Chapter 105: Feng Xiao's Stratagem

Cao Cao thought to himself, the officials under Yuan Shao’s command are embezzling grain supplies—what does that have to do with your strategic simulations? Even if his subordinates are stealing vast amounts of grain, it’s none of your concern!

Grabbing the edge of Guo Jia’s white robe to wipe the grease from his hands, Cao Cao asked, “The grain stockpiled at Wuchao by Yuan Shao is enough to last three years. Even if his officials embezzled thirty percent, or even seventy percent, he could still sustain himself for at least a year or so.”

“Our own supplies barely last a month. What does their embezzlement have to do with whether or not you can take Wuchao?”

Su Ming approached the sand table and pointed to the territory of Wuchao. “I wouldn’t dare speak recklessly without absolute certainty.”

“A few days ago, I sent Qu’e to rush to Wuchao. Qu’e concealed himself in the forest outside the city for a day and a night. Guess what he saw?”

Hearing Su Ming’s words, Cao Cao realized that Qu’e’s mission must have uncovered some significant secret.

That secret was the key to Su Ming’s strategy for capturing Wuchao in the sand table simulation.

Cao Cao glared sharply at Su Ming and said, “If you’re going to be mysterious, I’ll show you whether your backside is tougher, or my military baton is!”

Su Ming looked at his adoptive father, thinking how easily amused he was, noting he was even getting anxious.

“Qu’e saw that at night, the officials under Yuan Shao would send people in carts to transport grain out.”

“Wuchao at night is far livelier than during the day!”

“My men can disguise themselves as servants of those officials, infiltrate the city, and then set fire to the grain.”

“At that moment, Wuchao will descend into chaos!” Su Ming revealed the crux of the matter.

As soon as Su Ming finished speaking, Cao Cao’s eyes brightened. Clearly, in his view, Su Ming’s plan was feasible.

After a brief pause, Cao Cao continued, “No, that won’t do!”

“Even if you disguise yourselves as grain transport servants or guards, where do you get the official passes to enter the city? How do you know the city’s defenses?”

“Not all officials under Yuan Shao have the authority to issue these passes.”

“To sneak into Wuchao and steal grain, the servants and guards need special official documents and seals.”

“Without these, you can’t enter the city. Even if you did, not knowing where the granaries are or the routes inside would expose you.”

“The most critical step to infiltrate Wuchao’s granaries is to acquire the official passes and the city’s granary layout.”

“Where to start the fire to spread it fastest—these are key details.”

“Xu You.”

“I’ve persuaded Chancellor Cao’s close friend, Xu You, to defect. Xu You brought the official passes and Wuchao’s layout maps!”

“As for how to bring Xu You over, I trust Chancellor Cao and our strategists have ways.”

“Chancellor, what do you think—does my simulation hold up?” Su Ming asked Cao Cao.

After Su Ming’s final words, Cao Cao immediately moved to the sand table, scrutinizing every detail.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Cao Cao had memorized every inch of the sand table.

Then, with a grave expression, he asked Guo Jia, “Fengxiao, is there a way to get Xu You to defect?”

Xu You’s defection was key.

If they could convince Xu You to come over with the official passes and the Wuchao layout, it would turn the tide of the battle.

Upon hearing Su Ming’s plan, Guo Jia realized everything in the simulation was practical, provided they could persuade Xu You.

While Cao Cao studied the sand table meticulously, Guo Jia was already considering how to bring Xu You over.

“Master, rest assured. Leave this matter to Fengxiao,” Guo Jia replied confidently.

Known as a genius strategist, Guo Jia was the foremost planner in Cao’s camp.

With him handling the plan to win Xu You, Cao Cao had some confidence.

Less than a hundred li from Wuchao on a mountain path, a large caravan of mules and carts painfully made its way along the narrow trail, laden with grain.

Leading this group was Xu You’s nephew, Xu Hong. The grain they carried had been stolen from Wuchao’s granary.

Yuan Shao’s stockpiled grain was so vast that his officials resorted to this “ant-like” method of smuggling grain out to sell at a profit.

The front lines are tight, and the rear is even tighter—that saying was never empty talk.

Like Xu You, Feng Ji, Shen Pei, and other senior ministers around Yuan Shao, their families were involved.

Originally, these noble families supported themselves through commerce, but the outbreak of war disrupted their businesses.

With their enterprises affected, they naturally sought to compensate elsewhere.

Where else but by profiting from the war?

With grain prices soaring, stealing military supplies from Wuchao and reselling them at high prices was the best business.

Did the grain controller of Wuchao, Chunyu Qiong, not know about this?

Of course he did. He didn’t stop it partly because he couldn’t afford to offend these powerful families, and partly because he took a cut himself.

Xu Hong had stolen three thousand dan of grain this time from Wuchao.

According to the original plan, they should have left the area last night, but for some unknown reason, their progress was delayed.

On the mountain road, huge fallen rocks and toppled trees blocked the path.

These obstacles had delayed Xu Hong and his group significantly.

Unbeknownst to Xu Hong, all these were Guo Jia’s doing—he had sent men to create these roadblocks.

Nearby on the same mountain road, dust billowed, flags snapped in the wind.

A broad-shouldered general clad in blue armor was leading three thousand troops swiftly toward Wuchao.

Their banner bore the character “Ju.”

Without a doubt, this was Ju Yi, a general under Yuan Shao.

Known for his integrity and straightforwardness, Ju Yi had once led 800 vanguard death soldiers to decisively defeat 3,000 of Gongsun Zan’s White Horse Volunteers at Jiao Bridge.

Ju Yi was now on a mission from Yuan Shao to escort military supplies.

His main force was only about ten li from Xu Hong’s grain convoy, and inevitably, they would encounter each other.

Guo Jia had timed this perfectly, dispatching men to delay Xu Hong so he would run into Ju Yi.

Everyone in Yuan’s army knew Ju Yi’s character—he was so upright that not even Yuan Shao could confront him without risk.

The fate of those caught smuggling grain when discovered by Ju Yi was clear without words.

(End of chapter)