Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3709 Fear of This Simple Book

In the heart of the Heluo region, at the General Cavalry's camp.

The scorching sun relentlessly baked the earth, causing the river flowing past the camp to rise in wisps of steam, making the air so thick it seemed you could wring water out of it.

The cicadas' desperate chirping created a jarring white noise that enveloped the continuous cavalry camps.

The camp was built against the mountain and beside the water. On the watchtower of the gate, the soldiers on guard duty had their armor linings soaked through, clinging to their skin. Sweat streamed down their brows, stinging their eyes, but no one dared to raise their hand to wipe it away. Their eyes scanned the surroundings warily.

It's cold, it's cold and poor.

The weather is hot, and it's hot for everyone.

Of course, this was only established in ancient times...

After all, there was no air conditioning in the Han Dynasty.

Even so, Zhang Liao, as a frontline general, still had to brave the scorching sun to inspect the front lines.

On the western side of the Sishui-Gongxian front, the vanguard of the Flying Cavalry Army.

The low rammed earth wall gleamed with a blinding white light under the scorching sun and felt scalding hot to the touch.

Zhang Liao leaned against a scorching hot stone on the edge of the battlement with one arm, while his other hand rested habitually on the hilt of his ring-pommel sword at his waist. The leather armor he wore, with its polished iron plates embedded in vital areas such as his shoulders, chest, and back, seemed to have absorbed the heat, making his skin red.

In summer, especially under the scorching sun, metal armor can cause heatstroke after just one or two hours due to the stuffy and hot environment, while leather armor is relatively better.

But Zhang Liao seemed oblivious to the sweltering heat, his hawk-like gaze piercing through the rising heat waves, fixed intently on the silent Cao army camp several miles away.

"General," said Zhao Hu, the adjutant beside him, a dark-skinned man with a scar on his left cheek, wiping his face with his sweat-dampened sleeve, "don't you think... the silence over there is a bit eerie? Cao Cao's patrol drums are beating weakly... and look at those thieves on the wall, their shadows are much thinner, and they walk like they're wilting in the sun, all limp and listless..."

Zhang Liao did not answer immediately; he focused intently on observing and listening.

In the wind, besides the endless chirping of cicadas, there were indeed intermittent drumbeats coming from the opposite camp.

The drumbeats, once like a death knell, urgent and powerful, were used to urge and remind Cao Cao's soldiers to remain vigilant at all times...

But now, it's like the heartbeat of an old man in his twilight years—sluggish, weak, and the intervals have become irregular.

Is the drum broken?
Or has the person been changed?
Or is there some other situation?

Zhang Liao squinted, his gaze sweeping over the towering wooden and stone walls of Cao Cao's camp, counting the figures that appeared behind the walls.

Indeed, the number of people had decreased significantly.

The soldiers of Cao Cao's army, dressed in reddish-brown or reddish-black battle robes, moved with unusually slow movements between the battlements, their actions revealing an indescribable weariness and sluggishness.

Is it because of the hot weather?
Or have they run out of food?
The sentries atop Cao Jun's watchtower seemed to be standing lazily, merely symbolically holding spears and bows.

They were nowhere near as arrogant and domineering as they had been a few days ago, even shouting insults and provoking each other across the trench.

Abnormality means there is a demon.

Cao Hong and Cao Zilian are now hiding in a strong shell, using deep trenches, high walls, and endless traps to wear down the Flying Cavalry. It's hard to say what exactly happened or if this is just a deliberate display of weakness.

We cannot be careless or take things for granted when facing such an opponent.

"Commander Zhao," Zhang Liao's voice was deep and powerful, "when did you realize that Cao Cao's army was like this?"

Zhao Hu replied, "I felt something was off yesterday evening, but it was too late to be sure... When I came back this morning, I noticed that their roll call... also seemed a bit off, so I reported it to the general..."

Zhang Liao nodded.

The cavalry drill manual requires that any abnormalities be reported promptly.

Of course, this "timely" is different from the "timely" of picking up the phone and making a call in later generations. Overall, Zhao Hu's actions—noticing something was wrong yesterday, confirming it again today, and then reporting it to Zhang Liao—were already quite timely.

Because Cao Cao's army's battle line was a continuous stretch, not a single point, detecting an anomaly at a single point required accumulated knowledge and corresponding observation and discernment skills.

Zhao Hu licked his chapped lips: "General, how about... we give him a try?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Zhang Liao's eyes flashed coldly. "Order! Archer Battalion Three, Teams A and B, advance to position number three! Two teams from the Leaping Cavalry Battalion, feign filling the trench! Make a big commotion! Ensure the shields are firmly in place! Nock the crossbows, hold your ground, and keep a close watch on the movements on the stockade walls! Cavalry Battalion Two, Teams One and Two, don your armor and prepare your horses, wait behind the camp gate, ready to rush out and provide support at any time!"

The command was like a drop of boiling oil thrown into a pool, instantly triggering a reaction at the front base.

The messenger's hoarse shouts rang out from behind the camp wall, accompanied by hurried footsteps and the clanging of armor.

Soon, hundreds of strong and sturdy cavalry infantrymen, under the cover of heavy leather shields, carrying bulging straw bags and heavy planks, surged out from the flanks of the camp, crossed the shallows of the riverbed, and rushed straight towards the trenches dug by Cao Cao's army, which resembled a spider web!

"Fill up the trench!" The leader of the team roared, throwing a bag of sand into the trench with all his might.

The cavalry and infantry that followed followed suit, shouting and throwing their trench-filling materials with great force, their movements swift and powerful, raising clouds of dust.

The sandbags were thrown onto the spikes of the trench, their rustling sound masking the ferocious nature of the attack.

The planks were placed across a relatively narrow section of the ditch, producing a heavy thud.

The entire movement of the Flying Cavalry was seamless and incredibly realistic, as if they were about to step onto the wooden planks and rush across the trench, heading straight for Cao Cao's camp walls!

*Clang clang clang—!*

The moment the cavalry rushed to the edge of the trench, a sharp and piercing alarm gong rang out from Cao Cao's camp!
But Zhang Liao narrowed his eyes slightly...

The warning sound was a little late!

If the situation were reversed and Cao Cao's army were to move out, the Flying Cavalry should have issued a warning the moment Cao Cao's army rushed out of their camp!

But now, Cao Jun's warning sound was at least half an incense stick's time later than Zhang Liao had expected!
Like a sluggish behemoth awakened, it reacted a beat too late.

Zhang Liao raised his binoculars and stared at the Cao army's stockade walls and moats on the opposite bank.

Cao Jun's reaction speed...

It's definitely too slow!

The number of figures on the stockade wall increased, and they began to move about, like ants whose nest had been disturbed.

However, the assembly was somewhat slow, and many soldiers ran in the wrong direction. Cao's military officers were jumping up and down, shouting and waving their swords to correct them, appearing rather exasperated.

Let's look at the intensity of Cao Cao's counterattack...

Arrow rain...

Yes, this is a team of fifty people, that's normal.

Then the first wave of arrows...

what!
I peed!
A well-coordinated rain of arrows possesses the greatest power, while a sparse, forked rain of arrows, though the quantity is similar, has far less power...

Sparse, crooked arrows were launched from behind the stockade wall, appearing somewhat listless.

Arrows that lack power and precision are like a bald, middle-aged man struggling to hold onto the wall in the toilet; they won't gain the understanding of younger men, but will only elicit faint mockery.

Many arrows fell to the ground helplessly before they even reached the cavalry's lines.

More importantly, the number of Cao army archers peeking out from behind the crenellations of the stockade wall was only one small squad!
Where are the archers in the second team?

Oh, they're only now coming out to line up...

Haha, this speed is at least as slow as the past few days, by at least the time it takes for an incense stick to burn!

Where were the archers in the second team originally?
Did they all feel fine and go back to rest?
Zhang Liao looked around for a moment, then turned his gaze to the Cao army's outer camp in the distance.

The gates of Cao Jun's stronghold remained tightly closed.

However, no swordsmen or spearmen were seen gathering in the open space at the gate of the stockade...

Did they already anticipate that my attack was a feint?

They still felt that such a number of soldiers was insufficient to break through Cao Cao's lines, so they simply didn't bother to move.

"Stop! Retreat!"

Zhang Liao saw it clearly and decisively gave the order, his voice firm and resolute.

As the gong sounded, the well-trained feint attack force of the cavalry swiftly retreated, their shield bearers quickly gathering cover, while the soldiers filling the trenches grabbed scattered tools and, without lingering, withdrew back to their camp like a receding tide under the cover of their own archers. The entire process was swift and orderly; only a few soldiers who were slightly slower were grazed by stray arrows, letting out a few muffled groans.

Zhao Hu retreated from the front lines and approached Zhang Liao. "General?!"

Being on the front lines naturally limits one's field of vision to a narrow range, making it less perceptible than what Zhang Liao observed from the rear.

"How do you feel?" Zhang Liao nodded and asked, "Compared to before?"

Zhao Hu stated decisively, "It's too slow! It's too soft! Compared to before, it's definitely like this!"

Slow to react!

Fight back against the weak!

Prepare for emptiness!

Zhang Liao nodded, "I think it's about the same... However, we must be careful that it's not a trap set by Cao Cao's army..."

"A trap?" Zhao Hu asked.

"If it's a trap, they'll lure me in deep, and when I'm halfway across, their ambush will erupt, unleashing a barrage of arrows!" Zhang Liao said. "If it's not a trap... then the defenses of Cao Cao's camp must be much weaker than before!"

Zhang Liao concluded that either Cao Hong was luring the enemy, or there was a problem within Cao's army camp, leading to a substantial decline in its defensive capabilities.

Just then, a burst of hurried horse hoof sounds came from afar.

Fei Qian's personal guards spurred their horses to the ramparts, reined in their horses, and the horses reared up, letting out a long neigh: "General Zhang! The lord has ordered an immediate meeting of the central army!"

Zhang Liao's heart skipped a beat. A meeting?

Without further hesitation, he said to Zhao Hu in a deep voice, "You stay here and launch another feigned attack in two hours! Have someone watch the water clock to calculate when Cao Cao's army will react! Also, send more scouts to keep a close watch on the four gates of their camp and the rear passages. Report to me any unusual movement, even the slightest thing! Be especially wary of their secret nighttime troop movements!!"

"Yes, sir!" Zhao Hu clasped his hands in acceptance, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Zhang Liao said no more, turned and strode down from the military camp. His personal guards had already led his mount over. He mounted the horse, spurred it on, and the warhorse shot off like an arrow towards the central army camp, leaving only a trail of dust in its wake.

……

……

Central command tent of the Heluo camp.

The heat was so intense it was almost suffocating.

The curtains were rolled up high, trying to catch a pitiful breeze, but all that rushed in was an even hotter wave of air and the incessant chirping of cicadas.

If Fei Qian hadn't known about air conditioning and fans, he probably would have just toughed it out like other people in the Han Dynasty. But now, Fei Qian can't help but think about how to create cooling and ventilation devices...

For example, could we replace a waterwheel with a vortex fan?
Or they use human force to trample it...

Or is it the empty bottle cooling method that Indians have mythologized?
There are no bottles, but there are earthenware pots...

Forget it.

Fei Qian brought his wandering thoughts back to the huge sand table of Heluo and Jingxiang in front of him.

It's not that these cooling and ventilation devices are bad, but now is not the right time.

If this were in Chang'an, or after Shandong had already been defeated, Fei Qian could easily have craftsmen make these comfort-enhancing items. But now he was in the army.

It's like when everyone is eating instant noodles to get by, or even when there aren't any instant noodles and only boiled noodles are available, someone suddenly suggests eating a Swiss roll as a snack to fill their stomach...

Aren't you worried that someone will sing "You're Too Beautiful"?
Or do you simply not care at all?
Fei Qian couldn't ignore it, so he could only endure it.

The craftsmen had more important things to do.

For example, this sand table in front of us.

This sand table depicting the Heluo and Jingxiang regions occupied most of the space in the tent, and it was meticulously covered with small flags representing various forces.

The location of Xiangyang City was completely surrounded by several small black flags representing the main force of Cao Cao's army, while several small crimson flags representing the Flying Cavalry were nailed to the outside with difficulty...

The small red flag that once stood at Flying Fox Fortress and Ghost Cry Pass now lies askew to one side.

Sima Yi's military report has arrived.

Fei Qian stood in front of the sand table, facing the tent door.

He wasn't wearing armor, just a worn-out indigo-blue linen robe, the front and back of which were soaked with sweat, the color darkening considerably.

The sleeves were rolled up high, revealing arms that were also tanned dark.

Pang Tong sat on a stool not far from the side of the sand table, looking somewhat disheveled in the heat.

Fat people are afraid of the heat.

Pang Tong's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and a few strands of hair clung to his temples.

The front of the wide, moon-white linen robe was open, revealing the lining underneath, which was also soaked with sweat.

On a low table in front of him lay several thick ledgers and wooden tablets filled with densely written numbers, with a brass abacus beside them. His left hand moved the abacus beads rapidly, producing a crisp, rapid "clattering" sound, while his right hand held a fine brush dipped in vermilion, quickly sketching on an open register of land in Hanoi County, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

The abacus had almost become standard equipment for the strategists of the Flying Cavalry. Not only was it easy to carry, but it was also easier to remember and calculate than counting rods.

As footsteps approached, Zhang Liao, covered in dust and steaming from the heat, strode into the tent, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said in a deep voice, "This humble general has come as ordered!"

Fei Qian gestured to his personal guards, "Remove Wen Yuan's armor! And bring some more liquid water!"

The guards stepped forward and helped Zhang Liao take off his leather armor.

The leather armor and battle robes worn by Zhang Liao were surrounded by rings of salt stains.

Zhang Liao thanked him, then drank most of the jar of liquid, let out a burp, and immediately felt much more energetic.

Fermented vegetable broth doesn't taste good.

Although Fei Qian had never tasted the soy milk of later generations, he probably thought it was quite similar.

In this kind of weather, even brine that wasn't originally sour will start to ferment in just half a day. It's boiled again, ferments again, and then becomes a thick, sour brine.

However, it does have some effect in preventing heatstroke...

It is probably the lactic acid or other organic acids produced by this fermentation, along with electrolytes, that help maintain the body's balance during the hot summer.

Balance is important, just like the battlefield before us.

Once the balance is broken, it means the snowball effect needs to be accelerated...

The Songshan area and Wen County in Hanoi are the beginnings of a snowball effect. The question now is whether to continue rolling in a certain direction or adjust the speed.

"Wen Yuan, come and see." Fei Qian's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the heat inside the tent. "The latest military report from the southern front of Jingzhou and Xiangyang has just arrived."

Fei Qian pointed to the changing flags in the Jingbei region on the sand table, "Cao Mengde has sent troops to Xiangyang to oversee the battle... Cao Zixiao's resistance is exceptionally fierce..."

"Liao Yuanjian's troops launched an attack the day before yesterday, defeating Cao Cao's elite forces at Shitoubao outside Fancheng, but also suffering some losses themselves... However, Cao Zixiao advanced by land and water, and Li Mancheng provided timely support, allowing them to retreat into Zhuyang... Zhuge Kongming retreated to Yin County... Xu Gongming also dispatched Gan Xingba to attempt to harass the flank of Xiangyang, but he was attacked from both sides by Cao Cao's army and his whereabouts are unknown... Now Wancheng is besieged, and Huang Hansheng's troops are too few to hold... Sima Zhongda fell into Cao Cao's trap, not only failing to break through Cao Cao's lines, but also losing Feihubao and Guiku Pass, and retreating into Taigu Pass..."

Fei Qian hadn't received any news from Gan Erha, so he had no idea where Gan Erha had gone...

Although war is like this, Fei Qian still felt a pang of sadness every time he saw these sights. "Soldiers fought bloody battles, casualties... were extremely heavy."

Fei Qian took a deep breath, as if forcibly suppressing the pent-up emotions in his chest. "This is not a battle against foreign tribes, but fratricide! Every delivery of the list of fallen soldiers is like a finger being severed and a heart being ripped out! Breaking this stalemate is important, but the vitality of our Han people… Wen Yuan, what is the situation at the earthen fortifications in Gong County?"

Zhang Liao stepped forward, walking to the other side of the sand table. His gaze swept over the Sishui Pass, representing his defense zone, and then towards the points on the southern front where defeats had been suffered. He spoke concisely, his voice steady and powerful: "My lord, I have just returned from the front lines. Observing Cao Cao's camp, there have been unusual movements recently. The gates are tightly closed, and no soldiers are seen moving. The patrol drums are slow and sluggish, the guards are few and their movements are sluggish, and the provocative movements of the past have almost ceased. I suspect a trap, or perhaps the camp is undefended, so I ordered the A and B teams of the front lines to go to the edge of the moat and pretend to fill it, to probe the situation!"

He pointed to the location of the earthen ramparts in front of Gongxian on the sand table: "Cao Cao's army reacted slowly; the alarm gongs only sounded when our troops rushed to the trenches. The soldiers guarding the earthen ramparts and fortified walls assembled hastily and slowly, and their counter-attack arrows were sparse, weak, and inaccurate. The number of archers has been reduced by nearly half, and there is no sign of Cao Cao's army gathering for a counterattack!"

Zhang Liao's conclusion was resounding: "I suspect that Cao Cao's army may be impatient from the stalemate and have intentionally set a trap, or perhaps their elite troops have been secretly transferred south, leaving their camp vulnerable! I have ordered the vanguard to conduct another feint attack to ascertain the true situation, while simultaneously deploying scouts extensively to closely monitor their earthen fortifications, rear roads, and the surrounding mountains, focusing on whether there are any signs of a large-scale, clandestine troop movement!"

Fei Qian nodded, then glanced at Pang Tong who had come over. "Shi Yuan, what do you think?"

Pang Tong pondered for a moment, then looked up and smiled. "How about... we give it a try?"