Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The next morning, sunlight streamed down upon Yuan Shao's camp, casting a chilling atmosphere. Standing outside, Yuan Shao gazed at the nearby city of Chenliu, mentally formulating his plan for the day's siege. He considered their past friendship and concluded that it would be ideal if he could have another conversation with Cao Cao before the attack, persuading him to surrender. Even if persuasion proved unsuccessful, he could still use the opportunity to test Cao Cao's strengths and weaknesses.

Yuan Shao then ordered his men to shout in front of the battle line, "Cao Cao, I, Yuan Shao, am here to speak to you!" However, after shouting for a long time, Cao Cao was nowhere to be seen on the city wall. Yuan Shao could not help but wonder, could it be that Cao Cao was not in the city?

At this moment, a general beside Yuan Shao chuckled, "My lord, Cao Cao must have been too frightened to show his face. He might have slipped away quietly yesterday." Upon hearing this, the other generals joined in the laughter. Yuan Shao frowned, feeling a sense of unease. He quickly sent for information, and soon after, the spies returned with the news that Cao Cao had indeed evacuated Chenliu under cover of darkness the previous night, escorted by Xiahou Dun, and was heading for Xudu.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao was furious and shouted, "How dare Cao Cao, that scoundrel, play such a trick on me! Pass the order to attack the city immediately! I will make Chenliu pay for Cao Cao's cowardice!"

At Yuan Shao's command, the Yuan army launched its first siege. However, due to the hasty preparations, the siege equipment was not yet fully deployed, and the soldiers' deployment was somewhat chaotic. Cai Yang and Wei Yan, standing on the city walls, saw the Yuan army's aggressive advance yet numerous weaknesses. They immediately seized the opportunity and commanded Cao's army to put up a fierce resistance.

Yuan's archers were the first to fire arrows at the city walls, but their arrows were sparse and their power was greatly reduced. Seeing this, Cai Yang shouted, "Brothers, don't be afraid! They are not prepared enough. Fight back fiercely!" Cao's archers drew their bows and fired arrows, and a dense rain of arrows poured down on Yuan's army, causing screams to rise from the Yuan army.

At the same time, the trebuchets on the city walls also began their attack. Huge rocks whistled down upon the Yuan army, knocking soldiers and horses to the ground. Even before the Yuan army's siege vehicles reached the city gates, they were smashed to pieces by the trebuchets. Seeing this, Yan Liang and Wen Chou were extremely worried and tried to organize their troops to force a charge. However, under the fierce attack of Cao's army, the Yuan army suffered heavy casualties and was forced to retreat temporarily.

Yuan Shao's face turned livid as he watched the first round of the siege fail. He knew full well that this attack was ill-prepared, a cardinal sin in military strategy. But he refused to give up and immediately summoned his generals to redeploy his forces.

"Our army underestimated the enemy and was unprepared, leading to our defeat during this siege," Yuan Shao said grimly. "But Cao Cao has fled, leaving Chenliu isolated and helpless. We must capture it. Yan Liang and Wen Chou, listen to my orders! Quickly prepare the siege equipment and ensure it is ready in the shortest possible time. Other generals, lead your troops and follow orders without error!"

All the generals responded in unison: "We will obey the Lord's orders!"

After intense preparations, Yuan's army was reassembled. Yuan Shao personally arrived at the front and shouted, "Brothers, today we must capture Chenliu City and avenge our fallen brothers! Attack the city!"

The second round of the siege officially began. Yan Liang led the charge, standing at the front, sword in hand, shouting, "Cai Yang, you bastard! Leave the city and face death!"

On the city wall, Cai Yang's face was solemn, while Wei Yan, standing beside him, wore a heroic expression, showing no fear at all. Cai Yang shouted back, "Yan Liang, don't be so arrogant! I'm defending Chenliu on Cao Gong's orders. You rats, don't even think about succeeding!"

At Yuan Shao's command, Yuan's archers drew their bows and fired, a dense swarm of arrows flying towards the city wall like locusts. The Cao army on the city wall was not to be outdone and fought back with all their might. For a moment, arrows rained down like rain, and the shouts of killing were so deafening that it hurt people's eardrums.

Seeing that the rain of arrows failed to suppress Cao's army, Yan Liang waved his hand and ordered: "Siege vehicles, go!" Several huge siege vehicles slowly drove towards the city gate, and Yuan army soldiers pushed hard from behind. Every step forward seemed to hit the heart of Chenliu City.

Seeing this, Cai Yang quickly ordered his soldiers, "Catapults, aim at the siege vehicles and smash them!" The trebuchets on the city wall made a dull sound, and huge stones whizzed towards the siege vehicles, smashing them into pieces. However, Yuan's attack was fierce, and several siege vehicles still stubbornly approached the city gate and began to ram it.

Meanwhile, Wen Chou led a group of elite soldiers, setting up ladders and scaling the city walls. Wei Yan, sword in hand, personally guarded the ladders. Whenever a Yuan soldier showed his face, he would chop them off the ladders. Blood flowed down the ladders, staining the ground beneath the walls red.

Seeing the siege was protracted and failing, Yan Liang, anxious, personally took up his sword and joined the assault. With his agility, he fought his way to the city wall, brandishing his sword and cutting down the Cao army soldiers who tried to stop him. Cai Yang, watching Yan Liang's bravery from above the city walls, frowned and said to the soldiers beside him, "Concentrate your archers and crossbows, aim at Yan Liang!"

Suddenly, dozens of sharp arrows flew towards Yan Liang. Yan Liang sensed the danger and quickly brandished his sword to block the arrows. But at this moment, Wei Yan seized the opportunity and leaped from the city wall, rushing towards Yan Liang like a tiger pouncing on its prey. Yan Liang was shocked and quickly turned to fight.

The two men exchanged swords, the battle raging inexorably. Despite Yan Liang's superior martial arts skills, Wei Yan fought tooth and nail, holding his own. The soldiers watching were stunned, cheering their respective commanders on.

The siege beneath the city walls intensified. Yuan's army launched relentless assaults, while Cao's army stubbornly defended the city gates and walls, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. Yuan Shao, standing on a high ground in the distance, watched the fierce battle with a tinge of anxiety. He knew that if he failed to capture Chenliu quickly, the situation would be extremely unfavorable for him once Cao Cao recaptured Xudu.

As the two sides reached a stalemate, a commotion erupted within Chenliu City. Yuan Shao's pre-arranged accomplices were taking advantage of the chaos to create disorder in an attempt to open the gates and allow Yuan's troops to enter. Upon learning of the disturbance, Cai Yang felt a sense of foreboding, but he remained calm and composed, dispatching troops to suppress the accomplices while continuing to direct the defenses outside the city.

Wei Yan and Yan Liang were engaged in a fierce battle when they heard a sudden commotion within the city walls, a startling thought in their heart. Taking advantage of Yan Liang's moment of distraction, Wei Yan slashed fiercely with his sword, leaving a bloody cut on his arm. Yan Liang roared in pain, intensifying his attack. But Wei Yan had no desire to continue fighting. He knew the situation within the city was dire and needed to return to support the enemy as soon as possible. With a feint, he turned and ran towards the city gate.

Yan Liang would not let him go easily, and he spurred his horse in pursuit. Just as Wei Yan was about to reach the city gate, the internal supporters inside the city had been suppressed by Cao's army. The city gate slowly opened, and Wei Yan took the opportunity to rush in. The city gate then quickly closed, blocking Yan Liang outside the city.

Yan Liang was furious, but he could do nothing. Meanwhile, Yuan Shao, seeing his siege stalled and the sky gradually darkening, ordered his troops to withdraw. The Yuan army retreated like a tide, leaving behind a devastated battlefield.

From Chenliu City, Cai Yang and Wei Yan gazed at the Yuan army camp outside, knowing this was only a temporary lull, a greater crisis still to come. They exchanged a look of determination. Cai Yang said, "General Wei, we are grateful for your help today; otherwise, Chenliu City would be in danger." Wei Yan smiled and said, "General Cai, you're too polite. Since we've decided to defend Chenliu to the death, we'll give it our all. I just wonder what the situation is like back there, Cao Gong, and whether we can successfully recapture Xudu."

Although the two were worried, they still forced themselves to cheer up and began to arrange for the soldiers to clean up the battlefield, treat the wounded, and prepare for the next round of attack.

Over the next few days, Yuan Shao, like an enraged beast, frantically organized daily attacks on Chenliu City. Like a tidal wave, Yuan's army surged towards Chenliu City, their attacks becoming increasingly fierce, as if they were determined to crush the city completely.

On the city walls, Cai Yang and Wei Yan led Cao's soldiers in a fierce resistance. Their figures seemed so small amidst the whirlwind of arrows and the thick smoke, yet so determined. However, Cao's army had been fighting for days, without reinforcements or adequate supplies. They were now like a spent force, and each resistance became increasingly difficult.

One day, Cai Yang said solemnly to Wei Yan beside him, "General Wei Yan, I've witnessed your bravery in battle over the past few days. However, the situation is becoming increasingly critical. I'm afraid Chenliu City can no longer withstand Yuan Shao's attack. If the city falls, as the defending commander, I have a duty to defend this land and will die for it. But you, on the other hand, are different. I hope you can fight your way out and keep a glimmer of hope for our army."

Upon hearing this, Wei Yan's heart burned. He shouted, "General Cai, how can you say that? I've decided to defend Chenliu with you, and I won't escape alone. If we die, we die together!"

Cai Yang looked at Wei Yan, his eyes filled with admiration and emotion. He patted Wei Yan on the shoulder and said, "General Wei, I understand your intentions. However, the army cannot be without generals. If I can spare your life, you will be able to assist Cao Gong and make a comeback in the future."

A thick, murderous atmosphere permeated Chenliu City. The people hid in their homes, trembling and afraid to utter a single sound. The streets were dotted with exhausted soldiers, some bandaging their wounds, some clutching their weapons, their eyes revealing a determination to face death.

Outside the city, Yuan Shao gazed at Chenliu, his eyes gleaming with determination. He addressed the generals around him, "With Cao Cao no longer in the city, the defenders can't hold out much longer. Increase the offensive and capture Chenliu as soon as possible!"

Following Yuan Shao's orders, the Yuan army launched another, even more ferocious attack. Siege engines rammed the city gates with a deafening roar. Ladders lined the walls like a forest, and Yuan soldiers scaled them like ants. The Cao army on the city walls fought tooth and nail, resisting the Yuan army's assault with arrows, rocks, and boiling oil.

As the battle intensified, Cao Cao's casualties mounted. Cai Yang and Wei Yan moved across the city walls, boosting morale and engaging Yuan's troops in close combat. However, facing the overwhelming Yuan forces, they gradually became overwhelmed.

Yuan Shao, perched atop his majestic horse, gazed from afar at the crumbling walls of Chenliu, a smug smile playing on his face. He knew that with only a short while, this fortified city would fall into his hands. Chenliu, already riddled with holes after days of siege, was a formidable fortress. Though Cao Cao's resistance was tenacious, it was gradually weakening under Yuan's relentless onslaught.