Chapter 105

After defeating Guo Huai’s army and capturing Martial Arts Village, Chang’an City was just within reach.

Chang’an City was an enormous metropolis. Along the road from Martial Arts Village to Chang’an, villages were scattered here and there.

There was no looting. Supplies were still abundant, and considering that this land would soon be under our rule, we had to keep public sentiment in mind from now on.

However, perhaps out of guilt, some villagers voluntarily gathered supplies and offered them to us. In such cases, we only accepted a portion to avoid burdening them and added it to our supplies.

As we approached Chang’an City, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Speculations turned into certainty as we moved forward.

Finally, when Chang’an City came into view, I greeted a familiar face with a smile.

“You arrived really quickly, Wei Du.”

“Haha! I couldn’t wait to see Chang’an. The thought of being part of this great undertaking made me rush here in no time.”

It was Wei Yan, the Hanzhong Commander. He had crossed the Zao Valley with troops from Hanzhong to attack Chang’an.

If I hadn’t defeated Guo Huai, Hanzhong might have been in danger, but the gamble paid off in the end.

Wei Yan had scraped together every available soldier from Hanzhong, leaving only the bare minimum for security. Yet, the flag of Cao Wei still fluttered over Chang’an City.

When asked how long the siege had been going on, Wei Yan coughed awkwardly and replied, “It hasn’t been long since we arrived at Chang’an. We set up camp three days ago, but we’ve only launched one siege attempt.”

As the Hanzhong Commander, Wei Yan held a position comparable to mine as the Rear General, but he humbly referred to himself as a subordinate, showing respect for my role as the overall commander of the Guanzhong expedition.

Ever since I defeated him in a duel, Wei Yan had maintained this attitude. It was surprising. Despite his arrogance, Wei Yan was undeniably capable, much like Guan Yu, who remained loyal to Liu Bei until his death.

Even Zhuge Liang couldn’t fully tame this fierce general. Having Wei Yan obey me felt oddly satisfying.

‘Perhaps it’s because of Liu Bei’s favoritism toward me.’

Or maybe he admired my recklessness. Come to think of it, Wei Yan and I had fought side by side many times.

From the sword dance at the banquet after capturing Fallen City to the duel outside Chengdu, and even during the rescue of Hanzhong. We had also cooperated during the defense of Xiang Province to stop Lu Xun.

In this Northern Expedition, Wei Yan had personally suggested the Zao Valley route, allowing us to charge forward freely. There was no reason to dislike him.

‘He’s like a Dachshund.’

Stubborn and quick to pick fights, but fiercely loyal to his master—just like a skilled hunting dog.

I briefly wondered what others might think of this comparison but quickly dismissed the thought. The war wasn’t over yet, and I couldn’t afford to lose focus.

After this brief reflection, I listened to Wei Yan’s report on the situation in Chang’an City. Among the details, one name stood out.

“He Xie?”

“Yes. Just as you predicted, Rear General, he’s no pushover. His defense was solid.”

This was a problem. I hadn’t expected He Xie to be in Chang’an. I had warned everyone about him, yet I failed to track his movements.

Guo Huai must have summoned him to fill the void left by his departure. I had thought He Xie was stationed elsewhere.

Not anticipating this possibility was already a mistake.

“Hmm… He Xie, huh.”

He Xie was the mastermind who thwarted Zhuge Liang’s second Northern Expedition. Despite commanding only a thousand troops against Zhuge Liang’s tens of thousands, He Xie held out for over 20 days at Chencang, a city far smaller than Chang’an.

‘Zhuge Liang’s real target was Wudu and Yinping, but still, it was impressive.’

Zhuge Liang’s attack on Guanzhong was also meant to divert Cao Wei’s attention from Eastern Wu. He didn’t throw everything into Chencang, but he certainly didn’t hold back either.

Now, He Xie was defending Chang’an with more than a thousand troops and stronger fortifications. I finally understood why Guo Huai had chosen to retreat.

He must have believed that He Xie could hold Chang’an until reinforcements arrived.

As my expression darkened, Wei Yan added, “However, thanks to my earlier occupation of the areas around Chang’an, I managed to intercept a few of their messengers.”

“Well done. What about sending troops to Wuguan?”

“As soon as we exited the Zao Valley, I sent Vice General Gao Shang with a thousand soldiers. They should have reached Wuguan by now.”

Gao Shang wasn’t bad. I had heard he was an above-average officer who diligently carried out his tasks. If Wei Yan trusted him as a vice general, he would surely do well. It wasn’t a difficult mission anyway.

Wuguan was the southern gate connecting Xiang Province to Chang’an. It was one of the four gates guarding Guanzhong.

Capturing Wuguan would mean linking our forces around Chang’an with Liu Bei’s army attacking Wancheng.

“General Zhao Yun will be here soon.”

Zhao Yun, the General Who Conquers the South, was the final piece to isolate Guanzhong completely.

While Liu Bei attacked Wancheng to draw attention, Zhao Yun would move north along the Dan River to capture Dongguan.

Even with Wuguan as a barrier, simultaneous attacks from both sides would make it impossible to hold.

‘I had prepared for the scenario where Guo Huai remained in Chang’an, but it seems unnecessary now.’

If Guo Huai had stayed in Chang’an, Zhao Yun would have joined Wei Yan to keep him in check until I returned after dealing with Cao Zhang alongside Ma Chao.

‘Though their “restraint” would have been more about avoiding direct clashes and just maintaining a presence.’

In any case, now that Guo Huai had been defeated and driven to Jieting, Zhao Yun’s mission was to block Dongguan.

“Once General Zhao Yun secures Dongguan, Guanzhong will be completely isolated. No matter how skilled He Xie is, he won’t last long. If we persuade the people around Chang’an to urge surrender, the city gates will open soon.”

“No. He Xie would rather die fighting on the walls than surrender. Guo Huai didn’t leave Chang’an to him for nothing.”

“Hmm… Then we have no choice but to resort to a direct assault. The casualties will be heavy.”

Heavy casualties? Success isn’t even guaranteed.

In siege warfare, the attacking side is said to need three times the number of defenders. While our forces outnumber the enemy, we don’t have three times their strength.

We can’t recklessly throw away the lives of our soldiers and waste resources and time.

“Who else is there besides He Xie?”

“I heard a man named Wei Ping is serving as He Xie’s vice general.”

Wei Ping was similar in rank to our Gao Shang. He’s just average. I doubt Wei Ping would surrender with He Xie around, but it’s worth a try.

“Ah, there’s one more.”

Wei Yan added another name, having forgotten about him earlier.

“A man named Hahu Mu. He’s the son of Hahu Dun and Cao Cao’s son-in-law. Given that He Xie holds military authority in Chang’an, Hahu Mu must be quite incompetent.”

Hahu Mu? My eyes widened at this unexpected name.

What kind of person was Hahu Mu? His name should be “Mu” (楙), but it might as well be “Wu” (無), meaning “none,” given his incompetence.

Despite being favored by Cao Pi and marrying into the Cao family, his incompetence was legendary, even recorded in official histories.

“Let’s target Hahu Mu.”

“Even if he’s incompetent, he’s still Cao Cao’s son-in-law. Would he really defect?”

“Not in his current state.”

He still holds hope.

Our forces aren’t overwhelmingly large, and Chang’an’s defenses are strong. He must be waiting for reinforcements from Luoyang or Yong Province.

But what if we show him that no reinforcements are coming?

What if he realizes that even if he holds Chang’an, there’s no way out?

The greater the hope, the greater the despair when it’s shattered.

Moreover, Hahu Mu was not only incompetent but also known for prioritizing his own survival over all else.

The possibility is there.

“We need to send someone to General Zhao Yun.”

“Give the order.”

“Bring me the head of the general guarding Dongguan.”

The head of Yu Piao, leader of the Xiongnu cavalry, and the head of the general guarding Dongguan.

With these two heads, the hope for reinforcements in Chang’an will vanish.

Despair will replace hope.

“In the meantime, I need to write a letter.”

To make Hahu Mu surrender without a choice.

A perfect line came to mind. I hummed it with a smile.

“What does it matter if it’s like this, what does it matter if it’s like that.”

A line from a song that would echo through the fate of a nation in the distant future.