Chapter 316: Proper Measure

At Tongcheng's Imperial River Tower, cups and goblets clinked in lively exchange — a welcome banquet held in the name of the Tongcheng gentry for the General Officers of the Henan reinforcement campaign. Pang Yu, for a rare occasion, was seated at the main table. Looking up, he saw Zhang Guowei at the head, flanked by Supervising Censor of Henan Dai Dongwen and Shi Kefa, and then a towering, red-faced man — the true guest of honor at this table, Sichuan Army Regional Commander Zuo Liangyu.

Pang Yu knew Zuo Liangyu had come out of the Liao Garrison and was now stationed in Henan; he had no idea when the man had become Sichuan Army Regional Commander. But after reading the official documents for this operation, Zuo Liangyu's formal title was indeed Sichuan Army Regional Commander. He figured it was probably the same logic as Shi Kefa being Jiangxi Right Assistant Administration Commissioner.

This Commander Zuo was around forty, with an immensely powerful build. Pang Yu counted as tall in Tongcheng, and his height was not far off Zuo Liangyu's, but the difference in breadth was considerable. Zuo Liangyu's shoulders and back were broad and thick; if measured by area, Pang Yu was probably only half his size. Just sitting there, Zuo Liangyu exuded a commanding, martial presence.

Before Zhang Guowei's arrival, the main force of Zuo Liangyu had just reached Tongcheng. Pang Yu had not seen all the camps but roughly estimated the number between fifteen and twenty thousand. The force was packed with many people resembling Servants, along with all sorts of women and children — a population structure very similar to the Roving Bandits. Zuo Liangyu's Mounted Retainers numbered about a thousand, sixty to seventy percent of whom had armor. Ordinary cavalry numbered roughly six to seven hundred, with auxiliary livestock also around a thousand head. This was Zuo Liangyu's core strength. In cavalry alone, he far surpassed the local troops of Anqing. His marching infantry in proper ranks also numbered close to a thousand. He had likely done plenty of horse-snatching during his years of campaigning everywhere. The rest of the force was all there to serve these elements. An army of this scale carried decisive weight across the entire Central Plains region. Based on Pang Yu's understanding of the various Roving Bandit camps, no single camp could match Zuo Liangyu in strength if they faced him alone. No wonder the bandits gave him a wide berth.

Pang Yu felt a fair bit of envy toward the scale of Zuo Liangyu's cavalry. Although the Garrison Command had planned a cavalry division, it still had fewer than four hundred men, and their combat strength could not compare with those battle-hardened Household Retainers. The only thing that might surpass them was discipline.

With the arrival of Zuo's main force, an endless stream of people from every village and ward came to cry out their grievances and sufferings. The areas along the Official Road had practically been pillaged all over again. Pi Yingju and Shi Kefa both avoided the matter. With no higher official stepping forward to back him up, Yang Erming, that young County Magistrate, was utterly overwhelmed and could barely cope. That afternoon at the county office, Pang Yu witnessed yet another dispute. The Army Provisions Supervisor sent by Zuo Liangyu demanded military rations be supplied for twenty thousand men. Yang Erming would only acknowledge the three thousand three hundred under the formal establishment of the Sichuan Army Regional Commander. The Provisions Supervisor brought in the Henan Army Supervisor Dai Dongwen. After several rounds of argument, they settled on supplying for seven thousand men. But both Pang Yu and Yang Erming knew perfectly well that Zuo's army would simply seize whatever else it needed on its own.

The sole benefit was that Zhang Guowei had arrived in Tongcheng. Zuo's troops all withdrew outside the city walls. Yang Erming kept only Dongzuo Gate open for passage. The city's residents finally dared to come out and move about. The Three Squads Bailiffs took to the streets, and the markets regained a faint semblance of normalcy. This was Tongcheng's first time suffering the scourge of soldiers. Even now at the banquet table, Yang Erming's brow was tightly furrowed; he barely touched his chopsticks, merely raising his cup mechanically along with everyone else.

At official banquets of this sort, the tastes of civil officials and military officers differed. Now seated at the same table, the civil officials found it awkward to engage in poetry recitals or drinking games. At past receptions, after three rounds of wine, the gathering would split into civil and military circles — the civil officials mainly exchanging news of old acquaintances from the same examination cohorts, while the military men simply continued drinking.

But today Zuo Liangyu was the true center of attention. The banquet revolved entirely around him, with everyone taking turns toasting him. Pang Yu was separated from Zuo Liangyu by three people: Xu Strengthening, Henan Regional Military Commissioner Wang Yunfeng, and Vice Regional Commander with brevet rank Cheng Long. Xu Strengthening and Cheng Long were masters at the drinking table, pulling Zuo Liangyu and Wang Yunfeng into endless rounds of drained cups. Zuo Liangyu was quite amiable but spoke little, simply draining his cup the moment wine was offered. Everyone scrupulously avoided any mention of the horse-seizing conflict.

Only Pan Keda at the table was largely silent. Pan Keda was seated below Pang Yu. Originally, as a Mobile Corps Commander with the brevet rank of Assistant Regional Commander, he outranked Pang Yu, who was merely a Mobile Corps Commander. But this year Zhang Guowei had also applied for Pang Yu to receive the brevet rank of Assistant Regional Commander — equivalent to a Mobile Corps Commander enjoying Assistant Regional Commander treatment — and his actual strength was greater than Pan Keda's. So when seating was arranged, he was placed below Pang Yu. For an old campaigner, to now rank lower than a greenhorn like Pang Yu with only two years' service naturally left him in Displeasure. After a perfunctory gesture, he stopped drinking.

Pang Yu paid him no mind. He toasted Zuo Liangyu several times, trying his best to build a good rapport. Zuo Liangyu, for his part, drained his cup crisply each time.

After another round of toasts concluded, Shi Kefa turned to Zuo Liangyu and asked, "Last year, Regional Commander Lu achieved the Chuzhou Great Victory, after which the Bandit Chuang was captured. We thought the Roving Thieves would weaken from there, yet now they have returned with a momentum no less than in previous years. The more Government Troops suppress the bandits, the more bandits there are. I, Shi, am deeply puzzled. Commander Zuo has campaigned against the Roving Thieves for many years — might you have any insight into the overall situation of pacifying the bandits?"

Everyone at the table set down their chopsticks. Although many high-ranking court officials were present, their grasp of the nationwide situation was rather vague. Information on the Roving Bandits mostly came from the Court Gazette. A military officer like Zuo Liangyu, who had campaigned north and south, was the one who truly understood the bandits.

Zuo Liangyu was originally a red-faced, brawny man, and now, having drunk, his face was even more fiercely red. But he differed somewhat from his reputation; he treated people quite courteously and was rather deferential toward Shi Kefa. Setting down his chopsticks, he said, "In reply to Circuit Intendant Shi, though the bandits are more numerous, today's bandits are long since not the bandits of old. Since the bandits first rose, no fewer than a million have followed them. Those who accepted Pacification are one in ten; those captured, two or three in ten; those killed by Government Troops, four or five in ten. Those who remain alive are the Old Bandits. These Old Bandits are vicious, cunning, and treacherous. Whenever they battle the imperial army, if they win, they press their advantage and drive forward; if they lose, they scatter gold and silver on the ground — calling it Road-Purchasing Silver. In truth, many in the army deliberately let the bandits escape. This is one reason the bandits are hard to exterminate."

Everyone present listened intently. In his several engagements with the Roving Bandits, Pang Yu had only ever routed them. Since his troops were basically all infantry, pursuit had never been an issue, so he had never encountered any road-purchasing money. He had heard other Government Troops mention it at Chuzhou. With so many civil officials present, Zuo Liangyu did not shy away from this point, which rather surprised Pang Yu.

Zuo Liangyu paused briefly, then looked at Zhang Guowei and said, "However, the rise and fall of the bandit menace — the crux does not lie in whether the government forces exert themselves or not. In truth, it is because the years are barren and governance is in chaos. The treacherous folk have no means to live, so naturally they flock to follow the bandits, and thus the more we suppress, the more they multiply, spreading unchecked. Circuit Intendant Shi asked about the overall situation of pacifying the bandits. I, Zuo, have suppressed bandits for several years; I dare not speak of the overall situation, only of the bandits' numbers. Today, they are more than ten times what they were in the fifth year of Chongzhen."

At these words, a wave of exclamations rose from the accompanying tables. Several civil officials' expressions grew grave. Shi Kefa lifted his wine cup, took a drink, and said, "If not for the Mianchi South Crossing..."

He stopped mid-sentence, hesitating. Pang Yu had heard Shi Kefa recount this episode before, which inevitably led to cursing the Government Troops. But as it happened, Zuo Liangyu had been suppressing bandits in Henan at the time of the Mianchi South Crossing, so now he could not bring himself to curse.

Seeing this, Zhang Guowei raised his cup and said, "This time, Circuit Intendant Dai, Commander Zuo, and Commissioner Wang have come to aid in the suppression. We Yingtian Troops must unite in purpose with Commander Zuo and all of you. Fear not the bandits even if they are tenfold. The pacification of the bandits begins today."

On the quiet street inside Dongzuo Gate, the clip-clop of horse hooves echoed. Pang Yu glanced to his left. Zuo Liangyu's mount still had bow cases and arrow quivers hanging from both sides of the saddle — whether it was Zuo Liangyu's habit or not, he had come fully armed even to a banquet.

After the banquet ended, everyone parted ways at the restaurant. Pang Yu took the initiative to guide Zuo Liangyu, using the opportunity of escorting him back to camp to draw a bit closer.

"Commander Zuo is a veteran general of many campaigns. I, your subordinate, am new to the ranks. Whether in the use of troops or in knowing the enemy, I fall far short of Commander Zuo. In the days to come, I beg Commander Zuo not to stint in guiding this junior."

Though Zuo Liangyu had been drinking, he remained steady as a mountain in the saddle. Hearing this, he replied, "In the matter of fighting battles, veterans just have a bit more caution. New soldiers always need some sharpness. Advice from someone like me, who has fought for so many years, may not suit you so well. This time, you are the host army, and Lord Zhang is here as well. Best just follow the Lord's orders."

Pang Yu seized on this and quickly continued, "Your Excellency is most honorable. This time, with forces massed in strength, it is precisely the moment to strike the bandits. Regarding the plan discussed this afternoon to lure the bandits out of the mountains, my humble opinion is to leave Qianshan open and draw the bandits toward Anqing. After that, General Zuo can cut off Shijingpu from Tongcheng, while I, your subordinate, move from Shipai to Anqing, trapping the bandits along this stretch of the Official Road."

"These Giant Bandits are not so easily fooled. It's not as if they'll obediently go wherever we want them to. How does General Pang plan to lure them into the trap?"

"Commander Zuo has always campaigned in Henan. Allow your subordinate to explain the local conditions here in Anqing. The year before last, the Roving Thieves plundered along the post roads. There is no Rations and Pay left along the route to sustain them. This year, government troops are blocking them everywhere, so their plunder is limited. As far as the Anqing region goes, only the Prefectural City has sufficient stores of rations, pay, and supplies. This is what the bandits must be after. I, your subordinate, will leave Shipai or Qianshan open, using the Prefectural City as bait to lure them deep into the hinterland. What I just described was the bandits taking the Qianshan route. If the bandits take the Shipai route, then I, your subordinate, can join forces with Commander Zuo and then use Heavy Troops to encircle them along the Wan River line. In this way, we can achieve a great Victory."

Zuo Liangyu listened and pondered for a moment. Pang Yu looked at him expectantly. That afternoon's meeting had mostly been about logistics; no concrete tactics had been agreed upon. Zhang Guowei had only mentioned luring the bandits out of the mountains, without touching on the details of coordination. Now that he had seized the opportunity, Pang Yu naturally hoped to persuade Zuo Liangyu.

"The Roving Thieves come and go like the wind. Can Shijingpu really cut off their retreat?"

"For Commander Zuo's information, Shijingpu is the junction where the post road and the Pedestrian Road converge. From there to the Prefectural City, the Xishan mountain range stretches across to the west, with only small Paths passable. The Roving Thieves are unfamiliar with the terrain and cannot outrun my local troops. To the east, there are many paddy fields and River Ponds. If we cut them off there, the bandits will have no Road to escape. The Forward Scouts of the Roving Thieves are indeed swift, but once their main army leaves the mountains, it becomes a mix of infantry and cavalry, inevitably including large numbers of Servants and Family Dependents. Their movement will then become slow. Those foot soldiers are also heads to be taken. As long as Commander Zuo cuts off Shijingpu, I, your subordinate, guarantee I can hold the Prefectural City and also block the bandits' escape route to the west. I beg Commander Zuo to trust me."

Zuo Liangyu chuckled twice, then turned his head to look at Pang Yu. "General Pang's name — I, Zuo, have long heard of it. At the battle of Pure Stream River, General Pang was heroic and extraordinary. Regional Commander Lu mentioned it many times. He said that even among the Southern Troops, there are crack forces. Regional Commander Lu's words, I, Zuo, also trust. Listening to General Pang speak today, you are indeed one of us who understands warfare."

Pang Yu was taken aback; he had not expected Lu Xiangsheng to give him such high praise. Zuo Liangyu continued, "And precisely because of that, I, Zuo, am willing to speak a few more words with General Pang. What General Pang just proposed is nothing more than luring the bandits into the hinterland. To this officer's Knowledge, Qianshan also has a Pedestrian Road leading to the Prefectural City. Though it cannot compare to the main Road, it is no small Path either. If the bandits take that route, I would need to divide my forces to Qianshan. In the Anqing region, there are thousands of small paths. Although the Roving Thieves are outsiders, General Pang must by no means underestimate them. The Roving Thieves are entrenched in the Yinghuo Mountain range. I dare assert that in Anqing, those who have joined the bandits are not few, and among them, many are familiar with the roads. The news of my arrival in Tongcheng may well have already reached the ears of those Giant Bandits. Trying to lure them via Shijingpu to the Prefectural City under these conditions will likely be difficult to pull off. Instead, you would have to divide your own forces and rush about. One moment of carelessness, and you could be the one ambushed by those Bandit Spawn. When facing these Giant Bandits, whether victory is possible lies with the enemy; ensuring you are not defeated lies with yourself."

"This..." Pang Yu had not expected Zuo Liangyu to have already studied the terrain of Anqing. Just as he was about to continue explaining, Zuo Liangyu waved his hand and said, "General Pang has achieved success young; eagerness for battle is only natural. We are all military men. Let me, Zuo, speak some frank words with General Pang. People like us who lead troops to kill bandits must have our own principles in how we do things. When I was camped at Shucheng, my army had less than five days' rations. Lord Zhu wanted me to enter the mountains; Lord Zhang wanted me to enter Tongcheng. If I had rushed in and been defeated, whose fault would it be? And what if the Bandit Spawn had instead come out at Gushi and gone to Henan? If you listen to the civil officials in everything, if the bandits don't kill you, you'll run yourself to death."

Hearing this, Pang Yu realized Zuo Liangyu might have misunderstood. He thought this plan had been devised by Zhang Guowei, who had then duped Pang Yu into coming to persuade him.

"When the bandits first come, the people flee them. When the bandits leave, the people have no means to live. When the bandits return, the people join them. Today, the Roving Bandits across the realm number no less than a million, and the Refugees no less than ten million. If you can't cut them all down in one breath, Giant Bandits will always emerge again from among them. They cannot be exterminated." Zuo Liangyu had perhaps drunk a bit too much. His gaze swept casually over the shattered shop fronts along the street as he continued speaking to Pang Yu. "But a man has only one life. All the Bandit Spawn under heaven — whether Tartars or Roving Thieves — live by the blade. None of them are easy to deal with. When we military officers fight such Giant Bandits, if we win, the civil officials get promoted first; if we lose, our heads are the first to be chopped off. In deploying troops and fighting wars, you have to listen to yourself. Only when you have troops in hand do you have a say. When fighting these Bandit Spawn, how many heads you take doesn't matter. How you win when you win, how you lose when you lose — there's a proper measure in all of it. In short, you mustn't lose your own head."

Pang Yu listened in complete bewilderment. He had been discussing tactics with the man, and Zuo Liangyu had veered so far off course, and with seemingly little coherence. For a moment, he had no idea how to steer the topic back.

"That Chen Yuwang at the other table earlier — I, Zuo, knew of him back in the Liao Garrison. General Pang is more than capable in marching and fighting, but being from Jiangnan, you're different from the northern border garrisons. In these matters of proper measure, you should consult old campaigners like him more." Zuo Liangyu seemed to be in quite a talkative mood. He sighed and said, "I came out of the Liao Garrison. I've seen plenty of things..."

He stopped there. They had reached Dongzuo Gate. The men of the Zhuang Squad had spotted the lanterns from afar and had long since opened the city gate. Outside the gate, Zuo Liangyu's Household Retainers were also waiting.

Zuo Liangyu straightened up in the saddle, as if the wine had suddenly worn off. He dropped the previous topic, glanced at Pang Yu, and said, "This time coming to Anqing, the original purpose was to pacify the bandits. My troops are here. However the higher-ups plan the strategy, that is how the troops will fight. General Pang, I take my leave."

Pang Yu hastily clasped his fist in salute. Zuo Liangyu had already spurred his horse out the gate. His Household Retainers surged out after him, their formation orderly and precise, quickly fading into the night beyond the city walls, leaving behind only a swaying blur of lantern light.

Pang Yu shut his eyes in frustration. Clearly, Zhang Guowei's military orders held little binding force over Zuo Liangyu, and he himself had failed to persuade him. Rubbing his forehead, he muttered, "So how the hell are we supposed to fight this."