Jinting Han people

Having narrowly escaped death, Liu Xian's illness was temporarily cured, but this did not mean he was immediately healed. According to Li Xiu, he had exhausted a great deal of his vital energy and would need at least two to three months to recuperate before his body could fully recover. If not properly cared for, the wound could relapse. Therefore, Liu Xian remained in Woyunwu for the foreseeable future and was not allowed to leave.

Two to three months of rest would have seemed too long for Liu Xian before he fell ill; he would have been impatient and restless. After all, in the current situation, the world's affairs could change drastically every day, and he might miss many opportunities.

But after his serious illness, Liu Xian gained a more open-minded perspective. He increasingly realized that human destiny is unpredictable, and while racing against time is certainly advisable, one shouldn't be too ambitious; what's in front of you is what truly matters. Previously, under the tutelage of Master Ruan, he learned to move forward without looking back or leaving regrets. But now, he learned to focus on the present moment; walking steadily is more important than walking fast. Otherwise, death means all is vanity, and everything is meaningless.

Therefore, he rested peacefully in Woyunwu to recuperate, and was not in a hurry to engage in a decisive battle with Li Xiong. Instead, he instructed Li Ju to have the soldiers besieging Luoxian begin preparing to cultivate land under the city walls, making it clear that they were going to settle and cultivate the land there for a long time.

Liu Xian explained to Li Ju, “We have been in Bashu for almost a year now, and we have been fighting almost every month. Although we have won many battles, it seems that swords and arrows alone are not enough to win the hearts of the people of Bashu. Now that there are no other threats, we should show our benevolent and loving side.”

This is a new thought that Liu Xian had as he reflected on the past year. Although Liu Xian had been working hard to enforce military discipline since he took command, and had indeed trained the Hanzhong army into a highly disciplined and elite force, the people of Bashu had not had the opportunity to see this side of them.

Li Xiong's scorched-earth policy, coupled with the ensuing rebellion of the Celestial Masters sect, led to extremely fierce clashes between the Hanzhong army and the people of Bashu within just a few months. The Hanzhong army has so far captured over sixty Taoist temples and taken over one hundred thousand Taoist followers prisoner. Furthermore, due to Liu Xian's serious illness and inability to maintain control, numerous acts of revenge killing against Celestial Masters followers have occurred within the army, which the officers seem to welcome. This has exacerbated the conflict between the Hanzhong army and the Celestial Masters sect members. The saying "the rabbit mourns the fox's death" applies here; in the eyes of the non-religious populace, this is likely not a good thing either.

Maintaining good military discipline is difficult, but it's easy for it to collapse. Liu Xian currently needs to restore military discipline and also wants to ease relations with the people of Bashu and win back their hearts. Therefore, he made up his mind and proposed a land reclamation strategy.

This has three major advantages. First, it makes it easier to maintain military discipline and reorganize the army. Second, successful land reclamation can effectively alleviate logistical pressure. Third, it also makes a clear statement to the local people that they are not villains who come to exploit them, but rather genuinely regard Sichuan and Chongqing as their home and want to settle down and develop their businesses here.

Of course, in addition to land reclamation, Liu Xian also planned to introduce some other measures: such as continuing to promote the idea to the surrounding people and powerful clans, to encourage them to return to their hometowns and return their land; to no longer force the captured Taoist followers to settle in the countryside, but to release them back to their original places; and to send a small number of soldiers to guard the Taoist temples that had been captured, and to allow them to carry out normal preaching and activities as long as they did not hide weapons in the temples.

However, such a decision was also risky, and many of Liu Xian's advisors within the government did not quite understand his intentions. For example, Li Sheng and Zhang Gu opposed it, arguing that the rebellion within the Celestial Masters sect was so large that releasing these followers would only lead to further chaos and invite further trouble. Since they had already broken with the Celestial Masters sect, they should go all the way, destroying their foundations, eliminating all their sects, and completely severing their faith. This would fundamentally eliminate any potential threat from the Celestial Masters sect.

However, Liu Xian's attitude was also very firm. He summoned his subordinates from his sickbed and persuaded them one by one:
"The foundation of the Celestial Masters sect lies not in its mountain gates, but in people's fear of chaos. Can the fear in people's minds be eliminated with swords? If it cannot be eliminated, no matter how many times the mountain gates are overthrown or how many people are killed, they will always come back. In this way, we will only create more bloodshed for nothing. We must first eliminate the chaos and bring them real peace. Once the people are free from fear, the Celestial Masters sect will naturally become insignificant."

"Therefore, the highest level of conquest is to not kill."

"The weak need to prove their courage by fighting back and killing, but the strong need to prove their strength by not killing. Indiscriminate killing only leaves resentment. The true way to rule is to make the other party respect you and be willing to serve you."

Liu Xian's words couldn't convince everyone, but his will was unstoppable. Especially after gaining Li Ju's support, the policy was quickly implemented. As a result, the tense situation in Sichuan and Chongqing suddenly eased.

Although the three forces were still locked in a stalemate, the fighting had effectively ceased. Many followers of the Celestial Masters sect were released and returned to their ancestral homes. To their astonishment, after so many days away, their homes and houses were still intact, their beds and doors were still in place, and even some of the stored grain they hadn't taken was still in the cellars. The newly appointed officials from the Hanzhong army did not restrict their freedom, indicating that they could still go to the Taoist temples to pray and issue proclamations. Merchants were even allowed to travel freely within the territory, trading contraband such as salt, iron, and furs among the three forces, just as they had in normal times.

In retrospect, Liu Xian's judgment proved correct. After their defeat, the Celestial Masters' Daoist followers' will to resist had weakened considerably. Regardless of their underlying beliefs, they were still attached to their homeland and unwilling to wander. Their only fear was that Anle Gong would cut off their path to the afterlife, forcing them to apostatize. However, upon learning that Liu Xian still allowed them to follow the Dao, they were greatly comforted, and many abandoned any thoughts of leaving, settling peacefully under Liu Xian's rule.

Seeing that everything was on track, Liu Xian had no more worries. He handed over most of his miscellaneous tasks to Li Ju and recalled Zhuge Yan, Liu Xuan, and their troops in Guanghan to rest and recuperate. The only thing he needed to do was to gather intelligence from Li Sheng to understand the latest developments in the current political landscape.

It must be said that the current situation in the world has changed significantly compared to the beginning of the year.

First, there was intelligence from Liangzhou. After nearly a year of fierce fighting, Zhang Gui finally defeated Ruoluoba Neng in a head-on battle in August of this year, successfully eliminating this major threat from the Xianbei within his territory.

The process was incredibly perilous. It is said that last year, Ruoluoba Neng led his army to besiege Guzang, and at one point, the city was on the verge of falling. Meanwhile, the other counties of Liangzhou, seeing Zhang Gui besieged and the world in chaos, all harbored the idea of ​​seizing the opportunity to declare independence and establish their own territories. Therefore, they used the pretext of local banditry to observe and did not send reinforcements. Unexpectedly, Zhang Gui treated Guzang with kindness and fairness, and finally, winter arrived. Heavy snow fell, water and grass withered, leaving Ruoluoba Neng's troops emaciated and forced to retreat and regroup.

This year, as Zhang Shi led his troops back to Liangzhou, Zhang Gui seized this opportunity to regroup and ordered Zhang Shi and his strategist Song Pei to tour various prefectures. They mobilized an army of over 30,000 men and then launched a surprise attack on Ruo Luoba Neng's stronghold in Xihai, directly across the desert from Guzang.

It is said that this strategy was proposed by Song Pei, the Sima of Liangzhou. To achieve a surprise effect, Zhang Shi and his party risked dying of thirst and getting lost, first crossing two hundred li of desert, and then rushing six hundred li, arriving in Xihai territory within ten days. At that time, the Xianbei people of Xihai were gathered together drinking and dancing when suddenly they saw a group of people charging out from the east. Under the sun, their iron armor reflected dazzling light, like divine soldiers descending from the sky. In the Battle of Xihai, the Liangzhou army decisively defeated the Hexi Xianbei, beheading Ruoluoba Neng and capturing more than 100,000 people. Zhang Gui's power shook the western lands, and the situation in Liangzhou was stabilized again.

This happened in August, and Liu Xian was undoubtedly pleased with the outcome. He said to those around him, "I was worried that something might happen in Qin Province, but now it seems that with Lord Shi Yan guarding the western lands, the villains of Qin Province will surely be terrified. Our defenses in the northwest can be said to be as solid as a rock."

Then came news from Jingzhou. Chen Min, the governor of Yangzhou, heard that Liu Hong was now terminally ill and had the ambition to emulate Sun Wu and seize control of the southeast. So he sent his brother Chen Hui with 40,000 troops to attack Wuchang County by heading west along the Yangtze River.

Upon hearing the news, Liu Hong immediately appointed Tao Kan as the Prefect of Jiangxia and General Yingyang, leading an army of 30,000 to resist Chen Hui. Accompanying him were Pi Chu, the Prefect of Xiangyang, Miao Guang, the Prefect of Wuling, and Wang Xun, the Prefect of Weixing. The two armies fought a great battle at Changqi. Tao Kan, as the commander-in-chief, was extremely resourceful. He separated his land and naval forces, using the land forces as bait to lure Chen Hui into attacking, while the navy was in ambush. After Chen Hui engaged in battle, Tao Kan led his warships to strike first, resulting in a counter-encirclement of Chen Hui. In one battle, Chen Hui suffered heavy losses and was forced to retreat in panic.

Because Liu Hong was seriously ill, Tao Kan did not pursue the enemy. He distributed the spoils of war equally among his soldiers, withdrew his troops to rest, and then reported his achievements to Liu Hong. He did not mention his own merits, but praised his other colleagues who served as military advisors. As a result, he won the hearts of the people and was widely praised, and was hailed as "the foremost among the Han and Mian generals".

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian first praised Tao Kan, saying, "Tao Kan's military tactics are quite reminiscent of Lu Xun's! It seems that after the Duke of Xuancheng, Jingzhou will be guarded by this man."

He then criticized Chen Min, saying, "Chen Min comes from a humble background, yet he rose to the position of regional commander through military strategy and bravery. But now he cannot lead his troops to victory and is so nepotistic. I think he will lose the support of the scholars of Jiangdong, and his defeat is just around the corner. I wonder who will succeed him?"

However, compared to the battles in Liangzhou and Jianghan, the focus of the entire world's attention is now clearly on Hebei. Undoubtedly, whoever wins or loses between Zhang Fang and the Hebei allied forces will have a profound impact on the future of the realm.

After capturing Ye City in February, Zhang Fang recruited troops from Hebei, successfully expanding his army to 200,000 within a month. Then, in mid-March, he continued his northward advance, attacking Zhao County. Seeing Zhang Fang's overwhelming force, Ji Sang, the governor of Ji Province, knew he could not resist, so he abandoned Fangzi County, ordered Shi Le to lead troops to harass Zhang Fang's supply lines, and moved east to Xindu with Sima Ying. There, he recruited soldiers in Hebei, planning for another battle.

This emboldened Zhang Fang even further. The governors of eight commanderies, including Qinghe, Changshan, and Julu, were terrified and surrendered without resistance. For a time, only the commanderies of Leling and Anping remained loyal to Sima Ying in the entire Ji Province. Zhang Fang then divided his forces into three routes: one led by himself to Xindu; another led by Zhao Ran to seize Bing Province; and the third led by Zhang Fu to attack You Province. Hebei was practically already in his grasp.

But this was the peak of Zhang Fang's attack.

Zhang Fang's battle lines were now stretched far too far, nearly six hundred li (approximately 300 kilometers). While nominally vast, he could actually control only a narrow supply line, a dozen or so cities. After besieging Xindu, Shi Le, through an inside look, learned that Fangzi's defenses were weak. He immediately returned and led his troops to raid the city, recapturing Fangzi. He then consolidated Zhao's fortified villages, gaining 20,000 men, and marched south to capture important cities like Xiangguo and Handan, even threatening Yecheng.

Upon learning this, Zhang Fang was furious. After burning and looting the city of Xindu, he turned his forces around and attacked Shi Le. Shi Le had by then expanded his army to over 40,000 men. Following the advice of his subordinate Kong Chang, he fortified Shangbai and deployed his forces, attempting to cut off Zhang Fang's grain transport. However, in military strategy, Shi Le was no match for Zhang Fang. Zhang Fang launched a frontal assault with his elite troops, while Chen An's forces circled around and set fires, easily tearing apart Shi Le's lines. Shi Le's army suffered a crushing defeat, losing countless weapons and armor. Shi Le himself escaped with only a few hundred cavalry.

This was another resounding victory, but before Zhang Fang could even consolidate his position, two pieces of bad news arrived. The two armies he had dispatched to Bingzhou and Youzhou were both routed by the enemy. The reason was simple: Sima Teng, the governor of Bingzhou, had allied with the Tuoba Xianbei, while General Wang Jun of Ning Shuo had formed a marriage alliance with the Duan Xianbei, successfully securing two major external allies. Their combined army numbered 150,000, including 60,000 cavalry, and officially joined the war in Hebei.

Sima Teng and Wang Jun may not have understood warfare, but the Tuoba Xianbei and Duan Xianbei were elite troops from beyond the Great Wall, led by the famous generals Tuoba Yilu and Duan Pidi respectively. Their appearance instantly turned the tide of the battle.

Zhao Ran attacked Jingxing, but was besieged by the iron hooves of the Tuoba Xianbei. Despite repeated engagements, he suffered repeated defeats and was ultimately forced to abandon his army and flee, with only a few hundred survivors. Meanwhile, Zhang Fu, at Yongnu, engaged in a skirmish with the Duan Xianbei. A young Duan Xianbei general led a dozen or so cavalrymen in a charge, and miraculously killed Zhang Fu on the spot amidst the vast army. The Western army was terrified and collapsed. It is said that this young general considered himself unparalleled in martial prowess, comparable to Wen Yang, and thus named himself Duan Wen Yang.

After this Second World War, the name of the Xianbei cavalry became famous throughout the world.

The armies from Bingzhou and Youzhou finally converged in Xindu. Ji Sang had also recruited about 50,000 more troops, bringing the total strength of the three provinces to 200,000. They marched south in a mighty force, determined to recapture Ye City. Zhang Fang, on the other hand, still had 140,000 troops. The scale of the confrontation between the two armies surpassed that of the Jin-Wu War of 1949.

Seeing the enemy's overwhelming force and unsure of his chances of victory, Zhang Fang resorted to his old tactic, choosing to build a long siege around Ye City and hold it firmly. The two sides faced off from June onwards, and after two months, each side had its share of victories and defeats. The situation was clearly developing against Zhang Fang. However, Zhang Fang was not one to sit idly by and wait for death. After much deliberation, he decided to take a strategic approach, employing a strategy of "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao." He then ordered Gou Xi's troops stationed in Luoyang to march north, taking advantage of the weakened state of Bing Province to seize Shangdang, Taiyuan, and other counties within Bing Province. His plan was to first force Sima Teng and the Tuoba Xianbei to withdraw their troops, and then calmly deal with the Youzhou and Jizhou armies.

This was undoubtedly a brilliant move. Logically speaking, Bingzhou should have been completely undefended at this time. Although it had some strategic advantages, with Gou Xi's skill in commanding troops, he should have been invincible. However, what happened was completely unexpected. Gou Xi's 30,000 troops crossed Tianjing Pass and soon after settling in Changzi, they were about to take advantage of the situation to move north and directly threaten Jinyang when a large army suddenly appeared from the west and blocked their way.

This army was enormous, numbering around eighty or ninety thousand soldiers, all dressed in crimson and carrying aloft banners with black borders and crimson backgrounds bearing Chinese characters. Their commander immediately sent an envoy to Gou Xi, introducing himself as Liu Cong, a descendant of Emperor Xuan of Han and son of Liu Yuan, the King of Han. (End of Chapter)