Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

It must be said that Guanqiu Jian, after receiving personal guidance from the emperor, had a full understanding of the urgency of the Wu army and Sun Quan himself.

After General Wang Ling led 6,000 elite infantrymen and General Xiahou Xian led 5,000 cavalrymen to advance eastward towards Guangling, Guanqiu Jian's forces outside Tangyi City were reduced to only 5,000 cavalrymen from the Central Army Camp and 4,000 infantrymen, totaling 9,000.

The following day, January 3rd, before dawn, the Wu army launched an impatient offensive. Quan Cong's main force of 10,000 men served as the vanguard, while Sun Quan personally led 20,000 men to reinforce the rear, and they launched a fierce attack on the Wei army camp, which was 20 miles away from Tangyi City.

"Reporting to the General, scouts urgently report that the Wu army has set out from the camp. Please give your instructions." The newly appointed Chief Clerk of the General entered from outside the tent and reported with his hands clasped.

Guanqiu Jian, who was sitting on the felt mat with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

From Guanqiu Jian down, everyone in the army had been in armor and armed since yesterday afternoon, waiting for this moment. This task of transmitting military intelligence was originally done by other military advisors, but Guanqiu Jian assigned it to Zhong Yu because he intended to promote Zhong Yu.

He was originally a confidant of the emperor, so he naturally had to consider the emperor's inclinations when making decisions.

"Issue orders to all colonels and commanders," Guanqiu Jian said in a deep voice. "Based on yesterday's military meeting, form ranks and slowly retreat to the camp thirty li to the east. All units should obey orders, maintain military discipline, and not show any weakness."

"Yes, I understand." Zhong Yu bowed and then strode out.

Before the vanguard of the Wu army even arrived, the Wei army withdrew from the camp where they had been stationed for more than a month. Of course, thanks to the deliberate camouflage ordered by Guanqiu Jian, the facilities, tents, supplies, and other items in the camp all showed that the Wei army was hastily withdrawing, and even seemed somewhat flustered.

Twenty li is a short distance for infantry, but for cavalrymen who spare no effort in traversing the terrain, it is a very short distance.

Previously, Cao Rui had remarked that the land from Tangyi and Tukou to Guangling was all plains and open fields, and in peaceful years, this place would surely be a thriving agricultural region. In other words, the land was extremely open, and Quan Cong, who occupied the military camp there, was certain that the Wei army would not have any ambushes. Therefore, he hurriedly sent someone to report back to Sun Quan, requesting that Sun Quan come personally from the rear army.

When Sun Quan led a hundred or so cavalrymen eastward from the 20,000 troops still on the road behind them and arrived at the old camp of the Wei army, he saw the situation there and almost instantly understood Quan Cong's predicament.

"Your Majesty, the Wei army has been entrenched here for over a month. According to the situation in the camp, there should be more than 10,000 troops stationed here, including a considerable number of cavalry. But today the Wei army's retreat is really strange and swift, as if they are afraid of fighting our army."

"Moreover..." Quan Cong pointed towards the central command tent, leading Sun Quan: "It seems they retreated in haste, even leaving behind a few of Emperor Cao Rui's ceremonial items here."

Sun Quan's face darkened: "What is Zihuang thinking?"

“There are only three possibilities,” Quan Cong replied cautiously beside Sun Quan. “First, the Wei army was unaware that we had mobilized troops yesterday and set off in force at dawn today. They knew that there were no natural defenses here and that our camps were not strong enough to hold off our tens of thousands of troops, so they were forced to retreat.”

"Secondly, the Wei army retreated to the Guangling area on its own initiative to observe the situation for the time being."

"Thirdly, the Wei army may not want to fight our army, or this place may not be the battlefield they intended to be."

Sun Quan turned and stared directly into Quan Cong's eyes: "Zihuang, which do you think is most likely?"

"This is a matter of great importance; please allow me a moment more to consider it." Quan Cong squinted.

“Okay.” Sun Quan nodded.

The emperor and his minister stood there for about fifteen minutes. Quan Cong remained silent, and Sun Quan did not urge him, simply standing there calmly with him. Finally, Quan Cong let out a long sigh of relief and said firmly, "This place is only seventy or eighty li from Guangling. Your Majesty, please stay here for now. I will lead my troops eastward for several dozen li. If we have gained nothing by around Shenshi (3-5 PM), I will lead the army back. In any case, the Wei army's camp, which they have been building for over a month, has been lost. This is neither good nor bad for our army!"

"Furthermore, Your Majesty may order the former general to cross the river from Dantu and advance towards Guangling. He shall first set up camp at the mouth of the Zhongdu River and await further orders."

"Very well, Zihuang, go ahead!" Sun Quan nodded slowly. "I will stay here to support you!"

After receiving Sun Quan's approval, Quan Cong immediately led his 10,000 troops eastward. Sure enough, they spotted another Wei army camp about 30 li away.

From Quan Cong's perspective, the Wei army here seemed like frightened birds. As his troops arrived, two or three thousand cavalrymen patrolled in front of the formation as if to intimidate him. Seeing that he had no intention of retreating, they took the initiative to rush eastward.

The Wei infantry in the camp seemed to be a little slower. After the cavalry retreated and Quan Cong's vanguard advanced to a point not far from the camp, they began to retreat eastward in a scattered formation.

Quan Cong no longer suspected anything and immediately ordered his soldiers to advance and occupy the camp.

Tangyi is a hundred li away from Guangling, and this camp is located at the midpoint. In this camp, the amount of armor and supplies left behind by the Wei army is increasing.

Quan Cong was now almost certain that since October, the Wei army had been holding out against the Wu forces near Guangling with a weaker force. Without further thought, Quan Cong immediately sent someone westward, ordering Sun Quan to lead his army to the area at full speed.

By the evening of January 3rd, from Quan Cong and Sun Quan's perspective, one thousand soldiers remained in Tangyi City, while the remaining three thousand soldiers, led by General Liu Zan, were stationed in a camp twenty li east of Tangyi City. The camp they had just captured that afternoon, along with the surrounding area, already had thirty thousand troops.

Meanwhile, in Guangling City, fifty miles away, about five thousand naval troops and Sun Shao's ten thousand men were heading towards that place.

Nearly 50,000 elite Wu soldiers have gathered on the battlefield so close to the river. For the Wu army, this is almost the most suitable battlefield for their operations. Victory comes from numbers; this is the fundamental principle of warfare.

The Zhongdu River was unsuitable for water transport in winter, making it impossible for the Wei army to deploy a large force there. This emboldened Sun Quan and Quan Cong to advance again.

On the morning of January 4th, Wu's army once again marched towards Guangling.

In the afternoon, Wu Jun reached the outskirts of the ancient city of Guangling. When Quan Cong's main force easily entered the city as the vanguard, they were shocked to find that the dilapidated city was now an empty city.

Quan Cong's troops discovered more of the Wei emperor's belongings in the very center of the city. Moreover, on the table in the tent, there was a wooden box sealed with sealing wax, with a white paper attached that read "Personally opened by the King of Wu".

Even though Quan Cong wanted to help Sun Quan, he was powerless to do so at this moment. The matter involved the Wei emperor and his own emperor, and it was up to Sun Quan himself to handle.

When Sun Quan himself arrived, his face was ashen upon seeing the wooden box. Only then did he order Hu Zong to open it and hand over the documents for him to read.

The familiar handwriting of Cao Rui came into view: "To the King of Wu, this letter is as if we were face to face. I have been waiting for the King of Wu in Guangling with ten thousand weak soldiers for a long time, but he has not come. Therefore, I have ordered the elite troops to march out from Jingzhou. I have long heard that Zhuge Ziyu is not good at fighting. By the time the King of Wu reads this letter, Jiangling will already be in my hands. How about I do not hunt with the King of Wu in Gusu, but in Nanjun?"

After reading the short letter, Sun Quan felt his blood rush to his head and he lost his balance, his left hand supporting his forehead. Quan Cong, who was beside him, quickly supported him, fearing that something might happen to Sun Quan.

"Zihuang, you and I, ruler and subject, have been deceived by Wei!" Sun Quan gritted his teeth and said, "Don't linger here any longer, go save my Jiangling, go save my Wuchang!" (End of this chapter)