Chapter 55, Chapter 3: The Defense of Infant City
In the days that followed, Liu Jun took Zu Ti on a tour of various places in Liangzhou. Along the way, he casually explained to him the local customs, the leaders of the Hu tribes, the farmers and people, the officials and generals, the powerful clans, and even the grudges and affections between the various tribes and individuals. Not only did Zu Ti gain a lot, but looking back on his four years in Liangzhou, he also felt that he had benefited greatly.
Upon returning to Nanzheng, Liu Jun ordered someone to bring Liu Liang to him. Zu Ti saw that the child was adorable, clever, and quick-witted, and he praised him highly.
Liu Jun sighed, “In previous years, I was busy with military affairs and neglected this son, only seeing him a few times a year. Now, I am going north again, and my family cannot accompany me. I have asked my cousin Ziyi to take care of him. Ziyi himself is only in his early twenties and has just entered officialdom, so he is bound to be inadequate. If there is anything wrong with this son, please take good care of him.”
After saying this, he bowed and kowtowed. Zu Ti helped him up. “Your Excellency and I were close friends in the past. Although we have had different experiences later, we are still good friends. Now that I have met you, although you are twice my age, we feel like old friends. If you don’t mind, I would like to be your friend and become close friends.”
"Your Excellency is a man of great talent and righteousness, a rare genius indeed. I am deeply honored!" Liu Jun smiled broadly and then ordered someone to bring over a fine horse. "In the past, the King of Donghai bestowed several magnificent steeds upon my father, who later paired them with other fine horses, resulting in several precious foals. This horse is one of them. Now I present it to you, Your Excellency, hoping that it will accompany you in conquering the Central Plains and achieving unparalleled feats!"
The horse raised its head and neighed at just the right moment, its glossy mane fluttering in the wind. Zu Ti's original mount had died in battle in Yuzhou, and now that he had obtained this horse, it was like sending charcoal in snowy weather, making him overjoyed.
The guests and host enjoyed themselves immensely. Liu Jun went to pack his belongings, while Zu Ti returned to the headquarters. He saw the account books and maps of Liangzhou's various counties neatly arranged on the table, and even a newly made hairpin on a low table beside him. He couldn't help but sigh, "So thoughtful in every detail, so meticulous in every matter. If he is not a magnanimous and wise man, then he is a cunning and treacherous villain. This young man is like a dragon; once he enters the sea, he will surely be able to stir up the winds and clouds. I wonder whether he will be a blessing or a curse for the country."
Liu Jun didn't care much about his opinion. He simply summoned the officials of Liangzhou, both high and low, under his control to give them instructions, personally reconfirmed the list of soldiers who had accompanied him north, and finally called Liu Liang to give him some more instructions before waving goodbye.
The reason Liu Jun delayed in Liangzhou for so long was twofold: first, to curry favor with Zu Ti, and second, to stabilize Hanzhong as much as possible. Although he appeared calm, he was actually burning with anxiety, fearing that if he delayed too long, Liu Cong or Shi Le would take advantage of the situation.
Therefore, once he mounted his horse, he galloped away without sleep, finally arriving before Pingyang was completely lost.
Before he could even exchange pleasantries with Liu Qiao's relatives, he ordered his troops and soldiers to rotate shifts and replenish supplies. He then spent almost a whole night pondering the city's defense map before finally ordering someone to invite Liu Pu, Liu Jian, and Liu Dan over.
When Liu Qiao was rescued in Ningping City, the Liu family was still quite prosperous. However, after years of fighting, Liu You, Liu Ting, and Liu Qiao himself died in battle one after another. Now, only Liu Qiao's nephews Liu Pu and Liu Xia, and Liu Qiao's grandsons Liu Jian and Liu Dan remain. Among them, Liu Pu is obsessed with calligraphy and painting, Liu Jian is weak and mediocre, and Liu Xia went south to join Tao Kan. The most outstanding member of the Liu clan in Nanyang is actually Liu Dan, who has always followed him.
After exchanging greetings, Liu Jun pondered for a moment and asked, "Are you all familiar with the Battle of Chencang?"
"We are unaware," Liu Pu and Liu Jian said in unison.
Liu Dan replied, "Cao Wei's Hao Zhao defended the city with a thousand soldiers for more than twenty days."
“Indeed,” Liu Jun said, half of his body leaning over the city defense map. “The Shu army is skilled in ingenuity, and their battering rams and siege ladders are quite formidable. So Hao Zhao lit arrows to destroy them and also prepared a lot of stone mills to throw down the city walls. The Shu army suffered heavy losses, and their tunnels were also discovered. Until their food supplies ran out, Zhuge Liang was forced to retreat.”
Liu Pu sighed, "What a pity."
"Does Your Excellency mean we can follow Hao Zhao's example? But what if Liu Cong comes prepared with ample supplies? We currently have 50,000 troops inside and outside the city. Even if we go out to fight, we have the strength to fight." Liu Dan's eyes were filled with murderous intent, clearly determined to avenge his family.
Liu Jun placed his hand on his shoulder and said in a deep voice, "We will definitely leave the city, but not on this day. We will eventually have a decisive battle, but not at this time."
Liu Jian and Liu Pu exchanged a glance, then stepped forward and knelt on the ground. "In accordance with our grandfather's last wish, if you do not abandon us, we are willing to lead our troops to follow you!"
Liu Jun helped them up, saying, "Our two clans are of the same origin. From now on, we are brothers!"
Having rightfully acquired Liu Qiao's remnants, Liu Jun spent considerable time reorganizing his troops, defending the city while studying the military reports sent by Yin Xiaocheng from various prefectures and counties.
First, the Dai state, which Liu Kun had always relied on, was plunged into internal strife. Tuoba Yilu, favoring his youngest son Tuoba Biyan, intended to depose the eldest son and install the younger one in his place, which caused many conflicts with his eldest son Tuoba Liuxiu, even leading to father and son killing each other. Because he was worried about his elder brother Liu Zun, and also thought that Ji Dan and Wei Xiong still had many relatives and friends in the Dai state, Liu Jun ordered the two of them to return to the north to wait for an opportunity to act.
Back in Bingzhou, because Liu Kun was on good terms with Tuoba Yilu, Liu Jun had also met Tuoba Liuxiu several times. He knew that this man was unlikely to achieve great things, and he only hoped that Liu Zun could take the opportunity to leave Dai and go to Bingzhou to assist Liu Kun, which would be a great help.
Besides Liu Cong's personal campaign against Pingyang, Liu Yao, the Prince of Zhongshan, led a large army to besiege Beidi Commandery. They had already attacked once last September, but failed due to Qu Yun's feint attack.
Now he is sharpening his sword again, intending to besiege Beidi County once more.
Although both Suo Lin and Qu Yun held high positions in Sima Ye's court and were considered skilled warriors—for example, Suo Lin had once defeated the Han general Zhao Ran, while Qu Yun had repeatedly defeated Liu Yao—they were both capable warriors.
Originally, Jia Pi planned to personally guard Chang'an, while Qu Yun would support Beidi County from Qingbai City.
Wen Qiao wrote to him seeking advice, saying that the generals in Guanzhong were still busy fighting amongst themselves, and he was worried that their previous advantage would be completely lost, repeating the mistakes of the War of the Eight Princes.
"Beidi County is already the shield of Chang'an, and it must not be lost." Liu Jun muttered to himself, reflecting on the character of these people, and finally decided to write a letter to Jia Pi.
Therefore, in July of the fourth year of Jianxing, Liu Yao attacked Beidi Commandery again. He had already devised a plan to deal with Qu Yun, but unexpectedly, Qu Yun sent soldiers to set fire to the city, creating smoke and dust that filled the sky, and then sent people to spread rumors that the city had fallen. If Qu Yun had been indecisive, he would very likely have believed it.
Unfortunately, Liu Jun recommended Jia Pi to come to Liu Yao's aid, which caught Liu Yao off guard. In the end, Liu Yao had no choice but to temporarily halt his offensive and retreat in frustration.
Jia Pi and Qu Yun were both seasoned veterans. Liu Cong was disheartened when he saw that Liu Yao had been unable to defeat him after a long battle. He also heard that Liu Jun, a mere upstart, had taken over as governor of Yuzhou and was guarding Pingyang after Liu Qiao. So he immediately decided to attack Pingyang, avenge his previous defeat, and reclaim the capital.
Upon hearing that it was Liu Cong, Liu Jun sighed on the spot. After all, compared to Liu Yao and other members of the Xiongnu royal family, Liu Cong personally led the expedition, and the difference in troops, supplies, and morale was incomparable.
Liu Jun personally led his men to patrol the city walls, repair the bricks, and collect a lot of oil and charcoal, just waiting for Liu Cong to attack.
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