xymnovel Chapter 74 Twenty Thousand Shi of Grain Burned to Ashes—Sima Yi Has Only One Day Left
Chapter 74 Twenty Thousand Shi of Grain Burned to Ashes—Sima Yi Has Only One Day Left
When Wei Yan left the valley, it was completely dark.
Three thousand riders filed out of the valley. The moment their hooves touched the flat ground, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
We walked for six days in the mountains. The roads were narrow, dark, and stuffy. Both the people and the horses felt suffocated.
Jiang Wei and the others stood at the valley entrance. No torches were lit. They stood under the moonlight.
"General, fifteen li ahead is Puban Ferry."
Wei Yan dismounted. His legs were a little numb. He had been sitting on horseback all day; his buttocks felt like they had become one with the saddle.
"Where are the grain carts?"
"Scouts report: The grain convoy crossed Puban Ferry this afternoon from the east bank of the river. They are now encamped thirty li west of the ferry crossing."
Wei Yan slapped his hand on the hilt of his sword.
It's over.
The grain carts had already crossed Puban Ferry. They had traveled thirty li westward.
How many cars?
"Four hundred oxcarts. Each cart carries fifty shi of grain. Totaling twenty thousand shi. Guards: eight hundred infantrymen."
Twenty thousand shi (a unit of dry measure). Enough to feed Sima Yi's sixty thousand men for eight days.
Wei Yan squatted down. He drew his short sword and drew lines on the ground.
Valley mouth. Ferry crossing. Location of the grain wagon camp. Three points.
"Where is Zhang He?"
Jiang Wei pulled out a second scout's silk slip from his sleeve.
"Zhang He's 5,000 cavalry will depart from Chang'an this afternoon, heading east along the official road on the north bank of the Wei River. Their speed will be 80 li per day."
Wei Yan's knife tip paused on the ground.
From Chang'an to Puban Ferry. Three hundred li. Eighty li per day. Four days.
The grain carts were traveling from the camp to Chang'an. There were still 270 li to go. The oxcarts traveled 30 li a day. Nine days.
Zhang He arrived at Puban Ferry in four days. He picked up the grain carts and they headed back together.
Wei Yan stood up and sheathed his dagger.
"How far is the grain wagon camp from us?"
"Forty-five li."
"Forty-five li. Three thousand cavalry. They can get there by midnight."
Jiang Wei didn't reply. He waited.
Wei Yan looked up at the sky. The moon was already setting in the west. It was just past midnight.
"Rest for two hours. Feed the horses. Set off at 3 AM. Arrive before dawn."
Three thousand riders dispersed. They rested on the spot. No tents were set up. The riders leaned against their horses.
The horse grazed on the grass. After six days on mountain roads, it had lost weight, but its legs were still strong. It could still run.
Wei Yan didn't rest. He squatted on the ground, looking at the terrain drawn by Jiang Wei.
Four hundred grain carts stretched out in a long line, about two miles in length. Eight hundred infantrymen protected them, scattered on both sides.
"Eight hundred infantrymen." Wei Yan clicked his tongue. "Three thousand cavalry charging against eight hundred infantrymen. Like stepping on ants."
Jiang Wei squatted down beside him and tapped the ground with his finger.
"General, His Majesty's intention is—burn it all. Leave no seeds."
"I remember."
Wei Yan stood up. He looked east. It was dark. He couldn't see anything.
But forty-five li away, four hundred grain carts were parked there. Twenty thousand shi of grain. Sima Yi's orders.
"At the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), you will take five hundred cavalry and circle around to the front of the grain convoy, blocking the road to the west."
Jiang Wei nodded.
"I'll lead 2,500 cavalry. We'll charge from the east and drive them towards you."
Jiang Wei nodded again.
"They can't escape—burn them. No need to kill them. Just disperse them."
Wei Yan patted Jiang Wei on the shoulder. The force was considerable. Jiang Wei stumbled forward.
"Go and rest for a while. You'll be busy late into the night."
—Yin hour (3-5 AM)
Three thousand cavalrymen set out.
There were no horns. No drums. The horses' hooves were wrapped in cloth. Three thousand horses ran under the moonlight, like three thousand shadows.
Jiang Wei's five hundred cavalry went first, circling northwest. Their goal was to get ahead of the grain convoy before dawn.
Wei Yan led 2,500 cavalrymen and charged straight to the east.
Forty-five li. It took less than two hours to travel that distance.
Just as dawn was breaking, Wei Yan saw it.
On the official road. A long line of dark shadows. Stretching from east to west. Ox-carts. Covered by tarpaulins. One after another.
The campfires were still burning. A few were still burning. Most had gone out.
Eight hundred infantrymen. Some slept under the carts. Some dozed off against the wheels.
Two sentries. Standing at the back of the line. Their heads bobbing up and down. Almost asleep.
Wei Yan drew his sword.
I didn't shout.
He pointed the knife forward.
Two thousand five hundred riders charged out from the eastern plains. Their hoofprints were torn to shreds on the first step. The sound of hooves exploded.
When the sentry turned around, the first rank of cavalry was already within fifty paces.
"enemy--"
He uttered half a word. The arrow arrived.
Two thousand five hundred cavalry charged into the grain convoy. Like a knife cutting through tofu.
Eight hundred infantrymen scrambled out of their sleep. Some weren't even wearing shoes.
He grabbed his spear and ran. He took three steps. A cavalryman swept past him. A flash of blade.
The spear shaft broke. The man didn't die. He rolled into the roadside ditch.
Wei Yan did not kill anyone.
Slap with the back of the knife. Sweep with the barrel of the gun. Drive people to both sides.
"ignition!"
The torch was tossed from the cavalryman's hand. It landed on the tarpaulin. The tarpaulin. It would ignite at the slightest touch.
The first one. The second one. The third one.
The fire spread from the back of the cart to the front. Grain sacks burst open. Grain spilled everywhere. Flames licked at it, crackling and popping.
The convoy was halfway through. The oxen pulling the carts exploded. Fire reached their tails.
A dozen or so oxen were dragging a burning cart toward the river. The reins were tangled together.
The three vehicles crashed into each other. They overturned. The grain sacks rolled into the shallow water of the riverbank.
Wei Yan spurred his horse and gave chase. With a single stroke, he severed the reins of the lead ox. The ox ran away. The cart stopped.
"Fire up those bags from the riverbank. Burn the ones that have been soaked in water. Leave not a single grain."
The guards dismounted, waded into the shallow water, dragged the wet grain sacks back to shore, piled them together, poured oil on them, and set them on fire.
The eight hundred infantrymen completely collapsed and fled westward.
He ran three hundred paces. Ahead—five hundred riders. Blocking the road. Jiang Wei.
The infantry halted. Cavalry surrounded them from both sides. To their left was a river. To their right was a slope.
Jiang Wei didn't move. He raised his sword, the tip pointing skyward.
Those who lay down their weapons will not be killed.
Spears were scattered all over the ground. Shields were scattered all over the ground. Eight hundred men squatted by the roadside, heads in their hands.
Wei Yan rode his horse through the middle of the caravan, flames shooting into the sky behind him.
Four hundred grain carts. Half of them burned. The rest are still burning.
"Job".
Jiang Wei turned around.
"Leave twenty men to watch the prisoners. The rest—keep burning. Don't leave a single one."
The fire burned until dawn.
Thick smoke. Black. Rising straight up. The wind was blowing west. The column of smoke tilted. Drifting towards Chang'an.
Three hundred miles away. Whether I can see it or not, I don't know. But I can smell it.
—Wuzhang Plain. The twelfth day.
Liu Shan received an urgent message from Wei Yan.
The scout's horse died in the rush. It was brought directly from the direction of Puban Ferry.
The silk strip unfolds. A line of text appears.
"Four hundred grain carts, containing twenty thousand shi (a unit of dry measure), were all burned. Eight hundred infantrymen were captured, and not one escaped."
Turn it over.
"Zhang He has 5,000 cavalry. They are still 230 li away from the grain cart camp. By the time they arrive—it will be too late."
Liu Shan placed the silk strip on the table.
He tapped his fingers three times on the edge of the table.
Sima Yi.
Your food supplies are gone.
Eleven days. Now only eleven days remain. The grain in Hedong has burned. The granaries in Guanzhong are empty. Qishan is blocked.
Eleven days later—what will 60,000 people eat?
Liu Shan pulled out the third draft of the strategy from under his desk. He turned to the page on "The Standoff at the Wei River".
I pick up my pen.
A new line was added.
"Food supplies are running out. With the countdown reaching zero—he only has one path left: cross the river."
Sign off.
The tent flap was lifted. Chen Dao entered, his face covered in sweat from his journey.
"Your Majesty. Zhou Fu—"
"What's wrong?"
"This morning, Zhou Fu didn't go to the supply depot. He went to the stables and said something to Zhao An. This time, the White Feather soldiers heard him clearly."
"What are you saying?"
Chen Dao lowered his voice by half a beat.
"The grain is burned. Run!"
Liu Shan's hand stopped on the strategy.
Zhou Fu found out.
How did he know about Wei Yan burning the grain?
"Where did the news leak from?"
"This morning, the supply battalion dispatched twenty pack animals, with the note 'to assist scouts returning to their posts from the Puban Ferry direction.' The warehouse manager wasn't tight-lipped. By lunchtime, word had spread that there was big activity going on at Puban Ferry."
Liu Shan closed the strategy box.
Adjust the pack animals. The direction is noted in the remarks. The warehouse manager is a chatterbox.
The news had been circulating for quite some time. Zhou Fu had been working in the supply depot for so long, his ears were quite sharp.
Where is Zhao An?
"Zhao An hasn't moved. He's still working in the engineering battalion."
Zhou Fu panicked. Zhao An remained calm.
Two people. One wanted to run away. The other didn't.
"Keep an eye on it."
Chen accepted the order and took two steps.
"besides--"
Liu Shan looked up.
"Zhao An received a piece of hemp rope today. It's three feet long."
Three feet of hemp rope.
Liu Shan's gaze fell on the table.
What can a rope be used for? To tie things up. To bind things. To strangle people.
"If Zhou Fu isn't in the tent tonight—"
Chen waited.
"Capture them alive."
[End of Chapter]