Chapter 226: Stubborn Resistance Without Clever Plans
In the fifth year of the Tong Zheng Calendar, early summer, early May, the chessboard where Xuan Chong and Zhao Cheng were playing had already been set up. “Chariot, Horse, Cannon” were lined up in sequence.
On this chessboard spanning over a thousand li, Zhao Cheng moved first, Cannon to the second file flat five. He placed the piece in Xia Prefecture, which is to the west of Zhenzhou.
The local forces in Xia Prefecture had been exhausted from years of fierce fighting. Zhao Cheng dispatched a general from Yuhuazhou named Zhen Hao, who led thirty thousand troops across the Jia River to advance on three cities in western Xia Prefecture.
Zhen Hao carried a large number of siege firearms. According to the estimates of the Zhao City advisors, as long as Zhen Hao reached the battlefield, this “opening cannon” could break through from the central frontline of Xia Prefecture and “capture Xuan Chong’s army.”
However, on the Map of Mountains and Rivers, Xia Prefecture was covered in wind and sand, with extremely poor tranquility; Zhen Hao’s “cannon” piece was originally on the foremost frontline, overlapping with the “soldiers.” — Supplies were difficult, and military wear and tear was enormous.
The place between the Chu River and Han Boundary where “chess pieces” vied was the real battlefield. Zhao Cheng’s “cannon” was blocked by Xuan Chong’s inserted “horse.”
Shifting perspective to this “infiltration” location, when Zhen Hao’s corps was marching toward the three cities in western Xia Prefecture, they stopped forty li from the city.
The earthworks built by the Chong Army had been waiting for many days. The artillery of this era alone was not enough; the Hao Army would also need some time to break through these earthworks.
…Shifting to a hundred kilometers north…
In response to Zhao Cheng’s move, Xuan Chong confidently began “Horse eight advance seven.”
Xuan Chong had carefully calculated that the opponent had only so many movable pieces; if one side moved, the others could not.
On the Yongzhou battlefield, Su Ming served as the main general, with General Cai and Heng as deputy generals, together guarding thirteen thousand troops; in this grand chess game, they were also “soldiers,” relying on city defenses, and in long-distance advances, could only inch forward step by step. Of course, before the battlefield was determined, the “soldiers” would not move recklessly.
Among them, the five thousand mobile troops under Su Ming’s command were the “horse.” The “horse” needed to be active on the battlefield.
When forces north of the Yongshui loyal to the False Hao royal court brought out siege weapons and sought to opportunistically attack the three cities of Yongzhou, tearing off a piece of Xuan Chong’s territory, Su Ming swiftly leaped to the battlefield flank like a “horse moving in a day” pattern, suddenly penetrating deep into Hao State territory.
The “horse” advancing in a “day” character pattern: Su Ming’s field corps, equipped with a large number of horses and vehicles, conducted circuitous infiltration. In three to four days, Su Ming’s cavalry corps advanced to the main roads between important cities in Yongzhou.
The Hao State petty court in Xingzhou, that mad Hao State King announced the mobilization of fifty thousand troops, demanding that cities in northern Yongzhou and Xingzhou send out forces; however, these large troops encountered “alarm at every rustle of grass” right after leaving the city, with conscripted laborers blocking the roads.
Su Ming did not order his troops to attack, but when encountering Hao Army units leaving the city, he dispatched hundreds of men ten li to the side flank to raise clouds of dust, tripping up the Hao Army’s march.
Northern Yongzhou and Xingzhou had been dragged into exhaustion these past few years; during the Hao Army’s artillery towing, wheels wore out, cannonballs had to be carried in greater numbers, to the point where each cannon was prepared with only two or three rounds.
…Battlefield shifts again a hundred kilometers south…
Facing the troops of Yong, Xia, and Xing Prefectures all engaging, Zhao Cheng in Yu Prefecture issued orders to Chenzhou in the south, mobilizing troops there to assemble and advance toward Xiang Prefecture (where Donghua Commandery is located), namely “Horse two advance three.”
Mid-May, Zhao Cheng dispatched another general, Wang Yushan. He had him lead three thousand elite soldiers as vanguard to organize ships on a northern tributary of the Donghua River, preparing to enter the river for combat.
After the piece was placed, in the real scene; the rolling river waters were clogged with ships.
Zhao Cheng poured the efforts of half a country’s artisans into crafting ram-prowed small boats that advanced along the river.
Advancing by water and land straight for Donghua Commandery.
But this time, Xuan Chong did not send out his most elite forces. Also in mid-May, he advanced a soldier in the southeast, namely “Soldier seven advance one,” dispatching second-line troops to reinforce Donghua Commandery, led by Wen Si Ting.…
In this way, the frontline in the east was also opened.
These few moves shocked the world. At this time, heroes from all quarters turned their gazes to Wu Yuanchang’s Chong State, which they absolutely did not favor.
…Outside the chess game, all spectators were horrified…
No one under heaven expected that Zhao Cheng could fight so big against Wu Yuanchang, who was confined to a corner.
Because in the estimates of Zhao Cheng’s advisors, their multi-pronged offensive would cause the defenders in all directions of Chong Land to contract due to the overwhelming momentum.
At that time, the various armies would converge under Lelang City, annihilate Wu Yuanchang’s core main force, and then the land could be pacified with a single proclamation.
After all, over these years, Wu Yuanchang had gathered all the signs of national ruin: “betrayal and alienation,” “militaristic and aggressive,” “stubborn and self-willed,” and more.
Historically, all regimes confined to a corner were destroyed like a nail puncturing a balloon. Once punctured at one point, even a vast territory instantly vanished.
Shu Han was like this, the historical Southern Dynasties were like this, even modern Soviet Union and Assyria were like this.
Why? Great powers and strong states fighting small and weak countries. Since “strong and weak” was already clear before the war, the small weak country’s morale was disunited, so once the die-hard factions were eliminated, the vast nation immediately surrendered, with capitulationist advisors leading the way everywhere.
In the eyes of Da Yao’s many scholars (Da Yao’s old cultural strata), the strong and weak between Chong State and Hao State was already clear. Before the war, many scholars in southern Chong had defected to Hao State; wasn’t this proof that strong and weak was settled?
Now, for the common people in Chong State, the best outcome was to welcome the royal army and obediently lie on the chopping block as meat.
Ultimately, Hao State’s Zhao Cheng would, based on the accumulated wealth here over the years, give the native forces of Chong State a chance to preserve local power.
“Men of insight” also believed: the Wu Family should surrender early. And before Zhao Cheng’s large army launched, now was the best opportunity to surrender.
The reasoning of the “men of insight”: Zhao Cheng would, due to the situation of “Wu Yuanchang holding a pure land in chaotic times and winning local hearts,” enfeoff Xuan Chong as a marquis to appease the local populace.
…National war is not just about goods, but about how many people believe they can win…
It was worth mentioning that when Xuan Chong had just transmigrated, during the opening of the southern border, he too thought that after Da Yao was subverted, he could rely on his merits for honorable treatment.
But now, Xuan Chong: “I can win, why surrender?!”
In this war, it was not just Xuan Chong who believed they could win, but the entire force from top to bottom believed they could win!
Sure enough, across the various frontlines where both sides clashed, Chong State from top to bottom showed no sign of considering themselves “weak.” The “little angry youths” gathered by Xuan Chong fiercely slapped the faces of these Da Yao famous scholars.
Zhao Cheng sent out one troop, and Xuan Chong immediately dispatched a general to lead troops in engagement. Both sides’ early “advances” were like playing chess, turn-based, with chariots, horses, and cannons interweaving.
So the advisors under Zhao Cheng felt their worldview shattered: why! Why dare a corner contend with the entire world?
Xuan Chong wrote the answer on his history notebook: because this is a revolution!
As long as they believed “our governance is superior,” even if only a border province, they dared to draw the knife against the central authority occupying most of the world, such as General Cai’s protectorate army.
Xuan Chong: “This world has an outdated governance model. Now I bring out a brand-new governance model. This model has been tested step by step over these years, with my campaigns south and north; in Lingnan, southern border, Donghua Commandery, Chong Land, Bo Prefecture—it is a stable, feasible, progressive governance model of the era.”
In other words, Zhao Cheng had the support of the scholar cluster talent he considered the “essence” of half the world; while Xuan Chong now had a reservoir of military and political talent accustomed to the new model over these dozen years.
Moreover, these new talents had all undergone the “stinking long” southern campaign tempering, daring to treat nobles as mere dogs and grass!
Facing a veteran like Zhao Cheng, Xuan Chong brought out every temporal advantage he had as a transmigrator, which was respect for the opponent’s high level.
…The old faction witnesses…
In Yuhuazhou, in the thatched cottage, scholars discussed the current situation animatedly.
A few days ago, everyone thought the multi-pronged armies would overwhelm Chong Land in one round; after national destruction, how would Later Hao appease the populace, and how should they connect with Great General Zhao Cheng?
But now Wu Yuanchang held firm—no, not just holding firm, Xuan Chong’s main force hadn’t even moved, and now they were counter-poking Zhao Cheng, with subordinate troops not defending but instead counter-attacking.
So now! For the entire world, “the problem is big.”
This is national war, a national war reliant on “food and supplies accumulation.” For both sides, mobilizing any few thousand troops required nearby prefectures’ food and supplies to move accordingly.
The original Hao Army did not consider this point, assuming that after the multi-pronged armies struck, they could directly live off the enemy territory, eat Chong Land’s grain, fight Chong Army! — What was the situation now? Chong Army troops across fronts showed no disadvantage, and both sides began to compete in follow-up food and grass.
And in competing food and grass, Hao State clearly held no advantage. Even in this early strategic probing stage, multiple prefectures on Hao State’s side had been emptied and could not muster a second wave.
Due to Xuan Chong’s subordinate troops beginning to maneuver in frontline standoffs, greatly disrupting Zhao Cheng’s preset operational plans for each troop, forcing combat adjustments; these adjustments posed no problem for Xuan Chong’s subordinates, but big problems for Zhao Cheng’s.
And Chong State not only had food and grass, but also transportation advantages. Because subsequent train lines were continuously transporting food and grass to various frontline stations.
…Chess game shifts perspective…
Before the war, Xuan Chong conveyed “combat spirit” to all his non-commissioned officers: “In the early stage, definitely form large camps and fight positional warfare,” waiting until the staff department judged the enemy’s strategic focus before maneuvering flexibly.
Xuan Chong emphasized: “The opponent’s weakness is food and grass; they cannot sustain large-scale combat. Camps must be stable, reconnaissance cannot stop for a day.”
“In the staff department’s simulations, you all have a chance to encounter Zhao Cheng’s main force. As long as you maintain certain mobility, if you can’t win, you can retreat.”
Narration: In fact, Xuan Chong had scattered a large number of “agents,” watching Zhao Cheng’s main force, fearing he would pull some trick, directly “flash” onto the battlefield, eat one of his armies, and immediately withdraw.
Xuan Chong: “When marching, deploy grain stations in advance to ensure military rapid advance capability, with fifty li advance and retreat ability.”
“If encountering a large enemy corps suddenly approaching (only Zhao Cheng can mobilize large corps), burn the military supplies, destroy the grain station food and grass, withdraw the corps. If can’t burn, it’s fine, as long as living forces return. (Note: Xuan Chong leaves no excess grain in any grain station.)”
As for burning grain stations and military supplies, Xuan Chong had the confidence because grain was abundant. In his view, using one troop’s supplies and “a little” food and grass to exchange for Zhao Cheng’s corps “flash” ultimate was completely worth it. And after determining the frontline where Zhao Cheng “flashes,” other frontlines could conduct major infiltrations and fierce attacks.
Xuan Chong had studied Zhao Cheng’s command: Zhao Cheng often used feints to lure the opponent’s main attack, and only after the opponent’s full army was mobilized did he strike suddenly to raid the base. So his main force needed to be maneuvered once before striking.
Thus, there was now this chess-like play where both sides sent deputy generals to lead troops in clashes.
When Zhao Cheng moved only one step of troops, Xuan Chong only dared to follow with one step. He did not dare to press with more troops, fearing Zhao Cheng was feinting, using a detachment to tie him down, then turning to raid him.
Xuan Chong’s scheme was ingenious: as long as the opponent’s main force maneuvered first, he could counter with his main force to bite and hold, making the strategy highly initiative.
This strategic thinking came from Li Qiwei’s tactical concept; under superior logistics conditions, conservative attrition tactics had the highest win rate.
Speaking of which, under Xuan Chong’s current strategic deployment, even if one troop was cleanly eaten by Zhao Cheng, Xuan Chong could still effectively conduct a decisive battle and annihilate Zhao Cheng.
But Xuan Chong could not bear to see his living forces eliminated.
…People fighting jackals, pursuing no casualties…
In Yuhuazhou, Zhao Cheng compiled intelligence on Xuan Chong; compared to Xuan Chong, his hair was now somewhat balding. Over these years, his mental consumption had been enormous.
When the standoff situations of the northern and southern army corps reached him, he took a deep breath; clearly he understood Xuan Chong’s situation, with both main forces separated by less than two hundred li, and when he moved troops, Xuan Chong followed suit.
Moreover, Xuan Chong’s main force always stayed in places with “the most developed transportation”; because they needed to anticipate his own infiltration “paths,” crossing mountains and rivers to rapidly reach another battlefield.
Zhao Cheng murmured: “He is waiting for me to enter the field first!” On the silk book map on the desk, as Zhao Cheng’s mood turned solemn, mountains and rivers rose and fell.
The advisors beside him were silent at this moment, because the current military confrontation was too unexpected.
Now they understood why Zhao Cheng, occupying half the world, was still cautious toward Wu Yuanchang. — To some extent, Zhao Cheng’s Central Plains hegemony sweeping half the world was mostly to resolve Xuan Chong; and Xuan Chong these years had hunkered down developing, beating natives southward, not joining Da Yao’s chaos at all, precisely preparing for a fight with Zhao Cheng.
Zhao Cheng looked up and asked: “How are the food and grass for each department?”
After being named, the five advisors reported their respective routes’ food and grass situations: either only enough for two months, or not even one month. The place not even lasting one month was Yongzhou.
Zhao Cheng took a deep breath, suddenly laughed: “Hehe, wonderful, wonderful.”
The many advisors watched their lord stand, their expressions awkward.
Zhao Cheng: “More calculations lead to more victories, fewer to fewer; he is now fighting me with the mode of minimal calculations, while I, no matter how much I calculate, cannot escape the trap he set.” — The shortest board limited Zhao Cheng’s military strategy performance.
Zhao Cheng turned to the advisors: “You say, where exactly should our army choose to decisive battle with him?”
The advisors glanced at each other, then said: “All up to the lord’s decision.”
Zhao Cheng showed helplessness: “No matter which route, the win rate I calculate is less than twenty percent, at best a draw; this man has already placed himself in an invincible position.”
…Low level, can’t see the current military momentum at all…
If the opponent were someone else, Zhao Cheng could still reverse through raiding granaries despite such great enemy food and grass advantage. But Xuan Chong defended too densely.
The main food and grass bases were placed in heavily guarded major cities, and the train lines from major cities spread like an octopus to various areas; wherever Chong Army went, they established a series of secret small grain stations, storing separately at train stations.
Xuan Chong was smug about this: “You burn one of my routes is just one wave; unless you have railway guerrillas; but do you have that mass base in my territory? Sneak-attacking train stations isn’t solved by buying one or two ‘agents.'”
In other words, Xuan Chong here also gave no space for Zhao Cheng to play the Guandu Battle fire attack on Wuchao.
Zhao Cheng now looked at Xuan Chong’s operations with a headache; he had never seen such a watertight military strategist.
Xuan Chong had maximized playing to strengths and avoiding weaknesses, evading all confrontation lines where he couldn’t outcalculate Zhao Cheng. And where Xuan Chong thought Zhao Cheng was “weak,” he “one trick fresh” went for the kill, pinching Zhao Cheng’s vital point.
Xuan Chong’s operation, even a commander who had just read military treatises for two years could play; it completely didn’t match Xuan Chong’s level. But the difficulty was, with such great advantage grasped, still stubbornly using the “dumb” method.
In Zhao Cheng’s view, Wu Yuanchang over these years had military tactics and techniques no less than his own; he had fought through this world, and Xuan Chong could do the same. But now, using this method with “no clever calculations” to stubbornly hold him off.
Wu Xiao Que didn’t care at all about later generations’ evaluations of him as “second-rate military strategy” “not a hero even in victory,” just staring dead at success or failure!
Zhao Cheng for a moment felt somewhat ashamed: he was really thinking too highly of himself.
Because in the opening moves of both sides’ military confrontation, the generals Xuan Chong sent out, thousand-man corps mobility, and comprehensive scout intelligence were already a notch above his own side’s selected talents.
Zhao Cheng’s gaze once again fell on the multiple northern and southern battlefields, secretly admiring Xuan Chong’s military academy system.
In front of everyone, Zhao Cheng paced again, seeming to choose the decisive battle location. But after a long while, Zhao Cheng still chose “main force immobile.”
After being invited out of the mountains by Pu E for so many years, this was the first time Zhao Cheng pondered defeat.
Zhao Cheng silently thought in his heart: “Even in defeat, there must be skill in defeat, leaving a chance for knowing shame and then courage.”
