The Sui Ruler Raises An Army To Conquer Chen; The Prince Of Jin Wins Glory And Schemes To Seize The Succession (2)

News of these affairs reached Sui, and its ruler conceived the intention of attacking Chen.

Gao Jiong, Yang Su, and Heruo Bi all presented plans for conquering Chen.

While they were still discussing the matter, the Prince of Jin, Yang Guang, suddenly requested command of the expedition.

“Shubao is a tyrant who has plunged his people into misery. When Heaven’s army marches south, crushing him will be as easy as breaking an egg. But if we delay, Shubao may die and be succeeded by a capable ruler, making victory difficult. I therefore request permission to lead the army against him at once, capture this tyrant, and unite the realm.”

Dear reader, warfare is a business of swords and spears, and victory is never certain. As an imperial prince of Sui, enjoying high rank and generous revenues, what discomfort could Yang Guang possibly suffer that would make him seek such an undertaking?

The reason was that the Prince of Jin was the Sui ruler’s second son, born, like Crown Prince Yang Yong, to Empress Dugu.

When the empress was about to give birth to Yang Guang, she dreamed that red light filled her chamber. A thunderous sound came from her belly, and a golden dragon suddenly flew out of her body.

At first it appeared small, but it grew larger as it flew, rising high into the sky until it seemed more than ten li long. It bared its claws and teeth, circling without cease.

Just as she was admiring the sight, a violent wind suddenly arose. Somehow, the golden dragon fell to the ground, thrashed its tail several times, and curled into a ball.

Looking closely, she discovered that it was no longer a golden dragon but something resembling a rat as large as an ox.

Empress Dugu was startled awake and immediately gave birth to the Prince of Jin.

When the Sui ruler learned of her dream of a golden dragon soaring into the heavens, he gave the child the nickname Amo.

Empress Dugu joyfully said:

“An excellent childhood name! Why not give him a proper name as well?”

The Sui ruler replied:

“A ruler must be wise and discerning. Let us call him Yang Ying.”

Then he reconsidered.

“Founding a dynasty requires brilliance, but preserving one requires breadth and generosity. Yang Guang would be better.”

As the verse says:

The dark bird and crimson dragon once brought auspicious signs;
Encircling stars and crossing the moon foretold no ordinary birth.
Though virtue now falls far short of the Three Sovereigns,
Red radiance still fills the imperial palace.

Empress Dugu loved her son deeply and often told him of the extraordinary omens surrounding his birth.

The Prince of Jin, however, was unwilling to remain beneath another man. He thought:

“The Crown Prince and I are brothers alike, yet he is to be emperor while I remain his subject. When he ascends the throne, I must bow before him and cry, ‘Long live Your Majesty!’ That is a small matter. But should I make the slightest mistake, he could take my life. I would have to serve him in constant fear. How could I ever satisfy my ambitions? Only by devising a plan to seize the Eastern Palace can I enjoy my life as I wish. Yet without rendering some service to the state, how could I obtain that position?”

He pondered the matter repeatedly and recalled Empress Dugu’s intense jealousy. Whenever court officials kept concubines and fathered children by them, she urged the Sui ruler to dismiss them.

The Crown Prince had lost her favor because of his affection for his concubine, Lady Yun, who held the rank of Zhaoxun.

Yang Guang seized the opportunity. Outwardly, he displayed filial devotion and propriety; secretly, he cultivated supporters, reported his brother’s faults, and praised his own virtue and filial piety.

Now he sought command of the expedition against Chen, hoping to earn military merit. By commanding the army, he could also secure military authority and cultivate outside officials as allies.

Fortunately for him, the Sui ruler was naturally suspicious and unwilling to entrust a great army entirely to his ministers.

He therefore appointed the Prince of Jin Grand Marshal of the Expeditionary Army, Yang Su Deputy Grand Marshal, Gao Jiong Chief of Staff to the Prince of Jin’s Marshal’s Office, and Li Yuan its Military Secretary.

Gao Jiong was a native of Bohai, with the courtesy name Zhaoxuan. Intelligent and resourceful from birth, he was highly skilled in military affairs.

Li Yuan came from Chengji and bore the courtesy name Shude. He had three nipples upon his chest. During an earlier campaign against rebels at Longmen, he had fired seventy-two arrows and killed seventy-two men.

There were also two commanders, Han Qinhu and Heruo Bi, both fearsome warriors who killed without blinking. They served as the vanguard, advancing from Liuhe County.

Yang Su marched from Yong’an, descending the river from upstream.

Altogether, ninety commanders and six hundred thousand fighting men were placed under the Prince of Jin’s command.

The various armies advanced from all directions, stretching from the eastern sea to Sichuan and Shu in the west. Their banners and boats extended for a thousand li.

The garrisons of Chen sent urgent reports as thick as falling snow, but Shi Wenqing and Shen Keqing suppressed them and prevented their presentation to the throne.

When Pushe Yuan Xian finally submitted a memorial requesting additional troops to defend Jingkou and Caishi, Jiang Zong obstructed the proposal.

The Chen ruler himself could reach no decision.

“The imperial aura resides here. Qi armies came three times, and Zhou armies twice, yet all were defeated. What can these invaders accomplish?”

Kong Fan hastened to flatter him.

“The Yangtze is a natural barrier, set by Heaven to divide north and south. How could men and horses fly across it? The frontier generals merely exaggerate the danger to claim military merit. My only complaint is that my rank is too low. If the Sui troops dare come, I shall certainly become Grand Commandant!”

Shi Wenqing added:

“In such cold weather, their men and horses will freeze to death. How could they possibly come?”

Kong Fan said:

“What a pity if our horses freeze to death!”

The Chen ruler roared with laughter, leaving Yuan Xian and the other ministers powerless to act.

Such was Chen’s deliberation on defending itself against invasion.

Drinking and music continued as before.

Northern beacon fires illuminate the Yangtze;
Generals fight bloody battles, their spirits still unbroken.
Within the deep palace, days and nights pass in pleasure,
While zithers and clappers accompany new songs.