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

Xiao He smiled and looked at Zhang Song, his eyes full of admiration, and said:

"Shi Zai's plan was brilliant, but it also depended on Yong Nian to implement it. Yong Nian delivered the message to our army this time, and his contribution to this battle is indispensable."

Upon hearing this, Wei Yan also praised Zhang Song:
"Yongnian has indeed lived up to my expectations. If we can successfully defeat the Shu army this time, Yongnian will deserve the greatest credit."

Hearing the praise from everyone, Zhang Song felt secretly pleased, but he still maintained a humble expression on his face.

He bowed slightly, pointed into the distance, and said:

"General Wei, Grand Marshal, Yang Huai has been lured out and is now heading towards our camp. We just need to follow the plan and we will surely defeat the Shu army in one fell swoop."

Wei Yan laughed loudly and said, "Send the order to light the fire, and signal to the generals to let the brothers get ready!"

At Wei Yan's command, beacon fires shot up from the warships, illuminating the entire river surface.

Inside the Han camp, Guan Xing was standing on high ground, closely monitoring the movements on the river.

When he saw the fire on the river, a glint of excitement flashed in his eyes, and he shouted:

"Give the order to set the haystack on fire!"

The order was quickly issued, and the Han soldiers immediately sprang into action.

They quickly set the haystacks ablaze, and in an instant, flames soared into the sky, illuminating the entire Han camp.

Immediately afterwards, gongs and drums were sounded, their deafening sound inspiring the soldiers' fighting spirit.

The soldiers shouted battle cries, their shouts thunderous and echoing through the sky.

For a time, the Han camp was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and the shouts of battle were deafening, as if a fierce internal strife was underway.

The chaotic scene would lead anyone who saw it to believe that a rebellion had broken out within the Han camp.

West of the Han camp, Yang Huai led five thousand Shu soldiers, like a giant dragon lurking in the darkness, quietly approaching the Han camp.

At this moment, he stared intently at the Han camp, his eyes fixed on it, afraid of missing any detail.

This was Zhang Song's plan.

Originally, in order to welcome the Han army into Shu, Liu Zhang ordered Zhang Song to lead three thousand Shu soldiers to go together.

The three thousand Shu soldiers followed the Han army, ostensibly surrendering to them, but in reality, they were Zhang Song's spies planted within the Han army.

Zhang Song's plan was to have the three thousand Shu soldiers set fire to the camp at an opportune time and mutini, creating the illusion of internal strife within the Han camp.

While the Han army was busy dealing with internal strife, Yang Huai led his elite Shu troops in a night raid on the Han camp.

With their combined forces from within and without, they were like two sharp daggers, piercing straight into the heart of the Han army and defeating them.

At present, Yang Huai's troops are all in place, waiting for Zhang Song to launch an inside attack within the Han camp. With the help of both inside and outside forces, they can break through the Han army's defenses in one fell swoop and drive the Han army out of Shu.

At this moment, the entire military camp was filled with a tense yet expectant atmosphere. Every Shu soldier was focused and waiting for the decisive moment to arrive.

"General Yang, fire! The Han camp is on fire!"

One of the guards shouted.

Yang Huai immediately turned his gaze toward the Han camp, where countless flames, like angry fire dragons, suddenly shot into the sky, instantly illuminating the dark night sky as if it were daytime.

He listened intently, holding his breath, and sure enough, he heard deafening shouts of battle and urgent gong sounds coming from the Han camp.

The sounds of battle were like the roar of a thousand horses galloping and howling.

"Zhang Yongnian's plan has succeeded."

Yang Huai was overjoyed, and his face revealed an undisguised excitement:
"This is truly a stroke of luck for the King of Shu! It seems our plan is halfway to success. Next, it's time to storm the Han camp and completely crush the Han army."

Thinking of this, Yang Huai drew his long sword from his waist, raised it high, and shouted sharply:

"All troops, listen to my command! Charge into the Han camp with one mighty force! Drive the Han army out of Shu!"

At his command, the war drums sounded like thunder, shaking the earth.

Yang Huai spurred his horse forward, leading thousands of Shu soldiers like a tidal wave, sweeping towards the Han camp.

When they reached the camp wall, they found that the Han army was indeed alarmed by the internal strife, and many soldiers were rushing to the inner camp to quell the rebellion.

Therefore, the Han troops along the camp wall were extremely few, and their defensive strength was very weak.

Seeing this, the Shu soldiers were greatly encouraged and easily charged into the Han camp, continuing their advance into the heart of the enemy territory.

They brandished their weapons, cutting down the Han soldiers who stood in their way as easily as chopping melons and vegetables.

Yang Huai was so excited that his face turned red, and he rushed to the front.

However, as they went deeper, Yang Huai felt increasingly something was amiss.

The excitement in my heart gradually faded, replaced by a strange sense of doubt.

Logically speaking, the Han army should have been in chaos at this time, with fleeing soldiers and burning tents everywhere.

But the scene before him was completely different from what he had expected.

The area ahead was eerily quiet; not even a single Han soldier could be seen.

All I could see were some firewood burning quietly, making crackling sounds.

"Xu~~"

Yang Huai suddenly reined in his warhorse.

He glanced around, his eyes filled with wariness and doubt.

Suddenly, a terrible thought surged into his mind:

Fell into a trap!
Upon closer inspection, not a single Han soldier could be seen in the Han camp, and the sounds of battle gradually subsided.

This means that the chaos in the Han camp was fabricated by the Han army!
The purpose was simply to lure them into attacking, then set up an ambush and wipe them out in one fell swoop.

This is clearly a trap to lure the enemy!
"Damn it!"

Yang Huai gritted his teeth and cursed:

"Zhang Song's plan must have been exposed."

Thinking of this, Yang Huai hurriedly turned his horse around and shouted loudly:
"Send the order: retreat to Baiguan City! Retreat!"

Before he could utter the word "retreat," a piercing horn suddenly shattered the sky, sounding like a thunderclap in everyone's ears.

Immediately afterwards, countless Han soldiers emerged from the ground and attacked from all directions.

Han Army!

The ambush has been sprung!

Yang Huai's face changed color in shock, and his heart skipped a beat as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer.

The Shu soldiers behind him also changed their expressions drastically, their faces showing fear.

They never imagined they would find themselves in such a desperate situation.

Yang Huai realized that what he had feared had come to pass.

Zhang Song's plan was indeed seen through by Wei Yan.

Sure enough, there were ambushes within the Han camp!

This time, they had truly fallen into the Han army's trap.

"Retreat! Retreat to Baiguan City immediately!"

Yang Huai shouted hoarsely.

Upon hearing the order, the Shu soldiers were thrown into chaos. Like headless flies, they abandoned their armor and fled haphazardly towards the camp gate.

Just as the Shu soldiers poured out of the camp gate, countless torches suddenly lit up the previously dark area outside the camp.

The flames, like fiery dragons, illuminated the night sky as if it were daytime.

Yang Huaimeng reined in his horse, only to see a troop of cavalry blocking his path like an iron wall.

The wall of soldiers completely blocked their escape route, leaving them nowhere to run.

The leading general, spear in hand, stood on his horse, imposing and awe-inspiring, and shouted in a stern voice:

"Listen up, Yang Huai! I am Deng Ai of the Han Dynasty! You have fallen into the Grand Marshal's trap and are now trapped. Surrender immediately and I will spare your life!" Deng Ai's mission in this battle was to set up an ambush early on and hide outside the camp gate. His purpose was to act as a barrier to prevent Yang Huai and his remaining troops from escaping back to Baiguan City.

Deng Ai, with a cold and stern expression, strode forward, his voice loud and authoritative, and said coldly:
"Yang Huai, do you know you're in dire straits!"

Yang Huai was stunned when he heard the sudden voice. Then, his mind exploded with a flood of questions.

"Grand Marshal? Xiao He? What's he doing here? How is that possible! Shouldn't he be in Chang'an?"

Hundreds of perplexing thoughts churned wildly in his mind like a surging tide.

Suddenly, as if a bolt of lightning had ripped through the dark night sky, he jolted awake and finally understood the hidden mystery.

Xiao He's appearance in Jingzhou was no coincidence; the only reasonable explanation is:
From the very beginning, Liu Bei harbored the ambition to conquer the Shu region!

Therefore, Liu Bei went to great lengths to send Grand Marshal Xiao He to Jingzhou, so that he could join Wei Yan in attacking Shu.

This move was extremely secretive, its purpose being to catch Liu Zhang off guard and bring the Shu region into its own territory.

"No wonder Zhang Song's flawless plan was so easily exposed!"

"So it was Xiao He who saw through it. This Xiao He truly lives up to his reputation!"

"Damn it!"

Yang Huai couldn't help but grit his teeth and complain.

He originally thought that Zhang Song was loyal to Liu Zhang and firmly believed that if the plan to raid the Han camp at night succeeded, it would turn the tide of the battle and allow the Shu army to regain the initiative.

"Yang Huai!"

Deng Ai, holding a large spear, pointed it sharply forward:
"I'll ask you one more time: surrender or not? You'd better think it through. You're in a desperate situation now. Surrendering might save your life, otherwise, you're doomed!"

Yang Huai was jolted awake by the angry shout, his face contorted instantly, his eyes burning with rage and defiance.

"How could I, Yang Huai, be a coward who clings to life and fears death! How could I surrender so easily! Soldiers, follow me and fight our way out!"

He let out a desperate, grief-stricken cry.

Instead of surrendering, Yang Huai went mad and ordered his soldiers to charge forward.

He had only one thought in his mind:
That is to break through all the obstacles in front of us and fight our way back to Baiguan City.

Enraged by Yang Huai's stubbornness, Deng Ai's eyes turned bloodshot, and he roared as he charged forward.
"Those who refuse to surrender will be killed! Sons of Han, slaughter all the Shu traitors!"

At Deng Ai's command, the Han cavalry surged towards the Shu soldiers like a raging torrent.

The sight of thousands of troops galloping and roaring was so powerful that it sent chills down one's spine.

In the blink of an eye, the two armies clashed in close combat, engaging in an extremely fierce battle.

A bloodcurdling scream suddenly erupted, like a wail from hell, as countless streaks of blood shot into the air, making the already bloody battlefield even more terrifying.

Under the Han cavalry's fierce and relentless assault, the Shu army was easily overturned like fragile leaves.

They were either killed by their warhorses or pierced by the weapons of the Han army, their blood splattering everywhere.

More than 5,000 Shu soldiers were slaughtered in an instant, leaving not a single one alive.

The Shu army collapsed immediately.

Their morale was already low, and now, after suffering such a heavy blow, they immediately lost their fighting spirit.

Some people panicked and fled into the Yangtze River, only to be swallowed up by the surging waters and drown.

Some people panicked and fled back to the Han camp, only to be mercilessly crushed by the Han army.

But many more, in despair, had no choice but to kneel on the ground and beg for surrender. They gave up resistance and only hoped to save their lives.

Only Yang Huai, with over a hundred personal guards, charged forward like moths to a flame.

He was unwilling to fail like this, unwilling to give up like this.

However, what he didn't know was that what awaited him ahead was a Han army defense line as solid as an iron wall.

Looking back, they saw that countless of the five thousand Shu soldiers had died or been wounded.

With only a hundred soldiers remaining by his side, his meager strength seemed insignificant in the face of the powerful Han army.

"Why? Why is the Han army so elite? Are the soldiers of Shu so easily defeated?"

Yang Huai was filled with grief and indignation.

"Yang Huai, the traitor from Shu!"

Just then, a thunderous roar interrupted his grief and indignation.

"Death!"

Suddenly, a Han general, wielding a large spear, charged towards him.

Deng Ai spurred his horse and charged towards Yang Huai like lightning, raising a cloud of dust wherever he went.

As Deng Ai charged toward Yang Huai, he suddenly swung his spear, unleashing a powerful thrust that seemed to sweep across the land.

Yang Huai was shocked to see this, but as a seasoned general, he reacted quickly.

He hurriedly swung his broadsword, trying to block the fierce attack.

The broadsword whistled as it was wielded in his hand, meeting Deng Ai's spearhead.

Unfortunately, Deng Ai's martial prowess was clearly superior to Yang Huai's. Before Yang Huai could fully unleash his sword techniques, Deng Ai's sharp spear thrust forward with lightning speed.

"puff!"

A crisp yet piercing sound rang out as Deng Ai's spear tip pierced Yang Huai's body without any resistance.

The sharp spear tip, carrying a powerful impact, instantly pierced through Yang Huai's armor and flesh, causing blood to spurt out like a fountain.

Before Yang Huai could even let out a scream, Deng Ai deftly lifted him up, and Yang Huai's broken body was hoisted high into the air like a kite with a broken string.

He let out a piercing scream in mid-air before crashing heavily to the ground.

With just one move, Yang Huai was defeated by Deng Ai.

"Seize this thief and hand him over to the Grand Marshal for punishment!"

Deng Ai held his spear horizontally and shouted sharply.

Upon hearing the order, the soldiers on both sides surged forward like a tide and firmly captured Yang Huai.

At this moment, while Yang Huai was still struggling in pain, Deng Ai had already spurred his horse and charged towards the Shu soldiers who were still putting up a stubborn resistance.

Led by Deng Ai, the Han soldiers charged into the Shu army's ranks.

Before long, the Shu army was completely wiped out.

As dawn broke, the deafening sounds of battle gradually subsided, and the entire battlefield fell into a deathly silence.

Along the Yangtze River, the once clear waters are now stained with blood.

The stench of blood filled the air, making it feel suffocating.

On the river, several huge warships were slowly approaching the shore.

Wei Yan and Xiao He stood at the bow of the boat and slowly rode their horses ashore.

At this point, the battle was completely over.

Countless surrendered Shu soldiers knelt dejectedly on the plain, their bodies trembling slightly, their eyes filled with fear and despair, waiting to be counted as prisoners.

The plains were littered with corpses, some of them from the Han army, others from the Shu army.

Just then, the crisp sound of horses' hooves rang out.

Deng Ai escorted Yang Huai slowly towards them.

He forcefully pressed Yang Huai down, and Yang Huai knelt heavily in front of Xiao He and Wei Yan, his body limp on the ground, his face full of humiliation and resentment.

Wei Yan stood there, looking down at Yang Huai with disdain, and shouted loudly:
"Yang Huai, do you know your crime!"

The shout was like a booming bell, making Yang Huai's eardrums ache. (End of Chapter)