Bai Xiaowen's army lay in ambush all night. By dawn, there was still no sign of Jingzhou reinforcements arriving.
"Zhuge Liang probably isn't coming."
Seated beneath a yellow silk canopy, Bai Xiaowen estimated the time and gave his judgment.
"Should we wait a little longer? Maybe Zhuge Liang's marching speed was slower than you calculated... I'm not saying your calculations were inaccurate," Li Shuyi said with a grin. "After all, the battlefield changes by the moment. It isn't a strict mathematical model, and there aren't enough parameters for you to use."
Bai Xiaowen shook his head.
"My calculations are based on the speed at which Zhuge Liang captured Ba Commandery and more than fifty subsequent passes. Someone like Zhuge Liang, who enjoys working with counting rods, would certainly find the optimal balance between his soldiers' stamina, morale, and marching speed.
"After all, from Zhuge Liang's perspective, Liu Bei's retreat had been cut off, and he was trapped in a desperate situation, facing the risk of defeat and destruction at any moment. He would never waste even a moment on the road. He would only hurry to the battlefield as quickly as possible while preserving his soldiers' combat strength and guarding against ambushes.
"Moreover, I have the Map of Mountains and Rivers. I can see the approximate route Zhuge Liang's Jingzhou Army would take to Luo Castle, and I included the terrain along the way in my calculations.
"With all that considered, the arrival time of the Jingzhou reinforcements should have been entirely predictable. Yet they are now two hours later than my calculations. There must have been an error in my strategic forecast."
Bai Xiaowen's lengthy explanation was clear and logical. Li Shuyi and Cecilia both nodded in agreement.
Cecilia asked, "Then if Zhuge Liang is not coming to rescue