My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 584 On the verge of breaking out

Cheng Ji's words contained a hidden admonition, reminding Zhao Wei that it was one thing to have already plundered before, but now he had penetrated deep into three counties in Shu. Fucheng, Mianzhu, and Luocheng were all among the top five cities in Shu, and all of them were located on the Chengdu Plain.

The previous robberies occurred in remote, rural areas, so the impact wasn't too significant.

But if they were to seize Mianzhu and Luocheng now, it would truly mean a complete break with the powerful clans and gentry of the three prefectures of Shu.

Despite Zhao Wei's repeated victories, only the powerful clans and noble families in Ba Commandery still flocked to him. One reason was their lack of confidence in him, but another important reason was his rampage through Deyang, Guanghan, and even Fucheng.

If Zhao Wei dares to plunder Luocheng, then unless he breaches Chengdu, he can forget about receiving any help from the powerful clans and gentry of the three counties of Shu.

Zhao Wei understood the meaning behind Cheng Ji's words, and even Li Yi and Pang, who were military officers, understood it.

For a moment, the hall fell silent.

Zhao Wei was very frustrated. He was both angry at the cold treatment from the powerful clans in Shu and wanted to "take revenge" on them, but he was also really worried about the consequences that Cheng Ji had described.

After much hesitation, Zhao Wei could not make a decision and said with great worry, "However, what Lieutenant Li and the others said is true. The army is short of food. What should we do?"

Cheng Ji understood that Zhao Wei was being indecisive again, so he suggested at the right time: "The plans that the lord previously implemented in Mianzhu and Shifang should be carried out now."

Zhao Wei suddenly remembered something: "You mean...?"

“That’s right, my lord. You can order the officials in the city to collect taxes to fund the army!”

Cheng Ji's strategy was the same one he had previously suggested to Zhao Wei, along with Gong Yang, to rectify military discipline, especially since the Ba soldiers' killing and looting had already aroused the anger of the Shu people. If they were not strictly disciplined, they would become a force to be reckoned with, with only Ba County against the entire Yi Province and the Dong Province.

Zhao Wei adopted the strategy of Cheng Ji and Gong Yang, changing from looting to increasing taxes. This strategy has already shown initial results. Although the people were forced to hand over a large amount of wealth, they managed to save their lives and property. As a result of the taxation, Zhao Wei and other high-ranking officials actually received more money and grain than they could have obtained from looting.

After all, according to the unspoken rules, the profits from the city raids were split 50/50, while all the taxes collected went into the pockets of Zhao Wei and other high-ranking officials. As for how much of the profits were distributed to the soldiers, that was up to Zhao Wei and his group.

Du Hu, the King of the Cong, was somewhat displeased and objected, saying, "My lord, these unruly people are stubborn and have hidden most of the money and grain. It would be much more swift to sweep the city. Besides, our army is at its peak, and the powerful clans of Shu will sooner or later have to submit to you. What is there to fear?"

"My lord, I believe the scribe's plan is feasible."

After Du Yue finished speaking, Li Yi and Pang Le exchanged a glance, and then stood up to support Cheng Ji.

Du Yue glared angrily at Li Yi and Pang Le, unable to understand why these two had suddenly turned against him. They had discussed everything before coming, intending to persuade their lord to set aside his womanly compassion; how could they have changed their minds now?

Du Yue didn't understand that although Li Yi and Pang Le shared his general idea of ​​making a fortune through war, they differed in the details.

Du Yue was the King of the Ba people. At least 70% or 80% of what the Ba people looted had to be handed over to him, and the rest was theirs. Moreover, there were relatively few cunning and deceitful people among them; they all knew each other well, so you couldn't hide anything from them.

After Du Yue obtained 70-80% of the spoils, he only needed to hand over 30-40% to Zhao Wei, which would be acceptable, netting him at least 40%. However, Li Yi and Pang Le were different. They led Han Chinese troops and county soldiers. The Han soldiers only needed to hand over 50% of the spoils. Moreover, the Han soldiers had private channels for selling their goods, hiding valuable items to sell privately, while handing over bulky and low-priced items to the army.

More importantly, after these items were handed over to the army, Li Yi and Pang Le could only get a maximum of 10% or 50% of the profits. On the contrary, after Zhao Wei increased taxes and distributed rewards to the entire army, the benefits they could gain from their actions were much greater than those from the city raid.

As a result, it's not surprising that they would speak up for Cheng Ji and betray Du Yue.

"Alright."

After thinking it over, Zhao Wei decided to give the powerful clans of Shu another chance and not break off relations for now.

"This matter will be handled by you, Bojiang."

Zhao Wei set a figure: "Within half a month, we need to raise at least 100,000 shi of grain. We can raise less money, but it should be at least 50 million coins."

Zhao Wei's army has now swelled to 50,000 men, but only about 20,000 are truly capable fighters. The rest, while not exactly insignificant, can only fight when things are going well.

Based on a monthly grain requirement of two shi per person, 50,000 people would require 100,000 shi of grain per month.

Zhao Wei ordered Cheng Ji to collect 200,000 shi (a unit of dry measure), which would be enough to last for two months. In addition, with the army's current grain reserves, even if Liu Feng did not provide support, it would be enough for him to last until the autumn harvest.

Now that we have advanced into the Chengdu Plain, where crops are everywhere, why would we be afraid of going hungry?

As for the fifty million coins, that was Zhao Wei's plan to reward the entire army before attacking Chengdu, in order to boost morale and achieve victory in one battle. It was also an indispensable resource.

Although Cheng Ji felt pressured, he did not refuse and immediately agreed.

Zhao Wei then revealed a satisfied smile.

**
Naturally, Zhou Tai and Huo Du traveled north to the Jialing River, and their journey was relatively smooth.

Even though Langzhong encountered some resistance, they easily crushed the enemy and successfully captured Langzhong County.

After capturing Anhan, Langzhong, and Chongguo counties, Zhou Tai left 1,500 troops to garrison the three cities and conscripted 1,000 laborers from the three cities to accompany the army north.

The reason why only one thousand laborers were conscripted was not because there were only one thousand able-bodied men in these areas, but because the autumn harvest was imminent, and Zhou Tai did not want to cause excessive losses to the areas and affect the harvest results.

However, not conscripting laborers is not feasible.

Leaving aside Anhan, Langzhong did put up a proper resistance, albeit a weak one. They still put up a resistance, so they must be punished. Otherwise, what would those counties that surrendered directly think of Liu Feng's army?

How will those counties that have not yet surrendered view Liu Feng's army?

Liu Feng could not be as ruthless and cruel as Cao Cao, nor could he carry out massacres of entire cities, but he did have his own unique punishment mechanism.

The lands of the powerful clans in Langzhong and Chongguo were all confiscated, ostensibly for resisting the royal army. The laborers conscripted were mostly able-bodied men from these clans, ensuring that these powerful families had no spare resources to cause trouble in the rear if Zhou Tai continued his advance.

As for Anhan, who voluntarily surrendered, Liu Fengjun guaranteed the land of the local gentry and powerful families, only requiring them to reduce their rent to less than 50% within two years.

After Zhou Tai set off from Langzhong, he received urging from Liu Feng.

After reading it, Zhou Tai hesitated for a moment before ordering Huo Du to be invited over.

Huo Du was a robust and sturdy man, and although he and his younger brother Huo Jun were born of the same mother, they looked completely different. However, the two brothers did share one thing in common: they both possessed remarkable military talent. Huo Du's character was as steady and reliable as his physique, a trait that Zhou Tai greatly admired, as Zhou Tai himself shared this personality.

Therefore, the two became good friends not long after they started working together.

Huo Du jumped onto Zhou Tai's large ship, gave a military salute first, and then asked Zhou Tai why he had called him.

Without hesitation, Zhou Tai handed the document to Huo Du, who took it and immediately understood.

"My lord's concerns are not unfounded."

After thinking for a moment, Huo Du took the initiative to ask, "General, do you have a solution?"

Zhou Tai laughed, knowing that Huo Du had guessed his thoughts, so he directly stated, "I would like to ask you to take five hundred elite troops ahead to seize Jiameng first, and I will personally lead the main army to follow and provide support. I wonder if Bo Cheng is willing?"

Huo Du, courtesy name Bocheng.

Upon hearing this, Huo Du immediately grinned and said, "Is such a trivial matter worthy of your provocation? I am willing to go first and help you, General, and our Lord to capture Jiameng."

Zhou Tai was overjoyed and then asked Huo Du what his requirements were.

After a moment's thought, Huo Du proposed selecting two hundred elite soldiers from his own troops, and then having Zhou Tai assign three hundred more, for a total of five hundred men. He also proposed providing them with two hundred sets of iron armor, one hundred powerful crossbows, one hundred strong bows, twenty climbing ropes, and a number of long and short weapons.

That afternoon, Huo Du led five hundred elite troops, divided into one hundred and fifty early boats, carrying military equipment and food, and traveled day and night to Jiameng.

At this moment, neither Liu Feng, Zhou Tai, Huo Du, nor Zhang Lu, Zhang Wei, and Yan Pu knew that both sides were heading towards Jiameng. From an omniscient perspective, one army was traveling by land, and the other by water, both heading straight for Jiameng Pass.

Although Zhang Wei's army, traveling by land, was slow, it had the advantage of setting off early and not resting, and was only three days' journey from Jiameng. Liu Feng's army, on the other hand, marched very fast, covering hundreds of miles a day, but because they set off later, they could not reach Jiameng Pass before Zhang Lu's army.

Meanwhile, Zhou Tai and Huo Du were unaware that a general guarding Jiameng Pass had defected to Zhang Lu of Hanzhong. Furthermore, Liu Feng's army was far superior in strength to Zhang Lu's. Even Zhang Wei's most elite and fearless personal guards were significantly weaker than Liu Feng's army in actual combat, let alone the troops of Nanzheng Commandery.

Amidst this confusion, two armies, unaware of each other's existence, are rapidly advancing towards Jiameng, and may very well collide outside Jiameng Pass.

Zhang Wei was completely unaware of this; at this moment, he was leading his soldiers on a difficult journey towards Jiameng.

It was late summer, the weather was hot, and the route was through hilly terrain, making the march difficult. There was little human habitation along the way, and no food or water. It was only because the Dao soldiers were loyal that they could persevere; if it were the Nanzheng soldiers, they would have already given up and gone to graze their sheep.

Zhang Wei was also glad that he listened to Yan Pu's advice and only led the Dao soldiers ahead. Otherwise, with such a large force, it would have taken seven or eight days to see Jiameng at all.

Fortunately, they were now less than ten miles from Jiameng Pass. Although the sun was past its zenith, Zhang Wei figured that with a little more effort, they could reach Jiameng Pass tonight.

Rather than spending another night in the wild, it's better to get into the city and rest properly.

Zhang Wei then summoned the military commanders and officers around him, told them about his idea, and instructed them to spread encouragement to the soldiers. He also promised to reward the entire army after entering Jiameng.

Zhang Wei's response was quite effective. The military commanders and officers, who had been harboring some complaints, instantly perked up. After a meal, the entire army knew that Zhang Wei was going to reward them in Jiameng City. Their spirits immediately lifted, and even their marching speed increased, which pleased Zhang Wei greatly.

The Hanzhong army quickened their pace and successfully arrived outside Jiameng Pass before nightfall.

Looking at the high walls of Jiameng and the panicked guards on the city walls, Zhang Wei revealed a smug look. It seemed that he had not disappointed his brother's expectations after all; Jiameng was now in his hands.

Just as Zhang Wei was secretly pleased with himself, a military officer suddenly rode up from the front.

Upon seeing Zhang Wei, the officer immediately dismounted and rushed to Zhang Wei, shouting, "General, the Shu army has come to our aid!"

"What!?"

Zhang Wei was immediately alarmed and quickly grabbed a warhorse, galloping towards the top of the hill to the side.

After going uphill, without even needing the military officer's reminder, Zhang Wei had already spotted a fleet of ships sailing on the Jialing River to the south, carrying flags with the Chinese characters and the character "Liu".

Zhang Wei was unaware that while the Chinese character flag was indeed good, the Liu character flag was different; this Liu was not the same as that Liu.

The newcomer was Huo Du, a valiant general under Liu Feng, but not under Liu Zhang.

Zhang Wei discovered Huo Du here thanks to the advantage of the terrain.

Jiameng Pass is located at the confluence of the Bailong River and the Jialing River, while the Bailong River flows directly to Baishui Pass.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Baishui Pass was the most formidable pass in the entire Yizhou region. Without passing through Baishui Pass, one could not reach Jiameng Pass.

Later, at Liu Zhang's request, Liu Bei entered Shu and stationed himself at Baishui Pass.

At this time, Liu Bei brought more than 10,000 troops, and Liu Zhang himself had 10,000 troops stationed at Baishui Pass, totaling more than 20,000 men.

The fact that Baishui Pass could accommodate such a large army demonstrates its grandeur. However, Baishui Pass's defensive capabilities against the Shu region were far less than its defensive capabilities against Hanzhong to the north. Therefore, for Zhang Lu of Hanzhong, Jiameng Pass was more important than Baishui Pass.

The reason Zhang Wei went through all that trouble to travel by land instead of by the Bailong River was not because he was foolish, but because the Bailong River did not lead to Hanzhong.

The Bailong River continues north at Baishuiguan, then turns northwest, entering Wudu and Yinping. The Sichuan-Tibet Plateau is the true source of the Bailong River, and Hanzhong is naturally not connected to it.

The entire route is through hills and mountains, and Jiameng Pass itself is built on a riverbank amidst the towering mountains.

Zhang Wei and his men could send scouts to climb the high slopes beside the road to observe the situation if they traveled by land. However, Huo Du, who was traveling by water, did not have such an opportunity. At this moment, Huo Du's attention was still focused on Jiameng Pass, and he was unaware that a Hanzhong army of 5,000 men had also arrived in the north of the city.

To the right of Jiameng Pass is the Jialing River, and to the left is the Bailong River. Across the Jialing River is Bijia Mountain, and across the Bailong River is Jiameng County. To the south of Jiameng Pass is Niutou Mountain, and Tianxiong Pass is located on the hillside of Niutou Mountain.

Jiameng County is located on the flat land directly north of Tianxiong Pass, across the Bailong River, while the fortress of Jiameng Pass is located northeast of Tianxiong Pass and southwest of Jiameng County.

Therefore, the overall battlefield situation was that Huo Du's naval forces were advancing north along the Jialing River from the southeast, directly facing the Jiameng Pass. Zhang Wei's main army, on the other hand, was advancing south along the Bailong River from the northwest, entering the battlefield and forming a counter-offensive against Huo Du. The Jiameng County town was blocking Zhang Wei's forces' path.

(End of this chapter)