Chapter 42: Turning The Scheme Against Them
Inside the official residence, a very large map was set up, and several great generals gathered together. Lu Su pointed at the map and said: “Sun Ben’s army in Yuzhang actually has 15,000 men. Besides the 10,000 in Nanchang County, there is Battalion Commander Zhou Tai leading 2,000 under the Poyang County Magistrate, and County Magistrate He Qi leading 3,000 stationed in Haihun County. Nanchang also has hundreds of warships and countless money and grain. Once we attack Nanchang, Zhou Tai and He Qi will definitely lead troops to reinforce, and we will face an enemy army of 15,000 men.
Secondly, Chen Lan and Lei Bo deliberately slacked off because they were dissatisfied with Cao Cao, which is completely different in nature. Normal rest and training does not mean letting the entire army rest; it will definitely leave 30% of the troops on alert. If Lord thinks that Nanchang County will also have all troops resting during the New Year like Pengze County, that would be a big mistake.”
Gan Ning furrowed his brows and asked: “Chief Clerk opposes my attack on Nanchang?”
“Not at all!”
Lu Su shook his head. “Now is our best opportunity. Come next spring, once Sun Ben and Lv Fan return, the opportunity will be gone.”
“Then what does Chief Clerk mean?”
Lu Su smiled faintly: “My meaning is, do not attack head-on, but use stratagems to break Nanchang. Do not give Haihun County and Poyang County a chance to come to the rescue. The enemy army’s troop strength is dispersed, which is perfect for us to defeat them one by one.”
Gan Ning slapped the table, his gaze sweeping over everyone as he said: “Heaven bestows but we do not take, we will suffer the consequences! It’s decided, take Nanchang County before the end of the year!”
The generals all rubbed their fists eagerly. Wang Xiaoman stood up, cupped his fists, and said: “This subordinate is willing to lead troops to go lurk ahead, coordinate from inside and out, cooperate with the army to capture Nanchang County, and begs Lord to approve!”
Gan Ning gladly said: “You may lead 300 soldiers to go lurk. Be careful not to be discovered by the enemy. There is a Gaosheng Inn next to Nanchang County’s North City Gate; you stay there. I will send someone to contact you!”
“Understood!”
Wang Xiaoman saluted and set off first.
At that moment, a soldier rushed in to report, “Zhang Xi has retreated in defeat!”
Gan Ning frowned. “Have him come see me!”
Soon, Zhang Xi entered the hall, disheveled and quite bedraggled.
He knelt down before him and wept: “This subordinate was overconfident and lost Liling County. Please punish me, Lord!”
“Don’t rush to beg for punishment first. Tell me the situation clearly.”
“Reporting to Lord, yesterday a young general came under the city wall, named Xu Sheng, about seventeen or eighteen years old, and his military rank did not seem high. He only brought 200 men to challenge under Liling County Town. This subordinate underestimated him for his youth, so led 500 subordinates out to meet him in battle. After just a few clashes, this subordinate could not hold out, turned to flee back to the city, but upon reaching under the city wall, discovered the city had already been occupied by his men. It turned out he had used the ploy to lure the tiger from the mountain and tricked this subordinate out of the city.
This subordinate wanted to kill back in, but discovered his troop strength had also increased to 400 men. Knowing he was no match, this subordinate could only lead the army in retreat.”
Gan Ning was not surprised at all; of course Zhang Xi was no match for Xu Sheng.
“How many brothers were lost?”
“Over 30 casualties, all wounded by arrows from the city wall.”
Gan Ning turned to ask Lu Su: “This Xu Sheng, Chief Clerk should know him, right?”
Lu Su had served as military advisor under Sun Ce for a year and was very familiar with the generals under Sun Ce. He smiled faintly: “This man is from Langya Commandery, a son of the Xu Family of Langya. When I resigned, he had just enlisted, with shallow seniority. At that time, his cousin Xu Kun’s younger brother Xu Xiang had also just enlisted at the same time, and the Xu Family’s resources all went to Xu Xiang.
Xu Sheng was only appointed as a battalion commander. If he had followed Sun Ce in Wu Commandery, he might have had prospects, but following Sun Ben in Yuzhang Commandery, his days will not be good.”
“Why?” Gan Ning asked, puzzled.
Lu Su smiled and said: “Back then, the Xu Family supported Sun Ce to take back his father’s army, but Sun Ben refused to hand it over. Xu Sheng’s mother, who is Sun Jian’s sister, berated Sun Ben harshly. It is said that Xu Kun even beat Sun Ben, and from then on the Xu Family had a feud with Sun Ben.
Now Xu Sheng has become Sun Ben’s subordinate; how could his days be good? His superior should be He Qi, who has always been Sun Ben’s trusted great general. He Qi sending Xu Sheng to attack Liling County is clearly giving him a hard time.”
Lu Su saw it very clearly. Liling County is the south gate of Chaisang, so Gan Ning yielded Haihun County but not Liling County, instead ordering Zhang Xi to lead 500 troops to guard Liling County. Xu Sheng capturing Chaisang’s south gate broke the tacit understanding; how could Gan Ning let it rest.
Gan Ning paced back and forth with hands behind his back, then turned and smiled: “If we attack Haihun County, will the Nanchang army come to reinforce?”
Lu Su stroked his beard and smiled: “What a ploy to lure the tiger from the mountain!”
That day, Gan Ning ordered a reward of two guan qian to each soldier as New Year money; even the 12,000 Pengze troops who had just surrendered got a share.
The over 20,000 army immediately erupted in cheers. The Pengze army soldiers, having received the money, psychologically recognized Gan Ning as their lord. Gan Ning ordered Lu Su to immediately reorganize and train them, quickly converting the Pengze army into his own troops.
The next morning, Gan Ning personally led 10,000 troops to attack Liling County south of Mount Lu.
Liling County is a small county town with walls only twelve li around and about 1,000 households. Though the county town is not large, it is very important to Chaisang County, known as Chaisang’s south gate.
After destroying Zhang Ying, Gan Ning handed Haihun County to Sun Ben but did not hand over Liling County, and both sides tacitly accepted Liling County as Gan Ning’s base.
Now Xu Sheng capturing Liling County had broken the tacit understanding between Sun Ben and Gan Ning.
Commander Xu Sheng was only seventeen years old, the same age as Ding Feng, also a very valiant young general.
It was just that his luck was not good; he was assigned under Sun Ben and became a sacrificial victim in the intensifying conflict between Sun Ben and the Xu Family. Xu Sheng had been in the army for a year and a half but only reached company commander, a low-level general, equivalent to a platoon leader in later times.
Xu Sheng has a very fiery temperament and often clashes with superiors. Sun Ben detested him greatly and sent him to follow He Qi.
This time Gan Ning’s sneak attack on Pengze County gave Xu Sheng an opportunity. He suggested to He Qi to sneak attack Chaisang, but was rebuked by He Qi. Dissatisfied, Xu Sheng returned to his tent and cursed He Qi for incompetence.
Disaster came from his mouth, so He Qi ordered Xu Sheng to attack Liling County.
Xu Sheng sent 100 soldiers to lurk in the county town in advance and used the ploy to lure the tiger from the mountain to trick Zhang Xi out of the city for a duel, leading to the loss of Liling County.
Although he easily captured Liling County, this was just the beginning of Xu Sheng’s crisis.
At noon, Xu Sheng received a fast report from a subordinate: Gan Ning was personally leading 10,000 troops toward Liling County.
Xu Sheng was greatly alarmed. He only had 500 men under him; how could he hold Liling County? Moreover, Liling County was not Chaisang; the walls were relatively low and hard to defend. Even worse, the citizens all sided with Gan Ning, so Xu Sheng could not recruit militia soldiers.
Xu Sheng paced anxiously in circles. At that moment, a cavalry of 200 charged toward them, stopping under the city wall. The leading cavalryman shot an arrow toward the city wall with a letter attached.
A soldier picked it up and hurriedly gave it to Xu Sheng. Xu Sheng opened the letter; it was actually from Gan Ning. The letter praised Xu Sheng highly for his valor and skill in battle, calling him a rare great talent, hoping he would defect to him. He promised to heavily employ him and together support the Han Dynasty to save the world’s people from fire and water.
The letter ended: ‘If General needs time to consider, Gan Ning will not force it. I hope General withdraws on his own without harming Liling’s citizens.’
After reading the letter, Xu Sheng’s heart stirred, but then he sighed deeply. He was a son of the Xu Family; without the family’s consent, how could he defect to Gan Ning on his own?
With no other choice, he ordered the army to open the South City Gate and withdraw. When Gan Ning’s army was still ten li from Liling County, Xu Sheng led his 500 subordinates to abandon Liling County and retreat toward Haihun County.
