Chapter 1795: Retreating steadily

Yuan Shao's laughter echoed within the tent, carrying a touch of mockery and disdain. He waved his hand, signaling the scout to withdraw, then turned to his strategist Tian Feng and laughed, "Tian Feng, look at my subordinates; their imagination is quite rich. They actually say that Gu Yi and Zhao Zilong's soldiers were captured by our own men."

Tian Feng stroked his beard, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes, and said slowly, "My lord, I fear this matter should not be taken lightly. Gu Yi and Zhao Zilong are both generals of wisdom and courage. Their sudden appearance near our camp must have a purpose. And although the scout's words were vague, on the battlefield, it is hard to distinguish truth from falsehood. We should still treat it with caution."

Yuan Shao snorted, clearly unimpressed by Tian Feng's cautious attitude: "Tian Feng, you are too worried. That brat Gu Yi—how could I not know him? He is merely trying to be mysterious and disturb our army's morale. As for Zhao Zilong, he is just a martialist, not worth fearing. With my Yuan Shao's massive army pressing at the borders, what kind of trouble could they possibly stir up?"

Upon hearing this, Tian Feng's brows locked tightly, and he was just about to speak again when he was interrupted by Yuan Shao: "Enough, I have my own judgment on this matter. You go and instruct the various camps to strengthen their guard, but do not throw ourselves into chaos. Additionally, send out a few teams of scouts to find out the movements of Gu Yi and Cao Cao and report back at any time."

Tian Feng had no choice but to accept the order and leave. Yuan Shao continued to sit before the desk, his fingers tapping lightly on the table as he calculated his next plan.

……

On the other side, Gu Yi and Zhao Zilong had already led the remaining soldiers back to Cao Cao's reinforcements. Seeing the two return safely, Cao Cao felt slightly relieved, but he could not hide the look of exhaustion on his face.

"Gu Yi, Zhao Zilong, did you two gain anything from this trip?" Cao Cao asked, his voice carrying a hint of urgency.

Gu Yi bowed and said, "My lord, although we were unable to directly defeat Yuan Shao, we discovered that the layout of his camp is loose and his army's morale is not as high as it appears on the surface. Moreover, Yuan Shao himself seems overly confident and has misjudged our army's movements. This is a golden opportunity for our army."

Zhao Zilong also added, "Yes, my lord. During the retreat, General Gu and I also discovered a weak link in Yuan Shao's army. If we can launch a surprise attack from this point, we will certainly be able to disrupt his deployment."

After hearing this, a flash of light crossed Cao Cao's eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "Good, this plan is feasible. But Yuan Shao is no ordinary person; we must formulate a meticulous plan to ensure we strike true with one blow. Gu Yi, you are responsible for drawing a detailed map of Yuan Shao's camp and marking that weak link; Zhao Zilong, you select elite cavalry and prepare for the surprise attack."

The two accepted the order and immediately took action. Cao Cao then summoned the other generals to begin discussing the specific battle plan.

……

Night fell, and the lights in Yuan Shao's camp were sparse. The soldiers stood or sat, vigilantly watching their surroundings. However, beneath this seemingly calm appearance, a storm was quietly brewing.

Holding the map, Gu Yi sat in a circle with Cao Cao, Zhao Zilong, and the various generals to confirm the surprise attack plan one last time. On the map, the layout of Yuan Shao's camp was clear at a glance, and the weak link was specially marked, appearing particularly conspicuous.

"At the hour of the Rat tonight, we will launch the surprise attack on time." Cao Cao's voice was low and firm. "Zhao Zilong, you lead the cavalry to break in from here and strike directly at Yuan Shao's central army; Gu Yi, you lead the infantry to follow up, support Zhao Zilong, and simultaneously disrupt the enemy's formation. The other generals will each hold their posts to ensure the surprise attack proceeds smoothly."

The generals accepted their orders and dispersed to prepare. Zhao Zilong looked at the map, his eyes flashing with the will to fight, and said to Gu Yi, "General Gu, for this surprise attack, I will certainly give my all and not fail the trust of my lord."

Gu Yi patted Zhao Zilong on the shoulder and laughed, "Zilong, why be like this? We serve our lord together. This battle concerns the big picture, so we must act with caution. When we return in triumph, we will drink the victory wine together."

Zhao Zilong nodded, his heart filled with the desire for victory and trust in his comrade-in-arms.

……

As the hour of the Rat approached, Yuan Shao's camp was silent, with only the occasional sound of patrol footsteps breaking the stillness of the night. Suddenly, a burst of urgent hoofbeats came from far to near, breaking the tranquility.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" the sentries of Yuan Shao's army shouted loudly, but it was too late. The cavalry led by Zhao Zilong was like a black torrent, charging into the camp with unstoppable force, heading straight for the central command tent.

Yuan Shao woke up from his dream in a start, hurriedly donning his armor to command the soldiers to resist. However, Zhao Zilong's surprise attack was too sudden, and Yuan Shao's army fell into chaos, unable to organize an effective defense.

"Gu Yi, you are truly cunning!" Yuan Shao roared, though he could not help but secretly admire Gu Yi's courage and strategy. He knew deeply that if he lost this battle, he would fall into a passive position, so he had to fight with all his might.

The battle unfolded fiercely within Yuan Shao's camp; fire lit up the sky, and the sound of battle cries was deafening. The infantry led by Gu Yi also arrived as promised, forming a pincer attack with Zhao Zilong, and Yuan Shao's army retreated steadily.

However, just when victory seemed within reach, an elite unit suddenly burst out from Yuan Shao's army, led by Yuan Shao's trusted general Yan Liang. They fought bravely, making the battle situation unpredictable once again.

"Gu Yi, Zhao Zilong, don't even think about succeeding!" Yan Liang roared, holding his long spear as he charged into the enemy formation, invincible.

Gu Yi and Zhao Zilong looked at each other, both seeing the determination in the other's eyes. They knew that this battle was far from over; the true contest had only just begun.