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

Gan Ning stepped forward, sword in hand, and bowed:

"This humble general is willing to lead the troops there and will certainly not fail the Grand Marshal's mission!"

After saying this, he knelt on one knee and volunteered.

Xiao He sat upright in the main seat, nodded slightly, and said in a deep voice:
"Alright, Xingba, you lead three thousand soldiers to cut off the water supply outside Huyang City!"

After speaking, he looked up at Deng Ai:

"Tomorrow morning, the two of you will split into two groups and must take Huyang before the enemy reinforcements arrive!"

"Here!"

Gan Ning and Deng Ai responded in unison, and both bowed to receive the order.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking and the thin mist had not yet dissipated, the expedition team was already lined up in front of the East Gate.

Xiao He personally saw them off.

Deng Ai cupped his hands to Xiao He and said with a sigh:

"The Grand Marshal awaits good news here. Within three days, Ai will send back the news of the first victory at Huyang."

Xiao He nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the fully equipped and ready soldiers, and said loudly:

"I, the commander, and the soldiers of Dongguan will wait here for your triumphant return. Remember, act within your capabilities and take care of yourselves."

"Thank you, Grand Marshal!"

The two bowed again and mounted their horses.

With a command given, the army slowly drove out of the East Gate and headed towards Huyang.

Two hours later, the group reached a fork in the road.

Gan Ning reined in his horse, turned around, exchanged a glance with Deng Ai, and without saying a word, each led their troops to their respective destinations.

Gan Ning headed upstream by waterway, while Deng Ai led his army straight to the outskirts of Huyang City. The division of labor was clear, and each performed their duties.

...

The next day, Deng Ai's troops arrived three miles outside Huyang City ahead of them.

He raised his hand to signal the troops to stop, dismounted, and said in a deep voice:

"Send three scouts to investigate the troop deployment and city wall defenses. The rest of the soldiers should rest on the spot, cook their own meals, and conserve their energy."

He paused, then looked at his adjutant beside him and added:

"Launch the attack precisely at Shenshi (3-5 PM), but remember not to be hasty."

"Here!"

Once the order was given, the soldiers began to set up camp.

The camp was established.

Deng Ai entered the main camp and had barely sat down when scouts began to report back.

The gates of Huyang City were tightly closed, the city walls were high, and the garrison on the city was heavily guarded, making it extremely difficult to breach the city by force.

Deng Ai stroked his beard in deep thought, his expression calm.

The primary mission of this expedition was to distract the enemy and provide cover for Gan Ning's water supply operation, rather than to rush into capturing the city.

After the scouts had finished reporting, Deng Ai waved his hand:

"Quickly reorganize the army and issue the order that once the hour of Shen (3-5 PM) arrives, only conduct probing attacks, do not linger in battle, and be sure to minimize casualties."

"Here."

The generals responded in unison, bowed, and withdrew to count their troops.

It was already late afternoon.

Deng Ai, clad in silver armor, stood before the camp gate, his gaze sweeping over the entire army lined up, and proclaimed in a loud voice:
"The Grand Marshal has already devised a brilliant plan. From today onwards, we only need to keep the Huyang garrison firmly occupied. Once General Gan has achieved his objective, we can then launch a joint offensive!"

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly serious:
"So everyone remember, in battle, stop when the point is reached, do not be greedy for merit or advance rashly, and be sure to protect yourselves, do you all understand?"

"Understood!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, their voices booming.

"set off!"

Deng Ai mounted his horse, brandished his longsword, and charged out of the camp first.

The army followed closely behind, their hooves thundering as they galloped toward the walls of Huyang City.

Before long, the group arrived at the foot of Huyang City. The soldiers guarding the city walls had already noticed the movement and were drawing their bows and arrows, ready for battle.

Deng Aile reined in his horse and gave his adjutant a wink:
"Go to the city gate and shout to persuade the enemy to surrender, so as to reduce our casualties."

The lieutenant accepted the order, spurred his horse to a point an arrow's throw from the city wall, and announced loudly:
"Listen up, garrison troops of Huyang City! The East Gate has been captured by our army. You are now trapped like turtles in a jar. Quickly open the city gates and surrender, and we will spare your lives. If you insist on resisting, you will surely die once our army breaches the city!"

Before he could finish speaking, a cold arrow shot out with a "whoosh," grazing past the lieutenant's ear and embedding itself firmly in the ground in front of him.

A furious shout rang out from the city wall, its tone resolute:
"Enough with the talk! The Han traitors have seized our city and harmed our people. We have no choice but to fight to the death, we will never live a life of dishonor!"

"If you want war, then let's fight! We'll fight to the bitter end!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers on the city wall drew their bows and aimed their arrows at the deputy general below.

The deputy general remembered Deng Ai's instructions and, not wanting to get entangled further, reined in his horse, turned around, and quickly returned to Deng Ai's side to report.

Deng Ai gazed at the city wall and said in a deep voice:

"In that case, the entire army, obey my command!"

Upon receiving the order, the Han soldiers instantly stood at attention, all entering a state of combat readiness, their eyes fixed on the walls of Huyang City ahead.

"Prepare the catapult!"

Deng Ai drew his sword and pointed it at the city wall.

Twenty catapults were quickly pushed to the front of the battle line. The soldiers performed their duties, the winches were taut, and the boulders fell onto the catapult arms.

"Archers prepare!"

The archers on both flanks stepped forward, their bows drawn to full length, their eyes fixed on the enemy troops atop the city wall, awaiting their command.

"First round of shots, get ready!"

"Fire the catapults!"

At a command, twenty millstone-sized boulders, accompanied by howling winds, crashed down on the walls of Huyang City.

Several loud "booms" were heard, and smoke and dust filled the city wall, with stones flying everywhere. In an instant, several large craters of varying depths were smashed out.

The defenders on the city wall had no time to dodge; some were hit by boulders, while others were grazed by rubble. Their shrill screams mingled with the sounds of the wall collapsing.

"Archer, let go!"

Deng Ai then gave another order.

A barrage of arrows rained down on the city walls like dark clouds pressing down on the city.

Another series of screams erupted from the city wall as the defenders fell to the ground, riddled with arrows, while those who were not hit hurriedly ducked to avoid them.

"Assault team, prepare!"

The shield bearers in the front row quickly moved closer, their thick shields stacked one on top of the other, forming an impenetrable iron wall that firmly protected the attacking soldiers behind them.

Soldiers behind the wall, holding ladders, were poised to attack.

"The siege force is advancing! Archers continue to provide cover fire, and catapults are launching another attack to suppress the city walls!"

Deng Ai issued a series of instructions.

The siege team, with steady steps, slowly approached the city wall under the cover of the shield wall.

The catapults at the front of the battle line launched another attack, hurling boulders at the city walls one after another. The already riddled walls became even more dilapidated, with rubble constantly rolling down.

The archers took turns firing arrows, creating a dense rain of arrows that caused the defenders on the city walls to suffer increasing casualties, making it difficult for them to even raise their heads to fight back.

A moment later, the defenders on the Huyang city wall finally regained their footing, drew their bows and nocked arrows, and unleashed a volley of arrows at the attacking force.

However, the Han army's shield soldiers were in front, and the iron wall was impenetrable. Arrows that hit the shields either bounced off or broke, and were all blocked, failing to harm the attacking team in the slightest.

Seeing that the arrows were ineffective, the defenders hurriedly set up several large crossbows and aimed them at the attacking force below the city.

The giant crossbow bolts, as thick as arms, hurtled through the air, each capable of piercing through gaps in the shield wall or pinning shield bearers to the ground, causing considerable casualties to the siege force. Deng Ai's gaze sharpened, and he gave a stern order:

"Catapults, aim at the giant crossbows on the city wall, and bombard them with full force!"

Twenty catapults quickly adjusted their angles, and the boulders soared into the air once more, accurately striking the giant crossbow on the city wall.

Another deafening roar followed as the giant crossbows were struck by boulders, shattering or overturning, leaving the city walls riddled with holes and drastically reducing the defenders' counterattack power.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the attacking team reached the foot of the city wall. The soldiers quickly put ladders on the broken city wall and climbed up using their hands and feet.

The soldiers followed closely behind, climbing the ladders and launching an attack on the city walls.

Upon seeing this, the defenders on the city wall hurriedly picked up logs and rolling stones and hurled them down on the Han soldiers on the ladders.

Other soldiers, armed with long swords, slashed at the ladder in an attempt to destroy it.

But the Han army's offensive was fierce. As one group fell, another group of soldiers took their place, and more and more siege ladders were erected, densely packed on the city wall.

Despite the defenders' desperate resistance and their use of the terrain to their advantage, the Han army was unable to scale the city walls for the time being.

The two sides were locked in a stalemate. The Han soldiers on the ladders and the defenders on the city walls fought fiercely, and casualties continued to rise, but there was still a steady stream of Han soldiers climbing the city walls.

The back-and-forth of attack and defense continued, and an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

The walls of Huyang City are riddled with holes, the walls are mottled, and rubble is piled up at the foot of the city.

Deng Ai's original intention was to contain the enemy, and seeing this, he was unwilling to expend too much of his troops. Although the Han army's offensive was fierce, he always controlled the pace and kept casualties under control.

"Sound the retreat! Withdraw the troops!"

Seeing that the time was right, Deng Ai raised his hand to signal, and the order was given.

The sound of metal clashing pierced the battlefield, and the soldiers attacking the city at the front quickly retreated, returning to the Han army's ranks in an instant.

Upon seeing this, the soldiers on the city wall suddenly relaxed, slumped down on the city wall, and gasped for breath.

"Quickly! Take advantage of the Han army's withdrawal to immediately repair the city walls and strengthen the defenses!"

From the top of the city wall, shouts of commands rang out.

After the Han army returned to camp, Deng Ai issued an order to the entire army:

"You all fought bravely today. Now return to your camps to rest. Tonight, we will hold a banquet to reward the entire army!"

...

As night fell, the Han army camp was brightly lit, filled with the aroma of wine and meat. Soldiers toasted each other, their laughter and chatter sweeping away the fatigue of the day's battle.

Inside Huyang City, however, everything was bustling with activity. By the dim light of lamps, the garrison was moving bricks and stones, racing against time to repair the damaged city walls, not daring to stop for even a moment.

To prevent a surprise attack by the Han army at night, the garrison specially dispatched several scouts to investigate the area around the Han army camp.

The defenders breathed a sigh of relief when the scouts reported that "the Han army showed no signs of a night attack and was resting in their camp."

The next morning, just as dawn broke, the Han army had eaten their fill.

Deng Ai stood in front of the camp, his gaze fixed on Huyang City not far away, secretly making plans.

Based on the itinerary, Gan Ning should have already led his troops upstream by now, and the plan to cut off the water supply should be successful...

Upstream of Huyang.

Gan Ning has indeed arrived as scheduled.

Gan Ning reined in his horse and stopped on the high ground by the riverbank. His gaze swept over his soldiers, and he said in a deep voice:

"Let's set up camp here, rest for half a day, and recharge our energy before we talk about it again."

Once the military order was given, the soldiers, though exhausted, still moved swiftly and quickly dispersed to set up camp, gather firewood, build tents, and store grain, each performing their duties without any slackening.

Gan Ning stood alone by the river, watching the surging river flow eastward, pondering the details of blocking the underground river.

Before nightfall, a camp was set up on the riverbank, with wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys.

Gan Ning assigned sentries and instructed them to be on high alert, paying close attention to any activity on the river and in the surrounding area. The rest of the troops then returned to their tents to rest, and the camp quickly fell into tranquility.

Before long, it was noon, and the sun was high in the sky.

Gan Ning summoned all his generals and soldiers and gave the following order:
"Send three scout teams to quickly investigate the entrance to the underground river upstream of Huyang City, and be careful not to alert the enemy."

"The rest of you follow me to search for boulders, dead trees, and rammed earth, the more the better, to block the underground river."

Everyone took the order and left.

As a strategically important military location, Huyang City relied entirely on an underground river dug from the Yangtze River for its water supply. The river water was brought underground into the city, and because of its high elevation, the garrison specially dug a cave underground to store water for the use of the entire city.

The core of Gan Ning's mission was to block this underground river and cut off Huyang City's water supply.

He knew that Huyang was a strategic pass with a large garrison. If the water supply was cut off, chaos would break out in the city. At that time, in conjunction with Deng Ai's offensive, the city could be easily captured.

An hour later, the scout rode back, dismounted, and reported to Gan Ning:
"Reporting to the general, the entrance to the underground river has been confirmed. It is hidden beneath a cliff on a small hill upstream."

Gan Ning was greatly encouraged. He immediately ordered all his troops to be assembled, loaded all the collected dry wood and rammed earth into carts, and personally led his army to speed towards the entrance of the underground river.

The mountain road was rugged, and the team hurried along, gagged, not daring to delay even for a moment.

Half an hour later, the team arrived at their destination.

Upon seeing this, the scouts who had been waiting there hurriedly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Meet the general."

"Is the location of the underground river truly confirmed?"

Gan Ning's gaze was sharp as he asked in a deep voice.

"Reporting to the general, I have repeatedly investigated and the exact location is certain. I will take you there immediately."

After the scout finished speaking, he led the team toward the hill by the river, through the dense forest, and soon reached the edge of the cliff.

"General, this is the entrance to the underground river."

The scout pointed down the cliff and reported.

Gan Ning looked down and saw a large, dark hole carved out below the steep cliff. The entrance was hidden by vines and rocks, and would be difficult for an ordinary person to find without the guidance of a scout.

"This place is secluded and located near a cliff, so it's not easy to find."

He stared at the cave entrance for a moment, then gave the order:
"Someone, throw all the prepared blocking materials down there and see if you can block the hole."

Upon hearing the sound, the soldiers sprang into action, lifting dry logs and ramming earth, and throwing them toward the cave entrance below the cliff.

Unfortunately, the cave entrance was hidden and deep, and it was difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion below. Even after all the obstruction materials were thrown down, there was still no sign that the cave entrance was blocked.

Gan Ning frowned and immediately changed his order:
"Everyone prepare to dig into the mountain, chisel down from the top of the cliff, all the way to the cave entrance, and seal it completely with earth and rocks!"

The soldiers quickly divided into three groups, each with its own specific duties.

One group used hand tools to dig through the soil and rock, another group was responsible for bagging the soil and rocks, and yet another group transported the soil and rocks to the edge of the cliff to wait for orders.

Dusk fell in the blink of an eye, and the excavation was progressing slowly, with a considerable distance still remaining before reaching the opening below.

Gan Ning stood on the edge of the cliff, his brows furrowed.

Every moment of delay would mean more casualties for Deng Ai's troops, and the pressure of holding back the enemy would become even greater.

"General, I have a plan that may speed things up."

Just then, the deputy general beside him stepped forward and said.

Gan Ning's eyes lit up, and he immediately said in a deep voice:
"Alright, you'll be in charge!"

The lieutenant, having received the order, immediately relayed it loudly:
"Everyone, listen up! Immediately set up catapults and bombard the ground behind the cliff with boulders. Use the force of the boulders to collapse the cliff and seal the cave entrance!"

Upon receiving the order, the soldiers dared not delay and quickly split up to move the catapults to an open area on the mountaintop.

Before long, several catapults were set up, and the angles were adjusted before the millstone-sized boulders were hoisted onto the launching arms.

"put!"

With the deputy general's order, the catapult roared into action, sending a massive boulder hurtling towards the ground behind the cliff.

Gan Ning looked closely and saw that the cliff floor had cracked open in several places. Overjoyed, he shouted:

"Keep bombarding, don't stop!"

The soldiers' morale soared, and the catapults unleashed their power, continuously hurling boulders at the designated location. The cracks along the cliff edge widened, and the mountain began to sway slightly.

This process was repeated several times, until a deafening roar was heard, and the entire cliff collapsed. (End of Chapter)