Therefore I Wish to Fight 5

The place Jiang Wei’s fingertip pointed to was Saiyi County.

However, it was somewhat distant from the place we had been calling Saiyi County until now.

Here is Saiyi County, there is Saiyi County, and that place is also Saiyi County.

They were all correct as Saiyi County.

The place first called Saiyi County was where Jiang Wei pointed. It was a place slightly south along the Yangtze River from Xiagu where we are currently located.

The Saiyi County that had existed since the Qin Dynasty was later moved when Jiangxia Governor Huang Zu built Queyue Castle, also known as Yueyue Lou, and this Queyue Castle is the current Luoshan Castle. This happened in 190 AD.

Then Sun Quan killed Huang Zu and built Xiagu Castle on Jiangxia Mountain in 223 AD, moving Saiyi County again, and this is the Xiagu we are trying to capture.

After such twists and turns, Saiyi County settled on Jiangxia Mountain, but would that site have been just abandoned? It had been functioning as a town for hundreds of years.

Those who fled to escape the war. Those who escaped during the process of Sun Quan and Liu Bei contesting Jingzhou. Those who migrated when Saiyi County moved but returned to their homeland.

Various people gathered and formed a village at the old Saiyi County site. It was separate from the route from Jiangling to Xiagu, but it was a fact discovered during reconnaissance to find a suitable place for river crossing.

“The river next to the old Saiyi County is not very wide and has a stable current. And there’s a mid-river island in the middle of the river, so we can cut off the river with little effort.”

A mid-river island is an island in the middle of a river. Although it might not seem like much just hearing Jiang Wei’s words, blocking a large river like the Yangtze is no ordinary task. Even Wu Yan, who blocked the Yangtze’s waterway in the original history, blocked the upper reaches of the river.

However, with a mid-river island as a base point in the middle, it wasn’t entirely impossible.

Seeing the possibility, Guo Yi brightened up and added an explanation.

“It looks very suitable distance-wise too. It’s not too far from here, so we have time to arrive before the enemy and block the river, and the enemy won’t be able to make the decision to turn back after coming this far.”

It was Guo Yi showing a strong presence today. As the two coordinated to talk about its possibility and suitability, the atmosphere of the audience naturally followed them.

“Then we should hurry. Just as the Commander of the Central Army arrived much earlier than expected, couldn’t the same happen with them?”

“That possibility is not high.”

The river’s flow rate is a fixed constant. It’s not a variable. The wind is the same. The spring wind is not that strong.

So the last thing that can bring change is directly rowing, but that too has its limits. Rowing is hard labor among hard labors.

Travel speed with little room for change. That was both the advantage and disadvantage of waterways.

“Assistant Jiang will lead the advance party to cut off the Yangtze’s waterway, and our army will move as soon as the central army recovers its strength.”

The conclusion of the meeting came out. As soon as the central army’s fatigue is relieved, Shang Cong will be responsible for besieging Xiagu Castle, and I will lead the Nanling Army south to intercept the enemy’s reinforcements at the old Saiyi County.

Jiang Wei had talked about Chang’an during the meeting. It was similar to that. To overthrow the enemies who had secured an impregnable stronghold, we cut off reinforcements and put them in a state of moral collapse.

The difference is that Chang’an was a truly mighty fortress difficult to capture even in such a morally collapsed state, but there was a cancerous presence inside, while Xiagu Castle has soldiers and commanders who are all outstanding talents, but the fortress grade is inferior to Chang’an.

If it’s not reinforcements coming, capturing Xiagu Castle with Bu Zhi’s support gone would be a set procedure. If we just catch Sun Deng, bloodless occupation of Wuchang and Qichun is possible!

It might be a blessing in disguise that Sun Deng made the occupation of Xiagu Castle more difficult.

Lingling, Wuling. To retreat to Wu by waterway from either side, you eventually have to pass through Xiagu. Sun Deng recognized this importance, so he personally came to the battlefield and contributed to blocking me.

If Sun Deng hadn’t come, I’m convinced that by now, flags with Han (漢) written on them, not Wu (吳), would be fluttering on top of that Xiagu Castle.

Seen that way, Sun Deng’s judgment seems right.

‘But that was a short-sighted judgment.’

While it might have been beneficial in the short term by defending Xiagu, in the long term, the loss from Sun Deng being captured is far greater than the time gained.

From Sun Deng’s perspective, he probably thought he wouldn’t be captured. Whether support comes from Yiyang, Wuling, or Lingling, or even if Sun Quan finishes his dispute with Wei and comes from outside Jingzhou.

If reinforcements come just once more, they could reap massive benefits without any loss by defending Xiagu Castle, so it was a gamble worth taking once.

Still, if you showed reckless bravery, you should pay the price.

After sending off Jiang Wei’s advance party heading to the old Saiyi County, I steadily built up preparations to depart while alternating with Shang Cong’s central army.

It’s better if the enemy in Xiagu Castle notices our change as late as possible. No matter how perfect the plan seems, you never know what kind of outlandish countermeasure they might come up with.

Who knows if they’ll pull some crazy stunt like Tian Dan in the Warring States period, tying fire to cow tails to make them run wild and break through the encirclement. It’s better to give them as little time as possible to recognize the situation and devise countermeasures.

Therefore, after completing the front and rear exchange with Shang Cong’s central army, I secretly left Xiagu Castle under cover of night.

§

As Zhang Ran predicted, the speed of the reinforcements led by Bu Zhi, Xu Sheng, and Sun Shao was steady without dramatic changes.

When Xu Sheng heard the news that Crown Prince Sun Deng was in Xiagu Castle, he was in such a hurry to arrive even a day earlier that he seemed ready to row himself, but at Bu Zhi’s dissuasion, he could only heave a deep sigh full of worry.

However, it’s not that Bu Zhi did nothing either.

While trying to send small boats to deliver news that reinforcements were coming, he also increased the number of rowers to raise the speed somewhat, though not to the point of overdoing it.

Whether it was thanks to those efforts shining through, or the heavens appreciating that sincerity and blowing stronger winds.

It seemed they could arrive a few days earlier than initially expected. Just as they were feeling hopeful that at this rate, they might be able to arrive at Xiagu Castle, protect Sun Deng, and open the prelude to a counterattack, an event occurred that put the brakes on their rapid advance.

“What? The way is blocked?”

“Yes! The small boats that went ahead reported that the waterway ahead is blocked with iron chains and iron rods!”

“How on earth could they block the way with iron chains and iron rods!”

Sun Shao, who was listening to the report next to Bu Zhi, said:

“If it’s just ahead, isn’t that where Saiyi County was before Huang Zu moved it? There should be a blacksmith there, couldn’t they have made them there?”

“No, even if there’s a blacksmith, is that even possible? These are not things that can be made in a day or two.”

Making iron rods isn’t difficult. It’s not like they need to be planted permanently, just usable once or twice. Just melt iron, pour it into molds, and plant them in the river bottom.

But making iron chains requires more delicate work.

“Didn’t they use the mid-river island to use two short iron chains instead of one long one? If they mobilized civilians and soldiers, working day and night without rest, I think it’s possible.”

Sun Shao knew better about the navy than Bu Zhi. Sun Shao had firmly fortified Jingcheng at the young age of 17, leading a group to build towers and oars. If he said it was possible, Bu Zhi had no choice but to believe it.

“Ugh… Can we just push through with the fleet at this rate?”

“It would be impossible with small boats, but if we push with warships, it should be enough.”

“Then…”

“But there’s a possibility the ships might run aground if we’re not careful.”

“No! If they run aground, it would be putting the cart before the horse! Using warships to remove iron chains and rods…”

“Well, there are many methods. If it’s difficult to remove physically, we can just send people to dismantle them.”

If it’s not a cliff and waterfall made by nature, but things made by people, how could they not be removed by human hands?

Despite Sun Shao’s nonchalant words, Bu Zhi’s furrowed brow did not relax.

“Wouldn’t they know that too? Those who set this up will remain in this area. It’s obvious they’ll rush in and interfere if we send people to remove it. They say the enemy has set up camp on the mid-river island too, isn’t it obvious?”

It was already a headache with those ballistas and trebuchets they made. It’s difficult to defend properly when they shoot trebuchets from afar, then break the formation with cavalry and fire ballistas.

‘But somehow removing the iron chains is possible. They know that well too.’

Even if they place troops on the mid-river island and guard where the iron chains are planted, they’re bound to be pushed back if the Wu army attacks in earnest. The determination of a suicide squad guarding a place where annihilation is certain is amazing, but in the end, it’s just buying time.

‘In the end, what blocks the waterway are the iron rods planted in the river bottom.’

Planting iron rods is easy, but removing them is harder than that.

How long would it take to remove all the iron rods? There’s no guarantee Xiagu Castle will hold out during that time.

As Bu Zhi hesitated, Xu Sheng, who had been watching impatiently, let out a shout.

“Our generals have exerted themselves to the utmost, sacrificed their lives for the country to annex Xuchang and Luoyang, and even if we couldn’t swallow Bazhong! Yet our Crown Prince has risen up resolutely for the country, and we’re just sitting here! Isn’t it shameful!”

Xu Sheng, bursting out with a majestic cry in a place where soldiers and commanders were gathered, was indeed worthy of being one of the two pillars of Wu’s current fierce generals.

“If the waterway is blocked, shouldn’t we go by land! One moment is like three autumns! Even now, Xiagu Castle must be suffering from the enemy’s attacks, what is there to worry about!”