20demayo Chapter 852 Xiao He’s method, a desperate gamble!
Chapter 852 Xiao He’s method, a desperate gamble!
"Tomorrow!" Xiao He pointed toward the top of the city walls. "When the Third Legion, decked out in brand new armor and radiant with energy, appears on the wall, it will be the final confirmation in Xiang Yu's mind—look! Reinforcements have indeed arrived! These fresh troops on the top of the city are proof! Add to that the 5,000 cavalrymen who disappeared last night and posed such a huge threat... Your Majesty, do you think Xiang Yu would dare to launch a reckless all-out attack like he did a few days ago?"
Listening to Xiao He's meticulous analysis, Gao Yao's inner fog was completely dispelled! The anger in his eyes had long since vanished, replaced by extreme shock and incredible ecstasy! He stared at Xiao He, who knelt on the ground, as if he was truly getting to know this prime minister, known for his steadiness and pragmatism, for the first time!
This plan... is too cunning! Too risky! But also too perfect!
It completely broke away from the conventional thinking of increasing troops to defend the city. It exploited Xiang Yu's psychological weaknesses, took advantage of the Chu army's shock after suffering a heavy blow, used the darkness and the war horses to create momentum, and carried out a shocking psychological deception! This was simply a combination of the Empty City Strategy and the Secret Entry into Chencang, and then played it up a lot!
How could this be Xiao He's usual calm and composed style? This was clearly a desperate, desperate, and insane plan, conceived in desperation!
"Great! Great!" Gao Yao couldn't help but shout out in a low voice. The gloom on his face for days was swept away, and even a hint of excitement flushed on his face. "Xiao He! You...you can come up with such a brilliant plan! I...I wronged you just now!" He stepped forward and helped Xiao He up from the ground.
Gao Yao's excitement lasted only a moment before a huge question immediately surged into his mind: "That's not right, Xiao He!" He gripped Xiao He's arm tightly, his eyes sharp. "Since you could come up with such a brilliant plan, why... why didn't you tell me earlier?! If you had used this plan when the Chu army's first attack was thwarted, how could our army have suffered such heavy casualties?!"
Gao Yao's tone was filled with heartache and confusion. If it had been used earlier, perhaps many lives could have been saved.
Xiao He was helped up by Gao Yao. Feeling the strength in his arm and listening to Gao Yao's questioning, a wry smile and a hint of imperceptible grievance appeared on his face.
"Your Majesty, be wise," Xiao He sighed and explained, "This plan...is not something I've been hiding. It was truly a flash of inspiration that came to me when I was forced into a desperate situation! Moreover, the key to its success lies precisely in timing!"
"Your Majesty, you personally braved the arrows and stones to defend Yangping Pass for seven days, yet your personal battalion suffered utter casualties. How tragic was this? The Chu army has repeatedly assaulted the city walls, and they are well aware of our lack of manpower and the exhaustion of our soldiers! If it weren't for such horrific losses, if our army wasn't completely exhausted, how could Xiang Yu believe we still had the strength to deploy troops? He would have considered this a desperate struggle, a deception, and would have accelerated the attack!"
"Furthermore," Xiao He continued, "the power of black gunpowder is an indispensable foundation for this plan! The immense chaos and psychological shock it caused kept the Chu army in shock, and the camp in disarray, giving us the opportunity to 'break out' at night, creating chaos and concealing our true strength! If we had used it early in the battle, the Chu army would have been morale-boosted and heavily guarded. If we had gone out with such a small force, we would have been like moths to a flame, instantly discovered and wiped out!"
"More importantly," Xiao He looked Gao Yao in the eye, "Your Majesty, you have remained stationed on the city walls, fighting to the death! This is what has Xiang Yu most puzzled and fearful! He must be wondering: Is Gao Yao crazy? Why hasn't he left, knowing he's doomed? He must have a plan! This suspicion has accumulated until today. Only by combining the 'Heavenly Thunder' with our actions can we maximize the effectiveness of the tactic of confusing the enemy! If Your Majesty had left early, or used this tactic early in the battle, Xiang Yu would have scoffed at you, believing you were fleeing in fear, and that your actions were merely a bluff!"
"So, Your Majesty," Xiao He concluded, his tone tinged with determination. "This strategy can only be used now, at this crucial juncture, when our army seems to be at its wit's end, yet a 'Heavenly Thunder' counterattack erupts, and Your Majesty still fights to the death! Too early, and it will be useless; too late, and the pass will be breached and all will perish! Tonight is your only chance!"
He added, "Tomorrow, when the Chu army arrives again, Your Majesty will need to add fuel to the fire! From the city walls, you must taunt and mock Xiang Yu to the utmost! The harsher the insults, the better! You might even goad him into attacking the city! The more confident and eager you appear to be, the more suspicious Xiang Yu will become! He'll become even more hesitant, and even more convinced that we have something to rely on!"
After hearing Xiao He's insightful analysis of the timing, Gao Yao fell silent. He looked into the tired yet wise eyes of the veteran minister before him, and his heart was no longer filled with doubt, only deep admiration and fear.
"Good! What a great Xiao He! I... understand!" Gao Yao patted Xiao He's shoulder heavily, his eyes burning with a new, calculating fire. "I'll follow your plan! Get ready immediately! Tonight, I'm going to give Xiang Yu a great gift!"
"Here!"
Hearing Gao Yao's final decision, adopting his almost insane strategy of feigning an attack, Xiao He's tense face finally revealed a look of relief and excitement. The heart that had been hanging in his throat finally settled down a little. He took a deep breath of the smoke-filled and chilly night air, and felt his hands and feet go weak.
He had come up with this plan out of sheer desperation, a radical move! He understood the enormous risks of this plan better than anyone else—if Xiang Yu discovered it, or if the nighttime "breakout" failed, it would undoubtedly worsen the situation and hasten the fall of Yangping Pass. But he knew even more clearly that if Gao Yao continued to hold out as he had before, relying solely on his own bravery and the will of his remaining soldiers, the outcome would be almost certain! That would mean the entire army would be annihilated, and Gao Yao himself would most likely be killed in battle or seriously injured and captured! That would be true despair.
Rather than sit and wait for death, it's better to take a risk! At least, this strategy can still see a glimmer of hope to turn the tide of the war, there is still a little possibility of "taking a gamble"! What Xiao He is gambling on is Gao Yao's trust and the fate of the entire Southern Border Army!
At the same time, Xiang Yu, the King of Western Chu, had also returned to the central military tent, which was brightly lit but had a depressing atmosphere.
He ripped off his dust- and blood-stained cloak and slammed it down on the table with a resounding thud. The guards and generals within the tent fell silent, not daring to utter a single sound. Xiang Yu's chest heaved violently, his eyes blazing with rage and unwillingness.
Today's defeat was not due to any fault of his own! Xiang Yu personally supervised the battle, and the Chu army fought with their lives. They had nearly reached the city walls several times, but the sudden, heaven-sentence-like explosion of black powder had abruptly interrupted their advance, causing the army's morale to collapse and their formation to fall apart! How could he not be furious? How could he not be enraged?