The Duke of Shu Han began guarding Jingzhou in place of Guan Yu.

Chapter 156 Whose Home Field
Guanzhong, Fufeng, Yumi.

You Chu walked into the county temple in a hurry, without speaking to anyone.

Only when he saw Yang Fu writing a letter did he hurriedly say:
"Seeing that Qian County was prepared, the Shu bandits cut some raw wheat and fled west!"

Yang Fu put down his pen and exclaimed in surprise:

"So decisive and efficient?"

You Chu nodded repeatedly:

"Mi Wei was a decisive and courageous general."

"When I saw him chasing after Zhang Gong for his life that day, I had already foreseen the situation today."

"Therefore, among all the wise men of Guanzhong, I have come to seek only Yishan!"

"Because I know that Yishan also has decisiveness and courage."

Upon hearing this, Yang Fu did not decline, but instead stared intently and spoke solemnly:
"You were right that day."

"If the enemy is allowed to roam free for even a day, it will cause trouble for generations to come."

"If we do not kill this traitor today, our homeland will never again belong to Wei!"

Then he pointed to the ground and said.

"This place is called Yumi."

“Yu Tong Yu, Yu Mi Yu Mi… Isn’t this Heaven’s reminder that I must catch up with that Mi Wei!”

You Chu was slightly taken aback, then solemnly cupped his hands and said:
"I am willing to be the vanguard for Yishan, to hunt down deer and capture elk!"

“We don’t need you as our vanguard!” Yang Fu shook his head decisively.

"My actions in supervising the troops across prefectures and counties in search of the enemy have already violated the orders of the generals."

"The subsequent provisions and weapons can only be provided by you, the 'Supervisor of Military Supplies'."

"But the Longyou region is short of food, and the army is engaged in battle, so the supplies must not be lost."

"If you really want to help me, go back to Chencang!"

You Chu had been to Longyou and had a deep understanding of this.

He then said, "Yishan, go and hunt down the thieves with peace of mind. I will protect you from behind!"

"However, General Yang Qiu has already taken up a post in Chencang. If I were there, it would be difficult for me to accomplish anything. It would be more convenient for me to stay in Yumi!"

Yang Fu thought about it and agreed.

He added, “My troops number only a thousand, all of whom are old Wudu natives. Although they are familiar with the geography, they are not enough to block the bandits between the plateaus and gullies.”

"You must send a messenger to Longyou to inform Governor Guo to dispatch another force north to join me in attacking the Shu bandits from both the north and south. That way, there will be no chance of failure."

You Chu: "This is easy, I will send the message today!"

After that, Yang Fu mobilized his troops, explained the advantages and disadvantages of the mission, and boosted morale.

The following morning, after breakfast, the entire army left Yumi and marched north along the Qian River in a rapid march.

After a short rest near Qianxian, we quickly crossed the Longban Pass and entered Longyou, a region we had not visited for many years.

Yang Fu slowed down and set up camp near Jieting.

On one hand, a messenger was sent south to inform Guo Huai, forming a double insurance with the messenger traveling through the Wei River in You Chu.

On one side, scouts were sent out to investigate enemy movements in all directions.

At the same time, he ordered his men to find a strategic location in Jieting to build a fortified camp as a place to store grain.

Not long after the camp was completed, Guo Huai replied.

They said they were aware of the enemy's situation and were accelerating the troop deployment northward.

It has also been learned that Shu bandits are lurking around Lueyang County. It is suggested that Yang Fu move south along the Lueyang River to reduce the enemy cavalry's maneuvering space.

Yang Fu was overjoyed and set out again.

But they became even more cautious during their marches.

He ordered the soldiers to be divided into two groups, front and rear.

The vanguard, heavily armored, marched forward to clear a path, ready to engage in battle at any moment.

The rear armor is rolled up for easier movement, saving energy.

Rotate every other day.

He then dispersed his few dozen cavalrymen to expand the scope of reconnaissance and search as much as possible.

He was well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of both sides in this battle.

Although the soldiers he brought with him lacked warhorses, they had the advantage of being numerous and being locals with the determination to protect their hometown, giving them a home-field advantage.

Apart from the advantage of cavalry mobility, the enemy forces were otherwise useless.

As long as we march cautiously, the enemy will have no opportunity to take advantage of us.

Finally, when Guo Huai's troops march north, they will be able to encircle and annihilate the enemy with overwhelming force.

On this day, Yang Fu chased the horse to the foot of a plateau near the county seat of Lueyang, where he was checking the freshness of the horse manure.

Suddenly, a scout reported that there was movement of a large number of people in a mountain valley several miles away.

Without saying a word, Yang Fu hurried after him.

However, upon arrival, they found no enemy troops.

There was only a group of Di farmers watering their horses by the stream.

Upon seeing this, the scout immediately blushed and repeatedly apologized.

Yang Fu raised his hand to stop him and personally went forward to inspect a horse. After a moment, his expression darkened, and he returned to his men, saying:

"I thought I was being cautious enough, but I still underestimated the enemy."

Upon hearing this, a nearby official asked in confusion:

"Your Excellency is cautious in leading troops, and this is a battle fought on your home turf. Why do you say such a thing?"

Yang Fu did not answer, but pointed to the horse he had just touched.

Curious, the officer stepped forward to inspect the horse and discovered obvious marks left by long-term friction from the saddle on its back.

There were also many hidden wounds on its four legs from arrows.

A battle-hardened old horse.

The clerk said, "Is Your Excellency worried that the Shu bandits might use horses to exchange for food, thus enabling them to hold out against our army for a long time?"

Yang Fu shook his head and said:
"If that's all there is to it, I'm not afraid. After all, we outnumber the enemy."

"What I am worried about is that the Di people dare to trade with the Shu bandits because they already have the intention of surrendering to the enemy."

"Even if one dares not openly move south, one cannot prevent someone from secretly helping one."

At this point, Yang Fu looked around at the crowd.

Longyou is barren and lacks food.

People living here, regardless of whether they are Han or Di, all have a melancholy air about them.

They looked like pieces of charcoal pulled out of a furnace.

It looks grayish, but you have to get closer to feel it, or even cut it open.

Only then can you know whether the inside is cold or hot.

Yang Fu served as the Prefectural Assistant in his early years and thought he was familiar with the area well enough.

But at this moment, he suddenly found that this "hometown" had become somewhat unfamiliar.

why?

Yang Fu suddenly remembered a rumor he had heard two years ago.

It is said that Liu Bei suddenly appeared in Dengcheng, Nanyang, to repay the 100,000 Jingzhou people who followed him south when he marched south with "righteous grain".

It is known as "Yuzhou Grain".

Yang Fu considered this matter to be pure nonsense at the time, and even regarded it as a joke to be told over tea.

Because Liu Bei was clearly recuperating in Shu at that time!
However, as Xiangfan fell and Cao Ren's retreat turned into a rout, bad news continued to reach Guanzhong.

Yang Fu could no longer laugh.

The most terrifying aspect of this matter is not that Liu Bei's generals cleverly captured Xiangfan.

But it lies in...

Even though Liu Bei was far away in Shu, his name could still influence the hearts of people in Jingzhou, thousands of miles away.

Otherwise, even if Liu Bei's generals were exceptionally talented, they would still be unable to cook without rice.

This is not fate, but human scheme.

This scheme, which had been brewing for over a decade, was unleashed in a single day, resulting in an overwhelming and terrifying force.

If I remember correctly, the general who was in charge of the "Yuzhou Grain" back then was this young man named Mi Wei in front of me.

Having considered this, Yang Fu finally found the answer.

My hometown has not become unfamiliar.

That's why it feels different.

It was all because Liu Bei had arrived.

The enemy he was facing at this moment was not just the two hundred or so wounded knights of Miwei.

Instead, it was the countless Di people living on this land who were devoted to Liu Bei.

It's even very likely that it wasn't just the Di people.

Thinking about it this way, whose home ground is this, whose "hometown" is it really?

The boundaries suddenly became blurred.

The assistant clerk didn't think as deeply as Yang Fu; he simply instinctively sensed that something was wrong.
"If the Di people tip us off, it will be difficult to capture the Shu traitors."

"Why not..."

The assistant gently patted his waist knife.

Yang Fu's breath hitched slightly.

In times of chaos, harsh punishments are often used, which was common practice during the reign of Cao Cao.

The only exception was Liu Bei, who was a cunning and ruthless ruler who was adept at "always opposing Cao Cao".

The more butchers you raise today, the more people of Nantou will suffer tomorrow.

Are the lessons of Xiangfan not enough to warn the world?
But if we don't take drastic measures now...

I'm afraid even the momentary pleasure is gone.
He hesitated for a moment.

Yang Fu will soon no longer have to worry about it.

Another scout reported that the Miwei tribe's troops had suddenly returned to Jieting.

It seems they are about to sneak back into the country.

No doubt about it, let's go for it!
(End of this chapter)