Chapter 799: Xiang Xun Takes Command

At the hour when weary birds return to the mountain woods, the autumn sun hung low in the west, clouds and rosy mist lay spread across the sky, dyeing the forested mountains in their glow. On the plank road into Shu, the pursuit that had lasted nearly half a day had come to an end. The smell of blood gradually dissipated under the autumn breeze. Though the cries of battle had ceased, the birds and beasts nearby still kept far away, and even the occasional cicada chirp carried a note of desolation and caution.

More than fifty li south of Sanquan Pass, the plank road had already been severed. Further south, under the orders of the Shu general Wang Shenchao, the plank road had been entirely destroyed—some sections burned, others dismantled. Under Wang Shenchao's command, the Shu army retreated while destroying as they went: stopping at one spot, burning one stretch of plank road, like lighting one beacon after another, stretching for more than twenty li all the way to Mantian Ridge. Smoke and flames blazed fiercely, as if vying with the setting sun that painted the mountain forests red.

Standing before the severed plank road at the first point of ignition, the fire had already weakened, but the rising black smoke and the pervasive heat could still be felt. His already dark face was stained even darker by the smoke. Murong Chengtai, reeking of blood, could not help but curse: "These Shu troops are truly detestable. They destroyed the plank road we built with such hard work—don't they feel any regret?"

After Sanquan Pass fell, Murong Chengtai, under orders from Wang Renshan, had led a detachment south through the pass. Apart from pursuing the routed enemy, his primary objective was to seize the plank road between Sanquan and the Shu camp before it could be burned.

What the Shu army could think of, the Han army could think of as well. To conquer Shu, the Great Han had spent three years preparing, from the court down to the southwest, fully achieving the principle of knowing both oneself and the enemy. For the army on the Shu campaign, though the Shu fortresses were perilous, they were not a great concern—no matter how sturdy a fortress, it still needed men to defend it. In terms of generals and soldiers alike, the gap between Han and Shu was like the difference between clouds and mud.

Therefore, keeping the roads open and securing the supply lines were the keys to this campaign to destroy Shu. After breaching Sanquan Pass, Wang Renshan made an immediate decision—without even bothering to mop up the remaining enemies inside the pass, he dispatched Murong Chengtai southward.

However, despite the hurried pursuit, unexpectedly, a group of enemy reinforcements delayed them and successfully destroyed the plank road.

"General, the remaining enemies along the road have been cleared. We captured over two hundred alive, but unfortunately their army supervisor Liu Tingzuo managed to escape!" A subordinate battalion commander, his face still bearing the killing aura of battle, stepped forward and reported to Murong Chengtai, who stood gazing southward.

"Kill them all!" Murong Chengtai said upon hearing this, his killing intent flaring. "If not for these routed troops blocking my way, I would have caught up to Mantian Ridge long ago!"

Hearing the order and knowing Murong Chengtai's frustration, the battalion commander still cautiously advised: "General, the commander-in-chief has strict orders—killing prisoners is not permitted!"

Murong Chengtai was, of course, merely venting his frustration in words. He immediately said: "Leave one battalion behind to rest and patrol on site, guarding the plank road to prevent any mishaps. The rest of you, gather our fallen brothers, and return to Sanquan Pass with the wounded and the spoils!"

"Yes!"

After autumn began, darkness fell noticeably faster. With a gloomy heart, he led his men back to the pass city, walking the night road under the cold wind.

Sanquan City, leaning against Mount Jigong to the south and bordering the Jialing River to the north, was named after Mount Sanquan in its territory. If Lizhou commanded the main route into Shu and held the throat of northern Sichuan, then Sanquan was the very mouth of Lizhou. To the southeast lay the Micang Mountains—the only road into Shu, and the key position the Han army had to seize in its opening campaign.

After half a day of clearing, the pass city had been fully pacified and brought under complete control of the Han army. The Shu prisoners had been moved outside the city and placed in a separate camp under guard. The main invasion force, under the leadership of its generals, had also arrived in succession and camped south of the pass.

The commander-in-chief of this Shu campaign, Xiang Xun, had been welcomed into the city by the vanguard commander Wang Renshan. The northern gate tower bore the scars of battle everywhere—blood not yet dried, dust and smoke still hanging in the air. Though the bodies had been cleared away, the remaining traces showed how fierce the fighting had been.

"The defenders of Sanquan put up quite a stubborn resistance!" Xiang Xun said, clad in his campaign robes, his face full of authority as he surveyed the traces of battle.

Wang Renshan, pleased with his success in the opening battle, said: "That Li Jin fancied himself a fierce general of Shu, but he was nothing special. In the end, he couldn't withstand our Great Han warriors and had his head chopped off by Zhang Qiong. This shows that Shu has no worthy men—mere nobodies dare to style themselves great generals."

Hearing this, Xiang Xun asked: "How many casualties did we suffer in this battle?"

"After days of fierce assault, 263 dead, and over 500 wounded, lightly and seriously combined!" Mentioning the casualties, Wang Renshan sighed: "But the gains were considerable—over a thousand enemies killed, more than 700 captured, and a full 50,000 hu of grain seized. The Shu army had stored quite a lot of provisions here!"

"The casualties are not insignificant!" Xiang Xun remarked, but he still affirmed Wang Renshan's achievements in this battle: "However, this battle carries great significance—it has shown the might of our Han army. Sanquan Pass was truly formidable, yet it fell to our forces within days. This is enough to warn the Shu troops in all the other cities and fortresses that even after three years, they are still no match for our army! From now on, the enemy will be three parts afraid before we even engage!"

"The commander-in-chief speaks truly!" Wang Renshan said.

"All the fallen soldiers are heroes of the Great Han. They, along with the meritorious officers and men, shall be recorded in the rolls and reported to the court for rewards after the war!" Xiang Xun instructed.

"I have already ordered the army's morale officers to compile the registers!"

"Good! What about Zhang Qiong? In this battle, he breached the city and slew the enemy general—he deserves the highest merit!" Xiang Xun asked.

Upon the question, Wang Renshan said with a light smile: "He is currently recovering from his wounds in camp. He braved arrows and stones, leading from the front, scaling the pass wall three times in succession, and suffered several wounds!"

"Are his wounds serious?"

"A cut on his chest is somewhat severe—if not for his breastplate, he would have been split open! This Zhang Qiong is truly fierce and brave. When he fights, he simply doesn't care about his life, charging even more ferociously than the soldiers under his command!" Wang Renshan's tone carried admiration.

"It is precisely because our Great Han army does not lack such bold and passionate warriors that we can breach passes and seize fortresses, victorious in every battle! He must be heavily rewarded!" Xiang Xun said.

"Yes!" Wang Renshan immediately expressed his agreement.

Wang Renshan had now reached a certain standing in the Han army, being a senior general. He no longer needed to personally wield a blade and fight on the front lines as he once did. His perspective on matters had also changed, and of course, he hoped that there would be more and more officers like Zhang Qiong.

Of course, what he truly thought in his heart was not something to be spoken of openly. After all, Zhang Qiong had come from the Emperor's side, having served as a palace guard general, yet he still had to rely on his blood-soaked valor to establish himself. A general in a high position would naturally appreciate and praise such a man, yet could not help but feel a sense of pity for him. Of course, the army truly could not do without such generals.

"What about Murong Chengtai?" Xiang Xun asked, concerned about this noble scion of a military family.

Wang Renshan reported: "After breaching the pass, I intended to send troops out to pursue the routed enemy and seize the plank road. Murong Chengtai volunteered for the mission. I had him lead three battalions south. Judging by the time, he should be returning soon!"

"Well done!" Xiang Xun said.

"The pass government office has been cleared and can serve as the field headquarters. Please, commander-in-chief, move there!" Wang Renshan said.

"Good!"

The crude Sanquan county office had been taken over by Han soldiers. As the place from which orders for an army of tens of thousands issued forth, and upon which their safety depended, security was exceptionally tight. The commander's desk, the ceremonial staff, command tallies, maps, and all other necessary items had been prepared.

Shortly after he took his seat, the field headquarters Army Supervisor Gao Huaide and the field headquarters Fiscal Commissioner Zhang Mei entered together. This time, Gao Huaide was accompanying the army as deputy commander of the Shu campaign. He directly reported to Xiang Xun: "All troops have been settled. The imperial army and the Hanzhong troops are camped within the pass, while the rest are stationed south of the city."

"General Gao is a seasoned commander—there can be no fault in how he arranges matters!" Xiang Xun said with a smile.

The northern route army for the Shu campaign under Xiang Xun's command numbered approximately forty thousand infantry and cavalry, composed of the two wings of the imperial army, the Hanzhong army, the southwestern main camp, and the Huaide and Huaiwei units. Of course, these were only the fighting men; an additional ten thousand civilian laborers had also been conscripted.

Beside Gao Huaide stood a middle-aged military official of ordinary appearance—Zhang Mei. Originally a clerk in the State Finance Commission, he had been recommended by Chancellor Xue Juzheng to serve in the southwest. He had started as the southwest grain commissioner, and now he was in charge of all supply, provisions, weapons, carts, and horses for the entire Shu campaign army, as well as the management of the conscripted laborers. He was sharp and capable, handling all allocations in perfect order without ever falling short, earning Xiang Xun's deep appreciation.

"The five thousand civilian laborers accompanying the army have been properly settled. The supplies have all been moved into the city, and the captured grain and weapons have been received. The remaining men will follow behind with the subsequent supplies. In total, six thousand light carts have been built. Though they don't carry much weight, they are convenient for transport through the mountains..." Zhang Mei said.

"Entrusting the grain and supplies to Governor Zhang—I and all the generals have nothing to worry about!" Xiang Xun said with a smile upon hearing this.

"The commander-in-chief flatters me—I dare not accept such praise!" Zhang Mei replied humbly, not daring to presume in front of Xiang Xun: "But the roads through Sichuan are difficult to traverse. The further south we go, the longer the routes and the harder the transport becomes. More manpower and animal power will be needed!"

"No matter. Once we take Lizhou, we can conscript local labor on the spot. It happens to be autumn, and once we cross the mountain barriers, we can even live off the land in Shu—the grain, money, and goods there are ours for the taking!" Xiang Xun said.

Shortly after, soldiers reported that Murong Chengtai had returned from pursuing the enemy. Xiang Xun immediately summoned him for questioning.

Upon seeing Xiang Xun, Murong Chengtai's mood improved somewhat. He reported his results: "The routed troops from Sanquan have been essentially wiped out. Unfortunately, a Shu reinforcement force arrived. I seized the chaos to strike swiftly and defeated several hundred of their men. But the Shu general was quite cunning—he fled quickly and burned the plank road. As a result, I only managed to preserve about fifty li of the road, and I've left troops to guard and patrol it!"

"Having failed to achieve complete success, I request punishment!"

Hearing his account, Xiang Xun laughed heartily and said to Murong Chengtai: "Preserving fifty li is already a great achievement. Fortunately, you pursued while pressing the advantage—if that Shu reinforcement had gotten close, the entire plank road would have been destroyed! From Sanquan to Mantian Ridge, even counting the twists and turns, it's less than eighty li. The remaining twenty-odd li of mountain road can simply be repaired and reopened by our engineers!"