69novels Chapter 866 Since the strategic goal has been exposed, let’s try a different approach!
Chapter 866 Since the strategic goal has been exposed, let’s try a different approach!
While this in no way meant that Yi Xiaochuan had forgiven Gao Yao for the irreparable harm he had inflicted, he had at least managed to maintain a basic level of rationality in dealing with the "issue" of Gao Yao, no longer letting his violent emotions sway his judgment as easily as before. He had tamed his hatred, compressing it into a colder, more resolute basis for his decisions.
At this moment, Xiang Yu's anxious voice interrupted his thoughts, his tone filled with reluctance and desperate confusion: "Xiaochuan, what do you think we should do now? If we retreat, all our efforts will be wasted and we will become the laughing stock of the world!"
Yi Xiaochuan suddenly raised his head, the confusion and emotion in his eyes instantly replaced by a sharp light. All emotions were suppressed, leaving only the purest military calculations and strategic judgments. He did not hesitate at all, his voice firm and decisive, with an unquestionable determination:
"We can't retreat!" He first rejected the worst option. "Rest for a day, let the soldiers recover their strength, gather the troops, and wait for the scattered troops to regroup. Then," he cast his gaze in the direction of Yangping Pass, as if he could penetrate the tent and see the fortified city, "launch an attack on Yangping Pass again! Launch the most fierce attack!"
His thinking was crystal clear: withdrawing would mean a truly irreversible situation, not only confirming defeat but also completely losing the strategic initiative and plunging them into a passive position. Therefore, not only could this army not retreat easily, but it had to, like the most ferocious wolf, continue to cling to Yangping Pass and not let go!
He had to use this final window of time, before Gao Yao's reinforcements could actually arrive, to smash this damned checkpoint at all costs! Even if it came at a heavy price, it was better than retreating in disgrace with nothing gained! This was the only possible counterattack in a desperate situation.
Xiang Yu slammed the table, causing the tiger talismans and weapons to clang. His eyes burned with resentment, and his voice was like thunder: "Alright! Xiaochuan, it's as you say! Our army will immediately assemble and fight back!" He stood up suddenly, and the blades of his heavy black iron armor rubbed against each other with a clanging sound. A resolute and domineering aura spread out. "This time, I will personally lead the Jiangdong men and lead the charge! I, Xiang Yu, will not give up until I have conquered Yangping Pass!"
Yi Xiaochuan's words were like a spark, instantly igniting the pent-up fighting spirit and pride in Xiang Yu's chest, giving him the perfect excuse and confidence to vent his anger and regroup. Without the slightest hesitation, he reached out for the command arrow, ready to issue the order for the entire army to charge.
"Brother Yu!" Yi Xiaochuan saw this and hurriedly stepped forward. His voice was urgent but unusually clear. "We must fight! But we must not act recklessly!" He stared at Xiang Yu with a stern gaze and said in a more serious tone, "It is the commander's responsibility to lead by example and boost morale, but it is absolutely not appropriate at this time and place! We must remain calm!"
He extended a finger, gesturing towards the battlefield outside the tent, where he could still hear wailing, and spoke earnestly, "Our top priority now is to, within the limits of feasibility, ensure the lives of our soldiers to the greatest extent possible, maintain the integrity of our Chu army, and effectively undermine the morale of the Southern Border Army! This is our primary goal! Brother Yu, at this point in the battle, the temporary gains and losses of a city or a place, the superficial victory or defeat, are no longer important! What matters is how to gain the greatest strategic initiative for us!"
Listening to Xiang Yu's reckless and resolute words, Yi Xiaochuan felt extremely anxious. He knew his sworn brother's temper well; once he got angry, nothing could stop him. He had to thoroughly analyze the deeper interests at stake, fearing that Xiang Yu would get carried away and crash headfirst into the fortified walls of Yangping Pass. That would be a truly irreversible disaster, making the situation extremely difficult.
Xiang Yu's hand, already clutching the command arrow, paused mid-air. His thick brows furrowed, a fierce gaze etched with confusion. "So... Xiaochuan, what do you mean..." He was truly bewildered. Since he had agreed to fight back, wasn't it to capture Yangping Pass at all costs and avenge the previous humiliation? Why then was Yi Xiaochuan so strongly opposed to his personal charge, claiming victory or defeat was unimportant? This underlying motive made it difficult for this straightforward and valiant general to change his mind.
Seeing Xiang Yu take the advice and calm down a bit, Yi Xiaochuan's tone slowed down, but his logic became clearer. "Brother Yu, we must fight back, but our goal needs to change." He walked over to the crude sand table. "Think about it, the enemy troops at Yangping Pass are freshly victorious, their morale is high, and their defenses are undoubtedly tight. Even with the reinforcements I've brought, it would be extremely difficult for us to capture this important pass by force within two or three days, and the cost would be unimaginable."
He drew a circle with his finger at the location of Yangping Pass on the sand table, then suddenly swerved to the side. "Since that's the case, why don't we do the opposite? Our previous strategy was to force Gaoyao to lose its balance by storming Yangping Pass. But now the situation has changed. Gaoyao's reinforcements have arrived, so this strategy is temporarily unfeasible."
His fingers moved nimbly across the sand table, his eyes sharp. "Then, our current strategy is to make it impossible for Gao Yao to determine the true intentions of our main force! Make him paranoid and at a loss! We must create the illusion of an all-out attack, while actually spying on his weaknesses and launching a truly fatal sneak attack!"
At this point, Yi Xiaochuan suddenly raised his head, looked at Xiang Yu with a sharp gaze, and posed a question: "Brother Yu, let's put ourselves in his shoes. If you were Gao Yao, and learned that the reinforcements had arrived at Yangping Pass and repelled our army's first attack, what would you be most worried about first? How would you choose to deploy your defenses?"
This sudden question startled Xiang Yu, who was already absorbed in his thoughts on how to attack the city. His thick fingers unconsciously rubbed the hilt of his sword. He pondered for a moment, a sudden realization dawning in his eyes. "Xianyang... it must be Xianyang!" He spoke with certainty. "After the thrill of the last siege, and with the current situation on the front line, Gao Yao is suspicious and cautious. He'll undoubtedly believe our attack on Yangping Pass was a false alarm, and that another surprise attack on Xianyang is the real deal! He'll definitely order the main force of his reinforcements, or at least a significant number of them, to return for defense, stockpiling them around Xianyang to ensure the capital's safety!"
"That's right! That's exactly the point!" Yi Xiaochuan clapped his hands, his voice tinged with excitement at having succeeded. "So, we need to change our goal! We don't have to focus on taking down the fortified city immediately. Instead, we should target the moving reinforcements Gao Yao is sending!"
He pointed his finger heavily at a valley or pass between Yangping Pass and Xianyang, which had been pre-set on the sand table. "As long as these reinforcements leave the fortified city walls of Yangping Pass and march into the open, that will be the perfect opportunity for our Chu cavalry to demonstrate their superior mobility in field operations! Therefore, Brother Yu, this 'fight back' must be fought, and with great fanfare. However, this cannot be a real, hard-fought attack, but a 'fake attack'! A feint! We must show it to Gao Yao, forcing him to make the wrong decision to split his forces and return to Xianyang!"