Cao Cao immediately laughed and said, “If that’s the case, Ye Shu underestimates me, Cao Cao. Success or failure at this moment depends on luck alone. Even if we lose, it’s no big deal. This time, everyone has beloved generals aiding in battle, and I also have my cousin Cao Zilian’s assistance. There’s no need to yield to anyone.”

His words were not without merit.

Cao Cao naturally had a number of talented leaders from his own family, and Cao Zilian was one of them who had come with him this time.

Cao Hong, who followed Cao Cao in battles north and south, despite being somewhat stingy and impatient by nature, was indeed a capable general.

Although he had not yet achieved military merit, he had the potential for it.

Qiao Yan pondered that after her troops faced Ji Ling, they would then have to confront Cao Cao and Cao Hong’s combined forces, which was indeed somewhat daunting.

But in this battle, she must win!

She even felt grateful to Liu Hong because it was his high regard for her that had set up her opponents in this way.

Wang Kuang, Dong Min, Han Fu, Ji Ling, Cao Cao!

Regardless of whether both sides currently had the same lineup, or whether this battle of five hundred against five hundred would have a completely different outcome on a larger scale.

At least, if Liu Hong intended to make some surprising decision, even one completely different from before, she would have a record strong enough to back herself up.

It wasn’t a record compared to those of bandits and rebels, but a record compared to these “elite within the court!”

After dismissing Cao Cao with the assertion that “If Mengde truly performs like this, he will surely catch His Majesty’s eye,” and bluffing Jianshuo’s situation, she summoned Guo Jia.

“In ordinary battles, there are no such cases, fighting every two days and still fighting with teams whose strengths are not very different from our own…” Qiao Yan’s face showed some worry, “Feng Xiao, do you have any solutions?”

Initially, fostering a competitive spirit among the three cavalry units only boosted morale temporarily.

Rewarding and recognizing the captains of the Yueqi and Tunqi units provided them with the motivation to excel, but this approach didn’t spread throughout the entire camp.

Especially concerning Qiao Yan’s mention of battling every two days…

Although the scale of five hundred soldiers kept the consumption in check, it was still a highly exhausting state of combat.

In ancient times, after a siege, why did commanders let soldiers vent their emotions by looting the city or even massacring its inhabitants?

Firstly, it was to win over the soldiers’ hearts, and secondly, theoretically, it was about managing tension and relaxation.

Of course, such a method of releasing tension merely directed the slaughter towards the victims, which Qiao Yan didn’t find acceptable.

Leaving aside such large-scale warfare, Qiao Yan’s current situation bore some resemblance to this scenario.

Consecutively battling Wang Kuang, Dong Min, Xu Rong, Han Fu, and Qu Yi had put her team under extreme strain.

Whether it was after facing Ji Ling or before, she had to find a way to relieve her troops’ emotions.

Guo Jia pondered for a moment before responding, “I’m not worried about Lord Qiao facing Ji Ling. It seems I won’t need to assist in command. Could I trouble Lord Qiao to grant me two days’ time to prepare something?”

Qiao Yan glanced at Guo Jia, confirming his calculations, and then let him proceed.

As Guo Jia said, Ji Ling wasn’t a troublesome opponent.

While he was famed for bravery under Yuan Shu’s command in the future, fundamentally, his renown was for bravery rather than strategic acumen.

But did that mean Dian Wei was inferior to him in strength?

Even as Qiao Yan maintained her formation and gradually advanced, Ji Ling disrupted the standoff phase and chose to initiate an attack towards her.

In the end, he was successfully sent off the field.

Liu Hong had exhausted his praises for Qiao Yan, but ultimately, he now saw the situation he most desired.

Jian Shuo secured a spot in the top two through a ‘Free’ obtained by questionable means.

In the next round, Qiao Yan would face Cao Cao.

Regardless of who between them emerged victorious, he had prepared justifications ready.

This further bolstered his hope of achieving his goal.

With these thoughts in mind, Liu Hong didn’t oppose Qiao Yan’s request to send something into the camp.

After all, according to Qiao Yan, these items weren’t intended for use during the competition; they were merely meant to provide some entertainment for the soldiers.

Indeed, it was a form of entertainment.

Following Qiao Yan’s instructions, the soldiers in the camp gathered at an empty space before bedtime.

To their surprise, they found a small stage erected there.

However, this stage was different from the bustling street stages they had seen before.

The stage before them was smaller but taller, with a curtain pulled over the top. As candles lit up behind it, the stage came alive before their eyes.

Before they could fully understand the curtain, a silhouette of a horse-riding figure appeared, followed by a whole row of small figures.

A voice sang from behind the curtain, “In the capital’s selection of generals, Marquis Leping arrives, leading five hundred soldiers. Suddenly, someone outside the camp gate comes, wanting to exchange a hundred and eight troops.”

Before the song finished, another figure of a military officer appeared, pointing towards them.

“Ah, it’s Caltain Bao!” someone exclaimed, confirming the scene from the lyrics.

They found themselves unexpectedly cast onto the stage to perform.

Although shadow puppetry was not mainstream nowadays, and not everyone had seen it, being part of it was truly a new experience for them!

How refreshing it was.

The soldiers, who had been tired, suddenly perked up.

Soon after, they saw a small shadow puppet representing Qiao Yan, wielding a whip to drive Captain Bao away.

Upon seeing this scene, laughter filled the camp.

Even though the shadow puppets represented several people at once with interconnected props, for soldiers who had little entertainment in their lives, this was a delightful surprise.

The proudest moment was for the centurion of the Yueqi unit.

He had his own distinct puppet, performing a scene of shooting arrows at Wang Kuang, accompanied by a verse:

“They say Yueqi rides up and down hills, through streams and valleys, with swift horses and arrows, truly formidable. He shoots down Lord Wang Gong, winning praise from His Majesty.”

The centurion was so pleased that he even memorized this verse.

This would surely become his legacy to tell his descendants!

Next came the battle against Dong Min. It’s unclear what was thrown behind the screen, but it vividly portrayed the scene of two hundred long spears being launched in unison.

Everyone watched intently, seeing—

Han Fu, rushing to claim military merit but falling into a trap.

Ji Ling, strong and valiant but lacking in strategy.

And then…

Suddenly, the screen went dark, and all singing and music ceased, plunging the entire camp into a quiet and dark atmosphere.

Gone…?

The soldiers, who had been engrossed, suddenly realized there was nothing more to watch.

Because that’s where their story ended.

Guo Jia gestured to the performers to pack up and leave.

As Qiao Yan’s deputy commander, he had already earned some respect among the five hundred soldiers.

When he indicated he had something to say, everyone turned to look at him.

Guo Jia calmly said, “If you all wish to see the play continue on this stage, it seems you’ll have to win the next battle. Of course, losing wouldn’t be a problem either. There are other ways to continue the performance.”

“…”

Other ways to continue?

The soldiers were practically jumping up.

They wanted to see themselves glorified on that stage.

Win! They must win!