Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Zhou Yu stood in the tent, his expression stern and his gaze piercing, fixed on the military battlefield before him. He recalled that day, meticulously deploying his troops, setting a tight, tight net outside Yong'an City. War drums beat, cries of battle resonated through the air, and his soldiers, like tigers descending from the mountains, launched a fierce attack on Cao Bao's army. Blades flashed, blood stained the ground. Under his command, Cao's army quickly collapsed, their armor and armor abandoned, and they fled in all directions. This resounding victory completely shattered the will to fight, forcing them to flee in panic, utterly annihilated.

The glorious victory in this battle terrified Tao Ying and Wang Lang in Yong'an. Knowing Zhou Yu's strength, they closed the city gates and dared not venture out to fight again. The defenders in the city hung a banner of no fighting, and no matter how much provocation and insults were hurled from outside, they remained steadfast.

Zhou Yu, despite commanding the Shanyue forces, faced a daunting challenge. The Shanyue soldiers, skilled at fighting in the mountains and forests, were less suited to the arduous task of siege. They attempted multiple assaults, but were repelled each time by the defenders' sturdy walls and ample defensive equipment, resulting in heavy losses.

Although Yong'an City's defending generals had been replaced, its military strength remained intact and had actually grown. Zhou Yu gazed at the towering city walls in the distance, filled with worry. He knew that if he couldn't quickly devise a strategy to breach the city, the army would be trapped, unable to advance further. Depleted supplies and low morale would be the straw that broke the camel's back.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Zhou Yu fell into deep thought. He paced the tent, his brow furrowed, his voice muttering to himself, trying to find a glimmer of inspiration within his chaotic thoughts. He knew this battle hinged not only on the success of the entire military operation but also on his own reputation and ambitions. He must give his all and find the key to victory.

In the past, Zhou Yu's respect stemmed in part from his sworn brotherhood with Ma Chao and Sun Ce. Ma Chao, the young lord of Xiliang, commanded the vast power of Xiliang, boasting a powerful army and commanding awe. Sun Ce, on the other hand, rose to prominence in Kuaiji County. With exceptional courage and strategic strategy, he conquered the entire region and even half of Wu County. With a vast army under his command, he had become a powerful vassal. Despite Zhou Yu's sworn brotherhood with them, their initial respect for him was simply out of respect for his status and background, far from genuine admiration.

However, as battle after battle unfolded, Zhou Yu demonstrated his astonishing military prowess on the battlefield. Seated in his tent, he calmly deployed his troops, his gaze piercing, as if he could discern the enemy's every move. Facing Cao Bao's 20,000 elite Danyang troops and Wang Lang's 20,000 county troops, he effortlessly anticipated every move. On the battlefield, his command flowed seamlessly, his men coordinated with each other, and with the valor and fearlessness of a tiger descending from the mountains, he easily annihilated the enemy forces with overwhelming force. These resounding victories transformed public opinion of Zhou Yu.

Now, Zhou Yu paced deep in thought within the military tent. A hushed silence fell throughout the camp, and no one dared to utter a word. Even the Shanyue leader, Shamoke, once so powerful within his own Shanyue camp, now willingly took a subordinate position, obediently following Zhou Yu's orders. Knowing Zhou Yu's formidable strength, he dared not even raise a voice, fearing to disturb him. Everyone waited in silence, waiting for Zhou Yu to devise a strategy to break the impasse and lead them to their next victory.

Zhou Yu was lost in thought when a sudden commotion erupted outside the tent. Then, a dusty messenger entered the tent. Covered in dust and ragged, he evidently had come a long way. This messenger, a member of Ma Chao's army, had finally reached Zhou Yu's tent after traversing mountains and rivers, enduring countless hardships.

The messenger presented a letter with both hands, saying respectfully, "General Zhou, an urgent message is here." Zhou Yu quickly took it and eagerly read. In it, Ma Chao detailed his annihilation of Cao Bao's main force. The decisive battle between Ma Chao and Cao Bao was incredibly fierce, with the flashing of swords and the deafening shouts of killing. Relying on his exceptional military prowess and the valor of the Western Liang cavalry, Ma Chao had routed Cao Bao's forces, nearly annihilating them. Only a handful of men risked their lives to escort Cao Bao back to Wucheng County.

In the letter, Ma Chao also shared his next plan. He had successfully disguised himself as Cao Bao's Danyang troops, stationed within Yong'an and Wucheng County. He planned to use them as a surprise attack force to cooperate with Cao Bao from within and without. When the time was right, he would make further plans based on the battlefield situation, jointly attacking Yong'an City and completely clearing the way forward.

Zhou Yu took the letter and perused it carefully, his brow furrowed as he pondered what possible solutions Ma Chao's move might offer him. Everyone in the tent held their breath, watching Zhou Yu in silence. Only Shamoke could hold back, speaking first: "Brother Zhou, what military report did my brother-in-law send?"

Zhou Yu, as if coming to his senses, said, "Oh, everyone, my brother has completely annihilated Cao Bao's elite Danyang troops outside Yong'an City." As soon as these words came out, everyone erupted in cheers. "Cao Bao had a lucky escape that day, but today he still can't escape annihilation!" everyone commented.

Seeing the heated atmosphere, Gan Ning asked, "General Zhou, what should we do next? We've launched repeated attacks on the city, but Tao Ying and Wang Lang are like cowards, stubbornly defending Yong'an and refusing to leave. We've been besieging the city for days, but to no avail." Ma Chao chimed in, "Exactly. Only if we get them to send our troops out will we have a chance of a complete victory. Otherwise, with so many troops in the city, it's unlikely we'll be able to capture Yong'an if we just waste time."

Zhou Yu paced back and forth in his tent again, pondering his ideas. Suddenly, a thought flashed in his eyes, and he said, "Since they are willing to be trapped in an isolated city, we will give them the appearance of being trapped in an isolated city." Everyone looked at each other, unable to guess what Zhou Yu's plan was. However, seeing Zhou Yu's confident look, they all looked forward to the upcoming new battle.

Zhou Yu dismissed the messenger and told him to go and rest, saying he would have a letter for Ma Chao shortly. As soon as the messenger left, Zhou Yu immediately bent over his desk and wrote a reply to Ma Chao.

In the letter, Zhou Yu detailed his plan. He instructed Ma Chao to split his troops into two groups. One group would continue to disguise themselves as elite Danyang soldiers, impersonating Cao Bao and remaining stationed. This would confuse Tao Ying and Wang Lang in the city, making them believe Cao Bao's troops were still defending the city and afraid to leave. The other group would disguise themselves as Shanyue troops and specifically attack the supply routes used by Wang Lang and Tao Ying to transport grain and fodder to Yong'an City. They would disperse the soldiers transporting grain and fodder, burn the baggage, and sever their supply lines, plunging Yong'an into a complete food shortage.

Zhou Yu knew that while Yong'an City was impregnable, it housed a massive army, numerous men and horses, and its daily food and fodder consumption was astronomical. If the food and fodder ran out, the city would inevitably panic. Even if Tao Ying and Wang Lang were desperate, they would be forced to leave the city to seek survival.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yu was also busy. He ordered his battalions to continue their fierce siege of Yong'an City. The sound of drums and shouts was incessant, and ladders, catapults, and other siege equipment were deployed in succession, keeping the defenders in a state of high tension. On the surface, this was a stagnant and fruitless siege, but in reality, every step Zhou Yu took was laying the groundwork for the final assault.

The atmosphere in Yong'an was so oppressive it felt as if water could be squeezed out of it. Tao Ying and Wang Lang stood on the city wall, gazing at the dense enemy forces outside, their brows furrowed in worry. Ever since Zhou Yu's army approached, they knew they were outmatched and therefore dared not send out a force rashly. They could only hunker down within the city, relying on the sturdy walls to fight a desperate battle.

However, the Shanyue soldiers' siege momentum was like a surging tide, wave after wave, without a break. Every day at dawn, the passionate sound of war drums would boom, jarring the ears, followed by the thunderous shouts of the Shanyue soldiers, wave after wave of which assaulted the psychological defenses of the city's defenders.

To resist the siege, rolling stones and barbed wire rained down from the city walls, and arrows swarmed like locusts. Each encounter was a thrilling life-or-death struggle, with both sides fighting fiercely and the ground beneath the walls stained red with blood. Such intense defenses rapidly depleted the city's supplies, especially food and fodder, which dwindled at an alarming rate.

Time slipped quietly in a state of tension and anxiety. Ten days had passed, the day originally designated for the grain delivery. Tao Ying and Wang Lang climbed the city walls early, their eyes fixed on the distant road, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the familiar figures of the grain delivery team. But from dawn to dusk, the road remained empty, nothing but billowing dust.

As Ma Chao's actions unfolded, Yong'an City's grain transports came under frequent attack, resulting in heavy losses. The defenders began to sense something was amiss, and morale began to wane. Meanwhile, Zhou Yu's siege troops, though repeatedly repelled, refused to give up, placing immense pressure on the defenders with each attack.

Tao Ying paced back and forth in the mansion, his brows twisted into a knot. He turned to look at Wang Lang, his voice full of anxiety: "If the food and grass don't arrive, the soldiers and civilians in the city may not be able to hold out for long. Once the morale of the army is in chaos, how can the city be defended?" Wang Lang was also anxious, but he pretended to be calm and said comfortingly: "Maybe it's just a delay on the way. Let's wait and see." Having said that, he knew in his heart that if the food and grass didn't move, the situation would be precarious.

As the two were talking, a soldier hurried in with a panicked look, "Report! The attacks of the Shanyue bandits outside the city are getting more and more fierce. The defensive equipment of the South Gate has been severely damaged. Two catapults are broken, and we are running out of arrows!" Tao Ying's face turned pale in an instant, and he shouted at the soldiers, "Keep holding on, no matter what means, hold on!" The soldiers took the order and hurriedly retreated.

Wang Lang sighed deeply. "If this continues, it's only a matter of time before the city's supplies run out. We can't just sit there and wait for death." Tao Ying gritted his teeth. "But if we rashly leave the city, we'll play into the enemy's hands. The Shanyue are clearly under the guidance of experts and are very cunning. Who knows how many traps they've set for us."