Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3778 The Rong and Di tribes, like jackals and wolves, should not be disliked; the various Xia peoples, being close allies, should not be abandoned.

The Prime Minister's Residence in Ye City.

The candlelight flickered on the bronze lamp, casting the shadows of Cao Pi and Chen Qun onto the screen painted with a map of the nine provinces.

The person didn't move, but the shadow was already baring its teeth and claws.

The autumn wind howled outside the window, like the countless wronged souls of laborers who died building the Three Terraces of Ye City, weeping on the dry riverbed of the Zhang River.

The three platforms of Ye City not only showcased the prestige of the Yuan family but also reflected the glory of the Cao family.

"There is much resentment in the south of the city," Cao Pi said slowly. "The people's hearts are unsettled. I wonder if Changwen has any solutions?"

Chen Qun sat at the lower end of the table, unfolded a scroll of bamboo slips on his desk, and said nonchalantly, "When has the people's hearts not been restless? Your Highness need not worry."

Cao Pi tapped his knuckles on the rosewood table, producing a dull thud, and frowned as he said, "Back in Guandu, Father, he could distribute grain using small measures without causing unrest..."

Chen Qun smiled and pointed to the bamboo slips on the table, saying, "Times have changed. If the entire city were to share the spoils equally... our provisions would only last a little over a month..."

Cao Pi frowned further, "But the southern city... if we ignore it, I'm afraid..."

Chen Qun raised his head slightly and smiled, "I expected this long ago..."

"Oh?" Cao Pi was taken aback. "Even so, does Changwen have any brilliant plan to resolve this situation?"

Chen Qun smiled gently, a smile that resembled someone else's. "Back in Guandu, our lord's camp had many soldiers but few civilians. Now, in Yecheng, there are many civilians but few soldiers, so we cannot use the small-scale fighting methods of Guandu. Your Highness can rest assured… If the southern city doesn't descend into chaos, what excuse will I have to silence these people?"

Cao Pi was somewhat confused by Chen Qun's meaning. "Does the long article mean... that the unrest in the southern city is actually beneficial?"

Chen Qun nodded, "Indeed."

Cao Pi cupped his hands in greeting, "Please enlighten me."

Chen Qun put down the bamboo slips in his hand, as if toppling the first domino. "I have three strategies: build a wall, cut off the river, and divide the empire."

……

……

Wooden fences were suddenly erected at all the intersections connecting the north city to the south city, and checkpoints were set up.

Initially, only Cao's Tiger Guard troops, clad in armor and wielding halberds, stood behind the palisade, angrily shouting at the civilians attempting to pass: "By order! Martial law! There is a riot in the south of the city; passage is prohibited!"

An elderly man tried to pass, saying, "Sir, please grant me passage. I need to go to the south city to pick up my grandson..."

"Get out of my way!" The sergeant slammed his halberd shaft into the old man's back. "Who knows if you're going to tip off the rioters!"

Several peddlers from the south were also pushed and shoved back, and the goods in their baskets were "temporarily confiscated" by the garrison.

Anyone who argued was immediately pinned to the ground and whipped.

Cao Pi and Chen Qun stood on the watchtower, looking down at everything.

"Isn't this too harsh?" Cao Pi frowned. "If... it adds fuel to the fire..."

"Your Highness, please wait and see..."

Chen Qun smiled and pointed to the gate of the northern city.

Many servants of noble families were seen carrying food boxes, offering their thanks to the soldiers guarding the city gates and other checkpoints. Their smiles were warm and friendly as they said, "Thank you for your hard work in guarding the northern city!"

"We can't let those mobs rush over, or we'll all be in trouble!"

Having received food and money, the officer thumped his chest and spat curses towards the south of the city, "Don't worry, we absolutely won't let the rioters from the south into the north!"

Cao Pi seemed to be deep in thought.

Chen Qun slowly said, "This wall serves as a barrier, separating the city. When Duke Zhuang of Zheng defeated Duan, he established the fortified city of Ying, making the people of the capital aware of the danger and thus defend themselves. For the ignorant masses, food and clothing are like parents! If there are thieves, they will surely hate them. Now, erecting this wooden fence is like building a canal, drawing the north's anger and resentment towards the south, thus separating the north and south."

That night, Chen Qun ordered dozens of corpses to be dragged to the checkpoint and displayed to the public, indicating that these were the grain thieves from the south of the city.

The residents of the northern city, upon seeing the mangled corpses of the southern city dwellers, clapped and cheered as if they were seeing their enemies: "Well done! Let's see who dares to steal grain now!"

……

……

Along with the checkpoints, various rumors suddenly began to circulate in the various wards of the northern city.

In the western ward, where artisans lived, several servants of aristocratic families were "chatting" under the ward gate.

"Do you know why the people in the south of the city always cause trouble? They're lazy! The government originally intended to provide work relief, but they've been slacking off and cheating even when repairing the city walls!"

"Exactly! I heard they took the relief grain and went to exchange it for alcohol. They deserve to starve to death!"

"Their ancestors didn't work hard! They deserve what they've become, and they even try to harm us!"

Meanwhile, in the East Alley where low-ranking officials lived, some people in the food stalls were "deeply worried."

"If those thieves and rioters from the south city were to storm in, those of us with modest wealth would be the first to suffer..."

"My cousin said those lazybones in the south of the city don't think about how to work properly; they just keep an eye on the north side, trying to steal and rob us!"

"Every family has elderly and young members; why should we give them our provisions?"

Chen Qun also sent people to impersonate "riot survivors" from the south of the city, who publicly recounted how the "mob" had robbed them, describing their tragic situation in detail...

The people in the north city had no idea about the "riot" in the south city. It wasn't nearly as serious as they thought. But the news, with its incomplete parts and half-truths, spread like wildfire. Even if some people didn't believe it at first, as more people said it, everyone started to believe it.

The merchants were so frightened that they hired extra guards overnight, and some even petitioned the government, urging, "Please guard the road carefully; we must not let those beasts from the south city cause trouble!"

When Cao Pi heard the gossip in the alleyways condemning the people of Nancheng for being "lazy by nature" and having "incompetent ancestors," he was slightly surprised. "These people... are quite reasonable..."

Chen Qun replied, "These are two walls, referring to the walls of the heart. In the past, when Tian Dan guarded Jimo, he spread the rumor that 'The people of Qi have obtained a divine teacher,' and the people's hearts were at peace. Now, making the northerners fear the threat from the south is like placing thorns on the road, preventing them from passing through."

……

……

At the same time, a strict rationing system was suddenly implemented in the northern part of the city.

When lower-ranking officials discovered they were only receiving 70% of the usual amount of grain, resentment began to fester.

Chen Qun immediately sent people to spread the news in various neighborhoods.

"Do you know why the grain quota was reduced? The Crown Prince is benevolent and couldn't bear to see the poverty in the southern city, so he allocated our grain to them!"

"Why?! Why should our grain be given to the southern city?"

"Sigh, we're all Han citizens, we're all one family..."

"What do you mean, 'family'! We guys from the North City and the South City aren't family!"

When the angry crowd gathered in front of the government office, the logistics supervisor was "forced" to produce the account books.

Of course, the ledgers were fake.

This further fueled the anger of the people in the north of the city. "Look! They give the south a hundred bushels of grain every day! Are they all pigs? How can they eat so much?!"

"We've already given them food, and they still steal from us! They deserve to die! Why should we give it to them!"

"They stole our grain!"

"The entire South City deserves to die!"

Amidst the commotion, the people of the northern city forgot that their current predicament was caused by being besieged, by the presence of the General of the Cavalry outside, and by the system of the Cao family's political group.

However, almost all the anger of the people in the north city was successfully redirected to the south city.

…… ……

Chen Qun smiled at Cao Pi and said, "This is the third wall, a way to divert disaster eastward. Bai Gui once said that his methods of flood control surpassed Yu's, not because of superior control, but because of his economic management. Now, by taking away their food, we're making them suspect their neighbor of stealing an axe. Three walls are built: wooden fences separate their form, rumors separate their hearts, and taking away their food separates their courage. Now that the situation is favorable, we can open the gate, allowing the people of the north city to defend against the south city."

Cao Pi asked, "What if... we see its 'axe'?"

Chen Qun stroked his beard and said, "That is the strategy of 'cutting off the flow'..."

Cao Pi's attitude was noticeably more respectful than before. "Please enlighten me."

Chen Qun, his voice clear and resonant, shook his sleeves and declared: "Confucius once said, 'The people can be made to follow a path, but they cannot be made to understand it.' The key to the strategy of building a wall is to make the people of the northern city arrogant about their status, like a flood pouring southwards. The northern city is mostly inhabited by gentry and officials; what they fear is the rumor that the southern city will also be built; what they worry about is that warnings and lapses in defense will inevitably lead to disaster. They will certainly be afraid, thus creating a rift between the north and south."

Chen Qun stretched out his hand and slowly chopped down in the air, mimicking the shape of an axe. "This is precisely the meaning of 'the neighbor stealing the axe.' Since the northern people live next door to the south, we should only let them believe what they want to believe. Anger, hatred, fear, and other emotions intertwined will only blind them. If the north tries to govern the south, the information obtained will only be fragmented and incomplete. Like the man from Zheng who suspected his neighbor of stealing an axe, he never saw the axe; how could he correct it? This is the essence of 'cutting off the flow.'"

Cao Pi frowned and said, "What if someone were to discover the true nature of the axe?"

Chen Qun chuckled, his expression utterly relaxed, "How can the common people determine authenticity? Even if I possess the genuine axe, if I declare it a forgery, then it is a forgery. Zhao Gao once pointed at a deer and called it a horse; but where is the deer now?"

"So...in the end, the tripartite division was established?" Cao Pi understood the gist of it.

Chen Qun raised his head, his gaze sweeping down over the houses in the south of the city. "Indeed. The Zhou Rites record that the Son of Heaven possessed nine tripods, the feudal lords seven, and then the number decreased progressively. This is the profound meaning behind the sage kings' establishment of rites. Now, by linking military merit with food and drink, one can accumulate merit to exchange for tripods—driving a cavalry charge, presenting a letter, investigating spies—all can be done. This will make the ignorant people of both the north and south eagerly pursue promotion through food and drink; what else will they care about?"

Seeing Cao Pi's hesitation, Chen Qun laughed and said, "In the past, when the people of Qi seized gold in the market, they only saw the gold and not the people. Now, making the people fight over a feast is like letting dogs chase a cunning rabbit. But by controlling the amount of food and giving it away, it's as easy as controlling your own arm. They will come carrying a letter from a general to present it, like dogs and pigs fighting over bones! Isn't that better than us searching for them ourselves?"

Cao Pi's eyes sharpened, and he asked again, "If you were to discover the secrets of this lavish feast, what would you do then?"

"Absolutely impossible." Chen Qun's words were firm and resolute. "From the Zhou Dynasty to the Han Dynasty, even with the wisdom of Shi Kuang, could they possibly break this deadlock? And what about the voices of Chen and Wu?"

Cao Pi was still uneasy, 'What if there really is a rebellion…'

"Choose just two or three commoners, publicly elevate them to a life of luxury, and everyone will envy their pampered existence. Who will care where the meat comes from?" Chen Qun laughed. "These foolish people are beyond redemption. What does Your Highness have to worry about?"

Cao Pi nodded. "So... the city can be pacified, but what about the cavalry outside the city?"

Chen Qun's eyes flashed with murderous intent. "Now that the North and South are united, using the southern city as a trap to lure the General into a snare is nothing more than throwing a few coins into a cauldron as bait..."

Planning is always beautiful, especially when it's being planned.

……

……

Twenty li north of Ye City.

The Northern Cavalry Army Camp.

The northerly winds whipped up the banners between the camps, sending them soaring freely through the air.

The cavalry camp covered a vast area, with nearly 10,000 cavalrymen occupying an area spanning several miles.

Wei Yan was originally an infantryman, but he and his men also knew how to ride horses, although their riding skills were not as proficient as those of the northern cavalry. Zhao Yun brought more warhorses than men, so naturally, he had just as many as Wei Yan and his men.

Wei Yan and others naturally transitioned from infantry to cavalry.

Or, to put it another way, infantry with cavalry.

Inside the central command tent, a campfire was burning brightly, and an earthenware pot was hanging on a wooden frame, brewing tea.

Although General Fei Qian was accustomed to brewing tea and it was popular among the gentry, the army mostly drank tea by boiling it with ingredients. This was because it was effective in warding off the cold and could also be used to stave off hunger.

Zhao Yun, Wei Yan, and Zhang Liao were in the central command tent, discussing military matters around a map.

The guards inside and outside the tent stood at attention, moving about as carefully as possible without making a sound.

The map meticulously marks Ye City and its surrounding mountains, rivers, counties, and towns. Small red flags representing the Flying Cavalry are planted around Ye City, while small black flags are densely packed on the huge map of the city opposite.

All three were dressed in military uniforms, but they had placed their helmets aside.

Zhao Yun pointed to the unusually thick walls of Ye City, saying, "Our army cannot launch a direct assault. Judging from Ye City's defenses, the Cao family is not entirely incompetent. The city is fortified, with ample reserves of stones, logs, oil, and molten metal. Our light cavalry is advancing rapidly, carrying mostly bows and crossbows; heavy weapons like ladders, battering rams, and catapults are in the rear. Whether forged locally or transported from the rear, they will not arrive within ten days. If we were to force our way through this city with our bare hands, it would only increase casualties and damage our morale."

Ye City was originally intended by Yuan Shao to be a monument to his Yuan family, so he naturally put a lot of effort into it. However, when Cao Cao came to attack, it was not destroyed too badly...

After all, if the damage had been too severe before, Cao Cao would not have chosen to renovate and rebuild the Three Platforms in Ye City.

The southern city of Ye was reinforced, and the three platforms of the northern city stood in mutual support, forming a defensive triangle. Moreover, it was not a shoddy construction project like those of later dynasties, so it was naturally more solid than any other county or city city in Ji Province.

This also became the source of confidence for Cao Pi and Chen Qun to persevere.

Although Zhao Yun and his men had already ordered craftsmen to build the necessary siege equipment, just as Zhao Yun had said, it would take time.

Zhang Liao stroked his beard, his gaze shifting from Ye City itself to the surrounding vast plains and the small county towns marked with their names. "The Protector-General is quite right. However, our army is bogged down beneath this fortified city. If we remain inactive for too long, morale will easily slacken… Furthermore, the local powerful families in Ji Province often maintain private armies… If they continuously harass our supply lines, or coordinate with the defenders of Ye City to launch surprise attacks, our army will inevitably be put on the defensive."

Zhang Liao paused, then pointed to several important grain-producing counties: "The best course of action now is to send a detachment to swiftly sweep through the counties within a hundred li of Ye City, eliminating powerful local magnates and their private armies. This will ensure the safety of our rear and the smooth flow of our supplies. Secondly..."

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Zhang Liao's eyes. "The autumn harvest from Ji Province has just been stored in the granaries. We can also requisition supplies locally, using the enemy's grain to feed our troops. In this way, the siege of Ye City will be worry-free, and can be prolonged."

Zhao Yun nodded slightly, but Wei Yan raised an objection.

Wei Yan had caused quite a stir in Ji Province before, and he knew the local people quite well. He was well aware of the situation and its problems. "In Ji Province, the imperial court's name is far less effective than the grain contracts and private armies held by the local tyrants! I've seen enough of these local bullies' true colors in northern Ji! They're opportunistic and two-faced. When our army is pressing in, they naturally bow and scrape, welcoming us with smiles, but once we divide our forces, how many troops can each county garrison? Three to five hundred men is the limit!"

"If we send troops to the surrounding counties, they'll surely surrender without a fight..." Wei Yan laughed heartily, seemingly thinking of something amusing. "However... Brother Wenyuan, you don't know this, but these powerful clans in Ji Province are no good... These guys have plenty of ways to deceive us! They'll cry poverty and complain all the time, claiming their granaries have been ransacked by Cao Cao's army or looted by refugees... They might even secretly collude with small groups of Cao Cao's remnants or bandits to attack our supply convoys, harass our garrisons, and create chaos! Our soldiers will be unfamiliar with the area; how will they distinguish the truth from the falsehood? How will they deal with these deeply entrenched powerful clans? In the end, there will only be two outcomes... Either we won't collect a single grain of food and will be wasted; or my three or five hundred brothers will be completely bogged down in the local area, exhausted from running around, reduced from elite field troops to local militia, losing their mobility! So, trying to seize these counties to plunder grain... is not feasible."

A profound silence fell inside the tent.

The crackling of the campfire and the sound of the wind outside the tent were exceptionally clear.

What Wei Yan said was absolutely based on experience.

The powerful clans of Ji Province had long been established and deeply rooted, and their loyalty was highly questionable. In the face of uncertainty, their only guiding principle was self-interest.

Cao Cao's open scheme was now laid bare before Zhao Yun and his two companions.

The Northern Cavalry Army is indeed very strong, but their warhorses consume a lot of food.

This adorable creature with big eyes has a particularly picky palate.

Other livestock can be fed regular hay, but warhorses must be fed concentrated feed.

Soybean meal is the best, even sorghum is not as good, and it's also a large food source.

A mature stallion consumes thirty to forty catties of food in a day and night.

The same amount of food can feed 5 to 8 ordinary soldiers.

If we were to be even more frugal, we could even support ten ordinary soldiers...

Most foods in the Han Dynasty did not contain oil.

At the same time, if the warhorses become more active, they will consume even more fodder.

After occupying Youzhou, Zhao Yun didn't really want to rush straight to Yecheng; rather, he had no choice but to head south...

Because some bad news came from Zhang He in the north.

On the other hand, there is also the issue that Wei Yan mentioned.

Jizhou is too big.

If we slowly conquer cities one by one, how many troops would it take?
But what if we can't take Ye City, or if we waste too much time and resources there...

That's another big problem.

Zhao Yun cleared his mind of distractions, his gaze returning to Ye City, a thoughtful glint in his deep eyes. He slowly broke the silence: "Wen Chang's words are indeed reasonable. Dividing our forces to control territory makes us vulnerable to being bogged down by local powers, ultimately diminishing our numerical advantage and mobility. However, Wen Yuan's concerns about supplies and logistics are also matters of life and death. Prolonged garrisoning beneath a fortified city means our supply lines are our lifeline; any mishap would surely throw our morale into chaos."

Zhao Yun pondered for a moment, "A direct attack is not advisable, and dividing our forces is also unstable. Perhaps... we can find another way..."