gnovel Chapter 2 A Game of Chess in Chaotic Times: A Matter of Deliberation
Chapter 2 A Game of Chess in Chaotic Times: A Matter of Deliberation
Yanzhou had ten counties under its jurisdiction, with 16,345 households during the Kaiyuan era. After the An Lushan Rebellion, by the Yuanhe era, only 938 households remained, less than one in ten.
After a century, and further impacted by the Huang Chao Rebellion, the area has barely recovered to over 10,000 households, with a population that is only 60% of its peak.
With 5,000 garrison troops, plus 500 personal guards brought by Gao Xingzhou, they were more than capable of defending themselves, but lacked the ability to advance.
Li Yichao's Dingnan Army governs four prefectures. While any single prefecture may be inferior to Yan Prefecture, its overall strength is more than twice that of the Zhangwu Army.
If the central government were strong, the four border prefectures would naturally be no match for it. However, the country was fragmented. To the north of Yan and Yun, the Khitans frequently invaded; to the south of the Huai River, the Yang Wu, Qian Yue, Ma Chu, Southern Han, Min Kingdom, and Jingnan were all separatist regimes. The court could not concentrate its forces to wage war on the northwestern border regions, thus allowing the Dangxiang to grow stronger.
Li Renfu's death was a great opportunity to reclaim the Dingnan Army, but unfortunately, the military operations at the front were unsuccessful, the late emperor was nearing the end of his life, and all the plans ultimately came to naught.
Gao Xingzhou sighed softly, pondering the situation he faced.
Dingnan Army was headquartered in Xia Prefecture, backed by the 700-li-long Han Sea. To the southwest, You Prefecture guarded its flanks. To the east were Sui and Yin Prefectures, adjacent to the north of Yan Prefecture, extending directly to the left bank of the Yellow River.
Despite having the word "sea" in its name, the Hanhai is actually a vast, uninhabited desert. There are no streams or valleys along the way, only bitter, dry marshes. Water is scarce in both winter and summer, making it difficult for armies to pass through. Therefore, Xia Prefecture has no worries about its rear.
If Li Yichao were to further occupy Ling and Yan prefectures, gaining more room for maneuver, these six prefectures would be the foundation for establishing a nation.
Using one state to fight four states is a huge mismatch in strength and not a wise move. So what about using four states against four states?
The Zhenwu Army, formerly under Gao Xingzhou's command, was located north of the Dingnan Army, forming a tripartite balance with Yanzhou and Xiazhou, sandwiching Suizhou and Yinzhou in the middle. The two prefectures under its jurisdiction, Fuzhou and Linzhou, each had its own heroes, whose entire clans were skilled and experienced generals. For several years, they had worked together to resist the northern barbarians, supporting each other with an unbreakable bond.
Meanwhile, in Qingzhou, west of Yanzhou, the newly appointed prefect, Fu Yanqing, is a former colleague and close friend. Five years ago, the two fought together to quell the rebellion in Dingzhou and repel the Khitan reinforcements. Now, they share the responsibility of suppressing the Dingnan army.
Thinking about it this way, the ministers in the court had given his transfer to Yanzhou quite a bit of thought; it was not a hasty appointment.
With Qingzhou and Yanzhou to the south and Linzhou and Fuzhou to the north on the inner side of the Yellow River's "几" (ji) shape, the four prefectures of Dingnan Army, which are located horizontally to the east and west, are implicitly forming a pincer movement. The strategic layout has gained the upper hand, so it is no wonder that His Majesty is confident in issuing an edict to use troops.
If the eight provinces were to mobilize, it would involve tens of thousands of soldiers and over two hundred thousand civilians, undoubtedly constituting a major war. However, if viewed from a broader perspective, this struggle in the northwest corner is merely a small part of the grand scheme of the nation.
China is a vast country, divided into sixteen circuits and three hundred and sixty prefectures, with a population of tens of millions. The art of governing and balancing the country is not as simple as it seems on the surface; there is more to it than meets the eye.
Gao Xingzhou took out a letter from his pocket, smoothed out the creases, and softly read its contents.
"Zhu Hongzhao, Feng Yun, and other treacherous ministers disrupted the government. Taking advantage of the late emperor's serious illness, they plotted to kill the Prince of Qin, kill the eldest son and install the younger one as the new emperor, and monopolized the power of the court. This led to the alienation of their own family members and shook the foundations of the vassal states. I fear that the foundation laid by my ancestors will suddenly collapse. Therefore, I, Cong Ke, swore to enter the court to cleanse the evil ministers from the emperor's side. After the matter was accomplished, I resigned due to illness and returned to my vassal state."
"However, our vassal state is poor and our military strength is exhausted. We hope that the country's sages can help us in this urgent crisis. We humbly request the assistance of our neighboring vassal states." (Note 1)
Contrary to the imperial edict's request to march north and attack the Dingnan Army, this was an invitation to march south and join forces, and then enter Luoyang from the east.
Li Congke, the military governor of Fengxiang, plans to raise an army to purge the emperor's inner circle of corrupt officials!
Needless to say, the imperial court will definitely mobilize the troops of Xijing Chang'an, along with the surrounding towns, to launch a punitive expedition. Yanzhou's geographical location is right behind these vassal states!
That's probably why this imperial edict was issued.
Once the Zhangwu Army and the Dingnan Army become enemies, they will naturally have no time to respond to the Fengxiang Army.
This is evidenced by the fact that the Baoda Army south of Yanzhou, along with the Zhangwu Army, were simultaneously reorganized, with the veteran general Huangfu Li appointed as military governor. This man was of pure and honest character, and in terms of seniority in serving the late emperor, few could compare. (Note 2)
The Baoda Army is powerful, governing four prefectures: Fu, Fang, Dan, and Zhai. It can serve as a backup plan in case the Zhangwu Army changes its mind.
Gao Xingzhou sighed again. His relationship with Li Congke was common knowledge, so it was only natural to be cautious. Without piecing together the whole picture from fragments, it would be difficult to understand the intricate and interconnected nature of the court's personnel arrangements.
Therefore, the purpose of issuing the decree to attack Li Yichao is quite clear; the outcome of the battle is not actually of His Majesty's concern.
Thinking deeper, was the transfer of himself from the Zhenwu Army on the border to guard against collusion with the Khitan and the introduction of foreign troops?
Gao Xingzhou snorted coldly. "I come from Youyan, a place repeatedly harassed by the Khitans. How could I be the kind of person who invites wolves into the house? These gentlemen have truly gone to great lengths."
Upon reading to the end of the letter, the last few sentences were not written in a refined or literary style, but rather in a rough and casual tone, suggesting that they were dictated by Li Congke.
"Xiao Gao, you don't need to come all this way to join in the fun. Just like my godfather did back then, if we win, it'll be my turn to sit on the throne in Luoyang. If we lose, you don't need to help clean up the mess. Our whole family will go together, and we'll make sure we leave clean and without any trouble."
Gao Xingzhou gave a wry smile and carefully placed the letter next to the imperial edict, as if weighing the two in terms of importance.
After a long while, a long sigh was heard. In just a short moment, this was the third time he had sighed that day.
"Ah San, you've reached this age, who would have thought that you would ultimately follow in the footsteps of the late emperor?"
Before he could think any further, he heard a child's clear voice call out, "Father, it's time to practice shooting!"
Upon hearing this, Gao Xingzhou raised his voice and said, "Understood. You all go first, and I will follow shortly."
In the morning, when the imperial envoy was being received, Gao Xingzhou was dressed in official robes and court attire. Apart from the black linen he wore to mourn the late emperor, everything else was proper and in accordance with the court's regulations.
Next, he untied his embroidered gold and jade belt, took off his purple robe with embroidered mountain shapes, symbolizing a high-ranking official of the third rank, and put on a tight-fitting military uniform that was easy to move in. He then tied it with a plain-colored belt, showing off his lithe and agile figure with long arms and a slender waist.
Removing his long turban and tying on a red headband, Gao Xingzhou instantly transformed from a dignified military commander into a warrior on the battlefield, striding confidently towards the backyard.
……
The backyard of the government office has an open space paved with blue stone bricks. The bricks have been worn smooth as a mirror over the years, and many cracks have appeared. The weeds between the bricks have been cleared away, and the maintenance is very meticulous. A layer of yellow soil and fine sand has even been specially laid on top to prevent people from slipping and twisting their ankles.
A circle of green trees surrounded the open space, and a child of about six or seven years old stood waiting under the shade of the trees. Judging from the age difference between the two, one could easily believe they were grandfather and grandson, probably because Gao Xingzhou had a son very late in life.
Seeing that there was only a child, Gao Xingzhou frowned and asked, "Where is your older brother?"
The boy stammered and was about to explain when Gao Xingzhou snorted coldly, "You don't need to cover for him. Since that kid wasn't playing football here, nor was he playing cards with Xuan'er or you, he must have sneaked out of the manor to wander around and have some fun."
Mentioning his eldest son, Gao Xingzhou felt angry and reprimanded him, "Don't be like him, idle and lazy. First, set up a gun stand for me to see."
The boy stepped off the field as instructed, and was about to take out his gun for a practice session when a man came running up in a flurry.
Upon closer inspection, the man was dressed in a cross-collar, diagonal-fronted outfit, with his front half-open and only half-buttoned. He abruptly stopped and stood in front of Gao Xingzhou.
The short coat is made of coarsely woven brown cloth, cut vertically, and is worn for labor. It is called a short coat or a vertical coat. People who wear this kind of clothes are usually of low social status. It is rare to see the sons of officials wearing this kind of clothes. However, it is often seen in theatrical characters who are heroes of the martial arts world.
This man, who could freely enter and leave the back residence of the government office, was certainly not an ordinary citizen. He still had a childish appearance, about two or three years older than the previous child, but his physique was no less than that of an ordinary teenager. What a valiant northern lad!
Before he could explain his lateness, Gao Xingzhou hooked his finger and said, "You're busier than your father, the military governor. You must have mastered your spear technique by now. Come, come, how about you show me a few moves?"
The father spoke with sarcasm, and the child, mocked, said nothing more. He took a large spear from the weapon rack, more than twice his own height, a full twelve feet long. The shaft was painted white, with a red tassel tied at the end that fluttered in the wind. The spearhead was three-edged with blades on both sides.
The child picked up the gun and slammed it into the ground. The gun barrel struck the ground heavily, raising dust and sand, quite imposing.
Gao Xingzhou held a wooden spear of the same length, his feet slightly apart, in a defensive stance, clearly not taking the child's skills seriously.
Humans are naturally afraid of sharp objects, and will instinctively dodge and avoid them when they are about to be stabbed. As a martial artist, one must adapt to and overcome this hurdle.
Gao Xingzhou wielded the spear as naturally as his own arm, confident that he wouldn't harm his son. As for his son accidentally injuring him? That was even less likely. That's why, during their training sessions, father and son never removed the spearhead or wrapped it in a cloth bag.
The child looked up at his opponent, his body slightly curled up like a lithe cat, as if drawing a bow and gathering strength. The next moment, the spear shot out like an arrow, stabbing fiercely towards Gao Xingzhou's face!
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Place Name Comparison
Lingzhou: present-day Wuzhong City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
Qingzhou: present-day Qingyang City, Gansu Province
Linzhou: present-day Shenmu City, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province
Fuzhou: present-day Fugu County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province