After Yong'an entrusted his son to Liu Shan, Liu Shan turned evil and ruled the world.

Chapter 66 Reinforcements Arrive—1 Cavalrymen, Without a Single Grain

Chencang.

Zhang He's vanguard cavalry has arrived.

The dust kicked up by 20,000 horses rolled in from the east, obscuring half the sky.

When Hao Zhao heard the sound of horses' hooves on the city wall, he stood up, supporting himself on the battlements.

My lips are chapped. I haven't had water for three days. The well is covered in mud.

"Reinforcements have arrived!"

The soldiers on the city wall shouted in hoarse voices.

The sound didn't carry far. I'm out of energy.

Zhang He's banner emerged from the dust. The character "Zhang" was visible. It was black with a gold border.

Hao Zhao's hand loosened slightly. Then he clenched it again.

Reinforcements have arrived. But—

He looked down at the city walls.

Wei Yan's camp is still standing. It's surrounded on the east, south, and north sides.

Barricades, antler twigs, and trenches. None of them were withdrawn.

The Shu army did not flee.

-

Zhang He reined in his horse.

Chencang City is three miles ahead.

Flags on the city wall were sparse.

The garrison did not come out to provide support.

wrong.

Zhang He raised his hand. The entire army halted.

The 20,000 riders stopped.

The horse snorted.

The legs of the warhorses in the front row were trembling.

They marched 120 li (approximately 60 kilometers) at breakneck speed. They ran themselves ragged.

The cavalrymen reached for their water pouches. They were empty.

There was only one piece of bread left in the food bag.

The lieutenant rode forward. "General, the Shu army's camp has not been evacuated."

Zhang He didn't answer. His gaze swept from the Shu army camp to the city wall.

They swept from the city wall to the gap on the west side.

There's an opening on the west side.

Surround three sides and leave one open. A fundamental principle of military strategy.

Leave one side open so the defenders feel they have a way out. They won't fight to the death.

But now he's arrived with 20,000 cavalry. Why isn't the Shu army retreating?

How many men did Wei Yan have?

"Scouts report that the besieging force numbers approximately three thousand."

He had three thousand men surrounding two thousand. Now he brought twenty thousand.

Adding them together, it's 22,000 against 3,000.

Ten times the troop strength.

Zhang He's gaze swept across the front of the camp. Three trenches. Deer antlers densely arranged. Chariot stakes planted along the edges of the trenches. Behind them was an earthen wall. Behind the wall—nothing could be seen.

Cavalry charging into the trenches. That's not a charge. That's suicide.

The horses ran 120 li. Then they charged again—and the entire front rank collapsed in the ditch.

Zhang He's hand paused for a moment on the saddle.

"Where are the grain carts?"

The lieutenant's expression changed. "General, the rear guard... hasn't arrived yet."

Zhang He turned around. The road he had come from was deserted. The dust had settled. There was nothing there.

Three hundred grain carts. Five thousand infantrymen escorting the grain. They stretched for fifteen li. He didn't wait.

"Send someone back to meet them."

"It's already been dispatched. It was dispatched an hour ago."

One hour. A fast horse will travel back and forth. News should be forthcoming by now.

Zhang He's gaze fell on the mountain path to the east.

A rider galloped in from afar. A fast horse.

The horse was covered in sweat. The rider dismounted and knelt down.

"General! The grain carts—are gone!"

Zhang He gripped the reins tightly.

"The Shu cavalry charged down from the western foot of Wuzhangyuan. They intercepted the supply convoy, burned one hundred wagons, pushed fifty wagons into the river, and took the rest away."

"Where are the grain transport soldiers?"

"They've scattered. Three hundred died. Eight hundred surrendered. The rest fled towards Mei County."

Zhang He remained silent.

Twenty thousand cavalry. No food.

The dry rations I carried would last at most two days.

"Who's in charge?"

The rider swallowed hard. "White horse. Silver spear. Banner—Zhao."

Zhao Yun.

Zhang He clenched his teeth. Then he loosened them.

-

Wei Yan stood on the watchtower of the camp.

They saw Zhang He's 20,000 cavalry halted three miles away. They didn't move.

His mouth twitched slightly.

"They're here."

Jiang Wei came up from below the watchtower. His armor was covered in dirt. He had just returned from San Pass.

"Zhang He has arrived?"

"We've arrived. Twenty thousand cavalry. No provisions."

Jiang Wei glanced eastward. "The grain carts have been intercepted?"

"His Majesty's signal. General Zhao made the move."

Jiang Wei's gaze swept from Zhang He's army to the walls of Chencang.

"The city has been without water for three days. Outside the city, food supplies have dried up. Two groups of people are huddled together—"

Wei Yan continued, "They're all hungry."

Jiang Wei did not speak again.

Wei Yan came down from the watchtower. He walked to the camp gate and patted the gatepost.

"Give the order: The entire army shall not move. Do not attack. Do not taunt the enemy. Do not fire arrows."

The captain was stunned. "General?"

"Let them go hungry. By the third day—they'll give up on their own."

Wei Yan turned around and glanced at Jiang Wei.

"His Majesty said. Surround them completely. Don't let even a fly out."

-

Inside Chencang City.

Hao Zhao leaned against the battlements, looking out of the city.

Zhang He's 20,000 cavalrymen halted three miles away.

They didn't move. They didn't attack the camp. They didn't even enter the city.

Hao Zhao watched for half an hour.

There was no smoke from the chimneys.

A camp for 20,000 people. There should be smoke rising from cooking fires.

No.

Hao Zhao's hand slid down from the battlement.

Over at the Shu army camp, three plumes of smoke rose from the cooking fires.

The aroma of food wafted over from three miles away.

The soldiers on the city wall heard it.

Some people swallowed hard. Some people squatted down and hugged their knees. They stopped watching.

A young soldier in the corner.

He was squatting on the ground, holding a helmet in his hands. Inside the helmet—half a helmet of horse urine.

He looked up and glanced at Hao Zhao.

I didn't drink it. And I didn't pour it out.

Just hold it there.

Hao Zhao turned around. He didn't say anything.

-

That night.

Zhang He's main camp was set up east of Chencang City.

There was no campfire. No food to cook with. Lighting a fire wouldn't help.

Zhang He remained seated on his horse, without dismounting.

The lieutenant handed over the last piece of dry bread. Zhang He didn't take it.

"Give it to the scouts. We have to run again tomorrow."

"General, what should we do?"

Zhang He's gaze fell to the west. It was dark. He couldn't see anything.

"There is still grain in Mei County."

"Eight hundred garrison troops. The county magistrate is a civil official. He can't be mobilized."

"No need for him to arrange it. I will fetch it myself."

The lieutenant was stunned. "General, are you going back?"

"Leave 10,000 cavalry here to contain the Shu army. I will lead 10,000 cavalry back to Mei County to retrieve supplies. It will be a round trip in one day."

The lieutenant opened his mouth slightly, but said nothing.

A day's round trip. One hundred and twenty li. A fast horse could run that. But—

"The Shu army cavalry that intercepted our supplies are still at Wuzhang Plain. General, on your way back—"

Zhang He raised his hand. "Zhao Yun has two thousand cavalry. That's enough to intercept the supply wagons. But ten thousand of my iron cavalry—that's not enough."

The lieutenant fell silent.

Zhang He dismounted. He walked to the tent, lifted the curtain, but didn't go inside.

He glanced back at Chencang City.

There wasn't a single lamp on the city wall. It was pitch black. There wasn't a sound.

"Hao Bodao," Zhang He said in a low voice. "Hold on."

-

Wuzhang Plain. Central Army Tent.

Chen's urgent request.

"Zhang He camped east of Chencang City. He did not attack the Shu army's camp or enter the city. There was no smoke from the army's cooking fires."

Turn it over.

"Scouts intercepted an order from Zhang He's army—to divide the troops tomorrow. Zhang He personally led 10,000 cavalry back to Mei County to retrieve grain."

Liu Shan placed the silk strip on the table.

Go back to fetch provisions. Ten thousand cavalry. Retrace their steps.

We passed by the foot of Wuzhangyuan.

Liu Shan tapped his finger on the edge of the table.

"Chen Dao".

"Your subject is here."

"Send word to Zhao Yun. Tomorrow—intercept them again."

He paused for a moment.

"No need to wipe them all out. Just take a bite and leave. Let him know that this road—every time he crosses it, he'll be skinned alive."

Chen accepted the order and left the tent.

Liu Shan leaned back in his chair.

Zhang He. A veteran general. He fought his entire life.

But he had never encountered such a situation before—besieged in front of the city, with food supplies cut off behind, and ten thousand people starving in the middle.

The curtain was lifted. Dong Yun entered.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Zhuge has sent an urgent report."

Bamboo tube. Sealing wax.

"Sima Yi's main force has already crossed Hangu Pass. They will arrive in Chang'an the day after tomorrow. At the same time—"

Liu Shan turned over the silk strip.

Sima Yi divided his forces into 20,000, led by Guo Huai, and they bypassed Longyou, directly attacking the flank of Qishan.

Liu Shan stopped.

Divide the forces.

Sima Yi did not launch a full-scale attack. He allocated 20,000 troops to Guo Huai and then attacked Qishan.

Liu Shan stood up and walked to the geomantic map.

Wuzhangyuan. Chencang. Qishan. Chang'an. Longyou.

Five points.

Liu Shan's finger traced a path from Longyou to behind Qishan, and then from Chang'an to Wuzhangyuan.

Two routes. One route cuts off supply lines. The other route attacks from the front.

First, strangle Zhuge Liang. Then deal with him.

Liu Shan rubbed his thumb against the edge of the table.

"Report back to the Prime Minister."

He picked up his pen. Two lines of text.

"Guo Huai has 20,000 troops encircling Longyou. The Prime Minister shall handle this as he sees fit."

"From Wuzhang Plain—your subject has arrived."

Seal it. Hand it over.

The wind outside the tent picked up. The spring night wind was blowing in from the direction of the Wei River. It was cool.

Liu Shan did not lie down.

On a geomantic map. A red ink brush.

From Wuzhangyuan to Chang'an, it's 240 li.

Sima Yi. He will arrive the day after tomorrow.

Two days.

[End of Chapter]