Chapter 1259 – Attack on Huang Song, Unification of Dongqing (1)
The Song River slithered and twisted southward from the north, flowing through the gorge and finally merging with the sea.
The water at the source was turbulent and perilous, filled with rocky outcrops, but further downstream, the current calmed, and the river widened.
Numerous ferry points dotted this area, with boats clustered together, adjacent to Haozhou and Chenzhou, making it the perfect launch pad for Huang Song’s assault on Cangzhou.
However, just as Feng Jin analyzed, Cangzhou was merely a bone in Huang Song’s throat—tasteless but regrettable to discard.
Its only purpose was to attract and mislead Jiang Pengji’s attention. It seemed like a direct assault on Cangzhou, but the real target lay in Wanzhou and Hujun.
If they could trick Jiang Pengji’s main force to Cangzhou, Huang Song’s true military might would sneakily strike at the heart of Jiang Pengji’s territory.
This logic was understood by all, but warfare involves both deception and strategy. It’s not just about logistics and finances but also about psychological warfare to see who could trick whom.
Feng Jin was a clear-headed and rational individual, so it wouldn’t be easy to fool him.
Dian Yin, clad in armor, rushed into the main tent, urgency written on his face. Meng Hunyun was deep in discussion with Feng Jin, their focus on a massive sand table before them. The sand table, enhanced and elaborately crafted due to their lord’s improvements, displayed terrain and geography with remarkable clarity. This version had taken the artisans under their command two or three months to complete.
Just from the sand table, Feng Jin could simulate the enemy’s potential marching routes and maneuvers in his mind.
Dian Yin burst in unannounced, his expression dark enough to rain. Feng Jin set aside the simulation model.
“Any progress up ahead?”
Dian Yin was out of breath, his heavy armor making it hard to speak, “Military adviser—things aren’t looking good! Scouts report the enemy has crossed the river with 20,000 troops for four consecutive days, totaling 80,000!”
Wasn’t it stated that Cangzhou was just a feint from Huang Song? Why deploy 80,000 troops?
Even if half of those were merely filler troops, there would still be around 40,000 elite soldiers remaining.
While 40,000 wasn’t too few, their own stationed forces in Cangzhou weren’t nearly that many—a resistance might be impossible!
Feng Jin’s eyes flashed with surprise. Given his understanding of the situation, Huang Song could not possibly allocate that many troops in Cangzhou. He had just seized two states, and if he split his forces, he would still be committing a significant number to Cangzhou—was he really betting everything on this?
Feng Jin frowned deeply, and Meng Hunyun’s expression turned grave as well. Dian Yin panicked, “Military adviser, what should we do now?”
Jiang Pengji had only dispatched 30,000 elite troops to Cangzhou. After calculating provisions, they had managed to recruit another 20,000 ‘filler troops,’ totaling just 50,000 men. Huang Song’s sudden deployment of 80,000 added immense pressure on Feng Jin.
Meng Hunyun suggested, “How about we send a letter to our lord requesting reinforcements?”
Feng Jin flatly refused.
“No, if we reinforce Cangzhou, Wanzhou and Hujun will be in danger.”
Their lord had always aimed for a lean but effective army to save on resources. It was a struggle to convince Jiang Pengji to allow the recruitment of ‘filler troops.’ Asking for more soldiers would weaken the defense of Wanzhou and Hujun—it would be tantamount to suicide!
Feng Jin stated firmly, “Even if we lose Cangzhou, Wanzhou and Hujun must not fall!”
Seeing this, Meng Hunyun and Dian Yin quickly sealed their lips, recognizing that Feng Jin’s words were right.
If Hujun fell, it would hand Huang Song a bountiful granary, allowing him to continue the fight through winter.
If Wanzhou fell, it would be like plunging a dagger into the heart of their forces, cleaving their territory and leaving them unable to respond to multiple fronts.
Because both regions were so crucial, Feng Jin could not fathom why Huang Song would send a heavy force against Cangzhou.
Cangzhou had no wealth, no food, no war horses…The horses had already been stripped by their lord—what could possibly be left to plunder?
Feng Jin stared blankly at the sand table for a long while, then declared, “Let’s wait another day and scout for more reports!”
The struggles of the lords were tied to the fate of the world, as well as to their own lives and fortunes.
If Huang Song wanted to defeat their lord, he couldn’t afford to make a single misstep.
An aggressive advance on Cangzhou was nothing short of a profoundly foolish move!
With a steadfast mindset, Feng Jin was in no way intimidated by Huang Song’s 80,000 troops.
On the fifth day, as dawn broke and the mist still clung to the surface of the gorge waters, Huang Song sent another 20,000 troops across the river on boats.
“Another 20,000?!”
Feng Jin was stunned. Had Huang Song and his strategists finally lost their marbles?
Both sides were not targeting each other’s vital points but instead nibbling on the little fish around them—what a bizarre move that left even Feng Jin scratching his head!
Dian Yin struggled to catch his breath, lifting a hand to wipe the sweat off his face, the thick moisture dampening his palm. He casually rubbed it against his armor. He hadn’t taken off this armor for two days now, and the dried salt from his sweat stuck to the lining—utterly discomforting!
Dian Yin said, “Military adviser, even if we don’t request reinforcements from our lord, we have to report that Huang Song’s army has crossed the gorge with 100,000 men.”
“100,000? Is Huang Song pulling out all the stops?” Feng Jin raised an eyebrow, “I’ll report it to our lord in writing.”
Dian Yin sighed silently at this.
Feng Jin’s stance was clear—he’d rather Cangzhou be in jeopardy than risk Wanzhou and Hujun.
With that thought, Dian Yin perked up; he needed to be well-prepared to take on the enemy in a lively battle.
Damn it!
Just as Dian Yin cursed inwardly, Feng Jin added, “The troops sent over by Huang Song only number around 30,000 to 40,000.”
“30,000 to 40,000? The scout clearly indicated it’s 100,000…”
Dian Yin had been drilled hard on his studies by Yang Si; he wasn’t claiming to be a scholar, but he knew how to count.
“Because the figure of 100,000 is simply too vast, the actual troop count must be around 30,000 to 40,000,” Feng Jin explained, “Military strategy teaches us that deception is key. If Huang Song truly sent 100,000 or more to attack Cangzhou, why have we seen no movement in five days?”
Feng Jin had no proof, but he trusted his instincts.
Meng Hunyun looked on in astonishment, “Then what about these 100,000…”
Feng Jin furrowed his brows. “I suspect the enemy has split into two groups, crossing the river during the day and circling back at night. They alternate back and forth, causing scouts to misjudge the enemy’s numbers. If that’s the case, everything makes sense.”
Dian Yin and Meng Hunyun: “…”
Are there really such crafty strategies?
Feng Jin continued, “Of course, this is merely a hypothesis.”
Dian Yin and Meng Hunyun both shivered in unison. If they succumbed to the psychological pressure and truly requested reinforcements—
“To be cautious, we must prepare comprehensive countermeasures, not allowing the enemy any chance to exploit our weaknesses.”
Even if Cangzhou held little value, if swallowed whole, Huang Song could still scrounge some benefit from it.
With no shoes to lose, he had nothing to fear, but their lord still needed to tread carefully.
Moreover, their lord was still “bedridden with illness”…
