Chapter 174: Recommending A Prefect
Three days later, Gan Ning arrived at Shu County. Arriving with Gan Ning were Huang Zhong and Xu Sheng with thirty thousand troops, as well as a thousand warships.
Surrounded by the generals, Gan Ning entered the command tent. He waved his hand, asking everyone to sit down.
Gan Ning smiled and said, “Everyone worked hard capturing Lujiang Commandery this time. Our next target is Jiujiang Commandery. I hope everyone will keep up the good work and use our strength to prove our power.”
Everyone rubbed their fists and palms, itching to immediately start attacking Jiujiang Commandery.
Gan Ning saw everyone’s excitement and smiled again, “First, let me pour a bucket of cold water on you. We are attacking Jiujiang Commandery not to occupy it, but to drive Sun Ben out of Danyang Commandery. This is the joint military agreement we signed with Jiangdong, so we will eventually abandon Jiujiang Commandery and return to Lujiang Commandery. Lujiang Commandery is our base.”
All the generals fell silent. Taishi Ci hated Sun Ben extremely and couldn’t help raising his hand, saying, “General, why not let Sun Ben and Sun Quan fight internally? When they have fought to a mutual defeat, wouldn’t it be better for us to reap the benefits like a fisherman?”
Although Taishi Ci had a point, Gan Ning felt that history had already been changed by him. Cao Cao might not wait until the Thirteenth Year of Jian’an to attack the south and was very likely to advance it. The most direct evidence was that Hua Xin had proposed restoring the Chancellor System in the Imperial Court. If nothing unexpected happened, by the end of this year or early next year, Cao Cao would be enfeoffed as Chancellor, something that originally happened in the twelfth year of Jian’an but was now happening in the eighth year of Jian’an.
Precisely because of this consideration, Gan Ning realized that if he destroyed Jiangdong, he wouldn’t be able to handle the Jiangnan group in a short time, and the two Suns might even join hands again against him.
Once Jiangdong couldn’t be dealt with in a short time and Cao Army marched south, there would be big trouble. So from the big picture, now was not the time to attack Jiangdong.
Gan Ning smiled and explained, “Sun Ben is a wedge that Cao Cao has inserted into Jiangnan. If Cao Army comes to kill and Sun Ben is still in Danyang Commandery, Cao Army can easily cross the river. Does everyone understand? How important it is to drive Sun Ben out of Jiangnan.”
Only then did everyone understand, and they all expressed that they would resolutely obey the military order. Taishi Ci also felt ashamed that he had considered the matter too simply.
Gan Ning smiled again, “Everyone rest well for a day. Tomorrow we will march on Jiujiang Commandery.”
The generals took their leave and withdrew. Gan Ning kept Xu Shu alone.
“Strategist, how should we reward the soldiers?” Gan Ning asked with a smile.
“After we captured Shu County, we found only thirty thousand guan in the official treasury.”
Gan Ning frowned, “Only thirty thousand guan? So little?”
“I later investigated and found that a large amount of money had been embezzled by Xu Qian, at least over one hundred thousand guan. General, rest assured, I will definitely dig out this money.”
Gan Ning nodded and asked again, “Thirty thousand guan is too little. Is there anything else to make up for it?”
“This subordinate also found sixty thousand bolts of cloth, so in the general’s name, I rewarded the officers and soldiers with the cloth and money together.”
This was more like it, equivalent to each soldier receiving a reward of three guan.
Gan Ning pondered for a moment and said, “I estimate the news hasn’t spread yet. We must strike immediately. I hope to capture Hefei County, so that our pressure on Cao Army will be greater.”
“The general said we march tomorrow. I think that’s about right.”
Gan Ning smiled again, “Regarding the prefect of Lujiang Commandery, does the strategist have a suitable candidate to recommend?”
Xu Shu pondered for a moment and said, “This subordinate thinks Wan County Magistrate Fan Fang can take the position.”
“Fan Fang as prefect of Lujiang Commandery— isn’t his seniority a bit shallow?”
Xu Shu smiled, “Fan Fang does have ability. He handles things very methodically, is generous to people, and has a good reputation in Wan County. This subordinate discovered long ago that he is an excellent official. Taking the position of prefect of Lujiang Commandery is just right for him. As for seniority, his is much higher than this subordinate’s at least.”
Gan Ning nodded, “Alright, I’ll consider it! Strategist, please rest early too. We depart at dawn tomorrow!”
Xu Shu took his leave and left. Gan Ning stood with hands behind his back in front of the map, deep in thought and silent. How to attack Jiujiang Commandery—he actually already had an idea: strike straight at Hefei, advancing simultaneously by water and land routes.
“May I ask if the general is resting?”
“Not yet! Does General Zhao have something?”
“Please relay it for me.”
Zhao Yun had come. Gan Ning smiled, “Zi Long, come in!”
Zhao Yun walked in quickly, bowed and saluted, “Greetings, General.”
“Is it to provide a good combat plan?”
Zhao Yun shook his head, “This subordinate is here regarding the prefect of Lujiang Commandery.”
Gan Ning waved his hand, “Let’s sit down and talk!”
The two sat down. Zhao Yun asked, “Has the general decided who to appoint as prefect of Lujiang Commandery?”
“Not yet decided. Does General Zhao have a candidate to recommend?”
Zhao Yun hesitated and said, “This subordinate wants to recommend Fan Fang for the position of prefect of Lujiang Commandery.”
“Why recommend him?” Gan Ning smiled, “You two have old ties!”
Zhao Yun shook his head hurriedly, “My recommendation of him has nothing to do with our friendship. I know he has ability and is upright as an official. Even Gongsun Zan praised him as an incorruptible man. When we went south, his family’s entire possessions were only a dozen guan, and their clothes were commoner garb. I always thought he wasn’t good at flattery, so he never got heavy use. I would feel derelict in my duty not to recommend such a talented and honest official to the general.”
Gan Ning nodded, “Actually, Xu Shu also recommended him. It seems he really has some ability. I understand. I will write a letter to Chief Clerk Jiang to send officials to Wan County to investigate. This consideration is confidential. Don’t notify him.”
Zhao Yun shook his head hurriedly, “This subordinate won’t!”
“That’s good. Zi Long, rest early!”
“This subordinate takes his leave!”
Zhao Yun saluted and exited the large tent. A smile bloomed on his face. Fan Fang had been sidelined for so many years and finally had a chance to rise.
The next morning, sixty thousand Yuzhang Army divided into two routes. One route was personally led by Gan Ning with Zhao Yun and Taishi Ci’s thirty thousand army taking the land route, traveling light and fast. The other route was led by Huang Zhong and Xu Sheng with a thousand warships taking the water route. The armies from both water and land routes went straight for Hefei County.
South of the Huai River, there were two strategic great cities. One was Xiangyang City, backed by the Jianghan Plains and guarding the strategic passage south. The other strategic great city was Hefei County.
Why was Hefei so important in the Three Kingdoms Period, with several major battles fought over it? The main reason was that the Jiangnan canal was severely silted, with narrow waterways that could only accommodate small boats of less than a thousand stone.
Therefore, to attack Jiangnan from the Central Plains and transport large amounts of grain and supplies, one either had to go via the Han River or via the Huai River through the Fei River to Hefei, then to Chao Lake, and finally via the Ruxu Water into the Yangtze River.
It could be said that Hefei was the critical node in the only large water transport passage connecting the eastern region to the Central Plains, with extremely important strategic status.
The sixty thousand army marched day and night, determined to capture Hefei City before Cao Army could react. There was another even more important reason: Sun Ben had placed his army guarding his capital Shouchun, so Hefei had few defenders, only three thousand men. They had to take Hefei before the enemy’s reinforcements arrived.
