Chapter 713: Guo Rong Reports on Affairs

Inside the Bureau of Military Affairs, in the military operations room, Guo Rong was buried in his work at the desk, reviewing official documents with rapt attention, his expression far from relaxed. The Hunan campaign had just concluded, and those plunged into busyness were not only the Hall of State Affairs, which was preparing to take over prefectural governance and build an administrative order.

Moreover, for the time being, the Bureau of Military Affairs bore an even heavier burden, for it was the Great Han's army that now controlled Hunan and maintained the court's administrative order there.

With the formal establishment of the Jinghu Circuit, the Bureau of Military Affairs had promptly set up the Southern Office to oversee military and administrative affairs of the southern prefectures, and had rapidly deployed personnel.

He spread open the documents in his hands, set down his brush after signing his approval, picked up his teacup for a sip, then rubbed his sore eyes before letting out a breath. The pile of documents on his desk had finally been dealt with, at least for the moment.

Gathering up several pieces of confidential business he had prepared in advance, Guo Rong rose, ready to head to Chongzheng Hall. Regarding the subsequent military arrangements for Jinghu, he still needed to personally report to and confer with the Emperor.

"Chancellor of the Bureau!" Before he could set out, Li Chuyun, the Bureau's drafter, hurried in, holding an urgent military dispatch: "Military intelligence from Hunan!"

"What is it?" Guo Rong asked.

"The garrison at Chenzhou has clashed with the puppet regime's army!"

His brows knit slightly with a hint of puzzlement. Guo Rong said: "The specifics?"

Li Chuyun said: "According to the report from Changsha, the puppet troops crossed Guiyang Mountain and brazenly entered our territory. In their arrogance, Army Commander Cao Bin marched south from Pingyang to meet them. The two sides fought at the mouth of Guiyang Pass, and our army prevailed. Four hundred heads taken, over a thousand captives. The puppet army's fighting strength is low—utterly incapable of resistance! Changsha requests permission to launch an attack on the puppet regime and take all of Lingnan!"

Taking the dispatch, he read through it carefully, his expression gradually returning to calm. Guo Rong looked at Li Chuyun: "What is your view?"

Li Chuyun said in a low voice: "This matter, I fear, is the generals in the south deliberately seeking to use force, and thus testing the court's intentions!"

Slightly nodding in acknowledgment of Li Chuyun's judgment, Guo Rong tucked away the dispatch and said: "I will first go to see His Majesty! This matter still requires His Majesty's decision!"

"... After the Battle of Yuezhou, Murong Yanzhao transferred Jingnan troops into Hunan to suppress unrest and maintain order, while Han Tong's eastern route forces were temporarily stationed at Baling. Cao Bin garrisoned Dao and Chen, Pan Mei held Quan and Yong, rooting out bandits and keeping the peace. Dao and Chen are in good order; in Quan and Yong, barbarians from five prefectures raided and harassed, but were suppressed by Pan Mei. Li Yun marched south from Chenzhou and is temporarily stationed at Xuzhou, pacifying and suppressing the various barbarian tribes.

At present, the imperial army, the southern prefecture forces, the Jingnan army, plus the surrendered Hunan troops—within Jinghu territory, the various routes total over 80,000 men, with Jiangling, Baling, Wuling, Changsha, Pingyang, and Lingling as the main garrison points..." In Chongzheng Hall, Guo Rong was reporting on the situation in Hunan to Liu Chengyou.

"So many troops—that's a heavy burden!" Hearing this, Liu Chengyou asked directly: "How does the Bureau of Military Affairs plan to adjust?"

"Though Jinghu is vast, it truly does not require this many troops. Your servant and the various officials of the Southern Office have already drafted a preliminary proposal for military reorganization. Please, Your Majesty, review it!" Guo Rong had clearly come prepared, presenting a memorial.

As he read, Guo Rong calmly narrated the summary: "This campaign employed a great many northern troops, who penetrated deep into southern lands. Though precautions were taken in advance, in the end they could hardly withstand the climate. To date, 1,478 men of the southern expeditionary imperial army have fallen ill. Your servant proposes that the imperial army and prefectural troops be gradually recalled, while in Jinghu, new forces be trained and reorganized, and the Chief Command structure be established!"

"The situation is not yet settled; recalling troops would be unfavorable for suppression!" Liu Chengyou said.

Guo Rong said: "The imperial army—with one wing and two commands of the Husheng Army—will be divided to garrison Changsha and Jiangling, with a contingent of iron cavalry left behind. From the conscripted troops of Xiang, An, Ying, and Fu prefectures, three thousand men will be selected to be temporarily placed under the Chief Command.

At the same time, the former Jingnan army will be reorganized and reduced to a strength of five thousand, transferred south to garrison Hunan. Of the surrendered Chu army, three thousand elite will be selected for retention, and the rest will all be discharged to return to farming..."

"Using Jing to garrison Xiang, with checks and balances on all sides!" Liu Chengyou muttered. He seemed quite satisfied with the Bureau of Military Affairs' post-war arrangements.

"Thus, apart from the imperial army, the Jinghu Chief Command will govern a total of eleven thousand men across its various forces. This post-war reorganization is expected to take three months, which will also suffice to coordinate with the Administration Commission's governance!" Guo Rong said.

"It seems Chancellor Guo has considered everything thoroughly!" Liu Chengyou smiled faintly, then said: "However, this suffices for defense, yet is difficult for offense. The imperial army, unaccustomed to southern lands, will in the end have to be transferred north!"

Guo Rong understood the Emperor's implication and responded: "Jinghu has only just been taken. This adjustment is merely the foundation, with restoring public order as the priority. Thereafter, once order is fully restored, the troops required will not increase!"

"The Bureau of Military Affairs should begin preparing to mobilize troops for the future conquest of Lingnan!" Liu Chengyou said directly.

Hearing this, Guo Rong showed no surprise on his face, but instead asked: "May I ask what instructions Your Majesty has?"

"For the future campaign against Lingnan, I do not wish to employ northern troops—only the men of Jinghu. What do you think?" Liu Chengyou asked.

"Sending the men of the Central Plains on a long expedition would indeed yield half the results for twice the effort. If Hunan's military preparedness is consolidated, it can be put to great use!" Guo Rong thought for a moment, then said: "Hunan is not lacking in elite troops, but after years of internal strife, its vitality has been greatly sapped, and it will be difficult to recover in a short time. When we march south in the future, additional forces will still be needed!"

"Your servant suggests conscripting the Miao and Yao barbarian soldiers of the five western Hunan prefectures for combat!" Guo Rong said.

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou laughed: "Great minds think alike! Chancellor Guo and I have hit upon the same idea. Yesterday I received the Yao chieftain Qin Zaixiong, and I found him a man of considerable talent, deferential to the court as well.

Did we not capture a batch of barbarian soldiers at Liyang? I intend to use them as a foundation, and with substantial funds conscript the elite of the Miao and Yao from the five prefectures, to establish a force for mountain and jungle warfare, with Qin Zaixiong as its Army Commander.

In the future, it will surely prove of great use!"

Guo Rong nodded and asked: "May I ask what strength Your Majesty considers appropriate?"

"Three thousand!" Liu Chengyou said directly.

"Your Majesty, speaking of Lingnan—before your servant came to audience, I happened to receive a military dispatch from the south!" Guo Rong said.

Liu Chengyou's interest was piqued, and Guo Rong immediately recounted the "clash" at Guiyang Mountain between the two sides, presenting the dispatch.

After reading it, Liu Chengyou also raised a question: "The puppet regime's troops dare to actively invade our borders?"

"If they had intended to invade northward, they would hardly have waited until the court had taken the lands north of the mountains before advancing!" Guo Rong shook his head, reporting his and Li Chuyun's conjecture.

"The generals at the front still have their fighting spirit undiminished!" Liu Chengyou sighed softly, and after a moment's consideration, gave his orders: "Issue a decree to the southern field headquarters, ordering Murong Yanzhao to restrain all forces—without an imperial edict, they must not lightly initiate hostilities!"

"Your Majesty, in the battle at the mouth of Guiyang Pass, the puppet regime lost many troops; they may not let the matter rest!" Guo Rong reminded.

"Then amend it slightly—they must not actively provoke or stir up trouble, and the stability of public order in Hunan takes priority!" Liu Chengyou revised his words.

In truth, after taking all of Hunan, like the generals at the front, Liu Chengyou's gaze had also turned toward Lingnan. From the bottom of his heart, he truly wished to press south with the momentum and simply destroy the Southern Han—after all, how could the realm permit two Hans standing side by side?

But reason told him he could not rush. In fighting the Southern Han, military conquest was not the hardest part—the difficulty lay in logistics, and in having an army adapted to the southern climate.

"In a month and a half, Jinghu was settled. I truly want to issue the order to press south with the momentum and destroy the puppet regime entrenched in Lingnan!" Liu Chengyou confided his thoughts to Guo Rong.

Guo Rong calmly shook his head: "Your servant knows Your Majesty's ambitions, but I must say that the present moment is not an auspicious opportunity. I beg Your Majesty to temporarily restrain the desire to swallow the realm!"

"Speaking of it, the battle at Guiyang Mountain was also the first contact between the Great Han and the puppet regime since the founding of the dynasty, though it was hardly harmonious." Liu Chengyou muttered, then instructed Guo Rong: "The Military Intelligence Bureau should strengthen its espionage against the puppet regime!"

"Yes!"