Chapter Five: Offering a Unique Strategy to Rescue the Trapped Di Dao, Recognizing the Rusty Arrow to Break the Enemy Formation in the Initial Battle

Oh, this is the reward for taking risks and seizing opportunities. I have unexpectedly risen to the position of a county governor! The official appointment was sent to Xiangwu in mid-October. Moreover, it is said that Sima Gong greatly appreciates my contributions during this defensive battle. To receive praise from Sima Gong indicates that my future is bright and my dreams of becoming a general or a minister are no longer far away

I am not a particularly bold person, but I am occasionally willing to take risks. This is because I enjoy fighting, and fighting inherently requires a willingness to take chances. In reality, there are no one-in-a-hundred warriors; during a fight, you can never know whether your opponent has any backup, how many there are, whether there are any skilled fighters among them, or when they will arrive. One must dare to take risks and use one's own momentum to overwhelm the opponent, knocking them down or driving them away before their backup arrives. This is the true essence of fighting.

The Shu bandits have never been fond of prolonged warfare; they only wish to decide the outcome on the plains, hoping to take advantage of the situation to control Longxi. From this perspective, holding our ground without engaging is indeed a clever strategy. However, no matter how perilous Gaocheng Ridge may be, can it compare to Didao City? If Jiang Wei were to capture Didao, he could seize the granaries of Liyang to the east and win over the Qiang and Hu people to the west. At that point, his forces would grow stronger, and provisions would be plentiful. With our inferior troops guarding Gaocheng Ridge, what chance do we have of victory? Currently, General Wang's defeated troops are stationed at Didao, already losing heart; they have the strength to defend but lack the will to fight. If I were Jiang Wei, I would certainly send troops to hold them in check while swiftly advancing my main force to attack Xiangwu. Thus, the isolated Didao City would eventually fall. Yet that fool remains stationed beneath the stronghold, wasting provisions unnecessarily. This is a sign of heaven thwarting his ambitions. I believe our army can strike with lightning speed, coordinating with General Wang from within and without, giving us over a sixty percent chance of success. If we remain passive and wait for the Shu bandits to capture Didao, then we will have no hope at all. Weighing both sides, I believe we should advance!

First, I will detach from practical matters and strike them with a moral blow, rendering them unable or too ashamed to refute my words. Only then will I analyze the situation for those few martial men who do not regard Governor Wang as their lord:

However, Qin Rui did not take this seriously. He smiled at me and said, "It must be that the Shu bandits do not take good care of their crossbow bolts, which is why the arrowheads have rusted. Do you think they would use this to poison? Are they that foolish? Rusty arrowheads are very difficult to penetrate armor; if they cannot pierce the armor and do not draw blood, what use is the rust, no matter how poisonous it is?"

I am contemplating these principles as I speak. Fighting and warfare are akin to *books*; there is no guaranteed strategy for victory, nor is there an inevitable situation for defeat; both sides of the argument can be justified. Moreover, I do not boast that an offensive guarantees victory; I merely state that a defensive stance will certainly lead to failure. Whether to accept my advice is General Chen's responsibility; I am only here to offer suggestions and counsel, and I should not bear any responsibility for my words.

General Chen divided his main force into three teams, positioning himself in the center, Deng Anxi in the east, and Wang Hujun in the west, forming a crescent shape and primarily adopting a defensive stance. The Shu bandits launched successive attacks, first unleashing a volley of crossbow bolts, followed by a charge from the spear squad. After nearly an hour of fighting, Wang Hujun on the western front began to struggle, prompting General Chen to dispatch a cavalry unit to provide support from the flank—among them was Qin Rui.

I let out a soft sigh and closed my eyes. Although my acquaintance with Qin Shouchang has not been long, we have fought together twice, sharing a bond forged in combat. Moreover, he is the only one among my subordinates who possesses some knowledge of both fighting and warfare—can I really expect anything from that brutish fellow by the water tank? If this man were to die, in the event of a defeat, I would have no one to serve as my bodyguard.

On the second day of battle, I made an excuse that my old injuries had not healed, hiding in the tent and not daring to go to the front lines. However, General Chen still transferred away the fifty cavalrymen under Qin Rui, leaving me without even a guard—such is the cruelty of this person! That fellow Qin Rui, on the other hand, rushed out with shining eyes. By noon, he returned with three arrows in him, and it is said that nearly half of his cavalry had been thrown to him.

I took a step forward and first reprimanded those governors and generals—if I take another step, I would be on equal footing with them, and if I take a step back, they have no authority over me, so there is no need to fear them—I said: "You are all serving in Yongzhou; you are subjects, and Lord Wang is your sovereign. How can it be that when the sovereign is in peril, the subjects do not dare to come to his aid?"

Huang Hujun glared at me upon hearing this, but Deng Anxi slowly nodded and said, "There is some truth to that." General Chen slammed the table—my guess was correct, he was indeed in favor of war—and loudly declared, "What Governor Wang said is reasonable. Invaders should never be allowed to run rampant, and a siege should not be prolonged. You all say we should hold our strongholds and wait for the situation to change, but once Didao falls, the situation can only worsen. We bear the heavy responsibility of defending our land; how can we be timid and avoid battle?"

This is indeed a valid point; however, I believe that paying attention to the enemy is far safer than underestimating them. I continued to scrutinize those crossbow bolts and noticed that the red shafts were painted with black lacquer, inscribed with three crooked clerical characters: "Breaking the Formation Camp." "Look, look," I brought the shaft closer to Qin Rui's eyes, "this 'Breaking the Formation Camp' is the elite of the elite among the Shu bandit archery units. It is said that General Zhang He was mortally wounded in the knee by this unit's arrows and died from his injuries. I had long been suspicious; how could a single arrow to the knee lead to death? The original explanation was that General Zhang was simply too old... But now that I think about it, could it be that he died from rust infection?

Upon receiving the commission, I immediately wrote a long letter to my wife who remained in Langya County, and I also gathered five bolts of brocade from the treasury to send along with the letter. Then I summoned... no, I called upon those four troublesome friends to discuss... no, to consult them on the strategies for long-term stability in Longxi. Of course, Governor Jiang would not be returning, and I could not be bothered to engage with those newly appointed clerks and secretaries from the state.

Early the next morning, General Chen led us into Didao City with drums and gongs. Governor Wang welcomed us at the city gate, and upon seeing General Chen, he wept profusely, saying, "Thanks to the general's rescue, the supplies in the city can only last a few more days... If you had arrived even a moment later, I would have been unable to hold on..."

Upon hearing this, I quickly took two steps forward and deeply bowed to Governor Wang, saying, "Greetings, Sir. I am overwhelmed with joy." Governor Wang was momentarily taken aback, then immediately grasped my hand, exclaiming, "Ah, ah, so it is my esteemed nephew who has saved me!" General Chen inquired, "Both of you share the surname Wang; are you relatives?" What nonsense about being relatives! I am of the Langya Wang clan, while Governor Wang belongs to the Taiyuan Wang clan; at most, we were from the same family five hundred years ago. However, Governor Wang was quite gracious and acknowledged my lineage, stating, "Governor Wang is the grandnephew of the Duke of Guanglu, and I... I have already established a connection with Governor Wang. I will promptly submit a petition to formally appoint my esteemed nephew as the governor of Longxi County."

However, General Chen does not seem to think this way. He was intoxicated by the news sent back by Deng Anxi, believing that the bandits were afraid of his reputation. Thus, he rallied the troops, boosted their morale, and prepared to rest for the night, planning to confront the bandits the next day. I had a strong feeling that the situation was dire. That night, I made sure to feed the mounts well, and if the situation looked unfavorable the next day, I would immediately turn around and flee.

I shielded my forehead with my hand and, with great courage, gazed into the distance. I saw a dozen riders charging closer, while the "Breaking the Formation Camp" lined up in a horizontal row, unhurried and calm, releasing a volley of crossbow bolts before turning to leave. The formation was not particularly strict, but their steps were still quite orderly. I thought to myself, this volley of crossbow bolts will surely turn Qin Rui into a porcupine. Even if they were all rusty bolts, and even if nine out of ten could not pierce through his leather armor, they could still take his life!

The crucial task of leading the vanguard fell upon Deng Anxi. Having guarded the Longshan area for many years, he was well-acquainted with the terrain and had gathered intelligence on the enemy, making him the most suitable choice for the role. At the same time, General Chen dispatched swift horses to order the Liangzhou troops stationed at Wogan Pass to advance southward, preparing to launch a pincer attack on the Shu bandits and jointly relieve the siege of Didao.

"Enough with the nonsense," I noticed that almost everyone present was shivering from Xiao Ma's nauseating flattery, so I gritted my teeth and interrupted him, "The Shu bandits will come again as early as next spring; if we do not come up with a countermeasure, we might have to flee like the former governor did."

However, it is hard to say; perhaps the Shu bandits have ulterior motives. The military doctor advised Qin Rui, saying: "There is rust on the cluster, and contact with blood can be extremely harmful. I will apply herbal medicine to it; you must not take it lightly, and you need to rest quietly for proper recovery"

The Shu bandits were mostly infantry, and when charged from the side by cavalry, the front line became somewhat chaotic. However, our cavalry formation soon began to fall into disarray as well, all because that fellow Qin Rui refused to obey orders, breaking away from the ranks and leading a dozen riders straight into the rear of the enemy's archers. From a distance, I noticed their banner, which seemed to bear the character "Liu"—good grief, did that guy really go to seek revenge on Liu Zhou of the "Breaking the Formation Camp"?!

I currently have no way out and do not seek reinforcements, so I boldly take this risk. I have calculated it clearly in my mind; if I do not take risks and merely echo everyone else, I will not share in the victory (the first-class merit naturally belongs to General Chen, the second-class merit will be divided among Deng Anxi and Wang Hujun, everyone will feast while I will not even get a sip of soup). If we lose, I will not bear the blame either. But what if I take a risk and insist on advancing? If General Chen does not heed my advice, then my words will be forgotten, and no one will remember them afterward. If he listens to me and we win, no one will share my second-class merit; if we lose, he cannot shift the blame onto a mere acting county governor. Given the current situation, advancing may lead to success, while retreating will certainly leave me empty-handed. Why not take a chance and see what happens?

Once the commander made his statement, the situation of the meeting changed dramatically, and the generals, governors, and captains all echoed in agreement. Thus, the strategic decision was established; General Chen decided to march overnight, crossing Gaocheng Ridge, with the vanguard heading straight for Didao.

I curled my lip, ignoring his self-aggrandizement. However, the crossbow bolts that had been removed piqued my interest; these bolts varied in length and thickness, with no uniform specifications. The shafts were unevenly painted, and the tips were rusty, showing no resemblance to the equipment of a regular army. If we had our own bows and crossbows, I believe that with just three shots, we could take half of Qin Rui's life, and he would certainly no longer have the strength to boast.

My thoughts turned quickly, and in the blink of an eye, I had even composed the beginning of the eulogy. However, the changes in the battlefield were even more rapid. I had only closed my eyes for a moment, and when I opened them again, Qin Rui had already penetrated the enemy lines without any danger. My mouth fell open, and I couldn't close it for a long time. It turned out that although the bandits' volley of crossbow bolts was impressive, they had not calibrated the distance at all, and all of them flew over the heads of Qin Rui and the others, landing in a way that almost completely enveloped their own frontline infantry... The vanguard of the Shu bandits became even more chaotic, and Wang Hujun seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack, causing the bandit spear soldiers to completely rout.

By noon, Qin Rui returned with two arrows, and the cavalry from Longxi County had also been nearly exhausted by him. I decided that in future battles, unless I had an absolute advantage, I would never again send this beast into the fray. He has no understanding of conserving strength and completely disregards the lives of his subordinate soldiers

The beast and the water tank are both coarse individuals; the beast still refers to itself as "my lord," while the water tank continues to reek of alcohol. The two horses are much more perceptive. Ma Chi first presented me with two thousand coins as a congratulatory gift, while Ma Li, lacking substantial means, resorted to a grand display of flattery that left one feeling weak and feeble as a form of tribute.

Qin Rui is indeed a brave man; despite being struck by three arrows and resting for an entire afternoon, he took up his weapon and left the camp the next day. With great courage, I immediately went to the front lines to observe—whether the Shu rebels could fight or not had to be proven by my own eyes.

"Dealing with a small officer like you in leather armor, a rusty spear is sufficient," I reminded him with a cold face. "Yes, yes," Qin Rui retorted, "but given the current identity and status of the master, what significance would it have to poison me?"

General Chen is quite considerate—I have decided to forget the resentment I hold for him asking me to follow him to the battlefield and for transferring all my guards away—pointing casually at me: "The reason we were able to rush here for rescue so quickly is entirely due to the efforts of the acting governor of Longxi. In the army, apart from me, he is the only one advocating for the advance."

Was I getting along well in Donglai back then? The person I was most at odds with there was Wang M. Hetushucomcom from Qucheng. They had a large number of supporters. Although most of the aristocratic youths put on a facade of being cultured and refined, among them, there are always a couple who are shameless and reckless, which is enough to give me a hard time. However, their greatest weakness is also their numerous allies. Once a person has an escape route or reinforcements, they often become hesitant to take risks. If they show even the slightest fear during a fight, it becomes very easy for them to be knocked down.

How strange, could this be the strength of the so-called elite "Breaking the Formation Camp"...

"How is the situation?" I asked Qin Rui with a hint of nervousness. That fellow, while having the military doctor remove the arrow and bandage his wound, laughed heartily and boasted, "Who says the Shu bandits are all elite? It seems to me, they are nothing special. This morning, we fought three battles in a row, and even with their superior numbers, they gained no advantage at all!"

On the afternoon of the second day, the main army arrived eighty li south of Didao. The vanguard, led by Deng Anxi, reported that the Wang army had unexpectedly appeared south of the city, causing the Shu rebels to lose their courage and be forced into a defensive position, not daring to launch a rash attack. I was somewhat skeptical of Deng Anxi's words; however, based on my original assessment, Jiang Wei was likely afraid of our army coordinating with Inspector Wang, and would probably not immediately mobilize his forces for a surprise attack. Therefore, we did not need to engage him in battle; we only needed to establish our camp, erect deer enclosures, and wear him down.

"Of course, we must put in great effort to recruit and train soldiers," Qin Rui shouted, "Yuan Zong... ah no, my lord the governor, my lord the commander died in Didao. It would be better to recommend to the court and let the master become the commander." I shot him a glare and said, "Nonsense, the commander sent by the court will arrive in the prefecture in a couple of days. What merit do you have to dare to leap to the position of commander?"

In the afternoon, no further battles were fought. By evening, the Shu rebels unexpectedly retreated entirely. Deng Anxi led his troops in pursuit but was ambushed by Jiang Wei, resulting in nearly a thousand casualties on both sides. The siege of Didao was lifted, which truly exceeded my expectations. I placed a bet on this outcome and ended up winning handsomely, both in principal and profit. However, I must not become too elated; excessive joy often leads to sorrow. If I underestimate the strength of the rebel forces because of this, it could lead to significant losses in the future.

Qin Rui had nothing more to say and could only shrug his shoulders: "The Broken Formation Camp... is that Liu Zhou's troops? No way, tomorrow I will seek revenge for these three arrows!"

Qin Rui shot me a glance, as if to say: "What achievements do you have? Didn't you also rise to the position of governor in one leap?" I couldn't be bothered to respond to him and turned my head towards Old Ma. Old Ma smiled obsequiously and said: "While it is indeed necessary to organize the troops, we must first plan for the supplies and funds required for this organization, mustn't we?"