Jinting Han people

Furthermore, after accepting his appointment, Lu Ji, the Grand Commander of Hebei, led his army on a formal southern expedition.

After three years of accumulation, the Northern Expeditionary Army had grown significantly in strength. With the tacit approval of the regents Sima Jiong and Sima Yi, the Northern Expeditionary Army now essentially controlled Ji Province, partially controlled You Province, Bing Province, and Yan Province, and remotely controlled Ping Province. Since accumulating grain and training troops, its army size had expanded from 200,000 during the campaign against Zhao to over 300,000. Its strength was so profound that even Zhao Xiang's previous major defeat in Jing Province was of little consequence.

For this expedition, Sima Ying left only 30,000 men to garrison Youzhou, 20,000 men to garrison Bingzhou, and 30,000 men to garrison Jizhou, entrusting a total of 220,000 troops to Lu Ji.

Although the scale of this southern expedition was not as large as the campaign against Zhao in terms of troop strength, the overall military appearance of the army was completely different. Even though many of the soldiers were new recruits, and even though the generals at the top did not get along well, everyone acknowledged one fact: the Northern Expeditionary Army had made visible improvements in the quality of its soldiers, the management of military discipline, and the construction of its camps.

Especially in terms of shaping the spirit, the Northern Expeditionary Army Command has been completely transformed.

Before his departure, to reassure the King of Chengdu, Lu Ji gave Sima Ying a military demonstration: at the drill ground, he gave a command, and the gongs and drums sounded, and tens of thousands of soldiers followed the order, all in an orderly manner, without any idleness; later, he practiced the formation, setting up the Eight Formations of Zhuge Liang, with the formation changing and flowing freely; finally, he sounded the retreat, and each unit quickly returned to its original position, the formation as neat as ever, without showing any signs of fatigue, and more importantly, there was a solemn silence.

Sima Ying was very satisfied with this. He remembered that when they were attacking Zhao, the Northern Expeditionary Army was always in disarray and incompetent. If anything went wrong, it would take at least half an hour to find out the details, let alone mediate. When the Zhao King's army attacked their camp, even with the help of fortifications, they had difficulty organizing a defense, and in the end, it was the Changshan Army that came to their rescue. Now, it seemed that the Northern Expeditionary Army was finally showing some semblance of the Changshan Army of yesteryear.

The onlookers discussed among themselves, saying: "Commander Lu is strict in disciplining his troops. They have never seen anything like it before. They are sure that he will achieve a great victory in the south!"
However, there were a few dissenting voices. For example, Liu Yao, a Xiongnu man who came to visit his adoptive father, secretly said to his adoptive father, Liu Yuan, after watching the military parade: "Temporary discipline is the easiest thing to fool. These pampered sons of good families in Hebei have never fought any major battles. They can put on a show in Ye City, which is acceptable. But when they go to the battlefield and face a real army of tigers and wolves, can they still maintain it?"

Liu Yuan did not participate in this southern expedition, nor did he comment on the political struggle in Ye City. Instead, he was more concerned about the situation in the country. He said to Liu Yao, "With the Sima family killing each other like this, the country is not far from being destroyed. It seems that in less than two years, we will be able to regain our freedom."

He then thought of the restoration army in Jiangnan and muttered to himself, "Although the Jiangnan rebels have suffered a setback, their voices are so loud. Does this mean that people are thinking of the Han dynasty?" After pondering this, Liu Yuan ordered Liu Yao to return to Xihe County, contact the elders of the five Xiongnu tribes in Lishi, collect supplies, stockpile grain and fodder, and manufacture arrows in preparation for any eventuality.

Liu Yuan and Liu Yao were not the only ones who held pessimistic views about the southern expedition; Sun Hui, a fellow townsman and friend of Lu Ji, also did not support it.

Sun Hui was a descendant of the Sun Wu imperial family, the great-grandson of Sun Ben. He possessed considerable literary and military talent and was highly regarded by Sima Jiong, the Prince of Qi, during the campaign against Zhao. After Sima Yi's coup, he went north to join Lu Ji, revealing the true situation in Luoyang, and was subsequently promoted to military advisor by Sima Ying. However, upon learning that Lu Ji had been appointed Grand General of Hebei, he privately met with Lu Ji and strongly urged him to decline the appointment.

“Shiheng, when things reach their peak, they decline; when wisdom reaches its extreme, it is bound to bring harm. We who came from the south are already fortunate to be given important positions. If we were to become the commander of the entire army, we would surely incur the jealousy of the people of Hebei. If we were to lead the army into battle in this way, wouldn’t we be setting ourselves on a dead end?”

Lu Ji smiled wryly and said, "Your Highness values ​​me so highly, if I were to waver and act inconsistently, wouldn't I be framed?"

He then said solemnly, "I have no way back. From the moment I headed north to Ye City, I either became as renowned as my father and grandfather, or I died and became a laughingstock for eternity. There is no third option. I must win this battle!"

Lu Ji assumed command of Hebei with this mindset. He was indeed extremely cautious in ensuring discipline throughout the army. He personally oversaw every matter, large and small, from managing the army's logistics and supplies to standardizing the construction of camp walls and even the flogging punishment of ordinary soldiers for misconduct. Thus, the army of over 200,000 set off south, its momentum both like a surging river and a slow march through the mountains, with drums beating continuously for hundreds of miles along the way and banners fluttering like clouds—a truly magnificent sight.

People say that the Northern Expeditionary Army has been established for decades, but its military might be the most impressive ever.

Previously, the Northern Army was known for its abundance of talented individuals. Although Lu Zhizheng has lost power, Liu Yuan has been reinstated, and Zhao Xiang's fate is uncertain, the fall of the Qi King's faction has led many to flee north to Ye City, resulting in an even greater influx of promising newcomers to the army. Besides Lu Ji, currently serving as the Chief Clerk of Pingyuan and Grand Commander of Hebei, other notable figures include:

The troops under General Qian Xiu; the troops under General Shi Chao; the troops under General Wang Yan; the troops under Governor Li Yi of Ji Province; the troops under Junior Commander Meng Chao; the troops under General Jia Leng; the troops under General Wang Yan; the troops under General Dong Hong; the troops under General Chen Zhi of the Northern Expeditionary Army; the troops under Prefect Zhuge Mei of Anping; the troops under General Ying Zhan of the Northern Expeditionary Army; the troops under Military Advisor Shao Xu of the Northern Expeditionary Army; the troops under Military Advisor Dai Yuan of the Northern Expeditionary Army; the troops under Military Advisor Sun Zheng of the Northern Pacification Army; the troops under Military Advisor Lu Dan of the Northern Pacification Army; the troops under Colonel Wang Chan of the Jianwei Army; and the troops under Colonel of the Rebel Expeditionary Army. The troops under Hao Chang; the troops under Li Yuan, Protector General Gongshi Fan; the troops under Zhechong Protector General Cai Hong; the troops under Qingche Protector General Zou Jie; the troops under Zhaowu Protector General Diao Xie; the troops under Guangping Commandant Zhuge Quan; the troops under Qinghe Commandant Cai Mo; the troops under Zhao Commandery Prefect Ji Sang; the troops under Wei Commandery Commandant Wang Yu; the troops under Ji Commandery Commandant Wang Changwen; the troops under Grand General Sima Du Pi; the troops under Chengdu State Langzhongling Du Lie; the troops under Xianbei Protector Qiao Zhiming; the troops under Yamen General Bu Xiong; the troops under Yamen General Li Zhi; the troops under Cavalry Commandant Zhang Yan, etc...

Overall, under Lu Ji's arrangement, the Prince of Chengdu still heavily relied on some of Lu Ji's fellow townsmen, such as Sun Hui, Sun Zheng, and Dai Yuan. With these Wu people as helpers, Lu Ji could somewhat suppress the power of the Hebei people in the army. In addition, with some Central Plains scholars as a balance, as long as the methods were appropriate and with Sima Ying's full support, it was unlikely that the army would be unable to be controlled.

Of course, this did not stop the scholars of Hebei from gossiping privately, wondering how he could command such a large army when he had never fought a single battle before. Lu Ji was well aware of this, but in his view, it was nothing but the opinion of mediocre people. Before the Battle of Shouchun, his father Lu Kang, and before the Battle of Xiangfan, had they ever won a single battle?

The Lu family has always been one to lie low in ordinary times, only to be called upon in times of crisis and turn the tide. As early as when Lu Kang passed away, Lu Ji was only fourteen years old. He had already inherited his father's career in Eastern Wu, serving as a Yamen General and leading troops for six years. He was diligent in training soldiers, and his military career started much earlier than that of ordinary people. How could these people from Hebei possibly know this?
However, after the troops were dispatched, Lu Ji encountered a strange incident.

In autumn and winter, when the north wind should be fierce, a strong wind suddenly blew from the south when he led his army away from Ye City. The wind blew dust and sand, covering the sky and making it impossible for the soldiers heading south to open their eyes.

For a moment, they covered their mouths and noses with cloths, comrades huddled together, waiting for the gale to pass. In the dim light, they could hear all the flags fluttering in the wind, the sound incredibly clear, like dragons roaring overhead. The wind was so powerful that it not only made them sway back and forth, but also produced a series of crisp cracking sounds in their ears.

Once the strong winds subsided, the Northern soldiers loosened their handkerchiefs, opened their eyes, and brushed the sand and gravel off their bodies. They were astonished to discover that this unexpected gust of wind had snapped the army's flagpoles in two. Banners lay scattered on the ground, like fallen leaves, and among them was Lu Ji's command flag!
This was truly an ominous sign, and the soldiers discussed it extensively, saying, "The wind is blowing from the south and overwhelming the northern army. Does this mean that the northern army will be defeated by the southern army?" This opinion spread widely.

Lu Ji, however, was disgusted by this and posted a proclamation saying: "This is an auspicious omen. As the saying goes, clouds follow the dragon, and tigers follow the wind. When the army marches south and encounters wind and clouds overhead, it means that there is a flying dragon in the sky protecting us. And the destruction of the flags means that after this battle, our army will replace them with yellow dragon banners!"

After this explanation, the debate in the army subsided, but whether Lu Ji really thought so remains unknown.

After the main force of the army marched south and arrived at Chaoge, Lu Ji did not rush to advance. Instead, he sent Shi Chao as the vanguard to advance into Wude County of Henan Commandery to scout out the situation in Henan. At the same time, he ordered Sun Hui to oversee logistics, using a large number of grain ships to transport the first batch of provisions to the Fangtou area. At this time, the Battle of Mianchi had just ended, and Liu Xian had left his army in Xin'an, while Sima Yi was mobilizing the people in the city to build a large number of fortifications. Shi Chao judged that after the Hebei army advanced further, the Luoyang Imperial Guards might abandon Xin'an and return to Luoyang, relying on the terrain of Mangshan and the Luo River to hold their ground.

After receiving Shi Chao's military report, Lu Ji immediately summoned his generals and officers to discuss the next steps.

Eager to make a name for himself, Qian Xiu spoke first: "Since the enemy wants to besiege the isolated city, we can no longer hesitate. We must seize the time and take advantage of the King of Changsha's unpreparedness to capture Luoyang as soon as possible!"

"General, I am willing to lead the vanguard and seize the river bridge first! If our army can control the river bridge, we can then cross the river smoothly and occupy Mangshan. With our superior strength of three times that of the King of Changsha, we will be able to overwhelm the enemy with sheer numbers and have a great chance of victory!"

Many others shared the same idea. For example, Dong Hong said, "What is blocking our army is not so much the enemy army, but the great river. As long as our army can cross the river, we can issue proclamations to call on righteous men in the capital to kill the rebels. Once their internal strife breaks out, our army will lead the troops forward to fight to the death. The King of Changsha will be helpless. Even if Liu Huaichong is a skilled warrior, what can he do?"

Therefore, most people advocated that Lu Ji should advance eastward quickly and seize the river bridge before Sima Yi could react.

Unexpectedly, after listening to everyone's discussion, Lu Ji did not immediately express his opinion. After pondering for a moment, he smiled and asked calmly, "Let me ask you, do you all think that Liu Xian and the King of Changsha are mediocre talents?"

There was no answer for a moment; it was a very simple question. Liu Xian and Sima Yi were both recognized as geniuses, especially Liu Xian, who had survived five brutal political upheavals in Luoyang and continued to rise in rank, a feat unmatched by ordinary people.

Therefore, Lu Ji said, "Since it is something that you gentlemen can think of, surely the King of Changsha and Liu Xian could have thought of it? My king and the King of Changsha have been at odds for almost half a month now. Does he not know that our army is about to march south?"

"Therefore, if they intend to hold out in the city, they should burn the river bridge now to delay our army from crossing the river quickly."

"But the other side didn't burn down the river bridge. What was their intention?"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell into deep thought. Lu Ji, without keeping them in suspense, decisively pointed out, "Based on my understanding of Liu Xian, his consistent battle strategy has always been to take the initiative rather than be controlled by others. I predict that he will take the initiative to cross the river, luring me into a decisive battle!"

At first glance, this statement seemed illogical, but after exchanging glances and careful consideration, the generals realized it was indeed true. Li Yi, standing nearby, asked, "Isn't this a good thing? The King of Changsha is going to cross the river to his death; we can wait in comfort and strength, wouldn't our chances of victory be much greater?"

Lu Ji shook his head and said, "Why bother? The enemy is currently at the height of their power. If we start a battle directly on the plains of Hanoi, our chances of winning are at most 60%. To increase our chances of winning, we should avoid their sharp edge and wait for their momentum to wane."

This is only part of the reason; Lu Ji had other things he couldn't say openly. The generals were not united; not only were many disobedient to him as commander, but even among colleagues, those from the Central Plains, Hebei, and Wu were hostile to each other. On the battlefield, it was highly likely that when one side was in trouble, allies would stand by and watch. Under these unfavorable circumstances, if the entire army were to engage in a decisive battle, even a six-tenths chance of victory would be an exaggeration; in reality, it was at most four-tenths.

However, most of the generals looked unconvinced upon hearing this, and Meng Chao even openly said, "What are you saying, Grand Commander? Three against one, and we only have a six-tenths chance of winning. Do you expect so many of us to flee in defeat?"

Lu Ji shook his head slightly and said, "I just want to avoid their sharp edge; I have another plan."

He pointed to the map with his index finger, marked Pinggao County in Hanoi Prefecture, and then marked Aocang in Xingyang Prefecture, drawing a line between the two. Then he said the first step of the plan: "I want to build a pontoon bridge between Pinggao County and Aocang, so that we can cross the river from here."

Then he moved his finger westward and pressed it on the Hulao Pass, saying the second step: "Since the King of Changsha has come out with all his forces, we will not fight him to the death. Instead, we will occupy Hulao Pass and march into Henan County from here, but we should not rush to advance."

Lu Ji then pointed to Xuchang in Yuzhou with his other hand and said the third step: "I have already sent a message to the Prince of Fanyang. If he does not lead his army to attack the Prince of Changsha, we will attack him first! How dare he not come?"

He placed his hands together in front of Hulao Pass, indicating the fourth step of the plan: "Then we can gather an army of 300,000 and, between Gongxian and Yanshi, you can lead your troops to fight the enemy in rotation. If you win, you will be rewarded; if you lose, you will be blameless. The key is that the river will keep crashing against the mountains, endlessly."

Lu Ji concluded his plan, saying slowly and deliberately, "Even if you are defeated, it doesn't matter. I will use endless manpower, cutting into flesh with every blow, to drain the blood and sweat of the Imperial Guards!"

Upon hearing this, all the generals agreed, and so they gathered boats, filled both ends with large logs to hold stones, and built a pontoon bridge. The river here was calm, and in just three days, the new bridge was completed. The Hebei army crossed the river and approached Chenggao Pass.

At this time, Chenggao Pass was defended by only a hundred or so soldiers. Seeing the Northern army's banners reaching the sky and their armor gleaming in the sun, their military might was unparalleled, so they abandoned the pass and fled. Lu Ji then occupied Chenggao Pass and set up camp there.

The distance between Chenggao Pass and Luoyang is only about forty li, a journey that can normally be completed in a day. Between them lie two cities, Yanshi and Gongxian, both completely undefended and practically ghost towns. (End of Chapter)