On the city walls of Zitong, the autumn wind was bleak.
The gusts of cold wind brushed against Liu Bei's face, leaving him feeling somewhat dejected and melancholic.
“Zheng Fang…” Liu Bei’s expression was filled with grief. “A while ago, Prime Minister Zhuge submitted a memorial stating that my campaign against Wei is to follow Heaven’s will and punish rebels, a resolve and persistence to not tolerate the Han traitors, and not to be content with a divided kingdom. He admitted that his earlier dissuasions were due to his own foolishness and that he deeply regrets them. Kongming even wished to resign his position as Prime Minister!” Liu Bei paused.
Li Yan also appeared surprised; he was unaware of this decree.
Liu Bei continued, “At that time, I thought Kongming had returned, the Kongming who once discussed the strategy of dividing the empire into three parts with me in our Longzhong discussion with such scholarly vigor. I was genuinely happy, but… now, Yun Chang has flooded Jiangling, achieving a great victory that has shaken the entire land. Even Emperor Cao Yu of Wei is filled with dread and intends to personally lead the army. At this very moment… Kongming sends this letter, which is like a basin of cold water!”
As Liu Bei spoke, he handed the bamboo slip to Li Yan. Li Yan unfolded it… the contents could only be described in four characters—shocking!
At this time of great victory when Shu Han was celebrating, Zhuge Liang actually… actually claimed that Yun Chang, upon entering Jiangling, had lost the favor of the people, was unfamiliar with the terrain… and was unable to support himself, thus violating the principles of Dao, Tian, Di, Jiang, and Fa from Sun Tzu’s Art of War! He also mentioned… the extended supply lines and the immense difficulties in replenishing provisions. But this was not the sharpest point; the last four characters on the bamboo slip were the most piercing—"Yun Chang is in danger!"…
It was precisely these four characters that made Li Yan’s eyes widen.
Zhuge Liang truly dared to do this! Da Feng Novel Network.
To say that Liu Bei’s remark about the bamboo slip being a basin of cold water was an understatement.
This was simply a thunderous blow… an unprovoked thunderous blow.
“Kongming says Yun Chang is too arrogant,” Liu Bei lamented repeatedly. “He says that when facing an opponent like Cao Yu, arrogance… this weakness will lead to an irreversible defeat!”
Liu Bei spoke these words with a furrowed brow.
Li Yan bit his lip and quickly said, “Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the Prime Minister is overly cautious. Since entering Shu, and since Cao Yu occupied the twelve prefectures and usurped the throne, the Prime Minister has become too cautious… losing his past boldness and courage. Many of the court officials have also expressed their dissatisfaction… there are things I have heard, but dare not speak!”
“You may speak your mind freely!”
“Many court officials say that the Prime Minister fears Yu like a tiger,” Li Yan said earnestly. “Although the current situation is that Wei is strong and Shu is weak, I also know that military strategies are never constant, and water has no fixed shape… victory or defeat on the battlefield, and the situation, are often decided in an instant. Hasn’t Cao Zi Yu, in many battles, been in desperate situations and then found a way out? If all the court officials were as timid as the Prime Minister, then what is the point of fighting this war? We might as well surrender!”
Hiss…
Although the words were gentle, when connected, each word was exceptionally sharp.
“Indeed…” Liu Bei looked at Li Yan. “If the Prime Minister and Minister Li, and I, were of one mind, then even if Great Wei had millions of soldiers, what would there be to fear? Did not Grand Ancestor defeat the overbearing Xiang Yu in the past? Grand Ancestor could go, and I can also go!”
Hearing this…
A few steps away from Liu Bei and Li Yan, Ma Su, who was about to report the plan for the Lychee Path campaign, could no longer hold back. He stepped forward, “Your Majesty, the supply lines mentioned in Minister Li’s letter cannot be ignored!”
Ma Su’s sudden interruption caused Liu Bei to turn his head. He looked at Ma Su with utter disdain.
Liu Bei had never thought highly of this youngest son of the Ma family.
However, knowing he was Zhuge Liang’s student, Liu Bei patiently said, “Yun Chang’s advance is like a broken bamboo. Naturally, I will establish smooth supply lines for him. I have already sent Liu Feng, Meng Da, and Mi Fang to Yiling. Liu Feng will be responsible for the baggage, Mi Fang for the provisions, and Meng Da will oversee the protection of the supply lines. These three are all trusted individuals, and with them there, Yun Chang will be out of danger!”
“But…” Ma Su added, “The Prime Minister also mentioned General Guan’s occupation of Jiangling. This is a strategic location with threats from Jingnan, Jingbei, and Jiangdong in all directions. If General Guan insists on advancing north, how will Jingnan and Jiangdong be defended?”
“Hmph…” Liu Bei let out a cold snort. “Well done, Ma You Chang. Are you trying to disrupt the morale of the army? Have you not heard that Zhou Yu has been dismissed by Cao Yu? The new commander of the navy is Lu Xun. I heard this Lu Xun is barely out of his teens. Such a young and inexperienced boy, holding a high position solely due to his maternal uncle’s status, what capability can he possess? If Yun Chang advances north to fight this young brat, one battle will decide it. At that time… Jiangdong and Jingnan will naturally be awed by Yun Chang’s might and surrender without a fight. What need is there for defense?”
Liu Bei’s tone was firm…
He had an extraordinary confidence in Guan Yu. In his heart, he always adhered to the belief: “My second brother is invincible under heaven!”
And Guan Yu lived up to his trust…
According to historical records, when Guan Yu was stationed in Jingzhou, with a meager force, he single-handedly resisted Cao Wei’s all-star lineup…
Almost all the named generals of Cao Wei… were defeated by his hands.
He was simply “terrifyingly powerful,” even to the point that Cao Cao was intimidated and discussed moving the capital to avoid his锋芒.
This was no longer describable as a “God of War,” but a “Martial Saint”…
As for arrogance, of course… Guan Yu had absolute “capital for arrogance.”
Of course… Zhuge Liang was always cautious, and his considerations were more on a strategic level.
“Your Majesty,” Ma Su continued to persuade, “Even if General Guan is invincible, there is still only one General Guan in Jiangling city. If he advances north… what if Jingnan and Jiangdong sneak attack Jiangling? Even if General Guan is incredibly divine, if his rear is cut off… he will become an isolated army, and an isolated army deep in enemy territory is… is a great taboo!”
Before the word "taboo" could fully escape his lips.
“You shut up!” Liu Bei coldly rebuked.
Li Yan quickly advised, “My Lord, please calm your anger. Assistant Military Advisor Ma simply does not understand the situation.”
Li Yan faced Ma Su. “After General Guan captured Jiangling, he established numerous beacon towers to the south and east of Jiangling, precisely to guard against attacks from Jiangdong and Jingnan. If the enemy attacks… the beacon towers will send up smoke signals, and General Guan will have ample time to reinforce. Both Assistant Military Advisor Ma and Prime Minister Zhuge are worrying unnecessarily.”
This…
Li Yan’s words left Ma Su speechless. He suddenly did not know how to continue his persuasion.
Yet, he still felt that Prime Minister Zhuge’s concerns were not without reason!
“Your Majesty,” Ma Su spoke again.
Unexpectedly, Liu Bei did not give him a chance to reply this time. “One must perform their duties according to their position. The current commander-in-chief of the Northern Expedition is Minister Li. Ma You Chang, your task is to assist General Ziyun in entering Hanzhong via the Lychee Path. I hope your focus remains on the right path!”
This…
Ma Su was completely silenced. He realized… in this situation, no matter how he persuaded, the outcome could no longer be changed.
At this moment.
“Report…”
A scout scrambled up the city wall and reported, “A report from Jiange states that Cao’s army did not set up an ambush on the Shu Road. The troops have retreated to Dingjun Mountain! The commander is Xiahou Yuan, and the strategist is Xun You. Preliminary estimates suggest there are troops at Dingjun Mountain!”
Hmm…
Dingjun Mountain?
Subconsciously, Liu Bei and Li Yan narrowed their eyes slightly. They both recalled the location of “Dingjun Mountain” on the military map.
Why would they choose this place?
Before Liu Bei and Li Yan could figure it out…
The scout’s voice rang out again, “General Yide and Military Advisor Xiaozhi request to battle!”
As soon as these words were spoken, Li Yan stroked his beard, his eyes fixed, and he laughed heartily, “Haha… Your Majesty, it seems that after General Guan’s flooding of Jiangling, all the generals are high in spirits and morale. We should strike while the iron is hot… launch the Northern Expedition against Cao Wei, capture Hanzhong, break through Chang’an, and pacify Luoyang!”
Liu Bei nodded, pondered for a moment, and then uttered a sentence:
“I wish my third brother and Xiaozhi a triumphant return!”
……
……
Under the bright moon and sparse stars, Guan Yu, holding a copy of the Spring and Autumn Annals by candlelight, was reading the passage about King You of Zhou lighting the beacon fires to amuse Bao Si, thus deceiving the feudal lords.
His eternally stoic face twitched slightly…
Guan Ping, standing beside him, refilled his father’s tea.
“The Jiangling night wind is howling. Father, please drink this tea while it’s hot…”
His gentle voice seemed afraid of disturbing his father.
Guan Yu sighed deeply, still holding the Spring and Autumn Annals, and asked Guan Ping, “Ping’er… King You of Zhou lit the beacon fires to amuse Bao Si, which led to the Róng attacking Western Zhou. When the beacon fires were lit again, none of the feudal lords came to their aid. King You was killed, Western Zhou ended, and from then on, the authority of the Son of Heaven plummeted, leading to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, where heroes emerged and feudal lords contended!”
Guan Yu paused here and continued, “If King You of Zhou had not lit the beacon fires to amuse Bao Si back then? Perhaps when the Róng attacked, the feudal lords would have come to their aid, and the Zhou dynasty would have continued. There would be no Spring and Autumn, no Warring States, and no Qin, Han, or even Wei and Shu Han!”
Unaware of the implications of his words, Guan Ping quickly cupped his hands. “Father is not King You of Zhou, and there is no Bao Si in Jiangling. The beacon towers your father has set up to guard against Jiangdong and Jingnan are foolproof. If the beacon fires are lit, the entire Jiangling will be fortified and cleared. When your father advances north and sees the beacon fires, he can immediately return to reinforce.”
Using history as a lesson… therefore, Guan Yu did not hesitate to build numerous beacon towers.
In his opinion, the Northern Expedition was imperative, and his route was the quickest way to strike at the heart of Great Wei. However, the defenses to the south and east could not be neglected. In desperation, Guan Yu could only connect the battle lines with these beacon towers.
“The beacon towers in the Spring and Autumn Annals have borne a thousand years of infamy. I hope that through this battle in Jingxiang, I can vindicate them!”
As soon as his words fell…
*Crack*
The door was pushed open, and a gust of Jiang wind swept in, causing the candlelight inside to flicker slightly, making the text on the Spring and Autumn Annals appear and disappear.
Outside the door, a man with white eyebrows slowly entered. It was Assistant Military Advisor Ma Liang. This was a strategist handpicked by Zhuge Liang from the talented young men of Jingzhou for Guan Yu.
It was said, “Among the Ma clan’s Five Worthies, Bai Mei is the eldest”…
Whether in the past in Jingzhou or in Bashu, Ma Liang had considerable prestige and was highly trusted by both Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu.
Seeing that it was Ma Liang, Guan Yu closed the Spring and Autumn Annals.
“How is it?” Guan Yu asked.
Ma Liang cupped his hands. “My Lord, Cao Yu has indeed dismissed Zhou Yu from his post as Grand Commander of the Navy. The one who has now taken over command of the naval forces of Jingzhou and Jiangdong is Lu Xun!”
“Lu Xun?” Guan Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. The name ran through his mind.
But in the end, he shook his head. “Never heard of him.”
“My Lord, this Lu Xun’s courtesy name is Boyan. He is the grandson of Lu Yu, the Commandant of Han City. If calculated, he is of the same generation as Cao Yu. His maternal aunt is Cao Yu’s mother, making him a cousin from Cao Yu’s maternal clan,” Ma Liang did not know much about Lu Xun. “He is considered an imperial relative. It seems that with imperial relatives in power… even Cao Yu cannot escape this trend!”
With a sigh…
Guan Yu asked with a dismissive gaze, “How old is he?”
“Just out of his teens.”
“A mere child, of my grandson’s age!” Guan Yu laughed.
Guan Ping also laughed. “I have heard that the Han dynasty fell due to the imperial relatives. Now… Cao Yu is also heavily relying on imperial relatives. It seems this is a sign of Wei’s decline! He is truly bold, appointing a young scholar barely out of his teens as a commander. Such a commander is not even worthy of carrying my father’s shoes!”
As soon as these words were uttered…
Ma Liang detected Guan Ping’s arrogance. “My Lord, you must not be careless. Who is Cao Yu? Since he dares to appoint this person at a critical juncture, it is enough to prove that Lu Xun cannot be underestimated!”
“Not everyone surnamed Lu in this world is like Lu Xun. Let us test his abilities!” Guan Yu stroked his beard, and then his expression became stern. “Guan Ping, heed my command!”
“Here!”
“Urgent dispatches received this morning state that Lu Xun has built over ten camps outside Xiangfan within ten days. I order you to break them within five days!”
“Yes!” Guan Ping cupped his hands!
…..
…..
A black-canopied boat had already docked at the pier, its movement stirring up surging waves on the boundless expanse of the river. Zhou Yu and Lu Meng sat at the bow, while Lu Xun and Lu Ji personally saw them off.
Lu Xun cupped his hands. “I await Grand Commander Zhou’s astounding achievement!”
Zhou Yu smiled. “Rather than an astounding achievement, it is a matter of avenging our humiliation. After all, I did lose to Guan Yu in the battle of Jiangling.”
Hearing “avenging our humiliation”…
Lu Xun’s smile faded. Seeing the atmosphere turn solemn, Zhou Yu chuckled softly. “Guan Yu considers himself invincible in the world, and apart from His Majesty, no one has ever caught his eye. He is bound to seize more territory in Jingzhou before His Majesty personally campaigns. Now that even I, whom he somewhat feared, have been dismissed, the plan will proceed as follows!” Hearing this, Lu Xun’s expression became even more meticulous. “Perhaps in terms of overall strategy, I cannot compare to Commander Zhou, but in finding ways to please Guan Yu and win his favor, my elder brother has taught me for many years, and I am sure I can succeed! When Guan Yu draws troops from Jiangling to attack Xiangfan, Gongjin can then use the troops from Jingnan, combined with the Jiangdong navy, to launch a surprise attack. Thus, this battle will be won!”
Having said this…
Zhou Yu nodded, and then the two bowed solemnly to each other by the river. Afterward, the black-canopied boat carrying Zhou Yu sped away, stirring up surging waves on the boundless expanse of the river.
Gazing at the misty green mountains on both banks, Lu Xun lamented, “General Guan, General Guan, flooding Jiangling… is it a display of power that shakes the world, or overconfidence leading to the loss of a thousand troops?”
…..
…..
Dongchuan, Hanzhong.
“Zhongda, your opponent in this battle on the Lychee Path is indeed Changshan Zhao Zilong, but it is also Ma Su and Wang Ping. His Majesty has repeatedly warned not to overestimate Ma Su, nor to underestimate Wang Ping. Zhongda, remember this!”
Yang Xiu was bidding farewell to Sima Yi at the city gate.
As the rising stars of the Great Wei generation… the two served as high-ranking officials in the Directorate of Intelligence and members of the State Council. Perhaps because… there were no conflicts of interest regarding the succession to the heir…
Therefore, the two were more cooperative than competitive.
This battle on the Lychee Path appeared to be Sima Yi against Zhao Yun, but in reality, it was a decisive battle between the Great Wei’s intelligence forces and Ma Su and Wang Ping!
“I have collected the woodblock prints and will use them when most necessary!”
Sima Yi patted Yang Xiu’s shoulder… turned around, and prepared to lead his army away.
Just as he took a step forward…
A scout arrived. “Reporting to Officer Yang, His Majesty’s order for tonight’s password is—Jie (scabies) Xuan (ringworm)!”
The scout retreated after speaking…
Yang Xiu tapped his forehead. “Jie Xuan? Why use such a password?”
As this thought arose, he was suddenly enlightened and exclaimed with joy, “So that’s it!”
……
……