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

Chapter 211 Only the Wise and Virtuous
Xu Huang paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice:

"I thought Guan Yu was going to discuss military strategy with me today, then I thought he was going to discuss water management, but in the end I realized he was going to discuss governing the country."

Guan Yu: "Controlling water and governing the army are both ways of governing the country; they are essentially one."

"That makes sense." Xu Huang nodded.

"But I wonder what else Yun Chang can teach me?"

Guan Yu shook his head: "That's all."

"Today's gathering leaves no regrets. Tomorrow, even if we clash, we will have no complaints."

Xu Huang: "That suits me perfectly."

The two then bowed to each other in farewell.

Guan Yu: "Before we part, I have a few words to offer to my elder brother."

Xu Huang: "I'm all ears."

Guan Yu stepped forward and whispered a few words.

Xu Huang raised an eyebrow, but ultimately left without saying a word.

……

Upon returning to the city, Xu Huang immediately summoned his men and ordered the city walls to be captured that very night.

He had no intention of waiting until "tomorrow".

He had already completed the final mobilization preparations before leaving the city today.

That evening, the four gates of Xinye were opened wide, and several fire dragons meandered out from all directions.

They might go downstream, upstream, or simply retreat into the mountains and forests.

Because of the large puddles in the surrounding area, the Han army besieging the city was unable to immediately move forward to stop them.

As darkness fell, the scene became increasingly chaotic, making it difficult to distinguish between soldiers and civilians.

This chaos escalated into complete disorder as towering flames erupted in Xinye City behind them.

People fought each other for space, boats collided, and vehicles ran over and trampled horses.

Cries and screams rose and fell, the night sky was lit up red by the firelight and reflected in the flood, like a living hell.

Xu Huang reined in his horse on the high slope, looking back at the city of Xinye that was gradually being swallowed by flames, and remained silent.

This fire not only destroyed the city, but also burned away the reputation that Wei Ting had deliberately cultivated among the scholars of Jingzhou over the past three years.

At this moment, he had no way out but to move forward.

Xu Huang then disregarded his surroundings and rode straight to Wancheng.

Although I was depressed for three years, so depressed that my spine was bent.

But deep down, he is still the same Xu Gongming who followed Cao Cao in his raging invasions.

……

It is no coincidence.

At the moment the fire broke out, Guan Yu was also standing on a high slope looking out.

But what he saw was neither fire nor city.

Instead, it was the crowd that was frightened by the fire.

At this moment, with just a single command, ten thousand arrows would be unleashed, easily annihilating the soldiers and civilians who had stubbornly resisted for more than half a year, and thus intimidating other cities.

But Guan Yu did not do that.

He simply instructed his subordinates to direct the flow of people to the north.

Those who are willing to surrender can be saved.

Those who refuse to surrender will not be pursued.

By dawn the following day, cries of agony spread from Xinye all the way to the city of Yuyang, which was also surrounded by floodwaters.

The city's garrison was alerted by the fire in Xinye last night.

At this point, I finally understood what had happened.

The whole city was in an uproar.

At that very moment, Guan Yu ordered the northern road outside Yuyang City to be opened.

……

"How did you arrive so quickly, General?"

Xu Huang met Man Chong in Wancheng, and the latter was shocked.

Xu Huang: "Didn't you and I agree that if Yuyang falls, we would burn and capture the city at all costs?"

Man Chong: "But Yuyang hasn't fallen!"

Xu Huang asked in surprise: "Didn't Guan Yu already besiege Yuyang?"

Man Chong fell silent.

Xu Huang then fell silent.

At that moment, the two of them understood perfectly well that Guan Yu had deliberately left Yuyang untouched.

Because the lake flooded the city, the people and residents of Yuyang had been isolated in the city for a long time and could no longer threaten Guan Yu's army outside the city.

Even Xu Huang subconsciously believed that the city had already surrendered to the Han.

Unexpectedly, Guan Yu, who could have easily taken the city, deliberately left it untouched.

Its purpose is self-evident.

Let those scholars who still have their hearts set on the Great Wei witness firsthand how the Wei army abandons them like trash. Then let the survivors spread the word, one to ten, ten to a hundred, a hundred to a thousand.

It has become so widely known that everyone knows about it.

Xu Huang was so frustrated that he beat his feet and pounded his chest in remorse.

His regret wasn't about missing out on Yuyang City.

To be honest, that city was bound to fall sooner or later after it was flooded.

The key is this city of Wan, which is right beneath our feet, and those scholars who are still willing to uphold their loyalty to the Great Wei!
If Yuyang has already surrendered, then there's no need to pay attention to a group of disloyal men.

The key point is that the people of that city held out until this moment!
Although it was the result of Guan Yu's deliberate indulgence, upholding one's principles is upholding one's principles.

And now, those scholars from that city, who feel justified in upholding their principles, are likely heading north, spreading the story of last night's tragedy in Xinye along the way.

To be honest, Guan Yu's trick wasn't particularly ingenious.

It wasn't even a trick.

The real brilliance lies in Guan Yu's insight into the way the Wei army conducts itself.

They prioritize pragmatism, efficiency, and the willingness to do anything to achieve their goals.

In the details, in the sinking parts, there will naturally be some oversights.

When you're winning and have the upper hand, there's always a way to cover up such carelessness and gradually make up for it.

But once things turn against you...

Such negligence could be the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

At this moment, Xu Huang couldn't help but recall the two sentences Guan Yu had given him when they parted yesterday:

Don't do evil, no matter how small it is.

Do not refrain from doing good because it is small.

……

"Master Xu, disaster has struck! Disaster has struck!"

Inside the county temple in Kunyang, Xu Miao looked at the flustered Kunyang magistrate.

With a calm and composed expression:
"What misfortune? Isn't this a good thing?"

As he spoke, he waved the yellow paper in his hand.

Kunyang Ling's gaze then fell on the paper.

Only a few short sentences.

[Our Holy Dynasty governs the world with virtue and wisdom. Now that our two nations are at war, we will not slaughter the old and weak. I have long admired the virtuous and capable officials in your prefectures and counties, and have therefore arranged for the return of the people and their families to you at dawn tomorrow. Please have no doubts.]

The magistrate of Kunyang said urgently:

"Is Lord Xu really going to keep his promise and open the city gates at dawn tomorrow?"

Xu Miao: "The soldiers' families have been captured by the bandits, and the morale of the people in the city is already low. If they are not allowed to return, the army's morale may be completely destroyed."

The magistrate of Kunyang asked, "What if the enemy forces use the old and weak as their vanguard tomorrow and seize the gate?"

Xu Miao: "If that is the case, then Kunyang will surely be lost."

The magistrate of Kunyang was immediately puzzled:
"Did Master Xu just say it was a good thing?"

Xu Miao smiled faintly:

"Although Kunyang was lost, in the chaos of war, the old and weak were trampled to death by the soldiers and horses under the city walls, and the reputation of virtue and morality that Liu Bei had built up over half his life was also lost."

"The magistrate has been stationed in Kunyang for a long time. Has he not heard how Liu Bei and Guan Yu managed to attract talented people?"

"Only the virtuous and wise are worthy of consideration."

"If we lose a small city now, it will result in Liu Bei suffering a great loss of virtue. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks, so how can this not be a good thing?"

The magistrate of Kunyang was speechless with astonishment.

The truth is this.

But what will happen to us after the city falls?
Are we really going to defect to the Han?
Only the virtuous and wise...?

The magistrate of Kunyang was momentarily conflicted.

Xu Miao could easily see through his thoughts, and said:
"To be honest, Magistrate, I don't really believe that Mi Wei will return the prisoners so easily."

"In my opinion, this letter is no different from the previous two; they are all just sophistry."

"If we lose our footing because of this, we will fall into their trap."

The magistrate of Kunyang was finally somewhat relieved.

The next morning, as dawn broke.

The Han army outside the city opened the gates.

A large group of elderly, weak, women and children, led by Han army cavalrymen, were heading towards Kunyang City.

On this side of the city wall, the Wei army was already in full battle array.

Xu Miao even piled up several layers of deer antlers behind the city gate and stationed archers there.

Even so, the Kunyang magistrate standing nearby trembled as he saw the hordes of Han soldiers.

But Xu Miao had no time to comfort him.

Because the Han army sent the old and weak to within an arrow's flight of their own, they abruptly turned back and returned to their camp in turn.

They really only returned the hostages and had no intention of seizing the city!

(End of this chapter)