Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 441 The Black Mountain Dilemma
Liyang Ferry.

"Zhang Yan is unwilling to come to our aid?"

Guan Yu asked the same question in the main camp: "Alas... why would he help Cao Cao?"

In the distance, there were three Cao army camps, arranged on three sides, forming a semi-encirclement of Guan Yu's camp. Many soldiers were stationed outside the camps to set up barricades and other defenses, but no direct large-scale attack was launched.

"Zhang Yan did not assist Cao Cao..."

Mi Fang shook his head and said, "General, when I went to ask for help, Zhang Yan said that both Lord Xuande and Lord Cao are ministers of the Han Dynasty, so he could only remain neutral."

"They say they won't help either side, but if he hadn't assisted Cao Cao, how could we have been surrounded?"

Guan Yu squinted and shook his head: "Cao Cao's troops came from Hanoi. Zhang Yan is in Chaoge. He let Cao Cao's army into Wei Commandery, but he hasn't even sent a message..."

"Zhang Yan is now unwilling and unable to become an enemy of Sima Fang of Hanoi, Zhao Zi, and others..."

Mi Fang, however, knew some of the situation: "General, Black Mountain is short of food, and the area around Black Mountain has been completely ravaged by the Xiongnu..."

"Now the Black Mountain has a population of 800,000, but after the battle with the Xiongnu, the farmland was destroyed and the granaries were all gone, leaving hundreds of thousands of people in the Black Mountain without food."

"When the general led his army on the northern expedition, Sima Fang and others were supplying food and settling people in Heishan. In order not to owe too many favors, Zhang Yan also traded iron ore with Cao Cao for food. He allowed Cao Cao's army to pass through Chaoge, which was actually out of necessity."

"Although Zhang Yan hasn't sent troops to help yet, he's indeed essentially remaining neutral..."

This isn't to excuse Zhang Yan; it's the truth.

Zhang Yan is indeed currently in Cao Cao's camp, advising Cao Cao to resolve the matter peacefully as much as possible.

It was precisely because Zhang Yan was mediating that Cao Cao, although he surrounded Guan Yu, did not launch a major attack.

When the Southern Xiongnu invaded, nearly 200,000 Han Chinese from Bingzhou, Henan and other places fled to Heishan, causing a surge in the population of Heishan.

During the war between the Han and the Hu people, Zhang Yan did his best to take in Han people who had fled to avoid disaster, and most of the already scarce food reserves in Heishan were consumed at this time.

Because he had taken in 200,000 people, a mixed bag of good and bad, including some White Wave Army soldiers, Guo Tai once planned to have Yang Feng secretly kill Zhang Yan.

Because they took in too many people, when Guan Yu led his army into Bingzhou to pursue and kill the Southern Xiongnu, Heishan had already begun to run out of food—Heishan was actually unable to support 800,000 people.

At that time, the armies of Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Zhang Yan were allies. After Cao Cao marched north to Liyang, the grain and fodder that Zhang Liao brought from Dongjun were quickly exhausted. After that, Cao Cao was the one supplying the army with grain and fodder... or rather, Xun Yu was the one organizing the logistics supply in Yan and Yu provinces.

Xun Yu was indeed a top-notch logistics expert, managing everything in an orderly manner. Since Cao Cao joined the war, the Black Mountain battlefield had never suffered from shortages of food and military supplies.

Even Xu Huang's provisions were delivered by Cao Cao to Zhang Yan, who then transported them to support Xu Huang. At that time, the three parties were indeed cooperating sincerely to defeat the Xiongnu and the White Wave Alliance, and none of them held the other back.

After Yufuluo surrendered, Cao Cao incorporated the remaining Xiongnu forces and occupied Hanoi. Generals such as Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, and Guan Yu quickly marched north to support Liu Bei.

Zhang Yan was short of food and unable to lead his troops north to provide reinforcements.

From that time onward, Cao Cao continued to provide Zhang Yan with food aid, and this was done free of charge.

However, while providing logistical support and food aid, Cao Cao also extended his influence into the counties surrounding Heishan.

After the Southern Xiongnu surrendered, all the counties in Henan were controlled by Cao Cao, and the two important towns along the river in Wei Commandery were also under Cao Cao's control.

When fighting against the Southern Xiongnu, the Sima family moved from Henan to Liyang, while the Zhao Zi family moved to Yanjin.

Sima Fang served as the magistrate of Luoyang in his early years, and was Cao Cao's former superior. At that time, Cao Cao was the Northern Commandant, and Sima Fang was his county magistrate and current supervisor. Moreover, Sima Fang had recommended Cao Cao to the court many times.

After the war with the Xiongnu, the counties of Hanoi and the western part of Wei Commandery were devastated by the fighting. Cao Cao appointed Sima Fang to manage Hanoi and Zhao Zi to manage the military logistics of the Liyang camp.

After that, Sima Fang continued to relocate and resettle the population of Heishan.

This is a benevolent policy to allow people to settle down and resume production, not to seize population. Montenegro simply cannot support so many people, and many Hanoines who fled to Montenegro were already planning to return to their hometowns.

Black Mountain already had little farmland, and the surrounding area was further damaged by the Southern Xiongnu, resulting in a poor harvest this year and a huge food shortage.

Jizhou suffered from the calamity of the Wuhuan, with severe damage in the northern part of Jizhou, and famine was rampant throughout Youzhou.

Guan Yu needed to restore production in Ji Province and support the reconstruction of You Province, so he couldn't provide assistance to Heishan for the time being.

Even if the Black Mountain Army came out of the mountains to plunder, they wouldn't be able to get much at this time. If Cao Cao hadn't been willing to provide food aid, many people in the Black Mountain would have starved to death.

Currently, both the food supply to Montenegro and the resettlement of Hanoi refugees returning to their hometowns depend entirely on Sima Fang, Zhao Zi, and others.

This cannot be blamed on Zhang Yan for not supporting Guan Yu, nor can it be considered a betrayal.

For Zhang Yan, both sides were allies serving in the same court, and Cao Cao was providing him with food.

For the sake of the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians in Heishan, Zhang Yan could not confront Cao Cao at this time; remaining neutral was already a sign of loyalty.

"Since that's the case, then let's wait for Cao Cao to arrive, and then we'll fight to the death..."

Guan Yu squinted at Cao Cao's camp for a while, then turned back to his troops to continue reorganizing the defenses.

"General, there is one more thing..."

Mi Fang hesitated before speaking, "When I went to Zhang Yan to ask for help, Zhang Yan asked... whether His Majesty was in Duke Xuande's army or Lord Cao's army..."

"...Did he believe Cao Cao's rumors?"

Guan Yu turned around and frowned.

"This humble general also said that this was a rumor spread by Cao Cao... Afterwards, Zhang Yan went to Cao Cao's army and said that he wanted to ask Cao Cao in person."

Mi Fang looked up at Guan Yu and said, "But many people in the Black Mountain Army believe Cao Cao's words."

"They eat Cao Cao's food, so they'll naturally speak up for Cao Cao..."

Guan Yu sighed: "They'll do anything to feed the hungry."

……

That's how things are in this world. Doing good deeds and providing gratuitous assistance can be rewarded, it just depends on whether you need such a reward.

It's not just material rewards that count as gains; public opinion and recognition can sometimes be even greater gains.

This is similar to supporting third-world countries, where the return includes not only valuable mineral resources but also recognition.

This kind of recognition is something that must be fought for before one can single-handedly conquer the whole world.

If one truly possesses the ability to dominate the entire world, then that recognition will come directly to them…

This kind of identification also has a name: the human heart.

The saying "He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world" does not mean satisfying everyone's ideas, but rather gaining more recognition and turning that recognition into a favorable "momentum" for oneself—regardless of the method used to gain recognition.

All struggles are essentially about vying for the right to speak, or the right to interpret scriptures. Whether it's fighting or appeasement, benevolence or hegemony, verbal battles or hand-to-hand combat, they are just different methods.

Who are the enemies, who are the friends, how to turn enemies into friends, and how to win over neutrals to your side—these are the things a leader should consider most.

Liu Bei's actions throughout his career have consistently aimed to win over the hearts and minds of the people. His campaigns against the Hu people, which preserved the pride and self-respect of the Han people, were also intended to strengthen and solidify the loyalty and confidence he had gained.

At present, the force with the highest sense of belonging, the most harmonious internal relations, and the strongest overall strength in the entire Han Dynasty is undoubtedly Liu Bei.

Cao Cao knew that his strength was inferior to Liu Bei's, so he provided aid to Black Mountain without expecting anything in return, in order to gain the approval of the neutral parties.

Moreover, what he did in Montenegro was indeed a good deed.

Guan Yu, Zhang Liao, Zhang Yan, Xu Huang, and other main force members who were at the forefront of the fight against the Southern Xiongnu were undoubtedly heroes of the Han Dynasty.

Cao Cao, Xun Yu, Sima Fang, and others oversaw the post-war recovery of production and provided timely food aid, enabling hundreds of thousands of people in Heishan and surrounding counties to survive. They were also meritorious officials of the Han Dynasty.

Whatever their motives, at least they did save more Han Chinese lives and prevented the Black Mountain Army from turning into bandits who wreaked havoc on the surrounding areas due to hunger.

As for vying with Liu Bei for the title of emperor... that's normal.

The two sides have different political stances, and the Han Dynasty has been fighting for power in this way for hundreds of years.

Zhang Yan is actually very anxious right now.

He knew his Black Mountain Army was a force of great importance, and his choice would directly alter the power structure of the Han Dynasty. He also knew that the authenticity of the so-called emperor was irrelevant; only the victor reigns supreme.

But Zhang Yan really didn't know which side to take.

Or rather, he couldn't decide for himself which side Montenegro should take.

Because the Montenegrin army is an alliance.

The various strongholds of the Black Mountain Army were actually a special kind of 'alliance of powerful clans,' and in terms of management and operation, they were actually closer to Cao Cao's side.

Yes, although the vast majority of people were proletarians who fled to the mountains, the actual way Montenegro operated was more like that of a powerful clan.

The leaders of each mountain and their close brothers were like local patriarchs and powerful clans, while the people of Black Mountain were like local commoners.

A mountain is like a family; once you're in the family, you can't leave at will, or you'll be hunted down to death.

If the mountains cannot support so many people, after discussion among the leaders, some will leave the mountains, for example, to return to Hanoi to farm, just like branches of the tribe spreading to other places to multiply.

Each chieftain has effectively become a 'mountain tycoon,' maintaining a degree of independence and managing their own taxes and corvée labor.

Although Zhang Yan, as the leader of the alliance, was the most powerful, he could only set relatively unified rules for each faction. He could not force any faction to go to their deaths—Zhang Yan was essentially an official sent by the imperial court to the local area.

At the same time, since the Black Mountain cannot maintain its territory with kinship and surname like a clan, and its sense of belonging is relatively weak, everyone's ideas and methods of governance are somewhat different.

Some leaders were powerful clans themselves or aspired to become powerful clans, using the logic of traditional powerful clans.

Some resorted to banditry.

Some were genuine remnants of the Yellow Turban Rebellion who used the Taiping Dao's methods.

Some also want to emulate Liu Bei—Liu Bei's rise to power has been imitated by many in Montenegro.

Many of the people of Heishan were originally large clans who migrated there as a whole, but dared not return home for fear of being hunted down if they fled. Many also yearned for the system Liu Bei established in Qingzhou and desired a stable life.

In short, in the present-day Heishan, some people are biased towards Cao Cao, while others are biased towards Liu Bei, and it is difficult to tell. Each faction may be divided, and the leaders and people of each faction are not necessarily of one mind.

If Zhang Yan chooses to take sides, Montenegro will most likely split and fight amongst itself.

This is something Zhang Yan cannot accept.

Therefore, compared to Liu Bei and Cao Cao, Zhang Yan, the bandit leader who started his rebellion, has now become a pacifist.

He genuinely didn't want Liu Bei and Cao Cao to fight.

I especially don't want the two sides to fight near Montenegro...

He tried to persuade Cao Cao to cease hostilities and make peace, but it was to no avail. This was a clash of ideologies and approaches, and it was not up to Cao Cao to decide alone.

“I did not want to be enemies with Liu Bei, but he launched an attack, so I had no choice but to fight back.”

Cao Cao said, "You don't want a major war to break out around Black Mountain, and I don't want to fight Guan Yu either, but now he is determined not to retreat... General Zhang, would you be willing to persuade him to retreat?"

Instead, Cao Cao asked Zhang Yan to help persuade Guan Yu—not to surrender, but to retreat south of the Yellow River.

"In that case, please, Lord Cao, refrain from sending troops to besiege us for the time being."

Zhang Yan decided to give it a try and persuade Guan Yu.

……

The next day, Zhang Yan brought the bandit Sui Gu from Neihuang to Guan Yu's camp.

"...Let me retreat? You really did surrender to Cao Cao after all..."

Guan Yu squinted at Zhang Yan: "Zhang Feiyan, you and I were once comrades-in-arms. Do you still remember the Battle of Guangyang? What benefits did Cao Cao bestow upon you? Why would you help him take Hebei?"

The Battle of Guangyang that Guan Yu mentioned refers to the time when Zhang Chun colluded with the Wuhuan and Xianbei to wreak havoc in Youzhou. Zhang Yan led troops to reinforce Youzhou, and was therefore recommended by Liu Bei for his merits and appointed as a general.

Zhang Yan and Guan Yu fought side by side at that time and could be called comrades-in-arms.

“Brother Yun Chang, I, Zhang, have not submitted to Lord Cao… Alas… I simply do not wish to see your two families fight each other. If there is a debate to be made by the Emperor, it can be debated in the court. Why must we settle this with swords and spears?”

Zhang Yan sighed: "You are now surrounded, and Lord Cao has 50,000 troops in front of you. Why do you still want to fight to the death?"

"Is Feiyan underestimating me? I, Guan, have always been one to advance and never retreat in battle... So what if there are 50,000 troops? Cao Cao only has one head!"

Guan Yu shook his head and gestured for the guest to leave: "Feiyan, please go back. Since you have assisted Cao Cao, once you leave this place, I, Guan Yu, will show no mercy on the battlefield."

Seeing Guan Yu's arrogance, Sui Gu was probably somewhat indignant: "General Guan's achievements in killing the barbarians and driving out the bandits are unparalleled, and we dare not underestimate him... But Brother Fei Yan has come to advise you to retreat with good intentions, why not retreat with dignity? Five thousand men are fighting against our lord's fifty thousand troops, isn't that like a mantis trying to stop a chariot?"

"Who are you?"

Guan Yu glanced at Sui Gu.

"My name is Sui Gu, also known as Neihuang Baitu... I am now a Colonel under Sima Jian Gong."

Sui Gu gave the bandit name 'White Rabbit' that he had used in the Black Mountain.

Guan Yu's eyes suddenly hardened: "So it was you... Traitor, prepare to die!!"

"What does Yun Chang mean?!"

Zhang Yan was shocked.

Seeing Guan Yu's hostility, Sui Gu's expression changed drastically. He retreated several steps and drew his sword in an attempt to protect himself.

But Guan Yu had already drawn his sword with lightning speed and beheaded Sui Gu with a single stroke.

There's no way to resolve this peacefully now. Killing Cao Cao's envoy means we have no choice but to fight to the bitter end.

"Guan Yu!!"

Zhang Yan roared, "Why did you kill him?!"

"He attacked the emperor's carriage; shouldn't I kill him?"

Guan Yu flicked the blood off his blade: "This man is from your Black Mountain... Could it be that you ordered the attack on His Majesty's carriage in Dongjun?"

Guan Yu was not present at the time, so he did not recognize Sui Gu immediately, but he had heard of the name.

“He left Black Mountain long ago and has nothing to do with me... but he is an envoy. If you kill him, the matter will not end well!”

Zhang Yan did not instruct Sui Gu at the time, and Sui Gu had already broken away from Heishan.

If Zhang Yan had intended to hijack the emperor, it wouldn't have been just Sui Gu who came to join the fun; the Black Mountain Army may not have much else, but they certainly had a lot of men.

“I never intended to let this go peacefully… Feiyan, you knew he was a traitor who attacked the emperor, yet you still ranked alongside him; this is the crime of colluding with a traitor!”

Guan Yu said with a hint of sarcasm, "If such a traitor can become Cao Cao's general, then Cao Cao is naturally the leader of the traitors. Yet you actually help Cao Cao... Fei Yan, if in the future people compare you to Sui Gu, how will you deal with it?"

Zhang Yan remained silent.

"Take this man's head to Cao Cao and tell him that since his men are all such traitors, I, Guan Yu, will lead troops to punish them tomorrow and let Cao Cao wait to die!"

Guan Yu once again issued an order to dismiss the guests.

……

After Zhang Yan left, Guan Yu mobilized all his troops, preparing to launch a proactive attack with 5,000 soldiers against Cao Cao's 50,000-strong army.

Meanwhile, in Cao Cao's camp, Sima Fang was saying to Cao Cao, "Given Guan Yu's temperament, he will surely behead Sui Gu upon seeing him, and will definitely launch an attack... We have already done our utmost by surrounding him without attacking and even persuading him to retreat. But Guan Yu has attacked Your Majesty's imperial carriage; this is an act of wicked rebellion and will surely lose the hearts of the people..."

Liu Xie was currently in Cao Cao's army.

However, Cao Cao's face remained grim: "Lord Sima, I do not wish to use this plan to plot against Guan Yu... Why did you send Sui Gu to see Guan Yu?"

(End of this chapter)