Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ma Chao looked at the tragic scene before him, his heart filled with pity and anxiety. He knew that continuing the attack would only result in more unnecessary sacrifices. He turned to look at Sun Ce, and their eyes met, each seeing the worry and helplessness in the other's eyes. Ma Chao gritted his teeth, sighed, and waved his hand, shouting the order: "Hold the siege for now! Sound the retreat!"

With the resounding blast of the horn, the attacking soldiers, relieved, dragged their exhausted bodies back to their base camp. Their steps stumbled, many bearing wounds, blood dripping from their wounds, leaving trails of blood in their wake. Upon returning to camp, the soldiers collapsed, exhausted both physically and mentally.

Ma Chao and Sun Ce paced their tent, lost in thought. Faced with this long-standing siege, they needed a fresh plan. Outside, the occasional agonizing wail of wounded soldiers reminded them of the brutality of this war. They knew they couldn't rely solely on brute force to capture the county city; they needed another strategy.

Ma Chao looked solemnly at Sun Ce and said, "Ji Ling and Yan Xiang are indeed Yuan Shu's top generals and trusted advisors. If Yuan Shu had listened more to their advice, he wouldn't have ended up like this. At this point, it seems that a reckless attack like this will not work."

Sun Ce nodded slightly, gazing at the still-standing county town outside the tent. He spoke thoughtfully, "They've just learned of Yuan Shu's death, and are in a state of mourning. While morale may be low, they're still fiercely determined to fight to the death. If we attack now, we'll likely suffer heavy casualties. In my opinion, we should hold off for now. If things continue this way, they're bound to have internal problems. With no hope for the soldiers, mutiny is inevitable."

Sun Ce paused, then continued, "Furthermore, if Gongjin can successfully capture Jiujiang County, and word spreads to Lujiang, the soldiers in the city will undoubtedly panic. Then, chaos will undoubtedly break out within the city, and our chances of victory will be much greater."

Ma Chao agreed, "That's right. Let's hold our troops for now and keep a close eye on the movements within the city. We also hope that everything goes smoothly for Gongjin. Furthermore, we can't sit idle either. We need to find ways to keep putting pressure on them and psychologically weaken their defenses. For example, we could send more scouts around the perimeter to keep them confused about our strength and create the illusion that we're ready to attack again."

Meanwhile, despite successfully blocking the attacks of Sun Ce and Ma Chao, Yan Xiang and Ji Ling dared not relax, the pressure hanging heavy in their hearts like a dark cloud. Ji Ling's face was filled with anxiety and panic. He looked at Yan Xiang with a trembling voice, "Brother Yan, what should we do in this situation?"

Yan Xiang's brows were furrowed, his eyes filled with worry and helplessness. He sighed deeply and analyzed slowly, "Now that our lord is dead and the enemy's morale is high, I'm afraid it will be difficult to hold Lujiang any longer."

Ji Ling was extremely anxious when he heard this and asked immediately, "Then what should we do next? We can't just sit there and wait for death!"

Yan Xiang gritted his teeth, his expression solemn: "For the time being, we must hold the city. If we retreat rashly now, the enemy will surely seize the opportunity to pursue us. We will probably suffer heavy losses, and it will be difficult to escape unscathed."

Ji Ling's face was filled with resentment, his eyes reddened, and he shouted loudly: "Are you not going to avenge my lord? How can I swallow this!"

Yan Xiang smiled wryly, his face filled with bitterness and helplessness. "Revenge? How easy is that?! Our lord is dead, and the young master is still young, unable to hold the fort. Now we can barely hold Lujiang, so how can we seek revenge? We can only wait and see what Ma Chao, Sun Ce, and Zhou Yu will do next. If we really have to, we will retreat to Shouchun. However, in my opinion, Jiujiang County will be difficult to hold."

Ji Ling still looked confused, his eyes filled with helplessness, and murmured, "Then where is our future?"

Yan Xiang pondered for a moment, then steeled himself and said, "If there's really no other way, we can escort the young master to seek refuge with Yuan Benchu ​​in Jizhou. Although he's been feuding with our lord for years, he's still our brother. We'll take the land of Shouchun with us. As a renowned vassal, he'll surely avenge our lord and protect us for the sake of the Yuan family's reputation."

Ma Chao methodically set up camp outside, surrounding the county town with impenetrable force. Inside, the soldiers each performed their duties: patrolling, standing sentry, repairing equipment, all in preparation for the next siege. Every day, Ma Chao would ascend to a high vantage point to observe the city, his eyes filled with determination and unwavering resolve.

Inside the city, Yan Xiang and Ji Ling faced this ironclad siege, panic-stricken and helpless. White mourning banners hung from the city walls, fluttering in the wind, as if commemorating Yuan Shu's departure and the city's desolation. The soldiers' faces were filled with grief. Initially, they held the city together, fueled by a pent-up desire to avenge their lord. However, as the siege wore on, their food supplies dwindled, and with no sign of reinforcements, their morale gradually declined.

The soldiers began whispering among themselves, their words filled with worry and uncertainty about the future. Some complained about how much longer they would have to hold out, with no one to care for their families. Others questioned the point of holding out, considering Yuan Shu was dead, and the fight seemed lost. Ji Ling, patrolling the city walls, sensed the low spirits. He was distraught, yet unsure what to do. He could only shout and rebuke, attempting to boost morale, but with little effect.

Yan Xiang watched all this unfold, knowing that chaos would inevitably follow. He summoned Ji Ling to his residence and said gravely, "Morale is low. If this continues, we'll collapse without even an attack. We must find a way to stabilize the troops." Ji Ling slammed his fist on the table, angrily saying, "I'd like to think of something, but what can we do now? Our food and fodder won't last much longer, and we can't count on reinforcements."

Ji Ling and Yan Xiang had no choice but to summon their energy to calm the soldiers. Ji Ling would scurry around the city walls daily, his rough hands slapping the soldiers' shoulders and shouting at the top of his lungs, "Brothers! Take heart! Reinforcements from Shouchun will be arriving soon. We must grit our teeth and hold on. Once they arrive, we will annihilate these besieged enemy troops and avenge Lord Yuan!" His voice echoed off the walls. Initially, it elicited a reluctant response from some soldiers, but as the days passed, the responses grew weaker, replaced by blank stares and silence.

Yan Xiang shuttled between the barracks, giving earnest advice to groups of soldiers: "Soldiers, we have followed our lord for many years and have been treated well by our lord. Although we are in great trouble now, as long as we work together, we will be able to overcome the difficulties. Think about it, our families are still waiting for us to return safely. If we give up now, how can we face them?" His words were sincere, but the soldiers just nodded mechanically, their eyes full of confusion and fatigue.

Thus, the days passed in agony within the city. Food supplies dwindled, and the daily meals, once dry, were reduced to thin rice porridge. The soldiers grew increasingly emaciated. At night, a cold wind howled through the cracks in the city walls, a mournful chorus that seemed to play a dirge for the besieged city. Ji Ling and Yan Xiang stood on the ramparts, gazing at the flickering lights of Ma Chao's camp outside, their hearts filled with anxiety and helplessness. They wondered how long this would last, or how long the city could hold out.

Zhou Yu's journey to Jiujiang County was brimming with confidence. He not only led his own elite navy but also integrated Sun Ce's own navy. The two powerful armies merged into one, their warships linked together, their masts and oars illuminating the sky. The formation was unprecedentedly powerful, a breath of fresh blood, and high morale.

The warships cut through the waves on the river. Zhou Yu, clad in silver armor, his cloak rustling in the wind, stood at the bow, commanding with a determined look in his eyes. Upon arriving at Jiujiang County, he ordered the warships to line up in a row, surrounding the entire city tightly.

During the siege, Zhou Yu ordered his men to shout in unison, "Yuan Shu is dead! Any further resistance is futile!" This news was like a bombshell, instantly causing an uproar in the city. At the same time, Zhou Yu had the head of Yang Hong, Yuan Shu's trusted advisor, placed on a spear and held high for public display.

When Zhang Ying heard the news that Yuan Shu was dead and Yang Hong's head was hanging high on the ground, it was like a heavy hammer hitting his heart. He froze in place, and the spear in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter". His face was pale, his lips trembled slightly, and his eyes were filled with fear and despair.

At first, he tried to stabilize the morale of the army and shouted to the soldiers on the city wall: "Don't panic, soldiers! This must be a trick of the enemy. Our lord is blessed with a long life, how could he fall into disaster so easily! Let's hold the city and wait for reinforcements!" However, the soldiers whispered to each other, their eyes full of suspicion and uneasiness, and their previous trust in Zhang Ying began to waver.

How could Zhou Yu give Zhang Ying a break? He commanded his navy, arraying his warships in a meticulous array, like a Great Wall of Steel, pressing ever closer against the city of Jiujiang. As the warships approached the walls, soldiers used catapults to hurl huge rocks into the city. Suddenly, houses collapsed, flames shot up, and the people cried out in despair. Meanwhile, wave after wave of archers, stationed atop the warships, rained down a hail of arrows on the city walls. The defenders fell to the ground, their blood streaming down the walls.

Zhang Ying, with his remaining troops, scurried around the city, trying to organize an effective resistance. However, the army was already broken, and morale among the soldiers was low. Faced with Zhou Yu's fierce attack, they had no will to fight and fled in panic. Zhang Ying brandished his long sword and shouted at the deserting soldiers, but it was all in vain.

As Zhou Yu's offensive intensified, Zhang Ying was left besieged with the remnants of his troops. With no food or fodder left, the soldiers suffered from hunger and cold, countless were wounded and sick, and even drinking water became a problem. At night, Zhou Yu's camp outside the city was brightly lit, while within, a dead silence reigned. The occasional groaning of a wounded soldier added to the desolate atmosphere.

The tragic news of Yuan Shu's death ripped through the army like a bolt from the blue. For Zhang Ying and his men, the news was like the collapse of the heavens and the earth. Yuan Shu, their lord, had always been their backbone and support. Now that this pillar had collapsed, they felt the future was uncertain and at a loss.

Already trapped by Zhou Yu's army, they pinned all their hopes on reinforcements sent by Yuan Shu, hoping that once they arrived, they would be able to break the impasse through internal and external cooperation. But now, Yuan Shu was no longer alive, and there was no hope of reinforcements. The glimmer of hope that they had once had for a comeback was completely extinguished.

As the days of siege wore on, the city's rations dwindled. The soldiers starved daily, relying on thin gruel to barely sustain themselves. The wounded and sick also piled up, and the rudimentary medical facilities were unable to meet their needs. Moans of pain echoed endlessly. The harsh environment and the hopelessness of their situation left the soldiers' morale extremely low, their eyes filled with confusion and despair. Some soldiers began to whisper, speculating about their fate; others sat in corners, silent, losing hope in the future.

Faced with this series of daunting circumstances, Zhang Ying felt unprecedented pressure. Already exhausted from days of defending the city, he was now even more suffocated by the weight of these predicaments. He paced back and forth in his tent, his brow furrowed, his hands alternately clenched and unclenched, his face filled with anxiety and helplessness. His former decisiveness and confidence had vanished. He was now like a headless fly, completely bewildered and bewildered.