Chapter 159

The room buzzed with murmurs at my words.

Of course. We wouldn’t have been relentlessly pounding Hagu Fortress while ignoring the enemy’s reinforcements for no reason.

Even Ma Su, who suggested leaving Hagu Fortress alone, didn’t propose cutting off the reinforcements first.

Thinking about it, it would be much more rational and efficient to defeat the reinforcements before they joined forces with the enemy.

Could talents like Jiang Wei, Ma Su, and Guo Yi, who left their mark in history, not have known this? Impossible. There were reasons why they didn’t advocate attacking the reinforcements.

“General, aren’t the enemy’s reinforcements naval forces?”

Because they are naval forces.

Naval forces. An army on water. They are on ships.

In other words, the reason we didn’t preemptively attack their reinforcements is simply because we lacked the means to do so.

Of course, the Han Dynasty did have some naval forces. Guan Yu had diligently built up the Han’s navy, which was stationed not only in Yangfan but also in parts of Nan Commandery.

However, using them was also difficult.

“Didn’t the naval forces under the Supreme General stationed in Qingni already leave to cut off the rear of Jingling County at your request?”

Ma Su’s question represented the doubts of others. The few naval forces we had were already deployed in operations.

Jingling County was backed by the Han River, which connected to the Yangtze River. Since both Yangfan and Qingni were also along the Han River, Jingling County could be considered the front yard of the Han’s naval forces.

Anyway, without naval forces, we had no choice but to leave their reinforcements alone like a dog chasing a chicken and looking up at the roof. But now, it’s different.

The missing pieces have come together.

Guo Yi, noticing my thoughts, nodded and muttered.

“Indeed. The situation has changed.”

“What is it, Xiao Xian?”

With the first generation like Ma Chong and Zhang E gone, and Bi Yi, who could be considered the 1.5 generation, also gone, the two brains of the Lanling Army were Jiang Wei and Ma Su. But it was none other than Guo Yi who first grasped my intentions, surprising Ma Dai.

“Hagu is an important place, but until now, it wasn’t a place we had to defend at all costs.”

Hagu, where the Yangtze River and its tributaries converge, is undoubtedly a crucial hub for water transport. However, whether it’s worth grinding down the already scarce human resources of Eastern Wu to defend it is a question worth pondering.

The profit gained from defending Hagu by grinding down manpower versus the profit gained from preserving manpower by abandoning Hagu.

If we put these two on the scales, it’s hard to choose one. Either choice is understandable.

But what if we put Sun Deng on the scales along with Hagu?

Wouldn’t the scales tip sharply to one side?

“Now, Hagu Fortress has become a place they must defend at all costs.”

“I see!”

After hearing Guo Yi’s explanation, Ma Su cheered as if he understood. Then, true to his reputation as the most studious, he recited a passage from Sun Tzu’s Art of War.

“Sun Tzu said, ‘If I wish to fight, the enemy, even if entrenched in high walls and deep moats, cannot avoid engaging me. I attack where he must rescue.'”

In short, it means, ‘If I want to fight, the enemy, no matter how advantageous their position, will have to fight on my terms. Because I am attacking a place they cannot afford to lose.’

“It’s about the concept of ‘Weakness and Strength.'”

Since Sun Tzu’s Art of War was a famous military strategy book known to everyone present, the source of the quote was immediately recognized.

And that sound meant that this was an idea anyone could come up with. Guo Yi quickly pointed out a flaw that this alone couldn’t solve.

“I understand that the enemy now has no choice but to come to Hagu. But can we really call this a significant change? They would have headed to Hagu anyway.”

Others nodded in agreement with Guo Yi’s words.

“As Guo Xiao Xian said, the problem is how to deal with their naval forces. Currently, our forces are using small boats and rafts to block the exit from Hagu, but that’s only because the enemy’s naval forces there aren’t that formidable.”

“The enemy’s reinforcements will come in proper warships, and blocking their entry into Hagu is impossible.”

Hagu is an important point where tributaries converge, but the river isn’t wide enough to station a fleet.

Therefore, the main fleet of Eastern Wu’s navy was stationed in Lake Baqiu, a large lake between Lukou and Yiyang.

We might be able to block the exit from Hagu Fortress somehow, but blocking a proper fleet is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

With Guo Yi, Ma Su, and Shang Cong, who are known for their excellent military strategies, opposing the idea, Ma Dai and Bu Chuan, who are weaker in tactics and strategy, couldn’t refute.

But Jiang Wei was different. He had been intently studying the map since Guo Yi first expressed his thoughts. Even when Ma Su was discussing Sun Tzu’s Art of War, Jiang Wei showed little interest. Suddenly, he spoke up.

“We can block the river.”

That’s Jiang Wei for you.

I smiled and said to Jiang Wei.

“Will you take care of it?”

“If entrusted, I will repay that trust with results.”

“Good. Do you know where?”

“Three thousand will suffice.”

“Take my direct troops.”

“Understood.”

As we exchanged this cryptic dialogue, I felt curious gazes from the others.

They wanted to ask something, but since I was speaking, they couldn’t easily interrupt. Their puzzled expressions reminded me of Bi Yi.

If it were Bi Yi, he would have smoothly interjected and asked, but this time, no one did.

‘Well, such charismatic individuals are rare.’

Though they lacked Bi Yi’s eloquence and charisma, there were those with comparable execution skills.

“Commander Wei, Deputy General Jiang, what on earth are you talking about? Blocking the river?”

Ma Su asked with a face full of frustration.

Instead of answering directly, I glanced at Jiang Wei. Noticing the meaning behind my gaze, Jiang Wei began to explain.

“Literally. We block the river to prevent their naval forces from reaching Hagu.”

“…Ah! So that’s why you said earlier that it’s crucial they can’t abandon Hagu.”

“Exactly.”

Seeing Guo Yi growing steadily brought a smile to my face.

Bozul is excellent. If the Yangtze River were blocked and they had to disembark and use land routes, he would rather abandon Hagu and seek support from Gong’an City or Wuling. After all, without passing through Hagu, they couldn’t reach Jingling County.

With already limited troops, would they engage us on land? Would Bozul not realize the risk?

But with Sun Deng present, the story changes.

Bozul would have to go to Hagu, even at the risk of annihilation.

Abandoning Hagu while knowing the Crown Prince is there? Well, if Sun Quan hasn’t gone senile, he might generously forgive them, prioritizing the bigger picture over personal feelings.

But maybe not. Sun Deng isn’t just any ordinary Crown Prince. He’s a capable and well-prepared successor with impeccable character and ability.

Would Sun Quan show mercy to someone who abandoned such a cherished successor? Maybe not in the future, even if he does now.

Bozul, who sided with Sun Ba during the Yi Ling Incident and was criticized for flattery, wouldn’t have taken such actions for no reason. He was just reading Sun Quan’s favoritism towards Sun Ba.

‘Bozul can never abandon Sun Deng.’

And Bozul didn’t have no chance of winning. At least from his perspective.

“They don’t know the current situation. They think only Sun Deng and the Lanling Army are here.”

“Your Excellency arrived after our forces blocked Hagu.”

“Wait, did you deliberately…?”

No, Ma Dai. I appreciate you thinking highly of me, but that’s not it. At that time, I didn’t even know about Sun Deng’s existence.

“An overestimation. It just coincidentally worked out.”

Sun Deng’s appearance, Shang Cong’s forced march, and Zhu Huan’s efforts all came together to create the current situation.

“If they think our forces are only 20,000, they might consider it a manageable fight.”

Assuming we subtract the troops needed to besiege Hagu and consider the fatigue from the march and siege warfare, it might seem like a feasible battle.

“But is blocking the river really possible?”

“It is.”

Jiang Wei answered firmly to the most fundamental question about defeating the reinforcements.

“Blocking the river isn’t as grand as it sounds. Find a narrow part of the river, lay iron chains, and drive iron rods into shallow areas. That’s enough.”

Someone actually put Jiang Wei’s words into practice. When the Jin Dynasty later launched an army to destroy Shu and Wu, Wu Yan, the governor of Jianping, blocked the river with iron chains and rods as Jiang Wei suggested.

‘At that time, Wang Jun had plenty of time and resources to break through. But Bozul doesn’t have that luxury.’

With Sun Deng’s safety at stake, when would they have time to break the iron rods and melt the chains? If they ram their ships into them, they risk sinking, which would be counterproductive.

“But we don’t have iron rods or chains.”

“We can make them. It’s entirely possible.”

With that, Jiang Wei pointed to a spot on the map.

“We’ll block it here.”