Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 81 We Must Take Chengdu
Inside the signing room at Jiangyou Pass, a slightly overweight official was pacing back and forth. His name was Ma Miao, the garrison commander of Jiangyou Pass, but he was merely a civil official.

Jiangyou Pass was a "second-line pass" of Shu Han, and theoretically, the Wei army could not attack it.

However, that damned Jiang Wei actually let a Wei army slip in from Yinping!

Ma Miao was terrified, so he set up an ambush on the hillside near Jiangyou Pass, intending to gamble his luck. Defending the city was futile; Jiangyou Pass had never experienced war since its construction in the 24th year of the Jian'an era.

With the depletion of manpower in Shu, the defense of Jiangyou Pass became virtually nonexistent, almost as good as nonexistent.

After hesitating all night, at dawn the next day, a group of defeated Shu soldiers arrived at Jiangyou Pass, crying and begging Ma Miao to open the city gate, saying that the Wei army had broken through the ambush and was preparing to attack Jiangyou Pass.

Ma Miao immediately ordered the city gates to be opened, allowing the routed soldiers to enter.

What should we do? What should we do?

Ma Miao was extremely anxious and went to the Guanduwei (an official title, a military commander in charge of guarding the pass) at Jiangyou Pass to ask, "Now the Wei army is very close, and our army has suffered another defeat after our ambush failed. What should we do?"

"The only option now, to preserve the region, is to surrender."

"This is what the Commandant Guan sighed."

No matter how powerful you are, without troops you're useless and can't do anything.

Now, there are no soldiers left at Jiangyou Pass.

"That's fine then. I'll take the seal and wait for the Wei army to enter the city at Jiangyou Pass."

This surrender was solely the doing of Ma; it has nothing to do with you.

Ma Miao slumped his shoulders, his entire spirit completely drained. His subordinates around him sighed helplessly; it wasn't that they didn't want to resist, but that they had tried, and to no avail.

Ma Miao's wife, Lady Li, drowned last year in the Fu River, leaving him utterly despondent. If the Wei army were to unleash a massacre, killing him would be no great loss.

Ma Miao took the seal, put it in a bundle, and carried it on a wooden tray. He ordered the Guanduwei to open the gates of Jiangyou Pass, and then knelt before the gates, holding the wooden tray with both hands, neither rising nor speaking.

It stood before the gate like a statue bearing the weight of shame.

Soon, upon learning of the commotion at Jiangyou Pass, Deng Ai led his soldiers cautiously to the pass. They had lost all their horses and carts, and their uniforms, worn from the long journey through mountains and rivers, were tattered and torn, making them look like beggars.

But they won; they were the undisputed victors.

When Deng Ai saw Ma Miao kneeling on the ground, he quickly stepped forward to help him up, patted the dust off his body, and said, "If I were not careful, I would have fallen into your ambush. Why would I kneel down and beg for mercy? I am not talented, but I know that military law is as firm as a mountain, and I would never harm the people of Jiangyou."

Ma Miao was overwhelmed with mixed feelings and speechless for a moment. He could only rise, bow, and follow Deng Ai without uttering a word. What courage can a defeated general speak of? Those who surrender should not seek dignity; preserving their lives is the most important thing!
Now is not the time to show off!
Wei's Deng Ai's troops took over Jiangyou Pass without bloodshed. After entering the pass, they discovered that the warehouses inside contained weapons, arrows, provisions, as well as livestock and two-wheeled carts needed to transport goods.

This is like finding a pillow when you're sleepy! Like finding a spring when you're about to die of thirst in the desert!

Upon learning that Jiangyou Pass had a large amount of supplies, Deng Ai's anxiety finally subsided.

After the army rested for a day, General Deng Ai summoned all the commanders of his troops to the signing room on the city wall to discuss important matters, mainly how to proceed with the next step.

"Gentlemen, the soldiers are now well-fed and watered, and there is no shortage of weapons and arrows. Apart from the lack of cavalry, we have everything else."

What should we do next?

Deng Ai looked around and asked.

Generals Deng Zhong, Shi Zuan, and Tian Xu looked at each other, none of them offering any advice.

"General Deng, why don't we hold Jiangyou Pass, then notify the Grand Commander, and attack Jiange from both sides? We'll surely defeat Jiang Wei."

"If Jiang Wei is defeated, the Shu Kingdom will perish. Thus, General Deng has achieved unparalleled merit, and the soldiers are all exhausted."

Seeing that no one spoke up, Shi Zuan had no choice but to bite the bullet and offer his advice. His suggestion was simple: hold out at Jiangyou Pass, observe the situation, and if necessary, stab Jiang Wei in the back from Jiange.

"Yes, it's better not to act rashly."

The officer named Tian Xu echoed Shi Zuandao.

These generals, like Shi Zuan, were forced by Deng Ai to reluctantly agree to cross Yinping. Now that they have achieved a partial victory, they can be considered to have escaped death.

Who would want to keep making a mess of things? Zhong Hui has over 100,000 troops under his command! Why aren't they worried?
Upon hearing these words, Deng Ai merely sneered and remained silent.

Soon, more people spoke up, mostly saying they wanted to cooperate with Zhong Hui. Some even said that there were only about 10,000 people in Jiangyou, while there were at least tens of thousands of troops in Shu, which should not be underestimated.

If a fight really breaks out, they might not gain any advantage.

"Let's send a letter to the Grand Commander first."

Deng Ai suddenly said something, then got up and left, looking very unhappy.

The first military meeting after entering Shu ended in discord.

……

Late at night, after inspecting the barracks, Deng Ai returned to the signing room on the city wall, dejected. He sat alone on a stone bench inside, lost in thought. The soldiers had already rested, some even staying in civilian houses, and could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

But Deng Ai was not happy at all.

His men had no ambition to achieve great things; the most far-reaching thought they had was to help Zhong Hui, and none of them considered fighting their way to Chengdu.

If we rely on Zhong Hui for everything, if we only stare at the more than 100,000 troops north of Jiange... then what use are these generals?
True heroes are those who brave the rapids! These cowards! They only deserve to follow behind others and eat their crap!

Enraged, Deng Ai slammed his fist on the stone table, feeling no pain in his hand. Just then, Deng Zhong pushed open the door and entered. Seeing Deng Ai sulking, he cautiously asked, "Father, are you still awake?"

"How could I possibly sleep in this situation?"

Deng Ai said irritably.

Deng Zhong sat down opposite him and asked in confusion, "Father, it's understandable that the generals don't want to make a fuss. The strategic importance of Jiangyou Pass is not only for me, but also for the Shu army. We only have about 10,000 men and we're short of horses. If we fight our way to Chengdu... I'm afraid we won't have the strength. It's better to hold back and not attack, so that Jiang Wei can't take care of both ends."

Deng Ai nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. To be fair, Deng Zhong's suggestion was quite reasonable. They were originally a detached force, and now they were isolated deep in enemy territory with no logistical support. A single defeat could mean certain death.

It's only natural to be cautious.

Seeing that Deng Ai seemed to have taken it to heart, Deng Zhong continued to persuade him: "Father, the soldiers have traveled seven or eight hundred miles over mountains and valleys, suffering countless deaths and injuries, all for the sake of gaining merit. Now that they have finally entered Shu and have already obtained their war merits, they will feel it is a great loss if they die in battle, and therefore they will be unwilling to fight to the death. If a real battle breaks out, I'm afraid... the outcome will be unpredictable."

It must be said that Deng Zhong's words were reasonable and insightful, but such moderate and balanced advice was not what Deng Ai wanted to hear.

In fact, Deng Ai knew that by occupying Jiangyou Pass, he was already in an invincible position. Shu had no troops to attack him; their elite forces were all stationed at Jiange.

If you can just sit here and wait, you'll get a huge reward. Since you can win without even trying, why risk everything for wealth and status?

Many people think so.

"I understand the reasons you have given, but I am not reconciled. I will destroy the Shu Kingdom, and I will make a name for myself in history with the feat of destroying a kingdom!"
How can we stop at Jiangyou? If we stop now, wouldn't all the suffering we've endured be for nothing?

Deng Ai frowned and asked back, his eyes wide, a feeling of frustration stuck in his chest that he couldn't express.

Faced with Deng Ai's question, Deng Zhong didn't know how to answer.

This kind of question is like this: I'm the one with cancer, not you, so of course I'm worried, but you're not.

How can I persuade them? There's no way to persuade them.

Deng Ai was already over sixty years old. If nothing unexpected happened, this should be the last time he led troops in his life. How could he not be anxious?

They were already being quite polite by not criticizing Shi Zuan and others for talking without understanding the situation!
People have different circumstances, so their thoughts are completely different.

"In that case, before the Shu army can react, we will attack Fucheng tomorrow."

If the Shu army blocks the pass and prevents us from moving at Jiangyou Pass, we'll be in a passive position.

Deng Ai said in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, Deng Zhong opened his mouth as if to say something, but seeing Deng Ai's frenzied state, he didn't know what to say.

“Father, we cannot defy the wrath of the masses. If the officers and soldiers do not agree, nothing you say will make a difference.”

Deng Zhong pleaded earnestly.

"Then, tomorrow you will take scouts out to investigate, and when you return, lie and say that there is unusual activity by the Shu army in Mianzhu."

Whoever refuses to attack at that time will be considered a coward. They will be executed immediately!

Deng Ai said with a stern face.

Is this okay for riding on a horse?
Deng Zhong was completely bewildered.

However, this is not the first time something like this has happened in history. During the Spring and Autumn Period, all sorts of strange things happened in the various battles. There was even a case where a charioteer kidnapped the commander-in-chief and took him to the enemy camp!
"That's fine then."

Deng Zhong reluctantly nodded in agreement. After all, he was Deng Ai's eldest son.
If he doesn't help Deng Ai, who will?
"We will definitely take Chengdu!"

Deng Ai pressed down on Deng Zhong's shoulder and said earnestly, her aged and tired face making Deng Zhong's heart ache.

……

Zhong Hui originally wanted Shi Shouxin to lead troops to garrison Yang'an Pass, but he changed his mind halfway through the journey. The reason for this was that he learned that Deng Ai had secretly crossed Yinping.

Therefore, guarding Yang'an Pass is meaningless, and Sima Zhao's troops can take the Yinping Road and directly attack Baishui Pass.

However, after Shi Shouxin arrived at Baishui Pass, Zhong Hui's next military order never came. He was probably really sure that Shi Shouxin would guard the retreat route and prevent Sima Zhao's confidants from arresting him in Hanshou.

Early that morning, Shi Shouxin, who had been pondering all night, summoned Ma Long to the signing room at Baishuiguan City Tower.

"I wonder why General Shi summoned me here?"

Ma Long asked with a puzzled look. Unbeknownst to him, he had changed his address for Shi Shouxin from "Supervisor Shi" to "General Shi".

"Yesterday, when I inspected the camp, I found that the soldiers were eating very poorly. How can they fight if they can't even eat properly?"

Shi Shouxin asked in a calm tone, seemingly without any intention of blaming him.

Ma Long sighed and replied, "The transportation of military provisions is inconvenient. The route through Baoxie Road ends at Hanzhong. Now, we still need to supply a large number of troops at the Hanshou front, so naturally, the rear is eating less. There is nothing I can do about the army's rations."

He couldn't help but complain.

Ma Long was telling the truth. Zhong Hui was confronting Jiang Wei at the front line, and his need for food and supplies was no longer what it was when the army first entered Hanzhong. This did not even take into account the 30,000 men under Zhuge Xu's command that he had "annexed".

“We are not the Grand Commander, we are not qualified to be considerate of him. Now that I am in charge of this army, I must ensure that the soldiers are well-fed and have sufficient supplies, so we must think of a way.”

Shi Shouxin said this in a very serious tone, seemingly without any intention of joking.

(End of this chapter)