Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

Wei Yan sighed deeply: "I urge the Prime Minister to make plans as soon as possible."

Zhao Xi nodded with difficulty: "I understand, but if the Prime Minister asks how to defend Baidi City, how should I answer?"

Wei Yan said, enunciating each word clearly, "I will not retreat a single step in Baidi City to repay the late emperor's kindness and the prime minister's trust! My troops still have more than 20,000 soldiers who can fight. Even if the Wei army of 100,000 attacks, we can hold our ground safely thanks to the natural defenses!"

"Understood, General." Zhao Xi gritted his teeth. "Please take care of yourself here!"

……

As the battle progressed, under pressure from Man Chong's forces, Wei Yan held out for only half a day on the second day before leading his troops to retreat. Wei Yan was the most outstanding general in Shu at the time, and after abandoning the battle for the camp, he continuously set up ambushes and launched counterattacks along the land route.

However, from Man Chong to ordinary officers, everyone was extremely enthusiastic about the war to conquer Shu. Anyone with a bit of insight knew that this was a battle in which Wei had a huge advantage and that it would give them an opportunity to compete for military merit.

The road from Xiling to Zigui is not far from the river, but it is also full of mountains, making it difficult for even a large force to maneuver. Although Wei Yan retreated, his retreat was methodical. Although Man Chong advanced, his advance was still slow, progressing westward at a rate of about thirty li per day.

Lu Xun, on the other hand, was arranged by Man Chong and only sought to avoid mistakes. He sent the generals of the tower ships and the White Horse King Cao Biao's troops back to Jiangling, and sent the generals of the fighting ships Xiahou Wei and the detached general Gong Zun's troops back to Yidao. He himself rode in his own tower ship and followed the fleet of the warship general Yue Lin, guarding the grain route from Jiangling to the upper reaches of the river on the flank.

August 6th, Yang'an Pass.

Geography influences the defense of passes, and different locations present varying degrees of difficulty in attack. Yang'an Pass is not as treacherous as Yangping Pass or Jiange Pass; rather, it is more like a vital transportation route nestled between mountains and water, with passes built within it to control the overall situation.

In short, it can be conquered by human power.

Over the past twenty days, the armies of Wei and Shu first engaged in open battles near the city, vying for advantageous positions to deploy catapults. Later, Shu, constrained by its limited troop strength, suffered defeats in the battles outside the city, and was forced to cede the surrounding lands to the Wei army.

For Cao Rui, this kind of battle was no challenge at all.

Under Cao Tai's command, trebuchets continuously launched stone projectiles at the walls of Yang'an Pass, weakening the already limited defensive strength of the Shu army.

By early August, Zhuge Liang had already made the decision to abandon Yang'an Pass.

Just then, General Sima Zhao Xi, who came from Xiling, arrived in Yang'an and requested an audience with Zhuge Liang.

Zhuge Liang's expression was not good: "How is Wen Chang doing?"

Zhao Xi carefully recounted Wei Yan's instructions to Zhuge Liang, then cupped his hands and said, "Prime Minister, although General Wei did not instruct me to speak of it, I have been thinking throughout the journey whether the court could send some reinforcements to General Wei's forces. The situation there is truly perilous!"

Zhuge Liang raised an eyebrow and gave Zhao Xi a deep look: "It's not that I'm unwilling to help him, but I'm afraid that if we hold Yang'an Pass for a few more days, we won't be able to hold it."

Zhao Xi's face showed a look of horror: "Is the situation here also so perilous?"

Zhuge Liang nodded slowly.

Both Zhuge Liang and Zhao Xi were thoroughly familiar with the geography of this place.

Baishui Pass is to the south, Yang'an Pass is to the northeast, and Yinping Bridge is to the northwest. If Yang'an Pass cannot be defended, the Wei army can pass through Baishui Pass from east to west, turn northwest, and join forces with the Wei army at Yinping Bridge to attack the defending forces from both sides!

Giving up Yang'an Pass is tantamount to giving up Yinping as well!
Zhao Xi remained silent for a moment, processing the weight of Zhuge Liang's words. Zhuge Liang was equally silent; it wasn't that he was indifferent, but rather that he had nothing more to say. In three or four days at the latest, Zhuge Liang would be making a major retreat from Yang'an Pass to Baishui Pass. He had already sent military orders to Wang Ping, who was stationed at Yinping Bridge, instructing Wang Ping's entire army to slowly return to Baishui Pass.

In reality, so-called ingenious strategies and tactics were completely useless in this kind of war. The Wei Kingdom was attacking with the full force of its nation; Zhuge Liang's troops alone faced 40,000 enemy soldiers at Baishui. How could they possibly win a battle against Wei in open field outside the pass?
If you can't win, you must give up. Trade land for time, preserve your soldiers, and prepare for the next major battle.

After a month of defending Yang'an Pass, Zhuge Liang had fully felt the Wei army's desire to win and their fighting spirit. Moreover, since the emperor was personally in charge, the generals under his command had an exceptionally fierce fighting style and did not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of their soldiers.

Of all the military strategies, the principle of "relying on superior numbers to win" should always be the most important.

The terrain at Baishui is even more treacherous; retreating to Baishui would be ideal. Layer upon layer of obstruction, exhausting the enemy, and then launching a counterattack to secure victory—this was the strategy Zhuge Liang employed.

We've only reached the first stage so far.

Besides having to abandon Yang'an Pass, the situation in other areas is also not optimistic.

According to reports from early August, Guo Huai's Wei army had already defeated Wu Ban south of Hanchang, and Wu Ban had led his troops back to Dangqu to set up defenses. If Dangqu were to fall, then Bazhou County, and even the entire heartland of Shu, would be exposed to the advance of Guo Huai's forces.

Therefore, Zhuge Liang has ordered General Yang Yi, the military advisor stationed in Guanghan, to advance eastward to aid Wu Ban, and has personally written a letter to Liu Shan, requesting Liu Shan to lead the Chengdu Imperial Guards to Guanghan to fill the gap left by Yang Yi's departure.

Based on Zhuge Liang's understanding of Liu Shan, Liu Shan would certainly not refuse such a request.

"Zhao Xi, rest for a day. Tomorrow, set off back to Baidi City to organize defenses. Also, inform Wen Chang that I am aware of his intentions," Zhuge Liang said slowly. "You must ask him to delay the attack, thus prolonging the Wei army's offensive and giving the court a chance to respond calmly!"

"Understood, Your Majesty." Zhao Xi bowed and said, "I have come to Yang'an to see the Prime Minister today. Please do not overwork yourself and take good care of yourself!"

Zhao Xi was formerly from the Prime Minister's office and was one of Zhuge Liang's many former officials.

Zhuge Liang nodded: "I understand, you may go now."

"Yes." Zhao Xi nodded and took his leave.

……

Three days later, at Yinping Bridge.

Deng Ai bowed to Wang Chang and said, "General, according to His Majesty's decree, I will lead my troops south via the Yinping Trail. We are only a hundred li from Baishui Pass. I await your news of success."

Wang Chang nodded: "The Baishui River alone has allowed the Shu army to hold us off for a month. We don't know how long they will be blocked at Baishui Pass. Your journey will be difficult, so you should proceed with caution."

Deng Ai said, "Thank you for your guidance, General. I will take my leave now."

After saying this, Deng Ai turned and left Wang Chang's central army, heading towards his own troops to inspect the soldiers' provisions and supplies before preparing to set off south.

The battlefield is interconnected; no place is isolated. Wang Chang and his men were keenly aware of this. Although geographically separated, Wang Chang was still unaware of the situation, but what other possibility existed besides His Majesty's capture of Yang'an Pass? (End of Chapter)