Song Xiu

Chapter 73 The Path to Victory Begins to Emerge (Please Read On!)

Lucheng, outside the Funiu Mountains.

As the last glimmer of light disappeared on the horizon, Liu Jiye looked south with apprehension in his eyes.

Another day passed, and there was still no sign of the Song army around Lucheng.

Having sensed something amiss, Liu Jiye descended the mountain and returned to the camp.

Upon returning to the camp, Lu Zan immediately approached and inquired:
"Have they not yet discovered any trace of the Song army?"

Luzan's tone sounded somewhat unfriendly.

Upon hearing Lu Zan's question, Liu Jiye nodded helplessly.

Liu Jiye's admission only intensified the nameless anger in Lu Zan's heart.

“Commander Liu, you previously swore that the Song army would fall into a trap and come to the foot of Mount Funiu.”

Now that I have arrived at the foot of Mount Funiu, where are the Song soldiers?

Luzan has his reasons for being angry.

Lu Zan was not knowledgeable in military affairs, so he always trusted Liu Jiye's judgment in matters of military matters.

Because of that trust, he wrote to Liu Jun as a military supervisor, strongly supporting Liu Jiye's military actions.

Lu Zan is a self-serving politician who believes he should see a return on his efforts through Liu Jiye.

Previously, when Liu Jiye led a portion of the Northern Han army ahead, Lu Zan was in charge of the advance of the majority of the Northern Han army.

Not wanting Liu Jiye to steal all the credit, Lu Zan led over ten thousand Northern Han soldiers on a hurried journey, eager to reap the rewards.

When Lu Zan arrived outside Funiu Mountain, he was told that "the pot wasn't set up yet," which made Lu Zan naturally resentful towards Liu Jiye.

After accumulating pent-up frustration over the past few days, Luzan's discontent finally had an opportunity to be released today.

Liu Jiye sensed Lu Zan's dissatisfaction.

Although Liu Jiye felt that Lu Zan was too hasty, he did not refute him in order to ensure the success of the upcoming battle.

Liu Jiye's silence only fueled Lu Zan's growing resentment.

Two days later, the scouts sent from afar returned to camp and reported the latest movements of the Song army.

Upon hearing that he had finally learned of the Song army's movements, Lu Zan excitedly went to Liu Jiye's command tent.

Unexpectedly, upon entering the tent, Luzan heard news that shocked him.

"The Song army did not march north, but instead looted Changzi County."
Are the Song army going to drive the people south?

This news is completely contrary to Liu Jiye's previous judgment.

After a moment of intense shock, Luzan's face turned ashen.

Liu Jiye, lost in thought, was unaware of this.

When Liu Jiye first heard this military intelligence, he was also quite surprised.

It's not that the Song army's looting of the southern counties was unwise, but rather that the timing of their looting was too coincidental.

According to the scouts' reports, the Song army began this operation almost at the same time that he led his troops to Funiu Mountain.

Such a coincidental timing led Liu Jiye to a startling suspicion.

While Liu Jiye was still reeling from the shock, Lu Zan could no longer contain his anxiety:

"What is the general still hesitating about?"
Our people are suffering terribly at the hands of the Song army! General, why don't you send troops to their aid immediately!

Lu Zan's urgent tone also carried a hint of anger.

How could I not be angry?

Lu Zan had long regarded Luzhou as part of the Northern Han territory, and it is likely that Liu Jun, who received his memorial, did the same.

If the Song army is allowed to run rampant in the south, Luzhou will sooner or later suffer the same fate as Zhenzhou.

Zhenzhou was a major northern town of the Later Liang dynasty. After Li Cunxu destroyed the Later Liang, he "dismantled the city walls and relocated its people to Weizhou," causing the once powerful Zhenzhou to cease to exist. With such a precedent, how could Lu Zan not be afraid?
Urged on by Lu Zan, Liu Jiye was jolted out of his thoughts and quickly came to a rough conclusion:
"Zhao Dexiu may be trying to lure our army south!"

At this point, considering all the intelligence gathered, Liu Jiye's fear of Zhao Dexiu had reached a new level.

Zhao Dexiu may truly be a "strategist who plans for the whole situation"!
As fear surged within him, Liu Jiye became cautious.

If Zhao Dexiu was truly adept at strategizing, then the Song army's looting might have been driven by other motives.

Even though he couldn't immediately guess Zhao Dexiu's deeper schemes, Liu Jiye's keen senses as a renowned general made him instinctively unwilling to follow Zhao Dexiu's lead.

From a military perspective, Liu Jiye's caution was very necessary.

However, from a political perspective, Liu Jiye's caution appears to have been detrimental to the country.

Liu Jiye's words did not attract Lu Zan's attention; instead, Lu Zan scoffed at them.

"General, His Majesty has given you 20,000 elite troops to expand the country's territory, not to use for personal fame and fortune."

"The Song army is still looting in Changzi County. If you, General, delay in sending troops, and the southern counties learn of the Song army's atrocities, they will panic and migrate spontaneously. How will we explain this to His Majesty then!"

During the late Tang and early Song dynasties, countless people spontaneously migrated to escape the chaos of war.

Before Zhao Dexiu resorted to the tactic of "relocating the people," Liu Jiye's military objectives and Lu Zan's political demands did not conflict.

However, the situation changed suddenly and urgently, and naturally, a disagreement arose between Liu Jiye and Lu Zan.

In order to control Liu Jiye, Lu Zan even separated "Liu Jiye and the country" in his speech.

Such a statement would inevitably make Liu Jiye change color.

Seeing Liu Jiye's expression change, Lu Zan softened his tone and said:

"Even if Zhao Dexiu is using a tactic to lure the enemy, our army is far superior to the Song army, and the general is a man of military expertise."

What's wrong with our army marching south to suppress the Song army's arrogance in a fair and square manner?

In Lu Zan's view, the Northern Han army is currently in an incredibly favorable position.

Previously, in order to minimize losses, Liu Jiye's idea of ​​using a strategy to defeat the Song army was correct.

But now the Song army is not falling for it at all. If "winning by surprise" doesn't work, then "winning by orthodox means" will work. This idea is simply flawless.

It's not that scholars don't read military books, it's that they read books to death.

Liu Jiye really wanted to explain to Lu Zan that it was unwise to take military texts out of context, but he swallowed his words.

Zhao Dexiu used an open strategy.

Even if he could see that Zhao Dexiu might be harboring some kind of scheme deep in his heart, as Lu Zan said, given the current situation, leading his army south was an inevitable choice.

Furthermore, Lu Zan's words do not entirely lack merit.

Liu Jiye was confident in his military strategy. As long as he remained cautious and prevented the Song army from finding any opportunity to exploit, he would be fine.

Thinking of this, Liu Jiye suppressed his slight doubts and looked at his adjutant behind him, saying:
"Order the entire army to march south immediately!"

News of the Northern Han army's large-scale southward advance quickly reached Zhao Dexiu's ears.

Upon hearing this news, Zhao Dexiu couldn't help but clap his hands and burst into laughter.

Seeing the approaching formidable enemy, Zhao Dexiu was not worried but rather delighted, and asked in surprise.

When Lu Duoxun asked him, Zhao Dexiu revealed his thoughts:
"It's not that I didn't know the strength of the Northern Han army, nor that I didn't know Liu Jiye was a famous general."

However, it is precisely because Liu Jiye was a famous general that I can see some things more clearly.

I did not send my sons to attack in all directions, but instead focused my attack on my eldest son. If he were a famous general, he would likely see through my plan to lure the enemy.

It is clear why He Yi decided to head south so quickly.
This anomaly could be explained in several ways, but among these possibilities, one is precisely the way for our army to win!

My strategy of cutting off the enemy's supply lines didn't target the very foundation of Luzhou; it eroded the trust among the generals and commanders of the Northern Han army!

(End of this chapter)