Chapter 252: The Stratagem of Discord

In the autumn of the first year of Qianyou, on the day of Renwu (the fifth day) of the eighth month, the encirclement was complete. After four days of troops camped beneath the city walls, following Liu Chengyou's order, the imperial army launched its first wave of attack against the rebels. Per Liu Chengyou's instructions, the various armies of the Western Grand Camp, under the command of Yao Yuanfu and Song Yanwo, charged the rebel camp west of the Yellow River.

The enemy's western camp commander, Zhang Yansi, had previously been an ordinary mid-level officer in the Pu army. Elevated to chief commander of the western camp due to Li Shouzhen's trust, his ability was limited—whether in offense or defense, he was no match for Yao Yuanfu and Song Yanwo. Only with the assistance of Vice Commissioner Zhou Guangxun did he barely hold the line.

Southwest of Hedong city, near the river, Liu Chengyou reined in his horse on the bank, gazing westward. Across the great river, he could see smoke and flames rising from the western camp—clearly fire attacks were being employed. The latest wave of battle cries had already lasted nearly half an hour and was gradually weakening. Liu Chengyou stood watching the western camp until the killing sounds completely faded into the increasingly desolate autumn wind.

"It seems the assault on the camp has failed. This is the third attack in two days, isn't it?" Liu Chengyou reached out to stroke his mount's mane as he asked.

"Yes!" Beside Liu Chengyou stood an old minister with a gray beard, ruddy complexion, clad in heavy armor—the very picture of vigor despite his years.

This man was named Hu Yanke, one of the founding ministers, now serving as Army Supervisor of the field headquarters while holding the post of Commissioner of the Northern Court of the Palace Attendants. Already in his sixtieth year, he was humble, kind, and possessed considerable insight—one of the few capable ministers Liu Chengyou could count on one hand.

In the original history, he had accompanied Guo Wei in suppressing the rebellion, participating in military deliberations and providing Guo Wei with many important opinions on strategic decisions. Coincidentally, on this campaign, it was also Guo Wei who had recommended Hu Yanke to accompany the army. The two seemed to have a good relationship.

"The first charge takes the spirit, the second weakens it, the third exhausts it." Whether or not the allusion fit the occasion, Liu Chengyou quoted the classics and ordered: "Send word to Yao Yuanfu—halt the attack, gather the troops, regroup, and await further orders!"

Liu Chengyou felt no negative emotions such as anger or dissatisfaction over the failed assault. Of course, this was also because the imperial army had not yet put forth its full strength; had they gone all out and still failed to take this tiny city, Liu Chengyou would absolutely not have been able to maintain his composure.

Returning to the imperial camp, he had barely sat down and taken a few sips of tea when the battle report from the west was swiftly delivered to his desk via the naval forces on the Yellow River.

Yao Yuanfu and Song Yanwo submitted a joint report: after three days of attacking the camp, the Western Grand Camp had suffered over seven hundred casualties. However, the rebels were not faring well either—their losses were conservatively estimated at over a thousand. Just from this casualty ratio, one could see the disparity in combat effectiveness between the two sides. Moreover, under the assault of trebuchet stones and fierce-fire oil, the enemy's western camp palisades had been severely damaged.

Yao Yuanfu stated that the morale of the rebel troops in the western pass camp had sunk very low, and he requested permission to continue the attack, pledging with a written military oath that he would break the enemy camp within two days.

"Old General Yao's ambition is no less than that of a young man—his boldness and courage leap off the page, truly inspiring admiration!" Liu Chengyou handed the battle report to Hu Yanke, a slight smile curling at the corner of his mouth as he remarked. Due to the ongoing hostilities, Liu Chengyou had ordered Generals Yao and Song not to cross the river for an audience, so to this day, Liu Chengyou had yet to meet this old general whose name had repeatedly reached his ears since the start of the year.

"Duke Yao has spent many years in military service, his courage and strategy undiminished—indeed worthy of respect and admiration!" Hu Yanke smiled slightly, praising in a Jin-accented voice, then immediately clasped his hands with the military report: "Does Your Majesty wish to grant his request?"

"With Duke Yao's skill in commanding troops, leading the men with such fierce valor, taking the enemy camp should certainly not be a problem. However, the casualties among the soldiers will likely be considerable." Liu Chengyou said.

"Your Majesty shows such consideration for the troops below, loving your soldiers as your own children..."

Seeing that Hu Yanke was about to launch into flattery as well, Liu Chengyou lightly raised his hand to stop him and asked: "I wish to first pacify the western camp, then break Pucheng. Does Minister Hu have a strategy for taking the camp?"

Upon hearing the question, Hu Yanke's face showed no sign of difficulty. After pondering briefly, he clasped his hands and said: "We might employ the stratagem of sowing discord."

"Sow discord with whom?" Liu Chengyou raised an eyebrow and pressed further.

"Zhou Guangxun!" Hu Yanke answered crisply.

"Can this man be turned?"

Confidence showed in Hu Yanke's eyes as he explained simply to Liu Chengyou: "This man was originally the Vice Commissioner of Hexi. When the late emperor sent Li Shouzhen to garrison Hezhong, he had intended to usurp Zhou's position. Previously, after the defeat at Tongzhou, Li Shouzhen stripped him of military command and replaced him with the nobody Zhang Yansi..."

"Then leave this matter to Minister Hu to handle!" Before Hu Yanke could finish, Liu Chengyou said directly.

After giving the order, Liu Chengyou pondered for a moment, then looked at Feng Dao beside him: "If the western camp can be sown with discord, then the city of Hedong can be likewise! Minister Feng has an eye for judging people. Having previously been sent as envoy to Hezhong, you know Li Shouzhen and his subordinates well enough—choose someone to sow discord among them!"

"As you command!" Upon hearing the order, the old fox Feng Dao immediately rose and clasped his hands in acknowledgment. His eyes turned shrewdly as he began to scheme, a hint of delight in his heart—he felt this matter had operational possibilities.

Liu Chengyou left the matter of espionage entirely to these two old ministers to handle; he only needed to see the results.

For Liu Chengyou, if a fortress could be broken from within, that would naturally be best. But his preparations for breaking it by external force were in no way relaxed—he was busily and urgently making arrangements.

Hedong city had four gates, with the west bordering the great river and one gate missing on the north. But on the east and south sides, combining the strength of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, after several days of rushed construction, rampart walls stood horizontally, palisades linked together in layered construction, like two great beasts—and the heavy crossbows, trebuchets, and "fire cannons" arrayed among them were like rows of sharp fangs.

The rampart walls extended forward, and from a distance, they nearly touched Pucheng, standing only a few dozen paces from the moat. The moat had been dug exceptionally deep by Li Shouzhen, virtually eliminating any possibility of tunneling by the imperial army. Shield, saber, and spear troops were stationed behind the rampart walls, prepared to repel any enemy sortie.

On the watchtowers in the front ranks, several hundred stout men holding "megaphones" took turns shouting—calling for surrender, making proclamations, and issuing threats.

"Only the chief culprit shall be executed; all others will be spared" was once again shouted out, and the city's officers were urged to switch sides as soon as possible—otherwise, once the city fell, it would be too late for regrets...

With a great army besieging the city, this tactic of spending nothing but a bit of voice to demoralize the enemy and disrupt their army's spirit had proven effective time and again—after all, attacking the heart was paramount.

Looking at the overall deployment below the city walls, it differed little from Guo Wei's approach in the official history. It was nothing more than building solid camps and fighting a war of attrition—but Liu Chengyou had no intention of fighting for a year or more.

Such a method of warfare, when the state was stable and national strength sufficient, was not without merit as a safe and sound approach. But the drain on national resources and the destruction of the people's livelihood were too severe.

In the original history, the Later Han's national strength was essentially consumed in suppressing the Three Rebellions. To support Guo Wei in defeating the rebels, ministers like Yang Bin and Wang Zhang back home resorted to every conceivable means to extort money and grain. The Later Han's harsh laws and tyrannical governance were at their worst during this period, subjecting the realm's scholars and commoners to the utmost exploitation and oppression.

The result was that they exhausted every means, bore every curse and infamy, and shipped money and grain to Hezhong—the goal of pacifying the rebellion was certainly achieved, but more of it went to Guo Wei to buy the loyalty of the army and the people.

A tiny city like Hedong, isolated and alone, with no external support, and Li Shouzhen lacking popular support—did it really require over a hundred thousand troops and a year of grinding warfare? And in the end, no fierce battle even took place; it concluded with the city's morale collapsing and Li Shouzhen burning himself to death.

Nurturing the bandit to inflate one's own importance—whether or not Guo Wei harbored such intentions, the result was clear: after the rebellion was pacified, the one who gained the most was Guo Wei.

Everyone says Guo Wei was driven to rebellion by Liu Chengyou, but looking at Guo Wei's various actions and methods before and after the pacification of Hezhong, could his intentions be any more obvious?

It was just that subsequent developments slipped somewhat out of control. Who could have imagined that when the original owner flipped the table, it would come so suddenly and so fiercely?

I've digressed.