Defending Suiyang — by Zhang Xun
Holding Suiyang fast, the spring battle comes with grief;The lone city grows more perilous with each passing day.Encircled like the moon within its halo, defenders stand as fish in a trap.Again and again the yellow dust rises; white-feathered shafts are oft brandished.Scarred though we are, we still sally forth; we drink blood and still mount the walls.Loyalty and faith cannot be overcome; steadfastness indeed will not waver.If none report to the Son of Heaven, then what plans remain to be laid?
That day, the Beggars' Gang sallied beyond the walls disguised as farmers but in truth probing the Yan army's movements. At that moment the city drums sounded loudly. The Yan soldiers who had been harvesting wheat in the fields were startled; believing the Tang army was about to sally forth, they dropped their tools, strapped on their armor and formed battle ranks to meet them. But they waited long and no Tang troops appeared, so their officers ordered them to take off their armor again. As the Yan resumed cutting wheat, the drums from the city sounded once more — again they started, hastily donned armor, and formed ranks, only to wait in vain. This thunderous display became "all thunder, no rain." Each time Zhang Xun would gather troops on the wall and beat the drums to signal a coming sortie; the rebels would immediately stop harvesting and stand at the ready. Then Zhang Xun would halt the drums and let the soldiers appear to rest. Over several days this routine repeated: Zhang Xun daily assembled men on the walls and beat the drums as if to march out; the rebels, seeing this, constantly abandoned their harvesting to stand guard, and by degrees their vigilance wore thin.
As Sun Tzu says: "All warfare is based on deception. When able, feign inability; when near, make it appear that you are far; when far, that you are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder and crush him." This is to surprise the enemy — always attack, never merely defend; avoid strength and strike weakness; catch the unprepared and wound them. From the Beggars' observations, the Yan, harried and sleepless, gradually relaxed their watch. One day, at the hour before noon, under the blazing sun, the Yan sweated while harvesting wheat. Zhang Xun beat the drums as usual, then—as before—had his men act restful. The Yan, seeing this, let down their guard. Shortly thereafter the cry of slaughter rang out. Generals Nan Jiyun and Lei Wanchun flung wide the city gates and led their men in a sudden sally. The Yan, baked by days in the fields, their men and horses exhausted, saddles unready, were caught completely off guard. Their ranks were disordered and unable to form; caught unprepared, they dropped helmets and armor. Nan Jiyun and Lei Wanchun drove straight to Yin Ziqi's camp. The shock was total: the Yan were thrown into chaos, their standards taken and their forces routed with heavy losses.
On another occasion a Yan general, clad in armor and leading cavalry with fluttering standards, rode forth to parley with Zhang Xun. He proclaimed, "I am Yang Yong, a great commander of the Yan. The Tang emperor has fallen into depravity, favoring the concubine, indulging palace pleasures while local gentry and bullies plunder the people. The realm collapses and the common folk suffer. Our Yan emperor follows Heaven's mandate and has taken up arms to punish the Tang and save the people. We are a righteous army; wherever we go prefects surrender without fight. General Yin Ziqi has overlooked past faults — why not join us and win a fief?" Since An Lushan's uprising, such claims of legitimacy were often used as a pretext to seize power and win popular support.
Zhang Xun replied, "You have raised rebellion — what guilt have the common people? Since you rose in arms the people have suffered. You cannot call yourselves a righteous force. If you want to fight, then fight—no more words." Nonetheless, Yang Yong came daily to parley, and on this day again called for Zhang's surrender: "General Zhang, yield!"
At that moment the drums on the wall sounded. From concealed positions in the moat dozens of brave men sprang forth with knives and seized the commander, for Yang Yong, relying on his superior numbers, had become careless. In the night the concealed warriors had scaled the walls and in that instant the ambush burst forth and captured the great leader. Arrows flew from the walls and Yan reinforcements could not advance; those who had scaled down rose again to scramble up the battlements, and the Yan looked on in astonishment as Tang troops climbed the walls. The great leader was taken and brought within the city.
Zhang Xun asked, "You are in my power — will you submit or not?"
Yang Yong retorted, "I spoke of righteousness and offered terms of surrender — you have tricked me! I will not submit."
Zhang Xun replied, "There is a saying in our Central Plains: in war, deceit is not despised. You look like a foreigner; are you not from the Western regions?"
Yang Yong said, "I am a chieftain of a Western tribe. Release me and we shall fight honorably."
Zhang Xun answered, "Very well. If I release you, name your terms."
Yang Yong demanded, "I am a tribal chief. Have the Yan send thirty oxen and twenty sheep as ransom to free me."
Capturing Yang Yong was a carefully planned stroke. As a prominent chieftain of the Western tribes within the Yan army, his capture struck a blow to Yan morale and secured precious provisions for Suiyang. Zhang Xun's resolve and cunning greatly lifted the defenders' spirits. He knew that facing the Yan's superior strength by sheer force alone would be perilous; only by wit could the tide be turned.
When Yang Yong was paraded upon the walls and questioned, though inwardly resentful he could not help recognizing Zhang Xun's cleverness. He raged, "You Central Plains people are crafty, using such tricks to seize me. I refuse to accept this!" Zhang Xun smiled calmly: "Deceit is a soldier's tool. As a chieftain you should know the rule of the victor. You are in my hands; if you wish to keep your life, you must follow my terms."
Though Yang Yong bristled, to save his life he proposed the ransom of oxen and sheep. Zhang Xun agreed and had Yang Yong proclaim the terms to the Yan lines. Upon seeing their leader captured, the Yan were thrown into disorder, and at Yang Yong's command they sent thirty cattle and twenty sheep to ransom him.
That night Zhang Xun ordered the animals slaughtered to reward the troops. The city erupted in revelry: soldiers sat around the fires, feasting on meat and drinking deep. Their morale soared. Zhang Xun took the moment to stir their spirits: "This victory is thanks to your valor. Though the Yan are mighty, if we stand united we will hold Suiyang and protect our homes!"
The soldiers cried, "We swear to follow General Zhang to the death! We swear to defend Suiyang!" For a time the city's spirit ran high and loyalty to Zhang Xun hardened.
Yet Zhang Xun did not relax. He knew the Yan's core strength remained, and they might strike back. He summoned his commanders and said, "Though we captured Yang Yong, the Yan's main force is intact. We must not be careless. Strengthen the city's defenses and send scouts to watch the enemy."
A general asked, "Commander, the Yan, repulsed now, may press their attack more savagely. How shall we meet them?"
Zhang Xun considered and said, "Their forces are far from home; their supply lines are long. That is their weakness. We should employ a strategy of denial — scorch the fields, cut off their provisions, and sap their fighting spirit. At the same time, strengthen ties with neighboring cities to seek aid."
Another general nodded: "We could lay ambushes outside the walls and strike their supply convoys to further weaken them."
Zhang Xun approved: "A fine plan. But act cautiously so the Yan suspect nothing. We must also reassure the townsfolk so they remain steady. Only with the people's support can we fully answer the enemy."