novelSusiti Chapter 22 The Tactic of Using Pride to Lure the Enemy
Chapter 22 The Tactic of Using Pride to Lure the Enemy
Receiving news of the state troops was undoubtedly a joyous occasion for Liu Bei, but what delighted him even more was that the commander of these state troops was none other than Zou Jing, an old acquaintance with whom he had fought alongside against the bandits in Zhuojun a month ago!
Liu Bei immediately ordered his army to gather there.
When Zou Jing learned that two thousand righteous soldiers from Zhuojun had come to help him, he was overjoyed and immediately led his civil and military officials out of the city to welcome them.
Upon meeting, before the two could exchange pleasantries, Liu Bei inquired with concern, "Colonel Zou, how have you been? What is the situation in Guangyang now?"
After a few days apart, Zou Jing's demeanor was far less imposing than it had been a month ago in Zhuo County. He had been wounded in the left arm and chest, bearing numerous battle scars, and his complexion was poor. But what worried him even more was the situation in Youzhou.
Upon hearing this, he sighed before even speaking, "Alas! It's a long story!"
"The Moth Rebels rose up suddenly, spanning multiple prefectures and counties, and their power was immense. On the eighteenth day of the third month, they besieged Ji County. Although Governor Guo personally braved arrows and stones and climbed the city walls to supervise the battle, Ji County was the seat of the prefecture, a large city with many people. The Moth Rebels had an inside accomplice who set fire to the city at night. With the inside working in tandem with the outside, the south gate fell, and the rebel army swarmed in."
"The magistrate and Prefect Liu, along with their officials and retainers, retreated to defend the prefectural government. They fought in the streets all day, but ultimately, outnumbered, they all perished in the chaos of battle!"
"More than a thousand soldiers of the state army were lost, and the rest scattered. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Jing had no choice but to gather the remnants, abandon the state capital and retreat south. Fortunately, Xianyu Fu, the state official, was also nearby. He joined forces with me and did our best to gather the scattered soldiers from all sides. Only then were we able to temporarily hold Guangyang City and stabilize the morale of the people."
"But now there are only a thousand soldiers in the city and only one general, while more than 20,000 Yellow Turbans are pursuing us with the momentum of breaching the city. If Xuande does not come to our aid in time, Guangyang City will probably be difficult to defend."
Upon hearing this, Liu Bei exclaimed in surprise, "Have the Yellow Turbans in Guangyang become so rampant?"
Zou Jing sighed heavily, his worry and fear evident in his words: "Xuande, the rebels are rampant, perhaps even more so than you have anticipated. The Yellow Turbans of Guangyang are a large force established by Zhang Jiao in Youzhou, far superior to the small forces like those of Cheng Yuanzhi in Zhuojun."
"The Yellow Turban Warriors alone number no less than ten thousand. These men are mostly selected from street ruffians and outlaws from the borderlands. They are fierce and brave, and have been incited by the Way of Peace for many years. They firmly believe in the 'Yellow Heaven,' and are fanatical in battle, unafraid of death or injury."
"But what makes the situation worse is that Youzhou is a border region, and its capital has various departments such as the armory, armor department, and military department. Now that Jixian has been captured by the bandits, all the fine armor, powerful bows and crossbows, halberds and spears accumulated in the armory over the years have been seized by the bandits in one fell swoop!"
"Their fierce bandits, clad in armor and wielding sharp weapons, number no less than several thousand. Thus, their power has been established, and they are no longer the farmers who once wielded plows and hoes."
Upon hearing what Zou Jing said, Liu Bei finally realized just how dire the situation in Youzhou had become!
These Yellow Turban warriors, clad in armor and wielding sharp weapons, were likely even more formidable than the rebel army in Zhuojun.
Seeing the change in everyone's expression, Zou Jing comforted them, saying, "The enemy's morale is currently high, and they are unstoppable. We believe we should not act rashly and confront them head-on, lest we suffer unnecessary losses."
"Fortunately, Xianyu Fu is a prominent local official in Youzhou with considerable prestige. He has already dispatched messengers overnight to contact the Commandant of Yuyang, the Commandant of Shanggu, and even the Protectorate of Wuhuan, requesting reinforcements."
"Our immediate plan is to dig deep trenches and build high walls, fortify the city, and blunt the enemy's momentum. As long as we hold Guangyang, we can cut off their path south to plunder Zhuojun and Jizhou. When the imperial armies from all sides converge, we can launch a pincer attack and surely defeat this scoundrel!"
This deployment is indeed a prudent statement. Youzhou is a border prefecture, and even prefectures such as Yuyang and Shanggu have commandant officers to lead the prefecture's troops.
Moreover, the Way of Peace has not spread widely in the harsh border regions and has a weak foundation. As long as the local bandits in Yuyang and Shanggu are wiped out, and the royal army, including the Wuhuan tribe and the Protector of Wuhuan, comes to their aid, they will surely be able to quell the tens of thousands of Yellow Turbans in Guangyang.
Several military officers and county officials beside him nodded in agreement.
These words, however, made the impatient Zhang Fei unable to contain himself. His leopard eyes widened, and he said urgently, "Wouldn't that be handing over the credit to someone else? Once the troops from Yuyang and Shanggu arrive to quell the rebellion, what role will we play?"
Zou Jing, displeased that Zhang Fei had publicly contradicted him, asked, "Then, in your opinion, what should be done?"
Zhang Fei, oblivious to Zou Jing's sarcasm, immediately replied, "I don't think these Yellow Turbans of Guangyang are anything special. They're just a bunch of hastily assembled bandits, a disorganized rabble, who don't even understand the basic military principles of 'don't press a cornered enemy, don't stop a retreating army.'"
"That's why we encountered them so hastily! In the Battle of Liwu, the Moth Bandits numbered in the thousands, but I, Old Zhang, led three hundred infantry and cavalry and defeated them in one battle. And today, my elder brother has personally led two thousand elite infantry and cavalry! Even if they number one hundred thousand, we will surely defeat them!"
He brandished his eighteen-foot-long spear, his courage boundless, and roared, "As long as my elder brother gives the order, I, Old Zhang, will lead my iron cavalry as the vanguard, piercing dozens of holes in their ranks, cutting down their banners, and seeing how these treacherous bandits can still be so arrogant!"
Why say things that boost others' morale while diminishing your own?
Although his words were rough, they possessed a fierce and domineering spirit that made the soldiers of the righteous army feel their blood boil and their morale soar.
Zou Jing flew into a rage, shouting, "How dare you, a mere brute, speak of military secrets?! The Yellow Turbans are currently at the height of their power, their armor and weapons are excellent. Facing their ferocity head-on will surely result in heavy losses. If we suffer another defeat, causing the Yellow Turbans to become completely rampant and uncontrollable, even if I were to behead you and hang your head at the gate, it would not be enough to atone for my sins!"
Zhang Fei had always despised the cowardly attitude of these officials, and upon hearing this, he was immediately enraged.
Liu Bei raised his hand to block him. Thinking that Liu Bei was going to try to dissuade him as usual, he roared, "Brother, don't stop me! Today I will definitely settle things with this cowardly bastard..."
Liu Bei shielded him behind him, turned to Zou Jing, and said, "Colonel Zou, I believe that my third brother's words are all reasonable."
"Huh?" Zou Jing was taken aback, completely unexpected that Liu Bei would agree with this reckless act. He exclaimed in surprise, "Xuande... how can you also approve of this reckless act?"
Zhang Fei, who was about to lash out, was instantly stunned. His leopard eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the figure protecting him, deeply moved: "Brother..."
Liu Bei patted his tiger-like arm and laughed, "Third brother, although you are fiery and rough, lacking in refinement, you have recently humbled yourself and devoted yourself to learning, and it seems you have made great progress. Now you are open-minded, resourceful, brave, and righteous—a match for ten thousand men!"
Then Liu Bei turned to look at Zou Jing and said, "What Colonel Zou just said is a mature and prudent opinion, which is in line with the military principle of 'first make yourself invincible, and then wait for the enemy to become vulnerable'."
"The Yellow Turbans have just captured a prefecture and have also gained full advantage of the armory. Their morale is high and their armor and weapons are sharp. At this time, it is not the best strategy to fight them head-on."
"But the art of war lies in adapting to the enemy's changes, engaging with the enemy through conventional means, and winning through unconventional tactics. What my third brother said directly points to the key to defeating the enemy."
"The Moth Bandits rose up suddenly, their troops were disorganized, and they were all a motley crew. From what I have heard since I came here, their leader is nothing but a foolish country bumpkin who truly does not understand the principle of 'Do not stop a retreating army, and do not pursue a desperate enemy.'"
"Especially when they achieve a great victory suddenly, their hearts will surely become arrogant, and their will will surely weaken! This is precisely the opportunity that Sun Tzu spoke of in 'The Art of War': 'Humble them and make them arrogant,' and 'Entice them with profit'!"
"We will use strategy and cunning to defeat them!"
"Outsmart them?" Zou Jing suppressed his anger.
Liu Bei nodded and said, "I think we can use a feigned defeat to lure the enemy. All we need to do is for Colonel Zou to lead his troops out of the city and fight the enemy again. When the battle begins, we should put up a little resistance, then pretend to be defeated, abandon our armor and drag our weapons away, and leave behind as much baggage, money, grain, gold, silver and jade as possible along the way."
"The state troops have just suffered a defeat at Ji County, and now they are retreating again. The bandits will not suspect anything, but will only think that 'the enemy has been routed as soon as the blades have clashed.' They have seen this many times since they started the rebellion, and have long been accustomed to it. They will definitely pursue them with all their might and fight for their wealth. At that time, the bandits will surely have no discipline and their formation will be in complete chaos."
"Our army can lay an ambush in strategic passes. When the enemy has pursued us for more than ten miles, their men and horses are exhausted and their formation is broken, the ambush troops will emerge in full force, advancing with great fanfare to intercept them from the waist, either dividing their army or severing their head. In their panic, the enemy will be unable to support themselves from both ends and will surely suffer a crushing defeat!"
"Our army, rested and ready, united in purpose, will surely crush their courage in one battle, seize their spirit in another, and capture and kill their leader in a third, recovering all lost territory! This is precisely what the *Wu Zi* says: 'One man's willingness to sacrifice himself is enough to frighten a thousand men!'"
"Our land of Yan and Zhao is full of generous and tragic heroes who value righteousness and disregard death. What do we have to fear from those mere rabble and rebels?"
After listening, Zhang Fei's eyebrows danced with excitement, and he laughed heartily, saying, "Excellent! Excellent! That's exactly what I meant, but I couldn't articulate it clearly. Brother, you've perfectly explained my thoughts as the essence of military strategy; I admire you wholeheartedly!"
Guan Yu stroked his beard and smiled at his third brother. But in his phoenix eyes, there was only respect for his eldest brother.
Lu Shao, listening from the side, nodded repeatedly. Liu Bei, having received this military strategy, was well-versed in the art of war. He had thoroughly analyzed the arrogant mentality of his troops and the advantages and disadvantages of both sides. He believed that this plan would surely succeed! No wonder the officials in the prefecture all praised his military tactics as being like those of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi.
Only Zou Jing remained hesitant: "What if this plan fails..."
Before he could finish speaking, Liu Bei interrupted him directly, saying calmly, "Colonel Zou, what I said was not to seek your consent. My journey north this time is in accordance with the orders of the prefecture and government to supervise the suppression of the bandits. I have the authority to act as I see fit and have the right to launch a campaign independently."
"Today I discussed with the captain a strategy to defeat the enemy, in remembrance of the friendship we shared a month ago when we fought side by side to defeat the enemy."
"If the captain still feels that this plan is too risky and has concerns, that is fine. The commander may lead his troops alone to carry out this strategy of luring the enemy into an ambush."
"It's simply a matter of sending a contingent of elite troops to feign a rout and lure the enemy into a trap; the battle might be a little more difficult. But as long as our soldiers are united in purpose and full of fighting spirit, defeating the enemy is within our grasp!"
"However, at that time, the extraordinary merit of recapturing the state capital, beheading the bandit chieftain, and pacifying Youzhou in one fell swoop may slip through the fingers of the captain."
Liu Bei spoke with great confidence. Now that he had emerged from hiding, he had a legitimate reason for his campaign and was bound by righteousness. He no longer needed to depend on others and could fully display his talents.
The discussion with Zou Jingxiang was merely a suggestion that since the state troops had just suffered a defeat, luring the enemy would be more effective and would also reduce their own casualties.
Seeing Liu Bei's composure, Zou Jing dared not hesitate any longer.
He knew that Liu Bei was a kind and generous man who would never harm him. More importantly, he was unwilling to miss out on this unparalleled achievement!
After his expression shifted for a moment, his desire for glory finally overwhelmed his concerns. He gritted his teeth, clasped his hands, and said, "Xuande is loyal and brave, how can I be left behind? Then let's follow Xuande's plan. I will personally lead these thousand-plus county soldiers to carry out the plan to lure the enemy for you."
With the plan finalized, the county official quickly delivered a map of Guangyang County. Guangyang was located in the heart of the Youyan region, bordered by the foothills of the Yanshan Mountains to the north. With its rolling hills and crisscrossing valleys, finding a suitable ambush location was extremely easy.
Liu Bei quickly settled on a location, Shehupo, thirteen miles north of the city. Although the name sounded intimidating, it was actually just a gentle slope between two low hills, with the official road running through it. The terrain behind the slope was slightly higher, with lush forests and grasses, enough for the three armies to ambush and conceal their flags.
But that is enough. As long as we can use our strength to disrupt the enemy's formation and terrify them, we will surely defeat them.
Fearing that things might change while the night was still long, news of the arrival of the righteous army from Zhuojun was leaked.
The next day, before dawn, just as the hour of Mao (5-7 AM) arrived, Zou Jing donned his helmet and armor, and led over a thousand soldiers from the prefecture, after a hearty meal, in a grand display of force, to attack the Yellow Turban camp north of the city.
When the sun rose at dawn, the state troops arrived at the Yellow Turban army's encampment. The Yellow Turban rebels were still asleep, and instead of the usual strict and disciplined scene, they appeared quite demoralized.
The camp walls were not yet erected, the tents were sparse, and many people did not even have a place to live, so they slept on the ground in the open. Soldiers sleeping soundly and wine vessels were scattered everywhere.
Zou Jing was overjoyed to see this. He had not expected the bandits to be so arrogant and unprepared. He was even more confident in Liu Bei's words that an arrogant army would surely be defeated.
It's truly regrettable. If we had known earlier that the enemy was so lax in their intelligence, we should have decisively raided their camp and at least made a greater contribution.
He immediately roused himself and ordered, "Beat the drums! Challenge the bandit camp!"
"Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump—!!"
The war drums suddenly sounded, shattering the tranquility of the early morning.
More than a thousand soldiers shouted in unison, their voices echoing across the wilderness, creating quite a spectacle.
Inside the main camp, in the commander's tent, Li Damu, the chieftain of Youzhou, was suddenly awakened by the drumbeats. He sat up abruptly from his bed, his head throbbing from a hangover. He had to hold his forehead and angrily asked, "Where is this drumming?"
Only then did the guards dare to rush in, cautiously glancing at the scene inside the tent. They saw that the silk robes were in disarray, cups and plates were scattered everywhere, overturned wine vessels and torn women's clothes were everywhere.
On the bed, two young women, dressed only in undergarments, with disheveled hair and tear-streaked faces, were kneeling at the commander's knees.
The woman was beautiful and had fair skin. She was clearly not from an ordinary family. She was a concubine of the governor and had been captured by the general.
This commander was Li Damu, the Yellow Turban leader of Youzhou. He was a notorious troublemaker in the streets of Guangyang, with amazing strength. He could drag a bull by its tail, fight beasts with his bare hands, and was extremely fierce.
Because of his rough appearance, especially his fierce look when he stares at people, he was nicknamed "Big Eyes".
When the Taiping Dao was preaching in Youzhou, he was highly valued for his bravery and strength, and was appointed as the leader of the strongmen, gradually becoming a local chieftain.
After conquering the state capital and slaughtering nobles and wealthy families, he saw the extravagance and beauty of the aristocratic families and kept these two women by his side day and night to favor them.
The allure of wine, women, and beautiful women fueled his arrogance. He became self-important and fearless, looking down on everyone and believing that the Han army was nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs.
They never expected that the Han army would actually come to challenge them.
The guard, of course, knew this, and cautiously reported: "Commander, a Han army force outside the camp is courting death, actually forming ranks to challenge us. Judging by their fierce momentum, if we don't respond, they will attack the camp!"
"What?!" Li Damu roared, leaping naked from the couch. "You've gone too far! A bunch of chickens and dogs, daring to stroke my tiger's whiskers? Bring me my armor, come with me and chop this bastard down!"
"This saves me the trouble of searching for these scattered soldiers! The sooner we wipe out these lackeys of the Han dynasty, the sooner we can sweep south, join forces with the Great Teacher, and overthrow this corrupt Han dynasty in one fell swoop!"
"The Azure Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise! Follow me into Guangyang, break through the city walls, and take the gold, silver, and women for three days."
With his roar, thousands of soldiers, still dazed and confused, followed their commander's shouts and surged out of the camp gates, charging towards the Han army.
As for victory or defeat, these ruthless bandits never even considered it. Their commander was unstoppable, always leading the charge and breaking through enemy lines in every battle. His battle cries were especially powerful, his voice like thunder, his eyes blazing with fury, striking fear into the hearts of the enemy. Throughout their campaigns, the Han army had never been defeated!