Chapter 566: Marching on Hanzhong

There was not a hint of dawn yet; the night remained deep. At the fifth watch, Li Qing’an quietly got up. It was a habit he had held for years—no matter what day it was, he would rise at this time. He moved gently, not wanting to disturb the beauty beside him. In the faint light, he took another close look at his newlywed wife. She was so young and beautiful—her hair as black as jade, her eyes as gentle as those of an antelope. Her fingers, adorned with the beauty of ancient Greek sculptures, her slender figure, and her well-proportioned legs—all of her was so beautiful and full of vitality.

Her graceful figure made him unable to resist reaching out to caress her gently. Pei Wan’er opened her eyes with a “Mm!” She had barely slept all night; she had fallen asleep at the fourth watch. Her husband’s touch awakened her again. She quickly tried to get up—her husband had risen, and she must attend to his grooming. Her mother had repeatedly told her this was the duty of a bride. But her weakness prevented her from sitting up. Li Qing’an smiled and held her down, saying, “Keep sleeping peacefully. I don’t need your help.”

At that moment, Pei Wan’er felt a sense of loss as she bid farewell to her girlhood, which only deepened her dependence on Li Qing’an. This man would be her reliance for life. She didn’t want him to leave her and longed for him to stay by her side. Driven by feminine instinct, she hugged Li Qing’an and coquettishly said, “Don’t go either. Stay with me a little longer.”

Pei Wan’er’s coquetry reminded Li Qing’an of her shyness last night. He actually liked this woman, but last night, he had gone too far. There was some inexplicable emotion in his heart—seemingly deriving pleasure from tormenting her. But now, a sense of guilt arose in Li Qing’an’s heart. He hugged her and said with a smile, “I won’t go. I’m just going out for a walk. I’m used to rising at this time to breathe in the morning air. You keep sleeping!”

He bent down and kissed her lips before getting up and leaving. That kiss filled Pei Wan’er’s heart with happiness. The pain of last night and the confusion in her heart vanished without a trace. She finally felt like a wife, and tears of emotion filled her eyes. Unable to sleep anymore, she sat up. The night was still dark, but she no longer wanted to sleep. She began to comb her long hair. Today, she would go to the palace to receive her imperial decree—a decree that had once filled her with disgust—but now, she began to look forward to it. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Li Qing’an, her husband, her reliance for life.

Li Qing’an simply tied his hair into a bun and stepped out of Penglai Pavilion. The air outside was fresh, carrying a slight fishy smell from the lake and a touch of chill. The wind blew against his face, making him feel instantly refreshed. He walked to the lake’s edge and stretched out lazily. He loved this lake and the island in it. He thought about taking a few days off to shut himself in Penglai Pavilion and think things through—time he needed now.

These past few days, Li Qing’an had been deeply preoccupied with the Cui family’s affairs. To curb the growing power of the Pei family, he needed to find an opponent for them, and the Cui family was undoubtedly the best choice. But he didn’t want Cui Huan—he wanted Cui Ping to take control of the Cui family, so that it would become his loyal tool. However, the Cui family’s reluctance to respond had made him uneasy. Li Qing’an knew that these noble families had remained strong for centuries precisely because of their integrity and independence—they would never easily become tools of those in power. In the hundred years since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, these noble families like the Cuis and Peis had never bowed before the imperial authority. He was genuinely worried whether Cui Huan would yield under his threats and pressure.

“General!”
Someone was calling him from behind. Li Qing’an turned and saw a small boat approaching. On board was one of his personal guards responsible for delivering messages. Li Qing’an hurried over. “What’s the matter?”
“Reporting to the general, General Cui Ping sent an urgent letter last night. He asked the general to read it immediately.”
“Where is the letter?”
Li Qing’an grew uneasy. The guard handed him a letter. It indeed was written in Cui Ping’s handwriting, but in a hasty style, showing great urgency. It was clear he had written it in a state of panic. Li Qing’an opened the letter and saw only one sentence: The family ritual was postponed to next January, and the clan head had officially decided to pass the position of Cui family head to Cui Ning.

Li Qing’an let out a long sigh, his gaze complex as he stared at the lake. As he had guessed, Cui Huan refused to submit to him. He had truly witnessed the integrity of these noble families. Li Qing’an’s fists clenched gradually. Good. He wanted to see how long the Cui family’s integrity could last.

……

Cui Huan also stayed up all night. Last night, he finally made a crucial decision. He gathered over twenty important members of the Cui family for a brief meeting. There were only two points discussed: first, the family ritual was postponed by four months to the New Year; second, he would resign as the head of the Cui family and hand the position to Cui Ning, who was a dozen years younger than him. That was his final decision—he would rather see the Cui family decline than become a lackey of the royal family. Li Qing’an wanted to use the Cui family to deal with the Pei family. He wouldn’t allow it.

A faint glow appeared on the horizon, and a milky gray morning mist covered the back garden of the Cui family’s residence. Cui Huan strolled through the garden with his hands behind his back. His mood was calm and refined. Since passing the imperial examinations at the age of twenty and entering officialdom, he had been involved in political affairs for nearly forty years. He knew the consequences of playing the power games with those in higher positions. Perhaps the Cui family might gain short-term benefits—more members could enter government service, and several key figures from the Cui family could reach the core of power in the Tang Dynasty. But what about in the future? Once the birds are gone, the good bows are stored away; once the cunning rabbits die, their hounds are cooked. If the Cui family became Li Qing’an’s lackeys, they would never be able to turn things around. The backbone that had allowed the Cui family to stand firm for hundreds of years would be broken, and the family would truly be destroyed by his hands.

Moreover, the far-sighted Cui Huan saw another danger. Right now, Li Qing’an needed the support of the aristocratic families to rise to power, but once he controlled the Tang Dynasty, he would surely target them. There was no doubt about that. Tang emperors never allowed aristocratic families to grow too powerful. Emperor Gaozong used Wu Zetian to eliminate the Wang family, and after Empress Wei fell from power, the once-mighty Wei family was brutally purged. Who would be next? The Pei family or his own Cui family? Cui Huan was well aware that getting too close to Li Qing’an might not be a good thing.

After walking around the back garden once more, his resolve grew stronger. If Li Qing’an wanted to eliminate the Cui family, let him do it. The Cui family had its principles. Having stood firm through storms for hundreds of years, how could they be shaken by a few setbacks?

Returning to his study, Cui Huan spread out a piece of paper. After pondering for a moment, he picked up his pen and wrote the word “resignation” on it.

As dawn approached, a rumor spread rapidly within the court: Cui Huan, the Minister of Rites, had resigned from his position as prime minister due to health reasons. The news shocked the court, and an emergency meeting was held. By vote, the council accepted Cui Huan’s resignation. At the same time, they adopted Pei Zunqing’s suggestion to appoint Cui Ping, the Vice Minister, to take Cui Huan’s place in the council.

This news truly surprised many people. Cui Huan had passed the leadership of the family to Cui Ning, yet his own position as prime minister went to Cui Ping. Could there be some hidden motives behind this? However, as those who had come to Chang’an for the family ritual left one after another, Cui Ning’s crime of colluding with Southern Tang also faded into obscurity, as if nothing had happened. Various speculations could no longer be sustained, and soon the Cui family fell silent.

Another day passed. Song Jie, the Censor-in-Chief, accused Li Huan, the governor of Hanzhong, of colluding with Southern Tang and having pledged loyalty to them. The Imperial Council immediately issued an order to summon Li Huan to the capital to face charges, but Li Huan firmly rejected the order and declared openly that a commander stationed in the field could disregard imperial commands.

Li Huan’s defiant attitude provoked outrage throughout the court. Li Qing’an then formally proposed to the Imperial Council to launch an attack on Hanzhong, shifting the defense against Southern Tang to that region. The proposal was approved, and Li Qing’an was given full authority to plan the campaign.

Li Qing’an promptly appointed Li Siyeh, the deputy governor of Anxi, as the supreme commander of the southern expedition, ordering 40,000 troops from Anxi to march on Hanzhong. He also instructed the three provinces of Longzhou, Qizhou, and Fengzhou to provide logistical support. Thus, the curtain rose once again on this war.

Outside the Xianyang camp, over 40,000 soldiers from Anxi stood in neat ranks, flags fluttering, armor gleaming, and weapons spread out like a dense black forest. Accompanied by Li Siyeh, Li Qing’an rode slowly past the troops. Then he turned his horse around and faced the tens of thousands of soldiers. Silence reigned within the Anxi army; every soldier looked up at their commander with resolute eyes.

“Soldiers of Anxi!”
Li Qing’an’s voice was low, yet every word reached each soldier’s ears. “I do not consider attacking Hanzhong to be an extremely difficult task. You are battle-hardened and have already defeated armies ten times stronger than those in Hanzhong. So, defeating them would not be a glorious victory—there is nothing to boast about. But you can use this battle to show the world the true strength of the Anxi army. I give you only ten days—yes, just ten days. Starting from now, I will return here to welcome your triumph. If you are even fifteen minutes late, it will be a shameful defeat. In that case, the commander will be demoted three ranks, and the entire army will have its salaries withheld for a year. If you succeed, not only will you receive generous rewards, but each of you will also be awarded a gold medal for heroism from the Great Tang’s battle-hardened army. That’s all I have to say. Prove the strength of the Anxi army with your actions—we are the best army in the world.”

With that, Li Qing’an raised his right arm and looked into the eyes of the 40,000 soldiers. The soldiers immediately raised their arms and shouted, “Victory! Victory!”

The shouts were thunderous. Li Qing’an waved his arm westward and said, “Set out!”

Teams of Anxi army soldiers set off in formation—cavalry, archers, and heavy infantry—forming a massive and formidable force. Tens of thousands of camels carried various supplies, following behind the troops westward. Li Qing’an and Li Siye rode side by side. Noticing Li Siye’s serious expression, Li Qing’an joked, “What’s wrong? Is the pressure of ten days too much?”
Li Siye didn’t hide his concerns and nodded. “Yes. It will take at least three days to travel from Luogu Road to Hanzhong, and another three days back. That’s six days just for travel, leaving us only four days for actual combat. It’s quite tight. Being demoted is less of a concern; I’m worried it might affect morale.”
“Don’t worry! I’m confident you can take Hanzhong in four days. I won’t impose unnecessary pressure on you. I won’t ask for anything impossible. Just fight boldly without hesitation. There’s no need for any special tactics—just pay attention to scout reports and avoid being ambushed by Hanzhong’s forces.”
Seeing Li Qing’an’s confidence, Li Siye felt a bit reassured. Then he suddenly remembered something and asked, “What about after we take Hanzhong? We’re not going to be stationed there forever, are we?”
“Of course not! I still need you to fight against An Lushan!”
Li Qing’an smiled. “I’ve already made arrangements. Cui Guangyuan will lead 30,000 troops to take over Hanzhong’s defense and serve as its governor.”
At that moment, a cavalry rider rushed over and reported to Li Siye, “General Li, the main army is set to set off. Please return to the formation!”
“Alright!”
Li Siye bowed to Li Qing’an. “General, I’m leaving now.”
Li Qing’an returned the bow. “Be careful on your journey. Wish you success!”
“Go!” Li Siye whipped his warhorse and galloped westward. Li Qing’an watched his retreating figure and murmured, “Ten days. If you can return within ten days, you’ll truly deserve the title of the world’s finest army.”
……
Hanzhong is located south of the Zhongnan Mountains and falls under the Shannan East Circuit. In a narrow sense, Hanzhong includes only Liangzhou, Yangzhou, and Jinzhou, with Liangzhou as the center. Nanzheng County in Liangzhou serves as the political, cultural, and military hub of the Hanzhong region. Its fortified city is large and sturdy. With a strong garrison and sufficient supplies, Nanzheng County can hold out for at least half a year.

Hanzhong is characterized by high mountains and dense forests, with steep terrain that has made it a difficult place for military operations since ancient times—easy to defend but hard to attack. It served not only as a crucial gateway for Bashu to defend against northern armies but also as a major obstacle for Bashu forces to advance northward. Zhuge Liang’s seven expeditions to Qishan were largely hindered by his inability to cross Hanzhong smoothly. After the Eastern Han Dynasty, the routes from Guanzhong to Hanzhong were no longer as straightforward as before. In particular, the Ziwu Road, Luogu Road, and Baogu Road were extensively repaired, turning them into shortcuts through the Zhongnan Mountains. It took only three days to travel from Chang’an to Nanzheng in Hanzhong, allowing an army of over 100,000 to pass through in one go.

The current commander of Hanzhong is the military governor Li Huan. Standing seven feet tall with broad shoulders, he wields a heavy iron spear weighing 120 jin and is an expert marksman, making him a formidable warrior. As a member of the Li Tang royal family, he places great importance on royal lineage. He believes that Li Heng is the legitimate heir of the Li Tang dynasty, while the young emperor established in Chang’an is merely a trick by Li Qingan, who will eventually seize the throne. Since Li Qingan is a descendant of the hidden crown prince, how could he be allowed to inherit the throne?

For this reason, although Li Huan is nominally under the authority of the government in Chang’an, he has actually pledged loyalty to Li Heng in Chengdu.

Li Huan is not foolish. When he was impeached by the Censorate and ordered by the government to go to Chang’an for investigation, he guessed that Li Qingan intended to take action against him, just looking for a plausible excuse. Whether he went or not, a war to attack Hanzhong was inevitable.

Li Huan has 30,000 troops at his disposal, sufficient to confront the Anxi Army. He also sent people to Chengdu for urgent help and dispatched hundreds of scouts to gather information about the Anxi Army.

That afternoon, Li Huan received intelligence that a large force of about 40,000 from the Anxi Army was advancing southward via the Luogu Road. The vanguard of 10,000 had already occupied Huayang County and stationed there.

Huayang County is located within Yangzhou, about 200 li away from Nanzheng. With its rugged terrain and numerous valleys, Li Huan fell into deep thought.

By evening, Li Siyue’s main army had arrived in Huayang County one day after setting out from Xianyang. After marching for two days and nights, the army successfully reached Hanzhong. From Huayang County to Nanzheng, it would take at least another day and night. If the army set out straight for Nanzheng without resting, it could reach Nanzheng County by tomorrow evening, completing the three-day plan to enter Hanzhong. However, Li Siyue was not in a hurry to accomplish this task. Instead, he ordered the army to rest for four hours before setting off at midnight.

Huayang County was a small county with just over a thousand households. Its county town was also tiny, unable to accommodate many troops. Thus, the Anxi army camped in an open area outside the town, with thousands of large tents arranged in rows. Massive camp fences were erected around them, staked with antlers and thistles, and six watchtowers were built. Dozens of scouting teams were sent out to patrol within a ten-mile radius, ensuring extremely strict security.

Inside the main camp, most lights had been turned off, creating a very quiet atmosphere. After marching for two days and nights, the soldiers were utterly exhausted and fell asleep as soon as they lay down. Only Li Siyue’s tent still had lights on.

The tent was brightly lit, with a huge sand table in the center—representing the terrain of the various prefectures in Hanzhong. Cities, passes, roads, military camps, and more were clearly marked on the sand table. Li Siyue was discussing battle plans with several generals.

Li Siyue looked very serious. According to the markings on the sand table, they should encounter garrisons at two locations in Hanzhong: Luogu Pass and Huayang Fort. Each pass should have 500 troops stationed there. Yet, as they passed through these two passes, there were no troops present. Moreover, it seemed that troops had previously been stationed there but had recently withdrawn—this was indeed suspicious, indicating that the enemy was already aware of their arrival and had withdrawn their guards without resistance.

In fact, capturing Luogu Pass and Huayang Fort wasn’t easy at all. The passes were extremely steep, and taking them would require a fierce battle, resulting in over a thousand casualties. But in reality, they encountered no resistance at all. This didn’t seem like Li Huan’s style. Could he be feigning weakness to lure the enemy deeper?

“What do you think? How should we proceed with our next move?”