Brother, stop curling up! You're curling up like the founder of the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 259 Guan Yu is too cunning, Yuan Shu wants to fight Liu Bei (Please subscribe and vote for monthly tickets)
It is often said that it is better to provoke than to persuade.

If Lü Bu were someone like Yang Hong, who had long served Yuan Shu and had an excellent relationship with Zhang Xun, he might have been able to dissuade Zhang Xun.

However, Lü Bu was merely a surrendered general who joined the army halfway through his career. He only became General of the Cavalry because he was able to win Yuan Shu's favor and marry a member of Yuan Shu's clan.

In terms of achievements, he has none!
In the past, Zhang Xun could have tolerated it.

But today, Zhang Xun could not bear it any longer.

Especially when Lü Bu mentioned Zhou Xin, Zhang Xun's previous goodwill towards Lü Bu completely vanished.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to sign a military pledge! If I am defeated, please behead me!"

Zhang Xun went all out.

We must win this battle!

If you can't win at night, does that mean you can't win during the day?
Li Feng, Liang Gang, and Yue Jiu also followed Zhang Xun in requesting to sign a military pledge.

See this.

Qiao Rui and Liu Xun also volunteered, fearing that Zhang Xun would steal all the credit.

Apart from Lü Bu, all of Yuan Shu's generals believed that Guan Yu was resorting to trickery because his military strength was insufficient, so they could turn the tables on him.

The more Lü Bu opposed it, the more his generals supported it.

See this.

Lü Bu then said angrily, "Since the General and everyone else think it's worth fighting, I won't try to persuade you any further. But I won't participate in this battle; I'll only stay by His Majesty's side to protect him. If you are defeated, His Majesty will not be implicated."

The generals were all secretly delighted: It's better that you didn't participate! If you had participated, wouldn't you have shared the credit with us?
After his generals successively requested permission to fight, Yuan Shu finally agreed to let Zhang Xun lead the troops into battle once again.

However, after Zhang Xun and the others left, Yuan Shu was still worried and asked Lü Bu, "General of Chariots and Cavalry, you refuse to participate. Do you really think the generals will be defeated?"

After a moment of contemplation, Lü Bu said, "Victory and defeat on the battlefield are ever-changing, and no one can predict the outcome in advance. My previous request for Your Majesty to personally lead the troops was to boost morale; my earlier objection was also to arouse the fighting spirit of the generals."

"The generals are in high spirits now, and the outcome is a close call. As long as they are careful and discover Guan Yu's ambush in advance, I believe that even if we don't win this battle, we won't lose."

Lu Bu's words were clever.

Not only did he evade Yuan Shu's questions, but he also transformed the act of urging Yuan Shu to personally lead the troops and deliberately instigating the generals to send out troops into a way to boost morale and arouse their competitive spirit.

Even if Zhang Xun and his men were defeated afterward, it wouldn't be Lü Bu's fault. Instead, it would draw Yuan Shu's attention to the fact that his generals were not careful enough and thus fell into an ambush and were defeated.

In terms of great wisdom, Lü Bu certainly lacked it; but in terms of petty cleverness, Lü Bu was more than capable.

Not everyone can be so pragmatic, recognize a godfather, and acknowledge a lord to reach their current position.

However, this reason convinced Yuan Shu, who said, "If what the General of Chariots and Cavalry says is true, and we win this battle, I will not forget the General's merits."

Upon receiving the military order, Zhang Xun and the other generals were all extremely excited.

They selected 50,000 elite troops from over 100,000 soldiers and launched a crushing advance against Guan Ping and his men.

When bluffing, a force of over 100,000 soldiers can intimidate people.

When it comes to a real battle, we still have to select the best troops to fight.

The fewer troops there are, the less likely it is to cause confusion when commanding them.

Watching Guan Ping and his men flee in panic, Zhang Xun burst into laughter: "Such tricks can't fool me! Qiao Rui and Liu Xun, you two go and seize the Bowangpo stronghold first! Li Feng, Liang Gang, and Yue Jiu, the three of you follow me in pursuit. I want to see how Guan Yu will set up an ambush in broad daylight!"

Generals Qiao Rui and Liu Xun rushed to seize the stronghold, only to find it completely deserted.

Zhang Xun's vanguard advanced all the way, but only saw Guan Ping retreating, without seeing any ambushes on either side.

"Strange. Has Guan Yu withdrawn his troops?"

Having received messages from Qiao Rui and Liu Xun but not encountering any ambushes, Zhang Xun couldn't help but become suspicious.

They chased each other until nightfall, but Zhang Xun and Guan Ping did not exchange a single arrow.

Li Feng guessed, "Guan Yu probably knows that he cannot defeat us during the day, so he wants to use the same trick again and launch a surprise attack at night."

Zhang Xun sneered: "The same trick won't fool me twice! Strengthen defenses tonight! Instruct the rear guard to quickly move supplies and provisions to the front."

However, although Zhang Xun was on guard all night, Guan Yu did not send troops to raid the camp. Instead, he sent Guan Ping to challenge them to battle early the next morning.

Guan Ping went even further and mocked, "You were on high alert all night, were you waiting for me to launch a surprise attack? With brains like yours, you think you're fit to fight us? Do you still dare to pursue us today?"

Zhang Xun already intended to pursue, but Guan Ping's close-up taunt only fueled his anger: "I will definitely kill this brat!"

As Guan Ping lured the enemy step by step, Zhang Xun's logistics gradually became inadequate in less than three days.

Left with no other choice, Zhang Xun could only wait for the rear guard to follow.

The generals, who had originally wanted to make meritorious contributions, gradually lost their fighting spirit.

“Guan Yu has been avoiding battle, which is truly despicable. If we wait until he retreats to defend the city, it will be difficult for us to lure him out to fight again.” Zhang Xun frowned.

At first, Guan Yu sent Guan Ping with great momentum to feign defeat and lure the enemy. Guan Ping was also sent to lure the enemy along the way. It was thought that Guan Yu would have an ambush, but after chasing for three days, no ambush was found. All that was seen was Guan Ping luring the enemy to retreat each day.

This tactic was completely beyond Zhang Xun's expectations.

Qiao Rui, Liu Xun, Li Feng, Liang Gang, and Le Jiu were also at a loss.

The generals were not known for their intelligence, and they could not figure out Guan Yu's intentions.

He wanted to send someone back to inquire about Yuan Shu, but he was afraid of being ridiculed by Lü Bu.

After all, Lu Bu had said to proceed cautiously step by step, but Zhang Xun and the others insisted on pursuing them. In the end, they failed to catch up and had to go back to ask for advice, which was too embarrassing.

rear.

Yuan Shu established a camp at the old Bowangpo camp and was puzzled by Guan Yu's avoidance of battle: "Could it be that Guan Yu's military strength is insufficient and his schemes have been exposed, so he is avoiding battle and retreating?"

Lu Bu lowered his head in thought and did not answer.

It wasn't that Lü Bu didn't want to answer, but this time he genuinely had no idea what Guan Yu's intentions were.

Lu Bu could see through some minor tricks as an observer, but he couldn't quite guess the deeper tactics involved.

"Perhaps Guan Yu wants to retreat and defend the city?" Lü Bu speculated. "After all, Guan Yu has won two battles, which should be enough to boost morale. Or perhaps Guan Yu wants to buy time and wait for Liu Bei to send reinforcements?"

Yuan Shu shuddered and stood up, saying, "That must be it! Guan Yu is stalling for time until Liu Bei arrives! I knew it. Even with Yuan Shao's son born of a concubine, Liu Bei is going to personally lead the battle. How could he let Guan Yu fight me alone?"

Seeing Yuan Shu suddenly become excited, Lü Bu asked in surprise, "Does Your Majesty mean to eliminate Guan Yu before Liu Bei arrives?" Yuan Shu laughed heartily, "Not at all! Guan Yu is currently avoiding battle. If Zhang Xun and the others pursue too hastily, they will easily fall into Guan Yu's trap. Previously, Fengxian said that we should proceed step by step. I believe now is the perfect time!"

"Issue my military order: do not pursue Guan Yu any further. I will use the strategy of linking camps to connect these more than 100,000 troops, and then advance like a long snake. Even if Liu Bei comes in person, he will not be able to do anything to me!"

In terms of troop deployment, the step-by-step, continuous camp strategy can indeed increase the defensive capabilities of one's own troops and prevent a major defeat caused by Guan Yu's surprise attack with a small force.

Yuan Shu was still shaken by Guan Yu's previous night raid with a thousand cavalry, and also greatly feared Guan Yu's martial prowess in killing Chunyu Qiong amidst a vast army.

The strategy of using a series of camps was to lengthen the battle lines, increase defenses, and prevent Guan Yu from defeating them in a single battle.

Rather than advancing his troops directly to Yingchuan, Yuan Shu preferred to decide the outcome in Nanyang.

Previously, when Yuan Shu allied with Yuan Shao to attack Liu Bei and Dong Zhuo, he was unable to enter Yingchuan because Huang Wan defended the city.

Although he now has more troops, Yuan Shu is not confident enough to conquer Yingchuan.

As the art of war says: attacking cities is the least desirable course of action.

Yuan Shu also wanted to emulate Liu Bei's battle of Wei Commandery by luring Guan Yu's troops into the wilderness, thus reducing Guan Yu's defensive advantage.

More importantly, Yuan Shu wanted to wait for Liu Bei to arrive before engaging in a decisive battle!

Liu Bei's differential treatment left Yuan Shu both resentful and unhappy.

It is said that generals face generals, and kings face kings. Does the mighty Emperor Zhongzong not deserve Liu Bei's personal presence?
Yuan Shu's strategy of advancing step by step and establishing a series of camps resolved the problems faced by Zhang Xun and others at the front lines, and also maintained a higher morale.

The army marched for over a hundred li from Bowangpo to Luyang, with Yuan Shu setting up fifty camps every three li.

This not only avoids the risk of supply lines being intercepted, but also increases the continuity of the supply lines.

Guan Yu retreated to establish a fortified camp outside Lushan.

Having discerned Yuan Shu's methodical approach, Wang Ling couldn't help but scoff, "Yuan Shu's military tactics are truly unpredictable. Instead of relying on superior forces to achieve a swift victory, he's resorting to a step-by-step strategy. Doesn't he worry that his soldiers' morale will falter and they'll crumble at the first blow?"

Guan Ping also mocked, "He must be afraid of being ambushed and attacked by us, so he set up his camp in a chain. It's a pity that Yuan Shu understands tactics but not military strategy, and he doesn't know anything about astronomy."

"With the sweltering summer approaching, setting up such a continuous camp would cause the soldiers to die from the heat before they even die in battle. On the other hand, our army has set up a camp in Lushan, which is located by a stream, which is enough to avoid the heat."

Every tactic has its advantages and disadvantages.

Yuan Shu was able to defend against Guan Yu's surprise attack and ambush, but he failed to anticipate the astronomical changes.

Guan Yu glanced at the latest intelligence and a smile appeared on his lips: "His Majesty once told me that all those who command troops throughout history think they are generals, but they do not know that the way of a general cannot rely solely on bravery."

"Mediocre generals rely on the size and bravery of their troops, believing that having more soldiers guarantees victory, which is not worth mentioning. A great general not only knows himself and his enemy and is good at using his troops, but also knows the timing of events, understands the terrain, is knowledgeable about life, is a prophet, is well-versed in military strategy, and can command thousands of troops with ease."

Mentioning Liu Bei, Guan Yu's lips curled into a smile of pride as he shared Liu Bei's teachings with the generals in his tent: "What is the way of a general? His Majesty once used 'soldier' ​​as an example. The word 'soldier' ​​itself is profound. There are visible soldiers, those who carry halberds and spears, their physical bodies are visible soldiers. There are invisible soldiers, such as the sun, moon, stars, wind, clouds, water, fire, and the spirit of mountains and rivers. All things and phenomena can be considered soldiers."

"The Zhou dynasty has a seventy-two pentads chart, which classifies the 360 ​​days of the year into pentads. Five days make up a pentad, three pentads make up a qi, and six qi make up a time. It shows the changing of the solar terms throughout the year and the rise and fall of all things. It shows when rainbows disappear, when thunder stops, when the earth is moist and the summer heat arrives, and when fog and haze rise."

"Thus, if one is thoroughly familiar with it, internalizes it, and applies it properly, one can be more powerful than a million soldiers. A general who does not understand astronomy, geography, yin and yang, or the art of divination and military formations is a mediocre talent."

"This is why His Majesty requires soldiers to not only practice martial arts but also study literature. Without reading, how can one understand the principles of this world that have already been discovered by our predecessors?"

Liu Bei was always committed to the transmission of knowledge.

I also do not want the profound and extensive Chinese script to be lost once because of the Five Barbarian Invasions, once because of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, and once because of a certain Tartar.

They did not want the Central Plains to fall like a whale, allowing the barbarians of the West to thrive.

In order to pass on knowledge, we must eliminate illiteracy.

Only when literacy is successfully eradicated can the inherited knowledge be transformed into real productivity to benefit the Central Plains.

Just as in later generations, after the successful eradication of illiteracy, the maritime power transformed from a lone wolf to a hundred dragons sailing the seas in just ten years, this is the power of knowledge transmission.

Yuan Shu was unaware that his proud plan of linking camps was full of flaws in Guan Yu's eyes, and even Wang Ling and Guan Ping could see the flaws.

Even though Guan Yu didn't explicitly say when he would use his troops, Wang Ling and Guan Ping could guess the answer.

In contrast, none of Yuan Shu's subordinates, from Yuan Shu down, including Zhang Xun, Qiao Rui, Liu Xun, Li Feng, Liang Gang, Yue Jiu, and even Lü Bu, who had dealings with Guan Yu, could guess Guan Yu's intentions.

Among the various prefectures and counties of the Han Dynasty, only Jingyang and Xichuan have not yet promoted simplified characters. Even Hanzhong has begun to promote simplified characters.

In the Zhongzhong government established by Yuan Shu, only scholars could read and write. Most ordinary people, including soldiers, were illiterate, and the rest could only understand daily official documents and military orders.

This is the gap in cognition!
May arrived.

As the weather grew hotter, Yuan Shu finally realized something was wrong: "Damn it! Liu Bei has no intention of reinforcing Guan Yu!"

The humiliation of being despised and mocked once again overwhelmed Yuan Shu.

It was assumed that Guan Yu, having been driven to Lushan by the Lianying strategy, would be out of options and would surely ask Liu Bei for reinforcements. However, it turned out that Guan Yu had no such intention at all.

"Move the village to Lushan!"

Yuan Shu dared not wait any longer.

If they continue to wait for Liu Bei's reinforcements, and the summer heat intensifies, these 100,000-plus soldiers will die from the heat before they even fight.

To prevent Guan Yu from taking advantage of the situation to launch an attack, Yuan Shu continued to proceed cautiously.

The difference is that after the long, snake-like camp was moved outside Lushan, it became an oval shape like a tortoise, still with a camp every three miles, linked together.

Yuan Shu has now raised the defenses of his camp to their highest level!
however.

Even when Yuan Shu advanced his troops to Lushan, Guan Yu still showed no intention of coming down the mountain to fight.

Lushan is not a dead end, and Yuan Shu cannot be cut off from the water source.

Left with no other option, Yuan Shu had to order Zhang Xun to lead his troops in a strong attack on Lushan.

However, just one day into the attack, a sudden downpour caused Yuan Shu's offensive plan to fail.

"Damn it! This rain had to come at the exact moment I was about to attack! I am ordained by Heaven, how could Heaven not help me!" Yuan Shu, frustrated, broke down in his anger and cursed.

With over 100,000 troops attacking Yuzhou, Yuan Shu is now stuck outside Lushan, which is extremely frustrating for him.

The contrast between Guan Yu's aggressive advance at Bowangpo and his current retreat to Lushan to avoid battle further irritated Yuan Shu.

What annoyed Yuan Shu even more was that the heavy rain not only showed no signs of stopping, but instead became even more intense!
　I dare not speak after reading these two chapters. I will ask again after I recover.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)