Chapter Ninety-Two: Turning the Tables

Please keep going, and to all students preparing for the national college entrance examination, stay strong. "Gold is not the true treasure; books are. All things are empty, yet goodness is not." May all scholars work hard for the universities of their dreams.

"Investigating the place where our army stores its grain?" Zhang Xun said with a slight narrowing of his eyes and a smile. "It seems your general means to destroy my army's supplies. I must say, Han Dang's thinking is not bad. Then let me ask you this: how are your own provisions holding up?"

The spy studied Zhang Xun and said carefully, "There is scarcely any grain left in the army. This time, the general ordered me to look into your stores because he intended to seize them..."

"That is all I know, sir. Can you spare my life?"

Zhang Xun shook his head. "Han Dang had ample provisions only a few days ago. How could he be out so quickly?"

"It was the Chancellor! Because the Chancellor is leading the great army to attack Shouchun, and that requires huge supplies, most of Hefei's military grain was taken away!" the spy said. "There has been no surplus in the city for a long time. Now many soldiers in the army are even eating dirt."

"Ha ha ha." Zhang Xun laughed and shook his head. "Very well. Men, take him away and destroy his eyes, his tongue, and his ears. I will grant you mercy today and spare your life!"

"You cursed villain, cursed villain!"

"Han Dang, Han Dang, short of grain?" Zhang Xun sat in his chair, deep in thought. He did not know whether the spy's words were true, but in these days of fierce assaults on Hefei, though the enemy's resistance had grown ever stronger, he himself had also suffered heavy losses.

If he simply kept the city surrounded, perhaps Hefei would eventually fall into unrest because of the lack of provisions. Then perhaps he could take it without spending a single soldier.

But what if this was Han Dang's delaying tactic? Zhang Xun considered that Sun Ce was to attack Shouchun, and that the round trip from Shouchun to Hefei would take at least half a month. If Han Dang had deliberately revealed his shortage of grain, it was entirely possible that he was merely hoping Zhang Xun would keep the siege in place and delay until Sun Ce could return with reinforcements.

Still, now that he knew Hefei's grain was insufficient, it would not hurt to try. He too would set a trap and see how Han Dang responded.

Hefei, Han Dang's residence.

"General, report. Huang Yi Gang was brought back outside Hefei by the soldiers, and Zhang Xun has reduced him to a cripple..."

"I understand. Huang Yi Gang suffered greatly on this mission; I will see to his parents' support," Han Dang said with a sigh. "I only wonder whether Zhang Xun truly believes what we have said."

The next day, on the grain route outside Hefei, carts pulled heavy sacks of grain while Zhang Xun's troops kept stern watch over the surroundings.

"Kill!"

From the thickets on both sides, figures sprang from concealment like beasts lying in ambush.

As Zhang Xun's escort advanced a few dozen more paces with the grain, the bushes shook violently. Han Dang's men burst out with red eyes, thrusting their spears into the escorting troops and leaving the ground slick with blood.

"Hurry, the general has ordered us to withdraw with the grain!"

"My lord, these are all stones!"

"Swoosh!"

An arrow pierced a young officer in Han Dang's ranks, splitting armor and flesh and sinking deep into his organs. The young officer fell straight to the ground, dead at once!

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"

More and more arrows flew, striking Han Dang's soldiers. In the blink of an eye, only a field of corpses remained.

A much larger force rushed out from the thickets and pulled the arrows from Han Dang's soldiers one by one.

Hefei, Zhang Xun's camp.

"Report to the general. This grain convoy was ambushed by five hundred of Han Dang's men, all of whom have been shot dead!"

"Is Han Dang truly short of grain?!" Zhang Xun felt a slight stirring in his heart. He had not expected this stratagem to be so simple.

With this first success, Zhang Xun gradually grew restless. Hefei was guarded by Han Dang, and the four gates were as solid as iron.

If he could use Han Dang's shortage of grain to lure the troops defending the east gate out of the city, then within a few hours Hefei would surely fall!

Hefei, Han Dang's residence.

White cloths covered the bodies on the ground.

Han Dang's expression remained calm as he looked at one of them. "He entered the army at eight. I kept him by my side all these years. He is now twenty-three; fifteen years in all. I had already come to think of him as my own child."

Cui Liang saluted. "I cannot be certain this plan will succeed. If you believe I am at fault, then place the blame on me."

Han Dang said, "He came to me of his own will. A true man has long since set life and death outside himself... I am merely somewhat vexed."

A great man sheds blood in this world, not tears. Much less an old general long seasoned in the world. Tears were not something that existed for Han Dang. Though he seemed calm on the surface, Cui Liang knew the pain in his heart.

It now seemed that Zhang Xun had indeed fallen into the trap, but whether he could be led all the way through it, even Cui Liang could not say.

The spy they had sent not only ate dirt; everything he said was true. Yet it was precisely because of that that suspicion had been aroused. If your enemy is captured and answers every question without hesitation, how much of it would you believe?

The southern gate was the hardest to assault, for it was the most heavily defended point in the city. If they wanted to take Hefei quickly, then only the eastern gate would do. The eastern gate had fewer troops stationed there, but if Zhang Xun attacked from that side, the soldiers could still rush back to reinforce it.

But if the troops at the east gate were drawn away, then the city would become as easy to take as something already in one's palm.

Zhang Xun was likely targeting the eastern gate right now, using grain as bait.

Report!

A scout arrived and said, "General, we have discovered that Zhang Xun has dispatched a large force to transport grain northeast of Hefei's outskirts!"

"He's taken the bait!" Cui Liang felt his heart ease. In his eyes there was now only steadiness, for this was the chance to secure victory in one stroke!

At night, the eastern gate stood open. Han Dang personally led his troops on a swift march toward Zhang Xun's grain depot in the northeast.

Meanwhile, on the barren plain nearby, Zhang Xun sat astride his warhorse, gazing from afar. Though the field of view was greatly limited, this was an army on the move; if he could not see it, then he must be blind.

"He really fell for it!" Zhang Xun was delighted. "The army advances!"

While Han Dang led his troops to seize the grain, Zhang Xun immediately brought a large force to take the eastern gate. Hefei was finally about to fall into his hands!

"Ride!"

The great host surged forward at once, and at the same time troops from the southern gate also launched an attack.

Hefei, southern gate.

Qiao Rui led a small force and shouted for battle outside the city. His purpose was only to make Han Dang think he was leading a great army against the southern gate, thereby causing the defense of the eastern gate to be neglected.

Sure enough, the moment he began his provocation, torches flared atop the walls, bathing everything in light.

The soldiers above the gate looked down upon the enemy below with killing intent.

Qiao Rui naturally had no desire to attack; instead, his face displayed the look of one whose scheme had succeeded.

The eastern gate was shut tight, yet it lay in utter darkness, showing no sign of any garrison. The soldiers behind Zhang Xun pushed their siege engines up to the gate, while ladders were raised against the walls!

"Ha!"

"Boom!"

The tremendous impact made the gate shudder violently. Great cracks spread across it, several feet wide, and wood splinters flaked away in sheets.

Zhang Xun's troops climbed rapidly up the ladders and soon reached the top of the wall. But the moment they landed, weapons were already at their throats, and a single sweep took their lives.

"Kill!"

The sudden cry made Zhang Xun's heart tighten. He looked up to see the east gate blazing with torchlight, while Cui Liang stood atop the gate smiling faintly.

Then blocks of earth, roof tiles, and stones came crashing down in sheets from above the gatehouse. All of them were materials for building houses!

The stones prepared within the city had all been used up, so Cui Liang ordered the soldiers to tear the houses apart.

"Weren't the troops at the east gate already lured outside the city? Why is there still a garrison here?!" Zhang Xun was startled. He hurriedly pulled back his horse to dodge the falling stones, retreating as desperately as he could.

The sudden attack left Zhang Xun's troops bewildered. No one reacted in time, and the general had given no orders.

"Aaagh!"

Large numbers of soldiers were smashed into pulp, and many who were not yet dead cried out in agony.

There were actually troops stationed at the east gate. Then where had the force that had just rushed out of Hefei gone?

Cui Liang's gaze was not fixed on the gate below, but was instead directed toward the distant camp. His heart, too, was held in suspense.

How much longer?

Although Zhang Xun's men had been caught off guard at first, they now quickly regrouped. After all, the plot had already been exposed; to them, this was still the siege they had been carrying out for days.

Yet this time they no longer fought with the same reckless disregard for death. The attacking troops swiftly withdrew from the range of the stones.

Zhang Xun and Cui Liang on the battlements confronted one another.

"Brat, even if my stratagem has been seen through by you, I know that your city is now short of grain!"

Cui Liang smiled faintly. "The city has abundant provisions and can hold for months. If you want to storm it, then come!"

Still not ready?

"Even if you truly have supplies for several months, it will be useless! This city is destined to be taken by me!"

Finally, here it comes!

Cui Liang's eyes flashed with light. He clenched both fists hard, so excited he could hardly speak. When a blaze of light erupted one after another from the distant camp, he knew this time they had won.

"Look, over there! Something seems to be happening behind us!"

"It's the camp. Our camp is on fire!"

"What are the troops guarding the camp doing? Hurry back and put it out!"

"It's over. I knew we couldn't win. General Ji Ling's hundred thousand troops were defeated, and I even heard that His Majesty has already fled Shouchun!"

"Do not panic! No one is to panic!" Zhang Xun roared, but the soldiers who were scattering in all directions paid him no heed and fled desperately toward the rear.

Zhang Xun knew that Han Dang was short of grain, but the soldiers did not. They only knew that their own grain had been burned!

Once panic and flight begin, even the most orderly army will inevitably be affected. The ranks that had stood so neat and straight were instantly thrown into chaos.

Since ancient times, the worth of a military commander has depended not only on martial prowess but on the ability to command.

This is the art of leading troops: men like the immortal strategist Han Xin, the butcher Bai Qi, Li Mu, Wu Qi, Yue Yi... if judged solely by martial strength, they might not rank among the famous warriors, but when it came to commanding troops, they were absolutely the best.

The stronger a general's command, the more soldiers he can lead. When sudden upheaval occurs, such commanders can often stabilize morale quickly and deploy their forces with speed. Their methods of warfare are also often ruthless, creating the momentum needed to turn defeat into victory.

This is what a commander should possess.

Zhang Xun did have the bearing of a general. In ordinary circumstances, if he had been leading ninety thousand troops, perhaps he could still have held them steady. But Sun Ce's defeat of Ji Ling's hundred thousand troops in Lujiang had happened not long ago, a major war that had shaken the realm.

That battle had already become famous across the world. The morale of Zhang Xun's troops at Hefei had suffered a crushing blow, made worse still by Yuan Shu abandoning them and fleeing alone. That was an emperor.

What had steadied the army these past few days was only the great general's repeated assurance that Hefei would soon be taken. But now the rear camp was in flames, and perhaps the grain had gone with it. Without food, how could they still take Hefei?

The last straw that had been holding morale together was finally broken. Zhang Xun's army no longer wished to resist; the thought of fleeing had already taken root.

And as the saying goes, strike the sick man while he is down.

Finish off the drowning dog.

The only chance for victory had been seized!

"Kill!"

The city gate opened of itself. Elite cavalry charged first, their warhorses racing across the battlefield, slaughtering as they went. The scene was almost one of butchery, with no room for resistance.

He Qi led several young officers skilled in combat to find the enemy's general. They quickly formed an encirclement and trapped Zhang Xun tightly within it.

Yuan Shu truly had not many capable generals. This great general, Zhang Xun, lasted less than a few exchanges before He Qi cut him down from horseback!

Capture the ringleader first!

Even the great general was dead!

Morale plummeted utterly into the abyss.

"General Gongmiao is mighty!" Cui Liang roared in support when he saw Zhang Xun be slain.

When a force has lost all will to resist, the slaughter becomes one-sided. Bai Qi once buried four hundred and fifty thousand Zhao soldiers alive because the Zhao army had already completely lost the will to fight.

A total loss of morale and loss of fighting spirit are one and the same.

Without waiting for Sun Ce's reinforcements, relying only on provisions that could last five days and thirty thousand troops, they had shattered Zhang Xun!

He Qi held Zhang Xun's severed head high and bellowed to the army, "Any who surrender, cast down your weapons and squat on the ground, and you shall be spared. Those who stubbornly resist and refuse obedience will be killed without mercy!"

"The great general is dead, and the emperor has abandoned us and fled. Many of our wives and children are still in Shouchun. Must we still die for the Zhong kingdom?"

"Please, General, stop! We surrender, we surrender!"

In the fourth year of Jian'an, Sun Ce's army utterly defeated Yuan Shu at Hefei, taking more than half of Yuzhou, one hundred and fifty thousand bushels of grain, and over seventy thousand soldiers.

The remaining cities all fell to Liu Bei, while Yuan Shu, fleeing northward through Yuzhou, was blocked by Liu Bei and ultimately took his own life.

Yuan Shao defeated Gongsun Zan and unified the north of the Yellow River. Ambitious and full of aspiration, he now meant to whip his horses southward, pointing his blades at Cao Cao in Yanzhou, intent on stepping into the Central Plains.

At the same time, Cao Cao in Xuchang, following Guo Jia's counsel and using an ambush, repelled Lu Bu and reoccupied Xuchang. He then marched south from the Bohai region, defeated Liu Bei, and seized half of Xuzhou.

Lu Bu's defeat of Ma Teng led to internal discord; the relationship between Han Sui and Ma Teng broke apart, and the warlords of Liangzhou were split from that day onward.

In the remaining half of Jingzhou, the lords, having suffered grievous losses in the Battle of Red Cliffs, largely ceased hostilities and recovered their strength.

Sun Ce, burning with anger, exterminated Yuan Shu's entire clan. Because Yuan Shu's reputation in Yuzhou was notoriously poor, this act won him great popular support as well.

After consolidating the hearts of the people in Yuzhou and dispatching soldiers to garrison and restore order there, he began his return to the capital.

By now Sun Ce occupied half of Jingzhou, most of Yangzhou, and most of Yuzhou. One might say he held the winning hand. In his heart, he also wished to march south again and continue his campaign against Jiangdong and the remaining half of Jingzhou.

As for Liu Zhang of Yizhou, after failing to conquer Zhang Lu in Hanzhong, he could only keep a firm hold on Yizhou.

Happy Dragon Boat Festival to all dear readers. I also cannot help but marvel at the sacrifice Qu Yuan made for us. He not only helped foster food culture, but also gave us a rare holiday of rest.

Thanks to the readers Cosmic Aurora, Phantom God, and Brocade Strings for their recommendation votes.