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

Chapter 86 The three of us can’t defeat Xiao He alone? Zhou Yu exclaimed: How is this possible!?
Downstream of Xiakou, Fankou Fortress.

Zhou Yu had already stood on his horse, holding his sword, and was stationed on the pier.

Last year, the Jiangdong army invaded Jiangxia. After beheading Huang Zu and slaughtering the people at Xiakou, they abducted the people and took them away.

Because he was afraid of a full-scale war with Liu Biao, Sun Quan did not occupy the entire Jiangxia County, but he did not spit out all the bones he had eaten, and still occupied the eastern counties of Jiangxia County.

Fankou is the westernmost city in Jiangxia County occupied by Sun Quan.

"Commander-in-Chief, our merchant ship has been camouflaged. Please give us your instructions."

Lu Meng, who had taken off his armor and changed into casual clothes, stepped forward to ask for orders.

Zhou Yu looked around and saw more than ten merchant ships ready to set sail. Hundreds of elite soldiers were hiding in the cargo holds. The soldiers on the deck had changed into their regular uniforms, and the flag of a Jiangdong merchant company was raised at the bow.

Baiding represents ordinary people who do not hold official positions, and the so-called white clothes are casual clothes.

"Ziming, whether I can quickly capture Xiakou depends entirely on you."

"If you win this battle, you will be the most meritorious minister in helping our lord capture Xiakou and even Jingzhou!"

"Ziming, please."

Zhou Yu was encouraged and bowed slightly with expectation on his face.

Lu Meng's blood was boiling, but he quickly crouched lower.

"This bow from the commander-in-chief is truly humiliating to Lü Meng. I cannot bear it at all."

Lu Meng was flattered at first, and then expressed his feelings:
"Don't worry, Commander-in-Chief. I will definitely remove all the beacon towers and clear all obstacles for your army!"

Zhou Yu was very satisfied with Lu Meng's statement and said, "Go!"

Lu Meng said goodbye and left, then boarded the merchant ship.

At the command, more than ten merchant ships sailed out of Fankou Pass and went up the river to the west.

Zhou Yu stood by the river and watched Lu Meng and his fleet sail away.

During this farewell, a thin mist gradually rose on the river surface, greatly obstructing the view.

Zhou Yu was overjoyed and laughed heartily:
"At such a critical moment, fog has appeared on the river. This is God's help. God is also giving Jingzhou to my lord!"

Zhou Yu immediately gave orders, ordering the main force of the navy downstream of Xisedu to advance westwards while taking advantage of the fog and come to join them.

To prevent being discovered by Jiangxia's spies, the Jiangdong navy sailed at night after leaving Chaisang, and hid in military crossings along the way during the day.

Zhou Yu had just arrived at Fankou in advance to see off Lu Meng. More than 10,000 main naval forces were still in Xisedu, 15 miles downstream, waiting to advance westward after dark.

There is fog on the river now, which greatly obstructs the vision. The navy warships naturally do not have to wait until dark, and can set off now under the cover of the fog.

Moreover, there was fog as cover on the way to Xiakou, so the chance of the fleet being exposed was naturally greatly reduced.

This was a sign of divine help. How could Zhou Yu not feel a surge of confidence and be overjoyed?

Lu Su on the side frowned deeply, staring towards the direction of Jingzhou. Not only was he unhappy, but his face was also solemn.

"Zijing, it's foggy now. Even God is helping us. You should be happy. Why do you look so worried?"

Zhou Yu glanced at Lu Su and saw that he was worried.

After Lu Su hesitated for a long time, he could not help but say:

"Gongjin, since we are close friends, I might as well tell you something from my heart."

"Honestly, I still think that the best strategy is to ally with Liu and fight against Cao."

"If we succeed in our surprise attack on Xiakou, and then destroy the Three Lius and annex Jingzhou, it means that we will have to rely on our own strength to resist Cao Cao in the future."

"Do we really have that ability?"

Lu Su expressed his concerns.

The core meaning is still to regard Cao Cao as the biggest threat to Jiangdong.

After hearing this, Zhou Yu burst into laughter.

There was a hint of sarcasm in that laughter, but it also revealed a fierce confidence.

Lu Su was stunned and looked at Zhou Yu blankly, wondering why he was laughing so loudly.

"I remember the strategy you, Zijing, presented to the lord. It was to take Jingzhou in the west, completely control the Yangtze River, and then march north to conquer the Central Plains and achieve imperial power!"

"The opportunity to seize Jingzhou is right before our eyes, Zijing. Why are you so timid?"

Zhou Yu asked back with a sneer.

Lu Su was speechless.

Zhou Yu put away his sneer and continued to ask:

"Or do you, Zijing, lack confidence in the lord, our Jiangdong army, and Zhou Yu, and think we are inferior to Liu Bei?"

Lu Su's expression changed, and he hurriedly asked, "Why do you say that, Gongjin?"

A hint of pride flashed across Zhou Yu's face, and he pointed to the north:
"Liu Bei, holding only a small corner of Xiangyang, was able to defeat Cao Cao's army of 150,000 and force Cao Cao to flee."

"If we take Jingzhou, my lord will be able to control both Jingzhou and Yangzhou, dominating half of Jiangnan. Zijing, do you think we can't resist Cao Cao alone?"

"Zi Jing, do you really think we are so inferior to Liu Bei?"

Lu Su's forehead was covered with cold sweat. Faced with Zhou Yu's slightly displeased question, he didn't know how to respond for a moment.

"Snapped!"

Zhou Yu patted Lu Su's shoulder lightly and put on a smile that only friends would smile.

"Zi Jing, listen to my advice. Stop being so timid and fearful."

"Believe me, if that thief Cao dares to attack us, even if he brings an army of 100,000, I will defeat him with 100,000. Even if he brings an army of 1 million, I will defeat him with 1 million!"

"What I, Zhou Yu, want to do is not only to wipe out the Three Lius and take Jingzhou for my lord, but I will also go north to kill Cao and take over the Central Plains for my lord!"

"As long as I live, I will assist my lord and complete Bofu's unfinished work!"

Zhou Yu's face burned with almost wild confidence, and he expressed his grand ambitions in an unparalleled domineering manner.

Lu Su's heart was shocked, as if he was infected by Zhou Yu's innate self-confidence, and the worries in his heart were mostly dispelled in an instant.

Zhou Yu's bold words were indeed "arrogant".

But if these words came from someone else, he would definitely be dismissive and laugh at the person for overestimating his own abilities.

But these arrogant words came from the mouth of the handsome Zhou Lang from Jiangdong!
Looking around the world, who knows Zhou Yu's military talents, wisdom and strategies better than him?

To Lu Su at this moment, there was naturally no sense of incongruity, and he even felt that it was natural.

"Gongjin's wisdom and strategy are comparable to Zhang Liang's, and his military tactics are like Han Xin's. With Gongjin in charge of Jiangdong, my lord may one day conquer the Central Plains and even the world."

"I do have too many concerns and am a little hesitant."

After Lu Su's self-deprecating sigh, his frown gradually relaxed, as if he had suddenly figured something out.

Seeing that Lu Su's concerns were finally dispelled, Zhou Yu smiled heroically and pulled Lu Su back to the tent, where he drank some wine while waiting for the navy from downstream to arrive.

After several rounds of drinking, Lu Su put down his glass again.

"With Gongjin personally commanding the army, and with Lü Ziming's plan to cross the river in white clothes, and with our army's internal support within Xiakou City, it seems a surprise attack on Xiakou is a piece of cake."

"But once Liu Bei hears the news, he will definitely lead his army south to fight for Huanxiakou."

"Guan Yu is an expert in naval warfare, and Xiao He is a master of cunning calculations. You also know Gongjin. We must not underestimate him."

Lu Su reminded again with a serious expression.

Zhou Yu played with his wine glass and smiled disapprovingly:
"Guan Yu, a northerner, is so proficient in water warfare. I am truly impressed."

"But the one he defeated, Yu Jin, was just a northerner, and a mediocre water warrior."

"Among all the generals in Jiangdong, any one of them is more capable of naval warfare than Guan Yu. He is nothing to worry about."

After commenting on Guan Yu, Zhou Yu's confidence faded a bit, and he changed the subject:
"As for this Xiao He, his wisdom and strategy are truly unfathomable. He is a serious threat to Jiangdong and should not be underestimated." "But Zijing, you don't have to be too afraid. Liu Bei has only a handful of skilled strategists. With our combined intelligence, plus Lü Ziming, how can we still be defeated by Xiao Bowen?"

Lu Su suddenly realized.

Xiao He was indeed powerful. He knew that with his own intelligence, he was no match for Xiao He.

But the only powerful advisers under Liu Bei were Zhuge Liang, Xiao He, and Xu Shu.

Zhuge Liang had to stay in Xiangyang and definitely couldn't leave.

If Liu Bei went north to capture Xinye, he would inevitably have to leave Xu Shu in the north temporarily to prevent Cao Cao from making a surprise attack.

Then when he comes to capture Xiakou one day, Xiao He will be the only one by his side to give him advice.

Zhou Yu is so wise, and with his assistance, and Lu Meng, the "cunning" newcomer, is it really true that the combined strength of the three of them cannot defeat Xiao He?
They are too lame...

The last trace of cloud in Lu Su's eyes finally dissipated at this moment.

He raised his head and drank the wine in the cup, and Lu Su's face was burning with the same confidence as Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu also raised his head and drank the whole cup.

The two looked at each other and laughed.

...

As the setting sun was setting, 10,000 Jiangdong navy troops, with more than 200 large and small warships, took advantage of the river fog to reach the Fankou line.

Zhou Yu and Lu Su boarded the ship, and the army continued westward, heading straight for Xiakou.

Along the way, all the beacon towers on the north bank of the Yangtze River were removed by Lu Meng.

The Jiangdong navy had unimpeded access and sailed upstream all night, finally arriving at the Xiakou River area at dawn.

At this time, the fog had gradually dissipated, and with the early morning light, the outline of Xiakou City could be vaguely seen.

Lu Meng, who had been waiting ahead, put on his armor and boarded the flagship to meet them.

"Reporting to the Governor, I have lived up to your expectations and have removed all the beacon towers along the river."

"Liu's army should be completely unaware. I beg the Commander-in-Chief to issue an order for our army to immediately assault their water camp ferry and land and attack the city!"

Lu Meng boarded the ship and reported with a proud bow.

Zhou Yu laughed and patted Lu Meng's shoulder:

"Ziming, your plan of crossing the river in white clothes has indeed succeeded."

"After we capture Xiakou later, I will immediately write a letter to Moling and personally ask the lord for your contribution!"

A hint of joy flashed across Lu Meng's lips, and he hurriedly thanked Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu drew his sword, pointed toward the north bank, and shouted proudly:

"Order the entire army to attack immediately and kill us at the ferry crossing on the north bank!"

The order was passed down.

More than two hundred warships, with full sails and oars, marched towards the ferry south of Xiakou City.

At this moment, the sun has risen, and the morning light pierces the mist, and the scene at the ferry head is clearly visible.

The soldiers of Liu's army were on duty when suddenly the Jiangdong navy descended from the sky and the place was thrown into chaos in an instant.

The alarm gong rang loudly, and the Liu army, caught off guard, fled in panic like a frightened bird.

The Jiangdong army encountered almost no resistance and rushed into the ferry very smoothly.

Generals Pan Zhang, Jiang Qin, Dong Xi and others, each leading their own troops, jumped off the warships and rushed to the water camp.

Zhou Yu's flagship was the first to rush to the north bank.

Zhou Yu jumped on his horse, drew his sword, and was about to disembark from the boat and go ashore himself.

"Gongjin, you are the leader of the three armies. How can you act rashly? Why not wait until the main force has landed and cleared out the enemy in the water camp before going ashore?"

Lu Su grabbed Zhou Yu and dissuaded him on the grounds of safety.

Zhou Yu pushed Lu Su away, holding his sword proudly, he said:
"The enemy was caught off guard and has fled in all directions. The water camp is no longer a threat!"

"As the commander-in-chief, how can I inspire morale if I don't personally lead the troops ashore?"

Lu Su was speechless.

Zhou Yu then dismounted from the boat and rode towards the heart of the water camp.

Lu Su was in charge of guarding the warship and could not follow him down the ship. He could only shout at Lu Meng:
"Ziming, quickly follow the governor and make sure he is well protected!"

Without his reminder, Lu Meng immediately jumped on his horse and followed Zhou Yu ashore.

Thousands of vanguard troops landed and rushed into the heart of the water camp like tigers and wolves.

Zhou Yu rode his horse at full speed, passed most of the soldiers, and gradually rushed to the front.

After running for less than twenty steps, Zhou Yu suddenly realized that something was wrong and slowed down his horse.

So smooth and so quiet!

Even if the beacon tower was removed and they caught the defenders off guard, there were at least a thousand troops stationed in the water camp south of the city.

No matter how panicked they were, they should have put up some resistance, at least they should have fired a few waves of arrows.

However, the soldiers on duty fled in panic without firing a single arrow. Since landing, there has been no trace of Liu's army.

Besides, apart from the shouts of their own army, not a single scream from the enemy could be heard in the camp.

If things are abnormal, there must be something wrong!
"Ziming, do you feel that something is amiss in the situation? The capture of the water camp was too smooth."

Zhou Yu called out to Lu Meng, with suspicion already growing between his brows.

The subtext is, of course, the worry about whether it is a fraud.

Lu Meng glanced around, his eyes also showing alertness, and said:
"The enemy's resistance is indeed weaker than we imagined. However, I have already removed all the beacon towers, and not a single one can be lit in time to warn the direction of Xiakou."

"It stands to reason that Liu Qi and Wei Yan wouldn't have been warned in advance and wouldn't have been prepared."

Lu Meng's subtext was, I have removed the beacon tower, and since Wei Yan and the others did not issue any warning, how could they possibly cheat?

The doubt in Zhou Yu's eyes faded a little, and he looked up in the direction of Xiakou, just about to speak.

"Commander-in-Chief, look!"

Jiang Qin's voice was heard from the front.

Zhou Yu temporarily suppressed his suspicion and galloped forward on his horse.

Following Jiang Qin's direction, he saw a letter nailed to the flagpole of the large flag with the word "Liu" on it, with five large characters engraved below:

A letter from the handsome Zhou Lang himself!
Seeing this, Zhou Yu's heart skipped a beat, and an extremely ominous premonition instantly spread throughout his body.

Zhou Yu suppressed his uneasiness and winked at those around him.

Jiang Qin took the letter and presented it to Zhou Yu.

The soldiers on both sides all looked confused.

They all couldn't understand why these five words were engraved on the flagpole. It seemed that they expected their Governor Zhou to come.

What would be written in that letter?
Only Lu Meng's face was pale, with a layer of cold sweat on his forehead. He held the big knife tightly in his hand, his nerves were stretched to the extreme, and he looked at Zhou Yu with an uneasy look.

Zhou Yu's hands were shaking slightly, his heart was pounding, he opened the envelope, and a piece of silk book unfolded before his eyes.

Just take a look.

Zhou Yu's eyes suddenly widened, his expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed:
"How can this be!?"

(End of this chapter)