Guan Ping now had complete faith in Wang Yue. After hearing his orders, he quickly led his men to seize Xiakou and Fankou.
Wang Yue had Guan Ping take six thousand elite soldiers and four thousand troops from the Bandit Eradication Captain's Department to position the catapults atop the city walls. They were to keep a close watch on the ships coming and going, as well as activity to the east. Meanwhile, he and Guan Yinping led four thousand elite soldiers and two thousand recruits toward Lukou.
News of Xiakou's fall soon reached Lu Xun.
When Lu Xun learned that Guan Ping had returned, he realized the Battle of Xiangfan was over. Terrified, he hurriedly withdrew his troops, abandoning Lukou and instead stationing them at Baqiu.
It wasn't that Lu Xun was especially timid. The main issue was Guan Yu's astonishing military record. The forces of Jiangdong couldn't even defeat Wang Yue's subordinates, let alone face Guan Yu himself.
Baqiu held a very strategic position, right at the border between Jiangxia and Changsha. Its terrain was steep and treacherous, making it an excellent place to defend.
As for why Lu Xun didn't defend Lukou—
It was simply because the area around Lukou had no natural defenses, leaving the river as its only barrier. But now that Xiakou and Fankou had both fallen and Guan Ping's troops had already crossed the Yangtze, he couldn't possibly stay there and fight the aggressive Guan Ping and Guan Yu.
So Wang Yue and Guan Yinping took Lukou with ease. They left Wang Nian there with two thousand men, while they led four thousand elite soldiers to camp outside Baqiu.
Wang Yue and Guan Yinping weren't there to attack. They were only keeping an eye on Lu Xun, giving Guan Ping a chance to sweep