Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Another siege ended in failure. Ma Chao, unable to bear the loss of his own soldiers, ordered the gong to be struck, signaling a retreat. Shamoke and Gan Ning, still furious, returned to their tents.

As soon as Gan Ning entered the tent, he slammed his helmet to the ground, put his hands on his hips, and cursed angrily, "These damn Danyang soldiers are like a solid wall of steel, so hard to deal with! They've repelled our attacks time and time again, and my brothers have suffered heavy casualties!"

Shamoke was furious. He kicked over the stool beside him and shouted, "That bastard Cao Bao, all he knows is to hide in the city like a turtle! Our brothers fought hard to rush up, but they hid behind the city wall and shot arrows and threw stones. So many of our brothers were killed or injured. It's really frustrating!"

Their angry words were filled with hatred for the Danyang soldiers, mingled with deep regret for the fallen. Thinking of their brothers who had fought shoulder to shoulder, charging into the front, now buried in this very land, their hearts clenched like a knife. The atmosphere in the tent was oppressive and suffocating, with only the two men's angry curses, one after another, venting their resentment and anger.

Ma Chao sat at the head of the table, his expression solemn and full of concern. He raised his hand to signal the two men to calm down. "Calm down, you two. I understand how hard you feel. This battle has been incredibly difficult."

Gan Ning and Shamoke looked at Ma Chao with guilty consciences and said, "My lord, we are sorry for our behavior in the camp. We are just heartbroken for the dead and wounded."

Ma Chao nodded slightly, his eyes filled with empathy and regret. "So am I? Every fallen brother is dear to our hearts." He then looked at Zhou Yu and Sun Ce. Seeing this, Lu Su hurried forward and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I think we need to change our strategy. Continuing this aggressive attack will only result in increased casualties. The losses are simply too great."

Everyone was lost in thought. Silence reigned within the tent, the only sound being the crackling candlelight, as if even it was burning with anxiety over the difficult situation. Sun Ce's face was filled with fury. He slammed his hands on the table and abruptly stood up. "Hmph! A mere Yong'an County has repeatedly blocked my army's advance. If this proves unacceptable, I will mobilize all my troops and crush Yong'an to the ground, even with my bare hands! Otherwise, with Yong'an County standing in our way, how can we possibly fly over it?"

Ma Chao looked at the furious Sun Ce and shook his head with a wry smile. "Bofu, stop spouting nonsense. This isn't the time to act on impulse. Impulsiveness will only cause us greater losses."

At this moment, Zhou Yu's originally furrowed brow suddenly relaxed, his eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands excitedly: "Okay, second brother, you've hit the nail on the head! Since Yong'an County is blocking the road, let's just go around it."

Ma Chao's brow furrowed as he heard this, lost in thought. After a moment, he spoke slowly, "Gongjin, how easy is it to bypass Yong'an? Look at Yong'an County now. One side is close to the mountains, and the other side faces the river. The terrain is complex, and the roads are rugged and difficult to navigate. How can we easily bypass it? Even if we can send a small force through, if Wang Lang discovers us and attacks from behind, won't we be attacked from both Cao Bao and Wang Lang? By then, it will be completely hopeless."

Zhou Yu's eyes gleamed with confidence as he spoke eloquently: "Although the Yong'an County is surrounded by mountains on one side and faces water on the other, it seems difficult to pass through. We think so, and Cao Bao and Wang Lang must think so too. But can this stump us? As for water transportation, Gan Ning and his Jinfan Army are experts on water. In addition, the generals newly recruited by Bofu in Kuaiji County are also quite proficient in water. We can go down the river and go around to the back of Yong'an City. As for the obstruction of the mountains, it is a piece of cake for us." As he spoke, he looked at Shamoke.

Shamoke immediately understood what he meant. He patted his chest, stood up, and said in a loud voice, "Although this mountain road is difficult to travel, for us Shanyue people, it is as easy as walking on flat ground. Even if it is a cliff, we can climb over it as easily as monkeys!"

After hearing this, Ma Chao nodded in agreement and said, "Gongjin, go on." He was obviously attracted by Zhou Yu's plan.

Zhou Yu cleared his throat and continued, "Once both sides have bypassed Yong'an, we can launch a surprise attack on Wucheng County. Even if we can't capture Wucheng County right away, we can still cut off Wang Lang's supply to Yong'an County."

After hearing this, Lu Su's eyes suddenly brightened, as if the clouds had been cleared and the sun had appeared. He hurriedly said, "Right, right, right. This way, although there is a risk of being surrounded by Wang Lang and Cao Bao, on the other hand, wouldn't we also be attacking Yong'an County from two sides? As long as we continue the frontal attack and keep the pressure on, even if Cao Bao wants to join forces with Wang Lang to encircle and suppress the circling army, he won't be able to do so!"

Inside the tent, everyone sat in a circle, their eyes fixed on Ma Chao. He listened quietly to the group's plan, deeply moved by its ingenious layout. He closed his eyes, his mind racing through every detail of the plan, from the silent waterway to the arduous mountain trek to the confusing and demanding encounters on the front lines. Each link connected, seemingly risky, yet concealing boundless potential.

After a long moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of determination flashed across his eyes. He slammed the table hard and said loudly, "This is a brilliant plan! Let's do as you say and fight it out this time!"

With Ma Chao's approval, everyone's faces lit up with joy. Ma Chao immediately stood up and began to deploy his troops in an orderly manner. He looked at Sha Mo Ke, his eyes filled with trust and expectation: "Brother Sha, the important task of directly containing Yong'an is now on you. Select elite soldiers and wave flags and shout slogans in front of Yong'an City every day, feigning an attack. The louder the better. Make sure Cao Bao and the city's defenders focus all their attention on you. Never let them notice our intention to divide our forces."

Shamoko clasped his hands together and answered in a resounding voice, "Don't worry, brothers. I will go all out to ensure the mission is accomplished! Don't worry! I will lead my brothers to create enough momentum so that Cao Bao and the Yong'an defenders dare not take their eyes off me for a moment. They will definitely not discover our troop deployment plan!"

Ma Chao then turned his gaze towards the four Mu brothers and said solemnly, "Follow me and lead the Shanyue troops across the mountains and ridges. The terrain along this route is complex, with high mountains and dense forests. You must take advantage of your familiarity with the terrain and lead your brothers to carve out a secret passage and arrive at the designated location on time. Remember, the action must be stealthy and swift, and we must not alert the enemy. This mountain crossing is a difficult task, with high mountains and dangerous roads. It is entirely up to you to lead the Shanyue troops with me. You must be sure to quietly bypass Yong'an."

The four brothers of the Mu family accepted the order in unison, their eyes revealing determination and courage. They promised in unison: "We will definitely fulfill our mission!"

After arranging the troops for the mountain route, Ma Chao turned to Zhou Yu and said, "Gongjin, the water route is now yours. Lead the Jinfan troops and Bofu's newly recruited generals, and sail the warships down the river. The journey will be long, so you must stay concealed and be vigilant to any movements along the coast. Make sure you rendezvous with us in the rear on time."

Zhou Yu nodded slightly and said confidently: "Don't worry, brother, I will live up to your trust. I will lead the Jinfan tribe and the generals down the river. During the water journey, everyone must remain vigilant, not reveal your whereabouts, and meet up with brother at the designated location on time." Everyone obeyed the order.

Finally, Ma Chao instructed Gan Ning and Sun Ce, "Xingba, you remain where you are and deploy decoy troops to create the illusion that we are still fully engaged in the siege. Bofu, you lead your troops to disguise themselves as Shanyue people and guard the camp. Periodically, you will send out drills and shouts to confuse the enemy. You two must hold your posts firmly to buy enough time for our outflanking maneuver."

Hearing that he would have to stay put to attract Yong'an's attention, Gan Ning grinned, "I'm good at this! I'll just hang around here with my brothers, making the people in Yong'an think we're still attacking. They'll never dream that our main force has already circled behind them!"

Sun Ce also responded enthusiastically, saying, "I will lead my men to continue disguising ourselves as Shanyue people and guard the camp. I will let the sounds of drills and shouts emanate from the camp from time to time, so that they will believe that we have sufficient forces and will not dare to act rashly."

The plan was set, and no one dared to delay for even a moment. They quickly set off and headed for their respective tasks.

The next day, Shamoko and Gan Ning rallied, launching another fierce assault outside Yong'an. Shamoko, wielding a caltrop, charged at the forefront, shouting to boost morale. The soldiers roared in unison, their voices piercing their ears. Gan Ning maneuvered his men, pushing the siege engines forward. For a moment, the cacophony of shouts and the clash of weapons blended into a vibrant, bustling atmosphere, successfully drawing Cao Bao's full attention to the city walls. Standing atop the city wall, Cao Bao, gazing at the massive attack outside, was oblivious to the danger lurking within his own ranks. His mind was completely consumed by the battle at hand, preoccupied with the defense of Yong'an.

Meanwhile, Ma Chao led the Shanyue troops on a difficult journey across the mountains. The mountains were thick with impenetrable thorns, forming a natural barrier. The path was rugged and difficult to navigate, and the ground beneath their feet was soft and slippery, making a slip a threat. Relying on their familiarity with the terrain, the Shanyue soldiers, wielding long swords, carefully advanced, hacking at the thorns that blocked their path. Each step required immense effort, and their clothes were soaked with sweat, which was quickly dried by the cold mountain wind, leaving streaks of white sweat behind. Ma Chao, perched on his tall horse, remained vigilant to his surroundings. He remained oblivious to the swarms of mosquitoes biting his skin, his only concern being reaching his destination as quickly as possible.

Zhou Yu led his troops and newly recruited generals aboard warships, sailing down the river. The ships' progress, seemingly smooth, was fraught with danger. The long journey was punctuated by occasional thick fog, making visibility extremely low. The ships maintained communication only through the sound of gongs. The coast was rocky and treacherous, threatening a runaway ship with the slightest misstep. Zhou Yu, standing at the bow, closely monitored the situation along the shore. If he detected any suspicious signs, he would immediately order his ships to slow down and take cover. Inside, the soldiers remained on high alert, their nerves tense, not daring to relax even a moment.

The two teams split into two groups and, after many twists and turns, quietly advanced towards the rear of Yong'an. An operation that determined the direction of the war was being carried out in a tense and orderly manner.