Chapter 46: Flattening Cao's Camp! Turning Cao Cao's World Upside Down with Fire!

Guan Yu paused, glanced back in the direction of Xiao He, stroked his magnificent beard, and fell into deep thought without a word.

After pondering for a moment, Guan Yu nodded slightly:

"This Xiao Bowen has a dignified appearance and extraordinary talent. Having studied under a reclusive master, his wisdom and strategic insights are far beyond the ordinary. In the future, he will surely remain my elder brother's trusted advisor and pillar of state. Marrying my daughter to such a man can hardly be considered a grievance..."

Guan Yu listed Xiao He's merits as if naming treasures from his own collection, clearly quite satisfied with such a desirable son-in-law.

Changing his tone, however, Guan Yu sighed:

"It's just that you know Yinping's temper, Elder Brother. When she becomes stubborn, even I, as her father, am left completely helpless."

"Although marriage decisions rest with the parents, in this matter, Yinping's own willingness is essential."

Seeing Guan Yu heave a sigh of relief, Liu Bei wore a joyous expression and smiled dismissively:

"As for that girl Yinping, Yunzhang, you needn't worry at all. Didn't you see clearly enough from their words and actions just now?"

"Your elder brother dares guarantee that Yinping will have no objections whatsoever to this match!"

Guan Yu thought about it and realized it was true.

Putting aside the moment when Guan Yinping allowed Xiao He to feed her, just think of how softly and pleadingly she had asked Xiao He to calculate the troop strength of Cao's camp. He, her own father, had never enjoyed such treatment.

"It seems, just as Elder Brother said, a grown daughter cannot be kept at home. Alas—"

Guan Yu let out a bitter, light sigh.

This sigh of emotion naturally constituted his approval of Liu Bei's matchmaking proposal.

Liu Bei breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that his role as matchmaker could no longer be shirked.

"However, with a major battle looming before us, how can we let private romantic affairs ruin the grand cause of resisting Cao? Let us postpone this marriage for the time being."

Guan Yu placed national affairs above all else.

"Your elder brother shares the exact same view. Our current priority is to resist Cao, and we must win this battle first."

Liu Bei's smile vanished, replaced by a surge of heroic spirit as he extended his hand toward Guan Yu:

"The two of us brothers have not fought side by side in a long time. This time, let us fight shoulder to shoulder and turn Cao Cao's world upside down!"

Guan Yu's blood boiled instantly, and he raised his hand to clasp fists firmly with Liu Bei.

The two brothers looked at each other and laughed heartily.

Inside the hall.

Having seen Liu Bei off, Xiao He sat back down, picked up his bowl and chopsticks, and resumed cooking mutton in the hot pot.

"The lord and the others have all left, so let's continue with our meal. By the way, this dipping sauce shouldn't be too spicy, right?"

Seeing Guan Yinping lost in a trance, Xiao He smiled and reminded her.

He casually picked up a piece of cooked mutton and placed it into her bowl.

This simple action inevitably made her recall the scene just moments ago when Xiao He had personally fed her with his own chopsticks.

Her heart gave a violent thump, and her delicate face, which had already returned to normal, was once again dyed with a layer of rosy clouds in the blink of an eye.

"Eh? Why is your face so red? Is it because the fire is too big? Let me adjust it..."

Muttering to himself, Xiao He reached out to adjust the charcoal fire in the stove.

"I... I'm feeling a bit unwell and don't want to eat anymore. You eat..."

Terrified that he might notice something amiss with her expression, Guan Yinping hurriedly grabbed an excuse, stood up, and left in a flurry.

By the time Xiao He raised his head, Guan Yinping had already vanished from sight.

"Wasn't she just fine a moment ago? Why did she suddenly feel unwell?"

"Looking at how red her face was, was it flushed from the heat of the stove, or was it made red by the spice again?"

...

Nightfall, upper reaches of Xiangyang, south bank of the Han River.

Liu Bei stood at the bow of the ship, hand resting on the hilt of his sword, gazing fixedly at the northern night sky.

Flanked by hundreds of warships carrying over thirty thousand soldiers, they lay quietly concealed among the reeds along the south bank.

Just an hour ago, Guan Yu had taken command of the naval forces. With lights extinguished and relying entirely on the experienced sailors, he carried thirty thousand troops in silence to a point fifteen li up the Han River.

Crossing the river from there and marching northward for over ten li would bring them directly to Deng County.

At this moment, the arrows of the thirty thousand men were already nocked on the bowstring.

They were merely waiting for Zhao Yun's beacon signal.

"Beacons! My lord, beacons have been lit in the direction of Deng County!"

Chen Dao, blessed with sharp eyes, pointed toward the northeastern night sky and shouted.

Liu Bei's eyes narrowed as he focused his gaze to look closely.

Indeed.

In the northeastern night sky, three beacon fires had soared upward.

Liu Bei and Guan Yu exchanged glances, joy welling up in both of their eyes simultaneously.

That meant Zhao Yun had used the mystical device provided by Xiao He to discover that the enemy forces in the Cao camp at Deng County were sparse, and had ignited the three columns of beacon signals as promised.

"Yunzhang, we cross the river!"

Without a moment of hesitation, Liu Bei pointed his hand toward the north.

Guan Yu immediately gave the order, and all the ships set into motion.

Hundreds of warships slowly sailed out of the reeds, using the cover of night to glide silently toward the northern bank.

Within half an hour, the thirty thousand soldiers had transferred to smaller boats and rushed ashore on the northern bank of the Han River.

Liu Bei led this force of thirty thousand, racing against time to dash straight toward Deng County.

When the moon passed its zenith, the grand army had already closed in on Deng County.

The outline of a city was faintly discernible, and to the east of the city lay a massive, brilliantly illuminated military camp.

Zhao Yun, who had long been waiting at the crucial crossroads, rode out on horseback at a gallop to rendezvous with them.

"My lord, ahead lies the Cao army's grain camp. Yun has roughly estimated that there are at most ten thousand Cao troops inside the camp!"

"Within a radius of ten li, Yun has found no signs of any hidden Cao ambushes."

Liu Bei let out a soft breath, and the last shred of lingering doubt in his heart vanished like smoke.

"Clang—"

His twin swords leaped from their scabbards.

Pointing his sword toward the enemy camp, Liu Bei cried out with heroic fervor:

"The survival of Jingzhou rests upon this single endeavor!"

"Soldiers, hear my command! Follow me forward with valor and trample the Cao camp flat!"

The battle spirit and boiling blood of the surrounding soldiers were instantly ignited.

"Trample the Cao camp flat!"

"Trample the Cao camp flat!"

The heroic and murderous battle cries pierced the silence of the night.

...

The Cao camp, central command tent.

The air was thick with the stench of alcohol, and goblets and plates were scattered in utter disorder.

Yu Jin's face was flushed with heavy intoxication, yet he continued to pour cup after cup of wine down his throat.

His personal guards looked at Yu Jin's drunken state, exchanging glances and sighing secretly.

Their General Yu had originally been known for his rigorous discipline and had always abstained completely from alcohol within the army.

Ever since he was transferred two days ago to garrison the grain camp at Deng County, however, he had spent his days drowning his sorrows in alcohol, becoming heavily intoxicated every single day to the point of losing consciousness.

Today was no exception.

"General, please drink no more. You bear the heavy responsibility of guarding the grain camp."

"If word reaches the Prime Minister that the General has been drinking in the grain camp, I fear the Prime Minister will place the blame upon you."

His trusted deputy general finally could not resist speaking out in warning.

"Heavy responsibility?"

Yu Jin gave a bitter laugh and dismissed it casually:

"The Prime Minister has already led the generals to ambush that big-eared thief at Zhaoyang. My guarding this place is merely a sinecure."

"Once this battle is over, the Prime Minister will lead the main army across the river, and your general here will likely be dismissed by the Prime Minister and sent back to Xuchang to retire in his hometown~~"

Venturing all his pent-up grievances under the influence of alcohol, Yu Jin poured out every ounce of his frustration, threw his head back, and drained another cup of wine.

His trusted aides understood that Yu Jin had fallen out of favor with Cao Cao and that his abandonment was not far off. Harboring deep resentment within, he was drowning his sorrows in drink.

Unable to persuade him further, the men could only shake their heads and sigh.

"Big-eared thief, Guan Yu, that I, Yu Jin, have been reduced to this state today is entirely thanks to the both of you."

"If the Prime Minister slays you today, it can be considered venting this grievance for me, Yu Jin. Even if I return home to retire, I shall have no regrets..."

At this thought, Yu Jin finally felt somewhat comforted, threw his head back, and prepared to swallow another cup of wine.

Right at that moment.

Outside the grand tent, earth-shattering battle cries erupted abruptly, as if countless troops were suddenly launching an assault from all directions.

The deputy general and personal guards were instantly thrown into panic.

Yu Jin, too, received a jolt to his heart. He hurriedly set his wine cup down, rose unsteadily to his feet, and intended to step outside the tent to investigate.

Yet, having drunk too much, though he managed to stand, his vision remained a blur, and he could not coordinate his steps to walk.

"General! The enemy is launching a night raid!"

A junior officer rushed in breathlessly, trembling as he cried out in shock:

"Countless Liu troops have suddenly burst forth from outside the camp. Judging by their momentum, there are tens of thousands of them, and they are charging directly toward our camp!"

Like a thunderbolt, the news struck directly down upon his head.

The alcoholic haze in Yu Jin's mind was instantly blasted away by more than half, and he collapsed heavily back onto his seat, his face turning as pale as if he had seen a ghost.

"Impossible, this is impossible, this is utterly impossible—"