On the battlements of Puyang City's South Gate.
The defenses here appeared lax on the surface, but in reality... arrows and log piles were already in place, countless archers stood ready, and the clan leader of the Tian family stood on the ramparts, his gaze heavy, as if preoccupied.
Not far behind him, Chen Gong had already arrived, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the sky, as if sensing the gentle breeze.
Since April, the weather had considerably eased. The piercing winds of the night had turned into a gentle breeze, and letting it caress one's face was quite pleasant.
Speaking of which, in stark contrast to the hidden, chilling killing intent around them, Chen Gong appeared exceptionally calm.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
A series of extremely rapid footsteps reached everyone's ears.
Countless eyes turned towards the city stairs, and a figure clad in silver and red appeared before them. Lu Bu, wearing his distinctive armor, gripped his Fangtian Huaji, which exuded a chilling killing intent under the moonlight...
The sword hanging from his tiger-striped sash was particularly striking.
Although he did not wear a lord's cloak today, the iron-blooded aura of slaughter honed over decades on the Yanmen battlefield was enough to make the guards present hold their breath.
Likewise, he was now poised for action, vowing to avenge the past shame of his great defeat in Chenliu Commandery.
"Why isn't Lord Wen at the ambush? Why are you on the battlements?" Chen Gong asked upon seeing Lu Bu.
"Sir..." Lu Bu's eyes were quite serious. "The first half of the night is almost over, and there's been no movement from Cao's camp. Will they really come?"
"Wait a little longer," Chen Gong remained as unhurried as ever. "Unless Cao Cao has found new provisions, he will not pass up this opportunity..."
Chen Gong's eyes narrowed, and his brows furrowed, his entire demeanor conveying utter certainty.
Sensing that Lu Bu's worried expression had not diminished, Chen Gong tiptoed and gently patted his shoulder. "Have no fear, Fengxian. No one in this world understands Cao Cao better than I!"
Indeed, Chen Gong was the first to see through Cao Cao, and the first to truly comprehend him.
It was at this very moment...
"Swish..."
A small cluster of torches appeared in Cao's camp, and then... it was clearly visible that Cao's troops were rapidly assembling towards the South Gate.
"They're here... they're here..."
This time, Chen Gong was the first to become excited, his previous calm vanishing, his entire being now brimming with fervor.
Finally... finally, this day had come.
He, Chen Gong, had the opportunity to defeat Cao Cao, to capture Cao Cao, and to prove to Cao Cao that his path was the correct one!
At this moment, Lu Bu was stunned, and not just him; the armored soldiers who had been lying in ambush for most of the night were all dumbfounded...
Cao's army, no... Cao Cao himself had truly come? And was attacking towards the South Gate!
Was he... about to fall into this pre-arranged ambush?
After a brief moment of astonishment, Lu Bu and the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry all heightened their alertness. Every person in the ambush held a burning anger within their hearts.
How miserable they had been when trapped in Chenliu Commandery, ambushed from all sides. Today, their anger was tenfold!
In their subconscious, Cao's army must also feel pain, must feel that despair!
"Lord Wen..." Chen Gong's final instruction was, "Cao Cao will be here soon... hurry and prepare. This battle must result in Cao Cao's capture alive!"
Capture alive...
This was Chen Gong's plea to Lu Bu, and also Chen Gong's fervent hope.
How he wished for the day he could stand tall, watching a bound Cao Cao kneeling before him.
Then, Chen Gong would point at Cao Cao's nose and tell him he was wrong, that his mistake lay in uttering those words – "I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me!"
His greater mistake was in causing Chen Gong to transition from loyalty to betrayal.
"My lord is a divine strategist. In this battle, I will surely capture Cao Cao and present him to you, to do with as you please!"
"Lord Wen, you must remember this," Chen Gong turned around, no longer discussing the previous topic, but speaking with great seriousness. "Capturing Cao Cao alive is not just for me. You must know, a living Cao Cao can at least be exchanged for half of Yan Province's cities!"
Hoh... exchanging Cao Cao for cities and territories in Yan Province?
Upon hearing this, Lu Bu's admiration for Chen Gong deepened, even to the point of prostration. Lord Gongtai was playing a grand game!
Bowing his hands, Lu Bu swiftly ran down the battlements. This night was destined to be a great battle.
...
...
In Cao's camp, countless armored soldiers were rapidly assembling. Ostensibly, the three armies were gathering towards the South Gate.
However, in reality... more troops and siege weapons were being quietly transported to the other three city gates.
Moreover, Cao Cao executed this with great secrecy. The hooves of every horse were wrapped in cloth, and even the mouths of every horse were muzzled.
He further ordered that, apart from the armored soldiers gathered at the South Gate, no torchlight was to be revealed anywhere else.
Watching the army advance in an orderly fashion.
Cao Cao narrowed his eyes... He surveyed Lu Yu beside him, and then glanced at the seven hundred Long Xiao Camp cavalry poised behind Lu Yu. "Officer Lu, is it really okay for the Long Xiao Camp to go to the South Gate?"
As he spoke, Cao Cao felt concerned for Lu Yu, and for the Long Xiao Camp.
"Lord Cao, rest assured," Lu Yu smiled faintly...
The reason Cao Cao asked this question and Lu Yu answered this way was because... in this great battle.
Lu Yu had volunteered, asking for the Long Xiao Camp to attack the South Gate, to willingly fall into Lu Bu's heavy ambush, thereby delaying the enemy's main force and buying time for the soldiers attacking the other city gates.
Logically speaking, the Long Xiao Camp cavalry were all fellow villagers from Cao Cao's Qiao and Pei regions, and Cao Cao did not wish for them to be sent to their deaths... but Lu Yu's eyes were too firm...
"I believe in the cavalry under my command!"
Lu Yu's reply was as consistent as ever. "If the time is too long... perhaps it won't work, but to hold back Lu Bu's army for an hour, the Long Xiao Camp can still do it!"
Upon saying this, Lu Yu paused, his tone becoming more serious and meticulous. "Lord Cao, the city must be taken within the hour!"
Understood, Cao Cao grasped Lu Yu's meaning...
To put it plainly, the troops heading to the South Gate were the sole sacrifices in this battle, but even as sacrifices, their mission was extremely heavy, requiring them to hold back the enemy!
And to be trapped in a heavy ambush for an hour, this was likely the limit for the Long Xiao Camp cavalry?
If, within this hour, the other three city gates were breached, and reinforcements from various camps arrived to aid the Long Xiao cavalry... perhaps they would still have a sliver of hope.
However...
Cao Cao could never understand why Yu'er had volunteered for this mission...
It was obvious that this would result in heavy casualties!
"Really, don't you need to lead the troops yourself?" Cao Cao pondered for a long time before inquiring.
"It would be more dangerous for Lord Cao to go. Leave it to General Cao Xiu and Commander Dian... The Long Xiao Camp cavalry have been waiting for this day," Lu Yu replied immediately...
Yes...
The Long Xiao Camp was equipped with fine steel halberds, steel sabers, and steel armor, and was constantly drilled by the martial arts instructor Dian Wei. In just a few months, they had transformed!
Now... they were all eager to go to battle, to achieve great merits, and to bring glory to their families.
But in reality, under Lu Yu's command, let alone the battlefield.
...even fighting mountain bandits, Cao Cao was reluctant to send them!
With their fine equipment and full of strength... they were usually bullied by Dian Wei, and now they wanted to bully others!
Therefore... this time, it wasn't Lu Yu who actively requested the mission from Cao Cao...
Rather, it was the entire Long Xiao Camp, from top to bottom, all seven hundred soldiers, who requested it from Lu Yu.
Seeing their expectant faces, Lu Yu could not bear to dampen their enthusiasm. Since they wanted to fight, then let them fight...
For this purpose, before the assembly, Lu Yu personally stir-fried several large pots of locusts for them, wishing them "flying locusts" of success after this battle!
Hoo...
Cao Cao let out a heavy sigh. He placed his hand on Lu Yu's shoulder. "Since you are so insistent, I will say no more. I need to deploy the other three city gates personally. The South Gate is left to you!"
"I will not fail my mission!" Lu Yu bowed...
Cao Cao patted Lu Yu's shoulder again, nodded, and then mounted his horse... leading a group of personal guards towards the West Gate.
The West Gate of Puyang City was the closest gate to the South Gate. Whether it could be captured first was crucial to the night's great battle!
Watching Cao Cao gradually ride away...
Lu Yu turned and walked towards the seven hundred Long Xiao Camp cavalry. They had not yet mounted their horses, and the fine steel halberds in each of their hands glinted chillingly under the moonlight.
Hoo...
Lu Yu let out a light breath and then ordered, "Mount the horse armor!"
That's right. In addition to forging fine steel weapons and armor, the forging workshop had also forged seven hundred sets of iron horse armor according to Lu Yu's blueprints.
To be honest, the forging of this horse armor... had caused "little forging genius" Cao Mu to lose a lot of hair, all from worry night after night.
It should be known that the forging of horse armor was many times more complex than that of human armor.
Each horse required six pieces of protective gear to be forged...
The "face veil" protecting the horse's head; the "chicken neck" protecting the horse's neck; the "chest guard" protecting the horse's chest;
The "body armor" protecting the torso; the "hindquarters protection" protecting the horse's rump; and the "parasite" standing on the tail, totaling six parts.
The reason steel was not used was that Lu Yu and Cao Mu had tested it... steel armor was too heavy, posing a great burden on the horses.
However... even iron horse armor was considered advanced for this era.
According to ancient texts, fully armed "armored cavalry" did not appear until the Sixteen Kingdoms period to the Northern and Southern Dynasties.
Lu Yu had drawn it out in advance, and the forging workshop had put in great effort to create it, the purpose... was nothing more than to protect these seven hundred brothers!
In Lu Yu's opinion... if, one day, the Long Xiao cavalry were forced onto the battlefield...
Given Lu Yu's timid nature, he would naturally try to stay as far away as possible.
Therefore, Lu Yu could only reduce casualties in this manner...
One was armor, the other was horse armor. For cavalry, as long as the horse survived, the chance of the rider surviving would greatly increase.
This was all Lu Yu could do. With dual armor, the brothers... their fate would be left to heaven!
In a short time, the seven hundred Long Xiao Camp armored soldiers had fitted the horse armor onto their warhorses. Except for the ears, eyes, mouth, nose, legs, and tail, the entire body of the warhorse was protected by black armor...
However, in the pitch-black night, it was difficult to discern what the warhorses were wearing.
Watching the Long Xiao Camp armored soldiers stand ready.
Hoo...
Lu Yu let out another breath.
He didn't say many sentimental words; Cao Xiu was much better at boosting morale than him.
However... Lu Yu walked up to Dian Wei, his voice low as he asked, "Are the horses okay?"
"Lord Cao's horses are naturally good horses... but these horses are unruly and won't let us put on their armor!" Dian Wei replied...
Is that so...
Lu Yu paused slightly.
The horse in front of Dian Wei was not the one he usually rode, but Cao Cao's mount...
Many people in Cao's camp recognized this horse, and some people on Lu Bu's side also recognized it!
Due to the special plan for tonight, Dian Wei was to ride Cao Cao's horse.
"Young Master Lu, actually, this cloak isn't comfortable either... it's too small!"
Dian Wei was also wearing Cao Cao's cloak, which completely concealed his broad and sturdy physique and the steel armor beneath it... only it was a bit small, and it was almost failing to conceal it!
At close range, the flaw would be obvious.
But at a distance... everyone would feel that the rider of the yellow horse with the red cloak was Cao Cao!
"Commander Dian, this time you are allowed to use that iron thing..." Lu Yu continued to speak...
Ah...
Dian Wei was stunned and immediately scratched his head, not quite understanding for a moment...
But seeing Lu Yu point to the bundle beside him, he suddenly understood.
"Those stirrups... haha..." Dian Wei was overjoyed. He had grown accustomed to iron stirrups many times. This item greatly enhanced his riding skills, but for some reason, Young Master Lu did not want them revealed!
"With these stirrups, I feel much more at ease. Let alone one Lu Bu brat, even two more, and I wouldn't fear him!"
"Haha..." Lu Yu laughed... Tonight, Chen Gong was playing a grand game, but wasn't Lu Yu also playing a grand game?
Seeing that Dian Wei was fully equipped...
Lu Yu nodded, muttering to himself, Go, Pikachu... ah, no, that's wrong, Go, the ancient villain!
Today, it's unleashing the dogs, but who is the dog and who is the one biting, who knows?
"Brothers, if you return alive, I will hold a celebration for you!" Lu Yu felt he was not good with words, and after much thought, could only say this much...
But this much was enough.
"We... will not fail our mission! We will not fail Young Master Lu's name!" The synchronized voices of the Long Xiao Camp armored soldiers were deafening, echoing through heaven and earth.
In a word,
"Get up"... the warhorses neighed!
The sound of "dada dada" hooves broke the silence of the night...
Outside Puyang City, only the South Gate side was thundering with momentum. Today... at the South Gate, they were heading into the tiger's den despite knowing the danger!
...
...
That night, within Puyang City's South Gate, flames filled the sky, and the entire city gate was engulfed in a raging fire!
This fire was set by the three thousand Qingzhou soldiers who entered the South Gate along with the Long Xiao Camp...
The Long Xiao cavalry were too few, only seven hundred people. This would arouse suspicion.
Therefore, in addition to the seven hundred cavalry, Cao Cao had allocated another three thousand Qingzhou soldiers, led by Cao Xiu.
Roaring flames...
This was Cao Cao and the Tian family's original plan – to use fire as a signal, and at the same time... this was deliberately done by Cao Xiu, who wanted to tell his soldiers that with the city gate ablaze, there was no turning back. This battle was a do-or-die effort!
Entering the South Gate at this moment... the person leading the way, clad in a red cloak and riding a brownish-yellow warhorse, was the "Cao Cao"!
The Puyang Tian family, colluding from within, had appeared, and the secret signals had been matched. However... at the same time, countless Bingzhou soldiers emerged from every street and alley, along with a sky full of arrows!
"Cao Aman, I never thought you would be so foolish, walking into my Chen Gong's ten-sided ambush without realizing it, and even burning the city gate, hahaha... Today, you are trapped with no escape!"
"Damn it... we've fallen into a trap!"
Cao Xiu said this, but his heart was not panicked at all. In fact... his peripheral vision even glanced at the "Cao Cao" beside him... but this "Cao Cao" was indeed too large; his wrist was almost as thick as Cao Xiu's thigh.
This was unimportant! Chen Gong, in the darkness of the night, could not notice this!
Of course, the ambush was expected...
Therefore, what they needed to do next was to hold back the enemy.
However, the three thousand Qingzhou soldiers were unaware of this, and they were all somewhat flustered!
"Soldiers, do not panic. Everything is within the expectations of Lord Cao and Officer Lu. Today... we will fight to the death here, awaiting reinforcements! If I die, the deputy commander will take charge. If the deputy commander dies, the chiliarch will take charge. If the chiliarch dies, there are still the centurions, decurions, and even each of you Long Xiao Camp cavalrymen and Qingzhou soldiers!"
"There is no coward here. As long as we do not fall, Puyang City will surely be taken today. Today's battle is to advance, not retreat! If the front army retreats, the rear army may execute them immediately. If I, Cao Xiu, retreat, you may also execute me!"
"All soldiers, follow me and kill!"
As he spoke, the sound of hooves echoed. Seven hundred fine steel halberds, seven hundred fully armored steel-clad cavalrymen charged towards the enemies from all sides, and in an instant, the sounds of killing were earth-shattering!
The Qingzhou soldiers were still a bit bewildered. Had they fallen into an ambush? Why did it feel like... the enemy had fallen into an ambush? As for the Long Xiao Camp knights, let them fight, but why were they roaring like that?
The Qingzhou soldiers could not understand...
For months, the soldiers of the Long Xiao Camp were either tormented by Dian Wei or adapting to these fine steel halberds and steel armor...
It was like having full divine equipment, dealing 999 damage with one blow...
Yet, there were no monsters for them to hack at. Were they bored?
It was beyond mere boredom; it was emptiness. Emptiness, loneliness, coldness!
Finally, today, they could verify their martial arts progress and the improvements of their divine weapons. Weren't they all eager to try?
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
The seven hundred Long Xiao Camp cavalrymen clashed with five thousand Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry.
Logically, this should have been a difficult battle, but... the Long Xiao Camp cavalry remained fearless.
The seven hundred soldiers, their generous and valiant spirit shook the heavens, directly drowning out the enemy's roars. The soaring killing intent spread, making the five thousand Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry's breathing rapid, as if they were facing not seven hundred men, but tens of thousands of Tiger Leopard Cavalry.
Lu Bu's army only knew the might of the Tiger Leopard Cavalry, but they did not know... the bravery of the Long Xiao Cavalry was no less than that of the Tiger Leopard Cavalry!
Under the dark night, in the city of Puyang.
The sharp edges were plated with a golden light by the moonlight, and they began to flash continuously on the ground.
Almost simultaneously...
Tens of thousands of Cao's soldiers appeared at the East, West, and North gates of Puyang City, and this marked the beginning of the siege battle!
"All troops, charge! Take Puyang City!"
Cao Cao, mounted on his warhorse, commanded the troops to charge. Ladders were already in position, and siege engines advanced at the fastest possible speed.
And at this moment... the Bingzhou soldiers stationed on the East, West, and North city walls combined numbered no more than a thousand.
How could they withstand the fierce assault of over thirty thousand Cao's soldiers?
"One hour! Breach the city!" Cao Cao looked at the sky, his voice icy and leaving no room for doubt!
At this moment... looking down from the heavens, streaks of fire rose from all around Puyang City, like rolling waves crashing upon the earth, causing the very ground bearing the city walls to tremble.
...
...