Volume Two: The Ancestral Clan Lords Chapter 94: The Struggle for Supper
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Emperor Zhaozong hesitated for a moment but, knowing that Li Shunjie was a rough and straightforward military man, thought that if he were a scheming individual, he would surely understand that the emperor’s favor was temporary and merely a means to an end, not necessarily a true betrayal of Yang Fugong.
“Very well, I order you to mobilize the troops and apprehend Yang Fugong,” Zhaozong said reluctantly.
“I obey your command,” Li Shunjie responded respectfully.
“Good. Upon success, I shall reward you handsomely,” the emperor said with customary flattery.
Li Shunjie then asked, “Your Majesty, after capturing Yang Fugong, may I lead the troops south to take control of Kuizhou and Guizhou?”
Zhaozong was taken aback. The position of Military Governor of Zhenjiang was merely an honorary title without real power. He asked, “You wish to take office in Kuizhou?”
“I am willing to serve Your Majesty in Chang’an, but as Military Governor of Zhenjiang, I cannot allow others to seize my jurisdiction. I intend to take control of those regions, leave a deputy to guard them, then return to Chang’an to continue serving Your Majesty,” Li Shunjie explained.
Zhaozong nodded and said approvingly, “You are brave and capable; you may take control of Kuizhou and Guizhou.”
“Understood! I will go now to capture Yang Fugong,” Li Shunjie replied resolutely, then stepped back and turned to leave.
Watching Li Shunjie’s broad back, the emperor’s expression darkened. His main intention in ordering Li Shunjie to arrest Yang Fugong was to suppress the instability within the Divine Strategy Army.
Li Shunjie’s arrest of Yang Fugong was an internal power struggle, which would cause many of Yang Fugong’s supporters to hesitate.
Li Shunjie’s desire to control Kuizhou and Guizhou was tied to Yang Hui.
Yang Hui had been assigned by Wei Fufeng to send letters to known members of Yang Fugong’s faction. Li Shunjie, having betrayed Yang Fugong, shared a somewhat similar fate to Yang Hui.
The letters from Yang Hui were reviewed by the governor of Jinzhou, whose grandfather had instructed Yang Hui to encourage Li Shunjie and his subordinates.
The gist of the letters was that as a military governor, Li Shunjie should rightfully control the military, political affairs, and benefits of his jurisdiction.
Yang Hui, claiming to be the Inspector General of the Southern Sichuan Army, promised to send 20,000 troops to assist if Li Shunjie took over Kuizhou and Guizhou.
Together, they would then seize the upstream prefectures of Kuizhou. If successful, the Southern Sichuan Army and the Zhenjiang Army would form a long-lasting alliance to counter the Eastern Sichuan, Western Sichuan, and Jingnan armies.
Yang Hui also warned that court politics were unpredictable; if the emperor turned against them, the consequences could range from dismissal to death. It would be wise to secure a local power base early on, establishing a place for retreat.
Li Shunjie and his men were tempted by this. Yang Fugong’s fate was a warning. Though rough, Li Shunjie was not foolish; his loyalty to the emperor was motivated by ambition for rank and power, while his subordinates prioritized the military governor’s office and its benefits.
Wei Fufeng was unaware of the plot to encourage Li Shunjie; the Jinzhou governor acted on his own accord.
Since Wei Fufeng’s actions aligned with his grandfather’s wishes, the two worked harmoniously.
The Jinzhou governor’s strategy was to pit strong forces against each other. The salt wells of Yun’an in Kuizhou were a lifeline for the Jingnan Military Governor. If Li Shunjie took office in Kuizhou, Cheng Rui would never yield.
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Li Shunjie took the imperial order and left the Daming Palace. Returning to the Tianwei military camp, he led three thousand soldiers to Zhaohua Ward to arrest Yang Fugong.
Although Yang Fugong was a eunuch, he had his own official residence and over a thousand personal guards in Zhaohua Ward. Having been dismissed, he could no longer serve openly in the Divine Strategy Army.
Before mobilizing, Li Shunjie sent his trusted men ahead to Zhaohua Ward to inform Yang Fugong that out of old kindness, he was advising him to flee Chang’an voluntarily.
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Of course, Li Shunjie was not moved by old favors but felt pity for a fallen fox and had learned to win hearts and avoid tarnishing his reputation since becoming a high official. After all, he had once been Yang Fugong’s sworn son.
Upon hearing that the emperor intended to arrest him for treason, Yang Fugong cursed Zhaozong for his ingratitude.
In truth, Yang Fugong had no intention of rebellion; he merely sought to regain his position. Being a eunuch, he could not aspire to the throne even if he rebelled.
With the tip-off, Yang Fugong’s resentment turned to anger. He immediately sent messengers to inform supporters within the Divine Strategy Army, hoping to instigate a true rebellion and force the emperor to abdicate in favor of another.
In the end, only the commander of the Yushan Army responded; the rest chose to wait and see.
The Yushan Army commander, also a sworn son of Yang Fugong, arrived with several thousand troops outside Zhaohua Ward, clashing with the delayed Tianwei troops.
Li Shunjie was furious. Having given Yang Fugong a chance to escape, the armies now faced each other. The Yushan commander accused Li Shunjie of ingratitude and cursed him to a bad end.
Fuming, Li Shunjie ordered an attack. Fierce fighting broke out outside Zhaohua Ward.
Yang Fugong’s guards also charged into battle, but Li Shunjie was adept at commanding troops, and his soldiers were stronger than the Yushan army.
Not wishing to fully engage, Li Shunjie suppressed his fury, hoping Yang Fugong would see reason and withdraw. The battle thus became a minor skirmish with most watching from the sidelines as if it were a live exercise.
The fighting lasted from morning until afternoon. Emperor Zhaozong, waiting anxiously at the Daming Palace, lost patience and ordered Sun Kui to advance.
Sun Kui led three thousand troops from the palace, marching grandly toward Zhaohua Ward.
An informant warned Li Shunjie, who shouted, “Lord Sun’s army is approaching! Will you not surrender?”
Yang Fugong realized Li Shunjie’s intention. Seeing other old allies unwilling to join, he withdrew resentfully with the Yushan troops through Tongyuan Gate, leaving Chang’an and escaping to Xingyuan Prefecture.
Sun Kui arrived empty-handed, exchanged a few formal words with Li Shunjie, and returned to the palace to report.
Yang Fugong’s escape allowed Emperor Zhaozong to publicly list his crimes.
An edict dismissed Yang Shouliang as Military Governor of Shannan West Circuit and Yang Shouzhen as Military Governor of Wuding Circuit, abolished the Longjian Military Governorship, returning Jianzhou and Longzhou to the Eastern Sichuan Military Governor’s control.
Sun Kui was appointed Military Governor of Shannan West Circuit and Commander of the Xingyuan Pacification Force, while Li Shunjie became Deputy Commander, leading 30,000 troops to campaign.
An edict named Wei Zhaodu as acting Military Governor of Wuding Circuit and garrison commander of Luoyang, Wang Wenqing as the external Prefect of Yangzhou and Acting Deputy Military Officer of Wuding Army, and appointed Wei Liang, Military Commander of Jincheng, as Deputy Commander of the Eastern Front to lead troops against Yangzhou.
This time, Emperor Zhaozong ordered Jinzhou to send troops, simultaneously involving Li Shunjie in the campaign to seize Xingyuan Prefecture, as Yang Shouliang’s influence was strong.
News of the events in Chang’an swiftly reached nearby regional military governors, thanks to timely dispatches by Li Xian.
Jinzhou learned the news and informed Southern Sichuan while debating their response. The second uncle advocated obeying imperial orders to avoid court reprisals against Jinzhou.
Wei Xuan advised caution, noting that the emperor’s appointment of the eldest uncle as Military Governor of Wuding was clearly a nominal post without real authority.
After Jinzhou deployed troops, they would not have the right to manage Wuding Circuit.
Wei Liang was stationed in Junzhou; the eighth brother Wei Kang remained silent, while Wei Fufeng’s fourteenth uncle Wei Xiong eagerly supported sending troops.
In the end, their grandfather adopted a half-hearted approach, ordering the fourteenth son Wei Xiong to lead three thousand militia troops on campaign.
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Before Wei Xiong departed, their grandfather sternly instructed deputy commander Gao Yan that this mission was merely a bluff under the guise of Jincheng troops; they must not truly attack Yangzhou. Even if the enemy withdrew, they were not to occupy it.
Wei Xiong argued, insisting that the Military Governor of Wuding was the eldest uncle and had rightful authority to take Yangzhou.
The grandfather explained that Yangzhou was off-limits: firstly, the emperor’s appointment was insincere; secondly, Jinzhou needed to guard against Han Jian’s Tongguan troops.
Wei Xiong reluctantly led three thousand spearmen westward.
On marching out of the city, Wei Xiong, pleased to finally command troops, felt regret at never having visited Hedong. He blamed Wei Fufeng for meddling but never felt relieved at having avoided disaster.
After Wei Xiong left, their grandfather sent a letter by fast horse to Yangzhou, explaining the forced deployment and promising not to attack.
Half the explanation was for his son’s sake, fearing a preemptive strike from Yangzhou.
Yang Shouzhen, the former Military Governor of Wuding who controlled Yangzhou, received Jinzhou’s letter. Knowing the troops were a weak militia, he refrained from counterattacking.
Wei Xiong reached Yangzhou territory and, persuaded by deputy commander Gao Yan, stationed his troops at the foot of the Daba Mountains, adopting a cautious stance ready to retreat into the mountains.
Three days after Wei Xiong’s encampment, Li Maozhen, Military Governor of Fengxiang, requested appointment as Deputy Pacification Commander of Xingyuan Prefecture and simultaneously dispatched 20,000 troops from Chencang to attack Fengzhou.
Fengzhou, under Shannan West Circuit, lay within the Qinling Mountains and guarded the strategic Chencang route.
After seizing Fengzhou by storm, the Fengxiang army advanced through Chencang to capture Shunzheng County in Xingzhou, then pressed on to seize Yangping Pass, controlling the gateway to Hanzhong, cutting off Yang Shouliang’s rear, and aiming at the Hanzhong basin.
Emperor Zhaozong, upon receiving the report, was furious at Li Maozhen’s unauthorized military action. Soon after, he received a petition from Han Jian, Military Governor of Huashang, also requesting appointment as Deputy Pacification Commander to suppress rebels. Without waiting for imperial approval, Han Jian deployed 20,000 troops through Jingzhao Prefecture, advancing along the Ziwudao Road straight to Yangzhou.
Jinzhou, receiving this intelligence, warned Wei Liang to guard against Han Jian’s feint and organized 10,000 militia to defend Jinzhou city, ordering Wei Xiong to return.
The unfolding situation exceeded the Jinzhou governor’s expectations.
The emperor aimed to control Shannan West Circuit, but the Fengxiang and Huashang military governors simultaneously mobilized to seize the opportunity, undermining the emperor’s plans.
Upon receiving orders and learning of the approaching 20,000 Tongguan troops, Wei Xiong panicked and disobeyed the recall, ordering his forces to retreat into the mountains.
Deputy commander Gao Yan argued that withdrawing would avoid confrontation, but Wei Xiong refused, fearing an ambush en route.
It was impossible for the 20,000 Tongguan troops to detour for a small force of 3,000 militia. They advanced straight along the Ziwudao Road to Yangzhou, where only 2,000 soldiers remained, as most forces were attacking Eastern Sichuan.
Yang Shouzhong was forced to abandon the Western County seat of Yangzhou and retreat to Xingyuan Prefecture to consolidate forces.
The Tongguan troops easily occupied Yangzhou, leaving 5,000 troops to garrison, while 15,000 marched westward to attack Xingyuan Prefecture.
The Fengxiang and Tongguan armies arrived within a day of each other, blocking the west and east gates of Nanzheng County.
Two days later, the imperial army of 30,000 reached Xingyuan Prefecture, crossing the Han River to camp outside the north gate.
Xingyuan’s city walls were high and sturdy, with at least 20,000 troops inside. The Fengxiang army had 10,000, the Tongguan army 15,000, and the imperial forces 30,000, including Li Shunjie’s 5,000 Tianwei troops.