novelhk Chapter 824 I want both fish and bear’s paw!
Chapter 824 I want both fish and bear’s paw!
"Your Majesty! This is a matter of urgency, and we cannot afford to lose any time! We must immediately send a message to the garrisons of all the counties and towns in Ba and Shu commanderies, to rush to the aid of Yangping Pass! Every moment of delay could plunge the city into irreparable ruin!" He knew very well that the current garrison at Yangping Pass numbered no more than 3,000, and facing the thundering attack that the Chu army might launch, this force would be nothing but a drop in the bucket. This was not enough! Xiao He's sharp eyes swept across the southeast of the map, where Ying Bu's Third Army was fighting fiercely on the front line of Nanjun. "At the same time, we must expedite the 800-li attack! Order General Ying Bu to immediately abandon the Nanjun offensive and lead the main force of the Third Army back to Hanzhong at all costs, day and night, to rush to the aid of Yangping Pass! Only in this way can we stabilize the situation and preserve this vital throat that concerns the fate of the country!"
Xiao He's decision was a desperate and optimal solution: Hanzhong was empty. Zhang Liang had previously exhausted all the mobile forces in the Bashu counties to capture Hanzhong. Although Hanzhong was now occupied, the time was too short. Aside from the elite troops of the Third Corps, who were left behind by Zhang Liang, the remaining troops were scattered throughout Hanzhong, suppressing local forces and preventing counterattacks. The troops that could be hastily assembled to reinforce Yangping Pass were few and far between, and their combat effectiveness was questionable.
The troops from other directions, whether they were garrisons from other counties or garrisons mobilized from Southern Commandery, were too far from Yangping Pass. By the time they received the order and made the long journey to arrive, the opportunity would have already passed! They had no time to prevent the fall of Yangping Pass.
The Third Corps was the only mobile force! The Third Corps, commanded by Ying Bu and currently fighting in Nanjun, was the only mobile corps relatively close to Yangping Pass, fully organized, and formidable. Removing them would be the only force capable of arriving before or during the initial stages of the Chu army's offensive and turning the tide!
"No!" Gao Yao's resolute voice was like thunder, instantly rejecting Xiao He's proposal. He turned abruptly, his eyes sharp as a knife, staring directly at Xiao He. An invisible pressure spread. "Withdrawing Ying Bu now would be tantamount to destroying the Great Wall! The battle for Nanjun is about to conclude. How can we let it fail at this moment?!"
Gao Yao's worries went far beyond the immediate situation. He feared a reversal of the tide of battle, and all his previous efforts would be wasted. "Ying Bu's Third Army is the absolute main force in the Nanjun offensive! If he withdraws, our offensive in Nanjun will instantly collapse! That old fox, Wu Can, is being suffocated by our three-pronged attack, and his defenses are shaky. Ying Bu's withdrawal will give Wu Can a precious respite! He'll quickly regroup, strengthen his defenses, and perhaps even launch a counterattack! Our huge initial investment, the sacrifices made, and the territory we've conquered will all be for naught!"
Gao Yao's voice was heavy with emotion. "Xiao He, do you know that accepting a large number of surrendered soldiers and cities may seem like expanding territory without bloodshed, but in reality, it's like embracing thorns?"
Gao Yao pointed to the newly occupied areas around Nanjun on the map. "These places are full of surrendered soldiers. Those who lay down their weapons are civilians, and those who take up arms are soldiers! Although our army has occupied the area in name only, the people are not yet attached to it, and local forces are deeply entrenched. To prevent the surrendered from rebelling again, we have no choice but to station heavy troops in key locations and cities to suppress and monitor them! The Second and Fourth Legions may seem to be making smooth progress, but in reality, they are firmly pinned down in these newly occupied areas, their forces severely dispersed and tied down! They are now like being stuck in a quagmire. Advancing will take time to digest; retreating could trigger a chain reaction! If Ying Bu retreats at this point, our advantage in Nanjun will be wiped out!"
"If Wu Can sees our main force retreat, he'll be emboldened! If he chooses to hold out, the time, manpower, and supplies required to capture this tough nut to crack in Nanjun will increase exponentially! This will completely disrupt the timetable for our entire southern strategy!"
Gao Yao's gaze swept towards the Wei Kingdom on the map, where Wei Bao's sphere of influence was marked. His eyes were filled with deep fear. "This isn't the most terrifying thing! Xiao He, think about it. If Ying Bu withdraws his troops and news spreads that the war in Nanjun has reached a stalemate or even reversed, what will Wei Bao, who just signed an alliance with us, do? Will that fence-sitter let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity go?!"
Gao Yao's voice suddenly became icy cold, and every word weighed heavily. "Wei Bao will definitely break the alliance! He will definitely take advantage of the fact that our southern front is weak and the battle is at a stalemate, and launch an attack! He will either attack our flanks or directly attack the weak points in our rear! What kind of situation will our army be in then?!"
He slammed his palm on the map, shaking it. "To the north, Xiang Yu's Chu army is eyeing us covetously. To the east, Wei Bao is treacherously attacking. To the south, Wu Can is rallying his forces and launching a counterattack. And to the west, if there's another mishap at Yangping Pass... we'll be attacked from all sides, facing a sharp blow from both front and back! This is the true calamity! Xiao He, dispatching Ying Bu to reinforce Yangping Pass may seem like a solution to the crisis, but in reality, it's opening a Pandora's box, triggering the complete collapse of the entire war."
The study was utterly silent, with only Gao Yao's decisive analysis echoing in the air, like a stone dropped into a deep pond, the ripples stirring like the turbulent waves surging within Xiao He's heart. He stared blankly at the king he had followed, a complex and indescribable emotion welling up in him—amazement, awe, and a sense of awe at the youth's awe.
Once upon a time, Gao Yao was just a captain of a thousand men who had no choice but to go to the southern border. He needed his "old acquaintances" such as Xiao He, Cao Shen and Zhang Liang to help him plan his strategy.
But now… Xiao He smiled bitterly. Gao Yao's analysis, unraveling the complexities, pinpointing the core of the situation, and foreseeing the chain reactions several steps into the future, had surpassed Xiao He's own limits in its grand vision, far-sightedness, and precise assessment of risk. This wasn't simply a gift, but the tempering of power and responsibility! Controlling a vast territory, hundreds of thousands of troops, and the fate of millions of people—this invisible weight had elevated Gao Yao's perspective to a state of command overlooking the entire world.
He often modestly claimed to be "not as good as Xiao He and Zhang Liang," but in reality, his overall grasp of the situation and keen insight into the future had already surpassed his predecessors! This speed and depth of growth made Xiao He, a self-proclaimed wise man, have to admire him from the bottom of his heart.
What shocked Xiao He even more was Gao Yao's decisiveness. Faced with the dilemma of potentially endangering Yangping Pass or causing nationwide unrest through the collapse of Nanjun, Gao Yao chose the riskier path, but one that would preserve the strategic initiative—not transferring Ying Bu!
This meant he had to shoulder the enormous risk of losing Yangping Pass alone. This courage, daring to dance on the edge of an abyss, was something not common among strategists. This was the resolve of a true hero!