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Chapter 196: Discussion on Retreating

Despite some setbacks since the start of the war, the Zhou army has been advancing almost unstoppably, while the Tang army has been retreating steadily.

However, Emperor Li Jing of the Southern Tang Dynasty did not succumb to the military might of the Zhou Dynasty.

He had his own calculations: the lost prefectures and counties, and the defeated troops, were mostly local warlord troops, and the main force of the Southern Tang had not suffered much loss.

Although Jiangbei was trapped within the city and surrounded by Zhou's army, its foundation remained and its vitality was still intact.

What gave him even more confidence was that the tens of thousands of elite imperial guards protecting Jinling City were still on standby, not yet deployed to the battlefield.

Therefore, Li Jing felt that he had enough resources to compete with Emperor Guo Rong of the Zhou Kingdom.

By mid-November, the chill in the Jianghuai region had intensified.

Li Jing's counterattack plan was also launched: he promoted Zhu Yuan, the Left Guard Commander, to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expeditionary Army, leading more than 10,000 troops to cross the Yangtze River at Liuhe to rescue Shou and Hao prefectures.

Bian Hao, the former military governor of Wu'an, was dismissed by Li Jing and reduced to commoner status for his poor performance in resisting Liu Yan and Wang Kui during the attack on Chu. He was reinstated this time and appointed as Zhu Yuan's deputy general.

At the same time, Yin Congde, the deputy military governor of Zhennan Army and prefect of Junzhou, was dispatched to lead troops from Hongzhou and Junzhou to aid Ezhou, Shuzhou and other prefectures.

An imperial edict was issued to the counties and prefectures north of the Yangtze River, including Chuzhou and Haizhou, which were still under the control of the emperor, ordering them to immediately gather soldiers and able-bodied men and go westward up the Huai River at all costs to support Haozhou, Sizhou, and other prefectures.

He then promoted Chai Kehong, the military commander of Longwudu, to the rank of Right General of the Martial Guard, and concurrently appointed him as the governor of Fuzhou. He ordered Chai Kehong, along with Lu Mengjun, the Right General of the Guard and governor of Yuanzhou, to travel day and night to Changzhou to defend against the attack of the Wu-Yue army.

In addition, due to the lax discipline and plundering nature of the Later Zhou soldiers, the people north of the Yangtze River had long been unable to bear the disturbance and had abandoned their homes to flee into the mountains.

The number of those who became thieves and bandits was countless.

Li Jing then sent edicts to various places north of the Yangtze River, calling on the local people to unite and resist the Zhou army.

Upon receiving the call from the Southern Tang court, many people from all over the country responded.

In a short time, the military farms in the counties north of the Yangtze River rose up in rebellion, using farm tools as weapons and folded paper as armor, defending the mountains, forests and waters, and building fortifications to protect themselves.

However, just as the Southern Tang and Later Zhou were each mobilizing their troops and the two armies were on the verge of war.

A massive, all-encompassing snowstorm blanketed the north of the Yangtze River, freezing mountains and rivers.

It arrived unexpectedly!

……

Outside Shouzhou City, the Zhou Dynasty Emperor's camp.

The thick snow had turned the camp into a vast expanse of white, and the biting wind whipped up dense snowflakes that danced wildly.

Chai Rong stood with his hands behind his back at the entrance of the camp, letting the cold air seep into his robes.

His resolute gaze pierced through the snow curtain before him, fixed on the fortified city of Shouzhou, which was faintly visible in the wind and snow. His brows were furrowed tightly together, as if cast in iron.

This sudden blizzard not only froze Zhou Jun's previous fierce offensive, but also poured like a bucket of ice water down on Chai Rong's burning ambition.

Heavy snow has swept across most of Jiangbei, and has been falling for three days and three nights without any sign of stopping.

Zhou Jun's troops, which were advancing from various places to launch a coordinated attack and besiege various cities, were now in dire straits due to the severe cold and lack of supplies.

Just then, Prime Minister Fan Zhi, wrapped in a thick fur coat, came trudging through the snow, holding a paper umbrella that barely shielded him from the wind and snow.

Before he could approach and pay his respects, Chai Rong, who had been gazing at the snowy landscape, spoke first: "How is the situation of the various troops?" Fan Zhi steadied himself, bowed deeply, and said: "Your Majesty! Han Lingkun and Murong Yanzhao have led their troops back from Sizhou and are now joining forces with Wu Xingde's troops, stationed ten miles south of Haozhou City. Li Jixun and Zhao Chao have also stopped attacking the Tushan military camp, and the two forces have joined together to defend the northwest side of Wokou."

"As for Wang Yanchao's troops, they suffered a setback in their attack on Qingliu Pass a few days ago and were defeated by Huangfu Hui's army. Although His Majesty issued an edict ordering them to return to Dingyuan, their troops had not yet broken camp when they were hit by this unexpected heavy snow. They are now trapped in Zequgou, east of Chuzhou."

"Meanwhile, Shi Yanchao's troops were also stationed outside Luzhou City, awaiting orders..."

After a brief pause, Fan Zhi saw that the emperor's face was growing increasingly gloomy, and could only manage a bitter smile in his heart.

Then he continued, "In the southwest, the troops of Shen, Guang, Ying, and Cai prefectures led by He Chao were also blocked by heavy snow on their way to Huangzhou and were stranded in Macheng, unable to set off."

"Wang Shenqi's troops are advancing faster and have fortunately arrived in Qizhou and taken over the city's defenses. Pan Mei in Shuzhou is also defending the city, so there is no immediate worry about war."

"Ah."

Chai Rong's Adam's apple bobbed, and he nodded slightly, but his deeply furrowed brows became even more pronounced, their lines rising and falling like mountains, and his face was terribly gloomy.

Seeing that the emperor remained silent, Fan Zhi hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Your Majesty, I dare to say something that I have to say, something that is stuck in my throat!"

Chai Rong snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at Fan Zhi. He suppressed the turmoil in his heart and said in a low but clear voice, "Minister Fan, please speak frankly. I will not blame you."

Fan Zhi bowed in thanks before continuing, "This sudden heavy snowfall has continued for days, causing roads to be cut off. The transport of grain, fodder, charcoal, and firewood has been delayed, and the armies are also in short supply of warm clothing. The soldiers are suffering from the bitter cold and it is difficult for them to endure it for long."

"According to reports from various places, it is said that in the armies of all routes, there are countless soldiers who have suffered from cold, hunger, injury, and illness, and many soldiers and able-bodied men have gone missing, deserted, or died of hunger and cold!"

As he spoke, a deep worry appeared in his eyes, and his voice became even heavier, "Moreover, the New Year is just over a month away. The Imperial Guards are on a long expedition, suffering from the severe cold, and they must be exhausted both physically and mentally, inevitably longing to return home."

"If this continues, I fear the morale of the army will crumble, and resentment may spread like wildfire. At best, it will lead to laxity and avoidance of battle; at worst... the consequences will be unpredictable!"

Fan Zhi had already put it very tactfully. In fact, since the army arrived in Huainan, as the weather grew colder and the soldiers were driven to fight at high intensity, they had begun to complain in private.

Fortunately, with their generals holding the line, the soldiers could only grit their teeth and endure. Moreover, the Zhou army's unstoppable offensive greatly boosted morale and drowned out any dissenting voices.

But the blizzard was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, and the army's logistical support also became strained, leading to increasingly louder complaints.

Chai Rong did not speak, but turned around, lifted the curtain, and walked into the central army tent.

Fan Zhi quickly followed him inside.

"Is Minister Fan trying to persuade me to withdraw the troops?" Chai Rong asked expressionlessly from his seat in the main seat.

He had already guessed what Fan Zhi meant from his words. Although Fan Zhi was the prime minister, many of his suggestions were usually given through the vice prime minister, Wang Pu.

But once he speaks, it will inevitably represent the thoughts of the court officials.

Chai Rong understood what Fan Zhi was saying, but he was still very unwilling to accept it.

Because withdrawing troops would mean all previous efforts would be in vain. Would all the hard work of the past few months, the results of the army's conquests, be given back to the Southern Tang?

Fan Zhi bowed deeply and said respectfully, "I am not advising Your Majesty to withdraw your troops. Rather, I suggest that you gather your forces, order the various tribes to retreat to key locations along the Huai River, and firmly besiege Shouzhou City, preventing it from receiving reinforcements or having a chance to regroup. During this period, you can order people to supervise the construction of warships and the training of the navy in the capital to counter the Tang army's naval advantage. When spring arrives next year, we can regroup and defeat the enemy in one fell swoop."

After he finished speaking, Chai Rong frowned and remained silent for a long time.

The howling wind, carrying heavy snowflakes, violently pounded against the thick felt of the imperial tent, producing a dull thud that added to the oppressive atmosphere inside.

After an unknown amount of time, Chai Rong finally said, "Let me... consider it some more."

(End of this chapter)