Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 244 Making a feint to the east and attacking in the west
With the strategy to defeat the enemy settled, the former commander Fu Qian bid farewell to the emperor and Grand Commander Chen Dao, and led his personal troops back to Shenjian Pass.

The Han army rested and reorganized.

They did not continue their attack on Shenjian Pass.

As the defender, Wu Jun had been searching for weaknesses in the Han army in an attempt to launch a counter-attack, but the Han army remained vigorous and their defenses were impenetrable, so Wu Jun was unable to find an opportunity to exploit.

So nothing happened for three days.

Over three days, the Han army cleared forests to the north in the deep mountains and dense forests, far from the Wu army's sight, and maintained a strict defense at the front line to prevent Wu scouts from crossing the deep ravines to gather intelligence.

After three days, the Han army had cleared a spacious camp that could accommodate more than 10,000 troops, and had also opened up a road that would allow the army to march seven or eight miles north.

It was early morning of the fourth day.

The Han army at Shenjian Pass finally began a flurry of military operations.

Just after the third watch, in the dense forest path far from Wu Jun's Shenjian Pass, a few small lights first appeared.

A quarter of an hour passed.

The lights shone like stars, covering the mountains and fields.

However, under the cover of the dense forest, even the Han army west of Shenjian Pass, with its high vantage point, could not observe these lights, let alone the Wu army, which was further away.

Gong Shun, E He, Luo Ping and other leaders of the Cong people led more than 3,000 brave warriors with shields, carrying the Cong people's usual white bamboo crossbows, poisoned blowguns, spears and broadswords, as well as some supplies for camouflage in the dense forest, and set off along the opened mountain road toward Yingchoujian, which was more than ten miles away.

It was daytime.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, but the fog had not yet dissipated.

These more than three thousand brave warriors have already traversed the mountain path they had cleared, and like the legendary spirits of Bashan, they have ventured deeper into the dense forests further north.

Breakfast time.

Shenjian Pass, the Han army camp.

Dense wisps of smoke rose, blending into the damp mist of the mountain forest.

Having learned that the Han army's actions over the past three days were indeed suspicious, Pan Jun left Wu County the day before yesterday in order to obtain firsthand military intelligence. He then came to Shenjian Pass and once again climbed to the top of the mountain to observe the Han army's camp from a high vantage point.

"Although the mountain fog obscured the view, it was still possible to see that the smoke from the cooking fires in the Shu camp grew denser and thicker day by day."

"Grand Master, has the Shu army also transferred its naval forces from the Yangtze River to Shenjian Pass, preparing to launch a joint attack on Shenjian Pass?"

Beside Pan Jun, Deng Xuanzhi from Nanyang asked a question.

When Zhaolie (Liu Bei) took Yizhou, Sun Quan demanded Nanjun but failed. He then sent Lü Meng with 20,000 troops to attack and capture the three commanderies of Changsha, Lingling, and Guiyang. He also ordered Lu Su to lead 10,000 troops to garrison Baqiu in Dongting Lake to resist Guan Yu.

After Lü Meng captured the two commanderies of Changsha and Guiyang, he sent a proclamation to Hao Pu, the governor of Lingling. Hao Pu held firm to the city and refused to surrender to Wu.

When passing through Ling County, Lü Meng took Hao Pu's close friend Deng Xuanzhi into his carriage and deceived him, saying that Zhaolie was trapped in Hanzhong by Xiahou Yuan and could not support Jingzhou, and Guan Yu was trapped in Nanjun by Sun Quan himself. He said that the Han Dynasty was doomed and hoped that Deng Xuanzhi would persuade Hao Pu not to make futile struggles.

Deng Xuanzhi believed it to be true and went to Lingling to persuade Hao Pu, who then left the city and surrendered to Wu.

Of course, these were Deng Xuanzhi's explanations to Hao Pu after Hao Pu surrendered to Wu.

In fact, only he himself knew how much benefit he received from Lü Meng.

At least for now, he is under Sun Quan's command to advise Pan Jun on military matters.

Pan Jun's gaze swept across the dense forest, observing the smoke rising from the Han army camp, his brows furrowed in worry.

"Move the navy to Shenjian Pass? Not necessarily. I think it's more like a feint attack." After a long while, Pan Jun said.

"A feint to the east while attacking in the west?" Deng Xuanzhi was slightly taken aback at first, but after a moment's thought, he understood Pan Jun's meaning.

"Moving the navy to land for combat is indeed not a good strategy for the Shu army."

"So, the Shu army wants to draw the attention of our Great Wu to Shenjian Pass."

"Then we will use our navy to land on the beach, establish forward positions downstream, and send our Wu troops to the riverbank."

Like cavalry, training naval forces is not easy.

It takes three to five years of dedicated practice to master it.

How could the Shu Kingdom not rely on its navy if it wanted to fight the Great Wu on the Yangtze River?

To send the navy to abandon ships and fight ashore is undoubtedly to use one's own weaknesses to attack the enemy's strengths. If any mishap occurs, how easy would it be to train a navy that can rival the Great Wu?

While you train new recruits into veterans, the Wu navy will not stop improving, and the gap between the Wu and Shu navies will only widen.

Therefore, unless absolutely necessary or when they are absolutely certain of their victory, the Shu army will not easily risk its navy.

He cannot afford to lose.

Pan Jun nodded: "If we fail to detect the Shu people's feint attack, and they send a large force to the north of Shenjian Pass, allowing the Shu people to establish forward positions and gain a foothold downstream, then Shenjian Pass will fall without a fight."

Upon hearing this, Deng Xuanzhi nodded repeatedly:
"What the Grand Master said is very true."

"If that's the case, then the balance of power has shifted. With the Shu army having a naval force on our side, we're at a significant disadvantage."

The mobility and carrying capacity of the navy on the river far exceed those of the cavalry on the plains. If the Shu army were to seize the beach and establish a camp downstream, and the Wu army were to be mobilized to the riverbank by the Shu army, there was a risk that their supply lines and return routes would be cut off.

Boats can transport elite infantry downstream to do these things.

The Wu navy would never sail upstream at such a time; that would be making themselves easy targets for the Shu army's warships.

Moreover... the black oil that appeared during the Battle of Xicheng made Da Wu very wary.

No one knows how many such smuggled soldiers the Shu army still has.

If we launch another fire attack...

Then the Great Wu would be completely finished.

For months, they had been studying the problem repeatedly, but they had not been able to find a way to extinguish the black oil. After all, it could not be extinguished by water or sand, and it could spread along the water surface without the aid of any flammable material, which was truly terrifying.

Pan Jun, Deng Xuanzhi, and others stayed on the mountaintop until nearly noon, when the mountain mist dissipated.

At this moment, Pan Jun could vaguely see that the dense forest where the Han army had set up camps and roads was slightly different from other places.

The others didn't seem to have such good eyesight and failed to notice anything unusual. After all, the distance was too great, and these forests, which hadn't been cut down for hundreds or thousands of years, were truly too primitive and too dense, obscuring much of their view.

At noon, the air was warm and inviting.

A scout, an excellent swimmer and a master of disguise, rushed down the mountain to Pan Jun's side, panting, and reported:
"General, the Shu people have indeed set up several camps about six or seven miles to the west!"
"In addition, they sent men to clear a path through the dense forest that leads directly north!"

"It's about seven or eight miles long, all the way to... west of Tiger Leaping Gorge!"

Upon hearing this, Pan Jun, Deng Xuanzhi, and the others all frowned slightly and their expressions tightened.

The upper reaches of Shenjian Pass are mostly a deep ravine flanked by sheer cliffs on both sides, but there are a few places that are passable.

Tiger Leap Gorge is the narrowest part of the stream upstream of Deep Gorge Pass, where one can attempt to cross it.

Da Wu deployed more than a thousand men to guard the pass.

There are three or four similar places about twenty miles north of Shenjian Pass.

Depending on the level of danger, the number of personnel deployed ranged from several hundred to nearly a thousand.

Anyway, there are beacon fires and smoke signals.

If things go wrong anywhere, reinforcements can arrive on the battlefield quickly.

The scout continued to report:
"Those camps, I roughly estimate, can house more than 20,000 people!"
"There are indeed people active inside the camp!"
"And there are also oxen, horses, mules and donkeys pulling lots of supplies to the camp!"

"At dawn this morning, I also discovered a group of barbarians without armor, carrying knives and spears, each holding two or three torches, heading north!"

Pei Xuan, a cousin of Pei Qian, the governor of Jingzhou under Wei, and who had also held an important position under Zhaolie, looked somewhat puzzled.

"Could it be that... the Shu army is really going to send its navy ashore for a risky mission?"
"If my Great Wu were like Taichang and Xuanzhi, thinking that the Shu navy would not reach Shenjian Pass, but would instead go downstream to seize the beach and land, thus luring my Great Wu to send a large army to set up defenses on the riverbank."

"But the Shu army chose to land its navy and launch a strong attack along the newly opened mountain road to Tiger Leap Ravine. Wasn't this precisely a strategy of taking them by surprise?"

After Pei Xuan finished speaking, many people were stunned.

Two opposing viewpoints have suddenly emerged.

One group, led by Pan Jun and Deng Xuanzhi, believed that the Han Dynasty was currently using a feint attack, and that the main force was the navy on the riverbank.

One theory is that the Shu army wasn't playing many tricks; they were simply concentrating their forces to launch a surprise attack from the north through Tiger Leaping Gorge and break through the Great Wu's Deep Gorge Pass. Pan Jun pondered for a moment and said, "Judging from the Shu people's numerous campaigns over the past year, they have mostly won through strategy. It's impossible that they did nothing."

After speaking, Pan Jun looked at the scout.

"In my opinion, the Shu people had long anticipated that our Great Wu would send scouts to infiltrate the Shu camp to investigate, and even deliberately allowed our Great Wu scouts to infiltrate. This is the beauty of the 'exploitation' method in the art of espionage."

"'Because of this'?" Pei Xuan was taken aback.

He then looked towards the direction of the Shu army.

"So, it seems that the Shu army's apparent construction of a pass and checkpoint west of the deep ravine, and their strict defense, is actually a ploy to lure us in to investigate?"

Deng Xuanzhi immediately nodded in agreement:
Indeed.

"Now that I think about it, the reason why we went to great lengths to send scouts to risk our lives to investigate was precisely because we saw that the Shu army's passes and beacon towers were impenetrable, and we thought they would take some action."

"And now our Wu scouts have indeed discovered that they are marching north with their army. Is this... exactly what the Shu people want?"

"The smoke from the cooking fires is fake, the road being cleared is fake, they are all smoke and mirrors to deceive us. The true main force of the Shu army must be on the banks of the Yangtze River!"

Pan Jun nodded.

It is time for feeding.

Pan Jun led his men down the mountain to the banks of the great river.

The smoke rising from the Shu army's naval camp was indeed less dense and thick than yesterday, and quite different from the day before.

"This must be a feint attack in one direction while striking in another!"
"Immediately send an order to Sun Shao, instructing him to draw six thousand elite soldiers from Shenjian Pass, Tiesuo Pass, and Wuxian County, and secretly prepare defenses after arriving at Yanyu Pass!"

Yanyu Pass and Yanyu Beach.

"滟" refers to the light and shadow reflected in the rippling water.

"滪" refers to a huge rock protruding from the river.

"Shoal" refers to a dangerous section of a river where the water is shallow, the current is rapid, and the sand and stones are exposed.

These three characters perfectly capture the hydrological characteristics of the Yanyu Beach, where the rapids and reefs intertwine.

During the flood season, the huge reefs are completely submerged below the river surface, becoming a nightmare for boats.

If a boat wants to go upstream, it may even need to unload its cargo and move it ashore in order for the boat to pass safely.

In early spring, the river is cold and shallow, and the towering reefs in the middle of the Yanyu Shoal rise high above the water.

This greatly reduced the risk of the Shu army running aground and sinking their ships.

But Pan Jun had already planted dozens of iron spikes near the reef.

Pan Jun looked down at the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and the locations of the iron cones he had planted came to mind.

Because Yanyu Beach was very dangerous, Pan Jun did not set up the pass at Yanyu Beach, but rather a mile upstream, in order to prevent the Shu army from landing at Yanyu Beach.

Even when going downstream, a large number of boat trackers are needed on the shore to pull and control the boat through this dangerous section of the shoal, otherwise there is still a risk of running aground.

After a moment, Pan Jun looked up at the Han army's naval camp again and said slowly:
"Although it is the season of shallow water, the waves are still raging and churning at the reefs in the middle of the Yanyu Shoal."

"The Shu navy will definitely avoid the reefs and land at Yanyu Pass!"
"Hurry up and prepare. We must not let the Shu army successfully seize the beach. Perhaps... we can even catch the Shu army off guard!"

...

Dusk was falling.

The river wind grew stronger.

Pan Jun and Deng Xuanzhi stood side by side on the watchtower of Yanyu Pass, gazing at the western river.

Several thousand Wu troops below the pass are being mobilized as ordered, and defenses are being deployed at strategic points along the river.

A red horse boat sails upstream.

The scouts came running after landing:

"General, Sun Zhenxi has arrived!"

Before long, Wu Zhenxi General Sun Shao arrived, travel-worn, with dirt and mud still clinging to his armor.

"Why did Sun Zhenxi arrive so quickly? Has the defense of Jiangguan in Wuxian been fully arranged?" Pan Jun stepped forward and asked with a frown.

Sun Shao remained silent, his expression arrogant.

"Why did the Grand Master of Ceremonies issue such an urgent order?"

"Why draw troops from various passes?"

What unusual activity has the Shu army made?!

"Why doesn't the Grand Master of Ceremonies send a messenger to speak plainly?!"

Pan Jun then recounted the recent military situation in detail, and finally pointed west with his finger: "The Shu people are deliberately creating a diversion to lure us into sending troops to Shenjian Pass. Their real killing move must be here."

Sun Shao gazed at the river for a moment, then snorted coldly:
"The water conditions at Yanyu Beach are complex. Even when the water is shallow, the undercurrents are still treacherous. If the Shu army dares to land here, it will be exploiting their weakness to attack our strength, and we will surely defeat them!"

Pan Jun remained silent and went down to the gate wall.

After Sun Shao took charge of all matters related to the defense, he carefully inspected the deployment of defenses.

Awareness of one's own shortcomings.

He first ordered his soldiers to deepen the trenches and to add deer antlers and thorny bushes to the beachhead.

He also ordered that each archer prepare two quivers of arrows and take turns on duty every hour of the night, without slacking off.

Upon entering the military tent, the three sat facing each other.

Pan Jun's personal guards served him food, which consisted of nothing more than cold cakes and pickled vegetables.

“Taichang.” Sun Shao put down the cakes and pastries, his expression displeased.

"His Majesty has appointed you as the commander-in-chief, giving you full authority over the defense of this area."

"Since you say that the Shu army is powerful, and after careful consideration, should we ask His Majesty for help?"

The tent fell silent for a moment.

The oil lamp crackled and popped.

The three men's expressions were a mixture of light and shadow.

Deng Xuanzhi, a soldier, straightened up and spoke slowly:

"Taichang had already informed His Majesty of the sudden arrival of the Shu army a few days ago."

"As for seeking reinforcements... Wu County has Yanyu Pass, Tiesuo River Pass, and tens of thousands of soldiers. It will take one or two months for the Shu army to break through the river defenses."

"As for the matter of reinforcements, Your Majesty is wise and will make the decision yourself."

Sun Shao snorted coldly:
"Hmph, now the main force of our army is concentrated at Yanyu Pass and Shenjian Pass. If the Shu army breaks through these two passes, how can Wuxian County stop them?!"

"If Wuxian is lost, Zigui will be difficult to defend!"

"At that time, the Shu army will sail eastward down the river and reach Jiangling, which may shake the foundation of the country!"

Deng Xuanzhi spoke again, saying that Yanyu Pass, Shenjian Pass, and Tiesuojiang Pass were all impregnable and the Shu army could not easily defeat them.

Pan Jun waved his hand to stop Deng Xuanzhi.

After pondering for a long time, he finally took the silk and wrote it down in his own hand:
Your subject Jun bows respectfully: Shu has launched a full-scale invasion, advancing by both land and sea.

"Although the passes of Wuxian can be defended for the time being, there is a fear that unforeseen changes may occur in the long run."

"I beg Your Majesty to send reinforcements as soon as possible to secure the defenses of the Three Rivers."

After hesitating for a moment, he picked up his pen again and wrote two more lines:
"The Shu army has not yet moved, but I have already secured a strategic position; we can hold out for half a month."

After writing it down, he sealed it with a wax ball and handed it to his personal guard.

"Crossing the Yangtze River at night, to Wuchang."

(End of this chapter)