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

In the midst of the fierce battle, he finally realized that both he and Xiao He had underestimated Gongsun Ze.

This man was not only exceptionally intelligent, but also possessed unparalleled martial arts skills, making him a formidable general of his time.

Guan Ping was able to hold out for a few moves, but his soldiers were not so lucky.

The 10,000 Han soldiers who crossed the river were already in a disorganized formation. After being attacked by the Liao army's iron cavalry, they were further divided and surrounded, unable to support each other.

Faced with the Liao army's repeated encirclement and suppression, the Han soldiers suffered heavy casualties and had lost the ability to resist.

Left with no other choice, the remaining Han soldiers had to abandon their weapons and scramble to escape to the bamboo rafts on the riverbank, desperately trying to flee to the west bank.

The Han soldiers who didn't have time to board the bamboo rafts were caught up with by the Liao army who arrived later and were killed one by one.

The Han soldiers who boarded the bamboo rafts also could not escape their fate, as they were targeted by archers that Gongsun Ze had already deployed on the shore.

A dense hail of arrows rained down like locusts, and all the Han soldiers on the bamboo rafts were hit by arrows and fell into the water, screaming as they sank into the ocean.

Blood flowed into the ocean water, and the beach and river surface were covered with the corpses of Han soldiers.

Finally, Guan Ping could no longer withstand Gongsun Ze's relentless attacks. His movements with the long sword became increasingly sluggish, and he sustained several wounds.

He knew that if he continued fighting, he would surely die; all that remained in his mind was the thought of escaping.

"Guan Ping, do you think you can escape?"

The angry shouts echoed along the riverbank. Gongsun spurred his horse, dragging his sword, and pursued Guan Ping like an arrow released from a bow. In an instant, he closed the distance between them and Guan Ping, catching up to him within a few steps.

Gongsun let out a long roar, and swung his long sword out with a powerful wind, aiming straight for Guan Ping's back with the force of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.

Guan Ping was startled by the bone-chilling cold behind him. He hurriedly turned around and parried with his sword, but it was already too late.

The blade moved faster than thought; just as his longsword was halfway through its trajectory, Gongsun Ze's sharp blade had already fallen.

"Crack!"

A crisp sound of bone cracking rang out as the long sword cleaved Guan Ping's shoulder, the bone visible beneath the blade.

Guan Ping howled in pain, his arm losing all strength, his sword flying out of his hand, and he fell from his horse like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground.

He struggled to get up, and as soon as he braced himself against the ground and straightened his upper body, a cold object pressed against his neck.

Gongsun Ze's long sword was already at his neck, and with the slightest force, it would cut his skin.

Now a prisoner, Guan Ping's eyes widened, his teeth clenched in hatred.

"Gongsun Ze, if you have the guts, then kill me!"

He roared, his voice hoarse.

Gongsun glanced down at him, her tone icy:

"Considering your martial arts skills, you still have some usable talent. If you are willing to surrender to my King of Liao, I will spare your life today."

"I bother!"

Guan Ping spat angrily and cursed:
"What is Gongsun Kang? He's nothing but a warlord who controls a region. How can I, Guan Ping, a general of the Han army, kneel down and surrender to him!"

"Gongsun Ze, do as you please with me, but there is absolutely no way you will make me surrender!"

These resolute words thoroughly enraged Gongsun Ze, who shouted sternly:
"Guan Ping, do you really think I wouldn't dare to kill you?"

Guan Ping, on the contrary, laughed wildly, looking up at the sky:
"Go ahead and do it. More than ten years from now, I, Guan Ping, will still be a true hero!"

Gongsun was so enraged by his outburst that he laughed in exasperation and nodded, saying:

"Very well, Guan Ping, you truly are a man of honor. Since you are determined to die, then I will grant your wish!"

Before he could finish speaking, Gongsun flipped his wrist and slashed down with his longsword once more.

"Crack!"

The head fell to the ground, blood gushing out like a pillar, and Guan Ping's body crashed to the ground.

With their commander dead, the Han army upstream was left leaderless. The troops, already trapped in an ambush, collapsed instantly, with soldiers either fleeing or surrendering in complete chaos.

Gongsun bent down, picked up Guan Ping's head, hung it in front of his saddle, and once again swung his sword at the fleeing Han army.

A one-sided massacre ensued.

Wherever the blade struck, the Han army crumbled.

From dawn till midday, the 10,000 Han soldiers who had crossed the river were reduced to only 2,000 survivors who fled back to the south bank in disarray.

In this battle, the Liao army achieved a great victory.

The victorious Liao soldiers crowded on the riverbank, raising their arms and shouting wildly.

Gongsun Ze gazed towards the south bank, a smug, arrogant smile playing on his lips.

"Xiao He, the world calls you the God of War, but after seeing you today, you're nothing special!"

The adjutant beside him, Shen You, quickly cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, his face full of admiration:
"General, you are incredibly brave and resourceful. You even managed to outwit someone like Xiao He. You are truly a genius!"

Gongsun burst into laughter and waved his hand, giving the order:
"Send Guan Ping's head to Xiangping and present it to the King of Liao to claim credit!"

Gongsun Zeze led the remaining troops, turned around proudly, and headed back to Pingchang City.

Dusk is getting darker.

The Han soldiers on the south bank still appeared determined to force their way across the river, their banners fluttering in the wind as they made a show of force.

Inside the large tent, Xiao He sat calmly at the table, holding a cup of wine in his hand, looking completely unconcerned about the battle upstream.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the tent, and Zhang Liao rushed in, looking flustered. He bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.
"Grand Marshal, something terrible has happened! General Guan Ping is in trouble!"

Xiao He paused slightly in his hand holding the wine glass, his brows furrowing slightly.

"What's the matter? Speak slowly."

"General Guan Ping led his troops in an attempt to sneak across the river upstream, but they fell into Gongsun Ze's ambush!"

"Our army suffered more than 6,000 casualties. General Guan Ping fought valiantly but was no match for Gongsun Ze and was killed!"

All the generals inside the tent were horrified, their faces showing shock and disbelief.

Xiao He's expression changed slightly. He slowly put down his wine cup, stood up, and looked past the tent flap toward the north bank with a complicated expression.

Zhang Liao, filled with doubt, stepped forward and asked:
"Grand Marshal, the main force of the Liao army is clearly in the camp on the opposite bank, so why was General Guan Ping ambushed upstream?"

The other generals also looked on with suspicion, not understanding the reason.

Xiao He gazed at the outline of the north bank for a long time before letting out a soft sigh, his tone tinged with melancholy:

"Gongsun Ze is quite shrewd; I underestimated him."

"What does the Grand Marshal mean by this?"

Zhang Liao was increasingly puzzled.

"I am certain that the Liao army troops in the camp on the other side, who appear to be in full battle array, are all straw men in disguise."

Xiao He slowly revealed the secret:

"Gongsun Zezao had anticipated that I would send my troops to sneak across the river upstream and attack our camp from behind. So he deliberately planted many dummy figures to create a false impression and confuse us, while he himself led a large army to the upstream in secret to set up this ambush."

Upon hearing this, the generals suddenly understood.
Zhang Liao clenched his fists and said angrily:

"Grand Marshal, General Guan died a loyal and brave death for his country. He must not have died in vain. Why don't we immediately gather our forces, force our way across the river, raze Pingchang City, and avenge General Guan!"

The generals, already filled with grief and indignation over Guan Ping's death, all echoed his sentiments upon hearing the news, expressing their willingness to lead their troops across the river and fight the Liao army to the death.

Xiao He raised his hand and pressed it down, his tone serious:

"Please remain calm. Gongsun Ze is certainly on high alert after his recent victory and has already laid out defenses. If our army blindly attempts to cross the river, it will only increase casualties."

His words revealed the key point, leaving all the generals speechless, and most of their anger was extinguished.

Seeing this, Xiao He flicked his sleeve:
"Issue my order: the army shall withdraw and return to camp, and strictly guard the west bank. This matter will be discussed again later."

Although the 100,000 Han soldiers were filled with fighting spirit, they dared not disobey their general's orders. They could only suppress their grief and indignation and retreat in an orderly manner, slowly returning to their camp on the west bank.

On the opposite bank, in Pingchang City, Gongsun Ze led his victorious army into the city in a grand procession. News of the Han army's crushing defeat and Guan Ping's execution had already spread throughout the city. The Liao soldiers cheered and spread the news, their morale soaring and their advance unstoppable.

As night deepened, in the central command tent of the Han army camp, Xiao He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the starry sky outside the tent, his expression solemn, remaining silent for a long time.

The generals standing behind the tent were all anxious and wanted to speak several times, but dared not speak rashly because of Xiao He's expression.

Finally, Zhang Liao could not restrain himself any longer and stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting:

"Grand Marshal, are we just going to stay here and let Gongsun Ze swagger around like this? We can't let General Guan's grudge go unpunished!"

Xiao He remained silent.

The tent fell into dead silence.

Xiao He slowly turned around, a slight smile suddenly curving his lips.

"Order the entire army to set up camp on the spot, rest and recuperate, and conserve their strength!"

He paused and then said:
"Ten days later, the entire army will cross the Yangshui River, flatten Pingchang, and avenge Guan Ping!"

Upon hearing this, all the generals were invigorated, their grief and indignation instantly transforming into fighting spirit, and they bowed and accepted the order.

But amidst their excitement, everyone harbored doubts, wondering why they had to wait until seven days later.

Zhang Liao couldn't help but ask:
"Grand Marshal, opportunities are fleeting. Why wait seven days before advancing?"

Xiao He glanced at him indifferently and said only:

"Heavenly secrets must not be revealed; simply follow the orders."

Zhang Liao and the other generals looked at each other, full of doubts, but they knew that Xiao He had his own plans, so they dared not ask any more questions and could only agree and leave.

From then on, the Han army set up camp on the west bank, preparing for war and waiting for the right time.

Surprisingly, fifteen days passed in the blink of an eye, and the Han army remained inactive, with no sign of advancing from the western camp, as if they had long forgotten about revenge.

Inside the main hall of Xiangping City at this moment.

"Good news! Good news from Pyeongchang!"

Envoy Li Xu held the battle report high with both hands and strode into the hall, his expression excited.

Gongsun Kang, who was sitting upright on the dragon throne, immediately perked up:
"Could it be that Gongsun Ze has decisively defeated the Han army and won a great victory?"

"Exactly!"

Li Xu bowed respectfully and said loudly:

"General Gongsun Ze came up with a series of brilliant plans, setting up an ambush that severely damaged the Han army, killing the enemy general Guan Ping, and annihilating more than 5,000 enemy soldiers!"

"Now Xiao He is trapped on the west bank, helpless and can only garrison his troops and wait and see, with no strength left to launch an attack! General Gongsun Ze has specially brought this good news to reassure Your Majesty!"

Gongsun Kang was overjoyed. He suddenly stood up from the dragon throne, walked down the steps, snatched the battle report, and carefully read it word by word, afraid of missing any detail.

The battle report clearly and meticulously describes how Gongsun Ze set up a feint to lure the enemy deep into his territory, and how he ambushed and killed Guan Ping upstream.

"What a brilliant Gongsun Ze!"

Gongsun Kang held up the battle report and laughed excitedly:
"That was a brilliant battle! You truly deserve to be called the greatest strategist in Liaodong!"

Gongsun Yuan, who was standing nearby, quickly stepped forward, took the battle report, and read it carefully. After finishing, he couldn't help but burst into laughter, his tone full of self-satisfaction:

"Father, I said long ago that with General Gongsun Ze around, dealing with Xiao He would be a piece of cake. Father could rest easy. It seems that General Gongsun Ze has indeed not disappointed you!"

Gongsun Kang smiled and patted his son on the shoulder, praising him:

"Yuan'er, it was your brilliant plan to send Gongsun Ze to lead the troops into battle this time. Well done."

Upon receiving praise from his father, Gongsun Yuan became even more pleased with himself.

Seeing this, Li Xu added:

"Your Majesty, Xiao He is currently blocked on the west bank and dares not advance rashly. Your Majesty should take this opportunity to recruit and expand the army, intensify the training of the soldiers, and wait..."

Before he could finish speaking, Gongsun Yuan interrupted, his tone resolute:

"Once the harsh winter arrives, the Han soldiers, mostly from the Central Plains, will be afraid of the cold and will retreat without a fight because they cannot withstand the bitter cold. Then, Father can order a large-scale pursuit and surely defeat the Han army in one fell swoop!"

Gongsun Kang became more and more excited as he listened, nodding repeatedly with a greedy glint in his eyes.

Seeing this, Gongsun Yuan pressed his advantage, saying:

"With Xiao He's defeat, the morale of the Han army will surely plummet. Father, take advantage of this opportunity to lead your troops to attack and seize Youzhou. It will be as easy as turning your hand!"

"Good good!"

Gongsun Kang said "good" three times in a row, his tone arrogant:

"I have painstakingly managed Liaodong for decades, and all my thoughts and plans are aimed at seizing Youzhou and then taking over the Central Plains!"

"If we can take Youzhou, our Liaodong cavalry can march straight in and flatten the four prefectures of Hebei. Once we have the four prefectures in hand, the pacification of the world will be just around the corner!"

Li Xu quickly echoed this sentiment, outlining a grand blueprint for Gongsun Kang to dominate the world.

Gongsun Kang was deeply moved upon hearing this. Standing in the main hall, his triumphant laughter echoed for a long time.

Seeing this, Gongsun Yuan bowed and offered his advice:

"Father, General Gongsun Ze has achieved a great victory over the Han army in this battle, killing Guan Ping and making an unparalleled contribution. Such a meritorious official must be rewarded handsomely in order to boost the morale of the entire army and inspire all the generals to serve!"

He actually wanted to use the reward for Gongsun Ze to consolidate his own merit in recommending him.

Gongsun Kang was immersed in his fantasies of dominating the world, and so he said in a boastful tone:

"Well said. Rewarding those who have made contributions is the foundation of our Liaodong cause."

"I will immediately issue an edict to bestow upon Gongsun Ze the title of Marquis of Pingchang, with a fief of three thousand households, and also grant him one hundred catties of gold and one thousand bolts of brocade!"

"My father is wise!"

Gongsun Yuan hurriedly bowed and flattered him, his face full of obsequiousness, but in his heart he was secretly pleased, certain that Gongsun Ze would be grateful for this favor and would be more easily used by him in the future.

After the attendant who delivered the decree withdrew, Gongsun Kang led Gongsun Yuan out of the main hall and stood under the corridor, gazing southwards.

The cold wind swept across the palace walls, but he was oblivious, his gaze fixed on the Central Plains, his heart brimming with lofty ambitions.

"Liu Bei was merely a weaver of mats and a seller of shoes, yet he was able to claim the titles of king and emperor,"

"I, Gongsun Kang, possess the fertile land of Liaodong and have a strong and well-equipped army. Why can't I take its place?"

He raised his hand and pointed south, as if declaring war on Liu Bei, or perhaps making a vow to himself:

"Liu Bei, just you wait. Before long, I will lead my iron cavalry to conquer Youzhou, sweep across the Central Plains, seize your empire, and establish a dynasty belonging to my Gongsun family!"

Gongsun Yuan, standing to the side, quickly chimed in…

Meanwhile, outside Pingchang City, on the west bank of the Yangshui River, the scene in the Wei army camp was quite different.

Outside the tent, the cold wind howled, and the world was desolate, but inside the tent, the fire in the stove was blazing, and a pot of strong liquor was bubbling away.

Xiao He sat by the stove, holding a pot in one hand and a cup in the other, slowly brewing wine. His expression was indifferent, as if the cold outside the tent and the standoff in battle had nothing to do with him.

The generals around him all had furrowed brows, none of them were in the mood for drinking, their minds filled with doubts about the army's inaction.

Zhang Liao could no longer contain himself and bowed to offer his advice:

"Grand Marshal, our army has been stationed here for more than half a month, remaining motionless. Continuing to drag this out is not a good strategy."

"Our army is on a long march, with long supply lines and difficult transportation. If this stalemate continues, the food supply will inevitably run out sooner or later, and then the morale of the army will surely collapse!"

His words expressed the sentiments of all the generals, who nodded in agreement and all eyes were on Xiao He.

Xiao He ignored Zhang Liao's words, continuing to boil wine with his head down, his fingertips lightly pinching the wine cup. He closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then opened them and muttered to himself:

"Yes, the time has come, tonight."

The generals were all taken aback and were about to step forward to inquire about the details when a sudden gust of wind arose outside the tent, followed by a fierce snowstorm. (End of Chapter)