69novels Chapter 1100 Wei Bao, driven to desperation!
Chapter 1100 Wei Bao, driven to desperation!
Despite his unhealed shoulder injury, Huo Qubing insisted on attending the meeting, saying, "Because of the severe cold, the enemy will surely expect us not to advance. If we launch a surprise attack on Xiangping, we can achieve a result that catches them off guard."
Zhuge Liang shook his head: "Xiangping City is well-fortified, and there are still 40,000 cavalry in Liaodong. If we cannot take it after a long siege, our army may be trapped and die in the snowy plains. Moreover, scouts have reported that Wanyan Hong, the governor of Liaodong, is at odds with Tuoba Lie. We can start from there."
During the discussion, a personal guard came to report: "An envoy from Liaodong requests an audience, claiming to be acting on the orders of Prefect Wanyan Hong."
The messenger presented a secret letter. It turned out that Wanyan Hong was originally a native of Liaodong, and dissatisfied with the power monopolized by foreign generals such as Tuoba Lie, he was willing to act as an inside agent, and agreed to open the west gate at midnight three days later.
"This is a golden opportunity," Zhuge Liang said, gently waving his feather fan. "However, we must be wary of treachery."
Yue Fei pondered for a moment: "We can order Wanyan Hong to open the west gate at midnight three days from now. Our army will be divided into three routes: General Huo will lead the cavalry to lie in ambush ten miles outside the city. If they see three red lanterns on the city wall as a signal, they will lead the army into the city; I will lead the central army to provide support; and Military Advisor Zhuge will be stationed in the rear to guard against any unforeseen circumstances."
With the plan set, the entire army broke camp.
Three days later, a snowstorm raged outside Xiangping City. As midnight approached, Huo Qubing led eight thousand elite cavalrymen to hide behind a snow-covered hill.
Sure enough, three red lanterns appeared on the city wall. The city gate slowly opened.
Huo Qubing was about to lead his army forward when he suddenly felt a chill – the city gates had opened too smoothly, and the guards on the city walls seemed too quiet.
"Stop!" He raised his right hand.
Almost simultaneously, the red lanterns on the city wall suddenly went out, and the war drums sounded! Countless torches lit up, and arrows rained down.
"We've fallen for their trap! Retreat!"
But it was too late. Suddenly, countless ambushes sprang up from the snow on both sides—it turned out that Tuoba Lie had already noticed Wanyan Hong's unusual movements and had turned the tables on him.
Huo Qubing led his army in a desperate breakout, but eight thousand cavalrymen were trapped. At the critical moment, Yue Fei's central army arrived, and cannons roared, blasting a bloody path through the enemy lines.
In this battle, the Huaxia army suffered a loss of 5,000 men, and Huo Qubing's shoulder injury recurred, with a persistent high fever. After retreating fifty li to set up camp, the generals all wore solemn expressions.
Huo Qubing was seriously wounded, and Yue Fei personally attended to his needs, serving him medicine and not removing his armor for three days. Zhuge Liang observed the celestial phenomena at night and saw the Big Dipper pointing south, when a plan suddenly came to him.
“Although Tuoba Lie has won a battle, there must be cracks within his ranks,” he said to Yue Fei. “Wanyan Hong’s defeat will surely arouse suspicion. Yuwen Chengdu and Murong Feng’s former subordinates are also dissatisfied with Tuoba Lie’s leadership. I can send assassins into the city to spread rumors and cause chaos among them.”
Yue Fei's plan was successful. That night, thirty assassins infiltrated Xiangping.
Three days later, rumors spread throughout the city: some said that Wanyan Hong was not dead and had secretly surrendered; some said that Yuwen Chengdu wanted to take Tuoba Lie's place; and some even said that Murong Feng's former subordinates wanted to avenge their former lord.
Tuoba Lie became increasingly suspicious, first placing Yuwen Chengdu under house arrest, and then purging Murong Feng's former troops. Morale among the army plummeted, and desertions increased daily.
When the time was ripe, Zhuge Liang devised another ingenious plan: he ordered craftsmen to make a hundred giant Kongming lanterns, each containing a letter urging surrender, and released them into the city on the north wind. The letter stated: only the ringleader Tuoba Lie would be executed, and those who were coerced would be spared; whoever surrendered the city would be granted a title of nobility, and whoever killed Tuoba Lie would be rewarded with ten thousand gold pieces.
That night, Yelü Xiong, the deputy general of the Liaodong army, launched a mutiny and opened the city gates. The Huaxia army rushed in.
In the chaos of battle, Tuoba Lie led his personal guards in a desperate fight, but was ultimately defeated by Huo Qubing, who, despite being wounded, charged into battle and stabbed him off his horse with a single spear thrust.
With Liaodong under control, Liaoxi and Xuantu prefectures surrendered without resistance. By this time, all five prefectures in the northern expedition had been pacified in five months, resulting in the annihilation of 70,000 enemy troops, the capture of 30,000 prisoners, and the seizure of 80,000 warhorses.
When the good news reached Xianyang, Gao Yao was overjoyed and appointed Yue Fei as Marquis of Zhenbei, Huo Qubing as General of the Cavalry, and Zhuge Liang as Military Advisor General, and granted him the title of Marquis of Wuxiang.
While the Northern Expeditionary Army was engaged in fierce battles in Liaodong, the Central Plains battlefield presented a different picture.
Ying Bu led an army of 80,000 to the border of Hedong Commandery and set up camp on the south bank of the Fen River. Zhang Liang offered a strategy: "Wei Bao occupies six commanderies, has an army of 180,000, and has been building up his defenses for many years. If we launch a frontal assault, even if we win, we will suffer heavy casualties."
Xue Rengui asked, "What brilliant plan does the strategist have?"
Zhang Liang smiled and said, "Although Wei is a vast territory, most of its grain production comes from the two prefectures of Hedong and Henan. I have ordered Prime Minister Xiao to transfer two million shi of grain from Bashu and set up twelve fair-price grain markets on the border. At the same time, we will block all trade routes to Wei and strictly prohibit the export of ironware, salt, and cloth."
Ying Bu suddenly realized: "Grain merchants, driven by profit, will flock to our side, and grain prices in Wei will skyrocket!"
“Not only that,” Zhang Liang added, “I have sent three hundred spies into Wei to buy up large quantities of copper coins and hoard supplies. I have also spread rumors in Wei that the Huaxia army will launch a major offensive in the autumn, causing panic among the people and prompting them to hoard grain.”
The plan was implemented. At the grain markets established by the Huaxia army on the border, millet sold for only 300 coins per shi (a unit of dry measure), while the market price in Wei territory had reached 500 coins. Merchants, driven by profit, smuggled grain into Huaxia territory for sale. Although Wei Bao issued orders strictly prohibiting the outflow of grain, the pursuit of profit rendered the prohibition ineffective.
A month later, the price of grain in Wei rose to 1,200 coins per shi (a unit of dry measure). The people were full of complaints.
In the palace of the King of Wei in Ye City.
Wei Bao smashed the jade cup: "Grain prices have gone up again? Those grain merchants should all be killed!"
Prime Minister Zhou Ke earnestly advised: "Your Majesty, the stricter the ban, the more rampant the smuggling will become. It would be better to open the official granaries and sell grain at a fixed price to stabilize grain prices."
"Absolutely not!" General Xiang Ta objected. "The grain stored in the official granaries is only for military needs. If we open the granaries to distribute grain to the people, where will the army get its provisions?"
Wei Bao paced anxiously. He was about forty years old, with a bushy beard. He was a descendant of the Wei nobility who had taken advantage of the chaos at the end of the Qin Dynasty to raise an army, seize six commanderies, and declare himself king for three years. Now, beset by internal and external troubles, he was unable to eat or sleep in peace.
What are the movements of the Chinese army?
A scout reported: "Ying Bu's army is stationed in Fennan, conducting daily drills, and shows no signs of attacking."
"Strange..." Wei Bao frowned. "An army of 80,000, consuming countless provisions every day, yet remaining inactive. What is the meaning of this?"
Zhou Ke said, "This is Zhang Liang's strategy: to subdue the enemy without fighting. If our army is bogged down for too long, it will collapse on its own without a fight."
Xiang Ta roared, "Then let's fight! I have 180,000 troops, why should I be afraid of his 80,000?"
Wei Bao pondered. Although he commanded 180,000 troops, only 100,000 were truly elite soldiers; the rest were county and prefectural soldiers, with varying combat strength. In contrast, the Huaxia army consisted entirely of battle-hardened veterans, and possessed modern firearms. He had no guarantee of victory in open field battles.
Just as he was hesitating, another urgent report arrived: "A famine-stricken peasant riot has broken out in Hanoi County. The governor is unable to suppress it. Please send reinforcements!"
"Report! A letter from the Prefect of Hengshan County states that the county's grain reserves are only enough for one month!"
"Report! Grain prices in Yingchuan have reached 1,800 coins per shi (a unit of dry measure), and there are starving people everywhere!"
Bad news followed one after another. Wei Bao's face turned ashen, and he finally made up his mind: "Order all prefectures to gather their elite troops and converge on Ye City in ten days! Rather than sit and wait for death, we shall fight to the death!"
In early October, Wei Bao personally led an army of 120,000 out of Ye City and south to the north bank of the Ying River, where he confronted the Huaxia army across the river.
Upon hearing the news, Ying Bu laughed and said to Zhang Liang, "Wei Bao has indeed fallen for the trap and has sent out his entire force. Our rear is now vulnerable."
Zhang Liang nodded: "General Xue, you may proceed according to the plan."
Xue Rengui accepted the order and led 20,000 elite cavalry to take advantage of the night to bypass the Taihang Mountains and launch a surprise attack on Ye City.
On the main battlefield, Wei Bao saw that the Huaxia army camps on the opposite bank stretched for ten miles, with banners obscuring the sun. He became suspicious and ordered his army to set up camp, not daring to cross the river easily.
Zhang Liang ordered his soldiers to raise more flags during the day and add more cooking fires at night to create the illusion of a large army gathering. In reality, the main force of the Huaxia army consisted of only 50,000 men, with the rest scattered across various prefectures to hold the enemy back.