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

"General Gongsun, please calm down!"

Shen You stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and urgently advised:
"Xiao He personally led 100,000 Han troops to press on the border. The disparity in troop strength is extreme. In my humble opinion, the most urgent task is to hold the Yangshui defense line and rely on the natural barrier of the water to temporarily block the enemy's advance!"

"It is precisely because the enemy has 100,000 troops that we must take the initiative to attack."

Gongsun stood with his hands behind his back before the map in the tent, lightly tapping the Yangshui River basin with his fingertip, his tone resolute, before raising his eyes to ask in return:
"Just think about it. The Yangshui River stretches for dozens of miles, and our army has only 10,000 troops. With our troops divided and deployed, where is there no loophole? Can this defensive line be held?"

Shen You was speechless, his Adam's apple bobbing for a long time, unable to utter a single word of rebuttal.

Gongsun's gaze was sharp as a knife as he continued to press on in a deep voice:
"Once the Wei army breaks through Yangshui, they will be able to completely surround Pingchang City, cutting off all traffic and isolating it from the outside world. Do you think that with only 10,000 troops, they can hold out until reinforcements arrive?"

Shen You lowered his head and remained silent.

The other two generals in the tent also looked solemn, their previous resolve to hold their ground had wavered.

Seeing the expressions on everyone's faces, Gongsun softened his tone slightly:
"That's why we must take advantage of the enemy's unstable situation and launch a preemptive strike, so that we can severely damage the Han army's vanguard, leaving them with no strength to organize a river crossing!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the two generals in the tent suddenly understood, and all their previous doubts vanished.

Leng Li's brows were furrowed, indicating that he still had concerns.

"But Xiao He's army numbers 100,000, while ours number only 10,000 at most. With such a disparity in strength, how can we possibly defeat them?"

Gongsun Ze's lips curled into a smile as his gaze swept over the generals:

"You can rest assured, I already have a brilliant plan to defeat the enemy."

The two generals exchanged a glance, both seeing suspicion in each other's eyes.

Gongsun Ze was the most brilliant general of the Gongsun clan. His strategies had never failed him. Although the other generals still had doubts, they dared not question him in the slightest.

"We, your humble servants, are willing to follow General Gongsun and fight to the death to defeat the Han dogs!"

The two generals clasped their fists together and readily accepted the order.

...

Six days later, on the south bank of the Yangshui River.

One hundred thousand Han soldiers, their banners obscuring the sun, marched mightily toward Yangshui.

At dusk, the vanguard of the Han army had reached the west bank of the Yangshui River, and the army stretched for several miles.

Xiao He stood on the high slope, surveying the situation on the opposite bank.

On the east bank of the Yangshui River near Pingchang City, there were camps stretching for more than ten miles, with banners fluttering in the wind.

Along the riverbank, Liao soldiers, clad in armor and armed with weapons, stood in neat formation.

"Grand Marshal, it seems that Gongsun Kang is finally afraid after learning of the fall of Liaodu City."

Zhang Liao spurred his horse to Xiao He's side and pointed to the camp on the east bank, saying:
"Judging from this formation, he must have reinforced Gongsun Ze's forces. The Yangshui River is already turbulent, and now that the enemy is holding firm, it will be difficult for our army to cross it."

Xiao He's gaze swept towards the camp on the opposite bank, and upon hearing the sound, he turned and asked:
"Who is Gongsun Ze?"

"Reporting to the Grand Marshal!"

"This man is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and is extremely intelligent. He is recognized as the number one strategist in the Gongsun clan. He was involved in the previous attack and defense of Liaocheng."

"Is strategy the most important thing?"

Xiao He turned his gaze to the opposite bank again, and in an instant, a plan took shape in his mind.

A moment later, a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips, and he said in a deep voice:
"Pass on my order: the army shall set up camp on the spot and rest and await further instructions. Wen Yuan, you will accompany me to explore the opposite bank along the river."

At a single command, the Han soldiers set up camp and cooked meals, and soon a great commotion arose on the west bank.

Xiao Heze led several personal guards northward along the riverbank, carefully observing the flow of the Yangshui River, the terrain along the river, and the lapses in the Liao army's defenses on the east bank.

It wasn't until night fell and the stars and moon rose in the sky that Xiao and his group returned to their camp.

Upon entering the central command tent, he immediately summoned his generals for a meeting.

"Guan Ping, listen to my command!"

Xiao He sat upright in the main seat and spoke in a deep voice.

Guan Ping strode forward and knelt on one knee:
"Your humble servant is here, please give the order, Grand Marshal!"

Xiao He took out a command arrow, threw it in front of Guan Ping, and said sternly:

"I order you to lead 20,000 elite troops and immediately set off to a location 15 miles upstream on the Yangshui River to lie in wait. Tomorrow morning, before dawn, take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness to force a crossing of the river and strike directly at the flank and rear of Pingchang City, disrupting the enemy's deployment!"

"The general will obey the order!"

Guan Ping accepted the command token, rose, and left to carry out his orders.

Xiao He then glanced at the remaining generals in the tent and said in a deep voice:
"The rest of you generals, each lead your troops and tomorrow follow me on the west bank to set up an attack formation, make a show of force, and stage a forced crossing to keep the Liao army's attention firmly pinned down on the east bank!"

"Follow the order!"

All the generals clasped their fists in unison.

Zhang Liao was still puzzled, and asked with his hands clasped:
"Grand Marshal, our army has superior numbers. Why not launch a direct assault nearby instead of feigning an attack here and letting Guan Ping sneak upstream? This kind of detour may lead to many unforeseen complications."

Xiao He glanced at the night outside the tent and said meaningfully:

"Think about it, the Liao army has a tight defense along the east bank and is heavily armed. If our army tries to cross the river here, we will be met with a full-scale attack from the enemy."

"If the enemy holds the riverbank and our army attacks while the enemy is crossing the river, we will suffer heavy losses and it will be a losing proposition."

After a pause, he continued:

“Last night I explored along the riverbank and found that fifteen miles to the north, the Yangshui River was calm and there was no sign of the Liao army. It was the perfect place to cross the river in secret.”

"I will have Guan Ping lead his troops to cross the river upstream and launch a surprise attack from behind the Liao army. At that time, our army will launch a frontal assault here, attacking from both banks. The Liao army will be unable to defend both ends, so how can they not cross this ocean?"

Xiao He revealed his entire plan.

Zhang Liao's mind cleared up, all his previous doubts vanished, and he immediately praised him sincerely:

"Grand Marshal, your strategy is brilliant and far-sighted. I am truly impressed!"

Xiao He waved his hand and said loudly:

"Pass down the order: let the soldiers have a good meal and rest up their strength, for tomorrow is the day of the great battle!"

The generals inside the tent responded in unison.

...

As night deepened, the starlight dimmed.

Guan Ping had already led 20,000 elite soldiers, who had quietly broken camp and set off, rushing upstream along the north bank of the river. The troops moved silently, for fear of alerting the Liao army on the opposite bank.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the east began to lighten with the first hint of white.

The sound of bugles pierced the sky and echoed over the Han army camp on the west bank of the Yangshui River.

The Han soldiers, who had already eaten and drunk their fill and rested to their fullest, immediately poured out of the camp.

Half an hour later, 100,000 Han soldiers were lined up neatly on the west bank of the Yangshui River, their formations stretching for miles, their banners fluttering, exuding a murderous aura.

At the same time, a large number of rafts that had been prepared were carried to the shore by the soldiers and lined up densely, as if they were about to cross the ocean at any moment.

On the opposite bank, in the Liao army camp, Leng Li stood on a high point of the camp, looking at the Han army's formation on the west bank, and couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

He quietly lowered his head and glanced at the ranks in front of the camp. He saw that most of the "Liao soldiers" standing solemnly on the riverbank were dummies wearing armor, and from a distance, there seemed to be as many as 40,000 of them. But the actual Liao soldiers who could fight were less than 6,000.

"Hopefully, General Gongsun's feint will fool Xiao He..."

Leng Li muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on the Han army on the west bank:

"Judging from this formation, Xiao He really intends to force his way across here. If the Han army really attacks, how can I possibly withstand them with only six thousand soldiers?"

Thinking of this, cold sweat rolled down his face.

On the west bank, Xiao He stood on a high slope, gazing at the opposite bank.

Tens of thousands of "Liao soldiers" were already lined up on the riverbank, ready for battle. They had obviously been fooled by his feint and believed that he was going to cross the river here.

Seeing this, Xiao He shouted loudly:
"Get moving, everyone! Make this feigned crossing a perfect performance, leaving no room for error!"

The order quickly spread throughout the army, and tens of thousands of Han soldiers immediately sprang into action. Some pushed rafts into the water, while others, armed with weapons, jumped onto the rafts, shouting loudly as if they were about to forcibly cross the river.

Meanwhile, fifteen miles upstream on the Yangshui River.

Guan Ping had already led 20,000 elite Han troops into ambush in the dense forest on the west bank.

He looked across the river in the dim morning light, but the shore was deserted, with not a single Liao soldier in sight.

"The Grand Marshal was indeed a prophet; the Liao army had indeed deployed a large force downstream, leaving this place completely unprepared!"

Guan Ping secretly admired him, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

Then he leaped up suddenly, drew his sword from his waist, and shouted loudly:
"Pass down the order: the entire army prepares to cross the river!"

With the command flag waved, the Han soldiers who had been lying in ambush in the dense forest immediately rose to their feet.

They quickly lifted the raft that had been hidden in the woods and threw it into the river, then jumped onto the raft one after another and rowed vigorously toward the other side.

Thousands of bamboo rafts spread out on the calm water, rushing towards the east bank like arrows released from a bow.

However, they were unaware that in the woods on the east bank, ten thousand Liao soldiers were already on high alert, their eyes fixed on the movements on the opposite bank.

When they saw the Han army's rafts appear on the water, all the Liao soldiers gripped their swords and spears tightly, their expressions solemn yet excited.

"General Gongsun is truly a prophet; Xiao He indeed sent troops to sneak across from upstream!"

Li Xu lowered his voice and looked at Gongsun Ze beside him with admiration.

Gongsun Ze stood with his hands behind his back, a smug look flashing across his brow. His gaze was fixed on the Han army crossing the river, and he said coldly:
"Xiao He thought his plan was brilliant, but little did he know he had already fallen into my trap. Pass down the order: wait until half of the Han army has landed before launching an attack and wiping them out in one fell swoop!"

At this moment, the Han army on the river had gradually approached the east bank. In the blink of an eye, half of the Han soldiers had crossed the Yangshui River and set foot on the land on the east bank, preparing to line up and assemble.

The time has come!
Gongsun Ze's eyes flashed with a cold light. He leaped onto his horse, raised his long sword high, pointed it at the Han army on the beach, and roared:

"Brothers, follow me on horseback and drive these Han dogs into the river, leaving not a single one alive!"

The sound of bugles suddenly shattered the tranquility of the early morning.

Before the bugle call had even faded, Gongsun charged out of the woods with murderous intent, followed closely by the Liao soldiers like a surging tide.

More than three thousand Liao cavalrymen took the lead, their iron hooves rolling like thunder, kicking up clouds of dust, and charged straight at the Han army that had just landed and were not yet firmly established.

On the beachhead, the Han army, which had been hastily assembling, was instantly thrown into chaos.

"how is this possible?"

Guan Ping cried out in alarm:

"When we scouted earlier, there was no one there. Why have so many Liao soldiers suddenly appeared?"

The next instant, a terrifying thought flashed through his mind like lightning:
Could it be that Gongsun Ze had already seen through the Grand Marshal's deceptive scheme and set up an ambush?

impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
Guan Ping shook his head violently, forcibly suppressing this absurd idea.

Xiao He was a military genius of his time, capable of strategizing and winning battles from afar, unmatched by any other strategist in the world.

Gongsun Ze was just a general of the Gongsun clan. How could he possibly see through the military genius's plan?

But the scene before him left him no choice but to believe it.

The Liao army's iron cavalry had already charged forward like thunder, the dust kicked up by their iron hooves hitting our faces.

In shock and rage, Guan Ping quickly composed himself and roared:
"All troops, listen to my command! Form ranks immediately to defend against the enemy. Shield bearers in front, spearmen following behind, to block the enemy's charge!"

The Han troops who landed were all elite soldiers. Upon hearing the commotion, they immediately tried to remain calm and attempted to form ranks as ordered.

But it was all too late. The Liao cavalry were far faster than they could react. Before they could even regroup, the Liaodong cavalry charged forward with tremendous force.

Countless Han soldiers were knocked away by galloping warhorses and crashed heavily to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, the Liao cavalrymen swung their long swords down, and the Han soldiers screamed as they were cut in two, their blood splattering all over the ground.

The hastily deployed Han army formation was instantly broken and breached, as if it were made of paper.

The Liao infantry, following closely behind, swarmed forward, brandishing their swords and spears, and began a crushing spree of the routed Han army.

The Han army suffered repeated defeats and was gradually forced by the Liao army to the riverbank, with the turbulent Yangshui River behind them, leaving them with no way to retreat.

"No retreating! Retreating means certain death! Follow me and charge forward!"

Guan Ping roared loudly, wildly wielding his long sword, and swiftly cut down a Liao soldier who rushed in front of him.

The Han army, after all, was an elite force under Xiao He's command. In dire straits, they displayed tenacious fighting spirit, barely stabilizing the crumbling front and engaging in a fierce battle with the Liao army.

Just then, a roar suddenly rang out:

"Guan Ping! Gongsun Ze is here! Prepare to die!"

Guan Ping looked up and saw a black figure rushing towards him like an arrow released from a bow, its long sword carrying a powerful gust of wind as it slashed down at his head.

"Gongsun Ze!"

Guan Ping's eyes narrowed, and he roared:
"You scoundrel, you dare to fight me?"

Before he finished speaking, his long sword was already drawn, unleashing a powerful momentum as it slashed fiercely at Gongsun Ze's blade.

"throat!"

A deafening roar, as if the heavens and earth were collapsing, suddenly erupted as the two longswords clashed violently together.

In an instant, a violent gust of air spread outwards, and the soldiers of the two armies fighting fiercely nearby were affected by this gust of air and were all blown away.

As the dust settled, Gongsun remained seated firmly on his horse, his figure unmoving and his expression serene.

Guan Ping, on the other hand, was so shocked that his hands went numb, his long sword almost slipped from his grasp, his blood and qi churned violently, and a trace of blood even spilled from the corner of his mouth.

"This fellow's martial arts are actually superior to mine?"

Guan Ping was filled with shock and disbelief.

He was confident in his martial arts skills and had few rivals in the Han army, but he did not expect to be defeated by Gongsun Ze in a single exchange.

"Guan Yu's son? Nothing special!"

Gongsun sneered, his tone full of disdain, and his long sword continued to strike down like a storm.

In an instant, the curtain of blades completely blocked all of Guan Ping's escape routes.

Guan Ping's heart tightened, and he had no choice but to abandon all his contempt and fight with all his might, barely managing to protect his vitals amidst the flashing blades. (End of Chapter)