Volume Two: The Grandfather and Grandson Lords Chapter 57: An Unconventional Path

The gates of Xixian were wrapped in blue bricks, standing five meters high, with the city tower’s eaves soaring boldly. The moat was about ten meters wide. Though many bricks had fallen from the walls, it remained a formidable fortress, difficult to breach.

Wei Fufeng felt a chill in his heart. He had come to Hedong merely to go through the motions—a journey in name only. To truly storm a city and seize it by force was utterly out of the question. He was planning to camp outside the gates, to intimidate the defenders with his presence, when he noticed the drawbridge had not been raised, and the gates stood open.

“Are they playing the empty city ruse? Or is there an ambush outside the walls?” Wei Fufeng grew alert, instinctively scanning his surroundings.

He saw no sign of troops, but from within the open gates, a dozen or so figures emerged.

The leader wore the blue robes of an official and bowed respectfully to the vanguard soldiers. “I am Cao Zhihé, Magistrate of Xixian, here to welcome the Heavenly Army.”

Wei Fufeng did not approach rashly. Instead, he ordered his guards to investigate.

The guards returned soon with news: Upon learning the imperial army was advancing, the governor of Xizhou had fled with his subordinates, abandoning the city. Thus, the magistrate had come out to surrender.

“When did they flee?” Wei Fufeng asked urgently.

“Reporting to my lord, the county magistrate says they left not long ago and should now be outside the north gate.”

“Enter the city! Gan Fengchi, take five hundred men and pursue them—capture the governor alive if possible, and let none escape!” Wei Fufeng ordered without hesitation. The soldiers charged toward the southern gate of Xixian.

Once inside, Commander Gan Fengchi led five hundred troops through the main street, racing toward the north gate.

Wei Fufeng, guarded by fifty armored soldiers and fifty archers, with two hundred supply spearmen, remained in the city and spoke with the surrendering magistrate.

Mounting the city tower with the magistrate, Wei Fufeng kept a wary eye outwards as he inquired further. He learned that most of Xizhou’s forces had indeed been dispatched north, reportedly to join the campaign led by Li Kuangwei, the military commissioner of Youzhou (Beijing), tasked with suppressing Hedong.

Li Keyong, the commander of Hedong, was fighting on multiple fronts. It was uncertain where his main strength was focused.

Wei Fufeng also asked about the city’s grain stores, but the magistrate’s reply was disappointing: most of Xizhou’s able-bodied men and grain had already been taken by Hedong’s army, leaving only three hundred shi of coarse grain in the granary.

Not long after, Gan Fengchi returned, having captured all three hundred fugitives. A skirmish had broken out; Fufeng’s archers inflicted over a hundred casualties, while his own forces suffered several dozen wounded and four dead, felled by enemy arrows.

Deaths in battle were inevitable; even on the march, soldiers often succumbed to illness.

The victory yielded nearly two hundred prisoners, two hundred shi of grain carts, several wagons of goods, five women, ten war bows, thirty suits of mail, and nearly three hundred blades and spears.

The entire group was captured because they had no horses—only ox carts for the governor and the women.

Though the city had surrendered, Wei Fufeng was well satisfied with the outcome. He locked the governor in the county prison, ordered an inspection of the storehouses, and strictly forbade his men from disturbing the populace.

At dusk, scouts returning from Jinzhou brought astonishing news: the imperial army had already arrived in Jinzhou two days prior.

Fufeng’s army had set out more than half a month later than the imperial troops and had purposely slowed their march. Yet, upon reaching Xizhou, they had actually traveled a greater distance than the imperial forces.

“Damn it, no wonder victory is so elusive,” Wei Fufeng muttered bitterly, shocked to discover he had acted before the imperial army.

He summoned his officers and military advisors for a council. Originally, he had planned to raid Shizhou the next day, but with the imperial army only just reaching Jinzhou, any solo assault on Shizhou risked provoking a counterattack from Taiyuan’s forces, since the imperial army was not yet threatening Taiyuan.

At the council, Wei Fufeng first explained that most of Xizhou’s troops had been sent north, then voiced concerns about the slow advance of the imperial army and whether an attack on Shizhou might provoke a Hedong counteroffensive from Taiyuan.

Commander Gan Fengchi spoke first. “My lord, the fact that Xizhou’s forces have been sent north shows that Hedong’s commander fears most the attacks from Youzhou’s commissioner, leaving Xizhou exposed. This suggests Hedong’s army holds the imperial forces in contempt.”

Wei Fufeng nodded in agreement.

Gan Fengchi continued, “I believe we should not assault Shizhou. Taiyuan can easily fight on two fronts, sending ten thousand to retake Shizhou and then turn to resist the imperial army.”

Wei Fufeng did not immediately agree, instead looking to his other advisors. “Speak your minds, so that we may choose the most advantageous course.”

Military advisor Wang Ze stood and said, “My lord, I believe Commander Gan’s plan is prudent. However, as you have said, our campaign here is mainly to fulfill imperial orders. Therefore, perhaps we should take Shizhou, and when Hedong’s army counterattacks, abandon it.”

Wei Fufeng nodded. Advisor Feng Kai also stood. “I concur. If we seize Shizhou quickly, we will have achieved merit. If we wait until Hedong learns of Xizhou’s fall, they will surely reinforce Shizhou.”

Wei Fufeng nodded again, glancing at the rest. The opinions fell into these two camps. He dismissed the council and pondered his options alone.

To advance on Shizhou meant it could not be held. Any retreat in the face of a counterattack would be perilous, risking heavy losses. To remain in Xizhou offered no better prospects; Hedong’s forces could counterattack just as easily.

Moreover, Xizhou was, in name, under the jurisdiction of the Hezhong military commissioner. Though he had occupied it, it was uncertain if his campaign against Hedong would be officially recognized.

Wei Fufeng shook his head in frustration. The real problem was his misjudgment of the imperial army’s pace, leaving his own forces isolated. He blamed his inexperience and lack of patience in not waiting for his scouts’ reports.

After long deliberation, he resolved to attack Shizhou. If he could capture it, he would immediately arrange a retreat, both achieving the merit of taking the city and ensuring his men could withdraw before being pursued.

At dawn, he ordered cattle slaughtered to reward the troops, and had grain distributed in the streets, handing out the store’s coarse grain to the people of Xixian, keeping only what had been captured with the governor.

He also enticed the prisoners to join by promising beef soup and all the rice they could eat, recruiting one hundred seventy-three new soldiers. These men would have both full bellies and pay.

Few townsfolk came to collect the grain. Upon learning this, Wei Fufeng ordered his men to deliver rice house to house, instructing them to tell the people that Fufeng’s army would not linger in Xixian, could not bear to burn the stores, and thus distributed what they could not carry.

That afternoon, Fufeng’s army moved out, leaving no garrison behind. The magistrate watched their departure from the city tower, hesitated, and waited another day before sending word to Taiyuan.

Wei Fufeng did not fear the magistrate alerting the Hedong army. His aim in raiding Shizhou was swift action; if the city proved impregnable, he would simply make an appearance and then withdraw, leaving scouts to observe and respond as needed.

Shizhou was under Hedong’s control, located on the eastern bank of the Yellow River. The prefectural seat was Lishi County, through which ran the Lishi River, a tributary of the Yellow River. The prefecture governed Lishi, Pingyi, Fangshan, Linquan, and Dinghu counties.

Dinghu County bordered the Yellow River and had the Mengmen Pass ferry crossing.

Wei Fufeng led a thousand men into Shizhou at dusk, camping on a hillside for the night. He summoned his newly promoted sergeants and corporals from the surrendered soldiers to plan the assault.

The plan was to have the former prisoners pose as reinforcements from Taiyuan, enter Lishi County as insiders, and open the way.

Wei Fufeng promised that if they succeeded in taking the city, he would reward them handsomely and allow them to leave freely with their earned merit.

The next morning, Fufeng’s army set out. One hundred fifty surrendered men went ahead, marching five li ahead of the main force.

Using surrendered soldiers to take a city was a gamble for Wei Fufeng. If they turned traitor or fled, it would hardly be a loss.

By noon, they approached Lishi County. Wei Fufeng observed the city from afar, marveling at the surrendered men’s claims.

Lishi’s city walls were even more imposing than Xixian’s, rising seven meters high and running five li along one face.

“Shizhou truly is a strategic stronghold,” Wei Fufeng mused.

According to scouts, Lishi held only five hundred defenders—once three thousand, now just one thousand at Mengmen Pass. By now, only three hundred remained at the ferry. Hedong’s multi-front campaigns had left Shizhou vulnerable.

The surrendered men circled to the east gate, posing as disorganized reinforcements from Taiyuan. When they were an arrow’s flight from the gate, a defender hurried out.

“Where are you from?” the guard demanded.

“From Taiyuan, ordered to report to Lord Li Tai of Lishi,” the lead corporal replied carelessly.

“Wait here, I’ll report,” said the guard, barring their way.

“What’s there to wait for? Our throats are parched from the long march,” the corporal grumbled. The others took the cue, raising a noisy clamor, shoving the men ahead and shouting to hurry up.

The guard hesitated, then turned and ran back to the gate.

The surrendered men pressed forward. They had discussed matters on the road—most believed the Fufeng commander would keep his word, and that a generous reward was worth the risk.

In these chaotic times, common soldiers had little loyalty. As long as there was food, that sufficed; they fought for profit, soldiers in name but brigands at heart.

The guard returned inside, and the surrendered men reached the drawbridge.

The lead corporal, experienced, halted at the bridge and shouted, “Are we allowed in or not? If not, bring us some water, we’re dying of thirst!”

On the tower above, an armored officer peered down. Behind the battlements, dozens of archers watched warily. After a quick glance, the officer issued orders.

Soon, the guards within called out, inviting the surrendered men inside.

They shuffled noisily across the drawbridge into the gatehouse, many still calling for water. The guards replied that water awaited inside.

As the surrendered men entered, Wei Fufeng’s main army, at his command, charged swiftly toward the east gate.

The sentries on the wall spotted them and urgently reported to their superiors. The officer, looking out, turned pale.

“Raise the drawbridge!” he shouted, but by then the surrendered men had struck, ruthlessly attacking the gate guards from within.