Chapter 247: Halting at Shihao Town

Because the rebels wisely retreated in time, under Li Shouzhen's orders they pulled back early, allowing the government troops held up at the southern ferry of Fengling to cross the river smoothly and join up with the Xiaodi Army that had circled around behind.

With over twenty thousand government troops gathered together, their momentum was formidable—and then the problem immediately arose: the difference between the central army and the local troops. The government troops at the southern ferry of Fengling were a combined force from Jingzhao, Hua, Tong, and Shan, looking very much like a "miscellaneous army"—numerous in men, but with banners of every color.

A contempt naturally formed.

Although the Xiaodi Army had only been formed for a year, it was a very important force within the imperial army of the Eastern Capital. Its soldiers were all chosen from the young and strong, its establishment was vast, its armor and weapons were excellent, and its strength was formidable. How could it look favorably upon those miscellaneous troops? Only the Tong'an Army, being descended from the imperial army, was treated with a bit more closeness.

That arrogance and contempt were almost written on their faces, completely unconcealed, from Chief Commander Zhou Hui on down. And the troops of the four prefectures were angered in turn, equally resentful. Since the rebellion began, it was they who had suppressed the situation in the west, struck at the rebels, and held the rebel army at the river. The imperial army were the big lords, but they had only marched a few hundred li—what was there to be so proud of?

A single military council ended in discord. Of course, on the surface, it was over the question of the next move, with the various generals unable to agree.

Zhou Hui felt that since the rebels had fled back to Hedong City in disarray, they should press the advantage and drive straight at Hedong City—perhaps taking it in a single battle, and presenting the rebel leader's head before the Son of Heaven arrived in person. That this man would have such an idea clearly showed he understood nothing of politics...

The generals led by Bai Wenke, on the other hand, held that the rebels' strength was still intact, that they could not be brought down in a rush, and that a slow approach was needed. They planned to rest briefly, then advance steadily—after all, Hedong City was already close at hand, and they could wait for the follow-up armies to surround the city before making their move. Having spent long years in the localities, they naturally knew how formidable Li Shouzhen had made Hedong City's defenses. Zhou Hui's suggestion was far too presumptuous.

In reality, it was still a matter of the estrangement between the various armies—they would not submit to the supreme commander. Although Liu Chengyou had appointed Bai Wenke as Commander-in-Chief of the Southwest Field Headquarters, the old general was advanced in years; his seniority was high, but winning the obedience of all was still somewhat difficult. Even when he had originally commanded the troops of the four prefectures, there had been friction—but ironically, the arrival of the imperial army had united them in a single mind.

The final result of the dispute was that each went his own way. Zhou Hui, claiming that Bai Wenke was senile and cowardly and not worth consulting, and with the support of Sun Li, Chief Commander of the Left Wing, led the Xiaodi Army north on his own—somewhat recklessly charging toward Hedong City.

Bai Wenke, for his part, rested his troops according to his own plan.

As for Liu Chengyou's side, after leaving Luoyang, they marched overland at a steady, unhurried pace, exuding stability, keeping the three armies' fighting strength consistently intact.

On the guiyou day of the seventh month, the twelfth day after departing the Eastern Capital with banners consecrated, Liu Chengyou led his army to Shihao Town in Shanzhou. While resting, he even had the leisure to join Yang Bin, Feng Dao, and Fan Zhi in paying respects at the town.

Because of the war, most of the able-bodied men in the town had been conscripted for labor and had gone with the town commander to serve at the front. It was almost certain that the story of the Shihao clerk had played out here once again.

"This town is called Shihao—is it named after Du the Ministry of Works's 'Shihao Clerk'?" Standing at the town's entrance, gazing westward into the distance at the mountains and rivers laid out before him, Liu Chengyou asked.

"It should be!" Feng Dao's answer carried some uncertainty. Asking him to explain the town's origins on the spot was rather putting him on the spot.

Liu Chengyou's attention was clearly not only on the town's name. With his hands clasped behind his back and his head slightly raised, he sighed: "When war breaks out, it is the common people who suffer the hardship!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Dao immediately stroked his beard with an air of "immortal grace" and said: "Your Majesty worries for the state and loves the people. Once the rebels are pacified, the chaos will cease and the armies will be disbanded, returning peace to them and relieving their suffering!"

Glancing at Feng Dao with barely concealed contempt in his eyes, Yang Bin—who had been silently following along, looking somewhat out of place—abruptly interjected: "The war arose because vicious rebels plotted treason. The court mobilized its armies for the sake of the state and the people. Were it not so, with the rebels rampant and chaos spreading, the suffering they would endure would be far greater than this! In these times of great upheaval, with many states standing side by side, if Your Majesty wishes to end war and quell disorder, there is no way but to stop war with war, to stop killing with killing. There are many battles yet to be fought—why must Your Majesty indulge in this pointless sentimentality here..."

When Yang Bin finished speaking, the atmosphere immediately turned awkward. Especially for Feng Dao—though he often let insults roll off him like water off a duck's back and feared no public criticism, Yang Bin's undisguised contempt still made this old fox feel ashamed inside. When he, Chancellor Feng, had already taken his place among the chief ministers, this Yang Bin had still been a nobody.

Yang Bin had been gloomy and dispirited the whole journey, his face even more grim and aggrieved. Perhaps sensing what was coming, he had completely let himself go, frequently airing "strange theories" before the emperor—though if one listened, there was some reason in them.

In his heart, Liu Chengyou did not hold much personal prejudice against Yang Bin himself. The man was strong-willed and arrogant, and his governance had many flaws, but he did possess a certain capacity for administration. Objectively speaking, though he had some private motives, on the whole he was loyal and devoted to the state, diligent and frugal—compared to those corrupt and greedy senior ministers, he could already be rated as "good."

At root, it was still power at work. From the time Liu Chengyou was still in his princely residence, Yang Bin had opposed him, and after his succession, he still would not restrain himself, still wanting to contend with him for power. Liu Chengyou's character had never been weak, and between the two sides, there was an exceptional clash.

Even so, other problems might have been tolerated. But showing contempt for the sovereign had always been a cardinal taboo. Even Wei Zheng had not done such a thing—and Liu Chengyou was no Li Shimin...

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable at having his posturing exposed, Liu Chengyou glanced sideways at Yang Bin and slightly raised his hand, saying: "Yang Qing's words have merit. Indeed, I have been overly sentimental."

"With the Xiaodi Army circling behind the rebels, I imagine the armies at Fengling Ferry have already crossed the river successfully!" After a moment's deliberation, Liu Chengyou proactively changed the subject.

Fan Zhi took the initiative to report: "With government troops pressing from both sides, even the rebels at the northern ferry of Fengling will have trouble retreating cleanly. According to intelligence, the rebels there already make up half of the rebel forces. If they can be routed, then taking Hedong City afterward should be all the easier."

"That won't be easy either!" Liu Chengyou's response carried a note of humility.

After thinking it over, he broke into a sudden smile, his tone relaxed: "The armies at the front have achieved much, grinding the rebels down until they are this dejected. At this rate, perhaps I won't even need to reach the walls of Hedong City before the rebels' heads are presented..."

Seeing this, Feng Dao immediately chimed in: "Even if not, with Your Majesty's divine might, once you personally lead the great army there, the rebels will surely lose heart and surrender the city."

Feng Dao's flattery naturally did not hit the mark with Liu Chengyou—though he spoke thus with his mouth, that was not what he thought in his heart.

Though it appeared that the government troops already held the advantage, and even seemed as though his imperial campaign in person was somewhat superfluous, this was ultimately only the surface. From start to finish, there had not yet been a bloody battle. If Li Shouzhen managed to huddle inside the turtle shell of Hedong City, how to take the city would be the climax of this campaign. And since ancient times, city battles had always been the hardest to handle.

"Your Majesty, urgent report from Hezhong!" A solemn announcement interrupted Liu Chengyou's thoughts.

Turning his head to look at Zhao Yanjin approaching at a rapid pace, Liu Chengyou's brow unconsciously furrowed. Sensing something, he immediately returned to the imperial camp.

Inside the imperial camp's main tent, Liu Chengyou strode in quickly, took the military report, and tore it open to read. A string of vertical text met his eyes, and Liu Chengyou's brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

"Where is the messenger?" Liu Chengyou's tone carried a hint of anger.

"He is waiting in the imperial camp!" replied the palace eunuch Zhang Dejun, who was attending the campaign.

"Summon him!"