stonecrandall Chapter 822 Yi Xiaochuan has also grown up, that’s not easy!
Chapter 822 Yi Xiaochuan has also grown up, that’s not easy!
"Fan Zeng... Fan Zeng! What a deceptive trick!" Gao Yao's voice was filled with unprecedented solemnity and a hint of fear. He finally understood why the Chu army, after their defeat at Hangu Pass, had continued to stage a powerful attack. This wasn't to capture Xianyang, but to cover a surprise attack, a force that could decide the entire battle. They were silently attacking the seemingly rear, but in fact, the vital point: Yangping Pass!
Gao Yao's eyes flashed with understanding, but then were overshadowed by deeper doubts. Xiao He's reasoning was logically clear, and the strategic significance of Yangping Pass was instantly revealed, perfectly explaining the Chu army's unusual behavior. However, a strong sense of disharmony, like a cold, venomous snake, coiled around Gao Yao's heart.
"No, that's not right!" Gao Yao shook his head violently, his voice firm, "This plan... is completely different from Fan Zeng's previous style of doing things!" He paced to the map, tapped his fingers heavily on the positions representing Longyou and Yangping Pass, his eyes as sharp as a hawk.
"Look, Xiao He," Gao Yao spoke rapidly, his thoughts racing. "The Chu army, using Longyou as a springboard, isn't aiming to attack Xianyang directly, but is instead making a long, sweeping assault on Yangping Pass! Their motive is clear: a swift victory, a single strike to ensure a decisive victory! They must seize Yangping Pass in the shortest possible time, with lightning speed! If they succeed, the consequences will be disastrous!"
Gao Yao's finger traced a cold path across the map. "Once Yangping Pass is lost, it's like strangling the throat connecting Guanzhong with Hanzhong and Bashu! Communication between the north and the south is cut off. Food routes, military resources, and government orders are all severed in an instant! Xianyang becomes an isolated city!"
"What's even more difficult is how can our army recapture it?" Gao Yao's face darkened. "Yangping Pass itself is a natural barrier! 'One man guarding the pass, ten thousand men cannot break through' is absolutely true! If the Chu army holds on to the pass, even if our army has the advantage of black gunpowder, its power will be greatly reduced in such narrow and steep terrain, and the difficulty of attacking will increase sharply! The casualties... will be astronomical!" He seemed to have seen the tragic scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood under the city.
"The news of the fall of Yangping Pass will undoubtedly shake Xianyang! The defenders will then face a fatal decision!" Gao Yao's voice was chilling. "Send troops? If the Xianyang defenders split up and attempt to attack Yangping Pass from the north, seeking to retake the passage... that would play right into the Chu army's hands!"
Gao Yao thrust his finger fiercely at the Guanzhong Plain. "The elite cavalry of the Chu army is watching us covetously! As long as our army leaves the fortified city and enters the relatively open Guanzhong Plain or the mountainous area surrounding Yangping Pass, Xiang Yu's cavalry will be able to unleash their maximum power! In a field battle, even the most elite of our infantry formations will be unable to withstand their thundering onslaught! This is tantamount to sending our soldiers into the tiger's mouth. Not only will it fail to rescue us, but it may also slay even more elite troops and even shake the very foundation of Xianyang!"
"Not sending troops?" Gao Yao snorted coldly, "Then we can only watch Yangping Pass fall to the enemy while we wait for reinforcements to be pulled in from other fronts! This takes time! A lot of time! The Chu army can use this time to strengthen the defenses of Yangping Pass, or even send troops to harass Hanzhong to gain a firm foothold! When our reinforcements arrive exhausted after traveling thousands of miles, they will face an enemy that is well-rested and ready to attack! The cost of a forced attack will be even greater than expected!"
"So," Gao Yao's voice was grave, "there may seem to be two paths, but in reality, there is only one: We must, at all costs, gather an overwhelmingly superior force as quickly as possible and storm Yangping Pass! Regardless of casualties, regardless of consumption, even if it means sacrificing lives, we must eradicate this cancer before the Chu army can fully establish itself!" He paused, a flicker of regret in his eyes, "But the price... our main force will likely be severely damaged! Our elite troops will be completely annihilated at this pass!"
Xiao He listened to Gao Yao's detailed analysis, his expression becoming extremely solemn, and even a fine layer of cold sweat seeping out of his forehead. He nodded solemnly, and in a dry voice, he added to what Gao Yao had not said:
"What the king has described is precisely the most dire consequence. Even if... even if our army pays a heavy price and ultimately recaptures Yangping Pass... our army is no longer the same force it was yesterday!" He pointed to the mark on the map representing the Southern Border Army. "Years of fighting have exhausted the soldiers, and morale is already low. After experiencing such a brutal siege, the survivors are probably at the end of their strength, exhausted both physically and mentally, and covered in wounds. At this moment..."
Xiao He took a deep breath, as if he could see the despairing scene. "The Chu army's elite main force, especially the iron cavalry that made them so powerful, was able to evade their attack and calmly retreat from Yangping Pass, roaming the vast Guanzhong Plain or the surrounding mountains! How can our exhausted army withstand the fierce and ferocious Chu cavalry charge in a field battle? If we fail in the field battle, not only will we not be able to recover the lost territory, but I'm afraid that even the hard-won Yangping Pass and even the safety of Xianyang will be in jeopardy once again!"
He suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief, confusion, and a hint of fear. "On the other hand, the Chu army's losses are manageable! If they can't hold Yangping Pass, they can retreat! Cavalry is highly mobile and moves like the wind. They can trade space for time, constantly harassing and exhausting our troops, looking for weaknesses, and then launching a fatal attack! We, on the other hand, will be completely worn down by this quagmire! This... this is a war of attrition that is extremely disadvantageous to our army!"
"With Fan Zeng's intelligence, how could he not see the enormous risks involved? This is completely contrary to his usual style of cautious planning, striving to maximize benefits at the lowest cost! This... this is simply like... gambling! A gamble involving Xiang Yu's elite troops and wealth!"
Xiao He's analysis struck Gao Yao's heart like a final blow. A deathly silence descended upon the study. While the strategic value of Yangping Pass was certainly alluring, the cost of executing this plan and the subsequent dangerous chain reactions were far beyond imagination. This was completely unlike a plan that Fan Zeng, renowned for his maturity and prudence, would have devised! A profound sense of conflict hung over both men like a dark cloud.
A sharp light flashed in Gao Yao's eyes, and a name, like a meteor streaking through the darkness, instantly illuminated his chaotic thoughts - Yi Xiaochuan!
"Wait!" Gao Yao raised his hand to interrupt Xiao He's worries, his voice tinged with realization, "Although this plan is risky, it might not have been devised by that person... Yi Xiaochuan!"
He quickly walked back to the map and pointed his finger at Yangping Pass again, but this time, his eyes were no longer simply solemn, but mixed with an insight into his opponent's cards and a hint of... indescribable complexity.
"Our concerns were all based on worst-case scenarios, and that's correct." Gao Yao spoke faster, his thoughts remarkably clear. "But Xiao He, you and I have overlooked one point: this plan is also a huge gamble for the Chu army! The risks are no less than ours!"