Korean variety shows are still good, after all, he is the son of Han Dang, and he often gets to see King Wu Sun Quan. Zhan Dan is just a leader of a thousand soldiers, but he actually knelt down and kowtowed directly in the tent at this moment.
Cao Rui spoke softly, "Don't worry, I'm not going to eat you. Han Yin, I remember your father Han Dang was from Liaoxi Prefecture, right?"
The emperor was being courteous to him, and he dared not return the favor. Han Zong quickly knelt down on the ground and said, "Llord, it is indeed true that my father is from Liaoxi."
Cao Rui said, "How did the outstanding figures from Liaoxi come to be in the Eastern Region? Your father is from Liaoxi, and you are naturally also from Liaoxi. Returning to the Great Wei is only right."
"Han Yin, the Sun governor beside you comes from Zhongshan, just like your hometown of Youzhou, so there is a hometown friendship between you two. Please get to know each other better."
Sun Li bowed and agreed, while Han Zong was almost in tears at this moment: "I... I am grateful to Your Majesty for your great kindness."
Cao Rui waved his hand and said, "As long as it serves the country, I will not be stingy with rewards. Ah, Zhai Yin?"
Zhan Dan looked up and replied.
Cao Rui said, "Han and Zhai, the two of you will have a total of 5,000 infantrymen. In this battle, they will be under the command of Governor Wang Ling of Qingzhou. Get up now."
Han Zong and Zhan Dan got up immediately and paid a courtesy call to Wang Ling. Wang Ling greeted him with a bow.
Cao Rui immediately said, "Both of you return to your respective departments. Early tomorrow morning, join Governor Wang and advance westwards."
Both men took their orders without asking too many questions and slowly retreated out of the tent. At this moment, there were only four people left in the tent: Man Chong, Wang Ling, Sun Li, and Hu Zhi.
Today is the seventh day of January.
At around the late afternoon of the same day, a force of 15,000 men led by former General Man Chong, 8,000 men led by Governor Wang Ling of Qingzhou, 5,000 men led by Administrator Sun Li of Lanyang Prefecture, 2,000 men led by Administrator Hu Zhi of Dongguan Prefecture, as well as two defectors from Wu who were led by Han Zong and Zhan Dan and had a total of 5,000 men under their command. This amounted to a total force of 35,000 soldiers and arrived at Wushuikou.
Cao Rui walked to the front of the map, and what was being explained by Cao Rui himself at this moment was the truly important arrangement for the battle.
Cao Rui took a light breath and pointed to the position of the chariots on the map: "There are 180 li from Wushuikou to Wuancheng. The town of Guacha, located 90 li in the middle, is the most dangerous place. Now that Zhu Gai's cavalry of over ten thousand has occupied Guacha, but their troops are not enough, and more infantry need to be sent to this place."
"Set out early tomorrow morning, give you a day and a half, you must complete the ninety li and reach Guacha by noon on the ninth. " Turning around, Cao Rui looked at the few people: "Governor Sun."
"I am here." Sun Li quickly answered with a bow.
Cao Rui pointed to the map and the rolling hills to the south of Guacha: "From the map, if you go south of Guacha and cross over the hills for a hundred li, you can directly reach Wu's entrance to their army at Wucheng."
"Governor Sun, you are to go ahead and clear a path from Guacha to Wucheng for me. Go as fast as you can. This concerns the country's grand plan. I am entrusting this matter to you. If there are subsequent orders, I will have Wang Ling pass them on to you."
Sun Li bowed and answered, "I will not fail to live up to Your Majesty's trust."
"Governor Wang." Cao Rui looked at Wang Ling's face: "I entrust you with a false node. Let you be in charge of Hu Zhi, Han Zong, and Zhan Dan's three departments."
"After reaching Guacha on the ninth, your own detachment of 8,000 men will head directly south into the hills, find a hidden location to camp, and I will have you launch a surprise attack on Guacha later."
"Hu Zhi, Han Zong, and Zhan Dan's three departments, with a total of 7,000 men, will proceed from your camp to the west in the hills. You must block all Wu forces in the hills. If they are insufficient, your own detachment will provide additional support."
After listening to the emperor's arrangement, Wang Ling bowed and said: "I am grateful for Your Majesty's trust. I am willing to die for my country."
Cao Rui slightly shook his head: "As the governor, leading 15,000 people is not something to boast about. In any case, unless I issue an order, you must remain in the hills south of Guacha and block all Wu forces. You are not allowed to leave the mountains."
Wang Ling quickly agreed.
Finally, Cao Rui walked up to Man Chong and took both of Man Chong's hands.
Man Chong is over six feet tall and built robustly, with a stern and resolute face. Compared to the emperor's height, he seems to be an inch taller. Cao Rui addressed Man Chong and said, "General Man Chong, your 15,000 men will camp at the western mouth of Guacha on the ninth. The outcome of this battle depends on you."
Man Chong had just heard the emperor tell Wang Ling to stay in the mountains, assuming that the emperor intended for him to block the Wu forces with his own troops, and immediately said, "I obey your command. I will certainly block the Wu forces at Guacha."
Cao Rui cut off Man Chong's words: "As for when to block them and when to let them pass, I will issue an edict to you in a few days."
Several commanders in charge of troops left one by one. And tomorrow, there will be another 35,500 foot soldiers who will march westwards. The military force at the front will soon reach a total of 45,500.
...
The second day, the seventh day of the first month.
To his surprise, Quan Quan did not expect to see Zhu Gai's cavalry appear on the riverbank not far away just as he was about to lead his troops to the east to complete the tactical task given to him by Major General Lu Xun.
Quan Quan was not afraid of death and he was not saying that he couldn't defeat Zhu Gai's 4,000 cavalry. And he was worried that even if he could complete the task given by Major General Lu Xun to go 30 li further east, it would be obvious like yesterday that he couldn't establish a camp.
Moreover, Quan Quan himself had not slept at all last night.
Until the afternoon, the cavalry on the riverbank opposite the 'Cao Wei Major General' banner was still staring at Quan Quan's troops without moving. Quan Quan understood that his military orders had been cancelled, and he couldn't delay any longer. So he ordered his messenger to quickly inform Major General Lu Xun at the main camp in Wuancheng to request assistance.
When Lu Xun received the message, it was already dusk on the seventh day of January.
In the central tent of the camp at Wuancheng, Lu Xun was discussing military matters with many officers of Eastern Wu. As the discussion was winding down, Lu Xun said firmly, "In my opinion, the Wei cavalry is waiting for the arrival of their infantry behind."
"And the key to this battle lies at the location east of Wuancheng ninety li, at Guacha! Quan Quan's army is still 60 li away from Guacha. I think it would be better to seize Guacha first and determine whether to allow Wei forces to surround Wuancheng later."
Standing up from the desk, Lu Xun held the hilt of his sword and looked around at the officers in the tent: "Gentlemen, I will lead 30,000 men to aid Quan Quan's troops tomorrow! If anyone has any different opinions, now is the time to speak."
The officers in the tent were all silent. The king of Wu had invited Lu Xun to be the grand general precisely to lead troops, and leading troops eastward is what should be done. Why would he need to ask us?
However, Zhu Huan looked around at the people around him, and spoke carefully: "Grand General, the subject has a question to ask."
"Go on!" Lu Xun slightly narrowed his eyes and looked at Zhu Huan, speaking only one word.
Zhu Huan carefully bowed and asked, "Grand General, the subject volunteers to be the advance force. Can I accompany the Grand General on the march tomorrow?"
Lu Xun said without expression, "The 30,000 men under my personal command will set out tomorrow. As for General Zhu's 30,000 men, after leaving 10,000 to lock down Wuancheng, the remaining 20,000 and the detachment of Right General Bu Zha will set out eastward together on the day after tomorrow."
"General Zhu, which department do you intend to select in Wuancheng?"
The question was thrown back to Zhu Huan, a scene that was strikingly similar to a few days earlier when Lu Xun ordered Quan Quan to lead his troops eastward.
At that time, Quan Quan looked around at the generals in his army and left the highest-ranking Right General Bulao Zhi in Wuancheng's camp. He then took the remaining 20,000 people and set out.
Zhu Huan replied: "Grand General, it would be better to leave the Left General Zhuge Jin's department to lock down Wuancheng and serve as our rear support."
Lu Xun looked at Zhuge Jin, who was rather helpless at this moment. Since he held a higher rank than Zhu Huan, being left here by Zhu Huan was inevitable.
As the Eastern Wu officers discussed their plans for deployment, with Wei and Wu both dispatching reinforcements towards Guacha, a battle that would be inevitably filled with bloodshed was unavoidable.
On the eighth day of January, early in the morning, Grand General Lu Xun led his own detachment of 30,000 troops northeastward.
By noon, Lu Xun's 30,000 troops had reached the camp next to Quan Quan's camp and immediately halted their advance to begin constructing a camp. The arrival of Lu Xun's 30,000 men was also sufficient in numbers to defend against any potential raids by the Wei cavalry.
Therefore, on the evening of the eighth, the right division general and Northern Commander of Wu, Quan Quan, finally had a good night's rest.
On the morning of January ninth, Quan Quan's two thousand troops, or more accurately, one thousand nine hundred people, set out as the advance force to cross the river and form an array towards Guacha.
Quan Quan led the way, followed by Lu Xun. With nearly 50,000 infantry pressing forward, Zhu Gai's cavalry dared not approach. By evening, the 50,000 Wu troops had reached the camp of the Wei army at Guacha.
At the same time, another division general under Zhu Gai, Song Wei, had also arrived at the foot of Tianzhu Mountain to deliver a message to Wu's garrison in Wuancheng.
The mountain path was winding and treacherous. Although the straight-line distance was only thirty-five li, Song Wei, after leaving Zhu Gai's troops, traveled ten li north into the deep mountains before heading west with his 200-man detachment to avoid being discovered by Wu scouts.
It was winter now, and the mountain climate was cold, with many ups and downs and dangerous paths. Therefore, those who had twisted their ankles or fallen were all gathered and attended to by Song Wei.
On the seventh day, nearly twenty people had been injured and left behind.
On the eighth day, there were even more people lost than the day before, with nearly forty people injured and left behind.
By the evening of the ninth, when Song Wei led his troops to reach Tianzhu Mountain, there were only a hundred men left of his trusted followers. Marching quickly through the deep mountains, half of their non-combatant casualties had occurred within three days.
Upon reaching the agreed-upon location, Song Wei did not waste any time and immediately pulled out the incendiary materials. He began burning the mountains on a hillock closest to Wuancheng.
At this point, there was no such thing as 'jail time'. The north and south ends of Wuancheng were surrounded by camp fortifications of Wu troops, and the 5,000 defenders within the city were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Wei troops.
The Wu troops had been surrounding Wuancheng for seven days. During this time, the 5,000 soldiers within the city had suffered approximately 2,000 casualties.
General Guo Yue, a captain general, who was in command of the troops from the northern part of the state and had moved to Ancheng with Jia Qiao for operations in Huainan, now stood on the city wall, surveying the defenses and directing troops to repair damage sustained during daytime combat.
As Guo Yue was walking back and forth, a soldier next to him shouted, startling Guo Yue: "General, General! Look at the north mountain! It's on fire!"
Guo Yue immediately realized what was going on. From the city wall, he could see that the north and south sides of Wuancheng were fortified by Wu troops, and the Wu army's main camp extended for dozens of li to the east. The Wei army couldn't possibly pass through.
This fire was surely the signal sent by our own lieutenant governor to send us a message!
Guo Yue's eyes grew even more resolute, and with an effort to control his emotions, he addressed the many soldiers beside him: "The Wei relief troops are on their way! Brothers, hurry up and repair the defenses; the relief troops are coming to save us!"
(This chapter concludes)
