Guan Yu boarded a warship and personally took command. Jing Province's land and naval forces continued upstream, while Nanyang's mounted scouts on the opposite bank kept pace with the fleet.
When Jing Province's forces reached the point where the Yushui River bent northward, Guan Yu suddenly ordered the warships to steer toward the opposite bank. Nanyang's mounted scouts mistook this for an attempted landing and sped toward Wan City to report.
Guan Yu did indeed land at the bend, but it was only Lan Ji's Youth Camp. By the time Cao Xiu arrived at the landing site with tens of thousands of main-force troops, there was not a trace of Jing Province soldiers on the riverbank.
"Where is Guan Yu?" Cao Xiu asked as he looked over the empty river beach.
"Uh... the scouts did see Guan Yu come ashore," Zhang He answered awkwardly.
Cao Xiu neither confirmed nor denied it. He rode half a li along the edge of the river beach, then returned before the army and said gravely, "Jing Province's troops did land. There are dense hoofprints by the beach, but half a li away, the tracks gradually become much fainter. It seems to have been a small cavalry force."
"Why would Guan Yu send out a small detachment of cavalry?" Cao Zhang muttered to himself, stroking his yellow beard.
"Oh no. Guan Yu's warships are so swift—they must be heading north for Xi'e. This cavalry force was meant to intercept and kill the scouts." Cao Xiu suddenly understood.
Zhang He nodded in agreement. "No wonder I haven't received any intelligence for the past half hour."
"Why doesn't Guan Yu follow military doctrine and detour around Wan City? He's going to attack Xi'e in our rear instead? Is he not afraid we'll cut off his grain route?"