The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 247 Cao Cao dreams of three horses feeding on a trough; Liu Bei mobilizes the entire nation's troops.

We need people, we need food.

Li Yi made his stance clear from the start.

According to the "Biographies of Merchants" in the Records of the Grand Historian, the official price of grain should have been:

"No more than eighty, no less than thirty."

This means that it is best to keep the price of one shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain between thirty and eighty coins.

This is beneficial to all aspects of society.

However, since the Han Dynasty lasted for four hundred years, its grain prices also fluctuated dramatically.

For example, during the Chu-Han Contention, due to the impact of the war, the price of each shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain reached an astonishing ten thousand coins.

With the end of the war and the arrival of the "Reign of Wen and Jing," the country once again ushered in unprecedented prosperity.

The price of grain per shi (a unit of dry measure) has fallen to around ten coins per shi.

As the saying goes, "When grain is cheap, farmers suffer; when grain is expensive, people suffer."

Both of these prices are highly unreasonable.

Therefore, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, the price of each shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain generally fluctuated in the three digits.

However, during the chaos at the end of the Han Dynasty, grain prices soared to over a thousand coins for a long period.

As for the price of grain in Jizhou under Li Yi's rule?

The answer is three hundred coins per stone.

Some people might think that this price is too cheap?
However, in reality, food prices vary from region to region due to factors such as development level and political turmoil.

It is generally believed that the price warning line for grain in the Han Dynasty was around 200 coins per shi (a unit of dry measure).

Reaching this warning line indicates that there has been a large-scale crop failure in agriculture, and the possibility of famine is increasing.

If the price of grain exceeds three hundred coins, it indicates that a famine has already occurred.

The reason why grain prices in Jizhou have now risen above the warning line is because of years of war, which have led to population loss and political instability.

Although Li Yi has basically stabilized the situation in Ji Province, the problem of persistently high grain prices has not yet been resolved.

After much deliberation, Li Yi decided to negotiate with the local merchants.

The government takes the lead and uses its "visible hand" to conduct macro-control of the market.

Li Yi sat upright and solemnly said:
"...You gentlemen are all respected elders in the Jizhou business community, with abundant granaries."

"Now that Jizhou is safe and the prefectures and counties are at peace, and the markets have reopened, you gentlemen can put your worries aside."

"But if grain and goods circulate freely, the state will surely reward them with substantial profits."

"I, Li, will certainly not disappoint you righteous businessmen."

Lowering grain prices is quite simple; just get the local landlords and merchants to release large quantities of grain into the market.

When there is an abundance of grain, the price will naturally be cheaper.

Grain has always been a major commodity in trade.

The state monopolized the salt and iron trade to control the market.

However, there are not many strict requirements regarding the food.

Emperor Guangwu had sold grain before his uprising.

"...Prime Minister, please forgive my boldness."

A middle-aged man dressed in a brocade robe and with a plump figure stood up.

"The benefits promised by the Prime Minister are nothing but empty words!"

"Words without deeds make us feel like we're sitting on pins and needles."

"If you are sincere, you should write a document and clearly define the benefits."

"How can we deceive people with empty words and discourage them?"

After he finished speaking, all the other merchants held their breath.

I couldn't help but admire the courage of this guy, daring to speak to the current top official of Hebei like that.

Seeing that the merchant's words were rude, Li Yi was not annoyed, but instead smiled and said:
“What you say makes sense, and that is exactly what I was about to do.”

After saying that, he clapped his hands.

A soldier in armor placed a wooden box on the table.

Inside was a full container of salt, table salt!

The merchants' eyes widened immediately.

Merchants are not allowed to sell salt privately without government permission.

When Li Yi proposed to give the merchants benefits, they already guessed that he might grant them licenses to trade salt.

Although this will be subject to strict government regulation, it is insignificant compared to the exorbitant profits in the salt industry.

"Have you noticed any difference between this salt and other salts?" Li Yi asked.

"...This is refined salt."

Those who had food to offer immediately answered.

Refined salt has been sold for almost ten years, and even if no one in the Han Dynasty had ever eaten it, they should have heard of it.

However, due to the need for technical confidentiality.

For ten years, the refined salt trade has been monopolized by the Mi family.

The advantage of doing this was that no feudal lord actually learned the salt refining technology.

The downside is that strict secrecy prevents the large-scale production of refined salt.

So even though Lao Liu's territory spans most of China, he still operates a business that mixes refined and coarse salt.

Li Yi's sudden use of this is also a last-ditch effort.

They planned to use "refined salt" to reap a huge profit and then conquer the world.

Even if the technology is leaked during this period, by then the world will probably be unified.

This allowed refined salt to reach every ordinary household.

"...I hereby grant the government a special monopoly on salt, and will award it to you all at the market price plus 10%."

"As for where it is shipped or how much it costs, we don't ask any questions."

What are your thoughts, gentlemen?

Upon hearing this, the group of merchants' eyes darted around.

The prime minister's intention was that he would supply the salt, and the merchants would sell it.

In this way, they would no longer be selling smuggled salt, but rather official salt.

Merchants are driven by profit, so Li Yi was willing to delegate the salt trade to them.

If you don't accept such a huge benefit, you're not worthy of the title "merchant".

As a result, the merchants signed cooperation agreements with Li Yi one after another.

With Li Yi acting as guarantor through his residence, merchants from Jizhou were permitted to sell smuggled salt.

Merchants were required to return their profits to the Prime Minister's office, and at the same time, they repeatedly promised to release grain into the market.

Only one month has passed.

The amount of grain circulating in the Jizhou market has reached 1.5 million bushels.

Of course, the grain on the market is strictly regulated by the government.

It's unlikely that it could easily flow to another country, especially to Lao Wei next door.

thus,

Grain prices in Jizhou were brought down, and the economy gradually recovered and flourished.

……

Wei Commandery, Ye City.

That night, Cao Cao embraced his beautiful wife and spent the night on the bed.

I had a dream in which I saw three white horses, their coats as white as frost, galloping from the northwest.

They rushed straight into the manger in Cao's mansion to fight for food.

Cao Cao stood by helplessly, watching the three horses fight over the food, unable to stop them.

Of these three horses, the first one is the oldest.

It was sinister and calm, merely tearing at the hay at the edge of the trough without making much noise.

The horse is strong and powerful; it preys on beans and soybeans, and its eyes gleam with a bluish light.

The youngest horse, however, trampled the two leading horses and ate all the fine feed by itself...

Seeing that the food trough was about to be empty, Cao Cao cried out and woke up from his dream.

The concubines around Cao Cao were startled and asked one after another, "What is it, Lord Wei?"

Cao Cao swallowed hard, only then realizing that he was already drenched in sweat.

He then dismissed all his concubines, dressed himself, and prepared to go out.

Cao Cao happened to meet Cao Pi, who greeted him. Cao Cao then told his son about the strange dream he had the previous night.

Ask him what he thinks of the strange phenomenon of the three horses being fed in the trough.

Cao Pi analyzed and said:

“The three horses came from the northwest. Ma Chao raised an army and rebelled, repeatedly violating the borders of Wei.”

“Ma Teng, Ma Chao, and Ma Dai are the three Mas.”

Cao Cao fell silent for a moment, feeling that something seemed off about this dream interpretation.

But I can't tell what's wrong.

He then summoned his ministers to the Duke's residence to discuss matters, including Li Yi's large-scale procurement of grain and fodder in Ji Province.

Cao Cao believed that Li Yi was planning an attack, so he asked everyone for their countermeasures.

Cao Pi and Sima Yi had a very good relationship, but Sima Yi was always just a clerk.

Cao Pi deeply felt that this was a waste of his talent, so he took this opportunity to recommend him to Cao Cao.

"...Father, I recommend someone who can surely repel Li Yi's troops."

Cao Cao asked who it was, and Cao Pi replied:
"I believe that Sima Zhongda is knowledgeable in military strategy, and Julu is a strategically important military town."

"Let Zhongda garrison troops at Julu and hold out against Li Yi."

"Li Yi will not be able to get past the Julu defense line."

Since Ji Province was divided between two entities, although they were both located in the same province, their proximity to each other was taken into consideration.

Cao Cao then spent a huge sum of money to build a large number of defensive fortifications in places like Julu.

When Sima Yi saw Cao Pi recommend him, he was not particularly pleased; instead, his face showed a look of fear.

Cao Cao pondered for a long time, then waved his hand, declining Cao Pi's recommendation.

“Zhongda is still young and no match for Li Yi.”

"It would be more appropriate for Cao Ren to garrison troops in Julu."

Upon seeing this, Cao Pi hurriedly argued:
"...Father! Zhongda is a man of great strategic acumen and is skilled in military tactics."

"He is now facing a formidable opponent in Li Yi's battle!"

“My father used to admonish me that when recommending people for positions, one should prioritize their talent and virtue, and not be judged by their family background or age.”

"For example, governing a country should be like the ocean embracing all rivers; why should one care about the distance or clarity of the streams?"

“Today, we treasure old soldiers and regard young men as weeds. I fear this is not the mindset of a wise ruler.”

Bold!

Cao Cao was furious when he saw Cao Pi speak so rudely.

Upon seeing this, Sima Yi immediately came out and apologized to Cao Cao:

"...Lord Wei, please calm your anger."

"Young master was just being impatient."

After saying that, he turned to look at Cao Pi.

“Young Master, I believe that what Lord Wei said makes sense.”

"I am but a mere child, how dare I contend with General Cao?"

"Julu is the throat of the country, and only a general who has fought a hundred battles can defend it."

"General Cao Zixiao is a veteran of the battlefield, mature and prudent."

"By sending him to guard Julu, we can thwart Li Yi's ambitions."

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, young master."

"However, when selecting virtuous and capable individuals for the sake of the country, one should prioritize the well-being of the nation and not be concerned with one's own career advancement."

His words were sincere, which both saved Cao Pi's face and made him appear to be a man of great righteousness.

This ingenious strategy of retreating to advance left all the officials present deeply impressed.

This young man, Sima, is indeed a born workplace veteran.

However, Cao Cao was even more displeased with Sima Yi's smooth-talking nature.

He then ordered Cao Ren to go to Julu County to guard against Li Yi's sudden attack.

He also ordered Cao Hong, who was stationed at Huguan in Shangdang, to strengthen defenses and guard against Ma Chao.

If Li Yi launches an attack, he will definitely collude with Ma Chao.

Although Cao Cao had already signed an alliance agreement with Liu Biao, a real war was still a possibility.

Liu Jingsheng, who was far away in Jingzhou, could not possibly reach out to Hebei immediately.

Everyone nodded in agreement and withdrew respectfully.

Cao Pi was about to leave, but Cao Cao stopped him.

Cao Cao asked in a cold voice:

"...Zihuan, you seem to be getting quite close to Zhongda lately?"

"Today, in front of all the civil and military officials, you actually called your Uncle Zixiao an old soldier!"

Cao Pi was startled, fearing that Cao Cao would punish Sima Yi, so he apologized and said:

"Father, please forgive me. Zhongda and I are just very close friends."

“I know he has great talent, which is why I am taking the liberty of recommending him today.”

"I did all this for the sake of my Wei Kingdom."

Cao Pi certainly had his own selfish motives.

As Cao Zhi grew up, he began to display his literary talent to others.

This made Cao Cao very fond of him, and also made Cao Pi feel threatened.

In particular, Li Yi had previously praised Cao Zhi's talent to his face, but ignored Cao Pi.

Therefore, Cao Pi continued to work hard after returning home.

He also extensively cultivated a faction of followers.

He associated with talented up-and-coming individuals.

Among them, Sima Yi was the most outstanding in ability, which made Cao Pi very fond of him.

However, Cao Cao disliked Cao Pi's behavior and said:

"I observe that Sima Yi has the gaze of an eagle and the look of a wolf; he is not one to remain subservient to others for long."

“If military power is entrusted to such people, they will surely betray their master one day.”

“My son, you must remember this well, Sima clan.”

"We can use their strategies, but we cannot hand them the weapons."

"They can be made to work, but not given power."

"This is the key to ensuring the Cao family's prosperity for ten thousand generations!"

Cao Pi nodded in agreement, but in his heart he did not think so.

He thought to himself, if Sima Yi really had rebellious intentions, how could he not see it?

Even if Sima Yi truly harbored rebellious intentions.

The military power of the Wei state was mainly held by generals from the Cao and Xiahou clans.

How could Sima Yi possibly seize power?

Father is worrying too much.

Cao Pi left absentmindedly, while Cao Cao sat alone on the couch, lost in thought.

After pondering for a long time, he issued two more orders.

Instruct Li Tong of Runan to strengthen the defenses of Yuzhou and guard against a surprise attack by the Sun family.

He then ordered Zhao Yan of Yingchuan to procure grain and fodder and expedite their transport to the State of Wei.

At the same time, he personally wrote a letter to Liu Jingsheng of Jingzhou.

The letter stated:
—“Mengde to Brother Jingsheng:” “Shangdang has sent Cao Hong to garrison 10,000 iron cavalry at Huguan, to keep a close watch on Ma Chao.”

"In the south, we have set up a series of land and water camps in Runan. Even if Sun Quan has a million soldiers, he will find it difficult to cross even half a step of our Yu territory."

"Only Li Yi of Bohai has recently been levying large quantities of grain and fodder, with a thousand ships transporting them daily."

"His scheme is no small matter; he may be trying to emulate the old tricks of Han Xin."

"Please send quickly, brother: three thousand crossbows from Jingzhou and Xiangyang, one thousand sets of armor, and three hundred thousand bushels of millet from Jiangling."

"If we can get your help, we will share the lands of Xu and Yang in the future."

"It's autumn now, please take good care of yourself."

That's right, Cao Cao tolerated Ma Chao's raids on the border.

Sun Quan launched a surprise attack on Huainan and seized Lujiang, but Cao Cao tolerated it and did not send troops to retaliate.

Cao Cao's reason for holding back was to prevent his attention from being diverted elsewhere.

Li Yi from the north will suddenly launch an attack on him.

The information gathered by spies further confirmed that Li Yi was about to launch a military campaign.

Cao Cao also accelerated his battle preparations, strengthening the defense of Bingzhou on one hand, and guarding against Sun Quan on the other.

At the same time, they sought financial assistance from Liu Biao to prepare for the war.

When Liu Biao received Cao Cao's letter, he realized that the financial assistance Cao Cao was asking for was not an exorbitant demand.

He readily agreed to use a fleet of ships to transport grain, fodder, and equipment to Yingchuan via the Ying River.

Jingzhou is adjacent to Yingchuan and has convenient transportation.

This makes transportation between the two locations very convenient and minimizes losses.

Having secured the grain and provisions of Jingzhou, Cao Cao's confidence soared, and he immediately announced a nationwide mobilization.

Apart from the border areas where heavy troops need to be stationed for defense, the number of troops in other counties and prefectures should be whatever they can get.

All of it is being transported to the State of Wei!

……

While Cao Cao was launching a massive mobilization in Wei, Li Yi was not idle either.

In fact, his fighting style has always been to seek stability.

How can we ensure stability?

That means having enough food supplies. If you have enough food, you can outlast them by sheer consumption.

Cao Cao, who had worked with Li Yi, was certainly familiar with Li Yi's military tactics.

Therefore, when Li Yi was making every effort to procure provisions in the north, Cao Cao keenly sensed that this was a prelude to Li Yi's military mobilization.

As expected, after controlling the grain prices in Ji Province, Li Yi began military mobilization.

He ordered Xu Huang of Zhangwu and Zhang He of Hejian to each send 5,000 troops to garrison in Bohai.

On the one hand, he formally wrote to Liu Bei, believing that the best time to launch a full-scale military campaign against Wei would be in the spring of next year.

Upon receiving Li Yi's letter, Liu Bei immediately made the following arrangements:
The order was given to Guan Yu, the governor of Qingzhou, to raise the troops of Qingzhou, march out of Mount Tai, and attack Cao Cao's Yanzhou.

He ordered Chen Yuanlong of Huainan, along with generals Gan Ning and Jiang Qin, to lead a naval force to attack Cao Cao's Runan.

Meanwhile, he himself was making all the necessary preparations in Xuzhou, ready to send troops at any time to cooperate with Li Yi's attack from the north.

This was a multi-front war, as can be seen from Liu Bei's route of troop deployment.

He hoped to destroy Cao Cao in one fell swoop.

However, Zhuge Liang and others strongly advised Liu Bei to remain calm, as the current Wei state was powerful and could not be destroyed in a single battle.

With so many fronts to fight, it's hard to say whether the supreme commander has the ability to manage them all.

The key point is that the more battle lines you have, the more weaknesses you'll have.

If one line collapses, the other lines will collapse as well.

Therefore, it is hoped that Liu Bei will remain calm and follow Li Yi's plan to first drive Cao Cao out of Hebei, which would be the best course of action.

Only then did Liu Bei abandon his idea of ​​fighting on multiple fronts against Wei.

However, they still demanded a large-scale battle against Cao Cao.

If we're going to fight, then we'll fight it out, until one side is seriously injured!
Therefore, after some internal discussion, Xuzhou decided to take action.

Without a doubt, the main battlefield was set in Hebei.

This was not only in response to Li Yi's strategic policy of pacifying Hebei first, but more importantly, Cao Cao's current administrative center was in Hebei.

To strike a snake at its vital point, one must naturally target Cao Cao's core territory.

The letter was sent back to Li Yi, who immediately replied.

I hope Liu Bei will send troops to Bohai soon.

The implication is that Li Yi supports Liu Bei's decision to launch a large-scale campaign.

Liu Bei was overjoyed to receive Li Yi's letter.

They urgently gathered civil and military officials to discuss sending troops to Hebei.

Zhuge Liang advised:
"Cao Cao usurped the title of Duke, but his position was not yet secure."

"If Wei is lost, the Central Plains will be shaken."

"Your Majesty, please do not hesitate to endure the hardship; you must personally lead the expedition!"

Liu Bei was overjoyed, "This is exactly what I wanted!"

Consequently, a nationwide mobilization was launched.

Given the long front lines of the Qi state, it is certain that troops will still need to be stationed in various locations to defend them.

Therefore, a total of 80,000 troops were raised, and Liu Bei personally led the expedition.

The army advanced in three routes. Guan Yu, the Qingzhou soldier in the vanguard, went first to Bohai to join Li Yi.

Liu Bei personally led the central army, while Zhang Fei brought up the rear.

Kongming and Lu Su are in charge of overseeing grain supplies in Xuzhou, ensuring there are no shortages.

Simultaneously,

He submitted a memorial to the emperor, condemning Cao Cao for abusing his military power and usurping the throne.

Liu Bei rode a white horse with a golden saddle, wearing a jade belt and brocade robes.

The warrior held a large crimson silk umbrella with gold embroidery, flanked by gold maces and silver axes, stirrups, clubs, and spears.

The imperial guards numbered five thousand, divided into five teams of one thousand men each.

Each flag, banner, armor, and horse is made in one of five colors: blue, yellow, red, white, and black.

It was glorious and magnificent.

The grand and powerful actions taken were also intended to demonstrate the strength of the State of Qi.

The preparation and march of Liu Bei's army both required some time.

Li Yi, on the other hand, had already ordered his army to garrison Anping.

Anping was a territory in direct contact with the State of Wei, and this move undoubtedly signaled that Li Yi would first wage war against Wei.

The advisors on either side said:
"King Qi is already on his way to prepare his army. We might as well wait until King Qi's army arrives."

"If we combine our forces, the Wei army can be routed in one fell swoop."

Li Yi then said:

"...Otherwise, speed is of the essence in war."

"King Qi mobilized his army with great force."

“The Wei people will surely know this. If I stay here to wait for the army, the Wei people will be prepared.”

"If we act now, Wei will not have a fully prepared army."

"This could catch Cao Cao off guard."

"To catch them off guard and give our army the initiative."

Therefore, Li Yi defied public opinion and led an army of 10,000 to launch a surprise attack on Julu.

At that time, the general guarding Julu was Cao Ren.

He was ordered by the Duke of Wei to strictly guard the Julu defense line.

Suddenly someone reported, "The Qi army has crossed Anping and is coming to Julu!"

Cao Ren exclaimed in surprise:

"I heard that Liu Bei is still in Xuzhou preparing for war. How did the Qi army suddenly appear here?"

The person on the left and right answered:

"Liu Bei's army had not yet arrived when Li Yi led his troops to attack Julu."

Cao Ren then realized that Li Yi had the authority to act expediently in the north, so it was not surprising that he had led his troops there first.

Cao Ren had not expected Li Yi to be so bold as to attempt to seize Julu without the support of Liu Bei's army.

Everyone asked Cao Ren what to do.

Cao Ren replied:

"Lord Wei is still preparing his army, and our main force has not yet arrived."

"Therefore, the best course of action is to hold firm and not engage in battle."

Although neither side's army was ready, Li Yi disregarded military ethics and initiated the battle first.

This is a situation where the brave will prevail when paths cross.

But Li Yi's reputation was undeniable, and Cao Ren was also worried that if they lost Julu, Cao Cao would blame him.

Therefore, I chose to stick to my principles.

Li Yi's army quickly arrived at Julu. Cao Ren ordered the archers to fire on the city defenses and called out to Li Yi:

"Why has Prime Minister Li raised an army without a just cause and invaded our Wei territory?"

Li Yi replied:

"Our lord has been ordered to punish the rebels; how can you say he is acting without a cause?"

Cao Ren laughed loudly:

“…Li Yi, I know you are extremely skilled in verbal sparring.”

"I, Cao, do not wish to engage in further verbal sparring with you."

"Lord Wei has already prepared his troops in the rear. Your army, Liu Bei's, should not have arrived yet, right?"

"I estimate that you have no more than ten thousand soldiers at your disposal. Do you really think you can take my city?"

Cao Ren was well-versed in military strategy and adept at understanding military tactics.

Especially since they were both from Jizhou, they knew each other very well.

Cao Ren's spies had already found out everything.

In such a short period of time, Li Yi could mobilize at most 10,000 troops.

Deploying more troops would leave other prefectures and counties undefended.

In particular, Wei's spy network has infiltrated Youzhou and bribed many local powerful families.

They have already caused trouble within Youzhou, though it is unlikely to cause much of a stir.

But it can also annoy Li Yi.

Moreover, there are powerful Xianbei people in northern Youzhou, although the Xianbei and the Central Plains currently have good relations.

Considering that Li Yi always harbored resentment towards the barbarians, he was wary of them.

Therefore, the troops in Youzhou certainly wouldn't dare to make any rash moves.

Based on this, Cao Ren did not believe that Li Yi could capture Julu before the arrival of the Wei army.

"Cao Zixiao, do you think I cannot take your city?"

Li Yi laughed loudly.

Cao Ren, not to be outdone, immediately replied:
"Li Ziyu, you should stop being so glib and spouting such wild words."

"I will hold the city and see how your ten thousand soldiers can take it!"

Cao Ren and Li Yi argued back and forth for half an hour.

Gradually, Cao Ren realized that something was wrong.

He thought to himself that since Li Yi had led his troops to arrive first, they should act swiftly.

How come you still have the leisure to keep spouting trash talk to yourself here?
At this moment, a swift horse galloped up to Li Yi and said:
"...Prime Minister, everything is ready."

"...Good! Order the soldiers to attack the city immediately!"

At Li Yi's command, the soldiers began their attack on the city.

Cao Ren climbed the city wall and looked out, only to see dozens of strange weapons, each over three zhang tall, erected in the Qi army's ranks.

This object has an ironwood frame and is wrapped with oil-soaked cowhide ropes.

A stone box is suspended at the rear, filled with lead blocks, and a casting rod is attached at the front.

It was much larger than a regular catapult.

Cao Ren looked at it from left to right, feeling that the strange artifact looked somewhat familiar.

As if remembering something, he hurriedly asked the people around him:

"When we defeated Yuan Shao, wasn't this the catapult used by Liu Bei's army?"

Cao Jun had previously witnessed the power of the counterweight catapult.

Even after several years, Cao Ren still has a very deep impression of it.

Only now did Cao Ren finally understand why Li Yi dared to launch a surprise attack on Julu before Liu Bei's army could arrive.

The purpose was to catch him off guard!
What does that mean?
Despite its immense power, the counterweight catapult was used very rarely by the entire Liu camp.

Is it that they don't want to use it?
No.

Rather, there are too many restrictions.

A key piece of information was mentioned as early as in the chapter "Preparing the City Gates" in the Mozi.

—“All the wood, tiles, and stones that the common people use to build houses for city defenses shall be handed over; those who disobey this order shall be beheaded.”

This means taking advantage of the situation before the enemy arrives.

Remove all the timber that can be dismantled outside the city, and move all the stones that can be moved.

Don't let the enemy build siege equipment, otherwise things will get complicated.

Ancient siege weapons were enormous, especially counterweight catapults.

This stuff is impossible to carry with the army; we have to find it locally.

Therefore, whenever a city is attacked, the defending side can always use rolling logs and stones to attack the enemy.

Where do logs and stones come from?
Of course they came from outside the city.

When Li Yi's army arrived suddenly, Cao Ren had no time to fortify the city walls and clear away the timber and stones outside the city.

This is the real reason why Li Yi launched the surprise attack.

With a wave of his command flag, Li Yi caused the winch to creak and turn.

Three hundred brave men turned the well pulley in unison, casting their fishing rods with furious force, like dragons raising their heads.

The huge boulder hanging behind it was flung high into the air, whistling through the air with a sound like tearing silk.

boom!
The city walls were instantly shaken.

The central watchtower was shattered, its bricks and tiles all broken, and the Wei army captain was killed on the spot.

Cao Ren swayed and nearly fell to the ground.

He was secretly laughing when he saw Yuan Jun being smashed to pieces by the catapult.

Little did he expect that this boulder would now fall on his own head.

"...Don't panic, repair the city walls!"

Under the cover of counterweight catapults, the Qi army began its siege.

The ladders swarmed up the city walls like ants, while logs and stones rained down from the walls.

As dusk fell, the western wall of Julu had collapsed by more than ten zhang (approximately 33 meters).

Cao Ren, wielding his broadsword, stood at the breach, his body wounded multiple times, his battle robe stained with blood, yet he still shouted fiercely:
"Men of the Great Wei would rather die than retreat!"

"Soldiers, hold the line! Wei's reinforcements will arrive soon!"

Although the Qi army's offensive was temporarily repelled, the catapults continued to bombard the city walls day and night.

As night fell, although visibility was poor, they continued to wave towards the city wall.

As long as you hear a sound, you've succeeded.

At 9 PM, the west wall completely collapsed.

The Qi soldiers no longer needed to climb the wall; they surged into the breach like a tide.

……

(End of this chapter)