Schemes
Jin Cheong looked at the drawing Fei Yi had made and let out a sigh of admiration. There was a throwing axe drawn there.
It was a short-handled axe, but unlike the axes I've seen before, it had a curved blade. Like a curved sword.
“So, you're saying you want to make this weapon? Is this what you had in mind, General Jin?”
“...Um, yes. I did have it in mind.”
As I lay in the carriage, thinking about this and that, what came to mind was this axe. It wasn't something I invented myself; I pulled it from historical knowledge in my memory.
While explaining it to Fei Yi and asking him to draw it, as a capable scholar, he beautifully depicted the axe in my mind.
“Then, what should this axe be called?”
“Fr... um, for now, it can be called a throwing axe.”
“Ah. A weapon for throwing attacks.”
The name of this axe is Francisca. It's a throwing axe that the French army will use in the future, hundreds of years from now. It's also called Francisca.
There's a theory that the name of modern France comes from this axe, but it's not confirmed.
Similar to a regular hand axe, but it has the feature of using the curved blade to add rotational force and range. It reminds me of a tomahawk.
“Yes. If we line up and throw them all at once when facing the enemy, it could be quite threatening. Of course, it can also be used in close combat.”
As a throwing weapon, it can attack enemies who are away. I'm planning tactics like dealing preemptive strikes at medium range and then closing in for melee.
If multiple hand axes fly in rotating, the enemy would also feel visual terror.
It will take time to produce the weapons and train the soldiers to use them in battle, but if used properly in group battles, it might be quite good.
It's complicated like the Yuanrong Crossbow that Zhuge Liang is making, but we can make something like this. Of course, I won't be making it myself, but the blacksmith.
“Then, I'll have the blacksmiths make this later. However, it will be difficult for now. There are many things to make right now since it's wartime.”
“Yes. There's no rush, so you can take your time. Thank you for helping.”
“You're too kind. That aside, shall we play a game of Go?”
With that, Fei Yi brought out the Go board and sat in front of me.
While resting in Xinye City, I often talked with Fei Yi and sometimes played a game or two of Go. I shouldn't move too much, but I could move the Go pieces a bit.
Currently, Yu Eun is commanding the soldiers in Xinye City, and Ma Su is helping with various affairs.
However, I have been holed up in my quarters and haven't come out much.
Yu Eun and Ma Su are both busy, so it's hard to see their faces, but the kind-hearted and cheerful Fei Yi visits often, and we talk and play together.
Fei Yi has the enviable ability to handle all sorts of work while eating and playing, so the time I spend with him is quite long. To me, who has almost nothing to do now, he is very welcome.
Click. Click.
The black and white stones collided on the square Go board, making a pleasant sound.
I only know the basic rules of Go, so if the Go fanatic Fei Yi plays seriously, I won't be able to avoid a crushing defeat.
However, he has no intention of winning against me; he just plays comfortably while enjoying it. According to him, the sound of placing the Go stones calms the mind.
While playing Go like this, Fei Yi is probably thinking about how to handle official duties in his head. His work speed is so fast.
In fact, the two of us are more about exchanging stories and casually touching the Go stones than playing Go. His eloquence makes it so there's never a dull moment when we're together.
Hmm. While fiddling with the Go stones, another thought comes to mind.
How about trying to use the abacus?
The abacus was introduced to China around the Ming Dynasty, but it wouldn't hurt to use it earlier, right?
While treating my wounds in Xinye City and pondering various things, I received several pieces of news. Mostly from the Northern Expedition army.
“General Ma Chao has launched a fierce attack as the vanguard.”
“It is said that there are movements for our army to cooperate in the regions of Tianshui, Nanyang, etc.”
“General Guo Jun is blocking Zhang He at Jieting.”
“General Yu Yan has occupied Shanggui and driven out Guo Wei.”
All of them are stories that the Northern Expedition is proceeding smoothly. If this continues, the success of the Northern Expedition might not be a dream. I briefly fell into happy fantasies.
However, the next news that came in stirred a small ripple in that happy fantasy.
What Yu Eun conveyed was as follows.
“Lord Sun Quan has once again raised an army, saying he will break Hefei again.”
“What? Sun Quan?”
Fei Yi and I looked at each other with puzzled expressions.
“Fei Yi. Didn't Sun Quan retreat after being defeated?”
“Yes. I heard he retreated to Dongwu after being defeated by Man Chong. Although Sun Quan didn't officially announce it, it's our conclusion after combining rumors and information. According to scouts' reports, the entire army crossed the river and returned.”
When I asked Yu Eun if it was true, he replied:
“Lord Sun Quan is reorganizing the army and moving towards Hefei, so he has requested that we continue pressing on the Nanyang side. This time, instead of attacking hastily, he will move by carefully setting up positions. Since he has decided to form a two-front line, he says now is the opportunity to expand our territory as much as possible.”
Of course, Zhang Fei is continuing to press from the north. And if Sun Quan spreads out his front again, it would be good for us.
“Where did you hear this news?”
“Lord Ma (Ma Su) received the envoy from Wu. He asked me to deliver this letter to the General as well.”
I took the letter from Yu Eun and read it. It was indeed a letter with the seal of the King of Wu, Sun Quan.
And there, it was written that he would reorganize the army and advance to Hefei. And one notable thing was:
“Fei Yi. Here, it says that Lu Xun and Ding Feng are to be reorganized into the Northern Expedition army and will set out.”
“The two of them?”
Lu Xun and Ding Feng are top talents even in Wu, but I heard they had retreated to the rear after the failure in the Jingzhou campaign.
If we recall those who were demoted for a short time, is it really to properly fight another round?
“Fei Yi. Does Sun Quan have the ability to send troops again now?”
Fei Yi stroked his chin and said.
“Um. Dongwu is not a small land, so it's not impossible if he sets his mind to it. The soldiers who went out aren't all dead. And if Lu Xun commands, it might be different from before.”
Gathering people and materials, it's not impossible to send troops again. And since we are still spreading our front, for Sun Quan it's an opportunity to take Wei land.
But what? This unease.
“First, I should inform General Zhang Fei of this news, and I will have to watch the movements of Wu cautiously.”
I instructed Yu Eun to send scouts to Wu to carefully observe their movements.
“Ah, and one more thing. Prepare fast messengers. And send them to Xu Shu in Jiangling to find out if he knows anything about Wu.”
“Yes. Understood.”
It's possible that Xu Shu in Jiangling knows something. If Wu launches a surprise attack, it's likely to come from that direction.
A while later, information came that the movements of the Wu army were detected.
“The Wu's Lu Xun and Ding Feng and others are leading the army and advancing towards Hefei.”
“Really?”
“The information that the two of them are leading troops across the Yangtze River and moving north is accurate.”
“So, what about the scale?”
“It seems to be more than several thousand.”
It's not a small scale. And since Lu Xun is holding the command staff, it won't be easy to defeat them.
It would be good if we could just press Hefei without doing anything else.
“Has there been no news from Xu Shu, the military advisor in Jiangling?”
“No. Not yet.”
I instructed Yu Eun to continue monitoring the situation of Wu and waited for contact from Xu Shu.
What are the schemes of Wu?
Around that time, in Jiangling.
Xu Shu was meeting an unexpected guest.
He cautiously introduced himself as a person who had come from Wu, attempting secret contact with Xu Shu.
His appearance of coming alone and carefully handing over a letter was not that of an officially dispatched envoy. No matter how you look at it, he looked like a spy or something similar with some purpose.
“I have brought a letter from your lord, Lord Fang.”
“Lord Fang? I heard he is a high official in Wu.”
“Yes. Lord Fang has a secret message to deliver to you, Xu Shu. Please read this.”
He took out a letter quietly from his bosom and handed it to Xu Shu.
There was an unexpected content written there.
The letter announces the reorganization of the army and advance to Hefei.
Details: Reorganizing the army to break Hefei again, with Lu Xun and Ding Feng reorganized into the Northern Expedition army and set to depart.