Volume Two: Grandfather and Grandson, Lords and Subjects Chapter 67: The Battle That Determines Victory or Defeat

In early February, the situation Wei Fufeng had long feared finally came to pass: Yang Fugong’s forces in Bashu launched a campaign, invading the southern Sichuan region.

The military governor of Longjian, Yang Shouhou, led an army of fifty thousand southward, advancing straight toward Fuzhou.

It could be said that the outbreak of war in southern Sichuan was several months later than Wei Fufeng had anticipated.

There were three main reasons for the delay: the agricultural harvest, Yang Shouliang’s need to consolidate control over his territories, and the establishment of the Longjian Military Governorship.

Waging war required preparation. Since becoming the governor of Shannan, Yang Shouliang intended to hold his position for the long term. That required proper governance of his domains; he could not afford to neglect farming. The recent harvests in Hanzhong were modest, and with his ambitions to expand the army, he lacked sufficient grain reserves to feed his troops.

Yang Shouliang had only recently taken control of the Shannan West Circuit. He could directly command the prefectures near Xingyuan Prefecture, but those farther away were only nominally under his authority.

These nominally-subordinate prefectures were like semi-independent fiefdoms. Their prefects held all military and administrative power, acknowledging the governor only in name and paying tribute—such as in the case of Yuzhou.

The creation of the Longjian Military Governorship was aimed primarily at countering the Eastern Sichuan governor. With Longzhou and Jianzhou (Jianmen Pass) placed under this post, a period of transition was inevitable.

Of the fifty thousand troops marching south, twenty thousand were conscripted young men from the four prefectures under the Longjian governor, drilled for two months. Another ten thousand were originally under Yang Shouliang and transferred to the Longjian governor by Yang Fugong.

The remaining twenty thousand came directly from Yang Shouliang’s own forces. Xingyuan Prefecture still had sixty thousand, and the Wuding governor in Yangzhou had another twenty thousand.

In sum, Yang Fugong’s power in Bashu was formidable, surpassing even the military strength of Chang’an itself—and much of Chang’an’s army comprised his own protégés.

The southern Sichuan forces, ever vigilant of threats from the north, swiftly responded upon learning that fifty thousand enemy troops were advancing south. They notified the Eastern Sichuan and Wutai governors, and dispatched the Leopard Banner and Phoenix Departure battalions to reinforce Fuzhou.

The Qianzhou military headquarters was also ordered to send eight thousand troops to Fuzhou.

In short order, nearly thirty thousand troops assembled in Fuzhou. Zhao Yidou, as commander of the Fuzhou forces, naturally took charge. Commanders sent as reinforcements could offer their advice but were required to obey Zhao Yidou’s strategic command.

Thirty thousand against fifty thousand—numerically, Fuzhou was at a disadvantage. Even if the enemy’s new conscripts made up the bulk of their force, Fuzhou’s own troops were nothing more than a ragtag band. There were just over three thousand newly-made crossbows, distributed among the various units; most soldiers still wielded bamboo spears and shields.

But fate is unpredictable. The balance of power can sometimes shift in the most unexpected ways.

Just as Zhao Yidou was grimly preparing for a desperate battle, Wang Ze, the forward commander, suddenly sent word of a major development.

As the fifty thousand enemy troops reached Quzhou, north of Fuzhou, they split into two columns: twenty thousand veered along the Qu River toward Yuzhou, while only thirty thousand continued toward Fuzhou.

Wang Ze’s report indicated that the twenty thousand from Shannan West Circuit had separated from the thirty thousand under the Longjian governor.

Wang Ze advised taking the initiative—striking while the enemy was divided and weak, rather than waiting passively for the Yuzhou force to descend along the upper Yangtze and attack Fuzhou.

Zhao Yidou, stirred by the suggestion, immediately ordered the entire army to march at once.

Though the enemy might have set a trap, Wang Ze’s reasoning was sound: if the twenty thousand enemy soldiers attacked from Yuzhou by way of the river, joining the thirty thousand from the north, Fuzhou would be indefensible.

So the entire southern Sichuan army marched out, leaving only Prefect Li Ji and two hundred militia to defend the county seat of Fuling.

In truth, if the southern Sichuan army were defeated, Li Ji’s only options would be to flee or surrender. As an imperial appointee, he would likely be spared.

Before departing, Zhao Yidou sent messengers to Zhongzhou to request reinforcements from the Wutai governor, and to Luzhou to inform both the White Tiger Hall and the military headquarters.

After departing, Zhao Yidou launched a morale campaign, having his officers announce to all units that the supposedly fifty thousand-strong enemy had split at Quzhou.

Of the enemy, thirty thousand were rushing along the Qu River to Yuzhou; now, only twenty thousand militia were advancing slowly toward Fuzhou.

Speed is of the essence in war. Heartened by the hope of victory, the southern Sichuan army marched with single-minded determination, covering more than sixty li in half a day. By afternoon, they reached the enemy camp.

The thirty thousand Longjian troops had only just set up camp. Governor Yang Shouhou was still simmering with anger.

The cause: Yang Shouliang’s twenty thousand troops had insisted on seizing Yuzhou, led by Yang Shouliang’s adopted son, Yang Zishi, who claimed Yuzhou rightfully belonged to Shannan West and was acting under direct orders.

Yang Shouhou saw through Yang Shouliang’s desire to monopolize the spoils.

Yuzhou, historically a hub of culture and commerce and once the capital of the Ba Kingdom, was second only to Chengdu in Bashu’s prosperity, and even more important than Chengdu in terms of trade.

Though annoyed, Yang Shouhou knew better than to offend Yang Shouliang, and also understood the need for caution. Thus, he camped at the border of Quzhou and Fuzhou, waiting for Yuzhou to fall before marching on Fuzhou.

Yang Shouhou was prudent but no master tactician, nor had he ever commanded troops in battle.

In truth, he was only somewhat more resourceful than a civil official, adept at flattery and empty strategizing—traits that had earned him Yang Fugong’s favor and the post of governor.

Based on his intelligence, Yang Shouhou knew Fuzhou had been building outer fortifications and was clearly adopting a defensive posture. With thirty thousand troops, he assumed Fuzhou would not dare sally forth.

Out of sorts, he neglected to oversee the encampment or send out scouts.

It was not until the southern Sichuan army was barely a hundred meters from camp that the lounging soldiers heard the commotion. Some curious men looked up and saw a vast force charging toward them.

“Enemy attack!” a terrified soldier shouted. Chaos erupted in the camp.

“Kill!” roared Wang Dahu, clad in heavy armor, iron lance in hand, leading the charge.

Wang Dahu had ridden on horseback until a kilometer out, then dismounted to lead the Leopard Banner vanguard on foot—there was no way to charge alone on horseback over such a distance, and the animals were too spent for a furious assault.

He was first to reach the camp gate—a mere wooden frame with no actual doors. A dozen pikemen stood guard, but when they saw the towering, armored giant rushing them, their eyes filled with fear.

“Open!” Wang Dahu swung his iron lance with one arm, bellowing as he sent seven or eight pikemen flying. The gate’s defense was instantly breached.

Wang Dahu stormed into the camp. Though exhausted, the Leopard Banner soldiers surged in behind their commander, spirits high.

Other southern Sichuan troops soon arrived, pushing forward relentlessly and breaking through the flimsy palisades, flooding the camp like a tide.

“Archers, kill that armored man!” barked a military officer. A dozen archers loosed arrows at Wang Dahu.

He lowered his head and charged, swinging his massive lance in wide arcs. Five arrows struck him but bounced off his armor.

Wang Dahu strode toward the officer, swinging his lance and sending the man and three bodyguards flying amid screams.

“Lay down your weapons and you will not be killed!” Wang Dahu, blood-soaked, shouted fiercely—like a demon from hell.

His shout broke the enemy’s will. Many nearby dropped their bows and spears, knelt with hands on their heads, and were spared as the southern Sichuan troops swept past. Wang Dahu pressed on.

Defeat cascaded through the ranks. Caught unawares, the thirty thousand Longjian troops fell into disarray and panic, fleeing in chaos.

Yang Shouhou’s orders could not restore discipline or organize any effective resistance. He too was forced to retreat, chased for over ten li by the southern Sichuan troops, escaping with barely ten thousand men.

In that single battle, three thousand of the enemy were killed, with nearly a thousand casualties on their own side, and fourteen thousand prisoners taken—several thousand of whom were captured by the arriving “allied forces.”

The Wutai governor responded promptly, leading five thousand troops to join the pursuit.

Victory at last. Only after collecting weapons and securing the prisoners did the exhausted southern Sichuan army rest. Zhao Yidou ordered camp to be pitched; he would rather lose Fuzhou than have his weary troops march back.

Once settled, they began accepting surrenders. Anyone who yielded would be granted land, and with the encouragement and persuasion of many southern Sichuan soldiers, over ten thousand prisoners joined their ranks.

Many surrendered simply out of fear, seeing so many others yield and fearing for their lives.

The news of victory was dispatched at once by swift messenger to Fuzhou and elsewhere. Upon receiving the triumphant report in Luzhou, the three authorities convened and resolved to advance on Yuzhou.

Yuzhou, meanwhile, had already received twenty thousand troops from Shannan West Circuit, and the local prefect surrendered the city.

In fact, Yang Shouliang had previously negotiated terms with the Yuzhou prefect via his inspector, Yang Hui, making him deputy governor of southern Sichuan as part of the arrangement.

Back in Zhao Yidou’s camp, half an hour after the messenger departed, Wang Ze arrived to suggest they capitalize on their victory, marching on Yuzhou to surprise the remaining twenty thousand enemy troops and seize the city.

Zhao Yidou doubted they could achieve surprise, as Yuzhou would likely have already heard of the defeat. He also worried that the newly surrendered prisoners might turn on them in battle.

Yet Wang Ze’s advice was difficult to refute. Zhao Yidou called in the other two commanders, Gan Fengchi and Wang Dahu, for counsel.

Gan Fengchi argued that, as Yuzhou was part of southern Sichuan’s domain, they were duty-bound to reinforce it if attacked—but current forces were insufficient. He suggested marching toward Yuzhou while also petitioning the military headquarters for support.

If headquarters sent reinforcements, they could attack Yuzhou from both directions; if not, they could return to Fuzhou en route.

Wang Dahu agreed, and Zhao Yidou, his concerns allayed, sent out another messenger.

At dawn, after integrating the prisoners, the army set out for Yuzhou.

In Luzhou, after reaching the same conclusion as the three commanders, they assembled thirty thousand troops and marched on Yuzhou as well.

In the Yuzhou prefecture, an informant who had been lurking in Fuzhou sped upriver upon learning of the southern Sichuan army’s victory, but only reached Yuzhou by dawn.

The prefect was stunned by the news, questioned the informant closely, and, once convinced, hurried in person to the southern gate camp to report to Yang Shouliang’s adopted son.

Yang Zishi was taken aback by the news. After some thought, he instructed the prefect to prepare the city for battle.