Chapter 489: Plotting a Great Feat

"May I ask what business you have with me, Lord Chen?" Zhao Kuangyin asked as he led Chen Sirang into the tent.

Hearing the question, Chen Sirang replied: "Governor Zhao came east to reinforce us and soundly defeated the Huai bandits. Yao Feng has temporarily retreated, and Shanyang remains secure, easing the crisis facing our army. May I ask what Governor Zhao plans to do next?"

"Lord Chen is a veteran general, weathered by years of military service, with experience and insight far beyond my own. Might I ask what advice Lord Chen has to offer?" Zhao Kuangyin maintained his humble posture and asked in return.

Exchanging a glance with Zhao Kuangyin, Chen Sirang's thinking leaned conservative: "Commissioner Guo has me holding Shanyang to guard the Huai River crossing, lest the Tang navy take advantage. We have just fought a great battle, with heavy casualties among the troops, and our provisions and equipment need replenishment. In my view, it would be best to hold Shanyang steadily, watch how the battle goes for His Majesty and Commissioner Guo, and wait for the opportunity to change course and plan our next move!"

"Lord Chen's strategy is prudent and mature—words of one who schemes for the state!" Zhao Kuangyin said.

Chen Sirang, by contrast, appeared relaxed and said freely: "I am old now, my edge has dulled—unlike you young men, sharp and full of ambition. Governor Zhao fought two battles in a single night, racing back and forth nearly a hundred li, daring to lead two thousand men in a night assault against an enemy ten times your number. Surely you must have other plans in mind!"

"I won't hide it from you, Lord Chen." Zhao Kuangyin rose and took out a map, pointing and tracing on it: "After this defeat, Yao Feng will either garrison at Baoying to regroup his forces, or retreat directly to Gaoyou. I intend to combine our forces with yours, Lord Chen, pick out our elite troops, and march south to take the offensive!"

Chen Sirang was still somewhat surprised, saying: "Though Yao Feng has suffered defeat, the troops retreating with him, plus his navy, and gathering up scattered remnants—a rough estimate still puts him at nearly thirty thousand. Even if our two armies combine, we can field at most four thousand. If you wish to take the initiative against him, I fear it won't be easy!"

"Though the enemy is numerous, their spirit has been broken. A routed army is nothing to fear!" Zhao Kuangyin waved his hand, speaking with bold passion: "Since our army entered the Huai region, we have won victory after victory. The Tang army fears us like tigers! Though we are few, we carry the momentum of great victories and can break them. Moreover, as yesterday's battle showed, that Yao Feng is no skilled commander."

As he spoke, a trace of contempt crept into Zhao Kuangyin's tone: "Given last night's situation, if I commanded the Tang army, I would have chosen to fight to the death. Even if the river camp was broken, I could have used the navy as infantry and still turned the tide. But that Yao Feng actually chose to gather his troops and retreat. Though this reduced his losses, he lost the greater picture. From this we can see that Yao Feng is certainly no match for our army!"

"Governor Zhao, your ambition is commendable!" Chen Sirang stroked his beard and praised.

But he did not commit himself. He could tell that Zhao Kuangyin wanted to use his Yizhou troops. Zhao Kuangyin was young and full of drive; he himself was older, and for him, there was really no need to take risks. The Tang army was, after all, not made of paper that would tear at a single poke. If the venture succeeded, fine—but if anything went slightly wrong and Shanyang were lost, affecting the larger situation, then his lifetime of reputation would be ruined, and he might even be charged with crimes.

Zhao Kuangyin was quick-witted and could sense Chen Sirang's attitude, more or less guessing his mindset and concerns. His expression unchanged, his finger traced south along the canal on the map as he said: "To deal with our Han army's offensive, a rough estimate puts the false Tang's total mobilized troops and laborers at nearly three hundred thousand, with losses of no fewer than one hundred thousand. Now their main reinforcement force is on the western front, where His Majesty leads the main army to confront them. On Huangfu Hui's side, Governor Guo is also opposing him. Along the canal line, apart from Yao Feng's army, it is extremely hollow—and Yao Feng has just been defeated. As long as we can find another opportunity to defeat him again and drive south along the current..."

Following where Zhao Kuangyin's index finger pointed, Chen Sirang exclaimed in surprise: "You want to attack Yangzhou!"

"What does Lord Chen think?" Zhao Kuangyin's eyes shone with brilliance as he looked at Chen Sirang: "Yangzhou is the false Tang's eastern capital, and the place where Huainan's population and wealth are concentrated. If we take it, we will not only deal a heavy blow to the false Tang—in this southern campaign, we will surely rank at the top of the merit rolls!"

This time, Chen Sirang's expression grew serious. He even stood up, considered carefully for a while, then said: "How confident are you?"

Zhao Kuangyin shook his head: "That I cannot guarantee. I have already sent men south to scout the situation, and word will come within two days. But based on His Majesty's earlier reports of the false Tang army's dispositions across Huainan, Yangzhou and Taizhou must be hollow. I can only say that once we defeat Yao Feng again, our odds of seizing Yangzhou are very high!"

"Behind us there is still Guo Tingwei's army at Sizhou. If we don't pull out that thorn at Xuyi, how can we feel secure marching south! Otherwise, even if we manage to take Yangzhou, with our rear in jeopardy, facing the false Tang's counterattack, it will be hard to hold!" After thinking, Chen Sirang raised a finger and said: "For these two days, first regroup our forces at Shanyang and wait for the battle situation on Governor Guo's side! I know you have courage and strategy, but bearing this responsibility, we must act with prudence!"

Though he still had not agreed, a hint of wavering could be heard in Chen Sirang's words. On Zhao Kuangyin's side, however, disappointment was unavoidable—after all, such opportunities were rare, and speed was of the essence in war. He did not say much more and expressed understanding.

But inwardly he sighed with emotion: if only he had more troops at his disposal—just a thousand more—he would dare to press south with determination.

"Let us first report the battle situation here to Governor Guo, to set his mind at ease..." Zhao Kuangyin said.

Just as the two were "plotting great deeds together," a soldier came to report that a Tang naval force was attacking on the canal. Both Chen and Zhao were surprised, assuming Yao Feng had led his troops in a counterattack—but when they learned the enemy had come from the Huai River to the north, they were even more astonished.

They hurried back into the city and climbed the western city wall together. Looking northwest, they could clearly see a naval force flying Tang banners on the canal, sailing south with the current. It was not large—only fifty or sixty warships.

"It's the Tang army from Sizhou!"

"It must be Guo Tingwei's force!"

Zhao Kuangyin and Chen Sirang said in unison.

"Why would the Sizhou Tang army come here!" Chen Sirang's tone carried more surprise than fear as he looked at Zhao Kuangyin.

Zhao Kuangyin frowned deeply, took a deep breath, and said: "Governor Guo and I advanced on two fronts. Outside Xuyi city, there are Wu Xingde, the Military Governor of Xuzhou, and over ten thousand troops at Duling Mountain guarding the passes. Yet the Tang navy still got through—clearly something has gone wrong at Xuyi!"

"Fortunately, Governor Zhao's reinforcement arrived in time, and Yao Feng retreated out of fear. Otherwise, with another Tang force coming down from upstream to join the battle, Shanyang would surely have fallen!" Chen Sirang let out a breath, looking shaken by the close call.

Turning his head to look at the solemn-faced Zhao Kuangyin, he said: "Governor Zhao, the plan to march south can be shelved for now!"

Zhao Kuangyin quickly adjusted his mindset and said with a wry smile: "If there is trouble at Sizhou, how could I ignore the greater situation and take risks! Let us report to Governor Guo and see what is happening at Sizhou!"

The Tang army on the canal naturally came from Sizhou, led personally by the defending general Guo Tingwei with three thousand men. It was Guo Tingwei who, after Guo Rong and Zhao Kuangyin had led their forces away, adopted a strategy of decisive sortie against the Xuzhou army advancing south to attack the city, launching a surprise assault on the Han army.

North of Xuyi city, the Han army's main commander was Wu Xingde, the Military Governor of Xuzhou. Together with the troops he led under imperial decree, he had a full seven thousand men before the walls of Xuyi, watching and containing Guo Tingwei. In addition, Duling Mountain had several thousand defenders, mainly the two thousand men of the Longqi Army. From this arrangement alone, one could see that Guo Rong regarded Guo Tingwei as a greater threat than the reinforcing Huangfu Hui or Yao Feng.

Even so, problems still arose. The Han army's main commander, Wu Xingde, had just a few years earlier been only an ordinary junior officer in the Jin army, commanding no more than five hundred men. He had risen to prominence and leapt to command of a major prefecture precisely by seizing the opportunity to welcome the Northern Han.

However, his ability to command troops in battle and make on-the-spot decisions was questionable—he was not even as capable as his deputy Cheng Deqin. Moreover, since the Han army had come north, they had basically never tasted defeat, so arrogance had inevitably grown within their ranks. The Xuzhou troops were not as elite as those of Suzhou, and so when faced with Guo Tingwei's personally led surprise attack, they were completely caught off guard. They suffered a great defeat in a single battle, losing over half their men, and even Wu Xingde himself nearly perished on the battlefield.

After defeating the Xuzhou army, Guo Tingwei left a deputy general to guard the city and keep watch on the Han army at Duling Mountain. He then personally led his naval force east down the Huai River into the canal, intending to support Yao Feng and help him break Shanyang. It was clear that Guo Tingwei was a farsighted commander—opening up the Huai River was precisely his goal.

But he had come in high spirits, only to find that the sounds of battle at Shanyang had already ceased...

Standing at the gunwale, gazing into the distance, traces of war were visible everywhere, yet the city of Shanyang still stood firm on the bank of the canal, Han banners fluttering, with not a single Tang soldier remaining in the vicinity...

"Governor, the reinforcements seem to have already withdrawn. Could they have been defeated by the Han army?" The naval commander instinctively looked toward the general who had led them to a great victory over the Han.

Letting out a heavy sigh, his mood sinking somewhat, a note of desolation in his voice, Guo Tingwei said: "Shanyang will be hard to take. Pass my order—return to Xuyi!"

The fleet turned about and sailed back against the current. Guo Tingwei knew that his efforts had once again been in vain. At Xuyi, there would still be a fierce battle to come. Whatever had gone wrong with the reinforcements, at least on the Sizhou front, the room for him to maneuver had grown even smaller.

After the Tang navy withdrew north, on the Shanyang side, Chen Sirang and Zhao Kuangyin both temporarily set their minds at ease. And that very night, Zhao Kuangyin received Guo Rong's battle report—and a military order.