Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ji Ling's face was full of anxiety, his eyes were red, and he asked loudly at Yan Xiang: "So you mean, now we just wait and do nothing?" His voice trembled slightly with excitement, his hands were clenched into fists, and veins bulged on his forehead.

Yan Xiang looked solemn and looked at Ji Ling with a firm gaze, and said slowly: "The only thing we can do now is to wait and deal with the situation as it arises. The best case scenario is that the lord can withdraw safely. Otherwise, Ma Chao and others will come to negotiate with us. If we attack rashly now and our troops are insufficient, once we fail, not only will we not be able to save the lord, I'm afraid we won't even be able to keep this county city." As Yan Xiang spoke, he reached out and gently pressed Ji Ling's shoulder, trying to calm him down.

Ji Ling's brows knitted together, his heart filled with resentment, yet he knew Yan Xiang's words made sense. He gritted his teeth and sighed helplessly, "Forget it, this is all I can do now." With that, he turned around with heavy steps and prepared to leave.

"General, wait a minute." Yan Xiang stopped Ji Ling. "General, please rest for a while and recover your strength before reorganizing our military. We are ready to respond to any emergency at any time."

Ji Ling nodded silently, dragging his exhausted body down the city wall. The rain pelted down on him, and he couldn't tell if it was the tears of heaven or the resentment and helplessness within him. He clenched his fists, vowing inwardly that if anything happened to his lord, Ma Chao and the others would pay with blood.

In the tents of Ma Chao, Sun Ce, and Zhou Yu, the atmosphere was heated and tense. The flood had finally receded, allowing Ma Chao's troops to descend from the mountain, but the road ahead was muddy, making the march extremely difficult.

Ma Chao, his expression resolute, spoke first, "The enemy in Lujiang County now has few remaining forces to resist. Although the floodwaters have receded, our navy will be unable to exert any influence for the time being. I only need to contain Yan Xiang head-on; one person is enough." He paused briefly, then turned his gaze to Zhou Yu. "Gongjin, I suggest you lead the navy down the river and directly capture Jiujiang. Taking advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness, you will surely defeat Zhang Ying in one fell swoop."

Zhou Yu stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and then nodded, "This plan is feasible. Jiujiang is strategically located. Once we capture it, we can attack or defend, greatly expanding our sphere of influence. However, our naval operations must be conducted in a concealed manner to avoid alerting the enemy."

Sun Ce's interest was instantly piqued. He slammed his hand on the table and declared, "Alright! Let's do it. Gongjin, take all the navy with you, leaving only Gan Ning and his brocade sails on the river, ready to respond at any time. I will return to the camp and work with Meng Qi to pacify Lujiang County, thus relieving you of any worries."

A flurry of discussion erupted in the tent. Some commanders raised details about the naval route, while others worried about countermeasures in the event of enemy advance detection. Ma Chao, Zhou Yu, and Sun Ce listened attentively, offering feedback and refining the battle plan. Ultimately, after everyone's deliberations, a detailed and meticulous battle plan was formed. At the command, all the troops would follow the plan and march towards their respective objectives.

Two days after the division, the ground finally condensed enough for the march. Ma Chao led his army down from Baishan and continued toward the county seat. Horses' hooves kicked up clouds of dust as the soldiers marched with a firm stride, their morale high. Astride his towering steed, Ma Chao stared intently ahead, plotting how to capture the county seat in one fell swoop and completely pacify Lujiang.

By this time, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had already returned to their respective camps. Zhou Yu wasted no time in reorganizing the navy, shuttling between the warships, carefully inspecting the equipment and supplies on each vessel, and repeatedly instructing his generals on the marching route and key points of the battle to ensure that nothing went wrong.

Sun Ce returned to his tent and immediately discussed with Gan Ning the deployment of support forces on the river. "Xingba, Gongjin's surprise attack on Jiujiang this time is crucial. We must not allow the enemy any opportunity to support Jiujiang." Sun Ce's expression was serious and his tone was firm. Gan Ning crossed his arms and replied confidently, "Don't worry, Bofu. My Jinfan Army has been navigating the river for many years. We will not let the enemy get past us."

As Ma Chao's army neared the county town, he could see the defenders on the city walls, bracing for battle. Ma Chao reined in the reins, turned, and shouted to his fellow soldiers, "Men, today is the day to achieve great things! Defeat this city and restore peace to the people!" The soldiers roared in unison, their voices resonating throughout the field as they advanced on the county town like a tidal wave.

On the city wall, Yan Xiang and Ji Ling watched Ma Chao's army approach, their faces solemn. Ji Ling clenched his weapon and gritted his teeth, saying, "Mr. Yan, I will march out of the city to meet them immediately. We must not let them succeed so easily!" Yan Xiang frowned, and after a moment's contemplation, he said, "We must not attack rashly. We must hold the city and see what they do before making any plans."

Ma Chao's army stopped a hundred steps away from the city. Ma Chao sent an envoy to shout, "Listen up on the city! Yuan Shu is dead. It is meaningless to resist stubbornly. Open the city and surrender early to save the people from suffering!" When the defenders on the city heard this, there was a commotion. Yan Xiang and Ji Ling looked at each other, secretly shocked, but still pretended to be calm and did not respond.

The messengers sent by Ma Chao shouted loudly at the foot of the city, but Yan Xiang and Ji Ling on the city wall thought his words were ridiculous and did not believe them at all. In their minds, although Yuan Shu had occasional defeats on the battlefield, he had a strong military force and foundation. How could he lose his life so easily?

To completely dissuade the defenders, Sun Ce acted decisively and ordered Xu Huang to carry Yuan Shu's head to the front of the battle line. At that moment, sunlight shone on the hanging head, casting a cold luster.

On the city wall, Yan Xiang took one look and was stunned for a moment, then his face turned pale. He stared at the head with wide eyes, his body shaking uncontrollably. After confirming the truth, the strategist's legs gave way, and he knelt on the ground. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he cried out in grief, "My lord, how could this be..." The scholars around him, witnessing this tragic scene, also knelt and wept, their grief filling the air above the city walls.

Ji Ling's face was filled with disbelief and anger. His eyes instantly filled with bloodshot, turning red like a mad beast. Looking at his master's head, he let out a heartbreaking roar, "Ma Chao, Sun Ce, I will never coexist with you!" Then, he turned and was about to muster his troops, rush out of the city to fight the enemy and avenge his master.

Seeing this, Yan Xiang ignored the tears on his face and quickly stood up. He grabbed Ji Ling tightly and cried, "General Ji, don't be impulsive! Leaving the city now is undoubtedly a futile act, and you will die in vain!" Ji Ling struggled like a madman, roaring, "I don't care! I can't let my lord die in vain. I want revenge for him!"

The two men were tussling with each other on the city wall, while Ma Chao and Sun Ce below the city watched coldly. Looking at the chaos on the city, they knew that the enemy army was in chaos and it was a good time to attack the city. The two men looked at each other and ordered an attack.

Although the news of Yuan Shu's death caused great chaos in the defenders' morale, and Ji Ling's impulse for revenge almost caused the city gates to open, with Yan Xiang's strenuous efforts to stop them, Yuan Shu's former subordinates finally stabilized their position and launched a tenacious resistance relying on their familiarity with the county city and their determination to fight to the death.

Ma Chao's command, "Kill!", echoed like a bell across the battlefield, officially launching the siege. Carrying heavy siege equipment, the soldiers, shouting in unison, rushed towards the city gates like a surging tide. Suddenly, a hail of arrows crisscrossed the sky, the dense stream of sharp arrows whistling through the wind, piercing the air like deadly cold stars. Massive catapults were revved, launching huge rocks with tremendous force, smashing into the city walls like meteorites. Each impact shook the earth and sent clouds of dust and rubble soaring into the sky.

Yuan Shu's troops, knowing they had no way out, unleashed a formidable display of fighting prowess. They formed a tight, interwoven, impenetrable defensive line of shields, withstanding wave after wave of enemy arrows. Simultaneously, they hurled rocks and scalding oil at the city walls. Scalding oil poured down from the walls, instantly creating a sea of ​​fire below. The attackers, caught in the blaze, screamed in agony and writhe on the ground. Each hurled rock, imbued with the defenders' fury and despair, pelted the enemy, sending blood and flesh flying and limbs scattered across the ground.

Ji Ling, wielding his three-pointed, double-edged sword, its blade still stained with blood, paced back and forth on the city wall, supervising the battle. Tears still stained his face, his eyes bloodshot with hatred. Like a raging beast, he roared to his men, "Brothers, though our lord is dead, we must not lose our dignity! Even if we die today, we must die on this city wall to avenge Lord Yuan!" His encouragement boosted the morale of Yuan Shu's army, and they stood firm against wave after wave of enemy attacks, refusing to retreat. Every soldier gritted his teeth, fighting without hesitation even as their comrades fell, building a wall of flesh and blood with their own bodies.

On the attacking side, Ma Chao, gazing at the impending siege, his brow furrowed like the Chinese character "川." Beside him, Sun Ce was equally distraught, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white with exertion. He said to Ma Chao, "I didn't expect them to be so stubborn. If this continues, our casualties will only mount." Ma Chao pondered for a moment, his hawk-like gaze sweeping across the battlefield. Suddenly, he spotted a weak spot in the enemy's defenses. Pointing there, he said to Sun Ce, "Bofu, look over there. The enemy is a little undermanned. If we concentrate our forces and attack fiercely there, we might be able to open a breakthrough."

Sun Ce looked in the direction Ma Chao pointed, a sharp glint in his eyes, and nodded in agreement. The two men quickly adjusted their deployment, concentrating their elite siege forces on that weak spot. A new round of attack began, and the soldiers, shouting deafening slogans, surged forward like a flood. The battle entered a white-hot stage, and lives were lost with every moment.

In a new round of attacks, Ma Chao and Sun Ce's elite troops surged forward like a surging wave, charging towards that weak spot with all their might. Soldiers charged forward one after another, their shouts and the clash of weapons mingling, resounding through the air. However, as if their desperate situation had unleashed their full potential, Yuan Shu's army, despite their relative weakness, fought with all their might. They tossed logs from the walls and poured boiling gold, each counterattack exacting a heavy toll on the attackers.

Broken arms and limbs littered the battlefield, blood gushing out, staining the ground crimson and muddy. Wounded soldiers groaned in agony, some clutching their wounds, trying to stifle the gushing blood; others writhe helplessly on the ground, their eyes filled with despair. The attacking forces were repeatedly repelled by the tenacious resistance of Yuan Shu's army, leaving corpses strewn across the ground in a horrifying spectacle.