Jinting Han people

After the Battle of Mianchi, Zhang Fang set up camp south of Mianchi County, blocking the Yishui River Valley and completely cutting off the northward route of the Yiyang garrison.

At this point, the roles of the two sides seemed to have been reversed. Zhang Fang, as the attacker, remained steadfast and did not come out, while Liu Xian, as the defender, repeatedly devised plans to challenge them. Zhang Fang's caution was indeed flawless; even when Liu Xian reversed his plans, whether by sending men to challenge him or by using small groups of troops to lure him out, Zhang Fang remained unmoved.

He already knew Liu Xian's strengths and weaknesses: although Liu Xian was more outstanding in initiating and planning the entire campaign, the two sides were actually at the same level in terms of on-the-spot command; and in terms of strategic situation, Zhang Fang was currently in control.

Considering this, Zhang Fang sent an envoy to Sima Yong, saying, "Liu Xian is somewhat foolish, but he is quite capable of using people. The King of Changsha appointed him as commander, so he will not be defeated so quickly. However, he is out of luck and outnumbered, yet he dares to act against the tide of history. He will never achieve anything great. Let us wait until he moves eastward recklessly, showing off his power and revealing his true intentions. Then we can strike at his weak points and capture him in one fell swoop!"

He was determined that once the Northern Expeditionary Army entered Luoyang, Liu Xian would not be able to remain there for long. At that point, the Western Expeditionary Army, which had initiated the war, could sit back and watch the two sides fight. As the fighting in the north intensified, the defenses in the west would naturally become weaker and weaker. Once they were weak enough, breaking through the defenses and achieving a decisive victory would become highly likely.

Liu Xian understood his plan, but there was nothing he could do. He now finally understood some of the helplessness Qi Wannian had felt back then. In a disadvantageous situation, you only have so many choices. You know what the other side will do, and the other side knows what you will do, but the balance of power between the two sides means that the situation can only develop in this way.

If the Imperial Guards cannot defeat the Western Army in the short term, there is only one way for them to win: to first repel the Northern Army before the Western Army breaks through the Xin'an defense line, and then turn back to defeat the Western Army. But is this even possible?

But in any case, he had no other choice.

As expected, when the Northern army crossed Huangqiao, Sima Yi sent a message ordering Liu Xian to temporarily abandon the confrontation with the Western army and lead the majority of his troops back to Luoyang to discuss strategies for dealing with the enemy from the north.

Two days later, Liu Xian led his army back to Luoyang. The people had been mobilized and put into a state of war. Some were conscripted to dig trenches and earthen ramparts outside Luoyang, while others built earthen ramparts in the city. Timber and stones were continuously piled up into the palace, forming several small mountains. The supplies in the armory and the grain and provisions in the granary were also hauled in carts and stuffed into some vacant palaces.

At this time, Sima Yi no longer lived in the General of the Cavalry's mansion. He led his staff to move into the Ministry of Personnel, where matters could be discussed directly, thus avoiding the need to travel back and forth.

As soon as Liu Xian arrived, Sima Yi immediately convened a military council to discuss the upcoming battle.

After surviving Sima Ying's assassination attempt, Sima Yi had a long, menacing scar on his face, stretching from his nose to his temple. It looked terrifying and made him appear even more fierce. Before he spoke, the room was extremely solemn, and most of his advisors dared not utter a word.

After everyone had arrived, Sima Yi finally spoke: "According to the news, the Prince of Chengdu has appointed Lu Ji as his commander, leading an army of over 200,000, claiming to be a million, to confront our army. How should I respond?"

His voice was extremely tired and hoarse, and most people were too afraid to speak upon hearing the news. Sima Yi wanted to know the opinions of the court officials first, so he asked Sima Yue, the Minister of Works.

Sima Yue hesitated for a long time before replying, "I am ignorant of military affairs. Your Highness, whatever your orders are, we will simply carry them out."

So Sima Yi went to ask Sima Yang, the Prince of Xiyang. Sima Yang was also timid. He swallowed hard for a long time before finally revealing his true thoughts: "General, why stay in Luoyang? Didn't Liu Zhennan just kill Li Chen? Wouldn't it be better to take His Majesty south to Jingzhou and join him?"

This is also recent news. Although the situation in the north is extremely bad, the war in Jingzhou has improved significantly after the Battle of Xiangyang. After Li Chen fled south across the Yangtze River, Liu Hong sent troops to pursue him, maneuvering in the mountains and forests for over a month before successfully capturing and killing him. With Li Chen dead, Liu Hong took advantage of the victory to recover lost territory, and the Han restoration army in Jingzhou immediately weakened, its power gradually declining towards Yangzhou and Jiangzhou.

Seeing the enemy's aggressive approach, Sima Yang thought of avoiding their sharp edge in Jingzhou, which is a normal person's thought. Although the others did not immediately agree, their eyes mostly revealed their approval.

Upon hearing this, Sima Yi immediately revealed a stern expression of extreme dissatisfaction. After glancing at Sima Yang, he turned to Gou Xi and asked, "General Dao, in your opinion, should we go to Jingzhou?"

With so many senior officials present, his question to a mere remnant of the Qi King's faction was self-evident. Gou Xi, of course, knew the consequences of daring to suggest retreat, and immediately raised his voice:

"Your Highness, as the saying goes, heroes create the times, and the times create heroes. In recent years, there have been one coup after another, and the regents have been in disarray. Due to the weakness of the court, all the prefectures and counties in the country have developed a desire for separatism. In the current situation, the two princes have rebelled and marched their troops into the capital. The whole country is watching the outcome of this battle, hoping to change their course according to the wind."

“If Your Highness shows weakness, the whole world will kick you when you're down. Even if we go to Jingzhou, we probably won't be able to fight against the world.”

"On the contrary, if we rise to the challenge and defeat our powerful enemies, everyone in the world will abide by the law and dare not harbor any disloyal thoughts."

This answer greatly pleased Sima Yi. He pointed at Gou Xi and said, "Well said, General Gou! Nothing ventured, nothing gained! If we want to pacify the world, how can we be afraid of the enemy and stay away?"

Sima Yi's attitude was already very clear, and the other officials naturally understood and immediately echoed his sentiments. Even Yang Xuanzhi, whose face was ashen, forced himself to remain composed and flattered Sima Yi, saying, "General, you have won every battle and possess divine martial prowess. The two kings of Chengdu and Hejian are nothing but clowns; how could they possibly cause trouble? General, you are diligently defending the country and the nation; with the protection of our ancestors and the gods, you will surely be victorious!"

Thus, this phase of professing loyalty was finally over. Sima Yi then turned his attention to Liu Xian and asked him, "My lord, the Northern army is currently very aggressive. In your opinion, what are some good strategies to counter them?"

His words were somewhat stiff, lacking his usual sincerity. Liu Xian knew this was because he had suffered repeated betrayals, leaving him exhausted and unable to fully trust anyone.

Liu Xian understood Sima Yi and didn't care about it. He calmly analyzed, "Your Highness, in my opinion, this battle should be fought quickly rather than slowly. Our army should leave Luoyang and take advantage of the fact that the Northern Expeditionary Army Command is not yet firmly established to challenge it."

Sima Yi was quite surprised to hear this, because in his view, it would be better to use the valley terrain surrounding Luoyang to resist step by step, gradually weaken the enemy's strength, and then launch a counterattack on the spot. Therefore, he called on the people to build extensive trenches around the city, and then launch a desperate counterattack after the enemy was exhausted. Unexpectedly, Liu Xian wanted to abandon the advantage of terrain and take the initiative to challenge him.

Liu Xian noticed his confusion and explained, "Your Highness, if it were only the Prince of Hejian, we could still hold out in Luoyang. But against the Prince of Chengdu, we absolutely cannot hold out. So many officials from Henan have defected to him and have countless connections with him. If he were to win over people's hearts even slightly, he might just incite internal strife."

"Moreover, Gou Dao also said that the other side has a large number of people and is powerful. A defensive counterattack is a sign of weakness and will still cause the situation to develop in a direction unfavorable to us."

This was only one reason. Liu Xian had another reason he didn't mention: if they held Luoyang, the chaotic battle would reduce the city to ashes and bring immense suffering to the people, which was something he didn't want to see.

Sima Yi didn't care about these things; all he wanted now was to win. So he asked, "But the enemy has a large number of people. If we go to fight them like this, can we win?"

Liu Xian smiled. He had been pondering this problem since learning of the approaching Northern army, and now spoke calmly, "Your Highness, once the number of men exceeds a certain threshold, they become a burden rather than an advantage. Since Han Xin, no one has been able to command 200,000 troops with ease, not even Cao Cao. I believe Lu Ji is talented, but this is a problem he cannot solve." "As long as we launch a full-scale attack, provoke a portion of the Northern army into battle, defeat some of them, and then pursue them relentlessly, then everything will be within our grasp!"

Regardless of the circumstances, this was an extremely risky move. Those present, upon hearing this, mostly showed expressions of astonishment and fear, and then turned their gazes to Sima Yi, awaiting his decision. The King of Changsha lowered his head in thought, remaining silent for a moment.

"Then what should His Majesty do? Staying in the palace might not be safe!" Shangguan Yi interjected from the side.

Liu Xian was about to reply, but Sima Yi had already made up his mind and said, "We can bring His Majesty and the Empress into the army camp, and we will protect them. We can make a big show of it and tell them that we are the legitimate rulers of the court!"

The implication was that he agreed to Liu Xian's suggestion to lead his troops away from Luoyang and engage in a decisive battle with the Northern Army.

This was a momentous decision, as if everyone's lives hung in the balance. Most people were bewildered and hesitant, unsure of what their fate would hold.

Zu Ti then stepped forward and said, “Although the rebel army has brought a large following, they have not won the hearts of the people. You, General of the Cavalry, can issue orders to the whole country. Anyone who comes to the aid of the king can be ennobled. Surely, there will be people who respond!”

Sima Yi clapped his hands again and said, "Good! I will go and ask His Majesty for permission right away!"

Having said that, he immediately led his ministers to the Taiji Hall to pay their respects to the Emperor. The Emperor was currently in the hall fighting dogs. Upon hearing that he could leave the palace and see the world, he was overjoyed and repeatedly said, "Good! Good! It's so boring in the palace. I want to see more of the outside world!" Empress Yang Xianrong, who was standing to the side, remained silent upon hearing this.

Sima Yi then led the emperor out of the palace and into Xuanwu Square, where he summoned all the officials and ministers to the army camp. Following Liu Xian's advice, once all the armies were ready, they would lead their troops out of Luoyang and north to the river bridge. After crossing the bridge, they could set up camp in Wen County and await orders from the Northern Expeditionary Army.

This battle was a desperate gamble. At this time, the imperial guards in Luoyang numbered approximately 80,000. Of these, 10,000 remained in the Yiyang and Xin'an areas to continue the standoff with the Western Expeditionary Army, while the remaining 70,000 would all accompany the army on the expedition. Among them were many princes and renowned ministers, listed in order of rank as follows:
Grand Commandant, General of the Cavalry, Commander-in-Chief of all military affairs, and Prince of Changsha, Sima Yi;
General of the Upper Army, Grand General of the Three Excellencies, Attendant-in-Ordinary, Prince of Wu, Sima Yan;

Sima Yue, the Minister of Works, Director of the Imperial Secretariat, Commander of the Central Army, Attendant-in-Ordinary, and Prince of Donghai;
General of Annam, holding the imperial insignia, Commander-in-Chief of the Military Affairs of Miannan, and Sima Lue, Prince of Gaomi;
Sima Yang, Left General of the Valiant Cavalry, Attendant-in-Ordinary, and Prince of Xiyang;
General of the Left, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, Prince of Langya, Sima Rui;
Fan, the Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, the Vice Minister of the Palace Attendants, and the Prince of Xiangyang;
General of the Guards, Attendant-in-Ordinary, Grand Master of the Three Departments, Commandant of the Capital Region, Duke of Songzi Liu Xian;

Wang Rong, the Minister of Works, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, and Marquis of Anfeng;

Crown Prince's son, Gentleman Attendant-in-Ordinary, and Horse Model of Pingchang Company;
Grand Master of the Palace, Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, and Duke of Lingzhou, Fu Zhi;

Xun Fan, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, Duke of Xihua;
Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, and Gongyang Xuanzhi, the Duke of Xingjin;
Liu Tun, Imperial Censor, Attendant-in-Ordinary, General of the Imperial Guard, and Duke of Zhuxu;

Pan Ni, Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat, Attendant-in-Ordinary, and Duke of Anchang;

Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Attendant-in-Ordinary, and Marquis of Guannei, Yue Guang;

Wang Dun, General of the Left Guard, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, Grand Herald, Chamberlain, and Imperial Son-in-Law;
Wang Cui, General of the Rear, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant, and Marquis of Xiangyang;

Crown Prince's Left Guard Commander, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, Earl of Xintashan;

Chen Zi, Right Guard Commander of the Crown Prince, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, and Earl of Tongle;

Ji Shao, General of the Central Fortress, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, and Viscount of Yiyang;

Crown Prince's Chamberlain, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, and Du Liangzi Manfen...

These names were indeed renowned, and most of the imperial relatives in the court had joined. Among them were princes like Sima Yue, the Prince of Donghai, who held real power and was about to be transferred to Jingzhou, as well as a nominal prince like Sima Yan, the Prince of Wu, who was blind. Essentially all the high-ranking officials and ministers of the court had joined the army, all to bolster their prestige.

However, aside from a few powerful figures like Liu Xian, the truly capable combat officers in the army were the advisors of the princes' mansions and the officers of the Imperial Guards. Many of these officers, though not high-ranking, were already renowned or exceptionally capable. Among them were:
The following officials were listed: Zhou Fu, Prefect of Henan; Zu Ti, Military Advisor of the Cavalry; Gou Xi, Attendant of the Cavalry; Gu Rong, Chief Clerk of the Cavalry; Miao Bo, Military Advisor to the Prince of Gaomi; Liu Kun, Attendant of the Capital Region; Liu Yu, Chief Clerk of the Minister of Works; Yan Ding, Military Advisor to the Minister of Works; Wang Hu, Commandant of the City Gates; Linghu Sheng, Supervisor of the Imperial Guards; Miao Yuan, Commandant of the Palace Guards; Yang Mao, General of the Household; Cao Wu, General of the Vanguard; Wang Kan, General of the Vanguard; Song Hong, Commandant of the Cavalry; Shangguan Si, General of the Palace Guards; Wang Dao, Chief Clerk of the Left General; Zu Na, Commandant of the Central Guard; Miao Yin, Commandant of the Crown Prince's Vanguard; Zhu Dan, Commandant of the Archers; Yang Pian, Military Advisor of Youji…

It took almost a day for everyone to gather at Xuanwu Square, north of Luoyang. It wasn't just soldiers going to war; it was the emperor and empress traveling together, personally leading the expedition, accompanied by all the princes and ministers. Such a scene was unprecedented, not only since the Three Kingdoms period, but even going back to the Han Dynasty, it was probably unparalleled.

At that time, Sima Yi had already ordered a halt to the digging of trenches within Luoyang City, so people with free time came to watch.

The Imperial Guard officers were calling roll in the field, the vast expanse of Xuanwu Square filled with a sea of ​​soldiers, their heads like countless ants. It was late autumn, the trees were bare, the sky was overcast, and a cold wind whistled through the bare branches, sending chills down everyone's spine. Both the onlookers and the soldiers being mustered felt a strange sense of impending doom, as if death itself were silently watching them. So they remained silent, praying in their hearts to various deities, hoping to escape the impending battle.

As the de facto marshal, Liu Xian, wearing a hooded hat, moved through the various units of the army, surrounded by his entourage, to inspect their military bearing. When he inspected the troops of Sima Fan, the Prince of Xiangyang, the Prince of Xiangyang treated Liu Xian with the respect due to a junior, then patted his chest and assured him, "Lord Liu, in this great battle, I will absolutely not disgrace you or my lord."

Sima Fan spoke these words because he was the eldest son of Sima Wei, the Prince of Chu, and had just come of age this year when he encountered such a situation. He was unaware of the horrors of battle and was still concerned about his deceased father's reputation, hoping to use this battle to wash away the shame. Hearing this, Liu Xian was deeply moved. He wanted to say something encouraging, but felt it was somewhat empty. After thinking for a while, he finally punched Sima Fan in the chest and said, "Come back alive."

As he said this, Liu Xian glanced outside the field and saw a vast sea of ​​people beyond the fence, with countless families and elders of the soldiers crowding around, eagerly anticipating victory.

This scene suddenly reminded Liu Xian of something: A'Luo had sent a message not long ago saying that she wanted to bring her elders to see him off. He wondered where they were now. He looked around the wall, but before he could find them, the onlookers recognized him. Then someone cheered loudly, and the crowd responded, creating a deafening roar that engulfed Xuanwu Square.

No matter the predicament, as long as a person is alive, can still think, has blood still flowing in their chest, and hasn't breathed their last, they will believe in hope. (End of Chapter)