Chapter 345

Chapter 345: Who Surrounds Who?

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 10: The World in Chaos, the Time to Hunt the Deer, Chapter 345: Who Surrounds Who?

“Sun Lang?”

Sun Ce is already dead, so where is this “Sun Lang” coming from?

But the one who said this was Zhou Yu.

If there was anyone in this army whose judgment could be most trusted by the soldiers, it was Zhou Yu!

When he firmly uttered the words “Sun Lang,” no one would think that he had already accepted Sun Ce’s death as a fact happening in Yang Province at that moment. The accusations of shaking morale and sowing discord were entirely Zhou Yu’s way of pinning the blame on Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei himself scoffed at such a method of boosting morale, but he couldn’t ignore the situation unfolding before his eyes.

When this message was spread by the messenger, ensuring that all of Zhou Yu’s troops in the area could hear it, the panic caused by Zhang Fei’s sudden attack had already vanished, replaced by a fierce fighting spirit as everyone focused on their opponents.

“Kill Zhang Fei, and you can become a captain. Only one person can truly seize this position, but Zhou Yu has always been fair in rewards and punishments. Those who assist in killing Zhang Fei will also be rewarded.”

At this moment, they showed no signs of defeat. Why not take a gamble?

After all, that’s a captain’s position!

Although Yang Province isn’t like Bingzhou, where the authority of a captain in a border town could be elevated beyond its usual scope, for most soldiers, this was already an unattainable rank.

In this wild battle, anything could happen at any moment. Maybe… the one who gets promoted could be them!

If Zhang Fei had already realized that Zhou Yu’s orderly “retreat” would turn them from the attackers into fools crashing into a shield wall, then now, the enemy’s morale was shockingly high.

Among Zhou Yu’s troops was a group of infantry trained by his uncle Zhou Shang during his tenure as the Prefect of Danyang. After following Sun Ce to Yang Province, they became his subordinates. These soldiers were even more elite than the Danyang troops Tao Qian once used to balance the power of the Taishan bandits. Now, in their counterattack against Zhang Fei, they displayed an absolute elite stance.

Amidst the chaos, Zhou Yu drew his bow and aimed an arrow straight at Zhang Fei.

“General, be careful!” The arrow shot through the crowd like lightning, but Zhang Fei’s subordinate reacted in time and blocked it.

This infuriated Zhang Fei.

Zhou Yu’s ability to hold his ground was already giving him a headache, and now, taking advantage of Zhang Fei’s inability to break through the shield formation, Zhou Yu had the audacity to shoot from a distance.

“Zhou Yu, you brat! If you have the guts, face me in a duel!”

Zhou Yu remained expressionless. “Even your attempts to sow discord didn’t work on me. Who do you think you’re fooling with this provocation?”

What he needed to do now was not to engage in some duel.

While it might seem like a good way to buy time, it was far less effective than his current efforts to organize the defense of his entire army, making it capable of functioning as half a military camp even in the open field.

After all, withstanding Zhang Fei’s assault was only the first challenge he had to face.

Would he be the pie swallowed by the pincer attack, or the stubborn rock that held its ground and became the key to breaking the situation? It all depended on how he handled things today!

“Dispatch the rear troops and set up the supplies properly behind our lines.”

Zhou Yu’s subordinates quickly obeyed and left.

The soldiers involved in the moving work only then noticed that the supply carts accompanying them weren’t carrying food but wooden deer antlers.

Why were these here, and why were they being set up behind the army?

A question flashed through everyone’s mind.

But remembering that it was Zhou Yu’s calm command that had prevented them from losing to Liu Bei’s troops’ sudden attack, the soldiers didn’t ask any questions.

Zhou Yu’s forces were few, but each was used in just the right place. For example, the soldiers now moving the deer antlers to set up a barrier against cavalry in the rear were the same ones who had exhausted their energy in the first wave of the assault.

Qiao Ting, who was present, couldn’t help but silently praise him.

This man’s decisiveness and command ability truly deserved the special attention he received from the lord.

Although this special attention now manifested as him being given the most dangerous task, but…

The battle in Xuzhou indeed needed to be resolved quickly. They had to prevent Liu Bei from sending news of Qiao Yan’s presence in Yang Province to Yuan Shao, which could lead to reinforcements. It was imperative for this force to draw the enemy’s fire and break through the central Xuzhou front!

So placing Zhou Yu in this situation was only natural.

As she pondered, she heard Zhou Yu issue his second command: “Bring the hook spears and have the Danyang cavalry rest and await orders.”

Then came the third command: “The stationed troops will rest in place. In half a moment, the front lines will rotate.”

The battlefield’s clashes were entirely different from Qiao Ting’s manipulations of the situation between the two provinces. Having already convinced Zhou Yu and now acting as a sort of allied hostage, she didn’t offer any overstepping guidance on Zhou Yu’s actions.

She quietly watched as, with the issuance of military orders, regardless of how intense the fighting at the front was, the troops Zhou Yu had assigned to take over the next wave of attacks immediately began eating their rations and checking their armor and weapons, preparing for the upcoming hard battle.

With no natural barriers ahead, they could only do their best to conserve their energy.

In fact, such preparations were absolutely correct.

Zhou Yu’s methodical approach made Zhang Fei realize that he had to quickly launch an effective attack on Zhou Yu’s barrier, or else Zhou Yu would establish a military camp between Huaiyin and Sheyang.

The news of Zhang Fei’s failure to make progress quickly spread, prompting Liu Bei’s other troops to converge on the area.

During the half-moment rotation of troops, Liu Bei’s reinforcements, who had already arrived, launched a full-scale attack on the disordered formations under Zhang Fei’s command.

Without hesitation, Zhou Yu grabbed a long spear, replacing the sword he had used for command earlier. As he moved, the hook spear troops behind him also sprang into action.

Zhang Fei’s troops, who had just broken through the formation, now faced this new force.

Zhou Yu was both the commander and a capable warrior. Though he couldn’t compare to Sun Ce, when his primary goal was to lead the cavalry in intercepting the enemy rather than engaging Zhang Fei directly, the difference in martial prowess was negligible.

Before Zhang Fei could charge towards Zhou Yu, intending to challenge him to a duel, Zhou Yu, having repelled the cavalry’s incursion, retreated behind the shield barrier under the cover of his subordinates.

The “stationed troops” were reserves, but those Zhou Yu had chosen to face the enemy at this moment were no ordinary soldiers. At the very least, they could easily fill the gap once an opportunity was created.

As the iron shields closed, arrows followed closely. If Zhang Fei hadn’t retreated in time, he would have lost a horse there.

“We underestimated Zhou Yu!”

Chen Gui, stroking his beard, couldn’t help but sigh as he read the reports from the front.

They had underestimated Zhou Yu’s composure in the face of Sun Ce’s death and his combat skills.

But now, they weren’t necessarily at a disadvantage.

The different marching speeds of the troops meant that Liu Bei’s forces couldn’t all reach Zhou Yu at the same time, so the attacks he faced would gradually increase in number and intensity.

The shield soldiers he used weren’t actual city walls; they would eventually be breached.

Moreover—

Scouts reported that dust clouds could be seen to the north of the battlefield, suggesting the presence of cavalry.

Perhaps Guan Ping was about to arrive.

When the pincer attack was complete, Zhou Yu’s army would be surrounded and annihilated!

Chen Gui’s guess wasn’t wrong, though in his mind, there was only one possible outcome.

As Zhang Fei launched his sixth assault on Zhou Yu’s forces, not only did he notice that the enemy’s defenses were beginning to falter, but he also heard the sounds of chaos and fighting from Zhou Yu’s rear.

Before long, a rider came to report, “General Zhang! Young General Guan has arrived!”

Zhang Fei’s face lit up with joy.

Although before the battle, he had confidently declared that the first merit would be his when Chen Gui joked about not letting Guan Ping steal the glory, the arrival of reinforcements in such a prolonged battle relieved some of the pressure on him.

They had already launched the attack; they couldn’t let it end in failure.

He wanted to see how Zhou Yu would handle the increasingly heavy onslaught!

However, from Zhang Fei’s perspective, he couldn’t see that the chaos and fighting in Zhou Yu’s rear were caused by the same group of people.

Guan Ping, arriving from afar, first encountered not Zhou Yu’s troops but the wooden deer antlers set up specifically to block cavalry.

Only when the cavalry slowed down did the archers, under the command of the deputy general, release a volley of arrows.

It was clear that the defenders were running low on arrows.

With the stalemate on this open field likely to continue, they had to choose the most opportune moments to attack to conserve their limited resources.

But these two obstacles were already quite troublesome for Guan Ping.

Leading troops under his father’s command and leading them himself were entirely different experiences.

As he rushed from Huaipu to Huaiyin, Guan Ping had made what he thought was a sound plan—he would first capture Huaiyin City, completely cutting off Zhou Yu’s retreat, and then join forces with Zhang Fei.

But Huaiyin’s gates were tightly shut, with only Zhou Yu’s commander’s banner flying atop the city walls.

Unable to determine how many defenders were in the city, Guan Ping chose to launch a direct assault, only to be met with boiling water poured from the walls.

Fearing that the more critical task of pinning down Zhou Yu might be compromised, he left a few men to keep an eye on Huaiyin City and report back to him, then continued south, following the trail of the main force.

But it was clear that Zhou Yu had made thorough preparations for the enemy from this direction, which greatly exceeded Guan Ping’s expectations.

The deer antlers discovered only upon approaching and the arrows fired only after the cavalry slowed down were clearly designed to block them with minimal manpower and cost.

Guan Ping couldn’t help but wonder if Zhou Yu, having the resources to prepare defenses in Huaiyin City and guard against attacks in the rear, seemed anything but unaware of their pincer attack.

Despite his youth, Zhou Yu’s achievements in Yang and Xu Provinces were nothing to scoff at.

If he knew he was about to be surrounded but didn’t retreat despite being at a disadvantage, what was his plan?

As Guan Ping pondered this, a chill ran down his spine.

Oh no, could Zhou Yu still have reinforcements at this point?

He wanted to report this to Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, but he feared that his inexperience might lead to a misjudgment and delay the battle.

Thinking that Zhang Fei had been fighting Zhou Yu for so long, any anomalies should have been noticed by now, especially since Chen Gui, who had planned the encirclement, was supporting Zhang Fei from the rear and should be aware of the situation, Guan Ping quickly dismissed the thought.

What he needed to do now was to complete the attack as quickly as possible, knowing that the enemy’s rear was short on manpower and resources.

Yes, that’s it!

With his mind made up, Guan Ping immediately ordered another attack, targeting the weakest point in the enemy’s rear where the arrows had been fired.

But this time, when he charged, he was met with a storm of attacks.

Zhou Yu’s deputy, Chen Wu, said to Qiao Ting, “You have a keen eye, miss.”

Qiao Ting shook her head. “I can only play a few tricks on young generals like this. The real confrontation will still be up to you, General.”

She withdrew her gaze from Guan Ping and his men, glancing worriedly at the sky.

From the moment Zhou Yu and Zhang Fei clashed until now, even with the rotation of troops and the boosting of morale, nearly half a day had passed.

After such a prolonged battle, even she, who didn’t need to fight, felt mentally fatigued, let alone those who were actually fighting.

As dusk approached, if reinforcements didn’t arrive soon, Zhou Yu’s forces, tough as they were, would be devoured by the fierce wolves in this open field with no barriers.








She felt that support would come from either the north or the south, but her youth still made her feel a bit anxious. Perhaps it was this hope that made her shift her focus from the standoff in front of her to something far away, until she suddenly heard the sound of hoofbeats coming from the north. This faint noise, mixed with the surrounding sounds, became clearer as she listened. It seemed like an army was approaching!

“Look over there, is that a group of people arriving?” Qiao Ting suddenly grabbed Chen Wu beside her, pointing towards the north. Chen Wu, still processing Qiao Ting’s sudden change in attitude, instinctively looked in the direction she pointed and indeed saw something emerging from the dust behind them.

“Is that young general bringing reinforcements?” Chen Wu made the most likely guess in his mind. “Why is it that when the young ones fight, the old ones come too?”

Qiao Ting quickly interrupted him, “No, if I’m not mistaken, that should be our people!”

Of course, it was their people! Lu Su and Zang Ba had entered the city shortly after Guan Ping left Huaipu and, without much delay, continued south. Before they even reached Huaiyin City, they received news from Qiao Lan in the city and immediately bypassed the city, heading straight for Guan Ping’s rear army.

Guan Ping, who was about to launch a third assault on Zhou Yu’s camp, suddenly heard the sound of chaos from his rear army. When he turned around, he was shocked to see a column of soldiers charging towards him from the rear, where he had never expected an attack. Leading them were Lu Su, who had once served under Liu Bei, and Zang Ba, who had always maintained a delicate relationship with the northern part of Xuzhou and had never been persuaded to join Liu Bei!

Guan Ping couldn’t comprehend what was happening before his eyes. Why were these two here, and why were they launching a rebellion now? What made his situation even more perilous was that Chen Wu, who was in Zhou Yu’s rear army, had initially prepared an attacking force with some skepticism but, upon realizing that the newcomers were indeed their reinforcements as Qiao Ting had said, immediately chose to lead his troops to break through the encirclement.

This hero from Lujiang, who had submitted a letter of introduction to Sun Ce at the age of 18 last year, embodying the bold and decisive nature of Lujiang people, had earned Sun Ce’s appreciation and was assigned to follow Zhou Yu. Seeing an opportunity at hand, his inherent fierceness took over, and without waiting to consult Zhou Yu on whether it was the right time to attack, he charged straight at Guan Ping.

However, the battlefield is ever-changing, and his instinctive reaction at this moment turned out to be the most useful. This unhesitating combination of forces made Guan Ping’s earlier suspicion come true. The fierce attack from the rear and the unyielding front directly disrupted his ability to maintain stable command.

He ordered some soldiers to escape through the gaps in the encirclement to inform Zhang Fei and Liu Bei, while he struggled to form a defensive line against the attacks from both sides. But how could his situation be the same as Zhou Yu’s? Zhou Yu’s deliberate slowing of the march and the complete composition of his forces made a local defense possible, but Guan Ping only had two outcomes—either die or flee! Unless another army descended from the heavens to support him.

But Liu Bei and his men were clearly not that army. The arrival of Guan Ping’s reinforcements and the repeated failures to break through the defense led Zhang Fei, without consulting Liu Bei or Chen Gui, to launch a desperate assault on Zhou Yu’s army.

“This is truly a fierce general,” Zhou Yu couldn’t help but admire Zhang Fei’s stamina. By this point, Zhou Yu’s face was already covered in cold sweat. If he hadn’t clearly known that the slightest relaxation would mean death, and if he hadn’t still been seeking an answer to his confusion, he would have already collapsed.

Zhang Fei, the fierce general from Youzhou, still had the strength to unleash a powerful strike, driven by the frustration in his heart, and with a single spear thrust, he knocked aside two closing shields. The long weapon in his hands was far more agile than anyone had imagined. As his warhorse charged in, the two shield-bearing soldiers fell, their necks marked with blood.

This should have been a strong defensive point, but with Zhang Fei’s ferocity, a gap was opened, and his subordinates followed closely behind, charging in. At this moment, Zhou Yu’s expression could no longer be described as merely grim. In just a few short moments, the once-stable defenses had suffered heavy casualties due to this madman’s assault. Even though the subsequent rain of arrows forced him to retreat with more precise kills, it couldn’t change one fact.

Zhang Fei’s successful breakthrough this time was different from his previous attempts. Zhou Yu could clearly sense that his own morale was gradually declining as dusk fell, and Zhang Fei’s attack was the final straw. So when Zhang Fei led his troops to attack again, Zhou Yu, knowing that this move might not be appropriate, still chose to personally engage.

The commander’s entry into the battle reignited the morale that had been as still as stagnant water, and it also made Zhang Fei, who was nearing exhaustion, focus all his attention on Zhou Yu. This was also the moment when Guan Ping’s messenger arrived seeking help.

But he couldn’t spot Zhang Fei in the crowd because the two sides were already locked in fierce combat, and Zhang Fei was deep in the midst of it. Guan Ping’s messenger hurried towards Liu Bei’s location. Fortunately, even though Liu Bei was at the rear for troop mobilization and deployment, he wasn’t far from Zhang Fei.

“Tanzhi is under attack and needs urgent rescue?” Liu Bei couldn’t sit still upon hearing this. Zhang Fei was still engaged in battle with Zhou Yu and his men, and Liu Bei could see that they were gradually gaining the upper hand. He could also keep an eye on Zhang Fei’s safety. If the situation changed, he could immediately support Zhang Fei.

Although the battle had been going on for some time, the good news still came first. But Liu Bei couldn’t see what was happening on Guan Ping’s side. This was supposed to be the safe route he had trusted. Guan Ping had come from the north, backed by their own territory, so why had this situation arisen?

The messenger had to cut to the chase and anxiously replied, “Lu Zijing and Zang Xuan’gao are attacking from the rear. Young General Guan had no defenses in place, and the situation is dire. Please, my lord, send reinforcements quickly.”

Lu Su and Zang Ba? The confusion Guan Ping felt when he saw these two was the same as Liu Bei’s reaction now. But this wasn’t the time to delve into it. Reinforcements… Yes, of course, they had to send reinforcements. Guan Ping was Guan Yu’s eldest son, and Liu Bei treated him as half his own son. He couldn’t let him be trapped in the chaos of the battlefield now.

Even though it was under Chen Gui’s advice that he had ordered Guan Ping to be deployed here, the final decision was his, and he had to take responsibility for Guan Ping’s safety. “Immediately order Yide to withdraw and support…”

But before Liu Bei could finish his sentence about supporting Guan Ping, the horse he was riding suddenly became restless, shaking its hooves, and then the clear sound of the earth trembling came from afar. And this “afar” was none other than the rear of Liu Bei’s own forces.

If Guan Ping’s rear could still be their own people, then Liu Bei’s rear was definitely not their own. This could only be Jia Xu’s reinforcements coming from Sheyang! Liu Bei quickly looked in the direction of the sound and indeed saw a large force approaching from the distance.

“This is bad. We’ve dragged this out too long. The Sheyang garrison must have noticed something was wrong and sent troops to reinforce!” But if it were just the Sheyang reinforcements, it might have been a good thing for Liu Bei. The soldiers Jia Xu had, aside from ensuring Sheyang’s safety, were mostly borrowed retainers from the Donghai Mi Clan. They looked impressive, but their actual combat effectiveness might not be much.

However, the forces charging towards Liu Bei’s position were the Yang Province army and the Jing Province army led by Wen Ping. The former was worried about Zhou Yu’s safety and, after receiving a vague answer from Jia Xu, became even more concerned that something might go wrong, speeding up their march. The latter was determined to prove that the Jing Province soldiers’ combat prowess was not inferior, resolved to make a mark in today’s multi-party battle.

They were nothing short of a fierce coalition of tigers and leopards! Before the dust had even settled, the blades of this force were already at their faces! In Liu Bei’s hasty command to form ranks and prepare for battle, Chen Gui couldn’t help but mutter to himself, “Who is surrounding whom here…”

They had thought they were the ones surrounding Zhou Yu, ready to annihilate him, even if they were just one step away from success. But at the moment they were about to break through the enemy formation, they received news of wolves in front and tigers behind. Guan Ping was caught between Lu Su and Zang Ba’s reinforcements and Zhou Yu’s rear army. Liu Bei and Zhang Fei’s forces were caught between the Sheyang reinforcements and Zhou Yu’s front army.

The initiative in this situation had shifted in an instant! In a flash, Zhou Yu was no longer the prey. If they handled this poorly, they and the already heavily surrounded Guan Ping would become the prey! And far more efficiently than their own hunt.

Guan Ping, who had already been forced to seek help, was one thing, but the force charging from the rear was clearly no ordinary army. In just one clash, they had already displayed the demeanor of elite soldiers and fierce generals. Zhang Fei, who was in the midst of a fierce battle with Zhou Yu and his men, suddenly heard the sound of the gong signaling a retreat.

His spear hesitated for a moment as he tried to disengage from the battlefield. Zhang Fei had known Liu Bei for over a decade and was well aware of his temperament. If Liu Bei was calling for a retreat, it couldn’t be a simple problem. But coming in was easy; leaving would be far more difficult.

The sound of the gong from Liu Bei’s side was not only a warning for Zhang Fei to withdraw quickly but also a signal to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu, who was already struggling to focus entirely on the present, suddenly realized that this wasn’t Liu Bei giving Zhang Fei a break after failing to break through. It was clearly his own reinforcements arriving and already causing major trouble for Liu Bei in the clash!

If this wasn’t the perfect time to counterattack, then when was? Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and shouted, “Reinforcements have arrived! What are we waiting for?”

Almost the moment he shouted these words, the sound of charging soldiers reached Zhou Yu and his men’s ears. Among it was a particularly loud horn blast, the signal for the Yang Province army’s advance. Even if no one heard Zhou Yu’s rallying cry, the echoing horn blast was enough to make the arrival of reinforcements unmistakable.

When the enemy retreats, we advance—it has always been so. The soldiers who had been terrified by Zhang Fei’s repeated breaches of their shield formations now found courage in his haste to leave and join Liu Bei. They also remembered the rewards Zhou Yu had personally promised.

Fortune favors the bold, especially when we have the upper hand. Liu Bei, who had already been chased by Wen Ping due to his distinctive appearance, was waiting for Zhang Fei to disengage and return so they could leave immediately. But just as he caught sight of Zhang Fei, a small soldier appeared out of nowhere and slashed at the hooves of Zhang Fei’s horse.

Even though the soldier’s chest was pierced by a spear the next moment, Liu Bei clearly saw Zhang Fei fall from his horse and get surrounded by the crowd. “Yide!” Liu Bei’s shout was drowned out in the chaos of the battle. Unfortunately, not only could his voice not reach Zhang Fei’s ears, but he also couldn’t send reinforcements in time.

As Han Dang went to join Zhou Yu, Jiang Qin and Wen Ping both caught sight of Liu Bei’s momentary distraction as his brother fell from his horse. They quickly turned their horses and charged towards him, almost reaching him in an instant. Compared to worrying about Zhang Fei falling into enemy hands, Liu Bei might as well worry about his own safety.

“Go!” Chen Gui, though old, was still agile. He grabbed Liu Bei’s sleeve and dragged him onto one of the war chariots, just in time to block a few flying arrows with the chariot’s barrier. The sound of the arrows hitting the chariot and the jolt as it started brought Liu Bei back to his senses.

He vaguely heard Chen Gui say, “My lord, don’t space out. We must quickly join General Guan. There might still be a chance to turn this around!”