"If it were anyone else, the losses would likely have been even greater. You had less than half the enemy's forces, yet you managed to exploit their weaknesses and defeat them in one fell swoop. That's already quite remarkable," Li Jun repeated what he had said the previous night.
Wei Zhan nodded and said, "That's right, General Meng, there's no need to be so modest. This is war. It's impossible to defeat the enemy without suffering any losses."
"How could I not know? It's just that the thought of these two thousand brothers who followed me here but cannot return with me fills me with sorrow. I'm afraid I've made the Commander and Mr. Wei laugh at me." Meng Yuan smiled, turned around, and waved his command flag to the troops below the platform. Three thousand light cavalry shouted in unison, and the new day's training began. After two years of rest and recuperation, only these past few days have brought fierce battles. The soldiers are keenly aware that only by training harder in peacetime can they have a better chance of survival in wartime. "What's next?" Wei Zhan stared at Li Jun. The first strategic objective of the Peace Army has now been fully achieved. With Xizhou secured, the Peace Army's supplies will be extremely convenient. Looking out over the vast hinterland of the Su Kingdom, there are multiple directions to choose from for the attack.
"My purpose in this campaign is not to annihilate the Su Kingdom in one fell swoop." Li Jun stroked his short mustache, a slight smile playing on his lips. Wei Zhan should be well aware of his strategic intentions. The reason he asked the question knowingly was simply to prevent Wei Zhan from keeping it too secret from his generals who lacked strategic vision.
In truth, he wasn't deliberately keeping it a secret from his subordinates. The key was that the next strategic objective would be even more unexpected than a sudden attack on the State of Su, a point the military strategist meant by "surprise attack." But now was the time to reveal it; even if there were enemy spies in the army, once the news got out, the State of Su wouldn't have time to react.
"Next, our army will not directly attack Liuzhou, but will turn northwest and attack the Qinggui Plain, known as the 'Granary of the World'!" Li Jun closed his eyes slightly, his mind filled with the map of the Su Kingdom that he knew all too well. The Qinghe and Guihe Rivers were two important rivers in the southwest of the Su Kingdom. The Qinghe River flowed into the Liujiang River, then into Liuhu Lake, and finally into the sea. By controlling the Qinghe River, one controlled the river transport route downstream. The Guihe River meandered southward, converging with several small tributaries at Fenglin Ferry, where it was renamed the Honghe River. It flowed westward into the Hong Kingdom, becoming a major river that traversed the Hong Kingdom. The area within a thousand miles between the Qinghe and Guihe Rivers was fertile land. Half of the Su Kingdom's grain was produced here, and its sericulture was even more prosperous than that of Yuzhou. Therefore, there was a saying in the Su Kingdom: "The fish and rice of the two rivers fatten the world, and the silk and clothe the four directions." The two pillars of the Su Kingdom's economy were the commerce of Liuzhou and the Qinggui Plain.
Wei Zhan narrowed his eyes. The Peace Army's current base, Yuzhou, is small and densely populated with limited resources. It would be difficult to sustain a large-scale war for long. If they could seize Qinggui, this heaven-sent granary, the Peace Army would have enough supplies to dominate the world in just three to five years.
"Why not just take Liuzhou in one fell swoop? Then the commander can establish a kingdom and become king!" General Yang Zhenfei grinned. "If Li Gou, whose surname is Li, can become king, then why can't the commander, whose surname is also Li, become king?"
The generals all smiled slightly, their eyes filled with longing. If Li Jun were to establish himself as king, they too would receive unparalleled glory. For warriors in this chaotic world, this was arguably everyone's lifelong dream.
Li Jun laughed it off, "What good is it to claim territory and become king? No matter how powerful a country is, it will eventually perish. Feng Jiutian has told him more than once that if the goal is just to build a country that will be destroyed by a new strongman in two or three hundred years, it is nothing more than repeating the achievements of the heroes in history that are now just ruins."
"The leader should know that it is difficult to maintain the success of an enterprise. When starting an enterprise, one must have a long-term vision. I dare not say a plan for a thousand years, but at least one that can see the changes within a hundred years. If we cannot do this, we will not be able to rest in peace after we turn to dust."
These are Feng Jiutian's original words. It was for this reason that, while Li Jun was away on campaign, Feng Jiutian piloted a new system in Yuzhou, aiming to build a completely new system with the ability to self-reform. Only by "continuous renewal" can a system last. Those who rest on the achievements of their predecessors and lose their ability to generate their own blood can be killed by even a small wound.
However, Li Jun did not refute Yang Zhenfei's words. The generals were in high spirits, and to dampen their enthusiasm would easily alienate them. Even if he himself had no great ambition to become king or conqueror, he still had to consider the interests of those who followed him. These strategists, warriors, officials, and soldiers from all directions had shed blood and sacrificed themselves for his dream of "unifying the world on behalf of Heaven." If he did not give them appropriate rewards, how could he win the hearts and minds of heroes from all corners of the land?
"The three armies will rest for two days in Xizhou, waiting for Tu Longziyun's navy to arrive and join us. After that, we will march northwest to capture Qinggui. Meng Yuan, you will still be the vanguard in this battle, and Lü Wubing will be your assistant. You and I will have 20,000 elite troops. While others can rest, you and Wubing will have to work hard."
"Yes!" Meng Yuan and Lü Wubing answered with their chests out. Under the envious gazes of the other generals, the two felt that it was an extraordinary honor to be able to shoulder this important task.
"Wait!" The excitement on their faces clearly annoyed someone. Others were mindful of the relationship between Meng Yuan and Li Jun, but this man was a fearless fellow. There was nothing he wouldn't dare to do, only things he hadn't thought of.
"Why not let me be the striker?" Yang Zhenfei rolled his eyes, his beard bristling, and quickly added, "Brother Meng and Wubing are exhausted from fighting in Xizhou. They should rest. Let me be the striker instead!"
“Exactly, exactly,” Lanqiao added. “Let them fight to their hearts’ content, while we’re stuck in the back. The commander is too biased.”
Meng Yuan chuckled. The generals' eagerness reminded him of his days under Lu Xiang's command, so he said, "Don't worry, I'll leave some enemies for you to enjoy."
"Besides those you've passed through, are there any enemies left behind?" Tang Peng said softly, pursing his lips. Among the generals recruited by Li Jun in the past two years, he and Luo Yi were among the few who hadn't led troops into battle. Moreover, they had both been defeated by Dong Cheng at Wakou Pass, and Tang Peng was already feeling somewhat resentful, feeling inferior to these generals who had actually fought. Even Luo Yi, who was injured, was refused permission to stay behind when Li Jun wanted to send him back to Yuzhou to recuperate.
The generals' eagerness to fight put Li Jun in a difficult position. He sighed and said, "Actually, I want to fight on the battlefield even more than you do. I started from the ranks and have always been at the forefront in every battle. Now, as the commander of the three armies, I have no freedom to go into battle." As he said this, he glared at Wei Zhan, who was smiling. Clearly, Wei Zhan was an important figure who restricted his freedom to go into battle. Since that time when he met Dong Cheng on the front line, Wei Zhan had repeatedly tried to persuade him with words such as "A son of a thousand pieces of gold should not sit under a dangerous roof," "To kill the enemy and seize the flag is the talent of a general, to anticipate the enemy's moves is the talent of a commander," and "Generals and commanders each have their own way, and a commander should not be brave and compete with his soldiers for credit." He had long since convinced Li Jun, so this time he directly ordered Meng Yuan to replace him as the vanguard.
"Why not divide our forces into two routes to attack the enemy?" Lü Wubing interjected softly. The generals were deadlocked, and if they could divide their forces into two routes, they could at least send one more vanguard officer. Therefore, as soon as this suggestion was made, Lan Qiao, Yang Zhenfei, and others expressed their approval. Although Meng Yuan felt discouraged, he could not find a way to refute it for the time being.
“Splitting our forces into two groups disperses our strength, which may make it difficult to sustain. Our army is better off with a quick victory than attrition.” Knowing that he was injured and could not be entrusted with important tasks, Luo Yi interjected. Being outside the crowd of those arguing, he was able to analyze the situation more calmly.
Wei Zhan tapped his hand with his paper fan: "Indeed, our army is like a hand. When concentrated in one direction, it's like a clenched fist, and no one can withstand the blow. But if we disperse, it's like five fingers; any one of them can only injure the enemy, not kill them. Moreover, besides capturing the Qinggui Plain, our army must guard against the attack from the capital by the Su Kingdom's imperial guards and be wary of the 100,000 Su Kingdom troops in Danyuan Mengze. If we cannot achieve our objective before the enemy discovers our intentions, we will have no choice but to retreat to Yuzhou."
The successive capture of Yunyang and Canghai prefectures, along with the capture of Su Guoming Dong Cheng and Canghai prefect Dai Xi, was a moderate victory for the Peace Army. Faced with this triumph, the generals felt quite relaxed, which fostered their arrogance. Wei Zhan's words, in their current jubilation, were a sobering remark. Therefore, almost all the generals gave him sidelong glances, while he remained composed. He had played a similar role in the Lianfa army, nearly losing his life in the process. In the Peace Army, he not only hadn't changed this, but seemed to have intensified it.
“What Mr. Wei said is exactly what I wanted to say.” Li Jun drew the gazes of the generals, his eyes piercing with a intensity that made them lower their heads involuntarily. Even without Li Jun’s criticism, they knew that glaring at Wei Zhan with that look had done nothing but harm.
Li Jun paused slightly. The conquest of Su had indeed been too smooth, so smooth that it frightened him. Anyone else might have thought that divine intervention was at play, allowing them to advance so easily, but Li Jun didn't believe in gods. "If there are gods, if there is Heaven, why were the people of our village slaughtered? Why was someone like Marshal Lu killed by villains? Why have millions of people in Shenzhou struggled for thousands of years amidst war and chaos? Even if there are gods, even if there is Heaven, such gods and such Heaven are better off without!"
He silently pondered the delusions that often surfaced in his mind, the joy of victory gradually replaced by a sense of vigilance. If he possessed any unique quality compared to ordinary people, it was this acute sense of danger. Although everything had gone smoothly so far, he was certain that something was amiss somewhere, unbeknownst to him.
"Meng Yuan will be the vanguard; my mind is made up," he said firmly. Although the generals were somewhat disappointed, it was better to be cautious at this moment. "I foresee a major battle in the coming days, and you will all have plenty of opportunities to make contributions. This time, you will serve as the central army with me. Luo Yi, Tang Peng will assist you, and the two of you will be in the rear. If anything changes, I grant you permission to act as you see fit. However, remember not to act rashly or recklessly. Also, Luo Yi, be careful of your wounds."
Li Jun had a profound reason for appointing the wounded Luo Yi as the commander of the rear army. Firstly, compared to the other generals, Luo Yi was more composed and capable of handling matters. Secondly, his injury would prevent him from acting recklessly and causing trouble due to his rash actions.
Seeing his solemn expression, the generals stopped arguing and accepted the order. Li Jun then turned to Wei Zhan and asked, "Mr. Wei, has there been any news from Zhuo Tian's men?"
"I've heard that the Commander is seeking revenge for Marshal Lu and intends to eliminate treacherous officials, but most of the people of Su are taking a wait-and-see approach." Wei Zhan's reply once again displeased Li Jun. He had used the banner of avenging Lu Xiang to gain political initiative and popular support, but the people were merely observing, which puzzled him greatly. Had the people of Su forgotten a hero like Lu Xiang in less than five years? Could the great deeds of a hero truly fade away even faster than his corpse?
“It’s not that the people don’t want to avenge Marshal Lu.” Wei Zhan deduced his thoughts from his furrowed brows. “Zhuo Tian’s analysis suggests that the people’s wait-and-see attitude stems from four reasons. First, years of war have left the people weary of war. Throughout history, wars have always resulted in the bloodshed of soldiers and civilians on the battlefield, while the officials and nobles have amassed their wealth. Second, they do not trust their commander. Although he was once a valiant general under Marshal Lu, he has been wandering in other countries for the past four years, leading many to believe that he is no longer a native of Su. Third, since Marshal Lu’s passing, Su and Lan have reached the Wu-Yin Alliance, ceasing hostilities and establishing peace. Although Su has to pay Lan one million gold coins, 500,000 shi of rice, and 300,000 bolts of silk and brocade annually, the people do not feel much hardship due to the consecutive years of bumper harvests and thriving trade. Instead, they believe that Li Gou has a benevolent rule. Fourth, the people are generally worried that if they help Lan, Lan might use this as an excuse to launch a full-scale attack. Given these four reasons, the fact that the people are not rising up against our army is already for Marshal Lu’s sake.”
“The people don’t resist our army now only because I still have the righteous cause of avenging Marshal Lu.” Li Jun smiled bitterly. “Once our army enters Qinggui, the people will probably doubt whether I really want to avenge Marshal Lu. At that time…” “At that time, our army will probably be unable to move an inch in the entire southern part of Su.” Wei Zhan interjected. The reason for exposing this strategic weakness was also a kind of revenge for the generals’ sidelong glances at him earlier. He wanted to let these warriors who only knew how to fight on the battlefield know that war cannot determine everything.
"What brilliant plan do you have, sir?" After thinking it over, Li Jun had only grasped a tiny clue, so he passed the burden to Wei Zhan.
Wei Zhan gently shook his paper fan and stroked his beard, saying, "Zhuo Tian has some ideas. He thinks that if we can follow the example of Yuzhou and find one or two people in Su who are deeply loved and supported by the people to serve us, although we cannot win over all the people of Su, we can still win over a portion of them and stabilize the majority."
two,
On October 30th of the 20th year of the Zhongxing era of the Su Kingdom, the Heping Army of Yunyang and Canghai counties was captured in less than ten days. With Meng Yuan and Lü Wubing as the vanguard, the army of 20,000 men marched toward the next strategic objective.
The Qinghe and Guihe River basins comprise four prefectures: Qinghe, Guiping, Nansheng, and Tianfu. Historically, these were part of a fiefdom. Since the establishment of the Su state, local administrative reforms divided the prefectures into prefectures. This resulted in the Su state having an exceptionally large number of redundant officials, many holding titles but no real power, simply collecting salaries. This also led to a significant shortage of funds for military preparedness. Aside from the 400,000 imperial guards in the central government, while the local forces were numerous, their equipment and training lagged far behind. Even important border prefectures like Yunyang had 20,000 to 30,000 troops, but the four prefectures of Qinghe and Guiping combined had no more than 20,000 regular soldiers. Li Jun's decision to order Meng Yuan to lead 20,000 elite troops as the vanguard was undoubtedly cautious. However, he still felt uneasy; for some reason, that sense of danger, which had arisen at the Xizhou training ground, had lingered ever since.
Therefore, he thought it best to proceed with caution this time. As the army marched forward, scouts were constantly sent out to investigate. Wherever they went, there was neither fierce resistance from the Su soldiers nor a welcoming welcome from the people. The Su people seemed completely indifferent to this, showing no enthusiasm whatsoever. The government troops also seemed unmoved by the defeat and felt no shame whatsoever.
"Without the support of the people, conquering this land is easy, but maintaining it will be difficult." Wei Zhan swayed as he sat on his horse. Although it was a plain and the road wasn't particularly rugged, for a civil official like himself, simply keeping his footing was a remarkable feat. He continued the conversation from the training ground that day. In the past few days, he and Li Jun had pondered the matter, but they couldn't find someone who, like in Yuzhou, both enjoyed popular support and was willing to remain humble like the Third Young Master Hua. Dong Cheng was already quite well-regarded and acceptable to the people of Su. If he were made the nominal ruler of the Su region, the people would at least not object.
Then Dong Cheng refused to listen to any advice, and Li Jun felt that forcing him would be useless and letting him go would only bring disaster. He did consider killing him to end the matter once and for all. However, he felt that he could not get a captured good general to serve him, and the fault lay with him, not the other party. If he killed Dong Cheng at this time, not only would it enhance Dong Cheng's reputation for loyalty and righteousness, but it would also make the people of Su more resentful of him and would also discourage heroes from joining him.
"He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world; everyone knows this principle. But the hearts of the people are like the will of Heaven—unfathomable, just as the will of Heaven is unfathomable." Li Jun sighed deeply. Lu Xiang had won the hearts of the people immensely, yet he died at the hands of the very country he served. Liu Guang was also deeply loved by the people and the army in Heng Kingdom, but he was forced to flee to another country because he was not tolerated by his lord. Can one truly win the world if one wins the hearts of the people? If one cannot even protect one's own life, how can one possibly win the world?
Wei Zhan interrupted his rambling thoughts: "The commander is acting as if Heaven is equalizing the world, so he doesn't care about Heaven. But the people's will is not the will of Heaven. The commander shouldn't disregard the people either."
Li Jun raised his eyebrows and looked at Wei Zhan, smiling slightly. "Sir, your eyes are sharp, and I cannot hide anything from you. Fortunately, you have helped me, otherwise, even in the midst of a vast army, I would have killed you without hesitation."
Wei Zhan's heart skipped a beat. Throughout history, those in power have always been most wary of others being able to read their minds; this has been an unchanging principle since ancient times. He had heard Li Jun imply that he was acting recklessly and disregarding the will of the people, so he had spoken up to advise him. However, he never expected that Li Jun would have guessed his intentions before he even revealed them. Although Li Jun did not directly rebuke him, the murderous intent in his words was something that even the most oblivious person could sense.
“If a commander lacks the capacity to tolerate others, then he has no power to stabilize the world.” Wei Zhan suppressed his anger. He was born with an exceptionally strong backbone, which was why he was disliked by the powerful and influential in his hometown. He had no choice but to abandon his status as a scholar and join the Lianfa Army, a peasant uprising. Even in the Lianfa Army, he continued to speak out against injustice and nearly met his death. Although he had suffered a lot, his bad temper only grew stronger. “If the commander wants to kill me, he should wait until the situation in the world is settled. Now is not the time for the commander to slaughter meritorious officials!”
Li Jun burst into laughter: "Hahahaha, what you say is absolutely right, absolutely right..."