Chapter 138: Su Mingyi Captures Yecheng

Outside the city of Yecheng.

Su Ming led Zhang Liao, Taishi Ci, Qu Ah, and the eight hundred soldiers of the Camp of the Trapped, disguised as the Xu family's grain transport team, advancing toward Yecheng.

Yecheng was Yuan Shao’s stronghold. With Yuan Shao leading his army on an expedition, Yecheng was currently under the control of Yuan Shao’s most trusted third son, Yuan Shang.

Yuan Shang was merely a scion of a noble family with no genuine capability, relying entirely on Yuan Shao’s favor to attain high office.

"General Su, you must think this through carefully!"

"Are you certain you wish to enter Yecheng? Once you step inside, there will be no turning back!" Outside the city walls, Xu Qian addressed Su Ming with utmost solemnity.

Yecheng was Yuan Shao’s base, garrisoned by a full ten thousand troops.

Su Ming commanded only about eight hundred men. Even if these eight hundred men were made of solid iron, how many nails could they possibly strike?

Therefore, Xu Qian believed that Su Ming's intention to conquer Yecheng with a mere eight hundred men was nothing short of wishful thinking.

Yet, Su Ming insisted on going, and Xu Qian could not dissuade him.

*I shall offer this final piece of advice, and whether you go or not is your own concern,* Xu Qian thought to himself. *Once I bring you into Yecheng, I wash my hands of the matter. Whatever happens to you afterward, whether you live or die, has nothing to do with me.*

Since they had already arrived, Su Ming had no intention of retreating.

"Enough of your idle chatter! My lord knows what he is doing!"

"Just escort us inside and stop asking so many questions!" Taishi Ci glared at Xu Qian, rebuking him impatiently.

*I am a fool for trying to advise you,* Xu Qian fumed inwardly. *If you are so eager to court death, go right ahead!*

Yet, a lingering unease remained in Xu Qian’s heart as he looked at Su Ming and said, "Let this be understood! My only duty is to bring you inside; everything else has nothing to do with me!"

To this declaration, Su Ming neither agreed nor denied, merely urging, "Enough, let us enter the city quickly!"

Although Yecheng was Yuan Shao’s stronghold, it was also situated deep within his territory.

Information transmission in ancient times was exceptionally slow, and news traveled poorly.

Su Ming and his men had set out for Yecheng at the very moment they launched their night raid on Wuchao.

Consequently, news of Yuan Shao’s defeat had not yet reached Yecheng.

Because Yuan Shao had maintained the upper hand on the battlefield until the fires erupted at Wuchao, the defenses in the rear at Yecheng were remarkably lax.

Coupled with the fact that Xu Qian, the second young master of the Xu family, was a prominent figure in Yecheng whom the city gate guards all recognized, Su Ming and his party successfully infiltrated the city disguised as a merchant caravan of the Xu family.

***

Having brought Su Ming and his men into Yecheng, Xu Qian could hardly abandon them out in the open streets.

He led them to an abandoned warehouse belonging to the Xu family, lodging all eight hundred men within its walls.

Before coming, Su Ming had already gathered detailed intelligence regarding the situation in Yecheng from Xu Qian, including a complete topographical map of the city.

In the endeavor to capture Yecheng, haste was essential.

Before the news of Yuan Shao’s defeat reached the city, the present moment offered the optimal window for action.

With the garrison currently off their guard, the success rate of an assault was at its peak. Once the news arrived, the vigilance of the defenders would inevitably rise.

There was no time like the present; Su Ming resolved to seize Yecheng that very day.

Inside the warehouse, Su Ming spread out the map of Yecheng.

The map was meticulously detailed, clearly marking the locations of the armory, the prefectural offices, and the military barracks.

Ancient cities were square in layout, and Yuan Shao’s grand mansion stood precisely at the center.

Although Yuan Shao had not yet declared himself king, his estate was constructed with little difference from a royal palace.

It would be no exaggeration to describe Yuan Shao’s residence as a palace in its own right.

The mansion possessed front and rear gates. Su Ming studied the blueprint carefully, contemplated the layout for a moment, and prepared to issue his commands.

Seeing that Su Ming was about to assign tasks, Xu Qian thought to himself that he should remove himself to avoid being a hindrance. "Should I take my leave now?"

"General Su, I shall depart first!" Xu Qian said, making ready to leave.

Noticing his departure, Su Ming reached out and grabbed him. "Why is Master Xu in such a hurry to leave?"

"Why not stay and listen to the plan?"

Hearing these words, Xu Qian felt a warm glow of satisfaction.

*General Su is a decent fellow!* he thought. *To trust me to this extent and invite me to stay and listen—since he thinks so highly of me, I might as well stay. Listening costs nothing, after all.*

"Since the general honors me so, I shall remain as an observer!" Xu Qian agreed with a cheerful smile.

He was smiling now, but before long, he would be weeping.

"I shall personally lead two hundred men to assault the front gate, while Wenyuan leads another two hundred through the rear gate. Ziyi and Qu Ah will each command two hundred men to patrol the perimeter and plug any gaps, ensuring not a single person escapes."

"Above all, you must capture Yuan Shang alive. Anyone who resists is to be executed on the spot," Su Ming ordered.

Zhang Liao: "??????"

Xu Qian: "??????"

Taishi Ci: "??????"

Once Su Ming laid out this plan, leaving aside a military talent like Zhang Liao, even Taishi Ci could see that this strategy was unworkable.

Such a deployment might indeed enable them to capture Yuan Shang and exterminate Yuan Shao’s household.

But how could they possibly secure Yecheng?

Even if such a frontal assault succeeded in taking the mansion, the city still held a garrison of ten thousand troops.

Once those ten thousand defenders arrived as reinforcements, Su Ming and his men would find themselves buried without a trace.

"My lord, surely this method cannot work?" Zhang Liao asked tentatively.

Hearing this, Su Ming smiled faintly and explained, "This is merely the first step. I have a second."

"I have a means to secure Yuan Shao’s mansion without alarming the garrison within the city. Once we capture Yuan Shang alive, we will compel him to issue commands summoning all officers of the rank of captain and above to the estate for a council."

"At that time, we will eliminate those officers. With the garrison left without a leader, Yecheng will naturally fall into our hands."

Upon hearing this explanation, Zhang Liao considered it a remarkably sound plan.

In this era, soldiers fought merely to earn a livelihood. If the officers of captain rank and above were all executed, then regardless of whether there were ten thousand common soldiers or even one hundred thousand, they would be utterly useless.

The soldiers of this era lacked ideological conviction; without officers to command them, they were no different from wooden puppets.

Yet, a new problem arose.

The moment they launched a frontal assault on Yuan Shao’s mansion, battle cries and the sounds of fighting would inevitably ring out.

Once those sounds arose, they were bound to alert the garrison.

Su Ming’s claim that they could capture the mansion without alarming the city's defenders was, for all practical purposes, impossible.

"Impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

"Yuan Shao’s mansion is right in the center of the city. No matter when you launch a frontal assault, the noise will inevitably carry outward!" Xu Qian blurted out, flatly rejecting the notion.