Chapter 156: Appointment Controversy
The next day, Gan Ning formally announced the appointment of Pang Tong as Advisor to Military Affairs, serving as Deputy Strategist. This news sparked considerable controversy. Although Pang Tong was very famous in Jingzhou, many people believed he was merely a scholar with no actual combat experience, and it was inappropriate to use him as Deputy Strategist.
Even Strategist Lu was somewhat disapproving. In fact, Strategist Lu had long had a candidate in mind for Deputy Strategist, namely Zhuge Jin, whom Strategist Lu greatly admired.
“Wouldn’t Pang Tong lack a bit in seniority for the role of Deputy Strategist?” In the official residence, Strategist Lu asked tactfully.
Gan Ning smiled faintly and said, “Xu Shu was also just a scholar when he was appointed Deputy Strategist! Actually, seniority is not a big issue; the key is ability. Using the right person in each position is the way to employ people.”
“But… why does the general want Zhuge Jin to gain experience in the prefectures?”
Gan Ning understood Strategist Lu’s intentions and explained, “I am considering Zhuge Jin for the role of Sima in the future, supervising money and grain finances. I am having him gain experience in local prefectures for two years so he can understand the hardships of the common people and know that money and grain do not come easily.”
Pausing, Gan Ning continued, “I know the strategist wants Zhuge Jin as Deputy Strategist, but Zhuge Jin is not skilled in intelligence work. Based on my observations, he is better at financial management.
The reason I value Pang Tong so highly is indeed because he possesses strategies that are hard for ordinary people to match; he is exactly the talent I urgently need.”
Gan Ning then detailed to Strategist Lu the idea of the long-term plan that Pang Tong had devised the night before. Strategist Lu fell silent. In fact, Strategist Lu was mainly worried that Gan Ning wanted to build a Jingzhou faction, so he was not in favor. After hearing Gan Ning’s words, Strategist Lu realized he had been mistaken; the lord truly promoted only based on talent and had no other intentions.
Strategist Lu said somewhat ashamedly, “This subordinate’s thinking was narrow-minded. I will have a good talk with Pang Tong. Since the lord values him, we will make good use of him.”
Gan Ning nodded. “Regarding the establishment of the intelligence network, have Pang Tong write a report for me first, then formulate a plan, and finally implement it.”
“This subordinate understands!”
Strategist Lu gave a salute and withdrew.
Gan Ning pondered for a moment. In fact, he also realized that his arrangement for Zhuge Jin was somewhat unfair. Xu Shu and Pang Tong were appointed to high positions immediately upon arrival, while Zhuge Jin was sent to serve as an official in the counties, so everyone had objections in their hearts.
Gan Ning thought again and then issued an order: reappoint Huang Zhong as Jiangxia Defense Envoy, fully supervising Jiangxia military affairs, no longer serving as Prefect, and transfer Zhuge Jin to serve as Prefect of Jiangxia Commandery.
Just five days later, Strategist Lu delivered a report drafted by Pang Tong to Gan Ning. Strategist Lu was Pang Tong’s superior, so Pang Tong naturally could not bypass his superior to approach Gan Ning directly.
Gan Ning took the report, which had “Intelligence Briefing” written on the cover. Gan Ning slowly unrolled it, and the scroll was filled densely with small regular script, at least twenty to thirty thousand characters.
“Finished so quickly?” Gan Ning asked with a smile.
“This subordinate asked him the same thing. In fact, this is something he had long thought about. He has been traveling to various places since he was eighteen, observing and thinking, gradually forming his own set of ideas. This subordinate read it carefully, and it is truly excellent. Ordinary people could not write such high-level insights; even this subordinate feels inferior and apologizes to the general!”
“Apologize for what?”
“The general has keen eyes for talent, yet this subordinate is muddled and incompetent, even obstructing the general. This subordinate knows his mistake!”
Gan Ning said indifferently, “It was not unreasonable for the strategist to think that way. It was only after talking with Pang Tong that I discovered he truly has real talent and learning. If I had not spoken with him beforehand, I absolutely would not have appointed him as Deputy Strategist; at most, I would have had him serve as County Chief first to gain experience for a few years.”
Strategist Lu sighed inwardly, bid farewell, and withdrew.
Gan Ning then carefully read Pang Tong’s Intelligence Briefing. The report first discussed the importance of intelligence, then detailed the methods for obtaining important intelligence, such as a sudden sharp rise in grain prices in the market, which was very likely the army stockpiling grain; or common medicinal materials in the market, especially those for treating wounds, suddenly being cut off, which was also likely a sign of the army stockpiling medicinal materials to prepare for launching war; also mentioning soldiers being generally given leave, opening a restaurant near the barracks, and arranging eavesdropping in the private rooms frequented by officers, and so on.
In fact, Gan Ning knew all these things, but it was the first time someone had systematically written them out and analyzed them in detail, which was truly rare and valuable.
At this time, Ma Liang reported from the doorway, “Strategist Pang has arrived!”
“Invite him in!”
Soon, Pang Tong hurriedly entered the official residence and bowed in salute. “Greetings, General!”
Gan Ning smiled and said, “I have read your Intelligence Briefing; it is very good. Strategist Lu also praises it endlessly. Next, you need to submit a specific plan and funding requirements. For personnel, I will have Strategist Lu arrange it. You write the plan, and finally, I need you to train new intelligence scouts.”
“This subordinate understands, but this subordinate heard that the general already had quite a few intelligence scouts before.”
Gan Ning nodded. “There is an intelligence camp, but the numbers are not large, less than two hundred people. Later, I will arrange for two leaders of the intelligence scouts to meet with the strategist: one is Wei Kan, the other is Xi Ping. They count as your subordinates. Have a good talk, and I hope you can thoroughly understand the current situation and find our current shortcomings.”
“This subordinate understands!”
Time passed day by day. This morning, in a government office, more than three hundred intelligence scouts gathered together. Most of them were not soldiers; some were very old, there were middle-aged couples, young men and women. These people were almost all military households, originating from all over the world; their family members were all serving in the Yuzhang Army, so they were willing to become intelligence scouts to collect intelligence for the Yuzhang Army.
Pang Tong smilingly invited everyone to sit, raised his voice and said, “I am Pang Tong, Deputy Strategist of the Yuzhang Army, supervising intelligence. Starting today, I will give everyone a ten-day lecture. I hope everyone will listen attentively, ask questions and speak up enthusiastically. First, I will explain a few principles to everyone; keep them clear in your minds, as they concern your safety.”
Pang Tong looked around at everyone and slowly said, “First, you are intelligence scouts, not scouts. Scouts take risks on the battlefield to collect enemy army intelligence, but you are not. The intelligence scouts I require do not need to take risks at all; there is no need for you to bribe enemy high officials or buy off their officials—none of that. You collect things that local people know, like ordinary citizens, but they must be based on real facts, not your own imagination. Of course, it is not just casually collecting intelligence on the lives of the marketplace and common people; it must be targeted. I will teach you what intelligence to collect and how to transmit the news.”
Everyone listened with full attention, afraid to miss a single word from Pang Tong.
In the blink of an eye, the two-month deadline given by Jiangdong had passed. Gan Ning’s side had neither corrected the errors nor offered an apology to Jiangdong, not even giving any explanation.
Jiangdong had already spoken fully and could not back down. Sun Quan had no choice but to issue this year’s third Marquis of Wu order, announcing the abolition of the Gan-Sun alliance agreement signed with Gan Ning.
Of course, Sun Quan still retained a shred of reason and did not declare Gan Ning an enemy of Jiangdong. Relations between the two states were not purely black and white, but more of a gray relationship—not hostile, but not allied either.
