novelhk Chapter 819: What is the purpose of the Chu army’s surprise attack?
Chapter 819: What is the purpose of the Chu army’s surprise attack?
Despite achieving such brilliant victories and expanding his territory to unprecedented proportions, he didn't rush into blind expansion. Instead, he calmly paused, accurately analyzed his strengths and weaknesses, and began meticulously planning his next steps. This ability to maintain composure in the face of immense success, like a seasoned chess player examining an endgame, was what truly impressed and captivated Xiao He.
"This is truly the talent of a wise leader!" Xiao He secretly praised. Following such a master, even if the road ahead was thorny and the tasks were overwhelming, he would gladly accept it, willing to devote all his life's knowledge to stabilizing this hard-earned country! No matter how difficult the task, he gladly accepted it, because it was to serve a wise leader worthy of following, to lay the foundation for a truly powerful empire! This trust and entrustment itself weighed more than a thousand pounds, and it filled him with fighting spirit.
Just when Xiao He was about to leave, the messenger hurried into the courtyard.
"Report!!" A dusty messenger, his armor stained, practically broke through the tent door and fell to the ground. His voice was hoarse from the long journey and filled with barely concealed panic. "Your Majesty! Urgent military information! It's urgent! The Chu army... The Chu army has moved! Xiang Yu personally led 50,000 elite cavalrymen, has already left Hangu Pass, and is marching day and night towards Xianyang!"
"what?!"
"The Chu army is marching to Xianyang?!"
Gao Yao and Xiao He exclaimed in near unison, their composure instantly replaced by solemnity! Without a word, they dashed to the massive hanging map, their gazes fixed on Xianyang's location, scanning the route from Hangu Pass to Xianyang. The air seemed to freeze, leaving only the messenger's heavy breathing and the heavy pounding of their hearts.
The possibility of the Chu army attacking Xianyang was not without a plan! Even before Gao Yao decided to relocate the capital and march his troops directly toward Xianyang, he and Xiao He had repeatedly deduced this possibility. Xiang Yu's ferocity and unpredictability were always a sword hanging over their heads. They even anticipated that Xiang Yu might adopt a delaying tactic, watching Gao Yao and Wu Can clash, only to strike when both were devastated.
Gao Yao had already prepared an ironclad defense for this “just in case”!
Thirty thousand elite infantrymen had already been secretly stationed within Xianyang! These weren't newly recruited soldiers, but seasoned veterans who had fought alongside Gao Yao on numerous campaigns. The city's granaries were overflowing with food, enough to sustain the thirty thousand troops and the city's civilians for six months! This was the foundation of the city's fortifications.
More crucially, Gao Yao, under the pretext of "strengthening the city's defenses and deterring scoundrels," had secretly ordered the Xianyang garrison to construct a 閣城 (a type of city wall) months in advance, outside the existing four gates. This 閣城 (a type of city wall) acted like a sturdy "iron cage" around the city gates, greatly increasing the difficulty and cost of the enemy's attack. While the ostensible reason for building the 閣城 (a type of city wall) was legitimate, it concealed a deadly tactic.
During the construction of the city wall, Gaoyao's elite engineering battalion had already secretly buried large quantities of black powder in thick pottery jars near key areas outside the city where enemy forces would inevitably pass through, key areas for ladders, and areas that could be used as shelters for siege equipment. The fuses were carefully placed in hollow bamboo tubes, buried deep underground to ensure they were dry, concealed, and could be quickly ignited through pre-designed tunnels within the city! This would be a "stunning" gift for any attacker! If the Chu army attacked the city, igniting them at a critical moment would be enough to blow the vanguard and siege equipment skyward!
Gao Yao and Xiao He had calculated that with these 30,000 elite troops, ample provisions, the sturdy city fortifications, and the game-changing "black powder" trump card, even if Xiang Yu deployed his entire 100,000 cavalry, Xianyang could hold out for at least three months, given the Chu army's weakness for sieges. These precious three months were enough time for Gao Yao to calmly defeat Wu Can and then return to reinforce, attacking the Chu army from both inside and outside.
But the military situation at this moment made Gao Yao and Xiao He both feel deeply puzzled and doubtful!
"Xiang Yu...why did he choose this moment?!" Gao Yao frowned, his fingers unconsciously tapping the Xianyang mark on the map, his eyes filled with confusion. "The news of the capital's relocation is no longer a secret; it's spread throughout the land! If he truly intended to obstruct it, or to harm my family and the accompanying officials, the best time would be when the relocation team is still en route, on the march! Then, with his 50,000 cavalry charge, there's still a chance of success!"
He raised his head and looked at Xiao He, his tone filled with strong doubt: "By now, my troops moving the capital have already safely entered the city, and all the officials and their families are within the high walls of Xianyang. Xiang Yu, leaving behind his invincible cavalry advantage in the field, instead uses these 50,000 cavalry to attack a fortress with high walls, abundant food and fodder, garrisoned by 30,000 elite soldiers, and even set up death traps?! Isn't this just using your own weakness to attack the enemy's strength? It's courting death!"
Xiao He's expression was equally grave, and he slowly shook his head. "Your Majesty's concerns are quite true. This approach is unwise. Even if he truly intended to take advantage of Wu Can's distraction and launch a surprise attack, he should have acted long ago! Most of Wu Can's three counties have fallen into our hands, and his main force is on the verge of collapse. We can easily defeat Wu Can's remnants, freeing up our forces to rally superior forces and return to Xianyang. With Xianyang's defenses, we should be able to hold out until our main force arrives. If Xiang Yu is merely seeking to distract or exploit the situation, sending troops now is not only too late, but also extremely risky and with minimal reward! This... is completely illogical!"
The two men fell into a brief silence, both thinking quickly about the real intention behind Xiang Yu's "bad move".
Gao Yao's eyes flickered, and he muttered to himself: "Could it be... he really thought that I was being dragged down by Wu Can and had no time to look west, and wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to swallow Xianyang in one gulp? But these 50,000 cavalrymen... an attack? What a joke!" He really couldn't understand.
Xiao He's brow furrowed even deeper as he stared at the arrowhead on the map indicating the Chu army's advance. A more dangerous and disturbing thought suddenly crossed his mind, and he couldn't help but blurt it out, his voice tinged with uncertainty and suspicion:
"Your Majesty... I dare to speculate... Could it be... Could it be that the Chu army also possesses that... 'Black Fire Cannon'?!"
Black gunpowder, this was Gao Yao's invention, a "magic object" that could change the rules of war. It was their greatest strength in daring to defend the city with a small force! If Xiang Yu also mastered this terrifying weapon...
Xiao He's gaze was fixed on Gao Yao. He knew that Gao Yao was the only one who knew whether anyone else possessed this black powder. Gao Yao had mentioned that Liu Bang of Pei County seemed to have acquired some of it... Could it be Xiang Yu...?