Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Yan Xiang groaned inwardly. He knew full well that Lei Bo and Li Feng were secretly colluding with Yang Hong. While capable, they were far less reliable and stable than Ji Ling. But Yuan Shu had already made up his mind, and Yang Hong was fanning the flames. Any further opposition from him would likely anger Yuan Shu. So he forced a smile and said, "Generals Lei Bo and Li Feng are both capable men in our army. If they work together, we can surely secure Yuzhang County. However, we must remain cautious and not let our guard down."

Yuan Shu nodded in satisfaction and, with a wave of his hand, ordered, "Alright! It's settled. Lei Bo and Li Feng, listen up! From this day forward, you two will guard Yuzhang County. You must hold the city firmly and not allow Sun Ce to advance a single step. If anything goes wrong, you will be beheaded!" Lei Bo and Li Feng accepted the order and withdrew to prepare for the defense of the city. Yan Xiang, on the side, pondered silently: Yuzhang County was about to be plagued by many uncertainties.

The flickering candlelight within the tent illuminated the faces of those present, some solemn and some expectant. Yan Xiang knew perfectly well that Lei Bo and Li Feng lacked both ability and character, making them unsuitable candidates for the defense of Yuzhang. However, the situation was critical, and Lujiang and Jiujiang prefectures were crucial to the survival of the army. Even if Yuzhang ultimately fell, preserving these two regions was a priority.

Having made up his mind, Yan Xiang stepped forward, bowed, and addressed Yuan Shu, saying, "My lord, now that we have reached an agreement, we should act sooner rather than later. Within the next two days, mobilize our entire army and launch a full-scale attack on Sun Ce's headquarters. We will catch him off guard before he has time to react. Afterwards, we will leave Generals Lei Bo and Li Feng behind and assign them troops to garrison Yuzhang Commandery. While Sun Ce is still unawares, we will immediately withdraw to Lujiang Commandery. This will relieve Lujiang's crisis. What do you think, my lord?"

A gleam of light flashed in Yuan Shu's eyes. He nodded repeatedly and said excitedly: "Sir, your plan is very much in line with my opinion! Let's do it! Pass the order down, the whole army listens, we will launch a fierce attack on Sun Ce tomorrow, everyone, be fully prepared, we must let Sun Ce see the power of our army!" After that, he turned his head to look at the generals under his tent and shouted loudly: "This operation is related to the life and death of our army. Whoever dares to slack off will not be punished by military law!" The generals obeyed the order in unison, and the sound shook the tent slightly.

Afterward, Yuan Shu and Yan Xiang meticulously discussed the details of the attack and retreat, making all necessary arrangements. After all was said and done, Yan Xiang withdrew, a lingering worry welling up in his heart. He knew that while the plan might seem perfect, the battlefield was ever-changing. Whether Lei Bo and Li Feng could hold Yuzhang, and whether the army could successfully return to Lujiang, remained uncertain. But the arrow was on the string, and it had to be launched. He could only hope that everything would proceed according to plan, helping Yuan Shu resolve this crisis.

Over the next two days, Yuan Shu issued a command, and the army surged out of the city like a tide, their flags flying high and the clatter of horses' hooves shaking the earth slightly. With their superior numbers, Yuan Shu's army immediately pressed aggressively towards Sun Ce's position.

The front row of sword and shield soldiers formed a solid defensive line, advancing slowly forward. Their swords flashed, and the animal patterns on their shields looked particularly ferocious in the sunlight. The spearmen followed closely behind, their spear tips like a forest, their glare piercing the air. They seized the opportunity to thrust through the gaps between the sword and shield soldiers. Each thrust carried immense force, forcing Sun Ce's army to take them lightly.

Seeing this, Sun Ce remained calm and swiftly deployed his troops. He personally led his elite cavalry, charging across the battlefield like a sharp blade. Taishi Ci, spearheading the attack, wielding twin halberds, charged into Yuan Shu's ranks. Wherever he went, the enemy fell, unstoppable. His halberd wielding was fierce, its blade flashing with an icy gleam. He engaged Yuan Shu's soldiers in fierce close combat, the clash of weapons and shouts of killing mingling in a deafening cacophony.

On Yuan Shu's side, General Yang, brandishing his broadsword, engaged Taishi Ci in a fierce duel. The two exchanged blows, swords and halberds clashing, sparks flying. General Yang was immensely powerful, and each strike carried a tremendous force. However, Taishi Ci was agile, deftly dodging Yang's attacks and occasionally finding opportunities to counterattack. Their clash captivated countless eyes, becoming the focal point of the battlefield.

The battlefield was thick with smoke, and soldiers on both sides were furious. Yuan Shu's army, relying on its superior numbers, launched repeated attacks, attempting to break through Sun Ce's defenses. Sun Ce's army, relying on brilliant tactics and the heroic resistance of his soldiers, repeatedly repelled Yuan Shu's army. For a moment, the battlefield was littered with corpses, and blood stained the ground red. The fighting entered a white-hot stage. Both sides paid a heavy price, but the outcome remained unclear.

Night fell over Yuzhang County. The battlefield, once ravaged by fierce fighting during the day, now fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional groans of wounded soldiers. Inside Yuan Shu's tent, flickering candlelight illuminated the faces of those present, some weary and some tense.

Yuan Shu summoned General Yang to his side, his gaze filled with gentle concern. He patted his shoulder gently and said tenderly, "General Yang, you've fought bravely these past two days and have worked incredibly hard. I've witnessed your bravery, and so have all the soldiers in the army." General Yang's face lit up with a hint of relief. He knelt on one knee, clasped his fists, and said, "Serving my lord is my duty. I'm truly ashamed that we weren't able to defeat Sun Ce in one fell swoop." Yuan Shu smiled and helped him up. "Victory and defeat are commonplace in war. Don't take it personally."

In reality, Yuan Shu knew that while General Yang possessed considerable valor in battle, he lacked strategic planning and the ability to lead independently. However, he was deeply grateful that General Yang had stepped forward and fought with all his might at this crucial moment. Thinking of this, Yuan Shu instinctively glanced at Ji Ling, who stood quietly nearby. Ji Ling was his trusted and beloved general. He had previously suffered serious injuries while saving Lei Bo and Li Feng, and he felt deeply for him. How could he bear to put Ji Ling in danger again? If anything happened to him, he would be devastated. It was precisely for this reason that General Yang's performance on the battlefield over the past two days had been particularly impressive.

After reassuring General Yang, Yuan Shu turned to Yan Xiang, his eyes inquiring, "Sir, in your opinion, is it time to evacuate?" Yan Xiang nodded slightly, his expression calm as he analyzed, "My lord, we've launched fierce attacks for two consecutive days, displaying a desperate stance. Sun Ce will surely be wary. He's likely busy reinforcing his camp and deploying defenses, and won't have time to worry about our movements for the time being. In my opinion, tonight is the perfect time to arrange an orderly withdrawal."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu frowned slightly, a flicker of reluctance in his eyes. After all, Yuzhang City had cost him so much effort, and now it was hard to let it go. But when he thought about the consequences of being outmatched by Yuan Shao if he didn't return to support him in time, he gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Okay, if that's the case, then we will withdraw." With that, he quickly issued orders, arranging for the commanders of each battalion to organize the soldiers to pack their bags and prepare for evacuation.

Before the army prepared to withdraw, Yan Xiang solemnly called Lei Bo and Li Feng to his side. He looked at them with a sharp gaze and said sternly, "Generals, this time our army is withdrawing, and the burden on your shoulders is not light. Be sure to place more flags on the city walls and set up a false formation. No matter how Sun Ce provokes us, we must hold our ground and not rush to gain credit, lest we fall into Sun Ce's ambush. This concerns the safety of our army, and we must not take it lightly!"

Lei Bo and Li Feng exchanged a glance, clasped their fists, and said respectfully, "Please rest assured, Mr. Yan, we will act according to your instructions."

After Yan Xiang and Yuan Shu had gone to arrange the retreat, Yang Hong stealthily approached Lei Bo and Li Feng. He glanced around cautiously, making sure no one was around. Then, lowering his voice, he said, "Lei Bo, Li Feng, to be honest, you two can't hold Yuzhang County by yourself right now, so don't expect to achieve much merit here."

Upon hearing this, Lei Bo showed surprise on his face and couldn't help asking, "Mr. Yang, if you can't hold it, why do you let us two hold on here?"

Yang Hong sneered, a sinister glint in his eyes. He said, "Ma Chao is so formidable, he's not one to be trifled with. You just hold on here. Even if you can't hold on and lose Yuzhang, that's fine. If you go to the front lines against Ma Chao, what if something goes wrong? Let that stubborn Ji Ling go with Yan Xiang to tackle this tough nut. Think about it, if Ma Chao was easy to deal with, how could Zhang Xun suffer such repeated defeats and even lose Runan County?"

Li Feng frowned slightly. Although he felt that what Yang Hong said made some sense, he was still a little hesitant: "But Mr. Yang, if we lose Yuzhang, what about the lord..."

Yang Hong waved his hand impatiently, interrupting him: "What are you afraid of? In this situation, saving your lives is the most important thing. As long as you can hold out here for a while and buy some time for the army to evacuate, it will be a great achievement. As for Yuzhang, it's lost. The lord understands the current situation and will not blame you too much."

Lei Bo and Li Feng's doubts eased slightly after hearing Yang Hong's words. They exchanged glances and nodded. They were already apprehensive about confronting Ma Chao, and after hearing Yang Hong's words, they resolved to remain in Yuzhang City and not entertain any further ambitions.

Yang Hong's eyes burned brightly, as if he could see through everything. He continued to speak to Lei Bo and Li Feng, "Don't worry too much, you two. I've carefully considered this. After we leave, if news reaches Liu Yao, he will definitely not let Yuzhang County go easily. He will definitely borrow troops from Liu Biao and attack Yuzhang. By then, you will be attacked from all sides, and Yuzhang County will most likely be lost."

Lei Bo and Li Feng's faces instantly turned to worry when they heard this. They were already overwhelmed by trying to fend off Sun Ce, and now, hearing that Liu Yao might return, they were even more worried. Li Feng said bitterly, "We can barely handle Sun Ce alone, so what if Liu Yao comes back?"

Yang Hong waved his hand and said confidently, "If we can't hold it, we can't hold it. If we lose it, we lose it. But there's one thing you must remember: you must never let Yuzhang fall into Sun Ce's hands. If there's absolutely no other way to give it up, give it to Liu Yao."

The two generals exchanged puzzled glances, and Lei Bo couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Yang, why is this happening? What's the significance of this action?"

Yang Hong's lips curled up in a sly grin. "Hmph, the battles with Sun Ce of Jiangdong these past few days have shown how fierce he is. If we let him capture Yuzhang County, it will be incredibly difficult for us to retake it in the future. Although we may have lost Yuzhang on the surface, Liu Yao borrowed troops from Liu Biao of Jingzhou to capture it. This will lead to a standoff between Liu Yao and Sun Ce, and even drag Liu Biao of Jingzhou into the fray. Let them fight it out in Yuzhang County like vicious dogs fighting for a bone. As for you, conserve your strength. Once Ji Ling has been severely weakened in the battle against Ma Chao, you two can join us with fresh troops. If we can seize this opportunity to repel Ma Chao, it will be a tremendous achievement, and you will be in the spotlight in front of the lord, firmly surpassing Ji Ling!"

Lei Bo and Li Feng suddenly understood what Yang Hong said and felt that it made sense. They were very excited. Li Feng rubbed his hands and said, "Yes, this way, we can not only avoid the limelight, but also have the opportunity to make great achievements!" Lei Bo nodded repeatedly, his face clear of the previous haze and filled with anticipation.