Defeated like a mountain, these five characters indeed capture the essence.
The grand army that Wu Jun could barely maintain disintegrated instantly as officers and elite troops withdrew.
As the troops near the hills abandoned their armor and supplies in a rush, running southward. From the northern heights where the Wei army was located, it seemed for a moment that the mountains and fields were filled with scattered soldiers of the Wu army running hither and yon.
While the part closest to the Wei army, many knew that running was hopeless, and their minds were captivated by the awe-inspiring presence of Wei army cavalry. They even discarded their weapons and sat down in place, no longer willing to carry the burden of fighting for days and nights with their exhausted bodies.
Upon seeing thisarray, Sima Yi quickly said to Cao Rui: "Your Majesty, the Wu army's formation has collapsed. Quickly let the cavalry charge the Wu army's formation to the junction between the southern hills. Leave all the Wu troops who have surrendered or hesitated in place here."
As Sima Yi had just finished speaking, Liu Xie interjected, "Your Majesty, what Lord Sima has said is correct. Quickly dispatch General Wang Ling's troops to the mountains to cut off the southern and northern roads, trapping those fleeing Wu commanders!"
Cao Rui asked, "Where should Cao Tai be at this moment?"
Sima Yi said anxiously, "Your Majesty, we should not hesitate for even a moment at this time. Please give the order quickly. Cao Tai has already been walking for more than a day. How can we find him in a short time? First, let King Wang Ling and Hu Zhi lead their troops south into the mountains."
Cao Rui, no longer hesitating, issued orders directly according to the two men's arrangement. In an instant, tens of thousands of cavalrymen moved once more.
At this time, the setting sun on the western side was gradually sinking behind the mountains.
Unlike the rapid gallop of tens of thousands of cavalrymen at this moment, Cao Rui left the battlefield to Cao Xu and the two hundred thousand central infantry soldiers led by Cao Zhen, who had just arrived. He led his thousand tiger guards westward slowly, advancing at a leisurely pace to the camp at Guache.
It was now past nightfall, and Zhuge Jin in the Wu army's camp in Wan City was still awake, with the lanterns in his tent still burning.
With the sound of urgent horse hooves, the messenger rode directly to the front of Zhuge Jin's military tent and dismounted quickly. He rushed into the tent and paid respects to Zhuge Jin before speaking of the military situation.
"General, General, something terrible has happened!"
Zhuge Jin furrowed his brow, threw his brushpen onto the table, and stared at the messenger, saying, "What do you mean by 'something terrible has happened'? Quickly tell me what it is."
The messenger panted heavily, trying to catch his breath. After a few moments, he continued, "The messenger found... when I arrived at Guache in the middle of the day, he discovered... that the grand administrator's troops had already passed through Guache and moved eastward. Guache was recaptured by Wei troops!"
"What did you say?!" Zhuge Jin widened his eyes. Lu Sun had an army of 80,000 men. If what the messenger said was true, then they must have been cut off east of Guache by now? That would be in great danger of collapse!
Even though Zhuge Jin had always maintained an exquisite temperament, he suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his mind and said to the messenger, "You need not be in a hurry. Tell me in detail, one by one, when you arrived at Guache and what you saw."
After carefully listening to the messenger's report, Zhuge Jin quickly wrote down in haste, quickly drafting a military report and calling his close bodyguards into the tent: "Take this military report and send it urgently to Wan Kou, and send it to the supreme ruler. Send ten people and bring thirty horses. They should take turns riding to ensure the fastest speed possible!"
The personal guards did not delay, and after receiving their orders, they left the tent and immediately set off southward. Zhuge Jin then told the messenger, "You will stay next to my grand tent tonight. Do not speak of what you have seen to anyone else!"
The messenger nodded repeatedly.
Wan City is 55 li away from Qiankou, and Qiankou is more than 80 li away from Sun Quan's camp at Wan Kou. A total of 135 li, ten close bodyguards riding at their fastest speed southward, when the military report arrived in Wan Kou, it was already early in the morning of the twelfth day.
The ten close bodyguards and thirty horses had reached Wan Kou, but there were only four guards and eight horses left. The remaining six men had mostly fallen off their horses during the night ride and were forced to stay behind.
originally, Sun Quan's life at Wan Kou was quite leisurely.
Sun Quan was not skilled in commanding troops, and he has always been more involved in the defense against large-scale military actions from Shu Han and Cao Wei, which were mainly directed by generals. Sun Quan only stayed at the rear to coordinate logistics and troops, which was much more comfortable than being on the front lines.
Of course, this does not apply to Sun Quan's 'training troops' in Hefei.
According to usual routine, the military reports from Wan City's grand camp would arrive in Wan Kou in the afternoon. However, the urgent report brought by the messenger today clearly indicates that something important has happened.
Upon hearing the messenger's arrival, Sun Quan stepped out of the house and saw the weary appearance of the messenger. Sun Quan was surprised for a moment: "What has happened in Wan City? Quickly tell me!"
Several messenger soldiers arrived at the Wan Kou fortress of Wan Kou after reaching Wan Kou. Seeing Wu King, they were so exhausted that they sat on the ground directly. At this moment, they could hardly speak, but they took out Zhuge Jin's military report from their pockets and handed it over to Sun Quan.
Sun Quan eagerly took it from them and, upon opening it, his expression changed instantly. He mounted his horse and rode towards the shipyard without delay.
He Qi, who controlled the navy, lived on board the ships moored in the dockyard. When Sun Quan rushed towards the dockyard, He Qi did not have time to get off the ship. He shouted to Sun Quan from the ship.
"Supreme ruler, what has happened?"
Sun Quan looked up towards He Qi and shouted urgently, "Lord He, quickly lead all the navy to the north with me, full steam ahead. There is an alert in Wan City!"
He Qi realized the seriousness of the situation. The ships were originally used for command, and he quickly ordered someone to strike the drums to signal the navy to immediately set sail.
Wan Kou dock was originally a fortress built on the banks of Wan Kou, used for defense. Upon hearing the drum signals, it did not take long for Sun Lüban, the daughter of Sun Quan who had just awoken and was still wearing her dress, to quickly run out of her house.
Before Sun Lüban had reached the dock, He Qi's fleet had already begun to set sail, one ship after another.
The personal guard of Sun Quan, Song Qian, stopped Sun Lüban and bowed respectfully and said, "Master, Your Majesty has received the military report from Wan City and has rushed to the direction of Wan City. Before leaving, he entrusted me with guarding Wan Kou and protecting Your Highness."
Sun Lüban was in a panic and stomped her foot, but she could not help it.
...
On the morning of the twelfth day.
In addition to Cao Xu leading 40,000 troops, including 20,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry from the central military, who advanced westward towards Wan City first, the remaining troops at Guache were mostly busy with cleaning up the battlefield.
After several days of fierce fighting, the Wei army still suffered many casualties.
The Right General Zhu Gai, who had originally led a 10,000-man cavalry unit and was one of the earliest to arrive at Guache, suffered casualties that reached nearly 2,000 due to the full-length battle.
Yesterday, the army of Man Chang, who was driven eastward by Wu troops until they scattered and fled, originally had 15,000 infantrymen and only gathered less than 10,000. The later-arriving troops of the outside army led by Le Cheng and Xu Shu, which originally had 15,000 men, also suffered nearly 3,000 casualties.
It can only be said that although it was a real defeat and retreat, if the defeated troops had encountered reinforcements in time, and there was nowhere to go on the battlefield, the vast majority of them would still be able to return to their original formations. However, they would need time to regroup before fighting again.
Yesterday, Cao Xu led the 30,000 horsemen, who fought a fierce battle for a day and drove the Wu army's formation and faced the Wu army's bows, resulting in casualties of nearly 1/10, with approximately 3,000 people injured.
Jia Qi's 6,000 infantrymen, who first fortified a camp at Wujiangkou and then blocked the Wu army's massive forces on the road, also suffered nearly 1,000 casualties.
Only the central infantry troops led by General Cao Zhen, who arrived at the battlefield later, remained unharmed. They are currently under the command of Cao Xu and heading west towards Wan City.
The damage situation of the troops led by Wang Ling, who blocked the Wu troops in the mountains, has not been reported to the emperor yet.
It can only be said that although Wei troops won the battle, they suffered at least 5,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry casualties, which was quite gruesome.
However, compared to the Wei army, the Wu army suffered much more heavily.
Yesterday evening, after the generals of the Wu army fled into the hills to the south, around 40,000 Wu troops were blocked by the cavalry and surrendered at the spot.
About 20,000 Wu troops who escaped into the southern hills were also killed in the battle.
Without exaggeration, it can be said that the 80,000 Wu troops who set out from the grand camp at Wan City have almost been completely wiped out.
However, among the Wu military leaders, there were still two generals who caught people's attention, that is, Zhu Huan who led 20,000 troops to attack Guache and Pan Jiang who led more than 1,000 troops northward after the Wu army disbanded.
Zhu Huan died in the charge of Xiahou Ru's cavalry. However, according to the direction of Zhu Huan's death, it seems that Zhu Huan did not intend to retreat but rather made a counter-attack against the Wei cavalry.
Pan Zhang was killed by the charge of General Cao Hong's cavalry. Dying on the battlefield is indeed a duty of a general.
It can only be said that Zhu Huan and Pan Zhang died trying to achieve their own ideals, and Cao Rui also ordered their bodies to be brought back to Shouchun and buried with honor.
The remaining Wu commanders should still be wandering and struggling through the mountains at this moment.
The distance from Guache to Wan City is 90 miles, and the distance from Guache to Wan Kou is nearly 100 miles. In winter without supplies, it's unclear how these people can survive in the mountains for days. There are also numerous Wei cavalry patrols along the route from Wujiangkou to Guache and to Wan City.
Furthermore, the 40,000 Wei troops are already heading towards Wan City. The two ten thousand Wu troops hidden in the mountains can hide for how long?
Cao Rui and the other senior officials were naturally discussing the next military assignments at the Guache camp.
Sima Yi bowed and said, "Yesterday, as the sun was setting, the mounted troops of various units encircled the Wu army and ordered them to disarm and sit down in place. It wasn't until after dawn today that they were divided into small camps."
Cao Rui nodded. Today, long before capturing the Wu troops, it was known that there were only 10,000 troops guarding Wan City and Sun Quan had no more than 10,000 troops at Wan Kou.
Cao Rui said, "Guess, everyone, when General Sima Yi goes to Wan City, will Sun Quan also go to Wan City? With Cao Xu's 40,000 troops heading to Wan City again, it must not be as in the original history where he was ambushed, but rather that he will easily lift the siege of Wan City and recapture it."
Even Xin Pi, who was always serious, smiled and bowed his hand: "Your Majesty, do you remember the letter written by Sun Quan to Liu Bei in January of Year 18 of the Jian'an era?"
Cao Rui had read through the dictionaries and documents of Cao Cao and Cao Pi, so he was well aware. With a smile, Cao Rui said, "But that sentence, 'Spring water is just beginning to rise. You should leave quickly. If you don't die, I will not feel safe?"
Xin Pi nodded in agreement.
Cao Rui stood up, with his hands behind his back, walked for a moment, turned around with a smile, and said to Xin Pi: "Xin Servant, let you write for the emperor. This time, don't write 16 characters, just write 8."
Xin Pi bowed and asked, "Dare I ask Your Majesty, what should be written?"
"Spring water is just beginning to rise, you should leave quickly," Cao Rui slowly said with his hand behind his back: "Today, I will repay this eight-character sentence to Sun Quan as if it were for the Lord of Shu."
The officials present all clapped their hands and laughed.
(Chapter ends)
