Chapter 809: Iron Chains Spanning the River

While the northern route army celebrated victory at Lizhou with triumphant songs, attention turned eastward—under Zhao Kuangyin's command, the eastern route Han army also won battle after battle, advancing smoothly.

After breaking the Kuizhou naval forces and successfully seizing the Shu Songmu Stockade, the very next day, the fierce general Dang Jin led troops to attack the enemy's Sanhui Stockade. The Shu army could not withstand it, and it fell within half a day. Dang Jin personally slew the defending commander Nan Guanghai in battle.

On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Dang Jin led his troops from Sanhui Stockade southwestward, coordinating with Han general Cui Yanjin's combined land and naval forces to attack the key Wushan Stockade in the Wu Gorge.

Cui Yanjin had Wei Lin lead the Jiangling naval forces to cut off the upper reaches, while also dispatching troops to land and seize the east-west passage, severing land reinforcements to Wushan Stockade. After making thorough arrangements, he immediately launched an attack on the Shu army. The initial assault failed, but having discerned the defenders' fortifications and combat strength, he intensified the attack the next day. Dang Jin led from the front, climbing with armor and weapons in hand—fierce and unmatched. The Han army was inspired, the Shu soldiers terrified. After two hours of fierce combat, Wushan Stockade fell, and Shu general Yuan Dehong surrendered.

With Wushan Stockade taken, the surrounding stockades all surrendered. Thereafter, Zhao Kuangyin sent imperial army general Zhang Yongde with a light force advancing rapidly to seize Wushan County town. Thus, the Han army thoroughly broke through the Wu Gorge stronghold, with their spearhead now pointing directly at Fengjie, the prefectural seat of Kuizhou.

The Han army's arrival was unstoppable—Fengjie trembled.

The autumn wind blew bleakly. Atop Fengjie's city walls, even the high-flying Shu banners seemed wilted. Shu soldiers stood on the ramparts; though not yet panicked, their low morale was visible to the naked eye.

An old general in military armor leaned against the battlements, gazing eastward. This man was Pang Fucheng, the Shu Military Governor of Kuizhou. On his aged face, even the liver spots exuded weariness. His gaze was somewhat dim, his back appeared hunched, as if barely able to bear the weight of his armor.

While the Han army attacked the stockades, especially during the siege of Wushan Stockade, Pang Fucheng had not been without struggle—he had sent troops east to reinforce, but the result was that the Han army had them completely under control. Holding defense was already difficult, let alone attacking. The three thousand relief troops were beaten back; had the Han army's attention not been focused on taking the stockades, those three thousand troops would not have gotten off with merely being repulsed.

"Governor, defeat after defeat—Wushan has fallen, all the eastern strongholds are lost, and the Han army will soon be at the city gates. With so few troops and so few generals, how can we possibly resist?" A staff officer beside Pang Fucheng asked with a mournful face, his tone full of defeat and fear.

"The Han army is powerful and unstoppable—we need to make plans early!" Another person said.

Hearing this, Pang Fucheng's expression turned stern. His dim gaze sharpened with immense intimidation as he said coldly: "What plans? By your words, since the Han army cannot be stopped, should I just surrender directly?"

Having their inner thoughts laid bare by Pang Fucheng, the several staff officers were momentarily stunned and dared not meet his eyes. In the tense atmosphere tinged with awkwardness, one spoke timidly: "More than half of Kuizhou's military strength was deployed east of Wushan, and within mere days, it was all lost to the Han army. When they arrive, how can we protect the soldiers and civilians of the entire city?"

Over and over, it was the same message—the Han army cannot be stopped!

Seeing their behavior, Pang Fucheng's face turned exceptionally cold. His decaying body straightened, radiating a powerful aura that made others dare not look at him sideways. He declared sternly: "I know what you people are thinking! But let me offer one piece of advice—put away your petty schemes! I, Pang, have received great favor from two generations of the Son of Heaven, and I will never commit the act of betraying my lord or cowering from battle! If any of you dare utter words of surrender again and disturb my army's morale, I will cut off your heads to consecrate the banners!"

Pang Fucheng's words and expression showed no sign of pretense. Intimidated by him, the group fell silent, not daring to speak further.

"Well said, Governor!" A stern-faced Shu general on the side said: "Fengjie still has several thousand armored soldiers, a hundred thousand in stored grain, and ample weapons—why fear the Han army? The Han army coming from the west numbers only a little over twenty thousand. After days of attacking stockades, how could they be without losses? You mediocre cowards—'can't stop them' this, 'surrender' that—how can you stand on these walls of Fengjie? Get off the city wall and stop shaking the army's morale!"

This Shu general was named Wu Shouqian, the army supervisor of Fengjie. By his conduct, he was clearly a hardliner. Chastised bluntly by his words, the Kuizhou staff officers mostly flushed red—though more from shame and anger than embarrassment.

"Enough!" Pang Fucheng spoke, his gaze turning toward the Yangtze, as if he could see the Han army resting and gathering strength at Wushan.

"All of you, withdraw and reassure the soldiers and civilians. Conscript all the able-bodied young men in the city to transport equipment. Also, bring timber to reinforce the floating bridge spanning the river!" Pang Fucheng ordered.

"Yes!"

"And you need not worry overmuch!" Thinking that in times of crisis they should unite their efforts to strengthen the city's defenses, Pang Fucheng's tone softened somewhat as he reassured them: "Vice Commissioner Han is hurrying here, gathering relief troops along the way. Our army only needs to hold for three to five days, and we will be safe!"

Having barely suppressed the discordant voices within, Pang Fucheng stood on the city wall, reverting to his aged demeanor, standing for a long while.

"Governor Pang, the Han army has not yet arrived—you should return to your office and rest! Leave the city defense matters to me for now!" Wu Shouqian urged.

Gazing into the distance a while longer, Pang Fucheng showed Wu Shouqian a slight smile: "Then I'll trouble you, Supervisor Wu!"

Turning around, clenching his aged fists, determination filled Pang Fucheng's face as he silently recited: "I have enjoyed nearly thirty years of prosperity in Shu—that is enough!"

At this moment, Pang Fucheng seemed to have recovered the bold spirit and fervor of his youth when he followed Meng Zhixiang in founding the realm. Of course, in his heart, Pang Fucheng perhaps did not have much confidence in Kuizhou's defenses or the Later Shu's fortunes. All he could do was do his best and leave the rest to heaven.

East of Fengjie city, the Shu army had constructed a floating bridge spanning the river's two banks—though calling it a floating bridge was more like calling it a fence. Three layers of wooden palisades, iron chains spanning the Yangtze, vicious iron spikes and sharp barbs all pointing eastward—the purpose, naturally, was to block the advance of Han army vessels. Since the Han army began its westward march, the Kuizhou Military Governor's office had poured manpower and resources into its construction. Now it had reached considerable scale, serving as one of the pillars of the Shu army's defense.

Not far downstream, several swift boats were moored at the shore. Zhao Kuangyin, commander-in-chief of the eastern route army, stood at the prow, gazing into the distance at that "formidable" defense line. The massive floating bridge lay across the river like a black dragon baring its claws and fangs, slowly undulating under the river's current, radiating a dangerous aura, as if ready at any moment to devour anything that dared to violate it.

"Commander Zhao, surveying enemy conditions is a job for others. As the commander of an entire army, bearing the safety of all three forces on your shoulders, why must you personally risk coming here?" Zhang Yongde, serving on the campaign in his capacity as Chief General of the Longqi Army and Chief Inspector of the eastern route, said to Zhao Kuangyin.

"It's fine! The Shu army can't do anything to me, Zhao Kuangyin!" Zhao Kuangyin said calmly.

Pointing at the defensive floating bridge spanning the river, Zhao Kuangyin said with a light laugh: "This floating bridge is well built. If our army's vessels go upstream and crash into it, they really would be destroyed with all hands! The fortresses along the shore are also well arranged—with troops stationed inside, they can both protect the bridge and, from their commanding height, control the river with crossbows and catapults..."

Zhao Kuangyin's words were full of praise, but his expression remained composed and relaxed throughout—clearly, he had already found a way to deal with it.

Zhang Yongde said: "I recall that in the early days of Jin, when the Jin army attacked Wu, the Wu army forged great iron chains and cast them into the Yangtze at narrow, dangerous points, cutting across the great river to block the Jin army from sailing eastward downstream. The Shu army is likely imitating this method, trying to block our army's advance! This move is somewhat delusional!"

"General Zhang is widely learned!" Zhao Kuangyin cast an appreciative glance at Zhang Yongde, his eyes bright, and asked: "In your view, how should our army shatter their delusion?"

Zhang Yongde thought for a moment, then said: "Though the floating bridge stands, it still requires soldiers to guard it! We only need to divide our forces to land, advance by water and land simultaneously, and break their bridge-guarding troops. Then seize the floating bridge by momentum, cross the river, and attack Fengjie city."

Speaking, he pointed northward and continued: "Advancing this way, we can also bypass the stockades along the northern bank such as Shimen and Baidi City, as well as their river-defense fortresses! So this floating bridge not only fails to block our army, but actually provides us a convenient path of advance!"

Hearing his analysis, Zhao Kuangyin unconsciously clapped his hands and said: "General Zhang is truly a general of wisdom and strategy!"

"Commander Zhao is truly a great commander!" Zhang Yongde said with a humble expression, looking at Zhao Kuangyin: "These circumstances are probably already fully grasped in your mind, Commander!"

Zhao Kuangyin didn't respond to that, but continued along his analysis: "To achieve what the general has planned, we need to take the fortresses on the southern bank and break their bridge-guarding troops. How about entrusting this attack mission to General Zhang?"

"As ordered!" Zhang Yongde accepted crisply.

Nodding, Zhao Kuangyin called out: "We've seen just about enough. Pass the order—turn the boats around, back to Wushan!"

"Yes!"

While Zhao Kuangyin personally surveyed the enemy, the Shu army's riverbank defenders had actually noticed, but none dared to act rashly, letting him come and go freely.

"That must be Baidi City!" On the return journey, pointing at a small pass on the northern bank, Zhao Kuangyin asked the guide with interest.

"Reporting to the Commander, that's correct!"

"After the Battle of Yiling, Emperor Zhaolie of Han entrusted his son there, which is why it's famous. Once we break Fengjie city and find some leisure time, I should go visit and pay my respects..." Zhao Kuangyin said with a light laugh, in a rather leisurely mood.

On the twenty-sixth day of the seventh month, the eastern route army that had rested for a day at Wushan once again boarded ships and sailed westward. Upon reaching Shimen, Zhao Kuangyin ordered the army to split into two routes, advancing by water and land simultaneously. On land, imperial army generals Zhang Yongde and Liu Guangyi led troops ashore, abandoning their ships to strike directly at the floating bridge spanning the river, while Zhao Kuangyin led the main force himself as cover and support, drawing the attention of the defending Shu army.

The battle for Kuizhou had entered its final stage—the throat of the eastern route into Shu was about to be opened.