Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3867 The Benevolent Are Free from Worry

Luoyang.

The winter sun shone through the curtains of the large tent, casting long strips and patches of light on the wooden floor.

Within the bands and spots of light, it seemed as if countless tiny sprites were dancing happily, trying to tease Fei Qian and make him raise his head to play with them.

After waiting for a while, the little elves became impatient, angrily cursing Fei Qian for not providing any emotional value, completely forgetting that they had once praised Fei Qian for being most beautiful when he was serious...

The passage of time feels concrete and weighty here.

Fei Qian had just finished a military meeting with Zao Zhi, Du Ji, Jia Qu, Sima Yi, and other generals. The ink on the map spread out on the table was still wet, and new orders were being copied and sealed by scribes at different levels of urgency, ready to be sent to all sides.

However, the time required for each order to be issued, reach the frontline commanders, and for adjustments to the deployment based on the orders, is measured in days or even ten-day periods.

The battlefield is ever-changing, and the timeliness of decision-making is the heaviest burden on this General of the Cavalry's mind.

At this moment, Fei Qian was alone in the main tent, with several front-line military reports from different dates and channels, some of which even contradicted each other.

At the top is a detailed battle report sent back by Jiang Jiong and Zhu Ling from Sanchakou, delivered by a 500-li express messenger who arrived last night, describing the battle situation at least three days ago.

The other document is an earlier summary report of the roving cavalry from the Songshan direction.

The least timely information came from Hanoi regarding the battle situation of Pang Tong, Zhao Yun, Zhang Liao, and others in Ji Province...

"Ye City..."

Fei Qian couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

Fei Qian discovered an interesting phenomenon: during the Three Kingdoms period, the families of defeated generals were generally treated with leniency. However, in later feudal dynasties, the attitude towards the families of defeated generals tended to shift from relative leniency to severe punishment.

Some might say that the Han and Three Kingdoms periods were a legacy of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, which makes some sense, but it's not entirely accurate.

Although imperial power was weak during the Three Kingdoms period, society was still based on powerful clans. The generals of various factions often came from prestigious families and had kinship, mentorship, and friendship relationships with each other. This intricate network of relationships meant that the victorious side often showed leniency towards the families of the enemy, both to maintain the dignity of the aristocratic clans and to leave room for future political compromises.

This is similar to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, but another important point is that in the early feudal dynasties, talented people were scarce.

Knowledge dissemination is poor, and talent is often a scarce resource. Naturally, this leads to a situation where tolerant policies can attract more talent. Even those who were previously opposed are often accepted as long as they are willing to surrender.

During the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, it is clear that under the extreme centralization of power, the rulers were extremely sensitive to any potential threat. The families of defeated generals were regarded as political threats, and they were eliminated to prevent revenge or the resurgence of any remaining forces.

Especially during the Yuan and Qing dynasties, as a minority ethnic group ruled, there was a deeper suspicion about the loyalty of Han generals.

The early Qing rulers were not true to their word, and their promises were like farts. Yet they demanded that the surrendered Han Chinese strictly abide by the class system and willingly accept oppression. As a result, they used the method of collective execution to deal with the "rebellious" Han army generals.

As political systems evolved from pluralism to dualism, and then to highly centralized imperial dictatorship, the space for tolerance and loyalty in interpersonal relationships was naturally compressed.

Fei Qian wrote back to Pang Tong, ordering his soldiers to return before the river froze over and the pontoon bridges and ferries became impassable. On one hand, he instructed Pang Tong to treat Cao Cao's family well; on the other hand, he ordered Pang Tong and Zhang Liao to oversee local pacification efforts in Hedong, deploy scouts extensively, restore order, and make preparations for the harsh winter and spring planting.

As for Zhao Yun, Fei Qian ordered Zhao Yun to make contact along Wei Yan's route, hoping to tug at the reins of the husky...

Pang Tong explained his arrangements and plans for Wei Yan.

Pang Tong hoped Wei Yan would preemptively provoke some problems, since the "Tent-Stopping Immortal," or rather the "Tent-Stopping Husky," was a double-edged sword, its effectiveness depending on how it was used. On one hand, even if the Flying Cavalry occupied Ji Province and its surrounding areas, it was almost certain they wouldn't be able to collect any taxes from those regions, so settling the accounts wouldn't be a loss. On the other hand, once these areas were "settled," it would provide an excuse to delay providing support to Cao Cao…

However, Fei Qian's approval of this point was limited.

Fei Qian agreed with Pang Tong's assessment that the Flying Cavalry would not be able to effectively control the local areas in the short term, or even for a considerable period of time. However, he also questioned the effectiveness of Pang Tong's "balancing account" plan in stalling Cao Cao's advances.

In his reply, Fei Qian indicated that Cao Cao was likely in a state of "what's the use of trying" attitude, so ultimately, the burden of settling accounts would fall on the vast majority of ordinary people...

This is like what happened in later times...

cough cough.

Never mind, Fei Qian's gaze fell again on the joint report submitted by Jiang Jiong and Zhu Ling...

"The enemy's formation is well-organized, their deployment is skillful, and their resistance is extremely fierce..."

Seeing the banner bearing the character "Xun" and also Cao Cao's great banner, it is suspected that Xun Yu is personally supervising the battle...

"The enemy general Han Hao was incomparably brave and fierce, leading his troops in a desperate battle... and was eventually slain on Mount Ya..."

Although their formation was broken and many were killed, the enemy was not completely routed. Xun and his men eventually retreated to Yique, relying on its natural defenses to hold their ground...

Between the lines, one can immediately sense the tenacity and organization of a main force.

Xun Yu, Cao Cao's chief strategist and Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, held a position of considerable importance; Han Hao was also a trusted and loyal general of Cao Cao. The simultaneous appearance of these two at the Songshan front, displaying such a resolute defensive posture, was symbolic and significant enough to convince any commander that this was the heart of Cao Cao's retreat.

Combined with the intelligence reports and earlier scout reconnaissance, the faintly visible banner bearing the character "Cao" and all the clues seem to point to a conclusion that is most in line with military common sense: Cao Cao is leading his core forces to retreat into the easily defensible and difficult-to-attack Songshan mountain area, attempting to use the complex terrain to reverse the disadvantage, or at least to engage in a protracted struggle.

Fei Qian's initial judgment was based on this.

His earlier orders to Jiang Jiong to lure the Tongguan and Hedong armies, and then to Zhu Ling to lead the vanguard to pursue and block Cao Cao's army, were based on this consideration.

However, Fei Qian now had a vague feeling that something was amiss...

In his mind, he re-analyzed the entire situation at a slower and deeper pace, trying to penetrate the fog of intelligence before him and capture the true intentions of his old adversary, Cao Mengde.

Senior Brother Cao...

Cao Mengde...

This image emerged in Fei Qian's mind not as a single historical label, but as a composite of countless real encounters, intelligence analysis, and a profound understanding of his past actions.

He recalled Cao Cao's forbearance and adventure before the Battle of Guandu, his strength in quickly stabilizing the north after the defeat at Red Cliffs, and the countless details in his current confrontation with Cao Cao that revealed Cao Cao's ruthless, pragmatic, and even cold-blooded style of doing things to achieve his goals.

When things are going well, Lao Cao also likes to make a big fuss and show off his grandeur...

But in adversity, especially in life-or-death situations, what is Senior Brother Cao's first consideration?
Fei Qian's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

A fragment of memory, almost a classical allusion, surfaced at this moment—

Not from official history, but circulating among the common people, perhaps embellished, yet vividly portraying certain aspects of a person's character...

The Battle of Tong Pass in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms!
Cao Cao was chased by Ma Chao and had to cut off his beard and abandon his robe before he managed to escape by mingling with the chaotic army.

Of course, historically Cao Cao did not cut his beard, but only sat on the throne.

Old Cao's purpose in "sitting on the throne" was certainly not because he liked to lie down, but to demonstrate confidence and composure to his subordinates...

After failing to demonstrate, they would immediately flee in panic, being carried away or dragged away by their personal guards.

So now...

This astonishing will to survive, pragmatism, and utter disregard for status symbols that Cao Cao displayed in dire circumstances perfectly matched the Cao Cao that Fei Qian knew.

Cut off his beard and discard his robe...

Sit on the bed with support...

Fei Qian's gaze sharpened slightly.

The words that lingered on the desk, in the military reports, especially those about the "Xun-character battle flag," "stubborn resistance," and "Cao-character banner"...

These descriptions paint a standard picture of "the monarch leading the main force to retreat to a strategic location, while key ministers and fierce generals fight to the death to cover the rear," which seems too formal and too meticulous...

It was almost like a model opera based on military strategy and tactics.

"If I were Cao Mengde," Fei Qian murmured to himself, his thoughts racing, "in such a pressing and perilous situation... what would I do?"

"Would I make a grand display, brandishing a conspicuous banner to announce to all the pursuers, 'I'm here, here to attack Mount Song'?" Fei Qian asked himself, answering, "Perhaps I would... but given Cao Mengde's cunning and pragmatism... I'm afraid it's difficult. After all, this would be using myself as bait... what if..."

Cao Cao was certainly willing to let others take risks, but would he really use the strategy of "personally taking risks" to secure victory?

It was difficult. It's not that Cao Cao lacked courage, but rather that as both Chancellor of Han and Duke of Wei, his personal safety was directly related to political stability. Historically, after the thirteenth year of Jian'an (208 AD), Cao Cao preferred to command from the rear, reducing frontline battles, reflecting a decrease in his risk appetite as his status rose.

Just like Fei Qian is right now.

Fei Qian initially fought alongside his troops, but now he increasingly operates from the rear. This reflects not only a change in status but also the needs of the entire political group.

and so……

"What would be the best cover?" Fei Qian's gaze sharpened. "A 'shell' strong enough, realistic enough, enough to convince the pursuers. Who could take on this role? None other than Xun Wenruo, a man of high moral character, exceptional wisdom, and unquestionable loyalty. Coupled with a loyal and brave general like Han Yuansi, plus some truly elite rearguard troops, and that Cao-character banner that might even be a mere formality... that would be enough to create the illusion of a main force..."

Fei Qian's thinking became clearer and clearer. The clues that he had previously thought were "reasonable" now took on completely different meanings under a different logic.

Xun Yu and Han Hao's tenacity may not have been to protect Cao Cao, but rather to cover Cao Cao's true escape! Their fighting was to buy time for Cao Cao, with the aim of drawing the main force of the Flying Cavalry to the southern front!

In contrast, the reports from the Eastern Front were somewhat scattered or showed weak resistance, and the prisoners spoke vaguely about various matters...

Is that just a glimpse of the truth?
However, there are still some things that don't seem right...

Mountainous terrain is undoubtedly a natural weapon against cavalry, so why did Cao Cao give up so easily and choose the riskier eastern plains?

unless……

What happened in Jingzhou?
However, speculation alone cannot serve as the basis for large-scale military operations.

There must be solid 'evidence'!
Fei Qian pondered for a moment, then ordered, "Guards! Summon General Huang!"

……

……

On the open fields outside Luoyang City, the thin winter sunlight shone weakly.

Fei Qian's increasingly strong judgment, based on reasoning, that "Cao Cao fled east" urgently needed the most direct and irrefutable evidence to support it; otherwise, the massive army's reversal would be an adventure with unpredictable consequences.

Huang Zhong was originally a hunter in the mountains and forests. Although he has now joined the army, his hunting skills and ability to discern clues are far superior to those of ordinary military generals.

In addition to Huang Zhong, Fei Qian also assigned Huang Zhong a deputy general, Peng Yue. Peng Yue originally came from a scout background and was also a semi-expert in tracking and hunting, possessing an almost instinctive sensitivity to tracks.

The two had briefly collaborated before, and their renewed cooperation was a perfect match. Leading several hundred soldiers who had long served as scouts, they spread out like water droplets seeping into sand, fanning out east of Luoyang to search for any traces left by Cao Cao's army in the hills, valleys, woodlands, and deserted villages. These men, organized into units of five or ten, began a thorough search according to pre-defined areas.

The first day yielded little result.

Large areas do indeed show signs of chaos from Cao Cao's army's passage, but these are mostly left by infantry and supply wagons, and tend to point south or southeast. Alternatively, they may have been damaged or disturbed by subsequent fleeing soldiers, refugees, or even the cavalry's own scouts, making it difficult to identify specific clues.

Huang Zhong squatted outside a village that had been half burned down, picking up a bit of ashes and sniffing it carefully. He then observed the direction of the numerous messy footprints on the ground, his brow furrowed. Such chaotic tracks were troublesome even for Huang Zhong; he couldn't make out what had happened.

"Keep heading east!"

Huang Zhong ordered his troops to continue eastward to reconnoiter.

It wasn't until the evening of the first day that we made a few new discoveries...

"General, look this way."

Peng Yue discovered something unusual at a bend in a dry riverbed that deviated from the main channel.

Huang Zhong hurried over, lit a torch, and examined the area carefully.

On the edge of the riverbed, there were several faint hoof prints. The prints were quite deep, and the cracked soil at the edges was half-dry, but had not yet been completely weathered or covered by subsequent footprints.

More importantly, there were several clumps of horse manure nearby that had long since frozen solid and were dark brown in color.

Huang Zhong reached out, picked up some horse manure, and kneaded it. "There's some bean feed in it..."

Peng Yue pointed to the hoofprints and said, "The hoofprints are well-formed...this is a warhorse, a warhorse with horseshoes!"

Huang Zhong shook the horse manure onto the ground and said in a deep voice, "Spread out and search along the riverbank!"

Although there were hoof prints and horse manure, it was impossible to determine which side they belonged to. After all, stirrups, saddles, and horseshoes were standard equipment in the Han Dynasty at that time, and both the Flying Cavalry and Cao Cao's army had them.

The same applies to refined soybean meal.

Therefore, other clues are needed to assist in the verification...

The clues, like scattered beads, began to be picked up one by one by those who were interested.

The search area was extended northeastward the following day.

Near an abandoned earthen kiln, a small amount of garbage that had been deliberately buried was discovered.

A few cleanly gnawed lamb bones, several damaged but decent-quality leather water sacs...

Another group of people discovered even more crucial evidence on the side of a secluded path.

They discovered a relatively clear cluster of hoofprints, indicating a large number of horses, as well as traces of a buried campfire and some abandoned debris...

Especially short daggers and arrowheads.

"This number... at least five hundred cavalry..." Huang Zhong said in a deep voice, "and these arrowheads... Yingchuan camp standard..."

Near the buried campfire, Peng Yue also found some new clues.

Among the ashes of the campfire were some fragments of bamboo tubes that had not been completely burned.

"This isn't our military's ration canister!" Peng Yue pulled out his own ration canister for comparison. "This is clearly a size smaller..."

Shandong Zhongyuan is copying others' work, but cutting corners and reducing features, calling it the "youth version" or "vitality version"—this has become a common practice.

All the scattered clues began to be pieced together, combined, and verified in the minds of Huang Zhong and Peng Yue, two experienced hunters and scouts.

"Elite cavalry, numbering several hundred to a thousand, well-equipped and well-supplied."

The route deliberately avoided main roads, taking instead more secluded paths, dry riverbeds, and forest edges.

"Judging from their tracks, they moved from southwest to northeast."

"The signs of brief stops, vigilance, burning, and burying of items indicate that their escape was not aimless but rather an organized retreat."

All signs indicate that the trail of this cavalry unit matches the elite cavalry of Cao Cao's army that attacked General Ma Yue!

After two days and one night of tireless searching and analysis, Huang Zhong and Peng Yue, carrying meticulously marked maps and some collected physical evidence, rushed back to the Luoyang camp.

They presented evidence and gave a detailed report on the discovery process and the connections between the various clues.

Based on the condition of the horse manure and the age of the traces, Huang Zhong even roughly outlined the possible route and time of the cavalry's march.

Fei Qian listened carefully, examining the points and arrows marked by Huang Zhong on the map, and then picked up the cold, three-edged arrowhead to examine it closely.

All reasoning found solid support at this moment.

This is enough.

Although Cao Cao's army no longer has the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, the importance of this cavalry force is like a gambler's last chip; how could it be thrown away carelessly?
As a commander, within a limited timeframe, based on a deep understanding of the enemy, meticulous logical reasoning, and now with the clear evidence obtained from the elite reconnaissance on the front lines, Fei Qian was able to suppress his other hesitations and make a decision that might determine the outcome of the war in the Central Plains.

Perhaps even Cao Cao didn't expect that his earlier act of killing Ma Yue's cavalry in order to stabilize morale and find a way out of the impasse would now become a signal beacon...

Fei Qian stood up and glanced at the strategists and generals, including Zao Zhi, Sima Yi, and others, who had rushed to the tent upon hearing the news.

"Order the central army to immediately set up camp and turn east! Objective—"

Gongxian County and Sishui Pass!