Jinting Han people

From the very first day the Han army arrived in Yiling, the situation in the entire Jianghan region became extremely strange.

Logically, the Han army, having marched 500 li to Yiling, was unfamiliar with the terrain and their rear was unstable; this should have been their most vulnerable moment. The Jin army had no better opportunity to defeat the Han army head-on.

But the reality was quite the opposite. Even knowing that the main Han army was resting at Yiling, from the governor of Jingzhou, Wang Dun, to ordinary Jin generals, everyone unanimously abandoned the idea of ​​direct confrontation. Instead, they chose to avoid fighting the main Han army, hoping to wear down the Han army's morale through defensive battles and then attempt to win once the enemy was exhausted. Clearly, they had completely lost confidence in winning in open battle.

As a result, Liu Xian, who was playing away, seemed to be playing at home.

For ten days after entering the city, the main force of the Han army rested and recuperated in the Yiling area, awaiting supplies from the rear. Meanwhile, two detachments, one to the west and one to the north, roamed freely through the mountains and fields of Jingzhou without any restraint. Some local powerful clans even secretly sent envoys to Yiling, attempting to pledge their loyalty and surrender to the King of Han. However, the Jin army was nowhere to be seen, and even when they occasionally captured scouts, nine times out of ten they were just local bandits.

Seeing this, Li Xiu joked with Liu Xian, "Your Highness's reputation is widespread, and the Jin army in Jingzhou is terrified."

Liu Xian simply smiled at this. Having experienced too many battles, he had long understood that all prestige was illusory; no matter how successful one had been in the past, it did not guarantee success in the future. Take this battle, for example. Ever since he devised the strategy of feigning an attack on Xiangyang to lure the enemy away, his attention had been focused on the Jingzhou army in Jiang'an, gathering daily intelligence on the movements of Wang Dun's forces in order to make the next decision.

Wang Dun's arrangements during this period were somewhat unexpected by Liu Xian and Li Ju.

The original plan was that after Li Ju captured the three cities of Dangyang, Bianxian, and Nakou in succession north of the Yangtze River, the Jin army should have rushed back to reinforce Xiangyang. However, Wang Dun remained calm. Although he was eventually forced to cross the river and leave, he did not lose his composure. Instead, he first handed over the camps at the front, then crossed the river in batches, while simultaneously consolidating his forces and concentrating supplies from the south of the Yangtze River in the counties along the river. His deployment was quite methodical, showing that he was already a seasoned veteran.

That day, scouts gathered intelligence that the Jingzhou and Jiangzhou navies were heading towards the northern entrance of Dongting Lake, the news Liu Xian was most concerned about. At this point, Wang Dun's entire strategy for Jiangnan was fully revealed. Liu Xian thought, it seems he intends to first secure the Jin army's foothold in Jiangnan. Although it appears he has ceded most of Xiangzhou to the Han army, as long as these footholds remain, and the navy controls Dongting Lake, he can easily send troops to flank the Han army. If the Han army doesn't want to take this risk, the only solution is to launch a frontal attack on these cities.

It must be said that this plan was quite shrewd; no matter what the Han army chose, the Jin army had a corresponding strategy.

Liu Xian was amazed. He looked at the map twice and then said to Li Xiu, who was helping him calculate the grain and fodder, "It's really amazing! I've known Wang Chuzhong for twenty years since we worked together in the Crown Prince's residence. He's usually quiet and reserved, and I never knew he had such a hidden talent by his side."

"Oh, he also has a past relationship with His Highness?" Li Xiu had lived in the south for a long time and did not know Liu Xian's past or the people of Luoyang. Hearing that Liu Xian had a past relationship with Wang Dun, he was quite curious and asked.

"Of course, it was twenty years ago, when the deposed crown prince was still the Prince of Guangling, and I had just been transferred from the Prince of Chu's residence to the Prince of Guangling's residence as a retainer. It was a long time ago," Liu Xian recalled with a smile.

It was Wang Dun who guided Liu Xian back then, and Liu Xian was deeply impressed by him. Because he was taciturn and extremely calculating, although everyone often chatted together, Wang Dun rarely spoke, often merely echoing others, making it difficult to discern his true thoughts. However, this didn't mean Wang Dun was unpopular. He was decisive and willing to take on responsibilities. If a friend sought his help, and he was truly capable of providing assistance, Wang Dun would never hesitate to help.

He and Liu Xian had a good relationship. Earlier, when Yang Ji launched a surprise attack on the Eastern Palace, Liu Xian fought alongside him. Later, when Liu Xian was imprisoned by Jia Mi, Wang Dun also helped him, pulling strings and providing him with some gold and silver. However, their relationship cooled after they switched sides. The last time they met, I remember, was during peace negotiations with the Prince of Chengdu; they even chatted and laughed for a while. I never imagined they would now be facing each other on the battlefield in Jingzhou.

However, Liu Xian did not dwell on his feelings for long. There was no room for personal feelings on the battlefield. Now that he understood the situation, there was no need to linger in Yiling any longer.

Wang Dun's plan was certainly good, but the Han army would not back down at the first sign of difficulty. Overall, Li Ju's strategy was still partially effective. There wouldn't be many troops left to defend Jiangnan, and as long as the Han army could eliminate these strongholds head-on, Liu Xian would have basically achieved his predetermined strategy—to manage Jingnan and wait for the situation to change.

After a brief meeting with He Pan, Liu Xian decided to leave 10,000 men at Yiling for Zhang Guang to garrison. Li Ju and others continued their operations north of the Yangtze River, harassing and containing the Jin army. The remaining 30,000 main force, along with Liu Xian's navy, officially marched eastward to conquer cities one by one. Their most important destination was Jiang'an County.

Jiang'an County, also known as Gong'an County, originally belonged to Chanling County. Chanling means that this area is part of the Wuling Mountains, with many low hills. Originally, this place was just a river mouth located seventy miles downstream from Jiangling City. A tributary of the river, the You River, flowed through it, and it was the most stable of the tributaries south of the Yangtze River. Both banks were flat and fertile, making it the richest area south of the Yangtze River in Jingzhou.

Following the Battle of Red Cliffs at the end of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Zhaolie (Liu Bei) and Zhou Yu, the commander-in-chief of Eastern Wu, jointly led their armies to recapture Jingzhou. Zhou Yu recaptured Nan Commandery north of the Yangtze River and attacked Jiangling, while Liu Bei recaptured Jingnan south of the Yangtze River. At this time, the two sides were in the honeymoon period of the Sun-Liu alliance. Therefore, to better coordinate their efforts, Liu Bei built a city at Youjiangkou as the starting point for his restoration of the Han Dynasty. For the next ten years or so, this city was the center of Liu Bei's regime in Jingzhou, and after conquering Yizhou, it also served as a secondary capital of Shu Han.

The name "Gongan" (公安) originated from a contemporary colloquialism. In the Sun-Liu alliance following the Battle of Red Cliffs, although Sun Quan was more powerful, Liu Bei was the true anti-Cao Cao figurehead. Therefore, when various loyal Han forces in northern Jingzhou encountered the Wu army, they inquired, "Where is General Zuo (Liu Bei at the time)? Is General Zuo safe?" Liu Bei replied, "General Zuo is safe and sound; he will become a powerful hero in the future," indicating that he was well at Youjiangkou. Heroes from all over Jiangbei flocked to join him, affectionately calling the city "Gongan," and the cause of restoring the Han dynasty flourished from there.

Perhaps it was a cruel irony of fate, but if we were to pinpoint the true turning point in the Shu Han regime's decline from its peak, it would undoubtedly be the day Lü Meng crossed the Yangtze River in disguise and captured Gong'an. Afterwards, Sun Quan merged Gong'an County into Chanling County, and later, after the Jin dynasty destroyed Wu, Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Yan, renamed the city Jiang'an for good luck.

In conclusion, Jiang'an County was undoubtedly of paramount importance to Liu Xian's strategy of seizing control of Jingnan. Capturing this city would give Liu Xian control of the heartland of Jingnan, allowing him to confront Jiangling to the north, monitor Dongting Lake to the east, and connect with Wuling to the south, thus linking Jingnan and Sichuan into a unified region. This is merely its geographical strategic significance; from a political perspective, the recapture of Jiang'an was no less significant than the recapture of Chengdu. Liu Xian was already considering whether to make Jiang'an his new capital once it was conquered.

Of course, Wang Dun understood the importance of Jiang'an County, so most of the soldiers and supplies he left in Jiangnan were concentrated there. Therefore, it would not be easy to capture Jiang'an head-on.

However, Liu Xian already had a plan. Based on the Jin army's previous cowardly attitude, he believed that since the Jin army was so afraid of the Han army, psychological warfare might be a viable option. By boasting of their military might and gradually closing in, they could further intimidate the Jin army in the city, making them believe they were in dire straits. Once their fighting spirit was low, they could then signal for surrender, perhaps achieving victory without a fight.

Therefore, the Han army marched out of Yiling, first making a great show of force, and then attacked Jingmen on the day of Jia Yin in the eighth month.

Jingmen was a formidable city in Jiangnan, with 800 soldiers and 3,000 laborers. Although the number of men was small, they should have been able to hold out for at least a few days. However, the Han navy arrived with the waves, and their towering warships surrounded the city. Under He Pan's command, they unleashed a barrage of arrows, burying the soldiers on the city walls. Taking advantage of the chaos, Mao Bao scaled the walls and breached them in half a day.

Having captured Jingmen, the Han army advanced systematically over the next few days. On the day of Yimao, they captured Yidao; on the day of Bingchen, they captured Henshan; on the day of Dingsi, they captured Bashan; and on the day of Wuwu, they captured Lexiang. Almost every day, the Han army breached a city. After capturing a city, Liu Xian did not, as usual, take in prisoners and relocate them to cultivate the land. Instead, he deliberately released them to return to their hometowns. This served two purposes: firstly, to extend goodwill to the people of Jingnan; and secondly, to have them serve as free propaganda for him. Based on past experience, the propaganda effect of a prisoner was far superior to that of a beautifully written proclamation.

After conquering Lexiang, the Han army could see Jiangling across the river. Beyond the three-mile-wide expanse of misty water, a large city rose from the riverbank. Its city walls were magnificent, with a circumference of more than twenty miles, divided into east and west cities, with an inner fortress. Because it was difficult to attack and could not be captured, it was also known as Jincheng (Golden City).

Its southern side bordered the river, so a high dam was built to protect it from floods. The area inside the dam was flat and home to a bustling market for silkworms, tea, and fish, known as Shatou City. Its east, north, and west sides were surrounded by high, thick walls, and a moat filled with water from the river encircled the city. Not far to the north of the city was a large marshland, and north of that marshland was the ancient capital of the Chu state, Jinan City. To facilitate transportation, branches of the main river were dug to connect to the marshland. The city was surrounded by a network of waterways, with dense reeds, making travel by boat far more convenient than by horse.

Standing on the south bank of Jiangling, even without crossing the river, Liu Xian was awestruck by the incredibly complex and magnificent city defense system of Jiangling, viewed from the lookout tower on the boat. He had previously heard Chen Shou say that Jiangling's defenses were comparable to those of Luoyang, but as a native of Luoyang, he had never believed it. Now, seeing it for himself, he knew that his teacher's words were true.

Having marched this far, the navy found it difficult to advance further. The complex network of waterways north of the city, including over a dozen lakes such as Chihu, Luohu, and Donghu, provided easy concealment for ships. Although Liu Xian had confirmed that most of the Jin navy was stationed on Dongting Lake, he couldn't afford to reveal any weaknesses. Being attacked from both sides, whether in naval or land warfare, was never a good thing. Therefore, Liu Xian ordered He Pan to lead 10,000 men to guard the navy, while he himself led over 20,000 troops to continue eastward.

However, instead of heading straight for Jiang'an, he suddenly turned south and, within a single day, repeated his previous tactic, first capturing Chanling City and then releasing the prisoners. Then, Liu Xian ordered his army to advance on Jiang'an in three routes: east, west, and south. Suo Lin led the eastern route, Zhuge Yan led the western route, and he himself led the southern route. The three armies surrounded the city and set up camp, displaying numerous flags and setting fires throughout the camps. On the first night after arriving in Jiang'an, a ring of fire could be seen encircling the city.

Liu Xian thought to himself that such imposing force should be enough to put pressure on the enemy. He had done some research beforehand and found that the general Wang Dun left behind was named Deng Yue. It was said that Deng Yue was originally a general under Wang Dun and was quite brave and strong, but he had no experience in leading troops. With such qualifications, it would probably be difficult for him to even maintain the morale of his troops. It was time to persuade him to surrender.

He immediately took a piece of white silk and wrote on it: "Surrender by noon tomorrow. Once the time has passed, the entire army will attack the city! All prisoners will be enslaved!" He then signed it below: "Liu Xian, King of Hanzhong." He ordered someone to tie the silk to an arrow and shoot it into the city.

After waiting for about an hour, before dawn, a messenger was sent from the city with a silk scroll to report to the King of Han.

This man, named Xie Kun, was the chief clerk in Wang Dun's household. He came from the Xie clan of Chen Commandery. Although he was of humble origin, he, like the famous scholars Ruan Ji, did not adhere to proper etiquette. In this late autumn season, he wore a deep robe but had his hair disheveled, which was quite contrary to etiquette. However, this could not hide his handsome and dashing appearance, which left a deep impression on Liu Xian.

Xie Kun reported that over the past few days, Deng Yue had realized he could not contend with the Prince of Han and had long considered surrendering. However, the families of the soldiers guarding the city were all north of the river, and if they surrendered, their families would likely face death, making it difficult for them to make a decision. Therefore, Deng Yue planned to open the city gates on the south side the next day, hoping that the Prince of Han would personally come to Jiang'an City at dawn to appease the Jin army. If this successfully resolved the hostility, the entire city would surrender.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian readily agreed. After all, the reason he had gone to such great lengths, conquering city after city, was to put pressure on the defending forces. However, it was normal for the defending forces to have reservations due to the hostage situation, and it was perfectly reasonable for Liu Xian to step in and appease them. After all, Liu Xian had done this more than a dozen times over the years.

Therefore, after a moment's thought, Liu Xian agreed to the request. However, for safety reasons, he requested that the Jin soldiers south of the city not carry bows, a request Xie Kun readily agreed to.

Night passed quickly, and the next day was an unclear, sunny day. Sunlight peeked through the dense clouds, giving the sky a dark reddish hue. There were no soldiers on the city walls, and the surrounding area was quiet. (End of Chapter)