Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After Cao Cao and Yu Jin divided their forces, they each led their own troops to garrison Chen and Liang. In Chen, Cao Cao instructed his soldiers to quickly familiarize themselves with the terrain, strengthen the city's defenses, and stockpile food and fodder, preparing for a long-term defense. In Liang, Yu Jin and Li Dian were equally vigilant, urging their soldiers to patrol day and night and build fortifications.

However, as the days passed, Yuan Shao's army seemed to have vanished without a trace. Chen's scouts went out daily to gather information, but never found any trace of Yuan Shao's army. This unnatural calm made Cao Cao increasingly uneasy.

"What on earth is Yuan Shao planning?" Cao Cao paced back and forth in the tent, his brow furrowed, his mind filled with confusion. Guo Jia, Xun You, and the others also sat together, their faces solemn, trying to discern Yuan Shao's intentions from this strange silence.

Guo Jia stroked his beard and said thoughtfully, "My lord, Yuan Shao has always acted cautiously. His sudden disappearance this time may indicate a greater conspiracy. Perhaps he is secretly mobilizing his troops, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to us."

Xun You nodded in agreement, "Feng Xiao is absolutely right. Yuan Shao hasn't attacked Chen and Liang, and he's nowhere to be seen. He's probably waiting for the perfect opportunity, or perhaps planning a larger-scale campaign. We must not let our guard down. We must heighten our vigilance and keep a close eye on the surrounding areas."

Cao Cao nodded slightly and said, "Pass on my orders. All troops are to remain vigilant and not slack off in the slightest. Scouts should expand their reconnaissance area and make sure to locate Yuan Shao's army. Also, maintain close contact with the State of Liang and exchange information. Report any signs of trouble immediately."

Meanwhile, in the Liang camp, Yu Jin and Li Dian also noticed something was amiss. Yu Jin said to Li Dian, "Mancheng, Yuan Shao hasn't shown up yet, and I have a bad feeling about this. We must be extra careful and not let him take advantage of us."

Li Dian responded with a serious expression, "Don't worry, Brother Wen Ze. I have arranged for soldiers to strengthen patrols and set up multiple secret sentries around the area. If Yuan Shao's army makes any movement, we will be the first to know. I just don't know what the situation is like on the Lord's side..."

Yu Jin frowned slightly and said, "My lord, you have the assistance of two military advisors, Guo Jia and Xun You. They must have noticed something unusual. We only need to hold on to Liang State and help relieve my lord's worries."

In this tense and depressing atmosphere, Cao Cao and Yu Jin's troops were on high alert, waiting for Yuan Shao's next move.

After parting ways with Cao Cao, Cao Ang and Ma Yunlu rode as fast as they could to Qingzhou to borrow troops. They endured hardships along the way, passing through Jiyin and Shanyang counties, and after more than ten days, they finally arrived at Taishan County.

Upon entering Taishan County, Cao Ang was greeted by a desolate, post-war scene. The civilians looked distraught, the soldiers hurried, and the air was filled with tension. Cao Ang sensed something was amiss and immediately rode away in search of Zang Ba, the governor of Taishan County.

Finally, Cao Ang met Zang Ba in front of the prefectural governor's mansion. Zang Ba looked haggard and exhausted, and was discussing defense with his subordinates. After the two met, Cao Ang hurriedly asked, "General Zang, what is the situation now?"

Zang Ba sighed deeply, his face showing worry as he spoke, "Since the beginning of the New Year, we've seen Zhang He and Gao Lan leading large armies from Qingzhou attacking from both sides. Our Taishan Commandery has limited manpower, so we can only hold on with great difficulty. Now, our position is in imminent danger."

Cao Ang's heart sank upon hearing this. He analyzed the situation carefully and thought, "So, does that mean that all of Qingzhou has been taken by Yuan Shao? Otherwise, how could Zhang He and Gao Lan have such a large force to launch such a fierce attack on Taishan County?"

Ma Yunlu frowned slightly and said, "If Qingzhou really falls, then our plan to go to Qingzhou to borrow troops will be in vain, and the situation is becoming increasingly unfavorable to us."

Cao Ang pondered for a moment and said, "Now that things have come to this, we cannot panic. General Zang, I wonder how many troops Taishan County can still spare?"

Zang Ba looked troubled and said, "To be honest, there are only a few soldiers left in Taishan County who can fight. We also have to guard against another attack by Zhang He and Gao Lan. I'm afraid it will be difficult to spare troops to help."

Cao Ang knew that what Zang Ba said was true. Taishan County was in danger and could not provide support. However, he was unwilling to give up and pondered a countermeasure.

"If we can't borrow troops from Taishan County, then we need to find another way. The most urgent task is to find out the real situation in Qingzhou and see if there is any hope of turning around." Cao Ang said with a firm look.

Ma Yunlu nodded in agreement and said, "I will make arrangements right away and go find out the news about Qingzhou."

Cao Ang turned to Zang Ba and said, "General Zang, the situation is critical right now. We are willing to lend a hand to Taishan County and jointly resist Yuan Shao's army. We will make further plans after the situation stabilizes."

Zang Ba looked at Cao Ang gratefully and said, "Young Master Cao is kind and righteous. With your help, Taishan County will surely be able to hold out longer. However, I'm afraid this will implicate you."

Cao Ang smiled faintly and said, "General Zang, you're welcome. We're all in this together, so we should support each other. Let's discuss our strategy for repelling the enemy. We must let Zhang He and Gao Lan know that we are not to be trifled with."

Within just two days, the scouts Ma Yunlu had sent out to gather information returned one after another. The news they brought was like a hammer, hammering down on everyone's hearts—Qingzhou had now completely fallen into Yuan Shao's hands. This news exacerbated the already dire situation.

While everyone was worried by this news, the war was imminent. Zhang He seemed to have sensed the arrival of reinforcements from Taishan County and launched another fierce attack. In this critical moment, Ma Yunlu and Cao Ang assisted Zang Ba and quickly organized a defense.

On the battlefield, the cries of battle resounded. Zhang He's army surged forward like a tide, their morale high. Zang Ba led the charge, longsword in hand, battling the enemy generals in the battlefront. Cao Ang commanded his men, methodically responding to the enemy's attacks. He keenly observed the battlefield situation and constantly adjusted his defensive strategy.

Ma Yunlu was even more capable than any other man. Under her leadership, the Xiliang cavalry was like a sharp blade, piercing into the enemy formation and disrupting the offensive rhythm of Zhang He's army.

The battle raged from early morning until late afternoon. Despite Zhang He's superior numbers, he was unable to break through the Taishan County defenses due to the combined resistance of Cao Ang, Ma Yunlu, and Zang Ba. Gradually, Zhang He's offensive weakened, and morale suffered. Seeing no way to victory, Zhang He reluctantly ordered a retreat.

Watching Zhang He's retreating army, the Taishan County soldiers were truly stunned. But Cao Ang, Ma Yunlu, Zang Ba, and the others remained vigilant. They knew that even though Zhang He had retreated, he would surely return. With Qingzhou already lost, their situation was even more difficult. They needed to devise a strategy quickly, or Taishan County would be hard-pressed to hold out.

Cao Ang and Zang Ba analyzed the current situation with serious expressions. Cao Ang said, "General Zang, I think we can't hold Taishan County. When we arrived, we discovered Yuan Shao's presence in Jiyin County. Now that Qingzhou has fallen, Yanzhou will probably be difficult to hold."

Zang Ba nodded in agreement, turned to look at Cao Ang, and asked, "Master Cao, what are your plans?"

Cao Ang sighed, then said helplessly yet firmly, "Since we can't hold it, let's retreat. We'll trade horizontal expansion for vertical expansion, time for space, and go join up with Father's army. With enemies to the north and west, Taishan County is isolated and helpless. Continuing to hold on will only lead to more casualties."

Ma Yunlu pondered for a moment and then said, "Zixiu's words make sense, but retreating won't be easy. Zhang He and Gao Lan will certainly be on guard. We need to proceed with caution and develop a thorough plan to ensure a safe escape."

Cao Ang nodded in agreement and said, "Yun Lu is right. Let's gather all the generals and discuss the route and timing of our breakout. We should try to break through where the enemy's defenses are weak, and we should also arrange for a rearguard to prevent the enemy from pursuing us."

Afterwards, Cao Ang, Ma Yunlu, Cao Hong, and Zang Ba quickly summoned the generals of Taishan Commandery for an emergency meeting in the prefectural governor's mansion. Gathered around a map, they carefully discussed a plan for a breakout.

Cao Hong pointed at the map and said, "Look, everyone! This is the west side of Taishan County. The terrain is quite rugged, and the enemy's defenses may be relatively weak. We can break out from here, then follow this path towards the State of Chen and reunite with the lord's army."

Sun Guan, a general under Zang Ba's command, raised a question: "General Cao, while the small path is less visible to the enemy, it is narrow and will likely slow our march. Furthermore, if the enemy sets an ambush, we will be in trouble."

Ma Yunlu pondered for a moment and said, "We can first send out a small force to pretend to break out from the east to draw the enemy's attention. Then the main force will take the opportunity to break out from the western path. At the same time, we can arrange elite cavalry to cover the rear. If the enemy pursues, we can strike them head-on to buy time for the main force."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Cao Ang said, "This is a very good plan. But when we act, we must maintain close coordination and not panic. Let's make preparations first and begin the operation tonight."

Night fell quietly, and a hushed tranquility enveloped Taishan County. Yet beneath this stillness lay hidden tension and crisis. Cao Ang, Ma Yunlu, Cao Hong, and Zang Ba, following their plan, dispatched a small force to feign a breakout from the east. This force, deliberately creating a commotion with drums and gongs and torches ablaze, charged toward the eastern enemy lines.

Inside Zhang He's camp, a spy hurriedly reported, "General, the enemy has broken through from the east side of Taishan County!" Zhang He heard this, his lips curled up slightly in a sneer. "Hmph, just as I expected. Cao Ang and his men are trying to break out at night. Pass on my orders. Feign defeat on the eastern side, let them out, and then immediately close in. Strengthen security on the western side to prevent them from making a feint to the east and attacking from the west."

Meanwhile, Cao Ang led his main force quietly toward the western path. Along the way, the soldiers held their breath and advanced cautiously. Just as they neared the exit of the path, shouts of killing erupted from all sides. Zhang He had already set an ambush. Countless torches instantly lit up, illuminating the surroundings like daylight. Zhang He appeared on his majestic horse, laughing loudly, "Cao Ang, you can't escape today!"

Cao Ang thought to himself that Zhang He had seen through their plan. But he quickly calmed down, drew his sword, and shouted, "Soldiers, do not panic! Even if we die today, we must fight our way out!" Ma Yunlu and Zang Ba also drew their swords, ready to fight the enemy to the death.