Jingzhou is a city with towering walls and imposing, solid city gates. Wide official roads wind and twist, with dense forests on both sides. Ancient trees block out the sunlight, making it extremely dark. Occasionally, a breeze blows and the leaves rustle.
Dust billowed on the official road outside the city as a lone rider galloped swiftly towards them.
This man was none other than Zhang Liao, Zhang Wenyuan!
"Wen Yuan, why are you the only one here?" Fa Zheng asked, puzzled, seeing that Zhang Liao was all alone.
Zhang Liao reined in his horse, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and replied, "The Prime Minister has ordered me to command the troops of Jingzhou to resist Eastern Wu."
"I see, Wen Yuan, you've worked hard!"
The two then arrived at the military camp.
"Strategist, where is Zilong?" Zhang Liao asked.
Fa Zheng sighed and said in a low voice, "I just received a report from the scouts that the Eastern Wu army is already pressing on the border, and Zilong has already made his move to Jiangxia."
"What? How could it be so fast?" Zhang Liao said in shock.
Based on the timeline, the troops of Eastern Wu should not have arrived in Jiangxia yet.
Fa Zheng shook his head and said, "I'm afraid Sun Quan launched the attack ahead of schedule, after all, his main force is only about a day's journey away from Jingzhou."
"Alas!" Zhang Liao couldn't help but sigh heavily.
Fa Zheng said, "Wen Yuan, let's make some preparations too!"
Zhang Liao nodded, then said to Fa Zheng, "Strategist, I will first lead eight hundred cavalry to scout ahead and then meet up with Zilong!"
Fa Zheng nodded, knowing this wasn't the time for hesitation, and immediately said, "Alright, I'll set off shortly. Wen Yuan, be careful!"
Zhang Liao nodded, led eight hundred cavalrymen out of the military camp, and then headed towards Jiangxia.
Upon arriving in Jiangxia, Zhang Liao immediately began preparations. The eight hundred soldiers he had carefully selected were highly skilled warriors, the cream of the crop.
According to reports from his subordinates, Sun Quan was personally leading the army to conquer Jingzhou this time.
Upon learning this, Zhang Liao had a bold and crazy idea pop into his head!
Zhang Liao sat upright in the main seat, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over every general present.
They were all seasoned veterans, their eyes gleaming with a mixture of eagerness and unease for the upcoming battle.
"Brothers, what lies before us is Sun Quan's army of two hundred thousand men." Zhang Liao's voice echoed in the hall, each word carrying the weight of a thousand pounds.
"Although we only have eight hundred men, in my opinion, the people of Eastern Wu are all rats!"
A battle-hardened soldier asked, "General, the enemy's forces far outnumber ours. What should we do?"
Zhang Liao said confidently, "I naturally have a way to deal with the enemy."
Next, Zhang Liao explained his plan in detail.
After listening, everyone expressed their agreement.
As night fell, Jiangxia was shrouded in a mysterious darkness.
Outside the city, Sun Quan's army had already set up camp, with fires twinkling like stars in the dark night.
The soldiers either sat around chatting or dozed off by the tent, completely unaware of the impending crisis.
Meanwhile, Zhang Liao's surprise attack plan had already quietly begun.
His cavalry, like ghosts in the night, approached the enemy camp silently.
Under the cover of darkness, their cavalry circled around to the enemy's rear, their horses' hooves wrapped in thick cloth to reduce noise.
Their eyes gleamed with determination, and the swords in their hands gleamed coldly in the moonlight.
On the other hand, he also had people prepare to create a false impression to deceive the army of Eastern Wu!
"Kill!" With Zhang Liao's roar, the cavalrymen instantly unleashed a barrage of arrows. Countless arrows pierced the night sky, carrying the whistling sound of death, and shot towards the unsuspecting enemy.
Sun Quan's soldiers awoke with a start, frantically searching for cover, but it was too late.
The rain of arrows was like the Grim Reaper's scythe, reaping lives and plunging the camp into chaos.
After a volley of arrows, Zhang Liao led his cavalry in an attack.
They charged out from behind the enemy lines, brandishing swords and galloping horses, completely disrupting the enemy's formation.
This night raid was like a sudden nightmare, waking Sun Quan's army from its slumber.
They originally thought Hefei was just a piece of fat meat that was about to be obtained, but they never expected that it would turn out to be a hunting ground full of traps.
Sun Quan's army was in chaos, running around like headless flies.
The once orderly formation was completely disrupted. The shouts of soldiers, the neighing of horses, and the clashing of weapons intertwined, creating a chaotic battlefield scene.
At the same time, Zhang Liao's sharp eyes captured every detail of the battlefield.
He knew that this was a crucial moment that would determine the outcome of the battle, and that he had to act swiftly to completely crush the enemy's morale.
"All troops, listen to my command! Charge and kill Sun Quan!" Zhang Liao's voice boomed like thunder in the night sky. He brandished his long sword and charged out of the city gate first, followed by his eight hundred cavalrymen, who were like tigers descending the mountain, unstoppable.
Zhang Liao's troops were like a sharp dagger, piercing straight into the heart of the enemy.
They moved through the enemy lines, each charge further demoralizing the enemy and each charge taking away a large number of lives.
Sun Quan, in his central command tent, watched his army retreat in disarray, his heart filled with anxiety.
He never expected that Zhang Liao would be so bold as to launch a night raid on his camp!
Moreover, judging from the noise, the enemy must be quite numerous!
"Report! Your Majesty, the enemy is attacking!"
"Pass down the order: retreat! Retreat immediately!" Sun Quan's voice carried a hint of fear.
Because he knew that the Jingzhou army had Zhao Yun, a man who could move freely among thousands of troops. Now, hearing that enemy troops were coming, he was terrified.
Following Sun Quan's order, the soldiers of Eastern Wu began to retreat. Although they were in a sorry state, they had at least temporarily escaped Zhang Liao's pursuit.
As dawn broke, only scattered weapons and burning tents remained on the battlefield outside Jiangxia City.
Zhang Liao led 800 cavalrymen in pursuit of Sun Quan's 200,000-strong army until he confirmed that the enemy's army had fled into Jiangdong territory. Only then did he lead his cavalrymen back to Jiangxia City to continue garrisoning Jiangxia.
"Haha, that's great! That's really great!" Zhang Liao laughed excitedly.
"General, you are mighty!"
The deputy general standing beside Zhang Liao also shouted excitedly, "That battle was absolutely exhilarating!"
Eight hundred people chasing two hundred thousand? Who the hell would believe that?
"Hmph, what Yun Chang said back then was indeed true. This Jiangdong is full of rats!" Zhang Liao's face revealed a hint of sarcasm.
The lieutenant said, "Alas, if only General Guan were still alive!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao's face darkened, and he sighed, saying, "Yes... never mind, you may all go and rest."
He waved his hand, dismissing the deputy general.
He looked up at the sky and murmured, "Yun Chang, today, I have proven it for the Jingzhou army! Can your spirit in heaven see this?"
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