Chapter 116: Collapse and Retreat [Please Subscribe]

At the outpost, Sun Ce’s army was indeed caught off guard. Perhaps they never imagined that Chu’s forces would attack tonight. Most were distracted, and by the time they realized, Chu’s troops had already crept close and begun maneuvering their antlers.

Simultaneously, multiple squads wielded repeating crossbows, not just providing cover but unleashing volleys that the armored soldiers at the outpost struggled to withstand. Yet, the sound of the golden gong still rang out.

“Charge! Break through!” Zhao Fan shouted, pointing his spear far ahead.

Immediately, one soldier took the lead on horseback, followed by thousands of elite troops, each fighting bravely. In this battle, only by breaking through could they survive.

The outpost’s defense was limited and, taken by surprise, it was quickly overrun. Thousands of soldiers clashed fiercely, their shouts deafening and striking terror into countless Sun Ce soldiers who were bewildered.

It is important to remember that in ancient times, organizing troops at night was exceedingly difficult. Having just regrouped at midnight, many were still in a dazed state.

Echoes of shouting resounded throughout the camp. Soldiers did not know their commanders, and commanders were unaware of their troops. Everywhere, cries rang out: “Chu’s army has entered the camp!”

Along with multiple fires blazing into the sky, chaos had already begun to spread through many parts of Sun Ce’s encampment.

“First battalion attacks the left, second battalion the right, the rest follow me to attack the center,” Zhao Fan surveyed the situation inside the camp. Time was of the essence; they had to expand their gains.

At once, three thousand elite soldiers split into three groups.

Meanwhile, Sun Ce’s armored soldiers were still searching for their weapons and commanders, making it difficult to form a coordinated defense.

Inside the command tent, Sun Ce’s eyes snapped open. He sprang up, frowning at the noisy sounds outside. Rising, he donned his armor and called out, “What is happening outside?”

At that moment, Zhou Tai entered the tent.

“My lord, it seems Chu’s army is attacking the camp. It looks like they’ve already broken in,” Zhou Tai said with a furrowed brow.

“An attack on the camp? Damn it, Chu Feng, you treacherous fiend!” Sun Ce’s face flushed with anger, his body trembling. Damn it, you didn’t come at midnight, but you arrive at the fifth watch—how infuriating!

Now clad in armor and gripping his spear, Sun Ce shouted, “Beat the drums! Rally all units! I will personally drive back Chu’s forces and show Chu Feng the might of Jiangdong’s warriors!”

“Yes, my lord!” Zhou Tai nodded and immediately began beating the drums to assemble the troops.

However, the generals scattered throughout the camp were unlikely to arrive quickly. Even Zhou Yu was busy organizing the troops inside. The entire camp was filled with soldiers bustling about.

Outside the camp, behind Chu Feng were hundreds of Tiger Guards.

Behind them were thousands of soldiers. On the other side, Gan Ning and Lü Meng each commanded two thousand troops. As Zhao Fan broke in, the two were eager to join the fray.

“Everyone, victory or defeat hinges on this moment! Follow me and charge!” Chu Feng shouted, brandishing his halberd angrily.

Instantly, thousands of soldiers surged forward like a thunderous wave.

On the other side, Gan Ning and Lü Meng also led their troops in. Li Feng, meanwhile, held several hundred men concealed outside.

His main goal was to see if Sun Ce’s forces would collapse immediately. If so, he could seize the opportunity to capture the leader and earn great merit.

With these thousands rushing in, the already chaotic Sun Ce army became even more tangled. Almost every general fought independently, with only a few gathering near Sun Ce.

But such a small force was hardly enough to quell the chaos.

“Kill!” Chu Feng himself led the charge, his boundless momentum unyielding. His troops cut through Sun Ce’s men, leaving them scattered and broken.

Yet, Sun Ce’s private army system had one advantage: the generals quickly rallied their armored soldiers, creating enough resistance to slow Chu Feng’s advance somewhat.

——

At dawn, the battle that had raged since the fifth watch finally ended.

The entire camp lay in ruins, barely recognizable.

Although Sun Ce’s forces suffered heavy losses, they held firm, relying on their various units to slow the latter half of Chu’s assault. Ultimately, Chu’s forces were forced to retreat.

At this moment, Chu’s army withdrew.

Continuing the fight was pointless; the element of surprise was lost. Still, this surprise attack caused Sun Ce to lose many men. The only fault was the failure to break through decisively.

This also reflected that Sun Ce’s army had earned their fierce reputation—they had fought several hard battles under his command.

At the main camp, generals arrived bloodied and armored, assembling quickly.

Sun Ce’s fury burned bright as he shouted, “Chu Feng, you treacherous villain, cunning and deceitful! One day I will tear you limb from limb and rid myself of this hatred!”

He then turned to his generals. “Why did you not arrive sooner last night? Had you come earlier, I could have led a counterattack.”

The generals bowed their heads, silent.

Inwardly, they resented this. During the camp’s destruction, it was already difficult enough to control their troops. If they hadn’t held off most of Chu’s forces, Sun Ce’s army would have been doomed, unable to stop the attack.

Zhou Yu looked at Sun Ce gravely. “My lord, this is my failure. I did not anticipate the enemy’s tactics. I never expected Chu’s forces to launch such a counterattack.”

Zhou Yu took responsibility openly. He knew blame was useless. Had it not been for the troops’ desperate resistance last night, Chu Feng would have already ridden rampant through the camp.

Seeing Zhou Yu take the blame, Sun Ce held back his words.

“What about the casualties among our troops?” Sun Ce asked, softening his tone somewhat.

“Unclear for now,” Zhou Yu shook his head. The losses were serious, further straining already limited resources.

“My lord, our troops’ morale has been repeatedly crushed. They are no longer fit for open battle with Chu Feng. I suggest we withdraw to Wuxi tomorrow to regroup and observe the situation,” Zhou Yu advised.

Sun Ce clenched his teeth, unwilling to accept this. Over the years, he had won many battles, but now he was repeatedly defeated by Chu Feng. The prideful general could not help but slam his fist upon the wooden table.

Beside him, Yu Fan nodded.

Last night, every unit suffered damage. If this continued, discontent would surely arise. It was better to offer some consolation.

He urged, “My lord, Gongjin’s words are wise. Chu’s army is victorious and their morale high. We should avoid their strength and wait for Cao Cao’s forces to strike from the Central Plains.”

Seeing Yu Fan agree, Sun Ce, though reluctant, understood that the troops were weary of fighting. They had gained little and lost much.

“Very well. All generals, prepare to withdraw. Tomorrow we will break camp and return to Wuxi to rest,” Sun Ce agreed.

Though they consented to retreat, the generals were far from pleased. They had fought to the death for this land, yet now more and more was being taken by Chu’s forces.

If this continued, their hard-won rewards would vanish. How could they lead their troops to battle under such circumstances?

As the units dispersed, a grand banquet was held within the city to celebrate.

Though the camp had not been broken in one fell swoop, the heavy blows dealt to Sun’s army warranted celebration. Moreover, Sun Ce’s troops’ morale had plummeted to its lowest.

[In the third year of Jian’an, early summer,

Chu Feng repeatedly defeated Sun Ce, whose thirty thousand elite troops lost nearly a third. Forced to withdraw to Wuxi, they awaited Cao Cao’s movements from the Central Plains.

Due to limited forces, Chu’s army did not press their advantage, instead watching as Danyang and Kuaiji gradually fell, forming a pincer movement.]

Thus, the contest over Wu Commandery came to a temporary pause with Sun Ce’s retreat.

Of course, this was only temporary!