Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 45 Professionals
The army has not stopped to rest these past few days, with convoys constantly arriving to deliver military supplies to the makeshift granaries.

The date of Wei's campaign in Hanzhong is uncertain; it could be one or two months, or it could be one or two years.

The battle between Cao Cao and Liu Bei for Hanzhong lasted for two whole years; it wasn't just about leading troops out to fight. It was a war of logistics and supplies, a test of who could hold out longer!

In recent days, the Wei army has set up six granaries along the Baoxie Road, which stretches for hundreds of miles, roughly one every fifty miles. Once these are completed, a stable and reliable grain route will be established.

With ample grain reserves, the army's logistics can be kept up, and there's no fear of being wiped out in one fell swoop.

The three-day deadline had passed, and the generals gathered once again in the command tent of Sanjiao City. Inside the tent, Hu Lie looked at Shi Shouxin, his face showing obvious anxiety.

Because things have changed.

Zhong Hui, that old fox, actually tipped off Sima Zhao in Luoyang, saying that the Baoxie Road was impassable and the battle plan needed to be changed, perhaps taking the Chencang Road would be better.

However, in reality, there is an abandoned Lianyun Road connecting Chencang Road and Baoxie Road. The intersection is Sanjiao City, and you will return here even if you take a detour.

If you follow the Chencang Road and don't take the fork at Lianyun Road, but instead continue southwest, you'll have to take a very long detour to reach Hanzhong. Furthermore, the exit of the Chencang Road is quite far from the exit of the Tangluo Road!
This is one of the reasons why the plan to take the Chencang Road was not initially formulated.

Zhong Hui's tactic of feigned retreat was a deliberate attempt to imply to Hu Lie and his men that the construction of the plank road was ineffective, rather than a genuine intention to force the army to take the Chencang route. Sure enough, Sima Zhao's order arrived, instructing Hu Lie to expedite the plank road construction, avoid delays, and ensure the conquest of Shu was not hindered!
Having been reprimanded by Sima Zhao, Hu Lie was naturally terrified, and his worry was written all over his face.

"Commander Shi, have you thought of a way to deal with this?"

Hu Lie almost called out "little brother" out loud. He looked at Shi Shouxin expectantly, afraid that the other party would say "no".

"Gentlemen, please listen to what I have to say."

Shi Shouxin smiled and said, "Please take your seats, generals."

"The method of transporting timber is to use bamboo rafts on the Baoshui River, place the timber on the rafts, attach ropes to the rafts, and pull them along the boardwalk. This method is both labor-saving and convenient for hoisting."

Shi Shouxin picked up a twig and drew a simple sketch on the ground. The generals present all knew a bit about earthwork; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to set up camp.

They understood immediately.

Hu Lie asked in confusion, "Bamboo rafts alone are not enough. The plank road is more than ten feet above the Bao River. We need to hoist the timber to build the plank road."

"Let's have Mr. Du handle this."

Du Yu pulled a piece of silk from his sleeve and spread it on the ground. On the silk was drawn a "crane", with a lifting beam, a pulley, wheels, and a specially designed counterweight.

“Du has calculated it, and suspending these wooden beams shouldn’t be a problem. Shi Jianjun is right. To build a plank road, you must first build the equipment. As the ancients said, ‘A craftsman must first sharpen his tools if he wants to do his work well.’”

Du Yu explained the working principle of the crane to everyone.

It turned out that he had examined the strength of the original plank road support and found that the previous plank road was very sturdy and solid. After all, it was used to transport grain and fodder, so it couldn't be that the grain carts would break down halfway through the journey, could it?
So Du Yu wanted to use a crane to lift the wooden beams out of the water, and at the same time, he wanted to find a way to use the crane to install the wooden beams and insert them into the square holes.

It must be said that this is indeed an effective method, much better than simply piling up people to carry it on their shoulders and by hand.

“We can prepare the path of the boardwalk in sections in advance, and then lay it directly on the square beams after the square beams are inserted into the square holes, which can greatly improve efficiency.”

Shi Shouxin added.

All the generals present nodded in agreement.

That's why professionals are different. It turns out that Shi Shouxin's confrontation with Zhong Hui that night wasn't just a risky act to show off, but rather because he had the confidence to back it up!

"However, the timber was a problem. Li searched all over Baoxie Road but could not find a tree of such size."

Li Bao, who was in charge of searching for timber in the surrounding area, said somewhat dejectedly.

Just when things were about to be completed, they got stuck at the most crucial step. They couldn't very well send someone to Mount Hua in Guanzhong to cut down trees, could they?
"This is not difficult."

Shi Shouxin took out four long, rectangular pieces of wood from his sleeve. They were all about the thickness of a thumb, and each one was basically the same shape.

Hu Lie and the others stared at him in disbelief, wondering what he was up to.

"Just combine four small pieces of wood into one large piece, and then figure out a way to secure it together."

Shi Shouxin put the four wooden strips together, held them up with both hands, and showed them to everyone present.

"Oh dear! Du is even dumber than a pig!"

Du Yu was so angry that he repeatedly slapped his head. What a simple solution! How could he not have thought of it?
Everyone had a fixed mindset; they all thought they should find a big tree, peel off the bark, cut it into square pieces, and stuff them into the square holes.

Why didn't you think of using composite boards!

Many things become clear quickly, and Du Yu seemed to understand why Zhuge Liang chose to use square beams when building this plank road.

"Is it really that simple?"

Hu Lie held a piece of wood in his hand, fiddling with it, his expression a mixture of wanting to cry and wanting to laugh.

This method is clearly worthless. As for connecting the wood, there are many ways: applying fish glue, embedding small hardware, and the most common mortise and tenon structure. These are not problems.

"Yes, how come I didn't think of that? These small trees are everywhere on the hillsides!"

Hu Lie laughed heartily with excitement, and the generals in the military tent also laughed along with him.

Shi Shouxin gave Du Yu a wink, signaling him not to reveal what he had told him that day. Du Yu nodded knowingly and remained silent.

In fact, there is still a "trivial" small problem that has not been solved in the entire project, and people will only notice it when construction begins.

Shi Shouxin didn't want to use his trump card so quickly. He believed that only by offering timely help when others were in dire need could he truly demonstrate his exceptional abilities.

If a noble person is treated poorly, then they are no longer a noble person, but a beast of burden.

Shi Shouxin never forgot that his primary duty was to supervise the army!

……

Inside the Sanjiaocheng camp, the craftsmen accompanying the army were making a "crane" and, incidentally, peeling the bark from felled saplings to make "small crossbeams".

Du Yu watched the craftsmen bustling about, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

He glanced at Shi Shouxin, who was observing the construction work around the camp with an air of composure. Du Yu finally couldn't stand it any longer.

He quickly pulled Shi Shouxin to a secluded corner. "Dear Sir, isn't there still a problem we haven't dealt with?"

Du Yu asked in a deep voice.

Shi Shouxin feigned surprise and asked, "What else?"

Du Yu took out a piece of scrap wood and said, “The Baoxie Road is surrounded by mountains and water. Under the sun, the water vapor evaporates, and the rainfall is plentiful. The plank road can be repaired without any problem, but if it’s left in the mountains for a month, the crossbeams will probably rot beyond recognition. This battle will last at least half a year, and the supply line cannot be cut off. What will we do if the crossbeams here break after we reach Hanzhong?”

Du asked a seemingly insignificant question: how to prevent moisture and rot in wood. The consequences of such a load-bearing component getting damp would be unimaginable.

Generally, the wood used to support the crossbeams cannot be chosen arbitrarily; it must be a dense wood such as mahogany, red cedar, oak, or nanmu.

However, in such a rush, these "high-end goods" were clearly not so easy to obtain.

Putting aside everything else, termites alone are a headache enough. In fact, the plank roads of the Baoxie Road are very prone to damage and require maintenance and repair every now and then, partly due to this reason.

"No rush, I have my own way of dealing with it."

Shi Shouxin laughed heartily, clearly in a good mood. His plan, with Du Yu's help, was progressing smoothly.

"You actually have a way?"

Du Yu was taken aback. He also understood that Shi Shouxin had served as an official in the Imperial Household Department for two years, handling practical matters on the ground, and must have some work to do.

After all, the Shaofu was an office that provided new equipment and tools to the army and government. How could someone who could become an official there and keep getting promoted not be capable?
"My wife is virtuous and takes care of my daily life, which has allowed me to concentrate on my work at the Imperial Household Department all these years. This is just a small test of my abilities."

"Yuan Kai, just watch, these are all minor issues."

Shi Shouxin still didn't say what he wanted to do, but he was clearly full of confidence.

A few days later, all the timber needed for the crossbeams was ready, and the bridge-building machine was still under construction, being tested and adjusted as it was built. Various forged hardware parts were also being delivered continuously from Mei County.

Except for Du Yu, everyone else was all smiles, not thinking that the square holes on the mountain wall could stump them at all.

Of course, those people simply didn't understand; ignorance is bliss. Shi Shouxin, on the other hand, was confident and not worried at all.

Finally, on a spring afternoon, Sima Liang, Sima Zhao's younger brother and the Earl of Qiyang who had settled in Guanzhong, arrived at Baoxie Road with several hundred men and a large amount of grain to "reward the troops." In addition to some food and wine, he also brought many mysterious items that were sealed tightly in wooden barrels.

"General Hu, I've delivered what you needed. Don't forget me when you achieve merit in battle, hahahahahaha!"

Sima Liang shook Hu Lie's hand and laughed heartily.

Completely unaware of the situation, Hu Lie looked bewildered, a forced smile appearing on his lips, unsure of what to say.

He never said anything good to Sima Liang!
"Lord Qiyang, this is truly a timely help. Rest assured, as the military supervisor, I will definitely report your merits."

These things will all be reported to the imperial court at a discounted price; they won't be used for free.

Shi Shouxin stepped forward to explain, winking at Sima Liang.

"Ah, yes, yes, it's alright, it's alright!"

Sima Liang suddenly realized, and then pulled Shi Shouxin to one of the mysterious wooden barrels, asking in a low voice, "Supervisor Shi, what is the use of this?"

Du Yu also leaned over and asked, "Is this what you wanted?"

"That's right, with this, the plank road won't collapse for three years!"

Shi Shouxin, slightly smug, stroked his beard as he spoke.

Hearing this, Du Yu finally felt relieved. Shi Shouxin had instructed him to send someone to deliver a message to Sima Liang, simply saying "the mountains and forests north of the city." He had assumed Sima Liang was going to the mountains and forests north of Chang'an to cut down trees!
But Chang'an is quite a distance from Baoxie Road, and transporting so much timber would be a cumbersome affair. As a member of the Sima clan, Sima Liang could lend a small hand to the army, but he certainly wouldn't be happy about mobilizing such a large force.

Unexpectedly, Sima Liang did come, but he didn't bring any timber.

“Uncle Qiyang, I told you more than two years ago that we should plant more trees, and they would be useful sooner or later. Look, they have come in handy now.”

Shi Shouxin smiled.

Sima Liang nodded and said, "Indeed, Supervisor Shi is truly a divine being!"

"The real genius is Zhuge Liang."

Shi Shouxin sighed.

This group of people racked their brains, pooled their wisdom, and even utilized cutting-edge technology. In the end, they only managed a draw with Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, merely recreating a plank road that someone else had built. It's hard to imagine how Zhuge Liang actually constructed the plank road in the first place.

Shi Shouxin couldn't help but sigh at the era of heroes decades ago, when there were so many talented and outstanding people that it was impossible to count them all.

……

While Shi Shouxin and others were busy repairing the plank road on Baoxie Road, Zhong Hui and others were organizing military affairs on Tangluo Road, and Deng Ai and others were preparing for war on Didao Road, Sima Zhao, who was stationed in Luoyang, was not idle either.

He instructed Emperor Cao Huan to issue an imperial edict and a proclamation to punish the rebels: Great Wei is going to attack Eastern Wu!
At the same time, he ordered the imperial guards in Luoyang to prepare for the expedition.

Shi Bao was appointed as the governor of Yangzhou and the military commander of Huainan.

Yang Hu was appointed Commander of the Central Army, and Sima Wang was appointed Protector of the Central Army. The Imperial Guards were reorganized in preparation for the expedition, and the main army was under the command of Shi Bao.

As the main force in the campaign against Wu, they went to Huainan.

This series of military orders makes it somewhat unclear what Sima Zhao is trying to do.

The entire officialdom in Luoyang knew that Sima Zhao was going to attack Shu and had been preparing for it for many years. Now the court suddenly announced that it was going to attack Wu, and even appointed Shi Bao as the governor of Huainan with great fanfare.

It’s simply outrageous!

As expected, Sima Zhao's little tricks didn't fool Jiang Wei at all.

Upon learning of this, Jiang Wei, far away in Tazhong, wrote a letter to Chengdu, advising Liu Shan, the ruler of Shu: "Cao Wei's announcement of an attack on Wu is nothing but a smokescreen to fool fools; it is completely unbelievable. According to my observation, the Wei army is heavily fortifying its troops in Tazhong and other places, clearly aiming for Shu. I urge Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly. I suggest sending troops to guard Yang'an Pass and Yinping Bridge to prepare for a surprise attack by the Wei army."

However, Liu Shan's trusted eunuch Huang Hao interfered, using the pretext that the divination was inconclusive and advising Liu Shan to ignore it, thus creating a major vulnerability in the Shu army's defense system. Upon learning of this, Jiang Wei was left with no choice but to secretly prepare to withdraw his troops to defend the area.

(End of this chapter)