Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, Taishi Ci arrived outside Liu Yao's tent. His expression was serious and his steps were hurried, as he was eager to know Liu Yao's plans for the next move.

Seeing Taishi Ci approach, Liu Yao forced a smile, raised his hand slightly to signal him to sit down, and then said, "Ziyi, you've come just in time. I was just hoping to talk to you."

Taishi Ci clasped his fists in salute, looked at Liu Yao with a determined gaze, and said, "My lord, I wonder what your plans are now? I am at your service."

Liu Yao sighed slightly, a worried look on his face. He said slowly, "Ziyi, Yuan Shu is now powerful, with many soldiers and generals under his command. If we pin our hopes solely on Sun Ce, our chances are slim."

He paused, looking directly at Taishi Ci, and continued, "Last night, Mr. Xu Shao and I discussed this carefully, and we've decided to make the following arrangements. You gather the remaining troops here and coordinate with Sun Ce from afar, engaging Yuan Shu here first. I will personally travel to Liu Biao in Jingzhou to request reinforcements."

At this point, Liu Yao's eyes flashed with anticipation, and his tone became firm: "If we can borrow troops, we will then join forces with Sun Ce to attack Yuan Shu from both inside and outside. We will definitely be able to defeat Yuan Shu and recapture Yuzhang!"

Liu Yao spoke passionately, seemingly considering the overall situation, but in fact he wanted to keep Taishi Ci where he was, to prevent him from escaping his control after joining forces with Sun Ce.

Taishi Ci, a brilliant man, naturally discerned the hidden meaning in Liu Yao's words. He understood that Liu Yao was suspicious of him, hoping to keep him in Yuzhang. However, his loyalty prevented him from hesitating. He cupped his fists slightly and said with a resolute expression, "Rest assured, my lord. I will live up to your trust! I will gather the remnants of my forces here and fight Yuan Shu to the bitter end. I only hope that you can send reinforcements soon so we can recapture Yuzhang."

After hearing Taishi Ci's answer, Liu Yao secretly breathed a sigh of relief, a satisfied smile on his face. He said, "Good! With Ziyi's words, I'm relieved. Go and make preparations. Be sure to gather the remaining troops as quickly as possible and strengthen the defenses."

Taishi Ci clasped his fists in salute again, then turned and walked out of the tent. Gazing at the distant mountains, he vowed silently in his heart that no matter how many hardships and obstacles lay ahead, he would uphold his duty, for the sake of retaking Yuzhang, for his lord, and for the sake of the soldiers who had died in battle...

In Yuzhang County, although Yuan Shu's army had successfully captured the city, the shortage of food and fodder hung like a sword, constantly threatening the stability of the army's morale. A bitter cold wind blew through the empty streets, making a whimpering sound, as if it too was wailing at the predicament.

The soldiers who had been ordered to pursue Liu Yao hurried back to report to Yuan Shu, "My lord, Liu Yao seems to be planning to flee to Jingzhou!" Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu's thick brows furrowed, and a fierce look flashed in his eyes. He paced back and forth in his tent, secretly pondering how to respond to this situation.

At this moment, Yang Hong hurried into the tent with small steps. Seeing Yuan Shu's serious expression, he asked softly, "My lord, is there anything bothering you?" Yuan Shu stopped and stared at Yang Hong with a sharp gaze. "That fellow Liu Yao is trying to escape to Jingzhou. What do you think we should do?"

Yang Hong lowered his head slightly, and after a moment's thought, a sly smile appeared on his face. He said, "My lord, since Liu Yao has fled to Jingzhou, we might as well send envoys there to put pressure on Liu Biao. At the very least, we should make Liu Biao afraid to lend troops to Liu Yao. Furthermore, Liu Yao and Liu Biao are both relatives of the Han Dynasty, and Liu Biao will certainly not easily refuse Liu Yao's request for asylum. In this way, we can use this as leverage to demand that Liu Biao hand over Liu Yao. If he refuses, he must provide us with food and fodder as compensation."

After hearing this, Yuan Shu's eyes flashed with approval. He touched his chin and nodded, saying, "Well, this is a great plan! Just as you said, send an envoy to Jingzhou as soon as possible!" After receiving the order, Yang Hong hurried to arrange the relevant matters.

However, after sending the envoys away, Yuan Shu's expression darkened again. He knew that even if he put pressure on Liu Biao, his army's food shortage would still be a pressing issue. With the New Year approaching, without adequate supplies of fodder, the soldiers would likely fall apart. Thinking of this, Yuan Shu's brow knitted into a knot, and he worried secretly, "What should I do about this food issue?"

Outside the tents, soldiers shivered in the frigid wind, clad in thin clothing. They gazed into the distance, their hearts filled with longing for home and loved ones, and even more so, with worry about the uncertain future. Meanwhile, Yuan Shu paced back and forth within the tent, his gaze revealing a hint of anxiety and helplessness. He needed to find a solution to the food and fodder problem quickly, otherwise, even the newly acquired Yuzhang Commandery would be difficult to defend...

Outside Yuan Shu's tent, a cold wind howled, and the sky seemed so gloomy it seemed to drip with water. Yan Xiang, dressed in a thin robe, pleaded with Yuan Shu outside the tent. His voice was faint in the cold wind, but it carried a tenacious determination.

"My lord, I have something important to advise you. I hope you can meet me!" Yan Xiang shouted loudly, but there was no response from inside the tent.

Yuan Shu was discussing matters with Yang Hong in the tent. Upon hearing Yan Xiang's voice, his expression instantly darkened, his brow furrowed, and his eyes filled with impatience. "Hmph, he still has the nerve to come? No!" Yuan Shu said coldly.

Yang Hong nodded slightly and agreed, "My Lord, now that you have Yuzhang County and a new plan, it's better not to listen to Yan Xiang's pedantic views."

Yan Xiang didn't give up outside the tent. He continued to plead, a trace of sadness in his voice. "My lord, I am truly concerned about the cause of our army. I hope you will give me a chance!"

After a long moment, Yuan Shu seemed annoyed by Yan Xiang's persistence and finally said impatiently, "Forget it, let him in."

After Yan Xiang was allowed into the tent, he quickly walked over to Yuan Shu, knelt on one knee, and said, "My lord, the situation is critical now. I believe our army should not pursue Liu Yao's remnants any further. We should leave some troops to defend Yuzhang, and then return to the main camp to gather food and fodder. The army is currently short of food and fodder. If we don't address this problem in time, the consequences will be disastrous."

Upon hearing this, Yang Hong immediately retorted, "My lord, we have just captured Yuzhang County. If the army withdraws hastily, Yuzhang will surely be lost. Wouldn't all our previous efforts be in vain?"

Yuan Shu nodded slightly, agreeing with Yang Hong's statement, and said, "That's right. We have finally obtained Yuzhang County, how can we give it up so easily?"

Yan Xiang said anxiously, "My lord, without food and fodder, what good is it for us to defend Yuzhang County? How can we hold out if our soldiers are hungry?"

Yang Hong sneered and said, "In my opinion, we should continue to plunder Yuzhang County. We can't treat the army unfairly at all costs. We need to hold out for a while. Now that Yuzhang County is in our hands, as long as we can hold out until the envoys we sent to Liu Biao to demand food return, there's still a chance of turning the tide. Furthermore, we can also put pressure on the surrounding areas, such as Sun Ce. He previously secretly aided Liu Yao, and we can use this as an excuse to question him and demand food and fodder. At the same time, we can also transfer food and fodder back from our base camp. If we withdraw without reason, all our previous efforts will be wasted."

Yuan Shu listened to Yang Hong's words and found them quite sensible. He looked at Yan Xiang and said coldly, "Yan Xiang, you've always been timid. Now Yang Hong's plan is the right one. You should leave now, and don't bother me again."

Yan Xiang was filled with disappointment and frustration after hearing Yuan Shu's words. He knew his suggestion had been rejected, and that his position in Yuan Shu's heart would plummet from now on. But he remained steadfast and said, "My Lord, please reconsider..."

"Enough! Back off!" Yuan Shu interrupted Yan Xiang impatiently.

Yan Xiang sighed helplessly and stood up to leave the tent. His figure looked particularly lonely and desolate in the cold wind. Yuan Shu and Yang Hong continued to plot their next move in the tent, paying no attention to Yan Xiang's departure.

Liu Yao had already left, and Taishi Ci gathered the remaining troops while fending off the pursuers sent by Yuan Shu to ensure their safe escape. Taishi Ci remained in place like a nail, pinning Yuan Shu down. He was also actively searching for the whereabouts of Sun Ce's army.

After a long and arduous search, Taishi Ci finally learned of Sun Ce's whereabouts. His frayed nerves finally relaxed a little, and he felt relieved to learn that Liu Yao had also been safely evacuated.

The sky over Yuzhang remained gloomy, and the cold wind cut everyone's faces like ice knives, but Taishi Ci's eyes shone with hope. He turned and looked at the remnants of his troops behind him. Although these soldiers were exhausted and ragged, their eyes still showed determination.

"Soldiers!" Taishi Ci shouted, his voice echoing across the empty plain. "We have located General Sun's location, and Lord Liu Yao is now safe. This journey to reunite with General Sun marks the beginning of our counterattack! Yuan Shu's traitor may have succeeded temporarily, but we will surely recapture Yuzhang!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers' once dim eyes rekindled their fighting spirit, and they all gripped their weapons tightly, responding in unison. Taishi Ci mounted his horse and, with a single command, the remaining troops marched in a mighty procession towards Sun Ce's main army.

After a difficult journey, they finally saw Sun Ce's military camp on an open plain.

In Sun Ce's camp, military flags fluttered in the biting cold wind, as if proclaiming the army's majesty and strength. Soldiers, clad in armor and armed with weapons, lined up in neat formations, their eyes gleaming with determination and vigilance, ready for battle.

Sun Ce had long heard the news of Taishi Ci's impending arrival, and his heart was filled with anticipation and joy. He personally led a group of generals, striding out of the tent and arriving in front of the camp. The generals on either side were all tall and imposing, with a wealth of talent. The lineup was magnificent, and the scene seemed extremely grand.

Taishi Ci led the remnants of his army slowly forward. Their clothes were ragged and their faces were weary. Compared to Sun Ce's well-organized army, they looked rather shabby. However, Sun Ce didn't mind the outward disparity. He stared intently at the approaching Taishi Ci and the remnants of his army, a sincere smile on his face.

When the remnants approached, Sun Ce quickened his pace and led a group of generals to meet them, shouting from afar: "Zi Yi! How are you? I haven't seen you for many days, and you miss me so much!" His voice was hearty and enthusiastic, full of concern and longing for his old friend.