Chapter 123: A Strategy to Kill Two Birds with One Stone

Night had fallen, and Xiangcheng was wrapped in silence.

The city had been occupied by Shen Chen’s army. Of his three thousand men, only a small number stood guard at the various gates, while the rest were taking advantage of the time to rest. They had arrived at Xiangcheng around noon and, by nine in the evening, had enjoyed nearly eight hours of ample sleep.

Shen Chen, however, had only slept for four or five hours in total, and even that was fragmented. He rose nearly every hour to patrol the gates and soothe the populace. Proclamations reassuring the public were posted throughout the city, and Shen Chen personally led soldiers to visit the local elders and Confucian scholars of high repute, explaining that he had come on the authority of the Emperor’s secret decree to crusade against the traitor Cao, not to rebel or harm the people.

Interestingly, while the elders and scholars were initially skeptical and unwilling to cooperate, their attitudes shifted dramatically once Shen Chen mentioned he was a close friend of Sima Hui. Sima Hui was a native of Yangzhai, only thirty or forty kilometers from Xiangcheng, and his reputation for virtue was known to all in Yingchuan. Upon hearing that Shen Chen was a friend of Sima Hui and receiving his personal guarantee, they naturally placed their trust in him.

After entering the city, Shen Chen’s army committed no transgressions. Apart from occupying the county government offices for rest, the soldiers were strictly disciplined and caused no harm to the interests of the people. This high level of conduct among the Huangmen Pavilion troops was due to the superior quality of their officers and the small, manageable size of the force. These officers originated from the group of over one hundred clansmen who had moved south from Xuzhou—mostly members of the Deng and Shen families and the old Huangmen Pavilion. They were the most obedient and disciplined contingent.

Upon arriving in Nanyang, Shen Chen had required them all to learn to read and write. He also integrated himself into the lower ranks, ensuring every officer maintained tight control over their respective squads. Before this campaign, he had prepared a document, copied it dozens of times, and issued it to every officer. It contained the "Three Main Disciplines and Eight Points for Attention." He mandated that officers ensure their soldiers strictly adhered to these rules, declaring that anyone who disobeyed would be executed, even if they were a kinsman. Under such solemn discipline, the three thousand soldiers displayed the spirit of the Yue Army—"neither freezing to death in a house nor starving to death while plundering." Even in their exhaustion, they did not rest until Shen Chen had secured the county government office.

By midnight, Shen Chen returned from his final patrol of the city walls to the government office. By then, the soldiers had mostly finished resting and were taking their turns guarding the ramparts. Only a small number of those who had guarded the gates during the day were still scattered, sleeping on the floors of the office. He did not force them to sleep on the walls, for it was the turn of the seasons between spring and summer, and Yingchuan, being in the heart of the Central Plains, was prone to sudden, light afternoon rains after sunny mornings. He had no choice but to let them rest inside the government building.

Once inside, Shen Chen began to summarize the situation. The strategic purpose of this solo northward push was to force the garrisons of Ye, Kunyang, and Wuyang to emerge from their cities for a decisive battle. If things had gone well, Gan Ning should have already annihilated Cao Hong’s forces, leaving only the Cao armies at Kunyang and Wuyang, along with the forces at Xudu that could strike at any moment.

Shen Chen believed it was impossible for the Cao forces in Xudu to allow him to linger near the capital; they would almost certainly come to Xiangcheng, perhaps even marching through the night. Therefore, according to his calculations, he would need to evacuate Xiangcheng in an hour or two and return to the Kunyang area to pincer Liu Dai.

Could he turn this ruse into reality and actually capture Xudu? Previously, when Gan Ning proposed this, Shen Chen had deemed it unrealistic. To march north and truly attack Xudu might deceive Cao Hong, but it could not fool Liu Dai and Wang Zhong, who were behind him; one could not attack Xudu without passing through Kunyang, and they were not blind. Once he attacked Xudu, he would face a pincer attack from Cao Hong, Liu Dai, Wang Zhong, and the Xudu garrison. Even Li Tong and Man Chong from Runan would return, trapping him on three sides. Even if he reached the outskirts of Xudu, it would be meaningless, as he would likely be surrounded and annihilated. Thus, under those circumstances, a direct assault on Xudu was impossible.

But what about now? Shen Chen pondered rapidly. He understood the situation in Xudu perfectly. The inner city served as the palace for Liu Xie, while the officials and civilians resided in the outer city. The outer city wall had not yet been built, making its defenses purely ornamental. Therefore, whether he truly intended to attack or was merely bluffing, his presence in the Xiangcheng area would mobilize all Cao forces in Yingchuan, Runan, and Nanyang, drawing them frantically toward him. Just like Li Yunlong attacking the Ping'an County seat, the surrounding Cao forces could not risk ignoring him. As long as he remained in Xiangcheng, they would come—they had no choice.

If he used this opportunity to play a time-gap game—if he were to strike north toward Xudu while the capital’s garrison was marching south toward Xiangcheng—that would be interesting.

However, Shen Chen had to consider another issue. Even if the Xudu forces came, it would not be all of them; they would certainly leave some behind. Even if his three thousand men reached Xudu, they would at most cause a great shock. As long as the remaining defenders held out, his three thousand men would eventually perish. Therefore, Xudu was still not an option.

Shen Chen faced two paths: the cautious and the radical. The radical path was to strike directly at Xudu—highly risky, but with massive potential gains, perhaps even the total collapse of Cao Cao. The cautious path was to follow the original plan: move south, rendezvous with Gan Ning, annihilate Liu Dai and Wang Zhong, and occupy Ye County to threaten Cao Cao’s rear.

Considering the outcome, Shen Chen chose not to be radical. First, if he truly marched north to destroy Cao Cao’s rear and brought Liu Xie to Nanyang, Liu Biao, harboring ambitions of usurpation, would likely hate him to the core and turn against him—and he did not yet have the strength to contend with Liu Biao. Secondly, if Xudu were threatened, Cao Cao would have no heart for the Battle of Guandu and might immediately retreat south. That would allow Yuan Shao to launch a massive offensive, leading to Yuan Shao seizing the entire Henan region. Then, the master of the North would not be Cao Cao, but Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao’s strength far exceeded Cao Cao’s, which would be even more dangerous for the future. Perhaps even before the twelfth year of Jian'an, the entire North—including Guanzhong, Henan, and Hebei—would fall into Yuan Shao’s hands. Even though Yuan Shao died of illness two years later in history, what if he defeated Cao Cao and didn't fall ill and die prematurely? This had to be considered.

The best situation for Shen Chen was to prevent Cao Cao from dealing a fatal blow to Yuan Shao at Guandu, but also to ensure Yuan Shao did not have it too easy. It was best for them to continue their stalemate in the North for a few more years, giving Shen Chen enough time to develop.

With this thought, he abandoned the radical idea and turned back to the cautious approach.

Time ticked away. Just then, Shen Tao hurried in to report: "General, the County Magistrate is here."

"Let him in." Shen Chen knelt on his mat, his gaze fixed sternly on the doorway.

A moment later, the Magistrate entered, bowing obsequiously. "I am unaware of the reason for your summons, General?"

Shen Chen rose and bowed toward the north. "I have come to save the throne following the Emperor's secret decree, but my provisions are insufficient, and I must withdraw. I apologize for the disturbance I have caused you, Magistrate, and have invited you here to offer my amends."

The Magistrate was overjoyed, though he replied on the surface, "Such a trifle—how could it trouble the General?"

Shen Chen said, "One must not be without courtesy. Since I have taken up the great cause of punishing the traitors, how can I disturb the people? I have prepared some wealth to set your mind at ease." He clapped his hands, and a servant entered carrying a tray.

When Shen Chen had been pacifying the city, he had inquired about the Magistrate. He was no good man; hailing from a minor noble family in Zhaoling, Runan, he had long colluded with local tyrants in Xiangcheng to oppress the virtuous and was notoriously greedy. This was why they had occupied the government office; had the Magistrate been a man of virtue respected by the people, such an act would have been detestable.

The Magistrate saw that the servant was one of his own and, uncovering the tray to reveal gleaming gold, his expression turned greedy. Yet he still said, "I have done nothing to deserve this; I appreciate the General's kindness, but I cannot accept."

Shen Chen laughed. "I have no other intentions; this is merely to express my apologies to the people of Xiangcheng. I beg you to forgive our discourtesy and not refuse."

"This..." The Magistrate hesitated.

Shen Chen did not give him time to decline. "I am withdrawing from Xiangcheng. Farewell, Magistrate." With that, he walked out of the hall.

"Whistle!"

As soon as he stepped out, a sharp whistle echoed throughout the government residence. The resting soldiers woke instinctively, led by their officers, and quickly ran out of the building to assemble at the gates. At that moment, only a few hundred soldiers were in the office, but after Shen Chen stepped out, he ordered messengers to recall the troops from the gates. Within ten minutes, the entire army was assembled.

"Move!"

At the order, Shen Chen led the army toward the east gate. The three thousand soldiers stood in neat formation, like a long snake, torches lit at the front and back, their footsteps thudding against the hard-packed earth of the city.

The residents of the city could not sleep that night. Their doors and windows remained tightly shut, and the dark streets were empty. Occasionally, they peered out from their windows, watching with caution even despite the reassuring proclamations.

Soon, the soldiers left through the east gate.

About an hour later, footsteps sounded outside the city once more. Xiahou Yuan arrived outside Xiangcheng with five thousand troops. Shen Chen had guessed correctly: Xudu dared not send out all its forces, so Li Dian remained with five thousand to guard the capital. To prevent panic and riots from the pro-Emperor faction, Xun Yu had ordered the news sealed, with Xiahou Yuan assisting Cao Hong in handling the matter.

Many thought Xun Yu was a loyalist to the Emperor, but in truth, he was a loyalist to the Han Dynasty, not the Emperor himself. To him, it did not matter who sat on the throne, as long as it was the Han. Even regarding the secret decree, he had to help Cao Cao, for he had been to Yuan Shao’s camp and knew his nature. If Yuan Shao won, the world would no longer belong to the Han. Cao Cao, at least, still needed the banner of the Han and showed no signs of usurpation. Xun Yu naively believed him to be a powerful minister like Huo Guang. Thus, until Cao Cao’s ambition to become the Duke of Wei exposed his true intent, Xun Yu served him with all his heart.

Due to the lack of information, Xun Yu could not judge Shen Chen’s true intentions. But for safety's sake, he had to keep the enemy out of Xudu, so Xiahou Yuan had to be there.

Scouts from Xudu had arrived that afternoon and, seeing the "Shen" flag on the city walls, were shocked. Without delay, they reported back while inquiring about the numbers. Shen Chen had not played the trick of leaving and re-entering the city, but he did not care; the art of war is about deception. Even if they knew only three thousand men had entered, the enemy would assume this was the vanguard and that a main force followed.

By evening, Xudu learned that at least three to four thousand men occupied Xiangcheng. Xun Yu, believing this to be the vanguard, reasoned based on past experience that the enemy would reach the city by nightfall. Their premature arrival suggested a forced march, with the main force still behind. After consulting with Xiahou Yuan and Li Dian, they devised three countermeasures: first, station Li Dian outside Xudu to prevent a surprise attack; second, have Xiahou Yuan march urgently to encircle Xiangcheng; and third, send word to Cao Hong, Liu Dai, Wang Zhong, Man Chong, and Li Tong to return to the defense of Xudu.

This was the result of an information gap. Xiahou Yuan had departed around five in the afternoon and arrived after midnight, covering fifty kilometers in over seven hours. It seemed slow, but considering history records Xiahou Yuan’s fastest march as "five hundred li in three days," he was actually moving faster than his historical peak. By the time he reached Xiangcheng, his troops were exhausted, and the soldiers were too tired to fight. He had to let them rest ten miles outside the city while he sent scouts to investigate.

The scouts soon returned to report that the city walls were empty, no torches were lit, the city was dead silent, and the gates were wide open. Xiahou Yuan was bewildered. Finding no one to ask, he grew anxious, pacing back and forth before ordering the scouts to take the risk and enter. A quarter of an hour later, the scouts returned with the news: there were no enemy troops in the city.

"What? They retreated?"

Upon entering the city and learning from the Magistrate that the three to four thousand men had left an hour earlier, Xiahou Yuan was stunned.

"Yes," the Magistrate said, smiling obsequiously. "By the grace of the General, the thieves must have learned of your arrival and retreated toward Nanyang."

"Is that so?" Xiahou Yuan looked at him suspiciously. "When did they arrive, how many were there, which gate did they enter, how many left, and through which gate?"

The Magistrate replied, "They arrived around noon with three or four thousand men, entered through the west gate, and occupied the government office. They left over an hour ago through the east gate."

*West gate in, east gate out?* Xiahou Yuan pondered this unusual information. The Ru River lay to the south of Xiangcheng; the west gate connected to the bridge leading to Si City on the other side. This route was consistent with an army moving north from the south. But why leave through the east gate?

"You may go." Xiahou Yuan sat on his mat, deep in thought. The next bridge east was seventy li away at Dongbu Gengxiang and Dingling County. Would they take such a long detour back to Nanyang?

"I take my leave." The Magistrate bowed and withdrew, still calculating the value of the gold Shen Chen had given him.

Just then, Xiahou Yuan noticed a servant at the door, stooped and skulking. Guards at the door saw his suspicious behavior and drew their blades, shouting, "Who goes there?"

"Let him in." Xiahou Yuan suspected the servant might have something to say.

The servant knelt and kowtowed. "General, I have an urgent report."

"Speak."

The servant said, "When I was serving them, I saw the rebel leader Shen Chen give the Magistrate a lot of gold, telling him to report that he had retreated."

"What?" Xiahou Yuan was shocked, then flew into a rage. "That scoundrel has deceived me!"

*If they left through the east gate and didn't head south, wouldn't they be heading north toward Yingyang?*

If they had bypassed his path and were heading straight for Xudu, what then?

Xiahou Yuan roared, "Quickly! Assemble the army! Seize the Magistrate!"

Chaos erupted in Xiangcheng. The Cao army, lacking the discipline of Shen Chen’s men, caused a massive commotion in the middle of the night, terrifying the populace. The Magistrate was quickly dragged in.

"General, we found gold in his room," a soldier reported.

The Magistrate cried out in terror, "General, that was left by Shen Chen!"

"You traitor! You were an inside man!" Xiahou Yuan drew his sword and shouted, "Die!"

"General!" The Magistrate’s soul fled his body, but before he could explain, the blade fell.

*Swish!*

A flash of white light, and the corrupt Magistrate was dead. Looking at the corpse, the servant nearby showed eyes full of hatred; there was no one in Xiangcheng who did not loathe that villain.

"Move! Return to Xudu!" With the Magistrate dead, Xiahou Yuan issued the command, marching straight for the capital.