bullyxtreme Chapter 54 Luckily, my brother-in-law was there, otherwise everything would have been over.
Chapter 54 Luckily, my brother-in-law was there, otherwise everything would have been over.
On the Si River.
Several merchant ships are heading south downstream.
Gu Cheng stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of the boat, admiring the scenery on both banks of the Si River. "Xiapi City is just ahead," Cao Ang beside him said, pointing towards the east bank.
Gu Cheng looked into the distance and indeed saw the outline of a city faintly visible not far from the east bank.
We're almost at Xiapi, the most prosperous city in Xuzhou. "Let's dock nearby for now. We can enter the city after Cao Cao has captured Xiapi," Gu Cheng ordered.
The merchant ships began to slowly approach the east coast.
"Young master, there are several hundred people on the shore. What are they doing?" Xu Chu noticed something unusual and pointed into the distance.
Gu Cheng frowned and looked into the distance, seeing several hundred men gathered on the riverbank, frantically digging with pickaxes. "It's the rainy season now, and the Si River is swollen. That must be Cao Cao's men reinforcing the riverbank," said Mi Huan, a local, who seemed quite used to it. The others dismissed it.
Gu Cheng stared intently at the group, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper, his eyes filled with growing suspicion. Suddenly.
His eyes narrowed, and he said in a deep voice, "They're not repairing the riverbank, they're trying to breach it!" This sudden statement stunned everyone. "How did you figure out, Young Master, that they're breaching the riverbank?" Mi Huan asked, fluttering her eyelashes. Gu Cheng pointed, "If they were repairing a riverbank, they would be doing it on the back side, mainly by filling in the soil. What they're doing, digging without filling on the inside, what else could it be but breaching the riverbank!"
He immediately saw through the mystery. Mi Huan suddenly understood, but was even more puzzled, asking, "Why on earth would Cao Cao's troops not repair the riverbank, but instead dig it up?"
Cao Ang also looked bewildered as he gazed at Gu Cheng.
"If I'm not mistaken, those people are definitely not Cao Cao's soldiers; they're most likely Lu Bu's troops in disguise." "Currently, Cao Cao's army is besieging Xiapi from all sides. If they breach the riverbanks like this, the raging floodwaters will pour down and submerge Cao Cao's troops west of the city!"
Gu Cheng remained calm as he slowly revealed the treacherous plan. Cao Ang was shocked and broke out in a cold sweat.
"This plan is indeed a brilliant one. Lü Bu would never have come up with it. It was most likely the work of Chen Gong. Hmm, this man is indeed quite capable."
Gu Cheng nodded slightly, praising him instead.
Cao Ang said anxiously, "If they succeed in this vicious plan, won't our army be wiped out?" "That's not necessarily true." Gu Cheng disagreed. "Although the plan is vicious, only the western part of Xiapi City is low-lying. Even if the Si River breaches its banks, it will only flood the western camp at most. Some losses are certain, but the entire army will not be wiped out."
These words drew admiration from everyone present.
"As a native of Xuzhou, I have been to Xiapi City countless times, yet I have never paid any attention to its terrain." "Young master is from Xudu, yet you have never been to Xiapi in your life, and you know it so well. It is truly unbelievable..." Mi Huan secretly marveled, her bright eyes secretly gazing at Gu Cheng.
Cao Ang breathed a sigh of relief, but said, "Even so, we cannot sacrifice the soldiers of the Western Camp in vain. I must immediately send someone to warn my father, the Minister of Works!"
Immediately, Cao Ang dispatched a personal guard to sail ashore and report to Cao Cao by land. "Lu Bu and Chen Gong's plan is truly insidious! Countless villagers live between Xiapi and the Si River. If the riverbank is breached, not only will Cao Cao's army be flooded, but thousands of civilians will also suffer!"
Mi Huan sighed softly.
Gu Cheng frowned slightly upon hearing her reminder.
Cao Ang's body stiffened, and he said angrily, "These bastards! How can I let them get away with this? Young Master Gu, please transfer to another boat for now. I'm going to sail over there and stop them from breaching the riverbank!"
Gu Cheng glanced at Cao Ang, thinking to himself that this Brother Wei, though just a minor figure, was remarkably kind to the people, which was truly commendable. "No need to change ships, General Wei, just go ahead and attack," Gu Cheng said, waving his hand.
"But if I charge in like this, I'm afraid Young Master Gu will be in danger!" Cao Ang said with concern. Gu Cheng sneered, "I have Zhong Kang and You Ping. What can those chickens and dogs do to me?" Cao Ang then stopped hesitating, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Young Master Gu." Immediately, Cao Ang drew his sword and shouted, "All ships, attack! Kill those scoundrels!" The order was given.
The merchant ships immediately changed direction and headed towards the east bank.
At a distance of several dozen paces, Cao Ang gave the order, and the archers unleashed a volley of arrows.
Screams erupted as more than ten Lü soldiers were instantly nailed to the ground. Startled, Song Xian looked up to see several merchant ships charging towards him. "Damn it, why are merchant ships suddenly passing by, meddling in our business!" Song Xian gritted his teeth, brandishing his sword and roaring, "Brothers with bows and crossbows, shoot those meddlesome bastards! The rest of you, continue digging the riverbank!"
Dozens of Lu Jun's archers immediately dropped their pickaxes and returned fire towards the merchant ship.
Song Xian's forces consisted entirely of Lü Jun's elite troops, and their number of archers far exceeded that of Cao Ang. As the two sides exchanged fire, the merchant ships were suppressed and unable to get close for a time.
Just then, a sudden downpour caused the Si River to swell even more rapidly. Song Xian's several hundred men had been lying in ambush on the riverbank the day before, having already thinned it. Now, seeing Chen Gong's signal fire, they simply dug up the remaining sections of the riverbank completely.
With the help of the surging water, a breach was finally breached in the riverbank. As soon as the breach was opened, the floodwaters rushed out rapidly, quickly widening the gap by more than several meters.
Seeing that their mission was accomplished, Song Xian excitedly shouted, "The riverbank is open! Retreat quickly!" The soldiers of Lü's army dropped their tools and scrambled to escape. "Damn it, they still succeeded! Infuriating!" Cao Ang, enraged, snatched an iron-rimmed bow and fired an arrow at Song Xian, who was retreating on the bank. On the bank...
Song Xian mounted his horse and galloped away, his face beaming with barely suppressed glee.
"Chen Gongtai's plan is brilliant! Once the riverbank is breached, Lü Bu and Cao Cao's armies will be annihilated, and Xuzhou will be ours to rule! Haha—"
He was overjoyed and lowered his guard. "Pfft!"
The arrow struck him squarely in the back.
With a scream, Song Xian fell off his horse and tumbled into the Si River. "Help me, help me—" Song Xian struggled desperately in the water, screaming for help in terror.
Cao Ang ordered the boat to approach, grabbed Song Xian, dragged him aboard, and threw him onto the deck. "You bastard, how dare you do such a vicious thing! I'll kill you!" Cao Ang roared, brandishing his sword to chop him to pieces. "Wait!" Gu Cheng stopped him, reminding him, "Ask him for details first, then it's not too late to kill him!"
Cao Ang suddenly came to his senses and calmed down. He held his knife to Song Xian's neck and demanded, "Speak! Who ordered you to breach the Sishui River embankment? Was your aim to flood Cao's camp?"
"General, spare my life! I'll tell you everything!"
"This is Chen Biejia's plan. He not only wants to flood the army, but also to flood our Marquis Wen as well!" The seriously injured Song Xian lost his courage and dared not hide anything, confessing Chen Gong's entire scheme.
"That bastard Chen Gong actually wants to kill Lü Bu?" Cao Ang gasped, an incredulous look crossing his face.
Zhou Tai exclaimed in shock, "Chen Gong was Lü Bu's chief strategist! How dare he kill his own lord? That's incredibly disloyal and unjust!"
"Loyalty and righteousness?"
"Does Chen Gong even deserve the title of 'loyal and righteous'?" Gu Cheng's eyes flashed with sarcasm as he coldly said, "Back in Yanzhou, he betrayed Cao Cao. What's so strange about him betraying Lü Bu in Xuzhou today? He and Lü Bu are the same kind of people."
Cao Ang suddenly realized what was happening, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "I never imagined Chen Gong could be so ruthless. Fortunately, my brother-in-law is exceptionally intelligent and saw through his treacherous scheme..."
Just as he was feeling relieved, a sudden chill ran down his spine: "I wonder if my personal guards will be able to inform Minister Cao of the warning in time, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable!"
"Man proposes, God disposes; it all depends on fate. We'll see if your Lord Cao has the destiny to achieve that." Gu Cheng gazed in the direction of Cao Cao's camp, letting out a meaningful sigh.
Northwest of Xiapi City, on a high slope, Cao Cao stood with his horse at rest, looking down towards the western camp.
At this moment, Lü Bu had forcefully broken through the western encirclement and fled towards the Si River. Upon hearing the news, Cao Cao personally rushed to the west of the city, mobilizing troops from all directions to pursue and intercept him. Standing on this high ground, Cao Cao could even see Lü Bu's invincible and unstoppable power. "Lü Bu's martial arts are indeed unparalleled. If only he could be employed by me," Cao Cao remarked. Guo Jia, however, said, "Although Lü Bu is brave, he has repeatedly murdered his lords. If Guan Yu is an ungrateful wolf, then Lü Bu is a venomous snake!" Cao Cao's expression hardened slightly. Remembering the fates of Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo, he abandoned any thought of surrendering him. A murderous glint appeared in his eyes, and he raised his whip and shouted, "Order all troops to drive Lü Bu towards the Si River. He must not be allowed to escape today!"
The Si River is a natural barrier, and since Lü Bu had no boat, he naturally could not cross it.
Once Lü Bu is driven to the riverbank, he will be like a turtle in a jar; no matter how extraordinary his abilities, he will be unable to escape Cao Cao's grasp.
On the hillside, command flags waved, directing Cao Cao's various armies to surround and drive away Lü Bu. It was at this moment...
Cao Ang's personal guards rode up, dismounted, and shouted, "Your Excellency, the eldest son requests that you immediately withdraw your troops and retreat to higher ground!"
"Hmm?" Cao Cao's expression changed slightly, and he asked suspiciously, "Has Zixiu also arrived in Xiapi? What does he mean by ordering me to withdraw my troops?" "Reporting to the Minister of Works, Young Master Zixiu is protecting Young Master Gu, traveling south by the Sishui River, and has just arrived at the Xiapi basin." "We discovered that someone is digging at the riverbank. Young Master Gu says this must be a trick by Chen Gong to flood our army, and the eldest son specially sent me to warn the Minister of Works!"
The guards recounted the events truthfully. Cao Cao's expression changed drastically.
Guo Jia, who was standing beside him, was also taken aback.
"Breaching the riverbank and flooding our army is indeed a vicious plan!"
"But Lü Bu is clearly trying to break through the encirclement. If the riverbank is breached, wouldn't the floodwaters drown him as well?" Guo Jia immediately calmed down and saw the flaw in the argument. Cao Cao frowned, his face also filled with suspicion.
"This is indeed unreasonable. If I rashly withdraw my troops, wouldn't I be letting Lü Bu escape?" A hint of resentment flashed in Cao Cao's eyes. Seeing this, his personal guard hurriedly reminded him, "Reporting to the Minister of Works, the eldest son instructed me to inform you that this is Young Master Gu's calculation. Please, Minister of Works, do not question it!"
Cao Cao's body trembled, and all his hesitation vanished instantly.
"Zixiu is right. Liheng's calculations are flawless. How can I question his predictions!" Cao Cao had no more doubts and immediately shouted, "Immediately issue the order: all armies must stop pursuing Lü Bu and immediately retreat to the high ground!" On the high slope, the command flags waved like the wind.
Countless messengers rushed to the battlefield to deliver orders to the generals. Cao Cao's generals, their eyes bloodshot with rage, were determined to capture Lü Bu alive and achieve a great feat for Cao Cao. Unexpectedly, at the crucial moment, Cao Cao issued a retreat order.
"What happened? We were about to trap Lü Bu, why did our lord suddenly withdraw the troops?" The same question arose in the minds of all the generals. Military orders were absolute, and although the generals were surprised and unwilling, they dared not disobey. In the blink of an eye, all of Cao Cao's troops dispersed, abandoning their pursuit of Lü Bu. Cao Cao stood on the slope, watching as all the troops retreated to higher ground, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. "Minister of Works, we were about to trap Lü Bu, why did you suddenly order a withdrawal?" Cao Hong rushed up the mountain, asking with a look of resentment.
"Yes, Master Sikong, how can we just stand by and watch that traitor escape this calamity? It will surely cause endless trouble in the future!" Le Jin said unwillingly.
Zhao Yun, however, regained his composure and cupped his hands, saying, "Minister Cao's military strategy is divine. His sudden withdrawal must have a deeper meaning." "Zilong truly understands me," Cao Cao nodded slightly, pointing to the Si River, "I ordered you to withdraw because Lü Bu intends to dig up the Si River and flood my army."
The generals were shocked, their faces changing drastically. Zhao Yun was also taken aback, asking in surprise, "If Lü Bu does this, won't he drown himself as well? Does he really have the guts to take everyone down with him?"
The generals nodded in agreement, their surprised and suspicious gazes all turning to Cao Cao.
Zhao Yun's question was the same question all the generals had. Cao Cao was speechless for a moment, unsure how to explain to his generals. Just then...
Dian Wei's eyes widened, and he pointed at the Si River: "Minister Cao, look quickly! The Si River has breached its banks!" This shout caused Cao Cao and his generals to turn their attention sharply towards the riverbank. There, on the east bank, a breach several meters wide was clearly visible.
The swollen Si River surged forth from the breach, sweeping towards the west gate of Xiapi. "They really breached the Si River!" The generals gasped, their shocked gazes all turning to Cao Cao.
"Sikong is truly a master strategist! That Lü Bu actually breached the Si River, intending to perish together with us!" Cao Ren shouted excitedly, his eyes filled with apprehension. Yue Jin also exclaimed, "Fortunately, our lord was so astute, seeing through Lü Bu's treacherous plot. Otherwise, if our tens of thousands of troops had been flooded, the consequences would have been unimaginable!"
"Minister!" Guo Jia bowed, feeling ashamed, and said, "I failed to see through Lü Bu's treacherous scheme and almost misled you, Minister. Fortunately, Prince Liheng's wisdom and resourcefulness saved our army from peril!"
"Who could have imagined that Lü Bu would commit suicide along with him? Fengxiao, you couldn't have foreseen this, so it's no wonder you're not blamed."
Cao Cao, however, generously offered words of comfort. Guo Jia breathed a sigh of relief and clicked his tongue in admiration, saying, "I have once again witnessed the brilliant strategies of Prince Liheng. Emperor Gaozu of Han was able to achieve great things only because he had the strategist Zhang Liang. Prince Liheng is like a reincarnation of Zhang Liang, the Minister of Works!"
The generals couldn't understand their conversation and were all curious about who this "Young Master Liheng" was. Cao Cao stroked his beard with a pleased expression and sighed, "My dear son-in-law, you've saved me again. As your father-in-law, I owe you so much; I truly feel guilty..."
Just as Cao Cao was lamenting, Lü Bu was still galloping wildly on horseback along the Sishui River.
He fought his way through, his strength nearly exhausted, and more than half of his soldiers had been killed or wounded. Despair began to creep into Lü Bu's heart; he feared that if Cao Cao's army continued to surround him like this, he would surely perish. Suddenly…
The Cao army, however, seemed to be bewitched, scattering and retreating in all directions. The besieging troops were gone in the blink of an eye, and the road ahead was now unobstructed.
Lu Bu was overjoyed and asked in surprise, "What happened? Why did Cao Cao's troops suddenly drop their encirclement?" "Yes, Father, we were about to be overwhelmed. Why did Cao Cao's army suddenly stop pursuing us?" Lu Lingqi, whose face was covered in blood, was also full of joy.
Gao Shun then said in a deep voice, "Lord Wen, Cao Cao won't let us go so easily. Could it be a trap?" "So what if it's a trap!"
Lü Bu scoffed, "The Si River is just ahead. Song Xian has prepared boats for us. Once we escape to the Si River, Cao Cao will have no chance against me!"
As he spoke, he spurred Red Hare tightly, wishing he could fly to the banks of the Si River immediately. Just then...
A vast expanse of white dust and mist swept in from ahead, like a massive army. A thunderous roar followed, drawing ever closer.
"Could it be that Cao Cao has ambushed his troops by the Si River?" Lu Bu's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but rein in Red Hare.
Several thousand remaining soldiers of Lü Jun also stopped in their tracks, their expressions filled with trepidation and confusion. In the blink of an eye, dust and mist approached, and visibility gradually improved.
Lu Lingqi's almond-shaped eyes suddenly opened, and she cried out in a trembling voice, "Father, that's not dust or fog, it's a flood! Cao Cao has dug up the Si River; he's going to drown us!"
Lu Bu suddenly awoke with a start, his face turning pale with shock, and he nearly dropped his halberd.