Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

For nearly a month, Zhou Yu orchestrated his strategy, methodically directing the Shanyue army to maintain pressure on Yong'an City. Siege operations were launched almost daily, often as carefully planned feints designed to deplete Yong'an's supplies.

At dawn, while it was still dark, the Shanyue soldiers quickly assembled to the sound of passionate war drums. Shouting, they rushed towards the city walls like a surging tide, weapons flashing with cold light, and every shout seemed to rip the morning tranquility apart. Ladders were quickly raised and pressed against the walls, and soldiers used their hands and feet to climb with all their might. Catapults also made a dull roar, and huge stones roared and hit the towers, stirring up a cloud of dust.

Tao Ying and Wang Lang, trapped within the city, were utterly distraught by the sudden onslaught, fearing even the slightest slack. They hurried across the city walls, shouting and rallying their troops for a full-scale defense. Stones and timbers rained down from the walls, whistling down upon the enemy troops below. Soldiers drew their bows and unleashed a swarm of arrows, like locusts, upon the attacking Shanyue soldiers. For a moment, the cries of battle, the clashing of weapons, and the shrieking of agony mingled in a deafening cacophony.

Ma Chao, leading his elite troops, steadily cut off the supply route from the rear. Knowing its importance to Yong'an City, he guarded the key roads day and night, his eyes fixed on the road, watching for any movement. Whenever a group transporting food and fodder to Yong'an appeared, he would pounce with the swiftness of a cheetah, commanding his soldiers to intercept and defeat them. The food and fodder was either burned or seized and taken back to the camp, leaving Yong'an City in a state of complete food shortage.

The city's food reserves, already heavily depleted by previous battles, were now depleted without supplies, and were quickly becoming depleted. Soldiers were only receiving a small amount of daily rations, their faces pale and thin, hunger written all over their faces. Their once high morale plummeted, and even as they defended the city walls, they lost their former energy and spirit, their movements slow, their eyes filled with exhaustion and despair.

Wang Lang and Tao Ying were terrified, like ants on a hot pan. Days earlier, they had dispatched numerous messengers seeking help, stealthily sneaking out of the city under cover of darkness. These messengers, riding swift horses, galloped off in different directions, each shouldering the heavy responsibility of saving Yong'an City. Their figures flashed by in the night, disappearing into the distant darkness.

Tao Ying ascended the city wall early every day, gazing far into the distance, his eyes fixed on the distant road, hoping for the sight of reinforcements. His eyes were filled with anxiety and anticipation, his hands unconsciously clenching the masonry of the wall, his knuckles turning white from the strain. "It's been so many days, and there's not even a reply! Hasn't my father received the news?" His face was filled with anxiety, as he paced back and forth in the city lord's residence, muttering to himself, his voice trembling.

Wang Lang sat nearby, his brow furrowed in the shape of a Chinese character "川," equally filled with worry. But knowing full well that he couldn't afford to lose his composure, he feigned composure and softly soothed, "Don't worry, nephew. Perhaps the journey is too long, or perhaps the messenger encountered some obstacles along the way. Be patient and wait." But Wang Lang was truly uncertain. He knew that if reinforcements didn't arrive, the city's food and fodder wouldn't last another two weeks at most. By then, the soldiers, deprived of their rations, would completely lose their ability to resist, and Yong'an City would likely fall without a fight.

At this time, they finally got the news from Xuzhou, which they had been thinking about day and night, but it was Cao Bao who rushed back in a panic.

Cao Bao returned to Xuzhou in a state of disgrace and utter disgrace after traveling so long. He anxiously sought an audience with Tao Qian, and upon seeing him, he fell to his knees and burst into tears.

"My lord, you have to make the decision for me!" Cao Bao sobbed, his face full of grievance and resentment, "That second young master Tao Ying is really going too far! He took the initiative to come to me and provoke me, saying that I didn't listen to his orders, and forced me to go out to fight. I was short of troops, how could I compete with the fierce enemy? This led to our defeat!" As he spoke, he secretly raised his eyes to observe Tao Qian's expression.

"After my defeat, I planned to return to Yong'an City to reorganize my troops, but Second Young Master Tao Ying wouldn't tolerate me there and harassed me profusely. In desperation, I prepared to lead my troops back to Xuzhou, only to be ambushed along the way! If it weren't for my good fortune, I wouldn't have seen you, my lord!" Cao Bao pounded his chest and stamped his feet, his words a matter-of-fact. He then exaggerated Second Young Master Tao Ying's plight, his words filled with gloating.

As Tao Qian listened to Cao Bao's story, his expression darkened, the rage in his eyes growing fiercer. Hearing his son was in danger, he was consumed with anxiety, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the strain. "How could this Tao Ying be so reckless! How can we hold the city if the generals and ministers are at odds?" Tao Qian shouted, angered at his son's impulsive actions and a bit skeptical of Cao Bao's exaggerated claims.

After calming down, Tao Qian realized that while the blame couldn't be placed entirely on Tao Ying, Cao Bao had certainly been rude to him first, and Cao Bao's losses were undeniable. Thinking of this, Tao Qian wished he could eat Cao Bao alive to vent his hatred.

However, Cao Bao's family had deep roots and extensive influence in Xuzhou, wielding considerable influence over the city's military and political affairs. Punishing Cao Bao hastily could trigger a chain reaction, causing panic within Xuzhou and even sparking unrest among other factions. Weighing the pros and cons, Tao Qian suppressed his fury, took a deep breath, slowly stood up, walked over to Cao Bao, offered his hand, and helped him to his feet, his expression softening.

"General Cao, this defeat is not your fault alone. You don't have to blame yourself too much." Tao Qian's voice was low and gentle. "You have been traveling all the way and must be tired. Go down and have a good rest first." After hearing this, Cao Bao was secretly proud in his heart, but on the surface he pretended to be grateful, kowtowed repeatedly to express his gratitude, and retreated.

As soon as Cao Bao left, Tao Qian's amiable facade gave way to a blaze of fury. He fiercely kicked over the low table beside him, sending the tea set scattering to the floor with a clang. "Outrageous!" Tao Qian's eyes widened, his roar echoing throughout the hall. "This Cao Bao is full of nonsense, taking advantage of my son's youth and twisting right and wrong!"

He paced back and forth across the hall, his steps quick and heavy, each one seemingly piercing the ground. Thinking of his son, Tao Ying, trapped in the isolated city, his life uncertain, and Cao Bao not only deserting the battlefield but also returning to stir up trouble, Tao Qian's anger burned even more fiercely. "I, Tao Qian, have treated him well, yet he is so ungrateful! Not only have we lost our troops, but he's also trying to shift the blame entirely onto Ying'er!"

Tao Qian grew increasingly furious as he pondered this. Suddenly, he slammed his fist down on the table, shaking everything on it. His hand trembled slightly from the force, and veins bulged on his forehead. "If anything happens to Ying'er, I'll make Cao Bao pay!" he grumbled, his eyes revealing an unprecedented fierceness.

"Pass my order; gather all the generals for a meeting immediately!" Tao Qian shouted towards the door, his voice filled with undeniable authority. He knew that he could not sit idly by and wait for death. He had to quickly find a way to rescue his son and resolve the crisis.

The atmosphere in the conference room was heavy and oppressive, the flickering candlelight illuminating the tense faces of the crowd. Tao Qian sat high in the chair, his expression stern. He swept his gaze over everyone in the room and was the first to break the silence: "Now that my second son, Tao Ying, is trapped in Yong'an City, his fate is uncertain. Everyone, please share your thoughts. What should we do?"

Tao Shang stood aside. Though he felt a certain reluctance to rescue Tao Ying, he was determined to demonstrate his shrewdness and generosity in front of his father. He bowed slightly, a steady smile on his face, and spoke slowly, "Father, my second brother is in trouble, and we must do our utmost to rescue him. However, this rescue operation is a matter of great importance and requires thorough planning. Although General Cao Bao was defeated this time, the power behind him is crucial in Xuzhou. While we rescue Tao Ying, we must also consider General Cao Bao and the aristocratic family behind him."

Upon hearing this, Tao Qian's eyes flickered with a subtle glint of approval, and he nodded slightly, signaling Tao Shang to continue. Seeing this, Tao Shang felt more confident and spoke eloquently, "We must both rescue our second brother from danger and stabilize the various forces within Xuzhou. I propose that General Chen Deng gather an additional 30,000 troops to carry out the rescue. This will not only demonstrate our seriousness in the rescue effort, but also appease General Cao Bao's faction to a certain extent."

Everyone in the hall whispered to each other, discussing Tao Shang's proposal. Some nodded silently, appreciating his thoughtfulness; others hesitated, worried about whether these 30,000 reinforcements could successfully complete their mission. But under Tao Qian's leadership, after a heated debate and careful consideration, everyone finally reached a consensus and agreed to Tao Shang's proposal.

Chen Deng's expression was solemn, as he understood the arduous task ahead. He stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said, "Rest assured, Lord Tao, I will do my utmost to bring the Second Young Master back safely." Tao Qian looked at Chen Deng and said earnestly, "General Chen, this rescue operation concerns my son's life, and even more so, the safety of Xuzhou. I leave everything in your hands."

After the meeting, Tao Qian deliberately kept Tao Shang, patted him on the shoulder, and showed a gratified smile on his face: "Shang'er, I am very satisfied with your performance today. You can consider the overall situation and think carefully. You are worthy of being my son, Tao Qian." Tao Shang hurriedly said humbly: "It is all because of my father's good teaching. I am just doing my best." Tao Shang was secretly proud of his father's affirmation. He knew that his weight in his father's heart had increased a bit.

Although Xuzhou was frantically preparing for a rescue, the journey was too long. The messengers' horses and the marching troops were slowed down by the long roads and unpredictable weather. At this time, the situation in Yong'an City was becoming increasingly critical.

Tao Ying and Wang Lang stood on the city wall, their hearts aching as they watched the faces of the city's civilians and soldiers languishing with hunger. The city's food supplies were running low, and the daily rations were dwindling. The morale of the soldiers and the people was beginning to waver. The two men returned to the city lord's residence and sat opposite each other. The atmosphere was heavy and suffocating.

"Uncle, our food supplies are running low, and there's no news of reinforcements. I just can't sit still any longer!" Tao Ying suddenly stood up, his hands on the table, his eyes filled with anxiety and determination. "I've made up my mind. Instead of sitting here and waiting to die, I'd rather leave the city and fight the Shanyue army to the death!"