Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

King Xiao Han of Chu vomited blood and fainted, causing shockwaves throughout Jingzhou and panic throughout the court and the country.

Devastating news from the front lines poured into the Chu King's palace in Jiangling: the elite troops that launched the surprise attack on Luoyang were almost completely wiped out; the fierce general Wen Yang escaped with only a dozen or so riders, severely wounded; Wancheng, the gateway to Nanyang, surrendered without a fight; the valiant general Chen Dao led tens of thousands of Hanyuan Iron Cavalry, conquering several counties with ease, his advance pointing directly at the Han River, threatening Xiangyang; even more terrifying, it was rumored that Wang Dashan, who was stationed in Luoyang, had led his victorious army south after completely annihilating Wen Yang's forces, forming a pincer movement with Chen Dao...

For a time, tensions rose in northern Jingzhou, and people were restless.

Those local officials and powerful families who had been relatively obedient under the oppressive rule of the King of Chu now had different thoughts. Some began to secretly flirt with the north, while others packed their belongings and prepared to flee south.

The generals under the King of Chu were also filled with anxiety, and no one could agree on whether to fight, defend, surrender, or flee.

Jiangling, the Chu King's Palace.

The once magnificent palace is now filled with oppression and fear.

Xiao Han slowly regained consciousness under the care of the physician, but his face was sallow and his eyes were unfocused. In just a few days, he seemed to have aged ten years.

He leaned back on the couch, listening to his civil and military officials arguing incessantly, and felt a splitting headache.

"Your Highness! Chen Dao's army is sharp and powerful. Wancheng has fallen, and Xiangyang is in dire need of help! The most urgent task is to mobilize a large force to defend the Han River. We must not allow the Han Yuan army to cross the Han River and threaten Jiangling!" An old general pounded his chest and stamped his feet in frustration.

"Hold on? What can we use to hold on? General Wen Yang's 15,000 elite troops have all been wiped out! The northern troops are strong, our army has just suffered a defeat, and morale is low. How can we hold on?" another young general said pessimistically.

"Are we just going to sit idly by and watch the northern troops march south, waiting to be killed?" someone shouted angrily.

"How about...how about sending an envoy to sue for peace?"

A timid voice rang out, "Perhaps the Regent will remember...our past...kinship..."

"Seek peace? Bah!"

Upon hearing the words "sue for peace," Xiao Han, drawing strength from who-knows-where, abruptly sat up and hissed, "I would rather die than surrender! That brat Xiao Chen has gone too far! I will fight him to the last man! Issue the order! Mobilize all troops from Jiangling, Changsha, and Wuling and march north to reinforce Xiangyang! Recruit more soldiers! All men between the ages of fifteen and fifty are to be conscripted! I will fight Xiao Chen to the death!"

"Your Highness! You mustn't!"

The strategist Fan Zeng was sweating profusely with anxiety. "Forcibly conscripting soldiers might incite a popular uprising! Moreover, how can hastily assembled troops contend with the elite forces of the Hundred-Battle Cold Abyss? This is a path to certain death! The only solution now is to consolidate our defensive lines, hold fast to the natural barriers of the Han River and the Yangtze River, and at the same time, quickly send envoys to contact the King of Wu, the King of Shu, and even the lords of Jiaozhou and Guangzhou, explaining the principle of mutual dependence and pleading for reinforcements to jointly resist the powerful enemy! Once reinforcements arrive, we might be able to reverse the tide!"

"Reinforcements? That scoundrel Xiao Rui is just sitting on the sidelines watching the tigers fight; why would he genuinely help me? And the King of Shu is a coward, not to mention him!"

Xiao Han said angrily, but eventually calmed down a little.

He knew that Fan Zeng was right. Now, relying solely on the strength of Jingzhou, it would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock to confront the Hanyuan Army, which was riding high on the momentum of its great victory.

But if we ask for help... will those feudal lords really come?

Just as the King of Chu and his ministers were arguing endlessly and at a loss for what to do, the iron hooves of the Hanyuan army did not stop for a moment.

Nanyang, Wancheng.

Chen Dao stood on the city wall, which had just "changed hands," gazing at the vast and misty Han River to the south.

The spring breeze rustled his dark battle robe. His face was calm, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.

Taking Wancheng is only the first step.

The prince's orders were clear: press on southwards to expand the gains, bring troops to the Han River, and intimidate Jingchu and even the entire south!

"General, most of the defeated Chu soldiers have fled south. The garrison commander of Xiangyang seems to have strengthened his defenses, but his troop strength does not appear to have increased significantly. According to scouts, the King of Chu is frantically recruiting soldiers in the Jiangling area, but the situation is chaotic and they are unlikely to become combat-ready in the short term," the deputy general reported.

Chen Dao nodded: "Xiao Han has just suffered a defeat and is in disarray. He wants to hold the Han River, but the defense line is long, the troops are scattered, and morale is low, with the people in a state of panic. This is a golden opportunity."

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over his generals. "Send out the order: rest for three days. After three days, divide the troops into three routes!"

"The first route, led by Lieutenant General Zhao Xiao with 5,000 elite cavalry as the vanguard, marches south along the Bai River, sweeping through the cities along the river, and directly approaches the west side of Xiangyang, thus restraining its garrison and preventing it from making any rash moves."

"The second route, I will personally lead the main force of 20,000 infantry and cavalry out of Wancheng, heading south along the official road, with our targets—Xinye and Fancheng! These two cities are the northern gateway to Xiangyang; if we take them, Xiangyang will become an isolated city!"

"The third force, led by Vice General Han Tao with 8,000 infantry and siege equipment, will follow. Their responsibility is to take over the city, eliminate any remaining enemy forces, and pacify the local population. Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy; anyone who surrenders will be properly resettled. Speed, stability, and ruthlessness are essential!"

"Remember King Shangjun's order: This battle is not for the destruction of Chu, but for punishment and to establish our authority! We must fight fiercely and swiftly, until the Chu people are terrified and the southern lords are silenced in fear! But we must not engage in excessive killing. After conquering a city, we must issue proclamations to reassure the people, enforce strict military discipline, and demonstrate the grandeur of our royal army!"

"Understood!" The generals responded in unison, their eyes burning with fighting spirit.

Since following Xiao Chen in raising an army, the Hanyuan Army has been invincible in every battle. This southward march is a great opportunity to make achievements and expand its territory!

Three days later, the Han Yuan army, having rested and with high morale, shot out from Wancheng like three arrows released from a bow, heading towards the heart of Jingzhou.

King Xiao Han of Chu's chaotic command and tyrannical taxation had already alienated the people of northern Jingzhou.

Faced with the ferocious, well-equipped, and tactically sound Han Yuan army, the Chu army, hastily conscripted, poorly trained, and demoralized, collapsed almost immediately.

Zhao Xiao's five thousand elite cavalry swept across both banks of the Baihe River like a whirlwind.

In cities such as Chaoyang, Zhuyang, and Shandu, the defending troops fled at the mere sight of the enemy, or were easily defeated after offering only slight resistance. The city walls were adorned with black "Hanyuan" battle flags.

Zhao Xiao strictly followed Chen Dao's orders, neither seeking personal gain nor acting rashly. His main task was to disperse and defeat the Chu army along the way and clear obstacles. He did not attempt to forcibly attack any city, but his advance had already seriously threatened the flanks and rear of Xiangyang.

Chen Dao's 20,000-strong main force advanced with unstoppable momentum.

The garrison commander of Xinye attempted to resist the attack, but was met with a fierce assault by the Hanyuan army. In less than a day, a breach was breached in the city wall. Chen Dao took the lead, was the first to scale the city wall, killed the garrison commander, and recaptured Xinye.

Without pausing for time, they marched on Fancheng.

Fancheng and Xiangyang face each other across the Han River, forming a strategic defensive position, and Fancheng is the last northern barrier for Xiangyang.

The garrison commander was quite bold, and he kept the gates closed and held out.

Chen Dao did not launch a direct attack, but instead surrounded Fancheng completely, sending troops day and night to create chaos and exert pressure, while also sending troops to sweep the surrounding areas and cut off its connection with the outside world.

Fancheng became an isolated city, and the people were filled with anxiety.

Meanwhile, after thoroughly clearing the battlefield in Luoyang, Wang Dashan left his deputy general to guard the city and led 15,000 victorious troops southward in a grand procession. They passed through Luyang and Ye County, with their forces heading straight for Ji County and Huyang in the southern part of the Nanyang Basin. This formed a coordinated east-west alliance with Chen Dao's main force, further squeezing the Chu army's living space and threatening the eastern side of Xiangyang.

Han Tao's third force, like a comb, followed behind the main force, taking over and reorganizing the cities that Chen Dao and Wang Dashan had conquered or forced to surrender.

He strictly enforced military discipline, issued proclamations to reassure the people, opened granaries to distribute grain, and punished deserters and local ruffians who took advantage of the chaos to loot, quickly stabilizing order in the newly occupied areas.

Many civilians who were initially afraid of the Northern Army found that this "royal army" was not as brutal as rumored. On the contrary, the army was disciplined and did not harm the people in any way, which greatly reduced their resentment.

Some impoverished people and low-ranking officials, unable to bear the tyranny of the King of Chu, even began to secretly provide convenience for the Hanyuan Army.

Battle reports flew to the capital like snowflakes, and also to various towns in the south.

"General Chen Dao of Hanyuan has captured Xinye, besieged Fancheng, and is now at the Han River!"

"General Wang Dashan of Hanyuan marched south to Ye County, and successively captured Ji County and Huyang. The Chu army crumbled at his mere sight!"

"The King of Chu's heavy taxes and levies have caused widespread resentment among the people, leading to the surrender of the garrison commanders of Yiyang and Suixian!"

"With Xiangyang besieged, Jiangling was thrown into turmoil. The King of Chu urgently mobilized troops from all over the country to provide reinforcements, but the roads were mostly blocked by the Han Yuan cavalry, and the reinforcements hesitated to advance!"

……

In just one month, under the swift attacks of Chen Dao and Wang Dashan's two armies and the consolidation of Han Tao's rear, a total of seventeen cities and towns, large and small, in the vast area of ​​northern Jingzhou, southern Nanyang Basin, north of Wancheng and north of the Han River, were either captured or surrendered and all fell into the control of Han Yuan Army!

The sheer scale of their military might, the sharpness of their offensive, and the speed of their progress astonished the world.

The reinforcements assembled by King Xiao Han of Chu were overwhelmed by the flexible tactics and powerful fighting force of the Han Yuan army. The troops sent to reinforce Xiangyang were repeatedly intercepted and suffered heavy losses, and were unable to rejoin the Xiangyang garrison for a long time.

Xiangyang, a major town in northern Jingzhou, has not yet fallen, but it is now surrounded on three sides and isolated on the north bank of the Yangtze River.

The natural barrier of the Han River no longer seemed so impregnable in the face of the Han Yuan Army's powerful military might and the strongholds they had already controlled on the north bank.

In Jiangling City, there were several alarms in a single day.

News of cities falling, generals being killed in battle, or surrendering kept coming in.

Xiao Han was overcome with anger and grief, and his old wounds had not yet healed when he was afflicted with a new illness, making him almost unable to govern.

Despair reignited throughout the Chu court. Calls for peace resurfaced, and some ministers even began secretly making contact with the northern border.

At this moment, the one in the most precarious position is none other than Xiao Rui, the Prince of Wu in Jinling.

He originally intended to "drive the tiger to devour the wolf" and reap the benefits, but Xiao Chen was prepared and dealt a heavy blow to the "tiger". He then marched south and conquered seventeen cities in succession. His army reached the Han River and swallowed up a large area of ​​Chu territory!

This isn't a fight between two tigers; it's a tiger devouring a sheep! At this rate, Jingzhou probably won't last much longer. Once Jingzhou falls, who will Xiao Chen's next target be? The fall of one means the fall of the other!

Xiao Rui could no longer sit still. On the one hand, he urgently ordered the strengthening of the Yangtze River defenses, and on the other hand, he dispatched his most capable strategist, carrying generous gifts and "sincere" greetings, to travel day and night to Sichuan, Jiaozhou, and Guangzhou, attempting to reconnect a fragile "anti-Xiao alliance".

However, the King of Shu's attitude was ambiguous, and the Governor of Jiaozhou and Guangzhou were hesitant and indecisive. How easy would it be to form an alliance?

Shenjing, the Regent's Palace.

Looking at the pile of victory reports on his desk, Xiao Chen showed little joy, only a calm composure as if everything was under control.

"Wang Dashan and Chen Dao, you played well."

He put down the battle report and said to Han Lie, "However, we should know when to stop. We have captured seventeen cities in succession, and our army is at the Han River. Our prestige has been established, and we have gained territory. If we continue to fight, we may be able to destroy the Chu Kingdom, but Jiangdong, Xishu, and even Jiaoguang may feel the pain of losing a friend and truly join forces. Our army has made a long march, and although our morale is high, the battle lines are stretched, supplies are difficult to obtain, and the soldiers are exhausted. Moreover, the newly acquired territory needs time to be digested and appeased."

Han Lie wholeheartedly agreed: "Your Majesty is wise. Now that the purpose of punishment and establishing authority has been achieved, the State of Chu, having suffered such a heavy blow, has no strength left to look north. We should take advantage of their shock and internal turmoil to force them to sue for peace. In this way, we can subdue them without fighting, gaining both practical benefits and moral high ground, and further deterring the other feudal lords from acting rashly."

"Exactly."

A cold glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. "Order Chen Dao and Wang Dashan to halt the large-scale offensive and consolidate the cities they have captured. As for Xiangyang, surround it but do not attack; apply pressure only. At the same time, in my name, write a letter to the King of Chu."

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly dictated his thoughts, which Han Lie recorded with a pen:

"To my esteemed brother, the King of Chu: Since the rebellion of Zhao, the world has been in chaos. I raised an army to quell the rebellion, and thanks to the protection of our ancestors and the valiant efforts of our soldiers, the treacherous officials were executed, the false dynasty was overthrown, and the young emperor was taken to live with us. I have been entrusted with the trust of the young emperor and the recommendation of the officials, and I have taken charge of the government. It is a heavy responsibility that I have no choice but to assume. I rise early and retire late, thinking only of how to support the country and relieve the people from their suffering."

"However, my brother disregarded our kinship and the suffering of the common people. He readily believed slander, recklessly provoked a border conflict, broke the alliance, and launched a surprise attack on Luoyang, resulting in the deaths of our soldiers and widespread devastation. I had no choice but to send generals to defend myself and fight back. Fortunately, thanks to the might of Heaven and the valiant efforts of our soldiers, we were able to recapture seventeen cities north of Xiangyang. All of this was brought upon my brother by his own fault."

"However, considering our shared lineage from the Xiao clan and our blood ties, and out of pity for the innocent people of Jingzhou who have suffered, I, the King, have always been benevolent and do not wish to commit further bloodshed. Now that the Han River marks the border and the city has been captured, it should be under my rule. If my brother can repent, submit a memorial to plead guilty, relinquish his title, submit to my authority, pay tribute, and diligently guard the remaining territory of Jingzhou without causing further trouble, then I can forgive his past transgressions, and our two families can reconcile and jointly safeguard peace on the border. Otherwise…"

Xiao Chen paused, his voice turning cold: "Then my Cold Abyss Iron Cavalry will soon be drinking from the Yangtze River. By then, it will be too late for regrets! Brother, please think carefully about what to do!"

After the letter was written, it was sealed. Xiao Chen said, "Send an eloquent and dignified messenger to Jiangling with this letter. At the same time, convey my intentions to the newly acquired cities and issue proclamations to Wu, Shu, Jiao, and Guang. I want them all to see clearly: those who obey me prosper, and those who oppose me perish!"

"Yes, sir!" Han Lie replied respectfully, sighing inwardly.

The prince's move was both ruthless and precise.

Militarily, they launched a powerful attack, leaving the King of Chu on the verge of collapse; politically, they raised the issue high but then gently laid it down, giving him a chance to "repent."

It demonstrated both swift and decisive action and "magnanimity".

After this battle, the State of Chu was severely weakened and never recovered, leaving it dependent on the northern lands for support. Meanwhile, the other southern states, while shocked, were likely filled with fear and insecurity, making it even more difficult for their already fragile alliance to take shape.

They launched a counterattack against the Southern Kingdom, capturing seventeen cities in succession.

With a clean, decisive, and thunderous southern expedition, Xiao Chen declared to the entire world: the times have changed.

Anyone who dares to challenge the Regent's authority or disrupt the new order will be met with a merciless and devastating blow.

The next storm may no longer be confined to the battlefield, but will spread to the court and into people's hearts.