I, Zhou Cang, am the number one tank in the Three Kingdoms.

After capturing Yan County, Xu Shu only gave the entire army one day to rest.

When Chen Zhen hurriedly returned to Hebei a few days ago, Xu Shu knew that the time left for his lord Liu Bei was running out.

"Chen Dao, listen to my command!" Early the next morning, Xu Shu began a new deployment in the Yan County government office.

"Your subordinate is here!"

"You will lead two thousand soldiers to garrison Yancheng, repair the city walls, dredge the moats, and inventory the provisions. If Cao Cao's army comes, report to me immediately!"

"Yes, sir!" Chen Dao stepped forward and accepted the command token.

"Liu Yan, heed my command!"

"Liu Yan is here!" Liu Yan walked out slowly.

"Starting today, you shall conscript local laborers from Yancheng to repair the banks of the Ru River. Those who volunteer shall be exempt from their poll tax, and shall report the required amount of money and provisions to me!"

"Yes, sir!" Liu Yan accepted the order and left.

"Sun Qian, listen to my command!"

"Sun Qian is here!" Sun Qian stepped forward and replied.

"I trouble Mr. Gongyou to take this letter. I will return to Runan today to work with Mr. Xianhe to oversee the supply of provisions. Please do not delay!"

"Understood!" Sun Qian stepped forward, took the letter from Xu Shu, and went straight out the door.

"Zhang Fei, listen to my command!"

"exist!"

"The three generals may lead a thousand cavalry as the vanguard to Wancheng to meet up with Yun Chang. After meeting Yun Chang, act according to my handwritten instructions."

"Zhang Fei obeys!" Zhang Fei strode forward.

After Xu Shu finished speaking, he took out a bamboo slip from his sleeve and handed it to Zhang Fei along with the command arrow.

"Zilong, Yuanfu, you two will accompany our lord. The army will depart immediately and head straight for Wancheng!"

"Yes, sir!"

In just a few breaths, Xu Shu completed the troop deployment and stepped down from his desk.

Since Liu Bei started his army in Runan according to Xu Shu's strategy, he has personally witnessed the army's new look and the entire army admires the strategist.

This attack on Yancheng was actually Xu Shu's backup plan. His ideal solution was to take advantage of the flood season and divert the Ru River to flood Yancheng, thus capturing the city without losing a single soldier.

However, considering that this would bring great suffering to the people in the city, which would not meet the requirements of their lord Liu Bei, they finally decided to use catapults to forcefully fill in the moat.

Ultimately, Chen Dao's vanguard suffered the greatest losses in this battle, with nearly half of his 1,500 men killed, most of them dying in the siege using ladders and in hand-to-hand combat on the city walls.

Fortunately, Zhou Cang beheaded Yue Jin and persuaded about a thousand of his men to surrender, which replenished his army.

Li Dian fled north of the city, crossed the Ru River, and burned the bridge to escape. He then led his remaining two hundred or so men straight back to Xun Yu in Xuchang.

In addition, there were 3,000 men under Guan Yu and 3,000 men under Wen Ping who had already set up camp in Wancheng to besiege the city, and 1,000 men under Zhang Fei as the vanguard.

Xu Shu, together with Liu Bei, led the remaining 3,000 troops to Wancheng. They intended to use this force, which was barely enough to make up 10,000 men, to conquer Wancheng, the most important city on the route from Jingxiang northward through the Nanyang Basin.

After Liao Hua occupied the Gualijin camp, he monitored Wancheng day and night. Day after day, he saw neither troops from the city attacking nor reinforcements from Xialu arriving.

Because of their control of Gualijin, the entire downstream waterway of the Yu River was now clear.

Two days before Liu Bei launched his attack on Yan County, Wen Ping's troops began their march toward Wancheng. Upon arriving in Wancheng, they sent messengers directly to Jingzhou by waterway. The messengers passed through Xinye in one day and arrived at Liu Biao's residence in two days.

Liu Biao, who had already quelled Zhang Xian's rebellion, was greatly encouraged. He then sent his general Wang Wei with 2,000 troops northward along the Yu River to support Liu Bei, and ordered Kuai Yue to accompany him, bringing gold, silver and silk to comfort Guan Yu's troops.

The second batch of reinforcements from Jingzhou arrived at the outskirts of Wancheng almost at the same time as Zhang Fei.

At noon on the same day, Liao Hua climbed the watchtower and suddenly saw more than a dozen riders galloping from Xia Road into Wancheng. He quickly sent someone to inform Guan Yu.

Inside the central command tent in the east of the city, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were exchanging pleasantries with Kuai Yue, Wang Wei, and others who had just arrived when a messenger rushed in—

"Report! General Liao Hua of Guali Township has sent word that a quarter of an hour ago, a general led more than ten riders from Xialu Avenue and has entered Wancheng."

Kuai Yue said, "This must be because Zhang Xiu requested to lead troops back to reinforce Cao Cao, but Cao Cao refused, so he only took his personal guards back."

Guan Yu nodded and looked at Zhang Fei, asking, "Third brother, you said the strategist wrote a letter to me. Where is the letter?"

Zhang Fei slapped his forehead and said, "Oh dear, I almost forgot about the important matter."

When he first arrived, he was busy chatting and laughing with his second brother, but was then interrupted by Kuai Yue and Wang Wei, almost causing him to miss his appointment.

Zhang Fei hurriedly handed Xu Shu's letter to Guan Yu. After quickly reading it, Guan Yu said, "General Wang Wei, you can join forces with General Wen Pin's camp west of the city."

Wang Wei clasped his hands in a fist salute and left the camp.

"Third brother, the strategist has ordered you to set up camp north of the Gualijin camp. If Cao Cao's army attacks Gualijin, you should act as an external support and ambush along the road to assist Liao Hua."

"Okay," Zhang Fei replied.

When Kuai Yue saw that Liu Bei's strategist had not yet arrived, he had already set up the corresponding ambush. He was secretly amazed. Suddenly, he thought of something and stopped Zhang Fei, who was about to set up camp.

"General Zhang Fei, please wait!"

Guan Yu raised his eyes to look at Kuai Yue and asked, "The strategist has already explained everything. What instructions do you have, sir?"

Kuai Yue bowed and asked, "General Guan, when will the lord and strategist arrive?"

Guan Yu replied, "I can arrive the day after tomorrow."

Kuai Yue nodded: "Forgive my rudeness, but General Guan, you have been here for many days, yet not a single soldier has come out to fight. This must be because Zhang Xiu entrusted you with this task. Now that Zhang Xiu has returned, General Guan must be wary of Zhang Xiu's night raid on the camp."

After Kuai Yue finished speaking, he bowed again to express his apology.

Guan Yu turned around, stroking his long beard in thought. Kuai Yue's words made sense. The strategist was still on his way, and it would take two days for him to return even if someone was sent to inform him.

If Zhang Xiu really did raid the camp, where would he attack?

The name "Gualijin" quickly appeared in Guan Yu's mind.

Guan Yu hurriedly opened Xu Shu's letter again. In the letter, in addition to instructing Zhang Fei to garrison troops north of Guali Jin, he also requested that Guan Yu lead an army to garrison troops south of Guali Jin, to protect the Guali Jin camp on both sides.

With Kuai Yue's reminder, Guan Yu realized that, given the importance of Gualijin, it was definitely Zhang Xiu's prime target for raiding the camp.

Guan Yu clasped his hands in a fist salute to Kuai Yue and said, "Thank you for the reminder, sir. Your intention is also in line with the strategist's letter. I will certainly take precautions."

Kuai Yue returned the greeting with a smile. Sure enough, Liu Bei's army was quite formidable. With steady generals and meticulous strategists, Jingzhou's decision to send troops to aid them this time was a wise gamble.

"Yide, when you set up camp north of Guali Ferry, be sure to remind Liao Hua to be wary of Zhang Xiu's nighttime raid on the camp."

"Alright, I'll go right away! Second Brother, please take care!" Zhang Fei decisively left the camp and headed to Gualijin.

In Wancheng, Hu Che'er finally met Zhang Xiu, who was covered in dust from his journey.

"My lord! The Prime Minister, he..." Hu Che'er was surprised that Cao Cao not only did not send reinforcements to such an important place as Wancheng, but also detained the elite cavalry that the lord had brought.

"Cao Cao also faces many difficulties..." Zhang Xiu said in a low voice, "If Xu Huang hadn't raided and burned Yuan Shao's grain supplies the other day, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to make this trip."

Hu Che'er didn't answer; if he continued, he would probably be scolded by his lord again.

"What's the situation outside the city?" Zhang Xiu steered the conversation back to the most important matter of this trip.

"The rebel army has occupied three locations: Gualijin, the east of the city, and the west of the city. The south of the city has also been isolated by the rebel army through deep trenches diverted by the Yu River..."

"Have you ventured out of the city to engage in battle?"

"By order of our lord, we dare not go into battle without authorization."

Zhang Xiu frowned and stopped asking questions.

Even when the Prime Minister attacked repeatedly before, we were never as passive as we are now.

It wasn't just the presence or absence of Jia Xu that made Zhang Xiu feel that he wasn't really defending the city.

Instead, it's like a fish that has been pulled from the river, kept in a bucket, waiting to be dissected at any moment.