At dawn, a burst of laughter was heard from Cao's camp. Cao Cao felt refreshed and went out.
Cheng Yu was coming to inquire about the military situation. Seeing Cao Cao in high spirits, he asked, "Why are you laughing, Prime Minister?"
Cao Cao stroked his beard and smiled, "I laugh at Zuo Ci's incompetence and his deliberate mystification, but his words awakened the dreamer."
Cheng Yu hurriedly asked, "Does the Prime Minister have a plan to defeat the enemy?"
"Yes!" Cao Cao nodded slowly and walked towards the central military tent.
Behind the big tent, two seductive women were quietly carried away by soldiers, lying on stretchers like dead fish.
The two of them came to the tent, and Cheng Yuyan asked, "I wonder how the Prime Minister plans to use the troops?"
Cao Cao laughed and said, "It has been raining for days, the Baihe River has swollen, and Guan Yu's camp is right by the river. Isn't this God's help to me?"
"So that's how it is!" Cheng Yu suddenly understood, stroked his beard and smiled, "The Prime Minister used a water plan, and I also have a fire plan to offer."
"Oh?" Cao Cao was slightly surprised and said with a smile, "Is it really a disaster of water or fire?"
Cheng Yu said, "Today, our spies investigated the enemy's food supplies and found that it was just as Xun Gongda had predicted. Bowang City is small and there is no place to store food. The food supplies for the tens of thousands of troops are all transported from Wancheng every three days."
"Humph, Liu Qi is still a little immature after all!" Cao Cao narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice: "Haven't you heard that the army has not moved yet, but the food and grass have gone first? The army is ahead, but the food and grass are temporarily transported. This is a big taboo in the army!"
Cheng Yu nodded and said, "The Jingzhou army only transports enough food for three days each time. If we set fire to it and destroy their food supply route, Liu Qi's army will be in chaos and retreat without a fight. Bowang will be within our grasp."
Cao Cao stroked his beard and laughed, "How ridiculous that Xu Shu doesn't know the art of war, and Zhuge Liang can't command troops. Liu Qi is just daydreaming when he wants to use these two Confucian scholars to start a rebellion."
As long as Bowang is captured, the army can enter Nanyang, where the terrain is open and Cao's military advantage can be brought into play. With 300,000 soldiers and horses dispatched, who can stop them
Cao Cao ordered Xun You to come and tell him the intelligence, saying: "Liu Qi has three camps that support each other. Now Guan Yu's camp can be broken. What do you think?"
Xun You pondered for a moment and said, "Wait until the day when they transport grain. Ambush and burn the grain first to shock the enemy. Then take the opportunity to break the camp outside the city. Liu Qi will retreat when he sees that the situation is hopeless. The morale of the Jingzhou army is low. We will take advantage of the situation to chase and kill them. If we chase them to Wancheng in one go, Nanyang can be secured and Jingzhou will be easy to capture."
Cao Cao immediately dispatched troops, ordered Le Jin to lead the troops to rob grain, and ordered Han Hao to store water in the upper reaches of the Baihe River, waiting for the opportunity to dig a river channel.
Two days later, Cao Cao was waiting and watching in the camp when a scout came to report that Le Jin had succeeded in ambushing the grain transport soldiers at Bowangpo and burning more than 30 grain carts.
Cao Cao was overjoyed and personally climbed to the top of the eastern mountain to observe. He saw thick smoke rising into the sky from the mountains south of Bowang City, filling the sky. It seemed that the fire must be quite large.
In Bowang City, a troop was heading south, but it was too late to rescue them.
"My plan is successful!" Cao Cao smiled coldly, came down the mountain, and ordered people to send a message to Han Hao, asking them to make preparations at three o'clock tonight, and to dig the river channel at four o'clock to release the water to flood Guan Yu's camp.
At dinner that night, Cao's army ate as much as they wanted and were allowed to eat until they were full, and each person was given an extra chicken leg.
Cao Cao gathered his generals to discuss matters and said, "Liu Qi, you have overestimated me. We will defeat the enemy tonight. You must follow my orders and do not make any mistakes!"
"Yes!" All the generals agreed in unison. The news of burning grain today has spread throughout the camp, and the morale of the soldiers of the three armies is high.
Cao Cao issued an order: "After the third watch, Cao Hong and Cao Xiu will lead their troops to ambush at Yangshan. When they see Zhao Yun's troops marching out from his camp, they will attack the camp, burn it down, and then retreat. Do not linger in the battle."
"Yes, sir!" Cao Hong and the other two went to prepare first.
Cao Cao also ordered Li Tong to lead 3,000 soldiers to wait until the fourth watch. When they saw that Guan Yu's camp was flooded, they would approach it, light fires and shout to bluff and there was no need to fight.
He also instructed Xu Huang, "Gongming, lead 5,000 soldiers and ambush to the west of Zhao Yun's camp. If you see Guan Yu's camp flooded, don't worry about him. If you see Zhao Yun sending troops to rescue, ambush him and I will send people to rescue him."
Xu Huang took the order and left. Cao Cao ordered the other generals to prepare their troops and obey orders after three o'clock in the morning. He wanted to command the battle personally.
It was already summer, and at night the weather was cool, the moon was bright and the wind was clear, so Cao's troops left the camp as ordered.
Cao Cao was fully armed, sitting in the tent with his sword on his hand. All lights were off, except for the red light of the incense stick. He waited until the red dot disappeared before he said in a deep voice, "Light the lamp!"
Cao Chun came in from outside the tent with a torch. Cao Cao slowly stood up, walked out of the tent, mounted his horse, and led his troops slowly towards Bowang.
A half-moon hung overhead as Cao Cao braved the cool night breeze. Suddenly, a group of flying birds were startled by the scouts ahead, and they flew into the deep mountains.
"The moon is bright and the stars are sparse, the magpies fly south..."
The scene moved Cao Cao and he wanted to compose a poem, but he was worried about military affairs, so he had to collect his thoughts and continue on his journey.
At about four o'clock in the morning, Cao's army also turned over the hillside and saw Bowang City lying across the road in the distance, like a crouching monster. Torches were lit on the city and the defenders were patrolling.
As I was watching, a white light suddenly appeared in the west of the city. From a distance, it looked like mercury pouring on the ground, spreading out and sparkling under the moonlight.
Cao Chun was surprised and said: "Look, Prime Minister, Guan Yu's camp has really been flooded!"
Cao Cao twirled his beard and nodded slightly. He could vaguely see shadows of people. Although the river water spread and could not drown many people, the water level was enough to paralyze the entire camp and make it impossible to use troops.
Then Li Tong's ambush troops rushed out, holding torches high and shouting, preparing to attack the camp, causing chaos in Guan Yu's camp.
At this time, torches were lit on the top of the city walls, and everyone gathered towards the west city. The defenders also discovered the flood, but there was still no movement in Zhao Yun's camp in the east.
Cao Cao frowned and said, "Zhao Yun is so calm and composed, he is not moving his troops."
Xun You said: "We can send a troop directly to the city and pretend to attack it, Zhao Yun will come to rescue us."
"This is a great plan!" Cao Cao ordered Xiahou Dun to lead 5,000 elite cavalry to charge to the city to bluff and attract Zhao Yun to come to the rescue.
The cavalry galloped out and lit torches near the city. A sea of fire formed outside Bowang City, and the shouts of killing shook the sky.
Zhang Fei climbed up the city wall to defend it. When he saw Xiahou Dun's troops approaching, he yelled, "Xiahou Dun, you are walking on the night road with only one eye. How can you see clearly?"
Xiahou Dun was furious, pointing at Zhang Fei and shouting, "Zhang Heizi, come down if you dare!"
Zhang Fei didn't dare to leave the city at this time, and shouted: "Come up if you have the guts!"
Xiahou Dun was furious and led his troops forward to attack.
Zhang Fei shouted, "Release your arrows! Shoot hard and blind his other eye!"
Arrows rained down from the city, and it was difficult to see clearly in the dark. Xiahou Dun did not dare to get close. He was furious, but there was nothing he could do.
At this moment, the sound of fighting suddenly came from behind, and then a fire broke out in Zhao Yun’s camp in the east, illuminating half of the sky.
Xiahou Dun raised his sword and shouted, "Zhang Fei, you have fallen into my Prime Minister's trap. Sooner or later, I will chop off your black head."
Zhang Fei had no time to argue with Xiahou Dun, and hurriedly sent someone to report the news and ordered the soldiers to guard the city carefully.
"Zhang Heizi, how can you be called a hero if you don't help someone in need?" Xiahou Dun felt relieved when he saw Zhang Fei in such a panic.