Moma Liangshan

Chapter 107 Liaodong Campaign: Leveraging the Jurchens

The princess of Shu, puzzled, said, "Gan Luo became prime minister at the age of twelve, traveling among various states, skillfully maneuvering and securing territories; Huo Qubing was appointed General of the Cavalry at seventeen, marching west to conquer the northern deserts, achieving unparalleled feats. Your talent is no less than theirs, yet you have neither a prestigious title nor a high-ranking official position. Is it not that the Song emperor fails to recognize heroes?" Wang Hao shook his head helplessly, saying, "Gan Luo and Huo Qubing were indeed young heroes, but heaven is jealous of talent, and they did not live long. I admire Gan Luo's strategy and Huo Qubing's bravery, but I also lament their unfortunate fates." The princess looked at Wang Hao with even greater admiration, and changed the subject, saying, "Three thousand Jurchen cavalry are still rampaging through Liaonan. Does Young Master Wang have any good strategies to help me drive out the enemy?" Wang Hao smiled knowingly and said, "Although I have only met the three thousand Jurchen cavalry once, their ferocity is immediately apparent, and they cannot be underestimated. Your Highness, how many troops from Liaoyang Prefecture do you think we need to deploy to fight them head-on without being at a disadvantage?" The Shu princess seemed to have already considered this question, and answered, "Ten thousand palace guards!" Wang Hao did not speak, but simply looked at the Shu princess quietly. The Shu princess looked troubled, and after hesitating several times, said, "Ten thousand palace guards represent sixty percent of the entire Tokyo Circuit's fighting strength; we cannot afford the slightest mistake!"

The princess of Shu didn't know why she had so readily trusted the young man before her, but her intuition told her that Wang Hao was very likely the one who could help Liaoyang Prefecture escape its current predicament. Wang Hao also pondered for a long time before tentatively asking, "Has Your Highness considered voluntarily withdrawing from Liaoyang Prefecture?" The princess of Shu was shocked and furious, saying sharply, "You want me to hand over the Tokyo Circuit? What are your intentions?" Wang Hao shook his head helplessly and said, "After the Gao Yongchang Rebellion, the people of Tokyo Circuit are impoverished, and resources are scarce. Although I have only been in Liaoyang Prefecture for two days, I have toured the entire city. Apart from the repaired city walls, the markets and wards are completely destroyed. Such a worthless city is being fought for with the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers. Does Your Highness think it's worth it?" The princess of Shu bit her lower lip, unable to answer. Wang Hao continued, "Shenzhou to the north of Liaoyang Prefecture, Chenzhou to the northeast, and Kaizhou to the northwest are all garrisoned by strong Jurchen troops. The Liao army has no power to counterattack, and to the east and west lie vast seas. Therefore, in the current situation, Your Highness has no way out except for Jinzhou to the south!" The Shu princess, still doubtful, said, "Jinzhou is just a county; how can it withstand tens of thousands of miles of the Changbai Mountains and the Heilongjiang River?" Before Wang Hao could answer, the Shu princess's tone suddenly changed, saying, "But what I want to know more is, how are you so certain that Shenzhou, Chenzhou, and Kaizhou have all fallen into enemy hands?" Wang Hao shook his head helplessly and pointed to... The map hanging in the center of the hall said, "Your Highness has displayed such a fine map before me; if I were to ignore it, wouldn't I be betraying my own eyes?" The Shu princess thought to herself, "Careless!" Wang Hao continued, "As for the fighting strength of Liaoyang Prefecture, Your Highness personally stated that the 10,000 palace troops, accounting for 60% of Liaoyang Prefecture's fighting strength, can only contend with 3,000 Jurchen cavalry!" The Shu princess argued, "These 3,000 Jurchen cavalry are all elite enemy troops and should not be underestimated!" Wang Hao did not refute this, but added, "However, the Jurchens have already gained an overwhelming advantage on the eastern battlefield!"

The princess of Shu, unwilling to accept such a cruel reality, had no choice but to nod silently. Then, stubbornly, she said, "The Liao Kingdom's two-hundred-year reign and tens of thousands of miles of territory will not be so easily defeated! Young Master Wang is an exceptional man; if you can help me defend the Tokyo Circuit and reopen the connection with the capital, you will surely be richly rewarded when you meet my father!" Wang Hao feigned deep thought and said, "I can fulfill your request, but I don't want a reward, only an equivalent compensation." The princess of Shu seemed to see in Wang Hao an ambition that refused to remain subservient, and said, "Young Master Wang wants to interact with the Liao court on an equal footing?" Wang Hao nodded and said, "Exactly!" The princess of Shu looked at Wang Hao again and said, "To interact with the Liao court on an equal footing is to interact with my father on an equal footing, and..." "Only you, the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, have this qualification!" Wang Hao was caught off guard, but upon careful consideration, he seemed to find no fault in her words. He said, "What Your Highness says does indeed make some sense, but as a subject of the Song Dynasty, I should naturally uphold the duties and responsibilities of a subject. As for other matters, Your Highness, it's best not to concern yourself with them!" The Princess of Shu did not continue to test Wang Hao's bottom line, and said, "I wonder if Young Master Wang believes that no one in the entire Liao Dynasty is more suitable to cooperate with you than I am?" Wang Hao did not deny it, and replied, "A relatively independent territory, a formidable military force, the status of a princess of Shu, and a pragmatic and calm personality—if we disregard the current precarious situation in Tokyo, Your Highness is indeed an excellent partner!"

The Shu princess remained calm and said, "If the capital city hadn't been in such dire straits, my father wouldn't have entrusted me, a woman, with this responsibility, and Prince Wang wouldn't have had the opportunity to take advantage of the situation!" Wang Hao looked helpless and continued, "So helping you out of your current predicament is my best option?" The Shu princess laughed loudly and said, "Otherwise, what else can I do?" Wang Hao looked at the Liaodong map beside him and thought for a long time before saying, "Withdrawing from Liaoyang Prefecture and focusing all our efforts on developing the Liaonan Peninsula is the prerequisite for everything; otherwise, I can only retreat!" The Shu princess was extremely troubled and gritted her teeth, saying, "Give me a detailed explanation!" Wang Hao pointed to the map... He said, “The Tokyo region has suffered from numerous wars, leaving its people impoverished. Although Liaoyang Prefecture is the capital, it has also been a major battlefield in many wars, suffering particularly severe damage. If Your Highness could voluntarily withdraw from Liaoyang Prefecture and simultaneously relocate all the people inside and outside the city to the south, you could artificially create a no-man's-land spanning hundreds of miles. Then, by relying on Jinzhou City and the Great Wall at Zhendonghaikou to guard the southern tip of the peninsula, where the narrowest point is only twenty miles wide, but south of the city lies a hundred miles of fertile land, capable of supporting millions of people. At that time, as long as Your Highness manages it diligently, even a million-strong Jurchen army would find it difficult to launch a full-scale offensive outside Jinzhou City, and you would be invincible!”

Princess Shu was not entirely fooled by Wang Hao's words. She said, "A battlefield of twenty li cannot allow a million-strong army to fight freely, but it can allow a hundred thousand troops to deploy calmly. Therefore, to hold Jinzhou City, the existing troops in Liaoyang Prefecture cannot suffer any losses, otherwise it will be insufficient to defend the twenty-li defensive line. To support an army of fifty thousand, at least two million civilians are needed, but the land south of Jinzhou is not abundant. Therefore, in the future, we must rely on the grain supplies from Nanjing Road, and all the ships traveling between Nanjing Road and Jinzhou City are in the hands of Young Master Wang." She paused for a moment, looked directly into Wang Hao's eyes, and said, "I really want to know, if Young Master Wang controls the fate of Tokyo Road, what methods will he use?"

Wang Hao didn't answer immediately, thinking to himself, "Although the Princess of Shu is a woman, her vision and insights far surpass those of the men of this era. However, no matter how unique one's vision, transcending the limitations of one's time is always difficult. If the Liao Kingdom falls, and you are trapped in a corner of southern Liao, what will become of you?" He slowly replied, "I only wish for the Song Dynasty to become prosperous and strong; I have never wanted the Liao Dynasty to perish!" The Princess of Shu suddenly mustered great courage and said, "I agree to retreat south to Jinzhou, but what if three thousand Jurchen cavalry block our way?" Wang Hao smiled confidently and said, "These three thousand Jurchen cavalry are just what we need!" The Princess of Shu was puzzled and asked, "What do you mean?" Wang Hao explained, "It's hard to leave one's homeland. If there isn't a sufficient crisis, who would willingly leave their home?" The Princess of Shu suddenly understood and said, "..." "Does Young Master Wang intend to use these three thousand Jurchen cavalry to drive the people of Dongjing Road to Jinzhou?" Wang Hao nodded and said, "It's human nature to seek advantage and avoid harm! As long as Her Highness issues a decree and makes preparations in Jinzhou early, it will not only win over the hearts of the people but also achieve twice the result with half the effort!" The Princess of Shu said, "If the Jurchens of Shenzhou learn that I intend to withdraw voluntarily, they will surely pursue me relentlessly. Therefore, I can only entrust the matter of Jinzhou to you, Young Master!" Wang Hao did not refuse, but simply asked, "What is the reward?" The Princess of Shu said, "Dongjing Road is short of food, but gold and silver are relatively plentiful. Young Master Wang can rest assured!" Wang Hao was puzzled and asked, "Why would a dilapidated city have such a large amount of gold and silver?" The Princess of Shu said, "In the midst of war, what use are mountains of gold and silver if they cannot fill our stomachs, keep us warm, or protect us from the enemy?"

Wang Hao admired the Shu princess's magnanimity and said, "But gold and silver don't come from nowhere!" The Shu princess explained, "Gao Yongchang rebelled, massacring Liao nobles and plundering wealthy merchants from all directions, practically filling the entire dungeon with gold and silver. Unfortunately, he brought this upon himself; no amount of gold and silver can buy back his life!" Wang Hao said, "As long as Your Highness can afford the price, I can fulfill any request!" The Shu princess suddenly said, "If I want you, young master Wang, to switch all allegiance and serve me, what would the price be?" Wang Hao shook his head and said, "If I cannot rely on the power of the Song Dynasty, I am at most an excellent strategist. However, even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice; Your Highness's problem cannot be solved..." "Resolved!" The Shu princess shook her head, saying, "As long as your heart is with me, what does it matter if you are a subject of Song?" Wang Hao admired the Shu princess's courage, saying, "A woman cannot serve two husbands, and a subject cannot serve two masters!" The Shu princess did not press the matter further, but thought to herself, "If you are not someone who blindly obeys orders, you will not become the king's eternal right-hand man! When the king and his subject turn against each other, will you assassinate the king and seize power, or will the king behead you and display your head to the public?" She said, "Young Master Wang is loyal to the king and loves his country. If the Liao Dynasty had more outstanding talents like you, how could it have fallen to such a state today?" Wang Hao said, "Your Highness's talent puts many men to shame. Even I sincerely admire you!"