Wan City in Poyang Commandery, Yang Province, lay on a stretch of flat ground between the southeastern side of the Dabie Mountain Range and the northwestern reaches of the Yangtze River.
About three years earlier, Emperor Wen, Cao Pi, had died, and Cao Rui had ascended the throne. The Wei State had been in the midst of a transfer of power.
The Wu State had launched a large-scale invasion, but had soon been defeated by the Wei State.
In that campaign, Cao Xiu had annihilated large numbers of Wu troops and accepted the surrender of many more around Wan City and Xunyang.
The Wu State's army excelled at naval warfare, while the Wei State's army excelled at land warfare. With the Yangtze River as a natural barrier, the Wu State had more than enough means to defend itself, but striking at the Wei State's foundations required favorable timing and terrain.
This year, the timing had arrived.
Zhuge Liang, chancellor of Shu Han, had committed his entire state's strength to a northern expedition, and Sun Quan naturally would not sit and await his doom.
Although he had never expected the State of Shu to retreat in defeat so quickly, his great army had already assembled. The arrow was on the bowstring; it had to be loosed.
But what truly gave Sun Quan the confidence to still contemplate attacking Wei after Shu Han's defeat
was the terrain.
The area around Wan City resembled a corridor running from northeast to southwest.
With the Yangtze River behind it and Lake Chao close to its north, the area was like a great sack into which the Wei State's army would march.
Once the mouth of that "sack" was drawn shut, the Wu army could catch them like turtles in a jar.
Yet Cao Xiu clearly had not realized that he was about to lead a hundred thousand Wei soldiers into the abyss...
Near Wan City.
The Wei State's great army marched toward Wan City in a vast procession.
"Grand Marshal!" A messenger came running over.
Cao Xiu glanced down at the soldier from horseback. The soldier reported, "Three men on three horses have come from the direction of Wan City. They request an audience with the Grand Marshal."
Cao Xiu considered it. They should be Zhou Fang's men.
"Let them come," Cao Xiu said.
"Yes!"
Soon, several men dressed as Wu soldiers rode up before Cao Xiu's army.
Their leader immediately dismounted and jogged over to Cao Xiu.
"Grand Marshal! You've finally arrived."
This man was none other than Zhou Fang.
Cao Xiu recognized him at a glance.
After all, in this era, a man wearing his hair loose and disheveled like this would surely be taken for a madman.
It seemed the rumors that Sun Quan had forced Zhou Fang to cut off his hair to prove himself were no empty tales.
Cao Xiu dismounted and helped Zhou Fang up from the ground, then excused his two attendants from further formalities as well.
"Administrator Zhou, you've suffered," Cao Xiu said.
Zhou Fang said excitedly, "The five thousand soldiers in Wan City have assembled. As soon as you arrive, Grand Marshal, I will open the gates to welcome you."
"Good!" Cao Xiu's spirits rose. "Then I must trouble you to ride ahead and lead the way, Administrator Zhou."
"I shall obey your command, Grand Marshal!"
On the way, Cao Xiu questioned Zhou Fang again about the intelligence on the Wu State in his earlier letter of surrender.
Zhou Fang answered fluently.
"Sun Quan has dispatched five armies."
"The first consists of Lü Fan and Sun Shao, crossing the river northward from Jingkou to attack the lower reaches of the Huai River."
"The second consists of Quan Cong and Zhu Huan, advancing north from Ruxukou toward Hefei."
"The third consists of Zhuge Jin, Bu Zhi, and others, setting out from Xiakou to attack Xiangyang."
"The fourth is Lu Xun, setting out from Jiangling and marching north toward Yicheng."
"And the final army is led by Sun Quan himself, setting out from Wuchang to attack Shiyang in Jiangxia."
Hearing such detailed strategic information convinced Cao Xiu beyond doubt that Zhou Fang's surrender was sincere.
"Excellent!" Cao Xiu threw back his head and laughed. "After this campaign, I will certainly petition His Majesty to reward your service. Rest assured! Great Wei will not treat you poorly."
Mounted on his horse, Zhou Fang smiled and nodded.
"Then let me thank you in advance, Grand Marshal."
After entering Jiashi, Cao Xiu's great army followed the riverbank and soon reached the vicinity of Shiting.
Looking at the surging waters of the Yangtze River and the beautiful mountains along its banks, Cao Xiu could not help exclaiming, "What magnificent rivers and mountains!"
Zhou Fang was adept at reading expressions and quickly said, "Grand Marshal, all this land will belong to our Wei State in the future."
"Indeed... it will surely be our Great Wei that unites the realm!" Cao Xiu said proudly.
While the two were chatting, an officer in the army noticed ships appearing intermittently on the distant river.
He immediately reported this to Cao Xiu.
Cao Xiu waved a hand at once. "Halt the army!"
Then he looked questioningly at Zhou Fang.
Without flushing or missing a heartbeat, Zhou Fang looked calmly at Cao Xiu. "Do not be alarmed, Grand Marshal. I prepared these ships especially for you. They carry provisions and supplies-consider them a welcoming gift."
Cao Xiu was dubious.
"Please wait a moment, Grand Marshal," Zhou Fang said. "Allow me to go and make the arrangements."
"Very well. Sorry for the trouble, Administrator Zhou."
Zhou Fang immediately spurred his horse toward the riverbank, lashing his whip with considerable force. His horse visibly picked up speed.
Cao Xiu sensed something amiss. He raised his head to survey the surrounding terrain, then silently reconsidered Zhou Fang's behavior.
Damn it!
I've fallen into a trap.
Cao Xiu was a man of great pride who had held high office for years. Even in the present circumstances, he was unwilling to acknowledge his mistake.
But for the army's safety, he quietly told the officer beside him, "Relay my command at once. Turn the vanguard into the rearguard and withdraw in good order."
Before the officer could leave to relay the order, however, terrified cries rose from the Wei soldiers.
"Look! Those are warships!!!"
On the river.
The Wu warships had now dropped anchor one after another and stood ready in battle formation to land.
"Loose arrows! Kill Zhou Fang first." Cao Xiu gave the order immediately, glaring through gritted teeth at the man who was about to escape to the riverbank.
At the order, the Wei archers and crossbowmen immediately sent a storm of arrows toward the bank.
Though Zhou Fang did everything he could to dodge as he whipped his galloping horse onward, several arrows still struck his back, and the black horse beneath him was shot full of holes.
Fortunately, he had already reached the riverbank. Before the Wei army's next volley arrived, he leaped into the river.
A scholarly general clad in armor walked slowly to the bow of the Wu flagship.
He immediately ordered sailors into the water to rescue the grievously wounded Zhou Fang.
Cao Xiu lifted his head and looked toward the commanding general aboard the Wu flagship by the bank.
"Lu Boyan!"
This man was none other than Eastern Wu's grand commander, Lu Xun.
Lu Xun remained perfectly composed. "Have you been well since we last met, Grand Marshal?"
Of course, the two were too far apart and were merely addressing each other across the distance.
At the same time, Wu war horns thundered from the ships along the bank.
At Lu Xun's command, bowstrings rang out, and the archers behind him began shooting.
Wu troops leaped from the warships on the river and charged toward the Wei army with roaring cries.
"Do not panic! Infantry, hold your shields in the front ranks!" Cao Xiu remained calm in the face of danger, still directing his army as best he could.
Suddenly, horns sounded from the hilltops on both sides of Cao Xiu's army.
Sharp-eyed Wei scouts shouted, "An ambush! There are ambushers on both sides!"
The Wu troops on the hilltops had long been prepared. They deftly cut the ropes, sending countless huge logs and boulders crashing down on the Wei army!
Striking from above, the barrage crushed some Wei officers and soldiers into pulp before they could react.
Even large shields could scarcely withstand the boulders and rolling logs falling from the sky, and gaps soon opened in the formation.
Attacked from front and rear, Cao Xiu instead refrained from ordering a withdrawal. He knew that ordering a retreat now would only cause morale to collapse, so he roared, "Anyone who falls back will be killed without exception!"
The Wu general commanding the ambush on the hills to either side was Zhu Huan.
He immediately ordered his men to loose arrows. In an instant, a rain of arrows blossomed above the Wei soldiers like flowers scattered by a celestial maiden.
The Wei troops' fighting spirit had not faded. Some soldiers charged forward, while others bent their bows and nocked arrows.
But the chaotic volleys overwhelmed them. Worse still, they could not strike back at the ambushers in the hills and could only have their hearts pierced by arrows like lambs awaiting slaughter.
The drummers beside Cao Xiu beat a steady rhythm, reminding the soldiers to hold fast to their positions.
Meanwhile, the enforcement squads on either side of the battle formation held their great sabers half-raised, watching sternly for any would-be deserters.
Just then, a signal officer under Cao Xiu swept his hand toward the drummers.
The drumbeat suddenly changed as Cao Xiu ordered a change of formation. "Close ranks!"
At the command, the soldiers moved in unison toward their comrades, pressing as tightly together as they could without leaving the slightest gap.
This was a common defensive formation. First, it tightened the ranks; second, it wedged the soldiers against one another, preventing desertion as far as possible.
And just then, something even more despairing arrived.
Before the new formation could take shape, hoofbeats like rolling thunder sounded nearby!
The character "Quan" stood prominently on the commanding general's great banner. These were elite Wu cavalry led by the Wu general Quan Cong.
The hoofbeats drew closer and closer, then suddenly exploded in their ears.
A Wei soldier was knocked to the ground by a black horse. Clutching his chest, he was about to rise when a spear pierced his throat.
Then, howling, he was hoisted into the air on the spearpoint and slammed back down. Several hooves crushed his skull, and he fell utterly still.
"Form ranks and raise your spears!" Cao Xiu shouted himself hoarse.
"Cavalry battalion, circle out along both wings!"
Unfortunately, amid such chaos, no one could hear him anymore.
Most of the Wei soldiers here had no idea what they should do, and their morale plummeted.
Cao Xiu's great army now faced enemies on three sides and became locked in a bitter battle.
Aboard the flagship, Lu Xun watched the battlefield shrouded in dust and shouted his command:
"Pass the order! Whoever kills Cao Xiu will be enfeoffed with a thousand households!"