My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Chapter 39: Bowen, what kind of military strategy is this? I've never heard of it!
Burn Deng County!

Xiao He's words were like opening another window for everyone, and everyone's eyes lit up.

"Bo Wen is right. Cao Cao has two granaries. Why should we focus on Chaoyang? We can also burn the Dengxian granary!"

Liu Bei slammed the table, as if he had been enlightened.

"It's not impossible to capture Deng County."

Guan Yu stroked his beautiful beard and nodded slightly, but then questioned:

"But Deng County is too close to Fancheng, practically right under Cao Cao's nose. How could Cao Cao not be on guard?"

Liu Bei was suddenly reminded and looked at Xiao He.

Xiao He smiled and asked:
"General Yunchang, have you ever heard of the darkness beneath the lamp?"

Dark under the light?
Guan Yu looked confused and shook his head.

Xiao He picked up an oil lamp and placed it on the map where Cao's camp in Fancheng was located, then glanced at Guan Yu and everyone else meaningfully.

Guan Yu stared at the oil lamp, his eyes still confused.

He looked up at Liu Bei, and the two looked at each other, with confusion in Liu Bei's eyes.

"I understand!"

Xu Shu's eyes flashed, and he pointed his finger:
"When this lamp is placed on Cao's camp, the farther away from Cao's camp, the more Chaoyang, Zhuyang, Xindu and other cities will be clearly illuminated."

"On the contrary, the closer to Cao's camp, cities like Deng County and Yanju are, the more they are shrouded in lantern shadows and become pitch black."

After saying that, Xu Shu looked up at Xiao He with admiration.

"So Bowen's point is that because Deng County is close to Cao's camp, Cao Cao believes we wouldn't dare launch a surprise attack, and that's why Deng County's vigilance and defenses are far less than Chaoyang's."

"The darkest part is the lamp, that's probably what it means, Bowen. I wonder if my guess is right or not?"

Xiao He secretly admired him in his heart.

I just turned the lamp and said nothing, but people could deduce the meaning.

"Yuanzhi is indeed worthy of being Mr. Shuijing's disciple. That's right, that's exactly what I meant."

Xiao He moved the oil lamp away and pointed to the location of Deng County:
“As the Art of War says: The safest place is often the most dangerous place, and vice versa.”

Everyone suddenly understood, and their eyes looked at Xiao He with even more admiration.

"So this is what it means to be in the dark under the lamp, Bowen. Your plan is truly a brilliant and unexpected victory!"

Liu Bei nodded in praise repeatedly, his eyes becoming excited again.

Xu Shu, however, showed curiosity and asked with a bow:
"Brother Bowen, what you just said, 'The safest place is often the most dangerous place,' is truly profound. Forgive my ignorance, but I wonder which military strategy this comes from?"

Xiao He was stunned.

I just said something like "bookworm" on a whim, but I didn't expect Xu Shu to notice me.

The thirst for knowledge among top students is indeed very strong...

"I haven't really studied military tactics. What you said was something my master mentioned during a casual conversation. I just thought of it and said it casually. I'm sorry to have laughed at you, Brother Yuanzhi."

After a round of self-deprecating remarks, Xiao He, as usual, blamed all the things he couldn't explain on that fictitious mentor.

After hearing this, Xu Shu's eyes looked subtle.

"Every word he says is full of the subtlety of military tactics. How could he not have learned military strategies? This Xiao Bowen is really too modest..."

"And his mentor, whose strategy seems to surpass that of Master Shui Jing, I wonder where he is in seclusion?"

Xu Shu's thoughts turned, and his face showed a hint of speculation and yearning.

Liu Bei's eyes swept over everyone and he asked cheerfully:
"Everyone, what do you think of Bo Wen's plan for a surprise attack on Deng County?"

Who among those present had not seen Xiao He's strength? Who among them would not willingly submit to him?
Now that Xiao He has come up with another brilliant plan, naturally everyone has no objection.

"My lord, Xiao Congshi's plan is indeed a brilliant one that will determine the outcome of this battle."

"However, I believe there is a prerequisite that must be confirmed before implementing this plan."

Amidst the voices of agreement, a different voice suddenly rang out.

The person who spoke was Ma Liang.

"What's the premise? Tell me about it, Ji Chang." Liu Bei and everyone else looked at the "Best White-browed Man" among the "Five Constant Virtues of the Ma Family".

"As everyone knows, Cao Cao's greatest advantage is his large number of soldiers and generals."

"Although Cao's army boasts 800,000 men, its actual strength is at least around 150,000, more than three times our total strength."

"The maximum number of troops we can mobilize for a surprise attack is about 15,000. Even if Cao Cao falls for our plan and sets an ambush in Chaoyang, about 50,000 troops will be sufficient."

"That is to say, Cao Cao still has at least 100,000 troops left in Fancheng. With such a strong force, he can easily station around 20,000 troops in the Dengxian granary."

"If that's the case, even if we launch a surprise attack on the Dengxian granary and kill Cao Cao, making a feint to the east and attacking in the west, can we quickly defeat the enemy camp with our 15,000 troops?"

Ma Liang expressed his concerns and then bowed:

"So Liang believes that before launching a surprise attack, we must first ensure that Cao Cao transfers most of his troops to Chaoyang to set up an ambush. The bottom line is that no more than 10,000 troops can be stationed in Deng County."

"Only in this way can our military be sure of victory!"

Discussions in the hall started again.

Liu Bei, who was about to make the decision, hesitated again and looked at Xiao He:
"Bo Wen, Ji Chang is absolutely right. Cao Cao has many soldiers while our army has few. This weakness is indeed the biggest stumbling block in this battle."

Xiao He felt a little headache.

Being a strategist is really a tough job. Just when you clear one minefield, another one pops up right after you do.

But then again, Ma Liang is worthy of being called a brother to Zhuge Liang. His thinking style is similar to Zhuge Liang's, and he considers everything very carefully and thoroughly.

"How can we transfer all of Cao Cao's main forces to Chaoyang, leaving enough space in Deng County..."

Xiao He pinched his forehead with his fingertips and looked at the map again.

Fancheng, Chaoyang, Dengxian, Xiangyang...

Cities passed by before my eyes.

His eyes fell on the word Xiakou.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration came to my mind!
"Since our army is short of soldiers, why don't we ask Master Gong Wei to transfer troops from Jiangxia to the north to help us?"

"Master Gongwei has nearly 20,000 soldiers and horses. If we can mobilize 15,000 of them to go north, our combined force will be 30,000."

"If Cao Cao wants to ambush and succeed, he will have to mobilize at least 90,000 troops to Chaoyang to set up an ambush. Besides the troops left behind to guard Fan's main camp, Cao Cao can't leave 20,000 troops to defend Deng County. He will have to withdraw at least 10,000 troops."

"According to this calculation, Cao Cao's garrison at Deng County's granary camp only has about 10,000 men left at most."

"At this time, the lord gathered 30,000 troops and launched a surprise attack. With a three-fold advantage in troops and the bonus of surprise attack, there is no worry that we cannot break through the enemy camp!"

Xiao He focused his finger heavily on Xiakou.

The hall was in an uproar.

Liu Bei's eyes cleared up again, and he said in surprise:

"Bo Wen is absolutely right. How could I have forgotten that we still have our nephew Gong Wei as our external support!"

"Now that Sun Zhongmou has formed an alliance with me, there's no threat from Xiakou for now. This force can be withdrawn and marched north to help us destroy the Dengxian granary!"

Xu Shu nodded slightly and added:

"My lord, haven't you let Yu Jin go yet? We can even stage a show and use Yu Jin to 'leak' information to Cao Cao, convincing him that we're moving the Jiangxia army north to launch a surprise attack on Chaoyang!"

At that moment, Xu Shu told the story of how to make use of Yu Jin's plan.

Liu Bei's face flashed with sarcasm, and he sneered:

"Yuanzhi's plan is exactly what I want. Since Cao Cao wants to use you, Yuanzhi, to plot against me, I will fight back and use Yu Jin to plot against Cao Cao!"

A series of strategies for the surprise attack on Deng County were thus decided.

The welcoming banquet regained its excitement and enthusiasm.

Liu Bei laughed loudly, raised his glass high, and was about to announce the battle deployment.

Zhao Yun, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up and reminded:

"My Lord, Yun remembers what Bowen once said: Sun Quan is an opportunist."

"Yun is worried. If he sees that we are withdrawing troops from Xiakou, giving him an opportunity to take advantage, he will break the alliance and send troops to attack Xiakou. What will we do then?"

(End of this chapter)