Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 443 Paying Homage to the Emperor and Presenting the Prefecture
In October, areas north of the Qinling Mountains are already gradually entering winter. However, in Hanzhong, south of the Qinling Mountains, it is still autumn.

Inside Bao City, Shi Yi led three thousand soldiers to hold out for half a month, withstanding multiple attacks from Sun Ce. When the city ran out of food, they killed horses for food. When their arrows ran out, Shi Yi led his men to carve wooden arrows or collect arrows left behind by the Shu army.

Shi Yi's three thousand elite soldiers, including Xianbei, Qiang, and Han, were all fierce warriors from Longyou. Under Sun Ce's relentless attacks, these three thousand soldiers, in order to survive, relied on their superb archery and hand-to-hand combat skills to repeatedly repel the Shu army's sieges.

After half a month of fighting, Sun Ce's troops suffered heavy casualties, and there was no hope of capturing Bao City, which greatly angered Sun Ce.

Inside the main tent, Sun Ce berated everyone, but the generals, fearing his authority, could only lower their heads and remain silent.

Sun Ce calmed himself down slightly and looked around at everyone, saying, "Bao City has no moat or ditch, and its walls are low, which should have been advantageous for attacking it. Yet you have a combined force of 30,000, ten times the number of enemies in the city, and you still cannot break through Bao City. What is the reason for this?"

"Your Excellency, it is not that we have not exerted our utmost efforts in our military campaign, but rather that the soldiers under Shi Yi's command are fierce and skilled in archery. Whenever our troops swarm to scale the city walls, the enemy's arrows inflict heavy casualties, causing our soldiers to tremble at the mere sound of arrows." Han Dang hesitated for a moment before saying, "The best course of action now would be to carry earth and build mounds outside the city. Then our soldiers can scale the walls and engage in battle, defeating Shi Yi's forces in one fell swoop."

Sun Ce looked gloomy and said, "It will take a long time to gather earth and build mountains. We have been besieging the city for half a month. In a few more days, reinforcements will surely arrive."

"If we spend three days gathering earth, we can defeat the enemy in four days. If we don't spend time gathering earth, we won't be able to defeat them even in six days!" Han Dang advised.

“In that case, let us do as General Han says. Starting tomorrow, we will carry earth and build mountains, and we must capture Bao City before reinforcements arrive,” Sun Ce said.

"promise!"

"My lord, news has arrived that enemy reinforcements have arrived!"

Sun Yu stepped forward from the crowd, cupped his hands, and said.

What military intelligence do you have?

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce perked up, walked to the map of Hanzhong, and said.

"According to the report from the garrison at the Ziwu Valley Pass, most of the enemy troops are advancing via the Ziwu Valley Road." Sun Yu pondered and analyzed, saying, "It should be that the enemy knows the situation in Shiyi, so they are advancing from the east to avoid being defeated by our army. After all, Tangluo Road is not far from Baocheng."

Sun Ce searched for the location on the map and asked, "What is Xiaozhi's opinion?"

Fa Zheng said, "Your Majesty, the enemy has entered Hanzhong through the Ziwu Valley. We need to divide our forces to block their reinforcements. The terrain at the valley entrance is rugged. Our army will occupy the advantageous position and will be able to keep the enemy from advancing or retreating. Three thousand troops stationed here are enough to defend against an enemy ten times our size."

"it is good!"

Sun Ce pointed to the map and asked, "Where is Gan Ning?"

"The general is here!"

Gan Ning was eager to try and agreed.

"Lead three thousand elite troops to the Ziwu Valley Pass and keep an eye on the movements of the Shanxi army. If you encounter the main force of the enemy, hold the strategic position and wait until I capture Baocheng before sending troops to cut off the reinforcements' return route," Sun Ce said in a deep voice.

"Yes, sir!" Gan Ning replied.

"My lord, the enemy has marched into the Ziwu Valley. Should we withdraw the troops from Tangkou?" the general asked.

After considering for a long time, Sun Ce said, "Leave troops to observe the situation on the Tangluo Road, so as to prevent the enemy from advancing from multiple routes simultaneously."

After a pause, Sun Ce said, "We can withdraw half of our troops to make up for the shortage of troops besieging Nanzheng."

"Yes, sir!" Shi Yi led his army into Hanzhong. Although they were trapped in Baocheng, they tied down Sun Ce's elite troops. Therefore, while besieging Baocheng, Sun Ce only had 20,000 men to besiege Nanzheng. Nanzheng originally had 20,000 soldiers, although they were a mix of old and weak, which still made Sun Ce's army quite short-handed during the siege.

After speaking, Sun Ce looked around at everyone and, seeing Huan Jie deep in thought, asked, "Lord Huan, is it because my arrangements were improper?"

Huan Jie shook his head and said, "Your Excellency's arrangements are appropriate, but what if the enemy forces take the Tangluo Road?"

Sun Ce confidently said, "The Tangluo Road is rugged and difficult to traverse. If the enemy army comes out of the Tangluo Road, they will be exhausted by this point. I will lead my elite troops to attack them, wait for them to tire themselves out, defeat the enemy, and our army's prestige will be greatly enhanced!"

Seeing that Sun Ce had considered various aspects of the military situation, Huan Jie said no more.

While Sun Ce was busy building mountains to breach the city, Yan Pu in Nanzheng was visiting Zhang Lu to discuss important military matters.

"Did Zimiao come for military purposes?" Zhang Lu asked.

"No!"

Yan Pu bowed to Zhang Lu and said, "The Shanxi reinforcements are currently in Baocheng, and more elite troops will arrive soon. Now that Lord Zhang has sent troops to rescue Hanzhong, Yi Hui has falsely claimed that Master will surrender to Sun Ce. If this person is not dealt with, it will shake the morale of the people in the city."

On the night Shi Yi occupied Baocheng, Qiu Lang led his men up the mountain, planted torches, and lit bonfires. The soldiers and civilians of Nanzheng could clearly see the firelight, which made everyone aware that Zhang Yu's reinforcements had arrived.

Later, when Sun Ce mobilized troops to besiege Baocheng, Zhang Wei sent scouts out of the city while the Shu army outside the city was undefended, thus verifying the intelligence that the Shanxi reinforcements had arrived.

Yan Pu's request for Zhang Lu to execute Yi Hui is simply to solidify Zhang Lu's resolve to resist Sun Ce, rather than making him waver on the issue of surrendering to Sun Ce.

Zhang Lu frowned and pondered for a while, then said, "Lord Zhang has gone through great hardships to send troops to my Nanzheng. How could I dare to have any doubts?"

"Guards, detain Yi Hui and imprison him. He will be executed tomorrow."

Zhang Lu instructed his men, saying, "From now on, anyone who speaks of surrendering to Sun Quan shall be executed according to the law."

"Master is wise!"

As he spoke, Zhang Lu became suspicious and asked, "Zimiao, if the Shanxi troops defeat Sun Ce, how should Hanzhong position itself?"

Yan Pu pondered for a long time before saying, "After defeating Sun Ce, Master, you have two options. First, present a memorial to the General, offering Hanzhong to him, in order to gauge his attitude. Second, the General has returned to Shanxi, which suggests he intends to declare himself king. If you are bold enough, Master, you can go to Guanzhong to pay your respects to the General."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lu's expression changed slightly. He looked at Yan Pu suspiciously and asked, "If I offer Hanzhong to the General, wouldn't that cause me to lose Hanzhong? And if I go to Guanzhong to pay my respects to the General, what should I do if the General imprisons me in Chang'an?"

"With all the feudal lords still around, how dare the Grand General imprison him? If you imprison Master now, you will hurt the feelings of all the feudal lords." Seeing that Zhang Lu did not understand the situation, Yan Pu said, "In my opinion, if Master can pay a visit to the Grand General and congratulate him on becoming king, Master will surely be richly rewarded."

"As for offering Hanzhong to the Grand General?"

"The General is not short-sighted. Hanzhong has been largely governed by Master Shi. Now that Yuan Shu is still in the Central Plains, how dare the General launch a southern expedition to Bashu if he does not quell Yuan Shu's rebellion? Therefore, the General must rely on Master Shi to govern Hanzhong in order to stop Sun Ce's northern expedition."

Yan Pu said, "The strategy I have proposed is to retreat in order to advance. In order to make all the lords submit, the General will not only not treat Master Jun harshly, but will also reward him handsomely."

After pondering for a long time, Zhang Lu said, "If we can defeat Sun Ce this time, then I will follow Zi Miao's advice and personally go to Guanzhong to congratulate the General."

(End of this chapter)