บท 464: 448. A New Variable Entered
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However, the relentless assault from Guan Yu's forces and the internal disruption caused by the false rumors took their toll. The defenders, initially brave began to waver, and were outmatched. Lady Cai, watching from the safety of the inner keep, could only hope that her brother would arrive in time. As with each passing moment, she could see that Wuling defenders were pushed back by the attackers.
Even though the relentless assault launched by Guan Yu and his men had allowed them to gain significant ground, the defenders managed to keep their defensive line intact after being pushed back several times.
Seeing that there was no chance for a breakthrough anymore, Kuai Yue ordered the army to retreat and recuperate for the next battle, as they had been fighting for several hours.
Hearing the sound of the war drum beat, Guan Yu ordered his men to retreat, which allowed Zhang Yun and his men to heave a sigh of relief and this raised Zhang Yun's reputation slightly as his plan could be said managed to work.
As the first skirmish ended in Wuling, Lady Cai's messenger, after riding nonstop without rest, finally arrived at Cai Mao's encampment near Changsha. The exhausted rider was quickly ushered into Cai Mao's tent.
"My lord," the messenger panted, "Wuling is under heavy assault by Liu Bei's forces under the leadership of Guan Yu. The situation is dire, and Lady Cai implores you to send reinforcements immediately."
Cai Mao, already frustrated by the recent naval defeat, clenched his fists. "Curse that big eared Liu Bei! He thinks he can strike while we're distracted! Gather the commanders, we need to strategize our next move."
Within minutes, Cai Mao's top commanders were assembled. "Wuling's defenses are holding for now, but they won't last long without support," Cai Mao began. "We must divide our forces. Half will continue the siege on Changsha to keep the Sun Clan occupied, and the other half will march to relieve Wuling."
One of the commanders, a General named Wang Shu, spoke up. "My lord, dividing our forces is too risky. If the Sun Clan realizes we are weakened, they might launch a counterattack. I suggest that we fully retreat to Wuling and relive the siege done by Liu Bei's Army."
Cai Mao immediately slammed the table in don't of him after hearing what Wang Shu said. "It's a risk we must take! Wuling is crucial to our control as it's the capital of Southern Jing Province, and losing it would give Liu Bei a significant foothold so we cannot allow that."
As he was saying so, the tent was filled with silence and that's when Cai Mao pointed in the direction of Changsha. "At the same time, if we don't retake Changsha it will deal a massive blow to Lord Liu Biao and Young Lord Liu Cong's prestige! And the Sun Clan can't be allowed to have a foothold in Jing Province!"
After Cai Mao finishes his word, not one of the commanders dares to say anything including Wang Shu, and seeing this Cai Mao feels satisfied with himself and executes the plan as he had proposed.
With Cai Mao's order, Cai Mao's forces quickly prepared for the dual operations. Half of his troops would remain to keep pressure on Changsha, while the other half, led by Cai Mao himself, would march swiftly to Wuling.
Back in Wuling, Zhang Yun and his men used the brief respite to strengthen their defenses and tend to the wounded. Lady Cai, though relieved by the temporary retreat of the enemy, remained tense. She knew this was just the beginning and that Guan Yu would return with even greater force.
Guan Yu, in his camp, discussed the next steps with Kuai Yue and Ju Shou. "Wuling defender army is quite resilient," Guan Yu said, "but their resolve had definitely weakened with this assault and the rumors that Master Ju Shou had spread."
Ju Shou nodded his head in agreement and suggested, "General Guan Yu's words are correct, I suggest that we continue spreading the rumors to sow panic among their ranks. The more they panic and doubt their command, the easier it will be for us to break their lines."
Kuai Yue agreed with Ju Shou and gave his insight. "And we must find a way to cut off any reinforcements they might receive, as a request of reinforcement should have been sent. If Cai Mao's forces are split, we can take advantage of their divided strength."
Meanwhile, at Hulao Pass, the second skirmish was about to begin. After the first skirmish, Lie Fan's strategy was to gain control over the entirety of the plains in front of Hulao Pass, which meant securing the wall of Hulao Pass entirely and creating a safe ground for soldiers to build fortifications to defend the area.
This was the plan that Jia Xu, Xun You, Chen Deng, Bu Zhi, and Liu Ba had come up with after a long discussion. Lie Fan knew that this couldn't be done in just one battle but in continuous battle after battle, and without any plan of his own, he immediately agreed to their strategy.
As the sun rose over the battlefield, Lie Fan's forces prepared for the next phase of their campaign. Engineers and laborers worked tirelessly to reinforce the siege engines and fortifications, while scouts kept a watchful eye on Cao Cao's defenses.
The soldiers, though weary from the previous skirmish, were resolute and determined, knowing that their lord put lots of hope in all of them and their ability to breach the formidable Hulao Pass.
Jia Xu, overseeing the preparations, addressed the gathered generals. "Our new goal is to secure the plains and push forward to the wall of Hulao Pass, where we need to secure the area and then create fortifications there. So we must be relentless and methodical."
Xun You then added some words after Jia Xu was finished, "We will utilize our siege engines to weaken their defenses and create openings for our infantry, so our coordination and timing will be crucial. We must strike hard and fast, leaving them no time to regroup."
Chen Deng was assigned the position of each unit and their generals were positioned on the map that was spread at the table, and then proceeded to inform each of the generals of their position.
As for Bu Zhi and Liu Ba, they coordinated the logistics, ensuring that supplies and the reserves were ready to support the frontline troops. The plan was ambitious, but it had the potential to turn the tide in their favor.
On the other side, Cao Cao's generals were equally determined to hold their ground. Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai, and the other advisors had spent the night devising countermeasures to repel Lie Fan's advances.
Guo Jia addressed the assembled officers, "Lie Fan's forces are strong and determined, but they are not invincible. We must exploit their weaknesses and hold our lines. Reinforce the walls and be prepared for a prolonged engagement. Every moment we delay them is a moment gained for our reinforcements to arrive."
Xi Zhicai added, "We will utilize our archers and artillery to disrupt their siege engines and inflict as many casualties as possible. Our cavalry will remain on standby to launch counterattacks when opportunities arise, where we should open the gate and mow their infantry down."
Cao Cao, seeing how fierce Lie Fan's men were, had a deep frown sketched on his face. Though it pained him to admit it, his soldiers were weaker in terms of combat power compared to Lie Fan's soldiers. As he pondered this, he was approached by Xun Yu and Cheng Yu, who brought a message from someone he never suspected in the north.
Xun Yu spoke first, "My lord, we have received a message from Zhang He, Gao Lan, Tian Feng, and Xu You which brought interesting prospects for us. They have decided to change their allegiance to you."
Cao Cao's eyes widened in surprise. "What?! These are some of Yuan Shao's most talented generals and advisors. Why would they suddenly choose to defect to me at this time?"
Cheng Yu handed the message to Cao Cao. "It seems they have become disillusioned with Yuan Shao's leadership and see an opportunity for a better future under your command. Seeing our current situation, they offer their services and propose to aid us in our current struggle against Lie Fan, likely to prove themselves and gain merits."
Cao Cao read the message carefully. This unexpected development could be a significant turning point in his battle. "This is indeed fortuitous development! With their help, we can fully strengthen our defenses and have them attack Lie Fan's army from behind creating a pincer attack!"
He turned to Xun Yu and Cheng Yu, "Inform Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai of this development. We must integrate these new allies into our strategy immediately, oh also respond to them that I accept their fealty but let's keep it a secret for now and only the five of us knew of this."
As the fierce battle continued, Lie Fan's men fought valiantly, trying to breach the walls of Hulao Pass. Arrows rained down on them from above, and the clash of steel echoed across the battlefield.
Cao Cao's men under Cao Ren's coordination held their ground, utilizing their defensive structures and the strategic advantage of the walls.
Lie Fan, observing the battle, noticed the stalemate. "We need to push harder. Send in more of our men and focus our attack on the eastern wall. If we can breach it, we can flood their defenses on top of the wall."
His officers nodded and relayed the orders, and the drummers soon launched the orders. The fresh troops led by Hou Cheng, Song Xian, and Wei Xu surged forward, concentrating their efforts on the eastern wall.
Cao Cao's men on the eastern wall, seeing the concentrated assault, intensified their efforts to repel the attackers. Li Dian and Yue Jin, who were in charge of this led their men to repel Lie Fan's men.
The second skirmish raged on, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. Despite their fierce assault, Lie Fan's forces struggled to gain a decisive foothold. Cao Cao's men, though battered, managed to maintain their positions, thanks to Cao Ren's coordination alongside Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai's strategy.
As dusk approached, the battle showed no signs of abating. Cao Cao now was much calmer than before, after receiving the allegiance of Zhang He, Gao Lan, Tian Febg, and Xu You. Where they would bring a large number of men and domain to his side, and the tide of battle would turn in his favor soon, and all he needs is to hold out until that time arrived which was an easy task for him.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Three Heroes Who Defeat Lu Bu
Age: 31 (198 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 462,000
Renown: 825
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 1,121,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 936 (+20)
VIT: 598 (+20)
AGI: 583 (+10)
INT: 587
CHR: 96
WIS: 509
WILL: 397
ATR Points: 0
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