Chapter Seventy-Six: Reinforcements

“Huff, huff.”
Watching Dian Wei’s body collapse, Zhang Xiu wiped the sweat from his brow and let out a long breath.
At this moment, he could not help but feel grateful that Jia Xu’s judgment had been correct.
Dian Wei was truly a fierce and valiant warrior, capable of single-handedly altering the course of battle.
Had he remained sober and held fast to the gate of the stronghold, and if the Cao army had reacted in time, Zhang Xiu’s own situation would have been dire.
Fortunately, Jia Xu had recognized Dian Wei as the backbone of Cao’s forces and sent Hu Che’er into their camp, where Dian Wei was plied with wild wine from Xinye until he was drunk, and his twin halberds were stolen.
Otherwise, this battle would have been far more difficult.
Once Dian Wei crashed to the ground, the surrounding Xiliang soldiers finally dared to approach; some cut off his head, passing it around to rally their spirits.
After sacrificing over a hundred lives to bring down Dian Wei, Zhang Xiu turned to those beside him and asked, “Did any of you see Cao Cao?”
Someone replied, “He fled towards the northwest.”
“After him!”
Zhang Xiu immediately gave the order: “Convey my command—pursue the traitor Cao to the northwest, dead or alive!”
“Yes, sir!”
The soldiers responded in unison and spurred their horses in wild pursuit.
Meanwhile, Cao Cao had galloped all the way to Cao Hong’s camp, which had also come under attack.
Yet Cao Hong had reacted quickly, repelling the enemy and leading his troops out to counterattack.
Halfway, he encountered Cao Cao. Fearing for his lord’s injuries, he could not go to his own camp’s rescue but instead focused on protecting Cao Cao and escorting him back to his own encampment.
On Zhang Xiu’s side, he encountered Yu Jin, who had brought a small force from the north of Cao Cao’s camp to assist.
They met by chance, and Yu Jin, fighting as he withdrew, retreated towards his own camp.
In truth, he had brought only a few hundred men, worried that if he mobilized all his forces, his camp would be left vulnerable; his intent had been to scout the situation.
Outmatched by Zhang Xiu, he was driven back into his own camp. Once there, Yu Jin immediately ordered the construction of fortifications and prepared for defense.
But after repelling Yu Jin, Zhang Xiu did not pursue further, instead turning back to seek out Cao Cao’s whereabouts. According to Jia Xu, this battle could not be considered truly won unless Cao Cao himself was eliminated, lest future troubles arise.
Thus, the fighting continued, the plain scattered with soldiers fleeing from Cao Cao’s broken army. Cao Hong, acting swiftly, dispatched men to gather up stragglers while withdrawing his camp, shielding Cao Cao as they retreated north towards Xie County.
Just then, as Zhang Xiu searched the chaos for any trace of Cao Cao, several scouts returned from the southeast and reported, “General, a large force is approaching from the southeast.”
“What?” Zhang Xiu exclaimed in surprise. “Troops from the southeast? Can you tell who they are?”
He remembered that Cao Cao had sent Cao Ren to attack Xinye and Huyang, and Yue Jin to Anzhong and Rang County. If Cao Ren had returned, that would be troublesome.
The scout replied, “It is too dark to see clearly, but the enemy is advancing rapidly; we dared not get close.”
Zhang Xiu’s expression shifted. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Go back and investigate again.”
“Yes, sir.”
The scouts set out once more.
Meanwhile, aware that an unidentified force was approaching, Zhang Xiu dared not be careless; he immediately began regrouping his soldiers in preparation for battle.
Unexpectedly, just over ten minutes later, a scout returned with news: “General, it is General Gan from Huyang, and Clerk Deng from Governor Liu’s command in Jingzhou. They request an audience.”
“Gan Ning and Deng Hong?”
Zhang Xiu was astonished. “Huyang is two hundred li from Wancheng—how could they possibly be here?”
The scout shook his head. “I am not sure, but from their direction, it seems they came from Xinye.”
“Xinye?”
Zhang Xiu pondered for a while, then asked, “What time is it now?”
“It is about the fifth watch.”
The fifth watch—that is, dawn, between three and five in the morning.

In ancient times, people went to bed early; by seven or eight in the evening, the Cao camp had retired, and by nine, most were fast asleep.
Zhang Xiu launched his attack between eleven and midnight, in what was known as the dead of night.
In other words, Gan Ning had traveled from Xinye to Wancheng within two hours?
For a moment, Zhang Xiu was bewildered and suspicious, and said to the scout, “Take me to see them at once.”
The scout led him southward.
South of Wancheng, after riding ten li at a gallop, they saw, in the distant countryside, a long line of torches racing toward them.
Soon, they reached the south gate of Wancheng. By now, the sky was beginning to lighten. Zhang Xiu, by the growing light, recognized the figures of Deng Hong and Gan Ning.
Deng Hong had once come as Liu Biao’s envoy to persuade him to surrender, and later, when Zhang Xiu helped Liu Biao deal with the Nanyang Yellow Turbans, he had met Gan Ning and thus knew them both.
Seeing them now, Zhang Xiu’s anxiety eased somewhat. He urged his horse forward and called out, “General Gan, Clerk Deng.”
“General Zhang.”
The two approached on horseback and, without dismounting, saluted him. “What is the situation?”
“Uh...”
For a moment, Zhang Xiu did not know how to reply.
For, seeing these two, he was rather embarrassed and at a loss for words.
In later times, some wondered: since Liu Biao and Zhang Xiu were allies, why, when Zhang Xiu turned against Cao Cao, did he not ask Liu Biao for troops?
And why did Liu Biao let such an opportunity slip by, failing to send forces to crush Cao Cao?
The answer was simple.
Zhang Xiu had sincerely intended to submit to Cao Cao, and as a result, relations with Liu Biao had soured; they no longer communicated.
Only later, when Cao Cao’s actions became intolerable—seizing Zhang Xiu’s aunt and plotting his murder—did Zhang Xiu have no choice but to rebel once more.
In such circumstances, he could hardly approach Liu Biao for help.
Moreover, though the battle took place at Wancheng, Wancheng was actually far from Xiangyang.
The Nanyang Basin, only slightly smaller than the Guanzhong Basin, stretched two hundred kilometers north to south. Wancheng lay closer to the basin’s northern edge. Xiangyang to Wancheng was one hundred and thirty kilometers; Huyang to Wancheng was over eighty.
Though the basin was flat and the roads excellent, their action had only just begun; for Liu Biao to hear the news and then dispatch troops would take until the day after next at the earliest.
So, in Zhang Xiu’s mind, Liu Biao could not possibly send help, and this affair, from start to finish, would have to be settled by his own strength.
Thus, the sudden appearance of Gan Ning and Deng Hong astonished him. He never expected Liu Biao’s forces to arrive. Could it be that Liu Biao had foreseen his attack and dispatched men in advance?
Sensing his embarrassment, Deng Hong quickly understood and said, “General Zhang, your feigned submission to Cao Cao was known to Governor Liu. Upon hearing of Lady Zou’s plight, he sent us at once to assist you.”
“Yes, yes, indeed!”
Zhang Xiu did not dwell on it, but slapped his forehead and said, “Cao Cao moved so swiftly I had no time to notify the Governor. He had already encircled Wancheng before I could act. My feigned surrender was a ruse to attack him, and I have succeeded this night.”
Deng Hong then asked, “What is the situation now?”
“The Cao army is utterly defeated,”
Zhang Xiu replied with some emotion. “Scattered soldiers are fleeing everywhere, but I have too few men to pursue them. Regrettably, Cao Cao has not been found.”
Deng Hong glanced at Gan Ning, who nodded slightly. Deng Hong then said, “No matter. The most important thing now is to eliminate the remnants of Cao’s forces and weaken his power. Let us join our troops with yours and press the attack together.”
Zhang Xiu was overjoyed. “That is excellent! My thanks to you both.”
At once, Gan Ning’s and Zhang Xiu’s forces combined and continued their pursuit of the Cao army, fighting until dawn and destroying or scattering much of Cao’s main host.
But by noon, both the Xiliang and Jingzhou troops were exhausted and withdrew to Wancheng.
Because Yu Jin had hastily fortified his camp, Zhang Xiu and Gan Ning dared not risk an assault; thus, he escaped, joining with Cao Hong to protect Cao Cao, gather survivors, and retreat to Wuyin County.
Afterward, they counted their forces: aside from the contingents of Cao Hong and Yu Jin, which remained intact, less than two thousand of Cao Cao’s original garrison of over ten thousand escaped; the rest had either been killed or dispersed. The losses were catastrophic.
By this time, Cao Cao still had no word of Dian Wei, Cao Ang, or Cao Anmin. Anxious, exhausted but sleepless, he pressed Cao Hong and Yu Jin to send scouts to learn their fate.
But with Zhang Xiu and Gan Ning’s troops combing the battlefield—many lingering to view Dian Wei’s body or scavenging the dead—Cao’s scouts dared not approach.
By the next day, Zhang Xiu and Gan Ning had organized the clearing of the battlefield, rotating their soldiers for rest, while they themselves, still weary, returned to the prefect’s residence in Wancheng to eat and recover from their hunger.
Returning to the familiar governor’s mansion, Zhang Xiu felt a surge of emotion.

Inside the hall, he sat at the seat of honor, with Jia Xu and Hu Che’er to his right, Deng Hong and Gan Ning to his left.
All had labored through the night and were thoroughly fatigued, but even so, they forced themselves to raise a cup or two of mild millet wine, exchanging toasts.
Once the wine was drunk, Zhang Xiu said, “My thanks to Clerk Deng and General Gan for your assistance. Yet there is something I do not understand.”
Deng Hong smiled, “You wonder, General, how we learned of these events and managed to come to your aid in the night.”
“Indeed. My scheme to attack Cao’s camp was kept strictly secret. How did you learn of it?”
Zhang Xiu was deeply curious.
Deng Hong smiled enigmatically, and after a moment replied, “Cao Cao sent Cao Ren to attack my Huyang, but we defeated him. Later, hearing that Cao Cao had entered the city and given gold to General Hu, and then of Lady Zou’s affair, I knew you would surely turn against Cao Cao, and so we rushed to your aid.”
“Ah...”
Zhang Xiu exchanged a guilty glance with Jia Xu and forced a smile. “So that is how it was. My deepest thanks to you both.”
“It was nothing,” Deng Hong said with a wave. “But you have killed Cao Cao’s eldest son, his nephew, and his trusted general Dian Wei in this battle, forging a deadly enmity with him. Unless he dies, he will surely bring an army against you in the future. What do you intend?”
Zhang Xiu replied bitterly, “I am greatly troubled by this myself. Do you, sir, have any advice for me?”
Deng Hong mused, then said, “Now that you have defeated Cao Cao, you should immediately write to Governor Liu, explaining the situation. Say that Cao’s army came so swiftly you had no time to call for help, and thus were compelled to feign surrender. When it was time to rise in revolt, you wrote to invite General Gan to join in the attack. What do you think?”
Zhang Xiu nodded at once. “Yes, that is exactly what I should do.”
Deng Hong continued, “Once Governor Liu receives your letter, he will no longer doubt you. Then you can urge him to send a strong force to garrison Huyang, Biyang, and other locales, advancing and retreating together with you, so that you can resist Cao Cao’s attacks.”
“I understand,”
Zhang Xiu said. “Tomorrow I will write a letter and send it to Xiangyang.”
Deng Hong smiled. “That would be best.”
They spoke a while longer, and at last the kitchen brought out food. Having eaten nothing since the previous day, they quickly filled their hungry bellies and then separated.
Gan Ning and Deng Hong went to reorganize their forces and camped on the spot, taking over the part of Cao’s camp that had not been burned.
Zhang Xiu, meanwhile, sent messengers to the surrounding counties, informing the magistrates that he had retaken Nanyang.
By evening, Zhang Xiu had not slept since the previous day and was utterly exhausted, preparing to return to his own camp for some desperately needed rest—when Jia Xu unexpectedly came looking for him.
The two met in Zhang Xiu’s tent. Jia Xu entered and greeted him, “General.”
Zhang Xiu, though tired, roused himself at the sight of Jia Xu. “Ah, Uncle, what brings you here?”
Jia Xu hesitated and said, “Cao Cao yet lives; the danger is not done. He holds the Emperor in his grasp and commands the lords. Soon, he will regroup and attack Nanyang once more. Do you truly intend to fight him to the bitter end?”
Still filled with anger, Zhang Xiu replied coldly, “Hmph. That traitor Cao is a faithless scoundrel. When he first invited me to submit, he spoke so sweetly—yet what happened? He not only defiled my aunt but plotted to kill me. Uncle, do you still harbor illusions about him?”
Jia Xu knew that, for the moment, persuading Zhang Xiu to surrender was impossible, so he said at once, “Of course not. What I mean is, we cannot go back to Cao Cao now. We must seek another path.”
“Another path?”
Zhang Xiu was surprised. “Is Nanyang not suitable?”
“Cao Cao will return,” Jia Xu said. “This time, we defeated him through cunning and surprise. Next time, we will not be so lucky.”
Zhang Xiu considered, “We can ally with Liu Biao and resist Cao together.”
“Liu Biao?”
Jia Xu sneered. “Does the General not see that Liu Biao is even more wary of us?”
“What do you mean by that, Uncle?”
Zhang Xiu was perplexed.
Jia Xu’s gaze grew cold. In a low voice, he said, “I mean, Liu Biao has already set men to secretly watch our every move. The day we are no longer useful to him may be the day he sends troops to destroy us.”
Zhang Xiu stared at Jia Xu in astonishment, momentarily at a loss.