Chapter 855: The Strategy of Qinghe

If others might not have foreseen the strong naval assault on the Yellow River, someone like Xun Shen would never have overlooked it. He clearly remembered how Gongsun Zan's supplies reached Youzhou via sea routes, so why wouldn’t the Yellow River be navigable?

Previously, Xun Shen had wanted to suggest to Yuan Shao the development of a naval force, but he soon discovered there were no naval commanders or skilled shipbuilders, and there simply wasn’t enough time to make it happen.

At that moment, Xun Shen's apprehension toward Liu Bei grew significantly. He no longer trusted intelligence provided by others, choosing instead to investigate things personally. This cautious approach was one reason why Yuan Shao’s trust in Xun Shen had gradually diminished. Xun Shen often seemed to have many thoughts but rarely voiced them.

Liu Bei had gone from having nothing to establishing a military force that could rival theirs, while also managing to develop commerce, agriculture, and prosperity in his territories. This level of comprehensive success was far beyond what Ju Shou and Xu You’s intelligence had suggested. It highlighted a fundamental, all-encompassing difference.

With a silent sigh, Xun Shen ordered Guo Yuan and others to prepare for a defensive stance. As for support from Cao Cao, while Xun Shen held great apprehension towards him, he wouldn't reveal it at a time like this.

The next morning, a fleet appeared downstream on the Yellow River. However, it wasn't the main force led by Gan Ning, but a smaller contingent led by Xu Sheng and Mi Fang. Gan Ning’s main force was still holding the opposite side of the river, engaged in skirmishes with Yuan Shao's troops.

Meanwhile, on the riverbank, a well-equipped contingent of elite Qingzhou crossbowmen had gathered—not the famed Xiliang Cavalry, but still a force to be reckoned with.

"Greetings, General Yu," Xu Sheng cupped his hands in salute. Gan Ning hadn’t been slow in promoting him, and with Mi Fang’s lack of ambition or greed, he had quickly risen to become Gan Ning’s deputy after Taishi Ci's departure.

"Well met, Xu Sheng," Mi Fang smiled, much more relaxed in demeanor compared to Xu Sheng's formality. Even Yu Jin, known for his stern nature, smiled in return. Mi Fang and his family, who managed logistics and military supplies, were well-regarded for their honesty and generosity, which had earned them the respect of many generals.

"But where is General Gan?" Yu Jin raised an eyebrow, inquiring further. He didn’t have the best relationship with Gan Ning due to the latter’s unruly nature, and given Yu Jin’s strict discipline, he also wasn’t too close to people like Fa Zheng.

"General Gan has already led the navy across the Yellow River. He engaged Yuan Shao's forces several times near Yangping, east of Dongwuyang. Our lord personally led the main army across the river, and we’ve won every battle!" Mi Fang announced with a smile.

On the very first day of their arrival at Chiping, Gan Ning had audaciously crossed the Yellow River, catching Yuan Shao off guard. Despite fierce fighting, Gan Ning managed to secure a foothold. After that, Liu Bei’s forces crossed the river in large numbers, and the battles between the two sides had escalated from skirmishes to full-scale engagements. Liu Bei's troops, fearless and tenacious, won victory after victory.

On Yuan Shao's side, things went from bad to worse. First, they underestimated Gan Ning's boldness, losing the first defensive line when he crossed the river unexpectedly. Then, Zhu Ling, who was defending Qinghe, was caught off guard and lost the initiative to Wei Yan, who seized Ling County. Subsequently, Zhu Ling was outmaneuvered by Xu Shu and had no choice but to retreat to Ganling to await reinforcements.

In response, Yuan Shao had no choice but to issue orders reprimanding Zhu Ling. At the same time, he transferred Xin Pi, who was distraught over the death of his brother Xin Ping, to Qinghe to assist in its defense. Yuan Shao also began withdrawing his forces westward, shortening his supply lines and consolidating his strength to defend more effectively.

Despite these adjustments, Yuan Shao was unable to reverse the tide completely. At best, his actions slowed the inevitable. He couldn't quite understand why his troops, who were no less capable than Liu Bei's, were suffering repeated defeats despite his strategies being on par with those of his enemy.

Still, these setbacks did not shake Yuan Shao's resolve. With thousands of generals under his command, a few losses didn’t mean much to him.

However, as his forces continued their strategic retreat, by the time they reached Dongwuyang, Yuan Shao's army had reached its peak condition. In a fierce battle near Dongwuyang, Liu Bei's army gained some ground, but at the cost of significantly higher losses than in previous engagements. With the shifting of supply lines and adjustments to logistics, the two sides had reached near parity. Jushou’s tactical brilliance on the front lines had proven to be extremely formidable.

Yet in Qinghe, the situation had completely swung in favor of Liu Bei. Xu Shu systematically outwitted his former Yingchuan mentor, Xin Pi, who was left helpless despite his best efforts. Each of Xin Pi’s strategies fell apart under Xu Shu’s meticulous counterplans.

Xin Pi had initially dismissed Xu Shu as a mere upstart, but after six consecutive defeats, he had no choice but to acknowledge Xu Shu’s overwhelming prowess. Xu Shu had led a mere five thousand troops, along with several thousand surrendered prisoners, to encircle the city of Ganling, which was defended by a garrison of over twenty thousand. The achievement seemed nothing short of miraculous.

By now, even a fool would recognize the terrifying strength of the seemingly frail young man beneath the city walls. Xin Pi had lost any hope of defeating him—Xu Shu's power was crushing, an unstoppable force.

This was why, despite having twice as many soldiers, Xin Pi was trapped within Ganling, unable to break free from the siege. Repeated defeats had crushed the morale of his troops. Furthermore, Xu Shu's methods of victory differed significantly from those used by Liu Bei's army against Yuan Shao, leaving Xin Pi utterly demoralized.

While the battles between Yuan Shao’s and Liu Bei’s main forces could be seen as small-scale engagements between army groups, in Qinghe, every one of Xu Shu’s maneuvers either preemptively countered or fully neutralized Xin Pi’s strategies. Xu Shu would sometimes feign defeat, baiting Xin Pi into making his move, only to crush his forces in a decisive confrontation.

For Xin Pi, it felt as though Xu Shu fell into his trap every time, yet somehow, Xu Shu would casually dismantle his army despite seemingly taking the bait. As previously mentioned, all strategies ultimately boil down to head-on confrontations, and Xu Shu’s ability to crush Xin Pi was a blow to the latter’s confidence.

After three such encounters, Xin Pi completely gave up on trying to outsmart Xu Shu.

In response, Xin Pi attempted to form defensive formations, but these were easily seen through by Xu Shu, who exposed and exploited their flaws. Xu Shu’s understanding of military formations allowed him to strike in unexpected ways, breaking Xin Pi’s defensive lines.

When Xin Pi finally engaged Xu Shu in direct combat, hoping for a straightforward battle, Xu Shu exploited a gap between the flanks and the center of Xin Pi’s army. Xu Shu sent Guan Ping to lead a force that shattered Xin Pi’s right flank, causing the entire army to collapse, and Wei Yan pursued the fleeing troops relentlessly.

By this point, Xin Pi knew he was no match for Xu Shu. He planned a tactical retreat to Ganling, but during the withdrawal, Xu Shu spotted another vulnerability and launched a devastating attack.

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