Chapter 460: The Surprise Guo Rong Gave

Following the course of the Bian River, more than twenty thousand troops marched southward with the gradually sharpening north wind, banners unfurled, advancing by both water and land. Liu Chengyou's journey south this time brought not only supplementary military strength but also a large quantity of military supplies—especially siege weapons such as catapults, fire-oil bombs, and powerful crossbows—which required more than fifty ships to transport, intending to allocate as much material as possible before the Huai River froze over.

Not many laborers were conscripted from northern Huai this time, because the Huainan campaign had already conscripted over sixty thousand corvée laborers from the Central Plains, serving both before and behind the army. Though the people's strength could still support it, the cost to the court was too high—especially when there was a path that saved time, effort, and money.

Following the suggestion of officials and with Liu Chengyou's approval, future operations would conscript laborers locally from Huainan to supply the army. This was a direct attempt to exploit Huainan's war potential—a matter of one side's gain being the other's loss.

Though strict orders forbade the Northern Han army from looting, burning, killing, or raping, conscripting corvée labor was still a normal act of governance. After all, this was conquest by force—how could there be so much gentleness and courtesy? The people of Huainan suffering the wounds of war was inevitable!

There was a dragon boat on the Bian River, but Liu Chengyou among the army alternated between one day on the boat and one day in the carriage. Comparatively, however, he preferred riding in the carriage—unlike the uncertain bobbing on water, solid ground made him feel secure.

Though he was amidst the great army, to guard against the unexpected, the imperial carriage was still set up in three vehicles, spaced twenty zhang apart. Each time Liu Chengyou disembarked, he would board one of them at random.

The imperial carriage was very spacious, comfortably appointed, allowing Liu Chengyou to read, handle affairs of state, discuss military matters, sleep, and even...

Worthy Consort Lady Zhe was at this time attending to Liu Chengyou within the carriage. The interior was still warm; she had removed her heavy fur robe, leaving only two layers of ordinary garments clinging tightly to her body, outlining her graceful figure.

Accompanying Liu Chengyou on campaign, Lady Zhe was not delighted by the Emperor's favor and affection, but rather excited to leave the palace and witness great battles. Being equally a daughter of a military family, compared to Noble Consort Lady Gao, the "wildness" on Lady Zhe seemed a bit stronger, and also purer. Of course, that this young lady could transform into a beautiful woman, quietly raising children and supporting her husband, and could endure loneliness—this was precisely why Liu Chengyou grew to love her more after getting to know her.

The sturdy wheels bore the heavy carriage body, jolting continuously along the way. Though in recent years road transportation in the Central Plains had improved somewhat, it was only somewhat improved. And the court's transportation improvements for the various prefectures of the Central Plains, aimed at the Huainan strategy, were basically concentrated on several major waterways—with the court's originally meager finances, it could barely manage basic investment in the river channels.

As for the overland official roads, only local prefectures and counties, when there was agricultural slack and some grain in the granaries, would respond to the court's call to repair roads and ditches.

Thus, almost sprawled within the carriage, the continuous jolting from traversing the rough stretches made him drowsy. And this was still an official road—if conditions were this bad, there was no need to mention anything else.

It was only fortunate that there had been no rain recently; otherwise, with muddy roads, the army's southward march would have been even more troublesome.

His body swaying back and forth, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but say to Lady Zhe beside him: "Once I free up my hands, I will definitely have the roads of the realm properly repaired. If the roads are not passable and the paths are not level, how can the world be enriched!"

Liu Chengyou had said similar things many times before, but constrained by national strength, they basically stopped at his lips. In this regard, Liu Chengyou was very much a king of empty talk.

Hearing this from the side, Lady Zhe couldn't help but laugh. She offered him a winter jujube and said to Liu Chengyou: "His Majesty naturally has grand ambitions, but as you often say yourself, rice must be eaten one mouthful at a time, and the road must be walked one step at a time—there's no rushing."

"Am I in a hurry? I have never been in a hurry!" Seeing the young lady admonishing him with his own "quotations," Liu Chengyou was slightly taken aback, then opened his mouth and bit the beauty's hand.

He chewed the jujube—it was quite crisp and sweet. Liu Chengyou looked up at Lady Zhe, whose bearing was enchanting, and pulled her into his embrace, saying: "I'm not in a hurry about other things, but right now I'm in a hurry for lust!"

With that said, he indulged his hands and mouth freely upon Lady Zhe. Though the young lady was shy and embarrassed, she could only blush and cater to him...

Of course, Liu Chengyou was only momentarily aroused and soon released the panting Lady Zhe.

He reached out and slightly lifted the curtain, looking outside the carriage. Closely guarding the imperial presence were the soldiers of the Fengchen Battalion, all on tall horses, stalwart and imposing. Beyond the Fengchen Battalion, the Tieqi Army—Chief Commander Han Tong, serving as Commander-in-Chief of the field headquarters, managed affairs before the camp.

The cold wind in the air rushed in all at once, lowering the temperature and also dispersing much of the amorous atmosphere within the carriage. Reaching his hand outside to feel for a moment, Liu Chengyou immediately instructed Zhang Dejun outside the carriage: "Zhang Dejun, summon Tao Gu!"

"Yes!"

Soon, the Attendant Tao, who had been specially named to accompany the imperial entourage for his two missions to the Southern Tang and familiarity with its national conditions, caught up from behind, riding a horse, hurried and breathless.

With an outside official present, Lady Zhe in the carriage had long since tidied her disheveled clothes and draped a robe over herself.

"May I ask what Your Majesty commands?" Tao Gu inquired.

"The weather is very cold, and it will only get colder. Draft an edict to be sent back to the Eastern Capital, instructing the relevant offices to prepare more cold-weather clothing, shoes and socks, gloves, and coal and charcoal for warmth. The soldiers face frost and wind, brave ice and snow, fighting for the nation—we must do our utmost to ensure they suffer less from the bitter cold!" Liu Chengyou instructed directly.

"Yes!" Hearing this, Tao Gu quickly responded.

"His Majesty is so considerate of those below—when the soldiers hear of this, how could they not harbor gratitude and be willing to give their all in death!" Lady Zhe couldn't help but remark with emotion from the side.

"I am only doing what I ought to do. The soldiers leave their hometowns, part from their flesh and blood, entrust their lives, and shed blood for the nation—how could they not be treated generously!" Liu Chengyou said with some feeling, but a wry smile quickly appeared on his face: "It's just that I don't know how much longer the treasury can hold out. The chancellors in the Eastern Capital and the staff of the State Finance Commission will be worrying their hair white again..."

"Where are we now?" Steadying his mind, Liu Chengyou asked outside.

"Reporting to His Majesty, there are still over twenty li to Yongcheng. Once past Yongcheng, it will be Suzhou!" Zhang Dejun, having done his homework, replied at the right moment.

Liu Chengyou looked at the sky—the sun was slanting westward, still early—and said: "Pass the order: camp at Yongcheng tonight, depart for Suzhou tomorrow morning. Local officials need not come to receive us!"

"Yes!"

After the hour of Shen, the army arrived at Yongcheng and camped to the left of the city. The naval forces, carrying the baggage, departed first for Fuli.

Liu Chengyou personally went to inspect the Longqi Army and was greeted with enthusiastic cheers from the soldiers. After all, it was the army he had built from the ground up—no matter the time, with that connection, in Liu Chengyou's eyes, it was a trustworthy army. Liu Chengyou had always treated the Longqi Army with special favor.

Returning to the imperial tent, Liu Chengyou was about to check whether there was any latest news from the front when he received joyful tidings. Guo Rong memorialized from the field headquarters that on the twenty-fourth, he had captured Zhongli in Haozhou, captured alive the false Tang army's Army Supervisor He Yanxi, killed 751 enemies, captured 1,230 prisoners, and seized 70 warships. The Tang's Haozhou Militia Commissioner Guo Tingwei led the remnants of the Haozhou naval forces eastward to defect to Sizhou.

Liu Chengyou was overjoyed at the report and had the envoy report the details of the battle. It turned out that previously, when the Tang forces at Hao and Si had made suspicious moves, and the Haozhou army had even advanced west to threaten Guokou, Guo Rong, following the court's orders, led the armies of Xu and Yi westward to monitor the Hao-Si forces, protect the canal, and coordinate with the rear.

At that time, it happened that Zhao Kuangyin had taken the initiative to attack at Guokou and won a great victory, inflicting heavy losses on the Haozhou troops, whose combat effectiveness was nearly destroyed.

At that time, Guo Rong was leading his army on patrol at Linhuai. Upon hearing of the battle at Guokou, he immediately became interested. He left the Deputy Military Governor of Xuzhou, Cheng Deqin, to patrol between Huai and Su, while he himself, together with the Militia Commissioner of Yizhou, Chen Sirang, led six thousand troops westward. After crossing the Huan River, they turned south toward Zhongli, wanting to seize this key location south of the Huai River while Haozhou was severely weakened.

Guo Tingwei and He Yanxi retreated to Haozhou quickly, not giving Guo Rong the chance to exploit the opening. After understanding the enemy situation, Guo Rong consulted with the Militia Commissioner of Yizhou, Chen Sirang, and had Chen Sirang lead three battalions of soldiers to cross the Huai at a shallow point under cover of night, circling around to the rear of Zhongli. After the battle at Guokou, the Haozhou navy had suffered severe losses, and its surveillance of the Huai River had greatly diminished.

After Chen Sirang successfully crossed the river, Guo Rong led the main force in a feint at the Huaiyang area northeast of Zhongli, which immediately drew the attention of the Haozhou defenders. Subsequently, Guo Rong made bamboo rafts, gathered boats, and created a great commotion, making a show of crossing the river. Even with doubts in their hearts, the defenders dared not take it lightly, and personally led two thousand naval troops to intercept.

Originally, Guo Rong and Chen Sirang's goal was to lure out the Haozhou army to annihilate it and eliminate its effective strength. But Chen Sirang, in the south, upon learning that Guo Tingwei had led his troops out and He Yanxi was alone defending Zhongli, decisively launched a surprise attack on the prefectural city.

Sure enough, He Yanxi was unprepared—guarding east and west but never guarding south. Chen Sirang led his troops in a single strike that breached the city, seized the prefectural office, and captured He Yanxi alive before the man even realized what had happened. Not stopping there, Chen Sirang led his troops to take the Zhongli naval camp by storm, capturing all its soldiers and ships.

What followed was only natural. Learning of the upheaval in the rear, Guo Tingwei had no choice but to lead the only naval forces remaining in his hands eastward to Sizhou, seeking refuge with the Militia Commissioner of Sizhou, Feng Yanlu.

Upon learning the full details of the battle report, Liu Chengyou was in an exceptionally good mood and remarked with emotion: "Zhao Kuangyin won a victory at Guokou, and Guo Rong gave me a surprise at Zhongli."

"I think the key to these two battles was that Army Supervisor He Yanxi—this man is truly a lucky general for our dynasty!" Saying this, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but jest.

Wang Zhu, attending at his side, was also beaming with joy and congratulated Liu Chengyou: "Reports of victory come one after another; our army wins battle after battle, taking cities and seizing territory—the prefectures of Huainan will fall any day now!"