Chapter 087: Each Has Its Own Strengths

Wei Yan and his son were both astonished. Wei Feng had always accompanied Wei Yan, never commanding troops on his own. Now, all of a sudden, he was being entrusted to lead an expedition to the Eastern Three Commanderies. Though only two thousand soldiers were assigned to him—the remaining three thousand allocated to Zhuge Qiao—this favor was more than enough to leave father and son deeply moved. From Ma Su, who delivered the orders, Wei Yan learned that this honor was a reward from the Chancellor for Wei Ba. His heart was filled with delight. After Ma Su departed, Wei Yan patted Wei Feng forcefully on the shoulder. “Boy, your wings are strong now—you can fly on your own.”

Wei Feng could not conceal his broad smile. To command two thousand men—that was the rank of a Commandant. To attain such a position at the very outset of one’s career was rare among the young, and it was all thanks to his younger brother, Wei Ba. How could he not be pleased?

Lady Zhang, observing the jubilant father and son, felt both happy and uneasy—a mix of emotions. She pulled Wei Feng aside, whispered a few words of advice, then suddenly asked, “Do you know, Ziyu seems to be quite fond of Huan’er.”

Wei Feng was momentarily taken aback, blinking before replying naturally, “If you, Mother, have no objection, let him have her.”

Lady Zhang raised her slender brows. “Huan’er has been raised by me since she was a child—I have always regarded her as half a daughter. And you would give her away so lightly?”

Wei Feng chuckled, scratching his head. “Then what does Mother think should be done?”

“I am asking your opinion now.”

“My opinion? If he likes her, let him have her, then.” Wei Feng answered, unconcerned.

“You don’t care for Huan’er yourself?”

“Oh, I do like her too. But since Ziyu likes her, I’ll yield to him—after all, I am the elder brother.”

Lady Zhang was left speechless. She patted Wei Feng’s face affectionately, then, feeling his powerful, muscular arm, sighed. She could see that his words were sincere. Remembering what Wei Ba had once said to her, she smiled silently. Since things were as they were, she could only hope that the brothers would remain close all their lives.

“Very well. Pass on my words to him: as long as you brothers return safely from this campaign, I will give Huan’er to him.”

Wei Feng agreed and left at once. Right now, he had no mind for anything to do with Huan’er—all his thoughts were on the two thousand troops the Chancellor had assigned him. He had led men before, but those were always his father’s subordinates. Out of respect, they called him ‘Young General,’ but the title had meant nothing. Now it was different: the commandant’s seal hung at his waist—these soldiers were truly his own.

After brief preparations, Wei Feng set out with five thousand men. According to military custom, Wei Yan assigned him two hundred elite guards as his personal retinue. These two hundred were the Wei family’s private soldiers, their sole task to ensure Wei Feng’s safety. For her own son, Lady Zhang spared no expense; she dispatched people to rush back to Nanzheng and prepare two hundred new sets of armor and weapons for these guards.

Even Wei Yan himself had never received such treatment. He muttered a few words in envy, but before Lady Zhang’s formidable presence, he could only swallow his complaints and pout in secret.

—

In Anyang, Wei Ba was burning with anxiety.

Although Zhuge Qiao had accepted his advice, he had not taken it to heart, dawdling in Anyang for two days before finally setting out. By the time he reached Xunkou, events had already spun out of his control.

Just as Wei Ba had foreseen, on the very day Deng Xian left Anyang to return to Fangling, Sima Yi was already en route to Fangling. Marching at forced pace, Sima Yi and his thirty thousand men covered twelve hundred li in just eight days, suddenly appearing outside Fangling and encircling it completely.

While besieging Fangling, Sima Yi anticipated that Shu Han might send reinforcements. He ordered General Hu Zun to occupy Mulan Fort, thirty li east of Xunkou, with three thousand men, and commanded Shen Yi to hold Xunkou fast. Shen Yi had fortified the place over many years; its defenses were strong and it was garrisoned by over two thousand men, keeping Zhuge Qiao at bay and rendering him utterly helpless.

Only now did Zhuge Qiao realize the gravity of the situation. He immediately dispatched messengers to Zhuge Liang for reinforcements. As the envoy passed through Anyang, he also delivered Zhuge Qiao’s message to Wei Ba: there was an urgent need for someone skilled in siege equipment—Wei Ba was requested to come to his aid.

Wei Ba was incensed at the request. A siege? Are you serious? With only five thousand men, you think you can storm Xunkou, defended by two thousand? That’s Shen Yi’s stronghold, built up over years—how could you take it so easily? What good would siege engines do? Unless I could drag out a few cannons for you, even the best equipment would be wasted.

More importantly, siege engines had to be constructed on-site, requiring time. Without at least three to five days, there would not be enough. And even if you miraculously broke through Xunkou, what then? Would you immediately go on to take Mulan Fort? By this plan, if you reached Fangling in two months, it would be a feat. Relieve Meng Da? Dream on!

But all the anxiety in the world was useless—Anyang had only a thousand troops, and even sending them all would make no difference at the front. Just then, word arrived from Wei Feng: By order of the Chancellor, I am leading five thousand men and on my way.

Wei Ba was elated, though only because his brother now had the chance to command troops—the situation itself was unchanged. Five thousand more men could not alter the unfavorable position of the Shu forces, nor make it possible to seize Xunkou with any speed.

Wei Ba summoned Zhao Guang, Mi Wei, and Zhou Yu for counsel. Zhou Yu, styled Yunyang, was a Captain newly assigned by Zhuge Qiao to cooperate with him. Zhou Yu’s father was Zhou Cang, once a subordinate of Guan Yu—though whether he was the same as the knife-bearer in the tales, Wei Ba could not say. Still, the man did bear a resemblance to the Zhou Cang of the operas: in his thirties, with a bushy beard and a fierce bearing. His martial skill was middling compared to Zhao Guang, but he was brave and exuded a killing aura.

“First, reinforcements are on the way—five thousand men. Among them is my elder brother, Wei Feng.”

At first, the others were delighted, but their smiles soon faded. They understood that five thousand men would only bolster their numbers—the real problem remained unresolved.

“Second, we must devise a way out of our predicament. Simply throwing these five thousand at Xunkou will make little difference to the situation.”

Zhao Guang asked, “Ziyu, do you have a plan?”

“Not yet,” Wei Ba replied. “I only know that if we do nothing, the Chancellor’s northern campaign will undoubtedly be affected.”

Zhao Guang was troubled. Wei Ba refused Zhuge Qiao’s orders, but had no alternative plan of his own. What to do?

Mi Wei, arms folded, raised his brows. “If we have no plan, then let’s think of one together. One thing is clear—we are not going to Xunkou.”

Wei Ba glanced at him without comment. Who knew if Mi Wei was being contrary simply to vex Zhuge Qiao? The man had a head for business, but was unreliable in war—no use depending on him.

“Could we bypass through Shangyong, and from there make for Fangling?” Zhou Yu ventured timidly—an expression at odds with his rugged face.

Zhao Guang immediately dismissed the idea. “I fear not. There is a road from Xicheng to Shangyong, but it is all mountain paths—small groups might pass, but an army would struggle, and heavy supplies could not be brought along. Relying on what we can carry is far from sufficient.”

Zhou Yu fell silent.

Wei Ba had considered this option—it seemed clever at first, but after some basic calculations, he too abandoned it. As Zhao Guang said, it was unsuitable for major troop movements; it would be difficult to reach Fang County in time.

“I think it’s possible,” Mi Wei said suddenly, staring at the map. “We need not necessarily break the siege for Meng Da. The main concern is whether Meng Da is ill-prepared and might collapse under Sima Yi’s fierce assault. As long as we appear near Fangling, it should be enough to bolster his morale and help him hold out. In such a case, a small force might be as effective as a large one.”

Wei Ba’s eyes narrowed, then suddenly brightened. He realized he had become too mechanical in his thinking, accustomed to running simulations—always considering either attacking Xunkou or finding another route to Fangling, focused solely on battle. He had not considered that psychological support might be crucial for Meng Da at this juncture.

In other words, he had focused too much on objective factors, neglecting the subjective. Mi Wei, though unversed in warfare, was a master of business, where psychological maneuvers were everything—no wonder they said all merchants are cunning.

Mi Wei’s words opened a new path of thought. Wei Ba’s mind began to spin rapidly, weighing all the factors. Soon, a new plan emerged.

“We take the route through Shangyong, then split our forces. One detachment, made up of the mountain-savvy barbarians and Qiang troops, will cross Zhushan and Baima Mountains straight to Fangling to support Meng Da. The other will head north from Shangyong, approach Mulan Fort from behind, and launch a rear assault.”

Zhao Guang squinted in thought. “Mulan Fort is not easily taken. Five thousand men, divided in two, crossing mountains and rough terrain—their movements can hardly be concealed. Even if we reach the fort, we may not be able to take it. I think it would be better to circle behind Xunkou first, defeat Shen Yi, then rush the whole force to Mulan Fort—our chances would be much greater.”

Wei Ba shook his head. “Your plan is safer, but too cautious. Mulan Fort and Xunkou are thirty li apart, forming a front-and-rear formation. With Shen Yi covering the front, the Wei troops at Mulan Fort should feel secure. If we strike Shen Yi first, it will take time and alert the enemy at Mulan Fort in advance, forcing us into a frontal assault—which is less desirable. If we strike them first, catching them off guard, our chances are better. If we are discovered and the surprise fails, we can still turn and attack Xunkou with little delay.”

“I think Staff Officer Wei’s reasoning is sound,” Mi Wei agreed. “Our sudden appearance at Mulan Fort would be a major shock to the enemy. The Wei troops would be surprised, and Shen Yi would be anxious. Compared to a direct assault on Xunkou, this should be more likely to succeed.”

Zhao Guang considered and accepted Wei Ba’s plan. “How shall we divide the work?”

“You and Zi Lie will hold Anyang,” said Wei Ba. “Yunyang and I will go with the main force.”

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