Zhu Huan stood in the hall, bowing deeply towards Sun Quan to ask for permission to lead a separate army.
To "lead a separate army" refers to commanding an entire army independently. At that time, it was customary for an expedition with several tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of soldiers to be divided into three separate forces for combat, due to the constraints of command hierarchy and efficiency.
With a force of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands, dividing into three forces for combat is common at that time. If Zhu Huan were to request to lead a separate army, it would be to command at least 30,000 soldiers.
It is evident that Sun Quan heard Zhu Huan's words but remained silent for a while without responding. Zhu Huan, not having heard Sun Quan's reply, also remained bent over and did not rise.
After a moment, Sun Quan softly sighed.
Walking over to Zhu Huan, Sun Quan pulled Zhu Huan's arm and said, "I summoned you, Zhu Xiumu, here precisely because I wanted you to lead one of the forces. With you and Quan Zhiang here, how could I entrust important national affairs to others?"
Quan Cong was originally seated at the table watching Sun Quan and Zhu Huan. With his name being mentioned by the Wu King, Quan Cong had to walk to the hall, stand next to Zhu Huan, and bow with both hands.
Sun Quan made no reply; instead, he took Zhu Huan's arm with his left hand and Quan Cong's with his right, and they walked straight out. The two men dared not lag behind and followed Sun Quan's steps out.
At this time, the Wuchang city was shrouded in clouds from near to far. Sun Quan looked up at the sky and then looked at the two generals on either side: "Xiumu and Zhiang, follow me to the city."
Zhu Huan and Quan Cong exchanged glances, unsure of Sun Quan's intentions. They could only follow orders.
Wu Chang was originally a county, with a perimeter of only a few miles. After Sun Quan made it the capital, the original walls were rebuilt and raised, but their area remained unchanged. The three followed Sun Quan from the Wu Wang Palace and walked to the city's northern gate tower in less than half an hour.
Looking northward from the top of Wuchang City, the Yangtze River meanders eastward with a mighty flow. The thick clouds blurred the distant mountain range on the other side of the river. On the yellowish-gray river, ships traveling east and west were rendered even more insignificant by the might of nature.
Staring at the distant mountains and nearby waters, Sun Quan said, "Xiumu, what rank do you think you would like to achieve in your lifetime?"
Zhu Huan responded, "Whether I can achieve a certain rank depends on Your Majesty granting me the opportunity to serve in that capacity."
Sun Quan said without hesitation, "I see that Zhu Xiumu can be appointed as a state governor! And you, Quan Zhiang, can also become a state governor!"
Standing on the city wall of Wuchang, facing the surging river, Sun Quan's words were almost tantamount to a promise.
Listening on the side, Quan Cong began to think.
What a clever mind Quan Cong possessed? With Sun Quan and Zhu Huan's words in mind, Quan Cong had no more hesitation. He took a step back, bowed down and said: "I am willing to assist the king to achieve the supreme status. From now on, I will serve at your feet, riding horses or horses until death do I part!"
Zhu Huan was merely straightforward. Seeing Quan Cong set an example, he quickly bowed down as well: "Your Supreme Honor! I am willing to die for Your Supreme Honor!"
Looking at the bowed figures of the two, Sun Quan turned his head and looked at the distant river. On the city's rooftop, it seemed that the two stood a bit more erect.
Among the military officials in Jiangdong, there were those like Zhu Ran and Zhang Fei who were loyal and willing to commit themselves. There were also those like Zhu Huan and Quan Cong who were enthusiastic about establishing achievements. Additionally, there was Lu Xun who did not wish for grand battles but only wanted to maintain stability.
Zhu Huan, as a general, is brave in offensive campaigns, and Quan Cong is steady and experienced in command. However, neither of them possesses the ability to command an army of a hundred thousand in complex battle situations. They are talents for military leadership rather than for overall command.
Sun Quan himself also knows this very well.
In the entire Eastern Wu, only Lu Sun (also known as Luo Yin or "Land of Shao"), could command an army of a hundred thousand with ease and secure victories.
But Lu Sun leans towards a strategy of relative security and does not wish to pursue aggressive expansion.
This is also why Sun Quan summoned Zhu Huan and Quan Cong to Wuchang before the arrival of Lu Sun.
This was Sun Quan's well-prearranged strategy: to have Lu Sun as the commander, leading an army of a hundred thousand; Zhu Huan and Quan Cong on the left and right wings, respectively; with Sun Quan sitting at the center of Lu Sun's troops, this was the strategy he had already set in his mind.
However, the title used for Quan Cong momentarily took Sun Quan's mind off his train of thought.
"Your Supremeness... My father and brother's achievements have been passed down to me for twenty-six years. When will I be able to achieve the status of Your Supremeness?"
…
Although the war between two countries should be viewed from a high vantage point, the actual battlefield must be approached with attention to detail.
At this time, Zhou Can from Wu has already gathered troops in Poyang and prepared to march north towards Liukou across the river from Yan City.
On the other side, the Wei forces camped near Shouchun, with temporary fortifications built along the piers on both sides of the Huai River, stretching for fifty li. This did not even account for the foreign troops already stationed in fixed barracks beside Shouchun.
Among the various forces stationed near Shouchun, only the troops led by Yu Province Governor Jia Kuai were currently assigned to combat duty.
The army set out, clearing paths through mountains and building bridges over water. Who says that constructing fortifications and setting up camps is not a combat mission?
Jia Kuai, who was sent out by Cao Huo, had nothing to say about it himself.
Jia Kuai led his 10,000 troops south from Shouchun, crossing Shu County along the Shaobi River and then splitting the forces.
Four thousand of them directly headed south to Wancheng, increasing the defending troops from only a thousand to five thousand, and they repaired the city defenses and stored military supplies such as wood.
Jia Kuai personally led 6,000 troops, with 2,000 working on fortifications at the north and south passes of Jiashi, and he personally leading 4,000 to build a camp at Wuqiang Pass.
All of these are essential places for the main army to pass through when heading south.
In brief, from Shouchun heading south to Wancheng, it is necessary to pass through the strategic locations of Jiashi and Wuqiang Passes south of Shu City.
Jiashi lies to the west, as its name suggests, it is a valley sandwiched between two mountains, running north-south, and its geographical position is very crucial.
Wuqiang Pass is to the east. Just like the Wancheng Pass and Ruxu Pass, Wuqiang Pass is naturally related to water. It is surrounded by mountains to the west and lakes and swamps to the east, with one side being mountainous and the other aquatic, making its geographical position equally dangerous.
The order to have Cao Xiu send troops to build fortifications and encampments at Jiashi and Wuqiang Pass was issued by the emperor before he set out from Luoyang.
Jia Kuai had just arrived in Yu Province from Yu Province, so he could handle these laborious tasks.
Jia Kuai actually felt rather puzzled about the order to build fortifications in advance. But after leading his 10,000 troops here himself, he instantly understood the correctness of the emperor's decree.
Jiashi and Wuqiang Pass are really too important!
If Wei can block Jiashi and Wuqiang Pass, countless Wu soldiers will not be able to pass through here to head north towards Huaihe and Chao Lake.
Conversely, if Wu troops occupy these two strategic locations, even ten thousand troops south of the border may be blocked between Wancheng and here.
Jia Kuai knew that Cao Huo was making it difficult for him, but after personally inspecting the terrain here, he settled down and worked hard to build fortifications. According to the emperor's orders, eight large camps with a capacity of ten thousand people each were to be built near Wuqiang Pass.
With winter and low water levels, Jia Kuai ordered people to build earthen embankments at Wuqiang Pass, dig ditches behind them, and add wooden fences and thorn bushes on the outside. With eight large camps stretching for dozens of miles, there were not enough men under Jia Kuai's command, so they had to build one camp after another.
As Jia Kuai was sitting in his tent, his personal troops entered the tent to deliver a message: they had caught a person during patrol near Jiashi Pass, who claimed to be a messenger for Zhou Can.
Jia Kuai stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before saying, "Did the person bring any official documents?"
The personal soldier replied, "Your Honor, the man did indeed have documents. Should I bring him in?"
Jia Kuai nodded and then bent down to read a book.
After a while, two personal soldiers led the "messenger of Zhou Can" to Jia Kuai's tent, one on either side.
Jia Kuai did not believe that Zhou Can had tricked his surrender. According to Jia Kuai's original thinking, the emperor and Cao Xiu were being deceived by Zhou Can. The emperor, newly enthroned, needed prestige, and Cao Xiu, newly appointed as the Grand Marshal, needed achievements. After a meeting of minds, they believed Zhou Can's words.
Jia Kuai, now in his fifties, had not met the current emperor Cao Rui. Deep down, Jia Kuai held a slight disdain for him. Emperor Wu Cao Cao and Emperor Wen Cao Pi had multiple failed expeditions against Wu, yet a twenty-something-year-old emperor who had been in power for less than half a year was now planning to launch an attack on Wu? And he believed Zhou Can's surrender?
Jia Kuai looked up from behind his desk, coldly gazing at the messenger.
Jia Kuai asked, "Are you relatives of Zhou Can? How did you have the audacity to deceive the Grand Marshal?"
The person sandwiched between two soldiers was Shao Nan. Earlier, he and Dong Shen had snuck to Wancheng, but were discovered by the garrison and sent to Shouchun. At that time, he had already been frightened by Cao Huo at the Grand Marshal's mansion.
Dong Can was kept in Shouchun, while Shao Nan was sent back to send a reply to Zhou Can.
Who could have imagined that the Jiashi Pass, which had been passed through twice without incident, would now be fortified and patrolled by Wei troops?
Shao Nan secretly groaned in his heart at this moment, but on the way to being captured, he had already learned that the man was Yu Province Governor Jia Kuai. Faced with a governor, Shao Nan's fear was no less than when facing Cao Huo.
Shao Nan knelt down and extended his hands from his chest to hold out the document: "Your Honor, this is a document from our governor. The fact that our governor has surrendered to the Wei is indeed true. Please take a look at this document."
The personal soldier took the document that Shao Nan was holding in his hand and walked a few steps to hand it to Jia Kuai.
Jia Kuai glanced at the wax seal on the document and the five characters "Personal Opening by the Grand Marshal," then handed the letter back to the personal soldier.
The personal soldier was immediately at a loss, looking at his own governor and then at Shao Nan, who was kneeling on the ground, not knowing what to do.
Jia Kuai, upon seeing this, coughed lightly: "Give the letter back to him. I won't read it. Take him outside to wait."
The personal soldier dragged Shao Nan out, kneeling on the ground, without giving him even a chance to speak or stand up.
Jia Kuai, on the other hand, picked up the pen and began writing a letter to the emperor.
Jia Kuai wrote very fast, completing the letter to the emperor in less than fifteen minutes. He ordered ten cavalrymen to escort Shao Nan to Shouchun and hand over his letter to the emperor.
After finishing these tasks, Jia Kuai walked out of the tent with his hands behind his back. The surroundings had become a massive construction site, with 4,000 people divided into different trades: some cutting wood, some digging earth, some building fortifications, and some transporting materials, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
Of course, not all 4,000 people were working at once. Jia Kuai left 500 people in armor and armed, stationed in the north and south to maintain order and serve as a rotation for rest.
Jia Kuai walked through the camp with several personal soldiers, his hands behind his back, inspecting the progress of the construction. On the other side, he was thinking about the upcoming war.
The content of the letter Jia Kuai sent to the emperor, excluding the greetings to the emperor and the superfluous words of praise and blessings, can be summarized into the following three points.
The first point is that Zhou Can may not be trustworthy, with a high likelihood of surrendering under the guise of doing so. Please Your Majesty to keep this in mind when deploying troops.
The second point is that Jia Kuai described the geographical positions of Jiashi and Wuqiang Passes, expressing his opinion that the decision made by Your Majesty and the court to build fortifications in these areas is very wise.
The third point describes the terrain south of Jiashi and Wuqiang Passes. In Jia Kuai's words, the road to the right is mountainous, and to the left are lakes and swamps, making it easy to advance but difficult to retreat. He hopes Your Majesty will send more troops to join him in building camps. It would be best to construct more camps along the route for logistical support and for the army.
Jia Kuai did not say any words that were disheartening or against going to war. The emperor has already conducted a tour of the south, and tens of thousands of troops are in the area around Shouchun. This trend is one that Jia Kuai cannot reverse by himself.
Since there is no power to change, it's better to do what we can.
While Jia Kuai was walking and pondering, a series of urgent horse hooves seemed to come from the east side of the camp.
There are a total of 4,000 soldiers under Jia Kuai's command, with 3,500 workers building fortifications and 200 foot soldiers in arrays on the northeast and southwest sides. At a distance of one mile to the east, there are 100 archers hidden among the short mountains that are no higher than twenty feet.
Jia Kuai turned and looked, a cavalryman galloping into the camp, dismounting and kneeling to report to Jia Kuai: "Your Honor, the archers on the mountain have discovered that there is a group of Wu troops advancing westward from the east. The number of troops is about one hundred."
Jia Kuai slightly narrowed his eyes, then said to the personal soldier beside him, "Go and tell Chen Hu about this. Tell him to hold his position. I will go up to the archers on the low mountain myself, and we will discuss moving troops when I get there."
Chen Hu is a capable subordinate under Jia Kuai's command. At this time, most of Jia Kuai's army is busy constructing camps and fortifications, with Chen Hu responsible for defense in the 200 people stationed on the north side.
The personal soldier received the command and immediately rode off. Jia Kuai also mounted his horse and followed the scout who reported earlier to go eastward to the low mountain. The east side of the hill was steep while the west side was gentle, allowing Jia Kuai to directly ride up the hill, or in other words, up to this small mountain.
Fifteen minutes later, Jia Kuai was gazing at the Wu troops from the mountain to the east.
This group of Wu troops appeared strange. They were not directly heading west, but rather appeared to be searching for a way. They were about several miles away from the small mountain where Jia Kuai was located.
The leader of the hundred men under command, standing guard on the mountain, asked Jia Kuai: "Your Honor, should we prepare ourselves?"
Jia Kuai shook his head: "Several miles away, can you shoot at them from here? The enemy army is about a hundred men, and they should not have discovered us yet. Wait a bit longer."
The hundred men leader naturally followed orders. If it weren't for his deployment here, he would usually never get to see Jia Kuai in person. Today, to be able to talk with Jia Kuai on official business was already worth boasting about among others.
From Jia Kuai's perspective, not only did the appearance of these Wu troops in this location seem strange, but the entire upcoming battle itself also seemed perplexing.
Zhou Can surrendered for a mere excuse, and the court and Grand Marshal Cao Huo believed him immediately, then assembled a hundred thousand troops to head south.
Jia Kuai was somewhat confused at this point.
Even the hundred thousand troops stationed in Shouchun, there were probably not more than a handful who were clear about the intention of this battle.
However, there is no need to worry. In a few days, the emperor will arrive in Shouchun.
(Chapter completed)
