Chapter 948: The Three Heroes of That Year

Because Yunzhong had suffered the ravages of war, with fewer than one in ten of the city's buildings left standing, the Han army remained camped outside the city. The Ninghua Army under Li Wanchao was stationed in the southwestern part of the northern camp.

Li Wanchao had formerly been a Later Jin general, holding the post of Commander of the Surui Command, stationed at Luzhou. In the twelfth year of Tianfu (947), Liu Chengyou led his army out of Taiyuan to attack Luzhou, serving as the vanguard for Hedong's conquest of the Central Plains.

At that time, Li Wanchao, together with Wang Shou'en and Gao Fang, surrendered together, allowing Liu Chengyou to take Luzhou with ease, laying the foundation for the later destruction of Geng Chongmei's army and the eastward crossing of the Taihang Mountains to sweep through Hebei. At that time, the three—Li, Wang, and Gao—had earned the reputation of the "Three Heroes of Luzhou," a name Liu Chengyou himself was the first to proclaim.

However, of these three heroes, Wang Shou'en was soon done in by his own greed and arrogance. Of the remaining two, Gao Fang held the post at Youzhou, while Li Wanchao often served as an army commander—both were given important roles.

In fact, the process of establishing the Great Han was also a process of Liu Chengyou raising his prestige, building his base, and cultivating his partisans. In this, Luzhou provided him with no small number of talents. Besides Gao Fang and Li Wanchao, Commissioner of the Wude Office Li Chongju was also discovered and promoted by Liu Chengyou at Luzhou.

As for Li Wanchao, during these years of the Great Han's founding, he had not done anything particularly spectacular. He had participated in several battles with the army, but none had brought him great martial glory. What he represented was the experience of a great many veteran generals of the Han army—unadorned and unpretentious. And wherever Li Wanchao was stationed, the people were secure and the territory peaceful—that was his function.

Moreover, luckier than most, from time to time Liu Chengyou would still think of him. This northern campaign was probably the most satisfying battle Li Wanchao had fought in ten years, and his contribution was the most notable in many years—he was the first to breach Yunzhong.

After three days of celebration, the army returned to its usual order, and the entire connected camp entered a state of busy activity, preparing for the withdrawal. Li Wanchao's unit was different—he was replenishing his troop numbers, seeking to bring his ranks up to full strength. Because the fighting had been so fierce, the Ninghua Army he commanded had suffered nearly thirty percent casualties.

"General, the field headquarters has directly replenished us to five thousand men, with over a thousand cavalry and three thousand war horses added as well. This is too generous to our army! With the Dingxiang Army reduced as it is, among the border forces, I suspect we are now the strongest and best equipped!" Inside the camp, Li Wanchao was leading his men on an inspection of the newly refurbished Ninghua Army, and the retainer following beside him spoke with a smile on his face, somewhat excitedly.

"Do you know why that is?" Li Wanchao asked in a testing tone, his mood appearing quite good as well.

"This officer does not know!" came the crisp reply. "Could it be that the General has already received an assignment?"

"Not yet! However, of all the northern forces being reorganized and recompiled, my Ninghua Army has been the quickest. Though no orders have come down yet, it stands to reason that we will certainly be put to use!" Li Wanchao said.

"Are we going to fight again?"

"That will depend on the Son of Heaven and the court!" Li Wanchao said. "Come, follow me to look at the war horses again! In all these years, when have I ever been so well-provisioned? Remember, we must strengthen the soldiers' horsemanship training!"

"Yes!"

Just as Li Wanchao had sensed, being the first to receive replenishment, and with elite troops and fine horses at that, naturally meant they would be put to great use. After receiving the two men Chai and Zhao, the Emperor's summons arrived. Not daring to delay, Li Wanchao tidied himself up and hurriedly spurred his horse toward the imperial camp.

"Your Majesty!"

"Please, sit, old General!" Liu Chengyou was quite warm toward Li Wanchao, inviting him to take a seat and personally pouring him water.

"Your Majesty, how could this officer presume?"

"Old General, no need for formality. You and I are old acquaintances—new clothes are not as good as old, and new friends are not as good as old ones. A few trivial formalities need not constrain us!" Liu Chengyou said with a smile.

Seeing this, Li Wanchao relaxed somewhat, but meeting the Emperor's gaze, he still said humbly: "This officer is but a nobody—how dare I claim old friendship with Your Majesty, to seek undeserved favor!"

Clearly, this old general's sense of propriety was quite high, and Liu Chengyou was all the more pleased with him for it. Looking at him, he asked: "In this northern campaign, you and your Ninghua Army fought to the end with no small merit. I am considering how to reward you—do you have any thoughts?"

Hearing this, Li Wanchao's heart stirred with some unease—when it came to rewarding merit, it was hardly his place to consider such matters. After thinking it over, he said: "Your Majesty, when it comes to recording merits and bestowing rewards, the court has its own system, and Your Majesty has always rewarded according to merit without the slightest bias!"

Liu Chengyou shook his head, looking at Li Wanchao seriously with an expression of wanting to speak but hesitating. Seeing this, Li Wanchao said at the opportune moment: "Your Majesty has always treated this officer with great kindness. If there is any task to assign, please speak plainly—I would not dare refuse even at the cost of death!"

"Old General is truly a pillar of the state!" Liu Chengyou clapped his hands and revealed his thoughts: "The northern campaign has ended in great victory. The Khitan have been severely wounded and fled north, their realm in internal turmoil and their power contracted northward. For our dynasty, this is truly a fine opportunity to advance north. However, given the Great Han's circumstances, a large-scale mobilization is out of the question. Therefore, I intend to dispatch a detached force to expand our territory, seize key passes, widen our strategic depth, and perfect the defenses of Shanyang!"

Hearing Liu Chengyou say this, Li Wanchao immediately responded: "Your Majesty wishes to employ the Ninghua Army?"

Liu Chengyou nodded, confirming it.

"Whatever Your Majesty commands!" Li Wanchao was equally direct.

Blinking his eyes, Liu Chengyou grew a bit interested and said: "Do you know where I intend to strike?"

Li Wanchao was a veteran general familiar with military affairs, and having garrisoned the north for many years, he had some basic understanding of the situation there. After thinking it over, he analyzed: "Generals Shi and Guo have both been recalled by Your Majesty, so they are certainly not in the north. Surveying the surrounding situation, only the Hetao region is a place that can be taken with ease!"

"Is the General willing to go?" Liu Chengyou asked.

"If there is a command, duty will not allow refusal!" Li Wanchao affirmed.

Liu Chengyou then said in a tone of feeling: "I had thought that the General is advanced in years, having long garrisoned the northern frontier and endured continuous hardship—truly not easy. Now, at a time when we should be sheathing our swords, I still trouble the General to go on the offensive—I truly cannot bear it. Marching several hundred li west, I fear for the army's morale!"

"Your Majesty need not worry!" Li Wanchao said. "The troops the field headquarters has replenished are all border soldiers, registered to Hedong, and after rest and reorganization, their morale has been restored. As for this officer, though I am past fifty, to have the opportunity to serve Your Majesty and win merit—I am grateful beyond words, so how could I speak of hardship?"

With the pleasantries at an end, Liu Chengyou resumed a serious demeanor and began to impart his instructions to Li Wanchao: "The strategic importance of the Hetao region needs no elaboration from me. Given Liao's current condition, taking it will not be difficult—what is difficult is how to hold it. This is no longer merely a military matter. How to repel enemy forces from without and pacify the various tribes within, especially the Tangut to the south—I hope the General will handle these matters properly!"

"Your Majesty's instruction, this officer will keep in heart!" Li Wanchao replied.

"Good!" Liu Chengyou said. "Orders will be issued shortly. I appoint you Chief Commander of Jiuyuan, with rank at the fourth grade, upper class. Do not reveal the objective of the westward advance for now. Rest and reorganize at Yunzhong for a while longer. After the main army withdraws, you may then set out!"

"In this way, we can also deceive the Liao army, lull their vigilance, and achieve the effect of a surprise attack!" Li Wanchao said.

Of course, Liu Chengyou had not thought that far. Instead, he continued: "For this integration of the border forces, all meritorious deeds of the garrison soldiers have been ordered by me to be settled directly through Commissioner Chai of the Bureau of Military Affairs—the Ninghua Army is the same. At the same time, all soldiers of Jiuyuan who go west with you will receive additional rewards, and from now on, all rotations of garrison duty will be promoted one additional grade!

"Hereafter, the court will migrate settlers to fill Yunshuo. For the families of your soldiers who are willing to relocate, in addition to military merit and allotted farmland, they will be granted an additional ten mu! For those unwilling to relocate, once the situation in Hetao stabilizes, they may also take turns being released to visit their families!"

Hearing the Emperor's assurances, Li Wanchao beamed with joy, clasping his hands in salute: "If this can be done, how could the soldiers not be eager!"

Liu Chengyou then sighed: "The soldiers dedicate themselves to the state—I naturally must give them greater consideration and care, or my conscience would not be at ease!"

Saying this, he then said to Li Wanchao: "It is truly with reluctance that I send the old General to a remote corner of the northern frontier."

Li Wanchao laughed heartily, looked at Liu Chengyou, and said with great seriousness: "Your Majesty, this officer has a request, and I hope for your gracious approval!"

"Speak!"

Li Wanchao said: "Your servant is now fifty-five years of age. I can guard Jiuyuan for the court for five years—repelling the Khitan to the north, pacifying the Tangut to the south, and ensuring no unrest arises. Five years from now, when I am sixty, I hope then to be permitted to retire and return to my hometown!"

For some reason, hearing Li Wanchao say these words, a surge of emotion suddenly rose in Liu Chengyou's chest.