Wuxia: The Super Slave Master

Page 360

Meanwhile, Xiahou Dun led over ten thousand light cavalry in a whirlwind advance, capturing key Wuhuan towns one after another and sweeping through the Wuhuan in a short time. Although the campaign progressed rapidly, it resulted in the dispersion of troops and a vulnerable supply line. Sure enough, Xiahou Dun camped at the northern border at night, when the Xiongnu launched a sudden night attack, instantly putting Xiahou Dun in an extremely passive situation.

Xiahou Dun, spear in hand, fought his way from south to north, breaking through the encirclement and largely stabilizing the morale of his troops. He quickly surveyed the area; the Xiongnu soldiers were densely packed, their ranks ablaze with fire. Even more alarming, Xiahou Dun deliberately peered into the distance and saw that the flames stretched for miles, indicating that the main Xiongnu force had arrived in force, a large and well-prepared army. It seemed they had been plotting for a long time and were determined to succeed.

"All troops, gather before me!" Xiahou Dun roared, then thrust his spear forward, killing several Xiongnu soldiers in succession. Upon hearing this, the troops rushed towards Xiahou Dun and began their charge.

Meanwhile, Xiahou Dun led his troops in a fierce counterattack to break through the encirclement. Outside, amidst the continuous flames, a general with a somber expression remained hidden in the darkness. This was Zhao Cheng, a renowned general of the eastern Xiongnu. Zhao Cheng seemed to prefer living in the shadows. The eastern rebels had heard much of his fame, but had never seen him on the battlefield. Other generals charged forward, spears in hand, dominating the battlefield, while Zhao Cheng remained forever hidden in the corners, behind the scenes, in the darkness. On the battlefield, the soldiers followed the orders of their detachments, never seeing Zhao Cheng.

At this moment, Zhao Cheng remained observing from the darkness. An ordinary person wouldn't notice that a general commanding tens of thousands of Xiongnu cavalry was among the ranks. Zhao Cheng wasn't surrounded by large groups of guards or rows of generals. However, there were layers upon layers of messengers. Zhao Cheng's clothing was not significantly different from that of ordinary soldiers—standard Xiongnu cavalry hunting attire, without fine robes or excessive ornaments, and a simple waist knife and the Xiongnu's common bow and arrows. However, a discerning eye might be surprised by his extremely cold and stern expression. Zhao Cheng had a slightly dark complexion, thick eyebrows, and a sharply defined face. His right hand habitually rested on his Xiongnu scimitar. His expression was cold and almost expressionless, only slightly furrowing when issuing battle orders. The messengers, ready to relay the orders, stood tense and prepared at any moment.

"Is Xiahou Dun trying to break out? The firelight seems a bit chaotic to the southeast," Zhao Cheng muttered to himself. No one could answer him. Zhao Cheng had no strategists or advisors; all his generals were out commanding the army.

"Order the East Third and East Fifth Squads to withdraw their surrounding troops and move closer to Xiahou Dun," Zhao Cheng coldly commanded. Immediately, the two messengers beside him mounted their horses and galloped off to the southeast, while the empty space left next to Zhao Cheng was quickly filled by the outer messengers.

"Prepare the reserves," Zhao Cheng suddenly ordered. This order seemed impromptu, but his messenger knew he had given it considerable thought. Was Xiahou Dun truly making a desperate breakout in this direction? Or was it a feint? The cautious approach would be to send reinforcements from nearby detachments. If that failed, Xiahou Dun's desperate breakout would be certain, and the reserves could be disregarded. However, this might also mean missing a crucial opportunity, allowing Xiahou Dun to launch a daring assault and escape. Military strategy hinges on judgment, and precise judgment at that. Zhao Cheng's judgment was that Xiahou Dun was indeed making a desperate breakout in this direction, or that the swift, flashing shovels indicated that Xiahou Dun's light cavalry was extremely brave and was charging relentlessly. Moreover, given Xiahou Dun's fighting style, ferocity trumped deception.

"Are these teams in position yet?" Zhao Cheng asked impatiently. He noticed that Xiahou Dun's army's torches were still moving. If all three teams were present, this situation wouldn't have occurred, especially the reserve team, which consisted of valiant cavalry and wouldn't have been unable to stop Xiahou Dun.

"The other teams, follow suit! Prepare to compress Xiahou Dun's forces' space and annihilate them all!" In an instant, a savage killing intent, similar to that of Zhong Ping and Zhong Ting, flashed in Zhao Cheng's eyes. Perhaps it was because Zhong Ping saw the killing intent in Zhao Cheng's eyes that he promoted him exceptionally, entrusting this Han Chinese with such an important task.

"Follow me!" Zhao Cheng finally lost his composure and spurred his horse southeast. He soon spotted Cao Cao's army. The one in front stood out prominently; the Xiongnu troops advanced in a dense formation, their general charging left and right, killing several men in succession. The Xiongnu soldiers couldn't get close in the firelight. This general was undoubtedly Xiahou Dun. Zhao Cheng was momentarily stunned when he saw this general, his battle robe soaked in blood. Such bravery was indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people. Looking at Cao Cao's army, each soldier's face was covered in blood, their voices hoarse and hoarse. Zhao Cheng said nothing, simply watching coldly. He had already assembled the main force of the Xiongnu in the east, approximately 60,000 elite cavalry. This was because Zhao Cheng had quelled the rebellion in the left flank of the Xiongnu, striking fear into the hearts of the rebels. He was given the title "Night Battle Ghost," a testament to his exceptional skill in night combat. If the rebels were careless, fires would blaze everywhere at night, and the Xiongnu soldiers would swarm in like a tide. In every battle, they would strike the heart, determined to annihilate the main rebel force, capture their leader, and execute him on the spot, displaying his head. In less than two months, the rebel forces on all sides were wiped out, and the left flank was largely pacified. The rebels only heard of the ghost of night battles but could never see Zhao Cheng. Often, they were captured in the darkness, amidst the firelight, in a confused state. The rebel leaders mostly cried out in surrender, but there was no hope. They would often see Zhao Cheng's cold, stern face nod slightly, and then be dragged out by guards and immediately beheaded.

Zhao Cheng seized the opportunity. Xiahou Dun's light cavalry numbered no more than ten thousand, while his main infantry force was a hundred miles behind, unable to provide reinforcements. Furthermore, Xiahou Dun's string of victories, sweeping through the Wuhuan, had made him arrogant and negligent in his defenses. Zhao Cheng's main force of over sixty thousand cavalry quietly crossed the grasslands, splitting into eastern and western divisions to surround Xiahou Dun and launch a sudden attack. The Xiongnu soldiers, skilled in combat, were preparing to take Xiahou Dun's head directly. Unexpectedly, Xiahou Dun himself charged out, leading several dozen guards, charging left and right, instantly killing or wounding several Xiongnu soldiers, who were unable to withstand him.

Xiahou Dun then briefly surveyed the situation of the 397 Xiongnu soldiers and was greatly alarmed. He realized that this was not an ordinary raid by the Xiongnu; they were determined to annihilate him completely, and even take his life. Xiahou Dun was quite surprised, as he had not seen anyone dare to take his life in many years, and their objective was clear, even appearing confident, without the slightest hesitation or redundancy.

Xiahou Dun was, after all, a veteran general on the battlefield. He knew that the situation was not good. The only way was to accumulate strength and break through the encirclement at all costs. Otherwise, his army would be completely annihilated and he himself would be killed.

Zhao Cheng was a ghost of the battlefield, a rare and fierce general in the Central Plains, much like Xiahou Dun. This ghost of night combat applied his usual deadly and swift methods to the fierce generals of the Central Plains, like a deadly snake in the night, eyeing its prey. Perhaps describing Zhao Cheng as a snake is better than a wolf. Wolves, though they also attack, exhibit more of the ferocity, bloodthirstiness, and speed of a hunt—a unique quality of the Xiongnu. Zhao Cheng, however, was somewhat different. He was a venomous snake in the darkness, killing his enemy with a fatal blow, never making any unnecessary movements. But whether a wolf of the steppe or a snake of the night, their wildness is the same. The tiger of the Central Plains would not be helplessly slaughtered like the steppe rebels. Xiahou Dun quickly assessed the situation and, with his rare and astonishing bravery, began to lead the breakout. Clearly, Zhao Cheng watched coldly from the corner. He knew that Xiahou Dun was a tiger he could severely wound, but not one he could devour.

Chapter 102 The Decline of Talented Individuals

However, Xiahou Dun advanced too quickly and was ambushed by Zhao Cheng, the general of the Xiongnu left wing. Xiahou Dun fought desperately to break through the encirclement and ran hundreds of miles overnight, finally getting close to the infantry and heavy cavalry. At this time, he only had a little over a thousand light cavalry left, the rest of whom were almost wiped out in the encirclement.

The news immediately reached Cao Cao.

At this moment, Cao Cao was deeply worried. In his central command tent, he was alone; all his advisors had been sent out to devise a battle plan. In truth, there was little to plan, and Cheng Yu, Xun You, and others could easily draft one quickly. The plan was to immediately deploy 50,000 light cavalry as the first wave, followed by a second wave of heavy cavalry to converge on the light cavalry, with the remaining infantry forming the third wave. Although Xiahou Dun had done this, Cao Cao had warned him of the risks: the light cavalry was vulnerable to encirclement and defeat, and the various units would be unable to support each other. Cao Cao's situation was much simpler. He had 50,000 to 60,000 light cavalry; he was the one to defeat them, not the other way around. Furthermore, the heavy cavalry closely followed the light cavalry, and the infantry would try to keep pace with the heavy cavalry. Cao Cao's rapid advance would facilitate a rendezvous with Xiahou Dun in the north, allowing the light cavalry to support each other and eliminate the danger of Xiahou Dun's isolated advance.

However, after the plan was presented, Cao Cao glanced at it briefly and then tossed it aside.

"My lord." A military doctor entered the tent.

Cao Cao immediately stood up: "How is Mr. Guo Jia? Is he still unconscious?"

"Mr. Guo Jia has woken up. It's probably due to the change in environment and the imbalance of internal fluids. In addition, Mr. Guo Jia is rather thin, so he suffered from this serious illness," the military doctor said cautiously.

Upon hearing only the words "awakened," Cao Cao immediately strode out, saying, "I'll go see!"

On his sickbed, Guo Jia was pale and looked extremely haggard. Seeing Cao Cao approach, Guo Jia gave a weak smile.

"Sir, you're finally awake." Cao Cao knelt down beside Guo Jia's bed and grasped his hand. "I was so worried about you these past two days while you were unconscious!"

"Guo Jia is incompetent and has caused the lord worry." Guo Jia smiled weakly.

"What are you saying!" Cao Cao scolded playfully. "You must rest well. I, Cao Cao, cannot lose you!"

"Where is the main army?" Guo Jia asked in a low voice.

"Pinggang," Cao Cao said.

"Pinggang?" Guo Jia frowned slightly. "It seems Xiahou Dun has already advanced to the northern border of the Wuhuan, close to the Xiongnu. Why haven't we followed? Why have we only reached Pinggang?" Guo Jia glanced at Cao Cao's eyes and immediately understood. "My lord, why delay the army's journey for the sake of a scholar!"

Guo Jia tried to get up, but Cao Cao quickly pressed him down, saying, "Sir, you are my right-hand man. How can I leave you behind? You must stay by my side!"

Upon hearing this, Guo Jia became extremely anxious: "My lord, the situation is dire. Xiahou Dun is deep in enemy territory without any support. If the Xiongnu take the opportunity to attack, the safety of General Xiahou and his light cavalry will be in jeopardy!" As he spoke, he forced himself to sit up. "Zhao Cheng, a renowned general of the Xiongnu's left wing, is known as the Ghost of Night Battles. General Xiahou needs to be especially wary of him."

"Understood, I will certainly convey this to Xiahou Dun," Cao Cao said.

"Guo Jia earnestly requests that my lord immediately lead the army forward, leaving me here to rest and recuperate. Do not delay the army's journey because of Guo Jia alone! This expedition relies entirely on surprise, my lord must seize every second!" Guo Jia seemed somewhat agitated, and Cao Cao quickly supported him: "I understand, everything will be done as you wish, sir. Please rest here and focus on your recovery."

Cheng Yu walked in, leaned close to Cao Cao's ear, and said, "My lord, urgent report from the front. General Xiahou has suffered heavy losses."

"What's wrong?" Guo Jia immediately became alert.

"It's nothing, sir," Cao Cao hurriedly replied. "Cheng Yu reported to me on the movements of the Luo Chen army."

"Luo Chen and the Xiongnu are fighting to the death. The Xiongnu are indeed formidable enemies," Guo Jia said thoughtfully.

"Please rest well, sir, and do not worry. We will come back to take you back to Xuchang after the decisive battle," Cao Cao instructed before hurriedly leaving.

"Xiahou Dun's light cavalry was attacked near the border of the Xiongnu in northern Wuhuan territory. The enemy's commander was Zhao Cheng, and the Xiongnu forces numbered over 50,000. They launched an encirclement attack on our army. General Xiahou led his light cavalry in a fierce breakout..." Cheng Yu began to speak as soon as Cao Cao left the camp.

"How is Xiahou Dun? Is he injured?" Cao Cao interrupted him.

“General Lai Xiahou is brave and unharmed, but his more than 10,000 light cavalry were almost completely wiped out,” Cheng Yu said.

Cao Cao did not speak, but merely frowned with a cold expression.

"Please give the order, my lord, so that our right wing army can advance immediately and form a pincer movement with General Xiahou's forces. Otherwise, who knows what Zhao Cheng might do."

"Mr. Guo Jia is raising troops here," Cao Cao said stubbornly.

"...Mr. Guo Jia is also asking you to advance! Please, my lord, consider the safety of tens of thousands of soldiers and do not go against Mr. Guo Jia's wishes, lest you put him in an unjust position!" Cheng Yu almost shouted.

Cao Cao paused, then remained silent. He walked alone into the central command tent. Cheng Yu hesitated for a moment, but still didn't go in. Cao Cao probably needed to think things through and make a decision himself. Everyone understood the unfavorable situation Guo Jia was in. Cao Cao relied too heavily on Guo Jia; their relationship went beyond that of ruler and subject, bordering on brotherhood. Now, separated from him… to put it bluntly, if Guo Jia met with misfortune, he would die alone in a foreign land. The thought of his most trusted man dying alone in a foreign land was emotionally difficult for Cao Cao to accept, which was why he had hesitated to advance his troops.

After a long while, Cao Cao emerged. "Messenger!" he said, his voice tinged with exhaustion. "Order the main army to set off immediately, with light cavalry advancing swiftly to converge on General Xiahou's main force. Sweep through all Wuhuan strongholds along the way, crush the Wuhuan (Li's) main force, and capture their leader!"

"Understood!" The order was immediately relayed to all the camps and generals. An hour later, a large number of light cavalry galloped away amidst a cloud of dust.

Cao Cao, standing in the ranks, glanced at the camp. He, who had always scorned religion and Confucian dogma and believed in his own strength and will, suddenly felt an urge to pray fervently. He tried to find a deity, but his mind went blank. Ultimately, he gave up, simply whispering, "Mr. Guo Jia! Take care!"

In the twelfth year of Jian'an, Cao Cao decisively defeated the Wuhuan, and from then on, the main force of the Wuhuan was basically crushed, with no possibility of counterattack.

In the twelfth year of Jian'an, Guo Jia contracted a serious illness and died in Pinggang.

Upon hearing the news, Cao Cao remained silent for a long time and secluded himself for two days. Guo Jia's funeral was grand, and Cao Cao wept bitterly over his coffin, posthumously granting him the title of Marquis Zhen.

Upon hearing this, Luo Chen, who was commanding the Han-Xiongnu war effort at the front lines, couldn't help but sigh silently, "Heaven is jealous of talent! Heaven is jealous of talent!"

Chapter 103 Veteran General Ma Teng

Meanwhile, Cao Cao wept bitterly over the coffin, recounting his friendship with Guo Jia, and all his ministers were moved to tears. A servant approached Cao Cao and said, "When Master Guo Jia passed away, he left a letter; please, Prime Minister, take a look." Cao Cao took the letter, opened it, and sighed and nodded for a long time.

"Please, my lord, order a northward expedition to conquer Liaodong. Take the heads of Yuan Tan and Guo Tu. If Gongsun Kang of Liaodong does not surrender to the heavenly army, then annihilate him as well," Cao Hong, Xu Huang, and other generals said one after another.

"No need," Cao Cao said with a smile, shaking his head. "Gongsun Kang will send over the heads of Yuan Tan and the others."

The generals looked at each other in bewilderment. Could it be that Cao Cao was overwhelmed with grief and was having delusions? Seeing the generals' puzzled expressions, Cao Cao sighed and circulated Guo Jia's letter among them. The generals were greatly impressed.

As expected, the army's stay lasted only a few days. Gongsun Kang sent the heads of Yuan Tan and Guo Tu, and declared his allegiance to Cao Cao's forces. It turned out that Guo Jia had anticipated that Yuan Tan and his allies wouldn't willingly submit to Gongsun Kang, but were only forced by Cao Cao's attack. Gongsun Kang, too, harbored suspicions and was wary of them, but even more so fearful of Cao Cao's wrath, thus temporarily allying with Yuan Tan and his allies. Seeing this, Guo Jia left a letter for Cao Cao, advising him to remain on the border and not rush to attack Liaodong. Sure enough, Cao Cao remained inactive, and the rift between Yuan Tan and Gongsun Kang grew increasingly apparent. Gongsun Kang then hosted a banquet for Yuan Tan and Guo Tu, during which he executed them. Fearing further repercussions from Cao Cao, they simply surrendered and submitted to Cao Cao.

At this point, the entire territory of Hebei, including the Wuhuan and Liaodong forces that had submitted to the Hebei powers, was under Cao Cao's control. Cao Cao's conquest of Hebei was now complete.

Meanwhile, Luo Chen personally went to the front lines of the Han-Xiongnu war, thus beginning the great battle. To the surprise of both the Central Plains people and the steppe people, who had expected a fierce battle to erupt after Luo Chen arrived and commanded a large Central Plains force, the border was unusually quiet. Both sides were busy deploying their troops and secretly searching for opportunities. Whenever Luo Chen's army discovered a weakness in the Xiongnu, Yeye Suo would immediately seize the opportunity. It seemed as if the higher-ups were engaged in a fierce battle, but no opening appeared, and Luo Chen's army could only wait patiently.

Luo Chen personally commanded from Shuofang City, where Chang Yuchun was stationed. Chang Yuchun attempted several direct attacks, but Luo Chen stopped him each time. This was because Luo Chen saw that the enemy's main force's location was uncertain, and a hasty attack would easily lead to an ambush. However, under Luo Chen's cautious approach to the Xiongnu, his army maintained remarkable restraint. Yesuo seemed to have anticipated Luo Chen's strategy, and his army remained constantly on the move, its formation unpredictable. On the vast grasslands, Luo Chen's thousands of scouts indeed struggled to pinpoint the main force's location and therefore dared not attack.

Luo Chen had been quite troubled these past few days, as his army was at a standstill. He had two remaining options: one was to continue reconnaissance, taking a conservative approach to find weaknesses in the steppe army; the other was to launch a long-range raid, attacking key Xiongnu cities and strongholds, such as Zhao Xin City on the right flank and Wangting Longcheng, thus forcing the Xiongnu cavalry to appear. Longcheng was a sacred city for the Xiongnu; a large-scale raid should cause unrest among the Xiongnu army, thus revealing their location. However, this plan was too risky. The army would be isolated deep in enemy territory; if their supply lines were cut off and their water sources destroyed by the Xiongnu, their fighting capacity would plummet, potentially resulting in heavy casualties or even annihilation. In fact, Yesuo and others had been searching for a way to suddenly concentrate superior forces for a fierce attack, attempting to encircle and annihilate a portion of the Han army. Furthermore, a long-range raid would be a huge test for the horses, inevitably resulting in the loss of many. If supplies couldn't be replenished, it would be extremely detrimental to their future struggle for control of the Central Plains.

"My lord, Ma Teng, the governor of Liangzhou, requests an audience," a soldier reported.

Luo Chen was taken aback. Ma Teng? Wasn't Ma Teng in Shicheng? How did he end up in Shuofang, and without even reporting it beforehand? "Why is he here? Let him in."

"My lord." Ma Teng immediately entered. Luo Chen glanced at him and noticed that Ma Teng seemed to have aged considerably. Indeed, time flies. Once so spirited and striding confidently, he now, though still retaining the bearing of an old general, had graying temples and a slower, less energetic gait. "General Ma Teng! It's been so long!" Luo Chen stood up and greeted him warmly. "I've been staying in Shicheng for quite some time now! Unfortunately, the journey is long, and we can only meet once or twice a year. Otherwise, I would love to have a long chat with the old general."

"My lord! I think of you day and night. I have heard that you have pacified Yizhou in the south, marched east out of Tongguan, and are now heading north to devour the Xiongnu. Your power is growing stronger and stronger. I am overjoyed."

Luo Chen knew Ma Teng was a straightforward person, and the fact that he was being polite to him now was probably because they hadn't seen each other for over a year. He then said, "General, please speak freely. You've come all this way, you must have something to tell me. If you had told me earlier, I would have sent someone to fetch you, or I could have gone west to Shicheng to hear it..."

When Ma Teng heard Luo Chen say this, he waved his hand and smiled, "It is not proper for a subject to visit his lord, but for the lord to visit his subject. I have come here to tell you the truth. I have observed that the lord has now deployed 600,000 troops on the border, consuming countless amounts of food and fodder every day. However, the main force of the Xiongnu is hiding and evading orders. The lord is a thoughtful man and does not want to launch a rash attack. Therefore, the war is currently at a standstill."

"Exactly, as expected of the old general, you hit the nail on the head," Luo Chen nodded.

"I have a suggestion. We can choose another path," Ma Teng said, sounding slightly nervous. It seemed that this plan might be quite bold. Ma Teng had been pondering for a long time and hesitated, but he still decided to come to Luo Chen to explain it to him in person.

"Please enlighten me, General," Luo Chen said.

"Our Liangzhou has always existed in name only. The geographical area that our lord allocated to me is mostly in the hands of the Qiang people, and some in the hands of the Xiongnu. For example, Longyou and Xijun are in the hands of the Qiang people, while the pastures in the Hexi Corridor are in the hands of the Xiongnu, and the four commanderies in Hexi are also controlled by the Xiongnu." Ma Teng detailed the division of Liangzhou. "Following our lord's orders, we retreated to Shicheng and guarded the western gate through which the Qiang and Xiongnu people could enter the Central Plains. I have also carried out large-scale military farming in accordance with our lord's orders. Now there are about 200,000 troops in and around Shicheng, and some pastures have been established."

"You already have 200,000 troops under your command?" Luo Chen was quite surprised, not expecting that the strength of Shicheng's army had increased so rapidly in recent years.

"Not bad. Although the overall training level isn't high, there are still fifty to sixty thousand well-trained elite cavalry. These are genuine Liangzhou cavalry, in no way inferior to the Guanzhong Iron Cavalry."

Chapter 104 Total War

Just when Luo Chen was at his wit's end, the veteran general Ma Teng came to Shuofang alone to meet with Luo Chen and report on the situation in Liangzhou.

“If Liangzhou grows stronger, it can launch an attack to curb the enemy’s arrogance, since the situation has changed,” Luo Chen said. “However, the overall strategy is defensive, because the main force and the central government have no intention of fighting the Qiang people. The main force is currently fighting the Xiongnu, and after defeating the Xiongnu, it needs to return immediately to participate in the competition for Jingzhou and Jiangnan. It cannot attend to Xiliang for the time being.”

Upon hearing that their strength had increased and they could launch a preemptive strike, Ma Teng's face lit up with joy. However, Luo Chen immediately added that a defensive posture was still necessary overall. Ma Teng seemed somewhat disappointed. He said, "Our lord has already launched a large-scale attack on the Xiongnu, and they are now within the main force's attack range. Liangzhou is extremely close to the Xiongnu; resolving the Xiongnu problem cannot bypass Liangzhou's involvement."

"You want to participate in the fight against the Xiongnu?" Luo Chen was clearly not entirely in favor. "Shicheng is of great significance, and I will not easily transfer troops from here. Besides, our army already has an absolute advantage in troop strength, and there is no need to increase it further."

"I wish to request that our lord send troops to reclaim the Hexi Corridor," Ma Teng replied with a concise and powerful statement, clearly indicating that this was his ultimate goal in coming here.

Luo Chen was taken aback. Was this the other path Ma Teng had mentioned? The Hexi Corridor was indeed promising… but Luo Chen hadn't considered it strategically before. His regime was primarily focused on conquering the Central Plains and defending against foreign invaders. Only now was he preparing to mobilize the entire nation to fight the Xiongnu, with the simple goal of crushing their main force. As for occupying key locations, that hadn't been a consideration. If conquering the Central Plains went smoothly and the defensive posture shifted, Luo Chen might consider focusing on developing the surrounding important towns.

“The Hexi Corridor… our main force seems to be quite far away, and your 200,000 troops cannot be easily mobilized. Moreover, the forces of the Han, Qiang, and Xiongnu are intertwined here, which is very difficult. It is possible to disrupt the stability of the Han and Qiang, which could put us in an unfavorable situation of being attacked from both sides…” Luo Chen began to consider the possibility of this matter. As soon as he started to think about it, he found that there were many difficulties involved. Although it was not necessarily impossible, the risks and difficulties were obvious.

Ma Teng was clearly anxious: "My lord, conquering the Hexi Corridor is the first step the Han Dynasty took in its fight against the Xiongnu, and we can certainly learn from it. Based on my many years of experience in Liangzhou, conquering the Hexi Corridor has two major advantages. Especially when my lord wants to risk everything to draw out the main force of the Xiongnu army."

"Oh?" Ma Teng hit the nail on the head; this was exactly what Luo Chen had been hoping for. "I wonder what the old general's thoughts are?"

"Firstly, for our Liangzhou and the Qiang people's front line of confrontation, taking the Hexi Corridor will allow us to expand our influence into the Western Regions, thereby squeezing the living space of the Qiang people in the west. Secondly, for the Xiongnu in front of our lord, attacking the Hexi Corridor will inevitably provoke a backlash from the Xiongnu, and our lord can use an overwhelming force to ensure victory."

"Now the Xiongnu are hiding from us and fighting at night. If our army attacks strategic locations, they will inevitably have a conflicted mindset about whether to come to their aid. In any case, our superior forces can guarantee our capture of strategic locations."

Luo Chen frowned and pondered for a while. Because of his teacher Cai Yong's comment about the presence of evil spirits in the northwest, which he felt could be used, his gaze began to turn towards the grasslands. Yet, because of his teacher's further warning about the dangers in the northwest, he maintained a high degree of strategic caution. Indeed, as General Ma Teng had analyzed, Luo Chen seemed to be regaining his strategic command instincts, making decisions with his own style and thought. "Summon Mr. Fa Zheng, General Chang Yuchun, General Xiahou Yuan, and General Lü Bu," Luo Chen stood up and issued a series of orders, clearly intending to discuss the matter carefully. Ma Teng was overjoyed to see that Luo Chen valued his opinion so highly.

Fa Zheng was the first to arrive. After listening to Ma Teng's suggestion, he pondered for a long time and said, "This plan is good, but the army is exhausted from a long expedition and is now being transferred westward into the desert. I'm afraid they won't be able to handle it. I suggest we transfer troops from Shicheng."

Ma Teng agreed without hesitation, while Luo Chen said, "The troops of Shicheng are our western gateway, how can they be transferred?"

"I am willing to lead a light cavalry on a thousand-mile raid." Upon hearing that Luo Chen had decided to launch a large-scale attack on the Hexi Corridor, Chang Yuchun immediately volunteered. These past few days, he had been commanding 200,000 troops and had repeatedly planned to launch an attack, but he had always been stopped by Luo Chen, which made him very frustrated.

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“Okay.” Luo Chen actually nodded in agreement.

“Chang Yuchun’s light cavalry attack is extremely dangerous, as he is deep in enemy territory! Hasn’t our lord heard that a few days ago, Xiahou Dun’s light cavalry was attacked by Zhao Cheng of the Xiongnu tribe in the northern Wuhuan region, and his army was almost completely wiped out?” Fa Zheng immediately reminded him.

“I’ll give you 60,000 light cavalry,” Luo Chen said, frowning. “There can’t be that many Xiongnu cavalry in the Hexi Corridor, can there? Lü Bu will lead another 60,000 cavalry to form a pincer movement with Chang Yuchun. We must quickly take over the four commanderies of Hexi. If any organized Xiongnu army appears, we will annihilate them immediately.”

“As far as we know, the main force of the Xiongnu is as many as three or four hundred thousand. What if this part of the army runs to the Hexi Corridor? Wouldn’t Generals Chang Yuchun and Lü Bu be in trouble?” Fa Zheng said stubbornly.

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Luo Chen's eyes gleamed with amusement: "Mr. Fazheng, you've forgotten our current strength. We are no longer at a point where we have no troops to spare. We have nearly 600,000 troops stationed here. The two generals have led over 120,000 troops out, and the rest are all deployed to the grasslands. If they detect the main force of the Xiongnu, they will strike them."

Indeed, this tactic was a lavish, extravagant one. While the main force consisted of Chang Yuchun and Lü Bu's 120,000 cavalry, the supporting army numbered over 400,000. Xu Da and Xiahou Yuan each commanded over 200,000 troops, advancing into the depths of the grasslands in a pincer movement. The purpose of such a massive military operation was merely to cover the mere 120,000 long-distance-traveling cavalry from being encircled and annihilated.

"Has the Luo army lost its composure?" Yesuo received the battle report that the 300,000 troops on the right flank and the royal court were nearing convergence, forming a pincer movement, lurking deep in the grasslands. Although the Luo army had launched a pincer attack with 400,000 troops, it dared not advance rashly, with each unit leading 30,000 to 50,000 men to provide cover for its advance. Zhongping, Yesuo, and others were waiting for a Luo unit to be temporarily isolated so they could swiftly annihilate it; they had not yet received news of the Luo army's rapid westward advance.

A massive, exceptionally brutal, and unpredictable all-out war finally broke out on the grasslands.

Chapter 105 Urgent Letter

Luo Chen issued a series of orders, then led Yan Qing, Ma Teng, and others to join the main army heading towards the Hexi Corridor. However, Luo Chen maintained a distance from them, with only about 10,000 Imperial Guards accompanying him. In the region north of the Great Wall, where the Xiongnu roamed freely, this was undoubtedly extremely dangerous. Nevertheless, Luo Chen was confident that his 400,000-strong army could hold back the main Xiongnu force, or even severely damage or annihilate it, thus eliminating the possibility of him being surrounded and annihilated.

A messenger on horseback was galloping swiftly beyond the Great Wall. He wore a bright red badge on his head, indicating urgency. Passes along the way were given immediate passage, and cavalry were dispatched to ensure his safety. Wang Shuo, the governor of Shuofang, hadn't seen such a bright red emergency badge in a long time. The dust billowing in the distance, and the horse galloping as if it were about to take flight, showed that it had been constantly being replaced with sturdier horses.

"Open the gate!" he shouted impatiently at the soldiers below the city walls.

The horse charged straight into the city like an arrow, kicking up dust that made the soldiers on both sides cough and curse angrily. One soldier stumbled and tumbled off, shouting, "I want to see Prime Minister Luo! I want to see Prime Minister Luo!"

Wang Shuo had never seen such an arrogant display before, but this messenger's message was already at the highest level of urgency, a level only a strategist or general could command. Clearly, only Zhuge Liang or Zhang Juzheng could issue such a high-level order. It was obvious that even Zhuge Liang and the others wouldn't dare make a decision on their own, leaving it to Luo Chen. Thinking this, Wang Shuo dared not delay and scrambled downstairs. The messenger, seeing that he was an officer, shouted, "I want to see Prime Minister Luo! Anyone who delays military intelligence will be executed!"

“Prime Minister Luo is no longer in Shuofang,” Wang Shuo said, scratching his head. “He led the Imperial Guards westward the day before yesterday.”

The messenger was clearly taken aback and didn't know what to do. Wang Shuo said, "The highest-ranking official in this area is General Xu Da. I can take you to see him. And only he has the authority to open the letter you sent." The messenger had no choice but to say, "Then set off immediately, it's extremely urgent!"

As expected, Wang Shuo dispatched over a thousand cavalrymen who galloped out of the city to protect the messenger. The messenger also removed his large red insignia to avoid being too conspicuous and being killed by arrows from the Xiongnu soldiers.

Xu Da was startled upon seeing the urgent letter. He quickly opened it: "My lord, Regent Zhuge: Liu Biao, the Prefect of Jingzhou, died last night. I learned of this early this morning. Upon receiving this letter, I learned that the Cai clan's forces are rapidly expanding, and Liu Bei is currently suppressing the rebellion of Liu Lin, the Prefect of Jingling. Cao Cao has troops gathering in the south, indicating he is aware of this. The situation in Jingzhou has drastically changed. I request your specific guidance, my lord. 1. Should we send troops to attack the Cai clan's forces? 2. Should we directly send troops to occupy Jingzhou? 3. Should we engage in a direct confrontation with Cao Cao's army? 4. Should we support Liu Bei? Huang Zhong, [Date], Urgent, forwarded to Chang'an and Shuofang." It is recommended that Military Advisor Zhuge escalate this letter to Special Urgent.

Upon reading the letter, Xu Da could only describe his feelings with one word: anxiety. The situation in Jingzhou had changed drastically, and all sides were preparing for the worst, none of them expecting it to happen so quickly. However, Cao Cao had a significant advantage over Luo Chen: Cao Cao had essentially cleared Hebei, and although his main force was concentrated in the north, he could immediately march south and control Jingzhou. On Luo Chen's side, his army was engaged in fierce fighting with the Xiongnu, and his main generals and the vast majority of his troops were moving across the desert and grasslands, making it impossible for him to attend to Jingzhou. His only available force was Huang Zhong's 100,000 men and a weak alliance with Liu Bei and his faction in Jingzhou who supported Liu Qi. Huang Zhong's question essentially concerned Luo Chen's attitude towards other forces, requiring clarification from Luo Chen: should they attack the Cai clan? And regarding Cao Cao, since they were currently at peace, should they break their agreement? Would this affect the war against the Xiongnu? Although it was an alliance with Liu Bei's group, Liu Bei had great ambitions and repeatedly tried to persuade them to join Luo Chen's group, but they still refused. Liu Bei's strength was obviously not a good thing, but it also seemed inappropriate for Liu Bei to be wiped out.

"Summon Mr. Fazheng." Xu Da looked at the letter, his mind racing with thoughts, but he said nothing, directly ordering someone to summon Fazheng. Fazheng was renowned throughout the army for his analysis of the southeastern war situation. He had also had a conversation with his lord, Luo Chen, but apart from the two of them, no one knew the content of that conversation.

Fa Zheng read the letter, his face showing a mixture of panic and excitement. His hands trembled slightly. This major upheaval in the Southeast had been presented to the Luo Chen Group in such an unexpected way. Now, by a stroke of luck, with the Luo Chen lord not present, it seemed as if fate had granted him the crucial decision-making power regarding the Southeast war situation.