Han Ji

Liu Bei took the military report, opened it, and read it. He folded it neatly and tucked it into his sleeve. Standing on the edge of the field, he glanced north, where the horizon was shrouded in the hazy shadows of mountains.

"go back."

When they returned to the governor's mansion, Jia Xu was already in the study. Xun Yu was also there, sitting at the desk by the window. Qian Zhao's military report was spread out on the desk, with maps of Youzhou and Liaoxi beside it.

Jia Xu spoke first. "Tadun chose the best time. The only troops in Youzhou were the county soldiers left over from last year and Zhao Yun's two thousand cavalry. His plan was to seize a large amount of land before the fodder grew in spring and then retreat to the border."

Liu Bei traced a line along the border of Youzhou on the map. "What if he didn't just seize one piece of land? Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang are farming and growing grain in Lingzhi City, not working as tenant farmers for the Wuhuan people. They want Youzhou, or at least take back Liaoxi."

Xun Yu said, "Let the Wuhuan help him recover Hebei. In the end, the Wuhuan will gain the real benefits from such an agreement, while the Yuan family will only gain a nominal title."

Jia Xu placed the chess piece at the location of White Wolf Mountain. "If we're going to fight, we should do it sooner rather than later. Tadun is currently gathering his forces. Right now, he only has a small cavalry force; he hasn't yet formed a unified force. Once he has all the Wuhuan tribes and the remnants of the Yuan clan united, a fight would mean losing thousands more lives. Moreover, if he strikes first, the spring planting on the border of Youzhou will be impossible."

Liu Bei asked, "How many troops are currently at your disposal?"

Xun Yu opened the account book. "Fifty thousand troops can be mobilized from the vicinity of Ye City. The garrison troops of various counties in Ji Province will not be moved, only the main force will be taken north. The grain route from Ye City to Ji County is four hundred li, and supplies can be replenished locally at the granaries south of You Province along the way."

Last year, when Jian Yong conducted a land survey in Youzhou, he established grain depots in various counties, making the transport of military supplies much faster than before. In addition, the Ever-Normal Granaries around Ji County hold over 50,000 shi of grain. For 50,000 soldiers, the grain supply should be sufficient for two months of fighting.

Xun Yu said, "Your Excellency must personally lead the expedition. To fight the Wuhuan, you must personally lead the expedition. This will show the people beyond the Great Wall, as well as the powerful clans in Hebei and the former subordinates of the Yuan family, that Your Excellency is the true bulwark of the Han Dynasty."

Guan Yu had just returned from Youzhou. He stood up and clasped his hands in a fist salute. "This humble general will lead the vanguard."

Zhang Fei stood up. "I'll follow my elder brother. Last time we attacked Huguan head-on, and this time we're killing the barbarian cavalry on the grasslands—it's all the same principle."

Zhao Yun stood up. "This humble general will lead the cavalry. The Wuhuan cavalry's advantage lies in mounted archery, while their disadvantage is in close combat. Our cavalry has already practiced charging formations; the Liangzhou Qiang cavalry can charge, and the Hebei cavalry can thrust. As long as the formation remains intact, the Wuhuan mounted archers will not gain an advantage."

Qian Zhao rushed back from outside the city. He still had bags under his eyes from staying up for several days and nights on the mountain, and his eyes were bloodshot. He came in and stood next to the map, marking the Wuhuan troop deployments at various locations in Bailang Mountain, Lingzhi City, and outside Lulong Pass.

Liu Bei stood up and placed his hand on the table. The ink and brush on the table jumped.

"Fight. Don't let them set foot in Youzhou."

"How do we fight?"

"Use cavalry against cavalry, and kill their leader in battle. The Wuhuan are a tribal alliance, and there are already grudges between the tribes. Tadun was able to suppress the tribes because he had the strongest army. As soon as Tadun dies, the alliance will fall apart. After Tadun dies, the person who kills Tadun will become the new overlord of the grasslands, and the tribes will fight each other. The key is not how many cavalrymen are killed, but how to kill Tadun."

Xun Yu opened the account book. "The grain and fodder have been calculated. It's 400 li from Ye City to Ji County, and there are granaries along the way where grain is stored, so there's no need for long-distance transport. Ji County has 158,000 shi of grain, enough to feed 50,000 troops for two months. Horse feed is a separate matter. The hay collected by Youzhou last year is stored outside Ji County. Jian Yong counted it, and it can last for a month. If it exceeds a month, it will have to be transferred from Jizhou."

Jian Yong pushed the account book in front of Liu Bei. "Fifty thousand soldiers, consuming 2,500 shi of grain a day. That's enough for two months. After three months, we'll have to tighten our belts. Besides, the situation beyond the Great Wall is different from Youzhou. When soldiers from the Central Plains arrive on the grasslands, they can't find water, don't know how to spot the grass, and are prone to running out of water and food. They'll need guides familiar with the grasslands."

Qian Zhao stood up and walked to the topographic map of the Liaoxi Corridor. His finger moved eastward from Ji County and stopped at Lulong Pass. "There are only two routes out of Lulong Pass and into Liaoxi. One is the Jieshi Road along the coast, which is easy to travel but a long detour. The other is to go directly north through the mountains from Lulong Pass, which is difficult but shorter. The Wuhuan people know about the Jieshi Road and must have spies there. They might not have expected us to take the Lulong Pass mountain road."

"How are the road conditions?"

"It's been interrupted for two hundred years. It hasn't been repaired since Emperor Wu of Han," Qian Zhao said. "The mountain road is narrow, and many parts have collapsed. Supply wagons can't pass, so people and horses have to walk. My men scouted it out last year. It takes five days to travel from Lulong Pass to Bailang Mountain at a fast pace, and seven days at a slow pace."

Jia Xu put down his chess piece. "We'll go through Lulong Pass. We'll deceive everyone. Tadun thinks we'll come out through the Jieshi Road, so he's left his spies there. We'll go through the mountains from Lulong Pass and head straight for Bailang Mountain. By the time he finds out, our army will already be there."

Liu Bei stood up. He walked to the map and traced a line from Ji County to Lulong Pass, then through the mountains to Bailang Mountain. He stared at that line for a long time.

"That's how we'll fight." He turned around and looked at the generals in the hall. "Guan Yu will lead the vanguard of 10,000 men to Ji County to join forces with the local troops. Zhao Yun will lead 8,000 cavalry, along with the Liangzhou Qiang cavalry, to be responsible for breaking through enemy lines. Zhang Fei will lead 10,000 infantry on the left flank to advance with the central army. Zhang He will lead 5,000 troops from Jizhou to guard Youzhou and ensure the supply lines. Qian Zhao will lead the special operations battalion to scout ahead and set up outposts outside Lulong Pass. Jia Xu will accompany the central army as an advisor. Xun Yu will guard Ye City and oversee the administration of Hebei and Bingzhou. Jian Yong will arrange the supply of provisions."

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across everyone's faces.

"I will personally lead the expedition."

The generals rose to their feet with a roar, their armor clashing loudly. "Your subordinate obeys!"

After the meeting, Ye City began to stir. On the official road outside the city gate, long lines of mule carts carrying grain stretched out, their wheels creaking and groaning as they rolled over the frozen ground.

In the barracks outside the city, infantrymen were sharpening their swords, and cavalrymen were shoeing their horses. The blacksmith's furnace burned from morning till night, and the clanging of hammering metal could be heard for miles.

Zhang Fei squatted down at the camp gate to inspect the siege equipment. His personal guard said, "General Yide, this campaign against the Wuhuan isn't a siege." Zhang Fei paused, then stood up and wiped his hands on his trousers.

"If you won't attack the city, then kill people." He drew his sword, ran his thumb along the blade, and scraped off a layer of white dust. He ordered the battering ram to be pushed back and replaced with dozens of oxcarts carrying arrows.

Zhao Yun was selecting horses in the stable. He chose eight hundred of the best from the Qiang cavalry he had transferred from Liangzhou, examining each one by one by looking at its teeth and hooves. The horse dealer squatted beside him, recounting the pedigrees, saying that this horse was a cross between a Xiongnu and a Wusun horse, known for its stamina; that horse was a local Liangzhou horse, short and fast. After listening, Zhao Yun touched the neck of each horse; the veins on their necks throbbed and felt warm.

Guan Yu didn't stay long in Ye City. As soon as the military council adjourned, he led his personal guards towards Youzhou. Liu Bei saw him off at the city gate. The two only touched each other's arms briefly and exchanged a few important words before Guan Yu mounted his horse. The horse galloped out onto the main road outside the city gate, kicking up a trail of dust.

Qian Zhao was among the first to depart. He led thirty veteran soldiers from the special operations battalion, leaving Lulong Pass ahead of schedule. Before leaving, Liu Bei asked him what he lacked on the journey. Qian Zhao replied that he lacked time.

Liu Bei stood atop the city wall, watching the various armies depart. Jia Xu stood behind him, holding a chess piece in his hand.

"After this battle, the border regions will be peaceful for many years."

"The real troubles aren't in the borderlands," Liu Bei said. "They're in the Central Plains. Cao Cao is in Qingzhou, and Sun Quan is in Jiangdong. These are the real rivals." He turned and went downstairs, his boots clicking on the wooden steps. The wind blew the large banner on the city tower, its corners fluttering loudly.