Chapter 120: The Shockwaves Through Xu Capital

After parting ways with Zhang Xiu, Shen Chen immediately rushed to Biyang.

Gan Ning was stationed there with his troops. By now, he commanded nearly seven thousand men. Had it not been for the fear of inciting suspicion from Liu Biao, this force could have easily swelled to twenty or thirty thousand. The number of troops one can maintain depends entirely on the amount of arable land and the size of the population within one's territory. During the Qin and Han dynasties, it generally required twenty to thirty farmers to support a single combat soldier.

Currently, Shen Chen held actual control over two counties: Xinye and Biyang. On the eve of the Battle of Guandu, when Liu Bei moved south, more than one hundred thousand commoners from Xinye voluntarily followed him, which indicated that the actual population of Xinye was far greater than one hundred thousand. Adding the population of Biyang, as well as the Yellow Turban refugees settled in the two counties after the campaigns in Runan and Nanyang, the combined population had long since exceeded three hundred thousand.

More importantly, in Huangmen Pavilion alone, a population of thirty thousand had cultivated two hundred thousand mu of land. Through the use of composting techniques, yields had increased significantly. Based on the alternating cultivation of millet and wheat at the time, with an average annual yield of six to seven shi per mu, and accounting for a 20-30% increase in productivity, the output of those thirty thousand people in Huangmen Pavilion could reach seven to eight hundred thousand shi annually—no less than the output of the tens of thousands of Yellow Turban troops settled by Cao Cao.

Therefore, both Gan Ning and Shen Chen possessed ample grain reserves. With their current stockpile of approximately six million shi, they could have supported an army of fifty thousand for three and a half years. However, Shen Chen knew that although Liu Biao appeared benevolent, he was, in reality, deeply suspicious. He did not distrust Shen Chen only because Shen was tied to Deng Hong, who had married into the Cai family and was thus viewed as "one of their own," allowing Shen to act freely.

In contrast, when Liu Bei arrived in Xinye, he attracted many heroes who wished to serve him, which aroused Liu Biao’s suspicion. Later, the plot by Cai Mao and Kuai Yue to assassinate Liu Bei at a banquet likely had Liu Biao’s tacit approval. Consequently, Shen Chen could not afford to expand his army recklessly. Furthermore, expanding an army involved more than just grain; weapons, equipment, tents, supplies, training, and discipline were all major challenges. Thus, Shen Chen focused on a small, elite force. The soldiers of Huangmen Pavilion were trained as special operations troops, emphasizing small-unit coordination, high individual quality, and strict discipline—valuing quality over quantity.

Upon arriving at Biyang, the two joined their forces and marched north in a grand display. In the spring of the fifth year of Jian'an (200 AD), the army of Shen Chen and Gan Ning reached Duyang, their spearheads pointed directly at the heart of Yingchuan, including Ye County and Kunyang.

At that time, Cao Cao was not yet at Guandu; on the eve of the battle, he had too many issues to resolve. First was the "Sash Incident" from the end of the previous year. Although suppressed, it left significant political repercussions; Kong Rong and other royalists realized Cao Cao’s true colors and began to undermine him. Second was Liu Bei’s assassination of Che Zhou in accordance with the secret decree, after which he fortified Xiaopei and attracted many followers. Cao Cao was forced to march east to defeat Liu Bei, driving him to flee north to join Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao was unaware of the secret decree at the time, but he had already prepared for war, sending his vanguards Yan Liang and Wen Chou to attack Baima and Yanjin, respectively. After defeating Liu Bei, Cao Cao hurried north to provide relief and was currently along the Yellow River, facing off against Yan Liang and Wen Chou at the river crossings.

In other words, from the time Shen Chen set out at the end of the fourth year of Jian'an until he reached Nanyang in the first month, Cao Cao was still dealing with the aftermath of Liu Bei’s flight. Yan Liang and Wen Chou were still alive and attacking Baima and Yanjin.

However, Shen Chen could do nothing else, as he was blocked at Duyang. Cao Hong had occupied Ye County and was holding it, making it impossible for Shen to pass through the Nanyang Basin into Yu Province. The two sides were now in a standoff.

They remained in this stalemate for over a month. By the second month, Cao Cao had already defeated Liu Bei and arrived at the Yellow River for the Battle of Baima. Around the third or fourth month, Cao Cao utilized Guan Yu to slay Yan Liang, lifting the siege of Baima, and employed Xun You’s strategy to kill Wen Chou before retreating to Guandu. Yet, Shen Chen remained stuck at Duyang.

In history, Zhang Xiu had surrendered by this time, and Cao Cao had dispatched Cao Hong to garrison Wancheng to guard against Liu Biao. But since Zhang Xiu had not surrendered, Cao Hong remained stationed at Ye County, with Man Chong and Li Tong stationed behind him in Yu Province.

Duyang in the Han Dynasty corresponds to the Fangcheng County of Nanyang in later ages. Geographically, there is a massive canyon between Fangcheng and Ye County, with the Funiu Mountain range on both sides. The Ye County of the Han Dynasty sat exactly in the middle of this canyon. Although the canyon was quite wide—twenty kilometers from north to south—this Ye County was an obstacle that had to be overcome. If Shen Chen were to bypass Ye County and head straight for Yu Province, Cao Hong could attack from the rear, while Li Tong and Man Chong defended from the front, supplemented by reinforcements from Li Dian, Xiahou Yuan, and Xun Yu in Xudu. This would likely result in the annihilation of his army in Runan or Yingchuan.

Strategically, Shen Chen had to remove the thorn of Ye County embedded in the gateway of Nanyang. However, in the age of cold weapons, sieges were notoriously difficult. For instance, Lu Bu’s siege of Liu Bei’s Xiaopei lasted over half a year; Yuan Shao’s siege of Zang Hong lasted a year; and Cao Cao’s siege of Xiapi lasted three or four months. Had Lu Bu’s subordinates not mutinied, it could have lasted even longer. Thus, with his current strength, it was not easy for Shen Chen to take Ye County, which was held by the renowned general Cao Hong. Unless there was an internal mutiny, a frontal assault could take a very long time.

From the first month until now, they had surrounded Ye County. Grain could not be transported in from the north, though Shen Chen did not know how much food was left inside. He could only prepare for a war of attrition.

By mid-third month, as spring transitioned into summer, the weather grew increasingly hot. Outside the walls of Ye County, at the camp of Shen Chen’s army, he stood inside his tent, staring at a map in deep thought. Over the past two months, he had organized several assaults on Ye County, all of which had been repelled by Cao Hong. Based on the many military treatises and historical cases he had studied, Shen Chen had employed tactics such as digging tunnels, feigning attacks in the east while striking in the west, and besieging three sides while leaving one open—all of which Cao Hong had seen through.

This left Shen Chen lamenting that Mencius was right: "To believe everything in books is worse than having no books at all." Except for the legendary experience of that great man who, upon starting his career, used over a hundred students and twenty rifles to force the surrender of three thousand warlord troops, no one was born knowing how to fight. Even Cao Cao’s early success was accumulated through countless defeats. While the knowledge in books was correct, it had to be applied according to reality. For example, a feigned attack might work against a mediocre general, but Cao Hong was a veteran who had followed Cao Cao on numerous campaigns; he would not fall for such low-level tricks.

As with Lian Po, a frontal confrontation with the Qin army was not a source of fear; the only issue was the grain supply. Therefore, war in reality was not just about studying a few books; it required dealing with different situations differently. Like Yuan Shao consuming Zang Hong, or Cao Cao using water to flood the city and psychological warfare against Lu Bu, Shen Chen had to devise his own strategy.

"We have been gathering intelligence during this time. Cao Hong currently has five thousand troops. A large amount of grain was shipped in from Yu Province last year—likely over a thousand carts—enough to last a year."

"Given the current situation, a siege and waiting for reinforcements or simple attrition will not work. Cao Hong has enough grain, and Man Chong and Li Tong are not fools; they won’t come to rescue him while he is well-supplied, and they are undoubtedly keeping a close watch."

"However, the Battle of Guandu will conclude this year. If I haven't broken Cao Hong by then, and the battle at Guandu ends, it would be disastrous if Cao Cao came to rescue him personally."

"So, what method can I use to break the city?" Shen Chen pondered silently.

Fighting Cao Ren and Le Jin had not been this troublesome because they had come to him. Now, attacking the fortified Cao Hong was truly difficult. Aside from those two previous engagements, this would be the first major battle he had commanded from start to finish, and it was a siege at that. To achieve his first victory, every aspect had to be perfectly considered.

"Ah-Chen."

At that moment, Gan Ning, shirtless, ducked into the tent. As soon as he entered, he grabbed the water skin from the table, took two large gulps, and said, "That Cao Hong is determined to die in the city. No matter how much we taunt him, he won't come out. What are we to do?"

"He won't come out no matter how we taunt him?" Shen Chen had a sudden flash of inspiration. "Uncle Xingba, if you were Cao Hong, inside the city, under what circumstances would you come out to fight?"

Gan Ning did not hesitate. "That’s easy. If our army was defeated, he would certainly pursue."

"Anything else?" Shen Chen asked.

Gan Ning scratched his head. "Maybe if Xudu were under attack?"

Shen Chen’s eyes lit up. "If I use a detachment to feign being the main force and launch a surprise raid on Xudu, do you think Cao Hong would come out?"

Gan Ning thought for a moment. "Only if he believes our main force is truly heading north."

Shen Chen mused, "That is not impossible."

"What’s the plan?"

"March at night, set up camp by day."

"How is that a plan?"

"Think about it, Uncle Xingba. When we march at night, we will have the soldiers carry extra torches. The enemy scouts won't see the specific number of men clearly and will inevitably estimate our strength by the number of torches. When we camp during the day, the enemy won't dare to get close to count us; they will judge our strength by the number of cooking fires. We just need to build extra fires."

"The problem is that a detachment lacks sufficient strength. I heard Cao Cao still has a large number of troops in the heart of Runan and Yingchuan. Sending a small detachment into danger is like asking for death," Gan Ning pointed out the most fatal flaw.

This strategy was a gamble. A detachment venturing deep into Runan, where Cao’s troops were everywhere, risked exposing their true strength and invited great danger. During the Long March, many detachments that posed as the main force to relieve pressure faced encirclement by large enemy forces and ultimately perished. Thus, while the plan might be effective, it was extremely dangerous and relied heavily on the leadership of the detachment commander.

Shen Chen replied, "War is essentially a psychological game. I must guess Cao Hong’s mindset. He is determined to hold Ye County. If I want to defeat him, I must force him to move. There is no other way."

"Then who will lead this detachment?" Gan Ning asked.

Shen Chen did not hesitate. "We will begin packing up the camp today. Tonight, all troops will bypass Ye County and move north. You, Uncle Xingba, lead the main army into Lushan, and I will lead three thousand men from Huangmen Pavilion to feign an attack on Xudu."

Gan Ning was surprised. "Ah-Chen, think carefully. This plan is too dangerous. I still advise against it."

"It’s not as dangerous as it seems, because I won’t actually attack Xudu." Shen Chen pointed to the map. "Look, Uncle Xingba. Based on our intelligence, the Cao army is deployed in Ye County, Kunyang, and Wuyang. I suspect the rest are in Sili, Xudu, Runan, and Shandong."

"Why so?" Gan Ning asked.

"Cao Cao is attacked on all sides. Sun Ce defeated Huang Zu at the end of last year and is likely reorganizing his troops to attack Xudu. Yuan Shao holds the north and is attacking Cao Cao with three routes from Sili, Yan Province, and Shandong. Cao Cao cannot afford not to divide his forces. While Liu Bei is in the south, he is kept in check by Zhang Xian. The only others who can threaten him are us and Zhang Xiu, so he cannot station too many troops in Nanyang."

This analysis was correct. Cao Cao’s true enemy was Yuan Shao, whose main force had already begun crossing the river and was heading for Guandu. Cao Cao had to concentrate his strength against Yuan Shao. Historically, Cao Cao only brought thirty or forty thousand men to Guandu to fight Yuan Shao. This did not mean that was his entire army. Cao Hong was stationed in Wancheng with only four or five thousand men just to guard against Liu Biao. Li Tong and Man Chong were in Runan not to guard against Liu Biao, but against Sun Ce. Zang Ba was in Qingzhou, while Yu Jin and Le Jin commanded five thousand infantry and cavalry in Sili. Another portion was in Xudu protecting—or rather, guarding—Liu Xie.

Therefore, although it appeared Cao Cao had deployed many troops to guard against Sun Ce and Liu Biao, in reality, the other routes were also defending against Yuan Shao, stationed in Qingzhou, Xuzhou, and Sili. This remained the case now. Cao Cao had increased his deployments in Nanyang, with five thousand men under Cao Hong in Ye County, and three or four thousand more in the rear at Kunyang and Wuyang. Man Chong and Li Tong had seven or eight thousand in Runan. Xudu held nearly ten thousand. The rest were in the north. If the troops in Sili and Shandong were included, Cao Cao’s force defending against Yuan Shao exceeded sixty thousand.

Shen Chen continued pointing at the map. "There are few troops in Kunyang and Wuyang. If I lead a detachment north, I will likely only face the troops from Xudu and reinforcements from Runan. As long as I avoid a direct confrontation, I can retreat at any time."

Ye County sat in the middle of the canyon, while Kunyang and Wuyang were at the exits on either side. These three counties formed a triangular defense. However, by bypassing the Han-era Ye County and slipping between Kunyang and Wuyang, one would be in the heart of Yingchuan, where the only defense was Xudu. If Kunyang and Wuyang were a mouth, once through them, it would be like the Monkey King entering the demon’s belly, capable of turning Cao Cao’s heartland upside down. Xudu would be shaken, and even if Cao Hong did not want to leave the city, he would be forced to.

"Hmm..." Gan Ning pondered for a long time. "Ah-Chen, are you sure about this?"

Shen Chen nodded. "We must try."

"Very well," Gan Ning said. "Then I will follow your lead."

The two did not hesitate. Shen Chen immediately ordered the army to pack their gear and simultaneously began crafting hundreds of three-pronged torches. These torches were placed a meter apart, and with soldiers marching three meters apart, there were three torches within every three-meter span, making it appear at night as if there were three soldiers instead of one. In this way, the three thousand men of Huangmen Pavilion could be disguised as nine thousand. Scouts would inevitably be misled, greatly inflating the perceived number of troops.

They did not use the torches while bypassing Ye County. More than ten thousand men marched in the middle of the night, moving north in a grand column. Within one night, they covered dozens of miles, slipped past Wuyang and Kunyang, and approached Xiangcheng.

Suddenly, Xudu was thrown into turmoil!