Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Huang Zu's face paled and then blued at Sun Ce's challenge, his eyes blazing with fire. His chest heaved violently, and he slammed his wine glass to the ground with a resounding thud, sending the wine splattering everywhere. "This little bastard, you're going too far!" he cursed, kicking aside the stool in front of him and striding towards the village gate. Beside him, Su Fei, his face anxious, hurried to Huang Zu's side, his right hand firmly on the hilt of his sword, vigilantly observing his surroundings, ready for any emergency.

The gate of the camp creaked and slowly opened a narrow gap. Huang Zu flashed and strode out of the camp. Behind him, a group of personal guards quickly followed. They held sharp blades, the knife lights flashed, and their expressions were cold. They were like an indestructible human wall protecting Huang Zu in the middle.

"Sun Ce, stop being so arrogant!" Huang Zu roared at the top of his lungs, his voice hoarse and trembling with anger, echoing far and wide across the empty battlefield. "I may be at a disadvantage today, but the outcome is still uncertain! You expect me to surrender without a fight? You're simply dreaming!"

Sun Ce sat steadily on his sturdy white horse, his posture as straight as a pine tree. Hearing Huang Zu's scolding, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a confident yet somewhat sarcastic smile. His laughter was hearty and unrestrained, and it was particularly clear on the battlefield. "Huang Zu, you have come to this point, and you are still stubborn? Your situation is hopeless, why continue to resist? Surrender early, and I can still give you a way out and guarantee you wealth and glory. Otherwise, once I break through your camp, there will be no such good things!"

Huang Zu's expression darkened with a terrifying gloom. His teeth clenched, his eyes wide with resentment and resentment. "Dream on! I, Huang Zu, have fought on the battlefield for years, conquering all corners of the country. I've seen every kind of battle. How could I be afraid of a young man like you? You want me to surrender, or I'll have to die!" With that, he swung his hand through the air, signaling the attack. Instantly, the drums in the camp pounded to a deafening roar. The "boom, boom, boom" sound shook the ground slightly, and the soldiers' cries of killing echoed one after another, interweaving into a passionate battle melody.

Seeing this, Sun Ce's eyes showed no fear, but instead a surge of fighting spirit. He waved his hand vigorously and shouted the order: "Attack!" The army behind him instantly rushed forward like a tiger descending a mountain, their momentum fierce. The shieldbearers in the front row quickly raised their heavy shields, more than a man's height, and formed a dense, impenetrable defensive line. They marched slowly and in unison towards the camp, the sound of shields clashing muffled and powerful. Under the cover of the shieldbearers, the archers drew their bows and arrows, the feathers on the arrowheads trembling slightly in the wind. A dense rain of arrows whistled towards the wall, their arrowheads gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

On the wall, the defenders, undaunted, raised their shields to block the rain of arrows. The thuds of arrows hitting their shields echoed endlessly. Simultaneously, the soldiers worked together to roll down the pre-prepared boulders and logs. The massive rocks and logs tumbled down the slope, crashing into the enemy with tremendous force. A dull thud sent men and horses tumbling wherever they struck, and screams rang out incessantly. Blood instantly soaked the ground.

Sun Ce frowned slightly, with a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes. He turned to look at the majestic Wei Yan beside him, and said anxiously and decisively: "Wen Chang, lead your troops to attack from the flank. The enemy's flank defense is weak. You must tear open their defense line! Success or failure depends on this one move. Don't let me down!" Wei Yan nodded heavily, swung his long sword in the air, and responded loudly: "I will definitely live up to the mission!" With a team of elite soldiers, like a sharp blade, he shouted and rushed straight into the enemy's flank.

At this time, smoke and dust were rolling in the distance. Huang Zu glanced at it inadvertently. He was shocked at first, and then a light of hope lit up in his eyes. He turned to Su Fei excitedly and said, "Su Fei, look! It must be the reinforcements from Chen Ju and Zhang Shuo! This is a turning point. Let's see how long Sun Ce can be so proud!" As he spoke, a long-lost smile appeared on his face, as if he saw the dawn of victory. His whole spirit was different, and his back straightened a little. He shouted to the soldiers, "Brothers, reinforcements are here! Let's work harder and drive Sun Ce and his gang back!" When the soldiers heard this, their morale was boosted and their shouts became louder.

Huang Zu was unaware that the seemingly reinforcements were actually Chen Jue and Zhang Shuo, leading the remnants of their defeated army. Chen Jue's face was filled with anxiety, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. He brandished his whip and shouted, "Hurry! We can't let General Huang face Sun Ce alone! If we're even a step late, General Huang will be in danger!"

Zhang Shuo also looked anxious, his face filled with self-blame and worry. "If we can't save the situation this time, we won't be able to live! Brothers, work harder and fight back!"

The two men led their troops, recklessly charging towards the battlefield. Sun Ce's army was engaged in a fierce battle with Huang Zu's defenders, a cacophony of shouts and clashes of weapons. Suddenly, a flanking attack from Chen Ju and Zhang Shuo threw the previously neat formation into disarray. Soldiers turned to face the attack from behind, and a brief moment of chaos descended upon the ranks.

Sun Ce, aware of the unrest in his rear, remained unfazed, his gaze swift as lightning as he rapidly adjusted his deployment. From a high point, he waved his banner, directing the frontline troops to continue their fierce attack while simultaneously allocating some of his forces to resist Chen Jiu and Zhang Shuo. The battlefield was in a state of rapid change, with both sides locked in a stalemate. Blood stained the ground, corpses lay scattered across the battlefield, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and gunpowder.

Just as the battle was raging, a cloud of dust suddenly rose in the distance. Liu Yao's army had finally arrived! He stood atop a tall chariot, clad in heavy armor that reflected a cold gleam in the sunlight. He gazed upon the gruesome battlefield before him, corpses strewn across the field and blood flowing like a river. His expression was solemn, his brows furrowed tightly into the shape of the Chinese character "川".

Liu Yao stood atop his chariot, witnessing the ferocious fighting on the battlefield. He knew that while the situation had improved, it was still not optimistic. He anxiously scanned the battlefield when he spotted Taishi Ci, who stood by nearby. With a surge of joy, he immediately shouted, "Ziyi, charge! The enemy's morale is high; only you can blunt their momentum!"

Upon hearing this, Taishi Ci's spirits perked up. He swung his halberd with all his might and let out a thunderous roar, "Promise! I will fulfill my mission!" He clamped his legs against the horse's belly, and the nimble warhorse neighed, charging towards Sun Ce's army like an arrow from a bow. Taishi Ci's swift movements darted left and right across the battlefield, Sun Ce's soldiers retreating wherever he went, no one able to withstand his sharp edge. He wielded his halberd with ferocious force, a flash of cold light, and each strike was accompanied by the enemy's screams and splattering blood.

Seeing Taishi Ci heading out to fight, Huang Zu, unwilling to be outdone, shouted, "Brothers, follow me and let's kill!" He led the soldiers in the camp, opened the gates, and charged towards Sun Ce's army like a surging tide. Although Chen Ju and Zhang Shuo had suffered defeat earlier, they mustered their courage and joined the battle with their remaining troops, attempting to save some face.

When Sun Ce's army gradually fell into a passive position due to the addition of Liu Yao's army, the situation on the battlefield remained stalemate. The soldiers on both sides were blood-thirsty, and the shouts and sounds of weapons clashing were deafening.

The combined forces of these three factions exerted immense pressure on Sun Ce's army. The battlefield shone with flashes of swords and sabers, soldiers fought bravely, and blood stained the ground. Sun Ce sat on his horse, calmly observing the battle. Beside him, Wei Yan brandished his long sword and shouted, "My lord, the enemy is coming with great force. Let's fight them!"

Sun Ce raised his hand to stop him, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield, his expression calm. "Wen Chang, don't worry. Huang Zu is just a trapped beast, still fighting, like a grasshopper in autumn, he won't be able to jump for many more days. Our army has been fighting continuously and is already exhausted. If we insist on fighting here, it will only increase casualties." After a brief pause, he shouted the order: "Sound the horns to retreat!"

The crisp blast of the horn sounded, and Sun Ce's army began an orderly retreat. Liu Yao and his men, suffering heavy casualties and unable to pursue, could only watch helplessly as Sun Ce's army receded. The thrilling battle finally came to a close. The battlefield was completely silent, with only the groans of the wounded echoing through the air. While Liu Yao, Huang Zu, and their men had successfully stopped Sun Ce's attack, they had paid a heavy price. Gazing upon the devastated battlefield, they felt a mixture of emotions, knowing that their struggle with Sun Ce was far from over.

Inside the main tent, Sun Ce, Wei Yan, and others sat together, discussing their next strategy over a military map spread out on a table. The atmosphere was lively, with everyone expressing their opinions.

"Now that Liu Yao and Huang Zu have joined forces, their strength cannot be underestimated. A frontal attack will probably result in heavy losses." Wei Yan frowned and pointed at the location of the enemy camp on the map.

Sun Ce nodded slightly, his expression solemn. Just as he was about to speak, the curtain was raised and a lieutenant hurried in. He knelt on one knee and reported loudly, "General! Generals Lü Meng, Lü Dai, Quan Cong, and Xue Zong have completed their mission and returned to the camp!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce's eyes flashed with surprise, and the corners of his mouth lifted up, revealing a smile: "Quick, please invite a few generals!"

After a while, Lu Meng, Lu Dai, Quan Cong and Xue Zong strode into the tent. The four of them were still covered in the smoke and dust of the battlefield, and their armor was stained with blood, but they could not hide the excitement and pride on their faces.

"Greetings, my lord!" The four of them knelt on one knee in unison and saluted.

"No need for formalities!" Sun Ce quickly stood up and walked over to them, his eyes scanning them one by one. "You guys are finally back. How did the mission go?"

Lü Meng was the first to stand, his face beaming with triumph. "My lord, we have fulfilled our mission! We followed our plan and ambushed Chen Jiu and Zhang Shuo, completely routed. They fled with their remaining troops in a panic, and I'm afraid they won't be able to mount an effective resistance anytime soon."

"Excellent! Excellent!" Sun Ce clapped his hands several times, his eyes full of admiration. "You are truly worthy of being my brave generals and counselors. This battle is truly gratifying! It's just that you have all been exhausted, traveling all the way and enduring such a fierce battle."

Lu Dai continued, "Although we won the battle, there are still many complicated matters to be handled after the battle, such as clearing the baggage and settling the prisoners. These still need to be properly arranged."

Quan Cong also added: "There are a lot of weapons and food captured on the battlefield. They must be counted and stored as soon as possible and distributed reasonably for use in subsequent battles."

Xue Zong bowed slightly and said respectfully, "This victory is truly due to the Lord's wise command. We were simply fulfilling our respective duties. However, although the enemy has suffered heavy losses, they have not been completely destroyed. We must take long-term measures to prevent a counterattack."

Sun Ce nodded in agreement. After everyone finished speaking, he turned and walked back to the table. He looked at the map with a determined look, "You are all right. Since Chen Ju and Zhang Shuo have been severely injured, we should take this opportunity to replan our next move and completely break the alliance between Liu Yao and Huang Zu! Everyone, share your ideas."