Jinting Han people

After arriving at Lucheng, the Han army officially entered the territory of Tianshui Commandery.

At this time, the various prefectures of Qin Province largely maintained the fragmented state that had existed during Sima Yong's reign. Especially after Huangfu Chong followed Liu Xian away from Shanggui, the prefects of Tianshui (Feng Shang), Longxi (Han Zhi), Jincheng (You Kai), Lueyang (Yan Xiu), and Nan'an (Cao Qu) each occupied a prefecture, constantly attacking each other, making peace difficult to maintain in Longyou. This situation only improved slightly after Jia Pi succeeded as the governor of Qin Province.

Jia Pi was young, but came from a prestigious family and acted decisively. He knew these people were deeply entrenched and difficult to eliminate suddenly. So he adopted a strategy of making an example of them, using the pretext that Yan Xiu, the prefect of Lueyang, had performed poorly in battle and harbored disloyal intentions, to eliminate him first. Lueyang was a vital passage to Shanglong, and in this way, Jia Pi could rely on Guanzhong as his backing to gradually exert control over the internal affairs of Qinzhou.

During this period, Jia Pi also actively courted the Hu people of the Guanzhong region. He first became sworn brothers with Peng Dangzhong of Anding County, and also won over the Qiang and Di tribes such as Pu Hong, Dou Shou, and Xu Kupeng. Seeing Jia Pi's growing power, You Kai and others temporarily submitted to him, resulting in a period of relative peace and quiet in recent years. Furthermore, due to the alliance with Guanzhong, trade between Longyou, Hexi, and Bashu was frequent, and the wars in other regions did not affect Longyou, giving it a secluded and tranquil atmosphere.

However, in the past two years, as the pressure of the war in Guanzhong increased, Yan Ding and Jia Pi frequently dispatched cavalry from Longyou to fight in Longyou, which greatly increased the pressure on Longyou. In particular, the Qiang, Di, Xianbei and other Hu peoples were very resentful, to the point that after losing only a small battle at Huangbai City, the Qiang and Hu peoples of Longyou retreated one after another.

Similarly, Feng Shang, the long-suppressed prefect of Tianshui, and others had long sought independence. Now, with news of Yan Ding's assassination reaching Qin Prefecture, and the governor of Qin Prefecture, Jia Pi, having gone to launch a surprise attack on Pingyang and not yet returned, the people were restless. When Yang Nandi arrived in Lucheng, although the various prefectures maintained a facade of peace, undercurrents were already surging, and scouts were everywhere gathering intelligence. However, in the current situation, no one was certain they had an absolute advantage, so they had not yet made a move.

However, they did not have time to pay attention to the Han army in the direction of Lucheng, because their main focus was still on the direction of Lueyang.

At this time, the Prefect of Lueyang was Pei Bao. He came from a very high social class. Although he was not a direct descendant of the Pei clan of Wenxi, he was considered a close relative. After the deaths of Pei Wei and others, he first sought refuge with Sima Yong, then with Yan Ding, and finally became the Prefect of Lueyang through Jia Pi's arrangement. He also served as the Commandant of the Eastern Qiang, that is, Jia Pi's deputy, responsible for pacifying the rear after Jia Pi left Longyou.

At this time, a large number of defeated soldiers who had fled from Huangbai City had gathered in Lueyang County, numbering about 40,000. The first batch of defeated soldiers, including Peng Dangzhong, had already returned to their respective counties, while the second batch, including Chen An, Liang Fen, and Guan Xian, who had withdrawn from the battlefield, remained in Lueyang County. They were urgently deploying defenses in places such as Fanxukou, Jitoudao, and Wating, while discussing among themselves, unsure of what to do next.

When Yang Nandi arrived in Lucheng, it was already mid-November, almost twenty days after the Battle of Huangbaicheng. Although the news had not yet reached remote places like Longxi and Jincheng, it had already spread like wildfire in Tianshui County. This was already common knowledge among the scholars. Sun Xi had been in Lucheng for several years and had close ties with local merchants and scholars, so he was well aware of the situation.

He informed Yang Nandi of the latest news, saying that at this time, Liu Yao, the King of Shian of Zhao, had led an army of 50,000 to Qian County, but did not rashly cross Longban. Instead, he first used diplomacy and then force, sending General Li Jingnian as an envoy to Lueyang to demand that the governors of Longyou surrender.

Pei Bao and his group replied that they could not make a decision without Jia Pi. Therefore, Pei Bao and his group planned to hold a large meeting in Lueyang, inviting the prefects and magistrates of various counties in Longyou, the famous scholars and virtuous men of each county, and the leaders of the Qiang and Di tribes above the Qianluo level to attend. They planned to reach a conclusion within half a month, and based on the discussions at the meeting, decide whether to fight the Zhao army or make peace with it.

The Han generals, upon hearing this news, were both surprised and delighted. They unanimously realized that this was an excellent opportunity to intervene in the internal affairs of Longyou. On the evening of their arrival in Lucheng, Yang Nandi convened another military council, and his advisor Fei Hei immediately suggested to him:
"Marshal, the original plan may not be necessary. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! As long as we can lead our troops to Lueyang and participate in this conference, with His Majesty's prestige, we can probably take over Longyou directly."

Wenshan Commandant Yan Yi held the same opinion. He analyzed, "During the Qi Wannian Rebellion, didn't His Majesty once receive orders to persuade the various Hu tribes in Longyou to surrender? At that time, the Hu tribes in Longyou surrendered without a fight. How similar is the situation today! Marshal, I think there is nothing to hesitate about. Now that Liu Yao has not yet come to Longyou, and our army has the initiative, we should make a decisive move and quickly quell the rebellion in Longyou."

Surprisingly, Yang Nandi did not immediately express his opinion. Instead, he asked the crowd, "Do you think that these prefectural leaders in Longyou are truly so united and will abide by the results of the Lueyang Conference?"

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback. Yang Nandi continued, "I think not. After the battle of Huangbai City, so many people fled without a fight. Where did they unite? The governor of Qin Prefecture, Jia Pi, has not yet returned to reinforce. What right do they have to discuss things amongst themselves? If they dared not fight, why didn't they retreat to Chencang with Protector-General Jia? You must know that Protector-General Jia is Jia Yandu's brother. With Jia Yandu absent, Jia Kan should have been in charge. But what was the result? What kind of Longyou conference are they holding here? Do they really take it seriously?"

Fei Hei pondered for a moment and then asked, "So, what does the Marshal mean?"

Yang Nandi adjusted his arm guards and laughed, "It's just a delaying tactic. Lueyang has so many troops now, and even if the other prefectures pool their resources, they probably can't raise 40,000. What's there to discuss? They can fight or make peace as they please, why should they wait for others' opinions? In my opinion, Pei Bao wants to use this as an excuse to buy time with Liu Yao to reorganize his army, and secondly, he wants to use this conference as an excuse to clarify his position as the leader of the alliance."

"If we lead our troops there now, claiming we're going to take over Longyou, wouldn't that spoil Pei Bao and his group's plans? We'll be in Lueyang, their stronghold, and our forces won't be as strong. If they take advantage of the situation and turn the tables on us, who do you think has a better chance of winning?"

Upon hearing this, the crowd exchanged glances and were immediately filled with a chill.

The answer is quite simple: the Han army, currently arriving with light troops and carrying little baggage, is of questionable strength. If they were to go to Lueyang, Pei Bao and his men could easily eliminate Han leaders like Yang Nandi, or cut off their retreat, allowing them to annex 30,000 troops without bloodshed. Regardless of the odds of victory, how many could resist such temptation? From this perspective, whether the Lueyang conference is real or not, the Han army should not participate.

Since Yang Nandi had this attitude, no one mentioned attending the meeting again. However, Cavalry Commandant Zhao Pan asked, "Marshal, in that case, what are your plans for the arrangements?"

Yang Nandi had already done his calculations in his mind, and now he analyzed, "We still need to stay calm and not let others' actions throw us off balance. Let Pei Bao and the others hold whatever meetings they want; it has nothing to do with us. We'll just do our own thing. As long as we find enough allies in Longyou, what difference does it make if we don't go to Lueyang?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, but Zhao Pan hesitated and asked, "Shall we go and have a private talk with Feng Shang first?"

"Wrong, utterly wrong." Yang Nandi shook his head and sneered, "Feng Shang and his ilk are like mosquitoes, taking a bite and hoping for a bite, why would they spit it out on you? They've been around for so many years, if they wanted to surrender, they would have surrendered long ago. Trying to negotiate with them is definitely futile." "Then what the Marshal means is..."

“We Di people have an old saying: ‘A small horse is easy to tame, but a big horse is hard to control.’ Let’s not look for big horses; let’s go through the trouble of talking to those small horses in secret.”

"Little Ma is...?"

"Heroes of Longyou".

Yang Nandi had been contemplating his plan on the way, and now he began to explain it to everyone:
"Our dynasty is, after all, the legitimate one. These prefects have gone mad, each wanting to establish their own independent territory. They can't see the situation clearly. Don't the gentry below them understand? What future do they have following them? I've heard that Tianshui has four major surnames: Jiang, Yan, Ren, and Zhao; Jincheng has two major surnames: Qu and You; Longxi has five major surnames: Li, Xin, Dong, and Peng; Nan'an has two major surnames: Pang and Yao; and Lueyang has five major surnames: Pu, Yuan, Guo, Qiang, and Gou."

“If we go to these people and reach a consensus with them, Feng Shang, Han Zhi and the others will be nothing but water without roots, and they will have no choice but to surrender.”

Yang Nandi's strategy was very clear: many of the gentry in Longyou should have a favorable impression of the Yi'an court. The Jiang clan of Tianshui was a given, and Yan Ding came from the Yan clan of Tianshui, so the Yan clan would naturally also lean towards the Yi'an court. In addition, the Xin clan of Longxi and the Pu clan of Lueyang frequently traded with Bashu. With these powerful clans as inside agents, Yang Nandi could secretly control the situation and find the most opportune moment to strike.

However, in order to achieve the goal, two points must be noted at the same time.

First, the news that the Han army had arrived in Longyou must be kept strictly confidential. Only in this way can we see the true attitude of the various powerful clans in Longyou, and also prevent the news from leaking out and provoking all parties in Longyou, so that some people will act desperately and disrupt the situation.

Secondly, we should also take advantage of the alliance with Hexi and send someone to contact Zhang Gui in Liangzhou to request that they also send reinforcements.

With this kind of coordinated attack from within and without, the Han army, if it does not move, will be as powerful as thunder, and how can the other forces resist it?
At this point, Yang Nandi had laid out his entire plan, and everyone was convinced, feeling that the marshal's plan was flawless. Yang Nandi had calculated every possible factor in Longyou to the extreme; barring any unforeseen natural or man-made disasters, this trip to Longyou was practically under his control.

Without delay, Yang Nandi immediately began sending envoys to various prefectures in Longyou.

He now has a considerable number of advisors and generals under his command. Not to mention the Bai Ma Di people like Yang Jiantou and Yang Teng who have been united with him since the Qiu Chi period, there are also Fei Hei, Ren Shao, Zhao Pan and other Changsheng Army members who were reorganized from the remnants of the Chengdu State, Zhu Yan, Yan Yi and other refugee army members personally recruited by Liu Xian in Yongzhou, as well as Guanlong refugees recruited by Wei Jun in Hanzhong in recent years, such as Deng Ding and Hong Di, plus the Yizhou army left by Liu Kun to guard the Three Shu. His power can be said to have expanded rapidly.

In summary, Yang Nandi's faction could be considered the second largest political faction in the Southern Han Dynasty at that time, with only Li Ju able to barely suppress it. Liu Xian knew of his important position and specially arranged for Ruan Fu, his childhood friend, and Cheng Gongjian, a famous scholar from Dongjun, to assist him, so that Yang Nandi could read more books and be influenced by scholars.

It is worth mentioning that Yang Nandi not only wielded great power but was also very popular. This was not only due to Yang Nandi's exceptional talent but also to his special position within the Southern Han Dynasty. Compared to other factions, he effectively controlled the two commanderies of Qiuchi and could often use the wealth and special products of these two commanderies to reward his subordinates, and Liu Xian did not stop him.

If Yang Nandi can reclaim Longyou and achieve great merit, his status in the country will likely rise even higher. Since ancient times, which Di person has ever enjoyed such glory? Li Xiong's founding of the Chengdu Kingdom with the Ba Di people was already unprecedented, but compared to Yang Nandi, it can only be said that he is far inferior.

Therefore, Yang Nandi could not allow the operation to fail. He carefully supervised his staff and personally visited the Jiang family of Tianshui. At this time, the head of the Jiang family of Tianshui had changed, and Jiang Chong had taken over. Jiang Chong was a warrior who was seven feet eight inches tall and was known for his bravery in the area. When he heard that Yang Nandi, the governor of Yizhou, had secretly come to visit, he hurriedly went out to greet him personally.

As the saying goes, when the water recedes, the truth comes out; when the tide rises, the boats rise. Originally, the Jiang clan of Tianshui declined during the Wei and Jin dynasties due to their involvement with Jiang Wei, but after Liu Xian raised an army to restore the country, the Jiang clan of Tianshui also experienced a considerable revival. With the support of the Southern Han, they received preferential treatment and courtesy from Yan Ding, and thus reorganized their fortified villages and developed trade routes, making them the primary agents of the Southern Han in Longyou.

Yang Nandi's visit was not to persuade Jiang Chong, as there was no need for that. He had come specifically to pay homage at Jiang Wei's tomb, following Ruan Fu's advice.

By this time, Jiang Wei's cenotaph had been renovated twice. Unlike the last time Liu Xian came to pay his respects, when it was deliberately kept hidden and had a desolate feel created, it had now been transformed into a sizable shrine. After all, people said that Jiang Boyue's unwavering devotion had probably moved heaven and earth, which led to the restoration of the Han Dynasty. They believed that no other event could be more miraculous in its impact on the affairs of the world. Therefore, the scholars of Tianshui County discussed building a shrine, and the surrounding people, hearing of Jiang Wei's tomb, flocked there to pray for blessings and protection from misfortune, all saying that it was very effective.

Although Yang Nandi had worshipped the White Horse God since childhood, he was deeply moved by the deeds of Jiang Wei, and his current campaign against Longyou corresponded to Jiang Wei's nine campaigns against Cao Wei. Therefore, he specially came to the ancestral hall to pray:
"General Yang Nandai, who led the Han army to conquer the west, reports to General Jiang. Now that the descendants of our ancestor have restored the old kingdom, I have been ordered to guard the western frontier. At this time, Guanzhong and Longxi are divided and Qinzhou is without a ruler. This is the time for our great Han to exert its military might. Therefore, I have traveled thousands of miles north to this place, hoping to accomplish the old feat of the general. I hope that the general's spirit in heaven will protect me and enable me to achieve success, return in triumph to the ancestral temple, and present my victory to the state."

After saying this, Yang Nandi kowtowed three times before the Jiang Wei Shrine and then ordered the accompanying Taoist priests of the Celestial Masters sect to chant sutras and pray for blessings. (End of this chapter)