Han officials

Chapter 267 A General's Talent [4K]

It's night, the moon and stars are sparse.

At Jingxing Pass, many soldiers could be seen yawning wearily.

As a vital passage through the Taihang Mountains, Jingxing Pass was actually only heavily guarded, consisting of just a small group of soldiers.

It's not that Changshan Kingdom couldn't spare more manpower, but two hundred people would have been enough.

Any more, and the cramped Jingxing Pass would not be able to accommodate them all.

Moreover, logistical support at Jingxing Pass is not easy; the mountain roads are winding, and the losses during transportation are far greater than elsewhere.

The cost of maintaining two hundred garrison soldiers here is enough to support the livelihoods of over a thousand soldiers from other counties outside the mountains.

Therefore, there were too many soldiers guarding Jingxing Pass, and Changshan State was unable to bear the burden.

If Taiyuan County had not been occupied by the Wei army, there would have been even fewer soldiers stationed at Jingxing Pass.

It should be noted that during Emperor Huan's reign, there were only about fifty garrison soldiers in the Guanzhong region, and they were responsible for collecting taxes from passing caravans.

Now that the world is in chaos, life at Jingxing Pass has become difficult.

What used to be a lucrative and carefree place has now become a grueling job with high pay, low workload, and close to home... no, it's a dreadful job with low pay, high workload, and far from home.

Therefore, right now, every single soldier stationed inside Jingxing Pass is basically a poor, helpless man with no connections.

Instead of expecting them to diligently keep watch at night, it would be better to first distribute their monthly rice rations in full.

For example, at this moment, when he saw what appeared to be a dark shadow flashing across the post road below the city, Kang Qu paid no attention to it.

Instead, a soldier standing nearby hesitated and said, "Squad leader, I think I saw a figure."

Upon hearing this, Kang Qu casually yawned:
"There's no one there, you must be seeing things."

"There are so many wild animals in the mountains, it's probably something that came down from the mountain again."

If Jingxing Pass is still as lucrative as before, Kang Qu wouldn't mind going out to inspect it.

But now, the fact that he can stand up and not sleep is already a great favor to the governor.

Just as Kang Qu was thinking about how to pull some strings to get transferred away from this godforsaken place, he heard a whooshing sound as the wind broke through the air. Kang Qu felt a pain in his throat and immediately fell to the ground.

As a result, Kang Qu was still writhing on the ground, clutching his throat in pain, when the soldier to his left was suddenly shot in the right eye by a cold arrow that went straight into his brain and fell to the ground asleep.

However, such a commotion could not be kept from the other soldiers on the city wall, and alarms were raised immediately.

However, it was too late. At the foot of the city wall, Zhao Yun casually threw away his bow and arrows, then tossed up a rope hook and climbed up in a few quick movements.

If it weren't for the extreme difficulty of night shooting, Zhao Yun would have even considered trying a rapid-fire technique.

As Zhao Yun swiftly ascended the walls of Jingxing Pass, eight hundred Wei soldiers, hidden not far behind, also surged toward the city walls, carrying makeshift ladders as they began to swarm and seize the pass.

In the blink of an eye, the Jingxing Pass was covered in blood, and screams filled the air.

Even though the sleeping soldiers were all awakened and charged at Zhao Yun and his men with swords and spears, they were still caught in a fierce battle.

As Zhao Yun and his men gained a foothold atop the city wall, more and more Wei soldiers climbed up, quickly matching the number of Yuan troops guarding the wall.

Once the situation developed to this point, the outcome was self-evident.

Zhao Zilong of Changshan refers to Changshan of Changshan Kingdom and Changshan of Changshan Pass.

With Zhao Yun's relentless charge, the perilous pass was captured in less than half an hour.

It must be said that this was a very successful attempt to sneak through the gate.

Because of their lack of preparedness, Jingxing Pass never considered defending against Changshan State.

Otherwise, if they attacked with a large army in a fair and square manner, even if thousands of people died, they might not be able to take Jingxing Pass.

……

After slaughtering the last resisting Yuan soldier, Zhao Yun, without even cleaning up the battlefield, gave the order:

"Quickly, start the engine and send the signal!"

After all, taking Jingxing Pass was just a means to an end; the real goal was to establish a connection between Taiyuan Prefecture and Changshan State.

Meanwhile, a valley a mile west of Jingxing Pass was already teeming with Wei troops.

Even Xu Rong, the governor of Bingzhou, personally led his troops to wait here tonight.

There was no other way; Jingxing Pass was simply too important, being the only passage from Taiyuan Prefecture to Changshan State.

If this path cannot be opened up, Xu Rong will have no choice but to fight to the death with Gao Gan in Shangdang County.

However, Huguan in Shangdang County was still a natural stronghold, and it was heavily guarded by high-ranking officials, making it difficult to breach in a short period of time.

It was precisely because of this that the Bingzhou army was almost excluded from the Yuan-Wei war.

However, this was also partly due to the fact that the great war broke out earlier than expected.

Otherwise, Xu Rong would have made a detour through Dai County to rush back and participate in this great battle.

Just as Xu Rong was feeling anxious, his personal guard suddenly pointed to the hilltop not far away with a look of surprise and delight.

"Look, the campfire! My lord, they have truly succeeded!"

Seeing this, Xu Rong finally felt reassured, and without uttering a single word, he said with a resolute gaze:
"Enter the customs!"

At his command, the Wei army, which had been waiting in the valley for a long time, couldn't help but cheer.

After a year of resettlement, these Qingzhou refugee soldiers have long been molded into the kind of people Wei Zhe likes.

Having experienced the chaos in Qingzhou, they were even more adapted to life as garrison troops.

With a hoe in their left hand and a Han sword in their right, they didn't want to give up either.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry~"

Urged on by the officers, a long snake quickly followed the winding mountain road toward Jingxing Pass.

After an incense stick had burned, Zhao Yun finally breathed a sigh of relief when Xu Rong led the Bingzhou army into Jingxing Pass.

However, looking at the endless serpent below the city gate, Zhao Yun couldn't help but ask in surprise:

"Lord Xu, have you mobilized your entire force?"

"That's not the case." Xu Rong laughed immediately upon hearing this: "We still need people to keep an eye on Shangdang and the Xiongnu, there are only 20,000 people here!"

However, these 20,000 men were mostly the elite troops of the Bingzhou army.

To some extent, it's not wrong to say that Xu Rong mobilized all his forces.

As a result, Cui Yan in Shangdang County had to adopt a defensive posture, relying on passes to resist Gao Gan's invasion.

Upon hearing Xu Rong's words, Zhao Yun was overjoyed.

Unlike in later times, the transmission of information between different battlefields was extremely slow at that time.

At this moment, Zhao Yun did not know the situation of the battle under Xindu, but he knew that with the addition of 20,000 fresh troops from Bingzhou, the chances of winning the Battle of Xindu had increased.

However, before Zhao Yun could finish speaking, Xu Rong shook his head with a serious expression:

"No, we can't go to Xindu."

"Not going to Xindu?" Zhao Yun's eyes widened instantly. "Is our lord still waiting for us?"

With 50,000 troops against 60,000, the Wei army was at a disadvantage in terms of troop strength alone on the Xindu battlefield.

Therefore, Zhao Yun could not imagine any goal more important than supporting his lord.

However, Zhao Yun was still too young. He was brave, but his strategic thinking was still lacking.

In comparison, Xu Rong, as a general capable of leading independently, was clearly much more mature.

In his view, instead of heading east to Changshan to support the Xindu battlefield, it would be better to lead his army south directly, circle around to the rear of Yuan's army, and cut off Yuan Shao's retreat route by positioning himself between Guangzong and Yecheng.

In this way, we can cut off Yuan Shao's lifeline and completely eliminate his chances of survival.

From this perspective, Xu Rong's strategic vision was indeed a notch above Zhao Yun's.

Because if he led his troops eastward, he could at most inflict serious damage on Yuan's army, but if he went south, he could directly kill Yuan's army.

The so-called "talent of a great general" is exactly like this: they can often find the most lethal target among many.

Fortunately, Zhao Yun wasn't stupid, and he immediately understood what Xu Rong meant.

However, he still couldn't help but express some concern:
"Then... what about letters?"

Unexpectedly, Xu Rong said slowly and firmly, "I believe in you, Lord Jun!"

Xu Rong had even more confidence in Wei Zhe than in himself.

He couldn't believe that the border hero who had repeatedly conquered kingdoms, captured kings, and recaptured Luoyang would be stumped by a mere letter.

Of course, if he weren't a fellow townsman of Wei Zhe, Xu Rong wouldn't have dared to take such a risk.

After all, his actions amounted to disregarding the safety of his lord.

Even if a general knew the optimal solution, he might not have dared to do it.

Seeing Xu Rong's resolute attitude, Zhao Yun pondered for a moment before finally nodding slowly.

That night, guided by Zhao Yun, the Bingzhou army easily captured Zhen Ding City.

After all, no matter what Zhao Yun and Xu Rong thought, Changshan Kingdom was something they couldn't get around.

The next morning, as the news spread, the entire Changshan Kingdom was in an uproar.

In particular, Changshan Chancellor Sun Jin fainted on the spot after hearing the report from his subordinates. After being revived by the physician, he angrily shouted that he would impeach the Black Mountain Army for colluding with the Wei.

But no matter what he said, the people of the prefecture were still filled with anxiety.

……

Meanwhile, as Changshan Kingdom was in turmoil, other parts of the Han Dynasty were also in unrest.

As news of the great battle in Ji Province spread, it quickly captivated the hearts of people across the land.

The reason is simple: whoever wins, that person is very likely to become the future ruler of Hebei.

In this situation, some people naturally don't want the two to have a clear winner.

For example, the imperial court in Chang'an quickly dispatched Grand Tutor Ma Ridi in the name of the emperor to pacify the realm.

Although Ma Ridi had a good personal relationship with Shi Sunrui, who occupied Luoyang, he still detoured through Wenxi in Hedong, entered Shangdang from Hedong County, and then entered Jizhou from Shangdang.

Upon learning of this, Yuan Shao did not intercept him. Instead, he ordered Ye City to send Ma Ridi by waterway to Xindu.

He didn't have any personal relationship with Ma Ridi; he just thought Ma was a good pawn.

Although the authority of the imperial court is gradually declining, it still retains some semblance of righteousness.

Upon meeting Ma Ridi, Yuan Shao immediately adopted his usual scholarly demeanor and began to complain.

In short, it all boils down to one sentence: it's all Wei Zhe's fault; he was forced into this situation.

He even cited the current war as an example, saying that if Ma Taifu could persuade Wei Zhe to withdraw his troops, he would immediately withdraw his army.

Ma Ridi, upon hearing this, also felt that there was some truth to it, and immediately went to the Wei army camp with his imperial credentials.

However, Wei Zhe was somewhat speechless at Ma Ridi's arrival.

If it weren't for the imperial tally the old man was holding, Wei Zhe wouldn't even want to see him.

Therefore, when Ma Ridi entered the tent, Wei Zhe did not waste any words and immediately got straight to the point:

"What is the purpose of Master Ma's trip?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Ridi immediately became solemn and said:
"Having been ordered to lead this expedition, to proclaim the imperial favor, and to demonstrate harmony, what could be more gratifying!"

"In recent years, the Kanto prefectures and counties have been plagued by frequent wars, and the people have been displaced..."

However, Wei Zhe interrupted Ma Ridi without any politeness before he was even halfway through his sentence.

He looked sharply into Ma Ridi's eyes and said coldly:

"Is this the Emperor's decree, or the decree of Guo and Li?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Ridi's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

However, since Chang'an is indeed now occupied by Li Jue and Guo Si, this is common knowledge throughout the land.

Therefore, Ma Ridi could only grit his teeth and save face, saying:

"General Zuo, you are overthinking this. This is an imperial decree!"

After all, Ma Ridi knew in his heart that this was not the emperor's intention.

If he were to admit it now, it would be tantamount to the emperor using his remaining authority to endorse Li Jue and Guo Si.

However, Wei Zhe felt that Ma Ridi's insistence was putting the cart before the horse.

Did these veteran officials of the Han Dynasty not realize that the power of the empire had long since been no longer in the hands of the Weiyang Palace?

Even if they launch another coup in Chang'an, a victory in a factional struggle cannot change the overall situation.

Therefore, Wei Zhe did not leave him any room for maneuver and said bluntly:

"Then may I ask, Master Ma, is this the emperor's court, or the court of the people of Liangzhou?"

"If this were the emperor's court, would all the ministers, including Prince Shi, have been executed by the emperor himself?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Ridi was speechless.

But Wei Zhe didn't let him off the hook. It was one thing for this guy to be confused himself, but he also had to drag others down with him.

Is it that Master Ma is unable to speak, or that he dares not speak?

Seeing that Ma Ridi remained silent, Wei Zhe then refuted him righteously and sternly:
"You consider yourself a loyal minister, yet you are unaware that your actions are those of an accomplice to evil. What face do you have to question me?"

"Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. Lord Ma, you should step down!"

After saying this, Wei Zhe waved his hand, signaling his men to take the bewildered Ma Ridi away.

Wei Zhe had no idea that the old man Ma Ridi had not inherited Ma Rong's magnanimous nature at all.

Provoked by his two sentences, the old man coughed up blood and lost consciousness as soon as he stepped out of the tent.

This left Wei Zhe somewhat helpless.

There was no way around it; Ma Ridi was, in name only, an envoy of the emperor.

If we let him die in his own camp, who knows what rumors people will spread.

So Wei Zhe, who had originally planned to send Ma Ridi away immediately, had no choice but to keep him for Hua Tuo to treat him.

However, Ma Ridi's appearance was just an interlude, or even merely a tool in the power struggle between Wei Zhe and Yuan Shao.

After Wei Zhe resolved this potential public opinion threat, the two sides launched another major battle the following day.

……

Under the scorching afternoon sun, Mao Kun, for what seemed like the umpteenth time, roared madly as he stormed onto the city wall.

However, after repeated attempts, Mao Kun was unsurprisingly defeated by Yuan Jun's heavily armored infantry, the "Halberd Warriors".

If it weren't for the mountain of corpses piled up below the city walls, Mao Kun would probably have fallen to his death on the last occasion.

On the cloud carriage, watching Mao Kun being carried off by the physician, Wei Zhe didn't even frown before giving his orders:
"Tiger Minister, you go."

"Here!"

Upon hearing this, Jiao Shan, who was standing behind Wei Zhe, did not hesitate at all and immediately accepted the order to prepare.

Even though the corpses of the Wei soldiers had piled up into a small mountain under the city of Xindu, Jiaoshan did not utter a single word.

Jiao Shan only knew that his lord had ordered him to go, so he couldn't let his lord down.

A moment later, Jiao Shan, who was already burly and strong, appeared at the front of the formation, clad in heavy armor.

Without the slightest hesitation, he led another group of daredevils to charge towards the city wall.

Upon witnessing this scene, Yuan Shao's expression below the city wall grew even more solemn.

In fact, from the moment the first rays of sunlight touched the earth in the morning, Yuan Shao's mood was never relaxed.

He knew Wei Zhe's offensive would be fierce, but he didn't expect it to be this fierce.

This fellow has completely changed his usual ways and has launched a full-scale attack on Xindu, showing no regard for casualties.

Although Yuan Shao had anticipated this, he did not expect this scene to unfold so quickly.

According to his original plan, the halberd master would not appear until at least five days later.

However, with the Wei army frequently breaching the city walls today, Yuan Shao had no choice but to resort to this tactic ahead of schedule.

This made Yuan Shao feel inexplicably uneasy.

He originally intended to use the city to first dampen the morale of the Wei army, and then, after their momentum waned, join forces with the Yuan army camp outside the city to launch a major counterattack and completely end Wei Zhe's life here.

As the art of war says: "Strike while the iron is hot, but the momentum will wane on the second attempt and be exhausted on the third."

No matter how capable and skilled Wei Zhe was in battle, he could not ultimately escape this rule.

Yuan Shao never expected that Wei Zhe would play by his own rules and would immediately adopt a suicidal stance.

This is just like a hothead... But after thinking for a moment, Yuan Shao vaguely understood something.

At the same time, Xu You, who was standing to the side, seemed to have noticed something as well.

Xu You then remarked with considerable appreciation:

"This fellow is indeed cunning; he has probably seen through our scheme."

"This man will surely do everything in his power to attack the city today. If he fails, Wei Gongwei will probably have to break camp and leave tomorrow."

He may seem like a naive and impulsive person, but in reality, he uses the simple and unpretentious method of overwhelming force.

Upon hearing this, Feng Ji was taken aback at first, and then couldn't help but nod slightly.

He didn't see through Wei Zhe's scheme; he just felt that Xu You's perspective was indeed the best explanation.

Of course, the person attacking the city was none other than the highly decorated Duke Wei of Wei.

Otherwise, if any other Wei general were appointed, Feng Ji would have doubted whether he was capable of fighting.

As the saying goes: Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

After understanding Wei Zhe's thoughts, Yuan Shao's side became much easier to deal with.

After a moment's hesitation, Yuan Shao's eyes flashed with a cold light as he said in a chilling voice:
"Send word to Shen Zhengnan, do not hold back."

"Even if I can't kill Wei Gongwei in battle today, I must at least cut off his arm and let him know how powerful I am!"

(End of this chapter)