Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The atmosphere within the Lujiang Commandery was so oppressive it felt as if water could be squeezed out of it. Yuan Shu, his face brimming with fury, paced back and forth, each step heavy as if he were trying to carve a crater in the ground, venting the rage raging deep within him that threatened to consume him.

"That bastard Ma Chao!" Yuan Shu cursed with gritted teeth, "His troops are not even a fraction as strong as mine, yet he dares to be so arrogant in front of me, besieging my city and provoking me wantonly. Do you think I, Yuan Shu, am a vegetarian?" His eyes were wide open and bloodshot, and veins bulged on his forehead like angry little snakes.

At this time, Yan Xiang was standing aside. Seeing his lord so irritable and worried, he bowed and said cautiously: "My lord, in my opinion..." Before he finished speaking, Yuan Shu waved his hand impatiently and interrupted him directly: "What other insights do you have? The previous strategies have failed again and again. I don't want to listen to you anymore!" Yan Xiang's hand froze in mid-air, his face turned red and white, and he retreated aside awkwardly, his eyes full of loss and helplessness.

Yang Hong stood in the corner, taking in all this. A barely perceptible smirk curled up the corners of his mouth. He straightened his clothes, a look of deep concern on his face. He walked forward with steady steps and said loudly, "My lord, please don't get angry. It's not worth it to get yourself hurt."

Yuan Shu turned to look at him and said unhappily, "You make it sound so easy, but Ma Chao is so arrogant, how can I not be angry? If you have any ideas, please tell me now!"

Yang Hong remained calm, bowing slightly as he spoke respectfully, "My lord, there's no need to worry. Ma Chao's troops are formidable, but their numbers are limited. We simply need to hold the city, relying on its sturdy defenses to wait for the enemy to tire. Even with Ma Chao's extraordinary abilities, he won't be able to defeat us."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu grew even more anxious, raising his voice in retort, "My army outnumbers Ma Chao's by several times, yet he's trapped us in the city. We can only hunker down and defend, passively accepting our attacks. And you're telling me not to worry. Isn't that just pretentious talk?"

Yang Hong remained calm, with a mysterious smile on his face, and said slowly: "My lord, don't worry, and listen to me in detail. I have a plan that will definitely defeat Ma Chao." After that, he deliberately paused and glanced at Yan Xiang. Seeing that Yan Xiang was lowering his head in frustration, he felt even more happy.

Yang Hong then strode over to the map, pointed firmly, and said confidently, "My lord, please see! The crisscrossing waterways of Lujiang River form an excellent natural barrier. Ma Chao relies solely on the might of his Western Liang cavalry. The weather is just warming up, and the waterways have dried up after a harsh winter. This has given Ma Chao an opportunity to wreak havoc."

"My lord, you only need to continue to confront Ma Chao. Wait for Generals Lei Bo and Li Feng to withdraw and then reinforce our army. When the summer flood season arrives and the rains are abundant, this marshy land will completely encircle Ma Chao's army. By then, his Western Liang cavalry will be unable to fully utilize their advantages in charging and slashing in this watery marshland. Our army has many times more troops than him. Even if we simply encircle him, we can trap Ma Chao and kill him in Lujiang!"

Yuan Shu's frown gradually relaxed, a glimmer of hope ignited in his eyes. He eagerly asked, "Mr. Yang Hong, is this plan truly feasible? Tell me the details quickly!"

Yang Hong cleared his throat and detailed every detail and every step of the plan. Yuan Shu listened attentively, nodding frequently. The anxiety on his face gradually faded, replaced by a hint of uncontrollable excitement.

Yuan Shu had always despised Ma Chao, believing him to be so arrogant only because of the support of the Western Liang cavalry. Now, after hearing Yang Hong's plan, he could not help but imagine the scene of the flood season approaching, when Lujiang County would be flooded with rain, Ma Chao's cavalry would be unable to move, and his army would easily defeat them.

Thinking of this, Yuan Shu was overjoyed. He couldn't help but slam his hands on the table and stood up, laughing heartily. "Brilliant! Brilliant! Mr. Yang Hong is truly a man of extraordinary wisdom! If this plan succeeds, Ma Chao will undoubtedly be defeated!" As he spoke, he strode over to Yang Hong and patted him firmly on the shoulder. "I'll leave this matter entirely to you. Pass the order and tell the soldiers to continue to defend the city. On the one hand, wait for Lei Bo and Li Feng to withdraw so that we can strengthen our forces. On the other hand, wait for the flood season to arrive so that I can defeat the enemy in one fell swoop and vent my anger!"

Yang Hong's face was full of pride, and he accepted the order respectfully: "My lord, don't worry, I will do my best to live up to your trust!" Yan Xiang, who was standing aside, looked at this scene with a bitter heart. He could only sigh secretly and retreat silently.

Yuan Shu, feeling somewhat relieved now that he had a plan to deal with Ma Chao, suddenly recalled another worry. Frowning, he continued, "Although I have a plan to deal with Ma Chao, Zhou Yu in Jiujiang County has been making subtle moves behind my back. His offensive is quite swift, and he's already captured several cities. Being attacked from all sides is truly frustrating."

Yang Hong's expression was calm, as if he knew everything about the world by heart. With the air of someone confident and ready to direct the affairs of state, he spoke eloquently, "My lord, what is there to worry about? To defeat Zhou Yu, we don't need to send any additional reinforcements. We only need to find a man with eloquence and send him to Tao Qian in Xuzhou. Tao Qian suffered heavy losses at the hands of Zhou Yu and Sun Ce, losing many of his men and generals. He must be furious. We don't need him to fight Zhou Yu to the death. All we need is to deploy troops on the border of Wujun, feigning an attack and threatening Wujun. This will deter Zhou Yu from launching a full-scale attack on Jiujiang County, and the siege of Jiujiang will naturally be eased. If we can successfully persuade Tao Qian to launch a real attack on Wujun, the crisis in Jiujiang County will be completely resolved. Once my lord has dealt with Ma Chao, turning back to deal with Zhou Yu will be as easy as taking something from your pocket."

After hearing this, Yuan Shu became even more satisfied with Yang Hong. Regardless of whether Yang Hong's strategy could be successfully implemented, it was at least much better than Yan Xiang's current helplessness. Moreover, upon closer inspection, Yang Hong's strategy was indeed quite useful. Yuan Shu's face, which had not smiled for a long time, once again smiled. He gently patted Yang Hong on the shoulder and said with sincere praise, "Mr. Yang, you are truly my Zi Fang! Having Mr. Yang's help is worth more than a hundred thousand soldiers! Mr. Yang, do you have a suitable candidate to negotiate with that old man Tao Qian?"

Yang Hong raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a meaningful smile, and said humbly: "Oh, my lord, you are too kind. Yang Hong is grateful for your love. I will serve you wholeheartedly. Since you asked, I really can't think of a particularly suitable candidate. But before, Mr. Yan Xiang went to Jingzhou to negotiate with Liu Biao, and achieved remarkable results. His negotiation skills are obvious to all..." Yang Hong did not say too much or too directly, but just mentioned it to the point, but his words hinted that Yan Xiang was a feasible candidate.

Yuan Shu was very clever and understood what he meant immediately. He shouted, "Come on, go outside the tent and call Yan Xiang in!"

Yan Xiang, upon hearing Yuan Shu's summons, had already guessed what was going on. Entering the tent, he saw Yuan Shu and Yang Hong standing before a map, each with a different expression. Yuan Shu looked impatient, while Yang Hong had a faint smile on his face.

Yan Xiang bowed, but before he could speak, Yuan Shu bluntly said, "Yan Xiang, Yang Hong has suggested that we send an envoy to Tao Qian. I've thought about it, and you performed well in the previous peace talks with Liu Biao. This task is best handled by you."

When Yan Xiang heard this, his heart skipped a beat and he hurriedly said, "My lord, we are now in a standoff with Ma Chao, and there are many complicated things to do in the army. I am exhausted from worrying about the war and I really can't spare time. Besides, the responsibility of being an envoy to Tao Qian is heavy. If something goes wrong, it will be a disaster." Yan Xiang spoke sincerely, his eyes full of anxiety and helplessness. He only wanted to stay in the army and make suggestions to turn the tide of the war so as to regain Yuan Shu's trust.

When Yuan Shu heard this, his face instantly turned gloomy and he said unhappily: "Why? I trust you when I send you, but you are making excuses? The situation is like this now. This mission concerns the safety of Jiujiang County, but you only care about your own affairs in the army. Don't you want to share my worries?" Yuan Shu's voice became more and more severe, and his eyes were full of dissatisfaction and suspicion.

Yan Xiang felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. He knew Yuan Shu's temper well; if he refused again, he would likely completely anger his lord. Helplessly, he gritted his teeth and knelt to receive the order. "My lord, please calm down. I will do my utmost to live up to your trust." He slowly stood up, a hint of dejection in his eyes.

Yang Hong on the side was secretly proud of himself, but pretended to be regretful and said: "Mr. Yan, you have a heavy responsibility on this trip, so I hope you will be careful along the way. Although the army will be without your advice, for the sake of the overall situation, I have to inconvenience you on this trip." The hypocritical tone made Yan Xiang feel nauseous, but he could do nothing about it.

After Yan Xiang withdrew, he began preparing for his diplomatic mission. He knew that this mission was not only arduous, but also that Yang Hong's intention to exclude him was obvious. However, he also understood that this might be his chance to regain Yuan Shu's trust. If he could persuade Tao Qian to send troops, he would not only lift the siege of Jiujiang County, but also regain a firm foothold under Yuan Shu. Therefore, Yan Xiang steeled himself, gathered his thoughts, and began to carefully study Tao Qian's preferences and temperament, as well as the current situation in Xuzhou, hoping to achieve success in the negotiations and break the current unfavorable situation.

Yang Hong offered two brilliant strategies in quick succession, both of which Yuan Shu readily adopted, a feeling of smugness and pride. Every day in his tent, he imagined the future: once Lei Bo and Li Feng had safely retreated, his lord would obey his orders, and with Lei and Li commanding a considerable force, his position under Yuan Shu would undoubtedly be unrivaled.

Recalling his own strategy, Yang Hong's lips curled up unconsciously. He knew it was simply a strategy of trading time for space. As long as Ma Chao was kept at bay, the enemy army would be kept on the battlefield for a long time, with reinforcements unable to arrive in time. Their food and fodder would be depleted, and they would eventually be worn down. Even if Ma Chao possessed the courage of ten thousand men, he would have no chance of winning in such a war of attrition.

Now, Yang Hong knew that the most urgent task was the safe return of Lei Bo and Li Feng. He often stood outside the tent, gazing into the distance, his eyes filled with anticipation, and periodically asked scouts for information on the two men, hoping for the swift news of their return, so that his carefully crafted grand plan could proceed smoothly and his position within Yuan Shu's camp could be firmly established.