Traveling back in time to Liu Feng, starting with rescuing soldier Guan Yu.

When Liu Feng heard Ma Liang mention it, his expression shifted slightly, and a person involuntarily came to mind.

"Mr. Ji Chang, could you be referring to Bu Zhi, Bu Zishan?"

Bu Zhi was originally an envoy sent by Eastern Wu to persuade the Wuxi barbarians. After being captured by Liu Feng, he was always treated with courtesy. When Pan Zhang led his troops into the mountains to invade, fortunately, Liu Feng had Bu Zhi under his command and he was not rescued by Pan Zhang.

Now, Ma Liang has brought them from Yuanling to Linyuan City.

Ma Liang nodded and smiled, "Your Excellency is indeed insightful! Indeed, the person I spoke of is Bu Zishan. He is a man of lofty ambitions, skilled in both literature and martial arts. When Sun Quan appointed him to govern Jiaozhou, Bu Zishan displayed the talent to govern the world. Later, he was transferred to Jingnan, and Bu Zishan and his entire clan, young and old, are currently in Linxiang City!"

"Mr. Ji Chang, you've had many conversations with Bu Zishan these past few days. Is it possible for me to recruit this man?" Liu Feng asked.

Ma Liang frowned slightly, shook his head, and sighed, "Bu Zhi values ​​his reputation highly. Although I have repeatedly tried to persuade him with kind words, he has always politely declined, citing the principle that a loyal minister does not serve two masters. I'm afraid this matter will only be resolved if Your Excellency personally invites him!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Feng nodded and said calmly, "This matter can be discussed another day. For now, I will take Bu Zhi with me on this trip."

Liu Feng made decisions extremely quickly.

That night, the temple in Linyuan City was brightly lit, and Sha Moke, Guan Ping and others came to discuss matters as ordered.

"Commander, Tanzhi."

Liu Feng gestured for the two to sit down, and then got straight to the point.

"Wuling has just been pacified, and Linyuan City has just been annexed. This place cannot be left unguarded. You two will lead your troops to temporarily garrison Linyuan City, rest and reorganize your forces, and clear out the remaining Wu army strongholds in Wuling County. In the Lingyang area, Ziwu will lead men to persuade them to surrender. If there are no unforeseen circumstances, news will be sent back soon."

Shamoke frowned: "My lord, aren't you taking us to Changsha?"

"This mission is a surprise attack, and speed is of the essence. If a large army accompanies us, the march will be slow and we will be more easily detected by the Wu army along the way," Liu Feng said.

"General Liu and I will lead a light cavalry south first. After we capture Linxiang, you two will lead the main force to join us. If the Eastern Wu army launches a counterattack in the meantime, Linyuan City, which guards the northeastern pass, is a fortified city and cannot be taken in a day."

Although Shamoke was somewhat unwilling, he knew that what Liu Feng said was true.

Guan Ping didn't say much, but nodded emphatically and said in a deep voice, "Rest assured, my lord. Leave Lin Yuan to us, and we will ensure that the Wu troops never return."

Liu Feng turned his gaze to Ma Liang, his tone becoming more serious.

"Mr. Ji Chang, all military and political affairs in Lin Yuan City are entrusted to you. Wu Ling County has just been annexed, and the noble families and common people all need to be appeased. You and Tan Zhi, one a civil official and the other a military officer, can rely on each other. There is another matter. Ma Zhong knows about the defense of Jiangling City and the deployment of Eastern Wu troops. Keeping him around may be of great use in the future. You must keep a close watch on him and not let him get away with it."

Ma Liang bowed slightly and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I have already ordered that Ma Zhong be imprisoned alone in the dungeon of the Lin Yuan Prefecture government office, with two shifts of personal guards on duty each day. The key is personally controlled by General Guan. Your Majesty's journey to Changsha is both a risky and a brilliant move. I await good news in Lin Yuan!"

After giving their explanations, Liu Feng and Liu Pan did not linger any longer.

That night, two thousand elite cavalrymen quietly assembled outside the south gate of Linyuan City.

These two thousand elite cavalrymen were handpicked by Liu Feng from the Fengzi Camp and the Wancheng troops. Each cavalryman had two horses, carried no baggage, and each carried only ten days' worth of dry rations and water.

Liu Pan and his more than nine hundred trusted veteran soldiers served as the vanguard. These veterans, who had been fighting in the mountains of Changsha for more than a year, were all dark-skinned, had fierce eyes, wore straw sandals they had woven themselves, carried sharp blades at their waists, and formed a strict and orderly formation. Their demeanor exuded the fierce spirit of someone who had survived a hundred battles.

Liu Feng mounted his steed, the Jade Lion, while Liu Pan rode alongside him.

In the darkness of night, the procession snaked like a long serpent, quietly heading south along the official road on the south bank of the Yuan River.

Horses wore cloth-wrapped hooves, soldiers gagged themselves, and no torches were carried; they traveled by the faint moonlight.

The Yuan River flows quietly on the right, its surface shimmering with moonlight like shattered silver.

Liu Pan would occasionally look up to identify the mountain terrain. He knew the roads by heart—every fork in the road, every shallow shoal where one could wade, and every valley where one could hide.

"From this road to Yiyang, it takes two days."

Liu Pan lowered his voice and said to Liu Feng, "There is a small road south of Yiyang City. It goes over two low hills and goes around the city without alerting the garrison. After passing Yiyang, you will reach the Zi River. There are several shallows on the Zi River that you can wade across. After crossing the Zi River, you will enter the territory of Changsha."

Liu Feng nodded.

He didn't ask any more questions. Liu Pan had been guerrilla warfare in the Jingnan area for a long time, and the Eastern Wu troops were helpless against him. This shows Liu Pan's ability!

Two days later, the elite cavalry successfully bypassed Yiyang, crossed the Zi River, and entered the territory of Changsha Prefecture.

Liu Pan knew every inch of Changsha County like the back of his hand. Under his guidance, the troops skillfully navigated all the fortified villages and scouts of Eastern Wu, and sped south along the hills on the west bank of the Xiang River.

On the third day at dusk, the team set up a temporary camp in a secluded mountain valley.

Liu Pan had sent several trusted men to the outskirts of Linxiang City in advance, and they were now hurrying back along the mountain path.

The leader knelt on one knee and reported in a low voice: "General, everything in Linxiang City is as usual. Zhou Fang is stationed in the city, and only the south and west gates are opened each day, with very strict checks. However, the able-bodied men of the Kou and Liu clans in the city have made arrangements. Kou Hong, the elder of the Kou clan, was so moved when he learned that Your Excellency had come in person that he burst into tears on the spot, saying that the entire Kou clan was willing to die for Your Excellency. Liu Xi also sent a message back from his manor outside the city, saying that as soon as the signal to attack the city is given, he will lead the able-bodied men of his clan to respond at the east gate."

Liu Pan took the silk painting that was handed back to him, unfolded it, and examined it closely by the light of the campfire.

The silk map depicts the city defense deployment of Linxiang, showing where the city walls are most heavily guarded and where the city gates are least guarded. It even marks Zhou Fang's residence and the time when the guards change shifts.

This intelligence was secretly collected by the city's noble families and then passed on by spies. Although the painting was very rough, the information was detailed.

Liu Pan handed the silk map to Liu Feng, his eyes gleaming.

"My lord, the agents within the city are ready, and time is of the essence. Zhou Fang is a suspicious man by nature; delay could lead to trouble. Let the army rest for a day, and tomorrow night, with the help of both inside and outside forces, we can take Linxiang in one fell swoop."

Liu Feng took the silk map and examined it for a moment in the dim light of the campfire.

After a while, Liu Feng raised his head and looked in the direction of Linxiang City.

"Depart at midnight tomorrow and attack the city at dawn."

"The signal will be given by three rockets. The Kou clan will launch an uprising in the west of the city and open the west gate. The Liu clan will launch an attack at the east gate simultaneously to tie down the defending forces. My brother and I will personally lead the main force to break in from the west gate and head straight for Zhou Fang's command tent."

Liu Feng's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear amidst the crackling of the campfire.

"If Zhou Fang surrenders, spare his life and escort him to Xiangyang. If he resists stubbornly," he paused, ", "kill him without mercy."

That night, in a dense forest three miles outside the west gate of Linxiang City, several thousand elite soldiers silently lay in ambush.

Liu Feng ordered his soldiers to rest on the spot and check their weapons. He and Liu Pan, along with a few trusted men, made their way to a small earthen slope less than a mile from the city wall, where they checked the city's defenses one last time by the moonlight.

Everything is going according to plan.

The agreed time was 3:00 AM, which was the time when the guards were most tired and had the longest interval between shifts.

Liu Pan used his dagger to draw a simple map of Linxiang City on the soil, and whispered to Liu Feng, "The garrison at the west gate is about eight hundred men, and they change shifts every two hours. The hour of Yin (3-5 AM) is when the garrison is most lax. That kid Kou Xun sent people to hide short knives and axes in the warehouses near the west gate, just waiting for the signal."

Liu Feng nodded.

The Jade Lion Horse was tethered to the pine tree behind it, quietly grazing on the wild grass, its white mane fluttering slightly in the night breeze.

It was still an hour before dawn. Liu Feng was leaning against a bush, resting with his eyes closed, when suddenly a commotion broke out.

It wasn't the shouts of battle siege, but rather the creaking of the city gate winch turning, mixed with the muffled thud of horses' hooves crossing the drawbridge.

Liu Feng suddenly opened his eyes. Liu Pan had already jumped up from behind the earthen mound. The two looked at each other and then looked out of the forest at the same time.

The west gate of Linxiang City was opened ahead of schedule at this time.

Torchlight suddenly burst forth from the city gate, illuminating the drawbridge and the official road outside the city.

Dozens of Wu soldiers galloped out of the city, their hooves shattering the night. A captain sat atop a black horse at the head of the column, holding a command arrow, and they raced south of the city.

Immediately afterwards, the winch at the west gate turned again, and the gate closed again with a dull thud.

Liu Pan's expression changed drastically: "That's... Zhou Fang sent out a messenger. He sent someone out of the city overnight, could it be that he sensed something was amiss?"

Liu Feng did not answer, his gaze fixed on the direction in which the cavalry had disappeared.

A moment later, he whispered to his bodyguard, "Let them pass; there's no need to stop them."

The guards obeyed and left.

Liu Feng turned to Liu Pan and said, "If Zhou Fang has already noticed, he will not only send messengers out of the city, but will directly search for the Kou and Liu clans in the city and close all the city gates."

Upon hearing this, Liu Pan nodded.

"Keep a close watch on all the city gates. As for where this army is going, send someone to follow them and find out."

Liu Pan gladly accepted the order and immediately gave the command. Several veteran soldiers skilled in night travel silently disappeared into the night.