Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ji Ling led his army on a journey of day and night, raising a cloud of dust. From afar, he spotted Yan Xiang's group transporting grain and fodder. Yan Xiang also saw Ji Ling, and his heart, which had been hanging in the air for a long time, finally settled down, a relieved smile on his face.

After the two groups reunited, Yan Xiang quickly walked towards Ji Ling and bowed, saying, "General Ji, I'm so glad you're here. I've been so worried all along the way, afraid the food and fodder might be lost." Ji Ling quickly returned the greeting with a bright smile, "Don't worry, Mr. Yan. With me, Ji Ling, here, I'll make sure the food and fodder are safe."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the two men immediately began to discuss countermeasures. Ji Ling said solemnly, "Sun Ce is now very ambitious and is very likely to send troops to intercept our food supplies. We must be on guard." Yan Xiang nodded slightly, his eyes scanning the surroundings as he analyzed, "The terrain here is complex, with several valleys that are difficult to reach. If Sun Ce sends troops to attack, they will most likely set up an ambush here. We can disperse some of our forces to both sides of the valley. If the enemy attacks, we can attack from both sides."

Ji Ling pondered for a moment and added, "I think we should send out a few elite scouts to gather information within a ten-mile radius ahead. If they find any trace of Sun Ce's army, they should report back immediately. At the same time, we should have the grain and fodder trains speed up and reach a safe area as quickly as possible." Yan Xiang agreed and added, "We can also deploy shield soldiers around the grain and fodder carts to protect against sudden attacks and volleys of enemy arrows."

With the plan finalized, Ji Ling quickly issued his orders, urging his men to assume their respective roles and prepare for battle. Scouts scattered like arrows, while ambushes were quietly set up on both sides of the valley. Shield soldiers tightly surrounded the grain carts. The entire force, like a heavily guarded beast, steadily advanced, ready to respond to any possible attack from Sun Ce.

In Sun Ce's tent, Lü Meng and Wei Yan volunteered, vowing to Sun Ce that they would successfully intercept Yuan Shu's grain. Sun Ce looked at them with hope in his eyes and approved their request.

After receiving the order, Lü Meng and Wei Yan dared not delay a moment. They immediately assembled their elite troops and set out hastily under cover of darkness. Moonlight shone on the earth, illuminating their galloping figures. The sound of their horses' hooves was rapid and urgent, as if they were racing against time.

Along the way, the two men carefully avoided patrols from Yuan Shu's territory. As luck would have it, Yuan Shu had just captured Yuzhang County, and his army had been cleverly blocked within the city walls by Sun Ce. His forces were scattered and unable to respond to any major attacks. This left the defenses of the region vulnerable and thin as a sheet of paper. Lü Meng and Wei Yan, with their keen observation and cautious actions, repeatedly averted danger, successfully avoiding wave after wave of patrols.

They rode tirelessly, day and night, napping on horseback when tired and munching on rations when hungry. Finally, they arrived not far from Ji Ling's army. From afar, they could see Ji Ling's troops, their banners fluttering, forming a mighty force. Lü Meng and Wei Yan exchanged glances, a flicker of nervous excitement in their eyes, knowing a fierce battle was inevitable.

Under the moonlight, Lü Meng and Wei Yan, leading their elite troops, huddled in the shadows on either side of the valley, their gaze fixed on the winding march of Ji Ling and Yan Xiang's supply train. Lowering his voice, Lü Meng addressed Wei Yan beside him, "Although Ji Ling's army is well-prepared, I've observed their flanks and see a slight weakness. We can exploit this as a breakthrough point and breach their defenses, securing the supply." Wei Yan nodded slightly, a fierce glint in his eyes, and he subconsciously tightened his grip on his longsword.

At Lü Meng's command, the ambushed troops, already unable to contain themselves, surged out from both sides of the valley like hungry wolves. The cries of killing instantly shattered the previously tranquil silence, shaking the valley to a humming crescendo. Lü Meng led the charge, spear in hand, charging into the enemy lines, shouting, "Brothers, follow me! Take this batch of fodder and you'll be richly rewarded!" The soldiers' morale soared, and they recklessly rushed towards the fodder column.

However, their actions had been anticipated by Yan Xiang. The moment the enemy appeared, Yan Xiang calmly nodded to Ji Ling. Ji Ling immediately waved his flag and shouted, "Change formation!" Instantly, Yuan Shu's army responded swiftly, their previously orderly formation shifting. The shieldmen quickly gathered, forming a tight array, forming an impenetrable shield wall that shielded the grain carts. The archers quickly stood firm, their bows drawn, and a dense volley of arrows rained down upon the enemy. Suddenly, the valley was a hail of arrows, and the enemy soldiers at the forefront fell to the ground one after another, their screams echoing incessantly.

Seeing the situation dire, Lü Meng gritted his teeth and persevered, attempting to break through the defenses. He wielded his spear, thrusting left and right, knocking down several Yuan Shu soldiers. But Yuan Shu's defenses were as impenetrable as a fortress. Wei Yan was terrified, knowing that if this continued, his army would be annihilated. A sudden shift in his focus, he devised a plan and quickly assembled a squad of death squads. He shouted, "Follow us, attack from the flanks and draw the enemy's fire!" With that, he led the squad, charging towards Yuan Shu's flank like a tiger descending a mountain.

Seeing this, Ji Ling sneered, "A trifling trick! You think you can fool me?" He immediately deployed some troops to strengthen the flank defenses. A fierce battle ensued on the flanks, with swords flashing and blood staining the ground red. Lü Meng, taking advantage of the chaos, attempted to sneak around to the rear and attack the grain carts, but was blocked by an ambush arranged by Yan Xiang. From his perch, Yan Xiang calmly directed the battle, methodically responding to each enemy attack.

As the situation grew increasingly desperate, Lü Meng was surrounded, his men dwindling. Just as he thought he was doomed, Wei Yan charged. Wielding his long sword, Wei Yan swept through the enemy lines with unstoppable force, crushing them wherever he went. Fighting his way through, he finally reached Lü Meng and shouted, "General Lü, follow me and break through this encirclement!" Lü Meng gritted his teeth and followed Wei Yan, the two men working in unison. With Wei Yan's support, Lü Meng finally broke free. However, the ambush had left them severely weakened, and they had no choice but to retreat in disgrace with their remaining troops.

Lü Meng and Wei Yan galloped all the way, only slowing down once they were clear of the bloody battlefield and assured of temporary safety. Lü Meng was panting, his face pale as paper, his hand gripping the reins trembling slightly. He had just begun his career and suffered such a crushing defeat. The thrilling battle still reverberated in his mind, leaving him utterly bewildered and momentarily at a loss for what to do.

"What should I do? How can I face General Sun Ce's wrath if I return like this?" Lu Meng's voice trembled, filled with fear and regret. He had boasted so confidently before Sun Ce, but now, with so many soldiers and generals lost, the mission had completely failed. He couldn't imagine the wrath Sun Ce would feel upon hearing the news.

Wei Yan frowned, sweat mixed with blood running down his cheeks. He said in a deep voice, "This is not the time to sigh. If we two are defeated, how could Yuan Shu's army let us go so easily? There must be pursuers behind us."

Upon hearing this, Lü Meng panicked, his eyes widening as he asked hurriedly, "What...what should we do? We're already in such a desperate situation, how can we resist the pursuers?"

Wei Yan took a deep breath, his expression righteous and awe-inspiring. He suddenly drew his long sword and pointed it in the direction they had come from. "I wish to set up another ambush! The enemy's winning streak has made them complacent and underestimate us. Let's pick a narrow valley. With the advantage of the terrain, we will surely catch them off guard and prevent them from pursuing us!"

Lu Meng hesitated for a moment, his heart full of worry, but there was really no better way at the moment, so he could only grit his teeth and nodded in agreement: "Okay, as you say. But we must be careful this time, we don't have many troops to lose." After that, the two of them mustered their courage and began to prepare for the next life-and-death battle, hoping to find a glimmer of hope in the desperate situation.

Wielding his long sword, Ji Ling charged left and right across the battlefield, forcing Lü Meng and Wei Yan's troops into retreat. Watching the enemy flee in panic, he breathed a sigh of relief and shouted, "Retreat!" The soldiers quickly responded, gathering their ranks in an orderly fashion and returning to Yan Xiang's position.

Returning to the forage corps, Ji Ling dismounted and strode towards Yan Xiang. Yan Xiang, beaming, bowed and said, "Congratulations, General Ji, for this great victory over the enemy! You have achieved such a glorious victory!" Ji Ling quickly returned the greeting, saying modestly, "It was all thanks to your advance planning, and I was simply executing it."

Yan Xiang nodded slightly, then changed the subject: "General, the enemy has already been defeated. Why not pursue them?" Ji Ling's expression froze, and he said seriously: "Sir, you don't know that food and supplies are the top priority right now. Our army is limited in manpower. If we split up and pursue them rashly, we might encounter an enemy ambush and lose our food and supplies. I don't dare take that risk."

Yan Xiang smiled mysteriously and said, "General, you are absolutely right, but let's try a different approach. We can send a lieutenant general with a small force to feign pursuit. If we encounter an ambush, we can immediately withdraw. This way, we won't suffer too much loss."

Ji Ling looked puzzled and asked, "If that's the case, then isn't this a futile effort? Why did you make such an arrangement, sir?"

Yan Xiang stroked his beard and explained, "Alas, it's all about this batch of food and fodder. The enemy has launched an ambush, and we don't know how many troops Sun Ce has sent. This pursuit will, on the one hand, test whether they have more ambushes; on the other hand, it will demonstrate the strength of our army. If we were short of troops, how could we dare to divide our forces and pursue them?"

Ji Ling suddenly understood and couldn't help but applaud: "Sir, this is a brilliant idea. Ji Ling admires it!" Then he turned around and summoned one of his deputy generals, ordering: "You lead two hundred light cavalry and pretend to pursue the enemy. Remember, once you encounter resistance or discover anything unusual, retreat immediately and don't fight to the death!" The deputy general took the order, jumped on his horse, and led the light cavalry to quickly chase in the direction of the enemy's escape.

The deputy general, with five hundred light cavalrymen, galloped in the direction of the enemy's retreat, their horses' hooves kicking up clouds of dust. Along the way, he remained vigilant, his gaze constantly scanning his surroundings. As they entered a narrow valley, a sudden sense of foreboding washed over the deputy general.

At this moment, shouts and cries of killing rang out from both sides of the valley. Wei Yan and his ambushes instantly charged out. In the moonlight, swords and spears flashed coldly, and the enemy's figures were densely packed. The deputy general was startled, but he remembered Ji Ling's instructions and remained calm. The moment his eyes met Wei Yan's, they barely made eye contact before the deputy general shouted, "Ambush! Retreat!"

In reality, both sides were in a state of panic. Wei Yan had just suffered a crushing defeat, his troops severely depleted. Although he had set an ambush, he was unsure, fearing an enemy counterattack. Meanwhile, the deputy general was only feigning pursuit, and with only a few troops, he dared not engage the ambush head-on.