Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

As Yuan Shu spoke, he paced back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back, his head held high, as if he had already witnessed the scene of Ma Chao and his men's embarrassing surrender. Yang Hong nodded slightly, a faint smile on his face, and chimed in, "My lord, you are very foresighted. This move, without sacrificing a single soldier, has forced Ma Chao into a desperate situation. It's truly brilliant!" Yuan Shu's laughter, which echoed throughout the tent, was so smug that it couldn't stop.

Yan Xiang stood aside, his face solemn, a mixture of emotions. He pondered, "It's truly chilling that our lord, Yuan Shu, would use this natural disaster and the suffering of the people as a means to counter the enemy." While deception is permitted on the battlefield, such disregard for life, using the plague of floating corpses to force Ma Chao's army into a desperate struggle for survival, is unjust. Even if this method could defeat Ma Chao, wouldn't they fear the cycle of justice and the loss of popular support? What glory would such a victory hold? But Yuan Shu, now blinded by victory, refused to listen. His worries were in vain, yet he felt powerless to prevent this from happening. It was a truly helpless and tragic experience.

Yang Hong stepped forward, his expression respectful yet somewhat anxious, and advised Yuan Shu: "My lord, the weather has cleared up and the water is calm, which is a perfect opportunity. Ma Chao is about to retreat, and the situation is changing rapidly. Only if my lord goes to the front line in person can you accurately understand the situation, seize the opportunity, and respond to various emergencies in time to avoid many unnecessary troubles." After hearing this, Yuan Shu felt refreshed. He had been eager to witness Ma Chao's miserable defeat with his own eyes. Yang Hong's words hit the mark very well, and he readily agreed, his face full of impatience.

Seeing this, Yan Xiang was extremely anxious. He stepped forward again to dissuade him, "My lord, as the saying goes, 'A son of a thousand gold coins will not sit idle in the hall.' The situation on the water is complicated now, and there are no strong cities to defend on the front line. Going there rashly will only increase the danger. Although Ma Chao is trapped on Lonely Mountain, as the saying goes, even a cornered rabbit will bite. There is no guarantee that he will not fight to the death in this desperate situation and fight back before his death. I hope my lord will reconsider!"

After hearing this, the smile on Yuan Shu's face disappeared instantly, replaced by a look of disdain and ridicule. He laughed out loud, his laughter full of contempt: "Yan Xiang, you are too timid! There are so many troops here, and the navy is on high alert. Are you still afraid of Ma Chao who has no food or water and is trapped in the mountains? If you are so afraid, I will leave you to guard the city!" After that, Yuan Shu flicked his sleeves, ignored Yan Xiang's pleading, and strode towards the front line with Yang Hong, thinking only of the upcoming victory, and completely ignoring the potential danger.

Arriving at the front lines, Yang Hong and Yuan Shu looked toward Lonely Mountain and saw Ma Chao and his men busily slaughtering horses to satisfy their hunger. Yuan Shu's heart ached at the sight. Horses were a precious strategic asset to him, and seeing them slaughtered was like ripping out his own flesh and blood. His face was filled with sorrow, and he couldn't help but mutter, "Alas, what a waste of these fine horses! Ma Chao must have been driven to despair; otherwise, why would he be willing to kill these priceless beasts?"

Yang Hong stood aside, his brow furrowed. After a moment's contemplation, a plan came to mind. He leaned close to Yuan Shu and whispered, "My lord, it seems to me that Ma Chao is now desperate, short of food and water. This is a good time for us to recruit him." Yuan Shu, perplexed, retorted, "Ma Chao is incredibly brave. If he doesn't sincerely surrender and serve me, he will surely harm us in the future. We can simply wait for his defeat. Why bother with this?"

Yang Hong patiently explained, "My lord, I understand your concerns. But this surrender is merely a temporary measure. Let's throw out the bait and lure them down the mountain. Imagine they're holding their ground, making it difficult for us to capture them. But once they're down, they'll lose their advantage and be at our mercy. Then, it'll be a matter of a word for you to kill or keep them. Furthermore, if we succeed in tricking them down, all those fine horses from Xiliang will be yours. With these fine horses, forming a cavalry force, wouldn't our strength be greatly enhanced? If we delay any longer, and Ma Chao eats up all the horses in the cavalry camp and dies of starvation, we'll have lost all those horses in vain."

After hearing this, Yuan Shu's eyes flashed with excitement and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face. It was obvious that he was moved by Yang Hong.

Yuan Shu's envoys trudged through the mud and debris left by the flood, arriving by boat at the foot of Baishan Mountain. They then painstakingly climbed the mountain to seek an audience with Ma Chao. Upon hearing the news, Ma Chao, Xu Shu, and Lu Su quickly gathered together to discuss matters in a low voice.

Ma Chao raised his brows, a sharp glint in his eyes. He said in a deep voice, "This is a golden opportunity. That old Yuan Shu must have sent an envoy because he thought we were at the end of our rope. Let's play along and put on a good show to completely let him down." Lu Su nodded slightly, a sly look in his eyes. "That's right. If we're going to act this out, we need to make it real, showcasing our desperate situation of lacking food and water." Xu Shu stroked his beard and added, "Not only that, but our words must also be well-crafted to convince the envoy that we're at our wit's end."

After the discussion, Ma Chao immediately arranged for his soldiers to move quickly. When the envoy came in, he saw this scene:

Inside the tent, Ma Chao and his companions sat together, horse meat simmering in a pot. The rising steam carried a strange aroma. They clutched water bags and tilted their heads back to drink the horse's blood, their movements eager, as if they hadn't had a proper meal or drink in ages. Their chapped lips and haggard faces betrayed their extreme lack of water and fodder.

Seeing the envoys approach, Ma Chao feigned panic and rose to greet them, a piece of uneaten horse meat still clutched in his hand, the juice dripping down his fingers onto the ground. "I wonder what Lord Yuan has sent you on?" Ma Chao asked hoarsely, his voice thick with fatigue.

Upon seeing this, the envoy straightened his back, his nostrils slightly raised, and with a somewhat condescending attitude, he loudly read Yuan Shu's letter of surrender. His voice echoed in the tent, every word oozing with arrogance and complacency, as if he had already considered Ma Chao and the others as his prey.

Ma Chao suppressed his inner disgust, forced a humble smile on his face, and said, "Your Excellency is so kind, and I, Ma Chao, am endlessly grateful. But this matter of surrender concerns the life and death of many of my soldiers, and I need to discuss it with them in the long run. I hope the envoy can give me some time." After hearing this, the envoy frowned, and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes. Just as he was about to explode, Xu Shu hurried forward and said with a smile on his face, "Sir, my general has always been cautious, and he has to take care of the thoughts of his soldiers. I hope you will be flexible and give us more time so that everyone can surrender with peace of mind." After hearing this, the envoy was dissatisfied, but looking at the group of people in front of him who were in a miserable state and short of food and water, he thought that they would not be able to play any tricks, so he reluctantly agreed to wait a few more days.

The envoy hurried back, and upon seeing Yuan Shu, he eagerly stepped forward, his face full of a look of seeking credit. He knelt with a thud, and said in a high and excited voice, "My lord, this time I have finally witnessed the plight of Ma Chao and his men!"

Yuan Shu had been sitting leisurely in his tent when he heard this. He immediately became interested and leaned forward, eagerly asking, "Tell me quickly, how is Ma Chao doing now?"

The envoy described it vividly: "My lord, what a desolate scene it is on that lonely mountain! As soon as I entered their tent, the sickening smell of horseflesh hit me. Ma Chao and his men were all gaunt and sallow, their lips so cracked they oozed blood. The horseflesh in the pot looked old and tough, yet they devoured it ravenously, as if they had been starving for generations. When they drank water, they filled their filthy water bags with horseblood, tilting their necks back to swallow it in huge gulps. One soldier accidentally spilled some on the ground, stamping his foot in pain, as if it were gold."

He gestured and danced with his hands as he spoke: "When I read the letter of surrender, Ma Chao was so humble, his voice trembling. He said he was deeply grateful for the lord's kindness, but that surrendering would have to be discussed with the soldiers. Xu Shu, that fellow, nodded and groveled, his face full of ingratiating smiles, hoping that I would give him a few more days. They are now short of food and water, and their morale is extremely low. In my opinion, if we push them a little harder, they will definitely give in and surrender immediately!"

After hearing this, Yuan Shu showed a smug smile on his face. He turned to look at Yang Hong and said with a big laugh, "What do you think? This general knows that Ma Chao and his men are at the end of their strength. Wait a little longer. When they are completely powerless to resist, Baishan will be ours!" Yang Hong nodded slightly, but a trace of caution flashed in his eyes. He knew in his heart that Ma Chao had always been cunning. Although what the envoy said was true, he still couldn't take it lightly. But seeing Yuan Shu's excited look, he swallowed the words back and secretly reminded himself to pay close attention to changes in the situation.

Atop Baishan Mountain, Ma Chao stood tall, flanked by Xu Shu, Lu Su, and other advisors and generals. They all gazed down at the mighty Yuan Shu's navy below. Seeing Yuan Shu and Yang Hong emerge from the ranks, Ma Chao's eyes flickered with subtle delight. He whispered, "Yuan Shu and Yang Hong have arrived. It seems our 'torture tactic' has worked. The big fish has taken the bait." Xu Shu stroked his beard, his lips curled slightly. "Yes, my lord, they've already entered the game. But now that reinforcements haven't arrived, we must remain vigilant."

Lu Su frowned, gazing at the calm river, his worry evident. "Why haven't General Sun and General Zhou shown up yet? They should have arrived long ago. If they delay any further, something unexpected might happen." Everyone chattered, their anxiety spreading. Ma Chao took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Now that things have come to this, let's stabilize the situation. Since Yuan Shu wants to surrender, let's play along and try to buy time."

Ma Chao then ordered meticulous preparations to receive Yuan Shu's envoy once again. Inside the tent, the atmosphere was oppressive and gloomy, and Ma Chao and his companions looked haggard and exhausted. The envoy strode in with a certain arrogance, declaring, "My lord is sincere. Do not be stubborn. Surrender quickly and you may still have a chance to live." Ma Chao feigned hesitation and sighed, "We would like to surrender, but the soldiers have different opinions. We need some time to persuade them. I hope your Excellency can put in a few kind words for Lord Yuan Shu and ask for some extra time." The envoy looked displeased, but he couldn't bring himself to react. He said, "Don't try to be so rude, or you will suffer the consequences," and turned and left.

After the messenger walked away, Ma Chao looked into the distance and murmured, "Bofu, Gongjin, you must hurry up and get here."