I am Emperor Shizu of Song

Chapter 85: Lure the Enemy into Battle
The turmoil caused by Zhu Jie's death has finally passed.

In the following two or three days, Zhao Zicheng was so busy that he almost kept on going all the time. He quickly grasped the general situation and combat readiness of Gusu County and all four counties of Suzhou to ensure that he and his subordinates could enter the wartime state as soon as possible.

This speed was not considered slow. After all, he wanted to control not only the county of the state capital, but also the three neighboring counties. It would take more than a day just to travel, and he had to ride so hard that his legs were exhausted.

Three days later, on September 20th, Zhao Zi claimed that he had finally figured out all the military forces under his control.

"The Xiang army consists of ten battalions, about the size of a general commander, scattered across the four counties of Suzhou. The full complement is nearly five thousand men, but in reality, there are only an estimated two thousand! Five hundred of them are from Yang Zhi's battalion, the only battalion I've been meticulously building up and ensuring is fully staffed since last year! The remaining nine battalions have fewer than two hundred soldiers, and all ten battalions combined only have two thousand men!
Fortunately, I took advantage of my labor service last winter to recruit another 500 civilians, and asked Yang Zhi to help manage them and train them moderately during my free time. These people are also capable of taking up arms and fighting. Counting them all, we have a field force of approximately 2,700 men."

Seeing this figure, Zhao Zicheng couldn't help but shake his head in frustration. He was only a county magistrate before. Last year, he was even just a county magistrate. With his power, even if he actively cultivated the land and prepared for war, he could only do so much.

In one commander-in-chief, the other nine battalions combined are only equivalent to three battalions like Yang Zhi's, a reduction of three to one. This empty salary is really outrageous!
However, the current situation is already like this, and what we need to consider now is how to play the cards we have now well.

Early that morning, Zhao Zicheng privately convened a small meeting and called the prefect Zhao Lin, the militia leader Dong Chao, and the battalion commander Yang Zhi to come together to pool their wisdom and reach a consensus.

As for Lin Chong, Lu Da and others, they were not qualified to attend a meeting of this level. They were only Yu Hou and Du Tou, and their ranks were too low. Even Yang Zhi was able to come because Zhao Zicheng helped him save face.

Although theoretically the prefect was the most respected among the people present and the militia should be in charge of military affairs, Zhao Lin and Dong Chao had no intention of rushing to speak, and let Zhao Zicheng, the Tongpan, speak first.

This shows the actual level of prestige during the war.

Zhao Zicheng was not polite. After clearing his throat, he took the lead in raising a fundamental policy question:
"The enemy's momentum is intensifying. It is estimated that Fuchun County has been captured, but the news is still uncertain. Hangzhou has also been under siege for a long time, and it is not known whether it has been completely surrounded.

But in the past two days, there has been no urgent news sent from Hangzhou City. It is estimated that even if Fang La has not completely surrounded the city, he has at least blocked the main city gates first.

The court's laws have also put many constraints on us. I wonder what my colleagues think about our next steps in defending Suzhou and protecting the people of Jiangnan."

Zhao Lin knew nothing about military affairs, so he did not answer Zhao Zicheng's question, but just gave Dong Chao a look.

Dong Chao pondered for a moment and said tactfully, "We should indeed prioritize the imperial court's laws. We just need to defend the counties of Suzhou. Zhao Tongpan has such a good reputation among the people, the people of Suzhou will surely be eager to defend the city and follow his lead. We still have nearly 3,000 strong soldiers, plus the temporary conscription of civilians and local militia, so we will definitely have no problem holding the city!"

Zhao Zicheng was certainly not satisfied with this answer, but he also expected that these guys would definitely answer like this.

The Song Dynasty had very strict control over military officers and the army. Whether it was the prefect or the militia, they only had the responsibility of defending the territory. If they took the initiative to cross the border to pursue the bandits, even if they were meritorious, they might be accused of exceeding their authority, which was a thankless task.

After all, during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the harm caused by the separatist regimes of military leaders was too terrible. At the beginning of the founding of the Song Dynasty, people were afraid that military generals would cross the border without authorization to quell rebellions and control more and more territories.

If he were a civil servant, the restrictions in this regard would not be so severe, but Zhao Zicheng had the additional identity of a royal family compared to ordinary civil servants, so the constraints were more complicated.

What would the higher-ups think if a man named Zhao took control of the military power and took the initiative to attack?
"So, you're just going to sit back and watch each state be conquered by Fang La? We're just going to stay here in Suzhou and keep our troops in place? We don't even know if Fang La has conquered Hangzhou yet. If we sit back and watch, we're essentially giving up on Huzhou and Xiuzhou, and at least letting Fang La wreak havoc on two or three more states! Your salaries are also the people's blood and sweat, so can you bear to watch them suffer?"

Zhao Zicheng couldn't help but criticize Dong Chao for his cowardice.

Zhao Lin, who had been silent just now, saw Zhao Zicheng's aggressive approach and didn't want to take the initiative to attack, fearing that he would get into trouble, so he helped Dong Chao to defend himself:

"My dear brother, please be patient. Jiangnan has been at peace for a long time, and the government troops have not been trained for a long time, so their fighting capacity is not up to par. In this situation, it is better to be cautious. If you rashly attack in the field, the consequences of defeat will be disastrous. At least defending the city is a safe bet."

Furthermore, you are a member of the imperial clan, so don't make yourself feared. The imperial army will take care of the final suppression of the rebellion."

Zhao Zicheng saw that the governor and the militia did not support him, and they were so afraid of death that he could not force his way past them and force them to take the initiative to send troops. He thought about it again and again, and had to change his words and bluff:
"Even if we are sure of defending the city, we can't just defend Suzhou! We should advance to Huzhou or Xiuzhou and hold off Fang La! We don't know whether Hangzhou has been lost yet. Even if we rush there, we may not be able to break through Fang La's siege and join forces in the city. But if we reinforce Huzhou or Xiuzhou, we can definitely enter the city!

Since ancient times, unity is strength, while division is weakness. Rebels like Fang La, wherever they go, will coerce good people and force them into exile. Therefore, the larger their territory, the greater their power. If they capture Huzhou and Xiuzhou, we will have to face them alone! Furthermore, the officers, soldiers, and militiamen of Huzhou and Xiuzhou may be recruited by Fang La! Our army will be defeated one by one!
I've made up my mind. Even if we have to defend, we must defend it forward! We can't defend Suzhou! Besides, my father is the magistrate of Jiaxing, and I know that General Wang Ziwu, the commander of the Xiuzhou army, is a hero who will fight to the death. I suggest that Yang Zhi's battalion and one or two other battalions be transferred to Xiuzhou to reinforce the friendly forces and assist in the defense! Separate several battalions and send them to Huzhou and Wuxing to assist in the defense! We can form a pincer attack to contain Fang La, support Hangzhou, and then act accordingly!

Zhao Zi said that he didn't want to say the last half sentence at first, because saying it would make him seem selfish. But he said it in the end because he wanted to let Zhao Lin and Dong Chao know how desperate he was and not dare to obstruct him anymore.

His biological father, Zhao Linghua, was an official in Jiaxing County. It was only natural for his son to send troops to Linzhou to reinforce his father. Even if the emperor discovered in the future that he had led troops across the border, the matter could be explained and would not be regarded as an ordinary "royal mercenary exceeding his authority."

Zhao Lin and Dong Chao also have to consider how Zhao Zicheng will retaliate if they stop him from helping his father.

Sure enough, after this excuse was made, the two of them immediately dared not directly object.

Zhao Lin only sighed indirectly and tactfully at the end: "My Great Song also governs the world with filial piety. It is natural for my dear brother to want to rescue Xiuzhou, but it would be better if there was a better way to achieve both ends.

Leading troops across the border without authorization is ultimately a taboo. Previous instances of local officials suppressing bandits and pursuing them out of the country without facing imperial punishment were often due to the bandits having already entered Suzhou and then being repelled by the government troops. If the bandits never entered Suzhou territory, pursuing them out without provocation would easily lead to charges. Don't worry, my dear brother, I'm not trying to stop you from saving your father. I'm simply sharing some experiences from past generations. Proper handling is always better than acting rashly.

Zhao Lin's statement, in theory, was indeed for the good of everyone, and he wanted to think of a more comprehensive excuse before sending troops. Dong Chao, standing by, quickly agreed, but at the same time seemed rather embarrassed:

"What you said, my Lord, is all very wise, but it's a bit too difficult. If Fang La reaches Suzhou, Huzhou and Xiuzhou must have been conquered. Otherwise, how could Fang La's troops possibly cross the border and reach Suzhou?
"It's common sense in military strategy to send food before troops move. If Fang La had come to Suzhou before conquering Huzhou and Xiuzhou, he would have violated a major military taboo and ignored the food supply. Therefore, the situation just now can only be imagined. How can it be done in reality?"

No matter how incompetent Dong Chao was, he was still a military officer, and he still had some common sense. He had to consider logistics before mobilizing troops. Therefore, judging by common sense, he naturally felt that Zhao Lin's ideal situation was impossible.

However, Dong Chao's common sense remarks made Zhao Zicheng reflect on the situation.

He knew history and also knew how Fang La should have advanced and developed.

Originally in history, Fang La did not capture Xiuzhou. Xiuzhou civil official and military commander Wang Ziwu was rewarded and promoted by the court for defending Xiuzhou and fighting back against Fang La. He was considered a hero who blocked Fang La's further eastward advance.

But in history, Xiuzhou was not conquered, but some parts of Huzhou and Suzhou were conquered. Even if the entire Suzhou was not conquered, at least some of its counties were conquered.

Otherwise, there would be no record in the history of Song Dynasty that "Wuxing Lu Xing'er and Gusu Shisheng responded to Fang La and succeeded."

It can be seen that in history, Fang La achieved such a bizarre territory that "he failed to capture Xiuzhou, but part of Suzhou was captured by him."

Without taking Xiuzhou, Fang La would have no food supply and logistics to Suzhou. It can be seen that Fang La in history chose to "ignore logistics and food supply" and directly launched a roving attack!
After thinking about this, Zhao Zicheng's eyes finally lit up. He sorted it out and suddenly said, "Lord Zhao, Dong Tuanlian, what you said may not be too conservative. It is true that advancing without regard for food supply is indeed a major military taboo, but can a bandit like Fang La be treated with the common sense of a normal army?"

Absolutely not! Because Fang La originally relied on the Mani bandits to rise to power, relying on his followers in various prefectures in Jiangnan. I heard that in the past two days, Lü Shinang of Xianju in Taizhou raised an army to support Fang La, and then immediately moved to Pingyang, Wenzhou.

Did Fang La's territory in Wuzhou border Xianju, Pingyang, and other counties? No, there were several counties in the Chuzhou mountainous area between them! Moreover, southern Zhejiang was full of mountains, and the food supply was difficult to maintain. If Fang La relied on the transportation of food to fight, he would not be able to spread to such a large area.

Therefore, it is entirely possible for someone like Fang La to risk his troops without regard for the food supply! He might even skip some of the cities along the way. Whether he is willing to take such a risk depends entirely on whether there are any local insiders willing to respond to him!

Since ancient times, bandit armies have excelled at field warfare, not sieges, because they lack a systematic team to build ingenious equipment and skilled craftsmen. Fang La's key to capturing a city depended on internal support, so as soon as he heard of an internal rebellion, he would have dared to march across the state! In his view, with internal support, once the city was broken, he could eat wherever he went. Why would he need to carry his own food?

Zhao Lin and Dong Chao thought about it for a moment and soon realized that they were indeed convinced.

What Zhao Zicheng said made sense. The peasant army did not have to worry about food supplies. As long as someone responded, they would have food.

Back then, Huang Chao didn't care about food at all and just ate wherever he went.

It’s just that Zhao Lin and Dong Chao really didn’t study history, and didn’t combine history with military strategy, so even such a basic principle had to be pointed out by Zhao Zicheng.

This shows the ignorance of the civil officials and militia in the late Northern Song Dynasty about military affairs. Zhao Zi said that if one knew a little bit, he would immediately stand out.

"But now Suzhou has been completely recovered by my dear brother, and the people are all working together. Who would respond to Fang La?" After being convinced, Zhao Lin thought of another question and couldn't help asking.

Zhao Zi said that it was naturally science, and he thought of Lu Xing'er and Shi Sheng, who were killed by him and Yang Zhi last year. Originally, in history, it was these two people who responded to Fang La and seduced Fang La's greed.

Although the two big bandits are dead now, Zhao Zi said he believes that their remnants will never be killed.

Following this line of thought, Zhao Zicheng immediately said, "Even though I killed Zhu Jie, I only won the support of 90% of the people in Suzhou. How can I convince everyone? Where there are people, there are good and evil. Didn't we inflict heavy damage on two groups of Taihu thieves when we were escorting the flower and stone gang last year?
As for the Wuxing group, Commander Yang and Linghu Yuhou (Lin Chong) had recently taken advantage of the situation to pursue them, killing one of Fang La's messengers and dispersing the rest. Presumably, after those people had fled, some of them would have scattered and hid in the area, while the rest would have fled towards Hangzhou, where they would undoubtedly have joined Fang La.

We can send out spies to fish in troubled waters and spread false information, making Fang La think that Huzhou is an opportunity. In this way, if he fails to capture Hangzhou and hears of an opportunity in Huzhou, he will be greedy and split his troops to march north. In his view, taking Huzhou will not require much effort or manpower; as long as people respond, it will be easy to take.

As for Suzhou, we can draw inferences from this one instance. By the way, regarding the Shi Sheng case last year, after Shi Sheng was murdered, are any of the remaining members of the Haisha Gang still serving hard labor in prison? That case wasn't decided in Gusu County last year, and the circumstances are complex. The case file must be at the prefectural level. Could you please investigate, and then hand over any surviving members of Shi Sheng's gang to me? I'll arrange for them to stage a show to lure Fang La's men over.

As long as Fang La was lured into dividing his troops and taking military risks in Huzhou and Suzhou, Zhao Zicheng would naturally have a way to launch a defensive counterattack.

Then pursuing them out of the country would be relatively logical, without having to worry too much about the constraints of Song Dynasty laws.

In this way, the risk of Huzhou, Xiuzhou and Suzhou fighting each other and being defeated one by one can be eliminated invisibly.

It's profitable no matter how you look at it.

(End of this chapter)