Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Within a few days, Lü Meng lived up to expectations and successfully pacified Nancheng County. After entering the city, he enforced strict military discipline and appeased the people, quickly restoring peace to the county. Initially apprehensive, the people welcomed Sun Ce's troops, but now they were accepting. Wei Yan also achieved great success in Jiancheng County, skillfully cutting off the water supply and capturing the county without a single drop of blood. He also established Jiancheng as a solid stronghold, providing a strong foundation for subsequent operations.

Xue Zong, with his vast knowledge and wisdom, implemented benevolent policies in Yichun County, dispelling the resistance of the local people and successfully completing the pacification mission, earning the support of the people of Yichun County. Quan Zong arrived in Haihun State, strictly disciplined his soldiers, and engaged in friendly exchanges with the local people, allowing the people of Haihun State to witness the benevolence of Sun Ce's army and bringing Haihun State under his control without a single soldier. Zhu Huan, faced with the difficult terrain of Yudu County, cleverly planned and utilized surprise attack tactics to successfully break the city, consolidating his occupation in the shortest possible time. Lu Ji penetrated the mountainous and forested Nanye County, using clever strategies to minimize casualties, successfully pacifying the area and winning the recognition of the local people. Lü Dai traveled a long distance, overcoming numerous obstacles, and upon arriving in Anping State, he quickly took control of the situation and completed the pacification mission.

Now, almost all the counties south of Yuzhang County have been firmly in Sun Ce's hands. These counties are like chess pieces. Under Sun Ce's careful layout, they have formed a solid line of defense. They have also accumulated rich supplies and manpower for the subsequent attack on Yuzhang County, greatly enhancing the strength of Sun Ce's army.

Lei Bo and Li Feng paced back and forth on the city walls, their hearts burning with anxiety. Outside, news of Sun Ce's army's siege and plunder in the southern part of the county continued to arrive, each piece of news like a heavy hammer, hammering down on their hearts.

"What on earth is Liu Yao up to? It's already this late, why is there still no movement at all!" Lei Bo punched the city wall, causing the dust to fall down, his face full of anger and anxiety.

Li Feng sighed deeply, his brows knitted into the shape of a "川" character. He said worriedly, "Yes, if this drags on, once Sun Ce has established a firm foothold in the south and gathers his forces to attack the county town, we won't be able to hold out." He paused, a flicker of fear in his eyes. "By then, won't Mr. Yang Hong's meticulous planning be wasted? And how will we explain this to General Yuan?"

Lei Bo gritted his teeth and gazed into the distance, as if he wanted to penetrate the mountains and see Liu Yao's army. "If Liu Yao doesn't come soon, we'll be in dire straits. Every day we delay, Sun Ce's power grows, and our situation becomes more dangerous."

The two of them were silent for a moment, the atmosphere on the city wall oppressive and suffocating. Suddenly, Li Feng, as if struck by something, turned abruptly and said, "No, we can't just sit there and wait. We have to find a way to urge Liu Yao to send his troops, even if it's just sending a messenger to ask them when they'll act."

Lei Bo nodded, his expression solemn: "This is the only way. I hope Liu Yao won't let us down, otherwise this Yuzhang County City... Alas!" After that, the two of them hurriedly walked down the city wall and began to arrange the waiting, hoping to get news from Liu Yao as soon as possible to change this precarious situation.

Huang Zu and Liu Yao's group traveled under the stars, heading from Jiangxia to Yuzhang County. The atmosphere along the way was oppressive and suffocating. Huang Zu's head remained held high, as if pulled by an invisible force. His eyes were filled with arrogance and disdain. He never even glanced at Liu Yao. His every move exuded a deep sense of distance, as if Liu Yao were an insignificant figure, unworthy of his attention.

Liu Biao's trusted advisor, Kuai Liang, by contrast, stood in stark contrast to Huang Zu. A friendly and knowledgeable man, he engaged in lively conversation with Liu Yao and the others along the way, his words filled with profound insights into the current state of affairs and humorous anecdotes. The conversation was lively, and laughter filled the marching procession.

Liu Yao was filled with resentment. Finally finding a moment to be alone, he quickly pulled Xu Shao aside and began to pour out his frustrations, his words filled with anger and grievance. "Xu Shao, look at Huang Zu's condescending attitude. From the moment we set out until now, he's been cold and indifferent to me. And yet, Kuai Liang was chatting with us cheerfully. This alternation of warmth and coldness is truly infuriating! We're both on Liu Biao's side, yet our styles of conduct are so different. I simply cannot comprehend it."

Xu Shao listened quietly to Liu Yao's complaints, his expression calm. He shook his head gently, looked at Liu Yao with a gentle gaze, and slowly began to persuade him, "My lord, there's really no need to get so angry about this. The reason behind this isn't simply Huang Zu's arrogance and disrespect. You might as well calm down and think deeply about it from a different perspective. Huang Zu is a capable general under Liu Biao's command, and he comes from a prominent Jingxiang family. He's shouldering a heavy responsibility, leading the troops alone, and representing Liu Biao. In such circumstances, if he gets too close to you and interacts too closely, how do you think Liu Biao would react?"

Liu Yao's brow furrowed as he listened to Xu Shao's words, falling into deep thought. He replayed his various encounters with Huang Zu along the way, as well as Xu Shao's recent remarks, pondering the implications. After a long moment, he seemed to suddenly grasp something, a flicker of realization in his eyes. He sighed heavily and said, "I see! Generals hold great power, and their every move carries weight. In the eyes of our lord, their words and actions can be magnified and interpreted. It's truly inadvisable to become too close to the princes of other factions. Any inadvertence could easily spark our lord's suspicion, bringing unforeseen disaster upon ourselves."

After figuring out the key point, Liu Yao's anger instantly dissipated. He looked into the distance, his eyes showing more insight and calmness about the situation, and he also had a more thorough and profound understanding of the complex and subtle interpersonal interests.

At that time, Yuan Shu's two generals, Lei Bo and Li Feng, who had been left behind in Yuzhang County, were anxiously dealing with the impasse within the city. Outside, Sun Ce's army, like a surging tide, encircled the city, their assault intensifying with each passing day. Lying in the heart of the county, Yuzhang County itself resembled an isolated fortress. Vast tracts of land beyond the city walls had already fallen to Sun Ce. Had it not been for the desperate resistance of Lei Bo and Li Feng, Yuzhang County would have been reduced to a desolate city surrounded on all sides, plunged into a desperate situation.

At this moment, scouts from the rear came galloping and reported loudly: "Generals, the armies of Liu Yao and Huang Zu have arrived at Chaisang and will launch an attack soon!" Lei Bo and Li Feng looked at each other, and their tense faces showed an expression of relief, as if a huge rock pressing on their hearts had fallen to the ground in an instant.

Li Feng breathed a sigh of relief, a smile of relief on his face. He said, "Finally, they've arrived!" Lei Bo nodded slightly, a glint in his eyes, and continued, "Yes, our efforts to hold on until now have finally paid off." You know, Yang Hong had previously instructed that if Yuzhang County could not be defended, the territory would be handed over to Liu Yao, allowing Liu Yao and Sun Ce to fight it out, and they could reap the benefits. Now that Liu Yao's army was coming to attack Yuzhang County's rear, it was exactly the situation they had dreamed of.

For days, facing Sun Ce's fierce attacks, they had been under immense pressure, not daring to relax day and night. The city's food and fodder were dwindling, and the soldiers were exhausted, but they remained steadfast. They hoped for a turning point, and now, the arrival of Liu Yao's army undoubtedly gave them hope of a breakthrough. They believed that with the addition of Liu Yao's army, the situation would surely change, and they would finally have a chance to escape their current predicament and find a respite from this difficult defense.

However, Liu Yao's army had only just arrived at Chaisang, and with numerous counties still separating them, it was still a long way from Yuzhang County. Meanwhile, Sun Ce, having secured his territory in the south of the county, intensified his offensive, commanding his troops in daily assaults on Yuzhang County. The deafening sound of war drums and the shouts of the soldiers put Lei Bo and Li Feng inside the city on pins and needles.

Lei Bo, perched on the city wall, gazed at the surging enemy troops outside, his brow furrowed. He anxiously said to Li Feng, "Why is Liu Yao so slow? If he keeps going this way, we won't be able to hold the city before he arrives!" Li Feng paced back and forth, his face etched with anxiety. He echoed, "Yeah, we have to find a way to make him speed up, or we'll all be doomed!"

After some discussion, the two decided to use the pretext that the county capital was in imminent danger as an excuse to withdraw troops from the northern counties. They actually had another motive: they wanted to preserve their own strength while creating a sense of urgency for Liu Yao. They also had to create the illusion that they were under attack from all sides and unable to resist. This would provide a plausible excuse for handing the county capital over to Liu Yao later, as they would be unable to explain themselves to Yuan Shu.

Consequently, urgent military orders were sent to the northern counties, ordering the local garrisons to rush to support Yuzhang County. However, when deploying troops, Lei Bo and Li Feng were extremely cautious, not wanting to make it too obvious. While they publicly claimed to be fully committed to defending the city, they kept the number of troops mobilized within a certain range, minimizing the risk of conserving their own strength.

During this period of mobilization, Lei Bo and Li Feng organized the city's defenders to put up a tenuous resistance against Sun Ce's attack, all the while keeping a close eye on the movements of Liu Yao's army. Every day was a torment, hoping Liu Yao would speed up his advance while also worrying that Sun Ce could breach the city at any moment. The soldiers on the city walls were exhausted, but Lei Bo and Li Feng dared not relax, knowing full well that if their plan failed, they would face severe punishment from Yuan Shu.

After a grueling journey, Huang Zu's army finally arrived at Chaisang. As the warships slowly approached the shore and the soldiers set foot on Chaisang's land, they felt a chilling atmosphere. The Chaisang County commander, fully aware of the strategic significance of this location, had prepared for the city's impregnable defenses.

Liu Yao gazed at the tightly closed gates and heavily guarded Chaisang County, a wave of worry welling up in his heart. On the city walls, soldiers, weapons in hand, watched the movements outside with vigilant eyes. Banners fluttered in the wind, demonstrating the defenders' resolve. This scene prompted Liu Yao to turn his head and glance at the battle-hardened Huang Zu beside him, asking for advice. "General Huang, Chaisang's defenses are so strong. In your opinion, how should we attack it?"