The Three Kingdoms: The entire Cao Cao camp thought I was weak and frail.

Xun Hao was pondering whether he should find something for Guo Jia to do or "accidentally" disturb Xi Zhicai when a personal guard came to report.

"Mr. Yanruo! The lord urgently summons you for a meeting! A large band of bandits has arrived from the north!"

Xun Hao's eyes lit up instantly.

It's like someone just brings you a pillow when you're sleepy.

Cao Cao sat in the main seat, his face ashen. Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and other generals stood on either side, each with a solemn expression.

"A scout reports that a contingent of the Black Mountain Army, numbering over 20,000 and led by their chieftain Yu Du, is heading towards Dongjun. Villages along the way have been looted, burned, killed, and plundered; they have committed all sorts of atrocities."

Xiahou Dun stepped forward with a "whoosh." His injured leg wasn't fully healed, and he walked with a slight limp, but his imposing manner remained undiminished: "My lord, this humble general requests to fight! We will definitely twist the heads off these bastards!"

"Yuanrang, calm down." Xun Yu unfolded a map, pointed to it, and said, "Our army has just pacified Dongjun, and our forces are scattered in various places for farming. We can only muster about eight thousand men immediately. The Black Mountain Army is twice our size and is known for its fierceness. A direct confrontation is not the best strategy."

Just then, Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai rushed in one after the other. Xi Zhicai still looked sickly, as if he might collapse from coughing at any moment, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.

Guo Jia, on the other hand, looked relaxed and at ease, as if he had come to a banquet rather than to attend a military council.

As soon as he entered, his eyes instinctively searched for that familiar figure in the crowd. When he saw Xun Hao, he was slightly taken aback.

Xun Hao seems somewhat different today.

Although he stood in the corner, the sickly and aloof feeling about him had faded considerably, replaced by a sharp and restrained aura.

Guo Jia had a bad feeling, and his heart skipped a beat for no reason.

Once everyone had arrived, Cao Cao's gaze swept over them: "Gentlemen, what good strategies do you have?"

The hall fell silent as the generals pondered.

Cao Cao's gaze finally settled on several strategists. He first looked at Xi Zhicai to show his regard: "Mr. Zhicai, what do you think?"

All eyes were drawn to it.

Xun Hao, however, was still looking at the map, his gaze even sharper. Why was even the lord asking Xi Zhicai for advice first?

Am I really untrustworthy?

Ha, the Black Mountain Army? They'll take it out on you.

Just in time!

A sickly flush rose on Xi Zhicai's pale face. He coughed a few times before speaking in a slightly hoarse voice.

"My lord, the Black Mountain Army is called an army, but in reality, they are bandits. Their strength lies in their numbers, but their weakness lies in their disorganization. A motley crew gathers when there is profit, and scatters when there is defeat. Although our army is small in number, they are all elite troops. If we hold our ground and fight for the city, the enemy will be unable to break through after a long siege, and their morale will surely be broken. At that time, we will send elite cavalry to cut off their supply lines and attack their rear. Within half a month, the enemy will surely fall into disarray without a fight."

This is a prudent approach, proceeding step by step, seeking the greatest chance of victory with the least cost. The generals present nodded in agreement, and Cao Cao also showed his approval. This is indeed the most reasonable course of action at present.

Cao Cao then looked at Guo Jia.

Guo Jia glanced at Xun Hao in the corner, and seeing that he remained silent, he smiled and added, "Zhi Cai's strategy is a foolproof one. However, I believe it can be taken even further."

He walked to the map and pointed to a valley outside the city.

"Our army can feign weakness, deliberately leaving some openings outside the city to lure them into dividing their forces to attack. Then, with General Xiahou's bravery, we can lead a surprise force to ambush them here. Once the enemy is trapped in our pre-arranged battlefield, we can strike them in one fell swoop. In this way, we can both blunt their momentum and cut off their wings."

Guo Jia's strategy, while more prudent than Xi Zhicai's, possessed an added element of agility and risk-taking. His use of deception and luring the enemy deep into his territory was more in line with his style.

Cao Cao's smile deepened after hearing this. He nodded in satisfaction. "Yanruo, what do you think?"

"The Black Mountain Army is called an army, but in reality, they are bandits. Bandits value profit above all else, and even more so, their reputation. Originating from the poisonous wilderness, they crave empty fame and rely on their personal prestige to suppress their horde of desperate men. General Miao Cai is incredibly brave; we could challenge him to a duel."

Before Cao Cao could ask a question, Xun Hao continued, "Yu Du has come from afar and must be underestimating our small army. At this moment, instead of closing the gates, we should open them wide and challenge him to a duel. If he dares not fight, his morale will be crushed and his prestige will be ruined. If he does fight, he will fall right into our trap."

His finger moved slowly across the map, drawing several circles around the hills and dense forests outside the city.

"Our army will dispatch six thousand men to these locations under cover of night. We need not do anything specific, but simply, at the height of the battle, beat the drums, shout, and unfurl the banners to create the illusion of a four-sided encirclement. When Yu Du is on the front lines, he will suddenly hear the sounds of battle and, unsure of our strength, will surely panic. In a battle between masters, victory or defeat hinges on the slightest difference. Once his mind is in disarray, his movements will slow down. As soon as he is defeated, our army can seize the opportunity to launch a counterattack, and then quickly retreat back to the city, without lingering in the fighting."

"Yu Du is unaware of our army's strength and, seeing our ambushes everywhere and our well-organized formation, he will only think he has fallen into a trap and escaped by sheer luck. He is just a bandit; he is not here to fight us to the death, but to rob us. Having suffered such a great loss and not knowing our strength, there is a 90% chance that he will choose to retreat immediately and go find an easy target elsewhere."

"This plan is too risky and has too many variables," Xun Yu was the first to object. Defending Dongjun was not difficult, and it was not worth taking such a risk.

"Our army has just pacified Dongjun. What we lack most is not troops and supplies, but time and a decisive, overwhelming victory that can intimidate our neighbors. Only then can we make those surrounding prefects who are still observing understand that we are not easy targets. And we can also make those petty foes who are itching to start a war think twice about their own strength."

"This is just the first step. Once we scare him away, he will go and plunder other surrounding counties."

He drew a circle on the map with his finger. "This is Yu Du's lair. When he swarms out to burn, kill, and plunder elsewhere, his lair will be empty. At that time, our army can drive straight in and strike at the heart of the enemy."

Guo Jia looked at Xun Hao with surprise and suspicion. First, he lured the enemy general into a duel, and then used a feint to scare away the enemy army.

That's not all. They also want to use him to wreak havoc in neighboring counties, and then take advantage of his weakened rear to wipe out his stronghold in one fell swoop.

Xun Yanruo, is your attack power so strong today?

Who upset him?

"This is too risky." Xun Yu frowned, staring at the map. "Once Yu Du sees through the feint and launches a counterattack, our main force will be scattered, and Puyang will be an empty city. At that time, not only will Dongjun be lost, but all of our lord's efforts over the past few months will also be in vain."

These words are mature and insightful, and there is not a single fault with them.

Cao Cao tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a soft tapping sound, clearly weighing the pros and cons.

While a steady and methodical approach may be slow, it is safer; Xun Hao's plan, though ruthless, is like dancing on a knife's edge.