Chapter 175: Overawing Hefei
These past few days, Jia Xu has been somewhat restless. He is fully aware of everything happening in Jiangdong, including Sun Ben defeating the Jiangdong Army’s counterattack. He also knows that Zhang Zhao went to Chaisang.
Actually, what Jia Xu is truly worried about is Gan Ning. Once Gan Ning mobilizes his troops, the trouble will be enormous.
Sun Ben’s unauthorized mobilization into Danyang Commandery has infuriated Jia Xu to no end. The Lord provided money and grain to build ships for him, so that he could use them at the critical moment—right before the Cao Army’s southern offensive. That was the time to sneak attack Danyang Commandery, but Sun Ben mobilized without consulting him. Isn’t this ruining the Lord’s grand plan?
Jia Xu believes Gan Ning can see this too. Gan Ning absolutely will not allow Sun Ben to remain entrenched in Jiangnan. He will definitely mobilize his troops.
At this moment, a guard reported from below the hall, “Reporting to Strategist Jia, news from Jiujiang Commandery: Lujiang Commandery has been captured by the Yuzhang Army!”
Jia Xu was stunned. He did not expect Gan Ning to act so quickly. He immediately became somewhat flustered.
He immediately ordered, “Quickly find General Le to see me!”
That very evening, Jia Xu and Le Jin led fifty thousand army out of Guangling County, marching at top speed toward Jiujiang Commandery.
Jia Xu was burning with anxiety. Jiujiang Commandery is the Cao Army’s strategic hub north of the river, critical to the army’s grain logistics and supply for the southern advance. No matter what, it cannot be captured by Gan Ning, or he would have no way to explain to the Lord.
From Shu County to Hefei is not far—a straight-line distance of only about a hundred li—but a straight path is impossible; they must go around Chao Lake, doubling the distance.
Three days later, sixty thousand army by land and water arrived in Hefei almost simultaneously. Hefei’s garrison was only three thousand, led by Colonel Dong Hui.
At this time, Dong Hui stood on the city wall, gazing at the vast enemy army and endless fleet in the distance. His legs trembled slightly. With only three thousand men, how could he defend Hefei County?
Gan Ning was also watching this famous city of the Three Kingdoms. He coldly ordered, “Shoot an arrow letter to the garrison commander!”
A cavalryman galloped toward the city wall. Reaching the moat, he drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and shot toward the city wall, with a letter tied to the arrow shaft.
A soldier picked up the arrow letter and immediately ran to deliver it to Dong Hui. Dong Hui took the letter and saw it addressed “To Colonel Dong Hui, personally,” signed by Marquis of Wuchang Gan Ning. Dong Hui sighed inwardly. Sure enough, it was Gan Ning, and he even knew Dong Hui was the commander. It seemed he knew everything.
Dong Hui opened the letter and read it carefully. After a moment, he sighed. Several great generals nearby asked, “Colonel Dong, what does it say?”
“It is Gan Ning’s personal letter. They give us two paths to survival: within one hour, either surrender or withdraw from the North City. He will not stop us; otherwise…”
“Otherwise what?”
Dong Hui let out a long sigh. “We will all die!”
“Colonel, what should we do?”
Dong Hui gave a look to a trusted general nearby. The general understood and quickly suggested, “We only have three thousand men. Looking at their formation, they probably have a hundred thousand army. How can we hold? Colonel, why not withdraw!”
This was exactly Dong Hui’s idea. As commander, he could not propose it himself, so he had his subordinate suggest the plan.
Dong Hui looked at the other generals. “What do you think?”
They all chimed in agreement. “How can three thousand men stand against a hundred thousand army? We would be crushed to dust. Better to withdraw!”
Dong Hui nodded. “Since the army all wants to withdraw, I will not insist. Pass the order: the entire army withdraws immediately from the North City!”
A quarter-hour later, the three thousand army charged out of the North City, heading in a vast column toward Shouchun County.
Scouts immediately reported to Gan Ning, “Reporting to General, the enemy army has withdrawn north!”
Gan Ning nodded and ordered, “Army, enter the city!”
Soon, Zhao Yun’s one thousand army occupied the city, opened the South City Gate, lowered the drawbridge, and the army entered in a grand procession.
The current commander garrisoning Jiujiang Commandery is Sun Ben’s brother Sun Fu. Sun Ben has a total of sixty thousand army: twenty thousand he took to Danyang County, twenty thousand garrisoned Lujiang Commandery, and twenty thousand left to guard Jiujiang Commandery.
Of the twenty thousand left to guard Jiujiang Commandery, seventeen thousand are garrisoned in Shouchun, and three thousand guard Hefei. Shouchun is Sun Ben’s capital; his family and wealth are there, so Sun Fu must defend Shouchun to the death.
Though Hefei is a strategic stronghold, it is only Cao Cao’s strategic stronghold, not theirs, so Sun Fu only reluctantly sent three thousand to guard Hefei.
Sun Fu had already learned of Hefei’s fall. Dong Hui led his three thousand back to Shouchun. Sun Fu did not punish Dong Hui; after all, the enemy vastly outnumbered them, and Dong Hui did not surrender but led them back to Shouchun, preserving three thousand troops for him.
At this moment, Sun Fu received news that Jia Xu was personally leading fifty thousand army to the rescue. This finally put his heart, which had been in his throat, at ease.
Jia Xu learned that Sun Fu had abandoned Hefei, which had already been captured by Gan Ning. Jia Xu’s face turned extremely grim. He nearly cursed aloud. They had rushed here desperately to hold Hefei, only for Gan Ning to take it without losing a single soldier.
Sun Fu said dismissively, “I only have twenty thousand troops and can hold only one place. Of course I must hold Shouchun. Hefei is not important to us; I had to abandon it!”
Jia Xu nearly spat blood. It was the first time he heard someone say Hefei was unimportant. These two brothers were the same—simple-minded, with no sense of the big picture. One sneak attacked Danyang Commandery, the other abandoned Hefei County. They were a pair of fools.
Jia Xu said through gritted teeth, “Couldn’t you split your forces, with ten thousand garrisoning one city? Hold Hefei; my army would arrive immediately.”
“With only twenty thousand troops total, of course we concentrate to defend Shouchun. Strategist Jia, the enemy has a hundred thousand army!”
“How could they have a hundred thousand army? He only has a little over a hundred thousand total. If he takes most away, isn’t he afraid Liu Biao will raid his home?
“This… If Strategist Jia wants to retake Hefei, we are willing to coordinate.”
Jia Xu was truly speechless. They easily lost Hefei, and now wanted to assemble heavy troops to take it back. Wasn’t that insane?
Jia Xu immediately said to great general Le Jin, “General Le, lead the army to garrison Shouchun. I will go to Hefei to talk with Gan Ning!”
Le Jin said worriedly, “Isn’t that too dangerous?”
Jia Xu waved his hand. “Gan Ning and I are old acquaintances. He won’t harm me. If I am not mistaken, he is waiting for me to come!”
As dawn broke, mist shrouded the surface of Chao Lake. Xu Shu led three hundred warships and ten thousand soldiers to surround Gushan Island in Chao Lake. Gushan Island was Xu Qian’s lair, known to everyone around Chao Lake.
Xu Shu actually did not care if Xu Qian was on the island. He only cared if Xu Qian’s wealth was there.
Xu Qian fled hastily on horseback with three hundred personal guards, unable to carry any wealth, indicating the embezzled wealth had long been transported away—most likely to his lair on Gushan Island.
“Set out!” Xu Shu gave the order.
Leave two thousand soldiers to guard the ships; the remaining eight thousand soldiers went ashore, charging toward a manor in the center of the island. That two-hundred-mu manor was Xu Qian’s lair.
Eight thousand soldiers smashed open the gates and rushed into the manor. Hundreds of guard warriors resisted desperately, but they were no match for the army. A volley of crossbow bolts swept through, killing or wounding most of the hundreds. The rest were terrified and knelt in surrender.
Several thousand Yuzhang Army rushed into the buildings to start rounding up people.
