From the very beginning, Pang Tong and Fa Zheng had never placed excessive expectations on Guanzhong.
Chang'an was difficult to defend. Tong Pass was even harder to take. Guanzhong itself was already rotten to the core—gaining it would not mean holding it for long.
"Fertile fields, wealthy people, a million strong fighters, vast plains stretching a thousand li"—all of that belonged to the past.
Years of continuous warfare had drained the land dry. The people were exhausted, the fields abandoned, the treasury empty. Refugees roamed everywhere.
That was the reality.
Guanzhong must be taken—but not now.
Still, Pang Tong knew Cao Cao feared one thing above all else: Liu Bei seizing the momentum and sweeping straight into Guanzhong, laying the foundation for dominion over the realm.
Since Cao Cao feared it, then the illusion had to be maintained.
Thus, Huo Jun and Wei Yan were ordered to harass the region—not only to coordinate with Ma Chao, but also to create the appearance that Guanzhong was a must-take objective.
Meanwhile, in secret, Zhang Fei was dispatched with five thousand elite troops. They followed the Han River downstream from Hanzhong, passed Fangling and Shangyong, crossed into Jing Province—and then struck directly at Wancheng.
"Military Advisor Zhuge's flowing horses are really damn useful!"
Outside Wancheng, the brothers reunited after a long separation. Zhang Fei talked nonstop, squeezing Guan Ping to the side as he excitedly told his second brother everything he had seen along the way.
"When we fought at Yangping Pass, I thought those things were just small boats—maybe enough to carry two or three people along with supplies."
"But when we were in Hanzhong, Military Advisor Pang told me the flowing horses have locking joints at the head and tail. Just connect them together, and they turn straight into simple boats!"
"Guan Ping volunteered to take the lead—fifteen hundred men riding flowing-horse boats straight downriver, sealing off the pass and cutting all contact. That should count as first merit!"
Guan Ping, like his father, rarely showed much expression. But since his third uncle was praising him, he still straightened his back a little.
Normally, his father was stingy with praise—Guan Ping had long since grown used to it.
Unexpectedly, Guan Yu carefully studied his eldest son for a moment, then spoke:
"Well done."
Zhang Fei immediately grew even more animated.
"I waited at the western pass of Gucheng for several days. Before leaving, Military Advisor Pang said Cao's troops wouldn't have many good ways to deal with your giant ships, Second Brother."
"He's from Jing Province too—said Cao's men would either cut trees upstream to block the river and set it on fire, or dam the river to lower the water level."
"So he told me to scatter scouts everywhere. If we saw Cao's troops cutting trees or piling earth upstream, we were to raise Big Brother's banner and march straight on Wancheng. You and Military Advisor Xu would definitely coordinate."
Zhang Fei scratched his head and laughed.
"Just didn't expect you to move even faster than us!"
A faint smile flickered across Guan Yu's face and vanished just as quickly. He patted his third brother's shoulder, then stood and lifted the tent flap.
His tall figure blocked most of the entrance. Only a narrow edge of light slipped past, revealing Wancheng directly ahead.
"Yide," Guan Yu said calmly, "this battle leaves us only one road."
Zhang Fei sprang to his feet.
"To break Wancheng, I am at your command!"
Once the two forces merged, Guan Yu's army swelled to over ten thousand men. Even so, it was still far from sufficient for a full siege.
Zhang Fei volunteered to take men to cut timber. After tasting the benefits of wells and siege ladders at Yangping Pass, he came prepared this time—bringing two hundred skilled craftsmen with him.
Guan Yu raised no objections.
Gan Gui, after delivering the troops, immediately turned back. Before the Cao army at Fancheng could react and seal off the Yu River, they needed to transport as much grain and equipment as possible.
Along the way, while passing Xinye, Gan Gui noticed something unexpected.
On the riverbank, civilians had gathered—waving at the passing ships.
Gan Gui ordered the fleet to continue ahead while he slowed down and approached them.
"You look unfamiliar, General," someone asked. "Are you truly under Imperial Uncle Liu?"
Someone else laughed loudly.
"Didn't you see General Guan at the prow earlier? How could it be wrong?"
Gan Gui jumped ashore and helped an old man sit down, explaining,
"I'm from Yi Province. I've only been serving Lord Xuande for a little over a year."
The old man nodded. His hands—dry like tree bark—gently patted the back of Gan Gui's hand.
"We just wanted to ask… is General Guan going to attack Wancheng?"
Gan Gui hesitated. Someone in the crowd chuckled.
"Little General, we've lived in Xinye for generations. Whether before Imperial Uncle Liu came, or after he left—when was this place ever peaceful?"
Still, Gan Gui shook his head awkwardly.
"Military law forbids me from saying."
The old man nodded again, then asked,
"Then… does General Guan lack grain?"
Gan Gui's heart trembled.
When he had overseen troops in Jiangdong, the people had looked at him with caution.
When he first entered Yi Province after pledging allegiance, the people looked at him with scrutiny.
But these people of Xinye…
Gan Gui turned his face away, voice heavy.
"I'm transporting grain to General Guan. Please rest easy—he won't go hungry."
He turned to leave, then paused after two steps and looked back.
"General Guan will surely win this battle. You only need to take care of yourselves. Cao the traitor will be driven away by General Guan. Have faith."
With that, Gan Gui leapt back onto his ship. The boats shot downstream like arrows loosed from a bow, leaving behind dozens of villagers gazing after them with hopeful eyes.
Zhao A finally witnessed the kind of war Li Gong had described.
After the great ships docked and General Guan requisitioned manpower, Zhao A was assigned under the command of the young General Gan.
The work was much the same—steering boats, transporting grain and weapons.
Only a day after sending General Guan north, Cao's troops sealed off the ferry where the Han River met the Yu River.
Gan Gui's order was simple.
Break through.
One armored ship raised full sail and rammed straight into the Cao blockade. At the last moment, its sailors leapt into the water and swam for the other vessels.
Arrows rained down from the shore.
Zhao A's body trembled, but he kept his head down and followed Gan Gui's commands, forcing their way through and continuing north.
The arrows pursued them for a while before finally stopping.
When Zhao A looked back, bodies of comrades floated in the Yu River. The water had turned red. The corpses drifted downstream, motionless.
He remembered Li Gong speaking of how the Si River once ran dry when Cao's troops massacred Xuzhou. He had thought it exaggeration.
Now he was speechless.
After returning, Gan Gui quietly requisitioned dozens of crossbows at Dangyang Ferry and mounted one on every ship.
This weapon—simplified by Huang Yueying based on the great triple-bow—was easy to use. Zhao A had delivered many of them to Fancheng before. With the water route temporarily sealed, the remaining stock was put to full use.
"General Guan already has enough on his plate," Gan Gui thought.
Guan Yu's expression was indeed grim.
Guan Ping had been sent north to scout and returned with bad news.
North of Wancheng lay a small county called Bowang. Its walls were barely half a man's height—hardly any defense at all.
With local guidance, Guan Ping easily captured the county magistrate and learned troubling information:
"By order of Prime Minister Cao—grain has been requisitioned to reward the troops stationed at Ye."
Thus Guan Yu found himself torn between relief and concern.
Military Advisor Xu's plan to lure a large force by striking the commander seemed to be working—perhaps too well.
How many troops were coming from Ye? Who commanded them?
No one knew.
"Cao doesn't have much grain to begin with," Zhang Fei guessed, stroking his beard. "At most three to five thousand, right?"
"He's already Prime Minister," Zhang Fei added. "Surely he won't start eating people?"
Guan Yu snorted coldly.
"If he robs the people, why worry about grain?"
"Starting tomorrow—Third Brother, attack the city with me."
Everyone understood what "borrowing grain" really meant: take your current stores now, and later reduce your taxes by half a percent or one percent.
Whether that grain was your only food? No one cared.
Thus the battle for Wancheng grew ever more desperate.
Even Cao Cao himself ran from the east wall to the south, then north, sword in hand—rallying morale and plugging breaches.
"Prime Minister," someone urged, "send elite cavalry to break out southward and seek reinforcements."
Cao Cao clenched his teeth and refused.
"With Guan Yunchang here, it means the fighting at Fancheng has reached a critical point."
"Once Fancheng falls, the Yu River can be sealed. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei will have no escape."
"If we withdraw now, all efforts at Fancheng will be wasted."
This kind of situation was not unfamiliar to Cao Cao—Guandu, White Wolf Mountain.
As long as he endured, victory would come.
He believed it.
And he remembered Le Jin.
At such a moment… it's time to move.
Le Jin thought the same.
The sandbar that once barely showed its tip now lay mostly exposed. From Xiangyang, one could clearly see Fancheng surrounded on all sides.
Though he didn't know why the enemy fleet had changed ships, he could see fierce fighting at the ferry.
No one could restrain him now.
If he didn't march south to relieve the siege now—then when?
Nearly a month later, Xiangyang opened its gates once more.
Le Jin led five thousand cavalry straight toward the yellow banner.
Xiangyang's terrain was unique: Han River to the north, twin mountains to the south. Between them lay a single road opening onto a plain—easy to defend, hard to attack.
When Liu Biao governed Jing Province, he made Xiangyang his capital, trained a navy, and built strong walls.
Now, however, that same terrain limited Le Jin. He wanted more troops, but the narrow pass allowed no room to maneuver.
Spurring his horse, Le Jin charged at the front—his most familiar, most deadly style of warfare.
Such a commotion could not escape Huang Zhong's notice.
Calmly calculating the timing, Huang Zhong drew his bow and shot an arrow into the sky when Le Jin reached the midpoint.
The hollow shaft shrieked through the air.
At the signal, hidden soldiers severed prepared ropes. Massive boulders tumbled down the slopes, roaring toward Le Jin's charge.
Le Jin whistled sharply. About a thousand riders accelerated with him, while the rest slowed to avoid the rocks.
Huang Zhong remained utterly calm, watching as Le Jin crossed trench after trench, his accompanying riders dwindling with each obstacle.
Le Jin burned with resentment—but not fear.
Kill the enemy commander, and the battle is decided. This is the way of the vanguard.
At five hundred paces, he shouted:
"Old man! You rely on tricks—do you dare fight me head-on?"
To his delight, the old general accelerated to meet him.
Abandoning archery? Then I'll grant your wish!
Le Jin roared, swinging his long lance at Huang Zhong's face.
Huang Zhong's blood surged. He bellowed back:
"The one who kills you—Huang Zhong!"
Le Jin raged.
He saw Huang Zhong grip his lance with the left hand, smash the shaft with his right elbow. The lance bent, then snapped back violently—slamming into Le Jin's weapon and sending a crushing force up the shaft.
Le Jin nearly lost his grip.
This… is an old general?!
Huang Zhong gave him no time to think.
As his right elbow knocked the weapon aside, his hand dropped instantly. The saber that had followed him for decades flashed out in a reverse slash.
Blood sprayed skyward, spattering Huang Zhong's graying beard.
No Cao cavalry dared laugh now.
They had misjudged him.
Huang Zhong turned his horse, thinking calmly,
Military Advisor Xu's plan truly works.
His left-hand lance had already fallen. Only the saber remained.
The old general showed no fear.
He leveled the blade at the Cao cavalry.
Thunder rolled through the valley.
"Those who surrender will not be killed!"