Chapter 9: Struggling to Delay

  Zhang Liao and Xu Chu led their troops to arrive outside the Wuchao camp, not far away. The flames of Wuchao had already dyed half of the sky. The fire was raging, making people look at it with wonder and admiration.

  Of course, with such a large fire, the Yuan army would not be foolish enough to burn all the grain and hay. Only a small portion of the grain and hay inside Wuchang was burned, while most of it was useless things like broken tents, grain sacks, dry grass, and dead trees.

  Although there was a cat in the midst, from the outside it seemed as if the nest had been set on fire, with fierce flames raging, hot air spreading everywhere, and smoke filling the sky, causing people to feel shocked and terrified.

  Having seen the fire at Wuchao, even Xu Chu, who feared neither heaven nor earth, couldn't help but secretly curse: "Good fellow! To have walked into such a situation, what great guilt must be involved! If I were Yuan Shao, unless I cut up Xun Yu's body into five pieces and fed it to the horses, how could I possibly assuage this hatred in my heart!"

  Zhang Liao heard this and did not respond, his face was calm and contemplative, he stood still in the distance, quietly watching.

  After a while, Zhang Liao shook his head and said: "No! I observe the momentum of this fire, it's not like a rebellion or an accident, but someone intentionally did it..."

  "Intentional?"

  Xu Zhu looked at Zhang Liao with a surprised expression, then burst out laughing and shook his head: "General Zhang, aren't you thinking too much? Could it be that the fire in Ukou was actually set by Yuan's army themselves? If so, I really want to meet this person who came up with the idea of burning their own grain. This person can truly be called the biggest fool in the world! Hahaha!"

  Zhang Liao heard this and simply lowered his head in contemplation, hanging his head silently without speaking.

  "Wooo——"

  Just at this moment, the sound of a horn suddenly came from the mountains on both sides of the Yangtze River, echoing through the somewhat chaotic night sky, making people's hearts beat faster.

  Zhang Liao and Xu Chu were shocked at once, and hastily ordered the army to form a defensive formation to guard against external enemies.

  Tiger and leopard riders are indeed elite soldiers, instantly dividing into two groups east and west, each preparing to defend against the enemy. Zhang Liao and Xu Chu rode horses in the front row, turning their heads towards the direction of the horn's sound.

  Only to see the mountains on both sides of the road, which were still quiet and solemn just now, suddenly stood up with large flags, smoke and dust rose in the dark, drums shook the sky, and the killing shouts echoed into one piece, rising and falling, shocking people's hearts.

  Upon seeing this situation, Zhang Liao's heart suddenly rose with a thread of tension, an idea suddenly appeared in his mind, and he couldn't shake it off.

  "Could it be... this scene... is a trap?"

  Let's not talk about Zhang Liao for now, but rather the mountain ridge on the left side, Yuan Shang wore a white armor, looking at the enemy cavalry in the distance below, his heart surged with an inexplicable sense of unease and excitement.

  This is the real battlefield!

  Blood and flesh flew everywhere, life would disappear without a trace in an instant. There was no tenderness or warmth, only iron and blood howling and bloody tears at sunset. The most brutal scene in human history, from this moment on, will always accompany me throughout my life.

  Taking a deep breath, he looked down at the Cao army arrayed below, and Yuan Shang couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. This was the Cao army, the renowned and powerful warriors under the command of the legendary general Cao Cao.

  On the mountain, although our side's flags are fluttering and dust is flying everywhere, it's all just a ruse to intimidate the enemy. If we're talking about actual troop strength, setting aside the garrison troops that Xun Yu has hidden in Wuchao, the number of troops I've deployed as decoys isn't much different from Cao's army down at the foot of the mountain.

  Moreover, Cao's troops were extremely powerful and could take on ten of Yuan's soldiers at once.

  So, on the surface, I set an ambush for myself, but at most it can only be considered a decoy.

  If we really fight, our side will definitely be finished.

  Absolutely cannot hard fight, must think of a way to make Cao Jun roll down!

  Yuan Shang took a deep breath, gathered his strength and shouted loudly at the Cao army below: "You Cao army down there, listen up! Your troops have already been surrounded by me, so if you know what's good for you, put down your weapons and surrender!"

  Zhang Liao heard this and his eyebrows slightly furrowed, he lowered his head in contemplation and remained silent.

  Xu Zhu suddenly opened his mouth, raised the sixty-pound long-handled tiger-headed knife in his hand over his head, pointing at Yuan Shang on the mountain and scolding: "Fart! Whose kid are you? Your hair is not even fully grown and you dare to show off here! Don't you know your own weight? Do you think we will surrender... Come on, if you have guts, come down and see if I won't cut you alive!"

  Yuan Shang heard this and snorted in disdain, turning his face away. "You want me to go down? I'd lose face in front of the three armies' officers! If you've got guts, come up here and see if I don't kick your butt!"

  Xu Zhu's face turned red with rage, his steel teeth chattering with fury, but then he let out a loud whoop and charged up the mountain on horseback, brandishing his sword. Luckily, Zhang Liao managed to grab hold of his reins just in time.

  "Zhong Kang, don't fall for the enemy's provocation tactics! There must be an ambush on the mountain!"

  Xu Chu's face turned bright red, and he was barely stopped by Zhang Liao. However, Zhang Liao turned his horse around and gazed up at the mountain where Yuan Shang was, shouting loudly: "You enemy generals on the mountain, listen! I am Zhang Liao, a middle general of Cao Cao's army. Which one of you is Chunyu Qiong? Come out and answer me!"

  Yuan Shang's heart skipped a beat upon hearing the words... This guy is Zhang Liao? The first of Cao Wei's five elite generals, that Zhang Liao?

  Who was that fat guy who just scolded himself again?

  "It's General Zhang Liao. I've long admired your great name." Yuan Shang bowed his head and greeted him from a distance.

  The four words "I have long admired your great name" are not entirely polite phrases, and for Yuan Shang, they indeed come from the heart.

  Zhang Liao's mouth was slightly smiling, without the slightest hint of fear that one would expect from someone in his situation. He pointed at Yuan Shang from a distance and said: "Are you Xun Yu?"

  "General Zhang has mistaken the person. General Chunyu is busy with official duties, in charge of defending our army's true granary, where does he have time to accompany General Zhang in grinding his teeth?"

  Zhang Liao was taken aback, his eyes narrowing into a glare. A cold glint shot out from his eyes, striking Yuan Shang with an icy aura that made one tremble at the sight.

  "A real granary?" He looked at the nest of birds not far away with a solemn face, "Could it be that this nest is fake?"

  Yuan Shang looked up and smiled, shaking his head: "General Zhang Liao, it's a pity that you were once the number one brave general under Lü Bu's command. How can your question be so superficial? Haven't you become stupid after surrendering to Cao Cao? If this Wuchao is really our army's granary, would we have nothing better to do than burn our own grain and grass for fun? It's obviously used to lure you fools! You can't even see through this, how can you be a general in the army?"

  Zhang Liao and Xu Chu's faces changed instantly upon hearing this.

  Xu Chu asked Zhang Liao in a low voice: "General Zhang, have we been outsmarted?"

  Zhang Liao shook his head and said, "Don't panic, let's wait and see how things develop."

  Seeing Zhang Liao and Xu Chu making no move, Yuan Shang added another dose of strong medicine.

  "Was it Xun Yu's plan to sneak attack our camp tonight? Haha, you're really not that smart, my lord just sent someone over to say something and you all believed it, truly foolish."

  Zhang Liao's face sank at the words, while Xu Chu was so angry that he gritted his teeth and said in a low voice to Zhang Liao: "I told you that Xu You is not a good person, but our lord didn't believe me! What now? Today, you and I have fallen into this bird's hands! When we get back, someone will surely be killed by my blade!"

  Zhang Liao was always calm and composed, with thoughts more delicate than Xu Chu could compare. Although he was somewhat flustered after hearing Yuan Shang's words, his face showed no fear, his eyes rolled once, and he let out a cold laugh, shouting loudly: "Although I don't know who you are, your trick of sowing discord is really clumsy. With just one or two sentences, you think you can drive a wedge between Mr. Xu You? Isn't that ridiculous?"

  Yuan Shang waved his hand and said with disdain: "Whether you believe it or not, what does it have to do with me? Anyway, today I used this fake granary to exchange for Cao Cao's life, our army didn't lose a thing! Unfortunately, Cao Cao's life was taken by the ambush troops sent by my master, so it doesn't count on me, and I can only take your two heads as consolation..."

  Zhang Liao and Xu Chu's hearts suddenly rose to their throats!

  Isn't it that not only the two of them encountered an ambush? Isn't it that even the rear army led by our lord also encountered an ambush?

  Other things they might not believe, but when it comes to Cao Cao's safety, this is one thing that cannot be taken lightly!

  Looking at the raging fire of Wu's nest, the ambush on both sides of Shan Lue, and Yuan Shang's face with a self-satisfied smile, Zhang Liao and Xu Chu suddenly had the same idea in their minds.

  Today I fell for Xu You's trick of feigning surrender!

  Just as he thought of this, Yuan Shang's face showed impatience on the mountain slope, and he waved his hand, saying disdainfully: "Forget it, fish and meat on the offering table, turtles in a jar, I'm too lazy to talk to you guys, come on! Shoot arrows, kill them all, kill them all!"

  As soon as Yuan Shang gave the order, a shower of arrows suddenly fell from the mountain ridges on both sides. Zhang Liao and Xu Chu hastily reined in their horses and led the tiger and leopard cavalry to hurriedly wield their weapons to resist.

  With one hand wielding his long sword to sweep away the arrow rain, Xu Chu said in a silly tone: "General Zhang, what's the current situation? Should we fight or retreat?"

  Zhang Liao furrowed his brow, dodging the hail of arrows, and said in a low voice: "Judging from the current situation, it's likely that we've fallen into Xu You's trap. He used the grain depot as bait to lure us all here, so that Yuan Jun can ambush us. I think this arrow rain isn't very dense, there aren't many hidden soldiers, I'm afraid Yuan Jun has deployed most of his troops to ambush our lord..."

  Xu Zhu heard this and immediately became anxious, hastily saying: "If that's the case, what are we waiting for? Quickly withdraw our troops to rescue our lord!"

  The two men urged their horses on, shouting loudly at the surrounding tiger and leopard cavalry: "Pass on the order! Withdraw the troops! Quickly withdraw the soldiers and return to meet with our lord!"

  The Hu Bao riders are indeed well-trained and excellent cavalry, with strict military discipline. They charge at high speed and retreat quickly, disappearing into the vast expanse of mountain roads in the blink of an eye, like a receding tide.

  As he watched Zhang Liao and Xu Chu lead their troops in retreat, gradually disappearing from view, Yuan Shang's calm and scornful expression slowly disappeared, replaced by a look of great relief.

  Chang let out a long sigh, and a fart sat on the stone behind him. Yuan Shang turned his head to ask Guo Yuan, who had been guarding him all along: "How was my performance just now? Was it pretty convincing?"

  Guo Yuan hastily handed over a white silk handkerchief for Yuan Shang to wipe his sweat, and respectfully said: "Third Master is facing a desperate situation, yet he remains calm and composed, without changing color, truly a hero."

  "It's all right." Taking the silk cloth handed over by Guo Yuan, he wiped his forehead and said: "Pass on the order to the brothers on both sides of the mountain, make a show of shouting and chasing after Zhang Liao, just don't put too much effort into it, or we'll be in trouble if we lead him back again."

  "Promise!"

  "How are General Chunyu Qiong and his men? Is everything going smoothly?"

  Guo Yuan hastily said: "Third Master, don't worry, Chun Yu and the generals are directing the soldiers to transport the grain and fodder from Wuchao into the mountain forest behind the camp. However, due to the urgency of the situation, they can only move a limited amount..."

  Yuan Shang nodded: "It's okay, as long as it can be transported out! If not, just put the grain into bags and throw them into the valley. At worst, we'll think of a way to pick them up later. In any case, we have to leave some for ourselves...".

  Guo Yuan nodded upon hearing this and then said: "Third Master, according to your words, isn't it likely that Cao's army will return and attack again?"

  Yuan Shang heard this and let out a bitter laugh.

  "They will definitely come back to kill, but what I'm most worried about is who will lead the troops over. If it's still Zhang Liao and his men, we might be able to think of a way out. But if it's Cao Cao himself who comes over, I'm afraid all we can do is retreat with our tails between our legs..."

  Guo Yuan's face tightened at the words, and he spoke in a low voice: "The person the Third Master is referring to... isn't it... Cao Cao?"

  Yuan Shang sighed and looked up at the sky. After a while, he said in a low voice: "Since you've already guessed it, why ask more questions..."