gnovel Chapter 135 Lingering Without Entering: The Zhao Father and Son
Chapter 135 Lingering Without Entering: The Zhao Father and Son
At this time, the distribution of reinforcements was as follows: Zhao Dejun had 15,000 men stationed at Luanliu; Zhao Yanshou and Fu Yanrao had 25,000 men stationed at Luzhou; and Fan Yanguang had 20,000 soldiers from Weibo stationed at Liaozhou.
Liaozhou was first established in the Sui Dynasty, with its seat in Leping County. During the Tang Dynasty, it was moved to Liaoshan County. It bordered Xingzhou and Mingzhou to the east and was less than 300 li away from Taiyuan.
Zhao Dejun, who was originally supposed to advance from the north and south to attack the Khitan army from both sides, instead ran to his southwest side.
Zhao Dejun then requested to join forces with the Weibo army. Fan Yanguang knew that Zhao Dejun had been gathering various armies along the way and that his intentions were unpredictable, so he refused. He stated that the Weibo troops had already entered the enemy's territory and could not travel hundreds of miles south to join forces, so the request was dropped.
However, since Zhao Dejun refused to advance, and Fan Yanguang's forces were weak, he dared not rashly challenge the Khitan army and advance to the originally planned position of Yuci.
The matter of relieving the siege of Jin'an Village was put on hold after a while.
These days, Gao Huaide has deeply felt the bitterness of being ignored when he asks for help.
After much difficulty, he managed to compose himself and, after several days, sought an audience with Zhao Yanshou again, determined that this time he would beg Zhao Yanshou, even if it meant losing face, to send troops to his aid.
Unfortunately, Zhao Yanshou didn't give him a chance at all and turned him away directly.
Gao Huaide, in a fit of pique, stood at the door and refused to leave.
"Don't waste your energy."
Then Zhang Li, another Hanlin scholar who had arrived in Luzhou, stopped him.
"The Prince of Beiping and his son will not make any moves until they have reached an agreement with the imperial court."
Zhang Li concurrently served as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, a fifth-rank official. He was in charge of auditing and collecting taxes, funds, salaries, government offices, rewards, redemption, penal service, and arrears, as well as managing special revenues and expenditures such as military supplies and equipment, and grain purchases and storage.
He had always despised He Ning, who only wrote erotic poems, and worried that she would not succeed, so he volunteered to go himself, which Li Congke granted.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Yanshou led his army to Luzhou and then stopped there. Zhang Li's position was somewhat similar to Gao Huaide's, except that he had a clearer understanding of the current situation.
"Zhao Shuxiang is lingering and not advancing, cooperating with the Prince of Beiping to put pressure on the court."
Gao Huaide was puzzled. One of the father and son was stationed in Youzhou, and the other held the position of Privy Councilor. What more could they want?
"Human desires are insatiable; who knows what they're capable of?"
Zhang Li was always upright and honest. Although he was addicted to drinking and had no self-control, he was always righteous and compassionate towards talented people. He couldn't bear to see Gao Huaide's efforts go to waste, so he explained the reasons behind it.
"Couldn't the emperor simply issue an edict ordering the father and son to advance?"
Zhang Li was heartbroken and uttered a sentence that left a deep impression on Gao Huaide: "If the emperor has no soldiers in his hands, powerful ministers will not obey his commands."
……
Entering October, there was no progress in the battle at the front. More than ten days had passed since the last report of defeat was sent.
As a seasoned warrior, Li Congke naturally knew what this meant.
The prime minister and the privy councilor were unreliable, so the emperor consulted his ministers for advice.
The Vice Minister of Personnel, Long Min, offered a plan: Establish Li Zanhua as the ruler of the Khitan state, and order the garrisons of Tianxiong and Lulong to send troops to escort him from Youzhou to the Western Tower of the capital. The court would then issue proclamations along the way, thus causing Yelü Deguang to have internal worries and preventing him from staying in Han territory for long.
Li Zanhua, also known as Yelü Bei, was the eldest son of Yelü Abaoji and the elder brother of Yelü Deguang. He was granted the title of Duke of Longxi County and held the remote position of Jiedushi of Qianzhou. He lived in seclusion in the capital.
At this moment, he leisurely made the final stroke, examining his masterpiece: "What do you think of this 'Deer Hunting' painting?"
The concubine who was serving the painting praised with a smile: "The Duke's painting skills must be excellent."
"Then tell me, what's so good about it?"
The painting depicts a man and a deer. The man is riding a horse and holding a bow, chasing after the deer, which is running away desperately in front of him.
The concubine was merely offering empty flattery; she had no real knowledge of appreciating paintings. Several of her comments were rejected by Li Zanhua, who shook his head in disapproval, and a look of fear gradually appeared on his face.
Li Zanhua continued to press for answers.
Helpless, the concubine murmured softly, "This servant does not understand the subtleties of the painting. Please enlighten me, Your Highness."
"Oh, you don't understand?"
Li Zanhua suddenly changed his tune, reaching out to pinch the woman's chin: "What's the use of having such beautiful eyes?"
"Delay it and deal with it the usual way."
Ignoring the woman's pleas and cries, several of her close followers from the Khitan region forcibly dragged her out.
Li Zanhua was a great lover of Chinese studies and was skilled in poetry and painting. However, he was hard-to-reform his nature, was ruthless and bloodthirsty, and had a craving for human blood. He would often pierce the arms of his concubines and suck their blood, and if they were not satisfied, he would burn them and gouge out their eyes.
He was alone in the studio, gazing at his own paintings.
"The arrow has left the bowstring, striking the deer's hind leg; its capture is assured."
Li Zanhua murmured, "Mother, will Yao Gu really keep his promise and treat my son Tu Yu as his own?"
He picked up the wine jug and drank it all in one gulp, his eyes red as he sneered, "My elder brother isn't dead yet, but he's already taken his sister-in-law as his heir."
With a loud crash, the silver wine pot slammed to the ground.
Although Li Congke and the other ministers were unaware of the scandalous affairs of the Khitan royal family, Yelü Bei's entanglements with his own people and his clandestine collusion were already evident. If this man were to rebel, their plans would become a laughingstock. Therefore, Long Min's proposed strategy remained unresolved after several discussions.
Zhao Dejun repeatedly submitted memorials to revise the original marching route, and the imperial court did not ignore them, but was also considering countermeasures.
However, Li Congke had no troops at his disposal. If he rashly stripped Zhao Yanshou of his military power, the outcome would be unpredictable. At this critical moment, he dared not risk a complete falling out with the Zhao family.
The seventh day of the tenth month in the third year of the Qingtai era, the day of Renxu.
Li Congke issued an edict to conscript all officials, generals, and civilians across the country for horses. He also mobilized civilians to become soldiers, with one conscript from every ten households, each equipped with their own weapons and armor, and called this the Righteous Army.
He was well aware that such a rabble, even if he conscripted over 100,000, would be no match for 10,000 elite soldiers. He simply watched helplessly as the situation deteriorated, and could not bear to sit idly by and fail to save Jin'an Village, so he made a final effort.
Five thousand men and more than two thousand horses were recruited. Lang Wanjin, the prefect of Chenzhou, was known as a brave general. He was ordered to train him in battle and they were all to assemble in November.
After finishing this task, Li Congke drank heavily and sang mournful songs day and night, his melancholy evident in his expression.
In fact, he still had one last desperate option: to personally travel north, lead his troops into the army, and rally the troops from all directions to advance.
However, the fierce general who dared to charge into battle and capture enemy flags in his youth was now blinded by an eye disease, which made him unable to see the road ahead. The disloyalty of the ministers and the powerful local officials chilled his heart and made him lose the courage to fight.
"Xiao Gao, don't blame me for standing by and not helping."
Li Congke muttered to himself, "Your eyesight has always been good; you have no idea how terrifying it is to be blind. I harmed my adoptive father's own son; perhaps this is divine retribution."
"You lot, please don't speak ill of Shi Lang, lest it terrify me!"
……
When the edict to recruit soldiers reached Luzhou, Gao Huaide was greatly encouraged. If he had soldiers in his hands, he wouldn't have to be at Zhao Yanshou's mercy anymore.
"Chu Chou, Chu Yun, you two should follow Gao Yanei."
Li Renrang readily encouraged his two grandsons to volunteer, saying, "If it weren't for the fact that I and a bunch of old friends are all over seventy, we would have joined in the fun too."
"Back in the day, the Zhaoyi Infantry was the best among all the armies in the land."
Li Renrang recalled the past: "More than 150 years ago, Li Baozhen was the acting military governor of Zelu. He thought that Shandong was about to change and Shangdang was about to be attacked by troops. However, the land was barren and the taxes were heavy, so there was no way to support the soldiers."
"Li Baozhen registered the able-bodied men in the household register, selecting one out of three who possessed talent and strength. He exempted them from rent and corvée labor, provided them with bows and arrows, and instructed them: 'During the off-season from farming, you shall practice archery in groups; at the end of the year, I will hold a grand examination.' When the time came, he would collect them according to the register, conduct a general examination to demonstrate rewards and punishments, and then return to the original order. After three years, they were all skilled archers and the army was ready to be used. Without wasting government funds, he raised troops from the surrounding countryside and obtained 20,000 soldiers." (Note 1)
Li Renrang lamented, "His Majesty's mobilization of civilians for military service is not the far-fetched idea described by ignorant scholars. It's just a pity..."
The others understood the unspoken part of his sentence: It's a pity the emperor didn't have enough time to reorganize a fighting force.
November 4th, Wu Zi day.
Zhao Dejun waited near Luzhou for half a month before finally receiving the appointment he had been waiting for.
He could live a life of leisure, enjoying the imperial rations, while the soldiers of Jin'an Village suffered day after day. Li Congke was destined to lose the war and had no choice but to make concessions.
The imperial edict appointed Zhao Dejun as the Commander-in-Chief of all the military campaigns and continued to appoint him as the Commander-in-Chief of the Northeast Military Campaign; Zhao Yanshou was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Military Campaign of the Hedong Circuit.
November 7th, Gengyin day.
Fan Yanguang was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Southeastern Campaign of Hedong Circuit, with Li Jingzhou, the Military Governor of Bianzhou, as his deputy.
Incidentally, Li Jingzhou is a descendant of Li Baozhen.
Because Lu Qi, a scholar of the Duanming Hall, had once served in the Youzhou military headquarters, he was ordered to deliver the message to the commander-in-chief to be bestowed upon Zhao Dejun, and also to reward the soldiers.
When Lü Qi arrived at the army camp, he calmly explained his intention to entrust Zhao Dejun with the command. Zhao Dejun responded with great enthusiasm: "Since you have entrusted me with the army, how dare I fear death!"
November 8th, Xinmao.
Liu Yanlang was appointed as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Expeditionary Force of Hedong Road, but the number of troops under his command was pitifully small, and his role was negligible.
Zhao Yanshou finally agreed to move his base from Luzhou, taking over 20,000 imperial troops to Xitang, where they all came under his father's control. (Note 2)
Not only that, he also took away the five thousand local soldiers recruited from Luzhou.
Upon hearing the news, Gao Huaide rushed to the scene, only to find the camp deserted, his anger beyond words.
"Delaying the battle will disrupt military operations, deplete our military resources, and seize our state's troops..."
He gazed at the departing group, listing the crimes of the Zhao family father and son, his hands clenched into fists.
"Zhao Dejun, Zhao Yanshou, you just wait! If I don't avenge this, I... I'm not worthy of being called Gao Yanei!"
As if sensing its owner's determination, it barked twice, as if cheering on its master.
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Place Name Comparison
Leping County: Now more than 40 li southwest of Xiyang County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province
Liaozhou: present-day Zuoquan County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province.
Xitang: Xitang Town, 40 li northwest of Qin County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province