The Battle of Sai 2

The clash between Zhang Ran and Xu Sheng spread throughout the battlefield in an instant.

It didn’t even take one incense stick’s time for the news to reach Bu Zhi, who was in charge of the rear.

When he first received the report, Bu Zhi thought the messenger had made some mistake. Like saying Zhang Ran instead of Zhang Ran’s army clashing, or mistaking a deputy general under Zhang Ran fighting Xu Sheng for Zhang Ran fighting.

But as the saying goes, even a fool becomes wise after hearing something three times. After hearing consecutively that Zhang Ran and Xu Sheng were engaged in a short decisive battle, Bu Zhi could no longer disbelieve.

But Bu Zhi still didn’t understand well.

‘Why?’

Why did Zhang Ran come forward?

The current war situation is absolutely disadvantageous for Wu.

Even if they just maintained the situation, the tide of victory would naturally lean towards Han, so why is there a reason for Zhang Ran to personally come to the front and give a chance for a one-shot reversal?

Bu Zhi couldn’t understand the reason at all.

Is it greed for military merit? But from the position of commander-in-chief, how much difference would it make to fight directly? The success or failure of the war is the one and only measure of a commander’s military merit.

Then is it fame as a strong person? That sounds plausible. Isn’t Zhang Ran’s father Zhang Yide, known for his matchless valor? It’s not uncommon for a child overshadowed by their father to struggle to escape that shadow.

But Zhang Ran has already made a name for herself. When people hear the name Zhang Ran now, who would think of Zhang Fei’s name first? They think of Zhang Ran of the Nanling Army.

‘Then is it simply a fight with a strong person? Is she such a war maniac?’

For something like that, didn’t she avoid fighting Zhao Chang who was called her archenemy?

Recalling Zhang Ran’s actions in wars so far, although she had an aggressive tendency, at its foundation was the proposition of victory.

In a situation where victory is almost certain, there’s no reason to make a reckless move that might reverse a perfect situation…

‘There is! Zhang Ran is also pressed for time just the same.’

Zhang Ran also had a motive to end the war as quickly as possible.

That is Sun Quan’s return from fighting Wei in Huainan.

‘Zhang Ran must also be wary of our lord coming.’

If Sun Quan concludes an armistice or peace treaty with Cao Pi and turns his army to come to Jingzhou, this time Zhang Ran will be at a disadvantage.

Wei, who won’t just sit by and watch Han swallow Jingzhou, will pressure Guanzhong and Yangping to prevent reinforcements from being sent.

If she wants to capture Sun Deng and end the war before that, it makes sense for Zhang Ran to come out so aggressively.

‘Then there really is a chance for our army too!’

If Xu Sheng can just break Zhang Ran… There’s no need to kill or capture her. Just wounding her to make her leave the battlefield is enough.

The Nanling Army, who follow Zhang Ran more than their lord Liu Bei, will gather to protect Zhang Ran, and in that gap, we break through the weakened encirclement.

However, the problem is whether Xu Sheng can really defeat Zhang Ran.

‘General Xu Sheng is one of our country’s strongest currently. No matter how great Zhang Ran is, with General Xu Sheng the outcome is unknown. The problem is that Zhang Ran is on horseback while General Xu Sheng is not.’

Zhang Ran’s horse is not just any horse, but a famous steed born of the Hanxue breed, said to be comparable to Lu Bu’s Red Hare or her father’s horse Dilu in the past. Bu Zhi had seen it briefly, but its beautiful pale gold body filled with sturdy muscles was not lacking to be called a divine horse.

It’s already a great feat for infantry to defeat cavalry, let alone when that cavalry is riding not an ordinary horse but a divine steed. Just enduring would make one a warrior known throughout the world.

If it were simply Zhang Ran vs Xu Sheng it’s one thing, but in a fight between Zhang Ran on horseback and Xu Sheng who is not, Bu Zhi had no choice but to acknowledge the former’s advantage.

‘If General Xu Sheng wins, a way out opens for our army, but conversely, if General Xu Sheng loses, it’s annihilation! Damn, what should I do…’

Bu Zhi, who had been turning over various thoughts thanks to being in charge of the relatively relaxed rear army, couldn’t continue his worries.

At last, the Nanling Army, having completed the encirclement, began to press in from all directions.

§

Ma Dai. Bai Zhan.

He had been with the Nanling Army for a very long time.

No, having been there from the start of the Nanling Army, he was no different from the living history of the Nanling Army.

Liu Yan, who played the role of raising the flag announcing the creation of the Nanling Army with him, had left, and Ma Chong, Zhang Yi, Wang Ping, and Wang Si, who joined right after the two, had also disappeared from the Nanling Army, each finding their own place.

Amidst all this, Ma Dai held his position to the end.

For as long as 10 years.

Ma Dai knew the slander directed at him from around. That while those who could be called his juniors had all achieved merits and become independent, Ma Dai was even being pushed back by the next generation like Jiang Wei and Guo Yi.

It’s not that there were no opportunities at all until now.

When the Hanzhong campaign ended and Liu Bei ascended as King of Hanzhong.

When the Jingzhou defensive battle ended and the Eight Wing Generals scattered.

After the capture of Chang’an in the northern expedition, after Liu Bei ascended the throne, after the victory in the Battle of Hatu.

Ma Dai had numerous opportunities to rise higher.

In fact, his cousin Ma Chao, who was especially fond of him, had suggested several times that Ma Dai should become independent like Wang Ping or Ma Chong. Even Liu Bei recognized Ma Dai’s ability and tried to appoint him as General of Chariots and Cavalry.

General of Chariots and Cavalry was also one of the high positions within the military. Liu Yan and Gu Pu, who were called Eight Wing Generals along with Ma Dai, were each General Who Pacifies the West and General Who Pacifies the North.

The only general positions above General of Chariots and Cavalry are General of Chariots and Cavalry, General of the Guards, General of Agile Cavalry, General Who Upholds Virtue-General Who Manifests Firmness-General of the Guards-General-in-Chief.

Considering that General of Chariots and Cavalry and General of the Guards are not duplicated for each direction, there are only 12 in number. Just entering General of Chariots and Cavalry means ranking within the top 20 in the military.

Of course, if we consider the staff of governors or highest-ranking generals as well, the ranking issue would be much more complicated, but even General of Chariots and Cavalry had considerable authority. In fact, even in the original history, Ma Dai only reached General Who Pacifies the North.

Among the Eight Wing Generals, only two rose to positions higher than General of Chariots and Cavalry: Wang Ping as General Who Conquers the North and Ma Chong as General Who Conquers the South.

Seen that way, Ma Dai could be said to be in the middle ranks among the Eight Wing Generals, but how many people would know these inside details well?

But Ma Dai steadfastly held his position. Because the Nanling Army had now become Ma Dai’s own foundation itself.

Instead, he wanted to show. That the reason he remained in the Nanling Army was not because he was lacking, but because the Nanling Army was such a valuable place.

‘I see it.’

They say even a dog that stays in a village school for three years can recite poetry.

For the past 10 years, Ma Dai has assisted Zhang Ran more closely than anyone else.

Now Ma Dai was beginning to vaguely see. The battlefield that Zhang Ran was seeing.

The criticism about himself that he heard here and there without knowing. Ma Dai acknowledged it to some extent. That his abilities were inferior compared to others.

Those recognized even by Liu Bei. Wang Ping, Ma Chong, Zhang Yi certainly had outstanding aspects. And the newly entered Jiang Wei and Guo Yi were like that too. Especially Jiang Wei, it was understandable why Zhang Ran made him her assistant as soon as they met.

However, at this moment, he didn’t even feel that sense of inferiority.

Ma Dai instinctively realized. That he was now in the process of shedding his shell, molting.

‘I see it.’

Where to attack. How to penetrate.

After endlessly pondering how Zhang Ran would act, Ma Dai had vaguely reached Zhang Ran’s field of vision.

Even amidst the Nanling Army’s encircling attack where cavalry and infantry harmonized, the Wu army was showing surprising good fight.

Not only Bu Zhi, whom even Zhang Ran was wary of, and Sun Shao, who had shown talent from a young age, but even Sun Sheng, who was inferior to the two, formed a fairly good defense.

Amidst not being able to easily break through the unexpectedly solid defense, Ma Dai’s eyes were staring somewhere as if enchanted.

The joint where the defense forces of each front led by the three generals Bu Zhi, Sun Sheng, and Sun Shao came together. It was the corner part forming the angle of the square formation.

‘There.’

That place is the weakness of the Wu army.

Among the Three Kingdoms, Wu uniquely had strong characteristics of subordinate troops.

Basically, it was because the power of the clan leaders was strong, but it was also due to the influence of Sun Quan giving high autonomy to those in charge of each region because the territory in the early days of the founding was not connected by land.

In the subordinate troop system, which was no different from private soldiers, the operational capability of each subordinate troop was certainly excellent, but problems arose in cooperation with other armies.

The unit responsible for one side of the square formation now was organic in its cooperation system as one subordinate troop. However, the corner part where subordinate troops met could not demonstrate that much coordination.

While the part where Bu Zhi and Sun Shao’s troops met didn’t show problems because the two were such outstanding figures, it was different for Sun Sheng.

As soon as he discovered the weakness, Ma Dai moved.

“Left and right rear armies! Let’s go! We’ll break the enemy’s square formation!”

Ma Dai is also a general from Xiliang.

Although he didn’t possess as much martial prowess as his cousin Ma Chao, he had continued to train and grow over and over during 10 years in the Nanling Army.

The cavalry led by Ma Dai struck hard at the corner part where Sun Sheng’s army and Bu Zhi’s army met.

The square formation shook.

Before the match between Zhang Ran and Xu Sheng was settled, Wu’s defense began to waver first.