Volume Two: With a Single Move, I Shake Heaven and Earth Chapter 35: Pyongyang II

With Chen Hu, Zhao Guo, Zhang Dai'er, and the others away, Deng She returned to the city. He first devised a detailed plan with Hong Jixun, then in the afternoon, summoned Wen Huaguo, Li Heshang, and the others to ask for their opinions.

Wen Huaguo agreed immediately, and Li Heshang and Yang Wanhu were equally enthusiastic. Recently, they had been left out of the recruitment, land reclamation, and civil administration efforts, spending their days drinking and watching plays until they were bored to tears.

Luo Guoqi, whose mind was entirely occupied with shipbuilding and organizing the navy, could not immediately shift gears. He remarked, "We have only just begun the shipbuilding, cooperatives, entertainment troupes, and the navy. The foundation is not yet stable, and now we are talking about raising an army. I feel we might be acting too hastily."

Deng She enjoyed having people disagree with him. He felt his character changing and was unable to reflect on his actions three times a day as some sages did. Yet, when he awoke in the middle of the night, he often questioned himself, always vigilant against falling into the trap of being headstrong and arbitrary.

He was not angry. Instead, he asked Hong Jixun to explain his "Three Advantages" strategy to the group in detail. Luo Guoqi respected Hong Jixun's strategic mind; after listening, he had no further objections and gave his consent.

Deng She asked Wen Huaguo, "How is the recruitment coming along?"

Wen Huaguo, who was in charge of recruitment, did not manage the specific details but knew the general figures. He replied, "The second batch of five thousand new recruits has basically been selected, and the officers have been appointed. Weapons haven't been issued, and the squads haven't been formed yet. Does the General intend for them to participate in the attack on Pyongyang? I think that would be difficult."

Deng She had not intended for them to join, but he used this opportunity to analyze the balance of forces. "Excluding those who fell in the last battle and the garrisons in each city, Shuangcheng currently has nine thousand veteran soldiers, nearly six thousand from the first batch of recruits, and two thousand Jurchen cavalry. Adding the three thousand from Dechuan, our total available combat force is twenty thousand.

"The Pyongyang garrison is around eight thousand. Counting the garrisons along the route from Dechuan to Pyongyang—through Jiazhou, Shunchuan, Cishan, and Jiangdong—there are another ten thousand troops. Not to mention the cities west of Pyongyang like Xiancong and Longgang, or those to the east like Zhonghe and Xiangyuan; the moment we arrive, they will inevitably send reinforcements. Optimistically, the Korean army could reach thirty thousand.

"With my twenty thousand against their thirty thousand, and with them holding strong cities and the advantage of terrain, how do you think we should proceed?"

Wen, Luo, and the others fell into deep thought. Li Heshang was excellent in a charge but struggled with strategy. Possessing only petty cleverness rather than great wisdom, he wanted to show off. He stared at the map hanging on the wall for a moment and spoke first: "I believe we should move out from Dechuan, head west along the Datong River, and ignore Shunchuan and Jiangdong for now. We should concentrate our forces to take Pyongyang first, then turn back and pick them off one by one." He rubbed his bald head, chuckled, and added, "This is what they call: 'The old monk shaving his head—a clean sweep.'"

Luo Guoqi, being cautious, shook his head repeatedly. "Pyongyang is a strong city with many soldiers. The Art of War says, 'If your forces are ten times that of the enemy, surround them.' We only have a little more than twice their strength. Relying on taking Pyongyang first and then sweeping the others is unlikely to succeed."

"What is your opinion, General Luo?" Deng She asked.

This battle was difficult; it was not like the previous ones at Shuangcheng or Dechuan. Those battles only involved a few surrounding cities. Pyongyang was different; its strategic position was extremely important, with traffic flowing in all directions and dense surrounding cities. It could be said that it was the eye of the entire northern Goryeo region. Furthermore, when attacking Dechuan, other cities might not have come to help, but with Pyongyang, they definitely would. The entire situation was interconnected.

This was no longer an isolated battle; it had risen to the level of a campaign.

Unable to find a solution, they began by analyzing the potential difficulties. Luo Guoqi said, "Just as the General said, as soon as our army leaves Dechuan, it will surely alarm Pyongyang. Moving west along the river, the cities north and south of the Datong River will certainly not let us pass easily. Even if they don't attack with their full strength, mere harassment along the way would be a huge trouble for us."

Since Luo Guoqi had offered some ideas during the Battle of Shanguan that were adopted by Wen Huaguo and contributed to their victory, his enthusiasm for participating in military and political affairs had increased significantly. Having read many books and possessing experience, he viewed problems more comprehensively. He continued, "Compared to harassment, the more troublesome possibility is that they might choose to close their gates and refuse to fight, letting us pass through smoothly to encamp under the walls of Pyongyang. Then, they could respond from all sides, or reinforcements could arrive from eight directions, surrounding us under the walls of Pyongyang instead, or they could cut off the rivers and sever our retreat. Either possibility would be devastating for our army."

Deng She nodded. When he and Hong Jixun were studying this in the morning, this was the first problem they faced. "Then, how does General Luo think we should respond?"

Luo Guoqi replied, "There is nothing to do but prescribe the right medicine for the disease. Advancing slowly along the river, taking one place and then moving to the next city is the safest way. However, doing so would delay the campaign, and we would fail to achieve the speed that is the essence of warfare."

Hong Jixun sat to the side, listening to their discussion, drinking tea and fanning himself without saying a word. In his view, there was no need to consult with the generals at all. Those who labor with their minds govern others, and those who labor with their strength are governed by others. Just as a dragon has nine sons, each different, people are divided into high and low status. He was responsible for planning, Deng She for issuing orders, and the generals only needed to obey.

Deng She had different considerations. As a leader, he knew that the success of a group did not depend on a single leader, but on the collective effort of all personnel.

His territory was growing, and the problems he faced were becoming larger. To say nothing of civil administration, take combat for example: in previous battles, involving a few thousand men and one city, he could command personally. But today was different; once a territory was taken, the front line became long, and not just long, but numerous. A month ago, fighting Li Yan and Qing Qianxing, and a month before that, fighting at Dechuan—weren't these two or even more front lines unfolding simultaneously?

He was only one man; he couldn't do everything himself. What is a commander's job? To oversee the overall situation. The overall situation was important, but the local situation was also important. Since he couldn't attend to the local situation, he had to try his best to cultivate the abilities of his subordinates as quickly as possible. He had ordered that every leader from the rank of squad leader and above must write a summary after every battle, which would then be compiled for the whole army to study and exchange experiences. This was the purpose.

Fortunately, Wen, Chen, and the others were long-time soldiers with rich combat experience. Most had also served as officers of a hundred households and had experience in managing people. For now, it seemed there was no cause for concern.

Even so, Deng She dared not lower his guard. As for himself, suddenly rising from a leader of a hundred to a commander of tens of thousands, managing ten cities, he often felt overwhelmed. Fortunately, he had Hong Jixun for military matters and Wu Henian for civil affairs; in terms of military governance and management, progress had been rapid.

If things went well, the problems he faced today would be the problems Wen and Chen would face tomorrow. He had been learning, while Wen and Chen mostly relied on their old foundations. If a man has no long-term concerns, he will have near-term sorrows. How could he not secretly worry about this?

Therefore, whenever there were discussions on military or even civil affairs, he would summon all the generals to pool their wisdom and give them opportunities to learn and improve.

Zuo Che'er was eager to learn. As the captain of the personal guards, he often received guidance from Deng She. His considerations were slightly different from Luo Guoqi's. He said, "General Luo is right; taking one city at a time is indeed too slow. There are two drawbacks: first, it blunts our military edge—chewing through hard bones one by one will cause our army too many casualties; second, it gives Pyongyang plenty of time to prepare. We would become a fatigued army while Pyongyang rests and sharpens its weapons. This battle would surely be lost."

His words caught Deng She's attention. He asked, "If a direct assault won't work, and advancing slowly won't work either, what do you think we should do?"

Zuo Che'er hesitated slightly. He had come up with two strategies but wasn't sure which was better. He said, "How about we move north first, out of Dechuan, and attack Jiazhou first to occupy the high ground overlooking Pyongyang? In this way, our army in Jiazhou could threaten Shunchuan, Suchuan, and Cishan between Jiazhou and Pyongyang, preventing them from acting rashly.

"Or, we could move south, out of Yinshan, and take Jiangdong first, threatening the Korean troops in places like Zhonghe, so they wouldn't dare leave their cities to provide reinforcements. This way, our army would remove the threat to our flanks, and then our main force could head west along the river, concentrating all our power to attack Pyongyang."

Deng She was very gratified and asked, "Then, which do you think is the greater threat—the north or the south?" For the Red Turbans, the north was the right flank and the south was the left flank. "Should we remove the threat to the right flank first, or the left?"

"If the capital sends reinforcements, then the threat from the south is greater; if the capital doesn't, then the threat from the north is greater. I... I cannot tell."

Involving the capital meant looking at the overall situation. It was understandable that Zuo Che'er couldn't see it. Deng She did not demand perfection and clapped his hands gently to show encouragement. Wen Huaguo had not expressed an opinion, so Deng She turned to him and asked, "General Wen, what do you think?"

Wen Huaguo scratched his head and said, "If the capital wants to send reinforcements, it will take a lot of time. Our army still has Dingzhou. Even if they come, I'm not afraid. I think the threat from the north is greater." Although rough and simple, he was, after all, the second-in-command in the army. His insight had become much sharper, and his view on the capital happened to coincide with Hong Jixun's.

He looked at the map for a while and suddenly blurted out, "Why separate the north and south? Our army could split into two paths—attack Jiazhou and Jiangdong at the same time. Wouldn't that be the end of it? There would be no need to worry about the threats to either flank."

Luo Guoqi said, "If we attack both, wouldn't that be the same as advancing slowly? Our strength would be too scattered." He was reasonable; Zuo Che'er had criticized him correctly, and he admitted his mistake and was not angry.

From these few exchanges, one could see the differences between the generals. Wen Huaguo's vision was slightly higher, but he couldn't see the details clearly; Zuo Che'er could see through the tactical level, but his vision was slightly lower; Luo Guoqi's vision was ordinary, but he was cautious and analyzed parts very well.

Li Heshang had been staring and listening for a long time, unable to get a word in. Taking advantage of the moment when everyone fell into deep thought again, he snatched the opportunity and said, "Since the capital poses no threat, let's attack Jiazhou first..." Being far away, he couldn't see the map clearly, so he simply stood up and walked a few steps forward, right to the edge, and stared fiercely at it. He said, "I think attacking just Jiazhou isn't enough. Jiazhou is surrounded by mountains on the north, south, and west. If we take it, we can't get out, and we can't threaten Suchuan, Shunchuan, or Cishan. It would be better to take Jiazhou and then attack Suchuan. The area between Suchuan and Pyongyang has few mountains and convenient transportation, which could also help our main force put some pressure on Pyongyang."

This fulfilled the saying that Wu Henian once quoted: "A fool may have a thousand thoughts and still get one right." Li Heshang's proposal was very good. Pyongyang was bordered by a river to the south and mountains to the north. The terrain dictated that attacking it required two prongs—one surprise force from the north and one main force along the river; neither could be dispensed with.

Deng She agreed, saying, "Exactly! Taking Suchuan can, first, threaten Shunchuan, Cishan, and Shun'an; second, move north to divert Pyongyang's attention; and at the same time, it can cut off reinforcements from Longgang and Xiancong. Three birds with one stone."

"So the General agrees to relieve the pressure from the north first?"

"Exactly. The threat from the capital is not great; the main pressure is in the north. Occupying Suchuan will become the fist of our right flank, dispersing the possibility of reinforcements from the north of Pyongyang in one fell swoop. As for the left flank, with Mengshan and Yinshan looming behind Jiangdong, if they dare to move, it won't be difficult for our army to take them while the momentum is with us."

Luo Guoqi applauded and said, "The right flank attacks Suchuan to deter the surroundings, and the left flank sits and watches Jiangdong, waiting for the opportunity to advance. This is the right flank appearing real while being empty, and the left flank appearing empty while being real. Excellent, truly excellent. However, may I ask the General, where will the main force come from?"

Luo Guoqi's literary phrasing sparked Hong Jixun's interest. He stood up, holding his teacup, walked to the map, closed his folding fan, and drew a line along the Datong River to the bottom with the tip of the fan, saying, "The main force naturally comes from here. Dechuan is the head, the two flanks are the fists, so the main force should be like the legs."

Setting aside the main force for a moment, there was an important piece on the board among the two flanks that Luo Guoqi and the others hadn't seen. How could he bear to let the pearl be covered in dust? Placing his fan on the position of Dechuan, he said, "Why is Dechuan the head? Dechuan is the leader; looking left, it can support Yinshan, and looking right, it can support Suchuan. With this key town, plus the fists of the two flanks, we can ensure our main force has no worries.

"The main force is like the legs. A leg cannot be just one; how can one walk with a single leg? Therefore, the main force should be divided into two branches. One stationed east of Pyongyang, one stationed west. The one stationed to the east should be eighty percent defensive and twenty percent offensive, mainly to guard against any desperate moves from the capital or Jiangdong, so that if they really come to reinforce Pyongyang, we won't be caught off guard. The one stationed to the west should be eighty percent offensive and twenty percent defensive, serving as the main force for the siege. The cities west of Pyongyang are all small; using twenty percent of our strength to defend is already sufficient."

Li Heshang said, "Our army only has twenty thousand in total. If you split it into two branches, isn't that scattering our forces?"

"Where is the scattering of forces? The ones stationed east of Pyongyang are mainly for defense; two or three thousand men are enough."

"What about those going to attack Suchuan?"

"The troops for Suchuan can move out from Dechuan, minus another three thousand. This means our main force for the assault on Pyongyang will still be fourteen thousand. With ten thousand elite soldiers attacking a few thousand old and weak ones, even if they have strong city walls, we will have more than enough strength."

Hong Jixun's words were a bit of an exaggeration; Pyongyang was a strong city that could hold off at least ten thousand elite troops. However, he was confident because he had another strategy he hadn't disclosed in public. He believed that with Qing Qianxing in Deng She's hands, he was worth at least ten thousand elite troops, considering that the vast majority of the Pyongyang garrison were Qing Qianxing's former subordinates.

Of course, Qing Qianxing hadn't surrendered yet, but with Deng She first, and then Hong Jixun, the two took turns. Materially, they gave him the best treatment and cared for him in every detail; spiritually, they went to chat with him every day, discussing military tactics and history. Deng She was one thing, but Hong Jixun had a special status, knew all the Goryeo customs, and was learned and sharp. He observed people's expressions and catered to their interests; his words often resonated with Qing Qianxing.

Having kept him under control until now, it could be said that even if Qing Qianxing were made of iron, he would inevitably soften. One couldn't say for sure, but Hong Jixun was at least eighty percent certain he could be turned to their side.

His few words silenced Li Heshang's doubts. Luo Guoqi thought of another trouble. He frowned and said, "Mr. Hong is quite right, but there is a thorny problem. I wonder if the General has thought about it?"

Deng She asked, "What is it?"

"Our Shuangcheng army has a total of twenty thousand men. If twenty thousand leave the city, there will only be about a thousand left to defend it." Before he could finish, Wen Huaguo interrupted him carelessly: "Hey, you are being too cautious. Is a thousand men not enough to guard the city? We have Dingzhou to the south, Ningyuan to the west, and Jiashan to the north; even if we don't leave a single soldier in Shuangcheng, it won't be lost!"

"It won't be lost—perhaps it won't be lost." Luo Guoqi glanced at the others; they were all his own people, so he could speak plainly. "What I fear is not external trouble, but internal strife."

Zuo Che'er realized, "General Luo is talking about... Qian Shide?"

"Exactly. I heard the General calculating the military strength just now, and he didn't count his troops. I assume he is not planning to take them." It wasn't that Deng She didn't want to take them; Qian Shide wouldn't go, and Luo Guoqi naturally knew this. He said, "I have been to Qian's camp to observe. His troops can be called elite. Once our main army leaves, if his eight hundred men have ulterior motives, what then?"

Luo Guoqi saw clearly that Yao Haogu and Deng She were at odds. Yao Haogu had also tried to win him over, but he had responded vaguely. While his cautious nature made him unwilling to offend anyone, it didn't exclude the idea of leaving himself a way out. But at his core, he still supported Deng She.

With Deng She, he was a commander of a thousand households and might even rise further; without Deng She, he might still be a commander of a thousand households, but rising further? No way—not being demoted would be lucky.

Last time they attacked Dechuan, Yao Haogu and Qian Shide didn't cause chaos in the rear because Dechuan was close and the scale of the battle was small; this time was very different. Luo Guoqi said with worry, "I have heard that the situation in Liaodong is tense, and Manager Yao's private activities have been much more frequent than before. It is fine when the General is in the city to suppress him; if the General leads the main army out of the city, what if he takes a risk?"

Wen Huaguo had long looked at Yao Haogu and Qian Shide with disdain and cursed, "Like two mouse droppings, bobbing up and down in the soup. General, why not just have a showdown with him? When we attack Pyongyang, make Qian Shide go along!" He was rough but not stupid; he knew Yao Haogu and Qian Shide couldn't be killed.

This was indeed a big trouble. Zuo Che'er racked his brains, vaguely feeling that a showdown was not a good idea. But how to deal with it? He had no plan. Seeing Deng She sitting steadily, he asked, "Does the General already have a fixed plan?"

"This matter is not worth worrying about." One must pacify the interior to resist external aggression. When Hong Jixun proposed attacking Pyongyang, Deng She's first thought was Yao Haogu. He had already analyzed it thoroughly: "Manager Yao and I are both under the command of Guan Pingzhang, we are one family. He came to Shuangcheng to protect Guan Pingzhang's southward path; if Guan Pingzhang wants to come, I would welcome it and would not block it. Our major directions are the same, and some small conflicts won't lead to weapons, which would only benefit outsiders."

He spoke implicitly, but everyone understood. Yao Haogu's goal was to ensure Guan Duo's southward movement, not to occupy Shuangcheng. As long as Guan Duo didn't arrive, he wouldn't engage in infighting. With his mere thousand men, what could he do if he took Shuangcheng? Even if Deng She was defeated at Pyongyang and couldn't fight him, the Goryeo people wouldn't let him off.

Luo Guoqi nodded in agreement and said, "Since that is the case, General, when we attack Pyongyang, should we notify him or not?"

Notifying him early would cause trouble; Yao Haogu would certainly not sit by and watch Deng She expand his strength. Thinking of his relentless efforts to sabotage, Deng She felt a headache. "Let's wait until we are fully prepared."

Just as they were talking, a personal guard came from outside the hall to report: "Manager Yao is requesting an audience outside the mansion." Speak of the devil, and he appears. Everyone looked at each other. Li Heshang spat and said, "It must be that dog-headed Huang Lüge. Seeing us all come to see the General, he must have guessed something and told Yao!"

Deng She had deduced that the only way Yao Haogu knew Lady Wang was in his mansion was if someone told him, and among the generals, no one else but Huang Lüge would have done so. Since Yao Haogu was openly siding with them, he hadn't been invited to this military meeting.

Since Yao Haogu had come, he couldn't refuse to see him. As Deng She signaled Zuo Che'er to put away the map, he personally led the generals down the steps to welcome him. The sun was bright outside the hall, the green trees in the courtyard were swaying, and the blue stone slabs were stained with clusters of shadows. A cool breeze blew through the leaves, rustling.

Yao Haogu approached from afar. He was in his official uniform. When he reached them, he bowed in a circle and smiled, "So everyone is here. Haha, General, I hope I haven't interrupted your military meeting?" This was getting straight to the point, and could also be called "throwing a stone to ask the way."

Hong Jixun wouldn't fall for his trick. He sneered and said, "If you were afraid of interrupting, why did you come?" Putting on an angry look, he bowed to Deng She and said, "General, the matter of recruiting the pirates should be as we discussed. I have other business to attend to, so I will take my leave." He flicked his sleeves and left.

Luo Guoqi gave a secret thumbs-up in his heart, thinking, "High, truly high. Calmly diverting the topic and then feigning anger adds three parts of authenticity." Following suit, he said, "General, that Ju Saburo said it would take at most one day to lead the remnants of the pirates here. Seeing it's getting late, I'll go to the seaside to wait. The Japanese are cunning, and I want to avoid any changes."

Wen Huaguo, Li Heshang, Yang Wanhu, and the others also took their leave. Deng She didn't stop them; the more people remained, the easier it was to make a slip. Yao Haogu stood to the side with a smile, watching them leave one by one, and said to Deng She, "Why don't I see Commander Huang? For this recruitment of pirates, the Commander's office shouldn't be uninvolved."

Although Deng She had quick wit, he couldn't come up with an excuse immediately. He coughed twice and said, "Recruitment is busy, and the army cannot be without senior generals. Commander Huang has rich experience, which is just right for holding the fort." This was a reasonable explanation; He Guangxiu, who was in charge of land reclamation, hadn't come either.

"Speaking of recruitment, the General has been expanding the army repeatedly, haha, how urgent it is! From ten thousand to twenty thousand, from twenty thousand to thirty thousand; the speed is so fast that it makes me dizzy." His words were barbed.

Deng She laughed and said, "There is no help for it. The Goryeo people could come at any time, and I have to be prepared." He reached out a hand and said, "The sun is poisonous in the courtyard, Manager Yao, please come into the hall to talk."

Yao Haogu glanced at the hall twice and said, "No need, I find the breeze quite cool. General, in two months, it will be autumn. As the saying goes, 'Plough in spring, fight in autumn.' I wonder what your next steps are?"

He asked directly, which put Deng She in a difficult position. If he answered with a lie, it would look bad when exposed, serving only to give people leverage. If he answered with the truth, one word leading to another, who knew what the outcome would be? He said, "Plough in spring, fight in autumn? What I am worried about now is the autumn harvest, not knowing how much grain we can get. If it's not enough to eat, the problem will be huge. I wonder if Manager Yao has any good strategies?"

Deng She was dodging the question, and Yao Haogu was both amused and annoyed. Since you won't talk about it, I'll just use the topic to express my dissatisfaction with being marginalized. "I am a manager in name only, unable to manage agricultural promotion or the autumn harvest. You've asked the wrong person, General."

"Manager Yao is too modest, too modest." He was attacking with hidden barbs, and Deng She couldn't hold him off. He turned to the side and said, "Manager Yao, is there anything you came for? Please, let's talk inside the hall."

Yao Haogu waved his hand and said, "The hall is unnecessary. I have nothing special. It's just that when I saw Lady Wang off this morning, I seemed to hear her weeping at parting, and I was moved. Since ancient times, lovers have been saddened by parting, and I couldn't help but want to come and have a word with the General." The "lovers" remark clearly pointed to something.

Deng She's heart skipped a beat. Although his conscience was clear, the fact remained. If Yao Haogu used this to threaten him, he wasn't afraid of Wang Shicheng, but he was afraid of ruining his reputation in the army. He feigned ignorance and said, "Lady Wang and Marshal Wang have been separated for months. I have long heard they are a devoted couple. Today, once she leaves, they will meet in a few days; it is truly like heaven on earth. Thinking of this, not only Manager Yao is saddened by the parting, but I, too, am moved."

He replaced "lovers" with "Manager Yao," pushing everything away. There was more to his words: Lady Wang's weeping was true, but it was likely because of their deep love and longing for Wang Shicheng.

Yao Haogu sneered, "Whether it's heaven on earth or not, it's not for the General to decide." He pointed upward. "Have you not heard that there is a heaven beyond heaven, and people beyond people? Whether it's spring ploughing or autumn fighting, I am just a cog in the machine, and I have no say. I only ask the General not to forget the words spoken and the promises made outside the smelting plant."

He said no more. Before leaving, he took a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Deng She: "The General is working hard on civil administration. Although I cannot participate, I still have two words I want to say: Cooperatives are the old tricks of the Tatars; used well, they are beneficial, used poorly, they are harmful. The pawnshop is a novel idea and seems to have great potential, but official participation in commerce also has two sides. I have written down clearly where this can be discussed. When the General is free, please take a look."

Deng She was stunned; he didn't expect him to say this. He took the paper and said, "Manager Yao?"

Yao Haogu bowed deeply and turned to leave. In the twilight, he walked away alone, his not-so-tall figure gradually obscured by the shadows of the trees. From afar, there was a sigh. Deng She listened carefully; it seemed someone was saying, "Wars never end, whose fault is it? What crime do the people have? Why must my people suffer!"