Jinting Han people

On his journey south, when passing Baiqu, Liu Xian encountered the first group of immigrants from Hedong.

Although theoretically, Xi Jian and Lu Yun were in charge of this group of immigrants, in reality, Liu Xian's staff didn't have the energy to oversee everything. They could only ensure the general arrangements were correct, but the actual organization and management were still handled by the scholar leaders elected by the immigrants themselves. Each scholar was responsible for a group of about fifty households, nearly two hundred people. During the journey, it was these scholars who consulted with Lu Yun and his group about the remaining itinerary, organized daily rest and meals, and ensured that no one fell behind.

When Liu Xian met them, the immigrants had been on their journey for nearly twenty days, and just as Liu Xian had predicted, they had traveled about six hundred li. After walking for so long, the immigrants were covered in dust, their faces were somewhat haggard, their clothes were covered in mud, and many of their straw sandals were worn out.

Leading the refugees was none other than Xue Xing and his family. They were from Fenying, the closest to the ferry crossing, and came from a prominent family, naturally becoming the leaders of the immigrants. Liu Xian, hearing he was there, summoned him and asked, "Jida, how is it? Is the journey smooth? Is there enough food?"

As a former subordinate of Liu Xian, Xue Xing was not only in charge of one district, but the top ten districts also had to report to him. Therefore, he was best positioned to understand the specific situation of the current immigrants.

When Xue Xing met Liu Xian, he was initially pleased, but then his face showed worry. He summarized to Liu Xian: "My lord, there is no shortage of food. Everyone was given enough millet flour, rice flour, and wheat flour to last a month. We can get more when we get to Huangqiu, but there are other problems."

"The main problem is that it's the first time everyone has traveled such a long distance, and they've been running around every day, enduring wind and rain. Many of those with weaker constitutions couldn't handle it and caught a cold or malaria. But in the current environment, it's probably not easy to recover from their illnesses."

Liu Xian went to examine the immigrants at the rear of the procession. Indeed, as Xue Xing had said, many people in the procession were using canes, their faces were sallow, and some were even resting by the roadside, constantly shivering. This was a noteworthy phenomenon. After observing them briefly, Liu Xian's relaxed expression immediately turned serious. He asked Xue Xing, "We can think of a place for recuperation later. Do we have enough medicinal herbs?"

"We have enough medicinal herbs for now, but if this continues..." Xue Xing didn't say it explicitly, but his meaning was very clear. They hadn't even passed the halfway point yet, and they were currently traveling on the easiest route. If autumn came and the weather turned cold, and they ventured into the deep forests full of poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, the medicinal herbs would likely be insufficient.

This was an unexpected situation, but also unavoidable. People can't always attend to everything, and often only realize they should try to solve something after it happens. Liu Xian couldn't stay out of it. So he waited on the road for a while, and after Lu Yun and Xi Jian arrived, he discussed the problem with them, saying, "We can set up some sick quarters along the way, recruit some medical staff, and let the patients rest for a few days to recover their strength before continuing their journey."

Lu Yun naturally wouldn't object, but he emphasized to Liu Xian with some difficulty, "My lord, this might take up a lot of time. Is the south okay?"

Liu Xian understood Lu Yun's concerns. His journey south to Chang'an was fraught with pressure and not an easy task. If the journey dragged on too long, the difficulty of evacuation would increase. For Liu Xian's safety, the migration should be completed as soon as possible.

But Liu Xian was prepared. He replied, "We planned for three months precisely to leave room for unforeseen circumstances. Shilong, you go ahead and do it. Now that things have come to this, I won't take any more reckless risks."

Seeing that Liu Xian was determined, Lu Yun stopped trying to dissuade him. He summoned Xi Jian, Ruan Fang, Xiahou Cheng, and other accompanying guards for a brief meeting and quickly came up with a plan:
They planned to set up a sick hut every hundred li (approximately 50 kilometers) for the sick to rest, leaving behind horses so they could catch up with the main caravan after recuperating. As for essential medicinal herbs, they could offer rewards to local hunters to help them gather them in the mountains. The only problem was finding reliable medical care. Some Taoist priests claimed to be able to cure illnesses, but Liu Xian didn't quite believe them. So, in such a rush, where could they find reliable medical care?

Fortunately, Huangfu Dan stepped forward at this moment. He told Liu Xian that the patriarch of their clan before him was the divine physician Huangfu Mi.

Huangfu Mi, the great-grandson of Huangfu Song, a famous general of the late Han Dynasty, never held an official position. Besides literature and history, he devoted himself to the study of medicine. He systematically organized and refined the acupuncture techniques passed down to this day, becoming a reclusive medical sage during the reign of Emperor Wu of Jin, and the foremost physician of his time. Although Huangfu Mi has since died, his medical skills have survived within his family, and some members of his clan still study and practice them. In addition, Huangfu Mi has some students in Guanzhong, who might also be recruited into the government.

He provided Liu Xian with a list of more than twenty people in one go, which truly solved his immediate problem. Liu Xian immediately handed the list to Lü Quyang, instructing him to find these people as soon as possible and recruit them into the Duke's mansion.

Everything proceeded smoothly. Liu Xian then summoned his half-brother Liu Kang and instructed him to oversee the matter, and to send a messenger to inform him if anything went wrong. Thus, within a short hour, the outline for resolving this matter was completed.

Zhang Guang watched Liu Xian handle government affairs, noticing the many talented people around him. He recalled seven years ago when Liu Xian was still the governor of Beidi, isolated by Sima Tong and Xiahou Jun, and felt a deep sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both admiration and reflection). After Liu Xian finished dealing with various matters, he led his troops south again, saying, "Huai Chong, you are truly a different person now."

"Really?" Liu Xian walked alongside him and smiled calmly, "I think I haven't changed much at all."

“How could there be no change?” Zhang Guang laughed. Although the two hadn’t seen each other for a long time, they got along just as well as before. After all, they had been through thick and thin together. He said, “You are very impressive now, even more so than Marshal Meng back then.”

"So you've made more friends." Liu Xian pulled on the reins and said earnestly, "But no matter how many new friends I make, I will never forget my old friends."

"Why?"

“Because, new clothes are worse than old ones, but old friends are worse than new ones.” Liu Xian then pointed at Zhang Guang and said, “I know that Brother Jingwu is still the same as before. If we encounter war, he will never abandon us like Sun Xiu did.”

At this point, both of them recalled the past: Sun Xiu's clumsy performance when Hao San rebelled, the scheming between Li Han and Sun Xiu, and the near-death experience of several people in the Battle of Gumu Plain... and then they burst into laughter.

While they chuckled, a faint sense of loneliness washed over them. After all, among those who fought back then, Li Han, Sun Xiu, Xie Xi, Ouyang Jian… whether they were rivals or friends, many of them were no longer alive just ten years later.

Life is so short!

After expressing this sigh, Zhang Guang thought about the upcoming battle and then asked Liu Xian, "Huai Chong, if we go to attack Chang'an next, can we really escape unscathed?"

Zhang Guang was unaware of Liu Xian's plans, but he clearly remembered that the decline of Qi Wannian's forces during his rebellion began with the failed attack on Chang'an. At that time, Qi Wannian had won several major victories, commanding over 100,000 troops, more than the General Who Conquers the West. Liu Xian's current total force, even after merging with Liu Shen's Yongzhou army, was only around 70,000. A significant portion of these soldiers were new recruits with little experience, only capable of protecting refugees. In contrast, the General Who Conquers the West, though temporarily unable to advance north of the Wei River, still possessed over 100,000 troops at his disposal, not even including Zhang Fang's forces. For Liu Xian to launch an attack on Chang'an with such inferior forces was an extremely difficult undertaking. Even if he intended a feint attack, primarily to contain the enemy, separating the two armies once they were close enough to engage would be no easy task.

Liu Xian, a seasoned warrior, naturally understood Zhang Guang's concerns. However, he also understood that Zhang Guang had been confined to Guanzhong for too long, his horizons had not broadened, and he did not truly understand the current situation; therefore, his worries were unnecessary. He smiled and said, "Brother Jingwu, although we will encounter some difficulties on our journey to Chang'an, it will not be as difficult as you imagine."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because the world is not just Guanzhong and Longxi, but other people also want to reap the benefits. The King of Hejian is also aware of this. As long as he knows this premise, he will have many concerns. If we can give him more concerns, there will be no real decisive battle."

From the perspective of the overall situation, the entire war in Guanzhong and Longxi had changed after Lu Zhi sent an envoy to Liu Xian. The Northern Army had transformed into a visible force, ready to intervene in the conflicts in Guanzhong at any time. As long as Sima Yong understood this, he would be wary and would have to reserve a portion of his forces to guard against a possible Northern Army invasion of Guanzhong.

Under these circumstances, Sima Yong would certainly not act rashly, but would first probe Liu Xian's strength and assess the capabilities of the Hedong army. If the probe concluded that Liu Xian's strength was formidable and that a decisive battle would be highly risky or result in heavy losses, he would inevitably adopt a different strategy; however, if the probe suggested that Liu Xian's forces were weak and could be defeated in one decisive battle, then he would choose to engage in a decisive battle.

Therefore, Liu Xian had been considering this point when he was planning with his advisors. From this perspective, the risk of attacking Chang'an was only superficial. As long as they could put pressure on Sima Yong and create enough psychological pressure for him, Liu Xian's side had a high chance of being able to retreat safely in the end.

In other words, this is also a battle for hearts and minds, but not for the people's hearts, but for gaining the King of Hejian's apprehension. If he can't even do that, then Liu Xian is nothing more than an ordinary person, let alone someone who wants to contend for the world.
Therefore, Liu Xian analyzed for Zhang Guang: "Brother Jingwu, this will be a contest of wills. As long as we can defeat the King of Hejian in terms of will, what does it matter if he has ten times the troops but dares not use them?"

These words successfully persuaded Zhang Guang, who then relayed them to the accompanying officers of the Yongzhou army. They all suddenly understood and greatly admired Liu Xian's foresight. They all commented on Liu Xian, saying, "We haven't seen him for several years, but the Duke of Anle's courage has not diminished, and he has gained even greater wisdom!"

However, Liu Xian was fully aware of what had just been said. While others could be more optimistic and relaxed, he couldn't. After all, the Western Expeditionary Army was the strongest military command in the entire land, and as its head, Liu Xian had to be extremely vigilant to meet the challenges ahead. Therefore, during his marches and evening rests, he would mentally rehearse the plans and details repeatedly, preparing for any unforeseen circumstances.

Fate does indeed favor the prepared. After Liu Xian traveled south to Gaolu, Li Ju sent Guo Fang to deliver a message: there were no unexpected events, and according to the pre-arranged plan, he had successfully captured Chencang along the way.

While Liu Xian led his troops to Tongguan, Li Ju also led 20,000 men, heading separately to Fufeng County. Just as Liu Xian had done in Fengyi County, Li Ju successively captured the poorly defended cities of Chiyang, Meiyang, and Mei County. After breaching the cities, he opened granaries to distribute grain and dismissed officials. Finally, he turned his attention to Chencang and successfully captured it.

With the capture of Chencang, it meant that the entire long-distance migration route into Sichuan had been completely opened.

Following this was Yang Maosou's reply from Qiuchi. Guo Fang reported to Liu Xian, "My lord, the King of Qiuchi said that he will send three thousand cavalry to assist us."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this news, Liu Xian asked, "Did King Qiuchi say who he sent?"

"He said it was the Left Wise King of his country, who was also his eldest son, Yang Nandi."

Yang Nandi? Upon hearing this name, Liu Xian immediately recalled the bold and kind Di youth and clapped his hands, laughing, "Great! It seems our team is becoming stronger and stronger."

The city where their army was stationed at this time, Gaolu, was a name newly adopted during the Cao Wei period; for thousands of years prior, it had been called Gaoling. True to its name, Gaolu City was situated on a high plateau called Fengzhengyuan, which resembled a mausoleum, hence the name Gaoling. Furthermore, it was not far from the Wei River; about twenty li to the southwest lay the East Wei Bridge. Therefore, the officers all agreed that this was the most suitable place to camp if they wanted to contain the Western Army north of the Wei River.

But Liu Xian disagreed. He said to his generals, "Since we agreed to exert pressure, even if it's a feigned attack, we must make it real. How can we say we're going to attack Chang'an but not even cross the Wei River? We can't set up camp on the high ground."

"Where should we set up camp?" The generals were skeptical of Liu Xian's words. After all, once they crossed the Wei River, they would be on the outskirts of Chang'an, and the distance to the north city wall of Chang'an was probably less than ten miles. Not to mention that they were so close to Chang'an that there was no room for maneuver, the space in that area couldn't possibly support 40,000 men to set up camp, could it?
Liu Xian had certainly weighed this issue. Staying north of the Wei River would make him appear unambitious and insufficient to alarm the Western Army. However, entering south of the Wei River meant that the space between him and Chang'an was too confined, forcing them into a decisive battle even if they didn't want one—a situation dictated by geography. He had to strike a balance between these two options.

Liu Xian has found this balance, he said:
"We can move to Xianyang Plain, with most of our men remaining on the north bank and setting up camp by the water. We can also select 5,000 vanguard men to cross the river, capture the three Wei Bridges, and set up camp on the south bank by the water, so that the north and south can support each other."

Upon hearing this, the generals immediately understood: since they couldn't move all their troops to Weinan, it would be better to select elite troops and move a portion of them. This way, they wouldn't be left without room for maneuver, forcing both sides into a decisive battle, and at the same time, it would pose a threat to Chang'an. In this way, the Western Army would inevitably have to confront Liu Xian on the battlefield around Chang'an.

Just then, scouts brought news that the main force of the Western Army had appeared near Ba City and would arrive in Chang'an soon.

Under the watchful eyes of the world, the two main characters of this scene are about to arrive on stage.

At this moment, Liu Xian closed his eyes slightly, tapped the scabbard twice with his knuckles, then opened his eyes and instructed Li Sheng, "Binshuo, make arrangements for me. I need to go to Maoling to pay respects to my ancestors."

"Let's warm things up first and get everyone involved in the fun." (End of Chapter)