When Fu Xie and Zhu Jun led a charge into the camp of the Bo Cai tribe as the vanguard, Huangfu Song, wearing light armor, climbed onto the city wall.

His father, Huangfu Jie, served as the Yumen Prefect, and his uncle, Huangfu Gui, served as the General in charge of the Northern Frontier.

In his early memories, the confrontation with external enemies undoubtedly occupied the vast majority.

It was also because of this different experience from ordinary high-ranking officials in Luoyang that he maintained a calmness far beyond ordinary people when facing the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

When a glimpse of fire reflected in his eyes, he immediately raised his hand.

The soldiers who had long been prepared on the city wall followed his command and tied the burning torches to the city wall, almost connecting them into a blazing sea of fire in the wind.

Almost at the same time, Fu Xie, who had already broken through the fence of the Yellow Turban camp on horseback, threw out the torch in his hand.

The camp of the Bo Cai tribe stationed under Changshe City, due to the drought last year and the sparse rain this year, although it also emphasized the solidity of the camp, it was closer to the way of “camping with grass”.

Although it did not result in a situation where the entire camp was on fire, it was enough to ignite the torch thrown out by Fu Xie the moment it landed on the tent.

The Bo Cai soldiers who realized the fire had just stepped out of the tent, and what came towards them was a gleaming long spear.

Fu Xie charged on horseback, and a spear pierced through his throat.

As if in response to his action, war drums rang out on the city wall of Changshe at this moment.

Huangfu Song issued the command to beat the drums!

The war drums resounded in the night, creating a sound like thunder.

The sound of drums, accompanied by the sound of hooves, startled people awake, catching them off guard and causing palpitations.

Those who were lucky enough not to encounter Fu Xie’s surprise attack by the Yellow Turbans emerged from their tents armed, only to see multiple fires burning within the camp.

If it had stopped there, it would have been fine. But in a state of half-dreaming and half-waking, they inevitably looked towards the direction from which the most unusual sound came.

What they saw was extraordinary.

In their hurried confusion, these Yellow Turbans, who had little experience in warfare, did not realize that it was the direction of Changshe.

From the perspective above the tents, all they saw was a sea of flames and crimson clouds on the horizon.

With the slight heat brought by the wind, they almost thought that the flames were not burning on the city wall of Changshe, but were clearly burning towards their direction!

When the first exclamation rang out in the camp, this panicked mood immediately spread.

However, the situation was far from being as dangerous as it seemed.

The fire in the camp did not cause many casualties, and the number of defenders in Changshe City meant that the attacking soldiers would not be too many, with a relatively low proportion of cavalry.

If the people of Bo Cai had discovered the situation early, they could have contained it, and the Han army was by no means an invincible enemy.

They could have easily countered with a tactic of overwhelming numbers and overwhelmed the intruders.

But just at this moment, someone suddenly asked loudly in the darkness, “Where is our leader?”

Where is our leader?

Bo Cai realized that something was wrong, quickly gathered his men, and began to prepare to meet the enemy.

But with Qiao Yan’s insider guidance, whether it was Zhu Jun or Fu Xie leading the way, they were some distance from where Bo Cai was.

As a result, this response did not receive a reply.

In the chaotic night, which easily led to confusion, coupled with the unclear observation of the enemy’s situation, it was difficult not to have a mistaken perception of time.

As a result, the Yellow Turbans fled back and forth, holding weapons but not knowing where to go.

Although it was only a short moment, these people felt as if a long time had passed.

So when the person who spoke earlier shouted again, “Let’s go find General Liang,” almost no one felt that this was a strange suggestion.

They thought it was a feasible plan!

Fu Xie turned his horse around, memorizing this “sleeper” mixed in with the Bo Cai troops, to prevent accidental injury during his charge.

However, it seems like the other side doesn’t need his help.

This guy was selected by Qiao Yan from the Tian and Xue family as the most agile person.

Now, with the suggestion to go find Marshal Liang, he was the first to rush towards the camp of the Yellow Turbans in Yanzhou.

If Fu Xie hadn’t witnessed the scene before him, he simply couldn’t understand why his soldiers would flee towards the other side when their leader was still present.

But standing on the city wall, Huangfu Song, who had seen more battles, could probably guess the reason for this situation—

It was due to comparison.

In the chaos, a group of blindly gathered Yellow Turban bandits might have had intentions to resist, but more were “ignorant people” waiting for their leader to lead the battle.

And these people would inevitably choose a place where they felt safer!

Since the arrival of the Yellow Turbans from Yanzhou to Changshe, they had been sending this signal to these people.

This undoubtedly led them to subconsciously think of the camp as safer and more orderly, and the attack on Changshe as more courageous.

But this instinct to seek advantage and avoid danger led them to run towards Marshal Liang’s more stable and orderly camp in the face of a threat that was not fatal, but actually led them into a trap.

When Bo Cai realized the movement of these people and angrily ordered them to be recalled, the sleeper who had already taken over the shell of the Yellow Turbans in Yuzhou two days ago was already leading people to climb over the fence between the two sides.

And all these changes didn’t take long!

It was not enough time for the fires that had been set off everywhere in Bo Cai’s camp to burn to the point where Liang Zhongning could clearly see.

In fact, it was just after being awakened by the sound of muffled thunder, and shortly after he went out of the camp to investigate, that the Yellow Turbans from Yuzhou, who had come to surrender, had already arrived at the edge of the two camps, carrying their companions who didn’t know what had happened.

Bo Cai’s mentality of seeking credit made the camps of both sides not run parallel to Changshe City, but Bo Cai’s troops guarded the front line, and Liang Zhongning’s camp was on the periphery.

But it was precisely because of this arrangement that the Yellow Turbans from Yanzhou did not immediately realize that the noise and turmoil actually came from the Han army in Changshe.

All they saw was that under the red glow of the night, the soldiers of Bo Cai’s camp, armed with armor and weapons, crossed the fence and came over, showing a ferocious posture in the blurry light.

This scene was nothing like seeking help; it was more like yesterday when General Liang was influenced by Qiao Yan’s words to publicly say “beware of the other side’s malicious intentions,” and it was now confirmed!

They were indeed launching a night attack!

But no one knew from where in this group of people a sharp arrow suddenly shot out, hitting the chest of a soldier from the Yanzhou side.

It was this arrow that instantly escalated the conflict between the two sides and opened the curtain on the night battle.

Before Bo Cai’s troops could react to this sudden change or even call for help, the Yellow Turbans from Yanzhou had already made their “defensive” move.

It was even a move that took advantage of the situation.

Qiao Yan’s arrangement for the night patrol in the military camp was precisely where the sleeper led the people to surrender.

This place happened to be where Liang Zhongning could quickly deploy his forces for combat at night.

In this initially mistaken, but later real chaotic situation, it undoubtedly gave the Yanzhou side an advantage.

Bo Cai’s troops already felt that Liang Zhongning’s side was strong. Now, being suddenly struck, undoubtedly deepened this inherent impression.

Considering the combat capabilities of both sides, it was difficult to say who had the upper hand.

However, in such a hasty clash, morale was undoubtedly a particularly critical factor.

The side that took the lead in seizing the advantage would likely see its morale continue to rise.

But that wasn’t enough!

At least, for Qiao Yan’s purposes, it was far from enough!

During the night raid, the torches lit in the Yanzhou Yellow Turban camp reflected two blood-red spots in her eyes.

As her gaze wandered, ensuring that the two sides were indeed engaged as planned, a hint of indescribable sharpness shone in this blood red.

There were no plans that were completely unbreakable in this world; she still needed to do a little more.

She wouldn’t miss it.

In the sounds of battle that reached her ears, there were already faint calls of “misunderstanding” mixed in.

These voices would sooner or later reach Liang Zhongning’s ears.

Although Liang Zhongning was a bit stupid, he was at least not deaf!

Qiao Yan couldn’t be sure if he would stop his men from attacking upon hearing such rebuttals.

He even took a few steps towards the frontline of the battle due to the advantageous situation, apparently because he was confident.

But this also made it easier for him to hear those voices.

This was not good.

With the number of Yellow Turbans from Yanzhou, if they were to serve as the reserve forces for Bo Cai’s troops, the advantage Fu Xie and Zhu Jun had built up would likely lost in an instant.

Additionally, the panic situation created by Huangfu Song’s fires under the cover of night, if someone saw through the mysteries behind it, would also no longer be effective.

So she still needed to do something.

It was what she had said on the day she received a reply from Huangfu Song, the task she had entrusted to Dian Wei.

Besides sending someone to infiltrate the Yellow Turbans in Yuzhou two days ago, she also obtained a set of armor that could disguise one’s appearance—pieced together from the bodies of two soldiers from Bo Cai’s troops.

This armor might be a hindrance to others, but it was definitely not for Dian Wei.

When Qiao Yan secretly raised her hand as a signal, Dian Wei suddenly rushed into the ranks of Bo Cai’s troops, quickly becoming one of them.

Then, he suddenly stood up and grabbed the spear that was stabbing towards him from that direction.

Even without armor, this astonishingly brave warrior on land would probably dare to make such a move, let alone now!

The spear he grabbed fell into his hands with a loud shout.

These people might not forget Dian Wei’s bravery, but the cover of night prevented them from realizing this fact immediately.

Qiao Yan had him deliver a message and leave Puyang for a while, which also blurred their impression of him.

Moreover, if they could have a fierce general like Dian Wei on their side, why couldn’t Bo Cai have a hidden trump card?

The changes before their eyes didn’t give them much time to think.

The armored oddity swiftly turned the spear around and threw it back towards the Yanzhou Yellow Turbans.

At the moment of smashing and injuring a group, he made an unimaginable sudden forceful and speedy charge—

He charged straight towards Liang Zhongning.

As this person approached, Liang Zhongning vaguely noticed something familiar about him.

However, in their previous encounters, one was obstructed by his subordinates, and the other involved traps and pitfalls assisting him.

He never realized that his close combat with the opponent, who was full and confident today, would end so quickly.

In the instant when he saw the opponent’s eyes up close, he confirmed his identity, but it was already too late!

Dian Wei’s palm, like a fan, had already slapped down towards him.

Instead of smashing his head flat, he directly knocked him out.

Then, in the sight of everyone illuminated by the firelight, this man, who still appeared as just an armored oddity, picked up Liang Zhongning and ran towards Bo Cai’s camp.

“…”

This was the sudden kidnapping of the leader of the Yellow Turbans in Yanzhou.

“…”

These were the Yellow Turbans from Yuzhou, who completely did not understand why their side had kidnapped the enemy’s leader and instead ran towards a dangerous place.

Both sides were dumbfounded.

But in this moment, like pressing the pause button, a young voice suddenly broke the deadlock with a scolding.

Qiao Yan shouted, “What are you standing there for? Get the leader back!”

If this statement was not impactful enough, the next sentence was blunt enough, “Can Bo Cai satisfy your hunger?”

The Yellow Turbans from Yanzhou, who had just been kidnapped by someone, immediately woke up.

Looking towards the voice, they saw Qiao Yan sitting on a horse, carried by Cheng Li.

Before they could react, she quickly made a gesture indicating her intention to pursue.

They would certainly listen to her!

Regardless of Qiao Yan’s extraordinary prestige within the army, her statement still adhered to her principle of “winning hearts by catering to their desires.”

When the soldiers under Bo Cai felt deeply the strength of Liang Zhongning’s forces by comparison, did Liang Zhongning, commanding the Yellow Turbans of Yanzhou, also make such a comparison?

It was inevitable that some did.

It was precisely in this comparison that they clearly realized their own advantage.

Following Qiao Yan’s advice, Liang Zhongning, after the deaths of Bu Ji and Zhang Bo, promptly handed over a portion of the food stores to prevent mutiny within the army.

Local gentry in Yanzhou, either defeated or persuaded to cooperate, also handed over a considerable amount of food stores.

Compared to the prolonged war in Changshe by Bo Cai’s forces, being able to eat their fill was the most compelling reason for them to hold their heads high.

This undoubtedly made them feel that Liang Zhongning was someone worth loyalty.

But now, their leader had been kidnapped while they were caught off guard!

Faced with this sudden turn of events, they had no time to discern why their leader was not killed on the spot but instead carried away.

It should be noted that theoretically, taking someone hostage and then controlling the Yellow Turbans of Yanzhou was feasible, but in practice, it would be quite troublesome.

Subconsciously, they followed Qiao Yan’s line of thought.

Compared to Liang Zhongning, Bo Cai seemed inadequate!

With this perception, Qiao Yan’s action to blame Bo Cai went smoothly.

Leveraging her prestige within the Yellow Turbans and the damaging accusations against the opponent, she quickly completed this process of casting blame and establishing her own authority in the leaderless chaos.

Seated on horseback, her actions were undoubtedly much more convenient.

Also, because of this elevated vantage point, the soldiers of the Yellow Turbans of Yanzhou could only see her looking resolute, exuding a natural leadership style with her stern and commanding demeanor, instinctively making them want to follow her orders.

She pointed towards the direction of Bo Cai’s camp and issued a clear order to attack.

“We have traveled a long way from Yanzhou, enduring hardships without complaint. Just a few days ago, we launched a full-scale attack in the battle for the city. Yet, Bo Cai, this bandit, has shown his true colors by kidnapping our leader. What do you think we should do?”

A voice promptly replied, “Eliminate the bandits!”

This was followed by a series of voices echoing and building up into a resounding chorus:

“Eliminate the bandits!”

Cheng Yu, acting as Qiao Yan’s “driver,” couldn’t help but admire her seamless operation.

If you really had to say it, why would there be talk of eliminating bandits among the Yellow Turbans of Yanzhou and those of Yuzhou, both being Yellow Turban rebels?

However, as the slogan to eliminate the bandits spread among the crowd, there was an inexplicable sense of righteousness and conviction.

Perhaps she truly was a born orator.

By blurring some key information in her rhetoric, she made people overlook the logic, clearly a master of the written word game.

But Cheng Yu didn’t dwell on these thoughts. Instead, he urged the horse to leap over the barriers, carrying Qiao Yan and the group of incited Yellow Turbans of Yanzhou straight towards Bo Cai’s camp.

Almost at the same time, Huangfu Song and Cao Cao stepped out of Changshe City.

Clad in armor and armed, the two mounted their horses, leading the soldiers surging out of the city, also heading straight for the same target!

The goal: to encircle!