Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3818 Ye Qi
Kerosene!

Under Chen Qun's command, Cao's soldiers carried out a large amount of kerosene from a hidden cellar in the Prime Minister's residence and began pouring it into the pipes below.

Chen Qun handled many things in Ye City, including everything from the city walls to the underground canals.

Even before the arrival of the Flying Cavalry, Chen Qun had planned this method of retreating step by step and resisting layer by layer.

He had repeatedly studied the possibilities under the lamplight, turning every city wall, every secret passage, and every granary into chess pieces on a chessboard, confident that he had calculated all the possibilities.

They fortified their positions and scorched the fields, cut off the enemy's supply lines; they utilized hidden channels and set up ambushes and fire attacks; and finally retreated to Santai to put up a stubborn resistance...

Every step seemed to have a backup plan, and every link appeared to be seamlessly connected.

In his mind, this would be a long and brutal war of attrition. The cavalry would suffer heavy losses under the strong defenses of Ye City and the constant attacks. Eventually, when the troops were exhausted, they might be able to wait for a turning point.

but……

Chen Qun felt as if he had been put on fast forward. He didn't know what speed he was going through, but he felt that everything had changed in an instant!
His meticulously planned schemes and proud strategies seemed like child's sandcastles in front of the cavalry, or rather, the fat, dark-skinned Pang Tong, easily crumbled and destroyed with a few casual moves.

Even now, Chen Qun couldn't help but feel a little dazed. Standing atop the three high pavilions, looking down at the northern city, which was basically under the control of the Flying Cavalry and even beginning to show some signs of returning to order, he felt that everything was unreal.

The foundation upon which he based his thinking and decision-making lay—a system rooted in classical texts, historical records, philosophical works, past war experiences, and his control over the hearts and minds of the people…

By the way, in his view, public opinion can be guided or even manipulated through power politics and education...

This established system of perceptions seems to have been completely overturned in just a few days.

He couldn't understand why those low-ranking officials and soldiers who were usually obsequious and seemingly loyal would so quickly turn against the enemy after the city fell, and even take the initiative to serve the enemy.

He was well-versed in history and knew about defections and forced surrenders, but such a scene of almost enthusiastically throwing themselves into the new master was beyond his comprehension.

He also couldn't understand Pang Tong, or rather, the General of the Flying Cavalry's, military strategy. It was no longer the traditional method of conquering cities and seizing territory, no longer a simple combination of orthodox and unorthodox tactics, but rather more like…

All-round erosion and disintegration.

Wasn't war always about offense and defense?
Kill and attack with gusto, defend and retaliate with gusto—only then can it be called a truly exhilarating war!

What is this now?
When Chen Qun built a high platform to sing in the local dialect, he could still find examples in the classics. However, after that, from foraging and gathering firewood in the wild to the subsequent series of methods, it was completely impossible to find any similar examples in the classics and historical records.

Every step seemed haphazard, yet each one precisely targeted the defensive system of Ye City, especially the weak points in the morale defenses.

This was no longer the kind of war that Chen Qun was familiar with and could deduce on his desk, but a completely unfamiliar one, incorporating many entirely new models that he had never encountered before.

careless...

There was no flash.

How to do?
This immense sense of loss and disorientation plunged Chen Qun into profound self-doubt and mental confusion. Everything he had previously believed in and relied on...

Confucian teachings, Legalist political maneuvering, military strategy, and so on...

It all seems so pale and powerless under the relentless crushing force of reality.

He lived in a fantasy constructed by himself and the old order, believing that he could control everything with his wisdom and power, unaware that the times had quietly changed.

A new, more efficient, more cohesive, and more ruthless force is emerging before him in ways he cannot comprehend, seemingly about to sweep him and the old world he represents into the dustbin of history.

The change of control of Yecheng is not just the fall of a city, but also a microcosm of the end of an era.

And Chen Changwen was one of the most bewildered and pained witnesses to this final moment.

What he lost was not just a war, but also his original understanding and confidence in the world.

……

……

Meanwhile, Zhou Zhang, who had pointed out and confirmed the intersections of several underground channels, did not stop. Instead, under the protection of a small squad led by the Flying Cavalry, he was galloping towards the northern granary area.

As you travel through the chaotic streets and alleys, you will occasionally encounter small groups of Cao Cao's troops who are putting up a stubborn resistance, as well as groups of soldiers who are surrendering.

Zhou Zhang gripped the saddle post tightly, swaying and struggling to maintain his balance. His warhorse, somewhat dissatisfied, thrashed its neck, neighed, and snorted loudly.

In the warhorse's mind, it's like having a mischievous child squirming on its back, causing the warhorse to constantly adjust its center of gravity while running...

If it weren't for the warhorse's original owner constantly comforting it, the warhorse would have loved to lift its front hooves and throw the guy off its back.

Zhou Zhang had no time to spare; he had only one thought in his mind: he had to do everything he could to prevent the warehouse from burning down!

There were not only supplies that the cavalry urgently needed, but also the livelihoods of the people of the southern city and other people who might join them in the future!
Soon, they arrived at a large granary area.

They didn't come to raid the granaries.

Instead, they tried to persuade him to surrender.

The warehouse doors were tightly shut, and figures could be vaguely seen moving on the outer wall of the warehouse. The air seemed to be filled with the smell of smoke. Clearly, the Cao army's elite soldiers responsible for carrying out the burning were in place, perhaps making final preparations and awaiting their final orders!

"I am Zhou Zhang, the agricultural official! I have important matters to discuss with the brothers guarding the granary!" Zhou Zhang reined in his horse outside the granary gate, mustered his strength, and shouted loudly, his voice echoing in front of the empty granary area.

A commotion broke out on the wall, and several tense and hostile faces peeked out.

Seeing someone peek out, Zhou Zhang immediately cut to the chase, his tone urgent and sincere, "Brothers! Listen to me! Chen Qun sent you here to burn down the granary, didn't he?"

In the past, there were titles like Lord Chen and Prefect Chen; today, even Chen Changwen has been spared...

There was a moment of silence on the wall, then a deep voice roared: "So what if I am?! I was just following orders, what does that have to do with you, a traitor?!"

"What does this have to do with me? It concerns the lives of all my brothers!" Zhou Zhang raised his voice. "Do you know why Chen Qun is planning this?! He's not only going to burn the granaries, but he's also dumped large amounts of oil into the city's underground channels! He's just waiting for the right moment to ignite the entire city! Then, not only will these granaries be engulfed in flames, but the entire northern part of the city will be burned to death! All of you brothers will be burned to death together!"

Zhou Zhang paused, letting the terrible news ferment in the hearts of the defenders, before continuing sternly: "Did Chen Qun tell you how to evacuate after the fire was lit? Did he leave you a way out?! No! He didn't! In his eyes, you, like these provisions, are just pawns to be discarded at any time, used to hold off the Flying Cavalry! Once the fire starts, fueled by the wind, it will change direction in an instant, and you won't be able to escape! You'll either burn alive in these granaries or be trapped in the fire and turned into charred remains!"

Zhou Zhang's words immediately caused the Cao army soldiers inside the granary to change color. They had come under orders, only knowing to burn the granary to block the enemy, and had not received any information about a so-called "retreat route." Originally, they thought they could simply set the fire and run, but now, hearing Zhou Zhang's words, a chill instantly rose from the bottom of their hearts. Some people subconsciously looked back at the mountain of grain and the several barrels of oil with their lids already opened, and fear appeared on their faces.

"Think of your families, parents, wives, and children!" Zhou Zhang pressed his advantage. "Is it worth it for you to die here?! The General of the Flying Cavalry has breached the city; the tide has turned! Stubborn resistance will only lead to death! Surrender to the Flying Cavalry, and you may still have a chance to live! The General of the Flying Cavalry is benevolent and has long issued orders to treat surrendered soldiers well! Why waste your lives for those ungrateful Cao Pi and Chen Qun, dragging down the entire city's people and causing you yourselves to suffer this fate of being burned alive?!"

"Is what he said true?" A young soldier asked the old soldier next to him in a trembling voice from the top of the granary wall.

The veteran glanced sideways at the military academy officer directing operations in the granary, biting his cheek and remaining silent.

The military officer leading the group had an uncertain expression. Looking at the small but imposing cavalry outside the warehouse, he recalled Zhou Zhang's words, and then thought of the harsh treatment Cao's army had given him and his current fate of being used as a pawn. His loyalty finally wavered completely.

In fact, before Zhou Zhang arrived, the Cao army soldiers and officers who had been abandoned in the northern city had already begun to quarrel and waver.

Zhou Zhang's arrival undoubtedly added the final piece of the bargaining chip.

The scales have tipped.

*Clang!*

A ring-pommel sword was thrown off the wall.

"We...we surrender! We beg the general to spare our lives! We are willing to open our granaries and offer up our grain!"

……

……

The cavalry entered the northern part of the city and hurriedly went to block the culverts, control the city walls, salvage the grain and fodder, and seize the granaries. However, they did not show much interest in the area in the northern part of the city where the families of officials lived.

At least for this period of time, no cavalry came... This made the former officials of the Han Dynasty under Cao Cao very uncomfortable.

Because whenever the city fell, although they weren't the first to suffer, they would certainly be looted and harassed by the mutinous soldiers. Their wives, children, and elderly relatives would all be brutally murdered.

Now, they all feel a strange sense of disconnect.

On one side was the efficient and swift purge and control by the Flying Cavalry, and the northern city had indeed changed hands, while they were ruthlessly abandoned outside the high walls of the Prime Minister's residence; on the other side were the diverse lives of thousands of ordinary officials, low-ranking military officers, and their families from the former Cao regime...

The inner city walls and gates of the Prime Minister's residence were tightly closed.

Outside the enormous gate that seemed to separate life from death, a large, dark crowd had gathered.

Most of them wore official robes or clerk's uniforms that symbolized different ranks, but at this moment they had long lost their former dignity and composure.

These guys, like beasts whose spines had been removed, slumped to the ground, staring at the impossibly high pavilion, letting out heart-wrenching howls, their voices as mournful as the cry of a cuckoo bleeding blood...

"Your Highness! Open the door! Let us in!"

"We are utterly loyal subjects; why have you abandoned us, tantamount to disregarding our well-being!"

"It's over...it's all over...Big man, sob sob sob...it's all over..."

Their world collapsed as the city walls crumbled.

The order and support they relied on for survival vanished in an instant, coupled with immense fear and the despair of being abandoned, leaving them with no choice but to vent in the most primal way.

Some people have even suffered a mental breakdown, their eyes glazed over, curled up, their bodies trembling uncontrollably, unresponsive to everything around them, as if they had already buried themselves in the past, buried in the clamor and dust of bygone days...

Interestingly, most of the people gathered at the high walls and gates of the Prime Minister's residence were older, retired officials, while the younger officials, or those in lower-ranking positions who had not enjoyed many core benefits in the old system, were suppressing their fear and nervously observing the situation.

They observed that although the cavalry was disciplined and did not indiscriminately massacre the officials in the northern city, they treated the surrendered soldiers relatively orderly. Although their actions were inevitably somewhat brutal, it was at least much better than the indiscriminate killing they had expected...

More importantly, they saw Zhou Zhang!
When Zhou Zhang reappeared in this chaotic area, escorted by a team of elite cavalry, everyone's attention was instantly drawn to him.

Zhou Zhang looked somewhat disheveled, covered in dust, without his crown, and with his hair disheveled and untied. However, he stood up straight, remained calm, and even when talking to the cavalry captain beside him, he exuded a sense of composure.

The attitude shown by the Flying Cavalry towards Zhou Zhang was clearly one of protection and respect, rather than imprisonment.

"It's Zhou Nongcheng!"

"He... he's with the cavalry?!"

"The cavalry treated him very politely! What...what did he do?"

Zhou Zhang, the former agricultural official of the Cao family whom many of them knew, now seems to have transformed into a member of the Flying Cavalry Army, and more importantly, he seems to have been given important responsibilities and respect!
Not only is he alive and well, but he also seems to have gained recognition and a certain status!

This is more impactful and persuasive than any slogan!

Zhou Zhang naturally sensed the complex gazes cast upon him from every corner of the government offices and markets in the northern part of the city...

Zhou Zhang arrived here from the granary area under Pang Tong's orders. Instead of seeking out the high-ranking officials, Zhou Zhang went to find these mid- to low-level officials.

Even if Zhou Zhang alone rushed around as fast as he could, dividing the work into several parts, he could only cover a portion of the northern city. If he could get more officials to "surrender"...

Zhou Zhang turned to his bewildered former colleagues and spoke loudly, "Gentlemen! Fellow colleagues! Please hear me out!"

Zhou Zhang looked around at everyone. He saw some people who had worked with him before, and some who had slept in the dormitory with him during the siege.

"Cao Pi and Chen Qun have already discarded you like worn-out shoes, shutting the palace gates and only caring about their own safety! How long will you continue your blind loyalty to them?! The General of Chariots and Cavalry is renowned for his benevolence throughout the land. Today, he enters the city, intending to punish only the ringleaders, not those who were coerced! All those who wish to surrender will have their lives preserved, and may even be employed according to their abilities!"

Zhou Zhang pointed to the cavalry behind him, "Gentlemen, you can see for yourselves, when the cavalry entered the city, did they indiscriminately kill? Did they plunder? This is the army of a true king! You are all learned men, some skilled in practical affairs, others well-versed in classical texts; you are all talents needed by the nation! Why not abandon the darkness and embrace the light, to realize your ambitions and achieve great deeds?!"

Upon hearing this, some people were intrigued, and there were whispers and murmurs among them.

Before the group could finish their discussion, Zhou Zhang continued shouting, "Gentlemen! Does anyone know the layout of the underground canals in the north of the city or the location of the granaries? Point them out now! Helping to extinguish the fire, persuade the granaries to surrender, and preserve the grain will all be recognized as a great achievement! The Flying Cavalry Army is fair in its rewards and punishments and will never fail to honor its members!"

Upon hearing this, after a brief hesitation, a minor clerk who had been hiding behind others mustered his courage, raised his hand tremblingly, and said, "I...I participated in the dredging of the culvert last year...I know a little about it..."

Immediately afterwards, another official from the granary department stepped forward, saying, "This subordinate...this subordinate knows that there is an abandoned drainage tunnel next to the Bing-character granary, which could very well be being used..."

With a leader taking the lead, more people began to set aside their concerns.

They identified the location of hidden channels, reported potential hiding places for kerosene or resistance fighters, and even proactively led small groups of cavalry to control key points...

These officials, who originally belonged to the grassroots structure of the Cao Wei regime, began to turn against their former masters without hesitation in order to seek capital for survival and advancement under the new order. They turned their familiarity with the city into a pledge of allegiance to the General of the Cavalry.

……

……

Report!

"The cavalry's banner has appeared in the city!"

"The kerosene has been poured out!"

Upon receiving the report from Cao's soldiers, Chen Qun immediately ordered a signal to be sent to the soldiers stationed in the north of the city to light a fire.

The signal has been sent...

And indeed, a fire was lit...

When Chen Qun and Cao Pi first saw the raging fires burning in several areas near the Santai as planned, a twisted sense of pleasure and hope welled up in their hearts.

"Burn! Burn it well!"

Cao Pi stared ferociously at the firelight outside the window. "Let these traitors know that we don't surrender so easily, and that we still have loyal ministers!"

But soon, Cao Pi and Chen Qun's smiles froze.

They discovered that of the dozen or so fires originally planned, only two or three remained, and the flames showed no signs of spreading, appearing to be suppressed and extinguished!

how so?

If the fire in the granary could not be lit, it would be impossible to lure a large number of cavalry to put out the fire, and thus impossible to lure a large number of cavalry into the trap!
The location of the granary was chosen for storage purposes, avoiding damp and insect-infested areas like underground channels. Instead, a dry and relatively stable location was selected for construction.

Therefore, Chen Qun's plan was indeed quite vicious.

Once the granaries are set on fire, and the northern city is short of water, the cavalry soldiers, unaware of the situation, will certainly look for nearby water channels or wells to try to put out the fire. When the cavalry soldiers lift the stone covers of the water channels, they will find that the water flowing in the channels is kerosene!

Whether it's accidentally splashing sparks or igniting them directly with a rocket, it could turn North City into a living hell!
But now...

"Why?!"

Cao Pi's eyes were bloodshot as he roared at Chen Qun, "Why?! Why wasn't the fire lit?!"

At this moment, Chen Qun was also at a loss.

He had carefully assigned the military officers who remained in the granaries to guard the area, and they were all usually loyal and devoted, some even his confidants...

But why is this happening?

Seeing that Chen Qun seemed stunned and unresponsive, Cao Pi became even more furious and shouted, "If they won't light it, we will! Men! Light it!"

"No! Wait, wait a minute!"

Chen Qun suddenly felt a little flustered.