One Hundred Twenty-Six: The Flexible Application of Military Strategy

Dongping State is located in the northeast of Dong Commandery, with its administrative seat at Wuchen County. It oversees seven counties and serves as the fief of Liu Cang, son of Emperor Guangwu of Han. However, the descendants of Liu Cang, who hold the title hereditarily, have long since settled in Luoyang. No one knows how much of Dongping’s tax revenue actually reaches that prince, especially now that Dong Zhuo has destroyed Luoyang and the entire imperial court has relocated to the Weiyang Palace in Chang'an.

The Chancellor of Dongping was killed as soon as the Black Mountain bandits slaughtered their way through Yan Province, and the region has remained in chaos ever since. Recently, Zhang Miao, Zhang Chao, Liu Dai, and Bao Xin were defeated at Mount Tai. Among them, Zhang Miao and Zhang Chao withdrew their forces to Chenliu; Ying You was killed in battle; and Liu Dai and Bao Xin retreated toward Dongping State. The bandit army pursued them relentlessly, turning Dongping—already ravaged by disaster—into a slaughterhouse.

Before Cao Hong’s army had even entered the borders of Dongping after leaving Juan County, they encountered fields covered in the starving. Many corpses were already infested with maggots, a sickening sight. Some bodies were incomplete, their wounds suggesting they had been torn apart by human hands—or perhaps... bitten. During times of famine, cannibalism is no mere legend.

Moving further ahead, Cao Hong discovered the corpses of soldiers clad in lamellar armor. He had seen the color and style of this armor in Suanzao; it belonged to the forces of Bao Xin, the Chancellor of Jibei. To the northeast of Dongping lies Jibei State, and to the east of Jibei lies Mount Tai Commandery. Since Bao Xin and Liu Dai were driven toward Dongping, they must have passed through Jibei. From this scene, it was clear that Jibei State had also fallen.

Liu Ye, riding alongside Cao Hong, looked at the scattered corpses and sighed, "Liu Dai and Bao Xin should have retreated to Shanyang County, then crossed Jiyin to Chenliu or entered Dong Commandery. After all, Shanyang County contains the Daye Marsh, with mountains rolling for hundreds of miles. The terrain is complex, unlike Dongping State, which is flat and offers no defensive positions."

Cao Hong sighed, "I fear they chose Dongping precisely because it is flat and easy to flee through, and the route to Dong Commandery is shorter than from Shanyang. They did not realize that while they were fast, the bandit army was faster. My elder brother ordered me to scout the military situation in Shanyang Commandery, yet ignored Dongping, knowing that Shanyang’s terrain is more complex than Dongping’s. Refugees can hide among the hills and marshes, making them harder for the bandits to track, thus increasing their chances of survival. It is a pity that even the common people understand this, yet Bao Xin and Liu Dai do not."

Liu Ye smiled, "Liu Dai and his brother Liu Yao were both renowned in Yan Province. At the time, people said that having these two brothers was like driving two dragons across a long path, galloping for a thousand miles... Now it seems this reputation is unearned. It just goes to show how much nonsense there is in the contemporary critiques of famous men."

Cao Hong felt a stir in his heart at these words. Liu Ye had never before mocked the trend of "pure conversation" and the critique of contemporary figures so common in the Eastern Han. Important figures like Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Liu Biao had all been subjected to such critiques; receiving one was essentially a form of validation and a crucial path to fame. That Liu Ye would suddenly utter such words made Cao Hong think of Xun Yu. Had Liu Ye become dissatisfied because his importance to Cao Cao had waned since Xun Yu’s arrival?

Was this reality, or was he merely imagining things? Cao Hong was not sure. In historical records, Liu Ye was a low-profile figure who kept his brilliance hidden, neither vying for favor nor competing for power, but his words just now were truly pointed.

Cao Hong could not fathom these matters between scholars and strategists, nor did he wish to. Fortunately, a scout from the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry galloped back to report, "Colonel! A great cloud of dust has risen ten miles ahead, involving about ten thousand men. It is likely a detachment of the bandit army!"

Caught off guard by how quickly they had encountered the enemy, Cao Hong nonetheless set aside his conversation with Liu Ye, feeling a spark of excitement. He nodded and said, "Understood. Sound the horn immediately and recall all cavalry!" Scouts typically carried whistling arrows and horns to notify their commanders and comrades of sudden developments.

The Tiger and Leopard Cavalry acknowledged the order and rode off. Liu Ye asked, "General Zilian, how do you intend to meet the enemy?"

Cao Hong glanced around and saw the roadside overgrown with tall grass. He smiled, "That is simple!" He shouted to the messengers nearby, "Order the army to gather all our banners and plant them in the grass a hundred paces to the left of the road. Have the five thousand laborers place all the grain and baggage under the banners, then crouch beside the supplies and wait for a single blast of the horn to raise a clamor! They must not advance a single step. Additionally, order Deputy General Pan to lead two thousand halberdiers to hide in the grass a hundred paces to the right of the road; they are to rise and attack the moment they hear two blasts of the horn—no hesitation. The ambushes on both flanks must cover the area a hundred paces before and behind our formation. Finally, command Deputy General Shi to lead the Recruitment Battalion forward to lure the enemy here; once they reach ten paces in front of our line, they are to turn and fight. My personal guard and I will form a defensive line here!"

The messengers acknowledged the orders loudly and rode off to relay them to the grain transport commander Cao Ang, the leader of the Recruitment Battalion Shi A, and Pan Zhang, who commanded the two thousand halberdiers.

Soon after, the messengers returned to report that the orders had been delivered. Cao Ang and Pan Zhang took their positions on the flanks, the personal guard formed up behind Cao Hong, and Shi A departed to lure the enemy. Each officer performed his duty with methodical precision.

Cao Hong smiled at Liu Ye, "Does the gentleman intend to join the fray or..."

Liu Ye laughed heartily, "As a frail scholar, I should naturally keep away from the fires of war!" With that, he rode toward the right flank where Cao Ang was stationed.

Just then, Cao Xiu arrived with fifty Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and said, "Uncle, the bandit army is only three miles away. From the dust, they appear to be a disorganized rabble rather than the main force, numbering just over ten thousand."

Cao Hong nodded, "Good! Wenlie, take the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry behind our line. Have each rider cut a tree branch and tie it to their horse's tail. After the bandits engage my personal guard, have the fifty riders gallop toward us, kicking up dust to confuse the enemy into thinking our main force is arriving."

Cao Xiu replied, "Understood!" and rode off behind the guard.

Cao Hong then ordered his thousand personal guards to form a square formation in the center of the road, maintaining their ranks to prevent the enemy from seeing the reality of their rear. He further ordered them to charge as soon as Shi A turned to engage.

These tactics of luring, ambushing, and manipulating the terrain through the appearance of strength and weakness were all drawn from different chapters of the "Art of War." Cao Hong’s ability to synthesize these methods was the result of his many days of diligent study.

Before long, the sounds of shouting grew near. Cao Hong saw his Recruitment Battalion. These men—who lacked for neither wine, food, nor women—were truly extraordinary. Even in retreat, they moved in pairs, never separating, displaying a bizarrely synchronized camaraderie. Cao Hong marveled at the effectiveness of Bai Qi’s training.

Shi A was in the lead, followed by the three hundred men of the Recruitment Battalion. Their two-piece armor rattled and clattered as they ran, their hooks gripped tightly in their hands. From time to time, they glanced back at the bandits pursuing them from twenty paces away. The bandits, dressed in hemp and mismatched, tattered silks, brandished weapons ranging from fine steel to rusted iron and farm implements, howling and roaring as they chased the soldiers.

When Shi A reached a point ten paces in front of Cao Hong’s horse, he heard a thunderous roar: "Attack!" Shi A spun around, sword in hand. The Recruitment Battalion, which had appeared disorganized, instantly fell into pairs and turned in unison. The final row of soldiers rolled on the ground toward the approaching bandits, unleashing a low-sweeping blade technique. The leading bandits shrieked as they fell, their legs severed, blood spraying across the road.

Cao Hong turned to his messenger, "Wait for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, then blow the horn once. When the bandits flee to the right, blow it twice. Stay here; you need not join the fight!" Cao Hong then let out a roar, "Charge!" and led his thousand guards forward, spearheading the assault.