Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Soon after Tao Ying arrived with his army, a large banner bearing the inscription "Tao" flew high above the county wall of Wucheng. Ma Chao, hidden high atop a distant mountaintop, observed closely. He saw densely packed tents beneath the city walls, and a rough estimate of at least 50,000 soldiers and horses was enough to startle him, even for a seasoned warrior.

Before Ma Chao could recover from his shock, a day or two later, he heard another commotion from Wucheng County. Ma Chao once again ascended to a height to survey the area, only to see a large banner with the Chinese character "王" (king) hoisted atop the city walls. He peered closely, observing the layers of tents piled high and soldiers bustling about. He secretly estimated that, besides the original county garrison, the tiny Wucheng County now contained at least 70,000 troops.

Ma Chao was extremely anxious and hurried back to the tent to discuss countermeasures with Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu stroked his chin and paced back and forth in the tent, his brows knitted into the shape of the Chinese character "川".

Ma Chao, his face filled with worry, was the first to break the silence. "Gongjin, the enemy has the upper hand and is wary of us. Furthermore, Cao Bao's men are lurking behind us. If he, Tao Ying, and Wang Lang attack us from both sides, we're in great danger."

Zhou Yu paused, his expression grave, and said, "Brother, you are absolutely right. The situation is extremely unfavorable to us now. If we attack head-on, we are outnumbered and our chances of success are slim. If we divide our forces to resist, we may lose both."

Ma Chao slammed his fist on the table and said in frustration, "Are we just going to sit there and wait for death?"

Zhou Yu pondered for a moment and sighed helplessly, "If there's really no other option, we can only retreat first, conserve our strength, and make long-term plans. A rash attack will only result in more casualties."

Ma Chao frowned, his heart filled with resentment, but he also knew that Zhou Yu's words made sense. A momentary silence fell between the two of them. The atmosphere in the tent was oppressive and suffocating. The pressure of the battle hung heavy on their hearts, and they didn't know how to break the impasse.

The two men were furrowing their brows, racking their brains for a strategy to defeat the enemy, yet still lacking any clues. Just then, a messenger hastily dispatched by Sun Ce arrived, requesting a meeting. The messenger, looking slightly exhausted from his long journey, hurriedly presented Sun Ce's letter. Zhou Yu and Ma Chao quickly took it and, after a quick glance, learned that Sun Ce had accepted Wang Lang's invitation and had successfully occupied Gu County.

Zhou Yu and Ma Chao didn't dare delay and quickly unfolded the map to examine it. They saw that Gujun County was located behind Wucheng County, with difficult terrain. If a garrison was stationed there, it would be like strangling a vital point. The two were stunned for a moment, then exchanged a glance, secretly delighted at Wang Lang's seemingly foolish decision.

Ma Chao pointed at the map and said, "Gongjin, what do you think Wang Lang meant by this? He actually allowed Bo Fu to be stationed in such a crucial location."

Zhou Yu stroked his chin and, after a moment's thought, said, "Brother, in my opinion, Wang Lang's agreement to allow Bofu to station in Guzhang County, even going so far as to cede the area, is simply because he wants Bofu to help him fight Tao Ying in the future. Wang Lang knows he's outnumbered and wants to use Bofu's power to counterbalance the Xuzhou army."

Ma Chao suddenly understood and nodded, saying, "It seems that Wang Lang and the Xuzhou army are not united. They each have their own agenda. This gives us a chance."

Zhou Yu's lips curled up, revealing a hint of confidence. "Indeed, there are gaps within the enemy ranks, which is an opportunity for us to exploit. Next, we must carefully plan how to use this to turn the tide of the battle."

Zhou Yu's brow furrowed, his right hand subconsciously supporting his chin. He stared intently at the map spread out on the table, lost in thought for a long moment. After a long pause, he slowly raised his head, glanced at Ma Chao, and said, "Brother, I have an idea. The enemy forces in Wucheng County are advancing aggressively, and we are unable to stop them head-on. Therefore, we shall proceed as planned, but we will have to make some minor adjustments."

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao's eyes flashed with anticipation, and he said eagerly, "Brother, if you have any brilliant ideas, please feel free to tell me. Don't hesitate."

Zhou Yu cleared his throat and began to speak clearly, "For now, we'll leave you alone here to hold the fort. When the Xuzhou army from Wucheng County arrives to attack, you'll feign defeat and retreat deep into the mountains and forests. The Shanyue brothers are familiar with this forest, and with them leading the way, the complex terrain will naturally present no challenge to you. Simply set up camp within the mountains and forests. With the Shanyue's strength and the forest's natural barrier, the Xuzhou army won't be able to defeat you. This way, the Xuzhou army will inevitably head for Yong'an County to link up with Cao Bao. Meanwhile, I've already returned with my navy and successfully reunited with General Shamoke and the others. You, brother, will simply remain stationed in the mountains and forests while I, on the front lines, consider a retreat strategy. Since they are plagued by internal dissension and lack unity, we'll adopt a divide-and-conquer strategy."

Ma Chao's face was filled with worry, his brows knitted tightly into the shape of a river. Anxiety surged within him like a tidal wave, difficult to calm. He stepped forward, his tone filled with urgency, and asked, "Gongjin, the situation with Shamoke and Gan Ning is truly worrying. As you know, Bofu has taken another ten thousand troops from them. I'm worried they're understrength and won't be able to hold their ground on the battlefield. What should we do? If anything goes wrong, our entire plan will be thrown into disarray."

Zhou Yu remained calm, a confident and composed smile plastered on his face. He raised his hand unhurriedly, waved it lightly, and reassured him in a gentle yet firm tone, "Brother, you truly need not worry so much. Look, I've already made arrangements to return with my troops to provide support. With my reinforcements, their pressure will surely be greatly alleviated. Furthermore, Bofu's troops are not standing idly by either; they too are playing a crucial role. Xu Gong's territory has been completely cleared, and Bofu's troops are currently marching from Wujun to Linshui County to support the front lines. While we do not hold an absolute advantage in terms of overall troop strength, we are no less powerful than the Xuzhou army. They have their own plans, and we have our own countermeasures, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Brother, rest assured and do not worry about this matter any longer."

After hearing these words, Ma Chao's expression gradually softened, and his tense body relaxed a little. He nodded seriously and said, "Alright! Since Gongjin has thought it through and planned so carefully, let's proceed according to your plan. To be honest, when it comes to charging into battle with real weapons, engaging the enemy head-on in fierce decisive battles, and beheading generals and seizing flags, I admit that I am better than you in terms of bravery. However, when it comes to planning strategies in the camp, commanding large-scale battles, precisely deploying troops, and controlling the overall situation, Gongjin, your abilities are truly superior to mine. I admire you from the bottom of my heart and am sincerely convinced of this. In future battle arrangements, I will obey you and will absolutely cooperate with you!"

Zhou Yu smiled modestly, a faint blush spreading across his face. He quickly waved his hand in response, "Brother, you are truly exaggerating! You are the leader of the generals; I am at most the commander-in-chief. Please stop praising me like this; it truly makes me feel ashamed."

The two brothers looked at each other, their eyes full of trust and tacit understanding, and then they laughed heartily. The laughter echoed in the tent for a long time, as if it was going to break through the small space, and also inadvertently dispelled some of the suffocating tense atmosphere before the battle.

With the grand plan in mind, the two men, fully aware of the crucial importance of swift action, dared not delay a moment. Darkness, as dark as ink, silently enveloped the land, providing perfect cover for the operation. Zhou Yu acted decisively, leading his exceptionally skilled navy. Under cover of darkness, they silently retraced their previous route, heading back to Shamoke's position. The fleet cut through the waves, the sound of oars slicing through the water muffled by the darkness, leaving only the subtle gurgling of the bows cutting through the water, a whisper of this clandestine operation.

Meanwhile, Ma Chao was completely absorbed in his battle preparations. Although his plan was to feign defeat, he knew this battle, too, was not to be taken lightly. He wanted this "defeat" to be convincing, both to intimidate the Xuzhou troops and dampen their morale while also ensuring their complete confidence. Ma Chao personally inspected the soldiers' weapons and equipment, ensuring every spear was sharp and every bow and crossbow was properly strung. He repeatedly instructed the soldiers on precautions for battle, his gaze radiating determination and composure, ensuring that even in a feigned retreat, they could not lose their morale or dignity. Thanks to Ma Chao's meticulous preparations, the entire camp was filled with the tension and solemnity characteristic of pre-battle warfare, as everyone awaited this "special encounter" with the Xuzhou troops.

At dawn, before the faint light of morning had completely dispelled the chill of the night, the gates of Wucheng County flew open. The Xuzhou army and Wang Lang's army filed out, over 70,000 soldiers and horses converging, their flags flying, their swords and spears gleaming. Led by Zang Ba and Sun Guan, they marched in a mighty procession towards the Shanyue camp.

Tao Ying and Wang Lang rode side by side in the center of the army. Using such a large force to crush the small Shanyue camp seemed like a piece of cake to them, and both men wore expressions of confidence.

Ma Chao, on his part, had already made preparations. Even before daybreak, he rose and arranged various matters. First, he ordered Mu Jin and Mu Yin to lead a group of soldiers, pack up their belongings, and take important supplies like food and fodder, and head into the mountains to find a suitable place to camp. This supply chain was crucial to the subsequent battle, and it was imperative that they not lose it.

Afterward, Ma Chao personally led the rest of the troops, forming a battle formation along the camp, ready for battle. Each soldier wore a solemn expression, weapons in hand, shields tightly linked, spears standing tall like a forest, as they quietly awaited the arrival of the Xuzhou army. Ma Chao, perched on horseback, his gaze fixed intently on the distance. His calm aura infected every soldier, ensuring they remained fearless despite facing a formidable foe, waiting only for the enemy's arrival to unfold a seemingly fierce "showdown."

Zang Ba and Sun Guan led the army forward. From a distance, they saw the army already drawn up in front of the Shanyue camp, the soldiers armed with weapons, ready for battle, clearly ready to engage them head-on.