ebookland Chapter 1307 Raising an Army with a Ten Thousand Goals for Jizhou
Chapter 1307 Raising an Army with a Ten Thousand Goals for Jizhou
Before dawn the next day, Cao Ang had already mustered his troops. He did not go to say goodbye, but only sent a brief letter to Cao Cao before leading the Xuzhou troops out of the east gate of Qiao County, the sound of horses' hooves gradually fading into the morning mist. As the eldest son, even if he felt wronged, he understood his father's concerns and knew that Liu Bei had not retreated, and the overall situation was of paramount importance; he would not let personal grudges interfere with official business.
On the city wall, Cao Cao stood leaning against the railing, watching the receding troops, their silver-armored, white-robed figures shrinking to tiny dots in the morning light. He gripped the railing tightly, his knuckles white. Yesterday's decision, seemingly stern, had in fact felt like every word was tearing at his own heart. This son had been sensible since childhood, never truly disobeying him, but in the past two years, an invisible wall seemed to have separated them.
"Waaah..." A low sob came from below the city wall. Madam Ding, supported by her maid, looked in the direction where the procession had disappeared, her tears soaking her clothes. She had learned last night that Cao Ang was leaving and rushed over to see him one last time, but in the end she did not dare to go forward, for fear of disturbing the morale of the army, and even more so for fear that if she saw her son's eyes, she would not be able to help but shed tears in front of him.
Once the procession had completely disappeared from sight, Lady Ding wiped away her tears and climbed the city wall step by step. Seeing Cao Cao still gazing eastward in a daze, she stepped forward, her voice filled with resentment suppressed for many years: "Mengde, is this world really that important?"
Cao Cao turned around and saw that her eyes were red and swollen, and she remained silent.
“That’s your own son.” Madam Ding’s voice trembled. “Ang’er has followed you on military campaigns since he was a child, facing death countless times without ever complaining. He guarded Xuzhou and protected Qiao County, wasn’t he doing all of that for the Cao family? Yet you pushed him so far away because of those unfounded concerns… Do you really want to treat him like this?”
“My lady doesn’t understand.” Cao Cao turned his face away, looking at the streets and alleys below the city, his voice cold and hard. “I am the lord, not just a father who only knows how to dote on his son. The Cao family’s foundation cannot afford the slightest mishap.”
"I don't understand the schemes of you men!" Madam Ding suddenly raised her voice, tears welling up again. "But I know that people have hearts! Do you know how much pain Ang'er is in? Last night, when he sent someone to deliver the letter, he didn't even leave the camp, afraid that seeing you would cause further embarrassment for both father and son!"
Cao Cao's throat tightened; Lady Ding's words pierced his heart like needles. How could he not know Cao Ang's forbearance? But what was done was done; there was no turning back.
"Alright, you can go back now." He waved his hand, his voice weary. "Don't ask too many questions about military affairs."
Madam Ding's voice trembled, her eyes filled with disappointment and heartache: "I may not understand your ambitions, but Cao Rui is your eldest son and grandson, Ang'er's flesh and blood! From the day this child was born until now, you haven't even seen him once. Aren't you going too far?"
She took a deep breath, her chest heaving with emotion: "What exactly do you want? Just because of those vague and inexplicable suspicions, do you want to distance yourself from even your own grandson? Do you think... that the son born to Bian can steadily inherit this legacy? Let me tell you, that's nothing but wishful thinking!"
Cao Cao turned around abruptly, his face turning ashen: "Insolence!" He had never imagined that Lady Ding would bring up the matter of offspring so bluntly, let alone use such sharp words.
"I'm being presumptuous?" Madam Ding didn't back down, her tears mixed with grief and indignation. "I just feel sorry for Ang'er, and for Rui'er! For the sake of your so-called legacy, you can even throw aside the bonds of father and son, and the blood ties between grandfather and grandson. What's the point of such a legacy, even if you manage to secure it?"
After saying that, she stopped looking at Cao Cao, turned around and staggered downstairs, her back view full of determination.
Cao Cao stood frozen on the city wall, Lady Ding's words striking his heart like a heavy hammer. Cao Rui... that eldest grandson he had never met, seemed to exist only in the fragments of conversations of others.
The wind whipped at his robes, carrying a biting chill. He suddenly realized that the ambition he was pursuing was like an invisible net, trapping not only his son and family ties, but also seemingly himself. Once this net was cast, it could never be pulled back.
Cao Cao pressed his throbbing temples, temporarily suppressing Lady Ding's words. Romantic entanglements, family feuds… these were indeed tormenting, but in the current chaotic world, the slightest lapse in vigilance could lead to utter ruin. He took a deep breath, his eyes sharpening once more. Compared to the tangled web of domestic affairs, the battlefields outside were where he truly needed to establish himself.
"Pass on my order!" He turned to his personal guards and said in a deep voice, "Assemble all the generals on standby. We will review the troops at the drill ground in half an hour."
The personal guards obeyed and left, the clanging sound of their armor quickly spreading throughout the camp. Cao Cao walked to the map and pointed heavily at Runan Commandery.
Before long, Cao Ren, Yu Jin, and other generals had gathered in the tent. Cao Cao glanced at everyone and said in a booming voice, "Liu Bei has taken advantage of our army's absence to seize Runan. This is intolerable! You all must fight hard to take Runan!"
"Your subordinate obeys!" the generals responded in unison, the clanging of their armor causing the tent ceiling to tremble slightly.
Cao Cao mounted his horse, glanced back at the city, and finally spurred his horse forward, joining the massive army ahead. Since the deaths of Xiahou Yuan, Cao Xiu, and others, Cao Cao's headaches had never improved. He didn't know how much longer his body could hold on, but he always believed that a true man should strive to achieve something great in this world.
On the open fields of Runan Commandery, banners fluttered like a forest, and a murderous aura permeated the air. Cao Cao's black-armored army and Liu Bei's Jingzhou army faced each other from afar, the open space between them seeming to be a furnace scorched by their gazes, even the wind carrying the metallic stench of metal.
Liu Bei reined in his horse, his brow furrowed as he gazed at the familiar "Cao" banner in the opposing formation. He had originally intended to march north to quell the rebellion and restore the Han Dynasty, but unexpectedly, he had run into Cao Cao in Runan. Now, with the arrow on the bowstring, he had no choice but to fight. Beside him, Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan, his gaze sweeping across Cao Cao's army formation, and whispered, "My lord, Cao Cao has brought his entire force this time; he should not be underestimated."
"I know," Liu Bei said in a deep voice, "but Nanyang and Runan are already in my hands. They are the foundation for restoring the Han Dynasty, and we must not lose them!"
Once a large-scale war begins, it is not easily ended. Moreover, this time Liu Bei attacked first, directly threatening Cao Cao's rear. Cao Cao was unwilling to show weakness, and the two warlords once again engaged in a major battle, resulting in a stalemate once more.
At the Xudu training ground, banners fluttered in the wind, and the hooves of the Xiliang cavalry pounded the ground. Ma Chao stood on the command platform, his hand on his sword, his silver armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight. His voice boomed like a bell: "This time, we will march straight into the heart of the Yuan family's territory and let them know the might of the Xiliang warriors!"
Ma Chao stood on the command platform, his hand on his sword. The patterns on his silver armor gleamed coldly with each movement. As his gaze swept over the generals below, his voice suddenly boomed: "Today we must muster our troops to wipe out Yuan Shang's false dynasty—all of you, obey my command!"
"Your subordinate is here!" Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, Pang De and other generals stepped forward, the sound of their armor plates clashing making the ground tremble slightly.
"Zhang Liao, listen to my command." Ma Chao threw out a red-lacquered command arrow. "You will lead the vanguard of 20,000 men and head straight for Guangping County. This mission must be swift and decisive to break through their outer defenses."
Zhang Liao accepted the order on one knee. Just as he was about to stand up, Ma Chao added, "Mr. Jia Xu is an advisor accompanying the army. His brilliant strategies are enough to break the deadlock. The safety of the vanguard depends on him."
Zhang Liao and Jia Xu clasped their hands in acceptance of the order, with 20,000 infantry and cavalry behind them forming a wall, the clanging of armor echoing continuously. "This humble general will lead the way and will not fail in his mission!" He mounted his horse, raised his spear, and the army surged out of the city gate like a black torrent, rushing towards Guangping County. Ma Xiu led his personal guards closely behind, the deputy general's flag fluttering in the wind.
“Pang De, listen to my command.” Ma Chao twirled a black command arrow between his fingers. “You will lead 20,000 men of the Left Army and march straight to Dongjun. Yuan Shang has deployed a large force there, and we need to break through with valor.” He turned to look at Lu Su. “Master Zijing is skilled in diplomacy and negotiation. The Left Army needs both a strong attack and the ability to win over the hearts of the people. Your reputation for benevolence will come in handy.”
On the left flank, Pang De stood guard, sword drawn, his ten thousand Xiliang cavalry, their armor gleaming, intermingled with Zhang Yan's ten thousand Black Mountain soldiers. The former's ferocity and the latter's wildness combined to create a fierce aura. "General Zhang, let's see who's the best at Dongjun City!" Pang De's voice boomed like thunder. Zhang Yan grinned, slamming his broadsword on the ground: "General Pang De, charge! We Black Mountain brothers will help you tear down the walls!" The large army roared off, billowing dust that blotted out the sky.
"Xu Huang, listen to my command!" Ma Chao stood on the command platform, pointing the command arrow at the foot of the steps, his voice booming like a bell.
Xu Huang stepped forward, the clanging of his armor producing a thunderous sound. He knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your subordinate is here!"
"I hereby appoint you as the commander of the right wing army, leading 20,000 troops straight to Yangping County. You must hold the vital passage and cut off the enemy's supply lines!" Ma Chao threw down the command arrow. "This route requires a step-by-step approach. You need both the courage to attack and the wisdom to defend."
Xu Huang rose upon receiving the order, his eyes burning with determination: "This humble general will certainly not fail in his mission!"
Ma Chao turned to look at Xu Shu standing beside him and said in a gentle voice, "Mr. Yuanzhi has always been a man of extraordinary talent. I would like to ask him to be the military advisor of the right wing army. The advance and retreat of the army will largely depend on your planning."
Xu Shu cupped his hands in a respectful bow, his long robe brushing the ground: "How dare I disobey? With General Gongming leading the charge, I am willing to strategize behind him and ensure the safety of Yangping County."
"Ma Tie, Niu Jin!" Ma Chao called out again.
The two men stepped forward and replied in unison, "Your subordinates are here!"
"You two will serve as deputy generals and accompany General Xu Huang on the expedition. You must obey the general's orders and must not act without authorization!"
"Follow the order!"
Xu Huang on the right flank was already fully prepared. Although his troops were not as elite as those on the left flank, their discipline was impeccable. "Yangping County guards a vital passage. We should proceed steadily and surely, paving the way for the central army!"
Ma Chao finally mustered his central army. Dian Wei stood beside him, carrying double halberds, with Niu Jin and Li Tong flanking him on either side. Behind them, the vast army stretched as far as the eye could see. "Yuan Shang has usurped the throne and is a traitor to the Han. Today, we march not out of personal grudges, but to punish the wicked and uphold justice!" He turned his horse, his silver spear pointing north. "Target: Wei Commandery! Let's go!"
The bugle call resounded through the sky, and the four armies, like four sharp arrows, shot towards Guangping, Dongjun, Yangping, and Weijun respectively. The smoke from the cooking fires in the counties along the way was trampled by the horses' hooves, and the beacon fires at the post stations were lit one after another.
The land of Hebei trembled under the trampling of 100,000 iron cavalry. Each hoofbeat was like a heavy hammer striking the ground, and even the palace walls of Ye City hummed. When the news reached Yuan Shang's residence, he was discussing the defense of Yanzhou with his advisors around a map when a scout knelt down and reported, "Ma Chao's four armies have marched out simultaneously and have already captured three county towns." He was so shocked that the wine cup on the table crashed to the ground, and the amber wine spilled over the map, leaving dark stains on the three characters "Guangping County".
"Useless! All of you are useless!" Yuan Shang kicked over the carved table, sending the jade tablet rolling down the steps and breaking in two. "That scoundrel Ma Chao is nothing but a commoner from Xiliang, yet he dares to launch a full-scale invasion?!" He glared at the scouts below, his eyes bloodshot, the gold patterns on his armor trembling with rage. "Just the other day you said the border was safe, and today three breaches have been made. Have your eyes all gone to the back of your heads?!"
Feng Ji hurriedly steadied the swaying map and said urgently, "My lord, please calm down! The most urgent task is to divide our forces to meet the enemy! Guangping County is defended by Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang. Although their combat strength is average, if Zhang He is dispatched to reinforce them, they will surely be able to stabilize the situation. Yangping County is defended by Gui Yuangu. We can send Gao Lan with elite cavalry to provide rapid reinforcements. As for Dong County, Chunyu Qiong has more than 10,000 elite troops under his command. As long as they arrive in time, they will be enough to hold off the enemy!"