Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3849 Weight of Power

Sima Yi's voice was clear and resonant, but after he finished speaking, the tent fell silent.

Zhu Ling, Jiang Jiong, and other military generals displayed various expressions.

Huang Cheng, standing to the side, also had a flicker in his eyes.

For these military generals skilled in battlefield combat, Sima Yi's scheme made them feel uneasy...

sacrifice.

Isn't war inevitably accompanied by sacrifices?

Right?

But when Sima Yi openly laid out the sacrifices on the table...

Nobody likes to be bait, but the problem is, if you really encounter someone like Sima Yi, who knows when you'll become bait?
And who can control the fact that they might never encounter someone like Sima Yi in their entire life?
Jia Qu stroked his beard without speaking, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Fei Qian could see the cold-bloodedness and pragmatism behind Sima Yi's scheme, treating his colleagues and subordinates as pawns and bargaining chips. This contradicted the idea of ​​camaraderie he had always advocated in the military, which made Fei Qian quite displeased.

However, Fei Qian had to admit that Sima Yi's judgment was very sharp.

It may not be accurate, but it is sharp, like a scalpel.

This kind of psychological control over Cao Cao's army and grasp of the battlefield situation is indeed much better than that of Zao Zhi.

Although this plan was ruthless, it was not without its merits. It could hold Cao Cao back and create a crucial window of opportunity for the main force of the Flying Cavalry to encircle him.

After a long silence, Fei Qian glanced at Sima Yi and slowly spoke, "Zhongda, you are familiar with the situation in the Heluo region, so you will remain in the central army to assist in military affairs. You have come from afar and must be tired; please go and rest."

All matters, regardless of their importance or urgency, need to be addressed.

"Your subordinate obeys." Sima Yi bowed and accepted the order, his face remaining calm and expressionless, as if the scheme that had just been about to determine the lives of countless people had nothing to do with him.

Sima Yi withdrew from the main tent.

Fei Qian pondered for a moment, then said, "Jiang Zhongyi."

Fei Qian appointed his generals.

"Your subordinate is here!" Jiang Jiong stepped forward, his armor clattering.

"I give you a thousand light cavalry, no need for heavy weapons. Set off immediately, bypassing Shanjin, to join forces with the Hedong and Tongguan forces, then head straight south, diagonally towards Yique Pass! Disrupt Cao Cao's army; we don't seek to capture the pass, but merely to keep them from having a moment's peace, preventing them from easily retreating to Yique Taigu!"

Fei Qian said in a deep voice, "I appoint you as the commander-in-chief, Bo Dao as the deputy, and You Ruo as the rear guard commander! Display many flags, deploy numerous feints, cut off their supply lines, burn their baggage, and alarm their troops! Make their retreat route besieged by enemies at every turn, making their advance extremely difficult! Is this feasible?"

A glint flashed in Jiang Jiong's eyes, and he clasped his hands in a fist salute, proclaiming loudly, "This humble general obeys the order!!"

Fei Qian took out a troop mobilization token, affixed his seal to a military order written in the tent, and handed it to Jiang Jiong. "Good! Prepare immediately and depart at once!"

Jiang Jiong accepted the order and strode away.

"Zhu Wenbo!" Fei Qian looked at Zhu Ling.

"Your subordinate is here!" Zhu Ling replied solemnly.

Fei Qian said, "I order you to lead two thousand vanguard troops across the Northern Mang Mountains, into the Heluo region, and to reinforce Luoyang City!"

Fei Qian's gaze was sharp. "Your duty is not to conquer cities and seize strongholds, nor to pursue Cao Cao's army, but to control the battlefield! Thoroughly investigate the area around Luoyang and occupy all key routes! Make sure to deploy scouts widely, ensuring that every blade of grass and every tree around Luoyang is known to you! If you encounter small groups of Cao Cao's troops, annihilate them as opportunities arise; if you encounter large forces, focus on containing and delaying them, preserving your strength, and waiting for the main force to encircle them!"

"Understood, sir!" Zhu Ling replied in a deep voice.

Similarly, Fei Qian issued a troop mobilization order, which Zhu Ling took, and then withdrew without further mention.

Immediately, Fei Qian ordered Huang Cheng to become the supervising officer, instructing, "Order all subsequent units to expedite the river crossing! Keep the boats running, with people resting but the boats never stopping! The main force must be deployed to the south bank in the shortest possible time!"

Each military order was like a stone thrown into water, creating ripples, and the entire cavalry army, this massive war machine, began to operate with unprecedented efficiency.

As for the Western Hills, things have already come to this point, so it is no longer a matter of urgency.

……

……

The cavalrymen immediately became noisy upon receiving the order, but Sima Yi found peace amidst the chaos and calmly washed and dressed himself.

Sima Yi was temporarily arranged to rest in a tent near the central army camp.

No candles were lit inside the tent. Although it was still daylight outside, the curtains were drawn, making the interior somewhat dim. Sima Yi sat alone at his desk, his hair disheveled, waiting for it to dry. He seemed to be resting with his eyes closed, his face expressionless, as if the dramatic report and scheme he had just delivered had little to do with him.

The tent flap was gently lifted a crack, and a trusted confidant who had accompanied Sima Yi slipped in silently. He approached Sima Yi and whispered, "My lord… this… it seems there are some complaints about you in the army…"

Sima Yi slowly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in the dim light. "Oh? What is it you wish to speak of?"

Sima Yi actually knew what it was...

"I overheard some military officers in the camp saying that our lord... is using his comrades as bait to hold off Cao Cao's army. He seems quite indignant, and his words are full of criticism..." The confidant's voice carried a hint of worry.

Upon hearing this, Sima Yi not only did not become angry, but instead chuckled softly and said in a detached tone, "It's alright...it's alright...hehe, battlefield conquest is not child's play...a general must know how to manage his men. If one cannot manage them, then those who manage them will...a few criticisms are nothing to worry about."

Sima Yi paused, looked at his trusted confidant, and asked in return, "Do you think that with so many capable ministers and generals under your command, you can be controlled simply by being kind and magnanimous? General... don't you have any intention of training your generals, weeding out the weak and retaining the strong?"

His confidant paused, seemingly lost in thought.

Sima Yi's voice remained calm, yet carried a chilling insight into the ways of the world: "Since this is a trial, how can we hesitate, preoccupied with gains and losses? If one doesn't understand the priorities, even with exceptional martial prowess, if one is greedy for merit and reckless, ignoring good advice, it will lead to certain death. If we don't experience this setback now, it will surely lead to even greater disaster in the future! For him personally, it may be a calamity; for the entire Generalissimo's army, it may not be a bad thing. General… you understand this in your heart."

After saying this, Sima Yi said no more, closed his eyes again, as if all the disturbances in the outside world were no longer related to him.

Seeing this, the confidant dared not disturb them any further and silently withdrew.

……

……

Meanwhile, inside the central command tent, Fei Qian did not rest.

He hadn't had a carefree time in a long time.

When one person is well-fed and the whole family is worry-free, Fei Qian can be carefree, laughing and joking, wandering around aimlessly. But when he truly bears the weight of the lives of millions on his shoulders and realizes the magnitude of his responsibility, although he still experiences joy and sorrow, these personal emotions must be relegated to a secondary position...

Fei Qian stood alone in front of the map, but his gaze was not entirely focused on the military deployment in front of him. Instead, he turned his attention to the location of Luoyang City with a thoughtful look, his mind filled with some considerations about Zao Zhi.

The Battle of Heluo, though seemingly perilous, was actually entirely under Fei Qian's control.

In Luoyang City, he left behind enough trump cards...

Artillery, oil, ample defensive equipment, and provisions.

Unless Zao makes a fatal mistake, Cao Cao's desire to quickly conquer this fortified city is nothing short of a pipe dream.

To be on the safe side, he also dispatched capable officials such as Du Ji and Wang Chang to assist him in advance, and recalled Zhang Lie and Sima Yi back to Luoyang, all in order to strengthen and balance the forces in the city.

Zhang Lie's unexpected death in battle was indeed heartbreaking, but Huang Zhong's timely replacement ensured that the military strength in Luoyang City remained formidable.

It can be said that before the war, he had already paved the way for Zaozhuang and built a relatively stable stage.

In the early stages, the jujubes performed remarkably well.

The successful harvesting of crops ensured the army had enough food; the gathering of displaced people reassured the public and stabilized the rear; and the orderly handling of various civil affairs demonstrated its outstanding capabilities in agriculture and domestic affairs.

This is precisely why Fei Qian has always valued and relied on him.

Like Pang Tong, Zao Zhi was his partner from his humble beginnings, and their friendship was extraordinary.

However, as the war progressed into its later stages, and Cao Cao's army, exhausted and showing signs of weakness, failed to break through the enemy lines after a prolonged siege, Zao Zhi's lack of experience became apparent.

Sima Yi was able to keenly perceive that Cao Cao's offensive was unsustainable, judge the inevitability of his retreat, and begin planning ahead of time.

However, it seems that Zao Zhi failed to extricate himself from the complicated civil affairs in time and turn his attention to the more macro strategic level, and failed to predict Cao Jun's movements in advance and formulate corresponding contingency plans.

As a result, when Cao Cao's army actually began to retreat, Luoyang's response appeared somewhat passive and slow.

Zao Zhi had no clear plan in mind, which led him to be led by the nose by his own greed for merit and his own secret push by Sima Yi when a decision needed to be made, and he failed to make the most beneficial decision for the overall situation in the first instance.

Sima Yi's decision was somewhat ruthless. If it weren't for the eager and impulsive man who jumped out, Sima Yi's smooth sailing might not have been so successful.

Throughout the entire process, did Zao Zhi see through it? Fei Qian sighed softly and tapped the location of Luoyang on the map with his fingertip.

He harbored selfish motives towards jujubes.

He hoped that this old subordinate could not only excel as the Grand Minister of Agriculture, but also grow into a powerful regional official capable of handling all affairs, and enter the inner circle of power. However, loyalty and expertise in a particular field are far from enough to advance to a high position; what is needed is comprehensive ability, especially keen strategic vision and decisive decision-making.

Clearly, Zao Zhi failed to deliver a completely satisfactory performance in this test.

At least it failed to win over the new generation of elites like Sima Yi, who were arrogant and had sharp eyes.

This is undoubtedly a significant obstacle to the future development of jujube cultivation.

"It seems... I still need more experience..."

Fei Qian murmured to himself, his gaze regaining its firmness and clarity.

In times of chaos, friendship is important, but the overall situation is more crucial.

How to make good use of everyone, place them in the most suitable positions, balance the old and new forces, and promote the development of the entire force is the challenge he must face as the commander.

Fei Qian walked out of the tent with his hands behind his back.

The night sky was pitch black, dotted with countless stars.

His civil and military officials, each with their own distinct personalities and varying abilities, are like stars in the night sky, some bright and some dim. How to ensure that each of them finds their place and together illuminates the path ahead is a difficult problem he needs to carefully consider.

……

……

On the walls of Luoyang, the cold wind howled, fluttering the banners and stirring up Zao Zhi's emotions.

Zao Zhi clutched a letter pleading for help tightly in his hand. The handwriting was messy and stained with blood that had turned dark brown. It was a letter that had been sent by someone risking their life to deliver from the besieged Xishan.

The letter, written in heartbreaking detail, described the ambush and the heavy losses suffered, as well as the desperate situation of being trapped in Xishan, lacking water and food, and hearing the cries of the wounded.

He always pleaded in his letters for Zaozhuang to send reinforcements quickly, otherwise hundreds of his brothers would surely perish in the desolate mountains.

"My lord! Please make a decision quickly!"

A military academy officer, who was already familiar with the situation, couldn't help but speak up, his face filled with urgency, "The captain and his men are in imminent danger; how can we stand idly by?"

"Yes, Lord Zao! Cao's main force has retreated, and there are only a few besieging troops outside the city. This humble general is willing to lead a force out of the city to break through the siege and rescue Colonel Conglai!" Another hot-tempered military officer also volunteered loudly.

The crowd inside the hall was instantly filled with excitement.

The bond between comrades and the camaraderie on the battlefield can always be loudly proclaimed, while other considerations remain unspoken.

Zao Zhi frowned deeply, the letter pleading for help in his hand feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds. How could he not worry about the safety of Zao Zhi and the other cavalrymen? Every cavalryman was a valuable fighting force, and more importantly, a comrade-in-arms who had once defended the city alongside him. To watch them fall into dire straits and do nothing was both emotionally and logically tormenting him.

However, as the person in charge of Luoyang who remained behind, he bore an even greater responsibility.

Although Cao's army retreated, they were clearly still treacherous and cunning, as evidenced by their repeated ambushes.

Who can guarantee that this letter isn't yet another trick?

After a series of fierce battles, the defending forces of Luoyang were already insufficient. If troops were to be sent to reinforce the city, and the city was left undefended, the consequences would be unimaginable if Cao Cao's army launched a surprise attack.
At that time, not only will we be unable to save Conglai, but even Luoyang may be lost!
Rescuing them carries enormous risks; not rescuing them, however, would leave me with a guilty conscience.

Zao Zhi's gaze unconsciously fell on Du Ji, who was sitting below her and had been silent all along.

Du Ji, however, kept his eyes slightly closed, as if he were an old monk in deep meditation, seemingly oblivious to the heated debate inside the hall.

"Lord Bo..."

Zao Zhi couldn't help but speak up, hoping to get some advice from this usually cautious and resourceful colleague.

Du Ji slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calmly sweeping over the generals in the hall. He merely shook his head slightly at Zao Zhi without saying a word, and then closed his eyes again.

Seeing this, Zao Zhi's mind was in utter turmoil.

Even Du Ji was unwilling to express his opinion on the spot, which shows how thorny this matter is.

Zao Zhi took a deep breath, suppressing his anxiety, and said to the officers, "Gentlemen, please calm down. Sending troops to rescue Luoyang concerns the safety of the city, and we must be extremely careful. Let me think this over. Everyone, please return to your posts and strengthen your defenses to prevent any unforeseen circumstances."

Zao Zhi adopted a delaying tactic, first calming down the agitated generals.

Seeing that Zao Zhi was hesitant, the generals, though unwilling, could only bow and take their leave. However, many of them left with expressions of disappointment and confusion on their faces.

After all the other military academy students had left, leaving only Zao Zhi and Du Ji in the hall, Zao Zhi could no longer contain himself. He quickly walked up to Du Ji and said, "Lord, if we don't save them... I won't be at peace. If we do save them, then Luoyang..."

Du Ji stood up, walked to the door, and after confirming that no one was around, returned to Zao Zhi's side, lowering his voice, "My lord, please be at ease. I have a question... I hope you can enlighten me..."

"Please speak, Lord Bo." Zao Zhi was so concerned that he lost his composure for a moment.

Du Ji stared into Zao Zhi's eyes and slowly asked, "Since the captain was besieged by Cao Cao's heavily armed forces in Xishan, and according to the letter, the siege was extremely tight, with no way to pass through. Then... tell me, how did this soldier who sent the letter requesting reinforcements break through the heavy encirclement and deliver the letter to you, my lord?"

These words struck Zao Zhi like a thunderclap!

Zao Zhi was stunned. All her previous anxiety, reluctance, and struggle seemed to be shattered by this one sentence!

Zao Zhi subconsciously unfolded the bloodstained letter of appeal again, looking at the words "heavily surrounded" and "impenetrable," and then thinking about how this letter had still managed to be delivered to her successfully under such circumstances...

Yes!

The letter was genuine, and the soldier who delivered it was a cavalryman.

There's nothing wrong with that, but...

If Cao Cao's army had truly surrounded Xishan like an iron barrel, preventing even a single bird from flying out, how was this plea for help sent out?
Could it be that this messenger soldier possessed extraordinary abilities, capable of seeing thousands of Cao Cao's troops as nothing?

If the messenger soldiers can break through, then why have they never been able to break out of the encirclement?

The only explanation is——

The fact that this plea for help was delivered was clearly because Cao Cao's army deliberately let it pass!

Their goal was not to annihilate this remnant force immediately, but to use them as bait to lure the garrison in Luoyang out of the city to provide relief!
Zao Zhi recalled Du Ji's earlier warnings about Cao Cao's army and his assessment of the situation, and now it was happening right before his eyes!

It has always been a sunk cost for jujubes.

To put it more broadly, the entire battlefield of Heluo is a sunk cost for Zaozhi.

From a purely rational perspective, past expenses are merely one factor contributing to the current state. Current decisions should consider future expenses and benefits, rather than past expenses.

But in reality, how many people know this and still keep paying for sunk costs?

From small things like whether to help someone or not, to big things like whether to believe someone or not.

It started with hide-and-seek and escalated to indefinite detention.

In fact, every decision should be based on the present and consideration of the future, and all past mistakes should not become a burden or an obstacle to decision-making.

Zao Zhi had previously decided not to leave the city or provide assistance, but after seeing this letter requesting help, his previous decision wavered again.

It's like when you were a kid and saw a TV shopping channel offering items for 998, you scoffed at those idiots who were being scammed, but then you turned around and saw a live stream on your phone offering items for 688, and you couldn't resist placing an order.

Fortunately, Du Ji offered some guidance.

Fortunately, after being given some pointers, Zao Zhi was willing to listen.

Zao Zhi took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He looked at Du Ji, his eyes filled with gratitude and admiration, and solemnly bowed, "Lord Marquis... if it weren't for your words, everything would have been ruined! I understand!"

Du Ji avoided the greeting and refused to accept it.

Zao Zhi's eyes hardened again, and all his previous hesitation and difficulty gradually faded away. He carefully folded the letter of appeal and put it in his pocket, as if it were not a document asking for help, but a warning sign that he would always have to remember in the future.

"Someone come here! Pass on the order!"

Zao Zhi's voice regained its usual composure, "Without my order, no one is allowed to lead troops out of the city! Send out more scouts to closely monitor the movements of Cao Cao's army outside the city; report any unusual activity immediately!"

Seeing that Zao Zhi had finally made the right decision, Du Ji nodded slightly, said no more, resumed his calm and composed demeanor, cupped his hands in greeting, and silently withdrew.

The crisis in Luoyang City was temporarily averted thanks to Du Ji's private reminder.

However, the fate of Xishan and his followers was thus shrouded in even greater uncertainty...