TREATISE ON STRATEGY

EXAMINATION OF MILITARY STRATEGY

JIN PART 2

...of entry This continues the account of the conspirators gaining access to the regional seats of power. They issued orders to Huan Xiu The Inspector of Xu and Yan provinces, while Meng Chang encouraged Huan Hong The Inspector of Qing province to go out. On that day, it was planned that they would go out to hunt. Before dawn, the gates were opened for the hunting party. Meng Chang, along with Liu Yi and Liu Daogui, led several thousand brave warriors and entered directly, beheading them Referring to the regional inspectors loyal to the usurper Huan Xuan.

Consequently, they gathered the people and crossed the Yangtze River. The assembly nominated [Liu] Yu as the Leader of the Alliance and Governor-General of Xu Province Affairs. He appointed [Meng] Chang as his Chief Administrator to guard Jingkou. [Liu] Yu then led a force of one thousand seven hundred men from the two provinces and encamped at Zhuli. He dispatched proclamations to the surrounding regions to mobilize support.

When [Huan] Xuan heard of this, he appointed Huan Qian as the Commander-in-Chief of the Expedition. [Huan] Qian and others urgently requested that troops be sent, specifically Sima Zuan, to attack [Liu] Yu.

However, [Huan] Xuan said: "Their troops are extremely sharp and determined; their plan is born of a thousand deaths original: "wan si" (萬死), meaning they are prepared to die in battle. If there is any minor stumble on our part, their momentum will be established and my cause will be lost. It is better to station our main army at Mount Fuzhou Located near the capital, modern-day Nanjing to resist them. They will have marched two hundred li Approx. 65 miles without gaining anything, and their initial sharp morale will be blunted. When they suddenly encounter our great army, they will surely be terrified. I shall hold my troops in a firm formation and refuse to engage them. When they seek battle and cannot find it, they will naturally disperse and flee. This is [the best course of action]."