Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Yan Xiang gathered his composure and, summoning his courage, said, "My Lord, I have previously suggested that if the situation in Yuzhang County becomes too critical, we could strategically abandon it to preserve our remaining forces. However, this sudden change caught me off guard."

Yuan Shu chuckled in anger, "Even now, you're resorting to sarcastic remarks! If you had insisted on this idea and made arrangements earlier, you wouldn't be in such a difficult position. What's the point of saying this now?"

Seeing this, Yang Hong stepped forward, bowed, and a look of worry on his face. "My Lord, what Mr. Yan said is not entirely unreasonable. However, now that Yuzhang County is in such a state, our top priority is to consider how to deal with Ma Chao and Zhang Liao's offensive. There is no point in dwelling on Yuzhang."

Yuan Shu glared at Yang Hong fiercely and said, "You're a good person! The situation is so bad now, what wise advice did you have before?"

Yang Hong remained calm and continued, "My lord, please calm down. Since Lei Bo and Li Feng are withdrawing, we should take advantage of the situation and allow them to return to strengthen our defenses. Ma Chao and Zhang Liao may be brave, but we still have more troops. If we redeploy our defenses, we may be able to withstand them. However…" Yang Hong paused, glancing at Yan Xiang, "The incident in Yuzhang County has really damaged our army's morale. If we don't rectify the situation, I'm afraid our army will be shaken."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu frowned and paced back and forth in the tent for a few more steps. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, let Lei Bo and Li Feng withdraw. But Yan Xiang, you are to blame this time! I trusted you so much, and yet you let me down time and time again!"

Yan Xiang fell to his knees with a plop, his heart filled with bitterness. "My lord, I acknowledge my guilt. I am willing to redeem myself and contribute strategies to defeat the enemy." But Yuan Shu simply snorted, his trust vanishing. He stopped looking at Yan Xiang and turned to Yang Hong, saying, "Go and arrange for Lei Bo and Li Feng to return quickly and rearrange the defenses. Pay close attention to this as well."

Yang Hong respectfully agreed, a flicker of smugness in his eyes. He caught a glimpse of Yan Xiang kneeling on the ground, and sneered inwardly. Yan Xiang, kneeling there, knew that his position in Yuan Shu's heart was in jeopardy. The days ahead would be even more difficult. He could only rack his brains, hoping to turn the tide in the upcoming battle and regain Yuan Shu's trust. However, the road ahead was long and difficult.

Inside the tent, the atmosphere was as heavy as frost, almost suffocating. Ji Ling stood quietly by, watching Yan Xiang being harshly berated and relentlessly reprimanded by his lord, Yuan Shu. A pang of bitterness welled up in his heart, like a jar of vinegar overturned. He had known Yan Xiang for a long time, and knew that he was devoted to his master, working tirelessly for him. To find himself in such a state was truly a cause for regret.

As the heated debate gradually came to a close, Yan Xiang emerged from the military tent, dejected and distraught, like a frost-bitten eggplant. His steps were unsteady, each one like dragging a thousand-pound burden. The sun shone on him, but it couldn't warm his icy heart. He knew that his lord, Yuan Shu, had deepened his prejudice against him, and that the days ahead would be difficult.

He hadn't gone far when he heard the sound of hurried footsteps behind him. Yan Xiang instinctively turned around and saw Ji Ling, Yuan Shu's most renowned general, hurrying towards him. Suddenly, a glimmer of hope flashed through Yan Xiang's dim eyes, and a surge of anticipation welled up in his heart: Could it be that his lord had changed his mind and sent Ji Ling to appease him?

As Ji Ling approached, Yan Xiang hurried forward, his voice filled with unconcealed anticipation, and asked, "General Ji, does the lord have any other plans?" Ji Ling looked at Yan Xiang's expectant expression and couldn't help but smile bitterly, his face filled with helplessness and pity. He sighed softly and said, "Mr. Yan, I know how difficult it is for you. The lord is furious right now, and I'm afraid his anger won't subside for a while. I hope you can calm down for now and not worry too much. You know, the battle in Lujiang is at a stalemate, and the lord is still counting on your advice to help us overcome this difficult time."

When Yan Xiang heard Ji Ling's words, the glimmer of hope in his eyes dimmed instantly. He forced a smile on his face and said, "General Ji, I understand. Thank you for still thinking of me, an old friend. But now the lord has a deep prejudice against me. Even if I have a lot of strategies, I don't know how to put them into practice."

Ji Ling patted Yan Xiang's shoulder and sighed, "Mr. Yan, you are a man of great talent. The Lord will understand sooner or later. The battle in Lujiang is critical, and the Lord cannot be without a think tank like you. Relax and wait until the Lord's anger subsides, and perhaps he will change his mind."

Yan Xiang smiled wryly and nodded, his heart filled with helplessness. As the two were talking, a sudden commotion erupted in the distance. A soldier hurried over and knelt on one knee before Ji Ling. "General Ji, this is bad! Ma Chao is making another move. He seems to be gathering his forces. It looks like he's about to launch a new attack!"

Ji Ling's expression changed, and he turned to look at Yan Xiang. "Mr. Yan, what do you think?" Yan Xiang pondered for a moment. "I'm afraid Ma Chao's move is an attempt to take advantage of our lord's instability and break through our defenses. General Ji, the most urgent thing is to return to camp and discuss a countermeasure with our lord."

Ji Ling nodded, and dragged Yan Xiang towards the tent. Returning to the tent, they saw Yuan Shu sitting at the commander's desk, a gloomy look on his face. Seeing Ji Ling and Yan Xiang come in, Yuan Shu snorted coldly, "Why, you two still remember to come back? Ma Chao is about to attack again, what do you say we should do?"

Yan Xiang took a deep breath and stepped forward. "My lord, Ma Chao is eager to attack and must be desperate to win. We can take advantage of this and set an ambush. We should deploy elite troops along his route and wait for him to enter the encirclement. We can then attack from both sides and inflict heavy damage on the enemy."

Yuan Shu frowned, lost in thought. Yang Hong said sarcastically, "Mr. Yan, your plan sounds good, but if it goes the same way as before, won't it cost us more manpower?"

Yan Xiang was angry, but he still held it back. "Mr. Yang, if you have a better plan, you might as well tell us and let everyone hear it." Yang Hong was choked and speechless. He could only snort coldly and turn his head away.

Ji Ling stepped forward and said, "My lord, I think Mr. Yan's plan is feasible. Ma Chao may be brave, but we can't just defend blindly. Now that the enemy is approaching, it's time for us to work together."

Yuan Shu hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. "Alright, let's do as Yan Xiang says. Ji Ling, go arrange the ambush, and be very careful. If we fail again, you'll all be beheaded!"

Ji Ling and Yan Xiang followed the order and marched out. Yan Xiang knew this was his only chance to regain his lord's trust. If this strategy succeeded, he might even be able to regain Yuan Shu's favor; if it failed, he feared he would no longer have a place in Yuan Shu's employ. He clenched his fists, silently praying that this battle must be won!

Yan Xiang waited in his tent with great anticipation for victory, but instead he received news of defeat. When the scouts rushed into the tent in a panic and reported the tragic situation on the front lines, Yan Xiang felt dizzy and nearly collapsed.

This hastily devised strategy not only failed to inflict a significant blow on Ma Chao, but also inflicted heavy casualties on the soldiers sent to meet the enemy. Faced with the overwhelming charge of the Western Liang cavalry, Yuan Shu's army was like a leaf in a gust of wind, completely unstoppable. On the battlefield, shouts and screams mingled, blood stained the ground, and countless soldiers lay in pools of blood.

Inside the tent, the atmosphere once again plummeted to a freezing point. Yang Hong wore a smirk of triumph, his gaze filled with mockery as he looked at Yan Xiang. "Mr. Yan, is this what you call a brilliant plan to save the situation? Not only did it cost us our troops and generals, but it also made Ma Chao even more arrogant!" Yan Xiang gritted his teeth, his face turning pale. He clenched his fists in his sleeves, his knuckles white, but he was speechless. At this moment, the bitterness of failure surged within him. He felt as if he had become the target of public criticism, utterly humiliated.

Just as Yan Xiang was feeling embarrassed, Yang Hong turned to face Yuan Shu, bowed respectfully, and said, "My lord, in my opinion, we should temporarily gather our troops and avoid his attack. We must not rashly confront Ma Chao again. Our army outnumbers Ma Chao, and he won't be able to do anything to us for the time being. Once Lei Bo and Li Feng escort the main force back safely, we will have an absolute advantage in numbers, and then we can encircle Ma Chao. By then, no matter how powerful Ma Chao is, he will be unable to escape!"

Yuan Shu frowned, pacing back and forth in the tent. After a long moment of contemplation, he slowly nodded. "This is the only way. It's just that the loss of so many soldiers this time is truly heartbreaking." He then glared at Yan Xiang, his gaze filled with disappointment and reproach. Yan Xiang lowered his head, not daring to meet Yuan Shu's gaze. He was filled with regret and resentment. He knew he had disappointed his lord once again, and his position in Yuan Shu's heart was in jeopardy. The future was shrouded in gloom, and he didn't know how to reverse this decline.

Lujiang County, nestled in the heart of southern China, boasts a crisscrossing network of rivers and a vast expanse of water, a veritable land of water. This unique terrain undoubtedly posed a significant obstacle to the Western Liang cavalry, renowned for their swift and powerful charges.

When Yuan Shu first arrived in Lujiang, he was overconfident of his vast army and strength, and he dismissed Ma Chao with complete arrogance and contempt. But who could have predicted that after several battles, he would be steadily defeated by Ma Chao? His former arrogance was instantly extinguished, and his troops' morale plummeted. Desperate, Yuan Shu changed his strategy, hastily switching from offense to defense in an attempt to stabilize his position.

When the Western Liang cavalry entered this densely watered region, the majestic gallops they once enjoyed across the vast plains were no longer there. Their hooves sank into the mud, their speed advantage vanishing, their powerful impact rendered useless. Yuan Shu, having learned from his previous bitter experience and fully aware of Ma Chao's formidable strength, ordered his troops to defend Ma Chao's forces with all their might. Heavy troops were deployed in every city and at every pass, constructing a solid defensive line.

For a time, the battlefield situation reached a stalemate. Despite Ma Chao's valor and his unstoppable cavalry, he faced Yuan Shu's meticulously constructed defenses and towering, thick city walls, and struggled to make any substantial progress. After all, the Western Liang cavalry excelled at launching charges across open terrain, piercing enemy lines with thunderous force. However, once faced with such easily defended and difficult-to-attack terrain, as long as Yuan Shu held his ground and refused to be easily provoked into a rash attack, Ma Chao was truly helpless and could only gaze at the city walls in despair, adding to his troubles.