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

Xiao He, with a serious expression, pointed directly at Zhang Beishui and said in a booming voice:

"Look, everyone, Cao Pi is no ordinary man. He knows that defending this city is a dead end, yet he still chooses to stay here. There must be a hidden scheme behind this, a trap!"

"As Meng Qi just mentioned, the water level in Zhangbei is unusually low, quite different from usual. This is definitely not a natural phenomenon; there must be something fishy about it."

"Based on my experience and careful deduction, it must be that someone is secretly devising a plan for Cao Pi, attempting to imitate my past strategies in order to deal with us."

"I speculate that Cao Pi would definitely send elite troops with a large number of sandbags to the upper reaches of the river to block the river and store up floodwaters."

"When our army crosses the river and reaches the middle of the river, and our forces are dispersed, they will suddenly breach the sandbar, allowing the long-accumulated floodwaters to pour down and submerge our army."

"And the wisps of smoke rising from the city walls at this moment are the signals they are sending, the purpose of which is to order the people upstream to breach the sandbar and cause a flood."

"If we don't evacuate our soldiers now, once the raging floodwaters come, our army will be swept away by the raging flood and suffer total annihilation!"

Xiao He presented a clear and logical argument, exposing Cao Pi's sinister plots one by one.

Zhang Fei was immediately horrified. His already dark face became even more solemn, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

Upon hearing this, the generals seemed to awaken from a dream, all showing expressions of astonishment. Their previously relaxed expressions instantly turned tense as they realized the gravity of the situation.

Zhang Fei was furious, his fists clenched, and he roared:
"That fool Cao Pi actually dared to try the same old tricks again, using such despicable methods to deal with us. He is utterly despicable!"

Just as Zhang Fei was furiously cursing, the once calm river upstream suddenly surged, and a torrent of water rushed in like a wild horse, with overwhelming force and a deafening roar.

A cheer erupted atop Zhangbei City.

From Cao Pi to ordinary soldiers, everyone's face was filled with excitement.

They could almost see the raging torrent rushing down with overwhelming force, carrying boundless power, about to devour everything.

They eagerly anticipated seeing the Han army utterly routed and routed by the surging torrent.

Hu Zun stood atop the city wall, pointing at the Han army, a smug sneer on his face:
"Based on my estimation, there should be more than 7,000 Han soldiers in the middle of Zhangbei River at this moment. They are trapped by this sudden flood and are sure to die."

"Once the flood arrives, at least 30,000 Han soldiers will be swept away by the raging flood, leaving only 10,000 Han soldiers, and their strength will be greatly reduced."

"If these 10,000 men saw such a terrible scene, their morale would surely collapse, their fighting spirit would be low, and they would be completely incapable of fighting."

"Your Majesty should seize this opportunity, cross the river and pursue the enemy, and you will surely annihilate the Han army in one fell swoop!"

Cao Pi burst into laughter upon hearing Hu Zun's words.

He began to drift into a fantasy, his mind filled with images of Xiao He and Zhang Fei being captured alive, kneeling before him and begging for surrender.

Especially Xiao He, who was a pillar of the Han Dynasty.

Thinking of this, Cao Pi trembled with excitement, his hands clenching involuntarily.

Just then, Cheng Gongying's exclamation shattered Cao Pi's sweet dream:
"Something's wrong! The Han army is making unusual movements!"

This exclamation was like a thunderclap, jolting Cao Pi awake from his reverie.

Cao Pi hurriedly looked up and gazed in the direction of Zhang Beishui.

Under his gaze, the Han army, which was originally crossing the river, suddenly rushed towards the shore like a tide.

In the blink of an eye, the Han soldiers on the river also rushed back to the south bank.

The Han troops on the north bank, who had already crossed the river, quickly moved away from the shore to find a safe place.

Upon seeing this, Cao Pi was shocked and his face changed drastically. His eyes widened, and he roared at Hu Zun:

"Why...did the Han army suddenly stop crossing the river? What exactly happened?"

Hu Zun's face showed a look of astonishment, his mouth slightly open, but he didn't know how to explain for a moment, and stammered:
"This... I can't figure it out either..."

In the blink of an eye, the raging torrent had swept down from upstream.

The raging floodwaters, like a raging beast, carried immense power. Upon reaching this point, the water level suddenly surged, overflowing the banks and flowing towards both sides like a burst dam.

However, the Han army withdrew in a timely manner. Apart from the thousand or so soldiers who were swept away by the flood because they could not reach the shore in time, the rest of the main force safely withdrew to a safe area, thus avoiding this catastrophic disaster.

Seeing that the Han army had successfully escaped, Cao Pi pounded his fist on the battlements, making loud "bang" sounds, as if he wanted to vent all the anger in his heart.

Looking at the situation before her, Cheng Gongying sighed:
"It must have been Xiao He who saw through Hu Zun's plan and ordered the Han army to stop crossing the river and move away from the riverbank in advance. Hu Zun, you tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead. You have miscalculated this time."

Upon hearing this, Hu Zun realized what was happening and was immediately overcome with negative emotions such as anger, resentment, grief, and shame.

He lowered his head and said in a trembling voice:
"Your Majesty, minister..."

The plan failed again, and Hu Zun was at a loss for how to explain it to Cao Pi, filled with self-reproach.

Upon seeing this, Cheng Gongying cupped his hands and addressed Cao Pi:

"Your Majesty, Hu Zun's plan has been foiled. Zhangbei City is now isolated and helpless, and it will surely fall. Before the main force of the Han army crosses the river, we should abandon the city and head north immediately, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable."

Cao Pi gritted his teeth and looked at the Han army, his heart filled with resentment. He was really unwilling to give up Zhangbei City and this hard-won opportunity.

Just then, Hu Zun regained his composure, and a murderous glint rekindled in his eyes.

He pointed to the north bank and said firmly:
"Your Majesty, although my plan has failed, we may still be able to hold Zhangbei City! The main force of the Han army has retreated to the south bank, but its vanguard has been cut off on the north bank. Currently, our army outnumbers the Han army on the north bank, which is an excellent opportunity."

"Why doesn't Your Majesty order the Grand General to lead our entire army out to wipe out these seven thousand Han soldiers and kill seven thousand of them? This will surely boost morale and greatly inspire our troops."

"With morale low, Xiao He will most likely have to retreat south. This will give us a chance to regroup, readjust our strategy, and look for an opportunity to counterattack!"

Hu Zun's words were like a ray of dawn in the darkness, igniting Cao Pi's confidence.

A resolute glint flashed in Cao Pi's eyes, his fighting spirit burning fiercely. He roared:
"That's right, this battle isn't over yet. I still have a chance. Order the general to lead the army and slaughter the Han army!"

"Your Majesty, you mustn't—"

Seeing this, Cheng Gongying wanted to offer some advice, but it was too late.

Once the order was given, they could only watch helplessly as Xu Huang led his troops out to attack.

The city gates of Zhangbei slowly opened, and at the same time, the drawbridge crashed down.

Xu Huang spurred his warhorse, which charged forward like an arrow released from a bow.

He was the first to rush out of the city gate, followed by ten thousand Wei soldiers. They surged towards the north bank of Zhangbei River like a surging tide.

On the north bank, seven thousand Han soldiers stood ready for battle.

Zhang Bao and his seven thousand soldiers hurriedly fled the shore.

Behind them, a raging torrent surged forth like a wild horse, its towering waters seemingly threatening to swallow the entire world.

Looking back at the raging floodwaters, Zhang Bao suddenly realized why his father, Zhang Fei, had ordered him to lead his troops away from the north bank.

"This must be a treacherous scheme devised by Cao Pi. Fortunately, the Grand Marshal had sharp eyes and saw through it, which is why we were able to escape this calamity by staying away from the riverbank."

Zhang Bao muttered to himself, his eyes filled with relief and admiration for Xiao He.

Just then, a deafening battle cry came from behind, the sound like thunder, exploding between heaven and earth.

Immediately afterwards, the sound of horns pierced the sky.

Zhang Bao hurriedly turned around and saw Wei soldiers surging towards Zhangbei City like a tide.

Clearly, Cao Pi intended to seize this opportunity to annihilate them in one fell swoop and completely turn the tide of the war. "Cao Pi, do you think you can destroy me with your meager abilities?"

Zhang Bao was disdainful and arrogant.

"All troops, heed my command! Form ranks and meet the enemy! Fight to the death and slay the enemy!"

Zhang Bao gave the order.

He appeared extremely confident, because the Han army was already the most elite force in the world.

These soldiers have been tempered by countless battles, and have long since developed an iron will.

Moreover, he commands veteran soldiers who have been through countless battles.

Even though they are outnumbered and outgunned, what do they have to fear?
As expected, the seven thousand Han generals quickly calmed down.
They exchanged a glance, their fighting spirit rekindled, and they quickly formed ranks, determined to fight the Wei army to the death.

Unfortunately, Zhang Beicheng was too close to the north bank. The Han army had just formed its battle formation when the Wei army led by Xu Huang attacked like wolves.

The two armies collided instantly, like two massive torrents colliding, producing a deafening sound.

Blood shot into the air, instantly staining the sky red.

The Han army's formation was broken in an instant, and the two armies were engaged in fierce fighting.

Within the Wei army, Xu Huang charged ahead like a raging tiger, rampaging through the Han army's ranks.

He cut down all the Han soldiers who stood in his way, each swing of his long axe carrying a deadly blow.

Although the Han army's 7,000 vanguard troops were elite, they were all infantrymen, and their movements were relatively slow.

Xu Huang's troops, however, were all cavalry, allowing them to come and go freely.

At this moment, Xu Huang led his cavalry, weaving freely through the Han army's formation like a sharp blade, easily tearing the Han army's formation in two.

Under the powerful charge of the cavalry, the Han army gradually began to falter, their formation began to crumble, and fear appeared on the faces of the soldiers.

On the south bank of the Zhangbei River, while a fierce battle was raging on the north bank, the main force of the Han army finally halted its advance.

Looking back, they saw the surging torrent brushing past their heels; a moment's carelessness and they would be swept away by the merciless current.

The Han soldiers were overjoyed. They secretly sighed that it was a great blessing that the main force had managed to escape this calamity at the last moment.

If it weren't for the Grand Marshal's wise decision, the main force of the Han army would probably be in dire straits by now.

"Bowen, without you, our army would probably have been completely wiped out."

Zhang Fei sighed with lingering fear.

Xiao He sneered, glancing at Zhang Beichen with a hint of disdain in his eyes:
"Cao Pi's advisors are all idiots. They repeatedly copy my strategies, but they always only learn half of them. It's utterly laughable!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei's eyes widened in anger, and he cursed:
"It must be that Hu Zun who is so foolish!"

Xiao He said nothing more, only pointing north:
"We are safe now. Next, we need to find a way to rescue the seven thousand soldiers on the north bank."

Zhang Fei hurriedly looked towards the north bank.

Looking across the Zhangbei River, one could see ten thousand Wei soldiers surging out like a tide, engaged in a fierce battle with the Han army led by Zhang Bao.

In the midst of the battle, thousands of Wei cavalrymen rampaged through the Han army, charging and crashing through their ranks, leaving Han soldiers falling wherever they went.

Zhang Bao could only struggle to hold on, brandishing his weapon in an attempt to repel the Wei army's attack.

"How hateful! Cao Pi actually brought cavalry, while my sons are all infantry. How can they possibly resist?"

Zhang Fei stamped his feet anxiously, his eyes filled with worry and indignation:

"What should I do?!"

"Bowen, please think of a solution!"

Xiao He gazed at the battlefield on the north bank and fell into deep thought.

Suddenly, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he had a plan in mind.

"Yide, it's time to show off our 20,000 iron cavalry."

Xiao He pointed upstream and sneered:

“I believe the sandbar built by the Wei army is not far upstream. The water has already been released, and the upstream must be calm now, which is a good time for us to cross the river.”

"Yide, send 7,000 light cavalry upstream to cross the river and then return to attack. This will surely deal a heavy blow to Cao Pi. At that time, we will attack from both sides, and the Wei army will inevitably be defeated."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei was overjoyed and shouted urgently:
"Guan Suo, listen to my command! I order you to lead 7,000 light cavalry to the north bank for reinforcements!"

Guan Suo accepted the order, mounted his horse, brandished his long sword, and immediately led seven thousand light cavalry away like a whirlwind.

Zhang Fei breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the battlefield on the north bank and murmured:

"My son, you must hold on! I have already sent troops to rescue you. You must hold on until the reinforcements arrive."

Guan Suo galloped along on horseback and soon arrived at the location of the sandbar.

At that moment, he reined in his horse, stopped and looked into the distance. Just as Xiao He had predicted, the water level upstream of the sandbar had dropped significantly.

The once turbulent and rushing river now revealed a large section of its riverbed upstream, and the current became calm and gentle, with the wide river surface now wide enough for cavalry to wade across smoothly.

A hint of excitement flashed in Guan Suo's eyes. He immediately raised his whip, drawing an arc in the air, and loudly ordered the light cavalry to prepare to cross the river.

Seven thousand light cavalrymen quickly formed ranks and charged into the river like arrows released from a bow.

Although the river was not deep, it still had a slight chill in the air, but this did not hinder their progress in the slightest.

The seven thousand light cavalrymen quickly and smoothly crossed the river and landed steadily on the opposite bank.

Guan Suo didn't stop for a moment. He led his iron cavalry along the battle lines on the north bank, galloping away like a black whirlwind.

South of Zhangbei City, on the north bank of the Zhangbei River, a fierce and brutal battle continues.

The Wei army surged in wave after wave like a tide.

Under this fierce and relentless attack, nearly a thousand of the seven thousand Han soldiers were killed or wounded.

At this moment, they had been forced to the banks of the Zhangbei River, with the surging torrent behind them. If they retreated, they would face an abyss of no return.

Zhang Bao and his soldiers had nowhere left to retreat; they could only struggle on.

Amidst the billowing blood mist, Zhang Bao stood like a war god, his spear flashing ceaselessly, each strike claiming the life of a Wei soldier.
"You Han dogs, how dare you be so arrogant when I am here!"

Just then, a deafening shout rang out, like a thunderclap, echoing across the battlefield.

Ahead, a Wei general, wielding a long axe, strode menacingly toward Zhang Bao.

"Xu Huang?"

Zhang Bao took a closer look and immediately recognized the approaching general.

It was none other than General Xu Huang of Wei. (End of Chapter)