Chapter 54: Advancing westward, breaking through the pass, and heading straight for Chang'an!

Cao Cao's camp was set up at the foot of a sheltered earthen mound.

A hundred riders formed a circle, and a campfire was lit, illuminating the open space in front of the tent.

As Liu Liang stepped into the camp gate, two soldiers on duty stepped forward with their hands on their swords.

He stood still, while Zhao Yun behind him raised his voice towards the central command tent, saying, "Please inform Lord Cao that Liu Zishan and Zhao Zilong request an audience."

Cao Cao's voice came out: "Please invite Mr. Zishan in."

At the entrance to the camp, Zhao Yun was stopped by the guards.

Zhao Yun frowned slightly, but did not step back. He simply said, "I will not enter the tent, but I must stand guard where you can see me, sir."

Seeing Zhao Yun's alarmed expression, Liu Liang grabbed Zhao Yun's hand and said, "Zilong, don't panic. These are just scholars discussing matters; they're talking, not wielding weapons. If you bring a sword in, it will only make them more nervous."

Zhao Yun pursed his lips and remained silent, but his eyes clearly conveyed the words "I'm not at ease."

Liu Liang stopped trying to persuade him, simply nodded, and turned to enter the tent.

A moment later, a figure appeared at the entrance of the camp.

Zhao Yun stood with his hand on his sword, as still as a pine tree.

After Liu Liang entered the tent, the firelight made him squint.

Inside the tent were three people: Cao Cao sat in the center, Xun Yu sat on the left, and on the right was a stranger, about thirty years old, with a thin face but very bright eyes, who was sizing him up.

Cao Cao gestured for him to sit down: "Mr. Zishan, your visit so late at night must be of great importance. This is Xi Zhicai, a native of Yangdi, Yingchuan."

Xi Zhicai smiled and nodded at Liu Liang without saying a word.

Liu Liang nodded in return, and after taking his seat, he didn't beat around the bush, saying, "Lord Cao, I have a plan that can help you take Guanzhong."

Cao Cao raised an eyebrow: "Guanzhong? Dong Zhuo is there."

Liu Liang said, "It is precisely because Dong Zhuo is there that we must take him."

Cao Cao picked up his teacup, blew away the foam, and didn't reply.

Xun Yu spoke up, "Please tell me how to take Guanzhong, sir."

Liu Liang said, "Luoyang is already a ruin. What has Cao Cao gained by occupying this city? Tens of thousands of mouths to feed, two empty granaries, and the warlords of Guandong are eyeing us covetously. If we remain trapped here, how will we feed these soldiers and civilians next year at this time?"

Xun Yu asked, "Sir, do you mean we should head west?"

Liu Liang said, "Yes. We will advance westward, break through the pass, and take Chang'an directly."

Xi Zhicai laughed, "Straight to Chang'an? You make it sound so easy, sir. Hangu Pass is a natural fortress, bordered by the plateau to the west, a precipitous ravine to the east, the Qinling Mountains to the south, and the Yellow River to the north. One man can hold the pass against ten thousand. Dong Zhuo has hundreds of thousands of Xiliang troops guarding the rear. How can we possibly take it?"

Liu Liang looked at him and said calmly, "So it's not a full-scale attack, it's a surprise attack."

"A surprise attack?" Xi Zhicai's smile faded. "How would you launch a surprise attack?"

Liu Liang said, "Select five hundred elite soldiers to scale the city walls under cover of night."

Xun Yu shook his head: "Climbing the city wall? The walls of Hangu Pass are five zhang high and polished smooth. If you climb it by hand, nine and a half out of ten people will fall down."

Liu Liang said, "Therefore, we need suitable tools."

He spoke, but didn't rush to take anything; he just kept looking at Cao Cao.

Cao Cao listened the whole time, holding the teacup in his hand but not drinking.

Liu Liang said, "In the battle of Hulao Pass, you were half a step too slow. If you are slow again this time, the fertile lands of Guanzhong and the emperor's residence will be out of your reach."

Xun Yu said, "Since your plan is so brilliant, why not let your lord Liu Bei go and retrieve it?"

That hit the nail on the head.

Liu Liang said, "Because Xuande is still far away at Hulao Pass. If he abandons the pass and marches west, the warlords of Guandong will immediately rush towards Luoyang. At that time, both of our retreat will be cut off, and who will feed the hundreds of thousands of people in Luoyang? Besides, I am already here. Being in Cao Cao's camp, I am a hostage. If things don't go well, Cao Cao will execute me first. What can my lord Xuande say then?"

Cao Cao put down his teacup and stared intently at Liu Liang, seemingly trying to find some flaw in Liu Liang's words.

Liu Liang took a sip of tea and continued, "I know what you're all worried about. The risks are too great, and supplies are running out. If we get bogged down in Guanzhong, we'll be in a dilemma. But has Cao Cao considered that even if we don't advance westward and remain trapped in Luoyang, there won't be any risks? The warlords of Guandong have dispersed, but once they realize their mistake, will they let go of Luoyang, this piece of fat meat? Yuan Shao is in the north, and Yuan Shu is in the south—neither of them is easy to deal with."

You could hear a pin drop inside the tent.

Cao Cao kept his eyes on Liu Liang, as did Xi Zhicai and Xun Yu.

Liu Liang remained calm as they scrutinized him.

Cao Cao asked, "Mr. Zishan, what was that convenient tool you mentioned earlier?"

Liu Liang then pulled the drawing out of his sleeve and spread it on the table.

The candlelight illuminated the lines on the blueprints: towering walls, long poles with hooks, and ladders with thorns at their feet.

Liu Liang said, "This thing is called the Flying Tiger Hook. It has an iron claw at one end of a bamboo pole. When thrown up, it can hook onto the top of the wall, making climbing three times faster than by hand. This thing is called the Wolf Tooth Ladder. The feet of the ladder are equipped with barbs, so it is not slippery and soldiers can climb up in single file. With these two things, five hundred brave soldiers can climb the city under cover of night and break through Hangu Pass."

Xi Zhicai leaned closer to the blueprints and studied them for a long time.

"This thing... seems feasible. If it can really hook onto the brick wall, climbing will indeed be much faster. I've seen similar spiked ladders before, but I've never heard of a ladder with barbs at the feet before."

Xi Zhicai said, "My lord, if we have this, we have a good chance of winning a surprise attack on Hangu Pass. Zhao Cen, the general guarding Hangu Pass, is good at defense but not at adaptability. If we are attacked at midnight, chaos will surely ensue."

Xun Yu frowned and said, "Even if we break through the pass, then what? Once we penetrate deep into the pass, how will we supply our provisions? If Dong Zhuo sends troops to cut off our retreat, these five hundred men will be sitting ducks."

Liu Liang said, "After breaking through the pass, Luoyang will be our retreat. Cao Cao can then send troops to reinforce us, establishing fortifications step by step, setting up camps along the way. If Dong Zhuo tries to cut us off, we can wait in comfort and defeat him on the spot. Once Hangu Pass is breached, just like Sishui Pass, Dong Zhuo's army will be thrown into chaos. The Guanzhong Plain is fertile, with plenty of grain and fodder everywhere. Why should we fear starvation?"

Cao Cao remained silent, carefully weighing his options.

Xi Zhicai stood up and said, "My lord, this plan is feasible. These blueprints belong to Mr. Zishan; he knows best how and when to use them. If I go, and something goes wrong, I can fill in the gaps for him. If it succeeds, the credit will be yours. If it fails, kill me before killing him."

Cao Cao understood that Xi Zhicai was expressing his loyalty and wanted to pledge his allegiance.

After a short rest, Cao Cao shouted towards the outside of the tent: "Send down the order to forge flying tiger hooks and wolf-tooth ladders overnight. I want to see five hundred sets within fifteen days."

Cao Ren responded from outside the tent and hurried away.

After the meeting concluded, Cao Cao instructed that Liu Liang and Zhao Yun be treated well. Liu Liang thanked him and then withdrew from the tent.

"Mr. Zishan, please wait."

Liu Liang turned around, and Xi Zhicai strode over: "May I ask, sir, where did you learn those siege blueprints?"

Liu Liang said, "Like you, I am self-taught."

Upon hearing this, Xi Zhicai first shook his head with a wry smile, then nodded, and suddenly asked, "Liu Bei is your adopted son, so why is he the lord, not your father?"

Liu Liang smiled faintly and did not reply.

Xi Zhicai smiled and turned to go back to his tent.