Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 318 Covering the grain supply of 100,000, the people of Wu are terrified.

Jiang, the governor of Jingnan, secretly gathered his troops and retreated. During the Wu army's eastward retreat, small groups of Han soldiers and Miao and Man soldiers followed closely behind.

They continued to avoid direct confrontation with the Wu army, instead utilizing the terrain and the high mobility gained from adapting to it to constantly harass them with crossbows, blowguns, and nighttime raids, slowing down the Wu army's return.

When Wu's army of eight or nine thousand men became exhausted or stretched out due to the terrain, the Han army would precisely target their weak rear or flanks, launching swift and short attacks, killing some soldiers, seizing some supplies, and then quickly disengaging.

This hit-and-run tactic turned Wu Jun's retreat into a nightmare, with casualties and material losses continuing to increase.

When Jiang Mi finally returned to Linyuan and finished withdrawing his troops, he took stock of the losses and found that not only had he failed to eliminate the Han army, but he had also lost more than 4,000 men, and the losses of carts, boats, cattle, horses, food and weapons amounted to tens of thousands.

What's even more frustrating is that the entire army has been tormented by this endless guerrilla warfare, resulting in low morale, frustration among officers and soldiers, and widespread war-weariness among the troops.

On the other hand, although the Han army never engaged in a large-scale decisive battle with the Wu army, it effectively depleted the enemy by flexibly applying the sixteen-character mantra of guerrilla warfare taught by the emperor, and replenished itself with the supplies it captured.

More importantly, this hit-and-run tactic successfully preserved the main force of the Han army. The loss of more than 8,000 men was less than 500, of whom about 200 were lost due to illness.

In the months of guerrilla warfare, the Miao soldiers of Wuxi and the barbarian soldiers under Sha Lie and Meng Huo made great use of their expertise in mountain valleys and dense forests, and their cooperation with Ma Bing and Ma Zhonghan's army became increasingly tacit.

The powerful clans of Wuling County were initially taken aback to see the mighty Governor of Jingnan return in such a dejected manner, unable to do anything to the Han army. However, they couldn't help but develop some expectations for the elusive Han army that had repeatedly thwarted the Wu army. They no longer regarded the Han-Miao allied forces as bandits and outlaws, and their secret support for the Han army increased.

The governor of Jingnan, who had been tyrannical in Jingnan for five years, was now trapped in Linyuan City. Looking at the vast mountains outside the city, he couldn't help but feel powerless and resentful.

Even if he were foolish, he had already thought of the story of "Peng Yue harassing Chu".

During the Chu-Han Contention, Peng Yue led his troops on a mobile campaign in the Liang and Chu regions, attacking Chu's supply lines and forcing Xiang Yu to return to the capital several times. This successfully helped Emperor Gaozu of the Former Han Dynasty recover from his disastrous defeat at Pengcheng.

Finally, during the standoff between Chu and Han at the Honggou Canal, Peng Yue, who was entrenched in Liang, unexpectedly crossed the Sui River to the south and fought with Xiang Sheng and Xue Gong at Xiapi, killing Xue Gong and forcing Xiang Sheng to flee.

Xiapi was the core of the hegemony of Chu. The hegemon had no choice but to withdraw his troops from Honggou and attack Peng Yue in the east. Thus, Emperor Gaozu finally gained the upper hand on the main battlefield of Xingyang. It can be said that "Peng Yue's obstruction of Chu" reversed the general trend of the world.

Since the beginning of this year, the Han army has been advancing rapidly, conquering Wu, Zi, and Xiling in succession, and beheading generals and important officials such as Pan Jun, Sun Shao, and Pan Zhang. They are now facing off against Lu Xun at Jiangling. The Han army already held a great advantage, but then they encountered a force called "Peng Yue" at Wuling.

At that moment, at this moment.

Although Jiang Mi was unwilling to think about it in detail, he couldn't help but instinctively associate his current situation with the Chu-Han Contention four hundred years ago. As a result, he became increasingly uneasy about the fate of the Great Wu and his own future.

In mid-June, Wuling became increasingly hot and humid.

Jiang Mi retreated to the fortified city of Linyuan, temporarily avoiding endless attacks. However, he felt increasingly frustrated because the enemy was nothing but a rabble, and he himself was surrounded by a large army but trapped in an isolated city. In addition, the logistical pressure was increasing day by day.

The documents from the Emperor of Wuchang, demanding battle reports, grew increasingly vehement, yet he dared not truthfully report his experiences and losses. Secretly, he hoped to wipe out the "Peng Yue" group in one fell swoop to atone for his mistakes.

Meanwhile, on the Han army side, generals Ma Zhong, Ma Bing, Sha Lie, and Meng Huo discussed military strategies in a karst cave northwest of Linyuan, while looking at a somewhat rudimentary map of the Wuling Mountains and rivers.

"That old scoundrel Jiang has finally learned his lesson, hiding in the city like a tortoise!" Sha Lie spat, slightly annoyed.

Ma Zhong nodded: "Several times we made feigned attacks, but they kept the city gates tightly closed and only used crossbows to defend. If they keep the city gates closed, they can hold on to the city for a long time. Although supplies are difficult, they can still maintain their position. Our army has been in the mountains for a long time, and our food and salt are gradually running out. I'm afraid this is not a long-term solution."

Approaching thirty, Ma Bing stroked his short beard, his gaze slowly sweeping across the winding Lishui River and its tributaries on the map, and said slowly:

"The art of war lies in 'controlling the enemy without being controlled by them.' Chiang Kai-shek intends to use stillness to control movement, but how can we follow his wishes? We should lure him out of the city and find an opportunity in mobile warfare."

After speaking, he pointed to a winding section of the Lishui River on the map:

"Jiang Mi is stubborn and headstrong. After being disturbed for months, he must be harboring resentment and anger."

"If I show them weakness or an opportunity, I may be able to lure them out of the city."

Ma Zhong leaned closer and looked at Ma Bing: "What brilliant plan does Ma Humiao have?"

He had served in the army for many years and was deeply loved by the late emperor and the prime minister. Even Meng Huo was defeated by him. He was a great general here. However, when Ma Liang was alive, he helped him a lot, so he naturally developed some affection for Ma Liang's son.

Over the past few months, Ma Bing, the Protector of the Seedlings, has performed admirably. Although he lacks the ability to kill enemies on the battlefield, he is like Wu Du Lu Xun, a scholar who has become a general.

Ma Bing first looked around at Ma Zhong, Sha Lie, Meng Huo and other generals, and then took out a piece of silk from his sleeve and handed it to Meng Huo first.

He and Sha Lie were sworn brothers, and Ma Zhong was willing to help him. However, Meng Huo's position was somewhat awkward. So, handing it to Meng Huo first was a sign of respect for him.

"Generals, a messenger from Lingling has reported that a large amount of grain will be transported from Changsha via the Xiang River and Dongting Lake to Jiangling."

"The commander in charge of protecting the grain supplies is Lü Kai, the son of Lü Dai, the governor of Jiaozhou under the puppet Wu regime, and the deputy military officer. The number of soldiers protecting the grain supplies is around three thousand."

"150,000 shi?!" No sooner had Ma Bing finished speaking than Meng Huo, holding the silk scroll, exclaimed in shock with a southern accent, his eyes filled with horror and greed, "This...this is enough to feed how many Wu armies?!"

"They actually have 150,000 shi of grain?!" Ma Zhong and Sha Lie, standing behind Meng Huo, were also shocked beyond words.

Ma Zhong nodded and calmly calculated, "If we calculate it at one shi per month, this batch of grain is enough to support an army of 30,000 for half a year. This is the lifeline of the Wu army's front line in Jiangling!"

Meng Huo slapped his thigh, his voice booming:

"Fight! We must take it down! If we seize it, we can establish a firm foothold in Wuling, and that old man Jiang will starve to death!"

Ma Bing's gaze deepened. He walked to the map, his finger tracing the Xiang River, finally stopping at the confluence of Dongting Lake and the Yangtze River:

"Of course we must fight."

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If we can succeed, the Wu army's Jingbei front will be shaken, and the entire front may be shaken as a result."

"However, the risks involved are considerable."

He paused, then moved his finger back to the Yuan River basin where Lin Yuan is located:
"The biggest hidden danger is Jiang Mi."

"If our army makes a long-distance raid to Xiangshui and Dongting, penetrating hundreds of miles into the heart of Wu's territory, once our whereabouts are exposed, or if we are slow to act, Jiang Mi will lead his army to intercept us from the west."

"If the garrison commanders of Baqiu and Changsha send troops westward from the east, our army will be trapped like turtles in a jar, unable to advance or retreat, and in danger of total annihilation."

Upon hearing this, the generals Ma Zhong, Sha Lie, and Meng Huo's excitement finally subsided, and their brows furrowed.

Ma Zhong stroked his beard and pondered:

That is indeed the case.

"We need a plan to keep Chiang Kai-shek's secretary firmly in check."

"So that they dare not and cannot easily leave Linyuan."

After a moment of contemplation, Ma Zhong said, "Perhaps we can take advantage of the time difference to buy ourselves enough time to travel back and forth."

“General Annam is absolutely right!” Ma Bingyi pointed heavily at the Lishui River, his calm and sharp eyes flashing.

"A feasible strategy is to lure the enemy away from their stronghold, making Jiang Mi convinced that our army's intention is to cross the Li River to the north and join forces with Zhao, the cavalry commander, at Jiangling!"

An extremely bold plan gradually took shape under Ma Bing's explanation.

Sha Lie and Meng Huo nodded repeatedly upon hearing this. Even the mature and prudent Ma Zhong, after repeatedly weighing the pros and cons in silence, also expressed his approval of Ma Bing's plan.

Mid June.

Ma Zhong and Meng Huo led 5,000 Miao and Man soldiers, bypassing Lingyang northwest of Linyuan, and appeared in the middle reaches of the Lishui River in a grand manner.

They transported provisions and weapons, collected ships, cut down bamboo and timber, and built pontoon bridges, showing a strong momentum to cross the river northward and march straight towards Jiangling.

When the news reached Lin Yuan, Jiang Mi was initially suspicious, but a series of intelligence reports confirmed the movements of the main force of the Han army.

Some of his staff warned that this might be a diversionary tactic.

Jiang's secretary, however, angrily rebuked him:
"The Shu bandits have been on the run for a long time. They are short of food in the mountains, so they have fled north to find food. It was inevitable that they would join forces with Zhao Yun, Chen Dao and other armies in Jiangling!"
"If they join forces with the Shu bandits there to attack Youjiangkou, Jiangling will be in imminent danger!"

"Now that we have failed to suppress the bandits, if we sit idly by and watch them march north at will, we will both become sinners!"

"Enough talk! Leave five thousand men to defend the city! The rest of the troops, follow me on the offensive! We must intercept the main force of the Shu rebels at the Li River!"

This governor of Jingnan was already afraid of being punished by Sun Quan and was eager to turn the tide of the war. Now that he knew that the Han army had crossed the river to the north, he was even more worried that the Youjiangkou Pass, which was crucial to the life and death of Jiangling, would be captured by the Han army. Finally, he made up his mind and personally led 8,000 elite troops on a rapid march to rush towards the Lishui River.

However, when he rushed to the Lishui River day and night, he could not see any Han troops on the south bank of the river. The boats and pontoon bridges had been sunk and destroyed, leaving only abandoned camps and a scene of devastation.

"Quickly find a boat, cross the river and pursue them!" Jiang Mi was already in a panic. Sun Quan's increasingly harsh proclamation urging war was like a series of death warrants flashing before his eyes.

If this band of bandits were allowed to successfully advance north, causing the collapse of the Jingbei defense line, not only would I lose my head, but my entire family would also suffer the consequences.

He was only slightly relieved when his Wu soldiers found local mountain people and fishermen and learned that the Han army had only been gone for half a day.

"We can't wait any longer!" Jiang Mi made up his mind.

"The Shu people are carrying supplies northward, so their march will inevitably be slow! Our army consists entirely of combat soldiers; we can advance swiftly and lightly equipped and surely catch up!"

He turned abruptly and shouted at his officers:
"Send the order! Leave behind all baggage, shield wagons, and heavy weaponry! Carry only three days' rations, bows, crossbows, and swords. Follow me lightly armed and pursue them across the river! Make sure to keep the main force of the Shu bandits at bay and annihilate them north of the Li River!"

Wu's army searched for boats, built a bridge, and abandoned their baggage to cross the river.

However, just as Jiang Mi's attention was drawn to the Li River and nearly 10,000 troops were crossing the river, Han generals and soldiers such as Ma Zhong, Sha Lie, and Meng Huo had already taken advantage of the cover of night and terrain to cross the river and mountain paths, quietly detouring to the west of Lingyang, crossing the Li River again to the south, and rushing towards Linyuan.

Chiang Kai-shek's army crossed the Li River and pursued them for less than a day before suddenly receiving devastating news.

A large Han army, five or six thousand men, appeared in the direction of Lingyang, crossed the Li River to the south, and entered the mountainous area north of Linyuan!
"Oh no, we've fallen into their trap!" Upon hearing the news, Jiang Mi was so angry he almost vomited blood. "This is a trick by the Shu people to lure us away from our base! Turn back! Return to Linyuan immediately!"

The nearly 10,000 Wu soldiers who had just crossed the river to the north were forced to return south in disarray. The crossing was chaotic, and hundreds of them died from drowning.

On the way back south, many staff officers believed that the reason why the Han army crossed the river to the north and then returned south was a feint. They believed that the Han army must have a traitor in Linyuan City. If the traitor cooperated with the Han army from the inside and outside and took advantage of the situation to attack Linyuan, then the more than 10,000 men would be cut off from their way back, run out of food and supplies, and would all be doomed.

However, Jiang Mi, being a seasoned veteran, ultimately exercised a degree of caution:
"otherwise!
"With the precedent of Xi and Wen surrendering the city, I ordered those left in the city to be extremely careful of any troublemakers when I left!"
"Moreover, the people of Shu know that Linyuan City is well-defended and has sufficient troops. Furthermore, after observing the Shu people's military campaigns over the past few months, they have found that the soldiers are nothing more than bandits and outlaws, lacking any ability to fortify strongholds!"
"This must be a feint by the Shu people to lure us into hastily returning to reinforce Linyuan, so they can ambush us in a strategic location!"

"Send orders to send out scouts extensively on the return journey to thoroughly investigate and proceed at a slow pace, giving the Shu bandits no opportunity to take advantage!"

When the officers and staff of Wu heard this, they agreed wholeheartedly, and so they retreated very cautiously and slowly.

Just as Jiang Mi had feared, Sha Lie's son, Sha Qiu, was ordered to lead a small group of Miao soldiers to constantly harass the Wu army's flanks and rear guard, firing sneak arrows and launching surprise attacks on the camps. This caused the Wu army to be in a state of panic and exhausted. Such actions further solidified Jiang Mi's judgment that "there must be an ambush," and he became even more cautious in his march.

Just as Jiang Mi was being held back on his way back to Linyuan by the harassment of the sand dunes and thought he had succeeded, Ma Zhong, Ma Bing, Meng Huo, and Sha Lie had already led their elite troops eastward.

Five thousand soldiers, lightly armored, carrying swords and bows, and five days' rations, swiftly advanced northeastward towards Dongting Lake along the streams and valleys on the south bank of the Li River.

This was an extremely risky solo expedition, penetrating more than 200 li deep into Wu's territory. Fortunately, the land in western Hunan was vast and sparsely populated, with dense forests and swamps covering the area. The Miao people were also familiar with the terrain, and they did not encounter a single person during the 200 li journey.

It wasn't until we were almost at Dongting Lake that we encountered a fortified village.

When the fortress lord Huang Yu heard that the Han army had arrived, he hurriedly went out to greet them.

"The Han army has come from afar with great difficulty. My family has already slaughtered sheep and cattle and prepared a small feast. Please do us the honor of coming." The man was over sixty years old, with a kind face, and claimed to be a distant relative of the Han general Huang Zhong.

Ma Bing, a local from Jingzhou, stepped forward to return the greeting: "I should not refuse Lord Huang's kind invitation."

"However, the military situation is urgent, and we dare not delay."

He paused for a moment, then bowed respectfully and said:

"To prevent the news from leaking and alarming the Wu people, we must trouble Lord Huang to gather the clansmen and inform them that no one, regardless of rank, is allowed to enter or leave before we depart. This is a last resort, and we hope for your understanding."

Huang Yu frankly stated:

"Ma Humiao need not say more, I understand. Since the Eastern bandits occupied Jingzhou, they have treated us, the people of Jingzhou, with extreme cruelty and exploitation. We only hope that the great Han army will soon recover Jingzhou and let us, the Han people, return to the rule of the Han family."

Ma Bing nodded in agreement and immediately dispatched several hundred soldiers to garrison the area and assist the Huang family in defending the fortified village.

The Han army marched east.

North of Dongting Lake, on the Yangtze River.

Lu Kai, son of Lu Dai, the governor of Jiaozhou, and deputy military officer, was in charge of escorting a grain transport fleet stretching for several miles from the north bank of the Yangtze River towards Jiangling.

Upon entering the territory of Wuling County, he remained vigilant, ordering his soldiers to keep their armor on, bows and crossbows drawn, and scouts to be dispatched everywhere, for fear that the Han army would plunder.

However, the journey was smooth sailing.

Once the fleet sailed into the vast Dongting Lake and entered the territory of Baqiu County, it had reached the core control area of ​​the Great Wu, and was only about 300 li away from Jiangling.

Lu Kai, like his soldiers, was finally completely relieved.

The tension that had been building for days was relieved here. The guards on the shore became sparse, and even the soldiers on night watch relaxed considerably. They pretended to patrol for a while, then gathered around the campfire to warm themselves and play games.

The officers on night patrol also felt they had reached a safe place and could rest easy, so they did not do anything harsh that would upset their soldiers.

Suddenly, a loud "splash" echoed from the river. Sima, who was on night patrol, was used to it and didn't even have time to glance at it, knowing that it was just a river fish jumping up to catch mosquitoes.

The next day, in the early morning.

Before dawn, a thin mist shrouded the river.

The Wu camp on the riverbank was quiet, and the sentry dozed off while holding his weapon.

Suddenly, like ghosts, countless dark figures stealthily approached from the fog and silently and swiftly took down the outer sentries.

Immediately, the sound of war drums rose up, shaking the heavens and the earth.

The shouts of battle shook the surrounding area.

Ma Zhong, Sha Lie, and Meng Huo led a combined Han and Man army of five thousand men who had rested and recuperated for two nights, and like tigers descending the mountain, they rushed straight to the Wu army camp.

"Enemy attack! Shu people! It's the Shu people!" someone finally shouted.

The Wu people were startled awake from their sleep. They had no time to organize an effective resistance. The camp was in chaos. The soldiers could not find their generals, and the generals could not find their soldiers.

Many people, their armor disheveled, were cut down by the Han soldiers who stormed into the camp.

Soon, flames broke out everywhere.

Three thousand Wu soldiers, nearly ten thousand auxiliary soldiers and civilians panicked and fled in all directions amidst the flames.

Lu Kai was fast asleep in the central army camp.

Even though there was a great commotion outside, with gongs and drums beating, flames soaring into the sky, and shouts of battle shaking the heavens, they heard nothing at all, only snoring loudly.

His personal guards rushed into the tent and shook him awake in their panic.
"General, something terrible has happened! The Shu people are attacking!"

"What? Where did these Shu people come from?" Lu Kai was so shocked that he jumped up from the bed and hurriedly put on his armor. When he rushed out of the tent, he saw that the outside world was a sea of ​​fire and a living hell.

The Miao and Han soldiers were incredibly fierce and brave, and those who faced them were invincible.

Meng Huo's Nanzhong barbarian soldiers traversed the mountains and forests as if they were on flat ground, while Sha Lie's Wuxi Miao warriors were exceptionally agile in their lakeside camps.

Wu Jun was completely put on the defensive and attacked.

Lu Kai attempted to organize his personal guards to resist, but was met head-on by a group of elite Han soldiers. In the ensuing melee, Ma Zhong, who was leading the charge, knocked his weapon away, and a gleaming steel blade was immediately placed against his neck.

"Tie him up!" General Ma Zhong of Annam, who was heading straight for the central army, knew that this man was Lü Dai's son and that his identity was important, so he wanted to spare his life.

With Lü Kai captured, the battle turned into a one-sided affair. The Wu people offered no further resistance, and the three thousand Wu soldiers protecting the grain were either killed, captured, or scattered into the lakes, marshes, and forests.

Looking at the grain ships stretching for miles and the mountain of grain sacks, Meng Huo, Sha Lie, and the other Miao and Man people's eyes turned red.

"Move! Move as much as you can! Enough to feed us for years!" Meng Huo shouted excitedly.

Sha Lie was also very excited: "Quickly gather laborers and carts to transport this batch of grain back to Wuling!"

As everyone was making their move, Ma Bing arrived upon hearing the news.

When Meng Huo and Sha Lie were summoned, they shook their heads repeatedly in dissuasion, their tone resolute:
"Generals, you must not!"

"More than 100,000 tons of grain and fodder, how much can we take away?! Requisitioning laborers and vehicles would be too much of a commotion, and would inevitably expose our whereabouts!"

"If Chiang Kai-shek comes east upon hearing the news, and the Wu people of Baqiu and Changsha raise a large army to march up the river again, how can we fight with these burdens? If we are surrounded, we will die without a burial place!"

He surveyed his generals and said in a deep voice, "The objective of this battle is to cut off the enemy's supply lines, disrupt their morale, and seize their supplies!"

He took out the imperial tally:
"By order of His Majesty, all grain supplies, along with the grain ships, shall be burned and sunk into the river!"

Despite their deep reluctance, Sha Lie and Meng Huo had no choice but to unconditionally support Ma Bing's decision, since the imperial insignia was in Ma Bing's hands.

The Han soldiers acted swiftly, setting the boats ablaze and pushing bags of grain into the rolling Yangtze River.

The firelight illuminated the river and sky, causing the river to flow slowly.

During the evacuation, Ma Bing passed by Huang's village.

He recalled the Han troops who were assisting in the defense, and then spoke to Huang Yu:
"Lord Huang, there are still some scattered grains and fodder near Baqiu, amounting to several thousand shi. Our army cannot handle them all. You can quickly invite the villagers in the surrounding area to come and take them for their livelihood."

When Huang led his clansmen and villagers to the scene, they saw thick smoke and fire on the riverbank. Some grain boats that had not been affected and grain bags scattered on the shore were still there. The people were both surprised and delighted and rushed to move the grain.

Looking in the direction the Han army had departed, Huang addressed the villagers around her:

"The Han Dynasty has not forgotten the people of Jingchu; they are truly a benevolent and righteous army, a true heavenly force!"

The Han army, carrying the captured Lü Kai and a small number of elite troops, quickly retreated westward along the Lishui River basin.

At this time, Jiang Mi finally returned safely to Linyuan.

Seeing that the city walls were intact and there was no large-scale Han army activity in the southern mountainous area, he wondered where the Han army had gone.

Suddenly, an urgent report was received that some civilians had discovered traces of a large Han army in Zuotang, west of Dongting Lake!

After a moment's thought, Jiang Mi broke out in a cold sweat: "This is bad! The Shu people's target is the Xiang River's grain supplies!"

He dared not delay any longer, and immediately mustered his troops and rushed towards Zuotang in the northeast, attempting to intercept the Han army returning west after seizing grain.

Upon learning that Jiang Mi was leading his troops eastward to intercept him, Ma Bing pondered briefly and immediately ordered his troops to turn northeast and flee.

The advisor said anxiously, "Commander, the enemy has seized the supplies and will be burdened with heavy loads. They intend to flee north to Jiangling to join Zhao Yun. We should abandon our baggage and pursue them swiftly with a light force. We will surely be able to annihilate them before they can join Zhao Yun!"

Jiang Mi agreed wholeheartedly, so he quickly ordered that some of the heavy supplies be abandoned and that they pursue the enemy with light equipment.

Just as Jiang Mi led Wu's light troops to advance swiftly, attempting to intercept the Han army that was "fleeing north," Ma Bing led the main force, taking advantage of a sudden downpour to quietly shake off the pursuers, making a large detour to the northwest, heading straight for a ferry crossing on the north bank of the Li River, east of Lingyang.

Only a few hundred Wu soldiers remained there. Faced with the five thousand Han soldiers who appeared as if by divine intervention, they were defeated in an instant. The Han army did not stop, but crossed the river to the south and returned to the south bank of the Li River.

On the south bank of the Li River, Meng Huo, Sha Lie, and the others looked at the surging river behind them and couldn't help but burst into laughter:
"Brilliant! Brilliant! We crossed the Li River three times and completely outmaneuvered that Jiang spies!"

Sha Lie said, "The guerrilla strategy that His Majesty has given us is truly delightful! It is perfect for us!"
"This time, we have seized the Wu people's vital grain supply and tricked Jiang Mi three times, greatly boosting the prestige of our royal army!"

"We'll head west to Wulingyuan now, and see what that Jiang secretary can do to us!"

The soldiers were in high spirits, and even Ma Zhong thought they should immediately return to their base in the west. However, Ma Bing once again made a surprising statement:
"No, we shouldn't go west."

Everyone was immediately taken aback.

Sha Lie asked, puzzled, "Not west? Then where to go?"

Ma Bing pointed eastward and smiled slightly:
"east."

Despite their doubts, the Han army turned east again, trusting Ma Bing.

Sure enough, just thirty li to the east, the Han army discovered the ferry camp, which was poorly defended because Jiang Mi had abandoned his baggage train and pursued the enemy with a light force.

The Wu people left behind more than a hundred cartloads of grain, fodder, and supplies, but only three or four hundred soldiers were left to guard the area.

The Han army swiftly annihilated the hundreds of men like a whirlwind, seized the unexpected supplies, destroyed the ferry crossing, and sank the Wu ships.

The captured Lü Kai witnessed all of this, and was so angry that he trembled with rage and couldn't help but burst into curses:

"Secretary Jiang! Incompetent fool! As stupid as pigs and dogs!"
"How could we be so fooled by a group of wild Miao people!"
"My great Wu Jiangshan will sooner or later fall to the hands of such mediocre talents!"

Shari, who was standing nearby, heard it clearly and mocked:

"Hmph, Lu family brat, you escorted over 100,000 tons of military rations, yet you were routed in a single blow by us, and even became a prisoner yourself. How are you any better than that Jiang secretary?"

Upon hearing this, Lü Kai felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow. His face was filled with shame, and he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into, unable to utter another word.

The next day, Jiang Mi, who was blindly pursuing the main force of the Han army on the north bank of the Lishui River, suddenly received two pieces of news that struck him like a bolt from the blue.

The Shu people have already succeeded, Lü Kai's army has been defeated, and all their food supplies have been lost!
Secondly, the Han army not only did not move north, but instead moved south to seize his rear crossing, cutting off his route back to Linyuan!

"Shu dogs!" Jiang Mi almost gritted his teeth, his vision blurred, and he was filled with shock and fear.

How could I not be terrified?!
For months, he has not only suffered heavy losses and achieved nothing, but now he has also lost a huge amount of grain supplies that are crucial to the battle of Jiangling. Even the return route to Linyuan has been cut off by the Shu people, and Linyuan is probably in grave danger.

In fear and desperation, the governor of Jingnan had no choice but to lead several thousand exhausted and demoralized Wu soldiers to detour through Baqiu. He also hurriedly dispatched messengers to deliver the news of the disastrous defeat at Wuling and the loss of supplies to Wuchang overnight to report to Sun Quan, daring not to conceal anything further.

(End of this chapter)