Han Sui and Yan Xing were discussing something.
Yan Xing was his son-in-law, whose courtesy name was Yanming, and he hailed from Jincheng. He was one of the few people Han Sui completely trusted.
Speaking of which, Yan Xing was a ruthless man. In historical records, during the conflict between Han Sui and Ma Teng, Han Sui attempted to stab Ma Chao with a spear. The spear broke, so he used the broken shaft to strike Ma Chao's neck, nearly killing him.
From this, one could infer... his martial prowess was also incredibly high.
It seemed the two were at a crucial point in their conversation when suddenly a Xiliang armored soldier reported, "Wang Yue requests an audience with Lord Sima."
Yan Xing asked doubtfully, "Why is he looking for my father-in-law?"
"How should I know? My dear son-in-law, please withdraw for a moment. After he leaves, you and I can continue our discussion." Han Sui gestured, and Yan Xing hid behind a curtain.
Han Sui sat at the table, pretending to review documents. Wang Yue and Sima Yi entered, and he rose to greet them, "On such a rainy day, look at how soaked Zhongda is! Attendants, serve water!"
Sima Yi cupped his hands in return. Both he and Wang Yue sat in the guest seats. "I was drenched in the rain just now, but it has made me think even more clearly about the plan. Assassinating Ma Teng... cannot be done during Lu Ziyu and Ma Yunlu's wedding. It must be... when Cao Cao marches south!"
Han Sui was taken aback and quickly asked, "Why?"
"Because of the troops!" Sima Yi analyzed meticulously. "Lu Ziyu and Ma Yunlu's wedding will inevitably occur after the march south to Jiangdong. There will only be two outcomes: either Jiangdong is secured, and the Great Wei troops return to Luoyang, or the Great Wei is defeated... and the remnants flee back to Luoyang. But in either case? The Great Wei's troops will have completed their reinforcement... even if Ma Teng is successfully killed? Will General and Ma Mengqi combined be a match for the main force of Great Wei?"
Hiss...
Remarkably, Sima Yi's words made Han Sui's eyes gleam.
This was an analysis based on troop strength. Sima Yi's analysis was spot on. Whether the troops were many or few? A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. He had no chance!
"Then what is your suggestion..."
"It must be when Cao Cao marches south," Sima Yi said gravely. "Cao Cao's army of eighty thousand marches south, how many men will be stationed in Chang'an, Luoyang, Sanfu, and Sili? Furthermore, due to the relationship between Ma Teng and Ma Yunlu, Cao Cao will not heavily guard the western frontier. Only at such a time, with the General and Ma Mengqi allied, can there be a chance to break through Chang'an, descend Wu Pass, and with one concerted effort, capture Luoyang and Xuchang... to welcome the Emperor. This is the General's only chance!"
Hoo...
Han Sui exhaled deeply. Sima Yi was right. If the original plan were followed...
Indeed...
The chances would be greater then. But the entire Great Wei would be enveloped in the joy of the wedding and lower their guard...
But even if they killed him, it would be too late. It was better to act early, taking advantage of Cao Cao's southern march to create a pincer attack.
"Haha..."
Han Sui laughed. His gaze towards Sima Yi was no longer filled with as much suspicion.
It had become trust...
This fellow was genuinely helping him strategize!
"Hahahahaha..."
Outside the window, a torrential rain raged with lightning and thunder, but inside, the hearty laughter was deafening... earth-shattering.
Han Sui looked at Wang Yue, "Is this the 'strategist' talent General Wang spoke of? Haha, with Sima Zhongda in my service, great achievements can be expected! Hahaha..."
Wang Yue also laughed. He patted Sima Yi's shoulder. "Zhongda, the rain was not wasted in soaking you."
As these words left his mouth...
"General..." Sima Yi spoke again, "Cao Cao has ordered the Second Prince, Cao Pi, to construct the Jin Hu Terrace, Bing Jing Terrace, and Tong Que Terrace in Ye City... a total of three terraces! Among them, the Jin Hu Terrace and Bing Jing Terrace are already completed, and the Tong Que Terrace is also nearing completion!"
"What does Zhongda mean?" Han Sui asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Even though Cao Cao's army is still marching south, there will be grand ceremonies on the day the Tong Que Terrace is completed, and even the Emperor will need to attend... Cao Cao is absent, Lu Ziyu is absent, but the Emperor is present, and Ma Teng is present... On the day of the grand celebration for the Tong Que Terrace's completion? Who would suspect a hidden dagger strike? In my opinion, assassinating Ma Teng on this Tong Que Terrace... would perfectly fulfill Cao Cao's saying of 'Three Horses Sharing a Trough.' How would Xiliang's Ma Mengqi not suspect Cao Cao as the culprit? Such a great undertaking can be accomplished! Great achievements can be expected! Only..."
Sima Yi analyzed meticulously...
He deliberately paused at the end, leaving a cliffhanger.
"Only what?"
Han Sui and Wang Yue asked in unison. Sima Yi continued, "Only, if the assassination is to take place on the Tong Que Terrace, then it is necessary to understand the structure and layout of the Tong Que Terrace... and besides the Second Prince, only I, who have specifically visited Ye City, know this. This assassination requires me to adapt to the local conditions... to formulate a meticulous plan, only then can we strike with a single blow!"
Hmm...
Initially, Han Sui stared intently at Sima Yi. But as the conversation reached the end and the proposal to adapt to local conditions was made, it was hard for Han Sui not to overthink.
Could this Sima Yi... possibly...
Before he could think further, Wang Yue spoke, "In my opinion, it might not be impossible... Sima Zhongda was ambushed on his way back from Ye City's Tong Que Terrace and narrowly escaped death... No one knows the structure of the Tong Que Terrace better than him."
This...
Han Sui lowered his head, pacing back and forth, lost in thought.
After a long period of contemplation, he still gently waved his hand, "Assassinating on the Tong Que Terrace is not a bad plan, but the details are complex and require careful consideration... How about this, allow me, your General, to ponder on it, and I will give you an answer in a few days? What do you say?"
"That would be best," Sima Yi cupped his hands, appearing very composed.
Wang Yue also cupped his hands and took his leave...
Not long after, as the main gate closed, the footsteps of Sima Yi and Wang Yue could no longer be heard...
Yan Xing, who had been hiding behind the curtain, slowly emerged.
Han Sui hurriedly asked, "What do you think of this plan, my dear son-in-law?"
"The plan is a good one," Yan Xing said, smacking his lips. "But... whether the person executing the plan is reliable is another matter."
"What do you mean?"
"Nan Shou Hou Lu Ziyu is cunning and has eight hundred tricks!" Yan Xing sighed. "Even if his disciples learn only thirty percent of his skills, they will have two hundred tricks. With any strategy, if we are not careful, we might lose everything. For this reason... Father-in-law should..."
"Does my dear son-in-law mean that we should not proceed with the plan?" Han Sui retorted.
"No!" Yan Xing waved his hand lightly. "The plan can be executed, but we cannot let Sima Yi return. We can have him draw the terrain map and let Wang Yue carry out the assassination... In any case, we must prevent Sima Yi from having contact with the central plains region."
Hoo...
Han Sui let out a soft breath. "My dear son-in-law's consideration is thorough. Wang Yue said that I have a strategist named Sima Zhongda, haha. In my opinion, my strategist is you, my dear son-in-law!"
As he spoke, Han Sui patted Yan Xing's shoulder.
Upon hearing the words "strategist," Yan Xing immediately cupped his hands, appearing extremely humble and fearful. "To go through fire and water for my father-in-law is a blessing I have cultivated over several lifetimes!"
Indeed...
Han Sui had always trusted and thought highly of Yan Xing, otherwise, he would not have married his youngest and most beloved daughter to him!
Hehe...
Looking at the dark clouds over Anding City outside the window, Han Sui sighed with emotion, "The clouds of Yongliang should start to move east."
...
...
Wine and food were laid out on the table, and Jiang Gan was tapping his chopsticks and singing.
"Abandoning oneself to the edge of the blade, how can life be cherished? Not even regarding parents, how can one speak of children and wives! Name enrolled among the brave, no private thoughts allowed. Sacrificing oneself to meet the nation's hardship, facing death as if returning home!"
This was a poem by Cao Zhi, titled "Bai Ma Fu" (White Horse Rhapsody). Jiang Gan had just met with Zhou Yu.
They were from the same hometown, so naturally, there was a lot of catching up. Zhou Yu even sighed, "Meeting a good friend on the river, encountering an old acquaintance in the army. We must drink until we are thoroughly drunk!"
Jiang Gan had intended to persuade Zhou Yu to surrender. Who would have thought... Zhou Yu directly summoned a great general, ordered him to supervise the wine with a sword, and instructed him:
"Jiang Gan and I are fellow students and sworn friends. Although he has come from the north of the river, he is not a lobbyist for Cao Cao. Please do not be suspicious. At today's banquet, we are only allowed to reminisce about old friendships. Anyone who mentions the war between our two sides will be beheaded on the spot!"
At this, Jiang Gan was so terrified he wet himself...
Where else would he dare to speak of persuading surrender...
Returning to his own tent this time, while softly chanting the line "facing death as if returning home" from Cao Zhi's "Bai Ma Fu," he cast his gaze towards the "attendant" beside him.
"Yang Dezu, it seems... persuading Zhou Yu to surrender this time is as difficult as climbing to heaven. If you insist on your stubborn course, I fear the end will be like 'facing death as if returning home' in 'Bai Ma Fu'."
Standing beside Jiang Gan was Yang Xiu...
He had been sent by Lu Yu to Jiangdong to attempt to persuade Zhou Yu to surrender.
However, today, at the banquet... Zhou Yu had ordered someone to supervise the wine with a sword and said such things as "beheaded on the spot." It seemed that persuading surrender was completely out of the question.
"Today is not the time to persuade surrender," Yang Xiu said.
Jiang Gan's eyes darted, "Not today? Then when?"
Yang Xiu pondered for a moment and then shook his head, "I don't know."
"Dezu!" Jiang Gan advised, "You are a disciple of Nan Shou Hou. You have your youth and your prime years... do not do foolish things and die in vain in Jiangdong!"
"Zhou Yu and I grew up together. I know his personality best. He is very proud. How could he be a surrendered general? Making him a surrendered general is worse than letting him die."
This...
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiu paused, but soon... he shook his head, as if he had cast aside all of Jiang Gan's advice.
"What?" Jiang Gan asked, scratching his head. "In your opinion, will Zhou Yu surrender?"
Yang Xiu still did not speak... only shaking his head.
"You... you should say something!" Jiang Gan's curiosity was fully piqued.
After a few breaths, Yang Xiu murmured, "Master said Zhou Yu will surrender, and he... will definitely surrender!"
"Ah..."
Jiang Gan was dumbfounded...
But at this moment, Yang Xiu countered with a question, "Brother Ziyi? Do you truly understand Zhou Gongjin?"
As these words were spoken...
Jiang Gan became even more bewildered. His hometown friend, he didn't understand him? Could it be... that you, Yang Dezu from Hongnong, understand?
"You... you... you explain clearly..."
Jiang Gan asked hurriedly...
However, Yang Xiu remained silent, like a lamb!
...
...
At Chibi, about ten li from the riverbank, there was an open area.
"How did you do it?"
Looking at the rising heat in front of him, Zhuge Liang repeatedly exclaimed in disbelief...
Huang Yueying softly explained, "I tried many methods, but none could lock the sphere's airtightness. Therefore, even if it could fly, its flight distance was very short... Until yesterday... I asked my father, and he told me a method, or rather, a single word."
"What word?" Zhuge Liang quickly asked...
Zhuge Liang knew his father-in-law well. A successor to the Mohist mechanical arts... skilled in the laws of the five elements and the eight trigrams. With his rich experience, he might indeed find a solution.
"Lacquer..." Huang Yueying explained. "The reason why leather could not seal the heat inside the sphere was that the leather was not large enough, and it was difficult to achieve airtightness at the connection points. But once lacquer is used... it is equivalent to reinforcing the connection points, and it has indeed made the sphere fly."
"However, there are still some areas that need improvement, but the general direction is clear... And I have called my husband here to tell him the weaknesses of these flying spheres."
"Weaknesses?" Zhuge Liang was startled...
Huang Yueying continued, "As husband once said, knowing yourself and your enemy leads to victory in a hundred battles. Previously, we were unfamiliar with these flying spheres, so we suffered great losses at Bowang Slope and Xinye. But now... I have successfully created these flying spheres, so naturally, their advantages and disadvantages can be explained together."
"Madam, please speak."
Zhuge Liang listened carefully...
He understood that on the battlefield of Chibi... if the enemy's flying spheres were not dealt with, then... it would be like water against the sky... completely without any chance of winning.
"First..." Huang Yueying introduced meticulously. "The speed of these flying spheres is very slow. If one were to attack them with fire, as was done at Bowang Slope, it would be necessary... for the enemy to be concentrated for the greatest effect. But once the opponent's troops are dispersed... these flying spheres would instead become live targets!"
Zhuge Liang nodded... He had also thought of this.
"Second..." Huang Yueying continued. "The second is the rattan basket of these flying spheres... Previously, we always believed that the weakness of these flying spheres was the sphere above. That was wrong... Those spheres are extremely sturdy. Not to mention that ordinary bows and crossbows shooting from below upwards have reduced power and cannot penetrate the sphere... Even if these spheres are pierced, the flying spheres will not fall quickly! Therefore... the place to attack is not the sphere, but the rattan basket beneath it. That is where the people controlling the flying spheres truly are."
"So that's how it is," Zhuge Liang nodded. "But if we want to pierce the rattan basket... it will likely require siege crossbows, right?"
"That is not difficult..." Huang Yueying said with certainty. "In three months, I should be able to produce siege crossbows capable of piercing the rattan basket, but... it probably won't be usable for the current battle of Chibi."
"It matters not, as long as Madam has the intention," Zhuge Liang was deeply moved. "I still have official duties to attend to, so I will not accompany Madam any longer."
After a brief conversation...
Zhuge Liang was about to leave. He still had many important matters to attend to...
But suddenly, Huang Yueying grabbed his hand. "Kongming, I... I..."
"What does Madam wish to say?" Zhuge Liang turned around, their eyes meeting under the moonlight.
A dazzling brilliance appeared in their pupils.
"Kongming... I have a feeling, we... we are not Lu Ziyu's match, nor are we Jun Di's match..."
"In the past... they won at Bowang Slope with hot air balloons, but tomorrow... Kongming... you... how do you know that Lu Ziyu won't draw new blueprints, and Jun Di won't make new 'killing weapons'!"
"Fighting against him... the chances of winning are too low."
Gulp...
Huang Yueying's words made Zhuge Liang subconsciously swallow. However, that gulp seemed a bit bitter.
He slowly reached out and patted Huang Yueying's shoulder.
He murmured, "Following heaven's will and adapting to circumstances, relying on people and advantage leads to victory. The unusual is the ultimate of the ordinary, and the ordinary is the ultimate of the unusual. Mutual exhaustion, endless circulation..."
Huang Yueying added.
"Didn't husband also say, it's easier to know heaven than to defy it?"
...
...