Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 80 Each Person's Wins and Losses

South of Motianling, on the banks of the Fu River, lies Jiangyou Pass, which stands like a silent behemoth guarding the exit of the valley.

This is the last pass into Sichuan, a place rarely visited by people and with lax defenses.

That afternoon, an army dressed in tattered clothes appeared in the valley north of Jiangyou Pass; their black uniforms were still faintly discernible.

They were only infantrymen without horses; if it weren't for the flags they were carrying, one would think they were refugees from somewhere.

However, they were none other than the Wei army led by Deng Ai. They had traversed seven or eight hundred miles of treacherous mountain roads to reach the remnants of the Wei army near Jiangyou.

"Father, Jiangyou Pass is just ahead! It's less than five li away!"

Deng Zhong, who had run from a distance, came to Deng Ai's side and bowed to him excitedly, saying that the scouts had just gone to investigate and found that Jiangyou Pass was completely unprepared.

"Don't panic. The closer we get, the less we need to panic."

Deng Ai said coldly, glancing around at the surrounding terrain, a vague unease creeping into his heart.

His eyes were like lightning, and there was not a trace of fatigue on his face.

This is a perfect spot for an ambush!
Deng Ai thought to himself, but his face remained expressionless.

"Take some men and scout the hillside ahead to see if there are any ambushes."

Deng Ai gave instructions to Deng Zhong.

Deng Zhong hesitated for a moment. Now that they had no horses, scouting ahead relied entirely on their own two feet, which was an extremely arduous task. Seeing that Jiangyou Pass was undefended, was there any point in conducting reconnaissance?
He had some doubts, but dared not disobey Deng Ai's orders.

With the entire army halted, Deng Zhong personally led several scouts to investigate. What they found was that an unknown number of Shu archers were lying in ambush on a hillside less than a mile from Jiangyou Pass!
There were approximately one thousand people, or perhaps more.

By the time Deng Zhong returned to report, the sun was already setting and night was approaching.

"Father, there are Shu troops lying in ambush ahead, but they don't seem to be many, maybe a thousand at most."

Sweating profusely, Deng Zhong reported to Deng Ai.

The generals around Deng Ai all changed their expressions slightly. Shi Zuan asked in a low voice, "General Deng, what do you think should be done about this?"

The fact that the Shu army had an ambush already says a lot. It's possible that Jiang Wei is deploying troops here to wait for Deng Ai and his men!
"Let's charge in before it gets completely dark!"

Deng Ai drew his sword, pointed forward, and said, exuding an indomitable aura!
Shi Zuan glanced at the sword in Deng Ai's hand, silently swallowed the words he was about to say, and then bowed to Deng Ai.

This old man has gone mad; he's willing to kill his eldest son to win.

Why bother arguing with someone like that?

"Deng Zhong, you will lead two thousand men and advance along the hillside under cover of night to defeat the Shu army's ambush!"
If we lose this battle, you'll bring me your head!

Deng Ai coldly gave the order, showing no leniency towards Deng Zhong simply because he was his eldest son.

"Order!"

Deng Zhong turned and left, preparing to organize his troops to launch a surprise attack on the Shu army's ambush.

"Master's compilation!"

Deng Ai turned to look at Shi Zuan.

"Please give your orders, General Deng!"

"Master Zuan said cautiously."

"You will lead two thousand troops to provide support. If Deng Zhong suffers setbacks in battle, you will bring him back. If the battle becomes intense, you will reinforce him to defeat the Shu army."

Deng Ai then issued another order.

"Order!"

Shi Zuan didn't mince words and immediately accepted the order. He had learned his lesson from all the losses he had suffered along the way, and there was nothing he could do but endure.

Even if we were to deal with Deng Ai, that would be a matter for the future; there's no point in bringing it up now.

"Tian Xu, you lead your troops to form ranks here, just in case."

Deng Ai gave instructions to one of his deputy generals.

"Order!"

Tian Xu accepted the order and left. His task was to establish a defensive line on the spot to prevent a surprise attack by the Shu army.

After issuing all the military orders, Deng Ai climbed a hill by the roadside, laid a felt mat on the ground, and then lay down on a large rock, where he fell into a deep sleep.

It even started snoring!
Deng Ai was exhausted, and the generals in the army saw his unwavering will as if divinely inspired. However, they overlooked a very important matter:
Deng Ai was already an old man over sixty years old. He was only holding on by his last breath and had no extraordinary martial arts skills or energy.

At this moment, he was completely exhausted!
……

Baishuiguan is actually located in a relatively low-lying area, which is a valley surrounded by a group of high mountains, rather than a high plateau.

The Bailong River flows through this area, so there is no shortage of water; it's just that the area is relatively small.

Nearby is an astonishingly large cemetery, with tombstones of all sizes and ages stretching along the foot of the mountain.

From the distant Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods to the more recent period when Liu Bei entered Sichuan, these are all tombstones of soldiers and their families, recording the cruelty of war. Most of these tombstones have already been destroyed.

These people may not have been born here, but they all rest here forever.

Seeing these tombstones, Shi Shouxin couldn't help but feel melancholy. After passing through the area hastily, he entered the Wei army camp near the Baishuiguan city gate.

It was mealtime, and the soldiers in the camp were cooking. On the makeshift stove, a large pot was boiling something.

The iron spatula was stirring in the pot, a very rough and unappetizing sight that would kill any appetite.

Shi Shouxin saw a handyman, not wearing a military uniform, throw a large, pale yellow "round cake" into a pot to cook, but there was little aroma. He went closer to examine it closely. The round cake seemed to be a special military ration made from millet. Just throwing a large piece into the pot could cook "rice porridge" for ten people.

It looks similar to millet porridge.

Of course, the taste is definitely not good, but it is extremely portable, as if the moisture has been compressed to the extreme during the production process.

From the perspective of saving transportation capacity, this approach is commendable. However, it is quite labor-intensive.

Is this all we're having for today?

Shi Shouxin asked with a stern face, while Meng Guan, standing to the side, looked conflicted, as if he had something to say but didn't know whether to say it or not.

"Sir, it's good enough to have this to eat; it's better than eating wheat porridge. This is made by steaming millet, drying it, repeating this process several times, then boiling it, making it into cakes, and then air-drying it again."

One pancake is enough for ten people for one meal.

The servant who was cooking porridge explained in a low voice.

Shi Shouxin nodded calmly. A glimpse into the situation from within the cave revealed the Wei army's likely dire food shortages. In a place like Baishui Pass, where there was no direct confrontation with the enemy, even the simplest meals should at least include fresh rations.

However, precisely because of the large food shortage, the journey from Guanzhong to Shu was too long, resulting in insufficient transport capacity.

The garrison at Baishui Pass isn't fighting, so they're definitely trying to save money wherever possible.

It seems that the Wei army is also under great pressure! Long-term troop deployment in Hanshou has resulted in astronomical food consumption. Even if the Wei Kingdom is powerful, it is only relative to the Shu Kingdom. Food is not inexhaustible.

Shi Shouxin sighed inwardly: If Shu could have stopped Deng Ai's attack, it might have been able to extend its life by ten years. Unfortunately, people's hearts have changed.

He surveyed the area again, and what he saw and heard made his heart sink. He didn't know about other places, but at Baishui Pass, Du Yu's troops had long lost their will to fight, were poorly fed, and were completely unprepared for battle.

Whether on sentry duty or patrol, they went through the motions listlessly. As for how to train on a daily basis, Shi Shouxin, who had just arrived today, was not quite sure either.

The ordinary soldiers were unaware of Deng Ai's secret crossing of Yinping, and the officers couldn't possibly tell them. Therefore, the consensus among the lower ranks was that the war against Shu was over.

As for Jian Ge... anyone who has seen it would not believe that Zhong Hui could take it down!

Quietly arriving at the signing room on the city tower, Shi Shouxin dismissed all irrelevant people there. He looked at Meng Guan and asked, "Did you have something to say just now?"

"Supervisor Shi, in my humble opinion, the morale of the garrison inside Baishui Pass is truly low."

If we enter Sichuan and something unexpected happens, will this army be able to fight?

Meng Guan asked in a low voice, his face full of worry. He wasn't blind; he had also served as a personal guard at the grassroots level in the past.

You can tell the state of an army at a glance.

With Du Yu gone, the commander was absent, and the troops were left undisciplined, inevitably leading to unruly behavior. Du Yu was Sima Zhao's brother-in-law, so the army naturally had to give him some face. But who did Ma Long, who came from a humble background, think he was?

His official rank and prestige only allowed him to temporarily manage the army; he was far from being able to enforce orders effectively.

The army appears to be functioning properly on the surface, but in reality, everyone from top to bottom is just going through the motions and secretly slacking off. Anyway, the campaign against Shu is essentially over; they're just waiting for the army to return home in triumph.

That's what the vast majority of people think.

This situation was of course not hidden from Meng Guan, after all, he was also a "working class" and understood the mentality of those at the grassroots level in the military.

"That makes sense, so what's your brilliant idea?"

Shi Shouxin asked with a smile.

Now that things have come to this point, Meng Guan certainly can't hide his true abilities.

He suggested in a low voice:

"Supervisor Shi, you are only temporarily in command of this army. There is no time to train the troops. You can only motivate the troops and make them obey orders."

In my humble opinion, empty talk is useless. When commanding troops, one must first show kindness and secondly establish authority. By combining kindness and authority, orders can be obeyed and disciplined.

Now that Supervisor Shi has arrived, Ma Long may obey orders, but he cannot control the thoughts of his subordinates. It's inevitable that some will outwardly comply but inwardly defy him.

"Supervisor Shi should first show kindness before establishing his authority. As for the specifics of how to do it, I am too dull to explain."

Meng Guan said very cautiously.

"Let me think about it first."

Shi Shouxin gently waved his hand, suggesting that Meng Guan step down.

……

After Meng Guan left, Shi Shouxin rubbed his temples, trying to sort out his chaotic thoughts.

The signing room was extremely quiet, and Shi Shouxin's mind gradually calmed down as well.

To be honest, the situation is already quite serious, it just hasn't exploded yet. Because the situation has reached a crossroads that is beyond his control.

The key point is that it's uncontrollable but deadly!

Currently, the parties at play in the war against Shu include, on the surface: Deng Ai, Zhong Hui, Wei Guan, the "informant faction" led by Hu Lie, and the "ambiguous faction" led by Li Fu.

But in reality, there are two other important figures who have not yet revealed themselves: Sima Zhao, who is stationed in Chang'an, and... Jiang Wei, who is secretly plotting something big in Shu!
The arena for this contest was not Jiange, but Chengdu.

What's worse is that once the army arrives in Chengdu, it will be the final stage of "opening the game," not the initial stage of preparation.

In other words, as long as Deng Ai accepted Liu Shan's surrender, the "one plan to harm three virtuous men" scenario would begin immediately and be resolved in a very short time!
At that time, it was a life-or-death struggle, and no one would have a chance to prepare! The outcome would be decided in just a few days, and the rest would be just a matter of cleaning up the mess.

At first glance, Zhong Hui seemed to be at a complete disadvantage. He didn't have many loyal troops, and a large number of generals openly opposed him and secretly reported on him.

Even if Zhong Hui wanted to stage a coup, he would face numerous difficulties. The so-called "Last Will and Testament of Empress Dowager Guo" was nothing but a self-deceiving farce and a fig leaf.

Anyone who would believe this is out of their mind!
But no one noticed that Zhong Hui's trump card was not in the Wei army, but rather in the surrendered Shu army under Jiang Wei's command.

By using these troops, Zhong Hui could control the generals of the Wei army.

Deng Ai, having already made unparalleled contributions after entering Chengdu, was completely unaware that he was about to die.

I believe this captain, who lacks emotional intelligence, will be eliminated immediately.

As for Wei Guan, his advantage lay in the "insignia of authority" granted to him by Sima Zhao, which gave him supreme decision-making power in the army. However, he lacked military command authority and was not familiar with the generals in the army.

Only in a "female-centric mode" where political and military orders flow smoothly can Wei Guan's power be guaranteed. Once chaos ensues, who cares whether Wei Guan is holding the imperial staff or supervising the army!

When the time comes, whoever has the faster knife and the bigger fist will have the final say!

So what about Jiang Wei?
Jiang Wei's advantage was actually psychological. Jiang Wei and Zhong Hui had different reward mechanisms.

Zhong Hui aimed for a complete victory, which meant suppressing the Shu forces to prevent rebellion while simultaneously controlling the more than 100,000 Wei troops. Ultimately, he sought to become the leader of all and annihilate any dissent.

Just think about how difficult that is!

But Jiang Wei's victory was simple: he won by killing one person and by dragging another into the fray. His reward mechanism was a "points system," with higher scores being better. In essence, Jiang Wei only needed to persuade Zhong Hui to betray him to win; the rest was just a matter of whether it was a small or large victory.

These parties have their own advantages in this battle, and it's hard to say who will be the final winner at the moment.

Shi Shouxin didn't believe that the final outcome would be exactly as described in his previous life's history books. Based on what he knew, Zhong Hui wasn't unprepared.

As for the generals Hu Lie and Li Fu, they were also going with the flow, and someone needed to step forward and carry the banner.

"I'm walking a tightrope too!"

Shi Shouxin couldn't help but sigh.

He's currently feigning intimacy with Zhong Hui, but once they arrive in Chengdu, he'll have to play it by ear. Jumping ship is inevitable, but the timing is crucial.

Zhong Hui did not fully trust him; he only gave Shi Shouxin a portion of the troops as a last resort because there was no one else available.

Shi Shouxin secretly pondered where his advantages lay.

His greatest advantage was his so-called "prophecy"—he knew exactly what cards Zhong Hui, Jiang Wei, Deng Ai, and Wei Guan held.

He also knew the end of this matter: Zhong Hui would fail, Shu would become part of the Jin state, and the Jin state would be established soon.

The Sima family needed to use the grand feast of "founding the nation" to entertain the powerful clans that had supported them. Without establishing a nation, how could they reward those who had contributed?
"Perhaps the real trump card lies in an army that can be commanded with ease."

Shi Shouxin muttered to himself, vaguely remembering the famous saying: "An organized minority can defeat an unorganized majority."

A few thousand people may not seem like a lot, but if well-organized, it's enough to instigate or prevent a coup.

The question ultimately comes back to what Meng Guan just said: to control the troops under Du Yu's command!

But how do we control it?

Shi Shouxin was in a dilemma.

(End of this chapter)