The Three Kingdoms: Home Travel

(Adding the chapter from the day before yesterday, and two more chapters later; the chapter from yesterday will be added tomorrow!)

The Yellow Turbans attacked the city for three days, and all four gates of Xuzhou suffered damage. At the east gate, more than two thousand enemy soldiers were killed, while one thousand of our own were lost. However, we burned countless grain supplies belonging to Zhang Yan, which can be considered a great achievement.

The Mi family of Nanmen fought desperately to resist the enemy, repelling the Yellow Turban general Mu Gu several times. Relying on the advantage of the city walls, they killed more than a thousand enemies and killed several hundred of their own, with neither side suffering significant casualties.

Cao Bao, confident in his bravery, looked down on the Yellow Turban Army and dared to lead his troops out of the city to fight. Naturally, he suffered a crushing defeat. However, his elite Danyang troops lived up to their reputation as one of the most famous armies in the Three Kingdoms period. Although they retreated in defeat, the Yellow Turbans were also greatly injured. Yu Du was furious. He secretly remembered this early Yellow Turban general and later the Black Mountain Yellow Turban general, and vowed to tear Cao Bao to pieces when the city fell!

The only gate personally guarded by Lord Tao Qian was the North Gate, which was only sporadically defended. While the other gates had been under intense fighting for three days, there was little movement at Lord Tao's gate. Standing on the city gate and looking out, you could see the Yellow Turban Army's camp in the distance, but they just didn't make a move. What could you do? Go out of the city and wipe them out?

Lord Tao was worried. He still had four thousand elite soldiers from Xuzhou under his command, which were the last troops left in Xuzhou.

Tao Qian was kind and benevolent, treated the people with harmony, and rarely imposed heavy taxes. The people under his rule praised his virtue.

But that was domestic affairs. He didn't have much ability in military matters. However, what's admirable is that he didn't abuse his power. He divided the four gates of Xuzhou into three and sent them out to the three major families of Xuzhou to help defend the city.

This cannot be described as him being cunning or taking advantage of the three powerful families. You must know that after the city falls, the most tragic victims are the powerful families. So even if Tao Qian hadn't said anything, the Chen, Mi, and Cao families would have helped defend the city, and they would have defended it to the death.

At this time, Tao Qian's strategic acumen was demonstrated. He knew that powerful families were most averse to being told what to do, and that inviting them to jointly defend Xuzhou might lead to some trouble. Therefore, he ordered that each family guard one gate.

You can make all the decisions yourselves. However, to Tao Qian's surprise, the commander of the East Gate was not Chen Deng or Chen Yuanlong, but a young man named Jiang Zhe. Chen Yuanlong was actually willing to be his deputy? Later, he learned that Jiang Zhe was actually his teacher.

To get back to the point, since Tao Qian had divided the territory into three gates, he naturally had to provide assistance. So he allocated two thousand elite troops from Xuzhou to the East Gate and South Gate. Cao Bao was originally a colonel from Xuzhou, leading the troops participating in the battle. He had eight thousand elite troops from Danyang under his command, making it the most powerful of the four gates.

In fact, there are still 5,000 elite soldiers in Xuzhou, but unfortunately they are not in Xuzhou City now. In ancient times, transportation was inconvenient. Before autumn, Xuzhou City had to send troops to help the people harvest grain and then escort the purchased grain back to Xuzhou.

This army has been away for a whole month, and they should arrive in just a few days. I wonder if they know about the trouble in Xuzhou.

Tao Qian was secretly anxious. A few days ago, he heard that the battle at the East Gate was the fiercest, which really startled him. Then he learned that the East Gate had exchanged one thousand for more than two thousand, and had also burned countless Yellow Turban grain supplies. He immediately clapped his hands and cheered!

Seeing that the Yellow Turbans outside the North Gate were making no move, he hardened his heart and ordered, "Send 1,500 elite soldiers to the East Gate to assist in the battle!"

The attendants asked in confusion, "Sir, what about the north gate...?"

Tao Qian, though old but not confused, smiled and said, "In ancient times, there was a saying that a siege could be completed in three parts, and today the Yellow Turbans are just like that. The attack on the north gate is just a feint, so don't worry."

"Yes, sir, your insight is brilliant!" The man immediately gave the order, sending 1,500 elite soldiers from Xuzhou to the East Gate. Thus, there were now more than 3,500 soldiers at the East Gate, and the strength immediately increased by nearly double.

Chen Deng and Jiang Zhe were discussing matters at the East Gate when they received this report and were taken aback.

"What about Lord Tao..." Jiang Zhe asked with some concern.

"Teacher, don't be anxious!" Chen Deng clapped his hands and said, "The ancients had a strategy of surrounding three sides and capturing one. I'm afraid the Yellow Turbans are doing just that today. Lord Tao saw through the enemy's strategy, so he sent troops here."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhe immediately understood. The strategy of "surrounding three sides and leaving the last side open" was designed to make the defending generals hopeful and allow them to escape from that side, thus enabling the attacking army to capture the city with less manpower.

Jiang Zhe immediately clasped his hands respectfully and said to the young general, "Please inform Lord Tao, General. Thank you!"

"No problem, no problem!" the young officer said, pointing to the person behind him. "You, go now!"

Jiang Zhe was taken aback and was immediately confused.

After sending out his messenger, the young general clasped his hands in a fist salute to Jiang Zhe and said, "I heard of the urgent situation at the East Gate and came to offer my assistance!"

"You...you are..." Chen Deng seemed to recognize the general.

"You arrogant Chen Yuanlong, do you not recognize me?" the general sneered.

"Is it really you?" Chen Deng said angrily. "That scoundrel Gongliang is at the South Gate. Why don't you go and help him?"

"Since I know that Gongliang is at the South Gate, the South Gate will be safe. Therefore, I have come to assist the East Gate. Yuanlong, do you not welcome me?"

"Hmph!" Chen Deng snorted inwardly, but seeing Jiang Zhe's questioning look, he immediately said, "This sect is under the management of my teacher..."

Upon hearing this, the young officer immediately said, "My name is Tao Ying, courtesy name Zicheng (literally, Ying means Cheng), greetings, Lord Jiang!"

"Tao..." Jiang Zhe pointed at Tao Ying but couldn't speak.

"Teacher, you must not know about the scoundrels of Xuzhou, huh!" Chen Deng sneered.

"Yuanlong's words have deeply offended my old friend!" Tao Ying said with a smile, then, seeing Jiang Zhe's puzzled expression, added, "Tao Gongzu is my father!"

"Lord Tao?" Jiang Zhe was somewhat surprised.

Tao Ying was somewhat displeased and said in a deep voice, "My lord, please do not underestimate me. I do not rely on my father's name."

Chen Deng approached Jiang Zhe and whispered, "Teacher, although Tao Zicheng's character is despicable, he is indeed a talented general. And that Mi Fang, Mi Gongliang... humph!"

Tao Ying seemed to hear this, and immediately looked at Chen Deng with an unfriendly expression. Chen Deng also glared back angrily.

Jiang Zhe was having a headache. Historical records seemed to say Tao Qian had two sons, but neither seemed particularly remarkable. Now, listening to Yuanlong's account, it sounded like this kid named Tao Ying was quite something. Chen Yuanlong was a famous scholar of the Three Kingdoms period, so he could be trusted…

"If Zicheng insists on this, then I, Jiang, will naturally agree, however..."

Tao Ying was no fool; he naturally understood Jiang Zhe's meaning. He said sternly, "Advance when the drums sound, retreat when the gongs are fired. If I am afraid to fight, you may cut me down as a sacrifice to the flag, my lord!"

Chen Deng muttered to himself, "He's not afraid... but he's incredibly audacious!"

Tao Ying's face immediately turned red, and he glared angrily at Chen Deng. Chen Deng seemed to realize he had spoken out of turn and lowered his head without saying a word.

Jiang Zhe suddenly felt a headache coming on. He called Fang Yue over and said to Tao Ying, "This is Fang Yue, also known as Ziping. He is a capable general of our Eastern Gate. Zicheng should get closer to him."

Fang Yue could tell from the conversation that this young general was someone of importance, so she quickly bowed.

After returning the gift, Tao Ying asked with a grin, "Brother, are you married?"

"Ahem!" Chen Deng coughed.

Tao Ying was unconvinced and was about to say something when suddenly the guards on the wall shouted, "The rebel army has invaded the city!"

Jiang Zhe's expression changed, and he said to Chen Deng and Fang Yue, "Do you remember what I just said?"

"I will remember this forever!" the two said.

"Wh...what? A scheme?" Tao Ying looked around, thinking to himself, I just got here, what scheme could I possibly have?

The matter was urgent, and Fang Yue didn't have time to think about anything else. She pulled Tao Ying away and said, "Zicheng, I'll explain everything to you slowly..."

Jiang Zhe watched Tao Ying leave and said with a puzzled look, "This Tao Zicheng..."

"Don't worry, teacher..." Chen Deng clapped his hands and laughed, "Teacher probably hasn't heard that Tao Ying is proficient in battle formations and his martial arts are also extraordinary, but he has repeatedly contradicted his father, so naturally he is not favored by Lord Tao..."

Oh my god! A rebellious teenager!

Not content with that, Chen Deng added, "This man, along with Mi Fang, the second young master of the Mi family, are both notorious villains in Xuzhou!"

"..."

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