Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

After the Sui army's secret withdrawal from Mengyin Fort, around 8,000 soldiers, led by Commander Zhang Xuan, advanced towards Wang Bao's stronghold in Zhuanyu County. The Sui army moved stealthily, but their approach was detected by scouts from the bandit army, who alerted Wang Bao. Following a disastrous raid that left him with only ten thousand untrained men, Wang Bao faced declining morale and contemplated retreating to Lu County. He devised a plan to send his brother-in-law to Lu County and prepared for a potential retreat. However, upon receiving news of the Sui army's approach, he realized the urgency of the situation. Wang Bao's trusted general suggested ambushing the Sui's supply convoy, but Wang Bao dismissed the idea, fearing it would lead to disaster. Instead, he planned to persuade Sun Xuan Ya to attack Mengyin Fort, hoping to divert Zhang Xuan's attention. To win Sun Xuan Ya's support, Wang Bao sent his beloved concubine, Huang Mei Niang, as a gesture of goodwill. Meanwhile, Sun Xuan Ya contemplated the Sui army's movements and his own strategy, realizing that Zhang Xuan's hasty advance might indicate a lack of troops due to threats from Wang Shi Chong. As the situation unfolded, both leaders prepared for the impending conflict.

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