Chapter 264 Weaponry Competition (1/2)
Chapter 264 – Weaponry Competition
”We'll construct siege weapons while we wait for the scout report. We need to confirm their army placement and their number before we decide our policy.”
Tian Feng concluded the meeting and returned to Yuan Shao alone. Meanwhile, other advisors did not like Tian Feng's attitude since it looked like he decided everything and took all the credits alone.
Seeing that Tian Feng had left, Feng Ji, Guo Tu, and Shen Pei surrounded Te Langpu and asked him, ”Sir Te Langpu, what do you think of Tian Feng?”
”Tian Feng? He's a busy body, right? I'm minding my own business, but he kept dragging me around for some reason.”
Te Langpu knew about the rivalry between Tian Feng and other strategists. As a former elite businessman, a façade or a politic stance was his nature. Dealing with these people was like having breakfast for Te Langpu.
”Is that right? We didn't know about this. By the way, the [Gunpowder] that you invented is awesome! Can you tell us the details about how it can be used?”
Bootlickers swarmed Te Langpu as if he was a pile of dung and they were hungry flies. The chubby man's face twitched, getting annoyed by these politicians. Yet, it still felt good to be the center of attention.
Te Langpu puffed his chest, ”Of course! Listen well because I'll tell you this only once since there can be spies lurking around …”
.
.
”So, what's the plan?” Yuan Shao asked Tian Feng.
”We shall build trebuchets and siege towers first. The towers will have to be higher than the walls of Jia Xu's forts. I also plan to build a tower that can carry a trebuchet on top so we can have the advantage of range.”
”Good! Here is my army token! Use my army as you wish!”
”Yes, Lord.”
…
…
March 2nd.
A scout team of three men, who were in tattered and covered in wounds, rushed back to Yuan Shao camp with their reports.
”Report! We have confirmed their army number and their location!”
Wen Chou and Yan Liang passed on the reports to Tian Feng as he was the decision maker of the entire army.
In the report, their scout team of 200 men discovered several camps and bases behind the fortresses. On their way to return, they encountered a scout team of 100 men from the northern stronghold, and they ended up having a small battle.
However, most of them were killed, but they could not even harm those scout team members. Most importantly, their scouts used hand crossbows, which was different than their previous repeating crossbows.
”Hand crossbow?” Wen Chou was astonished.
”Yes, sir! They have those little crossbows that can fire small bolts. Most of us died because they shot our horses with these weapons.”
The scout drew a picture of a small handgun crossbow using the sand and dirt for everyone in the room.
”Ah, it seems that they also have a new weapon as well,” Tian Feng's face was solemn, ”What about their status?”
”Yes, sir! We detected at least 5,000 men stationing inside the north fort and a camp that is a size of 10,000 men behind it. The flags inside the camp were [Zhang], [Gao], and [Li].”
Wen Chou touched his chin, ”In other words, the north fort has about 10,000 to 15,000 men. But, does Zhang Tong has commanders with surname Gao and Li?”
”They are not Zhang Tong's men. Those guys are Jinyang Army men.”
”What!?”
The words of Tian Feng shocked Wen Chou and Yan Liang. They did not expect the Jinyang Army here.
”That Zhang is not Zhang Tong or Zhang Jiao, but Zhang Liao. Gao stands for Gao Shun, and Li is their strategist, Li Feihong. Those three men are Lu Bu's subordinates.”
”Lu Bu …”
Wen Chou and Yan Liang had heard of this man. He was famous on the border as there was a rumor that he annihilated Xiongnu 10,000-man army by himself.
”So, does that mean Lu Bu should be here as well?”
”Likely so. Be prepared, you two. If possible, avoid all direct confrontation. We'll keep our distance with their army.”
Tian Feng walked to the strategic table and began placing their army tokens.
Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Gao Lan, Feng Ji, and Te Langpu were placed on the north, leading an army of 100,000 men, which consisted of half of the entire forces.
Yan Liang and Wen Chou were surprised again. This was a declaration that their main attack would focus on the northern fort, where Jinyang Army located.
”You want us to fight Lu Bu?”
”We don't have a choice. We have to set the north fort on fire so they can't use these barricades to obstruct our march to Julu.”
”Why fire?”
”The fire will be carried by the wind, and it will swallow all of the forts.”
While Tian Feng was answering Wen Chou's doubts, he arranged more tokens on the map.
Tokens of Qu Yi, Sui Yuanjin, Chenyu Qiong, Guo Tu, Shen Pei, and ten other generals were gathered in the south with 80,000 soldiers.
Only Yuan Shao and Tian Feng remained in the center army with 20,000 soldiers.