Chapter 838: Li Yan's Strategy

“It’s all about timing. Governor Chen is betting on the enemy’s decisiveness. By challenging them in the afternoon, roughly at the time of Wei (around 1-3 p.m.),” Chen Deng had not yet replied when Gan Ning spoke up, already grasping the idea. He looked at Chen Deng with newfound respect.

“If we challenge them at Wei hour, there will be only an hour or so left before nightfall. A battle lasting for an hour before withdrawing is the most reasonable course of action. However, the enemy will surely attempt to hold you off and then launch an attack on Xiapi,” Gan Ning explained to Zhang Fei with admiration in his voice.

“Exactly. In that scenario, they’ll pin us down and then launch a nighttime assault on Xiapi, which would be the most prudent move. Engaging us head-on may yield uncertain results, but attacking Xiapi, with a chance of capturing it, would be worthwhile. Once they take Xiapi, they’ll have secured their footing in Xuzhou,” Chen Deng nodded in agreement.

“More importantly, if they capture Xiapi, returning to deal with you will be far easier. They might even be able to take you down in one strike,” Gan Ning added, looking at Chen Deng with increased respect. He admired those with such insight.

“In that case, how about we write them a formal challenge today, inviting them to engage in battle tomorrow afternoon, on the plains eighty li south of Xiapi?” Chen Deng suggested to Zhang Fei. He needed time to make preparations, ensuring that even without Zhang Fei present, the city could hold off a potential attack.

“That works. We’ll handle the rest. I’m sure Fa Zheng will flawlessly execute your strategy,” Gan Ning agreed with a nod.

“That would be ideal,” Chen Deng replied, seeing this as a test of Fa Zheng’s abilities. If Fa Zheng couldn’t handle this situation, it would be unwise to rely on him for more complicated plans in the future. Chen Deng still harbored some doubts.

“Yide, I’ll go report to Fa Zheng and may need to return later,” Gan Ning waved to Zhang Fei, preparing to leave.

“Aren’t you staying for a meal?” Zhang Fei asked.

“No need. Just pack me two roasted chickens. If you have beef, throw in two slabs as well,” Gan Ning quickly returned, requesting meat from Zhang Fei.

“We’ve got beef. A fat cow recently broke its leg,” Zhang Fei joked, clearly implying the cow didn’t die from an accident.

“Give me two slabs of the cow’s back meat, and I’ll take a roasted chicken. It’s just for me and Fa Zheng; no need to share with anyone else,” Gan Ning said without reservation, showing none of the modesty that warriors like Hua Xiong displayed by eating alongside their soldiers. For Gan Ning, clear distinctions between ranks were important.

Soon, Gan Ning left, carrying roasted chicken and beef, while Zhang Fei took out some paper and began writing furiously. His letter essentially stated, "Yesterday, your Yu Province General Li Yan challenged us and was defeated. Today we rest. Tomorrow, we will show you the might of our military formation. Meet us at the designated location if you dare, and let us know."

When the challenge letter was delivered, Li Tong gathered Li Yan and the others to discuss it. While they weren’t particularly afraid of Zhang Fei, they had to consider whether it was worth expending their forces on Xuzhou. After all, they were already steadily retreating toward the mouth of the Yangtze River and didn’t see the need to get bogged down in Xuzhou.

The group debated endlessly, with no clear conclusion. These men were loyal, carefully selected by Zhou Yu from Yu and Jing Provinces, and they were all capable. However, this made it difficult for any one person to convince the others.

“Zhengfang, why haven’t you spoken?” Li Tong, listening to the ongoing discussion, realized he was still undecided. Should they fight one last battle for the sake of honor, or continue with the current strategy of a steady retreat? After all, they hadn’t won a decisive battle yet.

“I’m wondering if Zhang Fei knows anything about military formations,” Li Yan said, frowning.

“What does that matter? Even if he doesn’t know advanced formations, surely he understands basic ones like the wedge or circular formation?” Huo Jun laughed. “Maybe he just wants an excuse for a fight.”

“No, it’s important. If Zhang Fei doesn’t understand formations but still wants to engage in a formation battle, then someone else must be behind the strategy. If anyone in Xiapi understands formations, it would be Chen Deng,” Li Yan explained, turning to Huo Jun with a serious expression.

“What’s the issue with that?” Huo Jun still didn’t fully grasp the importance, but he noticed both Lai Min and Li Tong were now deep in thought.

Soon after, both men’s eyes lit up, and Li Tong asked, “Zhengfang, how likely do you think it is that Chen Deng is the one setting up the formation?”

“I’m not sure, but I think it’s worth preparing for the possibility. If it is Chen Deng, then this could be a rare opportunity. What do you think?” Li Yan looked at Li Tong, clearly advocating for a cautious but ready approach.

“You’re right. We should be prepared,” Li Tong agreed without much hesitation. Li Yan’s reasoning was sound, and missing such a chance could be a huge mistake.

“However, Zhengfang, if you’re the only one going, it might be difficult to hold them off alone,” Lai Min interjected. He had some understanding of formations himself and could follow Li Yan’s commands. This showed Lai Min’s commendable character.

“General, may I accompany General Li to face Zhang Fei? Although I’m not very skilled, I do understand some formations,” Liang Xi, another talented officer selected by Zhou Yu from Yu Province, spoke up. Among those present, only Li Yan surpassed him in ability. Liang Xi had a natural instinct to follow the strongest leader.

“That’s fine,” Li Tong nodded at Liang Xi. “Zhengfang, how about having Ziyu as your deputy?”

“If Chen Deng is truly the one setting up the formation, I’ll do my best to hold them off. The rest is up to you,” Li Yan replied with a nod.

Meanwhile, Gan Ning and Fa Zheng were devouring beef as Gan Ning recounted what had transpired in Xiapi.

“I see,” Fa Zheng wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, grabbing more beef with a grin. “Chen Yuanlong is indeed impressive. When you return to Xiapi, tonight, lead nine thousand men out of the city. By tomorrow night, we’ll see the results. Zhou Yu never picks incompetent people. However, because these individuals are all capable, they won’t stick to the usual playbook. It’s easier to deal with people like that.”

As Gan Ning continued gnawing on his beef, he listened intently to Fa Zheng’s explanation, his eyes glowing with excitement. If things went as planned, the greedy Yu Province forces would certainly fall into Fa Zheng’s trap tomorrow.

“Once the battle’s over, I can finally return home to get married,” Gan Ning laughed, making a joke about Fa Zheng’s earlier engagement troubles, mentioning that Fa Zheng had been rejected twice by the Wang family, one of the prestigious families in Fufeng.

“I’ll be sure to send you a barrel of pearls, along with some ivory and gold vessels as wedding gifts,” Gan Ning teased. “Though I’m running low on colored pearls, I’ve got plenty of white ones.”

Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter