novelSusiti Chapter 64 Zhang He's 20,000 cavalry are pressing in—whether or not to let him pass is up to me
Chapter 64 Zhang He's 20,000 cavalry are pressing in—whether or not to let him pass is up to me
Wei Yan's third military report. It was shorter than the previous two.
"Chencang is surrounded. The east, south, and north sides are blocked. An opening has been left on the west side. Hao Zhao has not escaped."
Turn it over. One line.
"The water source is three miles northwest of the city. It's a stream. It has been cut off."
Liu Shan placed the bamboo tube on the table.
Three days. Wei Yan took three days.
Siege is not difficult. The difficulty lies in making the defending general feel that there is still hope.
Leave an opening on the west side—to make him feel that he can wait for reinforcements.
Those who wait will not fight desperately.
"Where is Jiang Wei?"
Chen Dao handed over the second bamboo tube. Jiang Wei's handwriting was neater than Wei Yan's.
"San Pass has been sealed off. A thousand troops are stationed at the eastern pass. Small groups of scouts were spotted in the direction of Cao Wei's Mei County, but they have been dispersed. No large force has been seen."
The last sentence.
"Hao Zhao sent three groups of messengers out of the city to request reinforcements. The first group was intercepted by me. The second group was released. The third group—was also released."
Liu Shan read it twice.
They let them go.
Send out two groups of messengers. Let Cao Wei know that Chencang is besieged. Let Sima Yi know that Shu Han's fourth army is in Chencang.
Jiang Wei understood what he meant.
Chencang is the bait.
-
The army was on its third day of forced march.
Exit of Xiegu Road.
The terrain ahead suddenly opened up. The edge of the Guanzhong Plain. In the distance, the outline of the Mei County city wall could be seen. Gray. Low. Close to the horizon.
Zhao Yun rode at the forefront of the army. His white horse gleamed in the sunlight.
Three days of forced march. Ten thousand men. Not one fell behind.
Zhao Yun glanced back at the ranks and nodded.
"The soldiers trained by His Majesty are tough."
Liu Shan followed on horseback.
"It was General Zilong who trained him. I'll just handle the pay."
Zhao Yun didn't respond. He reined in his horse and pointed ahead.
"Mei County. How many troops are garrisoned?"
"The scout reports. Eight hundred. The magistrate's surname is Wang. He's a civil official and has never fought in a battle."
Zhao Yun's gaze swept from the city wall of Mei County to the terrain on both sides.
"Not going to fight?"
"Don't fight. Go around it."
Zhao Yun turned around.
"Go around?"
Liu Shan pointed to a line on the geomantic map north of Mei County.
"The Wei River. Beyond the Wei River lies Wuzhang Plain."
Zhao Yun's fingers paused on the saddle for a moment.
Wuzhangyuan.
"Does His Majesty intend to set up camp at Wuzhangyuan?"
"The central army is stationed at Wuzhangyuan. Backed by the Wei River and facing Guanzhong, it can advance to attack Chang'an or retreat to defend Xiegu."
Liu Shan put away the geomantic map.
"Sima Yi led 30,000 men westward from Luoyang, taking the Hangu Pass. They could reach Chang'an in as little as seven days."
Zhao Yun did the calculations.
"We were four days ahead of him."
"Four days is enough."
-
That night, the army bypassed Mei County without alerting the garrison.
Ten thousand people walk at night. No torches are lit. Moonlight shines on the Wei River. The water reflects the light.
It took two hours to cross the river. The supply battalion built the pontoon bridge quickly. The engineering battalion had prepared the timber three days in advance.
Jiang Wan's logistics were always top-notch.
Wuzhangyuan.
Flat. Open. Surrounded by cliffs on three sides. A road comes up from the south.
A natural fortress.
Zhao Yun stood on the edge of the cliff, looking north. The Guanzhong Plain stretched out under the moonlight, its edge invisible.
"A good place."
Liu Shan walked to his side.
"The Prime Minister chose it. He circled it in the third draft of the strategy, saying that this place is suitable for both advancing and retreating."
Zhao Yun nodded.
"The Prime Minister's judgment has never been wrong."
-
Set up camp.
The central command tent was erected at the highest point of Wuzhangyuan, offering a panoramic view in all directions.
Chen Dao's White Feather Army surrounded the camp in three layers: an outer layer of chevaux-de-frise, a middle layer of deer antlers, and an inner layer of tents.
Liu Shan entered the tent. He removed his armor. Two red marks were visible on his shoulders, worn from his bright armor. It had been three days.
Dong Yun brought in hot water.
"Your Majesty, should we apply medicine to your shoulder?"
"Need not."
Liu Shan sat down.
"On Prime Minister Zhuge's side."
Dong Yun took out a bamboo tube from his sleeve.
"In the direction of Qishan, the Prime Minister's main force has passed Xixian. Ma Zun, the prefect of Tianshui, abandoned the city and fled. Tianshui—has been captured."
Liu Shan tapped his finger on the edge of the table.
Tianshui. We've taken it.
Zhuge Liang's main force of 30,000 men pressed forward. The garrison at Tianshui numbered less than 5,000. Ma Zun dared not fight and fled.
"Jiang Wei's home is in Tianshui."
Dong Yun was taken aback.
"After the Prime Minister captured Tianshui, the first thing he did was send someone to Jiang Wei's old residence to bring his mother out."
Liu Shan leaned back in his chair.
Zhuge Liang never needed anyone to remind him to do things.
"besides."
Dong Yun then pulled out another bamboo tube. The sealing wax was different. It was dark red. Li Hui's mole.
"Wei Yan, urgent message."
Liu Shan pulled it away.
There are three lines of text on the silk strip.
"On the third day of the siege of Chencang, the wells in the city ran dry. Hao Zhao sent troops out of the west gate to fetch water, but they were intercepted by my ambush troops."
"Hao Zhao went up to the city wall and started shouting insults. I ignored him."
"The morale of the soldiers in the city has wavered. Some soldiers have scaled the wall and surrendered during the night. There were seventeen of them in total."
Liu Shan put down the silk strip.
Three days. Three days without water. A city of two thousand people. The well is dry.
Hao Zhao is a tough nut to crack. But even tough nuts need to drink water.
"Report back to Wei Yan."
Liu Shan picked up his pen.
"Treat the surrendered soldiers well. Give them water and food. Release three of them back. Let the people of the city know—there's a way to survive if you come out."
Seal it tightly. Give it to Chen Dao's men.
-
The next day. Dawn.
On Wuzhang Plain, the morning mist had dissipated by half.
This is an urgent message from Chen Dao. It's not from Wei Yan. It's from a scout at the outpost.
"A large force is moving towards Chang'an. Dust is billowing in the sky. It is mainly cavalry."
Liu Shan stood up.
"How many people?"
"Scouts estimate—no fewer than 20,000."
Twenty thousand.
Sima Yi's vanguard arrived two days earlier than expected.
Liu Shan walked to the tent entrance, lifted the curtain, and looked north. He couldn't see anything in the morning mist, but he knew that two hundred miles away, twenty thousand cavalry were pressing towards them.
"Who is it?"
"Flag - Zhang".
Zhang He.
The Five Elite Generals of Cao Wei. The last one is still alive.
Liu Shan loosened the curtain. The curtain fell down.
Return to the desk. Sit down.
He took out a geomantic map from the hidden compartment and spread it out.
From Wuzhangyuan to Chang'an, it's 240 li.
Zhang He has 20,000 cavalry. They are marching at full speed. They should arrive in two days.
But he won't head straight for Wuzhangyuan.
He will go to Chencang first.
Because Hao Zhao's plea for help—the two groups of messengers sent out by Jiang Wei—had already arrived.
Chencang was Cao Wei's western granary. They couldn't afford to lose it.
Zhang He will surely rescue Chencang.
Liu Shan picked up his brush and drew a line on the geomantic map.
From Chang'an to Chencang. Passing through Mei County. Crossing the Wei River.
This road passes by the foot of Wuzhangyuan.
"Chen Dao".
"Your subject is here."
"Order Zhao Yun: Starting tomorrow, the entire army shall enter combat readiness."
He paused for a moment.
"Zhang He is going to pass right under our noses."
Liu Shan's finger traced from Wuzhangyuan to Chencang.
"Whether or not to let him pass depends on how much grain he brought."
[End of Chapter]