On the twenty-eighth day of the eleventh month, after Zhang Xing led the White-Stepping Cavalry through the snow into Liang Commandery, he engaged in no unnecessary conflict or confrontation with anyone there, nor even much unnecessary discussion.
Chief Zhang behaved as though he really had come to some commandery on the Exorcising the Dragon Army's front line. He asked about its stores of grain, fodder, and military equipment, and its defensive forces, then informed them that four thousand vanguard cavalry had already reached Huaiyang Commandery, and that troops from the various Traveling Offices throughout Henan would pass through on their way to sweep the ten commanderies of Huaixi and Nanyang, seeking to open a route to Jingxiang and link up with the southern front... Liang Commandery therefore needed to prepare to serve as a forward base.
Everyone in Liang Commandery was, of course, thoroughly professional. Even Prefect Cao Wang did not bring up his own treatment to interfere with official business, instead making orderly preparations for military logistics.
That very day, the Exorcising the Dragon Army's patrol cavalry took over and secured Liang Commandery's military intelligence network. The Eight-Armed Heavenly King, Zhang Jinshu, who had remained stationed in Henan, also arrived that evening at Ningling, the commandery seat, to oversee internal and external affairs throughout Henan.
The next morning, the twenty-ninth, Dan Tonghai arrived under orders with two battalions totaling four thousand cavalry from the Jiyin Traveling Office. The four thousand rode past the city without entering, proceeding directly to reinforce Huaiyang, while Dan Tonghai entered alone to meet Zhang Xing. Once he understood the strategy, he did not linger, hurrying after his troops toward Huaiyang.
That afternoon, four infantry battalions from the Jiyin Traveling Office arrived in succession near Ningling in Liang Commandery from the Jiyin area.
On the