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

The command was given like a resounding bell. The Han soldiers gathered in front of the pontoon bridge, but they seemed to be bound by an invisible force, each of them hesitant to move forward, their steps feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Bridges over water are not uncommon; everyone has seen both stone and wooden bridges.

However, the pontoon bridge before them was unlike anything they had ever seen before, filling these seasoned Han soldiers with awe and apprehension.

They were all fearless warriors who charged into battle and never flinched in the face of enemy swords and spears.

But at this moment, facing this unprecedented pontoon bridge, a sense of unease welled up in their hearts:

Is this pontoon bridge reliable?
If you step on it, will the bridge shake violently, or even capsize the boat, causing you to plunge headfirst into the icy Wei River and be swallowed by fish?
Just as everyone hesitated, a booming voice broke the silence:
"Soldiers, this pontoon bridge was built by the Grand Marshal. I, Zhang Fei, guarantee with my life that you will not fall!"

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Fei spurred his horse and whipped it, charging onto the pontoon bridge like a black lightning bolt.

Da da da~~
The crisp sound of horses' hooves echoed across the pontoon bridge.

Zhang Fei felt that although the bridge surface beneath his feet swayed slightly, it was as flat as a mountain and as stable as a flat ground.

He was secretly delighted; the pontoon bridge was incredibly sturdy.

So Zhang Fei galloped away on his horse, the wind whistling in his ears and water splashing around him, and in no time he had successfully reached the south bank.

Zhang Fei stood firmly on the south bank, like an unshakeable iron tower, and turned back to shout at the opposite bank:

"See that? Nothing happened. What are you waiting for? Get across the river!"

This roar instantly dispelled the fear in the hearts of the Han soldiers.

The worries in the hearts of the 10,000 Han soldiers were completely dispelled by Zhang Fei's angry shout, and they rushed onto the bridge like a flood bursting its banks.

In an instant, the pontoon bridge was teeming with people, and the sounds of horses' hooves and footsteps filled the air.

Crossing the river by stepping on a bridge is naturally much faster than crossing by boat.

The pontoon bridge, like a giant dragon, spanned the Wei River, allowing the Han soldiers to cross the river quickly. In less than half an hour, more than two thousand soldiers successfully landed on the shore.

Zhang Fei watched the soldiers landing one after another, his heart filled with satisfaction.

However, he was not in a hurry to advance towards Weikou. Instead, he ordered his soldiers to build a large camp and set up fortifications on the south bank.

Although they have successfully crossed the river, the Wei army may launch a counterattack at any time, so they must first consolidate their position and make defensive preparations.

So the Han soldiers quickly sprang into action, some cutting down trees, some building camp walls, some digging trenches, and some setting up tents...

Not far away, dozens of Wei soldiers, led by Ma Wan, were all stunned by this scene.

They were originally ordered to monitor the movements of the Han army, but they never expected that the Han army would build a pontoon bridge over the Wei River under the cover of darkness.

What shocked them even more was that the Han army crossed the river with lightning speed in an instant, easily transporting thousands of soldiers.

This speed and efficiency completely exceeded their expectations.

Ma Wan stared wide-eyed, his mouth agape, his face filled with fear and astonishment, as if witnessing the most unbelievable scene of his life.

A moment later, he suddenly awoke with a start, and he cried out hysterically:
"Quickly, quickly report to the Emperor that the Han army has built a bridge upstream. Immediately request His Majesty to send a large army to stop them!"

"Hurry, it'll be too late if we're any later, hurry!"

...

At this moment, a tense atmosphere permeated the city of Weikou.

In the hall.

Cao Cao, leaning on his cane, paced slowly through the hall, each step heavy as a mountain.

His brows were furrowed, and his eyes revealed deep worry.

Jia Xu frowned deeply, staring intently at the map, trying to discern Xiao He's schemes and plots.

Sima Yi, however, pretended to be calm and composed. He sat upright to the side, looking calm and collected, as if everything was under his control.

However, the unease that flickered between his brows revealed the same anxiety within him. He knew, of course, that the Han army's operation this time was no small matter, and that Xiao He was cunning and treacherous, and who knew what kind of conspiracy he was brewing.

At this point, a full day had passed since Zhang Fei's troops and the twenty Han ships had set sail westward.
Throughout the day, Cao Cao and his ministers were on tenterhooks, constantly monitoring the movements of the Han army and trying to guess Xiao He's intentions.

With each passing moment, their worries grew.

It was as if an invisible sword was hanging over their heads, ready to fall at any moment.

"Any new news from Ma Wan?"

Cao Cao finally lost his temper and asked in a deep voice.

Cao Cao's voice clearly carried a hint of urgency, obviously hoping to get some good news from Sima Yi to relieve the pressure in his heart.

Sima Yi snapped out of his daze and quickly cupped his hands in greeting:
"Your Majesty, so far, no new intelligence has been sent back from Mawan."

Sima Yi feigned composure, but inwardly he couldn't help feeling somewhat uneasy.

Cao Cao frowned, his worry deepening.

The lack of news doesn't necessarily mean something good; perhaps Xiao He's scheme has already begun.

Sima Yi, however, feigned indifference and chuckled lightly:

"No news is good news. It means that the Han army's actions are normal. Your Majesty should not worry too much."

He tried to comfort Cao Cao with these words, but in reality, he was also comforting himself.

Cao Cao was somewhat relieved, and leaning on his cane, he returned to his throne, remarking with emotion:

"Yes, no news is good news."

"I am now afraid that Ma Wan will turn on me, and that Xiao He will use some unpredictable scheme that I cannot guard against."

As he spoke, Cao Cao was about to sit down, hoping to relax his mind and body.

Before he could even sit down, Xu Chu rushed in, his face changed drastically, and he cried out in a trembling voice:

"Your Majesty, a terrible thing has happened!"

This trembling scream sounded as if a disaster had suddenly struck.

In the hall.

Cao Cao tensed up, Sima Yi's teacup trembled, and Jia Xu sat up straight.

Everyone tensed up, their hearts leaping into their throats, and all eyes turned to Xu Chu.

“Ma Wan just sent back an urgent report from 800 li away, saying that the Han army used those twenty ships to secretly build a pontoon bridge 30 li upstream last night.”

"This morning, Zhang Fei led his troops back and suddenly launched a large-scale attack, crossing the river across the bridge."

"The Han army is crossing the bridge at an extremely fast pace and has already built camps and fortifications on the south bank. Your Majesty, please send troops to stop them immediately!"

"If it gets any later, it will be too late!"

Xu Chu finished recounting the news in one breath, his forehead already covered in sweat.

Sima Yi dropped his teacup, spilling the tea all over the ground.

In an instant, he felt completely exhausted and slumped down.

Bang!

The cane slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a crisp sound.

Cao Cao then slumped heavily onto the throne.

At that moment, he was as if struck by a bolt from the blue, completely stunned. (End of Chapter)