Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Taishi Ci felt a surge of warmth at Sun Ce's call, and the fatigue and hardships of the past few days seemed to ease somewhat. He quickly dismounted, trotted forward, and saluted Sun Ce with a fist. His eyes were filled with emotion. "General Sun, it is a blessing to meet you again! But we are so embarrassed now, it's really..."

Sun Ce quickly waved his hand, interrupting Taishi Ci's words. He smiled and said, "Ziyi, what nonsense are you talking about! In these troubled times, it is my honor to have you fighting alongside me. Let's not talk about the past. Follow me into the camp and we will discuss this further!"

With that, Sun Ce took Taishi Ci's arm and enthusiastically led him toward the camp. The generals followed suit, all with friendly smiles on their faces. Taishi Ci glanced back at the remaining troops, seeing them enter the camp in an orderly manner, led by Sun Ce's soldiers. His worries gradually faded, and he joined Sun Ce in the tent.

Inside the warm military tent, Sun Ce and Taishi Ci sat opposite each other, a simple table filled with refreshments. Sun Ce's eyes were filled with concern, and he eagerly inquired, "Ziyi, why are you so distraught this time? What's the current state of affairs in Yuzhang? A while ago, we planned a third grain delivery to lure the enemy out, but the old villain Yuan Shu didn't fall for it the first two times. We had hoped to ambush him after the third delivery, but plans can't keep up. I wonder what happened in between?"

Taishi Ci sighed softly, a trace of fatigue and resignation on his face. He straightened his somewhat disheveled clothes and spoke slowly, "General Sun, you may not know this, but Yuan Shu was determined to capture Yuzhang this time. He spared no expense and sent a large number of troops to attack. Although our army fought hard, the enemy was too powerful, and Yuzhang eventually fell."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce frowned, a trace of anger and resentment flashed in his eyes. He slammed the table hard and said angrily, "I never thought that old Yuan Shu would be so disregarding of the lives of his soldiers. For the sake of a city, he would not hesitate to sacrifice so many lives!"

Taishi Ci nodded and continued, "Although he has conquered Yuzhang, he is not resting on his laurels. Yuan Shu is now facing a severe food shortage. The counties surrounding Yuzhang have long since been plundered of all their food supplies, yet he persists, digging deep underground in Yuzhang for food and fodder, completely disregarding the lives of the people. The people are suffering terribly and are complaining bitterly about Yuan Shu."

Sun Ce listened quietly, a thoughtful look in his eyes. He narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Yuan Shu's actions have lost the support of the people and will not last long. Ziyi, don't worry. Now that you and I have joined forces, we will definitely find a way to recapture Yuzhang and make that old villain Yuan Shu pay. I just wonder what the situation is like with Lord Liu Yao."

Taishi Ci cupped his fists slightly and said, "Lord Liu Yao has evacuated safely, but the remaining forces are now greatly weakened. However, as long as we work together, we will surely be able to regroup."

Sun Ce stood up and strode over to Taishi Ci. He patted his shoulder with a strong hand, his eyes full of trust and admiration. He said firmly, "Ziyi, from your words, I can see that you still have great ambitions. With a strong general like you, I am relieved!"

After saying this, Sun Ce slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping across the generals in the hall. The atmosphere in the tent suddenly grew solemn, and the generals straightened their bodies, awaiting Sun Ce's next words.

Sun Ce spoke loudly, "This is the current situation. Although Yuan Shu's army has captured Yuzhang, they are facing a severe food shortage. Yuan Shu has been plundering Yuzhang and other places for food, causing the people to suffer. You are all pillars of our army. What strategies can we use to break Yuan Shu's seemingly strong but in fact weak situation?"

Inside the large tent, everyone was enthusiastically discussing strategies for defeating the enemy. Xue Zong stepped out and spoke calmly, "My lord, Yuan Shu has been short of food for a long time. We previously targeted this fatal weakness and planned to lure him into an ambush. Even though he has managed to capture Yuzhang County, the food shortage remains a constant threat. In my opinion, we should proceed with our original plan. Perhaps we can successfully lure him into the trap."

As soon as Xue Zong said this, Bu Zhi's eyes lit up. He quickly stood up and added, "That's right, my lord! We should pretend to be delivering food and fodder to Liu Yao in Yuzhang Commandery and bring it here as before. Yuan Shu is currently short of food, so he'll definitely be tempted by the sight of food and fodder, and won't be able to resist taking the bait. When he sends his troops to ambush our army's food and fodder, we'll seize this opportunity to attack the city and catch him off guard!"

At this moment, Lü Meng frowned slightly and calmly analyzed, "That being said, even if he sends troops to pick up the food and supplies, how many troops can he send? If the number he sends is too small, even if we annihilate this enemy force, it won't make much difference to the overall situation."

Wei Yan, rubbing his hands together, exclaimed, "Then let's make a bigger show! Not only should the grain transport contingent appear massive, but the escorts behind should also be staffed with elite soldiers and generals. With more troops, we can naturally transport more grain. This way, Yuan Shu, that greedy fellow, will undoubtedly be tempted to send a large force to ambush us. Then, we'll wipe out his army sent to plunder the grain in one fell swoop, and then besiege Yuzhang City. Yuan Shu, trapped in an isolated city without any food supplies, will not be able to hold out for long!"

After hearing Wei Yan's words, everyone nodded in agreement, believing that this plan was indeed feasible. A glint flashed in Sun Ce's eyes, and he nodded slightly. "You are all right. This plan is excellent. However, we must proceed with caution and arrange all the details properly. Ziyi, what are your thoughts on this plan? And everyone, what else should we pay attention to during implementation? Tell us." With that, Sun Ce glanced at everyone in the tent, eager for more ideas and suggestions to ensure the smooth implementation of this plan and the successful defeat of Yuan Shu.

Liu Yao, desperately escorted by his subordinates Yu Mi and others, looked panicked and in disarray. Like frightened birds, he and Xu Shao fled desperately towards Jingzhou. Along the way, dust flew, horses' hooves clattered, and their hearts were in their throats, fearing that pursuers would suddenly appear behind them.

Fortunately, the ferocious pursuers sent by Yuan Shu were stopped by the incomparably brave and skilled Taishi Ci. Like an impenetrable barrier, Taishi Ci, with his bravery and superb martial arts, engaged the pursuers in a thrilling battle. His fierce resistance left the pursuers unable to advance a single step, and they could only watch helplessly as Liu Yao and Xu Shao retreated.

When the soldiers, ordered to pursue, returned to Yuan Shu with resigned reports, Yuan Shu simply waved his hand impatiently, unconcerned about Liu Yao, a defeated general who had lost his home. Yuan Shu, grieving over the army's rations and fodder shortages, was preoccupied with solving this pressing problem, and had no time to worry about Liu Yao's fate. In this chaotic world, everyone struggled for their own interests and survival. The coldness of human nature and the cruelty of reality were vividly displayed in this moment.

Yuan Shu frowned, listening impatiently to Lei Bo and Li Feng's report. It turned out that even if all the food and fodder in Yuzhang County and the surrounding counties were plundered, it would still be far from enough to meet the army's massive needs. Yuan Shu's mind was preoccupied with the plight of food shortages, and he had no time to consider the pursuers' failure to catch up with Liu Yao. Just as he was brooding over a solution, he heard Yan Xiang request a meeting.

Yan Xiang had once been a highly trusted advisor to Yuan Shu, often turning to him for advice on difficult matters. However, in recent strategic decisions, Yan Xiang's opinions had been overly conservative, often at odds with Yuan Shu's ambitious expansion plans. Yuan Shu's successful capture of Yuzhang County, a remarkable victory, only served to undermine Yan Xiang's strategic vision. Furthermore, Yang Hong's constant slander and disparaging of Yan Xiang's abilities gradually eroded Yuan Shu's trust in him, and a rift began to form between the emperor and his subjects, leading to disunity.

Yuan Shu was already annoyed by Yan Xiang's request for an audience and hadn't bothered to respond. But when he heard that General Ji Ling was accompanying him, Yuan Shu, though still displeased, couldn't refuse outright. Ji Ling, his most senior general, was a skilled warrior and a valiant warrior, having made numerous military achievements for Yuan Shu, and Yuan Shu relied heavily on him. He didn't want to easily disrespect Ji Ling, so after carefully weighing the pros and cons, he suppressed his impatience and reluctantly ordered Yan Xiang to come in for an audience.

Outside the tent, Yan Xiang and Ji Ling strode in. Ji Ling was a burly figure, gleaming in armor, a sword at his waist, and an imposing presence. Yan Xiang, meanwhile, wore a simple robe and held a feather fan. His brow furrowed, his expression filled with worry, and his steps were slightly heavy, evidently burdened with a great deal of worry. Yuan Shu narrowed his eyes slightly as he scanned the two men, pondering their purpose and feeling a subtle impatience at Yan Xiang's anxious expression...

Yan Xiang, a man of great wisdom, could not fail to notice the flicker of impatience in Yuan Shu's eyes. However, as a man of great strategic awareness and exceptional wisdom, he knew that while the situation appeared calm, it was actually turbulent and full of dangers. At this moment, he had no time to consider Yuan Shu's emotions. His mind was solely focused on Yuan Shu's cause. With a sincere heart, he addressed Yuan Shu respectfully and firmly, "My lord, I heard that the soldiers who pursued Liu Yao have returned. I wonder where Liu Yao is now, and have they captured him?"

Yuan Shu was deeply displeased, but when he caught sight of Ji Ling's eagerly awaited gaze, he couldn't lose his temper. He suppressed his irritation and patiently explained, "Liu Yao fled like a lost dog, and our pursuers were unable to catch him. Now, he's fleeing in a panic towards Jingzhou."

Yan Xiang clasped his fists slightly, his expression solemn, his eyes filled with worry and determination. He spoke slowly, "My lord, Liu Yao has now fled to Jingzhou. Liu Jingsheng, a relative of the Han Dynasty and renowned for his benevolence and righteousness, would not sit idly by and watch him suffer in his plight. In my opinion, he would certainly take Liu Yao in. Although Liu Yao has been temporarily defeated, he still has a strong foundation and extensive connections. If he is allowed to recuperate in Jingzhou, he will become a serious threat to us in the future. I urge my lord to make plans as soon as possible."

After saying this, Yan Xiang lowered his head slightly, his eyes filled with worry about the situation, while he also secretly observed Yuan Shu's reaction. At this time, the atmosphere in the tent was slightly solemn, with only the candlelight swaying gently in the breeze, making a subtle sound.