Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The night was as thick as ink, impenetrable, obscuring the movements of Yuan Shu's army. The soldiers seemed to have pressed the mute button, holding their breaths, their hands steadily lifting the supplies, each step slow and cautious, fearing to disturb the air around them.

The cavalrymen were in perfect sync. They half-bent their bodies, their hands tightly grasping the reins, and their steps were extremely slow, as if they were stealing. The horses seemed to understand the crucial moment. Their hooves, wrapped in layers of thick cotton, thumped against the ground, leaving only a dull sound, completely devoid of their usual crispness.

Inside the marching ranks, every glance was filled with tension and anticipation. Everyone understood that this evacuation was like walking on the edge of a cliff; even the slightest misstep could send Sun Ce's pursuers tumbling like a ghost. They silently prayed that the darkness would protect them from pursuit, allowing them to safely reach Lujiang County and defuse the looming crisis behind them.

The two-day offensive orchestrated by Yan Xiang had indeed yielded remarkable results. Inside Sun Ce's tent, the candlelight flickered, its light dim and unsteady, stretching the figures across the tent curtains. Sun Ce's brows furrowed, his face etched with solemnity as he concentrated on tallying the day's losses. His fingers slowly traced the bamboo slips, his gaze carefully scanning each section recording casualty figures, his expression focused and serious. After confirming the casualties on both sides over the past two days, he found that Yuan Shu's losses were even more severe, and he couldn't help but frown slightly.

Sun Ce sat in the main seat, leaning forward slightly, his hands resting on his knees. A look of confusion and bewilderment lingered on his face as he spoke with a hint of annoyance, "What on earth has gone wrong with this old man Yuan Shu lately? He's usually a shrewd man, but now he seems to have completely lost his mind. He's so reckless in his disregard for the lives of his soldiers, attacking so recklessly and causing so many casualties. It's truly incomprehensible."

Upon hearing this, Lü Meng stepped forward, clasped his hands, and calmly analyzed, "In my humble opinion, could it be that Yuan Shu's war in the rear is in dire straits, and the situation is pressing, that's why he's so eager to fight us quickly? He wants to resolve the war here as quickly as possible so he can return to deal with the crisis in the rear."

Quan Cong immediately stood up, his posture erect and his face determined. He advised, "If it's true what General Lu says, then, my lord, our most important priority right now is to reinforce our camp. With a strong camp, we can hold Yuan Shu back and prevent him from returning to rescue us easily. If he succeeds, the pressure on our rear will be relieved, and victory will become even more difficult for us."

Sun Ce nodded slightly, his eyes reflecting on the situation. As he considered the crowd's suggestions, his fingers tapped rhythmically on the table in the main seat. After a moment, he spoke in a deep voice, "I believe it must be my brother and Gongjin's simultaneous attacks on Yuan Shu that put immense pressure on him, causing the old man to panic and launch such a reckless attack. If that's the case, we should follow their plan, hold our camp, and use our advantage to keep him from responding. As long as he can't return to his aid, my brother and Gongjin can seize the opportunity to pursue and crush Yuan Shu's forces once and for all."

After saying this, Sun Ce stood up abruptly, his spirits suddenly lifted, his face glowing with confidence and high spirits, and he said loudly: "Everyone should go back and rest early to recharge your energy. Tomorrow you must cheer up and continue to go all out to deal with old Yuan Shu. We must make sure that he has no chance of returning and that we have complete control over Yuzhang County in our hands!" When the generals heard this, they responded in unison. The sound made the tent buzz, and the morale was greatly boosted. The whole tent was instantly filled with an exciting atmosphere.

At dawn the next day, Sun Ce's tent was bustling with activity. Soldiers rose early, assembled their weapons, checked their armor, and prepared for battle. Clad in silver armor and holding a spear, Sun Ce stood before the tent with a stern expression, his gaze constantly darting toward Yuan Shu's camp.

As time slowly passed, the morning mist dissipated, and the sunlight grew brighter. Yet, Yuan Shu's camp remained completely silent, with no sign of a military deployment. Even at noon, the battlefield, which should have been ablaze with dust and the roar of battle, remained completely still. This eerie silence left the generals perplexed and bewildered.

"What is Yuan Shu doing? He attacked so fiercely yesterday, but today there is no trace of him." Lu Meng frowned and said with a puzzled look on his face.

Sun Ben also echoed: "Is there some conspiracy? We must not be careless."

The generals all spoke one after another, and they all felt that something was amiss. Following their advice, Sun Ce made a decisive move and sent Wei Yan and Quan Cong with a team of elite cavalry to investigate.

After receiving the order, Wei Yan and Quan Cong quickly mustered their troops and galloped towards Yuzhang County. The sound of horse hooves was particularly loud in the silent plains, startling a flock of birds, which fluttered off into the distance. When they caught sight of Yuzhang City from afar, they saw only flags fluttering, rustling in the wind. At first glance, they saw nothing unusual.

The two generals exchanged glances, each confused, yet cautiously approaching. Just as they neared the city gate, shouts of war erupted from the walls, followed by a dense rain of arrows. The two men quickly reined in their horses and retreated, dodging the barrage. The arrows rustled into the ground before them, like a patch of black thorns, blocking their path.

Wei Yan, a man of impatience, saw this scene and was enraged. He pointed at the top of the city wall and shouted, "You cowards! If you have the guts, come down and fight me for three hundred rounds. Hiding on the city wall and shooting arrows, what kind of heroes are you?" Quan Cong joined in the shouting, trying to provoke the defenders. However, no matter how they shouted, the defenders just kept firing arrows, and no one came out of the city to pursue them.

The two generals shouted and cursed until their voices were hoarse, but to no avail. With no other choice, they returned and reported the situation to Sun Ce. Sun Ce's brow furrowed tightly, his mind completely bewildered. He paced back and forth in his tent, muttering to himself, "What is Yuan Shu up to? Such behavior must be a conspiracy. But despite the two generals' challenge, they didn't even leave the city to pursue. This is truly bizarre and puzzling."

The generals in the tent looked at each other and talked a lot, and decided to give up today.

For the next two days, the battlefield seemed to have fallen into an eerie silence. The deafening shouts and screams of the past disappeared, leaving only the sound of the wind whistling across the empty wilderness.

Sun Ce, utterly anxious, dispatched generals such as Wei Yan, Quan Cong, Lü Meng, Sun Ben, and Ling Cao daily to challenge the enemy. Riding on majestic horses, they shouted and cursed fiercely, attempting to provoke the defenders. But all they received in response was a barrage of arrows. Shields in hand, the soldiers struggled to hold their ground, but the city's army never emerged to meet the enemy.

This continued for three days, and the generals' suspicions grew. Ling Cao couldn't help but advise Sun Ce, "My lord, Yuan Shu has been attacking fiercely for the past two days, and then he's been silent for the past two or three days. There must be something fishy going on. Something's wrong when things are out of the ordinary. We must be on guard."

Sun Ce nodded slightly, his expression solemn. He looked towards Yuzhang City and said in a deep voice, "Indeed, something must have happened. Yuan Shu's actions are always unpredictable. He must have a plan this time."

Taishi Ci stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said, "General Sun, how about we try to attack the city tomorrow? Could it be that Yuan Shu, after a feint, withdrew with his army to rescue the rear? He'll leave this empty city with a few defenders to confuse us."

Ma Chao slapped his forehead and said in frustration, "Oh, Ziyi, that's indeed a possibility! I hadn't thought of that. If so, let's attack the city tomorrow and see if it's true. If the city is weak, we can take Yuzhang in one fell swoop. If there's an ambush, we can make further plans."

Sun Ce thought for a moment, weighed the pros and cons, and finally made up his mind. He waved his hand and said, "Okay! Just as you said, the entire army will prepare to attack the city tomorrow, and must act with caution. Pass the order down, let the soldiers have a good rest tonight, recharge their batteries, and launch the attack at dawn tomorrow. I want to see what secrets are hidden in this Yuzhang City!" The generals took the order and went back to the camp to prepare. The whole camp was filled with a tense and expectant atmosphere, like a fully drawn bow, ready to go.

As the first rays of morning sun pierced the mist, Sun Ce's army surged toward Yuzhang County like a surging tide. War drums beat, and the cries of battle were ear-piercing. Soldiers, carrying ladders and holding shields, charged forward bravely.

Atop the city wall, Lei Bo and Li Feng stood high, overlooking the advancing enemy, their foreheads covered in beads of sweat. Though they feigned composure, the sight of the densely packed enemy below terrified them. "Listen up, everyone! Shoot! Don't let them get up!" Lei Bo shouted, his voice cracking.

Sun Ce led the charge, atop a sturdy warhorse, commanding the battlefront. His gaze piercing the city walls, he barked out orders. Wei Yan and Quan Cong, leading the charge, quickly approached the walls and erected ladders. The soldiers climbed the ladders, but the defenders, unwilling to give in, rained down logs and rocks, sending screams cascading down.

Although the defenses were much weaker than before, the defenders relied on the advantage of the city walls and fought desperately. Sun Ce's army was repeatedly repelled and never able to capture the city. After a day of siege, both sides suffered heavy losses. The battlefield was littered with corpses, and the blood dyed the ground dark red.

Sun Ce's face darkened as he took in the scene before him, realizing that Yuan Shu's main force was definitely not there. Filled with remorse, he pounded his fist on the saddle, angrily shouting, "It's all my fault! I was so careless. I let that old scoundrel Yuan Shu trick me!" But he quickly calmed down, a flicker of determination in his eyes, and he immediately ordered, "All troops, listen! Attack Yuzhang County with all your might! Capture this city at all costs!"

However, Yuzhang County's defenses far exceeded expectations. As the county seat, Yuzhang County boasts a strategic location and towering, thick walls, impregnable. Last year, Yuan Shu laid siege to it for nearly a year before finally capturing it, taking advantage of a period of food shortages and weakened defenders. Now, the city boasts ample supplies of food and fodder, and after over two months of continuous repairs and reinforcements, its defenses are now even more complete.

On the city walls, Lei Bo and Li Feng commanded the defenders in a tenacious resistance. Arrows, rolling logs, and rocks rained down like a torrential rain, hammering down on the attackers. Those struck screamed and fell, their blood instantly staining the ground beneath their feet. But the soldiers at the rear didn't flinch, stepping over the bodies of their comrades and continuing their advance.

As soon as the ladders were attached to the city walls, brave soldiers quickly climbed up. But as soon as they poked their heads out, they were stabbed by the defenders and fell screaming. The shieldmen formed a tight defensive formation, providing cover for their comrades behind them, but the powerful crossbows fired from the city walls continued to penetrate their shields, taking the soldiers' lives.

Despite Sun Ce's fierce attack, the city's fortified defenses proved difficult to breach, leading to a stalemate. The battlefield thickened with smoke, and the cries of battle, the clashing of weapons, and the agonizing screams mingled, echoing for a long time. As night fell, the fighting continued unabated. Flames flickered in the darkness, illuminating the soldiers' exhausted yet resolute faces. Yuzhang County, however, remained standing like an unshakable fortress.