Chapter 687: Hanzhong Prefect Jiang Yingchang

Liu Chengzong loved expanding his territory.

His hunger for land even surpassed that of the Chongzhen Emperor, Hong Taiji, Ligdan Khan, or any other ruler of this era.

Because he knew with absolute clarity that the age he lived in was catching the very last train of unchecked territorial expansion.

This was also why, in the early days, he would stake his entire fortune and life on a fight for the pettiest of gains.

But as the territory he swallowed grew larger and larger, he came to understand more and more the crux of this skill: though every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, simply expanding territory did not automatically yield profit.

How much land he could take depended on how well he could fight, but whether that land could generate sufficient returns actually depended on demand.

This demand came from both within and without.

For instance, in the Hehuang region of Qinghai, the demand came from within his own Lion Camp; they needed a piece of land to rest and recuperate.

Thus, in the short span of just two or three years after taking Hehuang, the entire intellect of the Marshal's Manor converged as one, defeating all rivals with extreme efficiency and spurring Hehuang's explosive development.

The Tianshan Oirat, on the other hand, was built on mutual demand, but by then internal demand was already very slight — only Zhou Qiang's personal will to expand the frontier remained.

It was basically the Oirat exerting effort unilaterally, sending batch after batch of cattle, sheep, fine horses, and high-quality furs to Qinghai in exchange for the most advanced firearms of the era.

This, to some extent, fed back into the Marshal's Manor's manufacturing industry in Xining Prefecture.

The Oirat nobles, led by Baatur Khong Tayiji, driven by their immense thirst for advanced firearms, organized enormous camel caravans to cross barren wastes and complete colossal trade deals time and again.

Human will can conquer nature's chasms.

As for the choice between Hanzhong and Huguang, it was not that Liu Chengzong chose Hanzhong; in truth, most of the Marshal's Manor's generals favored the Huguang direction.

Although the commanders inwardly harbored some resistance to Huguang's terrain and topography — to them, it was land even more unfamiliar than the Chahar lands south of the Gobi, crisscrossed with rivers and certain to involve water warfare they were not versed in.

But they had Li Zicheng, who had long since gone south into Huguang. If they could take Huguang, managing it would be no problem, and with Huguang's aid in provisions, their grain supply would surely overflow in the future.

Yet therein lay the problem.

Liu Chengzong simply could not get in touch with Li Zicheng.

He had been pinned down in the mountains by Lu Xiangsheng, hiding and skulking all winter, and no one knew where he was.

Liu the Lion was at first very surprised by this news, thinking the Dashing General shouldn't be this weak — how had he been beaten into such a state, even worse off than Zhang Yichuan!

Later, through extensive inquiries by Zhao Zhirui, stationed at Wu Pass, he learned the general situation on the Huguang battlefield.

The commanders transferred by the Ming court and those who had fled from Guanzhong into Huguang all possessed a certain level of strength.

Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng, Huguang Grand Coordinator Wang Mengyin, Yunyang Grand Coordinator Song Zushun, and the great generals Yang Zhengfang, Lei Shisheng, Qin Yiming, Li Zhongzhen, Yang Shi'en, and also Zu Dale, who had been getting rich while everyone else got beaten in the passes.

More crucially, to avoid entering Guanzhong and getting beaten themselves, they displayed an unprecedented unity in the matter of thrashing Li Zicheng: the civil officials quieted down, the military officers stopped being domineering, and they went into the mountains when ordered and conducted search-and-destroy missions when ordered.

In truth, these Ming generals, skilled in field battles, were not tactically wrong to be unwilling to enter the mountains.

Entering the mountains meant leaving all their superior weaponry — heavy cannons, firearms — behind in the rear, carrying only light arms to assault peasant armies who held the advantage of terrain.

This was still feasible when the peasant armies were weak, but once the enemy force consisted mainly of elite defected border troops, supplemented by veteran mountain bandits, entering the mountains would likely end in disaster.

But in Huguang, these few players would rather march into the mountains and take a beating than ever set foot in Guanzhong again.

Take Zu Dale, for example. After entering the passes, though he was not the most domineering, he was still full of complaints and hardly listened to others' advice.

Now, under Lu Xiangsheng's command, he went wherever he was pointed, entered the mountains when told to, and if any of his men dared mutter a single extra word, Lu Xiangsheng didn't even need to lift a finger — Zu Dale would draw his blade and behead the man himself.

They were all damn scavenged soldiers anyway.

Even when they wanted to rest in a county town and the magistrate refused to open the gates — fine, so be it, you've kicked cotton now; we'll just sleep in the wilds.

Not to mention Yunyang's Grand Coordinator Song Zushun.

Drawing lessons from the earlier fall of Yunyang, having personally endured the bitter hardships of siege and witnessed the difficulties of defending a city, he took Lü Kun's Life-Saving Book — which was Liu Chengzong's Marshal's Manual of City Defense — combined it with earlier generations' city-defense military texts, summarized their essentials, and compiled a volume titled Essentials of City Defense, distributing it to every county.

The grand spectacle that the Chongzhen court's high officials dreamed of — civil officials commanding with unified orders and military officers cooperating wholeheartedly — was effortlessly achieved in Huguang.

With this group of civil and military officers and soldiers united as one, even the Marshal's Army or the Later Jin Eight Banners would have taken a few hard knocks entering Huguang, let alone Li Zicheng's four battalions.

They were beaten into fleeing with their tails between their legs.

Unable to find Li Zicheng, and with the great matter of the Northern Expedition looming before his eyes, Liu Chengzong naturally would not consider splitting his forces for Huguang.

However, he was very interested in Song Zushun's Essentials of City Defense, and sent word to Zhao Zhirui to obtain a copy for him by any means necessary.

Zhao Zhirui, garrisoned at Wu Pass, was already close to Yunyang. When the winter plague had slightly receded, he found some idle drifters in Shanyang County to infiltrate Yunyang as spies.

He was swindled by one of his spies once — the man took five taels of gold and ran.

He then sent a trusted veteran soldier, guided by a spy, into the town of Yunxi County, where they bribed a minor clerk under Yunxi Magistrate Liu Yuanbo and bought a handwritten copy for five taels of gold.

This clerk was rather interesting; apparently feeling that Essentials of City Defense was not worth five taels of gold, he threw in a bonus — Song Zushun's abridged compilation of Wang Minghe's Indispensable Studies for Commanders, titled The Essential Compendium of Indispensable Studies for Commanders.

The former was a handwritten copy, just over twenty thousand characters in a single volume, simple and straightforward.

The latter, however, was the official printed edition that the Yunyang Grand Coordinator had issued to Yunxi County, sent out directly.

When Zhao Zhirui delivered them, Liu Chengzong was dumbfounded. Good heavens — an entire chest of books, brought back by cart.

The two works together made twenty-one volumes.

He knew of Indispensable Studies for Commanders — a massive tome written by Wang Minghe, a military jinshi and Chief Regional Commander of the Wanli era, divided into seventy-two categories and over a million characters. Even after Song Zushun's abridgment, the remaining content was still substantial.

This made Liu the Lion sigh deeply with emotion: fine books, but they had fallen into the hands of someone who did not want them.

When Pingliang Prefect Jiang Yingchang entered the city of Xi'an, Liu Chengzong was in the central command tent of the western camp, utterly engrossed in Essentials of City Defense.

Upon receiving the adjutant's announcement, he waited for Jiang Yingchang to enter the tent, then Liu the Lion set down the book in his hands and gestured with a smile: "Magistrate Jiang — no, Prefect Jiang has arrived. Sit."

Jiang Yingchang awkwardly cupped his hands in salute to Liu Chengzong, said, "Your subordinate pays respects to the Grand Marshal," and only then sat down on the prayer mat opposite the low table.

He heard Liu Chengzong look him up and down and laugh: "You're no true friend. My troops marched right into Pingliang and you didn't even come to see me. But the moment I mention a promotion, you come running fast enough."

Jiang Yingchang was, in fact, much like Zuo Maodi — even more stubborn than Qingyang's Prefect Ju Sirang. Even when Ren Quan'er had garrisoned troops inside Pingliang city, Jiang Yingchang had never surrendered to the Marshal's Manor.

Even now, meeting Liu Chengzong, the man still called himself "your subordinate."

Jiang Yingchang thought to himself, You think I wanted to come? The earlier Pingliang garrison nearly scared me to death, and now it's even more absurd — Jin Chanzi has come to Pingliang waving the banner of the clan to recruit troops.

How could anyone stay in a cursed place like Pingliang?

And at a time like this, with your letter already delivered to Pingliang, could I possibly not come?

Jiang Yingchang hemmed and hawed, unable to utter a word.

Liu Chengzong did not take offense; he did not dislike Jiang Yingchang. He simply put away his smile and said, "I understand you. An official who started as an instructor, made magistrate by the people's petition, then, when Pingliang Prefecture had a vacancy, was selected by the Ministry of Personnel to be prefect — how many years has it been?"

"The Great Ming court showed you the grace of recognition. You remember that gratitude in your heart. That is very good."

As he spoke, Liu the Lion's tone shifted. "But you should not have failed to come pay your respects to me."

Jiang Yingchang was deeply embarrassed and could only nod repeatedly in agreement.

Liu Chengzong was not buying it. He raised a hand and pointed at him. "If you understood gratitude, you would remember who breached the county seat yet spared your life; who killed the local strongmen and let you be a true magistrate with real power; and even more, you would remember who killed the previous Pingliang prefect and vacated that position for you."

Jiang Yingchang was stunned. Was that how one calculated a debt of gratitude?

Still, in his heart he acknowledged these things. After all, his career path had indeed relied far too heavily on luck.

Jiang Yingchang nodded. "Yes, the Grand Marshal's grace is something this humble official could never repay, even as a beast of burden in the next life."

"Even as an ox or horse, you'd make a poor ox or horse. Can you plow a field, or do you run fast? Hanzhong suffered floods last year, and it may well flood again this year. You will go and be prefect for me."

Jiang Yingchang could see it now: Liu Chengzong truly was not angry with him, nor did he mean to blame him.

"Ai." Jiang Yingchang finally let out a mournful sigh. "Grand Marshal, to be a man — how difficult it is?"

The Marshal's Army had won in Guanzhong, and Cao Bianjiao had ridden to the outskirts of Pingliang to curse him.

Cao Bianjiao's speech was incoherent, spouting nonsense about how his Pingliang troops had all run off, pinning the blame on him, the Pingliang prefect, and even bringing two hundred Liao troops in an attempt to storm the city.

To this day, Jiang Yingchang still did not know why he had been cursed out. At the time, he had thought this guest commander of Liao troops, Cao Bianjiao, had gone mad.

Then Ren Quan'er arrived, bringing a vast, mighty army that scared Cao Bianjiao away.

That was Ren Quan'er, Commander of Yan'an Guard. The military discipline of the Yan'an Battalion and Yan'an Guard was the best in Shaanxi, and he was the apple of Supreme Commander Chen Qiyu's eye — who did not know him?

A local general born and bred in Shaanxi, such a fine man — who would not open the gates for him?

And then the moment he entered the city, damn it all, he seized my city defenses — can you believe it?

Heavens above, I, Jiang Yingchang, am just a minor official of no great talent. Farming and teaching keep me so busy I can barely be in two places at once. You lot — friendly troops acting like enemy flanking forces, enemy troops acting like our own main force — I just can't fathom it.

"There's no point in saying that. You think it was easy for me to go out to sea? If even you, the prefect, find being a man so hard, what are the common folk supposed to do?"

Liu Chengzong pursed his lips, turning a blind eye to his difficulties and even making a mocking remark. "Besides, your troubles come from a problem in your head. If you'd followed me to Qinghai back then, it would have been simple. Look at the officials in the Marshal's Residence — their jobs aren't hard."

"Let's not speak of the past. The court's grace of recognition — you've carried that burden long enough; the debt is now repaid."

Liu Chengzong said to Jiang Yingchang, "For the latter half of your life, it's time to repay my grace of giving you a second chance."

Jiang Yingchang was once again left speechless and deflated, so he could only ask about practical matters. "To this humble official's knowledge, Hanzhong Prefecture has not yet come under the Grand Marshal's rule, has it? Matters of warfare, I fear, are beyond my ability."

"You need not worry about the fighting. The battles there will be fought by Gao Yingxiang. I will also send a general to partner with you — your benefactor, Luo Rucai. He was the one who killed the previous Pingliang prefect. Now, let him go and help you kill the Hanzhong prefect."

Jiang Yingchang could not help but laugh wryly at this arrangement.

Liu Chengzong paid him no mind. In any case, by sending Jiang Yingchang to Hanzhong, he held no greater expectations for that region.

Jiang Yingchang was a man of prefectural talent, a caretaker official. Governing the small county of Heshui, he had been sidelined by others, muddling along and doing only what he could.

In Pingliang, wielding great authority, he still did nothing out of the ordinary. Wherever he held office, things neither improved nor worsened.

To keep things stable and maintained — that was Liu Chengzong's greatest hope for Hanzhong.

If he sent someone there to accomplish great things, they would act boldly and decisively for half a year, and then one heavy rain would swell the Han River, and everything would be ruined.

And with Luo Rucai there, it would also ensure Jiang Yingchang harbored no disloyal thoughts.

Even if he did, it would be useless. With Gao Yingxiang marching south into Sichuan, a place like Hanzhong would be cut off from the Ming court. The time it would take for news to reach Xiangyang, a thousand li away, would be enough for Xi'an to dispatch troops and fight two round trips.

He did not need to worry about the south, either. If even he could not make Jiang Yingchang serve wholeheartedly, then Gao Yingxiang would have even less of a chance.

Precisely for this reason, sending Jiang Yingchang to Hanzhong was extremely safe.

"Apart from governing the region normally, there are three more matters I need you to handle."

Jiang Yingchang was long accustomed to resigned acceptance. He quickly adjusted his mindset and accepted his fate, cupping his hands. "Grand Marshal, please instruct me."

"First, the Rui princedom's imperial clan — there don't seem to be many of them. Along with those who served the princedom as hangers-on, anyone useful and talented: send me a list of names. Keep the people in Hanzhong and await my arrangements."

Liu Chengzong knew this matter like the back of his hand. "Those of no use, send them all to Lanzhou. They will have a place they ought to go."

"Second, if Ming forces from Sichuan counterattack, you may have to defend the city. Don't be afraid when the time comes. This book is very good."

Liu the Lion tapped the Essentials of City Defense resting on the table. "I've learned quite a few new things from it. Once I revise it and have it printed, I'll send you a copy. Study it diligently and practice often, and you won't panic when defending a city."

Jiang Yingchang clicked his tongue in wonder, looking at this book he had never heard of. "The Grand Marshal has campaigned across ten thousand li, yet can still learn from this book — it must be a remarkable work."

"Uh..."

This time, it was Liu Chengzong who was left speechless by Jiang Yingchang. He shook his head slightly. "The book isn't actually that miraculous. It's quite conventional — written for people with no experience in city defense, like me."

The book was twenty-three thousand characters in total, a textbook on city defense, and not written with any particular brilliance.

Just as the New Treatise on Military Efficiency was a textbook for training and leading troops, this one specifically taught people how to defend cities.

Song Zushun set regulations for the suitable height, thickness, and depth of city walls, rampart walls, and moats in the present era, as well as the distances between them. He also discussed key matters such as stockpiling supplies and response methods.

He also summarized the Five Defeats and Five Perfections of city defense.

The Five Defeats: the strong are few and the weak many; the city is large but the population small; grain is scarce but people are numerous; livestock and supplies are stored outside; the powerful and strong refuse to follow orders.

In addition, if the water level outside is high while the city interior is low, the soil veins are loose and the moat is shallow, defensive equipment is insufficient, and fuel and water cannot be supplied, then no matter how good the city walls, they cannot be held.

The Five Perfections: the moat is maintained, equipment is ready, people are few but grain is plentiful, superiors and subordinates are close, punishments are strict and rewards are generous.

In addition, if the location is below a great mountain and above a long river, high enough to avoid drought yet with sufficient water, low enough to be near water yet sparing the need for ditches and defenses, following the seasons and exploiting the terrain, with firm soil and flowing water, then the natural barriers can be relied upon.

"Moat maintained" does not refer to the City God Temple. The original meaning of "chenghuang" is the moat — it means having a maintained moat.

A city without a moat — its walls might as well not exist. It is very easily breached by tunneling and blasting.

Even if the besiegers have no gunpowder, they can use sapping to dig a tunnel beneath the city, propping it up with wooden supports as they go. Once finished, they set a fire to burn the supports away. Without support, the wall will collapse.

It is simply a matter of replacing firewood with gunpowder; no great technical skill is required.

The tunneling method is not a new technique that needed inventing. It was not invented by Li Zicheng, nor by the Taiping Army. It has existed since the Spring and Autumn period.

It was only the later appearance of moats — beneath whose beds one cannot dig tunnels — that rendered the method of tunneling to attack cities unworkable.

That is why it later appeared so rarely in history. People more often chose to fill in moats and dig at the foot of walls.

The entire book is written quite conventionally. But military affairs rely precisely on common sense.

"As the art of war says: in all battles, engage with the orthodox and win with the unorthodox."

Liu Chengzong raised his hand again and tapped the book on the table. "Everything routine, tedious, and properly done is the orthodox. Then use superior preparation and response to deal with the enemy."

"If your orthodox forces cannot defeat the enemy in a direct confrontation, and your supplies run short, the enemy's main force pins you down while a flanking detachment cuts your supply line — that is the unorthodox. If you cannot manage the orthodox, whatever the enemy does becomes unorthodox."

Lion Liu tossed off the remark, then spoke with emphasis: "Third, and this is your most important task in Hanzhong — damp places can grow wood-ear fungus and mushrooms, fearing neither drought nor flood. You must encourage the merchants, people, and natives of Hanzhong to open more fungus farms, mushroom farms, and tea plantations. This matter absolutely must not be neglected."

"My soldiers need to eat vegetables."