Several prominent officers displayed remarkable performance in this battle.
Cao Hu led thirty thousand cavalry to split the encirclement of the Wu army and later supervised four hundred thousand infantry and cavalry to confront Sun Quan across the river. With the heavy responsibilities of Cao Hu, Marquis of Taishu, his power was almost irresistible.
Zhu Jia is just an old revolutionary, he can't be a commander and a general. In this battle, although he made contributions, it's almost impossible for him to be appointed to a position of responsibility.
The rest of them were almost all officials by birth.
Jia Wei, the Governor of Yuzhou, though repeatedly excluded by Cao Hu and often tasked with repairing camps and roads, was still noticed by the emperor, who had praised Jia Wei on several occasions.
Man Meng, the former General in Front, was originally a local official and only led troops to fight in the end of Jian'an. In this battle, he was responsible for defending the defense at GuaChe, though he worked hard and achieved some achievements, but indeed as Wang Ling accused, there were excessive casualties and losses.
Wang Ling, the Governor of Qingzhou, was in charge of supervising all the troops south of GuaChe. Whether it was intercepting or forcibly seizing GuaChe, he handled both tasks beautifully.
Cao Hu, Zhu Jia, Jia Wei, Man Meng, Wang Ling......
Cao Hu and Zhu Jia were unlikely, and Man Meng also seemed unlikely. Jia Wei or Wang Ling?
Sima Yi was contemplating the backgrounds and family situations of Jia Wei and Wang Ling in his mind at this time.
Jia Wei was from the Hedong Circuit, which was a neighboring circuit to my own. At the time of the death of Emperor Cao, I together with Jia Wei planned the funeral for Emperor Cao and transported his coffin to Yecheng together with him.
Even though Jia Wei and I haven't worked together for years, I'm sure we still have a good understanding. Besides, Jia Wei has been incompatible with Cao Hu, who holds great power in the southeast. Would the emperor also want to divide Cao Hu's authority?
As for Wang Ling, he was the nephew of Wang Yun, the Marquis of Han at the end of the Han dynasty. He came from a noble family and had a high spirit, often boasting about his background. The personal relationship between him and Sima Yi was far less good than that between Jia Wei and Sima Yi.
Then......Jia Wei?
Leaving aside Sima Yi's complex inner thoughts and pondering over the possible large-scale personnel changes behind the emperor's proposal, Cao Zhen began to explain to the emperor one by one from a military perspective.
Cao Zhen said, "Your Majesty, if we were to construct fortresses on both sides of the Qiankou River, develop farmlands near Wancheng to store grain and grass, and build warships, this would not just be about military matters alone; it is a much more complex undertaking."
"Before the appointment of Taishu, in the past Liu Fu and Liu Ying, when they served as the Governors of Yangzhou, arrived at Fenghuang alone and collected wandering peasants to construct Fenghuang city. They also improved water systems like Sha-bei and Ru-bei, as well as built schools and developed farmlands. It is not something that can be achieved overnight."
Cao Rui nodded: "General, you are right. If it can't be done overnight, what about in a year or two? Three years should be enough, right?"
"In any case, we can start constructing fortifications on both sides of Qiankou River and guarding the Wan River. This matter can still be done."
Cao Zhen replied: "This is not difficult. With the 40,000 troops of Taishu at that location, it can be done quickly within a month, and at most within two months. It is certain to succeed."
"However, the 20,000 infantry and 20,000 cavalry led by Taishu at that location are part of the central army. Using them to build fortresses there might seem like a bit of a waste of talent."
Cao Rui remained silent for a moment and said, "If the central army is more precious, then we will use the outer army?"
Cao Zhen nodded: "Near Wancheng there are few local inhabitants and no way to draft labor. It is a waste for the central army to do this, and it would be bad to let the soldiers of Wu wait at the border. Using the outer army and local troops would be best."
Seeing the emperor and General Cao Zhen discussing which army and which general to assign to this task, Sima Yi, Liu Xie, Xin Pi, Huang Quan, and Chen Jiao, present among them, all quietly closed their mouths as if by some unspoken agreement.
All of them are outstanding people. The emperor didn't ask himself, so it's not appropriate for him to interfere.
Cao Rui looked at Sima Yi again: "Minsishu, what do you think? Shall we dispatch external troops and local troops to handle this?"
Sima Yi hesitated for a moment before saying, "Your Majesty, I believe that to achieve the goal of farming in Wancheng and Qiankou for the purpose of accumulating grain and building warships, it is not enough to simply have troops stationed there. Just like this labor service matter, if we make the army do this everywhere, how much thought will they have left for fighting?"
"I have just listened to your Majesty's words and the General's words."
"Firstly, I believe that this endeavor is certain to succeed. The reason why the Eastern Wu rebels dare to defend themselves by the river is because of the absence of waterways leading into the Jiang River under the great Wei."
"Anping City and Anping Water are different from Runaosan Fortress and Runaosan Water. The Eastern Wu does not have any fortifications here for many years. If the great Wei builds fortifications to control the terrain and advantages, then it will be difficult for Sun Quan. If Sun Quan attacks the area around Anping City in the future, it may be as difficult as what the great Wei is experiencing now in attacking Runaosan."
"Secondly, I believe that having troops stationed alone is not enough. Perhaps some farm workers from the central region could be brought here. During the farming off-season, they can also serve as laborers. This way, building water control systems, constructing fortifications, and accumulating grain and grass can be achieved in one fell swoop."
"And if the court achieves a great victory at Anping City, the people will undoubtedly be joyful and encouraged to come here. With a strong city in front as a fortress, I believe there won't be any instances of people fleeing."
"Perhaps, it could also attract the people of the lower reaches of the Yangtze and Huai rivers who fled to the Eastern Wu in the early years, to return to the Lujiang County area where Anping City is located."
"This matter is beneficial to the country with no harm, accumulating national strength rather than wasting it."
Emperor Cao Rui sat on his throne and began to ponder.
For important matters such as fortifying Anping City and strengthening defense around it, besides his own judgment, Cao Rui would generally consult the opinions of the officials. It is only by listening to different opinions that wisdom can be obtained, rather than blindly trusting one's own opinions. Cao Rui understands this principle.
Generally speaking, if Cao Zhen and Sima Yi's opinions are unified, this matter can be done from a broad perspective. Cao Zhen considers military affairs and stability more, while Sima Yi considers efficiency and finances more.
Now, regarding this matter, both Sima Yi and Cao Zhen agree that it is not only necessary to have military garrisons but also civilian settlements and capable officials to govern the region. According to these principles, wouldn't it be necessary to have an able official who can both fight and manage civil affairs here?
After a moment's thought, Cao Rui had two preliminary candidates in mind: Wang Ling and Jia Wei.
As for further deciding which one to appoint for this task, Cao Rui had not yet made up his mind. If he could have a face-to-face discussion with both of them, it would likely be more secure.
Cao Rui looked at Cao Zhen: "General, where are the state-provincial troops currently stationed?"
Cao Zhen thought for a moment and said: "Your Majesty, this time we have mobilized 30,000 state-provincial troops."
"The 10,000 troops of Jia Wei, the Governor of Yuzhou, are currently in Wancheng, serving as support for Taishu. This is because Jia Wei arrived in the south earliest among all the generals and even sent reinforcements to Wancheng in advance."
"8,000 troops of the Governor of Qingzhou Wang Ling, 2,000 troops of the Administrator of Dongguan Hu Zhi, and 5,000 troops of the Administrator of Langya Sun Li, totaling 15,000 people under the supervision of Wang Ling, are currently at the Hangche location."
"And the 5,000 troops of the Governor of Yongzhou Wang Chang, together with the 5,000 troops of Liu Ruo, are at the Wuqiangkou Camp."
Cao Rui nodded.
Jia Wei and Wang Ling are the closest. General Man Meng's troops also returned to Shouchun following us, but there were too many casualties to handle.
Cao Rui looked around at the assembled officials and asked, "What do you gentlemen think? Should we use Jia Wei or Wang Ling? These two are closest to Taishu."
The officials didn't say anything for a moment.
Cao Rui, facing this situation, was also well-versed in it, pointing to Liu Xie and asking, "Liu Zhongshu, Jia or Wang?"
Liu Xie replied, "Your Majesty, Anping City is south of Yuzhou and far from Qingzhou. I think Jia Wei should be used."
Cao Rui didn't say anything and pointed to Xin Pi: "Xin Zhongshu, what do you think?"
Xin Pi said, "I think both are suitable. As your Majesty has said, this place should still be guarded by external troops, and it doesn't matter which state's troops are from."
The next was Huang Quan, who replied, "I think either one is fine."
When it was Chen Jiao's turn, he said, "Jia Wei's governance is superior to Wang Ling. I think Jia Wei should be selected."
Cao Rui then looked at Cao Zhen and Sima Yi, who both expressed that they were suitable.
Not to mention the others who said that either one was fine, let's just talk about Liu Xie and Chen Jiao who agreed with Jia Wei.
Liu Xie is known for his sharp eye in selecting people. His reason for choosing Jia Wei is that he is closer. If we are to relocate the population of Yuzhou or the farm workers from Yuzhou, having the Governor of Yuzhou in charge would be more convenient.
Chen Jiao was once the Lord of the Treasury, and he affirmed Jia Wei from a political perspective. The meaning of Chen Jiao's words is very clear - both generals are capable of leading troops, but Jia Wei excels in managing civil affairs.
Cao Rui had a rough idea at this point. It seems that the method of having everyone answer and pass the sensitive issue is more effective, as it ensures that no one will shirk their responsibilities.
Cao Rui said, "I understand the intentions of each of you. After I have thought it over for two days, I will decide on the final candidate."
After saying a few more words, the officials all left the hall. As they walked out, they saw Kuqiu Jian standing outside for a while. Kuqiu Jian was young and had a small official position, so he performed a series of formal greetings before entering the hall.
Kuqiu Jian greeted the emperor: "Your Majesty, what do you command me to do?"
Cao Rui sat on the throne and looked at Kuqiu Jian: "Zhong Gong, come closer. I have something to say to you."
Kuqiu Jian didn't hesitate and walked up to the table in front of the emperor. Cao Rui also didn't say much, turning the letter brought by Wei Liliang halfway and pushing it towards Kuqiu Jian to read.
Kuqiu Jian was alarmed upon reading the letter. Before Kuqiu Jian could say anything, Cao Rui said directly, "Zhong Gong, since you have seen this matter, I will not give you this letter."
"Take my imperial seal, and with the flags of the Wu army captured in this battle, go to Luoyang and make a grand announcement to the court and the palace to report the victory on my behalf!"
After issuing the order, Cao Rui whispered a few more words: "I have not forgotten our previous discussion on the case of Wei Xun. During Emperor Wu's campaign in Han, Wei Xun misled the people in Yè City with his words, which led to his execution by my late father."
"At that time, I did not understand why my late father had to kill Wei Xun. Wei Xun did not have the ability to rebel. But now I see it clearly, the reason for killing Wei Xun was not for any other reason; it was simply that authority cannot be offended."
Cao Rui stared into Kuqiu Jian's eyes and said, "Tell Wei Liliang, I want him to kill people and make blood shed in the court! How Wei Liliang does it is up to him, and I will have nothing to do with it."
"Zhong Gong, do you understand?"
Kuqiu Jian nodded resolutely, his expression steadfast.
(Chapter complete)
