Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 731 Confrontation between the two sides
At the frontline of the confrontation with Sun Quan in Jingzhou, Xu Shu, Huang Zhong, Zhao Yun and other generals strictly followed Jia Changsheng's deployment, set up camp with great fanfare, and made a posture of imminent attack. Huang Zhong sent people to Sun Quan's camp every day to challenge, insult and provoke, trying to attract Sun Quan's attention so that he would have no time to take care of Changsha behind.

Sun Quan received the news of the confrontation on the front line in Yangzhou. Although he had some doubts in his heart, he still focused more on the front battlefield. He said to Zhou Yu: "Gongjin, Jia Changsheng's army is constantly challenging us on the front line. It seems that they want to confront us head-on. Do you think they have other plans?"

Zhou Yu frowned slightly, thought for a moment and said, "My lord, Jia Changsheng is a man of extraordinary wisdom and strategy, and we should not take him lightly. Although it seems that their main attack direction is the front, we cannot rule out the possibility of a surprise attack. I have strengthened patrols and defenses in all counties, just in case."

Sun Quan nodded and said, "Gongjin, you have considered everything. I will leave everything to you. We must defend Yangzhou and not let Jia Changsheng succeed."

On the other side, after several days of rapid march, the 5,000 troops led by Jia Changsheng finally arrived outside Changsha City. It was still dark and Changsha City was still immersed in silence. Jia Changsheng observed the situation of the city walls and the defenders and found that although Changsha City was well defended, the defenders were most relaxed at this moment.

Jia Changsheng whispered to his generals: "Now, prepare to attack the city!"

At the command, the soldiers moved quickly. They set up ladders and approached the city wall quietly. The defenders on the tower did not notice the approaching danger at all. When the first batch of soldiers were about to climb the city wall, a defender accidentally discovered something unusual and shouted loudly: "There are enemy troops! There are enemy troops attacking the city!"

However, it was too late. Jia Changsheng's soldiers quickly climbed up the city wall like a tiger descending from a mountain and engaged in a fierce battle with the defenders. Jia Changsheng led the way, holding a long sword and rushing into the enemy camp. His sword skills were sharp and he killed several people in an instant. Under his leadership, the morale of the soldiers was greatly boosted and they soon controlled the city wall.

Jia Changsheng stood on the city wall and shouted loudly: "Brothers, charge into the city and take Changsha!"

Five thousand elite soldiers poured into the city like a tide. When the Changsha defenders learned that the city had been breached, they hastily assembled their forces to resist. However, the city was in chaos at that time, and the defenders were in a hurry to fight and could not organize an effective defense. Jia Changsheng's army fought street battles with the defenders in the city, and gradually gained the upper hand with their bravery and tacit cooperation.

The Changsha garrison commander saw that the situation was not good and tried to break out and escape. Jia Changsheng was sharp-eyed and saw the garrison commander's movements. He immediately led a team of people to chase him. On a street, Jia Changsheng blocked the garrison commander's way.

The guard held a long sword in his hand, glared at Jia Changsheng, and said, "Jia Changsheng, you dared to attack Changsha, today is the day you die!"

Jia Changsheng sneered: "You are defending Yangzhou to death and helping the tyrant. Today is the beginning of Yangzhou's decline!"

After that, the two men started fighting. Jia Changsheng's swordsmanship was exquisite, and the guard gradually couldn't resist. After a few rounds, Jia Changsheng stabbed the guard with his sword, and the guard died on the spot.

As the general was killed, the Changsha defenders completely lost their will to resist and surrendered one after another. Jia Changsheng successfully captured Changsha. He immediately appeased the people in the city and posted notices stating that the Jingzhou army came to make the people live a good life and would not harm innocent people. Seeing that Jia Changsheng's army was disciplined, the fear in the hearts of the people gradually dissipated.

Jia Changsheng knew that taking Changsha was only the first step. Sun Quan would definitely send troops to attack Changsha when he learned that Changsha was attacked. He quickly arranged soldiers to strengthen the city defenses and prepare for Sun Quan's counterattack. At this time, Sun Quan was shocked to learn that Changsha was captured by Jia Changsheng in a surprise attack in Yangzhou. He said angrily: "Jia Changsheng dared to be so bold, I will make him pay the price!" So Sun Quan hurriedly summoned Zhou Yu and other generals to discuss the strategy of retaking Changsha. A fierce battle for Changsha was about to begin.

Sun Quan was shocked to hear that Changsha was captured by Jia Changsheng in a surprise attack in Yangzhou. The teacup in his hand fell with a "clack" and shattered. He was shocked and angry, and shouted loudly: "Jia Changsheng, how dare you be so bold!" Immediately, he quickly summoned Zhou Yu, Lu Su, Lu Meng and other confidants to the meeting room to discuss countermeasures urgently.

Everyone rushed in, and the atmosphere in the hall was as heavy as lead. Sun Quan looked gloomy, pacing back and forth in the hall, and asked anxiously: "Changsha is an important town in Yangzhou, and now it has been captured by Jia Changsheng. Do you have any good plan to take it back?"

Zhou Yu, with a serious expression, stepped forward first, bowed and said, "My lord, don't worry. Although Jia Changsheng's surprise attack was successful, Changsha is isolated and has no help. It is also a risky move for his 5,000 troops to penetrate deep into our territory. We can quickly gather troops, surround Changsha, cut off their food and grass, and trap them to death. At the same time, strengthen the defense of the surrounding counties to prevent Jia Changsheng from launching another surprise attack."

Sun Quan frowned and said, "Gongjin's words make sense, but since Jia Changsheng dares to go deep into the city, he must be prepared. If we fail to take him down after a long attack, it may dampen our army's morale."

Lu Su stepped forward and said, "My lord, in addition to military siege, we can also try to persuade Jia Changsheng to surrender. Send someone into the city to explain the pros and cons to Jia Changsheng and promise him great benefits. Perhaps this matter can be resolved without bloodshed. After all, he has gone deep into the city alone. If he can escape unscathed, he will surely consider it."

Sun Quan snorted coldly: "Jia Changsheng is ambitious, how could he easily withdraw his troops? However, it would not hurt to try to persuade him to surrender. Zijing, you arrange for someone who is good at speaking to go. But we cannot relax our military preparations either."

Lu Meng clasped his fists and said, "My lord, I think we can set up an ambush on the main road leading to Changsha. If Jia Changsheng tries to break out or Jingzhou sends reinforcements, we can destroy him in one fell swoop. At the same time, we should speed up the construction of siege equipment. If persuading him to surrender fails, we can force the city to surrender."

Sun Quan nodded slightly and looked at everyone: "What you said is all worthwhile. Gongjin, you quickly go and gather the elite troops to prepare for the siege of Changsha; Zijing, you will be responsible for arranging the persuasion of surrender; Ziming, you will be in charge of the preparation of ambushes and siege equipment. I will make Jia Changsheng pay for his recklessness!"

Zhou Yu replied, "Don't worry, my lord. I will lead the warriors of Wu to recapture Changsha."

Lu Su said: "My lord, Su Ding will select the right person to enter the city to persuade them to surrender."

Lu Meng shouted, "My lord, I will fulfill my mission and make sure Jia Changsheng can't escape."

Sun Quan added: "In addition, we must not relax at the front line where we are confronting the Jingzhou army. Xu Shu and his men are definitely not good people. If we withdraw too many troops to Changsha, they may take the opportunity to attack."

Zhou Yu said, "My lord, rest assured. I have made all the arrangements. General Cheng Pu will lead a part of the troops to hold the front line and will not allow the Jingzhou army to take advantage of the situation."

Sun Quan was relieved and said, "Okay, let's do everything according to the plan. Retaking Changsha this time is related to the reputation of our Eastern Wu and the safety of Yangzhou. You must go all out."

Everyone agreed in unison and took their orders. Zhou Yu returned to the camp and immediately assembled 30,000 elite troops, including the most elite navy and army of the Eastern Wu, and quickly marched towards Changsha. Along the way, Zhou Yu kept thinking about how to defeat the enemy. He knew that Jia Changsheng was not an ordinary person, and the siege of Changsha would be full of difficulties.

Lu Su selected a counselor named Zhang Zhao in Yangzhou City. He was eloquent and wise. Lu Su said to Zhang Zhao: "Zi Bu, this time you enter the city to persuade Jia Changsheng to surrender. It is of great importance. You must do your best. Tell him that if he withdraws his troops, Dongwu is willing to stop fighting and make peace with Jingzhou, and even promise him some benefits. If he insists on resisting, the Dongwu army will definitely flatten Changsha."

Zhang Zhao nodded and said, "Don't worry Zijing, I will definitely live up to your trust." Then, Zhang Zhao went to Changsha with several followers.

Lü Meng led a team of soldiers and horses to carefully survey the terrain and set up ambushes on the only way to Changsha. At the same time, he urged the craftsmen to work day and night to build siege equipment such as ladders and catapults.

Zhang Zhao and his entourage arrived at the foot of Changsha City and shouted loudly: "Listen up, I am Zhang Zhao, a subordinate of Lord Lu Su of the Eastern Wu. I have come to talk to General Jia Changsheng. Please inform me."

The soldiers on the city wall informed Jia Changsheng of this. Jia Changsheng thought for a moment and said, "Let him in."

When Zhang Zhao entered Changsha City, he saw Jia Changsheng and bowed to him, saying, "I have heard of General Jia's great name for a long time. I am glad to see him today. He is indeed a man of extraordinary bearing."

Jia Changsheng smiled slightly: "Mr. Zhang, you are too polite. I wonder why you are here, Mr. Zhang?"

Zhang Zhao said: "General Jia, although you have occupied Changsha now, you are alone and deep in the territory, and your situation is worrying. The Eastern Wu army is on the way. If you insist on resisting, you will be surrounded and destroyed. It is better for you to withdraw your troops. Eastern Wu is willing to make peace with Jingzhou and even cede some land to show its sincerity."

Jia Changsheng sneered, "Mr. Zhang, Sun Quan has occupied Yangzhou and has no ambition to make progress. The people are suffering. My Jingzhou army is a righteous army, and we are here to rescue the people of Yangzhou. Changsha, I will never give up. Go back and tell Sun Quan to attack the city if you have the guts."

Zhang Zhao saw that his persuasion to surrender was fruitless, so he reluctantly said goodbye. After returning to the Wu camp, he told Lu Su what Jia Changsheng had said. Lu Su shook his head and sighed, saying: "As expected by the lord, Jia Changsheng is ambitious and it is useless to persuade him to surrender. It seems that we can only solve it by force."

At this time, Zhou Yu's army had arrived outside Changsha and surrounded the city. A fierce offensive and defensive battle was about to begin. Sun Quan was closely following the Changsha battle in Yangzhou, and secretly vowed in his heart that he would make Jia Changsheng pay a heavy price for his adventure, recapture Changsha, and revive the prestige of Dongwu.

After Jia Changsheng rejected Zhang Zhao's persuasion to surrender, he knew that Sun Quan would definitely take back Changsha by force. Standing on the top of Changsha City, he looked at the camps of Sun Quan's army outside the city, with flags fluttering, and knew that the days ahead would be extremely difficult. But he was not afraid, he quickly calmed down, and began to think about countermeasures.

Jia Changsheng immediately summoned his generals and said in a serious tone: "Brothers, Sun Quan's army has arrived, and the next battle will be extremely brutal. But we occupy Changsha and have the city to defend. As long as we hold on and wait for help, we will be able to overcome the danger. Now, we must immediately arrange manpower to break through the enemy's blockade and pass the message to Jingzhou, asking the lord to send troops for support."

A young general stepped forward, clasped his fists and said, "General, I am willing to lead a team of warriors to fight our way out of the encirclement and go to Jingzhou for help!"

Jia Changsheng looked at him with approval in his eyes: "Good! What's your name?"

"I, Wang Yong, am willing to die for you, General!"

Jia Changsheng patted Wang Yong on the shoulder and said, "Wang Yong, this journey is full of dangers, you must be careful. We must defend Changsha before the reinforcements from Jingzhou arrive. You lead 500 elite troops to break out at night. Remember, you must deliver the letter for help to the lord."

Wang Yong nodded firmly and took the order. He selected 500 of the most elite and fearless soldiers, all of whom were armed with sharp blades and strong bows, ready to fight to the death.

As night fell, there was silence outside Changsha. Wang Yong led 500 soldiers and quietly came to the city wall. They lowered the ropes and slid down the wall quietly. Outside the city, Sun Quan's army patrolled frequently, but Wang Yong and others avoided wave after wave of patrols with their excellent stealth skills.

However, just as they were about to break through the blockade, a soldier accidentally stepped on a dead branch, making a crisp sound. Suddenly, the nearby Wu soldiers became alert and shouted loudly: "Enemy troops! Enemy troops are breaking through!"

Wang Yong thought to himself that it was not good, so he made a quick decision and shouted, "Brothers, charge out!" Five hundred warriors rushed towards the enemy like tigers. For a moment, shouts and screams were intertwined. Wang Yong waved his long sword, charging left and right, and wherever he went, the soldiers of the Eastern Wu fell one after another.

But the Dongwu army was large in number and soon surrounded them from all directions. Wang Yong knew that he could not linger in the battle, so he led his soldiers to rush in one direction. After a hard fight, although the five hundred soldiers suffered heavy casualties, they finally fought their way out. Wang Yong looked at the less than two hundred people left around him and gritted his teeth and said, "Brothers, we succeeded, let's go!"

Everyone rushed all the way, running towards Jingzhou. In Changsha City, Jia Changsheng heard the shouting and killing outside the city, and silently prayed in his heart that Wang Yong and others could successfully break through. He knew that what he could do now was to hold on to the city and wait for reinforcements to arrive.

Jia Changsheng quickly arranged for the soldiers to strengthen the city defense. He personally inspected the city wall and boosted morale: "Brothers, we are the elite of Jingzhou. Changsha is in our hands, so we must not let Sun Quan take it away! As long as we hold on, reinforcements from Jingzhou will surely come!"

The soldiers shouted in unison: "Hold Changsha! Wait for reinforcements!" The sound resounded through the night sky, boosting morale.

Jia Changsheng said to his generals: "Sun Quan will definitely launch a fierce attack. We must allocate troops reasonably. The east gate and the south gate are the directions where the enemy may focus their attacks. We should deploy more archers and crossbowmen. We should also be vigilant at the west gate and the north gate to prevent the enemy from making feint attacks. At the same time, we should organize the people to carry stones, arrows and other supplies for defending the city and be prepared for a long-term defense."

The generals took orders and went to their respective posts. Jia Changsheng went to the grain and grass storage area to check the grain and grass situation. He knew that grain and grass were the key to defending the city and they had to ensure that they were sufficient.

(End of this chapter)