Chapter 302: Tenfold Ambush, Wu River Suicide

Liu Xiu had not spoken, and after watching the image of Xiang Yu's self‑slashing on the celestial screen,

suddenly said, "He could have crossed the river."

Gu Shanhe shook his head, "He will not cross the river."

"If he were able to cross the river, he would no longer be Xiang Yu."

Liu Xiu fell silent.

He understood the meaning of that sentence—some people's pride outweighs their lives.

Xiang Yu stood at the bank of the Wu River, watching his own self‑slashing scene on the celestial screen, trembling all over.

It was not fear, but anger.

His anger was not that the celestial screen announced his defeat to the world; his anger was that the celestial screen said he would commit suicide.

He would not surrender.

Better to die than to submit.

Lu Matong came from behind, his voice trembling slightly, "Overlord…"

Xiang Yu did not turn, "Did you see? The celestial screen says you will betray me."

Lu Matong's face turned ashen, and he fell to his knees.

"Overlord, I didn't! I do not accept the future the celestial screen foretells!"

Xiang Yu finally turned, gave him a glance, his eyes like knives.

Then he smiled, a cold smile, "The celestial screen says you will, so you will."

Lu Matong knelt on the ground, trembling all over.

In the Han army's main camp, Han Xin, having finished reviewing the entire course of the Battle of Gaixia, fell silent.

Tenfold Ambush.

It was the stratagem he devised.

Encircle Xiang Yu, cut off his supplies, block his retreat, and attack his troops' morale with song.

He calculated every one of Xiang Yu's weaknesses.

But he did not smile.

A general beside him stepped forward, "General, the celestial screen says you have defeated Xiang Yu, the invincible Xiang Yu of the world!"

Han Xin nodded, saying nothing.

He recalled Xiang Yu's final battle—the Twenty‑Eight Cavalry, facing thousands of Han troops, slaying hundreds, then committing suicide.

That was not defeat; it was a curtain call.

The commentaries of emperors from various dynasties began drifting across the celestial screen.

Ying Zheng, the First Emperor of Qin, spoke first, his tone unusually tinged with a hint of sentiment.

【Ying Zheng, First Emperor of Qin: Xiang Yu, in my eyes, is a genius at war.】

At the Battle of Julu, fifty thousand shattered four hundred thousand, forcing the lords to kneel at the camp gates.

At Gaixia, it was not that he could no longer fight; his soldiers simply did not want to fight.

Surrounded by Chu songs, what was sung was not music but the hearts of men.

Liu Bang, the High Ancestor of Han, followed closely, his voice bearing the world‑worn melancholy of one who has been there.

【Liu Bang, High Ancestor of Han: Do I hate Xiang Yu? I have.】

He captured my father and wanted to boil him for food.

I said we were brothers; my father is your father, so if you boiled him, give me a share.

I have never spoken such shameless words in my life.

But I had no choice; I could not defeat him.

He paused, his voice dropping lower.

【Liu Bang, High Ancestor of Han: When he died, I wept.】

Not because I felt sorry for him, but because I thought a man like him should not die so.

Liu Che, Emperor Wu of Han, set aside his booklet and spoke.

【Liu Che, Emperor Wu of Han: The Battle of Gaixia fought not just a war, but the hearts of men.】

Han Xin knew Xiang Yu's troops were all from Chu, away from home for too long, longing for home.

A person who longs for home cannot fight.

Yang Jian, Emperor Wen of Sui, stroked his beard and said with emotion.

【Yang Jian, Emperor Wen of Sui: Xiang Yu did not lose to Han Xin; he lost to time.】

He fought for four years, then could no longer fight.

During the Honggou peace talks, he truly wanted to return home.

Liu Bang would not let him return, so he lost.

Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of Tang, spoke with a hint of regret.

【Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of Tang: If Xiang Yu had crossed the river, what would have happened? No one knows.】

But whether the men of Jiangdong would still follow him? Hard to say.

Four years of war have claimed too many lives.

The elders of Jiangdong may no longer wish to fight.

Zhao Kuangyin, the Founder of Song, nodded.

【Zhao Kuangyin, Founder of Song: The Wu River suicide, Xiang Yu's single slash, has kept his memory alive for two thousand years.】

If he had crossed the river, perhaps there would have been far fewer troubles.

Sometimes how a person dies is more important than how they live.

Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang said something in a carefree manner.

Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang: Xiang Yu is the best warrior in the world, but he cannot become emperor.

He conquered territories and enfeoffed those kings to his subordinates.

As a result, those kings each rebelled against him.

What is this called? It is called not knowing how to use people.

The Kangxi Emperor waved his folding fan and leisurely summarized.

Kangxi Emperor: The Battle of Gaixia is the final dirge of a hero's downfall.

Ten-sided ambush, four-sided Chu songs, Overlord bids farewell to concubine, Wu River suicide.

Each phrase is a play, and each play has been sung for two thousand years.

On the celestial screen, the barrage from later ages began to drift across.

Netizen Chu Bawang yyds

Xiang Yu: I have eight thousand Jiangdong youths.

Han Xin: I have four-sided Chu songs.

Xiang Yu: …No talk of martial virtue.

Netizen History Fan

The Battle of Gaixia was actually a psychological war.

Han Xin does not fight hard battles; he fights the mind.

He surrounds you, prevents you from sleeping, and sings songs of your hometown in your ear every day.

No one can endure it.

Netizen Tragic Hero

"Heaven abandons me, what crossing can I make"—

The line sounds domineering, but it is actually Xiang Yu giving himself an excuse.

He cannot cross the Jiangdong not because Heaven wants to destroy him, but because he himself does not wish to.

Netizen Warrior Immortal VS Overlord

Han Xin's ten-sided ambush never let Xiang Yu get a glimpse of his main force from start to finish.

Only after Xiang Yu's troops were exhausted did he emerge to finish the job.

This is called subduing the enemy without fighting.

Netizen Jiangdong Youth

When Xiang Yu committed suicide in the Wu River, his horse was sent away, his head was sent away, and nothing remained.

Yet two thousand years later, everyone still remembers him.

What is this if not a victory?

In the Eastern Han court.

Liu Bang stared at these barrages and remained silent for a long time.

"(Heaven abandons me, what crossing can I make) — I've remembered this line all my life,"

"When I first heard this line, I thought Xiang Yu was showing off,"

"Now that I think about it, perhaps he truly thought that,"

Ying Zheng suddenly spoke: "He cannot cross the river not because the river is too wide, but because he does not want to."

Liu Bang nodded.

Liu Xiu, watching the scene of Xiang Yu's suicide on the celestial screen, whispered:

"If Xiang Yu had crossed the river, would history have been different?"

Gu Shanhe took a sip of tea: "Since it has already happened, there is no 'if'."

Liu Xiu was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "The Immortal Master is right, there is no 'if'."

"Xiang Yu did not cross the river, so the Han dynasty arose."

"Emperor Gao, you became emperor, so we sit here."

Liu Bang lifted his tea bowl, offered a toast to the celestial screen, and then drank it all in one gulp.

That gesture was not like drinking tea, but like offering a toast.

The golden light on the celestial screen began to converge.

Inventory of the Top Ten Ancient Battles·Gaixia Campaign·End

Next Chapter Preview: Julu Campaign

Liu Bang's eyes lit up when he saw the four characters "Julu Campaign".

"Julu? Isn't that the battle where Xiang Yu rose to fame?"

Gu Shanhe nodded: "Fifty thousand broke four hundred thousand, beating the lords so they knelt and entered the camp gate."

Liu Bang turned his head to look at Ying Zheng: "First Emperor, if you were still alive then, seeing that kid Xiang Yu so fierce, would you have taken him to help build the Great Wall?"

Ying Zheng gave him a blank stare.

Liu Bang chuckled and said no more.

The celestial screen dissipated.

But the story of Gaixia remains in everyone's heart.

Ten-sided ambush, four-sided Chu songs, Overlord bids farewell to concubine, Wu River suicide—

Each phrase is a play, and each play has been sung for two thousand years.