Chapter 690: Commander-in-Chief Murong Deploys His Forces

In the Jiangling government office, the hall was packed. Seated within, besides the Han army officers still guarding Jiangling, were Liang Tingsi and Wei Lin, two senior generals of the Jingnan army. Compared to the composed ease of the Han generals, the two men, Liang and Wei, were more agitated—both nervous and delighted. After all, this was a high-level military council of the Great Han's southern expedition field headquarters, and their unprecedented inclusion proved they had been accepted by the court—at least in the eyes of Commander-in-Chief Murong Yanzhao.

For surrendered generals like them, their postwar prospects, status, and military appointments all depended on their performance in the coming battles. The two considered themselves fortunate, for within and around Jiangling, too many people had not even been given the chance to prove themselves.

In the several days since Jiangling had changed its banner, countless Jingnan civil and military officials had tried to establish contact with Murong Yanzhao, but without exception, none had even qualified for a meeting. At present, before the edict from the Eastern Capital arrived, the man responsible for maintaining order was Gao Baoxu. It was he who had earlier taken the initiative to enter the Han army's central camp to pledge his sincerity, and when the army was at the gates, he had also been the one to urge his elder brother Gao Baorong: "Brother, stop holding out—surrender first, as a show of respect."

As the attendant announced his arrival, Murong Yanzhao strode swiftly into the hall, bringing with him an air of grim authority. Taking his seat at the commander's desk and receiving the salutes of the assembled generals, Murong Yanzhao wasted no words and spoke directly: "I have received the imperial edict to campaign south, to punish the rebel Zhou Xingfeng of Hunan. Our army has now been encamped at Jiangling for several days. Since Jingnan is secured, we must now deploy against Hunan, in order to crush Zhou Xingfeng and restore peace to the Lake Xiang region!"

"We await the Commander-in-Chief's orders!" The assembled generals saluted in unison with clasped fists, the voices of Liang Tingsi and Wei Lin standing out most prominently, drawing an extra glance from Murong Yanzhao.

"Army Adjutant Cao, brief the generals on the rebel forces!" Murong Yanzhao instructed, looking toward Cao Bin.

"Yes!" Cao Bin immediately walked over to the military map in the center of the hall.

Perhaps due to his connection with Guo Wei, or perhaps for his merit in taking Jiangling, after the army entered the city, Murong Yanzhao had transferred Cao Bin to the field headquarters' central command, appointing him Army Adjutant. Though his military rank had not been abruptly elevated, his duties were of paramount importance. Following Murong Yanzhao, he was exposed to the full military intelligence of the entire Jinghu theater, which greatly aided his development. It could be said that compared to many young officers who rose from obscurity through hard struggle, Cao Bin was truly fortunate.

"According to reports, after the rebel Zhou marched south and captured Guizhou, he seized all of Zhang Wenbiao's troops, money, and grain, and also conscripted troops from the Chen and Dao prefectures, transferring them all north to deploy at Wuling and Dongting.

Before our army marched south to Jiangling, he struck first once again, sending his senior general Yang Shifan with twenty thousand men to attack Liyang in the north, intending to eliminate the threat our Lizhou army posed to Langzhou.

The rebel Zhou himself led thirty thousand troops by land and water, deploying them at Dongting, intending to block our army from entering the lake via the Yangtze to take Yuezhou."

"Perceiving his designs, the Commander-in-Chief has already dispatched Army Supervisor Han with twenty thousand men eastward along the river, pressing toward Sanjiangkou, keeping a watchful eye on Yuezhou and holding the rebel Zhou in check. General Li Yun has also been sent across the river to take up position at Gong'an, to support Liyang!"

From Cao Bin's account, the military confrontation between the court and Hunan was now quite clear. But for the generals present, that was not the most important thing. Most of them were field officers who led troops in battle and rarely pondered the overall campaign—they only needed to know what they would do next and whether there were opportunities to earn merit.

When Cao Bin finished, Murong Yanzhao pondered for a moment before speaking. As soon as he opened his mouth, the generals' expressions turned more serious: "You have all heard—there are currently two battlefronts against the enemy: one at Sanjiangkou, the other at Liyang!"

"Sanjiangkou holds Zhou Xingfeng's elite forces, thirty thousand troops with formidable strength. Army Supervisor Han faces them with twenty thousand men and cannot break through for the time being—he needs reinforcements, especially naval reinforcements!"

Having said this, Murong Yanzhao's gaze turned to Wei Lin: "General Wei, has the Jiangling naval force been fully prepared?"

Upon being asked, Wei Lin hastily rose and replied: "Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, the Jiangling navy numbers over seven thousand men with two hundred warships of various sizes, all under regulation. Morale is stable, and they are ready for the Commander-in-Chief's deployment at any time!"

"Good! General Wei is most capable!" Murong Yanzhao praised, then instructed: "You will lead five thousand naval troops to Dongting Lake to support Army Supervisor Han against the Hunan navy!"

"Yes!" Hearing the order, Wei Lin's spirits soared, and he answered in a loud voice.

Seeing this, Liang Tingsi could no longer sit still. He rose and looked at Murong Yanzhao with earnest eyes: "Commander-in-Chief, the Jiangling infantry and cavalry also wish to serve the court and punish the rebel Zhou!"

"General Liang, do not be hasty!" Murong Yanzhao raised his hand gently, a slight smile appearing on his face: "The soldiers of the southern expedition are mostly northerners. Though brave and fierce, they still need to adapt to the southern climate and terrain, and they are unfamiliar with the geography of Jinghu. Therefore, to break Hunan, we must rely on the soldiers of Jiangling!"

"Please give the order, Commander-in-Chief!" Liang Tingsi understood and saluted with clasped fists.

"General Liang, you may lead the ten thousand reorganized troops, together with the navy, to Sanjiangkou to support Army Supervisor Han!" Murong Yanzhao instructed.

"Yes!" Liang Tingsi's face immediately broke into a beaming smile.

"Both generals, you may withdraw now and muster your troops. In two hours, board the ships and head east!" Murong Yanzhao said.

"As ordered!"

He then summoned a messenger officer and ordered: "Notify Gao Baoxu to hand over the ships he has gathered to the army!"

"Commander-in-Chief, the Jiangling troops are newly surrendered after all—can they be trusted?" After the two generals withdrew, Shi Yanchao could not help but say to Murong Yanzhao: "Moreover, even if we deploy them, placing them under the command of Liang and Gao—can they be relied upon?"

"General Shi need not worry! Using Jingnan's troops was a strategy decided by Your Majesty and the Bureau of Military Affairs before the southern campaign!" Murong Yanzhao shook his head, his expression calm and confident: "Now that Jiangling has fallen and the situation is secured, my central command is here, the grain is in hand, and over a hundred officers have been inserted into their ranks—enough to maintain control. As for the Jingnan soldiers, their families are all in the rear—how would they dare to rebel?"

"As for Generals Liang and Wei!" Murong Yanzhao said, a composed smile touching the corners of his mouth: "They are newly surrendered and precisely in need of the court's trust and opportunities to prove themselves for merit. Far from being negligent, they will exert themselves to the utmost, fighting with their lives!"

By the same logic, having Jingnan generals fight against the Great Han might lack conviction, but sending them against Hunan—they would absolutely charge forward with valor. Murong Yanzhao understood the psychology of these surrendered generals very clearly.

"Since the Commander-in-Chief puts it that way, this officer has no doubts!" Shi Yanchao said with a barely restrained eagerness: "But if the merit is being given to the Jingnan army, what are we Great Han generals supposed to do?"

"Exactly!" Sun Li, Chief Commander of the Xiaodi Army, could not help speaking up either, with a roguish demeanor, saying loudly: "All the way here, we've been busy marching—haven't fought a single battle, haven't earned a single bit of merit, and Jingnan just surrendered. Commander-in-Chief, you can't play favorites—you need to arrange something for us too!"

As the older generation of commanders were gradually purged from the imperial army, Sun Li, a general who had followed the emperor from the very beginning, saw his seniority in the army grow ever deeper. Correspondingly, his arrogance also swelled. He prided himself on his merits and often acted high-handedly. Back in the day, his clash with Wang Yansheng had already shown this tendency—except Wang Yansheng was even more reckless, forcing his way into Chancellor Wei Renpu's residence, and was consequently demoted and sent to guard the northwestern frontier. Sun Li, meanwhile, had kept his position as Chief Commander of the Xiaodi Army.

At this moment, sensing the insolence in his tone, Murong Yanzhao's brow furrowed slightly. His face stiffened, and he said sternly: "The Jinghu campaign was entrusted to me with full authority by Your Majesty. Commanding a great army in battle is not a banquet for guests—there are strategies and tactics, and overall considerations. Military orders are as immovable as mountains. Does Chief General Sun not understand this principle?"

Chastised by Murong Yanzhao, Sun Li's arrogance immediately receded somewhat, and his defiant gaze slowly shifted away. In any comparison, he could not match Murong Yanzhao. Still, being reprimanded before so many people inevitably stirred shame and anger within him. Keeping a dark face, he said: "Then I ask the Commander-in-Chief to enlighten us on how he considers the overall situation! There are still nearly twenty thousand infantry and cavalry in Jiangling—surely we won't just stay put forever!"

Of the forty thousand troops in the southern expedition, the Husheng and Fengguo divisions plus ten thousand local prefectural troops had been taken by Han Tong to Sanjiangkou to face off against Zhou Xingfeng. One contingent remained to guard Jingmen, and another, under Li Yun's command, had crossed the river to take over the defense of Gong'an, lest the Chu army at Liyang launch an incursion. What remained in Jiangling was still primarily the Tieqi Army and the Xiaodi Army, roughly sixteen thousand men—still a formidable force.