Chapter 27 Professionals

The military camp had been bustling these past few days. Convoys of grain carts constantly arrived, depositing provisions into the newly constructed granaries.

The duration of the Wei army's campaign in Hanzhong remained uncertain—it could last a month or two, or perhaps a year or two. There was no fixed schedule. When Cao Cao had previously fought Liu Be for Hanzhong, the conflict had dragged on for a full two years. It was never a simple matter of leading troops out to clash with swords; warfare was a battle of logistics, a test of who could endure the longest.

Over the past few days, the Wei army had established six granaries along the hundreds of li of the Baoxie Trail, spaced roughly fifty li apart. With this network established, a stable and reliable supply line was secured. Multiple grain depots ensured that the army's logistics would not lag behind, eliminating the fear of losing everything in a single stroke.

The three-day deadline had arrived, and the generals gathered once more in the commander's tent at Sancheng. Inside, Hu Lie looked at Shi Shouxin with evident anxiety written across his face.

Circumstances had taken a new turn.

That old fox Zhong Hui had actually submitted a confidential report to Sima Zhao in Luoyang, claiming that the Baoxie Trail was impassable, that the operational plan needed revision, and suggesting that taking the Chencang Trail might be a better option.

Yet, in reality, between the Chencang Trail and the Baoxie Trail lay the abandoned Lianyun Trail, which intersected precisely at Sancheng. Taking a detour would lead right back here. If one followed the Chencang Trail without branching off onto the Lianyun Trail, continuing instead toward the southwest, it would require a massive detour to reach Hanzhong. Furthermore, the exit of the Chencang Trail was situated a great distance away from the exit of the Tangluo Trail!

This was precisely why the Chencang Trail had been excluded from the original plans.

Zhong Hui’s tactical retreat was merely a subtle insinuation that Hu Lie and the others were failing in their construction of the plank roads, rather than a genuine desire for the army to take the Chencang Trail. As expected, Sima Zhao’s order soon arrived, instructing Hu Lie to accelerate the plank road construction without delay, ensuring that the grand enterprise of conquering Shu was not hindered!

Having received a reprimand from Sima Zhao, Hu Lie was naturally terrified, and his present worry was laid bare for all to see.

"Military Inspector Shi, have you devised a countermeasure?" Hu Lie nearly blurted out the informal title of 'younger brother,' looking at Shi Shouxin with eager anticipation, terrified the other man might utter a refusal.

"Gentlemen, please hear me out," Shi Shouxin said with a smile, gesturing for the generals in the tent to take their seats.

"The method for transporting timber is to float bamboo rafts down the Bao River, placing the logs upon them. At the same time, we attach ropes to the rafts and pull them along the plank road. This saves physical labor and facilitates hoisting."

Shi Shouxin picked up a small branch and sketched a rough diagram on the ground. The generals present all possessed some knowledge of engineering; otherwise, they would never have been able to establish camps and fortifications.

They understood immediately upon looking at it.

Hu Lie asked with a frown, "Just having rafts isn't enough. The plank road is over a zhang above the Bao River; we need to hoist the timber up in order to build the road."

"I shall resolve that," Du Yu said, pulling a piece of silk from his sleeve and spreading it on the ground.

Drawn upon the silk was a crane, complete with a lifting beam, movable pulleys, running wheels, and a specially designed counterweight.

"I have calculated it. Lifting these wooden beams should pose no problem. Military Inspector Shi is entirely correct: to build the plank roads, we must first build the tools. As the ancients said, if a worker wishes to do good work, he must first sharpen his tools."

Du Yu explained the mechanics of the crane to the gathering.

As it turned out, he had inspected the structural integrity of the remaining supports and discovered that the original plank roads had been built with remarkable sturdiness. After all, they were meant for transporting grain carts; it would not do for a transport to break down midway.

Therefore, Du Yu intended to use the crane to hoist the wooden beams out of the water, while simultaneously utilizing it to maneuver and insert the beams into the square slots.

It had to be said that this was indeed an effective method, far superior to merely throwing manpower at the task with shoulder poles and baskets.

"As for the surface of the plank road, we can pre-assemble it in sections. Once the square beams are inserted into their slots, we can lay the sections directly across them piece by piece, which will vastly improve efficiency," Shi Shouxin added.

The generals present nodded repeatedly.

No wonder professional experts were different! Shi Shouxin’s defiance of Zhong Hui that night had not been a risky bluff; he had possessed genuine confidence all along!

"However, the timber remains a troublesome issue. I have searched the entire Baoxie Trail and found no trees of such dimensions," Li Bao, the officer tasked with sourcing timber from the surrounding area, said with a trace of frustration.

Just as the task was nearing completion, it was snagged at the most critical step. They could hardly send men all the way to Mount Hua in Guanzhong to cut down trees, could they?

"That matter is not difficult."

Shi Shouxin reached into his sleeve and produced four long, strip-like pieces of square timber, each about the thickness of a thumb, and virtually identical in shape.

Hu Lie and the others stared at him in utter bewilderment, unsure of what he intended to do.

"We simply take four small pieces of timber, splice them together into a single large beam, and secure them firmly."

Shi Shouxin held the four wooden strips together in his palms, presenting them for the gathering to inspect.

"Ah! I am truly more foolish than a pig!" Du Yu struck his forehead repeatedly in frustration.

Such a simple method, yet he had failed to think of it!

Everyone had fallen into conventional thinking, assuming they needed to find a giant tree, strip its bark into square timber, and wedge it into the slots. How had it never crossed their minds to use composite lumber?

Many things became obvious once pointed out, and Du Yu finally understood why Prime Minister Zhuge Liang had chosen square beams when constructing this section of the plank road.

"Is it really that simple?" Hu Lie turned a piece of timber over in his hands, his expression a mixture of wanting to weep and wanting to laugh.

Once explained, the method was worthless. As for the ways to join the timber, there were plenty: applying fish glue, embedding small metal hardware, and the most common mortise-and-tenon structure. None of these were issues.

"Indeed, why didn't I think of it? Small trees like this are scattered all over the mountains!"

Hu Lie burst into hearty laughter, and the generals in the tent joined in merrily.

Shi Shouxin gave Du Yu a subtle look, signaling him not to reveal what had been discussed between them the other day. Du Yu nodded with a knowing smile and said no more.

In truth, the entire project still had one "insignificant" minor issue unresolved, one that everyone would only notice once construction actually began. Shi Shouxin had no desire to play his trump card just yet. Only by offering timely assistance when others were burning with anxiety could one display extraordinary capability.

If a valuable asset was used too cheaply, it ceased to be a valuable asset and became merely an ox or a horse.

Shi Shouxin had never forgotten his primary role as Military Inspector!

***

Within the Sancheng camp, the accompanying craftsmen were busy manufacturing the "cranes," while skinning felled saplings to make "small crossbeams."

Du Yu watched the artisans bustle about, his brow furrowed into deep wrinkles. He glanced at Shi Shouxin, who was leisurely touring the construction site with a calm and collected demeanor. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Du Yu pulled Shi Shouxin aside into a secluded corner.

"Gandang, isn't there still an unaddressed issue?" Du Yu asked in a low voice.

Shi Shouxin feigned surprise and countered, "What else could there be?"

Du Yu produced a scrap of timber and said, "Here in the Baoxie Trail, there are mountains above and water below. Under the sunlight, moisture evaporates heavily, and rainfall is abundant. Building the plank road is fine, but after sitting in these damp mountains for a month, these crossbeams will likely rot beyond recognition. This campaign will last at least half a year, and the supply line cannot be cut. If these crossbeams snap after we advance into Hanzhong, what shall we do?"

Du Yu had raised an "insignificant" little problem: how to moisture-proof and rot-proof the timber. If such load-bearing components absorbed moisture, the consequences would be unthinkable.

Normally, timber used for supporting crossbeams could not be chosen at random; it had to be dense woods such as red cedar, oak, or nanmu. But in a hasty campaign, such "high-end goods" were not readily available.

Not to mention, termites alone were a massive headache. In fact, the plank roads of the Baoxie Trail were notoriously fragile and required maintenance and repair at regular intervals precisely for this reason.

"Have no fear, I have my own solution."

Shi Shouxin laughed heartily, clearly in high spirits. Under Du Yu’s assistance, his plans were progressing smoothly.

"You actually have a plan?" Du Yu was astonished. He recalled that Shi Shouxin had spent two years as an official in the Ministry of the Shaofu handling practical affairs at the grassroots level; the man certainly had practical tricks up his sleeve.

After all, the Shaofu was the government agency dedicated to providing new equipment and tools for the military and government. For an official to serve there and continue to rise through the ranks, how could he lack real competence?

"My virtuous wife takes care of the daily household chores, allowing me to concentrate fully on my duties at the Shaofu all these years. This is merely a minor demonstration of skill. Just watch, Yuankai, these are all trivial matters."

Shi Shouxin still did not reveal his method, but he radiated utter confidence.

Several days later, the timber required for the crossbeams was fully prepared, and the "bridge-building machines" were under construction, undergoing testing alongside fabrication. Various forged metal hardware components were continuously shipped in from Muxian County.

Aside from Du Yu, everyone else wore beaming smiles, utterly unconcerned that a few square holes in the cliff face could pose any real challenge.

Of course, those men simply lacked understanding; ignorance is bliss. Shi Shouxin, on the other hand, was entirely at ease and untroubled.

Finally, on a spring afternoon, Sima Zhao’s younger brother, Sima Liang, the Earl of Qiyang residing in Guanzhong, arrived at the Baoxie Trail with hundreds of men and a large quantity of grain to "reward the army." Aside from provisions, wine, and delicacies, he brought numerous mysterious items packed in tightly sealed wooden barrels.

"General Hu, I have brought the things you requested. When you achieve military glory, do not forget me, hahahahaha!" Sima Liang grasped Hu Lie’s hand and laughed heartily.

An entirely clueless Hu Lie stood dumbfounded, forcing a awkward smile as he had no idea how to respond.

He had never spoken to Sima Liang about any such requests whatsoever!

"Lord Qiyang, your timely assistance is truly invaluable. Rest assured, as Military Inspector, I will certainly report your contributions to the court. These supplies will be accounted for at market value; we shall not use them for free," Shi Shouxin stepped forward to explain, winking at Sima Liang.

"Ah, yes, yes, yes, no trouble at all!" Sima Liang realized what was happening, then pulled Shi Shouxin over to one of the mysterious wooden barrels and asked in a low voice, "Military Inspector Shi, what is the purpose of this?"

Du Yu hurried over as well and inquired, "Gandang, is this what you were looking for?"

"Indeed. With this stuff, the plank road won't collapse for three years!" Shi Shouxin said with mild pride, stroking his beard.

Hearing this, the boulder in Du Yu’s chest finally dropped. When Shi Shouxin had instructed him to send word to Sima Liang with only the four words "North Mountain Forest," Du Yu had assumed Sima Liang was being sent to chop trees in the northern forests of Chang'an!

Yet Chang'an was not particularly close to the Baoxie Trail, and transporting so much timber would have been a grueling chore. As a member of the Sima imperial clan, Sima Liang might do the army a small favor, but if it required massive mobilization, he would surely be resentful.

To his surprise, Sima Liang had indeed come, but he had brought no timber.

"Lord Qiyang, I told you over two years ago to plant more trees, saying they would prove useful sooner or later. Look, haven't they come in handy now?" Shi Shouxin smiled.

Sima Liang nodded. "Indeed, Military Inspector Shi is truly a divine person!"

"The true divine person was Zhuge Liang," Shi Shouxin sighed.

His group had racked their brains, pooled their wisdom, and even utilized cross-era black technology, yet they had merely managed a draw with Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, merely restoring a plank road he had built before. It was hard to imagine how Zhuge Liang had managed to construct those plank roads in the first place.

Shi Shouxin could not help but sigh with emotion for that era decades ago, overflowing with heroes and talents too numerous to count.

***

While Shi Shouxin and his companions were busy constructing the plank roads in the Baoxie Trail, Zhong Hui and his officers were reorganizing military affairs in the Tangluo Trail, and Deng Ai and his men were sharpening their weapons in Didao, Sima Zhao in Luoyang was far from idle.

At his instigation, the Emperor, Cao Huan, issued an imperial edict accompanied by a declaration of punitive campaign: the Great Wei was going to subjugate Eastern Wu!

Simultaneously, orders were given for the imperial guards in Luoyang to prepare for an expedition.

Shi Bao was appointed Inspector of Yangzhou and Commander of All Military Affairs in Huainan.

Yang Hu was appointed Commander of the Central Guard, and Sima Wang was appointed Protector of the Central Army. They were tasked with reforming the imperial guards in preparation for the campaign, with the entire army placed under Shi Bao's command.

As the main force for the conquest of Wu, they were to head toward Huainan.

This series of military commands left people utterly confused as to what Sima Zhao was actually plotting.

The entire officialdom of Luoyang knew that Sima Zhao intended to conquer Shu and had spent years preparing meticulously for it. Now, the court suddenly announced an expedition against Wu, even making the grand gesture of appointing Shi Bao as the commander in Huainan.

It was utterly absurd!

Sure enough, Sima Zhao’s petty stratagem failed completely to deceive Jiang Wei.

Far away in Dizhong, Jiang Wei learned of the news and dispatched a letter to Chengdu, advising the ruler of Shu, Liu Chan: Cao Wei's announcement of an expedition against Wu was merely a smoke screen meant to fool fools and was entirely untrustworthy. According to his own observations, the Wei army was sharpening its weapons in Dizhong and elsewhere with their sights firmly set on Shu; he begged His Majesty to discern the truth. Jiang Wei recommended dispatching troops to guard the Yang'an Pass and the Yinping Bridgehead as defensive preparations to prevent a surprise attack by the Wei army.

Unfortunately, Liu Chan's trusted eunuch Huang Hao obstructed the effort. Using the pretext of a favorable divination reading, he advised Liu Chan to ignore the warning, creating a fatal vulnerability in the Shu army's defense system.

Upon learning of this, Jiang Wei was filled with helpless despair and could only begin making covert preparations to withdraw his forces for defensive deployment.