Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

June, the second year of Xuanji.

The plum rain season in Jiangnan has arrived as scheduled. The continuous rain has created a misty, watery atmosphere.

The river, lakes, tributaries, and even rice paddies and forests were all shrouded in a damp mist.

The road became increasingly muddy, visibility worsened, and the air was filled with the mixed smell of decaying plants and silt.

Such weather would be torture for anyone, especially for the Xia soldiers who were used to the dry climate of the north.

The main force of Hanyuan Army was stationed on several high grounds between Jiangling and Yingcheng, and established a series of camps relying on the terrain.

Although Han Lie adjusted his strategy in time, the humid and hot environment, the rampant mosquitoes, and the intermittent small-scale harassment by rebel forces still made the Northern Army soldiers feel stifled and irritable.

What worried them even more was that the main force of the rebel army—Xiao Rong, Xiao Min, and Zhao Ben's troops—had disappeared like eels into a muddy pond, leaving no trace.

Despite numerous raids by scouts and the Wave-Taming Battalion, they only managed to catch small fry. Their knowledge of the main rebel forces' movements, especially the specific defensive deployments of Yingcheng, remained limited.

"General, what a horrible weather, what a horrible place!"

Zhou Meng strode into the command tent, bringing with him a damp and fishy smell. He wiped the water droplets from his face, unsure whether they were sweat or rain. "Scouts report that within thirty li of Yingcheng, there is a dense network of waterways, with reed marshes stretching as far as the eye can see. The rebels have set up hidden stakes and ropes in various waterways, making it difficult for small boats to approach silently."

The situation inside the city is even more opaque; our spies can't infiltrate, and the ones we capture only know the basics. That kid Xiao Rong has remembered everything his father suffered in Jiangling, and he's as wary as a rock!

Chen Dao frowned and said, "The waterways are also under close surveillance. Although the main force of the rebel navy has been wiped out, they still have a lot of small boats and speedboats. They are familiar with the local waterways and are using the complex waterways to outmaneuver us."

Our large ships are difficult to penetrate deep into enemy territory, while our smaller ships are vulnerable to ambushes. Yingcheng, backed by the Yangtze River and surrounded by water on three sides, is accessible only by a few narrow land routes, which have been extensively fortified with trenches, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. A direct assault would result in heavy casualties, and attacking during the rainy season would significantly reduce the effectiveness of firearms.

Han Lie stood before the huge map, his fingers unconsciously tapping the location of Yingcheng.

On the map, blue curves representing rivers, lakes, and swamps densely surround Yingcheng, making it look like a huge, trap-filled underwater fortress.

A direct assault is indeed a poor strategy.

However, the prospect of a prolonged siege, the humid and hot weather, the long supply lines, and the potential unforeseen events in the south all made the veteran general uneasy.

"We cannot launch a direct assault, nor can we sustain a prolonged siege."

Han Lie said slowly, his gaze deep, "We must find a way to mobilize the rebels, get them moving, or at least let us see their true strength."

At this moment, Jia Wenhe, the strategist who had been silently listening, pale-faced and coughing occasionally, suddenly raised his eyelids and spoke in his unique, somewhat effeminate voice: "General, the rebels are holed up and refusing to come out, relying solely on the terrain and the weather. The terrain advantage is the marshes and swamps that hinder our army. The weather advantage is this continuous rain and fog, which are not only unfavorable to our army's movements but also make them feel emboldened, believing that our army dares not or cannot detect their true strength."

He paused, picked up the warm medicinal tea beside him, took a sip, and continued, "However, everything has its advantages and disadvantages. This pervasive fog can obscure our army's vision, so why can't it be used to our advantage? The rebels are heavily guarded, to guard against our main force and our elite scouts. But what if... it's not elite troops, or even combat soldiers?"

The gazes of the people inside the tent sharpened.

Zhou Meng, an impatient man, urged, "Mr. Jia, stop keeping me in suspense and tell me your idea!"

Jia Wenhe smiled slightly, but the smile appeared somewhat profound in the flickering candlelight: "In the old days of the Three Kingdoms, there was Zhuge Liang borrowing arrows with straw boats. Today, why don't our army follow the ancients' example and stage a... 'borrowing eyes with civilian boats'?"

"A civilian ship borrowing eyes?" Chen Dao seemed to be thinking.

"Exactly."

Jia Wenhe put down his teacup and pointed to the dense waterways surrounding Yingcheng on the map. "No matter how strict the rebels' defenses are, their attention will be focused on the movements of our main camp, our warships, and any elite scouts that may appear. Their vigilance will be lowered towards the civilian boats and fishing boats that travel on the river and in the marshes every day, especially when the fog is thick. Even if they do check, it will mostly be routine."

"Our army can quickly recruit, hire, or disguise the captured civilian boats, fishing boats, and cargo ships from the rear. They don't need to be large, but they should be common and indistinguishable from local vessels. There should be no elite troops on board, only a few ordinary soldiers familiar with the water. We can even recruit reliable local fishermen to operate the boats. The boats should be filled with straw figures or simple mannequins, dressed in tattered clothes, so that from a distance they look like they are full of soldiers."

A glint of light flashed in Han Lie's eyes, and he understood: "Sir, you mean to have these disguised civilian ships, under the cover of the thick fog, approach the waterways around Yingcheng in batches and by different routes, even creating the illusion of a probe landing or reconnaissance?"

"The General is wise."

Jia Wenhe nodded, "Firstly, it can be used to test the strength and weakness of the rebel army's defenses, their reaction speed, and their troop deployment. We can get a glimpse of where arrows are densely packed, where logs and stones are being rolled down, and where ambushes are being launched."

Secondly, repeated harassment kept the defending troops busy, depleting their arrows and stones, and disrupting their morale.

Thirdly, it can confuse the rebels and make them misjudge our main attack direction or intentions.

Our army can order a large number of civilian ships to concentrate in the waters east and south of Yingcheng to feign movement and attract the attention of their main force, while secretly deploying the real elite "Wave-Treading Battalion" and skilled infantry to the relatively lax defenses of their west gate or the northern water-land junction...

Zhou Meng slapped his thigh, suddenly realizing, "Brilliant! Let those straw men take the arrows! We can see where the rebels are strong and weak, and we can also wear them down! Once they're annoyed, tired, and lax with these fake ships, we can give them a good beating!"

Chen Dao clapped his hands and said, "This plan is excellent! Our army has been holding back for days, which will surely arouse suspicion among the rebels, who will try to guess our movements. At this time, displaying a large number of 'deceptive ships' will only exacerbate their confusion and suspicion. I can also order some of the navy's warships to make feigned movements on the river to create momentum and increase the pressure on them."

Han Lie pondered for a moment, his finger tracing several arcs on the map before finally emphasizing Ying City: "Alright! We'll follow Mr. Wenhe's plan. Zhou Meng!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"You and the Captain of the Wave-Treading Battalion are to immediately and secretly collect and modify civilian ships, and hastily produce straw dummy targets, striving for realism. This matter must be kept absolutely secret, and no word must leak out. Prepare the ships separately, and do not concentrate them in one place."

"Yes, sir!"

"Chen Dao!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Your navy should select some small and medium-sized warships, hoist banners, and prepare more drums and gongs to patrol the river surface in front of Yingcheng and the main river mouths during the day and light lanterns at night, making patrols back and forth to create the appearance of an imminent large-scale attack and attract the attention of the rebels. At the same time, send out sentry ships to closely monitor the rebels' reactions to the 'suspicious ships' and record them in detail."

"Yes, sir!"

"Mr. Wenhe," Han Lie looked at Jia Wenhe, "you still need to take care of spreading rumors, guiding public opinion, selecting reliable local fishermen, and infiltrating suspicious ships. Make sure the rebels believe that our army is trying to find a breakthrough by using small groups of troops to probe multiple points due to unfavorable weather."

"Don't worry, Commander, I understand." Jia Wenhe nodded slightly, a confident look flashing across his pale face.

Several days later, before dawn, a thick fog shrouded the river.

Yingcheng was shrouded in a milky white chaos, and people could not be seen from a few steps away.

The rebel soldiers on night watch, weapons in hand, yawned behind the damp battlements, watching warily as the swirling, seemingly solidified fog rolled in.

On the river, the remaining naval patrol boats appeared and disappeared in the mist, looking particularly lonely.

Suddenly, from the depths of the fog came the creaking sound of oars, and shadowy figures suggested that a boat was approaching.

"Something's happening! There's a boat on the river!" The sentry immediately became alert and rang the alarm gong.

"What kind of ship is that? Can you see clearly?" The rebel captain in charge of the East Gate Water Fortress rushed to the shore, straining to see through the fog.

The fog was too thick; only some dark boat silhouettes could be vaguely seen. There seemed to be quite a few of them, slowly approaching the water fortress and some shallow beaches along the shore from several directions. It was impossible to tell how many people were on board, but there seemed to be many figures moving about.

"It's Xia Jun's ship! They're planning a sneak attack while the fog is thick!"

The captain was both surprised and suspicious, but dared not delay. "Fire! Fire quickly! Notify all the camps to strengthen their defenses!"

In an instant, alarm bells rang everywhere, and arrows rained down from all the water fortresses and riverside outposts in Yingcheng, aimed at the blurry boat silhouettes in the fog.

Some ships appeared to have been hit, swaying and coming to a stop, while others continued to approach at a leisurely pace, and you could even hear muffled shouts coming from the ships, as if they were directing the landing.

"Use rockets! Fire rockets!" the rebel general roared.

The flaming arrows plunged into the thick fog, occasionally igniting the tarpaulin or straw figure on a ship, creating a small fire, but it was quickly swallowed by the fog or extinguished on its own.

The ships seemed unfazed by the arrows, persistently closing in. Some even came very close, revealing shadowy figures on board, yet strangely, no one jumped into the water to charge, nor did anyone return fire with arrows.

"Something's not right..." An experienced veteran of the rebel army sensed something was amiss. "Why aren't the people on those ships moving?"

Just then, the fog seemed to dissipate slightly.

The approaching boats revealed themselves—dilapidated fishing boats and small cargo ships, crowded with scarecrows draped in tattered rags, swaying slightly in the morning breeze.

There were some arrows stuck in the deck, but no one was there.

"It's a straw man! It's a fake ship!" the rebel soldiers exclaimed.

However, before they could even catch their breath, new ship silhouettes appeared in the fog from other directions, approaching slowly and stealthily...

Throughout the day, such "harassment" was repeatedly staged on the waters around Yingcheng.

Sometimes there were three or five boats, sometimes a dozen or so, sometimes they appeared in the east, sometimes in the south, occasionally accompanied by sporadic sounds of war drums and shouts of battle.

The rebels went from being on high alert at the beginning, firing arrows and stones at each other, to being suspicious, and then to being exhausted and angry.

Arrows and stones were used up in large quantities, and the defending troops were under great tension and exhausted.

They didn't know when or where the next "attack" would take place, nor did they know which attacks were real and which were fake, let alone the true intentions of Xia Jun's main force.

Under the cover of the thick fog and the deceptive civilian ships, the true elite of the Hanyuan Army—the "Wave-Treading Battalion"—along with several carefully selected assault teams, were on the scene.

Carrying short weapons, crossbows, grappling hooks, and a makeshift pontoon bridge, and led by a guide familiar with the terrain, they moved silently to a relatively remote and poorly defended land-water junction in the northwest of Yingcheng, under the last cover of night and fog.

The river branches there were narrow and overgrown with reeds, so the rebels only set up simple outposts.

Jia Wenhe's plan to "borrow arrows from civilian ships" was successfully executed.

It not only borrowed the rebels' "eyes" of their apparent and actual movements, and the defenders' exhaustion and confusion, but also this dense fog, paving an invisible path for the truly fatal blow.

While the defenders of Yingcheng were still struggling to distinguish the real from the fake straw boats in the fog, the real blade had already approached their most vulnerable throat.