Nowadays, in Cao Cao's view, having just suffered a great defeat, including over three thousand troops from the Qiao Pei legions that had come to reinforce from Xiahou Yuan, there were over seven thousand official soldiers in total in Yan Province.
And the Moth rebels were powerful, numbering a full three hundred thousand.
Seven thousand against three hundred thousand? Could just nineteen words turn the tide?
Cao Cao quickly unrolled the bamboo slips. Indeed, the large slips contained only a dozen or so words…
As his gaze swept over them, the first three words that caught Cao Cao's eye were—Guerilla warfare!
Hiss… Guerilla warfare?
As the name implied, the core was the character "roam" (游) and the character "strike" (击). Both characters were not difficult to understand, but… with just these words, it seemed a bit lacking when confronting three hundred thousand Moth rebels.
Wait…
Cao Cao suddenly thought of something, "Could it be…"
The words had only just begun… Immediately, his interest in the rest of the bamboo slips ignited greatly!
His eyes narrowed, and his expectant gaze continued down the bamboo slips…
Where his eyes met, there were a total of sixteen characters…
"When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy retreats, we pursue!"
"When the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy tires, we attack!"
Reading this, Cao Cao's spirits soared. For a moment, he understood something!
For a moment, he loved it, he truly loved it!
"Haha…"
"Hahahahaha…"
In an instant, the enlightened Cao Cao burst into hearty laughter, as if he had forgotten the nearby coffin of Bao Xin, or perhaps he wanted to use this laughter to tell Bao Xin, brother, you can rest in peace, because… he had grasped the method to defeat the enemy hidden within!
When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy retreats, we pursue; when the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy tires, we attack. A fine "guerilla warfare."
No, no, all of his and Bao Xin's strategies and tactics against the Moth rebels before were completely wrong.
Upon entering Yan Province and becoming its governor, as the saying goes, a new official brings three fires. Cao Cao was too eager for quick success, too impatient for results!
From beginning to end, Cao Cao's sole calculation was how to achieve a decisive victory and completely annihilate the three hundred thousand Moth rebels, thereby establishing his prestige in Yan Province.
This was not wrong in itself, but… the disparity in troop numbers and combat effectiveness, the constant struggle, had cost him dearly.
The Moth rebels outnumbered the official troops by several times, and their combat strength was even greater than that of the official troops. Even when ambushed, even when isolated and deep within enemy territory, even in the most unfavorable situations, their hard power was still superior to the official troops…
To attempt a fatal blow, to attempt to defeat the enemy with a single move, was sheer wishful thinking, empty talk!
A fine guerilla warfare…
With just nineteen words, Cao Cao had grasped the first layer… Of course, these nineteen words of truth proposed by Lu Yu were not just one layer of meaning, were they?
"When the enemy advances, we retreat!"
"When the enemy retreats, we pursue… Hoooo…"
Cao Cao let out a long sigh. Immediately, he closed his eyes in meditation, carefully pondering these eight characters.
After a full quarter of an hour, Cao Cao seemed to have figured out another layer!
He once again recited the eight characters, "When the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy tires, we attack." Another half-quarter of an hour of deep thought, and Cao Cao suddenly stood up, clenching his fist and slamming it hard onto the desk… It seemed only this way could he release the surging excitement he felt at that moment!
"Dong…"
The collision of his fist and the desk made a sharp cracking sound. At the same time, "Good, good, good!" three consecutive exclamations of "good," and Cao Cao was at the peak of his excitement!
"To repel thirty thousand Moth rebels, a retreat then an advance, a pursuit then a retreat, harassment then encampment, attack then exhaustion, what a brilliant strategy, brilliant strategy!"
He understood… he completely understood, Cao Cao couldn't help but clap his hands in admiration.
Speaking of which, Cao Cao was extremely intelligent and had studied military treatises extensively. To guide him… in fact, there was no need for lengthy explanations. A slight hint and guidance were enough for him to gain sudden clarity.
At this moment, Cao Cao was weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the enemy and himself, and the feasibility of guerilla warfare. He had even simulated the entire guerilla war against the Moth rebels in his mind.
The Moth rebels mostly came from Qing Province and were unfamiliar with Yan Province. They could better utilize the advantage of "When the enemy advances, we retreat!" in terms of terrain;
The Moth rebels were mostly infantry with few cavalry. The three thousand Qiao Pei legions were all cavalry. Four hooves running were far faster than two legs… thus, "retreat then advance, advance then pursue" had great potential;
Most of the Moth rebels brought their families along. Among the three hundred thousand Moth rebels, the elderly, children, women, and young accounted for more than half. Therefore, the strategy of "When the enemy camps, we harass" infinitely magnified the weakness of the Moth rebels having too many elderly, children, women, and young, causing the able-bodied men to be distracted, unable to cope, and lose their composure;
Coupled with the fact that although the Moth rebels' combat strength was strong, their organization was loose. Perhaps they could hold their ground in favorable situations, but once they became tired, once their morale was shaken, the weakness of disorganized and flawed formations would begin to be exposed and revealed. At that time… as the last four characters in the sixteen-character strategy – "When the enemy tires, we attack" – couldn't they directly deliver a fatal blow then?
Hoo…
A long exhale.
Including the three characters "guerilla warfare," for a total of nineteen characters, Cao Cao stared intently for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Finally, feeling inspired, Cao Cao specifically picked up his brush and added a character before the three words "guerilla warfare" – "Treatise"… The bamboo slip was directly renamed – "On Guerilla Warfare"!
Without exaggeration, in Cao Cao's opinion, this bamboo slip of only twenty characters was as valuable as the most concise military treatise!
"Brother Wenruo, I recall you mentioned earlier… that you wrote this bamboo slip. Whose words were they dictated by?" Cao Cao's attention was entirely on the bamboo slip, and he had forgotten who the narrator mentioned by Xun Yu was.
In Cao Cao's view…
The sixteen-character truth of "On Guerilla Warfare" was already concise enough. Then, how terrifying and outstanding was the military talent of the person who created this warfare strategy?
To take a step back, wasn't this precisely the outstanding talent in military affairs and strategy that Cao Cao had been desperately searching for, longing for, and unable to find?
Xun Yu did not conceal anything and immediately replied, "My Lord Cao, the sixteen-character truth was dictated by a divinely gifted genius. He is only fifteen years old, yet he has read ten thousand scrolls and is well-versed in military strategy. Speaking of his sister, my Lord Cao should be familiar with her; she is Miss Cai Yan, the eldest daughter of your teacher, the elder Mr. Cai!"
Hoo… Zhaoji's younger brother? A divinely gifted fifteen-year-old youth?
Cao Cao's eyebrows shot up, "This morning, Zixiao also told me that a fifteen-year-old divinely gifted genius was discovered in the Qiao Pei military camp. Could it be the same person Wenruo mentioned? I recall his surname is Lu, and his given name is Yu!"
"It is him." Xun Yu replied without hesitation.
Upon hearing this, Cao Cao gasped. If these words were not spoken simultaneously by Xun Yu and Cao Ren, Cao Cao would never have believed it.
A youth… a fifteen-year-old youth, could he write such insightful observations of the situation, could he write such concise words?
In Cao Cao's opinion, the person who could write such a work as "On Protracted War" must be either a wise strategist of advanced age or a "great man," surely?
For a moment, Cao Cao subconsciously thought of "Hidden Dragon." Counting the years, Hidden Dragon seemed to be fifteen years old this year as well.
However… it was only for a moment. Cao Cao immediately shook his head.
Who is Hidden Dragon? He is Cao Cao's benefactor, the benefactor of the Qiao Pei warriors. If he came to Yan Province, Cao Cao would surely treat him as an honored guest and accord him great courtesy! Why would he go through so much trouble and suffer hardship in the military camp?
It's not Hidden Dragon; logically, this doesn't add up.
However, does it matter whether it's Hidden Dragon or not? Not at all!
Under the recruitment order, Xun Yu and Xun You arrived, and with them came a fifteen-year-old divinely gifted genius with a strategy to defeat the enemy. It seemed… everything was developing in a good direction.
For a moment, Cao Cao felt that being the Governor of Yan Province… suddenly became quite comfortable!
Hahaha…
Hahaha…
Continuing his hearty laughter, Cao Cao waved his sleeves and cast a meaningful glance at the body of his good brother Bao Xin in the coffin.
Then, he loudly commanded, "Immediately summon the fifteen-year-old Lu Yu to the yamen… No, quickly prepare a carriage. I will personally go to the Wei Mansion to meet this divinely gifted genius!"
Cao Cao was eager for talented individuals. Facing a talented person, how could he make such a basic mistake?
For such a divinely gifted genius, to visit him personally… this is the most basic, most basic attitude in the process of seeking talent!
…
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