Ji Han Liu Zhang

Outside Chang'an city, the Shu army camp.

After seeing Liu Zhang off to Huangbaicheng in the north, Xun You, the chief clerk and military advisor, returned to the central military tent.

Now, his wise mentor Liu Zhang led his troops to Huangbai City, intending to personally command the task of killing the two thieves Li Jue and Guo Si. With the army leaderless, all affairs of the Shu army camp fell on his head.

As the chief clerk and the commander of the main camp, Xun You had a heavy burden on his shoulders. Whether it was the communication of military intelligence or the allocation of food and supplies for the army, he was required to respond and make decisions to prevent any chaos from happening in the army when the commander-in-chief left.

Speaking of which, Xun You has always been known for his wisdom and strategy, but recently and at the moment, he has been playing a more important role in pacifying the internal and external situation rather than being loyal and conspiratorial. After all, under Liu Zhang, there is no one like him who is qualified, capable, and competent to take on the task of pacifying the internal and external situation.

Therefore, Xun You has always been handling the details of the army. Now that Liu Zhang is leading his troops north to Huangbai City, the post of commanding and controlling the camp naturally falls on Xun You, and his burden becomes even heavier.

After all, no matter whether it is a big or small matter in the army, Xun You has to handle it.

Military officer Zheng Du, as a member of the Shu army who stayed behind in the camp, rushed over with a document. When he arrived at the door of the central army tent, the guards standing on both sides of the tent lifted the curtain of the tent as usual to facilitate Zheng Du to enter.

"Master Xun, there's an urgent matter from Chencang." Zheng Du took two steps at a time and handed the letter he was carrying to Xun You.

When Zheng Du handed the letter to Xun You's desk, he took two steps back, waiting for Xun You to open the letter and read the message inside, and then explain it to Xun You.

Xun You skillfully opened the seal of the document bag, took out a piece of silk cloth from it, then spread it out and carefully looked at the contents on it. After a while, after reading the contents on the silk cloth, he folded the silk cloth and put it back into the document bag.

"Is there any movement in Chencang?" Seeing that Xun You had finished reading the contents of the silk cloth, the military officer Zheng Du asked with concern.

Xun You smiled calmly, shook his head and said, "Everything is normal in Chencang, nothing has happened. The information contained in this urgent letter is about the affairs of Liangzhou."

"Liangzhou?" Zheng Du pondered for a moment or two before asking, "Could it be that Han Sui and Ma Teng caused some big trouble?"

"That's right." Xun You nodded, and he elaborated in detail: "According to the information obtained by the spies sent by General Wu Zhonglang to Liangzhou, in Liangzhou, Ma Teng took advantage of the opportunity to attack Jincheng where Han Sui was stationed. For a time, Ma Teng's arrogance was uncontrollable, but Han Sui was not someone who could be easily dealt with..."

Xun You paused, and continued, "Han Sui had been in Liang Province for a long time, and had won the hearts of the nobles, Qiang and Hu. Therefore, although Han Sui was suddenly attacked and his power was weakened, he soon gathered an army and took advantage of Ma Teng's happiness in Jincheng to lead his army to kill Ma Teng's wife and children who were left in Tianshui County."

"Now that Ma Teng has heard the news that his wife and children were killed, he has quickly returned to Tianshui County from Jincheng. It is expected that a war will be inevitable in Tianshui County."

"Oh, that's a good thing." Zheng Du smiled, and his smile was very proud.

"Ma Teng attacked Han Sui's Jincheng, and Han Sui killed Ma Teng's wife and children. As a result, the hatred between the two families has deepened. I think there is no possibility for these two heroes in Liangzhou to join forces. They can no longer pose any threat to us."

After a brief analysis, Zheng Du said with a relaxed and happy look forward: "Who knows, Han Sui and Ma Teng will fight and die together. Then it will be easy for you to lead the troops to pacify Liangzhou."

"Hmm!" Zheng Du pondered for a moment, and then said calmly, "Right now, Han Sui and Ma Teng are fighting in Tianshui. As the two armies are fighting, perhaps this is an opportunity for us. If we can send troops there, while the two armies are exhausted and fighting, we can kill Han Sui and Ma Teng in one fell swoop... Han Sui and Ma Teng are the two heroes of Liangzhou. Once Han Sui and Ma Teng are eliminated, Liangzhou will naturally surrender."

Xun You smiled and nodded, his face also slightly cheerful: "When two tigers fight, even if they don't die together, one of them will be injured. The power of Liangzhou cannot be combined, but will be consumed by each other. This is indeed a good thing for us."

"However, the most urgent task at present is to kill the two escaped thieves Li Jue and Guo Si. As for the matter in Liang Province, we should wait and see how it develops before making a decision." Xun You sorted out the priorities of things and planned to focus on the task at hand, which was to kill the escaped Li Jue and Guo Si.

"What the chief clerk said is that the most important thing nowadays is to kill Li Jue and Guo Si. Otherwise, the affairs in Guanzhong cannot be completed successfully and will be somewhat incomplete and imperfect." Zheng Du's previous words were just suggestions. Seeing that Xun You expressed his opposition, he nodded in agreement.

"However, we can also take advantage of the fight between Han Sui and Ma Teng to do something, but it still depends on your decision." After pondering for a moment, Xun You decided to ask Liu Zhang, who had the power to decide on the matter. Although he was staying in the camp and could handle the details immediately, he had to report some important matters to Liu Zhang before implementing them. This was the way of a minister.

Xun You made up his mind immediately. He picked up the document handed over by Wu Yi and said to the clerk Meng Jie, "Please, Mr. Meng, send the document handed over by Wu Zhonglangjiang and the question to you, and see what decision you will make."

"In addition, you can also post my suggestions." Xun You said slowly: "The current situation in Liangzhou is that Han Sui and Ma Teng are fighting in Tianshui. Two tigers are fighting. Either one tiger will be defeated or the two will be in a stalemate. It is difficult to have a result in a short time... But the two tigers are fighting and have no time to take care of other things. It is indeed appropriate for our army to seize one or two key places in Guanzhong leading to Liangzhou while Han Sui and Ma Teng are unprepared, so as to lay some foundation for taking Liangzhou in the future."

Hearing the word "trouble" in Xun You's words, Meng Jie said he dared not, and then he took the document handed over by Xun You with both hands, took a few steps back, and turned around to carry out the order issued by Xun You.

"The chief clerk's suggestion is very reasonable. We don't need to interfere in the battle between Han Sui and Ma Teng, and let them fight to the death. But we can seize one or two important places while they are too busy to take care of other things, and prepare for the future invasion of Liangzhou. This can be regarded as the best strategy... With your talent and wisdom, you will agree with the chief clerk's suggestion, seize every opportunity and not let go of this opportunity." Zheng Du found a seat and sat down, and he inferred.

"Your Excellency is wise and decisive, and you will definitely make a decision. You and I just need to wait for your order." Xun You nodded in approval.

Here Xun You and Zheng Du were discussing the affairs of Liangzhou, and also mentioned Liu Zhang. As for Liu Zhang, he did not care about Liangzhou at all. He was only concerned about the two thieves Li Jue and Guo Si. Li Jue and Guo Si were like two fierce tigers. It is easier to let them go than to catch them. He would not miss the opportunity to cut the grass and root them out.

At this moment, Liu Zhang was leading more than 10,000 soldiers on the way to Huangbai City, intending to kill the two thieves Li Jue and Guo Si stationed in Huangbai City. "What is the current situation? Li Jue and Guo Si have not escaped, right?" Seeing the military officer Peng Ying approaching, as if he had some news to report, Liu Zhang was the first to ask.

Peng Ying, the military officer, cupped his hands and said, "My Lord, the two thieves, Li Jue and Guo Si, are still inside Huangbai City and have not escaped... Gan Ning, Lou Fa and other generals have already arrived at Huangbai City and are now digging trenches and setting up chevaux de frise to prevent the two thieves from escaping. They are waiting for your army to arrive and surround them from all sides so that we can capture Huangbai City in one fell swoop."

"Have Li Jue and Guo Si made any moves?" Liu Zhang predicted that vicious tigers like Li Jue and Guo Si would not accept death calmly and would definitely fight like trapped beasts.

"Of course there are." Peng Ying continued to report: "The two thieves, Li Jue and Guo Si, once led their troops out of the city and intended to harass our troops in digging trenches and setting up barricades, but they were both killed and driven back. The two thieves are now helpless and can only fight like trapped beasts in the city."

"That's great." Liu Zhang breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want Li Jue and Guo Si to run all the way while he chased them like chasing rabbits. What he wanted was to quickly kill Li Jue and Guo Si.

With this thought in mind, Liu Zhang issued an order, asking his army to speed up the march and rush to Huangbai City to join Gan Ning, Lou Fa, Zhang Ren, and Zhang Xiu's ten or five divisions. Like an iron barrel, they trapped Li Jue and Guo Si firmly in Huangbai City.

Soon, the messenger spread Liu Zhang's order throughout the army. After receiving Liu Zhang's order, this elite central army immediately quickened its pace and strode forward, rushing towards Huangbai City.

When the sun moved westward and the weary birds returned to the forest, Liu Zhang led his army to the foot of Huangbai City.

"Mingsir." Military advisor Fa Zheng stepped forward and informed Liu Zhang, "Li Jue and Guo Si have attacked the city several times, but were always repelled by our army. Now the two thieves are sitting in an isolated city with no outside help. They have run out of options."

Liu Zhang nodded in praise, and with a relaxed look he warned: "Li Jue has always been cunning, so we need to be on guard against Li Jue taking advantage of the opportunity to escape."

"Don't worry, my lord. Although the moat around the city has not been fully dug and there are still loopholes in the chevaux de frise, there are soldiers watching the gaps and lights will be lit at night to prevent anyone from escaping from the city. We will definitely not let Li Jue and Guo Si get away quietly." Fa Zheng guaranteed.

"That's great. You've worked hard." Liu Zhang said soothingly.

Fa Zheng smiled and said with great enthusiasm: "Working for you, my lord, there is no need to mention the word 'hard work'."

As the night deepened, more than 10,000 soldiers led by Liu Zhang, under the command of the military officer Peng Ying, marched into the camp that had been set up by Gan Ning and Fa Zheng long ago, to have a good night's rest and relieve themselves from the fatigue of the rapid march.

"Our army has just arrived and the soldiers are tired. We also need to be careful about the two thieves Li Jue and Guo Si who may attack our camp at night." Liu Zhang said to the generals around him when he saw that the army had already entered the camp. As he was accustomed to night attacks, he would naturally be on guard against Li Jue and Guo Si doing this.

Fa Zheng nodded and said, "Don't worry, my lord. We will send more night patrol soldiers tonight and light bonfires around Huangbai City to prevent any troops from breaking out of the city. We will definitely not give Li Jue and Guo Si the opportunity to harass our army."

Seeing that the military advisor Fa Zheng had made an appropriate response, Liu Zhang felt relieved. He went towards the central army tent. The long march was really tiring and he was a little tired.

Liu Zhang led more than 10,000 soldiers to Huangbai City. Li Jue and Guo Si in Huangbai City naturally learned the news.

"It's bitter." Li Jue saw that more than 10,000 Shu troops were coming, and he felt bitter in his mouth. His face was also extremely bitter, and his body was slightly curled up like a bitter gourd. He seemed to be a bitter gourd.

Li Jue looked bad here, while Guo Si's face was almost pale, his face was bloodless and his whole body was shaking from time to time. It can be seen that Guo Si was so panicked that he could not control his own body.

Guo Si's words were not steady either, with a slight tremor, like an old gramophone, making a squeaking sound: "Zhi Ran, what should we do?"

Guo Si had never behaved like this before, even when his prime minister Dong Zhuo planned to kill Wang Yun, he did not lose his composure like this. After all, he could have taken the opportunity to escape back to Liang Province and perhaps save his life.

But the current situation is more critical than when Dong Zhuo died. The Yizhou governor Liu Zhang has made him a desperate person. Guo Si knows that he can't even escape back to Liangzhou. It is indeed difficult for him to save his life this time. It is possible that he will set foot on the Yellow Springs and head to the underworld in just a few days.

Li Jue's eyes were uncertain as he looked at the bonfire lit by the Shu army outside the city. He knew that this was set up by the Shu army to prevent him from attacking at night or escaping under the cover of darkness. This would not give him any chance of survival.

"Tonight may be my last chance." Li Jue looked up at the moon, but it was dim with only a few stars dotting the sky. An idea came to his mind, a plan that might help him escape.

"Liu Zhang's army has come from afar and must be tired. Tonight, you and I can lead our soldiers out of the city and attack the Shu army's camp. If we can cause a big disturbance, perhaps you and I can take a break." Li Jue suggested.

Guo Si listened to Li Jue's suggestion, but he didn't dare to nod. He hesitated and said, "I'm afraid that Liu Zhang will guess what you and I are thinking and will be on guard."

Li Jue snorted coldly, his teeth clenched and he said firmly: "You and I are in danger, how can we worry too much? Now a night attack may have a glimmer of hope... If we don't attack at night, when the Shu army surrounds the city tomorrow and the trenches and chevaux de frise are all ready, then you and I will definitely have no chance of survival and will be trapped to death in Huangbai City."

After saying this, Li Jue, like a desperate criminal, stared at Guo Si with hatred.

"Okay, I'll listen to you, Zhiran, and give it a try." Guo Si considered Li Jue's words for a while, and nodded in agreement. The current situation is indeed as Li Jue said. If the night attack is successful, there is still a glimmer of hope, but if nothing is done, it will really be a dead end. (End of this chapter)