Yanzhou, north of Zhongmou, south of the Hong Canal—the battlefield of Guandu.
In later ages, this would be fertile, level land. Yet during the Eastern Han, it was a strategic stronghold.
For at this time, a tributary of the Yellow River ran through this region, dividing Dong Commandery and Chenliu into two.
Another spring had arrived. Cao Cao stood atop the great stockade at Guandu, watching soldiers in the distance dig defensive works.
Far off, stretching from north to south, were vast numbers of people Cao Cao had relocated from Dong Commandery.
From the stockade, the refugee column looked like a winding, coiling dragon, trailing all the way to the horizon with no end in sight.
Cao Cao was fortifying the walls and emptying the fields, building a new line of defense!
Do not be fooled by Old Cao's string of sweeping victories in every local battle since the war began.
Cao Cao still could not hold back Yuan Shao's immense army.
To fight a decisive battle against Yuan Shao, he had mobilized seventy thousand troops this time.
Aside from the detachments sent elsewhere, his main force numbered only forty thousand.
Those forty thousand were the utmost limit of the troops he could presently deploy!
For though Cao Cao on this timeline was powerful, his defensive line was far longer as well.
While facing Yuan Shao, he had to leave behind a great many troops to guard against Liu Bei.
This had also been the recommendation of his advisers. Even though Liu Bei was currently attacking Yuan Shao as well, their guard against Liu Bei could not be relaxed.
Beyond that, he had gathered vast numbers of auxiliary troops and civilian laborers, totaling more than a hundred thousand.
This had caused Cao Cao's logistical burden to skyrocket geometrically, forcing him