Chapter 1735: Plunged into Tension

The moonlight was still like silver, but on the city wall of Jingzhou at this moment, a different atmosphere permeated. Zhou Yu's figure appeared even more firm in the night wind; his gaze pierced through layers of night, as if he could discern the changes in the wind and clouds of the future. Huang Gai stood beside him, and the figures of the two generals stretched out in the moonlight, weaving a picture of soaring ambition.

"Commander, how should we act next?" Huang Gai's voice broke the silence; his eyes held both anticipation and worry.

Zhou Yu took a deep breath and said slowly: "Although Cao Cao has temporarily abandoned marching south, the threat from the north still exists. We must take this opportunity to strengthen the joint defense between Jiangdong and Jingzhou, while simultaneously setting out to prepare for a more long-term strategy."

Huang Gai nodded, expressing agreement: "The Commander's words are very true. We must not only defend but also attack. Only by taking the initiative to attack can we break Cao Cao's ambition."

Zhou Yu smiled slightly, his eyes flashing with the light of wisdom: "The Old General's words match my intentions exactly. I plan to split the army into two routes: one route will be led by you to continue harassing Cao Cao's borders, making him unable to have peace; the other route will be led by me personally to secretly train the navy, preparing for a future water battle."

Upon hearing this, Huang Gai's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise: "A water battle? The Commander's plan is excellent! Jiangdong's navy is peerless under heaven; if we can decide the outcome with Cao Cao on the water, the chances of victory will be great."

Zhou Yu patted Huang Gai on the shoulder gently: "Precisely so. But this plan requires time to prepare; we must wait patiently while constantly weakening Cao Cao's strength to create conditions for the final decisive battle."

In the days that followed, Jiangdong and Jingzhou entered a state of tense preparation. Zhou Yu personally supervised the construction of warships and the training of the navy, while Huang Gai led elite troops to frequently attack Cao Cao's borders, causing Cao Cao's army to be exhausted in response and their morale to decline day by day.

However, just when everything seemed to be progressing smoothly, unexpected news broke the peace—Cao Cao dispatched the great general Xia Hou Dun to lead a great army south, intending to capture Jingzhou in one fell swoop and cut off Jiangdong's rear route.

Upon learning the news, Zhou Yu's brows locked, but he soon regained his calm. He knew well that this battle concerned not only Jingzhou's survival but also Jiangdong's future. He quickly summoned the generals to formulate response strategies.

"Xia Hou Dun is brave and peerless, but we also have our advantages," Zhou Yu's voice was firm and powerful. "We are familiar with the terrain, and the hearts of the people are with us. As long as we are united as one, we will surely be able to repel the enemy army."

After the generals heard this, their morale soared, and they all expressed their willingness to compete with Xia Hou Dun. Seeing this, Zhou Yu felt very comforted. He knew well that morale was the foundation of war; as long as morale was not extinguished, Jiangdong had hope.

The battle soon began. Zhou Yu and Huang Gai led two great armies respectively to meet Xia Hou Dun. Both sides traded blows, and the situation was exceptionally fierce. Zhou Yu personally took to the field, holding a long sword and charging at the front; his heroism inspired every Jiangdong soldier.

In one key decisive battle, Zhou Yu and Xia Hou Dun clashed head-on. Both were people of high martial arts, fighting to a standstill. However, Zhou Yu, relying on his familiarity with the terrain and flexible tactical application, gradually gained the upper hand. He cleverly used the terrain advantage to set up an ambush, causing Xia Hou Dun's army to fall into a predicament.

Just as Xia Hou Dun was preparing to break out at the cost of his life, the reinforcements led by Huang Gai arrived in time. Both great armies joined forces to attack, and Xia Hou Dun's army finally collapsed. Seeing that the situation was gone, Xia Hou Dun had no choice but to lead his remaining troops to flee back to the north.

The moonlight was still like silver, spilling onto every brick and stone of Jingzhou's city wall, reflecting cold and firm light. Zhou Yu and Huang Gai stood side by side; the night wind blew past, and the robes of the two swayed gently, but it could not blow away the heavy sense of responsibility in their hearts.

"Commander, although Xia Hou Dun was defeated, Cao Cao will surely not let it rest," Huang Gai's voice carried a hint of worry that was hard to detect. "How should we lay out our plans next to ensure there are no mistakes?"

Zhou Yu's gaze pierced through the night, as if looking for an answer; after a moment, he spoke slowly: "Although Cao Cao is strong, we also have our advantages. We must use Jingzhou's geographical advantage to build a more solid defense line. At the same time, I also plan to dispatch envoys to Liu Bei's place to seek an alliance and jointly oppose Cao Cao."

Upon hearing this, Huang Gai's eyes lit up: "The Commander's plan is excellent! Although Liu Bei's power is not as good as Cao Cao's, his subordinates Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are both brave generals; if we can form an alliance with them, it will undoubtedly be a powerful force against Cao Cao."

Zhou Yu nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face: "Precisely so. Moreover, this Liu Bei aims for the world and has a common enemy with us. As long as our sincerity is sufficient, I believe he can see the situation clearly and join hands with us to resist Cao."

Subsequently, Zhou Yu deployed the plan to form an alliance with Liu Bei in detail, as well as how to arrange multiple defense lines within Jingzhou to ensure there were no mistakes. Huang Gai was responsible for specific implementation; he led a capable team to secretly shuttle between the mountains, rivers, and lakes of Jingzhou to build defensive works while preparing to meet the potential battle.

Days passed, Jingzhou's defense system gradually improved, and Zhou Yu also sent envoys to Liu Bei's camp. The news brought back by the envoys was heartening—Liu Bei agreed to the alliance and was willing to dispatch fierce generals like Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to assist in defending Jingzhou.

However, just as the alliance was about to be reached, an unexpected variable appeared. Cao Cao actually personally led a great army south, intending to swallow Jingzhou and Jiangdong in one fell swoop. When the news arrived, the entire Jingzhou city was plunged into tension.

Upon learning the news, Zhou Yu's brows locked, but he soon summoned the generals to analyze the situation: "Cao Cao coming personally shows that he is determined to get Jingzhou. But this is also our opportunity; we can fight a life-and-death battle with Cao Cao at the foot of Jingzhou city and let him know our power."

Huang Gai was worried: "Commander, Cao Cao is strong in troops and horses; although we have Liu Bei's assistance, our strength is still disparate. Can we win this battle?"

Zhou Yu's gaze was firm, his tone resonant: "Old General, do not worry. War is not just a comparison of troop strength, but a contest of wisdom and courage. We have the advantage of terrain and people; as long as we lay out our plans cleverly, we will surely be able to repel Cao Cao."

Subsequently, Zhou Yu discussed tactics with generals like Huang Gai, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. They decided to use the terrain advantage of Jingzhou city to set up multiple traps, while simultaneously using the navy's advantage to set up a defense line on the Yangtze River to prevent Cao Cao's navy from approaching.

The horn of battle finally sounded. Cao Cao's great army surged like a tide, and the smoke of war rose everywhere at the foot of Jingzhou city. Zhou Yu personally commanded the battle; he held a long sword and stood tall on the city wall, commanding with composure. Huang Gai led a dare-to-die squad to attack many times, disrupting Cao Cao's offensive. ===== CHAPTER 1736 =====