The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

"Strange. Could it be that Xu Shu is not in Chengping?"

Xiahou Yuan gazed into the distance for a long time, filled with doubts and feeling increasingly frustrated. This time, the forceful attack seemed to have been like a heavy punch thrown into mud, completely useless.

Xu Huang became wary: "Perhaps Xu Shu anticipated our arrival and thus set up an empty city as bait. If we enter the city, we may be ambushed by his troops."

He then suggested, "General, since the city gates are open, why don't we stay outside the city for now and enter at dawn?"

Feeling betrayed, Xiahou Yuan was restless and unable to suppress his urge to enter the city. He gritted his teeth and said angrily, "Sikong Changxun said that when in doubt, one should investigate; when there is weakness, one should break it! I don't believe that Xu Shu's ambush can do anything to me. Quickly seize the city!"

After speaking, Xiahou Yuan spurred his horse and charged straight into the city; Xu Huang, fearing for Xiahou Yuan's safety, hurriedly followed.

However, after the two generals entered the city, the mystery deepened. The streets and alleys were deserted, like a ghost town, with no sounds of chickens crowing or dogs barking, as if the city had been deserted.

Just as they were wondering, a scout suddenly reported urgently: "General, there's something happening on the city wall!"

Xiahou Yuan and Xu Huang hurriedly climbed the city wall, where they saw a fallen banner bearing a note from Xu Shu: "Hearing of your arrival, General, I am deeply honored. I, Chengping, humbly offer you this courtesy; do not thank me. If you see firelight outside the city, it must be from the common people of Chengping; do not doubt it. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will test my skills against you, General, and decide our fate. Do not worry about it."

Upon seeing this bizarre message, Xiahou Yuan felt his blood rush to his head, and his anger could no longer be contained: "Xu Shu, you brat, how dare you bully me like this!"

Xiahou Yuan felt he had completely understood Xu Shu's plan: Xu Shu knew he was no match for Xiahou Yuan, so he dared not come to the rescue of Lecheng. Fearing that Lecheng might be lost, he used his domineering attitude to provoke Xiahou Yuan to come to Chengping. He also anticipated Xiahou Yuan's reaction and hid the soldiers and civilians outside the city in advance, leaving only an empty city as a feint, intending to make Xiahou Yuan suspicious and hesitant to enter the city, thus delaying the process for several more hours.

"Since it is an empty city, General, why don't you let the soldiers rest for a while and wait for the people to return to the city before asking them questions?"

Xu Huang was also enraged by the message on the flag. He could have rested and prepared for an attack in Lecheng, but because of Xu Shu's huge lie, he traveled dozens of miles overnight to Lecheng only to find that the other party had already fled.

Such frustration was agonizing even for someone as composed as Xu Huang.

Xiahou Yuan angrily threw the banner to the ground, while ordering his soldiers to light torches and patrol the city walls, and ordering his soldiers to put on their armor and rest on the ground.

Although he expected Xu Shu to have left, being in Liu Bei's territory, he couldn't guarantee that Xu Shu wouldn't make a comeback. Xu Huang deeply agreed with Xiahou Yuan's arrangement and volunteered to lead troops to patrol the city.

however.

Neither Xu Huang nor Xiahou Yuan expected that although Xu Shu had sent away the people and soldiers in the city, his main force had not gone far away. Instead, it was lying in ambush ten miles away from the city, waiting for Cao Chun and Zhang Liao's troops who came from Nanpi.

Before long, the ambush began!
With a burst of intense war drums, the ambushing troops surged out from both sides like a tidal wave!
The commanders, Cao Chun and Zhang Liao, were both brave and renowned generals in Cao Cao's camp, and they were not alarmed by the ambush.

Zhang Liao took the lead, wielding his short halberd, charging left and right as if entering an empty field, shouting fiercely: "How dare you, mere ambush soldiers, show off your abilities!"

With his short halberd flying, he charged left and right, unstoppable. Cao Chun led his Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to support him from the flank. Although Xu Shu had a large ambush force, they were no match for Cao Chun and Zhang Liao.

Cao Chun led his elite Tiger and Leopard Cavalry in a swift and coordinated attack from the flank.

Although Xu Shu had a large number of ambushes under his command, they were no match for the bravery of the two generals and the fierce attacks of their soldiers.

Seeing his own troops gradually crumbling, Xu Shu, who was bringing up the rear, feigned panic and shouted, "Retreat! Retreat quickly! Go back to Chengping and hold the line!"

He immediately turned his horse around and led his remaining troops in a hasty retreat toward Chengping City.

Seeing Xu Shu flee in such a sorry state, Cao Chun sneered, not suspecting any trickery, but instead feeling contempt: "Such cowardice, daring to set up an ambush? All soldiers, listen to my command, take Chengping immediately! Do not let Xu Shu escape!" Zhang Liao also charged forward bravely, shouting sharply in response: "Don't let that brat Xu Shu get away!"

The two generals concluded that Xu Shu's main force had collapsed, and Chengping would be vulnerable and easy to capture. So they led their troops in hot pursuit, determined to wipe them out in one fell swoop.

Seeing that Cao's troops were pursuing him closely, Xu Shu ordered his soldiers to abandon their banners and armor along the way, keeping only their weapons and traveling light to save their lives.

When Cao Cao's soldiers saw the abandoned banners and armor along the way, they rushed forward to grab them, which slowed down their march and caused them to fall behind Xu Shu's routed troops.

Inside Chengping City, Xiahou Yuan and Xu Huang had not yet rested.

Xu Huang was leading his troops on a patrol of the city when he suddenly heard a commotion outside the city. He climbed the city wall and looked out, and saw flames rising up. He suspected that the soldiers and civilians were returning.

Just as they were about to send someone to inquire, they suddenly saw the crowd walking around the city.

Then, a group of men approached, shouting battle cries!

The night was as dark as ink, making it impossible to discern the banners. Xu Huang dared not be careless and hurriedly summoned Xiahou Yuan.

Seeing this, Xiahou Yuan's anger reignited: "Xu Shu is arrogant! How dare he leave and return? Does he think my Cao army has no one to rely on? Gongming, come with me out of the city to kill the enemy!"

Cao Chun and Zhang Liao led their troops to the city walls and saw that the city walls were brightly lit and people were moving around. They also saw that the city gates were wide open and a group of soldiers were shouting battle as they rushed out! They assumed that it was Xu Shu's remaining troops who were defending the city and wanted to support the fleeing army, so they immediately ordered a charge.

Seeing the enemy charging towards him, Xiahou Yuan became even more certain that it was Xu Shu's scheme, and hurriedly ordered the entire army to meet the attack!

In an instant, the two armies drew their swords and spears and engaged in a fierce battle in the deep night!
It was difficult to distinguish friend from foe, and the sounds of battle shook the heavens. Soldiers on both sides only knew that the enemy was in front of them, and they fought desperately, making the melee even more intense.

This misunderstanding continued until dawn.

As dawn broke, Zhang Liao, with his sharp eyes, suddenly spotted the enemy's banners and cried out in alarm, "Wrong! Wrong! Sound the retreat immediately!" Cao Chun was equally astonished: after fighting for so long, they had turned against each other?!

Xiahou Yuan and Xu Huang finally recognized Cao Chun and Zhang Liao's banners and were equally astonished.

"Zihe, what are you doing here?" Xiahou Yuan was furious. His own soldiers had suffered many casualties, and Xiahou Yuan was even wondering in the darkness when Liu Bei's cavalry had become so valiant. It turned out that the culprit was Cao Chun!

Cao Chun was also extremely frustrated and said angrily, "Xu Shu sent an envoy to challenge us to battle, and Wen Yuan and I launched a night attack! We defeated their ambush ten miles outside the city and pursued the fleeing soldiers all the way to the city walls. We ran into Miao Cai leading his troops out, and thinking they were Xu Shu's reinforcements, we engaged in battle!"

Both sides recounted their previous experiences, and only then did they realize that they had both fallen for Xu Shu's treacherous scheme.

Xiahou Yuan was so angry that his face turned ashen, and he almost ground his teeth to powder: "Xu Shu, you brat! You have insulted me too much!"

Only then did Xiahou Yuan understand Xu Shu's true intentions: no wonder Xu Shu left the city empty; it wasn't a feint to delay, but rather a deliberate attempt to let Xiahou Yuan enter the city. At the same time, he deliberately ambushed Cao Chun and Zhang Liao to delay their entry into Chengping, and the timing was extremely clever.

If it weren't for Xiahou Yuan, Xu Shu wouldn't have been able to time it so precisely. It was only because Xiahou Yuan was a famously fast general, able to travel 500 li in three days and 1,000 li in six days, that he fell into Xu Shu's trap.

Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle.

This is precisely why Xiahou Yuan is even more furious: So, does that mean I, Xiahou Yuan, really have no brains? (End of Chapter)