The Battle for Hanzhong 3

The battle continued after that.

Zhang Ran and Cao Zhang crossed spears a few more times, and it was so evenly matched that it was difficult to determine a winner.

In their first fight, Cao Zhang had a slight advantage, but it wasn’t a meaningful difference to begin with, and Zhang Ran’s rate of growth outpaced Cao Zhang’s.

The one-on-one battles between these two were a matter of interest for both camps.

The prestige of Cao Zhang, Cao Cao’s biological son, goes without saying, and Zhang Ran, whom Liu Bei directly called his niece and who had firmly established her position through the battles so far, was enough to be a representative of Liu Bei’s army.

And the fact that these two were engaged in a fierce battle meant that, broadly speaking, the balance between Cao Cao’s forces and Liu Bei’s forces was being tightly maintained.

The impact this fact had on the two rulers, Cao Cao and Liu Bei, was completely opposite.

For Liu Bei, it became a source of confidence. From Liu Bei’s perspective, it was already a victory if they just held onto the strategic points like this. A prolonged war was more advantageous to Liu Bei.

On the other hand, for Cao Cao, it approached as a miniature of a gloomy future. The fact that Cao Zhang, whom he had boldly brought along by entrusting the Wuhuan rebellion to Xiahou Shang and Zhen Yi, was being blocked by Zhang Ran meant that Cao Cao’s plans had gone awry from the start.

Time forced Cao Cao to make a choice.

Whether to continue the war while pushing himself, or to accept reality and retreat.

Standing at this crossroads of choice, Cao Cao suffered from an unprecedented intense internal conflict.

In his heart, he wanted to take revenge for the deaths of Cao Hong, Xiahou Yuan, and Zhang He, but if he clung solely to revenge, the foundation he had built throughout his lifetime seemed likely to be completely shaken.

The foundation called Wei was not built by Cao Cao’s efforts alone.

It was the fruit of the dedication of the three now dead, and the blood and sweat of countless officials and subordinates who were still alive and standing by his side.

“A state that impoverishes itself by waging war will transport supplies from afar.”

Cao Cao recited this passage from Sun Tzu’s Art of War, meaning “A country becomes impoverished due to transporting supplies from afar while waging war.”

It had already been over a month. The burden on Wei, supplying along the Qinling Mountains, was no small matter.

Hanzhong wasn’t the only front. Considering Sun Quan, who was eyeing Hefei at every opportunity, or Guan Yu, who needed to be put down anyway, if they pushed any further, all fronts would be disrupted.

“Miaozai, Ziliang, Junye…”

Cao Cao’s cold reason had already completed all calculations and informed him of the most rational choice, but the reason he didn’t follow it was probably because of lingering attachments.

There is no perfect human. Even Cao Cao, who seemed closest to perfection, was by no means a being who had completely transcended human emotions.

Lingering attachments held his ankles.

The attachment to Hanzhong.

The attachment to revenge.

The attachment to Liu Bei.

“It’s a chicken rib.”

A bitterly uttered lament.

Cao Cao soon announced those words as a military order. Perhaps this showed a very slight weakness possessed by the human called Cao Cao.

The human side of Cao Cao hoping that someone would understand his intention and provide an answer to this dilemma. Yet, in one corner of Cao Cao’s mind, calculations were constantly being made.

‘If we must retreat, someone will need to be held responsible.’

Cao Cao’s eyes sank coldly. The one who understands the meaning of “chicken rib” would become the scapegoat. And Cao Cao inwardly guessed who that would be.

‘Yang Xiu…’

It was something that had to be done eventually.

While facing Liu Bei full of confidence, and at the point where he could no longer guarantee victory in this battle, Cao Cao made a decision.

That now he must prepare for future generations. And the cornerstone of that would be unwavering succession.

“Chicken rib” was Cao Cao’s lament filled with lingering attachment, but it was also a trap set by Cao Cao to prepare for the future.

And Yang Xiu stepped right into it.

“Prepare for withdrawal.”

When people saw Yang Xiu and his troops packing up their military equipment and asked why, Yang Xiu replied triumphantly:

“Isn’t that what a chicken rib is? It’s a part that’s a shame to throw away, but when you actually try to eat it, there’s not much to eat. The King of Wei has compared Hanzhong to this. We can see that he intends to withdraw soon, as the gains are small compared to the effort.”

Yang Xiu, who harmonized excellent intuition with rich scholarship, had the insight to immediately penetrate to the true meaning when he saw something.

This time too, Yang Xiu read Cao Cao’s inner thoughts from just the word “chicken rib”. However, he didn’t know that this was a noose tightening around his own neck.

He knew one thing but not two, and it was the end of someone who was intelligent but not wise.

Furthermore, there was something Yang Xiu didn’t know… something that even Cao Cao, who directly issued the “chicken rib” order, hadn’t anticipated.

The fact that there was someone waiting for this kind of action from the Wei army.

The fact that this opponent had been constantly watching, waiting for this very moment from the other side.

§

‘The military discipline…’

I can see it.

Yang Xiu’s preparations for withdrawal, creating the “chicken rib” anecdote. Because I knew this would happen, I could detect it.

The gap in Cao Cao’s army revealed amidst the collapsed morale and loosened discipline.

It was a gap created by the soldiers’ carelessness, as we poured out attacks freely while our army focused on defense.

Is this the kind of view that those with insight to penetrate the battlefield, like Guo Jia, Chen Gongji, and Mira, used to see? A strange sensation as if a new sixth sense was being created in a corner of my brain.

Just like a simulator in a game suggesting the direction to move forward, my eyes were projecting the breakthrough point of the enemy camp onto empty space.

Instinct, intuition, soul cry out.

That now is the right time.

“Ma Chong.”

“Yes, General.”

“Tell the entire army. We will attack.”

“What?”

“Tell Father and General Ma as well.”

“Understood.”

Though expressing doubt at my order, Ma Chong immediately carried it out. Despite not understanding, Ma Chong decided to trust and follow my judgment, dispatching messengers faster than ever to summon the army.

In less than a quarter-hour, my father, Ma Chao, and Fang De were standing shoulder to shoulder by my side.

“We don’t have time. I will drive forward quickly.”

Even without a detailed explanation, my father and Ma Chao already perfectly understood what I was trying to do.

Yan An, who had become my father’s lieutenant, and Fang De, who was with Ma Chao, didn’t even utter a single question.

Just before setting out, Ma Chao said, gazing intensely at the front:

“I said this once before.”

His gaze didn’t leave the enemy camp, but this soliloquy was also directed at me.

“That the day would come when this Ma Mengqi would once again make Cao Cao’s guts run cold.”

The resolve from that day when he came to me and expressed gratitude for my kindness.

Ma Chao smiled fiercely. Like a wolf eyeing its prey, like an arrow about to be shot.

“Now is precisely that time.”

The moment Ma Chao’s words ended, I raised my spear. The moment the spear, raised strongly as if to pierce the sky, came down in an arc and pointed its tip at the enemy camp.

“Let’s go.”

The great counterattack began.

“All troops─! Charge!!”

The army charging all at once poured down like an avalanche.

It was a torrent, a tidal wave, a gale.

It happened in an instant. By the time the Wei army, who had been packing up their equipment in preparation for withdrawal, realized something was wrong, our army was already closing in on their camp.

Wajigeum! Kwajak!

The Green Pavilions couldn’t stop us. If they had properly set up palisades it might have been different, but the Wei army camp hadn’t erected barriers to that extent.

However, due to the meticulous arrangement based on battle formations, it would have been like a death trap if the enemy had rashly entered, but the Wei army, disorganized by withdrawal preparations, couldn’t properly counterattack.

“Overturn the braziers!”

“Set fires! Burn the enemy’s food and weapon storages!”

The cavalry knocked over braziers as they passed, and the infantry spread the fires, expanding the chaos in the Wei army.

“Calm down! The enemy’s numbers are not great! Those without weapons, put out the fires, those armed, follow me!!”

Some Wei army officers quickly moved to respond, but such actions only drew attention from those around them.

Whenever such people emerged, our army officers would rush in and cut off their heads.

“Find Cao Cao!”

“A thousand gold will be given to whoever captures the traitor Cao Cao!”

A scramble unfolding amidst the flames burning the military tents.

Our army rampaged through the Wei army camp indiscriminately. Kill enemies when found, burn supplies when discovered.

“Hurry! We must capture Cao Cao!”

I urged those following me.

Even if we can’t capture him, we mustn’t give Cao Cao a chance to regain his senses. Objectively speaking, the Wei army still has the advantage in overall strength.

We’ve just wedged into their gap, we haven’t amassed forces to overwhelm the Wei army.

Of course, the momentum is on our side. Even if the Wei army turns the tables, it won’t be easy for them to defeat us.

But if that happens, we too will have to accept considerable losses to escape.

So what we need to do is a decapitation strategy.

“General Who Maintains Vigor! I hear the main camp is over there!”

Perhaps subordinates had gathered information. Ma Chao rushed to me, pointing in one direction.

“Let’s go right away!”

There’s no time to hesitate. Every minute, every second is precious.

If we can just capture Cao Cao here, the chaos of the era might end in an instant.

Ma Chao and I run towards where Cao Cao’s main camp is said to be. Whether the information about Cao Cao’s main camp was correct or not, the defenses are getting thicker.

The lieutenants gathered around me clear the path. Bu Zhan, Yu Ye, Gou Bo. These men, who rank among the top in terms of martial prowess under my command, open a path which Ma Chao and I penetrate straight through.

At the end of it, I came face to face.

“You will absolutely not reach my father.”

With Cao Zhang, who was aiming his spear at us without even having fully donned his armor.

“Cao Zhang…”

Right. I still hadn’t properly settled the score with Cao Zhang.

The first worthy opponent I’d met. My opponent was not Cao Cao, but Cao Zhang.

“General of Pingxi, please go ahead.”

“I’ll leave it to you!”

While I faced off against Cao Zhang who was blocking the way, Ma Chao slipped past to the rear, displaying amazing horsemanship.

The Wei army camp still hadn’t fully recovered. To stop us who were charging straight for Cao Cao, the Wei forces had given up on regrouping their soldiers.

No matter how much of a heaven-sent talent Cao Cao is, no matter how many outstanding talents he has under him, it’s impossible to reverse such a tilted situation.

A surprise attack while they hadn’t even properly armed themselves, preparing for withdrawal. The enemy’s defenses were thin, and our army’s awl was sharp.

The fiercely stabbing awl was more than enough to pierce the heart of Cao Cao’s army.

Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, and I.

Like the saying “Deceive your own troops before deceiving the enemy,” a deadly surprise attack that struck when even our own army didn’t know we would launch it.

With this, the outcome of the battle for Hanzhong was as good as decided. What remained was whether our blade would reach Cao Cao, the hegemon.

The macroscopic war for Hanzhong and the microscopic battle with a worthy opponent.

In all of this, who would win?

“It’s the decisive moment.”

§

“What? Yide, Mengqi, and Mingxing?”

Liu Bei, who had been guarding the camp without sleeping, rushed out of his tent in just his underclothes without even putting on armor, at the news that came like a bolt from the blue in the middle of the night.

Outside, which he hurriedly exited at a pace close to running. Flames were soaring high in the distance. Cao Cao’s camp was burning.

“What are you all doing! Why isn’t everyone going to support them! Hansheng, Zilong, gather everyone you can mobilize right now and advance! Where is Gongxing! Bring me my armor!”

Liu Bei, filled with excitement, issued various orders in one breath.

Liu Bei has spent decades of his life on the battlefield. The generalship Liu Bei has cultivated while going through all sorts of wars as he wandered about is by no means to be taken lightly.

What Liu Bei was feeling at this moment was a thrill. A thrill that perhaps here, he might put an end to the long-standing feud, that perhaps he was on the verge of ending the chaotic era.

“Now is the time! Let’s end this war!!”

Liu Bei advanced, leading all the troops from Dingjunshan. An all-or-nothing gambit.

The Wei army, which was already unable to recover from the shock of the surprise attack, began to retreat immediately upon seeing Liu Bei’s army rushing down from Dingjunshan, far from being able to respond.

It was the moment that drove the final nail into the coffin of the battle for Hanzhong, which had continued without either side landing a decisive blow until now.

If Cao Cao had personally led the retreat, even Liu Bei wouldn’t have rashly pursued. It was a tragedy brought about by the clumsy withdrawal preparations that occurred with a time lag due to Yang Xiu, following the ambiguous “chicken rib” order.

“Cao Cao has retreated! They’re withdrawing! It’s our army’s victory! My lord, our army has won!”

Someone’s shout soon spread throughout the entire camp.

Amidst the cheers shaking heaven and earth, Liu Bei recalled his mother.

‘Mother, are you watching?’

The child weaving mats in Lousang Village had now grown and was taking a giant step towards the world.

Liu Bei, who had defeated the hegemon of the Central Plains, Cao Cao, head-on, now gained the courage to not yield no matter what harsh trials awaited him.

Liu Bei raised his head and looked at the sky. The sky looked the same as that day, and the sun rose as always.

Closing his eyes, the mellow scent of mulberries spread around his nose.

The youthful aspiration of the boy who once cried out while looking at the mulberry tree heavy with that mulberry scent now approached as reality as he neared old age.

‘Uncle, I will raise our family again.’

The boy’s uncle had called it a childish thought when he heard the young child’s words, but the boy didn’t give up. And finally, he had come this far.

The nostalgic and distant scenery of Lousang Village.

The young boy who used to run around there.

Who could have known? That the scruffy, poor little boy would now stand tall as a hegemon commanding the Nine Provinces, drawing the attention of the entire world.

How long had it been? It was such a long and bitter time.

There were countless moments when he wanted to stop in the midst of regret and self-blame.

He had lost count of how many times he had doubted whether his path was wrong.

Nevertheless, what remained was the pathetic obsession that he just couldn’t give up.

Like an oyster stubbornly enduring while holding a dirty pebble in its mouth, Liu Bei too had just endured and endured, vaguely picturing the future.

And finally.

The pebble had become a pearl.

‘Heaven, watch. See how far this Liu Xuande will rise. Taking my ugly ambition as a wish-granting pearl, I too shall become a dragon and try to fly. And wait.’

Born at the bottom, breathing in dust and rolling in the mud, and now riding a horse and galloping on silk.

He had crawled, walked, and run, so now it was time to fly.

The jade throne placed in heaven.

To that seat.

“It won’t be that long.”