Chapter 107: Beacon Fires

In the end, Dou Rong never made it to the four Hexi commanderies he had longed for.

Instead, following orders, he accompanied the General of Renewal Lian Dan and the Grand Preceptor Wang Kuang to the Gousou Commandery (Shuofang Commandery), directly facing the Xiongnu royal court.

Though Dou Rong had no desire to march beyond the frontier and fight this utterly pointless war, in early September the General of Renewal led them barely forty li past Jilu Fortress, then turned back without even glimpsing a Xiongnu rider — that truly was going a bit too far.

After returning to Jilu Fortress, Dou Rong grew increasingly uneasy. He thought it over for a long time, then requested an audience with the General of Renewal, Lian Dan.

"General, His Majesty's edict commands that of the four armies, the first to arrive shall garrison the border commanderies; all must be assembled before advancing together, striking straight for the contested ground, with the sole aim of crushing the Xiongnu right wing's main force."

Dou Rong obliquely brought up the Former Han's Emperor Xuan's campaign, when five generals marched beyond the frontier — the Emperor and Grand General Huo Guang demanded they "advance two thousand li beyond the frontier."

Among them, the Qilian General Tian Guangming advanced over sixteen hundred li beyond the frontier, killed or captured nineteen Xiongnu, and seized over a hundred cattle, horses, and sheep — yet turned back despite knowing full well the Xiongnu main force lay west of Jizhi Mountain.

Another force, the "Tiger Fang General," advanced over eight hundred li beyond the frontier, reached the banks of the Danyuwu River, halted his army, and refused to go further, bringing back captured cattle and horses — and also slaughtering over a thousand border folk to inflate his battle report.

In the end, both men were imprisoned and driven to suicide for failing to carry out their military orders.

Now Lian Dan had marched forty li beyond the frontier and scurried straight back — that was truly outrageous. Dou Rong privately wondered: could it be that the General of Renewal, after suffering devastating losses from reckless advances during the southern Juding campaign, had grown this cautious?

Lian Dan heard him out, shook his head, and said, "Duke of Zhou, Duke of Zhou — have you not seen the reports? A large force from the Chanyu's royal court has moved south, appearing north of Gousou, poised to invade the frontier. And the right wing's main force does not seem to be at the contested ground either. As the art of war says, when a general is in the field, there are cities he need not attack, ground he need not contest, and sovereign commands he need not obey."

"The main army has been camped on the border for nearly half a year — the Xiongnu have long been on guard. The moment the army marches west, the Chanyu's court will surely strike Gousou. How can we cling rigidly to the old plan?"

Dou Rong acknowledged the order. He was only a minor colonel; whether the Chanyu's main force truly lay in the Yinshan and Ordos loop north of Gousou was impossible to know. All he understood was that Lian Dan was absolutely determined never to march beyond the frontier.

"Duke of Zhou Dou still does not understand."

After Dou Rong had left, Lian Dan murmured darkly, "This expedition beyond the frontier was His Majesty's own obstinate whim from the start. Among the army's commanders, apart from Han Wei, no one actually wants to fight."

Lian Dan had assumed he would be severely punished after his two failed Juding campaigns, but after barely a few days in prison, the Emperor pardoned him, let him keep his noble rank and general's title, and dispatched him to the north.

By all logic, Lian Dan should have been striving to prove himself like Han Wei, winning battlefield merit to atone for his crimes — yet the General of Renewal could not muster the slightest fighting spirit.

Partly, he had been so badly battered at Juding that he had turned timid; on the other hand, deep in his heart, Lian Dan fully agreed with the views of the former Grand Marshal Yan You.

"Yan Erudite once said: The First Emperor of Qin could not endure a minor humiliation and recklessly spent the people's strength, sending hundreds of thousands of convict laborers to build the Great Wall's fortifications, stretching ten thousand li, with supply columns for grain and fodder setting out from the coast and reaching all the way to the northern frontier. The borders appeared secure, but it drained the heartland dry. The Qin dynasty lost the altars of state within two generations — that was a futile strategy against the barbarians, and not one to emulate."

Yet their Emperor, Wang Mang, had spent the past decade stubbornly pursuing precisely this approach. Over two hundred thousand men had been tied down on the border, bleeding the frontier commanderies dry.

"Emperor Wu of Han, by contrast, selected generals and trained troops, using his elite Tiger Guard and light cavalry to strike deep into the Xiongnu heartland. Relying on the talents of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, though they achieved victories, the Xiongnu would retaliate almost immediately, raiding and ravaging the frontier. This led to over forty years of unbroken warfare between north and south, exhausting the heartland and weakening the Xiongnu alike — a method that wounds both sides, and a poor strategy."

Though Yan You dismissed it as a poor strategy, it was also the most workable one. Yan You himself had even volunteered, hoping to lead troops deep in a lightning strike to swiftly crush the Xiongnu, so the court would not be mired in a quagmire of war.

Back then, Wang Mang had rejected this plan. He wanted to use the massed army's deterrent power and divide-and-rule tactics to splinter the Xiongnu, rather than risk a deep thrust. A decade passed with nothing to show for it, so now he was dusting off Yan You's old plan, sending Han Wei and the other three armies beyond the frontier — exactly like a gambler who, his patience exhausted, stakes everything on one desperate throw.

"The Xiongnu are the heartland's stalwart foe. The Xin armies could not even subdue tiny Juding after years of effort and came away empty-handed — how much less this great nation of a hundred barbarian tribes. Even if we truly seized the contested ground, what then? It would just be an endless, grinding stalemate along the border."

"Rather than deep pursuit, it is far better to do as King Xuan of Zhou did when the Xianyun invaded: dispatch a general to strike them, then halt at the border and return. These barbarian incursions are like mosquitoes and gadflies stinging a man — a swat of the hand to drive them off is enough. There is no need to go to great lengths chasing them down. That is why Yan Erudite considered this the middle strategy."

So the futile strategy, the poor strategy, and the middle strategy were all accounted for — but was there a superior strategy?

There was indeed. In Lian Dan's view, it was to follow the example of the Former Han under Emperors Wen, Jing, and Yuan: make peace and kinship ties with the Xiongnu, bribe them heavily with grain, cloth, and silk, and at a tenth of the military expenditure, secure peace on the borders. That was the superior strategy of a seasoned statesman safeguarding the realm!

And so, after discussing it with the campaign's commander-in-chief, Grand Preceptor Wang Kuang, Lian Dan decided to play a grand game.

Wasn't the Xiongnu-Swallowing General Han Wei always clamoring to rampage through the Xiongnu lands? Let him go! The other forces, by tacit understanding, would hold back their full strength and sit idle, watching Han Wei plunge deep alone.

Tricking the one and only war hawk in the entire army into throwing his life away — that was the fastest way to end this war!

"Though His Majesty rose from humble origins, he has never governed a commandery or county, nor ever led troops into battle. These ten years he has remained deep within the palace, always taking matters beyond its walls for granted. Men like Han Wei and Chen Chong habitually underestimate the Xiongnu, speaking of war as if it were effortless, as though His Majesty need only lift a finger and the Xiongnu would be annihilated. This has led His Majesty to believe the Xin armies are invincible under heaven, and to make harsh demands of us frontline officers."

So what was needed was a defeat — ideally, a catastrophic one — to make Emperor Wang Mang finally wake up!

Using such a method to sober the Emperor, to make him understand that destroying the Xiongnu could not be accomplished overnight, and then to agree to peace and kinship ties, enduring temporary humiliation. Turning the state's energies inward, concentrating troops to exterminate the bandits in Qing, Xu, Jing, and Yang — that was the sound strategy to preserve the Xin.

Therefore, in Lian Dan's view, sacrificing a mere Han Wei and a few thousand lives in exchange for the Xin dynasty's eternal foundation — it was worth it!

And so, a few days later, when riders from Han Wei's command, fighting desperately to escape Xiongnu pursuit, came to Jilu Fortress begging for reinforcements, Lian Dan turned a deaf ear. Citing the Chanyu's main army nearby, he flatly refused to send support!

Lian Dan's aide, the Retainer Feng Yan — who had once met Diwu Lun — remonstrated: "General, if it truly is as Dou Rong says, and His Majesty later assigns blame, what then?"

The General of Renewal had long since thought this through. He laughed and said, "If Han Wei is fortunate enough to survive, then he returns having lost his army. The three of us generals will firmly insist that Han Wei, heedless of the changing situation and the Grand Preceptor's orders, marched out on his own, greedy for glory and reckless in advance, and ultimately brought disgrace upon himself. He will, at the very least, follow the examples of Li Guang and Gongsun He of the Former Han — thrown into prison to await death."

"And what if Han Wei dies in battle?" Feng Yan pointed out the other possibility. In that case, Han Wei would become a martyr for the nation — and Lian Dan might find himself in a rather awkward position.

Lian Dan dismissed the concern: "In the Former Han, Li Ling was surrounded by the Xiongnu, fought to exhaustion, and surrendered — yet some falsely reported him dead, and Emperor Wu of Han held funeral rites for him."

"Now we can simply do the reverse. Even if Han Wei dies, if the army says he surrendered to the Xiongnu, by the time word reaches Chang'an, it will be accepted as established fact. North and south are separated by tens of thousands of li, and with envoys cut off, who can say for certain, within a year or so, whether Han Wei is dead or alive?"

Truly worthy of the General of Renewal who, during the Juding campaign, unable to penetrate the deep mountain forests, simply turned around and lopped off the heads of barbarians from neighboring commanderies to pad his numbers, plunging the entire Nanzhong region into chaos. His way of thinking was, to say the least, unconventional.

Feng Yan was left speechless. He merely reminded him: "General, regardless of Han Wei's fate, the new Qin heartland is extremely vulnerable. If the barbarians, emboldened by victory, invade east of the Beiyi Mountains, the situation could turn dire. You must still dispatch a colonel south to assist in the defense."

Lian Dan readily accepted this sound advice — and a certain person came to mind.

"Isn't Dou Rong known for his strict military discipline? Send him south!"

In early October of the first year of Dihuang (AD 20), at Diwu Lun's invitation, Ma Yuan arrived at the watchtower fortifications by the Yellow River.

Diwu Lun and Wan Xiu had long been waiting there. In a bronze pot Diwu Lun had specially commissioned, thin slices of mutton simmered. He simply called out to Ma Yuan, "Wenyuan, come quickly — the wine is already warmed."

Diwu Lun had also pounded the sesame seeds gifted by the Zhang Chun family into a paste to make a dipping sauce. Blanched mutton, dipped in sesame paste and placed in the mouth, was indeed a fine thing for putting on winter fat.

Ma Yuan took his seat, drank, picked up his chopsticks, and after a few bites asked, "Boyu, you've asked me to bring my men back to the White Earth Ridge — has that Lu Fang come out to stir up trouble again?"

Ever since Liangqiu Ci had "beheaded" the bandit chief Maqu, Ma Yuan had been forced to play the part of the Ma bandit remnants, but in secret he had been trading with Diwu Lun all along. He had his men bring out the hides and pelts from their mountain hunts, and in return Diwu Lun shared grain with him. The processed furs and hides became another business for the Fifth Battalion besides salt-selling, resold to local strongmen in exchange for more grain.

With Zhang Chun making the arrangements, the powerful families were happy to accept such transactions — treating it as paying protection fees.

With the various powers in equilibrium, Tewu County enjoyed two months of peace. The only destabilizing factor was Lu Fang's remnant force, roaming the southern wilds.

Diwu Lun said, "Lu Fang tried to raid Tewu, but after Junyou led the beacon garrison and repelled him several times, he's settled down considerably — he's just been plundering neighboring counties instead."

"The reason I've asked Wenyuan to come north today is something else entirely."

Gazing at the northern bank across the river, Diwu Lun said, "The Xiongnu-Swallowing General has been beyond the frontier for nearly a month now. By all reason, once his grain ran out he should have returned — yet there is still no word at all."

Ma Yuan frowned. "Is Boyu worried that Han Wei's army may have been annihilated beyond the frontier?"

Diwu Lun nodded. Han Wei's hunger for glory was precisely why he himself had resorted to playing up his misery to avoid marching beyond the frontier. The Fifth Battalion had only just begun to show some promise — it could not be thrown away senselessly in a war that had been started in such a muddled fashion.

Now, with Han Wei long overdue, Diwu Lun had a foreboding feeling. Though the Yellow River's natural barrier meant the barbarians could not cross without bringing enough sheepskin rafts, caution was still necessary.

So he had suspended the salt-boiling and other side tasks, concentrated the Fifth Battalion's over thirteen hundred men south of the county seat, and also asked Ma Yuan to draw closer to the plains, so they could support each other like horns and be ready for any contingency.

Ma Yuan sighed whenever Han Wei was mentioned. "Though I admire his ambition, Han Wei's temperament is much like his grandfather Han Yanshou's. Men like that do not live long in times like these."

He pointed at Diwu Lun and laughed. "You still have to be like Boyu to live a long life."

Diwu Lun gave a wry smile. "Wenyuan, is that praise or a jab at me?"

"Praise," Ma Yuan said. "Not only can you keep yourself safe, you can also do what little you can for the common people — you're already a clear stream in muddy waters. Ever since we got rid of Ru Chen and Dong Xi, and you've had the final say on the defense of Tewu, this place has truly enjoyed a rare peace."

"With beacon sentries standing guard, the people don't have to worry about soldiers or bandits appearing. With your strict military orders, they don't have to worry about troops seizing their goods by force."

"I haven't done enough," Diwu Lun said modestly.

"The reason we have this situation today is thanks to the Zhang clan's willingness to cooperate. But in reality, the officials in Tewu County are still corrupt, most of the powerful local families remain rich but heartless, and the common people's lives are as bitter as before. It seems I've changed Tewu, but in truth, everything is the same as it was."

"Boyu is being too modest. Look around — from Guanzhong to the frontier, where isn't it like this?" Wan Xiu cut in. "Months ago, when we were marching south on Zuo Valley, didn't you say to me that this realm is sick?"

"Exactly. Sick beyond cure."

Over the years, Ma Yuan had either wandered among the common folk or served as an official, and he had seen many strange and ugly things. "The high ministers at court are muddled and dim-witted — orders change overnight, and the coinage alone has been swapped so many times that merchants and peddlers, men and women alike, have no way to live. The generals are timid as hens, expert at abusing the people but gutless against the enemy — campaign after campaign against the four barbarian tribes ends in defeat. The petty clerks and minor officials are greedy and base, forced into corruption because their salaries never reach their hands. And the powerful families everywhere, a mix of good and bad, only add fuel to the fire. The people suffer seven kinds of death and seven kinds of ruin — far worse than under the Former Han."

After drinking, Wan Xiu slammed the table. "That's why we must be the blade that cuts out the poison sores — enforce the Dao on Heaven's behalf, and cut away every bit we see!"

"You can't cut them all away. There are too many tumors," Ma Yuan sighed, feeling that the age was beyond saving.

Diwu Lun, however, said quietly, "But what if one could find the root of the disease, and one day, drive the blade straight into it?"

Ma Yuan's phoenix eyes glanced toward Diwu Lun. "Oh? Where is the root of the disease?"

"Here."

Diwu Lun pointed to his heart, then to his head. "And here."

"Boyu, do you mean… change the head?"

Ma Yuan felt only pessimism and cursed, "It's not like that hasn't been tried? And it turned out worse than before."

Indeed — hadn't the Xin dynasty replacing the Han been exactly that, changing the realm's head? Yet changing only the head was useless!

Wan Xiu saw that Diwu Lun seemed about to speak but then held back, so he pressed him. "Boyu, tell us — what should be done?"

"If you ask me…"

Diwu Lun was about to answer, but he stopped himself, merely raising his hand and pointing toward the western bank of the Yellow River beneath the night sky. "Look!"

Ma Yuan and Wan Xiu turned their heads. Over a hundred li away, beneath the Helan Mountains, specks of flame were blooming. The firelight traveled far through the night, like a relay — one after another, the blossoms of fire burst forth in succession, growing larger and larger, closer and closer, all the way to Shanghe Fortress by the Yellow River, reflected in the eyes of Diwu Lun and his two companions.

Ever since Chanyu Huhanye submitted to Emperor Xuan of Han, the frontier cities of New Qinzhong had closed their gates at dusk, cattle and horses had spread across the fields, and for three generations there had been no alarm of barking dogs, the common people spared from the toils of war.

Now, after more than sixty years, the beacon fires were lit once again!

This meant only one thing.

"War has come!"

…

PS: Chapter 3 at 18:00.