Chapter 178: Sun Ben Withdraws North
Jia Xu came to Hefei again and met Gan Ning once more.
Gan Ning had already learned of the Cao Army’s actions in Shouchun. He could not help but secretly admire Jia Xu’s ruthless methods. Such a good ally, yet he turned hostile at the drop of a hat. Back then, when Zhang Xiu turned hostile and launched a night attack on Cao Cao, it must have been Jia Xu’s idea.
Jia Xu smiled and handed a proposal to Gan Ning. “These are the three conditions for Sun Ben to withdraw his army from Danyang Commandery. Please take a look, General!”
Gan Ning glanced at it and said indifferently, “The first two conditions, one for each of us—I can agree to them. As long as he withdraws all his army, I will also withdraw from Danyang Commandery. But this third condition—doesn’t the strategist understand what he means?”
“How could I not understand? He is afraid that the Jiangdong Army will attack him on the Yangtze River.”
“So he proposes that my navy escort him. Isn’t this trying to provoke a falling out between me and the Jiangdong Army?”
Jia Xu smiled and said, “He does have some of that intention. But in doing so, his fate would be in the general’s hands. If I were the general, I would keep Sun Ben around. He is a useful weapon against Jiangdong.”
Gan Ning smiled and said, “A character like Sun Ben can be wiped out in a single battle. It’s not worth dealing with him in a way that ruins my reputation. But if it were Cao Cao crossing the river, then reputation wouldn’t matter as much.”
Jia Xu gave a dry laugh. “General Gan is joking!”
Gan Ning put away his smile and said solemnly, “Please have Strategist Jia inform Sun Ben: If he is merely crossing the river with his army, I will not attack him, and I guarantee the Jiangdong Army will not attack him either. But if he tries to plunder the citizens of Danyang Commandery to cross the river, my promise is void. I will escort his army and the citizens together to Lujiang Commandery.”
“I understand. I won’t let him plunder the citizens!”
Gan Ning wrote a personal letter and urgently dispatched someone to deliver it to Sun Quan.
Two days later, Sun Quan received Gan Ning’s personal letter from Zhang Zhao. He read the letter and let out a long sigh of relief. Sun Ben had finally agreed to withdraw his army.
“What do you think, strategist? Gan Ning demands that our navy not intercept Sun Ben’s army as it withdraws north.”
Zhang Zhao thought for a moment and said, “Sun Ben wants to transport 50,000 troops and a large amount of grain back to Jiujiang Commandery. He can’t do it in one trip, so it’s normal for him to worry about us. But everything has its priorities. For us now, the most important thing is for Sun Ben to withdraw from Danyang Commandery. This subordinate suggests giving Gan Ning face and having the navy stand down.”
Sun Quan nodded. “You’re right. Do you know what I am thinking?”
“This subordinate is all ears!”
Sun Quan paced a few steps with his hands behind his back and said, “I think Gan Ning is likely hoping for a conflict between our two sides on the Yangtze River. That way, he can take advantage of Sun Ben’s withdrawal to seize Danyang Commandery.”
“Ah! Would it really be like that?”
Sun Quan nodded. “As long as conflict erupts between our two sides, he would have morality on his side.”
“Marquis of Wu, this subordinate thinks it unlikely.”
Sun Quan shook his head and sighed softly. “The human heart is unfathomable. I have to guard against it!”
He immediately said to Zhang Zhao, “Pass my order as Marquis of Wu: Command Zhou Yu not to attack Sun Ben as he withdraws north!”
Ten days later, Sun Ben’s army finally withdrew north. Under Gan Ning’s pressure, Sun Ben had to abandon the idea of plundering tens of thousands of citizens to head north. Instead, he led 50,000 troops and 200,000 shi of grain in the withdrawal north.
Three hundred mengchong warships transported the grain and troops to the north bank in batches. In the first batch of returning fleets, Sun Ben gazed complexly at Gan Ning’s warships in the distance. Hundreds of warships lingered a few li away. They were more like surveillance than escorts.
“My lord, we must strengthen our navy shipbuilding!” He Qi said softly from the side.
Sun Ben nodded. “Indeed, our navy is too weak—our biggest weakness. We must vigorously build ships and train the navy at the same time. General He, you are a veteran of the navy. I entrust the strengthening of the navy and shipbuilding to you.”
He Qi was secretly delighted—an opportunity to get rich had come. He immediately patted his chest and said, “Rest assured, my lord. Even if it costs me my life, I will make the navy strong as soon as possible.”
Large mengchong warships one after another transported large numbers of troops and grain back to the north bank.
When the last batch of Sun Ben’s army departed, Zhou Yu’s long-waiting fleet immediately occupied Niuzhu. 20,000 navy troops divided into ten routes and reoccupied the various county towns of Danyang Commandery.
Zhou Yu himself led 2,000 troops to occupy Wanling County. The Jiangdong Army had recaptured Danyang Commandery.
When all of Sun Ben’s army arrived at Liyang County on the north bank of the Yangtze River, Gan Ning also began withdrawing his army from Hefei, retreating toward Lujiang Commandery to the southwest.
This crisis, which had lasted over a month, finally ended. The final outcome was that Gan Ning captured Lujiang Commandery, while Sun Ben, though he gained and then lost Danyang Commandery, also obtained 30,000 troops, so it was not too disastrous a loss.
For Jiangdong, Danyang Commandery was lost and then regained. Though they lost 300,000 barrels of tung oil, they also restored friendly relations with Gan Ning. It was a silver lining, and the losses were not too great.
Gan Ning led his army back to Chaisang. He had been away for half a month. Strategist Lu led the officials to the dock to welcome Gan Ning home.
Amid the sound of gongs and drums, the army returned to the barracks, and Gan Ning boarded a carriage to return to Chaisang City.
In the carriage, Strategist Lu smiled and said, “There seem to be quite a few spoils of war this time. Did you dig up Sun Ben’s lair?”
Gan Ning shook his head with a smile. “There wasn’t much money and grain in Hefei, but we did dig up Xu Qian’s lair. We seized nearly 500,000 strings of cash in wealth. Most of these spoils are his.”
“Isn’t Xu Qian the Prefect of Lujiang Commandery?”
“That’s him. After his defeat in Shucheng County, he fled back to Chao Lake. When Strategist Xu was investigating him, he discovered Xu Qian had embezzled a large amount of official treasury funds, so he had no intention of letting him go.”
Speaking of the Prefect of Lujiang Commandery, Gan Ning suddenly remembered something and asked, “I had you evaluate Fan Fang. How did it go? Any news?”
“Reporting to the general, the evaluation is complete. I was planning to report to the general in a couple of days.”
Gan Ning smiled and said, “Give me a quick summary first. What kind of person is he?”
Strategist Lu pondered for a moment and said, “He is indeed a good official, extremely honest and self-disciplined. Early this year, a batch of official shops in Wan County were publicly sold, all handled single-handedly by County Magistrate Fan. By rights, it was a prime opportunity to make a fortune, but County Magistrate Fan made the entire process public. The result was a sale price twenty percent above market value, with all proceeds going to the official treasury without a single coin missing. We also privately asked the unsuccessful bidders, and they all praised Fan Fang. Though they lost the bid, not one said there was anything improper. From this one leaf, we can know the autumn—Fan Fang’s character is evident.”
“Then does Strategist Lu think he can serve as Prefect of Lujiang Commandery?”
Strategist Lu nodded. “In the formal recommendation I prepared for the general, I recommended Fan Fang to serve as Prefect of Lujiang Commandery.”
Gan Ning said decisively, “Lujiang Commandery urgently needs someone to handle government affairs. Since the strategist approves of him, it’s decided. Fan Fang will serve as Prefect of Lujiang Commandery.”
