Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu traveled day and night, and had actually already reached the critical gap in the upper reaches of the Gan River. Upon arriving at their destination, Sun Ce was as anxious as a trapped beast, and his whole body exuded an uncontrollable aura of anxiety. He strode back and forth in the warship, his boots making a dull and urgent sound on the ground, and every step seemed to urge the troops to send a rescue. Finally, he stopped abruptly and turned to Zhou Yu, clenching his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white due to the force, his eyes full of worry and anxiety, and he shouted: "Gongjin, brother is now trapped in Baishan, his life hangs by a thread, how can we just sit there and do nothing? We must immediately assemble our troops and charge through this gap. Every minute of delay will put brother in greater danger!"

Zhou Yu's face was as calm as water, yet his expression shone with confidence and composure. He raised his hand calmly, signaling Sun Ce to calm down. His voice was steady and clear: "Bofu, wait a minute, listen to me carefully. Yuan Shu is cunning and suspicious, and always acts cautiously. At the beginning of the war, he would not easily risk his life and appear in the navy. Even if we bravely break through his naval defenses, the impregnable city still stands in the way. By then, not only will we be unable to inflict a fatal blow on Yuan Shu, but he might even find an opportunity to escape. We have planned for so long, prepared for so long, and invested so much manpower, material resources, and effort. If we cannot succeed in one fell swoop and completely defeat Yuan Shu and achieve complete victory, wouldn't it be a shame to fail at the last moment?"

Zhou Yu paused briefly, his gaze deep and resolute, as he gazed toward Baishan, seemingly piercing the mountains and rivers to see Ma Chao trapped there. He continued, "Based on my understanding of Yuan Shu and my analysis of the situation, we should hold our temper for now and bide our time. Once my brother is trapped atop Baishan, seemingly cornered and out of ammunition and food, Yuan Shu will undoubtedly believe the outcome is sealed, victory assured. He will lower his guard and appear among his naval forces, personally supervising the battle, hoping to witness my brother's defeat. That will be our perfect opportunity! We only need to seize the moment, cut off Yuan Shu's naval retreat, and completely encircle him and his main force. We can then capture him in one fell swoop. Only then can Yuan Shu's rebellion be completely quelled, the battle for Yangzhou settled, and our carefully planned strategic goal be perfectly achieved."

Sun Ce listened to Zhou Yu's analysis, his heart still burning with anxiety, but his rational mind told him that every word Zhou Yu said made sense. He bit his lip, his cheeks puffing slightly, suppressing the surging emotions within him. He took a deep breath and said, "Alright, let's do as Gongjin says. Let's wait a little longer. Every moment of waiting is excruciating. I only hope to rescue my brother as soon as possible, and I will make sure that old villain Yuan Shu can't escape!" Thus, the Sun-Zhou coalition forces temporarily held their ground, deploying a tight defense along the upper Gan River while closely monitoring the movements of the Baishan and Yuan Shu naval forces. The entire camp was filled with tension and oppression. Beneath this seemingly calm surface, a thrilling decisive battle, quietly brewing, was about to decide the outcome.

After another two or three days, Yuan Shu's patience wore thin. He paced back and forth in his tent, occasionally gazing toward Baishan, his face filled with irritation and impatience. The weather had grown increasingly gloomy over the past few days, with dark clouds gathering like inky black, bearing down heavily on the earth. Another downpour seemed imminent.

Unable to contain himself any longer, Yuan Shu immediately sent another envoy up the mountain to solicit surrender, threatening with gritted teeth, "This time, tell Ma Chao that if he doesn't surrender, the rain will put him in a desperate situation. They've eaten all their horses, so how can they possibly eat stones? Tell him to stop hoping for the best and surrender obediently, the only way to survive!"

The envoy received the order and hurried up Lonely Mountain. Upon meeting Ma Chao again, he had lost his usual arrogance. His expression was stern, and his tone was threatening: "General Ma, my lord has done all he can. This is your ultimatum. Now that a rainstorm is approaching, you are isolated and helpless on the mountain, with no food or supplies. How long can you hold out? Do not be stubborn and surrender immediately, or the consequences will be disastrous!"

Ma Chao remained calm and said calmly, "I hope the envoy can report back to Lord Yuan that this matter is of great importance and we need to consider it carefully. It is difficult to give a hasty reply." When the envoy heard this, his face suddenly changed. He snorted coldly and walked away.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu flew into a rage. He kicked over the table and chairs beside him and roared, "Ma Chao is refusing to accept my toast! All troops, listen up! Prepare for battle immediately. I want to see how he can resist in this flood!"

For a moment, the entire naval camp was in an uproar. Soldiers rushed around, organizing weapons and checking warships. The atmosphere was extremely tense.

At Yuan Shu's command, the drums beat, and like arrows from a bow, Yuan Shu's warships rushed towards Baishan. The bows of the ships lifted high, splitting the murky river water and stirring up layers of white waves. The sailors shouted in unison, their voices echoing across the river, and the weapons in their hands flashed coldly in the dimming light.

Ma Chao and his men had already been fully prepared. Seeing the enemy approach, they immediately commanded the soldiers on the hill to launch an all-out counterattack. Archers quickly drew their bows and arrows, raining down upon Yuan Shu's army. The whirring sound of arrows piercing the air was incessant. For a moment, the river was filled with a hail of arrows, and the cries of battle were deafening.

The two sides engaged in fierce close combat, brandishing their weapons. Swords flashed, blood stained the river red, and the cries of killing and screaming mingled in a chilling cacophony. Yuan Shu's army, relying on their superior numbers, attempted to force a landing; while Ma Chao's army, relying on the terrain and commanding the high ground, put up a stubborn resistance. The two sides exchanged blows, neither yielding, and the battle was a bitter one.

Just as the battle reached a stalemate, the sky suddenly became overcast, a dark, oppressive cloud descending. Bean-sized raindrops clattered down, and in a flash, it became a torrential downpour. A howling wind rocked the warships violently, leaving the soldiers unsteady in the wind and rain, their vision blurred by the rain.

The torrential rain posed a difficult situation for both sides. Yuan Shu's warships struggled to maneuver in the rough seas, disrupting their offensive rhythm. Ma Chao's troops on the mountain were also blinded by the wind and rain, making their defense increasingly difficult. The fierce battle was forced to slow down, with both sides temporarily retreating, struggling to hold out in the wind and rain. Neither side gained an advantage, and they could only wait for the rain to subside before resuming their life-or-death struggle.

Just as both sides struggled to hold out in the torrential rain, the battle reaching a stalemate, the faint roar of warships breaking through the waves suddenly emanated from the river. At first, the sound was muffled by the wind, rain, and the cries of battle, making it difficult to distinguish. But as time passed, the sound grew clearer. In the distance, the faint outlines of rows of warships emerged from the rain, rapidly approaching the battlefield.

It turned out that reinforcements led by Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had finally arrived at this crucial moment. Warships raced through the torrential rain, their bows splitting the waves, the spray mingling with the rain. Each ship was hoisted with Sun clan flags, clashing fiercely in the fierce wind. Sun Ce stood at the bow, draped in a black cloak soaked by rain, dancing wildly in the wind. He held a spear, his gaze piercing the heavy rain, his gaze fixed on the battlefield. He roared, "Brothers, hurry! Saving my brother is paramount!" His voice echoed through the wind and rain, filled with boundless passion and strength.

Zhou Yu stood aside, calmly directing the fleet. His feather fan, damp from the rain, waved steadily as he methodically issued orders: "All ships, maintain formation. Encircle and flank Yuan Shu's navy, cutting off their retreat!" Under his command, the warships quickly split into two groups, like two black dragons, zigzagging towards either side of Yuan Shu's fleet.

Yuan Shu's navy, engaged in a fierce battle with Ma Chao's army, was caught off guard by this sudden turn of events. The soldiers turned their heads and gazed behind them, faces filled with fear and panic. Their ships were already teetering on the brink of collapse from the raging storm, and now faced with the desperate situation of being surrounded, their morale plummeted to a freezing point.

Ma Chao and his men on Baishan Mountain were immediately inspired by the arrival of reinforcements. A flicker of surprise and excitement flashed in Ma Chao's eyes, and he shouted, "Soldiers, Bofu and Gongjin are here to support us! Charge forward!" The soldiers shouted in unison, and under Ma Chao's leadership, like a tiger descending from a mountain, they launched an even more fierce counterattack against Yuan Shu's army.

Yuan Shu's army was in a precarious position. Half of its troops were still struggling to capture the mountain, locked in a fierce battle with Ma Chao's army; the other half were still in the water, their warships bobbing on the waves. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's warships descended like a divine force, instantly throwing their formation into disarray. The soldiers were panicked and unsure how to respond.

Yuan Shu stood aboard the flagship, gazing at the incoming tide of Sun's reinforcements. His face was pale, and beads of sweat, mixed with rain, rolled down his forehead. His hands trembled slightly, clearly overwhelmed by this sudden turn of events. He muttered to himself, "What should I do? How could so many warships suddenly appear?"

Yang Hong's expression was equally dignified, but he quickly composed himself. He quickly scanned the battlefield and urgently advised Yuan Shu, "My lord, the situation is critical! The opposing navy is too formidable. We cannot continue to be attacked from two sides. Furthermore, while Ma Chao on Baishan is brave, he cannot enter the water. We should immediately order the soldiers attacking the mountain to withdraw and return to the warships. We can then concentrate our forces on confronting these suddenly appearing Sun ships. Otherwise, the consequences will be disastrous!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu awoke as if from a dream. He nodded hastily and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Quick, send the order! Have the soldiers withdraw to the warships!" The messenger quickly waved the command flag, and the urgent sound of the horn echoed through the wind and rain. However, due to the chaos on the battlefield, the soldiers were unable to retreat in an orderly manner. The troops attacking the mountain suffered heavy casualties under the fierce counterattack of Ma Chao's army. The warships in the water were also repeatedly overturned by the impact of Sun's reinforcements, and soldiers fell into the water one after another, with screams incessantly.

Yuan Shu was terribly anxious, constantly urging a retreat, his eyes filled with despair and resignation. He watched the approaching Sun warships and silently groaned, hoping his men would quickly withdraw and mount an effective defense. However, the chaotic situation made his hopes increasingly slim, and a crushing defeat seemed inevitable.