Chapter 34: Liu Bei is This Bold? Zhang Xiu is Stunned: Our Army Has Fallen Into Chaos Without a Fight?

Mi Zhu hurriedly stepped forward to present the intelligence report written on silk.

Xiao Fang did not reach out to take it, as if he had never harbored a shred of doubt regarding his own judgment. His only concern was one man. He turned his gaze toward Mi Zhu and asked, "Zi Zhong, is that man Jia Xu among Zhang Xiu's forces?"

This question left everyone present baffled. With a major battle imminent, Xiao Fang showed no concern for the approaching army of Zhang Xiu, nor for Zhang Ji stationed in Wancheng; instead, he was fixated on Jia Xu, who seemingly had nothing to do with the situation.

Liu Bei exchanged puzzled glances with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. Mi Zhu was startled for a moment before quickly replying, "I have already followed your instructions, military advisor, and sent scouts to investigate thoroughly. That Jia Xu is not among the Xiliang army. At this time, that 'poisonous scholar' should still be serving under Duan Wei in Guanzhong."

A weight lifted from Xiao Fang’s heart. Although Zhang Xiu was a fierce warrior of the age, it was not difficult to defeat him with strategy. However, had Jia Xu been present, the plan he had devised for Liu Bei would have run the risk of being unraveled by that cunning mind. Xiao Fang vaguely remembered that it was only after Zhang Ji was struck by an arrow and died, and Zhang Xiu inherited his troops, that Jia Xu left Duan Wei to join Zhang Xiu. At this very moment, Jia Xu ought to still be in Guanzhong. To ensure there was no room for error, he had instructed Mi Zhu to have scouts monitor the situation closely, confirming that Jia Xu’s timeline had not deviated. Mi Zhu’s report confirmed his concerns were unnecessary.

"Since Jia Xu is absent, this strategy of mine is more than enough to deal with Zhang Xiu!" Xiao Fang said, his tone casual yet carrying an air of absolute confidence. "My Lord, Zhang Xiu should reach the Biyang front by tomorrow morning at the latest. Let us crush him tomorrow."

Liu Bei’s spirits soared. He swept his gaze across his generals, a fierce fire of determination burning in his eyes. "Generals, hear my command! Tomorrow, we shall act according to the military advisor’s plan. We will array our forces with our backs to the city wall and fight Zhang Xiu to the death! Our survival hinges on this one battle. I entrust this to you all—let us fight with everything we have!"

Liu Bei’s expression was solemn and resolute as he bowed to his generals.

"We are willing to fight to the death for our Lord!" the generals responded in unison, bowing deeply.

***

The next day, the eastern sky turned pale as dawn broke. The west gate of Biyang swung wide, and the drawbridge was lowered. Liu Bei rode out first, his hand on his sword, followed by his eight thousand soldiers, who marched out of the city in perfect order.

As the first ray of dawn appeared, the eight thousand men formed dozens of formations, large and small, with their backs to the city walls. Beneath the ramparts, the banners bearing the character "Liu" fluttered in the morning light.

Xiao Fang and his fellow strategists stood atop the gate tower, gazing far into the distance toward the end of the main road. As the sky brightened, a thin black line emerged on the horizon. In an instant, countless soldiers, weapons, and war banners rose up against the skyline. Led by the banner bearing the character "Zhang," eight thousand Xiliang troops surged toward Biyang like a dark, overwhelming tide.

"Brother-in-law, Zhang Xiu has arrived!" Zhuge Liang’s eyes sharpened as he pointed forward. Mi Zhu, Jian Yong, and the others grew tense. They were men who had seen their share of storms and had encountered all manner of enemies, but the force approaching them was the legendary Xiliang Army—the same army that, under Dong Zhuo’s command, had been as cruel and bloodthirsty as beasts, striking terror into the hearts of everyone in the land. Aside from the late Sun Jian, no one among the Kanto warlords had ever been able to defeat them. They were, by all accounts, the strongest army in the world.

Though their power had diminished significantly since Dong Zhuo’s fall, and though among these eight thousand men, the true Xiliang veterans numbered no more than three thousand, their fearsome reputation remained enough to make Mi Zhu and the others sweat.

***

Xiao Fang, however, swallowed hard and nudged Zhuge Liang with his elbow. "A-Liang, I’m a bit hungry. Did you bring any flatbread?"

"Hmm?" Zhuge Liang was taken aback, staring wide-eyed at Xiao Fang. A major battle was about to begin, and everyone’s nerves were stretched to the breaking point, yet his brother-in-law was suddenly complaining of hunger? And asking him for flatbread? Besides, hadn’t they already eaten breakfast? It was far from noon, so why was he hungry?

Xiao Fang had his own hidden reasons. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and after reuniting with his wife, Zhuge Lan, the night before, they had been inseparable, losing track of time. Consequently, he had woken up late and hurriedly gulped down a few bites before rushing to the city walls.

"Military advisor, here," Xu Chu said, pulling a piece of flatbread from his tunic and handing it over. Xiao Fang’s eyes lit up as he took it and began to chew with relish. Seeing his hearty appetite, the tension among Mi Zhu and the others began to dissipate.

"The military advisor must be imitating his previous ambush of the Yuan and Lu pursuers, eating flatbread casually to show the soldiers that victory is within his grasp, thereby stabilizing morale," they whispered to one another, nodding in silent agreement. "Yet, to be so calm in the face of such a formidable enemy—this composure is truly extraordinary."

Whether it was the strategists like Mi Zhu or the soldiers along the wall, seeing their advisor calmly eating his flatbread gradually set their minds at ease.

West of the city, the eight thousand Xiliang troops continued their rolling advance.

"Father, look! Liu Bei has actually arrayed his troops with their backs to the city!" a young warrior shouted, his eyes widening as he pointed ahead.

"Whoa!" Zhang Xiu pulled sharply on his reins and looked into the distance. It was just as his son, Zhang Quan, had said—nearly eight thousand Liu soldiers were formed up outside the city, as if prepared to fight a battle to the death.

"Does Liu Bei actually have the guts?" A flash of surprise sparked in Zhang Xiu’s eyes. He had assumed that Liu Bei’s forces were nothing but a rabble, and that, fearing the might of his Xiliang Army, they would cower within Biyang to wait for an opportunity. He never expected Liu Bei to do the opposite and dare to come out to fight.

*He’s got some nerve,* Zhang Xiu thought, a cold smirk playing on his lips after his initial shock. "This Liu Bei is truly arrogant; he holds me in such contempt. No wonder he dared to issue an ultimatum claiming he would flatten Wancheng. Very well, if he dares to fight, that is exactly what I wished for. I shall crush him outside the city and save myself the trouble of a siege!"

His fighting spirit ignited, and Zhang Xiu immediately ordered his army to form up for battle.

"Father, if we win this battle, we will not only bolster our military prestige but also resolve our food shortage in one stroke. Our reputation will surely eclipse that of our great-uncle," Zhang Quan whispered, leaning in as they prepared for combat. "With the army under your command and your prestige greatly enhanced, why not take this opportunity to seize control of the Zhang family army and politely ask our great-uncle to retire and enjoy his remaining years?"

Zhang Xiu’s expression shifted, and he glared at his son. "Are you mad? What nonsense are you spouting!"

Zhang Quan’s face burned with indignation. "Great-uncle makes one poor decision after another. Under his leadership, our Zhang family army was driven from Guanzhong to Hongnong, and now we are forced to wander in Nanyang, reduced to living by plunder. The ten thousand original Xiliang veterans have dwindled to fewer than three thousand. If we let him remain in power, our army will be wiped out sooner or later. Father, can you truly stand by and watch him lead us to our doom?"

Zhang Xiu’s expression hardened, and he fell silent. It was clear that his son’s words had struck a chord. Seeing that he was wavering, Zhang Quan continued his persuasion: "Father, Great-uncle is old. It is time for him to step down and let someone more capable take the lead."

After a long silence, Zhang Xiu sighed. "The Zhang family army was built by your great-uncle. Even if he is old, it should be his sons who take command. I am but a nephew; what right of inheritance do I have?"

Zhang Quan frowned. "Great-uncle’s sons are all still young. My second cousin is older, but he broke his leg and cannot ride or lead troops. Who among the soldiers would obey him? All these years, the only reason the Zhang family army has survived is because of you, Father. It is only natural that you should take command!"

***

The "second cousin" Zhang Quan referred to was Zhang Yan, the eldest son of Zhang Ji. Zhang Xiu remained trapped in his thoughts. Just as Zhang Quan prepared to press the issue further, the sound of war drums erupted.

The Liu forces, arrayed with their backs to the city, suddenly surged forward. Liu Bei was launching an offensive? Did he hold Zhang Xiu in such low regard?

"Liu Bei, where do you get the gall to treat me with such disdain!" Zhang Xiu was instantly infuriated, casting his son’s advice to the back of his mind. He gripped his silver spear, pointed it forward, and roared, "Win this battle first, teach this arrogant fool Liu Bei a lesson, and then we shall discuss other matters! Beat the drums! The whole army, advance!"

Zhang Quan had no choice but to refocus, his spirits lifting as he passed on the order. The drums thundered, and the eight thousand infantry and cavalry surged forward to meet the Liu army. As the two forces closed the distance, a bloody clash on the open field seemed imminent.

Though the forces were equal in number, Zhang Xiu was burning with the certainty of victory. He had his trump card: eight hundred Xiliang iron cavalry. Once the armies were close enough, those eight hundred heavy cavalry would charge and shatter the Liu formations with unstoppable force. Once the infantry followed up to finish them off, victory would be certain.

Atop the Biyang city gate, seeing that the two sides were about to engage, Mi Zhu and the others grew tense again. Every eye was fixed on Xiao Fang.

Xiao Fang swallowed the last piece of flatbread, brushed the crumbs from his hands, and said unhurriedly, "The time is right. Light the signal fires and release the bait."

The order was passed down, and a column of smoke shot into the air. Moments later, a supply train led by Mi Fang suddenly appeared on the edge of the battlefield to the north of Biyang. Dozens of carts laden with grain and nearly a thousand head of cattle and sheep entered everyone’s field of vision—including that of the advancing Xiliang soldiers.

The Xiliang army instantly went into a frenzy. Their food shortages had not been a matter of a day or two; their rations had long been cut to seventy percent, and they hadn't tasted meat in months. They had marched all the way from Wancheng to Biyang precisely to plunder food and fill their stomachs. Now that such a bounty of grain and livestock was right before their eyes, would they not be fools to ignore it? Why fight a war when they could just plunder to their hearts' content?

The northern wing of the Xiliang army immediately ignored their orders, broke ranks, and swarmed toward the grain and livestock like a hive of bees. First hundreds, then thousands—in the blink of an eye, half the Xiliang army had abandoned their posts, scrambling over one another in fear of missing out on a single cow or sheep.

"What is happening?" Zhang Xiu’s confidence was instantly replaced by shock and bewilderment. "Where did those carts and livestock come from?"

In the Liu army formation, seeing the Xiliang troops descend into chaos, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"To think that a few carts of grain and a handful of cattle could make the fierce Xiliang soldiers collapse without a fight," Liu Bei remarked, looking toward the city tower where Xiao Fang stood. "Jinglue was right—the weakness of the Xiliang people is indeed their lack of food."

Liu Bei took a deep breath, his admiration giving way to a surge of battle lust. He drew his twin swords and pointed them at the chaotic enemy. "All forces, advance! With one blow, wipe out the Xiliang army!"