Volume 3: Heroes Fade in a Silent Universe - 34: The Turning Point I

Liaodong lies north of the Great Wall and beyond the heavy passes. Its territory is embraced by mountains and encircled by rivers, possessing the strategic natural defense of mountains and rivers while bordering the vast expanse of the sea, making it truly a region of strategic importance. If analyzed closely, it can be further divided into three smaller areas.

First, the narrow corridor stretching along the coast of western Liaoxi, where Zhang Jujing and Shijiabao are stationed. With its back to the mountains and facing the sea, its terrain is perilous. It serves as the vital throat and passage connecting North China and Northeast China, and has historically been a fiercely contested battleground for military strategists. The factions of Sha and Liu have fought bitterly here for many days, and to this day, both sides remain evenly matched.

Second, the regions of Liao, Shen, and others, which look westward to Shangdu, gaze eastward toward Goryeo, connect northward to the various Mongol tribes, and link southward to western Liaoxi and eastern Liaozuo. This is truly the heartland of Liaodong. Whichever force secures this territory holds the upper hand purely in terms of the entire Liaodong region.

Third is Liaozuo, where the prefectures of Jin, Fu, and Gai are located. This region is surrounded by mountains and the sea, controlling the offshore islands while boasting fertile land and the profits of fisheries and salt. The Mongol-Yuan dynasty established several garrison farming commanderies within the Liaoyang Administrative Region, one of which was located right in Jin and Fu prefectures. As for Gaizhou, later commentators described it as "embracing the garrison city, with wells and dwellings lined up closely, known as a place of great wealth," treating it as the foundation of Liaodong, and the importance of its strategic position is self-evident.

What makes it even better is that, compared to the remote nature of Liaoxi and the heavily garrisoned, endlessly war-torn region of Lia沈, Liaozuo offers two major advantages: first, it is closer; second, there are fewer separatist forces. Once conquered and held, with the support of Pyongyang and Shandong, the pressure of defending it would not be great.

This is the defensive aspect. From an offensive perspective: conquering Liaozuo means, broadly speaking, stepping out of Goryeo, thereby gaining the foundation to contend for Lia沈 and reach into Liaoxi. Therefore, for Deng She, acquiring Liaozuo would be like adding wings to a tiger or a dragon flying into the abyss.

This is why, before officially launching the attack on Gaizhou, he needed to devise a plan beforehand with Chen Hu, willing to play the roles of Zhou Yu and Huang Gai, in order to win over public opinion. Since he was going to fight, he had no intention of holding back.

When he was studying in a private school as a child, his teacher said something that had always remained fresh in his memory. The teacher said, "Studying and learning are like rowing a boat upstream; if you do not advance, you recede." At first, he did not understand the meaning. Later, after receiving praise once, he became proud and lazy, and immediately suffered hand strikes the second time, leaving a deep impression.

Recalling the past, he smiled and said to Bi Qianniu, "People's ears grow on their backs; only after taking a beating will they remember clearly." Looking at the present, trying to survive in troubled times, isn't it the exact same principle? Guan Duo is suspicious everywhere, the twin cities are caught in the middle, and if he fails to exert himself, certain death lies right before his eyes.

As Deng She spoke, a smile remained on his face, but his eyes were filled with anxiety.

Bi Qianniu had long known that he labored with exhaustive efforts every day and had few happy days, and his heart could no longer bear it. To cheer him up, he changed the subject and said with a smile, "What the general just said reminds this humble servant of a joke."

"Oh?"

"General Wen serves as the garrison commander of Pyongyang. One day, a surrendered Goryeo official committed a wrongdoing. General Wen flew into a terrible rage and ordered him beaten. At that time, a hall meeting was in progress, and many officials were present. One of them stepped forward to intercede. As for General Wen's temper, the General already knows..."

"Mm." Deng She nodded. Although Wen Huaguo's temper could sometimes be hot-headed, he could distinguish right from wrong and generally listened to advice. Deng She asked, "Since someone intervened to stop it, presumably that Goryeo official escaped this beating?"

"The General is wrong. Not only did General Wen refuse to listen, but he also had the interceding official dragged down, stripped off their trousers right on the spot alongside the Goryeo official, and gave each of them twenty whip lashes."

Imposing corporal punishment and flogging in the court was a barbaric custom of the Mongols. Throughout the Yuan dynasty, emperors could cane ministers, and ministers could cane subordinates. Officials taking beatings in the imperial court were countless, and even prime ministers were no exception. After the beating, they would sit back down together to discuss matters; those who were beaten did not feel it was an insult to their refinement, and those who administered the beating did not feel they had done wrong. Bi Qianniu and Deng She had long been accustomed to this, so one spoke and the other listened without making a fuss.

Bi Qianniu continued, "Later, after the assembly adjourned, General Zhao Guo asked him, 'The mistake committed by that Goryeo official was not severe enough to warrant a public flogging on the spot. Why did the General refuse to listen to the intercession?' Implying his suspicion that General Wen simply disliked the Goryeo official and was using the opportunity to stir up trouble."

Deng She nodded. He had previously given instructions to Wen and Zhao that they must not discriminate against Goryeo officials. Zhao Guo's action was clearly a reminder to Wen Huaguo. He asked, "What did General Wen say?"

"General Wen had his own reasoning. He pointed at General Zhao and laughed heartily, saying, 'You fellow, you've always been smart, so how were you fooled by old man Wen today? Haven't you ever heard the saying that a new official taking office lights three fires? If you don't beat him, he won't fear you; if he doesn't fear you, how can this fire be lit?'"

Deng She smiled faintly. Wen Huaguo was, after all, a rough military man. When a new official takes office and lights three fires, why must it necessarily involve a beating? It was handled like a punishment stick to instill fear. He thought to himself, "Having military officers govern is ultimately inconvenient. I need to put more effort into seeking out scholars."

While he was lost in these thoughts, Bi Qianniu slapped his thigh and said, "General Zhao thought it strange: why must there be a beating? General, guess how General Wen replied?"

There was more? Curiosity piqued, Deng She asked, "What? What else did General Wen have to say?"

"General Wen said: A lord is a lord; if a lord doesn't beat people, can he still be called a lord?" He imitated Wen Huaguo's speech with vivid and lively intonations.

Deng She was dumbfounded. This reply was truly unexpected and beyond imagination, and he could not help but burst into laughter, pointing at Bi Qianniu as he said, "Did General Wen really say that? ...Haha, well done, Bi Qianniu, where on earth did you hear this?"

"There are endless amusing stories about General Wen, and they have long circulated throughout the army. It's just that the General has been busy with military affairs and hasn't heard them."

"A lord is a lord; if a lord doesn't beat people, can he still be called a lord?" Deng She repeated it twice, laughing so hard he leaned forward and back. "What a wonderful remark! My uncle Wen is truly an eccentric character."

As he laughed heartily, Bi Qianniu's mood lifted as well. While the two of them were laughing and talking, heavy footsteps sounded outside the great hall, and a man strode directly in. When Deng She looked closely, it was none other than Chen Hu. He had previously issued orders summoning the generals for a military council, and Chen Hu was the first to arrive.

For yesterday's bitter flesh ruse, Deng She had given him seventeen military杖. The soldiers carrying out the punishment were his own men, so there was no reason not to hold back; the beating was as light as a goose feather touching water, leaving not the slightest injury. Deng She hurriedly offered a seat himself and poured tea with his own hands. Chen Hu did not decline with excessive modesty either, bowing as he sat down, and asked, "What has made the General so happy?"

Bi Qianniu turned around and stuck out his tongue. Telling this joke seemed rather inappropriate at the moment. Chen Hu had just taken a beating, and yet his side was making the general roar with laughter; how could the person not ask? Deng She, however, did not mind. He shared years of deep affection with Wen and Chen, and each understood the other's heart. He immediately recounted Bi Qianniu's joke from beginning to end, drawing a relaxed smile from Chen Hu as well: "Second Brother Wen, as simple-minded and straightforward as he is, also has his own clever ways of thinking."

Relaxing for a few brief moments while outsiders had yet to arrive, Chen Hu composed his expression, brought the conversation back to the main topic, and said, "General Zhao Guo from Pyongyang will arrive shortly. Regarding the campaign against Gaizhou, does the General have a firm plan?"

Deng She did not answer immediately, asking first, "How is the morale and sentiment within the army?"

The moment Chen Hu heard this, he knew what Deng She was asking and stated bluntly, "This beating I took was not in vain. From last night until now, I have dispatched trusted soldiers to infiltrate various camps, and throughout the entire army, grievances are widespread. The words on Little Pan's blood-written letter have already spread into the camps of Xu Ren and Li Jing. Old Guan miscalculated this time, and the hearts of the people are entirely tied to our army. Once Gaizhou is conquered, the General will have nothing to worry about."

It remains the same old truth: he who leads with righteousness is king, and he who fights with justice is victorious. People are so strange; even the most vicious villains never forget to whitewash their actions with morality. Although names, titles, and moral justice are intangible—unseen and untouched—they often possess a greater lethality than real swords and spears.

Cao Cao held the Emperor to command the feudal lords, yet Cao Pi was the usurper of Han; the ambition of Sima Zhao was known to every passerby, yet Sima Yan was the usurper of Wei. With their power, claiming the throne would have been effortless, so why didn't they do it? When Chen Qun and others urged Cao Cao to claim the throne, Cao Cao replied, "If the mandate of Heaven rests with me, let me be King Wen of Zhou."

Being willing to act as King Wen of Zhou rather than King Wu of Zhou—why was that? Sun Quan once submitted a memorial acknowledging allegiance and also urged Cao Cao to take the throne. Cao Cao remarked, "Does this boy want to place me on a blazing stove?" From this sentence, one can catch a glimpse of the underlying reason: it was not that he did not desire it, but that the time was not yet ripe.

Only by seizing the moral high ground of legitimacy and justice, and having a righteous cause for battle, can one's momentum be like a rainbow and remain invincible through all endeavors. This is why, throughout history, whenever there has been war, a formal declaration has always accompanied it. The function of a declaration of war is to elevate oneself while disparaging the opponent, letting everyone in the world know that the adversary is guilty and deserves to die. Condemned by thousands, Chen Lin's declaration cured Cao Cao's headaches; Luo Binwang's declaration made Wu Zetian change color in agitation. Is this the power of words? No, this is the power of moral righteousness.

With the three armies united in purpose, we can now discuss military operations. Deng She gave the order to unfold the map. Having pondered this for a long time, he already had a firm resolve in his chest, yet he did not voice it immediately. Instead, he asked for Chen Hu's opinion: "Has Uncle Chen heard the intelligence brought back by the scouts from Gaizhou yesterday?"

Chen Hu nodded and said, "The scouts report that among the three prefectures of Liaozuo, inside Gaizhou there are three thousand soldiers and horses belonging to Gao Jianu, while outside there are nearly twenty thousand Japanese and rebel forces, surrounding Mao Jiujing's tens of thousands of men in the center. Mao Jiujing's current predicament is like a pearl inside a clam: camping in the open wilderness without any natural defenses to rely on, if he attacks the rebels, Gao Jianu will strike his rear; if he attacks Gaizhou, the rebels and the Japanese will strike his rear.

"Consequently, he finds himself caught in a dilemma between left and right. Although he has the heart to stake everything on a desperate breakthrough to reinforce Liaoyang, he fears suffering heavy casualties, or worse, falling into an ambush set by Nahachu, where he could be picked apart while trying to relieve besieged cities, leading to the total annihilation of his entire army. Therefore, ever since the rebellions of Left and Li and other factions, although there have been daily skirmishes between the two sides, the battles have not been large-scale. It can be said that neither side's strength has suffered too heavily yet."

"What is Uncle Chen's opinion?"

"If our army rashly joins the fray, pacifying the rebels and capturing Gaizhou would be simple, but Mao Jiujing's tens of thousands of troops would be difficult to handle. The General must guard against them throwing their weight around when the time comes, forcing us to march back to Liaoyang together with them."

What Chen Hu said hit right at the heart of Deng She's thoughts. Hong Jixun had said that the best strategy is none other than sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight. Everyone knows the logic, but as for how to watch, that is where hesitation arises. You must realize that once Zhao Guo's Pyongyang army arrives, everything will be ready, yet if you continuously delay sending out troops, how can you justify it?

Without needing to think, Zheng Sanbao, Fang Buzhen, and the others would inevitably make a great uproar, and once they did, it would be hard to explain. The advantage in public opinion that had just been gained would be in danger of being lost.

"Then how does Uncle Chen think our army should act?"

"Two methods. First, there is no need to urge Zhao Guo; he may march slowly. Second, tackle the easy tasks before the difficult ones."

Deng She's eyes lit up, and he struck the table in delight. The first method was negligible, but the second method was truly a brilliant strategy. The so-called tackling the easy tasks before the difficult ones was very simple. Among the three prefectures of Liaozuo, where did the difficulty lie? Gaizhou. Where did the ease lie? Jin and Fu prefectures.

Chen Hu spoke fluently: "Jin and Fu prefectures were previously occupied by the Japanese; now the Japanese forces have all left the cities, leaving their defenses empty. Men in our army like Chen Zhe have previously gone there for trade and know the true strength within those cities. If our main army arrives, taking the cities will be as easy as taking something out of one's pocket."

There is an even greater advantage: once Jin and Fu prefectures are taken, the parity between the enemy and us in Liaozuo will cease to exist. First of all, it is certain that the Japanese will be the most anxious; Gao Jianu and Mao Jiujing will not remain completely unresponsive either. To what extent the specific situation will develop, and whether these two fierce tigers will actually start fighting because of this, is hard to guess; but that we can sit safely on the mountain and watch is absolute.

Deng She clapped his hands and laughed heartily, looking out the hall at the shaded green trees where the bright morning sunlight reflected off the slate path. It was time for the appointed assembly of the generals. Zheng Sanbao, Fang Buzhen, Xu Ren, Li Jing, Yang Wanhu, He Guangxiu, and others arrived one after another.

When all the generals had gathered, Zheng Sanbao held the highest official rank and sat at the very front; directly opposite him was Chen Hu. Neither paid any attention to the other. Zheng Sanbao held his head high, gazing up at the ceiling; Chen Hu wore a cold expression, staring straight ahead.

Deng She acted as if he saw nothing and smiled. "The scouts sent to Gaizhou have already investigated the situation clearly. I've summoned everyone here today to discuss our next step and how our army should dispatch its forces."

The intention of sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight could not be stated explicitly, so Deng She had his own alternative rhetoric. After a brief opening of two or three sentences, he invited everyone to freely express their opinions.

Sure enough, before the opinions had even gone around the room once, two opposing viewpoints formed. Zheng Sanbao and Fang Buzhen demanded a definitive answer from Deng She: exactly when would Zhao Guo arrive?

"From Pyongyang to the Poso Inspection Office, there are numerous mountains and rivers along the way, and the roads are difficult to travel. A force of twenty thousand soldiers, transporting grain and baggage as well, will take at least seven or eight days even at the fastest pace. If Official Fang wants a definite answer, within ten days, they will surely arrive."

"Ten days? Nahachu's army has already reached the city walls of Liaoyang!..."

Chen Hu said coldly, "The city walls of Liaoyang are sturdy; defending them for ten days or half a month is not a problem at all."

"This subordinate simply cannot believe the General hasn't considered this—if Nahachu surrounds the city without attacking, and instead dispatches another army to join forces with the Left and Li rebels, what should be done about Gaizhou? ...Marshal Mao Jiujing has no natural defenses to rely on. Once subjected to a two-pronged attack, how can he possibly hold out?"

Deng She had, of course, considered this possibility; if things truly turned out that way, it would be even better. Remaining unhurried and composed, he said, "With our Pyongyang army stationed here like a fierce tiger peering from the sidelines, Nahachu will not resort to such an inferior strategy. I can assert that he will never divide his forces to support Gaizhou. If Liaoyang does not fall while Gaizhou plunges into chaos, wouldn't he simply be squandering a golden opportunity?"

Fang Buzhen was a mere literatus, and his military considerations fell far short of Deng She's. Pondering for a moment, although he felt what Deng She said had some reason, he was unwilling to let the matter drop easily and insisted, "If victories could be won simply by talking on paper, Zhao Kuo would not have suffered defeat at Changping. The General's speculation is merely the General's speculation; how Nahachu will actually act—since the General is not him, how could you know?"

Zheng Sanbao chimed in, "There are indeed mountains and rivers blocking the way from Pyongyang to this area, but there are no enemy hindrances in between, so grain and baggage can travel slowly and leisurely. Just the main force alone marching would take four or five days at most. ...Is the General stalling and making excuses because he harbors ulterior motives?"

He and Fang Buzhen had also heard the rumors circulating in the army and felt deeply uneasy. Fang Buzhen understood some strategy and could consider the overall situation, so he temporarily exercised forbearance and restrained his habit of snapping at people whenever he disagreed. Zheng Sanbao, however, lacked such restraint and directly questioned Deng She to his face.

Yang Wanhu grew displeased, spat on the ground, and said, "Even a bare-bottomed toddler knows the principle that provisions must precede the movement of troops and horses. What's this? Does General Zheng happen to have some lofty and unique insight? Going to war without sufficient provisions—if a mistake occurs, who takes the responsibility?"

He Guangxiu, agile in mind, immediately elevated the ideological stakes, twirled his two-pronged mustache, and chimed in, "Mistakes don't matter, and losing a few of our Pyongyang soldiers doesn't matter either. But what if we delay the relief of Gaizhou, delay the relief of Liaoyang, or delay the rescue of our Lord—who takes the responsibility?"

"You, you people! A mouth full of twisted logic and sheer nonsense!"

Deng She noticed that amidst the chaotic shouting in the hall, Xu Ren and Li Jing had remained silent throughout. A thought stirred in his heart, and he glanced at them. Xu Ren hurriedly looked away, while Li Jing wore a simple, honest expression and smiled at him.

Justice resides in the hearts of the people; Little Pan's fate and Deng She's ordeal struck a sympathetic chord within them. In the past, Guan Duo had not treated the two of them poorly, but neither of them was a fool—how could they fail to distinguish between genuine affection and hypocrisy, sincerity and mere utilization? Today Guan Duo could sell out Little Pan and suppress Deng She, but what about tomorrow? They were neither Mao Jiujing nor Zheng Sanbao, so they inevitably had their own private calculations.

Furthermore, with Liaoyang now appearing difficult to preserve and Liaodong facing a crisis, Deng She commanded strong men and mighty horses; not only was he fierce and skilled in battle, but he was also remarkably magnanimous. Rather than offending him for the sake of a Liaoyang whose fate remained uncertain, it was far better to honestly serve as a subordinate. If Deng She prevailed over Zheng Sanbao, they would listen to Deng She; if Zheng Sanbao prevailed over Deng She, they would listen to Zheng Sanbao. That way, regardless of Guan Duo's ultimate success or failure, both of them could stay out of the trouble.

From this point, one could once again perceive how the two of them differed from Hu Zhong and Liu Daqing. Hu Zhong and Liu Daqing were at their wits' end and had made it clear they were defecting; no matter what, these two were relatively close to Guan Duo and did not face the desperate predicament of a dead end, which was why they remained covertly neutral.

While Deng She was momentarily distracted, the clamor below the hall grew increasingly disorderly, with trusted soldiers stationed outside stretching their necks and peeking in to observe the commotion. Deng She waved his hand and said, "Such shouting in the hall—what kind of decorum is this!" He instructed Bi Qianniu, "Tell the guards outside to back away further!"

As soon as he spoke, Yang Wanhu and He Guangxiu immediately shut their mouths. Zheng Sanbao continued to press the matter stubbornly, muttering under his breath. Fang Buzhen angrily twitched his body twice and said, "Just tell us straight out what the General has in mind! The reason this subordinate did not oppose retreating to the banks of the Taizi River was precisely because of a single sentence the General said back then!"

Deng She smiled and said, "Back then I said 'besiege Wei to rescue Zhao'; today, the four characters I wish to say remain the same."

"What do you mean?"

"Please look, everyone." Deng She extended his hand, pointing toward the map, and said, "In Gaizhou, enemies and our forces are intermingled, and the situation is complex. If we fight well, we can relieve Marshal Mao's encirclement; but if we fight poorly, what will happen?"

"What will happen?"

"It will plunge our army into distress as well. Why? First, please listen as I calculate the enemy and our forces: Gaizhou, together with the Japanese and the rebel forces, has no less than fifty thousand men; our army has over twenty thousand, and Marshal Mao has over forty thousand, meaning we do not hold a clear superiority. Second, Marshal Mao's troops are stationed on the plains, and all strategic terrain is in the hands of the Tatars. As the saying goes, one man guarding the pass can block ten thousand, which is a great disadvantage to our army. Third, the moment our army moves, its intention will be obvious. To ensure that Nahachu's attack on Liaoyang proceeds without trouble, Gao Jianu will undoubtedly fight to the death to block us."

These words were grounded in reason and evidence, offering a clear and thorough analysis of both sides. Xu Ren and Li Jing nodded repeatedly. Fang Buzhen's tone softened, hesitation crossed his face, and he asked, "Then according to you?"

"Given these three points, Official Fang, with your profound learning, should know that haste makes waste. Day and night for the past few days, I have pondered day and night on how to break the stalemate and achieve a swift victory. There is only one strategy, and the way out still lies in those four characters: 'besiege Wei to rescue Zhao'."

"Zhao represents Gaizhou, so what represents Wei?"

"Jin and Fu prefectures." Deng She stood up straight and spoke with fervent eloquence, "Right now, the cities of these two prefectures are empty, and they can be captured with a single beat of the drums! Once these two prefectures are taken, Gaizhou will find itself isolated—with Liaoyang stubbornly holding out in front and our army gathering momentum in the rear, Gao Jianu will inevitably be caught in a vacillating predicament. If he remains stationary, Marshal Mao can break out of the encirclement; if he dares to move, our army will be a thorn in his back and can seize Gaizhou in the momentum of victory. No matter what, victory will be securely in our grasp."

Chen Hu remained silent for a long time, then suddenly burst into applause and cheered, "A brilliant plan! It looks like a detour, but in reality, it is a shortcut."

—
1. Court floggings and beatings.
Corporal punishment by杖 (heavy cane) and 笞 (light bamboo switch) was very common during the Yuan dynasty. When officials committed offenses against prohibitions, they were frequently punished with flogging. Zhao Mengfu, a former Song imperial clansman mentioned earlier, while serving in the Secretariat, was once nearly subjected to flogging by Pingzhang (Grand Councillor) Sanga simply for arriving slightly late to enter the provincial office for discussions.