Pang Tong didn't wait for Wu Yong; his army set off immediately.
With Xiahou Dun and Xi Zhicai present, he wouldn't sit idly by but would take the initiative.
Ma Chao was a capable general, but completely unqualified to be a commander-in-chief; that would exhaust the entire army.
That night, the people of Liangshan began discussing it again.
However, Wu Yong didn't mention Lu Ming's fondness for beautiful women. Firstly, he felt it was against their style, and secondly, he felt it was unnecessary.
Liangshan didn't have women, or rather, they were all other men's wives, not suitable for gifting.
Other men's wives were only for other men to give away. Selling one's wife for personal gain was not uncommon; wives could indeed be sold.
But Wu Yong couldn't say such things, nor could he bring himself to say them.
"Boss, the Qin army has withdrawn!"
Ruan Xiaoqi rushed over to report, also filled with doubt.
Chao Gai was somewhat bewildered and hesitated before saying, "Could it be a trap to lure us into attacking? But we haven't engaged in battle yet. If 20,000 men surround the marshland, preventing us from entering or leaving, it will be a real problem!"
Wu Yong, on the other hand, had a glint of shrewdness in his eyes. Perhaps they were making an example of someone!
"Xiao Qi, which direction did they go?"
"South."
Ruan Xiao Qi hurriedly replied. This was a very strange place. The Qin army had come with great momentum, so why had they suddenly left?
"That's probably a warning to others, Chief. I foresee that a battle will inevitably break out within a few days. Now we need to consider what to do. Should we continue to observe the situation at Liangshan, or join the Qin army? We need to prepare early."
Wu Yong had some ideas in mind. Pang Tong was probably going to fight Cao Cao's army to establish his authority.
Clearly, the Qin army's strength lay in King Lu Ming of Qin, who was invincible in every battle.
Having defeated 70,000 infantry and cavalry with only 30,000, Lu Ming's fame spread throughout the land.
Even if he was slandered, people weren't fools. The Qin state offered extremely generous treatment; even newly arrived refugees could find food.
Combined with Lu Ming's reputation, the hearts of the people might unconsciously lean towards him.
Wu Yong's analysis was indeed correct. Pang Tong's plan was to inflict a heavy blow on Cao Cao's army, a warning to the Liangshan Marsh.
This time, Cao Cao had chosen Pang Tong as his commander—a mere "Young Phoenix"—who knew if he was genuine, and with only 20,000 men.
If they could eliminate these 20,000 men, it would be a significant boost to their morale and morale!
Cao Cao could currently mobilize no more than 100,000 troops; not because he lacked manpower, but because he lacked sufficient food.
The past two years have seen poor harvests, plagued by insect infestations. Coupled with Lu Ming's cunning, grain production has plummeted, forcing them to purchase grain.
If it weren't for his secret mission of sending men to dig up graves, they probably wouldn't have survived.
Even so, their supplies are nearly exhausted, so Cao Cao desperately needs a victory.
Xun Yu, Cao Cao's envoy and former governor of Luoyang, has gone to Xiangyang in Jingzhou. Not to seek refuge with Liu Biao, but to borrow grain.
Lu Ming's power is now immense, and he harbors ambitions to conquer the entire land. His strategy is to advance steadily and bide his time; the only way to counter him is through a straightforward attack.
Give him a few more years, and everyone will be doomed.
Guo Jia, Gan Ning, and Wei Yan have captured Jiangling City, establishing it as a bridgehead for Sichuan's westward expansion into Jingzhou.
As long as Jiangling City remains, backed by Shangyong and Jiangyou counties, it can continuously receive supplies.
This means infiltrating the heart of Jingzhou, right under Liu Biao's nose!
Furthermore, Guo Jia's talent has been recognized by Gan Ning and Wei Yan, both of whom want to force the Jingzhou gentry to their knees!
Both Gan Ning and Wei Yan were ostracized by the Jingzhou gentry; now that they can return, they naturally want to vent their anger.
In addition, Gan Ning has resumed his old ways, constantly plundering Jingzhou merchant ships and disrupting Jingzhou's commerce.
Guo Jia has also spread rumors that the King of Qin has no ill will towards the talented men of Jingzhou, but that the current ruler of Jingzhou is neither virtuous nor capable, and a better person is needed.
This is clearly an attempt to abandon Liu Biao and recruit other gentry.
This both shocked and enraged Liu Biao. His ability to unite the gentry of Jingzhou was largely due to his status as a member of the Han imperial family.
Although Lu Ming hadn't declared himself emperor, his wolfish ambitions were undeniable! Otherwise, why would he have driven the emperor away and occupied Luoyang?
Furthermore, he openly forced the people to worship him, gradually erasing the influence of the Han dynasty!
The most shameless tactic was to require every household to pray before meals, thanking the King of Qin for the food and stable environment.
If one prayer wasn't effective, then years of prayer would make everyone recognize the King of Qin, but not the Han emperor.
What is this if not wolfish ambition? But what could be said?
This was the reason the other warlords feared him; this was digging up the roots of the Han dynasty!
Why did strategists like Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong join Lu Ming? Simply because of the threat wasn't enough.
When driven by passion, even the lives of family members can be disregarded.
However, outsiders see only the spectacle, while wise men see the underlying strategy. It was clear Lu Ming was destined for greatness, evident in various subtle details. So why not surrender?
At Bowang Slope, Pang De served as the vanguard for the first time, but Pang Tong's orders were that he could only retreat, not win; the goal was to lure Cao Cao's army into Yushan.
Xiahou Dun led his cavalry in a direct attack on Pang De, who was resting. Pang De hastily ordered his soldiers to engage, fighting and retreating.
Normally, pursuit was not advisable. Although the order was to retreat, these were elite troops who knew how to cooperate, forming a three-man formation back-to-back, fighting and retreating.
This tactic of one main attacker, one defender, and one support was a revolutionary, game-changing advantage.
Watching his own soldiers fall one by one, while the enemy soldiers retreated slowly and methodically, Xiahou Dun, in a moment of impulsiveness, decisively ordered a pursuit. He had launched a surprise attack with cavalry, yet he hadn't even managed to kill a few men—it was an utter disgrace!
Anyone seeing such soldiers would feel a chill, but Xiahou Dun wouldn't. He was Cao Cao's cousin and would never surrender. He was determined to annihilate this vanguard of no more than five hundred men!
These veteran soldiers were invaluable; their loss would be a painful blow even for Pang Tong!