Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3835 Convention
Although Shamoke tried his best to learn from the Han people's experience, the golden time for learning had passed, and now it was inevitable that he would achieve less with more effort. He would also subconsciously resort to old habits to solve problems from time to time.

Just like now, he is used to using force and feels that force is enough. He is very dissatisfied with Li Yuan's request and stares at Li Yuan, asking what he wants to do.
Li Yuan frowned, his gaze sweeping over the letter from Cao Cao's army, then looking towards the depths of the mountains. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "A surprise attack is not advisable... However, if the goal is merely to create chaos, a direct assault may not be the only option."

Li Yuan looked at Shamoke and said, "I remember... among the equipment we carried was the Yellow Crossbow?"

Shamoke paused for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, I did, but I only brought two. Those things are very heavy, and the crossbow bolts are expensive... What do you want to do?"

"If not close-range attack, then a long-range assault." A glint of shrewdness flashed in Li Yuan's eyes. "We'll find a suitable high ground on the flank or rear of that storage point, and use our large crossbows to fire gunpowder arrows. We don't aim to kill many defenders, but simply to set their supplies ablaze! Once the fire starts, chaos will ensue, and in chaos, we'll have an opportunity! Even if we can't burn all their supplies, we can still disrupt their ranks, achieving what Zhuge Liang wanted!"

Shamok stroked his chin, pondering the plan.

While it's not as satisfying as charging in and hacking and slashing, it seems...

"Alright! That's the plan!" Shamoke finally made up his mind. "Men, pack your things, let's go set a fire!"

According to the military report, Shamoke and Li Yuan quickly located Cao Cao's temporary storage point in a secluded valley.

This place was originally an abandoned mountain village, which was slightly repaired by Cao Cao's army and used as a transit point.

Instead of directly approaching Cao Cao's storage point, they followed the plan and circled around to a cliff behind the storage point.

The area is densely wooded, yet offers a panoramic view overlooking most of the storage site.

There were also Cao Cao's sentries at the edge of the cliff, but these sentries clearly did not expect that Sha Moke and his men would not appear on the mountain path leading to the storage point, but instead sneak up from behind them...

Shamoke gave a hand signal, and two Wuling barbarian warriors, like monkeys in the forest, stealthily approached and quickly dispatched the Cao army sentries.

Li Yuan also reached the cliff top, observed for a while, then waved his hand, "Assemble the crossbows!"

The cavalrymen quickly placed the parts of the large yellow crossbows they were carrying on the ground and skillfully assembled them.

This thing is heavy and cumbersome, and if even one part is missing, it's useless.

Soon, the large crossbow was assembled. The cavalrymen carefully placed the specially made crossbow bolts into the crossbow slots and then signaled to Li Yuan.

Shamoko lay on the edge of the cliff, craning his neck to look down at the seemingly mountainous sacks and hay in the storage point. He rubbed his hands together, chuckled softly, and looked on with anticipation in his eyes.

Li Yuan carefully observed the layout of Cao Jun's storage point and the activities of the personnel there...

Li Yuan frowned slightly, sensing that something seemed amiss.

The number of Cao army soldiers at this storage point seems to be more than expected, and...

Li Yuan frowned and said, "Wait..."

Shamoke, standing to the side, impatiently waved his hand, "What are you waiting for?! Fire the arrows!! Burn them to death!!"

The sound was so loud that it echoed through the valley, attracting the attention of Cao Cao's soldiers below the cliff, who began to look around.

Li Yuan had no choice but to wave his hand and give the order.

*Bang! Buzz—!*

The strings resonate.

The crossbow broke through the air.

The crossbow bolts, catching sparks, pierced the air and shot towards the storage point in the valley!

The gunpowder arrow struck the target area and exploded with a bang a moment later!

A not-too-violent explosion rang out, followed by flashes of fire and thick smoke!

"I won!! Hahaha!!"

Shamok roared excitedly.

However, what happened next stunned everyone...

A fire did break out at the storage site, but it was not as intense as expected. Flames rose, but only a small amount of hay and debris were ignited.

What was even more alarming was that, after the explosion and fire, there was no large-scale chaos or firefighting scene as expected inside the storage point. Instead, a large number of Cao army soldiers poured out from behind some bunkers. They were fully armored, armed with bows, crossbows, swords, and shields, and quickly took up advantageous positions. Following Shamoke's laughter, they soon found Li Yuan and Shamoke and others, who were pointing and shouting loudly towards the cliff!
Judging from their numbers, there were definitely more than a hundred, at least five hundred or more, and they were clearly regular soldiers who had been prepared in advance!

"Damn it! We've fallen for their trap!"

Even a fool would know that something is wrong!

Shamok's expression changed drastically, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

If he hadn't heeded Li Yuan's advice and had instead relied on force to lead his men into battle, he would probably already be surrounded!

Even so, we are still in danger!
Their location has been exposed!

It wasn't because of the marks left by the crossbow bolts, but because Shamoke, feeling confident of victory, became so overconfident that his laughter gave him away!

Li Yuan acted decisively, shouting in a low voice, "Retreat quickly! Remove the springs from the crossbows! Abandon everything else!"

The cavalrymen reacted swiftly, immediately discarding the heavy crossbow parts and following Li Yuan and Sha Moke into the dense forest...

Not long after Li Yuan and his men left, a group of Cao soldiers, shouting and carrying shields, searched up the cliff, only to find discarded crossbow parts and the bodies of two Cao soldiers sentries...

Having escaped Cao Cao's ambush, Shamoke was still shaken. He sincerely said to Li Yuan, "Lieutenant Li, we owe you so much this time! If you hadn't stopped them, the men would have been in danger... How did you know it was a trap?"

"How could I possibly know?" Li Yuan shook his head slightly, his face devoid of smugness. "I can't predict the future. It's just that Zhuge has repeatedly emphasized that we must not be careless... especially since our small unit is entering enemy territory. One mistake would surely mean annihilation..."

Li Yuan paused, then looked at Sha Moke, his tone sincere, "Chief Sha is exceptionally brave and skilled in mountain warfare, a great advantage for our army. However, Zhuge Liang sent me along precisely to compensate for our bravery with caution. I hope Chief Sha can understand his intentions. Our mission is not about how many heads we take, but about making it impossible for Cao Cao's army to advance an inch in these Songshan Mountains, leaving them restless and unable to eat or sleep. The longer we stay, the more we disrupt and distract Cao Cao's army, the better the effect will be, not about how many Cao Cao soldiers we kill or how many heads we take!"

Shamok fell silent.

After a moment, Shamoke nodded, patted Li Yuan heavily on the shoulder, and said, "Good! Commander Li, from now on, whatever you say, I, Shamoke, will do! Don't worry! We Wuling people keep our word!"

Indeed, in the following period, Shamoke stopped thinking about making any "great achievements" every day, and the results were actually smoother and more fluid than before.

The Wuling barbarians and the mountain cavalry combined their hunting skills from the mountains and forests and applied them to Cao Cao's army.

Cao Cao's scouts, messengers, and supply convoys began to be frequently attacked.

Sometimes, while walking on a mountain path, a poisoned arrow would suddenly shoot out from the woods...

Sometimes, when camping at night, several venomous snakes would be thrown in from nowhere while we were in a sheltered spot...

Sometimes a small group of people would go to the stream to fetch water, and in the blink of an eye they would disappear without a trace, leaving only traces of their struggle and bloodstains on the mudflats...

The attackers came and went like the wind, their methods were ruthless and cunning, and they came up with one after another, making them impossible to defend against.

They never engaged in direct combat with large groups of Cao Cao's troops, but instead targeted isolated Cao Cao soldiers and areas with weak defenses.

Even the corpses of Cao Cao's soldiers were not spared. Sometimes they were arranged in bizarre shapes, hung on trees, or stuck in bushes, all with a sense of terror.

We can't catch them, we can't hit them.

This fear of being unable to find an opponent while constantly being injured spread uncontrollably among Cao Cao's troops in Songshan.

Some inexplicable rumors suddenly spread far and wide...

"There are ghosts in the mountains!"

"The Flying Cavalry has raised mandrills!"

"A demon! It's a demon! I saw it with my own eyes!"

Cao's soldiers no longer dared to act alone. Even when delivering messages, they had to gather dozens or even hundreds of people before they dared to enter the mountains with trepidation.

Transporting provisions and supplies required heavy guard, resulting in a crawling pace.

Communication between Cao Cao's army in the Songshan Mountains became extremely difficult and slow.

Many important military orders could not be delivered in time because messengers dared not set out easily or were intercepted.

Cao Fan at the front was unable to accurately determine the exact number of the infiltrated cavalry or their intentions. He could only passively shrink the defensive line and strengthen defenses in various places. His troops were firmly pinned down and unable to maneuver.

Shamoke and Li Yuan were like a poisonous thorn thrown into the rear of Cao Cao's army, lodged at a crucial point. They prevented the massive bodies of Cao Cao's army from dying, but they caused waves of numbness and stinging pain, and they wanted to remove them but could not find them...

All of this stemmed from Zhuge Liang's accurate prediction and Li Yuan's calm and strict execution of Zhuge Liang's orders.

Shamoke's bravery and skill in battle only truly realized their greatest strategic value under Li Yuan's calm and restraining influence.

On the battlefield, martial prowess is undoubtedly an important factor in victory, but it is still far from enough...

For Cao Cao's army in the Songshan Mountains, the harsh winter arrived early.

……

In late autumn and early winter, a peculiar atmosphere permeates the fields of Qingxu.

This is Cao's territory, but they are not truly devoted to Cao.

The banners of the Han Dynasty flew above the city walls, but the banners beside them were replaced year after year.

Wei Yan and Gan Feng led two thousand cavalrymen, like a sharp knife, cutting a gash in the heart of Cao Cao's army. Blood flowed, but it was not serious.

The warhorses trampled across the withered grass, their hooves echoing across the empty plains, yet they encountered no real resistance.

Report—

The scout rode up, announcing, "Fifty li ahead lies the State of Wu! The cattle and wine are already outside the city!"

The scouts' voices sounded somewhat thin in the autumn wind, much like those of the so-called "XX countries" in the Qingxu region.

During the Han Dynasty, a large number of vassal states were established.

Some countries perished, some were eliminated, but these traces remain on the land of the Han Dynasty.

For example, the "Wuhou State" in front of us is actually just a small county town.

Wei Yan reined in his horse and squinted at the distance.

Along the way, they had passed through six or seven county towns, and each one presented the same scene...

The county magistrate and local gentry were extremely respectful. As soon as Wei Yan and his men arrived, grain, fodder, cattle, and wine were prepared and sent to the outskirts of the city. Their obsequious attitude aroused suspicion.

"Damn it," Gan Feng spat, wiping the dust from his face, "these spineless cowards didn't even offer a decent resistance."

Wei Yan did not respond, but silently calculated the marching route.

His gaze swept across the fields beside the road, and the distant villages were also close at their gates, but there were no farmers lining the road to welcome him, no scenes of food and drink being served...

"Wen Chang, do you think that old scoundrel Cao has emptied out all the troops in Qing and Xu?" Gan Feng rode closer and asked in a low voice.

"That's how it is!" Wei Yan sneered and nodded. "The war in the Heluo region is intense, and Yan and Yu provinces are also wary of us advancing south from Ji province. Where would they find the extra troops to garrison Qing and Xu?"

"Then let's go here..." Gan Feng glared, "Wouldn't that mean we have nothing to fight?"

"How could this be?" Wei Yan spurred his horse forward. "Let's go, let's go see what's going on ahead..."

Before long, the outline of Wuhou State County appeared on the horizon.

Sure enough, a group of people had already gathered in front of the city gate, and the leader, dressed in official robes, bowed and saluted from afar.

"drive!"

Wei Yan spurred his horse and galloped ahead.

The chancellor of Wuhou County, or perhaps the magistrate, was a thin, middle-aged man. Upon seeing Wei Yan and his entourage approach, he quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply: "Your humble servant, Zhou Ping, chancellor of Wuhou County, respectfully welcomes the soldiers under the command of the General of Chariots and Cavalry. These are some provisions, fodder, cattle, and wine; a small token of our respect, we hope the General will accept them."

Wei Yan sat upright on his horse, coldly observing the magistrate of County Zhou.

Although this person was respectful, there was a hint of shrewdness in his eyes.

"The Chancellor of Zhou is certainly pragmatic," Wei Yan said calmly. "But what about you...? Even the king is dead, what kind of chancellor are you?"

During the Han Dynasty, there were many "Marquises of Wu". Some were enfeoffed in Zhang County and were called Zhangwu State, while others were enfeoffed in Zhong County and were called Zhongwu Marquisate. Interestingly, most of the marquisates named after "Wu" did not last more than three generations.

This place was no exception; its king died without an heir.

Originally, the state's fiefdom should have been revoked, but since the Zhongping era, the national administrative organs had been almost at a standstill or semi-standstill. Even when Cao Cao held the emperor hostage, he didn't have as much time as in history to reorganize the local areas. Therefore, counties like this were still "maintaining the status quo"...

Upon hearing Wei Yan's words, Zhou Ping bowed his head and replied, "The king is dead, but the people remain. I am merely the minister of the people of this city, not the minister of a king."

"Oh?" Wei Yan was taken aback, then asked, "Why not close the city gates and seize it?"

Zhou Ping bowed and replied, "General, you are wise. Wuhou State is a small county with few soldiers and generals; we truly dare not contend with the mighty cavalry. Moreover…"

Zhou Ping paused, lowering his voice slightly, "The General of Chariots and Cavalry is also a subject of the Han Dynasty... Moreover, his reputation for benevolent governance is widespread. I am merely seeking a way to survive for the people of Wuhou County."

Gan Feng scoffed from the side, "That sounds nice! Who knows what tricks you're up to?"

Zhou Ping waved his hands repeatedly: "General, you jest. If you wanted to play tricks, why open the city gates to welcome them? Wouldn't it be better to keep the gates closed, hold the line, and wait for reinforcements?"

Zhou Ping pointed to the grain piled up at the city gate, "This is all the remaining grain from the official granaries! There are also five oxen and ten jars of fine wine, intended as a reward for the troops."

Wei Yan glanced at the grain and fodder, secretly making plans in his mind.

Along the way, every county town acted in the same way, so their cavalry unit hardly had to worry about supplies.

"Magistrate Zhou," Wei Yan said in a deep voice, "I have a question for you, "Has a large contingent of Cao Cao's army passed through this area recently?"

Zhou Ping shook his head and said, "General, since a contingent of Cao Cao's troops escorted supplies eastward a month ago, we haven't seen any large armies. Currently, the cities in Qing and Xu provinces are barely able to defend themselves; how can they possibly have the strength to go out and fight?"

Wei Yan and Gan Feng exchanged a glance, both somewhat skeptical.

"In that case, thank you for your kindness, Magistrate Zhou." Wei Yan waved his hand, signaling his men to receive the provisions. "Our army will rest briefly and then leave, without disturbing the people of Wuhou County."

Zhou Ping visibly relaxed and bowed again: "General, you are truly kind. I have prepared a small feast at the county office; I wonder if you would do me the honor of joining me..."

"No need," Wei Yan interrupted him. "Since you speak of the General of the Cavalry's benevolence and virtue, and have already presented him with cattle and wine, how could I possibly disturb the people? I have military duties to attend to, and it is inconvenient for me to stay any longer."

Half an hour later, the cavalry, carrying newly replenished provisions, bypassed the county town of Wuhou and continued eastward.

Wei Yan specially dispatched a team of scouts to patrol around Wuhou County, but found no signs of an ambush.

The minor official in charge of supplies and provisions also came to report that he had inspected the supplies and that there were no problems.

"Really..." Gan Feng scratched his head, "These counties are too cooperative, it's making me uneasy..."

Wei Yan pondered for a moment and said, "The lands of Qing and Xu are areas that Cao Cao has never seriously cultivated, so it's understandable that the people's hearts are not with them... Moreover, the gentry and powerful families in these places are extremely cunning, and their specialty is to change sides depending on the wind. Now that they see Cao Cao's army weakening, they naturally want to leave themselves a way out..."

"So we're just going to collect grain all the way here?" Gan Feng cracked his whip impatiently. "This battle is being fought like a leisurely stroll!"

Wei Yan did not answer immediately.

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over the rolling hills in the distance and the barren fields nearby.

A north wind swept through, stirring up withered leaves and yellow dust that swirled around the cavalry.

"This can't go on," Wei Yan finally spoke. "Our initial incursion into Qing and Xu was to tie down Cao Cao's army and disrupt his rear. But now it seems Cao Cao doesn't care about Qing and Xu at all. Even if we conquer every county here, we won't be able to cripple him."

Gan Feng's eyes lit up: "You mean...?"

"Either strike straight at Cao Cao's heartland, attacking his stronghold of Qiao County!" A sharp glint flashed in Wei Yan's eyes. "Or we can launch a surprise attack on Xuchang and destroy the Han emperor's stronghold!"

Upon hearing this, Gan Feng immediately became excited and burst into laughter, "Great idea! Why choose one? Let's do both! First attack Qiao County, then Xu County!"

Wei Yan burst into laughter, "I knew you'd do this!"

Wei Yan immediately ordered the entire army to turn around, no longer heading east, but instead turning west, heading straight towards Qiao County.

Although the cavalrymen were exhausted, they were invigorated upon hearing this audacious plan.

After all, compared to idly patrolling the Qing and Xu regions, directly attacking the enemy's lair is obviously more attractive.

However, this also means they will be entering Cao's core territory, and will face even more dangers...

TNT is used as a standard unit, with an explosive energy of approximately 4500 kilojoules per kilogram.

Although TNT is only about 1.5 times more energetic than black powder, the vast difference in detonation velocity makes it far more efficient at detonation in actual blasting operations. It is generally believed that to achieve the same explosive effect, three to five times the equivalent of TNT in black powder is required.

The rocks in the mountain are usually hard rocks such as granite and limestone. In modern blasting, the consumption of explosives is generally between 0.3 and 0.5 kg/m³. We take an intermediate value of 0.4 kg/m³ as a reference consumption for TNT.

In other words, theoretically, it would take 0.4 kilograms of TNT to blast apart 1 cubic meter of such rock.

So let's calculate how much black powder is needed.
Let's estimate further. In ancient times, could a well-prepared army, using tens to hundreds of kilograms of gunpowder and precise caving techniques, pry open one or two hundred cubic meters of earth and rock to cause a directional collapse, potentially inflict a devastating and fatal attack on a general and his surroundings?

Additionally, it should be noted that this data was simply obtained from a random online search and is available to anyone. It is for reference only and to prevent keyboard warriors from making assumptions.