Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The two engaged in a fierce battle in the rain. Although Li Feng was also a general of Yuan Shu, he was still far inferior to Zhang Liao. After several rounds, Li Feng was gradually defeated, wounded in many places, and blood mixed with rainwater flowed down his armor.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!" Li Feng knew he was no match for the enemy and regretted it deeply. He quickly shouted the order to retreat. He turned his horse around and tried to break out of the encirclement.

Zhang Liao wouldn't let him go so easily. He rode in pursuit, his long sword slashing at Li Feng like lightning. Panicked, Li Feng could only barely block with his spear. With a snap, Zhang Liao's sword severed Li Feng's spear. Terrified, Li Feng recklessly galloped off.

Li Feng fled in disarray through the rain with his remaining troops. Zhang Liao watched them retreat with a cold smile, sheathing his sword and returning to the battle line. This brief encounter ended in victory for Ma Chao's army, and Li Feng could only return dejectedly to report to Yuan Shu, only to be met with Yuan Shu's wrath and rebuke.

Li Feng, head drooping, dripping wet, returned to the tent dejectedly, like a drowned rat. The moment he entered, the previously noisy tent instantly quieted, and everyone's attention was focused on him. Yuan Shu, already anxious and irritated by the war, saw Li Feng's appearance, and his face suddenly darkened, as if water could drip out.

Before Li Feng could even find his footing, Yuan Shu slammed his hand on the table. With a resounding thud, the teacups on the table jumped. "Li Feng, you've been defeated again, repeatedly demoralizing us!" Yuan Shu's eyes bulged with rage, a look that threatened to devour Li Feng alive. Li Feng's legs buckled, and he nearly fell to his knees, trembling all over, not daring to lift his head.

Yang Hong watched Li Feng's miserable state with a surge of anxiety. Li Feng and Lei Bo were now his trusted confidants; how could he sit idly by and watch Yuan Shu vent his anger on Li Feng, thus damaging his own position? In a flash, a plan struck Yang Hong. He stepped out of the line without much haste, clasped his hands, and bowed gracefully, a mysterious smile plastered on his face. "Congratulations, my lord!"

This nonsensical sentence confused Yuan Shu. He was puzzled and said bewilderedly: "Mr. Yang, are you hysterical? Li Feng returned with a defeat, what should I be happy about?" The other people in the tent also looked at each other, not understanding what Yang Hong was talking about.

Yang Hong stood up calmly, a sly glint in his eyes as he bowed and said, "My lord, please be patient and listen to me. Although General Li Feng didn't achieve victory, he did gain insight into Ma Chao's forces. He learned that they moved their camp in an orderly and well-defended manner, demonstrating that Ma Chao had been prepared. This way, we avoided the disaster of a rash attack and an ambush. Isn't this a blessing in disguise? It's something worth celebrating."

Yuan Shu's expression eased a little, but he still said, "But Mr. Yang, this is not something to celebrate." Yang Hong smiled and said, "My lord, I already have a plan." Yuan Shu asked in surprise, "What's the plan?" At this moment, he completely ignored Li Feng who was still trembling beside him.

Yang Hong cleared his throat and spoke eloquently: "The place where Ma Chao is retreating now should be Baishan in the north of the city. Baishan is on high ground. Although he is stationed on the high ground to prevent us from digging the Ganjiang River in the future and taking the opportunity to defeat him by flooding, he is also courting death." After hearing this, Yuan Shu thought for a moment. They had already set the flood season and divided the camps by land and water, so that they could restrict Ma Chao's actions at that time.

Yang Hong continued, "This year is different from previous years. The torrential rain has come with great force, and the water level of the Gan River is rising. If Ma Chao doesn't consider defending the high ground and doesn't think of this place, I will propose a plan to divert the Gan River and flood his army. Then, our navy will emerge, and they will be like fish in the river, surrendering without a fight."

Yuan Shu frowned and questioned, "That being said, if they've retreated from the high ground, how could they possibly flood Baishan?" Yang Hong's long speech was so intense that smoke was rising from his lips. Lei Bo, standing nearby, understood the meaning, coughed dryly twice, then hurried forward and offered a bowl of tea. Yuan Shu quickly gestured for Yang Hong to drink, and he took the tea, tilting his head back to moisten his throat.

Yang Hong paused for a moment, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense. He slowly swept his eyes over everyone present. Seeing that everyone's attention was firmly attracted by him, he continued to talk about the follow-up plan with satisfaction.

"Although Ma Chao and the others reside on the high ground of Baishan, we certainly can't flood them directly with water." Yang Hong's voice was unhurried, yet brimming with confidence. "However, we still need to divert the Zhang River and flood the area north of the city. Baishan is located on high ground, but it's flat and surrounded by valleys. If we divert the Ganjiang River and use the force of the flood, we can completely submerge the area surrounding Baishan, leaving only a solitary peak. While we won't be able to drown them, we will prevent them from obtaining food and supplies."

At this point, Yang Hong narrowed his eyes slightly, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes. "What's more, they are originally from the north and are not used to this humid weather. Many of their soldiers are sick. If an epidemic spreads, the enemy army will collapse without a fight. Even if there is no plague, simply without food and fodder, their horses will have no fodder to eat, and their men will also face a food shortage. In the end, they will have no choice but to kill their horses to satisfy their hunger, and morale will be low, and then they will naturally collapse without a fight."

"Now, what we need to do is to ensure that after the Ganjiang River breaks, the water will not flow away through other waterways. Immediately organize manpower to build high embankments along the surrounding plains to trap Ma Chao and others on Baishan." Yang Hong waved his hand suddenly, as if he had already seen the embarrassed look of Ma Chao's army trapped in a desperate situation.

After hearing Yang Hong's plan, everyone in the tent fell silent for a moment, then began to whisper among themselves. Yuan Shu's face broke into a long-lost smile. He slammed the table and exclaimed, "Brilliant! Mr. Yang's plan is truly brilliant!" Everyone's eyes once again focused on Yang Hong, their eyes filled with admiration and praise, as if they had already seen the dawn of victory.

Yan Xiang listened quietly to Yang Hong's plan, his brow furrowed. He considered the consequences of breaching the Zhang River. Rains were already plentiful, and forcing a dike would inevitably harm the people. Furthermore, the Gan River was turbulent. If the northern part of the city were flooded, the damage would extend far beyond the immediate area. Wherever the flood reached, the people would be devastated.

Thinking of this, Yan Xiang couldn't help but speak up: "Lord Yuan, although Mr. Yang's plan is brilliant, it goes against the will of heaven. If this plan is implemented, countless people will be killed or injured. I hope you will reconsider."

Yuan Shu was immersed in the dream of victory brought by Yang Hong's strategy, but Yan Xiang's words disturbed him and instantly made him unhappy. His face darkened and he said coldly, "Mr. Yan, are you jealous of Mr. Yang's good plan and that's why you are trying to stop him? If we can defeat Ma Chao, what will the casualties of the people mean? As the saying goes, a man without ruthlessness is not a hero. You have repeatedly made such foolish moves, and there is no need to say more. Now is a critical moment. Don't let these womanly sympathies ruin the important things!"

Seeing that Yuan Shu not only refused to listen but also mocked him, Yan Xiang felt a wave of sadness. He looked at Yuan Shu, wanting to offer further advice, but swallowed it back. He knew that Yuan Shu, blinded by victory, would not listen to any objections. The atmosphere in the tent suddenly became awkward. Everyone looked at each other, afraid to speak. Only the sound of rain outside continued, as if mourning the suffering of the people who were about to suffer.

Yuan Shu, determined, immediately ordered his army into action, forcibly conscripting local civilians to build high dikes along the waterways of Baishan and surrounding counties. For a time, the people complained bitterly, forced to abandon their farm work and plunge into the backbreaking labor at the behest of the soldiers. Men shouldered and carried heavy earth and rocks, while women helped mix mud and build simple tools. Sweat and rain mingled, and exhaustion and helplessness were written on every face.

Fortunately, the Zhang River had not yet broken free, and Ma Chao and his men were unaware of Yuan Shu's sinister plan. Ma Chao's army was stationed on Baishan Mountain, so rainwater no longer accumulated around the camp, eliminating the risk of flooding. However, this presented new challenges.

On this isolated mountain, transporting supplies became extremely difficult. The roads were rugged and slippery, making it difficult for vehicles to navigate, and food and fodder supplies were becoming increasingly scarce. Furthermore, communication with the outside world was cut off, and information was cut off. Ma Chao and his companions could only learn about Yuan Shu's movements through the limited intelligence brought back by the occasional scouts. Although they observed Yuan Shu's frequent military deployments and the widespread conscription of civilians, they did not understand Yuan Shu's intentions in these recent actions, and were filled with confusion and anxiety.

Inside the tent, candlelight flickered as Ma Chao, with a concerned look on his face, inquired with Zhang Liao and Zhang Ren about the injuries and illnesses among the troops. "We must ensure proper epidemic prevention and ensure the comfort of our men. We must not be complacent." Ma Chao's tone was filled with worry and concern. The harsh conditions during this period made him particularly concerned about the health of his soldiers.

At this moment, Lu Su and Xu Shu hurried in hand in hand. Before they even stood still, Lu Su eagerly said, "My lord, I'm afraid Yuan Shu is playing a big game." Ma Chao was slightly surprised when he heard this and asked, "What clues have you seen, sir?"

Xu Shu chimed in, "Yuan Shu is building high dikes along the surrounding waterways. I'm afraid he has some serious plans." Fa Zheng chimed in, "In my opinion, he's probably still planning to breach the Zhang River."

Ma Chao frowned, puzzled, "But we are now on Baishan Mountain, where the terrain is very steep. Even if he breaches the Gan River, what can he do to us?"

Xu Shu's face was filled with worry. He bowed and said, "My lord, breaching the Gan River would be a catastrophic disaster! He has already built high dikes in the surrounding counties. Once the Gan River breaches, the flood will surge in, but the dikes will hold it back, leaving nowhere for the water to drain. The water will inevitably rise. This entire open area will be submerged, and we'll be trapped on Baishan, unable to move forward. Not to mention our lack of naval forces will make it difficult to break out. As long as Yuan Shu sends his navy to patrol the floodwaters, our food and fodder will be cut off. Trapped on Gushan, we'll be doomed."

These words struck Ma Chao like a hammer, sending a cold sweat streaming down his face. He abruptly stood up and paced back and forth in his tent, groaning inwardly. He had thought moving the camp to Baishan would avoid Yuan Shu's flooding scheme, but he had fallen into his trap. The situation was dire; if a countermeasure wasn't devised quickly, the army would be in danger. The atmosphere in the tent suddenly reached a tense crescendo. Everyone's eyes were fixed on Ma Chao, awaiting his decision. A life-or-death crisis loomed over the army like a dark cloud.