Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 108 Daring to Swallow for His Majesty
Noon.

After the Wei army completed its reorganization, it marched ostentatiously upstream along the Wei River.

In the era of cold weapons, making a big show of force was one of the most common and effective tactics to deceive the enemy. Only highly experienced scouts and generals could determine whether it was a feint or a real attack.

The northwest winds brought sand and dust from the Loess Plateau to the Guanzhong Plain, causing the dry official roads to be covered with sand and dust.

When the army marches, it often stirs up dust, especially when large numbers of cavalry are on the move, the dust can rise three or four feet high.

Experienced scouts and generals have also summarized a wealth of experience, which they use as a skill or a closely guarded secret to distinguish themselves from ordinary people.

For example, what:
Those with low and wide dust are infantry;
The dust that is high and sharp is from chariots and cavalry;
The dust that has settled and spread is from woodcutters;
There's also the saying that dust particles gather to form the vanguard, and dust particles disperse to form supplies.

Some exceptional individuals could even determine the size of an army's infantry and cavalry, as well as its baggage, simply by observing the shape and size of the dust rising from the sky.

This is a unique skill called "Knowing the Enemy by Observing Dust".

Those who can do this are undoubtedly renowned generals of their time; this is just a glimpse into the bigger picture.

Mediocre generals neither have the ability nor the willingness to deal with such trivial matters.

Upon arriving at the campsite, they went into their tents and gave all the orders to their men.

As for himself, he would prepare water, wash his face and feet, eat meat, drink alcohol, and organize gambling activities such as dice games and pitch-pot. When he was tired of playing, he would take a nap.

They didn't bother to know anything about the size of the camp, how many villages were nearby, how many streams and roads were there, where ambushes were likely, or where ambushes could be set up.

The enemy situation was unknown, there were no hidden sentries, and there were no contingency plans for dealing with sudden enemy situations.

It's not that they don't understand or don't want to do it, but rather that years of military life have made them disgusted with these tedious and boring tasks.

He then handed over all the men to his subordinates, arguing that generals should focus on the war and not be bothered by trivial matters, otherwise what would be the point of keeping them around?

It sounds reasonable, but it's actually just sophistry.

If someone is leading troops on the front lines but can't even have a clear understanding of the enemy situation and terrain, and relies solely on reports from their subordinates, and doesn't know which route to pursue after a victory or which route to flee after a defeat, can they be a good general?

That being said, such generals are the mainstream in the military.

Any general who can break away from this lazy attitude, even if he is not a famous general, is a talent worth cultivating.

Wei Yan, a veteran general of the late emperor, had fought on the battlefield for two or three decades. Even though he was undoubtedly the number one general of the Han Dynasty and had many flaws, he was never careless when it came to fighting.

Once the army arrived in Weibei and formed ranks, he delegated command to his deputy general, and then, carrying a bow and spear, personally led thirty elite cavalry to the front line to scout the terrain.

At this moment, he rode his horse to a high point on the plateau, took out a pen and ink from the bag on the side of the saddle, and then took out a three-foot square piece of silk from his sleeve.

After observing the area from above once more, he began to sketch and draw on the silk.

The so-called six principles of cartography were proposed by Pei Xiu in his "Yu Gong Regional Map," but they were not invented by him. Rather, they were the essence of summarizing the experience of his predecessors.

The map in Wei Yan's hand already had a scale, distances, and rough contour lines.

Villages, rivers, forests, slopes, terraces, wetlands—everything is there, and Sima Yi's two camps are also marked on this map.

In this era, it can be considered a very accurate military map.

After completing the drawing, he spurred his horse and continued eastward.

"General, we can't go any further east!" The imperial guard commander stepped forward to stop him.

The place where they were located was called Mawei Slope.

It is a slope on the edge of a plateau that is fifty or sixty miles wide from east to west and more than twenty feet high.

Looking south from here, the camps of both the Han and Wei armies are clearly visible.

The dust and smoke from Sima Yi's army marching were about fifteen or sixteen miles to the southeast, and the Wei army's scout cavalry had already dispersed.

It's already very dangerous for them here.

Wei Yan ignored him and said in a muffled voice, "What's there to be afraid of with just a few dozen scouts?"

After saying that, he continued riding eastward.

While noting down the terrain and landforms, he also observed the dust and smoke generated by the Wei army's march, and quickly made a judgment on the strength and weakness of the Wei army.

After walking for five or six miles, they suddenly saw a dilapidated pavilion hidden behind a grove of trees.

Wei Yan carefully observed his surroundings and, finding no one around, reined in his horse and rode over.

Broken walls and ruins, with spider webs like curtains.

The decaying plaque, hanging askew on the door frame by the last nail, bore the inscription "Huangshan Palace".

Beside me was a stone tablet. Brushing away the dust, I discovered that this temple was built by Emperor Xiaohui. Emperor Xiaowu had also visited it incognito. Before Wang Mang usurped the throne, there was a rumor that a yellow dragon fell to its death in this Huangshan Palace.

Wei Yan didn't care about these things. After feeding his warhorse and resting for a while, his personal guards reported that sixty or seventy Wei cavalrymen were climbing the slope.

He immediately mounted his horse and led thirty elite cavalrymen to charge down the mountain.

The sound of horses' hooves pounding and dust rising was a great shock to the dozens of Wei scouts who were slowly climbing the slope. They quickly turned their horses around and fled.

The enemy, positioned on higher ground, had lost their momentum and were no match for them.

However, before they could even reach the bottom of the slope, they were astonished to discover that the only pursuers were twenty or thirty Shu bandit scouts.

The leader was immediately enraged. After traveling another hundred paces, he led his scouts to turn their horses around and charge towards the Shu bandits who were attacking them.

Scouts are the eyes and ears of the army, but they are not just eyes and ears; they are also the sharpest blades, responsible for eliminating the enemy's eyes and ears.

Unless they are willing to become deaf and blind and relinquish the initiative on the battlefield, once the two sides' scouts meet, fighting becomes their duty, continuing until both sides are satisfied with their respective detection ranges. This is what constitutes a bloody and brutal outpost battle.

The Wei scout leading the charge was the first to draw his horsebow, nock an arrow, and aim at the old soldier leading the Shu scouts.

But the old man was not like he had imagined; instead of facing them with a horse and bow, he held a long spear, seemingly wanting to engage them in close combat.

The Wei army leader, extremely confident in his archery skills, sneered, fired an arrow at the old man's warhorse, and then tried to pull back his bow to draw his ring-pommel sword for close combat.

However, before he could even retract his bow, the old man lightly deflected the arrow with his lance, and two other arrows, though they struck his horse, failed to slow it down even for a moment.

Before he could even feel a sense of horror, a foul gust of wind rushed towards him, and then he felt his feet lighten, his vision suddenly being artificially raised, and he was sent flying backwards with the long spear in tow.

The Wei scouts were terrified when they saw their leader pierced through by enemy cavalry with a long spear in a single encounter. Meanwhile, the elite Han cavalry charged forward with their spears, showing no intention of engaging in a direct exchange of fire.

This is the fighting style of the Youyan Cavalry!

The Shu bandits actually know this?!

Even among the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry of the Great Wei, there are very few left who dare to use the cavalry charge tactic!

They are all the elite of the elite!
In the blink of an eye, the two sides crossed paths.

Seventeen or eighteen of the Wei army's scouts fell from their horses, while only three of the Han army's scouts fell.

Excited shouts and wails rose up at the same time.

Wei Yan led his personal guards to turn their horses around.

Each turn of the horse is considered one round.

In just one round, the scout leader was killed, and the scout team, which originally had a numerical advantage, was brought to the same level by the Shu bandits.

With such a horrifying contrast, how could anyone possibly have the thought of resistance?

escape!
Without a word, the forty-odd surviving Wei scouts spurred their horses and fled in the direction they had come from. However, it was too late to escape by then.

Wei Yan led more than twenty cavalrymen in a fierce pursuit.

After their horses had eaten and drunk their fill and rested for a while, the Han cavalrymen slaughtered the sixty-nine-man scout team in less than two miles.

They beheaded sixty-four people, captured five prisoners, and finally drove dozens of warhorses, carrying their spoils and five wounded soldiers, slowly heading back towards Han Village.

Weinan Han Village.

The Chinese military tent.

Having completed three interrogations of the captured enemy, Wei Yan, carrying his compiled intelligence on the enemy, lifted the curtain and entered.

However, as soon as they entered the tent, they were momentarily stunned.

The one sitting at the head of the table was not the prime minister, but the Han emperor in full military attire.

"Your subject... Your subject Wei Yan greets Your Majesty." Wei Yan was caught off guard. After regaining his senses, he bowed slightly, but his tone was not particularly humble or respectful.

Although this emperor won several battles and was quite involved, he received no favors or gratitude from him.

It's impossible to be truly convinced, but outward respect must still be maintained.

Liu Shan smiled, his expression calm and composed.
"The news has spread throughout the army that General Zhenbei had just led thirty cavalrymen to inspect the battlefield when they encountered the enemy. Instead of retreating, they advanced."

"He annihilated more than sixty Wei scouts without losing a single man. His might is even greater than before. He truly deserves to be called a general who protects our great Han Dynasty."

Wei Yan bowed slightly, not overly pleased with the emperor's praise: "Your Majesty flatters me. A few Wei bandits are nothing to speak of."

He had also heard that since the emperor personally led the expedition, he had used a variety of methods to win people's hearts.

The current lavish praise is certainly one of them.

These kinds of tricks might work on inexperienced middle and lower-ranking officers and soldiers, but to think they could be used on him is to underestimate his abilities.

"General Zhenbei, please take a seat." Liu Shan pointed to the upper right seat.

The prime minister is at the top left, and Wei Yan, as the number one warrior of the Han Dynasty, should rightfully be at the top right.

But Wei Yan hesitated and turned to look at the Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty.

It should be noted that he was both the General Who Guards the North of the Great Han Dynasty and the Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister's Office. As a staff member of the Prime Minister's Office, the Prime Minister always sat in the main seat, while he sat at the head of the table, facing Yang Yi.

During grand banquets at the imperial court, those who could sit opposite the prime minister were either Li Yan or Zhao Yun. When would he ever sit opposite the prime minister?

He did not particularly respect the emperor, but he was convinced of the prime minister's abilities at times.

After hesitating for a moment, he walked to the upper right and knelt down.

"Give the General of the North wine and meat," Liu Shan instructed the servant at the door.

Military law forbids drinking alcohol except at a banquet, but the last time the Prime Minister's army returned, the outbreak of plague made him feel as if he were facing a formidable enemy, so the banquet was canceled and they only had a simple meal.

Liu Shan had originally intended to come and see off the Prime Minister when he led his troops, but the Prime Minister left early. So Liu Shan personally supervised the delivery of provisions here, both to reward the troops and to send them off to battle.

As for rewards and honors... the Prime Minister has always been very strict about the matter, saying that merit should not be rewarded lightly, and marquises should not be granted lightly. The rewards and honors for the generals will be decided after the war in Chang'an is over.

"I still remember that the General Who Guards the North was promoted by the late Emperor to be the General Who Guards Hanzhong."

The late emperor asked the General Who Guards the North, "Now that I have entrusted you with this important responsibility, what are your intentions in undertaking it?"

The General Who Guards the North replied, “If Cao Cao brings the whole world to attack, I will defend Your Majesty; if he sends a force of 100,000, I will devour it for Your Majesty.”

"After I ascended the throne, whenever I thought of it, I felt deeply moved."

"Now that Cao Cao is dead, his subordinate general Sima Yi has only 30,000 to 50,000 troops."

"I wonder if the General Who Guards the North still possesses the vigor of yesteryear? Let him devour it for me?"

Wei Yan felt a bit numb.

When the late emperor appointed him as the governor of Hanzhong, the entire army was astonished, and he himself was also surprised. It can be said to be the greatest honor of his life.

The words the emperor just mentioned, spoken with tears streaming down his face in front of the late emperor, were the most resolute and heroic words he had ever uttered in his life.

He had already forgotten about it if the emperor didn't mention it.

"Sima Yi is nothing to speak of, how dare I swallow him for Your Majesty!" Wei Yan stood up and cupped his hands.

"it is good!"

Just then, the waiter brought in wine and meat.

Liu Shan immediately left his seat and went to Wei Yan's side.

He then took the cup of wine from the waiter and handed it to Wei Yan.

Wei Yan took it and drank it all in one gulp.

"Thank you for the wine, Your Majesty!"

Liu Shan smiled and said, "I await good news from the General Who Guards the North."

He then gestured for Wei Yan to sit down, and then turned around and sat back down at his own table.

Liu Shan could see and understand that Wei Yan was different from the Prime Minister and General Zhao.

The Prime Minister and General Zhao truly treated him like a son, as if he were the Emperor, and they genuinely hoped that he would do a good job as Emperor and shoulder the heavy responsibility of restoring the Han Dynasty together with the other ministers.

Wei Yan was different. He had no obsession with restoring the Han Dynasty. He was willing to go through fire and water for the Han Dynasty because the late emperor had shown him kindness and promoted him.

In other words, the object of his loyalty was not the Han Dynasty, but the late emperor himself.

Now that the late emperor has passed away, Wei Yan has no one to repay his debt of gratitude to, so he can only place his hopes on practical things such as power, official position, and military achievements.

That's normal. Why should I be loyal to you just because you're a second-generation rich kid?
He is a realistic person, a sentimental person, or rather, a straightforward person.

To subdue this kind of person, you need not only strong personal charisma, but also gratitude and tangible benefits.

If any one of these three elements is missing, it is impossible to truly win his heart and submit him, to bind him to the same chariot, and to make him drive the way for you.

As for using the so-called "power of life and death" to intimidate or tame him.

That's called control.

Sheep cannot tame lions.

Although Liu Shan has achieved some military merits and gained some prestige, it is clear that Wei Yan has high aspirations and great ambitions.

Liu Shan, this sheep still in the process of transformation, has a long way to go before he can truly make this lion work for him.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister, I have just personally inspected the battlefield and assessed the enemy's situation."

"Although the Wei invaders came from the north of the Wei River in a grand manner, I estimate that they number no more than ten thousand."

"As for their two or three thousand cavalrymen being stationed on the north bank of the Wei River, it was merely a ruse to show that their main force was entirely located north of the Wei River."

"The few tongues that were recovered also confirmed this."

(End of this chapter)