Jinting Han people

After arriving in Niyang, Liu Xian and others began to prepare for the battle in full swing.

The first thing they did was to send out scouts to investigate the movements of the main force of the Jin army in Weinan and the rebels in Weibei.

Just as Li Han had predicted, after another decisive victory over the Jin army, the rebels' morale had reached its peak. After a brief two-day rest at Haozhi, they eagerly launched another offensive. Like fallen leaves swept by an autumn wind, the Jin army, once overwhelmingly superior, was reduced to a state of panic. They had lost their resolve to fight the rebels, and wherever they advanced, the rebels offered little resistance and fled in all directions.

This made it easy for the rebels to retake Wugong, Huaili, Shiping, Weicheng, and finally break through Wei Bridge and officially reach the gates of Chang'an. This city, which had stood firm in Guanzhong for five hundred years, was once again plunged into the vortex of war. The last time fighting occurred around Chang'an was eighty years ago, when Ma Chao and Cao Cao fought at Tongguan.

Sima Rong and his men had already fled back to Chang'an. They reorganized their forces and joined forces with the reserve troops that had been left behind to guard the baggage, amassing a force of 60,000 men, still capable of fighting the rebels. However, it was clear that Sima Rong had been terrified by the battle at Rufeng. He strictly ordered his generals not to act without authorization and to hold their ground in Chang'an, intending to rely on this fortified city to wear down the rebels.

But such a statement of weakness undoubtedly further fueled the arrogance of the rebels.

After Qi Wannian marched toward Chang'an, the previously hesitant Hu tribes in Guanzhong, who had been observing the situation from the sidelines, finally changed their stance and gathered in Qi Wannian's camp to pledge their allegiance. The Hu people of Qinzhou, who had already begun to establish order, also began sending troops to support them. Even some stragglers defeated in the Battle of Rufeng, unable to return to Chang'an, were forced to surrender to Qi Wannian.

Just one month later, Qi Wannian's forces had swelled to over 100,000 men, and they had taken Bacheng, Ducheng, Lantian, and other cities, completely blockading Chang'an. By this point, the balance of power between the two sides had completely reversed. By early March, the rebels had enough strength left to send thousands of troops north of the Wei River to continue their campaign and capture Fengyi and Jingzhao counties.

When the news of the defeat reached Luoyang, Jia Mi and others were very angry, but there was nothing they could do.

The Houdang faction currently has no more moves to make. The fire at the armory has left the Central Imperial Guards short of armor and weapons. The six prefectures devastated by the disaster last year not only have no taxes but also require massive grain allocations for relief. Now that Guanzhong is in chaos again, Liangzhou is left to fend for itself. Looking across the country, the state can only collect taxes from Sizhou, Jizhou, Youzhou, Guangzhou, and Yizhou—not enough to mobilize another force to support Guanzhong.

Of course, what is more important is that if additional troops are transferred to the pass, the vassal kings will have to be re-employed. By then, it will be difficult to suppress the Hou party.

So Jia Mi and Empress Jia discussed for a long time, and finally said to Zhang Hua: "How can Qi Wannian conquer a city as huge as Chang'an? Even Zhuge Kongming couldn't succeed back then, so how can he be stronger than Zhuge Kongming? Let's just drag him out to death! By next year, when the court has recovered, it will be easy to crush him!"

This sounds good, but in terms of action, the result is nothing done, allowing Sima Rong to delay in Chang'an again and again, hoping to wait for changes. Apart from that, he just waits for time to develop.

At this point, Qi Wannian's power reached its peak. If he could go one step further, break through Chang'an and block Tongguan, perhaps the situation in the entire world would be turned upside down.

When news from all sources reached Niyang, Liu Xian gradually realized that the current situation had reached a critical moment that would determine his fate.

Before I knew it, six years had passed since I arrived in Guanzhong. After six years of hard work, I had finally secured a position within the Western Expedition Army. If I allowed Qi Wannian to seize Guanzhong, not only would all my efforts be in vain, but my dream of restoring my country would also become a pipe dream.

Because starting a rebellion requires a foundation and support, and Liu Xian's current foundation lies in Guanzhong. Whether it's the people of Beidi, Xiayang, or Hedong, if they fall into Qi Wannian's hands, his foundation will be shattered. At that point, even if he tries to start a rebellion, he won't be able to succeed. Even if he manages to make a name for himself, he will always be one step behind Qi Wannian. It will be extremely difficult for a latecomer to surpass Qi Wannian.

"He must be defeated! This is not only for me, but also for the people of the world!"

Liu Xian reflected on what he had witnessed since the Tiele Rebellion: Qi Wannian's policies were a complete rebellion against those of the Jin Dynasty. He relied on the Hu people as his base, completely disregarding the lives of the Han people, leaving large numbers of people displaced and starving. If he truly gained power, it would undoubtedly bring disaster and catastrophe to the entire world.

Therefore, whether from the perspective of personal ideals or the stability of the world, Qi Wannian has become a stumbling block for Liu Xian. Liu Xian must get rid of him before he can move forward.

But even if one were to imagine it, the gap between the two was too great. Qi Wannian was already the leader of the Hu people in Guanxi, while Liu Xian was merely a defeated general of a remnant of the Jin army. It wasn't just the difference in troop strength; the problems he faced were far greater than Qi Wannian's.

Leaving aside other minor details, the most difficult problem to solve is the lack of food and fodder in Beidi County.

After Liu Xian arrived in Chang'an, Fu Zhi had allocated enough food for him to last three months, but it was already running low. Now, Liu Xian had brought back an army three times larger, including nearly 20,000 horses. It had to be said that this would be a heavy burden.

You have to know that raising horses is extremely expensive. A healthy horse needs to eat over 100 kilograms of grass and fodder a day. This doesn't include weeds, but rather special high-quality hay or grains like wheat and beans. The amount of grass and fodder provided to horses exceeds that of an average soldier.

Suo Jing, an outsider, had no solution to these problems, leaving Liu Xian, the governor of Beidi, to solve them himself. But how easy was that? Even if Liu Xian negotiated with the local gentry and requisitioned all the stored grain and supplies from the county's scholars, he could only manage to sustain the army for another two months.

Liu Xian had to find another way.

The most effective way was to borrow. Liu Xian had two options: to go to Xiayang to allocate grain, and to borrow from the elders of Shu Han in Hedong.

These two places have a close relationship with Liu Xian. Logically speaking, as long as Liu Xian asks, he will be able to borrow them.

But Liu Xian hesitated, for the situation in Guanzhong was now too dire. With the rebels in the ascendant, the war would continue, and it would be difficult to resolve it this year at least. In such a chaotic environment, it would be difficult for farmers to cultivate and harvest crops normally. If he borrowed everyone's rations and then failed to harvest in the autumn, it would inevitably lead to a famine, and who knew how many people would starve to death.

He couldn't sleep all night because of this, and then he discussed the matter with Li Sheng, saying, "Which is more important, living civilians or living soldiers?"

Li Sheng answered decisively: "Of course it's a live soldier!" "What's the reason?"

Li Sheng said, "My lord, have you forgotten what General Jianwei said? War is not about settling scores. The current predicament is not caused by you, my lord, but by the rebellion's rampage, which has prevented farmers from farming. Only by defeating the enemy and ending the war can we truly solve the problem. Otherwise, with wars raging year after year, even if there is no famine this year, there will be famine next year. By then, even more people will die. How can my lord bear this?"

Liu Xian still had doubts after hearing this and said hesitantly, "But if a famine breaks out, tens of thousands of people will surely die!"

He had always known that war would kill people, but before, Liu Xian had always followed orders from others, only needing to offer strategies and fight on the battlefield. This was Liu Xian's first time making a decision with such a huge impact outside the battlefield in order to win the war.

Li Sheng again advised, "My lord, everything we do requires sacrifice. During the Battle of Hanzhong, when the Wei Wu army attacked, Emperor Zhaolie and Prime Minister Zhuge mobilized the entire nation to confront them. Men fought and women carried the troops, and even at one point, the people were left in dire straits. But if it weren't for this, how could we have captured Hanzhong and ensured decades of peace within the country?"

Having said that, Liu Xian no longer had any reason to refuse. After hesitating for a while, he said with difficulty, "I will not let everyone's sacrifice be in vain."

Liu Xian was deeply ashamed of this order, and when he sent people to discuss it with Xi An and others, he did not even dare to make a big fuss. But when the news spread to Xiayang and Hedong, the farmers in Xiayang and the Qian households rushed to borrow grain, saying:

"Lord Liu rarely thinks of himself when he does things, but now he's asking to borrow grain. This must be because he's desperate, and it's for the greater good of Guanzhong. Why should he hesitate? If we don't lend him the grain, wouldn't we be betraying his kindness?"

The elders of Shu Han in Hedong were also unwilling to lag behind. Xue Yi wrote a letter specifically to Liu Xian to comfort him:
"Young lord, you are destined for great things. Don't worry too much. We are in Hedong and are not disturbed by war for the time being. As long as we eat more grains and wild vegetables on a daily basis, we will be able to survive. As long as you understand our kindness and can win the battle, we will be deeply grateful."

Throughout February, Liu Xian successfully collected 10,000 hu of millet, 30,000 hu of sorghum, and 50,000 hu of soybeans from the two regions. This food was gradually transported into Niyang City, and the surrounding civilians and nobles were amazed. This was indeed a significant amount, more than enough to sustain the army until the autumn harvest.

But Liu Xian felt very heavy in his heart. He knew that these grains represented the frugality of more than 100,000 people, but he had no confidence in turning the situation around as to how events would develop next.

Because in addition to the food problem, he encountered a new problem: the people sent to Shuofang did not contact Tuoba Yilu.

The Tuoba Xianbei had set up a trade market in Xiayang, and the Xianbei who managed this place was none other than Baba Che, who had ambushed Liu Xian before. When Liu Xian sent Lu Quyang to contact him and try to ask for help, Baba Che revealed the news that Tuoba Yilu was no longer in Shuofang.

After pacifying the Shuofang, the Tuoba Xianbei's power greatly expanded, but it also aroused the vigilance of some steppe tribes. These included the Hetulin tribe in Yihui Mountain, the Hulu tribe in Chilechuan, the Yuanhe tribe in Beihai, the Duan tribe in Liaoxi, and the Yuwen tribe in Shuoye.

Whether they were in Liaodong, Mobei, Hexi, or the Western Regions, they were all unwilling to submit to the Tuoba Xianbei. Some even openly formed an anti-Tuoba alliance to curb the expansion of the Tuoba Xianbei.

Tuoba Luguan, the Great Chanyu of the Tuoba Xianbei, had already led his troops to attack Yuwen Xunniyan, the leader of the Yuwen tribe. To honor his uncle, Tuoba Yilu led his troops northward, attacking and intimidating those disobedient tribes in the northern desert. According to Baba Che, they would likely advance all the way north to Mount Yanran before returning.

This trip would take at least three months. During this period, the Xianbei, equivalent to the Shuofang, were in a state of being without a master. Liu Xian's original plan to seek help from the Tuoba Xianbei had to be shelved until Tuoba Yilu returned.

However, after the generals were informed of this, a fierce argument broke out between Li Han and his men and Liu Xian. After all, the reason they had followed Liu Xian to Niyang was largely due to their hopes of receiving aid from the Tuoba Xianbei. Now that their hopes had been dashed, it was a huge blow to them, and they were filled with pessimism about the future of the war.

Li Han simply advocated:
"Since we can't get any help, we might as well retreat directly to Hedong. We can burn all the boats along the river and directly ask the court for orders. It's better than sitting here and waiting to be besieged by bandits."

The implication is that they want to completely avoid the rebels and stay out of it.

Liu Xian retorted:

"Given the current situation in Guanzhong, we are the only ones who still have the strength to maneuver. If we withdraw and allow the rebels to continue plundering the land, Guanzhong will be completely taken over by the rebels! Life will be devastated, and that is not what a benevolent person would do."

Li Han sneered, "Lord Liu's words sound so nice, but where are the reinforcements we promised you?"

Liu Xian argued, "We have enough food to last until autumn, so we can definitely wait until the Xianbei return. Could it be that without the Xianbei, Brother Shirong won't fight?"

The two sides parted on bad terms. Fortunately, Suo Jing finally supported Liu Xian. He persuaded the disobedient officers:
"No matter what, even if I eat your salary, I will relieve your worries and do things according to my conscience. If I keep retreating, how am I any different from Sun Xiu?"

Most of the generals in the army despised Sun Xiu and usually valued their reputations. However, after hearing Suo Jing's words, they finally felt a sense of shame and ultimately agreed to stay in Niyang. However, without the help of the Xianbei reinforcements, the next step still needed a new conclusion.

So they started arguing again. Li Han advocated attacking the Weibei tribes that had surrendered to Qi Wannian to weaken the strength of the rebels, while Liu Xian advocated harassing the main force of the rebels from behind to force them to withdraw and relieve the siege of Chang'an.

The two sides each insisted on their own opinion. After Suo Jing's persuasion, they reluctantly reached a consensus: not to attack the main force of the rebels besieging Chang'an, but to plunder the rebels' grain route between Qinzhou and Chang'an. (End of this chapter)