Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Yi Ji sighed deeply and said, "I know what you said, sir. But I am loyal to you, and I have received great favors from Liu Jingzhou. I cannot betray you and seek honor. I hope you will understand."

Guan Yu couldn't help but shout, "Yi Ji, you are foolishly loyal! Liu Biao has lost the support of the people because of his perverse actions. Why are you still working for him?"

Huang Zhong shouted on the city wall: "General Guan, there is no point in saying more! If you want to fight, then fight. I, Huang Zhong, am here and will make sure you never come back!" After that, Huang Zhong turned around and ordered the soldiers to strengthen their vigilance and prepare to deal with the attack of Liu Bei's army.

Liu Bei was about to speak again, trying to persuade Yi Ji and Huang Zhong to change their minds by appealing to the greater good. However, before he could finish his words, a burst of shouting and fighting erupted from the top of the city wall, followed by a dense hail of arrows that rained down on them like locusts. Liu Bei, feeling uneasy, shouted, "Retreat!" and hurriedly rode back with Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, and the others.

Guan Yu was shocked and angry. He raised the Qinglong Yanyue Sword in his hand and shouted at the top of the city wall: "How dare a man shoot an arrow from behind?" The voice resounded through the sky, carrying endless anger.

Huang Zhong didn't reply. Instead, he secretly drew his bow and arrow, his movements smooth and seamless. The arrow shot out like a meteor, hurtling straight towards Guan Yu. Just as Guan Yu was raging, he suddenly felt a gust of wind overhead, and with a whoosh, the arrow landed precisely on Guan Yu's helmet tassel.

This sudden arrow made Guan Yu's soul tremble in fear, and his heart suddenly tightened. Seeing this, Liu Bei was extremely anxious and shouted loudly: "Second brother, come back quickly!"

Huang Zhong stood on the city wall and said loudly: "I will use a little trick today to let you know how good of an archer I am! Go back quickly, don't die in vain and add to the casualties!" His voice was steady and powerful, echoing in the night sky.

Guan Yu, still frightened but still seething with rage, pulled the reins, ready to charge forward. Liu Bei quickly rode his horse to Guan Yu's side, reached out and stopped him, saying, "Brother, don't be impulsive! Huang Zhong is a skilled archer, don't underestimate him. Let's return to camp and make plans."

Guan Yu gritted his teeth, glared at Huang Zhong on the city wall, and reluctantly returned to the camp with Liu Bei. Back in the tent, Guan Yu was still furious. He slammed his helmet on the table and said, "Brother, this old man Huang Zhong is too arrogant! I, Guan Yu, will not rest until I capture Wancheng and execute Huang Zhong!"

Liu Bei frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Huang Zhong is indeed formidable, and Wancheng's defenses are strong; we cannot attack it by force. Military Advisor, do you have any good plans?"

Pang Tong stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Huang Zhong's archery skills are amazing. A head-on confrontation would likely result in heavy casualties. We can send out a feint attack to distract him, then look for an opportunity to break through from another direction. At the same time, we can send out troops to cut off Wancheng's food and fodder supplies. Once his army is demoralized, we can then attack the city in one fell swoop."

After hearing this, Liu Bei nodded and said, "Military Advisor, you are absolutely right. Let's act accordingly. Pass the order down, and have the soldiers of each camp prepare accordingly. We must capture Wancheng."

In the next two days, Liu Bei's army took action according to Pang Tong's strategy.

On the first day, Zhao Yun led 3,000 elite soldiers in a feint attack on the city walls, shouting and provoking Huang Zhong from below, hoping to provoke him into action. Huang Zhong, standing on the wall, remained unmoved, commanding his archers to fire relentlessly. Despite his valor, Zhao Yun could only temporarily avoid the hail of arrows, unable to approach the city gates. Meanwhile, Guan Yu led a squadron of light cavalry around Wancheng, seeking a gap, but found the rear equally heavily guarded, making a breakthrough difficult. Liu Bei's army's initial operation proved fruitless.

The next day, Guan Yu personally led a group of assassins and, under cover of darkness, approached the city gates, intending a surprise attack. However, Huang Zhong was well prepared. Fires blazed from the city walls, and the sound of clappers and cries of killing filled the air. Guan Yu's troops, exposed, were immediately on the defensive and forced to fight and retreat. Zhao Yun's planned operation to cut off Wancheng's grain supply also encountered obstacles. Yi Ji, anticipating Liu Bei's army's potential disruption, had dispatched additional troops to escort the grain. Zhao Yun engaged him but failed to successfully intercept the supply.

For two consecutive days, Liu Bei's army hadn't achieved any success, and morale was inevitably low. Inside the tent, the atmosphere was heavy. Liu Bei frowned, looking at his generals, and said, "Huang Zhong and Yi Ji are defending tightly, and our repeated actions have been ineffective. Do you have any good plans?"

At that moment, there was a commotion outside the tent. Wen Pin, covered in dust, strode into the tent with great strides, knelt on one knee, and excitedly reported, "My lord, great joy! I have successfully captured She County and come to report!"

Liu Bei was startled at first, but then his face lit up with joy. He hurried forward to help Wen Pin up, his eyes filled with satisfaction and admiration. He encouraged him, "General Wen has truly lived up to expectations! She County is strategically important. Your actions have made a great contribution to our army. It is truly a blessing for our army and the Han Dynasty! I hope the general will continue to work hard."

Wen Pin stood up, clasped his fists, and said, "Thank you for your trust, my lord. I will spare no effort to serve you."

Liu Bei suppressed his anxiety caused by the long siege of Wancheng and thought about the changes in the situation after Wen Pin took over She County.

For the next few days, the two sides did not engage in battle. Liu Bei's army remained inactive, partly to rest and recuperate, and partly to await Pang Tong's plan for a new attack on the city. Standing outside his tent, Pang Tong gazed at the fiercely defended walls of Wancheng, lost in thought.

On the city wall, Huang Zhong and Yi Ji also did not dare to slack off. They knew that Liu Bei's army would not give up easily, and they were always vigilant of the enemy's every move.

Pang Tong recalled the battle situation of the past few days and thought that perhaps he could make some changes to the terrain around Wancheng and the enemy's supplies.

That evening, Zhang Fei swept through Ye County with unstoppable force, and then hurried to join the main army. Along the way, Zhang Fei was filled with joy, thinking that this great achievement would surely please his elder brother Liu Bei and contribute to the great cause of restoring the Han Dynasty.

Zhang Fei excitedly headed straight for the camp. However, upon entering the tent, he sensed an unusually solemn atmosphere. The tent, once vibrant with energy and fighting spirit, now seemed shrouded in a gloomy haze.

Zhang Fei looked closely and saw Liu Bei sitting quietly in the center of the tent, holding the young child in his arms, tears streaming down his cheeks. Startled, Zhang Fei took two quick steps and anxiously asked, "Brother! Brother! What's wrong?"

Guan Yu hurried forward, grabbed Zhang Fei, looked sad, and shook his head slightly, signaling Zhang Fei not to say anything more.

Zhang Fei then realized that the child was pale and lifeless. It turned out that the child's condition had worsened over the past two days, and he couldn't even eat. He sadly passed away that night.

Tears streamed from Liu Bei's eyes, but his gaze was somewhat unfocused, revealing an endless sense of bewilderment and grief. He wondered what he had persisted for, and what the future held. The road to restoring the Han Dynasty was already fraught with hardship, and now the untimely death of the late emperor's orphan seemed to have drained away his motivation.

A deathly silence fell within the tent, everyone lost in grief. After a long moment, Zhang Fei couldn't help but shout, "What kind of world is this? This innocent child has been murdered like this! Big Brother, we must make that old thief Liu Biao pay with blood!"

Although Guan Yu didn't cry out loud like Liu Bei, his eyes welled up. He clenched his fists and said through gritted teeth, "Brother, the deceased is gone. Please accept my condolences. We will not be human beings until this vengeance is avenged. Our most urgent task now is to rally our forces, devise a strategy to defeat the enemy, capture Wancheng, and then settle the score with Liu Biao."

Liu Bei slowly raised his head, his gaze gradually focused, a flicker of determination in his eyes. He gently put the child down, stood up, took a deep breath, and said, "Second and third brothers are right. I will avenge this! Pass the order down, all soldiers observe three days of silence for the child. After three days, attack Wancheng with all your might. We will not stop until Wancheng is captured!"

Everyone answered in unison: "Yes!" Although their voices were filled with sadness, they were more determined and resolute.

Determined to avenge their child's death, Liu Bei's army launched an unprecedented, fierce attack on Wancheng. War drums beat, cries of war shook the heavens, and the soldiers surged toward the walls of Wancheng like a tide.

Guan Yu, wielding his Azure Dragon Crescent Blade, led his death squad towards the city gates, sending enemy troops fleeing in retreat. Zhang Fei stood by, commanding his archers to rain down arrows on the towers, suppressing the enemy's firepower. Zhao Yun, atop a white horse, weaved through the enemy lines with unparalleled ease, his spear wielding like a dragon, repeatedly slashing down counterattacks from the walls. Wen Pin also led his own troops, bravely advancing alongside Liu Bei's forces. He knew this battle was not only about Liu Bei's cause, but also about proving his own loyalty.

Atop the city walls, Huang Zhong and Yi Ji dared not slack off. Though Huang Zhong was advanced in years, he was agile and unerring, his arrows hitting the target with precision, inflicting heavy casualties on the attacking Liu Bei's troops. Yi Ji, standing by, calmly and composedly directed his soldiers' defense, constantly adjusting his tactics to counter Liu Bei's wave after wave of attacks.

However, Liu Bei's offensive was too ferocious, and the pressure on the Wancheng defenders was growing. Huang Zhong watched Liu Bei's army attacking like mad tigers, and he felt a surge of worry. He turned to Yi Ji and said, "Mr. Yi, quickly request aid from Liu Jingzhou! You see, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun are all brave and skilled generals in Liu Bei's army, and now they have the fierce general Wen Pin. Their reckless attack is depleting our forces. If this continues, I'm afraid Wancheng will be undefendable."

Yi Ji nodded solemnly and said, "General Huang is absolutely right. I will send people to break out and seek help. However, the city is now heavily surrounded by Liu Bei's army, so breaking out may not be easy."

Huang Zhong gritted his teeth and said, "No matter how difficult it is, we must try! Select the best troops in the army and force a breakout while the enemy is changing their defenses. Be sure to deliver the letter of help to Liu Jingzhou."

Yi Ji didn't hesitate and immediately selected a team of elite soldiers, explaining the route and precautions for their breakout. As night fell, the soldiers, taking advantage of the cover of darkness, quietly slipped out of the city gates. Like ghosts, they moved around Liu Bei's camp. With their superb martial arts and extraordinary courage, they finally managed to break through Liu Bei's defenses and sped towards Jingzhou.

Meanwhile, in Wancheng, Liu Bei's army continued its offensive. Huang Zhong and Yi Ji led the defenders, rallying their spirits time and again, stubbornly repelling Liu Bei's attacks. The two sides were locked in a stalemate, with each attack and defense resulting in countless casualties, staining the walls and ground of Wancheng red with blood.