Chapter 186: Qualitative Change, Quantitative Change
In the first year of the Tian You Calendar, after Hao State was suppressed by strong powers internally, it entered an expansion phase.
Under Zhao Cheng’s aggressive advances, the declining momentum of losing the Yanbo Regions was halted. After Zhao Cheng’s campaigns in the south and north, Hao State now possesses Yuhuazhou, Xingzhou, half of Yongzhou, Qu Wo, and parts of Heluo key areas; the Hao Army under Zhao Cheng once again has the momentum to sweep under heaven.
Meanwhile under heaven, some capable people who sensed that Da Yao had lost Heaven’s Mandate, upon hearing that the one in charge in Hao State now is Zhao Cheng this Yao Person, all came to pledge allegiance one after another.
This wave of allegiance provided talent for Zhao Cheng’s governance, and also offered various strategies. But not every plan is wise.
In the grand hall, Zhao Cheng planned to strike Xia Prefecture first; one of his advisors under him at this time had different ideas about Zhao Cheng’s battle strategy!
In the hall, this Liu Baiyuan: “General, why do we not attack the west now? I am willing to lead troops into Yongzhou and seize Chang County! At this time Wu Family is troubled by internal chaos and will surely struggle to rescue; our army seals off the northbound roads from Zhenzhou, then we can glare eastward at Da Yao’s western counties.”
Zhao Cheng looked at this advisor wrapped in brocade robe hiding internal rot, and asked: “You think our army should fight a battle with Wu Family in Yongzhou?”
Zhao Cheng knew clearly that this Liu Baiyuan was influenced by his clan’s younger relative. This relative, after Wangheng Sect’s mountain gate was shattered, wanted to give Wu Family a “heaven’s cycle retribution unrelenting.” If he did not respond to this approach, it would hurt the hearts of those who pledged allegiance.
At this moment, Zhao Cheng did not want to have such a great decisive battle with “Wu Fei” on Yongshui.
The food and grass from Chong Land northward is now supplied via train. There is no disadvantage in transporting food and grass north; moreover, according to Wu Fei’s troop use, it will definitely be defense-oriented, using small troops to contain him, then large corps flank from the side and rear with surprise attacks.
Zhao Cheng sensed that Wu Fei is now just waiting for him.
Even after hearing that Wu Fei had mobilized most of the Southern Route Army to the north, he felt a trace of helplessness: “I’m in the east, you’re also in the east, I go west, you’re also in the west? Times? Fate? (Translation: how come it’s still you here)”
Wu Family cannot be fought now; Zhao Cheng’s current strategy is: “Expand first. In the north, northeast, south and other multiple directions, strategically surround Wu Fei’s territory. Once everything stabilizes, leverage the momentum of most of under heaven, multi-route advance, and conduct multi-front decisive battle with Wu Fei in a Mount Tai crushing stance.”
After Liu Baiyuan sat down, Zhao Cheng looked at the warriors clad in armor and slowly said: “Yongzhou now is just a minor itch; we now need to quickly settle Xia Prefecture west of Heluo. As for Zhenzhou there, I must send someone to write a letter for truce with him.”
“General must not!” Immediately two generals came forward to advise.
Hearing dissenting opinion again, Zhao Cheng’s palm slightly clenched, but his expression unchanged.
After being “admonished,” Zhao Cheng understood this was a new round of factions inconsistent with him on the imperial court. Because the factions concentrating troops in Yongzhou had another purpose: heavy troops near Hao Capital’s current core area. This facilitates Hao State’s Hao Ministers on the Haoguo Imperial Court to seize power through devising rewards and punishments. New Hao King is already a mascot, but there are still many Hao Ministers, a centipede dies but does not stiffen.
Zhao Cheng said to the two: “You two are right, I indeed considered insufficiently.”
Then he issued military order, sending these two each with two thousand troops to garrison north bank of Yongshui.
However Zhao Cheng’s overall deployment unchanged, large troops still mobilizing toward Xia Prefecture.
…Chu River Han Boundary placing chess pieces…
Chong Land, Xuan Chong near east Hua water channel. Steamships one after another drop anchor and moor on the river channel. Ships on the river channel deploy divers, and divers enter underwater, drill through reefs with impact drills, place charge bags inside, and use water’s incompressibility to blast the reefs.
Xuan Chong’s current focus project is not only north-south trains, but also Chong Shui’s eastward shipping lanes one by one.
These shipping lanes in the current great contention under heaven, due to their existing numerous reefs, hinder ship transport; for this Xuan Chong’s solution: underwater blasting to blow up stones, then erect stone tablets at river channel spots to indicate water levels.
As underwater river channels continuously blasted, bursts of snow-white waves spread from water bottom to lake surface, then flow east. Mixed with some unlucky fish.
Xuan Chong cannot see underwater interface, River God watches these constructions, powerless.
After shipping lanes cleared one by one, Xuan Chong connects green lines on the map, these are future march key routes that can pass five thousand troops.
Zhao Cheng considering future strategic grand encirclement then multi-route strikes, how could Xuan Chong not consider multi-route strikes?
After blasting completed, grain ships pass on shipping lanes, steamships carry large numbers of laborers fleeing warfare from east all the way west.
Workshop clusters now greatly expanding recruitment, very short on people.
With one prefecture’s power fighting four or five prefectures! This was unthinkable decades ago, but what if in this one prefecture ten times the population can assemble?
Xuan Chong is carrying out industrialization. Spirit Wood transported from Southern Border continuously to Zhenzhou and Longyou, cooperating with iron smelting and forging industries to process into various vehicles! Now in Zhenzhou, mules and horses are quickly disappearing from main roads, shifting to numerous secondary roads.
In the next two to three years, Xuan Chong plans to have all official roads in Chong Land run on mechanical wheels.
What does this mean?
1: Means cost of transporting food and grass from countryside to cities drops sharply, Chong Land food and grass consumption en route low, stockpiles can increase at least twenty percent!
2: Feces in cities, and silt in ponds can be transported to countryside on larger scale, raising original per mu yield of three to four shi to around nine shi.
3: Zhenzhou’s large peat fuel can be transported to temporary depots; now produced simple steam engines can already replace cattle and horses for plowing! These steam engines have very high torque, compared to wooden ox and flowing horse reliant on spirit wood transmission, the plow blade can exert deeper force on land.
Chong Land now, in short one year added fields exceed twice the original fields.
That is to say, this year’s grain output alone will more than quadruple. Not to mention the few train lines and water channels opened, will save greatly on grain transport.
Xuan Chong wants to upgrade Chong Land from “one base” to “five bases.” Then rely on quality to beat surrounding circle of one-base two-base prefectures (game term, “base” is base level, higher base stronger base), attempting to resist Zhao Cheng’s future quantitative change with qualitative change in one corner under heaven!
At the dock, Xuan Chong receives intelligence mobilization, advisor comes and says: “My lord, Yongzhou military situation.”
Xuan Chong takes and looks, chuckles: “Just sending over four thousand troops huh.”
Xuan Chong can see Zhao Cheng fundamentally not planning to start fighting in Yongzhou. Then Xuan Chong asks about the incoming main general, deduces this should be Zhao Cheng’s operation to dismiss the west-advancing faction, i.e., Zhao Cheng not wanting big fight, but not ruling out these two hotheads rashly attacking in Yongzhou.
“How to make two fools make more mistakes?” Xuan Chong feels interest in fishing.
Obviously, if he fully mobilizes in south Yongzhou to respond, these two Yongzhou Hao Heaven generals will know difficulty and retreat.
And if he takes it too seriously, he himself gets dragged. But if he arranges just right, might these two big fish take initiative to attack?
Xuan Chong: Our main force cannot move now.
Xuan Chong knows he has thoroughly offended Da Yao’s many noble families, extremely hated by these noble family disciples. If he goes outside Chong Land control area, will encounter various inside-outside collusions! Fighting now in places far from Chen Prefecture, he does not hold advantage in “manpower harmony.”
So before Chong Land’s “era upgrade” completes, not planning major expansion in Yongzhou.
Yongzhou differs from Chong Land; Chong Land equivalent to having done one round of “rural reform.” Noble families and great clans all dismantled, while Yongzhou land still clan structure, once taken, cost to maintain occupation too high.
Yongzhou is a strategic buffer zone. Zhao Cheng can even release those opposing forces inside Hao State to entangle with Wu Family. While Xuan Chong ensures opponent cannot rush in one wave to Chongzhou core area.
Xuan Chong waves hand, “Focus on east instead, Xia Prefecture is great decisive battle place, we must prepare, receive fleeing commoners.”
…Wu Xiao Que: Let me see what opponent is doing?…
Tian You Calendar year 4 month 5, Xia Prefecture battle begins. Zhao Cheng’s arranged four-route armies mobilize, each route core combatants around two thousand, armies alternately enter Xia Prefecture, attack begins.
Chance to fully display Zhao Cheng’s troop skills is very rare. Thus in Zhenzhou’s general staff, Xuan Chong leads Wu Juwang, Wu Rui, Wu Zaixing etc. for analysis.
In this great war, Hao Army side, first to strike key point is a light cavalry troop; this troop infiltrates from west side roads, like threading needle pulling thread seizes ferry, surprise attacks grain station.
Then Zhao Cheng’s west route troops follow this line advance, his offensive speed very fast, destroys six counties in eight days.
Although Yao Army horses eliminated not many, but cuts off Zhenzhou side from getting Xia Prefecture news. Obviously Zhao Cheng now does not forget to guard against him.
Xuan Chong half a month later only learns numbers of Zhao Cheng’s three-route armies. Even some key military info, Xuan Chong half year later still unclear. Like each army’s “jade lions”, “giant figurines”; and “giant cannons”, “giant luan” such armaments info.
Xuan Chong cannot help but sigh, his own intelligence system already so perfect, yet Zhao Cheng can maintain war fog to this degree.
This means, even if Xuan Chong now wants to intervene in Xia Prefecture battle, faces huge information gaps.
June, Xuan Chong at non-commissioned officers organized staff meeting says: “Fighting Zhao Cheng cannot use single troop to infiltrate, because single troop infiltration might hit iron plate; once dragged, total annihilation. To fight him must overall press up, mobilize over one hundred thousand troops pasting on each frontline, to obtain comprehensive intel on all his troops.”
Because at staff meeting, it was our side non-commissioned officer Wu Zaixing who proposed dispatching a troop to cut Zhao Cheng’s nodes.
However this proposal vetoed by Xuan Chong, Xuan Chong at sand table to Wu Zaixing: “Information incomplete, how do you know opposite is his weakness, not ambush?”
Zhao Cheng’s current impression of Wu Fei is “watertight,” Wu Fei’s impression of Zhao Cheng is “unpredictable feints.”
Xuan Chong: This guy is top scheduling master, who can lead opponent troops spinning in circles, then strike rod into most fatal point.
…Both sides mutually write letters peaceful greetings…
Tian You Calendar year 4 month 6. As the only force able to check Zhao Cheng’s military group, Wu Family Army did not send large-scale troops to rescue, merely dispatched over thousand cavalry, enter Xia Prefecture battle area periphery, escort away several thousand households commoners.
This gives Da Yao scholar group chance to curse. All criticize Wu Family Army for receiving national grace for generations, yet at national calamity stands still with sinister intent.
Xuan Chong: These military laymen always carry a naive idea of “various military strategists dog-biting-dog as they imagine, finally mutual destruction” to view war.
He understands their thinking. If no dog-bite-dog plot between military strategists, how can these full-of-“talent” guys execute their chest’s wondrous schemes?
June, Xia Prefecture main city bitterly defended one month without reinforcements, city gates pried open by huge soldier figurines, Hao Army swarms in.
Zhao Cheng in camp receives news from Xia Prefecture periphery of Wu Family Army escorting commoners and Da Yao routed soldiers, nods: “Mm, he has always been watching us.”
Zhao Cheng greatly rewards whole army, those with merit grant nobility, seal food fiefs, Xia Prefecture river bend fertile lands all sealed.
After Xia Prefecture battle ends, Xuan Chong arranges personnel to take three small cities on Xia Prefecture west border, rather than seize, better say these three cities actively opened gates to pledge allegiance to Wu Fei.
Reason these three cities’ garrison generals surrender, actually two Yongzhou people inside played role. Before Hao Army great army comes to breach city, these two persuaded Xia Prefecture west garrison generals to sell favor on Wu Family side.
Xuan Chong grants qian hu title to his side’s, then migrates their families to Yongzhou, removes one unreliable; leaves the rest here. Grants armor, and mobilizes civilian laborers resources from Zhenzhou to repair city walls.
Zhao Cheng sent two fools to offend buffer zone in Yongzhou, Xuan Chong naturally must establish forward stations in Xia Prefecture land.
As for why not directly dispatch troops to replace these three cities’ troops now? Wu Fei now has no plan to smash large corps into Xia Prefecture, Xia Prefecture after several rounds warfare already looted empty, if enter even army living off land problem, let alone hook blood reward, fief enfeoffments.
Long-term defense also requires garrison generals’ heart and effort. Defending infiltration not hard, hard is defending like this day after day for decades. —Xuan Chong’s subordinate corps is army for siege and conquest, make them defend city, after months start slacking. Defense war must use troops and generals promoted from local. As for these Xia Prefecture generals, their families all here with him, Xuan Chong will make them localized.
…Generals need integration…
Two months later, view to Yongzhou. Xuan Chong brings two people from Xia Prefecture here. One surnamed Cai, one surnamed Heng, precisely these two who before those three Xia Prefecture cities breached, persuaded local garrison to pledge west.
Xuan Chong to the two: “Returning to homeland, what feeling?”
Two with cold sweat beading on foreheads, fear Wu Xiao Que will settle scores directly behead them, then “mercifully” bury in old home.
General Cai and General Heng originally followed Prince Bo west fleeing generals; after Emperor Shu personally expeditions to resolve Prince Bo, these two lead troops flee again, but did not surrender to Hao State. After Emperor Shu finally repelled by Zhao Cheng, then lead troops to pledge to Wu Hanluan. However not reused under Wu Hanluan, directly sent to Xia Prefecture. Then after Wu Hanluan incident, again pulled by Xia Prefecture local noble families, counts as third defection.
This resume indeed needs guarding against. But still must place in north to use, because these two in north enemy-occupied area still have connections.
Now Xuan Chong quite values these two surrendered generals, personally receives their families in Chen Prefecture, starts selecting their clan youths, pull into his personal soldiers team.
Clear-eyed people see, Wu Fei really wants to promote these two once-rebellious famed surrendered generals.
Of course Xuan Chong pulls one hair moves whole body, many people more anxious.
Yongzhou has Southern Merchant Su Dahe, sanctioned when Wu Hanluan greatly taxes. These years after Yongzhou Southern Merchants marginalized, he very urgent, far seeing in Chang County Wu Fei entertaining surrendered generals, immediately runs to Zhu Prefecture, calls over son idling as captain: Tomorrow, you go self-recommend to Military Master, proactively apply to garrison north.
Su Dahe’s son hears this, unwilling: “Dad, go there for what? Son unfamiliar with anything.”
Su Dahe: “Unfamiliar with anything, then learn. Not ashamed to ask, consult General Cai and General Heng.”
Son dismissive: “Who are these two?”
After learning these two are Wei Guan’s surrendered generals, still dismissive.
But words not finished, slapped awake by Su Dahe,
Su Dahe: “Thirty years east of river, thirty years west of river. Today you despise these two new attaches, tomorrow when Su Family falls, will be mocked by other families’ brats.”
Wu Family inside now has unspeakable situation, namely “Wu Family Army now north-south two routes” divergence problem, and Su Dahe precisely former investor in Wu Hengyu’s sponsor, he is Northern Army faction. Moreover still in Northern Army most distant from Wu Xiao Que water person.
When Wu Hengyu still there, faction where Su Family located already quite inflated, suppressed all pledged factions except Wu Family native faction.
Now Wu Hengyu already gone north, water and Zhu Prefecture’s eight thousand disciples also gone. Su Family as prior in Wu Family Army supporter of Prince Hengyu faction, now status very awkward.
Xuan Chong’s reputation ability too high, for stability not immediately liquidate Zhu faction. But this faction like stone in body, if not self-disappear, future definitely cut open.
Su Dahe sees, Wu Fei continuously promoting Zhenzhou faction, even valuing externally surrendered generals. All doing for old Northern Army folks like him to see.
If these self-proclaimed Wu Hengyu faction elders not recognize now they are current “stones,” persist one way, inevitably suppressed to disappear.
Su Dahe resolves to turn his family boat head. Wash off his regional color, embrace Wu Family’s new Military Master.
