Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Facing Sun Ce's extremely arrogant shouting and cursing outside the city, the sound was so piercing that it could be heard directly inside the city. Ji Ling and Chen Lan stood on the top of the city wall, brows furrowed, looking at Sun Ce's army showing off their might below, their hearts filled with worry.

Chen Lan could not contain herself and said to Ji Ling anxiously, "General Ji, you see, Sun Ce is so audacious! He rushes here with his troops to challenge us before the camp is even established. Now is the time when his defenses are the least relaxed. In my opinion, we might as well take advantage of this excellent opportunity and go all out to attack his camp, catching him off guard. We will surely win a great victory!" Chen Lan became more and more excited as he spoke, with excitement flashing in his eyes, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

Ji Ling didn't respond immediately. His expression was solemn, his gaze fixed on Sun Ce's army outside the city, as if lost in thought. After a long moment, he slowly shook his head, remaining silent. The wind whipped from the city walls, rippling their robes. Chen Lan eagerly awaited Ji Ling's reply, but Ji Ling was lost in deep thought, weighing the pros and cons in his mind, unable to make a decision. After all, this battle was of grave importance; the slightest misstep could lead to total defeat. He had to proceed with utmost caution.

Sun Ce's troops below the city wall raged with curses, their mouths dry and their voices hoarse. But Ji Ling and Chen Lan, perched atop the tower, remained steadfast, refusing to venture forth, no matter how much they hurled insults and provocations. Sun Ce watched this scene, his fury rising, but knowing no point in wasting time, he gritted his teeth, cracked his whip, and, with his troops, made a show of force as he marched away.

Back at the camp, Sun Ce entered the main tent and slammed his fist down on the table, sending the cups and plates tumbling. He roared, "Ji Ling and Chen Lan are such cowards! They're driving me crazy!" Gu Yong stepped forward, bowed, and said, "General, the enemy is holding their ground. A strong attack will cost us too much. In my opinion, we can lay siege to the city, cut off its food supplies, and within a few days, the city will fall into chaos."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce's brow knitted into a knot. He paced back and forth a few steps and shouted, "No! If this drags on, there will be too many variables. Ma Chao is still nearby, and Yuan Shu might even send reinforcements. We must fight quickly and decisively. We will attack the city tomorrow! I don't believe that with our current morale, we can't take this small city!"

Gu Yong wanted to persuade them again, but seeing the resolute look on Sun Ce's face, he swallowed the words back. Sun Ce turned to look at the soldiers, his eyes piercing, and shouted an order: "Pass my order, rest well tonight, and at dawn tomorrow, attack the city with all your strength! Anyone who retreats will be executed!" The soldiers obeyed in unison, their voices shaking the tents.

At that moment, Ji Ling and Chen Lan, perched on the city walls, gazed in the direction of Sun Ce's retreating troops, not daring to relax. Chen Lan frowned, her brow furrowed with worry, saying, "Sun Ce has suffered a loss, and he certainly won't let it go. I'm afraid we'll have a tough battle ahead." Ji Ling, his expression grave, nodded slightly. "We must quickly strengthen the city defenses, prepare more rolling stones and logs, and send people to count the food and fodder. Let's see how long we can hold out." The two exchanged glances, their eyes filled with worry and determination. They knew the ensuing siege would be a brutal, life-or-death struggle, and the outcome of this city's capture could very well change the course of the entire conflict.

At dawn the next day, when the sky was just turning pale, Sun Ce couldn't wait to beat the war drum. The dull and powerful drum sound was like rolling thunder, instantly breaking the silence and echoing around the city.

Sun Ce stood at the front of the battle formation, radiating an overwhelming aura. He waved his hand and shouted, "Wei Yan, listen up! Lead the elite troops to attack the city!" Wei Yan obeyed the order. Wearing heavy armor, holding a long sword, and riding a tall horse, he turned majestically and roared to the soldiers behind him, "My men, follow me!"

Like a surging tide, the soldiers surged toward the city. The front ranks, tightly packed and shield-wielding, formed an impenetrable defensive line, fully covering the steady advance of the laddermen and battering rammen in the rear. For a moment, the cries of battle, the clashing of hurried footsteps, and the clashing of weapons intertwined in a deafening, breathtaking scene.

Atop the city walls, Ji Ling was already on full alert. His eyes, like a hawk, watched the enemy's movements below. Seeing Wei Yan's army approach, he decisively gave the order, "Shoot!" In an instant, thousands of arrows unleashed from the walls, raining down upon the attackers like a torrential rain. Many soldiers, struck by arrows, fell to the ground, screaming in agony. But the remaining soldiers, undaunted, continued to charge forward.

As the siege troops neared the city walls, Ji Ling directed his men to roll down boulders and logs. Huge rocks and thick logs roared down from the walls, crashing into the soldiers with a resounding thud, a cloud of blood, and screams of agony. Wei Yan's offensive suffered a heavy blow, and the ranks were instantly thrown into disarray.

Despite the difficult situation, Wei Yan showed no sign of retreat. He brandished his long sword, charged left and right, and shouted to boost morale, attempting to stabilize his position and reorganize his attack. However, Ji Ling's defense was impenetrable, repeatedly repelling Wei Yan's forces. The battle lasted from dawn to noon. Despite Wei Yan's fearless and valiant troops, they were unable to breach the city. Forced to retreat, they left a devastating mess on the battlefield, a horrifying sight of broken limbs, broken swords, and bloodstains.

Retreating to the camp, Wei Yan, face brimming with shame, knelt on one knee to apologize, "I was incompetent and failed to capture the city." Sun Ce frowned, his face gloomy, his heart filled with anger and resentment, but he didn't blame him. "Get up! Ji Ling's defense was too stubborn. This isn't your fault. Let me think of another way." At this moment, Gu Yong entered the tent, looked at Sun Ce, and softly advised, "General, a brute force attack won't work. We should consider another strategy." Sun Ce nodded slightly, his eyes firm, "I will take this city and I will never give up."

For three days, Sun Ce's siege intensified, seemingly determined to crush the city to dust. War drums beat from dawn to dusk, their passionate beats urging the soldiers forward. The sound shook the earth slightly, startling even the surrounding birds and sending them scattering in all directions.

The attacking soldiers surged like a surging tide, shouting and roaring as wave after wave charged the walls. Ladders were quickly hoisted and heavily slammed against the ramparts, and the soldiers desperately climbed them, weapons flashing in their hands. However, each time, they were fiercely repelled by the tenacious resistance of the defenders led by Ji Ling. From the walls, rolling stones and wooden planks rained down like a torrential rain, and sharp arrows flew through the enemy lines like locusts. Screams echoed incessantly, and blood stained the ground beneath the walls.

Chen Lan witnessed this tragic attack and defense battle, and was extremely anxious, with bloodshot eyes. He hurried to Ji Ling and suggested urgently: "General, Sun Tzu's Art of War says, 'The first attack is strong, the second is weak, and the third is exhausted.' Now Sun Ce has been attacking for days without success, and his soldiers have long been exhausted and their morale is low. It is the perfect time for us to counterattack! Let's raid the camp at night, catch him off guard, and defeat the enemy army!" Chen Lan became more and more excited as he spoke, waving his hands in the air, as if he had already seen the scene of victory after the successful raid.

Ji Ling listened quietly, frowning slightly with a solemn expression. He slowly shook his head, gazed into the distance, and said thoughtfully, "Brother Chen, we must not act rashly on this matter. Sun Ce is no ordinary man, full of cunning and meticulous. How could he not have anticipated that we might raid the camp at night? He must have set up numerous ambushes, waiting for us to fall into his trap. If our army easily leaves the city, it will play into his hands. Even if the raiding of the camp has some initial success, with Sun Ce's reaction speed, once he recovers and organizes a counterattack, our troops will be surrounded and suffer heavy losses. Retreating unscathed will be extremely difficult."

Chen Lan, though resentful, still tried to argue, "But General, we can't just sit there passively on the defensive and watch Sun Ce parade his might beneath the city walls, can we? This raid could be the key to turning the tide of the battle!"

Ji Ling patted Chen Lan's shoulder and said earnestly, "Brother Chen, I understand how you feel. We all want to repel the enemy as quickly as possible. But right now, holding the city is the safest option. Let's rely on these sturdy walls and well-equipped fortifications to hold our ground. Let's see what happens over there, our lord. If they can successfully resist Ma Chao's attack, the pressure on us will naturally be greatly reduced. In these chaotic times, marching and fighting must not be based on fleeting urgency. Everything must be done with caution. We must not make irreversible mistakes due to impulsiveness."

Chen Lan's face was filled with indignation. He bit his lip tightly, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white from the strain. He was filled with resentment and wanted to argue a little more, but Ji Ling, as the commander, had made up his mind. Though he was deeply reluctant, he was helpless. He could only sigh inwardly as he watched his plan to raid the camp fail. Helplessly, he could only continue to hold his ground on the city wall, his eyes filled with resentment and anticipation, waiting for the situation to change in his favor.

Sun Ce attacked the city day after day, but his fury remained unsettled, like a volcano about to erupt. One day, he was pacing his tent, anxiously pondering a strategy for breaking the city, when he heard that Zhou Yu had sent an envoy. Suddenly, a flicker of surprise crossed Sun Ce's eyes, and his gloomy face brightened. Overjoyed, he strode out of the tent without a word to greet the envoy.

The person who came was Zhou Shan, a member of Zhou Yu's clan. After Zhou Shan greeted him respectfully, Sun Ce could no longer suppress his anxiety. He grabbed Zhou Shan's arm and said, "Gongjin is far away in Jiujiang. I sent you here because I must have some good advice to give you. Tell me quickly, do you have any good advice? Tell me quickly!" Sun Ce stared at Zhou Shan with his eyes full of expectation, as if Zhou Shan was his life-saving straw at the moment.

Zhou Shan straightened his clothes, his expression calm, and he spoke eloquently about Zhou Yu's words: "The master once said that General Ma Chao and Yuan Shu were in a stalemate for a long time in Lujiang County. The reason was that Yuan Shu relied on the strong city to resist stubbornly, and secondly, it was summer and the rain was heavy, so his Xiliang cavalry could not play its advantage in this muddy and slippery terrain. General Sun is now facing the same dilemma. The enemy refused to defend the strong city, and it is indeed difficult to conquer in the short term. As the saying goes, 'the best strategy is to attack the enemy's strategy, the next best is to attack their alliances, and the next best is to attack their troops.'" "Attack the city. Attacking the city is the worst strategy; attacking the enemy's heart is the best. Yuan Shu's only reliance now is the crisscrossing waterways of Lujiang and the fortifications of the city. We can first adopt a siege strategy, cutting off his food supplies and reinforcements, and causing panic among the defenders. Meanwhile, we can secretly prepare our navy, and when the time is right, we can use it to launch a surprise attack. This way, Yuan Shu will be unable to effectively block our advance by water, and his army will be thrown into disarray, and the city will be easily captured."