With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Jiang Gan confidently sailed to the other side in a small boat, where Zhou Yu had already ordered the construction of a massive water fortress.

Warships lined the riverbank, their imposing presence a sight to behold. Countless vessels of all sizes stretched as far as the eye could see.

The large ships were mostly tiger-headed warships, three to five meters high and ranging from ten to twenty meters in length.

The ship was lined with armored soldiers and armed with crossbows, while small boats patrolled and guarded the area, moving back and forth with great agility.

As soon as Jiang Gan's small boat approached, it was stopped.

Two small boats came by, and the Jiangdong soldiers on board were armed with swords and spears and were quite fierce.

Someone shouted, "Who goes there? Jiangdong Water Stronghold, don't come any closer!"

Jiang Gan steadied himself and mustered his courage to say, "I am Jiang Gan. Please inform your Grand Commander that his old classmate and friend has come to visit."

A small boat quickly departed to deliver the message to Zhou Yu.

When Zhou Yu heard Jiang Gan's name, he thought for a long time before he finally remembered who he was.

Lu Su, who was standing nearby, said, "Gongjin, a great battle is about to break out. At this time, Cao Cao has sent Jiang Gan to our side. We must be on guard."

Zhou Yu smiled, his deep eyes shining even brighter. "Zijing, if I'm not mistaken, he must be here as a persuader."

Lu Su was skeptical, but Zhou Yu smiled at him and said, "Come with me and line up to greet them!"

As Jiang Gan sat on the small boat, gazing at the imposing water fortress of the Jiangdong army, he felt inexplicably nervous.

He had made a boastful promise to Cao Cao, but what would the outcome be?

Will Zhou Yu see him? Will he consider their past relationship? Will he be persuaded? Jiang Gan had no idea about any of these questions.

He even considered the worst-case scenario: if Zhou Yu refused to see him and instead ordered his men to drive him away, he would lose all face.

Just as Jiang Gan was lost in thought, he suddenly heard the sound of gongs and drums from the shore. Soon after, Zhou Yu led a large army to meet him.

Zhou Yu was surrounded by a crowd, dressed impeccably, his armor gleaming, like a star being the center of attention.

From afar, he clasped his hands in a salute to Jiang Gan, saying, "Ziyi, it has been several years since we last met. How have you been? I am late in welcoming you, please forgive me, brother."

Zhou Yu gave Jiang Gan a great deal of face, leading a grand welcoming party. Jiang Gan felt like he was in a dream. After so many years, he almost didn't recognize Zhou Yu; the changes were too great.

Previously, Zhou Yu was just like him, unknown and merely a classmate studying together.

But now, Zhou Yu is the Grand Commander of Jiangdong, commanding thousands of troops. Just his commanding presence alone makes Jiang Gan feel ashamed of himself.

On the other hand, the fact that Zhou Yu still greeted him so warmly after so many years made Jiang Gan feel a little smug, indicating that Zhou Yu still cherished their friendship and that Jiang Gan was full of confidence in his mission.

As soon as Jiang Gan stepped ashore, Zhou Yu grabbed his hand.

Zhou Yu took Jiang Gan's hand and put his arm around his arm, reminiscing about the past while enthusiastically introducing him to the others.

Subsequently, Zhou Yu personally hosted a banquet to warmly welcome Jiang Gan.

Jiang Gan sat in the seat of honor, and the civil and military officials of Jiangdong kept toasting him and saying flattering words. In all his life, Jiang Gan had never had such a moment of glory, and he couldn't help but feel a little smug. After a few drinks, he became a little carried away.

But after a while, Zhou Yu took off his sword and handed it to Jiang Qin, his expression immediately becoming somewhat serious.

Zhou Yu looked around at everyone and said, "Ziyi and I are old friends from school. Although he came from Jiangbei, I believe that he has come here only to reminisce with me and will never act as Cao Cao's envoy. Please do not doubt him. Today we will only talk about our friendship. If anyone mentions the war between our two families, he will be beheaded on the spot!"

Jiang Qin immediately accepted the order, sword in hand, and stood proudly beside Jiang Gan.

Jiang Gan's heart pounded, and he was startled.

As a result, he dared not speak of persuasion again, and it seemed that the sword in Jiang Qin's hand was specially prepared for him.

Zhou Yu continued to chat and laugh, frequently toasting Jiang Gan, but Jiang Gan was suffering in silence, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles.

At night, Zhou Yu insisted on sleeping side by side with Jiang Gan. Then, Zhou Yu pretended to be drunk and fell into a deep sleep, while Jiang Gan was wide awake.

Having boasted so confidently in front of the Prime Minister, he couldn't just slink back in disgrace.

Jiang Gan tiptoed out of bed and searched around Zhou Yu's tent, trying to find something useful.

Suddenly, Jiang Gan noticed a letter on the table next to him, with a large part of it covered up and only a small corner showing.

Jiang Gan cautiously approached, picked up the letter, glanced at it, and his heart began to race with excitement.

Zhou Yu suddenly rolled over and said, "Ziyi, within a few days, I will definitely take Cao Cao's head."

Jiang Gan was terrified. He quickly squatted down, held his breath, and waited for a long time. Only after confirming that Zhou Yu was still asleep and was just talking "drunkenly" did Jiang Gan breathe a sigh of relief.

Jiang Gan carefully returned to the bed and lay down again.

After a while, someone entered the tent and woke Zhou Yu, as if they had something important to report. After Zhou Yu woke up, the person said, "Commander, someone from Jiangbei has come..."

He had barely opened his mouth when Zhou Yu stopped him. Zhou Yu turned around and looked at Jiang Gan warily, while Jiang Gan continued to pretend to be asleep.

Zhou Yu waved his hand and walked out of the tent with the men. Jiang Gan could vaguely hear them whispering outside, saying that now was not the time to make a move.

After a while, Zhou Yu returned and lay down again, while Jiang Gan continued to pretend to be asleep until Zhou Yu started snoring. Only then did Jiang Gan get up again.

Jiang Gan thought to himself that this place was not a good place to stay and that it was best to leave quickly, so he hurriedly left with the stolen letter.

He was a good friend of Zhou Yu, and no one in the Jiangdong navy stopped him. Jiang Gan traveled unimpeded to the north bank.

To everyone's surprise, no sooner had he left than Zhou Yu sat up abruptly, his eyes gleaming and a cold smile appearing on his lips.

When Jiang Gan met Cao Cao, he presented the stolen letter as if it were a treasure, eagerly hoping that Cao Cao would immediately eliminate the bad apples and then reward him handsomely.

"What? Huang Zuwen actually colluded with Zhou Yu and plotted to betray me?"

After reading the letter, Cao Cao was furious and immediately ordered, "Bring me Huang Zu and Wen Ping."

Huang Zuwen and his two companions were still in the dark and had no idea what had happened when they arrived.

With a loud bang, Cao Cao slammed his hand on the table, his face grim, and threw the letter in front of Huang Zu and Wen Ping.

After reading the letter, both men shook their heads indignantly and said in unison, "Prime Minister, we have never written a letter to Zhou Yu."

Seeing that Huang Zu and Wen Ping looked calm and showed no remorse, Cao Cao became suspicious. Jiang Gan, on the other hand, was arrogant and said, "Prime Minister, the evidence is irrefutable and they cannot deny it. Not only are there letters, but I also overheard Zhou Yu talking to someone else, saying that they would soon cooperate with Zhou Yu to kill you, Prime Minister."

"What you see with your own eyes may not be true, and what you hear with your own ears can certainly be fabricated. Jiang Gan, you've been fooled by Zhou Yu!"

As they were talking, a man walked in from outside. He was slender with deep and bright eyes. It was none other than Guo Jia, Guo Fengxiao!

Guo Jia's words made Jiang Gan feel flustered. He hurriedly retorted, "General Guo, how could this letter be fake? I heard Zhou Yu discussing things with others with my own ears. At that time, Zhou Yu even secretly slipped out of the camp behind my back."

Guo Jia stepped forward and said with certainty, "This is precisely Zhou Yu's brilliance. The letter is definitely fake. Zhou Yu deliberately discussed this with others behind your back to lure you into a trap. He knows that Generals Huang Zu and Wen Ping are familiar with naval warfare and are highly regarded by the Prime Minister. Therefore, he is using you to provoke the Prime Minister into eliminating the two generals."

Cao Cao gradually calmed down and realized what had happened. He quickly got up and went to Huang Zu and Wen Ping, took their hands, and comforted them gently, "I was confused for a moment and almost wronged an innocent person. I hope you can forgive me."

Right is right, and wrong is wrong.

Cao Cao immediately apologized, and Huang Zu and Wen Ping naturally didn't hold it against him.

Turning back to look at Jiang Gan, Cao Cao's face immediately darkened, and a chilling killing intent flashed in his eyes.

Jiang Gan realized something was wrong, cold sweat immediately broke out, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Jiang Gan"

Cao Cao gritted his teeth and said, "You made a boast, but not only did you fail to persuade him, you were also tricked by Zhou Yu and almost harmed two loyal men. You should be killed, not spared. Come, take Jiang Gan out and behead him as a warning to the public!"

"Prime Minister, spare my life!"

Jiang Gan knelt down with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly, completely terrified.

Guo Jia waved his hand and said, "Prime Minister, in my opinion, we should turn the tables on him. Zhou Yu boasts of his unparalleled intelligence, so let him have his moment of pleasure."

"Oh? Fengxiao, tell me, how exactly do you do it?"

Guo Jia smiled slightly and said, "Since Zhou Yu wants to use you, my lord, to get rid of Generals Huang Zu and Wen Pin, this precisely shows that he is wary of them. You can have the two generals go from the open to the covert, and announce to the outside world that Huang Zu and Wen Pin have betrayed their master and colluded with the enemy, and have them dismissed from their posts and imprisoned. When they fight Zhou Yu in the future, you can surprise Zhou Yu."

Cao Cao stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, it will be as you say, Fengxiao!"

Looking at Jiang Gan again, Cao Cao glared at him fiercely, suppressing his anger, and said sternly, "Jiang Gan, I'll leave your head on your shoulders for now. If there's a next time, I won't let you off easily."

Jiang Gan narrowly escaped death, having just walked through the gates of hell without serious injury. He almost wet his pants, and immediately kowtowed, saying, "Thank you, Prime Minister, for sparing my life. Jiang Gan will do his utmost to serve you."

Following Guo Jia's advice, Cao Cao immediately dismissed Huang Zu and Wen Pin, announced that they would be imprisoned and executed in the autumn, and appointed Mao Jie and Yu Jin to replace them in training the navy.

Upon receiving the news, Zhou Yu burst into laughter. He said to Lu Su, "Generals Huang and Wen are experts in naval warfare. These two are the only ones I was worried about. Now that Cao Cao has removed this thorn in my side, defeating Cao Cao is just around the corner!"

Lu Su was still not entirely at ease and advised, "Gongjin, this matter is of great importance. Do not believe it lightly. In my opinion, it would be better to send someone to investigate further."

Zhou Yu's eyes darted around, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "Zijing has reminded me. Cao Cao has always been cunning. I only need to send my navy into battle to test the truth."

Zhou Yu immediately took action, personally leading his army of several thousand naval troops northward by boat to provoke them.

Hundreds of warships from Jiangdong sailed north, forming a battle array on the vast river. In an instant, flags fluttered and battle clouds gathered. Someone immediately came to report to Cao Cao.

Hearing the commotion, Liu Xie also rushed over.

Cao Cao dismissed Huang Zu and Wen Ping, which was completely unexpected by Liu Xie.

With Guo Jia's presence, the course of the Battle of Red Cliffs became unpredictable.

This also made Liu Xie very much looking forward to it, wondering what kind of amazing performance Guo Jia would give when facing Zhou Yu.

"My lord, Zhou Yu has not led many troops this time. He wants to test the strength of our army."

Guo Jia looked at Mao Jie and Yu Jin and suggested to Cao Cao, "My lord, please let them fight. Remember, in this battle, defeat is acceptable, but victory is not."

Cao Cao was also an extremely intelligent man. He immediately understood and nodded, "Alright, Mao Jie, Yu Jin, listen to my command."

"exist!"

"I will personally watch the battle for the two of you. You are only allowed to lose, not win. The more humiliating your defeat, the better."

"Here!"

Yu Jin and Mao Jie did not hesitate at all. Just as they were about to leave, Guo Jia added, "Generals, there is no need to use the elite troops in the army. You can just select some soldiers with insufficient combat strength to deal with them."

The two agreed and left.

When Guo Jia saw Liu Xie, he smiled but didn't explain further. He knew the emperor was a smart man and would naturally understand his intentions.

Zhou Yu directed the operation from the center, while Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai each led a fleet. As the two sides drew closer, Zhou Yu observed closely and indeed discovered that Huang Zu and Wen Ping were no longer commanding the battle on Cao Cao's side.

Cao Cao sat in the center on a tiger-headed warship, with Yu Jin on his left and Mao Jie on his right.

The waves surged and the river flowed swiftly. The soldiers of Jiangdong stood on the boats, their spirits high and their killing intent palpable, as steadfast as magnets.

On the other hand, Cao Cao's army was in disarray, their soldiers swaying back and forth as the ships rocked back and forth. They kept looking around, their faces filled with unease.

Naval warfare is completely different from land warfare. Some of Cao Cao's men were lucky to even stand on their ships, let alone fight.

Zhou Yu grew increasingly pleased with what he saw. He glanced at Cao Cao again, then with a flash of cold light, he drew his sword and shouted, "All troops, attack! Kill!"

The command resounds like a mountain shaking; the entire army understands it clearly!
At Zhou Yu's command, Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai each led their fleets forward. The oars flew swiftly, accompanied by earth-shattering battle cries. The Jiangdong soldiers charged forward like tigers descending from the mountains.

Yu Jin and Mao Jie hurriedly led their troops to meet the enemy, while Cao Cao stood on the large ship, holding onto the gunwale, watching quietly.

Although it was a tactic, Cao Cao was eager to see the true power of the Jiangdong navy and the difference between the two armies. Soon, he was amazed.

The Jiangdong soldiers roared and moved swiftly, rowing their boats with all their might as if they were fighting on land, without any concern about falling into the water.

As soon as they got closer, the Jiangdong soldiers unleashed a barrage of arrows, the sound of their crossbows whistling through the air. Many of Cao Cao's soldiers could barely stand, and the number of those falling into the water or being hit by arrows increased rapidly, causing Cao Cao to frown deeply.

Although Yu Jin and Mao Jie also ordered their men to fire arrows in retaliation, it had little effect.

Cao Cao wasn't particularly distressed by the deaths and injuries; what truly amazed him was the performance of the Jiangdong soldiers.

Cao Cao couldn't help but say to Guo Jia beside him, "Fengxiao, even if we use all the elite troops of our navy, I'm afraid we'll have little chance of winning on the water." (End of this chapter)