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

Chapter 255: Fearing Power, Not Virtue

"Yiyang..."

"Transportation continues day and night..."

Mi Wei narrowed his eyes as he looked at the topographical map of Sili brought by Li Hong.

In his view, there are two suspicious points in this matter.

First, why did Cao Pi send additional troops to Guanzhong when tens of thousands of Xianbei knights were marching south to Guanzhong?

This was to facilitate the deterrence and supervision of the various Hu cavalry units;
Or were the Cao Wei rulers and ministers extremely pessimistic about the situation in Guanzhong and felt they had to increase their investment?
Secondly, was there a simultaneous troop deployment along the Xiaohan North Road?

If not, the assumption of reinforcing Guanzhong with troops is invalid.

Then we need to further investigate the purpose of this batch of supplies in Yiyang.

Although theoretically, it would be an unrealistic and highly difficult operation to cross the Funiu Mountains from Henan to attack Nanyang.

But don't I have a subordinate named Deng Ai?
Historically, he was a tough guy who walked through the Yinping Narrow Pass and dared to roll down the mountain wrapped in a felt blanket.

Who can guarantee that there isn't another Deng Ai in Luoyang right now?
In short, it is better to be safe than sorry.

So he instructed Li Hong to inform Sun Lang to quickly ascertain the enemy's intentions and to contact Xu Shu as soon as possible to see if they could obtain more accurate intelligence.

……

Hongnong Prefecture, Shanxian County.

As the eastern intersection of the north and south routes of Xiaohan, this place is destined to be a bustling hub for resource distribution.

Heading west from here, the river becomes calmer and the terrain flattens out, so whether going downstream or upstream, there's no longer any need to gamble with your life.

It was a hub for both water transport and military operations.

After dawn, Xu Shu followed Sima Yi to the riverbank.

To the north, it faces the famous Shanjin, one of the important ferry crossings along the Yellow River.

It is also known as Maojin because it is located behind the ancient city of Maocheng from the pre-Qin period.

The two stood on the riverbank, watching the large and small boats coming and going, each lost in thought.

They only came to their senses when a fast boat bearing the character "Guo" on its flag docked, and the two of them went to greet it.

"After several years, Boji's demeanor is even more dignified than before!"

Sima Yi, who held the highest rank, spoke first.

Xu Shu followed closely behind:

"The Emperor had already made it clear in Luoyang that matters concerning Yongzhou should not be decided by Zidan (Cao Zhen) regarding external matters, nor by Boji regarding internal matters."

"We have come here by imperial decree and have important matters to ask Magistrate Guo!"

The visitor was none other than Guo Huai, the governor of Yongzhou.

He glanced at the somewhat unfamiliar Xu Shu, his expression neither sad nor happy, and said:
"A defeated general is not worth mentioning. Your Majesty is too kind in praising him, and you gentlemen are too kind in praising him."

The two men knew he was referring to the defeat in Longyou two years ago. Although they both felt a sense of contempt, they both concealed it very well.

Sima Yi said directly:

"I know Boji is an upright man, so I won't waste time with pleasantries. What is the current situation in Guanzhong? Can Chang'an still be defended?"

When the topic turned to military affairs, Guo Huai became slightly more serious and slowly replied:

"Xiahou Anxi has been building Xijing for a long time under the king's orders. The city is strong and the moat is deep. The granaries are full and the defense of the city is not difficult."

"But it's only that defending the city isn't difficult."

Upon hearing this, Sima Yi exchanged a glance with Xu Shu, frowned, and said:
"So even Weinan can't be defended?"

"Difficult," Guo Huai said in a deep voice.

"After the Shu bandits cut off the Longdao Road, the communication between Shu and the Western Regions was unimpeded. After two or three years of development, the bandits' armor and cavalry increased day by day."

"On the other hand, our army has lost an arm and is trapped in Guanzhong. With the balance of power shifting, it is wishful thinking to try to win a decisive victory in the mountains and rivers of Weinan."

"However, the flat land north of the Wei River is conducive to the movement of Hu cavalry, making it difficult for the enemy army to exert its strength and achieve a quick victory, and there may be room for maneuver."

Upon hearing Guo Huai's confident assertion, both men couldn't help but show expressions of worry and fear.

Of course, some people worry that the situation can only be salvaged, while others worry that it can still be salvaged.

Guo Huai, naturally unable to discern the other person's true intentions, instead earnestly inquired:

"I've heard that Guan Yu and Mi Wei have once again led troops to raid Yingchuan. I wonder how many reinforcements Luoyang can send?"

Sima Yi chuckled but did not answer.

Xu Shu responded proactively:

"Chang'an must not fall into the hands of the enemy; the imperial court will naturally do everything in its power to save it."

"Otherwise, why would His Majesty appoint Sima Gong as general and select elite soldiers from five schools to provide reinforcements?"

Carefully selected... that means there aren't many, right?
Guo Huai secretly grumbled to himself, then heard Xu Shu say:

"As for Yingchuan, the recent death of the ruler of Jiangdong has greatly reduced the pressure on the defense of the river, so His Majesty has dispatched 20,000 troops from Huainan to the west to provide support."

"With the addition of Lord Jia and General Cao Hong's troops, it will be enough to deter the bandits of Nanyang." Guo Huai nodded slightly.

He was more concerned with actual troop numbers than with pleasant words.

Only when the emperor is free from worries can Luoyang continue to reinforce Guanzhong.

Hearing this, Guo Huai was already satisfied and was about to supervise the transport of a batch of grain, fodder, and military equipment back west.

Unexpectedly, Sima Yi insisted on keeping him for the night, saying it was a rare opportunity to meet.

Unable to refuse Guo Huai's earnest invitation, he had no choice but to agree.

The one-night feast is not worth mentioning.

The next morning, Guo Huai quickly washed up and went to the riverbank to supervise the grain production.

Unexpectedly, as soon as they left the city, they saw a large number of troops gathering at the river crossing.

Looking further north, the river was dotted with boats like ants, transporting soldiers in batches to Shaanxi and Tianjin on the opposite bank.

Guo Huai was completely dumbfounded.

What happened to the promised reinforcements to Guanzhong?

Why are they all heading north?
Although crossing the river here would allow one to traverse the Zhongtiao Mountains on the north bank of the Yellow River via the Dayang and Anyi line, and then turn west to Pubanjin to enter the pass.

But what's the point of taking such a detour?

It's clear that you can reach Tongguan directly by going upstream along the river.

Why bother going through mountains and taking detours?

Guo Huai thought about it more and more and felt that this was not a good thing, so he immediately rushed to the ferry.

After galloping for a while, a rider suddenly came towards us from the ferry.

Guo Huai looked closely and saw that it was Xu Shu, the Commandant of the Capital Region.

The latter seemed to have anticipated Guo Huai's arrival, and proactively stepped forward to ride alongside him, smiling and apologizing:

"It is not an intention to deceive, but a matter of great military importance that cannot be ignored."

Guo Huai pursed his lips and remained silent.

Seeing this, Xu Shu's smile widened:
"Why did Boji think that the various Xianbei tribes agreed to march south to help in the war?"

Guo Huai's eyes flashed, and he said:
There are only two reasons.

"Firstly, they were in awe of the prestige of the Emperor of Wei."

"Secondly, they coveted the wealth of Guanzhong."

Xu Shu: "That's exactly right!"

"However, there is no fear without a cause, nor prestige without a cause."

"The barbarians fear power but not virtue. If there are one or two who do not obey orders, what do you think should be done, my lord?"

"Of course..."

Guo Huai stopped abruptly, his gaze gradually focusing.

After a moment, he exclaimed in surprise:

"Could it be that some Xianbei chieftain is defiant and is taking the opportunity to seize territory from other tribes?"

Xu Shu feigned a solemn expression and slowly nodded:

"This is precisely why Sima Gong personally gathered his troops here, determined to cross the river and quickly head north for a swift victory."

Guo Huai suddenly realized something and thought of even more.

Why didn't Sima Yi take a boat to Tongguan and then head north to Hedong?

Because at this moment, Xianbei tribes have been entering the west from the Pubanjin and Tongguan line one after another. If the army goes to Tongguan but does not enter the pass, but instead turns north, how can these Hu cavalry not be suspicious?
If doubts arise, regardless of whether the truth can be found out later, one will certainly not be wholeheartedly devoted to the Battle of Guanzhong.

Therefore, Sima Yi could only cross the river and climb the mountain from here.

Then, by using the Zhongtiao Mountains, they could conceal the movement of their army as it marched north, creating a time difference so that they could brush past the Xianbei.

His purpose in coming to Shanxian to oversee the transport of supplies was actually to cover up Sima Yi's movements.

This was done to delay the time for the various Xianbei tribes to discover the truth as much as possible.

That’s a good plan!
As long as we can get through this period, we can successfully subdue the Xianbei tribe that refused to obey the king's orders.

This will not only further enhance the prestige of the imperial court.

They can also use their victorious army to keep an eye on the Xianbei people from behind, further severing their ambivalent thoughts!
This is more effective than directly reinforcing Guanzhong.

After all, if reinforcements were sent directly, and the Xianbei people sensed something amiss behind them and collapsed, the Wei army would have to rely on itself to resist the Shu invaders, thus failing to achieve the effect of uniting the Hu to control the Han.

We might also have to be wary of the Xianbei's backstabbing, which could lead to a situation where we can't attend to one thing at a time!
This just goes to show that the emperor has capable people around him!
Amidst the chaotic situation, they quickly seized the best opportunity to break the deadlock.

Guo Huai was not ashamed or indignant at being used.

He was simply curious as to which Xianbei tribe was so foolish as to defy the Emperor of Luoyang's orders at this critical juncture.
(End of this chapter)