Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

Two months prior, Zhang Xuan discreetly sent a letter to Wang Shi Chong, proposing a joint attack on Jingzhou and advising caution against the Tang army. Wang Shi Chong took the advice seriously, bolstering defenses in Xiyang County while keeping Zhang Xuan's proposal confidential. As tensions escalated between the Sui and Tang armies, Wang Shi Chong seized the opportunity to mobilize troops, secretly amassing fifty thousand soldiers in Nanyang. Upon receiving urgent intelligence about a Tang troop movement, he convened his officials to discuss a military strategy, deciding to capitalize on the weakened defenses in Xiangyang. Despite concerns about potential misunderstandings with Zhang Xuan, Wang Shi Chong was resolute in his plans to capture Nangu, aiming to rename Jiangling as Nanjing. The Zheng forces were dispatched to attack Xiangyang, while in the south, the atmosphere of war affected public sentiment and the economy, leading to rising prices and unrest. Meanwhile, officials in Chang'an discussed the ongoing conflict, with one revealing that significant developments had occurred in Jiangxia.

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