Toward evening, Liu Cheng explained his plan face-to-face to Jiang Gan, who had arrived at Dasuo City.
The so-called plan was actually very simple, just one sentence: listen carefully to my commands, clear out of Xingyang City when I tell you to, send support when I tell you to, and feed Yao Xiang false reports exactly as I tell you to.
After hearing him out, Jiang Gan neither agreed nor disagreed. Instead, sitting there, he asked earnestly, "Then General Liu, you really do still want to try luring the enemy into battle?"
"It's not a question of luring them or not. A change of garrison is the most dangerous time to begin with, and the Qiang might come then." Liu Cheng's expression was solemn. "Besides, now that we've joined forces, we have over ten thousand fighting men. Since ancient times, what sense has there ever been in commanding ten thousand troops, with cities to fall back on, yet still avoiding battle?"
"True." Jiang Gan finally nodded, though his expression barely changed. "Then let me speak frankly too... General Liu, calling me here over this is no use. At the very least, it won't do much good."
Liu Cheng said nothing, merely lifting his head to look at the gathering dusk outside the hall and listen to the winter wind.
"Here's how it is," Jiang Gan explained further. "It's not that I'm unwilling to cooperate. But we've come this far, and we can't possibly go over to Yao Xiang again. We're bound to stand alongside the court's Imperial Army. It's just that the men in our army are veterans of many battles, and after years of wandering, they've long since formed their own judgments... So forgive my bluntness. This is very simple: go ahead and fight, General Liu. Once battle begins,