Whether Liu Biao's words were believed by those present or not, it didn't matter much at this point. Whether Yuan Shu retreated five days earlier or later made no difference; these people were indifferent, merely waiting to see if Liu Biao's prediction would come true. If Yuan Shu didn't retreat after five days, they would feel justified in surrendering, using it as an opportunity to undermine Liu Biao's authority. This would also provide them with a topic of conversation when they eventually negotiated with Yuan Shu.
The day Liu Biao made his declaration, Jiangling City nearly fell to Yuan Shu's forces. The city's defenses wavered, and several of Yuan Shu's soldiers breached the walls. If it hadn't been for Huang Zhong, who managed to kill several of Yuan Shu's advancing officers with his arrows, and Liu Pan, who led the reserves to push Yuan Shu's troops back out of the city, Jiangling might have already fallen.
Witnessing this, the various noble families who had retreated to Jiangling with Liu Biao sneered. Whether Yuan Shu retreated in five days or not, the question remained whether Liu Biao could even hold Jiangling.
That night, Yuan Shu, persuaded by Yang Hong, began a slow retreat under the cover of darkness. This time, however, Yang Hong, usually not the sharpest strategist, remembered the importance of leaving troops to cover their retreat.
The next day, Yuan Shu's camp was eerily silent. Liu Biao's troops, though exhausted, remained vigilant. After a long wait, Huang Zhong, with his keen eyesight, noticed through the gaps in the open tents that the camp was empty. He was stunned for a moment, then quickly informed Liu Biao. It seemed that Huang Zhong had regained some of his fighting spirit recently. His son might be gone, but there was still hope for the future—after all, if Liu Biao could have children, why couldn't he?
With Liu Biao's promises of medicine and hope for his future, Huang Zhong found a renewed purpose and began to respect Liu Biao more, now addressing him formally as "Governor Liu" instead of his previous indifferent manner. It turned out that having a goal in life made all the difference.
"Zhongxing, quickly inform Governor Liu that Yuan Shu has retreated!" Huang Zhong called out to Liu Pan after discovering the empty camp.
"What?" Liu Pan was initially stunned, then overjoyed as he rushed down from the city walls. Soon, the entire city of Jiangling erupted in cheers.
"What's all the noise outside..." Kuai Yue, his eyes sunken and cheekbones protruding, asked weakly. Since using his mental abilities that day, he had been bedridden, even needing assistance to eat. He had lost a significant amount of weight, but his spirit remained uncharacteristically sharp, despite the constant pain in his head.
"Master, the Yu Province army has retreated!" his servant said, a hint of excitement in his voice. The ever-present sounds of battle had filled the servants with dread, fearing that Jiangling might fall at any moment, ending their current way of life.
"So the Yu Province army has retreated. I see." Kuai Yue's expression remained calm, but internally, he felt a surge of emotion. After this battle, Liu Biao would likely favor the Kuai family even more, and Kuai Yue himself would become one of Liu Biao's most trusted advisors.
As for the noble families Kuai Yue had marked for destruction, whether they survived or not, they would no longer have the power to interfere in Jingzhou's affairs. After this, Jingzhou would likely become more unified, its strength not diminished but increased.
"Yuan Shu has retreated?" Liu Biao was momentarily stunned when he received the news, then broke into a joyous laugh. When he had declared in front of everyone that Yuan Shu would retreat within five days, he had appeared confident, but deep down, Liu Biao knew he was taking a gamble. Kuai Yue had fallen into a deep sleep before he could fully explain his reasoning, leaving Liu Biao uncertain. At that moment, there was no turning back. His declaration of five days was both a delaying tactic and a testament to his trust in Kuai Yue. Little did he know, Kuai Yue's prediction was spot-on!
"Quickly mobilize the troops and send a force to pursue them!" Liu Biao wrote out orders, which he handed to a messenger with an air of authority. This time, he was ready to wield the sword decisively. He trusted Kuai Yue's judgment—using one enemy to kill another was the perfect strategy!
This kind of pursuit, harassing a retreating enemy and forcing them to sacrifice their rear guard to protect their retreat, was the favorite tactic of all the rank-and-file soldiers eager to earn military merit. The Li, Yin, Qi, and other prominent families, upon receiving Liu Biao's orders, were overjoyed. They saw it as a gesture of goodwill from Liu Biao, an attempt to placate them. They eagerly mustered their private armies and tenant farmers, ready to take down the fleeing Yuan Shu.
As for their secret negotiations with Yuan Shu over the past few days, those were quickly forgotten. All talk of their illustrious lineage and Yuan Shu's promises were now overshadowed by the imminent military achievements within their grasp. To them, turning Yuan Shu into military merit was the most tangible benefit they could gain—everything else could be set aside.
Liu Biao stood on the city wall, sneering as he watched tens of thousands of troops rush out. He admired their courage but was even more certain that they had little chance of returning. Kuai Yue had pinpointed a location where an ambush by five hundred elite troops would seal their fate. With Yuan Shu's forces blocking their retreat, these hastily trained tenant farmers and serfs, despite their numbers, would be slaughtered in minutes!
"Huang Hansheng, hear my command!" Liu Biao turned to the few who were genuinely loyal to him.
"I am here!" Huang Zhong hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, clasping his hands in salute.
"Take one thousand soldiers and march west along the river to reclaim Yiling, Zigui, and other cities. Yuan Shu didn't have time to replace their garrisons, so you should be able to take them without resistance. Continue west, consolidate your forces, and when you reach Wuxian, regroup and head north. Take down every city and fortress you encounter until you reach Xiangyang!" Liu Biao's joy grew as he saw Huang Zhong bow his head. He then lavished rewards upon him.
Huang Zhong was taken aback by the authority he was being given. He looked up at Liu Biao's smiling face and sighed. "I will follow you, my lord."
"Hahaha, there is no need for such formality, General. Quickly take command. All supplies, provisions, and troops you encounter on your path are yours to command!" Liu Biao laughed heartily. He wasn't giving Huang Zhong this much power out of generosity but because he knew that only Huang Zhong had the capability to swiftly reclaim most of Nanjun. Liu Biao was willing to gamble that such generosity would win Huang Zhong's loyalty.
"Understood!" Huang Zhong clasped his hands in a formal salute, exuding a newfound sense of dignity. He accepted Liu Biao's orders and immediately began selecting troops for his campaign. "If my lord treats me as a national treasure, I shall repay him with loyalty worthy of a national treasure!"
After seeing Huang Zhong off, Liu Biao assigned tasks to Cai Mao, Wang Wei, and Wen Pin. The Jingzhou navy had been devastated by Huang Zu, and even Cai Mao's fleet, though intact, struggled to leave port due to Zhou Yu's dominance.
Having absorbed Huang Zu's forces, Zhou Yu's navy was now on par with Cai Mao's in terms of manpower and ships. More importantly, Zhou Yu's intelligence far surpassed Cai Mao's expectations.
As for Wei Yan, he had already escorted Jian Yong and Liu Yan back to Taishan. When he would return was uncertain, given that Wei Yan was not part of Jingzhou's official forces.
Lying in ambush in the valley, Sun Ce's heart leaped with joy when he saw dust clouds in the distance. Zhou Yu's prediction was spot on—Jingzhou forces had indeed pursued and taken this route. Glory awaits!