Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

The walls of Wuchang were teeming with people, banners fluttered everywhere, and armored soldiers and laborers carrying supplies to defend the city were a blur of motion, all ready to fight to the death against the attacking Wei troops.

The city walls facing the river to the north and the mountains to the west were not a concern for Wei troops; only a small number of soldiers were left to keep watch and on guard. Heavy defenses were deployed to the east and south.

As dawn broke, Sun Lin, a 25-year-old member of the Wu royal family, a cousin of Sun Quan, and a garrison commander, stood on the south-east side of the Wuchang city wall, running around and shouting, trying to imitate the imposing manner of famous generals throughout history, preparing to deal with the Wei army that was coming to attack the city.

“General Sun.” Wei Jing, the prefect of Wuchang, who was nearly sixty years old, hurried over from the east side of the city wall.

Sun Lin instinctively frowned and retorted, "The Prefect is not in the east of the city, what brings him to my place?"

Wei Jing hesitated, glanced around, and then leaned close to Sun Lin's ear with a troubled expression: "The Wei army doesn't seem to want to attack the city. Instead, most of them are crossing the river and heading north, which is quite strange..."

Sun Lin was taken aback. He stared intently at Wei Jing's face and found that it did not seem fake. He jogged up and climbed the hastily erected watchtower to look east. He was shocked to find that Wei army ships were moving back and forth on the river in an orderly manner. Teams of Wei soldiers in full black armor boarded the ships under the guidance of flags and then crossed the river to the north.

"The Wei army...the Wei army doesn't even want to attack Wuchang??" Sun Lin's fervent enthusiasm vanished: "The capital of Wu is here, the key to the Yangtze and Mian rivers is here, and there are no large troops in the city, yet the Wei army isn't attacking?!"

Wei Jing was as famous as Bu Zhi in his early years. Unlike young generals like Sun Lin, he had heard of and witnessed the turmoil of the Jian'an era. He shook his head and sighed, "The Wei army has probably discovered His Majesty's defenses at Xiakou and is heading straight for Xiakou. General, look, they have left a force to build fortifications in the east of the city."

Sun Lin's face flushed red, and he gritted his teeth, slamming his unsheathed ring-pommel sword against the wooden railing of the watchtower: "I wanted to achieve merit, but why does the Wei army look down on me so much?"

Wei Jing initially wanted to say that the Wei army might not even know your name, but after thinking about it, he gave up the idea.

On March 19th, General Cao Zhen left Infantry Colonel Bian Lan to lead 5,000 Liaodong infantrymen to build fortifications in the narrow area east of Wuchang and near the wharf. Then he led the Wuwei Army and 5,000 Liaodong cavalrymen from the Beiyan tribe across the river to the north. Cao Rui and 3,000 soldiers of the Left Guard of the Imperial Guard also accompanied him.

Without knowing the specific military situation inside the city, it seems like a tacit agreement between Sun Quan and a member of the Wu royal family that a powerful Wei relative would be stationed there to guard a Wu member of the royal family.

The two countries were at war, their conflict intense, and Sun Quan's response was equally swift.

After finalizing this insidious plan with Quan Cong, Sun Quan dispatched a fast boat up the Yangtze River early the next morning to inform him of the urgent military situation of the Wei army's attack. He also sent an envoy with an imperial edict promising to cede the entire Yidu Commandery, stretching from Xilingyi Road in the east to Wuxian in the west. He ordered Zhuge Jin and Zhuge Liang to join forces with 50,000 troops and to immediately dispatch the troops upon receiving the edict.

Moreover, it is an urgent matter that we do not need to wait for all 50,000 troops to be ready. Even if we can send 5,000 or 10,000 troops first, we must send them immediately!
When Sun Deng, the crown prince of Wu, held Sun Quan's edict and looked at the all-too-familiar imperial seal on it, he was momentarily stunned. Zhuge Jin, standing beside him, remained silent as well.

Neither of them expected that Sun Quan would agree to their request to cede territory and lend troops so quickly!
The Crown Prince and the General-in-Chief were both subjects. When they were forced by circumstances to offer the humiliating terms of ceding territory, they felt somewhat relieved. Ultimately, the decision rested with the Emperor; success or failure, His Majesty would decide. But when Sun Quan actually agreed, they were branded as traitors, destined to be condemned in history! That was Xiling, a territory that Wu had fought and fought to the death with Liu Bei for years to seize!

Now that Lu Boyan is in Wei's camp, who will be able to retake Xiling in the future?

“General, this…” Sun Deng gritted his teeth: “Could it be that the situation at Xiakou is so dire that Father Emperor would not have issued such an order? Since Father Emperor has already promised, please go to the Han camp immediately to inform Prime Minister Zhuge Liang and ask him to join you in sending troops as soon as possible!”

Zhuge Jin was about to respond when he remembered Sun Quan's urgent urging in his letter. He shook his head slightly and pointed to Bu Zhi, the General of the Cavalry, who was sitting on the side: "Your Highness, let Zishan go! His Majesty has ordered me to lead an army. I need to go to the army to select generals and soldiers as soon as possible."

"General Bu, go quickly!" Sun Deng also felt that Zhuge Jin was right, and turned to urge Bu Zhi. He spoke in a hurry, and his eyes even seemed a little fierce.

"Alright!" Bu Zhi pursed his lips, cupped his hands in agreement, unfolded the imperial edict, glanced at it, and immediately left.

When Bu Zhi left the west gate of Jiangling City, he still felt somewhat humiliated and resentful. He could only look up to the sky and sigh, trying to comfort himself by saying that he was being humiliated for the sake of the country.

After passing through two large camps of the Shu army, Bu Zhi rode his horse to the vicinity of Zhuge Liang's central army. After the military advisor on duty learned of Bu Zhi's purpose, he turned and entered the camp. He returned to the camp gate in a short while. Beside the military advisor was none other than the military advisor General Yang Yi.

After Zhuge Liang led his army away from Chengdu, he took all the officials from the former Prime Minister's Office with him, including the military advisor, clerks, and other staff. General Yang Yi was also among them. Only the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Jiang Wan, was left to accompany Liu Shan north to Baishui with the other officials of the Imperial Secretariat.

"Greetings, General Bu." Yang Yi smiled warmly, seemingly oblivious to the anxiety in Bu Zhi's eyes. "May I ask what brings General Bu to see the Prime Minister?"

What is it? Didn't I just tell the military advisor beside you? Why are you pretending to be stupid in front of me, Yang Yi?
Bu Zhi immediately sensed something was wrong, but being in the Shu camp, he couldn't show his anger right away, so he patiently said:

"General Yang, I have brought with me a document from His Majesty the Emperor of Wu to Prime Minister Zhuge. His Majesty has agreed to transfer the administration of Yidu Commandery to the Han Kingdom and requests Prime Minister Zhuge to immediately join forces with General Zhuge in accordance with the previous agreement! All provisions and ships will be provided by Wu."

"Send troops? Where to?" Yang Yi frowned.

"Go to Xiakou, where else can we go?" Bu Zhi's expression changed drastically: "This was a promise made by Prime Minister Zhuge himself to General Zhuge, to lead 30,000 troops eastward with the General. How could General Yang not know this?"

"How could the Prime Minister make such a decision? This is truly a chaotic order!" Yang Yi exclaimed, his eyes wide. "How can an army of 30,000 men travel a thousand miles into Wu territory on Wu ships and with Wu provisions? If something happens to Wu, they will have no chance of returning!"

"You!" Bu Zhi pointed at Yang Yi, stamping his feet in exasperation, "What time is it, Lord Yang Wei! Don't make fun of me here, pretending not to know!"

Your Wu Kingdom is in a hurry, what does it have to do with my Great Han?

Unlike Jiang Wan and Fei Yi, who were well-acquainted with the Wu Kingdom, Yang Yi was a staunch opponent of Wu. Several members of his clan had perished in the Battle of Yiling, where he had fought alongside Liu Bei against Wu. In Yang Yi's eyes, the Wu dogs were just as despicable as the Wei dogs, equally so!

Yang Yi sneered inwardly, cupped his hands and said, "General Bu, please don't be anxious, I really don't know. Let me go and ask the Prime Minister."

After saying that, Yang Yi turned and left.

Bu Zhi paused for a few moments, and seeing Yang Yi walk several dozen steps and about to reach Zhuge Liang's tent, he also made a move to run inside. His adjutant couldn't hold him back, and he was stopped by armored soldiers just before reaching the tent entrance. In his haste, Bu Zhi simply took off his hair ornament and threw it forcefully towards the tent entrance, shouting outside:
"Prime Minister Zhuge!!!"

"Wu and Han have long been allies; how can you prevent me from seeing Your Excellency?!"

"Let me go! I want to see Prime Minister Zhuge!"

Bu Zhi's voice was very loud, and Zhuge Liang in the tent finally had no choice but to wave Bu Zhi in. Bu Zhi walked up to Zhuge Liang, panting heavily, and repeated Sun Quan's letter and demands, then stared straight into Zhuge Liang's eyes.

Zhuge Liang's eyes were sharp as knives. As his gaze met Bu Zhi's, he spoke calmly and slowly:

"General Bu, the decision to mobilize 30,000 troops is not something I, a mere subject, can make. I need to consult His Majesty before I can give you a definite answer."

"Isn't Emperor Liu in Baishui? Such a long distance, how can he possibly arrive in time?" Bu Zhi, his hair disheveled and his eyes terrifying, said, "Does Your Excellency not wish to send troops? If so, please attack Jiangling directly! The Wu and Han armies are simply fighting to the death. Let the Wei army gain Jingzhou and the world, and your Han dynasty will be completely extinguished!"

"How dare you utter such arrogant words in front of the Prime Minister!" Wei Yan stood up proudly, looking down at Bu Zhi with disdain. He even clenched his fist and was about to punch Bu Zhi when Fei Yi, who was quick-witted and agile, grabbed him around the waist.

"You scoundrel, how dare you kill me?" Bu Zhi looked at him with disdain.

"You cowardly rat!" Wei Yan glared, reaching for the hilt of his sword at his waist.

"Wen Chang, Wei Gong, you two step down!" Zhuge Liang slammed his hand on the table.

Wei Yan and Yang Yi exchanged a glance, said nothing more, and respectfully bowed before leaving the tent, leaving Fei Yi behind.

"General Bu, I won't waste my breath on you." As the Chancellor of Han, Zhuge Liang's actions were all for the sake of the Han Dynasty, making him the epitome of pragmatism: "Wu will cede Yidu Commandery, and Jiangling will be temporarily placed under the defense of the Han Dynasty, to be returned to Wu after the war. I will send Wei Wenchang with 20,000 men to guard Jiangling, and I will personally lead 30,000 men with Zhuge Ziyu to rescue your Emperor Sun!"

"Should we send 30,000 troops to rescue Xiakou, or 80,000? General Bu, please don't get angry. Think it over carefully!" Seeing Bu Zhi's expression about to lose control, Zhuge Liang quickly added, "If General Bu cannot decide, please ask your Crown Prince and General! I await your reply here!"

Bu Zhi's heart was in turmoil, feeling even more humiliated than when he had been captured by Wei Yan. Indeed, he had no authority to give such a reply. Sun Quan was even willing to cede Xiling; what about Jiangling…? How could he possibly say?
Zhuge Liang was right; as a subject, it was best to let the emperor make the decision!

Bu Zhi did not want to say much to Zhuge Liang. He bowed slightly and left the tent. He immediately rode back to Jiangling City. It was already dark. Bu Zhi was not a good horseman and almost fell once on the way. But he still quickly called Zhuge Jin to go to the mansion to see Crown Prince Sun Deng.

Bu Zhi brought bad news. Sun Deng, already on the verge of collapse, could no longer contain his emotions. He was about to angrily berate Zhuge Liang, but because Zhuge Jin was beside him, he forcibly held back and gritted his teeth, saying:

"No matter what, Jiangling cannot be lost! My father and I are willing to go to war with Shu, but Jiangling cannot be given up!"

Zhuge Jin looked somber. On one hand, he was a party to the Wu Kingdom and had botched the negotiations with the Shu Kingdom. On the other hand, he felt as if he had returned to more than twenty years ago, when he frequently communicated with Zhuge Liang about the matters of Sun Quan and Liu Bei.

Only then did Zhuge Jin realize that his younger brother had always seemed to be a strategist who sought to benefit Sun Quan for the sake of the Liu family! This time was no exception! Truly, each served their own master and used their talents to the fullest…

Sun Deng, his expression indignant, directly asked Zhuge Jin, "General, Your Highness Prince Qi, do you still acknowledge me as the Crown Prince of Wu?"

"The proper order of ruler and subject, father and son, I have never forgotten it for a single day!" Zhuge Jin replied solemnly, his face filled with sorrow.

"Very well!" Sun Deng disregarded his status as Crown Prince, took a half step back, and actually knelt down before Zhuge Jin: "My father is in imminent danger at Xiakou. I beg the General to lead 20,000 troops to guard Jiangling and not allow the Shu troops to advance an inch! I will personally lead 30,000 troops to rescue Xiakou and leave immediately!"

Zhuge Jin was so conflicted that he forgot to help Sun Deng. Bu Zhi was also stunned. The two of them watched as Sun Deng kowtowed to Zhuge Jin. The armored soldiers guarding the tent were also dumbfounded by the sight.

After Sun Deng finished kowtowing, he stood up proudly and reached out to Zhuge Jin: "Give me the military tally immediately! I will go and mobilize the troops myself, and leave at dawn tomorrow!"

In Zhuge Jin's eyes, Sun Deng's behavior bore an eighty or ninety percent resemblance to Sun Quan before the Battle of Red Cliffs nearly thirty years ago. The two figures seemed to overlap across time and space, leaving Zhuge Jin momentarily dazed.

"Alright." Zhuge Jin seemed distracted as he reached into his robes and took out the tiger tally. Before he could fully open his hand, Sun Deng snatched the tally away, strode out of the hall, and then ran out into the courtyard.

Watching Sun Deng's hurried departure, Bu Zhi immediately burst into tears, choking as he looked at Zhuge Jin: "Ziyu, how did Great Wu become like this?"

Zhuge Jin squinted and sighed deeply. He was momentarily unsteady on his feet, but fortunately Bu Zhi supported him so that he did not fall. Leaning against Bu Zhi's chest, he also burst into tears.

Having the demeanor of a hero is one thing, but mobilizing troops and fighting is another.

Sun Deng took the military tally from Zhuge Jin and immediately led his personal guards out of the city to Hanjin, a place ten miles southwest of Jiangling City, by the river. There, the 13,000 troops that Sun Deng had brought from Wuchang were stationed, but now only about 12,000 remained.

This force of 12,000 is the only troops Sun Deng can mobilize by tomorrow morning. As for the remaining troops, Zhuge Jin will need to arrange ships and troop movements in the rear…

But Sun Deng couldn't care less about all that! Let alone leading more than 10,000 soldiers, even if he only had to lead 3,000 soldiers to rescue Sun Quan, he wouldn't hesitate for a second.

On the morning of the 20th, Wu's Crown Prince Sun Deng led 12,000 naval troops eastward by boat. Meanwhile, the majority of the Wei army was still en route to Xiakou by boat.

The infantrymen traveled by boat, and the cavalrymen by horse, advancing simultaneously on the north bank of the river.

Around 7:00 AM, the vanguard naval force led by General Yue Lin had already arrived at Shekou, about 40 li northeast of Xiakou.

Shekou is the confluence of the Sheshui River and the Yangtze River. It is the only place where the Wei navy can anchor. If we go further south and get closer to Xiakou, the distance will not be enough for the infantry and cavalry to settle down smoothly.

It's not surprising that the navy achieved such speed; traveling 200 li in a day was just basic. The truly commendable speed was achieved by the Right Feathered Forest General Cheng Xi, the General of Loyalty Bei Yan, and Cao Rui's own 18,000 cavalry, who marched 200 li along the river in a day and a half. Rivers and lakes are ubiquitous and not suitable for rapid cavalry movement.

But with a formidable enemy ahead and no idea when the Wu and Shu armies would join forces, the Wei cavalry had to race against time to catch up.

General Cao Zhen led the Wuwei Army under Cao Tai and the Zhenbei General Huan Fan to arrive first, and relied on the Sheshui River as a barrier to set up a large camp more than ten miles wide on the left bank of the Sheshui River.

Meanwhile, Yue Lin's vanguard continued its valiant advance, pushing forward another twenty li and confronting the Wu army defending the river for a long time. As if adding fuel to the fire, Lu Xun personally oversaw operations at Shekou in the rear, dispatching Xiahou Wei's force, mainly consisting of warships and fighting vessels, as reinforcements.

The river was wide, and nearly a hundred ships covered the entire surface in several layers. Fighting warships were scattered in the front and middle sections, with large warships dotting between them, and tower ships divided into two groups located in the middle and rear—this was the standard formation for facing the enemy.

Although two hundred li is not much for a navy, it is still quite tiring for most of the infantrymen on board. Setting up camp will take a lot of time, and Lu Xun is unwilling to start a war today if he can avoid fighting.

Tomorrow is the most suitable time.

Quan Cong himself was in the Wu army fleet opposite, keeping a close eye on the movements of the Wei navy ahead.

As the sun dipped low and turned red, both sides retreated simultaneously, as if by unspoken agreement. The standoff lasted for nearly half a day, putting immense mental pressure on both generals.

At times like these, it becomes a contest of resilience and willpower between the two sides.

Night fell in the prefectural government office of Lushan City.

Generals Quan Cong and Sun Huan, along with generals and colonels from various armies, gathered here.

Sun Quan took a deep breath and looked into the hall. Xianyu Dan, Zhang Liang, Zhang Ba, Yin Mo, Zhang Gang, Guan Du, Tang Zi, Xue Qiu, Zhou Zuan... all the generals of the more than 40,000 troops, all holding the rank of 2,000 shi, were gathered here. The afternoon's standoff with the Wei army on the river was already known to all the troops; without a doubt, this was a sign that war was about to begin.

Quan Cong, as the Prince of Lu, General of the Guards, and the de facto commander-in-chief of the Wu army, stood to the side of Sun Quan and delivered a passionate speech:
"Northerners are skilled with horses, while southerners are skilled with boats. The Wei army abandons its cavalry advantage to compete with the Wu navy. Even the old villain Cao Cao was defeated by the Wu navy. The Wei army today is similar to that of the past. This is the first reason why it is bound to be defeated."

“Shouchun is a thousand miles away from here. Even a strong crossbow cannot pierce through Lu silk. The Wei army’s infantry and cavalry are already weakened, and the army is tired and exhausted. This is the second reason why they are bound to be defeated.”

"The three cities of Queyue, Lushan, and Xiakou stand guard on the banks of the river, protected by the river and mountains. The Wei army is divided and cannot attack them all at once. This is the third reason why they are bound to be defeated."

"Queyue City was built along the Mian River, Lushan City along Guishan Mountain, and Xiakou City along Sheshan Mountain. Each city was strategically located, and their circumferences were only two or three miles. Since ancient times, cities have been built with the aim of being strong rather than wide. The Wei army would find it extremely difficult to conquer them. This is the fourth reason why they were bound to fail."

“Northerners are unfamiliar with the southern climate. There have been reports of Wei soldiers falling ill. Once the plague breaks out among them, our army can sail downstream and attack them. Chaisang, Ruxu, Wuhu, Jianye and other places can be recaptured in a day or two. This is the fifth reason why they will surely be defeated.”

"The court treats its generals as national heroes. Today, every general in the hall is a local lord, and every soldier in the army receives land, money, and silk as rewards. Every household of laborers is exempt from taxes for three years. Morale and the morale of the army are high. On the other hand, the Wei army is stingy and does not reward its soldiers, driving them like cattle and horses. This is the sixth reason why they are bound to be defeated..."

All the Wu generals, clad in armor, stood solemnly in the hall, listening to Quan Cong's impassioned speech from Sun Quan's side, outlining ten reasons why the Wei army was destined to lose, which he had researched himself.

No one who could attain the rank of Colonel of Two Thousand Stones was a fool; they all understood just how perilous the situation in the Wu Kingdom had become.

However, the great victory against Xiahou Ru's forces at Jiangxia two months prior, as the most elite central army of Wu, instilled in them a sense of anticipation for further victory. Moreover, a widespread belief within the Wu central army was that if the Wu central army hadn't been tricked and diverted by the Wei army, then Wei would never have been able to break through the Yangtze River defenses at Yangzhou and capture Ruxu, Wuhu, Jianye, and other places!

Moreover, these generals had always received favors from Sun Quan and were willing to die for him in times of crisis. Sun Quan truly provided them with all the money, silk, titles, and rewards they deserved. These people were indeed more reliable than civil officials in times of trouble.

Forty miles away at the Shekou camp, the emperor himself was conducting a pre-battle mobilization in his tent. In addition to the main generals of each army, most of the 2,000-dan generals from the 100,000-strong army were present.

Cao Rui sat in the center, with General Cao Zhen standing with his hands clasped in front of him. Liu Ye, the Deputy Privy Councilor, stood before the map, holding the pre-determined battle plan, his voice impassioned:
"I have already explained the terrain of Wuchang and how to fight there to you all."

"In short, the Wei army has more soldiers, generals, ships, and supplies in this battle. The Wu army here is no different from the Wu army in Ruxu, Wuhu, and Jiangning. The Wei army can definitely defeat them! There is only one path left for the Wu rebel Sun Quan: to be killed or captured by the Wei army. There is no other way for him to go!"

"The Privy Council has already obtained His Majesty's decree." Liu Ye looked around, his tone rising another half-degree: "In this battle, if any captain or lieutenant general manages to take Sun Quan's head or capture him, their rank will be immediately promoted two levels. A Marquis within the Passes can become a Marquis of a Township, and a Marquis of a Pavilion can become a Marquis of a County. The court will reward them with ten thousand households! Do you all understand?"

"Understood!" Dozens of generals with salaries of two thousand shi (a unit of grain) shouted in unison from inside the tent.

Liu Ye paused, then coughed lightly: "The rewards have been clearly stated, but military law cannot be forgotten. All the generals in the central command tent today should know the military law. I will only say one thing to you: no matter your status, rank, or family background, if you violate military orders and military law, there is only death, and no other way."

"Next, the General will assign the main attack direction for tomorrow."

When Liu Ye spoke, the expressions of the people in the tent were somewhat relaxed. But as Cao Zhen slowly walked down, circled the tent, and looked at the faces of every general, the atmosphere became increasingly tense.

As a seasoned general, Cao Zhen's assignment of military duties was so thorough that none of the generals dared to even glance at him. Only when Cao Zhen finished and bowed to the emperor for instructions did Cao Rui stand up.

"Among the generals in the tent today, some have served me in the central army for nine years, some have served as generals in the outer armies for many years, and some are rising stars in the navy. I have spoken with each of you individually."

"Rewards, punishments, favors, and righteousness—the Grand General and Privy Councilor Liu have already spoken to you all about these matters. I will only tell you one thing: I, the Emperor of Great Wei, will remain with the army and witness your success tomorrow!"

The crowd roared in agreement. (End of Chapter)