Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Li Feng and Lei Bo led the soldiers to rush towards Gan Ning's fleet regardless of everything, hoping to win the battle quickly and take back the food and grass, but they were unaware that their decision actually put themselves at a disadvantage.

Gan Ning stood at the bow, watching the enemy surge toward him like a tide, a sneer curling his lips, secretly congratulating himself on the enemy's "foolishness." He commanded only three thousand Jinfan troops. If the enemy had held on to their large ships, relying on their powerful ships, artillery, and numerical superiority, breaking through their defenses would have been incredibly difficult. But now, the enemy had voluntarily abandoned their large ships, opting for a close-quarters engagement, a move that undoubtedly compromised their strengths.

Gan Ning suddenly drew his long sword from his waist, raised it high, and shouted, "Brothers, kill! Show them the might of our Jinfan Army!" His voice resounded like a bell across the battlefield, and the Jinfan troops responded in unison, their morale high. They grasped their weapons and engaged in a desperate battle with the enemy troops rushing ashore. Years of adrift on the river had honed the Jinfan soldiers' agility and agility. They moved freely among the enemy hordes, their swords flashing and their attacks overwhelming the enemy.

Meanwhile, Ma Chao and his companions on the riverbank were overjoyed at this scene. Born on the border, the Xiliang tribesmen had been skilled in archery and horsemanship since childhood. They were both excellent cavalrymen, capable of galloping freely across the land, and nimble archers with unerring accuracy. To the unprotected waters swarming ashore, they were like fixed targets.

Ma Chao, standing high above, watched the enemy troops continuously descend. He decisively ordered, "Shoot!" With his command, the Xiliang cavalry, already well-prepared, quickly drew their bows and arrows. Suddenly, a swarm of arrows rained down upon the enemy like locusts. The soldiers landing in the rear were pierced by the dense hail of arrows before they could react, falling to the ground with screams of agony.

Up ahead, Gan Ning led the Jinfan Army in fierce combat with the enemy. Behind them, the sharp arrows of the Xiliang cavalry reaped the enemy's lives like a deadly grim reaper. Li Feng and Lei Bo's troops were instantly caught in a pincer attack. The soldiers were terrified, their morale plummeted, and their formation was in disarray. On the battlefield, blood stained the river and the shoreline, and the situation became increasingly unfavorable for Li Feng and Lei Bo.

On the battlefield, shouts and screams intertwined. The 10,000 naval forces led by Li Feng and Lei Bo fell into unprecedented chaos.

The soldiers in the middle, terrified by the rain of arrows from the Xiliang cavalry, cried out in terror, wanting to flee. But those behind, urged on by their officers, rushed forward, the two forces collided, and the ranks instantly became a chaotic mess. Those caught in the middle were the most unfortunate. With nowhere to hide, they could only allow the sharp arrows of the Xiliang cavalry to pierce their bodies, wailing in agony as blood flowed, staining the ground beneath their feet red.

The soldiers who had engaged Gan Ning head-on at the front, facing the fierce attacks of Gan Ning and the Jinfan Army, gradually lost their strength and were defeated. Seeing that they were outmatched, they tried to retreat, but found that their retreat route was already blocked by the chaotic crowd. Now, they could neither advance nor retreat, and could only struggle in vain in this narrow space.

Li Feng and Lei Bo stood at a slightly higher point, their faces turning pale as they watched the chaotic scene. They shouted at the top of their lungs, trying to regroup, but their voices were instantly drowned out by the clamor of the battlefield. They exchanged a glance, each seeing despair in the other's eyes.

"We can't go on like this. If we don't leave now, we'll all die here!" Lei Bo shouted. Li Feng gritted his teeth and nodded fiercely.

They rushed towards the warships with their remaining thousand or so soldiers. Most of these soldiers were those who had not yet had time to disembark and had fortunately escaped the rain of arrows and the chaotic fighting. They hurriedly climbed aboard the warships and paddled desperately, trying to escape this nightmarish battlefield.

Gan Ning watched Li Feng and Lei Bo flee in panic, unwilling to let them go easily. He led his Jinfan Army in pursuit, their speedboats darting in. For a moment, the river was ablaze with water as the two warships desperately fled in front, while the Jinfan Army pursued them relentlessly. The scene was tense.

Just as Gan Ning was about to catch up, Li Feng and Lei Bo suddenly changed course, and the warships plunged into a reed marsh. The reed marsh had a complex network of channels, and the Jinfan Army's speedboats did not dare to enter rashly.

Gan Ning stood at the bow, looking at the two warships disappearing in the reeds, and spat in hatred: "You ran fast!" This thrilling battle ended with the tragic defeat of Li Feng and Lei Bo. They took the remaining thousand or so soldiers, grabbed two warships and fled in panic, leaving behind a messy battlefield and countless corpses.

Ma Chao paced back and forth on the shore, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes fixed on the river, anxiously awaiting Gan Ning's return. Finally, Gan Ning's fleet appeared in the distance, and Ma Chao's heart instantly settled.

When the warship docked, Gan Ning jumped off with a big stride, his face full of smiles, and excitedly saluted Ma Chao with a fist, shouting loudly: "My lord, we've made a lot of money this time!" Ma Chao looked at the ships loaded with food and grass, his heart filled with joy. He immediately waved his hand and ordered the soldiers to quickly transport the food and grass ashore.

While everyone was busy, Lu Su and Xu Shu arrived at the riverside. Lu Su saw the captured warships at a glance, his eyes widened, his face full of surprise. His usual elegant demeanor was gone, his eyes flashing with greed. He quickly walked to the warships, reached out and gently stroked the hull, muttering to himself: "Wow, these are all treasures!"

Gan Ning approached Lu Su, and the two smiled at each other, their eyes as if saying they had found the most precious treasure in the world. Ma Chao looked at them with a puzzled look on his face, and couldn't help but ask, "Xingba, this warship is great, but I really don't understand why you are so excited?"

Gan Ning finally came to his senses and quickly turned around, saying respectfully to Ma Chao, "My lord, you grew up on the northern border and may not be familiar with the intricacies of naval warfare. These warships, especially these sturdy and tall tower ships, are extremely useful in naval warfare. Now that we have these warships, coupled with a well-trained navy, we have the initiative on the water. Whether attacking the enemy or defending key positions, they will be of great use."

Ma Chao suddenly understood and was filled with admiration for Gan Ning's naval warfare prowess. Xu Shu, standing nearby, nodded thoughtfully. Although he had little experience with naval warfare, Lu Su's explanation made him understand the strategic significance of these warships. As they gazed at the mountains of food and supplies and the brand-new warships, they were filled with confidence in the future battles.

Lu Su, a mysterious smile plastered on his face, looked at Ma Chao and said respectfully, with a touch of pride, "My lord, you and the others rarely encounter naval warfare, so Xingba's words fill me with anticipation." He paused, a complex expression flickering in his eyes. Recently, Xu Shu, with his knowledge of the cavalry and the Western Liang army, had been unrivaled, his own brilliance largely overshadowed. In a rare moment of playful playfulness, he jokingly acted like a child, "My lord, you see towering warships, but to me, they're clearly a fortified barrier blocking the river. With these towering, sturdy ships, Yuan Shu will be unable to escape from this river even if he had wings."

He turned his gaze to Gan Ning and continued, "With Xingba's ability, commanding these warships and blocking the river is just a matter of training his soldiers to adapt to the water. It will be accomplished sooner or later. My lord, you only need to defend the land well to cut off Yuan Shu's retreat. After his defeat in Yuzhang, returning will be harder than climbing to the sky."

Ma Chao and Xu Shu were overjoyed upon hearing this. Ma Chao's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed excitedly, "Zi Jing, brilliant! This way, Yuan Shu is trapped!" Xu Shu nodded repeatedly, his face beaming. Hearing Lu Su's plan, everyone felt as if victory was within reach. A joyous atmosphere permeated the tent, and everyone was filled with confidence in the future battle.

Ma Chao made a prompt decision and waved his hand, saying to Gan Ning: "Xingba, you and your 3,000 Jinfan soldiers stay for the time being. This naval battle still depends on you!" Gan Ning clasped his fists and accepted the order, his eyes full of fighting spirit.

Afterwards, Ma Chao looked at Xu Huang again and said in a firm tone: "Gongming, you must immediately recruit another 5,000 soldiers from Runan County and merge them with the soldiers under Zhang Ren. Zhang Ren will also contribute 5,000, making a total of 10,000, to train the navy." Xu Huang took the order and left, ready to start recruiting.

Everything was arranged, and Ma Chao announced, "Zhang Ren and Xu Huang will now be under the command of Gan Ning and Lu Su. We will focus on training our navy. We will build an elite navy, use iron chains to cross the river, and absolutely not allow Yuan Shu to escape by water!"

Zhang Ren and Xu Huang had no objection at all, knowing that this battle was of great importance.

After arranging the naval affairs, Ma Chao immediately turned his attention to the land defenses. He approached Xu Shu, his expression grave and his words earnest: "Yuanzhi, I have always trusted your military planning abilities. Now, I order you to leave behind 10,000 elite cavalry to fight alongside Zhang Xiu's troops from Wancheng and secure the key land routes."

Xu Shu nodded slightly, his eyes revealing determination: "My lord, rest assured, I will live up to your trust."

Ma Chao continued, "Our goal is to cut Yuan Shu's army in two, so that they can't support each other. If Yuan Shu is defeated and retreats, we must not let him escape easily by land."

Xu Shu thought for a moment, then nodded in response, "My Lord, this is a brilliant plan. I will work closely with General Zhang Xiu to select strategic locations, establish defensive lines, and utilize the mobility of our cavalry to respond to Yuan Shu's counterattacks at any time."

After some discussion, the two men decided to construct a series of defensive fortifications along the route to Yuzhang, taking advantage of the mountainous terrain. The soldiers were on high alert, constantly vigilant of Yuan Shu's movements, waiting for the enemy to enter this carefully arranged encirclement.

Under Ma Chao's meticulous planning, a defensive line quickly took shape on both the river and the land. Gan Ning and Lu Su drilled their naval forces day and night. Tall warships connected by iron chains formed an impassable aquatic Great Wall. Soldiers busily shuttled between the warships, familiarizing themselves with various naval warfare equipment. The sound of drills echoed across the river.

On land, Xu Shu and Zhang Xiu were also busy. They strategically deployed their cavalry and Wancheng troops, taking advantage of the treacherous terrain to establish numerous checkpoints. Trenches, antlers, and chevaux de frise were scattered throughout the area, while the cavalry stood by in the rear, ready to strike at any moment.

Yuan Shu, however, remained in the dark. He sat high in his tent, still worried about food and fodder, completely unaware of the impending catastrophe. He sometimes frowned in thought, sometimes paced anxiously, unaware that Ma Chao had already laid a tight net ahead of him, waiting for him to step into this carefully designed encirclement, and a fierce battle was imminent.