Chapter 474: Council of War in the Imperial Tent

Just as Liu Chengyou had planned, after suspending the offensive in Huainan and cancelling all military operations, the several routes of the Han army truly passed the entire winter in stability within Huainan. After the third period of nine days following the winter solstice, though still damp and cold, it was no longer as bone-piercingly frigid as before.

"Your Majesty, these are the reports from the various armies on frostbite and death casualties!" Inside the imperial tent, Murong Yanzhao presented a small booklet, reporting.

On the dragon couch, Liu Chengyou sat cross-legged, a velvet blanket wrapping his legs snugly, taking the imperial document from Zhang Dejun's hands. Murong Yanzhao then said: "For the field headquarters armies, counting before and after, there are nearly two thousand men; over a thousand cannot fight. The conscripted laborers accompanying the army are in even worse condition, over four thousand in total..."

"These are all non-combat losses! Two thousand soldiers could nearly form an army, serve as a detached force to conquer cities and seize territory for me!" Setting down the document, Liu Chengyou sighed: "I ultimately underestimated Huainan's winter. Though not as bitterly cold as the north, this damp chill is still extremely hard for our northern soldiers to endure!"

As the Emperor, with all measures in place, he still felt the damp cold piercing his bones—how much worse for the soldiers and laborers below? It could be certain that the officers and men who participated in this winter siege of Shouchun would have some rheumatic reactions. It was also understandable; how many battle-hardened veterans lived long lives? Enduring such cold and heat year after year—how could it not damage the body?

"Your Majesty, opening the treasuries generously, sparing no money or grain to prepare winter supplies—this is already loving the troops so deeply that all officers and men feel it. But the power of nature is vast and hard to resist; ultimately it is beyond human strength. Your Majesty need not dwell on it too much!" Li Fang said from the side.

Liu Chengyou did not comment much on his words. After a moment's consideration, he said: "All personnel, including soldiers and laborers, are to be fully registered in the rolls. For the lightly wounded, do not begrudge medicine. Soldiers who cannot fight are to be sent back to the Eastern Capital; frostbitten laborers are to be returned to their respective prefectures. After the war ends, the Ministry of War and the various prefectural governments will issue compensation!"

"Yes!" Murong Yanzhao and Li Fang answered simultaneously: "Your Majesty is benevolent and virtuous!"

"If our army is like this, what is the situation inside Shouchun city?" Liu Chengyou shifted his thoughts and asked.

Li Shaoyou, who was also waiting in the tent, flashed a hint of embarrassment upon hearing this, and replied: "Your Majesty, the Shouchun defenders are on strict guard. The agents I planted in the city have been completely silent, with no news coming out—I fear something has gone wrong!"

Li Shaoyou had no way of knowing that He Jingzhu's martial law within Shouchun was extremely strict. Regarding the city's defenses, any idle person was strictly forbidden from approaching the city gates; anyone who came near was executed on the spot.

"To be able to defend a city so airtight—this He Jingzhu truly lives up to his reputation. Such an old general, given Li Jing's way of employing people, had he not been born at the right time, he would likely have faded into obscurity!" Liu Chengyou actually praised He Jingzhu a few words.

"Your subject has failed in his duties; please punish me, Your Majesty!" Li Shaoyou bowed and confessed his fault.

Murong Yanzhao then said: "But since the winter solstice, the forward sentry soldiers have several times heard disturbances within the city. With such unusual movements, the city may not be as calm as it appears!"

"Yanzhao's words are fitting! Shouchun is already an isolated city—reinforcements are deterred, the grain route is severed, and with the severe cold, supplies cannot be abundant. He Jingzhu's stubborn defense is nothing more than a cornered beast's struggle. He Jingzhu may have a strong will, but what of the soldiers and civilians in the city? How many are willing to perish together with him and Shouchun?" Liu Chengyou's eyes were exceptionally calm: "Mutual destruction is easy to say, but in this world, how many can truly face such great terror?"

He waved his hand toward Li Shaoyou and said calmly: "You need not beg forgiveness from me. For our army, no news coming out of the city is good news—at least there is no bad news!"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

In the spring of the fifth year of Qianyou, on the first day of the first month, Liu Chengyou convened a council of war in the imperial tent at the Huainan field headquarters, summoning all the generals of the various armies to discuss battle plans.

"Since late autumn of last year, the Great Han has mobilized over two hundred thousand soldiers and civilians, spending no less than a hundred million. Most of the imperial army from the Eastern Capital is here. Three months have passed—we have endured Huainan's winter. Now spring has come, the start of a new year, and our army must move. Having paid such a great price, this time I am determined to sweep flat all of Huainan!" The moment Liu Chengyou opened his mouth, he set the theme of the military council.

As his words fell, Sun Li immediately rose, impassioned: "Your Majesty, please give the order! The soldiers have long wanted a good fight. Wherever Your Majesty's blade points, even through a mountain of knives or a sea of fire, we are willing to go!"

"Hold your horses!" It was clear that Sun Li's fighting spirit was high. Liu Chengyou waved his hand at him to calm him down, then said to Murong Yanzhao: "Let Chief Inspector Murong first explain the enemy and our situation to everyone present!"

Receiving the signal, Murong Yanzhao rose, first made a bow, then walked before the operational map and said: "Your Majesty, esteemed lords. Since Guo Rong, the Jinglue Commissioner of Eastern Huainan, captured Shanyang, throughout the entire winter, the battlefield situation between the Great Han and the false Tang has seen no major changes, remaining generally stable."

Due to their earlier defeat, the false Tang is firmly on the defensive, not daring to strike out rashly. However, according to intelligence from agents in Jinling and the various prefectures of Jianghuai, the false Tang has been preparing for war all winter.

On the Hunan front, Bian Gao has led over twenty thousand Tang troops back and they have been redeployed to Hefei. Adding these twenty thousand, even excluding the troops guarding the borders and the capital, the false Tang can still mobilize a hundred thousand soldiers to march north and engage our army. It can be anticipated that after spring begins, a great battle between our army and the Tang army in Huainan is unavoidable.

Of the four towns of the Lower Huai, Hao and Chu are already in our hands; Sizhou is already an isolated city, with Guo Rong's army gripping its throat. On the Shouzhou side, Your Majesty personally leads the main army to besiege Shouchun. The Tang army at Hefei is closest to our forces, its strength now increased to forty thousand—a great threat. However, previously Song Qiqiu had his partisan Chen Jue transferred to Hefei to replace Xu Wenzhen as Deputy Relief Commissioner. This Chen Jue is a boastful talker—not worth worrying about!

Originally, per the court's edict, the Qian clan of Wuyue, the Gao clan of Jingnan, and even Wang Kui and Zhou Xingfeng who divided Chu, were all supposed to send troops to aid us in attacking Tang. But to this day, there is still no sign of movement!

At this time, our great army has been encamped for long enough—it is time to forcefully break the deadlock!"

After Murong Yanzhao finished his briefing, Liu Chengyou looked at Wang Jun: "Does Minister Wang have anything to add?"

Although his actual command authority over the army had been stripped away, Wang Jun remained Commander-in-Chief of the field headquarters, second only to one man in the army. Moreover, having been much more docile recently, Liu Chengyou had begun to "value" Wang Jun again.

But Wang Jun seemed intent on remaining "docile" to the end. Facing the Son of Heaven's inquiry, he only replied blandly: "What the Chief Inspector has stated is already thorough and complete; this subject has nothing to add!"

Withdrawing his gaze from Wang Jun, Liu Chengyou's expression turned solemn, and he said gravely: "Considering the battle situation, I have no intention of giving the false Tang further leisure to prepare for war. I intend to strike first. Take Shouchun, take Sizhou, and completely seize all four towns of the Lower Huai!"

As Liu Chengyou's words fell, Li Chongjin immediately requested: "Your Majesty, the Husheng Army requests to fight!"

"The Husheng Army suffered heavy casualties in the last battle. This time, let our Fengguo Army do it!" Wang Quanbin was not to be outdone, taking the opportunity to slight Wang Yansheng.

Wang Yansheng immediately retorted: "Though our troops have suffered losses, our fighting spirit is high! I have already selected five hundred elite armored soldiers, all prepared for city combat, ready to be the first to scale the walls, fearless of death!"

"Does my Fengguo Army lack men willing to die?" Compared to Wang Yansheng's agitation, Wang Quanbin appeared far more composed.

Seeing the two Wangs arguing fiercely, Sun Li grew displeased from the side. He glanced at both of them, said nothing more, and simply clasped his hands toward Liu Chengyou: "Your Majesty, you promised this general that my Xiaodi Army would lead the main assault! An emperor's word must not be broken!"

Within the imperial tent, aside from the cavalry commanders like Han Tong, Guo Chongwei, and Shi Yanchao, all were fervently eager for battle. Liu Chengyou naturally welcomed this.

"Enough—everyone's fighting spirit is commendable!" Liu Chengyou did not let the argument continue. Raising his hand to suppress it, he immediately gave the order: "I have decided to move troops and break the city. The Xiaodi Army will make the first probing assault to test Shouchun's defenses. I want to see just what kind of impenetrable fortress this old relic He Jingzhu has built over one winter! The rest of you generals, return to your camps, rouse your soldiers, and prepare for battle!"

"As commanded!" With the military order given, the generals tactfully said no more.

And as the Son of Heaven's great command came down, the long-silent Han army camp stirred to life once more—like a great beast awakening from hibernation, flexing its no-longer-stiff limbs, opening its fanged maw toward Shouchun city once again.