Chapter 1406: Human hearts are hard to fathom

At the critical moment, Gu Yi had a flash of inspiration and used the cover of terrain and architecture to cleverly escape the Cao army's siege. However, during the retreat, he was unfortunately seriously injured.

Gu Yi's injuries were severe and required immediate treatment. However, in the midst of war, medical conditions were extremely limited. To save Gu Yi, Liu Bei personally ordered the whole city to search for herbs and physicians, while strengthening the defense against the Cao army to ensure Gu Yi's safety.

With everyone's efforts, Gu Yi's condition finally stabilized. However, he was therefore unable to continue participating in strategic deployment and commanding battles. This made Yecheng's situation even more severe.

Losing Gu Yi's resourcefulness and guidance, although the Yecheng military and civilians still resisted bravely, they gradually fell into a passive position under Cao Cao's powerful offensive. The originally formulated strategic plan also lost its due effect because of Gu Yi's absence.

Seeing that Yecheng's defensive line was loosening, Cao Cao immediately increased his offensive. He used the surrendered forces to form a surrounding trend on Yecheng, preparing to take this strong city in one fell swoop.

Facing the Cao army's fierce attack and siege, although the Yecheng military and civilians resisted to the death, the situation became increasingly unfavorable. Food and grass in the city were scarce, morale was low, and foreign aid was slow to arrive. In such a predicament, Yecheng's future became bleak.

Just as Yecheng fell into a desperate situation, an unexpected turning point appeared. Some forces that had originally surrendered to Cao Cao, after witnessing the cruelty and looting of the Cao army, repented one after another and turned back to Yecheng. They brought a large amount of food, grass, and military support, making Yecheng's situation suddenly improve.

The return of these forces not only strengthened Yecheng's strength but also let the military and civilians see hope. They cheered up one after another, reorganized their drums and flags, and prepared to engage in a final decisive battle with the Cao army.

At the critical moment, Gu Yi's injuries also miraculously improved. He returned to his post of strategic deployment and formulated new tactics and strategies for Yecheng. Under his guidance, the Yecheng military and civilians were united and resisted bravely, finally successfully repelling the Cao army's siege.

After this thrilling battle, Yecheng achieved victory again. This victory not only highlighted the heroism and wisdom of the military and civilians but also proved Gu Yi's indispensability again. Although he was seriously injured and almost lost his life, his contribution made great contributions to this victory.

After the battle ended, Liu Bei held a grand victory banquet again, thanking all the soldiers and commoners who made contributions to Yecheng; he personally toasted Gu Yi, expressing his deep respect and gratitude: "Mr. Gu, being able to repel the Cao army this time, you have made an indelible contribution. Yecheng will always remember your kindness!"

Gu Yi modestly expressed: "Being able to win this battle is all thanks to everyone working together and fighting together. I just did my part."

After the victory banquet, Gu Yi did not stop. He knew deeply that the war had not completely ended, and Cao Cao might make a comeback at any time. Therefore, he continued to devote himself to strengthening Yecheng's defense and people's livelihood construction, improving the commoners' living standards to win more hearts and support.

Although Yecheng achieved victory, the atmosphere in the city remained tense. The shadow of war still hung over everyone's heart, and Gu Yi also knew deeply that the road ahead was still long, and challenges and difficulties remained heavy.

In such a background, a young woman named Wan'er entered Gu Yi's sight. She came to Yecheng as a refugee, claiming that her home had been destroyed by the Cao army and her family had all passed away. She was beautiful and weak, and her eyes seemed to always hide endless sorrow, making people feel pity.

When Gu Yi first saw Wan'er, she was being blocked outside the city gate by several soldiers. Her clothes were worn, and her face was covered in dust, but those eyes were bright and firm. Gu Yi's heart moved, so he ordered the soldiers to let her in and arranged for her to live in the city.

As time passed, Wan'er gradually settled down in Yecheng. She was gentle, considerate, and understanding, quickly winning everyone's love. Gu Yi also took good care of her, often asking about her living conditions and trying his best to help her solve difficulties.

However, as time passed, Gu Yi gradually discovered that Wan'er did not seem as simple as she appeared on the surface. She often mentioned some military secrets inadvertently and showed excessive concern for the city's defensive layout. Gu Yi felt suspicious and began to secretly investigate Wan'er's identity.

He didn't know until he checked; he was shocked. It turned out that Wan'er was a spy sent by Cao Cao, intending to probe Yecheng's military situation. Gu Yi was shocked and couldn't help but feel a lingering fear. He thought of Cao Cao's cunning and ruthlessness, and his heart understood that this struggle was far from over.

Gu Yi decided to use her own strategy against her, using Wan'er to pass false information to Cao Cao to confuse the enemy army. At the same time, he also strengthened security measures in the city to prevent spies from further infiltrating.

However, just at this moment, Wan'er suddenly disappeared. Gu Yi guessed that she might have realized that her identity had been exposed, so she fled Yecheng. This made Gu Yi even more convinced of his judgment and also worried about Yecheng's safety.

Not long after, Cao Cao indeed launched an attack on Yecheng based on the "intelligence" provided by Wan'er. However, because Gu Yi had long made preparations, the Cao army's offensive was successfully repelled. In a rage, Cao Cao recalled Wan'er and interrogated her strictly.

At this time, Wan'er had nowhere to escape; she had to admit her identity and purpose. However, when facing Cao Cao's questioning, she insisted that she had truly fallen in love with Gu Yi and was unwilling to serve Cao Cao anymore. Cao Cao was furious after hearing this and ordered Wan'er to be executed.

After the news reached Yecheng, Gu Yi felt mixed emotions. Although he had long detected Wan'er's identity, he still had a trace of affection for her. Now that he learned of her death, he couldn't help but feel a sense of regret.

However, war is cruel and does not allow for any romantic feelings. Gu Yi quickly pulled himself together and continued to devote himself to tense war preparations. He knew that only by winning this war could he truly protect the people and things he loved from harm.

In the following days, Gu Yi led the military and civilians of Yecheng to strengthen defenses and actively prepare for war. They not only repaired city walls and defensive works but also strengthened patrols and vigilance. At the same time, Gu Yi also paid attention to improving the combat effectiveness and morale of the military and civilians, organizing various training and exercise activities. ===== CHAPTER 1407 =====