Chapter 166

The messenger who came from Xiang Province was sent by Ban Jun.

Ban Jun gathered information from Wei Yan’s front in Jingling County, Yi Yan’s front in Wuling Commandery, and Guan Yu’s Yangfan, and relayed it to me.

The letter brought by the messenger was quite lengthy, detailing almost everything happening across Xiang Province.

After the initial greetings, the first person mentioned was Wei Yan. Wei Yan, facing Zhu Yan in Jingling County, was fulfilling his role diligently.

Having been burned by Liu Song once, Wei Yan did not underestimate Zhu Yan and acted cautiously. Thanks to this, he managed to repel Zhu Yan’s attacks outside the city. Like Zhu Huan, Eastern Wu, despite lacking strength, was more aggressive than others.

In the original history, Zhu Yan had struck Zhao Jin and Xiahou Shang with just 5,000 troops against over 30,000, but he couldn’t deal a significant blow to Wei Yan.

From the situation, it seemed more like Wei Yan was struggling to hold Zhu Yan back rather than Zhu Yan enduring Wei Yan’s attacks. Truly befitting Zhu Yan, who succeeded Liu Song as Eastern Wu’s supreme commander.

“Anyway, Wei Yan is doing well. Next is Yi Yan, right?”

Just like Wei Yan, who lived up to expectations, Yi Yan should be no different. Known as someone who could stop Liu Song, he wouldn’t be an easy match for Zhuge Jin, especially with more troops.

However, I soon frowned. It was good that Gong’an City had been recaptured initially, but that was more of a strategic retreat.

The real battlefield was Wuling Commandery. With Wuling, which was supposed to cooperate with us internally, completely devastated, Yi Yan chose to gradually tighten the noose from the outskirts.

“But he lost?”

It wasn’t a complete defeat, but he was pushed back in a local battle.

“I know Lu Kang is a great talent, but to surpass Yi Yan?”

Lu Kang, who died young, might be underestimated by later generations, but Yi Yan was an ace-level figure in the late Shu Han period.

“Is there a messenger from Wuling Commandery?”

There wasn’t just one messenger. At the beginning of the letter, Ban Jun mentioned that he had sent messengers from each front.

Sure enough, one messenger stepped forward.

“Yes, General. I was in General Yi Yan’s camp.”

“General Yi Yan was pushed back in a local battle. They mention the exploits of someone named Yu Chan. Do you remember anything about him?”

Upon hearing Yu Chan’s name, the messenger shivered as if recalling something horrifying.

“He was truly bizarre. He roamed with his hair loose, and when the battle started, he would howl at the sky and sing loudly. When he sang, others would follow and charge… No matter how thick the defense was, they would break through. He was a monster.”

Ah, now I remember.

After becoming crippled from an injury, he cut off his own leg, saying there was no point in living if it couldn’t stretch. And then, his leg actually stretched, which was even more absurd.

He later became one of Eastern Wu’s most famous veteran generals, fighting on the battlefield even past 70. He lived without knowing defeat until his final moments, dying heroically in battle.

“General Yuan Chen was injured and retreated because of him, and General Yi Yan also suffered a couple of defeats. He is incredibly brave.”

“Is Yu Chan under Sun Quan?”

“No, it seems he is under Lu Kang.”

Lu Kang was Liu Song’s deputy. If Lu Kang was leading him, then Yu Chan was also under Liu Song.

Both Lu Kang and Yu Chan had something in common: they were outspoken and not favored by Sun Quan.

Liu Song had gathered talents Sun Quan was reluctant to use under his command.

“Zheng Feng, whom I was already concerned about, is also under Liu Song.”

Lu Kang, Zheng Feng, Yu Chan… No matter how I thought about it, they were talents who would have emerged earlier if not for Liu Song.

Just as I had brought Wang Ping and Ma Chong to the forefront early in the late Han period, Liu Song was nurturing hidden talents across Eastern Wu.

“Excluding Liu Song is the key to conquering Eastern Wu.”

With history changed, I couldn’t rely on the early death trope, so I had to cut him out directly.

Although Yi Yan was struggling, the overall front was still advantageous.

Surprisingly, Eastern Wu’s resistance was strong, but not beyond imagination. If I could secure Hagu and support Jingling County and Wuling Commandery, it should be manageable.

However, the next part was beyond imagination.

[The Supreme General led his troops from Yangfan to attack Wancheng.]

“What?”

I wondered if I had misread and carefully reread it.

But the words didn’t change. What I read was clear.

“Messenger from Yangfan, who are you?”

“It is I.”

“Did the Supreme General truly march to Wancheng? Is this true?”

“Y-yes.”

Perhaps I pressed too hard, as the messenger stuttered in response. But I had no time to worry about his state of mind.

Confirming it was true, I quickly finished reading Ban Jun’s letter.

The letter explained why Guan Yu had led his troops to attack Wancheng.

[The troops from Xuchang are heading to Yiyang Commandery and Jiangxia Commandery? Are they wary of my activities? That’s absurd… With the mountain range blocking, how can they advance north with these troops?]

It wasn’t just Zhang Pei from Xuchang.

[In the meantime, Xu Huang left Wancheng to hold Guan Yu back?]

There is a route from Yangfan to Wancheng that bypasses Runan Commandery and Yiyang Commandery, passing through Biyang County southeast of Wancheng.

Considering that the main forces of Han and Wei are stationed in Yangfan and Wancheng respectively, with Xinye County as a boundary, it’s not that far.

But there was no reason for Xu Huang to leave Wancheng just to cover Zhang Pei. Even if Guan Yu was planning a surprise attack, Xu Huang could have moved after confirming Guan Yu’s movements. Biyang County is closer to Wancheng.

[Did Guan Yu use naval forces to move up the Yu River, thinking time was running out?]

I hadn’t seen the situation in Xingbu firsthand, and it was impossible to grasp the entire situation with just a few words and the messenger’s testimony.

But one thing I was sure of.

“This is Sima Yi’s trap.”

No matter how I thought about it, this wasn’t normal military deployment. Guan Yu might see this as a golden opportunity to defeat Xu Huang and take Wancheng, putting Luoyang within reach, but I couldn’t shake off a bad premonition.

The old serpent coiled in Luoyang kept bothering me.

“If this is truly a scheme by Sima Yi, his target is undoubtedly Guan Yu. If Guan Yu dies, Liu Bei will surely seek revenge.”

While others expected Liu Bei to retreat if Guan Yu died, only Yu Ye anticipated revenge. And Yu Ye had once argued with Sima Yi to push into Yi Province when Cao Cao occupied Hanzhong.

Perhaps that’s why Yu Ye was now in Luoyang with Sima Yi.

“Will Xu Huang in Wancheng really fight Guan Yu?”

I couldn’t guess Xu Huang’s intentions, but there was something else to be wary of.

Sima Yi’s lightning-fast maneuvers were unparalleled.

“If, and only if, Guan Yu dies due to Wei’s scheme…”

Then it would be an all-out war until either Han or Wei was wiped off the map.

In that case, wouldn’t it be right to withdraw here?

Capturing Hagu Fortress would take a day or two. And capturing Sun Deng would be the best move to block Eastern Wu.

But if Sun Deng were to die in a desperate fight, we would become sworn enemies with Eastern Wu.

The clear future of reclaiming Xiang Province had become obscured by a fog of uncertainty.

The straightforward battle between the Xiang Province expeditionary force and Eastern Wu had turned into a complex three-way conflict with Wei’s intervention.

Biting my lip in anxiety, I sent the messengers away and summoned my officers.

I wanted to share my thoughts with them and discuss what we should do next.

Perhaps I had called them too hastily, or maybe it was just perfect timing.

A messenger from Hagu Fortress arrived just as we were in the middle of the meeting.

“Shall we hold talks?”