While Gongsun Fan led his army deep into Liaodong, Guan Jing arrived in Ji City and learned that Qin Longyang had also gone to Luoyang. Thus, Guan Jing had to visit Wei You's residence.
"Lord Wei, Gongsun Zan's strategist Guan Jing requests an audience," the guard reported to Wei You.
Wei You smiled smugly. When he learned that Gongsun Fan was sending troops to attack Liaodong for the second time, he knew someone from Gongsun Zan's side would come asking for assistance.
"Quickly, let him in," Wei You waved his hand, and the guard left with a bow.
Shortly after, the guard led Guan Jing briskly to Wei You. "Guan Jing pays his respects to Lord Wei."
"Lord Guan, please sit down," Wei You said, pretending not to know why Guan Jing had come, "I heard that General Gongsun Zan's campaign in Liaodong hasn't been going well, and he is recuperating and preparing for another battle. What brings you here today?"
Guan Jing sighed, "I came here precisely because of that. Our army suffered heavy losses in Liaodong. Little did we know that as soon as my lord left Beiping, the young master Gongsun Fan gathered soldiers to attack Liaodong."
"How can that be!" Wei You feigned shock, "Having just suffered a major defeat, with morale low, wouldn't that be walking into a trap?"
Guan Jing nodded repeatedly, "Exactly. I heard that the defender of Liaoxi surrendered without a fight, and our army has now reached the gates of Eagle's Beak Pass. I'm worried..."
Wei You knew exactly what Guan Jing was concerned about, "If the defender of Liaoxi pretended to surrender, General Gongsun Fan might already be surrounded on both sides!"
"Precisely!" Guan Jing quickly rose and bowed, "I've come today to request reinforcements from you, Lord Wei, to save our young master. If something happens to him, I wouldn't have the face to live on!"
Wei You frowned at Guan Jing's plea, "Lord Guan, it's not that I don't want to help you."
"But before leaving, my lord commanded that our army's priority is to deal with the Xiongnu threat in the north. If I dispatch troops to aid General Gongsun, it would be difficult to explain to our soldiers."
Guan Jing understood Wei You's implication. It was clear that to ask for help, he needed to offer something in return. Guan Jing cupped his hands and said, "Rest assured, Lord Wei. With General Qin's elite soldiers, ten thousand men will be more than sufficient. If you're willing to send reinforcements, we will repay you with money and grain once this crisis is resolved!"
"Sigh, very well. General Gongsun Zan once saved my lord's life; today, it's time to repay that debt. I'll immediately arrange for the troops, rest assured, Lord Guan." Seeing that his purpose had been achieved, Wei You no longer hesitated and agreed.
"Guan Jing thanks Lord Wei!"
...
"Report!" Meanwhile, in Liaodong, the day after Huang Xin's surrender, a messenger hurriedly rushed into the hall and knelt, "My lord, bad news! Gongsun Zan's son Gongsun Fan is leading a large army to invade. The defender of Liaoxi, Huang Xin, surrendered and handed over the city! Gongsun Fan's forces are now attacking Eagle's Beak Pass, and General Yang Zuo is inadequately prepared and urgently needs reinforcements!"
"So they've really come?" Gongsun Du frowned, seemingly both surprised and unsurprised, clearly not shocked by Huang Xin's surrender.
"The strategist truly foresaw this. Quickly, summon him!" Gongsun Du waved his hand, and the messenger quickly left with a bow.
Half a month ago, after Gongsun Zan's defeat, Xi Zhicai predicted that another army from Beiping would attack within a month. It turns out he was right!
"That's the situation. The enemy is already at the gates of Eagle's Beak Pass, and General Yang Zuo's forces might not hold out for ten days!" After a brief summary of Gongsun Fan's situation, Gongsun Du's messenger's words made Xi Zhicai smile disdainfully.
"Ten days? Hahaha!" Xi Zhicai stroked his beard and laughed, "My lord need not worry. In at most five days, I can defeat Gongsun Fan's tens of thousands of troops! I might even capture that young brat alive!"
Seeing Xi Zhicai's confident expression, Gongsun Du stroked his beard and laughed as well, "Since the strategist is so confident, I expect another great victory for our army!"
"In that case, my lord should gather the troops," Xi Zhicai pointed to Eagle's Beak Pass on the map, "Since they've brought such a grand gift, it would be impolite not to accept it all."
At the same time, Youyang Prefecture was also on the move. Liu Bei and Zhang Fei gathered a few thousand troops and marched towards Liaodong. It seemed Liu Bei intended to take advantage of Gongsun Fan's attack on Liaodong to seize some territory for himself.
Unbeknownst to them, as soon as Liu Bei left, Zhang Ju, who had been beaten by Zhang Fei in the past, gathered his former subordinates and his brother Zhang Chun to rebel in Youyang Prefecture.
The two brothers then colluded with the remnants of the Xiongnu forces defeated in Youzhou. Zhang Ju declared himself the "True Dragon Son of Heaven," and Zhang Chun took the title "General of National Defense." The rebel army quickly swelled to seven or eight thousand.
After raising his forces, Zhang Ju led his troops to Right Beiping, causing trouble and even planning to attack the city.
However, Gongsun Fan had taken all the able-bodied warriors from the city for his campaign, leaving only two or three thousand old and weak soldiers to defend Right Beiping. With the situation dire in the rear, they had to send someone to call Gongsun Fan back for support.
"Chief Clerk, Youzhou is in chaos again. Gongsun Zan's son has really caused a huge mess for his father." It wasn't long before Ji City also received news of the sudden changes in Youzhou. Guan Yu and Gao Lan awaited Wei You's orders while guarding the city.
Having just closed a deal with Guan Jing and preparing to dispatch troops, Wei You smiled, "This is truly a heaven-sent opportunity. Generals Yunchang and Yuntai, you two quickly mobilize ten thousand troops and march towards Liaodong. While you're at it, help Gongsun Zan clean up his rear."
"Understood!" The two rose and saluted, finally having the chance to prove themselves after waiting for so long.
Meanwhile, Guan Jing, unaware of the chaos in the rear, hurriedly pursued Gongsun Fan towards Liaodong. He was only concerned about the surrender of the defender of Liaoxi and the fact that his naive young master had entrusted all the army's supplies to this surrendering general!
After leaving Ji City, Guan Jing spurred his horse and rode hard for three days to reach Eagle's Beak Pass. He had to end this doomed battle before it even began.
"Young master, the siege equipment has been set up. But the enemy on the city wall hasn't moved for a while; I'm worried..." Qu Dan, who had just reported after setting up the battering rams and ladders, was interrupted by Gongsun Fan.
"There's nothing to worry about. Seeing the might of our army, these rats must be scared stiff. Order the troops to attack immediately. Once we break through this pass, Liaodong will be ours for the taking!" Gongsun Fan smiled triumphantly and was about to give the order to attack.
"Hold on!" Just as he finished speaking, someone quickly entered the tent with a sword. Gongsun Fan looked at the newcomer with a displeased expression.
"Guan Jing?" Gongsun Fan saw that, despite looking exhausted, Guan Jing still had a serious expression. It seemed he had rushed to the front lines, but Gongsun Fan still looked at him with some disdain.
"I heard that as soon as I left Beiping, you ran to Ji City. Now, what are you doing at Eagle's Beak Pass?"
"I'm here to save you, young master, and to save the lives of our innocent tens of thousands of soldiers from Beiping! Young master, you must not attack Eagle's Beak Pass!"
Gongsun Fan shouted in response, "Nonsense! Liaoxi is already under control, and the defender Huang Xin surrendered. The situation is in our favor, even if we have to forcefully attack. In less than three days, Eagle's Beak Pass will be ours! How dare you, a mere scholar, speak on military matters!"
"Hmph!" Guan Jing sneered and looked at Gongsun Fan with a mix of helplessness and anger, "Young master, I indeed don't know much about military tactics. I only have one question for you. If you can answer it, I will not mention withdrawing troops again!"
Gongsun Fan was irritated by Guan Jing's persistence, wanting to quickly deal with his issues to avoid delaying the battle. He waved his hand and said, "Go ahead."
"May I ask, young master, how many days has it been since the supply of rations arrived? You entrusted the army's supplies to Huang Xin; have you heard from him at all?"
"This..." Guan Jing hit the mark. In recent days, the army's supplies had been sufficient, so Gongsun Fan hadn't paid much attention to the supply situation.
Now, counting the days since they arrived at Eagle Beak Pass from Liaoxi, there has been no further supply from Huang Xin. The military generals also realized the implication in Guan Jing's words. If Huang Xin had pretended to surrender, it meant that their army was now trapped at Eagle Beak Pass. Once Gongsun Du's reinforcements arrived and teamed up with Huang Xin, it would spell another crushing defeat!
"Hmph, does the young master still want to attack Eagle Beak Pass?" Guan Jing sneered, looking at the already pale-faced Gongsun Fan.
At this point, all the generals, including Qu Dan, sided with Guan Jing, urging Gongsun Fan to retreat.
"Enough!" Gongsun Fan shouted impatiently, "Does a mere pedantic scholar know how to command an army? This general repelled the Xiongnu at the age of fifteen! If not for your loyalty to my father, I'd chop off your head for sowing discord before a battle!"
"You!" Guan Jing stared incredulously at Gongsun Fan. He had not only rendered meritorious service to Gongsun Zan but had served him faithfully for five or six years. Yet in the eyes of the young master, he was merely a servant of the Gongsun family!
"Report!" Amidst their quarrel, a messenger rushed into the tent in a panic. "Young master! We have a major problem! Rebel forces in Yuyang Prefecture have joined with the Xiongnu in Youzhou, killing and setting fires with a force of over ten thousand. Right Beiping is in urgent need of reinforcements!"
"Report!" Another messenger arrived, "Young master, there's movement in Liaoxi. Huang Xin has detained our army's grain supplies in Linyu and is marching towards Eagle Beak Pass with over twenty thousand troops!"
"What! ... What!" Gongsun Fan collapsed into his seat, while Guan Jing displayed a cold, knowing smile.
"What about Liu Bei? Didn't my father entrust Yuyang Prefecture to Liu Bei? How could he not know about the rebels?" Gongsun Fan roared.
"Y-Young master, according to the remaining forces in Yuyang, Liu Bei left with his army days ago, seemingly heading toward Liaodong. The rebel leaders this time are the former County Magistrate Zhang Ju and his brother Zhang Chun."
"Quickly... gather the troops! Rear units to the front, retreat immediately!" Huang Xin was indeed feigning surrender, and he had already begun to act. This could only mean that Gongsun Du's forces were likely on their way to Eagle Beak Pass. If they didn't retreat now, they would be surrounded and annihilated!
"Retreat? To where?" Guan Jing mocked, "If we retreat to Beiping, we must pass through Liaoxi. Huang Xin has likely set up an ambush there, waiting for us to walk into his trap!"
"What does the strategist suggest?" Gongsun Fan, filled with regret, realized the vast gap between himself and Guan Jing. With the situation as it was, he could only defer to Guan Jing.
Guan Jing shook his head helplessly, "I have already requested reinforcements from Ji City. Qin Longyang's troops should be heading to Liaoxi as we speak. If they arrive in time, they will likely help us eliminate the bandits in Right Beiping."
"As for Huang Xin, with reinforcements from Liu Bei in Yuyang, we can attack from three sides and crush him!"
Guan Jing had anticipated their predicament and had made all necessary arrangements. It was like a slap in the face with seasoned experience. Though his pride was wounded, Gongsun Fan had no choice but to nod in agreement, losing the air of a great military commander.
"General! The enemy seems to be retreating!" The defenders on the city wall pointed to the disbanding and packing-up Gongsun army.
"Hmph, trying to escape?" Yang Zuo sneered, "Our king's reinforcements will arrive soon. Even if they try to flee, Huang General is blocking the way in Liaoxi. We must seize this opportunity to crush Gongsun Fan's forces!"
"Understood!" The soldiers shouted in unison, beginning to fire at the disorderly Gongsun Fan army below.
"This commander is cautious; he hasn't ordered a pursuit, likely fearing a counterattack at Eagle Beak Pass. Well then, quickly reorganize the troops, split into two groups, and retreat in a pincer formation, supporting each other!" Guan Jing commanded.
Gongsun Fan nodded obediently, "Quickly, quickly!"
"General, they really are retreating. Why not pursue them?" Watching the enemy fade into the distance, the deputy general asked, puzzled.
Stroking his whiskers, Yang Zuo waved his hand dismissively, "Never pursue a cornered enemy. Our forces are already limited. Pursuing could lead to an ambush. We'll pursue with the reinforcements once they arrive."
"Brilliant, General!" The deputy general cupped his fists in acknowledgment.
As the retreating Gongsun Fan army split into two groups, they appeared as two dark rivers under the cover of night. Gongsun Fan's unit held two torches per person, while Qu Dan's unit had none. This arrangement, as instructed by Guan Jing, would soon prove useful.
Huang Xin had long set up defenses in Liaoxi County, waiting for Gongsun Fan's arrival. As night fell, scouts finally returned with news.
"General! They're here! Gongsun Fan's forces are coming!" A scout reported, pointing to the northeast.
"Are there enough of them? If Gongsun Fan splits his forces, we might miss some," Huang Xin, clad in armor and holding a spear, mounted his horse. Behind him, twenty thousand troops had been lying in wait in the Ma Ridge mountains of Liaoxi for some time.
"I saw from the hilltop. The torches were numerous, at least tens of thousands strong!"
"That should be enough," Huang Xin sneered. "Soldiers, the time to kill and earn glory is now. Follow me and charge, and the one who kills the most will be handsomely rewarded!"
With Huang Xin's command, the well-rested soldiers let out a collective roar, charging down the mountainside. In the distance, a red glow was steadily approaching, signaling an inevitable battle.