Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

A cold wind slashed through the swirling mist on the river surface, rustling the large "Sun" banners atop the warships. Sun Ce's knuckles paled as he pressed against the ancient ingot blade, his silver-white armor gleaming coldly beneath the dark clouds. He gazed at the thirty newly erected arrow towers at Xiakou Water Fort on the opposite bank, then suddenly threw back his head and burst into laughter, shattering the icicles clinging to the side of the ship.

"Brother, if Mr. Zigang hadn't reached an agreement with Liu Biao..." Sun Quan's fingers, clutching his cloak tightly, trembled slightly. He looked at the Jingzhou soldiers moving around the water stronghold, a bitter taste rising in his throat. "If we attack by force, I'm afraid..."

"Zhongmou is still too immature." Sun Ce spun abruptly, his armor clinking with a resounding sound, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. "Xiakou may appear impregnable, but it's just Liu Biao's bluff!" He strode to the bow, his boots slamming down on the deck, startling a flock of circling crows. "Thirty arrow towers? With a hundred thousand troops arrayed on the river, a single volley of rockets would reduce those bamboo and wooden structures to a sea of ​​fire!"

Before he could finish his words, a muffled drumbeat suddenly echoed from the river. The Jingzhou soldiers on the arrow towers on the opposite bank simultaneously lit torches, illuminating the dark arrowheads with a sinister brilliance. Sun Quan instinctively took a half step back, only to see Sun Ce draw his ancient ingot sword. The blade sliced ​​through the cold wind, creating a brilliant arc of light in the twilight.

"Pass on my orders!" Sun Ce's voice drowned out the whistling river wind. "Select three thousand elite soldiers and prepare enough fire starters. Wait until three quarters after midnight and set fire to the stronghold." He pointed his blade directly at the tallest arrow tower in the center of the water stronghold. "I want to show Liu Biao the wrath of Jiangdong!"

Sun Quan stared at the turbulent waves, his knuckles white from clenching, his voice filled with unconcealed worry: "Brother, if we attack rashly without waiting for Mr. Zigang's reply, what if..."

Sun Ce raised his hand to stop him, the cold gleam of his ancient ingot knife reflecting the smile that flickered in his eyes. "Zhongmou, old Liu Biao has always been indecisive. Whether Mr. Zhang Hong can persuade him to let us pass through is still uncertain." He swung his knife fiercely at the wooden pillar beside him, sawdust flying as the blade firmly nailed into the pillar. "I will take down Xiakou Water Stronghold first, so that Liu Biao can't sleep at night!"

The river breeze whipped up Sun Ce's cloak, rustling like a battle flag. He narrowed his eyes, staring at the flickering glow of the torches on the arrow tower across the river. He continued, "With Jiangxia's throat strangled, Liu Biao will tremble in his heart. Only then will he understand the consequences of being an enemy of Jiangdong. This will give Mr. Zhang Hong more bargaining chips in the negotiations, and those old foxes from the aristocratic families won't dare to play tricks again!"

Sun Quan opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him again, but saw Sun Ce striding towards the commander's desk, grabbing a roll of maps and spreading it out.

Sun Ce looked around at the generals in the tent, his eyes burning with fighting spirit, and said in a deep voice: "Who dares today? Who dares to lead the fire ships to capture his Xiakou Water Fort tonight!" As soon as the words fell, the atmosphere in the tent instantly boiled. Lu Meng, Lu Dai, Chen Wu, Xue Zong, Quan Cong and other six people looked excited, and there seemed to be fire burning around them.

Chen Wu and Lü Meng exchanged a glance, then simultaneously strode out, knelt on one knee, and shouted in unison, "We are willing to go!" Their voices shook the bronze lamps atop the tent. Immediately afterwards, Lü Dai and the other four quickly stepped out, clasping their fists and inviting a fight, their eyes filled with eagerness and determination.

Sun Ce looked at the brave generals before him, and suddenly he was filled with heroic spirit. He laughed out loud, "Great! Everyone is brave enough to fight! You are truly the men of Jiangdong! Let's test our skills today!" His eyes locked on Lü Meng like a hawk, and he shouted, "Lü Ziming!"

"Here!" Lu Meng held his head high and chest out, answering in a sonorous and powerful voice.

"Then tonight, you will be the first to dampen the arrogance of Liu Biao's army!" Sun Ce stepped forward and personally handed a red battle flag to Lu Meng. "I order you to lead three thousand elite troops, man a hundred fire ships, and attack Xiakou at night! Let Liu Biao know that the men of Jiangdong will slay any god who stands in their way!"

Lu Meng clutched the battle flag tightly in both hands, his blood boiling in his chest. He declared solemnly, "I will live up to your trust, my lord! Tonight, I will turn the Xiakou Water Stronghold into a sea of ​​fire. I will not return to camp until Liu Biao's army has been thwarted!"

Lü Meng nodded in acceptance, then turned and strode out of the tent. As the night deepened, sporadic sounds of clappers could be heard from the direction of Xiakou Water Fort. Inside Jiangdong Water Fort, three hundred warships had quietly assembled. Kerosene barrels, covered in black cloth, shimmered dimly in the moonlight. A thrilling night raid was about to begin...

As the clapping of the midnight bell pierced the night sky, Lü Meng stood at the bow, gazing at the flickering torches of the water fort on the opposite bank. A deep roar rose from his throat, "Cast off the cables!" Three hundred warships, like arrows from a bow, silently approached along the reed marshes under cover of darkness. On the deck, the soldiers, their faces masked, their waists wrapped in linen soaked in tung oil, clutched poison-tipped short blades, and even their breathing was carefully measured. Only the subtle rustle of oars cutting through the water echoed across the silent river.

When the fleet was three hundred paces from the water fort, a sudden clang of clappers rang out. Torches on the arrow towers of the fort lit up, and the shouts of the Jingzhou army surged in like a tide: "Enemy attack! Release!" In an instant, thousands of arrows were unleashed, the sharp and piercing sound of them breaking through the air. Lü Meng, prepared for this, shouted, "Shields raised!" The front row of soldiers quickly raised their iron shields, forming an impenetrable shield wall. Arrows pelted them with a crackling sound, sending sparks flying.

"Ignite!" Lü Meng, realizing the moment was right, drew his sword and pointed it at the water fort. Soldiers quickly tossed torches into wooden barrels filled with kerosene. Instantly, a blazing fire shot up into the sky. Like dragons of fire, the warships, driven by the southeast wind, sped towards the water fort. The flames illuminated the river, distorting the terrified faces of the Jingzhou soldiers.

Huang She stood atop the main tower, gazing at the oncoming fireships. His handsome face paled instantly. He gripped the sword at his waist, suppressing his panic as he shouted, "Don't panic! Catapults, aim at the fireships! Archers, focus on suppressing the enemy ships from reaching the fort!" But the fire spread too quickly. Before the catapults could adjust their angle, the first fireship had already slammed into the wooden fence of the water fort. With a resounding boom, flames soared into the air, instantly igniting the surrounding watchtowers and tents. Smoke, swirling with sparks, shot into the night sky.

Lü Meng raised his arms and shouted, "Follow me!" He led his elite troops, transferring to small boats and forcing their way onto the stronghold amidst a hail of sparks and arrows. Huang She gritted his teeth, personally drawing his sword and charging down from the tower to engage the Jiangdong troops. Blades clashed, sparks flew, and despite Huang She's impressive martial arts skills, he gradually found himself in a difficult position against the ferocious Jiangdong soldiers.

"Kill!" Lü Dai, Chen Wu, and others led their troops up the camp from different directions. Archers led by Xue Zong and Quan Cong occupied the commanding heights, firing fiercely at the fleeing Jingzhou troops. Chen Wu, brandishing his twin halberds, charged into the enemy formation like a ferocious monster, leaving blood and flesh scattering in his wake. Huang She, cornered by Lü Meng, sustained multiple wounds, his armor stained red with blood.

Watching his soldiers fall one by one, Huang She felt a wave of sadness well up in his heart. He swung his sword fiercely, forcing back the approaching Jiangdong soldiers, and shouted, "Brothers, fight while you retreat! Conserve your strength!" With that, he led the remaining Jingzhou troops, fighting as they retreated toward the rear of the water fort. Lü Meng wanted to lead his troops in pursuit, but seeing Huang She's methodical command of the remaining troops, he knew that a hasty pursuit at this time would risk an ambush, so he raised his hand to signal them to stop.

The sound of the midnight drum shattered the chill night. Huang Zu flung open the window lattice and saw a towering column of fire rising from the Xiakou Water Fort in the northwest. The orange-red flames dyed half the sky blood-red. He knocked over the wine cup that had just been warmed on the table, and the amber wine flowed like a river on the blue bricks. "Mr. Yidu!" He turned and grabbed Kuai Yue's sleeve, his beard trembling with rage. "Didn't we agree to feign peace and hold our troops? How dare this little Sun Ce attack Xiakou openly!"

Kuai Yue calmly brushed the other man's hand away, his bamboo fan gently wafting a wisp of sandalwood incense. "General, don't worry. Sun Ce has always been known as a tyrant, and this attack is merely a show of authority." He traced a finger across the map of Jingxiang on the wall and tapped heavily on the Chibi Ferry. "Let him show off his power for a while, and wait until he gets deeper—" Before he could finish his words, the sound of hurried horse hooves suddenly rang out from outside the door.

Huang She, covered in blood, rushed open the tent door. His black cape was stained with scorch marks, and the sword at his waist was still dripping with blood: "Father! The Jiangdong bandits are attacking the water stronghold with fire. I will fight to the death to break out of the siege!" He kicked over the copper basin at his feet, splashing water everywhere. "I am willing to lead 3,000 soldiers and return to Xiakou tonight!"

Huang Zu looked at his son's bloodstained face, his Adam's apple rolling several times, and finally swallowed back the angry rebuke that was on the tip of his tongue. He reached out and pressed Huang She's trembling shoulders, his voice rarely softening: "She'er, this is the master's plan." He caught a glimpse of Kuai Yue's meaningful eyes and emphasized his tone, "That Sun Ce is just a grasshopper after autumn. When he falls into the ambush, he will get his comeuppance!"

Huang She clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white: "But Xiakou..."

"Xiakou has been lost, and we can no longer pursue them." Kuai Yue took a half step forward and tapped Huang She's shoulder with his fan. "General, do you want your lord's efforts to go to waste?" He deliberately dragged out the last word.

Huang Zu turned to gaze out the window at the still-burning fire, his aged face shimmering in the interplay of light and darkness. After a long pause, he guzzled the remaining wine and slammed the earthenware bowl to the ground. "Pass the order down! All troops, strictly defend Jiangxia! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!" Turning, he caught a glimpse of his son's unwilling expression and softened his tone. "She'er, go and recover. One day, I'll make Sun Ce pay for his blood debt with blood!"

By dawn, Xiakou Water Fort had completely fallen into the hands of the Jiangdong Army. The raging fire was still burning, illuminating the entire fort red, and thick smoke rose into the sky.

The morning mist, like a veil, enveloped the charred remains of Xiakou Water Stronghold. Sun Ce, standing on a half-broken halberd, his silver-white armor shrouded in frost from the night's battle, gazed at the gradually brightening sky in the east. Suddenly, he turned and asked, "Zhongmou, how was the victory?"

Sun Quan stepped forward on the broken wood all over the ground. The morning light illuminated the admiration in his eyes. He clasped his fists and said in a deep voice: "Brother, you defeated the enemy with the dark night fire attack. The men of Jiangdong are unstoppable! Liu Biao must be scared to death after this battle!" Before he finished speaking, the call to raise the anchor came from the river. The warships returning to the camp raised their white sails and flew across the sky like a flock of seagulls.

Sun Ce turned abruptly, his cloak rustling in the morning breeze. He glanced at the generals lined up at the steps, "Lü Ziming!"

Lu Meng strode out of the ranks and knelt on one knee, blood still stained the seams of his armor: "I am here!"

"In the surprise attack last night, you led the death squad to charge in the front, your bravery was unstoppable!" Sun Ce stretched out his hand to help him up, and said loudly, "I will remember your merit for now, and you will be rewarded handsomely after we pacify Jingxiang!" The soldiers around him responded loudly, and the sound of swords and guns clashing startled the birds sleeping in the forest, and the sound of their flapping wings drifted away with the morning mist.

The morning mist gradually dissipated, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, shimmering down upon the crowd. Sun Ce drew his ancient ingot sword, pointing the blade directly in the direction of Jiangxia. The cold light etched a resolute look on the faces of the crowd: "Xiakou has been taken. Liu Biao must be like a frightened bird!" He surveyed the excited soldiers and shouted, "Pass on my orders! All troops, reorganize immediately and march straight to Jiangxia! Use war to force peace. Let everyone in Jingzhou know—"

"The Jiangdong cavalry are invincible!" the generals roared in unison, the sound rippling broken tiles from the broken eaves and stirring up the morning mist across the mountains. Sun Quan watched his brother's blood-stained cloak fluttering in the rising sun, his blood boiling in his chest, and he unconsciously clenched his sword at his waist—this battle would surely make the land of Jingxiang remember the illustrious reputation of the Sun brothers!