They've taken the bait.
Zhang Xin felt a flicker of satisfaction but kept his expression solemn.
"What other threat does Yuyang face besides the barbarians?" he said with a sigh. "To be honest, before Nanlou arrived, I had already fought a battle against the Wuhuan."
"You've already fought one?" Guan Yu asked, clearly surprised. "You mean…?"
"Before Shanggu's Nanlou, the Wuhuan from the other three commanderies had already come," Zhang Xin explained. "I managed to drive them off, but soon after, Nanlou arrived and surrounded me outside the city."
He briefly recounted the battle—the sortie, the ambush, the desperate situation.
"I see…" Guan Yu nodded slowly.
He had initially assumed Zhang Xin was reckless—foolish enough to pit infantry against cavalry in open ground. But now it was clear: he had been facing the combined forces of multiple tribes.
Guan Yu had spent years in Zhuojun and understood the strength of the Wuhuan well.
If the four commanderies united, they could field over ten thousand cavalry—perhaps even thirty thousand at full strength.
Seen in that light, Zhang Xin's achievement was no small feat.
"Although the Wuhuan have retreated, they have not been crippled," Zhang Xin continued, frowning slightly. "And now that you have slain Nanlou, they will surely come to Yuyang for revenge."
"In this battle, I've already lost nearly thirty percent of my troops. If they attack again, we can only defend the city…"
He paused, then added quietly:
"And those outside the walls… will not be so fortunate."
Guan Yu fell silent for a moment before asking,
"Do you want me to stay and help defend against them?"
He had seen firsthand how the people of Youzhou suffered under constant raids. Alone, there was little he could do—but here was a chance to truly protect them.
Still, joining a rebel force was out of the question.
Zhang Xin shook his head.
"Yes… and no."
Guan Yu frowned. "What does that mean?"
"I do wish to borrow your strength," Zhang Xin said, meeting his gaze, "but not to defend."
"I intend to take the initiative."
Guan Yu's eyes sharpened.
With heavy losses, and still thinking of attacking?
Now this was interesting.
"How?" he asked.
Zhang Xin crouched down and used a blade to sketch on the ground.
"This is Yuyang."
He drew another circle nearby.
"To the west lies Shanggu."
An X marked its center.
"Nanlou is dead. Shanggu will be in chaos—competing for leadership. Until a new leader emerges, they won't act."
Guan Yu nodded slightly.
Zhang Xin drew a third circle.
"This is Youbeiping. The three leaders are gathered here. They brought six thousand men before—over two thousand were killed. Now, they cannot have more than four thousand left."
He looked up at Guan Yu.
"You plan to strike here," Guan Yu said immediately.
Zhang Xin smiled. "Exactly."
"Barbarians fear strength, not virtue. If we strike like thunder and kill their leaders, we can deter them from further aggression."
"And once that's done…" his gaze deepened, "…I can turn north and deal with the Xianbei."
"You still intend to fight the Xianbei?" Guan Yu was genuinely startled.
Even the imperial army rarely showed such initiative.
Zhang Xin sighed.
"I've said it before—I want to earn amnesty. To give my men a way to live."
He lowered his head slightly.
"The people of the north suffer year after year. At best, they starve. At worst, their families are destroyed."
"I've known hunger. I've lost my family."
He raised his head again, eyes resolute.
"If I can gain the court's pardon, I will gladly station my army in the north—spend my life defending these lands, and atone for rebellion with service."
Guan Yu stared at him in silence.
Such ambition… from someone so young?
For a moment, he felt a trace of relief.
If that spear strike had landed true, such a man would have died unjustly.
"Good!" Guan Yu said firmly. "Though you were forced into rebellion, you have not lost your righteousness. I respect that."
"I will not join you," he added, "but when it comes to killing these barbarians and protecting the people—I will help."
Zhang Xin's face lit up.
"To earn your praise is already an honor. To gain your aid—my greatest fortune!"
Guan Yu stroked his beard.
"How many troops do you have?"
"Three thousand five hundred."
Guan Yu raised an eyebrow.
"With that, you intend to strike four thousand cavalry?"
Zhang Xin smirked. "What? Are you afraid?"
Guan Yu scoffed.
"Afraid? Those barbarians are nothing but weeds to me."
"But your men are infantry. Even if you catch them off guard—how will you stop them from fleeing?"
Zhang Xin's heart leapt.
This was the difference a true general made.
Others would simply obey—but Guan Yu saw the flaw instantly.
Suppressing his excitement, Zhang Xin smiled.
"What if I could train a cavalry force… in just a few days?"
Guan Yu froze.
"Impossible."
He knew cavalry. Truly knew it.
Even a basic rider took years to train.
"A few days?" he repeated. "Absolutely impossible."
Zhang Xin only smiled mysteriously.
"What if I could?"
"If I had two thousand capable cavalry—and your strength—what would our chances be?"
Guan Yu fell into thought.
Two thousand cavalry… a surprise attack… against fewer than four thousand unprepared enemies…
"It could work," he admitted.
Then his eyes sharpened again.
"But how will you make them fight? Riding is one thing—fighting is another."
Zhang Xin stood and gestured forward.
"Would you like to see for yourself?"
Guan Yu didn't hesitate.
"…Good."