My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 439 The Yangzhou Uprising
Li Jue and Guo Si only had a total of 30,000 troops. Chang'an had long been ravaged by the Xiliang warriors, and they could not even find a few hundred able-bodied men. How could they possibly defend Chang'an?

Forced by circumstances, after holding out for more than half a month, they finally ran out of food and were forced to leave the city to fight Cao Cao.

As a result, Cao Cao only needed half a day to decisively defeat the allied forces of Li Jue and Guo Si, beheading more than 6,000 people, killing 11 officers of the rank of colonel and above, and capturing more than 20,000 soldiers alive.

Li Jue fled to the northwest, while Guo Si fled to the southwest, with only a hundred or so followers with him.

Cao Cao seized the opportunity to recapture Chang'an, but instead of continuing his military campaigns, he cleared the ruins in Chang'an, restored the lives of ordinary people, and issued a proclamation in the name of the imperial court to all parts of Guanzhong, demanding that the local areas submit.

Guanzhong had already submitted to the iron hooves of the Liangzhou warriors. Now that Li Jue and Guo Si had been defeated by Cao Cao and were almost completely wiped out, how could Guanzhong possibly obey their orders?

Shortly after Cao Cao's proclamation was issued, various places in Guanzhong surrendered one after another. Except for some counties and towns that were affected by the rebel forces of Xiliang, such as Han Sui and Ma Teng, which did not respond, all the counties and towns around Chang'an defected and sent officials to Cao Cao.

Liu Feng tapped the table, deep in thought.

Zhuge Liang asked in a low voice, "Is my lord worried about the General?"

Liu Feng trusted Zhuge Liang implicitly, though not to the point of complete trust, but close enough.

Therefore, Liu Feng nodded without hesitation and exclaimed, "The General is truly astounding when he makes a move."

In just over two months, Cao Cao annihilated the armies of Li Jue and Guo Si, recovered Chang'an, and recaptured seven or eight counties.

Despite being the one initiating the attack and besieging the city, his military strength was inferior to that of Li Jue and Guo Si.

In this battle outside Chang'an, he truly achieved a victory against overwhelming odds.

Liu Feng was somewhat envious. Despite his impressive track record, Liu Feng's greatest contribution was not in troop deployment, but rather in operations.

Liu Feng's greatest strength lies in operations, strengthening the army's combat effectiveness from various aspects, and then learning to attack with effortless skill.

Don't be fooled by the fancy tricks he used in several major battles; these tricks had historical precedents, and he was simply trying to replicate them scientifically and accurately.

Although Liu Feng didn't believe he would lose to Cao Cao in a real battle, he was well aware that in terms of troop deployment and finding opportunities, he was currently no match for Cao Cao. However, he also had his own strengths. In terms of logistics, troop allocation, and the selection of renowned generals, Cao Cao couldn't compare to him, the unparalleled Liu Feng.

"My lord, the general is also a human being."

Zhuge Liang found it strange. Liu Feng's fear of Cao Cao was not a secret; he had seen it and kept it in mind.

The problem is that, in Zhuge Liang's eyes, Cao Cao was no match for Liu Feng. At least, Zhuge Liang couldn't see anything about Cao Cao that made Liu Feng so wary.

In Zhuge Liang's eyes, Cao Cao was indeed a ruthless and capable man, but that was all.

When Cao Cao marched west into Guanzhong and welcomed the emperor to Hedong, he was merely succeeding because of Liu Feng's connections and the merits he had earned.

He was initially a vassal of Yuan Shao, and later cooperated with Liu Feng. It was only because Liu Feng and his son were unwilling to enter the court and become targets of public criticism that he was able to pick up the scraps.

Otherwise, if Liu Bei had been willing to come to the capital, how could the position of Grand General have fallen to him?
Zhuge Liang's view actually represents the mainstream opinion in the world today. Liu Bei's side has far surpassed Cao Cao's strength. If it weren't for the even more powerful Yuan Shao sitting in Hebei, and the fact that Liu Bei and his sons were very friendly to Cao Cao, how could the relationship between Cao Cao and Liu Bei be so harmonious?

Although Zhuge Liang did not understand why Liu Feng was so wary of Cao Cao, Liu Feng always had a reason for doing things. He was just worried that Liu Feng would lose his composure because of excessive concern, so he spoke up to advise him.

"Yes, Kongming is right."

Liu Feng nodded, realizing the other party's intention, and felt a little grateful.

"However, we still need to pay priority attention to the General. If there are any changes, we need to get back to me as soon as possible."

After Zhuge Liang's reminder, Liu Feng's mindset gradually returned to calm, but his wariness and respect for Cao Cao remained unchanged.

Cao Cao, a man of exceptional talent, was trapped in a giant spider web, as if he had been caught in a web by his own constant advances and the pressure from Yuan Shao in the rear.

However, Cao Cao has now found his direction, has accumulated money and supplies, and has begun to expand westward, so we must be even more vigilant against his rise to power.

Zhuge Liang nodded solemnly: "Rest assured, my lord, I will keep it in mind."

"it is good."

Liu Feng smiled with satisfaction. It was June, and summer was approaching, which was not a particularly suitable time for military operations.

Historically, the best time to mobilize troops is in the autumn. The weather is clear and pleasant, making it almost universally recognized as the season for war. This is true not only for agricultural societies but also for nomadic societies, who prefer to launch campaigns when the horses are fat and ready for battle.

It is likely that Cao Cao also had this concern, which is why he stationed his troops in Chang'an but only issued a proclamation to the counties in Guanzhong.

Han Sui, Ma Teng, and Zhang Ji are all very powerful local forces. Han Sui and Ma Teng, in particular, although they now have their own territories, they are not like Zhang Ji, who is a local resident, and still maintain a considerable degree of mobility.

This mobility makes Han Sui and Ma Teng far more difficult to deal with than Zhang Ji. Unless you find an opportunity to launch a full-scale annihilation against them, once they escape, even if only a portion of them escape, the subsequent battles will be much more troublesome.

It is believed that Cao Cao also took this into consideration, which is why he was not in a hurry to continue advancing, but instead wanted to try to resolve the issue politically first.

"Kongming, what's the situation in Jingzhou?"

According to Liu Feng's original plan, he intended to launch a military campaign after the autumn harvest.

But now, because of Cao Cao, Liu Feng is wavering.

Zhuge Liang blinked, guessing Liu Feng's thoughts, and then took out the most recent intelligence reports from Jingzhou from a cabinet next to him.

"My lord, the situation in Jingzhou remains largely unchanged. According to Bo Fu's letter, the Jingbei army only managed to complete the fortification and besiege Linxiang half a month ago."

As Zhuge Liang explained, he placed the relevant intelligence reports in front of Liu Bei: "In the past two weeks, Kuai Yue has only launched three probing attacks, but..."

"But what?"

Liu Feng frowned slightly. He knew Kuai Yue well; he was extremely capable, especially intelligent and resourceful, and very decisive, making him quite difficult to deal with.

"However, in the past two weeks, he has continuously replenished the supplies, weapons and equipment of the front-line camp, and has also recruited a total of eight or nine thousand young men from places such as Baqiu, Luocheng, Yiyang, and outside Linxiang City."

Zhuge Liang frowned slightly at this moment: "I'm afraid Bo Fu and the others will be under considerable pressure from now on."

Liu Feng suddenly realized that Kuai Yue's conscription of these young men was not just for show; they were very likely the first to be sent to fill the trenches.

Thinking about this, Liu Feng couldn't help but want to curse.

Zhang Xian and Huan Jie are truly military incompetents. They raised an army last year, but Liu Biao only sent troops this March. Didn't they even think of a scorched-earth policy?

It's one thing if they didn't think of it themselves, but Sun Ce must have made the suggestion, yet they still didn't adopt it. Did they really think Liu Biao wouldn't send troops south?

That's just inexplicable confidence.

Liu Feng cursed inwardly, then asked, "Kongming, what is the current situation of the Cuifeng Army and the Wanlan Army? How are Gongjin's preparations going?" The army led by Zhao Yun was the next batch of elite troops personally selected by Liu Feng. Although they were still lacking in supplies, equipment, and personnel, they received better treatment and replenishment than other armies.

Most importantly, Liu Feng specially bestowed upon them a title—the Army that Saves the Waves.

It signifies to overcome the sharpest edge and turn the tide in times of extreme danger.

At the same time, Liu Feng also bestowed upon him a large banner inscribed with the words "Wan Lan".

Zhao Yun was overjoyed and genuinely liked the name, so he immediately accepted it on behalf of the entire army.

Zhuge Liang immediately replied, "The Cuifeng Army is stationed in Liyang and is already at Level A combat readiness. It can be fully mobilized and put into battle within three days. The Wanlan Army is stationed in Wuhu, but it is still in training and will take about ten days to complete its mobilization, replenish supplies, and be deployed to the battlefield."

“Since the beginning of spring, Gongjin has already recovered the surrounding Yue tribes. At this time, his troops are also gathered in the Poyang area. The mobilization time is not much the same as that of the Wanlan Army, and it will not exceed fifteen days at most.”

Zhuge Liang emphasized the two elite armies and the Yuzhang deployment, which was closest to the battlefield: "Jia Kui's troops are located in the north of Kuaiji. At this time, they are scattered in various places to suppress the Yue tribes. They have achieved considerable results and are making good progress. However, if we were to transfer them to the Jingzhou battlefield, it would probably take thirty to fifty days."

Liu Feng nodded knowingly. Currently, Jia Kui's troops are fighting in a dispersed manner, and it will take more than half a month just to disengage from the battle and regroup.

"Gao Shun's troops are not needed for the time being."

Gao Shun's troops are currently located in the southern part of Kuaiji. If necessary, they can support Jingnan. They only need to go north through Yuzhang and then into Changsha to reach the outskirts of Linxiang City.

However, the journey is fraught with difficulty, so there's no need to mobilize Gao Shun's troops unless absolutely necessary. Moreover, even excluding Gao Shun's forces, the total mobilization already exceeds 100,000 men, just by adding the naval forces of Zhou Tai and Gan Ning.

Liu Feng got up and paced around the room, clearly considering whether or not to issue a mobilization order.

Mobilization orders are not easy to issue. Once issued, they will not only increase various expenses, but also disrupt the deployment and mission progress of troops stationed in various places.

"Let them start replenishing their supplies."

Liu Feng ultimately did not issue a mobilization order, but instead laid the groundwork by saying, "Supply according to the level of combat readiness, and report to me once the supplies are replenished."

"Here."

After receiving the order, Zhuge Liang prepared to take his leave.

Just then, Lu Xun pushed the door open and entered from the outside.

"Boyan, is something the matter?"

Liu Feng looked over and noticed that Lu Xun's expression was off: "What happened?"

Lu Xun strode up to Liu Feng, opened the silk scroll in his hand, and handed it to him: "My lord, Zhou Chong was killed by Liu Xun."

"Zhou Chong!?"

Liu Feng couldn't immediately recall who it was, but upon hearing the name Liu Xun, he realized that this must be a renowned scholar from Lujiang.

Lu Xun then added, "Prefect Zhou is likely already aware of this matter. His paternal uncle was killed by Liu Xun, and as a junior member of the family, he will inevitably harbor thoughts of revenge. My lord should make preparations as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Liu Feng immediately understood.

Indeed, as Lu Xun said, Zhou Chong was killed by Liu Xun, and Zhou Yu had to write a letter requesting permission to fight, both for public and private reasons.

Suddenly, Liu Feng's eyes lit up.

He had been wavering before and wanted to bring forward the start of the war, but he didn't have a good excuse.

Now this excuse has been delivered right to our doorstep!

"Kongming, Boyan."

Liu Feng immediately made a decision: "Start mobilization according to the plan. I need the first batch of troops to be able to move out within ten days."

Zhuge Liang and Lu Xun simultaneously bowed and clasped their hands in greeting: "Yes, sir!"

At Liu Feng's command, the entire military and political system of Yangzhou began to spin rapidly.

Large quantities of grain, straw, weapons, and equipment were supplied to the army, and conscripted laborers began to assemble.

The scale of this battle was so large that even with the Yangtze River as a conduit, a considerable number of laborers were needed for loading, unloading, and transporting the goods.

However, under Liu Feng's instructions, the conscripted laborers were concentrated in the areas north of the Yangtze River where drought was severe and water conservancy was underdeveloped.

Conscripting able-bodied men from these regions can not only achieve the effect of work relief, but also effectively reduce the total amount of grain consumption in these regions and alleviate the pressure on the grain transportation system.

Taishi Ci was in Licheng at the time. On the evening of the fourth day after Liu Feng made his decision, he received an order from Wu County.

After reading the order, Taishi Ci dared not delay and immediately ordered all the generals and officers of the Cuifeng Army and the naval officers to come to the prefectural government for a meeting.

Licheng is not currently the seat of Jiujiang Prefecture, but it has always been the seat of Jiujiang Prefecture, so the city still retains a complete set of prefectural government buildings.

This also made things convenient for generals like Taishi Ci, as they did not have to reside in the camp during peacetime.

Soon, Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, Xu Sheng, Zhou Dao, Lü Fan, Yu Zi, and their respective deputy generals all arrived.

Naval officers and generals Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, Dong Xi, Gan Ning, Zhu Huan, Ling Cao, and others also arrived.

Once everyone was present, Taishi Ci issued Liu Feng's order and sent it to the generals for verification.

After the generals verified that everything was correct, they all bowed to Taishi Ci.

"Since our lord has given the order, we will naturally obey."

Taishi Ci first emphasized obeying the order, then turned to Zhou Tai and asked, "Commander Zhou?"

"The general is here!"

Zhou Tai stood up and clasped his hands in greeting.

There are many naval commanders now, but Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, Dong Xi, and Gan Ning are the most senior and have the highest status. Their soldiers are the most elite, and their warships are the most advanced and cutting-edge vessels in Liu Feng and Liu Bei's army.

Taishi Ci stroked his beard and asked, "According to the plan, the army will prepare for three days, and four days later, you will be appointed as the vanguard naval commander to lead the navy to set off first and open the Yangtze River passage for the main army. Do you have any doubts?"

The mission of Zhou Tai and other naval commanders was the most important in the first phase. According to the plan, Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, Dong Xi and Gan Ning would be the vanguard of the entire army, and their mission was to clear the Yangtze River waterway and open up the channel for the subsequent water transport of the army.

(End of this chapter)