SFS Chapter 1234 When the Crane and the Clam Fight, the Fisherman Benefits
Chapter 1234 When the Crane and the Clam Fight, the Fisherman Benefits
Ma Chao kept Lü Bu in Chang'an for half a month. After a series of hardships and life-or-death experiences, this once ambitious general had quietly lost much of his sharpness. Instead, he developed a strong interest in the martial arts academy set up by Ma Chao and even offered to teach a few classes.
The military academy was filled with young men selected from the orphans of Xiliang soldiers, as well as sons of generals, including Ma Chao's eldest son, Ma Yue. Although Lü Bu was no longer as sharp as he once was, few in the world could rival him in cavalry tactics and battlefield experience. Standing on the high platform of the training ground, his voice booming like a bell, he explained everything from cavalry charge formations to variations in mounted combat. Sometimes he would pick up a wooden pole to demonstrate, sometimes he would point to the sand table to simulate scenarios. The points that ordinary generals couldn't explain became clear to them after just a few words from him.
"Remember this! A cavalry charge isn't just about the horse's speed; it's like a wolf pack hunting—the vanguard tears open an opening, and the flanks pounce like fangs, cutting off their retreat!" He glared at a boy who had misremembered the formation. "Did you feed what I just taught you to the dogs? If you get it wrong again, you'll run ten laps around the training ground!"
The boy blushed, dared not argue, and bowed his head to reply, "Yes." The children below held their breath, even Ma Yue. This prince of Xiliang and commander of the Youlin Army, who used to be quite authoritative in the army, could only lower his head and listen to the reprimand when Lü Bu pointed at his mistakes in the martial arts hall, daring not to be arrogant in the slightest.
These pure teaching experiences actually helped Lü Bu regain some of his confidence. Children are the most straightforward; right is right, and wrong is wrong. They don't fawn over him because of his past reputation, nor do they reject him because he was once an enemy general. Even if they were scolded in class, they would still gather around to ask for advice after class, their sincere calls of "Teacher Lü" gradually helping him to shed the gloom in his heart.
Lu Lingqi gradually relaxed. The little girl was not very shrewd to begin with, and seeing the smile return to her father's face, she completely lost the restraint of being a dependent and returned to her proud and arrogant demeanor. She had been learning martial arts from Lu Bu since she was a child and had remarkable talent. Compared with children of the same age, her physical strength and reaction were in no way inferior. Whether it was archery or horsemanship, she always had to compete with Ma Yue and the others.
"Ma Yue, that arrow missed by half an inch, it doesn't count!" She put her hands on her hips, raised her chin, and said, "Let's play another round!"
Unable to resist her persistent pestering, Ma Yue could only smile wryly and agree. Over time, the children at the military academy all remembered this agile and spirited Miss Lü, and they also grew closer to her seemingly strict but actually protective father.
By the end of June, the summer heat in Chang'an was intensifying. Lü Bu bid farewell to Ma Chao, determined to go to Bingzhou. Ma Chao did not try to stop him, but personally drafted a document to announce to the generals of Xiliang: Lü Bu was appointed General Who Guards the Border and given the post of Prefect of Yanmen, and was to take up his post immediately.
When the news spread, there was some discussion among the Xiliang army, but not much resistance. Most of these generals had followed Ma Chao for many years and were already used to his "meritocracy" style. Even though some had fought against Lü Bu on the battlefield and even suffered losses at his hands, they all accepted it calmly, seeing how much their lord trusted them and considering Lü Bu's skills displayed at the military academy.
On the day of his departure, Ma Chao personally saw him off at the city gate. "I'll leave the area outside Yanmen Pass to you, Marquis Wen," he said, handing over a tiger tally. "I will have provisions and weapons delivered on time, so there's no need to worry."
Lü Bu received the tiger tally, its weight substantial. He mounted his horse, behind him Diao Chan, Lü Lingqi carrying a small bow, and the figures of Chen Gong's family standing out clearly in the morning light. "Your Majesty, please rest assured!" He reined in his horse, turned back, and bowed. "As long as Lü Bu is here, the foreign tribes will not be allowed to advance an inch beyond Yanmen Pass!"
Red Hare neighed and carried them northward. Ma Chao watched the receding figure and suddenly recalled Lü Bu teaching the children to ride horses at the martial arts academy. At that time, Lü Bu had no desire for power in his eyes, only a pure love for martial arts. It was as if he had returned to his youth, that young man riding a horse across the Bingzhou grasslands.
Perhaps, this was the most suitable fate for him. Ma Chao smiled slightly, turned around and returned to the city. The summer breeze of Chang'an fluttered the flags of the Military Academy, where the young men were still training.
The air in Xuchang suddenly became tense after the emperor and Lü Bu fled. The fragile cooperation between Cao Cao and Liu Bei in order to deal with Lü Bu turned into a mirage in the blink of an eye.
When Liu Bei's soldiers returned exhausted after failing to pursue the emperor, they found the city gates closed and the flags on the city walls changed—Cao Cao had taken advantage of their absence to seize Xuchang with overwhelming force. The large "Cao" flag on the city wall fluttered in the wind, exuding an undeniable power.
Zhang Fei reined in his horse at the city walls, staring at the banner, and slammed his spear to the ground in anger: "How dare that traitor Cao Cao! He actually took advantage of our absence to seize Xuchang!"
Zhao Yun frowned and said in a deep voice, "Things have come to this point, arguing is useless. Since Cao Cao dared to occupy the city, he must have been prepared in advance. It seems that from the beginning, he never intended to share Xuchang with our lord."
Upon hearing the news in his camp, Liu Bei's face turned ashen. The Emperor had failed to catch up, and now, how could he willingly surrender Xuchang, which he had so painstakingly conquered? He immediately mustered his troops and arrayed them, confronting Cao Cao across the moat. After several fruitless negotiations, war finally broke out.
The open fields outside the city became a battlefield. Liu Bei had top generals like Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Huang Zhong, and Wen Pin under his command. When they clashed on the battlefield, they could often tear through Cao Cao's defenses. For a time, the battle cries shook the heavens and the Cao Cao infantry were scattered several times. They could only barely hold their ground thanks to the city's fortifications.
However, the outcome of a battle is never solely determined by the bravery of a general. Although Cao Cao was slightly inferior in individual combat, he had the advantage of the fortified city of Xuchang, with a steady supply of provisions and weapons. Furthermore, Guo Jia was stationed with the army, and the lights in the camps were kept burning all night. His strategies were like an invisible net, making it difficult for Liu Bei's army to make any progress.
Just as Zhang Fei broke through the left flank, Guo Jia had already sent Cao Hong to flank and harass the supply lines. Zhao Yun led his troops in a fierce attack on the south gate, but was lured into a pre-set trap, suffering heavy losses of elite soldiers. Although Liu Bei had Pang Tong offering advice, this "Young Phoenix" was new to major battles and ultimately appeared somewhat inexperienced against a seasoned and cunning opponent like Guo Jia—several surprise attack plans were exposed by Guo Jia as soon as they were revealed, resulting in losses for Liu Bei.
The tug-of-war over Xudu has intensified, with both sides fighting with real intensity.
Cao Cao suffered the loss of four generals in quick succession: Yang Fu, while defending the East Gate, was shot through the shoulder by an arrow from Huang Zhong and fell to his death from the city wall; Chunyu Dao led his troops to charge Liu Bei's central army, but encountered Zhao Yun and was killed in just three exchanges; Jiao Bing and Liu Jun attempted a night raid on the Shu camp, but Zhang Fei saw through their plan and they both perished in the chaos. What pained Cao Cao most was the loss of Yue Jin—this fierce general fought Zhang Fei to the death at the South Gate, was struck in the ribs by a spear, breaking his bones and tendons. Although his personal guards risked their lives to save him, he was critically wounded and unlikely to return to battle for some time.
Liu Bei's side was also in trouble. Mi Fang was ambushed by Cao Cao's army while escorting grain supplies and was shot in the left arm with an arrow. Although he survived, he was seriously injured. The newly surrendered Su Fei was brave and volunteered to attack the West Gate Tower, but he was captured by Guo Jia's tripwire and died instead of surrendering.
The bloodstains on the city wall were wiped away and congealed again, and the corpses outside the city were piled up again and again. Cao Cao stood on the city tower, looking at the Yue Jin carried back by his soldiers, his face so gloomy that it could drip water - he did not expect that Liu Bei had so many fierce generals who were not afraid of death. After several hard battles, the losses on his side were several times heavier than expected.
Upon hearing of Su Fei's death and Mi Fang's injury, Liu Bei was filled with regret. The dim candlelight in the tent illuminated his bloodshot eyes. Pang Tong whispered beside him, "My lord, although Cao Cao's army has suffered heavy losses, they are holding their fortified city. Our army's casualties from attacking are too great. If this continues, I fear..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Fei roared from outside the tent: "Strategist, don't boost the enemy's morale! I'll go to the city walls again tomorrow to challenge them, and I'll definitely drag Cao Cao out and chop him up!"
Liu Bei rubbed his temples and waved his hand, saying, "Yide, rest a little longer. Let's rest the troops tonight." He looked towards Xuchang, knowing that this battle was no longer just about retaking the city—both sides were bloodthirsty. If they retreated now, their previous sacrifices would be in vain. But if they continued to fight, a third party would only reap the benefits.
As night deepened, a deathly silence descended upon Xuchang City and its surroundings, broken only by the grating sound of patrolling soldiers' armor scraping together. No one knew how long this ignited war would last.
The moat was stained red, and the corpses on both banks gradually piled up. Liu Bei stood before the camp, gazing at Cao Cao's indistinct figure on the city wall, his heart filled with mixed emotions—was he fighting for a city, or for the emperor who had long since vanished? And could Cao Cao truly achieve his goal after occupying Xuchang?
Within Hebei, Yuan Shao's residence remained peaceful. He had acquired Emperor Liu Xie, a crucial asset, with almost no casualties, a feat achieved without bloodshed compared to the bloody battles in Xuchang.
Yuan Shao was neither a mere warrior like Lü Bu, nor was he like Cao Cao when he first occupied Xuchang, whose foundation was unstable and who needed the emperor's name to establish himself. To him, the emperor was merely an exquisite mascot, kept in the deep palace, kept on a high shelf, requiring neither suspicion nor concern, and could be used from time to time to decorate his image.
Those officials who had followed the emperor from Xuchang, especially those from aristocratic families, had long since lost their former reserve upon seeing Yuan Shao's growing power, and were now vying to curry favor with this overlord of Hebei. In the court, no one dared to speak a word of justice for the emperor anymore; they even had to watch their breath to see Yuan Shao's expression.
Among them, Wang Yun was the most cunning. He survived several political upheavals, demonstrating his deep shrewdness and cunning. Now that he had lost his former reliance on Lü Bu and had not achieved any merit under Yuan Shao, he took a different approach. On the one hand, he praised Yuan Shao's merits in the court, and on the other hand, he secretly coerced the emperor, urging Liu Xie to issue an edict every day to promote Yuan Shao.
"Your Majesty, Yuan Gong has pacified Hebei and subdued the surrounding barbarians. Such achievements far surpass those of Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou in ancient times. He should be granted the Nine Bestowments to commemorate his merits!" Wang Yun knelt before the emperor, his tone seemingly earnest, but his eyes held an undeniable pressure. "The granting of imperial authority, the right to enter the palace with a sword and shoes, and the right to pay homage without naming one's name—these are acts that win the hearts of the people. How can Your Majesty hesitate?"
Liu Xie sat on the dragon throne, his face ashen. He was like a puppet, watching Wang Yun's frantic scheme to "favor" Yuan Shao, utterly powerless to refute him. The court officials either bowed their heads in agreement or watched coldly from the sidelines; not a single person spoke up for him. Finally, under Wang Yun's relentless pressure, he could only tremble as he stamped the imperial edict.
Upon the imperial edict's issuance, Yuan Shao was indeed overjoyed. The bestowal of the Nine Bestowments, the promotion to Grand General, and the supreme command of all the armies in the realm not only satisfied his vanity but also firmly secured his control over Hebei. He was extremely satisfied with Wang Yun's "thoughtful" arrangements, summoning him repeatedly and showering him with rewards, clearly regarding him as a confidant.