Jinting Han people

After the death of Li Yi, the governor of Ningzhou, Liu Xian presided over the funeral, and the coffin was kept in mourning for five days before the burial.

Li Yi governed Ningzhou for decades. Although his mishandling of affairs in his later years led to chaos in Ningzhou, he was still known for his diligence, fairness in rewards and punishments, and his early achievements were still remembered. He remained highly popular in Jianning County. Therefore, no fewer than a thousand scholars and elders came to his funeral, many dressed in white mourning clothes.

Taking advantage of the situation, Liu Xian took over the Ningzhou Prefectural Government and used this opportunity to contact the pro-government forces in the region, understand their internal situation, and prepare for the next step in suppressing the rebellion.

Although the Ningzhou Prefectural Governor's Office at this time could only control half of Jianning County, its organizational structure was still extremely complete. The governor's office originally had 41 staff members, and although more than half of them had fled, 19 people remained. Led by Zhao Tao, the Assistant Prefect, and Zhang Jun, the Prefect of Jianning, they all had considerable experience in maintaining order and a deep understanding of the overall situation in Ningzhou.

Moreover, they control the household registration documents of the entire prefecture. This includes Li Yi's administrative records for the past twenty years and a detailed map of the Nanzhong region. These are extremely important records that can serve as a reference for Liu Xian's future administrative arrangements.

In contrast, the military system of the Ningzhou Prefectural Governor's Office was much more complex.

The Ningzhou army employed a private regiment system, meaning that the soldiers recruited by the officers and generals of the Southern Region were their private troops, and their superiors had no authority beyond command. In the event of war, Li Yi, as the governor of Ningzhou, could only directly command his own private regiments; his control over the other officers and generals depended entirely on the support of the central government. When the central government was strong, these officers and generals, fearing its power, would naturally obey Li Yi's orders. However, when the central government was weak, as local powerful clans, whether they would carry out Li Yi's orders was entirely up to their own will.

Therefore, nominally, the Ningzhou Army remained extremely powerful, maintaining a force of around 30,000 men even amidst the chaos. However, in reality, the army stationed in Wei County at this time numbered only about 6,000.

Originally, Li Yi had about 8,000 men under his direct command. He transferred 5,000 of them to Li Xiu's northward campaign. After more than a year of holding out, the remaining 3,000 men had suffered more than half their losses, leaving only about 1,400. The remaining men in Wei County belonged to Huo Biao, Zhou Yue, Dong Ba, and Meng Yue, each with only about a thousand men. Their families had long-standing friendships with Li Yi and had therefore consistently supported him.

Outside of Wei County, Qingling had 6,000 troops under the command of Cuan Liang, the Protector-General of Yunnan; Bengu had 7,000 troops under the command of Li Yi, the Protector-General of Xinggu; Yelang had 6,000 troops under the command of Mao Jian, the Protector-General of Zangke; and Nanqin had 8,000 troops under the command of Jiao Ma, the Protector-General of Zhuti. They nominally obeyed the orders of the Ningzhou Prefectural Governor's Office and could defend their own garrisons, but there was absolutely no hope of getting them to quell rebellions or launch attacks without offering them any benefits.

Of course, the majority of the Yi and Yue people within Ningzhou were the ones who ultimately determined the overall situation in Ningzhou.

At its peak, the Ningzhou Prefectural Governor's Office governed fifty-eight tribes of Yi and Yue people, each numbering between twenty and thirty thousand and forty and fifty thousand. Every winter, these Yi people would pay tribute to Li Yi. According to the account books, the tribute varied depending on their produce; they offered gold and silver, horses and cattle, or felt and cloth, and each tribute amounted to tens of thousands, demonstrating their wealth.

Compared to other years, the best harvest was in the seventh year of the Yuankang era. The annual income of the Southern Barbarian Prefecture at that time, converted into silk, was worth approximately 790,000 bolts, truly making it a source of great wealth in Jiangnan.

It is precisely because of these reserves that, despite years of chaos, the state treasury remains relatively full. An inventory revealed that the treasury still holds over 80,000 bushels of grain and over 70,000 arrows, enough to last for a year even without Liu Xian's arrival. The only problem is the shortage of salt, but this can be quickly replenished once transportation with Yuwu County is restored.

However, times have changed, and the overall situation is difficult to reverse. Now, only the Tan Gao Yi and Lou Jiang Yi tribes are still willing to mourn Li Yi, plus the four Si Sou tribes subdued by Liu Xian in Yuexi County, making a total of six tribes. In other words, there are still fifty-two Yi tribes within Ningzhou that need to be subdued. And if able-bodied men were selected from among them to form an army, regardless of quality, the idea of ​​raising an army of 150,000 is not an empty boast.

Therefore, after contacting Huo Biao, Zhang Jun, and others, they all offered Liu Xian advice with a conservative attitude. They believed that the most important task at present was to make contact with the remaining troops of Ningzhou as soon as possible, to use the authority of the King of Han to win over these officers and generals, and to bring them back under the command of the Ningzhou Governor's Office. Then, they should divide and conquer, dealing with the barbarians who did not submit to the King's rule one by one, in order to restore his rule.

Unfortunately, this did not align with Liu Xian's original strategy, nor did it fit the current reality.

After Liu Xian buried Li Yi on Liaokuo Mountain south of the city, and after Li Yi's funeral, he convened a military council in the county and frankly told Huo Biao and others, "I do not intend to stay here for too long. Before leaving Chengdu, I had already made an agreement with the officials in the court to pacify Ningzhou this year. If conditions permit, it would be best to pacify the war in May and set off to return to Chengdu in August."

Upon hearing these words, Zhang Jun and the others immediately changed their expressions, while Dong Ba whispered, "Your Highness, it is already February. How can we possibly quell the war in just three months?"

To the officials of the Ningzhou Prefectural Governor's Office, Liu Xian's words were undoubtedly nonsense. The troops he brought numbered only a little over seven thousand, and even with the retainers from Wei County, the total was no more than fifteen thousand. These men might be able to defend a city, but how could they possibly launch an offensive and quell a war? They would barely be able to occupy the entire Jianning Commandery, let alone subdue the fifty-two tribes of Yi and Yue.

To some, this was a signal that Liu Xian wanted to take advantage of the situation and leave, and that he didn't genuinely want to govern Nanzhong.

Liu Xian's attitude was serious, but clearly, some things were inappropriate for him to say, lest he appear arbitrary. So he glanced at Li Feng beside him, who immediately understood and stepped forward, pointing to the map and interjecting:
"Dong Jun, you are mistaken. How could it be too late? My king posted notices three months ago announcing his southward advance, and by now, everyone in the south knows. With Lord Huangfu in charge of Yuexi and my king having arrived in Jianning, the heart of Ningzhou, these two forces are working together. Among the barbarians, there are those who do not submit to the king's rule. They cannot defend themselves, nor can they attack. Who can sit idly by? A great battle is inevitable. And according to what we have seen and heard along the way, all the barbarian tribes are preparing for war."

"As long as we spread the word that we will fight against a hundred tribes with one man, which of the barbarians can refuse? They will surely come in droves to fight us to the death. At that time, we can win over the hearts of the people in one battle. What's wrong with that?"

Only then did the people of Ningzhou understand Liu Xian's determination. It turned out that the King of Han planned an unprecedented decisive battle and had already made considerable preparations. However, Li Feng was mistaken about one thing: because they had been besieged by the Southern Yi army, Liu Xian's southward march wasn't widely known. At least the garrison of Wei County was the last to know, as they had been cut off from outside news due to the prolonged siege. They were initially puzzled by the Yi army's withdrawal until Liu Xian led his troops to the city walls, at which point they finally understood.

However, a duel is not something that can be won simply by being prepared. Especially with such a disparity in troop strength between the two sides, even if the Yi and Yue people are known for their undisciplined nature, their sheer numbers make them a formidable opponent, and the people in the governor's office were inevitably filled with unease.

Zhang Jun then reminded Liu Xian, "Your Highness, although you are renowned, you should not underestimate your enemy. We are not afraid of battle, but in warfare, numbers are always a crucial factor." "The saying goes, 'If ten times their strength, surround them; if five times, attack them; if twice, fight them; if equal, divide them; if few, they can escape.' Previously, when the barbarian invaders attacked the city, they numbered around forty to fifty thousand, less than ten times our strength. We defended the city, with clear lines of defense, so a surprise attack was nothing to fear. However, if they initiate a battle, that's a different story."

"Firstly, we are unfamiliar with the terrain, and fighting in a different location may not give us an advantage. Secondly, many scholars in the south are colluding with the barbarians, and some of them are cunning. If they know what Your Highness is planning and avoid fighting, blocking the roads and cutting off our food supply, then things will be very bad. Even if our army can fight ten against one, I'm afraid we will not be able to achieve anything."

"Moreover, the barbarians are indifferent to life and death, and many of them are brave and warlike. Although they are not good at military formations, they can drive tigers, leopards, snakes and elephants. If Your Highness suffers a loss because of this, how can you bear it?"

Zhang Jun's concerns were not without merit, but Li Feng shook his head and said, "Zhang Gong is overthinking it. Cao Cao once wrote a poem: 'When armies unite but their strength is not aligned, they hesitate and fly in formation like geese.' Back when Dong Zhuo usurped power, nearly 300,000 troops from Guandong besieged Luoyang. There were talents like Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian, who faced Dong Zhuo's mere 40,000 to 50,000 men. What was the result? They suffered several defeats and finally scattered like birds and beasts."

"Is it that the Eastern Army lacks brave warriors? Of course not, it's just that they are driven by self-interest. They all want to preserve their strength and let others die, so in the end, no one dares to fight."

"Similarly, since there are so many barbarian bandits, yet no leader who commands respect, they are even less capable than Yuan Shao at the time. What good are their strategies if they cannot be implemented? The bravery of the barbarians is nothing but the courage of mortals. If they cannot obey orders, what can they accomplish? My king is divinely wise and benevolent, a hundred times better than Dong Zhuo. As long as he leads his troops to attack and conquers one part, the rest of the barbarians will surely tremble with fear."

Li Feng's viewpoint was naturally Liu Xian's. Based on current observations, Ningzhou hadn't fought a major battle for twenty years since the fall of Wu. The daily tasks of suppressing rebellions and maintaining order had severely impacted the army's fighting style. They might not be weak in combat, but their assessment of the situation clearly remained at the conservative stage typical of bureaucrats, preferring inaction to making mistakes rather than taking risks.

However, once the mindset was formed, it was difficult to change it in a short time, and most of the governor's staff were still hesitant. Liu Xian could only place his hopes of persuasion on the military officers and soldiers. He turned to Huo Biao, who was silent to the side, and asked, "What concerns do you have, Lord Huo? Why don't you bring them up and let us fill in the gaps?"

Huo Biao glanced at Liu Xian, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "I do not yet know the condition of Your Highness's troops, so I dare not speak of victory or defeat."

So it turns out he lacked confidence in his own army! Liu Xian chuckled and waved his hand, saying, "What Lord Huo says is quite right. In the end, it takes people to fight a battle. Look at my soldiers and then we can talk about the odds of victory."

So Liu Xian led his men to the military camp, summoned all the generals and soldiers to form ranks, and asked Huo Biao, "What would you like to see, Lord Huo? Archery? Strength contest? Horse riding? Or a battle formation?"

Some time ago, the Changsheng Army arrived from afar, covered in dust and grime, but Zhang Jun and the others did not notice anything unusual. Now, after several days of rest, the soldiers look completely different, clad in fine armor and holding bows and spears, their banners like clouds and their armor gleaming in the sun, causing onlookers to pale in fear.

Huo Biao cupped his hands and said, "I have long heard of the great horses of Longyou, but it is a pity that I have never seen them. I wonder if Your Highness could grant me this wish."

"What's so difficult about that?" Liu Xian smiled and said to Guo Mo, "Yuan Xiong, it's up to you to demonstrate."

The Longyou cavalry that Liu Xian brought were all in the Imperial Guard, numbering about four hundred. So Liu Xian divided these cavalry into two groups. One group, led by Guo Mo, was on the grassy hill on the left, and the other group, led by his brother Guo Zhi, was on the grassy hill on the right. Each group held a horse spear and stood silently on the hill, as still as fossils.

Liu Xian raised the banner and waved it downwards, the sound like flowers scattering on the ground. Using this as a signal, both groups of men charged down the hillside with the force of thunder. Two hundred riders formed a single mass and charged down the hill, leaping across the stream that flowed through the grassy hills, weaving and jostling each other as they raced up the slope in one fluid motion. Due to their excellent training, the two hundred riders appeared as if they were only one. When the two groups regrouped on the hill where the other had previously stood, they immediately changed direction, traversing the hillside and charging towards the hill where Liu Xian and his men were.

Huo Biao and the others secretly admired the brilliant performance; they had indeed never seen such a superb cavalry formation. But when the cavalry turned around, they felt slightly uneasy, because the enemy's formation seemed to contain terrifying power. They were charging towards them; could they be hiding a dangerous intention?

Thinking of this, they subconsciously glanced at Liu Xian's expression. They then noticed that the Prince of Han's face was as dark and unfathomable, and their unease deepened. They even suspected that the Prince of Han intended to use this opportunity to eliminate dissidents and directly seize control of the Ningzhou governor's office.

The group thought this to themselves, but they were helpless, for it was too late to escape. Furthermore, they were no match for the Han army in terms of horsemanship.

The two groups of men were about to approach Liu Xian. Although they numbered only four hundred riders in total, they looked as if they had four thousand or forty thousand riders. The sound of horses' hooves thundered in their ears.

Liu Xian waved his banner again, and at a distance of twenty feet from the charging cavalry, suddenly turned in a different direction. Simultaneously, the riders aimed their spears forward, their excited and synchronized shouts echoing through the sky. The two groups of riders passed each other in an instant. As they crossed paths, the spear tips gleamed from the impact. They charged towards the plum trees on the opposite hillside, spears in hand. Each rider struck a plum with their spear, then advanced a few steps before immediately turning back and charging towards Liu Xian and his men once more.

The two teams charged at each other from opposite directions. Although the cavalry were moving at full speed, neither was injured. Yet, they managed to pierce the small plum tree, a truly astonishing feat. When the cavalry quickly came to a stop and lined up neatly before the crowd, Liu Xian lowered his banner and smiled triumphantly at those around him:
"This is our cavalry formation. What do you all think?"

Huo Biao and the others were completely convinced. They bowed their heads and said, "Truly extraordinary, we can't even come close to matching you."

After this incident, the people of the prefecture finally recognized the strength of the Han army, and no longer objected to the challenge. (End of Chapter)