The Emperor's carriage was only three hundred li from Luoyang city.
Yet, the escorting troops around the Emperor dwindled with every passing li.
Having entered the center of power, Yang Feng, Zhang Yang, and Han Xian each commanded their own forces, guarding key routes and vying for territory. The weakest contingent protecting the Emperor was the one led by Dong Cheng.
In addition to this, the court officials were utterly exhausted and famished.
At this moment...
Emperor Liu Xie of Han, escorted by Yang Biao, Dong Cheng, Fu Wan, and others, was huddled within a pile of dry grass.
"Hungry... I am hungry!" Liu Xie instinctively rubbed his stomach. He was truly starving, ravenous. Zhang Yang had not provided them with any food for five days.
It wasn't just Emperor Liu Xie who was hungry; all the officials were.
"Your Majesty..."
Fu Wan, the Emperor's maternal grandfather, took out a small portion of dried rations he had hidden and offered it to Emperor Liu Xie. However, the amount was so meager that it wouldn't suffice even for a mouse, let alone a person.
Fu Wan's face was also etched with fatigue. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Your Majesty, we have... we have already entered Luoning territory. As long as we follow the Luo River, at most two days, we... we will return to Luoyang. Then, we can summon the lords of the realm to purge the rebels!"
"Lords? Humph... lords?" Emperor Liu Xie said coldly, "The lords all harbor ulterior motives!"
The fear in his eyes had not yet subsided. He roared hoarsely, "Back then, back then, you all spoke of Yuan Benchu as the loyal pillar of Han, of his four generations and three dukedoms. But... I... I issued three imperial edicts, and yet his forces did not appear?"
"In the end... in the end, he even sent back my envoy, saying... he was going to engage Gongsun Zan, that he had to pacify bandits and could not spare troops to save me. Treacherous ministers, these lords are all treacherous ministers!"
Yuan Shao alone had made Emperor Liu Xie utterly disillusioned with all the lords.
As for the later titles Dong Cheng and Yang Feng requested for Cao Cao, claiming Cao Cao was about to lead a large army to save His Majesty...
In Emperor Liu Xie's eyes, these were merely pretexts to grant honors and promotions to their own loyal retinues!
The ebb and flow of human relationships, each with their own hidden agendas – Liu Xie had long grown accustomed to this during their journey.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty!"
Hearing the Emperor's tearful laments, the assembled elder officials knelt on the ground, their hearts filled with bitterness.
Liu Xie said hatefully, "These people, these lords, they wish for me... they wish for me to die at the hands of Li Jue and Guo Si! Then they... they can seize the great Han empire for themselves!"
"That will not happen!" Yang Biao cupped his hands. "The Han dynasty, four hundred years old, will not perish, never!"
For a moment, Yang Biao's eyes were filled with determination. He shouted in the most resolute voice he could muster:
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, please be patient. Ahead... ahead is Luoyang. As long as we return to Luoyang, Your Majesty will still be the Emperor of Han, still that supreme existence!"
Upon hearing this...
Liu Xie raised his gaze, a flicker of color in his eyes. But... the other ministers continued to weep. They all understood that the path to reviving the Han dynasty was too long, too distant!
Even if they escaped Li Jue's control, even if lords came to their aid, but... but would not a new puppet await the Emperor?
They could only hope, only hope that true loyal ministers of Han would appear, ministers who could uphold the Han dynasty.
After a brief rest...
Everyone set off again... Luoyang was just ahead, the imperial capital of Han. Once there, there would be hope!
But...
After traveling only ten li.
Thump, thump, thump...
Deafening hoofbeats echoed from behind. The iron hooves of the Xiliang cavalry resounded throughout the valley.
"Li Jue..."
"Li Jue is leading his troops in pursuit!"
Someone in the crowd cried out this sentence, and Liu Xie trembled uncontrollably.
"Is it over? Is the Han finished?" Liu Xie stopped, looking up at the sky and roaring...
— "Clang"
Then, a crisp sound was heard.
Dong Cheng was the first to draw his sword. He turned his head, looking at the officials, his heart filled with grief and indignation.
"We, as scholars, are loyal to the Emperor. Even if we are at the end of our rope today, our swords can still kill. Rather than wait for death, let us... let us fight Li Jue and Guo Si to the death! In doing so, even if we die, our names will be forever praised!"
Dong Cheng's encouragement had some effect...
— "Clang!"
— "Clang!"
Apart from the thousand or so soldiers under Dong Cheng who drew their sabers, Fu Wan, Yang Biao, and the others did the same. The pursuers were approaching, and the reinforcements were nowhere to be found. Rather than await death, it was better to fight desperately!
"Da da da..."
"Dong dong dong..."
"Ta ta ta..."
At this moment, several more sets of hoofbeats and footsteps echoed nearby. Each sound was incredibly deafening, indicating... there were at least a thousand people, a thousand riders.
Following closely behind, several dark clouds swept in from afar, carrying a terrifying aura of ferocity as they charged towards Li Jue's army!
And that wasn't all...
Hoofbeats and sounds of battle also erupted from Mount Mangdang!
They too surged towards the Xiliang army. Without exception, in each formation, the massive banner of "Cao" could be seen fluttering in the wind!
Arriving with an unstoppable momentum. Da Feng Novel Network
...
...
"Halt!"
The first to approach Li Jue's twenty thousand Xiliang cavalry were the soldiers of Cao's Third Battalion, led by Commander Xiahou Dun and Vice Commander Cao Hong!
Xiahou Dun shouted a command...
Five thousand infantry formed a battle line, blocking the path of Li Jue's army, standing ready.
One could imagine with their toes that infantry charging cavalry would be a sure death. The only way to delay the cavalry's charge was to form a line to meet the enemy.
"Haha... we've been running for three days, and we finally caught up!" Facing Li Jue's army, Xiahou Dun said with a sigh...
"Damn it, my legs are about to break!" Cao Hong patted his chest.
In fact, the task of blocking the Xiliang cavalry was not for their Third Battalion. The duty of resisting Li Jue belonged to the Fourth Battalion, Xiahou Yuan, and the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry led by Cao Chun!
And even if one took a step back, how could Xiahou Dun and Cao Hong's infantry possibly stop cavalry?
Hoo...
Xun You, who had galloped to catch up, also let out a long sigh. The three commanders and the strategist were exhausted from riding, let alone these five thousand brothers who had run on foot.
This was a tired army!
"Generals Xiahou and Cao, you are gambling..."
Xun You patted his chest. Even at this point, he continued to remind them.
"Our five thousand infantry are already a tired force. If the Xiliang cavalry charges, they will likely collapse in an instant! This is a gamble. If there are any inaccuracies in what Lu Gongcao wrote, we will all perish on this plain."
Upon hearing the words "inaccuracies from Lu Gongcao," Xiahou Dun became indignant.
"Military Advisor Xun, how many times have I told you? My second brother's wisdom is unmatched in the world. If he says this strategy can repel the enemy, then it truly can."
"Hahaha..." Cao Hong agreed with a laugh. "Although I am sometimes quite jealous of Lu Yu's clever mind, I must admit, everything he has predicted has never failed. Military Advisor Xun, please do not be afraid!"
Cough, cough...
Xun You coughed lightly. "I am not saying that Lu Gongcao's strategy cannot repel the enemy, but Li Jue is not someone to be trifled with. He is capable of anything. What if he plays dirty..."
"Hahahahaha..." Before Xun You could finish speaking, Xiahou Dun laughed heartily. "Military Advisor Xun, just watch! See how I convince these twenty thousand Xiliang cavalry to retreat with just a few words!"
With that said, Xiahou Dun stepped out of the formation. He even discarded the spear he always carried, handing it to a guard, and rode alone towards the center of the two armies.
As he moved forward, he did not forget to pat the letter from his second brother, Lu Yu, which he carried.
It clearly stated how to deal with Li Jue.
And this was Xiahou Dun's confidence now.
"Sima Li, do you dare to come out and parley!" Xiahou Dun, having reached the position between the two armies, shouted towards Li Jue's side...
"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, the enemy commander is Cao's esteemed general Xiahou Dun, unarmed and without any retinue!"
A soldier quickly reported the situation at the front to Li Jue.
Hmm...
Li Jue narrowed his eyes. "You all accompany me. Let's go and meet him!"
Xiahou Dun did not bring any retinue, but Li Jue brought five or six riders. He was afraid Xiahou Dun might be playing some trick.
Having schemed against Guo Si, Fan Chou, and Zhang Ji daily in Chang'an city, Li Jue's heart was now filled with suspicion. Even those closest to him could not be trusted, let alone Xiahou Dun!
Da da da...
The crisp sound of hoofbeats echoed. Li Jue, escorted by his guards, rode to the center of the formation.
Xiahou Dun smiled slightly, then said coldly, "Grand Marshal, His Majesty has recruited you as a minister of Han, yet you still intend to abduct the Emperor and commit treason! Do you still intend to slaughter the Emperor?"
"General Xiahou!" Li Jue's expression changed, and he retorted angrily, "It is you who are holding the Emperor hostage! This Grand Marshal merely escorted the Emperor back to Chang'an!"
"Haha..."
Upon hearing this, Xiahou Dun laughed. His mouth curved upwards in utter contempt.
"Grand Marshal, let's not beat around the bush. I, Xiahou Dun, know exactly what your intentions are. You are nothing but a true treacherous minister, but alas, you have courage and strategy, yet lack wisdom!"
"You have led over ten thousand cavalry chasing His Majesty for months, but... where is Guo Si? Hahaha, he was chasing the Emperor with you, but why did he suddenly disappear?"
"Oh dear... let me give you some intelligence. Your Chang'an city has long been occupied by Guo Si's army. If you still insist on fighting our Yan Province army to the death, you will gain nothing!"
"Hahaha, even the invincible Lu Bu fell to our Yan Province troops, let alone you, Li Jue!"
Xiahou Dun said this, roaring with laughter.
In this world, there were very few people whom Xiahou Dun would disdain as "lacking wisdom."
Of course, strictly speaking, Xiahou Dun's intelligence might be slightly higher than Li Jue's!
However, intelligence at this level was completely insignificant for comparison.
"What..."
As expected, Li Jue was greatly alarmed!
Chang'an was his stronghold, and the situation in Guanzhong was complex. His ability to stand firm relied on the grain and silver stored in Chang'an!
If Chang'an city was indeed stolen by Guo Si, then... let alone these twenty thousand cavalry, even two hundred cavalry would eventually desert him...
Soldiers fought for provisions. With continuous droughts in the Sanfu region, food was paramount!
Li Jue's suspicion deepened, and Xiahou Dun's voice continued.
"Grand Marshal, oh Grand Marshal, think carefully. Since when did Guo Si part ways with you? Hahaha, as for our General Guo, he is a wise man! What is the use of chasing the Emperor? It is better to change course and recruit old soldiers from Meiwu, and then use the grain stored in Meiwu to fight for control of Chang'an. If you do not return to rescue Chang'an now, you might become a stray dog by tomorrow!"
This...
Li Jue was already sensitive to court struggles. Any slight disturbance could make him suspect others all day long.
Now...
Guo Si, who was also chasing the Emperor, had lost contact at some point. Coupled with Xiahou Dun's words, Li Jue felt a chill run down his spine.
Although Emperor Liu Xie was useful, if... if he lost Chang'an city and his foothold, all of this would be meaningless!
"General Xiahou!" Understanding this point, Li Jue cupped his hands and bowed to Xiahou Dun. "Hmph, until we meet again!"
With that said, Li Jue decisively gave the order.
"Return to Chang'an! Save Chang'an!"
Immediately, the twenty thousand Xiliang cavalry turned their horses and galloped away!
As he left, Li Jue did not forget to look back at Xiahou Dun, secretly thinking.
"This man possesses both wisdom and courage, not to be underestimated!"
Possessing both wisdom and courage...
It was fortunate that Xiahou Dun did not hear these words.
Otherwise, Xiahou Dun would surely have been so excited that he couldn't close his eyes for three days. Perhaps in his entire life, he would never know that someone had once evaluated him as "possessing both wisdom and courage"!
"Hahahaha..."
Watching the Xiliang army retreat, Xiahou Dun burst into laughter.
He reined in his horse and returned to the formation, not forgetting to wink at Xun You. "Military Advisor Xun, haha, how about it... is my second brother's rhetoric unmatched in the world?"
Wow, they really retreated.
Xun You also chuckled, clearly having overestimated Li Jue.
As expected, dealing with such an unintelligent person, he had overcomplicated things. Speaking of which, Lu Yu's thinking was just right. To deal with Li Jue, one had to lower their intelligence to his level and then defeat him with rich experience.
He had learned something. This time... Xun You felt he had learned something.
...
...
Da da da.
Hoofbeats echoed on Mount Mangdang.
Cao Cao's cavalry was galloping, with Cao Cao himself leading the charge, inspiring this weary army.
"Report... Duke Cao!"
A scout galloped over.
Cao Cao reined in his warhorse, his expression extremely solemn. "What is the situation? Can Yuan Rang and Zi Lian withstand the charge of the Xiliang cavalry?"
Deep down, Cao Cao was worried...
Infantry versus cavalry, after a few charges, any formation was nonsense.
He could not understand why, with Xun You in the Third Battalion, Yuan Rang could still act so recklessly. Was this not a gratuitous sacrifice of five thousand soldiers' lives?
"Duke Cao..." the scout said loudly, "The Xiliang's twenty thousand cavalry have withdrawn..."
Withdrawn? What? Withdrawn?
Cao Cao was utterly bewildered... "Halt..." he cried out.
Immediately, several thousand troops halted their horses...
Cao Cao's mind was filled with question marks. He looked suspiciously at the scout. "You mean? Yuan Rang and Zi Lian defeated Li Jue's twenty thousand Xiliang cavalry?"
As soon as these words left his mouth, he found them incredible...
Five thousand against twenty thousand, infantry against cavalry, and on open terrain!
Even with Gongda's most ingenious deployment, could there be such a great victory?
"Duke Cao, General Yuan Rang alone parleyed with Li Jue on the battlefield. After the parley, the Xiliang army completely withdrew, and our army achieved victory without fighting!"
Wow...
Victory without fighting? Cao Cao felt a bit stunned. His chest heaved, as if he had heard something incredibly unbelievable.
But...
This was not the most unbelievable part. His cousin, Xiahou Dun, what kind of eloquence did he have? What kind of brain?
Cao Cao knew very well!
If it were Xun You who persuaded the enemy with his tongue, Cao Cao would believe it. But... his cousin Xiahou Dun? With his brain... with his ineloquent mouth, how was that possible?
This time...
Cao Cao's brow was even more furrowed with question marks.
"Congratulations, Duke Cao!" Mao Jie was still the first to react. "Li Jue has retreated. Yang Feng and the others are too preoccupied with fighting for territory to pay attention to the Emperor. Now, when you welcome the Emperor, no one will stand in your way! You must proceed to Luoyang!"
Upon hearing this...
Cao Cao snapped back to reality. As Mao Jie said, now was not the time to ponder his cousin Xiahou Dun's brain.
The urgent matter was to reach Luoyang and welcome the Emperor!
"Order the entire army to change course for Luoyang!"
With that said, Cao Cao intended to lead the way down the mountain path towards Luoyang.
"Report..."
Another scout arrived. "Reporting to Duke Cao, a Xuanjia cavalry unit has already entered Luoyang ahead of us!"
Hmm, Xuanjia cavalry?
This...
Cao Cao was taken aback. Xuanjia cavalry? What was going on? Could it be that besides him, other lords were also coveting Luoyang, and had even sent troops?
"Can you ascertain whose cavalry it is?" Cao Cao asked urgently.
"Reporting to Duke Cao, the banner bears the words 'Long Xiao'!" the scout replied truthfully...
Long Xiao!
Yu'er's Long Xiao Battalion?
According to previous intelligence, they had only reached Runan City ten days ago? How... how did they get to Luoyang so quickly?
What about Runan City? Was the city captured?
This was Cao Cao's first question mark...
But following closely were more question marks, and even more question marks...
Runan City was at least seven to eight hundred li away from Luoyang. Apart from Xiahou Yuan and Cao Chun's Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, which were known for their swift marches, "five hundred in three days, a thousand in six days," was the Long Xiao Battalion also this fast?
That's right...
As Cao Cao stated, the fastest units in the Cao camp were Xiahou Yuan's forces, known as "five hundred in three days, a thousand in six days."
But... besides Xiahou Yuan's "divine speed," there was another "thousand-li steed" in the Cao camp!
In terms of speed, the Long Xiao Battalion was no weaker than Xiahou Miaocai's "Leopard" cavalry.
"Reporting to Duke Cao..." the scout continued, "Runan has been captured by the Long Xiao Battalion. More than thirty thousand people surrendered in Runan City. Now, the city banner proudly displays the character 'Cao', awaiting Duke Cao to send officials to take over!"
"General Cao Xiu of the Long Xiao Battalion specifically mentioned that when entering Luoyang, their Long Xiao Battalion will lead the way for Duke Cao's army!"
This...
Runan City was captured? So... quickly?
The key point was, over thirty thousand people surrendered? How... how was this achieved?
Keep in mind that the Long Xiao Battalion had only a little over seven hundred men. Cao Cao's original intention was for the Long Xiao Battalion to simply block the northward movement from Runan Commandery, and he would then return to support them after welcoming the Emperor.
But... but...
This was truly a pleasant surprise!
The Long Xiao Battalion, no... Yu'er had brought him, Cao Cao, great surprises!
After a brief moment of astonishment...
"Haha... hahahaha!"
Cao Cao burst into hearty laughter. The urgent matter was not the time to ponder Yu'er's surprises.
Now, the situation of welcoming the Emperor was gradually becoming clearer and moving in a positive direction.
Li Jue's army had retreated, Runan City had been captured, the forces of Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan had converged with his Cao Cao's forces... and even the Long Xiao Battalion had entered Luoyang City.
Then.
Who could now resist the might of the Cao camp!
Luoyang City, haha, a little rabbit outside Luoyang, transformed into a fierce tiger upon entering Luoyang!
Emperor of Han, all the court officials, I, Cao Cao, am here!
As his laughter subsided, Cao Cao shouted, "The Long Xiao Battalion has entered Luoyang, we cannot fall too far behind. Full speed ahead!"
"Yes..."
The deafening roar echoed through the heavens.
"Da da da..."
Hoofbeats sounded once more on Mount Mangdang...
The Cao camp army's might was directed towards Luoyang. The great undertaking of King Wu of Wei was about to set sail at this moment!
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