Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3789 Advance if you have the strength, otherwise retreat
In autumn and winter, the river waters no longer have the strong, surging momentum of spring and summer, but instead appear somewhat weary.

Just like Cao Jun right now.

Xun Yu stood on a high point at the ferry crossing, the cold wind blowing his robes and teasing his turban. Seeing that he was standing there blankly for a long time without responding, he suddenly abandoned him and left.

Back in the day, Xun Yu was such a dashing figure. When he went out, countless young women and wives would blush and their legs would go weak at the mere sight of him. But now, the dust of the world has replaced his dashing charm, and wrinkles have crept onto his brow.

Cao Cao sensed the approaching danger. As a top-notch strategist of the Han Dynasty, did Xun Yu not feel anything at all?

But what can be done?
Although, under Zao Zhi's command, most of the troops that were originally scattered in the Heluo region retreated into Luoyang City.

This situation pleased the ordinary soldiers of Cao Cao's army, but worried strategists like Cao Cao and Xun Yu.

Xun Yu had an increasingly strong premonition that the Heluo region was a trap.

A huge pit.

The problem is that they had to jump in before because this was the only weakness left by the Flying Cavalry.

Perhaps there are other places, but Cao Cao and Xun Yu couldn't wait...

The overall situation in Shandong and the Central Plains had deteriorated far beyond what Cao Cao, Xun Yu, and others had anticipated.

Of course, if Doggo could read some history, he would understand that in the late feudal dynasties, the speed of decay often exceeded the imagination of all the rulers and ministers!

The decay of a system is gradual, but its collapse is instantaneous.

When the core authority that maintains the last bit of cohesion in the system disappears, the entire system will collapse at a speed far beyond anyone's imagination.

This "accelerated decay" is not caused by a single reason, but rather by a "major collapse" that occurs after a complex system composed of multiple vicious cycles reaches a critical point!
In such a situation, there is often no way to reverse the situation!
Problems in the early stages of a feudal dynasty are usually isolated and relatively easy to solve, but in the later stages, various problems become intertwined, amplified, and entangled, forming an intractable knot.

Of the five signs of decay in the divine, the first and most likely to occur is 'financial collapse'.

Money disappears as you spend it!
For example, during the Great Meng Dynasty, the imperial court suffered from financial exhaustion due to war, the support of the imperial family, and the bloated bureaucracy.

After the treasury dried up, didn't the Great Meng court try anything? Did it ever try to extract money from powerful clans and local gentry when the treasury was depleted? Was there any fundraising or other method? Instead of simply increasing taxes on self-cultivating farmers?

some.

I did try many times, but without exception, I encountered huge resistance and ultimately failed.

The Great Meng court summoned wealthy individuals and imperial relatives, 'advising' them to donate to help with military expenses. They stated that they had made a lot of money in Great Meng over the years (it's almost embarrassing to admit they were embezzling), and now that the country was in trouble, everyone should contribute a little to help overcome the difficulties together...

As a result, these local gentry, wealthy merchants, relatives of the emperor, and officials retorted, "They embezzled through their own abilities, so why should they give it back?"

Then Lord Zhang checked the accounts and angrily asked ten questions in a row, asking where all of Da Meng's money had gone?

The Single Whip Law was implemented, and a nationwide investigation was launched.

As a result, everyone turned a blind eye and pretended to be crazy. Once Lord Zhang died, the political situation ended, and the counterattack began immediately, with most of the investigation results being abolished.

The reason why it is a thousand times more difficult to ask the gentry for money than to increase taxes on peasants is that the foundation of the Great Meng's rule is precisely these gentry class.

The gentry class monopolized the discourse. Imposing additional taxes was a "national policy" done out of necessity, while investigating old accounts was a "corrupt policy" that harmed the country and its people.

So the common people can only continue to suffer.

Land consolidation creates a large number of displaced people, or what we might call a massive influx of freelancers, which shrinks the national tax base, increases social instability, and gradually leads to a 'critical point'...

Before the "critical point," the decline is still gradual.

Cao Cao and Xun Yu originally thought that the "critical point" had not yet been reached, and that they could "endure a little more hardship," but they were wrong.

The Central Plains region of Shandong is now like it's in free fall!

However, if we follow what some of those little green books say, putting aside the facts, although they fell, at this moment they gained 'freedom'!

Are you happy to have gained "freedom"?

Xun Yu was not happy.

"My lord, the defenses are complete." A military officer from the Xun clan strode in, his face showing obvious fatigue. "However... our troop strength is severely stretched thin."

Xun Yu did not answer immediately, his gaze remaining fixed on the river.

"Struggling to make ends meet"—where isn't "struggling to make ends meet" these days?
Back then, everyone said that Shandong was a vast and resource-rich land with a large population. Who would have thought that it would be "stretched thin" today?
"Zhongming," Xun Yu called to the Xun clan military officer, "have you visited all the camps? Tell me the actual situation."

Xun, the military officer, sighed. "Since the start of the war last year, the number of soldiers in each battalion has been severely reduced... Right now, many of our detachments at the ferry only have thirty or forty men left, and some of them are old and weak... Could we ask the Prime Minister to send some elite troops over? Otherwise..."

Xun Yu's brows furrowed even more.

Xun Yu and his Xun clan soldiers were tasked with defending three ferry crossings.

Shanjin, Xiaopingjin, Mengjin.

Is Shanjin for coordination with Tongguan Slope, Xiaopingjin, and Mengjin...?

Xun Yu couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

If Cao Cao's army hadn't suffered so many losses at Taigu Pass and Guiku Pass...

Xun Yu sighed deeply and waved his hand, saying, "Go and inspect the area."

Xun Yu lifted the corner of his robe and walked forward along the riverbank.

The hidden danger was quickly discovered.

The first problem arose at a shallow shoal three miles upstream from the ferry crossing.

According to the original plan, there should have been hidden sentries and iron chains to block the river. However, when Xun Yu arrived, he only saw two old soldiers sleeping in the woods, and the so-called iron chains were rusty, fragile, and could hardly stop the ships.

"What happened? Where did the others go?" Xun Yu's voice wasn't loud, but it frightened the two veterans so much that they knelt down.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty..." an old soldier stammered, "The others...the others went hunting..."

"Hunting?!" Xun Yu frowned. "Has the military rations not been distributed? Why are we going hunting?"

The old soldier, trembling, brought over some military rations and opened them for Xun Yu to see.

The military rations were infested with insects, and some had changed color. You didn't even need to get close to smell them to feel a putrid odor.

Xun Yu remained silent for a moment, then said to the Xun clan military officer beside him, "Send more provisions! Just draw them from our army!"

"But..." Xun's military officer hesitated.

Xun Yu waved his hand, then said to the old soldier, "Go and recall all those on duty here! This sentry post is extremely important. If you allow the Flying Cavalry to arrive at the crossing silently, you will be punished even if you die a hundred times!"

The old soldier was terrified and repeatedly agreed.

But this was just the beginning...

As Xun Yu continued his inspection, he discovered more problems.

The pre-designed catapult and ballista positions lack replacement parts.

The flint and tinder stored in the beacon towers were damp and difficult to ignite.

The defensive lines that had been set up were altered without authorization, the reason being that it was too sunny on the loess plateau...

When night fell and Xun Yu returned to his military tent, he was exhausted.

But he couldn't rest yet; his desk was piled high with documents that needed to be reviewed...

Every troop deployment, food supply, and equipment repair is crucial to the survival of the defense line.

As the candlelight flickered, Xun Yu couldn't help but recall the scene when Cao Cao's army defeated the two Yuan brothers.

At that time, Cao Cao welcomed the emperor, and the morale of the soldiers was high. They fought bravely and never thought that things would turn out like this.
After a long and tiring night, Xun Yu finally managed to take a nap. The next morning, before he could even go to inspect another defensive position, he heard a quarrel erupting from a corner of the camp.

"Why should we build fortifications? We are soldiers!" a rough voice roared.

"This is a military order!" The captain's voice was tinged with helplessness. "Besides, building fortifications is also preparation for war..."

"Prepare for war?" the soldier scoffed. "When we're actually on the battlefield, we'll be fighting to the death! Why should we be digging holes now?! We've been fighting since last year, with so many dead and wounded, and we're even three months behind on our pay! We almost lost our lives in Taigu, and now we're expected to be dirt rats?"

Xun Yu walked slowly into the camp, and the arguing stopped abruptly.

When the regular soldiers saw it was him, they stopped arguing, but their faces still clearly showed resentment.

"My lord..." The captain hurriedly stepped forward and saluted.

Xun Yu waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers.

Xun Yu was unable to lead from the front; most of the time, he could only stand behind and shout, "Charge!"

Previously, these soldiers might not have necessarily "submitted" to Xun Yu, but they would have respected the laws of the Han Dynasty and the military laws of the Cao family, and they would have longed to be promoted and gain power from Xun Yu or some other superior. But now...

The so-called deterrent power of the Han Dynasty is naturally not as great as before.

"You've all worked hard," Xun Yu said slowly. "I know it's been tough for everyone, but..."

"But what?" a bold soldier interrupted him. "My lord, what's the use of all this empty talk? We need real provisions and pay! Today is hard, tomorrow won't be easy, who the hell has it easy?"

"You bastard!" The captain was about to rebuke him, but Xun Yu stopped him.

Xun Yu was silent for a moment, then suddenly said to his personal guards, "Go and fetch the money from my private treasury, and use it to pay the soldiers' wages first..." The soldiers received the money, and regardless of whether they could use it or not, their attitude softened considerably, and they were willing to cooperate with the needs of the battle.

It seems the problem has been solved...

However, Xun Yu knew in his heart that this was only a temporary measure.

In the afternoon, a similar situation occurred again during an inspection tour of Xiaopingjin.

"My lord," Xun's military officer said in a low voice, "this isn't a solution... your personal wealth won't last long... and if someone accuses you of using your private funds to buy off the army's morale..."

"I know," Xun Yu said with a wry smile, gazing at the opposite bank of the Yellow River. "But besides these, what hope can we offer our soldiers?"

hope.

This word now seems so luxurious.

Years of fighting and countless casualties had long since worn down the soldiers' fighting spirit.

Even the bestowal of real gold and silver is now failing to ignite their true fighting spirit.

What worried Xun Yu the most was the uncertainty of military intelligence.

The Flying Cavalry could have too many routes to attack.

They might sail downriver in warships and head straight for the crossing; they might cross the river from Hedong County and attack the flanks; or they might even circle around from Hanoi and strike Luoyang directly.

Our forces... are too scattered...

Xun Yu muttered to himself.

This is a big problem, but it can't be solved.

In order to guard against all possible attack routes, he had to disperse his limited forces to various key locations.

This means that no matter which direction the cavalry attacks, the local defenders will be at a disadvantage.

Strengthening defenses means deploying a large force, and once a large force is deployed, retreating becomes much more difficult...

Even more frightening was that this uncertainty was eroding the soldiers' morale. Every night, various rumors would circulate throughout the camp, some true, some utter nonsense…

Xun Yu tried to rectify military discipline and severely punish those who spread rumors, but with little success.

Sometimes, when patrolling the camp late at night, he would see soldiers gathered together, whispering about their hometowns and about life and death.

Later, Xun Yu had to find some people to impersonate "people from his hometown" so that the soldiers could temporarily alleviate some of their worries.

But what is fake is still fake, and it won't last long.

Xun Yu climbed the newly built arrow tower.

The river, bathed in moonlight, resembled a silver ribbon, while the darkness on the opposite bank was so profound it was unsettling.

Every shadow could conceal a massive army, and every gust of wind could foreshadow the impending attack of the cavalry.

"Your Excellency..."

The military officer Xun whispered from the side, "It's late, Your Excellency should get some rest..."

Xun Yu shook his head, "At this moment... all we can do is try our best..."

After a brief pause, Xun Yu asked, "Have the gunpowder that the Prime Minister sent been properly stored?"

Xun's military officer replied, "Everything is arranged..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xun Yu's military officer noticed the scrutinizing gaze he was receiving and instinctively lowered his head. "I'll go check again immediately to make sure everything is perfect!"

After all, the Xun family's military academy had made all the arrangements beforehand, but when Xun Yu inspected the place, he found problems everywhere. If the Xun family's military academy members hadn't been part of the same family, ten heads probably wouldn't have been enough to be chopped off!

"Let's go tomorrow during the day!" Xun Yu stopped the military officer. "What's the point of going now?! Go and rest!"

The military academy officer dared not say anything more, and obediently agreed before retreating.

Xun Yu remained silent for a long time, then looked up and gazed at the opposite bank of the river.

Sometimes Xun Yu even hoped that the Flying Cavalry would appear soon, at least to end this suffocating wait.

But when he saw the darkness on the other side, he couldn't help but pray that this moment would come later.

With each additional day he has, he can improve the defenses a little more and give his soldiers a little more time to prepare.

This conflicting feeling tormented this once infallible strategist day and night.

Just like Xun Yu's insistence on the Han imperial family...

Of course, Xun Yu cannot be said to be a complete "royalist". He was not protecting Liu Xie as a person, but rather protecting the Confucian orthodox order, the system of co-governance by the aristocratic clans, and the foundation of stability of the country represented by the Han Dynasty.

Xun Yu's insistence on upholding the Han dynasty was essentially about maintaining this "foundation of legitimacy," while Fei Qian's new policies clearly shook this "foundation of legitimacy."

The political structure of the Eastern Han Dynasty was essentially one where the aristocratic class monopolized education and the recommendation system, becoming the core force of the bureaucratic system. The Han court relied on the support of the aristocratic class to maintain its rule, forming a symbiotic relationship. Xun Yu, as a representative of the Yingchuan aristocratic class, also included the protection of the interests of the aristocratic class in his adherence to the Han court.

Fei Qian disrupted this pattern. He rose to power through a side branch and as a warlord, a process completely incompatible with the scholarly traditions and the recommendation of gentry. He should have risen and fallen just like Dong Zhuo and Han Xin, but Xun Yu never expected that Fei Qian would create such a great power in the world!

Why is this the case?

Xun Yu had a vague answer in his heart, but he was unwilling to face that answer.

It's like knowing that 1+1=2, but Xun Yu keeps thinking and asking, could it equal 0, 1, 3, 4...?

It means eliminating the correct answer.

A sliver of gray appeared on the horizon; a new day was about to begin.

Xun Yu straightened his clothes and prepared to continue his inspection for the day.

No matter how difficult the road ahead, he must persevere.

Just like his adherence to the traditions of the Han Dynasty...

……

……

The mountain winds along Wuguan Road had already carried a biting chill.

Zhuge Liang stood on a high ground, wearing a cloak and holding a telescope, carefully observing the movements of Cao Cao's patrol team on the opposite side of the mountain.

After Zhuge Liang led his troops back to Shang County on the Wuguan Pass, Cao Cao's army did not continue to attack the Wuguan Pass. Instead, they set up camp along the pass to intercept them, creating a stalemate.

Shamoke stood to the side, craning his neck to watch, seemingly trying to discern or guess what Zhuge Liang was looking at or thinking...

"Come and see." Zhuge handed the binoculars to Shamoke.

Shamoke, quick as a flash, took the binoculars, glanced at them, and then asked somewhat bewilderedly, "What are you looking at? Smoke? I don't see anything..."

Zhuge Liang smiled slightly. "Look at Cao Cao's patrol. At this time of day, their patrols should have already been rotated out, but today... it's the same group of men patrolling back and forth."

"This..." Shamoke quickly moved the binoculars to the location of Cao Cao's patrol. "How...how did you figure that out? No, I mean...perhaps something happened, and the replacements didn't arrive on time..."

Zhuge Liang smiled. "It's baseless. Take another look..."

"No, no, let's hear from you..." Shamoke said, squinting as he looked. "I believe in you, but I don't know how to interpret things yet..."

"Cao Cao's patrol route goes from here to there, in a loop..." Zhuge Liang gestured, not intending to make things difficult or keep them in suspense, "If they're preparing for a handover, what do you think they'll do? Will they continue forward a bit, or will they stop and wait somewhere?"

Shamoke suddenly realized, "I see! Yes, that's right!"

Zhuge Liang then smiled and asked, "So, if that's the case... what does it signify?"

"Wh-what?" Shamok scratched his head.

This time, Zhuge Liang did not answer immediately, but instead surveyed the Wuguan Road along the mountainside.

This vital route connecting Jingzhou and Guanzhong has always been a strategic location fought over by military strategists.

The troops Cao's army originally deployed here were all elite soldiers, personally commanded by Cao Ren.

"Cao Zixiao is always cautious in his military tactics," Zhuge Liang pondered. "Such an obvious oversight can only mean two things... either he's deliberately feigning weakness to lure the enemy, or..."

Zhuge Liang suddenly turned his gaze in another direction, 'It seems... the time has come...'

Shamok was completely baffled.

Zhuge Liang smiled and said, "I plan to send the Cai family to bypass Cao Cao's camp and go to Jingzhou... Hehe, to test the waters, I'll need your assistance..."

Shamoke nodded and said, "No problem! Do you want me to escort Lady Cai there?"

Zhuge Liang shook his head and said, "As for the Cai family... all you need to do is send some capable subordinates... but there is one thing that only you can handle... it's just that it will be somewhat dangerous..."

"Danger?" Shamok's eyes widened.

"However... if it succeeds, it will be a great achievement..." Zhuge Liang turned to look at Shamoke, "I wonder... are you willing?"

(End of this chapter)