Chapter 156: Winds and Clouds Gather

"Why wait until now to write it?"

"Because I believe the young lady, after observing for so many days, must have some new insights to impart to the General Commanding the West," Wei Ba said naturally, taking a seat on the mat. "Besides, it has been almost a month since our army entered Guanzhong. With this much time, I imagine he has been able to carefully weigh the current situation and is no longer burdened by reckless notions of dying in loyalty to his sovereign. Urging surrender at this moment is far more effective than a month ago." He smiled. "Furthermore, if he is unwilling to surrender, I will not force him; I can let you both go. With such a favorable offer, I should think he would not refuse, right?"

Xiahou Hui looked thoughtful. "So you have been waiting all this time?"

"Indeed. Firstly, to grant the General Commanding the West a dignified retreat, and secondly, to await reinforcements. Nearly a month has passed, and the reinforcements are essentially assembled. You have witnessed the extent of my strength; if he still refuses to surrender the city, you must not blame me for being discourteous."

Xiahou Hui frowned slightly. "Your strength has indeed grown rapidly, but it is still not enough to conquer Chang'an City."

Wei Ba chuckled lightly, looking at his own hands with a touch of narcissism. "Lady Xiahou, much like playing mahjong, how could I possibly reveal all my hidden cards to you? Yet, there is one thing I can tell you quite plainly: with my current strength, I am entirely capable of taking Chang'an. Not for any other reason, but simply because of the man inside the city. You must admit, he is truly a poor candidate for a general."

He smiled, speaking with utter candor. "To be honest with you, the Ziwu Valley plan formulated by my father and me was designed specifically targeting him."

Xiahou Hui sighed helplessly. Wei Ba was entirely right; Xiahou Mao was Guanzhong's greatest vulnerability, and Wei Ba's Ziwu Valley plan was tailored at every turn to exploit Xiahou Mao. Surrounding the city without attacking it to force Xiahou Mao into surrendering the city was a consistent strategy born of the same underlying logic.

"I will write it then."

Wei Ba nodded and ordered someone to bring brush and paper. Xiahou Hui took up the brush, pondered for a moment, and began to write at a steady, unhurried pace. Upon finishing, she handed the letter to Wei Ba with both hands. Wei Ba read through it, nodding and praising repeatedly: "The young lady is truly brilliant; every word is like a precious gem, and each sentence expresses precisely what is in my heart. This phrase here..." Wei Ba suddenly stopped, mused for a brief moment, and said, "We won't be needing this phrase. Delete it."

The corner of Xiahou Hui's mouth twitched upward, carrying a trace of sarcasm as she spoke, "Lord Wei can show mercy even to an enemy like me, yet you have not the slightest shred of sympathy for Lady Peng? Or perhaps you fear that if you remind my uncle, Lady Peng will suffer even greater torment?"

Wei Ba's brow furrowed. He glared at Xiahou Hui with a trace of irritation. "My lady, please remember your place. I say you may write, and you write; I say you may not write, and you will obediently delete it. Whence come so many words?"

Xiahou Hui took back the letter. Without so much as a glance at Wei Ba, she returned to her desk, rewrote it, and handed it back for his inspection. Still nursing his lingering anger, Wei Ba scrutinized it resentfully before finally nodding in agreement. He folded it and sealed it with clay.

"Let Xu Ran deliver the letter," Xiahou Hui suddenly said. "My uncle will trust him."

"Xu Ran?" Wei Ba recalled the honest and loyal captain who had once served under him, and agreed that he was indeed a suitable choice. As an officer of the Imperial Guard Corps, Xiahou Mao would undoubtedly trust him. Moreover, Xu Ran had been captured precisely while covering Xiahou Mao's escape, bestowing upon him a debt of gratitude that meant Xiahou Mao would have to show him some respect. He was just about to nod in assent when he inadvertently glanced at Xiahou Hui. Although her expression remained composed, the hands concealed within her sleeves were trembling uncontrollably. A sudden realization dawned on him, and he let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "Who delivers the letter is of little consequence. The young lady's handwriting is unique; I trust General Xiahou will not fail to recognize it."

Xiahou Hui said nothing, though unmistakable disappointment flickered in her eyes. While Wei Ba paid little mind to Xu Ran, she understood him quite well. She knew that this seemingly reticent commander possessed a shrewd and calculating mind. If he managed to enter Chang'an City, Wei Ba's dream of winning without a fight would be shattered. And since Wei Ba refused to let Xu Ran deliver the letter, her own dream was shattered as well.

Carrying the letter penned by Xiahou Hui, Wei Ba returned to his quarters, only to be somewhat surprised to find Zhao Yun seated inside. Despite his advanced age, Zhao Yun remained in robust health. Throughout these days, he had lived among the newly recruited soldiers, rarely visiting the quarters assigned to him. Returning so early was a true rarity.

"Master, are you tired?" Wei Ba asked as he stepped forward, poured a cup of water for Zhao Yun, and presented it with both hands.

"Tired? Not at all." Zhao Yun accepted the cup and glanced at the letter in Wei Ba's hand. "To urge a surrender?"

"Yes, I just had Lady Xiahou write it. I'll send someone to deliver it inside immediately."

"How many days remain until the month is up?"

"If calculated from the time Xiahou Mao fled Mei Fortress, there is one day left. If from the time he entered Chang'an, there are three days."

"What if he refuses to surrender in three days?"

"Refuses?" Wei Ba pondered for a moment. "If he refuses, we shall have no choice but to launch a direct assault."

"Would that not mean wasting three full days for nothing?"

Detecting a discordant note in Zhao Yun's tone, Wei Ba instantly tensed. "Has the Cao Wei reinforcement army arrived?"

Zhao Yun nodded. He had been training the cavalry these past few days, and since the cavalry doubled as scouts, their patrols reached as far as Tongguan and Pubazhen. If Cao Wei were sending reinforcements, he would naturally be the first to know.

"Cao Zhen is leading twenty thousand infantry and cavalry, and has already arrived outside Tongguan City." Zhao Yun took a sip of water, a trace of worry clouding his face. "He arrived far too quickly, exceeding our expectations. I fear that his force at Tongguan is merely a feint, while his true main force is at Pubazhen. Your father has only ten thousand men and cannot guard against all fronts. We must resolve the situation at Chang'an swiftly and hurry to his support."

Wei Ba furrowed his brow in deep thought. A fundamental prerequisite of the initial strategy formulated with Zhuge Liang was that Sun Quan in the southeast would launch an offensive against Cao Wei, drawing in Cao Wei's main forces and providing them with a sufficient buffer zone. However, that was under the premise that Zhuge Liang's main force would enter Guanzhong. Now that Zhuge Liang had changed his mind, a mere twenty-odd thousand men remained in Guanzhong—a severely inadequate force. Meanwhile, Cao Wei had advanced far too rapidly, placing the Tongguan and Wuguan defense lines in imminent danger of being breached by the Wei army. With Cao Zhen's arrival, Sima Yi would likely follow close behind.

His time was limited. If Xiahou Mao was willing to surrender, that would naturally be ideal; but if Xiahou Mao remained defiant, and a direct assault on Chang'an proved unavoidable in the end, it would be far better to strike sooner rather than later.

Three days could be long, yet it could also be short.

"I still wish to wait a little longer." After pondering for a long while, Wei Ba shook his head. "Though Weiyang Palace and Jianzhang Palace have long since fallen into ruin, their structures remain sturdy. A direct assault is no easy task; securing victory without bloodshed is always the best outcome."

"What if he remains obstinate and refuses to surrender?"

"Should he refuse, I shall leave the cavalry corps to keep watch on him and transfer the main force to Pubazhen for reinforcement."

Zhao Yun sized Wei Ba up for a moment. "That is acceptable as well. Seizing Chang'an holds immense significance for us; it is well worth the attempt."

"Then I must trouble Master to remain extra vigilant over the next two days, dispatching more cavalry to gather intelligence so that Cao Zhen finds no openings to exploit."

Zhao Yun smiled. "Rest assured, I know what to do. I will certainly not give Cao Zhen any opportunity to exploit."

Wei Ba smiled as well. Zhao Yun was a veteran general renowned for his prudence; no matter how cunning Cao Zhen might be, finding a weakness in Zhao Yun's guard would prove exceedingly difficult. After a brief chuckle, his smile faded. The mere thought of Cao Zhen's rapid approach still weighed heavily upon his heart. Faced with the impending counter-offensive from Cao Wei, the forces at his disposal were woefully insufficient. Transforming his newly conscripted force of over ten thousand men into a truly combat-ready army would require time. Dragging them onto the battlefield hastily would result in massive casualties, which would severely hinder his future efforts to win the hearts of the people.

Wei Ba voiced his concerns to Zhao Yun. After some thought, Zhao Yun replied, "Regarding the Wuguan Pass road, I believe the problem will not be overly severe. First, Sima Yi is hurrying back from Yangzhou. After such a long journey, his troops will be physically exhausted, making it difficult for him to launch an immediate, fierce assault. Second, once the southeastern conflict concludes, Lu Xun will return to Wuchang; Sima Yi cannot afford to lower his guard against them taking advantage of his absence. Coupled with figures like Meng Da in Fangling, he must keep forces in reserve, meaning he cannot commit himself entirely. With Deng Zhi defending the city with five thousand men, the danger will not be excessive. Our primary focus must remain on Tongguan and Pubazhen; the main force of Cao Wei is bound to be concentrated in that direction."

"What Master says is reasonable, but Sima Yi is not a man to be underestimated. Scholar though he is, he is fully capable of playing such desperate, high-stakes gambles." Wei Ba locked his gaze onto Zhao Yun's eyes. "Master, help me think: what other reinforcements might we be able to call upon?"

The corner of Zhao Yun's mouth curved slightly. "The swiftest course, of course, would be to appeal to the Prime Minister for reinforcements, having him dispatch twenty thousand men to sail down the Wei River, arriving at Tongguan in ten days. Yet I imagine you would rather not do that."

Wei Ba offered an honest, sheepish smile. Short of absolute desperation, he truly wished to avoid that path. Furthermore, even if he desired it, whether Zhuge Liang would be willing to rescue him was another matter entirely.

"There is yet another method—transferring troops from Hanzhong," Zhao Yun said, only to trail off halfway and lower his head to drink his water, saying no more. His words were deliberately vague, yet Wei Ba understood them with crystal clarity, prompting a knowing smile.

What troops were there in Hanzhong? Naturally, the twenty thousand elite under Wu Yi. As a consort-relative whose sister held the position of Empress Dowager, Wu Yi currently held merely the rank of General Who Suppresses Rebels—a title bestowed during Liu Bei's lifetime. With this expedition into Guanzhong, he had once again been relegated to the reserves. Could he possibly harbor no grievances against Zhuge Liang?

Yet, persuading Wu Yi to reinforce Guanzhong was by no means a simple task. He was an old schemer who had navigated the political waters from the era of Liu Zhang all the way to the reign of Zhuge Liang; unless he possessed absolute certainty of success, he would never tag along on such a perilous venture. Still, dire as the current situation might be, it was vastly preferable to losing one's head. To offend Zhuge Liang was to forfeit the protection of even the Empress Dowager.

"Master, how on earth might we summon those troops from Hanzhong?" Wei Ba asked, adopting a flattering tone toward Zhao Yun.

"That is hardly complicated. Naturally, they would be summoned by the Prime Minister's decree." Zhao Yun looked at Wei Ba with a half-smile. "Ziyu, you need not gaze at me in that fashion; such matters are hardly my specialty."

"Master, you are deliberately washing your hands of this!" Wei Ba grew somewhat anxious. "Do not forget, the two of us are now grasshoppers tied to the very same rope."

"You must not speak thus; I have committed no improper deeds whatsoever," Zhao Yun replied with serene composure. "Or perhaps it should be said: we... have committed no improper deeds whatsoever. Our presence here is entirely in accordance with the Prime Minister's orders. Am I not right, Ziyu?"

Wei Ba was left speechless. Ginger truly grew more pungent the older it got; attempting to bind Zhao Yun to his own war chariot was a task of insurmountable difficulty. (To be continued)