noveltune Chapter 115 Was Sun Bofu defeated?
Chapter 115 Was Sun Bofu defeated?
Back in the military tent, Guo Jia followed him in:
"My lord, are you really going to release them?"
"Release them." Yuan Tan sat down. "Seven thousand men, how much grain do they need to eat every day? We still have to deal with Lü Bu, we don't have enough extra grain to feed them."
"But if they go back, and Sun Ce regroups with them..."
"Sun Ce is currently in dire need of his own safety; where would he find the surplus grain to rally his defeated troops?"
Yuan Tan sneered.
"When these people go back, they will have seven thousand mouths, and those seven thousand mouths will go around telling everyone how Sun Ce was defeated and how he abandoned his subordinates. That's the kind of mouths I want."
Jia Xu slowly said, "My lord's plan is to strike at the heart. The Sun family's foundation in Jiangdong is likely to be shaken."
"Not enough shaking it, I want it to rot away."
Yuan Tan looked at the location of Jiangdong on the map.
"Once Yan Liang has stabilized Moling and gained a firm foothold, we can deal with the situation slowly."
"What about Jiang Qin?"
"Keep him alive, don't let him die." Yuan Tan rubbed his temples. "He's a bargaining chip, a bait. Although Sun Ce might not come to rescue us, keeping him alive will be useful."
"So, what's next?"
"We'll rest for three days, then return to Qingzhou."
Yuan Tan looked outside the tent; it was getting dark.
"Yan Liang should have succeeded. Let him stay and hold the position."
……
Xuchang, the Prime Minister's Residence.
Cao Cao put down the military report, and the bamboo slips fell onto the lacquered table with a "thud".
Below the hall, strategists Xun Yu, Xun You, Xi Zhicai, Man Chong, and others sat silently, the air thick with tension.
"The Little Conqueror of Jiangdong, with 30,000 elite troops, was completely annihilated."
Cao Cao spoke slowly, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth.
"Yan Liang seized Moling. Yuan Tan... Yuan Xiansi."
He tapped his fingers on the table, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Everyone held their breath.
"Can anyone tell me?"
Cao Cao raised his eyes and his gaze swept over the crowd.
"How come Yuan Tan's career is developing so rapidly lately?"
Xun You thought for a moment and said, "Reporting to my lord, when Yuan Tan was in Ye City, he was also brave and fierce, not worth mentioning. But ever since he took Guo Fengxiao as his strategist, his momentum has become unstoppable."
Cao Cao snorted coldly and said, "Who is this Guo Fengxiao? How could he possess such great abilities?"
Xun Yu sighed: "To be honest, Prime Minister, Guo Fengxiao is from Yingchuan and is my classmate and good friend. I originally planned to recommend him to you after the situation in the Central Plains stabilized. But I didn't expect Yuan Tan to beat me to it."
Cao Cao was disappointed upon hearing this, but he had no choice but to give up.
Can we really blame Xun Yu for this?
Xi Zhicai coughed lightly:
"Sun Ce was brave and his troops were swift as the wind. Yuan Tan's ability to win with fewer troops was by no means a fluke. His generals Yan Liang and Zhao Yun were both capable of defeating ten thousand men, and Guo Jia and Jia Xu were resourceful. The strategy for this battle was far-reaching. First, a detachment was used to lure the enemy, while the main force was set up in an ambush. Then, a surprise force was sent to strike at the enemy's core. Yuan Tan was not someone to be underestimated."
"Moreover," Xun You added, "Yuan Tan first took Huainan and then defeated Sun Ce. With victories in both battles, he has already occupied the Huai and Si Rivers and captured Moling. His momentum is now established, and he is no longer the Yuan Tan who was trapped in Qingzhou in the past."
Cao Cao remained silent.
He looked out of the hall; the spring day in Xuchang was bright and clear, but a cloud hung over his heart.
Yuan Shao has amassed 100,000 troops in Liyang, eyeing the city with predatory intent.
In the south, Yuan Tan suddenly rose to prominence.
Tigers in the north, wolves in the south, and Cao Mengde is caught in the middle.
"Yuan Shao is in Liyang, sharpening his sword, ready to strike." Cao Cao withdrew his gaze. "Yuan Xiansi is in Huainan, his power gradually growing. Gentlemen, what plan do you devise?"
Xun You spoke first:
"The most urgent task is in the north, not the south. Yuan Shao's power is great and we must be wary of him. Although Yuan Tan has won, his foundation is still shallow, and he is only superficially allied with Yuan Shao. We can postpone our plans against him for now."
"Postpone?" Cao Cao shook his head. "If he takes over the entire Jiangdong region and joins forces with Yuan Shao to attack from the north and south, where will we find a place to be buried?"
"My lord," Xun Yu said, bowing slightly, his voice gentle, "I have a plan that may allow us to proceed at a later time."
"speak."
"To drive a tiger to devour a wolf is to have two tigers fighting over food." Xun Yu said, "Yuan Tan's concerns are Yuan Shao in the north, Lü Bu in the west, and the remnants of Sun Ce in the south. Now that Sun Ce has been defeated, we can let Lü Bu fight against Yuan Tan."
"Lü Bu?" Cao Cao frowned. "This man is fickle and unpredictable. How can we get rid of him?"
"Driven by profit."
Xun You's response,
"What Lü Bu lacks is fame. Now that Sun Ce has been defeated and killed, many of his generals and defeated soldiers have scattered. We should ask the Emperor to issue an edict listing both Sun Ce and Lü Bu as traitors, making it clear to the world and cutting off their escape route. Sun Ce's former subordinates hate Yuan Tan to the bone, and with nowhere else to go, they will surely turn to Lü Bu. With such a powerful ally and something to gain, how could Lü Bu not move?"
Xun Yu's voice also rang out at the opportune moment:
"We can add another strategy. We should ask the Emperor to issue an edict ordering Yuan Shao to attack Lü Bu and reclaim the Imperial Seal. Yuan Shao is renowned and will surely be tempted. When Lü Bu hears that Yuan Shao is coming to attack, how can he not be afraid? He will either fight Yuan Tan to the death or seek help from you, my lord. Either way, it will be to our advantage."
Cao Cao's finger stopped.
The hall was silent for a moment.
"A good plan."
Cao Cao said slowly,
"Killing three birds with one stone. First, it will make Yuan Shao attack Lü Bu, which will relieve the pressure on Liyang. Second, it will make Lü Bu and Yuan Tan fight each other, which will weaken the strength of both sides. Third, it will force Sun Ce's remaining troops to join Lü Bu, injecting Lü Bu with an army for revenge, making him and Yuan Tan irreconcilable enemies."
He stood up, paced back and forth a couple of times, his eyes gleaming:
"But is Yuan Shao a man to be trifled with? If he sees through our plan and remains inactive, what will we do then?"
Therefore, a two-pronged approach is necessary.
Xun Yu said,
"Issue an imperial edict to let the whole world know. Secretly send envoys to persuade the two men. Yuan Shao values reputation, and Lü Bu values profit; both have their own agendas and will surely fall into their trap."
Cao Cao pondered for a long time, then clapped his hands: "Then let's follow Wenruo and Gongda's plan. Immediately draft an edict to request the Emperor to use the seal. Also, select a capable person to go to Ye City overnight to persuade Yuan Shao."
"promise."
……
Ye City, General's Mansion
When the imperial edict arrived, Yuan Shao was having a banquet.
The melodious sounds of silk and bamboo instruments and the graceful movements of dancers filled the air.
The messenger announced the decree, and the hall fell silent.
Upon receiving the imperial edict, Yuan Shao remained expressionless and waved for the messenger to leave and rest.
"Gentlemen, you have all heard this." He set down the imperial edict, surveyed the hall below, and said, "Cao Cao, in the name of the Emperor, has ordered me to attack Lü Bu and seize the Imperial Seal. What are your thoughts?"
The audience immediately split into two factions.
Ju Shou and Tian Feng were the first to step forward.
"My lord, this is Cao Cao's scheme to use one tiger to devour another!" Tian Feng said bluntly. "Cao Cao fears your military might in the north and worries about Yuan Tan's growing power in the south, so he devised this plan to make you fight against Lü Bu, allowing him to reap the benefits. This edict must not be accepted!"
"otherwise."
Guo Tu stood up and retorted.
"Cao Cao holds the emperor hostage to command the other warlords. If you, my lord, do not accept the imperial edict, it will be considered disobeying the imperial decree. How will the world view you then? Moreover, Lü Bu is a mere scoundrel who has seized Xu Province and secretly possessed the imperial seal. Your lord's campaign against him is perfectly justified. Once you have destroyed Lü Bu and acquired Xu Province, you can unite with Qing and Ji provinces, then surround Cao Cao, and the world will be at peace!"
Feng Ji echoed, "What Guo Gongze said is quite right. Moreover, we can send the eldest son on an imperial edict to march south and attack Lü Bu from both sides. The eldest son has just gained Huainan, and his morale is high. He will surely defeat Lü Bu. In this way, we can preserve the reputation of both father and son and gain real benefits. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
"Absurd!" Ju Shou roared. "The eldest son has just fought a great battle, his soldiers are exhausted, and his supplies are depleted. How can we afford to wage war again? Moreover, Cao Cao intends to sow discord. If the eldest son and Lü Bu are both severely wounded, Cao Cao will surely take advantage of the situation! The most urgent task is to quickly attack Liyang, seize Xuchang, and welcome the emperor. Why bother getting entangled with Lü Bu?"
"Liyang is easy to defend and difficult to attack, so Cao Cao must be prepared. If we fail to capture it after a long siege, what will happen if Yuan Tan gains power in the south?" Guo Tu sneered.
"Yuan Tan is the son of Your Excellency; how could he possibly rebel?"
"Father and son? Hmph, even the royal family is ruthless, let alone..."
"Enough." Yuan Shao raised his hand, stopping the argument.
He rubbed his temples, feeling somewhat irritated.
Ju Shou and Tian Feng's arguments were reasonable, but their reputations would be damaged if they refused the imperial edict.
Guo Tu and Feng Ji's strategy seems to be more practically advantageous, but if Yuan Tan were to attack Lü Bu again, it probably wouldn't be so easy for him.
Just as they were hesitating, hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.
"Report—Military intelligence in Huainan!"
A messenger rushed in, fell to the ground, and held up the military report.
Yuan Shao's heart tightened: "Read it!"
The messenger unfolded the military report, his voice booming:
"The eldest son decisively defeated Sun Ce at Guangling, killing 30,000 Jiangdong soldiers and capturing 7,000! Sun Ce barely escaped with his life, his fate unknown! General Yan Liang has already captured Moling, and the gateway to Jiangdong has been opened!"
The hall was deathly silent.
Yuan Shao was stunned, his wine cup hanging in mid-air.
To annihilate Sun Ce?
Did they take Moling?
Sun Bofu, who once roamed Jiangdong and whom even he himself had to be wary of, was defeated just like that?
He was defeated by his own eldest son, who had never been particularly remarkable.