Dragon Boat Race Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Setting the Strategy

Epigraph: A single word strikes the four seats with awe; how could such insight be mere luck? A sickly frame cannot conceal a sharp edge; the strategy to defeat the enemy is first set before the tent.

Long after Wu Ge left, Qin Gong remained rigidly seated on the edge of the bed, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. Cold sweat had long since soaked his thin inner garment, bringing waves of clammy chill.

He guessed correctly? An engagement really took place in that area, and the scouts were almost completely wiped out?

This was not the result of meticulous planning on his part, but rather a lucky hit based on limited information and logical deduction. Yet, the outcome was enough to cast a massive stone into Wu Ge’s heart. The young commander’s final words before leaving—”It seems your mind is far more useful than your body…”—repeatedly echoed in his ears. It wasn’t praise, but rather a confirmation, a re-evaluation of a “tool’s” worth.

It was dangerous, but it also meant opportunity.

“Strategist! You are truly divine!” Ah Sheng was flushed with excitement, sharing in the glory. “Even the Marshal praised you! Let’s see who dares to look down on us now!” He quickly poured Qin Gong a bowl of hot water, his eyes filled with adoration.

Qin Gong took the bowl, his fingertips still trembling slightly. He managed a weak smile but offered no explanation. This misunderstanding of “divine foresight” was currently to his advantage.

Sure enough, since that day, Qin Gong’s treatment subtly changed. The food delivered occasionally included a few slices of meat, and the herbal medicine seemed richer. More importantly, the vague sense of scrutiny and underlying exclusion he had felt before diminished significantly. Even the soldiers responsible for guarding his camp section saluted him with slightly more respect.

Wu Ge did not visit his tent again personally, but the next day, he sent his personal guards with several scrolls of military texts and more detailed maps of the surrounding region. This action was deeply meaningful; it was both a further test and a tacit permission—permission for him to access more core information.

Qin Gong looked at the bamboo slips and silk scrolls, written in traditional characters and filled with obscure classical Chinese, and felt overwhelmed. Asking him to read these was like asking a physical education student to immediately tackle a doctoral dissertation in archaeology. But he couldn’t show weakness. He had Ah Sheng hang up the maps, and every day, he forced his sickly body to stand before them and “study.” He couldn’t understand the complex ancient military symbols and annotations, but he could discern the flow of mountains and rivers and understand the rise and fall of the terrain.

He viewed this as a learning process, a way to understand this era and this world. At the same time, he was frantically drawing upon the reserves of his modern brain—vague impressions of famous battles seen in history class (such as the Battle of Changping, the Battle of Red Cliffs), military geography knowledge from documentaries, and even strategic thinking from business competition… Every piece of knowledge that might be useful was dug up and cross-referenced with the maps before him and the fragmented military intelligence he overheard.

He realized that his greatest advantage might not be specific military knowledge, but a way of thinking vastly different from the people of this era—one that focused more on information analysis, logical chains, systematic thinking, and… a bit of “imagination” that dared to break convention.

A few days later, one evening, Wu Ge arrived again. This time he was not alone; the stern-faced Commander Sun followed behind him.

Wu Ge maintained his usual composure, walking straight to the map and glancing over the results of Qin Gong’s “research” over the past few days—certain areas on the map had been marked by Qin Gong with burnt charcoal, markings only he could understand.

“What have you seen?” Wu Ge asked directly.

Qin Gong was prepared. He knew the second “assessment” had arrived. This time, he couldn’t rely on luck.

He took a deep breath, walked to the map, and pointed to the area around the “Fallen Eagle Ravine” he had mentioned before: “Marshal, combining what you said last time with the rumors I’ve heard these past few days, I believe the activity of the Northern Di cavalry is not merely simple raiding or probing.”

“Oh?” Wu Ge motioned for him to continue. Commander Sun stood by with his arms crossed, watching with cold eyes.

“Their movements are very systematic, like they are… weaving a net,” Qin Gong used a metaphor. “The ambush outside Fallen Eagle Ravine is one part. Additionally, I hear that the nomadic camps to the northeast have been repeatedly harassed, and traces of Di cavalry have also been found on the post road to the southwest. These locations seem scattered, but if you connect them…”

He used the charcoal to draw a few virtual circles on the map, then connected them, forming a loose arc that subtly semi-encircled the area where the Northern Expedition Army’s vanguard camp was located.

“They are constricting our operational space, harassing our periphery, and testing our reaction and troop deployment. Their ultimate goal is likely not minor skirmishes, but rather to… devour this entire vanguard camp!” Qin Gong stated his conclusion. This was essentially an ancient version of the “battlefield interdiction” and “intelligence preparation” mindset common in modern warfare.

Commander Sun snorted coldly: “The Strategist is being overly alarmist! How could those Di barbarians have such meticulous planning!”

Qin Gong did not look at him but faced Wu Ge directly: “Marshal, precisely because the Di people’s tactics have historically been direct, we are more likely to fall into a fixed mindset. What if their commander has been replaced, or if they have received guidance from a master strategist? We cannot view a new opponent with old eyes.”

Wu Ge’s gaze was fixed on the arc Qin Gong had outlined on the map, his eyes sharp as knives. He did not immediately refute but fell into contemplation. Qin Gong’s deduction coincided with some vague doubts he harbored. The recent activities of the Di cavalry indeed showed a “method” that was different from the past.

“Even if what you say is true,” Wu Ge said slowly, his voice low, “if our army holds fast to the camp, what can they do to us? They won’t gain an advantage by a direct assault.”

“They may not need a direct assault,” Qin Gong’s thoughts flowed smoothly once the path was opened. “They can cut off our supply lines and starve us out. Or, they could use this location as bait, lure our main force to reinforce us, and then set an ambush en route…” He paused, then stated the most crucial point: “They may even already know, or at least suspect… that you, Marshal, are currently within the vanguard camp.”

At this statement, even Commander Sun’s expression changed. The commander’s whereabouts were a military secret.

The atmosphere in the tent instantly became heavy.

Wu Ge abruptly turned, his gaze shooting towards Qin Gong like lightning: “How do you know this?”

Qin Gong steadied himself and analyzed: “If not for this, it is difficult to explain why the Di people would go to such great lengths, setting up a targeted strategy. The troops they have committed and the patience they have shown exceed what is necessary to deal with an ordinary vanguard camp. The only explanation is that they believe there is greater value here—for instance, you, the commander of the Northern Expedition Army.”

This was reverse inference based on motivation and investment level. Wu Ge’s pupils slightly contracted. He had indeed come to the vanguard camp personally to grasp firsthand military intelligence. Although his movements were secretive, they were not without flaws.

“If you were the Di commander, and you knew I was here, what would you do?” Wu Ge’s voice carried a hint of imperceptible coldness.

Qin Gong felt the pressure intensify. He knew this question was a matter of life and death—not just his own, but potentially the survival of this army. He forced himself to remain calm, his brain working at lightning speed, combining the map with the existing information.

After a long moment, he raised his head, a flash of determination in his eyes: “If I were the Di commander, I would never be satisfied with merely besieging or ambushing reinforcements. There are too many variables in that. I would… manufacture an ‘opportunity’ that forces you to leave the fortified camp without being able to take many troops with you.”

“What opportunity?”

“An opportunity that appears capable of heavily damaging our army, or even… capturing or killing you.” Qin Gong’s finger moved across the map, finally resting on a gentle slope about ten li from the main camp, near a river. “For example, spreading false information, feigning that a part of their main force is crossing the river here, with scattered troops and heavy baggage, making it an excellent opportunity for a sneak attack. While the terrain here seems advantageous for the attackers, in reality… as long as heavy troops are pre-positioned in ambush on the opposite bank and in the side woods, the attackers can be counter-encircled.”

The scenario he described carried a chilling sense of reality. Commander Sun had abandoned his condescension, his brow deeply furrowed. Wu Ge remained expressionless, but his tightly pressed lips indicated he was thinking seriously.

“This is just your conjecture,” Wu Ge said.

“It is conjecture, but it is logical,” Qin Gong stated frankly. “The Marshal can verify it. Send out several more teams of elite scouts, focusing on the area I just pointed out and its surroundings, especially the opposite bank and the dense woods, to check for signs of large troop activity, even if it’s just abnormal cooking smoke or horse tracks. At the same time, strictly monitor the transmission of information within the army to see if rumors about ‘the Di people crossing the river’ are quietly spreading.”

He did not propose specific tactics but offered methods for verifying the hypothesis and taking preventative measures. This was more practical than empty strategic talk and better demonstrated the value of a strategist—not a soothsayer, but someone who proposes actionable advice based on intelligence and analysis.

Wu Ge was silent for a moment. The only sound in the tent was the occasional crackle of the oil lamp burning.

“Commander Sun.” He finally spoke.

“At your command!” Commander Sun immediately clasped his fists.

“As the Strategist said, dispatch three additional teams of night scouts. The target area… is the riverbank and woods he indicated. Send the most seasoned men, and be sure to ascertain the truth. Furthermore, issue orders to all camps to strictly investigate rumors. Those who speak carelessly about military intelligence will be dealt with by military law!”

“Understood!” Commander Sun accepted the order, gave Qin Gong a deep look, and quickly turned to leave.

Only Qin Gong and Wu Ge remained in the tent.

Wu Ge turned and re-examined Qin Gong. In the dim lamplight, the sickly strategist’s face was still pale, his frame so thin that a gust of wind seemed capable of blowing him over. But those eyes were astonishingly bright at this moment, flickering with a calmness, sharpness, and even a hint of… amusement, as if he had seen through some game’s rules, all of which were incongruous with his body.

“You were very deeply hidden before,” Wu Ge said slowly, his tone inscrutable.

Qin Gong’s heart tightened. He knew this was a challenge regarding the huge contrast between the original owner’s personality and his current performance. He lowered his eyelids, concealing his inner turmoil, and whispered, “Perhaps… having died once, I realized that some things cannot be hidden, nor should they be.”

This explanation was vague yet reasonable. A near-death experience was enough to change a person.

Wu Ge did not press further. He walked to the tent entrance, stopped, but did not turn back.

“Take good care of yourself,” he said. “Your ‘mind’ will be needed in many places in the future.”

The curtain fell, shutting out the night and the cold air outside.

Qin Gong slowly exhaled a breath, only then realizing his back was drenched in sweat. Every conversation with Wu Ge was like walking a tightrope. But he knew he had successfully taken another step forward.

He had not only initially won Wu Ge’s attention but might have also… influenced the strategic direction of an army.

This feeling of wielding power was faint, yet real. In this unfamiliar time and space, he seemed to have finally found a small point of leverage to stand upon.

Even though, beneath that leverage point, there was still an abyss.