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

Ma Su and Fei Yi on the city wall could see all of this clearly.

The two men stood with their hands behind their backs, their gazes sweeping across the city's streets and alleys, taking in the harassment by the private army and the panic of the Liao army.

Especially when they saw the Liao soldiers being mercilessly slaughtered by private soldiers in the alleys and side streets beside the main road, their armor being stripped off, the two couldn't help but smile at each other, their eyes revealing approval.

This move by the private army not only enhanced its own combat capabilities but also further dampened the morale of the Liao army, achieving two goals at once.

They also clearly saw that the Liao army, which had originally been patrolling extensively within the city, gradually became timid and hesitant due to the frequent harassment by private troops. The search area was also shrinking little by little, and they were cautious with every step they took, fearing a surprise attack by the private troops.

When Song Qi and Su Pi, who were below the city, heard the news and saw the disheveled state of their soldiers, their faces turned ashen. They were both anxious and angry, but for a moment they did not know how to deal with it.

Private armies are like a persistent ailment, impossible to hit or capture, yet they constantly drain the Liao army's strength and morale.

The two men gritted their teeth, a ruthless glint in their eyes, and gave the order in a deep voice:
"Immediately dispatch 10,000 soldiers from the rear, divided into teams of 100, to conduct a thorough search of the streets and alleys. Make sure to kill every single one of these flea-like private troops!"

After the order was given, the Liao soldiers in the rear did not dare to delay at all. They immediately assembled and formed teams of one hundred men each, armed with swords, and ran at full speed toward the streets of the city.

In an instant, the situation in the city reversed again, and the private army was once again in crisis.

The addition of 10,000 Liao soldiers increased the pressure on the already scattered private armies, and the patrolling Liao troops were densely packed, completely blocking the streets and alleys.

If the private army were to retreat even slightly slower, they would be surrounded by Liao army squads, finding themselves in a desperate situation with enemies on both sides and having no chance of breaking out.

Faced with the Liao army's rigorous search and overwhelming numbers, the private army's harassment and offensives gradually weakened.
Ma Su and Fei Yi stood on the city wall, the slight smiles on their faces vanishing in an instant, replaced by a deep worry that quickly settled between their brows.

as predicted.

In a short time, the private army, which had been barely holding on, was completely suppressed by the Liao army's offensive, and its formation gradually fell apart.

Initially, the private army's usual free-fighting tactics were quite effective, and they managed to maneuver around the enemy with their flexible maneuvers. However, as the Liao army continuously deployed troops, the disparity in numbers became increasingly apparent, and the private army quickly found itself in a dilemma.

Realizing the situation was turning against them, the private army soldiers felt a sense of foreboding. After quickly analyzing the battlefield situation, they immediately decided to retreat.

This retreat instantly shattered the advantage that had been barely maintained, and the private army was once again put on the defensive, forced to retreat in disarray. The situation completely turned in favor of the Liao army.

On the city wall, Ma Su and Fei Yi frowned, their fingertips unconsciously stroking the wall as they whispered among themselves, racking their brains for a way to break the deadlock.

Although the Han army is currently able to stabilize its defenses with the city's defenses, the Liao army's strength is several times that of the Han army, which was already under great pressure. Now that the Han army has lost its advantage, the defensive pressure on the Han army is increasing day by day, and the danger of the city falling is imminent.

Just as the two were at their wits' end and had not yet come up with a solution, the Liao soldiers outside the city suddenly made a move.

The Liao troops, who were originally stationed behind the north and south city gates, suddenly changed direction and moved quickly toward the east and west city gates. Their formation changed strangely, unlike a normal retreat.

Seeing this, Deng Ai and the others below the city were full of doubt, unable to figure out the Liao army's intentions.

The Liao soldiers, unaware of the situation, saw the army moving and mistakenly believed the battle was over. They stopped fighting and cheered loudly.

Only the Liao generals, with solemn expressions and furrowed brows, stood still, deep in thought, realizing that the matter was far more complex than it appeared.

Fei Yi, standing on the city wall, had sharp eyes. Seeing that the Liao army was moving to both sides and had not truly retreated, alarm bells immediately rang in his mind, and he quickly realized that something was amiss.

He dared not delay for a moment and immediately issued a loud order for the Han soldiers outside the city to withdraw back into the city. At the same time, he adjusted the deployment, quickly changing the original defensive formation to an offensive posture, determined to take advantage of the chaos to defeat the Liao army led by Su Pi.

Although Zhang Liao and Guan Suo were puzzled as to why they had to retreat back into the city at this time, military orders were absolute, and the two dared not hesitate for a moment. They immediately summoned their Han soldiers and strictly followed Fei Yi's orders.

At the same time, Fei Yi gave another order, commanding his soldiers to quickly close the four city gates, cutting off the Liao army's channels for communication between the inside and outside.

After the city gates were closed, Fei Yi went down from the city wall and personally directed the Han army to prepare for a surprise attack on the Liao army inside the city.

Before long, Zhang Liao and Guan Suo arrived at Fei Yi's side, their faces filled with undisguised doubt, and they couldn't help but ask:
"Sir, what happened? Why was there a sudden order to retreat back into the city? The Liao troops outside the city have clearly already dispersed."

Fei Yi looked anxious and said hurriedly:
"You've misjudged! The Liao army outside the city hasn't retreated; instead, they've split up and are trying to flank through the east and west gates to enter the city and support Su Pi!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao and Guan Suo's expressions changed drastically. Their doubts vanished instantly, replaced by a sense of dread. The two whispered in unison:

"No wonder the Liao army outside the city suddenly disappeared; so that's what they were up to!"

Without delay, Zhang Liao and Guan Suo immediately accepted the order and led their Han soldiers towards the Liao army under Su Pi, determined to strike first.

At this time, Su Pi was trapped inside the city and unaware of the movements of the Liao army outside the city.

Seeing the Han army suddenly retreat back into the city and tightly close the city gates, his heart skipped a beat. He sensed something was wrong and subconsciously thought that the Liao army outside the city had been completely killed by the Han army. The pressure in his heart increased instantly.

But Su Pi knew that his mission was to raze Fangcheng to the ground. No matter what the situation was like outside the city, no matter how unfavorable it was, he could not back down.

Suppressing his panic, Su Pi gripped his weapon tightly and shouted loudly to his Liao soldiers:

"Brothers of the Liao army! The city gates are closed, and we have no way to retreat. The only way to survive is to kill all the Han soldiers in the city and raze Fangcheng to the ground! Charge!"

As the shouts subsided, Su Pi charged forward first, and his Liao soldiers, knowing there was no way to retreat, their eyes bloodshot, followed him frantically, charging towards the Han army.

The Liao army's sudden and fierce offensive swept in like a tidal wave. The Han soldiers were caught off guard and were forced back several steps, their formation nearly collapsing.

After a brief period of panic, the Han soldiers quickly regained their composure, gritted their teeth, gripped their weapons tightly, and did their utmost to stabilize the defensive line, engaging in a desperate struggle against the Liao army.

Swords clashed and battle cries echoed across the city walls. The fighting between the two armies grew increasingly fierce, with corpses strewn everywhere and blood staining the streets and alleys. Every inch of the land was steeped in the brutality of the battle.

Zhang Liao and Guan Suo struggled through the chaotic army, their eyes searching for Su Pi's figure, and finally locked onto their target again in the crowd.

The two immediately spurred their horses forward and engaged Su Pi in battle.

The crisp sounds of weapons clashing were incessant. After only a few rounds, Su Pi realized he was outmatched and dared not linger in the fight. He turned his horse around and fled in panic.

Zhang Liao and Guan Suo would not let him go easily. They followed closely behind and searched again. Before long, they caught up with him again, brandishing their weapons and heading straight for Su Pi.

Seeing the two relentlessly pursuing him with fierce attacks, Su Pi's face instantly darkened, and his expression grew increasingly grim.

He knew in his heart that if it were a one-on-one fight, he would have no fear, but now he was fighting two against one, and his chances of winning were slim.

Moreover, Zhang Liao had already killed two generals, demonstrating formidable combat prowess, and Su Pi had no confidence in killing the two of them. Therefore, facing the combined attack of Zhang Liao and Guan Suo, Su Pi never considered fighting to the death, but only wanted to escape as quickly as possible.

But now the two were already upon him, and there was no way to avoid them. He could only grit his teeth and thrust his spear at them, while shouting orders for the Liao soldiers behind him to immediately step forward and stop Zhang Liao and Guan Suo.

As soon as the command was given, the Liao soldiers behind them roared in unison, each one striving to be the first, and charged towards Zhang Liao and Guan Suo, trying to buy Su Pi a chance to escape.

The moment the three horses met, Su Pi, with his agile horsemanship, skillfully dodged the attack from the two, passing by them, and Zhang Liao and Guan Suo's attacks all missed.

Su Pi knew he was no match for the two men and dared not turn back to fight. Taking advantage of the moment when the horses crossed paths, he galloped at full speed and fled into the distance.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Liao and Guan Suo immediately spurred their horses and gave chase, relentlessly pursuing Su Pi.

Forced into a corner, Su Pi ran frantically around the city's perimeter while continuously directing Liao soldiers along the way to intercept the two.

For a time, the chase and fighting inside and outside the city intertwined, and the battle became a stalemate.

Just as the battle within the city was at a stalemate, the situation at the south gate also quietly changed.

Just like the situation at the North Gate, the Liao soldiers behind suddenly split into two groups, abandoned the frontal attack, and advanced at full speed toward the east and west gates of Fangcheng.

Ma Su, who was on the city wall, saw all of this, his brows furrowed, and he fell into deep thought.

He stared at the direction the Liao army was moving, and combined this with the battle situation inside the city. After a moment, a glint suddenly flashed in his eyes, and his expression instantly became excited, as if he had seen through the Liao army's conspiracy.

He immediately leaned forward and shouted loudly towards Deng Ai and Wei Yan, who were clearing out the Liao army outside the city:

"General Deng and General Wei, quickly lead your troops to wipe out the remaining Liao troops outside the city, return to the city immediately, and close the south gate. Do not delay!"

When Deng Ai and Wei Yan heard Ma Su's order, they were taken aback and wondered why he would suddenly withdraw his troops back to the city. However, they respected Ma Su's strategy and did not ask any questions. They immediately ordered the offensive to be intensified.

The morale of the Han soldiers under his command was greatly boosted, and they fought bravely against the enemy. Before long, they wiped out all the Liao soldiers who had not yet withdrawn from outside the city.

Seeing that the Liao army outside the city had been completely wiped out, Ma Su leaned forward again and shouted, his tone becoming increasingly urgent:

"There's no time to lose, get back to the city immediately and close the south gate!"

The Han soldiers outside the city dared not delay, and they put away their weapons and rushed into the city at full speed, fearing that they would miss their orders.

When the last Han soldier retreated back into the city, the soldiers guarding the city gate immediately worked together to close the gate. The heavy gate slowly fell, completely isolating everything outside the city.

At the same time, Ma Su quickly walked down from the city wall.

Seeing this, Deng Ai and Wei Yan quickly stepped forward, their faces full of doubt, and couldn't help but ask:
"Sir, why are you in such a hurry? Has something urgent happened?"

Ma Su spoke very quickly, giving the order:
"Immediately assemble all Han soldiers within the city and launch a full-scale attack. We must crush the Liao army within the city as soon as possible!"

These words made Deng Ai and Wei Yan even more puzzled. The two stood there, looking completely confused, and didn't know how to respond.

Seeing the two hesitate, Ma Su took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and slowly asked:
"You two both saw the Liao army splitting up and moving outside the city, didn't you?"

"Yes, we have already seen it."

Deng Ai and Wei Yan responded in unison, their eyes still filled with undiminished doubt.

"Do you know where they're headed?"

Ma Su glanced at the two men and asked the question that had been on his mind.

Upon hearing this, Deng Ai and Wei Yan lowered their heads in thought, their brows furrowed, unable to fathom the Liao army's true intentions for a moment.

After a moment's thought, Deng Ai and Wei Yan suddenly looked up, their faces full of surprise, their gazes both fixed on Ma Su:
"East and West City Gates!"

Ma Su nodded slowly and replied:
"Yes, they are heading to the east and west gates to meet up and then join forces to attack the city."

Upon receiving Ma Su's affirmative reply, the surprise on Deng Ai and Wei Yan's faces vanished instantly, replaced by solemn expressions.

"Therefore we must act swiftly and decisively,"

Ma Su stepped forward:
"If we wait for the Liao soldiers outside the city to join forces with those inside, the two forces will become intertwined, making it even more difficult for us to fight back. At that time, Fangcheng will surely fall."

Deng Ai and Wei Yan agreed with Ma Su's words and nodded in agreement.

The situation within the city is now clear:
With 20,000 Han troops facing 40,000 Liao troops, the Han army, despite being outnumbered by a factor of two, managed to hold its own thanks to its fighting strength and coordination.

However, once the Liao army outside the city arrives successfully and joins up with the garrison inside the city, the total number of Liao troops will increase dramatically, the gap in troop strength will widen further, and the situation will once again fall into a difficult situation. At that time, the Han army will be in a desperate situation of being attacked from both sides.

Only by seizing the current window of opportunity, before the Liao army outside the city arrives, and concentrating all efforts to kill the Liao army inside the city and defeat their main force, can the Han army have a chance to defend the city.

Having clearly understood the advantages and disadvantages, Deng Ai and Wei Yan no longer hesitated. They immediately mounted their horses, waved to summon their heavy cavalry, and galloped towards the Liao army under Song Qi.

When Song Qi saw Deng Ai and Wei Yan rushing towards him amidst the chaos of battle, he was immediately startled, and his expression tensed instantly.

He had already personally experienced Deng Ai's fighting prowess; the two were evenly matched, and it would be difficult to determine a winner even in a one-on-one fight.

Now that Deng Ai has the added strength of the valiant and skilled warrior Wei Yan by his side, if he were to fight two opponents at once, he would certainly be no match and would undoubtedly be defeated.

Song Qi's mind raced, and he made a decision in a moment. He immediately gave a loud order, sending a large number of Liao soldiers to the front of the battle to launch a fierce offensive in an attempt to stop Deng Ai and Wei Yan's advance.

At the same time, he reined in his horse and shouted to boost morale:
"Warriors of the Liao army, reinforcements from outside the city will arrive soon. As long as we hold off the Han army and wait for reinforcements, victory will surely be ours. Slaughter all the Han dogs and raze Fangcheng to the ground!"

Upon hearing Song Qi's shout, the Liao soldiers, who were originally somewhat exhausted, were instantly invigorated. Their eyes turned red, they gripped their weapons tightly, and charged towards the Han army, their shouts of battle deafening.

At the same time, the Han soldiers had already received orders to launch a full-scale attack. Deng Ai and Wei Yan reined in their horses and shouted:

"Brothers, this is a matter of life and death! To defend the city, and for your own lives, fight!" (End of Chapter)