Chapter 735 What Melody? Pulling the Rug Out from Underneath!
"Pass down my marshal's order, I will personally lead the charge to break Fancheng within fifteen days and capture Xiangyang within twenty!"
"Guan Ping will be the left vanguard, Liao Hua the right vanguard, Wang Fu the advisor, and I will lead the main army in support. We must capture Xiangfan and control Jingzhou before Cao Yu arrives in Jingzhou!"
Guan Yu declared loudly.
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
Guan Ping, Liao Hua, Wang Fu, and others saluted in response.
Only Ma Liang, however, looked somber… remaining noncommittal to Guan Yu's order.
"Does Ji Chang find my marshal's order unsuitable?"
Guan Yu, head held high, was a proud man. Once a military order was issued, it could not be questioned.
"It's not that it's unsuitable…" Ma Liang said respectfully, hands clasped. "It's that… our army's provisions can only last for ten days if we launch an offensive… and the siege equipment and military supplies have not yet arrived!"
One had to understand that the grain consumed within the city and the grain consumed during a siege were entirely different matters.
It was no exaggeration to say that during a siege, to ensure the soldiers' stamina, the daily ration had to be doubled the usual amount…
And even so…
Guan Yu looked astonished, disbelief coloring his face. "Did His Majesty not send Liu Feng to manage the grain transport, and Meng Da and Mi Fang to handle the military supplies? I just saw them outside the tent!"
"Reporting to the Lord Marquis…" Ma Liang stated truthfully. "The three of them have arrived, but… they only brought half the grain, and the military supplies and equipment are very few?"
"Bang…"
As Ma Liang finished speaking, Guan Yu slammed his fist onto the table…
"Why? Why only half? My elder brother trusted them and gave them such important responsibilities! Yet they…"
"Lord Marquis…" Ma Liang was about to offer some advice, to explain the reasons for Meng Da, Mi Fang, and Liu Feng.
But…
Guan Yu gave him no chance to speak. "Guards, bring Liu Feng, Meng Da, and Mi Fang here to see me after they each receive fifty strokes of the military rod…"
This…
Ma Liang was stunned. At such a critical moment in the battle between the two armies, severely punishing logistics officials would create immense hidden dangers.
"Lord Marquis…" Ma Liang hurriedly advised, "Liu Feng is His Majesty's adopted son, Mi Fang is the current imperial uncle, and Meng Da made great contributions when His Majesty entered Shu. Moreover… they are currently shouldering the heavy burden of transporting grain and military supplies! Fifty strokes of the rod, and how will they be able to escort them further!"
"Furthermore, Hanzhong is a thousand li from Jingzhou, the supply lines have only just been opened, and there have been continuous heavy rains… Many sections of the Yangtze River embankments have also been washed away… It's not entirely their fault that this shipment of grain and military supplies was not delivered smoothly!"
Ma Liang's words made Guan Yu pause. He closed his eyes slightly, pondering for a moment.
"Fifty strokes of the rod is indeed too many. Change the rods for these three to thirty!"
Ma Liang still wanted to persuade him, but Guan Yu stopped him with a gesture. He changed the subject. "We only have ten days' worth of grain now? Then I will have these three… deliver the remaining grain and military supplies within ten days! If they fail, I don't care about their identities; I will have their heads removed by military law!"
"Besides, the plan to march north remains unchanged! Fancheng will be taken within ten days!"
This…
Ma Liang frowned, his throat feeling choked.
"Yes…"
The surrounding Liao Hua, Wang Fu, Guan Ping, and others saluted and received the order.
Indeed…
Now, after the great victory of flooding Jiangling, Cao Wei had suffered its first defeat… Cao Yu's unbroken golden body had been shattered, which made everyone even more confident!
…
…
Hanzhong, in the yamen.
The melodious sound of a zither filled the air, rising and falling, soft and hurried, like… a babbling brook flowing, or a waterfall cascading down.
However, within the entire melody, a relaxed and joyful atmosphere was evident.
This was Guo Jia playing the zither… abandoning his usual image of a "drunkard." He was actually playing the zither…
After a piece was played, the sole audience, Lu Yu, couldn't help but clap and cheer.
"Miss Zhen Jiang is quite skilled, to have inspired Feng Xiao to have another hobby besides drinking, and that is playing the zither… Impressive, impressive…"
Lu Yu meant that his wife had trained him well.
Guo Jia slowly stood up. "I just started learning recently, it's quite simple… This is why, after we divided the five Zhen daughters among ourselves back then, I 'broke my promise' and insisted on taking the eldest daughter of the Zhen family into my household. Talented women are so captivating!"
Heh heh…
Lu Yu mused to himself, even you, Guo Feng Xiao, have moments when you misjudge. In terms of true talent… the younger daughter of the Zhen family, Zhen Ji, is the most talented woman in the land, with a mind full of literature. However… she might not be as sentimental as Zhen Jiang…
Lu Yu understood. Feng Xiao liked sentimental women.
"The tune is cheerful, it seems… Feng Xiao is in a good mood!" Lu Yu commented.
Guo Jia cast a sideways glance at Lu Yu. "I see Your Majesty is also in a good mood today…"
"The plan is proceeding smoothly, of course, my mood is good!" Lu Yu picked up the wine goblet first.
Guo Jia impudently snatched it away. "With so many matters, Your Majesty must be feeling stifled. Since that's the case… I, Guo Jia, will be a good Samaritan today. I will ask the questions, and Your Majesty will answer!"
Among all under heaven, only Guo Jia dared to be so presumptuous in front of Lu Yu.
"You ask?"
Lu Yu did not mind at all.
Guo Jia paused, organized the order of his questions, and then began. "Your Majesty created a feint, but did not personally lead the campaign against Guan Yu? Why is that?"
The answers to these questions had been held in Lu Yu's heart for a long time. He never imagined that being an emperor also required patience.
However, today was fine. In this vast yamen, only he and Guo Jia were present.
"Because… if I did not personally lead the campaign, then Lu Xun would have held firm, and the generals of Jiangdong would have fought to the death. Moreover, I sent Ma Chao from Xiliang to reinforce, and also sent Cheng Yu secretly. With strong external reinforcements and everyone striving to defend, coupled with Lu Xun's coordination, Xiangfan would not have fallen so easily! If I were to personally go… it would seem as if I were lacking confidence. If I were to sit in Hanzhong, it would show that we still have ample troops. This would deter Liu Bei, and also better inspire our frontline soldiers! It would be much more effective than if I went myself! Therefore, even if the defenders knew that the reinforcements were not me personally, they would instead be overjoyed…"
Lu Yu's words caused Guo Jia to nod repeatedly.
He knew all this; he simply wanted to coax Lu Yu into saying it. Many things felt stifling and uncomfortable when held within one's heart!
"Do you have any more questions?" Lu Yu asked.
"Yes!" Guo Jia smiled slightly, his eyes looking at the location of Jiangling in Jingzhou on the map, and continued to ask, "Why was Your Majesty so certain that Guan Yu would launch a full-scale northern expedition? What if… he was creating a diversion, and aiming south? His objective was the four southern commanderies of Jingzhou, so what then?"
"Hahaha…"
Upon hearing this question, Lu Yu laughed. "I understand Guan Yu better than Feng Xiao. The only weakness this man has is his 'arrogance.' He is too arrogant. Let alone now, even five years ago, he looked down upon all the generals of Great Wei. Enduring five years has made him unbearable. Flooding Jiangling has made him lose all composure. Such an arrogant opponent… he has ten thousand weaknesses. Moreover… often the most brilliant flowers begin to rot from within themselves!"
Hmm…
Lu Yu's words seemed to refer to something else, which Guo Jia had not anticipated.
Immediately, he asked curiously, "What 'within' does Your Majesty refer to?"
"Did Liu Bei not send Liu Feng, Meng Da, and Mi Fang to Guan Yu? These are the rotten elements from within!"
As he said this, a glimmer of light flashed in Lu Yu's eyes.
Incredibly brilliant…
It was as if, simply by mentioning these three, Lu Yu's confidence surged.
As for the reason, others might not know, but Lu Yu knew that these three were indeed pitfalls!
In fact, historically… there was also Fu Shiren. Of course, this general from Guangyang Commandery in Youzhou, who had followed Liu Bei from the very beginning, was not the biggest pitfall.
Liu Bei had not sent him to Jingzhou at this time.
However, as expected, the three people Liu Bei sent whom he "trusted" were still Liu Feng, Meng Da, and Mi Fang…
Being related by marriage or having contributed to entering Shu were still the easiest ways to gain Liu Bei's trust.
It was just that… historically, Liu Bei never imagined that…
Arrogance often offended people inadvertently. And Guan Yu's arrogance was not just ordinary; his arrogance not only offended enemies but also his own men. Because Mi Fang and Fu Shiren failed to complete the procurement of military supplies on time, Guan Yu fiercely berated them and even threatened to severely punish them after capturing Xiangfan. One had to know, these two… the latter had joined Liu Bei's faction at the same time as Guan Yu, and was a general Liu Bei had never scolded. One was Mi Zhu's brother, Liu Bei's elder brother-in-law, a fierce man who had invested his entire family's savings in Liu Bei back then. How could they endure such humiliation? Naturally, they harbored resentment towards Guan Yu!
As for Liu Feng and Meng Da… regarding the latter, Guan Yu completely looked down on him. As for the former… when Liu Bei was discussing the establishment of an heir, Guan Yu directly and unceremoniously…
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excluded Liu Feng, the adopted son, from the succession, and from then on they became estranged…
This was precisely what led to Guan Yu's demise at Maicheng!
Coincidentally, such a magnificent lineup of logistical forces, through a series of coincidences, was responsible for the logistics and supply transport from Yizhou to Jingzhou…
"Yizhou and Jingzhou are a thousand li apart. There are too many uncertain factors. How could the military supplies and grain be delivered on time so easily? Guan Yu is arrogant, and eager to capture Xiangfan… Heh heh, he is bound to severely punish Liu Feng, Meng Da, and Mi Fang. But these are people sent by Liu Bei, and they are considered trustworthy. No matter from which angle, replacing them at the front lines would be inappropriate, and they would inevitably be tasked with this crucial mission of transporting grain… But how could they endure such humiliation? Isn't this… an opportunity that has presented itself?"
Guo Jia patiently listened to Lu Yu finish speaking. He smiled, and while smiling, lamented, "So… it's all here!"
As soon as he spoke…
Guo Jia suddenly seemed to recall something. "I suddenly thought of a tune… Your Majesty, please enjoy it!"
"What melody?"
"Pulling the Rug Out from Underneath!"
…
…
Jingzhou, Fancheng.
Guan Yu personally oversaw the operations, and a fierce battle commenced.
Fortunately, after five years of stockpiling, Xiangfan had a large quantity of military supplies. Numerous arrows and catapult stones were continuously hurled outwards… The bloody sunset almost dyed this battlefield, soaked in blood, red.
The soldiers under Guan Yu were those who had followed Liu Bei for many years, the most elite troops of Shu Han. Led by Guan Ping and Liao Hua, after dusk, many of them managed to reach the city walls. Countless "Guan Family Army" soldiers climbed valiantly onto the parapets. The defending troops facing them were clearly unable to stop them. Fancheng was mere moments away from falling!
Fortunately… Lu Xun arrived in time. Based on the battle reports from various city towers, he accurately analyzed which city tower was Guan Yu's main attack point and immediately dispatched troops from other city gates!
Soon, Wei's numerical superiority became apparent again. Generals beside Lu Xun, such as Gan Ning, Ling Tong, and Zhou Tai, all shouted, "Kill the Shu dogs!"
The defending troops, who had been in fierce combat for half a day and were filled with panic, were once again filled with confidence due to Lu Xun's incredible deployment and coordination… They launched a counterattack against the enemy with their more abundant military supplies.
"Where is that old man Guan Yu? Wasn't he capable of flooding Jiangling? Why isn't he coming up?" Gan Ning sharpened his blade… while beheading a deputy general of the Guan Family Army, he roared loudly.
"Push forward! Any who dare retreat – die!"
"We cannot fall yet…"
"How can the Jiangdong Tigers rely solely on the strength of their armor?"
With shouts ringing out, the formidable generals of Jiangdong repeatedly repelled the enemy's surging offensives!
Guan Yu had not expected that Lu Xun, a young man with an imperial connection, could so quickly boost the morale of the three armies in such a disadvantageous situation. Those Guan Family Army soldiers who had reached the city walls were constantly tightening their formations, being forced into increasingly narrow passages. By the time the Guan Family Army soldiers climbing the scaling ladders reached the city walls, they found no footing.
Countless long spears, short swords, and sabers danced in the darkness…
In the dimness, no one could distinguish whether the cries for help and wails emanating from the city walls belonged to Wei's soldiers or Guan Yu's soldiers!
Lu Xun intended to personally enter the fray…
But he found that it was overcrowded…
Looking at Gan Ning, Ling Tong, Zhou Tai, and Tai Shici, who were fighting valiantly and turning the tide of battle, Lu Xun felt a surge of emotion.
He muttered to himself, "With such a group of formidable individuals, how could Zhang Liao, Zhang Wen Yuan, have so easily crushed them back then?"
It could be seen that… one incompetent general could kill thousands of soldiers, and one incompetent commander meant that all his generals would be buried with him!
Finally… after two hours of fierce combat.
As the last of the Guan Family Army soldiers was thrown off the city wall, countless people on the city walls erupted in cheers.
At the break of dawn.
The bodies of the Guan Family Army soldiers were thrown down from the city walls.
Numerous archers were withdrawn from the city walls. Lu Xun wanted to allow Guan Yu to collect the bodies…
Compared to Guan Yu's flooding of Jiangling, which had ruined his reputation in Jingzhou, Lu Xun's move was undoubtedly more soul-crushing!
"Father Marshal, our army lost seven thousand men in this battle…"
Guan Ping's words were like a poisoned thorn, piercing Guan Yu's heart.
This caused Guan Yu to instinctively clench his fists. He raised his head and gazed at Fancheng. He seemed to feel… that Lu Xun, standing on the city wall, was also staring intently at him.
Hoo…
With a long sigh, Guan Yu bit his lip. His pride would not allow him to admit defeat. He raised his Green Dragon Crescent Blade and said to Lu Xun on the city wall, "Tonight, Guan will attack again!"
"Little Lu Xun, wash your neck clean and await execution!"
Uh…
Guan Yu's words left Lu Xun stunned.
Was he that arrogant? Where did that confidence come from?
A night attack… shouldn't it be a surprise attack?
This was practically an open declaration of war…
Lu Xun clasped his hands and bowed to Guan Yu, saying, "Young Lu Xun awaits General Guan at any time!"
"Hmph…"
With a cold snort, Guan Yu turned his horse around. As he instructed his soldiers to retreat, he said, "This time, your father only used three-tenths of his strength, and Fancheng is already tottering. Tonight, your father will use five-tenths of his strength, which will be enough to capture this city!"
…
…
bq.
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