Chapter 122: Build High Walls and Store Abundant Grain

Xiahou Mao took the map but did not look at it. Instead, he pressed his hand against it, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the table. After a moment of contemplation, he looked up at Wei Ba. "Wei Ba, how have I treated you?"

Wei Ba bowed and replied, "General, you have shown great respect for talent. You have not looked down upon me for my lack of wisdom or experience, and you have treated me as a trusted confidant. I am deeply grateful."

Xiahou Mao smiled. "Wei Ba, you are too modest. For someone of your age to possess such intellect is truly rare. However, even a prodigious talent, if buried solely in ancient texts, will end up as nothing more than a mere scholar. Do you not find that a tragedy?"

Wei Ba understood. A surge of excitement welled within him; after playing this role for so long, Xiahou Mao was finally willing to trust him and put him to use. His arrival in Chang'an was solely to draw close to Xiahou Mao and prepare for the future northern expedition of Zhuge Liang. Discussing philosophy, strategy, and the ways of the world were all means to an end, not the goal itself. If he kept talking like this forever, he would never complete his mission, yet he could not bring it up himself, lest he arouse suspicion. Now, the long-awaited opportunity had finally arrived; how could he not be thrilled?

Had he still been the young office worker from his previous life, his excitement would surely have been written all over his face. But after nearly a year of self-reflection, and specifically these past two months living in the constant fear of a spy, spending two hours every day reviewing his every move, he had learned to master his emotions.

He did not show excitement; instead, he appeared somewhat uneasy.

"General, you are too kind; I am unworthy of such praise. I know my own limitations. I am like a fish in a drying pool, and simply managing to survive has been the greatest stroke of luck."

Xiahou Mao remained silent, watching Wei Ba quietly, his aura as a superior naturally emerging.

Wei Ba hesitated for a moment, then bowed again. "General, I once said that I... I do not wish to be an enemy to my father, to clash with him on the battlefield. I was only able to survive my escape from Hanzhong because my father..."

As he spoke, Wei Ba choked up, his eyes reddening. Seeing this, Xiahou Mao sighed. "Wei Ba, it is not that I wish to force you and your father into enmity; it is simply that your talent is too great to waste. Furthermore, I must tell you something: your father... will not be coming to Guanzhong. You and your father are unlikely to ever meet on the battlefield."

Wei Ba looked up, startled, his eyes filled with tears, his expression of sorrow and worry perfectly calibrated. "General, what... what do you mean by this? Could it be that my father..."

Xiahou Mao waved his hand quickly. "Wei Ba, do not misunderstand. Your father is safe. It is just that he has now been assigned to oversee the military agricultural colonies in Hanzhong. It seems he will not be accompanying Zhuge Liang on the campaign, so it is unlikely that the two of you will meet in battle."

Wei Ba let out a sigh of relief, then furrowed his brows slightly, letting out a faint, wistful sigh. "In the end, I have still brought trouble upon him."

Seeing Wei Ba's resolve waver, Xiahou Mao felt a surge of joy and continued to persuade him. "This is not your fault. Zhuge Liang is jealous of talent; he likely intended to strip your father of his military command long ago. Your situation was merely a pretext. Even if you had sacrificed your life, what would that have mattered to your father? Wei Ba, your Wei family has no future in the rebellious Shu state. Can you bear to let your own talents wither away while watching the entire Wei family fall to ruin?"

Wei Ba remained silent, only sighing. Xiahou Mao watched him intently, feeling a touch of nervous tension. Of course, he wanted Wei Ba to serve him, but he also feared that Wei Ba might have ulterior motives. Employing a defector was a dangerous gamble. If done correctly, it could be a brilliant stroke, as a defector's knowledge of the enemy was unparalleled by any spy. But if he were wrong, if he had fallen for a ruse, it would be a catastrophe. Such things were not common, but they were not unheard of.

At this moment, if Wei Ba refused to serve him, he would be disappointed, but if Wei Ba were too eager, he would become deeply suspicious and unable to trust him. Their interactions over this period could easily turn into a source of disgrace.

Wei Ba was perfectly aware of Xiahou Mao’s inner state. It was not that he was a master of strategy, but he was cautious enough to have spent a great deal of effort analyzing Xiahou Mao’s likely psychological reactions. In matters like these, being overly cautious might mean losing an opportunity, but being reckless could cost him his life.

"General, I am deeply grateful for your great kindness, but I truly have no ability..."

Xiahou Mao felt a sense of relief and laughed. He rose to his full height, walked over to Wei Ba, and leaned down, looking at him from above with a smile of someone who felt he held the winning hand. "Wei Ba, I have treated you with sincerity, yet you would deceive me?"

Wei Ba acted "shocked," hurriedly stepping back from his seat and prostrating himself. "General, why do you say this?"

"Hahaha, Wei Ba, let me tell you. I have already sent men to Hanzhong to inquire. You boy, you are not honest! You are clearly the youngest and most promising参军 (adjutant) in the Chancellor's office, and you even participated in the Battle of Xincheng recently, credited with the primary merit for repelling Sima Yi. How could such a young man be an insignificant nobody in the Chancellor's office?"

Wei Ba said in a state of "anxious trepidation," "General, you flatter me. I am unworthy of such praise."

"In the past, you hid your light out of filial piety; I can understand that, and I even admire it. But now, your father has been pushed aside. If you still insist on hiding your talents, then I cannot agree with that. Wei Ba, you must consider your own future."

As Xiahou Mao spoke, his face darkened, and he looked at Wei Ba sternly. Wei Ba looked visibly distressed, his expression shifting as he struggled for a long time before finally bowing. "Since you are so kind as to overlook my faults, I am infinitely grateful. In that case, I have six words to offer you, General."

Xiahou Mao’s eyes tightened. "Speak."

"Build high walls, store abundant grain."

Xiahou Mao was taken aback. While he did not fully grasp the implications of these words, he could sense that Wei Ba was advising him to prepare for war—all for the purpose of defense. If Wei Ba had suggested launching an attack on Hanzhong, he might not have accepted it, but he wouldn't have been surprised. Yet, for Wei Ba to advise him to prepare for war was completely unexpected.

At the same time, the last remnants of his suspicion vanished completely. If Wei Ba were truly a double agent, why would he offer such advice?

"Explain yourself in detail."

Wei Ba nodded. "Chancellor Zhuge... I am ashamed, I am still accustomed to that title..."

Xiahou Mao waved his hand indulgently and smiled. "No matter, continue."

"Chancellor Zhuge has long intended to march into Guanzhong. From his arrival in Hanzhong last March until now, nearly a year has passed. Since he sent my father to oversee the farming, it is clear he has no plans to launch a campaign in the near future. By common logic, he will not act until after the autumn harvest at the earliest."

Xiahou Mao nodded. He had not paid much attention to the situation in Hanzhong before, but when Wei Ba defected, Xiahou Hui had warned him that this was an opportunity fraught with great risk, and they had to confirm whether his defection was genuine. That was when he had sent a large number of spies into Hanzhong. The reports that Wei Ba had killed Zhuge Qiao, that he had been hunted down on his flight, that Wei Yan and Zhuge Liang were in open conflict, and that Wei Yan had been assigned to farm—these were all things his spies had confirmed. The timing of Zhuge Liang's potential campaign could also be inferred, and it aligned with what Wei Ba had said.

"If he prepares for two years, his first strike will surely be like a thunderbolt," Wei Ba continued. "With the current troop levels in Guanzhong, the odds of winning a frontal confrontation and repelling the Shu army are low, unless you request General Cao Zhen to come to Guanzhong to command the operations personally and request reinforcements. By my initial estimate, with fewer than fifty thousand men, there is little chance of success."

"Fifty thousand men require a massive amount of grain. If you conscript them on short notice, it will be chaotic, and the long-distance transport will consume vast resources. Therefore, I advise you to store abundant grain. Even if an army of fifty thousand marches day and night to reach Guanzhong, it will take at least ten days. If there are any unforeseen complications, you will need to hold out for at least a month before reinforcements arrive. Without a sturdy city, how can you hold your ground? Therefore, I advise you to build high walls."

Xiahou Mao listened quietly. While he agreed with Wei Ba’s assessment, he also felt an inexplicable sense of shame and annoyance. Wei Ba’s advice was predicated on the assumption that in the face of Zhuge Liang’s attack, he could only play a passive role, defending until help arrived. Although he knew he was not skilled in military affairs and had no interest in them, being so blatantly dismissed by Wei Ba still stung.

After explaining his six-word strategy, Wei Ba seemed to have done something he regretted and departed in a hurry. Xiahou Mao did not press him to stay and returned to the inner hall, intending to tell Xiahou Hui about the conversation. Upon seeing her eyes red and swollen, he was startled.

"What has happened?"

"It is nothing, I was just thinking of my father and felt a moment of sorrow." Princess Qinghe gave him a look, signaling him not to pursue the matter. Xiahou Mao knew of the "three horses in one trough" rumor, but it did not cross his mind at that moment.

"Uncle, how did the talk go?" Xiahou Hui asked, forcing a smile.

Xiahou Mao recounted the conversation and finally gave a self-deprecating laugh. "It seems my lack of military aptitude is no secret. In the eyes of Wei Yan and his son, there is only your great uncle, the General, and no room for an uncle like me."

Xiahou Hui frowned. She could not find a single flaw in Wei Ba’s performance, but it was precisely because she could find no flaws that she was even more worried. A plan without a single seam has only two possibilities: either it is entirely true, or it is a meticulously crafted ruse, and the enemy’s caution is beyond imagination. If it were the former, it would bring unimaginable benefits; if it were the latter, it would bring disaster.

The greater the risk, the greater the opportunity. Choosing between them tested one’s wisdom and courage.

...When Wei Ba returned to the post-house and was about to enter, Dun Wu suddenly pulled him back, darting ahead of him. With one hand on his sword, he slowly pushed the door open.

Wei Ba stopped in his tracks, naturally assuming a defensive posture, his hand hidden in his sleeve prepared for any emergency.

The door opened. A person wearing a bamboo hat, sitting with their back to the door, turned around slowly, revealing half a face that seemed familiar.

Wei Ba paused for a moment, then realization dawned. "Xiaoyu?"