Oh no, this is truly a foe for ten thousand men!

"...There are several keys to this maneuver. First is the unit under Xiang Tuo, whose military style has always been fierce and valiant. They were unaware that our army could capture Ye County so quickly, and in their urgency to catch us in a pincer, they rushed into our trap, allowing their elite central force to be completely swallowed by our formation."

"Had a more cautious general been in command, one who would have first probed and worn us down with vanguards before slowly pressing the rear, the effectiveness of this formation would have been greatly diminished."

"Secondly, allowing the enemy to charge deep into our formation was quite dangerous; it required a concentrated effort to sever their momentum."

"Xiang Tuo's elite unit drove deep into our ranks, and their courage and sharpness were truly unstoppable. Had a common general been commanding this battle, they would not only have failed to contain and surround them, but might have actually been pierced through the center, leading to the loss of our banners and the death of our commanders. In that case, we would have suffered a disastrous defeat."

"Father hid within the formation, issuing orders through his personal guards. He used the elite Central Army as a millstone, grinding them down with wave after wave of overlapping pressure, maximizing the strength of our soldiers. Xiang Tuo was essentially facing a continuous rotation of thousands of Elite Soldiers, and with the sudden addition of a unit from the city, his momentum was finally broken, forcing him to turn and attempt a breakout."

"Thirdly, Xiang Tuo's judgment of the situation was swift. He retained nearly half of the Chu Army's strength during his rapid breakout. At this point, thirty thousand Chu troops against our ten thousand cavalry makes a breakout not overly difficult. The key to this part lies with you..."

"The battlefield changes in an instant with countless variables. Yet Father, by merely deducing the enemy commander's style, was able to arrange every detail with such precision. He kept Xiang Tuo firmly in his grip, leaving him no room to breathe. Every step he took landed exactly in the pit we had dug for him. This is what one calls 'devising strategies within a tent to ensure victory from a thousand miles away'..."

Zhao Cheng sat in the command tent, reviewing the battle with Meng Tian to study the art of war.

Having performed meritorious service, his rank had risen as quickly as a rocket, and he was now capable of leading a unit independently as a deputy general.

Judging by this trend, he would sooner or later lead a large army on his own, so learning more would only benefit him.

Moreover, having witnessed Xiang Tuo's defeat, he realized that a singular combat style could still be troublesome when encountering a wily old fox like Meng Wu.

If he were in Xiang Tuo's position, with Zhao Cheng's martial prowess, he could indeed pierce through a formation and strike directly at the enemy's rear.

But at that time, Meng Wu had remained hidden within the army, issuing commands through his personal guard.

That army was like a vast ocean, with enemy forces charging from all sides like overlapping millstones. A single individual in such an boundless formation was truly insignificant.

If he could not quickly locate Meng Wu, his own soldiers would soon suffer heavy casualties, which was something Zhao Cheng did not want to see.

Therefore, he did not study military strategy to put on a flashy display, but at least to have countermeasures when facing a wily old fox, so he wouldn't end up a commander without an army while fighting. That was the real priority.

Just as he was studying intently, a personal guard of the General called from outside the tent, "The Great General has ordered the Vanguard General and Captain Meng to report."

Meng Tian's eyes lit up, "Let's go quickly. Father is likely going to have us lead a surprise attack on Chou City."

Zhao Cheng was also pleased, and together with Meng Tian, he walked quickly toward Meng Wu's tent.

"General."

Meng Wu looked at the increasingly vibrant Zhao Cheng before him, his eyes filled with delight, "A single strike to startle Xiang Tuo, and another to slay him—this is enough to make you famous throughout Qin and Chu."

Zhao Cheng gave a wry smile, "It is all empty fame; it would be better not to be famous."

He did not want to end up like Xiang Tuo, whose combat style was so obvious that he was seen through by a wily old fox who then made targeted arrangements.

Otherwise, in the future, as soon as an enemy general saw him, they would immediately hide within their main formation, not even daring to show their head. If he wanted to end the battle quickly, it would take extra effort.

Seeing Zhao Cheng's reaction, Meng Wu nodded inwardly, appreciating him all the more.

This youth was neither arrogant nor impetuous, sought no empty fame, and was good at biding his time—this was the makings of a great general.

"Do you still have strength left?"

Hearing that the main point had arrived, Zhao Cheng straightened his back and smiled, "I was just warming up."

"Haha, good!"

Meng Wu also laughed and tossed over a sealed urgent report, "Then I order you two to assemble three thousand Assault Cavalry for a night raid on Chou City. Before dawn, take the city."

"This is the seal of the surrendered Han general. You can use it as a fake urgent dispatch to help you enter the city."

"This subordinate obeys!"

When the moon was dark and the wind high.

Three thousand Assault Cavalry galloped out of Ye County, cutting straight across the southeastern plains to raid Chou City.

Chou City.

On the city walls, torches blazed brightly. The defending general, Yuan Ming, paced back and forth on the gate tower, his expression anxious and uneasy, his face flickering between expectation and deep worry.

"Why is there still no news?"

"The Qin Army has failed to take the city for days and is surely exhausted. The Chu Army, combined with reinforcements from Wan City, gathered ninety thousand men to coordinate with the thirty thousand inside the city. They were supposed to strike from both sides and suddenly annihilate the Qin Army. With such a heaven-sent opportunity, how could it take so long?"

"Could it be that the Qin Army discovered us in advance?"

"But even if they had, the Qin Army's situation is extremely unfavorable. Whether they force an attack on the city or attempt a breakout, they are in a very passive position. Even if they aren't soundly defeated, they should at least be in a minor retreat, which would relieve the urgent crisis at Ye County."

"Why is there still no news?"

"Success or failure hinges on this one move. If even the Chu reinforcements are repelled, the fall of Ye County is only a matter of time."

"Once Ye County falls, the land to the east is flat as a plain. The Qin Army will take advantage of the momentum, and Chou City won't be able to hold out for long."

"Fortunately, that Xiang Tuo is also a famous fierce general. If they didn't crush the Qin Army, at least they must have depleted much of the Qin Army's strength. Perhaps Ye County can hold on for a few more days."

"However, Han Jiang does possess some genuine skill. As long as he seizes the right moment to coordinate with the Chu Army from within and without, it is not impossible to annihilate the Qin Army entirely!"

"There is no need for excessive worry. The Qin Army is a force of wolves and tigers; it is only natural for the battle to be somewhat grueling."

He paced back and forth incessantly, his eyes fixed on the depths of the pitch-black plains—the direction of Ye County.

Suddenly, the faint, rapid sound of horse hooves drifted from the distance.

As the rider drew closer, it became clear that a single scout was galloping toward them.

The man wore the light armor of a Han Army scout, with a bamboo tube slung across his chest; he was clearly a messenger bearing urgent news!

"He has finally arrived!"

Yuan Ming was overjoyed, yet he did not order the city gates opened immediately. Instead, he peered carefully behind the rider, and seeing the plains behind him empty, his vigilance eased significantly.

In truth, he knew he was overthinking things. Regardless of whether the Chu reinforcements had crushed the Qin Army, the Qin forces would not be coming to seize Chou City at this hour.

If they had not yet taken Ye County, coming to attack Chou City would only mean waiting to be cut off from their supply lines and besieged within Chou City until they perished.

The messenger arrived at a gallop, shouting the good news from afar, his voice carrying clearly beneath the city walls.

"Report—"

"The Chu-Han allied forces have routed the Qin Army beneath the walls of Ye County, pursued them for fifty miles, and beheaded over sixty thousand of their soldiers!"

"I request the General to verify the military report!"

Zhao Cheng rode to the base of the wall and shouted the joyous news.

A wave of cheers erupted atop the city walls, and every soldier was stirred with excitement.

In recent days, the Qin Army had weighed upon their hearts like a massive mountain. Tonight, they had been waiting in agonizing suspense, and this sudden news of a crushing victory over the Qin forces left everyone feeling invigorated.

Yuan Ming was so happy he slapped his thigh repeatedly. "Good! Excellent!"

Seeing his subordinates move to open the gates, he stopped them. "Lower the basket; verify the seal on the document first."

The lieutenant was puzzled. "General, there is only one messenger. Even if he were an enemy spy, he could hardly stir up any trouble once inside, could he?"

Yuan Ming snapped, "What do you know? What if he is a warrior like Xiang Tuo, capable of taking on ten thousand men? Do you think you could stop someone like Xiang Tuo from opening the gates once he is inside?"

"How could there be so many men capable of taking on ten thousand..."

Although the lieutenant did not believe the man below could be as fierce as Xiang Tuo, he obediently ordered the basket to be lowered. "Place the document in the basket. We will verify it before letting you enter the city."

Zhao Cheng remained indifferent; he took the sealed document from the bamboo tube and placed it into the basket.

The basket was hoisted up, and Yuan Ming immediately took the document to verify the seal. A moment later, he smiled. "It is indeed the authentic seal."

At that very moment, signal fires announcing the victory appeared in the distance.

Yuan Ming felt even more at ease. "Open the gates and let the messenger in to have a drink of water."

The men below immediately opened the city gates, and Zhao Cheng rode forward unhurriedly.

One man and one horse, with their backs to the endless darkness of the plains, stepped calmly into the heavily guarded Chou City.

The city gates closed slowly with a thunderous boom.

A dangerous smile quietly emerged upon Zhao Cheng's heroic face.

Aloft on the gate tower, Yuan Ming broke the seal and had only glanced at the document for a few seconds when his expression changed drastically.

"This is not Han Jiang's handwriting!"

"Kill the messenger at once!"

Before the words had even faded, the sounds of battle erupted beneath the walls. The noise of blades hacking into flesh rang out in succession, followed by a chorus of dense screams and cries of alarm from below.

The lieutenant's face turned pale; he leaned over to look and his complexion turned the color of gold paper.

He saw the messenger who had just entered the city charging through the gate like a ferocious tiger. The long sword in his hand danced like the wind, and within a seven-pace radius, no one could get near him.

The speed of his slaughter was like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, truly astonishing to behold!

Countless soldiers fell before him one after another. In a mere moment, a massive pile of bodies had already formed, and blood flowed like a river behind the city gates!

The lieutenant's heart trembled.

The General had been right!

This truly was a warrior capable of taking on ten thousand!

Seeing the lieutenant's expression, Yuan Ming felt a sense of impending disaster. He hurried over, and upon looking down, he was struck with grief and indignation!

"It is a disaster! He really is a warrior capable of taking on ten thousand!"

"Quickly, send reinforcements! Stop him..."