Volume Three: Southern Expedition and Territorial Expansion Chapter 123: Heading to Sizhou

While on the march, Wei Fufeng instructed his subordinates to address him as Deputy Commissioner. His official titles were Deputy Commissioner of the Qianzhong Circuit and Prefect of Fuzhou. He claimed to be a scion of the Marquis of Qingyang’s mansion, named Chu Yu, and a cousin to the Military Governor of Qianzhong.

His men complied. Along the way, Leng Feng, an officer of his personal guard, asked, "My Lord, are you truly going to Sizhou?"

"I am. Do you find it ill-advised?" Wei Fufeng smiled. He was always approachable with his own soldiers, especially his personal guards, though he never relaxed the rigor of military discipline.

"I believe it is unwise, my Lord. It would suffice for me to go to Sizhou on your behalf; there is no need for you to court such danger," Leng Feng replied.

"By going to Sizhou in person, I can win the trust of the Tian clan. This journey is a negotiation to secure long-term stability," Wei Fufeng said.

"I still believe your presence there is dangerous," Leng Feng insisted.

Wei Fufeng said, "Once we cross the Yuan River, we may find ourselves in crisis. Should Lei Yangong learn that our main force has returned to Shizhou, he will inevitably unite with the Liao tribes of Xizhou to pursue and intercept us."

The nearby soldiers looked on, stunned. Wei Fufeng continued, "The reason I do not return to the city of Wuling is that if I were present there, the E-Yue army would spare no cost to storm the city. Without my presence, the city would be a prize not worth the cost of the siege."

The soldiers nodded in succession. Wei Fufeng added, "This trip to Sizhou serves three purposes: first, to bypass the mountains and reach the Wu River to return to Southern Sichuan; second, to understand the true situation of the Liao tribes; and third, to negotiate with the Tian clan."

The soldiers had nothing more to say. They continued their march, guarding the captives. Along the way, they passed a treacherous valley where Wei Fufeng ordered the execution of all the captives, leaving their bodies in the wilderness.

The territory of Qianzhong Circuit was filled with mountains and rivers, with almost no standard roads to travel upon. This was the fundamental reason why the Liao tribes were so difficult to conquer. In mountain warfare, the Liao held the advantage of terrain; invaders would have to pay a staggering price to subdue them, a cost that outweighed any potential gain.

Wei Fufeng’s party used the sun to determine their course, following the faint traces of mountain paths. They occasionally encountered small groups of Liao, but both sides kept their distance, wary of one another, and the Liao usually chose to veer away.

Five days later, Wei Fufeng’s party arrived at Yuanling County, the administrative seat of Chenzhou (in the Huaihua region). Established during the reign of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, Yuanling was known as the gateway to Western Hunan. Like Qianzhou, it had experienced cycles of rule by both local tribal chieftains and imperial-appointed magistrates. The local chieftains were similar to the Tian clan of Sizhou, while the imperial magistrates were officials appointed by the imperial court.

The current Prefect of Chenzhou was the local magnate Liu Mengxi. His father had served as the County Magistrate of Yuanling and was, in reality, a chieftain of the Liao. During the stable years of the Great Tang, the imperial court would appoint a Prefect of Chenzhou and designate a Liao leader as his auxiliary official; otherwise, the region would be impossible to govern.

Since the turmoil of the Huang Chao rebellion swept across the north and south of the Tang Empire, the authority of the imperial government had been severely damaged. Local magnates and powerful figures from the greenwood had seized territory, forming various separatist military governorships. Lei Man, a member of the Xizhou Liao, had taken advantage of the chaos to capture Langzhou and Yanzhou. He sent envoys to pledge allegiance to the then-Military Governor of Huainan, Gao Pian, and was subsequently recommended to be the Military Governor of the Wuzhen Army, ruling over Langzhou, Yanzhou, Xizhou, and Chenzhou.

After Lei Man died, Liu Mengxi, the Prefect of Chenzhou, sent envoys to Qianzhou to express his fealty to the Military Governor of Qianzhong. Zhang Wencheng, the Prefect of Qianzhou, who held full authority over the integration of the Liao tribes, accepted this submission and recognized the Prefects of Xizhou and Chenzhou. Wei Fufeng, however, only intended to acknowledge the incumbent Prefect of Chenzhou; he would not recognize hereditary rights for local chieftains.

The situation in Chenzhou and Xizhou differed from that of Sizhou. Both prefectures shared cultural similarities with the Qianzhou region, having experienced the governance of imperial magistrates and the influence of Sinicization. Wei Fufeng knew that the price of securing control over Chenzhou and Xizhou would not be high; it was merely a matter of maintaining peace for the time being.

Upon arriving outside the city of Yuanling, they found a city about three miles in length and width. The walls were constructed of stone, about five meters high, with crude city gates about three meters wide. On top of the gates sat bamboo watchtowers. The west and north sides of the city bordered the churning waters of the Yuan River.

The gate guards were almost all Liao, wearing rattan armor and gold hoop earrings. After communication, the guards sent word inside. Wei Fufeng stood silently, observing the city. It was an ancient place, its origins dating back to the Qin Dynasty, when the Chenzhou region was known as the Qianzhong Commandery of the Qin.

Wei Fufeng understood that the current Prefect was merely the master of this city; the entire Chenzhou region was home to many Liao tribes, and each chieftain held their own sphere of influence. Liu Mengxi, the Prefect of Chenzhou, could be considered the most powerful of the Liao chieftains.

After waiting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, several dozen armed men emerged from the gate. The leader was a man in his forties with a gaunt face, eagle-like eyes, a square mouth, and a thin goatee. He wore a cloth turban and gold earrings, yet was dressed in a bright red official robe, creating a bizarre and mismatched appearance.

Wei Fufeng stepped forward, smiling as he performed a salute. "Is this Prefect Liu Mengxi? I am Chu Yu, Deputy Commissioner of the Qianzhong Circuit."

"I am indeed Liu Mengxi. I apologize for the delay in receiving you, Deputy Commissioner," the man in the red robe replied in Chinese, returning the salute.

Wei Fufeng smiled. "I am merely passing through Chenzhou on official business, ordered by the Military Governor to visit Sizhou. I ask that you allow us to enter the city to rest for the night; we shall depart tomorrow."

"Ha-ha, the Deputy Commissioner is a rare and honored guest. Please, enter the city and rest," the Prefect of Chenzhou replied cordially, gesturing to the side.

Wei Fufeng stepped forward, his elite guards following behind, and entered the city alongside the Prefect. The scene within the walls was noticeably chaotic. The long main street was riddled with potholes, and the shops and houses on either side were arranged in a disorderly fashion. Hundreds of Liao soldiers stood in formation along the street.

"Deputy Commissioner, what business takes you to Sizhou?" the Prefect of Chenzhou asked bluntly.

Wei Fufeng produced two official documents from his sleeve and handed them over. The Prefect took them and opened them as they walked.

Wei Fufeng spoke at the right moment: "These were seized in Langzhou. The Military Governor ordered me to take them to Sizhou and communicate with the Tian clan."

"This? Honestly, there is no need to communicate regarding this matter. The Tian clan of Sizhou will never ally with the Jingnan army or the E-Zhou army; that would be like asking a tiger for its skin—the loss would far outweigh the gain," the Prefect said dismissively, his demeanor clearly relaxing.

"The Military Governor believes it should be communicated, so it must be done. I am carrying out his orders. One, to communicate, and two, as my rank is Deputy Commissioner of the Qianzhong Circuit and Prefect of Fuzhou, the Military Governor suggested I travel and see my jurisdiction. Once I reach Sizhou, I can take a boat down the Wu River to assume my post in Fuzhou," Wei Fufeng explained.

"Oh, I see. You are going to assume your post in Fuzhou?" the Prefect responded.

"I have been appointed Prefect of Fuzhou and am ordered to take up the office. Fuzhou is also under the jurisdiction of the Qianzhong Circuit," Wei Fufeng said.

"Oh, you are young and promising. Might you be a close relative of the Military Governor?" the Prefect asked directly.

"I am the Military Governor's cousin, from the Marquis of Qingyang’s mansion in Chang'an," Wei Fufeng replied with a smile.

"So, a scion of a noble house. My apologies for the lack of respect," the Prefect said with a flattering smile.

Wei Fufeng smiled faintly and said nothing. After walking a few paces, he continued, "You must be aware that the Military Governor has sent thirty thousand troops to take Tanzhou."

The Prefect of Chenzhou nodded. "I have heard. I do not know how the battle is faring."

"When I left Yanzhou, I heard that ten thousand E-Yue troops were raiding toward Langzhou from Lake Dongting," Wei Fufeng said.

"Ten thousand E-Yue troops? Is Langzhou not in crisis?" the Prefect asked, startled.

"The cities of Yanzhou and Wuling each have four thousand defenders; ten thousand E-Yue troops are not enough to breach them. The Military Governor said that the Military Governor of E-Yue, Du Hong, is unwilling to sacrifice his men in an ant-like assault on the city walls; he only dispatched troops because Lei Yangong had colluded with the Prefect of Shaozhou," Wei Fufeng explained.

"Lei Yangong, the second son of Lei Man. I heard he surrendered to the E-Yue army and was appointed as a military commissioner," the Prefect nodded.

Wei Fufeng nodded. "Taking Tanzhou will allow Langzhou and Yanzhou to escape their isolated state and further constrain the Jingnan and E-Yue armies."

The Prefect of Chenzhou said respectfully, "The Military Governor’s conquest of Jingnan is surely within sight."

Wei Fufeng shook his head. "The Military Governor said that taking Tanzhou is easy, but taking Jingzhou is difficult. The Military Governor of Jingnan, Cheng Rui, has elite troops and abundant grain. The Southern Sichuan army cannot defeat him in a single battle. If we fall into a war of attrition, Southern Sichuan cannot afford it, and our army still faces a powerful enemy in the Fengxiang army."

The Prefect nodded and said, "I shall host a banquet to welcome you."

Wei Fufeng shook his head and smiled. "I am exhausted from the journey and only wish to rest. I shall drink with you another time, Prefect Liu."

"Since you are tired, my Lord, then please rest early," the Prefect agreed.

The party of two hundred camped in a residential area, maintaining strict security and allowing no outsiders near. The Prefect of Chenzhou did not sleep all night; three thousand Liao soldiers gathered in the city, fearing a ruse of collusion between the guest and internal enemies.

Early the next morning, Wei Fufeng’s party requested two guides for the mountain paths and departed, seen off by the Prefect of Chenzhou. Watching them depart, the Prefect let out a sigh of relief and returned to the city to entertain the various Liao chieftains.

...

Leaving the city of Yuanling, Wei Fufeng’s party continued marching southwest. Their next destination was Chenxi County, under the administration of Chenzhou.

The Chenxi River is the upper reach of the Yuan River, which joins with the Luxi River within the borders of Chenxi County to form the Yuan. Following the Chenxi River southwest, it splits into the Jinjiang and Wuxi rivers, the two major upper tributaries. Heading south along the Wuxi River leads to Wuzhou, which borders Shaozhou to the east. Following the Jinjiang River southwest, the route turns west into Jinzhou (Tongren).

Under the jurisdiction of Jinzhou in the Qianzhong Circuit were Luyang, Wan'an, and Weiyang counties. From top to bottom, these were entirely governed by local Liao chieftains. Compared to Chenzhou, they were much more closed off, with virtually no Han residents settled there.

The Sizhou that Wei Fufeng intended to reach was located northwest of Jinzhou. The route from Chenzhou through Jinzhou to Sizhou formed an upward-curving arc. The reason for this circuitous path was that the Wuling Mountains blocked any direct route.

Wei Fufeng’s party successfully entered Jinzhou, passing through Liao settlements along the way, generally remaining in peaceful coexistence without mutual aggression. The Liao lived in tribal clusters, each tribe ranging from several hundred to several thousand people. Among the tribes, the weak relied on the strong, but reliance did not equate to belonging; each tribe maintained its own autonomy.

Holding the title of Deputy Commissioner of the Qianzhong Circuit, Wei Fufeng was seen by the average Liao as a "Great Chieftain" (Prefect). Coupled with his party’s sharp and well-maintained weaponry, the grassroots-level Liao tribes dared not provoke or rob them; on the contrary, they feared being robbed themselves.

Led by their guides, they followed the Jinjiang River. Wei Fufeng was in high spirits throughout the journey, enjoying the magnificent mountains and rivers. As they entered the heart of Jinzhou, Wei Fufeng was surprised to catch sight of rice paddies, which came as a great surprise to him.