Overthrowing Wei: Starting with Cao Cao's "I'd rather betray the world than surrender

The Nanyang Hall remained silent for a long time.

Yuan Shu did not discuss troop numbers again, nor did he issue any orders immediately.

He knew very well that Lü Ding was still registered in the prefecture and his status had not yet been overstepped. To suppress him rashly would only push him into someone else's arms. If he couldn't suppress him, then he had to pull him along, but he couldn't pull him too quickly.

A close attendant tentatively asked, "Has the lord summoned Lü Ding to the province?"

Yuan Shu shook his head, his tone calm yet measured: "His troops are still registered in the prefecture and have not crossed the provincial border. If I were to summon him to Nanyang, it would seem like I'm rushing things."

After he finished speaking, he paused briefly and said, "Summon Yan Xiang."

A moment later, Yan Xiang slowly walked in, bowed, and stood up.

Yuan Shu didn't exchange pleasantries, but simply pushed the state report on the table aside and said indifferently, "The southern front has stabilized too quickly."

"Go to Runan. Take a look at the formation, give it a name, and give it a try."

Yan Xiang's eyes flickered slightly, and he cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "I understand."

Yuan Shu leaned back on the couch and added, "No pressure, no coercion, no withdrawal of troops."

"Just look."

A few days later, people from Nanyang arrived.

Yan Xiang did not bring any heavy cavalry, but entered the city with only a dozen or so riders. His banners were not ostentatious, but they were enough to let people know his purpose.

He first bowed to Han Zixiu, speaking respectfully: "Now that the southern front is stable, the administrative office wishes to investigate the effectiveness of the joint defense." His words were tactful, yet they revealed his identity.

Han Zixiu remained composed and courteous, saying only, "The matter on the southern front is originally a matter of mutual defense. If the administrative office investigates, the prefecture will explain itself."

In the afternoon, Yan Xiangcai went to the military camp.

The Pingjin Battalion was conducting drills. The drums beat steadily, and new and old soldiers were mixed together in formation, their spears forming a wall.

Zhang Cheng led the second rank, his commands low but clear. When the new recruits in the front row stumbled slightly, he raised his hand to press them down, and the older recruits on the flanks stepped forward half a step to fill the gaps; no one interrupted, no one hesitated, and the line remained perfectly aligned.

Their formation was not yet elite, but it had already shed the air of a scattered army.

Yan Xiang stood on the side of the formation, observing for three rounds without uttering a word. He checked whether the new soldiers' steps were disordered, whether the veteran soldiers were protecting their rear, and whether there was any hesitation after Zhang Cheng's command. Military formations do not lie.

After the drills were completed, the drumbeats stopped, and the battle lines returned to their positions.

Lü Ding stepped forward and bowed.

Yan Xiang returned the greeting, his gaze level: "Young Master Lü, you've managed to defend Runan well, and you've even offered assistance to Chen and Liang. You've struck a difficult balance."

Lü Ding replied, "We will simply each guard our own territory."

Yan Xiang chuckled: "It's difficult to maintain one's own territory while still inspiring others to walk alongside you."

Lü Ding did not respond.

Yan Xiang then said, "Now that the southern front of Yuzhou is stable, the administrative office naturally needs to give an explanation."

Only then did he take out the document from his sleeve and slowly unfold it.

"By the agreement of the allied forces, the Nanyang Administrative Office appointed Lü Ding as the Commandant for Suppressing Bandits, to be in charge of suppressing bandits in the southern part of Yuzhou."

This is an official position, but not an imperial edict; it is a military post held by a local government office.

Lu Ding accepted the gift, but did not immediately kowtow in thanks. He only said, "The soldiers are still registered in the prefecture."

Yan Xiang smiled: "Colonel is a military title, it will not be changed in the register."

Xun You then spoke: "Since you are a colonel, how many troops can you command?"

Yan Xiang replied calmly, "If we are marching across prefectures, the number of troops should be three thousand."

Three thousand.

no more, no less.

Lu Ding commanded nearly ten thousand men, but the administrative office only recognized three thousand as allowed to leave the country. They granted the titles, but fixed the quotas.

Lu Ding did not argue, but simply said, "Three thousand are sufficient to jointly defend the route."

Yan Xiang added, "South of Liang territory, there are still signs of bandits at Lutai Ridge and Shijiankou. If we can clear those valleys, our supply lines can be maintained for a long time."

Lu Ding's gaze darkened slightly as he said, "Lutai Ridge can be cleared, but Shijiankou is difficult to defend. Setting up outposts requires troops, and garrisoning troops requires provisions. Three thousand troops are only enough to protect the road, not enough to garrison the border."

The two looked at each other for a moment, but neither spoke again.

-

At night, a meeting was held at the county office.

Han Zixiu placed the document on the table and said in a deep voice, "The signature has been added."

Xu Huang said, "If three thousand advance and they stay there for too long, Nanyang's influence will become too deep."

Xun You, however, said: "A name can be accepted, but the title cannot be changed. If one goes beyond the bounds, one will not lose one's sense of propriety."

Han Zixiu looked at Lü Ding: "What does Yunzhong think?"

Lü Dingdao said, "The name can be accepted, and the soldiers are still on the register. Three thousand will be deployed to protect the supply route only, and no outer camps will be set up."

Han Zixiu nodded: "The envoy has not yet returned; we must not neglect our duties."

A banquet was held the following day.

After several rounds of drinks, Yan Xiang spoke gently, yet his questions were probing: "If there is an order from Nanyang, could the captain temporarily take command?"

Lü Ding replied, "The transfer can be discussed, but the troops require the approval of the prefecture."

"What if we recruit warriors?"

"Recruitment is possible, but only within Runan Commandery."

Yan Xiang glanced at him, his smile deepening. He already understood that this man was not someone to be easily dealt with.

-

A few days later, Yan Xiang left Runan.

Ten miles outside the city, he looked back.

The camp flags were still in the distance, and the shadows of the troops remained.

When he entered Runan at the beginning of the year, he had heard people mention Lü Family Village. There were only two hundred guards in the village, who kept to themselves and only hoped not to be coerced.

Now, when we meet again, the formation numbers nearly ten thousand; in less than a year, it has already achieved its goal.

He withdrew his gaze and rode away.

The south wind has not yet subsided.

Not long after Yan Xiang left the country, reports from the southern border suddenly increased.

Liang was still stable, but Chen was on fire. Two of Chen's southern garrison farms were disturbed. At night, the firelight illuminated half the hillside. The bandits did not attack the city, but only burned the haystacks outside the granaries, released their horses to scatter the defending troops, and then turned and entered the valley.

The defending troops pursued the enemy to the ridge pass, but the dense forest made it difficult to enter, so they had to retreat.

When the news reached the Runan County government office, Han Zixiu did not immediately issue an order, but simply laid out the two border reports on the table.

"Liang Wen, Chen Luan," Xu Huang whispered.

Xun You pointed to the south of the border between Chen and Liang and said, "The rebels do not besiege the city or attack the granaries; they only burn the fields and block the roads at night. The defending troops are exhausted from running around, and the people dare not go to work in the fields."

Lu Ding looked at the map, remained silent for a moment, and said, "With us protecting Liangliang Road, the thieves will bypass it. As for the Chennan section, no one patrols it day and night, so they will naturally go there."

Han Zixiu looked up.

Lu Ding continued, "What we're protecting now is a road, not a piece of land. The road is open, but the land is empty. If Chen Nan's land is constantly disturbed, it will collapse sooner or later."

Xu Huang asked, "Then how should we march?"

"We need to connect," Lü Ding said. "If the Liang and Chen territories each defend themselves, the thieves will emerge from the gaps."

Xun You nodded slowly: "The title of Colonel is precisely for this reason."

The title "Commander Who Suppresses Bandits" only truly came in handy at this moment.

"Move three thousand men," Lü Dingdao said. "They will not enter the city, nor will they set up camps outside the prefecture. They will advance south along the border between Chen and Liang. The valley entrance will belong to us, while the city will remain with the respective countries."

The next day, the three thousand set off again from the Liangnan Valley entrance.

The drums beat low and deep, no flags were raised, only the small flag of the captain was displayed. Zhang Cheng followed the second column, with the old soldiers in front and the new soldiers behind, making the formation even more solid.

The Lu Tai Ridge valley was cleared for three days. More than three hundred bandits scattered in the valley were driven further south. Two more sentry posts were erected at the mouth of the stone ravine, the wooden fence was reinforced, and patrols continued day and night.

This time, it's not about protecting the grain, but about taking control of the grain supply.

The thieves probed twice and, seeing that there were people at the valley entrance and that the sentries were not absent, they stopped gathering.

Gradually, business travelers resumed their journeys, and the southern route gradually became open.

Liangliang grain can be transported, and Chennan can be cultivated.

For the first time, a sentry flag was placed on the mountain path at the border of Chen and Liang, which had been trampled and ruined by thieves for many years.

At night, Lü Ding stood on Lutai Ridge, gazing at the mountain shadows to the south.

Further south along this line lies an even deeper valley and a more chaotic territory.

At the same time, in Nanyang.

After hearing the report, Yuan Shu tapped the table lightly with his fingertips.

"He moved?"

"It moved."

"Crossing the line?"

"Never."

Yuan Shu smiled faintly.

"it is good."

He knew that Lü Ding was no longer only guarding one prefecture.

From this point on, the main storyline began in the southern part of Yuzhou.