Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 243 Battle Situation Simulation
"you."

Zu Yu trembled violently, his knees collapsing uncontrollably as he was dragged along. His eyes darted around in terror, the movements of the people in front of him so practiced that they terrified him.

woohoo
A rag was roughly stuffed into his mouth, and his cries came to an abrupt halt.

The man in black dragged Zu Yu and quickly arrived at the alley entrance. A carriage with its curtains drawn was quietly parked in the shadows at the alley entrance, perfectly separating the alley from the street.

Zu Yu kicked his legs a few times before being shoved into the carriage. Immediately afterward, Xu Yu, who had already fainted, was also thrown in.

drive!
The driver raised the whip and flicked it lightly, the whip striking the horse's rump with a crisp sound. The carriage moved in response, slowly pulling out of the alley and disappearing into the bustling crowd.

Within a single day, a new intelligence report about Zulang was placed on Yan Yi's desk in his study.

The intelligence report detailed some of Zulang's previously unknown private information, as well as the complex relationships between him and his civil and military officials. It also provided some supplementary information on the current state of Zulang's army.

"Please invite the commanders of each division to the library."

After carefully reviewing the intelligence, Yan Yi left his study and headed towards the library in the front courtyard.

The map room was a spacious place specifically for storing maps and sand tables, with more than twenty sand tables representing various counties and prefectures in Jiangdong alone.

With the continuous improvement of the workshop, sand table making became increasingly sophisticated, and the engraving became more and more precise. It gradually became a habit for generals to use sand tables for battle simulations and command operations.

Yan Yi pushed open the door to the drawing room and placed the red flag, the blue flag, the bronze terracotta warriors, and other items on the Danyang sand table. After a short while, Zhou Yu and the others arrived one after another.

"Gongjin, you take the blue flag and attack Guangde. Demou, you take the red flag and restrain the blue flag. Ziyue, you defend Guangde."

After the generals had read Zu Lang's latest intelligence, Yan Yi ordered his men to combine the sand tables of Danyang and Yuzhang and make a series of calculations and arrangements: "The troop deployment in Guangde is: one thousand field troops, three thousand county troops, and three thousand prefectural troops."

The generals stood around the sand table, their eyes fixed on the mountains, rivers, camps, and fortresses depicted on it, their faces showing deep thought.

Zhou Yu quickly put himself in Zu Lang's shoes and moved the battle flag: "I will use five waves of heavy infantry, twenty-five waves of light infantry, and ten waves of archers to feign an attack on Guangde. Then I will use five waves of 'Lin Xiao Feng Cavalry' to cut off the supply lines between Huai'an and Yong'an and Linshui, while at the same time I will launch a surprise attack on Huai'an with five thousand elite troops."

Wu Jing, acting as the war assessor, pondered for a moment before stating his assessment: "There are eleven camps and fortified villages west of Huai'an, garrisoned by a thousand county soldiers, with an additional seven hundred prefectural soldiers who can provide effective reinforcements within half a day. Considering the marching speed and combat strength of both sides, the attacking force is expected to reach the walls of Huai'an in eighteen to twenty-four hours."

After gaining the approval of the generals, he reached out and took the black flag representing the Huai'an garrison, replacing it with a blue flag: "Two days later, Huai'an fell."

Si Qing observed the distribution of the green flags on the sand table for a while, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and took two black flags from the Yong'an position and placed them by the water: "I will transfer two thousand county soldiers from Yong'an to strengthen the defense line by the water, intercept the attackers, and prevent them from threatening Qiantang."

Cheng Pu picked up the red flag, a shrewd smile on his face: "I will take the 10,000 most elite troops from Yuzhang and head straight for Lingyang, forcing Zulang to return to reinforce. I will also station 1,000 cavalry between Lingyang and Huai'an, and if necessary, harass Huai'an's supply lines."

Without hesitation, Zhou Yu picked up the five blue flags marking the location of Jing County and moved them towards Lingyang. A smug smile appeared on his handsome face: "Lord Cheng, you think you can force me to return with a mere ten thousand troops? That's wishful thinking. I've appointed Jiao Ji, a general under Zu Lang, to lead five thousand reserve troops to garrison Lingyang, forming a pincer movement with Anwu and Lincheng. Jiao Ji is skilled in city construction and defensive warfare; with him in command, the Yuzhang army won't be able to advance any further."

He picked up several miscellaneous flags and moved them quickly across the sand table: "Most of the scattered bandits in Danyang have already joined Xu Gong's camp. I will then use the troops of Peng Cai, the chief of Wuliao Cave, and Chen Mu, the shaman of Shexian, to harass the rear of the Yuzhang army. The Yuzhang army is in turmoil due to Zhou Shu's serious illness, and there are no good generals to lead the troops. Within a month, the 10,000 troops in Lingyang will surely fall into disarray."

Cheng Pu nodded in agreement. The Yuzhang Army was weak and lacked capable generals, making it difficult to exert sufficient pressure on Zu Lang.

He picked up ten red flags, gently stroked the flagpoles with his fingers, and placed the flags one by one on a plain fifty miles south of Lingyang: "Your Majesty should have already put pressure on Zhou Shu by now. I will set up another large camp in Pingchuan Township, and conscript 10,000 troops from various cities in Yuzhang to come and support us, and use 2,000 of them and 1,000 cavalry from the direction of Huai'an to protect the grain supply route."

Zhou Yu looked at the ten red flags and shook his head: "The forces of the Yuzhang bandits should not be underestimated. Sufficient troops need to be stationed in various places. Moreover, Yuzhang is a vast area, making marching difficult. In a short period of time, Zhou Shu simply cannot mobilize 10,000 troops. In my opinion, at most 7,000 troops."

After a brief discussion, the group agreed that his words made sense. Left with no other option, Cheng Pu had to take the three red flags.

Yan Yi observed the increasingly intense battle for a while and smiled, "Gongjin's deployment is quite in line with Zu Lang's personality and military style. It seems that you intend to continue eastward to coordinate with the offensive in Wu County and Kuaiji."

Zhou Yu nodded slightly and pointed to the location of Yong'an on the sand table: "A three-pronged attack is the best strategy to defeat you, my lord. Right now, Zu Lang faces four cities: Guangde, Guzhang, Yong'an, and Linshui. The defending troops will find it difficult to control his main attack direction, greatly increasing the defensive pressure. With Zu Lang's ambition and years of experience leading troops, how could he possibly let go of this fat meat that has been delivered to his mouth?"

Yan Yi pondered for a moment and said, "In your opinion, Gongjin, which city will Zu Lang attack first?"

After a moment's thought, Zhou Yu said, "Guangde and Guzhang are remote and difficult to capture, so it would not benefit the overall situation. Under the pressure from Xu Gong and Wang Lang, Zu Lang will not waste his troops for these two cities. Linshui is the gateway to Yuhang and is defended by Xu Zhao's troops, so it will be difficult to capture. Yong'an is an important economic town under your rule, so there is a high probability that Zu Lang will attack Yong'an first."

He glanced at Si Qing with a half-smile: "If I'm not mistaken, Lord Si's decision to withdraw some of the Yong'an garrison to reinforce Linshui is to lure Zu Lang into attacking Yong'an, isn't it?"

“Yong’an is a place of constant warfare. If Zu Lang takes Yong’an, then Gu Zhang will pat its back, Lin Shui will block its throat, and Wu Cheng will cut off its tail. With three routes attacking from both sides, there will be nowhere to retreat to. This is what Sun Bin meant by ‘the danger of ‘forming alliances in a crossroads’.

Zhou Yu pointed at the sand table and spoke eloquently, displaying a calm and composed demeanor as if he had the entire battle situation under control.

“Indeed, without the heavy bait of Yong'an, it would be difficult to lure Zu Lang into the trap.” Si Qing nodded, her voice low: “However, Yong'an, which you have painstakingly built up, may not escape the calamity of war.”

Zhou Yu solemnly pointed out the biggest flaw in his deployment: "Our main force is tied down by Xu Gong and Wang Lang, making it difficult to commit too many troops to Yong'an. Once the enemy from Jing County and Huai'an advances eastward to provide support, Zu Lang can break out at will. Unless the Yuzhang army can effectively tie down the enemy in Jing County, keeping them busy with rescue efforts, but given the Yuzhang army's strength, that is unlikely."

"Gongjin is right. If we pay such a high price and fail to retain Zulang, it may dampen the morale of the entire army."

"In my opinion, a more prudent strategy should be adopted. Our army does not need to rush to annihilate Zulang's forces; we can simply intercept them. It is not too late to deal with Zulang after our main force has broken through Xugong or Wanglang."

The generals shared their opinions, their gazes gradually converging on Yan Yi. "Let's continue our deductions," Yan Yi said calmly, not readily revealing his own thoughts.

The generals' attention returned to the sand table. Between the attacks and defenses of Zhou Yu, Si Qing, and Cheng Pu, the battle situation gradually became clear: the Black Flag finally succeeded in stopping the Green Flag's offensive, but it also suffered heavy losses, losing five cities and more than 10,000 soldiers.

Yan Yi's expression was somewhat unpleasant; he was very dissatisfied with the result. He placed his hands on the edge of the sand table, his gaze sweeping over the cities of Yuzhang County.

Although Zhou Shu controlled a prefecture, more than three or four times the size of Zu Lang's territory, it was sparsely populated, with weak soldiers and incompetent generals, showing signs of becoming a liability. Furthermore, Zhou Shu's serious illness rendered him unable to personally manage military affairs, making this situation even more pronounced.

Yan Yi pondered for a moment, then looked around: "The success or failure of the western front depends on enhancing the combat strength of the Yuzhang Army. I intend to provide some reinforcements to the Yuzhang Army. Does anyone have any good suggestions?"

Han Dangjian advised, “A general is the master of a man’s fate and the ruler of the three armies. If the general is not brave, the three armies will not be sharp. In my humble opinion, the Kuaiji army is not incapable of restraining Zu Lang’s army. What it lacks is a general who is good at leading troops and fighting. Your Majesty may send a few good generals to assist the Yuzhang army to make up for its shortcomings.”

Si Qing shook her head and said, "No, changing generals on the eve of battle is a major taboo in warfare. This move will not only easily arouse Zhou Shu's suspicion, but the Yuzhang Army will also not obey orders. With multiple orders coming from different sources, chaos will naturally arise."

Han Dang frowned and said, "What I just said was not to replace the command of the Yuzhang Army. Our army only needs to send a few military advisors to assist from the side."

Liu Ye remained silent for a while before smiling and saying, "What Lord Han said makes some sense. However, simply sending a few military advisors is far from solving the problem. In all military strategy, the three armies must undergo changes of division and combination. However, the key to division and combination lies in the unity of the three armies, which is the only way to achieve the desired effect."

Yan Yi raised his eyebrows slightly, revealing a look of agreement for the first time: "In Ziyang's opinion, what should be done?"

Liu Ye smiled slightly and turned his gaze to Zhou Yu: "Gongjin's talent surpasses mine tenfold. Although I have a rudimentary understanding of the overall situation, my ability to make decisions on the spot and to strategize is far inferior to Gongjin's. I humbly request that Your Majesty heed Gongjin's words."

Zhou Yu understood his intentions and this time did not refuse. He said solemnly, "In the art of war, one must be strict in rank, cautious in administration, conscientious in strength, calm in spirit, and single-minded in mind. In my opinion, Your Excellency should discuss with Zhou Shu as soon as possible to integrate the two armies into the same command system. Only in this way can we cope with the complex and ever-changing battle situation. The art of war says, 'Unity leads to victory, while discord leads to defeat.' This is truly the way to survival or destruction."

Yan Yi nodded slightly, deeply agreeing. Zhou Shu was seriously ill and clearly unable to command a battle involving tens of thousands of people.

Zhou Yu continued, "Secondly, Your Excellency should find a way to have Liu Biao and Yuan Shu make some promises to Zhou Shu to reassure him. Zhou Shu will be grateful and will surely repay Your Excellency handsomely."

"Thirdly, Your Majesty may send several capable generals with troops to Yuzhang to assist in the battle. Also, transfer the same number of troops from Yuzhang to garrison Linshui, Guzhang and other places to participate in the defense."

"Fourth, Your Excellency should take full responsibility for the supply of weapons and provisions for the Yuzhang Army, and treat them equally in terms of rewards and compensation. Only in this way can the two armies work together seamlessly and eliminate some unnecessary barriers between them."

Zhou Yu offered several suggestions, all of which Yan Yi adopted. For him, this battle concerned the fate of Jiangdong, and he was willing to sacrifice everything, even his own possessions, to ensure the Yuzhang Army could be fully utilized.

"In your opinion, Gongjin, how many troops should our army send to Yuzhang to assist in the battle?"

After thinking for a while, Zhou Yu said, "We need to send five thousand elite troops to control the situation in Yuzhang. However, you need to carefully consider the choice of general to lead the troops."

Yan Yi nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping thoughtfully over the generals.

After discussing the battle of Yuzhang, the generals, still not satisfied, began to analyze the battle situations in Wu Commandery and Kuaiji Commandery, and did not disperse until two hours later.

That evening, Yan Yi hosted a banquet at his residence, inviting Zhu Zhi, Ling Cao, and Liu Ye.

Zhu Zhi's injuries had fully healed, and his once pale face had regained its color. His steps were firm and resonant, his vigor fully restored.

During the meal, Yan Yi talked to him about the battle of Yuzhang. Zhu Zhi answered fluently and had many unique insights.

Yan Yi was overjoyed. He took the wine pot, walked up to him, and personally filled his cup. He raised his cup and said, "Lord Zhu is as dignified as ever, which is a great blessing to our army. I entrust the matter of Yuzhang to Lord Zhu."

Before attending the banquet, Zhu Zhi had already suspected something was amiss and showed little surprise. He downed his wine in one gulp, knelt on one knee, and solemnly said, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, my lord. If I fail to achieve three victories on my journey to Yuzhang, I am willing to accept military punishment!"

Yan Yi truly favored him, showering him with gifts and providing him with everything he could. Even Zhu Zhi, with a heart of iron, had long since softened. His injuries barely healed before he rushed from Moling, eager to serve. Now, entrusted with important matters in Yuzhang by Yan Yi, it was exactly what he desired.

Yan Yi raised his cup to Ling Cao and Liu Ye, drank a cup with each of them, and said gently, "The success or failure of this matter is crucial. I hope that you two will work together to assist Lord Zhu and achieve success."

Ling Cao was given an important task as soon as he joined the army, and his heart was filled with fervor: "Even if I were to die a martyr's death, I could not repay the kindness of you, my lord!"

Liu Ye drank the wine and smiled before speaking: "I am well aware of your concerns, my lord, and I will certainly not fail you."

Yan Yi held his arm, and all his unspoken words were condensed into a loud laugh.

With Zhu Zhi's command, Ling Cao's bravery, and Liu Ye's strategy, they are more than capable of handling the affairs of Yuzhang, allowing him to rest easy.

A few days later, Zhu Zhi, Ling Cao, and Liu Ye led five thousand elite troops, braving the wind and snow, to Yuzhang.

Meanwhile, the Qian Yuan Society, which had been in preparation for many days, finally opened.

The Qianyuan Assembly Hall on the shore of West Lake has been completed. In front of the Qianyuan Office, tens of thousands of people are arranged in dozens of square formations according to their county, with banners fluttering and a harmonious atmosphere.

Yan Yi stood on the platform, his wide sleeves billowing in the wind, and loudly proclaimed: "Today's grand gathering of the Qian Yuan era is in accordance with the mandate of Heaven and the will of the people. May this gathering serve as a starting point for our three wishes: first, for favorable weather and abundant harvests; second, for the flourishing of culture and the improvement of military preparedness; and third, for the gathering of heroes to jointly support the nation." Suddenly, he raised his wine cup high above his head, his voice resounding through the sky: "Cheers!"

(End of this chapter)