Chapter 58: Capturing Luling
Gan Ning ordered Wang Ping and Sima Yang Xuan to lead four thousand troops into Luling Commandery, while transporting fifty thousand shi of grain by ship, mainly to provide relief to the disaster victims and appease the citizens of Luling Commandery.
Tong Zhi had been rampaging through Luling Commandery everywhere with his soldiers, plundering money and grain, making life unbearable for the people of Luling Commandery, and the populace had long been boiling with resentment. Gan Ning’s army not only annihilated Tong Zhi, but also committed no offenses during the autumn harvest, while providing relief to the impoverished citizens, bringing great joy to Luling Commandery.
Even more importantly, Gan Ning’s army was a Han army, replacing the Shanyue people’s Tong Zhi army. For the Han gentry and citizens of Luling Commandery, this meant the world had completely changed.
Gan Ning also announced a two-year tax exemption for Luling Commandery, allowing the citizens to recuperate, which won even greater popular support.
Gan Ning did not plan to garrison a large number of troops in Luling Commandery, only stationing one thousand troops each in Luling County and Gan County. This was also related to the terrain of Luling County: to the east was the Wuyi Mountains, to the west the Luoxiao Mountains, to the south Dayu Ridge, and further northwest the Nine Ridges, Xiu Ridge, and Mufu Mountain. Layer upon layer of great mountains separated Changsha Commandery and Luling Commandery.
The significance of the garrison in Luling was mainly to guard against the Shanyue people. In fact, the Luling area had fierce folk customs. Han people and Shanyue people had deep contradictions in contending for living space, and the gentry in every county had organized militia groups to deal with Shanyue raids coming down from the mountains.
Winning the support and recognition of the great clans and gentry families in Luling Commandery was easy: just stand on their side and deal with the Shanyue people together. Having this attitude was enough.
Gan Ning distributed the captured three thousand sets of armor to the militia groups in each county, enhancing their defensive capabilities, and at the same time ordered the county chiefs and officials of each county to come to Nanchang to see him.
At this moment, Lu Su arrived from Chaisang, bringing Gan Ning the news that Sun Ce had been assassinated.
In the official residence, Gan Ning was silent for a long time. In history, Sun Ce was assassinated while hunting, which should have been around March or April, but since it was also Xu Gong’s retainers who did the assassination, it meant the assassins were the same group; they just chose a different time.
It should be that his own arrow prompted Sun Ce to drill troops in Jingkou ahead of schedule. He was not planning to launch the Northern Expedition, but to come annihilate him. However, the group behind the assassination misunderstood, thinking he was going to launch the Northern Expedition, so they acted against him early.
Gan Ning truly did not know how much Three Kingdoms history his butterfly wings would affect.
After a moment of silence, Gan Ning slowly said, “We must send someone to Wu County to mourn Sun Ce. We cannot neglect the rites!”
Lu Su said apologetically, “This subordinate has already had Lou Fa represent the Lord to mourn in Wu County. Please forgive this subordinate for acting on his own.”
Gan Ning waved his hand to indicate it was no concern, and asked again, “Can you tell me the detailed circumstances of Sun Ce’s assassination?”
“Our scouts do not know much either!”
Lu Su then gave a general account of the incident where Sun Ce was assassinated at Bei Gu Mountain, and asked, “What does the Lord think of who assassinated Sun Ce?”
Gan Ning pondered for a moment and said, “Actually, the answer is already on the table. The day after Sun Ce was assassinated, Sun Ben led five thousand troops to rush to Jingkou, clearly to seize military power. How did he know Sun Ce had been assassinated? There is only one explanation: he knew and participated in the plan. It is very likely the assassin was sent by him; only he would know if the assassination succeeded!”
“He explained that he was coming to request troops to Yuzhang to rescue Sun Fu, and happened to encounter Sun Ce’s assassination!”
Gan Ning sneered, “How can there be so many coincidences in the world?”
Lu Su nodded and said, “He would not be so foolish as to let himself be caught with evidence; he had considered it thoroughly. He also said that upon hearing the Marquis of Wu had been assassinated, he was greatly anxious, thinking it was a mutiny, so he hurried along the way. At the funeral, he swore solemnly to thoroughly investigate the assassin behind the scenes. Sun Ben even accused the Lord of having suspicions of harboring assassins, on the grounds that the Lord had once assassinated Yuan Shu, setting a precedent!”
To think he accused his own murderer—Gan Ning dismissed it with contempt. It was nothing but the thief crying thief!
Gan Ning snorted coldly and asked again, “What did Sun Quan, Zhou Yu, and Zhang Zhao say?”
“They did not mention the assassin, only demanding internal unity and stability. I estimate they have serious divisions internally and cannot form a unified opinion. Sun Ben accusing the Lord represents only his personal view.”
At this point, Lu Su continued, “Not only did the Lord capture Sun Ben’s brother, but he also seized his more than ten thousand elite army. It is normal for Sun Ben to hate us, but Jiangdong will not act on emotion. For at least the next two years, Sun Quan will focus on internal affairs to secure his position as Marquis of Wu. We will not face threats from Jiangdong in the next two years. Our main threat is still Huang Zu.”
Gan Ning nodded slowly, “I am now considering one issue: our capital—or tentatively call it the administrative seat. Should it be placed in Chaisang or Nanchang? I want to hear your opinion, sir.”
Lu Su smiled faintly, “The capital has never been unchanging; it adjusts according to needs. If we are currently in a defensive state, I would suggest the Lord move the capital to Nanchang. Conversely, if we enter an offensive state, moving the capital to Chaisang would be more appropriate.”
“Your meaning is to place the capital in Nanchang first?”
Lu Su nodded, “Nanchang is the center of Yuzhang Commandery. To gain the support of the great clans and famous families of Yuzhang Commandery, the seat of government must first be placed in Nanchang. Second, the Lord needs to stabilize Luling Commandery, and Nanchang’s central location is more suitable; Chaisang is too remote. Third, not only to prevent raids by Huang Zu, but also to defend against Liu Xin’s eastern invasion of Yuzhang. Fourth, and most crucially, Yuzhang Commandery has deep foundations, fertile land, and a population exceeding the combined total of Wu Commandery and Danyang Commandery. Since the Lord has obtained Yuzhang Commandery, he must strive diligently, accumulate strength and wait for the right moment, and rapidly grow strong in two or three years. At that time, whether Huang Zu, Sun Quan, or Liu Biao, we will have the strength to contend with them.”
Lu Su’s words finally resolved Gan Ning’s decision to move the capital to Nanchang.
At the same time, Lu Su recommended three talents to Gan Ning: one named Qi Ji, one named Qin Yi, and the other named Chang Nu.
All three had been subordinates of Yuan Shu and were brought to Chaisang by Gan Ning together. Qi Ji had served as County Magistrate of East City and had a good relationship with Lu Su. Gan Ning immediately appointed Qi Ji as Magistrate of Chaisang.
Qin Yi and Chang Nu were both military generals with average martial arts skills, but both were very adept at defending cities. When Cao Cao sent Cao Hong to receive the Son of Heaven, it was Chang Nu who held the advantageous terrain steadfastly, and Cao Hong could not attack successfully.
Of course, Lu Su recommended them with a guarantee of their character. Lu Su had observed them for a long time; all three had good character, were upright people, and absolutely not wicked. They had not fared well under Yuan Shu either.
Gan Ning immediately appointed Chang Nu and Qin Yi as Commandants, each commanding two thousand troops to guard Jianchang County and Yichun County. These two county towns were key nodes in defending against attacks from Changsha Commandery.
On the Ai County side, ever since Taishi Ci uprooted Liu Xin’s base, Liu Xin basically could no longer attack from Ai County, because coming from Changsha Commandery required crossing Mufu Mountain, making it impossible to transport grain and fodder supplies; they could only bring dry rations and light troops.
With Ai County as a base, Liu Xin’s army could stand firm and receive timely grain supplies when short on food. Now that the Ai County base has been uprooted, Liu Xin’s army would run out of grain upon arrival and could no longer stand firm. More importantly, with Zhang Ying gone from Haihun County, Liu Xin had no need to take the Ai County route anymore.
Liu Xin would next take the traditional route through Yichun and Pingxiang to attack Yuzhang Commandery. This route had an official road where supply carts could pass.
Therefore, establishing defenses at the two strategic points of Yichun County and Jianchang County was extremely necessary.
After deciding to move the capital to Nanchang County, Gan Ning immediately began large-scale transportation of money and grain supplies. On the Gan River, thousands of ships sailed majestically south, transporting money and grain supplies. On the great river, white sails dotted the water in formation, a magnificent sight.
Da Qiao, Xiao Qiao, and their mother Madam Yang arrived together in Nanchang County with the first batch of ships.
Madam Yang had also heard the news of Sun Ce’s assassination and secretly rejoiced in her choice. If she had taken her two daughters to Jiangdong and they had become Sun Ce’s concubines, they would now be widowed while he lived!
Staying in Chaisang was the right choice. Now Gan Ning was no longer just the Magistrate of Chaisang, but the Prefect of Yuzhang Commandery, and reportedly also Luling Commandery. This was extraordinary— a full-fledged prefect of two commanderies.
Madam Yang hoped Gan Ning would quickly marry her daughters and settle this marriage, whether as wives or concubines she did not care; the key was to quickly bear a son, and with mother relying on her son, their family’s status would be secure.
The mother and daughters boarded a carriage and headed toward the Prefect’s Residence.
