Chapter 475: Straight Hook, Salty Bait

Word came that Puyang in Dong Commandery was under attack by the Red Eyebrows. Under Ma Yuan's command, the deputy generals and colonels, long chafing with pent-up energy, were instantly eager to give it a try. Longyou was fighting a major war, and in Hebei's You and Ji provinces there were at least bandits to suppress — yet the Central Plains alone had been eerily peaceful for a long time. Ma Yuan was in no hurry to advance into Yu Province and Yan Province; he simply drilled the troops in silence and forbade them from rashly provoking the Red Eyebrows.

Troops trained a thousand days are used in a single moment — now that the Red Eyebrows had come knocking of their own accord, surely they could counterattack?

Zheng Tong, General Who Sweeps the Wilds, accordingly requested orders: "Your subordinate is willing to lead five thousand troops to rush to Puyang's aid and will certainly smash the Red Eyebrow bandits."

But Ma Yuan did not see it that way and said: "There is a tradition that in the Yin-Shang era, Lü Shang, once destitute and already advanced in years, used fishing to seek favor with the Western Count of Zhou."

"What the Grand Duke angled for was not fish, but men."

"This Red Eyebrow sortie is the same — the several tens of thousands of troops beneath Puyang are merely bait; it is in truth a stratagem of making a noise in the east while striking in the west."

Bait of tens of thousands of men — only the Red Eyebrows, a roving armed band of such immense numbers, could afford to use it. According to Dong Xian, the Red Eyebrows had continuously swelled during successive mobile campaigns and now had forty ten-thousand-man camps in Yu Province; the force at Puyang was merely the tip of that terrifying iceberg.

"From Chenliu to Puyang, it is all open flatland with no defensible terrain. Once our army moves east to relieve them, if we send too few men, we will easily be struck by the Red Eyebrows."

In the terminology their Emperor used in his military manuals, this was called "besieging a point to strike the relief force." Now that the Red Eyebrows were using this move, old Ma Yuan felt a pointed implication.

"And if we sortie with the entire army…" Ma Yuan, as was his custom, conducted a war game on the map with his colonels. He shifted the Wei army units stationed at Aocang and Chenliu eastward into Dong Commandery, then moved the Red Eyebrow forces in Yingchuan and Huaiyang northward, heavily occupying Chenliu and Xinzheng!

"Then our communications with Luoyang would be severed by the main Red Eyebrow army."

The Red Eyebrows had not fought across the realm all these years for nothing; they were especially adept at destroying the enemy in motion. Ma Yuan had studied the battle cases of Chengchang and Runan — it was always thus.

Zheng Tong worried: "Then what of Puyang's urgent plea for help?"

Ma Yuan, however, was not the least bit concerned. He asked the assembly: "Since the end of the Xin Dynasty, which walled city in the Central Plains has been the hardest to take?"

Some said Chenggao's Hulao Pass, some said Luoyang, and some said the very city they were in, Chenliu.

"None of those."

Ma Yuan shook his head. "All the cities just named have changed hands. Puyang alone, from the Dihuang years at Wang Mang's end until now — five years — has been struck by the Red Eyebrow Chi Zhaoping division, besieged by Chengtou Zilu, and harassed by Greenwood canal chiefs, yet Governor Wang Hong has defended it tenaciously without loss."

It could not be helped — who told Puyang to be built precisely on the southern bank of the great river, outside the protective zone of Wei Commandery? Naturally it was battered in every uprising, but this had also made Puyang build its walls exceedingly high.

"Now that the Red Eyebrows have come again, I suspect taking Puyang will not be so easy either."

Ma Yuan thus portrayed Puyang as an unassailable citadel and laughed. "Wang Hong is timid, to be sure — in the Xin Dynasty he wore a poison pouch at his neck, wanting to preempt suicide if ordered to die. But a thrice-broken arm makes a good physician — can a mere few tens of thousands of Red Eyebrows frighten him? Moreover, Puyang and Wei Commandery are separated only by a river. Let us leave it to Geng Chun in Ji Province to render a little aid. As for our army…"

"It shall remain immovable as a mountain!"

…

Several days later, in Ji Province's "Northern Capital" of Yecheng, Wei Cheng Yin Pi Tong had just received Puyang's third plea for reinforcements when Ma Yuan's reply arrived. He could not help but curse under his breath.

"That Commandant of State Ma — he's treating Puyang like a kickball. He doesn't want to save it, so he kicks it over to Ji Province!"

Ma Yuan had sent one letter to Pi Tong and another to Geng Chun, who was left in charge of Ji Province. He was familiar with both men and laid out his difficulties: the Central Plains were desolate. Even with grain support from the Sili region, using ten thousand veteran troops as a foundation, he had only trained forty thousand new soldiers, and they were dispersed among Luoyang, Chenggao, Aocang, and other places. After all, the Wei army had to provide its soldiers with armor, weapons, and rations, training them full-time for months or even a year — not like the Red Eyebrows, where anyone who smeared their eyebrows could join up.

Ma Yuan believed that the Red Eyebrows, short of grain after winter set in, would certainly launch a massive offensive against Chenliu and Luoyang, targeting the grain stores at Chenliu and Aocang. At present, the Wei army's strength was not sufficiently concentrated, so the main effort was to construct defensive lines and fight a defensive counteroffensive against the Red Eyebrow army. Thus he had no time to attend to Puyang. He hoped that Geng Chun and Wei Cheng Yin Pi Tong would cooperate in good faith and, using the methods Ma Yuan had employed in the past to aid Puyang, simply ensure the city walls were not lost.

The previous three times Puyang had been attacked, aid had indeed been rendered across the river from Wei Commandery. In one of those instances, Ma Yuan had personally led troops in a raid on the Greenwood army's grain depot at Wuchao, and as they retreated, fought a major battle at Guandu, annihilating several thousand of the enemy.

But Pi Tong shook his head. "Had the Red Eyebrows come half a month earlier, Ji Province could indeed have sent tens of thousands of troops to assist Puyang and deal with the Red Eyebrows together. But now…"

He had just learned the bad news: Zhang Feng, Governor of Zhuo Commandery in You Province — who knew what had gotten into him — had actually taken advantage of the You Province Inspector Jing Dan's serious illness to collude with the remnants of the Tongma bandits, proclaim himself "Grand General Without Superior," and rebel!

…

At the end of the tenth month, beneath the walls of Zhuo County in You Province, a great army from You and Ji provinces encircled the city in multiple rings.

After reading Ma Yuan's letter, Wei Left Chancellor Geng Chun cursed: "The Red Eyebrows really know how to pick their moment. They don't come early, they don't come late, but head north just when Hebei is dealing with a rebellion. If the two places weren't so far apart, I'd almost suspect they arranged this!"

He finished and passed the letter to the still-sickly Jing Dan. The You Province Inspector had contracted an illness on campaign the previous year and had never fully recovered, but Jing Dan refused to rest and convalesce properly, throwing himself single-mindedly into consolidating border defenses and suppressing the Tongma remnants in Bohai Commandery.

Completely opposite to Ma Yuan's "every man for himself" style of command — perhaps because he came from a scholarly background — Jing Dan led troops by personally managing every detail, great or small; it could truly be called exhausting mind and body. After more than half a year of bitter fighting, Chengtou Zilu had finally been driven out of Bohai Commandery, leaving this desolate land, tormented repeatedly by the Yellow River and war, to the Wei army. But Jing Dan had also rushed about the front lines, collapsed from exhaustion and illness, and nearly passed away.

Zhang Feng, Governor of Zhuo Commandery, who had performed rather well in suppressing the bandit uprising, seized the opportunity to rebel. He falsely claimed that Diwu Lun had died in Longyou, that Jing Dan was also dead, and that the Geng and Ma consort clans were colluding to murder the regent Imperial Grandfather and usurp the Wu clan's realm…

You Province had not been peaceful over the past year. Diwu Lun's suppression and forced relocation of the Hebei Liu clan had pulled up the radishes, but the holes remained, and indeed many hidden troubles had been created. Zhang Feng's wild fabrications were believed by quite a few people, and Zhuo Commandery fell into chaos. Zhang Feng advanced on Ji City while sending envoys to contact Liaoxi, Liaodong, and Lelang Commandery — which was currently only nominally subordinate to Diwu Lun — inviting them to rebel together.

Jing Dan was enraged by the news and nearly choked on his breath, coughing blood and fainting for several days. For a time, You Province was leaderless. It was largely thanks to Guangyang Commandery Governor Kou Xun that hearts were steadied: "Gentlemen, exert yourselves! Even if His Majesty should meet with misfortune, the Crown Prince is still here — why worry that there is no sovereign?"

Kou Xun was entrusted with command in the crisis and withstood the rebels' first wave of attacks at Ji City, holding out until Gai Yan arrived with the Yuyang shock cavalry to relieve them. According to an edict Diwu Lun had sent in the autumn, since the bandits in You Province had been largely pacified, three thousand shock cavalry were to be transferred south to serve under Ma Yuan's command. Zhang Feng had only dared to rebel because they were heading south.

But no one had expected that Gai Yan would encounter continuous torrential rain in Ji Province and halt at Xindu to regroup, failing to move south in time. Hearing of the rebellion in the north, he swiftly rushed to the rescue.

Geng Chun also promptly dispatched Ji Province troops northward. After a few skirmishes hardly worth mentioning, the rebel army was surrounded in Zhuo County. Jing Dan, having somewhat recovered, insisted on leading the You Province troops to besiege the city's north side.

Now, reading Ma Yuan's letter, Jing Dan saw that Ma Yuan, unaware of the northern situation, was still joking inside, asking whether Jing Dan and Geng Chun had swallowed up the You Province shock cavalry that were supposed to be transferred to him.

"I am General of the Swift Cavalry. Now the Central Provinces have no horses but many fine women — wouldn't that make me 'General of Whoring Rides'?"

Ma Yuan was humorous and fond of jests, but Jing Dan could not laugh. His thin, sallow face was full of shame. "It is all my fault, leaving Wenyuan without shock cavalry to use just when the Red Eyebrows are advancing north in force."

He finished and coughed for a while. At present, Jing Dan relied mainly on the "ginseng" sent from Liaodong to sustain his energy, and he did not know how much longer he could serve as You Province Inspector.

"It was Zhang Feng's treason — you cannot be blamed, Sunqing." Geng Chun comforted his old friend, telling him not to reproach himself too much. No one had imagined this fellow would suddenly rebel. What was he after? Geng Chun felt that once they took the city, they had to get to the bottom of it. Could enemy spies have sown discord? Otherwise, why would he be so foolish?

Geng Chun pointed at Zhuo County, which was stubbornly resisting. "Once Zhuo County falls, the Ji Province troops will immediately turn south to help Wenyuan strike the Red Eyebrows together."

But by the time they reached the banks of the Yellow River, it would probably be next spring. After pondering a moment, Jing Dan made a decision.

"The rebellion in Zhuo Commandery is, for Wei, merely a malady of the armpit, and its momentum is already spent. The Red Eyebrows in the Central Plains, by contrast, threaten the very heart!"

"Speed is the essence of war. We cannot wait for the city to be breached — the You Province shock cavalry must head south immediately, now!"

"They must reach Henei within a month and feed on Henei's beans and grain, so that they will have fighting strength by spring."

The shock cavalry were still nominally under his command, so Jing Dan could decide on his own. He added to Geng Chun: "Boshan, you must also gradually transfer the Ji Province troops south."

"But what of Zhuo County and Lelang…" Geng Chun still could not set his mind at ease. He had heard that someone had indeed answered Zhang Feng's call to rebellion — Lelang Commandery, at the easternmost edge of You Province. You Province would not be at peace for a while yet.

"I am already greatly recovered."

Jing Dan smiled. "Since the rebellion broke out within You Province's jurisdiction, it should be quelled by me, the You Province Inspector. Leave the great war in the south to Boshan and Wenyuan. As for this minor affair, so long as Dan is not lying ill in bed, I am more than equal to it!"

"This turncoat rebel is doomed to fall apart before long. Of all the names he could have chosen, he had to call himself 'Grand General Without Superior.' 'Without Superior' — that means 'without a head'!"

…

Gai Yan, courtesy name Juqing, came from a small frontier county. He was born tall and large, standing eight chi nine cun — equivalent to one meter ninety in later ages — making him something of a "giant." Even his mount had to be the largest available, or it could not bear this brawny man.

As a colleague and close friend of Wu Han, he had raised troops with him the previous year to answer Wei's call. After Wu Han was transferred to Diwu Lun's side, Gai Yan succeeded him as Governor of Yuyang and took command of the Yuyang shock cavalry. This time he was ordered south.

Ji Province was familiar territory they had passed through when crushing Liu Ziyu. When the people of Xindu, Hejian, and the other commanderies heard the Yuyang shock cavalry had come, they shut their gates and closed their doors. The various governors only sent men to supply fodder and provisions outside the cities, refusing to let them enter.

After all, during the last great campaign, the shock cavalry had done no small amount of plundering in Ji Province, and their local reputation was utterly foul.

Gai Yan could tell what mattered. He barked orders at the Yuyang shock cavalry who were staring at other men's womenfolk: "All of you, rein it in. If you want to loot, wait until we're outside Wei territory."

The Yuyang shock cavalry whistled their assent. Though they now belonged to the Wei army, these frontier men, long accustomed to running wild, still saw themselves as mercenaries, fighting for gold ingots and grain stipends — and the pay and provisions the Wei ruler provided were indeed quite generous.

What they did not know was that Diwu Lun had first kept Wu Han at his side, staging a show of "generals not knowing their troops," and now, by transferring the Yuyang shock cavalry away from familiar ground, he was likely about to stage "troops not knowing their generals." Looking across the three armies, apart from young Geng, only Ma Yuan could keep this unruly shock cavalry in line.

Gai Yan had long heard of Ma Yuan's great name. He had been left to hold Yuyang during the last great battle and never got to see him; he had heard that Wu Han had even had a minor falling-out with this Commandant of the State.

But according to the talk in the ranks, Ma Yuan was a stalwart and gallant man, generous and principled. As the chief commander who had built the State of Wei's army, many lieutenant generals and colonels had served under him. Even Geng Chun and Jing Dan held Ma Yuan in considerable admiration, extolling his generalship as something almost supernatural — which only made Gai Yan more curious.

On the march south, he even worried that the Youzhou rebellion had delayed him and caused him to miss the great battle: "Don't let it be that Ma Yuan has already driven back the Red Eyebrows before I even arrive."

Yet when Gai Yan and the Yuyang shock cavalry, travel-worn and dust-covered, hurried to the vicinity of the Wei army's Yecheng in late eleventh month, it was from Grand Governor Pi Tong of Weicheng that they learned the latest news of the great battle on the Central Plains.

"The siege of Puyang hasn't been lifted? They're still trapped?"

"What? Chenliu City is besieged by the Red Eyebrows too?"

"The Red Eyebrows' great host, several hundred thousand strong, has advanced north from Yingchuan and Huaiyang. Commandant Ma has retreated again and again. Apart from Chenliu City, he has abandoned over ten counties east of Xingyang and fallen back to defend only Aocang?"

For now, these were the only rough reports, but they were enough to deeply disappoint Gai Yan, a man who only knew how to advance, never retreat.

"They say Ma Yuan is a descendant of Ma Fufu, Zhao Kuo."

"I didn't believe it before."

"Now I do!"

……

【76】 PS: Second chapter in the middle of the night.