Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Just as they were hesitating, another soldier arrived with a report: "Sir, unidentified cavalry have been spotted roaming outside the city, suspected of attempting to cut off our communications with the outside world." This completely unnerved the two men. Tao Ying slammed his fist on the table. "We can't wait any longer! We must send troops out of the city to investigate the food supply and call for reinforcements." Wang Lang pondered for a moment, then nodded. "At this point, this is the only option. I will select our best troops and leave the city at night."

As night fell, the city gate slowly opened a crack, and a small team quietly left the city, disappearing into the night. All of this was witnessed by the secret sentries arranged by Ma Chao outside the city. A greater confrontation was about to take place outside Yong'an City under the cover of night.

Ma Chao gazed at the scouts dispatched from Yong'an City, a subtle sneer playing on his face. He had not only seized a large amount of supplies, but had also already carefully planned the ensuing situation. He quickly changed his attire, disguising himself as a lieutenant from Danyang's elite troops, blending in with the crowd, quietly awaiting the arrival of the scouts.

Soon, Yong'an City's scouts arrived. The leading soldier, with a wary look on his face, shouted, "Are you General Cao Bao's men? Do you know where the food and fodder destined for the city is?" Ma Chao immediately stepped forward, his face tinged with indignation, and said in a deliberately raspy voice, "Oh! Forget it! Our General Cao Bao and Tao Ying are now mortal enemies!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding "Danyang Soldiers" also shared expressions of dissatisfaction. Ma Chao continued, "A few days ago, we happened to run into a group transporting grain to Yong'an City. The general, in a rage, intercepted the supplies! He also said that Tao Ying had acted so arrogantly before and didn't take us seriously at all. This time, we must teach him a lesson!" He stamped his foot in mock frustration, "Now, we're stuck here, not knowing what to do next. The orders from above change every day."

When the scout heard this, his face suddenly changed and he asked hurriedly: "Are you serious? Don't lie to me!" Ma Chao patted his chest and swore: "Why would I lie to you! The brothers in the camp all know about this. If you don't believe me, just ask!" The soldiers around him also echoed and complained about the conflict between Cao Bao and Tao Ying.

The scouts dared not linger and immediately rode back to the city to report. Ma Chao watched them depart, a flicker of pride in his eyes. He knew these words would cause a stir in Yong'an City. Tao Ying and Wang Lang were already anxious because their food supplies hadn't arrived, and now hearing that Cao Bao had deliberately intercepted them would surely throw them into a state of panic.

The scouts galloped back to Yong'an City, raising a cloud of dust as they rushed straight into the city lord's mansion. Seeing Tao Ying, he dismounted, knelt on one knee, and breathlessly reported, "General, something terrible has happened! Cao Bao has intercepted our food supplies outside the city and is even making wild claims, claiming he's a grudge against you and is doing this on purpose!"

Tao Ying, who had been feigning composure in his seat of honor, suddenly erupted in fury upon hearing this. He slammed the table, sending the teacups bouncing and spilling tea all over the table. "How dare Cao Bao, that bastard!" His face flushed crimson, veins bulged on his forehead, and his eyes burned with rage, as if he wanted to devour Cao Bao alive.

Wang Lang, standing by, sensed something fishy. Frowning slightly, he stepped forward and advised, "General, this matter may not be so simple. Although Cao Bao has a grudge against us, he is, after all, a general of Xuzhou. How could he rashly intercept our food supplies and publicize it so loudly? There may be some trickery involved. I urge you to reconsider."

However, Tao Ying, enraged, refused to listen to Wang Lang's advice. He flung his sleeves and said impatiently, "Why should I think twice? He only has a few thousand defeated soldiers left, most of them wounded. How could I be afraid of him? If I don't teach him a lesson today, he'll definitely come after me in the future!"

Although Wang Lang tried to persuade him again, Tao Ying had already made up his mind. He turned to Sun Guan, who was waiting nearby, and ordered, "Sun Guan, gather 8,000 soldiers and horses. Tomorrow, march out of the city and engage Cao Bao. Make sure you recapture the food and fodder, and completely defeat him. Teach this fool a lesson!"

Sun Guan accepted the order and was about to retreat when Zang Ba hurried forward, clasping his hands to stop him. "General, absolutely not! The Shanyue outside the city are threatening us. If we rashly send our troops out to fight Cao Bao, they might seize the opportunity to attack us, leaving us vulnerable from both sides. The consequences would be disastrous!"

But Tao Ying was so angry that he wouldn't listen to any advice. He glared at Zang Ba and said sternly, "Don't try to persuade me! I've made up my mind. If you try to stop me, don't blame me for military punishment!"

Helplessly, Zang Ba and Wang Lang could only watch Sun Guan take his orders and leave, their hearts filled with worry. They knew that Tao Ying's impulsive move might plunge Yong'an City into an irretrievable situation, and a greater crisis was quietly looming.

Ma Chao cleverly deceived the scouts. Even before he'd lost his impersonation of a lieutenant, he turned eagerly and ordered his guards, "Quick, pick the fastest horses and your most capable men. Make sure you rush to the forests and inform the Shanyue people!" The guards took command and dashed off to make arrangements. Ma Chao watched the guards' retreating backs, his brow furrowed, silently calculating the time, knowing every second was crucial.

Deep in the forest, the tranquil atmosphere was shattered by a sharp bird cry. The Shanyue tribe had been hunkered down here for days, their tents hidden among the dense foliage, practically impossible to spot unless approached closely. The four Mu brothers, acting as commanders, paced back and forth throughout the camp, constantly monitoring the outside world and awaiting Ma Chao's orders.

Finally, the swift horses sent by Ma Chao arrived at a gallop. The messenger dismounted, not even taking a breath, before presenting the secret letter to the four Mu brothers. They quickly unfolded the letter, their eyes flashing with a sharp glint as they scanned the handwriting. "Brothers, the time has come!" The eldest brother, Mu, spoke first, his voice deep but powerful.

Suddenly, the previously quiet mountain camp erupted in activity. Shanyue warriors filed out of their tents, expertly picking up their blades and meticulously examining every detail to ensure their weapons would be flawless in battle. Their faces were smeared with distinctive oil paint, a symbol of Shanyue warriors' battle, and the sunlight shone a new light of mystery and bravery. Second Brother Jin shouted, "Everyone, hurry up! We're going to show those Xuzhou soldiers the might of the Shanyue!" Everyone responded in unison, their voices echoing through the forest with a powerful aura.

Raised in the mountains and forests, these Shanyue tribes knew every winding path and every hidden valley like the back of their hands. They moved through the forests like nimble monkeys, their steps light and swift. Even the most complex terrain could not hinder their progress, and they arrived at the ambush site under the cover of night.

Sun Guan had already completed his troop count this morning and was just waiting for the city gates to open before setting off. Zang Ba watched Sun Guan about to leave the city, his uneasiness growing stronger. He stepped forward again, grabbed Sun Guan's reins, and said earnestly, "Sun Guan, this is incredibly strange. From what I know about Cao Bao, he wouldn't act so rashly. You must be extremely cautious on this trip. Verify the other party's identity carefully first. Don't be careless. Avoid any disputes if you can."

Sun Guan, already impatient from being repeatedly dissuaded, furrowed his brows, a flicker of anger in his eyes as he shouted, "Cao Bao disregarded our comrades and openly intercepted our army's rations. How can such behavior be easily forgiven? I will teach him a severe lesson and let him know the consequences of offending us!"

Zang Ba sighed helplessly and patiently continued his persuasion, "Sun Guan, I understand your anger, but the situation is complicated right now, so we shouldn't act rashly. If Cao Bao is truly momentarily confused, as long as he honestly hands over the food and fodder, we won't have to engage in a major war with him. After all, our primary enemy right now is the Shanyue outside the city."

Sun Guan listened, and although he didn't refute it, his face still showed an expression of unwillingness to give up. Zang Ba looked at Sun Guan like this and secretly groaned inwardly. He knew Sun Guan's hot temper very well, and he was afraid that if he met "Cao Bao's army" on the battlefield, a fight would be unavoidable.

Sun Guan rode a tall horse with a majestic presence to the camp of the "Danyang Elite Soldiers." His sharp eyes carefully examined everything before him. He saw that the soldiers in the camp were indeed wearing the uniforms of the Danyang Elite Soldiers, but the lieutenant standing in the front was someone he had never seen before.

At this moment, Zang Ba's instructions echoed in his mind. He suppressed his anger, rode forward, and shouted to the lieutenant disguised as Ma Chao, "Who are you? I am Sun Guan, a subordinate of General Tao Ying. I heard that you intercepted our army's food and fodder transported to Yong'an City. Is this true?"

Ma Chao, upon hearing Sun Guan's question, sneered in disdain and deliberately raised his voice, saying, "Yes, we intercepted them! You people of Yong'an City are usually so arrogant and don't take General Cao Bao seriously. Now we're just trying to teach you a lesson!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Guan's anger surged again, but he tried to control it and continued, "Food and fodder are the lifeblood of the army. Quickly have General Cao Bao come out to meet me. If he's willing to return the food and fodder, this matter will be over. Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude!"

Ma Chao, however, showed no fear. Instead, he took a few steps forward and challenged him, "General Cao Bao, how can you see him just because you want to? How dare you speak so arrogantly here? If you have the guts, charge into this camp and see if you can take the food and fodder!"

Sun Guan had a hot temper to begin with, and was provoked by Ma Chao's words. He could no longer suppress his anger and roared, "You are such a fool, I will let you know how powerful I am today!" After that, he waved his hand, and the 8,000 Xuzhou troops behind him immediately rushed towards the camp like a tide.

Seeing Sun Guan fall for his ruse, Ma Chao, secretly pleased, quickly commanded his elite Danyang troops to meet the enemy. For a moment, shouts and cries of battle shook the heavens as soldiers from both sides engaged in close combat, swords flashing and sabers darting, blood staining the ground red. Sun Guan led the charge, brandishing his spear with unstoppable force. Wherever he went, the elite Danyang troops fell. Not to be outdone, Ma Chao, spear in hand, engaged Sun Guan in a fierce, close-fought battle. The battle proved more intense than anticipated, with both sides, rabid with blood, unwilling to retreat a single step.

Sun Guan was locked in a fierce battle, intent on breaking through the defensive lines and reclaiming the intercepted supplies. However, as the battle progressed, he gradually became aware of a discrepancy. The fighting style of these "Danyang elite soldiers" was radically different from his predecessors. Their moves were brutal and agile, completely unlike the calm and fierce Danyang soldiers.