Just as the siege of Luoyang was about to be decided, thirty miles outside the city, Xu Huang, leading a hundred thousand troops to intercept the Reinforcement Alliance, encountered the main force.
However, given Zhang Bao's order to delay, Xu Huang did not immediately engage in battle. While the infantry held the rear, Xu Huang personally led two thousand cavalry to the front.
"Opponents, you are late. Luoyang has already been taken by us!"
"What?!"
As Xu Huang's words fell, the generals on the opposite side, who were about to order an attack, were in an uproar.
"This is impossible!"
"Scoundrel!"
"Don't spout nonsense!"
"Luoyang has a strong defense with walls and a garrison of fifty thousand. How could it be taken so quickly?"
"Enough!"
Hearing the commotion around him, Lu Zhi waved his hand and personally rode to the front.
"If Luoyang had truly fallen, you would undoubtedly be indulging in pleasure, not still here intercepting us!"
"You..."
Xu Huang was taken aback. He hadn't expected this fellow to be so insightful.
Indeed! If Luoyang had fallen at this moment, even if they weren't indulging in pleasure, they would be at Luoyang, awaiting reinforcements, not here intercepting them.
Of course! Although Xu Huang inwardly agreed with Lu Zhi's reasoning, a cold smile appeared on his face.
"With such formidable enemies before us, how could we possibly indulge in pleasure?"
"Rest assured!"
"After we send you and that dog emperor to reunion, we will naturally go and enjoy ourselves!"
"Oh, right!"
Speaking of which, Xu Huang seemed to remember something, and a cold smile appeared on his face.
"I knew you wouldn't believe it, but it's fine. I have prepared a grand gift for you!"
"Someone!"
"Bring him out!"
With a grand wave of Xu Huang's hand, several Yellow Turban rebels behind him carried a flagpole forward.
And at the top of the flagpole, a young man in ornate clothing was tied.
"???"
"This..."
Lu Zhi, the first to clearly see the man's face, could no longer control his expression.
Yuan Shu?!
How could it be Yuan Shu?!
Could it be that...
Thinking that Luoyang might indeed have fallen, Lu Zhi's heart clenched.
Had the Han Dynasty, the Great Han, truly fallen?
While Lu Zhi was in a daze, the generals behind him also noticed something was amiss.
Yuan Shu?!
The one tied to the flagpole for a sacrificial ceremony, was he the legitimate second son of the Yuan family?
For a moment, some were gloating, some were worried, and some wished they could clap their hands in delight.
"Damn it~!"
Despite his heart blooming with joy, Yuan Shao was the first to step forward.
"Quickly release my brother, or I will make you pay dearly!"
"Heh heh..."
Hearing Yuan Shao's threat, Xu Huang curled his lips and cast a disdainful glance at him.
"Young Master Yuan, if you want to laugh, go ahead. We won't say anything!"
"However..."
"I hope you can still laugh when you see the corpses of your entire Yuan family!"
"???"
Yuan Shao and the others, who had almost burst out laughing, suddenly came back to their senses.
What the hell?
Something is wrong!
Since even Yuan Shu was captured, could Luoyang really have been breached?
Thinking of this, it wasn't just Yuan Shao and the powerful families like Yang Biao, but even ordinary soldiers began to lose morale.
After all, they had traveled thousands of miles to be here for the sole purpose of saving the emperor!
And what was the result?
From the words of the Yellow Turban rebel before them, it seemed the emperor had already been killed?
Then what was the point of them reinforcing the king?
The Han Dynasty was gone!
Fortunately, these soldiers were accustomed to following orders, so there wasn't much of an impact for the time being.
But the generals were different!
Even if they weren't sure if Xu Huang was telling the truth, Yuan Shu was still hanging there.
This already confirmed seventy to eighty percent of it!
In Luoyang, in the entire Han Dynasty, who didn't know that the second son of the Yuan family was a coward?
If Luoyang hadn't been breached, how could they have captured him?
"No!"
"This is wrong!"
Just as the generals were lost in their own thoughts, Lu Zhi was the first to awaken from his grief.
"Everyone, do not be deceived by the words of these bandits. Luoyang has definitely not been taken by them!"
"Hm?"
Hearing this, Yuan Shao quickly leaned over and pointed at Yuan Shu swaying on the flagpole.
"Lord Lu, my brother is still hanging there. Is this also fake?"
"Hmph~!"
Glancing at Yuan Shu on the flagpole, who had a pleading expression, Lu Zhi coldly shook his head.
"This is precisely the biggest problem!"
"Think about it!"
"If those bandits had truly captured Luoyang, would they need to waste their time explaining to us?"
"And specifically bring the second son of the Yuan family?"
"This only shows they are guilty! They are trying to scare us with the second son of the Yuan family, whom they captured from somewhere!"
"This..."
As Lu Zhi's words fell, everyone present nodded in realization.
Indeed! Xu Huang was too eager to explain!
As Lu Zhi said, if the Yellow Turban rebels had truly captured Luoyang, there would be no need for him to explain.
Even more so, they wouldn't need to come out and intercept; they could simply wait at Luoyang!
And now, not only did they send a large army to intercept, but they also brought the second son of the Yuan family to explain. Wasn't this a case of "protesting too much"?
"Damn it!"
Yang Biao, who was most concerned about his father's safety, couldn't help but curse.
"I was almost fooled by this fellow?!"
"No!"
"If I don't kill this guy here today, I can't quell my anger!"
"Lord Lu..."
Saying that, Yang Biao looked up at Lu Zhi, his tone filled with seriousness.
"Give the order!"
"Only by defeating these people in front of us can we reach Luoyang faster!"
"Yes!"
"Lord Lu, give the order, just crush them with the army!"
"Right, right..."
"..."
Glancing at the few who were clamoring for an order, Lu Zhi pointed towards the flagpole.
"Although Luoyang has not fallen, the second son of the Yuan family is indeed hanging up there!"
"This..."
Meeting Lu Zhi's probing gaze, those who had just been clamoring to attack fell silent.
Even Yang Biao was the same!
Although he desperately wanted to directly tell Lu Zhi to kill Yuan Shu, he couldn't!
Setting aside the fact that his Yang family and the Yuan family were old friends, even if they weren't, he couldn't say such a thing.
What if the Yuan family blamed him, Yang Biao, for this later?
It wouldn't be worth the loss!
Moreover,
Didn't the Yuan family have someone present? Why should he, an outsider, speak?
Considering this,
The generals present turned their gazes to the somewhat stunned Yuan Shao.
Those who were close to Yuan Shao, like Old Cao, directly spoke:
"Young Master Yuan, what should we do? Do you have a plan?"
"Ah?"
"Me?"
Facing the subtle glances of everyone, Yuan Shao began to panic.
How could this be?
Don't tease me!
What am I supposed to say?
Even though I wish that guy would die immediately, he can't die at my hands!
Despite Yuan Shao's immense reluctance, as the only person from the Yuan family present, he had to make a decision.
He couldn't possibly order everyone to retreat just because of Yuan Shu.
To put it bluntly,
Let alone Yuan Shu,
Even if Yuan Wei, the elder of the Yuan family, were tied up there, they would still fight as they should.
As for past favors of promotion?
Don't be ridiculous!
When you're about to die, what's the point of settling scores with you?
Therefore,
After a difficult swallow, Yuan Shao said with a dry voice,
"Then, then... Lord Lu, you give the order!"
"Are you sure?"
"..."
Glancing at the earnest Lu Zhi, Yuan Shao nodded almost through gritted teeth.
"Sure!"
"That's good!"
Ignoring Yuan Shao's resentful gaze, Lu Zhi raised his hand and said to the messenger.
"The entire army... advance!"
"Dong~!"
"Dong~!"
"Dong~!"
With Lu Zhi's order, the war drums of the Reinforcement Alliance suddenly sounded.
Immediately after,
Led by ten thousand fully armed spearmen, the army slowly began to move.
"What the hell?"
"You're serious?"
Seeing that Yuan Shu alone couldn't intimidate the other side, Xu Huang's side was unconcerned.
"Let him go!"
"Yes!"
Hearing Xu Huang's command, a few Yellow Turban rebels immediately untied Yuan Shu's ropes.
"Second son of the Yuan family, as you can see, they don't want you to live!"
Xu Huang, holding a heavy axe, said to Yuan Shu with a cold smile.
"Do you want me to split you in half with my axe, or will you lead the charge in front?"
"Ah?"
Yuan Shu, who had thought he was doomed to die, immediately perked up.
"Charge!"
"I will charge!"
"As soon as you give the order, I will lead my men to kill them!"
"Very good~!"
Xu Huang smiled with satisfaction and waved to his personal guard.
"Take the young master Yuan to the vanguard and let him charge with the suicide squad!"
"Yes!"
The personal guard who received the order cupped his hands and pushed Yuan Shu forward.
What is the vanguard?
It's the army at the very front!
What is the suicide squad?
To put it bluntly, they are cannon fodder!
When Yuan Shu was brought here, he almost cursed Xu Huang to death in his heart!
What is this?
He genuinely wanted to lead the Yellow Turban rebels to fight Lu Zhi and his men, didn't he?
And yet,
You're preparing to use me as cannon fodder?
Isn't that a waste?
Too bad!
Even though Yuan Shu's resentment reached the heavens, it couldn't change the fact that he would become cannon fodder.
And what's more, it was in front of the Reinforcement Alliance!
Now what?
Looking at the conspicuous figure in the cannon fodder group, the generals were once again dumbfounded.
What to do?
Rescue or not rescue?
If they were too eager to rescue Luoyang, and the Yellow Turban rebels harmed Yuan Shu, then they could use the cruelty of the Yellow Turban rebels as an excuse.
But now?
The damned Yellow Turban rebels actually mixed the second son of the Yuan family into the cannon fodder and sent him over?
What is to be done?
If they rescue him,
The offensive momentum of the Reinforcement Alliance would inevitably be affected, and they might even be given an opportunity to break through.
But if they don't rescue him?
Could it be,
They would just watch the second son of the Yuan family be killed by their own soldiers?
That doesn't seem appropriate, does it?
Besides,
After the previous incident, the soldiers on the front line had mostly recognized this second son of the Yuan family.
It wasn't even certain whether they would act!
What if, because they held back, the Yellow Turban rebels managed to break through...