I Can Control My Ancestors-Chapter 207 - 12: Defeating Lu Bu and Taking Bingzhou, Liu and Cao’s Great Victory (Part 4)

Chapter 207: Chapter 12: Defeating Lu Bu and Taking Bingzhou, Liu and Cao’s Great Victory (Part 4)

"General..."

Jia Xu sighed helplessly and then bowed towards Huangfu Song: "Our army is currently located upstream of the Fen River..."

"I have already reviewed the topographical map of Youzhou."

"The Fen River flows through Yunzhong Mountain and reaches Jinyang, with water supply to the surrounding cities."

"If the general were to slaughter sick horses and throw them into the river..."

Before Jia Xu could finish, everyone already grasped his meaning.

Huangfu Song’s expression changed suddenly, and he quickly waved his hand: "No, absolutely not."

"If the sick horses are thrown into the water and an epidemic breaks out, we would truly become sinners of the Great Han."

Gu Wei’s expression also turned a bit grim.

The strategy Jia Xu proposed was known to be effective, and would definitely lead to a quick victory.

But if they really went through with it... it might devastate the entire Bingzhou.

How could the Gu Clan’s offspring bear such infamy?

To this, Jia Xu was not surprised at all, and he retreated expressionlessly.

Huangfu Song gave Jia Xu a complex look and remained silent for a while before speaking: "In that case, let’s proceed with the young master’s strategy."

"Use power and influence to swiftly break through the Yan Sect!"...

.....

The entire Bingzhou was in chaos.

Gu Chen’s strategy was actually quite simple in retrospect.

—He simply wanted to bind Lu Bu tightly within the entire Pingtao.

And let people secretly spread news on a large scale, claiming a crisis in Yan Province, claiming Huangfu Song had seized the Yan Sect, and emphasizing Lu Bu’s act of patricide.

In fact, it was not a particularly clever strategy.

But under such circumstances, this kind of strategy often proved effective.

The situation in Bingzhou had never been stable.

Not to mention Lu Bu.

Even Ding Yuan, the so-called governor of Bingzhou, could never fully control the entire Bingzhou.

Now, Lu Bu’s stability in Jinyang depended on Yuan Shao’s reputation, forcing the local aristocrats of Bingzhou to ally with him.

But don’t forget, there was animosity between the Bingzhou aristocrats and Yuan Shao.

—Yuan Shao’s alliance with Zhang Yan, allowing Zhang Yan to pillage Bingzhou, undoubtedly left the local aristocrats dissatisfied.

Such a situation might have been tolerable in times of peace.

But when faced with an external threat, it was bound to have an impact.

Furthermore, Gu Chen soon released news of an offer of surrender.

Under such circumstances, unrest surged throughout Bingzhou.

Lu Bu naturally sensed the anomaly.

He wanted to retreat back to Jinyang.

As long as he could personally lead troops to occupy Jinyang, he could stabilize public sentiment there.

For this reason, he fought battle after battle, even injuring Ma Chao.

But Gu Chen persistently pursued him.

Until now, Lu Bu finally understood why Yuan Shao had described Gu Chen in such terms back then.

Gu Chen’s rate of improvement had already exceeded Lu Bu’s expectations.

From the outset of the battle, he could maintain the upper hand.

But within just over half a month, Gu Chen was already capable of confronting him with ease.

This pace of advancement made Lu Bu feel a sense of dread.

If this continued, would there come a time when Gu Chen could actually defeat him?

Under these circumstances, Lu Bu’s mind was in increasing turmoil.

And as news from Pingtao gradually spread.

Gu Wei and Jia Xu immediately discerned Gu Chen’s intentions, and then at the Yan Sect, they coordinated with Gu Chen.

Each time they captured a city, they would release the news.

Under these various influences.

Many city fortifications surrendered without a fight, with no one intending to resist.

—In the fifth year of Hanxing, September;

Huangfu Song captured the major town of Yinguan in Yan Sect.

The surrounding cities fled at the mere sound of his approach.

October;

Huangfu Song advanced into Dingxiang, aiming to eliminate potential threats behind him, directing his forces straight towards Shanwu.

And adopting the tactic of "encircle a point to strike a rescue."

Encircling the entire Shanwu.

By the end of October;

After dealing with the reinforcements from surrounding cities, Shanwu City was breached.

The ownership of Dingxiang Commandery changed hands!

The entire north of Bingzhou had completely slipped from Lu Bu’s grasp, and Huangfu Song then directed his forces towards Taiyuan.

News continued to spread, causing the situation in Bingzhou to become increasingly chaotic.

The most crucial aspect was—

Information from Yan Province gradually came through.

Cao Ren’s skills in defending the city far exceeded everyone’s expectations, actually repelling Sun Jian’s assault, leaving Sun Jian stuck in Chenliu.

While in East Commandery, the battles were even more intense.

Guan Yu successively slew Yuan Shao’s generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou at Pu Yang.

Almost single-handedly, he crushed Yuan Shao’s army’s morale.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yun charged straight at Yuan Shao amidst thousands of troops, and if not for the desperate protection of Qu Yi, Zhang He, and others, Yuan Shao might have fallen under Zhao Yun’s spear.

A battle that thoroughly drove Yuan Shao back to Jizhou.

When this news spread, the undercurrent in Bingzhou finally erupted!

The Wang Clan of Qi County, Guo Clan of Jinyang, and other powerful aristocratic families in the Taiyuan Commandery successively disposed of Lu Bu’s generals left in the cities, and severed the supply of grain to Lu Bu.

This move thoroughly disrupted the balance in Pingtao.

Even Lu Bu himself became somewhat flustered.

With Yuan Shao defeated, his outcome would likely be no better.

Most crucially, as the Bingzhou aristocrats cut off supplies, his camp’s provisions could not last any longer.

No matter how unwilling he felt.

But under such circumstances, Lu Bu still had to heed the advice of Zhang Liao and others, planning to retreat back to Jizhou, relying on Yuan Shao’s support to defend again.

Yet Gu Chen wouldn’t let him retreat so easily.

Gu Chen launched a full attack against Lu Bu.

While simultaneously spreading rumors, continuously manipulating the morale of Lu Bu’s army.

Lu Bu was completely ensnared.

He ultimately had to pay for his past arrogance.

Without fortifications using natural defenses.