Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3906 A wise man is neither worried nor afraid

Xun Yu rushed back to Xu County almost without stopping.

Although these teams, composed of young men from Yingchuan, were determined to protect Xuxian, their lack of basic military training resulted in them arriving in a sorry state, with some even falling behind along the way!

I don't know if it's because they really couldn't hold on, or if there's some other reason.

However, Xun Yu managed to return before Guan Yu arrived in Xuchang...

They returned to the capital of the Han dynasty, a crucial political location where Cao Cao "held the emperor hostage to command the princes."

After Liu Xie and his close advisors were transferred to Sishui Pass, the city's glory and bustle had faded considerably, leaving only a somewhat empty shell.

Yet this land, its palaces, government offices, streets, and neighborhoods, still bears Xun Yu's last emotional attachment to the legitimacy of the Han dynasty...

For people like Xun Yu, the symbolic significance of this place far outweighs its actual military value.

The walls of Xuxian County were still towering and majestic, but the number of troops stationed there was noticeably thinner, and the figures of the soldiers patrolling the city walls appeared rather desolate.

The atmosphere in the city was filled with unease.

Rumors about the loss of Jingzhou in the south, the invasion of the Flying Cavalry in the north, and Guan Yu's series of victories had already spread, stirring up unrest among the people.

This situation is rather interesting.

At first, when Xinye was lost, it was just that—lost. Some people were worried, but most people still felt it was still a long way off…

The songs can still be listened to, and the dances can still be performed.

Only after Guan Yu successively captured Wuyang and Kunyang did these people become anxious, gathering together and lamenting, "What should we do?!"

It was merely a lament...

When they heard that Guan Yu was extremely brave and his men were unstoppable, and that he was gathering boats and rafts on the south bank of the Ru River, intending to cross north and strike at Lin'ying, a key town in the heart of Yingchuan, the people in Xu County began to panic. They seemed to want to do something, but had no idea how to do it!
When Xun Yu entered Xu County, he was faced with this kind of panic from top to bottom.

Xun Yu didn't even have time to rest in his official residence and wash away the dust and fatigue. He hurriedly took the military intelligence report presented by the officials left behind and headed towards the former Sikong Mansion in the city center, which was temporarily serving as his headquarters. At the same time, he ordered all the officials and military officers in the city to be summoned.

He must act immediately; every moment of delay could have irreversible consequences…

……

……

The Prime Minister's Residence, the Ministry of Personnel.

Despite his exhaustion from days of travel, Xun Yu spoke in as calm a tone as possible to the officials of various ranks who had been urgently summoned to Xu County, the few remaining mid-level generals and military officers in the army, and the representatives of the good families from Yingchuan who had come with him, analyzing the current situation.

The atmosphere inside the hall was somber.

Everyone hoped that this "talented advisor" from Yingchuan could point out a way out of such a crisis.

"Please, everyone, calm yourselves and listen to what I have to say."

Xun Yu's voice rang out. It wasn't loud, but for some reason, it seemed to be filled with a kind of magic that could calm people down.

The low, anxious, and chaotic whispers in the hall gradually subsided, and everyone looked at Xun Yu.

Xun Yu walked to a map of Yingchuan County hanging on the main wall, put his left hand on his right sleeve, and pointed at the map in a vague manner.

"Guan Yu led his army north from Xiangyang, and within ten days captured Xinye, then Wuyang and Kunyang..."

Xun Yu cut to the chase, frankly acknowledging the enemy's fierce momentum. This surprised the audience slightly, but they calmed down and focused their attention on what he would say next: "However, after carefully examining their marching trajectory and analyzing the reports from all sides, I believe that while the Guan family's arrival appears unstoppable, it is actually outwardly strong but inwardly weak. Their weaknesses and flaws have already been exposed!"

Xun Yu surveyed the scene and said in a deep voice, "Firstly, according to repeated reconnaissance and verification by our scouts, Guan's troops number no more than three thousand! Although they are battle-hardened and fierce, their strength is ultimately insufficient! If we divide our forces to defend the captured counties, our army will be too short; if we don't divide our forces to defend them, our rear will be insecure!"

"Secondly, the cities they so-called captured in succession were actually surrendered without any direct confrontation, due to the weakness of the defending forces. Therefore, Guan Yu's string of victories will inevitably breed arrogance and complacency! This is human nature, and it is difficult to avoid! If the commander-in-chief were to develop a mind of underestimating the enemy and advancing rashly, he would commit a major taboo in military strategy, which would surely lead to the downfall of the supreme commander!"

This wasn't Xun Yu deceiving himself or indulging in wishful thinking; rather, Xun Yu had noticed an inconspicuous piece of information in the military intelligence briefing...

Guan Yu took a concubine in Wuyang...

Hey!
That's right, Guan Yu couldn't hold back any longer...

After Guan Yu captured Wuyang, he took a woman from the powerful Han family as a concubine.

This matter was only mentioned briefly in the tense military report, and there was even a hint of disdain for Guan Yu's "love of women." However, in Xun Yu's view, this was a brilliant opportunity that could potentially change the entire course of the war.

Later generations said that Guan Yu, the Martial Saint, only sought the Great Dao and did not care about women.
This is of course thanks to Mr. Luo.

Mr. Luo completely deleted the story of "Guan Yu seeking to marry Qin's wife" and instead depicted the scene of Guan Yu "keeping watch over his sister-in-law's door with a candle until dawn," which naturally greatly highlights his image of adhering to etiquette and not being interested in women...

Subsequently, among the common people, it was further deified into a religious myth.

After all, everyone hopes that their brother is the celibate Guan Wusheng, rather than the second brother Guan who can't forget Lady Qin after seeing her.

Especially after the Song and Yuan dynasties, Guan Yu was gradually revered as the "Martial Saint". After being packaged by Confucianism as "loyalty and righteousness", Buddhism and Taoism were not to be outdone, also stating that he had long been a guardian deity in their respective religions.

Is it a case of guidance first, then traffic, or traffic first, and then guidance from there?

Reversing cause and effect is also a common practice.

However, in any case, Guan Yu's private life was purified during this process, which even led to stories such as "Guan Yu Slaying Diao Chan," highlighting his character of not being swayed by beauty.

However...

Just like the US promotes the deeds of its honest officials, if all officials in the US were honest and dedicated to their duties, would there be a need to make them special role models and increase the publicity efforts?
While Guan Yu was being "purified," there must have been quite a few people in society who were thinking about eating dumplings every year.

Guan Yu is now taking a concubine in Wuyang, partly because he's been cooped up in those wild and uncivilized places like Jiaozhi and Jiangdong for too long...

Forget about it. Right now, there's really no "beauty" in Jiangdong, the heart of the Han Dynasty.

The two Qiao sisters sought refuge in the north...

However, many keyboard warriors will jump out and say that Wu and Yue have been known for their beauties since ancient times, and wasn't Xi Shi one of them?
However, in reality, the Wu and Yue regions, according to the *Strategies of the Warring States*, were described as follows: "With disheveled hair and tattooed bodies, wearing crossed arms and left-fastening robes, they are the people of Ou and Yue. With black teeth and carved foreheads, wearing anchovy-patterned hats and sorghum-sewn garments, they are the people of the great state of Wu..."

So it's hard to say exactly how beautiful Xi Shi was, but one thing is certain: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

It wasn't until the Jin Dynasty, when a large number of people from north of the Yangtze River migrated south, that Jiangdong truly began to prosper and develop.

Guan Yu, being in Jiaozhi, naturally looked down on the natives, and having not met anyone he liked in Jiangdong, it's understandable that he couldn't resist the sight of Lady Han in Wuyang.

Another reason is that Guan Yu was learning from Liu Bei.

Wherever Liu Bei went, he married women...

Of course, this was the norm in late Han society; alliances formed through marriage among warlords were common, and it wasn't a problem unique to Liu Bei. Liu Bei's practice of "marrying wherever he went" was not merely due to his personal philandering, but rather a typical political strategy for survival and development in a chaotic world.

Once the leaders set an example, those below will naturally follow suit.

Guan Lao Er did learn it, not entirely because he was bored and restless.

Therefore, Guan Lao Er felt that he had not done anything wrong.

After all, this was a tradition of the Liu family during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Not only Liu Bei, but even Liu Xiu did the same thing... Marrying a daughter from a wealthy local family could, to some extent, appease and win over local forces and consolidate control over the region.

In this era, most political figures in Shandong and the Central Plains relied on clans, local communities, and in-laws to build their networks of relationships. Marriage was one of the core threads weaving this network.

The same applies to Cao Cao and Sun Quan.

Therefore, Liu Bei's approach was a common practice during this period in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Guan Yu's imitation of Liu Bei's actions was not due to stupidity, but rather because he was learning to use this method of marriage alliances to increase his political experience.

only……

Guan Lao Er clearly only learned the basics and failed to grasp the essence of Liu Bei's style.

"Thirdly, their isolated army has penetrated deep into our Yingchuan territory, far from Jingzhou. Their supply lines are long and their newly annexed cities like Wuyang and Kunyang are unstable, and their officials harbor discontent—all potential threats!" Xun Yu addressed the assembled troops with confidence. "If they proceed cautiously, they will be a greater threat. Their hasty advance on Linying presents us with the perfect opportunity to devise a plan to defeat them! They have already committed suicide!"

Upon hearing this, the panic on the faces of the people below the hall lessened, replaced by contemplation and hesitation.

A military officer in charge of the defense of Xu County couldn't help but step forward, cupping his hands in greeting, and said, "Lord Xun's insightful analysis of the enemy's situation has enlightened me greatly. However... please forgive my ignorance... our forces are currently insufficient... even with the reinforcements you sent, we only have a little over five thousand men... and our newly recruited volunteers have not undergone any battle training, their formations and commands are unfamiliar, and their armor and weapons are incomplete... facing the fierce and powerful soldiers under your command, I'm afraid... I'm afraid we will be unable to resist..."

These words were calm and realistic, revealing the biggest hidden worry in the hearts of the vast majority of people present.

The gap in strength, especially the gap in the quality of soldiers, is a stark reality.

The Yingchuan youths brought by Xun Yu may have passion, but they have almost no experience in battle. Everyone had a huge question mark about whether they could stand firm in real bloody battles.

Xun Yu did not shy away from this point; instead, he nodded and frankly admitted, "What Commandant Wang said hits the nail on the head. Our forces are weak, our soldiers are newly recruited and poorly trained—this is indeed our current weakness, and there's no denying it. I've sent letters to mobilize soldiers and local militias from various counties; they will arrive soon… As for the Guan family…"

Xun Yu's tone immediately shifted, becoming increasingly resolute: "In this battle, we cannot act rashly with brute force, nor can we be passive and passive, merely defending an isolated city! Only by playing to our strengths and avoiding our weaknesses, by using strategy and ingenious tactics to defeat the enemy!"

……

……

Rushui was a temporary camp set up by Guan Yu's army.

The exhilaration of consecutive victories caused the garrison troops of the cities along the way to surrender without a fight.

They welcomed the king's army with food and drink.

At least on the surface.

This smooth sailing was indeed like the finest wine, constantly nourishing Guan Yu's already deep-rooted pride, causing it to swell to an unprecedented height.

Guan Yu sat upright in the main seat of the central command tent, stroking his thick, black beard with one hand. His phoenix eyes were almost overflowing with disdain, and his majesty was evident in every glance.

In his view, the Cao army in Yingchuan, having suffered a defeat at Taigu Pass, was already a frightened and timid army, easily defeated!
Although Xu County is nominally an important town, its garrison is weak and it is easy to take it!

Now is the time to establish unparalleled achievements, to awe the Central Plains, and to become famous throughout the world!
"Report!"

A scout rushed into the tent, knelt on one knee, and reported, "General! There seems to be unusual activity in the direction of Lin'ying City! Our scouts have discovered a great deal of noise and activity within the city, with frequent carriages and horses. We can vaguely see carts loaded with supplies leaving the city! Furthermore, the number of banners on the city walls seems to be less than in the past two days, and the density of guard patrols appears to be lax!"

"Oh?" Guan Yu paused slightly in stroking his beard, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. "Have you ascertained the truth?"

The scout reported confidently, "General, multiple scout teams have repeatedly confirmed from different directions that their observations are largely the same. There are no new defensive structures on the walls of Lin'ying; on the contrary, there are signs of soldiers carrying things out of the city."

Guan Yu immediately burst into laughter: "Just as I predicted! It must be that the garrison commander of Linying, realizing his forces are outnumbered, who is abandoning the city and attempting to flee! Order the entire army to prepare immediately and cross the river ahead of schedule! Taking advantage of the chaos and panic among Cao Cao's troops during their retreat, we will seize Linying in one fell swoop, capturing their supplies and provisions. This will not only bring us tangible benefits but also further demoralize Cao Cao's army!"

"General! Wait!" A captain of the Flying Cavalry who had followed Guan Yu on his northern expedition couldn't help but step forward to dissuade him. "General, you are wise! Our army has marched north from Xiangyang and won several battles, but we have penetrated deep into the heart of Yingchuan and haven't had a chance to rest for many days... Moreover, Wuyang and Kunyang have only recently submitted to us, and the people and officials haven't truly submitted to us. There are many hidden dangers. I believe it would be better to proceed cautiously, consolidating our rear while sending out skilled scouts to thoroughly investigate the situation in Lin'ying. Only when we have a clear understanding, or when our supplies and troops arrive, should we cross the river and capture the city. This would be the safest course of action!"

"Absurd!" Guan Yu interrupted the captain with displeasure, his phoenix eyes flashing with authority as he swept his gaze across the generals in the tent. "Speed ​​is of the essence in war! How can we hesitate and squander this golden opportunity bestowed upon us by Heaven? Yingchuan is now devoid of both elite troops and powerful generals. Even if they have cunning schemes, what can they do to us? The garrison at Linying, fearing our might, hastily retreated north, their tracks clear. This is the perfect time to press our advantage and expand our gains! You all dare to speak against it…"

Guan Yu's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying obvious doubt and pressure: "Could it be that you still fear Cao Cao's army? Or do you believe that my Green Dragon Crescent Blade cannot slay the bandit general's head?"

This barbed questioning made the captain who had spoken blush and break out in a cold sweat, and he dared not utter another word.

Guan Yu was already very dissatisfied with the Flying Cavalry's strategy of always having to scout, be cautious, and proceed with care!

They could tolerate it before, but now that they have successively captured Kunyang and Wuyang, how can they possibly tolerate it anymore?
Guan Yu's preferred tactics still leaned towards the fighting style of the northern regions...

The remaining generals in the tent were already in high spirits from the consecutive victories, and they knew Guan Yu was proud and arrogant. Seeing that he had made up his mind and that his analysis sounded reasonable, no one dared to voice any objection.

Once Guan Yu issued the order, the entire army sprang into action.

Guan Yu personally led a thousand elite troops as the vanguard, crossing the Ru River on the still swaying pontoon bridge. Their horses thundered as they charged straight towards the city of Linying.

Although Guan Yu outwardly reprimanded the commander of the Flying Cavalry, he didn't actually charge into battle like a pig...

After all, when Guan Yu reprimanded the Commandant of the Flying Cavalry, it wasn't that he didn't know the benefits of caution. Rather, he was emphasizing the inviolability of his authority, especially not allowing the Commandant to raise any objections that could shake Guan Yu's control over the troops.

When Guan Yu led his troops to Linying, he did not rush to attack immediately. Instead, he sent scouts to investigate not only the city of Linying but also the surrounding outskirts. Only after confirming that there were no Cao army ambushes or other unusual circumstances did he order the attack.

Because most of the garrison in Lin'ying City had already fled, the resistance in Lin'ying City was weaker than anyone had imagined.

Guan Yu's vanguard charged into the city with almost no effort, shouting as they went.

The streets were littered with discarded, dilapidated debris and scattered flags.

Some damaged and old defensive equipment was also thrown everywhere.

"The Cao army's garrison has already scattered and fled!"

The military academy students who entered the city first returned to find Guan Yu and loudly reported back.

"Hahaha!"

Guan Yu laughed heartily, glancing triumphantly at the cavalry captain who had previously warned him to be "cautious." "Cao Cao's army is truly a bunch of chickens and dogs! A complete bunch of scoundrels!"

Guan Yu rode slowly into the city, which he had captured almost without bloodshed. Looking at the scene of victory before him, he was filled with pride, stroked his beard, and laughed heartily. "Send orders! Carefully inventory the spoils in the city! Post notices to appease the local people!"

However, reality quickly dampened this joy of victory.

The so-called "captures" were mostly worthless junk; the truly valuable grain, weapons, and valuables had already been moved away.

The light cavalry force that Guan Yu then sent north to pursue them quickly reported back that the fleeing Cao army had been gone for a long time and could not be caught up with at all.

Although the actual spoils obtained were meager, Lin'ying City was captured almost without bloodshed. The next step is Yingyin, and then Xu County!

This made Guan Yu even more convinced of his own judgment!

Cao's army was already powerless to resist, making it the perfect time to advance on Xuchang!
However, to attack Yingyin, they had to cross the Ying River. And at Linying, not only were the city's granaries empty, but the surrounding boats had either been burned or sailed away...

Guan Yu could only send messengers, carrying triumphant reports in high spirits, to the newly captured cities in the rear and to Jingzhou.

On the one hand, they wanted to promote their own martial prowess in an attempt to intimidate the people of the newly conquered territories; on the other hand, they also wanted to request the rear to transport grain, timber and other supplies in order to prepare for the next offensive.

Guan Yu became increasingly convinced that wherever his long sword went, victory was assured!

I'll kill anyone who gets in my way, and I'll slay even gods if they stand in my way!
Who in the world can stop us?!