Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 323 His Majesty's whereabouts have been leaked?!
Jiangling.

Since the Han army had deployed 10,000 men to guard the central plains, and the number of soldiers under the city was only 26,000, which was far from enough in terms of troop strength, the siege strategy was impossible.

In fact, in addition to the new city defense pattern of two cities in the north and south with proper advance and retreat, Gangneung was also located in an exceptionally good location.

Surrounded by water on the west, south, and north sides, the city greatly reduced the Han army's foothold. In addition, a moat seven or eight zhang wide was dug to connect the Yangtze River to the south with the Canglang River to the northwest. Even with an army of 100,000, it would be difficult to gain a foothold in Jiangling.

This is one of the key reasons why Cao Zhen, Zhang He, Xiahou Shang, and other Wei generals led an army of 100,000 and launched a fierce attack for half a year, but failed to achieve anything.

For the Han army today, the more than 30,000 troops sent to conquer Jiangling are exactly the limit that the narrow area outside Jiangling, which is divided by waterways, can accommodate and support.

Therefore, from the moment the army approached the city, Zhao Yun, Chen Dao, Fu Kuang and other generals knew that a direct assault was absolutely not the way to conquer Jiangling.

The best strategy is to cut off their supply lines and force them to collapse on their own.

The key to overcoming the food shortage lay in occupying Zhongzhou, south of Jiangling and in the middle of the Yangtze River.

Zhongzhou divides the four-mile-wide river into north and south branches. Although the Han navy is weak, by building up the camps after capturing Zhongzhou, they can first block the north branch with hundreds of ships, and then set up a camp on the north bank of the river, thus completely cutting off the Wu army's supply route to Jiangling.

Since Cao Cao's army advanced on Xiakou in April, the Han army has acted opportunistically, and has been at the gates of Jiangling for more than two months.

Zhao Yun led his generals to build earthen mounds, dig tunnels, and construct watchtowers, gradually eliminating the seven or eight small fortified villages surrounding Jiangling.

Outside Jiangling City, only three fortified villages remain, closely guarding the main city.

At this point, the battle of Jiangling entered a dull stalemate, and the most intense battle that followed was the Battle of Zhongzhou.

The last time Cao Zhen and Zhang He attacked, Sun Sheng led 10,000 soldiers to stand alone in the river, only to be defeated by Cao Zhen.

This time, Sun Sheng volunteered, saying that he was motivated by shame and would be braver. He hoped that Sun Quan would entrust him with this task. Sun Quan had no generals under his command, and Sun Sheng was a member of the imperial clan. In addition, his words of being motivated by shame and would be braver made Sun Quan feel at ease to entrust him with this task.

Sun Sheng's troops initially had good morale, but unexpectedly, as soon as Zhao Yun raised his banner on the Central Plains, the morale of his Wu troops collapsed, and they were defeated in no time.

If Zhu Ran hadn't led the navy upstream, Sun Sheng and his few thousand remaining soldiers would probably have sunk into the river and become fish food.

As for the three Wu military strongholds in the east and south of Jiangling City, which could accommodate more than two thousand people, they had been built for a long time, with high and thick walls and deep and wide trenches. They were also backed by Jiangling and formed a defensive triangle, making them difficult to conquer.

Lu Xun was known for his steady and cautious approach to warfare. He knew that these three fortresses were the outer territories of Jiangling, and if they were all lost, Jiangling would truly become an isolated city, left only to sit and wait for its demise.

Therefore, in the past two months, in the face of the Han army's probing attacks, these three strongholds put up an extremely tenacious resistance. Under Lu Xun's encouragement, the Wu soldiers fought desperately with the help of the strongholds, and even took advantage of the Han army's newly established battalion's unstable foothold to launch a counterattack, successfully destroying one battalion and killing nearly a thousand weak Han soldiers.

Seeing that a direct assault would be too costly and would make it easy for Lu Xun to exploit the situation, Zhao Yun changed his strategy and adopted a tactic of "confronting fortresses with fortresses and camps with camps".

Instead of rushing to attack, they built a strong camp several miles outside Wu's camp, erected high walls, dug deep trenches, and prepared for a long-term siege, waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out and using stillness to control movement.

Thus, the Han and Wu sides entered into a silent tug-of-war, competing in patience, resilience, and logistics.

Lu Xun was not one to sit idly by and wait for death. He knew the principle that prolonged defense would inevitably lead to defeat, and he also understood that the Han army's long journey was advantageous for a swift battle. The fact that they were now in a stalemate showed that the Han army was ineffective in attacking the enemy's strongholds.

Therefore, this famous general of Sun Wu, who was particularly good at using stillness to control movement and seizing opportunities, began to take the initiative more frequently.

Firstly, they repeatedly dispatched small elite units to launch harassing night raids on the Han army camps. Secondly, when the Han army was organizing laborers to fill in the moat and build earthen mounds fortifications, and the soldiers and civilians were exhausted and complacent, they suddenly opened the gates of the camp and launched small-scale attacks.

These types of battles are not large in scale.

Sometimes they could burn a few strings of deer antlers belonging to the Han army and kill or wound some Han soldiers and civilians, but other times they were routed by the Han army ambushed behind the camp.

In short, there have been both losses and gains over the past two months.

This is unavoidable; the attacking side is naturally at a disadvantage, and when the battle becomes a long-term stalemate, such small-scale back-and-forth battles with casualties on both sides are the norm.

In particular, the generals and soldiers under Lu Xun's command were all personally selected by Lu Xun himself. Because this Grand General had outstanding military achievements and was good at taking care of his soldiers, coupled with the strong defenses and high walls behind him, the morale of the troops was always maintained at a good level, and they were not much at a disadvantage compared with the Han army.

What troubled the Han soldiers even more was that Lu Xun had used the strategy of exhausting the enemy to the extreme for the past two months.

Almost every night at dawn, when people are most exhausted, drums and horns sounded from the top of Jiangling City and from all the Wu army camps, and shouts of battle shook the heavens, making it seem as if they were about to raid the camps.

Most of the time, this is just a bluff, with not a single soldier actually fighting out.

Occasionally, however, the Wu people would take advantage of the Han soldiers' fatigue and mental exhaustion after being repeatedly tormented, and launch a swift attack under the cover of moonlight, mist, or light rain.

Zhao Yun, Chen Dao, Yan Yu, Fu Qian, Guan Xing, and other Han generals—how could any of them be foolish and not recognize that this was Lu Xun's strategy to exhaust the enemy?
They repeatedly warned their soldiers that this was a trick by the Wu people, intended to exhaust their troops' strength, and that they must not let their guard down.

We must also be wary of Wu Jun turning a feint into a real attack.

But there's nothing we can do; it's an open conspiracy.

No matter who it is, if they are harassed like this for two months without suffering any major losses, they will eventually become tired and lethargic.

This is what is meant by "knowing is easy, doing is hard," and this is where the weakness of human nature lies. Even if one knows that one should not slack off, the combined physical and mental exhaustion will still instinctively lead one to slack off.

Those who understand this principle and skillfully use it to control the rhythm and direction of the battlefield are undoubtedly renowned generals.

Lu Xun was such a famous general.

That night, it was drizzling and muggy.

The frogs, which had been making a racket all summer, were now fast asleep.

From the direction of Jiangling City, as expected, came the dull war drums and long horns, interspersed with faint shouts of battle.

In Wu's various camps, most soldiers had long been accustomed to this routine harassment. Those who were supposed to be sleeping still kept their eyes closed, while the patrol leaders listened for a moment, and seeing no unusual activity from the Han camp in the distance, they resumed their fixed patrol routes, their faces full of numb indifference.

The southern corner tower of Jiangling City is brightly lit.

Lu Xun, dressed in casual clothes, stood calmly in the room.

Generals Liu Zan and Sun Huan remained calm.

Zhang Liang, Liu Jing, Wu Shuo, and other generals were once again urgently summoned from their dreams by this Grand General, their faces showing confusion and their hearts filled with dissatisfaction.

"General, why have you summoned us at this hour? Are you planning to carry out another raid?!" Zhang Liang couldn't help but speak first, his tone filled with barely suppressed frustration.

Since Lu Xun began implementing the strategy of exhausting the enemy, there have been dozens of instances like this, where he summons his generals late at night.

However, without exception, Lu Xun's final orders were always to have these generals send out small elite units to harass their troops, causing these high-ranking officers to waste their energy.

These tasks could be easily handled by a mere military officer; how can we constantly expect these junior officers to do them? What if the Shu forces attack in broad daylight, and these generals lose their spirit?

Wu Shuo also chimed in:
"Yes, General Shang."

"The people of Shu are probably used to our big talk and little action now."

“Every time such a large force is mobilized, it doesn’t bother us, but it exhausts our men.”

On the other side, Liu Jing didn't speak, but his expression clearly showed his agreement. They respected and admired Lu Xun, and they certainly didn't disobey the orders of this highly decorated general. Otherwise, they would have thrown a tantrum and quit long ago, and wouldn't have come here every night.

I'm just really tired and dissatisfied with this pace.

Every time they gather, they are under intense pressure, but the result is always minor skirmishes. How can they not become complacent and resentful if this continues?
Liu Zan and Sun Huan, two senior generals, exchanged a glance and saw a hint of seriousness in each other's eyes. Neither of them spoke immediately, but instead turned their gaze to Lu Xun, who remained silent.

The refined middle-aged man slowly shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the generals, his eyes both gentle and sharp: "Gentlemen, please calm down."

The six words Lu Xun uttered, and the expression on his face, were unlike anything he had shown in the past two months. All the generals in the tent froze and fell silent.

Lu Xun walked to the map, gently pointed to the marker of the Han army camp, and solemnly spoke:
"The Shu troops have been stationed beneath our fortified city of Jiangling for over two months. Their initial morale has been completely worn down. Although their patrols remain tight, their response to our clamor has become much slower recently."

"This is human nature and a natural principle. Although Zhao Yun, Chen Dao, and Fu Kuang are good at managing troops, the army has been stationed outside for a long time, and now the troops are old and exhausted."

"For the past two months, the reason why I have repeatedly made noise in the dead of night, or pretended to attack, or made a show of force, is not to waste my energy on childish games, but to exhaust and confuse the enemy."

"The people of Shu know that we are exhausting the enemy, but this is an open strategy. If we are vigilant for too long, we will eventually become lax, which is human nature."

"And tonight is the time to strike."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liang, Wu Shuo, Liu Jing, and the other generals were instantly invigorated, their faces showing the dissatisfaction caused by fatigue replaced by excitement.

"So that's how it is!" Wu Shuo suddenly realized. "The Grand General is so insightful and far-sighted, while we, his humble servants, are too dull to comprehend it!"

Liu Jing also said excitedly:

"I told you so! The Supreme General is a master strategist; why would he do anything pointless?!"

"A few years ago, when the Grand General led us to a great victory over Liu Bei at Yiling, wasn't that exactly the strategy of using stillness to control movement and waiting for an opportunity to burn down Liu Bei's camp?!"
"It's a pity Zhao Yun wasn't there at the time, otherwise he would have surely perished on the river like Fu Tong and Cheng Ji!"
"Hmph, tonight I'll teach that old Zhao Yun a lesson!"

Zhang Liang was even more eager to get started:

"After holding back for so long, it's finally time to get serious! General, please give the order, and I will be at the forefront!"

Liu Zan finally spoke:
"The Grand General summons us here under cover of darkness every time he attacks the enemy. Is this also a tactic to mislead them?"

Lu Xun gave Liu Zan an approving look:
“Zhengming knows me.”

"The art of espionage lies in employing both deception and reality."

"Since the invasion of the east, the people of Shu have been adept at using spies, and the lessons of history are not far off."

“I am deeply afraid that there are Shu spies in the Jiangling city camp. If the generals are summoned suddenly at the front, the spies may use some means to spread this news out of the camp, so that the Shu people will be prepared in time, which will ruin my grand plan.”

"Therefore, by employing this feint, we can make them accustomed to it, so that when the decisive battle comes, they will not take it seriously."

"Now that the Shu army's outer defenses are in place, their vigilance is becoming increasingly lax."

"This is the time to strike them with thunder, break through their camp, and blunt their morale."

Sun Huan, the Marquis of Shaxian, had been silent until now, when he finally stepped forward abruptly: "General! This humble general requests the order! Tonight's main attack shall be entrusted to this humble general! The loss of Zigui has been agonizing for me day and night, and I am determined to avenge this humiliation in this battle!"

The defeat at Zigui, in which he and Zhou Fang abandoned their army and fled, was a great disgrace.

Lu Xun's gaze fell on Sun Huan:
"Excellent! General Yangwei is commendable for his loyalty and bravery. You shall lead two thousand elite troops to attack the Shu Nan camp! I hope General Yangwei will display his prowess and achieve this first victory!"

"Your subordinate obeys! I will not fail in my mission!" Sun Huan clasped his hands and bowed, his voice resolute.

After giving his instructions, Sun Huan and the others all left, leaving only Liu Zan and Lu Xun behind.

“Zhengming,” Lu Xun said to Liu Zan, “quickly muster your three thousand troops to cover the rear for General Yangwei.”

"If Yang Wei succeeds, you should lead your troops to launch a surprise attack and expand your gains."

"If Yang Wei suffers a setback, you must do your utmost to support him and cover his retreat without fail."

Liu Zan readily agreed: "Please rest assured, Lord Xun, I will certainly not fail in my mission!"

Time passed quietly, and the drums and horns on the walls of Jiangling continued to sound at their usual rhythm, seemingly no different from any other day.

However, under the cover of the hazy morning light and the thin mist gradually rising from the riverbank, the south and east gates of Jiangling quietly opened.

Clad in heavy armor, Sun Huan personally led two thousand carefully selected elite Wu soldiers, silently approaching the Han army's southern camp.

Not far behind, Liu Zan's three thousand soldiers had also formed ranks, swords drawn and arrows nocked, ready to engage in battle at any moment.

Meanwhile, the Han army's southern camp.

Because the emperor arrived suddenly last night, the alert level of all camps in Jiangling was raised several levels under the command of Zhao Yun and other generals.

After nightfall, the number of Han soldiers on guard duty quietly increased from one thousand to two thousand, and all the soldiers on duty were fully armored, armed with weapons, crossbows and bows, and dared not slacken their efforts in the slightest.

The number of scouts and sentries outside the camp has nearly doubled, and their patrol range has expanded outward by dozens of steps.

The western camp where the emperor was located was guarded by elite guards who were extremely vigilant, completely surrounding the emperor's camp.

Zhao Yun did not fall asleep; he merely closed his eyes and pretended to sleep in the corner tower of the southern camp. He did not remove his armor, and his silver spear never left his side.

Although the emperor's arrival was highly confidential and theoretically impossible for Lu Xun to know, he could not afford to be negligent in the slightest.

"Report!"

A scout strode up the corner tower:
"General of Chariots and Cavalry!"
"There are unusual movements at both the south and east gates of Jiangling. It seems that a large force has left the city and is heading towards our south and east camps!"

Zhao Yun suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them, showing no sign of fatigue. He then abruptly stood up, climbed a few steps to the top of the stockade wall, and gazed northward toward Jiangling.

Despite the fog and drizzle obscuring his view and the distance making it difficult to see clearly, the unique atmosphere of impending battle and the subtle, unusual noises emanating from the darkness allowed him to make a judgment instantly.

"As expected, they've arrived!" Zhao Yun said, his voice cold and stern.

"Order all battalions to proceed according to Plan A!"

"Prepare for war!"

"Prepare for war!"

The order was quickly relayed throughout the camp.

Before long, Fu Qian, the former commander and general in charge of suppressing the enemy, arrived hastily in full armor. Before he could even pay his respects to Zhao Yun, a string of curses had already escaped his lips:

"General of Chariots and Cavalry, how could it be such a coincidence? His Majesty has just arrived, and the Wu dogs have already launched a full-scale attack! Could it be... could it be that there is a traitor in our army who has leaked His Majesty's whereabouts?!"

(End of this chapter)