My Sims of the Eastern Jin Dynasty

Sikou, the main camp of the Northern Army.

Just three days after Xie Xuan received Xie An's secret letter, a series of urgent military reports arrived on the same day, completely disrupting his original plans and arrangements.

"Report! Urgent report from Xuyi! The Qin generals are unable to launch a strong attack on Xuyi, and the city's defenses have been breached!"

"Right Guard General Mao Anzhi led the Imperial Guards in an ambush by the Qin army outside Xuyi City. After a fierce battle, they were defeated, and General Mao died for his country!"

"Mao Zaozhi, the Prefect of Gaomi, and Shen Yun, the Prefect of Xuyi, were captured after the city fell!"

"Report! Peng Chao, the Qin army commander of Pengcheng, has launched a major offensive against Siwu! Military Advisor Zhuge is in dire need of help!"

"..."

A series of urgent military reports nearly drove the messengers to their wits' end, and the atmosphere inside the central command tent was so tense that no one dared to speak loudly.

Xie Xuan's expression remained unchanged. His worst fears had come true in the worst possible way, and he was beginning to consider retreating.

Xuyi, which Xiao Heng mentioned in his letter, has now been so quickly breached by Ju Nan after reinforcements were deployed, and even Mao Anzhi was defeated at the city gates.

If Xuyi is lost, the gateway to Huainan will be wide open, and the Qin army can threaten Guangling by land and water. Peng Chao's attack on Siwu from Pengcheng at this moment is obviously a strategic deployment that has been arranged in advance.

Without the slightest hesitation, Xie Xuan immediately issued several orders.

"Order Zhuge Kan! Abandon Siwu, and the entire army must immediately retreat to Xiaxiang to join Liu Laozhi's forces! The operation must be swift to avoid being pursued by Peng Chao's troops!"

"Order Liu Laozhi to consolidate the defensive line, hold the defenses of Xiaxiang City, and support Zhuge Kan's troops in preparation for engaging the Qin army!"

"....."

However, the bad news didn't stop there.

The next day, although Zhuge Kan's troops carried out the retreat order, Peng Chao was a shrewd and experienced strategist and pursued them swiftly.

Its vanguard cavalry relentlessly entangled the rear guard of the Jin army, forcing Zhuge Kan to fight and retreat, suffering considerable losses.

Even more fatally, the Qin army in the Siwu direction did not stop, but quickly moved south towards Sikou.

When Xie Xuan received the military report, he knew that they could no longer hold out.

Despite knowing in advance that the Qin army had reinforcements, he was defeated. Although he was unwilling, reason prevailed over everything.

"Order the entire army to abandon the Sikou camp, with each unit providing cover as they retreat towards Guangling!"

"Commander!"

One general couldn't help but exclaim that abandoning Sikou was tantamount to handing over a long-established forward base and an important ferry crossing along the Huai River to the Qin army, which was undoubtedly a major strategic setback.

"Execute the military order! If we save the people but lose the land, we will save both; if we save the land but lose the people, we will lose both!"

"..."

The Northern Army began a difficult but orderly retreat.

They burned the grain and supplies that could not be taken away, destroyed key crossing points, and under the command of generals such as Liu Laozhi and Zhuge Kan, the various units gradually retreated south under the increasing pressure from the Qin army.

The Qin cavalry continued to harass the troops, and chaos and losses were inevitable during the retreat, but the core of the Northern Army remained intact and the main force was still intact.

As the last remaining troops boarded boats and left Sikou, many soldiers looked back at the Qin army flags rising on the north bank with resentment in their eyes.

They were originally refugees in this area, and now a large area of ​​land in Huaibei, along with the important Sikou Fortress, has changed hands.

Xie Xuan stood at the bow of the ship bound for Guangling, his heart filled with complex emotions.

The defeat in this battle was partly due to the Qin army's overwhelming strength and skillful tactics, but the commander-in-chief's overly optimistic assessment of the defense of Xuyi also contributed to the setback.

He understood what he would face upon returning to Guangling, and his gaze involuntarily turned towards the northeast.

That place is Donghai County, Qu County, where there is someone who is farther away than he thought.

Looking back now, the situation in Huaibei is in disarray, and Donghai County is isolated in the northeast, seemingly even more isolated. Perhaps it is precisely because of its remote location on the coast that it might become an unexpected pawn? The Qin army is at the height of its power, and its main target must be Guangling and even Jiankang, so its attention to the coastal areas will inevitably decrease.

If the East China Sea could be used as a base to harass the Qin army's long coastal supply lines, and even contain the Qin army in the direction of Qingzhou, it might have a remarkable effect.

"Bring me paper and pen."

Xie Xuan said in a deep voice.

In the swaying cabin, Xie Xuan personally wrote a concise yet profound secret letter.

The letter did not elaborate on the details of the defeats at Xuyi and Xiaxiang, but only briefly mentioned that the situation in Huaibei had changed and the army had temporarily moved to Guangling to deploy defenses. Then the tone of the letter changed.

"The East Sea serves as a bulwark, the key to the northern gate. You, sir, have long been adept at guarding the coastal frontier. Although the enemy's power is now growing, the sea routes are winding and not their strong suit. I hope you will remain steadfast in your resolve, pacify the army and civilians, and strengthen your armor and weapons to prepare for any eventuality. Although the Northern Prefecture is in the south, it is of the same blood as you and we can help each other in times of crisis. If there is an urgent need for provisions, fodder, or weapons, you may secretly report to me, and I will do my best to procure them. This matter is of great importance, and I hope you will be cautious and diligent in your efforts."

After writing it down, he used his personal seal to seal it and then summoned his most vigilant and reliable confidant, a captain.

"Take a few men, disguised as merchants or fishermen, and travel by fast boat day and night. Be sure to deliver this letter to Xiao Heng, the governor of Donghai, personally. Tell him that this letter should be burned after reading, and to be careful in all matters."

"This subordinate obeys!"

The captain solemnly accepted the secret letter, hid it close to his body, and quickly turned and left.

......

A secluded cape outside Qu County.

Xiao Heng, taking a rare moment of leisure, took a simple bamboo pole and started fishing. The float bobbed up and down in the waves, but his mind was not on the water at all.

Deep within his consciousness, the ancient book was emitting a faint glow; he had just used the exploration function, which had only cooled down a month earlier.

The pages of the book opened slowly without any wind, revealing not portraits or names, but a simple yet incredibly informative coastal hydrographic map, accompanied by tiny, handwritten annotations.

The map extends from Qingxu in the north to key shipping routes and anchorages along the Jiangzuo coast, and even reaches Southeast Asia.

Xiao Heng looked at several recommended routes leading to Yuzhou Island from the northern route (Qingzhou direction).

The map begins with Donglai Port (marked as a large natural harbor, one of the main garrisons of the Qin Qingzhou navy, and also a port for merchant ships), and along the coast are Langya Port and Changguang County Buqi Port (now north of Qingdao). There are more than a dozen hidden bays (marked as places where one can temporarily take shelter from the wind, where fresh water supply points are scarce, and marked as areas affected by monsoons, reef areas, and the usual voyage route).

The route from the south to Guangling Port (marked as an important hub at the mouth of the Yangtze River, a base for the Jin Army's navy, and a bustling commercial hub) is also very clear. Even the two sandbar anchorages on the north bank of the river are marked as partially visible at low tide, requiring guidance from someone familiar with the waterways. The near-shore route and the possible ocean currents, monsoon changes, surrounding islands, and dangerous areas are all clearly explained.

Finally, returning to Qu County, the map marked the detailed shorelines, landing mudflats, and freshwater locations of seven islands, including Qu County Port, Yuzhou Island, and Xiaozhu Island. Next to the map was a summary text.

This sea area is crisscrossed by waterways, with varying density of anchorages. Controlling key points ensures the establishment of supply lines, trade routes, and intelligence networks; losing them is like a blind man navigating a boat, at the mercy of wind, waves, and human relationships. With the current north-south confrontation, the importance of these sea routes is even greater than before.

Staring at the slowly unfolding map, the previous leisurely mood vanished, and even the breathing subconsciously became lighter.

With this map, Xiao Heng felt he could dominate the seas.

He instantly thought of many things, such as how to make smuggling transactions with the North safer and more covert in terms of route selection.

Which sea route would be the safest for future communication with Guangling? If the Qin navy were to sail south from Donglai, what places might it pass through, and where could warnings or ambushes be set up in advance? Are those marked dangerous areas and bandit-infested zones targets that need to be cleared or avoided in the future?

This strategic understanding of the geographical environment, especially in an era of poor communication and scarce nautical charts, was simply invaluable!

"Great! That's wonderful!"

Xiao Heng couldn't help but cheer.

Just as he was getting excited, the bamboo pole in his hand was suddenly pulled down by a strong force, bending into a breathtaking arc, and he almost slipped out of his grasp.

"My lord! A big fish! A really big one!"

His guard's exclamation brought him back to reality.

Xiao Heng then noticed the immense force of the struggle coming from his hands. He perked up and immediately gripped the bamboo pole tightly with both hands, beginning to wrestle with his prey in the sea.

After a considerable effort to retrieve and release the fish, a large, silvery, unidentified sea fish was pulled ashore, slapping its tail against the rocks.

Looking at the unexpectedly large fish, and thinking about the even more precious nautical chart in his mind, Xiao Heng was in a great mood.

He tossed the fish into the basket and smiled at his guards.

"Looks like we're in luck today, with a good catch both in the water and on the shore. Let's go back!"

He picked up the fish basket and walked briskly.

He was thinking that he needed to immediately summon Xu Xianzhi, Han Yong, Lu Da, and other subordinates familiar with maritime affairs, as the defense and trade routes in the East China Sea needed to be changed.

......