The Battle of Guandu part 1

Cao Cao retreated to Guandu as planned with Yun accompanying him. Yun sent Shadow with two notes to the east. One is informing the army about their current position and the other is for Gan Ning to wait for the opportune moment to strike.

Yuan Shao followed Guo Tu's strategy as he moved his troops over the Yellow River to take Yuanwu and Wuchao when he get news about Wen Chou's death and that Liu Bei fled the battlefield making him only angrier and less approachable by Xun You who was trying to prevent the worst case scenario from happening.

But the moment Yuan Shao took Yuanwu the war seemed to be sealed in Xun You's eyes as Yuan Shao stored their supplies in Wuchao. Cao Cao on the other hand was also struggling at the moment.

His supplies were slowly ending because he used too many when he fought against Lu Bu for the Xu Province and when he sent Yun to reconquer the Xu Province from Liu Bei's hands.

They were approaching the end of their supplies when Cao Cao began to question himself when Xun Yu and Yun came to him in the middle of the night.

"What do the two of you want from me at this hour?" asks Cao Cao struggling since they are rationing the supplies making him eat less as well.

"We have an idea on how we can get more supplies but it comes with a risk," says Xun Yu seriously as Cao Cao looked at Xun Yu before looking at Yun.

"It is most likely his idea, am I right?" asks Cao Cao talking about Yun without pointing at him.

"That's right," says Yun confirming Cao Cao's claim when he walks towards the map Cao Cao was looking at and points at Wuchao.

"We should attack Wuchao by surprise at night and take Yuan Shao's supplies for ourselves and burn what we can't carry here. It will deal a big blow to Yuan Shao," says Yun explaining his strategy to Cao Cao who like it since their supplies were about to finish up in a few days.

"I like it but what will be the risk Xun Yu was talking about?" asks Cao Cao curious about it when Xun Yu looks at Cao Cao conflicted.

"You must lead the men to capture the supplies, My Lord," says Xun Yu surprising Cao Cao who looked confused by what Xun Yu just said.

"Yuan Shao wants to fight and when he sees that you send troops to take his supplies he will attack Guandu to kill you. But if you aren't in Guandu but in Wuchao-," says Yun when he is interrupted by Cao Cao who followed the same thought it seemed.

"He will fall into a trap because someone else would be defending Guandu and not I by myself," says Cao Cao as Yun nods toward him.

"That's right, we can finish them off if they send their army to Guandu while you are securing their supplies for ourselves. I will be defending Guandu with my army and some help from Xiahou Yuan while you raid Wuchao," says Yun to Cao Cao who liked this plan a lot.

"So we will take the supplies right under his nose while you defend Guandu?" asks Cao Cao making sure he heard everything correctly.

"That's right, Yuan Shao is a simple-minded man and he will attack Guandu instead of defending his supplies from your attack seeing an opportunity in winning the war because he will believe that you will be defending Guandu instead of leading the attack yourself," says Xun Yu having confidence in this strategy.

"Once he attacks Guandu, you can lead your army against Yuan Shao who will be taken by surprise not believing that it was you taking his supplies," says Yun informing Cao Cao.

"What if he doesn't attack Guandu but defends Wuchao and his supplies?" asks Cao Cao and Yun looked at him seriously.

"Then we have no other choice but to burn all the supplies so neither of us can take advantage of them. If that were to happen we in Guandu will see it and rush toward Wuchao to assist you immediately," says Yun with confidence in his voice.

"Good, then it is settled," says Cao Cao as he prepared himself to inform his Generals while Yun prepared himself to tell his men about the situation.

Lu Bu and Hua weren't happy about Yun being defensive now while Dian Wei was jumping around in happiness because Yun wasn't going to charge at the enemy since he was defending Guandu.

Yun began to reinforce Guandu by digging trenches around the village. It wasn't a city like Boma which was protected by its wall but a village that only was defended by a wood wall which has spikes at the upper end.

It reminded Yun a bit of Yangren just that it didn't have the protective stone wall to hold enemies outside.

It took them a month to prepare for the defense of Guandu in which Cao Cao's troops and Yuan Shao's troops skirmished against each other trying to get an upper hand without losing too much terrain.

Cao Cao purposely ignored Wuchao concentrating his skirmishes around Yuanwu and Guandu so Yuan Shao wouldn't suspect Cao Cao knowing about Wuchao having all of Yuan Shao's supplies.

But now that Yun could reinforce Guandu for a bit by graving the trenches behind the barricade that protected the village making it at least be able to withstand a cavalry charge from the enemy.

Cao Cao left with his troops while taking Yun's banners with him trying to show that it was Yun that is attacking Wuchao while Yun has Cao Cao's banner placed around the village to make the enemy believe that Cao Cao is defending Guandu.

Yun was sitting in a trench behind the first trench with his father and some of his men. They were waiting for Yuan Shao's reaction.

"So one last battle?" asks Xian holding his spear ready to fight.

"Not really, the last battle will take place in Yuanwu if Yuan Shao is stubborn enough to keep fighting this war instead of retreating," says Yun not knowing if Yuan Shao will retreat after he loses this battle.

"Well, then let us try to make it the last battle," says Xian trying to end this war with the next battle.

"If it only were this easy," says Dian Wei hoping the same thing to happen.

"Are the others in position?" asks Yun as Dian Wei nods.

"They are ready for the cavalry attack once the enemy hits the barricade they will initiate the attack," says Dian Wei making Yun grin at him.

"Good, we have a lot to deal with in the next battle since our numbers are smaller than the one from the attacking force," says Yun knowing too well that this war could end by Cao Cao's hands if he has the guts to assault Yuanwu after dealing with Wuchao.

They waited for a whole week when they see the enemy approach and Yun was ready to fight. He pulled a horseman over and orders him to ride to Wuchao and inform Cao Cao of Yuan Shao's move.

The horseman leaves right away and Yun grabbed his spear and entered the second trench in which some of his men waited. He looks at the enemy and sees that they outnumber him by at least four men for every man he has.

Yun looked at his men everyone has a strong will to fight but they also seemed exhausted from all the marching and preparing the reinforcements for this battle when he looks at the distance and he takes a deep breath before saying, "We have to hold the enemy in place. If we win this battle we will win this war and finally return home to our families. I have asked much out of every one of you. I only ask of you to give me a little more time of your strength and courage to turn the tide."

The men seemed to gain some strength from hearing his speech when Yun continues while smiling, "We all will shed blood in this battle but know that it will be worth it. Now put a smile on your face and let us welcome our enemy into Hell. They will see our smiles in the middle of this carnage and feel fear as we slaughter them."

Xiahou Yuan was sitting in another trench when he heard Yun's speech and he says, "That man must be crazy to be able to smile in this situation."

"Who are you telling that," says Wei Yan who was put in the same trench with Xiahou Yuan since Yun wanted Wei Yan to protect Xiahou Yuan.

In reality, Yun wanted to protect Wei Yan by putting him beside Xiahou Yuan out of fear that they get overrun by the enemy. He wanted to place Xian there as well but the old man was too stubborn to follow Yun's order placing himself right beside his son and Dian Wei.

"You should have stayed with Wei Yan," says Yun to his father who only lifts his palm stopping Yun from saying anything else.

"We all have to die. I would rather die while fighting than on a bed doing nothing," says Xian with conviction before saying, "At least I will know that I have died and not if I am only dreaming."

"Fine by me, but don't come to me crying if you get stabbed in the middle of the battle," says Yun joking about it as he looked at the sky seeing Shadow return to him.

'It will take at least a week for the army to arrive going by how fast Shadow returned,' thinks Yun before he sighs and resolves himself to show his men their Invincible General.

'It seems that your children will miss this battle,' says Ysmrgra making Yun grin.

'I hoped for it,' says Yun back before pointing his spear into the sky and continues saying, 'But let me deal with the enemy before we talk about my children.'

The enemy approaches the barricades and the enemy cavalry jumped over them with the not-so-athletic horses getting spiked on the barricade while the other horses fell into the empty trench breaking the legs of the horses when Yun shouts with all his might, "Now!"