Chapter 121: A Bold Strategy Proposed!

Martial arts and military strategy share common ground. The *Book of Five Rings*, a treatise on swordsmanship penned by the Japanese Sword Saint Miyamoto Musashi, offers insights that can be applied to the art of war.

Back on Earth, Yang Ye was a dedicated martial arts enthusiast who spent most of his time reading books on combat. Because martial arts literature often intersects with military strategy, he had also consumed a vast amount of military biographies from the era of cold steel, mastering the history of China’s most famous battles spanning five millennia.

Consequently, Yang Ye understood the fundamental principles of pre-gunpowder warfare. His strength lay in his ability to grasp the broader strategic picture. Aided by his "Clairvoyance" ability—which provided beyond-visual-range surveillance—he truly grasped the meaning of "know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated," as well as how to "see through phenomena to perceive the essence."

He Tai-Ping enjoyed strong support among the troops, Bai Jie was well-versed in military affairs, and Li Zongtang and Wei Yangyin were formidable fighters. Together, they commanded tens of thousands of troops in Jinan Prefecture, while Yang Ye led only a weary force that had just survived consecutive, brutal engagements and suffered heavy casualties. In terms of sheer power, the enemy was clearly superior.

A direct, head-on collision would never lift the siege of Puzhou. Therefore, Yang Ye proposed a strategy of indirect action: first attack Caozhou to lure He Tai-Ping’s army into retreating to defend it, then set an ambush along the way to crush the enemy’s main force, thereby achieving the goal of rescuing Puzhou. This was a classic "besiege Wei to save Zhao" and "besiege a city to strike reinforcements" tactic, one that had been applied flexibly countless times in China’s five-thousand-year military history.

Yang Ye’s reconnaissance revealed that the official Gao Qiu had sent to defend Caozhou and oversee logistics was none other than Gao Shide—that lapdog of the Gao family, Lin Chong’s sworn enemy, and the man who had recently had his manhood severed by Yang Ye (who was then impersonating Chen Xizhen). With such a fool serving as the governor, even a city with high walls, deep moats, and vast numbers of troops would be as easy to capture as reaching into one’s own pocket. Moreover, once the attack succeeded, there was no fear that He Tai-Ping would refuse to come to the rescue; the Puzhou battlefield was far too close to Caozhou for him to remain idle.

Yang Ye was certain that even if He Tai-Ping were given ten times the courage, he would not dare ignore the plight of High Marshal Gao’s precious relative. Gao Qiu might have his own calculations about using others as pawns, but He Tai-Ping could not afford such risks.

The group immediately finalized the preliminary siege plan. Yang Ye would lead a team disguised as civilians to infiltrate Caozhou in advance. Huyan Zhuo would then lead the main force of infantry and cavalry, marching by night and hiding by day to avoid detection by Gao Qiu or He Tai-Ping. Once Yang Ye ignited fires within the city, they would coordinate from inside and out, taking Caozhou with a blow as swift as a thunderclap.

Yang Ye wasted no time. He took Wu Song, Mi Li, Zhu Xiao Yurou, Jin Mengji, and ten other cunning and skilled fighters to begin the mission. A day after Yang Ye’s departure, Huyan Zhuo set out with the main army, wrapping the horses' hooves in cloth to muffle their sound, carefully leading the troops toward Caozhou.

Concerned about the situation in Puzhou, they marched at a breakneck pace, covering five hundred li in three days and a thousand in six. Soon, they arrived at a mountain ridge fifty li north of the Caozhou north gate—a place with the bizarre name "Dog-Killing Ridge." Huyan Zhuo followed the plan, establishing three camps at the ridge and sending out scouts, waiting only to make contact with Yang Ye to launch the coordinated attack.

Before long, the scouts returned with Wu Song, who had come from Caozhou. Huyan Zhuo received shocking news: last night, Yang Ye and his fifteen comrades had already captured the heavily fortified, well-defended Song stronghold of Caozhou and taken Governor Gao Shide alive.

When the Liangshan heroes in Jiaxiang City were mobilized to race toward Caozhou, Governor Gao Shide had been oblivious, without a shred of caution, busy drinking and making merry in his floral hall. He had received a letter from Gao Feng informing him of a miracle worker in Xinzhou named Kong Hou—a descendant of Confucius who served as a clerk in Gao Feng’s household. This Kong Hou possessed medical skills that surpassed Bian Que and rivaled Hua Tuo, particularly in the art of xenotransplantation. Rumor had it that he was the one who had performed the "donkey graft" for Ximen Qing in Qinghe, a feat that inspired tales like *The Golden Lotus* and *The Carnal Prayer Mat*. Gao Feng’s letter promised that with Kong Hou’s treatment, Gao Shide’s mangled parts could be reborn from the ashes. Gao Shide had been eagerly awaiting the chance to travel to Xinzhou, but his duties overseeing military grain for High Marshal Gao had kept him trapped.

Yet, hope had improved his spirits. Unfortunately, happy days are always short-lived. Just as Gao Shide raised a glass of wine to his lips, a subordinate rushed in, screaming: "Disaster! The Liangshan rebels are upon us!"

Upon hearing the words "Liangshan rebels," Gao Shide was terrified out of his wits. He let out a shriek and collapsed, only regaining consciousness after his attendants frantically shook him. His soul seemed to have left his body, and he could only stare blankly, stammering, "...What... what is to be done?"

By then, the city was engulfed in flames. The military granaries had been torched, and the wind fanned the fire, spreading the inferno everywhere. Cries of agony filled the air, though no one knew how many rebels had actually breached the city.

The city’s military supervisor, Liang Heng, rushed to the scene. A veteran of the Northwest Army, nearly fifty years old with a face like a jujube, he was highly trusted by Gao Qiu. Seeing the governor’s cowardice, he tried to maintain order, declaring, "Do not worry, Excellency! These Liangshan rogues are nothing but a rabble. With me here, I shall sweep them away like fallen leaves."

No sooner had he spoken than earth-shaking crashes erupted outside. Governor Gao dove under the table. Liang Heng and his men rushed out to see a towering giant of bronze and iron, three zhang and three chi tall, hurling millstone-sized boulders at the inner city gate. Even a veteran like Liang Heng had never seen such a terrifying sight. With a roar that shook the heavens, the gate finally collapsed.

The giant seemed to know exactly where the governor’s residence was, continuing to hurl boulders that reduced the governor’s meticulously crafted gardens to rubble. Liang Heng drew his sword and fought through the debris, dragging Gao Shide out and fleeing for their lives. They collided with a purple-faced warrior wielding two broadaxes—it was Mi Li, who roared, "Old man! Hand over that little beast of a governor, and I shall spare your life!"

Liang Heng roared and charged, engaging Mi Li in a fierce duel.

Yang Ye and his team had originally intended to wait for Huyan Zhuo’s main force, but after using his Clairvoyance to assess the city’s defenses, he realized they were unexpectedly fragile. Governor Gao was a uniquely incompetent teammate, and the local garrison lacked both morale and combat capability. To prevent further complications, Yang Ye decided to strike early. Once night fell, they retrieved their weapons and armor, infiltrated key locations, and set fires to create the illusion of a massive invasion.

Yang Ye himself, in his "Giant Spirit" form, had taken Mi Li to seize the governor’s residence. While Liang Heng proved a stubborn obstacle, he was no match for the combined might of Yang Ye and Mi Li.

In his Giant Spirit state, Yang Ye’s combat style was wild and ferocious. Seeing Liang Heng blocking his path, he roared, crushing houses beneath his feet, and raised a hand like a palm-leaf fan to hammer down upon the supervisor. Liang Heng tried to parry with all his strength, only to hear Yang Ye bellow, "You are like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!"

With a strength index of 80—a level far beyond the limits of this martial world—the blow was unstoppable. Liang Heng was crushed into mud.

After dispatching Liang Heng, Yang Ye reverted to his original form, drew his shimmering blade, and advanced on the cowering Gao Shide. Mi Li picked up the governor like a chick, ready to behead him, but Yang Ye stopped him. "Brother Mi, wait. Let us save this dog’s life for Instructor Lin to execute. We must move to the military camp and demand their surrender before things change."

With Gao Shide as a hostage, their mission to force the garrison to surrender was a success. When soldiers hesitated, Yang Ye summoned beasts with his demonic spear, terrorizing the superstitious troops until they knelt and worshipped him as a god.

Following this, Yang Ye had Wu Song and Mi Li lead the defectors to plunder the mansions of the local wealthy elite, raising the cry: "Strike the landlords, divide the land!" He encouraged the impoverished populace to join in the looting and killing, distributing the stolen wealth and property among the soldiers and the people.

Caozhou was turned upside down. The wealthy were slaughtered, while the commoners praised Yang Ye as a heaven-sent savior. As the looting expanded, Yang Ye’s force grew like a snowball.

Zhu Xiao Yurou, witnessing the carnage, asked with a heavy heart, "Brother Yang, why must you do this? These wealthy families are innocent. Why force the people to destroy them?"

Yang Ye was silent for a moment before replying with a resolute gaze: "Without this, we cannot win the hearts of the people. The world is driven by profit. If you cannot provide enough benefit to the masses, no matter how much you preach morality, they will never fully commit to your cause. You must give them a reason to board your chariot."

"To vie for the throne is a path stained with blood, requiring the sacrifice of thousands. There is only stance, not good or evil. Many will be sacrificed. These rich men in Caozhou are not necessarily guilty, but their stance is. Their heads are the prize that strengthens our army."

"The great mansion is collapsing; it must be destroyed to be rebuilt. In these dire times, only the strongest medicine will suffice. The Hall of Creation has left us too little time. Before the Jingkang Era, the Jurchen invaders from the east will surely slaughter their way across the Central Plains."

"Ten thousand years is too long; we must fight for every dawn."