My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

"General, Guo Boji is absolutely right."

"Although the chances of breaking through to the north are slim, we still have a glimmer of hope."

"If the general insists on defending Jinyang to the death, and the city falls into Liu Bei's hands, he will surely suffer humiliation!"

"General, I also believe that we should take a desperate gamble and break through to the north!"

Wang Ling was the first to jump out, urging Xiahou Dun to break through the encirclement.

The generals were in an uproar and stepped forward one after another, advocating for a breakout.

Xiahou Dun stood with his hands behind his back, but his mind was filled with Wang Ling's words, "to humiliate Liu Bei."

Who is he? He is the foremost member of the Cao Wei imperial family, Cao Cao's elder brother, and a great general of Wei.

If he had simply died in battle, that would have been fine; he had never been one to fear death.

Moreover, to die for one's country with utmost loyalty and honor is a worthy death, and one's name will surely be remembered in history, which is a fortunate thing.

The key question is, what if they were captured alive by Liu Bei instead of dying in battle?

As a prisoner, should I kneel at the feet of a mat weaver and sandal seller, enduring their haughty humiliation?

If it really comes to that, it would truly be worse than death!
"I am the Emperor's elder brother, the Great General of Wei. How can I kneel at the feet of that big-eared scoundrel?"

"If that day ever comes, I would rather die."

Xiahou Dun's fists clenched tightly, and a look of sorrow and determination ignited in his eyes.

After a long time.

Xiahou Dun slowly loosened his fist, took a deep breath, and said sternly:

“You are right. I cannot be trapped in this isolated city and wait for it to fall, becoming a prisoner of the Big-Eared Bandit.”

"My mind is made up; I will abandon the city and break out!"

"Following Guo Huai's plan, we will break out from the north, rush into the grasslands, and retreat back to the Great Wei through the Xianbei territory."

The generals all breathed a sigh of relief, as if they were drowning people who had finally grabbed a piece of driftwood.

Changing the subject, Xiahou Dun then said:

"But Guo Boji, have you considered that there are 200,000 Han troops outside the city? Even if I wanted to break out, do you think we could do it?"

The generals, who had just breathed a sigh of relief and grasped at a straw, immediately felt suffocated again because of Xiahou Dun's words.

Wang Ling, who had originally supported breaking through, also shuddered, his nerves tensing up once again.

Xiahou Dun's concerns were valid.

There are 200,000 Han troops outside the city, and the city's fortifications are layered on top of each other. Do you think you can just break out of the city?

Your troops in the city number only forty or fifty thousand.

Your elite troops are inferior to the Han army, your morale is inferior to the Han army, and your combat effectiveness is inferior to the Han army. How do you think you can break through the Han army's iron wall?

Guo Huai remained silent, lost in thought.

After much deliberation, a glint flashed in Guo Huai's eyes, and he cupped his hands in greeting, saying:
"If the General is truly determined to break out, I do have a method that, while not a solution, might give us a sliver of hope for a successful breakout."

These words immediately boosted the morale of the generals.

Xiahou Dun's eyes lit up, seeing a glimmer of hope in the darkness.

"Boji, what good plan do you have? Tell me quickly."

Xiahou Dun's voice was tinged with urgency and excitement as he stared at Guo Huai and asked with a hint of agitation.

Guo Huai lowered his voice and cupped his hands in greeting:

"Huai's plan is to have Qian Zijing feign surrender to Liu Bei!"

Guo Huai's gaze fell upon one of the generals.

Everyone's expressions brightened, and their gazes all turned to the military general.

To beckon.

Qian Zhao was a powerful figure from Youzhou, originally a military general of the Yuan clan. After the Yuan clan's defeat and death, he was highly valued by Cao Cao. When Liu Bei launched his northern expedition against Hebei and captured Youzhou, Qian Zhao was ordered to guard Jinyang.

Now that Jinyang is besieged, Qian Zhao, as one of the Wei generals guarding Jinyang, is naturally also trapped inside.

"Boji, I don't understand."

Xiahou Dun glanced blankly at Qian Zhao, then turned back to Guo Huai.

He understood the feigned surrender tactic, but he couldn't quite figure out why the person feigning surrender was Qian Zhao.

"If I remember correctly, Qian Zijing and Emperor Liu Bei of Han have known each other since childhood, and the two are sworn brothers."

"Given this relationship, isn't it perfectly reasonable for Qian Zijing, now besieged in an isolated city with no way out, to choose to betray Wei and surrender to Han, bowing down to Liu Bei, his former sworn brother?"

Guo Huaiyang's eloquent words revealed the secret behind it all.

Xiahou Dun's eyes lit up, and he quickly looked at Qian Zhao:
"Qianzi Jing, do you really have such a relationship with Liu Bei?"

Qian Zhao frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure hidden in her eyes.

Guo Huai's plan clearly displeased him.

Faced with Xiahou Dun's questioning, he dared not conceal the truth, and could only cough a few times before answering honestly:

"I dare not deceive the General. I have indeed known Liu Bei since childhood and we were once sworn brothers."

"Zhao had explained this relationship to the emperor back then, but the emperor was magnanimous and did not hold it against him, and still dared to use Zhao to guard Jinyang."

Qian Zhao confessed truthfully, and in his words he also emphasized that he did not intend to hide his relationship with Liu Bei, and that he had informed Cao Cao in advance.

Hearing Qian Zhao's approval, Xiahou Dun's spirits lifted, and he looked at Guo Huai with delighted eyes.

Guo Huai swallowed hard and continued:

"Huai's idea is that Qianzijing can use this relationship to make Liu Bei believe that he has feigned surrender, and then promise to secretly unite with those who intend to betray Wei and join Han, and use the signal of fire to seize the city gate and let the main force of the Han army into the city."

"At that time, we will set fire to one of the three gates, southwest and east, to lure Liu Bei's main force away, while we take the opportunity to break out through the north gate."

"At that time, the Han troops outside the North Gate will be drawn away to some extent, which will increase our chances of successfully breaking through the encirclement."

Xiahou Dun's spirits lifted, and a long-lost gleam returned to his face as he turned his gaze once more to the Jinyang city defense map.

Strictly speaking, Guo Huai's plan should be considered a combination of feigned surrender and luring the enemy away from their mountain stronghold.

By exploiting the deep bond between Qian Zhao and Liu Bei, he gained Liu Bei's trust and successfully carried out a feigned surrender.

Then, using a diversionary tactic, they moved the Han troops from the northern encirclement camp to the south gate, leaving the Han troops in the north vulnerable... or at least weakened.

This gave him an opportunity.

At this point, he could gather all the troops in the city, launch a surprise attack from the north gate, and fight his way out with all his might.

The entire plan, when put into practice, seemed to be foolproof.

Xiahou Dun stared at the city defense map, weighed his options for a long time, and then suddenly slapped the map.

"Good, Boji's plan is indeed a brilliant strategy for survival in dire straits."

"If I and these forty thousand soldiers can successfully break through the encirclement, you, Guo Huai, will have rendered an unparalleled service to the Great Wei. I will personally petition the Emperor for an official title on your behalf!"

Xiahou Dun was overjoyed, praising Guo Huai and making grand promises.

"As a subject of the Great Wei, this is my duty, and I dare not hope to achieve anything."

Guo Huai, however, declined with a serious and humble expression, then changed the subject, turning his gaze to Qian Zhao:

"However, whether this plan can be implemented depends on whether Qianzijing is willing to take on this important task."

As he spoke, Guo Huai gave a subtle signal with his eyes.

Xiahou Dun immediately understood.

Qian Zhao and Liu Bei were sworn brothers. Asking someone to use that relationship to deceive Liu Bei is inherently unjust. It also depends on whether Qian Zhao is willing to do it.

Xiahou Dun then fixed his gaze on the mountain and asked solemnly:
"Qian Zijing, are you willing to carry out this feigned surrender to save my life and the lives of forty thousand soldiers?" (End of Chapter)