The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 220 Pang Tong's Grand Strategy, Zhang Fei's Open Scheme, Jia Kui Opens the City (1st Update)
Because Zhang Fei had a very loud voice, his words reached the ears of the soldiers and civilians of Jiangyi on the city wall.

The implication is: there's no need to fight me anymore, and there's no need to defend the city. Eat and drink as you please, because my opponent is not the people and soldiers of Jiangyi.

Whether Jia Kui and the soldiers and civilians of Jiangyi believe it or not will not affect the final outcome.

If this is believed, then there is no difference between Jia Kui surrendering or not, unless Wang Yi, the governor of Hedong, has complete faith in Jia Kui and is certain that even if Jia Kui opens the city gates, it is only a temporary measure to defend the city.

If you don't believe it, when the soldiers and civilians of Jiangyi discover that Zhang Fei really won't attack the city, some of them will inevitably sneak out of the city out of necessity. And when those who leave the city return safely, it will undermine the fighting spirit of the soldiers and civilians of Jiangyi.

Furthermore, some soldiers and civilians who wanted to live might harbor resentment towards Jia Kui for refusing to open the city gates. If this were compared to Zhang Fei's order, "Pass on the Left General's order: anyone who harms the people will be executed on the spot to uphold military law," the soldiers and civilians of Jiangyi would not be able to unite.

Once the soldiers and civilians of Jiangyi lose their unity and morale collapses, even if Jia Kui is highly capable, he cannot change the outcome of the city's fall.

This is a conspiracy!

A well-planned strategy, overseen by Pang Tong and executed by Zhang Fei!
After making promises to Jia Kui and the soldiers and civilians of Jiangyi on the city wall, Zhang Fei bowed to Jia Kui in farewell and then returned with Zhu Ao, Zhang Sheng and others.

Watching Zhang Fei come and go like the wind, Jia Kui felt quite uneasy.

Those skilled in military strategy are also adept at understanding the psychology of soldiers and civilians. Once Zhang Fei used this open strategy, Jia Kui understood that Jiangyi could no longer be defended.

Jia Kui himself had to hesitate and waver between the livelihood of the soldiers and civilians of Jiangyi and his own future.

If the gates are not opened, the people and soldiers of Jiangyi will suffer; if the gates are opened, the king will surely become suspicious.

With mixed feelings, Jia Kui returned to the city wall.

Meanwhile, the soldiers and civilians on the city walls all looked at Jia Kui with a mixture of worry, doubt, expectation, and guilt.
Jia Kui's mood was even more depressed: Zhang Fei had only come once, and the morale of the soldiers and civilians on the city wall had already shown signs of weakening.

Hesitate.

A minor official suddenly shouted, "There's movement at the enemy camp gate!"

Jia Kui looked closely and saw that Zhang Fei had actually hung a large banner that read "No War for Seven Days" at the camp gate. At the same time, he also hung a white cloth with the words "By order of the Left General, anyone who harms the people shall be executed on the spot to uphold military law" written in large characters at the camp gate.

"Ugh--"

Jia Kui looked up at the sky and sighed, feeling quite uneasy.

After fighting Guo Yuan for eight days, engaging in a battle of wits and courage with back and forth, Jia Kui demonstrated his extraordinary strategic skills. However, when Zhang Fei arrived, he did not regard Jia Kui as an opponent at all, nor did he consider Jiangyi as a city that must be attacked.

What Guo Yuan considered a need to capture Jiangyi as quickly as possible, Zhang Fei viewed with complete indifference, practically telling Jia Kui: "Go ahead and deliver the message if you need to, go ahead and ask for reinforcements if you need to, do whatever you want."
a long time.

Jia Kui ordered someone to bring him pen and ink, and wrote a battle report to Wang Yi, the Prefect of Hedong. He then took the seal of the Magistrate of Jiangyi and handed it to the Magistrate of Jiangyi, instructing him: "Quickly go out of the city through the west gate, take a detour and send the battle report and seal to Anyi. Tell Prefect Wang that Pishi is a strategic location that military strategists fight for, and it needs to be heavily guarded. If I cannot defend Jiangyi for the country, I will have no face to see Prefect Wang again. I am willing to live and die with Jiangyi."

The magistrate of Jiangyi was greatly alarmed, and was about to speak when Jia Kui interrupted him: "Go immediately, do not delay! If Pi Shi suffers any loss because of you, I will surely kill you!"

The magistrate of Jiangyi had no choice but to accept the battle report and the official seal. He then bid farewell to Jia Kui with tears in his eyes, spurred his horse, and rode out of the west gate.

Jia Kui then ordered his men to closely monitor the movements of the military camp outside the city. Only after the ten-day deadline agreed upon with the soldiers and civilians inside the city arrived did he remove his armor and allow the soldiers and civilians inside the city to bind him and surrender.

However, Jia Kui had always treated the people well and was able to gain popular support. Now that Zhang Fei had raised the banner of "seven-day truce," they naturally refused to bind Jia Kui and take him to Zhang Fei to surrender. Jia Kui also could not bear to see the people continue to suffer, so he ordered the city gates to be opened, allowing soldiers and civilians to freely leave the city to cultivate fields, cut firewood, and hunt, in order to improve their livelihoods.

Upon hearing that the gates of Jiangyi had been opened, Zhu Ao, Zhang Sheng, and all the officers and soldiers in the camp were astonished: Guo Yuan had fought hard for eight days but failed to capture Jiangyi, and Zhang Fei had only gone to talk to Jia Kui for a few words, and Jia Kui had actually opened the city gates.
A junior officer excitedly suggested, "Now that Jiangyi City has been opened, why don't we immediately send our troops into the city?"

The junior officer had barely finished speaking when he felt a sharp, piercing gaze. Zhang Fei's voice followed immediately: "Considering this is your first offense, I will not punish you. General Zuo has often taught me that death is inevitable, but a person without integrity cannot stand. I said we would cease hostilities for seven days, and that means seven days. Even a minute less is a breach of faith."

The junior officer realized he had spoken out of turn and quickly bowed his head to apologize: "Your subordinate knows he was wrong."

Zhang Fei stood up, stretched his limbs, and cracked his knuckles: "It's been a long time since I've hunted; today is the perfect opportunity. Zhang Baiqi, I've heard you're skilled at archery; how about we have a contest?"

Zhang Sheng was unaware of Zhang Fei's intentions, but dared not disobey, and hurriedly replied, "I am willing to go with the general."

Zhang Fei laughed and ordered Xin Zhe and Zhu Ao to guard the camp. Then, he led Zhang Sheng and more than ten riders out of the camp gate and headed straight for the wild mountains outside the city.

Because Zhang Fei made no attempt to conceal his departure from the city in front of the soldiers and civilians at the east gate of Jiangyi, the news quickly reached Jia Kui's ears.

"Zhang Fei led more than ten riders to the wild mountains outside the city?"

Jia Kui was filled with doubt and apprehension. After pacing back and forth for a long time, he also led more than ten riders out of the city.

Jiangyi is already in this state, so it makes no difference whether Jia Kui defends it or not. What Jia Kui wants to know more is Zhang Fei's intention in going to the wild mountains outside the city.

Not long after Jia Kui left the city, he encountered a group of soldiers returning from hunting, who claimed to have met Zhang Fei and others.

After learning the details, it was discovered that the soldiers of Jiangyi had first wounded the mountain deer. During the chase, the mountain deer was killed by Zhang Fei with an arrow. The soldiers of Jiangyi, who dared not take the mountain deer from Zhang Fei, wanted to leave, but were stopped by Zhang Fei. After understanding the whole story, Zhang Fei returned the mountain deer to the soldiers of Jiangyi, saying, "Since you shot it first, I cannot take it."

Jia Kui's feelings were even more complicated: Zhang Fei had shown kindness to the soldiers and civilians of Jiangyi with his integrity, but once the Prince of Hedong was also defeated, the hearts of the people of Hedong would no longer belong to the country.

Although Jia Kui guessed Zhang Fei's intentions, he was helpless. A mere magistrate of Jiangyi could not change the changing situation in Hedong.

Just as they were about to return to the city, another rider arrived at full speed, cupping his hands in greeting to Jia Kui: "Chief of Jiangyi, my general requests your presence!"

Jia Kui hesitated for a moment, then told the hunting soldiers to go back first, and that he would come to see Zhang Fei later.

When they arrived, Zhang Fei had already set up a fire and was roasting deer meat with his sleeves rolled up.

Upon seeing Jia Kui arrive, Zhang Fei burst into laughter, cupped his hands to Jia Kui, and exclaimed, "County Magistrate Jia, please wait a moment. The venison will be ready soon. Let the brothers from Jiangyi join us. Today, we will not distinguish between friend and foe, nor will we discuss military affairs; we will only talk about eating meat."

Having received prior instructions, Zhang Sheng and the others warmly greeted the Jiangyi cavalry behind Jia Kui.

Seeing the enthusiastic Zhang Fei and his men, Jia Kui dismounted and sent his soldiers to greet Zhang Sheng and the others. He then went to sit down in front of the fire where Zhang Fei was roasting meat.

"General Zhang, aren't you afraid that I might suddenly attack you just now?" Jia Kui stared intently at Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei, without even looking up, flipped the roasted meat and chuckled, "Forgive my bluntness, but even if you suddenly attack, you still can't beat me."

　I'm so young, yet I slept until 9 a.m. today. First update! Please vote with your monthly tickets!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)