Under One Person: Starting from the Inheritance of Gods

Chapter 455 This game is all about human nature!

Dong Zhuo suddenly stood up, lifting a corner of the sheepskin map on the table. He stared intently at his confidant: "How did Yuan Zuo Zong die? Is the news true?"

A cold sweat beaded on the confidant's forehead: "It is said that Yao Jian and Ye Xizhen secretly plotted to poison him in his tent. They then claimed that he volunteered to be buried alive with the King of Beiliang, and the news has spread throughout the Beiliang army."

The generals inside the tent were in an uproar.

Tuoba Xiong slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "General! This is an opportunity that must not be missed! Beiliang is now cutting off its own arm. With Yuan Zuozong dead, the Beiliang cavalry will surely fall into chaos. If we don't attack now, when will we?"

Dong Zhuo suddenly burst into wild laughter, his laughter tinged with sarcasm: "Well done, Chu Lushan! He can even use the death of his own brother as bait!"

He suddenly drew his scimitar and slammed it onto the table. "Order the entire army to retreat twenty li!"

The generals were stunned.

Tuoba Xiong said urgently, "General! This..."

"Shut up!"

Dong Zhuo's eyes flashed with cold light. "What kind of person is Yuan Baixiong? There's no way he could have died so easily, and so simply."

He grabbed the wine flask, took a swig, and sneered, "This is clearly a ruse orchestrated by Chu Lushan and Yuan Zuozong! Order Wuyalan to conduct a thorough investigation into the movements of the Northern Liang light cavalry!"

Three days later, within the territory of Northern Liang.

Fan Xian, dressed in white, stood before the sand table, his finger lightly tracing the terrain outside Huaiyang Pass. Li Yishan coughed and handed over a secret report: "Dong Zhuo hasn't fallen for the trap."

"As expected."

Fan Xian chuckled: "If he were that easy to take the bait, he wouldn't be Dong Zhuo."

He suddenly turned his head. "Is General Yuan's 'corpse' ready?"

A figure emerged from the shadows; it was none other than Yuan Zuozong, who was supposed to be "dead."

He clasped his hands and said, "As instructed by the young master, a death row inmate has been substituted. The young master's men are indeed capable, managing to look exactly like me, but..."

He frowned slightly. "Since Dong Zhuo has already seen through this plan, is it still valid?"

Fan Xian waved his hand: "We'll go all out in this charade. Strategies always involve both truth and deception. Dong Zhuo is convinced it's a trap, but we'll make it real."

He suddenly raised his voice, "Qi Dangguo!"

A towering man lifted the tent flap and entered: "Your subordinate is here!"

“You lead three thousand Great Snow Dragon Riders, carrying Yuan Zuozong’s corpse, out of Beiliang and head to Huaiyang Pass. As for the rest, Chu Lushan knows what to do.”

Qi Dangguo's eyes widened: "This..."

Li Yishan suddenly laughed: "Does the Crown Prince intend to confirm General Yuan's death?"

Fan Xian nodded: "Dong Zhuo is suspicious. The more we try to deceive him, the less he will believe us. But what if General Yuan's body is truly right in front of him?"

Li Yishan raised an eyebrow slightly: "He still won't believe it, but his belief will waver."

Fan Xian smiled and said, "He's not the only one whose beliefs are wavering. The reason Dong Zhuo can command respect in the army now is because his generals trust him. But what if he continues to be stubborn and loses the morale of the army?"

Li Yishan's eyes flashed: "Your Highness, you mean..."

"Hehe, the key to this match has never been Chu Lushan, nor Yuan Zuozong, nor even Beiliang, but rather the Northern Mang army camp!"

"All I need to do is plant a seed of doubt in the hearts of the generals of Northern Mang and even the Northern Mang court, and it will take root, sprout, and grow into a towering tree."

Fan Xian's gaze was deep, and his fingertips tapped lightly on the edge of the sand table: "Dong Zhuo is a man of exceptional military talent, comparable to Chu Lushan. Although the Empress of Northern Mang values ​​him highly, if he repeatedly misses opportunities in battle, someone in the Northern Mang court will impeach him."

"After all, the Northern Mang court is not a monolithic entity; military affairs are always an extension of national politics."

Li Yishan pondered and said, "Does the Crown Prince intend to use the Northern Mang court and Dong Zhuo's generals to force Dong Zhuo into battle?"

"Yes."

Fan Xian smiled slightly, "Moreover, the Northern Mang army is full of factions. Dong Zhuo was able to maintain his position as commander-in-chief entirely because of his military achievements. If he hesitates to advance, how could those generals who are envious of his position let go of this opportunity?"

Yuan Zuozong understood Fan Xian's intention at this time and nodded, saying, "When the Northern Mang court puts pressure on us, even if Dong Zhuo knows it's a trap, he will have no choice but to bite the bullet and go in."

"exactly."

Fan Xian stood with his hands behind his back, a cold glint in his eyes. "What I want is for him to jump into a trap even when he knows it's a trap."

"This battle is about winning hearts and minds!"

Li Yishan frowned and said, "Your Highness, you are taking a risk. We cannot entrust victory to the other side. It is best to keep the outcome in our own hands."

Fan Xian smiled enigmatically and said, "Who says things aren't in our own hands?"

Li Yishan narrowed his eyes: "It seems the young master has a backup plan. I'll wait and see!"

------

Three days later, at the Northern Mang army camp.

As Dong Zhuo was staring at the map in deep thought, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the tent.

A personal guard rushed in, his face strange: "General, Qi Dangguo of Beiliang has led three thousand Great Snow Dragon Cavalry out of Liangzhou City, escorting a coffin towards Huaiyang Pass!"

Dong Zhuo's pupils contracted: "A coffin?"

The guard whispered, "According to the scouts, the person in the coffin... is suspected to be Yuan Zuo Zong."

Dong Zhuo slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, his eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty.

Tuoba Xiong couldn't help but say, "General, this matter is probably suspicious. If Yuan Zuo Zong is really dead, why is Beiliang making such a big fuss about transporting his body?"

Another general sneered, "General Tuoba, you are being too cautious. The news of Yuan Zuozong's death has spread throughout Beiliang. And didn't you hear that Qi Dangguo attacked Liangzhou City? It is clear that he is dissatisfied with Chen Zhibao's actions and is also trying to protect himself."

"Yuan Zuozong is the commander of the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry. Qi Dangguo and Yuan Zuozong have a friendship. Now that even his corpse is being transported to the front line, how could it be fake?"

"Something's wrong..."

Dong Zhuo muttered to himself, "Qi Dangguo is usually so steady and reliable, how could he be so reckless? Could it be that he is really trying to protect himself?"

He suddenly grabbed his personal guard by the collar, "What's the situation inside Huaiyang Pass now?"

The guard said in a trembling voice, "The crying was deafening. Chu Lushan, despite his illness, was burning paper money on the city wall, saying that he was paying homage to Yuan Zuo Zong."

Dong Zhuo released his grip, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

He looked at the generals in the army and said his thoughts: "I suspect that Yuan Zuo Zong faked his death in order to send reinforcements to Huaiyang Pass."

"What if Chu Lushan and Yuan Zuozong are stationed inside Huaiyang Pass, along with 50,000 cavalry, 3,000 Great Snow Dragon Riders, and the original garrison inside Huaiyang Pass?"

"It's going to be tough to crack this bone!"

Tuoba Xiong asked, "General, what should we do next?"

Dong Zhuo lowered his head, pondered for a moment, and uttered two words: "Reinforce the troops!"

"Send a letter to the imperial court requesting an additional 50,000 cavalry!"

"What, General? You need to send 50,000 more troops? We only sent 100,000 this time!" His subordinate exclaimed, his eyes wide with confusion.

Dong Zhuo's expression was solemn: "The Northern Liang Iron Cavalry is the best in the world, and the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry is the best in Northern Liang. Without 50,000 cavalry, who among you dares to say that you can even touch the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry?"

Upon hearing this, all the generals fell silent.

Dong Zhuo remained silent, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of his sword.

At this moment, someone outside the tent reported: "General, the spies inside Huaiyang Pass have sent a secret report that it has been confirmed that the coffin contains the body of Yuan Zuozong. After seeing it, Chu Lushan angrily cursed Chen Zhibao and then fainted."

A glint flashed in Dong Zhuo's eyes: "Has it been verified?" "Verification is correct. Chu Lushan is unconscious. Currently, there is great chaos in Huaiyang Pass. Qi Dangguo is incompetent in managing affairs. The spies took advantage of the chaos to verify that Yuan Zuozong's body showed no signs of disguise."

Upon hearing this, the generals below hurriedly said, "General, this is an opportunity we must seize! If Yuan Zuo Zong is truly dead, Qi Dang Guo alone cannot stop us at Huaiyang Pass. This is the perfect time for us to take Huaiyang Pass in one fell swoop!"

Dong Zhuo shook his head again: "Wait a little longer."

The generals exchanged glances, their eyes already showing dissatisfaction.

Among these many generals, several of them exchanged glances inadvertently, a strange smile creeping onto their lips.

Those who were shouting the loudest just now were those few.

Five more days passed.

An imperial edict arrived from the Northern Mang court, rebuking Dong Zhuo for his cowardice and reluctance to advance, while granting his request for reinforcements. The edict ordered Dong Zhuo to immediately advance when the 50,000-strong army arrived.

Meanwhile, rumors were spreading throughout the Northern Mang army camp that their marshal had been terrified by Chu Lushan and dared not confront the Northern Liang cavalry head-on.

Morale in the Northern Mang army was declining, and the generals were full of complaints.

That night, Dong Zhuo stood alone outside his tent, gazing in the direction of Huaiyang Pass, his eyes filled with uncertain emotions.

-----

Inside Huaiyang Pass.

Chu Lushan remained pale-faced. Upon hearing the news that Dong Zhuo was holding back his troops, he couldn't help but sigh, "That fat Dong is really patient. He let such a good opportunity slip by."

He looked at Qi Dangguo and asked, "Does the Crown Prince have any instructions?"

Qi Dangguo clasped his hands and said, "The Crown Prince said you know what to do next."

Chu Lushan smiled slightly: "According to the Crown Prince's previous plan, we will reduce the number of cooking stoves after you arrive!"

Qi Dangguo frowned: "Reduce the number of stoves?"

Chu Lushan smiled sinisterly: "Starting the day after tomorrow, the number of cooking stoves in the entire army will be reduced by 10% each day. Also, spread the word that Chen Zhibao is embezzling military rations and that Huaiyang Pass is about to run out of food."

The flickering candlelight inside the tent made his smile appear even more sinister: "Doesn't Dong Zhuo like to guess? This general will let him guess to his heart's content!"

Three days later, the Northern Mang scouts discovered that the amount of smoke from cooking fires at Huaiyang Pass had decreased significantly.

Tuoba Xiong rushed into the command tent: "General! The Northern Liang army has less than nine thousand cooking stoves, and our scouts have discovered that they are slaughtering old horses and livestock to stave off hunger!"

The wine flask in Dong Zhuo's hand fell to the ground with a "thud," and the wine soaked the sheepskin map.

He stared intently at the location of Huaiyang Pass on the map, then suddenly grabbed his scimitar and slashed two deep marks on the table: "It used to be 10,000 cooking stoves, but in the last two days it's less than 9,000. Yet the garrison at Huaiyang Pass has clearly increased."

The generals in the tent immediately became agitated.

A bearded general slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "This is clearly a sign of running out of supplies! General, I am willing to be the vanguard!"

Dong Zhuo suddenly grabbed a wine flask and took a big gulp, the wine dripping down his beard: "Order Wuyalan to conduct a thorough investigation of the grain transport routes of Beiliang!"

That night, scouts from the Northern Barbarians intercepted a convoy of grain transport vehicles from the Northern Liang, a hundred miles away.

The grain cart was prominently decorated with the Northern Liang's command flag, but inside there was only half a cart of moldy, coarse rice.

When the news reached the main camp, the generals were in an uproar.

Looking at the moldy rice on the grain cart, Tuoba Xiong suddenly knelt on one knee: "General! The opportunity to fight is fleeting!"

Dong Zhuo's forehead veins bulged, and he suddenly kicked over the table: "The entire army is to break camp!"

The generals were overjoyed.

But then he roared, "Retreat thirty miles to meet the approaching 50,000 troops!"

"General!"

"Shut up, all of you!" Dong Zhuo's eyes were bloodshot. "Chu Lushan is a cunning strategist; who knows what he's up to? Why would he reveal such a flaw? This moldy rice is the bait!"

The bearded general suddenly sneered: "General, are you perhaps terrified?"

The air inside the tent suddenly froze.

Dong Zhuo slowly turned his head, and a flash of light appeared on his blade.

The bearded general's head rolled to the ground.

"Anyone who disrupts the morale of the army again shall be executed!" Dong Zhuo wiped the blood off his sword, but saw that the generals' eyes had changed.

That night, someone in the Northern Mang army delivered an urgent message, traveling 800 li directly to the Northern Mang capital.

During this period, Chu Lushan and Qi Dangguo led the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry to raid the camp several times, further confirming the "truth" that there was a shortage of food supplies in Huaiyang Pass.

However, due to Dong Zhuo's orders, the generals dared not take any action and could only bury their resentment in their hearts.

During the raid on the camp, Dong Zhuo also met Chu Lushan from afar. The man was indeed pale and weak when wielding his sword.

Seven days later, the imperial edict arrived with the 50,000-strong army: advance immediately, or face treason!
When Dong Zhuo received the imperial edict, he discovered that it was delivered by two military supervisors holding imperial insignia.

At this moment, a trusted confidant whispered, "General, the imperial court has issued several decrees. If we do not send troops now, I fear..."

Dong Zhuo gave a bitter laugh, then suddenly drew his scimitar and cleaved off the corner of the table: "Order! The entire army to attack Huaiyang Pass!"

Meanwhile, Yuan Zuozong had already led 30,000 light cavalry to ambush at Hulu Pass, waiting for the Northern Barbarians to attack Huaiyang Pass before cutting off their supply lines to eliminate any future troubles.

After all, supplies are crucial during wartime.

If you have provisions, you can gather the remnants of your army and wait for the future.

Fan Xian's plan was to achieve victory in one battle, causing the 150,000-strong Northern Mang army to perish within Huaiyang Pass.

-----

Huaiyang Pass.

On the distant horizon, the Northern Mang army loomed like a dark cloud pressing down on the city.

Chu Lushan stood atop the city wall, gazing at the rising dust in the distance, his fat fingers lightly tapping the wall: "They're here."

Qi Dangguo gripped his spear tightly: "Dong Zhuo ultimately couldn't withstand the pressure."

"It wasn't that Dong Zhuo couldn't hold out."

Chu Lushan grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth. "It's because the Northern Mang court couldn't hold on any longer. The Crown Prince's move is a manipulation of the hearts and minds of the court, as well as an exploitation of intelligence."

As the person in charge of the Fushui Room and a confidant of the Crown Prince, Chu Lushan knew that there was a group of people in the Northern Mang army and even in the Northern Mang court who used extremely strange methods to disguise themselves and perfectly replace people, and then influence the thoughts of those around them, constantly swaying the situation.

The current situation was carefully created by the Crown Prince.

Then, he looked back at the area inside the pass.

Most of the 50,000 iron cavalry, 3,000 snow dragon riders, and all the civilians had quietly evacuated through the tunnels.

Inside Huaiyang Pass, a man named Hanba has been in charge of burying a large number of explosive devices, just waiting for that fat man Dong Zhuo to come in.

Trading a strategic pass for 150,000 elite troops of the Northern Barbarians is a worthwhile exchange!

The bugle calls from below the city walls were deafening, and the iron cavalry of the Northern Barbarians surged in like a tidal wave.

Chu Lushan suddenly turned around: "Send the order to light the beacon fires!"

Three plumes of smoke rose into the sky.

(End of this chapter)