Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

As the two sides engaged in close combat, the distance between them grew closer and closer. Sun Guan took a closer look and was shocked. The officer leading the troops before him was no longer a Danyang general. He was clearly the Shanyue general they had defeated outside Wucheng County. This man was none other than Ma Chao in disguise! Sun Guan instantly realized he had fallen into a trap and felt a surge of regret. He acted decisively and shouted, "Retreat! Retreat! We've been tricked!"

Upon hearing the command, the Xuzhou soldiers turned their horses, intending to retreat to Yong'an City. However, just as they turned, a deafening roar of killing suddenly rang out from behind. The Mu brothers, leading the Shanyue tribe, rushed out of the forest like a tiger descending from the mountains. Wielding sharp blades, they shouted and cut off the Xuzhou army's retreat.

The Shanyue, using their familiarity with the terrain, quickly set up obstacles in the narrow passage, making it difficult for the Xuzhou army to maneuver. Sun Guan, facing the enemy from both sides, was anxious. He brandished his spear, trying to fight his way through. However, the Shanyue soldiers, fearless and relentless, surged forward in wave after wave, forcing the Xuzhou army into a difficult battle.

In this desperate situation, the morale of the Xuzhou soldiers gradually plummeted, and their once neat formation became fragmented. Soldiers fled in all directions, with nowhere to hide, and screams rang out one after another. Although Sun Guan was brave, he could not withstand such a fierce attack. He suffered multiple wounds, and his battle robe was stained red with blood.

The battle raged for a full hour, and the Xuzhou army suffered heavy casualties, with most of its 8,000 men lost. Sun Guan gazed at his dwindling men, filled with despair. But he knew that if he didn't break out now, his entire army would be annihilated. So, he gritted his teeth, gathered his last strength, and launched a final charge toward the Shanyue's weakest point.

Just as Sun Guan's strength was exhausted and he was on the verge of capture by the Shanyue soldiers, the sound of hurried horse hooves echoed from the direction of Yong'an City. Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, Zang Ba, leading a fresh force, charged at lightning speed. He brandished his spear, his blade gleaming, and shouted, "Sun Guan, don't worry! Zang Ba is coming!" This roar instantly gave Sun Guan and his companions, who had been trapped in a desperate situation, a glimmer of hope.

Zang Ba charged fearlessly into the enemy lines, each thrust of his spear unleashed with the force of a fierce force. The Shanyue soldiers were driven back one after another by his fierce attack. The soldiers behind him coordinated closely, like a fortress of steel, tearing a hole through the Shanyue encirclement. Seeing this, Sun Guan steeled himself and led the remaining troops, following Zang Ba's troops in a desperate attempt to break through.

Ma Chao and the Mu brothers saw Zang Ba suddenly appear, and their previously secure victory suddenly became difficult. Zang Ba's bravery far exceeded their expectations. Like an enraged lion, he rampaged across the battlefield. Although the Shanyue tribe had the advantage of terrain and manpower, they still suffered considerable losses under Zang Ba's attack.

Ma Chao watched the soldiers falling one after another, his heart filled with distress. He watched closely as Zang Ba, Sun Guan, and the others broke through the encirclement. He knew that if he continued to pursue them, given Zang Ba's fierceness, his side would pay a heavy price, and the possibility of stopping them would be slim. Watching Zang Ba's fearless figure on the battlefield, Ma Chao couldn't help but sigh, "What a brave general!" So he shouted, "Stop the pursuit!"

Upon hearing the order, the Shanyue soldiers halted and abandoned their pursuit. Zang Ba seized the opportunity, leading Sun Guan and the remaining troops, and rushed towards Yong'an City. Ma Chao watched their retreating figures, secretly clenching his fists, mentally calculating his strategy for the next encounter.

After returning to Yong'an City, Sun Guan collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, his face full of both relief and self-blame for having survived the ordeal. Zang Ba walked over to him, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Sun Guan, I'm glad you're okay. Although we fell into a trap this time, we've learned from this experience and must be more careful in the future." Sun Guan nodded, his eyes full of regret: "It was my incompetence that led to such a disastrous defeat. I..." Zang Ba interrupted him: "Now that things have come to this, there's no need to blame yourself. Our top priority now is to return to the city, reorganize our troops, strengthen the city defenses, and prevent the enemy from attacking again." Sun Guan seemed to remember something and told Zang Ba that he wanted to see the young master first.

Sun Guan dragged his heavy and wounded body into the City Lord's Mansion, anxious and worried, wanting nothing more than to see Tao Ying immediately and tell him the shocking truth on the battlefield. Tao Ying was pacing in the hall at this time, and when he heard Sun Guan's request to see him, his face instantly darkened.

Sun Guan stepped into the hall and knelt on one knee. Before he could speak, Tao Ying glared at him and cursed him: "Sun Guan, you still have the nerve to come back! I thought I sent you to take back the food and teach Cao Bao a lesson, but I didn't expect you to lose so many soldiers and return in defeat!" Tao Ying's voice echoed in the hall, shaking the dust off the beams.

Sun Guan's mind was completely consumed by the shocking discovery on the battlefield, and he paid no attention to Tao Ying's scowl and harsh rebuke. He suddenly raised his head and shouted, "General, there's something else going on!" Tao Ying was already lashing out, and Sun Guan's interruption only intensified his fury. Just as Tao Ying was about to explode again, Sun Guan added, "General, those aren't Cao Bao's elite Danyang troops at all. They're the Shanyue people impersonating them!"

Upon hearing this, Tao Ying's expression froze in anger, replaced by astonishment. His eyes widened in disbelief, and he asked, "What did you say? Shanyue troops? How is that even possible? Where's Cao Bao? Where's his army?" Sun Guan, with a solemn expression, shook his head and said, "I'm afraid the remnants of Cao Bao's army are already in grave danger. When I engaged them, I initially thought they were elite Danyang troops, but the more I fought, the more I felt it was inconceivable. As we got closer, I saw that the leading lieutenant was actually the Shanyue general we'd fought before outside Wucheng County. We've fallen into a trap!"

After hearing this, Tao Ying sank back down in his chair, his face pale. He had never imagined that his carefully crafted plan would be so thoroughly countered by the Shanyue tribe and Ma Chao and the others. After a moment, he slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with regret and worry, and muttered to himself, "It seems this situation is far more serious than I imagined..."

At this moment, Zhou Yu's Shanyue army was advancing fiercely, the cries of battle rising higher and higher, seemingly threatening to bring Yong'an City down. The pounding of drums, the roars of soldiers, and the muffled thud of siege equipment colliding with the walls intertwined into a chilling war song, straining the nerves of everyone in the city to the breaking point.

Upon hearing the enemy's attack, Zang Ba immediately led his elite troops to the city walls to resist the Shanyue attack. Sun Guan, despite having just suffered a devastating defeat and still bearing wounds, burned with fighting spirit. Not wanting to be outdone, he eagerly pleaded with Tao Ying, "General, I am willing to lead the troops to defeat the enemy and atone for my sins!"

Tao Ying finally came to his senses. Looking at this trusted and beloved general who had followed him for many years, his anger and dissatisfaction were instantly replaced by worry. He stepped forward, carefully sizing up Sun Guan, and asked with concern, "How are your injuries? Can you handle this kind of fighting?"

Sun Guan shook his head vigorously, with a firm face: "Don't worry, General, this little injury is nothing! I, Sun Guan, have received your kindness, and now is the time to repay you. How can I retreat because of this little injury? I must defeat the enemy on this battlefield and reverse the previous defeat!" After that, he reached out and took the big knife from the weapon rack beside him. The flashing light of the knife reflected his determined face.

Tao Ying looked at Sun Guan's resolute expression, feeling a mixture of emotions. He was moved by his loyalty and bravery, yet worried about his injuries. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded solemnly. "Okay! Sun Guan, you must be very careful on this trip. I'll await your triumphant return!"

Sun Guan obeyed the order, turned, and strode out of the city lord's mansion. He quickly gathered his remaining troops. Although the soldiers were exhausted, their fighting spirit was rekindled by Sun Guan's encouragement. They followed Sun Guan closely, rushing towards the city wall, ready to once again engage in this brutal battle.

Wang Lang looked at Tao Ying's dejected and listless face. Although he was also worried, he had to rely on Tao Ying to take charge of the overall situation. He forced himself to encourage him: "What a great general! Sun Guan is so loyal and brave. With him around, we have more confidence to defend the city. Don't be discouraged, nephew. As long as we work together, we will be able to overcome the difficulties." But Tao Ying just responded absent-mindedly, with a blank look in his eyes. It was obvious that he didn't hear what Wang Lang said at all.

Tao Ying, now devoid of the ambition he had upon arriving in Wujun, was now consumed by the difficult situation he faced. He sighed deeply and said, "Uncle, I'm afraid this situation will be extremely difficult to resolve." Hearing him address him this way, Wang Lang realized his former arrogance had vanished. He nodded slightly, his expression grave, and said, "My dear nephew, judging by the current situation, if the city's food and fodder run out, I'm afraid we won't be able to hold it any time soon."

The two men sat in silence, a melancholy atmosphere filling the room. After a long pause, Wang Lang spoke again, "If our food and fodder are cut off, we can only hope that the defenders back home are more resourceful and ask your father, Tao Qian, for help. Perhaps there's still hope." Tao Ying nodded hurriedly, "Yes, yes. If my father knew, he would surely send troops to help. By then, this small group of Shanyue would be no problem at all."

But Tao Ying hadn't given it much thought. Between Cao Bao's 20,000 Danyang troops and his own 50,000-plus force, Xuzhou had already dispatched over 70,000 troops. Even if Tao Qian sent more reinforcements, Xuzhou's deployment would undoubtedly be extremely strained. Not to mention when the reinforcements would arrive and whether they would encounter obstacles along the way, simply procuring the necessary food and supplies would be enough to create a headache for Xuzhou. At this moment, Tao Ying's mind was preoccupied with his father's reinforcements, as if they were his lifeline.

Wang Lang looked at the flustered Tao Ying, feeling helpless. He knew that while asking Tao Qian for help was a lifeline, the commanders behind might not be smart enough to relay the message in time. In this situation, they were like trapped beasts in a jar, desperate to find reinforcements but completely unaware of where to begin.

Not to mention whether reinforcements would arrive in time, simply getting the message out was a challenge. The city was tightly encircled by the Shanyue army, making it impossible for spies to break through. Even if they managed to get the message out, who could guarantee that the reinforcements would be able to overcome the enemy's numerous obstacles and reach Yong'an City safely?

Wang Lang frowned, pacing back and forth, his mind racking with countermeasures. The city's troops had already suffered heavy losses from Sun Guan's defeat, and morale was low. Without reinforcements, the consequences of their food and fodder being cut off would be disastrous. And now, trapped in this isolated city, even if he still had some troops under his command, it would be difficult to break through the enemy's encirclement and leave the city for reinforcements.

Thinking of this, Wang Lang couldn't help but sigh, turned to look at Tao Ying, trying to encourage him again: "Nephew, we can't just sit and wait for death. Our plan now is, on the one hand, to continue to find ways to send out the letter for help, and on the other hand, we have to reorganize the troops in the city and strengthen the city defense. The longer we hold on, the more hope we have." Tao Ying's expression was gloomy, and he nodded mechanically, but his eyes were still full of confusion and helplessness. Obviously, this sudden crisis had completely thrown him off balance.