My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 329 Sun Jun's Movements
Kuaiji is located outside Shanyin City.

Squads of armored soldiers, under the command of the central army flag, launched successive fierce attacks on the city walls.

Starting the day after Sun Ce's army arrived at Shanyin City, they launched a fierce attack on the city.

Even though the engineering equipment was extremely rudimentary, consisting only of the simplest ladders and battering rams, Sun Jun still fearlessly climbed up the city wall.

This was not only because Sun Ce's army was in high spirits and fought bravely, but more importantly, because Sun Ce offered generous rewards.

The first to reach the top will be promoted three ranks, rewarded with two thousand bolts of cloth and five hundred acres of land and house.

This alone was enough to make Sun Ce's fierce warriors roar with excitement.

Even so, Sun Ce was still not satisfied. This morning, he promised in the army that he would open the city of Shanyin and allow the city to be mowed down for three days.

This time, not only the brave warriors, but even the ordinary soldiers' eyes turned red.

There were those in the army who wanted to persuade Sun Ce, but in the end, they couldn't bring themselves to say the words.

Everyone knew that Sun Ce was in a desperate situation; if he couldn't capture Shanyin in the short term, his army would have nowhere to escape. Moreover, the casualties after this fierce battle would certainly be significant, and morale would decline, requiring some measures to boost it.

A city-wide raid is undoubtedly the most effective method, as it can not only boost morale but also generate substantial profits.

According to Sun Ce's army rules, half of the wealth obtained from raiding a city must be handed over to the army.

"The casualties are too great."

Sun Gao watched as a black dot landed on the distant city wall; these were all warriors from Sun Ce's army.

But the Kuaiji army was also like a madman, defending the city to the death. Even if Sun Ce's warriors successfully scaled the city walls, they were immediately forced back by the counterattack, or even pushed off the city walls.

In just three days, Sun Ce's army had suffered over 1,500 casualties, with more than 600 killed in battle.

However, the Kuaiji army was not faring well either, suffering around 1,300 casualties. Although protected by the city walls, the disparity in combat strength meant that the casualties on both sides were close to 1:1.

Han Dang gritted his teeth, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Sun Ce, and said, "Bo Fu, let me go! I swear I will not return to camp until I take the city wall."

To be fair, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang were extremely loyal to the Sun family.

Huang Gai had been sidelined for over a decade, yet he willingly served as a spy for the Sun family at the Battle of Red Cliffs. If it weren't for the fact that everyone knew of Huang Gai's neglect of the Sun family for so long, would Cao Cao, with his suspicious and distrustful nature, have trusted him so quickly?

Cao Cao could not have imagined that Huang Gai would be so loyal, nor could he have imagined that there would be a southeast wind in Jiangdong in winter.

Sun Ce's handsome face was now as cold and hard as iron. After hearing Han Dang's request to fight, he simply uttered two words: "No rush."

It's unclear what Sun Ce is waiting for, but Sun Ce is not the same as he was two years ago. He has extremely high prestige in the army. Not to mention Han Dang, even Cheng Pu wouldn't dare to act like an old minister in front of him.

Calling you "uncle" is a sign of respect and reflects Sun Ce's loyalty and righteousness, but it doesn't mean you actually bear the surname Sun.

Han Dang had no choice but to retreat, while Sun Ce's attention remained focused on the battlefield ahead.

Sun Ce knew very well that his only chance of survival lay in Shanyin City, and that the only way to break through Shanyin City was to risk lives.

At this time, although there were still eight or nine thousand people in Shanyin City, only the six thousand intact Kuaiji soldiers were truly combat-ready. The other two or three thousand defeated soldiers were already frightened birds and were no longer of any use.

However, if the enemy is given enough time to regroup, these defeated soldiers will no longer be a burden. Even if they cannot be used in their entirety, they can be broken up and used as supplementary troops, which may become a factor influencing the outcome of the battle.

Therefore, Sun Ce must not give the other side that time.

For the past three days, Sun Ce has been carefully observing the situation on the city wall.

Just as he had predicted, the morale of the Kuaiji army was declining, and although their resistance remained firm, their combat effectiveness was constantly decreasing.

On the first morning, Sun Ce's army launched two attacks, but neither of them managed to scale the city walls. However, during the second of the three attacks in the afternoon, some soldiers managed to reach the top of the walls.

The situation became even clearer on the second day. There were two attempts to breach the city walls throughout the day, but the Kuaiji army managed to hold them off.

By yesterday, they were able to successfully scale the city walls with every attack, though they still couldn't hold their ground. However, the number of places where they could break through had increased.

The last time, there were even three simultaneous attempts to scale the city walls. Although the Kuaiji army pushed them back down, Sun Ce clearly saw that the enemy had already deployed their reserves.

Therefore, Sun Ce rejected the mid-level officers' request for a day's rest, strictly ordered them to continue the siege, and issued rewards for the successful siege to boost morale.

Seeing yet another offensive thwarted, Sun Ce's army retreated to regroup, replaced with fresh troops, and prepared for the next wave of attacks.

A cold, faint smile appeared on Sun Ce's lips. He had already decided that the day after tomorrow would be the decisive moment.

Zhu Zhi has sent word that the remaining troops stationed in Jiangbei have arrived and will be here by noon tomorrow.

With reinforcements and his own hidden elite troops, whether he can take Shanyin depends on this.

The difficulty of besieging cities in ancient times was mainly due to the overwhelming advantage of city walls and fortifications. Once the casualties on the attacking side exceeded a certain threshold, the siege would stall. It was necessary to use time, resources, and replenishment of troops to boost morale before launching another attack.

Another point is that if we consider an attack wave as a collapse of morale on the attacking side, even the most elite troops will fail to take the city after two or three waves of attacks. In that case, the soldiers will become completely passive and uncooperative. If the pressure is too great, a mutiny is a common occurrence.

Therefore, those large and fortified cities that can hold out for a year or two are not those that are constantly at war. Most of the time, they have withstood the first two or three waves of attacks from the attackers, causing the attackers to completely lose their confidence in attacking the city and switch to a siege.

In addition, as long as the defending side withstands each wave of attacks from the attacking side, there is plenty of time between two waves of attacks to rest the troops and repair the city's defenses.

This timeframe can range from one or two months to a year and a half, depending entirely on factors such as the capabilities of the attacking general, the organization of the army, and logistical support.

Sun Ce knew very well that the casualties were already close to 10%, and the high morale he was maintaining was entirely due to the rewards from the city's siege. He also knew that what he lacked was time.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Sun Ce's soldiers are attacking the city walls with bloodshot eyes and like hungry wolves. Once this momentum wears off, it will be at least ten days to half a month before they can get even half a step closer to the city walls.

That's why he gritted his teeth and persisted, risking lives to wear down and exhaust the Kuaiji County forces on the city walls, in order to gain the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.

********
"Yuzhang, I'm entrusting Wu County to you now."

Xu Kun, courtesy name Yuzhang.

On the city wall, Wu Jing watched as his troops streamed through the city gates and headed south. He turned to Xu Kun beside him and instructed, "You don't need to fight desperately. Just do your best to stall for time. If you can hold out in Wu County for two months, you will be the one who achieves the greatest merit in this battle!"

After careful consideration, Wu Jing felt that Xu Kun's words made sense. Moreover, Xu Kun was not the only one who advised him. Zhu Chao and Sun He had also come to him privately, suggesting that he lead the main force to retreat south first, leaving eight or nine thousand men to guard Wu County, which would make it easier to leave later.

For all these reasons, Wu Jingcai decided to adopt Xu Kun's suggestion and leave with the main force, also taking the families of the Sun, Wu, and Xu families with him.

Originally, Wu County had nearly 10,000 people, but Xu Kun withdrew more than 7,000, bringing the total to about 17,000. After discussion, Wu Jing replenished Xu Kun's force by 8,000, and led the remaining 9,000 people and more than 1,000 family members south.

"Uncle, don't worry, I will keep your instructions in mind."

Xu Kun nodded vigorously. He and Wu Jing hadn't been on very good terms before, but now that Liu Feng was a formidable enemy, and after the crushing defeat in Wuxi, Xu Kun put away his arrogance and pride, and became humble.

Wu Jing did the same; after Xu Kun adopted a conciliatory stance, he immediately changed his attitude.

Everyone here is intelligent, and until the power struggle between the two palaces, the internal strife within the Sun family was actually well controlled.

Sun Jing's eldest son, Sun Gao, rebelled when Sun Ce died, attempting to seize power. He openly launched an attack on Shanyin County, the capital of Kuaiji Commandery. After his failure, he was merely sidelined by Sun Quan.

Sun Ben's younger brother, Sun Fu, wrote directly to Cao Cao, secretly communicating with him in an attempt to replace Sun Quan. However, when the plot was exposed, he was also only placed under house arrest.

Wu Jing and Xu Kun both realized that the Sun family was being squeezed into a desperate situation and that it was time to unite, so they naturally made adjustments.

"Alright, you're an old hand in war, and you've also had experience dealing with the Southern Expeditionary Army. I'll have to trouble you this time." Seeing that the troops had already left the city, it was time for Wu Jing to set off. Xu Kun accompanied him down from the city wall and watched him mount his horse.

"Uncle, have a safe journey!"

"May your martial prowess endure forever!"

After the two parted, Wu Jing led dozens of his personal guards out and chased after the group.

After leaving Wu County, the group traveled fifty li a day for two whole days.

On the third day, Wu Jing suddenly ordered a slowdown, and after traveling only twenty li, they set up camp, cooked breakfast, and rested early.

The next morning, Wu Jing ordered a forced march, and they covered fifty li in a single day, a truly risky undertaking. And this wasn't just for one day; on the fifth morning, Wu Jing again ordered the march to continue. Although the soldiers complained somewhat, they obeyed.

They had covered a full 100 li in two days. Although the soldiers were exhausted, they were undoubtedly about to traverse the most dangerous part of the journey.

Wu Jing's gamble was based on the fact that Zhou Yu had only recently captured Youquan and lacked sufficient understanding of the surrounding situation.

As it turned out, Wu Jing's gamble paid off; Zhou Yu really couldn't control such a large area.

This was not because Zhou Yu lacked ability, but rather because he was very clear-headed and knew that holding Youquan and waiting for Taishi Ci's reinforcements was the most important task. He did not act rashly for personal gain.

In addition, Wu Jing and Xu Kun acted decisively, and Wu Jing's shrewd smuggling method allowed them to bypass Youquan and successfully head south, seemingly out of danger but actually safe.

After walking another forty miles on the sixth day, Wu Jing finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had been highly focused these past few days, and even the slightest sound could startle him for a long time.

If such a forced march is ambushed, coupled with the fatigue accumulated over the previous days, it would not be surprising if they collapsed on the spot.

Fortunately, we made it through.

The journey ahead became much easier, and Wu Jing stopped forcing the army to march and instead changed the pace to thirty li a day to calm the somewhat wavering morale of the troops.

********
In a courtyard in Yuhang County of Wu Prefecture, a man of medium height and quite robust build was sitting in front of a scholar.

"Kong Wen, Zheng Nan and Sheng Gong have sent letters inviting you to go. What do you think, should you go or not?"

The speaker was Xu Zhao, the most powerful man in Yuhang, and the scholar he consulted was Gao Dai, a righteous man from Wu County, recommended by Sheng Xian as a candidate for the civil service examination.

Xu Zhao received letters from Sheng Xian and Liu Feng, and was very interested after reading them.

Unlike Sheng Xian, Gao Dai, and others, Xu Zhao was a thoroughly powerful local tyrant, and in most cases, it would be difficult for him to become an official.

Despite his fighting prowess, Gan Ning's family was not simply a powerful clan; they were from a noble family.

Otherwise, would Gan Ning be able to study whenever he wanted?
Books were extremely precious and valuable in the Eastern Han Dynasty, especially classics, which were treasures that money couldn't buy anywhere.

In terms of wealth, Xu Zhao is definitely not much inferior to Gan Ning, but Xu Zhao wants to buy classics?
Sorry, Xu Zhao, you're not qualified.

It was precisely for these reasons that Xu Zhao treated the gentry with great respect. He once risked everything to hide Sheng Xian and Gao Dai, sheltering them from the storm and resisting the pressure from Xu Gong. Behind all this were Xu Zhao's two thousand retainers and tens of thousands of tenant farmers.

Gao Dai also received letters from Sheng Xian and Liu Feng. Sheng Xian informed the two of this in his letter, which is why Xu Zhao came to Gao Dai for answers.

Gao Dai glanced at Xu Zhao. Although the other party appeared calm, the burning desire in his eyes was no longer concealed.

Gao Dai understood that Xu Zhao valued this opportunity very much.

The reason the other party still came to consult him was twofold: firstly, Sheng Xian had mentioned in his letter that he had recommended both himself and Xu Zhao; secondly, he hoped to inquire about Liu Zhengnan and Sheng Gong's situation from him.

After all, Sun Tiankou has just defeated Wang Lang and captured Guling. I heard that he is now launching a fierce attack on Shanyin. If he takes Kuaiji, Liu Zhengnan may not be able to advance south smoothly.

Xu Zhao's family's farmland, houses, shops, and businesses are almost all located in Yuhang. If he makes the wrong bet at this time, it will undoubtedly be a disaster for him.

After considering it for a moment, Gao Dai advised Xu Zhao, "Liu Zhengnan, carrying the imperial decree and the orders of the General of Chariots and Cavalry, has already received strong support from Governor Liu of Yangzhou and Prefect Zhou of Danyang after crossing the river. Although Sun Bofu is brave and capable in battle and has won many battles, he has suffered repeated defeats in northern Wu. If Sun Bofu continues to attack Kuaiji instead of turning back north, Wu County will surely fall to Zhengnan."

Xu Zhao's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He really didn't know anything about Wu Bei's situation; Sheng Xian hadn't mentioned it to him in his letter.

However, since Youquan is located north of Yuhang, although not close, news still gets through.

He already knew that Zhou Yu had sent troops out of nowhere and, with the help of both inside and outside forces, had captured Youquan County. Even if Xu Zhao was stupid, he could see that Liu Zhengnan was now in a much stronger position.

The thought that Sun Bofu, the bravest and most unruly general, had marched south to attack Kuaiji but dared not confront Liu Feng in northern Wu made Xu Zhao's heart waver.

For a powerful figure like Xu Zhao, seeing things can sometimes be quite simple.

To him, Sun Ce's behavior was a sign that he was afraid of Liu Feng and was trying to avoid him.

He recalled how Zhu Zhi had tried to persuade him to serve Sun Ce, but thankfully he hadn't agreed.

Xu Zhao felt sorry for Zhu Zhi at this moment. Since Zhu Zhi took office as the Commandant of Wu County, he had been governing in Qiantang and Yuhang and had not gone to Wu County.

Xu Gong was also wary of Zhu Zhi, so he pretended not to see it and kept to himself.

As the most powerful and influential family in Yuhang, Xu Zhao naturally caught Zhu Zhi's eye.

After visiting Zhu Zhi, Xu Zhao and Zhu Zhi hit it off immediately and got along very well.

Xu Zhao also donated 1,000 shi of grain to help Zhu Zhi pacify the local area.

In the original timeline, after Sun Ce pacified Jiangdong, someone wanted to bring up old grievances and persuaded Cheng Pu to advise Sun Ce to use the pretext of Xu Zhao harboring Yan Baihu to eliminate the other party.

Sun Ce was quite magnanimous, rejecting Cheng Pu's advice and praising Xu Zhao for his loyalty to his former lord (Sheng Xian) and his sincerity to his old friend (Yan Baihu), saying that this was the ambition of a true man.

After a moment of hesitation, Xu Zhao suddenly gritted his teeth and said, "Kong Wen, if I were to raise an army in Yuhang to support the southward campaign, would that be acceptable?"

Xu Zhao wasn't joking; he truly meant it.

His family had two thousand followers in Yuhang, and when necessary, they could mobilize their tenants and local wandering knights, instantly gathering three to four thousand able-bodied men.

Taking Yuhang would have been somewhat troublesome, but now Zhu Zhi has withdrawn all the county troops from the city, leaving Yuhang practically an empty city. If Xu Zhao wanted to take it, it would be a piece of cake. Moreover, the autumn harvest had just been completed in the city, and although Sun Ce's army had expended a lot of resources there, they were still being continuously transported to the front lines.

Even so, the city still had no less than several hundred thousand shi of grain, enough for Xu Zhao to defend after capturing the city.

Therefore, Xu Zhao felt that the chances of success were very high. If he succeeded, he could bring the whole city to serve Liu Feng, and the rewards he would receive at that time would be completely different.

Xu Zhao originally thought his plan had a high chance of success, but Gao Dai was shocked when he heard it and hurriedly stopped him, saying, "Absolutely not!"

Xu Zhao asked in confusion, "I see that you, Kong Wen, also look down on the Sun family. Why is that wrong?"

Gao Dai smiled bitterly and said, "It's not that I'm speaking for the Sun family, but rather that I'm speaking for you."

Xu Zhao was even more puzzled: "Why can't you speak up for me?"

Gao Dai sighed, knowing that Xu Zhao still couldn't see the situation clearly, so he could only analyze it for him carefully: "Wu County is a fortified city. Even with Zheng Nan's abilities, it would be difficult to take it in a day or two. Meanwhile, Yu Hang is in the heart of Sun's army. If you defect now, the first to arrive at the city will definitely be Sun's rebel army."

“Liu Zhengnan is currently far away in Wuzhong, almost seven or eight hundred miles away from me. The Sun family’s bandit army is known for its fierce and brave fighting. If my county cannot hold out, Zhengnan will be unable to help from that distance.”

"Does Lord Xu think that the traitor Sun wouldn't dare to massacre the city?"

Xu Zhao was startled and stood up.

(End of this chapter)