"These trenches… are not for defense."
Zhang Xin stood before the sprawling lines of shallow earthworks, his gaze calm as he explained.
"They are for Huangfu Song."
Wang Meng frowned. "To confuse him?"
Zhang Xin nodded slightly.
"Dong Zhuo's intelligence says I have over fifteen thousand in the main camp—more than twenty thousand total when counting all positions."
He gestured outward.
"Yet here, outside the city, only a few thousand are visible."
He smiled faintly.
"So tell me… where are the rest?"
Wang Meng's eyes widened.
"Lord intends to fabricate an unseen army… to make Huangfu Song hesitate?"
"Exactly."
"But…" Wang Meng hesitated. "Huangfu Song is no ordinary commander. Will he fall for this?"
"No."
Zhang Xin's answer was immediate.
"He won't."
Wang Meng froze.
"…Then why do it?"
Zhang Xin's expression grew serious.
"I am not testing whether he can see through it."
"I am testing… whose side he is truly on."
Silence fell.
"If he truly serves Dong Zhuo," Zhang Xin continued, "he will see through the deception—and attack anyway."
"In that case… we fight."
"But if he is only pretending to serve Dong Zhuo…"
Zhang Xin's eyes sharpened.
"He will pretend to fall for it."
"He will hold position."
"And give us time."
Wang Meng slowly understood.
"You're… giving him an excuse."
Zhang Xin smiled.
"Exactly."
"If you were Dong Zhuo, would you trust him with thirty thousand troops outside the city?"
"Would you not place supervisors? Watch his family?"
"If Huangfu Song refuses to fight without reason, he'll be forced to."
"But if there is 'uncertainty'…"
"He can justify inaction."
Wang Meng looked at the trenches again.
Shallow. Wide. Numerous.
Not meant to stop an army—
But to delay it.
"If he truly attacks," Zhang Xin added, "these trenches will still slow him down."
"Filling them will cost time."
"Crossing them without filling… will disrupt his formations."
"Every moment we gain… matters."
Because Zhang Xin knew the truth:
He was outnumbered.
Barely fifteen thousand troops—spread thin across five critical positions:
Huayin The main camp Fengling Ford Puban Ford The southern mountains
While Huangfu Song—
Commanded thirty thousand.
If even one point fell—
Everything collapsed.
"That's why I sent Yu Jin to Puban," Zhang Xin said.
"To ensure Huangfu Song cannot split his forces."
Wang Meng nodded slowly.
But his gaze drifted westward.
Toward the approaching storm.
Huangfu Song's Camp
Huangfu Song returned from inspection, deep in thought.
"These trenches…"
He murmured.
"They are wrong."
Too many.
Too shallow.
Inefficient.
For a man like Zhang Xin—this made no sense.
Unless…
"Old General!"
Dong Huang entered, impatient.
"Well? What did you find?"
Huangfu Song suppressed a smile.
"In my opinion… Zhang Xin is luring us."
Dong Huang scoffed.
"Luring us? He looks disorganized! This is our chance!"
Huangfu Song shook his head.
"He has twenty thousand troops."
"Yet we only see half."
"Where are the rest?"
Dong Huang froze.
"If we advance blindly," Huangfu Song continued, "and his hidden forces strike our flank…"
"What then?"
Dong Huang's confidence wavered.
"…Then what do we do?"
"Scout."
"Find the hidden army first."
Days passed.
Scouts searched everywhere.
Nothing.
No ambush.
No hidden troops.
"Where are they?" Dong Huang muttered.
Huangfu Song spread his hands.
"I don't know."
More days passed.
Still nothing.
Doubt crept in.
"Old General… what if there is no ambush?"
Dong Huang frowned.
"Ten thousand men can't just disappear."
"They need food. Supplies. Movement."
"If they existed—we would've found them."
Huangfu Song stood silently.
Then sighed.
"A formidable young man…"
"A truly formidable young man."
Dong Huang grew irritated.
"In my opinion, you've been deceived!"
"Even if there is an ambush—we still have the advantage!"
"Thirty thousand against twenty thousand!"
"Why hesitate?"
Huangfu Song shook his head.
"It is not hesitation."
"It is caution."
"Zhang Xin… cannot be underestimated."
Their argument escalated.
Finally—
Dong Huang snapped.
"Or perhaps… you're colluding with him?"
Huangfu Song's expression darkened.
In the end—
They sent a letter to Dong Zhuo.
Chang'an's Reply
Days later—
The reply arrived.
Dong Zhuo praised Huangfu Song.
Then scolded Dong Huang.
"Hold your position. Wait. Do not take unnecessary risks."
Dong Huang fell silent.
At that moment—
A scout rushed in.
"Report! Enemy reinforcements—five thousand have arrived!"
Huangfu Song looked at Dong Huang calmly.
Dong Huang clenched his jaw.
"…Fine."
The opportunity—
Was gone.
Zhang Xin's Camp
"Xu He!"
Zhang Xin laughed as he clasped the man's hand.
"You've finally arrived!"
Twenty days.
Twenty days of tension—
Now broken.
With Huangfu Song holding position, Zhang Xin had gained everything he needed.
Time.
Reinforcements.
Initiative.
Now—
It was time to strike.
Zhang Xin spread the map.
Pointed to one location.
"Shan County."
"Sun Jian has already taken the outer camp."
"But Dong Yue and Zhang Ji still hold the city."
"They're waiting… for Dong Zhuo."
Zhang Xin smiled faintly.
"They'll be disappointed."
"I'm giving you three thousand troops."
"Take Zhao Yun as your deputy."
"Wang Meng as advisor."
"Go—take Shan County."
Xu He bowed.
"I accept."
Because everyone knew—
The moment reinforcements appeared before Shan County—
Hope would collapse.
And when hope dies—
So does resistance.
Shan County
The battle raged on the walls.
Sun Jian's forces surged—
Again and again—
Only to be repelled.
"Victory!"
The defenders cheered as the attackers withdrew.
But inside—
Exhaustion reigned.
Zhang Ji collapsed against the bloodstained wall.
Breathing hard.
Eyes red.
Lips cracked.
Zhang Xiu approached quietly.
"Uncle…"
"The grain…"
"Less than ten days left."
Silence.
"Take more from the people," Zhang Ji said coldly.
"We hold until Dong Zhuo arrives."
Zhang Xiu hesitated.
Then spoke softly:
"…What if he doesn't come?"
Zhang Ji's expression hardened.
"Impossible."
But Zhang Xiu lowered his voice.
"What if… he simply can't?"
And for the first time—
Doubt flickered.