Things are not as Xu Zhou imagined.
Yesterday Xu Zhou led his troops to probe and then retreat, harboring some intention of luring Wu troops into attack. Wu's military strength was greater, and it was even more necessary to cut off external reinforcements during the siege. logically speaking, their desire to fight should be even stronger.
Today, in the north of Fan City, besides the 8,000 men from yesterday's Quan Zong's force and the 4,000 men from Bu Zhi's force, Pan Jun's force in the east also sent 4,000 men.
This nearly equal force to Xu Zhou's is deployed at a place five miles north of Fan City, and no further action is taken, as if waiting for Wei troops to attack.
After riding horses to the front to investigate, Zuo Shi returned to the camp and dismounted to report to Xu Zhou:
"Report to Master Xu, today the Wu army is even more rigid than yesterday; they are just forming their ranks and not moving northward."
"What about the military strength?" Xu Zhou asked softly.
Zuo Shi bowed: "It seems there are several thousand more than yesterday."
Xu Shu nodded slightly: "Good, I understand. Lead your troops into the formation."
"Understood!"
After Zuo Shi entered the formation, Xu Zhou rode on his horse and calmly looked to the south. At this point, the distance between Wei troops and Wu troops was only three miles, similar to the situation yesterday when they faced each other.
Seeing that Xu Shu was not speaking and did not issue any military orders, Jiao Wei, the captain who had been waiting nearby for a long time, moved closer to ask:
"Please allow me to report, Master Xu. Do you have any military orders? If we just remain in place here, I can also deliver this message to General Shen in the left wing and General Wen in the right wing."
Xu Zhou was silent for a moment, and then turned to look at Jiao Wei: "I have a question for you."
Jiao Wei bowed and replied, "If Master Xu has anything, please just order your servant."
Xu Zhou nodded gently: "I only ask you one thing. Which of General Shen's troops runs faster, or General Wen's?"
Jiao Wei hesitated: "What does Master Xu mean? The servant is not quite clear..."
"It's just a literal question," Xu Shu said. "Which division runs faster?"
Jiao Wei thought for a moment before speaking: "Master Xu, your question is difficult for the servant to answer. However, if we talk about the strength of the divisions, General Wen's division is definitely better than General Shen's. And my four thousand men are among the most useful of General Wen's hundred thousand."
Xu Zhou glanced at Jiao Wei, and then said immediately: "Since you volunteer, I have a task for you and your brother. You are both from the WU Weidai Camp. Don't let me down."
A look of joy appeared on Jiao Wei's face, and he immediately bowed and said, "Please give the order, Master Xu! The servant will follow without hesitation."
Xu Zhou stroked his beard and said, "The map of Xiangfu and Fan, all of you officers have seen it completely a few days ago. Do you remember it in your mind?"
Jiao Wei pounded his chest heavily: "The servant has it all memorized!"
"Okay." Xu Zhou pointed to the east: "Fifteen miles east of Xiangfu is Yuquan Pass. The Wu army has built a fortress there. You and Wei Xian, along with your two brothers, lead your division to Yuquan Pass. Do not attack the Wu army's fortress, but only explore it from the outside and return. You can also receive my orders early and return quickly. When you retreat, if you encounter the Wu army, go north-west and avoid fighting."
With the military order received, Jiao Wei naturally agreed. But there was still a bit of confusion on his face.
Xu Shu calmly explained: "The mountains and rivers, the geography around Xiangfu, are all in my mind. The Wu army has blocked the Han River, and besides the Fish Bridge Island in the river, there is no other place where they can station a large army for a long time. Since the Wu army needs to attend to both sides of the Han River, there is a higher possibility that they will be stationed on Fish Bridge Island."
"Today the Wu army seems to be acting abnormally." Xu Zhou slightly raised his head and pointed south: "I sent you to attack the east by feigning a frontal assault on Yuquan Pass. If the Wu army withdraws from the range of Fan City, follow them eastward, and there will be no troops available at Fish Bridge Island. If they defend this place, there will definitely be preparations at Fish Bridge Island."
"Understood."
Jiao Wei received the order and departed, and Xu Shu led the two thousand soldiers under Zhao Gu here, and also summoned the entire division of Wen Tai, which had four thousand soldiers.
As expected, just half an hour after Wei Sheng and Wei Xian, the Wu army also changed its formation and sent out a part. The most eastern Fengwei General Pan Jun led four thousand soldiers to follow Wei Sheng and Wei Xian.
After hearing the scout report, Xu Zhou snorted and shook his head, and then ordered General Wen Dai beside him:
"I have already learned about the enemy's strength and weaknesses. Send someone to pass on a message to Wei Sheng and Wei Xian, telling them to walk northwest at three o'clock in the afternoon."
General Wen Dai bowed and agreed: "And what should we do in this situation, Master Xu?"
Xu Shu smiled lightly: "General Wen, why ask more? As long as you are by my side, follow my orders at the time."
"Yes, the servant understands." General Wen Dai slightly bowed.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Xu Zhou's 12,000 infantry soldiers who stayed north of Fan City and Wei Sheng, Wei Xian and the others two northern camps simultaneously retreated northwest. The full moon camps below were also relieved for a moment.
In Xiangyang City, east of the city, news had already reached Quan Zong from the Wu King. Today, nearly ten thousand Wei soldiers had launched a surprise attack from within the city of Xiangyang. The four camps outside the city commanded by Zhuge Jin were also destroyed by the Wei soldiers, resulting in an estimated one thousand casualties. The Wu King's expression was not good, and the overall situation of the battle was being evaluated.
For the others in the north of Fan City, today to maintain this status is already appropriate.
……
In Xuchang City, more than six hundred miles northeast of Xiangyang, Cao Rui had just stood up from behind his desk, ready to return to the palace for the evening meal, when an eunuch outside announced that Liu Ye, the Right Supervisor of the Censorate, was requesting an audience.
"Let him come in."
Cao Rui sighed slightly and sat back in his chair.
Liu Ye hurried in and handed up a military report with both hands: "There is an urgent military matter reported from General Man's camp, Your Majesty, please take a look."
"Man Chong? What could be urgent at his camp?" Cao Rui reached out and grabbed the military report from Liu Ye's hand, opened it slightly and looked at it for a few seconds before closing it and putting it down on the desk.
Cao Rui tapped his right index finger lightly on the desk, looked up at Liu Ye in front of him, and said: "You've seen this military report, right?"
"Yes, I have read it," Liu Ye replied.
"What did you think?" Cao Rui asked.
Liu Ye bowed and said: "Kebi Neng, a barbarian, will die. The various tribes of the Xianbei and Wuhuan on the grasslands are not the same as the inner land of Wei. The death of a leader will not leave many loyal subjects behind him, but rather more examples of tribal fragmentation."
"The current decision to be made is how to select a new leader from the Western Xianbei to continue accepting the court's enshrinement."
Cao Rui thought for a moment before asking: "Your meaning is that we should make the Western Xianbei similar to the Han Turks, with their leaders all being enshrined by the court and following this as a custom?"
Liu Ye nodded: "This is exactly what the subject means. However, since Kebi Neng has died, the successor to the Western Xianbei should not inherit the title of Single Ruler. Give him the title of Duke, and grant him another Listening Prince as well. That would be enough."
Cao Rui said, "I have been to Yanmen and have a general idea of the situation in the Western Xianbei. There was a son-in-law of Kebi Neng who had some disloyalty before; I forget his name, what was it called again?"
"He Qibu," Liu Ye said. "This was the second son-in-law of Kebi Neng, and his first son-in-law Yuju, died in Tuqiu Zhonggong's hands in Taihe one."
Cao Rui smiled and teased, "So the Western Xianbei seems to be quite a relationship with its sons-in-law. If this division always lets a son-in-law succeed, that would be interesting."
After the tease, Cao Rui gradually became serious: "I have an idea. You should discuss it with the Marquis of Zhi together and see how we should proceed."
Yes, it seems like Cao Rui wants to discuss it with Sima Yi again.
Man Chong dispatched a messenger from Hebei specifically to consult on this matter. As for the future arrangements involving the Western Xianbei, it was unclear whether they should fall under the military-oriented Censorate or under the bureaucratic Ministry of Works.
Man Chong took the initiative to take on this matter, and while there are merits in his willingness to take on responsibility, in Cao Rui's view, the division of responsibilities should be clear. This matter must certainly be decided jointly by the Censorate and the Ministry of Works.
Liu Ye bowed and said, "Please show the way, Your Majesty."
Cao Rui calmly said, "Now the Western Xianbei are showing weakness. The weaker they are, the more likely they are to fall apart. If we let Tian Yu send people to the Western Xianbei and contact influential figures among them. If anyone can respond to the imperial call and dispatch more cavalry for service, we will support that person to be the Duke of the Western Xianbei. How does that sound?"
"This..." Liu Ye thought for a moment, "I understand the meaning of Your Majesty's words. In summary, it is still like the situation at the beginning of the year in Yanmen, using military force to pressure their tribe, forcing them to compromise. The more they compromise, the more cavalry they will send to serve under the Great Wei, and their tribe will become even weaker."
"Your Majesty, Your method is indeed very good. As for the specific implementation, Your servant will discuss it with the Ministry of Works and then hand it over to Tian Yu to carry out."
"Very good." Cao Rui nodded slightly. "This chapter is complete."
