Liu Bei POV
…
Everyone’s confidence took a nosedive when they heard this. Looks like nobody has come up with any good ideas for the next battle.
“Has anyone thought of any good ideas after this morning’s meeting?” I plucked up my courage and asked anyway. As I looked about, I saw that everyone was looking down and brooding.
“I did think of some but they will be difficult to execute.” Yun Chang spoke up first.
“As for me, I did think of some tactics which could be employed in a frontal battle.” Wen Yuan said with a much more severe expression than usual, “But our troops numbers are insufficient for them to be effective. After taking out the troops which are needed to man the city defences, the numbers we have left are not sufficient for ambushing, doing a pincer or even a distraction.”
“There are some commoners in Xinye who have expressed a willingness to join our army.” Zi Zhong said as she took a few bamboo scrolls from the pile beside her, “We talked about the issue of a lack of manpower this morning so I went to look it over after that. These are all the applications we’ve received from Xinye residents recently which are likely done thanks to our lord’s name. If we take out those who won’t meet our standards, then we should be able to add 1-2,000 men.”
“1-2,000 men…” Wen Yuan said as she looked at Feng Xian who shook her head. Wen Yuan then shook her head with a helpless expression as well, “Looks like it’s still not enough.”
“Even if we do add them in, they may not be effective on the battlefield.” Chen Dao spoke up with a frown, “The troops we have on hand now may be poorly equipped but they’ve been with us for a while now, with the most junior of them being with us for at least 2 months. Adding in newcomers at this point will create a lot of trouble in reorganisation and training, especially when civilian recruits usually take longer to get used to the regimentation and combat fitness.”
“I’m afraid that by the time they are ready, the city would have fallen.” Zi Long said and sighed.
Looks like… There’s no hope in besting them in a frontal battle.
“Un, so in short, we have no hope in a frontal battle whatsoever.” Yuan Zhi nodded with hands at her back as she continued to stand in the center, “But waiting and defending the city in a siege battle is the last resort. Before that, we should try to do something.”
“Does that mean that benefactor has an idea?” Huang Zu said as she refilled her gourd from a small pot of water beside her. As she drank from the gourd, she shot me a glance. Of course, I am very excited to hear what Yuan Zhi has to offer, especially when this is her own strategy.
“I do but I’m not too sure if it will work.” Yuan Zhi continued to act coy.
“That’s fine, go ahead and share it with us.” I hurriedly gave her the stage.
“… Alright,” Yuan Zhi said as she placed a hand on her chin and sank into thought. After a moment, she saluted us and asked–
“Dare I ask if anyone here has any intention of joining the enemy?”
“Eh?”
“What the heck are you saying!” Zhou Cang exclaimed angrily as she slapped the table, making a loud creaking sound. Even though she is a relatively new joiner, she’s quite sensitive about such things huh?
“Lord Xu Shu, I don’t think that’s very appropriate of you.” Yun Chang protested very politely as she looked at Feng Xian who did not seem perturbed in the least.
“If the city were to fall, then I don’t think I will be remaining here.” Just then, Chen Gong spoke up. She then looked around and found that everyone was looking at her with disdain and adamantly added, “I’m just being honest here. I won’t be here to fight to my last breath when the city falls.”
“Chen Gong! You bastard!”
“Calm down, Zhou Cang.”
“… Kuh.”
Zhou Cang was agitated when she heard what Chen Gong said and tried to rush over but Yun Chang hurriedly stopped her.
“Un, very good.” Yuan Zhi seemed pleased with Chen Gong’s answer and nodded, “Well then, Chen Gong can be the first one then.”
“What do you mean first one?” I asked.
“Well then, after that is…” Yuan Zhi ignored me continued, “Now that we’ve met them in battle multiple times, I’m sure that there are some amongst us here who the enemy have tried to persuade right?”
…
When she said this, the atmosphere began to get heavier again.
“One of the enemy’s main objectives for attacking Xinye is to get more retainers after all.” Yuan Zhi said as she swept her gaze across the room, “So may I ask who here was persuaded by them?”
Wu… That huh….
I too swept my gaze around the room. From my perspective, this sort of thins is not really the sort of thing that is easy to say in such a public venue. Be it for personal or public reasons, it’s difficult to admit it.
“Me,” Just then, Zi Long raised her hand, “During the pre-battle yelling in the first battle, the enemy tried to persuade me.”
Ah, they actually started since that early?
“Un un, Lord Zhao Yun huh?” Yuan Zhi repeated.
“And me, also during the first battle when I was fighting with Li Dian.” Yun Chang said as she raised her hand, “But why are you asking this?”
“Ah…” Wen Yuan uttered as she raised her hand, “I wonder if I count.”
“Eh? Wen Yuan was persuaded as well?”
“Ah… I guess so…” Wen Yuan smiled stiffly, “But… When they tried to persuade me, they weren’t asking me to leave my lord (Liu Bei) but they were asking me to leave you my lord (Lu Bu).”
“Me huh…” Feng Xian nodded in a daze which made both Wen Yuan and I rather anxious.
“But I didn’t! I absolutely did not choose to join them!” Wen Yuan exclaimed.
“I know that of course… Why are you being so anxious…” Feng Xian seemed to have gotten a shock and mumbled with a frown. Now that I think about it, I do remember Wen Yuan telling me about this.
… Ah, I am remembering what happened again. The sound as the curtain crashed to the ground, and what I saw then made my heart skip a beat.
“Un? Xuan De, what’s wrong?”
“Ah! No, it’s noting!”
Feng Xian seemed to realise that I was thinking about her and she turned to look at me. I instantly blushed and hurriedly turned around but found that Yun Chang was looking at me with suspicion so I had no choice but to lower my head.
“Un, I understand the situation now.” Yuan Zhi nodded and raised a finger as she pointed at several people in the room in quick succession, “Lord Chen Gong. Lord Zhang Liao. And Lord Guan Yu. Please surrender and join the enemy!”
…
When Yuan Zhi finished, the room descended into silence. After that, the 3 people mentioned reacted in quick succession.
“Eh? What do you mean?”
“Surrender?”
“Lord Xu Shu, I don’t understand the meaning of this.”
Apart from these 3, another person spoke up as well.
“Eh? What about me?” Zi Long asked as she pointed at herself.
“It’s fine if Lord Zhao Yun doesn’t surrender.” Yuan Zhi smiled as she spoke to Zi Long, “Lord Zhao Yun has no reason to do so anyway.”
“Un…” Zi Long grunted but was still befuddled. At the same time, I too was befuddled. Why is she asking them to surrender?
“I understand now.”
“So that’s what you mean huh…”
“Could it be…” Wen Yuan seemed to understand and she grabbed the table as she carefully leaned out, “… That you want us to fake a surrender?”
“Yes, the enemy would not distrust you lot too much if you do so,” Yuan Zhi nodded as she said and continued with 1 finger in the air, “Since the enemy has been trying to persuade our members in every battle, that means that they have a genuine desire to recruit our members. This will further lower the difficulty of a siege battle for them and if they do accept our members who fake a surrender to them, we can be the ones who decide how the battle will go.”
Oh~ So that’s what she means! But…
“That’s not quite right.” I finally spoke up after not contributing for a long while, “The enemy has Shen Pei who will likely be able to see through this. Even if she doesn’t, there is still Li Dian and Cao Ren, who are by no means idiots and will be suspicious of anyone who surrenders.”
“Yeah, nobody’s stupid.” Zhou Cang added.
Wait, I think I just completely left out Lu Xiang in what I said.
“You don’t need to be worried about that. No matter what, Shen Pei and Cao Ren belong to different factions. One is Cao Cao’s and the other is Yuan Shao’s.” Yuan Zhi said as she extended another finger, “If we can get Cao Ren and Li Dian to approve, then no matter what Shen Pei says, it will seem like she is hindering Cao Cao from collecting more capable generals.”
“But… Why will Cao Ren and Li Dian believe us?” Yun Chang asked, “Is it because we are about to lose?”
Be it Yun Chang or me, we both still had substantial doubts about this. It feels like Yuan Zhi has not given due consideration for this plan.