Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ji Ling galloped along, the clatter of his hooves rasping like the rapid beat of drums in the silent night air. He was consumed with anxiety, eager to fly back to the camp and report to his lord. When he reached the front of the camp, he yanked the reins sharply. His steed neighed, rearing high before landing firmly on the ground. Ji Ling dismounted, heedless of the fatigue of the journey, and hurried towards Yuan Shu's tent.

Inside the tent, the atmosphere was oppressive, like the dead silence before a storm. Yuan Shu's hair stood on end, his eyes glaring as if spitting fire. He roared furiously at his generals, "What are you all doing? We've let the thieves easily seize our vital food and fodder supply area! Every one of you should be dragged out and chopped off!"

At that moment, Ji Ling flung aside the tent curtain and scurried in. Yuan Shu, as if grasping a lifeline, cast an anxious gaze at Ji Ling and shouted, "Ji Ling, have you apprehended the arsonist? I will tear them to pieces to vent my hatred!"

Ji Ling's expression was calm, his posture erect. He clasped his fists and replied, "My lord, those arsonists were no ordinary creatures. Each one was as agile as an ape and as skilled in martial arts as a tiger or a wolf. While patrolling the camp, I vaguely sensed some movement in the direction of the forage, and immediately led my personal soldiers to rush over. By the time we arrived, the forage had already caught fire, and the thieves were about to flee. I immediately ordered an all-out pursuit, but the thieves were incredibly cunning and coordinated. In the chaos, they exploited the darkness and the terrain to desperately break through. Although I led my troops to fight hard, I was ultimately unable to capture them all."

When Yuan Shu heard this, his already raging rage seemed to be poured with a bucket of hot oil, and it burned even more fiercely with a "boom". He was so angry that he was shaking all over. He turned around abruptly and kicked the desk beside him with all his strength. With a loud "crash", the desk fell to the ground, and the orders, documents and other items on the desk were scattered all over the floor like flowers from heaven. Yuan Shu roared at the top of his lungs: "You are all a bunch of good-for-nothings! You live a life of luxury on weekdays, but at the critical moment, you can't even watch out for a few thieves. What's the use of you bunch of trash!" After that, he glared at the generals who were in charge of night duty and guarding food supplies, waving his arms wildly, and ordered like thunder: "Come here! Drag these guys who are more likely to cause trouble than help out and execute them immediately!"

After venting his anger, Yuan Shu's chest was still heaving violently. He took a few deep breaths and finally calmed down a little. He slowly turned his gaze back to Ji Ling, with a more complicated look in his eyes. He praised Ji Ling for discovering the fire in time and organizing the firefighting, but also had a deep regret for not being able to catch all the thieves in one fell swoop. Yuan Shu waved his hand slightly, with a hint of fatigue and relief in his tone: "Well, this time you were able to detect it in time and fight the fire with all your strength, saving a lot of losses. It can be said that you have worked hard and made great contributions. Get up, I know what I am doing and I will not treat you unfairly."

After Ji Ling stood up, Yuan Shu quickly summoned his advisor, Yan Xiang. His face was etched with worry, as if a heavy lead weight had weighed on him, making it difficult for him to breathe. Yuan Shu spoke worriedly, "With food and fodder in short supply, this war is becoming increasingly difficult. It's like being stuck in a quagmire, making it difficult to move forward. You've been with me for many years and are incredibly resourceful. Come up with a solution for me."

Yan Xiang stroked his beard, his expression solemn, and bowed his head in deep thought for a long time. After a moment, he slowly raised his head and said with a firm gaze, "My lord, food and fodder are of paramount importance right now. They are like the lifeblood of an army, bearing on our survival. Lei Bo is currently stationed in Jiujiang. Jiujiang's troops are already stretched thin by Zhou Yu's fierce attacks and are unable to take care of themselves. If we withdraw troops to support Zhang Xun in Runan at this time, Jiujiang will be in danger. If Jiujiang falls, the situation will collapse like dominoes. In my opinion, it would be better to have Lei Bo personally escort the food and fodder. With his steadiness and competence, he will ensure its safe delivery. This way, we can both alleviate the food crisis and take care of Jiujiang's defense. It is truly a two-pronged strategy."

Yuan Shu frowned slightly, subconsciously rubbing his chin, lost in thought. After a moment's reflection, he spoke slowly, a hint of worry in his tone: "Having Lei Bo escort the grain and fodder is a viable strategy. However, back in Jiujiang, Zhou Yu is lurking like a wolf, ready to pounce and take a bite out of us at any moment. With only the current forces in Jiujiang, we're unlikely to hold out for long. How should we respond?"

Yan Xiang remained calm and composed, clasping his hands in confidence as he spoke, "My lord, there's no need to worry too much. Jiujiang County's walls are tall and sturdy, like an impenetrable barrier. First, order the defenders to take advantage of the walls and build a high fortification to hold their ground. At the same time, select elite soldiers from among the troops and form several small units. Take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness and periodically harass Zhou Yu's forces from the flanks or rear. This will overwhelm the enemy and prevent them from fully devoting themselves to the siege. This strategy will not only continuously drain the enemy's energy and morale, but also cleverly buy time, giving our army a chance to catch its breath. Once we've resolved our food and fodder problems and regrouped, we can then concentrate our superior forces against Zhou Yu. With steady and cautious tactics, victory is certain."

Yuan Shu nodded slightly, thinking this plan was brilliant. But then he thought of Zhang Xun in Runan, and a look of worry crossed his face. He said anxiously, "Zhang Xun is isolated in Runan, facing Ma Chao's threat alone. He's like a lone boat in a storm, and could be destroyed at any moment. How can we support him?"

Yan Xiang smiled calmly and said, "My lord, please write a letter immediately and send it to Zhang Xun in Runan by a skilled courier. In the letter, emphatically instruct him to hold the city firmly and not panic. Runan's terrain is complex, with mountains and rivers crisscrossing. We must fully utilize this advantage to deal with Ma Chao, avoid his attack, and strike when he retreats. We must not attack rashly, lest we fall into an enemy trap. When our army has sufficient food and fodder, and morale is high, we can send a large force to support them. Then, by attacking from both inside and outside, we will surely be able to repel Ma Chao and lift the siege of Runan."

After hearing this, Yuan Shu's frown gradually relaxed, as if the clouds had cleared and the sun had come out. He breathed a sigh of relief, his expression becoming much more relaxed. "Alright, as you say, without further ado, pass the order down immediately. Ensure that all deployments are carried out in an orderly manner and without any mistakes."

After hearing Yan Xiang's plan, he acted decisively, turning around and shouting outside the tent, "Someone!" A messenger quickly entered the tent, knelt on one knee, and awaited instructions. Yuan Shu's face was serious, and he spoke in a hurried tone, "Hurry and chase him to Jiujiang. Tell Lei Bo that there is no need to transfer troops from Jiujiang to support Runan County. I order him to make preparations immediately and personally take charge of transporting the food and fodder. He must ensure that the food and fodder are delivered safely. There must be no mistakes! If there are any mistakes, you will be beheaded!" The messenger received the order, stood up, and hurried out of the tent. A moment later, the sound of rapid horse hooves could be heard, and he disappeared into the night.

In Runan, Zhang Xun suffered a bitter defeat in his battle with Ma Chao. Ma Chao's cavalry attacked with ferocity, moving swiftly and unstoppably. Zhang Xun's army was overwhelmed and suffered a relentless defeat. Reflecting on his own strength, Zhang Xun resolutely held his ground, relying on the fortified city walls, closing the gates, and awaiting reinforcements.

While this move was somewhat passive, Zhang Xun was no incompetent. He knew that exploiting one's own weaknesses to exploit the enemy's strengths was a cardinal sin in military strategy, and that only a tight defense could guarantee temporary safety. Under his tight defense, Ma Chao had indeed made little progress during this period.

At this time, Ma Chao also heard that Zhou Yu had raised an army in Jiujiang, effectively restraining Yuan Shu. Inside Ma Chao's tent, candlelight flickered as Xu Shu, Lu Su, and Ma Chao sat together, discussing the next battle plan. Xu Shu, flicking a feather fan, broke the silence, saying, "Yuan Shu is now under attack from both sides, making it difficult to secure both Jiujiang and Runan. This presents an opportune opportunity for us to expand our victory." Lu Su nodded in agreement, then added, "Yuan Shu's supply lines are long, and his defenses are bound to be flawed. If we can cut off his supply lines, Yuan Shu will undoubtedly be thrown into disarray."

Ma Chao nodded slightly, with a sharp light flashing in his eyes: "You two are right, but who is the most suitable person to send to carry out the task of robbing grain?" The three men fell into deep thought, and one person appeared in their minds at the same time - Gan Ning.

Beyond Runan, Lujiang and Jiujiang lie the Jiangnan region, a network of waterways crisscrossing like a vast water network. Yuan Shu's grain and fodder transport relied heavily on these waterways. Gan Ning's Jinfan Army, long active on the rivers, possessed a thorough understanding of the waterways. Each of them was a skilled sailor, maneuvering their warships with impeccable agility. Within this complex water network, the Jinfan Army could exploit their unique advantages, elusively attacking Yuan Shu's grain and fodder transports. Consequently, the three of them almost unanimously considered Gan Ning.

Ma Chao immediately summoned Gan Ning and solemnly entrusted him with the important task of seizing Yuan Shu's food and fodder. Upon hearing this, Gan Ning's eyes lit up like stars, and he clasped his fists in high spirits, accepting the order: "I will fulfill this mission! My Jinfan troops have long lived on the river and are extremely familiar with that area. This time, we will ensure that Yuan Shu's food and fodder are never returned!"

Lu Su stroked his short beard, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "Even if we send Gan Ning to lead the Jinfan Army to intercept the grain and fodder on the river, if we don't find a way to put more pressure on Yuan Shu, it will be difficult to make him shift his focus entirely to water transportation. Only when he feels that transporting grain and fodder by land is full of dangers and extremely unsafe will he rely more on water transportation."

Upon hearing this, Xu Shu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile. "Zi Jing, what you said is absolutely true. Isn't this matter extremely simple?" A sly glint flashed in his eyes as he continued, "Zhang Xiu, under our command, leads the powerful Wancheng troops. We can have him lead his troops around Runan's rear, deep into Lujiang County, and harass Yuan Shu's land-based grain transports. This way, Yuan Shu will undoubtedly be extremely worried about the land transport and will no longer be willing to easily entrust his grain and fodder to land transport. Then, Gan Ning can surprise him on the river and seize Yuan Shu's grain and fodder."

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao's eyes flickered with admiration, and he nodded in approval. "This is a brilliant plan! Ah Xiu is skilled in long-distance raids, and the soldiers of Wancheng are fierce fighters. We will surely disrupt Yuan Shu's land supply lines. With this coordinated approach, both land and sea, we'll ensure Yuan Shu's food supply remains secure." Ma Chao immediately summoned Zhang Xiu and explained the plan in detail. Zhang Xiu accepted the order with a firm gaze, "Rest assured, my lord. I will lead the soldiers of Wancheng to accomplish this mission, and Yuan Shu's land supply lines will be in utter ruin."

Ma Chao's eyes flickered as he scanned the crowd. "Since this operation is crucial, I'd like to trouble Xingba and Ah Xiu to accompany them. Xingba will intercept the food supply on the river, while Ah Xiu will harass Yuan Shu on land. Together, they'll coordinate and make it difficult for Yuan Shu to defend both ends."

Gan Ning and Zhang Xiu looked at each other, clasped their fists together, and said in a loud and firm voice: "Don't worry, my lord, we will definitely live up to our mission!" After that, the two generals turned around, walked out of the tent quickly with steady and powerful steps.