Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3815 Like cicadas and larvae
At Chen Qun's suggestion, Cao Pi summoned prominent figures from both the Ji and Yu factions in the northern part of the city for a closed-door meeting at the Prime Minister's residence, with the highest honors.

Of course, the most prominent figure in the Yuzhou faction was actually Chen Qun.

It's just that everyone ignores it by default now.

This is like a superior emphasizing in a meeting that you can confidently offer opinions and criticisms; if someone actually believed it...

Let's just wait and see when Cerberus arrives.

However, instead of criticizing the leaders, one could criticize the other party's people. As a result, the atmosphere at the meeting was extremely tense and heated at the beginning, with representatives from both sides pointing fingers at each other and old grudges and new hatreds erupting at the same time.

Cao Pi listened patiently.

Once both sides had finished their insults, and all that remained was a tirade of nonsense like "come and dig a hole!", he slammed his hand on the table and roared, "Enough!"

Both sides fell silent.

Everyone knows that arguing doesn't solve problems, but it can help release emotions...

However, after venting, we still need to return to the problem itself.

Everyone present, whether from two sides or several sides, understood this point. So when Cao Pi spoke, everyone stopped, even those who had been red-faced and seemed about to fight at any moment, all sat down.

"If the city falls, what benefit will you gain?!" Cao Pi gritted his teeth and said, "First, the Cui family rebelled and ruined the south city! Now, for a ladle of water, are you going to ruin the north city?! The rebel army promised to distribute land to the people, but whose land will they distribute?! Do you really think that if the rebel army enters the city, as long as we surrender, they will spare our lives? Haha! What a joke! If you and I don't die, where will the rebel army get land to distribute?!"

Cao Pi's gaze swept coldly over them. "Are there still people who think that giving up land will save their lives?! Hahaha! Hahaha! If you were in their shoes, would you be at ease? Would you believe that those who give up their land are doing so willingly and will never change their minds?! Who would believe that?! I ask you, who would believe that!"

Past grievances are family matters! Today's life and death are the domain of outsiders! If you want to live, put aside your grudges and work together! Otherwise, we all die!

The threat of death ultimately outweighed the factional disputes.

Under Cao Pi's almost blatant threats, and with Chen Qun's mediation, the two sides finally reached a temporary, fragile, and limited consensus...

However, the official narrative was that the bureaucratic system of the northern part of Ye City remained united, progressive, and harmonious. Under Cao Pi's wise leadership, a closed-door meeting had reached a great consensus that the great Cao family could become great again...

After the meeting, Cao Pi acted swiftly and decisively, immediately adjusting the city's defenses.

The Jizhou and Yuzhou troops were completely reorganized and mixed together in various sections of the city wall. It was also required that the commander and deputy commander of each defense zone be from both factions.

At the same time, a strict order was issued that if a section of the city wall was lost, all generals in that section, regardless of faction, would be executed for the same crime!
This approach essentially forces the interests of the two factions together on one rope.

Regardless of whether a forced relationship is sweet or not, let's just force it together first...

In order to maintain this hard-won stability, Cao Pi also put on a show to the fullest extent.

He personally patrolled the camps twice a day, his footprints covering all the major camps and key defense sections.

He suppressed his disgust for the coarse millet rice and the earthy-tasting water, and ate with the ordinary soldiers.

He smiled and spoke carefully prepared remarks to the soldiers and military academy officers...

He spoke earnestly to the soldiers from Jizhou.

"Ye City is the foundation of Hebei, and Ji Province is my second home! What you are defending is not only this city, but also our shared homeland! By defending Ye City, we are defending our homeland!"

When dealing with veterans from Yuzhou, he appealed to their emotions.

"You are all my trusted advisors who followed the late Prime Minister from the very beginning! Years of battles, north and south, have brought us to this present state! Now, the traitors have besieged the city, intending to destroy the Prime Minister's hard-won achievements! Defending Ye City is defending this precious empire!"

It seems to be somewhat useful.

Although this rhetoric was crude, it did, to some extent, temporarily appease the emotions of different groups in the relatively simple environment of Dahan.

Under the combined approach of Cao Pi and Chen Qun, employing both carrot and stick tactics, strong suppression and limited compromise, the situation in Beicheng has entered a relatively stable phase, at least on the surface.

New wells were also started to be dug in both Yuzhou and Jizhou, which brought some new hope to ordinary soldiers, military academy students, and the families of officials in the north of the city.

Just as Cao Pi breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he had weathered the greatest crisis, and even began to plan how to use the newly gathered forces to launch a counterattack or hold out for reinforcements, Chen Qun brought news that plunged him into an icy abyss...

"Your Highness," Chen Qun's face was terribly grave, his voice hushed as if afraid the air would hear, "this bandit army... I'm afraid they're not just trying to cut off our water supply... In recent days, observing the movement of their laborers, the piles of earth, and the faint strange noises I've heard at night... I can conclude that the bandits are using the guise of building a dam to dig soil, but in reality... they're digging tunnels!"

"A tunnel?!" Cao Pi froze, grabbing Chen Qun's sleeve. "Are you...are you sure?"

Chen Qun nodded heavily. "Although I didn't witness it myself, many signs match... There are often flickering lights at night in the direction of the underground canal outside the city, accompanied by muffled sounds... If I'm not mistaken, the rebel army wants to break through the defenses and infiltrate the city via tunnels to breach our defenses!"

Cao Pi felt a sudden dizziness and sat down heavily.

He suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion welling up inside him, engulfing him like a tidal wave.

Can't we at least have a few days of peace?
The constant stream of events and the relentless performances, like a celebrity rushing from one show to another, were enough to leave Cao Pi feeling utterly exhausted, with a sore back and aching muscles. If it weren't for the massages he received from the young ladies every night, he certainly wouldn't have been able to keep going...

The story isn't over yet!
There are also tunnels!

Why can't the Flying Cavalry just stay still?!
He thought he had blocked the open swords and spears, but he never expected that the real killing move would come from under his feet!
Pang Tong's chess moves are interconnected, seemingly without end!

Cao Pi could not imagine what a terrifying sight it would be if the Flying Cavalry were to emerge from the ground and appear in the streets and alleys of the northern city!

Then the morale that he and Chen Qun had just managed to build up would probably vanish instantly.

After the initial panic and dejection, Cao Pi quickly realized that although Chen Qun's expression was solemn, his eyes did not reveal the same panic as his own, and he remained calm and composed.

Cao Pi immediately realized that Chen Qun must have a way to deal with it.

Cao Pi took a deep breath of the donkey meat sandwich and immediately felt a surge of heat, but he could only suppress it and write it down in his mind.

"Long post! You...you've already realized it, you must have a plan, right?!"

As he spoke the last few words, Cao Pi couldn't help but grit his teeth.

Even in this situation, Chen Changwen is still putting on airs?!
In fact, Cao Pi misunderstood Chen Qun. The reason why Chen Qun did not immediately recount everything was not to keep everyone in suspense, but because, on the one hand, Chen Qun had only recently discovered the matter, and it happened suddenly; on the other hand, he was constantly calculating in his mind how to deal with it...

Upon hearing Cao Pi's inquiry, Chen Qun nodded slightly and said, "Your Highness, do not worry. Ye City is a formidable city in Hebei. The foundation of its city walls extends several feet underground, constructed in layers of rammed earth, with massive stones as its base and the rammed earth as hard as iron, as solid as metal and stone! Collapsing the city walls will not be an easy task... However..."

This single word, "however," made Cao Pi's heart leap into his throat once again.

Chen Qun paused for a moment, then quickly continued, "The enemy is cunning; they might not forcibly dig up the foundation of the city wall... but rather... they might utilize the existing underground channels, expanding them in an attempt to quickly reach the city..."

Seeing Chen Qun pause, Cao Pi assumed Chen Qun was going to keep him in suspense again, and gritted his teeth, asked, "Long essay! What is your strategy?!"

Chen Qun sighed inwardly and revealed his long-considered plan: "We can use the same method as defending Shule City!"

"Then go and do it!" Cao Pi's patience seemed to have reached its limit.

"...As you command."

Chen Qun left the Prime Minister's residence.

Actually, Chen Qun was more worried about something else than entering the city through the underground canal.

gunpowder.

However, in the end, Chen Qun did not mention this issue to Cao Pi.

Mentioning it wouldn't help; in the end, Chen Qun would still have to solve it. And how could he possibly solve it? Did Chen Qun even know where the Flying Cavalry's gunpowder was stored?

Rear camp? Indeed, very likely.

But the question is, who will go?
If no one goes, how can we spoil the gunpowder of these cavalrymen?
It would be better to use a culvert...

Chen Qun let out a long breath.

For now, all we can do is take it one step at a time.

……

……

Commander Xiahou, who was digging a well, received an urgent military order.

"Stop! Stop digging! Quick! Grab your tools and come with me!" Although Commander Xiahou was inevitably puzzled, he still gave the order in a hoarse voice.

The soldiers looked at each other, staring at the well they had dug at their feet...

Are you not digging anymore?
The soil is already quite moist. If we dig a few more times, will water come out?
But a military order is a military order. Even though he complained, he still dragged his tired body, picked up his hoe and shovel, and followed Commandant Xiahou to the designated location.

Near the exit of the culvert in the north of the city, there was already chaos.

The clerk directed the soldiers and temporarily conscripted laborers to brutally demolish the houses around the outlet of the culvert.

Cries, shouts, and the sound of collapsing timber filled the air.

The dismantled bricks, stones, beams, and pillars were quickly transported to the front of the culvert outlet and hastily stacked up in an attempt to build a temporary, small barbican structure.

The task of Commandant Xiahou and the other soldiers and officers who were transferred here was to reinforce this simple barbican and to dig pits and place caltrops and barbed wire in the barbican.

"Quick! Quick! The bandit cavalry might emerge from underground at any moment!"

A military governor with a Yingchuan accent brandished his sword and urged them on sharply.

Upon hearing this, Commandant Xiahou and his soldiers dared not slack off and did their utmost to dig, move, and build.

Sweat mixed with dust, covering everyone's face.

Several large bronze cauldrons were set up, filled with foul-smelling molten gold, to be used to irrigate any possible entrances to the Flying Cavalry tunnels.

The atmosphere was extremely tense; everyone was straining to hear the digging sounds coming from underground.

However, until nightfall, there was nothing unusual at the exit of the culvert except for the noise they made themselves.

The anticipated scene of the cavalry bursting out of the ground like swarms of insects did not occur.

As night deepened, the soldier responsible for listening intently over the hollow pottery urn buried underground rubbed his numb ears and reported in confusion, "It seems... there's no more movement? We could vaguely hear muffled sounds before, but now... it seems to have moved to another location?"

Elsewhere? Where?

"Uh... I want to hear it again, just a little more..."

"Then hurry up and go listen!"

The soldiers and officers under Commandant Xiahou, who were waiting on the side, were also exhausted.

Even though Commander Xiahou knew that the military situation was urgent, looking at the hastily constructed and crudely built barbican in front of him, and smelling the increasingly nauseating smell of the broth that had been simmering for most of the day and had been boiled dry and watered several times, a sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart.

Some of his veterans had already begun to complain in hushed tones...

Commandant Xiahou pretended not to hear and didn't bother to care.

Finally, dawn broke, and the order came again—

They said the cavalry might have changed direction and demanded that they immediately move to a location on the other side of the city wall to dig new traps and fortifications!
This order was like the last straw.

The accumulated fatigue, thirst, and resentment from being repeatedly tormented all came together at once and exploded!
"I quit! I quit!"

A hot-tempered veteran slammed his shovel to the ground and roared at the clerk who had come to deliver the order, "Dig a well! No way! Guard the culvert! Guard it for nothing! Now you're moving us again? Do you think we're animals?! I'll work! Bring me food! Bring me water! Let me eat my fill, drink my fill, and get a good night's sleep! Otherwise, whatever your bullshit military orders, I won't listen!"

"Yes! I won't listen!"

"Eat your fill, take a nap, and then we'll talk!"

"They only make us work, but don't give us food, water, or sleep! What kind of logic is that!"

The soldiers were indignant, shouting and yelling all at once. Even several junior military officers stood silently by, clearly approving of the soldiers' behavior. They, too, were fed up with this endless, seemingly pointless commotion.

The clerk who came to deliver the order wasn't actually incapable of spouting lies, nonsense, or deception about the "blessings of working 996," but rather because the soldiers opposite him really did have swords and spears in their hands!
Without saying a word, the clerk turned around and left on the spot, then embellished the story and reported it to Chen Qun.

"Another betrayal?"

Chen Qun was also startled, but upon hearing that it was Xiahou's soldiers causing trouble, he immediately realized that it was the clerk who was behind it.

"Take it down!"

Chen Qun pointed at the clerk who was relaying messages back and forth and roared angrily.

Normally, Chen Qun would have tolerated it.

Chen Qun wasn't unaware that it was just a minor thing, like getting a little oil on his hands, but he was too lazy to change it because he was used to it.

But what happens now?
At Chen Qun's command, his personal guards pounced forward like wolves and tigers, quickly binding the clerk tightly. The clerk, who had just been exaggerating the situation, was now ashen-faced, trembling like a leaf, and unable to even utter a proper plea for mercy.

After dealing with the clerks, Chen Qun took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and hurriedly led his men to the entrance of the underground canal in the north city.

When the noisy soldiers saw Chen Qun arrive in person, their voices lowered slightly, but their faces, distorted by exhaustion and anger, still showed deep resentment.

Chen Qun's gaze swept over the crowd, taking in their exhaustion, thirst, and resentment.

I know you are tired, thirsty, and hungry.

Without reprimands or grand pronouncements, this simple sentence calmed the restless crowd considerably.

"It was my oversight, Chen Qun, that allowed these petty people to cause trouble and mislead you, causing you to suffer injustice," Chen Qun continued, his tone heavy with sorrow and sincerity. "Those gossips have been apprehended. I assure you all, such people will be investigated and punished without exception!"

Chen Qun paused, then changed the subject, pointing to a spot not far away, "But the military situation is urgent right now. The enemy could attack the city from underground at any moment. If we don't take precautions in time, we won't even be able to eat or sleep, let alone save our lives!"

"I've given the order to immediately allocate water and rations from my personal guard to the brothers here, to alleviate their immediate crisis! The new supplies will arrive by tonight at the latest!" Chen Qun raised his voice. "Now, I need half of my men to immediately go with my personal guard to another location to build a defensive line! The rest of us, led by the military academy here, will take turns resting for two hours! After two hours, we'll relieve the brothers at the front!"

Chen Qun did not engage in empty talk about loyalty, nor did he resort to threats or intimidation; instead, he directly offered a solution.

Punish the culprit, promise supplies, assign tasks, and arrange rest.

More importantly, he came in person and brought supplies for his personal guards.

Chen Qun's gaze fell on Commandant Xiahou.

Commander Xiahou took a breath. "What are you waiting for?! Grab your weapons and come with me!"

Half of them go to work, and the other half rest.

On the surface, it does look good, but it also means that the risk in this place has been reduced by half.

Under the command and organization of the junior military academy, the troops began to move in an orderly manner.

Chen Qun secretly breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the soldiers gradually calm down and begin to carry out their orders.

The crisis has eased temporarily once again.

But for now, he has finally pulled the team back from the brink of mutiny.

He remained in place until he saw the first batch of drinking water and dry rations distributed to the soldiers, and the soldiers' morale completely stabilized, before turning to leave...

On his way back to the Prime Minister's residence, Chen Qun suddenly realized the real problem!
From Zhao Yun and Zhang Liao building a high platform and using their local accents to demoralize the army, to Pang Tong cutting off the water supply and triggering internal strife, and now to this mysterious tunnel shrouded in ambiguity...

The cavalry's objective may never have been just the physical city walls!

Although the walls of Ye City remain sturdy and as hard as stone, the hearts of the people within the walls have long been riddled with holes and made extremely fragile by this series of blows, suspicions, scarcity and repeated upheavals!
Chen Qun could calculate the possible direction of the tunnel and come up with the ancient method of Geng Gong defending the city, but he could not calculate it, nor could he stabilize the already scattered morale of the army!
Where will Pang Tong's next attack come from?

Is it east? Is it west? Is it the real thing?

Or is it yet another deceptive scheme to sow discord?

Chen Qun realized that he had completely lost the ability to make a judgment.

He could stand before Cao Pi and still maintain a calm and composed expression, analyzing various possibilities and proposing solutions. But when he was alone, only he knew that his confidence, which he held so firmly in his grasp, had long since vanished in the face of the broken hearts of the soldiers and civilians of Ye City.

He seemed to be playing a game against an invisible, powerful, and omnipresent opponent, and the chessboard was this crumbling northern city, and the hearts of the people within it, which could no longer withstand any disturbance.

Pang Tong's series of actions were all open schemes laid bare before Chen Qun, which Chen Qun could see with his own eyes, yet he couldn't prevent the chaotic chariots of Ye City's northern city from veering off the precipice of destruction even an inch...