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

Xun Hao glanced at Guo Jia, who was whispering to Xi Zhicai, and the nameless fire in his heart burned even more fiercely.

"Does my lord know why Yu Du abandoned his attack on Wei Commandery halfway through six months ago?" Xun Hao asked.

Cao Cao was taken aback: "I heard it's because of a shortage of supplies."

"No," Xun Hao shook his head. "It's because he heard that the allied forces were about to return to reinforce the area. Yu Du attacked counties and seized the property of the powerful families several times. He mostly bullied the weak. Whenever the prefect was a little tough and organized an attack, he would shrink back."

Cao Cao pondered, "Does Yan Ruo mean that his attack on Dongjun this time is also a test?"

"Exactly." Xun Hao leaned forward slightly, supporting himself on the table. "If he sees that we have the city gates tightly closed, he will assume that we are going to defend to the death. Instead, he will set up camp and plunder the surrounding villages to wear us down. In that case, the people of Dongjun will truly suffer."

"On the contrary, if we adopt the posture of having already laid a trap, he is quite likely to retreat. He cannot afford to lose, nor dare to gamble. This battle must be won quickly. If even a mere Black Mountain bandit takes a month or two to finish, when will our lord be able to truly establish himself in Yanzhou?"

"My lord, perhaps we should give it a try," Guo Jia said after Xi Zhicai nodded. This only fueled Xun Hao's anger, making it burn even brighter.

Cao Cao slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Excellent! We'll follow Yan Ruo's plan!"

He stood up, waved his cloak, and commanded the entire army: "Xiahou Yuan, listen to my order! Tomorrow morning, lead five hundred elite cavalry to the front lines to hurl insults! All other generals, act according to plan, without fail!"

"Yes, sir!" the generals responded in unison, their voices echoing through the rubble.

The meeting adjourned, and night had fallen. Xun Hao stepped out of the hall, and a gust of night wind made him shiver involuntarily.

A hand reached out from the side and supported his arm.

"Why are you in such a hurry? Are you afraid your brother will come after you?" Guo Jia's voice rang in my ears, tinged with a hint of teasing.

Xun Hao turned his head and, by the moonlight, saw Guo Jia's irritatingly smug smile. The nameless anger in his heart inexplicably dissipated a little.

"My elder brother is a gentleman, and I am a petty person," Xun Hao said weakly. "A gentleman doesn't bother with a petty person."

Guo Jia chuckled and reached out to straighten his collar: "Who would call themselves a villain? Your words today, though risky, were for the sake of our lord's great cause. Wenruo simply wanted to play it safe; he wasn't targeting you."

"I know." Xun Hao lowered his eyes.

He was certainly aware of Xun Yu's concerns. But he also knew the course of history. If Cao Cao could not quickly pacify Dongjun and then seize the entire Yanzhou, he would have no chance to contend with Yuan Shao in the future.

In order to quell the internal strife more quickly, he had to push Cao Cao's chariot faster.

The next morning, outside Puyang City.

Twenty thousand Black Mountain soldiers then came into view.

The leading general, with a fierce face, wearing heavy armor and carrying a large axe, was none other than Yu Du, the leader of the Black Mountain Army.

Just then, a rider rushed out of the city gate.

Xiahou Yuan, wielding a broadsword, stood alone on horseback before the two armies. He took a deep breath, gathered his inner energy, and roared, "You old scoundrel Yu Du! Your grandfather, Xiahou Yuan, is here! Do you dare come out and fight me to the death?!"

This shout was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, making the ears of the soldiers on both sides ring.

Yu Du's face darkened. He was, after all, a regional commander with tens of thousands of troops, and to be called an old thief for not stepping forward to fight was a blow to his prestige.

"Ignorant brat, stop your arrogance!" Seeing his commander being insulted, the lieutenant spurred his horse and charged out, brandishing his sword.

Xiahou Yuan sneered and advanced instead of retreating. The two horses clashed, and with a loud clang, the lieutenant's broadsword was knocked from his hand. Xiahou Yuan swiftly reached out and grabbed the lieutenant from his horse, then casually slammed him to the ground, leaving the man dazed and confused.

"Don't embarrass yourself with this kind of trash!" Xiahou Yuan pointed his broadsword at Yu Du. "Yu Du! If you're a man, come out here yourself! If you're scared, go back and hold your child!"

The Black Mountain army was in an uproar.

Yu Du's face turned a deep purplish-red. If he didn't accept the challenge in front of tens of thousands of his men, how could he lead his troops in the future?

"You bastard Cao Cao's men! Today I'll show you how many eyes Master Ma has!" Yu Du roared, brandishing his spear and charging forward on horseback. Both were fierce generals, and sparks flew as they clashed.

"Now," Xun Hao said in a low voice.

Several groups of feint troops, who had been lying in ambush in the mountains outside the city, simultaneously sounded the war drums.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The dull drumbeats came from all directions, accompanied by deafening battle cries. In the woods, countless banners waved, and dust billowed, as if a vast army was closing in.

Yu Du was locked in a fierce battle with Xiahou Yuan when suddenly the sounds of fighting arose from all sides, and his heart sank.

"Oh no! We've fallen for their trap!"

He was already suspicious, and now that he saw ambushes all around him, he no longer cared about fighting. He feinted with his spear, then turned his horse and rode away.

"Retreat! Retreat now!"

Xiahou Yuan was not about to let this opportunity slip by, and shouted, "All troops, attack!"

Inside the once empty city gate, Cao Hong and Cao Ren led their elite cavalry, who had been waiting in ambush, and charged out like tigers descending a mountain.

In this battle, the Black Mountain Army was utterly routed, fleeing in disarray. Yu Du led his remaining troops northward in a frantic retreat, not daring to look back.

Xun Hao stood atop the city wall, watching the dust and smoke recede into the distance. He could now proceed to the next step.

Guo Jia walked up to him and handed him a water pouch: "What's wrong? Aren't you happy after winning the battle?"

Xun Hao took the water pouch, but didn't drink from it. He just held it in his hand and rubbed it, asking, "Brother Fengxiao, where do you think Yu Du went?"

"He's been terrified by our actions and has lost his courage. He can't stay in Dongjun any longer." Guo Jia gazed northward. "Judging from the direction he retreated, he should be heading towards Dongping and Rencheng."

"You ordered General Miaocai to pursue them for only ten miles before withdrawing. This wasn't just to preserve your strength, to relieve the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao, and to severely damage Yu Du's reinforcements. It was also to plot against Yanzhou, wasn't it?"

Xun Hao did not deny it. He raised his head, looked directly into Guo Jia's eyes, and said frankly, "Liu Dai is the governor of Yanzhou, yet he is powerless to protect the region. Rather than letting him hold the position without doing his job, it would be better to let someone more capable take the place."

"So, you used someone else to do your dirty work?" Guo Jia's tone was unreadable.

"I know I used some underhanded methods. But my lord needs Yanzhou. Only when Liu Dai is in a desperate situation, and when the powerful families of Yanzhou realize that Liu Dai can't protect them at all, will they remember how my lord saved them from dire straits." Xun Hao's lips curled into a self-deprecating smile.

Guo Jia stared at him intently. He had always thought that Xun Hao needed protection, that he was fragile, and even somewhat naive. But now, standing before him was a strategist capable of standing alone.

A complex mix of emotions welled up in Guo Jia's heart. There was a sense of admiration for Xun Hao's growth, but also a hint of inexplicable loss.