On the official road from Chenliu Commandery to Puyang City.
Three thousand Qiao Pei cavalry were galloping at full speed, the most elite troops under Cao Cao's command… led by Cao Ren, Xiahou Yuan, and Li Dian respectively, they were to rush to Puyang immediately to intercept the northern raid of three hundred thousand E-rebels within the territory.
"Order the entire army to rest for half a quarter of an hour!"
Cao Ren gave the command, and the three thousand cavalry dismounted. Some went to replenish water, while others went to relieve themselves. The official road from Chenliu Commandery to Puyang City was over three hundred li, and even with forced marches, it would take a day and a night to arrive.
Having marched for half a day, all the riders wore expressions of fatigue.
But at this moment.
Scouts who had gone ahead returned from the official road. "General, General…"
The voice was urgent, as if carrying an urgent report.
"Ahead… fifteen li ahead, there are hundreds of thousands of E-rebels stationed. Their encampment is near a lake. Our scouting party has been observing for an hour but found no sentries."
Upon hearing this, Cao Ren's spirits immediately lifted, his eyes gleamed, and color bloomed on his tired face: "Are you sure they are rebels?"
"It can be confirmed. There are a large number of women, children, the elderly, and the young… Such a large force, with the old and young mixed in, must be those Yellow Turban rebels from Qingzhou!"
Cao Ren's brows furrowed. Good heavens, they were heading north, and the E-rebels were also heading north. They were on horseback, while the E-rebels could only walk, hence… they had met midway!
"Zixiao, this is a heaven-sent opportunity." Xiahou Yuan, standing beside him, reminded him urgently. "The three of us can advance from three directions simultaneously, and with one concerted effort, we will surely inflict heavy damage on the E-rebels!"
Li Dian nodded in agreement, clearly finding Xiahou Yuan's words quite reasonable…
After all, it was a surprise attack in the dead of night, and the enemy was completely unprepared. If managed properly, a great victory could be achieved!
As they spoke, Xiahou Yuan and Li Dian were already eager to move, intending to rally their respective troops!
"Generals, wait a moment…"
Cao Ren quickly stopped them. "Have the two generals forgotten Mengde's instructions?"
Speaking of this, Cao Ren repeated what his elder brother Cao Cao had said before their departure.
"Mengde said that this battle must not involve a frontal engagement. The focus should be on surprise attacks and harassment. For any surprise attack, do not seek a great victory, but only small victories. The three cavalry units will take turns resting, and incessantly harass the enemy day and night!"
The resonant voice…
This was the strategy and plan formulated by Cao Cao based on the theory of "Guerrilla Warfare" proposed by Lu Yu. It was a plan weighed for its advantages and disadvantages, and repeatedly deduced.
Hiss…
Upon hearing this, both Xiahou Yuan and Li Dian recalled that Cao Cao had indeed given such an order.
Li Dian was bewildered, but Xiahou Yuan knew this was a unique stratagem from Lu Yu.
Before coming, he had been pondering how to implement it, but he had forgotten it all along the way.
"Zixiao? How do you think we should fight?" Xiahou Yuan immediately asked…
Cao Ren narrowed his eyes, replied in a clear voice, "Let us remember the sixteen-character maxim – 'When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy retreats, we pursue; when the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy tires, we attack.' Since our three units will take turns harassing, I will take the lead!"
Having said this.
Cao Ren immediately roared at everyone, "All cavalry under my command, gather around and await my orders."
The orders of the Qiao Pei Legion were like mountains. A contingent of cavalry quickly converged, not only the thousand elite cavalry under Cao Ren's command but also the cavalry under Xiahou Yuan and Li Dian followed suit.
Cao Ren then leaped onto a large rock, his brows furrowed, and said with great excitement, "The E-rebel camp is fifteen li ahead. Their defenses are lax. My thousand-plus cavalry will immediately launch a surprise attack and harassment!"
"Listen carefully, this operation is only a surprise attack. Once the E-rebels react and organize a counter-attack, all personnel must withdraw immediately. Do not engage in prolonged combat. Violators will be dealt with by military law!"
As these words left his mouth… the soldiers' eyes instantly released a bloodthirsty cold glint!
The E-rebels had been burning, killing, and plundering within Yan Province, and they of the Qiao Pei Legion had long wished to strike back. However… the current military order seemed to be only for small-scale surprise attacks and harassment… it lacked the spirit and might of a decisive, do-or-die charge.
But, orders were like mountains, and as the general commanded, so they would fight!
"Mount up…"
As Cao Ren commanded, immediately, over a thousand elite Qiao Pei cavalry roared and charged towards the end of the official road.
The remaining two thousand riders looked at each other. General Cao Ren's troops had charged off? Then… what about them?
"General?" a deputy asked Xiahou Yuan, "What about us? Shouldn't we cover General Cao?"
"Hahaha…" Xiahou Yuan stroked his beard. "Tell the brothers to hold their positions and rest well. In two hours, it will be our turn to enter the stage!"
Speaking of this, Xiahou Yuan looked at Li Dian, who immediately understood. "Since General Xiahou has said so, then I will set out four hours later!"
"These E-rebels will have a tough night!"
Upon saying this, both Xiahou Yuan and Li Dian smiled tacitly. Tonight, the guerrilla warfare officially began.
Speaking of which, this was a strategy proposed by the "genius" Lu Yu. Whether this strategy… was mere armchair theorizing or truly feasible, tonight, the answer would be revealed!
…
The autumn and winter of the third year of Chuping seemed colder than usual.
The moon was high, and it was a night where one could not see their hand.
"Da da da…"
Innumerable hoofbeats roared and charged…
"It's the soldiers… it's the soldiers."
The outer sentries in the Yellow Turban Army discovered the approaching cavalry and hurriedly… shouted loudly, trying to wake the sleeping strong men.
But… the thousand-plus cavalry led by Cao Ren were galloping at an incredibly fast speed.
Before the Yellow Turban rebels could react, countless arrows whistled through the air, and infinite halberds, like the scythes of the god of death, mercilessly claimed the lives of over a hundred Yellow Turban rebels.
"Quick… assemble, assemble… counter-attack, counter-attack!"
In just half a quarter of an hour, a large number of strong men among the E-rebels had woken from their sleep, picked up their weapons, and were about to counter-attack.
But… when they charged towards the government soldiers, they found that the cavalry of the government soldiers had already "lost their backbone" and fled… Their horses were fast, and they had long since disappeared at the end of the official road, vanishing without a trace!
"Soldiers! A bunch of cowards!"
"Are these the subordinates of Cao Cao, the Governor of Yan Province? Are they a bunch of good-for-nothings?"
"Hmph, they ran away… cowards!"
Gazing at the dust rising on the official road, the Yellow Turban soldiers cursed, immediately laid down their weapons, and returned to appease the frightened elderly, young, women, and children…
After a full hour, they finally managed to pacify them and re-entered their dreams.
However, in just two hours… another troop of elite cavalry from the government soldiers came charging, and countless arrows rained down on the Yellow Turban army's gathering places, like a swarm of locusts!
In a short moment, another hundred people were killed.
The entire Yellow Turban army fell into chaos…
There were screams of women and cries of children everywhere, and the entire camp instantly became panicked and disordered!
The strong men among the Yellow Turban army… forced themselves to stay alert, opened their drowsy eyes, and quickly reassembled, intending to fight to the death against the government soldiers.
But… the government soldiers' horses were fast, and they had long since galloped away, disappearing without a trace!
"Damn it…"
"If you have the ability, fight head-on!"
"I'll curse your ancestors."
Again, there were curses and angry roars, but what could they do? Faced with the government soldiers' tactic of "when the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy advances, we retreat," the Yellow Turban soldiers could only curse and cry out in misery…
After the government soldiers retreated, they dispersed to comfort the elderly, young, women, and children, and then… they lay down to sleep with their tired bodies.
But…
Two hours later, damn it, the elite cavalry of the government soldiers came charging again and again…
…
…