"Archers!"
"Cover!"
"Fire!"
Seeing Xiahou Dun leading the remnants of his troops from afar, Huang Zhong shouted to the archers.
The archers fired in volleys, blocking a pursuit by the Shu forces. The neat formation split open, allowing Xiahou Dun and his men to charge into the rear ranks.
As the Shu army closed in, Huang Zhong changed the command, "Firelock battalion, fire!"
This time, the Shu army was met not with a hail of arrows, but with firelocks ten times more powerful. The immense power of the firelocks intimidated the Shu troops, who halted their advance, gazing at the Wei soldiers standing ready opposite them.
Zhuge Liang, watching from a distance, saw the Wei army's orderly formation and smiled coldly. "Halt the pursuit."
Yang Yi, standing nearby, asked in confusion, "Prime Minister, our army's morale is high; we should press the attack!"
Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan and calmly pointed to the Wei formation ahead. "Do you see? The Wei army has long been arrayed. At long range, they have powerful crossbows; at medium range, they have firelocks; and at close range, they have spears and halberds. Moreover... they have been stationed here for a long time. Do you think they lack ambushes? Even with our high morale, if we press the attack, we still have no chance of victory."
At this point, Zhuge Liang shook his head and sighed helplessly, "As expected of a disciple of Emperor Wei Cao Yu, this Sima Yi can truly endure. To be able to watch Xiahou Dun suffer such a crushing defeat!"
The military order was relayed...
The Shu army no longer advanced. Zhuge Liang, pushed forward by several armored guards, reached the very front of the army. He slowly stood up, his gaze meeting Sima Yi's across the distance before the Peishui Pass.
Zhuge Liang said softly, "Tell him for me..."
Soon, the messenger arrived.
Zhuge Liang said, "Sima Zhongda, I know you... you are Cao Yu's direct disciple."
The messenger loudly relayed Zhuge Liang's words.
Sima Yi also called for a messenger and said with a smile, "Tell him, Zhuge Kongming, I know you too. My teacher has waited for you for five years, and yet... you are still routed! In just a few months, Jianmen Pass and Jiameng Pass have fallen. Now Peishui Pass is lost? Where else can you lose?"
The messenger also shouted these words.
"Prime Minister..." Yang Yi clenched his fist, unable to bear Sima Yi's insult to the Prime Minister.
Zhuge Liang waved his hand and continued, "Sima Zhongda, are the mighty Wei armies not invincible in battle, unyielding in attack? How is it that now our Shu army is right before you, yet you dare not attack? Is this still the mighty Wei army? Do you live up to the reputation your master has earned for you?"
Zhuge Liang's provocation stirred some of the Wei soldiers.
Qu Yi, for example, was impatient and could not stand this.
"Commander Sima, I only need three thousand men to capture this young Zhuge!"
Before Qu Yi could finish speaking, Sima Yi waved him to stop, and continued to instruct the messenger, "Tell him, Zhuge Kongming has now broken out of the pass, why is he hesitating? Attack or not? Make a decision, stop dithering... If you're like this, go back to the pass and be a turtle hiding in its shell!" Soon, this message was also relayed by the officer.
Hearing Sima Yi's words...
Zhuge Liang shook his head, revealing endless regret, and recited again, "What a pity, I cannot fight a decisive battle with the disciple of the Emperor of Wei!"
Sima Yi also smiled and said, "Tell Zhuge Kongming, don't worry, don't worry, there will be plenty of time in the future!"
"Beat the gongs, withdraw the troops!"
After the exchange, Zhuge Liang directly gave the order. The Shu army slowly retreated, singing a rousing military song as they withdrew.
"Clad in iron armor, with long sabers at our sides."
"Fighting with you, the road is long."
"United against the enemy, sharing life and death."
"Fighting with you, our hearts are unyielding."
"Treading on Yanran, pursuing the barbarians. Fighting with you, our songs are fearless."
The powerful voices, coupled with the sight of the Shu army returning victorious, illuminated the romance of the Shu Han in the face of long-lost victory.
It was as if...
Every Shu soldier, at this moment, held their heads high.
They were like Guan Yunchang, in this era of the "invincible" Wei, facing Cao Yu, the "eternally undefeated," they had "stolen" a victory.
This was enough to make them ecstatic!
Listening to the military song, Sima Yi sighed softly, as if a stone had been lifted from his heart. "Commander Sima, why do you not dare to attack? And why does Zhuge Kongming not dare to attack?"
Gongsun Zan asked in confusion...
In the previous situation, if it were him, he would have already led his troops to charge, after all, they were well-rested and had the advantage.
Similarly, Gongsun Zan couldn't understand why, if Sima Yi was hesitant, Zhuge Liang didn't take the initiative to attack. Were they really intimidated by just a few hundred firelocks?
"Does General Gongsun not know that high-level duels are often won by striking last and gaining the upper hand?" Sima Yi explained. "Zhuge Kongming is a master. While I am not a master, I strictly adhere to His Majesty's strategy, making me a semi-master..."
This...
Gongsun Zan scratched his head. I'm asking you a question, and you're showing off.
Sima Yi continued, "Zhuge Liang dares not attack first because we are well-rested and have laid ambushes here. We dare not attack first because behind us is Peishui Pass. As soon as we attack... Shu forces will surely emerge from Peishui Pass, and our army will be attacked from both sides, making our position difficult to hold!"
Sima Yi displayed twenty percent caution. "Behind us is Zitong, and His Majesty. Behind Zhuge Liang is the safety of Shu Han. Without a guaranteed victory, neither of us dares to act!"
Hiss...
Gongsun Zan had a feeling of "not understanding, but feeling impressed."
Of course... he couldn't say exactly what was impressive.
Anyway, from the overall perspective of this battle, the Wei army had lost!
Next, Zhuge Liang and the Shu army would probably gain the upper hand, right?
Wouldn't they be smug?
"Alas..." At this moment, a faint sigh was heard again. Sima Yi sighed once more, "Next, there is another pass..."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted behind him.
Great General Xiahou Dun had returned!
Heh heh, Great General, this is troublesome!
...
...
In Zitong, Lu Yu and Guo Jia stood on the city wall.
News of the battle at Peishui Pass had already been reported by scouts.
An expected, and logical, defeat!
Lu Yu lamented, "Since I took charge of the Cao camp, I have only suffered two major defeats. The first was when Guan Yu flooded Jiangling. That was my oversight; I was preparing for Fancheng, not expecting Guan Yu to bypass Fancheng and strike directly at Jiangling. The second... is this defeat of the Great General!"
Speaking of this, Lu Yu seemed to have many emotions. He sighed, "If the defeat by Guan Yu was due to oversight, then... this time, it was something I could have avoided. Avoiding it would mean a great misunderstanding of Qiao Pei's achievements, and it would mean that in future battles, meritorious officials would dare to force me to speak out. This is detrimental to the court. Fengxiao, as you said, being an emperor is not easy!"
After listening to Lu Yu's lengthy speech.
Guo Jia also sighed, "The Great Wei has been too smooth in recent years. Many soldiers have forgotten what defeat is, and how to lose. This is not good. The former Emperor had a good saying: a divine doctor is a divine doctor because they have killed many people before. A famous general is famous because they are brave even in defeat, unyielding even when defeated. A hundred-victory army is often forged from a frequently defeated journey. But because of Your Majesty... many soldiers of the Great Wei do not know what defeat is. Such 'constant victory' relies on Your Majesty, not their own abilities! Looking at it this way, this defeat comes at just the right time!"
Guo Jia's words made Lu Yu feel slightly better. "It's just a pity that so many young men cannot return to the Central Plains alive."
With this sigh, the atmosphere in this place became even more somber.
"Fengxiao, you are not here to comfort me, are you?" Lu Yu looked at Guo Jia.
That soul-stirring gaze seemed to see through everything.
"I cannot hide it from Your Majesty..." Guo Jia nodded. "I am not worried about defeat. The concern of a great nation is to be exhausted after victory. The concern of a small nation is to achieve merit and survive, striving not to be defeated... Facing Bashu, Your Majesty can afford to lose a hundred times. But for Bashu, if Your Majesty loses even once... the war will be over!"
"Fengxiao has also learned to say pleasant things now." Lu Yu smiled. "But honestly, I still prefer your untamed demeanor!"
Speaking of untamed...
Guo Jia's tone suddenly became serious. "Your Majesty, I am not saying this to please you. I am worried... worried that with this great victory, the Shu army and Zhuge Liang will have gained confidence, and thus, the 'momentum' will shift! 'The Art of War' says: 'The speed of rushing water, to the point of washing away stones, is momentum; the speed of fierce birds, to the point of shattering and breaking, is rhythm.' Therefore, a good fighter's momentum is dangerous, and their rhythm is short. Momentum is like a drawn crossbow, rhythm is like releasing the trigger. My greatest concern is this..."
Guo Jia spoke at length.
Indeed, as the saying goes, "a new emperor, a new court." After Lu Yu ascended the throne, Guo Jia abandoned his former image of a "drunken vagabond" living in seclusion and paid much more attention to the overall situation of the Great Wei and the world.
Others were helping the Great Wei unify...
Only he was helping his good brother, with whom he had "shared a brothel," helping this "brother-in-law" unify! He cared more about state affairs and military matters than anyone else.
And Guo Jia's worries were not unfounded.
The success or failure of a battle was not a big problem for the Great Wei in terms of scale, nor were the losses significant.
But if the "momentum" were reversed, the situation would completely change.
"Momentum..." Lu Yu murmured the word. He blinked his eyes, as if... his nervousness lasted only a few breaths. "Now, as long as Zhuge Liang is at Peishui Pass, the momentum is with the Shu army... But what if he is not at Peishui Pass?"
Hmm...
Guo Jia pricked up his ears, preparing to listen to Lu Yu's long discourse.
However, it was a pity...
There was no long discourse, nothing at all.
What was there was only Lu Yu's confident smile, and...
"Compared to the 'momentum' that Zhuge Liang has gained, I am suddenly more worried about the Great General... I presume, after this battle, his mood will also be unpleasant?"
This...
Guo Jia's eyes narrowed, and he lamented, "The Great General's mood is unpleasant, but if we talk about who has the worst time, it must be... Your Majesty's direct disciple – Sima Zhongda, right?"
Yes!
Who knew how Xiahou Dun would trouble him after such a great defeat?
...
A single lamp cast its light. Xiahou Mao had finished bandaging his wounds. He was seriously injured, with many wounds torn open while saving his father, Xiahou Dun.
Blood flowed freely...
Sima Yi sat by the bedside, patiently waiting for the doctor to bandage Xiahou Mao's wounds.
"Alas," after the wounds were bandaged, Xiahou Mao forced himself to stand. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, it turned into a series of faint sighs.
"What is there to fear about a young man bleeding a little?" Huang Zhong said sternly upon seeing Xiahou Mao sighing. "Later, I will stew two lambs for you. After you eat them, you will be replenished everywhere!"
Xiahou Mao lowered his head sadly. "Commander Sima, I... my father and I have been defeated."
Sima Yi comforted Xiahou Mao. "I understand, I understand everything. You have mastered the 'spear techniques' from His Majesty and achieved unparalleled spear skills. For many years in the Dragon Valor Camp, you have never been defeated. Now... tasting defeat for the first time, naturally, you are unwilling."
"I am unwilling..." Xiahou Mao bit his lip. "It's an unjust defeat!"
"Warfare is the art of deception!" Sima Yi sighed. "It is quite unexpected that you do not blame me for not coming to save you."
Xiahou Mao shook his head. "As a disciple of His Majesty, although I study martial arts, I am aware of basic right and wrong. This defeat... is the fault of my father's underestimation and rashness, the fault of my father trusting the enemy. Even if Commander Sima had come to save us, not only my father's ten thousand soldiers would have died!"
Sima Yi lightly patted Xiahou Mao on the shoulder.
"Zhuge Liang is an opponent that even my teacher dares not underestimate. But when will the Great General grasp these things?"
Xiahou Dun's eyes were unfocused, his spirit was dejected. He did not touch the stewed meat placed beside him for his recuperation at all.
Even when the doctor came to apply medicine, Xiahou Dun was furious and perfunctory.
He asked his deputy with a dejected look, "How many casualties are there?"
The deputy answered, "More than a thousand have returned to the camp, most of them wounded. The number of those killed cannot yet be estimated, but perhaps some soldiers can still escape!"
Xiahou Dun trembled slightly. "And the military supplies and equipment?"
The deputy lowered his head even further, and said sadly, "All military supplies, equipment, and provisions have been lost. If not for Commander Sima preparing food and medicine, perhaps the returning brothers would not have made it through the night."
Xiahou Dun's eyes welled up with tears. He stood up indignantly and glared at his deputy.
"Thanks to him? That Sima Yi almost killed me! My life was half in the grave, and he still says 'thanks to him'? Thanks to him, I'm still alive!"
As he spoke, Xiahou Dun angrily headed towards Sima Yi's military tent.
Upon entering, he grabbed Sima Yi and said, "Did you deliberately delay the advance? Did you want to see me defeated?"
Sima Yi calmly replied, "The original plan was for me to lead the army out when the Great General launched his surprise attack on Peishui Pass. But the Great General has not yet launched his surprise attack, so how can I be accused of delaying?"
"Plan?" Hearing these two words, Xiahou Dun became even angrier. He pointed at Sima Yi furiously, "You talk to me about plans? Hmph, my plan was for you to divide your forces into two groups. Where is the group that was supposed to support me? Why did they not come when I was almost killed on that mountain path?" As these words left his mouth, Sima Yi was speechless; he had no way to refute them.
Hmph!
Xiahou Dun snorted coldly, "Guards, tie up this Sima Yi!"
Just then, Qu Yi and Gongsun Zan entered the military tent. They looked coldly at Xiahou Dun. "Great General? Do you have any orders?"
Xiahou Dun finally realized that all the men he had brought were either dead or wounded. No one here would listen to him. "Very well!" Xiahou Dun released Sima Yi. He pointed at Sima Yi's nose and said, "You wait! I will return to Zitong immediately and impeach you to my nephew!"
"Great General, speak cautiously." Sima Yi was neither humble nor arrogant. "Great General should address His Majesty, not others!"
This...
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, Xiahou Dun was furious!
As the tension in the military tent grew, several carrier pigeons slowly flew over the mountains. Each pigeon had something tied to its leg, and as if familiar with the route, they flew to their destinations.
...
...