Gongsun Du's fleet, consisting of nearly eighty warships and over thirty thousand troops, set sail from Changcen at dawn.
A thick sea fog enveloped the entire Liaodong coast, reducing visibility to less than a hundred meters, which significantly slowed the fleet's progress.
At that moment, a messenger hurriedly approached Gongsun Du, visibly excited. "Your Majesty! Heaven has granted us a great opportunity! Qin Longyang's fleet, unfamiliar with the terrain, has ventured into a reef cluster."
"His flagship is trapped in the center and cannot move, and they're desperately trying to figure out what to do!"
"What!" Gongsun Du exclaimed in shock, followed by a burst of laughter. "The heavens are truly on my side! The heavens are on my side!"
However, both Gao Lan and Xi Zhicai, standing on either side of him, showed subtle signs of concern upon hearing this news. Gongsun Du immediately ordered, "Relay my command to the entire army—we head for the reef cluster at full speed!"
"My lord, the fog severely limits our visibility; we should proceed with caution!" Liu Yi, who was also on the ship, stepped forward to advise.
Gongsun Du waved him off with a carefree smile. "Liu Yi, you worry too much. Qin Longyang is trapped in the reefs because he doesn't know the terrain. On my own turf, there's no way we could get trapped!"
At this point, Xi Zhicai, after a moment of thought, smiled and bowed. "The king's words are indeed correct. This is the perfect opportunity to crush the enemy in one decisive move. Qin Longyang is probably planning to abandon ship and flee. If we delay, we might miss our chance to capture him!"
"Yes, the strategist's words are exactly what I had in mind. Capture the leader, and the enemy will collapse on its own! If we seize Qin Longyang in one swift move, the enemy soldiers will be defeated without a fight!"
Gongsun Du stroked his beard and smiled, fully convinced that victory was certain.
With Gongsun Du's decision made, Liu Yi could no longer persuade him otherwise. He instead turned and silently observed Xi Zhicai before quietly leaving the three of them.
Upon receiving Gongsun Du's orders, the warships were immediately filled with the thunderous sound of drums, and their speed increased significantly.
Standing on the high platform, Gongsun Du shouted, "Soldiers! The enemy is now trapped in the reefs, a divine opportunity bestowed upon us! We must strike decisively and crush the invaders in one blow! Show the might of Liaodong's warriors!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The soldiers raised their weapons and shouted in unison, their morale reaching its peak. If things went as Gongsun Du expected, their momentum alone would be enough to defeat Qin Longyang's forces, even if they were outnumbered.
In less than half an hour, the fleet reached the vicinity of the reefs, where several of Qin Longyang's warships emerged from the dense fog.
"The enemy... the enemy is coming!" The soldiers on Qin Longyang's warships, seeing Gongsun Du's fleet approaching in tight formation, cried out in fear.
Seeing this, Gongsun Du laughed arrogantly. "With such courage, they dare to invade Liaodong? Fire the arrows!"
"Fire the arrows!" Qin Longyang's forces responded in kind, but the disparity between the two sides was too great. After just a few rounds of arrows, Qin's forces were clearly outmatched and retreated into the thick fog in disarray.
"Cowards! Pursue them!" Gongsun Du, having tasted success, was already intoxicated by it, not caring whether there was a trap ahead—he just kept ordering his forces to advance.
Another incense stick of time passed as Gongsun Du's forces continued chasing the fleeing Qin warships deeper into the reefs. As the sun rose, the fog began to lift, revealing the scene ahead.
Just as the messenger had reported, Qin Longyang's massive flagship and several warships were trapped in the center of the reef cluster, unable to move.
The surrounding ships were trying to attach chains to pull the flagship free. Little did they know, Gongsun Du's forces had now appeared nearby.
"Hahaha!" Seeing Qin Longyang's flagship shrouded in mist, Gongsun Du laughed heartily. "So this is the famous Qin Longyang? All troops, follow me to capture him alive—charge!"
"Hold on!" Just as Gongsun Du gave the order, Liu Yi rushed over again. "Your Majesty, our fleet is large. If we all advance, we may also get trapped in the reefs."
"The enemy has already lost their will to fight. We could send a smaller force to capture Qin Longyang alive!"
Gongsun Du hummed in agreement. "What Liu Yi says is true. Who will volunteer to lead this mission?"
"Your Majesty! I have yet to earn any merits since joining your forces. I am willing to lead the troops to capture Qin Longyang alive to repay your grace!" Gao Lan immediately stepped forward and offered his services.
Liu Yi sneered, "Your Majesty, with all due respect, General Gao is unfamiliar with the terrain. We should be cautious not to waste our efforts. Allow me to lead the troops instead."
"Your Majesty, I agree that it would be best if Liu Yi led this mission," Xi Zhicai also bowed and added. Gao Lan, unsure of Xi Zhicai's intentions, turned to him with a worried look, but Xi Zhicai responded with a confident smile.
With Xi Zhicai's endorsement, Gongsun Du nodded. "Very well, Liu Yi, take two warships and capture Qin Longyang. If you cannot, bring back his head!"
"Rest assured, Your Majesty!" Liu Yi replied boldly, sweeping his cape as he made his way to another warship.
Meanwhile, Gongsun Du arranged his remaining fleet into formation. In the distance, the silhouettes of more Qin warships could be seen approaching, but Gongsun Du laughed, "By the time Qin Longyang's reinforcements arrive, he will already be bound and presented before me! Hahaha!"
"The King of Liaodong speaks the truth! Hahaha!"
Suddenly, an unsettling voice sounded from behind. Gongsun Du turned around, belatedly realizing that the guards behind him had been replaced by unfamiliar faces, causing him to panic.
"Who are you?"
"This, indeed, is none other than the renowned General Qin Longyang of Youzhou, my lord," Xi Zhicai suddenly sneered as he glanced at Gongsun Du.
Gongsun Du, sensing something amiss, instinctively reached for his sword, but Gao Lan, standing to his right, swiftly kicked the back of his knee.
Gongsun Du let out a cry of pain as he fell to his knees, and before he could react further, Gao Lan drew his sword and pressed it against Gongsun Du's neck.
"Liaodong King Gongsun Du, I have long heard of your great name!" Qin Longyang removed his helmet, revealing a youthful face, starkly contrasting with Gongsun Du's weathered visage.
"Traitors... Traitors! I've fallen into your trap!" Gongsun Du finally realized the truth and roared madly at Xi Zhicai.
Xi Zhicai calmly shook his head with a faint smile. "Throughout history, many have claimed the title of king, but few have truly succeeded. You've enjoyed your time as the King of Liaodong for several years now; surely, you've had your fill."
"I have honed my blade for years, yet I only needed a moment to strike. Every step you've taken today was calculated by my lord. How could you ever hope to defeat him?"
...
"Release the arrows!" At this moment, Liu Yi had no idea that as soon as he had left, the situation behind him had already been sealed.
Leading his troops into the reef cluster, Liu Yi saw the throng of people aboard the Qin army's flagship and ordered his men to fire arrows.
After several volleys, most of the figures on the ship had fallen. Satisfied, Liu Yi drew his sword. "Board the ship and capture Qin Longyang alive!"
"Kill!"
As soon as the ships made contact, the soldiers scrambled up to the deck of the flagship. However, the scene that greeted Liu Yi left him utterly shocked. The bodies scattered across the deck were all straw dummies dressed in armor!
"This is bad... We've been tricked! The king is in danger!" Liu Yi snapped back to reality, instinctively glancing around.
In his eagerness for glory, he hadn't noticed the numerous Qin warships lying in wait just outside the reefs—this flagship was clearly a trap!
A deep horn sounded, signaling that the trap had sprung. Arrows rained down upon Liu Yi's three warships, leaving his soldiers with nowhere to hide. In an instant, many fell under the onslaught.
"Break through! Even under this barrage, we must break through!" Liu Yi shouted, but only two or three out of every ten soldiers were still able to move.
To make matters worse, Liu Yi's ship had struck a reef, puncturing its hull, and seawater was visibly flooding the cabin.
The remaining soldiers, seeing this, screamed in terror and leapt overboard to save themselves. Even after Liu Yi cut down several men, he could not regain control over his panicked troops.
"Enemy general! Your King Gongsun Du has already been captured by us, and the rest of your forces have surrendered. If you do not surrender now, when will you?" Taishi Ci's warship approached Liu Yi, with Taishi Ci crossing his arms and shouting.
"Hahaha," Liu Yi laughed in response. "My army numbers thirty thousand! How could you possibly have captured them all without making a sound?"
"Hmph," Taishi Ci sneered. "I told you, your king has already been captured by our forces. Do you wonder how they were caught? Out of your thirty thousand soldiers, do you know how many are actually ours?"
"You!" Taishi Ci's words caused Liu Yi's eyes to widen in shock. After a long silence, Liu Yi resolutely raised his sword. "I, Liu Yi, am deeply grateful for the king's trust in me. I would rather die than surrender!"
With those words, a spray of blood erupted from Liu Yi's neck as he slashed his own throat. Struggling to stand, Liu Yi eventually collapsed into the sea...
In truth, Taishi Ci's words were not entirely accurate. Gongsun Du had been captured alive, but the other warships were unaware of this.
However, it wasn't long before the sun pierced through the clouds, illuminating the entire sea. Gongsun Du's fleet was immediately thrown into a state of shock.
Dozens of Qin Longyang's warships had surrounded them. Even more astonishing was the sight on their flagship: the man seated on the throne was not their king, but rather a different man, with their own king bound and thrown at his feet in utter disgrace.
"Beat the drums!" Qin Longyang, with his legs crossed, barked an order to Guan Yu, who stood behind him. Guan Yu immediately raised his Green Dragon Crescent Blade.
In an instant, the drums of war thundered from the dozens of warships, their sheer power enough to make anyone's heart pound with fear.
Gongsun Du's men were clearly terrified; many of them trembled, likely never having seen such a display of force in their lives. Qin Longyang then slowly stood up, his movements casual, hardly fitting for a warlord.
But as he raised his hand, the drumbeats ceased abruptly, revealing his commanding presence. The entire sea fell silent, while Gongsun Du's soldiers anxiously glanced around, their hearts in their throats.
"Brothers of Liaodong, allow me to introduce myself," Qin Longyang leaned casually against the railing, though in truth, he was struggling to steady himself, as he was seasick and weak in the legs. "I am Qin Longyang. I'm sure you've all heard of me."
"You can see the situation for yourselves. Do you know how many troops I brought on this campaign?" Qin Longyang held up one finger. "A hundred thousand! Conquering your little Liaodong is just the beginning—I intend to take all of Youzhou with ease."
"You've also seen that your King Gongsun Du has been captured by me. Continuing this fight will only lead to more pointless deaths."
" I don't wish to see more bloodshed or have you all buried at sea. If you lay down your weapons and surrender, you'll at least keep your lives. Whether you choose to fight or surrender is up to you."