Chapter 12: Wu Recruits Ding Feng
Gan Ning rode Hu Xian’s warhorse to under Chaisang City, with two hundred subordinates following behind him. At this time, Chaisang City Gate was already closed.
Gan Ning raised his spear and shouted loudly: “Let Ding Feng come out to see me!”
Not long after, Ding Feng appeared on the city wall. He saw the warhorse and the spear, sighed in his heart, and thought that Hu Xian had not listened to his advice and ultimately lost his life.
Gan Ning shouted again: “I am the Magistrate of Chaisang appointed by the Imperial Court, Commander of a Detached Unit, coming to Chaisang to take office. If General Ding is unwilling to pledge loyalty to the Imperial Court, he may leave, and I will absolutely not stop him!”
Ding Feng looked at Gan Ning in astonishment, then ordered: “Open the city gate!”
The city gate opened. He raised his iron spear, urged his horse forward, and charged out of the city gate. “If you want me to pledge loyalty to the Imperial Court, first ask if my iron spear agrees!”
He thrust his spear at Gan Ning. Although Gan Ning’s weapon was twin halberds, those were weapons for naval combat, requiring close-quarters fighting. But if it was mounted combat, twin halberds would not do—an inch short is an inch more dangerous—so he must use a long weapon.
Hu Xian’s spear was of slightly poor quality, but it could barely be used. Gan Ning swung the spear, engaging Ding Feng in fierce battle. After fewer than three clashes, as the horses crossed, Gan Ning drew the short halberd from his back and struck at Ding Feng’s helmet. With a crack, half of Ding Feng’s pointed helmet was cleaved off.
Ding Feng felt the cold blade of the halberd graze past his scalp. He was scared out of his wits and hurriedly urged his horse forward, dodging what was likely a returning horse stab.
Ding Feng stared dazedly at the half-helmet on the ground. This was not his luck, but the opponent showing mercy.
He could not help but sigh deeply, throw down his spear, dismount, kneel on the ground, cup his fists, and say: “Ding Feng is willing to pledge loyalty to the Imperial Court!”
Gan Ning looked at him faintly and said: “If General Ding wants to pledge loyalty to the Imperial Court, go to Xuchang yourself! I intend to make a name for myself independently.”
Ding Feng said without hesitation: “Ding Feng is willing to serve General Gan with utmost effort!”
Gan Ning was overjoyed and quickly helped him up, asking curiously: “I did not announce my name—how did you know it was me?”
Ding Feng said somewhat embarrassedly: “I was originally Young Master Liu Qi’s bodyguard. In Xiangyang, I was ordered to conduct surveillance on General Gan!”
“Ah!” Gan Ning widened his eyes. “Then how did you end up with Huang Zu?”
Ding Feng sighed deeply. “This matter is too complicated to explain briefly!”
Gan Ning smiled faintly: “No matter—we can enter the city and talk slowly!”
Gan Ning immediately led the army into Chaisang City, and Ding Feng’s subordinates also surrendered one after another.
Not long after, Lou Fa led a hundred soldiers escorting four hundred surrendered prisoners of war back to Chaisang City.
Gan Ning went to the county yamen and sat down, then sent someone to invite Lu Su.
Ding Feng then explained: “That day, after General Gan left Xiangyang, I should have reported to Young Master Qi, but I did not. This made Young Master Qi displeased in his heart, so he arranged for me to serve under Huang Zu. But I am of humble origin, and Huang Zu looked down on me, only making me a military officer. Yet Hu Xian, who had no real ability, was made Commander of a Detached Unit. I was deeply resentful!”
Gan Ning nodded. “Why did you not report to Liu Qi?”
Ding Feng sighed and said: “Jingzhou does not promote only by talent, but by family background. I am of humble origin and felt this deeply. At that time, General Gan splashed water in Liu Xian’s face, which made me admire you greatly. I feared Liu Biao would take revenge on the general, so I did not report to Liu Qi.”
“So Liu Qi kicked you to Huang Zu?”
“Actually, Young Master Qi cannot be blamed. He has no military power and could not promote me. Military power is in Cai Mao’s hands, so Young Master Qi sent me to Huang Zu’s side to achieve success. Unfortunately, both Jingzhou and Jiangxia are the same—they value family background, not talent. If I had not met General Gan today, I might have gone to defect to Jiangdong!”
Gan Ning sighed in his heart—Heaven’s Will had arranged for Ding Feng to meet him.
At this time, Lu Su hurried over, cupped his fists, and smiled: “Congratulations, General, on recapturing Chaisang!”
Gan Ning introduced Ding Feng to Lu Su. Lu Su smiled and said: “General Ding has keen eyes to recognize a wise lord—his future prospects are immeasurable.”
Gan Ning immediately summoned the county yamen clerks and yamen runners, took out the Imperial Court’s appointment document, and the crowd then realized that this General Gan was not a bandit from Mount Lu, but the Magistrate of Chaisang appointed by the Imperial Court. Everyone’s hearts were set at ease, and they came forward one after another to pay respects.
Gan Ning then appointed Lu Su as County Assistant, putting him in full charge of all government affairs in the county.
Lu Su was overjoyed and immediately took office, taking several clerks to the warehouse to inventory supplies.
Gan Ning then appointed Ding Feng as Battalion Commander. He began to reorganize the army. Adding the surrendered army, he now had eight hundred soldiers. Gan Ning expanded the armies under his four battalion commanders, with each leading two hundred men.
Chaisang’s county yamen was very large, covering ten mu of land. The back five mu were the county chief’s private residence, the front five mu were the government office, and the county chief’s official residence was in the rear part of the county yamen, at the center of the central axis. Nearby were the official residences of the County Assistant, County Commandant, and Chief Clerk, but the officials had all fled to Nanchang.
In the county chief’s official residence, Gan Ning found a map of Jingxiang. He spread it out and examined it carefully.
Taking Chaisang did not mean he could rest easy. Gan Ning knew very well that Huang Zu would not seize Chaisang for no reason—it was highly likely Huang Zu had received news that Sun Ce’s army was coming to attack Yuzhang Commandery, and he wanted to strike first.
It was now late July in the fourth year of Jian’an. Sun Ce’s army would come at any moment, and Huang Zu would not sit idly by and hand Yuzhang Commandery to Sun Ce.
Two elephants were about to collide fiercely—how could he, a little ant, survive under the elephants’ legs? That was the urgent matter.
Only then did Gan Ning deeply understand Jia Xu’s earlier advice: first survive, then seek development.
The map was not drawn clearly, but Gan Ning could barely make it out.
Across the Yangtze River from Chaisang on the north bank was Lujiang Commandery; the nearest county was Xunyang County. To the west was Huang Zu’s base, Jiangxia Commandery, but its commandery seat, Xiling County, was quite far— at least five hundred li from Chaisang—while the nearest Xia Zhi County was only about fifty li away.
Additionally, E County in Jiangxia Commandery was about one hundred fifty li from Chaisang. This was the future Ezhou, always a military stronghold with large garrisons.
If Huang Zu launched a full offensive on Yuzhang, the army would surely set out from there.
At this time, footsteps came from behind. “General, the situation is not good!” Lu Su had returned.
Gan Ning put down the map and asked: “What did you find?”
“Except for a few hundred shi of grain, everything else is gone—all transported away by Huang She: money, cloth, armor, all kinds of other supplies, etc. Even the official boats are gone.”
What Gan Ning needed most now was armor. He thought for a moment and said: “Chaisang’s civilians should have some armor, right?”
Lu Su shook his head. “I asked—they confiscated civilian armor on the first day they occupied Chaisang. Even if any remains, it’s just sticks and such.”
“These bastards really stripped it clean!” Gan Ning cursed angrily.
“This is standard practice. When occupying a place, even if they don’t rob the citizens, they empty the official granary and confiscate all civilian weapons. Huang She was not bad—if it were Yuan Shu, at least half the citizens in the city would die.”
Gan Ning sighed: “Now, of the eight hundred soldiers, only five hundred have equipment. The other three hundred can’t use hoes and sticks, can they? Moreover, no one has bows or shields. I really don’t know what Huang Zu was thinking—he’s so stingy?”
Lu Su smiled faintly: “Does the general not know? The five hundred troops under Hu Xian were only auxiliary soldiers, not regular combat troops. Auxiliary soldiers generally just maintain local order, so their equipment is poor.”
Gan Ning nodded. “I see—that’s why this army’s equipment was so bad. Even a skilled cook needs rice to make a meal!”
Lu Su thought for a moment and suggested: “Since the general is the Magistrate of Chaisang appointed by the Imperial Court, you can go to Prefect Hua Xin of Yuzhang. With legitimate authority, demand that he prepare armor and supplies for us—but keep a low profile, like… like a temple abbot begging for alms.”
Gan Ning chuckled: “This alms-begging abbot of mine not only knows a few Buddhist chants but also some fists and kicks. Hua Xin will give, whether he wants to or not!”
New book is not easy, Old Gao has thin skin, but still begging for monthly tickets and tips!
