Chapter 128: Seeking Strategy In Southern Jing
In the afternoon, the Yuzhang Army’s massive fleet arrived at Linxiang County. Huang Zhong personally went out of the city to greet them.
Gan Ning, surrounded by dozens of generals, came before Huang Zhong. Huang Zhong stepped forward two paces, knelt on one knee, cupped his fists, and said: “General Gan’s kindness is etched in Huang Zhong’s bones and heart. Graced by the general’s acceptance, Huang Zhong is willing to serve with utmost effort!”
Gan Ning hurriedly helped him up and laughed: “A thousand troops are easy to get, but one general is hard to find. Old General, with your great talent, Jingzhou’s failure to use you is their loss.”
Gan Ning then appointed Huang Zhong as the eighth colonel of the Yuzhang Army. Although Huang Zhong was a General of the Middle Army, he had clearly stated to Xu Shu that he would rather be a real colonel in the Yuzhang Army than a nominal General of the Middle Army in the Jingzhou Army for another dozen years, becoming a laughingstock for others.
Accompanied by Huang Zhong, Gan Ning entered Linxiang County, which meant they had formally captured Changsha Commandery. Gan Ning appointed Cui Jun as Prefect of Changsha Commandery. Cui Jun’s previous position as Prefectural Assistant of Wuchang Commandery was taken over by Zhuge Jin, and Xu Jing was appointed as Changsha Prefectural Assistant.
In accordance with the memorandum of understanding reached with Liu Biao, Gan Ning released Liu Cong and Cai Yan, as well as ten thousand prisoners of war.
The remaining prisoners of war were reorganized into the Yuzhang Army, including fifteen thousand navy prisoners of war from two battles, three thousand surrendered soldiers from Liling County, over seven thousand surrendered soldiers from Zhang Yi’s forces, plus Huang Zhong’s two thousand subordinates, totaling twenty-seven thousand men, reorganized into the Seventh Army and Eighth Army, led by Colonel Huang Zhong and Wei Yan.
At this point, the army under Gan Ning’s command had reached one hundred thousand men.
Gan Ning then ordered the recruitment of one hundred thousand laborers from Changsha Commandery to build Baqiu County, with Ding Feng’s Second Army stationed at Dongting Lake, and Wei Yan’s army taking over the defense of Wuchang Commandery.
Huang Zhong led the Eighth Army to continue stationed at Linxiang County, Taishi Ci’s army deployed to the south of Changsha Commandery, and Zhao Yun’s army deployed to the west of Changsha Commandery, continuing to drill troops intensively and preparing to launch the campaign to recover the other Jingnan Three Commanderies.
In the hall, Huang Zhong said to Gan Ning: “Prefect Zhang Xian of Changsha Commandery has long had a poor relationship with Liu Biao, but because Zhang Xian has deep seniority and great popular support, Liu Biao could do nothing about him.
Two years ago, Cao Cao, to tie down Liu Biao, pulled in Zhang Xian in the name of the Imperial Court. Zhang Xian started a rebellion, and the entire Changsha Commandery opposed Liu Biao. Liu Xin and I could not hold it, so we temporarily withdrew north. The other three commanderies looked to Zhang Xian as their leader and followed in rebellion.
Zhang Xian soon died of illness, and his son Zhang Yi proclaimed himself Prefect of Changsha Commandery. But many in the army did not agree with Zhang Yi as Prefect of Changsha Commandery; they hoped for Zhang Kan as Prefect of Changsha Commandery. To smoothly ascend to power, Zhang Yi poisoned Zhang Kan, which triggered internal chaos.
It was precisely because of the internal chaos in Changsha Commandery that we seized the opportunity to recover Linxiang County and drive Zhang Yi to the south. Even so, Changsha Commandery is still unstable. The county officials in each county were all appointed by Zhang Xian, and the local strongmen in each county could rise up to support Zhang Yi at any time. In reality, we have been in a standoff with Zhang Yi. In the end, my lord forcefully entered Changsha Commandery and wiped out both sides.”
Gan Ning pondered for a moment and said: “Zhang Yi refused to surrender and chose suicide. Will this trigger rebellions in various places?”
Huang Zhong smiled faintly: “It can only be said to have both advantages and disadvantages—advantageous for Changsha Commandery, disadvantageous for the Jingnan Three Commanderies.”
“How so?”
“My lord may not know that Zhang Yi did not care for the citizens and continuously squeezed them to support his army. The counties in southern Changsha Commandery were full of grievances; they did not support Zhang Yi but only reluctantly did so out of deference to his father Zhang Xian.
Now that Zhang Yi is dead, it is actually a relief for the counties in southern Changsha Commandery. At this time, if my lord takes the initiative to appease the counties and implement low taxes, he will surely gain the support of the counties in southern Changsha Commandery. That is the advantageous side.”
“And the disadvantageous side?”
“The disadvantageous side is the Jingnan Three Commanderies. Currently, the Jingnan Three Commanderies are controlled by Zhang Xian’s generals and subordinates: Zhao Fan in Guiyang Commandery, Liu Du in Lingling Commandery, and Jin Xuan in Wuling Commandery. Previously, Zhang Yi was the linchpin holding the three together. Now that Zhang Yi is dead, without restraint, they will act independently, occupy regions, and become three vassal lords. My lord will have to gnaw at these three hard bones one by one.”
“Do they need time to become vassal lords?” Gan Ning asked again.
Huang Zhong shook his head. “Actually not. Last year, they each replaced the prefects and raised their own armies, though nominally obeying Zhang Yi.”
“I see. Does General Huang know the troop strength of these three?”
Huang Zhong shook his head. “This subordinate is not very clear, my lord. The situation in Jingnan is very complex. Liu Biao was Governor of Jingzhou for over a dozen years and only managed to settle Changsha Commandery; he was unwilling to easily touch the other three commanderies. If my lord wants to understand the deeper situation, why not ask Xu Jing? He knows the Jingnan Three Commanderies and Jiaozhou very well.”
Xu Jing had also gone on this campaign with Gan Ning. His family had now been brought to Linxiang County, relieving Xu Jing’s worries about his rear, and he had been appointed as Changsha Prefectural Assistant by Gan Ning.
Gan Ning immediately sent someone to summon Xu Jing to learn about the situation in the Jingnan Three Commanderies.
Xu Jing had stayed in Jiaozhou for many years and was quite familiar with its situation. Later, he became Zhang Yi’s special envoy and made multiple visits to the Jingnan Three Commanderies, knowing them like the back of his hand.
Xu Jing bowed and smiled: “Actually, I chatted with Zijing earlier. I compared the Jingnan Four Commanderies and Jiaozhou to a chessboard with three players: the Imperial Court, Liu Biao, and Zhang Xian. The Imperial Court forces refer to Governor of Jiaozhou Zhang Jin, Prefect of Cangwu Commandery Shi Huang, and Prefect of Jiaozhi Commandery Shi Xie.
Liu Biao’s forces are mainly Prefect Wu Ju of Yulin Commandery, plus the later captured Changsha Commandery.
Then there is Zhang Xian’s forces, originally the Jingnan Four Commanderies. But after Zhang Xian’s death, his son Zhang Yi succeeded him and lost Changsha Commandery. The Jingnan Three Commanderies are also names without substance. When I went as envoy to the three commanderies, the prefects of the three commanderies were either out inspecting, fallen ill, or wining and dining well but avoiding substantive talks.”
“It is said that Governor of Jiaozhou Zhang Jin frequently attacked the Jingnan Four Commanderies?” Gan Ning asked.
“That was before. Later, after Zhang Xian controlled the Jingnan Four Commanderies, Zhang Jin stopped attacking them. Instead, the two formed an alliance to jointly oppose Liu Biao.”
Gan Ning nodded and asked again: “What about the troop strength of the other Jingnan Three Commanderies?”
“The three have troop strengths of around ten thousand each, but the Jingnan Three Commanderies differ from Changsha Commandery. Changsha Commandery, with its vast plains, is mainly Han People and easy to govern.
But the other Jingnan Three Commanderies are basically mountainous, with southern barbarians and Han People mixed. The southern barbarians do not submit to Han government offices; the barbarians are ruled by local chiefs who frequently ally to rebel. The occupiers are overwhelmed, and with difficult grain transport, once trapped, it’s hard to extricate. Zhao Fan, Liu Du, Jin Xuan, and others only control the main county towns; they cannot control other places and dare not touch them.”
Gan Ning smiled faintly: “Does the Prefectural Assistant mean that I should temporarily not attack the Jingnan Three Commanderies?”
“My lord can of course attack, but it’s best to prepare more fully, especially how to transport grain and supplies in. This subordinate has traveled there several times. The official roads seem passable for carts, but in reality, they are too bumpy; carts break down after just dozens of li and must be transported by horses and mules. Moreover, with slight carelessness, they are robbed by local barbarians. This subordinate was robbed every time, losing more than half of the supplies, money, and grain each time.”
“They do not welcome Han People?” Gan Ning asked again.
Xu Jing shook his head. “They welcome Han citizens. Han citizens do not invade them and bring advanced techniques; everyone gets along well. But the southern barbarians do not welcome government offices and armies—the offices levy their taxes, and the armies seize their bases.”
The conversations with Huang Zhong and Xu Jing gave Gan Ning a deeper understanding of the Jingnan Three Commanderies. He decided not to rush and appointed Xu Jing as his special envoy to appease the counties of Changsha Commandery on his behalf.
Gan Ning then led the army majestically back to Yuzhang Commandery along the Xiang River.
