My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Inside the command tent, the candlelight flickered, casting Meng Quan's shadow on the military map on the table, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

His fingertip had just traced the mark "Han Camp" when he slowly raised his eyes, his gaze turning heavily to Liu Xun, who stood beside him, his tone carrying a barely perceptible inquiry:
"General Liu, what do you think of Guan Xing, the vanguard sent by Wei Yan?"

Upon hearing the name "Guan Xing," Liu Xun's previously calm expression instantly tightened. His hands unconsciously gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist, and he forced out a few words through gritted teeth, filled with bitter hatred:
"That brat Guan Xing has ruined my plans time and time again. This is an irreconcilable feud!"

Even as he finished speaking, his chest was still heaving slightly with anger, clearly indicating that he harbored deep resentment towards Guan Xing.

Meng Quan nodded slightly, his mind already perfectly clear—Wei Yan's move was extremely risky, yet also extremely brilliant.

Sending Guan Xing, on the surface, was to send a greenhorn as the vanguard, but in reality, it was a calculated move that their side might underestimate Guan Xing because of his youth.

Such a tactic of feigning indifference can easily lead to falling into a trap if one is not careful.

Once the entire army underestimates Guan Xing and thinks that this vanguard is not to be feared, then I will most likely be swayed by this sense of complacency and rashly order troops to meet the enemy.

What Wei Yan wanted was precisely this act of "underestimating the enemy and going into battle." At that time, Guan Xing would surely set up an ambush, waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out. Wei Yan's soldiers would likely suffer heavy losses and become a laughing stock of the Han army.

Liu Xun took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging anger, but the veins on his forehead were still throbbing faintly.

He glanced sideways at Meng Quan and, seeing a hint of disdain in the man's expression, quickly stepped forward and cautiously reminded him in a low voice:

"Your Majesty, do not be deceived by Wei Yan's appearance!"

Although Guan Xing is young, he has received personal instruction from his father, Guan Yu, and possesses superb swordsmanship and exceptional martial arts skills. He is no ordinary young general and should not be underestimated!

Despite this, Liu Xun harbored another plan in his heart.

He wished Meng Quan would immediately order an attack, have the army raze the Han camp to the ground, and kill that brat Guan Xing to vent his anger.

But he knew even better that although his forces were not weak, Wei Yan was cunning in his tactics, and if he acted rashly, he could very well ruin the whole situation.

In order to defend the city and for the sake of the long-term plan, he had no choice but to suppress his personal grievances and earnestly persuade Meng Quan not to act rashly.

Meng Quan initially thought Liu Xun was exaggerating out of personal grudge, but as he listened to Liu Xun's earnest words, the disdain in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a genuine sense of apprehension.

He stroked the patterns on the table, about to ask another question, when a sharp, piercing sound suddenly rang out from inside the tent—"Bang!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Ugo suddenly smash the bronze wine cup in his hand on the ground, the wine splashing everywhere and the cup shattering into several pieces.

He suddenly leaped to his feet, his tall frame casting a broad shadow in the candlelight. His face was full of disdain and arrogance as he roared:

"What is Guan Xing anyway! He's just a brat who relies on his father's reputation!"

He strode to the center of the tent, placed his hands on his hips, and scanned the people inside before finally fixing his gaze on Meng Quan, his tone filled with unquestionable confidence:
"Your Majesty! With me, Wuge, here, along with my rattan armor soldiers, what is there to fear from a mere Guan Xing?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than he thumped his chest and loudly volunteered for the mission:

"I am willing to lead the rattan armor soldiers out of the city immediately, and we will surely annihilate the Han army, bind Guan Xing before the king, and let him be judged by the king!"

Ugo's request to fight was extremely arrogant, as if the Han army were nothing more than lambs to the slaughter in his eyes.

The tent fell silent for a moment, but Meng Quan's expression was complex, a mixture of undisguised joy and lingering worry.

To his delight, just when he was worried that no one would dare to take the initiative to fight Guan Xing, Wu Ge volunteered, saving him a lot of trouble.

It should be noted that Wuge's rattan armor soldiers have a well-known reputation. If they can be used to defeat Guan Xing, the morale of the Han army will be severely damaged.

However, concerns also arose – he had long heard of the reputation of the rattan armor soldiers, but had never seen them fight in person, and their true strength remained to be seen.

Moreover, the number of rattan armor soldiers that Ugo brought was limited, totaling no more than five thousand at most.

The Han army outside the city consisted of tens of thousands of vanguard troops led by Guan Xing, and Wei Yan's main force followed by as many as forty thousand.

With only 5,000 rattan armor soldiers facing 40,000 Han troops, what chance did they have of winning?

The more Meng Quan thought about it, the more uncertain he felt.

He hesitated for a moment, then got up, walked to Ugo's side, patted him on the shoulder, and spoke in a somewhat tactful tone:

“Brother Wuge, I naturally know that the rattan armor soldiers are brave and invincible! But the Han army is simply too numerous, and we both understand the principle of being outnumbered.”

He paused, trying to persuade him:
"How about this: let's hold back for now, send out a few scouts to find out the enemy's strength and weaknesses, and then formulate a battle plan, shall we?"

No sooner had Meng Quan finished speaking than Wu Ge's face darkened instantly, and his arrogant smile vanished without a trace.

In his mind, his rattan armor soldiers were invulnerable to swords and spears, and impervious to arrows, making them virtually invincible.

If he had ambitions to conquer the world, with this army he could have swept across the land long ago. How could others have the chance to claim the throne?
The reason he willingly submitted to Meng Quan was simply because he was naturally carefree and had no ambition to conquer the world; he only wanted to protect the peace of his tribe.

To him, Meng Quan's words were clearly a sign of doubt about the rattan armor soldiers' fighting ability and a sign of underestimating him, Wu Ge!

How could he possibly tolerate this? A strong sense of displeasure welled up within him.

Ugo took a step back, avoiding Meng Quan's hand, his tone turning colder and carrying a hint of aloofness:
“Your Majesty, when you summoned me here, it wasn't to have me sit in the tent and observe, but to help you defeat Wei Yan's army, wasn't it?”

He lowered his eyes slightly, his voice tinged with disappointment:

"The king's current words clearly show that he does not believe in me, Wuge, nor in my rattan armor soldiers."

Since that's the case, there's no point in me staying here. I might as well go back and guard my tribe.

Ugo's soft sigh, seemingly indifferent, struck Meng Quan like a boulder.

Meng Quan panicked and instantly understood—Ugo felt slighted by his disrespect and was taking the opportunity to express his dissatisfaction!
He quickly stepped forward and grabbed Ugo's arm, afraid that he would really turn around and leave.

You must know that Wuge and his rattan armor soldiers are your greatest asset in fighting against Wei Yan, and you absolutely cannot afford to offend them.

Meng Quan quickly changed his tune, a smile spreading across his face, his tone full of flattery:

“Brother Ugo, what are you saying! How could I not believe you?”
I was just worried that you and your soldiers had come from a long journey and must be exhausted, so I wanted you to rest for a few more days.

He patted his chest and guaranteed:

"Since you are so confident, brother, I will grant you permission to fight today!"
"I'd like to see how my rattan armor soldiers will rout the Han army and take Guan Xing's head!"

Upon hearing Meng Quan's words, the coldness on Wu Ge's face gradually faded, replaced by his previous arrogance.

He nodded vigorously, a sharp glint in his eyes:
"Your Majesty, rest assured! Today I will leave the city and will certainly live up to your trust, bringing Guan Xing's head to your presence!"

Having said that, he said no more, strode out of the command tent, and soon his order to summon the rattan armor soldiers came from outside.

Watching Wugo's tall, confident figure gradually disappear into the morning light outside the tent, Meng Quan's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and a strong sense of anticipation unconsciously appeared on his face.

He raised his hand to stroke his neatly trimmed beard, his gaze following the figure, his doubts gradually fading away with a sudden surge of hope.

Perhaps I had been overthinking things. Since Wuge dared to make such a boast, his rattan armor soldiers must be exceptional. Maybe they really could defeat Guan Xing in one fell swoop and rout the Han army outside the city.

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. His fingertips tapped lightly on the table, and the magnificent scene of the rattan armor soldiers defeating the Han army appeared in his mind.

If it is as Wuge said, not only can the siege of Nan Guang be lifted, but Wei Yan's arrogance will also be dampened. At that time, the morale of the various tribes of the Southern Barbarians will surely be greatly boosted!

Those tribal leaders who were previously afraid of the Han army will surely rekindle their fighting spirit and wholeheartedly follow them to fight against Shu Han.

This is a wonderful thing that achieves multiple benefits!
"Ugo, Ugo, you must not disappoint me!"

Meng Quan gazed at the receding ranks of rattan armor soldiers outside the tent, stroking his beard and muttering to himself, his voice full of anticipation, even his tone becoming much lighter.

Seeing Meng Quan's state, Liu Xun became anxious.

He knew that Ugo was arrogant and underestimated his enemy. Although the rattan armor soldiers were famous, their strength was far inferior to his. It would be too dangerous to go into battle so rashly.

He hurriedly opened his mouth, wanting to step forward and persuade Meng Quan to retract his order, even if it meant sending an army to provide support.

But before he could even utter a sound, his sleeve was suddenly tugged gently.

Liu Xun was startled and subconsciously turned around. He saw his strategist Lü Kai standing beside him, shaking his head slightly and giving him a clear hint in his eyes, signaling him not to act impulsively and to keep quiet for the time being.

Liu Xun felt a chill run down his spine and instantly realized what was happening. He turned to look at Meng Quan, only to see the Southern Barbarian King standing proudly at the entrance of his tent, gazing in the direction the rattan armor soldiers had gone, his brows furrowed with triumph, clearly immersed in the anticipation of his impending victory.

At this moment, Meng Quan was only hoping that the rattan armor soldiers could defeat the Han army and wipe away the shame of the previous defeat. He couldn't listen to any advice.

Liu Xun thought to himself that if he were to step forward now and pour cold water on the idea that the rattan armor soldiers might be defeated, Meng Quan would not only not listen, but would also feel that he was boosting the morale of the enemy and diminishing his own, and would definitely be furious.

Given Meng Quan's volatile temper, he would undoubtedly give me a thorough dressing-down, and might even accuse me of disrupting morale.

Wouldn't this just be asking for trouble? Liu Xun sighed quietly, swallowing back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

In the current situation, the wisest choice is to keep quiet and wait and see.

He slowly stepped aside, gazing out of the tent with a complex expression, silently praying in his heart:

"Alas, I hope that the rattan armor soldiers are truly as invincible as the legends say, and can withstand the onslaught of the Han army!"

Outside the government hall, the shouts from the drill ground had already resounded through the sky.

Ugo, clad in animal hide armor and wielding a heavy broadsword, stood on a high platform giving a speech. His five thousand rattan armor soldiers stood in neat rows, each wearing glossy black rattan armor that shimmered in the sunlight. The spears and cleavers in their hands gleamed coldly, exuding an imposing aura.

"Soldiers! The Han soldiers have bullied our southern barbarians for too long! Today we will show them the might of our rattan armor soldiers!"

Ugo's voice was as loud as a bell, making everyone's eardrums buzz.

"Follow me into battle, slaughter the Han army, and capture Guan Xing alive!"

"Slaughter all the Han soldiers! Capture Guan Xing alive!"

Five thousand rattan-armored soldiers roared in unison, their voices soaring to the heavens and shaking the leaves of the surrounding trees. Then, Wuge mounted his horse, swung his axe forward, and shouted:

"set off!"

The procession marched in a grand procession toward the north gate. Before long, Wuge led his rattan armor soldiers north out of Nanguang City, heading straight for the Han army along the main road.

Ten miles north of Nanguang City, a dense forest stretches endlessly.

Thirty thousand Han soldiers were advancing slowly along the path at the edge of the jungle. Banners fluttered in the breeze, and the soldiers marched in unison. The sounds of armor rubbing and weapons clashing mingled together, yet there was no sense of disorder, showcasing the demeanor of an elite army.

General Guan Xing, the vanguard general, was dressed in silver armor, riding a snow-white warhorse with his father's Green Dragon Crescent Blade hanging at his waist. His young face was filled with undisguised excitement and agitation.

This was the first time he had taken on such a heavy responsibility on his own, becoming the commander of an army and leading a vanguard of 30,000 men to attack Nanguang. He felt both a desire for military achievements and a heavy sense of responsibility.

He knew that General Xiao's decision to send him as the vanguard, seemingly out of trust in his martial arts skills, actually had a deeper meaning.

General Xiao had long seen through Meng Quan's arrogant and conceited nature, predicting that Meng Quan would look down on him because of his youth, and thus lead the barbarian army out of the city to meet him in battle.

If the main force of the barbarian army can be lured outside the city and annihilated, then Nanguang City will be as easy as a bag, falling without a fight.

"This is a great opportunity for me to prove myself!"

Guan Xing gripped the reins tightly, secretly calculating in his mind. He kept thinking about what strategy he could use to lure the Southern Barbarian army out of the fortified city.

Should we send a small force to provoke them, or feign a shortage of supplies to lure the enemy into a sneak attack?
He was pondering the various possibilities, his brow furrowed slightly as he fell into deep thought.

Just then, a scout in light armor galloped from the front, his hooves kicking up clouds of dust.

The scout dismounted, knelt on one knee, and reported loudly:
"General! A large army of Southern Barbarians has appeared on the main road ten miles ahead. Judging from their size, there are no fewer than five thousand of them. They are heading towards our army!"

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Guan Xing's eyes lit up instantly, and his excitement intensified.

He was still racking his brains for a plan to lure the enemy, but unexpectedly the southern barbarians came out on their own initiative. This was truly a godsend!

Could it be that Meng Quan truly underestimated himself, thinking that he could defeat my 30,000 Han troops with only 5,000 men?

Or perhaps they have something to rely on?
Guan Xing had no time to think; he immediately pulled on the reins and shouted the order:
"All troops, listen up! Increase your marching speed, seize the high ground ahead, and prepare to engage the enemy!"

"Here!"

The soldiers responded in unison, and the marching speed of the column instantly increased, rushing forward.

Half an hour later, the Han army arrived at a slightly higher, gentle slope. Guan Xing reined in his horse and looked up. Sure enough, on the road ahead, banners covered the sky and the sun was obscured. A barbarian army with unique equipment was lined up and waiting, firmly blocking the only way to the south.

Seeing this, Guan Xing couldn't help but laugh. He carefully examined the barbarian army opposite him, pondering to himself:

Judging from this formation, it seems that after Meng Quan fled to Nanguang, he rallied his previously defeated troops, and feeling that he was young and easily bullied, he rashly led his army to launch a preemptive attack.

Very well, since you've come to me of your own accord, I'll show you what I, Guan Xing, am capable of, and let you know that the soldiers of Shu Han are not to be trifled with!
"Meng Quan! How dare you underestimate me like this! Today I'll make you taste the bitterness of a defeated general!"

Guan Xing snorted coldly, and the Green Dragon Crescent Blade at his waist was slightly unsheathed, revealing a section of the blade that gleamed with cold light.

He turned his horse around and shouted loudly to the soldiers behind him:

"All troops, listen to my command! Spread out on the left and right flanks, the central army, hold your ground, and form the Bagua formation to meet the enemy!"

"Yes, sir!" The order quickly spread throughout the army. The Han soldiers skillfully changed formations, and before long, a well-organized Bagua formation was completed. The formation was layered and overlapping, combining offense and defense, demonstrating the style of a strong army.

As he formed his battle formation, Guan Xing kept his eyes fixed on the opposing barbarian army, carefully observing their equipment and formation, trying to find a weakness. (End of Chapter)