Chapter 410: The Hebei Campaign

Heading west from Xin Qinzhong along the Yellow River, beyond the peaks and deserts on the opposite bank lies Wuwei Commandery, the easternmost of the four Hexi commanderies. Though they belong separately to the State of Wei and "Western Han," the two, as close neighbors and fellow sufferers facing the Xiongnu together, still maintain frequent contact.

The Governor of Wuwei for Western Han, named Dou You, insisted on sharing intelligence on Xiongnu incursions with Zhang Chun and others in Xin Qinzhong, with messengers traveling back and forth twice a month.

"Is this true?"

At the end of the ninth month, a thousand li west of Fuping County, in Guzang, the commandery seat of Wuwei in Hexi, Dou You was so startled in his governor's residence that he slammed the table and shot to his feet — all because the returning messenger this time reported the "Battle of the Two Canals" that had occurred in Fuping County.

The messenger was equally stirred: "This humble officer witnessed it with his own eyes. The Wei General of Chariots and Cavalry, Geng Boyao, struck them with light cavalry, while the soldiers and civilians of Xin Qinzhong aided from the rear. Over a thousand true barbarians were cut down in formation; the rest all retreated. Their corpses were tied to the Great Wall, one every half-li, to overawe the Hu people. And over ten thousand false barbarians were annihilated by soldiers and civilians between the two canals. Their bodies were cast into the desert and Gobi. Over ten thousand heads were chopped off, and a skull mound was built by the riverbank, to sacrifice to the Wei official Xuan Biao, who was killed by Lu Fang earlier."

"A great victory! This is since the fall of Han... no, it should be the greatest triumph since Chen Tang and Gan Yanshou beheaded Zhizhi Chanyu!"

Dou You was, for a moment, quite elated. He rose and began pacing, his joy stemming from two reasons.

First, the four Hexi commanderies had also suffered Xiongnu incursions. In summer, the Xiongnu Right Division made probing invasions into the territory. After autumn began, the Right Worthy Prince launched a major offensive into Xiutu Marsh in northern Wuwei, and has now completely occupied it. Xiutu Marsh is a great lake formed by the confluence of the Gu River (Shiyang River), the main stream of Wuwei Commandery, and many creeks from the Qilian Mountains. Hundreds of li wide, it juts out abruptly from the Gobi Desert, rich in water and pasture. Henceforth, the Xiongnu Right Division can use this marsh as a base to graze horses and take root, gradually encroaching into the heartland of Wuwei, until they sever Hexi entirely.

Wuwei's own forces were too weak to contend with the powerful Hu. Dou You could only swallow his pain, abandon the periphery, and passively defend each county town, watching helplessly as the Xiongnu flaunted their might.

Now that the arrogant Xiongnu had broken their backs at Fuping, Dou You was naturally immensely gratified.

"Second, in the eyes of the gentry east of the passes, Xin Qinzhong was originally a frontier backwater that could be abandoned. Yet the Wei army fought fiercely to hold it. It seems the letter my elder cousin the Duke of Zhou sent at the beginning of autumn was no empty words!"

In his letter, Dou Rong expounded on the King of Wei's skill in recognizing and employing talent, and the strength of the State of Wei. At the same time, he wrote at great length about Diwu Lun's great righteousness in repelling the barbarians and his determination to resist the Xiongnu to the end, suggesting that Dou You could abandon Han and join Wei.

Dou You had not quite believed it before, thinking only: if King of Wei Lun did not save Xin Qinzhong, it would prove him unworthy of trust, and they need only show a little goodwill and continue to sit back and watch the outcome. But now, the Battle of the Two Canals proved that Diwu Lun was indeed single-mindedly devoted to repelling the barbarians!

Although Guzang City is called a wealthy town, and Wuwei is rich in water and pasture, its registered households and common people number just over seventy thousand. Even drafting one man per household would barely muster ten thousand troops, fundamentally no match for the Xiongnu Right Division's invasion. Add to that the internal unrest among the Qiang and Lesser Yuezhi, and if the Great Chanyu ever freed his hands and applied just a little force, Wuwei would likely be hard to hold.

And the Western Han court that Dou You theoretically served? Even less worth mentioning. The Emperor Liu Ying was nothing but a puppet fool. Wei Ao, who held real power, was indeed very solicitous in the face of Dou You's pleas for help, saying he would personally lead troops to Wuwei to help him resist the Hu.

"I see Wei Ao's offer to help Wuwei resist the barbarians is false; seizing this chance to take power is the truth!"

Dou You was deeply worried. Wei Ao had sent his trusted men to serve as Governor of Liang Province, touring the counties and buying off Dou You's own confidants, planning to gradually strip away the authority of the several Hexi governors who held real power. Longyou cavalry were also massing south of the Wushao Ridge. Had Jincheng Commandery not recently suffered a Qiang rebellion that cut off communications, forcing Wei Ao to busy himself with pacification and making it difficult to send a large army north, Wuwei would have long ceased to bear the Dou surname.

The Dou family, from their great-great-grandfather, to their grandfather's cousin, to their own cousins, had all held office in Hexi. Deeply rooted and widely respected by the gentry and common people, only thus could they stand firm. Dou You knew very well that in chaotic times, once you lose your territory and army, you become meat on the chopping block for others to carve — your clan would be hard to protect.

Moreover, if their Dou family was to pledge allegiance, it must be to the most promising power. With more and more Han emperors popping up, "restoring the Han" had lost its appeal.

"My cousin the Duke of Zhou is a key minister of the King of Wei, and I have long been the target of the Wei clan's suspicion. It is time to make a choice!"

"Judging from the Battle of the Two Canals, the one who can save Wuwei from the Hu barbarians in the future is none other than the King of Wei!"

Of course, he was not so foolish as to change banners directly. That would invite the full-force attack of the Longyou cavalry, and his demise would be a matter of days. But he needed to let the King of Wei see his utter sincerity.

Thinking of this, Dou You had someone summon his eldest son, just ten years old. This child was called Dou Gu. Young as he was, he loved reading military texts. At first glance, his features bore some resemblance to Dou Rong, and his temperament had something of his uncle's honest and generous manner...

Dou You entrusted a vital mission into the hands of his young son.

"Gu'er, you must go on a long journey."

"Travel east with the messenger. Go on your father's behalf to the State of Wei, pay respects to your uncle, and have an audience with the King of Wei. To preserve Wuwei and resist the Hu barbarians with all his might, Dou You cannot come in person to declare himself a subject. He can only kowtow and beg forgiveness, sending his beloved son first to enter service as a court attendant!"

Young Dou Gu still had to cross the Gobi Desert and would likely not reach Guanzhong until winter. Meanwhile, news of the great victory at Fuping was also spreading eastward, delivered to Taiyuan Commandery in Bing Province.

General of the Front Jing Dan, ever since capturing Shangdang and Taiyuan, had been stationed there with his troops, occupying the strategic passes along the border to prevent a repeat of the early Han scenario, when the Xiongnu bypassed Yanmen and fought all the way to the walls of Jinyang City.

But the Wei army, having received Diwu Lun's edict, did not advance a single step beyond this natural boundary. They could only watch helplessly as Yanmen and Dai Commanderies beyond the frontier fell to or surrendered to the Hu and Han.

"We lack the troops. The northern border stretches for thousands of li. East or west, we can only focus on one front."

Jing Dan tapped the military report and said to Guo Ji, the Inspector of Bing Province: "But the great victory at Fuping is truly a morale boost. The Hu-Han false barbarians were completely annihilated, and the true barbarians also suffered no small loss. Henceforth, Xin Qinzhong can enjoy a bit more peace. Most importantly, we captured two to three thousand military horses, which somewhat replenishes our losses."

Guo Ji's post under the Xin Dynasty had been "Governor of Bing Province," but Diwu Lun abolished the position of Province Governor, changing it to Provincial Inspector, stripping away the authority to mobilize troops and launch campaigns, though the rank and salary remained at two thousand dan. This essentially sidelined Guo Ji, who had surrendered only in the summer.

But Guo Ji bore no resentment. He had been willing to surrender in the first place because he was moved by the King of Wei's great righteousness in repelling the barbarians. Now, the first battle had ended in victory, and the youth from Meiji, whom he had once dealt with, had also rendered great merit, which gave him considerable comfort.

And when Guo Ji heard that the one defeated by young Geng in Xin Qinzhong was the Left Guli King, Udadi Hou, an idea formed in his mind. He said to Jing Dan: "Does the General of the Front know of the enmity between the Xiongnu's Left and Right Guli Kings?"

Jing Dan, having also served in Shanggu Commandery and possessing some understanding of the Xiongnu, nodded and said: "I've heard of it. The Right Guli King, Zhiyashi, is the son of Wang Qiang and Huhanye, the Chanyu's seventh younger brother. And this Left Guli King is the Chanyu's eldest son."

Guo Ji said: "Indeed. According to old Xiongnu custom, Zhiyashi should have been made Left Worthy Prince and eventually inherited the Chanyu's throne. But the Chanyu has long delayed granting him that title. I suspect he wants his own son to succeed him."

"But now that the Left Guli King has suffered a defeat, the Chanyu cannot legitimately elevate him to Crown Prince. In the Xiongnu's struggles for succession, fathers are never kind, sons never filial, elder brothers never respectful, younger brothers never humble. Sooner or later, the Right Guli King Zhiyashi will become estranged from the Chanyu and his son. His full sister by the same mother entered the court during Wang Mang's time and remains in Chang'an to this day. Why not have her write a letter, and send a brave man to deliver it to the Right Guli King's court, explaining the stakes?"

Jing Dan understood: "Sir Guo wishes to see a repeat of the split sixty years ago, when five Chanyus contended for the throne?"

He couldn't help but look at Guo Ji and smile: "A venerable elder of honesty and generosity, resorting to stratagems of sowing discord?"

Guo Ji, however, saw nothing embarrassing about it: "The Central Plains are exhausted. The Xiongnu cannot be subdued by force alone; we must use stratagems. Since the Chanyu can support Lu Fang, the King of Wei can also support Zhiyashi in setting himself up. It is merely using their own methods against them."

Whether this plan could succeed was still uncertain. Not to mention how to deliver the message to the Right Guli King's court, located in the Western Regions near the Wusun state — Zhiyashi, though the son of Wang Zhaojun and able to read Han script, with an inclination toward peace and kinship, was still a Xiongnu man, his loyalties seated with the Hu side.

Jing Dan, however, felt it was well worth a try: "This autumn, we managed to hold off the barbarian defense, but the Battle of Fuping relied on Xiongnu arrogance and the unique terrain of the two canals — it will be hard to replicate. Yet we cannot station a great army at the border every single year. For now, the great king still wants to take Hebei first."

"Since we are passively defending in the matter of armed conflict, then in the matters of diplomatic and strategic warfare, we need to be more proactive! However..."

Jing Dan said: "At present, the most urgent matter in Taiyuan is still to carry out the great king's order: descend eastward through Jingxing Pass and join the great battle in Hebei!"

It was not until the beginning of the tenth month that the victory report of the Battle of the Two Canals crossed the Taihang Mountains and reached Diwu Lun, whose mobile court was stationed at Yecheng.

"What a man, that Geng Boyao!"

But at the end, he added: "If I were handling it, those Hu-Han false barbarians would have had other, more ingenious uses."

For instance, keeping a few hundred, gouging out their eyes, and sending them back one leading another, to create greater terror. But Geng Yan always did things cleanly and efficiently, killing with a swift stroke of the blade — he would never go to such trouble.

Diwu Lun was not merely pleased by Geng Yan's great victory, but happy that this young man had, at last, exercised restraint. He had not taken three thousand exhausted cavalry to pursue eight thousand Xiongnu riders. Although the recovery of the several counties Xin Qinzhong had lost still seemed a distant prospect, at the very least, they had dealt the Xiongnu a painful blow and severely mauled the Hu-Han forces, preserving the balance of power on the northern border.

Only thus could Diwu Lun free his hands to continue advancing the progress of the unification war.

Over the past half-year and more, the situation in Hebei had been quite complex, but since autumn began, it had gradually clarified: Liu Ziyu, using his status as Emperor and the hundreds of thousands of Copperhorse roving bandits he claimed to command, had swept across the entire Ji Province.

As soon as Diwu Lun arrived at Yecheng, his in-law Geng Chun briefed him on the situation.

"In summer, Liu Ziyu and the Copperhorse, taking advantage of the internecine strife between the King of Zhending and the King of Zhao, advanced westward, took Hecheng, and burned Songzi..."

What they burned were mainly the residences and fortified manors of the Geng Chun family. Liu Ziyu truly loathed him; fortunately, Geng Chun had evacuated his family early.

"The King of Zhending fought the Copperhorse at Gao City and was defeated. He could only retreat with a few thousand men to defend Yuanshi City in Changshan Commandery. His family and kinsmen were all lost. The Copperhorse then seized Zhending Commandery."

The King of Zhending, Liu Yang, had powerful armed retainers and troops of no small quality. From the look of it, the Copperhorse's combat strength was not to be underestimated.

Geng Chun, after all, was Liu Yang's own nephew. Though he had tricked his uncle several times, he still wished to give him a chance at survival now: "Great King, Liu Yang is at his wit's end. He must either surrender to the Copperhorse or submit to Wei. Perhaps we could send someone to persuade him to surrender Changshan Commandery and open Jingxing Pass, so that General of the Front Jing Sunqing can advance eastward at his leisure."

"He bears the surname Liu; he is a feudal lord of the Han. Would he surrender to me, a 'foe of the state' of a different surname?" Diwu Lun had also heard what the various Lius were calling him these days. But these men truly brought shame upon Liu Bang — even now, they were still locked in endless internecine strife.

Geng Chun laughed. "Earlier, Liu Yang still thought the tumor he'd grown was a strange mark of destiny, proof he could become Son of Heaven — that dream should be well and truly sober by now. After the Tongma defeated him, he sent men to ask me: if he now submits to the King of Wei, can he have a single commandery as his kingdom, to carry on the Liu clan's ancestral line?"

Diwu Lun was amused. How many dishes had the man downed to get this drunk? He asked Geng Chun, "And what does Boshan think of Liu Yang's terms?"

Geng Chun shook his head. "Still not sober enough. I sent a man back with a thorough scolding, laying out the situation clearly. Liu Yang then changed his tune — he's willing to settle for a marquisate of ten thousand households."

"Our realm has yet to see a single Marquis of Ten Thousand Households. Even Wenyuan and Boshan hold no more than five thousand. Liu Yang certainly dares to dream big." Diwu Lun's smile was deeply sardonic. He clapped Geng Chun on the shoulder. "Still, once Hebei is settled, the Tongma crushed, and all of You and Ji provinces are in hand — then a Marquis of Ten Thousand Households may well exist!"

This was still a refusal. Diwu Lun laid out his bottom line:

"Boshan, send word to Liu Yang. If he truly surrenders, in recognition of his merit in delivering Changshan Commandery, I can enfeoff him as a Marquis of a Thousand Households — a lifetime of wealth, rank, and peace. Whether it ends up one thousand, two thousand, or three thousand will depend on how swiftly he surrenders, and on how well he persuades the various Liu clans elsewhere to submit to me."

Diwu Lun did indeed need a Liu representative to serve as the horse's skull. He meant to destroy the Han pretenders, not to exterminate the entire Liu clan, nor did he believe every Liu could resist to the death for a Han restoration — if there truly were that many filial sons and worthy grandsons, Wang Mang could never have succeeded in the first place.

Geng Chun acknowledged the order, but his face showed hesitation. Liu Yang was proud and arrogant; he would hardly be pleased. In Geng Chun's own view, it would be better to promise more generous terms, trick Liu Yang into surrendering, and then whittle him down gradually — after all, this wasn't the first time he'd deceived his own maternal uncle.

"It doesn't matter." Diwu Lun would rather fight an extra battle. "Let Jing Dan break through Jingxing Pass first — then Liu Yang will have no choice but to agree!"

As for Diwu Lun himself, he had major affairs to attend to in Zhao and Wei. The army was fully assembled, the autumn grain already loaded onto supply wagons. They departed Yecheng and slowly advanced north.

"I recall, years ago, when I went to inspect the Wuan iron mines and oversee the land distribution. I climbed a hill and gazed east longingly. Do you know what I saw?"

"Your Majesty must have seen the outskirts of Handan."

Exactly. At the time, Diwu Lun had sighed with feeling: the Zhao Lius — they were the greatest landlords in all of Hebei!

"After all these years, the time to act has finally come. In this Hebei campaign, the first battle will be to take Handan!"