Volume Two: The Ancestral Lords Chapter 92: The Western Sichuan Army

During the meeting, Wei Fufeng learned of several serious developments. First, shortly after Wang Jian captured Chengdu, he ordered his general Li Jian to lead 10,000 troops southward to attack Rongzhou.

There were battles at the outer military forts of Rongzhou, with three forts being breached and 150 soldiers killed.

Upon learning this, the Shu South Military Headquarters dispatched 20,000 troops northward to resist the enemy and were now stationed north of Shunan County, confronting Li Jian’s invading forces.

Additionally, the Xichuan forces in Zizhou had reinforced with an extra 10,000 troops, clearly signaling hostile intentions.

Moreover, the southern Sichuan region was facing a shortage of grain. Should intense combat break out, the farmlands in Changzhou and Luzhou would be pillaged, leading to famine. Defending against the Xichuan invasion would become a passive and bitter struggle.

Wei Fufeng fully understood that the attacking side held the advantage of flexibility and could maneuver swiftly.

The defenders were in a vulnerable, reactive position, hence the construction of military forts to form strategic defensive strongholds.

After assessing the situation, Wei Fufeng said, “Recall the troops from Fuzhou back to Yuzhou. Dispatch Yuzhou’s forces to garrison Nanxi County and stand ready. Send 5,000 Liaoren troops to Fuzhou for defense. Bring back Lu Qing to command the troops stationed in Nanxi County.”

“Sir, do you intend to intimidate the Xichuan forces into retreating?” asked Old Feng.

“No. We will take the initiative and seize Jiazhou, stationing ourselves on the southern bank where the Dadu and Min rivers converge. Holding just half of Jiazhou, we can use the natural defense of the rivers to repel the enemy, while the troops in Nanxi County will be ready to respond to changes in the east and west,” Wei Fufeng explained.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Commander Zhang Tianyu said, “Commander Lu is still building the city in Qianzhou. I volunteer to lead the troops in Nanxi County.”

“You will continue to lead the Fengli Camp. The reason we call upon Lu Qing is his familiarity with Gongjing Town’s terrain, which is crucial for advancing into Rongzhou and Lingzhou,” Wei Fufeng elaborated.

The officials were surprised. Old Feng remarked, “Sir, the troops in Dongchuan have always maintained peace with us. Advancing now seems premature and unwise.”

“I do not wish to provoke war lightly, but Wang Jian now controls Xichuan, and the Dongchuan forces have refused alliance with us. It is likely they will unite with Wang Jian. Therefore, I have proactively formed an alliance with Yang Shouliang. I will take Rongzhou and Lingzhou; Yang Shouliang will seize other territories under Dongchuan’s control,” Wei Fufeng said.

The officials were taken aback. Old Feng mused, “The battle of Jinzhou concluded not long ago, and yet Yang Shouliang is willing to turn from foe to ally?”

“The military governors are like feudal lords, driven only by interests rather than absolute friendship or enmity. Yang Shouliang worries about Xingyuan Prefecture’s threat from Jinzhou. I have offered peace and promised not to take advantage, so Yang Shouliang’s focus has shifted to Dongchuan,” Wei Fufeng explained.

Old Feng nodded, “Advancing on Dongchuan and occupying Jianmen Pass gives Yang Shouliang geographical advantage. He should have seized Dongchuan first; attacking Jinzhou was a miscalculation.”

“Yang Shouliang’s assault on Jinzhou was forced by Yang Fuyong, who sought to intimidate the court in Chang’an to regain his official position,” Wei Fufeng added.

Old Feng agreed, and Wei Fufeng continued, “This matter remains uncertain. We must wait for Yang Shouliang’s attack on Dongchuan before mobilizing our troops. This must remain confidential; all troop movements are justified as defenses against Xichuan.”

The officials consented, then proceeded to discuss military and political affairs.

Based on reports and recommendations from the governor’s office, Wei Fufeng made appropriate personnel adjustments—promoting capable officials and transferring or demoting those with poor performance or misconduct to less critical posts, maintaining stability without dismissing or punishing officials harshly.

After the meeting, Wei Fufeng and Old Feng, accompanied by the Tiger Guards and Thousand Crane Guards, patrolled the city and arrived at the south gate of the inner city.

Climbing the city tower, Wei Fufeng gazed out and saw the expansive outer city already taking shape.

The undulating city walls resembled a coiled dragon. Two visible gates on either side were completed, their blue-green gates perfectly integrated with the rammed earth walls. The battlements and crenellations were intact, though no gate towers had been built yet.

The vast new outer city featured six gates—two each on the east, south, and west sides. Watchtowers were planned for the midpoints of the walls. The western walls of the inner city were being dismantled, the stone repurposed for constructing the riverside walls.

Within the outer city, the scene was orderly and impressive. A winding artificial river, like a jade belt, flowed through the city. Numerous bamboo houses were arranged within square plots, intersected by a network of earthen roads, while large green areas appeared to be cultivated for vegetables or grain.

Wei Fufeng smiled with satisfaction, “Old Feng, the changes here are remarkable.”

“They are indeed. This is thanks to the bamboo forests of Shu South, which allowed rapid construction of bamboo houses for the displaced to settle,” Old Feng replied with pride, acknowledging his own efforts.

Wei Fufeng nodded, then asked, “What about the monks at Bao’en Temple? Any complaints?”

“None, I believe. After their arrival, I made sure they were well cared for, with sufficient food and lodging, and allowed them to oversee the temple’s layout. There are thousands of Buddhist believers here, so naturally, they are happy to stay,” Old Feng said.

Wei Fufeng nodded again. Old Feng added, “Another matter: some wealthy families in Yuzhou have offered to lease confiscated farmland in exchange for properties along the city’s riverbanks. They plan to build docks and commercial buildings.”

Wei Fufeng considered this and nodded. “That is acceptable, but not at bargain prices nor in excessive amounts. We must reserve space for official rewards. Wealthy families holding leases from other prefectures may also exchange land here.”

Old Feng nodded, “Some officials say that with the participation of these elite families, Bacheng could quickly flourish and may even become a second Yangzhou.”

Wei Fufeng was pleased. He intended to make Bacheng the thriving metropolis of southern Sichuan.

Yuzhou’s location was advantageous, with the Jialing River to the north, abundant resources from the upper reaches of the Yangtze to the west, trade routes downstream to the east, and the Fuling River connecting to the Guizhou region in the south. With proper management, it was a veritable treasure basin.

Old Feng then asked, “Sir, will any officials from Jinzhou be appointed here?”

“No. Southern Sichuan is mine; I will not allow family or clansmen to interfere. At most, I will favor my wife’s relatives. As for Jinzhou, once stable, I will minimize interference in its military and political affairs,” Wei Fufeng replied decisively.

...

Wei Fufeng’s series of military and political orders were disseminated. The troops guarding Fuzhou were relocated to Nanxi County in Rongzhou.

Fuzhou was left with its agricultural garrison and the 5,000 Liaoren troops sent away, plus 1,000 local militia under the regional inspector, totaling 11,000 soldiers.

The so-called battle troops were conscripted agricultural soldiers temporarily formed into combat forces. Their stationing was not permanent; rotations occurred regularly, maintaining constant numbers.

Commander Lu Qing was ordered back to Yuzhou to hold confidential talks with Commander Wei Fufeng on strategies for advancing on and defending Rongzhou.

Securing Rongzhou was imperative: it would serve as a strategic shield between Yuzhou and Luzhou, and its salt wells were vital since sea salt could not be transported inland. Control of salt production was crucial to the foundation’s success or failure.

The 20,000 battle troops arrived in Nanxi County and the next day marched to join the 20,000 agricultural soldiers from Shu South Military Headquarters.

Three days later, a combined force of 40,000 marched decisively against 10,000 Xichuan troops.

The 10,000 Xichuan soldiers could only retreat. Although the armor coverage among the 40,000 southern Sichuan troops was minimal, the overwhelming numbers and superior morale and organization meant they were no longer a rabble.

Advancing and retreating, the Xichuan forces fell back to Longyou County on the northern bank where the Dadu and Min rivers meet.

The southern Sichuan troops garrisoned the southern bank, while Shu South Military Headquarters’ troops withdrew to garrisons in Gaoxian and Dousha counties.

...

The agricultural soldiers of Shu South Military Headquarters were primarily tasked with internal control over the Bo people’s territory and deterring the Nanzhao Kingdom externally.

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Li Jian, commander of the Xichuan army’s field camp, stood on the northern bank of the Dadu River, gazing across at the southern Sichuan encampment. His broad, square face framed by sideburns and a beard, his brows furrowed deeply in frustration. The southern Sichuan troops on the opposite bank left him with no options.

His orders to attack Rongzhou had two objectives: first, to test if Rongzhou could be seized; second, to deliberately provoke the southern Sichuan forces and stir their ambitions.

Li Jian employed officers from Rongzhou to persuade the regional inspector of Rongzhou to surrender, but was politely refused.

The inspector, once allied with Wang Jian, now adopted a wait-and-see stance, essentially doubting Wang Jian’s prospects.

The second objective was to incite the southern Sichuan troops to invade Xichuan. After years of warfare, Xichuan’s population and wealth had been severely depleted, making it vulnerable to external ambitions.

Wang Jian was a brave and skilled warrior, but the fundamentals of war were manpower and resources.

Though Wang Jian could muster seventy to eighty thousand troops to attack southern Sichuan, after years of conflict, the people of Xichuan craved peace, and officials and elites loyal to Wang Jian were unwilling to endure further depletion.

Wang Jian needed to lure the southern Sichuan forces out by provoking them.

Li Jian followed orders, fiercely attacking the outer forts of the southern Sichuan forces, capturing three forts but suffering 600 casualties. Dozens of captured southern Sichuan soldiers were executed to enrage their comrades.

The southern Sichuan regional inspector’s counterattack was fierce but clearly defensive, unwilling to advance into Xichuan.

Li Jian found himself at a loss. Attempting to cross the river and attack would be a suicide mission, as he could not afford such losses.

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In Chengdu, the postwar scene was desolate. The vast city was visibly empty, with few civilians on the streets—only soldiers in various uniforms patrolled.

Within the inner city stood a detached palace, an imperial retreat located outside Chang’an.

Historically, several Tang emperors had sought refuge in Shu. The detached palace in Chengdu was built by Xichuan’s regional inspector Chen Jingxuan for Emperor Xizong during the Huang Chao rebellion.

The palace featured high walls, green tiles, and red gates with upturned eaves.

In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Wang Jian sat in a purple robe with a jade belt, on a grand chair behind the dragon desk. Approximately forty years old, robust in build, with sword-like eyebrows, tiger-like eyes, and a three-inch beard, he radiated imposing authority.

Also seated in the hall were a dozen civil and military officials, trusted advisors and generals, including chief strategists Zhang Qianyu and Zhou Yang, and loyal bodyguards.