Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

December 28th, Yizhou, Dongguanghan County, Deyang.

"General, Lord Man urgently summons you." A young military advisor from Man Chong's army rode up to Jiang Wei's camp and anxiously informed him of the matter.

"Oh?" Jiang Wei stood up from his seat, frowned, and asked, "What is the purpose of summoning me this time? Does the Lord have anything to say?"

The military advisor shook his head slightly: "He didn't say anything, but urgently summoned the general to the camp for a meeting."

"Alright." Jiang Wei nodded, without any further doubts, and led several riders to the central army camp. He dismounted at the camp gate and walked to Man Chong's tent.

The moment he entered the military tent, he smelled a strong medicinal odor, and the slight noise coming from the bedside made Jiang Wei's nerves tense up.

The army's chief medical officer, He Feng, bent down in front of the bed and gently advised, "The medicine has been prepared. Please drink it, sir."

Man Chong closed his eyes slightly, his voice hoarse, low and soft: "I know my own body. What use is medicine now? He Feng, you may leave."

"This is a military order."

"Yes, I'll take my leave." He Feng burst into tears, wiping them away with the back of his hand. He then carried the earthenware pot containing the medicine away in small steps, seemingly worried that the medicine might spill.

Man Chong seemed to exert a great deal of effort to turn his head, looking at the group of Sima, military advisors, and other subordinate officials standing with their hands at their sides in the tent, as well as generals such as Huang Quan, Jiang Wei, Xiahou Xian, Bei Yan, and Cao Zhao. His voice was weak and intermittent:

"Gentlemen... As you all know, my frail health has been deteriorating for more than just a day or two. Last night, my body gradually gave way, and by dawn, I knew that my time seemed to be coming to an end. It was a moment of lucidity before death that prompted me to call you all to my tent to give you some instructions."

Huang Quan, Guo Huai, Bei Yan, Xiahou Xian and others looked sorrowful. Jiang Wei and Cao Zhao, who had received much instruction from Man Chong, had tears welling up in their eyes and then burst into tears.

But everyone remained silent, listening intently to Man Chong's words, afraid of missing a single one.

“Firstly,” Man Chong said slowly, “His Majesty entrusted me with the 100,000 troops of the Eastern Route Army. I am not a member of the Cao or Xiahou clans, nor am I a member of any noble family. The trust and authority to command 100,000 troops is unprecedented in the two hundred years since the reign of Emperor Guangwu of the Later Han Dynasty. I have devoted myself to this task every single day, but unfortunately, my body cannot support it, and I cannot fulfill my wishes.”

"I am no longer able to sit up and hold a pen. Please convey my apologies to His Majesty."

"Rest assured, Lord Man," Huang Quan, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel who was closest to Man Chong and held the authority to act as an imperial envoy, said softly.

Man Chong's eyes seemed somewhat unfocused, but he still managed to say, "Secondly, after I leave, the troops will be temporarily led by Minister Huang, and His Majesty will be informed immediately so that His Majesty can reassign the commander-in-chief."

"Before His Majesty's decree arrives, anyone who disobeys Minister Huang's command may be executed by Minister Huang with his imperial insignia! And pay homage to Minister Huang!"

"Okay." Huang Quan responded, then stood up straight, turned around and looked at everyone with a sharp look in his eyes.

It wasn't that Huang Quan was in a hurry to establish power, but rather that Man Chong was about to pass away, and the army was deep in enemy territory and locked in a stalemate with the Shu army. If the army could not establish a commander, it would be a disaster for everyone.

"Your subordinates will obey Lord Man's orders." Everyone in the tent bowed to Man Chong.

Then they all turned to Huang Quan and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Lord Huang!"

Upon hearing this, Man Chong's eyes closed slightly, and his voice grew even softer: "Thirdly, Minister... tell my descendants... that they will be loyal for generations to come!"

Having said that, he immediately breathed his last, dying at the age of seventy-six.

Huang Quan took a deep breath, turned and swept his gaze across the crowd, then knelt before the pampered couch, gently probing with his right index finger, before standing up and solemnly addressing the crowd:
"Lord Man died in service to the king. He devoted his life to the Cao family and was a model for the world. Gentlemen, please kneel down and bow three times to Lord Man!" "Yes, sir!" the crowd responded in unison, but the low sobs and choked cries that rose and fell in the tent could not be stopped.

Three bows, the ceremony complete.

Huang Quan stood up first and addressed the crowd: “Gentlemen, I am the Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel of the Great Wei Dynasty, the Duke of Langzhong, and the only person in the army with the authority to act on behalf of the emperor. I am temporarily leading the army by order of the late Duke Man. Is there anyone who does not obey my command?”

"I will follow your orders, Minister." Jiang Wei was the first to bow.

"We will obey the orders of the Minister." The remaining Bei Yan, Guo Huai, Cao Zhao, and others also responded.

"Very well." Huang Quan's face was extremely resolute. At this moment, mourning was the least important thing. "I will personally handle the funeral arrangements for Lord Man. Immediately send someone to Baishui to report the death, and His Majesty will re-select a commander for the army. Before His Majesty's decree arrives, the army shall all follow the previous orders to maintain the battle line, and shall not advance rashly or retreat. Anyone who disobeys my orders will be dealt with according to military law!"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone inside the tent responded in unison.

……

Just as Cao Rui and his harem had predicted before his departure, conquering Shu was no easy task, and half a year would not be enough.

Over the past two months, Cao Rui's army has conquered Baishui Pass and Jiameng Pass, and arrived at Jiange Pass.

The three passes of Yang'an, Baishui, and Jiameng could be captured through the valiant efforts of soldiers and the use of siege equipment, but all siege tactics pale in comparison to the perilous Jiange Pass. The natural ruggedness of the Great Sword Mountain and the Small Sword Mountain creates the imposing aura of Jiange Pass, where "one man can hold the pass against ten thousand."

Zhuge Liang built passes at Jiange, including one major pass, three minor passes, and several fortified villages, making it difficult for even birds to cross.

This also aligns with Zhuge Liang's initial strategic prediction of numerous obstacles.

Theoretically speaking, there are no absolutely insurmountable passes. However, the difficulty of conquering Jiange is clearly greater than that of all the cities and passes that Wei has encountered before.

On January 6th, a military report jointly signed by Huang Quan, Guo Huai, Xiahou Xian, and Cao Zhao was delivered to the army at Jiange.

After capturing Jiameng Pass twenty days ago, Cao Rui himself was still stationed in front of Jiange, but the number of troops around him had been reduced to 20,000.

The remaining 30,000 troops of Cao Tai's Left Guard Army have been ordered by Cao Rui to be transferred to the rear, and are expected to be transferred to Deyang, where Man Chong's army is located, via the Micang Road. For these 30,000 troops, only Hanzhong needs to supply them with provisions to reach Bazhou County. After they reach the south, their provisions will be supplied by the navy and ships on the Yangtze River.

The soldiers' food supplies were insufficient.

Cao Rui understood that he might not be able to conquer Jiange, but as long as he remained outside Jiange, the Shu army would definitely leave a considerable force there to deal with him.

It was almost like an open conspiracy.

"Lord Man is dead?!" Cao Rui's eyes widened suddenly as he stared at Cao Ning, the military advisor of Man Chong's tribe who had delivered the letter. "Is it true?"

“It is absolutely true.” Military Advisor Cao Ning knelt down and kowtowed, tears streaming down his face. “Lord Man passed away eight days ago in the army in Deyang. All matters, large and small, in the army have been taken over by Minister Huang. It was Minister Huang who personally ordered me to come to Baishui.”

"What I said is absolutely true, and I dare not be wrong in the slightest!" (End of this chapter)