Three Kingdoms: The Peerless Strategist of Wei

Chapter 61 We're even

"Why is the eldest son laughing so loudly?" Guo Jia asked curiously. He put the letter away.

Cao Ang said sternly, "Pass down the order: tomorrow at dusk, the entire army will cross the river and launch a strong attack on Meng County Ferry!" Upon hearing this, Guo Jia and Zhao Yun's expressions changed again.

Guo Jia hurriedly said, "My lord, Sui has 5,000 troops at the ferry, which is roughly equal to our army's numbers. A direct assault would not be very successful."

"Yes, young master, why not use the plan of Chief Minister Guo, and have this humble general lead a light troop to sneak across the river upstream?" Zhao Yun also advised.

Cao Ang said, "Fengxiao's plan is brilliant, but it takes too long. I have a plan that allows us to directly attack the north bank." The two looked surprised and exchanged glances again.

Guo Jia asked curiously, "I wonder what brilliant plan the eldest young master has? I would like to hear the details." "Don't be impatient, you will see tomorrow."

Cao Ang smiled slyly, keeping everyone in suspense. Guo Jia's eyes filled with deep suspicion.

"Although the eldest son has the demeanor of a lord, he is still lacking in wisdom and strategy. How could he come up with a plan that is even more ingenious than mine?" "Could it be..." Guo Jia's eyes darted around, and suddenly a glint of light flashed in them.

"That Young Master Liheng happens to be in Ping County. The eldest young master also left incognito not long ago. Could it be that he went to visit Young Master Liheng and asked him for a brilliant plan to break the deadlock?"

"Well, if Young Master Liheng were to take action, his strategy would be far more ingenious than mine, so what do I have to worry about?"

He finally guessed what was going on, and his heart was at ease. He even couldn't wait to admire Gu Cheng's masterpiece. The order was given, and the five thousand Cao soldiers rested and recuperated.

After a day of rest, it was already dusk the next day.

Five thousand soldiers gathered at the ferry crossing on the south bank, fully prepared for battle.

Cao Ang first boarded the flagship, and with a command, all five thousand soldiers boarded the ship.

As the bugle sounded, over a hundred boats and rafts set sail from the ferry dock, heading in a grand procession towards the Mengxian ferry dock on the north bank. (North bank)

As soon as Cao Cao's warships set out, spies relayed the news back to the north bank.

Sui Gu immediately ordered all five thousand Hanoi troops to be assembled on the riverbank, ready for battle.

"This young master Cao is so arrogant! His army is equal to mine, yet he dares to cross the river and attack my ferry!" Sui Gu looked at the approaching Cao army fleet on the river and a sarcastic sneer appeared on his lips.

With a "whoosh," Sui Gu drew his sword and shouted arrogantly, "Hanoi soldiers, raise your spirits and show that young master Cao the strength of our Hanoi army!"

Five thousand soldiers from Hanoi brandished their weapons and roared wildly. In the blink of an eye, Cao Cao's ships and rafts were within a hundred paces.

We've reached the distance in an arrow's flight.

"Cao Ang, arrogance comes at a price!"

Sui Gu let out a cold laugh, brandished his sword, and shouted, "Archers, shoot them dead!" The command flag waved, and the signal drums shook the heavens.

More than a thousand archers immediately drew their bows. "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"

A thousand sharp arrows, like a net spread across the sky, swept towards Cao Cao's fleet. On Cao Cao's flagship.

Cao Ang brandished his longsword and shouted, "All ships, take cover from the arrows!" The Cao soldiers on each ship immediately raised their large shields and formed a shield wall.

The arrows came whistling through the air.

Screams rang out as dozens of Cao soldiers fell to the ground, blood splattering everywhere. "Archers, counterattack!" Cao Ang shouted fiercely as he parried the incoming arrows. The flagship's command flag rattled.

On each ship, Cao Cao's archers risked their lives to peek out and return arrows to the Hanoi troops on the shore. Few Hanoi soldiers were hit. The ships rocked and swayed, and even the elite Cao Cao archers' arrows were much less accurate in this way. Meanwhile, the Hanoi troops on the shore could stand still and easily fire their arrows.

With arrows flying between the two armies, the Hanoi army naturally held the upper hand.

Screams echoed incessantly as Cao Cao's soldiers were repeatedly struck by arrows and fell into the water. The Cao army was pinned down, its advance drastically reduced, and it could no longer approach the north bank. On the flagship, Zhao Yun approached Cao Ang and cried out, "My lord, the enemy's arrows are too dense, they're pinning our army down!" Cao Ang, however, remained unmoved, and sternly ordered, "Pass down the order! Tell the soldiers to grit their teeth and hold on! The enemy will soon collapse without a fight!" "Collapse without a fight?" Zhao Yun's body stiffened, a look of astonishment flashing in his eyes.

After a moment of distraction, Zhao Yun said again, "Young Master, the enemy has the upper hand. Why should they collapse without a fight?" "Zilong, just trust me. Hold on for a little longer!" Cao Ang said resolutely.

Zhao Yun frowned, his heart filled with suspicion, but he said nothing more. He brandished his silver spear and shouted, "The young master has ordered everyone to be alert and hold on!" The war drums of Cao's army resounded through the heavens.

Five thousand Cao soldiers gritted their teeth and endured the barrage of arrows raining down from the sky, desperately holding on. (North bank of the riverbank.)

"Even now, are you still stubbornly refusing to retreat?" A strange glint flashed in Sui Gu's eyes, but he quickly followed with a disdainful sneer: "People say Cao Mengde is a brilliant strategist, but I never expected his son to be such a reckless brute. Truly, a tiger father and a dog son!"

After his mockery, Sui Gu raised his longsword and laughed loudly, "Brothers, keep firing arrows! Let's see how long that Young Master Cao can hold out!"

The words had barely left his mouth.

Suddenly, a guard beside him shouted, "General Sui, look! The camp is on fire!" Sui Gu jolted, turning sharply to look. He gasped in shock. In the direction of the camp, flames raged, and in the blink of an eye, more than ten fires had spread. "Kill Sui Gu!"

"Cao Cao's army is attacking from behind!" "The camp has been breached!" Panic-stricken screams faintly echoed from the burning camp. "What happened? Why is the camp on fire?"

"Where did Cao Cao's army come from? How could they possibly launch a sneak attack on my camp?" "Impossible, this is impossible!" Sui Gu's face changed drastically, as if he had seen a ghost. All his pride and arrogance vanished in an instant. At this moment, the soldiers of the Hanoi army who were in formation also discovered that the camp was on fire. They thought that Cao Cao's army had launched a sneak attack and had cut off their rear.

The Hanoi army was already lax in discipline, and seeing their camp raided, their morale immediately collapsed, and chaos ensued. The collapse began.

First there were ten people, then a hundred, and then a thousand.

In the blink of an eye, nearly half of the Hanoi army, like frightened ants, abandoned their positions and fled without a fight. "Halt! Anyone who dares to retreat will be killed without mercy!" Sui Gu awoke with a start, brandishing his sword and shouting angrily. Unfortunately, the defeat was swift and decisive.

Even after he had killed several men, he couldn't stop the rout. "Damn it, it seems we can't hold the riverbank. We have no choice but to retreat to Meng County!" Sui Gu stamped his foot, turned his horse around, and fled in anger. Along the riverbank, the Hanoi army completely collapsed. The rain of arrows immediately stopped, and the Cao soldiers on the boats and rafts were finally able to raise their heads.

When they saw that the Hanoi army along the riverbank had already scattered and broken apart, they were all dumbfounded, surprised and astonished. "The Hanoi army has truly collapsed without a fight!" "Young Master, what brilliant plan did you use to make the Hanoi army collapse without a fight?" Zhao Yun looked at Cao Ang with excitement and joy in his eyes.

Cao Ang breathed a sigh of relief, his face filled with deep admiration. He couldn't help but exclaim, "As expected of my brother-in-law, another stroke of genius!"

The soldiers on each ship roared and shouted, their voices thundering like a tidal wave.

Cao Ang, his spirits lifted, brandished his sword and roared, "Cao family soldiers, follow me to the north bank of the Yellow River! The first to scale it will be richly rewarded!" The bugle call to attack sounded again. Five thousand soldiers, their battle cries like madmen, spurred their warships and charged wildly towards the north bank. In the blink of an eye, the ships had reached the riverbank.

Before the boats had come to a complete stop, Cao Cao's soldiers jumped off and waded ashore.

The slaughter began. Cao's army, like tigers and wolves, drove the collapsing Hanoi army, advancing all the way to the heart of the north bank. The Cao banner finally flew high above the north bank of the Yellow River. "Brother-in-law, thank you for allowing me to achieve new merits!" Cao Ang stopped his horse on the riverbank, watching the rolling, slaughtering soldiers, his eyes filled with deep gratitude.

Zhao Yun caught up on horseback and couldn't help but ask, "What brilliant plan did you use, Young Master, to cause the Hanoi army to collapse without a fight? Can you tell me now?"

"Because Lü Bu's daughter and his general Gao Shun are in Sui Gu's army." "The two of them secretly promised to set fire to the Hanoi army camp when our army attacks, to disrupt the enemy's morale." "The Hanoi army is undisciplined, and once they see the camp on fire, they will naturally collapse without a fight." Cao Ang no longer concealed anything and revealed the plan.

Zhao Yun suddenly realized, but then asked in surprise, "Why would Lü Bu's daughter take the initiative to help our army defeat the enemy?" "Because she once owed Gu Liheng a favor, so she helped me defeat Sui Gu!" Cao Ang finally revealed the truth.

Zhao Yun's body stiffened, and he blurted out, "Could it be that this plan of yours, Young Master, was actually devised by Young Master Gu?" "Otherwise," Cao Ang smiled and countered, "If it weren't for my brother-in-law, Zilong wouldn't have thought I could actually come up with such a brilliant plan, would he?" Zhao Yun finally understood and couldn't help but sigh, "So it was Young Master Gu who orchestrated this again. No wonder it was so unexpected. This is indeed Young Master Gu's style."

Cao Ang laughed heartily, brandishing his spear and shouting, "Zilong, let's go! Let's fight them to the death!" Zhao Yun laughed heartily, and the two spurred their horses, brandishing their spears, and charged towards the routed Hanoi army. (Hanoi army camp)

Sui Guzheng led his remaining troops through the camp. To his surprise, he saw no sign of Cao Cao's army in the camp.

"Cao Cao's army clearly didn't launch a sneak attack, so why are there fires everywhere in their camp? Is this some kind of ghost?" Sui Gu muttered to himself, his eyes full of confusion. Suddenly.

A group of people blocked their way.

Lu Lingqi immediately brandished her halberd and shouted, "You treacherous dog, Sui Gu, where do you think you're going!" Sui Gu abruptly reined in his horse and demanded, "Lu Lingqi, what do you mean by this? Are you trying to rebel?" "You, Sui!"

"You and that dog Yang Chou killed my uncle Zhang Yang. Today, I, Lü Lingqi, will burn down your camp and take your dog's head to avenge him."

With a furious shout, Lü Lingqi spurred her horse, brandishing her halberd, and charged forward in a frenzy.

Sui Gu suddenly realized that it was Lü Lingqi who had betrayed him at the last minute, stabbing him in the back. "You remnant of Lü Bu! I should have eliminated you long ago! How hateful!" Enraged, Sui Gu spurred his horse forward, brandishing his sword and charging at Lü Lingqi. The two riders clashed.

Lu Lingqi wielded her halberd with the force of a thunderbolt, slashing down through the air. Swift as lightning, powerful as a mountain, this strike displayed the grandeur of Lu Bu. "Crack!" A muffled sound rang out, and blood splattered. Sui Gu's head was severed.

Lu Lingqi pointed her halberd to the sky, and with a swift motion, she impaled the falling head of Sui Gu on the halberd's blade. "Who's tired of living? Come and meet your death!" she roared, pointing Sui Gu's head at the commander of the Hanoi army, killing him instantly. The remaining Hanoi soldiers' morale collapsed, and they scattered in disarray, none daring to avenge Sui Gu. Ahead, the banners of Cao Cao's army were already faintly visible; Cao Cao's army was about to catch up.

"Young Miss, we have fulfilled our promise to Young Master Gu. What should we do now?"

Gao Shun immediately stepped forward and asked.

Lü Lingqi picked up a large spear, impaled Sui Gu's head on it, and then planted the spear on the ground. "Hanoi has fallen to Cao Cao. In this vast world, there is nowhere left for us to belong." "We have followed our father through countless hardships, traversing most of the land. I am weary; it is time for me to retire." "Let's go, let's go find Gu Liheng." After these words of lamentation, Lü Lingqi turned her horse and rode away.

"The young lady has finally made up her mind to entrust the rest of her life to that young master Gu..." Gao Shun breathed a sigh of relief, a look of relief crossing his face.

He smiled slightly and followed Lü Lingqi away.

In the northeast of Ping County, on the banks of the Yellow River, inside the Gu residence, Gu Cheng, atop the pavilion, leisurely sipped his wine, his gaze fixed on the rolling Yellow River.

Corpses floated downstream on the Yellow River, a testament to a fierce battle that had just ended upstream. "Young Master!" Xu Chu shouted excitedly, hurriedly climbing onto the city wall.

"Young Master Cao just sent word that Miss Lü, as promised, acted as an inside agent, not only helping Young Master Cao defeat the Hanoi army but also killing Sui Gu!"

Xu Chu, panting, presented the victory report. "She truly kept her word." Gu Cheng nodded slightly, then turned and asked, "What about Lü Lingqi? Did she submit to the Cao family?" "No, she didn't." Xu Chu shook his head. "According to the messenger, after leaving Sui Gu's head behind, Miss Lü made her escape first, and her whereabouts are currently unknown."

"Untraceable?" Gu Cheng frowned, muttering, "Could it be that she still harbors resentment and is unwilling to submit to Cao Cao? But Hanoi is already Cao Cao's territory. In this vast world, where else could she go?"

The words had barely left his mouth.

The guard climbed up to the pavilion and called out, "Young Master, Miss Lü and General Gao have arrived and are requesting an audience outside the door." Gu Cheng's eyes lit up.

Lu Lingqi actually brought Gao Shun to see him? "Please invite them in." Gu Cheng waved his hand and then went down from the pavilion. When he stepped into the courtyard, Lu Lingqi and Gao Shun were already standing there.

Now, she donned her military uniform once more, her blood-stained cloak fluttering behind her. Traces of blood stained her bright, beautiful face, yet they gave it a breathtakingly beautiful quality. Gu Cheng smiled and said, "Miss Lü, you truly are a woman of your word. You've done this for me; from now on, we're even."

"That's not necessarily true." Lü Lingqi's smile held a hidden meaning, but she cupped her hands in a respectful gesture: "Lingqi has another request, and I'm afraid I'll soon be indebted to Young Master Gu again." "What does Miss Lü want me to do?" Gu Cheng asked with a smile. Lü Lingqi cleared her throat and cupped her hands in a respectful gesture: "Lingqi is all alone and has nowhere to go in this vast world. I've come today to ask Young Master Gu to take me in, and I hope you will grant my request."

Gu Cheng was taken aback.

What's going on? Is this proud and arrogant daughter of Lü Bu coming to seek refuge with me?