Chapter 157

When Chang-ran and Bozul had just departed for Hagu.

There was another group heading towards Hagu here.

Unlike the two opposing groups numbering tens of thousands, this side’s numbers weren’t that large. At most, a few hundred. It was only about one or two hundred.

However, everyone was on horseback, and their armaments were also exceptionally well-prepared.

The most noticeable point was those running in the center. Judging by the formation, they were either the leaders of the group or the subjects of protection, and they looked too young, almost childlike.

Among them, the youngest boy was none other than Sun Deng, the Crown Prince of Wu. He was heading to Hagu with his guard unit and two of his four friends.

Having passed through Wuchang, Hagu was now within reach, yet Zhang Hiu persistently advised.

“Your Highness, this really won’t do. How can Your Highness, the foundation of the state, step onto the battlefield? It’s not too late now. Please return to Jianye. Wen Wu, you say something too.”

Seeing that Sun Deng was unlikely to listen, Zhang Hiu turned to Jin Piao, another member of the Eastern Wu’s Four Friends. But despite Zhang Hiu’s earnest plea, Jin Piao was resolute.

“It’s a decision for the greater good, how could I dare to speak against it?”

“You stubborn friend! Our duty, and indeed the greater good, is to ensure no harm comes to Your Highness’s precious body. Why can’t you understand that?”

Zhang Hiu, just past his coming of age at 21, was but a young man. It was natural to fear war. But what he feared more was the potential danger to Sun Deng’s safety.

He would have gladly gone alone with Jin Piao, using the guard unit as reinforcements, even knowing it was a perilous place. The loyalty of the Four Friends to Sun Deng was beyond that.

Despite Zhang Hiu’s fervent dissuasion, Sun Deng remained steadfast. Instead, he urged his horse forward, increasing his speed.

“Your Highness!”

“Uncle! Now I have three younger brothers! Even excluding Liao, who is a hostage in Shu, there are two. So my duty is not to preserve my body but to step forward in the nation’s crisis!”

It wasn’t just a matter of wanting to achieve merit.

After hearing from Zhuge Ge about the impending war in Xiang Province, Sun Deng deeply pondered. He asked those around him what would happen if they fought Shu in Xiang Province, and after much deliberation, he decided he must go to Hagu.

If Shu captures Hagu, defending Xiang Province becomes too difficult. There’s a risk that the talents and soldiers of Eastern Wu within Xiang Province could be isolated and annihilated.

To protect Hagu from the great enemy, Sun Deng himself must go to boost morale. That was his judgment.

However, Zhang Hiu seemed to think differently.

“The people in Xiang Province are the exceptional ones His Majesty particularly cherishes! Trust and entrust them! Your Highness has just passed the age of learning!”

“Not just passed! I am already at the age of learning!”

The age of learning. Confucius set his heart on learning at the age of 15. At the age when Confucius filled his heart with study, Sun Deng was enfeoffed as Crown Prince and embraced the nation. Now, a year later, Sun Deng was 16, just past the age of learning.

Originally, the principle was to receive a courtesy name at the age of 20, but as Crown Prince, he received it early. By the standards of the time, he was sufficiently an adult.

Though his face was still youthful and his body not fully grown, making him somewhat small, Sun Deng’s posture and thoughts were more mature than many adults.

“Cao Biao followed Cao Cao to war at the age of ten, and Chang-ran also went to the battlefield following Zhang Fei at the age of nine! Is it only them? My father took office at the age of learning, and my grandfather suppressed the rebellion in Xuchang at the age of seventeen! If a great man is sixteen, shouldn’t he also be on the battlefield?”

In the end, Zhang Hiu failed to dissuade Sun Deng.

Without prior notice of the Crown Prince’s arrival, Sun Deng rushed from Jianye, and Hagu, unprepared, welcomed him.

Coming from the direction of Jianye, they thought it was merely reinforcements—until they heard the soldier announce the arrival of His Highness the Crown Prince. The soldier’s heart must have been in turmoil.

It was fortunate that Zhu Huan was experienced; a novice general might have panicked, causing a commotion.

However, Zhu Huan adeptly used Sun Deng’s appearance to greatly advertise and boost the soldiers’ morale.

And in a place where as many as possible could see the Crown Prince’s visit, Zhu Huan delivered a speech.

“In the clash of two armies, the key to victory lies not in the number of soldiers but in the generals! Have you heard how Chang-ran commands and leads troops compared to me? Chang-ran is nothing without the martial prowess inherited from her father!”

Amidst the anxiety, the appearance of the Crown Prince. The shock the soldiers received was immense.

Inspired by the very presence of someone showing the will never to abandon Hagu, the soldiers, regardless of the truth of Zhu Huan’s words, responded with fervent cheers.

“In military strategy, the attacking side must be twice as strong, and the defending side needs only half. But this is only true when both armies are on the plains without the defense of city walls or moats, and when the soldiers of both sides are equally brave!”

At Zhu Huan’s powerful shout, another cheer erupted from the soldiers, but Zhang Hiu, watching from the side, shook his head inwardly.

He acknowledged that both Zhu Huan’s private troops and Sun Deng’s guard unit were elite. Yet, compared to the Lanling Army that dominated the realm, it was hard to consider them equal.

But the soldiers, already intoxicated by the atmosphere and Zhu Huan’s eloquence, had no capacity left for discerning truth from falsehood.

“With His Highness the Crown Prince by our side, our morale is sky-high, but the enemy, having traveled a long distance, is exhausted and weary. With the Yangtze River at our side, resting against the city and hills, facing them with fully rested elite troops is the defending side subduing the attacking side, a situation of certain victory!”

This time, even Zhang Hiu nodded in agreement.

Hagu’s defensive position is solid. With the Yangtze River flowing in front, attacking without naval forces is difficult, and Hagu Fortress, built on Jiangxia Mountain, is impregnable.

“Even if Liu Bei himself came, there would be no need to worry, let alone Chang-ran!”

Having brought the atmosphere to the brink of explosion, Zhu Huan subtly stepped back, highlighting Sun Deng.

“With His Highness the Crown Prince by our side, we will surely win!!”

Sun Deng was quick to catch on. As soon as Zhu Huan passed the turn, he raised both hands, shouting “Long live” and proclaiming victory.

And Sun Deng’s arrival clearly had an effect.

Despite Chang-ran’s attack on Hagu arriving much earlier than expected, they successfully defended without faltering.

§

“The Crown Prince is here?”

“Yes, that’s why they fought so fiercely.”

At Jiang Yu’s words, I frowned. The plan had been disrupted.

I left the slower central army behind and raced to Hagu with only the Lanling Army at top speed.

There was no need to worry about being defeated in detail. They would naturally take the water route, and even if they chose the land route, the distance was too great to catch up with us.

After entrusting the central army to Shang Chong to follow, I led the Lanling Army to Hagu. At that moment, I thought the outcome was decided.

No matter how excellent Zhu Huan was, stopping 20,000 Lanling Army with just a few thousand troops was a distant dream.

I thought the soldiers, gripped by the fear of the enemy arriving much earlier than reinforcements, would collapse without a proper fight.

But Sun Deng’s appearance turned the enemy into fearless berserkers.

However, the situation wasn’t entirely bad.

Although the first day’s surprise attack failed, we still held a numerical advantage. Five thousand against twenty thousand. With Shang Chong’s army arriving, we would outnumber the enemy six to one.

‘If Shang Chong joins, we can push with numerical superiority. Is that really the best?’

As I’ve said repeatedly, siege warfare leaves little room for stratagems. Even Zhuge Liang failed at it.

If the enemy general were of Hahu Mu’s caliber, perhaps, but Zhu Huan is comparable to He Xie. The very Zhu Huan who defeated Cao Wei’s top general, Zhao Yun.

Even if we capture Hagu, might we not lose the momentum to continue the attack?

This worry wasn’t mine alone.

The opinions of the generals were also divided.

“In Hagu is Sun Deng, the Crown Prince of Wu. If we secure Sun Deng, even if we lose the strength to continue the offensive, we gain something greater.”

The hardliners advocating for attacking Hagu were led by Jiang Yu. Believing that attack is the best defense and that aggressive attacks are the most powerful strategy, Jiang Yu strongly advocated for the capture of Hagu.

Where there are hardliners, there are also moderates.

The opinion of the moderates was presented by Ma Su.

“Hagu has the Yangtze River to the west and is built on Jiangxia Mountain, making it difficult to attack. Rather, let’s withdraw the army west to secure Luoshan Fortress. Leave some troops at Luoshan Fortress to keep Hagu in check, while the main army secures another place first, wouldn’t that be better?”

Luoshan Fortress belonged to Shifan County, but before moving the county seat to Hagu Fortress on Jiangxia Mountain, the county seat was at Luoshan Fortress.

In other words, Luoshan Fortress is the old county seat, and Hagu Fortress is the new county seat.

Luoshan Fortress and Hagu Fortress face each other across the Yangtze River like twin cities. The difference is that the twin cities face north and south, while Luoshan and Hagu face east and west.

Both Jiang Yu and Ma Su’s arguments had merit.

As I couldn’t decide, the two began to argue.

“General Ma, to cross the river again, we must return to a narrow point like before, but the time taken is too inefficient.”

“You speak of efficiency, but General Jiang’s argument is inefficient. If we attack Hagu Fortress, how many sacrifices will there be? If the enemy’s reinforcements arrive in the meantime, we could end up gaining nothing.”

“Are you underestimating our army’s strength? A mere Hagu Fortress, once the central army arrives, can be captured easily.”

“That’s an irrational argument!”

“General Ma, you haven’t seen our army capture Chang’an City!”

“What, what? Are you looking down on me because I haven’t been in the Lanling Army long?”

“Looking down? I’m presenting the basis for rational judgment as you mentioned.”

Seeing the military meeting turning into an emotional dispute, I cut off their argument.

“Enough! Today’s military meeting ends here. Everyone, return to your posts and fulfill your duties. Dismissed.”

In the tent after everyone left, my anguish continued late into the night.

Until the dawn broke in the early morning.