Chapter 112: Marching Out of Chengdu

As is well known, the Sichuan Plain is a basin surrounded by mountains on all sides. The vital town of Pingwu is located in the northwestern part of this plain, situated at the edge where the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau extends into the Sichuan Basin. At this moment, the vanguard of the Yao Qin cavalry had already crossed the mountains and reached the outskirts of Pingwu.

Pingwu is a small city, but due to its unique geography, it has always served as a strategic gateway on the fringes of Sichuan, holding the throat of the region; thus, it has always maintained a garrison. Naturally, because Sichuan has been plagued by incessant warfare for years, manpower is scarce. Even the commandery of Ba has only about ten thousand troops, with barely eight thousand being elite soldiers. Although Pingwu is a vital hub, it remains a small city, and its garrison is also limited to around ten thousand men.

Fortunately, the walls of Pingwu are sturdy, and the garrison commander, Sun Rubai, is an capable general. Long before the arrival of the barbarian cavalry, he had ordered all residents outside the walls to relocate into the city and had all civilian dwellings outside the city dismantled, promising the people they would be rebuilt in times of peace. The materials from these demolished houses provided extra timber and stone for the defense of Pingwu. Moreover, every extra hand meant extra strength; both soldiers and civilians within the city had sworn to fight the barbarians to the death.

The barbarians first arrived with fifty thousand troops, but because the soldiers and citizens in the city stood united, the fifty thousand were unable to capture it even after a prolonged siege. The terrain surrounding Pingwu is exceptionally complex, making it highly unfavorable for the barbarian cavalry to form up for a charge. Furthermore, since Pingwu refused to engage in open battle and relied solely on the city’s defenses, the barbarian cavalry found it quite troublesome to take the city and press on into the Sichuan Plain.

However, a small city like Pingwu could not stump the commander of the Yao Qin forces, Yao Shuode, who held the titles of Governor of Qinzhou and General Protector of the Eastern Qiang. The Fu Qin dynasty was once powerful, but it had long since vanished. Fu Jian himself was killed by his own general, Yao Chang, who then declared himself Emperor and named his state "Great Qin." To distinguish between the two, contemporaries referred to the Qin of Fu Jian as "Fu Qin" and the current one as "Yao Qin."

The Yao Qin had now passed through two rulers; after Yao Chang died, he passed the throne to Yao Xing, and this commander, Yao Shuode, was Yao Chang’s brother and Yao Xing’s uncle. He was also the most outstanding strategist of the Yao Qin. Much of the stability of the Yao Qin forces in the chaotic north was due to his tireless military campaigns and immense contributions. At this moment, he was in his command tent, studying the tactical map with his officers standing before him.

"How many troops are in the city?" Yao Shuode asked.

"Including soldiers and civilians, there are over ten thousand," replied a man dressed as a military advisor.

Yao Shuode was furious upon hearing this and said, "General Lu Hao has fifty thousand men, yet he cannot take a small city defended by only ten thousand?"

The officers dared not speak. After a long silence, the advisor continued, "The Southerners are cunning; they refuse to come out and fight, relying on the strength of their walls. Although General Lu is brave, he has no way to apply his strength. Furthermore, General Lu’s light cavalry crossed the high mountains and did not bring siege equipment, so he cannot be entirely blamed."

"Very well. Once my main force crosses the rugged mountains and reaches Pingwu, I will link up with General Lu and flatten the city," Yao Shuode mused for a moment before asking, "Why has the main army been moving so slowly these past few days?"

"Reporting to the General, the mountain paths are difficult to traverse, which is why our progress has been slow."

Yao Shuode looked down at the map again and suddenly said, "The high mountains here are generally higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast. The main peak of the Min Mountains, the highest point in the northwest, stands at the edge of the Sichuan Plain and is covered in snow year-round. If we move south from here, our main army will inevitably be slow. By the time we reach Pingwu, the Southern reinforcements will surely have arrived."

The officers nodded, and the advisor added, "Reporting to the General, we have received word that the Governor of Liangzhou in Sichuan has appointed a scholar to command one hundred thousand troops, and they are heading toward Pingwu within these few days. The terrain from Chengdu to Pingwu is flat; by comparison, they will certainly arrive before us."

A general nearby offered a suggestion: "If one hundred thousand reinforcements arrive, General Lu’s fifty thousand men will inevitably suffer. Should we order the vanguard to retreat and wait for the main force to link up before making further plans?"

Yao Shuode smiled faintly: "If we follow your plan, we might not fail to take Pingwu, but we would suffer heavy losses."

The advisor laughed: "I assume the General already has a brilliant plan?"

Yao Shuode looked at the advisor mysteriously and asked, "In your opinion, what should we do?"

"The mountains here run southward, but because the northwestern part is close to the plateau, the terrain is incredibly high, while it becomes lower as one goes southeast. In my opinion, we should order General Lu’s vanguard not to retreat, but also not to waste strength on attacking the city. Let the cavalry surround it without attacking, cutting off their water supply; it won’t be long before the city falls into chaos."

The advisor smiled and continued, "Meanwhile, the General should lead the main force, bypass Pingwu, and travel east along the mountain range. By avoiding the difficult paths, the marching speed will surely increase significantly. We can quickly cross the Ba Mountains from the lower southeastern terrain and lead the troops directly to the banks of the Jian River. The Southern reinforcements must pass through there to reach Pingwu. The General can set an ambush in advance and wipe them out completely."

"Great minds think alike! You truly understand me, sir!" Yao Shuode laughed.

"However, the General must march with great speed. In war, swiftness is of the essence. I fear the enemy general may also be anxious to advance. If we arrive at the Jian River only to find the Southern army has already reached Pingwu, all our efforts will be in vain."

Yao Shuode laughed heartily: "Sir, you worry too much. I heard that the Southerners have actually pinned the fate of Sichuan on a scholar. Isn't that ridiculous? How could a scholar understand the ruthless reality of the battlefield?"

The advisor nodded but still urged caution: "General, do not underestimate the enemy. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. The person leading the Southern troops is named Zhang Chi. I have heard that even the ever-victorious Northern Garrison Army once lost to his five thousand infantry with their eight thousand cavalry. This shows that this man is certainly extraordinary."

"Oh? Is that so?" Yao Shuode was truly startled by what the advisor said. "Rest assured, sir. Since you say so, I will immediately have someone send a message to the Governor of Liangzhou in Sichuan, ordering him to delay the Sichuan army in Chengdu for three days before marching to save Pingwu. As long as he can delay them for three days, we will surely arrive at the Jian River first, set our trap, and surround them on all sides. Even if he were a divine being, he would find no way to escape!"

...

Logically, there was no reason why this poisonous scheme of Yao Shuode's should fail, but Zhang Chi kept in mind the poem the monk Seng Dian had left for him.

*Warfare arises from nowhere; I drink and eat at the whim of fate, an idle old monk. The waves before the boat surge from beneath the hull; in the heart of the river, the mountains by the water are gathered. The three armies fly over Lingfeng Pass; ten thousand horses hang suspended at Jian River Bay. On that day, across thousands of miles of the Ba Mountains, the scholar was defeated at Liangzhou Pass.*

Zhang Chi had kept the last four lines particularly well in mind, so he was especially vigilant whenever these locations were discussed.

At this time, the troops from all the commanderies had gathered in Chengdu under Zhang Chi’s command, save for the forces of the Governor of Liangzhou and the troops from the various commanderies under his jurisdiction, which were delayed. Zhang Chi had sent people to urge them twice, but the Governor of Liangzhou only replied: "Manpower is insufficient; we are currently organizing. In three days, they will surely arrive."

In truth, Zhang Chi knew that as long as the Governor of Liangzhou issued an order, the troops from the commanderies under his control would arrive immediately. Moreover, with the forces already in the Governor's hands, it would be easy for him to provide twenty thousand men. Yet he kept stalling without explicitly refusing to send troops, only insisting on a three-day delay. What was his intention? Zhang Chi could not fathom it.

...

Military matters were not for Zhang Chi to worry about; the command and dispatching were handled by the capable generals Qin Bo and Du Ximing, and the strategy was managed by Ding Yizhi. As long as the troops were gathered, Zhang Chi did not need to interfere much, as these men had already devised various plans for him.

In fact, many were right: he was a scholar; how could he understand the complexities of military campaigns? But not knowing them did not mean he could not lead an army. Those who achieve great things do not necessarily have to do everything themselves; knowing people and putting them to good use is the key to success or failure.

Just like now, Zhang Chi stood by, idle, while these men began to discuss the details of the march.

Qin Bo spread the map of Sichuan on the table, with Du Ximing and Ding Yizhi on either side. Although Zhang Chi did not fully understand the technicalities, he leaned in to watch.

Qin Bo pointed to the map and said, "Here is Pingwu. The barbarian vanguard of over thirty thousand has already attacked it. Based on my experience, although Pingwu has sturdy walls, the enemy will inevitably surround it without attacking if they cannot take it, cutting off their water supply. At this rate, it can hold for at most ten days. We must relieve Pingwu within ten days, before the main barbarian force arrives. Otherwise, if Pingwu falls, we will have no other defenses to rely on."

"But if the Governor of Liangzhou’s troops are delayed, what shall we do?" Zhang Chi asked thoughtfully.

Du Ximing said decisively, "In war, speed is of the essence. If the Governor of Liangzhou’s troops do not arrive by tomorrow, we must march without them."

Zhang Chi nodded. Du Ximing’s experience in military operations was far greater than his own; since he said they must march, Zhang Chi had no objections.

Qin Bo continued to point at the map: "We will march from Chengdu tomorrow, go up along the Jian River, and reach Pingwu. I estimate that the first bloody battle with the barbarians will surely take place near Pingwu."

Qin Bo’s reasoning was sound, and everyone nodded. Only Zhang Chi felt a slight stir the moment he heard the words "Jian River."

Recalling carefully, he remembered the lines the monk Seng Dian had told him a few days ago: *"The three armies fly over Lingfeng Pass; ten thousand horses hang suspended at Jian River Bay. On that day, across thousands of miles of the Ba Mountains, the scholar was defeated at Liangzhou Pass."*

Could the "Jian River" in the poem be this very river? Was there some hidden mystery here? The poem mentioned a scholar being defeated at Liangzhou Pass; he was a scholar, so could the scholar in the poem be referring to him?

A faint sense of unease grew in Zhang Chi's heart.

Ding Yizhi, who was observant, saw Zhang Chi’s expression change and asked, "Is the Elder Brother thinking of something?"

Zhang Chi mused for a moment, then shook his head, smiled faintly, and said, "Nothing. I was just wondering if I could think of a better way to relieve Pingwu."

Qin Bo, assuming Zhang Chi was merely a scholar nervous about his first experience on the battlefield, laughed: "My lord, do not be anxious. With us here, and given that the people of Sichuan are familiar with the terrain—even without the Liangzhou troops, we have seventy or eighty thousand men—it will not be difficult to use the terrain to defeat a stronger enemy."

Zhang Chi did not speak, only thinking to himself: "I hope so."