The night descended, and the sky grew a shade darker.
Under the shroud of shadows, the Xian Deng camp appeared more majestic and ferocious, unfathomably deep.
At this moment…
It was still the familiar central army tent of Qu Yi's forces, still the familiar table laden with dishes. The only difference was that besides Qu Yi and Yang Xiu, there was an additional guest, or rather, a bound man.
— Gao Gan!
Indeed, Yuan Shao’s good nephew, Gao Gan, was tied up securely within the tent, his mouth gagged with thick cloth, his eyes filled with astonishment and disbelief.
It was understandable. Who could have imagined that he, who had come intending to assassinate Qu Yi… upon meeting Qu Yi, would have a blade pressed against his throat without a word?
His accompanying hundred personal guards were instantly wiped out by the elite soldiers of the Xian Deng camp.
Now, only Gao Gan remained, bound and held here.
What’s more, a dagger was found in his shoe!
The implication was obvious…
But…
Even at this very moment, Gao Gan still found it hard to believe.
Clearly… clearly it was he who had devised the stratagem, the plan for a "decapitation" strike…
But now… why did it feel like he was the one about to be beheaded.
“Young Master Yang has a good appetite…” Qu Yi said with a smile. “We don’t know the situation on the outside yet. Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Zhang He, and Gao Lan’s four armies are about to come to our aid, yet Young Master Yang still has the mood to eat this minced meat. Truly, a remarkable appetite!”
“Times are hard. If I don’t eat well, what’s the point?” Yang Xiu waved his hand, continuing to savor the perfectly roasted lamb leg, crispy on the outside and tender within.
“Hahaha…” Qu Yi chuckled, and couldn’t help but pick up a piece of lamb with his own dagger, popping it into his mouth. “Delicious, this lamb leg is even more delicious roasted to this perfection! Haha…”
The dagger in his hand was the golden dagger seized from Gao Gan.
The longer he chatted with Yang Xiu, the more Qu Yi realized he was also becoming more… cryptic.
“The lamb from the central plains is far inferior to that of these border regions…” Yang Xiu continued. “Lamb like this, I could eat for three days straight and not tire of it!”
Heh…
Qu Yi smiled and retorted, “Does Young Master Yang intend to eat for another night?”
“Why else would I be here?” Yang Xiu replied with a smile. “This time, General Qu, please watch closely. The enemy is exposed, and we are in the dark. Let alone Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Zhang He, and Gao Lan… even Yuan Shao himself were to come, he would be easily captured!”
As he spoke, Yang Xiu cast an intrigued glance at Gao Gan’s face.
Then… he pulled away the cloth gagging his mouth.
“Young Master Gao? Tell me… isn’t that right?”
“You… you… how did you know…” Gao Gan gasped for fresh air, asking haltingly…
“Know what? That you intended to harm General Qu?”
Yang Xiu narrowed his eyes, a smile gracing his lips. “This is me turning your plan against you. I knew you had ill intentions, but no matter how much you calculated, you wouldn’t have figured that General Qu’s Xian Deng camp and my Yanmen soldiers are already brothers in arms!”
“Haha, this time… we’ll definitely make your dear uncle bleed!”
“You…” Before Gao Gan could speak again, Yang Xiu seemed to have had his fun… and shoved the gag back into his mouth. It even smelled a bit… unpleasant.
Yang Xiu waved his hand, shaking his head slightly, not forgetting to remind Gao Gan.
“Young Master Gao, you must pay more attention to hygiene in the future!”
As these words left his mouth…
“Report…” A soldier entered the tent. “Reporting to General Qu, Young Master Yang… the Yanmen righteous forces have broken through the enemy stronghold, annihilating thousands. Countless enemy soldiers were trampled to death during their escape. Conservatively estimated, Yuan’s army has lost over ten thousand, and captured immense supplies and provisions!”
“Report…”
As the soldier’s voice fell,
Another soldier hurried into the tent and saluted, “Reporting to General Qu, Young Master Yang… Yan Liang and Wen Chou’s cavalry can be seen thirty li to the south, and Zhang He and Gao Lan’s cavalry can be seen thirty li to the north!”
Is that all? Nothing else?
Hearing this report, Yang Xiu blinked…
This wasn’t right. According to… the plan, Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Zhang He, and Gao Lan, upon hearing of Gao Gan’s army being annihilated, would inevitably rush to aid them in a hasty advance.
For this reason… Yang Xiu had specifically deployed two forces on their expected routes, to the south and north respectively.
One was the Black Mountain Army led by Zhang Yan, and the other was the Youzhou troops led by Gongsun Zan?
Based on the estimated marching speed of the enemy, they should have fallen into the ambush, the fires of battle already ignited…
But…
“Did these two enemy forces, north and south, not fall into the ambush?” Yang Xiu asked urgently.
“No!” the soldier reported truthfully. “For some reason, all four forces have halted at the valley entrance on their expected route, as if waiting for something.”
Hiss…
Yang Xiu’s eyes narrowed. He was starting to get confused.
Qu Yi also stood up abruptly…
If Zhang He and Gao Lan, attacking from the north, had seen through the ambush in the valley and halted, it would have been understandable… After all, Zhang He was a man of some intellect!
But Yan Liang and Wen Chou in the south, what were their capabilities? Standard strong limbs and simple minds!
How could they, leading cavalry, notice the ambushes along the way, let alone… halt?
It was truly strange.
“Young Master Yang, this…”
“General Qu, please dispatch more scouts to monitor the movements of these four legions!” Yang Xiu commanded decisively.
Qu Yi complied with Yang Xiu’s instructions.
After a while, Yang Xiu still felt uneasy. He had a vague premonition that perhaps the enemy had seen through his plan.
Furthermore, Yang Xiu had already achieved significant merit this time, and there was no need to continue taking risks.
Immediately…
He waved his hand.
“Forget it… General Qu, please immediately lead your troops back to Yanmen…”
“There, the city walls are strong, the populace is loyal, and with the convergence of the northern armies, it’s no less than a hundred thousand men. I predict that Yuan Shao will not have the audacity to launch a large-scale invasion against us!”
Yang Xiu’s tone was full of certainty…
Qu Yi pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement, but his final gaze fell upon Gao Gan.
“Young Master Yang? Him…”
“Heh, take him back…” Yang Xiu said with a smile. “Yuan Shao has a small weakness; he dotes on his youngest son, Yuan Shang, and this nephew, Gao Gan. With him in our hands, Yuan Shao would not dare to invade!”
Saying this, Yang Xiu felt his words might not carry enough weight, so he added.
“This is what Chief of Staff Lu said…”
Indeed…
These words were spoken by Lu Yu, but… it was mentioned casually.
Admittedly…
Yuan Shao was not a good lord, but he was a good father and a good uncle.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be willing to… treat Gao Gan the same as his three sons, assigning one province each in the four northern prefectures.
Using Gao Gan, this good nephew of China, to deter a hundred thousand Yuan troops would not be a problem at all.
Hoo…
Qu Yi let out a breath. Since Yang Xiu had even brought up Lu Yu’s name, what else could he question?
He immediately issued a stern order: “Relay the order, the entire army retreats to Yanmen, strike camp immediately!”
Before long, the army marched rapidly northwestward…
All the scattered sparks of Bing Province converged at Yanmen.
Qu Yi’s Xian Deng camp;
The righteous forces of Yanmen;
Zhang Yan’s Black Mountain Army;
Gongsun Zan’s Youzhou troops…
These forces, all with grudges against Yuan Shao to varying degrees, united to generate energy that even Yuan Shao dared not underestimate.
Of course, for Yuan Shao… they might have another fitting name – the Avengers Alliance!
…
…
Thirty li away from Yanmen, at the entrance of a valley running from south to north.
“Who are you, to dare to block this general’s cavalry?”
“Are you not afraid of this general’s iron cavalry trampling you into mincemeat?”
A young gentleman in white Daoist robes, wearing a bamboo hat, blocked the path of over ten thousand cavalry.
The general with a square face and a fierce expression, holding a spear, shouted loudly.
This general was named Wen Chou, the most valiant general in Hebei, known as one of the Twin Heroes of Hebei, and the foremost general in martial skill under Yuan Shao…
But who was this Daoist-robed young gentleman before him?
Yet… his eyes were incredibly deep. The way he extended his hand to stop the army was unrestrained, calm, and composed. Most importantly, he wore a jade pendant at his waist.
Wen Chou had seen this uniquely shaped jade pendant before, and was not unfamiliar with it…
Yuan Tan, Yuan Xi, and Yuan Shang, the three young masters, each wore one, and on them was inscribed a large character “Yuan”! This was a jade pendant that only Yuan family young masters could wear!
Of course…
He couldn’t clearly see the characters on the young gentleman’s jade pendant, but… its shape was indeed identical to those of the three young masters.
“Another thousand paces forward, and you will die…”
The voice was cold, devoid of any color.
Wen Chou was about to speak again, but was stopped by Yan Liang, who was riding beside him, “Who is this young master? And whose jade pendant is the young master wearing?”
“Who I am is not important!” The words remained cold and icy. He lightly flicked his sleeve. “Now, retreat… Qu Yi has betrayed us. Yanmen Commandery has over a hundred thousand elite soldiers, and you cannot take it! The valley ahead is ambushed by thirty thousand troops. If you advance further, I fear not a single one of you will return!”
Hoo…
As these words left his mouth, Yan Liang and Wen Chou’s hearts involuntarily trembled. Then, Yan Liang’s eyes narrowed, and he carefully observed the valley before him.
Indeed…
After being reminded by the Daoist-robed young gentleman, he truly saw some clues.
It was too quiet…
In the valley, there wasn’t even the sound of insects chirping or birds singing. This was very strange, extremely strange.
The stranger it was, the more problematic it seemed…
It was highly probable that troops were stationed within, having already scared away the birds and beasts of the valley.
“Junior brother? What do you think?”
At this moment, Wen Chou was at a loss and turned to look at Yan Liang.
“Didn’t some deserters just send back a message?” Yan Liang replied. “Gao Gan’s military camp has mostly fallen. As this young master said, if we go to rescue them now, we might fall into the enemy’s ambush. It would be better to withdraw from Yanmen first, dispatch more scouts to investigate, ascertain the situation, and then make further plans.”
“Then let us follow your lead, junior brother!” Wen Chou nodded heavily…
His gaze turned again to the Daoist young gentleman. Wen Chou quietly asked, “Then… what about this fellow!”
“Since he has the unique jade pendant of a Yuan family young master, he must be a friend, not an enemy, and his relationship with the Lord…”
As he said this, Yan Liang swallowed hard. You must know, the shape of that jade pendant was too unique, and too similar. If it truly had the character “Yuan” inscribed on it, then… it would carry profound meaning.
You must know…
Even Gao Gan, Yuan Shao’s most beloved nephew, did not have this jade pendant!
With this thought…
Yan Liang cupped his hands and said, “Many thanks, young master. However, this valley has south and north entrances. We are withdrawing from the south, but General Zhang He and General Gao Lan to the north are leading their troops forward. If we don’t inform them… then…”
Before Yan Liang could finish speaking…
The Daoist young gentleman’s words continued, “General Zhang and General Gao have already retreated. I saw them two days ago. Generals, please withdraw quickly, or it will be too late, and it will leave some hope and a spark for my Yuan clan!”
This…
It wasn’t just hope and a spark, but the words “my Yuan clan.”
Yan Liang and Wen Chou exchanged glances, their eyes filled with deep meaning.
“My Yuan clan”… The only ones who could say such words, besides their lord Yuan Shao, were the lord’s few sons. But the lord only had three sons? They hadn’t heard of another one!
This…
Before Wen Chou could figure it out…
“Retreat first…”
Yan Liang reminded him, then turned his army around and immediately withdrew.
Watching them slowly depart, the Daoist young gentleman’s narrowed eyes slowly opened.
He glanced back at the valley behind him and softly murmured, “Qu Yi has betrayed Yuan, is this the work of the Hidden Dragon? Heh, rather than a stratagem, it seems more like father’s self-inflicted suffering! Heh!”
At this mention…
He shook his head and stepped north.
Before going to Jizhou, he still had a place to visit, a person to meet… If this person were to emerge, then undoubtedly… the Yuan clan would gain an invincible advantage!
“Old Tong, will you emerge from seclusion? Right!”
The valley wind remained cold, the killing intent within the valley grew fiercer, but the man’s footsteps north grew more resolute.
…
…
Xudu City, Situ Mansion.
In the main hall, Cao Xiu was recounting the frontline intelligence with ease.
Who would have thought that after the New Year, so many things would have happened in Bing Province.
Lu Yu, on the other hand, his eyes darting continuously, listened to his report while gazing at the map spread on the table, his fingers tracing across Bing Province.
Yang Xiu’s strategy and deployment had been previously conveyed by letter.
Lu Yu had specifically consulted with “Old Shady” Jia Xu. Jia Xu’s evaluation of this strategy was not particularly high, but… not low either. This deployment, if not foolproof, at least had a more than ninety percent chance of heavily damaging Yuan’s army.
But… the outcome was somewhat unexpected.
Qu Yi’s surrender was logical…
Gao Gan’s capture, and the annihilation of the Bing Province troops, could also be considered within reason…
Yet, Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Zhang He, Gao Lan… their cavalry units… did not fall into the ambush!
Lu Yu had initially thought… this battle would heavily damage Yuan Shao’s cavalry corps, costing him dearly.
But now…
This was not good news!
However, Yanmen Commandery…
With the addition of the Black Mountain Army, Youzhou troops, and Xian Deng camp, Yang Xiu and Lu Bu had managed to assemble an army of over a hundred thousand men. This was something Lu Yu had not anticipated before.
Lu Bu, Yang Xiu…
These two, who had historically met their downfall due to arrogance, who could have imagined that a negative times a negative equals a positive…
They had actually opened up a second battlefield.
With this, the pressure on the main battlefield had been significantly reduced.
And as expected, the enraged Yuan Shao would inevitably march south, and the decisive battle between Cao and Yuan would be imminent…
With this thought…
Lu Yu’s hand traced across the map from Bing Province, across Henei, Guanzhong, Sili, and finally to the direction of Guandu in Yan Province.
The Battle of Guandu was about to unfold.
“General Wen Lie, find a way to send word to Yanmen in Bing Province, to have Yang Xiu feign an advance to attract Yuan’s attention. This way, Yuan Shao will inevitably dispatch a portion of his army to garrison Bing Province, to guard against any rear attacks.”
Saying this, Lu Yu paused.
“Furthermore… tell Yang Xiu to avoid direct confrontation with the enemy; containment is sufficient.”
“Understood!” Cao Xiu replied…
Now that Yuan’s forces in Bing Province had strengthened their defenses, the urgent messages to Yanmen could only be sent via carrier pigeon!
Lu Yu continued to instruct, “The horses sent by the Southern Xiongnu will be difficult to deliver to Henei with Bing Province in between. Therefore… let them send all the owed horses to Yanmen. Yanmen borders the territory of the Southern Xiongnu. As for the Five-Stone Powder, let the Southern Xiongnu find their own way to transport it back… However, under the current circumstances, Yuan Shao will surely not dare to alienate the Southern Xiongnu.”
“Understood!” Cao Xiu nodded again, mentally recording Lu Yu’s words…
“Also…” Lu Yu’s eyes darted. “The Han court’s Ministry of Intelligence will be watching, but it’s best if we also send some people to keep an eye on the Han court. The current situation does not allow for a complete break with the Han court, but we cannot allow them to act with impunity!”
“Understood.” Cao Xiu nodded. “The Imperial Palace… the Dragon Soaring Camp has always had people watching…”
Having finished these three points…
Lu Yu pondered slightly. Other matters requiring attention were with Old Cao, so he didn’t need to worry too much.
However…
There were two matters that Lu Yu paid particular attention to.
The first was the “white phosphorus” refined by He Yan. He wondered about its current status. If this “white phosphorus” could be refined on a large scale before the Battle of Guandu, it would have extremely profound strategic significance.
The second was the trebuchet jointly manufactured by the imperial uncle Liu Ye and the Taixue student Zhuge Jun in the workshop.
This thing, on the battlefield… it was a large-scale long-range destructive weapon, extremely important!
Thinking of this…
Lu Yu decided to visit the workshop and the refining facility to check the progress…
The Battle of Guandu was just around the corner.
The scientific research level needed to keep up!
And also… the spearman camp composed of three thousand armored soldiers under Le Jin, and the elite troop, the Vanguard Camp, under Gao Shun. Both were trained in spearmanship by Xiahou Mao as the martial arts instructor.
As well as Zhang Liao’s three hundred Bing Province Wolf Cavalry… their equipment had been changed from the Horse Lance to a true spear!
Lu Yu also needed to check the training level of these units.
Whether they possessed the strength to fight against the Hebei elite cavalry, Lu Yu had to see for himself, to be at ease!
Besides these, there was also the forging workshop…
Had that girl Cao Mu forged the Mo Dao yet?
Suddenly, countless question marks appeared on Lu Yu’s forehead…
For a moment, he realized that he was too negligent as a hands-off manager, completely clueless!
In short, during this period… he had to go around and take a look…
“Tap, tap…”
As Lu Yu stepped out of the hall, he bumped into Cai Zhaoji.
Huh?
Lu Yu was slightly puzzled.
At this time… she should be at the Imperial Academy, why was she here?
“Sister Zhaoji? Is there something?”
Lu Yu inquired…
“There is something.” Cai Zhaoji nodded… “He has arrived…”
He?
Lu Yu didn’t react immediately.
Who could this “he” be, spoken of so solemnly by Sister Zhaoji?
Who is it?
…
…