novelhk Chapter 875: Surprise attack on Xianyang, forcing Gao Yao!
Chapter 875: Surprise attack on Xianyang, forcing Gao Yao!
He walked over to the map and drew an arc with his finger. "Most importantly, we must set up a triple ambush along the retreat route. If Gao Yao leads his troops to attack, they will be trapped in our carefully prepared encirclement. Not only will there be a high probability that Xianyang will be captured by our army, but Gao Yao's main force will also be severely damaged."
"This... how exactly should we do this?" Xiang Yu leaned forward slightly, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of his sword, his eyes flickering with suspicion and anticipation. The flickering candlelight within the tent illuminated his angular face in flickering light.
Seeing this, Yi Xiaochuan knew Xiang Yu was tempted, so he lowered his voice and said, "Gao Yao is indeed cautious, but excessive caution often turns into paranoia. Our army can openly repair the plank road while secretly marching through Chencang." He took a command arrow and drew an arc on the sand table. "Openly, we will continue the feint attack on Yangping Pass. Only 3,000 soldiers will remain, but we must set up more tents and fly flags everywhere. Send people to light bonfires every night to create smoke, so that the spies of the southern border army will think our main force is still there."
"Secretly," Yi Xiaochuan's command arrow suddenly turned and pointed directly towards Xianyang, "the main force of our army returned overnight and headed straight for Xianyang. The reason why the defenders of Xianyang are so confident now is that they rely on the power of black gunpowder." When he said this, he noticed that Xiang Yu's eyebrows raised suddenly.
"Don't worry, Brother Yu," Yi Xiaochuan smiled faintly. "I've been studying the properties of black powder day and night these past few days. While it's incredibly powerful, it has a fatal weakness—it's afraid of tides and water." He dipped his hand in the tea and drew a simple diagram of a city wall on the desk. "According to my observation, the Xianyang defenders are likely to have buried a large amount of black powder underground around the city wall. And the celestial phenomena have changed recently. I'm observing the clouds and predict heavy rain within three days."
Xiang Yu stood up suddenly, his armor clanging in the tent: "Are you serious? If we can really take advantage of the weather to defeat the enemy..."
"Absolutely true!" Yi Xiaochuan also stood up, his eyes blazing. "Once it rains heavily, the black gunpowder buried underground will become damp and ineffective. We can then split our forces into two groups: one group can launch a surprise attack during the rainy night to destroy or even seize their gunpowder; the other group can prepare the waterproof gunpowder we've already prepared and bombard the Xianyang city walls in return!"
He grew increasingly excited as he spoke, his finger firmly pointing at Xianyang. "Not only are Gao Yao's family members in Xianyang, but they are also the relatives of important civil and military officials of the Southern Border Army. Once the city falls, the Southern Border Army will undoubtedly be thrown into disarray. Given Gao Yao's character, upon learning of Xianyang's crisis, he will undoubtedly abandon his defenses at Yangping Pass and lead his troops back to provide support. Then..."
The candlelight in the tent crackled, illuminating the flickering light in Xiang Yu's eyes. He slowly stood up, his armor rustling with the dull metallic sound of friction as he moved, his gaze fixed intently on the location of Xianyang City on the sand table.
"What a brilliant scheme!" Xiang Yu's voice was filled with rare admiration. "Xiaochuan, Xiaochuan, I had no idea you had calculated the situation so thoroughly." He slammed his hand down on the table, shaking the quiver so hard that it made it vibrate. "If Gao Yao learns that Xianyang is in danger, he'll be in a state of panic. The route he'll take to break out will be perfect for us to take advantage of..."
At this point, Xiang Yu's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his tone suddenly became firm: "It's settled! The battle of Xianyang is under your full responsibility. I will personally lead the troops to ambush Gao Yao's reinforcements. This time, he will not return!"
However, Yi Xiaochuan immediately stepped forward, the candlelight casting a deep shadow on his face. "Brother Yu, this is absolutely unacceptable!" His voice was soft, but it carried undeniable weight. "Think about it, if Gao Yao doesn't see your flag when we attack Xianyang, he'll definitely become suspicious. With his suspicious nature, he'll probably hold his troops in place or even change his strategy."
He reached out and pressed down Xiang Yu's arm, which was about to explode, and said earnestly, "The key to this battle lies in convincing Gao Yao that the main force of our army is still at Yangping Pass. Only with you at the front line can he confidently send troops to rescue Xianyang. The ambush is most suitable for me."
Seeing Xiang Yu's hesitation, Yi Xiaochuan emphasized his tone: "Brother Yu, those who achieve great things should focus on the overall situation. This battle is not only related to the siege of Yangping Pass, but also to the direction of the entire war. Please think twice!"
The air inside the tent seemed frozen. Xiang Yu's broad hands gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist, his knuckles white with the strain. His brows knitted into a deep, furrowed brow, his chest heaving violently, each breath a heavy rumble.
Yi Xiaochuan held his breath, his heart racing. He knew his sworn brother all too well—once Xiang Yu had made up his mind, even a mighty host couldn't change him. Though his character had calmed down considerably over the years, his inherent domineering stubbornness remained unchanged. He could almost hear his own heartbeat, dreading the possibility that Xiang Yu would persist.
The candlelight flickered in Xiang Yu's deep eyes, illuminating his intense inner struggle. His expression shifted several times, from initial resolve to hesitation, from unwillingness to resignation, before finally fading into a long sigh. That sigh carried a multitude of complex emotions: regret for not being able to slay his enemy, the awareness that as a commander he had to prioritize the greater good, and the trust and confidence he placed in Yi Xiaochuan.
"That's all, that's all!" Xiang Yu suddenly released his sword handle and waved his hand. His heavy armor clanged as he sat down. He sank into the commander's chair, his tone filled with resignation yet determination. "Since that's the case, let's do as Xiaochuan says. This battle will proceed according to your plan!"
Yi Xiaochuan looked up abruptly upon hearing this, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes. He had already prepared more arguments, even prepared for the worst, but he had never expected Xiang Yu to concede so readily. At that moment, he clearly realized: the Xiang Yu before him was no longer the stubborn Overlord of Western Chu.
For Xiang Yu, the reason for his change of heart was actually inextricably linked to the previous Battle of Yangping Pass. In terms of martial arts, he had originally believed that after years of training, his martial arts skills should have far surpassed Gao Yao. However, the actual results were completely beyond his expectations. Despite his best efforts, he was still unable to defeat Gao Yao, and even found that Gao Yao had become even stronger.
Another key factor was Xiang Yu's own underestimation of the enemy. Without fully considering the situation, he ordered a withdrawal, a hasty decision that ultimately led to the failure of the entire battle plan. Had it not been for his underestimation of the enemy and his unauthorized withdrawal, Yangping Pass would have been captured long ago, and the battle plan would have been carried out smoothly as planned.