Jinting Han people

Overnight, Zhang Fangfang built such a massive camp on the outskirts of Luoyang, which not only impressed the Western Army but also shocked the court and the public.

Three days ago, no one respected Zhang Fang. Even though Zhang Fang had defeated Huangfu Shang, briefly seized Luoyang, and taken the families of the Imperial Guards hostage, committing horrific atrocities in the capital region, the world viewed his ability to create such a stir solely as evidence of his despicable and unscrupulous methods, which only amplified his infamy rather than serving as proof of his military capabilities.

Moreover, he came from a humble background and lacked refinement; in today's officialdom, he didn't even have his own courtesy name. In this era that values ​​lineage, scholars would only show disdain when they mentioned him, and in a trivial tone, they would mutter sarcastically, "The world is going to the dogs. The Prince of Hejian must be blind to appoint such a scoundrel. Does a monkey even deserve to be an official?"

However, in the two days after withdrawing from Luoyang, Zhang Fang's series of dazzling military maneuvers completely overturned people's understanding. He first feigned weakness to leave Luoyang empty, then launched a feint attack by burning the river bridge and seizing Hulao Pass. Finally, his choice to build a camp on the outskirts of Luoyang was bold, meticulous, decisive, and calm, which was truly astonishing.

Throughout the centuries, even millennia, of history, there had never been such a precedent. Upon seeing this fortified camp, the Imperial Guards were all amazed, saying that in their decades of campaigning, the Western Expeditionary Army had never heard of Zhang Fang before. Why had such a person suddenly appeared? Could he be a genius like Cao Cao, a gifted individual?
In fact, even Liu Xian repeatedly revised his assessment of Zhang Fang. Previously, when Zhang Fang verbally threatened him, Liu Xian was intimidated by his physical strength, but he could only make a vague estimate of Zhang Fang's actual ability to lead troops into battle.

No matter how much he internally admired Zhang Fang, after witnessing Zhang Fang's military strategy firsthand, Liu Xian had to admit that he had still underestimated his opponent.

Call it despicable or shameless, war is ultimately an art that only values ​​results. Just as later generations may criticize the moral character of Cao Cao and Liu Bei, Cao Cao's military victories are undeniable, and the same applies to Zhang Fang.

After the western fortress was built, Luoyang was completely surrounded on all four sides. The food reserves in the city were only enough for the imperial guards for two months, not to mention the large number of refugees in the city who had been looted. Without the help of the imperial court, a large-scale famine would probably soon occur.

Anyone can see that the current strategic situation is one where the imperial court is at a significant disadvantage.

When news of Gou Xi's failed attempt to recapture Hulao Pass reached Luoyang, just three days after the western fortifications were completed, Sima Yue came to inform Liu Xian of the matter. The two drank tea and discussed the situation in detail while examining the map in their tent. Sima Yue asked with concern, "Grand Commandant, what effective strategies do you have to defeat the enemy?"

Even though Sima Yue had entered the preparation stage for a coup, he couldn't help but feel fear upon seeing an enemy like Zhang Fang suddenly emerge. Therefore, the Prince of Donghai even temporarily set aside his ambition for power, wanting to resolve the immediate predicament first.

As the pillar of the state and military that the court had relied on most, Liu Xian shook his head slightly and replied, "Your Highness, things have come to this point, and I'm afraid I'm helpless."

"How could this be?" This answer greatly surprised Sima Yue. So far, although Liu Xian had suffered some defeats, since taking command of his own army, he had been undefeated in every battle. Even when faced with an ambush like the python's mouth, he was able to launch a counterattack. In the eyes of the world, he was probably invincible on the battlefield. Yet now he had so decisively chosen to admit defeat—something the Prince of Donghai had not anticipated.

Liu Xian said, “Minister, there is a saying in military strategy about a deadly situation. A deadly situation is one where there is nowhere to go. Now Luoyang is surrounded on all sides, which is exactly the deadly situation in military strategy. According to common sense, if we want to defeat the enemy and win, there is no other way but to burn our boats and put ourselves in a do-or-die situation. That is what I did in the Battle of Mangkou.”

"Then why..."

“Things are different now!” Liu Xian knew Sima Yue’s doubts and explained in advance: “Although I have nowhere to escape from Mangkou, I am still fighting the Northern Army in the open field. Our army also has nearby mudflats that can be used to prevent the Northern Army from deploying its forces, which is why we can fight to the death.”

"But now we have to gamble everything. If our army wants to win, we have to attack fortifications. Attacking fortifications is not like open field battles. The difficulty is as great as heaven and earth. Not to mention that the troops have been fighting for a long time and are already exhausted. They also have concerns about their families. It is really too difficult to win."

"Moreover, victory is not in one's own hands, but in the enemy's. Zhang Fang's style is like a slippery eel; he is not the kind of general who takes risks. So far, he will never fight a battle unless he is 90% certain of victory. Once the situation turns against him, he will flee to preserve his strength."

"In this way, even if our army launches a full-scale attack and gains a certain advantage, Zhang Fang will most likely take the initiative to withdraw. But it won't be long before he comes back again. If he uses other means to entangle the court, then it will be a loss."

Faced with such a battle situation and such an opponent, and since Liu Xian himself was not the commander-in-chief of the entire army, even he could not come up with any way to win.

Upon hearing this, Sima Yue's face fell, and he stared at the map of Luoyang as if the end of the world was approaching. After a long while, he raised his head and asked, "So, does that mean the court has no way out and should surrender to the Western Army?"

Liu Xian slowly said, "There is another way. Although it cannot defeat the enemy, it may allow us to escape."

"Oh? Grand Commandant, speak quickly!" The King of Donghai's eyes lit up, and he urged him repeatedly.

Liu Xian said, "Although Zhang Fang burned down the river bridge, it is currently freezing cold, and the rivers are beginning to freeze. Based on past experience, the main river will freeze over in at most a month. The court can take this opportunity to quickly head north, first crossing Mangshan, then the main river, and then heading east around Chenggao, quickly entering Xingyang. At that time, as long as the garrison commander of Xuchang comes to meet us, we will naturally be out of danger."

This was the conclusion Liu Xian had reached after much deliberation. Sima Yi had made a careless move and fallen into Zhang Fang's trap; it was now practically impossible for him to continue occupying Luoyang. If things were still like they were two months ago, with only control over the area around the capital, they would be utterly helpless. But now, with the Central Plains as their rear, although Luoyang was important, as long as the emperor was alive, its loss was not a big deal.

Moreover, this also benefited Liu Xian's own plans: after the court left Luoyang, Zhang Fang's threat became increasingly formidable. If he could obtain the imperial edict, he could use the pretext of suppressing the rebellion to escape the court amidst the chaos, traveling from Hanoi to Hedong. At that point, all his actions would be perfectly legitimate, and no one could criticize him. Sima Yue, of course, was unaware of Liu Xian's thoughts. After hearing Liu Xian's plan, he nodded repeatedly, saying, "Good! As expected of the Grand Commandant, this is exactly how it should be done!"

Having said that, he got up and went to the tent to call for his servants to prepare the carriage. Liu Xian asked him where he was going, and he said, "I need to go find the General of Chariots and Cavalry immediately and hold another military meeting. Zhang Fang, that jinx, has been keeping you all up at night these past few days!" He lifted the tent flap and left, disappearing quickly with the sound of rolling wheels.

After he left, Liu Xian stared at the map for a while, pondering the progress on Sima Fan's side. With Zhang Fang closing in again, the court had been holding daily military meetings lately. Sima Fan, as a Gentleman-in-Attendance, had many opportunities to get close to Yang Xianrong, and a result should be forthcoming soon.

After receiving the imperial edict, he needed to make some follow-up preparations. The first thing to consider was who to take with him. Zhang Fang's sudden rise to power made Liu Xian realize that establishing a foothold in Guanzhong would likely involve an unprecedented and arduous battle. And how many troops did he have at his disposal? His ten thousand-odd cavalry might not always be loyal, and relying solely on the remnants of the Hedong rebellion and He Pan and others would probably be insufficient to defeat the Western Expeditionary Army.

If we could contact more friends to travel west together, it would undoubtedly make the process much easier.

As Liu Xian thought this, the first name that came to mind was Zu Ti. Among all the people he knew, only Zu Ti had saved his life multiple times. If they were to start a business together, how could he be without him? However, after knowing him for so many years, Liu Xian also knew that Zu Ti was determined to be independent and probably didn't want to be dependent on others. But it wouldn't hurt to give it a try, after all, among his friends, Zu Ti was the only one who would never betray him.

Liu Xian began to consider other candidates, but the matter was of great importance and many factors needed to be taken into account. His thoughts were in turmoil, and he hadn't finalized a list yet. Around midnight, feeling extremely tired, he leaned against the couch, fully clothed, and dozed off. He didn't know how many hours had passed when suddenly voices sounded outside his tent, startling him awake.

It turned out that Sima Yue had returned. However, compared to his excitement when he left, he looked extremely dejected upon his return. He then lamented to Liu Xian, "The General of Chariots and Cavalry will not listen to me. He scolded me, saying, 'Are you already losing your courage before the battle even begins?' He then said that if we think about retreating before even fighting a single battle and abandon the capital to the rebels, what will the people of the world think of him? Therefore, he is determined to fight the Western Army."

Upon hearing this news, Liu Xian was stunned for a long time, almost thinking he had misheard. He couldn't help but ask the Prince of Donghai for confirmation: "Didn't the Minister of War explain the advantages and disadvantages of those battlefields to the General of Chariots and Cavalry?"

Sima Yue shook his head with a wry smile and said, "I have no insight, how dare I not speak? It was General Huo who emphasized to me that he understood what I was saying, but these are turbulent times. If we retreat one step, we will retreat step by step. Once we disappoint the people, even if we are lucky enough to save our lives, the country will be difficult to revive. At this time, we must rise to the challenge and defeat Zhang Fang in order to establish the authority of the court!"

This was truly something Sima Yi would say, and it was incredibly irrational. Liu Xian was speechless again. In the past, when he worked with Sima Yi, Sima Yi would often adopt and agree to any suggestions Liu Xian made. Therefore, Liu Xian often overlooked Sima Yi's stubbornness.

But now, is Sima Yi still dreaming of reviving the Jin dynasty? The people's hearts are filled with turmoil; this is the inevitable trend. The real chaos is probably yet to come! If he leaves Luoyang now, he might indeed lose some popular support and be unable to protect the entire realm, but at least he can still maintain a regional power. If he fails in Luoyang, then he will truly have nothing left.

However, Liu Xian had no right to ridicule Sima Yi, because he himself was dreaming the same dream. It was simply that the decline of the Jin dynasty presented him with an opportunity to rise to power.

Sima Yue clearly didn't want to fight this battle. He looked around to make sure no one was around, then grabbed Liu Xian's sleeve and whispered in his ear, "Grand Commandant, what should we do? If the General of Chariots and Cavalry insists on going his own way, we will definitely suffer in the end. This is not a good thing for the country or the people!"

Before Liu Xian could speak, he continued, "I think that the General of the Cavalry's desire to revive the Jin Dynasty is a pretense; his real intention is to usurp the throne! Why don't we take action now and turn the tide..." At this point, Sima Yue made a gesture of waving his sword.

The King of Donghai incited again, saying, "Time is of the essence. For the sake of the country, many things cannot be taken into consideration. The Western Army came out of the pass with the intention of taking the life of General Flying Cavalry. Why don't we arrest General Flying Cavalry first and execute him? Then the Western Army will have no excuse. We can then promise them some benefits, and a major battle will be averted."

"Absolutely not!" Liu Xian refused decisively. "Do you think everyone in the court is a fool? With a formidable enemy at hand, if we start a chaotic mess ourselves, who will be convinced? The whole world will despise us! Zhang Fang isn't a blockhead either. Do you think he'll just stop fighting if you suggest peace talks?"

“Alright, let’s wait until after the war.” Sima Yue didn’t want to argue. He simply defended himself, saying, “The people are suffering. This year has been full of disasters. I just want fewer people to die. If only one King of Changsha were to die, the whole world could have a chance to breathe.”

Anyone can make such boastful claims. Liu Xian's disgust for Sima Yue intensified, but on the surface, he still had to maintain a relationship with him, calmly advising him to wait for the right opportunity. Finally, he said, "There is still time. The Yellow River has not yet frozen over. Since the General of the Flying Cavalry wants to fight, let him fight for a few days first. If he succeeds, that would be best. If he fails, by the twelfth lunar month, it will be difficult to go against the will of the people, and in the end, we will still have to withdraw our troops and head north."

After Sima Yue left, Liu Xian watched his retreating figure, his eyes filled with suspicion.

To be honest, although Sima Yue was a petty person with little ability in either military or political affairs, Liu Xian was never sure how much power was secretly supporting him, and Sima Yue had no intention of clarifying it either. Therefore, although the two were currently allies, their relationship was extremely fragile, and Liu Xian would not be surprised if Sima Yue suddenly betrayed him.

Fortunately, he hadn't revealed his plans to him. His arrangements for being transferred to a post outside the capital had been conducted privately, without letting anyone else know. Furthermore, due to his lack of military and political talent, Sima Yue was destined to be unable to complete the coup alone and would need the support of a military figure. From these two perspectives, the Prince of Donghai had no immediate chance of turning against him, and the alliance would likely continue for the time being.

Cooperating with these people is like walking on thin ice! From this perspective, Liu Xian can understand Sima Yi's thoughts. Rather than endless compromises, it's better to dispel these doubts with a decisive battle.

But just as with the assessment of Zhang Fang, everything can only be judged by the outcome. Since Sima Yi has decided to continue the war, the right and wrong of each side can only be proven by the indisputable result. (End of Chapter)