Han Ji

Ju Shou said, "Xin Pi. Xin Pi is eloquent and persuasive."

Xin Pi, Xin Ping's younger brother, served as a military advisor under Yuan Shao. He went on his mission, leading a troop of men carrying white flags, heading south from Cangting. He was intercepted by Zhang Fei's patrol ten li from Liu Bei's camp. Zhang Fei, mounted on his horse, glanced down at him and ordered his men to escort him into the camp.

Xin Pi entered the central command tent. Liu Bei sat behind his desk, Guan Yu stood to his left, and Jia Xu was beside him, still holding a chess piece. Xin Pi handed over Yuan Shao's letter, which was written politely, saying that both Yuan Shao and Liu Bei were subjects of the Han Dynasty, and that it was appropriate to cease hostilities and allow the people to rest, with the river as the boundary.

After reading the letter, Liu Bei placed it on the table. "Xin Pi," he said, "Yuan Gong mentioned in his letter that the river would be the boundary. But at Guandu, he brought 200,000 men to attack me. Why didn't he use the river as the boundary then?"

Xin Pi lowered his head. "Prime Minister, times have changed."

Liu Bei said, "Go back and tell Yuan Shao that it's acceptable to use the river as the boundary. Make him hand over Ji Province and retreat to You Province. If Ji Province returns to the imperial court, this war will be over."

Xin Pi remained silent. He knew it was impossible. Yuan Shao would not hand over Ye City. He clasped his hands in a salute, turned, and left.

After Xin Pi left, Liu Bei told Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Zhang He that Yuan Shao was stalling for time. He was waiting for the defenses at Cangting to be completed. They couldn't wait any longer. They should advance tomorrow.

Cangting is located forty li south of Yecheng. It is not a strategically important location, but rather an open area. The official road runs through the middle of the area, with wheat fields on both sides.

Shen Pei deployed the defensive fortifications in the middle of the official road, digging three trenches across it to block the road. Behind the trenches stood arrow towers, and behind the arrow towers were the garrison's camps. The trenches and arrow towers were not arranged to attack, but to block the road and force Liu Bei to stop.

The first trench was the widest, three zhang wide and two zhang deep. The second was the narrowest, but the deepest, with sharpened wooden stakes planted all over the bottom. The third was the most difficult to deal with; a branch canal diverted by Shen Pei from the Zhang River filled this trench, creating a two-zhang wide water barrier in the middle, making it impossible for people or horses to pass.

Yuan's army deployed archers and shield bearers along the trenches and also built earthen ramparts. The defending general was Shen Pei himself, with Jiang Qi and Meng Dai as his deputies, and the force numbered about 20,000.

Liu Bei arrived at noon the next day. He didn't order his troops to charge directly, but instead stopped and set up camp across the first trench, where arrows couldn't reach them. The soldiers began digging and building fences.

Zhang Fei stood on the edge of the trench, looked across, then walked back and remarked that the trench was indeed quite wide. Guan Yu rode his horse along the edge of the trench, surveying the garrison's deployment from east to west. He returned calmly and said, "The trenches on the front are indeed densely packed, but one corner on the west side is still unfinished. More than one watchtower is missing, and the soil on the slope is loose and crumbling."

The third day of the third lunar month. The Yellow River Yanjin Ferry.

Before dawn, the fog on the river was thick. The sound of oars churning the water came from within the fog, muffled, like someone beating a drum in the distance. The last batch of supplies finally reached the north bank. The boatmen threw the rope onto the shore, where the laborers caught it, wrapped it around a wooden stake, and gave it a couple of hard tugs.

Liu Bei stood on the earthen slope on the north bank, watching his army march north. Sixty thousand men, divided into three routes. Guan Yu's vanguard had already gone far ahead, leaving only a trail of yellow dust on the horizon. Zhang Fei's left flank was crossing the river, soldiers carrying spears and shields, stepping ashore on planks. Zhao Yun's cavalry waded across from another shallow section, their horses' hooves splashing high into the water as they trod on the riverbed stones. Zhang He's guide team led the way, each soldier carrying a small flag on their back bearing the character "Zhang."

Jia Xu stood beside Liu Bei, his hands tucked into his sleeves. "My lord, Yuan Shao has already moved his main force to Cangting. Shen Pei has dug three trenches at Cangting; it seems he intends to keep us outside Ye City."

"You think three trenches can stop 60,000 men?" Liu Bei said.

"We can't stop them," Jia Xu said, "but we can wear them down. We can wait it out day by day. Yuan Shao is waiting for two things: first, for us to run out of food, since our supply lines from Yan Jin to Ye City are very long; second, for Cao Cao. If Cao Cao attacks westward from Qingzhou, we'll have to fight on two fronts."

"Cao Cao won't come," Liu Bei said. "Cao Cao is currently consolidating southern Qingzhou; he can't spare any attention. By the time he can, Yuan Shao will be gone."

Jia Xu glanced at Liu Bei. This man had changed somewhat since returning from Guandu. Not in terms of temperament, but in his quicker judgment of the situation. Before, he would at least ask a few questions; now he jumps to conclusions. Those eight months at Guandu had honed him.

The entire army crossed the Yellow River on March 5th. Liu Bei left 2,000 men to guard the boats at the Yanjin ferry crossing and ordered Gan Ning's navy to patrol back and forth at the Yanjin ferry crossing to ensure the smooth flow of supplies.

On the afternoon of March 7, the vanguard arrived at Cangting.

When the scouts returned, Liu Bei was tying his horse to a locust tree by the roadside and eating dry rations. He broke a flatbread in half and gave it to Jia Xu, then put the other half in his own mouth, chewing as he listened.

Yuan's army, numbering over 20,000, stretched out along the cangting area. Three fortifications had indeed been dug: two were dry ditches, and one was flooded. There were seven watchtowers at the front, spaced close together. On the western slope, the last two towers were being erected; the wooden frames were already up, and planks were still being nailed in.

Liu Bei swallowed the last piece of bread and took a swig from his water pouch. He untied his horse from the tree and mounted it. "Let's go. Let's go take a look."

He led Jia Xu, Guan Yu, and several personal guards, riding to a point about three hundred paces from the first trench of Yuan's army. This distance was out of reach of crossbows.

The first trench was wide, and behind it, archers crouched behind a makeshift earthen wall. The second trench was narrower but seemed deeper, and there appeared to be something stuck in the bottom.

The third channel was filled with water, the surface of which shimmered. The archers on the watchtower were also looking this way; some pointed at him, while others mounted their crossbows on the watchtower's railings.

"The slope on the west side hasn't been finished yet."

Jia Xu followed his gaze. To the west was a gentle slope, and the watchtower on the slope was only a skeleton, with planks being nailed on. The moat below the slope didn't look like it hadn't even reached its third layer yet; the soil was still freshly turned.

"Shen Pei has committed all his forces to the front," Jia Xu said. "He thought we would charge in head-on."

Liu Bei turned his horse around and headed back. Back at the camp, he summoned all his generals to the central command tent. An oil lamp was lit inside, and a map was spread out on the table. His finger pointed to the gentle slope to the west.

"Tomorrow at dawn. Yide, you will lead three thousand men to launch a feint attack on the first trench from the front, making a big show of force. We need to make Shen Pei think that we are launching a main attack from the front."

Zhang Fei chuckled sheepishly. "I know what to do."

"Yun Chang, take 10,000 infantrymen and circle around to the gentle slope on the west side. Once Yi De has drawn the firepower from the front, you will advance from the west. The arrow towers on that slope are not yet completed, and there are only two trenches. After advancing, do not stop, charge directly into the second trench."

Guan Yu clasped his hands in a fist salute. "Yes."

"Zilong, once General Guan's infantry opens a breach, your cavalry should immediately slip through the gap, circle around to the rear of Yuan's army, and strike directly at the central command tent of the Cangting garrison."

Zhao Yun nodded.

"Junyi, you will travel with Yunchang. You are familiar with the terrain of Cangting and know which road is the shortest. I have a task for you: find Shen Pei's hiding place. He is the commander-in-chief; capture or kill him, and the Yuan army's central command will be cut off."

Zhang He clasped his hands in a fist salute. "This humble general obeys the order."