Volume III: The Southern Expedition and Territorial Expansion Chapter 155: Advancing into Lingnan

During the reign of Emperor Xianzong of the Tang Dynasty, Wei Zhou happened to serve as the Military Commissioner of Lingnan East Circuit.

Wei Zhou hailed from the prestigious Wei clan of Jingzhao. He had previously served as a Director of the Ministry of Revenue, Deputy Military Commissioner of Taiyuan, and Prefect of Yongzhou, finally concluding his career as the Military Commissioner of Lingnan. Though he lacked monumental exploits, he remained one of the prominent high officials produced by the Wei clan.

The fierce military thrust of Wei Fufeng toward Guiguan and Lingnan was, in part, causally linked to Wei Di.

As the saying goes, predecessors plant trees while descendants enjoy the shade; Wei Di's tenure as the Military Commissioner of Lingnan paved a favorable psychological foundation for the descendants of the Wei clan to claim dominance over the Lingnan Circuit.

Ancestral legacy left unused would inevitably lapse over time. Assessing the situation and sizing up the trends, Wei Fufeng resolved to leverage the lingering prestige bestowed by his forebears to intervene and vie for hegemony in the unfamiliar territories of the Lingnan Circuit.

During Wei Di's tenure as Military Commissioner, he took a liking to Liu Qian at the Governor's Mansion, and took the initiative to marry off his adopted daughter—who was actually his own biological niece—to Liu Qian.

At that time, Liu Qian was entirely unremarkable. Yet, upon becoming the son-in-law of the Military Commissioner, his official career soared with smooth promotions. Within a mere few years, he was sent out to serve as the Prefect of Fengzhou while concurrently holding the post of Defense Commissioner of Wuzhou.

After Wei Di completed his term and returned to Chang'an, Liu Qian firmly established his long-term footing in Fengzhou and Wuzhou.

By the present day, Liu Qian commanded a force of over ten thousand soldiers and a fleet of a hundred warships, transforming into a pivotal local military warlord within the Lingnan Circuit.

Upon arriving in Wuzhou, Wei Fufeng acquired much more detailed intelligence regarding the conditions across the territories of the Lingnan Military Commissioner.

The major separatist factions partitioning the entire Lingnan Circuit primarily included Military Commissioner Liu Chonggui of Guangzhou, Liu Changlu of Gaozhou, Liu Qian of Fengzhou, Pang Jiuzhao of Rongguan, Zhou Yuanjing of Guiguan, Ye Guanglve of Yongguan, and Qu Chengyu of Annam.

In other words, the most formidable adversaries Wei Fufeng had to confront and conquer in seizing the Lingnan region were Military Commissioner Liu Chonggui, Liu Qian of Fengzhou, and Liu Changlu of Gaozhou. All other local factions essentially gravitated toward and depended upon these three major powers.

Liu Chonggui, a native of Huazhou, had attained the prestigious status of a palace graduate in the sixth year of Xianfeng. He had previously served as an Imperial Diarist, a员外郎 (Assistant Director) in the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of War, an Adjudicator of Revenue, an Acting Director of the Civil Service, and an Investigating Censor.

During the Dashun era under Emperor Zhaozong of the Tang Dynasty, he was promoted to Senior Gentleman of the Palace Gate, Academician of the Jixian Pavilion, Vice Minister of Revenue, and Acting Minister of Revenue, before being dispatched to serve as the Prefect of Guangzhou and Military Commissioner of Lingnan.

Wei Fufeng analyzed that Liu Chonggui was a figure akin to Wei Zhaodu. Having served as the Military Commissioner of Lingnan for less than two years, Wei Fufeng deduced that Liu Chonggui could not possibly wield actual authority over the military commission; he was likely nothing more than a figurehead with empty titles.

Perhaps he was capable of managing local civil administration, but having been sidelined by veteran military generals, he utterly lacked control over the military forces.

Therefore, the true figures holding substantive power in Guangzhou were, in all likelihood, the military generals commanding the troops.

The real power-holding generals in the Guangzhou Governor's Mansion were primarily two men: one named Lu Ju, who served as the Military Administrative Aide, and the other named Tan Hongpi, who served as the Chief Commandant of Military Horses.

Upon advancing to Wuzhou, Wei Fufeng's massive army was intercepted.

Wei Fufeng sent an emissary to inform the blocking forces that his surname was Wei, that he was related by marriage to the wife of the Prefect of Fengzhou, and that he had come under imperial decree to succeed the post of Military Commissioner of Lingnan. He demanded that the garrison troops of Wuzhou clear the path immediately, or else he would annihilate them outright.

The military force garrisoning Wuzhou consisted of only three thousand naval and land soldiers, commanded by Liu Yin, the eldest son of Liu Qian, whose birth mother was a lady of the Wei clan.

Liu Yin, nineteen years of age, was filled with doubt and alarm upon hearing the emissary's words, and thus dispatched men to inquire and ascertain the truth.

When Liu Yin's emissary was brought before Wei Fufeng, Wei Fufeng claimed to be Wei Zheng, the nephew of Wei Xun. He stated that Wei Xun was the son of Wei Zhaodu and had been dispatched by imperial decree to assume the office of Military Commissioner of Lingnan.

He explained that Wei Xun had fallen ill along the journey and was recovering, so he was acting as the vanguard to succeed his uncle in taking over the post.

When the emissary reported this back to Liu Yin, Liu Yin knew that Wei Zhaodu was a chancellor of the imperial court and harbored no suspicion of deception. Desirous of avoiding conflict and enmity, Liu Yin dared not obstruct Wei Fufeng's army and even took the initiative to provide additional boats to help the army cross the river.

Liu Yin did not dare to seek an audience with Wei Fufeng himself, but instead sent men flying post-haste to Fengzhou to report the matter to his father.

Upon receiving the report, Liu Qian was greatly astonished. He likewise harbored no suspicion of trickery, merely wondering whether the imperial court had once again undergone drastic upheavals. Lingnan was a remote and isolated region, holding little importance during the Tang Dynasty, and consequently suffered from severe information isolation.

Though Liu Qian commanded over ten thousand troops, his mindset remained merely that of a regional military overlord, and his force of ten thousand was quite mediocre in terms of military equipment and readiness.

According to his son's letter, the arriving force of ten thousand men boasted nearly thirty percent armor-clad troops, along with two thousand archers and crossbowmen—a force he could not possibly match.

When Wei Fufeng's army arrived at Fengzhou, he sent men bearing gifts to convey his regards to Liu Qian and his wife. When Liu Qian accepted the gifts, he merely offered conservative and perfunctory pleasantries.

Although Liu Qian was grateful for the favor once shown to him by Wei Zhou, he was presently unwilling to welcome Wei Fufeng's army into the Lingnan Circuit. Yet, it was equally inappropriate to openly and belligerently block their path, leaving him with no choice but to adopt a wait-and-see attitude.

In truth, once Wei Fufeng's army had crossed the formidable natural barrier of the river at Wuzhou, Liu Qian would not have dared to obstruct them even if he wanted to. With no natural defenses left to rely upon past Wuzhou, Liu Qian was utterly averse to engaging in a desperate military clash with Wei Fufeng's army.

Departing from Fengzhou, the army entered the territory of Duanzhou (Zhaoqing). Duanzhou fell within the sphere of influence of the Military Commissioner, functioning essentially as the forward military defense perimeter outside of Guangzhou. It was garrisoned by three thousand troops under the command of the Chief Commandant of Military Horses, Lu Ju.

Before Wei Fufeng's army reached the county seat of Gaoyao under Duanzhou's administration, Lu Ju received the intelligence. He fell into a state of profound internal conflict, never expecting that yet another successor to the Military Commissioner would arrive, and this one brought an elite army of ten thousand men.

Lu Ju similarly harbored no suspicion of foul play. Firstly, the majestic awe of the Tang imperial court still maintained a deterrent effect within the Lingnan Circuit; secondly, the fact that Wei Fufeng's army had passed through Liu Qian's defense zone amounted to an endorsement and tacit approval from Liu Qian.

Had a Military Commissioner arrived with merely a few hundred bodyguards, Lu Ju would not have bothered to hesitate—let them replace him, as it would not threaten his own interests and privileges.

Even after Liu Chonggui had arrived, had they not mutually conceded to one another in the pursuit of peace?

Liu Chonggui managed the civil administration of Guangzhou, while Lu Ju and Tan Hongpi controlled military affairs both internal and external.

Amidst his internal deliberations, Wei Fufeng's army pressed right up to the city walls.

Lu Ju chose to stall for time. On the one hand, he sent men to inform Wei Fufeng that he lacked the authority to receive him and requested that the army wait outside the city while he awaited a reply from the Military Commissioner; on the other hand, he dispatched riders post-haste to the Guangzhou Governor's Mansion to ask Tan Hongpi what course of action should be taken.

Wei Fufeng readily agreed to the emissary's request to wait, encamping his main force outside the western gate of Gaoyao county seat.

The next day, just as the sky was growing pale with dawn, three thousand Sichuan-South troops suddenly launched an assault on the northern gate. While the Duanzhou garrison, whose primary focus was concentrated on defending the western gate, was lax in mind and entirely unprepared, their vulnerable northern gate was breached in a surprise attack.

With the fall of Duanzhou city, the Sichuan-South troops surged inside. Thrown into utter panic and disarray, the Duanzhou garrison reacted in various ways: some fought back with fierce courage, others fled in all directions, and still others surrendered in clusters and droves.

Lu Ju chose to surrender and was brought before Wei Fufeng.

"My lord, please do not misunderstand! I truly had no intention of showing disrespect or negligence!" Lu Ju blurted out in a flurry of explanations the moment he laid eyes on Wei Fufeng, assuming that his "delay and negligence" had enraged the new successor.

"This army has come under imperial decree to assume command. You dared to defy the decree and commit treason—execute him," Wei Fufeng declared coldly. Amidst terrified cries for mercy, Lu Ju was dragged away and beheaded.

Having executed Lu Ju, Wei Fufeng ordered that the surrendered troops be reorganized and incorporated into his ranks, yielding an additional twenty-five hundred soldiers. Leaving behind a thousand Sichuan-South troops to garrison Duanzhou, the main army set off on the march toward Guangzhou.

Wei Fufeng's capture of the city and execution of Lu Ju served a dual purpose: first, to establish a bloody deterrent; second, to weaken enemy military strength.

In this surprise assault on the city, the Sichuan-South troops suffered fewer than two hundred casualties while managing to absorb a much larger force through surrender.

By the following day, the army arrived at Nanhai county seat, the administrative seat of Guangzhou.

Gazing upon the city, Wei Fufeng had to admit it was truly worthy of being the center of power in the Lingnan Circuit: its ramparts towered majestically, multi-tiered watchtowers rose sharply into the sky, and the gateways were solidly built of dark blue bricks.

It was said that more than a decade ago, Huang Chao had led an insurgent peasant army of one hundred thousand to breach this city, an achievement that must have exacted a tremendous cost.

As they pressed up to the city walls, Wei Fufeng received an unexpected report: the gates of Nanhai county seat were flung wide open, and numerous officials were gathered at the gates to welcome them.

Hearing this, Wei Fufeng dared not lower his guard. He ordered five thousand troops to serve as the vanguard, entering the city to take over the defense of the fortifications.

The five thousand soldiers formed a long, serpentine column as they marched toward the city gate. The vanguard leader shouted out directly that they were under orders to take over the city defenses, and without further ado, they dashed toward the drawbridge as wave after wave of troops streamed continuously through the gateway.

Inside the gate lay a barbican. With the inner city gate open, the Sichuan-South troops passed through the barbican and ascended the ramparts to take control of the gate's defenses.

Wei Fufeng waited patiently until a subordinate officer returned and reported, "My lord, although the city gates are wide open, a great number of archers are arrayed along the city walls."

Wei Fufeng nodded. Issuing a brief instruction, he strode forward toward the city gate, closely followed by the elite Tiger Guard.

Upon reaching the outer gate, Wei Fufeng spotted a dozen or so civil and military officials.

The two leading officials at the very front were a civil official clad in a scarlet robe, whose face was as flawless as white jade and whose demeanor was respectful, and a military officer attired in bright-shining armor, possessing sword-like eyebrows, tiger-like eyes, and a commanding air of authority.

At a distance of four meters, Wei Fufeng halted. Looking calmly at the officials, the scarlet-robed civil official stepped forward with a respectful bow and said, "Your humble subordinate, Li Yan, Chief史 (Historian/Administrator) of Guangzhou, respectfully welcomes Your Excellency."

"Your humble subordinate, Tan Hongpi, Military Administrative Aide of the Governor's Mansion, respectfully welcomes Your Excellency," the military officer also chimed in with a respectful bow.

Wei Fufeng fixed his gaze upon Tan Hongpi, waved a hand, and made a pointing gesture. Six of the accompanying Tiger Guard instantly lunged forward, drawing their sabers and slashing viciously toward Tan Hongpi.

Tan Hongpi drew his blade in profound shock and shouted, "My lord, what are you doing?!"

*Aargh!* Tan Hongpi was struck in the left shoulder by a Tiger Guard's saber, followed immediately by a multitude of flashing blades that found their mark, severing his head.

Tan Hongpi crashed down into a pool of blood, his expression twisted in a fierce snarl, his eyes dilated wide in unresigned death. The remaining officials were frightened out of their wits, dropping hastily to their knees one after another to kowtow.

"This has nothing to do with you all. This villain actually attempted to ambush our army within the barbican—he deserved to die," Wei Fufeng said coldly.

"Yes, yes! Tan Hongpi harbored unfathomable motives; he deserved to die, truly deserved to die!" the Guangzhou Administrator chimed in hastily, echoing the sentiment.

"All of you, rise. Remember this: this army is the Military Administrative Aide," Wei Fufeng stated calmly, then strode onward toward the drawbridge.

The officials scrambled hastily to their feet, trailing ignominiously behind as they were escorted into the city by a dozen or so Tiger Guard soldiers.

Upon entering the city, Wei Fufeng headed straight for the Governor's Mansion, instructing his subordinates along the way to split up and take over the city defenses and reorganize the garrison troops.

In truth, Nanhai county seat was garrisoned by five thousand troops; had they chosen to fight to the death, the cost for Wei Fufeng to capture the city would have undoubtedly been enormous.

However, Tan Hongpi dared not fight to the death. Once he chose a desperate defense, he would instantly become a rebel outcast, and he lacked the absolute dominance in Nanhai county seat to control everything single-handedly—otherwise, he would not have tolerated Liu Chonggui administering civil affairs in the first place.

Tan Hongpi had chosen to proactively step outside the city to welcome them, intending at the very least to preserve his official position and wealth, never dreaming that the new successor would utterly disregard past conventions and ruthlessly execute him.

When Wei Fufeng arrived at the Governor's Mansion, the front had already been secured by the vanguard of the Sichuan-South troops, while the original garrison forces had been driven out and reorganized.

Wei Fufeng had previously issued strict instructions that no one was to show disrespect toward Liu Chonggui.

Stepping into the Governor's Mansion and skirting around the spirit screen, he reached the entrance of the main hall. Outside the hall stood ten Sichuan-South soldiers on guard, and a soldier stepped forward to report that Military Commissioner Liu Chonggui and his daughter were waiting inside the main hall for the new successor.

Wei Fufeng signaled his guards to halt and walked alone into the main hall, where he caught sight of an official clad in purple robes.

The purple-robed official sat behind a desk; his features were somewhat withered and emaciated, his beard and hair were frosted white, and his age appeared to be somewhere in his fifties or sixties. Standing in attendance to his left was a remarkably beautiful young maiden of sixteen or seventeen years of age.