The Battle of Zhaoyang

Our rapid advance was unstoppable. It took only a few days to reach Zhuyang County in Nanyang Commandery in a straight line without any hindrance.

Wang Ping headed to Yinxian further north. This was partly because he was struggling to keep up with the marching speed due to his relatively lacking cavalry force, and partly because he intended to circle around and attempt to cut off Wancheng.

Just as we were about to reach Yanxing, scouts who had been sent out widely brought back information that Xu Huang had left Wan and was moving south.

“Xinye Castle?”

The report was that Xu Huang was passing through Xinye Castle.

It’s an ironic story. Xinye was where Liu Biao had stationed Liu Bei as a breakwater against Cao Cao when Liu Bei was seeking refuge with Liu Biao.

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhuge Liang has his brilliant debut at a place called Bowang Slope near Xinye, but in reality, Bowang Slope didn’t exist in the first place, and it wasn’t Zhuge Liang but Liu Bei himself who fought against Xiahou Dun.

Even so, from my perspective having enjoyed both the historical records and the novel, Xinye Castle couldn’t help but be a memorable place.

“If it’s Xinye Castle, they’ll go down to Fancheng through Zhaoyang County.”

“Zhaoyang County…”

Although Xinye Castle is closer to Zhaoyang County in terms of distance, unlike us who have mostly elite soldiers and many cavalry, Xu Huang’s army is mostly composed of new recruits.

If we increase our speed, we’ll probably arrive around the same time.

“Tell the General Who Pacifies the North. While the main force attacks Xu Huang, he should block Zhen Yi’s following troops. And if Zhen Yi doesn’t come out of Wancheng, he can move autonomously based on the situation.”

Wang Ping has a sense for grasping the flow of the battlefield. Although the possibility is extremely low, if Zhen Yi just stays put, he’ll choose the best option, whether it’s capturing Xinye Castle on his own or striking Xu Huang from behind.

Our army passed through Yanxing and drove straight to Zhaoyang County. Between Xu Huang and me, it was Xu Huang who first set foot in Zhaoyang County.

It’s a natural result, considering that the commander is Xu Huang and the distance was much closer, even though they’re new recruits and not properly disciplined.

However, as there wasn’t much time difference until our arrival, Xu Huang knew we were approaching but couldn’t properly construct defensive lines like palisades or abatis.

“Still, the military discipline is better than expected.”

As Gou Bo evaluated, Xu Huang had formed a camp with soldiers who weren’t even elite troops. Although the framework was a bit sloppy, the fact that it had taken shape showed Xu Huang’s ability.

“They’re still just rabble. It’s obvious they’ll scatter in confusion if we sweep through with cavalry.”

Ma Dai, whose confidence seemed proportional to the number of cavalry, spoke with a sneer.

Is it because he’s from Xiliang? Ma Dai had a somewhat cavalry-supremacist personality.

“The numbers seem about even with our army. They probably have more energy in reserve, but they’re no match for the Luanling Army.”

Ma Dai wasn’t the only one showing confidence. Yu Ye also displayed pride in the Luanling Army, predicting victory by saying they wouldn’t lose to anyone with equal numbers.

I don’t think we’ll lose either. How have I nurtured the Luanling Army? Even if we’re a bit tired from marching, we won’t lose to mere new recruits.

However, I verbally ordered vigilance.

“Don’t let your guard down. The enemy commander is Xu Huang. He will attack.”

From Xu Huang’s position, with the overall quality of his soldiers being inferior, this is his only chance. He won’t miss the opportunity when we’re even a little more tired.

“Xiaoying will take charge of the center, and Baizhan will command the left wing.”

Ma Chong is responsible for the right wing.

It was just as the generals were moving to their positions that Xu Huang showed movement.

“Here they come. All troops, prepare for engagement.”

Xu Huang is both a wise general and a brave warrior. He’s truly one of Wei’s best generals, combining wisdom and courage.

Even if Guan Yu’s soldiers were tired, his fierce might that broke through ten layers of defense lines is absolutely not to be underestimated.

However, I’m certain that Xu Huang is wrong this time. Xu Huang must have undertaken this attack believing he had a chance of victory, but in my view, it’s too reckless a move.

No, the premise was wrong from the start.

“He shouldn’t have come out in the first place.”

Even if he received criticism from Cao Cao, even at the risk of losing Fancheng, he should have bided his time now.

Of course, Xu Huang probably didn’t intend to engage in a full-scale battle like this. He likely intended to just probe and then withdraw to look for an opportunity.

His mistake was that he didn’t expect me to come this quickly.

Now that we’ve come this far, it’s too late to retreat. Retreating in front of the enemy is not only extremely difficult, but the loss in case of failure is severe.

That’s why Xu Huang chose to advance instead of retreating. If he could push back the enemy just once, he could retreat more safely.

And we will show him with results.

How careless a gamble that was.

§

Xu Huang steeled himself as he looked at Liu Bei’s army before him. This place might become his grave.

‘I knew the stirrups were dangerous, but I didn’t expect them to come this quickly… Did they already factor in the flood?’

They couldn’t have come this quickly and accurately otherwise. Wei was also aware that Liu Bei had given Zhang Ran the battle-axe.

Even so, it doesn’t make sense unless they were preparing for this moment in advance, to have rushed out of Shangyong simultaneously with the Han River overflowing as they entered the rainy season. Or did heaven truly bestow heavenly fortune to raise their hand?

Either way, it was a bleak reality for Xu Huang.

However, when had he ever fought considering the favorability of the situation? If it’s unfavorable, he just needs to find a way to victory despite the unfavorability. In Xu Huang’s view, the only way leading to victory was to advance.

Sometimes, one can only find a way to live by throwing oneself into a deadly situation. And Xu Huang judged that now was precisely that time.

‘The enemy arrived faster than expected. They must be tired. This is the only opportune moment.’

Xu Huang was clearly self-aware. The new recruits he was leading barely had any real combat experience, while the enemy was battle-hardened. To make matters worse, the enemy had many cavalry.

An orderly retreat is difficult even for elite troops. If he ordered a retreat for these new recruits, the military discipline would completely collapse and they would become mere food for the enemy cavalry. Rather than that, it’s better to fight desperately to push back the enemy once and then join up with the following reinforcements.

Having made this judgment, Xu Huang boldly ordered an advance.

But once the battle started, the Wei army focused entirely on defense, coming out so defensively that it seemed as if Liu Bei’s army had initiated the fight.

This was entirely as Xu Huang had intended.

“Maintain the formation! I’ll personally cut down anyone who disrupts the defensive formation!!”

Xu Huang believed this battle was worth trying.

The qualitative issue with the soldiers was certainly a serious weakness, but the quality of the officer corps was completely opposite to that of the soldiers.

Led by Zhao Yan, who would later rise to the position of Minister of Works, along with Zhou Ling, who had entered Xu Huang’s service after Xiahou Yuan’s death and was comparable to Xu Huang himself, and veteran generals like Lu Zhao and Feng Hai who had built up experience alongside Zhou Ling.

Xu Huang had personally experienced the skills of Zhang Ran, who had played an active role in the battle for Hanzhong, and her Eight Wings who followed her, as he had participated in the battle himself, but the Wei generals accompanying him were by no means inferior to them.

The leadership and command abilities of these skilled generals were more than enough to make up for the deficiencies of the soldiers.

Right after the clash between the soldiers occurred, although the Wei army’s camp shook once, it quickly succeeded in regrouping under the commanders’ leadership, maintaining the defensive formation and facing the enemy.

‘If we continue like this, we can win.’

Xu Huang thought as he immediately rushed to wherever a dangerous situation arose and personally blocked it.

What the Wei army had a clear advantage over the enemy was in numbers. Xu Huang’s strategy was to maximize this advantage.

The Liu Bei army surrounding them in their defensive formation inevitably had to expose more personnel to the front than the Wei army. While allowing Liu Bei’s army to attack freely, the Wei army would conserve energy by maintaining their defensive formation and rotating their battle lines, inducing a prolonged battle.

If that happens, gaps would appear in Liu Bei’s army, which would have consumed energy even before the battle began.

If they could then explode all the power they had been conserving and break through…

‘There’s a chance of victory.’

However, Xu Huang’s plan soon went greatly awry.

§

“Is he aiming for a prolonged battle?”

Observing the battle situation, I could roughly guess Xu Huang’s intentions.

Advancing first but then focusing only on defense. It’s like crouching to make a leap. Whether he underestimated us too much because of the new recruits, the Wei army was holding out quite solidly.

“The level of the enemy commanders is not to be taken lightly.”

While Ma Dai, Yu Ye, Ma Chong, and Zhang Yi were unleashing wave after wave of attacks, at the center of the Wei army maintaining their defensive formation as if they might or might not collapse was undoubtedly Xu Huang, but the performance of his lieutenants was also considerable.

Indeed, there was a reason why he had achieved victory against Guan Yu in the original history. If they weren’t new recruits but Wei’s elite soldiers, the battle might have been evenly matched or even disadvantageous for our army.

However, to flip the current battle situation, it means they’re barely holding on relying on the commanders’ efforts. The current Wei army was a house of cards relying on the abilities of its commanders.

“When the commanders can’t concentrate, the defensive formation is bound to collapse.”

I came forward, lightly kicking my horse’s belly. The feel of the spear shaft wrapping around my palm. The pulsing heartbeat just before plunging into the battlefield. Excitement that numbs the feeling of fear colors my brain.

“Xiaoying, take charge of the center.”

After entrusting the command of the center to Gou Bo, whom I had appointed as Army Advisor, I raised my spear.

Like a batter signaling a home run, I pointed with the tip of my spear to our army’s right wing, where Ma Chong and Zhang Yi were in charge.

“We’ll break through from the right.”

It was the turning point of the battle.