Chapter 618: King Wu’s Tiger Son

The standoff at the Salt Wharf ended with Yuan Jingyao’s surrender. He had no choice but to surrender—though he might have hesitated due to the kindness shown to him by King Wu—his soldiers and lower-ranking officers had no such reservations. With death the only alternative to surrender, they all chose to save their own lives. As the troops at the northernmost end laid down their weapons and raised their hands in surrender, thousands of soldiers finally collapsed.

They dropped their weapons one after another and gathered in the open space to the north as ordered by the Beitaang army. Ten became a hundred, a hundred became a thousand. Yuan Jingyao shouted orders repeatedly, but to no effect. After drawing his sword and killing two men, it only triggered an even larger wave of surrender. The herd mentality spread rapidly—when one person laid down their weapons, three or four others followed. Out of four thousand soldiers, over 3,600 surrendered. In an instant, their forces disintegrated. Yuan Jingyao looked around and found fewer than four hundred men left. Realizing the situation was hopeless, he sighed deeply and ordered, “Lay down your weapons and surrender!”

The last four hundred soldiers laid down their weapons, but the Beitaang army remained motionless, in full combat readiness, ready to strike at the slightest sign of movement.

Even the somewhat defiant Yuan Jingyao could only secretly admire the unshakable resolve of the Anxi army, which remained so calm even after all the soldiers had surrendered. They turned a blind eye. He admitted defeat wholeheartedly. Unless he fled via the Salt Wharf, he was doomed to lose, whether on land or at sea.

Yuan Jingyao took off his battle robes, standing bare-chested, and ordered himself to be tied up. Kneeling before the army, he shouted, “Criminal general Yuan Jingyao surrenders!”

From afar, Li Baozhen heard his cries. Only then did two cold words escape his lips: “Accept their surrender!”

The Beitaang cavalry slowly approached Yuan Jingyao’s surrendered troops. Over four thousand men knelt on the ground as the cold hooves of the cavalry trod past them, separating the soldiers from their weapons. Then, the four thousand surrendered soldiers were lined up in groups of a hundred. A few who were still hiding knives were immediately killed mercilessly by the Beitaang cavalry…

The wind was biting, and the night was deep. Groups of surrendered soldiers were taken away and disappeared into the darkness. Yuan Jingyao knelt on the ground, his upper body frozen blue-purple from the cold, trembling silently with his head bowed.

Li Baozhen slowly rode over to him, stared at him for a long time, and then asked slowly, “If you surrender, what will become of your family in Danyang?”

“King Wu would not dare harm a loyal general.”

“What if King Wu’s son orders the execution of your family?”

Yuan Jingyao felt a surge of despair. He had forgotten about Li Yi, the son of the King of Wu. The King of Wu was kind-hearted and would not be cruel to the families of traitorous generals, but Li Yi, the Prince of Xiangcheng and son of the King of Wu, was ruthless and unhesitating in killing. If he surrendered, his family would likely be in danger.

Gritting his teeth, he said, “If my family cannot be saved, I will remarry and have more children.”

“Hmph!” Li Baozhen sneered. “I won’t accept your surrender. I’ll declare you a prisoner of war and release you later. As for whether your family can be saved, pray to heaven!”

Before Yuan Jingyao could speak, Li Baozhen waved his hand and ordered, “Take him away!”

A few soldiers dragged Yuan Jingyao away. At that moment, an officer beside him whispered, “General Li, I heard that Yuan Jingyao is skilled in naval battles—he’s exactly the kind of talent our army needs. Why not use him?”

Li Baozhen shook his head. “This man’s wife is the sister-in-law of Li Chengshi, a key general of Eastern Wu. Li Lin surely won’t kill her. With his wife in Li Lin’s hands and Li Lin having always been generous to him, it’s clear he only surrendered out of desperation. If we use him to lead the navy, he’ll surely defect again, causing us heavy losses and ruining the general’s plans for the southern campaign. So we must not use him.”

“Then why not kill him?”

“We can’t kill him for now. Killing him would discourage other generals of Southern Tang from surrendering.”

“General Li, your wisdom is remarkable!”

The generals all gave thumbs up in praise. Li Baozhen smiled and pointed his sword at the distant naval fortress, asking, “Is there any movement at the naval fortress?”

Just then, a soldier rushed over and reported, “General, the soldiers at the naval fortress are willing to surrender. Please accept their surrender!”

“Order them to lay down their weapons and come ashore. We’ll accept their surrender.”

Soon, amidst the flickering flames, groups of soldiers came ashore, raising their hands in surrender. At that moment, a small boat docked, and Li Xin, the governor of Yangzhou, stepped ashore. He approached Li Baozhen, bowed, and said with a smile, “Congratulations, General Li, for capturing Yantou Port without a fight.”

Li Baozhen replied with a smile, “How about the troops stationed on Hudu Island?”

“I already inquired. There were originally two thousand troops on Hudu Island, but they’ve all been withdrawn. Only a few hundred fishermen remain, and there are no troops on the island at all.”

“Good. I’d like you to go to the island and investigate further. This is very important. Please don’t refuse, Governor Li.”

“If General Li gives the order, how dare I disobey? I’ll go to the island right away. I can also handle matters at Yantou Port. Please return to Jiangdu, General Li.”

“Then I leave everything to you, Governor Li!”

Li Baozhen led his troops back to Jiangdu with the prisoners, while Li Xin ordered five hundred men to guard Yantou Port and led three hundred men across the river toward Hudu Island.

……
Three days later, upon losing contact with Gangyan, the troops in Jiangnan immediately realized that something had gone wrong with Yuan Jingyao’s forces at Yanchang. Tension gradually rose in Jiangnan. King Wu Li Lin issued orders for the troops from Zhejiang East and Zhejiang West to gather along the Yangtze River. Two thousand warships and 120,000 soldiers were deployed on the waters west of Jiangning. Nearly a hundred spies, disguised as merchants, infiltrated Jiangbei to gather intelligence.

Li Lin’s new Wangfu of Wu was located in Suzhou, but his temporary camp was now in Dantu County, Runzhou, on the banks of the Yangtze River. There, a dense array of tents stood, with a huge woolen tent adorned with gold threads at its center—this was Li Lin’s royal tent.

As in history, Li Lin’s attempt to establish his own rule did not receive support from local officials. He had tried to test the possibility of ascending the throne in Jiangnan by creating rumors of divine omens and the emergence of a sage, but he faced unanimous opposition from dozens of local officials, including Han Heng, the governor of Hangzhou; Li Xiyuan, the governor of Suzhou; Wei Huangshang, the governor of Changzhou; and Yan Jingzhi, the governor of Runzhou. Forced by circumstances, Li Lin submitted to Li Hen of Southern Tang, who appointed him as the governor of Huainan and Eastern Jiangnan, as well as the supreme commander of the Yangzhou army.

Although he lacked support from local officials, Li Lin used the powers over salt and iron granted to him by Li Longji to monopolize the salt fields in the Jianghuai region. He reaped huge profits from salt trading and used those funds to recruit soldiers, build warships, and seize weapons from Yangzhou’s military arsenal. In just one and a half years, he assembled an army of over 100,000 men. Soon after, he killed Yan Jingzhi, the governor of Runzhou who was his most fierce opponent, and seized two million bushels of grain stored in Runzhou by the imperial court. Everyone in Jiangzu was terrified, and no one dared openly oppose him anymore.

Inside the grand tent, Li Lin paced back and forth anxiously, his hands clasped behind his back. His worry was extreme—not only because of the loss of Yanchang and Jiangyang, but also because he had received news that Yangzhou was recruiting large numbers of soldiers and assembling ships. What was Li Qingan planning? Li Lin had a premonition that Li Qingan might be plotting against him. If that were the case, what should he do?

Inside the tent stood some of Li Lin’s trusted advisors. His personal secretary, Li Bai, sat below, responsible for drafting orders for Li Lin. All orders issued by Li Lin were recorded and refined by Li Bai before being issued. Having served for a year, Li Bai had earned Li Lin’s respect. Li Lin listened to many of his suggestions, at least with great courtesy, often saying, “Li Bai’s words are truly precious and wise!”

This gave Li Bai a great sense of achievement. He had sought an official position for over a decade, always hoping to realize his ambitions, but Li Longji treated him merely as a famous figure, never giving him a chance to showcase his talents. In the end, Li Longji bestowed gold on him and sent him back home, driving him out of the capital and causing him immense frustration.

The year before last, Li Bai wrote to his friend Wang Changling, hoping to secure a position in Anxi. Wang Changling gave no reply, leaving Li Bai uncertain whether his letter had not been received or if Li Qing’an refused to give him a chance. Disheartened, Li Bai traveled back to the south and lived in seclusion there until Li Lin visited him three times and persuaded him to come out.

It was precisely this unprecedented sense of achievement that made Li Bai loyal to Li Lin and dedicated himself to assisting him wholeheartedly.

Inside the tent, besides Li Bai, there were three trusted advisors of Li Lin: Xue Liu, Li Taiqing, and Cai Heng. These three encouraged Li Lin to ascend the throne, created favorable circumstances for him, and persuaded local officials to support him. They were Li Lin’s capable assistants—Xue Liu was in charge of finances and supplies, Cai Heng handled salt and iron, while Li Taiqing provided strategic advice. Seeing Li Lin worried, the three exchanged glances. Li Taiqing stepped forward and said, “Your Highness need not worry. Even if Li Qing’an intends to attack from the south, we have the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, along with 100,000 brave soldiers and 1,000 warships. Li Qing’an is from the north and unskilled in naval battles. As long as we hold fast to the Yangtze River and keep our warships patrolling, it will be difficult for him to win.”

Xue Liu added, “The wars in Hebei are not yet over. Li Qing’an can only attack the south during winter. As long as we hold out until spring, when chaos reigns in Hebei again, Li Qing’an will be forced to withdraw. Your Highness need not worry. The timing, geography, and morale are all against Li Qing’an. His hasty attack on the south is bound to fail.”

Although the three repeatedly persuaded Li Lin, he remained deeply worried. With a long sigh, he said, “In the summer, I intended to launch a full-scale attack on Jingxiang. My elder brother was also willing to send troops to help. It was just that I couldn’t make up my mind back then. If I had been determined to fight, I would have united with my elder brother and retreated to Shu by now. Why should I worry and fear here?”

“Father lacks ambition in his words!”
A loud voice suddenly came from outside the tent. A young and valiant general strode in quickly. This was Li Lin’s son, Prince Xiangcheng, Li Yi. At just 19 years old, Li Yi was tall and robust, standing eight feet tall. He wielded a 150-jin gold-inlaid phoenix-tail sword and a six-shi piercing-cloud bow, hitting his targets every time. He was known as the greatest warrior in the south.

He wore a golden helmet and silver armor, his gaze arrogant. Dismissing his father’s regret over failing to seize Jingxiang, he stepped forward, bowed, and said, “If Your Majesty fears the Northern Tang, why not follow me to the riverbank to watch me conduct a drill? Then you’ll see the Northern troops as nothing but weaklings. Please come with me.”

If Li Lin still had any hope of fighting against the Northern troops, it was his son. Li Lin had blind trust in his son, even a hint of fear. When he first raised an army to seek grain in Runzhou, he was sternly rejected by the governor, Yan Jingzhi. Filled with anger, he sent troops to attack. Yan Jingzhi led a thousand trained soldiers to defend Guazhou. It was Li Lin’s fierce son who led three hundred men to break through the defenses, slashing through hundreds of enemies with his great sword and beheading Yan Jingzhi under his own flag, thus shaking the armies of the south.

Li Lin trusted his son greatly. Since he himself was lame and unable to command the army effectively, he gradually handed over military power to his son, Li Yi, who almost always obeyed his orders in military matters.

Since his son was determined to resist the Northern troops, Li Lin’s fear faded, and he nodded with a smile, saying, “Since my brave son is prepared, I shall go and watch!”

…

Li Lin boarded his royal palanquin, carried by three hundred men, and under the protection of nearly three thousand guards, along with a group of civil and military officials, he set off in grand procession toward the riverbank.

Soon, the group arrived at the Yangtze River. The waves were vast, and the strong wind on the river almost flipped Li Lin’s gold-trimmed flag.

On the river, warships were as numerous as clouds. Hundreds of large ships were arranged in two lines, practicing combat maneuvers. One side was led by General Li Chengshi, while the other was led by Prince Xiangcheng, Li Yi. The drums roared, and the ships gradually approached each other. Shouts of battle filled the air. An old warship was disguised as Li Qingan’s flagship, with a large flag fluttering atop its mast, bearing the three characters “Anxi Li.”

Dozens of fast boats quickly surrounded the flagship. Realizing the situation was dire, the flagship tried to turn and flee. At the bow of the lead fast boat, Li Yi bit a horizontal sword in his mouth and held a strong bow. He drew a spearhead arrow, nocked it, and shot it with a “whoosh!” The arrow flew like a meteor, hitting the main rope on the mast. The rope snapped, and the sails fell, triggering loud drumbeats. Even Li Lin couldn’t help but smile and applaud. Indeed! His son was brave and mighty, worthy of being a foe to ten thousand men.

Li Yi stood tall with pride. He drew another arrow and shot it, breaking Li Qingan’s flag. The black flag was swept into the air by the wind and vanished in an instant.

He firmly ordered, “Shoot stones!”

Each warship was equipped with a small catapult. With loud “bang!” sounds, Li Qing’an’s flagship was quickly riddled with holes. The rushing river water flooded in, and after struggling a few times, the ship sank. The dozen or so enemy soldiers on board were captured by the navy.

At that moment, shouts erupted across the river: “Li Qing’an is dead at the bottom of the river! Why don’t the Northern Army surrender now?”

The Northern Army’s warships fled in panic, while the Southern Army achieved a complete victory…

Soon, Li Yi stepped ashore triumphantly, bowed to Li Lin, and said with a smile, “Father, what do you think?”

“Not bad. Your fast ships are indeed formidable. I doubt Li Qing’an’s Northern Army is that weak!”

“Father, you don’t realize it. On land, I admit his army is strong, but in water, his elite troops become useless. The Yangzhou navy he relies on is just newly recruited soldiers with no training. How can they compete with our navy? They are bound to lose!”

At this, Li Bai said worriedly, “What if Li Qing’an’s army takes the sea route to attack us from behind?”

This remark reminded Li Lin, who quickly said, “Yes! We must not be careless.”

But Li Yi burst into laughter. “Father, you’re really confused. Where are there any sea ships north of the river? Those cargo ships that go into the sea are just to feed the Dragon King!”