Chapter 421

Chapter 421: Encirclement from All Sides

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Final Volume: The Rise and Fall of Royal Power, Unification of the World, Chapter 421: Encirclement from All Sides.

Shen Pei is indeed not Zhang Bao. In terms of strategic planning, even three Zhang Baos combined might not match his ability. However, the situation he faces is even worse than what Zhang Bao encountered back then.

As a native of Julu, Zhang Bao had the support of the people swayed by the Yellow Turban Way and the distant cooperation of his brothers in Guangzong and Quzhou. If not for the imperial army’s swift advance and their unexpected detour, Xiaquyang would have been the retreat chosen by Zhang Jiao for his three brothers.

Shen Pei, on the other hand, has made Xiaquyang a fortress to intercept the northern troops. The rear of Wei County and Ye City is also under great threat, unable to provide sufficient support.

He is not unaware that there are already signs of wavering morale among his troops.

The previous defeat in Bohai County has already pushed the soldiers’ war-weariness to its peak.

Indeed, who would want to face such an opponent?

If this were still a relatively evenly matched battle, these soldiers would not feel so desperate.

Even if they could win the current battle, they would still face the replenishment of troops from eleven provinces.

Moreover, in the previous battle, the opponents they encountered, Tai Shici and Gan Ning, were not even the main forces under Qiao Yan’s command.

Tai Shici’s Divine Bow camp indeed has the terrifying ability to hit targets hundreds of steps away, and Gan Ning’s navy, during his station in Youzhou, had the capability to maneuver across the Juma River, Yi River, and Baiyangdian. However, neither of them holds the title of “General” nor commands an independent army.

For soldiers with the simplest judgment criteria, this is a sign of their inferior strength.

Then, if they were to face Qiao Yan’s main forces later, wouldn’t it be even more difficult to withstand?

Another source of wavering morale comes from the people of Xiaquyang.

As citizens of Ji Province, they should have joined the military to defend their homeland in such a time of foreign invasion. With the Han Dynasty nearing its end, they should have the conviction to fight for every inch of land.

But now…

Shen Pei ascends the city walls of Xiaquyang.

From the distant Gucheng Mountain to the surroundings of Xiaquyang County, the golden fields turned by the autumn harvest have already been reaped, and no figures can be seen working in the fields.

Somehow, a rumor has quietly spread among the soldiers and civilians here.

It is said that the Son of Heaven of Da Yong, located outside Ji Province, is waiting for the people of Ji Province to complete their autumn harvest and gather the rare harvest from their fields before launching an attack on Ji Province.

Perhaps it is the news brought by traveling merchants who passed through here, or perhaps it is the speculation arising from the consecutive defeats of Ji Province in several battles. In any case—

This rumor, which has become unstoppable here, brings Shen Pei pressure no less than the threat of failing to boost morale.

In the perception created by this rumor, the Emperor of Da Yong, despite holding strong troops, still harbors a kind heart towards these remnants of the former dynasty who stubbornly resist, leaving them a glimmer of hope for survival. Then, would the Da Yong soldiers passing through really harm them?

Probably not.

Not only would they not, but as long as they quickly adapt to the trend of all rivers flowing to the sea and join the new dynasty, they should be able to enjoy the same treatment as other provinces.

Shen Pei cannot effectively curb this rumor because he cannot provide a proper explanation for why Qiao Yan chose such a time to wage war.

It seems… this might really be a fact.

Thinking of this possibility, Shen Pei feels even more lost.

Where is their way out?

From the dual standpoint of a Hebei noble family and a Han official, he should have long held the belief to fight to the death while stationed in Xiaquyang. But if he answers this question with his conscience and reason, he cannot help but feel that for the common people tilling the yellow earth, joining Qiao Yan’s side might indeed be the best outcome for them.

He has seen the scene in Bingzhou before.

But at that time, he was representing the newly established Ye City court to win over Qiao Yan, and he did not expect that the expedition to Liangzhou, which was not favored by many, would achieve such results.

Enough! Thinking too much about this now is of no use.

Shen Pei is well aware that he should not spend too much energy speculating on the situation in Ye City but should focus all his attention on the changes in the north.

But he has an indescribable sense of foreboding.

The decisions in Ye City have not reached his ears, so he does not yet know that Yuan Shao has decisively executed Guo Tu and Feng Ji as pawns to “stabilize” the hearts of the people.

He just feels that the scouts have not returned for a long time, which is not a good sign.

Even though the trenches around Xiaquyang were dug when Zhang Bao was stationed here, and there are still many unused iron caltrops and deer antlers stored in the city, which can be used in the current defense, the possibility of holding off a large-scale northern attack is minimal.

After all… this is just a county town.

“Sir?” A subordinate following him on the city walls notices the weariness and melancholy in his gaze and quickly speaks up, “Since there is no news yet, perhaps you should take the opportunity to rest. Otherwise, it will only give the enemy a chance to exploit our weakness.”

The subordinate cannot help but sigh. If there were still generals to cooperate with Shen Pei and take over this defense line, Shen Pei would not have to exhaust himself to this extent.

Although he replaced Xin Pi on the northern defense line, his years of handling affairs in Ji Province and his resolute performance since taking office have deeply impressed his subordinates, who feel that Shen Pei truly deserves the title of a Hebei scholar and cannot help but admire him.

Unfortunately, their situation is truly bad, leaving Shen Pei no room to maneuver.

“You are right… right,” Shen Pei murmurs, “The enemy has not arrived yet, and I cannot let myself be worn out first.”

He turns back to instruct the soldiers on the city walls not to be careless and then returns to rest.

But he could not have imagined that the scouts’ failure to return is not due to the absence of movement in the north.

Those merchants, who almost write profit-seeking and harm-avoidance into their code of conduct, would not miss this last opportunity to make a contribution. They have long stationed countless people between Beiping County and Wuji County.

This network of merchants was originally something Yuan Shao could not bring himself to win over, so he tried to use the pretext of choosing a successor for his second son to manipulate it. However, it has now become the most suitable candidate to counter Shen Pei’s scouts.

The sudden sound of the enemy’s攻城 startles Shen Pei from his sleep. Even though he knows that no matter how miraculous the enemy’s troops are, they cannot breach Xiaquyang in half a moment, Shen Pei still feels a sense of urgency as he hurriedly dresses.

“Why did it take so long to detect the northern troops moving south? Even if there are no scouts reporting from deep within Zhongshan, there should be scouts on Gucheng Mountain keeping watch,” Shen Pei quickly asks as he sees his subordinate rushing to him.

The subordinate looks panicked, “Not only have the northern troops arrived, but also the western troops!”

“We couldn’t see the specific situation clearly. By the time we realized the troops from Changshan had arrived, it was already too late!”

Western Changshan?

Shen Pei’s steps halt.

If the attack comes from Changshan, it can only be the troops from Bingzhou!

But Yuan Xi has not sent any news before this.

As Yuan Shao’s son, Yuan Xi, despite having been to Chang’an before, would never choose to defect to the enemy. The only possibility is that the disparity in strength between the two sides is too great, leaving Yuan Xi no time to send out the news!

This is even worse news for Shen Pei, whose situation is already precarious.

When the defenders of Xiaquyang engage with the western enemy, the judgment of the enemy’s formidable strength becomes even clearer.

The northern troops led by Lü Bu and Lü Lingju are more skilled in archery and cavalry, and their greatest role in this攻城 is to harass the city walls with a large number of bows and crossbows.

The western troops, however, have a large number of heavy armored infantry. Before Shen Pei can reach the city walls to supervise the battle, they have already taken over the攻城车 and battering rams from the northern army. While a group of elite soldiers is already climbing the city walls, another group is charging towards the city gates under a rain of arrows.

Xiaquyang, without a瓮城, has its surrounding trenches filled in an exceptionally skilled manner, followed by the攻城车 crossing over and making a grating sound as it hits the city gates.

This sound, appearing in broad daylight, is enough to frighten the defenders, and in the night, it carries an even more relentless杀气.

By the light of the torches gradually lit below for the convenience of the攻城, Shen Pei, under the cover of his subordinates, clearly sees that the armor worn by the攻城 general below is far more refined than ordinary armor!

In this fleeting moment, Shen Pei runs through all the generals who could have arrived here in his mind and comes to only one conclusion—Qu Yi, the Middle General of the East.

And obviously, Qu Yi is not the only one on the western route.

In the distance, there is another group of troops providing support, and only a vague figure of a high-ranking general can be seen stationed there.

“Bring boiling water, molten metal, and all the logs and stones in the city to the city walls,” Shen Pei shouts sharply, “At least hold out until dawn, and immediately inform every household to come and assist in the defense.”

The western gate is under the most intense attack, but the northern cavalry, not skilled in攻城, still watches the other sides closely, making Shen Pei dare not risk redeploying the defenders from all sides and can only rely on the city’s civilians.

But to his great disappointment, when the soldiers sent to recruit civilians return, the number of people following them can be easily counted.

“…Sir, they say they don’t want to fight,” the subordinate sent to recruit people stammers in reply, “They say we only have half of Ji Province and half of Qingzhou, combined less than a tenth of the enemy’s territory. The Son of Heaven of Da Yong also holds the Imperial Seal handed over by the Han Dynasty’s Son of Heaven. Why should they make such a meaningless sacrifice?”

“Since the royal army has arrived today, and you did not make sufficient preparations in advance, perhaps it is a sign that Ji Province should submit.”

Hearing this, Shen Pei feels his vision darken.

Although he had guessed from the previous rumors that he might encounter resistance from the city’s civilians when facing a攻城 battle, the moment he truly encounters such a response, he still feels the despair of having his last hope forcibly shattered.

“How foolish they are…”

Looking at the orderly攻城队伍 in the shadows outside the city, Shen Pei suddenly stops speaking.

Are these civilians, who prefer to hide in their homes and wait for the outside army to break in, really foolish?

Perhaps not.

But before Shen Pei can come to an answer, the city gates, unable to effectively stop the heavy armored soldiers, collapse under repeated撞击 with a groan.

Having guarded the passes of Bingzhou for many years, Qu Yi, a general from Liangzhou, has never neglected the training of his soldiers.

Qiao Yan’s previous balancing of the official positions of the Xiping Qu family has also made him realize that to ensure the Qu family’s official positions are no longer limited, he, as the leader, must achieve greater military merits!

Every攻城 battle since crossing the Taihang Mountains into Ji Province is a hope for promotion for his elite troops and himself.

In the dim light, the well-fed Da Yong soldiers still maintain their sharp eyes, and the moment the city gates are breached, they flood into the city like a tide, giving the defenders no chance to push the gates back.

The cavalry roaming the outskirts quickly follow, killing into the city.

The two-pronged advance of Da Yong’s forces has already put Shen Pei’s side at a numerical disadvantage. With the city’s defenses gone, this numerical disadvantage becomes even more apparent.

They must leave quickly!

In such a battle within the city, even if it turns into street fighting, the advantage will definitely not be on their side.

Rather than wasting energy here when the city is about to fall, it is better to quickly relocate and see if there is any place south of Xiaquyang that can intercept the enemy’s advance.

But this time, his luck is not as good as in the previous battle in Bohai.

Shen Pei, surrounded by soldiers trying to escape from the south of the city, has not gone far before he sees cavalry from both sides swiftly chasing after them, quickly trapping them.

The torches ahead cast a blinding red light on Shen Pei’s vision, making it difficult for him to see the appearance of the person in front, but he hears the voice from the leader: “Zhao Yun of Changshan is here. Please dismount and surrender, Sir Shen Zhengnan.”

Changshan… Zhao Zilong.

Changshan!

Shen Pei suddenly understands how they broke through here!

But at this moment…








Understood, but it’s obviously too late now.

What he realized wasn’t just how the enemy forces had reached the city of Xiaquyang, but also how this siege had solidified the public’s support and sealed the fate of the overall situation!

Shen Pei’s commanding presence and generosity couldn’t change the minds of the people of Xiaquyang. Even the people of Ji Province, who had only a vague understanding of the situation under the rule of Da Yong, showed such reactions at this moment. The people of Guanzhong, who had truly benefited from Qiao Yan’s grace for many years… should be even more so!

It’s no surprise that the throne of the Han Dynasty would pass through the capital region.

“You all have won.”

After a long silence, Shen Pei painfully uttered these five words.

But when he raised his head to look at Zhao Yun in the torchlight, his expression remained solemn. “But the Han Dynasty has not yet lost.”

Whether the Han Dynasty had truly not lost was not something Shen Pei’s stubborn insistence could determine.

Zhao Yun clearly had no intention of arguing with him at this moment. He immediately ordered Shen Pei to be captured and escorted back to Xiaquyang.

Shen Pei had initially thought that if Zhao Yun and Qu Yi’s siege had caused harm to the people of Xiaquyang, he would have grounds to stand on and denounce them as outright rebels from his staunch Han loyalist position.

But as they returned to the city, the remaining soldiers, having lost their will to fight after Shen Pei’s departure, had already been captured.

The city’s residents, hiding in their homes and not daring to venture out, had also avoided unnecessary conflicts with the incoming Da Yong troops.

Despite the recent change in the city’s ownership, there was surprisingly little noise.

Qu Yi and Zhao Yun’s subordinates had already taken control of the city walls and were methodically clearing the battlefield.

The tightly locked city gates made it impossible for any stragglers to escape, so it was fine to wait until daylight to conduct a thorough search.

They didn’t need to make much noise.

Perhaps the only comedic scene in this orderly situation was Lu Lingju and Lü Bu arguing over whose subordinates had contributed more during the recent skirmishes around the city.

If Zhao Yun hadn’t caught up with Shen Pei so quickly, these two might have settled their dispute by seeing who could capture the enemy commander first.

Now, they could only rely on their words.

It must be said, this was also due to Gao Shun, who had been captured outside Beiping County, still refusing to surrender despite his defeat. Both Lü Bu and Lu Lingju, being admirers of talent, couldn’t bring themselves to execute him, so they channeled their excess energy into this father-daughter rivalry.

Zhao Yun watched this scene with some helplessness, not noticing the strange expression that flashed across Shen Pei’s face as he was being captured.

He interjected between the father and daughter, “You two should rest soon. We have other tasks tomorrow, and you can settle your dispute then.”

The two, father and daughter, gave each other challenging looks before finally parting ways.

Zhao Yun was right; they had significant tasks the next day.

The following action was also an opportunity for merit, and they could indeed compete again.

The next day, Zhao Yun left a garrison in Xiaquyang to ensure the city wouldn’t fall into chaos in their absence. After confirming there were no hidden soldiers among the civilians, they immediately marched out of the city.

The two forces that had broken through Shen Pei’s defenses didn’t head south directly. Instead, following Xi Zhicai’s advice from when they set out from Bingzhou, they turned their attention to Yuan Xi after swiftly dealing with the more troublesome Shen Pei.

Yes, Yuan Xi, who hadn’t yet received news of Zhao Yun’s forces entering from Niuyin Mountain.

His focus was still on the two more accessible mountain passes.

It was also possible that Yuan Shang’s capture had forced Yuan Xi to divert some attention southward, waiting for Yuan Shao in Ye City to issue some orders.

Gao Lan, who was with him, had been captured by Lü Bu earlier and had his position swapped with Gao Shun by Yuan Shao, leaving him somewhat demoralized and lacking his previous sharpness in commanding troops.

Yuan Xi noticed this but didn’t know how to console Gao Lan.

He thought it fortunate that their current position wasn’t likely to be the primary target of attack, so Gao Lan’s state shouldn’t affect the overall situation.

But as it turned out, they weren’t the primary target, but as a military force, they were inevitably swept up in this sudden counterattack.

By the time news of Shen Pei’s capture and the incoming army reached them, the enemy was already at their doorstep.

Yuan Xi finally realized that Qiao Yan’s order to block the two mountain passes in the Taihang Mountains wasn’t to prevent them from crossing into Bingzhou and attacking her base, but to prevent him from retreating into the mountains and escaping through those passes!

With the victorious Da Yong forces ahead and the impassable mountains behind, it was a classic dilemma of being caught between a rock and a hard place!

He watched helplessly as Lü Bu, in the midst of the battle, struck down Gao Lan, who had been trying to regain his honor, killing the once-proud general of Hebei.

Like Shen Pei, Yuan Xi was “invited” to follow the army, but in this situation of being captured after the city’s fall, he found little reason to feel fortunate for having survived.

Seeing this high-spirited army preparing to rest briefly before heading south through Ji Province’s Zhao territory to attack Ye City, Yuan Xi felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

His father’s situation had truly reached its worst.

Changshan had fallen, Zhongshan had fallen, and even with Ju Shou’s strategies, Hejian and Bohai counties couldn’t hold, meaning Ji Province was now truly halved.

Yet, as sons, they had no way to stop this transfer of power.

Yuan Shang had been captured for rashly launching an attack, and now Yuan Xi, having failed to detect Zhao Yun’s advance, was besieged and captured as well.

Looking at it this way, the only son left who could possibly aid their father was their eldest brother, Yuan Tan!

But was Yuan Tan’s situation as favorable as Yuan Xi thought?

The mutiny in Donglai and Beihai had left Yuan Tan and Xin Pi in a very precarious position.

Following that, Jia Xu’s northward advance made them realize that this old fox wasn’t just skilled in strategizing for Dong Zhuo and maneuvering in Xuzhou’s battles; in this confrontation at the Wei River, he had not only stabilized the counterattacks from Donglai but also effectively used generals like Zhang Ren, Yan Yan, and Ma Chao in small-scale river-crossing assaults.

If Yuan Tan had a few capable generals, he might have been able to counter Jia Xu’s disruptive attacks, but all he had was Jiang Qi.

And even this one was killed by Ma Chao during a night raid across the Wei River.

The generals from Xuzhou moving north into Qingzhou almost seemed to have “assist the Governor of Qingzhou in achieving merit” written on their faces.

Under such pressure, Yuan Tan and Xin Pi had no choice but to make a decision—abandon the area south of the Yellow River, rely on natural barriers, and plan a counterattack.

By withdrawing their troops across the river, they hoped to preserve more of Yuan Shao’s forces.

But what Yuan Tan didn’t expect was that Guo Jia in Yanzhou had already ordered Xu Huang and Yue Jin to move north into Qinghe County and then into Qingzhou, launching a fierce attack just as Yuan Tan was halfway across the river.

The lack of troops in Qinghe was due to Yuan Tan transferring forces to Qingzhou using Yuan Shao’s authority, but the situation in Qingzhou hadn’t improved with these reinforcements. Instead, Yuan Tan himself was severely disadvantaged by the weakened Qinghe.

They had overlooked that Guo Jia, who was in Yanzhou, had once been Qiao Yan’s Grand Marshal’s Chief Clerk. When it came to understanding the battlefield, he was second to none.

He had no need to join the forces in Henei County, which were already at their peak. Instead, he became a sharp blade cutting off the connection between Ji Province and Qingzhou!

Attacking an army mid-crossing was always the most effective strategy.

In the face of such an attack, even Yuan Shao might not have been able to mount an effective defense, let alone Yuan Tan!

Yuan Tan didn’t even have time to care about Xin Pi, who was covering the rear, as he fled northward with the help of his subordinates.

The soldiers who were supposed to return to Ji Province either died under Xu Huang and Yue Jin’s fierce assault or surrendered along with Xin Pi, who was still on the boats in the river.

“What a pity, we didn’t capture that eldest son of the Yuan family,” Xu Huang lamented.

Fortunately, with the prisoners they captured and Xin Pi alive, they could at least give a report to Guo Jia and Qiao Yan.

However, Yuan Tan didn’t escape either.

Yuan Tan knew something about the situation in northern Ji Province.

He also knew that Ju Shou was stationed south of the Hutuo River in Lecheng.

Knowing that he had lost Qingzhou and that returning directly to Ye City might result in severe reprimands from his father or even being intercepted on the way, Yuan Tan decided it would be better to join forces with Ju Shou. If he could assist in some military achievement, he might be able to atone for his failures.

But as soon as he entered Lecheng County and met with Ju Shou, he received a battle report from Ju Shou’s subordinates.

Zhang Liao was leading over ten thousand troops south!

This Governor of Youzhou, who had been overshadowed by Lü Bu in the past two years, reminded everyone of his military genius when he led the charge. He had once outmaneuvered Gongsun Zan, Ke Bineng, and Tadun’s coalition, rescued Liu Yu from the coastal route, and pushed Gongsun Zan to the brink!

Moreover, it wasn’t just Zhang Liao’s forces heading to Lecheng!

Gan Ning and Tai Shici, who had previously mobilized in Bohai County, received Zhang Liao’s orders and sailed west from the Zhang River into the Hutuo River, joining forces with Zhang Liao and using their naval forces to cross the river and disrupt Ju Shou’s attempted interception.

The sudden long-range attack from the Divine Bow battalion killed the soldiers controlling the crossbows on the city walls at the start of the battle.

As the Youzhou troops gathered beneath the walls of Lecheng County, Yuan Tan, witnessing this, turned completely pale.

He thought he had escaped the attacks from Xuzhou and Yanzhou and found a relatively safe haven, but in reality, he had jumped from one fire pit into another, now seeing his inevitable end in this inescapable pursuit.

Ju Shou’s years as a cavalry commander in Hebei had indeed strengthened his subordinates’ loyalty, allowing the county to hold out a few days longer than Shen Pei’s Xiaquyang. But as a central location in Ji Province, never considered a defensive stronghold, the county’s stock of arrows was much lower than usual and would eventually run out.

Half a month later, when Zhang Liao and Guo Jia met in Qinghe County, the prisoner carts behind them already held Ju Shou and Yuan Tan.

Though Zhang Liao and Guo Jia had both served under Qiao Yan in Bingzhou, they hadn’t seen each other in years.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the time for reminiscing.

Jia Xu in Qingzhou, citing his “old bones not suited for much travel,” only sent Ma Chao and others to lead the troops.

These three forces immediately took Ju Shou, Yuan Tan, and Xin Pi to Wei County.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yun and Lü Bu’s forces brought Shen Pei, Yuan Xi, and Gao Shun to the north of Wei County.

At the same time, Qiao Yan in Henei County wasn’t idle.

When the summer breeze of mid-August swept across Henei, the troops led by Cao Cao, with her permission, launched an attack against Gao Gan.

Gao Gan was a capable man, but it depended on who he was compared to!

No matter how much Yuan Shao had hoped for him, he knew Gao Gan couldn’t possibly hold Qiao Yan back from Wei County.

But even now, he hadn’t expected that as urgent reports from around Ye City flooded into this “imperial capital,” he would hear of such a coordinated large-scale invasion.

It seemed as if everything had changed overnight, leaving him no room for adjustment.

The northern, southern, and eastern forces of Wei County had converged, each bringing one of his sons as a hostage.

To the west lay the Taihang Mountains, which couldn’t serve as an escape route.

And his remaining generals and advisors had all been captured or killed in the past half-month!

What did he have left?

A ragtag group that couldn’t serve as Ye City’s defense, a descendant of the Han Dynasty who couldn’t bear the weight of the Son of Heaven’s responsibilities, and a flickering hope.

Yuan Shao, forcing himself to stand, climbed the walls of Ye City. The nearest force was Qiao Yan’s army, approaching Ye City, with the banners of Da Yong and Qiao Yan’s personal flag fluttering proudly in the wind!

He almost vomited blood again.

This was truly—

A complete encirclement, with troops at the city gates.