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

Xiao He's gaze subtly drifted towards Liu Shan.

He was observing Liu Shan's reaction after hearing the words "Siberia".

Liu Shan's reaction, however, was one of apparent understanding but not quite.

That expression and look... I feel like I've heard that word somewhere before, but it also feels very unfamiliar. I can't remember where I first heard it.

“Your Highness, don’t ask me what the Siberian cold wave is. The Grand Marshal told me about it.”

"Anyway, the Grand Marshal said that Siberia is in the far north of our Han Dynasty. Cold winds blow there all the time. As long as a cold wind blows from there, the Yellow River will definitely freeze over!"

Zhang Fei, having dismissed Xiao He's deception, then turned to Liu Shan to deceive him.

Liu Shan said "Oh," and looked at Xiao He with curiosity, wanting to get to the bottom of things.

The words were not spoken.

The tent overhead suddenly started shaking.

Immediately afterwards, the curtain was lifted, and a gust of cold wind howled out, making the charcoal fire in the stove crackle.

The temperature inside the tent plummeted.

A chill swept over them, and everyone shivered, instinctively pulling their coats and cloaks tighter around themselves.

"Speak of the devil, and he appears?"

Xiao He's eyes lit up, he put down his wine cup, stood up, and strode out of the tent.

Liu Shan, Zhang Fei, and the others realized what was happening, their faces lit up, and they quickly followed suit.

As soon as I stepped out of the tent, a fierce wind, sharp as a knife, swept towards me.

The entire camp was in chaos, with tents swaying, battle flags waving wildly, and patrolling soldiers cursing as they tightened their armor.

To the north, dark clouds were sweeping southward, giving the impression that a storm was brewing.

Xiao He stretched out his hand and felt the temperature.

A slightly piercing sensation came from my skin.

Yes, that's the feeling!
It must be the Siberian cold front that has arrived.

"Congratulations, Your Highness! Your Highness is blessed with good fortune. With the arrival of the cold front, the Yellow River is very likely to freeze over."

Xiao He smiled and looked back at Liu Shan.

Liu Shan's young face was filled with excitement and joy, and his previous anxiety was completely gone.

"The Grand Marshal truly lives up to his reputation as a celestial being descended to earth. Not only is he incredibly resourceful, but he also has an uncanny ability to see through the changing winds and clouds!"

Liu Shan clicked his tongue in amazement, and his gaze toward Xiao He was filled with deep respect.

Xiao He smiled faintly and said:

"If this cold wave is strong enough, the Yellow River may freeze tonight, and we will be able to cross the river on ice tomorrow morning."

"Your Highness, give the order immediately! Have all the camps prepare for battle. We may have to cross the frozen river at any moment and storm the west bank!"

Liu Shan agreed wholeheartedly and immediately issued the order.

So Zhang Fei and the other generals all returned to their camps, ordering the soldiers to eat and dress warmly, sharpen their weapons, and prepare enough arrows to be ready for battle at any time.

Liu Shan, unable to contain himself, disregarded the freezing weather and went straight to the riverbank, eager to see the Yellow River frozen over as soon as possible.

The crown prince was standing by the river in the cold wind; as his subjects, they couldn't very well hide inside their tents to warm themselves by the fire.

Xiao He had no choice but to set up a campfire with his guards on the riverbank and stand with Liu Shan in the cold wind.

Moments later, a cold front, accompanied by crimson clouds, swept across the land.

The temperature plummeted, and water instantly turned to ice.

Then came a heavy snowfall, and in less than an hour, both banks of the Yellow River were covered in a blanket of white.

Xiao He had to wrap himself in another thick coat and get as close to the fire as possible, slurping the wine he was brewing to ward off the cold.

Although Liu Shan was shivering from the cold, his nose red, he still stood by the river, staring intently at the water. As dusk approached, the world was shrouded in a vast expanse of gray.

Liu Shan suddenly realized something, picked up a stone, and threw it into the river.

"Clang!"

A crisp collision sound was heard.

The river was frozen over, and pebbles were hitting the ice.

Liu Shan was overjoyed and hurriedly and boldly approached the river surface, sticking out one foot to step on it, wanting to test its hardness.

Upon seeing this, Xiao He quickly gave Deng Ai a wink.

Deng Ai understood and quickly stepped forward to help Liu Shan up.

If the ice on the river isn't hard enough, and the crown prince falls into it, what a disaster that would be!
Liu Shan, supporting Deng Ai, forcefully stomped his right foot onto the ice.

The ice was solid, showing no signs of breaking.

Liu Shan, even bolder, mustered all his strength and stomped his feet a few times.

The ice surface remains intact.

Liu Shan was overjoyed and turned to Xiao He excitedly, shouting:
"Grand Marshal, the Yellow River is frozen over. The ice is very solid. I don't think even if warhorses galloped on it, they would be fine, let alone walk on it."

Xiao He stood up and looked across the Yellow River.

At this moment, the outline of Puban Pass on the opposite side was obscured by the wind and snow, making it impossible to discern its true form.

Xiao He, however, was certain that this sudden drop in temperature would alert Cao Cao.

Once they realize what's happening, they will order the ice to be broken to prevent them from taking the opportunity to cross the river on the ice.

The key now is to race against Cao Cao for time.

Before Cao Cao could react and break through the ice, the army crossed the river and landed first, breaching the Wei army's river defenses and establishing a foothold on the west bank.

The best course of action would be to immediately send the army across the frozen river.

The problem is that the Yellow River has just frozen over, and the ice on the banks is thick, but that doesn't mean the ice in the middle of the river is the same thickness.

What if the ice in the middle of the river is not thick enough, and the army advances rashly and breaks the ice?
"Your Highness, we are still unsure how thick the ice is in the middle of the river, so crossing it now would be quite risky."

"However, if we don't cross the river now, we might give Cao Cao time to break through the ice, and our entire plan could be ruined."

"Your Highness is the commander-in-chief of the three armies. Whether or not to cross the river now should be decided quickly!"

Xiao He kicked the ball back to Liu Shan.

It can't be called passing the buck, after all, Liu Shan was the nominal commander of the Han army, and he deserved the unparalleled credit for destroying Wei. It would be fair if he also had to take the blame.

Liu Shan, without the slightest hesitation, abruptly waved his hand and shouted:

"Such a golden opportunity is worth any risk!"

"Grand Marshal, immediately convey my order: all troops must cross the river on the ice and storm the west bank!"

Xiao He's heart trembled slightly.

When it comes to being decisive and swift, Liu Shan was indeed decisive and efficient.

However, the risks involved directly concerned the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers, yet the Crown Prince made his decision without even a second's hesitation.

If it were his father, even at the risk of the plan failing, he would at least weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.

With the order given, Xiao He had no time to think and immediately relayed the command for Liu Shan's general offensive.

Within moments, the order was relayed throughout the entire camp.

Along the ten-mile-long riverbank, the gates of the Han camps opened wide, and 250,000 Han soldiers braved the swirling snow and biting cold, rushing out of the camps and onto the ice.

Generals Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Gan Ning, Guan Xing, and others, each leading their own troops, surged across the frozen river in overwhelming numbers, sweeping towards the Wei army's defensive line on the opposite bank. (End of Chapter)