Three Reconstructions of the Han Dynasty: I Helped Zhuge Liang Perfect the Longzhong Plan

As dusk approached, a thick fog enveloped the forests of Luofengpo. Zhang Ren led three thousand elite Shu soldiers, silently taking up positions in this narrow valley. The soldiers remained silent, even the clash of their armor was kept to a minimum, for fear of revealing even the slightest trace of their movements.

He had just arrived from Luocheng, entrusting the city's defenses entirely to Prince Liu Xun, with only one thought in his mind: to achieve a decisive victory here and completely crush Liu Bei's vanguard. Prior reconnaissance had already revealed that Liu Bei usually rode a white warhorse, making him extremely conspicuous. If Liu Bei were eliminated, or his commander-in-chief killed, Liu Bei's army would collapse without a fight, and the siege of Luocheng would naturally be lifted.

Standing on the high ground halfway up the western mountain, Zhang Ren gripped his sword, methodically deploying his ambush troops. His expression was cold and stern, and every command was precise and ruthless. He divided his thousand archers into four teams, burying them behind the dense forests and rocks on both sides of the cliff. He specifically instructed his captains repeatedly: "Remember, after the enemy enters the valley, shoot only the general riding the white horse. This man must be Liu Bei. Kill the commander first to disrupt their morale! The rest of you, wait until the commander is hit by an arrow before firing all your arrows at once. There must be no mistake!"

Immediately afterwards, he ordered his men to pile up all the locally sourced boulders and logs along the cliff edge, and assigned two hundred soldiers to guard them. They were to be pushed down into the valley at the first signal, blocking the enemy's advance. He also ordered five hundred elite soldiers to ambush on both sides of the north valley entrance, preparing firewood and barricades. Once the enemy had entered the valley, they were to immediately seal off the entrance, cutting off their retreat. The remaining soldiers were to guard the south valley entrance, creating a trap to annihilate the enemy forces that had entered the valley.

"Everyone conceal yourselves and remain motionless until the enemy reaches the narrowest point of the valley, then we will all attack together!" Zhang Ren gave the final order in a deep voice, then hid behind a giant pine tree, his eyes fixed on the direction of the southern valley entrance, his palms slightly clenched with cold sweat. This was his last bargaining chip; the lives of three thousand soldiers, the survival of Luocheng, and the safety of Yizhou all rested on this, allowing no room for error.

Once the deployment was complete, the entire Luofeng Slope fell into a deathly silence, with only the sound of the mountain wind whistling through the forest. The Shu soldiers lay in ambush among the grass, trees, and rocks, barely breathing. Bows and crossbows were nocked, and rolling stones were ready, waiting for Liu Bei, riding a white horse, to lead his army into the ambush.

Zhang Ren stared intently at the valley entrance, mentally rehearsing the upcoming battle: Liu Bei's army, arrogant from their consecutive victories, would surely be caught off guard. A large force would surge into the valley, and at his command, arrows would rain down, killing Liu Bei. The enemy would fall into chaos, and the Shu army would seize the opportunity to charge and achieve a great victory…

……

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and a thin layer of dew still clung to the valley path of Luofeng Slope. Li Yan reined in his horse and patted the neck of the white horse beneath him.

This magnificent steed was not Liu Bei's Dilu, but its coat was as white as snow, and its hooves moved silently. In the dimly lit valley, it was even more conspicuous.

He turned to the captain beside him and said in a deep voice, "Pass down the order: the shield formation advances, but do not alert the enemy. Be ready to raise your shields at any time; the crossbowmen guard the flanks, and fire arrows upon command. Probe one step at a time, and do not advance rashly."

The captain received the order and withdrew. The armored soldiers moved in response, the shield bearers slowly advancing in front, forming a thick, mobile wall in the narrow valley. Li Yan sat upright on his horse, his gaze sweeping over the mountain walls shrouded in mist on both sides, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the reins. He had only recently surrendered to Liu Bei and had no merit whatsoever. Leading this vanguard was his best chance to quickly gain a foothold in Liu Bei's army.

Moreover, that strategist in blue had already figured out Zhang Ren's intentions. He had to admit that the young man named Gu Sulin not only understood Zhang Ren better than he had, but he also knew him better than Gu Sulin, who had served as a general in Shu for a long time.

He knew that countless arrows were already aimed at his white horse from the mountainside.

"They're here!"

Zhang Renyin, hidden beneath a boulder behind the eastern cliff, stared intently at the white figure in the valley, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. He almost instantly confirmed it—it was Liu Bei. Legend had it that Liu Bei often rode a white horse, his banners inconspicuous, using only the white horse as his symbol; this was undoubtedly him.

However, there was a vague feeling that something was wrong. The other side did not seem to be in a hurry or rashly advancing. On the contrary, their steps were steady and their military formation was well-organized.

But the arrow was already on the bowstring, and there was no choice but to release it.

Archers on both sides of the cliff drew their bows in unison, the arrows gleaming with a cold, eerie blue light. With each step Li Yan's white horse took, the bowstrings on the cliff tightened, ready to unleash a volley of arrows as he stepped into the heart of the valley.

Li Yan, who was in the valley, had long been aware of the murderous intent on the cliff. However, he simply activated the shield formation methodically and moved forward slowly, his eyes warily scanning every suspicious crevice and bush. When he reached the narrowest part of the valley, the cliffs on both sides almost pressed down on his head, the fog was even thicker, and even the sound of the wind seemed to be sucked in, making it so quiet that it was unsettling.

"Stop." Li Yan raised his hand to signal, and the shield formation stopped immediately.

"put!"

"Raise your shields!"

The two men's commands were like thunderclaps, exploding across Luofeng Slope.

In an instant, a rain of arrows poured down from both cliffs, countless arrows whistling through the air as they hurtled into the valley. Li Yan felt a blur before his eyes and instinctively leaned close to his horse's back. Several arrows grazed his helmet and embedded themselves in the shield formation with dull thuds.

The shield formation instantly contracted inward, completely protecting Li Yan. But the white horse was not so lucky; several arrows accurately struck its neck and forelegs. The horse neighed and crashed to the ground, knocking Li Yan to the ground as well.

"Kill!" Zhang Ren's eyes flashed with wild joy as he saw the white horse struck by an arrow. He immediately brandished his sword and ordered, "Rolling stones! Cover the retreat!"

The Shu soldiers on the cliff pushed the boulders in response. With a thunderous roar, the bowl-sized boulders rolled down the mountainside and smashed into the shield formation, sending sparks flying and dust billowing everywhere. For a moment, the valley was filled with a rain of stones and arrows. Liu Bei's shield formation was forced to retreat step by step, but it never collapsed.

Zhang Ren's heart tightened at the sight.

wrong!

If Liu Bei had been hit by an arrow while on horseback, his army would surely have been thrown into chaos. Yet, the armored soldiers before him remained motionless, their shield formation as steady as a mountain, their ranks unwavering. He steadied himself and finally saw the man protected within the formation—though he had fallen to the ground, he was unharmed and being helped up by his guards, his face grim and cold, showing no sign of panic at the thought of his commander being shot.

"Li Yan?!" Zhang Ren's heart trembled violently, a chill running down his spine. "We've been tricked!"

In the instant he lost his focus, a deafening battle cry suddenly erupted from behind the mountain walls on both sides!

"kill!"

Huang Zhong charged ahead, his long sword drawn, leading his troops down the mountain from the east. He had already been led by Fa Zheng to the flank of Zhang Ren's ambush, and now, from his elevated position, he faced the unsuspecting Shu archers. Blood splattered as his blade flashed, and the Shu soldiers, caught off guard, fell in droves.

At the same moment, from behind the western mountain, Wei Yan's banners also broke through the air. He led his troops down the mountain like tigers, attacking from behind the ambush troops opposite, completely cutting off the Shu army's retreat.

"Rebel...rebel?!" A Shu army captain's eyes widened in horror, and he almost collapsed to the ground. They were lying on the cliff, focused on firing arrows into the valley, completely unprepared for what was happening behind them. Now, with two armies swooping down from a higher position, they were thrown into chaos.