Chasing the Thousand-Li Horse, the Azure Dragon Emerges
“Stop, stop! Our husband is finally standing!”
“Watch your words. You’ll cause misunderstandings.”
After my injuries, I could finally rise and walk. Of course, I still needed support, and every step sent sharp pains through my body like rusted gears grinding together. Still, I could move.
“I’ll help you.”
“No need. I have to do this myself…”
As I tried to leave the bed, Lu Ming immediately stepped outside. She returned with a walking stick and handed it to me. Impressed, I took it and headed out with her. Outside the government office, soldiers moved about in a flurry.
“Ah, Zhonglangjiang!”
“Zhonglangjiang, you’ve come out!”
Several officers who had been directing the troops spotted me and saluted with visible relief. I waved them off and made my way toward the military camp. As Lu Ming followed close beside me, I felt envious glances from the surrounding men.
‘Her hair color is unusual, but she’s stunning!’
‘Did he bring his wife to the battlefield?’
‘That’s Lu Bu’s daughter. The Zhonglangjiang took her as a concubine himself.’
Whispers of admiration for Lu Ming’s beauty and identity followed us. She seemed to enjoy the attention, pressing even closer against my side and whispering.
“They all say they envy you. Don’t you agree?”
“Of course.”
She clung to me even more affectionately, making my ribs ache.
“Oh! Zhonglangjiang! You’ve arrived!”
“Dian Wei!”
Dian Wei rushed over with his massive frame and bowed respectfully.
“It’s good to see you up again. And your wife as well…”
“I regret bringing her to the battlefield.”
“Not at all. After such severe wounds, it’s only natural you’d need someone to care for you.”
As I moved toward the camp with the stick, Dian Wei personally supported me and guided the way.
“What’s the situation?”
“Two days ago during the attack, Song Xian fell to the enemy commander Yan Liang.”
“Ah…”
Wei Xu had died from arrows during the northern gate ambush, and now Song Xian had perished fighting Yan Liang. Just then, a familiar voice called out.
“Well, well. If it isn’t the Wu Army Zhonglangjiang, already returning to duty!”
“Zhang Liao!”
Zhang Liao approached and greeted me as well. When his eyes fell on Lu Ming beside me, he hesitated.
“Uncle Wenyuan, it’s been a while.”
“Ah, yes… well…”
The reunion between Lu Bu’s daughter and his former subordinate was painfully awkward. As we walked through the camp together, I asked Zhang Liao,
“Is Yan Liang still as formidable as ever?”
“The bastard has Baima surrounded and is pressing the attack. If it were up to me, I’d go cut him down myself…”
Both Dian Wei and Zhang Liao gritted their teeth at the mention of Yan Liang. I felt the same. This battle needed a sacrificial victory, and Yan Liang would be it.
“By the way, how did you manage to bring Lord Yunchang all the way here? Your abilities never cease to impress, Zayul.”
“That bearded fellow may be arrogant, but his skill is the real deal. If we met as enemies, I could fight him all day!”
Both Zhang Liao and Dian Wei acknowledged Guan Yu’s prowess. Meanwhile, Guan Yu was in the main camp conversing with Cao Cao’s forces, with a cavalry unit waiting nearby.
“Yunchang, in the first battle I pushed Zayul too far forward and lost a great number of elite cavalry. We’ve hastily reorganized, but the current cavalry’s quality is… somewhat lacking.”
“No need to worry. When this Guan Yunchang leads from the front, even conscripted farmers from some village become elite warriors worth a hundred men each.”
“Yunchang, the enemy numbers over forty thousand. Our elite cavalry has been wiped out, our numbers are few, and their commander is Yan Liang.”
Guan Yu surveyed Yuan Shao’s vast encampment with fierce eyes, scanning the troops. When he spotted the distant command banner, he smirked and said to Cao Cao,
“Yan Liang? That man looks like he’s trying to sell his own head at the butcher’s instead of a pig’s. He’s practically waving his banner and begging to be killed.”
“Yunchang, you’re not thinking of charging straight for that banner, are you? There are forty thousand of them—forty thousand! We can only field three thousand cavalry.”
“Uncle!”
As I approached during their conversation, Cao Cao spotted me and hurried over.
“Zayul! You’ve finally returned!”
“A defeated general who suffered a crushing first battle.”
“Nonsense! Come, let’s go to the camp at once.”
Cao Cao led me into the military camp. Lu Ming spotted Guan Yu again but deliberately avoided him. Guan Yu, for his part, focused solely on Yan Liang’s main force outside the walls and paid her no mind.
Back at camp, the other advisors and generals expressed concern over my injuries and welcomed my return.
“What’s the current situation? I heard only Yan Liang remains here.”
Xun You answered.
“After the first battle, Yuan Shao left Yan Liang as commander here and redeployed his other generals. Wen Chou has moved to the second crossing at Yanjin, Yuan Shao’s son Yuan Xi returned to the main army, and Xun Yuqing went back to handle the next supply convoy.”
Four men had come to capture me, yet only Yan Liang remained while the others returned to their posts. Their initial strategy had clearly been to strike hard and fast at the enemy’s vanguard and forward commanders. In a way, it had succeeded—yet in another, it had only half-succeeded.
“Lord Gongda, I’ve thought of a tactic for when Lord Yunchang takes the field. I’d like you to hear it and offer improvements.”
“With your current condition?”
“My body hurts, but my mind is sharp. If I can’t ride and fight as a general, I can at least sit and move pieces on the board to aid the army.”
Cao Cao nodded with genuine admiration.
“Zayul, you truly are a general sent to me by heaven. Even in this state, your thoughts remain on the war?”
“I realized it while my wife was nursing me. No matter what happens, we must win.”
Lu Ming waited outside the strategy tent. By now, rumors had spread through camp that she was Lu Bu’s daughter and my wife, so no one dared approach her improperly.
Thus, I pointed to Baima Fortress on the map and laid out my plan.
“We need to station troops at the eastern and western gates and send out commanders to draw the enemy into a war of attrition.”
“Lord Guan will move from the northern gate, yet you want the same at the eastern and western gates as well?”
When Xun You questioned me, I explained while recalling the camp I had seen.
“Yuan Shao’s army numbers over forty thousand. Since Yan Liang remains to guard the Yellow River crossing, we must sally from the eastern and western gates to harass and wear them down until Yan Liang grows unsettled.”
“We’re already defending Baima with a small force against superior numbers. Now you want us to go outside the walls and lure the enemy in two directions?”
“The moment we do, Lord Guan will strike their main camp and take Yan Liang.”
Xun You stared at the map for a long moment before turning to me.
“Zhonglangjiang.”
“Yes.”
“You were badly injured trying to attack a superior force with too few men.”
“Ahem…”
“Ah, my apologies, my lord.”
“No, it’s the truth.”
Xun You looked troubled, then asked again.
“If we fail to capture their commander this time, a war of attrition will mean nothing. Their numbers will decrease, but so will ours.”
It was an absurd notion—defending troops sallying out to strike a larger force. His concern was natural. Still, I insisted.
“But it can be done.”
“You place too much faith in Lord Guan?”
“Him, yes—but the other generals as well. Even with fewer numbers, they’ll fight bravely and claim many enemy lives.”
“Hmm…”
Xun You remained unconvinced, but Dian Wei, Xu Chu, Xu Huang, and Zhang Liao all expressed confidence that they could repel the enemy at any time. Xu Huang stepped forward first.
“I agree with the Zhonglangjiang’s plan.”
“General Xu!”
“After losing our elites in the first battle through misfortune, we’ve only been defending. Morale has already dropped. With so many enemies surrounding us, the men’s anxiety grows. At times like this, the generals must take the risk and show the troops once what it looks like to charge out and crush the enemy with courage.”
Xu Huang had said exactly what I wanted to convey. When fear of the enemy grew too great under siege and morale plummeted, someone had to lead a bold sally and prove that “they may outnumber us, but they’re nothing special.”
“My lord, I’ll go! If that Guan Yunchang fellow is going after Yan Liang himself, there’s no reason I can’t do the same.”
“Heh, Dian Wei!”
“I’ll go as well! This Zhang Liao once led cavalry in a frontal breakthrough against tens of thousands of Xiongnu alongside the Wu Army Zhonglangjiang and shattered their vanguard!”
“Chancellor, forgive my rudeness, but please allow me to join the battle. I’ll strike the enemy once and accomplish twice the mission.”
Dian Wei, Zhang Liao, and Xu Chu all burned with fighting spirit. Even Cao Cao knew that at least once, we needed to create a striking image of our forces boldly crushing the enemy.
“Very well. It shall be done.”
Cao Cao made his decision. From that moment on, I set aside my body and used my mind, working with Xun You to plan the ambush formations. My role as military advisor had begun.