Chapter 15: Attacking and Defending, Rising and Falling in Sequence (2) Huaxia Book Library Network
Zhao Yun, who was watching from the side, saw his morale and couldn't help but secretly feel a chill. If he were to face him head-on, he would probably have to temporarily avoid his edge and find a way to defeat him by circling around.
On the other hand, Liu Zhang was calm and composed. With one hand, he fiddled with objects on the table, but scattered his troops. From the beginning of Gao Shun's attack, it was not even a head-on confrontation. It was only after Gao Shun's army passed by that troops would occasionally emerge from some county or village representatives' arrangements, striking left and right, making people feel extremely annoyed.
Zhaoyun and Gaoshun were initially indifferent. But soon, Gaoshun's eyebrows became increasingly furrowed.
At this time, he was besieging the city, and his troops surrounded the city, but no matter how he explained the way to attack the city, Liu Zhang always had a way to respond. You use cloud ladders and ant attachments, I will return with rolling wood and stone. You use nest cars, I will use oil to pour. You dig tunnels, I will dig trenches at the gate of the city. You use water to flood, I will open the canal to drain out……
Both sides came and went, with various means of attack. Liu Zhang was not just defending, but occasionally organized counterattacks, each time using unexpected tactics that left Gao Shun speechless. What troubled Gao Shun the most was that when his army first advanced, those small groups of scattered soldiers in the villages and towns were now also a threatening force. From time to time, they would launch surprise attacks on the grain supplies and transportation routes, sometimes coordinating with the attacks from within the city, taking the initiative to attack and seek opportunities to advance.
In the end, Gao Shun's army was several times larger than the city's garrison, and they were stuck in a quagmire, unable to advance or retreat. After five or six attempts, not counting the losses from attacking the city, but just from skirmishes, he had lost nearly one-third of his troops.
This is not to mention that under the circumstances of one side weakening and the other growing stronger, the frequency of the defending side's counterattacks clearly accelerated. Before long, Gao Shun's army supplies could no longer keep up, because he did not have enough troops to guard the supply lines at all times. What followed was a decline in morale, and in the end, Gao Shun could not help but wipe the sweat from his brow, furrow his brow and gaze intently for a moment, before finally letting out a long sigh and surrendering.
The two men engaged in a fierce battle of wits on this small table, with brilliant moves and clever strategies unfolding one after another. Liu Zhang's years of diligent study of the Mozi had made him most skilled at defense, and this practice session was merely a minor test for him, yet it already left Gao Shun struggling to keep up, ultimately ending in defeat.
Zhoa Yun watched from the side with a look of excitement and tension, as if he were really on the battlefield. When Gao Shun finally conceded defeat, Zhao Yun also gained a lot from it.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, raised his head to look at Liu Zhang sitting quietly across from him, and his heart surged. After a moment, he stood up, slowly knelt down, and knocked his head on the ground with a serious expression.
"Gao Shun was foolish and muddle-headed, spending over a decade in a daze. Now that he has met the wise lord face to face, he is not even grateful for the favor of being awakened, but instead still doesn't know his own strength, repeatedly offending and colliding with him - a crime punishable by death! I beg the lord to show mercy and forgive Shun's crimes. From today on, Shun is willing to be the lord's hawk and dog, never again speaking of rebellion!" He said this and then fell to the ground in a bow.
Liu Zhang's face showed a floating joy, and he waited until the end to come forward and help him up. He held Gao Shun's hand and said: "General, you don't despise my shallowness, and you're willing to follow me in this humble position, I'm very grateful for that. Today, Liu Zhang makes a vow, our relationship as lord and vassal will never change! You won't betray me, and Liu Zhang will absolutely not betray you either! Heaven and earth are witness to my words!"
Having said that, he grasped Gao Shun's hand and gripped it tightly. Gao Shun, upon hearing Liu Zhang's words, felt the firm grip on his palm, and his heart surged with emotion, his eyes welling up with tears. Choking back sobs, a thousand words swirled in his throat, but ultimately only managed to utter one phrase: "My lord..."
In the small hut of the Jin Yang military camp, Liu Zhang's eyes shone brightly as he tightly grasped Gao Shun's hands, his heart bursting with joy.
This time the trip to the north, after many twists and turns, finally ended in complete success. Thinking about it, I was alone at first, but now I have Zhao Yun, Zhang Liao, and Gao Shun, three great generals by my side.
Far away in Xichuan and Guanzhong, he had laid down two hidden sons, Zhang Ren and Zhang Yi, his own wings, which slowly unfolded.
Looking back, the vast land of China is filled with beacon fires everywhere. I will eventually throw myself into it, making a loud and fierce stir, my heroic thoughts soaring high, and I am involuntarily stirred to excitement.
