Choose Liu Bei at the start, I am the only one who knows the plot of the Three Kingdoms.

The brothers are stuck in this poor, remote place, with nothing to their name. They've long since lost heart. Who's willing to risk their lives for the higher-ups anymore? They're just taking it one day at a time.

"presumptuous!"

Deng Ai's pent-up anger finally ignited, and he shouted sharply.

"Defending the territory and protecting the borders is the duty of every soldier! How can you be so negligent! If everyone thought like you, the country's borders would have been breached long ago, and our homes would have been destroyed long ago! As a leader, instead of motivating your soldiers, you spread such negative remarks. What crime should you be punished for?!"

The veteran leader was intimidated by Deng Ai's imposing manner and shrank back, but his face still showed a defiant expression as he whispered his retort.

"General, it's easy for you to talk when you're not the one suffering. Why don't you give us new equipment and make sure we're well-fed and clothed?"

Just as the conflict was about to escalate, Deng Ai took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed his anger.

He knew that reprimands and punishments alone could not solve the fundamental problem; the soldiers' hearts had grown cold and needed to be warmed with practical actions.

He ignored the old soldier leader and instead took off his general's cloak, rolled up his sleeves, walked to the place where the stones were piled up, bent down and picked up a large stone weighing several tens of kilograms, and walked steadily toward the crack. He personally mixed mud and laid bricks, doing the dirtiest and most tiring work!
His action stunned all the lazy soldiers around him, who stared blankly at this "high-ranking official from above" sweating profusely.

Deng Ai spoke loudly without looking up as he worked.

"If the city walls are not strong enough, we will build them ourselves! If the weapons are inadequate, I, Deng Ai, hereby swear that I have petitioned King Lie for the first batch of new military equipment to be delivered to this pass soon!"
At that time, everyone will be equipped with new armor and sharp weapons! But before that, if we are negligent and the pass is lost, how can we face King Lie?

How can you face your fellow villagers?! Are you truly willing to watch Cao Cao's iron hooves trample our homes and ravage our families?!

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable sincerity and strength. Actions speak louder than words; they speak volumes.

Seeing their commander act this way, some soldiers who still had courage showed shame on their faces and silently quickened their pace.

The veteran leader opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing more, lowered his head, and began to work in silence.

The atmosphere inside the pass has subtly changed.

At the same time, Deng Ai did not forget the remarkable effects of gunpowder when Gu Rubing fought against the forces of Penglai.

He immediately summoned the army's artisans and clever soldiers, and drawing on previous experience, used the gunpowder he had brought with him to carefully set up dozens of simple gunpowder traps on the steepest slopes on both sides of the pass, where the enemy was most likely to climb.

They buried gunpowder in rock crevices or bushes, attached long, waterproofed fuses, and pulled them all the way to the gate wall.

If Cao Cao's army attempts to launch a surprise attack from the flank, the defenders can light the fuse, detonate the gunpowder, and cause landslides and chaos, greatly slowing down the enemy's advance.

Deng Ai's actions—leading by example in repairing the city walls, promising to upgrade the weaponry, and setting up gunpowder traps—were like a few shot in the arm, finally stirring ripples in the stagnant hearts of the Yangping Pass garrison.

Although the complaints have not completely disappeared, the situation of passive resistance to work has greatly improved.

The soldiers began to actively cooperate with the reinforcements brought by Deng Ai, diligently carrying out patrol and guard duties, and the progress of repairing the city wall was greatly accelerated.

They realized that the newly arrived General Deng seemed to be different from the previous officials who only shouted slogans; he was serious and brought real hope.

At the pass, a united force began to form, working closely together, all for the sake of holding this barrier.

This renewed spirit and tight security quickly proved effective.

On the evening of the fourth day after Deng Ai arrived at Yangping Pass, a scout who had been sent to set up hidden sentries in the distant mountains and forests, soaked in sweat, scrambled back into the pass and headed straight for Deng Ai's temporary command post.

"General! Urgent military situation!"

The scout was panting heavily, his face showing tension.

"Traces of Cao Cao's army have been discovered in the northwest! Approximately five thousand men, bearing the banner of 'Xu,' are rapidly advancing along the official road towards Yangping Pass! Judging by their speed, they will arrive at the pass by noon the day after tomorrow at the latest!"

"Xu?"

Deng Ai's gaze sharpened.

"Is it Xu Huang?"

"The banners are unclear, and the commander cannot be identified, but judging from their marching formation, they are undoubtedly Cao Cao's elite troops!"

The scout confirmed.

Deng Ai suddenly stood up, walked to the map, pointed his finger at the location of Yangping Pass, and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.

Cao Ren acted swiftly! After the grain supplies were burned, he was not content to remain idle and began to launch attacks in all directions, trying to find weaknesses in the defensive line.

These five thousand vanguards are here to test the strength of Yangping Pass!
"Order the entire army! Immediately, enter a state of high combat readiness! Reinforce fortifications, inspect weaponry, store flammable materials on the walls, and double-check the fuses of gunpowder traps!"

Deng Ai's voice was calm and decisive, carrying a sense of impending doom.

The urgent military intelligence brought by the scouts was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly bringing the atmosphere at Yangping Pass to a fever pitch!
There are only two days left until the expected arrival time of Cao Jun's vanguard!
Deng Ai knew that with the current dilapidated defenses and low morale of Yangping Pass, the chances of winning against the fierce attack of five thousand elite Cao troops were extremely slim.

He dared not delay for a moment and made the most crucial decision immediately—to call for help!
"Immediately select two of your most capable scouts, mount their fastest horses, and take my handwritten plea for reinforcements. They will travel along different routes and rush to Linjiang City to present the information to King Lie! They will report the military situation here to the lord without missing a single word! Request that the lord send reinforcements immediately!"

Deng Ai's voice was urgent and firm. He solemnly handed the secret letter he had written on silk to two capable scouts, his eyes filled with expectation and entrustment.

This is where the greatest hope lies in whether Yangping Pass can be defended.

After seeing the messenger off, Deng Ai immediately turned to face all the soldiers inside the pass and issued a full-scale order to prepare for war.

"All troops, listen up! From this moment on, Yangping Pass is placed on the highest alert! All soldiers are divided into three shifts to take turns guarding the city walls, ensuring that every inch of the city wall is under our watchful eye for twelve hours!"
"We must not give Cao Cao's army any opportunity! The rest of you, seize this last moment to reinforce the fortifications and move supplies for the city's defense!"

The order was swiftly carried out. The previously somewhat lax garrison, spurred on by the reinforcements brought by Deng Ai and pressured by the dire situation, finally rallied and began to work diligently and systematically according to their assignments.

However, Deng Ai knew that relying solely on a real defense and this small force would make it difficult to frighten away or hold off Cao Cao's army for long.

He had to take a risk and use a feint!

"Someone! Immediately go and collect all the straw and tattered clothing you can find inside the pass, the more the better!"

Deng Ai gave the order.

Although they didn't understand the meaning, the soldiers quickly got to work. Soon, large amounts of straw and old clothes were piled up on the drill ground.

Deng Ai personally directed soldiers and conscripted laborers to bundle the straw into human shapes, dress them in tattered military uniforms, and even put straw hats on some of the "scarecrows" and give them long bamboo poles. Then, he ordered his men to densely arrange these crudely made but realistically lifelike dummy soldiers behind the crenellations of the pass walls and on some high ground with a wide view in front of the pass.

Looking from afar outside the pass, one can see rows of "guards" standing on the pass walls, with banners waving, clearly indicating a heavily fortified defense.

Not only that, at night, Deng Ai ordered that in addition to the real patrols, a large number of torches be lit in the areas where scarecrows were set up, and a small number of soldiers be arranged to move some of the scarecrows from time to time or make some noise, trying their best to create the illusion that the pass was well-defended, heavily guarded, and under constant vigilance day and night.

This series of bluffs indeed had the desired effect.

Two days later, the vanguard of Cao Cao's army of five thousand men, personally led by Xu Huang, a general under Cao Cao, arrived as scheduled ten miles outside Yangping Pass.

Xu Huang was a cautious man and did not attack rashly. Instead, he first sent scouts to approach the pass to investigate.

Scouts report back.

"General, the guards on the wall are densely packed, with patrols coming and going in an endless stream, and the walls are brightly lit with torches at night. It seems that the defenses are extremely tight, and their strength is probably no less than ours."

Upon hearing this, Xu Huang frowned deeply, spurred his horse to a high slope, and personally looked out over Yangping Pass.

Sure enough, there were many figures on the gate wall and banners fluttering, which indeed looked like it was heavily guarded.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

"How strange! According to previous intelligence, the garrison at Yangping Pass numbered only a little over a thousand, and their equipment was inadequate and their morale was low. When did they become so strong and well-prepared? Could it be that Gu Rubing had anticipated this and set up an ambush here?"

The cautious Xu Huang dared not easily launch an attack on this seemingly impregnable pass, fearing he might fall into a trap.

He ordered the entire army to set up camp twenty miles outside the pass, and at the same time immediately wrote a letter to Cao Cao in the rear, reporting the "abnormal" situation at Yangping Pass and requesting instructions.

Cao Jun's hesitation bought Deng Ai valuable time.

However, Xu Huang was a veteran general, and his subordinates were not lacking in experienced officers.

During the next day of careful observation, some observant Cao army captains noticed something amiss.

A captain reported to Xu Huang.

"General, after observing for a long time, I have noticed that the patrolling soldiers on the wall seem... a bit strange."

"Oh? Is something wrong?"

Xu Huang pressed for more information.

"General, you must understand that even the most elite soldiers need rest and rotation."

The figures on the wall have been standing there almost the same way since yesterday, their movements stiff and their routes almost unchanged. Especially at night, the shadows under the torches look rather blurry and lifeless.

This...this doesn't seem like something a living soldier could do.

Even the strongest man couldn't maintain a high level of vigilance and patrol continuously for twelve hours straight without showing the slightest sign of fatigue!

Another officer echoed this sentiment.

"Yes, General. If there were truly a large force inside the pass, why would they need to put on such a show when facing our 5,000 vanguard troops? They should have taken action long ago, either by attacking or holding their ground and waiting for reinforcements. Why would they just put on an empty show like this?"

As Xu Huang listened to his subordinates' analysis and combined it with his own previous observations, his doubts grew stronger.

He slapped his thigh suddenly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

“What you say makes sense! This must be a feint by that brat Deng Ai! The interior is definitely undefended; he's just putting on a show to buy time and wait for Gu Rubing's reinforcements!”

He acted decisively, no longer waiting for Cao Cao's reply, and summoned his generals to issue orders.

"Deng Ai's attempt to deceive the enemy with such a petty trick is utterly futile! Issue the order: the entire army will have a hearty meal before battle, and at midnight tonight, we will launch a probing attack!"

Xu Huang explained his plan to his subordinates.

"If the gate is guarded by real soldiers, a sudden night attack will catch them off guard and cause them to panic. We can then launch a fierce attack and perhaps break through the gate!"

If the gates are filled with dummies, it proves the pass is extremely vulnerable. Our 5,000 elite troops could easily breach this ruined pass! In any case, this battle will surely reveal the true strength of Yangping Pass!

To ensure everything went smoothly, Xu Huang devised a detailed night raid plan.

Two thousand elite infantrymen, carrying lightweight ladders, silently approached the gate and launched a surprise attack; one thousand archers provided cover from behind; the remaining two thousand men served as reserves, ready to be deployed to the battle or respond to any emergencies.

Cao Jun's movements naturally did not escape the watchful eyes of the guards at Yangping Pass.

When Deng Ai noticed that smoke was rising early from Cao Cao's camp and there were signs of unusual troop movements after nightfall, he immediately deduced that Cao Cao's army was likely to launch an attack that night, and that they had probably already seen through his feint!

"As expected, it couldn't be hidden from an old general like Xu Gongming."

Deng Ai stood on the city wall, gazing at the faint firelight in the direction of Cao Cao's camp in the distance. His face showed little surprise, only a solemn expression.

"However, being able to delay them for two days has already bought time for reinforcements. What follows is a real, hard-fought battle!"

He immediately ordered the removal of most of the conspicuous scarecrows, leaving only a few in secondary locations as a distraction.

All the actual garrison troops, including the reinforcements he brought and the original garrison troops of Yangping Pass, entered the pre-arranged positions, bows and crossbows were cocked, logs and stones were in place, and the soldiers responsible for igniting the gunpowder traps were also in their positions.

Just as Deng Ai was preparing his troops at Yangping Pass to meet the fierce attack of Xu Huang's 5,000 vanguard, Gu Rubing in Linjiang City also received an urgent military report from another direction.

A scout responsible for monitoring the movements of Cao Cao's army in northern Jingzhou rushed into the government office, knelt on one knee, and spoke urgently.

"Report! My lord, according to the latest reconnaissance, Cao Cao's second army, led by his general, numbering about 20,000, has left its camp and is rapidly moving southwest towards our other pass—Baishui Pass!"

At first glance, this military intelligence report did not seem as precarious as the situation at Yangping Pass.

After all, Cao Ren's main force was still tied down under the walls of Linjiang City. The route chosen by this 20,000-strong force deliberately avoided the main areas and transportation routes heavily fortified by Gu Rubing, making it seem somewhat "unconventional".

Some of the generals in the hall breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this, thinking that this might be a feint or small-scale harassment by Cao Cao's army to tie down their forces. (End of Chapter)