Chapter 123: On Cats and Mice

Huan Qian now held Dao Sheng’s profound erudition in high regard. As a disciple of the venerable Master Huiyuan of Donglin Temple on Mount Lu, Dao Sheng had indeed read extensively. He had always been gifted with a photographic memory; though he was devoted to the Buddha, he had never once ceased his studies over the many years. He had only joined the military expedition this time because the Huan clan had insisted so fervently that he found it impossible to refuse.

It was a well-known fact throughout the realm that the influence of eminent Buddhist monks among the common people could not be ignored. A single high monk could sometimes wield more power than a hundred thousand elite soldiers. Huan Xuan, who held sway over Jingzhou, governed the region where Mount Lu was situated. With his sights set on imperial hegemony, Huan Xuan understood that securing the support of Master Huiyuan would make his path to power far smoother.

Regrettably, Master Huiyuan had rejected Huan Xuan’s invitations, citing his vow that as a servant of the Buddha, he would never descend from Mount Lu. When Huan Xuan sent emissaries once more to press the matter, the Master, unable to decline again, sent his disciple Dao Sheng in his stead. Although Dao Sheng was merely a disciple, he was an exceptional monk in his own right, which satisfied the Huan clan. Even Huan Qian treated him with the utmost respect. Riding on horseback, Huan Qian cupped his hands in a salute and said, "Master, your mastery of the Dharma has truly opened the eyes of us mere mortals. Conversing with you has been of great benefit."

Dao Sheng, naturally humble, smiled and demurred.

"With you accompanying the army, Master, I shall be able to listen to your teachings before the battle. With the blessing of your Dharma, our forces will surely achieve a sweeping victory."

Dao Sheng could not agree with this line of reasoning. In his heart, he knew that while the Dharma was vast and boundless, it did not guarantee victory in war. If it did, the Yao Qin state, which favored Buddhism even more, would be equally blessed—so who would prevail then? In truth, the barbarians north of the Yangtze revered Buddhism far more than the Southern dynasties. Even Fu Jian in his time had promoted Buddhism throughout his entire nation, gathering countless famous monks in Chang'an. If the Dharma alone could ensure victory, why had Fu Jian perished at the Battle of Feishui?

However, Dao Sheng had no intention of debating this point. He steered the conversation elsewhere: "The barbarians possess a massive army of hundreds of thousands, a force like tigers and wolves. How does the General intend to break the enemy?"

Though Huan Qian was a scion of an aristocratic family, the Huan clan had dominated the political scene for years, and its descendants were never mere ornamental cushions. Huan Qian had long since devised a plan. He pondered for a moment before replying, "The barbarians are powerful; it is unwise to attack them head-on."

Seeing that Huan Qian had more to say, Dao Sheng remained silent, waiting for him to continue. Although Jingzhou and the Shu region were as closely linked as lips and teeth, necessitating military intervention for the sake of self-interest, the Huan clan’s stance was that they would not dispatch troops for nothing; profit was their primary objective. Huan Qian knew this well, so he had a strategy to defeat the enemy without losing his own men. "Though the barbarians have many troops, they are currently deep in hostile territory to cross the Bashan Mountains quickly, making their supply lines vulnerable. We can station ourselves along the Bashan range and cut off their grain supply. They will fall into chaos without a fight."

Though Dao Sheng was deep in the Dharma, he knew nothing of military strategy. He had assumed that even if Huan Qian were a capable commander, a campaign to rescue Shu with one hundred thousand men would inevitably be a bloody struggle. Yet, hearing this strategy of winning without drawing a sword, his eyes lit up. "A brilliant plan, General. The northern region of Shu is rugged and mountainous, making supply difficult. By moving north along the Bashan range and cutting their grain lines, the enemy will surely panic. Once their supplies fail and their morale crumbles, we can encircle and annihilate them."

To his surprise, Huan Qian shook his head. "Master, you are only half right."

"Oh?" Dao Sheng was puzzled. "Then what is your strategy?"

Huan Qian laughed. "The first half you mentioned is correct: the northern terrain is treacherous, and by cutting their grain supply, they will certainly fall into chaos."

"And then?" Dao Sheng pressed.

"And then? The plan is complete at that point. Why would there be an 'and then'?"

"Is cutting the supply lines all there is?" Dao Sheng was even more confused. Even as a monk, he knew that cutting supply lines was merely a prerequisite for destroying the enemy's strength. "If you attack while they are in chaos, they will have nowhere to flee. But if you only cut their supplies, they will surely fight to break through. If they escape past the Bashan Mountains, wouldn't that leave endless future troubles?"

Huan Qian chuckled. "It goes further than that. I will leave a gap in the Bashan line to allow the barbarians to retreat north. The Shu forces might pursue them, but that will have nothing to do with our Jingzhou troops."

Dao Sheng, a high monk, did not understand political intrigue. "General, since you have sent troops to aid Shu, why not see it through to the end to eliminate the threat once and for all?"

Huan Qian countered with a question: "If there were no more mice in the world, what use would there be for a cat?"

Dao Sheng was stunned.

"As the saying goes, 'When the birds are gone, the bow is put away; when the crafty rabbits are caught, the hunting dog is cooked,'" Huan Qian explained. "It is the same with cats and mice. If there were no more mice, who would bother to feed a cat?"

Dao Sheng began to grasp his meaning. "You mean..."

"If the pressure from the northern barbarians were removed from Shu, how could our Huan clan expand our influence there?" Huan Qian asked with a smile. "Master, do you know why our clan has been able to hold Jingzhou for decades without falling?"

Dao Sheng shook his head. Huan Qian explained, "The only reason we can dominate Jingzhou is because of the barbarian threat north of the Yangtze. If there were no barbarians, why would the imperial court need our strong army in Jingzhou? How could our clan have grown as powerful as it is today?"

At these words, everything became clear to Dao Sheng.

"So, sometimes, destroying the enemy is actually cutting off one's own foundation. Conversely, keeping the enemy alive preserves one’s own importance, allowing our influence in Jingzhou to grow."

Though Dao Sheng was deep in the Dharma, he realized that when it came to political maneuvering, he was far inferior to Huan Qian—and if he could not compare to Huan Qian, he was certainly no match for Huan Xuan.

Huan Qian smiled. "Before we even set out to resist the barbarians, my clansman Huan Heng had already entered Shu with an embassy. As long as the northern threat remains, our clan will inevitably infiltrate the region, and the future of Shu will surely remain in our hands."

*They say the Huan clan has been biding its time with grand ambitions,* Dao Sheng thought, *and it seems their mastery of political stratagem is indeed profound.*

***

At that moment, the Yao Qin army was still being toyed with by Du Ximing along the banks of the Jian River.

Yao Shuode had intended to ambush the reinforcements heading to Pingwu, but he had not expected the enemy to anticipate his intentions and engage in a war of attrition within the rugged mountains of Shu. Although Du Ximing had few men—only five thousand new recruits from Jiankang and ten thousand recently conscripted refugees—he was an adept commander who knew the art of war. He fought and retreated, engaging the Yao Qin army in guerrilla warfare. Despite their superior numbers, the Yao Qin forces could not surround or annihilate them.

Yao Shuode was arguably the most brilliant military strategist of the Yao Qin state—a reputation well-earned. Amidst the chaos of the north, with various regimes constantly clashing, the current power of Yao Qin owed much to his years of campaigning. He had rendered countless meritorious services.

Yet, even the most formidable man can be blinded. He had failed to realize at the outset that the troops along the Jian River were merely a feint by Du Ximing.

Though Du Ximing only had fifteen thousand men, he ordered that the number of cooking fires be multiplied several times over, and frequently commanded his soldiers to stir up clouds of dust in the mountains, creating the illusion of a massive army maneuvering. He also split his forces to hide in the peaks, drumming loudly at night to ensure the Yao Qin soldiers could not sleep, fearing a raid at any moment.

For days, Yao Shuode had no opportunity to engage the Jin forces directly. Unable to discern their true strength and fearing a trap, he dared not advance recklessly, opting instead to hold his ground.

It was not until Lü Hao fled in defeat from before the walls of Pingwu and reunited with the main army that Yao Shuode realized he had been tricked.

Lü Hao confessed his defeat and asked for punishment. Since Yao Shuode himself had unwittingly fallen for the Jin ruse, he could not blame Lü Hao. "The Southerners are truly cunning," he growled in anger.

He did not realize that the art of war is the art of deception; those he had defeated in the past had surely called him just as cunning.

Though his losses were not great—only a portion of the troops under the General of the Front, Lü Hao—Yao Shuode, who had been invincible for years, had never suffered such a silent humiliation. He vowed in his heart to wash away this shame.

Before Yao Shuode could issue an order, his strategist finally spoke: "General, please calm your anger. We are deep in hostile territory, and the roads through the Bashan Mountains are treacherous. If our grain supply were to be cut..."

The strategist did not finish, but the implication was clear. Even Yao Shuode felt a chill.

As a seasoned commander, he put himself in the enemy’s shoes. With the siege of Pingwu lifted, and an army of thirty thousand deep in enemy territory separated by the natural barrier of the Bashan Mountains, the enemy would surely cut his supply lines to win without a fight.

Yao Shuode was shaken, but he could not swallow the humiliation of being played like a child. "The Art of War says," he mused, "'A wise general sees to it that his troops feed on the enemy. One bushel of the enemy's grain is worth twenty of our own.' Our army has suffered no significant losses. If we retreat now, will we not lose our edge? If the enemy wants to cut my supply lines, why not turn the tables and feed on the enemy?"

This passage from *The Art of War* advocated for sustaining the army by seizing provisions from the enemy. In war, logistics were paramount, and many famous historical campaigns had been lost due to supply failures.

Seeing that Yao Shuode had made up his mind, the strategist asked, "General, do you intend to attack Pingwu?"

Yao Shuode shook his head. "The enemy has just lifted the siege; they will be heavily fortified. Attacking Pingwu would be a waste. Our army consists mostly of cavalry; we should force the Jin army to fight us in the plains."

The strategist smiled bitterly. "With a walled city to defend, why would the enemy abandon their high ground to fight us on the plains?"

"The Art of War says, 'Attack where they are unprepared,'" Yao Shuode smiled. "And it also says, 'If I wish to fight, the enemy, even if protected by high walls and deep moats, will be forced to fight if I attack what they must save.'"

"And what does the General intend to attack?"

Yao Shuode spread out a map, pointed to a single location, and said with iron resolve: "Chengdu!"