Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Chapter 760 Strategies to Destroy the City
After the generals finished speaking, Jia Xu, who had also rushed into the tent, asked.

"I wonder how the governor plans to break into the city?"

Li Ji asked curiously, "Does Wenhe have any good ideas?"

Jia Xu replied, "I see there is also a dam to the north of Ruyang..."

Before Jia Xu could finish speaking, Li Ji could not help but glare at this old man who deliberately made trouble, and had to make up for him.

“There is enough water in Ruyang City. Even if the water supply is cut off, we can still hold out for a long time. It’s useless.”

How could Li Ji not understand Jia Xu's real intention? It was nothing more than diverting water to flood Ruyang.

No matter how strong the city defense is, it will be wiped out in the surging flood.

But even if the people living around Ruyang City had already fled, the people affected by the flooding of the city would only be limited to the part inside the city.

But Liu Bei had just issued a manifesto to reprimand Cao Cao for digging up the Yellow River. This would be another water plan. Even if the impact on the common people was limited, it would still become a joke, right?
Li Ji would rather not be able to capture Ruyang for the time being than choose to use the water strategy. Otherwise, even if he wins a great victory on the tactical level, he will lose on the strategic level.

"So, the governor is preparing for a strong attack?"

Jia Xu asked with some curiosity.

Jia Xu also saw the situation in Ruyang City.

With Yuan Shu blocking all the city gates and forcing the soldiers in the city to fight to the death, Ruyang City was as solid as a rock.

In this situation, Jia Xu could not think of any other way to capture Ruyang City except the water plan.

"It's not that there is no hope of breaking through if we continue to attack, but as the situation changes, I have a plan to capture Ruyang." Li Ji replied.

"I wonder what the commander-in-chief's plan is?" Wei Yan asked curiously.

"Of course, we should let Yuan Shu take the initiative to invite us into the city." Li Ji said with a smile.

After these words were spoken, everyone in the tent was stunned and didn't understand what was going on.

"Commander-in-chief, Yuan Shu is determined to fight to the death, and the possibility of his surrender... is very slim." Wei Yan reminded in a low voice.

"It's not about forcing Yuan Gonglu to surrender, but about asking him to open the city gate on his own initiative..."

Immediately, Li Ji said with a smile.

"Yuan Gonglu has trapped himself in Ruyang City, blocking both the inside and the outside. It is true that it is very difficult for us to attack the city even if we have twice the number of troops as the enemy. However, Yuan Gonglu also knows nothing about the changes in the situation outside the city."

"Not knowing that the Yellow Turbans were sweeping across Yuzhou, and even less knowing that Yuan Shao had died suddenly, the Yuan family was doomed to decline."

"Therefore, we can pretend that the attack has been fruitless for a long time, and we have to withdraw our troops because of the imminent snowfall. Then, let the Yuzhou nobles pretend to have come to their senses and continue to support Yuan Shu, and send a large amount of money, food and supplies to Ruyang City. Yuan Shu will not be suspicious."

As Li Ji finished speaking, Jia Xu twisted his beard unconsciously and immediately concluded that this plan... was feasible.

Knowing or not knowing some things will lead to completely different judgments.

When Yuan Shu was unaware that Yuan Shao was dead and that the Yellow Turbans in Yuzhou had forced the Yuzhou aristocratic families into a desperate situation, all he could see was his success in defending Ruyang with all his might and successfully forcing Li Ji to retreat.

Once Li Ji retreated, Yuan Shu would still be the lord of Yuzhou. It would be normal for the Yuzhou nobles, who were like fence-sitters, to once again surrender to him and lick his ass.

Therefore, even though many Yuzhou noble families sent money, food and supplies, Yuan Shu still chose to block the gate, and the possibility of refusing to accept them was very small.

The other generals in the tent were also veterans of battle. They might not be very clear about the possibility of faking the city gate, but they knew that as long as they could open one city gate.

With the elite combat power of Li Ji's army fighting against the defenders of Ruyang City in the streets, if they could not completely suppress the situation after more than two hours, it must be that someone was slacking off. In addition, with Li Ji's prestige, no one would object without sufficient reason.

After getting the support of the generals, Li Ji continued to make arrangements.

"Therefore, in the next three days, the generals will gradually slow down their offensive, and then withdraw all the way south. During the withdrawal, they can appear depressed and embarrassed to confuse Yuan Shu."

"When our army pretends to retreat, we can have the noble families of Yuzhou pretend to open the blocked city gates and capture Ruyang in one fell swoop."

After the military meeting was over, Li Ji returned to the central army tent in the South Camp and quickly met with the anxious representatives of the Yuzhou families. He proposed that they should deceive the enemy into opening the city gate.

As soon as these words were spoken, the representatives of the Yuzhou families couldn't help but reveal a hint of hesitation on their faces.

As members of the same Yuzhou aristocratic family as the Yuan family, most of these Yuzhou aristocratic family representatives were acquainted with the Yuan family. Many of them had been guests of honor treated with courtesy by Yuan Shu, and some even had served under Yuan Shu.

"Is this action somewhat unjust?"

Someone murmured something in a low voice, which aroused a lot of resonance.

The aristocratic families as a group may only talk about interests, but the individuals who are part of the aristocratic families often have very high moral standards.

Under the trend of the times, he had to switch to Liu Bei's army in exchange for the continuation and development of his family. This was nothing.

The Runan Yuan family, Yuan Shu's relative, were the first to fall to their knees.

But to falsely open the gate of Ruyang City would inevitably be seen as a betrayal of the former master, which was something that quite a number of children from aristocratic families who valued loyalty and righteousness would reject.

Li Ji was not annoyed by this, but instead sighed louder than anyone else and spoke.

"This is indeed an unkind and unjust act. Ji is also worried that he will be reprimanded by the lord afterwards."

"But if we don't use this clever strategy, we can only continue to besiege and attack Ruyang. I don't know when we can break through Ruyang, and when we can withdraw troops to suppress the Yellow Turbans in Yuzhou."

"I am also thinking of your earnest requests, and I have also heard that many aristocratic families who have been the backbone of our Han Dynasty have had their generations of wealth destroyed by the Yellow Turbans. That is why I am willing to take this desperate measure despite the infamy."

"Since you all are also opposed to this plan, then... let's not use it."

After saying that, Li Ji stood up and bowed politely to the representatives of the noble families on his left and right.

"The military duties are very heavy, you can continue to rest and drink tea in the tent. Please forgive me for not being able to stay with you for long."

For a moment, all the representatives of the aristocratic families present panicked as they saw Li Ji walking out of the tent.

It will take about half a month before the snow falls, which is enough time for Li Ji to continue attacking Ruyang. Li Ji can afford to delay for a while.

Even if we fail to capture Ruyang before winter, we can always try again in the spring of next year.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that the Yuan family was doomed to decline, especially after Yuan Shao's sudden death. Yuan Shu didn't even have a single external aid to rescue him, and would sooner or later be destroyed by Liu Bei.

It's simply a matter of sooner or later.

But if it is delayed until the beginning of next spring, the entire Yuzhou family will be wiped out by the Yellow Turbans.

They can still sit here this year, but it is unknown whether their families will still be here next year.

The next moment, Yuan Yin stood up and said hurriedly.

"My Lord, please stay. I am willing to go and trick the city gate into opening..."

(End of this chapter)