My Sims of the Eastern Jin Dynasty

Xiao Heng didn't ask any more questions, but turned around and continued climbing upwards.

Deng Jing hesitated for a moment before following behind him. The mountain path became increasingly difficult as they walked, and Xiao Heng even had to use both his hands and feet. After passing through a section of jagged rocks and lush forest, they finally made their way through the mountains.

The view suddenly opened up, with rolling mountain ridges and lush forests at your feet, and the vast sea in the distance. The direction of Qu County was hidden on the horizon behind the rain and mist.

The wind grew stronger, and Xiao Heng squinted, suddenly lowered his head and spoke, his voice somewhat erratic in the wind. He pointed to the horizon where the sea met the sky in the distance.

"I've heard that ancient alchemists often used these isolated mountains at sea as their abodes, taking elixirs and refining pills in pursuit of immortality. When clouds and mist rise, pavilions appear and disappear, which they say is the opening of a fairyland. Wendu, do you believe in these things?"

Deng Jing was taken aback, not expecting Xiao Heng to bring this up. He smirked and said dismissively.

"You believe in immortality?"

Xiao Heng was not surprised by his answer. Instead, he nodded and continued as if chatting casually.

"Yes, the path to immortality is ethereal and ultimately illusory, but everyone has some real aspirations in life. What are those aspirations of the general?"

Deng Jing's body suddenly tensed up, as if he had been pricked by an invisible needle.

Xiao Heng didn't wait for his reply and continued talking to himself.

"Murong Yan has now established a foothold by plundering salt farmers in Qu County, seemingly securing his position. But with his methods, how can there not be internal resentment? And that so-called 5,000-strong navy, hastily assembled and a mix of Xianbei and Han soldiers, how much of it truly has the will to fight? The commander is Murong Lie, whom I've heard is even less capable than Murong Yan!"

Deng Jing looked southwest. He understood the unspoken meaning in Xiao Heng's words, but the stark disparity in strength between the two sides was the true reality.

"Even if there are internal strife within their ranks, even if their commander is arrogant, they can overwhelm the isolated island with their overwhelming force. We are exhausted and short of supplies, what can we do? Once they complete their encirclement by land and sea, advancing step by step, our army... will find it difficult to achieve anything!"

He shook his head, a judgment based on common military sense, not out of cowardice.

Xiao Heng knew he couldn't beat around the bush, and he was very satisfied that Deng Jing hadn't been led astray by hatred.

Facing the wind, Xiao Heng presented the solution provided by the simulator.

"Look here, the dock, the only place where large ships can dock. If the enemy wants to launch a full-scale landing here, they will have to pay a bloody price first and delay them for a long time."

"Look here again, this lake on the mountainside is the lifeline. Strongholds were set up around the lake to store food and weapons. This place is the last resort, and also a hub that commands the view and supports other places."

"Finally, here it is!"

Xiao Heng pointed to the location of the sand embankment that Han Yong and his men had used during their surprise attack.

"The tides here are high, and the sandbar is exposed for about two hours each day after the tide recedes. If many archers are laid in ambush behind the dense forests and reefs on both sides of the sandbar, this sandbar will become a bloodbath!"

"..."

Deng Jing's gaze followed Xiao Heng's finger closely, his pupils contracting. He was the one who led the repairs of the dock, but he had never been to this place before.

After listening to Xiao Heng's entire proposal, Deng Jing hesitated. The proposal was bold enough, but also too idealistic.

This plan is no longer a simple defensive strategy, but rather a defense fraught with danger. It takes into account terrain, tides, water sources, and even the psychology of both sides. Although it is cruel, every step is extremely risky.

Before Deng Jing could reply, Xiao Heng took a deep breath and said the most crucial words.

"I entrust this plan, along with all available troops, supplies, equipment, and even myself, entirely to you. How to allocate forces, when to abandon the front lines, and when to launch a counterattack—all these decisions are yours alone. I have only one request!"

"Use whatever method you prefer to teach Murong Yan a lesson he'll never forget!"

The mountain wind howled, and Deng Jing stared intently at those few spots, pondering them repeatedly, before looking up at Xiao Heng's confident eyes.

He had seen that look before, and in a daze, he even thought of the training ground when he was twelve years old.

The sun was blazing, making the bluestone ground of the training ground almost hot.

His father personally shoved a long spear into his hands; the bronze shaft was so hot it felt like a red-hot branding iron, making his hands tremble.

"Afraid?"

The boy bit his lip, first nodding instinctively, then shaking his head violently, his hand gripping the spear shaft already starting to ache.

His father suddenly burst into loud laughter, the sound so loud it made his eardrums ring.

The next moment, his father pressed his palm against the back of his hand and thrust forward with great force, leading him to complete his first thrust in his life.

The spear tip sliced ​​through the air with a sharp whistling sound, but the father's voice deepened in his ears, carrying the authority he used when training soldiers.

"When you're on the battlefield, don't be afraid!"

"kill!"

Another thrust, the force of the shuddering spear traveling through his arm and throughout his body.

"The more afraid you are, the less you can see in front of you. If you are not afraid, all you will see will be a line—the line from the tip of your spear to the throat of the enemy general! Only this line will remain in the world; everything else will be nothing but weeds!"

"Treat the insignificant as insignificant, and leave life and death to life and death! Kill!"

"..."

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the drill ground, which should have been filled with shouts and commands, was unusually quiet.

Deng Jing led his men straight to the natural sandbar on the west side of the island. The sandbar was flooded by the sea in the morning light, and he even tried walking on it himself.

They then scouted the surrounding area, searching for the best defensive positions and deployment strategies.

Then he led everyone to the mountain road leading east. The mountain road was rugged, with steep cliffs on one side and dense bushes on the other. Every place where they could land was marked.

In the afternoon, the group headed to the shallows to the north.

The seawater here is exceptionally clear, with numerous underwater reefs. Ignoring the coldness of the seawater, Deng Jing measured the depth of the shallows step by step, and had an experienced boatman familiar with the sea routes mark the passable waterways. Finally, he selected several defensive points where he needed to be stationed.

They then surveyed the port and the lakes on the hillside.

For two whole days, Deng Jing traversed every key area of ​​Yuzhou Island, memorizing the advantages and disadvantages of each terrain and the available resources.

That night, Deng Jing took the nautical chart drawn by Xiao Heng, compared the two, and began to sketch in the blank spaces.

The map gradually revealed clear terrain markings, troop deployments, and attack and defense routes. It showed where to ambush, where to lure the enemy, which fast ships were responsible for harassing the grain ships, and which soldiers were responsible for guarding the passes. Every detail was planned in a detailed and appropriate manner.

Late at night, Deng Jing finally put down his pen, let out a long sigh, and on his desk, a complete battle plan had been completed.

Meanwhile, at this moment, at a remote dock near Qu County.

An inconspicuous fishing boat was quietly approaching the shore under the cover of night.

On the dock, Jiang Qianzhi and three others had already hidden in the shadows under the pier.

Once the fishing boat came to a stop, the group quickly crouched down and boarded the boat.

The boatman on the fishing boat didn't say a word, but raised his hand to give a secret signal. Then he turned the boat around and sailed back into the vast night. The sails were tightened, and the boat sailed silently into the deep sea, propelled only by the oars.

More than an hour later, the fishing boat arrived at Xiaozhu Island.

The island was sparsely lit. Beside a sheltered mudflat stood two familiar figures, Xiao Heng and Han Yong, both dressed in close-fitting clothes, clearly having been waiting there for some time.

As soon as the fishing boat docked, Xiao Heng quickly went to greet it. Jiang Qianzhi jumped ashore first and stepped aside to let the person behind him pass.

When Xiao Heng saw the person's appearance, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He then respectfully cupped his hands in greeting, his tone exceptionally solemn.

"Thank you, Sima!"

The visitor was Xie Shao, the captain of Xie Xuan's personal guard and son of Xie Wan, the military advisor.

Previously, when Xiao Heng was still serving in the honor guard, he was under Xie Shao's command. Now that Xie Xuan had sent this confidant to deliver a message, it was clear that the matter was of great importance.

Xie Shao also knew that Xiao Heng was no longer the same as before, and was no longer the ordinary halberd bearer he once was.

He stepped forward, returned the salute with clasped hands, and his gaze swept over Xiao Heng's resolute face, his words full of admiration.

"Sanlang is truly a hero! His troops are far inferior to the Qin army, yet he has managed to hold the island against a Qin army of ten thousand men. His courage and ability are so great that even my family brother (Xie Xuan) praises him highly."

After saying that, he took out a tightly sealed letter from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Heng.

"This is a letter personally written by the general, instructing me to deliver it to Sanlang in person."

Xiao Heng did not open the letter immediately. After taking the letter, he carefully put it into his pocket, then raised his hand and made a gesture of invitation, and said in a deep voice.

"The wind is strong at sea, and this is not the place to talk. Xie Sima, please come inside with me to discuss this further."