SWDnovel Chapter 22 Crossing the Sea in White
Chapter 22 Crossing the Sea in White
Qingzhou, Dongwu City, inside the Prefect's Mansion.
Yuan Tan and the other two stared at the map, their brows furrowed.
According to scouts, Lü Bu's army numbered at least 30,000, which was ten times their own strength.
Given such a huge disparity in strength, defeating Lü Bu was simply a pipe dream.
Faced with Yuan Tan's question, Guo Jia pondered for a moment and said:
"My lord, Lü Bu's army is amassed in Langya, consuming enormous amounts of food for both men and horses daily. Their supplies must be transported north from the Xiapi and Tancheng areas of Xuzhou, via the Si and Yi rivers. This is their lifeline! If we can cut off this supply, the siege of Langya will fall without a fight!"
This strategy can be described as hitting the nail on the head.
Upon hearing this, both Yuan Tan and Xin Pi's eyes lit up.
However, after carefully examining the map, Xinpi's brow remained furrowed.
"Fengxiao's strategy is indeed brilliant. However..."
His finger moved south of Langya.
"Chen Gong is no ordinary man; how can we not be on guard? Scouts report that he has already deployed heavy troops and set up checkpoints at strategic locations along the Yi and Shu rivers. If our army launches a land attack, even elite troops will find it difficult to bypass this iron wall. I fear that before our supply lines are cut off, our army will already be surrounded."
These words caused everyone to fall silent once again.
Guo Jia also coughed lightly, staring at the defensive line on the map, lost in thought.
If there is no way to bypass this defensive line, intercepting grain is simply wishful thinking.
Attacking the defensive line head-on is tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.
Just when everyone was at a loss, a personal guard came to report:
"My lord, the Zhen family's second batch of provisions has arrived at the port outside the city by sea!"
Yuan Tan waved his hand and said:
"Let them unload their grain and return home on their own. I don't have time to entertain these merchants today."
Hmm? A merchant!
Yuan Tan darted to the front of the map, his eyes fixed intently on the ancient coastline.
Heading south from Dongwu, passing Langya, and reaching the heart of Xuzhou!
"return!"
Yuan Tan suddenly shouted, summoning his personal guards back.
"Quickly invite the Zhen family steward into the manor! Tell him that this governor is hosting a banquet to welcome our meritorious official who has come from afar!"
Everyone was stunned by these words.
With a major battle looming, what's the point of entertaining a mere merchant?
Even if the Zhen family were willing to offer a hundred taels of gold, it would be impossible for them to take over Langya.
Guo Jia waved for his personal guards to leave, then asked in a low voice:
"Young master, what's wrong...?"
"If the land route is blocked, why not take the sea route!"
Yuan Tan slammed his hand on the map.
"Fengxiao, Zuozhi, look! The Zhen family's ships can reach Dongwu, so why can't they continue south and land on any uninhabited beach south of Langya and along the coast of Xuzhou?!"
He pointed to the vicinity of the mouth of the Surabaya River:
"Why don't we select our best men, disguise them as merchants, board the Zhen family's ships, land here, and then advance swiftly and lightly to strike at Lü Bu's supply depot!"
"Bury their supplies and leave. By the time their reinforcements arrive, I will have already set sail and fled back to the sea! No matter how strong Chen Gong's land defenses are, how can they withstand my surprise attack from the vast ocean?"
This plan was earth-shattering!
Guo Jia stood there for a moment, then clapped his hands and laughed:
"Brilliant! Brilliant indeed! My lord's strategy is truly ingenious and unpredictable! How can an iron wall on land stop a divine army descending from the sky? I am truly impressed!"
"My lord's plan is indeed a brilliant strategy!"
The strategist Xin Pi initially expressed his agreement, but then frowned and changed the subject.
"However... the sea route is treacherous, unlike rivers. Most of our soldiers come from Hebei and the Central Plains, and are not accustomed to water or sea conditions."
If we encounter storms at sea, we'll be fish food even before Lü Bu lifts a finger! Isn't this risk far too great?
Sinpi's concerns were reasonable, and the hall fell silent for a moment.
The risks of land warfare can be calculated, but the unpredictability of the sea was beyond the control of most people at the time.
"What George is worried about is exactly what military strategists should do."
Guo Jia coughed lightly.
"However, extraordinary achievements require extraordinary people and also need to draw on the wisdom of our predecessors."
His gaze swept over Xin Pi and Yuan Tan, and he slowly said:
"Does George still remember that in the second year of Emperor Wu of Han's Yuanfeng era, General Yang Pu led a fleet of 50,000 men across the sea from Jiaodong to conquer Korea and destroy the Wei regime?"
"The vast Bohai Sea can be crossed, and we are merely heading south along the shore. What are the journey and risks compared to that?"
By learning from history, we can understand the rise and fall of dynasties.
Guo Jia's words provided a theoretical basis for Yuan Tan's ingenious idea.
He was originally thinking about whether he should take the lead this time and win over the hearts of the people again.
Upon hearing this, he became even more determined.
As early as the Han Dynasty, they could even cross the Bohai Sea. What is there to worry about if I just walk a few steps along the coastline?
Upon hearing this, Xinpi's expression shifted, clearly convinced to some extent by this compelling argument, but doubts remained:
"Fengxiao is learned and has a remarkable memory, which I greatly admire. However, Emperor Wu's naval fleet was built with the resources of the entire nation; the ships are sturdy, the weapons are sharp, and the naval commanders are highly skilled. We, on the other hand..."
"Mr. George!"
At this moment, Yuan Tan loudly took over the conversation, frankly stating,
"What Fengxiao said is about the opportune moment, but what I also rely on is the favorable location and the support of the people!"
"The Zhen family's caravan travels between Hebei, Qingzhou, and even Jiangdong year-round. For the Zhen family, this coastal route is like the official road for us!"
Where are the safe harbors, when are the favorable winds, where are the hidden reefs, and where can one secretly dock… the Zhen family's helmsman knows it all!
"not to mention……"
Yuan Tan took a sip of tea, pointed to the coastline on the map, and continued,
"This time, we are not blindly venturing out to sea, but rather taking advantage of the Zhen family's trade routes to carry out a swift and decisive strike! The ship is a ready-made vessel, and the rudder is that of an experienced veteran."
This sea route is treacherous for us, but for the Zhen family fleet, it's a familiar path they've traversed countless times! This risk is not uncontrollable!
The more Yuan Tan spoke, the more sense it made.
With the brilliant example of the Han Dynasty's naval generals and the Zhen family's familiarity with coastal routes, a perfect logical loop is formed.
After listening, Xinpi also sighed deeply:
"My lord's vision is boundless, and Fengxiao's plans are flawless! It is I who have been too rigid in my thinking. In that case, this plan... is indeed very promising!"
However, the plan was ingenious, but it had one prerequisite: the Zhen family had to provide a sea vessel!
That evening, Yuan Tan ordered a meal to be prepared and personally entertained the steward who had brought the grain.
After several rounds of drinks and a good meal, Yuan Tan slowly revealed his purpose.
Upon hearing that they needed to borrow a boat to transport troops deep behind enemy lines, the steward turned ashen-faced and knelt down with a thud.
"Absolutely not! You mustn't do that, young master!"
The steward kowtowed repeatedly.
"The Zhen family's merchant ships are only for transporting grain for profit. How dare they get involved in military affairs? This journey is extremely dangerous. If the ships are destroyed, how can I explain it to the head of the family?"
If this is exposed, Lü Bu will be furious, and my Zhen family's business in Xuzhou will also be affected! My lord, please have mercy! This must not be done!
Yuan Tan was displeased, but he knew that forcing the Zhen family would be useless and might even drive them to rebellion.
He pondered for a moment, then said coldly:
"Since that's the case, I won't force you. You should immediately ride a fast horse back to Wuji, meet with Mr. Zhen, and tell him my plan and its advantages and disadvantages in detail."
Tell him that if he helps me achieve this great undertaking, I, Yuan Xiansi, will grant the Zhen family a 50% cut of the future maritime trade routes around Qingzhou! If he is unwilling…”
Yuan Tan changed his tone:
"You don't need to come back. I'll lend you these ships for now. As for the Zhen family's business in Qingzhou... well, that's up to fate."
The steward trembled upon hearing this, and dared not utter a word of dissent. He scrambled to his feet, accepted the order, and hurried off to the State of Zhongshan.
Yuan Tan knew that waiting for Zhen Yao's reply would take at least half a month, and the opportunity to fight would be fleeting.
He made a decisive decision:
"No more waiting! Junyi, immediately select eight hundred brave and meticulous men skilled in swimming from the vanguard and elite troops, change their clothes, and prepare for attack!"