Chapter 22: To Survive, One Must Withdraw the Troops

Du Yu stepped forward, his voice steady yet possessing an unquestionable sense of authority.

"The General is mistaken in his assessment. Deng Ai commands thirty thousand elite troops, all composed of Qiang and Liang warriors, and Zhuge Xu holds another thirty thousand in Wudu. Combined, these forces are more than enough to repel a hundred thousand Shu soldiers. Yet, in his letter, Liu Chen claims to have already seized Yinping and Wudu. If this were false, why would he be so bold as to make such a definitive claim?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the officers in the tent, and added with a cold scoff, "Though Deng Ai may have his differences with the General, he is no mediocrity; Zhuge Xu has long governed Yongzhou and is well-versed in military affairs. If those sixty thousand men have not truly been defeated, why would Liu Chen dare to threaten to cut off the General’s retreat?"

Wei Guan quickly interjected, "So, either Liu Chen is deliberately deceiving us to lure the General into retreating, or Generals Deng Ai and Zhuge Xu have both indeed been defeated."

Hu Lie suddenly looked up, his face flushed with agitation, and blurted out, "That must be a lie! What is Liu Chen? He is merely riding on Jiang Wei’s coattails, deliberately exaggerating! If he truly possessed such ability, the Shu-Han would not have fallen into such a state. In my view, this is clearly the Shu army at its wit's end, trying to trick us into withdrawing so they can seize the chance to retake Hanzhong!"

A chorus of agreement immediately erupted in the tent.

"General Hu is right! Liu Chen is nothing but a wet-behind-the-ears child; how could he have such cunning?"
"It must be that Jiang Wei is colluding with him to rattle our morale with empty words!"
"General, you must not fall for this!"

Zhong Hui’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the hilt of his sword, his heart torn by two opposing forces. Du Yu’s words were like a bucket of cold water, forcing him to confront the most terrifying possibility: that sixty thousand troops had been annihilated and Yangping Pass had changed hands, leaving him trapped like a turtle in a jar. Yet, the rebuttals from Hu Lie and the others acted like a lifeline, tempting him to cling to a shred of hope: perhaps Liu Chen was indeed lying? After all, given the strength of Deng Ai and Zhuge Xu, even if Liu Chen were a prodigy, it seemed impossible for him to crush two seasoned generals in a single month.

He looked toward Wei Guan and asked in a low voice, "Supervisor Wei, what is your take?"

Wei Guan stroked his beard, his brows furrowed in deep thought. After a moment, he replied, "In my opinion, Chief Clerk Du’s words carry some weight, and General Hu’s concerns are not without merit. What matters most now is to ascertain the true situation at Yangping Pass, Yinping, and Wudu as quickly as possible. If Liu Chen’s words are false, we should seize the opportunity to launch an all-out assault on Jiange and coordinate with Deng Ai in Chengdu. But if..."

He did not finish his sentence, yet his words made the atmosphere in the tent heavy once more.

Zhong Hui took a deep breath and abruptly stood up, instantly silencing the murmurs in the tent. His gaze, sharp as a blade, swept over the officers. "Pass my orders: dispatch ten squads of elite scouts, divided into five routes, to investigate Yangping Pass, Wudu, and Yinping! If you cannot uncover the truth within ten—no, five days—bring me your heads!"

"Understood!" the guards outside shouted in unison, their footsteps quickly fading away.

Zhong Hui sat back down, his fingers unconsciously tapping against his sword hilt. The tent was deathly silent, save for the flickering shadows of the candles dancing on the faces of those present. He knew that these five days of waiting might decide everyone's fate—whether they would continue to stand against Jiang Wei or find a way to escape.

As the candle sputtered, Zhong Hui watched the officers depart and struck his desk heavily. The moment the tent flap fell, he looked at Wei Guan and Du Yu, his voice heavy with unconcealable exhaustion. "Now that only the two of you remain, speak your minds."

Du Yu stepped forward, his sleeve brushing against the seal of command on the desk. "General, keeping us here shows you know there is no time to delay. Though scouts have been sent, there are too many variables in five days. If Deng Ai and Zhuge Xu have truly fallen, Liu Chen could march east or north at any moment. Even if the scouts bring back good news, every day Jiang Wei holds Jiange, our provisions dwindle."

He paused, spread a map across the table, and urged, "In my view, we must plan for a withdrawal immediately. Three routes must be weighed at once."

Wei Guan nodded while stroking his beard. "Chief Clerk Du is correct. We are currently trapped north of Jiange; with a fortress in front and hidden dangers behind, delay is certain death."

Zhong Hui’s gaze fell upon the winding rivers and mountains on the map. He pressed his finger firmly on the words "Baishui." "The first route you suggest is via Baishui?"

"Exactly," Du Yu said, dipping his brush in tea and drawing an arc on the map. "Cross the Baishui, and in five days you reach Qiaotou. If we can seize it quickly, we can follow the ancient Yinping path to Tazhong and return to Longxi. The advantage is that it is the fastest route, but the difficulty lies in the treacherous banks of the Yinping path; transporting supplies will require ten times the manpower, and it is uncertain whether Tazhong is still in our hands."

Zhong Hui shook his head. "If Liu Chen could defeat Deng Ai, it proves his tactical prowess; Qiaotou and Yinping must be heavily guarded."

In truth, Zhong Hui was already certain that Deng Ai had been defeated; otherwise, Liu Chen’s letter could not have reached him from the north. The only thing he could not be sure of was whether Zhuge Xu had also fallen.

Wei Guan suddenly interjected, "When Deng Ai attacked Tazhong last year, he engaged in fierce battles with Jiang Wei, and the plank roads along the way were heavily damaged. If there is a heavy rain and the river valleys flood, we risk being stranded halfway."

Zhong Hui’s finger moved toward "Yangping Pass," a glint of ruthlessness in his eyes. "Then what of the second route—a forced assault on Yangping Pass? Taking that pass would allow us to enter Hanzhong directly and return to Guanzhong via the Chencang Road. The terrain there is open, favorable for moving a large army, and logistics would be much easier."

Du Yu shook his head and circled three red dots on the pass with his brush, smiling bitterly. "Yangping Pass has always been known as the 'Throat of Hanzhong.' Since Liu Chen dares to claim he holds it, he must have deployed heavy forces there. We have been stalemated with Jiang Wei for days, and our troops are already exhausted. A forced assault would cost us at least thirty percent of our strength. Furthermore, the Baoxie Road lies just behind the pass; if the Shu army sets an ambush, we would be walking straight into a trap. And then there is Jiang Wei! Once we retreat, he will surely pursue us relentlessly."

"What about Shangyong?" Zhong Hui’s voice rose sharply as he pointed to the southeast corner of the map. "Advancing east along the Han River from there, through Xicheng to Chang'an—it is a detour, but far more secure."

"The Shangyong road is not easy to traverse, either," Du Yu sighed.

The tent fell into silence, the candlelight casting their shadows against the walls like a frozen tableau. Zhong Hui suddenly swept his teacup off the table, the sharp crack of shattering porcelain piercing the stillness. "Three paths, yet not a single foolproof plan!"

Du Yu bent down to pick up a shard of porcelain, his tone becoming even more composed. "There is no such thing as a foolproof plan in warfare; one must choose the path that is most advantageous despite the risks. In my humble opinion, head through Hanzhong, pass through Shangyong and Xicheng, and return to Guanzhong."

Wei Guan added, "We can appoint Hu Lie as the vanguard and have Lieutenant Ju An lead five thousand elite troops as the rearguard to hold off Jiang Wei. You and the General can lead the main force away from Jiange immediately. That is the only way to ensure our safety."