Chapter 650: Momentum Must Not Be Lost

The winter solstice was a festival second only to the New Year and the year-end La sacrifice. According to traditions handed down from the Han dynasty, it was customary to sacrifice to Taiyi and the Yellow Emperor, praying for longevity for the Emperor and the state. In harmony with the seasonal node, this period emphasized the gentleman resting body and spirit, the hundred officials ceasing all business, and refraining from governance. Thus the court would grant a five-day holiday, and even the frontier garrisons would furl their banners and still their drums, enjoying a rare respite.

During Wang Mang's reign, he was quite devout in his belief in the mutual resonance between Heaven and man, and the five-day short holiday remained. Yet after Diwu Lun took power, he actually canceled this holiday!

"A holiday for the hundred officials and bureaucrats is a luxury only enjoyed in times of peace. Now the realm is still turbulent and unsettled — even I do not have a single night of peaceful sleep. How dare I relax? The hundred officials shall instead receive double pay for these five days; everything else remains as before."

But the winter solstice rites in the palace still had to be held. Wang Long, the Grand Master of Ceremonies in charge of rites and music, arranged the ceremony and then spoke some auspicious words to Diwu Lun.

"Your Majesty, the winter solstice, the 'extreme,' has three meanings: first, the extreme of yin reaching its limit; second, the solar force beginning to arrive; third, the sun's path reaching its southernmost point. Therefore it is called the extreme."

Wang Long explained: "According to the astronomers, this day has the shortest daylight and the longest night, but from this point on, the duration of sunlight begins to grow day by day — just as our dynasty, after a year of war, sees Hexi, Longyou, and all regions gradually settling into peace. This is what is meant by 'when misfortune reaches its limit, good fortune arrives'..."

Diwu Lun, however, did not appreciate the sentiment. Wrapped in his sable furs, he merely said: "After the solstice, sunlight increases day by day? Why do I feel it is getting colder and colder instead?"

He admonished his key ministers with meaningful weight: "The bitter winter is descending upon Bing Province. So long as the northern campaign remains unresolved for even a single day, I absolutely dare not say that winter is passing!"

After hastily completing the winter solstice rites, Diwu Lun immediately and without pause summoned Wan Xiu, Jing Dan, and others to discuss the imminent decisive battle in Bing Province — for given the long communication times between the two regions, it was entirely possible that fighting had already begun.

Lingwu, Hunhuai Fortress, Fuping... Listening to the names of these frontier outposts one after another, a surge of familiarity washed over him. Diwu Lun was twenty-eight this year, having reached middle age, and his mindset was naturally quite different from the boundless ambition of his eighteen-year-old self. He only sighed to Wan Xiu: "Junyou, it has been ten years since we first fought the Xiongnu in New Qinzhong, has it not?"

Wan Xiu assented: "Your Majesty took up northern garrison duty in the sixth year of Tianfeng (AD 19), exactly ten years ago. If we count from the Xiongnu's first incursion, that was the first year of Dihuang (AD 20), nine years ago now."

Wan Xiu could not forget that year — Diwu Lun, Ma Yuan, and he, the three of them, galloped across the frontier, enforcing Heaven's will, executing one after another of the brutal and tyrannical 'royal armies.' Nor could he forget the beacon smoke blooming from the signal towers below Mount Beiyi. After sixty years of peace between north and south, the Xiongnu had once again provoked war.

Time had passed far too quickly. In truth, New Qinzhong was the land where he had first risen to prominence. There, relying on his own efforts and on backstabbing allied forces, he had obtained his first army, grasped a sliver of military authority, and gained Ma Yuan and Wan Xiu as his right-hand men — thus building the core faction that would later oppose the Xin Dynasty.

Yet Diwu Lun felt a certain debt of guilt toward his 'Land of the Dragon's Rise.'

"Ten years ago, when I followed the Xin army in raiding Sanshui, Lu Fang slipped away. The officers and the Governor at the time merely produced two fake Lu Fang heads to report their mission accomplished. Nine years ago, when we fought in New Qinzhong, Wenyuan personally engaged Lu Fang. Though we slaughtered all his subordinates, that wretch still managed to flee into Xiongnu territory, where the Chanyu propped him up as a puppet, a persistent blight upon the frontier."

Lu Fang, as Diwu Lun's very first enemy, had been left unattended for far too long. Diwu Lun had no choice — in his early years he had to plan the grand enterprise of opposing the Xin Dynasty, and after becoming king and then emperor, he was embroiled in civil war with the various regional lords. In the blink of an eye, this petty clown had even managed to style himself 'Son of Heaven of the Great Han,' acknowledged the Chanyu as his father, and constantly schemed to lead invaders south.

Imperial Counselor Jing Dan said: "This was also a matter of necessity. From the very beginning of Your Majesty's reign as Emperor, you set the policy of 'pacify within before repelling without.' The method of conquest began from the center: Your Majesty first destroyed Liu Ziyu in Hebei, then crushed the Red Eyebrow Army, gaining the fertile lands of Ji, Yu, and Yan provinces. From then on, the state's resources became abundant. Thereafter, You Province submitted as an internal vassal, and Qi and Chu collapsed at the mere rumor of your approach. Only Wu and Shu remain unpacified. With the north initially settled, only then could you unhurriedly turn back to deal with the barbarians. This time, with Your Majesty's hands freed, you can finally exterminate Lu Fang completely!"

"It was merely choosing the lesser of two evils," Diwu Lun said. He did not consider his strategy mistaken, but he was not as optimistic as Jing Dan and the others, because the war had once again deviated from his plan.

The original plan was for Geng Bozhao to lead the troops north. While the Xiongnu main force was campaigning in Hexi and Lu Fang had no one shielding him, they would sweep through Shuofang in one breath. The goal was not necessarily to recapture the frontier commanderies of Bing Province, but to destroy that place! They hoped to annihilate Lu Fang's regime, then burn the city walls and farmlands, forcing the local populace to migrate south — because Diwu Lun had done the calculations and realized that before the realm was unified, he simply lacked the capacity to hold the Ordos Loop.

However, things went awry. Lu Fang and the Xiongnu were also playing a game of feint and strike. Their main force was still at the Chanyu's court, precisely waiting for the Wei army to rush to Hexi's aid so they could descend south into New Qinzhong!

And so it came to pass — both sides had the same idea, which led to the situation of both great armies massing in New Qinzhong.

Moreover, in Diwu Lun's original plan, Geng Bozhao was to conscript troops in the sixth month, march in the seventh month, and by the ninth month they would already be watering their horses in Shuofang. But the State of Wei's efficiency was not high. The conscription of troops from Guanzhong and the Three Rivers took an extra half-month, and further delays on the road meant they only arrived in position this month.

The Xiongnu side was much the same. This generation's "Huduershidaogao Ruoti Chanyu" had a very long name and only average ability — no great ruler by any means, merely fortunate to have encountered favorable times. He was probably still hesitating: should the main attack be on Hexi, or Bing Province? The Xiongnu themselves were rife with factions, at one moment wanting to fight, the next moment not, dragging things out until winter set in.

From this perspective, this Xiongnu-Wei war indeed had a certain flavor of two clumsy chickens pecking at each other.

This was obvious. A large-scale war of this kind is fought with the whole. A small northern dynasty, arduously unified, could of course not compare to the peak of the Han under Emperor Wu's glorious reign. And the Xiongnu, who had enjoyed peace for several generations and served as the Han dynasty's watchdog for decades, had also degenerated considerably, unable to immediately reclaim their ancestors' glory after regaining independence.

Diwu Lun could only console himself thus: "Pecking at each other it is. The side that wins earns the right to feast on the other's corpse and continue growing stronger."

Returning the topic to the war itself, Diwu Lun said: "We now have confirmed intelligence that Lu Fang has led tens of thousands of Xiongnu cavalry south and will meet the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry at Mount Beiyi. In Junyou's view, how will this battle unfold?"

Wan Xiu studied the map and pondered for a long time. He was quite familiar with the terrain of New Qinzhong, and said only: "This time the Xiongnu are on the offensive. If I were the general, I would first defend and then counterattack."

Wan Xiu laid out his envisioned plan: The great Xiongnu army would come from afar. After leaving Shuofang, they would struggle to find water and pasture along the way. Upon entering the southern foothills of the Helan Mountains, the local autumn grass would also be largely withered. The Wei army could well employ a scorched-earth strategy, burning all fodder and dwellings along the route — in any case, the Xiongnu had raided repeatedly over these ten years, and the several counties of New Qinzhong north of the Yellow River were already nearly scorched earth. The Wei army could temporarily abandon territory, retreating a full hundred li, all the way to the great river's edge, and then fight the decisive battle.

The great Xiongnu army had originally intended to sustain itself on the spoils of war. This way, their logistics would suddenly lose all support, and provisions for men and fodder for horses would both become enormous problems — enough to exhaust the enemy.

But Diwu Lun shook his head and said: "Good as it is, that is your method of warfare. This battle is commanded by the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry, Geng Bozhao. According to his style..."

Diwu Lun revealed a smile: "There will absolutely be no yielding in the slightest, nor will he allow the Xiongnu any chance to catch their breath. He will immediately advance to meet them. When brave warriors meet on a narrow path, the courageous one wins!"

Ever since the Chanyu Huhanye submitted to Emperor Xuan of Han, the frontier cities of New Qinzhong had closed their gates at dusk, cattle and horses dotted the plains, and for three generations there was no alarm of barking dogs, the common folk spared the toils of war. It was not until the first year of Wang Mang's Dihuang era that the beacon fires were lit once more.

But that Xiongnu incursion was only a small-scale probe. After suffering a severe blow from Diwu Lun, they retreated. Thereafter the Xin Dynasty collapsed, and the Xiongnu came again alongside Lu Fang, at one point seizing several counties in the southern foothills of Mount Beiyi (the Helan Mountains), and even crossing the Yellow River to invade Fuping. It was only thanks to Geng Yan's thousand-li dash to the rescue from Bing Province that the line was barely held.

As the Bing Province cavalry was established and the weakness of Lu Fang's regime became apparent, the State of Wei finally replanted its five-colored banners on the southern foothills of Mount Beiyi.

Lu Fang had always harbored bitter resentment toward that land which had buried several of his brothers. This time, at enormous cost, he had finally persuaded the Chanyu to send forty thousand cavalry south. He was naturally determined to prevail — after all, counting from ten years ago, this was the largest invasion ever mounted!

And when the seventy-thousand-strong allied army of Xiongnu, Hu, and Han forces followed the Yellow River upstream, laboriously traversing the vast Ulan Buh Desert, the forward scouts sent back their report.

"What? Geng Yan did not retreat to defend the Yellow River, but has led his forces to camp north of Lingwu (present-day Shizuishan, Ningxia)?"

Lu Fang was overjoyed at this news. On the journey here, he had worried that the Wei army would, as in the last defense of Fuping, employ scorched-earth tactics to lure them deep. Although New Qinzhong was flat grassland, the Han dynasty had undertaken massive irrigation works there, digging numerous canals, giving it a certain resemblance to the dense river networks of the Jianghuai region — highly unfavorable for cavalry.

But Lingwu County lay at the foot of the Helan Mountains, where the canals were far less dense than south of the Yellow River. Geng Bozhao had also brought mostly infantry from Guanzhong and the Three Rivers this time. To abandon his strengths and play to his weaknesses — this was seeking his own death!

Overjoyed, Lu Fang immediately went to inform the various Xiongnu kings, hoping to quicken the pace and strive to crush the Wei army at Lingwu. That way they could drive straight in, swallow New Qinzhong in one breath, and fight their way back to their homeland!

"Ten years ago, I was forced by Diwu Lun to flee north. Day and night, I have never dared forget the vengeance for my brothers. The humiliation of that day — I shall reclaim it all, this time, in full!"

The Wei army's fifty thousand troops from Guanzhong and the Three Rivers, after a long march, had arrived in New Qinzhong the previous month. Following ten days of rest and reorganization, they had recently shifted their forces north of Lingwu County — a place hemmed in by the towering Mount Beiyi and the waters of the Yellow River, bordered by desert to the north. The terrain across the river at Hunhuai Fortress was even narrower, also unsuitable for large troop movements. But to guard against any contingency and prevent the Xiongnu from breaking straight through, Geng Yan had already dispatched Diwu Lun's old subordinate, the Commandant of the Guards Zang Nu, to lead nearly ten thousand men in its defense.

So in this battle, Geng Yan — exactly as Diwu Lun had predicted — had absolutely no intention of yielding an inch. He simply waited at the desert's edge. The moment the Xiongnu showed their heads, they would have to face him head-on in a direct clash!

But while Geng Yan had confidence, his subordinates did not. The various lieutenant generals and colonels could not help but discuss among themselves: "The ancients said: in ascending and descending mountain slopes, in traversing streams and ravines, the horses of the Central Plains are no match for them; on treacherous, narrow paths, galloping and shooting at once, the riders of the Central Plains are no match for them; in enduring wind, rain, and fatigue, in withstanding hunger and thirst without distress, the men of the Central Plains are no match for them. These are the Xiongnu's strengths. Therefore, one should not engage them on flat, open ground. Even if we must fight, we must, like Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, use light chariots and shock cavalry."

Yet the troops from Guanzhong and the Three Rivers, though not lacking veterans Diwu Lun had conscripted during the northern unification wars, were still predominantly infantry. Their main weapons were powerful crossbows and long halberds. Even with sturdy armor and sharp blades, they could not leverage their advantages here. Why not employ scorched-earth tactics, fall back to the Yellow River, and use the ravines to fight?

They had advised Geng Yan of this, openly and covertly, but Geng Yan had his own theory: "In New Qinzhong, our army and the Xiongnu are both guest armies. Having marched on expedition to this point, we are toiled, weary, wounded, sick, and exhausted, such that the troops' morale is slack. In this, the enemy is the same as us. If at this moment one side retreats, the soldiers, not understanding why, will inevitably suffer a catastrophic collapse in morale! Once the spirit of the three armies is seized, and the general's will is seized, the battle becomes difficult to fight."

Geng Yan told his assembled officers: "I am fond of using flanking maneuvers. However, after the last bitter battle north of the Huai River, I came to understand that a truly great battle must still be met with direct, orthodox force. Therefore, I shall meet the enemy here with upright banners and an imposing formation!"

"In this battle, our army may be outmatched in troop type, outmatched in numbers — all these I, your general, can remedy with the sharpness of our arms and armor, with skill and stratagem. The one thing we absolutely cannot afford to lose is our momentum!"