At the western side of Yuliangzhou, where it faces the river, as Sun Quan spoke these words, not only did he himself look closely at Sun Deng's face, but all the ministers around also turned their gaze towards him.
Know that the enemy situation facing three places - Xiangyang, FanCity, and Yiyukou, is completely different.
Xiangyang was under siege, Fancheng was attacking and surrounding points to cut off supplies, and Yiyukou was defending. If the importance is calculated, Yiyukou is the most difficult, Fancheng is the second most difficult, and Xiangyang is the easiest.
Where Sun Deng wishes to go is not just a simple multiple-choice question; it is also an important question that Sun Quan uses to test Sun Deng's true intentions.
If he were a general, it would be the correct decision to ask to go to Yiyukou and Fancheng, the two most dangerous places. This would show bravery in front of Sun Quan. However, as the Crown Prince and the future successor of Wu, the stable Xiangyang is more suitable for him.
With everyone watching, no one came up with a move for him anymore. Sun Deng thought for a moment, then bowed and said:
"Since it is for the Wei army, Your Imperial Son can go to any of the three places," Sun Deng chose a clever answer: "As for where I should go, please Your Majesty to show me."
Indeed clever! Sun Quan's corner of the mouth raised, and he laughed lightly a few times.
For this campaign, the total number of the Wu army is approximately seventy thousand.
General Bu Zhiyuan led ten thousand troops and, along with General Pan Jun, who also commanded ten thousand troops as the Vigorous Valor General, they attacked Fancheng from the west and east respectively.
The most important Yiyukou place is under the responsibility of General Quan Nanchuan, who is currently in a hurry to build a Yiyukou Fort.
The troops responsible for the siege of Xiangyang are led by General Zhang Jun, who commands ten thousand men.
Among the remaining thirty thousand, besides the four thousand soldiers stationed at Yicheng and Nao County along the Han River, there are also Sun Huan's troops advancing upstream along the Han River. The rest of the troops are stationed on Yuliangzhou Island.
Sun Quan laughed for a while, shook his head, and pointed to the southwest: "Go and find General Zhang Jun."
"To besiege a city, there are many things to do, such as setting up barricades, building camps, establishing strongholds, and building dams. All of these are must-know skills for a general. Attacking a city is even more complex. It includes digging trenches, building earth mounds, making weapons and tools, and digging tunnels. Each of them is a key to victory."
"On your first time accompanying the army, I don't expect you to learn everything. More observing, more asking, more listening, and less doing. Do you understand?"
"Your Imperial Son bowed deeply and said: 'I understand, Your Majesty. Now may I take a boat to go there?'"
"Go ahead," Sun Quan nodded and said: "Take the four people behind you with you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
After Sun Deng bid farewell, he and the four others led by Zhuge Ke left together, packing only a few things and walking towards the pier.
"Now that we are going to General Zhang's place, Yunxun brother will be more at ease," Sun Deng looked at Zhuge Ke with a relaxed expression: "Yunxun brother has not yet entered the camp of General Zhang during wartime, has he?"
Zhang Xiu also teased and asked, "Indeed, how much of General Zhang's military strategy has Yunxun learned?"
Zhuge Ke smiled and said, "The mere art of warfare is something I can handle easily. My father has been leading the army as the Supreme Commander for a long time, and my uncle is in charge of the army in the west attacking Wei. As a descendant of the Zhuge family, how could I not know how to use the army?"
After that, Zhuge Ke made a gesture of invitation with a smile on his face, indicating that Sun Deng should go first on the boat, and said at the same time: "The Crown Prince is the son of the Supreme Leader. In the future, he must inherit the family business. And I Zhuge Geng, will continue to serve as the Crown Prince's general after my father!"
"Ha ha ha..."
As the laughter of everyone echoed, the oil ship slowly left the pier and headed towards the dock on the northeast of Xiangyang, facing the river along the Han River.
Although Zhuge Ke's words were somewhat unconventional, according to the current political traditions of Eastern Wu, they were quite reasonable. The top military leaders of Eastern Wu each had their own troops, and father-to-son succession was the norm. The position of Commanding General, the title of General, and the troops under command could be inherited for generations with few exceptions.
In comparison, it contrasts more with the progressive selection system of the northern Great Wei.
If evaluated objectively, the present Xiangyang and Fan City area seems to have been tailor-made for the battlefield for Wu and Sun Quan.
The Yuliangzhou Camp was stationed in the middle of the Han River, with Fancheng to the north and Xiangyang to the south both on the waterfront. The farthest distance between Fancheng in the north and Xiangyang in the south is about seven to eight li, and it is also about ten li away from Yuliangzhou. The northeastmost Yiyukou, which is at a further distance from Xiangyang City, is only twenty li away from Xiangyang City and about five li away from Yuliangzhou.
The three places—Xiangyang, Fancheng, and Yiyukou—are all along the Han River, controlled by the Yuliangzhou Camp. The only place without troops is the direction where Sun Quan retreated to Wuchang.
Sun Quan truly understands military strategy. The choice of these battlefields and the Yuliangzhou Camp is indeed quite good. Even if they cannot win, a complete retreat is also safe.
But there is a problem.
The seven hundred thousand troops are divided into five parts, attempting to be present and careful in all places. But when they are scattered to a specific place, their combat power may not be sufficient.
