novelhk Chapter 801 Xiang Yu’s idea, Yi Xiaochuan is much more experienced!
Chapter 801 Xiang Yu’s idea, Yi Xiaochuan is much more experienced!
Yi Xiaochuan's gaze swept over Fan Zeng's wrinkled face and his slightly trembling hands. A cold, realistic thought became increasingly clear in his mind: this wise but elderly father-in-law was the greatest obstacle to his control of the Chu army and the realization of his revenge plan. "If my father-in-law is gone..." The thought flashed through his mind, with a hint of cruel inevitability.
He knew that when that day came, the young Xiang Yu would rely more on his brother who could bring "miracles", and the Chu army's giant ships would be able to truly follow the course set by Yi Xiaochuan, cut through the waves, and sail towards the other side of revenge of blood and fire.
Deep in the courtyard, the chess game is still unfinished. Xiang Yu's arrival disrupts the apparent tranquility and pushes the undercurrent of this game into a more complex situation. Smoke rises across the land, and within the courtyard, turmoil stirs.
"Yafu! Xiaochuan!"
Xiang Yu's resounding voice, like the beating of a war drum, instantly shattered the tranquil atmosphere created by the chessboard in the courtyard. His tall figure, carrying the chilling aura of a battlefield, quickly reached the stone chessboard, his eyes ablaze with a fiery fighting spirit.
"That Gaoyao guy has moved his capital to Xianyang. This is a godsend opportunity! Xianyang is a flat and open place with no strategic locations to defend! Just give me 50,000 cavalry and I will strike straight at Huanglong like a thunderbolt, defeat Gaoyao in one fell swoop, and capture Xianyang! How can we let such a good opportunity slip away?!"
His words were decisive and filled with immense confidence. In the eyes of this powerful King of Western Chu, fifty thousand elite cavalrymen were more than enough to crush any obstacle before them, let alone a city like Xianyang, whose foundation was unstable and whose capital had been hastily relocated.
The expected response didn't come. On either side of the stone table, Fan Zeng, his eyelids still lowered, his bony fingers twirling a black chess piece, as if his entire attention were focused on the nineteen-square chessboard. Across from him, Yi Xiaochuan, his expression equally calm, the white chess piece hovering in mid-air, seemingly contemplating an insignificant placement, oblivious to Xiang Yu's earth-shaking, bold words. Only the gentle breeze rustled through the branches of the ancient trees, making Xiang Yu's bold pronouncements seem somewhat abrupt.
This utter silence, like cold water poured on scalding iron, instantly ignited Xiang Yu's impatience. His thick brows furrowed as his gaze scanned the two men's faces, a mixture of confusion and a hint of irritation at being slighted. "You..." He stepped forward, his voice rising slightly. "Didn't you hear what I said? The opportunity for battle is fleeting!"
Fan Zeng remained motionless, as if in a trance. Yi Xiaochuan merely raised his eyelids slightly before returning to the chessboard.
Xiang Yu's anger suddenly surged. "Fine! If you ignore me, I won't let you have peace either!" He turned abruptly, strode to the weapon rack in the corner of the courtyard, and snatched up the heavy Fang Tian Hua Ji, the weapon he had carried with him through countless battles.
"Shua——! Shua——! Shua——!"
A heavy, piercing sound suddenly shattered the tranquility of the courtyard! Xiang Yu's arms were muscular, and the halberd seemed to come alive in his hands, transforming into a heart-pounding whirlwind of cold light. Every swing of the halberd unleashed a sharp gust of wind, stirring up dust and whipping fallen leaves into a frenzy of dance.
The shriek of a halberd's blade tearing through the air, the muffled thud of a heavy blade breaking through the wind, and Xiang Yu's deep roar as he exerted his strength instantly filled the entire space, domineeringly crushing any previous silence. He deliberately exaggerated his movements, his heavy footsteps thumping against the bluestone slabs. Each gust of wind from the halberd seemed to sweep the edge of the stone table. This was the most primitive and domineering display of force, disrupting the chess game that had "ignored" him.
The deafening accompaniment finally made it impossible for the two players to maintain their absolute concentration. Fan Zeng's fingers paused imperceptibly, and a hint of helplessness flashed through the depths of his cloudy eyes. Yi Xiaochuan frowned slightly, watching the chess pieces on the board bounce and bounce in the strong wind. Finally, with a sigh, he returned his white piece to the box.
"Alas..." Yi Xiaochuan's voice was low, but it clearly pierced through the whistling wind of the halberds. It was filled with deliberate calmness. "Brother Yu, why are you so anxious? If Gao wants to move the capital to Xianyang, then let him do it. What substantial loss will it bring to our Chu army? The best strategy is to hold our troops still and wait and see what happens."
"The best strategy?" Xiang Yu stopped dancing his painted halberd abruptly upon hearing this, with the huge halberd blade pointing diagonally to the ground. He turned around, his chest heaving, his eyes full of confusion and questioning, "Xiaochuan, what do you mean by this? Xianyang is isolated, and Gaoyao is in a desperate situation! As long as I lead the cavalry to encircle them, even if reinforcements come, I can divide my forces to defeat them. No matter how many come, we will defeat them! We can wear them down to death! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, how can we let it go?" Although he had experienced setbacks, Xiang Yu's arrogance and self-confidence on the front battlefield never faded. He didn't believe that anyone could stop the edge of his Xiang family cavalry on the plains.
Yi Xiaochuan met his scorching gaze, slowly stood up, and walked to the center of the courtyard. His tone was calm but with a sharp insight: "Brother Yu, if you can think of it, can't Gao Yao think of it? He knew that you had a large number of cavalry under your command and could attack the vulnerable Xianyang at any time. Why did you move the capital here? Isn't this just walking into a trap? How could Gao Yao act so unwisely?"
"This..." Xiang Yu was speechless for a moment. He really hadn't thought about this deeply. He had experienced Gao Yao's cunning before.
Yi Xiaochuan didn't give Xiang Yu a chance to breathe, continuing his calm analysis. "Furthermore, Brother Yu, our army now primarily consists of elite cavalry. They are undeniably invincible in field battles. However, sieges are not cavalry's forte. Back when Zhang Han held the city, it took an army of over 200,000 men a long and arduous task to capture Xianyang. Now, Xianyang has at least 30,000 defenders, and Gao Yao must have significantly reinforced the city's defenses before relocating the capital. Even with a powerful army, facing a fortified city with high walls, are you truly confident you can quickly conquer it with 50,000 cavalry? If you can't, then being stationed inside a fortified city would mean the transportation of food and fodder, the depletion of morale, and the movements of the warlords... Have you carefully considered all of this, Brother Yu?"
Xiang Yu's brow furrowed, his knuckles turning white as he subconsciously tightened his grip on his halberd. He wasn't entirely unaware of this, but the allure of a battle and his absolute confidence in his own strength overwhelmed everything else. He stiffened his neck, clinging to his own train of thought: "Then we should surround Xianyang without attacking! Confine Xianyang completely! How can Gaoyao just sit there and wait for death? He'll surely send reinforcements! Then, I'll take advantage of my rest and wait for them to tire themselves out, annihilating their reinforcements one by one in open battle! Once all their reinforcements are gone, Xianyang will be a desolate city, without food or supplies, and without reinforcements. It will fall without a fight!"
These words were powerful and full of Xiang Yu's domineering logic: use absolute force to force you out for a decisive battle and crush you on the battlefield!
As soon as he finished speaking, Fan Zeng, who had been silent as a stone, suddenly raised his head! The old man's cloudy eyes were no longer calm, but filled with disappointment and heartache that could not be concealed. He looked at Xiang Yu with a complicated look, as if he was looking at a piece of stone that could not be carved, or at a reckless man about to step into a deadly trap.
He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only sighed so heavy that it almost crushed the courtyard: "Alas..."