and how could it be favorable for defense? The Shu army camped on the western peak, forming a pincer with Dasan Pass, each able to support the other.

The Han army paid that no mind, setting up camp before the mountain and pressing for battle. This war between Shu and Han had clearly been provoked by the Shu army's aggression — yet by now the situation had reversed: the Han army, with inferior numbers, was on the attack, and the Shu army was on the defensive.

At Jifeng Mountain, the Shu camp clung to the mountainside, divided into three major encampments with numerous fortifications, but appearing somewhat disorderly. Nearly thirty thousand Shu troops were penned inside, feeling greatly stifled.

Before the mountain, the Han army's camp was far simpler — but also far more disciplined and orderly. It even seemed somewhat arrogant. The Shu army had tried descending to attack, only to be taught a lesson by the Han army's powerful bows and crossbows and fierce, hardened soldiers. By now, after more than ten days of fighting, they could only huddle behind their walls in passive defense.

In fact, viewed from above, whether in camp fortifications, troop strength, or supply lines, the Shu army held the overall advantage. Yet the reality was that in head-on engagement, even fighting one against two, the Shu army was no match for the Han — and moreover, large-scale warfare was never simply one-on-one or one-against-many.

While pressing down on the Shu main force, the Han army could also spare attention for the Shu troops at Dasan Pass. With inferior numbers, resisting on two fronts, they completely overawed the Shu army in spirit. But this was a risky gambit — at the slightest mishap, the Han army would be in dire peril.

For instance, if Shi Kuangyi's line to the north were broken through, Wang Jun, having scraped together various forces and already at his absolute limit fighting the Shu on two fronts, would likely collapse outright if attacked from three sides. Wang Jun's operational style this time was truly daring and perilous.

And there was another problem — the most important and most dangerous one: the Han army's grain supplies were running out!

To fight this campaign, Wang Jun had already emptied Fengxiang's treasury. Once the fighting began, the consumption of grain and equipment was simply too severe.

Hoofbeats thundered, horses screamed shrilly, intermingled with battle cries, echoing across an open field north of Dasan Pass. After half a day of harassment, over two thousand Han cavalry, led personally by their commander, launched a fatal strike against the Shu troops who had emerged from the pass to reinforce Jifeng Mountain to the east. Unsurprisingly, the Shu army collapsed. The Han cavalry gave chase all the way to a few li from San Pass.

Watching the routed Shu soldiers fleeing toward the pass, Yang Ye reined in his horse: "Stop the pursuit!"

"General, why not wipe them out to the last man?" The Chief Inspector beside him, still burning with battle lust, brandished his saber and asked.

Yang Ye pointed ahead: "Before Dasan Pass, the mountains rise in layered ridges, the terrain is treacherous — no place for cavalry. After this defeat, the Shu army will surely have lost all heart and dare not venture out lightly. Our objective is achieved!"

As he spoke, Yang Ye switched hands on the reins and muttered under his breath: "These Shu troops — they can't take a beating at all!"

Yang Ye had come west with Wang Jun in his capacity as Husheng Commander and Fengzhou Militia Commissioner. Essentially, Liu Chengyou had sent him out to gain experience. In the earlier battle at Xiegu Town, he had led his own cavalry in a flanking raid on Li Tinggui, earning no small merit.

Upon reaching Fengxiang and joining the fierce fighting against the Shu main force, after eliminating the Shu army's few cavalry, Wang Jun appointed Yang Ye as Army Commander of the cavalry forces, gathering the Yong and Qi cavalry plus his own Husheng riders — over two thousand in total — and placed them entirely under his command, charging him with watching the Shu army at Dasan Pass on the western line, so as not to affect the decisive battle at Jifeng Mountain.

Clearly, Wang Jun likely understood Liu Chengyou's intent. After the previous battle, Yang Ye's valor had moved Wang Jun and set aside his reservations. Yang Ye performed admirably — he fought intelligently, reckless when recklessness was called for, cautious when caution was needed, and managed to pin the nearly ten thousand Shu troops at Dasan Pass firmly inside the pass.

This time, the Shu deputy commander Han Baozhen had personally led the troops, marching in formation, intending to push slowly eastward to support Zhang Qianzhao. The plan was sound in theory and initially showed some effect, but under Yang Ye's patient harassment, it ultimately ended in failure.

On the open plain, this was precisely the limitation of infantry against cavalry. Moreover, the Shu army's weapons were not sharp enough, their soldiers not seasoned enough, and even their generals seemed inept.

"This time the Shu deputy commander Han Baozhen personally led the troops — who would have thought the man so incompetent, defeated by you without breaking a sweat, Commander!" The Chief Inspector's mouth split into a grin like a blooming flower, and with the blood spattered across his face, he looked every inch a veteran of a hundred battles.

"Send word to headquarters that we have blocked the Shu army at Dasan Pass. Tell the Recruiting Commissioner he may attack Zhang Qianzhao with peace of mind!" Commanding his own force and bearing heavy responsibility, Yang Ye's bearing was noticeably more composed than before as he gave the cold order.

"Yes!"

"Tend to the wounded, sweep the battlefield, round up prisoners, and return to camp!" Turning his horse, Yang Ye rode off first, away from the mountain pass.

But as he gazed eastward, a trace of worry could not help but surface between Yang Ye's brows.