The 15,000 soldiers under the command of General Man Chong, from Shouchun, marched south without stopping for a day. On the seventh day, they arrived at Wuqiangkou. Early on the eighth day, they began an urgent march to the west and reached Zhu Gai's camp at Guacheng on the ninth noon.
Upon receiving intelligence from the mounted messenger dispatched by General Zhu Gai to Guacheng from Ju Gai, Man Chong learned that the Wu army of 50,000 was advancing towards Guacheng. Upon his arrival at Guacheng, General Man Chong's 15,000 men wasted no time. They immediately began excavating trenches and erecting barricades of antlers on the western side of Guacheng. They extended defenses outside the west side of the two northern and southern passes for a distance of six li.
After the preliminary formation of Man Chong's defense line, Lu Xun's massive army of 50,000 had already been closing in on Guacheng. However, as the sun was setting, Lu Xun did not rush to attack and instead fortified his position and prepared to launch a new attack the following day.
In today's era, nocturnal combat indeed presents significant challenges. Besides the obvious limitations imposed by lighting conditions and the inherent difficulty in vision for troops, there are also crucial factors such as the difficulty of command during nighttime engagements and the challenges faced by commanders in assessing their own deployment situations.
Lu Xun's forces showed no slackness, even after dark. One-third of his troops were still arrayed outside the camp, ready and waiting. The two armies were too close to each other, only five li apart, and being on a plain, it was unavoidable for Lu Xun to be cautious.
At dawn on the tenth day, before the Wu army was about to launch a new offensive, Lu Xun summoned the commanders of each army to his large standard.
Dressed in full armor and with a solemn expression, Lu Xun addressed the commanders of his forces, saying, "The Wei troops occupy Guacheng. We learned last night and this morning that the flags of Cao Xu, Zhu Gai, and Man Chong are all here."
"Cao Xu, though a Marshal, is actually merely a frontier commander of the general supervisor of the armies in Yangzhou. Both Man Chong and Zhu Gai are under Cao Xu's command, and in addition, the troops of Jia Huai, whose movements are not yet clear, are all just military forces around Yangzhou."
"Regarding the Wei army's defense line, I have already climbed the northern hill at dawn to observe it, and found it to be loose and lengthy. Judging by the size of the camp, the Wei troops amount to no more than 30,000, among which there are cavalry that cannot be idly consumed in the camp. The infantry in the camp does not exceed 20,000."
"And at this moment, our army has a total of 50,000 men. With 50,000 against 30,000, the great Wu will surely conquer them! Moreover, Zhu Huan is about to lead his 20,000 troops and General Bu Zhen's 10,000 men to the battlefield this afternoon."
"The advantage is on our side! Within two days, I, as the commander-in-chief, ask you to attack Guacheng and establish glory for the supreme ruler!"
The generals all took their commands and left.
When the number of soldiers exceeds ten thousand, from the perspective of someone who has never received professional training, it is absolutely boundless and endless.
Standing at a high point in the camp, General Man Chong looked at the approaching Wu troops near the Wei army's position, his brows and eyes filled with worry: "General Zhu, how did your cavalry scout this morning? I observe that the Wu military offensive here is at least 10,000 from south to north."
Unlike siege works, field fortifications are often constructed over a longer and broader area, which allows the attacking side to bring more men into the fray simultaneously.
Zhu Gai said: "Yesterday, Qian Quan's army numbered about 20,000. And today, Lu Xun has led his army here. It is clear that the army he is leading is significantly larger than Qian Quan's. Therefore, based on this, the total number of the Wu army should be no less than 50,000."
Man Chong sighed lightly: "I arrived here yesterday, with only 15,000 men at the time. I'm afraid it won't last long."
Zhu Gai seemed much more relaxed than Man Chong, as his cavalry wouldn't have to participate in the defensive works: "The reinforcements sent by the emperor are due to arrive today, aren't they? Maybe by noon?"
Man Chong answered: "The 15,000 troops of Le Shen and Xu Zhuo should arrive anytime now. I'm worried that the Wu army will receive further reinforcements."
"If, as your Majesty says, the Wu army here is only 50,000, there are still several thousand more who have not arrived yet."
Zhu Gai spread his hands: "Can we hold out against the Wu army for another day and night? This morning, I received an imperial edict that indicates the emperor has plans to withdraw us, although the exact time has not been decided."
The six-li defense line places significant pressure on Man Chong: "General Zhu, one of your staff officers, surnamed Zhou, wasn't he the one who previously went to see Qian Quan? After this Wu army's attack passes, let him go to the Wu army's camp and delay them for a while."
Zhu Gai frowned: "Will Lu Xun see him? I'm afraid he won't even reach the Wu army's camp before being shot."
Man Chong shook his head: "If he dies, it can only be said that he was unlucky. Let him go. In the name of the Marshal, tell the Wu army to release the garrison of Wan City, and then we will withdraw our troops."
Zhu Gai didn't want to say anything else. After bidding farewell to Man Chong, he immediately went to look for his staff officer Zhou Tao. A staff officer's life is so insignificant in the midst of tens of thousands of troops arrayed against each other that it can be discarded at any time as a stake.
The Wu army, waiting for the Wei army to become tired, had each of their troops assembled at Wankou by boat, which meant they traveled less than the Wei army. With high morale, they posed a significant challenge to the Wei troops behind the defensive works.
The sun was high at noon, marking the end of the Wu army's two waves of rapid attacks in the morning. Many bodies of Wu soldiers lay on the flat ground and in the ditches west of Guacheng. The situation for the Wei army was similarly not optimistic, although their casualties were slightly fewer than those of the Wu army, but they still had a substantial amount of work to repair the defenses.
After receiving the order, Zhou Tao led the mission to the Wu army's camp for the second time. However, this time's mission was much less friendly than the first.
Zhou Tao had just walked two li when he was about one li away from the Wu army's camp, a hail of arrows were fired from the front, embedding themselves within 20 zhang (about 20 meters) in front of Zhou Tao's horse.
Zhou Tao dared not be complacent and quickly waved the small flag he carried. A detachment of Wu cavalry knights then galloped out and tied Zhou Tao up, placing him on the back of a horse, and directly captured him to their camp.
Lu Xun is no ordinary person. Although the Wu army's offensive has paused at this moment, it is just a normal adjustment and rest. Lu Xun is not planning to stop the urgent attacks today, but only to receive a visit from an envoy of the Wei army, which will not take too much time.
Shortly thereafter, Lu Xun's personal bodyguards threw Zhou Tao in front of Lu Xun's hall. Sitting coldly on the hall, Lu Xun watched Zhou Tao with a cold expression. The generals around him were more numerous than those in the array of General Zhu Huhan, and their eyes were quite fierce.
Zhou Tao crawled up from the ground with a wry smile, but his hands were still tied behind him: "I am Zhou Tao, staff officer of the Marshal, and I come to pay respects to the general of the Wu army."
Lu Xun looked at Zhou Tao and asked, "What does Cao Xu send you here for? Are you here to delay time?"
Zhou Tao said: "Are you General Lu?"
Quan Zhong, standing beside him, interjected, "He is General Lu, our grand commander. Have you not saluted yet?"
Zhou Tao looked at Quan Zhong and said, "My hands are bound by your army, so I cannot perform the formal gesture of respect."
Lu Xun looked at the guards and raised his chin. The guards understood their general's intent, so they untied Zhou Tao's hands.
With his hands freed, Zhou Tao bowed and saluted Lu Xun: "General Lu, the Marshal sent me here to discuss a truce with you."
Lu Xun raised his eyebrows: "Your camp is about to be conquered by me, and you still talk about a truce?"
Zhou Tao replied: "General Lu's offensive is indeed fierce, but your army has also suffered many casualties. Our grand marshal said that if General Lu can return the garrison of Wan City to Great Wei, our grand marshal will negotiate a truce with General Lu. Even the territory of Guacheng, our grand marshal is willing to give it to General Lu."
Lu Xun asked softly, "Is this the personal intention of Cao Xu, or is it the decision of your court?"
Zhou Tao said: "The grand marshal commands military affairs in Yangzhou. Whether it is his personal intention or the decision of the court, there is no difference."
Lu Xun smiled coldly. How could the Wei court agree to a truce with Wu troops and even give up the territory of Wan City? It must be that Cao Xu, newly appointed as the Marshal, in order to seize power and maintain his position, had no choice but to negotiate secretly with Lu Xun.
But Lu Xun was aware that whether a contract is spoken, written, or even in ink, none can truly count. It all depends on how the battle is fought!
Lu Xun looked at Zhou Tao and said, "I understand your meaning. Go back and tell Cao Xu that I will consider it."
After Zhou Tao bowed in salute, he hadn't even finished speaking when he was dragged out of the camp by the guards. The horse Zhou Tao had ridden when he arrived, was now nowhere to be seen. It was clearly confiscated by the Wu army.
Zhou Tao hurried towards his own position. But before he had gone less than a li, the golden and drum sounds from the Wu army camp echoed again. Zhou Tao did not hesitate and ran eastward urgently, while the new wave of the Wu army's attack surged towards the Wei army's position.
Just as Le Shen and Xu Zhuo led the remaining 15,000 troops from Yangzhou arrived here, adding a bonus of 10,000 men to Man Chong's army. At the same time, Zhu Gan led his 30,000 troops arrived here as well.
The Wu army of 80,000 faced the Wei army of 30,000 infantry. Although it was impossible for 80,000 soldiers to rush at once, the sheer military might was enough to allow the Wu army's attacks to be rotated every hour. The continuous assaults were like waves pounding against rocks, causing the temporary fortifications of the Wei army to shake unsteadily.
At this moment, on the tenth afternoon, Emperor Cao Rui and Marshal Cao Xu, with a combined force of 35,000 cavalry, also arrived at a place thirty li east of Guacheng.
These 35,000 mounted soldiers were known as the "foundation of the Wei army". Emperor Cao Rui and other officials such as Cao Xu, Marquis of Yin, and Zhuge Liang were busy distributing the battles in front of them.
Cao Rui said, "Marshal Cao Xu, the 15,000 troops of Le Shen and Xu Zhuo should have arrived at Guacheng by now. Zhu Gai sent word that from dawn to the afternoon of today, the Wu army's attacks were extremely fierce, and they are now on the verge of collapse."
Cao Xu nodded: "They should have arrived by now. I have been to Guacheng several times. If the Wu army's 50,000 men are attacking Man Chong's 15,000, it is indeed extremely dangerous. But if Man Chong's force gains another 15,000 in reinforcement, they should be able to hold out for another two days."
"Although two days, I don't want to wait." Cao Rui sighed lightly and looked at Sima Yi: "Master of the Ministry, if we follow the original plan, how many casualties can we expect for Man Chong, Le Shen, and Xu Zhuo's 30,000 troops?"
Sima Yi was silent for a moment: "Your Majesty, now is not the time to calculate casualties. The next morning when the Wu army launches their attack, let all troops in Guacheng retreat. Whether there are more or fewer casualties, as long as our strategic objectives are achieved, it is well worth it."
Cao Rui looked at Cao Xu: "Marshal Cao Xu, follow the original plan and issue orders to Man Chong. Have him withdraw eastward after dawn tomorrow."
Cao Xu nodded in agreement, and then immediately went to arrange for messengers to be sent.
(The end of this chapter)
