Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 546 Sun Quan's Ambition

May, Langzhong.

On the drill ground, the newly recruited Shu soldiers diligently practiced formation techniques under the supervision of their officers.

Because of the wealth of Shu, the new recruits were equipped with first-class armor, including shields, swords, spears, and bows. Even the armor coverage rate was not low, with thirty to fifty out of a hundred men wearing armor, and iron armor and leather armor were evenly distributed.

"The soldiers of Shu are mild-mannered, unlike the fierce and reckless soldiers of Chu. To become a strong army, they must be trained day and night!"

Sun Quan inspected the Shu soldiers in his army and said, "Now that we face a formidable enemy, we must rely on veteran soldiers and elite warriors, while new recruits who can wave flags and shout slogans will suffice!"

Wu Jing said, "Although the Shu soldiers are weak, the Ba barbarians are fierce and skilled archers. When my late father was alive, he recruited three thousand Ba barbarians as soldiers in Fuling. The Ba barbarians are skilled with crossbows and are invincible, repeatedly defeating powerful enemies. When my late brother was alive, he led a southern expedition, and the Ba barbarians greatly defeated the evil barbarians, killing and capturing many!"

Sun Quan nodded slightly and sighed, "It is a pity that my brother passed away suddenly, and Bashu is in turmoil. We cannot recruit more Ba people to join the army now. After this battle, we should recruit more Han and Yi people from Bazhong to join the army. With diligent training, they will surely become the pillars of Yizhou."

Yizhou was isolated and rarely subjected to military raids, so the people of Shu were not a high-quality source of soldiers. In contrast, the Han and Man people living in the Sanba region were often in conflict, so their customs were considered more ruthless.

Therefore, regimes that controlled the Ba-Shu region needed to rely on the military resources of the Three Ba ​​areas to ensure the fighting capacity of their armies, and recruited Ba people into their ranks. Historically, during the peak of the Shu Han regime, which dared to launch northern expeditions, a large number of Ba people were conscripted into the army to maintain its fighting capacity.

Fa Zheng said, "Wu and Chu have sent 100,000 troops to attack Jingzhou. Now the Tang army has suffered setbacks at Jiange and Hanchang for many months. Due to the difficulty of transporting supplies and provisions, the Tang army will consider withdrawing as early as next month or as late as July. When the Tang army withdraws, Your Majesty can reorganize the army and promote good generals, which will greatly boost the morale of the soldiers."

Sun Quan felt that the military was progressing well and laughed, "The Tang people broke their alliance and attacked Baishui, which is why we are in such a hurry today. Therefore, when the Tang people withdraw their troops, they can choose the Jinniu and Micang routes, which are steep and dangerous, to build fortifications. When the enemy comes again, we can rely on the layers of dangerous passes to defend against them. At that time, we will form an alliance with Cao Cao and Liu Bei, and we will have elite troops guarding the passes. We may not be unable to carve out our own territory in Bashu."

With the military campaign progressing smoothly, Sun Quan overcame his initial anxiety. Furthermore, with Cao Cao and Liu Bei leading their armies on a northern expedition to Jiangling, Sun Quan's worries were alleviated. He then began to look forward to the situation after defeating the Tang army and chatted with his subordinates about their plans.

While the emperor and his ministers were chatting, a servant hurriedly reported this.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, there is an urgent military situation in Hanchang!"

"What's the matter?"

Sun Quan consciously walked towards the main tent and asked.

"According to General Gan's report, enemy general Man Chong has suddenly divided his troops and marched south to Dangqu!"

"Divide the troops at Dangqu?"

Sun Quan looked slightly startled, exchanged a glance with Fa Zheng, and sensed a conspiracy.

"Does the strategist know Man Chong's intentions?" Sun Quan asked.

Fa Zheng pondered for a moment and said, “Dangqu is inhabited by many Cong people. When Zhang Lu surrendered, the Yi people of Bazhong were in uproar and rushed to join Zhang Yu. Huo, Pu Hu, and Yuan Yue were appointed as the governors of the three Ba ​​regions, and they greatly disturbed the counties of Bazhong. My elder brother sent troops to attack them. Although they defeated the three men’s forces and quelled the unrest in Bazhong, the three men led their remaining forces to flee to Hanzhong.”

“Man Chong entered Ba via the Micang Road; how could the three of them not join the army on the expedition?”

Sun Quan seemed to be deep in thought, and said, "Is Man Chong's decision to divide his troops in Dangqu an attempt to provoke a rebellion by the Zong people?"

"That's how it should be!"

Fa Zheng frowned and said, "Man Chong has divided his troops and marched south to Dangqu, inciting the Bazhong people to rebel. At present, there is no large army in Bazhong, only Zhang Man leading several thousand men to garrison the area. Once the Tang army penetrates deep into Bazhong, the barbarians will be incited to riot, and it will not be something that Zhang Man's army alone can quell."

As he spoke, Fa Zheng exclaimed, "Man Chong is indeed a renowned general of the Central Plains, possessing exceptional abilities. Although he suffered a setback at the walls of Hanchang, he was able to adapt his tactics accordingly. If Dangqu is captured and the Cong people cause disturbances in Bazhong, then Bazhong will be beyond our control!"

"Then shall we divide our forces at Dangqu to attack the Tang army that has penetrated deep into Bazhong?" Wu Jing said.

"It might be feasible!"

Sun He echoed, "The Tang army heading south has few soldiers. If our army sends a large force to attack them, we will surely achieve some success. At that time, the harassing troops will be defeated, which will shake the morale of the main camp. In addition, the supply lines are in short supply, so the Tang army will withdraw in no time!"

"I wonder if the strategist has any insightful suggestions?"

The Sun family and their ministers had already arrived in the main tent. Fa Zheng stared at the map showing the distribution of troops and suddenly asked, "How many Tang troops are there heading south?"

“About ten thousand men, commanded by the enemy general Kirby!” the attendant replied.

Upon hearing this, Fa Zheng smiled as he pondered, seemingly having a plan in mind. He asked, "Do any of you gentlemen know of a strategy for relieving the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao?"

"How could I not know!"

Sun He said, "In the past, when Pang Juan attacked Zhao, Zhao was in danger and sought help from Qi. When the Qi army attacked Wei, they took advantage of Pang Juan's retreat and ambushed him on the way, thus inflicting a great defeat on the Wei people."

As he spoke, Sun He, a veteran general, seemed to realize something and asked, "Does the strategist intend for our army to attack Man Chong, forcing the southward-bound army to return to reinforce, while secretly sending troops to ambush them halfway, thereby defeating the Tang army?" "Excellent!"

Wu Jing nodded in agreement, saying, "The Tang army consists of elite troops who have conquered all directions. Therefore, sending troops to Dangqu would make them vulnerable to defeat if they are too few, and risk alerting the enemy if they are too many. Now, we should adopt the strategy of 'besieging Wei to rescue Zhao,' forcing the Tang army to return to their main camp. By ambushing them on the way, we should be able to succeed!"

"The strategist's wisdom and strategy are truly ingenious; I admire him immensely!"

"hehe!"

Seeing that everyone had only guessed the first layer, Fa Zheng couldn't help but laugh smugly and said, "Besieging Wei to rescue Zhao is only one aspect. My real intention now is to target Man Chong. Man Chong has divided his troops to attack Dangqu, leaving his main camp almost undefended. If our army can launch a surprise attack on the main camp and defeat Man Chong, we can not only inflict a great defeat on the Tang people, but also cut off their retreat."

"With Man Chong defeated and fleeing, the southward-bound army has nowhere to turn back, and Xu Huang is left to hold the line alone. Within a few days, upon learning of Man Chong's crushing defeat, Xu Huang will surely withdraw his troops, and the crisis in Sichuan will be resolved!"

Fa Zheng's ambitions were not limited to defeating the southward-bound army. He naturally wanted to seize the Tang army's main camp in one fell swoop, thereby forcing the southward-bound army to surrender and inflicting a major defeat on the Tang army.

Upon hearing this, Sun Quan was greatly encouraged and said, "The strategist's plan is far-sighted. The Tang army that marched south is not the main force, and its current defeat will not change the overall situation. However, if we can capture the main camp, and Man Chong is defeated and flees to Hanzhong, the morale of the Tang army will be greatly damaged, and the army that marched south will surely retreat!"

Wu Jing asked, "To break through the Tang army's camp, a large army is needed. Now that the troops have surrounded the camp, where are the remaining troops to ambush the Tang army marching south?"

"We can simply divide our forces and set up an ambush to delay the Tang army's return journey. Once the main camp is breached, the Tang army will be powerless to come to our aid!" Fa Zheng said confidently.

"rational!"

Sun Quan pondered for a long time before agreeing, saying, "The enemy's main camp is the key to victory or defeat. If we can capture the main camp, the Tang army's retreat will be cut off, and they will surrender to us!"

After a pause, Sun Quan asked, "Do either of you generals have any objections?"

Sun He shook his head and said, "The strategist is wise and insightful. If Your Excellency thinks it is feasible, I am willing to await your command!"

"I am ready to serve!"

"good!"

Sun Quan said in a deep voice, "Since that's the case, then let's proceed according to the strategist's plan. This expedition will be a surprise attack on the Tang army's main camp. We must defeat Man Chong and blunt the Tang army's advance!"

"promise!"

Although Sun Quan's military abilities were lacking, he was by no means indecisive. Now that there was hope of defeating Man Chong, he decisively adopted Fa Zheng's strategy and decided to lead the army from Langzhong to attack.

At that time, there were 40,000 Shu soldiers in Langzhong. Sun Quan originally wanted to lead the army to fight, but under the persuasion of his men, he chose to stay in Langzhong. Fa Zheng, who was concerned about military affairs, went on the expedition with Sun He and Wu Jing.

Of the 40,000 Shu soldiers, half were new and half were veterans. Therefore, soldiers were selected, with 5,000 old and weak remaining to guard Langzhong. Two thousand elite soldiers were dispatched from the remaining 35,000 to intercept the southward-bound Tang army returning to reinforce, while the remaining 33,000, led by Sun He and Wu Jing, marched towards the Tang army camp!
Langzhong is about two or three hundred li away from Hanchang. The army can travel there in three or four days if it is fast, and four or five days if it is slow if it is slow. However, the slow march of the new recruits is still a headache.

"After this battle, you will all be able to go home!"

"Defeat the Tang traitors, and you'll not only have wine and meat, but also money, grain, and rewards!"

"The Tang bandits number less than 20,000, while our army has more than 30,000. The advantage is on our side!"

The cavalrymen rode their horses to the sides of the column, encouraging the slow-moving new recruits. Their voices were hoarse from shouting for so long.

Encouraged by the whip and the promise of a bright future, the new recruits' morale improved slightly, and they continued on their way.

Seeing that the march was slow and many soldiers were gradually falling behind, Huang Gai was very worried. During a rest, he sought out Wu Jing, Sun He and others who were leading the army.

Huang Gai said, "New recruits are not as good at running as veterans. If we march quickly now, I'm afraid the old and weak will be left behind. But if we march alongside the old and weak, the sheer number of our troops will be too great and we'll be spotted by Tang scouts."

Wu Jing understood Huang Gai's meaning and said, "Gongfu's words are not without reason. New recruits should not travel alongside the main army. Instead, we should select 10,000 elite troops and send Bohai and you ahead to investigate the weaknesses of the Tang camp and see if we can launch a night attack. I will lead the main army behind you."

Sun He looked at Fa Zheng and asked, "What is the strategist's opinion?"

Fa Zheng pondered for a moment and said, "I have heard that the Tang army is encamped near the river. Their elite troops can bypass the river and cross to the east bank. They can then launch a surprise attack on the enemy while the main force attacks the western camp, thus diverting the Tang army's strength. Furthermore, we should have Gan Ning lead his troops out of the city to create a disturbance, which will not only boost our morale but also allow us to deploy troops as needed."

"The strategist is well-versed in military strategy!"

Sun He adopted the suggestions of Fa Zheng and Wu Jing, and selected 10,000 elite soldiers to go ahead first, leaving more than 20,000 soldiers to be led by Wu Jing and Zu Mao to continue the journey.

(End of this chapter)