Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Huang Zu decided to send troops, but he still had some doubts. He felt it was better to proceed with caution, so he led only a portion of his troops, intending to reunite with Liu Yao before making further plans. Upon entering the old camp, he was shocked by the sight: food and fodder piled high, and armor and weapons scattered across the ground. It was obvious that the retreat had been hasty, and it seemed that internal strife had indeed occurred.

Looking at the overflowing camp, Huang Zu's greed gradually overwhelmed his caution. He immediately decided to send his men back to the city to request more troops from Kuai Liang. Upon receiving this news, Kuai Liang was filled with worry, fearing Huang Zu's defeat and terrified that Liu Yao would seize the opportunity to monopolize the territory held by Sun Ce in southern Yuzhang. Therefore, he left a small number of troops to defend the city while he led the main force out.

Suddenly, a vast army marched toward southern Yuzhang. Dust billowed along the road, and military flags fluttered. Huang Zu rode a majestic horse at the forefront, his eyes filled with a desire for territory and supplies, his previous caution thrown to the wind. Kuai Liang, with a solemn expression, followed closely behind, feeling a sense of unease, constantly observing his surroundings for any signs of ambush.

Sun Ce's troops did not riot as Huang Zu and Liu Yao had expected, but instead retreated to a distant valley and set up an ambush. Initially, when scouts reported that Huang Zu had led part of his troops out of the city, the generals were able to suppress their excitement.

But when scouts arrived again, reporting that Kuai Liang had also left the city with the majority of his troops, Sun Ce's soldiers lost their composure. Lu Meng, his face flushed, his eyes gleaming with excitement, shouted, "They're hiding in Yuzhang City, and we've suffered heavy losses during the siege. We must have a good fight this time!" Quan Cong chimed in, "Yes, I've been looking forward to a good fight in the field, to let out all the frustration I've felt before!"

Xue Zong stroked his beard and said with a smile: "My lord, this plan is really great. It can lure them out in full force. Now it's going to be a good show." Sun Ben clapped his thigh and said excitedly: "That's right. I will kill them all this time!" Lu Dai was even more eager to fight and said anxiously: "My lord, give the order quickly. Don't wait any longer!" The generals talked in unison, all praising Sun Ce's plan. They all wanted to defeat Huang Zu and Liu Yao's troops in one fell swoop in the field battle.

Sun Ce took in the generals' reactions, looking at their excited faces. Although he didn't speak, his mind was full of thoughts. At this time, Wei Yan in the field looked slightly pensive, which immediately caught Sun Ce's interest.

Sun Ce said, "Wen Chang, all the generals are eager to achieve great things, but you look so lost in thought. What are you worried about? What are you thinking about?"

Wei Yan looked at the excitement of the crowd and hesitated for a moment before saying, "My lord, I'm not sure whether I should say something. Most of Huang Zu and Liu Yao's allied forces have already left the city. Even if we set up an ambush and engage in a skirmish, we might not achieve any remarkable success. At best, we could just drive them back and achieve a major victory. But by the time they've regrouped, the outcome is still uncertain. Furthermore, if we alert them, they might leave some troops behind to cover their retreat, allowing the main force to retreat back into the city. We're already outnumbered, so achieving any remarkable success is unlikely. Taking Yuzhang City in the future will be even more difficult."

Sun Ce remained silent. The other generals, despite disagreeing with Wei Yan's words, fell into deep thought. After a moment of contemplation, Lü Meng said, "If that's the case, why don't we take advantage of Yuzhang's weak defenses and capture it directly?"

Wei Yan pondered again and replied, "What if Huang Zu returns to attack the city while we are attacking it? We will be surrounded and attacked from both sides. That would be a disaster."

All the generals fell into deep thought for a moment. It would be difficult to achieve success by fighting, and it would be extremely risky to take the city during the chaos. They were at a loss for ideas.

At this time, Lu Dai frowned, his tone filled with a hint of impatience, and he was the first to break the silence: "Wen Chang, you said it lightly, but in your opinion, what should we do? We can't just wait here!"

Lu Meng also echoed, his face full of doubt: "That's right, we have been brave and courageous in all our previous battles. Why are we so scared this time just because of a few words from you?"

Quan Cong also chimed in: "Maybe you are timid and afraid of trouble, and you are deliberately trying to boost others' morale and destroy your own prestige." His words clearly showed that he was excluding Wei Yan.

Wei Yan's expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, "Brothers, I am only acting based on the actual situation. I do not want to act rashly and put my brothers in danger."

Xue Zong coughed lightly, trying to ease the atmosphere: "Everyone, stop arguing and think of a solution. This situation is really tricky right now."

But Lu Dai still refused to give in: "Hmph, if you can't think of a solution, don't waste everyone's time here and disrupt the morale of the army." The generals talked one after another, and the discussion was in full swing, but they still couldn't come to a good result. They were still at a loss and could only look at Sun Ce eagerly again.

Sun Ce stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sternly scanning the clamoring generals within the tent. These brothers, who had fought alongside him on a daily basis, were all skilled warriors on the battlefield, charging forward with unwavering vigor and unstoppable energy. No matter how fierce the enemy, they would charge without hesitation, carving a bloody path through the storm. With their exceptional strength and fearless courage, they had achieved remarkable military exploits.

But now, watching them bicker fiercely over battle strategy, completely disregarding the greater good, Sun Ce couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Leading troops in battle wasn't about sheer passion and sheer force; it required foresight, the ability to command the overall situation, the ability to strategically plan and weigh the pros and cons. Unfortunately, such talent was scarce under his command.

Thinking of this, Sun Ce cleared his throat and said loudly: "Stop arguing! As a general, you can't just think about rushing forward when encountering things. You must think more, weigh the pros and cons, and consider the overall situation. On the battlefield, a difference in thought can mean the difference between life and death. It is related to the lives of countless soldiers and the direction of the entire battle!" After hearing this, the generals all quieted down. Although some of them still had a look of disapproval on their faces, they all reluctantly restrained their quarrels.

Sun Ce then turned his gaze to Wei Yan, who stood calmly by his side, his eyes filled with admiration. "Wen Chang, you did a great job this time. Considering the overall situation and not acting impulsively is what makes a true general. Unlike you all, who only care about charging forward without regard for the consequences."

As soon as these words were spoken, it was like dropping a huge rock into a calm lake, stirring up a thousand waves. Lu Meng's expression instantly turned extremely ugly, he bit his lips tightly, his face flushed and whitened, and his hands unconsciously clenched, obviously trying his best to suppress his inner dissatisfaction. Xue Zong's face was even more unwilling, his hands clenched tightly into fists, his knuckles white from the force, and the veins on his forehead bulged slightly. They thought they had made many contributions since joining Sun Ce, and were even compared to Wei Yan, so they were naturally very dissatisfied. However, due to Sun Ce's prestige in the army, they did not dare to express their dissatisfaction easily, and could only suppress this anger in their hearts, with an expression of extreme frustration on their faces.

Seeing the tense atmosphere, so solemn that it seemed as if water could be squeezed out of it, Gu Yong hurriedly stepped forward and said with a smile, "My lord, we all know we were wrong. We will definitely think more about this in the future. Please don't be angry. Tell us how to make the arrangements next. We will follow your instructions!"

Sun Ce looked calm and composed, his gaze relaxed as he spoke loudly, "Everything is as I planned. Right now, you all need do nothing but conserve your energy and wait patiently. Remember, rash action before the right time will only lead to further losses. When the perfect opportunity arrives, I will meticulously deploy my forces and secure victory in one fell swoop."

He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping across the faces of each general, and he continued earnestly, "Everyone should use their brains these days, and think and plan more. Don't just focus on fighting and killing all day long. Simply charging on the battlefield is far from enough. The victory or defeat of a battle depends not only on bravery, but also on the precise grasp of the right opportunity and the clever use of battle strategy."

The generals looked at each other, their eyes filled with confusion and resentment. They all longed to fight the enemy immediately, but they could not disobey their lord's orders and could only obey reluctantly.

From their perch, they watched the allied forces of Huang Zu and Liu Yao march away in a mighty procession. A cloud of dust billowed, obscuring the sky as the coalition's banners fluttered wildly in the wind. Lü Meng clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, and muttered, "Watching them go like this is too much to bear!" Sun Ben couldn't help but frown, his face thick with regret: "All the military success I've earned is gone just like that."

But military orders were as firm as a mountain, and they could only suppress their inner restlessness and watch the enemy army gradually go away, their figures getting smaller and smaller until they disappeared at the end of their sight. However, they were still wondering in their hearts when the next battle with the enemy would be.

After Huang Zu and Liu Yao successfully reunited, they immediately began discussing their next strategy. Liu Yao, his face filled with anxiety, spoke first, "We should seize this perfect opportunity amidst the internal strife between Sun Ce and his men to quickly reclaim the territory they've taken. Delays could lead to unrest!"

Huang Zu pondered this. He glanced at Liu Yao, then at his own mighty army, and a different thought occurred to him. Liu Yao was currently short of soldiers and generals, while he had ample forces. If he divided his forces to attack the remaining counties, it would take a considerable effort for Liu Yao to capture even a single one with his limited forces. But if he divided his forces, wouldn't the counties in southern Yuzhang fall easily into his own hands? At this thought, a subtle glint of pride flashed in Huang Zu's eyes, and he was about to propose a plan to divide the troops.

At this moment, Kuai Liang, who had been silent the entire time, stood up and said solemnly, "General, this is absolutely unacceptable. Our strength is most powerful when it's concentrated in one place. Furthermore, we still don't know where Sun Ce and his men have fled to. Gathering a large force together will not only create a powerful deterrent, but even if Sun Ce and his men suddenly return, we'll have enough to resist and avoid being on the defensive."

Huang Zu, though somewhat reluctant to accept this—after all, the "fat meat" he had secured was too much to swallow lightly—also felt that Kuai Liang's words made sense. After a moment's hesitation, he gritted his teeth and nodded. Thus, the allied forces united and, with immense force, charged towards Nancheng County, which bore the brunt of the attack. Along the way, the flags clattered, and the thud of soldiers' footsteps and horses' hooves mingled, shaking the ground slightly, as if to crush all obstacles before them.