Chapter Twenty-Seven: Li Mi Offers a Strategy

“Veteran General Qutu, I am Li Wenyuan. I have long admired your illustrious reputation.” After crossing the Yellow River and joining forces with Qutu Tong, Li Wenyuan rode forward, clasped his hands in salute, and addressed Qutu Tong.

Li Wenyuan had a genuine fondness for the old general. In the twilight of the Sui dynasty, when its mighty edifice was crumbling, Qutu Tong still managed to restrain his men and fight steadfastly to the last soldier—a testament to his unparalleled loyalty and righteousness.

Qutu Tong, too, had heard rumors about Li Wenyuan from his subordinates. Returning the gesture, he said, “My reputation is nothing but the world’s mistaken praise. How could I compare to General Li, who rescued tens of thousands of soldiers in Liaodong?”

Li Wenyuan continued his courteous exchange with Qutu Tong, though his mind wandered elsewhere. It seemed that in the Sui dynasty, word of mouth was the principal means of spreading news—hardly precise, often leaving much unsaid. If a newspaper were established in the Sui dynasty, it might be a fine idea. If he could one day control the entire realm’s public opinion, then he could turn black into white at will. No—such deception was the province of Zhao Gao. What he envisioned was: conveying the highest directives from the central government to the people of the provinces.

Ahem.

As Zhang Juntao coughed until his face reddened, Li Wenyuan was jolted from his reverie. He noticed Qutu Tong watching him curiously, so Li Wenyuan covered his mouth, coughed lightly, and said, “Forgive me, I was lost in thought, pondering how to break the enemy. I must ask the general if you have any strategy for defeating them?”

Qutu Tong, seeing Li Wenyuan seeking his advice, smiled and replied, “His Majesty will arrive at the Eastern Capital in two days.”

Li Wenyuan smiled; indeed, their first task was to keep the Eastern Capital peaceful and secure. He asked, “Since you have made your decision, what would you have me do?”

Qutu Tong replied, “That is simple. Tomorrow, General Li, you are to support me from the northern flank—make your presence as formidable as possible. The soldiers have marched for days, wearied from travel and not fit for battle. Moreover, once we cross the Yellow River, the rebels will have lost their advantage. There is no need for us to act rashly. Today, let us camp here, rest, and gather our strength. Tomorrow, we shall sally forth and suppress the bandits.”

Yang Xuangan, accompanied by Li Zixiong, gazed at the distant camp of Qutu Tong. He said to Li Zixiong, “They say Qutu Tong is a veteran of countless battles and rarely defeated. I believe this is inseparable from his steady temperament. I thought we could catch them off guard after their long march, but they have chosen to camp right where they arrived.”

Li Zixiong’s thoughts were elsewhere. He replied, “Lord Chu, the Eastern Capital has withstood siege for so long, and now Yang Guang has withdrawn from Goguryeo to reinforce it, summoning the realm’s armies to relieve the siege. Liyang has fallen as well. If we remain here, we will be surrounded and perish.”

Yang Xuangan furrowed his brow. “And what do you propose?”

Li Zixiong said, “Lord Chu, you are courageous, and Qutu Tong is a master of war. If our armies clash, the outcome is uncertain, but we will surely be bogged down. Once Yuwen Shu and his ilk arrive, we will be outnumbered and overwhelmed.”

Seeing the melancholy in Yang Xuangan’s eyes, Li Zixiong pressed his advantage, “But Wei Xuan, who guards the Hangu Pass, is no skilled commander. With the Prince of Dai's order to rescue the Eastern Capital, they are bound to fight with exhausted troops. We should march west, defeat Wei Xuan’s forces, and enter the Guanzhong region, securing the mountain passes, then aim for Chang’an. We can issue proclamations to the counties and prefectures, forcing the Sui armies to spread thin and exhaust themselves, awaiting our opportunity to claim the Central Plains and vie for supremacy.”

Yang Xuangan remained silent, prompting Li Zixiong to shake his head discreetly, yet he continued, “Alternatively, march south to Jiangdong, seize its tax and grain revenues, conscript its men to form a navy in imitation of Southern Chen and resist the Sui armies. At the same time, coordinate with the various righteous armies across the realm, block the Sui’s path south. But you must grant them titles and rewards, legitimizing their status. This will inspire them to fight bravely, and encourage more to rise up, severing Sui rule once and for all.”

Yang Xuangan shook his head. “You do not understand, sir. Though your plans are prudent, have you considered the consequences of failing to capture the Eastern Capital? If I retreat before every stronghold, who would still follow me? The leaders of the righteous armies are all ambitious men; why would they submit to someone chased from the Eastern Capital by Sui forces, forced to hide on the frontier in desperation?”

Li Zixiong hurriedly replied, “General, you can defeat Wei Xuan in open battle, then move west into Guanzhong, seize Yongfeng Granary and open it to aid the poor. Publicly, say that our original aim was to capture the Eastern Capital, but we turned to Guanzhong to answer the pleas of its refugees. First, this diverts attention from our failure to take the capital; second, it earns you a reputation for loving the people as your own children; third, winning the hearts of Guanzhong will give you a base from which to rise again.”

Yang Xuangan watched the cooking smoke rise from Qutu Tong’s camp, pondered for a moment, weighed the pros and cons, and then made up his mind. He beckoned his men and returned to camp, saying to Li Zixiong along the way, “Sir, your plan is clear to me. Let us follow your advice: tonight we break camp and march west to fight Wei Xuan.”

Wei Xuan, originally Minister of Justice, had never commanded troops and knew nothing of the art of war. He led his men on a hurried march, heeding his subordinates’ advice to send twenty thousand infantry and twenty thousand cavalry across the Jingjian, advancing east to threaten Yang Xuangan’s forces.

Yang Xuangan said to his kinsman Yang Xuanting, “Wei Xuan may have numbers, but he is no threat. Still, there’s no need to confront him head-on. You take five thousand men and lie in ambush here. After I feign defeat and lure Wei Xuan into pursuit, you will suddenly strike their flank, catching them unprepared. I will then lead my troops in a counterattack and surely rout the enemy.”

Yang Xuanting accepted his orders and departed. Yang Xuangan looked at Li Mi in the tent and suddenly realized he had neglected him recently due to the constant warfare. Remembering his father’s admonitions, he smiled at Li Mi, “The army prepares to break camp and march west. I must entrust many affairs to you, sir.”

He then turned to Li Zixiong, “And as for the government troops to the east, I leave them to you. Do your utmost to delay them.”

Yang Xuangan personally led five thousand elite troops west to Jingjian, ready for battle. This time, he wielded a long spear and fought on the front lines himself. Known for his valor and strength, Yang Xuangan always led by example, bravely slaying the enemy. His men called him ‘Little Xiang Yu.’

Before setting out, Yang Xuangan addressed his troops, “Brothers, when you face the Sui forces, heed my command—advance and retreat in order. Victory is ours!”

The troops replied in unison, their morale high after two successive victories over the Sui. Following Li Zixiong’s advice, Yang Xuangan decided to lay siege to the Eastern Capital without attacking until sufficient siege engines were assembled, thus avoiding heavy casualties among the righteous army.

Now Yang Xuangan marched west, as expected encountering Wei Xuan’s force. Both armies deployed for battle. Wei Xuan saw that Yang Xuangan’s troops were far fewer than his own, and his confidence soared. He rode out and shouted, “Rebel Yang Xuangan! I am Wei Xuan, Minister of Justice of the Great Sui, leading a mighty army to exterminate you. I advise you to dismount and surrender…”

Before he could finish, Yang Xuangan burst out laughing. “Ha! Old dog Wei Xuan, even when I served the Sui I heard of your fondness for wine and women. Now you lack the spirit even to hurl insults in battle—have you exhausted yourself chasing after pretty girls? Tomorrow I’ll send you a tonic to help you perform your duties!”