Chapter 125

Chapter 125

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 4: The End of Zhongping, Luoyang’s Storm, Chapter 125: Confrontation at Mengjin

Belonging to the book:


Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne?

Chapter 125: Confrontation…

Lü Bu replied without hesitation, “Of course not!”

Qiao Yan’s statement that even without Red Hare, she could still enter Luoyang, sounded to Lü Bu like an unparalleled confidence that ordinary people could hardly match.

When this belief was voiced, it reached the peak of high spirits.

Thinking of the vanguard troops they had previously defeated, sent by the now notorious Dong Zhuo, Lü Bu couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride in his heart.

Exactly!

A hero like Marquis Qiao doesn’t need to rely on Red Hare to make a name for herself. Even riding a mediocre horse wouldn’t affect her position as the top leader of this side’s forces, completing the important task of clearing the court.

Only such a hero could make Lü Bu willingly serve as her vanguard.

For the sake of Red Hare’s ownership, he should indeed perform more prominently, especially by taking Dong Zhuo’s head on the day they storm Luoyang!

Thinking of riding such a fine steed to gain fame, Lü Bu felt his heart surge with excitement.

Although at the next day’s military meeting, he realized that it wasn’t as simple as giving an order and marching south with the army.

The map of Sili was laid out before them, hung like a curtain, with Qiao Yan using half a spear as a pointer to indicate Luoyang’s location.

“We claim to have thirty thousand troops, but in reality, we have three thousand cavalry and eight thousand infantry. Due to the decent iron mining situation in Bingzhou, all cavalry are armored, and two thousand of the infantry are iron-clad soldiers, with the rest wearing leather armor. There are also over ten thousand people handling logistics and miscellaneous military tasks.”

“Dong Zhuo’s Liangzhou army is still partially controlled by General Huangfu, with only about four to five thousand directly under him. But now, the Northern Army Five Divisions are all under his command, totaling about twenty thousand troops. If he fully mobilizes his old Liangzhou forces and recruits in the capital, he could gather about fifty thousand. This is the current disparity between our forces.”

Dong Zhuo’s previous attempt to win big with a small force failed, and he couldn’t possibly let Qiao Yan continue to take advantage. It had to be a proper battle.

Luoyang, being the capital, surely has a significant stockpile of armor. Qiao Yan, relying on border stockpiles and the privilege of controlling iron mining as a governor, could only say she wasn’t at a significant disadvantage, but not at a great advantage either.

The only advantage was that she had Bingzhou’s granary as support, along with the cooperation of the River East noble families, making her military logistics less pressured.

As for Dong Zhuo—

He probably didn’t expect that the capital’s reduced production due to locust plagues, epidemics, and droughts since the Yellow Turban Rebellion would make it difficult to sustain fifty thousand troops in a state of readiness.

So, in a prolonged war, Qiao Yan had the advantage.

She continued, “Additionally, the enemy has geographical advantages. Niu Fu and Guo Si retreated, so Dong Zhuo will surely station troops outside Luoyang to block our advance. The most heavily guarded state would be to re-establish the eight passes locked during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, to prevent us—”

“Given our current troop deployment at Jiguan, we only need to guard three points.”

She pointed the spear to the west of Luoyang, “Guard Hangu Pass to prevent our forces from descending from Pinglu west of Mang Mountain with the help of the River East noble families, passing through Mianchi and Xin’an, coming from the west.”

Of course, Qiao Yan never intended to take this route.

Having the River East noble families pretend to welcome Bingzhou’s army was to mislead Dong Zhuo into thinking she might take a detour.

But this route was too long.

Mang Mountain starts west of today’s Sanmenxia. To go directly from Jiguan outside Zhi Pass to this place, the logistics of transporting military supplies would definitely not keep up. Even if they reached Hangu Pass, they would already be exhausted!

So, if Dong Zhuo wanted to prevent her from a swift attack, he should guard the other two passes.

“The other two points are Xiaopingjin and Mengjin, to prevent us from crossing the river and heading straight to Luoyang through this section of Mang Mountain.”

Lü Bu had previously taken this route when delivering a proclamation to Luoyang. At that time, with fewer men, crossing the river was easier. But thinking of the river passes at that time and looking at their current numbers, he felt they were at a disadvantage.

Even though there is an island in the river north of Xiaopingjin that could serve as a transfer point, the river channels at these two points are relatively narrow, making them the most vulnerable to attack. But the Yellow River is a natural military barrier!

Even someone like him, who fights by instinct, is quite clear about this.

He asked, “Marquis, you first mentioned the disparity in forces between us and Dong Zhuo, and now you say we can only take these easily defended positions. Isn’t this boosting the enemy’s morale and dampening our own?”

“Fengxian, you’re mistaken,” Jia Xu, who had cooperated with him in Suiyuan City for a year and made a promise to Qiao Yan on Wufeng Mountain, spoke up to answer his confusion.

“Earlier, the Marquis mentioned our ten thousand elite troops, while Dong Zhuo’s side not only has complex personnel but also needs to disperse defenses across at least three passes and keep enough manpower to guard against counterattacks in the capital. So, the troops guarding Xiaopingjin or Mengjin would at most be equal to our numbers.”

Lü Bu scratched his head, feeling much clearer now.

With equal numbers, given Marquis Qiao’s track record of never losing a battle.

With sufficient armor, there’s no disadvantage.

“This is just the first point. Secondly, last night, Marquis Qiao ordered General Zilong to intentionally let Niu Fu escape. This person’s nature is to seek revenge where he falls. Being Dong Zhuo’s son-in-law, since we are most likely to attack from Xiaopingjin and Mengjin, he will surely be at one of these points.”

Jia Xu could see the Liangzhou forces under Dong Zhuo more clearly than anyone.

If Niu Fu wanted to station at the Yellow River crossing to block Qiao Yan, regardless of whether Li Ru would object, Niu Fu would surely achieve his goal.

At most, Dong Zhuo would assign him a more reliable deputy.

Lü Bu thought of the scene he witnessed last night with Qiao Yan, where Niu Fu was rescued by Guo Si on horseback, leaving a deep impression.

So, if the enemy really had Niu Fu as the main general, this could be considered an advantage for us.

Because he was definitely not an excellent commander.

“The third point…” Jia Xu stroked his beard, looking towards Qiao Yan.

The third point shouldn’t be said by him.

Qiao Yan smiled, “The third point is, we don’t need to cross the river yet, just make Dong Zhuo split his forces to guard Xiaopingjin and Mengjin, facing us across the river. Dong Zhuo’s opponents are not just us, and they won’t miss this chance to counterattack.”

If she revealed all her cards and attacked across the river regardless of casualties, why would she wait nearly a month after Dong Zhuo entered Luoyang to send troops?

So, the surging Yellow River before Mengjin, at least for now, is not her disadvantage.

In Luoyang, Dong Zhuo had just received news that his son-in-law Niu Fu had suffered a defeat, barely escaping with only a tenth of his troops. Before he could lament the loss of his prized Red Hare, which failed to deceive Qiao Yan, he received two more messages.

The first was that Qiao Yan’s rear army seemed not to be fully stationed at Jiguan, but had disappeared.

Combined with her relationship with the River East noble families, Dong Zhuo couldn’t help but worry about potential dangers in his rear.

The other message was—

Qiao Yan’s main force was preparing to move, steadily advancing south.

Although ten thousand troops move slowly, it would only take a day to reach the Yellow River, including setting up camp.

Since hearing of Qiao Yan’s troops moving from River East, he had mobilized troops to guard the Mengjin crossing.

But he had to admit, he had hoped his good son-in-law would bring good news. Not having fully established defenses here, he now had to increase the garrison.

Only with enough troops stationed here could he ensure that, with the advantage of attacking halfway across the river, the enemy wouldn’t dare to attempt a crossing.

Thus, the defense along the northern Yellow River line needed a main general.

His gaze fell on Duan Wei, but then Niu Fu, still bearing injuries on his face and leg, stepped forward.

“General, let me go!” Niu Fu said without showing any weakness. “My previous defeat at the hands of that brat Qiao Yan was due to underestimating her strength and being caught off guard. With the natural barrier of the great river and sufficient manpower, I won’t let her succeed again.”

Hearing this, Dong Zhuo hesitated for a moment.

Rationally, he felt he shouldn’t agree to Niu Fu’s request.

But emotionally, he had a bit of a ‘one person’s success benefits all’ mentality.

That’s why, as soon as he stabilized in Luoyang, he sent people galloping to Liangzhou.

On one hand, trying to bring part of the Liangzhou forces to the center, and on the other, having his family brought to Luoyang, now coming from the Right Fufeng direction.

Though they hadn’t arrived yet, he had already drafted the rewards to be reported to the central government, planning to ennoble his mother as Lady Chiyang, and even his granddaughter Dong Bai was given the title Lady Weiyang.

Niu Fu, being his son-in-law, naturally deserved some favor.

But Qiao Yan was different from the opponents they faced in Liangzhou, and Niu Fu had already lost to her once. If she found any opportunity to attack, dragging the battle line to Luoyang’s gates, he would be completely passive.

He signaled Li Ru not to speak, and after some consideration, asked Niu Fu, “The great river crossing, due to the Yellow Turban Rebellion, has newly established Xiaopingjin. I intend to send two people to guard it together. You haven’t been scared off by Qiao Yan and are still willing to fight, which is good, but I can’t send you alone.”

“Among my current middle generals, choose one to form a pincer with you, guarding two points.”

Niu Fu’s face lit up, and he replied without hesitation, “Then please order General Xu to go with me!”

General Xu referred to Xu Rong.

Among Dong Zhuo’s current middle generals, Li Jue, Guo Si, Fan Chou, and Zhang Ji were not included.

These people were considered colonels, serving as deputies during marches.

The first to be promoted to middle generals were Niu Fu, Dong Yue, Duan Wei, Xu Rong, and Hu Zhen.

Niu Fu, wanting to regain face, didn’t intend to be stubborn. He still needed a relatively reliable ally.

This ally shouldn’t have too many ideas.

Hu Zhen had a very brave Hua Xiong under him, who had been quite temperamental lately.

Duan Wei was a relative of the late Grand Commandant Duan Jiong, considered venerable.

Dong Yue was mediocre and had long-standing conflicts with him.

Thus, only Xu Rong remained.

Being named by Niu Fu, Xu Rong felt somewhat speechless. Not knowing if it was because he had previously lost to Qiao Yan while assisting Dong Min, he had a premonition that with another unreliable teammate, facing Marquis Qiao again might lead to problems.

But this arrangement clearly didn’t give him room to refuse.

Dong Zhuo immediately ordered him to lead troops to guard Xiaopingjin, while Niu Fu would lead troops to guard Mengjin.

Then, with Duan Wei as the main general guarding Hangu Pass, and Hu Zhen as…








The main general stationed at Chenggao, ordered Dong Yue to guard Taigu Pass, Li Jue and Guo Si to guard Yique Pass, Fan Chou and Zhang Ji to station at Huanyuan Pass. Thus, except for Guangcheng Pass, all other passes were guarded.

North of Guangcheng Pass, Yique, Taigu, and Huanyuan Passes were arranged, so additional manpower might not be necessary.

After making these arrangements, Dong Zhuo finally felt an unprecedented sense of security, much like Liu Hong did when facing the Yellow Turban Rebellion and stationing troops at the eight passes.

This sense of security was also because, after making these arrangements, the censor Rao Longzong visited him. Dong Zhuo noticed the sword Rao had forgotten to remove and coldly ordered him to be dragged down and beaten to death.

He then had He Miao’s body dug up from the grave, dismembered, and thrown by the roadside, and also killed He Miao and Empress He’s mother, Wuyang Jun.

The rumors in Luoyang about the edict he received temporarily subsided in the face of such brutal and bloody actions.

To prevent officials’ relatives from entering Luoyang under the pretext of court visits during the tight guard of the eight passes, Dong Zhuo ordered the killing of Zhou Hui, son of Grand Minister of Agriculture Zhou Zhong, who came from Lujiang, to enforce discipline.

The court was in a state of panic.

Dong Zhuo was no longer satisfied with just dealing with those who contested his military power, expanding his purge from military officers to civil officials.

This change was not due to the Bingzhou Governor marching south and stationing troops across the Yellow River.

In fact, people in Luoyang hoped Qiao Yan could repel Dong Zhuo and eliminate this ambitious man.

Dong Zhuo, after promoting himself to Prime Minister, showed a domineering style and revealed that his respect for scholars was merely a facade to hide his disloyal intentions.

Xun Shuang, a renowned scholar from Yingchuan, was forced into the position of Minister of Works after Huang Wan became Grand Commandant and Yang Biao became Minister over the Masses.

Looking at Xun You, who was temporarily staying at his residence after being forcibly brought to Luoyang, Xun Shuang felt deep sorrow.

“Dong Zhuo is brutal, like a tiger or wolf. I have lived in seclusion for over ten years, only to face such a disgraceful end in my old age, how tragic!”

At 62, he knew his life was nearing its end and feared he wouldn’t see how much the Han Dynasty would be ruined by Dong Zhuo’s actions.

Though he spent his life studying classical texts, he still harbored a desire to save the nation. Seeing the talented Xun You before him, he feared for his safety if he stayed in Luoyang.

Dong Zhuo forbade anyone from entering or leaving.

His position as Minister of Works was nominal, with no chance to send Xun You away.

Xun You replied, “Don’t worry, there’s always a way. Dong Zhuo’s tyranny has gathered many talents to the capital. Outside, Qiao Yan of Bingzhou defeated Dong Zhuo’s generals and is confronting his troops at Mengjin. If someone with vision takes action now…”

He continued, “Dong Zhuo struggles to control his generals and the Northern Army Five Divisions. His cruelty shows he’s overwhelmed. If the troops from Yan, Yu, Ji, and Xu provinces unite and attack Xuanmen Pass, they can save the Emperor and revive the court.”

“Don’t worry about your reputation now. As a high official, try to protect the scholars and典籍 in the capital. How can that be a disgrace?”

Xun Shuang was stunned for a long time before murmuring, “Attack Xuanmen Pass… Yes, though it’s guarded by a Middle General, if someone as bold as Qiao Yan comes to rescue the Emperor, Dong Zhuo is just a common man, no need to fear him!”

He rose with his ailing body, walked to the courtyard, and looked at the clear but chilly sky, asking, “Who do you think has the courage to act now?”

Xun You replied, “On the day of the late Emperor’s death, he left an edict for Lu Zhi to assist in governance. He has military skills and a past with Qiao Yan. If he can gather troops, he might march to Luoyang.”

“Middle Colonel Cao Mengde, who previously confronted Dong Zhuo’s army and fled to Qiao and Pei, has ample resources and many brothers, some of whom are wandering knights, giving him a chance to raise an army.”

“Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao, though the main culprits of Luoyang’s troubles…” Seeing Xun Shuang look at him, Xun You added, “the second.”

“One is in Nanyang, joining forces with Nanyang Prefect Zhang Ziyi and Changsha Prefect Sun Wentai to march north, the other is recruiting troops in Ji Province under the Yuan name, and could also march here.”

“If we talk about brave heroes in the world, those currently serving east of Luoyang, such as the Prefects of Chenliu, Guangling, Dong Commandery, Beihai, and the Governor of Xuzhou, could all raise armies. If someone in the Central Plains calls for action, over ten high-ranking officials could gather outside Luoyang’s eight passes—”

“Thinking this way, do you feel there’s hope for the world?”

Xun Shuang suddenly felt the sky clear, sighing, “Yes, how can Dong Zhuo control the hearts of the world with power? His brutality, countered by Qiao Yan from the south, will surely inspire patriots. If over ten forces march to Xuanmen Pass, the Han Dynasty will see clear skies again. Why should I fear for myself?”

“Prepare the carriage, I’m going to Lantai!”

On the day Liu Hong died, the fire in the Southern Palace started by Yuan Shu did not reach Lantai, preserving the books. But this was just a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

If Dong Zhuo is defeated at Xuanmen Pass, this wolf at the end of his road might set another fire, and Lantai might not survive.

Now forcibly promoted to Minister of Works, he might not have the ability to turn the tide, but he could still try to protect the典籍 in the capital.

As Xun You helped him into the carriage, he looked into his grandson’s seemingly gentle but resolute eyes.

He thought for a moment and asked, “Do you think Qiao Yan could break through Mengjin?”

Xun You replied, “She’s good at creating surprises, I can’t predict her.”

Meanwhile, Qiao Yan, known for her surprising victories, was writing letters in the camp north of the Yellow River opposite Mengjin.

Niu Fu, stationed at Mengjin, was relieved to see the faint outline of Qiao Yan’s camp across the river but felt uneasy about her lack of offensive actions.

He sent soldiers disguised as fishermen downstream to infiltrate the camp and found out that Qiao Yan was having her troops build boats.

Building boats?

This was indeed a sign of attack, but not suitable for Mengjin!

If they intended to cross the river by boat, Mengjin’s shipyard had countless boats, including those suitable for Yellow River battles. How could hastily built boats compare?

Moreover, attacking mid-river was the most advantageous condition.

If they intended to build a pontoon bridge, that would be even more laughable!

Since the Shang and Zhou dynasties, there have been tales of building bridges with boats, but such methods were only suitable for rivers like the Wei, never the Yellow River.

Niu Fu looked at the Bingzhou army camp across the river and sneered, “It’s late April now. If she builds boats for seven months, by November, the Yellow River will freeze in recent years’ weather! Then she can cross.”

He was pleased to hear the soldiers around him laugh in agreement.

But touching his face, he grimaced in pain.

That day, Guo Si carried him back on horseback, and in his rage while crossing the river, he broke an oar and accidentally hit his face, knocking out half a tooth.

This deepened his desire to regain face from Qiao Yan.

But with her not easily crossing the river to attack, and him not easily crossing to attack her, he felt extremely frustrated.

Moreover, as long as she stationed across the Yellow River, he had to keep the troops given by the Prime Minister stationed there to prevent her from finding an opportunity to cross and attack Luoyang.

Compared to his impatience, Qiao Yan was much steadier.

As Xun You guessed, after tying down Dong Zhuo’s two armies, she sent letters to Lu Zhi and Cao Cao, urging them to form an alliance against Dong Zhuo.

In the letters, she mentioned—

Dong Zhuo’s massacres in Luoyang were to cover his guilty conscience, and his rapid corruption by power, even after her edict, led to more incriminating actions.

Now, the scholarly community was shaken, aware of his true nature. Even those previously granted positions by Dong Zhuo should prioritize the people’s welfare and the court’s salvation over their past affiliations.

Dong Zhuo’s divided defenses were a good opportunity to raise an army.

To eradicate evil thoroughly, once they marched from Xuanmen Pass, she would quickly cross the river, enter from Beimang, and cut off Dong Zhuo’s escape route.

As for how she would cross the river, they need not worry.

[In the early Han years, there was a special method for crossing the Yellow River in Bingzhou. It’s said northerners are not good at naval battles, but Bingzhou is different. Just wait and see.]

Qiao Yan put down her pen and sent the letters.

Then, she walked to the bustling boat-building site north of the camp, casually ordering the finished small boats to be placed on the shore for Niu Fu to see, before heading to a curtained area in the camp.

There, several opened boxes revealed not military rations but freshly peeled sheepskins.

The sheep obtained from their recent campaign against the Xianbei were not enough for this quantity.

But before Qiao Yan’s campaign last year, Guo Jia had already tricked and intimidated the Left Guli Wang, and this year’s hunting results were still good, so the Southern Xiongnu Left Guli Wang, even if still rebellious, was thoroughly scared.

Moreover, after the Youzhou rebellion was quelled, Yufuluo, son of the Southern Xiongnu Chanyu Qiang Qu, returned to Xihe Commandery in Bingzhou, further intimidating the Southern Xiongnu left nobility.

The Left Guli Wang, now a submissive Xiongnu, couldn’t even flee far in his fear, so he and other left nobles chose to offer their wealth to save their lives.

That’s why Qiao Yan now had over four thousand nearly complete sheepskins here.

And they had to be ram skins.

She picked up a previously roasted and de-haired sheepskin.

For easier transport, these sheepskins, which should have been inflated, were still deflated.

Except for those soldiers making boats outside, everyone else was here.

They were busy inflating the sheepskins, sealing them with hemp ropes, applying water and oil, and then drying them.

The inflated sheepskins formed sheepskin bladders, the air sacs tied under the sheepskin rafts.

Qiao Yan looked at the dozens of test sheepskin bladders and smiled.

This was her means of crossing the river!