The fires of war had not yet spread to the Northeast, but Lin Zixuan, the Zhoucheng governor of Xizhou, had petitioned the Imperial Court, requesting the deployment of troops to guard the border. The Emperor, well aware of the significance of the Northeast region, thus ordered the troops stationed there to gather at the border.
Stationed in the Northeast was Mo Yongcheng's nephew, the eldest son of Mo Yongan, Mo Hongfan. Yet, Mo Hongfan's army, which was stationed southwest of Hanzhou, did not advance northward as the Emperor had decreed. Mo Hongfan reported to the Imperial Court that Xizhou was too insignificant to be of concern and argued it was better to hold position outside Hanzhou. From there, they could attack or defend as needed, a strategic must-have for any military.
