After Cao Cao's main army moved out, the one who felt the pressure most directly was Guan Yu.
In a single day, from north to south, emergency reports arrived from three border cities between Jing Province and Yu Province: Duyang, Wuyin, and Biyang.
The content was basically the same.
Massive army passing through. Isolated cities under threat.
Inside the government hall at Bowang County, Xu Shu stood in front of the sand table, carefully studying it.
As he marked Cao troop movements on the map according to the reports, he smiled at Guan Yu, who was fully armored.
"Cao thief is going all in. He's here."
Winning against Cao Cao over the past year, even nearly capturing him and making him leave in disgrace, was certainly satisfying.
But if we are talking about true surprise, nothing beat what Kongming sent over.
Several classic math texts annotated jointly by Zhuge Liang and Liu Ba, plus a long letter explaining applied mathematics.
Future generations guaranteed it. Kongming recommended it. Xu Shu had zero doubt.
After half a year of focused study, Xu Shu found that managing Jing Province's military affairs became far more efficient.
With math alone, he could estimate tax income and expenses without even leaving his room.
If it worked on himself, it could work on the enemy.
While Guan Yu stayed in Bowang coordinating support for Duyang, Wuyin, and Biyang, Xu Shu questioned surrendered Cao soldiers from the Jingxiang campaign, along with refugees fleeing south.
From them, he pieced together a rough picture of Cao Cao's tuntian farming system.
Then he combined that with land and population records from all provinces obtained after the lord entered Guanzhong and secured Chang'an.
Add in testimony from Shi Guangyuan, who had served as a farming official before returning south.
Step by step, Xu Shu reconstructed Cao Cao's land, population, and tax situation.
From that, he calculated roughly how much grain Cao Cao could mobilize.
Not perfectly accurate.
But the margin of error would not be huge.
That was more than enough for Guan Yu to feel confident about this battle.
How many troops those supplies could support and for how long.
Xu Shu laid it all out clearly.
So Guan Yu could not help but laugh loudly in agreement.
"Only now do I truly understand what it means to calculate in the ancestral temple. Yuanzhi plans within the tent, and this battle becomes one of knowing both self and enemy. How could victory not be many?"
Xu Shu laughed as well.
"Why does Yun Chang humble himself? These numbers mean nothing without your battlefield courage."
The loud laughter of commander and strategist echoed through Bowang's hall.
Anyone who heard it could not help but admire them.
The enemy army is at the gates, and they are still this calm. Worthy of General Guan.
But laughing was laughing. They still had to make real decisions.
Guan Yu stepped forward slowly and studied the sand table carefully.
The most striking feature in northern Jing was the Yu River.
It originated in Funiu Mountain, flowed south, and joined the Han River at Xiangfan, splitting northern Jing into east and west.
West of the Yu River were fertile lands along the Tuan River and Dan River.
This was the rich heart of northern Jing. Wancheng, Anzhong, Yuyang, Rang County, Guanjun, and more were scattered there.
East of the Yu River lacked river branches, making farming harder.
Only Bowang and Jiyang sat on the eastern side.
But the upside was that this wide, waterless plain was perfect for cavalry.
Guan Yu could already see it.
The cavalry of both sides would absolutely decide this battlefield.
"Cao troops passing Duyang are coming for Bowang."
Holding his helmet, Guan Yu pointed at the sand table.
Bowang was less than a hundred li from Duyang.
If Bowang fell, they could take Xie'e and then strike Wancheng.
Lips and teeth. One falls, the other follows.
Xu Shu also pointed.
"Wuyin and Biyang are less than eighty li apart. Those two Cao forces will likely merge. From there, they can attack Jiyang and threaten Wancheng from both sides."
"But in my view, it's even more likely they abandon Jiyang and head south to strike Xiangfan, cutting Jing Province in half and severing our rear."
After saying that, Xu Shu casually pointed further south at Jiangxia.
"But if Cao troops do that, they're basically treating Zilong like soft clay."
Guan Yu nodded in agreement.
Right then, Hou Yin entered to report.
"The three armies are ready. Only awaiting your order, General."
Guan Yu carefully put on his helmet, grabbed his crescent blade, which shone like snow, and nodded to Xu Shu.
His steps were powerful, his presence overwhelming.
"Pass down my order. Advance. Break the enemy."
Xu Shu followed with light steps.
Outside the county hall, they mounted their horses.
What they saw was an army fully prepared, waiting only to march.
Elite soldiers with sky-piercing morale. Cavalry radiating killing intent.
Even though he had seen this before, Xu Shu was still moved and whispered.
"With troops like this, Yunchang will surely win."
Hearing this, Guan Yu urged his blood-red warhorse forward.
His cold crescent blade pointed to the sky.
His voice shook the four directions.
"The Great Han will be victorious."
Spears rose like a forest.
What rose with them was a thunderous shout from countless throats.
"Victory."
Long before Huang Zhong even saw Cao troops move, Zhao Yun stationed at Jiangxia had already quietly led his forces north.
This was always part of Zhao Yun's plan.
Because there were many reasons he could leave Jiangxia.
Gan Gui, backed by Jing Province's navy, had secured the Yangtze so thoroughly that no one dared oppose it.
Jiangxia had submitted completely.
Shamoke managed his tribes in perfect order. After settling Jingnan, he even had spare capacity to support the Shanyue in Jiangdong.
According to Shamoke himself, this was mainly to repay Ma Liang, who was now helping the Shanyue with strategy and planning.
What Zhao Yun did not expect was that Gan Ning also reassembled eight hundred of his old troops and stubbornly followed him north.
His reason was loud and righteous.
The rift between Sun and Liu was all Cao Cao's fault.
He, Gan Ning, was not serving Lord Xuande.
He just had a personal account to settle with Cao troops.
Seeing that Gan Ning and his eight hundred actually had solid cavalry skills, Zhao Yun simply allowed it.
Their horses could cover a hundred li a day.
Passing through Sui County and Anchang, everything was peaceful.
Zhao Yun planned to go straight to Bowang to await General Guan's orders.
But when they reached Huyang at dusk and saw people fleeing south in panic, Zhao Yun's heart sank.
East of Huyang was Pingshi County.
Further east was Biyang.
Scouts quickly returned with full information.
Cao troops had come from Biyang, occupied Pingshi, seized farmland and property.
Tomorrow, they would likely advance toward Xiangyang.
"How many?" Gan Ning asked.
"Nearly thirty thousand," the soldier replied, based on multiple civilian accounts.
Gan Ning's lips curled into a slightly bloodthirsty smile.
"General Zhao. Interested in doing something big?"
Under torchlight, Zhao Yun saw a wild, unrestrained grin on Gan Ning's bandit-like face for the first time.
"Say it."
For some reason, Zhao Yun felt his heart start beating faster.
Gan Ning stood and pointed east.
"Catch them off guard. Burn their camp. A thousand cavalry trample through. Dare to come with me?"
How could he not dare?
He was Zhao Zilong, the man later generations would praise as courage incarnate.