Chapter 398: Feathered Missives Find No Road to the Deep Palace

The exact distance between Handan City and Ye City is fifty-seven li. The General of Chariots and Cavalry, Yuan Shao, setting out from Ye City at the head of his most elite troops in a vast and mighty procession, crossed the Fu River that very day and entered Liangqi City, which lies precisely halfway between the two cities. He made this conveniently situated city his main base of operations and prepared to arrive at the very front line—beneath the walls of Handan City—by the following afternoon to personally oversee the battle.

The reason for such urgency was not merely that seizing Handan by storm had been part of the strategy from the very beginning. More importantly, upon arriving in Ye City, Yuan Shao quickly discovered that the atmosphere in Wei Commandery was amiss... Ju Shou, who had originally held him in high regard, refused to see him for a time, and the local gentry were buzzing with discussion. As for the earlier incident of Xun Wenruo leading his people back to their hometown, that went without saying.

Yuan Benchu soon came to his senses as well—his prior treatment of Han Fu had still provoked intense discontent among the great clans and prominent households of Hebei, and even among some people from Yingchuan!

However, General Yuan of Chariots and Cavalry was also one to correct his mistakes. On one hand, he hurried in person to the homes of local talents of Jizhou such as Ju Shou and Liu Hui, extending them invitations with generous gifts face to face. On the other hand, with the most critical talents, stockpiles, and troops now firmly in his grasp, he immediately adopted the advice of Chen Gong and others—namely, to launch a military assault on Handan without delay.

The reason for this was simple. First, war was unavoidable and was meant to commence immediately anyway. Second, military action has always been the most serious and most thorough form of gambling. Once battle is joined, not even a military victory is required—merely the unfolding of military operations will immediately cover over, and even dispel, those prior internal contradictions.

In other words, although this campaign was in the plans, it was still somewhat hasty... The most obvious flaw was the insufficient intensity of political propaganda!

Chen Lin's essay was dashed off in half a day, and even after two or three days there had been no time to print it from woodblocks; it was also unclear whether it would be revised again after being issued. Then, General Yuan of Chariots and Cavalry, holding eighty thousand troops in his hand, had somehow muddle-headedly only falsely claimed to have one hundred thousand... when he could perfectly well have falsely claimed five hundred thousand. Finally, with both sides fully arrayed against each other along the Yellow River basin, the overall military and diplomatic strategy was only hastily formulated after battle had already begun—this appeared exceedingly crude.

Therefore, that evening, within Liangqi City, Yuan Shao had no choice but to seize every spare moment to conduct a thorough review of the grand strategy with his staff and generals, to guard against any contingency.

"How goes it in Hejian? Zhang Junyi leads five thousand troops at Mao County—can he hold off Gongsun Zan?" As a map of Jizhou was hung upon the screen in the main hall of the county office, Yuan Shao, aided by the candlelight filling the hall, scrutinized it briefly before opening his mouth to first inquire about this matter. "Do we need to send reinforcements?"

"Zhang Junyi is reliable, and he is fighting in his own home region. The five thousand troops are also elite. Your subordinate merely regrets that such a talented general has to be detached to hold a single route alone, which instead seems a waste. Why speak of reinforcements?" As the head of the general staff, Chen Gong naturally took it upon himself to answer.

"It was an exchange of pieces from the start—using Zhang Junyi with five thousand infantry against Gongsun Bogui's four thousand-odd cavalry, plus Gongsun Fan behind him. That is already good enough." Feng Ji dismissed the concern.

"That is not the point. At that location, merely holding a standoff is sufficient, but here at Handan, we absolutely must take the city!" Chen Gong's reasoning was blunt.

"In any case, we have eighty thousand troops here besieging a single city. Surely that is sufficient?" Feng Ji's frown deepened.

"Where do these eighty thousand troops come from? Clearly, there are only fifty thousand combat soldiers and thirty thousand support troops. And among those fifty thousand, ten thousand are newly surrendered soldiers..." Chen Gongtai sneered.

"Support troops are soldiers too! Once these support troops and new recruits have participated in a couple of battles and gaps appear among the frontline combat soldiers, they can be used to fill the vacancies. Then we just conscript more civilian laborers... Besides, this troop strength already accounts for the autumn harvest. Once the autumn grain is stored, we can absolutely carry out a large-scale mobilization. Our lord holds nineteen commanderies and princedoms across Qing, Yan, and Jizhou—all major commanderies. One commandery can always provide ten thousand soldiers and ten thousand civilian laborers! An army of four hundred thousand can be assembled in an instant!" Guo Tu also joined the discussion.

"Are you joking?" Chen Gongtai was exasperated. "An army of four hundred thousand, before it even assembles in Hebei, would devour itself into collapse! Who under Heaven can afford to sustain it? Moreover, on a single battlefield, one hundred thousand troops is already the absolute limit—any more is useless!"

"I was merely saying that we do not lack reserve troops and horses, and that there is no need to worry about this matter. As for the claim of four hundred thousand, it was meant to take advantage of the civilian laborers transporting grain after autumn—perhaps we could use that to falsely claim such numbers, in order to overawe all under Heaven..." Guo Tu knew full well he had mishandled matters earlier in Wei Commandery, so how would he dare to directly confront Chen Gong head-on?

"Who is 'all under Heaven'? And who is 'all under Heaven' referring to?" Chen Gong had been under Yuan Shao's command for over half a year now; how could he not know what kind of person Guo Tu was? He could not be bothered to save face for such a man. "The General of the Guard has fought wars for over a decade—does he not know how many troops our logistics can support? And the only minor warlord nearby who could affect the overall situation at this moment is Zhang Yang of Henei alone!"

"It is precisely to intimidate Zhang Yang." Seeing Guo Tu rebuffed into silence, Xin Ping had no choice but to step forward. "In my humble opinion, we do not expect Zhang Zhishu to cooperate with us outright, but the man is fundamentally a fence-sitter. Intimidating him so that he does not directly defect to the General of the Guard and thus open the way is also necessary."

"Be that as it may, to proclaim four hundred thousand would only make us a laughingstock." Another person voiced his rebuttal—it was none other than Ju Shou. "I have been in Hebei for many years and have had the honor of reading some hand-copied teaching materials from the General of the Guard's time in Changping. He often says that military matters—troops, provisions, spoils—are matters of life and death and must be handled with truth and facts. False claims and inflated reports, apart from self-aggrandizement, are utterly futile to the war situation... In truth, for this campaign, we have forty thousand elite troops, ten thousand new recruits, and thirty thousand support troops. On the General of the Guard's side, the so-called Guanzhong and Youzhou armies amount to exactly forty thousand combat soldiers. Adding the ten thousand-odd garrison troops gathered here at Handan, it is precisely fifty thousand against fifty thousand—evenly matched." Pausing briefly at this point, Ju Gongyu continued earnestly, "Even if we can gather tens of thousands more troops after the autumn harvest by leveraging our shorter supply lines, the General of the Guard's forces are mostly cavalry—it will still be an even match!"

"Everyone knows that the General of the Guard and our Illustrious Lord are evenly matched! Everyone also knows that no matter how many troops and horses one has, due to logistics, a single major battle can at most involve one hundred thousand men! As for what Gongze just said, he merely wished to tell everyone that our Illustrious Lord's territory is more concentrated and his population larger, so our replenishment of troops and horses far surpasses that of the General of the Guard! Moreover, if we can seize Handan before he assembles his main army here, then this talk of being evenly matched can be dispelled once and for all." Xin Ping spoke solemnly to everyone in the hall. Then, turning back to Yuan Shao, he raised his voice to declare, "Illustrious Lord, this is precisely our path to victory... When the decisive battle comes in the future, the General of the Guard's two bases are too far apart. Once his troops suffer attrition, assembling them again will prove difficult. But we need not fear the General of the Guard and his army's prowess in battle, because we can afford to outlast him—our speed and potential for replenishing troops far exceed his!"

"Well said!" Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao immediately rose, clapping his hands. "Zhongzhi's words reveal the hidden truth in a single sentence! Gongsun Wenqi and I have been old friends for many years—how could I not know that I am somewhat inferior to him in military matters? But though his troops are strong, the lands he holds are mostly barren, his population is smaller than mine, and his territory is inconveniently long and narrow, making maneuver difficult. In other words, if I suffer a setback, I need only withdraw slightly and can return in force in an instant. But if he loses a battle, he will lose strength both front and rear and find it hard to move. At such a time, it will be just like the situation before us now—allowing us to concentrate our forces to attack cities and seize territory!"

The assembled staff largely agreed with this assessment and one after another bowed their heads in assent.

"Just now, I have also roughly grasped the various points you gentlemen have made." By the bright candlelight in the hall, Yuan Shao once again gestured across the map, summarizing briefly. "Although Gongsun Wenqi's and my spheres of influence interlock like the teeth of dogs, difficult to disentangle at a glance, broadly speaking, the contest is here in Jizhou, along this line from the southwest to the northeast, a decisive battle spanning a thousand li... And now, what we must do is stabilize Zhang Yang, hold Hejian, and then concentrate our main army to take Handan. Is that correct?"

"Our lord is brilliant and divinely martial!" Guo Tu rushed to be the first to praise him.

"What of Julu? Should we detach some troops there as appropriate?" Before Yuan Shao could modestly decline, Xu You, who had remained silent all along, suddenly interjected with a question.

"Handan City juts out exceptionally far forward; it can be completely surrounded without passing through Julu. Moreover, right in the center of Julu Commandery lies the Great Julu Marsh, crisscrossed by waterways in all directions, which become especially flooded in summer—a natural barrier to the advance of a large army. There is no need to worry about Dong Zhao, Dong Gongren, and the troops behind him dashing out from there to cut off our rear." Ju Shou quickly added from the side.

"Although we need not worry about the enemy attacking from there, we cannot simply ignore it either." Xu You spoke gravely. "Especially those seven or eight counties south of the Julu Marsh—would it not be laughable not to take them while the opportunity presents itself?"

"The key is Handan. Although our army is numerous, we must still be like a fierce tiger pouncing on a rabbit, using our full strength. Detaching troops at this moment would be inadvisable..." Chen Gong remained firmly opposed to wasting any forces.

"I have a plan that, without using a single soldier, can seize half of Julu Commandery." Xu You cupped his hands and declared smugly.

"Ziyuan, speak freely." Yuan Benchu did not take it too seriously.

"Please give me, Benchu, several dozen blank commissions stamped with your seal as General of Chariots and Cavalry, and assign me a company of cavalry as an escort. Let me make a trip to the Julu area and pay visits to the local strongmen in their forts and the great households and powerful clans..."

Everyone instantly understood—Xu Ziyuan was going to sell offices, and perhaps make a tidy profit on the side... Yet no one objected.

After all, this plan was absolutely feasible. And if this fellow's trip could serve both public and private interests, and indeed cause trouble for Dong Zhao in the Julu direction, what did it matter?

"I will grant them to you immediately!" After a moment's thought, Yuan Shao answered crisply. "I leave the matters in the Julu direction to Ziyuan."

"Many thanks... Illustrious Lord." Xu You raised an eyebrow, unable to hide his smugness, and even, uncharacteristically, changed his form of address.

But just at that moment, Feng Ji suddenly recalled another matter: "Speaking of covering all fronts, what of Yanzhou? If Handan falls easily here, will the General of the Guard simply abandon Handan and instead drive his Guanzhong elite straight toward Chenliu? And what of Cao Mengde? Stuck awkwardly in northern Yuzhou as he is, he must inevitably harbor resentment. If, when the time comes, not only does he fail to block the enemy for us, but instead switches sides and turns against us, what then?"

Yuan Shao and Chen Gong both frowned upon hearing this.

It must be understood that, though others might not know, Yuan Benchu was well aware that Yuan Gonglu was a good-for-nothing. So when he had devised the strategy earlier, he had been somewhat mentally prepared.

But that he would prove useless to such an extent was something he had never anticipated—unable even to control a single military subordinate like Sun Jian, leaving not only himself in imminent peril but also dragging him down! Thus, at this very moment, Yuan Shao did not know how to give Cao Cao an explanation. Yet if he offered no explanation, Feng Ji's warning demanded attention, because Cao Cao, originally meant to serve as a shield for Yanzhou, might very well become a major problem!

After all, while Cao Mengde and he, Yuan Benchu, were childhood friends, he was also a close friend of Gongsun Wenqi!

"There is no need to worry about Chenliu." Seeing Yuan Shao frown and Chen Gong about to offer his apologies, Xu You, already eager to act, dismissed the concern. "Mengde will absolutely not stand by and allow Gongsun Wenqi to march straight into Yanzhou, nor will he directly switch sides..."

"Does Ziyuan have some reasoning for this?" Yuan Shao's interest was faintly stirred.

"What reasoning could there be?" Xu Ziyuan stroked his beard and gave a cold laugh. "The word 'power'—sweet as syrup. Of those who have tasted it, how many can truly let it go? Whether it be Cao Mengde, Liu Xuande, or Sun Wentai, they are all heroes of the age. Such men certainly have their abilities and character, but since they have now effectively carved out their own territories and become masters of their own domains, then regardless of whom they previously attached themselves to or with whom they shared close personal ties, all that has become meaningless. They will only think of what they themselves can achieve... For them, this time, they are probably hoping that you, Benchu, and Wenqi will fight a great war in Hebei for seven or eight years before a victor emerges, so that they can take the opportunity to sweep through the Central Plains and then turn back to decide who is supreme! How could they allow one side to so easily strike at the other's rear? Therefore, regarding Chenliu, we need only make the usual arrangements. If the situation there truly weakens, Cao Mengde will surely march north from Chenliu to lend you, Benchu, a helping hand! Conversely, if one day you, Benchu, truly break through Handan, emerge from the Taihang Mountains, and prepare to enter Shangdang and attack Taiyuan, then you absolutely must tighten your defenses in Yanzhou!"

Beneath the lamplight, Yuan Shao and everyone in the hall fell silent. Only after a long while did he slowly nod: "Ziyuan speaks truly. The situation of a realm divided among warlords has already taken shape. In our hearts, we must have the awareness that each pursues his own ambition, each serves his own master—that old friends will attack one another, and brothers will face each other across battle lines... However, if in the future Mengde and the others are willing to surrender with cupped hands, there will always be a place for him here with me!"

"That was then; this is now!" Upon hearing this, Xu You sneered even more. "Benchu, today you see that Mengde is weak, and so you are this magnanimous. But if in the future his power rises... even if you win, at most you will be issuing the order to parade his head while weeping, no?"

Yuan Shao fell silent once more. After a moment, he collected himself, set aside this topic, and delivered his own conclusion: "What you gentlemen have said tonight greatly pleases me. Since that is the case, then: a soft approach toward Mengde, a show of force to overawe Zhang Yang, defense in Hejian, sowing chaos in Julu, and finally, committing the entire army to attack Handan... Everyone, return and rest now. Except for Ziyuan, we shall meet again tomorrow beneath the walls of Handan!"

Each harboring their own thoughts, the men said no more upon hearing this and one after another cupped their hands and took their leave.

The following afternoon, just as the weather was at its most sweltering, Yuan Shao, truly disregarding the hardship, arrived beneath the walls of Handan City. He then donned his full armor, had the war drums beaten to summon the generals, and prepared to personally oversee and assign the battle tasks.

It should be said that at this time, within Yuan Shao's army, the staff was headed by Chen Gong, and included Feng Ji, Xin Ping, Xin Pi, Xun Kan, Guo Tu, Chen Lin, Shi Yi, Xi Lu, Guo Yuan, Peng Mou, and others. Those who independently commanded troops included Ju Shou, Cui Yan, Wen Chou, Yu Jin, Ju Yi, Ji Yong, Wu Anguo, Han Meng, Gao Lan, Li Gan, Li Jin, Lu Kuang, Lu Xiang, Zhao Chong, Cheng Wu, Tian Yin, Xue Fang...

The former group could still be said to have diverse origins, with some sense of attachment to Yuan Shao, but the latter were almost entirely local power-holders from the three provinces of Qing, Yan, and Jizhou. Their abilities might vary, but in another time and space, every single one of them was a figure recorded in the histories—not mere makeweights.

Of course, the reason he could gather so many people was primarily that Yuan Shao's territory was very compact and transportation was convenient (the Yellow River of this era, due to its stable Golden Embankment and calm waters, was actually a natural channel for transporting grain), so he did not need to appoint a special rear-area commander and could keep his entire central staff with him.

In fact, just as Yuan Shao formally launched his campaign, the families of many of these men had also moved to Ye City along with Yuan Shao's own family.

However, setting aside Zhang He and Xu You, who had been assigned to independent commands, there were also notable absences among these ranks:

For instance, Cheng Yu. Although he had accepted the post of General of the Household, he had excused himself on the grounds of old age and frequent illness, sending only his eldest son, Cheng Wu, and the local magnate Xue Fang to lead troops here together... This was, of course, understandable. Cheng Zhongde was truly over fifty—by the standards of this era, genuinely decrepit—so no one made much of it. However, Cheng Yu was still responsible for guarding Cangting in his home region, a famous passageway from Qingzhou and Yanzhou into Hebei, a key transportation point that also served to protect the supply lines, so he was by no means idle.

Correspondingly, the absence of the uncle and nephew Gongsun Fang and Gongsun Du seemed somewhat deliberate... This was not to say that Yuan Shao had discarded them after their usefulness was exhausted. On the contrary, both men had been given important posts at the time, leaping to the rank of two thousand shi in one bound. Gongsun Fang became the Chancellor of Jibei and went to settle Jibei; Gongsun Du became a General of the Household and went to Beihai to oversee military agricultural colonies with the former Yellow Turban captives!

In summary, the offices granted were not small, the rewards ample, and they were given substantive posts—yet they were sent far away from Pingyuan and Hebei.

Of course, there was also the matter of the positions of Ju Shou and Cui Yan. This assignment seemed somewhat absurd on the surface, yet was perfectly logical.

The reason was simple. Before Yuan Shao and Xu You had resolved to raise troops and carve out their own territory, they had discussed future strategies in detail. Yuan Benchu knew full well in his heart that Gongsun Xun had gone before him, so if he wanted to rapidly sweep through the region, he would need the support of local power-holders. And to gain local support, he could only 'treat others with leniency'!

Thus, the majority of his army consisted of local power-holders leading their own regional troops, faintly carrying the air of 'soldiers belonging to their respective commanders.'

As for Ju Shou and Cui Yan, although they were of aristocratic birth and renowned for their wisdom, strategy, and scholarship, they were also local representative figures. Thus, they were still allowed to lead troops in the capacity of generals — Ju Shou was given the additional title of General of the Household, commanding half of the ten thousand surrendered troops from Wei Commandery, while Cui Yan, after his own cousin’s death, was also made General of the Household, commanding precisely the Qinghe recruits reorganized after the battle at Jiudu that day.

But regardless, returning to the matter at hand, at this very moment, beneath the afternoon sun, Yuan Benchu climbed the temporarily piled and rammed general’s platform under the scorching heat, and looked around him — truly, fierce generals were like clouds, strategists like woven cloth, with banners and drums arrayed, and armor dazzling to the eye…

How to put it?

Handan City lay ahead, the nineteen commanderies and kingdoms of Qing, Yan, and Ji lay behind, and eighty thousand troops were in his grasp. As heroic ambition surged within Yuan Benchu, that sense of anxiety from being left behind by Gongsun Xun finally vanished without a trace!

For some unknown reason, Yuan Shao even felt a hollow sense of satisfaction, as if he had already reached the pinnacle of his life.

“What is the situation in the city?” Yuan Shao, hand on his sword, cast a sidelong glance around him. It took him a long while to calm his emotions, and only then did he seat himself squarely upon the Grand Commandant’s chair at the center of the platform, opening his mouth to inquire about official business.

“Reporting to my lord.” As expected, it was Chen Gong who stepped forward without yielding to others, reporting with a solemn expression. “Within the city, there are ten thousand local garrison troops from the Kingdom of Zhao, and after Guan Yu returned north from Zhaoge, another three thousand soldiers arrived here… As for the common people in the city, there should be about ten Battalion Commander, roughly thirty to forty thousand people.”

“Did Guan Yunchang not bring the people north with him?” Yuan Shao was momentarily puzzled. “Why are there only thirty to forty thousand commoners in the city?”

“The soldiers Guan Yunchang brought, aside from military dependents, have all been resettled north of Xiangguo County.” Chen Gong, unhurried and unflustered, continued his report. “It is said that even among the thirty to forty thousand commoners in the city, the old and weak have been sent to the rear… Those who remain are all people capable of aiding in the city’s defense.”

“In other words, this Shen Zhengnan was long prepared for a siege, so the city will be neither overcrowded nor short of grain?” Yuan Shao frowned slightly.

“Not only that.” Although reporting publicly, Chen Gong could not help but smile bitterly and shake his head. “He has also specially built a fortified camp on the west side of the city to create a mutually supporting horn-like formation. At this moment, it is garrisoned by Guan Yunchang with three thousand troops. Half of the camp is under the cover of the city walls, while around the other half, there are simply a full ten layers of abatis and barricades!”

“…” Yuan Shao fell silent for a moment.

“My lord!” Seeing this, Ju Shou also stepped forward directly. “Although the enemy’s preparations are ample, at that time they had not yet witnessed the overwhelming might of our army, so we can still give it a try… In any case, there is no time to assault the city today.”

In truth, Yuan Shao was still immersed in that strange sense of satisfaction, so he naturally nodded hastily.

And as Yuan Shao nodded, a young scholar behind Ju Shou also immediately stepped forward.

“Tell your uncle,” Yuan Shao looked at this man and, in as earnest a tone as he could muster, repeated a speech he had given this man earlier that morning on the road. “I know that he, Shen Zhengnan, is a loyal and steadfast man, and I have no intention of ruining his reputation. But now that my great army is gathered, resistance will only increase casualties in vain, and after the city falls, there will be things too cruel to speak of. If he is willing to surrender the city, should he wish to stay, I have a post for him as General of the Household, and his troops will remain under his command; should he wish to leave, I will permit him to lead his entire army away in an orderly retreat, and I will absolutely not pursue them on my own accord… If I break this oath, may gods and men alike strike me down!”

“My lord is far too magnanimous!” As soon as Yuan Shao finished speaking, Wen Chou, Gao Lan, Ju Yi, and others nearby voiced their objections publicly.

“I believe it is acceptable.” Without needing Yuan Shao to speak, nor Ju Shou, who had clearly orchestrated this surrender demand, Chen Gong, his face dark, blocked these arrogant and fierce generals. “If we truly assault the city, we can certainly take it, but how many lives will it cost to fill the breach?!”

The generals were momentarily abashed, yet helpless, and could only watch as that young scholar — none other than Shen Pei’s own nephew, Shen Rong — headed toward the city.

A moment later, everyone on the platform could see clearly: a man in armor and a tall cap appeared atop the gate tower — it was unmistakably the famous Hebei scholar of over a decade’s standing, the trusted confidant of the General of the Guards, Shen Pei, Shen Zhengnan.

After a brief assessment, Shen Pei waved his hand in signal, and immediately a basket was lowered from the gate tower. Shen Rong ascended the city safely and spoke face-to-face with his own uncle.

“Over half a month ago, when Yuan Shao had not yet reached Ye City, I wrote to you and your father, telling you to bring the family to Handan. Why did you not come?” Upon seeing his nephew, Shen Pei opened by asking. “And why do you come only now?”

“Reporting to my uncle,” Shen Rong replied respectfully with a bow. “Previously, it was because Father and the others were mindful of the family estate…”

“Family estate, family estate!” Shen Pei could not help but grip his sword and change his expression. “The world is never short of short-sighted people like you! If you abandon that family estate today, would our lord be so dull as to ignore it? In the future, he will only compensate you tenfold! How can you not understand?”

“One must also be alive to enjoy it!” Shen Rong retorted with effort. “Though it was somewhat accidental, looking at it now, was not staying out of the city the right choice? Uncle, did you ever imagine that a hundred thousand men would besiege you alone in one city? Outside the city are Ju Gongyu, Chen Gongtai, Pang Yuantu, Xin Zhongzhi, Xun Youruo — these men’s talents are no less than yours, Uncle, and the brave commanders leading the troops are beyond counting…”

“So, you have come today to urge surrender?” Shen Pei finally lost patience. “Is it so, or not?”

“It is!” Shen Rong hurriedly bowed again.

“How much gold and silver has Yuan Benchu prepared to buy me?” Shen Pei gave a faint, cold smile.

“Lord Yuan’s sincerity is full, and he does not use gold and silver to humiliate you, Uncle.” Shen Rong immediately stepped forward and recounted Yuan Shao’s terms in detail, then earnestly pleaded again. “Uncle… Lord Yuan knows you are a loyal and steadfast man, and has even considered your reputation. In this situation where defeat is certain today, even if you do not wish to stay, why not lead your troops north and wait for the General of the Guards to return? This would also spare us from things too cruel to speak of, and even more, spare us blood kin from facing each other in battle!”

Shen Pei raised his head and let out a long sigh, then gripped his sword, his expression solemn, and shook his head: “I always knew you were a worthless brat, but I never imagined you were this worthless!”

Shen Rong felt helpless in his heart. How could he not know that this mission had already failed?

“Is that Yuan Benchu and his advisors and generals?” Shen Pei looked around, then suddenly pointed far off toward the high platform several hundred paces away, directly facing the gate tower.

“It is.” Shen Rong was momentarily puzzled.

“In broad daylight, it is quite clear indeed.” Shen Pei sighed. “I ask you one last time: since you have entered the city, are you willing to defend it with me?”

Shen Rong lowered his head and said nothing.

“I understand. Get into the basket, now!” Shen Pei, hand on his saber, pointed directly at the bamboo basket hanging from the city wall.

Helpless in his heart, Shen Rong dared not linger. He could only bow and take his leave, then simply climb into the basket.

A moment later, as the Zhao Kingdom soldiers on the city wall gradually let out some rope and calculated the length, Shen Pei, who had been gripping his sword hilt the entire time, suddenly drew his blade and cleanly severed the rope dragging against the wall with one stroke… Then, ignoring the screams from below the wall, he simply gripped his sword and descended the tower.

Handan was an ancient capital, its walls five zhang high, second only to the seven-zhang ceremonial standard of Chang’an and Luoyang. Although Shen Pei had left some margin, cutting only after lowering him halfway, falling from a height of two or three zhang, Shen Rong broke both his legs on the spot!

And as Shen Zhengnan had said before, in broad daylight, it was quite clear indeed. Thus, upon the Yuan army’s general platform, those who saw this scene from afar — from Yuan Benchu down, hundreds of generals and officers — all fell silent.

“Pass the order to the entire army: prepare to assault the city!” After another moment, Yuan Benchu was the first to react, but he simply flicked his sleeves and left, leaving the many military officers staring at one another in bewilderment.

—————I am the leg-breaking dividing line—————

“In the early Jian’an era, Yuan Shao besieged Handan with a hundred thousand men, and Shen Pei defended the city. Pei’s nephew Rong volunteered to enter the city and urge surrender. Once the basket was suspended and he ascended, Shao and the others believed surrender was imminent, and thus assembled the generals on the platform to watch from afar. Yet before Rong could speak many words, he was driven back down by Pei. The basket hung three zhang above the ground when Pei himself drew his sword and cut the rope. Rong fell and both his legs were broken. Shao was furious, left the crowd, and returned to camp. He then summoned his trusted confidants to discuss, wishing to kill Rong in retaliation, as Pei had humiliated him excessively. Xin Ping said: ‘If his uncle humiliates you, you would kill his nephew; if a man humiliates you to your face, what more would you add? If one wished to kill you, my lord, what more would be added then? Rong should be rewarded, not punished!’ Shao grew even more ashamed.” — A New Account of the Tales of the World, Chapter on Speech

PS: Thanks to the 103rd patron, King of Changing Homes, and the 104th patron, Hundred Turns Head! Immensely grateful!

Updates are unstable; I can only try my best with 7k to beg forgiveness, and hope everyone will go easy on me.

(End of Chapter)