Chapter 18 Relieving the Siege of Wei by Attacking Zhao

It sounds reasonable for prisoners to riot due to dissatisfaction with their treatment.

Negligence on the part of the guards seems to be normal.

The riot caused losses, but it was quickly suppressed by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei with overwhelming superiority. This not only demonstrated the fighting power of the White Feather Camp, but also completely eliminated the burden and hidden danger of the prisoners, and made Liu Bei's image of "being thwarted in his benevolence" more real.

He was not an indiscriminately kind person without principles, but someone who learned the necessary ruthlessness after paying the price.

Most importantly, through this incident, Liu Bei completely won the sympathy and support of the soldiers in the army.

"Our lord upheld righteousness for us, yet it led to the deaths of our comrades. Our lord himself is filled with remorse!"

This directly silenced all criticisms that the treatment of prisoners was too lenient.

See, the price has been paid, and we won't do it again.

The more Liu Liang thought about it, the more he felt that this was a perfect combination of crisis management and image building.

But what if... what if this was intentional?

Did Liu Bei rise from a humble weaver of mats and sandals seller to become a powerful warlord solely through benevolence and luck?

The Records of the Three Kingdoms states, "The First Ruler's magnanimity, generosity, and understanding of people and his treatment of scholars are reminiscent of Emperor Gaozu, and he possesses the qualities of a hero."

But don't forget, there's also the evaluation of "strategic maneuvering" later on.

When they were drinking plum wine, Cao Cao said that the only heroes in the world were you and me. How could a simple and kind person have such insight and forbearance?

Perhaps, this "Lord Xuande" who always seems to passively endure and even be somewhat indecisive is far more profound than he appears on the surface.

He may not have been the mastermind behind the conspiracy, but he certainly possessed the political wisdom to turn unfavorable situations into long-term gains.

His "benevolence" was itself a more sophisticated form of power politics.

......

Within days, an urgent report arrived: the Yellow Turban rebel generals Cheng Yuanzhi and Deng Mao, with a force of 50,000, marched north from Jizhou and had already captured several border counties of Youzhou, their advance pointing directly at Zhuojun!

Zou Jing, the Commandant of the Vanquishing Army, led his troops to intercept the enemy, but they were surrounded by the enemy in a mountain pass, and the situation became critical.

When the news reached Liu Bei's army, the atmosphere in the camp immediately became tense.

fifty thousand!

This number was like a mountain pressing down on Liu Bei's army, which had just undergone bandit suppression and reorganization and had a total strength of only 1,500 men.

Liu Bei abruptly stood up and said, "Colonel Zou Jing once intended to mentor us, but now that we are trapped, how can we stand idly by? Moreover, the Yellow Turbans have invaded our territory, and it is our duty to protect our land and people! I intend to mobilize all my troops to relieve the siege!"

Zhang Fei immediately chimed in, "Brother is right! Who cares about fifty thousand or one hundred thousand? My spear is itching to be used!"

Guan Yu stroked his beard and said, "The enemy's forces are overwhelming; we cannot defeat them by force. However, we cannot leave Colonel Zou unattended. We need a good plan."

All eyes turned to Liu Liang.

At this moment, Liu Liang was also rapidly calculating in his mind.

Cheng Yuanzhi and Deng Mao?

These two were "experience packs" in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" who were killed by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei in one fell swoop. The Yellow Turban Army they led seemed to have a large number of people, but in reality, it was disorganized, poorly equipped, and had a worrying combat effectiveness.

This is practically the perfect beginner mission for Liu Bei's group to gain reputation and earn military merits!

but……

Liu Liang glanced at Liu Bei, and the tension in his heart—"helping him gain a foothold, but not letting him have it too easy"—tightened slightly.

Sending Liu Bei with just over a thousand men to charge into a battle against fifty thousand men, even if the numbers were exaggerated, would still be quite risky, even with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei being capable of defeating ten thousand men.

If anything goes wrong, resulting in losses of soldiers and generals, or even injuries to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, then the sin of "offering advice" would be grave, and the hard-earned prestige would be completely destroyed.

This battle is no small matter.

Compared to the previous bandit suppression, this was the first real test.

Not only must he not "trick" Liu Bei, but he must also win decisively and securely to further solidify his image as a "strategist with impeccable plans" and deepen Liu Bei's reliance on him.

Moreover, this battle was against the Yellow Turban Army, and the rescue was of an official appointed by the imperial court, the Commandant of the Vanquishing Army.

If he could become famous in one battle, he could also be registered in the imperial court.

It will be easier to assist Cao Cao in the future.

This is the optimal solution that aligns with his current survival strategy as a "traitorous godfather".

Having made up his mind, Liu Liang met everyone's gaze and slowly spoke: "Xuande's desire to rescue Colonel Zou is commendable. However, the enemy's strength is vastly different from ours, and we cannot confront them head-on. The enemy army numbers 50,000, which is impressive, but Cheng Yuanzhi and Deng Mao are not skilled in warfare; they are merely relying on their numbers. Such a rabble will swarm in if they win, but will scatter instantly if they lose. Their greatest weakness lies in the inevitable chaos in their supplies and logistics, making it difficult for them to sustain a long campaign."

Liu Liang walked to the simple map, pointed to the mountain pass where Zou Jing was besieged, and then pointed in the direction from which the Yellow Turban army had come: "The rebel army has just arrived, their morale is high, and they are eager for battle. Most of their forces are used to besiege Colonel Zou, so their rear supplies and provisions must be relatively undefended. Our army is small but elite, and we should take advantage of this to avoid their strength and attack their weakness."

Liu Bei pressed further, "Does my godfather intend to relieve the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao, or to cut off the fuel supply from beneath the cauldron?"

"Exactly!" Liu Liang pointed heavily to the predicted area where the Yellow Turban army had stockpiled supplies. "We don't need to directly attack the enemy's main force to relieve the siege. We can split into two groups. One group, led by Guan Yu, will consist of a small number of elite cavalry, carrying plenty of fire starters and fuel. They will bypass the main battlefield, maneuver to the enemy's flank and rear, find their stockpiles, and set them on fire! Once the fire starts, the enemy will be thrown into chaos!"

Everyone nodded in unison, their eyes burning with determination.

Liu Liang continued, "The other route will be led by Xuande himself, with the main force of the White Feather Camp, to covertly approach the place where Colonel Zou is besieged. However, they will not attack for the time being, but will lie in ambush in a strategic location, waiting for the right opportunity. When news of the fire breaking out in the rear of the enemy army and the burning of their supplies reaches the front lines, the besieging enemy will inevitably be thrown into chaos and panic. At that time, Colonel Zou will fight his way out from within, while Xuande will lead his troops to launch a fierce attack on his rear from the outside. With this pincer attack, how can the enemy not collapse? The key to this battle is that the troops burning the supplies must move stealthily and swiftly, and the supporting troops must strike swiftly and decisively. In this way, we can not only relieve Colonel Zou's siege, but also severely damage the Yellow Turbans, enhance our military prestige, and minimize our own losses."

The tent was silent as everyone digested Liu Liang's plan.

A glint of light flashed in Guan Yu's eyes, and he was the first to agree: "Sir, your strategy is brilliant! Attack where they must defend, disrupt their foundation. Once the enemy army loses its supplies, they will collapse without a fight. I, Yun Chang, am willing to lead a light cavalry to burn their supplies!"

Zhang Fei also realized what was happening and shouted, "Eldest brother and second brother both have work to do, so what about me? I can't just sleep in the tent, can I?"

Liu Liang laughed heartily and said, "Yide has his own ingenious uses!"

Zhang Fei, impatient, grabbed Liu Liang's arm and shook it violently: "Sir, please tell me quickly! I, Old Zhang, am so anxious!"

Liu Liang said, "Yide bears the heaviest responsibility in this battle. You will lead a hundred elite cavalrymen straight into the enemy camp, beat the drums to create momentum, and attract all the enemy soldiers' attention. This move will not only provide cover for Yunchang to burn the grain, but it will also be the key to the victory or defeat of this battle."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei's face darkened, and his brows furrowed.

Zhang Fei was overjoyed: "This is a great job! I'll take it!"