Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The river breeze whipped fine snow across the deck, and Sun Ce's warhorse pawed restlessly at the frozen mudflats. A hundred thousand troops landed like a black torrent, the clashing of armor and weapons startling a flock of jackdaws from the reeds. Just then, smoke and dust rose from the direction of Xiakou as a fleet of cavalry galloped across the thin ice. Leading them was Zhang Hong.

"Hold!" Zhang Hong pulled the reins abruptly, and his chestnut horse's hooves neighed in the air. His sable fur cape was still stained with fine snowflakes, and his chest heaved violently, a light sweat breaking out in the cold winter. The Jiangdong generals instinctively pressed their sword hilts, the scabbards scraping against their armor with a crackling sound.

Sun Ce rode forward, the ancient ingot knife's ring making a slight sound as it jolted forward: "How can Zigang be so fast?"

"My lord!" Zhang Hong dismounted and almost stumbled in front of the horse. "Why... why have you already started?" When he looked up, his eyes behind the glasses were filled with anxiety. "The peace talks with Liu Biao have just taken a turn for the better!"

Sun Ce laughed heartily, his breath forming mist in the morning light. "I imagine your negotiations with Liu Biao will be difficult. If you don't dampen his spirit first, how can that old man surrender?" He pointed his whip at the charred walls of Xiakou. "Look, now that Xiakou has been taken, Liu Biao must be losing sleep!"

"That's all!" Sun Ce yanked the reins violently, and the warhorse neighed as it spun around in circles. "Since there's no hope for peace talks, there's no need to waste words! Zigang, go and rest. I, the Jiangdong cavalry, will push forward all the way! Send a message to the entire army—" His voice suddenly rose, shaking the ice on the river surface slightly, "Go straight to Jiangxia!"

Zhang Hong stumbled over to Sun Ce's horse, his hair crown askew, his brocade robe stained with mud. "My lord! You must not advance!" He grabbed the reins, his breath turning to frost. "I've already negotiated with Liu Biao; he's willing to let our army pass through!"

Sun Ce jerked the reins, and his horse reared to a halt. Its neighing startled the crows circling low overhead. "What?" He leaned over to stare at Zhang Hong's flushed face. "Has this old Liu Biao taken the wrong medicine? How could he let it go so easily?" Behind him, the generals whispered among themselves, and the clash of weapons mixed with the wind and snow, a particularly harsh sound on the silent beach.

Zhang Hong wiped the sweat from his forehead, forced a smile, and bowed. "General, your might is unparalleled, and the Jiangdong troops are unstoppable. Liu Biao must be afraid of your power and dare not make any other plans." He caught a glimpse of the smoke rising from the distant Xiakou city walls, and groaned inwardly. The original plan of deterrence had been just right, but now that Xiakou had fallen, he wondered if Liu Biao would become suspicious.

Sun Ce threw his head back and laughed heartily, his breath forming a puff of white mist in the air. He reached out and clapped Zhang Hong's shoulder, shocking the scholar so much that he staggered. "Excellent! Excellent! Mr. Zigang's methods are truly exceptional!" He glanced around at the soldiers, their silver-white armor gleaming in the snow. "Pass the order, all troops, rest where you are! Prepare wine to welcome Mr. Zigang!"

As soon as he finished speaking, cheers rang out all around. Sun Ce continued, "Leading troops in the cold winter is already difficult, and now there's such good news. The soldiers have been busy all day, and it's time for them to rest." He glanced at the tents in the distance, "Let's set up a banquet to celebrate Mr. Zigang's success! Tomorrow, we will conquer Jiangxia!"

That night, the camp was brightly lit, the air filled with the aroma of wine. The bonfires illuminated the soldiers' smiling faces, and the aroma of barbecue, mixed with laughter and chatter, dispelled some of the winter chill. Sun Ce personally poured wine for Zhang Hong, but he declined, saying, "My lord, you are so kind, but I cannot hold my liquor well and dare not drink more."

Sun Ce didn't force him to do anything. He put down the wine pot and looked towards Jiangxia with a deep gaze: "Mr. Zigang, why did Liu Biao suddenly change his temper?" He stroked the wine glass and said in a low voice, "This man is usually indecisive, but now he is willing to borrow my passage. There must be something fishy going on."

Zhang Hong's heart tightened, but he remained calm: "General, you are wise. However, in my opinion, Liu Biao may have been intimidated by your aura, or he may have weighed the pros and cons and realized that it would be of no benefit to be an enemy of our army." He paused, and then said, "No matter what, borrowing the passage is a foregone conclusion. This will always be beneficial to our army's westward advance to Chang'an."

Sun Ce nodded, but still seemed thoughtful.

The clamor of the banquet died down as the night wore on. Amidst the remnants of food and cold meat, Zhang Hong raised his glass seemingly casually, yet he exchanged subtle glances with Lü Meng, Lü Dai, and the others. The flickering flame of the copper lamp cast flickering shadows on their faces, and the crisp clink of wine glasses clinked together revealed an unspoken understanding.

At three quarters past midnight, a bitter north wind whipped fine snow against the tents. Zhang Hong, wrapped tightly in his sable fur coat, avoided the sight of the night watchmen and slipped silently into Lü Meng's tent. The dim candlelight cast distorted shadows in the thick cowhide tent. Lü Meng, Lü Dai, Quan Cong, Xue Zong, Chen Wu, and the others had already waited with bated breath, their weapons hanging from their waists gleaming coldly.

"Mr. Zigang, is this trip going well?" Lu Meng was the first to break the silence, his rough fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of the knife.

Zhang Hong took off his snow-stained cloak, his eyes sweeping across the tense faces of the crowd behind his glasses. "We've already negotiated with Liu Jingzhou." He lowered his voice, his bony fingers sketching on the table. "When the army reaches Jiangxia, Huang Zu will feign a battle to deliberately provoke Sun Ce." The candlelight suddenly flickered violently, making the sinister expression on his face even more sinister. "When Huang Zu feigns defeat, he'll lure Sun Ce to the border of Jiangxia and Fancheng—"

"There's an ambush set up all around there!" Lu Dai slammed the table, a bloodthirsty gleam in his eyes.

"That's right!" Zhang Hong sneered, "When the time comes, there will be shouts of killing everywhere. No matter how powerful the Jiangdong Overlord is, he won't be able to escape!"

A suppressed low cry suddenly rang out from within the tent, and the generals rubbed their hands together, their breathing quickening with excitement. Chen Wu could no longer contain himself, clenching his fists: "We just need to wait for Sun Ce to fall into the trap, and we will make sure he never returns!"

Zhang Hong suddenly raised his hand to signal for silence, a sinister glint in his eyes: "Everyone, remember, we must find a good excuse to stop the army from accompanying us." He leaned closer to the crowd, his voice as low as a venomous snake's tongue, "We must let Sun Ce advance alone to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

The candlelight flickered in the snow, casting the whispering figures of several people on the tent screen like dancing demons. In the main tent far away, Sun Ce pondered over a map, completely unaware that a carefully planned death trap was quietly baring its fangs.

Before the morning mist cleared, the sound of horns ripped the silence of the camp. Wrapped in frosted cloaks, the Jiangdong soldiers hurriedly packed their gear in the biting wind. The neighing of horses, the clash of weapons, and the heavy breathing intertwined, completely crushing the last tranquility of the lingering night. Iron armor gleamed coldly in the dim morning light, and the hundred-thousand-strong army, like a dormant black dragon, snaked its way across the snow.

Clad in silver-white armor, Sun Ce stood atop a high slope, gazing at the army ready for battle, a surge of heroic spirit welling up in his heart. He whipped his horse whip and shouted, "Move out! To Jiangxia!" Before he had even finished his words, war drums began to beat, the sound of horses' hooves thundered, and the dust rising from the sky obscured the sky.

At the front, the vanguard, led by Lü Meng and Lü Dai, raced like arrows from a bow, streaking along the icy official road. Their cloaks rustled in the wind, the frost on their faces blending with their resolute expressions. Each warhorse was panting, their hooves flying, sending up strings of ice.

Zhang Hong, wrapped tightly in his sable fur coat, watched the jackdaws fly by, a subtle glint of sinister intent in his eyes. He pondered the drama that was about to unfold. Meanwhile, Sun Ce engaged in frequent conversations with Sun Quan beside him, discussing strategies to defeat the enemy, completely unaware of the quietly approaching conspiracy.

As the sun rose higher, the outline of Jiangxia City finally emerged in the distance. Atop the city walls, a large banner with the Chinese character "Jing" fluttered in the wind, as if taunting the Jiangdong army. The Jingzhou army, led by Huang Zu, was already in full battle formation. The dense array of arrow towers and shields gleamed with a chilling light in the sunlight. A major battle was imminent.

A northerly wind whipped unmelted snow particles against the soldiers' armor. The dark banners of the Jiangdong army fluttered outside Jiangxia City. Sun Ce gripped the reins tightly, his gaze sharp as a hawk's as he gazed at the Jingzhou troops, who were bracing for battle. Huang Zu, clad in a crimson cloak and holding a broadsword, stood at the front. Behind him, densely packed Jingzhou soldiers, armed with spears and halberds, flashed coldly in the ranks.

"Mr. Zigang, what do you mean?" Sun Ce turned to look at Zhang Hong beside him. The ring of the ancient ingot sword made a slight sound as the warhorse bumped and shook. "Didn't we agree to borrow your road? Why is Huang Zu making such a scene?"

Zhang Hong's heart tightened, but he remained calm. He bowed and smiled, saying, "I believe it's because our lord attacked Xiakou forcefully that Huang Zu is furious. He's known for his impetuous behavior. Let me approach him and negotiate with him. I'm sure we can resolve the misunderstanding." Without waiting for Sun Ce's response, he rode out into the battle.

Zhang Hong approached the front of the two armies and shouted, "General Huang! My lord Sun Ce has no intention of becoming an enemy of Jingzhou. We are marching westward to quell the rebellion for the imperial court! General, why bother starting a war?"

Huang Zu suddenly rode forward, slamming his sword into the ground, sending up a shower of gravel: "Zhang Hong! Stop your sweet talk! You Jiangdong rats raided Xiakou and murdered our soldiers. How can we settle this blood debt so easily?" His eyes widened in anger, his voice resounding like a bell, "Today, I will make that scoundrel Sun Ce pay for his blood debt with blood!"

Zhang Hong was secretly delighted, but his face showed anxiety: "General Huang, there must be a misunderstanding! Please calm down for a moment, and allow me and Liu Jingzhou..."

"Don't say anything!" Huang Zu roared like thunder, slashing the bluestone beside him with his broadsword. Sparks flew and the half-man-high stone exploded. His eyes were bloodshot, and he spat fiercely in the direction of Sun Ce on the other side of the river, his voice filled with strong anger: "Sun Ce! My lord kindly allowed you to pass through, but you broke your promise and attacked Xiakou!"

The cold wind blew up his blood-stained cloak. Huang Zu urged his horse forward three steps, his sword pointed at the sky: "Back in Yuzhang City, you set a trap and killed four of my generals! That blood debt has not yet been settled, and you dare to do it again today!" He suddenly ripped open his collar, revealing the hideous scar on his neck. "Look at this wound! It was given by you, Jiangdong! How can you trample on the lives of the men of Jingzhou?"

Before he finished speaking, Huang Zu slammed the back of his knife down on the saddle: "Today I will seek justice for my lord! If you have the guts, fight me to the death, don't be a coward!" An overwhelming shout suddenly erupted from the Jingzhou army, and spears were raised like a forest, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

Huang Zu's curses were still echoing across the river when Sun Ce suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter, startling a flock of crows from the sky. He yanked off his cloak and flung it behind him. His silver-white armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight. His ancient ingot sword was half an inch unsheathed, and the cold light made murderous intent surge in his eyes: "Old Huang Zu! You really don't know how to live or die!"

"In the battle of Yuzhang in the past, you fled like a stray dog. If I hadn't shown mercy, you would have been buried in the chaos!" Sun Ce spurred his horse forward a few steps, and the horse neighed and dug up the frozen soil. "Now that you see me, instead of hiding in Jiangxia City, you come to the front of the battle and bark wildly?" He suddenly stopped laughing, his eyes as sharp as a hawk. "Why, wasn't your last defeat bad enough? Today you want to have another taste of the Jiangdong cavalry?"