Chapter 522: The Observer

"Grand Commander Zu, someone has arrived from the other side, and they've brought letters from Zerun and Kefa."

In the study of the Liaodong Vanguard General's residence in Jinzhou, Zu Dale spoke in a low voice to Zu Dashou. Zu Dashou, seated in the grand armchair, merely grunted without any other reaction, so Zu Dale had to turn and look at Wu Xiang beside him.

Wu Xiang pondered for a moment, then turned to Zu Dale and asked, "Who has come?"

"The visitor refuses to state clearly, but from his appearance, I believe he is a Han official, likely someone of the same sort as Bao Chengxian or Gao Hongzhong."

"Then have him hand over the letters from Zerun and Kefa first."

Zu Dale acknowledged the order and went out. Only then did Wu Xiang say to Zu Dashou, "Grand Commander Zu, their purpose in coming at this time is truly hard to discern. I feel that I should meet the visitor first and ascertain their intentions. Once Grand Commander Zu has decided on a strategy, it will not be too late to see him."

Zu Dashou opened his eyes, leisurely tapping the armrest as he said, "Coming at a time like this, it's nothing more than buying grain, buying cloth, or else... they've come to sue for peace."

Wu Xiang asked in surprise, "Sue for peace?"

Zu Dashou nodded. "You've read the reports from Dengzhou Garrison. Their spring offensive has been quite fierce, with battles raging everywhere from Hetu Ala all the way to Gaizhou. The Jianzhou Chieftain was badly battered at Caohe Fort. According to Dengzhou Garrison's own account, just over four hundred troops stubbornly repelled the eastern army personally led by Huang Taiji. Zhong Caisheng then subsequently repelled Yoto and launched continuous attacks at Lianshan Pass for several days. There may be some exaggeration in this, but there is no doubt that the Jianzhou Bandits suffered defeat at Lianshan Pass and Caohe Fort."

Wu Xiang mused deeply, "In the Gaizhou area, Dengzhou Garrison holds the advantage. Our naval forces went near Gaizhou, and Dengzhou Garrison's ships are everywhere there. It's said that Dengzhou Garrison has been continuously attacking Gaizhou, causing multiple breaches in the city walls. Furthermore, Dengzhou bird-boats are also at the mouth of the Sancha River. When the wind is favorable, some ships hoist sail and enter the Sancha River, reaching the vicinity of Niuzhuang, which makes our own ships afraid to enter."

Zu Dashou listened while tapping the armrest. The Niuzhuang Wu Xiang mentioned was formerly an important port within the Sancha River channel, serving as the sea transport route to central Liaodong since the Ming era. After the Later Jin occupied central Liaodong, this place became one of the locations for **. With Dengzhou Garrison's ships reaching there, Liaoxi's ** to the Later Jin would be affected.

"That Chief Military Commander Chen is not an insensitive man; his ships won't stay there indefinitely," Zu Dashou said thoughtfully. "In the grand scheme of things, Huang Taiji is currently in a predicament. The gain or loss of Gaizhou is not critical; even if Dengzhou Garrison captures it, they may not necessarily hold it firmly. But the trend of Dengzhou's military power threatening central Liaodong is becoming increasingly clear. The Mongols will no longer heed Jianzhou's commands. After a few more offensives, Huang Taiji will likely be forced to lead his tribe in a retreat northward."

Wu Xiang sighed, "This Chief Military Commander Chen of Dengzhou Garrison is no ordinary man. In just two or three years in southern Liaodong, he's already fought his way to Gaizhou. He doesn't seem to consider how he will get along with the imperial court if he crushes the Later Jin."

Zu Dashou gave a cold chuckle. "That is precisely the crucial point. How he gets along with the court is his affair. Our Liaodong Garrison must also consider how we should get along with the court, and how we should get along with Dengzhou Garrison. The reason Liaodong Garrison can remain unshaken in Ningyuan and Jinzhou is primarily because of the Jianzhou Bandits. The millions in annual Liaodong military taxes are far more than we alone can take; many in the court share in the spoils. Yet this Liaodong tax is not a regular tax, but a surcharge. Once Dengzhou Garrison crushes the Later Jin, there will be no justification for this Liaodong tax. Let alone sharing the spoils, it won't even be collected anymore. Huang Taiji has likely seen this clearly as well, which is why he's sent someone now."

"Then I shall go and meet the person from the other side first."

Zu Dashou straightened up and said in a low voice to Wu Xiang, "When you meet the Later Jin envoy, you must not promise anything. The Later Jin's power is not what it used to be. Even if peace is negotiated, Dengzhou Garrison may not heed the court's orders. We must not entangle ourselves too deeply. It's still the same as before: if Chief Military Commander Chen truly has a day when he recovers Liaodong, we must have some room to explain ourselves."

Wu Xiang understood tacitly and said, "If the Tatars want to negotiate peace, they cannot start with the military garrisons. They must follow the path through the Liaodong Provincial Governor and the Jiliao Grand Coordinator. On the surface, it must all be managed by civil officials. We'll just pull some strings secretly in the capital; Chief Military Commander Chen won't be able to catch anything."

Outside the old city of Xiuyan, a mounted column slowly approached along the mountain road from the direction of Gaizhou. Outwardly, they all appeared to be Dengzhou cavalry in red uniforms, but among them were some men in Mongol attire, their hair braided in many small plaits, unlike the Later Jin's queue.

Riding at the very front was Huang Side, his expression one of considerable self-satisfaction. These Mongols were observers invited through the trading company for this occasion, intended to demonstrate Dengzhou's military might to the various Mongol tribes. Previously, they had all been in the safety of Fuzhou; only after the Dengzhou army began its attack on Gaizhou were they invited to witness the battle there.

The Later Jin had once held considerable prestige in Mongolia, and some of that residual authority remained. These Mongols both wished to see the fighting between the two sides and feared being discovered by the Later Jin, so they had been disguised as Dengzhou cavalry the entire time, only removing their helmets after entering the mountains.

Dengzhou Garrison had already established defensive lines at places like Shimen Fort and Shanghata Post. Each time they reached a Dengzhou position on the mountain road, these Mongols would be blindfolded. Only now, having reached the rear area of Xiuyan, were they permitted to look around freely.

After rounding a bend, the dilapidated city of Xiuyan came into view. Military flags fluttered atop the earthen walls of Xiuyan, but the earthen city remained in its previous state. The Dengzhou army had not reinforced it, merely digging complex trench systems around it. At this moment, large numbers of Dongjiang troops were still laboring there. These men were ordinary military households under Shang Kexi and Mao Chenglu, their unit designation still belonging to Dongjiang Garrison. After the spring offensive began, they received combat subsidies from Dengzhou Garrison. Every able-bodied laborer at the front received one tael of military scrip per month, issued directly to each individual. This scrip could be used to purchase daily necessities at the island general stores and served as hard currency in Dongjiang Garrison. Stimulated by these supplies, these military households burst with labor enthusiasm. Using building materials found within Xiuyan city, they had erected rows of barracks. Xiuyan was transforming into a new fortress.

On the Wuchong River beside Xiuyan, flat-bottomed sand ships could be seen being towed upstream by ropes from time to time. Several simple wooden landing piers had been built along the riverbank, where some military households were unloading cargo, carrying off batch after batch of military rations and armaments.

"Huang, Lord Huang," a voice behind him asked in somewhat nonstandard Chinese.

Huang Side turned his head to look. It was Duonoyi of the Kalaqin tribe. This man had visited the Later Jin court to offer congratulations many times and had also been severely beaten by the Later Jin in the past, so he harbored a fear of them. He had been full of questions the entire journey, constantly worried that Later Jin troops might suddenly appear from somewhere. Huang Side had maintained a gentle demeanor throughout the trip and was now quite familiar with these men.

"Envoy Duonoyi, please speak freely."

Duonoyi looked at Xiuyan and said, "Lord Huang, the Heavenly Army of Dengzhou is indeed extraordinary. But Xiuyan has changed hands many times over these years. Since the Heavenly Army has occupied it, why merely dig some trenches? Why not heighten the walls and face them with brick? That would appear more secure."

Huang Side smiled faintly. "Envoy Duonoyi, your words hold true for ordinary Great Ming government troops, but not for our Dengzhou Garrison. Our Dengzhou Garrison is invincible wherever it goes. The Jianzhou Bandits will never have the chance to re-enter this place. Xiuyan is merely a staging point from which our great army launches attacks against the Jianzhou Bandits, not a place where we engage them in battle."

A man behind Duonoyi craned his neck forward and said, "Lord Huang, does Dengzhou Garrison intend to continue attacking central Liaodong now? As a friend, I should warn you, my lord: the Later Jin's armored soldiers are fierce and skilled in battle. Should they mass a great army to attack Xiuyan, these ditches alone will not stop them."

Huang Side addressed the man, "Angkun Taiji, it was precisely with these ditches that our great Dengzhou army annihilated over ten thousand Later Jin troops at Lushun. Their heads were eventually piled outside several city gates of the capital. The Later Jin's armored soldiers are indeed brave, but our Dengzhou soldiers are braver still. During this very spring offensive, a vanguard force of four hundred and sixty men routed the Jianzhou Chieftain Huang Taiji's five thousand troops at Caohe Fort."

Angkun Taiji and Duonoyi simultaneously exclaimed in astonishment, "Five thousand troops?"

"Indeed," Huang Side said proudly. "Gentlemen, you will be able to see the heads of the Jianzhou Bandits here in Xiuyan. Afterwards, I will take you all to Caohekou to see the battlefield of that day. The corpses abandoned by the Jianzhou Bandits are still there."

The Mongols behind him hissed in sharp intakes of breath. Some of them had participated in the Battle of Lushun and had a deep appreciation for the Dengzhou army's combat power, but now, being amidst it all, the feeling was vastly different. This army was strictly disciplined; every man seemed cast from the same mold. They found it very difficult to distinguish who were the retainers and who were the ordinary soldiers. And according to Huang Side, Dengzhou Garrison had no retainers—all its soldiers were elite troops.

Upon reaching the outskirts of Xiuyan, Mao Chenglu hurried over to greet them. He paid his respects to Huang Side with the ceremony due a subordinate. In terms of official military rank in the imperial court, Huang Side was merely an Advisor Assistant Regional Commander, while Mao Chenglu held the substantive post of Vice Regional Commander of Dongjiang Garrison. But within the Dengzhou system, Huang Side's status far exceeded what Mao Chenglu could compare to.

Huang Side introduced the twenty-odd Mongols to Mao Chenglu. Mao Chenglu dealt with them perfunctorily; he had no good impression of these Mongols. If Huang Side had not brought them, he would have long since raised his blade and hacked at them.

Mao Chenglu asked Huang Side in a low voice, "Lord Huang, I hear that Gaizhou city is on the verge of falling."

Huang Side nodded. "The Jianzhou Bandits' forces are pinned down elsewhere. Our cavalry has penetrated deep into the Yaozhou Fort area, making it difficult for them to transport supplies. Lord Chen is employing the strategy of surrounding three sides and leaving one open; the Jianzhou Bandits will likely withdraw."

"I have an uninvited request. Kong Youde and Li Jiucheng are garrisoned within Gaizhou city. In the past, I shared a bond of life and death with Kong Youde. His surrender to the Jianzhou Bandits was likely not sincere. I wish to write a letter to Kong Youde. If the Tianyou Army can come over to our side, could Lord Chen spare Kong Youde's life?"

After hearing this, Huang Side pulled Mao Chenglu aside and said in a low voice, "You may certainly speak to Lord Chen about this matter. However, under no circumstances should you contact Kong Youde on your own. If Lord Chen agrees, you can hand the letter to the Foreign Affairs Department or the Intelligence Bureau; they will deliver it themselves."

"That is precisely my intention," said the burly Mao Chenglu, now appearing quite shrewd. "I will absolutely not contact Kong Youde privately. As for Li Jiucheng, I never cared to deal with him before anyway. I was only thinking that if Kong Youde could come over to our side at a critical moment, the Jianzhou Bandits would certainly be caught off guard, and perhaps I could render a meritorious service for Lord Chen."

Huang Side patted Mao Chenglu. "Lord Mao, you are most thoughtful. You may first report this matter to Lord Chen. Lord Chen sees clearly across ten thousand li and will naturally make the appropriate arrangements."

Mao Chenglu repeatedly voiced his agreement. The two walked and talked until they reached the western gate of Xiuyan. There stood a Dengzhou Flying Tiger military banner. The open ground was paved with stone slabs, upon which were laid out several hundred boxes, each topped with a set of Dengzhou army regular uniform. To the south of this paved area were two piles of human heads. Nearby, some soldiers stood ramrod straight on guard duty.

Mao Chenglu said respectfully, "Lord Huang, this is the place."

Huang Side solemnly removed his military cap, went to a nearby table to take incense sticks, lit them at the memorial site, and then stood at attention to perform a salute. The Mongols behind him, not understanding what was happening, whispered among themselves.

After completing the ritual, Huang Side turned to them and said, "These several hundred warriors here are the vanguard unit of our Dengzhou Garrison's Main Army Battalion at Caohe Fort. With four hundred and sixty men, they routed the Jianzhou Chieftain, taking over a thousand heads. I have come here specifically to pay my respects to them."

The group of Mongols looked at each other in dismay. They were both somewhat disbelieving and somewhat at a loss. They had come to Dengzhou as guests and should pay respects to these men, but they also still had a suzerain relationship with the Later Jin, and could even be considered enemies of Dengzhou.

Huang Side offered no explanation, simply waiting in the awkward silence. A few Mongols finally felt it wouldn't do and went forward to take incense and pay their respects. Once someone took the lead, the others followed suit.

Huang Side had achieved his objective; he wanted to use this method to make these Mongols declare their stance, even if only superficially. After standing silently for a moment, he turned to Mao Chenglu and asked, "Where is the ash box of Training Officer Zhao Xuan?"

"In the central position up ahead."

"Take me to see my old subordinate." (To be continued.)

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