My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 256 The Grand Strategy of Yuyang

"Father, please look!"

Liu Feng's spirits lifted, and he stepped forward to spread out several silk scrolls and a map of Huaiyang.

“Father, I thought about it for a long time yesterday and felt that the previous plan was too conservative.”

An excited and high-spirited expression shone on Liu Feng's face, making him appear sharp and dignified: "Father, this time we can mobilize 80,000 troops to solve the problems of Yangzhou and General Zuo in one fell swoop."

"Eighty thousand people!?"

Liu Bei was almost scared by Liu Feng. Yesterday he asked for 30,000, and today he asked for 80,000. Isn't this child's play?

Liu Bei immediately shook his head, his face darkening as he reprimanded the other man, "Feng'er, military affairs are the foundation of the state; how can you treat them so lightly? Sun Tzu said: 'War is a matter of vital importance to the state; a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin.' Is this how you change your orders so frequently?"

"Father, calm down."

Although Liu Feng immediately apologized for Liu Bei's anger and displeasure, he was no longer afraid. Moreover, Liu Feng was confident that he could persuade Liu Bei in his explanation.

Liu Feng pointed to the map and said, "Father, please allow me to explain the entire plan in detail. May I wait until you have heard it before making a decision?"

Liu Bei frowned as he looked at Liu Feng, and after a long while, he nodded.

Liu Feng immediately began to explain: "Father, this battle is divided into three major battlefields: Runan, Jiujiang, and Danyang."

"Runan, Jiujiang, and Danyang?"

Liu Bei, who was listening attentively to Liu Feng's explanation, spoke up in surprise, asking in confusion, "Aren't we going south to Yangzhou? Why isn't the main battlefield Wu Commandery?"

“Father, because Yuan Gonglu can mobilize the enemy for us.”

Liu Feng confidently replied, "Once my Guangling army presses in, Sun Ce will definitely not invade Kuaiji again. Instead, he will station his troops along the Qu'a line to try to stalemate with me and find an opportunity for a decisive battle."

"But I don't want to give him that chance."

Liu Feng slammed his palm on the map at the location of Shouchun in Jiujiang County: "Yuan Gonglu can mobilize Sun Bofu's troops for me."

"Father, please look!"

Liu Feng pointed his right index finger to Yingchuan, Chen, and Pei in turn: "I will appoint my second uncle as the commander of the Yingchuan army, and send them south from Yingchuan to invade western Runan. Father, you will personally command the central route, starting from Chen County in Chen State, and take central Runan directly. Then, you will send a general from Pei State to take eastern Runan, and finally join forces at Ruyin in southern Runan to take Shen County, with your army heading straight for Shouchun. With the Ying River as our route, our logistics will be secure. Father, how do you think Yuan Shu will respond?"

Liu Bei hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but look south.

Yuan Shu's current field army strength is only 60,000. Of these 60,000, nearly 20,000 are Sun family troops. If we add the 20,000 troops that Sun Ce expanded after taking Wu Commandery, the total strength is about 80,000.

However, these 80,000 men were completely outmatched by the Xuzhou army in terms of training, morale, equipment, and combat experience.

Of Yuan Shu's 60,000 troops in Jiangbei, one-third were stationed in Liyang City, another third in Shouchun, 10,000 in the neighboring Lujiang County, and the remaining 10,000 were stationed in various places, including 5,000 in Shen County and Ruyin in southern Runan.

Because Ruyin and Shenxian are the biggest barriers to Shouchun, if they are not defended, it would be tantamount to letting the enemy directly into the city of Shouchun.

If Liu Bei were to successfully join forces in southern Runan and advance on Ruyin and Shenxian, then Yuan Shu would most likely draw troops from Liyang to the north to provide support, rather than directly transferring troops from Shouchun.

Because Shouchun faces threats not only from Runan but also from Longkang in Pei State.

The Huoshui River flows south from Longkang and joins the Huai River. Going upstream along the Huai River, one can reach the city of Shouchun directly, a distance only about one-third farther than that of Ruyin.

If Yuan Shu were to transfer troops from Shouchun to reinforce Ruyin and Shenxian, then if Shouchun were to be attacked by Liu Bei's army in Longkang, then the entire game would be lost.

"Then he can only take the route east of Chaohu Lake, through Junqiu County, north through Hefei, to support Shouchun."

Liu Bei pondered for a long time before finally making a decision.

This is the only relatively safe route, and it is a main road along the way, which is conducive to the army's march. At the same time, it also has waterways to rely on, which is convenient for logistical support.

If Liu Bei were to choose, he would also choose this path over any other.

"good."

Liu Feng nodded and said, "If it were me, I would have made the same choice."

Then, Liu Feng changed his tone and said, "Father, look here."

Liu Bei looked in the direction Liu Feng pointed, then asked in confusion, "Dongcheng County?"

"That's right, it's Dongcheng County."

Liu Feng chuckled: "Father, if I were to ambush a cavalry force in the eastern part of the city and then drive straight east of Shaopi, what would become of the enemy from Liyang heading north?"

Liu Bei gasped, then shook his head and said, "For the plan to succeed, we need at least three thousand elite cavalry. Where will our army get so many cavalry?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Feng immediately smiled and said, "Father, have you forgotten the Three Rivers Knights that I reported to you in my letter?"

As mentioned before, the power of local powerful clans in the Eastern Han Dynasty was so great that the central government was quite afraid of them.

These powerful clans and aristocratic families possessed large populations, manors producing various resources, and private retinues in their localities, while also holding high-ranking positions in the central government.

The sharp decline in tax revenue during the Eastern Han Dynasty led the Eastern Han to consciously weaken local commanderies and kingdoms in order to increase its power to suppress local areas.

Simply put, if I can't continue to strengthen myself, then I'll increase the power gap between us by weakening you.

Therefore, the division of commanderies and kingdoms in the Eastern Han Dynasty often appears very abrupt and unreasonable.

Dongcheng is a typical example. It belongs to Xuzhou, but in reality, it is truly integrated with Jiujiang.

From the map, Dongcheng is a key exit point of a mountain passage connecting Xiapi and Jiujiang. From here, one can take a mountain road to Xuzhou or enter the Chaohu hilly area of ​​Jiujiang.

On both sides of this mountain road are hilly areas. To the southeast is the hilly area of ​​Quanjiao (now Chuzhou), to the northwest is the Yinling Hills, and to the northeast is the Hongze Lake.

If Dongcheng belonged to Jiujiang, Yuan Shu only needed to station two or three thousand men there, and even if the Xuzhou army numbered ten thousand, they wouldn't be able to get through.

However, the Eastern Han central government assigned Dongcheng to Xuzhou, which allowed Liu Feng to easily station several thousand troops in Dongcheng, recuperate, and then suddenly charge towards Shouchun.

Without Dongcheng, Xuzhou's cavalry would have had to start from Xutai, trek through mountains and rivers, and then capture Dongcheng before they could enter the Chaohu hilly area.

Forget about mobilizing a large force; Shouchun was already prepared. Your army is deep in enemy territory, cut off from supplies. This is not a surprise attack on Yuan Shu; it's practically suicide.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei remembered that Liu Feng had mentioned in his letter that he had recruited a lot of Three Rivers Knights, but was there really as many as three thousand?
If that's the case, Yuan Shu could very well be crippled by this attack.

Once Yuan Shu is crippled, he will frantically call for reinforcements. As a result, Sun Ce will become restless in Jiangdong. Moreover, if he were to sit idly by and watch Yuan Shu be eliminated by Liu Bei, then Sun Ce would definitely be the next target.

How could Sun Ce withstand the advance of a victorious army of 70,000 to 80,000 men southward to Jiangdong?

If you include the local troops in Jiangdong, that's a real army of over 100,000.

His eldest son greatly admired Sun Ce, praising him for inheriting the bravery and skill in battle of his father, Sun Polu.

Given this, the other side must be able to see this and will inevitably risk crossing the river to support Yuan Shu.

In this way, Yuan Shu's army in Jiangdong will also be mobilized.

Liu Bei suddenly looked toward Guangling and asked, "After Sun Ce crosses the river, isn't it time for the Guangling army to move out?"

"Of course, this cannot be hidden from Father."

Liu Feng chuckled and pointed to the Yangtze River, saying, "Once Sun Ce crosses the river, the Guangling army can act according to the situation, either by attacking Liyang or attacking Dantu, which will cut off his return route and completely separate the two banks of the Yangtze River, leaving Sun Ce unable to return home."

Liu Bei crossed his arms and pondered. If he wanted to achieve the desired effect, he really had to do as Liu Feng said and mobilize an army of more than 80,000 men.

Yuan Shu's field forces indeed numbered only 60,000, and together with Sun Ce's forces in Jiangdong, they had already fought to a draw with Liu Bei's army.

However, Liu Bei was the attacker and Yuan Shu was the defender. Yuan Shu also had hundreds to thousands of garrison soldiers in each city, so in terms of total troop strength, Yuan Shu actually had the advantage.

It's a pity that Yuan Shu's field army was far inferior to the Xuzhou army. If Yuan Shu's field army had been at least 80% as strong as the Xuzhou army, the Xuzhou army would not have dared to deploy in this way.

The Xuzhou army is now abusing its power. If you can't defeat me in open battle, I can freely divide your cities and devour you piece by piece. That's the value of strategic initiative.

"How do you plan to allocate those troops?"

Liu Bei was clearly persuaded; such a grand strategy stirred his emotions.

Liu Feng pointed to the map and said, "The first army, the Yingchuan Army, will be led by my second uncle, with 15,000 men marching south from Yingchuan to Runan, and capturing all sixteen counties in western Runan. I believe that with my father's reputation, and by recommending Li Zan as the governor of Runan, he can cooperate with my second uncle. With Li Zan's prestige and influence, plus the official position of governor of Runan, he will surely be able to cooperate with my second uncle to take the city in one fell swoop."

"can."

Liu Bei nodded slowly. He had heard of Li Zan before. He was the son of Li Ying and had a long-standing reputation for virtue. He had a great reputation and influence in Yingchuan, Runan and other places.

Appointing him as the governor of Runan could even enhance Liu Bei's prestige.

After gaining Liu Bei's approval, Liu Feng continued, "The central route starts from Chen State. His Highness the King of Chen and Chancellor Luo Jun are my friends. They regard Yuan Shu as a traitor and deeply hate him. If Father sets off from Chen County to the south to attack Yuan Shu, he will surely go all out to help Father succeed."

"Oh?"

Liu Bei turned to Liu Feng in surprise: "When did you become acquainted with King Chen and Chancellor Chen?"

"It was on this journey eastward, passing through Chen County, that the King and Prime Minister of Chen, who refused to be outdone, humbled themselves and befriended me,"

Liu Feng replied, "In fact, it's not just the King and Chancellor of Chen; the entire Chen state, from the gentry and powerful to the common people, are all worried about Yuan Shu's northward advance. After all, Yuan Shu's character is well-known. If Father can raise an army to eliminate the tyranny, the entire Chen state will surely do its utmost to assist him."

"good."

Liu Bei said "okay," but his gaze towards Liu Feng was still somewhat complicated.

People are afraid of a tiger father and a dog son, but Liu Bei felt that his son was too capable, which was not a good thing. At least it made him, the old father, worry all the time, wondering if his good son would give him an unexpected surprise.

"As for the central route, I would like to ask Father to personally lead the central army, and also mobilize and recruit 6,000 men from Uncle's troops and 6,000 Liang soldiers, for a total of 24,000 men to march south, pass through Xiang County, and go straight to Ruyin."

At this point, Liu Feng said, "The Western Route Army can be led by Third Uncle, who will lead his troops from Qiao County, through Chengfu, and directly attack Longkang to threaten the flank of Shouchun. This will put Yuan Gonglu in a dilemma, trapped in a predicament."

"After Second Uncle sweeps through western Runan, he can lead the main force to Ruyin to join Father. As for whether Third Uncle should come along, Father can decide based on the situation at that time."

Liu Feng gestured with both hands on the map, making a gathering gesture: "By then, Father will have nearly 50,000 troops under his command. How can Yuan Gonglu not be afraid?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei nodded, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

Didn't you shout to those around you last year that you didn't know Liu Bei existed in the world?
This year, I'll show you what kind of person I, Liu Xuande, really am.

Although Yuan Shu did not write a letter to Lü Bu in this timeline, he still complained to his attendants that Tao Qian had given Xuzhou to Liu Bei, and once again uttered the famous line, "Who is Liu Xuande?"

This shows how deep Yuan Shu's resentment towards Liu Bei was; even if history were altered, it wouldn't change his statement.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei was also quite angry.

Just from Liu Bei's thoughts, one can see how much he held a grudge.

Liu Feng then offered his advice: “Father, this time I have brought back 20,000 strong and capable Yellow Turban soldiers. They are all young and strong, and have experience in battle. Moreover, the remnants of the Yellow Turban poison are relatively mild, making them excellent soldiers. We can use this as a foundation to expand the army further.”

Liu Bei nodded, then asked in return, "Well, in your opinion, how should these 20,000 men be allocated?"

Liu Feng, clearly having planned ahead, immediately replied, "Father's personal guard can be expanded by two more schools, with Zhuo Ying and Chen Dao as captains, each commanding four thousand men. Two thousand of these can be drawn from Father's personal guard veterans, three thousand from Liang State troops, and three thousand from Yellow Turban youths, mixed together. If Father's personal guard is short-staffed, one thousand Yellow Turban youths and one thousand Liang State troops will fill the gap. In this way, four thousand Liang State troops can be absorbed, and four thousand Yellow Turban youths can also be depleted."

Upon hearing that his son was getting a lot of attention, Liu Bei's first thought was to expand his personal army. He couldn't help but smile.

"The troops under Gao Shun, Jia Kui, Guan Ping, and Zhang Liao can all be expanded to four thousand men, requiring an additional seven thousand. Guan Ping's troops can be replenished independently in Yingchuan without the need for additional troops."

"The remaining troops under my third uncle and my uncle Zilong can be expanded by four thousand and two thousand respectively. In this way, we can also use up most of the Yellow Turban and Liang State troops. The remaining few thousand Yellow Turban troops can be divided into four parts and allocated to Lu, Pei, Rencheng and Langya respectively to strengthen their strength."

Liu Bei greatly approved of Liu Feng's plan. Whether it was the Yellow Turban Army or the Liang Kingdom troops, the best solution was to completely disband them and then distribute them among various units for assimilation.

Moreover, Liu Feng's arrangement for expanding the army this time can be described as quite fair, even to the point of sacrificing his own interests.

"good!"

Liu Bei nodded in satisfaction, but he wouldn't let his eldest son suffer a loss: "Gao Shun's troops will still be under your command, and the Three Rivers Knights will also be temporarily under your control."

Liu Feng was pleasantly surprised. He had thought his father would take the Three Rivers Knights away, but he didn't expect the other party to let them go.

Even if it's just a temporary reprieve, it's still a reprieve.

Moreover, after a while, it won't be easy to get it back.

Liu Feng immediately said gratefully, "Thank you, Father!"

Liu Bei nodded, then asked, "So, how many troops do you plan to deploy on the eastern route?"

Liu Feng immediately replied, "Six thousand elite cavalry, commanded by the Grand Historian, General Zhang Liao, and General Xu Huang."

"Six thousand?"

Liu Bei was shocked and asked in confusion, "Didn't you say in your letter to your father that there were only a little over two thousand people?"

Liu Feng hurriedly explained, "Originally there were only two thousand men, but unexpectedly, General Yang gave General Xu's troops to me and temporarily borrowed eight hundred cavalrymen. General Xu Huang's own troops also had more than four hundred cavalrymen."

Liu Bei did the math and still felt something was wrong: "That only amounts to a little over 1,200 cavalry. Even if you include the cavalry under Taishi and Zhang Liao, you still can't gather 6,000 cavalry."

After all, Xuzhou had few cavalry. Apart from the one or two hundred riders he brought with him, Taishi Ci only recruited forty or fifty riders. Later, the biggest gains came from the hundreds of warhorses purchased from Liaodong, as well as the more than three hundred riders from Zhang Liao's troops.

But even all these knights combined don't amount to a fraction of the six thousand cavalry.

Liu Feng coughed twice and said, "The drought in Hedong is getting worse. My son has a small reputation in the Sanhe region, which has led all the Sanhe knights to go to Luozhong to join the army. I saw that they were very sincere and most of them even brought their own warhorses and weapons. I couldn't bear to dampen their enthusiasm, so I gathered them all in."

How many people are there?

Liu Bei remained silent for a moment, then suddenly regretted his generosity earlier.

Seeing Liu Bei's reaction, Liu Feng could only cautiously make a gesture.

"two hundred?"

"Two thousand...more than two thousand."

Liu Bei glanced at Liu Feng sideways, his tone slightly sarcastic: "It seems your reputation is quite impressive."

"It's all thanks to Father's power; I've only succeeded because of others."

Liu Feng smiled and flattered his father, as long as his father didn't go back on his word.

But what he feared most came to pass, and his words gave Liu Bei an excuse to use against him.

"Since they're relying on my reputation, I can't help them for nothing. I won't ask for much; I'll just transfer half of these six thousand cavalry back out."

Liu Bei made an outrageous demand, wanting to eat half of it as soon as he opened his mouth.

Liu Feng was immediately displeased. He had a plan for these elite cavalrymen. In the future, they would be used to fight Yuan Shao and Cao Cao. These six thousand elite cavalrymen would be of great use.

We can't let Old Deng mess things up.

Liu Feng quickly retorted, "Father, a ruler's word is law! As the General of the Cavalry, you cannot go back on your word."

Unexpectedly, Liu Bei also retorted confidently, "As I just said, he is only temporarily under your command. After this battle, we can naturally rearrange things!"

Liu Feng regretted his boasting earlier and could only make a final attempt to persuade his father: "Father, in that case, let's discuss the matter of the knights in detail after the war."

Liu Bei didn't want to push his son too hard, so he immediately nodded in agreement: "That's very good."

(End of this chapter)