radicalducati Page 345
Page 345
Both sides went to the banquet. Yan Yan brought his own wine, using a military gourd, acting as if no one else was there. Seeing this, Yan Yan's officers all followed suit, refusing to touch Zhang Ren's food and drink, drinking their own, laughing and joking freely, still in their armor and swords, displaying extreme arrogance. Zhang Ren's generals, seeing this, were furious, gritting their teeth. Zhang Ren, however, remained calm, ignoring them, and continued offering toasts as usual. He raised his cup to his lips, saying, "Today, General Yan Yan and all the officers have come to express our gratitude, and I especially ask that everyone unite..." Suddenly, a subordinate beside Yan Yan showed a look of fear. He nudged Yan Yan with his elbow and secretly pointed behind a screen. It turned out that Zhang Ren had secretly ambushed a large number of axemen inside the house, and surrounded it with his trusted troops, making the house completely impenetrable. Zhang Ren and the axemen agreed that raising their wine cups above their lips as a toast was the first level of preparation. Once the cups were thrown down, the axemen were to rush out and kill Yan Yan and his officers. Just as Zhang Ren raised his cup, the axemen prepared themselves, but the sunlight dappled the screen, allowing one of his officers to see many figures wielding weapons moving about. The officer alerted Yan Yan, who immediately noticed and reached for his sword. Zhang Ren, also sharp-eyed, saw Yan Yan's unusual expression, stopped the toast, and threw his cup to the ground. The axemen then surged out from behind the screen.
Yan Yan immediately drew his sword and slashed down several axemen charging at him. His generals weren't so lucky; some were killed instantly on their seats before they could react. Half of Yan Yan's officers were dead. The remaining dozen or so surrounded him, fighting and retreating.
"Yan Yan has colluded with the treacherous Luo Chen, attempting to surrender Jiange and Yizhou! Kill Yan Yan, and you will be rewarded with five hundred taels of gold!" Zhang Ren shouted, drawing his sword and commanding his axemen to charge. Hearing of the reward for killing Yan Yan, the axemen rushed forward, risking their lives. Fortunately, several of Yan Yan's generals fought back fiercely, otherwise Yan Yan would have been overwhelmed. Yan Yan, along with his generals, kicked open the door and ran out of the house, only to find a large number of soldiers and archers lying in ambush outside. At Zhang Ren's command, the archers unleashed a hail of arrows. His generals fought desperately, but many were struck by multiple arrows and died. Yan Yan, fortunately protected by his generals, was hit in the shoulder by two arrows, but they were not fatal. Just as Yan Yan was in despair, a large number of cavalry charged in. It turned out that his generals were on high alert and had ordered the light cavalry to be on high alert in case of unforeseen circumstances. Hearing that something was wrong, Yan Yan's cavalry immediately charged. Zhang Ren's troops were thrown into chaos, and the two armies clashed fiercely within the city. Because Zhang Ren's troops were well-prepared, and almost all of Yan Yan's officers had been killed in action, leaving the troops leaderless, Yan Yan's forces suffered heavy casualties and were quite inclined to surrender.
The cavalryman rescued Yan Yan, who hastily mounted his horse and, with the desperate protection of his trusted guards, fought his way out of the city. Seeing Yan Yan escape, Zhang Ren led several thousand cavalry in pursuit, shouting, "Yan Yan, you old thief, don't run!" Yan Yan, seeing Zhang Ren charging from behind, assumed Yan Yan was severely wounded and unable to fight back, and thus remained unprepared. Yan Yan, however, saw clearly and swiftly drew his bow and released an arrow. With a "whoosh," the arrow flew like a meteor. Zhang Ren, terrified, frantically tried to dodge, but it was too late; the arrow struck him squarely between the eyebrows. Zhang Ren screamed in agony and fell from his horse, dead.
· 0 flowers requested ····· ········
At this moment, the armies of Yan and Zhang, both on the city walls and inside the city, were locked in fierce combat, suffering heavy casualties on both sides. However, Yan's faction was at a disadvantage and was barely holding on. The sounds of battle filled the city, and flames illuminated the sky. Suddenly, the distant sound of drums and the thunder of hooves filled the air. Tens of thousands of Luo cavalry, who had been preparing for some time, charged forward. The soldiers on the city walls were thrown into a panic, unsure whether to fight Yan Yan or Zhang Ren's forces or immediately engage the Luo army…
Deng Xian took the lead, shouting fiercely, "Open the city gates and surrender, or you will be spared! My lord Liu Zhang, I have already surrendered, are you still going to resist?" Upon hearing this, some of the soldiers on the city walls scattered and fled, abandoning their defenses and allowing the Luo army soldiers to seize the city. Others simply opened the city gates and surrendered. Behind Deng Xian, Luo Chen brandished his sword, and tens of thousands of Luo cavalry surged into Jiange City like a raging flood, slaughtering any Shu soldiers they saw. For a moment, the city was filled with screams and howls, a scene of utter carnage. "Raise the banner of amnesty!" Luo Chen commanded, "Those who surrender will not be killed!" The soldiers inside the city either scattered and fled or surrendered en masse.
...... .... ...
"Where is Yan Yan?" Luo Chen turned around and ordered his generals, "Xiahou Yuan, Ma Chao, Yan Qing, Deng Xian, each of you take light cavalry to search the city. You must find Yan Yan!"
At this moment, Yan Yan led a hundred cavalrymen out of the east gate. Seeing their fierce approach, the Luo army cavalrymen scattered and dodged. Taking advantage of this opening, Yan Yan suddenly charged out. The hundred or so Luo army cavalrymen in the east city, seeing that their forces were too small to surround them, quickly reported to Luo Chen. Upon hearing this, Luo Chen immediately ordered Xiahou Yuan and Ma Chao to pursue from the left and right flanks respectively.
The fleeing cavalrymen pursued, firing arrows as they went, and Yan Yan's guards fell from their horses one after another, dying instantly. Yan Yan's forces dwindled. Ma Chao, spear in hand, charged forward on horseback: "Yan Yan, don't run!" Yan Yan immediately drew his bow and fired an arrow, but Ma Chao, anticipating this, swiftly dodged. In the brief moment Yan Yan fired, Yan Qing also drew his bow. Yan Yan, focused on Ma Chao, was caught off guard and struck squarely in the thigh. Yan Yan cried out, fell from his horse, and was pounced upon and captured alive by Ma Chao.
Chapter Thirty: Guandu
Meanwhile, while the fighting raged in Yizhou, the earth-shattering Battle of Guandu in the northern Central Plains had reached a critical juncture.
Yuan Shao was quite resentful. Luo Chen had promised to cross Tong Pass into the Yuan-Cao war zone and lend him a hand, but unexpectedly, he changed his mind at the last minute and went to Yizhou to expand his territory. Now, he had written two letters to Chang'an, urging Luo Chen to send troops. It turned out that Luo Chen probably hadn't even seen the letters; they were sent back by his newly appointed strategist, Zhuge Liang, with some nonsense about working together, which meant he was only offering moral support... He also mentioned paying attention to the supplies at Wuchao, which was obvious. Did he even need to say that? The fierce general Chunyu Qiong had already stationed tens of thousands of troops at Wuchao, and other generals such as Zhang He, Gao Lan, and Han Meng also had troops stationed there to support them, so the situation was foolproof.
Regarding the Battle of Guandu, warlords, strategists, and generals across the land are currently engaged in a heated debate over the "017" theory. Some believe Yuan Shao's overwhelming strength guarantees victory, while others argue Cao Cao's strategic brilliance and unfathomable depth will allow him to unify the north. Everyone closely follows the latest developments of the battle, using the performance of both sides to find evidence to support their own arguments and refute others' claims… It is said that a large group of scholars under Liu Biao of Jingzhou and the Sun family of Jiangdong have held several debates on this topic, with Jiang Gan, a renowned scholar from the Jianghuai region, repeatedly emerging as the best debater, thus becoming famous far and wide…
Luo Chen knew that if his army didn't intervene, Cao Cao would undoubtedly win, according to historical precedent. Currently, Cao Cao's main force was conquering cities and territories in Yizhou, while Luo Chen's forces in the north were weak and unable to intervene. It could be said that from the moment Luo Chen decided to move his main force to Yizhou for expansion, Yuan Shao's defeat was inevitable. However, Luo Chen had his own plan. In fact, a decisive victory for either side wouldn't be good news for him, so the best outcome was mutual destruction. If he didn't intervene now, Yuan Shao would be at a disadvantage, mainly due to the miscalculation at Wuchao. Therefore, to maintain a stalemate, the best approach was to avoid a repeat of the Wuchao miscalculation.
While directing the battle at Jian Ge, Luo Chen also wrote a letter requesting that Xu Shu go directly to Yuan Shao to serve as his advisor. Simultaneously, he ordered Liu Xingma to deliver his personal letter to Yuan Shao from afar.
Yuan Shao received a letter from Luo Chen:
My dear brother, Grand Marshal Yuan Shao: I should have personally led my troops into the Central Plains to serve you, but alas, Yizhou is embroiled in a stalemate, and my army and I are unable to return to its aid. I am deeply sorry! My deputy military advisor, Xu Shu, is now going to serve you. He is a man of extraordinary talent; you may consult him for advice morning and evening. Also, please keep an eye on the grain supplies at Wuchao. I have also heard that you have imprisoned Mr. Tian Feng. Mr. Tian is loyal and virtuous; even if he is short-sighted and speaks recklessly, I implore you to consider his great talent and treat him leniently…
Several days earlier, Xu Shu received a letter from Luo Chen urgently summoning Ma Dai back to Tongguan to garrison the area. Xu Shu himself, with a few guards, went without hesitation to Yuan Shao's camp near Guandu. Traveling day and night, Xu Shu and his party arrived at Yuan Shao's camp in a few days.
Yuan Shao was initially full of resentment, but seeing Luo Chen's humble and flattering words, his anger subsided considerably; moreover, seeing that Luo Chen was sending an advisor, he was quite welcoming. As for the matters of Wuchao and Tian Feng, he simply laughed it off.
Tian Feng, mentioned in Luo Chen's letter, was one of Yuan Shao's four great strategists, a man of extraordinary talent and high moral standing. When Yuan Shao launched his campaign, Tian Feng missed an opportunity to obstruct him and was further framed by other strategists, enraging Yuan Shao, who imprisoned him. Luo Chen, having read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, knew that Yuan Shao, having suffered a defeat at Guandu, would likely return and kill Tian Feng. Feeling deeply sorry for him, Luo Chen pleaded for Tian Feng's life in his letter. He also anticipated that Yuan Shao might not heed his advice, so he instructed Xu Shu to do everything possible to bring Tian Feng back alive.
Yuan Shao went out of his camp several miles to greet Xu Shu. Yuan Shao was already showing signs of aging; after all, time waits for no man. He seemed spirited and quite pleased with himself: "Sir, your arrival is truly a blessing from heaven..." "I dare not, I dare not," Xu Shu replied repeatedly.
"That Liu Bei, the Imperial Uncle, was going to Jingzhou the other day to persuade Liu Biao to support my war against Cao Cao. He has been gone for several days and should have a reply soon... I have been worried these past few days about not having a wise man to consult, but unexpectedly you have come. Heaven is helping me, heaven is helping me..." Yuan Shao said many nice things and was in high spirits.
Xu Shu observed Yuan Shao's entourage and saw only Guo Tu, Shen Pei, and Feng Ji. Upon inquiring, he learned that Ju Shou had been imprisoned by Yuan Shao for his outspoken remonstrance the previous day, and Xu You was also present; this man was usually aloof and rarely appeared in public. Xu Shu politely bowed to Shen Pei and Feng Ji, who returned the bow. One of them, slightly thin with a short beard, introduced himself as Feng Ji. Feng Ji, quite annoyed, whispered to Xu Shu, "That Liu Bei is a cunning and treacherous fellow. He must have used this as an excuse to persuade Liu Biao to flee... It's just that our lord didn't see through his true colors and still naively believed him..." Xu Shu smiled and said, "I've heard that Liu Huangshu is a kind and benevolent man, but he's just unlucky... He has several valiant generals under his command, such as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun, who are as brave as ten thousand men." Upon hearing this, the slightly plump strategist Shen Pei immediately frowned: "That red-faced Guan Yu killed two of our lord's trusted generals... and he's unharmed, and our lord didn't even pursue it. It's unbelievable! Cao Cao got off easy, avoiding dealing with two fierce generals!" Xu Shu just smiled and didn't rush to express his opinion.
The two armies had been locked in a stalemate at Guandu for quite some time. On his first day at Yuan Shao's camp, Xu Shu went straight to Wuchao, only to find Chunyu Qiong drinking. Chunyu Qiong, disheveled and drunk, came out to greet him, spouting nonsense: "Sir, please look… the provisions can support hundreds of thousands of troops for a year… a great defeat for Cao Cao's army, capturing Cao Cao alive… unifying the north… heavy defense is no problem at all, trust me, old Chun, I've been through countless battles…" and so on, utterly incoherent. Xu Shu frowned and returned. He glanced around several military camps; the soldiers were idle. The stalemate didn't require so many troops; they were just the general reserve, not being mobilized. What were they doing? Although the Battle of Guandu was raging, these men seemed to be on vacation, doing nothing but eating and sleeping.
Xu Shu returned to Yuan Shao's central camp late at night. However, given Luo Chen's orders to pay close attention to the defense of Wuchao and assist Yuan Shao, he could not slacken his efforts. He went straight to Yuan Shao's main tent.
Xu Shu saw figures moving around in the large tent from afar, and heard Yuan Shao and another middle-aged man talking loudly. As he approached, he realized the two seemed to be arguing, Yuan Shao's voice particularly loud: "Chunyu Qiong is an old general, he's been with me for years, is he still unsure about these things! Don't try to dampen our army's morale! Do you have ulterior motives? Your relative is making a fortune off the war in the rear, reselling military funds, do you think I don't know?..."
Xu Shu inquired with the guards at the gate and learned that it was his strategist Xu You and Yuan Shao conversing. Xu Shu hesitated for a long time before quietly returning home.
Chapter Thirty-One Suggestions
The following morning, Xu Shu went to Yuan Shao's central command tent. The atmosphere inside was somber; Yuan Shao's brows were furrowed, his mood was low, and he seemed extremely annoyed. Guo Tu, Shen Pei, Feng Ji, and a group of generals on either side all bowed their heads in silence.
"General Yuan," Xu Shu bowed slightly. Upon seeing Xu Shu, Yuan Shao waved hastily as a gesture of respect. Xu Shu was about to speak when Feng Ji gave him a wink, and he wisely stopped. He slowly retreated to Feng Ji's side and sat down cross-legged. "Sir, you may not know this," Feng Ji whispered in his ear, "but according to the soldiers' report, Xu You went to Cao Cao's camp late last night and hasn't returned. He's most likely defected to Cao Cao." Xu Shu nodded, seemingly understanding. However, his duty was to prevent Yuan Shao from making any rash mistakes that would cause Cao Cao even greater trouble, so he had to speak his mind; he couldn't remain silent just because Yuan Shao was in a bad mood. So he whispered, "It seems Mr. Xu You has quite a disagreement with General Yuan... I wonder what his opinion is." Feng Ji sighed, "Indeed, Xu You advocates replacing Chunyu Qiong with a more reliable one and increasing the defenses of Wuchao; furthermore, he suggests dividing the troops to launch a surprise attack on Xuchang." Upon hearing this, Xu Shu was greatly surprised: "Mr. Xu's views are exactly the same as mine! These ten points are very correct! Why is General Yuan so resolutely opposed?" Feng Ji hurriedly waved his hand, "Sir, please don't say it! Our lord often likes to strategize on small matters, but he can't make decisions on important matters, and he's very stubborn. It's difficult to manage! If you reveal your own opinions, you'll definitely refute his views, and he'll certainly be furious... So, sir, it's better not to make things difficult for yourself..." Xu Shu shook his head dismissively. For a lord, how can one not listen to advice? How can such stubbornness be tolerated? Putting Yuan Shao aside, Xu Shu, having been appointed Chancellor, had an obligation to remind everyone of his duties; otherwise, he would be incompetent. However, seeing the oppressive atmosphere, everyone's heads bowed in silence, and Yuan Shao's bad mood, direct remonstrance would certainly be ineffective… After all, contradicting Yuan Shao in front of the assembled officials would be embarrassing for him… Xu Shu hesitated for a long time, feeling conflicted, but ultimately remained silent. After a long while, Yuan Shao said, "Everyone, disperse. Go back for lunch and rest…" The officials silently left the tent and dispersed.
Xu Shu was preoccupied, wondering whether he should speak directly to Yuan Shao, so he hesitated and walked at the back. Yuan Shao looked up and saw Xu Shu with his head bowed at the back, and couldn't help but call out, "Master Xu Shu!"
Xu Shu was startled and quickly replied, "What are your orders, General Yuan?"
"Sigh," Yuan Shao hesitated and sighed, "I have quite a few worries lately, and there are some questions I'd like to ask you, sir..."
Upon hearing this, Xu Shu saw it as a perfect opportunity! He figured Xu You was probably going to ask about the troublesome matter of surrendering to Cao Cao, so he said, "That Xu You surrendered to Cao Cao..." Unexpectedly, Yuan Shao waved his hand: "No, no, Xu You's folly is secondary; his surrender to Cao Cao was his own foolishness. It's obvious who is stronger... The key is that I have something I'd like to hear your thoughts on. My son, Yuan Shang, is intelligent and decisive, and I like him most. I want to make him the ruler of Hebei, but I fear it would be against propriety and difficult to gain popular support, which is quite troubling..." Xu Shu, realizing it was about succession, said, "I've heard that the eldest son, Yuan Tan..." "That's quite wise of you. I wonder why you, General, have deposed the eldest son and chosen the younger one?" Yuan Shao frowned and waved his hand, "Yuan Tan is rather mediocre and weak. I'm afraid he can't safeguard the foundation of Hebei." Xu Shu, seeing that he wanted to install Yuan Shang, didn't argue. After all, he was an outsider. He said, "This is a family matter for the General. It's not appropriate for an outsider like me to express my opinion... Why doesn't the General listen to the opinions of his advisors?" Yuan Shao couldn't help but sigh, "Sir, you don't know this. Those advisors each have their own supporters, and it's hard to say for sure. They often argue about it and are quite at odds with each other..."
Xu Shu understood. He subtly observed that Guo Tu, Feng Ji, and Shen Pei were not very talkative, exchanging only brief pleasantries. He had heard that Guo Tu supported Yuan Tan, while Feng Ji and Shen Pei supported Yuan Shang. It was a terrifying thought; throughout history, power struggles have always involved fratricide. The victor holds supreme power, and his advisors and assistants also wield considerable influence, enjoying wealth and honor. The loser usually faces certain death, and to prevent a resurgence or the formation of powerful factions, their forces are often wiped out. In other words, once Yuan Shao dies, Guo Tu, Shen Pei, and Feng Ji will be locked in a life-or-death struggle. Xu Shu shuddered at this thought and could only offer words of comfort: "This matter can be resolved gradually, reaching a consensus… The most important task right now is still to defeat Cao Cao." Yuan Shao nodded in agreement: "What you say makes sense, sir."
Yuan Shao's mood improved slightly: "I heard that Liu Zhang of Yizhou has already announced his surrender." Xu Da replied: "Yes, news came yesterday that Liu Zhang announced his surrender in Chengdu."
Yuan Shao said with no small amount of envy, "Your lord is quite farsighted. Yizhou, a land of plenty, is surrounded by towering mountains and is strategically quite safe, with no one vying for it. Unlike us in the Central Plains, we still have to fight a life-or-death battle with the treacherous Cao Cao..." Xu Shu hurriedly replied, "Yizhou is a remote place. Prime Minister Luo is only trying to restore the authority of the Han Dynasty. It's nowhere near as prosperous as the Central Plains... The Central Plains are the foundation of the kingdom. Prime Minister Luo seems to be heading to Jiange now. There are still 307 men, including Zhang Ren and Yan Yan, stubbornly resisting there. I estimate they can be wiped out soon. Then we can lead our troops north and join General Yuan in defeating the Cao traitor..." Yuan Shao was quite pleased to hear this, "Please persuade your lord to send out troops quickly. I, Yuan Shao, will set out twenty li outside the camp to welcome the army..."
Seeing that Yuan Shao was in high spirits, Xu Shu thought his opportunity had come and said, "My duty here is to remind and advise you, General, to prevent any oversights in our army. So, out of duty, I have something to say. Please don't take offense, General." Yuan Shao glanced at Xu Shu and said, "Please speak, sir."
"The grain depot at Wuchao is of paramount importance. I went to check on it the other day, and the garrison commander, Chunyu Qiong, was drunk! He treats such a life-or-death matter as a joke, speaking incoherently and being out of his mind. If the enemy attacks, wouldn't that be dangerous!"
"Is that so?" Yuan Shao frowned, but didn't seem particularly angry.
"Therefore, General, you must replace Chunyu Qiong with Zhang He, Gao Lan, or others..." But before Xu Shu could finish, Yuan Shao interrupted him: "Chunyu Qiong has been with me for many years; he can't be unaware of things. He must have been confused that day. I'll give him a good talking-to another day, and he'll definitely change. I'm relatively confident in his ability to defend Wuchao."
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Nest
Xu Shu wanted to say something more, but seeing Yuan Shao's expression, he seemed quite disapproving, as if Yuan Shao was determined to let Chunyu Qiong continue guarding Wuchao, so he had no choice but to give up.
“Then there is another matter… Our army has many soldiers, and many are even idle. Cao Cao's army, on the other hand, has few soldiers and has already committed almost all of its forces to maintain balance with ours at Guandu, leaving its headquarters in Xuchang extremely vulnerable. Perhaps we could use our remaining forces to launch a surprise attack on Xuchang…” Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao replied, “But military strategy dictates: attack the enemy when your forces are twice your size, and surround them when your forces are five times your size. Our forces are currently two to three times that of Cao Cao's. According to military strategy, we should concentrate all our forces to attack the enemy…” Xu Shu, upon hearing this, couldn't help but laugh: “General, you must analyze the specific situation, not apply rules rigidly. Currently, our forces are in a stalemate with the enemy, not a direct confrontation. We can use half our forces to maintain the stalemate, and the other half to launch a surprise attack. This is also what military strategy calls 'surprise attack, striking where the enemy is unprepared…’” Yuan Shao, hearing this analysis, found it sharp and incisive, completely refuting his own views, leaving him unable to refute it, and he couldn't help but feel somewhat displeased. He waved his hand impatiently and said, "Military strategy is true wisdom... it's the military experience of the God of War, Sun Tzu. How can it be interpreted arbitrarily, taking things literally... Our army outnumbers the enemy two or three times. As long as we follow military strategy and attack head-on, the enemy won't be able to wear us down, and once their supplies run out, they will surely be defeated! Why bother with any sneak attacks..." Yuan Shao, fearing that Xu Shu would object again, quickly added, "Sir, you haven't eaten yet, and I'm tired too. You should go back and rest..."
Seeing his stubbornness, Xu Shu knew he couldn't persuade him and couldn't help but sigh. He could only offer a final reminder: "The supplies for Wuchao are of utmost importance, and now Xu You knows our army's strengths and weaknesses very well, so you must be extremely careful..."
"Alright, alright, I understand." Yuan Shao waved his hand impatiently and went into the back tent.
Xu Shu slowly retreated, feeling a mix of anger, amusement, and anxiety. The entire morning had left him with a sore back and aching muscles, constantly observing and being extremely cautious. He worried he'd kill himself if this continued. The situation was still unresolved, Wuchao was in imminent danger, and Xu Shu was almost certain that Cao Cao's army was eyeing it… Finding a good lord was indeed crucial. Teams like Luo Chen's were highly efficient, and besides, he was young, had a group of loyal followers, and didn't belong to any factions…
The next day at the gathering, Yuan Shao, to his credit, summoned Chunyu Qiong and gave him a severe dressing-down, forbidding him from getting drunk. Chunyu Qiong obsequiously agreed to everything, saying, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will do anything for you." When Yuan Shao scolded him, he replied, "Your Majesty deserves to die ten thousand times." This amused Yuan Shao, who neither punished him nor replaced him, and after a while sent him back to Wuchao. The strategists remained silent, but secretly they were all worried.
The moment I feared most has indeed arrived.
Several nights later, a commotion erupted in the military camp. A soldier outside Xu Shu's tent shouted, "Master Xu Shu! There's an emergency! Our lord summons you to the central command tent for a meeting!" Startled, Xu Shu jumped to his feet. He quickly regained his composure, instinctively sensing that something had happened at Wuchao. Xu Shu rushed to the tent, mounted his horse, and rode off. He didn't go immediately to the central command tent, but went directly to the light cavalry camp, where tens of thousands of Yuan Shao's light cavalry were stationed—a major force. "Why haven't the light cavalry assembled yet!" Xu Shu shouted. "Assemble the light cavalry and proceed to Wuchao immediately!" A general ran over in the darkness. Xu Shu recognized him; his name seemed to be Gao Lan. Gao Lan bowed slightly. "Sir…we must obey our lord Yuan Shao's orders; otherwise, we cannot move…" Xu Shu was furious. The military situation was urgent, yet the mobile and elite cavalry were idly waiting here! But he immediately realized that this wasn't the main army camp; he was merely offering advice to Yuan Shao and had no authority to mobilize troops. He could only stomp his foot and say, "Then get your troops ready immediately! I'll go to the central command tent right now!" With that, he mounted his horse and galloped towards the tent.
Upon arriving at the main tent, before even entering, they heard a heated debate. Guo Tu shouted, "The military situation is urgent! The most important thing now is to defend Wuchao!" Shen Pei was not to be outdone: "Cao Cao's camp is now empty, it's the perfect time to attack! Why not use the strategy of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao!" Yuan Shao, however, hesitated and could not make a decision. It turned out that the strategists were divided into two factions: one wanted the main force to immediately return to Wuchao, and the other wanted the main force to take advantage of the situation and attack Cao Cao's main camp. When they saw Xu Shu arrive, everyone asked for his advice. Xu Shu was quite anxious and disregarded manners: "Nonsense! Wuchao is now the lifeline of our army. If Chunyu Qiong cannot defend it, and we burn Wuchao, what will our army eat! As long as Wuchao is held, we can slowly wear down Cao Cao's army, and Cao Cao's army will surely be defeated!" Seeing that Xu Shu's views were opposed to theirs, Feng Ji and Shen Pei also became unfriendly and started shouting loudly. Yuan Shao, unable to let go, said, "I've already ordered Han Meng to lead 20,000 troops stationed near Wuchao to provide support. They should be able to hold them off for a while..." Xu Shu anxiously replied, "Cao Cao's army is undoubtedly going all in this time. Cao Cao has many capable generals under his command; how can Han Meng possibly hold them off? Please, General, immediately dispatch Zhang He and Gao Lan with elite cavalry to Wuchao. I passed by Gao Lan's camp and already ordered him to prepare..."
Yuan Shao still couldn't make a decision, and Xu Shu grew anxious: "Regardless of the plan, General, please decide immediately, otherwise things will become even more difficult!" Hearing this, Yuan Shao gritted his teeth and made up his mind: "The main force will attack Cao Cao's camp! I refuse to believe that Han Meng and Chunyu Qiong, those two great generals, can't withstand it..." Upon hearing this, Xu Shu's heart sank. Shen Pei and Feng Ji, smug and self-satisfied, went out to give orders and prepare. Xu Shu also went out with Yuan Shao to supervise the battle.
Meanwhile, on Cao Cao's side, his army, dressed in Yuan Shao's uniforms, had General Zhang Liao patrolling and providing support from the flanks. They encountered Han Meng, who was coming to their aid. Han Meng asked, "Who goes there?" Zhang Liao didn't answer, but rode forward. By the time Han Meng (Zhao Ma) realized something was amiss, Zhang Liao had already struck him down with a spear, and most of Han Meng's soldiers scattered. Chunyu Qiong, though his answer was correct, had completely disregarded Yuan Shao's words and got drunk that night. Hearing the shouts of battle outside, he was hastily helped up by his guards, barely managed to put on his armor and mount his horse, only to be struck in the face by Cao Hong and immediately fall dead. Although Yuan Shao's army was numerous, it was disorganized. Cao Cao's army set fires everywhere, and the mountains of grain and fodder piled up at Wuchao were all reduced to ashes! The fire raged all night, and the flames of Wuchao could be seen for dozens of miles around, as bright as day.
As for Cao Cao's camp, Cao Cao had already laid an ambush with a small force. His troops attacked from both sides, throwing Yuan Shao's army into chaos. In the darkness, unable to discern much, Yuan Shao burned Cao Cao's empty camp, then hesitated before turning his main force back to Wuchao. How could he possibly extinguish the fire then? After a fierce battle with Cao Cao's army, Yuan Shao's army suffered another major defeat, and morale plummeted.
Chapter Thirty-Three: Soldiers' Rights
In the Battle of Wuchao, Yuan Shao's army was thrown into chaos, its morale shattered, and its soldiers filled with fear. Seeing that Yuan Shao's defeat was inevitable, Xu Shu hastily sent men to imprison Tian Feng, preparing to rescue him by force and take him to Tongguan in a moment of crisis. Xu Shu wrote to Luo Chen to inform him of this.
As for Luo Chen's side, as mentioned earlier, during the Battle of Wuchao, Luo Chen cleverly used a counter-espionage tactic to easily take over Jian Ge and capture Yan Yan alive.
Having captured Yan Yan, Luo Chen was too lazy to do any persuasion and simply dripped blood into his wine for him to drink. The generals were once again stunned to see Yan Yan's attitude completely reverse.
In this campaign, the Luo army did not suffer particularly heavy losses. Furthermore, with many Shu soldiers surrendering, the Luo army's strength in Shu surged to 250,000, about half of whom were former Shu soldiers. The Luo army's forces in the north were relatively weak due to large-scale withdrawals. They mainly consisted of 30,000 Chang'an guards, 20,000 under Ma Dai, and 20,000 under Xu Shu's command at Tongguan, totaling 50,000. Additionally, Ma Teng had troops stationed at Shicheng, bringing the total strength to over 50,000. However, the Guanzhong region differed fundamentally from Shu. Guanzhong had fully implemented the equal-field system and the militia system, so strictly speaking, in addition to the 50,000 permanent troops, the number of soldiers and farmers could be mobilized to 200,000 or more. Therefore, considering the entire Luo Chen controlled area, Luo Chen's military strength was no less than that of Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, and they could directly participate in the struggle for the Central Plains. Moreover, the economic potential of Luo Chen's controlled area probably exceeded that of other warlords, because the equal-field system was truly effective; naturally, Zhang Juzheng deserves much credit for this. Luo Chen specially promoted Xu Da to Grand General, the highest military rank previously vacant. Regarding civil officials, the Prime Minister's Office also implemented a ranking system, from highest to lowest: Military Advisor, Deputy Military Advisor, Councilor, and Advisor.
The military officers and their ranks are as follows: Xu Da (Grand General), Lü Bu (General), Ma Teng (General), Ma Chao (General of the Household), Xiahou Yuan (General of the Household), Huang Zhong (Central), Yan Qing (Central), Lin Chong (Central), Ma Dai (Captain), Pang De (Captain).
The civil officials and their ranks were as follows: Zhuge Liang (Military Advisor), Xu Shu (Deputy Military Advisor), Fa Zheng (Senior Councilor), and Zhang Song (Senior Councilor). Additionally, Zhang Juzheng was not in the Prime Minister's office system; Luo Chen appointed him to a position in the imperial court as Minister of Works, specifically responsible for internal affairs such as land, military system, and logistics.
Luo Chen received Xu Shu's letter in Jian Ge, and his expression changed slightly. Wu Chao had indeed been burned; it seemed history couldn't be changed so easily! Now, the situation of Cao Cao's family becoming too powerful might be about to emerge, and Luo Chen had to face this reality.
Luo Chen had considered launching an immediate attack on Xuchang from Guanzhong, with Xu Da in command. However, things were no longer so simple. First, Guanzhong was sparsely populated; although the Fubing system existed, it was still in its early stages, and the soldiers were not yet at their best. Second, Cao Cao's army had greatly increased in strength after defeating Yuan Shao, with its forces growing by hundreds of thousands, and Xuchang might not be short of troops. If they launched a rash attack under these circumstances, Luo's army might find itself locked in a fierce battle beneath the walls of Xuchang, experiencing a repeat of the Tongguan campaign… And if Cao Cao's main force returned to reinforce, Luo's army would immediately be at a severe disadvantage. After much deliberation, Luo Chen ultimately cancelled the plan, which meant that Cao Cao had occupied Hebei, greatly increasing his strength… In fact, this was the only option; it just goes to show that to change major historical events, one must invest significant resources. Furthermore, good things don't come easily; occupying Yizhou and then wanting to interfere in Hebei—there's no such thing as a free lunch.
Luo Chen ordered Xu Shu to find a way to bring Tian Feng and Mr. Ju Shou back to Tongguan. He reminded Xu Shu to be very careful, as Yuan Shao was bound to be defeated. Next, Cao Cao's army would take advantage of the Yuan army's unstable morale and troop movements to launch an eight-pronged attack. In the chaos of battle, Xu Shu should be careful to protect himself.
Having decided not to participate in the Central Plains Incident, Luo Chen turned his attention to domestic affairs. The increasing number of surrendered Shu soldiers made him consider the issue of transferring soldiers far from home. Soldiers far from their homes to fight were treated like tools; could their fighting strength be strong? In fact, according to his observations, whether it was Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, or the Sun regime, the rights of ordinary soldiers were disregarded. If they died, they were simply dead, left only as bones; there was no proper compensation system. Even the names of soldiers were not fully recorded. After much deliberation, Luo Chen realized that upon returning to Chang'an, he would need to summon Zhang Juzheng to address the issue of protecting the rights of soldiers.
Regarding the surrendered Shu soldiers, there were over 100,000. Luo Chen summoned the Shu soldiers and announced that if a father and son were both in the army, one could return; if brothers were both in the army, only one needed to remain to serve (this was borrowed from Zhuge Liang's later plan, which seems to have been used by Lord Pingyuan in the pre-Qin period after he stole the tally to rescue Zhao). These two plans could be combined; that is, if fathers, sons, or brothers were both in the army, only one or two needed to remain. If an only son was in the army, he could return unconditionally. In this way, a small portion of the over 100,000 surrendered Shu soldiers were released, and 80,000 soldiers were selected to serve in the army. When Luo Chen announced this to the public, the Shu soldiers were stunned and deeply moved, many willing to serve him. Luo Chen, however, advised them to return to their hometowns to develop agriculture and increase the population, as this would be the greatest reward for him. As for the veterans from Guanzhong, the new recruits, and those who hadn't settled in Guanzhong, Luo Chen allowed them to settle in Yizhou. Those already settled in Tongguan and other places were to be taken back, as the Guanzhong military system could provide a large number of rotating soldiers. Thus, Luo Chen selected another 40,000 men from Guanzhong, who would also be settled in Yizhou. He ordered Lü Bu to lead 60,000 of them, stationing them in Chengdu and its surrounding areas. He ordered Huang Zhong to lead 60,000 troops, advancing to Shangyong, from which they could enter Jingzhou to the south or the Central Plains from the rear. At the same time, Luo Chen announced that Yizhou would immediately implement the equal-field system, the military system, and strict household registration. Regarding the position of Prefect of Yizhou, Lü Bu, Huang Zhong, Fa Zheng, and Zhang Song all seemed eager and eager to take it. However, these men were clearly insufficient to accomplish Luo Chen's arduous task of reforming society through the Fubing system. Luo Chen did not appoint a prefect at that time, and instead led the remaining 80,000 or so veteran soldiers of the Luo army back to Chang'an. Before leaving, Luo Chen still ordered Xiahou Yuan to garrison Hanzhong.
Luo Chen traveled day and night, and was quite exhausted, having not rested for a moment these past few days. When he arrived in Chang'an, there were even more things to do, because he was far away in Yizhou, and many things were piling up waiting for his decision, and he also had to personally check and review many tasks.
Chapter Thirty-Four: Returning to Chang'an
Luo Chen was quite satisfied with Ma Dai. Because of the military agricultural system, Ma Dai's forces at Tongguan had ample manpower, capable of mobilizing over ten thousand troops at a time. Ma Dai was quite self-aware; since taking over Tongguan, he consulted Zhuge Liang and Zhang Juzheng on all matters, leaving Xu Shu's original arrangements unchanged, simply focusing on doing his job diligently. Luo Chen ordered Ma Dai to lead 30,000 light cavalry out of Tongguan to meet Xu Shu, without flags or drums, proceeding quietly.
Luo Chen summoned Zhang Juzheng to inquire about the situation. Throughout Qin, various systems were progressing well. Some powerful clans were bribing ministers in court, while others were vehemently opposing the equal-field system and the household registration system within the court and the Prime Minister's office. However, Zhang Juzheng sternly rejected these attempts, and Zhuge Liang also strongly supported the implementation of the systems. A few clans had gathered local armed forces to rebel, but these were usually quelled immediately by Ma Dai and others.
"What did you do with those rebellious family members?" Luo Chen asked casually.
"Kill them all," Zhang Juzheng replied coldly. "Eliminate all their influence in society and in the court."
Luo Chen listened with a chill running down his spine; this was indeed Zhang Juzheng's style. The flat, agrarian society wasn't created through gentle persuasion, but through bloody massacres, especially in today's aristocratic society. Luo Chen understood; if they didn't kill now, the chaos of the Western Jin Dynasty and the Five Barbarian Invasions would have been a true massacre, wiping out almost all the powerful northern clans. The current approach was relatively moderate; as long as they cooperated with the court, didn't oppose it, and remained obedient, everything would be fine.
"Um...you did well." Luo Chen answered rationally, because deep down he was not willing to kill so many people, but he knew history well, and history was not warm and gentle, but rather very cold-blooded.
“Your job might need to be changed…” Luo Chen said cautiously. Zhang Juzheng looked at him, completely bewildered.
"Currently, Yizhou is implementing the equal-field system, the militia system, and the household registration system, but there isn't a capable governor... I know that compared to the Central Plains, Yizhou is impoverished, but the responsibility is heavy at this time, and I hope you won't refuse." Zhang Juzheng lowered his head and thought for a while. This matter was obviously quite tricky, and governing Yizhou would certainly not be as smooth as governing Guanzhong, but it also clearly showed Luo Chen's high regard for him. Zhang Juzheng no longer refused, after all, it was his lord's high regard, so he said, "I am willing to offer my humble service." Luo Chen was overjoyed and immediately appointed Zhang Juzheng as the governor of Yizhou, while his position as Minister of Works remained unchanged. He specially ordered Yan Qing to lead a large contingent of guards to escort him to Yizhou in a high-profile manner. When Lü Bu and Huang Zhong saw that the Minister of Works was coming to take charge, his rank was obviously much higher than theirs, so they willingly bowed and obeyed. There were quite a few powerful clans in Yizhou. In fact, the local people of Yizhou had always been suppressed and repressed. Liu Zhang's group was an outsider, known as the Dongzhou Group. At this time, the iron-fisted Minister Zhang Juzheng entered Shu in a high-profile manner, obviously intending to carry out surgical operations against the powerful clans in Shu. The powerful clans in Shu were uneasy and each had their own plans...
Luo Chen's primary concern wasn't even the reforms being pushed forward by Zhang Juzheng, but rather the progress of Lin Chong's National Technical Office. He impatiently summoned Lin Chong and two technicians, anxiously inquiring about the progress of gunpowder production. "Uh..." Lin Chong appeared somewhat flustered, "The formula in 'Gunpowder Manufacturing' requires a certain refining process for its raw materials, which we find difficult to achieve... The two experts have only managed to coarsely blend the crude materials, and the gunpowder is somewhat usable, but..."
"Excellent!" Luo Chen was overjoyed to hear that gunpowder could be used. "Show it to me right away! I want to see how effective it is."
Luo Chen personally rode to the experimental site on the outskirts of Chang'an. He looked at what they called gunpowder and was somewhat bewildered. It wasn't what he had imagined; it was a strange mixture of oddly colored solid blocks and powders… “Um, let's begin the demonstration,” Luo Chen said. Whatever, as long as it works…
The soldier threw the tinder into the pile of solids, and immediately the gunpowder pile emitted intermittent, slight explosions, accompanied by flashes of light. Luo Chen waited expressionlessly for the gunpowder to burn out intermittently; it seemed less like exploding gunpowder and more like a campfire… There was no crater on the ground, only charred marks from the burning. Luo Chen pointed to the ground: “Explode!” A flash of light appeared at his fingertip, followed by a rapid explosion that blasted a hole in the ground, sending dirt flying, leaving the soldiers nearby dumbfounded.
"Damn it..." Luo Chen finally couldn't help but speak, "This is what you call a bullshit gunpowder bomb! How can this be used on the battlefield! It's not even as powerful as my explosion!" Luo Chen turned around angrily, about to explode, when Lin Chong and the two technicians hurriedly knelt down: "My lord... the raw materials are really difficult to extract, it's quite challenging..."
· 0 flowers requested ·······
Luo Chen gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, wanting nothing more than to drag these people out and give them a hundred lashes. However, Luo Chen was ultimately a man of modern society, relatively rational, and knew how to restrain himself, lacking the arrogant airs of an ancient monarch. He carefully examined the raw materials they used to make gunpowder and understood. The ingredients in the book were refined industrial materials; the technology of the Three Kingdoms was limited, and they couldn't achieve that level of precision. Naturally, their crudely made gunpowder was of this quality.
Luo Chen didn't speak, but turned to Lin Chong and said, "Come back to Chang'an with me."
. ....... .......
"Then this Technical Department..." Lin Chong said in a panic, "I am incompetent..."
"Alright, it's not your fault. Your administrative work and mobilization skills are quite good. This is a technical issue; I lack technical personnel. Come back with me, and I'll explain things to you..." Luo Chen said, mounting his horse and beckoning Lin Chong to ride away.
It was time to restart the system… Luo Chen returned to his inner room and activated the system. His control level rose to 15, and his internal cultivation level also reached 15. Luo Chen first searched among the civil and military officials, but found no suitable candidates. He then switched to the internal cultivation exchange table, which only contained some books, skills, and a few unfortunate technicians. Luo Chen searched and searched, becoming increasingly annoyed: “If only I had a scientist!” he muttered. The system “dinged,” and the hollow voice returned: “Scientist exchange activated.” A new column appeared under the internal cultivation section, labeled “Scientists.” The list ranged from Mozi and Lu Ban to Zhang Heng, Zu Chongzhi, and Shen Kuo. Luo Chen was overjoyed. Scientists were clearly very valuable, no less so than heavyweight strategists or generals. Luo Chen was determined to find a powerful one. He remembered Zhang Heng as a master of astronomy, mathematics, and chemistry, a comprehensive scientific genius. Luo Chen clicked on Zhang Heng's name and saw that it required level 15—expensive, far too expensive, comparable to Zhang Juzheng and Xu Da; but thinking of his gunpowder dream, Luo Chen gritted his teeth and selected Zhang Heng anyway.
Chapter Thirty-Five: Zhang Heng
But when Luo Chen pointed to Zhang Heng, a bright light appeared, and the tall, scholar-like Zhang Heng came into view. This Zhang Heng was quite thin, like a bamboo pole, with prominent veins on his face, thick eyebrows, and a short but rather thick beard. Luo Chen inexplicably thought of giving Zhang Heng a pair of glasses; then he would have the typical look of a modern scientific researcher. And this Zhang Heng seemed to have rather poor eyesight, as he seemed to habitually squint.
Zhang Heng squinted at Luo Chen, then bowed and said, "My lord."
"Zhang Heng, take a look at this book." Luo Chen eagerly handed him "The Science of Gunpowder Manufacturing." "How about it? Can you use this to manufacture gunpowder?"
To be honest, Luo Chen felt quite uneasy; he sensed something was wrong. Suddenly, Luo Chen remembered something: Zhang Heng lived in the Han Dynasty, before the invention of 463mm gunpowder, let alone its application in warfare. This was awkward… Luo Chen felt a chill; well, those 15 orders of magnitude had gone down the drain again.
Luo Chen looked at Zhang Heng dejectedly, waiting for him to shake his head. Unexpectedly, Zhang Heng nodded thoughtfully, his face showing joy. He looked up, squinted his eyes, and said slowly, "A good book."
Luo Chen was a little confused. Could he possibly understand that? "Then can you make gunpowder?"
"Yes," Zhang Heng answered decisively.
Luo Chen looked at him with some disbelief. Zhang Heng, however, had already begun to explain: "The core of gunpowder is nothing more than saltpeter, sulfur, and carbon. I have done some research on these things and have a fairly good understanding of their properties and precision. The core purpose of this book is simply to adjust the gunpowder by changing the ratio of raw materials, temperature, and other external conditions. Therefore, although this book is exquisite, it is still entirely within my grasp."
Hearing this confident and well-founded analysis, Luo Chen was overjoyed. "He's a master after all," he thought, "his abilities are undeniable; his understanding and operational skills are simply different. Ordinary technicians can't possibly catch up!" He then took Zhang Heng's hand and said, "Sir, your abilities are extraordinary; you are truly a pillar of society! Excellent! We hereby appoint you to head the National Technology Bureau, with the rank of deputy military advisor. Your task now is to manufacture gunpowder as quickly as possible..."
"As you command, the gunpowder will be successfully manufactured in two or three months, or four or five months at the longest," Zhang Heng replied confidently.
Luo Chen then turned to Lin Chong beside him: "Lin Chong, how many soldiers and craftsmen does the National Technical Administration have now?"
"The National Technical Administration directly commands 10,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry for secrecy and mission deployment. The number of artisans currently exceeds 20,000, including those specializing in stone, iron, wood, fire, and pottery," replied the recently dismissed and pitiful Lin Chong.
"Alright, you will continue to command the 20,000 troops, and you will also be in charge of the specific allocation of the craftsmen. You will be responsible for administration and confidentiality, and fully cooperate with Mr. Zhang Heng in developing gunpowder. Whatever Mr. Zhang Heng needs, you must do immediately! Mr. Zhang's safety and health must be given special attention!"
"Yes!" Lin Chong answered without complaint.
Luo Chen saw Zhang Heng off, full of anticipation. Every day, he had people find large fish and meat, nutritious delicacies, and send them to Zhang Heng, while also constantly rewarding him with gold and silver.
A few days later, Zhang Heng came to Luo Chen's residence alone. "Why didn't you say anything, sir? I would have had Lin Chong send someone to bring you here... Is there anything you need, sir?" "I have a request to make." Zhang Heng didn't stand on ceremony and stated his request directly.
"Please speak, sir," Luo Chen quickly gestured for him to begin.
“I can’t do it alone; I need assistants and students,” Zhang Heng said.
"Let Mr. Ren select the craftsmen; they are all outstanding craftsmen chosen through a selection process. Now, the imperial clerical script is being compiled," Luo Chen said.
“No. I will select some of those craftsmen, but they are not the main ones. They only have experience but no education. I heard that the lord is establishing the Imperial Academy and selecting talents from all over the country? I want students from the Imperial Academy. I also suggest establishing a technical academy, let’s call it… Chang’an Academy.”
"This..." Zhang Heng was indeed a scholar, quite sensitive to talent... Due to Zhang Juzheng's severe suppression of powerful clans, Luo Chen feared a shortage of talent in Guanzhong. In this era, education was monopolized by powerful clans, and the recommendation system further fostered bureaucratic families. Zhang Juzheng's suppression of clan power often resulted in entire families being purged from Luo Chen's civil service, leading to a shortage of officials. Fortunately, Luo Chen was a modern man and immediately thought of the imperial examination system. "Then let's have an exam! I refuse to believe there's no talent in Guanzhong." Luo Chen conducted a low-key examination and selection experiment in Guanzhong. He only instructed Zhuge Liang to carry it out and didn't tell anyone else, but unexpectedly, Zhang Heng discovered it.
“But sir, those people we selected are all Confucian scholars, how could they possibly be involved in gunpowder…” Luo Chen said helplessly. “It doesn’t matter,” Zhang Heng said unconcerned. “Excellent people should be capable of anything. Even if they know nothing now, I can select some truly intelligent and quick learners, and in just a few months they can become my assistants. After practicing and learning under my guidance for a while, they can become experts… I myself was originally a scholar of Confucian classics, and I also do chemistry, astronomy, and mathematics. There’s absolutely no conflict!”
“Alright…” Luo Chen shrugged, resigned to his fate. It was a pity that this year’s outstanding talents couldn’t be recruited into government positions, but technical issues were the country’s top priority, so it was still worthwhile… “I’ve also approved Chang’an Academy. Let you be its first dean, sir. You decide on the location, and then instruct Lin Chong to send people to build it…”